Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Newsletter

Greetings CSA Members, Since last Wednesday we have had 5” of rainfall at the farm. The Tomhannock Creek (which normally at this time of year is a dribble) is raging. We still cannot cross at our usual spot, the ford, and are forced to walk over the wobbly footbridge to harvest most of the vegetables. Thus life is just a bit stressful here at the farm this week. Most of the lettuce and especially the spinach have melted into the water-drenched fields. We are fortunate to have working on the farm part-time a wonderful woman who at nearly 10 years older than myself can run circles around me out in the fields. She presently is enrolled at Green Mountain College in Vermont in a Sustainable Agriculture Graduate program. We are lucky to have Jeannine as a friend. Her account of the rainy workweek tells it best. “I work Wednesday through Friday, so my first day last week was the first of the downpour days. Wednesday is our CSA delivery day, when we are usually in the packing barn for a couple of hours in the morning boxing 247 shares Ford-assembly-line style. That went as planned, except for about 15 minutes when Brian herded us into the house, worried that the barn was not a safe place if lightning should strike. We usually spend the rest of Wednesday and Thursday weeding and transplanting. Because we knew the forecast, and because the majority of the farm is across a river that we usually ford with the tractor and wagon, we harvested Wednesday afternoon instead of weeding. Outfitted in yellow overall-and-jacket slickers the Denisons provide, we pulled and dug and picked up all the heavy veggies--carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, potatoes--anticipating not being able to get across the river on Friday, our usual day for harvesting for the markets and the remaining CSA shares. We usually sort out discards and bunch in the field, but in the rain and mud, we filled our totes as quickly and full as possible, knowing we'd be better able to tell good from bad when these crops were washed. Thursday, I was at a farm conference in Vermont, which worked out well, as some of the commuting workers went home at 1 pm. There is only so much inside work--washing the vegetables we had harvested the day before, cleaning the three greenhouses, lifting the tomato and cucumber trellises higher and weeding in two of them. Friday morning was beautiful with no rain and a sky rinsed shiny clean, but the river ford was impassable, the water flowing fast and about 6 feet deep. We could finish the harvest in our tall boots--no hot slickers needed. We carried empty totes across a wide and springy (!) footbridge and brought them back full of the lighter crops--chard, bok choi, kale, herbs, baby greens, arugula. Three totes came over lashed with bungee cords to a hand truck, but the rest we carried on shoulders and heads. Walter, from Jamaica, loves to record special circumstances, so he photographed it all. We looked like the Denison Farm was in the rainforest, all of us bearing our burdens high as we walked into the glistening wet and green. After washing and packing everything for the fewer CSA members that pickup Saturday and the large clientele at the Troy and Saratoga Markets, we went back over the footbridge to pick green beans at the end of the day. Those plants need to be as dry as possible for picking, so we don't risk damaging the vines. Don't I work for a smart farmer? It seems like our challenges almost always leave us feeling triumphant and exhilarated, and definitely raise our crew spirit.” In your share this week, you will most likely receive: Sweet Onions, Bok Choi, Pickling Cucumbers, Cilantro, Green Beans, Carrots, Melon, and Green Peppers or Eggplant Enjoy and take good care - Justine Chilled Cucumber Soup 1 large or 3-4 pickling cucumbers 1 clove garlic 1 quart buttermilk 1 knife tip ground cumin 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Dark bread Peel the cucumbers. Cut slices in finger-thick chunks. Put in blender with other ingredients except dark bread. Blend. Refrigerate at least 1/2 hour before serving. Cut dark bread into cubes. Toast to croutons in a thick pan. Blend soup again before serving. Add croutons when serving. Green Beans with Garlic, Lemon, and Parsley 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Place beans in bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well. Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add beans; sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving dish. Gingery Sweet Pickled Vegetables The Joy of Pickling | October 1999 1/2 pound 2- to 3-inch pickling cucumbers 1 teaspoon pickling salt 1/2 cup peeled, thin-sliced fresh ginger 2 small dried chile peppers 1 1/2 cups rice vinegar 1 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 cups diagonal carrot slices (1/2 inch thick) 1 large bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares 3/4 pounds onions (1 large or 2 medium), cut into 1-inch chunks Gently wash the cucumbers, and cut them into 1-inch lengths, discarding a thin slice from each end. Toss the cucumbers with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let the cucumbers stand for 1 to 2 hours. In a large nonreactive saucepan, bring to a boil the ginger, chile peppers, vinegar, water, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove the pot from the heat, and add the carrots. Let the mixture cool. Drain and rinse the cucumbers, and drain them again. Add the cucumbers, pepper, and onion to the saucepan. Mix well, then transfer the vegetables and liquid to a 2-quart jar. Cover the jar with a nonreactive cap, and refrigerate it. The pickles will be ready to eat after about 3 days. Refrigerated, they will keep for at least 2 months.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Newsletter

Tuesday July 22, 2008

Greetings CSA Members,
What an amusing sight I was Sunday evening, attempting to milk the goats in between the thunderstorms. Each time I thought the coast was clear, I would head out to the barn. Once I had a goat in the stanchion and I was beginning to milk, it would start to thunder. Frantically I would milk as fast as I could, yank the goat back into the pen, and run for the house. Now this happened three times and by 9:00, as a teary-eyed farm wife, I was absolutely pathetic! So there you have it - true confessions from a CSA Farmer. And so now it is your turn. I would love to share in a newsletter some “True Confessions From a CSA Member”. For example, one week, a lovely CSA member approached me and whispered that she identifies the various vegetables each week by process of elimination. I informed her that she was not alone and that no question was ever too small or too foolish. So if you have an embarrassing moment that you would be willing to share as you have discovered what is and what is not in your weekly share or how you created some wonderful new dish such as Strawberry-Swiss Chard Pie (thinking that the Swiss Chard was rhubarb), please send me your anecdote via email.
I am also including a piece that Rebeca shared with me from Cook’s Illustrated and I thought would be valuable.

WHICH VEGETABLES SHOULD BE STORED WHERE

BEST in the FRONT of the FRIDGE: corn (after wrapping in a wet paper bag placed inside a plastic bag) and peas

BEST in the CRISPER: artichokes, asparagus (after trimming the ends and placing upright in shallow cool water, then covering with plastic), beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chiles, cucumbers, eggplant, fresh herbs, green beans, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce (after washing and drying, rolling loosely in a clean kitchen towel inside an unzipped zip-lock bag), mushrooms, peppers, radishes, scallions, summer squash, turnips, zucchini

BEST on the COUNTER: tomatoes (stored upside down)

BEST in the PANTRY (where it's both dark and cool): garlic, onions, potatoes, shallots, sweet potatoes, and winter squash

WHEN to WASH VEGETABLES: just before using them since moisture encourages mold which encourages spoilage; if you do wash beforehand, dry before putting into the fridge

ORIGINAL PACKAGING: Cook's Illustrated suggests storing produce in their original containers that have often been especially designed to keep the produce fresher. (Note: Their story does seem to be oriented to supermarket vegetables that have been bred for long shelf lives under certain conditions.)

This week in your share, you will most likely find:
Lettuce, Red Gold Potatoes, Onions, Green Beans, Fairytale Eggplant, Cucumbers, Summer Squash/Zucchini, and Basil

Enjoy your share - Justine

Zucchini Bread

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 eggs, slightly beaten
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
* 1 cup shredded zucchini
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, ginger, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add oil, eggs, lemon juice and peel, shredded zucchini, and chopped walnuts. Stir to blend. Do not over mix.

Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool zucchini bread in pan on wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes.

Turn zucchini bread out of pan and cool completely on rack.

Zucchini in Pecan Brown Butter (Gourmet Magazine)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup pecans (1 oz), coarsely chopped
1 lb zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks
1/2 cup parmesan curls (shaved with a vegetable peeler from a piece of parmesan)

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, then cook pecans, stirring, until golden brown and butter is browned.

Add zucchini with salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until just tender, about 10 minutes.

Serve zucchini topped with parmesan curls.

New Potato and Cucumber Salad (with fresh herbs)

2 pounds red-gold potatoes
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chopped salad onion
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
6 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
4 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes; cool. Cut into 3/4-inch cubes and place in large bowl. Add cucumbers and onion. Whisk all remaining ingredients in small bowl. Add to potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 8 hours ahead; chill.)

Squash Souffle
* 2 pounds sliced yellow summer squash and or zucchini
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup milk
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 3 tablespoons melted butter
* 3 tablespoons flour
* 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
* seasoned salt and pepper, to taste
* buttered bread crumbs

Combine squash, onion, and salt in a large saucepan; cover with water and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and mash well. Stir in milk, eggs, melted butter, flour and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake in a buttered 1 1/2-quart casserole for about 30 minutes. Top with buttered bread crumbs and bake for about 10 minutes longer. Serves 4.

What to do with a pint of blueberries

Justine received a recipe from CSA Member Amy Hahn that she used with her fruit share blueberries. Just in case any other fruit share members have any blueberries left, we are posting it here for you to enjoy. Thanks, Amy!

Blueberry Maple Parfait

1 pint blueberries, washed and drained

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

2 cups vanilla yogurt

1/4 cup real maple syrup

1/2 cup granola cereal (or broken up granola bars)

Mix blueberries with cinnamon and brown sugar. Layer blueberries with vanilla yogurt, maple syrup and granola in each of 4 - 6 small wine glasses. You want 2 layers of each ingredient in each glass. After layering, freeze glasses about 35 minutes before serving. (or just eat it right away) Makes 4 - 6 servings.

Don't knock it 'til you've tried it

"Tried what?" you say? Beet ice-cream! Yes, really, BEET ICE-CREAM.

I love beets and I love ice-cream, so I was very intrigued when I read about it in CSA member Leslie's blog, Fluff & Nonsense, where, among other things, she writes about and photo-documents her CSA experience. I wrote to Leslie that I would love to meet her and hear how the ice-cream turned out. To my great surprise and delight, this past Saturday, Leslie, her husband Chris, and her two beautiful and charming children, Avery and Mitchell came to the Denison Farm stand at the Troy Farmers' Market and introduced themselves to us. Leslie told me the ice-cream turned out pretty good, better if you already like beets, but not to Mitchell's liking. I was excited to try my hand at the recipe and glad to have met them and went back to work. To my delight -- and that of Justine, Maggie, Stella, Molly and Leslie (a different Leslie) who were all also working at the stand -- Leslie and family returned a while later with a small cooler full of beet ice-cream samples for us to try! We ALL loved it -- thank you, Leslie!

I have not stopped talking about it since -- just ask the rest of the crew who was not there on Saturday. The color is gorgeous, the lemony flavor and beety sweetness a surprisingly delightful combination. I heartily recommend you all give it a shot too. At least read about Leslie's experience in her blog, a link to which is now on the list of our favorite blogs.

I'm soooo going to try a veggie ice-cream really soon. I'm thinking about a sweet cream base with zucchini flecks in it and the spices usually associated with zucchini bread. After all, we have to do something with all those zucchini that aren't good enough for CSA or market but we just can't bear to toss in the compost. Any other suggestions?

Words from a fresh farmer

Hello, all - Annie here. I am one of the newer members on Brian and Justine's crew, having just joined the team at the beginning of May. I hadn't had much farm experience before - a little volunteering on my roommate's smaller-scale organic farm in college - but thought I'd like the work, and decided to give it a shot.

The past two and a half months have been wonderful for me, very educational for both mind and body. I spent the past year working a desk job in Chicago, and the first week at the Denisons' was quite a shock on the ol' muscles, but I was so relieved to be outside that I hardly minded a bit - and I sleep so much better after a day of planting, weeding, and harvesting! Now, my body has gotten accustomed to the work, and I can pay closer attention to the day-to-day processes that make the farm tick.

This week was quite exciting - I am always happy when a new crop is ready, and this week we picked the first carrots, green beans, and eggplant. I learned that in Jamaica, they call eggplants "Garden eggs," which I think sounds very poetic, particularly with a Jamaican accent. Although I suppose the French (and also British and Canadian) term "aubergine" is also quite poetic. We've already got two kinds showing their fruits in the field - the Fairytale and the standard dark-purple kind. If you've never seen eggplant fruits still on the plant, it is worth a trip to the farm. I think they're the most beautiful crop, particularly very early in the morning when the dew is still on. The fruits hang down like Christmas ornaments, and the leaves have a sort of velvety purple-y look to them that makes them seem far more exotic than the name "eggplant" would imply.

In any case, I'm hoping that another cold front comes through - ninety degrees with high humidity makes it a bit tough to pick vegetables expeditiously, although the zucchinis seem to love it. I'm going to sign off now, with my best wishes to you and your most recent bunch of chard - there are many vegetables that I love, but chard is particularly high on the list. The colors, the flavor, the speed of stir-frying, the nutrition ... so, enjoy!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008 Newsletter

Greetings CSA Members, This week I am sending an abbreviated newsletter due to a visit to our farm by a CSA Member and illness. I have not been feeling 100 % and so am trying to take care of myself by slowing down a bit. So please forgive me for not painting a farm picture for you this week. But I just waved good-bye to a carload of wonderful children and Mother as they all left the farm to return to Connecticut from which they had begun their day. Anna Hangartner, a CSA Member picking up in Purchase, NY each week, decided to show our farm to three visiting children from Switzerland. Anna speaks French, German, English, and Swiss-German and joyfully translated all of the information and stories both Brian and I shared. We had a lovely time touring the farm and comparing similar and differing farm styles. We munched on radishes and watched the washing and packing of all the vegetables into the boxes bound for Purchase this morning, patted the goats’ heads and guessed what the herbs were in the herb garden. I once again realized how lucky I am to be able to live this life and share these vegetables with you. This week in your share, you will most likely find: Cilantro, Swiss Chard, Snow Peas, Sweet Onions, Fennel, Lettuce, Radishes, and Cucumbers “It is the individual farmer who must weave the greater part of the rug on which America stands. Shall he weave into it only the sober yarns which warm the feet, or also the colors which warm the eye and heart?” - Aldo Leopold, The Farmer as Conservationist Have a great week – Justine Anna Hangartner’s Fennel Salad 1 bulb Fennel 2-3 TBL Olive oil Lemon Juice, squeezed from a real lemon, add enough for your own individual preference Fresh Parmesan Cheese Slice the fennel paper-thin. In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil and lemon juice. Pour olive oil and lemon juice over the fennel and toss. Grate or shave the Parmesan cheese on top of the fennel salad and serve. Swiss Chard and Potato Enchiladas ( from Suzanna Denison) 1 bunch Swiss Chard 2 Tbl Olive Oil 1 tsp Salt 5 medium potatoes, sliced thinly 1 medium Onion 2 tsp minced Garlic Fresh Ground Pepper 4 oz. grated cheese (Cheddar and Monterey Jack worked well for us) 8 corn tortillas Tomatillo Salsa – 2 jars (or make your own) In a large skillet, sauté the potatoes in the olive oil – about 10 minutes over a medium-low heat. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper-towel lined plate. Add onion and garlic to skillet and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the swiss chard leaves and cook until softened. Add the potatoes back to the skillet and combine all with ½ cup cheese. Soften the tortillas in a toaster oven or oven. Pour ½ cup tomatillo salsa into the bottom of a 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Put 2 heaping Tbl of swiss chard/potato/cheese mixture into the center of each tortilla and roll each one up. Place the filled tortillas seams side down on the salsa, laying them snuggly next to one another. Spoon the remaining salsa over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese is softened, about 15-20 minutes. Serve with sour cream or yogurt.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 Newsletter

Greetings CSA Members, I can always tell when summer is almost at its peak – the lightning bugs are plentiful, lighting up the hazy pink, evening sky. Last night as Brian rescued one escapee-chicken, I looked out at the winter squash. I reminded myself how quickly this season seems to evaporate. Soon the garlic and onions will be mature enough to harvest and then the storage beets, carrots, and potatoes start filling the cooler as well. But thankfully, not quite yet. We still have tomatoes and green beans and corn and watermelons well on their way to your boxes within the near future. The goats are panting this noon with the high heat and humidity. They won’t like it, but Brian will spray them with the hose later this afternoon. They kick and snort and complain bitterly. And the chickens are no less pitiable. They sit under the bushes with their little beaks open, panting (if that is what you can call it) and squawking or clucking with a whiny tone. Compared to any one of these chickens, a hot and tired two-year old looks like a cool and calm Roger Federer. This week you will be receiving quite a diversity of vegetables – another sign of the bounty of the summer season. The Red Norland potatoes are really a treat, for they are delicious just boiled and eaten with butter and parsley. And if it is too hot to cook at your home, the sugar snaps, zucchini/summer squash, spinach, and turnips (grated) can all be eaten raw in a salad. The beets are also delicious eaten as a salad, cooked, chilled and then mixed with orange slices, almonds, and light vinaigrette dressing. It’s time for the annual chocolate zucchini cake recipe (from a CSA member) – a real crowd pleaser. Your share will most likely include: Summer Squash/Zucchini/Cucumbers, Sugar Snap Peas, Beets, Curly Kale, Parsley, Red Norland Potatoes, Spinach, Turnips Enjoy your share and take good care - Justine Kale and Mushrooms with Creamy Polenta (Bon Appétit ) 1 lb or I bunch kale, stemmed, cut into 1-inch pieces 4 cups whole milk 3 1/2 cups water 2 cups polenta 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 4 ounces mushrooms (such as crimini, oyster, and stemmed shiitake), sliced 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 cup low-salt chicken or vegetable broth 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Cook kale in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain. Bring milk, water, polenta, salt, and pepper to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, cook mushrooms and 2 tablespoons oil in skillet. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in kale. Add garlic and broth; simmer until broth is slightly reduced, about 6 minutes. Stir in thyme, lemon peel, and 2 tablespoons oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk butter and Parmesan into polenta and divide among plates. Top with kale mixture. Chocolate Zucchini Cake 2 ½ cups all purpose-flour 2 cups sugar ½ cup cocoa 3 eggs 2½ tsp. baking powder 2 tsp vanilla 1 ½ tsp. baking soda 2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup milk 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) ¾ cup soft butter Glaze (directions to follow) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside. With a mixer, beat together the butter and the sugar until they are smoothly blended. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. With a spoon, stir in the vanilla, orange peel and zucchini. Alternately stir the dry ingredients and the milk into the zucchini mixture, including the nuts with the last addition. Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes (test at 45) or until a wooded pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in a pan 15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool thoroughly. Drizzle glaze over cake. Glaze: Mix together 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 Tbl milk and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat until smooth. * 7/23/08 update: This is how CSA Member Leslie's zucchini cake turned out. Yummy!