Off to the organic conference!

This year I have been working part time for MOSES (Midwest Organic and Sustainability Education Service). MOSES organizes the largest organic farming conference in the US, and it takes place this weekend. From Tuesday through Saturday I will be among over 2,000 farmers interested in organic and sustainable agriculture. The outcome will surely be the inspiration to kick off the 2010 season, which in many ways begins next week, the first week of March as we plant onions, shallots and leeks in the greenhouse.

We still have a half dozen memberships available. Please inquire if you are interested.

2010 CSA

After the farmers took a brief vacation to Ecuador (where farming goes on year-round and we were able to help pull a few weeds to remind us of what it felt like), we are ready to begin signing up our members for this upcoming season. In truth, we've hardly taken a break this year as we are experimenting with growing in a winter greenhouse. Right now I can go out and harvest a fresh salad for my dinner--a treat to be sure. We've been selling our salad greens from the winter greenhouse locally and at a co-op in Eau Claire, WI.

Last year's farm members will have the first chance to sign up again until February 15th. After this time, we will take new members.

We look forward to our third season running the CSA. Our hope is that we now have the general infrastructure needed to run the operation with minimal new investments. Erin's parents will be on hand this summer to help, and we look forward to all the new season brings.

Week Sixteen

In the Bag
~Butternut Squash
~Cucumbers
~Cabbage
~Carrots
~Onions
~Cherry Tomatoes (Black Cherries and Sungolds)
~Tomatoes of varying sizes and colors.
~Eggplant
~Green Peppers
~Salad Radishes and Turnips
~Summer Squash
~Basil, Sage

Farm Report
This is week sixteen of our eighteen-week season. If you are not looking forward to revisiting the produce section of your grocery store, I may be able to help. Piney Hill is going to collaborate with another area organic farm to offer a five week add-on share to extend the season. I am still figuring out the cost and details, but I will probably have 15 of these shares to offer and I am hoping to only have one drop site, which would be our Uptown Yoga studio drop site (no danger of freezing anything there and it’s a central location for many people). This will be a greens heavy share (lots of kale, collards, chard and salad greens, but will also include some storage crops like carrots, onions, potatoes and squash (the potatoes and squash are coming from the nearby farm—as you know I am giving out all the Piney Hill squash and potatoes to our current season shares). I’ll be sending out an email maybe later this week with cost and other info.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the cabbage in your share this week, try making this frozen coleslaw recipe and storing it. You can also try making sauerkraut right in jars or in a larger bucket or crock (chop cabbage finely and pack into jars with layers of pickling salt), then let it ferment in a cool place for several weeks before canning or freezing it. Cabbage will also stay good in your fridge for weeks.


Here is a frozen coleslaw recipe:
1 medium head cabbage, chopped
1 t. salt
3 stalks chopped celery
1 small chopped onion
Mix together and let stand for 1 to 2 hours. Drain and add pepper.
Dressing: 1cup water 1 cup sugar (you can cut this back if you want) 1 cup vinegar 1 t. celery seed 1 t. mustard seed
Mix dressing ingredients together in a suacepan. Boil for one minute. Cool. Mix with drained vegetables. Pack in jars or bags and freeze.

Week Fifteen

In the Bag
~Swiss Chard
~Potatoes (the last of them)
~Cucumbers
~Hakurei Turnips and Cherry Belle Radishes in one bunch
~Carrots
~Onions
~Cherry Tomatoes (Black Cherries and Sungolds)
~Tomatoes of varying sizes and colors.
~Eggplant
~Green Peppers
~Summer Squash
~Salad Mix
~Basil (in with the salad mix)
~Red Celery

Farm Report
So far September has been very un-September-like on the farm. Last year we had a killing frost on Sept. 9th, which put a quick end to our season. This year, we are thinking it feels more like July, and the crops that are left think it’s divine.

We spent Sunday morning digging the last beds of potatoes to great dismay. Some combination of weeds, potato beetles and early drought led our last potatoes down the path of a low-yield. This seems to be a common theme on the farm this year, and once again I find myself thinking about how I’m going to do things right next year.

The bees are bringing in the last of the buckwheat nectar and we are all getting ready to hunker down. We are cutting wood for the wood stove and dreading the days we have to layer to go outside. But not just yet, right?

We’ve had a few complete farm meals this week. May I suggest a zucchini/tomato casserole that our farm volunteer put together? Just layer slices of blanched zucchini with onion and tomato, sprinkle on some salt and oregano and top with parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. “I’ve notices you have all of these in abundance” she said before making it. She’s right, and it’s delicious.
We’ve also had mashed potatoes, steamed edamame, salad greens and kale. Apple crisp for desert of course.

Week Fourteen

In the Bag

~Kale

~Kohlrabi

~Cucumbers

~Hakurei Turnips

~Carrots

~Onions

~Cherry Tomatoes (Black Cherries and Sungolds)

~Tomatoes of varying sizes and colors.

~Eggplant

~Green Peppers

~Potatoes

~Summer Squash

~Salad Mix with edible flowers

~Basil, Rosemary

Farm Report

After much worry and some time spent covering vegetables, we didn’t get that frost last week that I thought we would. This should allow the pumpkins and squash to ripen up.

As we near the end of the season, I have been reflecting on the last few months. Overall, both Matt and I feel like most of the vegetables have done really well despite the June frost, drought and cool weather, then late monsoons. I think that part of our success is due to our hoophouse and irrigation system, without which, we would be having a hard time, though they have been a significant investment from which we might start seeing some return next year.

There are a few CSAs around who have really struggled this year because of the weather. So much so that they have struggled to fill bags and had disappointed members accuse them of fraud and demand refunds. It is somewhat alarming to hear their stories, actually, because as CSA farmers, we rely on the idea that our members are taking part of the risk of the weather and crop failure for good or for bad. It is understandable that members of these struggling farms would be disappointed with the outcome, especially if it is their first year with a CSA. I think that the members who stay with a farm over several years, see the fluctuations from year to year and when hit with a hard year after several good years, understand that there are many factors at play. I hope that as you all tell others about your CSA experience you can convey the idea of “sharing the risk.” This year, there have been no melons for most of you and sweet corn that Matt and I jokingly call “a low-yield” variety. But the tomatoes have been bountiful. Next year will be different to be sure…that’s the deal with farming: there are no givens.

Week Thirteen

In the Bag
~Edamame (fresh soy beans)
~Cucumbers
~Potatoes
~Carrots
~Onions
~Cherry Tomatoes (Black Cherries and Sungolds)
~Tomatoes of varying sizes and colors.
~Eggplant
~Green Peppers
~Potatoes
~Summer Squash
~Sweet Corn
~Basil

Farm Report

The weather has begun slipping toward fall here on the farm. Temperatures at night are slipping below forty degrees, and I am purposely writing this before checking to see if it really frosted last night, so I don’t have to tell you about the dead vegetables. We covered what we could, but the squash field is just too immense to tackle. If it did frost, we will get what we can from it, and say “better luck next year!”

We had a disappointing few hours digging potatoes yesterday…the bed we dug just didn’t yield as many as the last three. Either we were digging the wrong spots, or these varieties just didn’t do that well.

You may have noticed your delivery driver has changed. Matt has taken over the Monday deliveries for the rest of the season, as I have secured a teaching job at UW-Stout that doesn’t allow me to drive on Mondays. Looks like Thursdays are out for me too and our esteemed helper Britta is off to new adventures, so my brother, Louis, will be taking over the Thursday drops.

We have a new volunteer arriving today who will be here the rest of September helping out around the farm.
Edamame
If you have never eaten edamame, you will be in for a treat…but it’s important to cook it right! Steam the entire shells for about five minutes, drain the water, sprinkle with sea salt if you have it. To eat, pull the beans from the shell with your teeth…the pods just break open to let you do this.

Then discard the pod, don’t eat them. You could, but they are chewy and not very good. These are just a one-time treat for you to try. Enjoy.

Harvest Party September 19th

Don’t forget our farm harvest party will be September 19th…we hope you can make it. Festivities will start mid-afternoon sometime with pumpkin and squash harvesting and hay ride, then followed by potluck and cider pressing. Maybe our friend, Nick will even bring his potato-gun. It’s sure to be a good time.

It may be almost be too late for chilled soup, but try this one: Chilled Dill Soup (begin four hours in advance so it can cook then chill thoroughly)

1 cup chopped onion
4 cups sliced raw potato
3 cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup sour cream
1 medium cucumber
1 ½ tsp salt
fresh black pepper
2-3 Tbs fresh dill, chopped
freshly chopped chives or scallions

Place onion, potatoes, water and salt in a saucepan. Simmer until potatoes are soft.
Cool above mixture to room temperature. Puree in a blender until very smooth, adding pieces of cucumber as you puree. Whisk in milk.
Whisk in sour cream until uniformly blended. Add dill and pepper. Chill until very cold.
Taste to correct salt and pepper. Serve topped with chives or scallions.

Week Eleven

Greetings,

It's been another lively and productive week out here on the farm. Erin has
been away working on writing her opus, and so here the rest of us are trying
to figure out how she works her magic with the plants. Erin where did you
put the fairy dust...? Turns out that we can manage just fine, we had he
help of two great WWOOFers (willing workers on organic farms) who were
willing to spend many hours in the gardens weeding and harvesting. With the
house full of workers we have also been eating like kings. We made up a
splendid pasta sauce using fresh tomatoes, onions, basil, and zucs from the
garden, give it a try with the goodies in your bag this week.

It has been a hot week out here, and hotter still in the cities I'm sure. We
have been getting up early to avoid the mid afternoon humidity, and calling
it a day when the sweat in our eyes begins to burn. We have made a couple of
trips to a nearby lake and some folks (not me) made their way up some tall
white pines leaning out over a deep spot in the lake and took a running
leap. Everyone managed to clear all the branches and land with a plop in the
cool water.

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of attending a local foods dinner at the
Campus Club in Minneapolis. One salad on the menu was a mix of blanched
beans, with a simple vinaigrette with a hint of fresh tarragon. Which
reminded me that with all the fresh herbs this week, try thinking outside the
box when cooking. When traveling in Thailand I was surprised to find basil
in many of the stir fry veggie dishes, and even sprinkled on top of fresh
berries. There are all sorts of fun things to do with fresh basil and
cilantro. Try turning some plain white rice into fried rice by adding some
soy sauce, sauteed zucchini or eggplant, some of the spicy purple celery,
onions and then hit it with some fresh chopped basil right at the end. Throw
in a scrambled egg for some added protein if you like.

Here is a list of what you will find in your share this week
Swiss chard
Onions
Green and White cooking beans
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
some eggplant
Green peppers
Carrots
Celery
Basil and Cilantro