a Baby Winter Squash!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Tarte aux Blettes et Graines de Courge
- a bunch of swiss chard, white and green (about ten leaves)
- 1 tsp squash seed oil (substitute olive oil)
- two heaping tablespoons of ricotta
- 1 egg
- one roll of pie dough (I use store-bought, but home-made would be great)
- a handful of squash seeds
- salt, pepper
- 1/4 C caramelized shallots
Rinse the swiss chard under cold water. Separate the white stems from the green leaves. Chop the stems, discarding the ends. Cut the greens in pieces.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped stems, season with salt and pepper, and cook, covered, over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender slightly translucent. Add the leaves to the skillet, and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, until the greens are wilted. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning.
In the meantime, toast the squash seeds in a small dry skillet, and preheat the oven to 220°F (430°F).
Transfer the cooked chard into a food processor, add in the egg and the ricotta, and pulse until thoroughly mixed.
Line a tart pan with the pie dough. Spread the caramelized shallots on the bottom of the dough, and sprinkle with half of the toasted squash seeds. Pour in the chard mixture, even out the surface with a spatula, and sprinkle with the rest of the squash seeds.
Put in the oven to bake for about 40 minutes, until the filling is somewhat set and the pie crust starts to turn golden. Serve with a salad, dressed with balsamic vinegar and squash seed oil.
Source: http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2004/03/swiss_chard_and_squash_seeds_tart.php
- 1 tsp squash seed oil (substitute olive oil)
- two heaping tablespoons of ricotta
- 1 egg
- one roll of pie dough (I use store-bought, but home-made would be great)
- a handful of squash seeds
- salt, pepper
- 1/4 C caramelized shallots
Rinse the swiss chard under cold water. Separate the white stems from the green leaves. Chop the stems, discarding the ends. Cut the greens in pieces.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped stems, season with salt and pepper, and cook, covered, over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender slightly translucent. Add the leaves to the skillet, and cook, covered, for another 10 minutes, until the greens are wilted. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning.
In the meantime, toast the squash seeds in a small dry skillet, and preheat the oven to 220°F (430°F).
Transfer the cooked chard into a food processor, add in the egg and the ricotta, and pulse until thoroughly mixed.
Line a tart pan with the pie dough. Spread the caramelized shallots on the bottom of the dough, and sprinkle with half of the toasted squash seeds. Pour in the chard mixture, even out the surface with a spatula, and sprinkle with the rest of the squash seeds.
Put in the oven to bake for about 40 minutes, until the filling is somewhat set and the pie crust starts to turn golden. Serve with a salad, dressed with balsamic vinegar and squash seed oil.
Source: http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2004/03/swiss_chard_and_squash_seeds_tart.php
White Bean and Tomatillo Chicken Chili
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 pint tomatillos, drained and chopped
• 1 lb diced tomatoes
• 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
Ground Cherry Pie
1 tsp. tapioca
4 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 c. ground cherries (or combination of fruit)
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. apple pie spice
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
Shuck and wash ground cherries. Put tapioca, flour, and butter in the bottom of an 8 inch pie crust. Mix ground cherries, sugar, and spices together and pour over the mixture in pie crust. Put top pie crust on and seal edges of the 2 crusts. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Source: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1637,153187-245193,00.html
White Bean and Tomatillo Chicken Chili
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 pint tomatillos, drained and chopped
• 1 lb diced tomatoes
• 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat
• 1 (15 ounce) can white beans
• 1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
1. Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
2. Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/White-Bean-Chicken-Chili/Detail.aspx
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 pint tomatillos, drained and chopped
• 1 lb diced tomatoes
• 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
Ground Cherry Pie
1 tsp. tapioca
4 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 c. ground cherries (or combination of fruit)
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. apple pie spice
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
Shuck and wash ground cherries. Put tapioca, flour, and butter in the bottom of an 8 inch pie crust. Mix ground cherries, sugar, and spices together and pour over the mixture in pie crust. Put top pie crust on and seal edges of the 2 crusts. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Source: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1637,153187-245193,00.html
White Bean and Tomatillo Chicken Chili
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 1 pint tomatillos, drained and chopped
• 1 lb diced tomatoes
• 1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat
• 1 (15 ounce) can white beans
• 1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
1. Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
2. Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/White-Bean-Chicken-Chili/Detail.aspx
Ground Cherry Pie
1 tsp. tapioca
4 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 c. ground cherries (or combination of fruit)
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. apple pie spice
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
Shuck and wash ground cherries. Put tapioca, flour, and butter in the bottom of an 8 inch pie crust. Mix ground cherries, sugar, and spices together and pour over the mixture in pie crust. Put top pie crust on and seal edges of the 2 crusts. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Source: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1637,153187-245193,00.html
4 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. butter
2 1/2 c. ground cherries (or combination of fruit)
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. apple pie spice
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
Shuck and wash ground cherries. Put tapioca, flour, and butter in the bottom of an 8 inch pie crust. Mix ground cherries, sugar, and spices together and pour over the mixture in pie crust. Put top pie crust on and seal edges of the 2 crusts. Bake 10 to 15 minutes at 450 degrees, then 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Source: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1637,153187-245193,00.html
Green Beans and Blue Cheese
Ingredients
• 5 ounces fresh green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon bacon drippings
• 1 ounce crumbled blue cheese
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons chopped walnuts, toasted
• salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place green beans in a saucepan with one inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
1. Heat the bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green beans, and toss to coat. Saute until the beans are heated through. Sprinkle with nuts and crumbled blue cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/Green-Beans-with-Blue-Cheese/Detail.aspx
• 5 ounces fresh green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon bacon drippings
• 1 ounce crumbled blue cheese
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons chopped walnuts, toasted
• salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place green beans in a saucepan with one inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Remove from heat, drain, and set aside.
1. Heat the bacon drippings in a large skillet over medium heat. Add green beans, and toss to coat. Saute until the beans are heated through. Sprinkle with nuts and crumbled blue cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/Green-Beans-with-Blue-Cheese/Detail.aspx
Haikus from Zemora
pieces of summer
parting words in haiku form
with love, zemora.
the blur of farming
feels like time is speeding up
as summer winds down
june, july, august
all day every day
in rain, mud, and sun
hot as heck out here
according to our logbook
one hundred and three
i've learned so many
things here, many of them have
to do with farming.
i leave with new skills
trellis, transplant, rake, or seed,
bed prep, plant, and weed
now i understand
in harvesting tomatoes,
gentleness is key.
when used correctly
scuffle hoes might surprise you
with their great power.
fairwell, oh sweetest
furry creature of the field
our friend the groundhog
just kidding, please leave
our vegetables alone
and never come back.
nina! and nicole!
and kirsten! and sarah! and
yona! and vicky!
y'all are really the best
i know we'll cross paths again
thanks for teaching me.
love, revolution,
talking in the fields all day
'bout the food system.
our community
supports our agriculture
how awesome is that?
parting words in haiku form
with love, zemora.
the blur of farming
feels like time is speeding up
as summer winds down
june, july, august
all day every day
in rain, mud, and sun
hot as heck out here
according to our logbook
one hundred and three
i've learned so many
things here, many of them have
to do with farming.
i leave with new skills
trellis, transplant, rake, or seed,
bed prep, plant, and weed
now i understand
in harvesting tomatoes,
gentleness is key.
when used correctly
scuffle hoes might surprise you
with their great power.
fairwell, oh sweetest
furry creature of the field
our friend the groundhog
just kidding, please leave
our vegetables alone
and never come back.
nina! and nicole!
and kirsten! and sarah! and
yona! and vicky!
y'all are really the best
i know we'll cross paths again
thanks for teaching me.
love, revolution,
talking in the fields all day
'bout the food system.
our community
supports our agriculture
how awesome is that?
Logistics of the Pick-Up
By Nina Berryman
It’s exactly half way through our 26-week season with the CSA. My how times flies! As all organizations, we are constantly learning and growing together as a group of people. We have chosen to come together over the common interest of local, healthy food, and we are half-way through that seasonal journey. I thought I would take this mid-season perspective as an opportunity to review and respond to questions and concerns I have received recently.
I would like to reiterate how we are all really a community, working together to make local agriculture work. We as farmers appreciate your support in making this type of agricultural business viable; and you as eaters (hopefully!) appreciate the opportunity we are creating for you to eat local, healthy food. Our interactions with each other are not your typical producer/consumer relationship found in almost all other aspects of our capitalist society. Instead, it is one based on trust (paying in advance for a product), respect (for each other and the land), and a common goal (supporting local agriculture). Unlike a supermarket, a farmers market or a restaurant, customers can’t choose whatever they want from a set of options. While we of course have a few options to choose from (e.g. chard or kale), for the most part we determine what vegetables go home with you every week. That being said, we know everyone likes diversity and we work very hard to offer as many different vegetables as possible to keep your dinner tables and diet diverse. This brings me to the main point am I interested in up. When you are at the pick up and you see one item run out and another one replace it, please keep in mind a few points. The first is that an extremely large amount of time and consideration goes into thinking about what to plant, how much to plant, and what vegetables get paired during a pick-up. Even when you plant 100 eggplant all on the same day they will not all be ready at the same time.Also, because of environmental variability, all those 100 eggplant will not continue to produce at the same rate all season. If we were to plant enough eggplant as to ensure that all 130 families all got eggplant on a given week, we would have to more than double the size of our planting! That in turn would mean we wouldn’t have room for other crops, like the onions for example. These are the type of very complicated, multi-faceted considerations we take into consideration during the winter when planning the upcoming season. “What, how much, and when?” are like a three-dimensional puzzle we have to squeeze into the area of the field and the time constraints of the season.
Another thing to keep in mind when you are less than happy about a sub-in, is that if we are continuously pairing eggplant and peppers for example, we will try to rotate which goes out first from week to week to accommodate people who can only ever come to the farm at a certain time because of their personal schedules.
Please also keep in mind the fact that the people staffing the pick-up are your fellow share-holders. They are paying for the vegetables just like you and are putting additional time into the CSA to help make it run smoothly. They restock things as needed and replace things as we, the farmers, request. Because of their hard work, the vegetables are kept as cool and fresh as possible given our facilities. Imagine how much harder your pick-up would be if you had to walk down into the field to find a farmer every time the kale ran out! The shareholders staffing the pick-up are not responsible for the harvest but are happy to answer your questions about it. If they don’t know the answer they can always direct you to a farmer in the field. The pick-up staffers are not waiting on you, they are working with you to help make this farm run smoothly. Everyone’s contribution, whether it is monetary or labor, helps keep the farm functioning.
On another note, I am sure you have all noticed the U-Pick has increased in these last few weeks. We are excited to be seeing more share members in the field, creating more opportunity to meet each other and speak with one another, farmer to eater. We hope you all enjoy the opportunity to become even more familiar with the land and the people that produce your food. The U-Pick is created as another way of increasing the diversity of food that is available to you, as well as to provide another, fun way to become closer to where your food comes from. The U-Pick items tend to be ones that are popular yet labor-intensive to harvest. If we did not offer green beans as U-Pick, we simply wouldn’t be able to offer them at all as we would never have enough time to harvest green beans for 130 families every week! In my ideal world everyone would harvest all of their own food at least at one point in their life to gain an appreciation of where it comes from and the joy and work that goes into growing it. Of course, this is unrealistic, but I hope our small U-pick option fosters that awareness and joy.
130 families is a lot and while I am excited about our ability to expand as a farm, I am saddened by my inability to get to know all of you and hear your feedback on your farm experience. Those of you who I have spoken with about your positive and negative experience, I appreciate your input. My hope is that this article has clarified any questions or concerns people may still have at this point in the season. I look forward to more dialogue with you all as the remainder of the season unfolds!
It’s exactly half way through our 26-week season with the CSA. My how times flies! As all organizations, we are constantly learning and growing together as a group of people. We have chosen to come together over the common interest of local, healthy food, and we are half-way through that seasonal journey. I thought I would take this mid-season perspective as an opportunity to review and respond to questions and concerns I have received recently.
I would like to reiterate how we are all really a community, working together to make local agriculture work. We as farmers appreciate your support in making this type of agricultural business viable; and you as eaters (hopefully!) appreciate the opportunity we are creating for you to eat local, healthy food. Our interactions with each other are not your typical producer/consumer relationship found in almost all other aspects of our capitalist society. Instead, it is one based on trust (paying in advance for a product), respect (for each other and the land), and a common goal (supporting local agriculture). Unlike a supermarket, a farmers market or a restaurant, customers can’t choose whatever they want from a set of options. While we of course have a few options to choose from (e.g. chard or kale), for the most part we determine what vegetables go home with you every week. That being said, we know everyone likes diversity and we work very hard to offer as many different vegetables as possible to keep your dinner tables and diet diverse. This brings me to the main point am I interested in up. When you are at the pick up and you see one item run out and another one replace it, please keep in mind a few points. The first is that an extremely large amount of time and consideration goes into thinking about what to plant, how much to plant, and what vegetables get paired during a pick-up. Even when you plant 100 eggplant all on the same day they will not all be ready at the same time.Also, because of environmental variability, all those 100 eggplant will not continue to produce at the same rate all season. If we were to plant enough eggplant as to ensure that all 130 families all got eggplant on a given week, we would have to more than double the size of our planting! That in turn would mean we wouldn’t have room for other crops, like the onions for example. These are the type of very complicated, multi-faceted considerations we take into consideration during the winter when planning the upcoming season. “What, how much, and when?” are like a three-dimensional puzzle we have to squeeze into the area of the field and the time constraints of the season.
Another thing to keep in mind when you are less than happy about a sub-in, is that if we are continuously pairing eggplant and peppers for example, we will try to rotate which goes out first from week to week to accommodate people who can only ever come to the farm at a certain time because of their personal schedules.
Please also keep in mind the fact that the people staffing the pick-up are your fellow share-holders. They are paying for the vegetables just like you and are putting additional time into the CSA to help make it run smoothly. They restock things as needed and replace things as we, the farmers, request. Because of their hard work, the vegetables are kept as cool and fresh as possible given our facilities. Imagine how much harder your pick-up would be if you had to walk down into the field to find a farmer every time the kale ran out! The shareholders staffing the pick-up are not responsible for the harvest but are happy to answer your questions about it. If they don’t know the answer they can always direct you to a farmer in the field. The pick-up staffers are not waiting on you, they are working with you to help make this farm run smoothly. Everyone’s contribution, whether it is monetary or labor, helps keep the farm functioning.
On another note, I am sure you have all noticed the U-Pick has increased in these last few weeks. We are excited to be seeing more share members in the field, creating more opportunity to meet each other and speak with one another, farmer to eater. We hope you all enjoy the opportunity to become even more familiar with the land and the people that produce your food. The U-Pick is created as another way of increasing the diversity of food that is available to you, as well as to provide another, fun way to become closer to where your food comes from. The U-Pick items tend to be ones that are popular yet labor-intensive to harvest. If we did not offer green beans as U-Pick, we simply wouldn’t be able to offer them at all as we would never have enough time to harvest green beans for 130 families every week! In my ideal world everyone would harvest all of their own food at least at one point in their life to gain an appreciation of where it comes from and the joy and work that goes into growing it. Of course, this is unrealistic, but I hope our small U-pick option fosters that awareness and joy.
130 families is a lot and while I am excited about our ability to expand as a farm, I am saddened by my inability to get to know all of you and hear your feedback on your farm experience. Those of you who I have spoken with about your positive and negative experience, I appreciate your input. My hope is that this article has clarified any questions or concerns people may still have at this point in the season. I look forward to more dialogue with you all as the remainder of the season unfolds!
Goodbye, Interns!
Our summer interns are leaving, and we sure are sad. Saul students Vicki and Yona worked with us through a six-week program with the Philadelphia Youth Network, which funds high school students to take internships and gain job experience. These past six weeks have passed so quickly! I wish we could hire the two of them on full-time, but, alas, they have to return to high school after a couple of weeks to relax. We had a really great time getting to know the two of them and experiencing their amazing energy and work ethics. The first day of their internship was 103 degrees; the two of them came to work on time and stuck it out through an eight hour day. We were all so impressed. If you see either of them in the field, congratulate them on a summer very well spent. Luckily, since the two of them attend Saul, we hope they’ll be back in the fields to visit!
Zemora has been working with us since June, and she leaves this Friday to head back to Massachussetts, where she will attend the Northeastern Organic Farmers Association summer conference before returning to college. Zemora has been an amazing addition to our team this summer, asking lots of questions and offering lots of positive energy and input into everything that we all have been doing. Zemora is lucky enough to attend a school with its own fourteen acre farm—so at least she will not be far from organic vegetable production! It’s been such a great summer, and we wish the three of them the very best of luck in their vegetable-producing futures.
Zemora has been working with us since June, and she leaves this Friday to head back to Massachussetts, where she will attend the Northeastern Organic Farmers Association summer conference before returning to college. Zemora has been an amazing addition to our team this summer, asking lots of questions and offering lots of positive energy and input into everything that we all have been doing. Zemora is lucky enough to attend a school with its own fourteen acre farm—so at least she will not be far from organic vegetable production! It’s been such a great summer, and we wish the three of them the very best of luck in their vegetable-producing futures.
A Field Update
First and second fall plantings of broccoli are in, as well as fall kale, collard greens, cauliflower, and broccoli. We’ve seeded our rutabagas, first hakurei turnips, first radishes, and daikon radish. The last plantings of beets and carrots are going in this week, as are the third planting of broccoli and the first fall kohlrabi.
The weather has been very, very dry, which is a little stressful. The irrigation and sprinklers are on non-stop to try to keep our plants healthy and our seeds from drying out before they germinate. We are praying for rain- I wish the dust would settle in the fields!
The winter squash are looking really healthy, and we have pulled most of the onions out of the field, hanging them in our storage shed so they can cure. Hon Tsai Tai is new in the share this week- it’s a new green that we are trying, and so far, we really like the look and the taste of it. Let us know if you enjoy it if you get it in your share this week.
The weather has been very, very dry, which is a little stressful. The irrigation and sprinklers are on non-stop to try to keep our plants healthy and our seeds from drying out before they germinate. We are praying for rain- I wish the dust would settle in the fields!
The winter squash are looking really healthy, and we have pulled most of the onions out of the field, hanging them in our storage shed so they can cure. Hon Tsai Tai is new in the share this week- it’s a new green that we are trying, and so far, we really like the look and the taste of it. Let us know if you enjoy it if you get it in your share this week.
Medicinal and Magical Uses of Some Vegetables
Cucumber
Folk names: Cowcucumber, Agurk, Haswey, Kheyar, Lekiti, Gurka
Powers: Chastity, Healing, Fertility.
Magical Uses: The fruit of the cucumber, when eaten, hinders lust.
The peel bound onto the forehead relieves headache pain, while the seeds are eaten to promote fertility.
Lettuce
Magical uses: Rub lettuce juice onto your forehead or eat the leaves to sleep easily.
String Beans:
Historical Medicinal Uses: Used to be used for the treatment of diabetes.
Current Medicinal Uses: String beans are a medium-strength diuretic, stimulating urine flow and flushing toxins from the body. Powdered or infused, beans are also hypoglycemic, reducing blood glucose levels in the treatment of diabetes. Powdered beans can be dusted on areas of weeping eczema to soothe itching and dry out the skin.
Eggplant
Current Medicinal Uses: Eggplant lowers blood cholesterol levels. Fruit can be applied fresh as a poultice for hemorrhoids, but is used more commonly in the form of an oil or ointment. The fruit and its juices are effective diuretics. A soothing, emollient poultice for burns, abscesses, cold sores, and similar conditions can be made from eggplant leaves [note: eggplant leaves can be toxic if taken internally.] The mashed fruit can soothe sunburn.
Basil
Folk names: Albahaca, American Dittany, “Our herb”, St. Joseph’s Wort, Sweet Basil, Njilika, Balanoi, Feslien
Powers: Love, Exorcism, Wealth, Protection
Magical Uses: The scent of fresh basil causes sympathy between two people, and this is why it is used to sooth tempers between lovers. It is added to love incenses and satchets.
Carry basil in your pocket to attract wealth.
Historic Medicinal Uses:
In parts of Africa, basil used to be used to relieve the pain of a scorpion’s sting. Ancient Romans used basil to relieve gas, to counteract poisoning, as a diuretic, and to stimulate breast-milk production.
Current Medicinal Uses:
Basil is good for the digestive and nervous systems, easing flatulence, stomach cramps, colic, and indigestion. It can be used to prevent or relieve nausea and vomiting. Basil is a mild sedative, useful in treating nervous irritability, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Applied externally, basil can as an insect repellant, and the juice can relieve insect bite stinging or itching.
Sources:
Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier
Encyclopedia of Magical Plants by Scott Cunningham
Folk names: Cowcucumber, Agurk, Haswey, Kheyar, Lekiti, Gurka
Powers: Chastity, Healing, Fertility.
Magical Uses: The fruit of the cucumber, when eaten, hinders lust.
The peel bound onto the forehead relieves headache pain, while the seeds are eaten to promote fertility.
Lettuce
Magical uses: Rub lettuce juice onto your forehead or eat the leaves to sleep easily.
String Beans:
Historical Medicinal Uses: Used to be used for the treatment of diabetes.
Current Medicinal Uses: String beans are a medium-strength diuretic, stimulating urine flow and flushing toxins from the body. Powdered or infused, beans are also hypoglycemic, reducing blood glucose levels in the treatment of diabetes. Powdered beans can be dusted on areas of weeping eczema to soothe itching and dry out the skin.
Eggplant
Current Medicinal Uses: Eggplant lowers blood cholesterol levels. Fruit can be applied fresh as a poultice for hemorrhoids, but is used more commonly in the form of an oil or ointment. The fruit and its juices are effective diuretics. A soothing, emollient poultice for burns, abscesses, cold sores, and similar conditions can be made from eggplant leaves [note: eggplant leaves can be toxic if taken internally.] The mashed fruit can soothe sunburn.
Basil
Folk names: Albahaca, American Dittany, “Our herb”, St. Joseph’s Wort, Sweet Basil, Njilika, Balanoi, Feslien
Powers: Love, Exorcism, Wealth, Protection
Magical Uses: The scent of fresh basil causes sympathy between two people, and this is why it is used to sooth tempers between lovers. It is added to love incenses and satchets.
Carry basil in your pocket to attract wealth.
Historic Medicinal Uses:
In parts of Africa, basil used to be used to relieve the pain of a scorpion’s sting. Ancient Romans used basil to relieve gas, to counteract poisoning, as a diuretic, and to stimulate breast-milk production.
Current Medicinal Uses:
Basil is good for the digestive and nervous systems, easing flatulence, stomach cramps, colic, and indigestion. It can be used to prevent or relieve nausea and vomiting. Basil is a mild sedative, useful in treating nervous irritability, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Applied externally, basil can as an insect repellant, and the juice can relieve insect bite stinging or itching.
Sources:
Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier
Encyclopedia of Magical Plants by Scott Cunningham
Creamy Zucchini-Cumin Dip
4 small or 2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
-Place the zucchini in a medium bowl; add the salt and mix well. Transfer to a colander and set in the sink to drain for at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.
-Meanwhile, put the sour cream, onion, lime juice, and cumin in a large serving bowl; stir until well combined. Season with pepper and paprika to taste.
-Squeeze as much moisture as you can from the zucchini with your hands; add the zucchini to the sour cream mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
-Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve cold or at toom temperature.
From: Farmer John’s Cookbook
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
-Place the zucchini in a medium bowl; add the salt and mix well. Transfer to a colander and set in the sink to drain for at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.
-Meanwhile, put the sour cream, onion, lime juice, and cumin in a large serving bowl; stir until well combined. Season with pepper and paprika to taste.
-Squeeze as much moisture as you can from the zucchini with your hands; add the zucchini to the sour cream mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
-Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve cold or at toom temperature.
From: Farmer John’s Cookbook
Broiled Eggplant with Crunchy Parmesan Crust
Oil for greasing the baking sheet
Mayonnaise
Eggplant, cut into ¼ inch slices
Freshly grated parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)
-Preheat the broiler. Lightly oil a baking sheet
-Spread mayonnaise sparingly on both sides of each eggplant, then dip the slices in the grated parmesan cheese, thoroughly coating both sides.
-Arrange the slices in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet and place under the broiler until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the slices and broil until golden brown and crunchy on top and the eggplant is soft, about 3 minutes more.
From: Farmer John's Cookbook
Mayonnaise
Eggplant, cut into ¼ inch slices
Freshly grated parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)
-Preheat the broiler. Lightly oil a baking sheet
-Spread mayonnaise sparingly on both sides of each eggplant, then dip the slices in the grated parmesan cheese, thoroughly coating both sides.
-Arrange the slices in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet and place under the broiler until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the slices and broil until golden brown and crunchy on top and the eggplant is soft, about 3 minutes more.
From: Farmer John's Cookbook
Hon Tsai Tai with soy sauce and oyster sauce
1 bunch hon tsai tai
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Cut hon tsai tai crosswise into half-inch segments. In a skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat and stir-fry the hon tsai tai with salt for two minutes.
In a bowl stir together water and soy and oyster sauces. Add soy mixture and butter and stir-fry until crisp-tender, one to two more minutes.
source: http://www.tucsoncsa.org/2008/12/hon-tsai-tai-with-soy-sauce-oyster-sauce/
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
Cut hon tsai tai crosswise into half-inch segments. In a skillet, heat oil over moderately high heat and stir-fry the hon tsai tai with salt for two minutes.
In a bowl stir together water and soy and oyster sauces. Add soy mixture and butter and stir-fry until crisp-tender, one to two more minutes.
source: http://www.tucsoncsa.org/2008/12/hon-tsai-tai-with-soy-sauce-oyster-sauce/
Sauteed Hon Tsai Tai
-adapted from a Harmony Valley Farm CSA recipe
2 tsp olive or vegetable oil
2-3 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic
1 bunch Hon Tsai Tai sliced thin
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Heat oil in a medium sauté pan over moderate heat. Saute garlic and ginger about 1 minute.
Add Hon Tsai Tai and season with salt and pepper. Stir greens to wilt them down. Cover and let steam for 2-3 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of water if there is not enough moisture from the greens.
Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and serve.
source:http://www.redlandorganics.com/newsletter/20071215.pdf
2 tsp olive or vegetable oil
2-3 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic
1 bunch Hon Tsai Tai sliced thin
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Heat oil in a medium sauté pan over moderate heat. Saute garlic and ginger about 1 minute.
Add Hon Tsai Tai and season with salt and pepper. Stir greens to wilt them down. Cover and let steam for 2-3 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon of water if there is not enough moisture from the greens.
Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and serve.
source:http://www.redlandorganics.com/newsletter/20071215.pdf
Mid-Summer Has Arrived
August is here! August is a confusing, exciting, hard month on the farm. The end of the season is in sight; we are planting out our first fall greens (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, and radishes have all gone in!) and nearing the end of our successions of lettuce and carrots. Days grow shorter, and I start to think of fall. Such thinking, however, is premature. This is the hard part of August. Harvests are long, and have been for quite some time, days continue to be stiflingly hot, and the season is not even halfway over.
Despite the challenges of will, though, August is a lot of fun. Tomatoes are going strong, and everyone loves tomatoes. Our crew has reached a high level of familiarity and rapport with each other by now, and we can help and support each other through the mid-summer exhaustion. A return to planting is refreshing after several months spent mostly weeding and harvesting.
And, before we know it, the students will be heading back to school, cooler mornings will move in, and that kale that looks so tiny now will be full-sized and sweet. So we enjoy summer while it lasts.
Despite the challenges of will, though, August is a lot of fun. Tomatoes are going strong, and everyone loves tomatoes. Our crew has reached a high level of familiarity and rapport with each other by now, and we can help and support each other through the mid-summer exhaustion. A return to planting is refreshing after several months spent mostly weeding and harvesting.
And, before we know it, the students will be heading back to school, cooler mornings will move in, and that kale that looks so tiny now will be full-sized and sweet. So we enjoy summer while it lasts.
Crispy Zucchini Chips
Recipe by Christina Pirello
avocado or light olive oil
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 (one quarter) cup yellow corn meal
sea salt
4-5 firm zucchini, sliced into paper thin oblongs
2 fresh lemons, sliced into paper thin rounds
4-5 sprigs fresh parsley, finely minced
8-10 sprigs watercress, stems trimmed to create 3-inch sprigs.
Put about 3 inches oil in a deep saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment and preheat the oven to warm.
Mix flour, corn meal and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl. Add about a third of the zucchini slices to the flour and toss gently with your hands to coat. When the oil is hot, fry floured zucchini until crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain and arrange on lined baking sheet and place in a warm oven. Repeat with the balance of zucchini slices.
Dredge the lemon slices in flour mixture and fry until golden, about 2 minutes.
Drain and combine with zucchini in the oven, keeping oil over heat.
Just before serving, toss fried zucchini and lemon with parsley and transfer to a serving platter. Quickly fry watercress sprigs until crisp and mound them on the zucchini and lemon as garnish. Makes 6-8 servings.
avocado or light olive oil
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 (one quarter) cup yellow corn meal
sea salt
4-5 firm zucchini, sliced into paper thin oblongs
2 fresh lemons, sliced into paper thin rounds
4-5 sprigs fresh parsley, finely minced
8-10 sprigs watercress, stems trimmed to create 3-inch sprigs.
Put about 3 inches oil in a deep saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment and preheat the oven to warm.
Mix flour, corn meal and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl. Add about a third of the zucchini slices to the flour and toss gently with your hands to coat. When the oil is hot, fry floured zucchini until crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain and arrange on lined baking sheet and place in a warm oven. Repeat with the balance of zucchini slices.
Dredge the lemon slices in flour mixture and fry until golden, about 2 minutes.
Drain and combine with zucchini in the oven, keeping oil over heat.
Just before serving, toss fried zucchini and lemon with parsley and transfer to a serving platter. Quickly fry watercress sprigs until crisp and mound them on the zucchini and lemon as garnish. Makes 6-8 servings.
Minted Green Beans with Red Onion
• 2 pounds green beans, trimmed
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
In a kettle of boiling water cook the beans for 2 to 4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking, and drain them well. Pat the beans dry with paper towels and chill them, covered, for at least 3 hours or overnight.
In a large bowl whisk together the mustard, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Add the beans, the mint, and the onion and toss the mixture until it is combined well.
From: Gourmet Magazine
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Minted-Green-Beans-with-Red-Onion-12549#ixzz0vVqMzJPm
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
In a kettle of boiling water cook the beans for 2 to 4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking, and drain them well. Pat the beans dry with paper towels and chill them, covered, for at least 3 hours or overnight.
In a large bowl whisk together the mustard, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Add the beans, the mint, and the onion and toss the mixture until it is combined well.
From: Gourmet Magazine
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Minted-Green-Beans-with-Red-Onion-12549#ixzz0vVqMzJPm
Fried Green Tomatoes with Basil Mayonnaise
• 6 hard green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• Dash hot sauce
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups Japanese panko bread crumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 recipe Basil Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
Basil Mayonnaise:
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
Making the Basil Mayonnaise:
Pulse the basil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until smooth, then transfer to small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. The Basil Mayonnaise can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Making the Green Tomatoes:
Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate. Whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce in a shallow bowl or a pie tin. Whisk together the cornmeal and panko bread crumbs in a separate pie tin.
Working with one green-tomato slice at a time, coat the tomato first in flour (knocking off excess), then in the buttermilk, then finally in the cornmeal— bread crumb mixture. Transfer the breaded slice to a baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining slices. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a second baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 3/4 inch of vegetable oil in a medium skillet to 350°F.
Working in batches, fry the tomato slices until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked tomatoes to the prepared baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep the cooked tomatoes in the warm oven while you fry the remaining slices. Serve the tomatoes warm, with a generous dollop of Basil Mayonnaise.
From: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fried-Green-Tomatoes-with-Basil-Mayonnaise-355938#ixzz0vVpOuFPU
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• Dash hot sauce
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups Japanese panko bread crumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 recipe Basil Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
Basil Mayonnaise:
• 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Creole mustard
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
Making the Basil Mayonnaise:
Pulse the basil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until smooth, then transfer to small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. The Basil Mayonnaise can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Making the Green Tomatoes:
Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate. Whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce in a shallow bowl or a pie tin. Whisk together the cornmeal and panko bread crumbs in a separate pie tin.
Working with one green-tomato slice at a time, coat the tomato first in flour (knocking off excess), then in the buttermilk, then finally in the cornmeal— bread crumb mixture. Transfer the breaded slice to a baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining slices. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a second baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 3/4 inch of vegetable oil in a medium skillet to 350°F.
Working in batches, fry the tomato slices until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked tomatoes to the prepared baking sheet, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep the cooked tomatoes in the warm oven while you fry the remaining slices. Serve the tomatoes warm, with a generous dollop of Basil Mayonnaise.
From: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fried-Green-Tomatoes-with-Basil-Mayonnaise-355938#ixzz0vVpOuFPU
Different Ways to Preserve Tomatoes
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I don’t feel like eating any more gazpacho, or salsa, or tomato sauce. And I don’t know about you, but I have trouble buying tomatoes in the off season, knowing they aren’t as fresh and have little flavor (I know, I’m spoiled from being a vegetable farmer. . . ) So, I often try to preserve some of my tomato harvest for later use. Canning is a classic way to preserve your tomatoes, but it takes a great deal of both time and attention to detail. So, here are a few other interesting ways to save your tomatoes.
Freezing
I was skeptical of this tomato preservation method, but apprentice Danielle tried it last season with great success. She would just cut her tomatoes into quarters, stick them in a freezer bag, and freeze—later, when making tomato sauce or other recipes that call for cooked tomatoes, she would just dethaw and use the frozen tomatoes. This is not recommended for dethawing and trying to eat the tomatoes fresh- the consistency is a little off. However, it works really well for cooked tomatoes in recipes.
Fermentation
The following recipes all come from Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning, one of my favorite books. The next recipe is for fermented tomatoes. Some of you know that fermenting foods is a slight obsession of mine.
Tomato Balls
Ripe tomatoes
Salt
Oil
Herbs
A fine strainer
A finely woven cloth
A screen
Canning jars and lids
Pick a good amount of tomatoes that have ripened well in the sun. Cut them in half, squeezing lightly to release any water, and put them in a jar. Set the jar outside in the sun (bring them in at night) until they begin to foam and smell a bit fermented.
Pass the tomatoes through a very fine strainer, rubbing it through with your fingers. Collect the strained portion; place it in a clean, finely woven cloth; hang it ouside in the sin until you get a paste dry enough to be shaped into balls. Let the balls dry on a screen in the sun. Then add salt, and put them in a canning jar. Cover them with oil, season with herbs to your taste, and close the jar.
-Jennifer Rocchia, Beaurecueil
Preserving with salt
Whole tomatoes preserved in brine
Tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt
A saucepan
Glass jars and lids
Make a brine (one-quarter cup salt to one quart of water), and bring it to a boil. Allow to cool. Choose firm tomatoes, preferably (Editor’s note: paste tomatoes are great for this), wash and dry them carefully, and put them in glass jars. Pour in the cooled brine, up to one and a quarter inches below the rim, and fill in the remaining space with olive oil to cover. Close the jars airtight and store them in a cool place.
These tomatoes will keep for nine to ten months; use them for sauces.
-Jean-Yves Cousseau, Millau.
Tomato Chutney
2 lbs. tomatoes, scalded, peeled, and chopped
2 medium-sized onions, thinly slices
3 apples, peeled and diced
1 ½ cups brown sugar
½ cup raisins
2 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cayenne peppers, dried and finely chopped
6 cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
An enamel or stainless steel saucepan
Canning jars and lids
Prepare all the ingredients and put them in an enamel or stainless steel pan. Slowly bring to a boil and continue simmering over low heat, uncovered. Stir from time to time. The mixture will gradually thicken; when done, it should resemble a thick jam. This could take up to three hours or more.
Put the chutney into jars. Close and store in a cool, dry, place.
-Jeannette Busiaux, L’Etang-la-Ville
Freezing
I was skeptical of this tomato preservation method, but apprentice Danielle tried it last season with great success. She would just cut her tomatoes into quarters, stick them in a freezer bag, and freeze—later, when making tomato sauce or other recipes that call for cooked tomatoes, she would just dethaw and use the frozen tomatoes. This is not recommended for dethawing and trying to eat the tomatoes fresh- the consistency is a little off. However, it works really well for cooked tomatoes in recipes.
Fermentation
The following recipes all come from Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning, one of my favorite books. The next recipe is for fermented tomatoes. Some of you know that fermenting foods is a slight obsession of mine.
Tomato Balls
Ripe tomatoes
Salt
Oil
Herbs
A fine strainer
A finely woven cloth
A screen
Canning jars and lids
Pick a good amount of tomatoes that have ripened well in the sun. Cut them in half, squeezing lightly to release any water, and put them in a jar. Set the jar outside in the sun (bring them in at night) until they begin to foam and smell a bit fermented.
Pass the tomatoes through a very fine strainer, rubbing it through with your fingers. Collect the strained portion; place it in a clean, finely woven cloth; hang it ouside in the sin until you get a paste dry enough to be shaped into balls. Let the balls dry on a screen in the sun. Then add salt, and put them in a canning jar. Cover them with oil, season with herbs to your taste, and close the jar.
-Jennifer Rocchia, Beaurecueil
Preserving with salt
Whole tomatoes preserved in brine
Tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt
A saucepan
Glass jars and lids
Make a brine (one-quarter cup salt to one quart of water), and bring it to a boil. Allow to cool. Choose firm tomatoes, preferably (Editor’s note: paste tomatoes are great for this), wash and dry them carefully, and put them in glass jars. Pour in the cooled brine, up to one and a quarter inches below the rim, and fill in the remaining space with olive oil to cover. Close the jars airtight and store them in a cool place.
These tomatoes will keep for nine to ten months; use them for sauces.
-Jean-Yves Cousseau, Millau.
Tomato Chutney
2 lbs. tomatoes, scalded, peeled, and chopped
2 medium-sized onions, thinly slices
3 apples, peeled and diced
1 ½ cups brown sugar
½ cup raisins
2 cups cider vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cayenne peppers, dried and finely chopped
6 cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
An enamel or stainless steel saucepan
Canning jars and lids
Prepare all the ingredients and put them in an enamel or stainless steel pan. Slowly bring to a boil and continue simmering over low heat, uncovered. Stir from time to time. The mixture will gradually thicken; when done, it should resemble a thick jam. This could take up to three hours or more.
Put the chutney into jars. Close and store in a cool, dry, place.
-Jeannette Busiaux, L’Etang-la-Ville
Guidelines For Successful U-Pick
Harvesting Tomatillos
•Harvest the ones that completely fill their husks
•To tell, touch the husk- if you can feel the tomatillo pressing against the husk, it is ready!
•Ripe tomatillos can have brown or green husks
•Do not eat the husk- peel before eating
Harvesting Ground Cherries
•You can harvest them right off the ground (it’s why they are called ‘ground’ cherries!)
•They are ripe when the husks are brown or yellow, and the fruit inside is yellow
•To eat, peel back the husk and eat the fruit
Harvesting Cherry Tomatoes
•We grow yellowish-orange and red cherry tomatoes
•To tell if they are ripe, see how squishy they are—not how red!
•Look near the bottom of the plant- there are more ripe ones near the ground.
Harvesting Paste Tomatoes
•Look for red tomatoes- might be close to the ground or a little deeper inside row
•If you want to use them later in the week, harvest them half red and half green- tomatoes ripen very well off the vine.
Harvesting Basil
•Harvest whole stems, rather than leaves, at growing nodes—at the junction in between two branches or leaves. This will allow the plant to put energy into productive stems rather than dead-end stems with no leaves on the top.
•Harvest the ones that completely fill their husks
•To tell, touch the husk- if you can feel the tomatillo pressing against the husk, it is ready!
•Ripe tomatillos can have brown or green husks
•Do not eat the husk- peel before eating
Harvesting Ground Cherries
•You can harvest them right off the ground (it’s why they are called ‘ground’ cherries!)
•They are ripe when the husks are brown or yellow, and the fruit inside is yellow
•To eat, peel back the husk and eat the fruit
Harvesting Cherry Tomatoes
•We grow yellowish-orange and red cherry tomatoes
•To tell if they are ripe, see how squishy they are—not how red!
•Look near the bottom of the plant- there are more ripe ones near the ground.
Harvesting Paste Tomatoes
•Look for red tomatoes- might be close to the ground or a little deeper inside row
•If you want to use them later in the week, harvest them half red and half green- tomatoes ripen very well off the vine.
Harvesting Basil
•Harvest whole stems, rather than leaves, at growing nodes—at the junction in between two branches or leaves. This will allow the plant to put energy into productive stems rather than dead-end stems with no leaves on the top.
New Jersey Farm Tour
By Nina Berryman
Last Thursday we took the afternoon off to visit some other farms in New Jersey. As I’ve said before, there are so many different ways to accomplish the same task of growing vegetables; visiting other farms is a great way to generate new ideas and broaden our resource base of knowledge. It seemed like a daunting idea at first, “taking an afternoon off during the middle of the summer?! How will we get the harvest done?” Well, we got to the farm an hour earlier than usual and somehow pulled it off. Here’s a recap of what we saw and learned.
Our first stop was at North Slope Farm in Lambertville, NJ. They are a 50 acre, organic vegetable farm, with a small egg production on the side. The actual land under vegetable production at one time is under 20 acres. Having these “extra” 30 or so acres enables them to rotate their crops from year to year while leaving different parts of the farm fallow, meaning in rest and not in production. This lets the soil rejuvenate and replenish. If only we had such a luxury in our cramped quarters in the city! It certainly inspired me to think about creative ways to incorporate a fallow period rotation into our current production scheme. The head farmer spoke about his take on farmers market production versus CSA production. He used to do a CSA but stopped because of the stress involved. He elaborated by saying he preferred growing for markets because you don’t have to produce a certain amount every week for people who have already paid for their produce! When selling for a market, if you bring 10 lbs less to the market than you expected, the only person you are disappointing is yourself. While I can relate to what he was saying (for example, the painstaking ordeal of making sure every shareholder got one head of broccoli during the first two weeks of the broccoli season!), I also hope that the everyone who signs up for a CSA is understanding and knows what they are signing up for; and that is an agreement to share both the risks and the bounty of the upcoming season!The farmer at North Slope Farm was trying out a new method of weed management called a bare fallow. This means in an area that is fallow, he would let the weeds germinate but not go to seed and till them in repeatedly throughout the summer. This repetitive destruction is supposed to beat down the persistent weeds, draining them of their reserves and eventually kill them. We are thinking about trying this in our potato field across the street from our main growing area where the weeds are terrifyingly aggressive.
The second farm we visited was Honey Brook Organic Farm, the oldest organic CSA in New Jersey, as well as one of the largest in the country. They operate on 250 acres, growing vegetables on about 65 at any given time. They have 2,500 members this year! We were blown away. To be honest, the farm had an eerie feeling of being an organic vegetable amusement park! The grass was perfectly mowed, the beds were perfectly uniform and the soil was a perfect dark, dark brown. I didn’t see one weed and their shareholders had to wear badges into the pick-up area to identify themselves. While I have to admire their ability to maintain such a large farm, I felt the absence of the farmer-to-customer interaction. Their community is divided between three states!
The next stop we made on the tour was Cherry Grove Organic Farm, also a CSA. They grow on approximately 20 acres and have about 160 shares. An interesting aspect of their CSA pick-up was that they simultaneously sold extra produce to the public, like a farm stand. I thought this was an efficient way to use time, so one person could simultaneously staff both the pick-up and the farm stand. This year they were experimenting with a new kind of plastic mulch. Instead of using the black plastic that some of you may have seen in our tomato section, they used silver plastic. The idea behind that is it not only acts like a weed suppressant like ours does, but it also is supposed to deter insect pests.
The last farm we visited was a goat farm. The woman managing this farm was just getting started and was planning on making goat cheese next season. While this farm was less pertinent to our current production, it did inspire me to think about ways we could potentially incorporate Saul’s existing animal programs into our farm.
Time will tell how many of these new ideas will turn into reality here on Henry Avenue!
Last Thursday we took the afternoon off to visit some other farms in New Jersey. As I’ve said before, there are so many different ways to accomplish the same task of growing vegetables; visiting other farms is a great way to generate new ideas and broaden our resource base of knowledge. It seemed like a daunting idea at first, “taking an afternoon off during the middle of the summer?! How will we get the harvest done?” Well, we got to the farm an hour earlier than usual and somehow pulled it off. Here’s a recap of what we saw and learned.
Our first stop was at North Slope Farm in Lambertville, NJ. They are a 50 acre, organic vegetable farm, with a small egg production on the side. The actual land under vegetable production at one time is under 20 acres. Having these “extra” 30 or so acres enables them to rotate their crops from year to year while leaving different parts of the farm fallow, meaning in rest and not in production. This lets the soil rejuvenate and replenish. If only we had such a luxury in our cramped quarters in the city! It certainly inspired me to think about creative ways to incorporate a fallow period rotation into our current production scheme. The head farmer spoke about his take on farmers market production versus CSA production. He used to do a CSA but stopped because of the stress involved. He elaborated by saying he preferred growing for markets because you don’t have to produce a certain amount every week for people who have already paid for their produce! When selling for a market, if you bring 10 lbs less to the market than you expected, the only person you are disappointing is yourself. While I can relate to what he was saying (for example, the painstaking ordeal of making sure every shareholder got one head of broccoli during the first two weeks of the broccoli season!), I also hope that the everyone who signs up for a CSA is understanding and knows what they are signing up for; and that is an agreement to share both the risks and the bounty of the upcoming season!The farmer at North Slope Farm was trying out a new method of weed management called a bare fallow. This means in an area that is fallow, he would let the weeds germinate but not go to seed and till them in repeatedly throughout the summer. This repetitive destruction is supposed to beat down the persistent weeds, draining them of their reserves and eventually kill them. We are thinking about trying this in our potato field across the street from our main growing area where the weeds are terrifyingly aggressive.
The second farm we visited was Honey Brook Organic Farm, the oldest organic CSA in New Jersey, as well as one of the largest in the country. They operate on 250 acres, growing vegetables on about 65 at any given time. They have 2,500 members this year! We were blown away. To be honest, the farm had an eerie feeling of being an organic vegetable amusement park! The grass was perfectly mowed, the beds were perfectly uniform and the soil was a perfect dark, dark brown. I didn’t see one weed and their shareholders had to wear badges into the pick-up area to identify themselves. While I have to admire their ability to maintain such a large farm, I felt the absence of the farmer-to-customer interaction. Their community is divided between three states!
The next stop we made on the tour was Cherry Grove Organic Farm, also a CSA. They grow on approximately 20 acres and have about 160 shares. An interesting aspect of their CSA pick-up was that they simultaneously sold extra produce to the public, like a farm stand. I thought this was an efficient way to use time, so one person could simultaneously staff both the pick-up and the farm stand. This year they were experimenting with a new kind of plastic mulch. Instead of using the black plastic that some of you may have seen in our tomato section, they used silver plastic. The idea behind that is it not only acts like a weed suppressant like ours does, but it also is supposed to deter insect pests.
The last farm we visited was a goat farm. The woman managing this farm was just getting started and was planning on making goat cheese next season. While this farm was less pertinent to our current production, it did inspire me to think about ways we could potentially incorporate Saul’s existing animal programs into our farm.
Time will tell how many of these new ideas will turn into reality here on Henry Avenue!
Philadelphia Youth Network Partners with Henry Got Crops!
For the second year now we have partnered with the Philadelphia Youth Network to offer summer employment for students at Saul. Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) is a nonprofit that encourages job training for youth by providing funds to organizations like ours who in turn hire youth to work with them. It’s a great way to offer summer employment to students while introducing them to the ins and outs of what it takes to work on a farm. We are privileged to be working with two great students from Saul this summer. They have been working hard, side by side with us since the beginning of July and will work a total of 6 weeks at the farm. Vicky and Yona have endured the 100 degree weather of July, helped us harvest record amounts of squash and cucumbers and are helping us save our tomatoes with hours and hours of pruning and trellising to get them up off the ground so they can grow more productively. We have been blown away with their level of maturity, curiosity in urban farming and endurance in working long, hard days. I would go on, but I’ll hold back and save some room so they can introduce themselves!
Vicky
Hi, my name is Victoria and I work for my school. I and another intern are learning the ups and downs of growing your own crops. While working here I've learned that tomatoes get diseases really fast and that the leaves on the squash can make you break out if you don't have sleeves! Let me tell you a little about myself. I am 5'2”, brown eyes and black hair. I like eating yellow carrots and love drinking peach and raspberry tea. I try to be more independent than people think, because I am growing up I think I want to do more things on my own. I also like the color green and the color purple. I enjoy the twilight series (team Jacob)! lol. I am a free spirit, and like crafty things. I think my motto would be “it is what it is.” I like picking blackberries and raspberries too.
Yona
Hi, I’m Yona. I’m a summer intern at Henry Got Crops. I’m a sophomore at W.B. Saul. I’m a gemini, 15, and I’m majoring in food science. What I want to get out of the internship is to learn more about urban organic farming. Also, to meet new interesting people. So far, I think I've gotten just that. I like farming because I get to interact with people every day and I like being part of a team. Also, growing local organic vegetables. I was born and raised in Philadelphia. Love the city and culture and super excited about farming over the summer.
Vicky
Hi, my name is Victoria and I work for my school. I and another intern are learning the ups and downs of growing your own crops. While working here I've learned that tomatoes get diseases really fast and that the leaves on the squash can make you break out if you don't have sleeves! Let me tell you a little about myself. I am 5'2”, brown eyes and black hair. I like eating yellow carrots and love drinking peach and raspberry tea. I try to be more independent than people think, because I am growing up I think I want to do more things on my own. I also like the color green and the color purple. I enjoy the twilight series (team Jacob)! lol. I am a free spirit, and like crafty things. I think my motto would be “it is what it is.” I like picking blackberries and raspberries too.
Yona
Hi, I’m Yona. I’m a summer intern at Henry Got Crops. I’m a sophomore at W.B. Saul. I’m a gemini, 15, and I’m majoring in food science. What I want to get out of the internship is to learn more about urban organic farming. Also, to meet new interesting people. So far, I think I've gotten just that. I like farming because I get to interact with people every day and I like being part of a team. Also, growing local organic vegetables. I was born and raised in Philadelphia. Love the city and culture and super excited about farming over the summer.
The Wednesday Farm Stand
Part of our mission at Henry Got Crops is to make local, healthy food accessible to the community in which we grow. We realize that the CSA model is one of many means of distributing vegetables and it’s a system that doesn’t work for everyone. In light of this we set up a farm stand every Wednesday on Henry Ave, right next to the farm driveway. After we finish the harvest on Tuesday morning we divide up the harvest in such a way as to prioritize the share members. No matter how you work the numbers though, there is always a small amount of food left over that can’t be divided evenly among the families who pick up their shares on Tuesday. We also over plant in an effort to make sure we cover all the shares. This extra food is what we sell on Wednesday. We accept cash and WIC checks. The farm stand is great for someone who doesn’t want to commit to the weekly supply of vegetables that the CSA delivers. It’s also great for someone who wants to pick and choose specific vegetables according to their preferences on that day.
We had the farm stand last summer as well. Last year our sales averaged $40 a week. This year we are almost doubling the sales. I attribute this to the wonderful phenomenon of word of mouth, getting our location printed in a local pamphlet, and our beautiful new, hand painted sign! One of the interns, Kirsten, impressed us with her professional finger painting skills at the beginning of the summer!
The farm stand not only serves as an additional mode of distributing food to the community, but it also serves as an educational opportunity for everyone on the farm. Since the CSA is based on transactions that occur earlier in the season, the farm stand is a great way for seasonal interns to learn about face to face money transactions, customer service and accounting.
Our stand is open every Wednesday from 2:30 to 5:30: tell your friends!
We had the farm stand last summer as well. Last year our sales averaged $40 a week. This year we are almost doubling the sales. I attribute this to the wonderful phenomenon of word of mouth, getting our location printed in a local pamphlet, and our beautiful new, hand painted sign! One of the interns, Kirsten, impressed us with her professional finger painting skills at the beginning of the summer!
The farm stand not only serves as an additional mode of distributing food to the community, but it also serves as an educational opportunity for everyone on the farm. Since the CSA is based on transactions that occur earlier in the season, the farm stand is a great way for seasonal interns to learn about face to face money transactions, customer service and accounting.
Our stand is open every Wednesday from 2:30 to 5:30: tell your friends!
Magaricz
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 large eggplant, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup coarsely shredded carrot
• salt to taste
• crushed red pepper flakes
1. Place eggplant in a colander, lightly salt, and leave to drain for about 45 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add eggplant, red and green bell peppers, onion, and carrot; stir to coat. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mixture resembles the consistency of coarse jam. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes.
3. Cover, and chill at least 1 hour. Serve chilled as a condiment with your favorite bread or crackers.
Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/Magaricz/Detail.aspx
• 1 large eggplant, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 cup coarsely shredded carrot
• salt to taste
• crushed red pepper flakes
1. Place eggplant in a colander, lightly salt, and leave to drain for about 45 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add eggplant, red and green bell peppers, onion, and carrot; stir to coat. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until mixture resembles the consistency of coarse jam. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes.
3. Cover, and chill at least 1 hour. Serve chilled as a condiment with your favorite bread or crackers.
Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/Magaricz/Detail.aspx
Ketchup
• 6 large tomatoes, quartered
• 1 bulb fennel, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 10 whole cloves
• 2 whole star anise pods
• 1 tablespoon salt
1. In a large saucepan combine tomatoes, fennel, onion, garlic, sugar, molasses, vinegar, cloves, anise pods and salt. Reduce over low heat until mixture becomes very thick, about 4 hours.
2. Puree mixture in a blender and strain through a mesh strainer. Chill and store in refrigerator.
Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/ketchup/Detail.aspx
• 1 bulb fennel, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 10 whole cloves
• 2 whole star anise pods
• 1 tablespoon salt
1. In a large saucepan combine tomatoes, fennel, onion, garlic, sugar, molasses, vinegar, cloves, anise pods and salt. Reduce over low heat until mixture becomes very thick, about 4 hours.
2. Puree mixture in a blender and strain through a mesh strainer. Chill and store in refrigerator.
Source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/ketchup/Detail.aspx
Chilly Dilly Carrots
• 1/2 pound carrots, sliced
• 2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons Ranch salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
1. Place carrots in a small saucepan and cover with water; cook until crisp-tender. Drain and place in a small bowl. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over carrots. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chilly-Dilly-Carrots/Detail.aspx
• 2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons Ranch salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
1. Place carrots in a small saucepan and cover with water; cook until crisp-tender. Drain and place in a small bowl. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over carrots. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chilly-Dilly-Carrots/Detail.aspx
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