5th Week of October

Hello from the farm,

The farm is saturated, soggy, and squishy with over-abundant rainfall these days, it makes harvesting pretty interesting. Yesterday I was at the Steve Groff farm in Holtwood learning about cover crops that have potential for our area. There are so many biological tools that a farmer can use, it's fascinating--crops that attract beneficial insects, crops that smother weeds, crops that keep weed seeds from germinating, and crops that add large amounts of organic matter to the soil. Our cauliflower is growing well, and we are harvesting some of it today. We continue with cleaning up the fields and growing areas, and harvesting the late fall crops. Barring hard freezes down in the mid to low 20s, there will likely be quite a few crops to self-harvest up until Thanksgiving and possibly even Christmas. Some, like parsnips and Brussels Sprouts are at their best in early winter, and yes, that includes the lowly Jerusalem artichoke as well, which we will be digging for the final harvest week for you to try.

We are also preparing to make our Holiday gift boxes that have Wilbur Buds, locally roasted coffee, apple and pear butters, cinnamon honey graham pretzels. You can read more about them here. If you'd like to order some for Christmas, just send me an email. Thanks!

The final harvest will be on Nov 12, 13 & 14--self harvest opportunities will follow for those of you who wish to glean the fields for remaining crops

About Some of the Characters

• Shunkgiku: these sweet and mild greens are tasty in a salad or added to soups and stir-fries at the last minute to prevent overcooking.
• Watermelon Radish: beautiful, crisp and fairly sweet for a radish Black Radish: see below
• Parsnip: roast with other root vegetables, simple to add to stews and soups, beef stew etc.
• Collards: a nutritional phytonutrient powerhouse and loaded with calcium. De-stem, chop and sauté with oil and garlic and serve as a side and see recipe below.
• Arugula: a nutty, sort of spicy green--great addition to any salad
• Greens: discard the stems or ribs, and use the leaves sautéed with olive oil, garlic, onion, soy sauce etc.
• Cauliflower: see the recipe below for roasted cauliflower

Lots of Leaves

We welcome your leaves and compost on the compost pile behind the greenhouse. Additions go on near end of the pile. Thanks for contributing to the fertility of our fields and your food. We also appreciate wood chips on our wood chip pile if you know of any arborists looking for a place to put them.

A Piece about Parsnips: [peace with parsnips]

If you are perplexed by parsnip, or have a vague feeling of uncertainty about them, I wanted to share this with you from my parsnippity culinary experience the other evening--wash them, cut into 1/4 inch dices, and put into an oiled baking tray and coat them with a little oil also. Preheat and bake in oven at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. Take out and put butter and maple syrup on them and a dash of salt, and serve. Simple and delicious.
Or..if you prefer, just add them diced to anything you are roasting or to soups or stews you are making.

Thank You

Thank you to all of the farm crew for bringing in the harvest in all sorts of weather and field conditions and getting the job done!

Roasted Cauliflower
If you've never fully appreciated cauliflower, this recipe is especially for you.

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
Lemon juice (from 1/2 or a whole lemon)
Olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Squeeze lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the oven hasn't reached 400°F yet, set aside until it has.
2. Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. --from simplyrecipes.com

Black Radish Russian-style

First peel the black skin off. In a bowl, grate the radishes, chop or mince green scallion, grate a carrot and dice fresh cucumber...mix together with sour cream If you want more of a spicy tang, use less carrot and cucumber, if it's too spicy then use more carrot and cucumber. Use as a salad or eat on crackers. --adapted from chowhound.chow.com

4th Week of October

Hello from the farm!

Truly splendid weather these days following all of the cold sogginess last week. Killing frost touched down on Monday morning and ended the peppers, eggplants and Pick your Own Crops.
The cold weather crops laughed it off and kept growing, one of them being the Watermelon radishes that you'll see this week. We're continuing to take up the old mulch film and drip irrigation in preparation for cover crop seeding. We had some visitors checking out the farm from a Bruderhof community in western Pennsylvania the other day, who liked our use of sudangrass for thistle control and flame weeding in carrots and parsnips. Including this week we have four harvests and lots of tasty fall crops to go before we turn our attention to making gift boxes for Christmas.

Lots of Leaves?

We welcome your leaves and compost on the compost pile behind the greenhouse. Additions go on near end of the pile. Thanks for contributing to the fertility of our fields and your food.

The final harvest will be on Nov 12, 13 & 14--self harvest opportunities will follow for those of you who wish to glean the fields for remaining crops.

More Fun with Seeds--Non Tropicals this Time:

Last week we looked at planting the seed of tropical fruits right away before the seed can dry out. This week we'll consider fruit that is grown in temperate climates such as ours. As a general rule, these seeds need to be stratified, which means a cold treatment that mimics winter.

• Apple: remove seeds and store in an air tight container or zip lock bag in your refrigerator for 90 days or more.
• Pear: remove seeds and store in an air tight container or zip lock bag in your refrigerator for 90 days or more.
• Peach: remove seeds, crack the pit open in a vise gently, remove the almond-like seed and store in an air tight container or zip lock bag in your refrigerator for 90 days or more.
• Cherry: remove seeds and store in an air tight container or zip lock bag in your refrigerator for 90 days or more.
• Persimmon: remove seeds and store in an air tight container or zip lock bag in your refrigerator for 90 days or more
• Pawpaw: remove seeds and store in an air tight container or zip lock bag in your refrigerator for 90 days or more

The best time to start these seeds is in February/March when the days are lengthening and there is more sunshine, but the seeds can be kept refrigerated for much longer than 90 days if desired.

Pick Your Own Field Update

The pick your own field is finished following the killing frost on Monday.

Drip Tape Available

If you are interested in some used drip irrigation for your garden or flower beds for next year, please ask one of us here at the farm.

About Some of the Characters

• Shunkgiku: these sweet and mild greens are tasty in a salad or added to soups and stir-fries at the last minute to prevent overcooking.
• Watermelon Radish: beautiful, crisp and fairly sweet for a radish--see the article below about them.
• Parsnip: roast with other root vegetables, add to stews and soups, beef stew etc.
• Collards: a nutritional phytonutrient powerhouse and loaded with calcium. De-stem, chop and sauté with oil and garlic and serve as a side and see recipe below.
• Arugula: a nutty, sort of spicy green--great addition to any salad and see Arugula Pesto recipe below
• Bell Peppers: soon to be gone, these are the most nutritious when raw, and the long Carmen variety is the new favorite here
• Greens: discard the stems or ribs, and use the leaves sautéed with olive oil, garlic, onion, soy sauce etc.

About Watermelon Radish

A large round root vegetable related to the turnip and horseradish family, with a crisp texture and a mild to sweet peppery flavor. Unlike many other radishes, the intensity of this radish decreases as the radish matures. Generally, the flesh of this radish is hotter toward the outside and sweeter toward the center. The Watermelon radish grows to approximately three inches in diameter, displaying a white outer skin at the top with green shoulders and a pink base that covers a bright red to magenta inner flesh.

There are two main categories of radishes commonly known as either spring or winter radishes. The category of each is determined by their growing season and when they are harvested. Spring radishes are harvested early in their growing season resulting in a smaller radish. The winter radishes are harvested later in their growth and result in a larger round or more elongated shaped vegetable. The Watermelon radish is considered to be a spring radish, but may be available throughout the year. This radish can be cooked like a turnip, creamed and served as a side dish, sautéed and braised to be served as a vegetable dish, or added to stir-fry dishes. The skin can be removed prior to preparing. It can also be served raw to be used as hors d'oeuvres, as a complement to salads and sandwiches or diced for use in soups and stews. The color of the inner flesh makes it an attractive sliced radish for an appetizer tray or for sandwiches.

When selecting, choose radishes that are firm, crisp, and without blemishes. Radishes grown and harvested when temperatures remain hot, develop an increased bitterness. Store without the leafy tops and place in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic to keep fresh for several weeks. This radish may also be referred to a Beauty Heart, Rose Heart, Shinrimei, Misato, Asian Red Meat, or Xin Li Mei radish.
from www.recipetips.com

Thank You

A special thanks to Elizabeth Swope, Assistant Farm Manager, for brilliant work supervising and working with the farm crew last week during the extremely wet and cold conditions, keeping everyone protected from the elements while getting the harvest in. Nice job Elizabeth and crew!

3rd Week of October

Notes from Your Farm

It is a chilly harvest today, as it becomes evident that winter is not far away. Signs of the season are all around, with a lot of corn fields being harvested this week around the county. Frost was predicted for Tuesday night, so we harvested all of the sweet peppers and eggplants that were mature. Oddly enough we didn't get frost. As it gets good and cold, we are getting into some of the final crops of the season. New crops that we are harvesting include daikon and parsnips. Parsnips look like big white carrots, and are related to carrots, but have an enjoyable flavor all their own. They are used in cooking and have a nice starchy texture that is excellent roasted or added to soups and stews. Parsnips complement other root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and turnips. We found an early bird cauliflower this week, a harbinger of the cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts that are yet to come. We seeded a lot of the empty field areas to oats and triticale yesterday to give them a winter coat until next season, and there are few things more glorious to a farmer than rain falling on just planted fields.

The final harvest will be on Nov 12, 13 & 14--self harvest opportunities will follow for those of you who wish to glean the fields for remaining crops.

Fall Fun with Plants (avoiding the dark days blahs)

Seeds and planting them have universal appeal and are a great activity for children or grownup in the fall and winter. Here are some ideas for some unusual houseplants to start from things that you find at the grocery store:

Mango: carefully cut just the edge of the big flat husk open and pull out the large lima bean-like seed out. It should look tan and plump, and not black. If tan, bury one inch deep in a small pot of potting soil and keep moist but not soggy. Mangoes like warm sunny locations above 60 degrees.

Pineapple: cut the top off of your pineapple leaving about one inch of a fruit "shoulder" on it. Bury the "shoulder" up to the base of the green spiky top in potting soil and water well but allow to dry a bit between watering.

Citrus: plant the seeds in potting soil, water and keep moist, not wet, until they germinate. Seedling citrus may take many years to bear fruit, like 15 years! If you want a bearing citrus tree, check out ediblelandscaping.com for grafted plants that will bear immediately.

Avocado: despite complicated instructions that are passed around for avocado, I've had success with simply burying the unadulterated seed in potting soil and keeping moist, not wet.

About Daikon

It’s not quite a parsnip nor a great white carrot, but the daikon is a mild-flavored radish that wintertime locavores are probably quite familiar with. High in fiber, vitamin C, digestive enzymes and magnesium, daikon’s not a bad addition to your wintertime meals. The name daikon comes from a Japanese word simply meaning “great” or “large root,” and some varieties grow up to 3 feet long!

Although daikon is best known as a root crop, the leaves are also delicious and contain more nutrients per serving than the root. You’ll find twice as much potassium and 10 times as much calcium in the leaves, as well as folic acid and vitamin K. So shop for the freshest daikon you can find and use every part of it.

Common in Asian cuisine, daikon root makes a great addition to soups and veggie broth, and can also be grated into salads. The highly nutritious leaves also make a great soup or salad green.
You may have also come across pickled daikon in your Asian food ventures, and you’ll be delighted to know you can make your own daikon pickles with this easy, overnight recipe. If you enjoy making your own sauerkraut, daikon is a great veggie for it. Although daikon is most heavily consumed in Japan (the majority of Japan’s cultivated land is used to grow this veggie), it actually originated in the Mediterranean and arrived in Japan by way of China a few thousand years ago. And for those of you who like to indulge in sake, take note: a cupful of grated daikon is said to be a great hangover remedy.

If daikon isn’t part of your regular diet, make it so! Low in calories and rich in nutrients, it’s such a versatile veggie and you might as well give it a try.
--from http://www.ecosalon.com/all-about-daikon-radish/

Pick Your Own Field Highlights

Most of the crops are finished in the PYO field, but there are a few survivors out there:

• Hot Peppers: signs are posted in the row
• Black-eyed Susan flowers: these are beautiful in the kitchen or elsewhere
• Cut flowers: snapdragons, celosia
• Edible flowers: Nasturtiums are still going strong

About Some of the Characters

• Parsnip: roast with other root vegetables, add to stews and soups, beef stew etc.
• Collards: a nutritional phytonutrient powerhouse and loaded with calcium. De-stem, chop and sauté with oil and garlic and serve as a side and see recipe below.
• Arugula: a nutty, sort of spicy green--great addition to any salad and see Arugula Pesto recipe below
• Asian and Italian type eggplants: going, going, soon to be gone, the slender Japanese type eggplants are said to be sweeter and milder than the classic Italian types. Coating slices with oil and soy sauce and grilling them is quick and delicious.
• Bell Peppers: soon to be gone, these are the most nutritious when raw, and the long Carmen variety is the new favorite here
• Greens: discard the stems or ribs, and use the leaves sautéed with olive oil, garlic, onion, soy sauce etc.

Roasted Parsnips and carrots with Thyme

3 parsnips, peeled
1/2 lb baby carrots
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
1-2 Tbsp fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar to the pan. Stir to combine just until sugar melts. Remove from heat.

Quarter the peeled parsnips lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces, roughly the size of the carrots. Place the carrots and parsnips on a baking sheet and drizzle with the buttery glaze. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss the vegetables until evenly coated with the butter.
Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the thyme over the vegetables, stir to combine, and return them to the oven for another 10-15 minutes. The parsnips should be caramelized and tender. Serve warm.

2nd Week of October

Notes From your Farm:

The leaves are turning and we are switching to fall harvest mode. Thank you to those who came to the potluck--we had nice time talking together around the fire, playing drums--thank you to shareholder Kyki, recognizing trainee farmers and staff for their excellent work. It was also neat to see the members of the homes here at the farm having a good time with the farm crew.
Another exciting thing this week was the arrival of a sprayer that we will be using next season for foliar feeding our crops. While a sprayer may conjure up hazmat images, we will instead be using it for organic purposes like putting liquid kelp on our crops to supply trace minerals to the leaves--think of it as probiotics and enzymes for plants. Hmm, wonder if plants like yogurt...

We have more winter squash this week. Our pumpkins and other vine crops did not do as well this year as last, so we are grateful that we got what we did. For whatever reason, the plants looked very healthy and flowered abundantly but did not set many fruits.

We expect the final harvest to be on Nov 12, 13 & 14--self harvest opportunities will follow for those of you who wish to glean the fields for remaining crops.

Vegetable Questions:

• Why are colored peppers more expensive than green one? Green peppers are unripe and when the pepper ripens and turns red, orange or yellow, it is prone to rotting.
• What do I do with ears of popcorn? Popcorn is a lot of fun--first, break away two rows from the ear with your thumb or finger, the remaining rows should shell pretty easily.
  Place shelled popcorn one layer deep in a heavy bottomed pan, and add oil to coat all kernels well. Turn heat on high and wait until the first kernel or two pops, then cover your pan. Shake pan occasionally while is popping to keep from burning, remove from heat when popping slows. Enjoy!

Frost is likely this week or next: If you like Hot Peppers, Stevia, Okra and Basil, now is the time to get them because the frost will ruin them.

Pick Your Own Field Highlights:

• Stevia: this natural sweetener is 200 times sweeter than sugar, and has no glycemic impact for people with diabetes or who are limiting sugar intake Pinch off a few nodes and put in your coffee or tea.
• Jerusalem artichokes: beautiful sunflower type flowers for cutting! They are near the neighbors sheep fence. We will dug some up after frost for their edible tubers - frost will sweeten them up somewhat.
• Hot Peppers: signs are posted in the row this week. The farther back the row you go, the more capsaicin! the Nippon Taka variety is said to be incendiary.
• Black-eyed Susan flowers: these are beautiful in the kitchen or elsewhere.
• Ground Cherries: check out these tasty little paper-husked treat that have a hint of pineapple. Pick when paper turns golden brown or fruit is on the ground.
• Cut flowers: zinnias, snapdragons, celosia.
• Basil: pinch off the tips just above where they branch--not sure? Ask Bradley.
• Tromboncino Squash Tower: Check out this rapidly growing vine and the bamboo tower that Bradley made for it.
• Summer Savory: this herb located beyond the grapes in the PYO field. Very strong by itself, it is excellent with tomatoes.
• Edible flowers: Nasturtiums, and Calendula and Borage are edible and are located also toward the end of the PYO field.

About some of the characters:

• Collards: a nutritional phytonutrient powerhouse and loaded with calcium. De-stem, chop and sauté with oil and garlic and serve as a side or garnish.
• Arugula: a nutty, sort of spicy green--great addition to any salad or for making pesto.
• Asian and Italian type eggplants: the slender Japanese type eggplants are said to be sweeter and milder than the classic Italian types--but, when we did a taste test, they all were pretty much the same in flavor. Their color is fabulous. Coating slices with oil and soy sauce and grilling them is quick and delicious.
• Bell Peppers: these are the most nutritious when raw, and the long Carmen variety is the new favorite here.
• Greens: discard the stems or ribs, and use the leaves sautéed with olive oil, garlic, onion, soy sauce etc.

Refrigerator Pickles--Asian style radishes

1 1/2 cups radishes, sliced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons black pepper

Adjust recipe if you have more or fewer radishes: In a small bowl, toss radishes with salt. Cover and refrigerate until 1 to 2 tablespoons of water is released, about 30 minutes. Transfer radishes to a strainer, rinse and drain, removing as much salt as possible. Pat dry with a paper towel and return to bowl. Stir in vinegar, black pepper and, if desired, sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

5th Week of September

Notes from your Farm

Happy October! Radishes return this week, including the spicy Shunkyo. We also have red and yellow popcorn ready for popping. We suggest removing the kernels from the cob and popping on the stove in olive oil.

The seed garlic for next year has arrived and we will be getting it planted in the next few weeks. The cooler weather has arrived right on schedule and I am looking forward to my first mug of apple cider at the potluck this Saturday. Hope to see you there.

Fall Potluck this Saturday, Oct 3, 5 pm to 9 pm

What to Bring: a hot or cold dish, chairs, and dress to be outside. We'll provide plates, utensils, hot cider and beverages. If the weather allows, we'll have a campfire too!

Pick Your Own Field Highlights

• Stevia: this natural sweetener is 200 times sweeter than sugar, and has no glycemic impact for people with diabetes or who are limiting sugar intake Pinch off a few nodes and put in your coffee or tea.
• Jerusalem artichokes: beautiful sunflower type flowers for cutting! They are near the neighbors sheep fence. We will dug some up after frost for their edible tubers, but as Brian Martin said last year, "starts out like a carrot, ends up like a frying pan" in flavor. :-) frost will sweeten them up somewhat,
• Hot Peppers: signs are posted in the row this week. The farther back the row you go, the more capsaicin! the Nippon Taka variety is said to be incendiary.
• Black-eyed Susan flowers: these are beautiful in the kitchen or elsewhere.
• Ground Cherries: check out these tasty little paper-husked treat that have a hint of pineapple. Pick when paper turns golden brown or fruit is on the ground.
• Cut flowers: zinnias, snapdragons, celosia
• Basil: pinch off the tips just above where they branch--not sure, ask Bradley.
• Tromboncino Squash Tower: Check out this rapidly growing vine and the bamboo tower that Bradley made for it.
• Edible flowers: Nasturtiums, and Calendula and Borage are edible and are located also toward the end of the PYO field.

About Some of the Characters:

• Shunkyo Radishes: These electric pink radishes have a hot and sweet flavor. Enjoy them boiled, pickled, added to soup or sliced raw and tossed in sesame oil and seasoned with sea salt.
• Acorn Squash: the classic way to serve this winter squash is baked face up with melted butter, and brown sugar or maple syrup. See recipes for acorn squash bisque and acorn squash salad below.
• Collards: a nutritional phytonutrient powerhouse and loaded with calcium. De-stem, chop and sauté with oil and garlic and serve as a side and see recipe below.
• Arugula: a nutty, sort of spicy green--great addition to any salad and see Arugula recipes below
• Asian and Italian type eggplants: the slender Japanese type eggplants are said to be sweeter and milder than the classic Italian types--but, when we did a taste test, they all were pretty much the same in flavor. Their color is fabulous. Coating slices with oil and soy sauce and grilling them is quick and delicious.
• Bell Peppers: these are the most nutritious when raw, and the long Carmen variety is the new favorite here
• Greens: discard the stems or ribs, and use the leaves sautéed with olive oil, garlic, onion, soy sauce etc.

Arugula Melon Salad from Denise Ziegler

12 oz arugula, washed and torn into small pieced
3 cups watermelon, cubed
4 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
Pine Nuts to your liking
Toss all ingredients with 2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar, plus salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Sautéed Radishes with Radish Greens or Arugula, from Farmer John's Cookbook

Serves 4
1/4 cup butter
1 lb radishes, quartered
4 cups radish greens or arugula (or mix)
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt
fresh ground black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the radishes; cook, stirring constantly, until tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes depending on size. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Return the skillet to stove.
2. Put the greens or arugula in the skillet with the wash water still clinging to the leaves. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until wilting, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat. Add the lemon juice and radishes to the skillet; stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Acorn Squash Bisque from Madison Herb Society Cookbook, serves 4

1 large acorn squash
4 Tbsp butter
2 leeks, chopped
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream

Poke several holes in squash with a fork and bake at 325 degrees until it pierces easily with a fork, about 45 minutes. Cut in half, remove and discard seeds, scoop out pulp and reserve. Melt butter in saucepan, add leeks and sauté over low heat 20 minutes. Place in blender or food processor with squash pulp, stock, thyme, salt and pepper; whirl until smooth. Return to saucepan; simmer over low heat 20 minutes. Stir in cream and heath through just before serving.

Acorn Squash Salad from Farmer John's Cookbook - Serves 4 to 6

2 medium acorn squash
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
6 Tbsp orange or tangerine juice
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp candied ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
4-6 handfuls salad greens (one handful per serving) washed, dried, lightly dressed with olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash halves cut-sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, 30 to 45 minutes depending on size. Cool completely, scoop out the soft flesh, and roughly chop. Place the squash in a bowl and set aside.
3. Combine the olive oil, cilantro, orange juice, maple syrup, ginger, salt and cayenne in a blender or food processor. Blend well.
4. Pour the dressing over the squash and toss gently. Chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavor to combine.
5. Serve on a bed of lightly dressed greens.