July 28th and 31st

Time to Get Your Cuke On!

I believe summer is here!  The heat is rolling in and so are the heat loving veggies!

 

 

Most of the cukes I grow are pickling cucumbers.  There may be a crate out containing two longer (one real long and one sort of long) that are not--but it should be obvious. 

 

The various shades of yellow come from the Phoona Keerna cuke and its slighter thicker skin is perfect for crunchy pickles.  No they are not overripe cucumbers!  Geeze, what kind of farmer do you think I am?  : )

 

 

Tomatoes are making their way onto the scene as well, with eggplant and melons not far behind.  The bit of rain was much needed but this humidity sure is not.  It makes farming not only physically more challenging, but it also presents air flow problems for plants...and plants like good air flow...  Anyway, harvest, harvest, harvest is mostly what we are doing these days and it is keeping me out working longer hours in order to keep up with the other tasks that still need doing.  (Hence the late blog post this week.)  And today, well, I think we just may be dodging lighting bolts most of the day.  And by the end of the week?  Well, by then, I just may be a pool of mush, melted from the heat.  Sweat equity?  Yes, I think I've got that covered : )

 

 

This week's BOUNTY: lettuce, beets, summer carrots, zukes, ss, cukes, beans! scallions, hakurei, fennel, kale, chard, broccoli, sugar snap peas, basil, garlic scapes and a tomato(?)

 

 

Recipes:

Yes you can!  ... freeze fennel and kohl rabi

 

The Farmer's Table:

*Salad with leftover chicken, home made green goddess dressing, crutons (paul's bread), cukes, radish, parmaseasn and our 1st tomato

*pasta with sautéed zucchini, summer squash....

*panko baked chicken legs from Sunnyside farm and sautéed hakueir and greens

*Beef Soup Bone with sugur snap peas, new pottoes (coming to you next week), kale, scallions, zuchinni and tomato

*Pulled pork shoulderwith coleslaw made with last week's tendersweet cabbage and a home made blueberry sauce

*Sour cherry (from our tree!, but you can use any fruit) Clafoutis -- made by Keena!

 
The Shareholder's Table:

A new favorite recipe.  I followed this to the tee, until I decided to put hakurei turnips in with the squash.   Everything else the same.  LOVED it.  Served it with grilled polska kielbasa. 

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/summer-squash-saut

July 21st and 24th

A Tale of Tall Peas

The snap peas are beautiful specimen this year.  The first planting did not germinate, but the 2nd did perfectly.   They have been growing, growing, growing...

 

 

Now, a "tale" usually has an up side and a down.  And so it begins...

 

 

# of times I had to seed the peas (by hand, mind you): 2

# of days the peas have been growing: 70

# of days the catalog says the peas will take to mature: 60

# of row feet: 200

height of peas currently: 8-10 feet

# of times I have trellised the peas, so they stand up: 5

# of times I have had to fix the trellis because it has fallen over: 3

# of peas we have picked thus far: maybe 5

THIS COULD BE THE WEEK!!!!  Hopefully they fatten up to their tasty sweetness and we can enjoy them before this tale takes a turn for the worse : )

PYO Flower Garden is in full swing.  Beautiful.  Good job, Zachy.

This week's BOUNTY!  lettuce, arugula, radish, hakurei turnip, fennel, kohl rabi, broccoli, beet greens, scallions, tat soi, tendersweet cabbage, chinese cabbage, summer squash, zukes, cukes, garlic scapes and herbs  ... eat up!!!!


Recipes:

Fennel: Don't be afraid to try this on sandwiches, in salads, grilled....  It's a lighter flavor than you think!!!

Martha's 25 fennel recipes

• Fennel stalks can take the place of celery in soups and stews, and can be used as a "bed" for roasted chicken and meats.
• Use fronds as a garnish, or chop them and use as you would other herbs, like dill or parsley. Chopped fennel works especially well in Italian tomato sauces, but add it late in the cooking process so the flavor isn't diluted.
• Trim the stalks about an inch above the bulb.
• If you want pieces to stay together for grilling, keep the root end intact. Otherwise, trim about a half inch off the root end before cooking.
• To slice fennel, stand the bulb on the root end and cut vertically.


Chinese Cabbage:  great sliced thin on burritos or as a side salad.  Crispy and light

Tendersweet Cabbage: Tender leaves are very thin, sweet, and crisp - perfect for coleslaw or stir-fries.

Radish: other things to do with radishes...

Roasted Radishes

13 Real Simple Radish Recipes


The Farmer's Table:
*Portland Pie Dough Pizza with dill, parsley and basil pesto and fennel
*Sunnyside chicken baked on top of fennel stalks.  Topped with hakurei turnips and their greens and a lemon from my brothers yard in CA : )
*pulled pork stir fry with haurei turnips and carrots
*leftover pulled pork with pickled hakurei and kohl rabi slaw
*leftover chicken sandwiches with Paul's bread, dill, arugula, mustard and Spring Day Creamery Fromage Blanc
*Saturday snack of sliced radishes and cukes with a Winter Hill Farm yogurt and herb dip
*marinated London Broil (our grass fed beef) with millet, broccoli and sliced radish

...Oh yes, we have it so gooooood!!!!!!!!!!

Shareholder's Table:
A delicious kohlrabi, fennel and apple salad tossed in olive oil and lemon, with a bunch of the fresh herbs. That' was an excellent way to use up some of the fennel!

October 7th and 10th

Fall Fun! 

 

 Thanks to all who came out to celebrate the farm!

...the piggies were soooo happy you came!

 

 

 

This week's bounty: lettuce, red onion, chinese cabbage, cauliflower/broccoli, kohl rabi, fennel, chard, carrot, garlic, pie pumpkin and parsley

 

 

Pumpkin Desserts: http://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/pumpkin-desserts#wbhd6c

 

Grilled Fennel: http://www.prouditaliancook.com/2013/06/grilled-fennel-salad-with-fresh-herbs-and-parmesan.html

 

 

 

August 5th and 8th

Living High on the Hog

 

The pigs are excited about their new home, nestled right in the middle of a luscious patch of oats.  Those critters have it pretty good during their time here at Little Ridge.  Fresh grass, lots of sun, cool puddles of water, whey, organic grain and love pats.  Although their season is short, they love every minute if it.  

  

Yellow Cukes and Golden Zukes!

 

Have no fear, the yellow cucumbers, called Poona Kheerna, are not overripe green cukes, they are an Indian heirloom variety.  They ripen from pale yellow to russet brown and can be eaten fresh, pickled and even cooked.  The skin is a little thicker and stays super crunchy no matter what you do with it. 

The yellow zucchini taste the same as the green...just a little variety for your plate!

 

While eating dinner last night, Zach and I were reveling in the abundance of food on our counter tops and fridge.  THIS IS THE TIME TO EAT.  We wait and wait all year for a diverse array of fresh veggies in Maine and here we are, at the height of the bounty.  It's hard to decide what to eat for dinner, it's all so good.   Hope you are loving it too!!!

 

 

This week's bounty: lettuce, cabbage, purplette onions, beets, beet greens, baby carrots with tops, green beans, kohl rabi, broccoli (?, or maybe next week), eggplant, cukes, zukes, summer squash, tomatoes (half shares), watermelon and peppers (full shares), basil and dill

 

 

The Farmer's Table:  are you ready to drool?  we had an amzing week of eating!

*watermelon cocktail....mmmm

*pizza with wild black trumpet mushrooms (generously gifted to us) with cream cheese

*chicken stuffed with black trumpet mushrooms with roasted fennel and kohl rabi 

*hamburger layered with tomato, lettuce, Evangeline cheese, and peach mostarda.  With sliced cukes and dill.

 

 

Recipes: 

 

Kohl Rabi Ham Bake: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/kohlrabi_ham_bake/

 

 

Beet Hummus: My Paris Kitchen by David Lebovitz.

12 ounces cooked beets (I only had 8oz and it was fine)
1 cup chick peas drained with skins rubbed off
2 cloves garlic
6 Tblsp tahini
2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
Pinch of cayenne or smoked chile powder
1 1/2 Tblsp pomegranate molasses

Blend all in food processor until smooth, drizzle with more pomegranate molasses, hide in back if refrigerator until serving time, devour

Fennel String-Bean Salad

Hopefully you can read this one--it is from "Kicking Cancer in the Kitchen", a book written by one of our share holders, Kendall Scott

 

July 28th and Aug 1st: Rain

Rain...Rain...

Crops are taking a big gulp of rain this week.  There were some POUNDING drops yesterday!

peppers, cukes, summer squash, zuchinni, tomatoes and corn

 

Despite the rain, we are still working away!  The onion crop is looking AMAZING this year!  See that fence on the left?  It is to keep Simon out of the onions because he tends to run right through then and knock over their tops....see where Simon is?  At least he is laying calmly...for the moment : )

 

Many of my crops are looking the best they ever have.  The rainfall has been nicely timed this summer and we haven't had to irrigate much at all.  So instead of irrigating, we have been weeding.  More grass in my fields than ever before.  I am a little fickle, a neatnick, organized... Not only do clean fields make me feel better, it also makes harvesting much more efficient, allows the plants (not the weeds) to soak up the rain and nutrients and provides better air circulation for less disease pressure.  See?  I am weeding with a purpose : )

 

 

Hope you are enjoying this summer's harvest!

 

 

$175 raised for our local food bank during our Ice Cream Social. 

That will buy them 175lbs of fresh food!!! 

Thank you to all who participated.

 

 

This week's bounty: lettuce, purplette onions, baby carrots with tops, fennel bulb, kale (I think), chard, broccoli, kohl rabi, hakurei turnip, dill, summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes (full shares), and cukes!   ...greenbeans coming soon!

 

The Farmer's Table:

Since it is the first harvest of many crops and any one item is not super plentiful, we have been eating Tapas Style (small plates of different things)

--cilantro/basil pesto dip

--caramelized purplette onions

--sautéed eggplant and summer squash

--wilted lettuce leaves stuffed with quinoa and turmeric glazed pork loin

--fresh sliced tomato with basil

--yummy cheese from Spring Day Creamery!

--salad with sliced kohl rabi, blue cheese and blueberries

 

Recipes:

 

Eat your carrot tops!   http://www.thekitchn.com/breaking-the-myth-of-whether-or-not-you-can-eat-carrot-tops-tips-from-the-kitchn-121158

 

Fennel Bulb: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=23

 

October 15th and 18th: Fall Farewells

A Season of Change

As I mentioned before, fall is my favorite season, however with it brings several changes to the farm and sometimes change is hard.  The hardest change is not having the pigs, turkeys and cows around anymore.  Although I am thankful to eat meat, and I raise them so that I know they have had a healthy, happy life, it is still sad to say goodbye.  I am certainly not desensitized to it, which is not easy, but, I think, important.  It builds a greater understanding of life, a deeper appreciation for the food we eat and a sense of community beyond the small one of people around us.  Saying goodbye to the animals reminds me that all of the food we eat is alive and great amounts of time, calories, resources and energy goes into raising it.  A reminder that being thankful for a meal goes beyond just putting food in my mouth.

 

We love you Pedro

 

 

 CIDER and APPLES this week

oooh and they are crisp and beautiful this year!!!

 

 

The last two weeks of pick up are sort of a smorgasbord, clean out the fields, potluck.  There will be a myriad of items so if you feel you can't take all the items this week, don't worry they will be there next week too.  (Meaning don't just load up on potatoes, onions and carrots--be daring try out the fennel and kohl rabi!!)

 

The bounty: lettuce, kale/chard, tat soi/pac choi, kohl rabi, potatoes, fennel carrots, beets, onions, peppers, tomatoes and winter squash

 

 

Fennel Salsa:  there are several online recipes.  This is one a shareholder recommended...

 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fennel-Cucumber-Salsa/Detail.aspx?prop24=etaf

 

KOHLRABI & APPLE SLAW with CREAMY COLESLAW DRESSING

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes
Makes 4 cups, easily adapted for less

DRESSING
1/4 cup cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon good mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt & pepper to taste - go easy here
Fresh mint, chopped

1 pound fresh kohlrabi, trimmed, peeled, grated or cut into batons with a Benriner
2 apples, peeled, grated or cut into batons (try to keep equivalent volumes of kohlrabi:apple)

Whisk cream into light pillows - this takes a minute or so, no need to get out a mixer. Stir in remaining dressing ingredients, the kohlrabi and apple. Serve immediately.

September 24th and 27th: fresh new veggies

FENNEL

 

Okay, I will admit, those are not my hands (although one might argue that I do have man hands) and it's not my fennel.  Zach took the camera on a trip with him, so I was unable to photograph the fennel in my fields....they look just like this...and they taste awesome!!!  I know some of you will be terrified to take one, but I promise, they are a treat: roasted with peppers, tomatoes and onions or sliced thin on a sandwich or it pairs great with seafood...

 

 

Even though my body tells me it's fall and that it is time to slow down, the farm is bustling with activity.  It is actually very hard to prioritize right now.  Several crops are on the list for harvest before too much more rain or too cold of temps, the animals are bigger and need to be moved to fresh pasture more often, and fall tasks (like seeding the hoop house) need to happen before it gets too late.  Oh and I need to remember to bathe and eat : ) 

 

 

A big THANK YOU to the great crew of volunteers this weekend who cleaned hundreds of pounds of onions!!!

 

 

This week's bounty: lettuce mix, hakurei with greens, fennel, peppers, beets, potatoes, colored carrots, herbs chard/kale/tat soi/ pac choi, and lots of tomatoes!

 

 

FENNEL

 

Click here to learn about about fennel 

 

Don't throw out the fennel tops!!!  Click here for fennel top pesto

Week 23 Oct 26th and 29th

THE LAST PICK UP...CLEANING OUT THE FIELDS

This week, you may see some strange looking vegetables in the share. These crops are able to withstand the colder temps and actually get sweeter with frosts, so I have left them for the very end.

Purple Kohlrabi: I blogged about kholrabi earlier in the summer. This is very similar, just purple. It has a sweet "broccoli stem" flavor, that you may want to cook or eat raw.

Fennel: This cool looking vegetable is Mediterranean in origin and has a unique anise, or black licorice flavor. Again, it may be eaten cooked or raw. It aids in digestion and packs in Vitamin A, calcium, potassium and iron.

Brussel Sprouts: I didn't take a photo. I should have , they look like a little pineapple plantation out there in the field. You will sort of get the idea of how they grow when you see them at pick up. I leave them on the stalk because they store better that way. Just before you eat them, "snap" the sprouts off the stem, clean off any yellowed leaves and prepare. They are not your school cafeteria sprouts! Just be careful not to over cook them.

Delecata Squash: Many of you have been waiting for this sweet little winter squash. It is small but flavorful and makes a great soup, sauteed veg, roasted veg or baked and stuffed. The skin is so thin and "delicate" that you can eat it after cooked! Check out the Delecata squash bisque recipe posted on the blog last October.

A big thank you and blessing to the turkeys and cows!

So this is it, the last pick up of a long and extremely productive
season. Thank you all for your support, and love for fresh food. I
had a super time growing this year and loved meeting all of you and your families. Many of you I will see during the winter share pick ups, but if
not, happy winter and I look forward to seeing you again in the spring! Be sure to sign up for the 2011 season soon after the New Year.

The Last Week's Loot: carrots, chinese cabbage, brussel sprouts, kohl rabi, daikon radish, kale, chard, fennel, delecata squash, spaghetti squash/pumpkin, onions, leeks, oregano, thyme, sage (sorry no taters, I need them for winter).

Recipes

Fennel, Carrots and Pecans

2 cups carrots, cut into matchsticks

1 Tbs olive oil

1/2c thinly sliced fennel

1/4c maple syrup

1/4c roasted pecans

2tsp cornstarch

1Tbs chopped parsley

Steam carrots until tender-crisp. Heat oil and saute fennel 2 minutes. Add syrup, pecan and carrots, and simmer briefly. Mix cornstarch and 1 Tbs water and stir into skillet. Stir in parsley and serve.

Brssuel Sprouts in Cider with Apples and Onions

1 lb brussel sprouts, halved

2 apples, 1/2 in cubes

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs olive oil

1 red or yellow onion, chopped

1.5c cider

1/2tsp salt

1/2tsp pepper

2 star anise (could use a little fennel)

1/4c balsamic vinegar

Melt butter and oil in pan on low. When foams turn up to medium and add apples and onions, saute til apples soft and onion clear, bout 4 min. Add sprouts, cook about 3-4 min. Add remaining ingredients cept vinegar. Cover, reduce heat and simmer til sprouts are easily pierced with a fork, bout 10 min. Remove contents with a slotted spoon and place in a serving dish. Heat reserved liquid until reduced by half, add vinegar, cook 2 min stirring and scraping pan, pour over sprouts

Baked Kohlrabi

1 fennel bulb

2 c kohlrabi, sliced 1/2 in thick

2 cups stock

1/3 c milk or half and half

3 Tbs butter

2 Tbs flour

1/4 c parm

1/2 tsp paprika

Heat over to 350. Slice fennel 1/2 thick. Bring stock to a boil and add veg and cook til tender 7-10min, Drain, reserving stock. Add enough stock to milk to total 2 cups. Heat 2 Tbs butter stir in flour and cook 2 min. Whisk in stock until smooth. Season with slat and pepper. Butter a casserole dish and place veg in pan. pour sauce over it, sprinkle with parm and bake 1/2 hour

The First Pick-Up

Weather

A few weeks ago I was asked "what is the most challenging thing about farming?" Without hesitation, I responded "the weather". If it's not too wet, it is too dry, if it's not too hot, it is too cold, if there's not a nice breeze to waft the black flies away, it is gusting 50mph, and so on. I hate to say it, but I wish we could have a little rain. A normal amount, like a nice soft inch per week. We are planning on a little irrigation for the driest fields in the driest months, but we aren't quite there yet. The other bonus to having irrigation would be to save the tender strawberry flowers when a frost threatens. Unfortunately, we got down to 22 degrees here last week and 90 percent of the strawberry flowers froze. That means no berries : ( Well, hardly any. We are hoping for a few handfuls...

Ahhh, okay, on to brighter things! Even if we did have an early spring coupled with a late frost, I will take this spring over last year's any day! Milo is enjoying this fine spring. He rests while I work, he thinks it is a purrrrfect arrangement. Thank you for supporting our farm--we hope the season surpasses your expectations.

Mid Coast Growers

Rt 125, Bowdoin

Many of you know that I do not have a green house yet. So I have been renting space at a greenhouse just 7 miles away in Bowdoin. It has been a great deal for me. I usually go in twice a week and seed and/or transplant things, then while I am back here cultivating the soil, Dale is at the green house watering my plants whenever he waters his. This spring it was a wee bit tight for space, but I think we were both happy with spring bursting at the seams.

Hanging baskets from Dale will be here for sale at the farm $25 each--they are gorgeous!

He has three HUGE greenhouses...here is my little square of plants : ) They have beautiful neighbors!

Well this week's loot will be light, but hopefully very tasty. We will take a few weeks' break and then resume the second week of June. I will be in touch to let you know dates...until then enjoy and Happy Spring!!!

Asparagus--the first year I could pick! (they are only 3 year old plants)

Winter Carrots and Parsnips--These sweet guys were in the ground all winter

Rutabagas--The wonder of all root storage crops!

Rhubarb--The spring "fruit"

Sorrel--A lemony spring green, great with fish or in soups, or with eggs!

Chives--Use a bunch, just like onions, raw or cooked

Hamburg Parsley--This is a root that tastes just like parsley! You can shred it and eat it raw, or chop it up and cook it wherever you want that fresh parsley flavor

Sorry no greens. I decided to let them get a bit bigger, so you can enjoy them in June : )

Recipes:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/simple-potato-gratin/ The Smitten Kitchen...it has been my new favorite blog for recipes. This one is for potato gratin, but check out the bottom for "more gratin ideas" she uses, sorrel, parsnips...I bet you could even use rutabagas!

Rhubarb--There are loads of sweet breads and cobblers you could make with rhubarb, but my favorite thing to do is to eat vanilla ice cream with rhubarb sauce...

chop the rhubarb

place it in a saucepan

add just a, 1/8" of water to pan

on low/med heat the rhubarb til it falls apart and makes the consistency you want for your sauce...you can even add a touch of maple syrup

Sorrel Omelet

4 eggs

1 tablespoon cream

1 cup sorrel, cleaned and shredded

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 tsp salt

In a heavy pan, heat half the butter and add sorrel and salt. Cook for about ten minutes, while stirring. Combine the eggs and cream in a bowl, beating gently. Add the sorrel mixture and combine. Add the remaining butter to a skillet and heat until butter is slightly browned. Add the egg mixture and stir briskly with the back of a fork or spoon until the eggs are evenly spread on the bottom of the skillet. Keep moving the unset eggs around with the utensil smoothly until there is no liquid left. Do not overcook. Shake the pan gently over the heat a few times. Fold the omelet over in half and serve.

Sorrel Soup:

1/2 pound sorrel

2 tablespoons butter

6 cups water

1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1 egg yolk

Clean and shred sorrel, then chop. In a large heavy pan, heat butter. Add sorrel and cook, stirring, for ten minutes until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add the water, potatoes and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Strain and mash or puree the vegetables. Stir the cooking liquid into vegetables and return to pan. Bring to boil. Stir in milk and yolk. Cook until hot, but do not boil.

Lentil Soup with Parsley Root and Carrots

1 lb Dried lentils, -washed and drained

1/4 c Lard, bacon drippings, -or oil

2 md Onions or leeks, chopped

1 parsley root or parsnip, chopped

2 md Carrots, sliced

1 c Sliced fennel or celery

8 c Water

1 t Salt to or to taste

Several whole black pepper-corns

2 Whole cloves

2 Bay leaves

1 lg Potato, peeled and grated

2 lg Links (or 4 small) smoked -sausage, skin pricked-with fork

2 tb Good vinegar
In a large pot, heat fat and add carrots, root vegetable and onions. Saute until onions are golden. Add lentils, water, celery, and seasonings. Grate the potato into the mixture and add sausage. Simmer covered 1 hour until lentils and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves. Add vinegar just before serving and adjust salt. Serve with a crusty bread and salad. Serves 4-6

Week 21--The Last Pick Up

Well, here it is. The last week of Summer CSA pick-ups. It has been a pleasure growing food for all of you and getting to know you and your families. I admit, having a little winter break will be nice, but I am already making plans for next year and am excitedly awaiting the seed catalogue's' arrival in the mail.

In the future, if you are interested, I plan to have a Winter Share. This would be a once a month pickup of mostly storage vegetables from Nov-April. Right now, however, I am maxed out on storage in my "little" walk in cooler. I would need to build/find more storage space before I venture into Winter Shares. This is part of the reason why I created the Holiday Shares. It is a way for me to get food to you guys a little longer, maximizing but not exceeding the storage space I currently have. Which brings me to a little reminder: even though I have called them Holiday Shares--(it was just a marketing tool, which has actually come back to haunt me) all of the food is storage able food. Meaning, what you pick up from me in November could actually be stored in your home and eaten in March. My point is, even if you are not having guests for the holidays, the food will not go to waste!!! It is a way for you to prolong getting local carrots, potatoes, onions, beets, winter squash, cabbage, garlic...So don't be shy, sign up!

HOLIDAY SHARES still open--you don't need guests to eat them, it's just a fancy name for a winter share!!!

I do however, sell whatever food I have left after the Holiday Shares at the Winter Market at Fort Andros in Brunswick. It's a great market, check it out!

Saturdays 9-12:30, November-April

This Week's Loot: Fennel, Parsley Root, Beets, Carrots, Leeks, Potatoes, Kale, Spinach, Winter Squash

Fennel: This delectable little (yes, they are smaller than usual) has a strong fennel, or black licorice, flavor. It is great raw or cooked. In salads or soups. You can steam it, blanch it, saute it. Great with fish or chicken...

Parsley Root: This fun root has a strong, you guessed it, parley flavor. It too can be eaten raw or cooked. I shredded it last not on my salad. You could use it in soups, your mashed potatoes...the possibilities are endless!

Stock up and Enjoy. Have a great winter!