August 25th and 28th

Eggplant Frenzy

I hope your kitchens' are as fragrant and beautiful as ours.  Full of colorful veg and vibrant flowers, we are loving the bounty summer brings.  I never really like eggplant before I started to grow it.  Actually, I refused to grow it for my first several years at LRF, feeling that it was a tricky plant to grow in Maine's short and somewhat cool summer.  Plus, since it's not a favorite to all, finding field space for it was never a priority.  But a few shareholders, (uh-hmm, Mark and Anita) kept asking for it so I gave it a try.  There must be something about this place, but from the get go, eggplants just seem to spew from my plants.  And this year has been no exception (although, maybe I have just jinxed myself for 2016!).  In fact, I have made a farm note to grow less next year, we just can't eat it fast enough.  Not only are the fruits gorgeous, but they are a fun sweet texture in the dishes we have been cooking lately.  I think the fresh farm flavor converted me.  So if you think you don't like eggplant, or any vegetable for that matter, give it a 2nd chance at Little Ridge Farm, amazing new flavors might just surprise you. 

 

 

Sunday morning has been filled with chopping and roasting, charring and puréeing.  We are freezing baba ganoush and diced, roasted eggplant that will add flavor to many winter meals.  It's raining outside, a nice soft rain, so it's a perfect morning for food prep and savory indulgence.

 

Last night was also spent in the kitchen, dancing and cooking some amazing stuffed Pablano peppers.  This is the first year I have grown them, and I think they are keepers!  The dish we made was pretty rich, but there are so many stuffing options...potatoes, chicken, salsa...we will be sure to try many variations.  We are also trying to dry a few--they twill turn a rich red and be used to make ancho chili sauce.

 

While we work so hard, sweating, harvesting, weeding, planting... the carrots just stroll around the farm, hand in hand under the shade of our tropical kale "trees".  Ah, what a life.

 

 

This week's Bounty!  kale, chard, sweet onion, scallions, cukes, zukes, summer squash, peppers, eggplant, carrots, beets, tomatoes, potatoes, melons and herbs

 

 

Farmer's Table:

  *veggie lasagna with kale, eggplant, zucchini...

  *chard spanakopita

  *Russian beet and potato salad

  *pasta primavera

  *stuffed Pablanos

  *blueberry cream pie with a grahm cracker crust

 

 

Shareholder's Table:

  *http://farmtotablekitchen.blogspot.com/

 

Eggplant Anonymous:

"I have been cutting eggplants into slabs, then coating with olive oil and garlic scape puree, salt and pepper.  Then grilling the eggplant until nice and soft. Once cooled, i put it in food processor with basil, lemon juice and a bit more olive oil and salt and pepper to taste and puree.   I have been using this on sandwiches with melted cheese, tomatoes and lettuce, dipping carrots and pita wedges into it, or using as a pizza sauce and even adding dollops onto a salad.  i am a bit obsessed (and i never cared about eggplants before either)."

 

 

 

 

March

Smells like spring in here!

 

I have spent several hours these past few weeks in sunny, near 90 conditions....right in my back yard.  I must say I have thinned my blood hanging out in the green houses!  When the sun is bright it is down right HOT in there!  It's a near death sentence if you wander in there with your long johns on--whew!  Fans and vents keep the plants cool and sometimes I even open up the doors to make sure none of them overheat. 

 

The longer days bring more growth to the spinach in the hoop house.  And if we actually had some sun, I could harvest just about every week.  The leaves are thick and oh so sweet.  Winter Spinach puts spring field spinach to shame.  No question about it.

 

I did not build any drainage around my hoop house so last week's warmth and rain made the house a muddy river.  Some plants were even under water.  I had to make trenches so the water could flow out of the house and not just settle in ponds inside.  Then I had to put a barrier up so the ducks would not go in and splash around.  They were not very happy with my barricade.  So just when I thought the worst of the spring thaw was over, here we are getting another foot of snow!  Again, the ducks are not very happy.  I too was actually adjusting to seeing the brown earth and am having a hard time switching gears.  Very early tomorrow morning I will be out plowing snow -- that will snap me back into I am sure.

 

Tapping, Hanging, Collecting, Boiling

 

Maple sugaring season is upon us too.  Another tricky season this year with the weather so hot then too cold, we have only collected three times.  300 gallons of clear beautiful sap each time, but that doesn't amount to much syrup.  We will see what the weather brings us after this snow storm.  Hopefully we can collect on Friday or Saturday so there is sap a boiling for Maine Maple Sunday.

Maine Maple Sunday March 25th

Visit Mitch and Penny in Bowdoin for Maine maple Sunday--where I help collect, and where the syrup I sell comes from!  Follow our sapping journal...

http://www.mainemaplekitchen.net/

 

 

MARCH Winter Share Pick Up Thursday 21st

Pick up Includes: winter radish, red/russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, red/yellow onions, parsnips, golden turnips, rutabagas, green cabbage, celeriac, the last of the butternut and spinach!

LOTS of EGGS this week!!!!!!!

 

Recipes:

Green Cabbage Soup --sounds boring but it is simply yummy!

 

 

Orange and Chili Stewed Bottom Round Steaks with butternut Squash and Oregano -- I scanned this recipe from How to Cook Meat by John Willoughby (a great book), but I don't know if this will work, so if you would like the recipe and the link doesn't work, I can email it to you!

February

February

The first year I had Dora over winter, I thought for sure he would be like a chicken when I opened the barn door to a fresh foot of snow. (Chickens hate the snow and typically will not step outside of their coop). To my surprise Dora waddled right into it and through it and proceeded to play with Simon as he normally would.

Last year I added Dudley to the winter fun and she too seemed to not mind the cold white ground. And this winter? Well now I have 8 "pet" ducks and they all can't wait for me to open the barn door and head out into the wonderland of snow.

I should take a video of them outside. They "swim" through the snow and sometimes slide on their bellies like penguins. One day I looked out and thought that someone had been snowshoeing down by the new barn. It had been the ducks! They had cruised all throughout the snow, hills and valleys. They're hilarious, they even "bathe" themselves in the snow like they would in a pool of water.

Their favorite place to hang out is in our compost pile near the house. I don't know if they are eating frozen bits of vegetables or bugs, but they work through it and add their own manure to the pile as well. On really cold days I don't let them out of the and I have to refill their water jug 3 times and give them a whole pile of grain. When they are outside, they totally forage for all their food and water, they don't eat a speck of grain and I think they must be eating the snow.

I have 3 females right now and they are all laying. I can consistently find 3 eggs a day; they are neatly laid in a soft little straw and feather nest in the corner of their pen. If I am lucky, I can find the other 2 eggs. Ducks do a very good job of hiding their eggs in the straw bedding. One day when I let them out, an egg was just lying on top of the straw. I must have come in right when she was starting to hide her egg because when I moved the straw below it, I found a pile of ten eggs buried 4 down inches into the straw. (Don't worry those eggs went in to the freezer for the pigs.)

Although they are a bit "freakish", meaning they totally freak out anytime you get near them, I really enjoy the ducks. They are quite entertaining, easy to care for and so far they make great parents to their babies. Right now I am thinking we will sell or eat half of them and then maybe let Dudley have another round this spring....we'll see. I need to retrofit the Duck Inn a little bit for this upcoming season so I can get into it a little easier, otherwise I may have ducklings hatching out from all the females!

What is the difference between a Duck Egg and a Chicken Egg?

Size: duck eggs are noticeably bigger

Shell: duck egg shells are noticeable tougher to crack and provide a longer shelf life

Nutrition: If you were to compare the same size eggs, duck eggs have more energy, protein, minerals and vitamins

Taste: duck eggs are a bit richer and more flavorful

Cooking: you can use them exactly the same, although I think duck eggs are better than regular eggs for cooking

Don't be a chicken--try a duck egg!!!!

Try a potato soup this month!

Potato Soup Recipe
Famous Restaurant Soup Recipe
Preparation Time: 40 minutes. Serves: 6.

Ingredients:

· 3 cups cooked potatoes

· 6 tablespoon butter

· 1 1/2 peeled and sliced carrots

· 1 1/2 celery stalks, chopped

· 1/2 large onion, chopped

· 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

· 6 tablespoon flour

· 2 cups canned chicken stock

· 6 tablespoon hot milk or cream, or to taste

· 3-6 drops Tabasco

· Garnishes: chopped green onions, diced cooked bacon, grated cheese, sour cream

Instructions:

· Cook potatoes

· Drain water and reserve the water

· Transfer potatoes to a mixing bowl

· In the same soup pot over medium low heat, melt the butter, and add the carrot, celery, onion, thyme, salt, pepper and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes

· Add the flour to the vegetable mixture and make the roux; cook about 5 minutes

· Add the chicken stock and 1 cup of the reserved potato cooking liquid, stirring until slightly thickened (Reserve the remaining liquid for reheating the soup if any is left over)

· Gently add the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes

· Remove from the heat, and add cream or milk to the correct consistency (thick is good)

· Add Tabasco sauce a drop at a time, being careful it doesn't get too spicy

· Taste and adjust seasonings

· Top with any of the listed garnishes

Thanksgiving Share

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

As you butter up the bird this year or stuff your vegetarian squashes, preparing for a special feast, pause a moment to reflect on the food you are about to consume. I am always filled with the wonder of feeling rich whenever I am blessed with such bounty. And to eat a meal that has been almost entirely grown outside my door is...well...I don't even have the words to express. It feels safe, sustainable, heroic. But then I remember all those generations before me that have grown their own food, so simply to live, and eaten the fresh taste of fresh and it brings me back around to feeling thankful. Thankful that this earth can still sustain us. And thankful that those little seeds and baby animals still have the spirit in them to grow and be fruitful. I thank them.

These last few days have been all about Potato Rolls : ) Those light, fluffy, devilishly buttery rolls of greatness. I am not usually a "baker", but it has been fun to change things up abit. Be surrounded by flour and balls of dough. Plus it makes the house cozy warm and smell like sweet pastries. The biggest challenge has been to keep the cats and the husband from eating them. (I did burn a few, by accident I promise, although it did mean we got to eat them :) They have been known to make grown men weep, they are so good.

This photo is for those folks who baulk at fitting a 25# bird in their oven. Mine is tiny and I have fit a 42#er in there! Over the last 3 days I have baked over 480 rolls and the cookie sheets that I had to buy (because the 2 that I owed just weren't going to cut it) wouldn't even fit! But alas I made it work. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them...last year I heard many of them were eaten by moms and kids before they ever got home--sorry dad!
Thank you for sharing in local food production. I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
Blessings on your meal, Keena
This share's loot: apples, potato rolls, cranberries, winter squash, pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, turnip, brussel sprouts, fennel, spinach, lettuce mix, kale, chard
Recipes:
Mashed Rutabagas and Potatoes
3 pounds rutabaga, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 to 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces, about 5 or 6 medium
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, or to taste
2 teaspoons chopped parsley, optional
Preparation:
Cook rutabaga and potatoes in salted water in separate saucepans. When both are tender, remove from heat. Rutabaga will take about 30 minutes, and potatoes will take about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; puree or mash rutabaga well, then mash the potatoes. Combine mashed rutabaga and potatoes; add butter, milk, pepper, and nutmeg. Beat well. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Baked Apples and Rutabagas
6 cups shredded rutabaga, about 1 1/2 pounds
1 large apple, peeled, cored, chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons butter
Preparation:
Mix turnip, about 3/4 or the chopped apple, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle remaining apple over the top of rutabaga; dot with butter. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours, or until rutabaga is tender.
Vegetarian Stuffed Pumpkin1 (5 pounds) pumpkin
2 to 3 cups brown rice, cooked
2 cups crumbled dry whole wheat bread (or part corn bread or other bread)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 cup chopped celery and leaves
2 apples (tart and unpeeled), chopped
1 cup roasted chestnuts or a handful of cashew nuts, cut in half
Herbs: Sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, and paprika to taste
1 to 2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 to 1/2 cup butter, melted, or safflower oil
Soy sauce or salt to taste
Sweet Potato and Sausage SoupBon Appetit, October 2007
We ended up using spicy chorizo (yee-ouch!) but it played off the sweet potatoes perfectly, saving me from death by cayenne.
Gourmet note: This hearty soup gets rich flavor from linguica, a delicious pork sausage from Portugal seasoned with garlic, paprika, and other spices.
Makes 8 servings
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided1 10- to 11-ounce fully cooked smoked Portuguese linguica sausage or chorizo sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (Spanish chorizo can be substituted)2 medium onions, chopped2 large garlic cloves, minced2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 2 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices1 pound white-skinned potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices6 cups low-salt chicken broth1 9-ounce bag fresh spinach
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage to paper towels to drain. (I poured off some of the oil in the pot at this point, but the original recipe doesn’t think this is needed.) Add onions and garlic to pot and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add all potatoes and cook until beginning to soften, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher, mash some of potatoes in pot. Add browned sausage to soup. Stir in spinach and simmer just until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and serve.

Week 22 Oct 19th and 22nd

WINTER ROOTS

This year I experimented with growing vegetables for the Crown of Maine Organic Cooperative. Crown of Maine is a local coop that buys food from farms and resells it to restaurants, grocery stores and food coops. I have really enjoyed selling to them as I feel they are in tune with us farmers and give really fair prices. Anyway, this year I grew colored carrots and winter radishes for them. These are the only 2 crops that you will get "2nds" as Crown of Maine gets the perfect looking stuff. You have already seen the colored carrots and this week I will introduce the winter radishes!

From left to right: Daikon, Saisai Leaf, Green Meat, Munchener Bier, Nero Tundo

Daikon: An Asian root, crisp and full of hot flavor. Cooking mellows the heat. Used mostly in making kimchi, a pickled root dish.

Saisai Leaf: This root is very similar to the daikon, but a little plumper. It was bred so that it leaves could be harvested for salads, stir-fries and pickling. I didn't try any leaves this year, maybe next.

Green Meat: Unique miniature daikon. Crisp and "sweet".

Munchener Bier: Germans traditionally serve this mildly pungent radish sliced thin and salted with a dark beer. Try them sauteed and salted too.

Nero Tundo: Black radishes have been traced back to the 16th century conquistadors. Pungent white flesh loses some heat when boiled or stir-fried.

Radishes are exalted for their many nutritional supplements and vitamins.

--Radishes, especially black ones, contain a unique phytochemical called MIBITC that is even stronger than the much-lauded anti-cancer compound sulforaphane, which is found in broccoli.

--radishes are rich in vitamin C, the B vitamins and sulfur.

--The radish root can also be crushed and used as a poultice for burns, bruises and smelling feet.

As for eating, well...your imagination is your limit!

All of these radishes may be cooked, eaten raw, grated or pickled. Most are quite spicy (especially since it was so hot and dry), but flavor mellows or sweetens when cooked. Grating them onto salads or on top of soups adds nice flavor, but not too much spice all at once.

According to several online recipes, winter radishes work very well peeled, chopped into matchstick-sized pieces and cooked in stir fry dishes. They can also be thinly sliced, baked and eaten as "chips" or grated and mixed with sour cream and lemon juice as a salad/side dish.

Gilfeather Turnip This heirloom "turnip" (it's actually a rutabaga) is sweeter than most turnips. It is wonderful grated with carrots or roasted in a pan. It was either developed or discovered by a lanky secretive bachelor, John Gilfeather, in VT who was said to have cut off the tops and the bottoms so that no one else could propagate them. However a few seeds escaped and were eventually commercialized. This year will be the 8th annual Gilfeather Turnip Festival in Mt Snow Vermont!

Inca and Pedro have started to explore the outdoors. They were so cute with the ducks. I think Inca has potential to be a duck herding cat!

This Week's Loot: lettuce/spinach mix, winter radish, leeks, onions, potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, chard
Next Week's Loot: greens of some sort, delicata squash, onions, carrots, potatoes

Recipes:

Radish and Root Kimchi --Wild Fermentation, Sandor Katz, an awesome book
Ingredients for 1 qt
2 daikon
2 turnips
3 carrots
a few small red radishes
3 Tbs or more fresh ginger root
3 clove garlic
2 onions/leeks
3 hot peppers or more

Process:
1. Mix a brine about 4 cups water and 3 Tbs salt
2. Slice roots, leave on skins.
3. Place them in the brine and place a plate on them to make sure they are fully emerged overnight
4. Prep ginger, peppers, garlic
5. Drain brine off veg., reserving brine, you want it to taste salty, but not unpleasantly so. If too salty, rinse. If not salty enough sprinkle with a couple tsp and mix
6. Mix spices into veg and stuff into a quart jar. Pack tight, until brine rises, if you need to add reserved brine to cover veg do so. Place something on veg so it stays immersed and cover it with a towel to keep off dust and flies.
7. Place jar in a warm place. After about one week, place jar into fridge to slow fermentation down. You may also taste kimchi daily and place it in the fridge when you think it tastes ready.

CIDER SCALLOPED GILFEATHER TURNIPS
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup apple cider or juice
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
½ cup Jarlsberg cheese, shredded
1 cup milk
½ cup chicken broth
¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 lbs. Gilfeather turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Put oven rack in center position. Grease 10 x 2 round baking dish or an 8 x 10 rectangular baking dish; set aside. Place flour in a medium heavy saucepan; gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Whisk in cider, broth, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly. Cook one minute more, remove from heat and set aside.Combine cheeses. Arrange half of the sliced turnips (slightly overlapping) in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of cheeses on half of the turnips. Arrange another layer of turnips on top of cheese. Pour cider mixture over turnips.
Golden Winter Soup
Leeks and potatoes provide the base for this hearty vegetable soup, and butternut squash adds a hint of sweetness. Gruyère toasts add a salty note.

2 tablespoons butter
5 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled russet potato (about 12 ounces)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups sliced leek (about 2 medium)
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
12 ounces baguette, cut into 16 slices
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
3 tablespoons chopped chives
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Preparation
Preheat broiler.
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add squash, potato, salt, and pepper to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add leek; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Place half of potato mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining potato mixture. Stir in half-and-half. Cover and keep warm.
Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil bread slices 2 minutes or until golden. Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with about 1 teaspoon chives. Serve 2 bread slices with each serving. Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Week 14 August 24th and 27th

TOMATOES

Ahh, nothing like a fresh tomato! Since I started farming in 1999, Zach and I have eaten more and more seasonally. I found it a bit tricky at first but now I really don't crave lettuce mix mid winter or cucumbers in the spring or even tomatoes...until now. Now I pop them in my mouth like candy and slice them up on everything. Any excuse to eat as many as I can until frost.

This year I grew 810' of tomatoes (I only meant to have 600') and 11 varieties. I harvest tomatoes about every other day and each time I go out, there have been more and more and they are BEAUTIFUL!!! I pick most tomatoes slightly under ripe so you don't have to eat all of them in one sitting after you bring them home. And hopefully you aren't attracting every fruit fly in the neighborhood. I do grow some heirloom varieties and they are more subject to looking "funny", but be brave, just cut around it, because the taste is oh so worth it!

Tomato varieties in the photo:
Top Left: Prudence Purple and Brandywine (pinkish color)
Top Right: Orange Boy (orange)
Middle Left: Red Lightening (orangeish with red stripes)
Middle: Early girl, Jet Star (perfect looking red ones)
Bottom Middle: Paste (oblong and red)
Bottom Left: Black Prince (purplish green)
Bottom Right: Sungold (orange cherry)
Bottom Right: Green Zebra (green with yellow stripes)

It truly is a wall of tomato plants out there. Good thing the rows are straight or I would get lost! It looks a bit like a circus too, we have beach ball like balloons, shiny tape and 2 not so alive crows hanging out there to try and keep the murder of crows from eating all of your tomatoes, peppers, melons, winter squash and lettuce. Man are they persistent thsi year! I think they are looking for water in our fruits.

Today (Sunday) was a bit like waiting for a pot of water to boil. I woke up fully expecting it to be raining...nope. Then the forecast said 2pm...nope. Then the forecast said 5pm with a 70% chance of an inch on Monday night...nope. Looking at the radar, we are right on this line that keeps breaking up and that means no rain for us. Yet. I am still hopeful to get a bit tonight or tomorrow. Rain dance please!

This Week's Loot: no lettuce, sorry...cucs, zucs, beans, carrots, beets, hakurei turnips, tomatoes, chard, melons and the last of the corn

Next Week's Loot: about the same

Recipes:

(I am eating the summer squash carrot soup right now from last week's blog--yum!)

Chickpea, Zucchini and Nigella Seed BurgersMakes 7 burgers
Ingredients:
1 cup of dried garbanzo beans, picked through and rinsed
6 cups of water, filtered
1 large zucchini, shredded
¼ teaspoon of kosher salt
1 tablespoon of nigella seeds
½ tablespoon of turmeric
2 tablespoons of hot crushed peppers
½ tablespoon of powdered garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoon of vital wheat gluten
Directions:
Cook garbanzo beans in water until tender. Drain beans thoroughly and move to your food processor. Process until all the beans are pulverized. Move the pulverized garbanzo beans to a large mixing bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
Place shredded zucchini in a colander and mix with kosher salt. Allow to stand for 15 for water to drain. Squeeze zucchini of excess water and move to the mixing bowl.
Add nigella seeds, turmeric, hot crushed peppers and powdered garlic to the garbanzo and zucchini. Mix the ingredients thoroughly so the ingredients are evenly distributed. Taste the mixture for salt and pepper now. Add the vital wheat gluten and knead the mixture to thoroughly incorporate the wheat gluten.
Form the mixture into seven even patties and place them on the baking sheet.
Bake the patties for 25 minutes, or until firm and cooked through. If you like a crunchy exterior you can place the patties in a hot cast iron pan for a couple of minutes on each side.

Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2001
This torte can easily be made ahead and reheated as you need it for guests, or even a meal for a few, if you halve it. In fact, I suspect that it might be even better reheated because there is something about potatoes that have been cooked twice–they’re always better.
And if you’re not reheating it, be patient enough to get a better browning on the bottom than my impatient hunger allowed me to.
This also might work well in a cast iron, though you would probably have to adjust your cooking times slightly.
Makes 8 servings
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced1 cup grated Parmesan cheese2 tablespoons all purpose flour1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme1 1/2 teaspoons salt3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds12 ounces yellow crookneck squash or regular yellow summer squash, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds6 teaspoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans. (Deb note: I had only a 9-inch pan around, so what you see in my pictures is slightly thinner.) Set aside 1/4 cup sliced green onions. Toss remaining green onions, cheese, flour, thyme, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend.
Layer 1/6 of potatoes in concentric circles in bottom of 1 prepared pan, overlapping slightly. Layer 1/4 of squash in concentric circles atop potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture. Repeat with 1/6 of potatoes, then 1/4 of squash and 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture. Top with 1/6 of potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with 1/6 of cheese mixture and press gently to flatten. Repeat procedure with second cake pan and remaining potatoes, squash, oil, and cheese mixture.
Cover pans with foil. Bake until potatoes are almost tender, about 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until tortes begin to brown and potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes longer. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cool. Cover with foil and chill. Rewarm, covered with foil, in 350°F oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.)
Cut each torte into wedges. Sprinkle wedges with 1/4 cup green onions; serve.

Week 9, July 20th and 23rd

Green Beans

In skiing there is a phrase called "hero snow". It means that the conditions are sooo perfect, that any skier, at any ski level can look fabulous. I was joking with some shareholders, at pick up last week, that this growing season is like "hero farming". You can expect good food from me every year, but maybe not this early or to this bounty. I guess I can take the heat if I get to be a hero farmer : )



So this week we get green beans! Mmmmm. These beans grow on small "bushes" from a flower that looks a bit like a snapdragon. They grow plentiful and need to be picked every other day.

How to Blanch Green Beans (for freezing) Fill a mixing bowl halfway with ice and enough water to cover it. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the green beans until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans from the pot to the ice bath. Drain when cool, about 1 minute.

How to Steam Green Beans Fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water and fit with a steamer basket. Bring the water to a boil. Place the green beans in the basket, cover, and steam until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

How to Store Green Beans Refrigerate unwashed green beans in a plastic bag or container in the vegetable drawer.

Thank you to all who bought ice cream last week; )

FISH!!! FISH!!! FISH!!!

Fish shares are still available. You can get them for as few or as many weeks as you would like. This is a photo of our red perch over zucchini, kale and rice. It has been very tasty, SUPER fresh and well worth it!

This week's loot: lettuce, new potatoes, green beans, zucs, summer sq, cucumbers?, scallions, cabbage, cilantro, oregano

Next week's loot: very similar : )

Recipes

Pesto Potato Salad with Green

Now, I’m going to have to insist that you make your own pesto. Okay, I can’t insist, but I do highly recommend it. Even the best store-bought stuff lacks the flavor wallop of making your own — they may look green, but turn out to be mostly oil — and with basil inching its way towards Greenmarkets, it’s more delicious than ever to make your own. Brightening the flavor with vinegar and a good helping of salt and pepper keep this from bland-dom (a critique of many pesto potato salads), and the green beans provide the perfect antidote to those carb-phobic types.
2 pounds small Yukon gold or red-skinned potatoes, quartered1 pound green beans, cut into one-inch segments

1 to 2 small garlic cloves, peeled

1 bunches of basil (about one ounce each)

1/8 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons (or more to taste) mild vinegar, such as champagne, white wine or a white balsamic

1/8 cup chopped green onions (scallions)

1/8 cup pine nuts, toasted

Parmesan cheese to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; cook four minutes longer. Drain well and let cool, then transfer potatoes and beans to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, discard the stems from the basil and wash and dry the leaves. Puree them in a food processor with garlic, drizzling in enough olive oil that it gets saucy. Season the pesto with salt and pepper. [Alternately, you can swap this step with one cup of prepared pesto, but seriously, I think you'll be missing out.]
Toss the beans and potatoes with pesto. Stir in vinegar, green onions, pine nuts and season with salt, pepper and/or additional vinegar to taste. Finally, shave some wide flecks of parmesan over the salad with a vegetable peeler.
Serve immediately, or make this up to two hours in advance. It can be stored at room temperature.

Green Bean Zucchini Salad
In a small saucepan with enough boiling unsalted water to cover, cook the green beans until tender but still crisp 3 to 4 minutes.Drain in a colander, rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking, and drain again.In a medium size bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, tarragon, and pepper.Add the green beans, zucchini, and onion and toss well.Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, tossing occasionally

Week 14--The Beauty of Food

How lucky I am to have such beautiful food to eat on a daily basis

--

and to have a husband that cooks!

So this week the melons are ripe and you all should get one--I promise : ) The tomatoes on the other hand are at the end of their rope. This week I will harvest every last healthy tomato and then rip out the plants. May we never be cursed with late blight again!! I am thankful though that we had as many tomatoes as we did. Summer wouldn't be complete without at least one!


The turkeys are enjoying their grass. When I move them, I just let them roam free. They love it! And thankfully Simon just lets them be. If I could get him not to eat peoples' arms and shoes when they walk, I think he would be the perfect dog : )

Sherrie Blumenthal and Denise Dill (LRF sahreholders!) traveled to Michoacan, Mexico, the final destination of the Monarchs after their 2000-mile journey. The women will talk about their trip after a showing of the film "The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies," a 2009 PBS NOVA documentary at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the library. http://www.sunjournal.com/node/271758
This Week's Loot: Carrots, Beets, Cucs, Zucs, Potatoes, Edemame, Lettuce, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Melons, herbs

Next Week's Loot: Leeks, Potatoes, Cucs, Zucs, Spaghetti Squash, Tomatoes?, Melons, Lettuce, Herbs

Crash Hot Potatoes

Boil potatoes until fork tender

Spread olive oil on a cookie sheet

Place the potatoes on the sheet, leaving space between each one

Use a potato masher and press down on the tater, turn masher 90 degrees and mash again

Brush olive oil on tater

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs lice rosemary, chives...

Bake for 20-25 minutes (or until crispy and sizzling) at 450--YUM!

Coleslaw

1/4 mayo

1/8 red wine vinegar

Dijon mustard

pinch of sugar

salt and pepper

1/4 cup grated carrots

2 cups thinly sliced cabbage

1/8 cup red onions

Mix em all up. Taste and add more ingredients if necessary.

Week 11--The beautiful colors

The fields are looking good! And I am having fun despite the heat. I actually like it : )

Looks like there will definitely be no surge of tomatoes this year, so be sure to fill up on other summer veggies like cucumbers and summer squash.

Just thought I would put this photo in case you were hot. Simon is running over where your carrots are now growing : )

This week's loot: Lots of herbs!!!! They all dry or freeze nicely, so don't be shy.
Lime Basil--use like a lime; in drinks, pasta, Thai dishes...

Holy Basil--this great in Thai dishes too, but I really like it as a sun tea

Lemon Balm--use it like a lemon...

Mint--sun tea, mix it with some of the other herbs

The last of the beans, lettuce, carrots, onions, potatoes, chard, cucs, zucs, summer squash, a tomato

Next week's loot: lettuce, green cabbage, potatoes, cucs, zucs, summer squash, garlic, a tomato...

Sun Tea

Pack mason jar with your choice of herbs

Cover with water

Set Jar in the sun for at least 2 hours

Pour over ice, while straining out the herbs

Sweeten with honey or maple syrup

Gratin of Potato and Summer Squash

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1# of zucchini or yellow squash, cut 1/8 inch thick

1# potatoes, cut 1/8 inch thick

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 tsp sage, thyme, rosemary

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 c grated parm cheese

1. Combine oil and garlic, simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside for 15 to allow garlic to infuse into oil. Remove and discard garlic (or reuse)

2. Lightly grease a 12x9 pan. make 2 layers of the zuc, potatoes and onion, sprinkling each layer with the herbs, salt and pepper. Top with cheese and drizzle the oil over.

3. Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350F (or less since potatoes are new taters). Let stand for 10 minutes.

Zucchini Feta Pancakes

4 eggs, separated

4 c. shredded zucchini

1 c. finely crumbled feta cheese

1/2 c. finely chopped green onions

1 T. fresh of

1 t. dried mint

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Oil for frying

1. Combine everything except egg whites, toppings and oil. Mix well.

2. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter mixture.

3. Heat oil until very hot. Drop about 1/8 cup batter for each pancake. Cook on both sides until crisp.

Week 10--The Heat of Summer...finally!

Thank you Potato Pickers!

Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day--perfect for picking potatoes! We picked three rows (almost 900#!), using our "new" 100 year old potato digger. It was just given to us from a friend down the road. It was his father's, drawn by his horse, many years ago. It certainly made the job easier, although it had a few quirks : )


Not to worry if you missed this fine day--we have three more rows to go!

Pick Your Own Flowers!!! The flower garden is in full bloom and you are welcome to bring some home with you. There are scissors on the sill by the back door of the barn, along with baggies to put water in to keep them fresh on your drive home. Most flowers like to be picked when they are not quite open all the way. This way they will open in your home and you can enjoy them longer. Pick the lilies when the bottom two flowers have opened and the gladiolas are picked when the bottom 3 flowers have opened. Don't be shy--we planted them for you!


This week's loot: POTATOES!!!, lettuce, green beans, the last of the turnips, beets, cucumbers, zucchini, onions, basil, oregano

Next week's loot: potatoes, green beans, carrots, chard, cucumbers, zucchini, sorrel...I probably will NOT have lettuce--sorry!

The idea behind the CSA is that when the harvest is good, you share in the bounty. So even though I may have the poundage for the week set "high" don't feel like you HAVE to take it all. It's just an amount that you can take "up to", because we have food a plenty.
There are WORMS in my broccoli!!!! Soak your broccoli in salt water before cooking--this will bring all the worms to the surface so you can fish them out befiore they end up on your plate :)

Chocolate Potato Cake

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups cake flower

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup butter

1 3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 cup mashed potatoes

1 cup buttermilk

melt chocolate with vanilla, cool slightly. sift dry ingredients. cream butter and sugar and beat in eggs one by one. add the chocolate and mashed potatoes. beat in dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. pour into a greased 13x9 pan and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 40 minutes. cool before frosting.

Frosting

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 lb confectioner's sugar

dash of salt

1/2 cup softened butter

hot milk

chopped walnuts

melt choc and vanilla, let cool slightly. cream sugar, salt and butter. add just enough hot milk to make a spreadable consistency. beat in melted choc. spread on cake and sprinkle nuts on top.

Classic Potato Salad

1 medium onion, sliced thin

apple cider vinegar

1 tbs finely chopped basil

1 tbs finely chopped oregano

1 tbs finely chopped dill

1 cup mayo

4 medium taters, cooked and cooled

2 hard cooked eggs

salt and pepper

place onion in a small bowl and add enough vinegar to cover. mix together herbs and mayo in a separate bowl. slice taters and place them in a large bowl with the eggs. drain onions and add them to the taters. add the herb-mayo mixture and stir

Week 9--The Potato Harvest

Yeah the sun is shining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, the potato harvest has begun! Even though I know these tasty spuds won't last through the winter, picking taters is still fun, it's like an easter egg hunt. Since it is so fun I would like to invite you to join us! We are having a little Potato Picking Party this Saturday August 8th from 10am-1pm. Bring the whole family--even kids can do it! Bring a bucket : )

Freezing/Canning beans for sale. $2.00/#. They will be set up in the barn on the big scale behind the welcome sign. Help yourself and leave money in the cash box. Feel free to buy for friends and family. Extra potatoes are for sale too, $2.00/#. Let me know of you are interested.

Speaking of money, Please be sure to pay your IOU's and when you do throw your slip away!

This Week's Loot: The last of the sugar snap peas, hakuri turnips, baby carrots, summer squash/zucchini, potatoes, A tomato, beans, lettuce, chard, dill, cilantro

Next Week's Loot: The last of the Hakuri Turnips, beets, summer squash/zucchini, beans, lettuce, onions, basil

Stampfenbohnen

stampfen means pounding or stamping, bohnen means beans

1 # taters

1.5 # green beans

6-8Tbs butter

1 cup chopped onions

Roughly chop potatoes and cut beans into one inch pieces. Cover taters with salted water and bring to a boil, cooking gently for about 15 minutes. Add beans and cook another 10 minutes or until all veggies are soft.

Melt butter and saute onions. Drain veggies, setting aside some of the liquid. mash taters and beans together until taters are mashed and beans are broken up. Ad cooking liquid as needed. Add butter and onions and remaining Tbs of butter, if desired.