We had a bunch of rain yesterday - rained non stop all morning while I picked 40 lbs of snow peas (which is a lot because they are very light). Today, we played with friends up North and then came home to nap (well Sadie napped for 45 minutes while I tried to do paperwork) and then it started to get stormy - we think NY side got the brunt of it - it sure looked gnarly and scary. All the seeds we planted this week - winter squash, beans, flowers and potatoes should be really well drenched.
Speaking of drenched - Adam found some nice grey clay while digging a hole for a bird that passed away. This clay we will use for our earthen oven which we hope to start to build very soon. Tomorrow we have market and the market on Saturday in Grand Isle was cancelled due to the holiday (which is a bit of a bummer because people still need to eat and the veggies don't know its a holiday) oh well - we have a TON of peas to pick - all varities sugar snap, snow, and english shelling peas - oy, my back...
Welcome to our Farm! Little stories about our life as organic farmers raising a family on an island in the middle of Lake Champlain
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
CSA newsletter Week 4
So what’s happening on the farm this week?
CSA Week 4: Well, be careful what you wish for – we got a good chunk of rain on Friday – I call it a chunk because chucks of the sky decided to fall and shred and make their mark on our little farm. These little chunks of “heaven” or nickel/quarter size snowballs from New York made the chard a bit holey along with the squash and zucchini leaves. Interesting though while I was picking sugar snaps yesterday morning and today, I noticed these little notches in the pea leaves and then – oh god – the peas – so there are little white dents in your sugar snaps this week – perfectly fine to eat – trust me, Sadie, Adam and I have eaten about a pound a piece today – the other peas look okay and some of the lettuce got a little beat up. There is really nothing we can do about NY Hale – we blame NY because it came from the west and I hear the east shore did not get it – you know why because our peas took it on – head on. They are our vegetable heroes.
Speaking of Lettuce – we have done our yearly sacrifice – not on purpose to the d#$#% deer. We thought we were safe – lots of row covers , pea trellises and huge, hot electric. We however did not cover these that I planted in the first week of June (yes Kaight those are the ones I planted while Sadie played with the kids). Ugh! They have eaten the hearts out of 200 ft worth of bed – 4 heads across – every 12 inches – I will let you do the math…Luckily I planted some more by the basil in the front of the field and they seemed not to like that (probably haven’t found it yet). We shouldn’t have a lull for lettuce – well hopefully – because there will be lettuce mix again – and more heads after that. But for this week we will have heads – yum.
We got a ton of work done this week- tomato field almost all mulched , Adam planted 250 lbs of potatoes today, Christine has picked well over 200lbs of sugar snap peas, planted the winter squash, got the blue truck fixed (new water pump, muffler, rear brake, starter) thanks to our great neighbor Glen across the street from the farm, staked tomatoes, planted sunflowers, zinnias, calendula, cosmos and chamomile, managed to teach Sadie how to pick peas and put them in the basket and got Sadie a cool pair of sunglasses (they Velcro in the backJ) thanks to nana. Also, Adam met with some folks from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for a grant to help us install perimeter fencing and help us install a stream crossing to allow animal and equipment access to our field on the other side of a waterway crossing our land. Most likely, the first thing we’ll do with NRCS is establish a grazing plan for our sheep and chickens, or “Conservation Activities Plan.” We should know soon if they will help us out.
On Sunday, Christine and Sadie went to the SH Congregational Church to make a lettuce donation (25 bags of lettuce) and 30lbs of sugar snap peas for Food for Thought. We will be able to help more to provide fresh produce to these families – 31 families in total – with over 70 children. We were able to secure a grant from NOFA-VT and community donations to create a mini farm share for these families - $5.00 of local, grand isle county produce in their basket each week. The coordinators, Kaight and Melissa, will be “shopping” at our farm, Hacketts Orchard and possibly other local farms to buy fresh produce for the families. We have set it up similar to our Senior Shares – so these are Kid SharesJ We are piloting this program this year – first of this in the state and hopefully get more funding next year for bigger shares. The families that are involved are very grateful and excited to be getting such nutrious and thoughtful food – one mom told be yesterday – “real food”. I thought about “real food” and how it sometimes can be a bit more expensive and a bit more work, but wow is it worth it. I am proud we are growing Real Food.
A Family/CSA Cow? We have been thinking about getting a beautiful, sweet Jersey cow from our friend Jonathan who is downsizing his herd. This means we would have certified organic raw milk to sell 10 months of the year. She would produce about 3 gallons a day at least, which adds up! We are weighing the pros and cons, costs and benefits. We would like to know what others think about this- how many CSA folks would buy raw organic milk? Would you enjoy a CSA share approach to buying the milk? Would you want to come learn how to milk her? Would you want to help us with the initial up front costs of acquiring a healthy milk cow? Please give any and all of your thoughts.And again, thanks for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris, Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris
What’s in the share this week: The best Darn Broccoli ever grown on this farm, SUGAR SNAP PEAS, Mammoth Snow Peas, Lettuce Heads, Arugula, Garlic Scapes – English Shelling peas next week.
Looking for….people who would like to get their hands dirty
Anyone who would like to help transplant, weed, plant, harvest, we’ll provide food and drink and plenty of Sadie smiles and laughs– give us a call – 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com. We would love to have youJ We are also looking for volunteers During the week Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings – if you are a working share member these would be great times to come and help.
Eggs for sale
We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown, green and blue – with the brightest yellow yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a dozen. Our chickens are the best tillers/fertilizers on the farmJ
RECIPES
Garlic scapes are the curlicue flower stalks we snap off garlic plants in the spring to redirect the plant’s energy down toward the root. Store unwashed garlic scapes in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
You can eat the whole scape including the flower bud – you can chop, slice,dice the whole thingJ You can add sliced scapes to any stir fry recipe. -Slice and sprinkle over any pasta, or slice and cook them in almost any sauce recipe. -Great in guacamole and fresh salsa, too. -Chop & add to softened cream cheese or butter -Add chopped fresh scapes when serving a light garlic soup; can also add them to buttered, french bread floated on the soup. -Use them as you would green onions, they're just better. - Good in salads, on bruschetta, pizza, use for garlic bread. An excellent addition to stocks, pickle them or freeze them.
Garlic Scape Tortilla
1 & 1/2 cups chopped garlic scapes 1/4 cup hot water Salt & Pepper 4 large eggs 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Place garlic in a 10 inch skillet with 1 tsp. oil, 1/4 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook covered over med. high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well. Beat eggs with salt and pepper. Add remaining oil to skillet. When oil is hot, shake skillet to spread greens evenly, add eggs. Cover and cook over med. low heat until top is set [2-3 Minutes].
Roasted Garlic Scapes Take the scapes and put them in a lightly oiled roasting pan, top with salt (kosher or sea salt works best but any will do). Put the loaded and covered pan in a hot (425 °F) oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until they are beginning to turn brown. Serve as a side or main dish. Tastes like roasted garlic but creamier.
Scape pesto
Smooth and flavorful, but in a subtle, garlicky-lemony way.Feel free to improvise – add more or less of any one of these ingredients – you can also add walnuts or pinenuts for an extra flair.• 6-7 garlic scapes, chopped• approx. 1 c. olive oil• 1 c. grated parmesan or asiago cheese* (The latter tastes best.) Food process the scapes and olive oil, which turn a brilliant, if watery-looking, green. Then blend hand with the fresh-grated cheese and pour it over angel-hair pasta, and then garnish with toasted pine nuts, olives, and/or fresh tomatoes or anything else. Garlic scape pesto freezes well.
CSA Week 4: Well, be careful what you wish for – we got a good chunk of rain on Friday – I call it a chunk because chucks of the sky decided to fall and shred and make their mark on our little farm. These little chunks of “heaven” or nickel/quarter size snowballs from New York made the chard a bit holey along with the squash and zucchini leaves. Interesting though while I was picking sugar snaps yesterday morning and today, I noticed these little notches in the pea leaves and then – oh god – the peas – so there are little white dents in your sugar snaps this week – perfectly fine to eat – trust me, Sadie, Adam and I have eaten about a pound a piece today – the other peas look okay and some of the lettuce got a little beat up. There is really nothing we can do about NY Hale – we blame NY because it came from the west and I hear the east shore did not get it – you know why because our peas took it on – head on. They are our vegetable heroes.
Speaking of Lettuce – we have done our yearly sacrifice – not on purpose to the d#$#% deer. We thought we were safe – lots of row covers , pea trellises and huge, hot electric. We however did not cover these that I planted in the first week of June (yes Kaight those are the ones I planted while Sadie played with the kids). Ugh! They have eaten the hearts out of 200 ft worth of bed – 4 heads across – every 12 inches – I will let you do the math…Luckily I planted some more by the basil in the front of the field and they seemed not to like that (probably haven’t found it yet). We shouldn’t have a lull for lettuce – well hopefully – because there will be lettuce mix again – and more heads after that. But for this week we will have heads – yum.
We got a ton of work done this week- tomato field almost all mulched , Adam planted 250 lbs of potatoes today, Christine has picked well over 200lbs of sugar snap peas, planted the winter squash, got the blue truck fixed (new water pump, muffler, rear brake, starter) thanks to our great neighbor Glen across the street from the farm, staked tomatoes, planted sunflowers, zinnias, calendula, cosmos and chamomile, managed to teach Sadie how to pick peas and put them in the basket and got Sadie a cool pair of sunglasses (they Velcro in the backJ) thanks to nana. Also, Adam met with some folks from the Natural Resources Conservation Service for a grant to help us install perimeter fencing and help us install a stream crossing to allow animal and equipment access to our field on the other side of a waterway crossing our land. Most likely, the first thing we’ll do with NRCS is establish a grazing plan for our sheep and chickens, or “Conservation Activities Plan.” We should know soon if they will help us out.
On Sunday, Christine and Sadie went to the SH Congregational Church to make a lettuce donation (25 bags of lettuce) and 30lbs of sugar snap peas for Food for Thought. We will be able to help more to provide fresh produce to these families – 31 families in total – with over 70 children. We were able to secure a grant from NOFA-VT and community donations to create a mini farm share for these families - $5.00 of local, grand isle county produce in their basket each week. The coordinators, Kaight and Melissa, will be “shopping” at our farm, Hacketts Orchard and possibly other local farms to buy fresh produce for the families. We have set it up similar to our Senior Shares – so these are Kid SharesJ We are piloting this program this year – first of this in the state and hopefully get more funding next year for bigger shares. The families that are involved are very grateful and excited to be getting such nutrious and thoughtful food – one mom told be yesterday – “real food”. I thought about “real food” and how it sometimes can be a bit more expensive and a bit more work, but wow is it worth it. I am proud we are growing Real Food.
A Family/CSA Cow? We have been thinking about getting a beautiful, sweet Jersey cow from our friend Jonathan who is downsizing his herd. This means we would have certified organic raw milk to sell 10 months of the year. She would produce about 3 gallons a day at least, which adds up! We are weighing the pros and cons, costs and benefits. We would like to know what others think about this- how many CSA folks would buy raw organic milk? Would you enjoy a CSA share approach to buying the milk? Would you want to come learn how to milk her? Would you want to help us with the initial up front costs of acquiring a healthy milk cow? Please give any and all of your thoughts.And again, thanks for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris, Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris
What’s in the share this week: The best Darn Broccoli ever grown on this farm, SUGAR SNAP PEAS, Mammoth Snow Peas, Lettuce Heads, Arugula, Garlic Scapes – English Shelling peas next week.
Looking for….people who would like to get their hands dirty
Anyone who would like to help transplant, weed, plant, harvest, we’ll provide food and drink and plenty of Sadie smiles and laughs– give us a call – 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com. We would love to have youJ We are also looking for volunteers During the week Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings – if you are a working share member these would be great times to come and help.
Eggs for sale
We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown, green and blue – with the brightest yellow yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a dozen. Our chickens are the best tillers/fertilizers on the farmJ
RECIPES
Garlic scapes are the curlicue flower stalks we snap off garlic plants in the spring to redirect the plant’s energy down toward the root. Store unwashed garlic scapes in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
You can eat the whole scape including the flower bud – you can chop, slice,dice the whole thingJ You can add sliced scapes to any stir fry recipe. -Slice and sprinkle over any pasta, or slice and cook them in almost any sauce recipe. -Great in guacamole and fresh salsa, too. -Chop & add to softened cream cheese or butter -Add chopped fresh scapes when serving a light garlic soup; can also add them to buttered, french bread floated on the soup. -Use them as you would green onions, they're just better. - Good in salads, on bruschetta, pizza, use for garlic bread. An excellent addition to stocks, pickle them or freeze them.
Garlic Scape Tortilla
1 & 1/2 cups chopped garlic scapes 1/4 cup hot water Salt & Pepper 4 large eggs 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Place garlic in a 10 inch skillet with 1 tsp. oil, 1/4 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook covered over med. high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well. Beat eggs with salt and pepper. Add remaining oil to skillet. When oil is hot, shake skillet to spread greens evenly, add eggs. Cover and cook over med. low heat until top is set [2-3 Minutes].
Roasted Garlic Scapes Take the scapes and put them in a lightly oiled roasting pan, top with salt (kosher or sea salt works best but any will do). Put the loaded and covered pan in a hot (425 °F) oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until they are beginning to turn brown. Serve as a side or main dish. Tastes like roasted garlic but creamier.
Scape pesto
Smooth and flavorful, but in a subtle, garlicky-lemony way.Feel free to improvise – add more or less of any one of these ingredients – you can also add walnuts or pinenuts for an extra flair.• 6-7 garlic scapes, chopped• approx. 1 c. olive oil• 1 c. grated parmesan or asiago cheese* (The latter tastes best.) Food process the scapes and olive oil, which turn a brilliant, if watery-looking, green. Then blend hand with the fresh-grated cheese and pour it over angel-hair pasta, and then garnish with toasted pine nuts, olives, and/or fresh tomatoes or anything else. Garlic scape pesto freezes well.
Friday, June 26, 2009
It stormed for 4 hours
Okay, Adam took a walk around the farm and things have holes in them - like the squash, cabbage, brocolli leaves, chard, lettuce - all still very edible - tomorrow at market we'll be selling "Hale Heirloom Chard" "plump sugar snap peas" We were supposed to pick this afternoon but with all the storms going through we did not get back outside until 7:30. So well be getting up in the wee hours to pick for market. All the animals are safe - the chickens did not fly away and the sheep are baaing at us....
Rain, Peas and Yum
So while the rest of the Northeast including many parts of Vermont are getting rain - our little island here in the middle of Lake Champlain has not gotten rain since hmmmm....last week or the week before. When it rains here, it needs to rain significantly to get through the clay based soil - usually the first 1/2 inch is soaked and the rest is still dry. Luckliy or unluckily depending on the season - clay based soil can hold a lot of water - they don't dry up us quickly. Now I know I should not be complaining - I should be happy that the sun is here - but a little rain would do our farm some good since we can not irrigate most of our fields and our source of irrigation is a garden hose, soaker hose and drip tape on the most delicate crops. Hopefully we will get a bit of rain tonight...the chard would love to get a bath.
The peas are coming on strong - 2 out of three varieties are ready to pick - Sugar Ann which is our sugar snap peas and Mamouth Snow Pea - both are yummy - Mammouth is a long slender pea great for stirfrying and the sugar ann is great eating it raw. We have picked about 100lbs of sugar ann so far this week and we estimate we will pick about 50-75 lbs sugar ann today and maybe about 25lbs of snow pea -Sadie is the perfect height for the peas - she eats them like candy. Anyways, we will be bringing them to market in Grand Isle tomorrow - come by and have a snack. Or if you would like to come and pick give us a call..
We made up our brocolli last night with a garlic cream sauce and rotini and as an appetizer garlic scape bread with marinara for dipping. Wowee was it good - the brocolli I chopped up including the stems (diced those up) and out them in the bottom of the strainer and then drained the pasta on them - so they cooked ever so lightly and then tossed them in with the garlic cream sauce. Sadie licked her plate clean -Christine's recipe to follow - need to go out and plant potatoes and pick peas...
The peas are coming on strong - 2 out of three varieties are ready to pick - Sugar Ann which is our sugar snap peas and Mamouth Snow Pea - both are yummy - Mammouth is a long slender pea great for stirfrying and the sugar ann is great eating it raw. We have picked about 100lbs of sugar ann so far this week and we estimate we will pick about 50-75 lbs sugar ann today and maybe about 25lbs of snow pea -Sadie is the perfect height for the peas - she eats them like candy. Anyways, we will be bringing them to market in Grand Isle tomorrow - come by and have a snack. Or if you would like to come and pick give us a call..
We made up our brocolli last night with a garlic cream sauce and rotini and as an appetizer garlic scape bread with marinara for dipping. Wowee was it good - the brocolli I chopped up including the stems (diced those up) and out them in the bottom of the strainer and then drained the pasta on them - so they cooked ever so lightly and then tossed them in with the garlic cream sauce. Sadie licked her plate clean -Christine's recipe to follow - need to go out and plant potatoes and pick peas...
Thursday, June 25, 2009
A Family/CSA Cow?
Hey everyone. Christine and I are thinking about getting a beautiful, sweet Jersey cow from our friend Jonathan who is downsizing his herd. This means we would have certified organic raw milk to sell 10 months of the year. She would produce about 3 gallons a day at least, which adds up! We are weighing the pros and cons, costs and benefits. We would like to know what others think about this- how many CSA folks would buy raw organic milk? Would you enjoy a CSA share approach to buying the milk? Would you want to come learn how to milk her? Would you want to help us with the initial up front costs of acquiring a healthy milk cow? Please give any and all of your thoughts. Thank you.
Adam, Christine, and Sadie
Adam, Christine, and Sadie
Monday, June 22, 2009
Week 3 Journal Posting
So what’s happening on the farm this week?
Happy Solstice! Happy Daddy Day! When we came in for lunch, Adam wanted to write some for the journal – so here he is: Wow- it’s already the third week of CSA pick-ups. We hope everyone has been enjoying all the greens and (mostly) salad stuff that grows really well in the early part of the season. Slowly but surely, despite the cooler than normal weather, all of our plants are growing pretty well. Its an exiting time for us because we see so much potential for happy eaters (and yes, a few bucks at the marketJ) in all those thriving veggies. Another exciting happening on the farm is the much anticipated arrival of our sugar snap pea harvest, and harvesting the best broccoli we have ever grown- thanks to Michael Monley for helping to cut,weigh and photograph the awesome crop! Thank also to Michael’s mom Liz and to Fiona and Ben Case for their help picking peas for the CSA. We also have to thank Sharon Powers for weeding and mulching a good deal of the garlic beds- it looks great. Speaking of garlic, next week we should have garlic scapes! For CSA folks who have not seen or heard of scapes, they are a little false flower stalk that comes up and curls around like a little French horn. If we let them grow, they basically drop little clones on the ground to grow. We pick them off so the plants will put all their effort into bulbs, and we get a yummy garlicky green to chop into our favorite recipes!
For a few years, many people have been asking for a Blue Heron Farm blog or place to find the newsletter online. Well, we just created a blog where we will post the contents of the journal- we’re not sure it will work for this, but it will be fun to try! We will also have a photos posted when the spirit strikes us. We hope folks will visit the blog and leave a note, add a recipe, or just say hi! The link is: www.blueheronfarm-vt.blogspot.com
Okay, I have fed Sadie and I am back, Adam’s turn to eat and play with Sadie – who is serenading us with metal bowls and a metal soup ladle. Thanks also to Christine’s mom and sister Michelle for helping at the farm this weekend and this coming week. Auntie Shelly came up for her usual 24 hour visit and nana is here until Thursday. It is so helpful to have extra hands to play with Sadie and to help around the farm and house. Nana, auntie, Christine and Sadie went to the first South Burlington Farmers Market at Healthy Living yesterday. It was their first on and they are going to have it once a month on the third Sunday of the month. It was great! People were thanking us for being there and a lot of our produce moved, especially the 20 pints of sugar snap peas I picked the night before at dusk – those pints were the only pints at market and we sold them for $4.00 a pint?!! We sold out in a half hour – It’s funny because the peas were an afterthought to bring, I didn’t think they would be ready and I picked as many as I could in a half hour – about 9lbs. My sister wanted to tun back to grand isle – 40 minute drive – pick more and then drive back – after we told her how long it would take – she decided to stay, not happily but she did and played with Sadie and I think she tried to pass her off as her daughter at times. J It was a great little market, thanks to Healthy Living for putting it on. The produce managers were happy and they were eyeing our organic sugar snap peas – they want as many as we can provide but I told him we had a hungry CSA families who we had to feed first and then we would see… J
When I was picking the lettuce mix on Friday morning, Sadie came over and nursed and then fell asleep. I laid her on her belly ontop of the Ergo baby carrier and then put my large straw hat over her. She was just sprawled out – in the middle of the lettuce bed – sound asleep. We took many pictures of this – this is the first time she has actually slept in the field. I will try to post a picture on our blog.
We are excited to be donating again this year to Food for Thought – the summer breakfast and lunch program for children and their families in Grand Isle County. We have donated almost 100 heads of lettuce over the last two weeks. Thanks to those CSA members who donated their shares while they were away to this program. They have 60 kids so far from every town in this county – our goal is 100 children. If you know of any family with children who may need help with food this summer, have them call Margaret at the South Hero Congregational Church at 372-4642. The bags are available for pickup on Sundays from 4-5pm with nutritious breakfast and lunch foods. We hope to continue donating produce for these families. If you would like to help out the program, contact us or the Margaret at the church.
And again, thanks for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris, Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris
What’s in the share this week: BROCOLLI!!! SUGAR SNAP PEAS!!!Green Leaf Lettuce, Lettuce Mix, Final Round of Luscious, Bodacious Spinach, Heirloom Silverbeet Chard
Looking for….people who would like to get their hands dirty
Anyone who would like to help transplant, weed, plant, harvest, we’ll provide food and drink and plenty of Sadie smiles and laughs– give us a call – 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com. We would love to have you. We are also looking for volunteers During the week Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings – if you are a working share member these would be great times to come and help.
Eggs for sale
We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown, green and blue – with the brightest yellow yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a dozen. Pullet Eggs will be cheaper. Our chickens are the best tillers/fertilizers on the farmJ
RECIPES
Sugar Snap Peas - Source: Farmer John's Cookbook
The ’70s brought forth many righteous trends: the Brady Bunch, hotpants, and halter tops. A little-known fact is that the ’70s also yielded sugar snap peas, a hybrid crop that combines the sweetness of green peas with the crunch of snow peas. Far from a passing phase, sugar snap peas are still the bomb. Fresh or lightly cooked, sugar snap peas can be enjoyed pods and all. Store whole, unwashed sugar snap peas in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to five days.Rinse sugar snap peas in their pods and pat them dry. To string both sides at once, hold the top stem-end and pull down toward the flat side of the pea. Alternatively, string peas after cooking to retain sweetness.
Broccoli is a flower—a bunch of flowers, to be exact. All those tiny little buds just haven’t opened up yet. If we were to let our broccoli plants keep growing in the fields without harvesting them, they would erupt into a bouquet of tiny yellow flowers. Storage Wrap broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Handling Immediately before cooking, soak broccoli, head down, in cold, salted water (1 teaspoon salt to a 8 cups of water) for 5 minutes. Any [organic] critters will float to the top where you can rescue them or allow them to suffer a salty death. (Note: If you soak broccoli in salt water before storing, it will become too rubbery and wilted to enjoy.) Slice the juicy, edible stems and use them wherever florets are called for. Peel particularly thick skin before using. PLEASE EAT THE STALKS – raw or cooked - that’s where all the flavor is. Source: Farmer John's Cookbook
Broccoli with Asian-Style Dressing
Be careful—this can be addictive. You may not want your broccoli any other way after trying this recipe. For variety, try adding matchstick-size strips of steamed carrots or daikon. Angelic Organics Kitchen.Serves 2 to 4
1 medium head broccoli
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil (optional)
Separate the florets from the stalk; break into smaller florets. Cut the stalk into 1-inch lengths and then into matchstick-size strips. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket set over 1 ½ inches boiling water and cover. Steam for 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well combined. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and mix well.
IDEAS FOR CHARD
- Saute chard with garlic in olive oil. Put a cover on the pan and allow chard to steam for about 5 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and , if desired, some hot pepper flakes before serving.- Blanch the leaves and add to soup. Try substituting chard for spinach or arugula in soup recipes.- Blanch the whole leaves and stuff them with meat or vegetable fillings.
ROASTED SUGAR SNAP PEAS
1/2 lb sugar snap peas
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, choppedS & P to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut off rough edge of peas and a bit of the string along the side (your preference how much). Spread peas onto baking sheet so that they are in a single layer. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with shallots, thyme and salt. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Servings: 4
Happy Solstice! Happy Daddy Day! When we came in for lunch, Adam wanted to write some for the journal – so here he is: Wow- it’s already the third week of CSA pick-ups. We hope everyone has been enjoying all the greens and (mostly) salad stuff that grows really well in the early part of the season. Slowly but surely, despite the cooler than normal weather, all of our plants are growing pretty well. Its an exiting time for us because we see so much potential for happy eaters (and yes, a few bucks at the marketJ) in all those thriving veggies. Another exciting happening on the farm is the much anticipated arrival of our sugar snap pea harvest, and harvesting the best broccoli we have ever grown- thanks to Michael Monley for helping to cut,weigh and photograph the awesome crop! Thank also to Michael’s mom Liz and to Fiona and Ben Case for their help picking peas for the CSA. We also have to thank Sharon Powers for weeding and mulching a good deal of the garlic beds- it looks great. Speaking of garlic, next week we should have garlic scapes! For CSA folks who have not seen or heard of scapes, they are a little false flower stalk that comes up and curls around like a little French horn. If we let them grow, they basically drop little clones on the ground to grow. We pick them off so the plants will put all their effort into bulbs, and we get a yummy garlicky green to chop into our favorite recipes!
For a few years, many people have been asking for a Blue Heron Farm blog or place to find the newsletter online. Well, we just created a blog where we will post the contents of the journal- we’re not sure it will work for this, but it will be fun to try! We will also have a photos posted when the spirit strikes us. We hope folks will visit the blog and leave a note, add a recipe, or just say hi! The link is: www.blueheronfarm-vt.blogspot.com
Okay, I have fed Sadie and I am back, Adam’s turn to eat and play with Sadie – who is serenading us with metal bowls and a metal soup ladle. Thanks also to Christine’s mom and sister Michelle for helping at the farm this weekend and this coming week. Auntie Shelly came up for her usual 24 hour visit and nana is here until Thursday. It is so helpful to have extra hands to play with Sadie and to help around the farm and house. Nana, auntie, Christine and Sadie went to the first South Burlington Farmers Market at Healthy Living yesterday. It was their first on and they are going to have it once a month on the third Sunday of the month. It was great! People were thanking us for being there and a lot of our produce moved, especially the 20 pints of sugar snap peas I picked the night before at dusk – those pints were the only pints at market and we sold them for $4.00 a pint?!! We sold out in a half hour – It’s funny because the peas were an afterthought to bring, I didn’t think they would be ready and I picked as many as I could in a half hour – about 9lbs. My sister wanted to tun back to grand isle – 40 minute drive – pick more and then drive back – after we told her how long it would take – she decided to stay, not happily but she did and played with Sadie and I think she tried to pass her off as her daughter at times. J It was a great little market, thanks to Healthy Living for putting it on. The produce managers were happy and they were eyeing our organic sugar snap peas – they want as many as we can provide but I told him we had a hungry CSA families who we had to feed first and then we would see… J
When I was picking the lettuce mix on Friday morning, Sadie came over and nursed and then fell asleep. I laid her on her belly ontop of the Ergo baby carrier and then put my large straw hat over her. She was just sprawled out – in the middle of the lettuce bed – sound asleep. We took many pictures of this – this is the first time she has actually slept in the field. I will try to post a picture on our blog.
We are excited to be donating again this year to Food for Thought – the summer breakfast and lunch program for children and their families in Grand Isle County. We have donated almost 100 heads of lettuce over the last two weeks. Thanks to those CSA members who donated their shares while they were away to this program. They have 60 kids so far from every town in this county – our goal is 100 children. If you know of any family with children who may need help with food this summer, have them call Margaret at the South Hero Congregational Church at 372-4642. The bags are available for pickup on Sundays from 4-5pm with nutritious breakfast and lunch foods. We hope to continue donating produce for these families. If you would like to help out the program, contact us or the Margaret at the church.
And again, thanks for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris, Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris
What’s in the share this week: BROCOLLI!!! SUGAR SNAP PEAS!!!Green Leaf Lettuce, Lettuce Mix, Final Round of Luscious, Bodacious Spinach, Heirloom Silverbeet Chard
Looking for….people who would like to get their hands dirty
Anyone who would like to help transplant, weed, plant, harvest, we’ll provide food and drink and plenty of Sadie smiles and laughs– give us a call – 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com. We would love to have you. We are also looking for volunteers During the week Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings – if you are a working share member these would be great times to come and help.
Eggs for sale
We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown, green and blue – with the brightest yellow yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a dozen. Pullet Eggs will be cheaper. Our chickens are the best tillers/fertilizers on the farmJ
RECIPES
Sugar Snap Peas - Source: Farmer John's Cookbook
The ’70s brought forth many righteous trends: the Brady Bunch, hotpants, and halter tops. A little-known fact is that the ’70s also yielded sugar snap peas, a hybrid crop that combines the sweetness of green peas with the crunch of snow peas. Far from a passing phase, sugar snap peas are still the bomb. Fresh or lightly cooked, sugar snap peas can be enjoyed pods and all. Store whole, unwashed sugar snap peas in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to five days.Rinse sugar snap peas in their pods and pat them dry. To string both sides at once, hold the top stem-end and pull down toward the flat side of the pea. Alternatively, string peas after cooking to retain sweetness.
Broccoli is a flower—a bunch of flowers, to be exact. All those tiny little buds just haven’t opened up yet. If we were to let our broccoli plants keep growing in the fields without harvesting them, they would erupt into a bouquet of tiny yellow flowers. Storage Wrap broccoli loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Handling Immediately before cooking, soak broccoli, head down, in cold, salted water (1 teaspoon salt to a 8 cups of water) for 5 minutes. Any [organic] critters will float to the top where you can rescue them or allow them to suffer a salty death. (Note: If you soak broccoli in salt water before storing, it will become too rubbery and wilted to enjoy.) Slice the juicy, edible stems and use them wherever florets are called for. Peel particularly thick skin before using. PLEASE EAT THE STALKS – raw or cooked - that’s where all the flavor is. Source: Farmer John's Cookbook
Broccoli with Asian-Style Dressing
Be careful—this can be addictive. You may not want your broccoli any other way after trying this recipe. For variety, try adding matchstick-size strips of steamed carrots or daikon. Angelic Organics Kitchen.Serves 2 to 4
1 medium head broccoli
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil (optional)
Separate the florets from the stalk; break into smaller florets. Cut the stalk into 1-inch lengths and then into matchstick-size strips. Place the broccoli in a steamer basket set over 1 ½ inches boiling water and cover. Steam for 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well combined. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and mix well.
IDEAS FOR CHARD
- Saute chard with garlic in olive oil. Put a cover on the pan and allow chard to steam for about 5 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and , if desired, some hot pepper flakes before serving.- Blanch the leaves and add to soup. Try substituting chard for spinach or arugula in soup recipes.- Blanch the whole leaves and stuff them with meat or vegetable fillings.
ROASTED SUGAR SNAP PEAS
1/2 lb sugar snap peas
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, choppedS & P to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut off rough edge of peas and a bit of the string along the side (your preference how much). Spread peas onto baking sheet so that they are in a single layer. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with shallots, thyme and salt. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Servings: 4
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to all new and returning friends of Adam, Christine, Sadie, and Blue Heron Farm. We are grateful that you continue choose us to be your farm. We created this blog so that we could easily post pictures, newsletters, make harvest predictions, and swap recipes. Feel free to add your 2 cents and check back often!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Week 2 Journal Posting
So what’s happening on the farm this week?
Yeah! We made it through the first week of pickups and drop offs of the CSA for this year. Thanks for your patience and good wishes. Whew! It was fun meeting most of you and we look forward to meeting the folks out in Essex sometime soon. Thanks again to Beth at Bebop for orchestrating the pickup at the store and her front porch! Oh a shout out to Meg Roy, whose birthday it is today – Happy Birthday! For those who missed pick up at the farm, we usually have all the food in the cooler in the farmstand – last Monday night was the first time that cooler was turned on so we got the food out a little later (wanted to make sure it didn’t freeze anything). Everything will be either on the shelf or in the grey tubs marked – just help yourself, take a newsletter and check off your name. The signing your name is new this year for onfarm pick up – it is so I (mainly) know who has and hasn’t picked up and we have a record of it. With nearly 50 families picking up and some others just coming to buy on Monday nights, it gets a little hectic. Anyways…
If you heard any loud baaing in Grand Isle and the surrounding area (sound tends to travel up here) the sheep were sheared, given a pedicure and wormed on Saturday. It is amazing how sheep shearers shear a sheep and how they can handle them. They sheared our sheep and clipped their hooves in less than a half hour – It probably took them about two minutes per sheep. So Gracie, Gertie, Hannah, Jerry, Farrah and Iris got their wool sheared. Jack, Jill and Hazel (the lambs) will be sheared this fall. We joke with Gracie (she is our Icelandic with horns) that she looks like a pot bellied goat nowJ Our new pullets are starting to lay eggs, we will have more eggs for sale soon – we will start selling the pullet eggs at a reduced price to help tie people over. Thanks for your patience with egg situation. We usually have a small shortage right before the pullets start to lay and the old ones are still laying but there are not as many – in total we have about 85 chickens (including our 3 barn chicken Erma, Esther and Ethel).
The arugula has sprouted (and quickly covered to keep the flea beetle damage to a minimum), the sugar snap peas are flowering and growing TONS of peas – they are quite thin now, but they should fatten up for next week or the week after. The broccoli is heading up and that should be soon. Adam is very excited about the broccoli – low weed pressure, planted densely, very, very green robust leaves and the heads are forming Yeah! So many things are growing – with the rain and sun combo – at the same time we have to be careful as not to go on the fields when they are wet – clay soils like to compact and the damage can be great – so we have had to be careful after some of the soaking rains.
Sadie and I went on a mission for a no-spill bubbles container the other day. When we went to the store, the clerk asked if we wanted boy bubbles or girl bubbles. I repeated back to her with an astonished look on my face. She repeated and said “well the girl one has pink and purple with princesses over it and the boy one has trucks and tools on it”. “Really?! Are you serious?!” I took a deep breath – realized I should probably not lecture the woman on gender roles and stereotypes and how commercialism perpetuates all this – and I told her “I will take the truck one for my daughter.”
Sadie turns 18 months on Wednesday – her half birthday! We are excited but also puzzled on where all the time has gone. Funny thing is that it is hard to remember her as a little (relatively speaking she was 9lbs 6oz when she was born) with her walking and talking and running and pulling weeds and eating spinach (and eating other leaves she things are spinachJ) from the field. My sister Sue (who goes to St Mike’s and is about to go to Spain for fall semester) told me “just strap a bucket to her back and make her a travelling basket for peas” – hmm…not a bad idea...
And again, thanks for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris
What’s in the share this week:
Red and Green Leaf Lettuce (sorry no iceberg lettuce grown here), Round 2 of Luscious, Bodacious Spinach, green garlic and/or onions, parsley, cilantro, lettuce mix, and tomato plants if you likeJ
Lending library at the farmstand
There is a sign out sheet in the farmstand – we have books like Omnivore’s Dilemma, Harvest, cookbooks, etc.
Don’t know what to do with Veggie waste? Bring it back to us!
We can turn your coffee grounds, veggie material, egg shells back into yummy nutrious compost. Just bring your compost and dump it on the compost pile each week. We’ll even hose out your bucket for you. The Compost pile to dump into is by the parking area – it is wooden and with a sign.
Looking for….people who would like to get their hands dirty
Anyone who would like to help transplant, weed, plant, harvest, we’ll provide food and drink and plenty of Sadie smiles and laughs– give us a call – 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com. We would love to have youJ We are also looking for volunteers During the week Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings – if you are a working share member these would be great times to come and help.
Eggs for sale
We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown, green and blue – with the brightest yellow yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a dozen. Our chickens are the best tillers/fertilizers on the farmJ
RECIPES
Spinach and Coconut Banana Curry
The pairing of banana and spinach in the same recipe may seem peculiar at first, but the ingredients in this dip are the disparate ingredients of a sweet curry dish—and while their texture may become homogenized, their flavors don’t. Serve this dip with raw or slightly blanched vegetables, crackers, or chips, or with rice for a delightful side dish. To prepare the curry faster, you can use a 6-ounce can of green lentils (drained) instead of dried lentils. Friend of Angelic Farm. Makes about 2 cups
1/2 cup dried green lentils
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound spinach leaves, trimmed, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 small ripe bananas, broken into chunks (about 1 cup)
1 cup canned coconut milk
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, hard-cooked
1 small or medium red onion, cut into wedges
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the lentils in a medium skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the salt, cover, and reduce heat. Cook at a steady simmer until the lentils are soft, about 45 minutes. Add more water if it starts to dry up. Drain. Combine the cooked lentils with the remaining ingredients in a food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Simple Cooked Greens
Cooking greens in oil or butter over high heat until they are just wilted is a great way to give them an added richness while preserving their fresh taste and delicate texture. Wilted greens mix well with almost anything. They add sophistication to cooked grain or pasta. Topped with grated cheese, a cream sauce, or toasted nuts, they make a complete side dish; dressed with a vinaigrette they become a delicious warm salad. Wilted greens also make a great bed for any meat. They are also wonderful served on their own, simple and elegant, as in this recipe. Angelic Organics Kitchen Serves 4
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves) (optional)
1 pound greens, rinsed, torn or chopped into bite-size pieces
salt
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Heat the butter or olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add the greens immediately after rinsing them, with the water still clinging to the leaves. Cover; cook for 1 minute. (If you are using heartier greens, such as kale or collard greens, add a cup of water to the skillet. Cover; cook for 5 minutes.) Uncover the skillet, add salt to taste (this will ensure the greens stay a bright green), and give the greens a good flip and stir. Cover the skillet again and continue cooking the greens until they are bright green, tender, and wilted to your taste. (For spinach this will be only another minute or two, for Swiss chard 3 to 5 minutes, and for kale or collard greens, depending on their maturity, this could be up to 20 minutes. Be sure to add more water if it boils away.) Season with pepper and olive oil to taste.
Onion or Scallion and Orange Salsa
Refreshing, juicy, and sweet, oranges are a delightful accompaniment to crisp and pungent raw onions. This salsa is fantastic on anything grilled, or as an addition to a salad plate, over lettuce, or over cottage cheese. The milder scallion version is fantastic on lettuce or endive cups with a salty and creamy cheese such as soft feta, chèvre, or blue. Angelic Farm. Makes 2 cups
1/2 cup minced scallions or onions (about 3 scallions or 1 medium onion)
2 large or 3–4 medium oranges peeled, seeds removed, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped chile pepper (or more or less, to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Put the chopped scallion or onion in a strainer and run under cold water. Drain well. Stir all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
CHICK-PEA, GARLIC, AND PARSLEY DIP
2 cups of chick-peas, rinsed and drained (fresh/soaked or canned)
2 garlic cloves, chopped and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a food processor blend all ingredients except oil until smooth. With motor running add oil in a slow stream. Season dip with salt. Serve dip with toasts. Makes about 2 cups. Gourmet July 1995
Yeah! We made it through the first week of pickups and drop offs of the CSA for this year. Thanks for your patience and good wishes. Whew! It was fun meeting most of you and we look forward to meeting the folks out in Essex sometime soon. Thanks again to Beth at Bebop for orchestrating the pickup at the store and her front porch! Oh a shout out to Meg Roy, whose birthday it is today – Happy Birthday! For those who missed pick up at the farm, we usually have all the food in the cooler in the farmstand – last Monday night was the first time that cooler was turned on so we got the food out a little later (wanted to make sure it didn’t freeze anything). Everything will be either on the shelf or in the grey tubs marked – just help yourself, take a newsletter and check off your name. The signing your name is new this year for onfarm pick up – it is so I (mainly) know who has and hasn’t picked up and we have a record of it. With nearly 50 families picking up and some others just coming to buy on Monday nights, it gets a little hectic. Anyways…
If you heard any loud baaing in Grand Isle and the surrounding area (sound tends to travel up here) the sheep were sheared, given a pedicure and wormed on Saturday. It is amazing how sheep shearers shear a sheep and how they can handle them. They sheared our sheep and clipped their hooves in less than a half hour – It probably took them about two minutes per sheep. So Gracie, Gertie, Hannah, Jerry, Farrah and Iris got their wool sheared. Jack, Jill and Hazel (the lambs) will be sheared this fall. We joke with Gracie (she is our Icelandic with horns) that she looks like a pot bellied goat nowJ Our new pullets are starting to lay eggs, we will have more eggs for sale soon – we will start selling the pullet eggs at a reduced price to help tie people over. Thanks for your patience with egg situation. We usually have a small shortage right before the pullets start to lay and the old ones are still laying but there are not as many – in total we have about 85 chickens (including our 3 barn chicken Erma, Esther and Ethel).
The arugula has sprouted (and quickly covered to keep the flea beetle damage to a minimum), the sugar snap peas are flowering and growing TONS of peas – they are quite thin now, but they should fatten up for next week or the week after. The broccoli is heading up and that should be soon. Adam is very excited about the broccoli – low weed pressure, planted densely, very, very green robust leaves and the heads are forming Yeah! So many things are growing – with the rain and sun combo – at the same time we have to be careful as not to go on the fields when they are wet – clay soils like to compact and the damage can be great – so we have had to be careful after some of the soaking rains.
Sadie and I went on a mission for a no-spill bubbles container the other day. When we went to the store, the clerk asked if we wanted boy bubbles or girl bubbles. I repeated back to her with an astonished look on my face. She repeated and said “well the girl one has pink and purple with princesses over it and the boy one has trucks and tools on it”. “Really?! Are you serious?!” I took a deep breath – realized I should probably not lecture the woman on gender roles and stereotypes and how commercialism perpetuates all this – and I told her “I will take the truck one for my daughter.”
Sadie turns 18 months on Wednesday – her half birthday! We are excited but also puzzled on where all the time has gone. Funny thing is that it is hard to remember her as a little (relatively speaking she was 9lbs 6oz when she was born) with her walking and talking and running and pulling weeds and eating spinach (and eating other leaves she things are spinachJ) from the field. My sister Sue (who goes to St Mike’s and is about to go to Spain for fall semester) told me “just strap a bucket to her back and make her a travelling basket for peas” – hmm…not a bad idea...
And again, thanks for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris
What’s in the share this week:
Red and Green Leaf Lettuce (sorry no iceberg lettuce grown here), Round 2 of Luscious, Bodacious Spinach, green garlic and/or onions, parsley, cilantro, lettuce mix, and tomato plants if you likeJ
Lending library at the farmstand
There is a sign out sheet in the farmstand – we have books like Omnivore’s Dilemma, Harvest, cookbooks, etc.
Don’t know what to do with Veggie waste? Bring it back to us!
We can turn your coffee grounds, veggie material, egg shells back into yummy nutrious compost. Just bring your compost and dump it on the compost pile each week. We’ll even hose out your bucket for you. The Compost pile to dump into is by the parking area – it is wooden and with a sign.
Looking for….people who would like to get their hands dirty
Anyone who would like to help transplant, weed, plant, harvest, we’ll provide food and drink and plenty of Sadie smiles and laughs– give us a call – 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com. We would love to have youJ We are also looking for volunteers During the week Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings – if you are a working share member these would be great times to come and help.
Eggs for sale
We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown, green and blue – with the brightest yellow yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a dozen. Our chickens are the best tillers/fertilizers on the farmJ
RECIPES
Spinach and Coconut Banana Curry
The pairing of banana and spinach in the same recipe may seem peculiar at first, but the ingredients in this dip are the disparate ingredients of a sweet curry dish—and while their texture may become homogenized, their flavors don’t. Serve this dip with raw or slightly blanched vegetables, crackers, or chips, or with rice for a delightful side dish. To prepare the curry faster, you can use a 6-ounce can of green lentils (drained) instead of dried lentils. Friend of Angelic Farm. Makes about 2 cups
1/2 cup dried green lentils
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound spinach leaves, trimmed, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 small ripe bananas, broken into chunks (about 1 cup)
1 cup canned coconut milk
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs, hard-cooked
1 small or medium red onion, cut into wedges
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the lentils in a medium skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the salt, cover, and reduce heat. Cook at a steady simmer until the lentils are soft, about 45 minutes. Add more water if it starts to dry up. Drain. Combine the cooked lentils with the remaining ingredients in a food processor and purée until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Simple Cooked Greens
Cooking greens in oil or butter over high heat until they are just wilted is a great way to give them an added richness while preserving their fresh taste and delicate texture. Wilted greens mix well with almost anything. They add sophistication to cooked grain or pasta. Topped with grated cheese, a cream sauce, or toasted nuts, they make a complete side dish; dressed with a vinaigrette they become a delicious warm salad. Wilted greens also make a great bed for any meat. They are also wonderful served on their own, simple and elegant, as in this recipe. Angelic Organics Kitchen Serves 4
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves) (optional)
1 pound greens, rinsed, torn or chopped into bite-size pieces
salt
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Heat the butter or olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the garlic; sauté for 1 minute. Add the greens immediately after rinsing them, with the water still clinging to the leaves. Cover; cook for 1 minute. (If you are using heartier greens, such as kale or collard greens, add a cup of water to the skillet. Cover; cook for 5 minutes.) Uncover the skillet, add salt to taste (this will ensure the greens stay a bright green), and give the greens a good flip and stir. Cover the skillet again and continue cooking the greens until they are bright green, tender, and wilted to your taste. (For spinach this will be only another minute or two, for Swiss chard 3 to 5 minutes, and for kale or collard greens, depending on their maturity, this could be up to 20 minutes. Be sure to add more water if it boils away.) Season with pepper and olive oil to taste.
Onion or Scallion and Orange Salsa
Refreshing, juicy, and sweet, oranges are a delightful accompaniment to crisp and pungent raw onions. This salsa is fantastic on anything grilled, or as an addition to a salad plate, over lettuce, or over cottage cheese. The milder scallion version is fantastic on lettuce or endive cups with a salty and creamy cheese such as soft feta, chèvre, or blue. Angelic Farm. Makes 2 cups
1/2 cup minced scallions or onions (about 3 scallions or 1 medium onion)
2 large or 3–4 medium oranges peeled, seeds removed, diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped chile pepper (or more or less, to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Put the chopped scallion or onion in a strainer and run under cold water. Drain well. Stir all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
CHICK-PEA, GARLIC, AND PARSLEY DIP
2 cups of chick-peas, rinsed and drained (fresh/soaked or canned)
2 garlic cloves, chopped and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a food processor blend all ingredients except oil until smooth. With motor running add oil in a slow stream. Season dip with salt. Serve dip with toasts. Makes about 2 cups. Gourmet July 1995
Monday, June 8, 2009
Week 1 - First CSA pickup for 2009
So what’s happening on the farm this week?
Welcome back to our returning members and a big welcome to our new members! This year we are growing food for 47 families. 14 more families than last year. We are so excited to have the growing season upon us again and are humbled and enthused to have you part of our farm this year. It is nice to think of you all when we are planning the crops for the year. When we are planting all these seeds – to know that these tiny little seeds, will be food on all of your tables – young and old and folks in the middle. To know that some of these veggies will be a baby’s food taste of spinach, another person’s new found love of spinach and another’s reminiscent of childhood of your mom and dad’s rhubarb pie. We can not wait to meet you all through pickup and through the special events at the farm.In this section of the newsletter/journal, is where we talk about what is going on at the farm, upcoming events and what we are thinking about and of course there is a fair amount of Sadie in these writings. Our goal this year is to write it on Sunday nights instead of hot off the presses, literally, on Mondays. We’ll see how that goes. Also, please excuse typos, fragments of sentences, and other bizarre literary errors – much of this is a free write and usually under the wire while Sadie naps or sleepsJ
Over the weekend, we planted all of our zuchinni, summer squash and large cucumber seedlings – well near 1000 plants – we grew in peat pots to make sure the crows do not dig up our seeds like they did last year. We finished getting all of our eggplants in – with the grand total being around 700 plants of Orient Express and Listada De Gandia. I have a guesstimate that we have about 1600 feet of tomatoes planted – some as teeny, tiny as currants to some as big as Sadie’s head (well maybe a little smaller, her head is larger than most babies, thanks to the Bourque genes). The second crop of spinach is almost here – the first batch which you are getting today is what I think the color green tastes like – if green was to have a taste. Sadie loves it- she comes out in the field and helps us “pick” and grabs a handful and puts it in her mouth and then shares the rest with usJ The Pac Choi (Bok Choy) has some little holes in it thanks to our friendly flea beetle population. We covered it but as the deer ran through our field, they popped a few holes in the white covering we use so the little buggers decided to help themselves. It is still very yummy. Flea beetles love brassicas (kale, broccoli, cabbage) and mustard like plants (arugula, pac choi, asian greens). Sorry they don’t look as pretty as they are in the store, we strive for little or no holes. Oh and your bags may seem light this week – don’t worry – this is just the beginning – we will make those bags heavier.
The other day, Sadie and I were weeding the baby carrots – It is an interesting feat to show an almost 18 month old what is a “weed” and what is not. She would take a look at me and then look down and then look at me and with a impish grin, would pull out the weeds and carrots – so then I would reteach her and show her. So she would get it but then to get a rise out of me – she grabs a handful of baby carrots looks at me and smiles – and gets ready to pull – my heart sinks – what do I do? Positive thoughts run through my head but are quickly in argument with the farmer in me – Noooooo! I say loudly in my head – then I say “ Sadie, leave it – come pull these” with a smile and hope in my voice. Sadie smiles, looks down and looks at me, her hands firmly on those young baby carrot tops – and lets go – “Thank you Sadie, good job not pulling those out” and in return she says “Ten coo” (Thank you) with a smile – my heart melts.
So, Ten coo for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris
What’s in the share this week:
Red and Green Leaf Lettuce (sorry no iceberg lettuce grown here), Luscious, Bodacious Spinach, green garlic or onions, beet greens, a little flea beetle eaten but still very tasty pac choi, a little rhubarb, basil plant, and tomato plants if you like...
RECIPES
Christine’s Note: Honestly everything this week can be eaten raw – tossed in a salad all together – well maybe not the rhubarb – that is a bit sour tasting. We eat most everything raw-
Christine’s late night after 9pm dinner that incorporates everything in this weeks share.
Boil pasta. Saute green chopped garlic or onion in olive oil (5-6 tablespoons)over medium/low heat. After pasta is cooked, turn off olive oil, add pasta to the olive oil and garlic and add uncooked beet greens (a bunch) and spinach (as much as you like). Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Add parmesan if you like, add a little more olive oil if you need it. Put a cover over it and lit sit for 5 minutes.
Make a salad with the head lettuce with a simple maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Then eat. Yum ( I believe we ate this at 10pm, we do not recommend eating this late)
Spicy Bok Choi in Garlic Sauce (allrecipes.com)
1 pound bok choy
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger Root
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red
pepper flakes (optional)
1.
Trim off the ends of the bok choy and chop, keeping the white parts separate from the green as they will need to cook longer. Rinse and spin or pat dry. Set aside.
2.
In a small bowl or cup, stir together the vegetable oil and sesame oil. In a separate larger bowl, stir together the water, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Set this aside.
3.
Heat half of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy stems first; stir fry for a few minutes or until the pieces start to turn a pale green. When stems are almost cooked, add the leaves; cook and stir until leaves are wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the bok choy to a serving dish. Pour the sauce into the skillet or wok, and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Pour over the bok choy and toss lightly to coat.
Bok Choi Salad
1 medium head bok choy, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodles
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/3 cup olive oil
3 teaspoons lemon juice
Combine bok choy and green onions; cover and chill. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and ramen noodle seasoning packet. Refrigerate until chilled. Break ramen noodles into small pieces; combine with toasted almonds and sesame seeds. Before serving, combine the cabbage mixture and noodle mixture; add dressing and toss to coat.
Sweet Maple and Balsamic Vinegar Dressing(Angelic Organic Kitchen)
1 c. olive oil
3 TBL maple syrup
2 TBL balsamic vinegar
2 TBL finely sliced basil
1 TBL freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teasp dry mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
salt
freshly ground pepper
Combine the oil, maple, vinegar, basil, lemon juice, dry mustard and garlic in a large jar. With the lid tightly screwed on, shake the jar vigorously until the oil and vinegar have thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste and shake again to combine. Store the dressing in the fridge for up to two weeks. To serve, toss it with salad greens or grilled or steamed vegetables.
Welcome back to our returning members and a big welcome to our new members! This year we are growing food for 47 families. 14 more families than last year. We are so excited to have the growing season upon us again and are humbled and enthused to have you part of our farm this year. It is nice to think of you all when we are planning the crops for the year. When we are planting all these seeds – to know that these tiny little seeds, will be food on all of your tables – young and old and folks in the middle. To know that some of these veggies will be a baby’s food taste of spinach, another person’s new found love of spinach and another’s reminiscent of childhood of your mom and dad’s rhubarb pie. We can not wait to meet you all through pickup and through the special events at the farm.In this section of the newsletter/journal, is where we talk about what is going on at the farm, upcoming events and what we are thinking about and of course there is a fair amount of Sadie in these writings. Our goal this year is to write it on Sunday nights instead of hot off the presses, literally, on Mondays. We’ll see how that goes. Also, please excuse typos, fragments of sentences, and other bizarre literary errors – much of this is a free write and usually under the wire while Sadie naps or sleepsJ
Over the weekend, we planted all of our zuchinni, summer squash and large cucumber seedlings – well near 1000 plants – we grew in peat pots to make sure the crows do not dig up our seeds like they did last year. We finished getting all of our eggplants in – with the grand total being around 700 plants of Orient Express and Listada De Gandia. I have a guesstimate that we have about 1600 feet of tomatoes planted – some as teeny, tiny as currants to some as big as Sadie’s head (well maybe a little smaller, her head is larger than most babies, thanks to the Bourque genes). The second crop of spinach is almost here – the first batch which you are getting today is what I think the color green tastes like – if green was to have a taste. Sadie loves it- she comes out in the field and helps us “pick” and grabs a handful and puts it in her mouth and then shares the rest with usJ The Pac Choi (Bok Choy) has some little holes in it thanks to our friendly flea beetle population. We covered it but as the deer ran through our field, they popped a few holes in the white covering we use so the little buggers decided to help themselves. It is still very yummy. Flea beetles love brassicas (kale, broccoli, cabbage) and mustard like plants (arugula, pac choi, asian greens). Sorry they don’t look as pretty as they are in the store, we strive for little or no holes. Oh and your bags may seem light this week – don’t worry – this is just the beginning – we will make those bags heavier.
The other day, Sadie and I were weeding the baby carrots – It is an interesting feat to show an almost 18 month old what is a “weed” and what is not. She would take a look at me and then look down and then look at me and with a impish grin, would pull out the weeds and carrots – so then I would reteach her and show her. So she would get it but then to get a rise out of me – she grabs a handful of baby carrots looks at me and smiles – and gets ready to pull – my heart sinks – what do I do? Positive thoughts run through my head but are quickly in argument with the farmer in me – Noooooo! I say loudly in my head – then I say “ Sadie, leave it – come pull these” with a smile and hope in my voice. Sadie smiles, looks down and looks at me, her hands firmly on those young baby carrot tops – and lets go – “Thank you Sadie, good job not pulling those out” and in return she says “Ten coo” (Thank you) with a smile – my heart melts.
So, Ten coo for being part of our farm! Peace, Adam Farris Christine Bourque, and Sadie Farris
What’s in the share this week:
Red and Green Leaf Lettuce (sorry no iceberg lettuce grown here), Luscious, Bodacious Spinach, green garlic or onions, beet greens, a little flea beetle eaten but still very tasty pac choi, a little rhubarb, basil plant, and tomato plants if you like...
RECIPES
Christine’s Note: Honestly everything this week can be eaten raw – tossed in a salad all together – well maybe not the rhubarb – that is a bit sour tasting. We eat most everything raw-
Christine’s late night after 9pm dinner that incorporates everything in this weeks share.
Boil pasta. Saute green chopped garlic or onion in olive oil (5-6 tablespoons)over medium/low heat. After pasta is cooked, turn off olive oil, add pasta to the olive oil and garlic and add uncooked beet greens (a bunch) and spinach (as much as you like). Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Add parmesan if you like, add a little more olive oil if you need it. Put a cover over it and lit sit for 5 minutes.
Make a salad with the head lettuce with a simple maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Then eat. Yum ( I believe we ate this at 10pm, we do not recommend eating this late)
Spicy Bok Choi in Garlic Sauce (allrecipes.com)
1 pound bok choy
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger Root
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red
pepper flakes (optional)
1.
Trim off the ends of the bok choy and chop, keeping the white parts separate from the green as they will need to cook longer. Rinse and spin or pat dry. Set aside.
2.
In a small bowl or cup, stir together the vegetable oil and sesame oil. In a separate larger bowl, stir together the water, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Set this aside.
3.
Heat half of the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy stems first; stir fry for a few minutes or until the pieces start to turn a pale green. When stems are almost cooked, add the leaves; cook and stir until leaves are wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the bok choy to a serving dish. Pour the sauce into the skillet or wok, and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Pour over the bok choy and toss lightly to coat.
Bok Choi Salad
1 medium head bok choy, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodles
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/3 cup olive oil
3 teaspoons lemon juice
Combine bok choy and green onions; cover and chill. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and ramen noodle seasoning packet. Refrigerate until chilled. Break ramen noodles into small pieces; combine with toasted almonds and sesame seeds. Before serving, combine the cabbage mixture and noodle mixture; add dressing and toss to coat.
Sweet Maple and Balsamic Vinegar Dressing(Angelic Organic Kitchen)
1 c. olive oil
3 TBL maple syrup
2 TBL balsamic vinegar
2 TBL finely sliced basil
1 TBL freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teasp dry mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
salt
freshly ground pepper
Combine the oil, maple, vinegar, basil, lemon juice, dry mustard and garlic in a large jar. With the lid tightly screwed on, shake the jar vigorously until the oil and vinegar have thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste and shake again to combine. Store the dressing in the fridge for up to two weeks. To serve, toss it with salad greens or grilled or steamed vegetables.
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