Blue Heron Farm

Monday, September 3, 2012

Catch up Journal Post for Week of Spetember 4th

                                                                            
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 

 
Volume XI& XII & XIII , JOURNAL VII

                                                                                                                          September 3, 2012

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

Hi Everyone - week 13 - Sorry there was no newsletter last 2 weeks - things have been quite hectic in these parts and they still are..so this week more recipes than letter. Hope you forgive us - there is only so much this mama and papa farmer and her hard working interns, volunteers and daughters can get through in a week. Hope you liked the corn and the melons. Sadie keeps finding a hidden melon or two, and then a silence in the field, sadie is squirelled away on the back of the truck with her little sister, and together they get every piece of those melons and then throw the rinds to the chickens:) We are starting to wonder if the chicken eggs will start tasting like tomatoes soon:) We would have lettuce for you last week and this week - but - you guessed it - those certified organic free range deer ate down my lush lettuce mix....venison anyone? Hopefully next week we will have lettuce for you. Oh and we have potatoes again for you! Red ones this time:)

Loads of tomatoes harvesting - if you would like some to can - we would love for you to come and glean the field. Give us a call - and we can set you up with crates. The market place is pretty loaded with tomatoes right now - so perfect for freezing and canning tomatoes. we got 21 pints of ketchup done last week and about 17 qts of spaghetti sauce a week ago (thanks to a quick visit from Nana from Boston:)) We made a ton of sauce yesterday - canned 7 quarts and have about 24 more qts worth to can up. We have also been drying the san marzano and other past type tomatoes in our dehydrator. I may try to oven dry tonight. With our new oven it goes down to 170..hmmm..and it has three racks - oh what fun. When processing tomatoes - it looks like a tomato exploded in your kitchen on pretty much everything. Need.to.wipe.down.everything.asap! But I keep remembering the hot, sticky kitchen now will keep our family well fed through the late fall and winter. Hope to start pickling peppers this week and make some sort of pickles..oh and the pears and apples...luckily we invested in a kichen aid mounted squeezo - its the third hand I always needed while squeezoing. Love the kitchen aid mounted squeezo.. :)

Wanted to send a special thank you to Diantha and Gail - Csa members - they have been amazing hand weeders at our farm. Just this morning they weeded your fall green beans and carrots! With a smile they come practically every week and weed, weed, weed. Seriously would have lost many a crop if it wasn't for this dynamic duo! Thank you again for your patience, endurance and smiles:)

This week we started selling Sungold cherry tomatoes and Ground Cherries to City Market in Burlington. We delivered our first batch last Thursday 24 and 36 pints and they called yesterday for 24 more pint of sungolds and 72 pints of ground cherries for tuesday. Woot! Hoping to try to find other avenues to sell our cherry tomatoes especially our heirloom ones.

Annie our sweet mama cow had her calf in the early morning of last Thursday. Miss Annabelle was born out in the field (where Annie likes to give birth - she likes to give birth out in the field, no one watching, I think she enjoys the look on our faces of surprise in the morning when she appears with a calf.) Maggie, Annie's adopted baby (who is now 9 months old) is a great big sister to Miss Annabelle. And oh my, she is the cutest chocolate color I have ever seen. She is big and vigorous and runs like a deer with her tail up between Maggie and Annie. Annie is attentive and we forget that she hides her in the grass and will go out and eat. Oh with a calf comes milk! Oh goodness, we started getting milk that we could drink yesterday (the first few days its colustrum and just for the calf) and how we have missed Annie's sweetness . I think tonight we will be making yogurt and ricotta. Tonight we will be having stuffed tomatoes with homemade ricotta and garlic knots and potatoes (Sadie's request since she told me we found the world's biggest red potato today.)

The winter squash is starting to ripen and fall greens are getting sweeter. The days are getting a tad bit shorter each day...

Have a great week. -Your farmers, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Delia, Mandy, Harley and Sophie.

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com or on Facebook- check us out and/or leave a comment.

You can also get a hold if us via phone 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com

What’s in the share this week: heirloom Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Red Potatoes, Tomatillos, Cherry Tomatoes, Ground Cherries, Arugula, Asian and listada de Gandia Eggplant, Sweet peppers, Cilantro, dill, Onions (please note: this is a tentaive list, what folks get on Monday maybe slightly different than what folks get on Thursday)

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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/orange yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a dozen.

Yarn for Sale

Yarn is available in our natural color "Island Oatmeal", "Earth", and "Snow." Worsted Weight, double twist, soft, 240 yds, 4 ounces, Greenspun/Certified Organic (no petroleum products used in cleaning the wool) by Green Mountain Spinnery here in Vermont. Yarn is in the farmstand. 17.00 skein.

Recipes

Tomatoes are simple to preserve. Freeze them whole, pop in a freezer bag, suck the air out, and put them in the freezer. when you take them out, pop them right into a slow cooker or let them defrost and their skins will pop off. We like to make spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, can whole tomatoes and dehydrated tomatoes. You can also make spaghetti sauce with them too and freeze it or can it. With a little extra work now, will keep you full this winter:)

Grilled Eggplant Panini www.marquita.com

2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 1/2-inch slices eggplant (about 1 small)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
8 slices whole-grain bread
8 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup sliced jarred roasted red peppers
4 thin slices red onion

Preheat grill to medium-high. Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl. Using 1 tablespoon oil, lightly brush both sides of eggplant and sprinkle each slice with garlic salt. With the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, brush one side of each slice of bread. Grill the eggplant for 6 minutes, turn with a spatula, top with cheese, and continue grilling until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender, about 4 minutes more. Toast the bread on the grill, 1 to 2 minutes per side. To assemble sandwiches: Spread basil mayonnaise on four slices of bread. Top with the cheesy eggplant, red peppers, onion and the remaining slices of bread. Cut in half and serve warm.

Layered Eggplant Casserole from Recipes from America's Small Farms

2-3 TBS vegetable oil
1 large egg
2 TBS milk
¼ cup all purpose flour, more if needed
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch thick slices
4 ounces Monterey Jack or other cheese, grated
1 TBS unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart casserole. Beat the egg and milk in a bowl and spread the flour on a plate. Heat 1 TBS of the oil in large skillet. Dip each slice of eggplant into the egg mixture, and then flour on both sides. Place the slices in the skillet in a single layer and fry until golden on both sides. Continue frying the eggplant in batches, adding oil as necessary, until done. Layer the fried eggplant, the onion, the tomato, and the cheese until they are all used up; the final layer should be the eggplant. Sprinkle any remaining flour (or use another 2 TBS of flour) over the top. Dot with the butter. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 45 minutes, until bubbling and the eggplant is tender. Note: instead of frying the eggplant slices, you can drizzle them with oil and bake them on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Eggplant Pulp Facts from Recipes from America's Small Farms No one ever said eggplant pulp was pretty, but it's a beautiful base for spreads and salads. To make it, just puncture a large eggplant in a few places and wrap it loosely in aluminum foil. Place it in a 400 degree oven until it's soft and mushy – it's usually ready in about an hour, but longer baking won't hurt it. Let it cool completely, then scrape all the flesh off the skin. You'll get about 1 ½ cups of pulp from a medium eggplant. Add whatever other vegetables and herbs you like – the eggplant's mild taste and pleasant texture blends and binds other ingredients.

Eggplant Rounds with Cheese and Tomato Sauce adapted from D. Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

6-8 eggplant rounds per person, grilled, broiled or fried (from the skinny asian eggplants, reduce number of slices if using the large purple ones.)
3/4 cup grated or sliced mozzarella
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or goat cheese
about 4 cups favorite tomato sauce
chopped parsley or basil

Place the eggplant rounds on a sheet pan and cover with the cheeses. Bake at 375 degrees until the cheese melts. Serve with 2 or 3 spoonfuls of the sauce on each serving and garnish with the parsley or basil.

Tomatillo Salsa - this can be changed and adapted - just have fun :)

2 pounds fresh tomatillos
1 cup onion -- chopped
1 or 2 hot peppers, cored seeded and chopped. (you can also use dried chiles, leave seeds in either dried or fresh for more heat)
1 cup fresh cilantro -- minced
1/4 cup Fresh lime juice
1-2 cloves garlic
salt to taste

Remove husks from tomatillos, wash throughly, dry and halve or quarter. Combine tomatillos, onions, chiles, and garlic in a non-reactive pan. Over med-high heat bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 mins. Cool a little or a lot then put into blender with cilantro and lime juice, blend away, salt to taste, and you have some GREAT salsa verde Mexicano. We also add a little bit of cumin, cider vinegar and we use it with tomato sauce to make a quick enchilada sauce, or add an avocado to have guacamole.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Journal Post for week of August 13

Volume X, JOURNAL VII

                                                                                                                          August 13, 2012

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

Hi Everyone - week 10 - Yeah for the rain - and because of the rain we have greens again!! Arugula this week and lettuce mix next week (with fingers crossed). We have loads of field heirloom tomatoes for all of you this week - you can also help your self to san marzano, roma and plum tomatoes too for your canning or freezing. I was so excited to see the arugula this morning - glistening with the morning dew, tucked under the white cloth that protects it from those crazed flea beetles..oh I was as giddy as the first spring greens. It has been a long hot summer and that nice looking arugula - made my morning. It is those simple things that get me through these long days. So this week is Annie's last day as an intern on our farm. She has been quite an asset to our farm and she will be missed. She has written the following for all of you.

Hello everyone! Annie here, picking up the pen from where Christine left off last week to give all of you CSA members the Week 10 update from all of us at Blue Heron Farm. As this past week has been my last full week on the farm before I head back to my island on Wednesday, I felt it would be a nice capstone to let the farm journal serve as my sendoff. Have no fear, Christine and her “oh my oh my’s” will be back next week!

This week in your CSA share you’ll find a cornucopia of treats fit for royal breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. We’ve been picking like crazy in the tomato fields. I often find myself wanting to whistle the ‘Rocky’ theme-music as I haul a black crate with 50+ pounds of juicy ‘maters along the endless rows, but I am always reminded that the frantic harvests are more than worth the sweat and sore backs at the end of the day – a delicious garnish for a sandwich, a bowl of salsa, and my personal favorite – dehydrated sungolds that make a delicious savory raisin – the list goes on and on. The hybrids keep on growing, and the hoophouse smells like a caprese salad thanks to that basil that just keeps on growing. I am continually amazed by the varieties of delicious that we grow here. The Nicola potatoes continue to pop out of the earth like gold. To relieve of our backs, Adam got this nifty tool that hooks up to the back of the tractor and digs the potatoes for us. While I will have innumerable fond memories of my time on the farm, the sight of hundreds of golden nuggets materializing out of seemingly nothing is a beautiful sight to behold.

This past Saturday, Mandy, Harley and I visited our neighbors in North Hero at Savage Gardens Farm, where we spent the day cleaning out a gorgeous post & beam barn. I’ve never spent time a barn of that size long enough to truly appreciate the beauty in its minimalism. It was a very special experience to get to be a part of its restoration, and not to mention a great opportunity to meet some new island folks, eat some fantastic farm-fresh food, and see if Muck boots can double as dancing shoes. The barn raid this weekend was a highlight for me in that it felt very similar to something that would happen in my community at home.

Speaking of community - you’ll have to excuse me for a moment while I get a tad self-indulgent and take this opportunity to talk a little about myself here. I come from a small-town fishing community on an island off the coast of Maine, similar in ways to the Champlain Island communities. My father is a fisherman, and my mother is an activist who has spent the majority of her career educating fishermen and creating a sustainable fishery for the Maine coast. In moments of disillusion and loneliness, I always remembered that what Adam and Christine were working toward was very similar to what my parents were working toward as well. Every day I see a very familiar passion and selflessness in Adam and Christine’s work ethic, and it has not only made me feel at home but has kept me up to the rigorous standards by which I was raised. My parents taught me by example to throw myself into what I care about, and Blue Heron Farm has given me a place to do just that. Combine that with the strong Islands communities that welcomed me upon arrival, and the result has been a home away from home for me this summer. While I am very much looking forward to returning to my island and then back to school in the fall, I am leaving this place having been reminded of a crucial lesson: home is where and what you make it. I cannot imagine how different my summer would have been had I spent it in any other place than this, and I am very thankful and appreciative of all of the people who made all the difference.

One last thing! I saw a flat of freshly picked blueberries in the Coolbot one afternoon and was reminded of this recipe from my grandmother. While I have been spoiled by an abundance of blueberries throughout my life, this pie can be made with virtually any kind of fruit (or fruits). It is the perfect late summer treat.

$10 Pie (in 1963!)

Stew 2 cups blueberries (apples, raspberries, etc.) with 1/4 cup sugar. Meanwhile:

Preheat oven to 425. Melt 2 1/2 T butter in casserole in oven. Combine dry ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch of salt

4) Combine dry ingredients with 1/2 cup milk. Pour into casserole with melted butter (don't stir)

Pour stewed fruit on top (don't stir). Bake 20-30 min.

Have a great week. -Your farmers, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Delia, Mandy, Annie, Harley and Sophie.

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com or on Facebook- check us out and/or leave a comment.

You can also get a hold if us via phone 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com

What’s in the share this week: heirloom Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Baby Cabbages, Arugula, Eggplant, green peppers, thai or italian Basil, Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers/jalapenos, cucumbers, Zucchini and Summer Squash

Yarn for Sale

Recipes

ROASTED-GARLIC BASIL SAUCE www.marquita.com

4 large garlic cloves
1 medium zucchini
3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425°F. Wrap garlic cloves tightly in foil. Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick slices and season with salt and pepper. Put foil-wrapped garlic and zucchini on a baking sheet and roast in middle of oven until garlic is tender and zucchini is pale golden, about 15 minutes. Unwrap garlic and cool. Have ready a bowl of ice water. In a saucepan of boiling water blanch basil and parsley 10 seconds and drain in a sieve. Refresh herbs in ice water to stop cooking and drain in sieve. Sauce ingredients may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and kept separately, covered and chilled. In a blender blend garlic, zucchini, herbs, water, and lemon juice until smooth, about 1 minute, and season with salt and pepper. Makes about 3/4 cup. Gourmet September 1997

Basil Ice Cream! (www.marquita.com)

1 cup milk, divided
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cups whipping cream (8 ounces, one half pint)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 large or 4 small egg yolks
Garnish: fresh basil sprigs

COOK 1/2 cup milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat until bubbly. Stir in basil leaves, and remove from heat. Cover and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.PROCESS basil mixture in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding solids. Set aside.COOK remaining 1/2 cup milk, whipping cream, and 1/4 cup sugar in saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, just until mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat.BEAT egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until thick and pale. Gradually stir about one-fourth of hot milk mixture into yolks; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in basil mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 6 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats a spoon. Cover and chill 4 hours.POUR chilled mixture into ice cream maker of choice and follow their directions. Serve in frozen lemon shells, and garnish, if desired. This recipe can easily be doubled or quadrupled for larger ice cream makers/crowds.

Real Basil Cheesecake from the Madison Herb Society Cookbook

2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup basil leaves, destemmed
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup crushed graham crackers or vanilla wafers

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In food processor or mixer, lightly beat eggs. Add sour cream, sugar, basil, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add cream cheese, 1/2 pound at a time, and process to incorporate. Spread softened butter on bottom and halfway up sides of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Cover buttered area with cookie crumbs, pressing to be sure they stick. Pour in cheesecake batter and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Run a knife around edges of cake as soon as it comes out of oven. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes then remove the side of pan. Finish cooling. Cut with dental floss into thin wedges. Ten servings.

Zucchini with Basil and Pecorino Romano Cheese from Verdura by Viana La Place

1 1/2 pounds firm zucchini
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons freshly grated imported

Pecorino Romano cheese
10 basil leaves

Wash the zucchini well. Trim the zucchini and slice into thin coins. Place olive oil in a large saute pan and turn the heat to high. Add the zucchini and toss in the oil until it is lightly golden in spots but still crisp, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat to medium low, add the garlic and S & P to taste. Cook until the zucchini is tender but still has a trace of crispness. Transfer the zucchini to a serving platter. Sprinkle the grated Pecorino Romano cheese over the zucchini. Tear the basil leaves into fragments and scatter them over the top.

Journal Post for week of August 13

Volume X, JOURNAL VII

                                                                                                                          August 13, 2012

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

$10 Pie (in 1963!)

Stew 2 cups blueberries (apples, raspberries, etc.) with 1/4 cup sugar. Meanwhile:

Preheat oven to 425. Melt 2 1/2 T butter in casserole in oven. Combine dry ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 pinch of salt

4) Combine dry ingredients with 1/2 cup milk. Pour into casserole with melted butter (don't stir)

Pour stewed fruit on top (don't stir). Bake 20-30 min.

Have a great week. -Your farmers, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Delia, Mandy, Annie, Harley and Sophie.

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com or on Facebook- check us out and/or leave a comment.

You can also get a hold if us via phone 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com

Yarn for Sale

Recipes

ROASTED-GARLIC BASIL SAUCE www.marquita.com

4 large garlic cloves
1 medium zucchini
3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Basil Ice Cream! (www.marquita.com)

1 cup milk, divided
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cups whipping cream (8 ounces, one half pint)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
3 large or 4 small egg yolks
Garnish: fresh basil sprigs

Real Basil Cheesecake from the Madison Herb Society Cookbook

Zucchini with Basil and Pecorino Romano Cheese from Verdura by Viana La Place

1 1/2 pounds firm zucchini
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons freshly grated imported

Pecorino Romano cheese
10 basil leaves

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Journal Post for week of August 6th

Volume IX, JOURNAL VII

                                                                                                                          August 6, 2012

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

Hi Everyone - Week 9 - So much to tell you - first the amazing meals we have been having around here - fried green tomatoes, fresh brushetta with melted mozzarella, stuffed with fresh ricotta lightly fried squash blossoms, sliced tomatoes with a dash of salt and basil, cornbread hot out of the oven with jalapenos, homemade potato salad with not quite homemade mayo (I do not like mayo - its right up there with acrylic and runny eggs for me so I am glad it was more of a scrambled egg dressing for the potatoes), oh the list goes on - all of this food coming from our farm.. oh my oh my. Some would say we eat like kings - I truly believe we eat better than kings, presidents, queens, - where else can you eat as fresh - only from your own garden. People often look at farmers as a poor working class. There are pictures of farmers struggling in dust bowl conditions out west (ahem could be Vermont if we don't get more rain soon), not living in huge beautiful (to society) houses, not taking lavish vacations - but you know - sit down at our table, and we feast like no other. Sit down at any farmer's table - and the food you are served will be probably the best you have ever had. Another yummy seat would be at your own table surrounded by family the food you have grown or your neighbor farmer grew. There is something to be said about food that does not come out of a tin can, colorful packaging and devoid of high fruc tose corn syrup. Your food has a face - whether of that of the farmer and their family who grew it or the animal it came from or the soil it was harvested from. Enjoy this peakness of vegetables - eat tomatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy this summer bounty:)

We are hopefully bringing 4 sheep to get processed this week into cuts and sausage - we will have fresh and frozen meat for sale in the upcoming weeks. The corn is taking its time and the weather has not been kind to it - we are still hoping we will have corn for everyone next week. Fall crops are sizing up and the arugula under the remay is looking beautiful! Possibly next week we will have this if we can get water out to that field. The storm that we were supposed to get last night - missed us and we got a sneeze worth of rain. Hoping more rain comes this week.The field potatoes are beautiful and we hope you are enjoying them.

All the varieties of heirloom tomatoes are coming in. They will be very plentiful for you at pickups:) We pick them 3 to 4 times a week. This past Sunday the folks that are involved in Food for Thought received them in their bags. There will be a Roast Turkey Dinner at the Congregational Church of South Hero this Wednesday from 5-6:30 and our tomatoes will be there. This beauties are all shapes and sizes - they are red, pink, orange, yellow, white, black, purple, burgundy, tiny, medium large and extra large. Oh my, enjoy these voluptuous beauties - enjoy their imperfections, their curves, their juiciness that runs down your cheeks when you bite into one. Eat on like an apple! This is Delia's favorite way to eat one - she likes when the juice squirts across the room. We found this very large black/red tomato last night in the field called "Black Sea Man" - it was huge at least a 2 pounder, wrapped around itself - looked like an overgrown donut - perfectly ripe - we picked it off the vine - Delia grabbed it and pulled it into two halves - so for about 5 minutes we sat in the middle of the tomatoes field sharing this tomato - bite after juicy bite. After each bit - "more mama more" until we got to the stem end - we took little bites and little bites and then it was gone. What an amazing experience to have with this wee one. And then we were off looking for more to fill our basket. Yesterday afternoon, we picked over 200lbs of heirloom tomatoes. This is one of those moments that will stay in my mind for many years to come..

Many thanks to all the volunteers who have been coming to help weed and pick. We love you all so very much! Oh, and we have started our Senior Farm Share Program 3 weeks ago at the Round Barn here in Grand Isle. The seniors have been loving all the vegetables and soon some of them and us will be on Across the Fence on WCAX to talk about the Program. Also on Across the fence, either today or next Monday Blue Heron Farm will be on to talk about the next steps of beginning farms in Vermont. We will link the two stories on our website and our newletter so you can see them. (we'll have to watch them online - we don't have a tv - we've been tv free for 4 years now...good thing for hulu and netflix - not that we have much time to watch:))

This food might seem like a lot right now - if it is share it, freeze it, enjoy it - veggies are not just for lunch or dinner - an d not just a side dish - they can be for breakfast and a main dish. We do have plenty of tomatoes now if you would like to order some for canning - just let us know. If you come and help us pick you can take home a bunch for your help.

We are looking for a travel trailer that is no longer good for people - that can be towed and the wheels move and the exterior is in alright shape - were looking to make another chicken trailer for our new birds. If you know of anyone who has one sitting in their yard that they would liket o get rid of please let us know - we'll trade you some eggs, veggies and chicken for it:) We pull all the old fixtures out - plug up any holes and put nest boxes in and shavings on the floor - and the ladies have a new digs. We are also looking to build some tiny houses on skids (2) 8 x 10 and are looking for scraps of lumber - they can be used - and roofing material.

Thanks for reading - Annie, one of our interns will be a guest writer next week. Annie finishes with us a week from Wednesday to finish up her studies at Smith College in Massachusetts. -Your farmers, Adam, Christine, Sadie, Delia, Mandy, Annie, Harley and Sophie.

Our blog is at: www.blueheronfarmvt.com or on Facebook- check us out and/or leave a comment.

You can also get a hold if us via phone 372-3420 or email harmonyvt@yahoo.com

What’s in the share this week: heirloom Tomatoes, garlic, Italian heirloom Chiogga Beet Bunches or heirloom chard or tomatillos, Nicola potatoes, green peppers, thai or italian Basil, Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers/jalapenos, cucumbers, Zucchini and Summer Squash

Yarn for Sale

Recipes

Cherry Tomato Salad - www.allrecipes.com

10 cherry, grape, or small heirloom

tomatoes (or mix thereof)

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 pinch ground black pepper

Halve tomatoes and toss with oregano, oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Let sit for a minute or two to let flavors develop. Enjoy

Penne, Tomato, and Mozzarella Salad - www.allrecipes.com

1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

5 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 ounces fresh basil

12 large black olives, halved

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water as directed on package, until just tender. Drain, and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Add green onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Add pasta, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat to warm through. Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Coarsely tear basil leaves in halves or thirds; add to pasta with olives, and serve immediately.

Stuffed Striped Cavern Tomatoes

A gorgeous dish starring the farm's own striped cavern tomatoes! The hollow nature of these tomatoes make them perfect for stuffing.

9 striped cavern tomatoes

1 1/2 cups goat cheese (chevre)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 egg

fresh basil, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the tops off tomatoes and scoop out seeds using a finger or a spoon. arrange in an 8x8 pan and bake for 5 minutes to soften. While baking, mix all other ingredients (except breadcrumbs) in a bowl. When the tomatoes come out, carefully scoop a few spoonfuls of the mixture into each one. Top with a little more basil and breadcrumbs. Put back in the oven for 10 minutes or so, then finish in the broiler if you want your breadcrumbs crunchy.

Fresh Tomato and Coriander Soup Gourmet | June 1991

Makes about 4 1/2 cups, serving 4

2 pounds tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup tomato juice1 drained pickled jalapeño pepper, seeded (wear rubber gloves), or to taste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons minced fresh coriander (cilantro)

sour cream as an accompaniment if desired

In a blender blend the tomato juice, the jalapeño pepper, and the sugar until the mixture is smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve set over a bowl, discard the solids, and stir in the orange juice, the coriander, and enough water to thin the soup to the desired consistency. Season the soup with salt and pepper, chill it, covered, for 1 hour, or until it is cold, and serve it with the sour cream.