Circle S Farms

“To make a good salad is to be a brilliant diplomatist – the problem is entirely the same in both cases.  To know how much oil one must mix with one’s vinegar.”

-Oscar Wilde

Farm News:  Yes, more on the crows.

Well, they pull up my sweet corn every year.  Scare Crow – doesn’t scare.  They ate the whole row except at her feet.  Last year we planted it three times and finally, …success!  Under the cover of a row cover the corn sprouted and got big enough.  Big enough to outgrow the corn seed which is what the crow searches out.

So this year, we planted it first time under the row cover.  A no-brainer right?  Wrong.  Those old crows outsmarted me again.  They poked holes in the row cover and pulled it all up.  I tried again and planted corn under the cover of my broccoli plants.  It may be too shady for it to germinate….but I’m hoping they will not discover it until too late.   Will we outsmart old crow?….to be continued.

What’s in the bucket:  OK, more of the same for this week, but big changes will be in order for next week.

A salad mix of young kale, arugula and beet greens (you won’t find one like this at the super market!) kohlrabi (last kohlrabi I promise), young onions, romaine lettuce, red and green leaf lettuce, collard and/or kale or turnip greens, Daikon radish (these are good for the greens too!) and Rosemary.

Lots of salad in order for this week.  Good week to invite some friends over, make a big salad.  Add a some protein of your choice and call it dinner.

Here is a salad dressing recipe (Oil and vinegar if your a diplomat)

(From Cookie and Kate)

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons vinegar of choice (balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Happy Salad eating!  Thanks for buying local food from Circle S farm.

“Oh, we take you into slaughter without a moment’s thought. And yes, some of you come to enjoy it, to lust for that cacophony, that violence, the reek of blood.

And so we share with you, dear horse, our peculiar madness. But who judges us for this crime against you and your kind?

No one.

Unless you horses have a god.”
― Steven Erikson, Reaper’s Gale

I was at a Memorial day celebration yesterday and there was a cannon.  And there was a horse.  The horse did not flinch when the cannon was fired.  It made my heart jump a mile.  And I started thinking about war.  And horses.  And what it would be like to ride a horse into the front lines.   These beautiful kind creatures that bend to our will.   What would a cavalry charge feel like…thundering hooves….adrenaline…fear…courage.

Our horses live a quiet life.  My big girls could pull an a wagon full of ammunition.  I’m glad they don’t have to!   I’m pretty sure none of our horses  would have stood quietly when that cannon went off.

And thus starts another Memorial Day delivery.  I believe this is the 19th year I have delivered on Memorial Day.  But this is the first year Memorial Day begins the season.  And thus we start off with a bang…

Farm News:  I am thankful for last weeks rain.  The land was getting parched and thirsty.  Jennifer and I have been working hard to get the garden growing – and as usual the crows are pulling up the sweet corn…..more on that next week. This is always a busy time.  Curtis is trying to cut hay so our cows will have feed next winter.  Fertilizer of any kind is extremely expensive this year, and diesel fuel too.  Maybe I need to put my girls to work behind the hay rake!  Oh – if I could only get out of the garden for a moment….

What’s in the CSA bucket this week:  Kohlrabi, arugula, radish, greens (collard or kale), young onions and red and green lettuce.

OK – I’m always looking for a new way to use Kohlrabi.  It is delicious raw, for sure.  But it tends to come in in droves.  So…

Kohlrabi noodles?  Why not.  You will need a spiralizer.  But – if you have one, give it a try.  They are delicious.  Just spiralize them and then saute lightly in butter.  Add garlic.  Top with arugula torn into pieces, and parmesan.

Recipe:

2 Kohlrabi spiralized

2 radishes, sliced thinly

1 T butter (add more to taste if needed, or EVOO once liquid has cooked out of kohlrabi)

1/2 t salt

1 clove garlic pressed

arugula cut into ribbons and grated parmesan cheese, cracked pepper to top it off

Spiralize kohlrabi into linguine sized noodles.  Toss with salt.  Let them sit 10 minutes or so if you have time – pour off liquid.

Saute noodles and garlic in butter until noodles are tender.  Divide onto plates and top with pepper, parmesan and finally…arugula cut into ribbons.  Garnish with sliced radishes.

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”  -Francios de la Rockefoucauld

Thanks to all of you who signed up for the 2022 CSA.

Looking forward to growing healthy, delicious food for you!  Stay tuned….the CSA will start the first week in June.

Letty

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, “Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
― Lewis Carroll

Good day to think warm thoughts about summer tomatoes. I am choosing it to release our 2022 CSA sign up info for when summer comes again! 

Go to our CSA link on the website to sign up, or the link to the online store.

Thanks to all of you who support our farm and local agriculture even when we are only dreaming of the next season.

“Be proactive not reactive, for an apparently insignificant issue ignored today can spawn tomorrow’s catastrophe”   -Ken Poirot

Ok – so it was a gate they never went through.  Not even a gate – panels we put up and chained to the posts.  The cows had never tried to push on them before.  I will admit, the last time I walked by, I tied a tired hay string around them.  Not sure what I thought that would do.  At any rate, Thursday morning when I went out to check for new calves – I saw the cows pushing through the garden gate.  I ran.  But it was too late.  So I started pulling collard plants, and carrots, and kale.  Daikons and turnips.  As fast as I could and throwing it over the fence so the cows couldn’t reach it.  Luckily we hadn’t mowed the grass around the garden, so it took the cows a few minutes to get to the garden – but then the race was on.  Trying to stay ahead of 50 hungry cows is no easy task.  Didn’t help that it was a foggy, cold miserable day.  One cow had her calf and never picked her head up to quit eating collard greens.

After about 30 minutes it was over.  They had caught up with me, and I had to hand it over to them. 

So – glass half full – I’m so glad this didn’t happen earlier in the season.  I was able to harvest enough for my last week of CSA.  Our market sales will take a hit – but this is the kind of thing farmer’s have nightmares about.  I remember Roy Jones at Jones Farm saying he didn’t sleep one whole winter….he had a contract on his strawberries and was terrified his cows would get through the fence and eat the plants.  So this is a minor set back.   Important to keep your sense of humor, right?  So we will be selling collard fed beef next year….a delicacy.

Farm News: The cows busted into the garden.  I need therapy.   Cows and calves are fat and happy after eating collard greens, mustard greens, daikon and turnip root.  Luckily, Loofa sponges were left untouched:)

What’s in the last CSA share:  Rescued roots and greens.  Dried oyster mushrooms (rehydrate with hot water).  Peppers left over from market last week.  Winter squash and sweet potatoes.

“It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”    -Neil Young

This is the last week for half shares.  One more week of fall blast.  And I will say I am burning out.  Cows calving, a horse sick, Diamond thieving eggs.  Other things to tend to.  I wish I could make a cocoon and emerge a butterfly in the spring!

That being said – a flurry of fabulous food this week….and loofa sponges.

Farm News:  One of my friends is sick.  A horse.  An old friend, Merle.   Trying my best to take care of her and get everything else done too.

On a lighter note  – Diamond has been caught thieving eggs.  A punishable offense.  However, she seems to be burying them for later use.  Perhaps she is stockpiling them for us?  Not sure whether to persecute or reward:)

What’s in the bucket?  Carrots, sweet potatoes, ginger, head lettuce, mustard greens, and LOOFA Sponges.  These we grow, peel and deseed.  Then cut into pieces.  They are amazing dish washers and bath sponges and completely biodegradable, yay.

As it turns colder – soup sounds pretty inviting.  Following – a recipe for carrot, sweet potato and ginger soup.

Curried Carrot, Sweet Potato, and Ginger Soup

Carrots and sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, which promotes healthy vision. Add whole grain crackers for fiber and dipping.

Yield:

serves 5 (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

 Rita Maas

Happy Eating, happy burn out and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm.

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.”
― Milan Kundera

Dog camp this week.  I am the lucky girl who sometimes gets to keep dog children.  And it is always a treat.  (not to mention – we do have a dog treat company – what dog wouldn’t love that perk).  Go on Temple Top Treats!!  We had six dogs at dog camp this week (well, including our 2).

heavenly day

So sad it is dark outside and we had to come indoors!

Nevertheless – these cutie pies joined us to help at Circle S this weekend.  And what beautiful weather it was….we were all soaking up sun in the green grass of the garden together.  And yes – it was peaceful…sheer bliss!

Farm News:  Dog camp this week!~ Oh yes – and we had three new baby calves today.  More to come….fingers crossed.

What’s in the Bucket:  butternut squash, cilantro, Poblano peppers, turnip greens, braising greens, daikon radish, bibb lettuce, oyster mushrooms (from our new mushroom logs…yay!)

Following a recipe for Butternut squash enchiladas (what’s not to love?)  You can use your oyster mushrooms – substitute for cremini.  Recipe from Completely Delicious.

“If you hear ‘I will show you pepper’, you are very fortunate. If he shows you his pepper, show him your tomatoes; he shows you his ginger, you show him your onions. With these ingredients, you are on your way to becoming friends on spicy pot of stew.”
― Vincent Okay Nwachukwu, Weighty ‘n’ Worthy African Proverbs – Volume 1

I didn’t even see Diamond’s nose in this picture until I put it in the blog.  What a nosy girl she is!

I love fall peppers.  They turn in all their glory, like the trees, into fabulous colors.  And they smell fantastic.   I am also a lover of spicy food – so I make them into hot sauce, pickled peppers, salsa.  And fall is a time when the days start to get shorter.  I have a little more time to prepare a meal – and seem to enjoy it without a daunting season of farming ahead.

This is my latest dish of choice.  I sort of get hung up on a dish sometimes.  Curtis will roll his eyes when I pull this out of the fridge tonight.  It has been a staple.  The side dishes change, but nevertheless….

This salad has lettuce mix in the middle.  Then potato salad, blanched green beans, pickled onions, Sequatchie cove cheese, walnuts, chickpeas, sweet peppers and boiled Circle S eggs around the side.  But I have been getting creative with the proteins and grains.  Long grain rice and any kind of bean works great.  Also – salmon or chicken.  Salty olives or smoked trout is an excellent addition.  It is basically a glorified chef salad – but I love that all of the good stuff doesn’t end up in the bottom of the bowl.  And Curtis and I will eat on this salad for several nights – so it keeps better than tossing everything together I think.

Farm News:  our cows will start calving any day now….more on that next week.

What’s in the bucket?  Stored onions, Russet potatoes, garlic.  And from the garden: sweet lettuce mix, arugula, kale, mustard greens, sweet and hot peppers, green beans, maybe a small patty pan squash.

If the storage onions are to tough for you, pickle them.  Boil either white vinegar or red wine vinegar.  Add a pinch of salt and other spices or a bay leaf if you wish.  Pour the vinegar over the onions.  Let them cool and refrigerate.  They are fantastic on salads, burgers etc.  (and less likely to give you the halitosis:)

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

“The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star.”
― Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

plated salad recipe follows from Kenny Burnap/ Kenny’s Sandwich Shop

So excited to have a recipe from Kenny Burnap of Kenny’s Sandwiches 1251 Market Street.  Read on to see how he makes this beautiful salad.

Farm News:  This is the last week of summer CSA.  As always, a huge thank you to all of you.  My CSA is my favorite part of farming.    And it’s because of you.  Your kindness.  Your pictures.  Your encouragement.  You help keep our farm in business and I am indeed indebted to you.

So – on with housekeeping.  Please leave your bucket out and everyone gets a paper bag this week.  If you signed up for fall veggies, or beef, I will be in touch soon.  Let me get organized:)

Other farm news:  Another thank you going out to Michael at Broadfork Meadows farm.  If you got an egg share – you have enjoyed his precious eggs.

Curtis and I have a small chicken herd and pride ourselves on the beauty of the eggs and independence of our hens.  However, sometimes that is not a great business model – and so we find ourselves short on  chickens and eggs.  Most recently something killed the rest of my young chickens all in one fell swoop.  Broke into one of our houses and ate them all.  So we are grateful for Michael for helping us and providing fabulous eggs for our CSA customers.

What’s in the bucket?  or bag as is the case this week:  Sweet corn rescued from the field – summer squash, tomatoes, onions, edamame, purple potatoes and basil.  Lots of basil so make pesto!  Also – maybe okra or eggplant?  or peppers?  Just starting to trickle in.

AND NOW…..What you have been waiting for…..the plated salad recipe!

Kenny Burnap and I have known each other for a long time.  Curtis and I met Kenny years ago when he was working as chef for St. John’s restaurant.  We were honored to deliver produce to him at St. John’s for quite a while, and now I am thrilled that he has opened his own restaurant.

Kenny is a culinary guru.   I know this for two reasons – I have eaten at St. John’s when he was in charge – and eaten at his restaurant Kenny’s …every chance I get.  The other reason is, I know how he shops for ingredients.  Your food can only be fantastic if you start with the freshest ingredients.  So Kenny has a relationship with lots of small farms like us, and he stays in touch.

If you haven’t eaten at Kenny’s Sandwich shop, you need to go.  It is on Market Street – and open for Breakfast and Lunch every day except Monday.   It’s a hard decision to make when you look at the menu – so you will keep going back.  Black-eyed pea Falafel?  Brisket Reuben?  or hard to turn down one of the best burgers in town.  Not to mention fabulous breakfast fare all day.  Visit his website to see the particulars www.kennyssandwiches.com

Kenny not only supports local farms with his restaurant, but I was humbled (and honestly a little bit nervous) when he joined our CSA this year.  But he and his family have been generous and kind, as usual.  And I am amazed to think that he is in his restaurant for most of the day, and then comes home and cooks with his family at night.

So, without further introduction, here is Kenny’s recipe for a plated salad with your CSA ingredients this week.  As beautiful as it is delicious.

Big Platter Salad (serves 4 to 6)

This is a laid back salad made to show off attractive and beautiful tasting produce! Perfect for whatever awesome veggies, fruit, homemade dressings, nuts, and cheeses you have on hand. This salad would also be great with grilled chicken or smoked trout if you wanted to add a meat.

Plating the salad on a platter gives you a nice horizontal surface to present all of the ingredients so they can really be seen. It also helps picky eaters in your family to serve themselves what they want.  My oldest daughter doesn’t like tomatoes but loves lettuce and my youngest daughter loves tomatoes but doesn’t like lettuce!

Ingredients:

Several Handfuls Mixed Salad Greens

¼ cup to ½ cup Green Goddess Dressing (see recipe below)

¼ cup Marcona Almonds

1 cup Whole Edamame

3 Purple Potatoes

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes

2 ears Sweet Corn

½ cup Cotija Cheese

Method: 

Green Goddess Dressing –

1 cup whole milk greek yogurt

¼ cup whole fat buttermilk

1 cup parsley

1 cup mix of cilantro, chives, tarragon, dill, mint, basil

1 tablespoon diced onion

2 tablespoon lemon juice & ½ teaspoon zest

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 or 2 anchovy filets

1 teaspoon capers

1 garlic clove

1 teaspoon deseeded diced jalapeno

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a bowl with an immersion blender or blend in blender. Taste for seasoning with salt and pepper. Adjust consistency with more buttermilk if needed.

Edamame –

Cook whole in salted boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and put in ice water to stop cooking. Pop edamame from their pods into a small bowl.

Purple Potatoes –

Cut potatoes into nice wedges and cook in simmering salted water for 15 minutes or until tender but not falling apart. Drain and let cool on a plate in a single layer. Season potatoes while warm with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Corn –

If the corn is fresh and sweet, eat it raw! If not, cook corn in the husk on the grill or by steaming. Cut corn off cob and reserve in a bowl.

Assembly & Plating –

Spoon ⅓ of your dressing on the bottom of the platter in a circular pattern.

Arrange salad greens in a single layer on top of dressing.

Evenly scatter veggies and cheese across salad greens. Think about shapes and colors here similar to a flower arrangement. Try not to stack or bury the ingredients on top of each other but have them sit side by side and kind of tuck together.

Use the rest of the dressing, spooning in the same circular motion as before.

Then sprinkle marcona almonds on top.

Serve family style and enjoy!

Thanks Kenny!

And thank you all for buying local food from Circle S Farm!

‘They said to each other, “It is a spirit that perhaps has smelt our broiling venison and wishes to eat of it; let us offer some to her.” They presented her with the tongue; she was pleased with the taste of it and said: “Your kindness shall be rewarded; come to this place after thirteen moons, and you will find something that will be of great benefit in nourishing you and your children to the latest generations.” They did so, and to their surprise found plants they had never seen before, but which from that ancient time have been constantly cultivated among us to our great advantage. Where her right hand had touched the ground they found maize; where her left had touched it they found kidney-beans; and where her backside had sat on it they found tobacco.’

-Benjamin Franklin quoting the Susquehanna Indians in Remarks Concerning the Savages

Farm News:  This is the next to the last week of spring/summer CSA.  So, If you are a half share, this is your last week:(

I have been in Blowing Rock, NC with my family.  Mother and Father, Brother and Sister in Law over the weekend.  And obsessively worrying about the sweet corn.

It seems sweet corn is of no use to most animals until it is absolutely and perfectly ready.  Then, all of a sudden, night time becomes a raccoon party in the corn field.  Day time becomes crow show.  Not to mention ear worms and some kind of black flea beetle I can’t seem to control.  I asked my friend Brad Swancy at Riverview Milling a few years ago – what eats corn and piles the shucks all in one place?  He said, I think that’s a bear.  REALLY?  I questioned his reply until I saw a bear in the road on my way home a few weeks ago.  SO…

What’s in the Bucket:  Sweet Corn!  Well, I’m promising it for today anyway….lions and tigers and BEARS!  Holy Tomato Batman.  Yes, this is tomato week.  The bulk of them are coming in now.  Also, Edamame, a pepper? maybe, still summer squash and zucchini, onions and….you guessed it….potatoes.  No potato famine this year.

I’m sure you have potatoes and onions stacked up by now.  Remember – they both store better in the dark.  I have heard you are not supposed to store potatoes in the refrigerator -but I’m not sure why.  I typically store them in a paper bag under the counter.  They like it to be dark. If they sprout it’s not big deal.  Just pluck the sprouts off and continue as usual.

The cherry tomatoes have been a disappointment.  I fed them to the chickens last week (who, I will say, had no complaints).  They split as soon as you pick them and you end up with a bucket of fruit flies and tomato goo.  UUGGGGH.  Jennifer picked them last week and had a much better attitude about it – but she did say, “these tomatoes are splitting in real time”.

As for zucchini and squash –   Zucchini noodles?  I got a spiralizer a few years ago and that’s kind of fun to do once a year.  Roast it, grill it, Zucchini bread?  Lately, I’ve been making something I call redneck ratatouille.  I LOVE ratatouille – especially Julia Child’s recipe.  But our eggplant crop fizzled – and that recipe is a time consuming deal – even if it’s delicious.

So, here’s how:

1. Saute 2 zucchini and a sliced or diced onion in a healthy amount of butter.  You can use olive oil to lighten it up – but it won’t be as sinful.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. I usually use a skillet I can stick in the oven – but if you don’t have one transfer to a casserole.
3. Thinly slice beefsteak tomatoes and spread over the top of the squash.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on tomatoes, and maybe some oregano – or chopped fresh basil.  A healthy handful of grated cheese..
4. put in the oven at 350 degrees until bubbling and cheese is melted.
5. Serve with crusty bread and/or pasta

Here’s another idea.  A shareholder sent me this picture of roasted squash and potatoes.  There may be an onion in there as well.  It’s beautiful, one way or the other.  I love the colors and purple potatoes!

Also – a shout out for Main Street Farmer’s Market.  It is National Farmer’s Market week.  So Main Street Farmer’s Market will be hosting guest vendors, and have live music, and have a bingo card for which you can win BIG prizes.  As always – hosted in the parking lot of Chattanooga Brewing.  Be there or be square:)

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