HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
I hope this new year finds you all happy and well. We had a fabulous holiday! My family from San Diego came to visit and my 3 nieces went crazy over an inch of snow!
Many folks ask what I do in the winter... Lay by the fire and drink hot chocolate of course!
Ha! I snow plow when the flakes decide to fall. And I do some house maintenance. This year I will be replacing the last of our old windows. (As I type now I am wearing gloves, hat, 3 shirts and a blanket over my lap!) hopefully the new windows will cut down some draft up here!
Mostly I am farm planning. Thinking, calculating, organizing...I went to great conference in Manchester in December and then to the Maine Ag Show up in Augusta last week. It is the perfect time to share ideas and get insight from other growers. I spend hours pouring over the seed catalogs. And this year I have really used your answers to the survey to change some things around. Then I do some website updates and marketing.
Yesterday and today I have been filling the house with heat and scents from making apple and pumpkin butter. And soon I will make jam from the strawberries and raspberries that fill the freezer. And then cranberry ketchup.
It is a fun time for me as I really like to think, plan and network and I do not have much time to do so during the growing season. It is also an anxious time...waiting for folks to sign up for the season and hoping I will fill all the slots. I have yet to have had a problem in the past, in fact I always sell out pretty quick, but in times of economic difficulties, one can never know. That being said, please know that I am very flexible in my payment plans and if it is important to your family to eat our food, I am sure we can work something out.
FIRST WINTER SHARE PICK-UP
Thursday January 19th from 3-7 at Little Ridge Farm
The time has come for winter share pick ups!!! The spinach is sweet and crisp waiting to be harvested from the hoop house and I am excited to see all of you again!
January's Loot: potatoes, winter squash, beets, carrots, parsnips, turnips, celeriac, garlic, winter radish, daikon radish and a bag of spinach!
***If you receive this via email, go to the actual blog site http://littleridgefarmmembers.blogspot.com/ to find recipes listed by vegetable--NEW!!!
celeriac--this funky looking vegetable is one of my fall favorites!!! It is celery like in favor so it is great in soups and raw grated in carrot/beet salads or on top of your green salad.
Martha Stewart did a nice job with recipe ideas: http://www.marthastewart.com/274202/celery-root-recipes/@center/276955/seasonal-produce-recipe-guide#/192752
Daikon Radish--This long radish is from Japan and is used raw to aid in digestion. It is high in Vit C. It is spicy when eaten raw, but vinegared or sauteed its spiciness is much less. It goes great with chicken and ginger...try it in soups and stir fries
Try http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Daikon_Radish_744.php for information and ideas. The recipes are listed at the bottom in accordance to ease and if they are vegan, vegetarian or not:
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp sweet rice wine (mirin)
OPTIONAL: crushed peanuts
Place the daikon in a colander/mesh strainer over a bowl or the sink and sprinkle with salt. Mix well. Let sit for 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and then rinse well with cold water. Drain.
In a small saucepan, combine the seasoned rice vinegar, sugar and rice wine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves (this will only take a few minutes).
Transfer the daikon to an airtight container and pour the rice vinegar mixture over. Shake or stir well to combine. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.
This can store for up to a few days in the fridge, if it lasts that long. If desired, serve topped with crushed peanuts.
