Notes from the Farm

Hello from the farm, 

 

 

This is Farmer Taryn writing for the first time this week!  Just a heads up for the different style of writing and layout.  

 

Fall is finally here!  We are loving this colder weather throughout the week.  It is a pleasant temperature for all of us farmers to work in, since the 90 degree weather is hopefully gone.  Summer crops are dwindling, while delicious fall vegetables are creeping through the soil.     

 

One of the fruits that are coming in heavy right now are Pawpaws. This uncommon fruit of North America has been in our history for hundreds of years.  It has saved Lewis and Clark from starvation and was a favorite of Mark Twain's.  New settlers to America collected Pawpaws if their crops did not produce enough for them to survive during winter.  Here is a website created by Harvard that explains the history and description of Pawpaws:

http://www.arboretum.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014-72-1-the-pawpaw-a-forgotten-north-american-fruit-tree.pdf  

 

   

Some tasty pawpaws that were harvested this week! 

 

Comment from Farmer Taryn:

 

While being on the farm for three weeks I have learned a lot of new skills that an organic farmer needs to produce a wonderful crop.  I have been busy learning the character of the program, working with staff and trainees and getting a feel for the features of this farm and land.  My goal is bringing continued good harvests of the crops that have become favored and familiar to you and will also begin to weave my skills and interests into enhancing the farm as well. 

 

What's happening on the farm this week?

 

There are summer vegetables still holding on even with the colder weather here.  Our peppers and cilantro are still making an appearance.  The tomatoes are able to make special appearances every once and a while because they are located in the greenhouse; which keeps them at a warmer temperature and doesn't let the moisture on the plant.  This week we will be having beautiful pumpkins and colorful Indian corn to choose from.  Last but not least the historical pawpaws and Asian pears will be on the shelves.        

 

Plastic removal has been a huge part of our fall transition in the fields.  Del (on the left) and Brian (on the right) are removing the thicker black plastic that use to be in the onion field.  This is a tedious job to do but Del and Brian are still working with smile on their face! 

 

The many colors of Indian corn!!  This Indian corn has been drying to perfection for a week and is now ready to be given to you!

 

Reminder

 

Pick up hours at the farm:

Thursday: 3pm - 7pm

Friday: 11am - 7pm

Saturday: 9am - 1pm

 

Abendessen Fresh Bread:Stephanie is back but possibly with a limited supply!  This week she will have Pretzel Rolls for $4/half dozen.  

 

 

Picnic in the Fields! 

 

This Sunday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm

Join us in a celebration of food to preserve 14 acres of farmland.
Music, child-friendly activities, and a spirit of community!

 ADULTS: $25 in advance, $30 at the door YOUTH 13–17: $10 UNDER 12: FREE Drop-in whenever — Gates open at 10:30 

PULLED PORK BAR-B-QUE ON CIABATTA ROLL • GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS • VEGAN WRAPS • BAKED BEANS • MACARONI SALAD • CHIPS • VEGAN SALAD • BROWNIES • BEVERAGES • BEER menu subject to change 

Buy tickets at www.homefields.org.

A limited number of tickets may be available at the door. Questions? Email events@homefields.org 

 

 

 

Suggestions for the Harvest: 

  

Carrots: these carrots are better than candy--simply refrigerate and then eat washed and unpeeled for a snack.  

 

Butternut Squash: butternuts have great flavor and can be used for making pumpkin pie. See recipe below for one way to prepare it

 

Pawpaws: best to keep them in the fridge until they are soft so the fruit flies don't find them. Cut in half the short way and spoon out like eating a kiwi fruit.  Don't eat the seeds or skin. The pulp is good fresh or added to a smoothie. 

 

Sweet Peppers: wow, it's been a great season for these lovely peppers. They are slowing down now with the shorter days. Sweet peppers come in all shapes, colors and sizes.  Carmen, a long horn-shaped pepper is a perpetual favorite among your farmers.  We like to snack on them as if they were candy.

 

Tomatoes: these have also peaked and are descending:  tomatoes seem to stand for themselves without words of introduction, but here are some words anyway: delicious, great in sandwiches, BLTs, tomato & cucumber salad, cooked down for sauce, chopped in salad, fresh or canned salsa and more.

 

Eggplant: The Italian and Asian types differ only in shape and color, they are used in the same manner.  I like them sliced and grilled or pan fried with soy sauce, oil, miso etc until browned and crispy.  

 

 

Goodbyes:

Beets:  Beets are back in town. We grow red, orange and striped beets, beautiful.  mmm, I used to love to eat these after my mother had blanched them and slipped the skins off and they were cooling on the counter.  Super nutritious, they can be roasted, grated for salad, boiled or steamed, then eaten hot or cold, and of course, made into pickled beets or used for pickled beet eggs. Makes me hungry writing about them. 

 

Storage Onions:  the red and white storage onions should keep for a month or two in cool dark storage.  

 

Potatoes: well, that's the hardest we ever worked for potatoes and for not a lot of them unfortunately. We did get some, and for that we are glad. 

 

Chard: this cousin to the beet is appreciated for its leaves instead of its roots.  Use for salads, or as a spinach or kale substitute in cooking.  

 

Green/Purple/Yellow Beans: they are a bit mature this week, but should still be pretty tasty.  Older beans can be saved for vegetable soup, which is what we did growing with vegetables that were a little on the mature side. These beans are so amazingly good it almost puts frozen beans to shame.  The purple variety is beautiful--if heated they turn green, if used in salad their purple looks great.  To cook, bring to a boil in an inch of water or so, then turn down to three lines or so until tender. Yum yum!

Kale/Collards/Senposai:  these are surrendering to the hot summer weather as usual.  We like to fry these in a skillet with butter or coconut oil until crisp, add some onions and saute them as well--a superb topping for rice, fried eggs or stand alone too.

Cabbage: great for a cabbage and chopped peanut with vinegar salad. Simple and surprisingly good in spite of its simplicity.  

We hope the Indian corn and pumpkins help decorate your house for the Fall season, 

 

Your farmers