Blue Heron Farm

Monday, September 29, 2014

Journal Post for week of September 29

Volume IX, JOURNAL 16

                                                                                                                          September 29, 2014

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

Week 16J Hi everyone- Sorry we haven't written in a few weeks. It comes down to time sometimes - wherther we have enough time to pick this or that or write the newsletter, or wash eggs or feed lunch..you know how it is. I wanted to make sure we wrote today to fill you on the next few weeks.

We have pickup today September 29 from 4-630 and drop offs on thursday october 2 (except for FAHC which will be on wednesday)

· October 6 from 4 to 630 and drop offs Thursday October 9. - week 17

· SKIP the whole week of October 13 (Columbus Day)

· October 20 from 4 - 630 and drop offs Thursday October 23 - Week 18 - Last pickup

· Also on October 20 will be Blue Heron Farm's Annual Hoedown Potluck - bring a dish to share, bring an instrument and come celebrate the Blue Heron Farm's 10th Birthday!! Eating will start around 5. You can pick up your share anytime between 4 and 630. We'll have birthday cake, farm fresh food, mulled cider and music and other treatsJ This is open to anyone who wants to come and celebrate the farm's birthday!

This weekend October 4 and 5th we will be at the VT Sheep and Wool Festival at the Tunbridge Fairgrounds. We will have all our wool there along with fresh colors for this year. It is an amazing festival including a yarn tasting, sheep dogs, food, music, amazing farmers and their wares. We will also be at the Saturday Farmers Market in Grand Isle thanks to Carly and SophieJ

Thanks to the amazing volunteer crew on Mondays - Diantha, Gretchen and Gail and Carly we have been able to harvest all the onions - nearly 500 lbs last Monday and today we harvested almost 500 lbs of potatoesJ We still have more potatoes coming - the storage varieties and more of those yummy gold potatoes. It looks like the reminerilzation of the potato and greens soils are paying off. We also have very sweet carrots coming - Delia and Sadie have been tasting them every day to make sure they are sweet. The girls have been eating the spinach like potato chips this week - they gobble it up - no cooking neccesary. The baby red russian kale in your share this week is perfect to eat raw, put in smoothies, stirfry or make kale chips. We went to a wonderful family potluck over the weekend and we brought a tossed salad with lettuce mix, kale, spinach and arugula - it was gorgeous! We made a maple balsamic vinaigrette - something that should be on a magazine cover ;)

We found out a couple of weeks ago our cow Maggie is pregnant and due May 6 - Christine's birthday. Annie our other milk cow is due November 6th. We will be breeding our sheep soon - probably the middle of October or so. We were gifted two blueberry bushes from Island blueberries - Delia is ecstatic - blueberries are her favorite. Sadie's our raspberries - we will have to get her a few bushes this fall or next spring. We will be processing meat birds this Wednesday if anyone is interested in buying some. they will be fresh til end of day Saturday - then they go in the freezer.

It's so easy to focus on all the hard things, all the challenges with farming and family life. We struggle with the balance. I have been reflecting on this a lot lately - crops fail, wars, violence, not enough time to do x, not enough rain, too much rain, housework needs to be done, we need to build house, laundry, paying bills, etc. We all get bogged down with all the quagmire. If we focus on all the challenges of every day life, we don't get to see the zinnias amongst the quack grass. J this is so easy to say than do, really. We are trying to focus on the positive - the positive gives you a lot more energy than constantly harping on what is wrong or negative. We are not looking at the world with pollyanna glasses but to see the bigger picture. A friend texted me this yesterday "The brave who focus on all things good and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the world." So be brave. Revel in the moment. Bring the brave light.

It is amazes me how much this land nourishes all of us - our bellies, our souls, our minds. Thanks for being part of it. Thanks for listening.

Have a great week.

We look forward to farming with you this season.

Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia, and Carly

What’s in the share this week:

This list is what is in a full share this week. Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Onions, Lettuce Mix, Potatoes, Spinach, Baby Red Russian Kale, Cilantro, Dill, Winter Squash, Heirloom Tomatoes

Farm Fresh Raw milk for Sale

We are very lucky to have two milking cows - Annie and Maggie - both give us plenty of milk each and every day and we would like to share that with you and anyone else would like to have raw milk. We sell it $5 a half gal. We also can do a sliding scale if needed for the milk. You can buy milk at CSA pickup or anytime out of our barn fridge next to our house at 34 quaker.

Eggs for sale We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown eggs– with the brightest yellow/orange yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $5.00 a dozen. $3.00 half dozen

***FRESH CERTIFIED ORGANIC whole CHICKEN AVAILABLE at the FARM TODAY - $5.50 a lb*** Also available in the fridge freezer section in our barn milk fridge next to our house.

Recipes:

Slow-Cooker Caramelized Onions & French Onion Soup

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/11/11/slow-cooker-caramelized-onions-french-onion-soup-make-ahead-mondays/

The slow-cooker is the ideal way to make big batches of luscious, brown, meltingly tender Caramelized Onions for whatever purposes you like them. Included is my recipe for perfect French Onion Soup using the caramelized onions as a base.

Ingredients

For the Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

12 small to medium sized yellow onions

3 medium sized red onions

6 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

For the French Onion Soup:

1 1/2 cups beef broth - you could use veg broth

1 1/2 cups chicken broth - you could use veg broth

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

6-8 slices (1 to 1 1/2-inches thick each) French bread

olive oil for drizzling

6-8 thin slices Swiss cheese (or 1/4 pound grated Swiss cheese, or more to taste)

Instructions

To Make the Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions:

Halve, peel, and thinly slice all of the onions. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the bottom of the slow-cooker's crock. Add about half of the onions, sprinkle about half of the salt over the onions, drizzle another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and repeat with the remaining onions, salt, and olive oil. Sprinkle the thyme over everything and then use tongs to toss the contents so the onions are evenly coated with oil. Place the lid on the crock, turn the heat to HIGH, and let it cook for 9-10 hours, stirring and flipping the contents from bottom to top after 1 hour and again after 3 hours. After those stirs, you should not need to keep agitating the contents of the slow cooker unless your cooker runs hot. If you know it runs hot, it wouldn't hurt to move the onions around every couple of hours to prevent scorching. When the onions are deep golden brown to medium brown, turn the slow-cooker off and portion out the onions into freezer safe containers. I tend to do one batch big enough for French Onion Soup, and two smaller containers for pizzas, flatbreads, sandwiches, and whatnot.

To Make the French Onion Soup:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. You can either remove half of the caramelized onions from the slow cooker and finish making the soup in the crock or you can transfer half of the caramelized onions to a pot to make the soup. Either way, add the beef and chicken broths to half of the caramelized onions over HIGH heat. While the soup heats, drizzle the bread slices with olive oil on both sides. Depending on the size and shape of the bowls you will be using to serve the soup, you may have to trim the bread to fit. Toast the bread in the preheated oven for about 6 minutes, flipping halfway through the time, or until golden brown and crisp on both sides. Set aside.

When the soup is steaming hot, but not boiling, taste the broth and adjust with salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle the soup into broiler-safe bowls, top each bowl with one or two croutons. Top each crouton with a slice of Swiss cheese or a generous handful of grated Swiss cheese. Put the bowls under the broiler until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and browned in places. Serve immediately.

All-Dressed Kale Chips

Crispy and chewy kale chips baked in the oven and seasoned to perfection. Enjoy these as a healthy alternative to potato chips. Use as many or as little spices as you'd like.

per baking sheet:

approx. 1/2 bunch kale leaves

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil

1.5 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 300F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove leaves from the stems of the kale and roughly tear it up into large pieces. Compost the stems (or freeze for smoothies). Wash and spin the leaves until thoroughly dry. Add kale leaves into a large bowl. Massage in the oil until all the nooks and crannies are coated in oil. Now sprinkle on the spices/seasonings and toss to combine. Spread out the kale onto the prepared baking sheet into a single layer, being sure not to overcrowd the kale.

Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 12-15 minutes more until the kale begins to firm up. The kale will look shrunken, but this is normal. I bake for 25 mins. total in my oven. Cool the kale on the sheet for 3 minutes before digging in! This really makes all the difference! Enjoy immediately as they lose their crispiness with time. Repeat this process for the other half of the bunch.

Note: Feel free to make these in a dehydrator if you have one. You can also experiment with the convection or dehydrator setting on your oven (if applicable). Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/print-recipe/?id=762#ixzz3EjYHa0oZ

SHARE THE HARVEST FUNDRAISER THIS THURSDAY OCTOBER 2

As you know, we partner with NOFA-VT to offer Supported CSA shares to community members who not be able to participate otherwise. On Thursday, October 2nd, 2014 generous restaurants, coops, and food stores statewide will participate in Share the Harvest 2014 by donating a portion of their day’s sales to the Farm Share Program. NOFA Vermont thanks these participants and all of the people who eat out or shop at participating establishments on this date.

Donations to the Farm Share Program are always welcomed and are accepted year round. If you would like to contribute to the Farm Share Program, you can do so online or download this coupon to make a donation.

NOFA Vermont's Farm Share Program is a great way that limited-income Vermonters can afford to purchase CSA (community supported agriculture) shares of fresh produce from their local farmers. Donations to the Farm Share Program go into a fund which helps subsidize CSA shares to needy Vermonters. NOFA Vermont believes that all Vermonters should be able to eat local organic food, regardless of their income level, while also making sure farmers get a good wage for their hard work.

In 2014, the Farm Share Program is serving over 1,400 limited-income people statewide with participation from 50 Vermont farms. Demand for Farm Share Program support is significant and a waiting list for CSA share recipients has been established. The Farm Share Program is funded by individual donations and by the annual Share the Harvest fundraiser.

Click on any of the 2014 Share the Harvest participant's names below to learn more about them.

If you know of a restaurant or food store who would like to participate in Share the Harvest 2015, please contact Becca Weiss at becca@nofavt.org or 802-434-4122 x 20.

Share the Harvest 2014 participants are listed below.

Special thanks to those businesses who have shown their commitment to our local food system with their long-time participation in Share the Harvest. Businesses with 8 or more years of participation are designated with asterisks (*).

2014 Participants	Location
Sonny's Blue Benn Diner	Bennington
Colatina Exit	Bradford
Local Buzz	Bradford
Brattleboro Food Co-op	Brattleboro
Mountain Greens Market	Bristol
A Single Pebble	Burlington
Citizen Cider	Burlington
City Market/Onion River Coop	Burlington
The Daily Planet	Burlington
El Cortijo Taqueria	Burlington
The Farmhouse Tap & Grill	Burlington
Great Harvest Bread Co	Burlington
Guild Tavern	Burlington
Hen of the Wood	Burlington
Juniper	Burlington
Lake View House Restaurant	Burlington
Leonardo's Pizza	Burlington
Leunig's	Burlington
Magnolia Bistro	Burlington
Pascolo	Burlington
Penny Cluse Cafe	Burlington
The Skinny Pancake	Burlington
Splash at the Boathouse	Burlington
Trattoria Delia	Burlington
Lake View Restaurant	S Burlington
Your Farmstand	Charlotte
Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center Farm Stand	E. Thetford
The Abbey Restaurant	Enosburg Falls
The Junction Restaurant at Essex Resort & Spa	Essex Junction
Sweet Clover Market	Essex
Foothill's Bakery	Fairfax
Buffalo Mountain Food Co-op	Hardwick
Good Times Cafe	Hinesburg
Gringo Jack's	Manchester
Mulligans of Manchester	Manchester
New Morning Natural Foods	Manchester
The Perfect Wife Restaurant	Manchester
American Flatbread Middlebury Hearth	Middlebury
Courtyard Middlebury Bistro	Middlebury
Fire and Ice Restaurant	Middlebury
Green Peppers	Middlebury
Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op	Middlebury
Otter Creek Bakery	Middlebury
Stone Leaf Tea House	Middlebury
The Waybury Inn	Middlebury
Nutty Steph's	Middlesex
Capitol Grounds	Montpelier
Hunger Mountain Co-op	Montpelier
Sarducci's	Montpelier
The Skinny Pancake	Montpelier
The Bee's Knees	Morrisville
The Plainfield Co-op	Plainfield
Positive Pie Plainfield	Plainfield
The Gleanery	Putney
Putney Food Co-op	Putney
Toscano Cafe & Bistro	Richmond
Rutland Area Food Co-op	Rutland
The Inn at Shelburne Farms	Shelburne
Springfield Food Co-op	Springfield
Jeff's Maine Seafood	St. Albans
Natural Provisions	St. Johnsbury
St. Johnsbury Food Co-op	St. Johnsbury
Leonardo's Pizza	S. Burlington
Health Hero Island Farmstand	S. Hero
South Royalton Market	S. Royalton
Harvest Market	Stowe
Laughing Moon Chocolates	Stowe
Red Mill Restaurant at Basin Harbor Club	Vergennes
American Flatbread	Waitsfield
Three Mountain Cafe	Waitsfield
Arvad's	Waterbury
Prohibition Pig	Waterbury
Tanglewoods	Waterbury
Hen of the Wood	Waterbury
Upper Valley Food Co-op	White River Junction
Natural Provisions	Williston
Woodstock Farmers' Market	Woodstock

Friday, September 12, 2014

CSA pickup moved from Monday to Tuesday September 16

Hi Everyone-

We have to go to Boston for a family event for my brother and sister in law's baby on Sunday. It will be too much to travel back and forth in one day with our kids- so we have to move CSA pickup to Tuesday September 16 from 4 - 630. Thursday drop offs will remain the same.

Sorry for the inconvenience. If this is a problem for anyone please let us know, we will gladly pack your share and you can pick it up on Wednesday from the stand.

To our Monday volunteers - Carly would love to still have you and help pick for Tuesday:) She will meet you at the stand at 830.

We had a blast last Monday - we think about 100 people came out for the yummy pizza, music and company.

Thank you-

Adam, Christine, Sadie, Delia and Carly

Sunday, September 7, 2014

CSA pickup and Social on Monday night here on the farm

Hi everyone! CSA pickup tomorrow and NOFA-VT Social at our farm. Please come on down or up ;) It goes from 430 to 6:30 with farm fresh pizzas, tours, dinner BHF style. Spread the word - bring yourself, neighbor, family - we would love to have you. please share widely.

http://nofavt.org/events/celebrate-your-farmer-social-blue-heron-farm

Monday, August 18, 2014

Journal Post for week of August 18th

Volume IX, JOURNAL 10

                                                                                                                          August 18, 2014

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

***FRESH CERTIFIED ORGANIC CHICKEN AVAILABLE at the FARM TODAY - $5.50 a lb***

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

Week 10J There are many things going over the internet these days - conflicts, death, ice buckets, beaches, and stories about not letting your children become farmers. These days the work is hard and long. We wake up early, work past dark, break for meals and play and keep on keeping on. I found Delia's flip flops by the wash station today, she probably flung them off while picking wildflowers for the fundraiser we had here yesterday for Food for thought. I helped weed Sadie's little garden that she made all herself. I see the little tykes cars strewn between the farmstand and the cherry tomato hoophouse. I found a little basket of eggs collected on a tour that my girls did yesterday with some visitors. I hear the rooster crowing. We pick 70 pints of cherry tomatoes. Our steadfast volunteers pick the green beans that will be on your plates today. We ate eggs from chickens that we had as chicks and ham we had from a pig we had as a piglet. I snacked on tomatoes, split cucumbers in two in the field and ate one - their refreshing snap and crispness a nice break in the picking. I scout out the corn with Adam to hopefully to pick later in the day. Our girls had yogurt for breakfast from our sweet cows Annie and Maggie. Sadie found it to be a bit chilly this morning, and she grabbed her wool hat made with these hands made from the wool from the backs of our sheep. The coolness of mid august was welcome while picking this morning for this community we belong to. Our girls were so excited to show everyone that came yesterday the beauty and fullness of this scared place - explaining along the way why we raise that vegetable, why we raise sheep and chickens and cows , how all the animals and veggies and people need each other to grow. This is our office - this is what pays the bills. Things are not all roses on small diversified family farm. There is a lot of hard work, stress, dirt, and anxiety. But this farm is what gets us out of bed every morning. The joy that is in farming along with all the yuck - is a wonder. Sometimes you have to take a step back and see the forest for the trees.

Our girls will be themselves when they grow up - our hope is to help them build their toolbox of skills: mentally, physically and spiritually - to be who they are. Their occupation will be to be good, passionate, caring citizens - knowing they are part of a bigger community. Knowing where their food comes from and how important food, shelter and clothing are to everyone. When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut. I learned to work hard, being caring, brave, loving and passionate. And I know I am those things today and I express those things through my daily life- that’s what I hope defines me not necessarily my occupation. I hope the same for my girls to be who they want to be and not have an occupation to define them. They will be independent. They will know how to grow, harvest and prepare their own food. They will be able to know how to read the weather, the land and drive a tractorJ Farming is more than a profession. Farming is a way of life, it is not 9 to 5, it is dynamic. Being a farmer is who you are.

I saw the following article and it spoke to me and other mama farmers I know. My girls know where their food comes from, they know the work that goes into farming and the flexibility of us going with dirty knees and all to a baseball game or dance practice. Farming is a way of life that is hard but so rewarding. I have enclosed the article for you to read. Be brave. Wear stripes and polka dots. Be home before dark to put the baby chicks in. get dirtyJ

Have a great week.

We look forward to farming with you this season.

Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia, and Carly

Let Your Children Grow Up to Be Farmers

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jenna-woginrich/let-your-children-be-farmers_b_5674640.html

Posted: 08/13/2014 11:19 am EDT Updated: 08/13/2014 11:59 am EDT

""Don't Let Your Children Grow Up to Be Farmers." That was the title of an op-ed piece in the New York Times circling around my Facebook feed this week. You may have read it yourself, but if not here's the gist: There is no money in farming with integrity as a small business model. It's a nearly-impossible way to make a living. Those organic veggies at your local farmers' market, the CSA share you may or may not have invested in, the truck hauls to busy city centers to deliver box club splits... It's a dog-eat-dog shit show, a constant competition between "hobby" farms (some are recreation of the wealthy for land tax breaks in the same farmer's market as commercial growers) and nonprofit farms who have boards of directors to hand out new tractors instead of resorting to begging a bank for a loan. It was a good article and as a good point was made. Farming as your sole source of income is no way to get rich and getting harder all the time, even among this recent food movement. And that was why the title was what it was, to grab your attention and point out how hard the much-applauded small farm business is. "Don't let your children grow up to be farmers" was a warning and an earnest one.

The article ends with issues farmers need to fight for, like loan forgiveness for college grads (I personally would love this one) who pursue agriculture and better wages for every part of the food-growing system. Like I said, it was a powerful article and well written, and I agree with him on all points but one:

Let your children grow up to be farmers.

Let them know what it is like to be free from fluorescent lights and laser pointer meetings. Let them challenge themselves to be forever resourceful and endlessly clever. Let them whistle and sing loud as they like without getting called into an office for "disturbing the workforce." Let them commute down a winding path with birdsong instead of a freeway's constant growl. Let them be bold. Let them be romantic. Let them grow up not having to ask another adult for permission to go to the dentist at 2 p.m. on a Thursday. Let them get dirty. Let them kill animals. Let them cry at the beauty of fallow earth they just signed the deed for. Let them bring animals into this world, and realize they don't care about placenta on their shirt because they no longer care about shirts. Let them wake up during a snowstorm and fight drifts at the barn door instead of traffic. Let them learn what real work is. Let them find happiness in the understanding that success and wealth are not the same thing. Let them skip the fancy wedding. Let them forget four years of unused college. Let them go. Let them go home.

Farming never has been, and never will be, an easy life but for many it is an easy choice. For me it was the only choice. Perhaps that is what it takes? Being a farmer means wanting to do it more than anything else. It means giving up things other people take for granted as givens, like travel and the latest fashion, new cars and 401k plans. It means making choices your peers won't understand, your family will disapprove of, and other farmers will scoff at. It means making a decision and owning it, really owning it the way few people get to own anything in their lives anymore. Let your children grow up to know this responsibility. Let them literally put food on the table, lift up their bootstraps and learn how much effort a life worth living entails.

I have been living on this farm full-time for nearly two years, and it has never been without worry. But that heavy blanket of anxiety is full of many, tiny, holes that let in brilliant beams of light, as many as there are stars! And those pieces of light I have reached have changed me so much. They are mountaintop rides on a draft horse, meals I knew as chicks and seeds, and finding a spiritual home in the everyday work and rhythms of my life. The version of me who was too scared to farm would certainly be more solvent, but she wouldn't be happy. She wouldn't know how to hunt deer, ride a horse, plant a garden or butcher a chicken. It is only in the last few decades of abnormal history that these skills were considered recreational or outdated. And perhaps that New York Times writer will find himself in a much better place financially when local food goes from being a novelty of the so-inclined to the staples his community depends on when gas prices, natural disasters, political climates or any other disruption in the cattle cars of modern civilization start to hiccup.

And that may be the best reason to let you children grow up to become farmers: they can feed themselves. They can achieve the most basic of human needs in a society clueless about how to take care of themselves without a car and a supermarket. Becoming a farmer isn't in financial fashion right now; that is sadly true, but it will be again. As long as people need to eat there will be a business in doing so, and it's up to each farmer to find his or her niche, celebrate it, unapologetically accept good money for it, and keep doing it far past the point of reason. Any son or daughter of mine that dared to be so bold would not be discouraged from facing the world with such fierceness for simplicity. Antlers on fire can set a lot more holes in a dark blanket.

Let your children grow up to become farmers. There is a surplus of mediocrity in this nation and a deficit of bravery. Let your children grow up to be farmers. Let them be brave. " -Jenna Woginrich at Cold Antler Farm.

What’s in the share this week:

This list is what is in a full share this week. Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Onions, Lettuce, Herbs, Corn (fingers crossed), Green Beans, Cucumbers, cherry/full size heirloom tomatoes, hmmmm

Farm Fresh Raw milk for Sale

***FRESH CERTIFIED ORGANIC CHICKEN AVAILABLE at the FARM TODAY - $5.50 a lb***

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Journal Post August 11,2014

Volume IX, JOURNAL 9

                                                                                                                          August 11, 2014

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

Week 9J Busy picking on Monday - lots of labor intensive things like potatoes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers..that is why this journal is late and abbreviated. The cherry tomatoes are really starting to come in now and the full size tomatoes are really thinking about turning for usJ This was a first harvest of red potatoes - they are all red - they are called Mountain rose. Delicious potatoes whether its boiled, fried, grilled or broiled. For a couple of nights this week - I boiled these potatoes, drained them added salt, pepper, olive oil, the green tops of the onions and put in a pyrex pan and put cheddar cheese all over it and broiled it for 7 minutes - so.yummy.

We processed chickens and they are now available fresh on the farm or at the farmers market. They range from 3.0 to 4.75 lbs and they are $6 a pound.

YOU and YOUR FRIENDS AND FARMILY ARE INVITED!

We are getting ready for the Savor the Islands Dinner happening on our farm this Sunday from 3 to 5pm. It is a fundraiser for Food For Thought - Islands Summer Lunch program. We will have wood fired flatbreads filled with toppings from our farm and other island farms, many yummy side dishes and farm fresh ricotta cheesecakes and other sweet treats for dessert. There will be a self-guided tours and music. We look forward to seeing you. Hope you all can come. It is by donation with a suggested donation of $17 per adult and free for children under 13. If the suggested donation is a stretch - just put in what you can and if you can put in more - go for it. This should be a wonderful event! Last year we had almost 150 people here.

Have a great week.

We look forward to farming with you this season.

Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia, and Carly

What’s in the share this week:

This list is what is in a full share this week. Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Zucchini, Summer Squash, Napa Cabbage, Onions, Lettuce, Red Potatoes, Cucumbers, cherry/full size heirloom tomatoes

Farm Fresh Raw milk for Sale

Recipes

Tzatziki Cucumbers from the Madison Area CSA Coalition

1 medium cucumber, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. lemon juice
8 oz. yogurt
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

Combine all ingredients, chill and serve. Makes 2-3 servings.

Cherry Tomato & Avocado Salad

1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons chopped scallion or other mild onion
1 cup (approx.) chopped avocado
2 tablespoons chopped herb (such as parsley, cilantro, dill....)
optional vinaigrette to coat (whirl 2 T lemon juice or vinegar, 1 small clove garlic, 1 t mustard, pinch salt and pepper, with 1/2 cup olive oil in blender.) Gently mix all ingredients. Serve. (The avocado is optional but delicious)

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes 4 servings

2 baskets Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Finely chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon Finely chopped rosemary
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix tomatoes, onions, parsley, rosemary, garlic, olive oil and vinegar in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and let tomatoes marinate at room temperature at least 1 hour, but preferably 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally. Enjoy with crostini or as a side dish.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Journal post for week of August 4

Volume IX, JOURNAL 8

                                                                                                                          August 4, 2014

       Blue Heron Farm Journal

So what’s happening on the farm this week?

Week 8: What crew we had this morning!! Thanks to Carly, Todd, Sadie, Gail, Diantha, Gretchen, Patrick and Garren for harvesting out of our jungle of a farmJ It is thanks to them that all of these yummy veggies are for you todayJ Commitment is what I have to say when they picked all those cherry tomatoes out of the jungle of the hoophouse - I need to get in there with my clippers. The carrots that the girls have been nibbling on are finally ready - hmmm weren't these supposed to be spring carrots? The fall carrots and beets are up and growing. Everything is loving this rain we got last night - I think we received about 1/2 inch. A couple of folks asked about potatoes - I think next week - we have a bunch growing. That field was too wet to get into and its not good to play with clay soil when its wet ;) The first crop of corn is looking good. We are just waiting for it to bulk up maybe next week maybe the week after. The cucumbers are in full force finally. The tomatoes are starting to ripen more with all the clipping and trimming we did in the middle house - you get the first of these todayJ The ground cherries might be ready next week but definitely the week after. Oh and the lettuce should be back next week - if we picked it today we would have had to pick so many baby heads that we would have wiped out supply . So we are going to let them get a little bit bigger. They love this weather.

We had a wonderful Savor the Islands dinner at Snowfarm yesterday. I was on topping duty for flatbreads. It was great fun to make all these fun creative pizzas and have Matt cook them in the wood fired oven. So tasty. Such a great fundraiser for Food For Thought - Farmers slinging pizzas and desserts J So much fun! Our farm is the next one on August 17 from 3-5. Hope many of you can come - it is by donation and all the food is local. I think I might even make a few ricotta cheesecakes too;) We will be looking for volunteers who would like to help with our event - everything from cooking, cleaning, setting up, collecting tents and tables, oh the list goes on - if you are interested let us know. We will feed you really well. We had over 140 people last yearJ

Have a great week.

We look forward to farming with you this season.

Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie and Delia, Carly and Todd

What’s in the share this week:

This list is what is in a full share this week. Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Zucchini, Summer Squash, Carrots, Basil, Cilantro, Onions, Squash blossoms, Cucumbers, Pickling cucumbers, Green Cabbage, cherry/full size heirloom tomatoes

Farm Fresh Raw milk for Sale

Recipes

Christine's Squash Blossoms

The squash blossoms that are in your shares this week are the male blossoms from a summer squash or zucchini plant. You can eat the female ones, but we figure they are pretty busy making fruit and they kind of fall apart when you pull them off the fruit. Some say pull them stamen out but I don't. These plants create a plentiful amount of squash blossoms to make sure that the female blossoms are pollinated to make fruit. We take the excess off and enjoy these only summer time treats. We pick them all when they are wide open and they will gradually close on their own. It is important to pick only wide open ones, so they open later for you. Shake out any stray bugs, fill a ziploc bag with some soft cheese (chevre, ricotta, cream cheese, really any kind) cut a little hole in the corner and pipe the cheese into each blossom. Dip in egg, then roll in flour or cornmeal or panko or regular bread crumbs or a combo of all the above - and in a hot skillet with oil (we have used canola, coconut or organic vegetable shortening) cook until one side is golden brown and then the other. You can fry them without filling them but oh my - are they delicious filled! Sadie can sit and eat plates of them. You can also eat squash blossoms just in salads or just the way they are. Some CSA members are chopped them about put them into fritattas. They are best used within the first few days of having them if you are going to stuff them.

Tzatziki Cucumbers from the Madison Area CSA Coalition

1 medium cucumber, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. lemon juice
8 oz. yogurt
1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

Combine all ingredients, chill and serve. Makes 2-3 servings.

Baked Summer Squash with Pesto Crumbs
from More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Renee Shepherd
This can be served as a whole meal, over wild rice and garnished with toasted pecans.

3 lbs. Mixed summer squash
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 shallots, minced
4 scallions, finely chopped
½ cup Pesto Bread Crumbs Recipe(see below)

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly oil a 2 ½ to 3 quart casserole dish with cover. Trim squash and cut into large chunks (about 1 ½ inches). Arrange squash pieces in casserole and set aside. Melt butter and olive oil together in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly. Pour sauce mixture over squash, tossing until squash is coated. Cover casserole and bake 40 minutes. Toss squash gently and spoon juices and seasonings from the bottom of dish over squash. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake uncovered for 10 minutes longer, until squashes are tender when pierced with a knife.

Pesto Bread Crumbs

1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
3 Tbs. roasted pine nuts
1 ½ cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly blended. After using, refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 2 cups.

Squash Pancakes - marquita.com

2 eggs
1/2C milk
4 medium summer squashes, grated
1/2C bread crumbs
1/2C grated cheese
1/3C each chopped fresh parsley, basil and cilantro
2T minced shallot or green onion
4T butter
1/4C flour

Mix together eggs and milk. Add squash, herbs and shallots. Then mix in the cheese. Add slowly the bread crumbs and flour and mix well. In a large, heavy, non-stick skillet, melt 1T butter until it starts to brown. Spoon about 1/4C of mixture into the pan and flatten a bit with the spoon. You might be able to fit 2 pancakes into the same pan at once. When the edges show a little browning turn with a spatula. Cook the other side until it is also golden brown. Keep pancakes warm in the oven until they are all cooked.