CSA Wk. 15, Sept. 30

Some of you have started asking when our last week will be. We advertised 16-18 weeks, and we were hoping for the latter. But things are dwindling fast, not just in the short days/not growing stuff I talked about last week, but also just we've harvested a lot of veggies this year and there aren't too many left :-) We definitely will get the 16 weeks, and want to do 17, but will have to let you know next week after the harvest if we think we can make it another week.

A quick note on the celery - don't expect this to be like the hearts at the store. This is very flavorful, intense celery, and tends to be much more fibrous. It is great diced small and used in recipes. Don't let the leaves scare you off either. They are edible and packed with all that flavor too. Dice them and use like an herb.

Medium Shares:
Red Cabbage
Kohlrabi
Sweet Lightening Squash
Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Carrots
Celery
Chard
Collards
Scallions
Sage
Garlic

Large Shares:
Red Cabbage
Kohlrabi
Acorn Squash
Tomatoes
Tomatillos
Carrots
Celery
Chard
Scallions
Leeks
Pepper
Summer Squash
Sage
Garlic

Will probably see you all today. I should be around working outside.

Thanks!

Wk 14, Sept. 23

No frost last weekend - phew, we still have tomatoes :-)

With the shorter days, and cooler nights though, things do not move along at the same pace in the garden, and fall crops of lettuce and spinach didn't seem to make it. We had hoped to be able to give them out again. Sorry. Kale will have to do as far as greens are concerned.

Here is a recipe for a yummy sauce you can make with your horseradish - it is great on meat!
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/11/Horseradish_Sauce47939.shtml

Medium Shares:
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Potatoes
Radish mix
Kale
Jerusalem Artichokes
Summer Squash
Tomatillos
Turnips
Parsely
Horseradish

Large Shares:
Same list as medium, except add cukes

By the looks of things, we hope to push 17 weeks out of the 16-18 week share we sold you. So, as we are on week 14, probably another 3 weeks. We will keep you posted.

Have a good one. See you later.

The Farmers 8

Wk 13, Sept. 16

Wow, was it cold this morning (and wet, not a nice mix). We actually started a camp fire while washing and assembling your bags. The weather report is calling for a possible frost tonight, and I am praying we do not get it, because there are hundreds more tomatoes to come and I don't want to lose them. I've been making tomato sauce all week. 12 quarts down, but we used about 60 a year, so NO FROST PLEASE!!!!!! Our gardens are too big to try and cover crops with blankets and such too, so we really just have keep our fingers crossed.

Trying to do a million things today before we head out for a weekend camping trip (yeah, going to be so warm), so this setup is different and hope I didn't leave anything out of have too many typos :-) You are on your own again this week (sorry I keep leaving) and the tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are on a table when you walk in the barn, and make sure you grab yours.

Medium:
Spaghetti Squash - this winter squash is stringy like spaghetti, hence the name. You can roast it, or boil it. It has a taste similar to other squashes, but actually isn't bad with actual spaghetti sauce on it.
Cabbage (yes, again - try making sauerkraut! I've got a large batch in my fridge right now)
Corn - these are the last of the ears, and have been husked for you, and any bad spot cut off. Would probably be best to use this corn in a recipe vs. corn on the cob.
Jerusalem Artichoke - nutty & delicious, also known as sunchokes. Skins can be eaten if clean. Great roasted, can make souop with them. They are super trendy in gourmet cooking right now so google a recipe and try them!
Kale - we just couldn't skip a week :-)
Sage
Mixed Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes - we are not sure what happened to our cherry tomato plants this year - we only ended up with 3 or 4. Thankfully, our good friends at Morgan Hill Farm in town had more than enough, so we traded, wait for it, CABBAGE with them to get you some organic cherries. So sweet!
Swiss Chard

Large:
Same as above, except add
Scallions
Cauliflower
Brussel Sprouts
Cucumber

CSA Week 12, Sept. 9

So I'm back from the lake and the garden sprung in to action while I was away, mainly with corn and tomatoes. I don't seem to have enough time to do with them what I should. I need to make sauce and corn relish and salsa etc. while its all here in bounty. This is a problem that may face you on a smaller scale each week with your produce - how to use it all up. I encourage you to be resourceful, look up recipies, spend a little more time cooking instead of ......you fill in your favorite time sucker here :-) I know from experience that it is worth the effort to eat fresh food, even if you freeze it now and eat it in the winter. Make quiche with summer squash, and freeze for the future, or try your hand at making corn relish and can it! Some things like kale & swiss chard you may have used up all of your ideas, but blanch them and throw in the freezer in a baggie and use in the winter in soup! Just some ideas - buy hey, if you are fine with composting it or feeding it to your chickens, that is your choice :-)

We had some damage from the hurricane last week, though nothing compared with the widespread devestation in Vermont. We lost some corn and peppers - no big deal, right - and had to pick all the peaches even though they weren't all ripe and freeze them. We had high hopes of using them in CSA, but there is that risk thing we talk about in the sign up! There is no guarantee with what will happen with the weather and gardening. All the rain we've had is taking up issues with my tomatoes, which are wilting fast, and many are bruised with squishy soft spots. We also haven't been able to get the eggplants to put out fruit for two years in a row. Odd. Regardless, we are phasing out of summer veggies like cukes fast, you probably see the last of them this week. Winter squash shows its face this week - don't feel you have to use it right away - they last for a long time. As do cabbages by the way. Things like corn and tomatillos are best used right away as their sugars convert to startches rather quickly, so make a nice Mexican meal with fresh salsa verde, some sauteed corn, and fish tacos with a lime/kohlrabi slaw.....something like that :-)

Fall weather is setting in - days are getting much shorter, nights are coming sooner, and getting cooler. This means that plants to do not grow as well. Our second crops of spinach and beans are trugging along slowly, and it's always an experiment to see if they make it to picking size. Fingers crossed!

If you have any questions about anything, please email or call.

Medium Shares:
Winter Squash
Swiss Chard
Kale
Cabbage
Beets
Potatoes
Cukes
Tomatillos
Onion
Tomatoes
Garlic
Corn
Parsely

Large Shares:
Winter Squash
Swiss Chard
Kale
Collard Greens
Cabbage
Beets
Potatoes
Cukes
Tomatillos
Onion
Tomatoes
Peppers
Garlic
Corn
Parsely

Sorry about leaving corn off the list last week, though I'm sure you knew what it was :-) Hopefully you didn't find too many worms in yours, if any. An organic bacteria was sprayed this year to help kill the larvae of the worm and hopefully it worked. Of all the ears I've opened (about 50) I have only seen a couple.

Thanks everyone. Have a great week.

CSA Week 11, September 2

Wow, September! Where has the summer gone! Busy as ever on the farms, with back to school time and so much to harvest. Things still look great weather wise with no sign of frost for a while, so hopefully we should continue with things like tomatoes and cukes for another couple weeks at least.

Sorry that I haven't given you lots of info. on your produce as of late, or ideas of what to do with it - I've been vacationing on the lake, and have rushed out of here Friday mornings to get back to enjoy it. So again today, I leave you short and sweet, and hope you will do the research for yourselves on what to do with your shares :-)

Oh, there are cabbages for all of you in a bin - they didn't fit in the bags, just too big. There are also summer squash that way again - maybe not as many as last week so share the wealth.

Have a great week. You are on your own again for pick up today. I will be back around next week so hope to see some of you then.

Medium Shares:
Russet Potatoes
Beets
Carrots
Russian Kale
Cabbage (take one)
Kohlrabi
Summer Squash/Zucchini Mix (take a couple)
Cukes
Tomatoes
Basil

Medium Shares:
Russet Potatoes
Beets
Carrots
Curly Kale
Cabbage (take one)
Red Cabbage
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Kohlrabi
Summer Squash/Zucchini Mix (take a couple)
Cukes
Tomatoes
Basil

CSA Wk 10, August 26

Short and sweet this week. On vacation, so the CSA pickup is on your own this week. Good luck finding your bags :-)

Summer Squash is in a big basket by the fridge - take what you like.

Medium Share:
Turnip/Rutabega
Beets
Corn
Napa Cabbage
Onion
Tomatoes
Cukes
Swiss Chard
Collards
Curly Kale
Fennel Herb Fronds

Large Share:
Turnip/Rutabega
Beets
Corn
Napa Cabbage
Onion
Tomatoes
Cukes
Swiss Chard
Collards
Black Kale
Purple Kohlrabi
Cauliflower
Savoy Cabbage
Fennel Herb Fronds

CSA Wk 9, August 19

Wow, we are half way through the CSA season. Things are looking good - this week we had a major haul of cabbage, with more to come. We are also planting another crop that will be late in the season, end of the year (when it's cold). You will probably be done CSA by then, but it's a good lead in to some exciting news on the farm. The stand has usually stayed open through the end of October, but plans are in the works for a Saturday morning "farmers market" to be held in our barn this fall/winter. It won't be an all out market with lots of vendors (maybe a couple of our good farmer friends), but we will offer cold storage crops, eggs, baked goods, and some other surprises we are working out.

Beans are on a stand by until the next crop comes in.

A lull in our corn production - hoping we will be back in swing next week, able to share some with you.

Tomatoes are starting to think about turning a pale pink - a few have shown their true colors this week, but nothing to share with CSA yet. Maybe next week, fingers crossed.

Here's what we found for you this week, with some product details and recipe ideas listed below. If you ever need help deciding what to do with something, shoot me an email or call! We do not want you wasting your shares, and there are so many great things to be done with your produce. Possibly someday I will hold cooking classes with the CSA to show you how to use the goods, but life sounds too busy for that right now :-)

Here are the lists:

Medium Shares -
Cabbage
Kohlrabi
Russian Kale
Cucumbers
Beets
Potatoes
Summer Squash
Onions
Garlic
Parsley

Large Shares -
Cabbage
Kohlrabi
Curly Kale
Yellow Romano Beans
Cucumbers
Beets
Potatoes
Coosa Summer Squash (light green)
Zucchini
Pepper
Onions
Garlic
Parsley

New Vegetables:

Kohlrabi. One in medium, two in large - starting you out easy. They are round, light green, bagged. It is a vegetable that is mysterious because not very many people actually know what it is. It’s a bulb that tastes amazing and has many different usages. It originated in Eastern Europe where it is quite popular. This is a very nutrient dense vegetable. It is sometimes described as a cross between a cabbage and a turnip or broccoli. It is worth eating! Besides being an excellent source of fiber, Kohlrabi is high in vitamin C and potassium. To preserve the vitamin C in this vegetable it is best to eat it raw. However there are some wonderful ways to cook it as well.
To use kohlrabi cooked you can dice it up, roll it in some olive oil, sprinkle some salt or herbs over it and roast in the oven. When they come out sprinkle some apple cider vinegar on them when they are still hot. Or add it to a root vegetable roast with carrot, potato, turnip, onion etc. all mixed up with some olive oil and roast on an open pan in the oven until tender and browned.
Peel, slice and steam it until tender and serve with a little butter.
Peel and slice and then add to stir fry.
Steam and then mash.
Raw, you can shred it, slice it, dice it...add to salads, make coleslaw with it shredded in etc.

Fennel - licorice tasting bulb, large shares received, white, a few in a bag. Very Italian. It seems a little coarse/rough, so we recommend roasting it or using in soup stock, or shaving it raw.

Here are some recipe ideas for both of these new veggies.

http://cedarcirclefarm.org/recipes/view/kale-fennel-kohlrabi-summer-slaw/

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cheese-Tortellini-Soup-with-Cannellini-Kielbasa-and-Kale-106143

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Kale-with-Kohlrabi-354974




Enjoy!

CSA Wk 8, August 12

Greetings!

What beautiful weather this am - sunny & bright, but cool enough to keep the sweatshirt on. Love it! Feels like fall.....which is right around the corner.

We are about 1/2 way through the CSA season and going strong. We've been tackling some pests as of late, mainly with an organic biological spray. We've had what we think is a woodchuck eating greens of carrots (you will notice they look a little chewed) and a few other things. But all in all, a great year so far with more surprises to come.

We are anxiously awaiting for tomatoes to ripen, but they are taking their sweet old time. All are still very green. Pesky tomato horn worms have found some of the plants - these are an intensely HUGE (about the size of an adults thumb) fat green caterpillar that munch away at the plants. No cure for these other than hand picking. If any of you feel led to want to look for them when you stop by today, pluck away - the chickens love them :-)

Each weeks yield from the garden ebbs and flows, so this week there was not enough of everything to give out to everyone. You notice the difference in medium/large columns, and this is one of the reasons we do the two sizes, and why the price is different. We try to balance it out over time so that everyone gets to try everything. Just be patient if you see something you have not got yet on the other list - in due time :-)

Onto the shares.

Medium Shares:
Turnip
Onion
Carrots
Beans
Summer Squash/Zucchini
Broccoli
Collard Greens
Kale
Swiss Chard
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Cilantro

Large Shares:
Cabbage
Turnip
Onion
Carrots
Beans
Potatoes
Summer Squash/Zucchini
Broccoli
Collard Greens
Kale
Black Russian Kale
Swiss Chard
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Corn - our own!
Green Pepper
Cilantro

A few things to point out this week:

TURNIP - this variety should not be very bitter. It is known for its softer bite. The GREENS are not attached -they are in a wheelbarrow in the barn, for anyone who would like them.

BROCCOLI - some shares got regular broccoli, some got Romanesco, which is more "crowny" looking and cooks more like cauliflower

CARROTS - some may have black holes from a worm of sorts that likes carrots. Just cut around them. We gave you plenty this week so we wouldn't have to pick through them all as much :-)

CILANTRO - it has started to bolt, which means but out its flower/seed heads. The soft parts all along the stem are still very usable.

LETTUCE - this time of year, lettuce/spinach tend to bolt quickly, and it's hard to grow it - which is why you don't see a lot of it in the middle of summer. Also, because of the intense sun, it sometimes is bitter. If this is the case, I recommend a sweet dressing to help tame it down.

Thanks so much. Enjoy your week!

CSA Wk 7, August 5

We don't know how they do it on large farms, but here in New Gloucester, laying stuff on the lawn seems like a good choice. Beet bunches ready to be tied up.

Laundry baskets also work as great picking bins - redneck, we know :-)

I always think the produce looks so beautiful like this - so fresh.

When all the bins are full...

We stash them in the pickup.........

and drive them to the washing station (here at my house).

That's our CSA operation in a nutshell :-)

We got that rain this week we were hoping for, and just as imagined, it did wonders in the gardens. This week the broccoli just took off, and beans are coming out our ears. More cukes this week - still, not at peak though. And the first sign of peppers - yay! That was a crop failure last year, so good to see them this season.

A fun bag this week with lots of opportunities for fresh, delicious meals.

Baked goods shares got fresh bagels this week - you WILL notice the difference! If you do not plan to consume these within the next day or so, cut them in half and pop them in the freezer. The cookies are called snickerdoodles - a basic sugar cookie with mild spices.

Check out the stand for a great price on fresh corn 3/$1.00 - in another week or so we hope to have our own, but this is from Gillespies in New Gloucester.

If you have been enjoying the goat cheese, get it while you can - this may be the last of it. Dove will be on her way to a new home soon.

Still struggling with the egg supply. We just can't seem to keep them stocked, and the chickens aren't laying enough. In another month or so we hope to have more coming in so don't give up!

Medium Shares:
Cabbage
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Green Pepper
Kale
Stir Fry Mix
Beets - remember the greens are to eat too
Summer Squash
Radish
Bean Medley
Romaine Head Lettuce
Scallions
Dill
Garlic

Large Shares:
Cabbage
Cucumbers
Broccoli
Cheddar Cauliflower
Kale
Stir Fry Mix w/Daikon Radish
Beets - remember, the greens are to eat too
Golden Beets
Summer Squash
Red Potatoes
Radish
Bean Medley
Romaine Head Lettuce
Dill
Garlic

Have fun eating!

CSA Wk 6, July 29

Well what a change in weather this week. It's been amazing to feel a breeze, and that heat wave may have broke me of my "over 70 is too hot for me" mentality. I have appreciated the high 70's and low 80's. Though we did get some rain the other night, it was not nearly enough, and the forecast calls for heavy rains tonight and we say bring it on! Though the plants seem to be surviving okay, the fruits or vegetables have not been growing on them - mainly we are noticing this with cukes and tomatoes. A good soaker will do wonders!

Something I should have pointed out last week regarding your beets, was that the greens that were attached are the same greens you are given separately, so don't waste those - cut em off and cook em up! Think outside the box on how to use greens - not just sauteed or in salads, but in tortillas or in lasagnas. There are lots of recipes on the web and the possibilities are endless. Kale chips are something that come to mind. Google it!

Medium Shares:
Broccoli
Cucumbers
Carrots
Beans - 3 varieties mixed
Romaine Head
Napa Cabbage
Collard Greens
Rainbow Chard
Beet Greens
Kale
Lettuce Mix
Oregano

Large Shares:
Summer Squash/Zucchini Mix - should be coming in droves soon and we won't know what to do with it all
Broccoli
Cucumbers
Carrots
Sugar Snap Peas...the last of them until possibly a second crop comes early fall
Beans - 3 varieties mixed
Romaine Head
Napa Cabbage
Collard Greens
Rainbow Chard
Beet Greens
Kale
Lettuce Mix
Onion
Oregano
Everyone also got some corn - this was not grown by us, and is NOT organic...we over purchased for the farm stand and figured we could dump some on you guys. I barely ever make plain corn on the cob, though that is delicious, but cut it off, put it raw on salads, in tortillas, and love to saute it in butter with some fresh herbs and lime squeezed on it!


The baked goods share holders are getting foccacia for their bread this week - my sister used to make this when we sold out at the farmers market, and it was killer. Not a dry, crispy, airy foccacia, but a dense chewy type that is so delicious, I hope shes making extra :-) They also got a surprise granola today because when I went to make the cinnamon raisin, I was out of walnuts. So, improvisation called to use the almonds I had, and the juices started flowing, and we ended up with an Almond Joy granola. This is for sale in the stand for those of you who want to give that a try!

Enjoy the bounty!

CSA Wk 5, July 22

Not going to write much as it's hot, hot, hot....not much to report this week except we could use some rain perhaps to help things along in the gardens.

Here are the weekly lists. Enjoy your shares this week.

Medium Size:
Sugar Snap Peas
Broccoli
Beets
Radish
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Mesculen Mix
Kale
Garlic
Cilantro

Large Size:
Cabbage Head
Iceburg Lettuce Head
Cucumbers (just 2 small little ones)
Sugar Snap Peas
Broccoli
Beets
Radish
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Mesculen Mix
Kale
Garlic
Cilantro

The baked good share holders got some amazing looking gordita style wraps that look amazing, and with cilantro and garlic, I hear Mexican food.


Stay cool if you can!

CSA Week 4, July 15

Two sisters were taking trips this weekend, so we were a little short staffed today. From start of picking to end of bagging took 5 hours! Can anyone say NAP! :-)

A few things to note for this weeks pick up:

First, you have more than one bag. We did not want to squish your greens, so they are bagged in a paper bag along side your normal bag. Only a couple of the paper bags fit inside the other bags - you will figure it out in case someone is not here. Mom plans to be here at 5 - I should be back 5:30, so try not to be an early bird this week unless you've already arranged it ahead of time.

Second, please remember to bring back last weeks bag. There is a spot to the left of the barn, you will see others hanging there (and probably some gas cans down below). Just drop them in that spot.

Third, any containers or glass jars can go in the black crate on the table right next to the fridge.

Fourth, no bonus item this week - the produce is bonus enough from here on out HEHE If you loved something you've tried, check the farm stand - some of the things like yogurt, goat cheese, and jam we sell on a regular basis. There's also treats in there that are great for the weekend - having a bbq, no need to make dessert - grab a couple refreshing lemon bars from our stand, (probably cut them smaller HEHE), top with some fresh raspberries, and a sprig of mint. Something like this:

Speaking of mint, there is a bucket of mint on the table to the right when you first walk in the barn. Take what you would like for whatever you would like. We didn't have time to bag it up.

Onto this weeks haul.



This week we have the last of our first spinach crop. We pulled the whole plants and gave the job of picking the leaves off to a couple of the kids.



Okay, so baby Cash just watched, but I think just from being near that much spinach he will grow big strong arm muscles.

Medium Shares:
Swiss Chard
Napa Cabbage (the BIG tall cabbage head)
Carrots
Mesculen Mix
Spinach
Kale
Turnip Greens/Collard Greens Mix
Beet Greens
Sugar Snap Peas

Large Shares:
Swiss Chard
Napa Cabbage (the BIG tall cabbage head)
Carrots
Mesculen Mix
Spinach
Kale
Turnip Greens/Collard Greens Mix
Baby Beets w/ Greens
Asian Stir Fry Mix (BIG BAG)
Broccoli
Sugar Snap Peas

Have a wonderful week, and thanks for your support of our farm!

CSA Week 3, July 8

You all did such a nice job remembering to bring bags last week. Some of your bags may be a little small though - you will know who you are when you get them today and there is not a single ounce of space left :-) If you have a bigger bag, that would be helpful, especially seeing your share will only grow in size as we go forward.

With some of the heavy rain we've had this past week, it makes the produce messy. The dirt splashes up on the greens, making them extra dirty. We rinse, soak, rinse again, but you still may want to give them a cleaning before using, for extra measure.

The lists are as follows:

Medium Size:
Beet Greens
Kale
Bok Choy
Turnip Greens
Romaine Head
Radish
Daikon Radish
Herb - Sage

Large Size:
Beet Greens
Swiss Chard
Bok Choy
Collard Greens
Romaine Head
Mesculen Lettuce Mix
Radish
Daikon Radish
Sugar Snap Peas
Herb - Sage

The Daikon Radish are the long white carrot looking root. They are not as spicy as a regular radish, and are great cooked. I can see a combination of those with the bok choy, in a stir fry. Or blanch them, and grill them to add to a salad.

This weeks bonus item is stock - medium shares got chicken, and large shares got turkey. These were made in the fall and frozen, after we slaughtered some poultry - it is way better than the canned stuff from the store :-) Don't be afraid of it - it may be thicker, even "blobby" from the gelatin in the bones of the birds, and the fat layer may look different also. But it is arguably good fat, from birds raised on pasture, not confined with no access to sunlight, let alone grass. Anyway, it's a great start for a soup; just dice some of your greens and add some diced chicken and pasta for a simple soup. It's also great to use for a base in your rice instead of water. I do this often, and it just adds so much flavor. Or of course, just use it like you would in any recipe that calls for stock.

Here are some updated pictures of what the gardens are looking like.
Head Lettuce coming along nicely

Chard in it's glory

Broccoli plants looking great - here's to a good crop

Same for onions

Another rounds of lettuce and spinach coming up

Carrots are almost ready to pick - maybe next week

Oops how did those s'mores bars get in the garden :-)

Have an excellent week.

Farmers 8

CSA WK 2, July 1

This week has been a huge growing week. With the rain in the beginning of the week and the combination later of the bright, hot sunshine, things have really shot up, especially in Mom's garden, which has a 34 year history and is amazing. The garden here at Intervale is only 3 years old, and though it gets TLC, it will take time for the soil to look or grow like Mom's. For another good month, most will come out of Mom's garden.


We hope you all figured out what things were last week. A quick google search on things usually gives the gist of what to do with something - but perhaps you were confused on the horseradish root HEHE. I made an amazing beet relish last fall with some. I will share it when beets are in season.

We have family in for the holiday weekend, and what fun it was (and helpful) to have more hands picking and washing produce. We even had the grand kids helping out. What a blast they had being a part of CSA, in pj's and all :-)



Here is the list of what's in each bag - interesting info. on some of the stuff is below the list if you are interested in reading more. Most of the produce is similar to last week, with a few changes.

Medium Size:
Rhubarb
Kale
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Beet Greens
Romaine Lettuce
Radish
Garlic Scapes
Mint

Large Size:
Rhubarb
Broccoli Raab
Collard Greens
Spinach
Beet Greens
Romaine Lettuce
Radish
Garlic Scapes
Mint

Both sizes also got a bonus of homemade fresh strawberry jam. Please enjoy, and return the jar when you are done.

In all the years gardening, we have never seen spinach so big, chard so long; it's really amazing stuff and we are a little proud of it :-)

The rhubarb gets pulled from the root to preserve it's freshness, but that part should be cut off when you go to use it.

If you have not figured out how to use your Garlic Scapes from last week, or just want to know what they are all about, the scapes are the tangly, green specimens. Garlic (and its relatives leeks, chives, & onions) grows underground. As the bulb grows from the softer planting stage, a shoot pokes its way through the ground. Green like a scallion, the shoot is long and thin and pliable enough to curl into gorgeous tendrils. This stage of growth is the garlic scape. If left unattended, the scape will harden and transform from green to the familiar white/beige color of garlic peel. Keeping the shoot attached will also stunt further growth of the bulb. So, to allow the garlic to keep growing, we cut off the edible delectable. The scape is great fun; it’s a little less mild then garlic. Try dicing it into scrambled eggs, adding to a veggie saute, or using as garnish for rice. This week I’m including a recipe for a dip Mom makes with it, that is to die for on most anything. We have been known to eat it right off the spoon :-)

Garlic Scape Dip
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• Garlic scapes – to taste (if you LOVE garlic, add them all…..if you just want just the flavor of garlic, add a handful)
• Dash of Hot Sauce – to taste
Process scapes in a food processor or blender. Add cream cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce.

Radishes don't have to only be used for a salad - they are really trendy in Mexican cuisine right now - shred some a top a rice & bean bowl, even put in tacos.

The large shares got 2 greens that you may need to do a little research on. Broccoli Raab is an Italian veggie, and has a unique taste not anything like broccoli. Here is a simple way to prepare it with some description, from Whole Foods http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1217

Collard Greens are southern, and are usually cooked for a long time to get the best out of them. Time to take out the slow cooker.

Mint would be great in homemade lemonade or ice tea, or even brew your own mint tea by steeping in hot water - such a fresh taste. It's also a great garnish on desserts, and something called a Mojito, if you are familiar with it :-)

Don't forget to check out the stand when you come to pick up - much more is available inside, including baked goods, breads, hamburger rolls, and lots of other interesting items.

Have a great weekend & Happy 4th of July!!

The Farmers 8 Daughters

Welcome to CSA 2011

What a rainy day - we picked from 7 to noon and washed for the next 3 hours, all outside :-(

Busy, busy day too - my intention was to have a well documented first blog entry, but alas, I am late as it is in getting this out, so will just give you the list of what you have. Comment us or email if you have any questions about what something is, or what to do with it. We'll try harder next week to give you ideas and explanations.

MEDIUM SHARE
Scallions
Horseradish
Radishes
Spinach
Mustard Greens
Romaine Head Lettuce
Oregano
Garlic Scapes
Rhubarb
Chevre


LARGE SHARE
Scallions
Horseradish
Radishes
Spinach
Red & White Russian Kale
Mustard Greens
Romaine Head Lettuce
Oregano
Garlic Scapes
Rhubarb
Yogurt

Just a quick note on the mustard greens - these are a bitter green, best blanched first, then used in a recipe. You can google for ideas, but from experience they taste great with lemon and bacon.

Also, the oregano does not need to be used fresh - hang it in a dry place out of the sun, and when it is good and dry, crush it for your own dried herbs :-)

Comment us or email if you have any questions about what anything is, or what to do with it. We'll try harder next week to give you ideas and explanations.

June Has Arrived

I can not believe it is June 6 already. Seems things should be picking up in the garden, but it really has been a slow start. Peas are still only about 6" tall.




The only things visible from afar in the garden are garlic and rhubarb.





Other farmers are saying the same thing about the slow start. Oh well, what can you do. Be patient I guess. While we wait, you can still enjoy the musings of farm life. Here's what's been going on the past couple weeks.

May 27
Planted 14 rows of winter squash. The 1st batch of potatoes have poked up through the soil.

May 29
Started planting in our second production garden at Tammy's house. Carrots, beets, cabbage, broccoli, and daikon radish went in as seeds, also cauliflower sets went in. Hoping for a crop of those this year - last year cauliflower was a failure.

May 31 - June 1
Planted summer squash, cukes, melons, more corn, endive, sugar beets, sorghum, quinoa (3 new crops to try - should be interesting), and okra (not sure what it will taste like, but it's pretty dried)

June 2 - worked on second production garden at Tammy's. Corn went in there, more potatoes, carrots, and beets. All the onions and leeks are in there, as well as more lettuce & spinach. Those will get planted often to keep a supply all early summer. The lettuce gets bitter in August so we take a little break. We plant again the end of the summer for lots of fall lettuce.

June 3 - set out peppers. Planted more spinach, lettuce, and mesculen. Corn, beans, and winter squash plants are up.

June 4 - chickens everywhere you look. There are 50 chicks in the chicken tractor at Intervale Road. 25 will soon move to Robin's house. We are each raising them for meat.

This is on top of the 35 layer birds here, 10 at Robin's, and 20 at Mom's.



There are also now close to 20 chicks in the nursery at Mom & Dad's

They are incubating our own fertile eggs to raise more laying hens (the roosters are good at something other than waking us up in the morning).

The rooster chicks s will have a special "operation" when they are a couple months old so we can raise them into capons for meat (capon meat is fairly hard to come by these days, but is more moist, tender, and flavorful than that of a hen or rooster). More eggs have gone in the incubator - this will be an ongoing process. Not sure what we will do with them all yet - we have thoughts to maybe sell the meat.

We still have all the tomatoes to set out - over 200 plants shouldn't take too long :-)

Weeding - it's already begun. Despite the fact that plants are smaller than our fist, the weeds grow faster and need to be taken care of so they don't pull nutrients from the soil that the plants need.

There is also a goat around the farm these days. Dove has been with us for almost 3 months now. If you would be interested in some raw goats milk, I'd love to talk. I get a gallon a day, and it is best fresh, not having to sit for several days for a pick up. So I would be looking to space pick ups, not have them all on the same day.

As always, email or call if you have any questions.



Thanks!





The Farmers 8 Daughters

March May Madness

May has been a crappy less than perfect month for gardening. We hoped that by Memorial Day, everything would be in the gardens, and we perhaps would be picking fresh greens, but the weather this month has really slowed us and the garden down. Last year, we were having really nice weather and little rain. This year, just the opposite. Because we do track our progress each year, it's hard not to be discouraged when you see that peas were a foot tall at this point last year, and we were picking greens first of June. It looks like it will be a good few weeks before we are ready to start our CSA.

Despite the "setback" if you want to call it that (Mom never wants to, as she says the garden always catches up), we still look forward to a great gardening season. The CSA model for the year is to go 16-18 weeks, whichever the garden allows. Let's hope for the 18!

Here are some notes from the monthly journal:

May 22
Set out first round of cabbage & cauliflower seedlings. The apple and pear trees are now in blossom, which completes the flowering in the orchard. With all the rain, there have not been any honey bees. I am a little worried about this, as the bees do most of the pollination. Hoping the weather changes soon and the little buggers return!

May 26
Finally the rain stopped this week and the garden is drying out some. We were able to plant cukes, parsnips, turnips, golden beets, and the dreaded beans. (You may have noticed we call the beans names. It's because they are the most aggressive growing plant, need to be picked every day, and because we have succession plantings, we pick them non stop from late July to October!) Got a 2nd crop of peas in, carrots also. Gardening for market is much different than gardening for yourself. There is a constant rotation of planting and replanting that goes on in order to keep items in "stock" for more than one week. We also finished planting the 14 rows of potatoes - much easier to plant than they will be to harvest.

One positive thing I can say about a week and a half of rain, it brought the birds to the feeder in flocks. I had finches, grosbeaks, orioles, bluebirds, scarlet tanager, and an indigo bunting. I had every color of the rainbow except green. I think I would have to have an escaped parakeet for that. I did once have a cockatiel in the oak tree.

In The Merry, Merry Month of May

So May has not seemed so merry the past few days, where all we have seen is gray sky and rain. But Mom keeps busy, getting us more and more ready for the season ahead, despite the ever present gloominess. Here are some interesting things seen on the farm this month, as well as what's been going on in the gardens.


May 1st - 1 row of snap peas planted. Finished pruning the orchard and sprayed all the trees with dormant oil.

May 2nd - manure on most of the garden - almost ready to till if it doesn't rain too much this week.

May 7&8 - more manure this weekend, and both gardens all !!! Looking very good. Planted lettuce, carrots, beets, spinach, kale, swiss chard, mesclun mix, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, fennel, celeriac, stir fry mix, some other mixed greens, and 3 rows of yukon gold potatoes. I'm beat. Oh, and the Baltimore oriole returned to the orchard today. The apricot trees are in blossom, and everything else is ready to bloom in the orchard. Not many bees around - our own honey bees might be the next big project (next year).

May 9 - set out 75 new strawberry plants; 75 more to go! The nectarines trees blossomed.

May 11 - plums blossomed.

May 13 - peaches blossomed. Peas are already coming up in the garden, and radishes and also some mesclun. Full moon is the 17th - safe for corn and beans after that (the dreaded beans - they never end!)

May 15 - lettuce, spinach, radishes, broc, cabbage, cauliflowers, kale, and all mixes have sprouted. Set out onion plants. The cherry trees blossomed. There were 2 Canada geese in the back yard.

There you have it. Only half way through the month, and so much to report. We'll be back in a couple weeks with another update, and maybe pictures this time.

Seeing Green

The hoop house is a nice respite on blustery afternoons like we had today. The temp. in there is in the mid 80's, and when the sun is out, even warmer. Everywhere you look, it's green.

We're still waiting to get in the gardens, where a lot of this stuff in trays can be transplanted.

And the overflow outside.

Some will be for sale at the farm stand, like these hanging tomato baskets.

In the meantime, we offer fresh herbs

lettuces

and radish

at the farm stand, with spinach

and carrots

not far behind.

Somewhere in there are also cucumber plants, where the netting is

and the tomato plants are staked ready to grow. I think there are even peas in there, all intended to be early season.

I can not take credit for any of this. It is all the hard work and dedication of our mother, who has done this type of thing for as long as I can remember. All those years she did it to sustain her family, and now she does it to sustain yours. Thanks for your hard work Mom....& Happy Mother's Day a little early too.

April Gardening

Normally this time of year we would already be in the gardens, but there is still snow everywhere. Here's April's account of gardening, and some side projects at the homestead.

April 1st - nasty snow storm. Not a very nice joke, mother nature!

April 3rd - some of the cabbages are up. Started 2 trays of herbs - too many to list. Put 1 tomato plant in grow bed to see if it will survive the nights.

Daffodils are very hardy - yesterday they were under a foot of snow!

It's finally starting to warm up some!

April 9 - FINALLY I got everything moved into the outdoor greenhouse - my sun room was getting a little crazy.

April 10 - the swallows returned, as well as the phoebes. Spring is here - just waiting for things to dry up outside!

April 17 - we have a farm pond!

It took Dad about 6 hrs. to dig with the excavator. It is 8 ft. deep at the far end. The pond is in the "baker lot" (really the 5 acre lot, but one of the kids when they were little called it that and it has stuck). We dammed up the stream on the other side of the entrance, and dug the pond deeper on the other side. The kids had the canoe in last night. We'll see if it lasts all summer. We have hopes to use it for irrigation for the garden, as well as a place to cool off after weeding HEHE

April 30 -finished pruning the orchard, and sprayed with dormant oil.