Farm News

So here we are in the first week of October and the end of the season is in sight. The past week has been interesting, to say the least. Paul left the farm; don’t worry he’s coming back, from a long-awaited and well-deserved vacation.

For the past week, the farm has been managed by us, the apprentices. Paul said this is our final exam, and it hasn’t been the easiest task. We’ve been busy with managing the harvest for distribution and market, end of season clean-up, and pulling the last of the weeds from the fields, along with all our usual farm chores. In all this we realized how much effort and mental focus is required to run a farm. It’s a good thing the three of us get along so well, we were able to get through the week without incident (not counting a few late nights!).

We are happy to have chosen to be a part of this farm for the season and have enjoyed providing wholesome organic produce for you and your families. The work has been hard, but the knowledge we have gained and the community we are a part of makes it all worth the effort.

This time of year, we’re reflecting a lot about what a great year we had, and how hard it’s going to be to leave the farm (especially knowing that we’ll have to shop for our produce at the grocery store again!), so savor this last month of fresh produce with us! We hope you continue to enjoy the harvest!

Janine, John, and Leah for Paul and Bob.

Pick Your Own is about done for the season. There are gleanings available of pumpkins, flowers, and herbs. PYO hours are Tuesday and Friday from 2:30 to 6:30 PM and Saturday 8AM to noon. Go to the front of the white barn and follow the “PYO” instructions on the white board.

“HOW LONG DOES THE CSA DISTRIBUTE FOOD?” We will definitely distribute produce through the month of October, we’ll give you an end date soon.

Featured this week:

Carola Potatoes: This is one of Paul’s favorites, he says they’re like Yukon Golds, only better. He really likes these roasted with garlic!

Eggplant: Like we’ve mentioned, it’s getting late in the season and we’re still happy to have these around. They won’t make it through the first frost, which we’re anticipating, so we hope you enjoy them while they’re here.

Broccoli Raab: This is one we haven’t seen since the spring! Brought to us from Italian farmers earlier in the century, this is an excellent cooking green with a mild bitter flavor that mellows with cooking. See recipe, Broccoli Raab over Cavatelli, from Newsletter 1 on our website, or try sautéing in olive oil with garlic until tender (you can steam it first if you really like it tender) then toss with toasted pine nuts, salt and pepper to taste, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Also in the box: Onions, Salad Mix, Carrots, Squash (Apprentice’s choice Delicata or Sweet Dumpling), Garlic, Cauliflower (some are a new orange-colored variety we are trialing called “Cheddar”), and Peppers

Recipes:

Curried Potato Salad Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

6 cups cubed potatoes 1 tsp salt

½ tsp turmeric 1 cup peeled diced carrots

1 cup diced red or green peppers 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

Dressing:

1 TBSP canola or vegetable oil 2 tsp grated fresh ginger root

1 TBSP ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp cayenne, or to taste 4 oz. Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese at room temp

¼ cup plain yogurt 2 – 3 tsp fresh lemon juice

salt to taste

Put the cubed potatoes in a sauce pan with the water to cover. Add the salt and turmeric, cover, bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot of boiling water, blanch or steam the carrots, peppers, and peas, one vegetable at a time until just tender. Remove and transfer to a large serving bowl.

In a small skillet, warm the oil for the dressing. Add the ginger root, coriander, cumin, cloves, turmeric, and cayenne and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning; then remove from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the Neufchatel or cream cheese, the yogurt, 2 tsp of the lemon juice, and the sautéed spices.

Add the cooled potatoes to the bowl of blanched vegetables, pour on the dressing, and toss gently to coat. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Add salt and more lemon juice to taste and serve.

Roasted Eggplant with Feta Mastercook II

6-8 cups cubed eggplant 1 1/2 cups olive oil

¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup minced red onion

3 cloves garlic, minced 2 TBSP fresh minced oregano or 1 TBSP dry

salt and pepper to taste 1 lb. feta cheese crumbled

½ cup olives (preferably Alonso or Calamata) Fresh greens

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, put eggplant in a baking dish and toss with ¾ cup of olive oil and salt to taste. Bake until soft but not mushy, about 30 minutes, set aside to cool.

Whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic, and oregano in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss half of the dressing with the cooled eggplant, arrange the eggplant on a bed of greens and sprinkle with feta and olives. Drizzle the rest of the dressing over the top and enjoy!