Hello folks,

I am pleased to announce the REAL date of our 2nd Annual Hoedown and Community Potluck——Sunday August 23rd 4:30 -?

This is the same day we are doing a cattle drive of 50 cows from the Teal Farm to Maple Wind mid day. Any interest in participating, please contact us since there will be a “cowboy/girl” training to attend.

This is a change from the 16th since it has to do with the grazing schedule the cows are on at the Teal Farm. I am sorry for any confusion.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS.

All CSA members and friends are welcome. Please bring a potluck dish and your own plate and utensils. Music provided! Get ready to square dance too!

See you then!

Beth and Bruce and the rest of the gang at Maple Wind

Hello folks!

Wow, the sun is out! The tomatoes are growing by the minute! We finally got some hay up to our farm (25 round bales) thank goodness. July is just rounding the corner into August and the farm is on a roll.

Upcoming: We will be processing our second batch of poultry next week. If you pre ordered some or are part of our CSA, expect to pick them up FRESH on Thursday at the Andrews Farm in Richmond.

Fresh Beef at this weeks Farmers Markets: Richmond, Middlebury and Shelburne. SAUSAGE IS BACK! On the grill and take home links- 4 flavors.

We’ll be selling our delicious grilled items at the Huntington Valley Stage Music Festival Saturday August 8th. See you there for some great music and food.

Mark your calendars: All are welcome to our 2nd Annual Hoedown and Barn Dance Potluck here in the big red arena barn. Sunday August 16th. More details to follow. Bring the family and friends, no dogs please.

In the GARDEN: I tilled up 6 more gorgeous rows to plant some fall crops – carrots, more beets, kolrabi, collards, kale and some greens. Look forward to more potoatoes next week, the horse drawn potato harvest is now fixed so we dont have to dig for them by hand anymore!

Woodchuck caught count: 6

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Cucumbers (time to make pickles! Great dill heads in the herb garden) Summer squash of all kinds, Green Beans, Cabbage, Mesculin, Broccoli and Broccoli Raab (a mustard like green-slightly spicy) a few onions and some more fresh garlic!

Eat well,

Beth and Bruce

Recipes:

Refrigerator Pickles

7 cups pickling cukes, sliced into a large glass bowl (about 4 med-large ones)

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon chopped dill

2 ½ cups water

¾ cup rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar (increase to ¾ cup to make sweet pickles)

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

10 whole peppercorns

½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds

Place cucumbers, garlic, and dill in a large bowl. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a saucepan and heat to a boil. Boil one minute. Remove from heat and pour over cucumbers in the bowl. Stir well. Cover and let cool. Chill at least two days in the refrigerator before serving. Will keep up to one month in the refrigerator.

Submitted by CSA Member:

Wendy Gagliardi, Simply Gourmet Personal Chef Service www.simplygourmetvt.com

Broccoli Raab (Rapini) ideas taken from blogs on the internet…

Hello folks,

The pitter patter of rain (imagine that… rain!) hits my rooftop as I write this early morning before the kids wake. Oops I take that back, Bryn just woke a little early.

Announcements: Remember to sign in on the sheet when you pick up your veggies. Bring a canvas bag and try to limit produce bag consumption or reuse from last week. Thanks!

FREEZER beef/lamb and pork still available. Custom cut to your specification. Its a great way to buy meat more economically than by the cut if you have the room. Time magazine had an article in June 15th issue called “Cow-Pooling”! Great term. Go in with friends and family on a whole cow!

ON THE FARM: We got our turkey chicks this week! Think Thanksgiving! 100 chicks are peeping away in the brooder. We have decided to keep our organic feed protocol with Turkeys so get your reservation in before fall! This week we managed to squeek in getting 13 dry round hay bales made on the Land Trust field in Richmond. What a season, we are very behind in our hay production (its the same for most farms around here).

If anyone drives Rte 2 past the VYCC West Monitor Barn, drive a little slowly and take a look at our cows grazing in their field in the high grass. We have about 5-6 more days of grazing there and then they will head back onto the Andrews high pasture rotation.

IN THE GARDEN: Garlic Harvest begins! We planted over 1500 feet of garlic last fall and are reaping the benefits of gorgeous large bulbs! I hope you enjoyed your fresh bulbs last week, more this week too! We pulled up and bundled over half of the field of garlic and hung them to cure (dry) in our sugar shack over the rafters. Its quite a sight to see!

The zucchinis are off and growing! Plenty of summer squash so peek at the recipes below (3) for some ideas to do with any excess.

Woodchuck caught count: 5

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Zucchini Summer Squash, Fresh Garlic, Head Lettuce, Mixed greens, Broccoli, Kale or Chard, and shelling peas! PYO herbs as always and yes, take home a small bouquet of PYO flowers this week.

As always, we welcome your feedback. Stay tuned for date and information about our 2nd Annual Maple Wind Farm Hoedown and Barndance…

Eat well,

Beth and Bruce

Zucchini & Tomato Casserole

2 medium zucchini, cubed

1 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped

1 teaspoon butter, melted

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped

1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Steam zucchini until barely tender. Arrange zucchini in the bottom of a casserole dish. Stir salt, pepper, and chives into butter and pour over zucchini. Cover with tomatoes and sprinkle with basil and cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

Stuffed Zucchini

5 medium zucchini

1/4 brown rice, uncooked

1/2 c. boiling water

1 small onion, chopped, chopped finely

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 c. parsley, chopped finely

1/4 c. olive oil

1/2 c. bread crumbs

1 lemon

1 egg, separated

1 c. mushrooms, chopped finely (optional)

1/2 c. cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

Hollow out zucchini with a spoon. After scooping out zucchini, chop remaining insides into small pieces. In a medium-sized saucepan, cook rice with water, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil for about 15 minutes. Add chopped zucchini and cook 5 more minutes. Add bread crumbs, parsley, juice from the lemon, the egg white, mushrooms, and cheese. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place filling into zucchini shells. Arrange the zucchini in a baking dish. Spread extra filling around the shells in the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil and bake about 40 minutes.

Zucchini Pancakes

3 c. zucchini, grated

2 eggs

3 tbsp. flour

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pepper

Butter

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together zucchini and salt. Let stand about 45 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture from zucchini. In another bowl, beat eggs well. Add zucchini, flour, cheese, and pepper; mix well. In a large skillet, melt some butter. Fry tbsp.fuls of the zucchini mixture until lightly browned, turning once. Makes about 12 pancakes.

Hello folks,

Summer certainly is flying by. The garden is filled with goodness and more on the way! I hope everyone enjoyed those New Potatoes last week! Yum!

Welcome to our newest CSA member…Charlotte Rissacher. Born just 15 days ago to Dan and Patty of Huntington. Congratulations!!!

Dont forget to pick your herbs! Cilantro is going by soon!

Reminder: Bring your canvas bags and reuse some produce bags if you have them- thank you. PLEASE check your name off on my list so I know you picked up each week. In case I don’t see you come in, I do want to know that everyone picked up. If its 5:55 and I see blank names, I get worried we have missing members not getting their share.

If you need me to put your share in the wagon on the front steps because you will be after 6pm, just call my cell! 233-3862. thanks!

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Cucumber, Cabbage (a few might look swiss cheese like because of pests but I cut chopped one into slaw and it was delicious!) Head lettuce, small bag of mesculin, broccoli, zucchini, fennel, beets and SYRUP! (2nd of 4 pints)

Sorry, last week I had a handout on fennel, I will bring it this week.

BAKERY AND CHEESE Shares have a pickup this week. Dean will be at the pickup on Thursday if you have any questions about the next round of baked goods.

IN THE GARDEN: Im finally filling up all my garden space with a few rows to spare for varieties still in the greenhouse (fall broccoli, collards, more beets, pac choi and cauliflour). This year we are planting about 1300 feet of dry beans! 5 different kinds. With a date to maturity of 80-100 days, I hope they will be dry enough for you all to try some in October. Last year, we just planted black beans but never got around to shelling them until mid winter- they were hanging in in our barn loft.

ON THE FARM: We moved our cows and calves to the Teal Farm location on Tuesday! Stay tuned for information on our cattle drive back to the home farm! The recent hay we made got rained on so we are hoping for some drying weather on Wed and Thursday. As for the other herd of cows at the Vermont Youth Corps fields, that grass is up to my chest! I just moved them today and when they go into the pasture, you can just see their backs the grass is so high!

Thats all the news for now. See you soon! Feedback is appreciated. Come see us at a Farmers Market! Id love to post member recipes or links to some that you have found to be tasty. Please email me.

This Thursday Ill have pork chops, chickens and ground beef available to purchase. Anything else, please special order.

Eat Well, Beth and Bruce

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

Hello folks!

Yet another rainy week here in the Green Mountain State! We are as frustrated as any other farmer and I’m sure all of you may have hoped for more recreation by this time in the summer. We are well behind on our hay production and now the quality is going downhill since fields are  seeding out. None the less, we can say prayers for a stretch of dry weather.

The show must go on…and the garden is kicking into gear. Just when I thought I had cleared out the greenhouse, nope, I went and got another dump load of wonderful potting soil from Vermont Compost Company in Montpelier and started seeding some more for fall crops. Look forward to some collards, kholrahbi, pac choi, fall broccoli and califlour and some of my favorites, more beets (Im a big fan of starting them in the greenhouse!)

CSA reminder: Bring your canvas bags please. Conserve plastic bag use and  bring in your mason pint jar – syrup will be next week!

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: New on the scene will be New Potatoes and Fennel (Ill have a handout at the pickup with some great fennel ideas, don’t forget to take one), zucchini, broccoli, radishes, lettuce, and don’t forget to get herbs- the courtyard garden is doing great.

ON THE FARM: Bruce and the crew have been working diligently getting the VYCC 20 acre field ready for cows to graze by putting up perimeter electric wire fencing and a establishing a water line system. Its amazing pasture with clover coming up in the understory- Bruce figures we might get almost a month of grazing on the field! That will significantly help our season extension in Richmond before we have to start feeding out hay this fall! Thanks to the folks at VYCC for sharing our vision of grazing benefits. Fertility Fertility Fertility!

NEWSWORTHY: Come see us at the Food Festival this Saturday July 11 (8:30-2) at City Hall Park in Burlington- 40+ food vendors in addition to the regular 45+ Farmers Market vendors- should be a food paradise!

BEEF IS BACK! This weekend we will debut FRESH beef from our first steers of 2009! Get your grilles going this weekend with a succulent sirloin or tender TBone. Come to any of our farmers markets.

DEANS BACKDOOR BAKERY: On vacation, no goodies this week.

CRAWFORD CHEESE: Off week, cheese will be next week. If you would still like to be included, you can bring me a check for $54 to Crawford Family Farm – that’s cheese every other week until the end of the CSA minus one week. ($6.75/week)

GOT PORK? July 13 we are taking pigs to the butcher. If you have considered buying a 1/2 or whole pig custom cut to your specifications, now is a great time! You’ll be smitten with yourself as you pull out delicious pork chops or ribs for your summer BBQ without going to the grocery store!

Just $100 deposit and Ill get you a cut sheet to indicate your cutting and  packaging requests.

Many thanks for reading! Id love to have your thoughts or recipe ideas. Please email me!

Eat Well, Beth

RECIPES:

Oven Roasted Potatoes with Fennel and Tarragon

Fingerling potatoes roasted with a bit of coarse salt and anise-flavored fennel makes for an incredible side dish.

SERVINGS 4

COOK TIME 30

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 fennel bulb, large, cut into julienne
3 shallots, large, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
2 teaspoons anise seed, toasted

PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Place potatoes on a greased baking sheet and drizzle with one-third of the olive oil. Toss with salt and pepper. Place in the oven to start roasting.

3. In the meantime, in a skillet over medium heat, saute fennel and shallots in another third of the oil until slightly softened but still crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in tarragon and anise seed.

4. Add the fennel mixture to the potatoes in the oven. Toss well and continue roasting, until potatoes are tender but not soft, about 25 minutes total. Adjust seasoning and serve hot.

Warm Potato, Radish and Fennel Salad

Hello Folks!

Well, wet is the name of the game this week but the garden is bursting! (Not to mention the weeds that grow as you look at them!) Thanks to all this rain the vegetables have really taken off! When I took off the remay on the summer squash and cucumbers they were huge!

Its forth of July weekend, we will be present at three Farmers Markets. This Saturday we will trade Middlebury for a day spot in Burlington! Come see us near the fountain if you are downtown! (8:30-2) We’ll be at our regular location in Richmond and Shelburne for all your picnic BBQ needs. If you have a special request or would like more of something, please email or call us so we can have it set aside for you!

CHEESE: 3 families have signed up, thank you.

BACKDOOR BAKERY: This week you will be recieving scones! yum!

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Broccoli, Beets, Mesculin mix, head lettuce, radishes, zucchini and a few peas! There will be more scapes for those of you who enjoy those. See some delicious recipes at the bottom!

IN THE GARDEN: Im trying to catch a woodchuck who is munching on the broccoli! Ill keep you posted! Anyone have an extra have a heart trap to spare? I would like to set up several at different holes we’ve found…let me  know or bring it to the pickup if you can.

ON THE FARM: Busy busy as always. We moved our second batch of chicks out on pasture on Tuesday. We had a misfortune with our layer flock and a fox. Sunday night he got 19!!!! That’s a big loss to our egg production.

preparation

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim greens from beets. Cut off and discard stems. Coarsely chop leaves and reserve. Wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool. Peel beets, then cut each into 8 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl.

Cook beet greens in large saucepan of boiling water just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Cool. Squeeze greens to remove excess moisture. Add greens to bowl with beets. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over another bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Add orange segments and onion to bowl with beet mixture. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl to blend; add to beet mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Serve.

Broccoli Pasta with Pancetta “Croutons”

You can substitute Pancetta for Maple Wind Farm Bacon!

yield: Makes 4 servings

Thick slices of pancetta are cubed and fried for the tastiest croutons ever.

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ingredients

• 4 ounces 1/4- to 1/3- inch-thick slices pancetta (Italian bacon) or thick-cut bacon slices, cut into 1/4- to1/3-inch cubes
• 5 1/2 cups 1-inch broccoli florets (from 1 pound broccoli crowns)
• 9 ounces fresh or dried fettuccine
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

preparation

Sauté pancetta in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp and brown. Transfer to paper towels.

Cook broccoli in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to medium bowl. Add pasta to same boiling water; cook until tender, stirring occasionally.

Drain pasta; return to same pot. Add next 5 ingredients. Toss over low heat to coat. Add pancetta, broccoli, and cheese; toss to blend. Season pasta with pepper.

Test-kitchen tip:If thinly sliced pancetta is all that’s available, don’t dice it. Just crumble it coarsely after sautéing.