These golden September days seem to be going by too fast. Autumn is officially here and the days are starting to feel a bit shorter, the mornings a little chillier. This week we were the lucky recipients of a homemade lunch and we were able to enjoy an outdoor picnic, savoring the beauty of a perfect September day here at the farm. Thank you Marty Turner for this incredible treat!

Look for butternut squash in your farm share this week, one of our favorite fall vegetables. We will also have some new tasty greens available that are great for salads and for cooking.

 

We are patiently awaiting the return of our favorite farmer, as Scott is enjoying a well deserved vacation with his family. Thank you to Scott for all he has done to make this a wonderful season, from carefully selecting our seed varieties, to driving Big Orange so we can transplant the delicate seedlings, to making us his famous Farm Fries. We hope he has gotten in lots of mushroom hunting and is having a joyful time with his family.

 

Ever wonder what our days are like out at the farm?
No day is ever the same, but for our farm crew it goes something like this...

 

8 am work starts. Gear up with rubber shoecovers to protect your feet from the morning dew and a sweatshirt to keep off the chill. Head to the fields with the rest of the farm crew for the winter squash harvest.

 

9 am you’re just getting your stride. You’re on your second load for the day of butternut squash. The morning chill has burned off, and your sweatshirt is tied around your waist. You see lots of squash strewn through the field waiting for you and your trusty pruners.

 

10 am everyone heads up to the stone barn for coffee and conversation. Catch up on the latest news from Farmer Scott and report in on conditions out in the fields.

 

11 am unload the last of the winter squash from the gator into the greenhouse to cure. Compliment your coworkers on a job well done.

 

12 pm Lunch time! Kick back and unwind, knowing the bulk of the day's work is done.

 

1 pm back to work. Finish the day by hoeing in the newly planted kale crop to keep the weeds at bay.

 

2 pm Hang up your gloves and call it a day. Leave with a hand shake from Farmer Scott and a promise to come back and do it all again next week.

 

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta

Karen Levin, Cooking Light
MARCH 2004

INGREDIENTS

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash

Cooking spray

6 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices (raw)

1 cup thinly sliced shallots

8 ounces uncooked mini penne (tube-shaped pasta)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, rosemary, and pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with salt mixture. Bake at 425° for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Increase oven temperature to 450°.

Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan; crumble bacon. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shallots to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Combine squash mixture, bacon, and shallots; set aside.

Cook pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add provolone, stirring until cheese melts. Add pasta to cheese mixture, tossing well to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; top with squash mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.
 

Massaged Dark Leafy Greens Salad

From EatingWell: September/October 2012

A few minutes of judicious massaging will transform bitter greens into a mellow, well-balanced salad spiked with hints of lemon, garlic and Parmesan. Matt Thompson says "The secret is in the squeezing: by doing so you actually start to break down the cell walls, releasing enzymes that split apart the bitter tasting compounds." 

INGREDIENTS

2 bunches dark leafy greens, such as mustard greens, kale, mizuna, tatsoi, chard, senposai, or turnip greens

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 minced anchovy fillet or 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

Strip leaves from the stems (discard stems). Wash and dry the leaves. Tear the leaves into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add Parmesan, oil, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce, anchovy (if using), pepper and salt. With clean hands, firmly massage and crush the greens to work in the flavoring. Stop when the volume of greens is reduced by about half. The greens should look a little darker and somewhat shiny. Taste and adjust seasoning with more Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic, soy sauce and/or pepper, if desired.
 

 The Farm Fall Potluck--Saturday October 6th, 5 pm to 8 pm

Join us for our Fall Potluck around the fire circle.

What to bring?
Family of 1 or 2:@one dish to share
Family of 3 or more: one hot dish and one cold dish to share
Outdoor chairs or a picnic blanket
A flashlight, especially if you are staying for the campfire
Dress for the weather
Please bring family and friends, but leave pets at home

What the farm provides?
Paper supplies and drinks
After dinner campfire and marshmallows for toasting

Foul Weather Policy: check outwww.goodwillathomefieldsfarm.blogspot.com@for the latest updates on a cancellation due to weather
Questions: Contact Elizabeth at 871-3110 or eswope@yourgoodwill.org
 

Suggestions for the harvest

Arugula: a peppery salad green that is complimented well by fruit and goat cheese in a salad.

Mustard Greens: known for their pungent flavor, these greens can be added to a salad for a mustardy hot punch, or can be added to soups or stir frys. Flavor mellows when cooked.

Tatsoi: a mild green that is great raw in salad or cooked. We think of it as fall spinach.

Purple Mizuna: a unique mustard green from Japan that has mild flavor and is great in salad for color and flavor.

Senposai: has a sweet and tender cabbage like flavor. Makes a great outer wrap for veggie wraps. Use raw or cooked.

Butternut squash: use for soup, an entrée or use in any recipe calling for "pumpkin." Makes fantastic pumpkin bread, cookies and pumpkin pie.

Radish: Shunkyo radishes are sweet and hot, and visually striking. Greens are edible.

"Dessert Turnips:" also known as White Lady, Hakurei, or Salad Turnips, this white, mild and sweet turnip is a great snack. Best eaten raw, but of course, you could cook them as well. Greens are edible.

Sweet Peppers: The long red Carmen peppers are outstanding--sweet and flavorful. great for salads or fried with onions and garlic. The peppers have topped out and are winding down.

Potatoes: We have many different varieties. Yukon Golds make the best fries according to your farmers.

 

Enjoy the harvest!

Elizabeth

A crisp cool morning hello to you from the farm!

This week, we managed to get a lot of cover crops planted ahead of the rain, and felt pretty good about the rain on Tuesday watering in the newly pressed seeds.  One of our favorite cover crops is the daikon, or tillage radish.  Daikon is Japanese for the big one and it lives up to its name, sending a large taproot down thirty inches or so to bring subsoil nutrients up to the surface and creating biomass (compost) when it then dies during the winter.

Fall crops are in their glory, and we are featuring what we sometimes call "dessert turnips" this week. These Japanese turnips are white and sweet, and are best enjoyed raw. They are a whole different creature compared to the old warhorse mr. purpletop, the traditional turnip that is often cooked.  I grew up eating turnips sticks at most family get-togethers, so traditional turnips are good raw as well, just much stronger flavored and firmer.  We are also harvesting Shunkyo radishes today.  These are beautiful red radishes that hail from China and are long, tapered, sweet and hot.

                         Sweet Mild Hakurei Turnips.  Go by name "dessert turnips" around here.



Spotlight on Mike H.

Position at the farm: Farm Crew
Number of years working for Goodwill: 3 years
Favorite thing to grow at the farm: tomatoes
Favorite kind of music: rock
What he wanted to be when he grew up: a football player
Favorite place: his uncle’s dairy farm where Mike stayed busy milking cows twice a day
Mike’s family includes: his three brothers, 2 sisters, and his 15-year-old daughter
Language he speaks: a little  German
A pet Mike had in the past: a Quarterhorse
Advice from Mike:  Give it your all
What he brings to the farm: relentless teasing about Elizabeth's food, Law Reh's food and my food... :-)




The Farm Fall Potluck--Saturday October 6th

Join us for our Fall Potluck around the fire circle.  

Saturday October 6

5 pm to 8 ish

What to bring?        

            *Family of 1 or 2: one dish to share

            *Family of 3 or more: one hot dish and one cold dish to share

            *Outdoor chairs or a picnic blanket

            *A flashlight, especially if you are staying for the campfire

            *Dress for the weather

            *Please bring family and friends, but leave pets at home

What the farm provides?

            *Paper supplies and drinks

            *After dinner campfire and marshmallows for toasting

Foul Weather Policy:  check out www.goodwillathomefieldsfarm.blogspot.com for the latest updates on a cancellation due to weather

Questions: Contact Elizabeth at 871-3110 or eswope@yourgoodwill.org

The striking Shunkyo radish

Suggestions for the harvest:

Radish:  Shunkyo radishes are sweet and hot, and visually striking. Greens are edible.
"Dessert Turnips:"  also known as White Lady, Hakurei,  or Salad Turnips, this white, mild and sweet turnip is a great snack.  Best eaten raw, but of course, you could cook them as well.  Greens are edible.
Green beans: and yellow and purple, and flat Roma beans as well.  These are all tasty and nice to have in the fall as well as the summer.  The purple ones turn green when boiled. If used raw in salad they stay purple.
Edamame: waiting to see if this batch develops pods
Storage Onions:  the red and white onions are storage onions for the pantry.  Great for burgers or whatever.
Sweet Peppers: The long red Carmen peppers are outstanding--sweet and flavorful.  great for salads or fried with onions and garlic. The peppers have topped out and are winding down.
Potatoes: We have many different varieties. Yukon Golds make the best fries according to your farmers.
Carrots: done for the season.
Eggplant: many colors--pink, purple and blanks. There are even green eggplants, but we are not growing them this year. coat with oil and soy sauce and grill, or bread them and fry. Coming to and end soon.
Chard: use in lieu of spinach in babaganoush, salads.

Enjoy!  Thank you for being a part of the farm.

Scott

Hello from the fields,

It's fall at the farm, and we are pleased to see the fall crops and greens growing with gusto.  The first cover crop was seeded yesterday, the tomato stakes are being taken down, we are bringing up the Delicata squash and Pumpkins from the field, and we have green, yellow, and purple beans once again this week. The radishes are reaching maturity, so we are harvesting them once again and the arugula is ready.  Ahh, the flavors of fall.

We have a second planting of edamame that we thought would be ready for harvest this week, but upon further inspection, the pods are empty--casualties of the high temperatures during pollination apparently.  This has never happened before, so we can empathize with the Midwest farmers whose corn has no ears on it.  We hope to find some stalks with filled pods.

There are many good things in the works as we keep marching on to mid-November's final harvest, there will be butternut squash and Long Island Cheese squash in the near future as well as sweet turnips, aka dessert turnips :-) and plenty of fall greens, and yes, the much anticipated cilantro--all right!


Spotlight on John O.

Position at the farm: Farm Crew
Number of years working for Goodwill: 15 years
Favorite thing to grow at the farm: cantaloupe
The animal he most connects with is: the tiger
Favorite kind of music: oldies
What he wanted to be when he grew up: a policeman
Favorite thing about the farm: cucumber planting
One of John’s favorite places in Lancaster is: Long’s Park
Favorite sport to watch: football
John’s family includes: his mom, dad, brother and sister
Something John can’t live without is:  friends
John enjoys: collecting music, birthday parties and grocery shopping
What John adds to the farm crew: always helpful and pleasant

Spotted this week: As the saying goes:  there are bold mushroom foragers, and there are old mushroom foragers, but no bold and old mushroom foragers.  These are pretty, but poisonous.

Suggestions for the harvest:

Pumpkins: despite common perception, jack-o-lanterns and all pumpkins and their seeds are edible. See pumpkin seed roasting instructions below--applies to squash seed also.
Arugula: this piquant green is a great addition to salads. A little goes a long way.
Radish:  this Easter-egg radish mix has great colors and taste.
Delicata Squash: these petite squash have a rich sweet potato-like flavor.
Spaghetti Squash:   A pasta crop.  Basically cook, then flake out the "noodles" with a fork, and top with your favorite sauce and cheese.
Green beans: and yellow and purple, and flat Roma beans as well.  These are all tasty and nice to have in the fall as well as the summer.  The purple ones turn green when boiled. If used raw in salad they stay purple.
Edamame: waiting to see if this batch develops pods
Storage Onions:  the red and white onions are storage onions for the pantry.  Great for burgers or whatever.
Sweet Peppers: The long red Carmen peppers are outstanding--sweet and flavorful.  great for salads or fried with onions and garlic. The peppers have topped out and are winding down.
Potatoes: We have many different varieties. Yukon Golds make the best fries according to your farmers.
Carrots: done for the season.
Eggplant: many colors--pink, purple and blanks. There are even green eggplants, but we are not growing them this year. coat with oil and soy sauce and grill, or bread them and fry. Coming to and end soon.
Chard: use in lieu of spinach in babaganoush, salads.


Roasted Pumpkin Seeds:

I enjoyed these as a child and still do--they're even good for you :-)

•  wash the seeds and pick out as much pulp as is practical 
• place on baking tray and coat with your favorite oil and some salt 
• bake at 325 for about 30 minutes, stirring at least after 10 minutes. 
• Enjoy, store extras, (if any) when cool, in an airtight container. 

Enjoy!  Thanks for being a part of the farm!  

 Quick and nice format on the blog at:  goodwillathomefieldsfarm.blogspot.com


Hello from rain-soaked fields at the farm,

Well it's a whole different story than last week when we were coaxing seeds and seedling along with water from a tank. There is nothing like the sound of rain to put joy in a farmer's heart when seeds have been planted.  The beauty of  growing many different crops is that, pretty much whatever the weather does it is helpful to some crops.  Dry weather limits plant diseases and stops weed seeds from sprouting prolifically, while wet weather gets seeds and young seedlings and transplants established.  So we are grateful for it all, although something like a tornado would not be beneficial in any foreseeable way.

Your farmers are happy to be harvesting spaghetti squash, signaling the coming of autumn even if it doesn't feel like it quite yet.  We will also have fall beans this week, these beans take a lot of time to pick, but they are worth it for sure.  The tomatoes, peppers and eggplants have all peaked and are trailing off and fading away.  We're looking forward to arugula, butternuts and other fall crops before long.

Goodwill at Homefields Farm Potatoes, Peppers, and Onions take a tour of the Adirondacks with Elizabeth Swope.  She didn't bring any back...

Farmer Profile: Spotlight on Glenn W.

Position at the farm: Farm Crew
Number of years working for Goodwill: over 20 years
Favorite thing to grow at the farm: cucumbers
Favorite thing about the farm: seeing God’s creation, learning from Farmer Scott,
 having the opportunity to talk with shareholders and hear their gratitude
One of Glenn’s favorite places is: the Smokey Mountains
Glenn’s family includes: 5 brothers and sisters
Glenn enjoys collecting:  soda tabs to use to help others
If he could spend a day in someone else’s shoes, it would be: Daniel  Boone
Wisdom from Glenn: “Life has taught me to have character, to be truthful and honest.”
Foreign Language he speaks: a little Pennsylvania  Dutch

What Glenn adds to the farm: big-hearted enthusiasm and gratitude in all things

Suggestions for the harvest:

Spaghetti Squash: the spaghetti squash are ready!  A pasta crop.  Basically cook, then flake out the "noodles" with a fork, and top with your favorite sauce and cheese.  Mmm....good.  More info about using spaghetti squash and a recipe down below.
Green beans: and yellow and purple, and flat Roma beans as well.  These are all tasty and nice to have in the fall as well as the summer.  The purple ones turn green when boiled. If used raw in salad they stay purple.
Edamame: The first planting is finished--no harvest this week.  We will have another crop perhaps next week.  this tasty and nutritious to boot. Boil in salted water for about 7 minutes in the pod.  Drain, salt lightly, and eat by squeezing the beans into your moth.
Storage Onions:  the red and white onions are storage onions for the pantry.  Great for burgers or whatever.
Sweet Peppers: The long red Carmen peppers are outstanding--sweet and flavorful.  great for salads or fried with onions and garlic.
Potatoes: We have many different varieties. Yukon Golds make the best fries according to your farmers.
Carrots: may be the last week.
Eggplant: many colors--pink, purple and blanks. There are even green eggplants, but we are not growing them this year. coat with oil and soy sauce and grill, or bread them and fry.
Tomatoes: these have peaked and are probably almost finished, we'll see if they stage a comeback as the cooler weather comes. Chard: use in lieu of spinach in babaganoush, salads,
Scallions: these are finished.
Cucumber and Zucchini: all done for the season

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

• Bake It -- Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer and place in baking dish. Cook squash in preheated 375?F oven approximately 1 hour or until flesh is tender.
• Boil It -- Heat a pot of water large enough to hold the whole squash. When the water is boiling, drop in the squash and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on its size. When a fork goes easily into the flesh, the squash is done.
• Microwave It -- Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place squash cut sides up in a microwave dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size of squash. Add more cooking time if necessary. Let stand covered, for 5 minutes. With fork "comb" out the strands.
• Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot - Choose a smaller spaghetti squash (unless you have an extra large slow cooker) so that it will fit. Add 2 cups of water to slow cooker. Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer, add to Crock Pot, cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.

Once the squash is cooked, let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes so it will be easier to handle, before cutting in half (if it wasn't already) and removing the seeds. Pull a fork lengthwise through the flesh to separate it into long strands. (See photos.) You can do these steps ahead of time, then prepare spaghetti squash recipes whenever the mood strikes.

from:  http://www.fabulousfoods.com/articles/19943/discovering-spaghetti-squash

Spaghetti Squash with Vegetables and Mozzarella 

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash, cooked by your favorite method and separated into strands (click here for instructions)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix the cheeses together, set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet and add the onion, pepper and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, basil, and crushed red pepper (if using). Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Mix squash well with the cooked vegetables and put half in the bottom of a large (13 x 9 inch) baking dish. Top with half the cheese mixture, followed by the other half of the squash mixture, then the rest of the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned. Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Hope you are enjoying the summer's end vegetables as we look forward to fall. Don't forget we go all the way to the second week of November with harvests. 

Your farmers

Hello from the farm,

Crisp cool mornings here at the farm conceal the fact that it is very hot and dry.  Taking soil temperatures yesterday showed ninety degrees in the arid soil.  Most vegetable seeds are highly reluctant to germinate at 85 degrees or warmer, so we began watering yesterday with the water buggy both to cool the soil and to aid the seeds in sprouting.

Fall is a glorious time to be farming and it brings the opportunity to wipe the slate clean of all the crops that are finished, and the unruly accompanying weeds and start anew with either fall vegetables or winter cover crops. We always relish making a good slaw out of the overgrown pigweed and lambsquarter! There are many fall crops on the horizon including more edamame, arugula, spaghetti squash, butternuts, to name a few.

Spotlight on Elizabeth Swope

Position at the farm: Assistant Farm Manager
Number of years working for Goodwill:   8 years
Favorite thing to grow at the farm: winter squash and sunflowers
The animal she most connects with is: the slug
What she wanted to be when she grew up: a ballerina
Favorite thing about the farm:  our amazing staff and crew
Someday she would like to visit: every continent
Elizabeth’s family includes: her mom, dad and sister
Something Elizabeth can’t live without is:  yoga
Elizabeth enjoys: cooking, reading and getting outside

Q.  Are all of the things you grow ripe, they are different colors than what is in the grocery store? 
A.  Yes, everything we grow is picked ripe. We grow some heirlooms and international varieties that might surprise you with their color or shape, to bring you great food and flavors. We love to talk about what we are growing, just ask us and see if you can stump us. (easier some days than others :-)


Answer to the Farm Riddle:  It is a flame weeder that uses fire to make ice, although we use it for heating tiny weed seedlings to wilt them ahead of the carrots or other crops popping up through the soil.  Hats off to Peter Emerson, Farm Manager Emeritus, for coming up with the right answer.

Raising Funds for Homefields:
Non-profit Homefields has launched a campaign to raise $250,000 to pay for the farmland which adjoins us on the east side.  Giving to Homefields has direct and tangible results that you will be able to see and watch over the decades to come.  Would you consider giving to Homefields now?-- or if you are working on estate planning, it's a great project and organization to support.  Talk to us when you pick up your veggies, or email info@homefields.org for how to give or for more information, or go to www.homefields.org.    

Suggestions for the harvest:

Edamame: this green soybean is tasty and nutritious to boot. Boil in salted water for about 7 minutes in the pod.  Drain, salt lightly, and eat by squeezing the beans into your moth.
Storage Onions:  the red and white onions are storage onions for the pantry.  Great for burgers or whatever.
Sweet Peppers: The long red Carmen peppers are outstanding--sweet and flavorful.  great for salads or fried with onions and garlic.
Potatoes: We have many different varieties. Yukon Golds make the best fries according to your farmers.
Carrots: may be the last week.
Eggplant: coat with oil and soy sauce and grill, or bread them and fry.
Chard: use in lieu of spinach in babaganoush, salads,
Scallions: these are finished.
Cucumber and Zucchini: all done for the season

Thanks for being

Easy to view format at the farm blog:http://goodwillathomefieldsfarm.blogspot.com/

Hello from the farm,

It's a glorious week here in the fields, the warm sunshine and the cool air are worth reveling in. It's been a full week as we have been planting all sorts of crops for the fall--got the dill, spinach, and lettuce seeded, also planted the cultish black radishes and mild watermelon radishes, sweet turnips, all kinds of Asian greens, collards, kale, beets, carrots and others.  The soil conditions are ideal for getting these crops started, now if we can just keep those crows from eating the tender seedlings as they emerge, as they love to do!

The sweet peppers are doing exceedingly well again this year, the flavor and sweetness of the long red Carmen pepper is without equal and that's why it is our favorite year after year.

The big new arrival this week is edamame, aka green soybeans, which we're very excited about.



Spotlight on Matt M.

Position at the farm: Farm Crew
Number of years working for Goodwill: 3 years
Favorite thing to grow at the farm: pumpkins
The animal he most connects with is: the porcupine
Favorite kind of music: rap
Favorite thing about the farm: the vegetables, especially the beans
One of his favorite places is: Wildwood, NJ
Favorite sport to watch: baseball
Matt’s family includes: his mom, dad, brother, sister, 3 nieces and his Grandma
Matt’s enjoys: collecting crazy hats, working out, and is always game for a party
Favorite Superheroes:  Captain America and Iron Man
Matt’s nickname: Mattmo

Farm riddle:  that which uses fire makes the ice...
Any guesses?  send me an email.

Eager for Edamame

Green soybeans are very tasty and nutritious as well. They are a mainstay in Japan and are used as an appetizer, side dish, after meal palate cleanser, or to accompany your frosty beverage, hence the variety named "beer friend."

How to prepare:  you will see a heaping table of edamame on the table when you pick up your share.  We recommend that you remove the beans while you are here, unless you want to take the stalks home with you to compost.  Take your beans home, put unshelled pods into salted boiling water for about 7 minutes or until tender.  Scoop out with slotted spoon, colander, or what have you, and drain a bit, sprinkle with salt.
Now pick up pods and squeeze the beans directly into your mouth.  Kind of like sunflower seeds, but without that level of labor :-)  Enjoy!!

Here's what you'll find in a half-cup serving of shelled edamame (or 1 1/8 cup edamame in the pods):

• 120 calories
• 9 grams fiber
• 2.5 grams fat
• 1.5 grams polyunsaturated fat (0.3 grams plant omega-3 fatty acids)
• 0.5 gram monounsaturated fat
• 11 grams protein
• 13 grams carbohydrate
• 15 mg sodium
• 10% of the Daily Value for vitamin C
• 10% Daily Value for iron
• 8% Daily Value for vitamin A
• 4% Daily Value for calcium

As you can see, that little serving of edamame gives you a bunch of fiber: 9 grams, about the same amount you'll find in 4 slices of whole-wheat bread or 4 cups of steamed zucchini. It has almost as much protein as it does carbohydrate. It contains around 10% of the Daily Value for two key antioxidants; vitamins C and A. And for a plant food, it's quite high in iron; it has about as much as a 4-ounce roasted chicken breast.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-secret-of-edamame

Suggestions for the Harvest:

Edamame: this green soybean is tasty and nutritious to boot.
Watermelon: we may have some, this will be the final week for them.
Storage Onions:  the red and white onions are storage onions for the pantry.  Great for burgers or whatever.
Sweet Peppers: great for salads or fried with onions and garlic.
Potatoes: Slice for chips and fry in peanut oil or cut for fries. Super tasty. My favorite summer treatment is a Lebanese style potato salad with just olive oil and herbs.
Carrots: soon coming to an end, maybe one more week of harvest.
Eggplant: coat with oil and soysauce and grill, or bread them and fry.
Chard: use in lieu of spinach in babaganoush, salads,
Scallions: these are finished.
Cucumber and Zucchini: we may have a few this week as they fade away.

PYO:
husk tomatoes:  peel the paper off and pop in your mouth for a pineappley treat.
hot peppers:  pick green or wait for the ripe red color with more fruitiness.  Slice in half and fill with cream cheese and bacon bits, add grated cheese.
Stevia: try this non-glycemic sweet leaf in lieu of sugar.  one small leaf sweetens a cup of coffee.
Lemon grass: cut a few leaves for your Thai style cooking
Sungold cherry tomatoes: these fruity acetylene orange bites are ripe when deep orange

Hello from the farm,

Your farmers have been both dodging and working in the rain this week, often using the rainy times to work on preparing onions, garlic and tomatoes, and readying seed garlic for October planting.  This week is different as we are working without the cheerful capability of Elizabeth, who is taking a week off the farm after the long spring and summer farming marathon.  One of the trainees said this morning "this the last day that I have to work without Elizabeth being here," so her return is anticipated.

Sweet potato roots attached to their long morning glory-like vine.  They are in the same Ipomea family 

We've also been working on weeds, our perpetual antagonist, and taking up the layer of mulch film that allowed us to grow such nice onions once again.  We managed to get some arugula seeded before the rain made the soil too gooey once again. For all of you sweet potato lovers, a preliminary check indicates that we might be looking at a good harvest this fall--we are due for one.

Fox 43 featured one of farmers, Brian, in a Day in the Life spotlight on Sunday evening.  You can see this online at: http://www.fox43.com/news/features/    Thank you to shareholder Bill Speakman of Fox 43 for contacting us and doing such a nice job of capturing what goes on here.


Homefields Wants Your Help with the New Land

Homefields, which hosts both the CSG and residential programs on its land, is looking for funds and pledges for its fundraiser for the new land.  They need  to raise $250,000 to be able to hold onto this land which represents the future of the farm program.  Can you pledge 250,000?  Most likely not, but as many hands make light work, would you consider pledging 40 dollars a month for three years?  If each shareholder family would pledge 40 dollars per month for three years, that would raise the entire amount needed.  For more information go to www.homefields.org  or email info@homefields.org

There are some neat varieties of hot peppers down in the pick your own field.  They can be used green or at their ripe color. The heat index in ascending order:

Jalapeno
Cayenne
Hot Paper Lantern (Habanero)
Tabasco (not pictured, not ripe yet)

Use gloves when processing hot peppers--I learned the hard way a few years ago with spicy hot contact lens in my eyes and pepper-burned hands.

Q:  When I purchase a farm share does that go to Homefields? 

A:  No, the farm program is operated by Goodwill and the farm share money goes for seeds, supplies, trainee and staff wages and operating costs.  Homefields is a benevolent non-profit land owner that invites both Goodwill and CSG (residential program) to operate here. 

Suggestions for the Harvest:

Watermelon: watermelon time. Both the orange flesh Orangeglo and Red fleshed Sangria are sweet, flavorful and refreshing.
Cantaloupe/Muskmelon:  we may have some more of these this week, we spotted a pocket with some more ripe ones.
Storage Onions:  the red and white onions are storage onions for the pantry.  Great for burgers or whatever.
Sweet Onions: carmelize in a fry pan with lots of butter...tasty! Not a storage onion-use within a week or two.
Sweet Peppers: great for salads or fried with onions and garlic.
Potatoes: Slice for chips and fry in peanut oil or cut for fries. Super tasty. My favorite summer treatment is a Lebanese style potato salad with just olive oil and herbs.
Carrots: soon coming to an end.
Eggplant: coat with oil and soysauce and grill, or bread them and fry.
Chard: use in lieu of spinach in babaganoush, salads,
Scallions: these mild onions are great anywhere onion is needed.  Scallion season is soon finished.
Cucumber and Zucchini: we may have a few this week as they fade away.

PYO:
husk tomatoes:  peel the paper off and pop in your mouth for a pineappley treat.
hot peppers:  pick green or wait for the ripe red color with more fruitiness.  Slice in half and fill with cream cheese and bacon bits, add grated cheese.
Stevia: try this non-glycemic sweet leaf in lieu of sugar.  one small leaf sweetens a cup of coffee.
Lemon grass: cut a few leaves for your Thai style cooking
Sungold cherry tomatoes: these fruity acetylene orange bites are ripe when deep orange

Habanero Pepper Jelly

Ingredients

• 8 half pint canning jars with lids and rings
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 6 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
• 15 habanero peppers, seeded and minced
• 2 (3 ounce) pouches liquid pectin

Directions

1. Stir the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved, then stir in the carrot and red bell pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 5 minutes. Add the habanero peppers and simmer 5 minutes longer. Pour in the pectin, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Skim and discard any foam from the jelly.
2. Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pour the jelly into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
3. Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all).

from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/habanero-pepper-jelly/

Hope you are enjoying the harvest, thanks for being a part of this farm, 

Your farm crew