Week 3--The Farm Animals

6 am. Out harvesting in the pouring rain. Not too bad really. I can hear Simon barking in the woods. Satisfaction, he must be getting a groundhog! Here he comes...wait, since when do groundhogs leave quills in your nose! It's been a few rough days for Simon--last night we spent a good half hour in the shower scrubbing "parfume de skunk" out of him : )

Peep! Peep! Peep! The Baby turkeys have arrived! These day old birds are born without an immune system so they need to be pampered for the first few weeks of life. They are kept under a heat lamp at 95 degrees. (I wish I were under a heat lamp!) For seven weeks, I will keep these furry little guys in the barn, protected from the "elements". Then they go out on pasture where they romp around and chase bugs.


Reserve your turkey now! They will be ready for pick up on October 31st. $4/#, I will try and keep them around 18#. $40 deposit.

Well since this blog seems to be featuring the farm animals...the pigs! We have had these rambuncious guys and gals for 1 month. They are living high on the hog in their leisure palace and loving life.

And then we have the cows. They are across the street, on pasture that I borrow from the neighbor...thank you neighbor!!! They have lots of room to roam, so you may see them across from the barn on pick up days, if you're lucky : )


This Week's Loot: Radishes, head lettuce, chard, tarragon, rutabaga greens, garlic scapes

What IS a garlic scape? It is the flowering part of the garlic plant. It shoots out the top of the plant and if were to let it go, it would open into a purple flower and eventually go to seed. Studies show that by breaking off the scape, more energy goes into the bulb, thus making it larger. So, off with their heads! And into our mouths! They are juicy and have a wonderful strong garlic flavor. You can chop them and use them just like garlic, or puree them with olive oil and parsley and eat it like pesto. I usually puree mine with olive oil and keep it in a jar in the fridge (it lasts forever) and spoon it into the pan while cooking--YUM!

Swiss Chard Torta

1# swiss chard

3 Tbs Olive Oil

1 c chopped onions/chives

2 tsp chopped garlic

salt and pepper

1# sauasage (optional)

5 eggs

1 1/4 c ricotta cheese

1/2 parmasean cheese

chopped tarragon

2 10" pie shell

cook onions in oil until wilted, stir in garlic

add chopped chard and cook over high heat, stirring constantly

season with salt and pepper then set aside to cool

Add sausage to chard

Beat 4 of the eggs, combine with the cheeses and add to the chard mixture

Pour into pie shell

Cover with 2nd pie shell, cut slits for steam and glaze the top with the last beaten egg

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 40 minutes

Swiss Chard Salad

1# chard

2 Tbs olive oil

6 cloves garlic

salt and pepper

2 Tbs balsamic vinegar

Coarsly chop the chard and cook it on high heat in the oil, stirring constantly

When chard becomes limp, add garlic and cook just a bit longer

Transfer to a bowl and add salt pepper and vinegar

Serve hot or cold

Next Week: Beet greens, lettuce, mustard mix?, peas? rhubarb, herbs