Circle S Farms

Pumpkin Head

We bought a pumpkin big and round
that lived the summer through
without an eye to look at things …
and now it looks through two.

It used to be all dark inside
when growing on the vine,
but now it has a toothy smile
and face that’s full of shine.

– Aileen Fisher

Last week of pumpkins – in honor of halloween.  If you don’t want to eat them both, at least you can carve them!!  They will keep for weeks or even months if you don’t carve them, so you can wait until you have your pumpkin craving.

This will also be the last week for peppers.  If you have been collecting them, this might be a good time to stuff some.  Or just cut them in half and take the seeds out – then freeze them and you can stuff them later.  I always freeze peppers for winter because I have a hard time finding organic peppers.  It is worth noting that the environmental working group put bell peppers on its list of 12 foods most contaminated with pesticides.

We will have turnips again this week, and kohlrabi, AND last week for cabbage.  Typically, I try to put things in the buckets for two weeks in a row so the half shares won’t miss anything!!

If your having trouble eating all your kohlrabi – remember it is a member of the cabbage family of cruciferous vegetables and therefore has a place among the world’s healthiest foods.  It contains insoles, sulforaphane and isothiocynates – cancer fighting photochemicals.  It’s also a good source of vitamin C and potassium.  It’s great raw – as a snack – so no fuss there!!

What’s in the bucket?  Turnips, pumpkin, bell peppers, kohlrabi, cabbage, daikon radishes (see link from last week’s blog).  We will also throw in some greens this week – turnip or mustard.

We will be having hot pepper jelly again this week – again, so the half shares don’t miss it.  It is excellent on a piece of cornbread – or with cream cheese and crackers.  Also pretty good on a turkey or cheese sandwich!  It will also keep up to a year, so save it for something special if you wish.

Next – a recipe for Vegetable Ceviche.  If you don’t have carrots left over from a few weeks ago, substitute peppers.  Turnips sliced thin along with the radishes is a nice addition too!

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

For the marinade/ dressing:

3 tblspoon Good Quality Olive Oil
3 tblspoon Cider Vinegar
1 large Garlic Clove
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (whole)
1 Large Lemon- Juice only
Ground Black Pepper to taste

For the Salad (you can use the quantities you prefer if you would rather have more radish than carrot etc):

1 large Kohlrabi or two smaller ones (I read that if its larger than a tennis ball then it can be slightly bitter so I’d suggest two smaller ones)
10-12 Radishes/Daikon Radishes
4 Carrots
Handful of seed mix – I used Sunflower seeds, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds
Handful of Carrot leaves as a garnish, or parsley

Mix all of the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl and put to one side.

Peel the Kohlrabi (I kept peeling untill it no longer had any green on it and was just white) then thinly slice it using a sharp knife. Place the slices of Kohlrabi into the bowl of dressing and mix so it is all coated.

Wash and peel the carrots then thinly slice them. For the thicker part of the carrot I First sliced it into half or quarters lengthways and then continued to slice the carrot. I often don’t peel my carrots but because this dish is quite neat and pretty I think it is necessary.

Wash and thinly slice the Radishes then add them and the carrots into the bowl with the kohlrabi and mix. Leave this in the bowl for around 30 mins.

Take your platter tray or plate and first layer the Kohlrabi slices over lapping them so they create a full base. You can do this in circles on a round plate or in a long line like I have.

Scatter the radishes and carrots over the Kohlrabi so that everything is evenly spread, then add a sprinkle of seeds and a garnish of carrot tops! This will start to build character as you build up all of the ingredients.

Finally drizzle the dressing from the bowl over the platter and then serve!

Happy Eating and thanks for buying local food from Circle S.  PS.  Don’t despair  – next week it will be back to greens and beets….

Good news – we have a bumper sweet potato crop!!  I have been working my tail off to get them in and they are now (well most of them) in to cure.  They need to cure for about a week to heal from any damage in digging them, and to develop their wonderful sweet flavor.

So …you won’t see any in your bucket for several weeks, but it’s something to look forward to!

Farm News:  Calves!  We have 6 so far – beautiful babies.  It’s my favorite time of year.  So much fun to watch them arrive and learn to play with each other.  And fun to see the mothers work it out – they leave one Momma to baby sit while the others go out and graze.

What’s in the bucket:  the greens and lettuce still have hail storm damage.  I am hoping in a few weeks they will recover.  So – it’s all about roots!!  Daikon radish (see link for recipes), turnip roots, kohlrabi (not technically a root but may as well be) , cabbage, peppers (I know they are piling up – but they freeze well, keep well, and are about to be out of season!), and in honor of halloween…a pumpkin.  You can carve it or do whatever you want with it – but keep in mind, they are excellent eating!!  And last but not least – pepper jelly.  Beware, it will have a bit of heat.  Great with cream cheese and crackers!!

Here’s a link for daikon radish recipes.
http://nhpr.org/post/what-do-daikon-radishes

Happy Eating and thanks for buying local food from our farm.

Letty

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean.  But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”  Mother Teresa

Farm news:  I am in Fort Morgan, Al, at the beach with some girlfriends.  I have heard we have had some chilly weather at home.  I am anxious to see how the garden is holding up.

Sunrise with Blue Heron

What’s in the bucket:  hakurei turnips and/or radishes, tomatoes, arugula, braising greens, turnip greens, peppers (hopefully, if they didn’t freeze), Okra (ditto), winter squash, carrots, beets and a jar of sinful caramel apple butter.

ROASTED BEETS

one bunch of beets

feta cheese

fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper

olive oil

Peel roots and trim tops of beets.  Toss in olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.   Roast on baking pan in oven at 400 degrees until tender.

Remove from oven and let cool to room temp.  Slice beets into rounds.  Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, squeeze of lemon, and sprinkle of feta cheese.

-shareholder recipe

Happy fall eating and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm!!

Look back at our struggle for freedom,
Trace our present day’s strength to it’s source;
And you’ll find that man’s pathway to glory
Is strewn with the bones of the horse.
~Author Unknown

Those of you who know me well know how I love horses!!  In fact, it’s what got me hooked on this whole farming thing to start with.  I was raised a city girl, but fell in love with horses at first sight.  I was allowed to take horseback riding lessons as soon as I could walk, and I lived and breathed horses through high school, working and playing at the barn every spare minute.   I promised myself that when I grew up, I’d live in a place where I could have as many horses as I wanted!  And I do.  However, the way it has worked out – I got into this market garden idea – and haven’t had time to ride my horses at all the last few years.

I have thought how fun it would be to have a team to work the fields.  I finally have them!!  A team of draft mules I got from a friend in Missouri.  They know their job, and have been farming for years.  I am hoping they will teach me the ropes, and we can enjoy working together – and I can get back to doing one of my favorite things…playing with horses.

OK – Mack and Madge are their names.  Enough about that.  On to what’s important.

Farm News:  Mack and Madge!!   We have been putting up hay this week.  Curtis got it all cut and put up with no rain – yahoo.

What’s in the Bucket:  carrots, beets, radish or hakurei turnips, turnip greens, arugula, tomatoes, winter squash, braising greens, okra and peppers.

Following, a great recipe for turnip greens – or braising greens – or you can mix them together.  You can use vegetable stock or chicken stock.

The secret to this dish lies in how Hernandez bucks Southern convention and forgoes pork (Madness, we know!) in favor of chicken stock and spikes the greens with flakes of chile de arbol. Enjoy!

Eddie’s Turnip Greens
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
6 cups cleaned, cooked and chopped turnip greens
1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 tbs chopped garlic
3 cups chicken stock
3 oz. margarine
1 tbss ground chili de arbol

Preparation:
In a saucepan saute onions, garlic and chili de arbol with margarine until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes. Add cooked turnip greens and chicken stock, bring to a boil, boil for 5 minutes then lower flame and simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Happy eating and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm!!

The spider’s touch, how exquisitely fine!
Feels at each thread, and lives along the line.
~Alexander Pope

They’re back!!  The writing spiders are back in full force.  I bet there are 200 of these big spiders in my tunnel.  I have to clear the doorway with my hoe every time I walk in there because they have a web stretched across the door.  I think they are beautiful, but honestly,  it’s intimidating to walk in there.  My tomatoes are kind of on their own!!

Farm News:  Last week of CSA summer session.  Please remember to put your buckets out for me, and I will leave a paper bag of goodies for you.

Also – Circle S Beef is back!!  We have been processing our steers and  if you signed up for a quarter of beef, you will be getting a call from me soon!!

What’s in the bucket?  The end of the garden will be in the bucket.  Whatever I can find out there for you – so no promises.  We have an assortment of winter squash, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes left.  Also bits and pieces of other things so – it will be a surprise.

Curried Winter Squash Soup

3 T unsalted butter

1 cup chopped scallions

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 jalapeño pepper seeded and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 # butternut, acorn and or blue hubbard squash or a combination; peeled, seeded and cubed

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups peeled chopped fresh tomatoes

12 whole fresh curry leaves (optional)

1/2 t ground allspice

1/4 t ground mace

pinch freshly grated nutmeg

2 t curry powder

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup fresh parsley for garnish

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add scallions, sauté 3 minutes.  Stir in parsley, jalapeño, and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Add squash, and toss to coat with scallion mixture.  Add stock, tomatoes, curry leaves, allspice, mace and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil;  reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the squash is very tender, about 45 minutes.  Let cool slightly.

Puree soup in batches in blender or food processor.

Transfer soup back to the pot.  Stir in curry powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Return soup to a simmer and heat through.  Garnish with parsley when serving.

Thanks so much for all your support this season.  I have enjoyed growing veggies for everyone, thanks for buying local food from our farm!!  If you signed up for the fall/winter session, it will begin the first of October.  You will be hearing from me soon…..

“When you are new at sheep-raising and your ewe has a lamb, your impulse is to stay there and help it nurse and see to it and all. After a while, you know that the best thing you can do is walk out of the barn.”
Wendell Berry

This is one of the hardest lessons in farming.  Nature can be cruel, to animals and crops, and more often than not there is nothing you can do to fix it.  It keeps things interesting!!

Farm news:  2 more weeks of CSA.  If you are a half share, this is your last week.  Please remember your buckets, I will be bringing your share in a brown paper bag.

What’s in the bucket:  baking potatoes, green and red tomatoes, acorn squash, peppers, okra, apples or concord grapes

Acorn squash salad:

2 medium acorn squash

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

6 T orange or tangerine juice

3 T maple syrup

2 T candied ginger (or fresh)

1/2 t salt

1/8 t cayenne pepper

lettuce greens

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Place the squash halves cut sides down on a baking sheet.  Bake until tender, 30-45 minutes.  Cool completely, scoop out soft flesh and roughly chop.  Place in a bowl and set aside.

Combine olive oil, cilantro, orange juice, maple syrup, ginger, salt and cayenne in a blender or food processor.  Blend well.

Pour dressing over squash and toss gently.  Chill for at least 1 hour.

Serve over a bed of lightly dressed greens.

Happy eating and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm

Do what we can, summer will have its flies. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last night was Logan’s last night and now he’s headed home for the beginning of his school year.  We went to have dinner with Curtis’s family – a wonderful meal, breakfast for supper.  We had a grits casserole with Riverview farm grits, spicy sausage from Hoe Hop Valley farm, and eggs and tomatoes from Circle S.  For dessert – cinnamon rolls from Bountiful Blessings bakery.

We had a good laugh at all the fruit flies fighting for our food!  Finally, Jan (my sister in law) googled trapping fruit flies.  She came up with a home remedy for catching the little devils.  Dish soap, vinegar and water in a butter bowl.  So we mixed it up and sat it in the middle of the table.  Our entertainment for the evening was seeing how many fruit flies we could catch!!  You might be a redneck…..if you catch fruit flies for entertainment at dinner!

Farm News:  Three more weeks of our summer CSA.  The session ends August 27.  I am busy planting for the fall and winter CSA which starts in October.

What’s in the bucket?  Tomatoes, peppers, butternut squash, okra, baking potatoes, apples.

Hot Pepper Jelly

1/4 cup chopped hot peppers (use gloves)

6 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups chopped bell pepper (or other sweet peppers)

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 package Certo (do not substitute sure jel)

Mix first four ingredients together.  Boil 3 minutes.  Add certo, boil one minute.  Pour in hot, sterilized jelly jars.  Secure rings and lids.   Submerge in water bath for 15 minutes.  Remove from water bath and set on a towel to cool.  Do not disturb for 24 hours.  Make sure jars have sealed – if any have not, put them in the refrigerator.

“In winter I get up at night

And dress by yellow candle-light

In summer quite the other way,

I have to go to bed by day.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

I’m always glad to see the days get shorter.  Some nights Curtis and I sit and wait for it to get dark so the chickens will go into their houses and we can close them up and go to bed.

We spent the weekend with my Mom and Dad in Blowing Rock.  The weather was a bit rainy but we had fun in spite of it!  Of course, we had to leave today and it was beautiful!

Farm News:  Hoping no news is good news.  We are headed home, so we’ll see.

What’s in the bucket?  Spaghetti squash, tomatoes, baking potatoes, okra, peppers, basil and apples.

Following – a recipe for spaghetti squash.  It calls for cherry tomatoes – but I think any tomato will do!!

Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes, Basil, and Parmesan

Ingredients:

Directions:

Thanks for buying local food from our farm!!

“Answer July—
Where is the Bee—
Where is the Blush—
Where is the Hay?

Ah, said July—
Where is the Seed—
Where is the Bud—
Where is the May—
Answer Thee—Me—”
–  Emily Dickinson, Answer July 

Farm News:  Logan is finally here!! Yipee, we’ve been waiting all summer and he will be here until the second week in August.

Rooster crowing!!  One of our little chicks has started crowing.  It’s hard to tell whether a chick is a rooster or a hen until they get about 6 months old.  I usually can’t tell until they start crowing – which is what happened.  I listened out the window a few mornings ago and thought ‘what in the world is that?’.   It takes a while for a rooster to learn to crow, and their first attempts are downright pitiful.  He’s feeling pretty proud of himself, though, and I saw him sitting on the gate the other day crowing and looking at our other, much bigger rooster.  He’ll learn about that other rooster soon enough.

What’s in the bucket?  Lots of maters and peppers, okra, white potatoes, field peas OR sweet corn OR eggplant (all of which are fading fast), berries

If you get totally overrun with peppers, they freeze great for cooked dishes.  Chop some up and freeze them, then when you are making sauces or soups this winter, you can just grab them out of the freezer.  I also make a batch of pepper jelly every year, which is fairly simple.

Stuffed Peppers

ingredients

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup fresh diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 bell peppers, tops cut, stemmed and seeded

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine quinoa, green chiles, corn, beans, tomatoes, cheeses, cilantro, cumin, garlic, onion and chili powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Spoon the filling each each bell pepper cavity. Place on prepared baking dish, cavity side up, and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through, about 25-30 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

The diligent farmer plants trees,
of which he himself will
never see the fruit.
-Cicero

I think this quote has truth that goes beyond farming.

Curtis and I moved to this farm over 12 years ago, and we inherited all the previous farmer’s hard work.  There were over a dozen mature fruit trees and blueberry bushes.  They planted those apple trees probably 30 years before we ever arrived, and we are now reaping the fruit from those trees.  Whoever comes after us will also have apples and blueberries, but also grapes.  And it goes on.

The truth is, most things in life are this way.  Sometimes it takes years to see the benefit (or treachery) of our actions.  I hope that as a culture and a nation, we are planting trees….

Farm News:  Skunk in the feed room.  Makes me nervous to go in there!~!

What’s in the bucket?  Tomatoes, tomatoes tomatoes.  Cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, roma tomatoes!!!  Onions, sweet corn, field peas, white potatoes, peppers, basil and berries.  (Hoorah – no cabbage or kale!!)

Tomatoes freeze great.  If you are overwhelmed – freeze them.  You can even freeze them whole, and the peels will magically come off when they thaw!!

Classic Tomato Sauce

2 # tomatoes, peeled and chopped

5 T unsalted butter

1 medium onion, minced

1 carrot chopped

1 stalk celery chopped

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup dry red wine

3/4 t salt

1/2 t dried thyme

black pepper

2 T thinly sliced basil

Cook tomatoes partially covered for 45 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally and and breaking up with the back of a spoon.  Transfer tomatoes and juices to a bowl.

Melt butter over medium heat.  Add onions, cook until soft.  Add celery and carrot, cook for 3 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook a minute more.

Add wine and bring to a simmer.  Cook 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, salt, thyme, and pepper to taste.  Cook at a very light simmer, stirring occasionally, until it becomes a thick sauce, about 45 minuets.  Remove from heat and stir in basil.

-from The Real Dirt cookbook

Thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm!!