Circle S Farms

“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.

“This one isn’t just any old horse. There’s a nobility in his eye, a regal serenity about him. Does he not personify all that men try to be and never can be? I tell you, my friend, there’s divinity in a horse, and specially in a horse like this. God got it right the day he created them. And to find a horse like this in the middle of this filthy abomination of a war, is for me like finding a butterfly on a dung heap. We don’t belong in the same universe as a creature like this.”
-War Horse― Michael Morpurgo

Happy Memorial Day.

In paying tribute to veterans and their sacrifice, I started to wonder about the horses and dogs who fought alongside.

Where did the horses come from?  During World War I, and into World War II, many of the horses came from what is now the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada.  These were wild horses (mustangs) who were rounded up, and shipped via railroad and then across the Atlantic by boat.  Not only did America supply the horses for our troops, but for our allies as well.  The horses that survived the grueling trip “had a bit placed in their mouths and began to pull artillery or serve as a cavalry mount. ”

Roughly eight million horses died in World War I alone.  Compared to 9.7 million military personnel.

Horses were replaced with tanks completely by 1942.

Dogs were also used.  I saw a photo of two large hounds hitched to a small artillery wagon.  Dogs also served as sentries, scouts and couriers.

Camp LeJeune, North Carolina was the home of the war Dog Training School, where dogs began their training with the rank of private; war dogs actually could out-rank their handlers.

Dogs are still used in the military….even though methods of warfare have changed.

Honor, on this Memorial Day, to all the people, dogs, horses who have given their lives.

I’m quite certain my dogs would out-rank me.  They keep me marching to the beat of their barks and whims.

What’s in the bucket? golden and red beets, kohlrabi, red and green lettuce, turnip and/or mustard or collard greens, baby kale mix, baby Daikon or breakfast radish, young onions.

I decided on soup and salad for tonight.  Not a very Memorial day kind of meal…but comfort food none the less.  I like this recipe because it makes use of the whole kohlrabi….skins and leaves and bulb.  Chop the beet greens and add them to your salad for a healthier and less wasteful meal.  I cooked mine a little longer for the greens to be tender and added a dash of red pepper.  Don’t be afraid to experiment.

Kohlrabi, beet and lentil stew

Happy Eating, Happy Memorial day and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm.

“My grandmother used to say that mint could heat up a man’s blood. She told me that it was used in love potions in the olden times and soldiers weren’t allowed to eat it lest they run amuck with lust….”-Caroline Scott, Good Taste

I think mint is under rated and under appreciated.  Love potion…perhaps?  My mint has been beautiful this spring.  And it is always the first green, harvestable thing.

Mint julep, mint jelly…I’ve been broadening my horizons.

We have been obsessing about street tacos lately, so since the mint grew faster than the cilantro….

Try using spring onions and mint to top your chorizo or chicken, black bean or fish tacos.  Mint can double for basil or cilantro.  It’s fantastic with sundried tomatoes on pasta.  Goes perfectly with lemon.  It’s as simple as adding a squeeze of lemon and mint sprig to your water to make you feel elegant.

What’s in the first bucket?  MINT…Tuscan kale, Russian kale, spring onions, kohlrabi, green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce.

Farm News:

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”    The Great Gatsby

It is that time of year.  CSA sign up.  And although we had four inches of cold rain last night, and we are on target for “wintry mix” tonight, I am planning my spring/summer CSA.  And dreaming of summer squash and tomatoes (and the fennel I planted too late this fall to mature!).  And so we begin over again with summer.

For those of you who have been in our CSA, you know it changes a little bit each year.  According to weather, production, good luck (or bad) and other farm demands.  This year we are starting off with an 8 week spring/summer hoorah.  I will likely add a Dog Days and Fall session, but I’m leaving some flexibility in my planning.  So we start here.  Somewhere between mid-May and June 1.

You can go to our Circle S home page and click “shop now” to sign up.  The deadline is February 15.

As always, delivery free to Lookout Mountain, St. Elmo and Downtown Chattanooga.  Other folks can pick up at Main Street Farmer’s Market on Wednesday from 4-6 PM.

If you want to send a check instead of paying cash, just don’t complete your checkout.  You can print the shopping cart, or just write on your check what you are signing up for…..for example: half share veggies, half share eggs and just snag the pricing from the online store.  Send to:  Circle S Farm, 1930 Gilreath Mill rd, Menlo, GA 30731 by February 15.

Thanks for buying local food from Circle S and Happy 2024.

“Frost kills the flowers that bloom out of season…”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Michael Angelo

We almost made it!  I was really hoping for a last bucket full of October beans and green tomatoes (or even better, red tomatoes).  I planted these things kind of late, I knew it was a risk.  But what if….

Oh well, lady frost got them all.  And so we are making do with:

What’s in the bucket: sweet potatoes, collard greens, savoy cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower, romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, a green tomato.

A market shopper last week says cabbage just doesn’t seem very sexy.  To that I responded “why not?”  Cabbage has lots of good qualities….it stores really well, it is very versatile, it’s good for you, and it’s delicious.  Just think of all the options….cabbage rolls, cabbage wraps, slaw, cooked cabbage, grilled cabbage, sauteed cabbage, cabbage casserole, cabbage and potatoes, sauerkraut.  Just because it smells funny, don’t give it such a bad wrap.  Wrap and roll!

Egg Roll-Inspired Cabbage Rolls (from Eating Well.com)
Skip takeout and try these egg roll-inspired cabbage rolls! Savoy cabbage leaves are stuffed with egg roll filling and baked in a flavorful soy-hoisin tomato sauce.

Ingredients
1 ¼ cups water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 large leaves savoy cabbage
2 cups finely chopped broccoli
1 pound lean ground pork
1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Whisk water, tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons hoisin, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 cloves garlic and crushed red pepper in a small saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 4 cabbage leaves and cook, gently stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves. Place broccoli in a colander and pour the hot water over it. Refresh with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl. Add pork, rice, scallions, sesame oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons hoisin, 1 tablespoon ginger and 2 cloves garlic, and 3 tablespoons of the reserved sauce. Stir to combine well.

Place 1/3 cup filling over the bottom third of 1 softened cabbage leaf. Fold the bottom and sides over the filling and roll up. Place, seam-side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling. Pour the remaining sauce over the rolls. Cover with foil and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a roll registers 150°F, about 40 minutes.

Peanut-Tofu Cabbage Wraps
Cabbage is a tasty low-calorie stand-in for buns or bread in this healthy, gluten-free lettuce wrap recipe. Don’t limit yourself to cabbage for this recipe—any fresh green sturdy enough to wrap around 1/2 cup of filling works.

Ingredients
8 small napa or Savoy cabbage leaves or 4 large, cut in half crosswise
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 14- to 16-ounce package extra-firm tofu, patted dry and crumbled
¼ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons prepared peanut sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons lime zest
1 cup julienned Asian pear
1 cup julienned English cucumber
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
Directions
Wash and dry cabbage leaves well and cut out any tough ribs or stems.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, season with salt and cook, stirring often, until just golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk peanut sauce, vinegar and lime zest in a small bowl.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the sauce mixture and stir to combine. Serve the tofu in the cabbage leaves, topped with pear, cucumber and cilantro.

Happy last week of Fall Blast, Happy Winter, and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm!

“Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody.”
― Mark Twain

Delivering tomorrow on Halloween Eve.  This quote and picture of the moon seemed fitting.

Perhaps I will hand out heads of cauliflower and broccoli to all the misfortunate trick or treaters….trick or treat?

Well I myself would consider it a treat.  As Broccoli and Cauliflower are two things I look forward to in spring and fall.  Like the beautiful moon.

Farm News:    Our cows will start calving any day now….I have been doing a daily rain dance, but no luck!  Ponds really low, some have run out.

This is the first time I have ever been able to get October beans to actually come in in October:)

Next week is the last week for Fall Blast CSA.

What’s in the bucket?  Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, sweet potatoes, October beans, peppers.

Following is a NY times recipe for Roasted Cauliflower.  Feel free to throw some broccoli florets and peppers in with the Cauliflower, it will be delicious.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

“It’s so dry the trees are bribing the dogs.”

-Charles Martin, Chasing Fireflies

Not a drop of rain last Friday and Saturday.  Our best chance for weeks.  And two fires in the neighborhood, not to mention our hayfield and tractor, which almost burned up when a passer by threw out a cigarette.  When I was a kid it was Smokey the bear who taught us about fire danger.  So I was curious, who came up with Smokey?  And of course, wikipedia told me the answer.  Highlights:

Smokey Bear is an American campaign and advertising icon of the U.S. Forest Service in the Wildfire Prevention Campaign, which is the longest-running public service announcement campaign in United States history……

Although the U.S. Forest Service fought wildfires long before World War II, the war brought a new importance and urgency to the effort. At the time, many experienced firefighters and other able-bodied men were serving in the armed forces, leaving fewer at home to fight wildfires….

and, of course my favorite part….

The living symbol of Smokey Bear was a five-pound, three-month old American black bear cub who was found in the spring of 1950 after the Capitan Gap fire, a wildfire that burned in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico.    Smokey had climbed a tree to escape the blaze, but his paws and hind legs had been burned. Local crews who had come from New Mexico and Texas to fight the blaze removed the cub from the tree.

OK, I’m really going down the rabbit hole here, or rather, going up the bear tree.  This bear turned out to be a celebrity.  He was transported by air to the National Zoo where he lived for 26 years eating peanut butter sandwiches, bluefish and trout.  He was given a real bear wife, Goldie bear (remember her?) and a prodigy, another orphan bear who took his place when he died.  He was even given his own zip code to handle all of his mail.

When he died, he was transported back to New Mexico to be buried in Smokey Bear Historical Park.  Wall Street Journal and New York times both printed his obituary.

Would that we could all be so famous!

So, I finally get to my point….as Smokey would say “Only YOU can prevent WILDFIRES.”

What’s in the bucket?   Lettuce, beets and/or carrots, kohlrabi, broccoli, mustard greens, green beans and dill.

Following a recipe for Mustard greens, Kohlrabi and carrot salad from Washington Post

• 8 cups lightly packed mustard greens (from about 2 small bunches, or 1 large; about 12 ounces)
• 1 large carrot, scrubbed well
• 1 bulb green kohlrabi
• 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds (unhulled, if possible)
• One 3/4 -ounce piece young ginger root
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon boiled cider (see related recipe; may substitute pomegranate molasses)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Step 1

   Tear the mustard greens into large, bite-size pieces; rinse them in a bowl of cool water, then spin dry. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Step 2

   Trim the carrot. Trim and peel the kohlrabi; cut each into matchstick-size strips (julienne) and add to the mustard greens.

3. Step 3

   Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the seeds are lightly browned; this should take about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small plate to cool.

4. Step 4

   Cut the ginger and garlic into small pieces. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic and ginger with 1/8 teaspoon of salt to form a pastelike mixture. Transfer to a bowl.

5. Step 5

   Alternately, smash the garlic and ginger with the flat side of a knife, then mince.

6. Step 6

   Add the vinegar, the boiled cider and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the bowl, then gradually whisk in the oil to form an emulsified dressing. Pour it over the greens; use your hands to gently toss the salad. Taste, and add salt and/or cracked black pepper as needed.

7. Step 7

   Divide evenly among individual plates; garnish with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve right away.

Happy Eating, Happy Fall Blast, thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farms, and remember “Only YOU can prevent Forest Fires”.

“Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul… but I must confess that I love you only because you are a prelude to my beloved October.”
― Peggy Toney Horton

As a farmer, each season brings different chores.  And… like eating seasonal food, I am always ready for the next season.  I am always ready to trade summer squash and tomatoes for lettuce and kale.

But, Fall is my favorite.

Our cows calve in November.  Fall means long walks with the dogs.  Checking cows.  Cooler weather.

Fall is shorter days.  Fall is time to prepare a meal.  Fall is time to read a book.  Fall is foraging for mushrooms, persimmons, walnuts.

Sometimes I am asked about my daily routine.  What time do I rise in the morning?  How long do I work into the evening?  The answer is always daylight until dark.  In the summer, I am weary.  In the winter, I go dormant like a giant tree.  I loose my leaves and gather my energy.  Spring is just around the corner.

Not to say that there are not chores.  Feeding hay.  Fencing.  Things that get neglected during the busy season.  Nevertheless, Fall is a splendid change of pace.

With that being said, this week kicks off our fall blast CSA.  The last of summer, the first of fall.  4 weeks.

What’s in the bucket? Green beans, sweet peppers, cilantro, kale, carrots, bibb lettuce, red leaf lettuce, Napa cabbage.

What to cook?

Carrot and Napa Salad with Tumeric and Mustard seed

• 1/2 lb carrots, washed and peeled

• 1/2 lb Napa, washed

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• ½ teaspoon salt

• handful cilantro, chopped

• handful raw cashews, or roasted salted peanuts, chopped

• squeeze of lemon

1 Grate the washed and peeled carrots and set aside in a bowl.  Thinly slice or grate Napa cabbage and add to carrots.

2 Heat a saucepan to medium and add olive oil. Then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and turmeric just until you hear the first seeds pop, then remove from heat.

3 Pour the infused oil on the Napa and the carrots. Add salt, cilantro, cashews or peanuts, and lemon and toss.

And

Mayo Clinic Green beans and sweet pepper stir fry

Ingredients
1 pound green beans, stems trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin slices
1/2 teaspoon chili paste or red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cut the beans into 2-inch pieces. Bring a large saucepan 3/4 full of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until they turn bright green and are tender-crisp, 1 to 3 minutes. Drain the beans, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and toss and stir for about 1 minute. Add the beans and saute for 1 minute longer. Add the chili paste and garlic and stir for 1 minute. The beans will be tender and bright green. Drizzle with the sesame oil and season with the salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

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

“Well a good dog on the ground’s worth three in the saddle,
No matter where you’re from
Been many good dog was a friend to a man
But Sam was the greatest one” -Sturgill Simpson

I was raised in the city.  When I was a little girl,  most days you would find me sitting on the back steps with our dogs.  There would have been lots of tail wagging and nodding as they listened to my problems.  Folks claimed someone switched babies in the hospital,  and there was some poor little city girl stuck way out in the country in Mecklenburg County.  But I know I got my love of plants and animals from my mother.  I did not, however, inherit her grace, elegance and charm when dealing with people.

I have always been a bit of an introvert.  That’s why farming has been a wonderful lifestyle for me.  I think we sometimes idealize farms as these utopian places where “troubles melt like lemon drops”.  That is not true.  However you will still sometimes find me on the back steps with my dogs.  They are my companions, my therapists, my friends.  When I look out my window, I see cows, horses, chickens.  At my feet, there is always a heartbeat.    This is what makes me feel like I am not alone.

And so this, the last week of the Dog Days CSA, I thank you for supporting our farm.  And I thank them for the pocket fulls of happiness they give me everyday.

Farm News:  This is the last week of the Dog Days CSA.  I will be delivering in paper bags so be sure to leave your bucket for me.

The next CSA FAll BLAST begins October 16 and ends November 6.  I will be contacting those of you who signed up next week.   Also, beef quarters and packages will be going out October and Early December.  I will let you know when to expect your beef!

What’s in the bucket?  This last week will be a treat.  You will get either a Long Island Cheese pumpkin or a Blue Hubbard squash.  Both huge winter squashes.  The folks who have been buying them at market tell me they prepare them, and freeze them for use all winter.  Alternately, you can use them as a Halloween pumpkin or table decoration:)…or both, they should keep for a while.

Also, peppers (yes, again!  lucky duck!)  And kale, and sweet potatoes, and maybe a few green beans.  They are trying to come in, despite the deer trimming.

I love hearing recipes at the market.  I asked a market customer a few weeks back what she was doing with the Blue Hubbard squash she bought.  She told me….”my Mom makes the best pumpkin pies with these, I’m going to try”.  I asked her recipe.  She said she would find out for me and let me know.

The next week she came back and said….the recipe on the back of the Libby’s pumpkin can is what she uses.  She just substitutes the roasted blue hubbard.  So – following is the Libby’s pumpkin pie recipe.  I think it will work for Long Island Cheese or Blue hubbard.  Just prepare a pumpkin puree out of the roasted squash or pumpkin (sweet potatoes will probably work too) and follow the recipe.

The last wine pairing, from Scenic City Wines, is a port.  Matt tells me it is from one of the oldest wineries in Portugal.

C. N. Kopke Fine Tawny Port

Libby’s Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 t salt

1 3/4 t pumpkin spice

2 large eggs

15 ounces pumpkin puree

1 can evaporated milk

1 unbaked pie shell

whipped cream (optional)

Mix sugar, salt and spice in a small bowl.  Beat eggs in a large bowl, add pumpkin and sugar spice mixture.  Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into a pie shell and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven 15 minutes.  Decrease heat to 350 degrees and bake 40-50 minutes until a knife comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack 2 hours.  Serve immediately topped with whipped cream, or refrigerate.

Happy Eating, Happy Pumpkin Pie, and Happy Dog Days End.  Thanks for supporting and buying local produce from Circle S Farm.