Hello Folks,

Reminders: CSA members PLEASE bring in the pint jar to refill for next weeks syrup.

Check out our recipes at the bottom of this newsletter- some great ones.

Still time to order a Thanksgiving turkey. Also our Storage Share Basket is getting some nice response so if you are interested (or anyone you know) for a basket of storage goods in November, please reserve one before the end of the month. Just call or email me.

ON THE FARM: Another group of lambs went to the butcher this week. We are seeing the slower growth of the grass but still there is plenty on the farm for both the sheep and the cows (coming back from Teal Farm) to eat before we have to feed out hay. The longer we can pasture the better, but we wont overgraze it to compromise good regrowth in the spring. 

IN THE GARDEN: Time is flying by and I cant believe we have only two more pickups for our CSA. The garden is getting trimmed down to pretty much just the cold crops now. What a great week for the garden and getting clean up jobs done thanks to the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. We had two groups of kids come on Tues. and Wed. this week to do some assistance clean up. We accomplished a great deal of pulling up mulch plastic, bundling drip tape, and pulling up the tomato, eggplant and old squash plants for the compost pile. We brought Herbie and Henry, our Percheron draft horses, to the garden today to harvest the remaining potatoes. Again, with the help of the VYCC, we bagged the potatos, pulled the leeks and picked peppers and brussel sprouts too.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: New item… Brussel Sprouts! (recipe below) Give them a try, and go beyond the old boiled sprouts option. Also in your share this week: Pie pumpkins (easy recipe below), squashes, Peppers, Tomatos, Chard and Kale, Radishes, parley and Carrots (the last of our garden) - beets next week.

IN THE KITCHEN:

Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts Recipe

This is the only way to eat brussels sprouts: cut in half and cooked until deliciously tender inside and perfectly brown and crusted on the outside.

Use brussels sprouts that are on the small size and tightly closed. You can finish these with many different types of cheese but I tend to go for Parmesan when the weather is good. I trade that in for heavier cheeses like gruyere or Gouda in colder weather. I finished them off with some toasted hazelnuts the other night - delicious!

24 small brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact (or if you are lazy just toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil).

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don’t overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they’re tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. While you might be able to get away with keeping a platter of these warm in the oven for a few minutes, they are exponentially tastier if popped in your mouth immediately.

Serves 4.

The following is submitted by Lucy, our apprentice and very good cook. Thanks!

An easy pie to make, and a denser custard than most pumpkin pies thanks to the mascarpone.

Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie

Crust: 1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt 5 T chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 c chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 c (or more) ice water

Blend flour and salt in food processor. Add butter and shortening; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/4 c ice water; pulse until dough begins to clump, adding more ice water by teasponsful if dry. Gather into ball, flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll out dough on floured work surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch beyond rim. Crimp edges. Chill crust while making filling.

Filling: 1 c pureed pumpkin

1 c (packed) brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (fresh is best)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt 1

8-oz container mascarpone

Using electric mixer, beat pumpkin and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add egs and next 7 ingredients and beat until blended. Add mascarpone and beat just until mixture is smooth. Transfer filling to prepared crust. Bake pie until custard is set, about 55 minutes. Transfer to pie rack and cool.

Notes: Vermont Butter and Cheese makes a great mascarpone that will satisfy localvores. Also, I’ve heard that real lard makes an even better, flakier crust than veggie shortening. Perhaps Maple Wind Farm lard, rendered, would do the trick

This looked quite good. I havent tried it yet but let me know. It uses alot of veggies from this week.

Ribollita (Reboiled Cabbage Italian Soup) from AllRecipes.com

Hello folks,

Week 17 for our vegetable CSA! Welcome to October. Its been another great week on the farm and in the garden. Remember, we are offering a winter storage share in November of a huge basket of veggies. Please make a reservation for one if you are interested and you can tell your friends too.

Side Note: PLEASE PATRONIZE THE RICHMOND FARMERS MARKET IF YOU CAN, The market has lost significant business since the bridge has been closed. Coming from the south, park at the round church and enjoy a walk across the bridge. Thanks! See you there. We’ll be grilling! Fridays 3-6:30 until Oct. 17th

ON THE FARM: This week we hosted our friend Dave Birdsall, who taught a Game of Logging course to a group of 10 on Tuesday and Wednesday. They learned many new skills for safe chainsaw use and how to fell trees in a thoughtful way. We took another group of lambs to the butcher, this group is intended for the Burlington Food Hub CSA with the Intervale. Those of you who ordered whole lambs for the freezers will be in future groups soon to folllow throughout the fall. 

IN THE GARDEN: We’re well on our way to cover cropping some of the areas in the garden that arent in production anymore planting with winter rye. Soon we’ll be putting in our garlic beds for next years crop. Im making notes for next year and realizing where we had some holes and what varieties we could plant more of. Example: I will plant more carrots next year in two week successions. This year we will only have one more share distribution of carrots as we had some bacteria arrive and hit our carrots so their growth was slowed.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Acorn Squash (recipe), Braising Greens (recipe), Peppers, Onions, Head Lettuce, Potatos, Tomatos, Beets, Cabbage, Radishes, maybe broccoli and eggplant.

IMPORTANT STORAGE NOTES: We are giving out the Acorn squash that the stems got broken off so they will not be long keepers. Enjoy it sooner than later. Store in a cool location about 50 degrees if possible or in your fridge.

IN THE KITCHEN: Enjoy the last of five winter squash we grew this year (spaghetti, kabocha, delicata, butternut and acorn). You’ll see more delicata and butternut in weeks to come. 

Acorn Squash stuffed with baked apples

Loaded with apples, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon, it is like an acorn squash stuffed with apple pie. This side dish is especially good with pork. In a word: Yum!

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 50 minutes Yield 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 medium acorn squash
• 3 tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into small chunks
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:

To facilitate slicing, partially bake or microwave the acorn squash until the skin can be broken easily by the pressure of your thumbnail. Transfer to a colander and allow to stand. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil 6 individual baking dishes or a large shallow pan. 

In a mixing bowl, combine the apples and flour and toss to coat evenly. 

When the squash is cool enough to handle, cut each one in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous tissue. Transfer the shells to the prepared baking dish. Spoon the apples into the squash cavities and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Brush over the exposed flesh of the squash and then drizzle what remains over the apples. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover the dish and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes or until the squash is tender.

Simple Greens with Garlic

Here is a tribute to the simple cooking: when the livin’ is easy, cooking should be easy, too! This deliciously nourishing recipe, filled with heart-healthy, immune-boosting greens, is proof that you can eat inexpensively and well while pleasing your taste buds with seasonal goodness.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bunches fresh greens, about 8 cups, washed and coarsely chopped. This could include a mixture of Asian greens, or mustard, collards, turnip greens, beet greens, kale - any toothy substantial green will do.
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 cup water or vegetable broth
Salt to taste
Optional flavorings: Sesame oil, ume plum vinegar, tamari
Optional toppings: sesame seeds, chopped almonds or walnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add greens and garlic, stirring to coat with oil. Stir occasionally until greens are barely wilted, just a few minutes.

2. Add vegetable broth or water and stir, allowing greens to steam until barely tender. Salt to taste.

3. Add flavorings and toppings as desired and serve.

Serves 4.

From Rick Bayless’s Mexican Everyday, here’s a meatless alternative to a creative taco…

Braised Greens Tacos

- serves 2 -

Ingredients

1 12 ounce bunch Swiss chard, washed (or collard greens, kale, etc.)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large white or red onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth, or water

12 corn tortillas, warmed with a bit of water in a kitchen towel in the microwave
1 cup crumbled queso fresco (or feta, or goat cheese)

A large handful (6-10) cherry tomatoes
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
(Alternatively, a store-bought salsa or hot sauce will work)

Procedure

1. Heat the oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium high, add the onion and cook until golden but still a bit crunchy, 4-5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, slice the greens crosswise into 1/2 inch slices.

3. Add the garlic and chili flakes to the onion and cook for an additional minute, then add the broth or water, a large pinch of salt, and the greens. Reduce heat to low and braise, covered, for about 5 minutes or until the greens are nearing tender, but not quite finished.

4. Meanwhile, put the cherry tomatoes into a dry skillet over medium-high heat until blistered, transfer to a small food processor with the chipotle pepper and a large pinch of salt, and blend until smooth.

5. Remove the cover from the greens and cook off the moisture until it is nearly dry. Season with salt if necessary. Fill each taco—two tortillas thick—with a tongful of the greens, a spoonful of salsa, and the queso fresco.

CSA Week 16!!!

This week we’ll be doing a poll on whether folks would be interested in buying a bag of winter storage crops after the CSA season is over. We’d be making it a one time pickup the first week of November.

Hello folks, What a gorgeous fall week. This is why we LOVE Vermont. I hope everyone had some fun outside watching soccer games, working in the yard, going for walks or bike rides.

ON THE FARM: All of our chickens for 2008 are finally processed and in the freezer. I hope those of you who got to enjoy a fresh bird made a tasty treat last weekend. We still have plenty more of frozen birds, so just let us know. TURKEYS are selling- we have 20 more so get your deposit in for Thanksgiving. We are continueing to put up our hay for the winter in the barn for the sheep, cows and horses. Speaking of horses, our vet is coming Thursday to ultrasound our Suffolk Punch draft horse mare, Abbey, to confirm her pregnancy. Also we’ll be doing the same to our milk cow, Eliza Jane. Stay tuned for the results.

IN THE GARDEN: Well we’ve started to put the parts of the garden away for the season, brushogging the high weeds, pulling up the plastic mulch, discussing plans for the cover cropping with Winter Rye and deciding where to put next years garlic. The frost has not gotten us yet, cross your fingers, but we have covered our precious more delicate crops two nights with remay just in case. There are still too many tomatos and peppers yet to harvest to lose them.

Ill sell blemished tomatoes for canning for $2/ lb. Just give me a holler before 1pm on Thurs on my cell 233-3862.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Turnips (see 2 recipes), Butternut Squash, Tomatos, Garlic, Carrots, Kale or Chard, Pac Choi, Peppers, Broccoli, Tomatillos

IN THE KITCHEN: Tomatillos and Turnips see below… yum.

TURNIP-    This turnip recipe is a tried-and-true family favourite. After peeling, turnip is simple to prepare, making it a great everyday side dish that still feels special enough for holidays and special dinners. Some may consider it comfort food.

For this recipe, choose a large waxed turnip, also called rutabaga or swede.

Turnip can smell a little bit strong while it’s cooking. If it becomes bothersome, consider cooking it outside on a barbeque burner. 

Turnip Recipe Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large rutabaga (turnip)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1-2 tsp. brown sugar

Directions:

1. Wash the turnip and peel it with a potato peeler. Cut it into rough cubes; don’t worry about keeping the size or shape consistent; it will be mashed up later.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to the boil and add about one teaspoon of salt. Add the turnip.
3. Boil for about 45 minutes; drain.
4. Add about a quarter of a cup butter or margarine and the brown sugar.
5. Mash all the ingredients together. Stir, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Turnip Souffle  Prep 40 min Cook 30 min and serves 6

Lime-Tomatillo Salsa

CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com
Serves/Makes: 4 cups   Ready In: < 30 minutesIngredients:
1 large ripe red tomato, finely diced
8 tomatillos, husked, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup minced bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced red or white onion
1 teaspoon grated Mexican lime peel
1 tablespoon Mexican lime juiceDirections:
In a non-reactive bowl mix all ingredients. If not using immediately cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Hello folks!
This week is our last chicken processing for the season and you can pickup your preorders of Fresh Organic Pastured poultry Thursday at the Andrews Farm Store from 3-6.  You can also let us know if you want us to bring you some to the Richmond, Middlebury or Shelburne Farmers Markets this week. Pass the word! Call us to order some…434-7257

CSA for the Huntington pickup members is back to Maple Wind Farm from 4:30-6pm. Let us know if you need us to pack a bag if you might be tardy. No problem!

Many of you are wondering when the last pickup is. We are aiming for the third week of October which would bring us to 19 weeks of the CSA program for 2008. PS. When the large carving pumpkin is delivered you’ll know its the last week.

Ill have 10 lb bags of extra tomatoes available if anyone is interested for canning and freezing.

ON THE FARM: If you are in the neighborhood of Camel’s Hump Rd, drive up just past Brewster Pierce School and check out our cows, they are enjoying the lush grass and will be moving across the road on Friday afternoon. Come for our short cattle drive! All is well on the home farm, we now have one less chore since the broilers have all been processed. As for poultry, we can now focus on our turkeys for Thanksgiving (still taking orders).

IN THE GARDEN: We have harvested all of the winter squash and the pumpkins and put them on pallets to cure for the upcoming weeks. You’ll see acorns, and delicatas and of course butternut too! We are looking at the garden as a big transition now as we take out the dying vines and brushhog back the overgrowth and make a cover crop plan for the fields until next summer. The tomato vines are still bursting with fruit so long as we stay ahead of the frost and cover or harvest before it comes.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Kabocha Squash, Pie pumpkins, Potatoes, Kale, Greens, Tomatoes, Beets with Greens, Garlic, Leeks, Eggplant and some ornamental gourds.

IN THE KITCHEN: Time for potato leek soup! yum! Pie time. We’ll include Lucy’s easy pie recipe next week!

WINTER SQUASH…..Most recipes out there for using winter squash seem to involve pureeing them, but I rather like them when they are in chunks or slices. This roasted squash has a sweet, spicy and salty glaze of sorts on them, which brings out the dense sweetness of the fruit. Cut into fairly thin slices like this, it makes interesting finger food. You can vary the sugar and spice to your taste, though too much of either may overwhelm it.

You do need to use kabocha-type squash for this ideally, though butternut should work too. You will need a dense, starchy and sweet squash. Don’t use regular pumpkin, which is too watery and lacks sweetness. (Rouge d’etampes pumpkin may work, but I’ve found their sweetness to vary quite a bit.)

Sweet and spicy roasted kabocha squash

• 1/2 small to medium sized kabocha squash
• 3 Tbs light brown, natural cane, or muscovado sugar, plus a bit more for sprinkling
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper or hot chili powder, more or less to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs soy sauce
• Oil for drizzling - pumpkin seed oil is preferred, or use toasted sesame oil, argan oil, or walnut oil (see notes)

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Line a baking sheet or two with silicon baking liner or parchment paper.

De-seed and cut the squash into slices about 1/2 cm or 1/4 inch thick. (Use a sturdy knife for cutting squash or pumpkin, on a stable surface, and be careful!)

Combine all the dry ingredients. Toss the squash slices in this until coated thoroughly. Add the soy sauce and toss well again.

Spread the slices in a singler layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle over them with the oil, and optionally sprinkle more sugar on them. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn over, drizzle with more oil and sprinkle more sugar, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Any other recipes, please send them my way. Have a great week!

Beth

Hello folks,

Welcome to week 14 of our CSA. Its really feeling like fall on these crisp mornings.

Thanks for sending in some recipes… keep them coming. Think of your favorite squash dish.

This week is the last Huntington Localvore Market at Jubilee. 3-6:30 is the time to come. Then we’ll move back to pickups at our farm 4-6:30.

Anyone who might be tardy to pickup veggies, please call my cell 233-3862 and we can set a bag out for you after we are gone so you dont miss the amazing harvest.

Great Event…dont miss out.

Shelburne Orchards Small Farms Food Festival. Sunday 11-5pm. Come listen to Bluegrass music, pick apples, face painting and food tastes from local farms. We’ll be there with our hamburgers and sausages!

ON THE FARM: Our cow/calf/bull herd has once again moved back to the Teal Farm pastures for the fall grazing program. See them now and for the next week and a half up close along side the Camels Hump Rd near Brewster Pierce School.

Turkeys are having a great time pecking away at the grass and grubs. Reserve yours now for Thanksgiving. We have sent off our first group of lambs to the butcher, we take the animals when they reach 80 lbs live weight.

Another poultry announcement: Our last fresh organic bird processing is next week. If you would like to reserve one or several, let us know. Pick and selection will be at the Andrews Farm Thurs from 3-6.

IN THE GARDEN: Tomatos are plentiful! Make salsa, spaghetti sauce, can or freeze them if you cant quite eat them all. Enjoy! Thank you for the last shot of rain from Mother Nature and the wonderful warm fall sun. The garden is looking great, many wonderful things still to come. We have a plethora of winter squash coming your way and fall broccoli and more potatoes of course.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Tomatoes, Paste Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Tomatillos(see recipe), Chard, a last baby Watermelon, Green Peppers, Onion, Jalapeno, Pac Choi (see recipe), Green Cabbage, Red Lettuce and root vegetables…..and your 3rd installment of maple syrup!

IN THE KITCHEN:

Green Salsa is super easy to make with the tomatillos. Give it a try, you’ll get hooked! Its great with scrambled eggs or meats.

Tomatillo Salsa

Roast your white onion, tomatillos and jalapeno on a cookie sheet under the broiler. Turn the veggies as they roast. The tomatillos will get brown and exude some liquid (thats good). 

Put the veggies and the juice in your blender or food processor with some salt pepper lemon juice and of course some cilantro and voila, delicious salsa.

Note, you do not have to roast the veggies it just gives a more full bodied flavor. You can make the salsa with the raw veggies or boil the tomatillos if you want. 

The following great recipe idea is submitted by CSA member,Wendy Gagliardi of Simply Gourmet Personal Chef Service www.simplygourmetvt.com

Tangy Pork with Tomatillos, Tomatoes, and Cilantro
Total time: 28 minutes

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add pork; toss well. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Add pork; sauté 3 minutes. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 30 seconds. Add tomatillos; sauté 1 minute. Add pork; cover and cook 10 minutes or until pork is done. Add tomatoes and cilantro; cover and cook for 1 minute. Serve with rice.

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 1 cup pork mixture and 1 cup rice)

CALORIES 375 (18% from fat); FAT 7.7g (sat 1.6g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.9g); IRON 4.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 62mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46g; SODIUM 379mg; PROTEIN 29.4g; FIBER 4g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2001

Pac Choi

 ***************************************

Hello folks,

Welcome to week 13 of the Maple Wind CSA. A few announcements:

Join the Huntington Valley Arts at Jubilee Farm in Huntington Center this Sunday, September 7 from 11-5 for a wonderful day of art, local food, music and fun. Maple Wind will be serving up some of our delicious grilled food (hamburgers/sausages) along with other local food folks. Come browse local artisans, take part in the many children activities, or just relax and listen to some great music.

The Localvore Market at Jubilee Farm will be running only two more Thursdays until Sept. 11. After that, we will return to our regular Huntington pickup for the CSA at Maple Wind 4:30-6pm. Call us if you will be late and we’ll put a bag inside the barn for you to get.  

We hope to get another round of syrup out next week so returning your jars is very appreciated (or donating some other pint jars you have kicking around).

ON THE FARM: We have been blessed with some real “Hay weather”. We made about 150 dry round bales on some of our leased acreage. Whew! That’s a relief. The new group of market pigs are really rooting up their pasture as they should. What a riot they are… its a sight to see when they know you are coming up to give them their afternoon meal of grain and milk!  

After about 6 months of some R&D at Earth Turbines, we are proud to announce that we have a turbine on our second tower again! Lets make some KW!!!

IN THE GARDEN:The garden is plentiful with goodness. Thursday we are bringing Herbie and Henry to the garden to harvest all of the potatoes with a horse drawn harvester. Ill take some photos and attache them next week if I can. Its amazing to watch all the potatoes come out of the earth - we’ll have some new varieties for the rest of the season. What a site to see after a slow start, the 700 feet of tomatoes are ripening nicely now. The tomatillos are very close to being ready so get your salsa verde recipes ready! The winter squash are huge and we will start to field cure them as their vines begin to die back. We’ve picked the spaghetti and the kabocha squash which you’ll see in your share soon. New curley kale is looking wonderful as are the fall broccoli and some pac choi and kolrabi.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Enjoy a great September harvest: Spaghetti Squash, Potatoes, Baby Watermelon, Onion, Garlic, Basil, Tomatos, Peppers, Eggplant, Spicy Greens as well as some varieties of lettuce.

IN THE KITCHEN: Make some pesto! Its the last of the basil.

Spaghetti Squash I
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 45 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings
“Such a perfect name for this squash. When it’s baked, its meat looks like glistening strands of pasta. For this recipe, the squash is baked and then combined with feta cheese, sauteed vegetables, olives, and basil. Lovely.”
INGREDIENTS:
1 spaghetti squash, halved
lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons sliced black olives
2 tablespoons chopped freshbasil
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
4. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.

From Allrecipes.com

Roasted Eggplant Dip   (CSA eggplant might be small so adjust the recipe accordingly)

YIELD: Makes 8 (1/4-cup) servings. Baba ghanoush is the name of this traditional and healthy Middle Eastern appetizer. For the best flavor, choose firm, smooth-skinned eggplants for roasting. You can reduce the fat content of the dip by pouring any oil off the top of the tahini before measuring it.

INGREDIENTS:
2eggplants (about 1 pound each)
1/4cup lemon juice
3tablespoons sesame tahini*
4cloves garlic, minced
2teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1/2teaspoon salt
Paprika
1tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Red chili pepper slices** (optional)
Pita bread rounds, cut into wedges
PREPARATION: 1.Prepare grill for direct cooking. Prick eggplants in several places with fork. Place eggplants on grid. Grill, covered, over medium-high heat 30 to 40 minutes or until skin is black and blistered and pulp is soft, turning often. Peel eggplants when cool enough to handle. Let cool to room temperature.
2.Place eggplant pulp in food processor with lemon juice, tahini, garlic, pepper sauce and salt; process until smooth. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to blend. Sprinkle top with paprika and parsley and red pepper slices; serve with pita bread.

Howdy folks, OOOOOOPS, no one told me that I skipped a week… I noticed that this was unpublished when I sat down to do Aug 28th posting. Sorry about the slip up.Beth

Lets enjoy some sun while we have it! What a week at Maple Wind… busy busy.

NOTEWORTHY: We’ll have eggs for sale at the pickup tomorrow! FRESH ORGANIC CHICKENS ARE IN RICHMOND AT THE PICKUP AS WELL.

Huntington folks, pickup again at Sara Janes but next week we’ll be back home here on Carse Rd.

Please dont forget your bags and return the maple syrup jars if you still have them. thank you.

VALLEY STAGE Bluegrass Festival in Huntington this Saturday from 12:30-8:30. Great lineup! We’ll be selling hamburgers, sausages, and maybe some of Nate’s Jambalaya! Also some fresh garden side salads. Come here great music! tickets available at the door.

ON THE FARM: Tuesday we (13 of us) processed another batch of our organic pastured chickens- 323 to be exact! Whew! Its quite the day so to everyone that helped, thank you and thank you again! Today, (Wed) Bruce hosted a beginning farmer workshop here at Maple Wind to 24 folks that were interested in finding out how we do things. Entiled Wire, Water and Wellness, Bruce and some other knowledgeable folks from UVM answered many questions about pasture management, animal health and setting up water and fence systems. Way to go Bruce!

IN THE GARDEN: Never say never…we saw him (or her). Shhhh! We did spot a woodchuck today in a far corner of the field but on the opposite side to the garden. I hope he doesnt find his way over and stays happy on his side… The garden is doing great. We really are so lucky to have come out of all this wet weather with no real ill affects other than crazy weeds and some lost greens. Ive been hearing news of some farms (some with CSAs) that have had to shut down for the season because of crop failure. I am truely blessed with well draining soils.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Cruisin into August…Great news!!!!! The tomatos are ripening and you will see a few this week. Just a tease maybe but be ready for the onslaught of summer tomatoes in weeks to come! Also enjoy, chard, red cabbage (more green in the fall), carrots, cucumbers, the tail end of summer squash, onions,  and a healthy dose of green beans!

IN THE KITCHEN:

An idea from member, Jared Katz, for some delicious kale:

I like to “julienne” the kale and saute it in a tsp of coconut oil until it starts to crisp, then add minced garlic, sliced sweet onions and some diced sweet potatoes. Salt and you have a meal

HELP! Id love to have more member recipies, please email me and Ill put them in upcoming blogs!

Enjoy your week and the fresh vegetables. Try your hand at some freezing if you cant finish your share.

Eat well,

Beth

Hello folks,

NOTE: Huntington Localvore Market is still happening a few more weeks into September. So CSA Huntington folks, plan on veggie pickup there until further notice. New TIME: 3:30-6:30!!!! See you then.

PORK STILL AVAILABLE: Freezer pork still available in 1/2 or whole. Pigs are going to the butcher on Monday. We also have organic chickens in our freezer and fresh ones for preorder for September!

So nice to see some sun for a change. Soak it up!! Summer really feels like its coming to a close with the trees already changing color- wow!

ON THE FARM: This week, we’ve had some big changes for pasture arrangements for our animals. The bulls are back in with the cows and calves…happily. The sheep are all back on our farm property from Lee Baughmans land, its nice to have them back. The last batch of broiler chickens have graduated beyond their brooder and now are enjoying the pasture lifestyle on grass! We’ve moved the piglets now up to the farm in our hidden pasture. Soon we will be saying goodbye to our market pigs (Monday). The turkeys are thriving on their pasture and eggs are plentiful from the layer hens, thanks ladies!

IN THE GARDEN: We are in a nice transition to late summer crops and looking forward to some amazing winter squash, fall broccoli and some new varieties of kale. The rain has been a blessing, we havent had to irrigate but we did have to pull all the onions so they would not start rotting. So, we’ll be drying them and giving them out over the coming weeks.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: YEAH… melon this week! enjoy a tasty treat! Also, potatoes (some all blues, red norland and more fingerlings..yum) Kale, onion, eggplant, patty pan squash, basil, flowers and cukes. Dont faint…head lettuce will be there too! Hopefully some green beans…

Thanks for your support! Eat well,

Beth

IN THE KITCHEN:

POTATO SOUP WITH KALE AND CHORIZO

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
8 ounces fully cooked Maple Wind Farm chorizo, casing removed if necessary, chopped
2 teaspoons smoked paprika*
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
8 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds kale, stemmed, torn into small pieces (about 16 cups lightly packed)
3 cups 1/2-inch cubes rustic bread

 Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chorizo and paprika; stir 1 minute. Add potatoes and broth. Increase heat and bring to boil. Add kale; stir until wilted and soup returns to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cool, then cover and chill. Rewarm before serving.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add bread cubes and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle croutons with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Divide soup among bowls. Top with croutons and serve.

Bon Appétit
March 2008

MELON COMPOTE
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
a 1-inch piece gingerroot, peeled and grated
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups 3/4-inch watermelon balls (from about a 3-pound piece, seeded)
2 cups 3/4-inch honeydew melon balls (from about a 3-pound piece, seeded)
2 cups 3/4-inch cantaloupe balls (from about a 3-pound piece, seeded)
In a 1-quart saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and simmer 2 minutes. Cool syrup and stir in lime juice, gingerroot, cumin, pepper, and salt to taste. In a bowl toss together melon balls and syrup. Chill compote, covered, at least until cold, about 2 hours, and up to 3 days.

Gourmet
August 1996

Hello Folks,

Welcome to week 9 of our CSA! Summer is flying by isn’t it?

NEWS ON THE FARM: Our cows and calves are back from Teal Farm after grazing for 4 weeks. Its nice to see them on our fields especially since our grass is tall and ready for them! We are watching our turkey flock grow up nicely with a small percentage of fatalities which is unlike years past. “Batman”, our boar is also back! He has been reunited with our two sows which has had a calming affect on them which is nice since they were regularly escaping their pasture. Our market pigs are all ready to go to the butcher so over the next few weeks, we’ll be sending all of them (get your custom orders in or they all go to retail cuts).  Then we’ll have just the one group of piglets of 19 for the fall/winter until the next farrow.

NEWS IN THE GARDEN: The soil is draining quite well despite all the rain but boy oh boy, we don’t need any more for awhile. Vegetables are growing like crazy! We are just about finished with our summer squash harvest so you wont see any more after this week (maybe next?) 

Im hoping that you all are enjoying the harvest, I haven’t received any feedback other than “wow!” at the pick ups so that feels good. We would like to know if you have a great deal of excess each week. We are trying to gauge the amount to the best we can for the appropriate share size. 

EXCESS can usually be frozen very easily and put away for later in the fall or winter. Canning does take more time and materials but is a wonderful way to go if you have the desire. There are great books on the subject! Try it! I freeze blanched green beans, broccoli and even cut up zucchini for use later.

NOTE ON GREENS: I realize that the greens have not been available recently. Mid summer, its always challenging to get a good harvest of greens. We had a large part of our head lettuce supply rot in the field because of the wet weather we have been having. Also, some of the loose lettuce also has been bolting between the heat and the wet. Its frustrating for sure. It may be a few more weeks until we get back on track. Enjoy other summer salads in the meantime: slaws, cucumbers etc.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Enjoy a bunch of beets, broccoli, squash again, cucumbers, a leek, eggplant, kale, LOTS of green beans, flowers and herbs.

REMINDER: Jubilee Farm LocalVore Market happens for the next 2 weeks! Aug 7 and 14th from 4-7

Hoedown on the Hill at Maple Wind Farm from 4:30-sunset on Sunday August 10th. Come enjoy some bluegrass music and some square dancing in our big arena barn. Bring a side or dessert to share and BYOB and plate and fork. We will provide kabobs and lemonade and water. No dogs please and do bring friends!

IN THE KITCHEN: 3 yummy recipes from this weeks harvest, Enjoy! Sorry about the formatting.

Maple Teriyaki Baked Beets

Pungent Green Beans with Garlic, Ginger and Cumin.

Indian inspired dish to serve over couscous or quinoa.

10 cloves garlic, smashed
1 piece ginger (about 1 inch long), peeled, chopped
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup mild-flavored vegetable oil
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 whole dried red chile pepper (optional)
2–4 fresh tomatoes, stems removed, peeled, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 pounds green beans, cut in half (about 8 cups)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
freshly ground black pepper

Zucchini Bread!! 

2 eggs    1/2 cup vegetable oil  

1 1/4 cups grated zucchini  1 teaspoon vanilla extract  

1/2 teaspoon salt   1/8 teaspoon baking powder 

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking soda  1 cup sugar 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a baking pan. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder and salt; stir into the egg mixture. Pour batter into pan and bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown.

Hello folks,

As July draws to a close, we are enjoying some beautiful days even with the wet summer we have been having. Our apprentice program is now half over. Its hard to believe that Jodi, Ben, Oliver and Lucy have been with us for 3 months! We have really hit a nice rhythm on the farm and everyone is working hard and learning more about our grazing methods. We’ve all had lots of laughs together. Thanks guys!

Sundsay August 10th: HOEDOWN ON THE HILL at Maple Wind Farm. 4:30-sunset. Come listen to the bluegrass music of the Meatpackers and enjoy the company of friends and good food. Maple Wind meat tastes and lemonade provided. Please bring a dish or dessert to share and your own plate/fork (BYOB too). Rain or shine. Walk to the party site is about 5 min from parking. Carpooling recommended. See you here! 

ON THE FARM: Business as usual, the animals are doing well. We brought back our three bulls from the group of beeves at the Andrews Farm to keep Eliza Jane company in the pasture. She’s found one particular “friend” that she has been cozy with- so we expect to see a calf from her in the spring! Egg production is getting more and more each day so expect to see them in Beaudrys, Green Grocer and all our farmers markets locations…YUM! We took our sow that did not get pregnant to the butcher and the two other sows have been renegades in their pasture breaking out often so we put them in the pasture with the rest of the market pigs so hopefully they will stay put.

IN THE GARDEN: This week we put in the fall broccoli and some purple cauliflour as well as some new kinds of kale ready this fall. We seeded some turnips ready early September and are strategizing some of our final sowings of greens, spinach and herbs. Thankfully we have had no deer or woodchuck activity this summer, I hope we keep it that way.

THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Some new items to enjoy: fennel, red cabbage, lots of green beans and yes finally carrots!!! Also some more summer squash, cucumbers, onions, herbs. Sorry, we did not end up harvesting potatoes this week, we will get the horse team out next week and use the potato harvester.

FENNEL:………….Since this is the only fennel you will get all summer, I found some interesting information below.  Expand your horizons, enjoy the versatility of this unique vegetable.

From Cooking Light website: Don’t let an aversion to black jelly beans keep you away from fennel. Native to the Mediterranean region, this licorice-flavored member of the parsley family is one of Italy’s most popular vegetables.

Work with it, and you will find that the aromatic plant lends itself well to a wider variety of foods than you might have first suspected. Another benefit: one cup contains almost 20 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin C. Most fennel available in American markets is grown in California. The type you’ll find—Florence, or bulb, fennel (sometimes labeled “fresh anise”)—has a bulbous base, stalks like celery, and feathery leaves that resemble Queen Anne’s lace. Like celery, the entire plant is edible. The crisp and slightly sweet bulb is especially delicious served raw in salads. Whether braised, sautéed, roasted, or grilled, the bulb mellows and softens with cooking.

Look for small, heavy, white bulbs that are firm and free of cracks, browning, or moist areas. The stalks should be crisp, with feathery, bright-green fronds. Wrapped in plastic, fennel keeps for just a few days in the refrigerator; the flavor fades as it dries out.

The Whole Fennel

• Fennel seeds don’t come from bulb fennel but from common, or wild, fennel. The seeds are slightly nutty, with the expected licorice flavor, and are widely used in sausages, stews, soups, and curries.

• Fennel stalks can take the place of celery in soups and stews, and can be used as a “bed” for roasted chicken and meats.

• Use fronds as a garnish, or chop them and use as you would other herbs, like dill or parsley. Chopped fennel works especially well in Italian tomato sauces, but add it late in the cooking process so the flavor isn’t diluted.

Bulb Basics

• Trim the stalks about an inch above the bulb.

• If you want pieces to stay together for grilling, keep the root end intact. Otherwise, trim about a half inch off the root end before cooking.

• To slice fennel, stand the bulb on the root end and cut vertically.

IN THE KITCHEN: Thanks to Jodi for these awesome ideas!! Tonight in fact, we did a test recipe for the squash casserole- yum!!!!! Im excited to try the carrot/fennel dish! 

Squash Custard Casserole

8-10 squash, trimmed and sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds (2 lbs.)
2 large eggs
4 tblspns (1/2 stick) butter melted
1/2 cup milk
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tblspns finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tblspns sugar
1 tspn salt
1/4 tspn black pepper
1 cup coarse bread crumbs
1 cup grated melting cheese such as cheddar or gruyere
2 strips bacon, sliced crosswise into 1 inch-wide sections, cooked crisp and crumbled

~Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 12 by 8 inch ovenproof casserole.
~Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the squash and cook over medium-high heat
until barely wilted, about 2 min. Drain and set aside.
~Combine the eggs, butter, milk, onion, parsley, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large
bowl. Add the squash and mix. Transfer the mixture to the casserole. Sprinkle the
bread crumbs, cheddar, and crumbled bacon over the top. Bake for 35 min. or until
the top is golden and crunchy.

Icy Cold Summer Soup

1 cup finely shredded cabbage
1/4 each yellow, red, and green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 celery rib, trimmed and sliced very thin
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 radishes, trimmed and sliced into thin rounds
1 medium tomato, cut into 1/4 inch dice
8 cups vegetable juice
Sour cream or plain yogurt for topping

`Combine all the ingredients except the sour cream in a large bowl. Stir to mix,
cover and refrigerate for several hours.
~serve chilled, with a bowl or sour cream on the side if desired.

Carrots Braised with Fennel

1 tblspn butter
1 tblspn olive oil
4 medium carrots, trimmed and julienned
1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut to same thickness as carrots
1/2 cup broth
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds

~Heat the butter and oil together in a large saute pan until the butter melts. Add
the carrots and fennel and stir to coat. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 10
min, or until wilted.
~Add the broth and wine, raise the heat to medium, and cook, uncovered for 10 min
more or until the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are fork tender.
~Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the chopped fronds and serve right away.

Eat well, eat local.

Regards, Beth