Monday, October 22, 2012

Winter Share #1, Tuesday, October 23rd

Carrots!

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch swiss chard
2 heads lettuce
½ lb spinach
2 lb beets
4 lb carrots
2 lbs leeks
5 lbs potatoes
5 lbs onions
8 lbs mixed winter squash


Farm News:

    As fall rolls on, we are getting closer and closer to the “end” of our season… although our to-do list never really ends, there is, at least, a list of “must-do”s that we are almost at the end of. We have a few more big harvests, garlic to plant, some new fields to plow up, wood to split, and our spring spinach to seed before we can breath our sigh of relief and start in on construction projects for the fall.

Recipes:

Roasted Root Vegetables

This is one of our favorite recipes, and we probably eat it 3 times a week or so until we run out of the ingredients. This is a very simple recipe – you can make as much or as little as you want. This makes enough to roast on a large cookie sheet – I would cut the amounts in half if you want to roast them in a roasting pan.

2 cups diced potatoes
2 cups diced onion
1.5 cups cubed squash
1.5 cups diced beets or turnips
1.5 cups diced carrots
1 or two apples, diced.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the veggies in a liberal amount of olive oil – I usually use about ½ cup – as well as salt and black pepper to taste. Spread them evenly on a cookie sheet, and cover with aluminum foil. Roast at 400, covered for about 20-30 minutes (until veggies begin to soften). Remove foil cover, and continue to roast until veggies are soft on the inside, but browning on the out side. Yum!

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Onions


    1 bunch Swiss chard
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
    2 garlic cloves, finely chopped


Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough portions, then cut stems and ribs crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Stack chard leaves and roll up lengthwise into cylinders. Cut cylinders crosswise to make 1-inch-wide strips.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onions and garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add chard stems and ribs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until stems are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add chard leaves in batches, stirring until wilted before adding next batch, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Swiss-Chard-with-Onions-240560#ixzz2A1y0sm6M

Share # 19 Tuesday, October 16th

Golden and traditional beet bunches


What You’re Getting:

1 bunch swiss chard
1 head lettuce
1 bunch beets
1 lb onions
½ lb green tomatoes
½ lb spinach
1 butternut squash


Farm News:

The last share!!! So sad!
It’s been a great season for us and I hope you guys enjoyed it too! The end of the season is always bittersweet, but there is always next year to look forward to!

Plan ahead for 2013!
This year our CSA sold out by May, so if you are interested in being part of the CSA in 2013 (We would love to have you back!) let us know! We can put your name on the list for next year.

Help us improve the CSA experience!
I will be sending out an anonymous survey in the next month or so asking you guys what we can be doing better! The annual CSA survey is your chance to let us know what you want more of, what you want less of, what isn’t working for you… or what is working great! We want the CSA to be great for all of you as well as us, so if something is bothering you, don’t hold back! When you receive the survey, please take 5 minutes to fill it out!

Last but not least, thank you so much for being part of our 2012 CSA. The CSA is incredibly important to the farm and we love growing for you!

Enjoy your share, and see you next year!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy



Recipes:
Fried Green Tomatoes

    1 large egg, lightly beaten
    1/2 cup buttermilk (plain milk will work fine too)
    1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
    1/2 cup cornmeal
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon pepper
    3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
    Vegetable oil
    Salt to taste

    Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.
    Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.
    Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
    Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.

From Southern Living, July 2003


Spinach and Roasted Beet Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette

4 medium beets, trimmed
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
½ lb fresh spinach leaves

Preheat oven to 450°F. Wrap beets in foil. Roast until beets are tender when pierced with skewer, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool beets slightly. Peel beets; cut into wedges. Place in medium bowl.
Whisk vinegar, oil, soy sauce and ginger in small bowl to blend well. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Add red onion and half of vinaigrette to beets and toss to blend.
Place spinach in large bowl. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over; toss to coat. Arrange beet mixture atop spinach.

From epicurious.com

Share # 18 Tuesday, October 9th

Kale and swiss chard on display at the farmer's market
Share # 18
Tuesday, October 9th

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch kale
1 head lettuce
1 bunch carrots
1 lb onions
1 leek
½ lb green peppers
1 buttercup winter squash
1 tomato


Farm News:

Where are the potatoes?
This year we had an almost complete crop failure for potatoes (When you grow 30+ different things, something like this happens to at least one of them every year!) Winter Share Holders, don’t worry… we always buy in potatoes from my friend Molly’s uncle who grows organic potatoes in Aroostook, so there will potatoes galore in the winter shares.

 Mike will be on the tractor all week this week, plowing up our new fields and tilling in our old fields for the winter, spreading lime and manure and disking in winter hardy cover crop seed. Lizzy and I are seeding winter greens and cleaning up the greenhouses to be ready for winter growing and over-wintering spinach for early spring. We have fires in the woodstove at night, and Lizzy is sleeping in footy fleece pajamas. Fall is really here! We are looking forward to our annual vacation to a chilly beach for a few days, and to our trip out to Indiana to visit Mike’s mom for Thanksgiving.

Enjoy your share!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes

Buttercup Squash with Apples

1 small buttercup or other winter squash

½ chopped tart cooking apple

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 teaspoons butter or margarine, softened

½ teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

      Heat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in half; remove seeds and fibers. Place squash halves, cut side up, in ungreased baking dish, 11x7x1 1/2 inches. Mix remaining ingredients; spoon into squash halves.
      Cover and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until squash is tender.


Caldo Verde Soup

            From leitesculinaria.com

    1/4 cup olive oil
    1 large onion, diced
    2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
    10 ounces chorizo or other spicy sauage, diced
    6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
    8 cups cold water
    1 bunch kale, cut into very fine strips
    Salt and pepper to taste


In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and half the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover everything with the water, bring to a boil and lower the heat, simmering until the potatoes are almost done, about 15 minutes.
When the soup is cool enough to handle, purée it in the food processor and return to the pot. Add the greens, bring everything back to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and garnish with the remaining cubes of chorizo.

Share # 17 Tuesday, October 2nd

Winter squash curing in our hoophouse

What You’re Getting:

1 bunch swiss chard
1 head lettuce
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lb onions
1 leek
½ lb peppers
1 bunch parsley
1 acorn winter squash
3 hot peppers


Farm News:

I sincerely apologize for never getting you guys you newsletters last week. I’ve thrown in some extra recipes this week in case you still have some of those veggies sitting around.

It’s really, truly fall here now…crisp mornings, beautiful leaves in the valley, the occasional frost. We are pulling out the more tender crops that are done for the year – the cucurbits (cukes and squashes) were pulled out last week, and yesterday we pulled out the peppers, basil, flowers and tomatoes. It’s always sad to see them go but also a relief! On to the clean up projects! Old crops are getting tilled into the soil; we are planting cover crops to hold the soil and nutrients for the winter, and plowing up a new field for next year. We will almost double our field space for next year, and we will certainly be increasing our production, which is very exciting.

Enjoy your share!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes


Leek-Potato Pancakes
5 large potatoes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large leeks, white and pale green parts, sliced in small rings
salt & freshly ground black pepper,
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Grate potatoes into mixing bowl and cover with water. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium skillet. Add leeks and cook stirring until softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Drain potatoes and dry them well in kitchen towel.
In skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter/oil is hot, spread half the potatoes in the pan and press down with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and half the thyme. Over potato layer, spread leeks in a thin layer and sprinkle with flour. Cover that with the rest of the potato mixture and press down. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg and remaining thyme. Cook for 8-10 minutes on one side, then carefully slide pancake out onto plate. Invert plate and put uncooked side down in skillet. Saute for another 8-10 minutes or until very crusty. Serve with sour cream, creme fraiche, or plain yogurt. Thanks to http://www.recipezaar.com/Potato-and-Leek-Pancake-170466

Stuffed Delicata Squash
            One of our favorite meals, we look forward to this simple dish all summer long!
1 Delicata squash, halved lengthwise
            1.5 cups cooked rice
            One large onion, diced
            Three cloves of garlic, diced
Cheese – to taste (We usually use extra sharp cheddar)
1 lb sausage of your choice
            Salt, pepper, olive oil

            Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scoop the seeds and guts from the squash, and then place the halved squash in a baking pan, face-up. Cover the bottom of the pan with water, about ¼ inch deep. Place the pan in the pre-heated oven. Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil. Fry the sausage, and then chop cooked sausage as finely as desired. Mix sausage with onions and garlic. Mix in cooked rice, as well as pepper and salt to taste. When squash is soft (is easily punctured with fork, usually after about 20-30 min.), remove from oven and fill with mixture. Grate cheese and cover tops of filled squash. Put it all back in the oven until cheese has melted.

Julia Child’s Potato Leek Soup
3-4 cups of diced peeled potatoes (1 lb.)
3 cups thinly sliced leeks, including the tender greens (1/2 lb)
2 quarts water
1 Tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons heavy cream or 3 tablespoons softened butter
3 tablespoons minced chives or parsley

Simmer vegetables, salt, and water together, partially covered for 40-50 minutes in a 3-4 quart saucepan. Mash the vegetables into the soup with a fork or pass through a food mill. Julia does not like the texture of soup pureed in a blender, your call. Adjust salt and pepper. You can stop at this point. When ready to serve, bring soup back to simmering. Then off the heat, stir in the cream or butter and top with chopped chives or parsley. It does not get much better than that! Makes 2 quarts of soup for 6-8 servings.

Baked Acorn Squash Rings
From The Martha Stewart Cookbook

1 small acorn squash
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the unpeeled squash crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and place them on a cutting board. Using a biscuit cutter or cookie cutter slightly larger than the seed center, cut out the seeds from each ring and discard.

Place the squash rings on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Dot each ring with butter and season to taste. Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar over each ring.

Bake the squash for 15 minutes. Turn the rings over, dot with more butter and sugar, and bake until tender, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Swiss Chard and Cheddar Quiche (with simple side salad)

    3  tablespoons  olive oil
    1  bunch Swiss chard, chopped
    1  onion, chopped
    3  large eggs
    3/4  cup  half-and-half
    kosher salt and black pepper
    2  ounces  Cheddar, grated (1⁄2 cup)
    1  prebaked 9-inch piecrust
    4  cups chopped lettuce 
    1  tablespoon  red wine vinegar


    Heat oven to 350° F.
    Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chard and onion and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
    In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the half-and-half; season with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the Cheddar and chard mixture and mix to combine. Pour into the prebaked 9-inch piecrust and bake until set, 40 to 45 minutes.
    Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the lettuce with the vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
    Serve the quiche with the salad.

From http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/swiss-chard-cheddar-quiche-00000000054978/index.html

Share # 15 Tuesday, September 18th

Mike and two of our apprentices setting up our stand at the fair in 2011
What You’re Getting:

1 bunch swiss chard
1 head lettuce
1 lb tomato
1 pint cherry tomatoes
½ lb green beans
1 cucumber
1 lb onions
1 leek
2 hot peppers


Farm News:

It’s FAIR WEEK! All week long we will be harvesting, bagging, weighing, cleaning and braiding veggies in preperation for the Common Ground Fair in Unity. If you’ve never been I highly recommend it, there is tons to do and see and some really good food.

This week you can enjoy what will probably be the last of the cukes and hot peppers, and possibly the last of the tomatoes, although I hope we will have the tomatoes one more time.

Enjoy your share!
Christa, Mike, and Lizzy

Recipes


Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan

1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon minced garlic          
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 small onion, diced          
salt to taste (optional)
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately

    Heat olive oil  in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.


Cucumber, Tomato and Green Bean Salad

    1/4 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp sugar
    1/4 tsp pepper
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
    1 tbsp lemon juice

 
    1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
    3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
    ½ lb. green beans, cut in 1" lengths and lightly steamed until crisp-tender.
 
Whisk together dressing ingredients until well blended. Toss vegetables in a large bowl.
Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to blend.
Chill before serving.