Circle S Farms

“We are in danger of destroying ourselves by our greed and stupidity. We cannot remain looking inwards at ourselves on a small and increasingly polluted and overcrowded planet.”

Stephen Hawking

warning:  the content of this blog was written by an angry farmer and concerned citizen.  It is lengthy.  Be prepared.

I applied early decision to Sewanee.  It was a stretch for my parents.  They are long time UNC Chapel Hill fans and graduates.  It would have been easier had I gone to college in North Carolina, in state.

When asked me why I wanted to go to Sewanee the answer was:  they have a horse barn, and hiking trails, and… it’s not in the city.  My parents questioned my answer and said “You’re not going to camp.  You’re going to get an education.”

About 3 months in I found myself incredibly homesick.  A group of students were at the barn, my only refuge,  talking about weekend plans.  I dreaded weekends.  “I’m going home” one girl said.  Home.  My home was 6 hours away.  Too far to go for a weekend.  I missed my Mom.  “Can I go?” I barely knew her.  “Yes”.

The first time I drove up the mountain from Trenton I knew.  This is it.  This is where my heart is planted.   Her Mom fixed a fantastic dinner, homemade veggie burgers, and biscuits and gravy for breakfast.  Strawberry freezer jam from Aunt Ima.  A trail ride at a friends farm where we got caught in a gigantic thunder storm.  I never wanted to leave.

Who knew I would end up here after years in Wyoming (another place I never wanted to leave).  That the girl would be one of my best friends.  That I would know how to drive a horse trailer, drive a horse, drive a tractor.  Plant a garden, plug a tire, pull a calf.   Can food for the winter, make a quilt, build miles of fence, play a bluegrass song (well, that one’s a stretch:).

Which brings me to my point.  I moved here from the city, so I feel like a hipocrite.  But the people I have met here in the country are resourceful, smart, self-reliant, amazing people.  They are generous and have taught me.  Handed me heirloom seeds, lovingly tended and carefully saved.   If you live in rural America, you know.   They are being pushed out.  Pushed out by development.  Pushed out by “recreation”.  Pushed out by big roads and big money.  Pushed out by politicians who care more about themselves and their pocket books than they care about small towns and farming communities.

Almost 3 decades ago, sadly, 11,000 acres of farmland was sold and partially developed,  Mountain Cove Farms.  We live on part of it…we lovingly call it the Davis farm.  We call it that after the previous owners who we never knew.  We were told they had the most beautiful herd of Charlais cattle around.  We cherish the big skies and clear starry nights.  The deer, and birds of prey, the coyotes and cotton rats, and most recently the swallow tailed kites (pictured above).  The clear streams that run on both sides of our farm.

We have been here for 10 years now, and I blame myself for part of the change.  As a friend of mine says, if you’re in traffic you are traffic.  I am traffic.  We built a house.  A barn.

And now, someone has bought the land next to us.  They are bulldozing trees and building wide roads.  Undoubtedly they will put up street lights on those wide roads, and the light pollution will dull the beautiful skies.  They are from the city.  They wanted to move to the country.  For the clean air.  For the clear water.  They are building 4, maybe 6 houses.  Development?  Yes.

Mclemore, a golfing community  is 15 minutes away.  They are putting a gun range down the street.  Why so far away from the development?  You ask.   So did we.  Because they don’t want their residents to have to listen to guns being fired all day.

They had a meeting.  Gave the residents of our community little notice.  They are putting it next door to a generational family farm.  “Sporting Clays”.  The zoning board voted it down.  And yet, it magically is still on the table.  Let’s let the politicians decide.  They are meeting next Thursday.  You and I both know how that will turn out.

So today I’m on my soap box.  I promise only one week.  But please sign up to follow David Cook’s   “Food as a Verb” blog.  He is bringing light to some of these issues that desperately need a voice.  For people who need a voice.  Can you imagine a country with no farmland?  No pastural views, no cattle or crops?  Rural America is disappearing.  We are being pushed out.

What’s in the bucket?  Napa cabbage, carrots, radishes, iceberg lettuce, mustard greens, bell peppers.

The recipe this week comes from my friend – her beautiful mother’s cherished oat burger recipe.     She passed away 2 years ago.  Serve them with a Napa cabbage and carrot slaw, and put a giant iceberg lettuce leaf and red pepper slice on a Neidlov’s burger bun.  I thought it appropriate to send it in her writing….but in case you can’t decipher, I have typed it out below.

Glenda’s Oatburgers

41/2 cups water

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 cup sunflower seed

41/4 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup oil

1/2 T Italian seasoning

2 T yeast flakes

1 chopped onion

Bring water and soy sauce to a boil.  Add Oats and cook about 8 minutes on medium heat .

While cooling, saute onions until tender.  Then add oat mixture and rest of ingredients.  Form into Patties with wide mouth jar lid.  Bake at 350 degrees until brown.  About 20-25 minutes.

Serves 6

Happy Eating.  Thanks for supporting rural land, local farms and please stand up for clean water, clean air and family farms.  Once it is lost, it cannot be reclaimed.

“Our goal is to go out like Willie Nelson, on a high.”
-Ted Lasso

I love Ted Lasso.  I guess I’m not the only one.  Whenever I need motivation, I watch a Ted Lasso episode.

BUT, instead of saving best for last, we are going out on a high mid-season.  It’s possible the last few buckets will be going greens.

Farm News:  We are halfway through the fall CSA this week.  Weather drying out again.  Still managing to keep the deer out.

What’s in the bucket:  Winter squash, October beans, bagged greens (collards and turnips), cilantro, red lettuce, lunchbox peppers, hot peppers, radishes.

As for staying tuned from last week…

If you want to make a habanero hot sauce, mix your roasted red peppers with roasted habanero peppers.  Take some or all of the seeds out if you don’t like too much heat.  Puree and add vinegar, lime juice, chopped onions and cilantro to taste.

And for the pickled peppers, slice peppers and put in a quart jar.  I like to mix hot and sweet peppers, but anything will work.  Bring 2 cups vinegar, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil.  Add a pinch of salt.  Pour over peppers.  Hint:  pack your peppers tightly into the jar.  Let cool and refrigerate for sandwiches, tacos etc.

AND the recipe from this week is from Carole Food.  An interesting take on baked beans.  It calls for cannellini beans, but I think the October beans will be a great substitute.  I’m thinking serve with BBQ and/or Mac and Cheese, since it’s turning colder.  Comfort food.

Ingredients

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Add the squash, onion and garlic to a baking tray. Place in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender. The time taken will really depend on how large your squash is though!
3. Once cooked, scoop the flesh out of the squash and place in a blender. Squeeze the garlic out of the cloves and place in the blender too, alongside the onion, parmesan/vegetarian Italian hard cheese and vegetable stock. Blend until smooth.
4. In a large frying pan over a low-medium heat, add the butter. Once melted add the smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir in the beans and squash mixture. Gently heat through.
6. Top with chopped parsley and that’s everything.

Happy Eating, Happy High, and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm

“A scent that disturbs me and delights me…. something spicy almost biting and exotic.”
― Rebecca Wells, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

I love spicy food.  Curtis used to look at me in horror when I would add fresh hot peppers or copious amounts of hot sauce to whatever I was eating.  Then sweat profusely and happily down glasses of water or beer to cool my palate before starting at it again.

This week is a pepperpalooza of sorts.  When the days get a little shorter the peppers take their cue.  They turn brilliant colors and, sweet or hot, the flavors intensify.

Farm News:  Still managing to keep the deer out, Diamond and I.

We sleep a little, then patrol a little.  If we can just make it a few more weeks.  Some CSA members gave me some great ideas for next year….my deer defense strategy will be different!

What’s in the bucket:  Sweet red carmen peppers (pictured above), poblano peppers, habanero peppers, October beans, summer squash, carrots, arugula, breakfast radishes, mustard greens.  You need to shell the October beans, they are a fresh shell bean and the skins are too tough to eat.

Following are instructions on roasting peppers and some pictures.  If you have peppers left over from last week, roast them all together.  You can also do this under the oven broiler.

You can freeze roasted peppers, or I made the pasta sauce, plus blended the rest with a few roasted habaneros to make a wonderful hot sauce (yes, I’ll be sweating and loving every bite).  I added a little vinegar and cilantro and some lime juice.  Chopped onions would be good too.

Roasting Peppers  this is so easy!

put as many as you can fit in your cast iron skillet.  Turn on medium high heat.

When they are charred on most sides, and the skin begins to peel, remove from heat.  Cool a little.

Take a knife and scrape off most of the skin and burned parts.  Don’t obsess, this does not have to be perfect.

Chop and freeze or use in your favorite recipes.  Like the one below.

• 2 large red bell peppers, roasted
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for coating
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
• 2 cups half-and-half
• ¼ cup grated Romano cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter

Chop your roasted bell peppers.  Saute in oil with garlic and basil if using.  Puree this mixture.  Bring to a simmer and add half and half and parmesan cheese and butter.

I served ours with pan fried gnocchi (packaged), but it would be great with any short pasta.  A small arugula salad lightly dressed with oil and vinegar makes it a meal.

The wine pairing from Matt OLSON (correction to his name spelling from last week) sounds interesting.  I’m going to pick up a bottle on Wednesday at Scenic City Wine in St. Elmo.

Vina Maitia “Aupa” Pipeno Maule

https://www.sceniccitywine.com/product/vina-maitia-aupa-pipeno/236

Here’s a pic of my pickled peppers, and my roasted carmen and habenero hot sauce.  Stay tuned for those recipes next week….and more.

Happy Eating, Happy Sweating and Thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm.

“Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche

Here I am.  Camping out in the garden.  The deer are ….were so hungry.  For something green and full of moisture.

The moles were too, tunneling all the way down my drip tape rows.  Damaging roots and looking for water.

Every fall it is like this.  I always get excited about the fall garden.  Harvesting in cooler weather.  It’s going to be great, right.  Wrong.

Why can’t I remember?  The deer? Always a problem.

One year the cows busted in to my fall garden and that was that.  On the last day of my CSA.  I was running and picking greens and things in front of their hungry mouths.  We laughed and said the cows were  “collard fed beef” instead of grass fed.  Does anyone think I will remember next year?  Not likely.  I am not known for my memory.  In fact, I wonder if I’ll ever know when my memory starts to fail, it’s been so poor all along.

So we begin early.  I was hoping to have a Thanksgiving bucket.  But my nerves are shot.  And although fun for a while, I’m tired of sleeping in the garden in my coleman tent alongside my deer herding dog.

Farm News:  We survived the storm (another reason my nerves are shot).  All animals and buildings made it through.  Thankful for the rain, although the garden is a bit battered. I left some bigger squash on the vines to anchor them against the wind.  It seemed to help.

My new group of hens are laying the most colorful, beautiful eggs.  They are still pullet eggs, so a bit small.

Fall blast starts Monday.

What’s in the bucket:  summer squash, mustard greens, loads of sweet peppers and a few hot ones, edamame soybeans (apparently a deer delicacy), head lettuce, daikon radishes with greens,  oregano.

The recipe this week comes from my kitchen.  Something I do frequently when we have summer squash.  This week it will be slightly mediterranean due to the oregano.  Serve with a white flakey fish and crusty bread, or alongside a salad, and/or with your favorite grain or pasta.

MAYBE…Boil the edamame for an appetizer in water until tender.  Drain and salt to taste.  Peel the leftovers and add to your salad or squash.

summer squash and sweet pepper saute

Ingredients:

2 large or 4 medium yellow squash, sliced thinly

1 sweet red pepper, also sliced thinly

1/2 small onion thinly sliced, or 2 spring onions or a sprinkle of onion powder if you don’t have any onions

olive oil and/or butter

salt and pepper

oregano leaves (pull the leaves from the stem, and chop)

Saute everything together on medium to low heat until vegetables are crisp tender.

And -lucky us.  Matt Olsen at Scenic City Wines is giving us a wine pairing for our recipes this fall.  You can pick up a bottle at his store in St. Elmo.

This week:

Emilio Moro “Polvorete” Godello Bierzo

sceniccitywine.com

Happy Eating, Happy Forgetful, Happy Wine and Thanks for buying local food from

Circle S Farm.

“The storm starts, when the drops start dropping
When the drops stop dropping then the storm starts stopping.”
― Dr. Seuss

There was a rain storm Friday.  A little bit of help for the heat and drought.  More rain predicted for next week.  Maybe the drops will not stop dropping.

I had planned on getting strawberries early on, and peaches from Jones Farm to add to CSA shares.  As it turns out, he did not have a bumper crop of strawberries, and keeps selling out of peaches, so I have not been able to get any.  Apologies for the lack of fruit this season.

This is the very last week of the spring/summer session.  Thank you all for participating!  Our farm depends on CSA income to keep on going….so you are helping us protect our farmland, and eating local food which is a boost for the local economy and the environment.  Just think of how many cucumbers have traveled from our farm to your door instead of across the country, or across the world.

Farm News:    Friday, were checking fence and I heard Tip yelp from a distance.  I called him and he came.  And with him an angry Mamma deer.  He must have gotten to close to her baby.  She chased him from here to Ten Buck Two.   When he came back he was heat exhausted and bleeding.  Not sure if he cut himself on the fence or if she got him with a hoof.

We cooled him by bringing him in the AC and putting cold towels on him.  He finally recovered enough to drink and quit panting.  Then a trip to the vet and a few stitches.  He is almost back to normal now, but I’m hoping he learned his lesson.  There are lots of baby deer about.

Fall CSA:  We are taking a long break to replant for Fall.  Here is the link to the online store.

If you would like to sign up, please do so before August 1.  I will not be delivering to Downtown or Hixson for Fall, so if you will have to pick up your share at Main Street Farmer’s Market if you are not on Lookout Mountain or in St. Elmo.

What we are planting for Fall? Ginger, a few sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, October beans, winter squash, edamame, a few tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, greens and of course broccoli and cabbage.  Probably carrots and beets as well.

What’s in the bucket?  onions and taters…cucumbers…carrots.  Fennel, okra, cherry tomatoes, mint or lemon balm and green tomatoes (I planted them for you guys, maybe they can turn red on your countertop.) Or green tomatoes can be good in curry or pickled.

Recipe for the week:  Quinoa Tabouleh

3 cups cooked quinoa

2 lemons, zested and juiced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove

salt and pepper to taste

2 small cucumbers, sliced and cut into small pieces

1 carrot grated

1 fennel bulb sliced thinly, and any fronds chopped for garnish

1/2 cup olives pitted and halved

1/2 cup chopped mint, lemon balm or leftover celery tops from last week, chopped or a combination of all.

You can also add feta cheese, or chick peas if desired.  I had some red cabbage in the fridge that needed a home, so I added some of it.

Grate lemon zest and garlic.

Then juice the lemons and squeeze 1/4 cup juice into a large bowl (strain seeds out)  Add zest and garlic and olive oil.

Add other ingredients and stir together.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Thanks again to all of you.  Happy Eating.  Happy Tabouleh.  Hope the drops will not stop dropping.  Thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm.

“It is wise to master your self, but it is wiser to leave a few rogue thoughts, some few doubts, and some loose ends. It is into the wild and unfinished places that we can grow.”
― Chris Ernest Nelson

If this is true….then Curtis and I are the tallest people on earth.  If that’s how we grow….tall.  We have so many wild and unfinished places.  They are everywhere you look.  Unfinished fences, unfinished outbuildings, unfinished house addition, unfinished mowing, unfinished planting.   I sometimes think if we ever finish then we will be finished.  Perhaps that is why we don’t.

Speaking of which, we are almost finished with the spring/summer CSA session.  There, see, one thing I am going to finish!  And so thinking towards our next….I am going to take a long break to try to work on some of these unfinished projects and to plant for fall.  So no Dog Days session this year.  I am posting the information for Fall CSA on my online store (go to the home page and click shop now).  It will be a six week fall session starting late September and running through Thanksgiving.

What we are planting for Fall Blast:  Ginger, winter squash, October beans, greens, carrots, beets, russet potatoes, a few sweet potatoes and of course cabbage and broccoli.  We will have some late peppers and perhaps field peas.  My new herd of chickens should start laying about September…so keeping egg shares on the list.  Hopefully we will have some colorful golden eggs!

What is in the bucket this week:  carrots, onions, russet baking potatoes, summer squash, maybe a splash of okra or a few cherrytomatoes, celery (mostly leaves which are great for garnish or using like parsley), green beans.

What’s for dinner?  I am making pasta salad.  I have some broccoli and red cabbage hanging around from last week, and planning to add some summer squash, carrots and green beans.  Maybe some salty olives and garbanzos.  Some crusty bread on the side.

Here’s how:

Unfinished Pasta Salad

Boil some short pasta (elbows, rotini, penne….)

drain it and let it cool, drizzle some olive oil on it to keep from sticking

add steamed veggies (full disclosure, sometimes I use the microwave, 3 minutes in a covered glass dish)   I would leave the squash, cabbage and onions raw.  If you get tired, leave it deliciously unfinished.

stir in Mom’s vinaigrette to coat (recipe below) but not too much.

Add beans or cheese if you wish, or serve with a protein and crusty bread:)

Mom’s vinaigrette

1 T dijon mustard

4T red wine vinegar

1t sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

a pinch of other dried herbs if you like such as parsley, thyme or oregano

1/2 c olive oil

Combine in a jar with tight fitting lid.  Shake vigorously until combined.

unfinished pasta salad

Happy Eating, Happy Wild and Unfinished places, and Thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm.

“God, it was hot! Forget about frying an egg on the sidewalk; this kind of heat would fry an egg inside the chicken.”
― Rachel Caine

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.  I have a new flock I’m excited about.  They have not started laying yet….but soon.

It is time to pull the onions out and let them start drying.  Good news:  I finally grew some sweet red onions.  The last few years the red onions have been super strong – not that I don’t love an onion with conviction.  But these are delicious.

Farm News:  It’s hay season.

Usually, when we cut hay it decides to rain.  Honestly, this year we cut it in hopes of rain.  Rain to cool things off.  Rain to give the thirsty land a drink.  Rain to wash the air clean.  We will keep hoping…

Sunflowers and Gladiolus coming in.  If you are a flower share, you are in luck!

AND, I know some of you are eagerly awaiting the next CSA sign up info.  We have three weeks left for Summer CSA.  I will post sign ups for the next session (which will be this fall) next week:)

What’s in the bucket? Red cabbage, red onions, red potatoes….you see where I’m going with this?

Cucumbers, summer squash, green beans and dill.

I try not to do too many repeats…but this is a recipe I sent out years back for refrigerator pickles.  It is for spears, and I love it.  If you have any oversized cucumbers, don’t worry.  Just leave out the innermost seedy parts when you cut your spears and compost…or feed to your chickens.

Recipe follows – you can easily half it for one quart jar

from Once upon a chef

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what the sunflowers do.”
― Helen Keller

Happy Father’s Day!  We made it back from our beach trip and look what was waiting in the garden!  I love them.

Jennifer and Josh watching the store and, as usual, taking such great care of everything.  We are weary from our travels….so I will not rattle on:)

What’s in the bucket?  potatoes, leeks, broccoli, savoy cabbage, squash, cukes, green beans, mint.

This was also waiting for me in the fridge.    A half gallon of cold water with mint and cucumbers steeping.  So refreshing and must be more hydrating.  So throw some of that mint and cucumber in a jar and make some for yourself….your will be glad you did.

Following a recipe from Body Ecology for sauteed squash.

Sautéed Zucchini, Squash, and Leeks

Looking for a simple vegetable dish for your next brunch?  Packed with health-promoting nutrients like vitamins C, K, and B6, this Sautéed Zucchini, Squash, and Leeks recipe is a great way to support your overall wellbeing. And we know zucchini is a good source of antioxidants, which may help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Leeks also contain healthy compounds like sulfur and kaempferol that are valued for their health benefits. It’s a fantastic way to use up the abundance of fresh zucchini and squash that are in season during the summer months. Even when these vegetables are out of season, you can still enjoy this recipe by using frozen options.

So, whether you’re looking to impress your guests or simply want a nutritious and flavorful side dish for you.

Ingredients:

– 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into rounds

– 2 medium yellow squash, sliced into rounds

– 1 medium leek, sliced into thin rounds

– 2 tablespoons olive oil

– Salt and pepper to taste

-fresh herbs

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet or sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the sliced leeks and cook for 1-2 minutes until they start to become translucent.
3. Next, add the sliced zucchini and yellow squash to the pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stir the vegetables occasionally and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes or until they are tender and golden brown.
5. Once the vegetables are done, transfer them to a serving platter or individual plates, and garnish with fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro, or mint if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Also, check out the link to food as a verb and sign up.  It’s about our farm this week….but they do all kinds of interesting, community based stories.

Happy Father’s day, Happy eating and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm!

“It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for a bird to learn to fly while remaining an egg.   -C.S. Lewis

Jessie Gantt-Temple is helping with our egg shares again this year.  Your eggs are a mix of her hens and Circle S hens..

Her hens range freely like ours…and live the good life.  Jessie is a good egg herself….she shares her eggs with us, but also cans pickled eggs among other veggies and fruits.  She is a vendor at Main Street Farmer’s Market, so check out some of her wonderful offerings there.  She also teaches canning classes at her farm.

Farm News:  Curtis and I are going to the beach for father’s day weekend.  Celebrating with my father, and with Logan…so excited.  Jennifer and Josh holding down the fort at Circle S….so thankful.  This blog will be short and sweet.

What’s in the bucket?  Napa cabbage, broccoli and/or cauliflower, red bibb lettuce, giant summer squash and zucchini, beet roots, daikon radish, cilantro, mustard greens.

Mustard green pesto served with stuffed squash?  or roasted beets?  or baked cauliflower?  or all three!

It is true that there is a state of hope which belongs to bright prospects and the morning; but that is not the virtue of hope. The virtue of hope exists only in earthquake and eclipse. ― G.K. Chesterton

We planted during the eclipse.  Jennifer and I.  And Buddy and Diamond and Tip.  She brought glasses.  Actually, she had the glasses in her car left over from the last eclipse.  We were hopeful.

It was eerie. Fun to be able to watch – to actually look at.  Mysterious because it got darker, and cooler.  Jennifer let the dogs take turns wearing the glasses, so they could see too.

So we wondered….while we planted, what happens when you plant during an eclipse?  Can the signs tell?  Do the plants know?

Everything we planted seemed to thrive.  No confused plants.  Perhaps they knew the eclipse was coming.  Animals as well.  No panic or riots broke out.  Just another, but different day.

What’s in the bucket?:  Eclipse Broccolini or Broccoli, dill, cabbage, beets, snow peas, arugula, iceberg lettuce, eclipse kale, daikon radish.

I went to Blowing Rock with a friend for a quick trip this weekend to see my folks.   We had dinner at a lovely restaurant and I ordered a kale salad.  It was so simple, and we tried to guess what was in it…

This recipe looks similar, let’s give it a try….grate a few strokes of daikon radish on top for color and flavor.