June 25, 2008
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008What a week! If you dont like the weather, wait a few hours (minutes even!)
On the farm: Another great week, we are busy cutting more hay on our leased fields in Richmond and watching for our third sow to have her babies…any day now. The herd of cows on the home farm here in Huntington is just about finished rotating these fields and they will go early next week to their new summer home at the Teal Farm in Huntington Center. The crew here on the farm has been working dilegently setting up a whole new fencing system on Melissa Hoffmans property as well as a water system (including digging and establishing a spring). We will graze her property with the cow/calf group and bring all of them back in 5-6 weeks to the home farm for some high density pasture grazing.
Farmers markets are going well. Its so nice to see friends, make new ones and serve up some grilled sausages and hamburgers (soon). Come visit us and enjoy all the other hardworking farmers, artisans and growers. Richmond Fri. eves. Middlebury Sat a.m. and Shelburn Sat. a.m.
In the garden: We planted the pumpkins this week, weeded the onions and hilled the 1700 feet of potatoes amoungst other chores. We uncovered some remay off the summer squash and were excited to see small fruits forming and the plants look wonderful! So many veggies are really coming along nicely!
This weeks harvest:
Head lettuce, Spicy greens mix, Swiss Bright Lights Chard, Scallions, Herbs and Red Leaf Lettuce. There might be enough peas for PYO in Richmond…stay tuned!
Ideas for your kitchen: 2 recipes for our greens this week! Simple and tasty.
Simple Swiss Chard (serves 2, prep 10 min cook 10 min)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, stalks discarded, leaves cut into wide ribbons
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- Heat the olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until tender and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and balsamic vinegar; cook and stir until the chard is wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Spicy Greens with Warm Balsamic Dressing
1 bunch arugula, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
1 head radicchio, chopped
2 cups chopped escarole, 1/2 head
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, cracked
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Arrange greens on a large platter. Heat oil and garlic in a small pan over moderate heat. Simmer garlic in oil to infuse the flavor. Remove the garlic from the oil and transfer it to a small bowl. Wipe the pan and return to heat. Add balsamic vinegar. Raise heat to high and reduce vinegar by 1/2, 30 seconds. Stream oil into saucepan and whisk to combine with vinegar. Drizzle dressing over the salad and season the greens with salt and pepper.
Please tell your friends they can sign up for this posting if they want on our website. Enjoy your week!
Good news, beef is coming back from the butcher - the first of 2008! See you at the farmers market for best selection.
Be well, Beth & Bruce and family
Quote: “Living the slow life with food as the focus is as rewarding as it is easy, and it can be done daily by each one of us. Ultimately, it is about pleasure and taste, knowledge and choice. Once we begin to take an interest in the enjoyment of food, and in finding out where our food comes from, we can begin to see the effects of these choices. When we shorten the distance—both literal and figurative—that our food travels to get to us, we are participating in the Slow Food movement. Slow Food is about coming together as a food community—connecting producers and co-producers, coming together on the farm, in the market, and at the table—to create and enjoy food that is good, clean and fair.”
