March Farm Update

The farm is turning vibrant green, we are planting flats of broccoli, cabbage, and kale in the greenhouse, the chickens just started laying eggs last week, and interest in shares for the season is very strong.

We moved the chicken coop out of the greenhouse this week and it was really neat to see the chickens having a ball grazing on succulent grass. They are some striking and uniquely-colored chickens, the offspring of various pairings of breeds that my wife, daughters and I raise at home. During the growing season, they will be debugging, weeding, and fertilizing the field that we are resting for this season, thanks to their open floor portable pen. The chickens will also be accepting donations of kitchen scraps.

The greenhouse is an awesome place to be in late winter when there can still be snow on the ground but a world of green and warmth inside. Your summer's food is emerging in miniature.

We have shares available if you have friends that haven't gotten around to sending in their sign-up form yet. Thanks for your help in getting the word out.

Happy first day of spring tomorrow and June is not far off!

Scott

A Wintry Farm Update

Things are alive at the farm even if the ground is frozen hard and the wind is gusting. Planning for the new season is underway--look for 2009 share information in your mailbox soon!

Did you Know?

Is sure is cold this week, but the record low temperature for Millersville is: -16 degrees (1994) (yup, that's negative)

The farm photo blog is updated with some fall and early winter pictures--check out the peeps! www.goodwillathomefieldsfarmcsa.blogspot.com

Got a budding interest in fruit growing?

Tomorrow: Saturday Jan 17th the Backyard Fruit Growers Winter meeting will be held at the Lancaster Farm and Home Center from 10am-4pm. There is a $5.00 suggested donation for non-members, to contribute to the Speakers’ Fund. For more information, contact Chris Manning at byfg@epix.net . In case of severe weather, call (610) 593-6990 for updates.

The Lancaster Farm and Home Center will once again host the Winter Meeting of the Back Yard Fruit Growers on Saturday, January 17. Topics of discussion will include small (or soft) fruit and hardy kiwi fruit. The public is welcome to attend, and to learn more about the BYFG. David Jackson and Holly Laubach of Kiwi Korners will discuss hardy kiwi culture in the morning session. Kiwi Korners, located in Northeastern Pennsylvania, has been developing and researching new varieties of hardy kiwi for over 20 years. They are also the first and only certified organic producer of hardy kiwi fruit.

During the afternoon session Kathy Demchak will talk about small fruit in general. She is the Senior Extension Specialist at Penn State University. Her current projects include fall-bearing red raspberry and gooseberry cultivar trials as well as red raspberry pruning trials. Lancaster Farm and Home Center is located at 1383 Arcadia Rd, just off Route 72 south of the Route 30 interchange. The doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and the meeting will run from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Coffee and donuts will be available before the meeting’s start. Everyone is encouraged to bring a bag lunch.

Keep warm,
Scott

A December Farm Update

Hello from the farm!

Gift Box Ordering

If you are interested in ordering gift boxes for Christmas, just send me an email *by Monday Dec 8th* letting me know how many you would like. They will be ready for pick up here at the barn starting Dec 12-Dec 19, weekdays 9-4pm.

The boxes contain local products: Wilbur Buds, College Coffee Roasters Coffee, Fruit Butters, and Cinnamon Honey Graham pretzels. and are pictured at: http://www.yourgoodwill.org/business/lancastercountygiftboxes.htm

Self-Harvest Update

If you are wondering about coming out to glean the fields, there are still some great vegetables out there despite the many hard freezes that came early this year.

• collards and kale are in great shape and tasty
• beets are small but in good condition
• the purple top turnips are good
• the red and white turnips are not as fine-textured as before
• there are still some scallions that I think should be nice
• chard took a beating from the cold, but worth trying perhaps
  

Hope you are well and keeping warm,
Scott

Final Harvest week

The end of the harvest season…..it seems like just yesterday we were filling up the greenhouse with the promise contained in tables and tables of seedlings. Looking back on the season, it is one to be very satisfied with. Trainees had more responsibility for growing the crops than ever before, the drip irrigation was responsible for getting us through that very long dry period in August, a record 160 shareholder families enjoyed the food and the farm, the scented deer tape kept the deer out long enough for tender plants to make it to maturity, and when it did rain hard, the soil is visibly improved over when we starting farming here, because it held and did not wash away.

It was a great year for melons—there were all kinds of watermelons and honeydews, Galias, and Sweeties to name a few. Tomatoes were very plentiful and peppers did decently. The strawberries had incredible flavor this season and were plentiful. The fall crops have been abundant, varied and great-flavored. Crops like cucumbers and chard did ridiculously well—the year of the cucumber to be sure. Not everything grows as well as one would wish: I really like carrots, but the 1st carrot planting didn’t germinate in the spring due to cold temperatures
and soggy soil, the 2nd planting succumbed to someone in pursuit of weeds, and the 3rd came up sparsely because of extreme heat. We had great lettuce mix and heads early in the season, but lettuce planted for the fall was taken care of by the deer who rated it highly. Next season just might be the year of the carrot!

How to Be a Shareholder Again next Year

After the Holidays are over, but well before tax season rolls around, look for a good old-fashioned snail mail letter to come your way telling you about the coming season and how to sign up for it. As a shareholder this season, you will be given the first opportunity to sign up for next
season.

The Survey

If you have not yet filled out the farm survey, please give us the honor of your input. Your feedback is a great help in planning for next season. The surveys are located here at the sign-in table and you are welcome to take it along and drop it off later, mail it, or send an email response if you prefer.

Self-Harvest Begins Next Week

Each year once the regular season is finished the remaining crops are available for you to harvest from the field. Times are Mon-Sat 8am-dusk. A map and instructions are here at the sign-in table. Please see note about respecting the landowner next door when harvesting on their property.

Want to support the farm with a Gift box purchase?

Each year we make and sell Holiday gift boxes that contain locally made treats such as Wilbur Buds, College Coffee Roasters coffee, apple and pear butters. They are available ordered online at: http://www.yourgoodwill.org/business/lancastercountygiftboxes.htm. The order deadline is Dec 8. Proceeds benefit the Goodwill farm program.

Serving Suggestions for the Harvest:

• Arugula: piquant green great with nuts, citrus, parmesan, oil
• Turnips: The hakurei turnips are very tasty, even for people who think they won’t enjoy them.
• Mibuna and Mizuna: these Asian greens have a nice tangy flavor and can be used in salads or as cooked greens.
• Cabbage: great in a spicy vinegar salad
• Collards: tasty and nutritious fall greens—often enjoyed cooked.
• Winter Squashes—choice of many different kinds: use for pies and desserts, breads, roast the seeds, hot curried soup. With the exception of spaghetti squash, winter squash are interchangeable.

See some great recipes from Elizabeth below!
Thank you

Where to begin…thank you very much to an outstanding farm crew: trainees Jeff, Bob, Brad, Eric, Glenn, Orie, Scott, Tim, and Del. Your skill and care made for a great season. Thank you Elizabeth Swope, Asst. Farm Manager, for excellent work with the trainees and all around the farm, Brian Martin, for making it rain (irrigation) and equipment operation, and Amy Finnegan and Vicki Scheetz for filling in at the distribution area with ease. Thank you Homefields and Goodwill for making this CSA program possible. Lastly, thank you for being a shareholder and enthusiastically supporting our work.

Sincerely,
Scott

Recipes

Looking for ways to use winter squash? Here are three unique recipes using winter squash from World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey

Pumpkin Fritters
Serves 6
serve with a meal, as a snack, or with breakfast in place of homefries

For the batter
½ lb chickpea flour
½ cup rice flour
¼ tsp basking soda
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¼ to ½ tsp cayenne
¾ tsp salt
peanut or canola oil for shallow frying
1 lb orange pumpkin flesh, coarsely grated (any orange fleshed winter squash)
½ medium-small onion (1 ½ oz), peeled and cut into very fine half rings
1 ½ Tbsp sesame seeds

Put the chickpea flour, rice flour, baking soda, turmeric, cayenne and salt into a bowl. Slowly add water (you will need about 7 oz, plus another tablespoon), mixing as you go, to make a smooth batter of medium thickness.

Just before you get ready to eat, pour the oil to a depth of ½ inch into a large frying pan and set it over medium-low heat. Wait until the oil is hot; this can take several minutes. Stir the batter and put in the grated pumpkin, sliced onion, and sesame seeds. Mix gently. Now pick up a handful of the pumpkin mixture, enough to make a patty about 2 ½ inches in diameter and about ½ inch thick on the palm of one hand.

Slide this patty into the hot oil. Make several such patties, just enough to fill the frying pan in a single layer. Fry the patties for about 3 ½ minutes on one side. Turn them over and cook for another 3 ½ minutes on the second side, or until reddish-brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set down on paper towels to drain. Make all patties this way and serve as soon as possible.

Butternut Squash with Sage
Serves 4
Serve with rice, greens and some kind of bean for a complete meal

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot (about 2 oz), peeled and cut into fine slivers
10 fresh sage leaves
1 ½ lb peeled butternut squash (or other winter squash), but into ¾ to 1 inch cubes (4 cups)
½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar

Put the oil in a wide pan or deep frying pan and set it over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the shallot slivers and sage leaves. Stir and fry until the shallot slivers are golden. Put in the squash and stir until the pieces turn a little brown at the edges and the shallot slivers turn a rich reddish-brown. Add the salt and sugar. Give a few quick stirs to caramelize the sugar and then add ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat down to low, and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until squash is just tender.

Greek Pumpkin Risotto
Serves 4 to 6
May be served as a starter course or as the main meal, accompanied by green salad

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (3 ½ oz), peeled and finely chopped
1 ¼ lbs winter squash flesh, cut into ½ inch dices
2 tsp sugar
1 ½ cups unwashed risotto rice
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill (or substitute 6-9 fresh sage leaves)
1 tsp salt, or more if needed
6 cups heated light vegetable stock
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Heat the stock and keep it hot over very, very low heat. Put the oil in a large, heavy sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the onion and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion bits just begin to brown at the edges. Add the pumpkin and sauté it for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and stir once or twice. Put in the rice, dill and salt. Saute the rice gently for 2 minutes. Now pour in a generous ladle of stock. Turn the heat to medium. Keep stirring the risotto. When the stock has been absorbed, add another ladle full. Keep stirring and adding liquid until all the stock has been used up and the rice has cooked for at least 22 minutes. By this time it should be done. Cook another minute or so to absorb the last of the liquid. Now stir in a good amount of black pepper and cheese. Turn off the heat. Let the risotto rest for a minute or two, mix well and serve.

1st Week of November

This Week at the Farm

We are grateful for the return of warm temperatures this week as we have been busy with fall clean up. We are excited to continue to harvest a variety of greens and root crops, even as the end of the season draws near. Next week, November 13, 14 and 15 will be our last week of harvesting. Look for more information next week if you are interested in coming out after the close of the season for self-harvesting.

We will have a variety of all the winter squash available this week, including new additions of acorn and Jarrahdale. Acorn squash is a great one for stuffing with sweet or savory fillings. Jarrahdale pumpkin is a New Zealand heirloom with a beautiful blue grey exterior and deep orange sweet flesh that is dry and stringless.

Thank You

Thank you to Craig and Teresa for coming out last Saturday to make sauerkraut!

Upcoming Events

Nov 13, 14 and 15 Final Harvest Week
Mid-November: end of weekly harvest, beginning of self-harvesting for shareholders once the regular season is over.

Mid-November-Dec: Gift Box season.

Serving Suggestions for the Harvest

• Turnips: the Scarlet Queen turnips are "mid grade" in pungency, and the traditional Purple Top turnips that are arriving this week are pungent.
• Mibuna and Mizuna: these Asian greens have a nice tangy flavor and can be used in salads or as cooked greens.
• Collards: tasty and nutritious fall greens—often enjoyed cooked.
• Winter squash: Use in soups, stuffed, or for baking in pies, cookies, and muffins.

Recipes

Bean Soup with Kale from shareholder Linda Bradley
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cups chopped raw kale
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 (15 oz) cans white beans (cannelloni or navy), undrained
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped parsley

In large pot, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion; sauté until soft. Add kale and sauté, stirring, until wilted. Add 3 cups of broth, 2 cups of beans, and all of the tomato, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor, mix the remaining beans and broth until smooth. Stir into soup to thicken. Simmer 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped parsley.

White Bean, Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup – Bon Appetit, January 2000
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise
6 cups vegetable broth
4 cups finely chopped kale
2 large tomatoes, quartered
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 bay leaf
½ small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into ½ inch wedges
1-15 ounce can Great Northern white beans drained
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into ½ inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour ½ cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 ½ cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes. Add beans and reserved carrots and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Serves 6.

5th Week of October

This Week at the Farm: The Barackli and McKale Edition

Recent polling numbers among people and vegetables here at the farm indicate that it’s been a week of exceptional weather, exceptionally cold and windy; we are all decked out in motley farm gear that gives us a NASA-hazmat-farmer-marshmallow Michelin man flair. It’s been a very dry October up until last weekend: 1/100th of an inch of rain exactly, but the recent rainfall has been a boost to both field crops and cover crops alike. As we march towards the final harvest, please share your input with us on the season survey to help with planning for next year.

Sauerkraut Making Workshop this Saturday November 4

If you have ever wanted to learn how to make your own sauerkraut, join shareholders Teresa and Craig Rineer, Saturday, November 1st from 10 to 11 a.m. at the barn. Teresa and Craig have been making and canning their own kraut with their family since 1999. The demonstration will include preparing and shredding our very own Goodwill at Homefields Farm cabbage. Non-iodized salt will be used in the process to slightly wilt the cabbage and draw the juices. The cabbage will then be bruised by hand and stored in a five-gallon stone crock for approximately six weeks to cure.

After curing, the kraut will be ready to eat or can. If you’d like to have your homemade sauerkraut for New Year’s Dinner, plan to make your kraut by November 20.

Serving Suggestions for the Harvest

• Turnips: the Scarlet Queen turnips are "mid grade" in pungency, and the traditional pungent Purple Top turnips you will see in the next two weeks.
• Mibuna and Mizuna: these Asian greens have a nice tangy flavor and can be used in salads or as cooked greens.
• Cabbage: there will be a sauerkraut making demonstration this Saturday am—details below!
• Collards: tasty and nutritious fall greens—often enjoyed cooked.
• Winter Squashes—Spaghetti squash this week—see tips and recipes below.

Thank you: To all the trainees and staff who suited up and braved the cold weather this week to keep things going.

Scott

Upcoming Events

Nov 13, 14 and 15: Final Harvest Week
Mid-November: end of weekly harvest, beginning of self-harvesting for shareholders once the regular season is over. More details will follow in November.

Mid-November-Dec: Gift Box season.

Recipes

How to microwave Spaghetti Squash*:
Pierce squash (about an inch deep) all over with a small sharp knife to prevent bursting. Cook in an 800-watt microwave oven on high power (100 percent) for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave until squash feels slightly soft when pressed, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash for 5 minutes. Carefully halve squash lengthwise (it will give off steam) and remove and discard seeds. Working over a bowl, scrape squash flesh with a fork, loosening and separating strands as you remove it from skin. Watch it become "spaghetti"-like!
*Alternatively, you can bake the squash in a preheated 350°F oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Spaghetti Squash with Moroccan Spices from Epicurious
Start to finish: 25 minutes
Servings: Makes 4 servings
1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) spaghetti squash
4 Tbsp olive oil or butter, cut into pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp cayenne
3/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Prepare squash following directions above. While squash is cooking, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderately high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in spices and salt and remove from heat. Add the spaghetti squash strands and toss with spiced butter and cilantro.

Squash and Citrus Slaw
Half a spaghetti squash, medium size
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1 green onion, chopped
Prepare squash following directions above, cutting cooking time in half if only cooking half the squash. Combine orange juice, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in salad bowl. Add squash strands, cilantro, red pepper and onion. Toss to blend and chill well. Serves 4 to 5.

4th Week of October

This Week at the Farm

Brrr…frosty mornings this week make for chilly work and harvesting. The fields are bright with heavy white frost this morning. Much of this week has consisted of breaking apart bulbs of garlic into individual cloves and planting each clove, basal end in the soil with the point sticking up, and then covering it so it can grow roots during fall, foliage in the spring, and mature a bulb in July. It is the only vegetable crop that we plant in the fall.

If this is your first season being part of the farm here, you’ll notice that many crops are undaunted by the frosts and freezes, and some are even improved, as their starches change to sugars and some bitter flavors turn mild or sweet. Collards and kale are in this group.

Gearing up for Gift Boxes

Each year we make and sell Holiday gift boxes that contain locally made treats such as Wilbur Buds, College Coffee Roasters coffee, apple and pear butters. They are available ordered online at: http://www.yourgoodwill.org/business/lancastercountygiftboxes.htm. The order deadline is December 8 and they'll begin shipping in time for the holidays on December 12.

Serving Suggestions for the Harvest

• Arugula: see more info and pesto recipe below
• Turnips: The hakurei turnips are very tasty, even for people who think they won’t enjoy them. Also try the turnip kraut recipe below.
• Mibuna and Mizuna: these Asian greens have a nice tangy flavor and can be used in salads or as cooked greens.
• Cabbage: see the recipe below
• Collards: tasty and nutritious fall greens—often enjoyed cooked.
• Winter squashes—choice of great-flavored Red Kuri or butternut squash: use for pies and desserts, breads, roast the seeds, hot curried soup

Thank you

Thank you to Elizabeth and all of the trainees who planted 6,240 cloves of garlic this week in less than balmy weather. Nice job guys!

Scott

Upcoming Events

Final Harvest Week
November 13, 14 and 15
Eend of weekly harvest, beginning of self-harvesting for shareholders once the regular season is over. More details will follow in November.

Gift Box Season
Mid-November-December

Recipes

Lorena’s Spicy Cabbage Salad
(adapted from the Extending the Table cookbook)
Half of a cabbage, sliced fine
Half of a medium onion, sliced
½ cup cider vinegar
1 T. oil
1 1/2t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ t. sugar
1/8 t. cayenne pepper or more as desired—(I used 1 ½ t. last time and it was hot!—Scott)
½ c. of chopped peanuts

Combine everything except peanuts and marinate at room temp for 30 minutes or more. Top with peanuts, chill and serve.

Turnip Kraut
6 lbs. raw turnips, shredded
2 tablespoons salt
1-3 teaspoons sugar
Brine made of 2 tablespoons salt per quart of water

Use a gallon stoneware jar or pottery crock; do not use a metal container. Layer shredded turnips in the crock, sprinkling the layers with salt and sugar and tamping down with a masher to release the turnip juices. Cover crock with a clean cloth, weight a plate on top and let stand 3-4 days at 70 degrees, changing the cloth each day.

Fermentation should take 3-4 weeks at 70 degrees. It is completed when the bubbling ceases.
Sterilize pint or quart jars. Place the kraut in the jars and cover with brine, leaving 1/2 -inch head space. Clean the rims of the jars and fit with lids and rings. At this point, you can store the sauerkraut in the refrigerator without processing. For shelf storage, process in a boiling water bath, pints for 20 minutes, quarts for 25 minutes. Makes 6 quarts.
--from Recipelink.com MSG URL: http://www.recipelink.com/msgid/204409

About Arugula

Arugula is an aromatic salad green. It is also known as rocket, roquette, rugula and rucola, and is popular in Italian cuisine.

Nutrition

Like most salad greens, Arugula is very low in calories and is high in vitamins A and C. A 1/2 cup serving is two calories.

History and Lore

In Roman times Arugula was grown for both it's leaves and the seed. The seed was used for flavoring oils. On another interesting note, Rocket or Arugula seed has been used as an ingredient in aphrodisiac concoctions dating back to the first century, AD. (Cambridge World
History of Food). Part of a typical Roman meal was to offer a salad of greens, frequently Arugula (spelled Arugola), romaine, chicory, mallow and lavender and seasoned with a "cheese sauce for lettuce."

Arugula Pesto
1 bunch arugula, stems removed (about 4 ounces)
2 3/4 teaspoons of coarse or Kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Fill a large bowl with ice and add water, set aside. Fill a medium sized saucepan with water and the 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and bring it to a boil. Add the arugula and as soon as the water returns to a boil, remove the arugula with a slotted spoon and place it immediately into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Transfer the arugula to several layers of paper toweling or clean kitchen towels and allow to drain. Roll up the towels and squeeze as much moisture as possible from the arugula. Place the arugula in a blender jar and add the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt
and the pepper and puree until the mixture looks like thick pesto. There will be a small amount of oil on the surface. Use immediately or transfer the mixture to a jar with a tight fitting lid if you are going to store it. This will keep for at least 5 days, refrigerated. Before using, stir the pesto to incorporate the oil accumulated at the top. Serve the pesto over some freshly cooked pasta or boiled potatoes.