Goodwill at Homefields Farm Gift Boxes--order deadline today

Our Farm Gift boxes for your staff, clients, teachers, customers.

A unique gift for employees, clients, family and friends! This is a great way to say thank you to your employees, clients, customers, and staff for their dedication throughout the year and support the farm program at the same time.

Gift box order deadline is today Friday Nov 7th

Gift boxes will be available for pick up from Monday, December 17 through Wednesday, December 19 between 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Small Gift Box

Lancaster County's tasty products are nestled within thin wood shavings in this beautiful gift box. Included is a packet of College Coffee Roasters Goodwill at Homefields Farm Blend (makes 8 cups), an eight-ounce bag of the famous Wilbur Chocolate Buds, one eight-ounce jar of the local specialty Kauffman's Apple Butter Spread (a delicious Lancaster County treat that spreads easily on bread and crackers) and a delicious bag of Snyder's of Hanover Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwiches.

Pick up your small gift boxes at the farm.

• Cost: $17.95 each *Orders via email sbreneman@yourgoodwill.org or 717.871.3110.

Large Gift Box

This large gift box features more of Lancaster County's premium flavors that are packed in fine wood shavings. It includes a 1/2 pound bag of the local College Coffee Roasters Goodwill at Homefields Farm Blend, an eight-ounce bag of the famous Wilbur Chocolate Buds, one ten-ounce jar of Kauffman's Apple Butter Kitchen Kettle Village Pear Butter (a delicious Lancaster County treat that spreads easily on bread and crackers) and a delicious bag of Snyder's of Hanover Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwiches.

Pick-up your large gift boxes at the farm.

• Cost: $25.95 each

To order your holiday gift box, please contact:

Scott Breneman 717.871.3110

Extraordinary Give for Homefields

Snow is falling, but inside the barn it is warm and aroma of coffee and chocolate swirls around accompanied by Christmas carols as your farmers make gift boxes.
This week is an exciting one--the Extraordinary Give is this Friday.

Multiplying Gifts for Homefields Nov 30th Extraordinary Give Day!
The Lancaster County Community Foundation will give a partial match to Homefields for donations given to Homefields online through http://www.extragive.org/ on November 30th only. The more money given to Homefields this Friday, the greater the percentage amount that the Foundation will give to Homefields. It's a great way for you to help purchase the new land, and grow the gift you give at the same time, as you consider year-end giving. Funds given are tax deductible. Please mark your calendars and read more at the extra give website. Email info@homefields.org if you have questions.


It is Gift Box Time--Looking for a delicious gift for your staff, clients, teachers or relatives?

Small Gift Box

Lancaster County's best eats are nestled within thin wood shavings in this tasty and affordable gift box. Included is a packet of College Coffee Roasters 'Goodwill at Homefields Farm Blend' (makes 8 cups), an eight-ounce bag of the famous Wilbur Chocolate Buds, one eight-ounce jar of the local specialty Kauffman's Apple Butter Spread (a delicious Lancaster County treat that spreads easily on bread and crackers) and a delicious 8oz bag of Snyders peanut butter sandwich pretzels.

Pick up your small gift boxes at the farm Cost is 17.95
Pickup is December 17, 18 & 19 at 150 Letort Rd, Millersville PA 17551 at the barn. Place Orders via email sbreneman@yourgoodwill.org or 717.871.3110.

Large Gift Box

This large gift box features more of Lancaster County's tasty treats that are specially packed in fine wood shavings. It includes a 1/2 pound bag of the local College Coffee Roasters 'Goodwill at Homefields Farm Blend', an eight-ounce bag of the famous Wilbur Chocolate Buds, one ten-ounce jar of Kauffman's Apple Butterand Kitchen Kettle Village Pear Butter (a delicious Lancaster County treat that spreads easily on bread and crackers) and a delicious 8oz bag of Snyders peanut butter sandwich pretzels.

Pick up your small gift boxes at the farm.Cost is 25.95. Place Orders via email sbreneman@yourgoodwill.org or 717.871.3110.

Pickup is December 17, 18 & 19 at 150 Letort Rd, Millersville PA 17551 at the barn. payment is requested at pickup-cash or checks preferred.

Christmas Gift Boxes from Goodwill at Homefields Farm

It is Gift Box Time--the smell of coffee fills the air as we transform the barn for gift box time. 

Small Gift Box

Lancaster County's finest products are nestled within thin wood shavings in this impressive yet affordable gift box. Included is a packet of College Coffee Roasters 'Goodwill at Homefields Farm Blend' (makes 8 cups), an eight-ounce bag of the famous Wilbur Chocolate Buds, one eight-ounce jar of the local specialty Kauffman's Apple Butter Spread (a delicious Lancaster County treat that spreads easily on bread and crackers) and a delicious 8oz bag of Snyders peanut butter sandwich pretzels.

Pick up your small gift boxes at the farm.

• Cost: $17.95 each
  Place Orders via email sbreneman@yourgoodwill.org or 717.871.3110.

Large Gift Box

This large gift box features more of Lancaster County's premium yields that are specially packed in fine wood shavings. It includes a 1/2 pound bag of the local College Coffee Roasters 'Goodwill at Homefields Farm Blend', an eight-ounce bag of the famous Wilbur Chocolate Buds, one ten-ounce jar of Kauffman's Apple Butter
and Kitchen Kettle Village Pear Butter (a delicious Lancaster County treat that spreads easily on bread and crackers) and a delicious delicious 8oz bag of Snyders peanut butter sandwich pretzels.

Pick up your small gift boxes at the farm.Cost is 25.95. Place Orders via email sbreneman@yourgoodwill.org or 717.871.3110.

 Hello from the blustery farm where we are putting together the final harvest.(see self-harvest note below)  This week your farmers have been working on mulching the strawberry plants for the winter with straw, mulching the blueberry beds with wood chip mulch, preparing the fields for garlic planting next week and relishing the outdoor wood fire going yesterday to warm up by.  Winter is coming to the farm. The final harvest is a time when we bring in everything that is harvestable--there will be some sweet potatoes, black radishes, dill, and parsnips appearing for this final hurrah amidst all of the usual things you've been receiving the past few week.  Enjoy!  

 Our Farm-made Gift Boxes are Coming




Farm Program Gift Boxes for Your Staff, Clients or Family:
As our growing season winds down, we will be making gift boxes again for Christmas time. Filled with local tasty treats like Wilbur Buds, College Coffee Roasters coffee, peanut butter pretzels, and apple butter from Kitchen Kettle, they are a great gift and a support to the farm program.
The small box is 17.95 and the large, which has the larger 8oz sack of coffee and also pear butter is 25.95. For more details see: http://www.yourgoodwill.org/farm/homefields_giftboxes.php
To order, send an email to sbreneman@yourgoodwill.org or call 871-3110
Order Deadline Dec 7th
Gift Box Pickup at Barn Dec 17, 18, 19th here at the barn


(a message snuck in by the farm crew...)
A great big thank you to Farmer Scott for a great 2012 season.   From field preparation to fundraising, thank you for all the work you do, bringing the growing season from concept into reality. You keep your office door open to us, you keep the coffee flowing for us, you come up with the best nicknames and you always know how to fix the things that need fixing.   You use your creative powers to invent new ways to make our work easier, lighter and more comfortable.  You take the time to teach us new things, you empower us to solve our own problems, and you drop what you're doing to help us when we need it.  Thank you for believing in us... you give us an opportunity to prove to ourselves just how much we can accomplish.  And you never let a day go by without making us laugh.  Your are our leader and our mentor, and it is our privilege to serve on your team.





Multiplying Gifts for Homefields  Nov 30th Extraordinary Give Day!
The Lancaster County Community Foundation will give a partial match to Homefields for donations given to Homefields online through http://www.extragive.org/ on November 30th only.  The more money given to Homefields that day, the greater the amount that the Foundation will give to Homefields. It's a great way for you to help purchase the new land, and grow the gift you give at the same time, as you consider year-end giving. Funds given are tax deductible.  Please mark your calendars and read more at the extra give website and talk to us as well. 

Self Harvest starts Next Week

Many of you tell us that a highlight of the farm season is coming out in November to glean the fields for crops that remain. Starting Monday Nov 12th, Mon through Saturday, 9am-dusk, you can come out to self harvest. We will have a map that shows you where the crops are located for picking.  Please bring a bucket or bag to put your items in and a knife or pruners. The self-harvest season runs until either the vegetables or the gleaners give way to the frozen ground.

Suggestions for the harvest
Parsnips: bake with maple syrup and butter in a baking tray in the oven.
Black Radishes:  Use peeled.  To make great salad: grate the peeled radish, chop or mince scallions, grate a carrot and add diced cucumber  or(or tomato)  Mix with sour cream.  If too zingy, add more cucumber or tomato.  Eat with crackers or bread. 

Napa Cabbage: great for stir fries, super nutritious, use wherever cabbage is called for. Awesome for kimchee making. See last week's directions for it.
Ornamental/Indian/Flour Corn: decorate with it and then grind it for cornmeal. Bring your shelled corn to run through the mill for cornmeal.
Scarlet Queen Turnip: amazing scarlet color outside, white inside. Eat raw as turnip sticks or cooked.

Kale: my favorite of the greens. It is said that if you could only eat one vegetable, kale would be the one that would do you the most good, as it is a nutrition powerhouse.
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.
Watermelon Radish: These are mild for a radish and have a striking pink interior. Greens 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.

Wrapping up the harvest Season

From all of us here at the farm, I'd like to say thank you for being a part of the farm this season and enjoying and appreciating the farm and the food. Thank you farm crew for the thousands of hours that went into growing and harvesting the food-- you pruned hundreds of berry canes and bushes, transplanted tens of thousands of transplants, harvested many tons of produce, mowed around the buildings each week, and took great care of many things small and large.Thank you Elizabeth for the fantastic job in coordinating all of the trainee jobs, field work, machinery work and accounting.  Thank you Law Reh for dedication and unphased dependability in the field work and being like a brother to the trainees.  Thank you Kim, for dedication, joy and skill in people meeting their food and experiencing the farm. Thank you Bob, Butch, and Tom for things created, invented, assisted, and repaired  !Thank you for a great team effort with this vast undertaking that is the farm season.

With much thanks,

Scott

The descent into winter

hello from the soggy fields, where we are grateful that all the buildings and trees remain standing. Fortunately fall vegetables are pretty tolerant of wind and rain, so the crops look good.  This is the next to last harvest this week so we are heavily into the late fall crops now.

This week, other than hunkering down for the hurricane, we've been "popping" garlic, breaking the bulbs down into cloves, and working on acidifying the blueberry patch with minerals that contain pH lowering sulfur, to put them to bed for the winter. Blueberries do not like our county's sweet limestone soils, so they green up and thrive with our help. 

Grain mill:  I will be bringing my grain mill in this week--you may bring your shelled corn and grind it for cornmeal if you like.  It is a good arm workout :-)

Great News for Homefields--Nov 30th Extraordinary Give Day!

The Lancaster County Community Foundation will give a partial match to Homefields for donations given to Homefields online through http://www.extragive.org/ on November 30th only.  The more money given to Homefields that day, the greater the amount that the Foundation will give to Homefields. It's a great way for you to help purchase the new land, and grow the gift you give at the same time, as you consider year-end giving. Funds given are tax deductible.  Please mark your calendars and read more at the extra give website and talk to us as well. 


Farmer Profile--Interview with the deer:

How long have you been coming to the farm:  for many generations, ever since our great grandaddy Buck E. Lucky found this place.
What do you like best about the farm:  highly mineralized organic vegetables
What is your favorite vegetable that we grow?  sweet potato vines, edamame leaves, beet greens and hearts of lettuce heads right before the farmers are ready to harvest them, whatever is succulent.
Hurdles that you face: when the farmers put this hard to see black ribbon around the fields that smells weird and also when the lettuce has hot pepper or fishy flavor.
What makes us snicker: when the tall farmer runs and hollers at us to get out of the lettuce, waving his arms or zooms towards us with the Gator. 

We value your input on the season--please fill out our survey and let us know how we are doing and what we can do for next season.  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H6V8WKY


Saueruben: Turnip Kraut is easy to make and tasty too.  We made pink turnip kraut last year--pretty.



photo from: http://herbangardener.com/2011/05/26/how-to-make-sauerruben/

Turnip Kraut is pretty easy: top and tail, peel, shred in whatever shredder device you have, weigh, add 1/2 tablespoon of salt per pound and leave overnight.  Next day, pack into crock and push down.  The turnips should be covered by about 2 inches of briney water.  If not, add salty water to the tune of 1.5 teaspoons of salt per cup of water.  I also add some whey, about 1/4 cup, to kick off the lactic fermentation. Then cover mine with a double layer of muslin and weigh with a board and a large mason jar filled with water.  this is from: http://backyarditarian.com/tag/turnip-kraut/

Suggestions for the harvest


Napa Cabbage: great for stir fries, super nutritious, use wherever cabbage is called for. Awesome for kimchee making. See last week's directions for it. 
Ornamental/Indian/Flour Corn:  decorate with it and then grind it for cornmeal. Bring your shelled corn to run through the mill for cornmeal. 
Scarlet Queen Turnip: amazing scarlet color outside, white inside. Eat raw as turnip sticks or cooked.
see turnip kraut instructions below--sauerruben
Kale: my favorite of the greens. It is said that if you could only eat one vegetable, kale would be the one that would do you the most good, as it is a nutrition powerhouse.
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.
Watermelon Radish: These are mild for a radish and have a striking pink interior. Greens 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.

Thanks for being a part of the farm. Enjoy!

Your farmers.

Fall crop harvest, kimchee, corn meal, Napa cabbage

Hello from the farm,

Almost November, and yet your farmers are enjoying T-shirt weather here as we gather crops from the field.
It's almost conventional wisdom that once frost hits, the growing is done, but there are a great number of cool weather crops that are unfazed.  And so we keep on farming until either the ground or the farmers are frozen solid.  Most fall crops tolerate frost and  several freezes down to the mid-20s--once it starts dropping much below that, plants give up the fight.

We've got ornamental/Indian corn this week, it's been drying in the greenhouse and is now ready for decorating and even grinding into cornmeal and baking with.  The best corn bread I've ever had has been made with ground corn meal that we've grown and ground here.

Another newcomer is Napa cabbage.  This is a mainstay of Japanese/Korean/Chinese cooking and can be used any time you would use regular cabbage.  Napa is thinner and more lettucey than regular cabbage and is great for stir-fries, salads, and especially kimchee--see recipe below.  Yes, I am still eating the unrefrigerated kimchee that I made a year ago and by most accounts I am doing fine.  You may want to keep yours refrigerated to keep it crunchier ;-)


Regular Harvest Season Ends November 7, 8, 9
(self-harvest will follow--you will be able to glean the fields for remaining crops)  

"Doc" Flanagan of Flanagan Welding stops by to check things out.  He's helped out with many repairs and projects over the years.  Thanks Doc! 

Bob McClure testing a device to help us with the formidable task of bringing in the beans-woo hoo.
Thank you Bob. 

Suggestions for the harvest
Napa Cabbage: great for stir fries, super nutritious, use wherever cabbage is called for.  See kimchee recipe below
Ornamental/Indian/Flour Corn:  decorate with it and then grind it for cornmeal. I'll bring my grain mill in next week.
Scarlet Queen Turnip: amazing scarlet color outside, white inside. Eat raw as turnip sticks or cooked.
Long Island Cheese squash: shaped like a round of cheese, this is a great-keeping squash with excellent decorating properties. Can roast in the oven to prepare
Kale: my favorite of the greens. It is said that if you could only eat one vegetable, kale would be the one that would do you the most good, as it is a nutrition powerhouse.
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.
Watermelon Radish: These are mild for a radish and have a striking pink interior. Greens 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.
Enjoy the harvest!

                         The colors of fall surround us at the farm while we paused to eat lunch yesterday


Kim Chee Recipe:

This Korean spicy "sauerkraut" of a sort is outstanding. It is enjoyed in Korea and Japan. I like to get it from the Viet My Asian grocery across from McCaskey High School--the brand they carry is Kimchee Pride from NYC and the favorite of the kimchee I've purchased.

1 large head Chinese (celery or Nappa) cabbage
Salt--non iodized, esp. sea salt preferred.
4 green onions (including tops)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 dried hot red chili (about 2" long), crushed
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1. Cut cabbage into pieces, 1-inch long and 1-inch wide.
2. Sprinkle 2 Tbs salt on cabbage, mix well, and let stand 15 minutes.
3. Cut green onions in 1-1/2 inch lengths, then cut lengthwise in thin slices. Wash salted cabbage three times with cold water. Add the onions,garlic, chili, ginger, 1 Tbs salt and enough water to cover. Mix well.Cover and let stand for a few days.
4. Taste mixture every day. When it is acidic enough, cover and refrigerateup to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 quart. --from http://www.cheriestihler.com/recipes/kchee.html


Thanks for being a part of the farm,

Your farmers

October 18, 2012
The frost arrived right on schedule last Friday night, laying to rest the end of the summer crops like peppers and eggplants.  It also did an amazing job of knocking out all the annual weeds that have taken hold.   We still have plenty of frost hardy crops, and the greens may taste even sweeter this week now that they are frost kissed.
The bok choy is back!   Or as we like to call it, the bob choy, named for one of our retired farmers, Bob P.  We still remember his legacy and celebrate him this week with the beautiful purple bob choy.
Thank you to Butch for his work getting electricity out to the farm center this week.  Now we'll really be able to light up the farm for a special occasion!  And thank you to Bob M. for his on-the-fly rigging that allowed us to roll up miles of fabric row cover to be reused for next year.


A big thank you to Kim Stoltzfus for making this a great season!

   


It’s hard to express our gratitude for all Kim does here at the farm.  In the spring, she’s busy planting the herb beds and caring for the greenhouse.   Come summer and fall she is here every week making sure our shareholders have a great experience at the farm.  She adds her fantastic style to all she touches, has a contagious enthusiasm for the farm, and she excels at making sure every child leaves the farm with a smile on their face.
Kim’s last Saturday at the farm (for this season) will be Sat Oct 27
Kim will be teaching a series of children’s pottery classes at Lancaster Clay Studios, beginning Saturdays in November. We are excited that she will be able to put her artistic and teaching talents to such great use. We have brochures available at the farm for anyone who is interested in more information.

We’ll still see Farmer Kim on Thursday and Friday evenings until the end of the farm season, but her last Saturday with us for this season will be Saturday October 27.  Look for the return of a special guest farmer in November.


Regular Harvest Season Ends November 7, 8, 9
(self-harvest to follow)

Roasted  Bok Choy
From Eating Well August/ September 2006
4 heads small bok choy, trimmed, leaves separated
4 tsps canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tsp chopped fresh tarragon, or ¾ tsp dried
1 tsp mirin (or substitute 1 tsp sherry or white wine with a pinch of sugar)
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
 Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Toss bok choy, oil, garlic and salt in roasting plan.  Roast on lowest rack, stirring twice, until wilted and tender-crisp, about 6 minutes.  Whisk lemon zest and juice, tarragon, mirin and pepper in a small bowl.  Drizzle over the roasted bok choy.

Suggestions for the harvest
Scarlet Queen Turnip: amazing scarlet color outside, white inside. Eat raw as turnip sticks or cooked.
Long Island Cheese squash: shaped like a round of cheese, this is a great-keeping squash with excellent decorating properties. Can roast in the oven to prepare
Kale: my favorite of the greens. It is said that if you could only eat one vegetable, kale would be the one that would do you the most good, as it is a nutrition powerhouse.
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.
Watermelon Radish: These are mild for a radish and have a striking pink interior. Greens 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.

Enjoy the harvest!


Scott, Law Reh, Kim and Elizabeth

Hello on this cool sunny day,

The cool air and warm sunshine are pleasant and invigorating as we harvest fall crops today after many days of wondering when the sun would warm us again.  Scarlet Queen turnips are on the harvest list this week--these have glowing scarlet on the outside and a bright white inside.  The farm crew has been disassembling the PYO field this week, putting the fabric weed barrier back on rolls and store it upstairs.  We are awaiting dry soil for planting the garlic, and reveling in the lush green growth of the cover crops.  FROST is predicted for Fri. night, so we are picking all of the sweet peppers so they will not be burned black by the frost.  Enjoy the last peppers of the season! 

 

The farm crew happy about the Long Island cheese squash harvest

 







 

Regular Harvest Season Ends November 7, 8, 9
(self-harvest to follow) 

 

Suggestions for the harvest

Scarlet Queen Turnip: amazing scarlet color outside, white inside.  Eat raw as turnip sticks or cooked.

Long Island Cheese squash:  shaped like a round of cheese, this is a great-keeping squash with excellent decorating properties.  Can roast in the oven to prepare
Kale: my favorite of the greens. It is said that if you could only eat one vegetable, kale would be the one that would do you the most good, as it is a nutrition powerhouse.
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.
Watermelon Radish: These are mild for a radish and have a striking pink interior. Greens 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. Frost predicted--enjoy this final harvest. 
Potatoes: We have many different varieties. Yukon Golds make the best fries according to your farmers.

Hot Pepper Jelly Recipe:  we're in carpe diem mode--get 'em before the frost does. 

 

Ingredients:½ cup habanero pepper, seeds and stems removed
1 apple, peeled and cut up
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
5 cups sugar
1-½ packets liquid pectin (one pouch plus one-half pouch)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
 

 

Full pepper jelly directions and pictures are at: http://www.themeaningofpie.com/2011/07/habanero-jelly-2/ 

 

 Hope you are enjoying the fall weather and flavors!

Your farmers

Potluck Cancelled

The potluck has been cancelled due to a rainy forecast and mudddy conditions here at the farm.    On the heels of last year's soggy potluck, we are erring on the side of caution.  We will hope for better weather next year.

Thanks for your support and understanding,
Your Farmers

Hello from the farm,

 

Rain rain rain, it's squishy and soggy at the farm.  We got about 2 inches of rain on Tuesday which saturated everything really well. Needless to say, the fall crops and cover crops are enthused about the abundant moisture and moderate temperatures.  The farm crew spent the day preparing potatoes and garlic for the week and the barn is now well-organized and tidy.  Nice work everyone. 

 

This week we are wild about watermelon radishes, and kale is a new addition as well, as we move into October and our mid-November's harvest end.  We are watching the weather to see about Saturday night's potluck.  If we need to cancel, there will be a message on the farm blog as well as Facebook.  See potluck info below.

 

Spotlight on Brian B

 

 

Position at the farm: Farm Crew
Number of years working for Goodwill: 17 years
Favorite thing to grow at the farm: potatoes
What he wanted to be when he grew up: a fireman
Favorite place to visit: Michigan
Brian’s family includes: his mom, dad and sister
Favorite thing about the farm: helping out and his great coworkers
Advice from Brian: Sometimes people are nice, sometimes people are not nice.　 Try not to let it bother you.
Brian likes to spend his time as: a volunteer fireman for the　 Blue Rock Fire Company in Millersville, as well as working in his woodshop on his custom made birdhouses and flower boxes.

　

 wildly colored watermelon radishes

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 blanketA 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 weatherQuestions: Contact Elizabeth at 871-3110 or eswope@yourgoodwill.org

Suggestions for the harvestKale: my favorite of the greens. It is said that if you could only eat one vegetable, kale would be the one that would do you the most good, as it is a nutrition powerhouse.
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.
Watermelon Radish: These are mild for a radish and have a striking pink interior. Greens 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.

Farmer’s Breakfast (a delicious way to eat greens)

1T oil
6 collard leaves, chopped coarsely
1 scallion, chopped into
½ inch pieces
6 slices pepperoni, cut in fourths (optional)
1 tsp. butter
2 eggs
2 slices smoked cheddar
2 plum tomatoes, diced

Heat a skillet. When hot, add 1T oil. Toss in kale or collard leaves, scallion, and pepperoni. Saute till scallion is tender. Push to one side of the pan and add the butter to the other side. Fry the two eggs in the butter. When done to your liking, put on two plates, top with the cooked collards, scallions and pepperoni. Lay a slice of cheese on top, tuck a tomato each on the side, and broil till golden. Serve with Tabasco Chipotle sauce, coffee and a square of dark chocolate!

--from Lorena Breneman, the farmer’s wife

 See you soon,

Your farmers

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!