Week 18 Sept 21st and 24th

LEEKS

When I think of leeks, I think of fall. One can have spring leeks but to me leeks are best with fall kale and potatoes, when the air is cooler and you need a little soup to warm you up. Leeks are much like onions, but a little sweeter. Many recipes call for just the white of the leek, but we use much of the green too. The white is the part that was underground when growing. The problem with burying them too deep in the ground though is that you then get loads of dirt in the layers of leaves. So I opt for less soil in your kitchen and more in my fields.

I transplant these guys in late April, at the same time I am transplanting onions. They are as small as little blades of grass when I plant them. Now some are 2 inches in diameter and 3 feet tall!

WOW what a bounty this year! I have been scrambling to keep up with harvest and now with fall right on my heels, I have "first frost" nagging me too. Many things will do okay in a light frost but it is good to start harvesting now because it takes a long time to pull food out of the field and get it ready for storage. Storage. I am in need of storage. crates, bags, SPACE--I am out of all of it! I am not panicking yet, but soon you may see veggies piled high in any container imaginable. That being said, please excuse the "tightness" of the barn when you come for pick up. At least it is edible clutter : ) I promise to have the potato sacks out of the way when you come...well most of them..I hope

I harvested all of the storage potatoes this weekend--1600#!!! Sweet. I did have a few brave helpers Saturday am. We certainly got our knees dirty. I borrowed a "digger" from my friend Mitch. It helps to loosen the soil and maybe throws 50% of the potatoes up out of the soil but the other 50%...well you gotta work pretty hard for them. I wanted to take a few photos to show you the process but my hands were dirty too. Besides I figure the best way for you to really know is to get your hands dirty yourself--maybe next year?

So I am a little weary. Good weary though. I do sleep well at night. And the weather has been gorgeous!!!! For the most part I am happy with the season but I am a little bewildered as to why my fall spinach and lettuce did not germinate so well. I think it had something to do with the 90 degree dry spell we had in August, but still I am ready for some fresh fall greens and well, there ain't none. bummer. But we do have tomatoes :)

Sign Up for Apple Cider!!!

Fresh, unpasturized from Willow Pond Farm

Soooooo good!

Freezes great too..stock up

This Week's Loot: tomatoes, potatoes, chard, pac choi, carrots, broccoli, leeks, sorrel

Next Week's Loot: tomatoes, potatoes, kale, spinach?, carrots, beets...

Recipes:

Leek and Swiss Chart Tart1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed (I used a basic tartdough instead)

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

3 large leeks coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 bunch Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 1/4 cups whipping cream (I used whole milk)

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch of ground nutmeg
Roll out pastry on floured work surface to 12-inch square. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold under; crimp edges. Cover; chill.
Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and thyme. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until leeks are very tender but not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add chard; saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool.
Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Whisk cream and next 5 ingredients in large bowl. Mix in cooled leek mixture. Pour filling into crust.
Bake tart 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until filling is puffed and just set in center, about 15 minutes longer (this took my oven about 10 minutes longer). Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes.

Week 6, June 29th and July 2nd

Chard

The variety of chard I grow is called "bright lights". It is a beautiful addition to the garden...and even your flower garden. It is in the same family as spinach, so it is similar in flavor. I can cut this crop and it will regrow again and again throughout the season.

How do I eat chard? The smaller leaves can be cut up and eaten raw in your salads. Other wise, light cooking is good. You may use any of the greens recipes given out thus far.

What are the nutritional benefits of Swiss Chard?
High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper, Manganese, Thiamin, Folate and Zinc. Also high in Sodium.

How do I store chard? You guessed it...crisper

Surfin' Simon! We went to the beach this weekend!!!

PYO Strawberries!!!

I hope you all enjoyed your quart of strawberries last week!!! I was pleasantly surprised picking, there are more berries than I anticipated and boy are they yummy! There are 3 different varieties: earliglow, honeyoye and jewel. Earliglow was hit the hardest in the freeze since it is the earliest. It is by far the best tasting, but you will find several small and "buttoned" berries due to freeze damage. They are still edible, just a bit more work : )

PYO Flower Garden

The Pick Your Own garden is starting to blossom! Feel free to wander the garden and start to pick things like: snow peas, daisies, marigolds and basil.

Please do not pick the rhubarb (it's the only thing that is not PYO, it just happens to be where I planted it--sorry)

This week's loot: lettuce, baby carrots (with tops--they make a yummy soup), chard, radish, tat soi, shell peas!, garlic scapes, mint, lemon balm, tarragon

Next week's loot: lettuce, baby carrots, baby beets, kale, shell peas, scallions, new potatoes?

Recipes

Lemon Balm and Mint--This herbs are very versatile! You can use it in your meals or to make a refreshing sun tea...thought it would be perfect for the 4th of July picnics!

A little mint in fruit salad can dramatically change its flavor. Mint can also work well in green salads. A little mint and peanuts will give a salad a Southeastern Asian appeal. The herb is also commonly used in Middle Eastern food. One can garnish hummus with mint, or add a little chopped mint to tabbouleh. Mint mixed into couscous can enliven this otherwise plain grain derivative.

Cooked veggies like peas, corn and carrots can all be infused with mint flavor. A minute prior to ending cooking, add a mint leaf or two to these steamed vegetables. Remove the leaves before serving and you’ll have a new way to make these classic vegetables appealing.

Mint marinades or chopped mint goes very well with certain meats. Lamb is often served with mint, and is best known. Mint also complements certain types of seafood like lobster, scallops, and sole. Consider mint chutney with these, or lobster dipped in mint garlic butter.

If you enjoy Vietnamese food, don’t leave out the mint. Many of the “make your own” rolls served in Vietnamese restaurants include thin rice pancakes, strips or balls of cooked meat, and a beautiful pile of fresh herbs and dipping sauce to add together for an Asian style burrito. A little mint in Thai or Chinese egg rolls can also change the taste, or savory egg rolls could be dipped in a mint sauce. A tiny amount of chopped mint can garnish scrambled eggs, omelets, or egg foo yung.

loosely wrapping them in a towel and storing them in a crisper in the fridge, away from the fan. Freshness is key; tarragon loses its flavor as it dries out.

Tarragon works well in chicken, egg and fish dishes, and in cream or mustard sauces. I've even used it in soups with some success (it does tend to be a bit strong for very delicate soups). While the weather is still hot, try it in this cold Creamy Spinach and Tarragon Soup. Adventurous cooks should try it in a sorbet, like the one I mentioned above, or in this lovely, refreshing Tarragon-Spiked Lady Grey Iced Tea from Gourmet magazine.

Spaghetti with Swiss Chard and Garlic Chips

Gourmet, November 2008
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 head garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise (or use scapes!)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup dried currants (we skipped this)

2 pounds green Swiss chard, stems and center ribs finely chopped and leaves coarsely chopped separately

1/2 cup water

1 pound spaghetti

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, cut into slivers

6 ounces feta, crumbled (1 1/2 cups)
Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook garlic, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer garlic with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
Cook onion in oil remaining in skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add currants and cook, stirring, until plumped, about 1 minute.
Stir chard stems into onion mixture with water and 3/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in chard leaves and cook, covered, until stems and leaves are tender, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 5 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water and drain spaghetti.
Toss spaghetti with chard, olives, and 1/2 cup cooking water, adding more cooking water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with feta and garlic chips.

Swiss Chard SaladIngredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, cut into wide ribbons
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat the olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until tender and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and balsamic vinegar; cook and stir until the chard is wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Carrot Top Soup [serves 4] (there are several carrot top soup recipes on the web, check em out!)1 bunch carrots, including the greens
1/2 cup brown rice
1 or 2 garlic scapes

6 cups water, light chicken stock, or vegetable stock
thyme, to taste, and whatever other herbs suit your fancy (the Valymyst
Herb blends work great in this)
salt & pepper, to taste
In a small saucepan, bring 3/4 cups water to a boil. Add rice. Simmeruntil tender, and set aside. While the rice is cooking, pluck the lacyleaves of the carrot greens off their stems, enough for 2 to 3 cups,loosely packed. Wash thoroughly, then chop finely. Chop the carrotsinto fairly small pieces.
Melt a couple tablespoons of butter in a soup pot. Add the carrot topsand carrots, garlic and herbs. Cook for a few minutes, turningeverything a few times, then add the water or stock, and salt. Bring toa boil, and simmer until the carrots are almost cooked. Add the rice,heat through until the carrots are tender, then taste for salt andseason with pepper.

Week 5, June 22nd and 25th

Happy Father's Day, Dora!!!

Saturday Dudley's eggs cracked open and 7 little ducks popped out! They are too cute : ) Be sure to say hello to them, but please move slowly and don't crowd her too much, she is very protective and nervous. Dora is so proud.

After you see the baby ducks, head up to the house barn to see the baby turkeys. They arrived on Thursday and are super cute as well. Please be careful of their pole holding up the heat lamps...it's a little precarious.

Veggie of the Week: The Radish

Some of you may recall a slew of radishes around this time last year, well here we are again. Can you believe an entire year has gone by since you ate a fresh radish?!! I do not grow loads of them just to say I have vegetables to give you though. They are said to be a great companion plant to squashes, helping to keep squash bugs away. So this is why they are a little alter than early spring too...I do not plant them until I seed my winter squash which is done after frost danger. (That is what the following photo is...an interplanting of winter squash and radish.)
How do I eat them? Of course everyone knows a raw radish can go in a salad, but did you know you can eat the greens cooked too?
What is the nutritional value?

• Radishes have high contents of vitamin C, which is a well-known cancer-preventing antioxidant element.
• The greens (leaves) of radish contain 6 times the vitamin C normally found in the root. Also the leaves have substantial quantity of iron, calcium, and thiamine.
• As radishes are a good source of potassium, folic acid, and molybdenum, it provides energy at the cellular level, develops the nervous system, and also functions the kidneys.
• Radishes help in relieving constipation as it contains high amounts of carbohydrates. It aids in digestion and improves liver health, as the sulfur-based phytochemicals help induce bile secretion.
• Also, with the presence of potassium, radishes aid in better kidney and urinary tract health.
• If you are on a diet plan, consuming radish on a daily basis can help you lose weight. It contains very low calories, makes you feel full without eating too much, and has high amounts of water contents.

How do I store them? I like to wash them, remove the tops (store those separate) and place the roots in a container with a lid--it's like a mini crisper!

Be sure to check out last year's blogs for recipes too--there are great greens recipes (Greens Pasta Pie), a radish dip to die for as well as a radish top soup!!!

This week's loot: lettuce, radish, the last of the hakureis (for now), tat soi, pac choi, spinach, beet greens, scapes, oregano, strawberries?

Next week's loot: lettuce, greens, baby carrots, shell peas?

Recipes: Sauteed Radishes and Sugar Snaps with Dill (I don't have all of the ingredients yet for this recipe, but I will and I just didn't want to miss putting it out there, it sounded so good!) Adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2004

1 tablespoon butter1

tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed

2 cups thinly sliced radishes (about 1 large bunch)

1/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon dill seeds

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add sugar snap peas, cook for one to two minutes, and radishes sauteing until crisp-tender, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Add orange juice and dill seeds; stir 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped dill. Transfer to bowl; serve.

Greens PieKendallScottWellness.com
Holistic Health Coaching
1 large bunch greens, de-stemmed, washed and chopped (kale, collards, swiss chard)
½ yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (or approx. 1 tsp)
6-8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled or chopped into small pieces
5-6 large mushrooms, chopped
3 eggs
1 cup brown rice
¼ cup pine nuts (optional)
􀂃 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
􀂃 Cook brown rice in water until water is absorbed. Spread rice in bottom and about
one inch up sides of pie plate or any glass/ceramic dish. Use hands or spoon to
press firmly to create the “crust.”
􀂃 Blanch greens in hot water for about one minute, drain water, then place in bowl.
(This step can be skipped, and greens can be added to mixture raw.)
􀂃 Add all other ingredients to greens in bowl and stir until everything is coated with
egg.
􀂃 Pour mixture over rice and sprinkle top with pine nuts.
􀂃 Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes. The top should just begin to turn
golden brown.
􀂃 Cut and serve like pie.
Yields 6-8 servings
Also try adding: diced tomatoes, scallions, peppers, tofu, pre-cooked beans, pumpkin
seeds, chicken, ham, diced parsnips, turnips or carrots.
©2009 Kendall Scott Wellness. All Rights Reserved.

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