Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Week 17 of 18!

Wow, I was just getting used to it being August and September happens this week. Time moves so fast, it seems like we just got started with this season, it goes so rapidly. I washed some French Fingerlings this afternoon and they reminded me of small smooth stones on a beach on one of the great lakes! Just right size, the shape of them did that, and they taste good too! We had a little rain this morning, first measurable precipitation since when? July 1? We had a lot of trouble with seeds germinating in early August, this past week lettuce, salad greens, carrots, beets are all popping up! What a pleasant change. Tomatoes continue to frustrate us, recently we noticed all regular red tomatoes developed a "cat face" on the top, thinking what did I do now, I did a little reading and sure enough when it is very hot at the time a blossom turns into a little tomato, the fruit develops a "cat face". We will plant them earlier next year to avoid it. I think I have heard my self or someone else say next year about a dozen times this week. The small "cherry" tomato plants didn't mind the heat and continue to grow.

We got manure spread and worked in on our large east garden. We plan on planting strawberry plants there late in September. We missed not having strawberries this year. We have garlic, onions and shallots in the barn, we are beginning to see the end of potato digging. We have three varieties left, one we set aside as a storage potato.



Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Tomato season

Yes, the tomatoes are FINALLY ripening in numbers. They still have a long way to go after a late start from our cool spring, and we are hoping that the weather will continue to be good so that we get some decent production before any hard frosts hit. Enjoy the taste of summer!

We need our bags back! (and boxes) - PLEASE. Every week, it seems, we lose a few of one or the other. If you have a bag, or two or three, sitting at home we need you to return them! That little flat piece holding the bottom of the bag in place is missing in a few, also. Even if last week's box is falling apart and could go in the recycling we really appreciate it if you would return those so that WE can throw them out and know exactly how many are still in use.

If you forget your bag or box this week could you please ask us to put your items in plastic bags to take home so we can keep the bag or box and have enough for next week. Thanks!

KMEG Channel 14 personality Erika Thomas does a program called Your Hometown Farmer on Thursday mornings on her news cast sometime between 5 and 7 am. She was here today with a camera man and interviewed us. She needs to shrink 3 hours of visiting into a 2 minute 45 second segment. She will let us know when it airs - likely in about 3 weeks.

Today John took out two rows of zucchini plants and began to remove cucumber plants. They certainly didn't earn their keep this year. We'll add some compost and begin a late season seeding of greens or radishes.

Janna is peeling bad (a.k.a. cracked) tomatoes this evening, there is a pot of something cooking on the stove. This is the bliss of wanting to eat well in winter, you need to stay up late in summer to get it all done.

This week in the bag you'll find:
Cucumber
Beans - whole shares will also have some little filet beans (very tender - don't overcook them)
Eggplant - try this sliced, breaded and fried or baked as an appetizer - YUM. It's also nice as a layer in your lasagna to replace one of the noodle layers
Pepper
Tomato
Lettuce
Onion - if you find your onions are getting a little ahead of you, chop them to the size you like and freeze them, then later when you are in a hurry, you can grab them out of the freezer ready to add to any dish you are cooking.
Potatoes
Leek
Cherry Tomatoes

Eggplant Appetizer (I am trying to remember what the girls did, so I hope I remember it all)

1-2 beaten eggs
Flour, salt, pepper, a little Italian seasoning or other herbs/spices of your choice.
(you could also just use pre-seasoned bread crumbs instead of the above mix)
Slice the eggplant (we sliced them about 1/4" thick) and pat the pieces dry, dip in beaten egg and then the dry mix. Fry in hot oil, or bake in the oven. Probably 375-400 until nice and golden brown. Be sure to flip them to brown both sides. If you fry them have several layers of paper towel ready to drain them on when they come out of the pan. I think these would also be good with a little parmesan cheese added to the breading. (try not to burn your mouth - we couldn't wait for them to cool before eating them)

Have a great week!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

August Already!

Hi Everyone,

This week we have been planting broccoli, lettuce and watering the beets and carrots that germinated last week. We have some issues with beans, zucchini, cucumbers not producing like they should. We think that they dropped flowers during the hot days in July so there is little fruit. The yield on beans has been very poor on the first two plantings. We have two more plantings up and growing.

The tomatoes are starting to turn, both in the tunnel and outdoors. The mid to late season potato plants are starting to show that they are done growing so we see some different varieties in the next month. The carrots that we seeded in early July never germinated so we will have a gap for a week or more on carrots. The ones seeded last wednesday are up already. This past week and for the next day or three we will be getting all the onions out for storage. The onion crop is much better than last years!

We really liked the weather today and would like more of the same. The students are thinking that school is around the corner. One went to Dordt to clean her room and move in some things, the high school students are taking time for fall sport practice. I don't think I am ready for this.

Thank you to those that have sent in checks for the fall subscription.

In the bags this week we have;
Red Thumb potatoes...ultimate oven fries
tomatoes
pepper
onion
garlic
lettuce
parsley
fennel

Whole shares should also find carrots and zucchini in their boxes.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Cucumber Poetry?

Ok, so it was a little warm around noon today while I was picking cucumbers. I had salty sweat running into my eyes (it stings a little) and there were big fat bumble bees humming all around. Bumbling from bloom to bloom - you get the picture - and I think it was all making me a little goofy and so I started making corny rhymy poetry in my head while I looked forward to taking a break in the air conditioning over lunch. We are very proud of the work the girls have done this week with all the heat. They even volunteered to come early (6am) to avoid the hottest later part of the afternoon. Way to go!

Garlic harvest began Monday morning and will hopefully be done by the end of the week with all of it hung up to dry. Once we are done with the garlic it is usually time to start thinking about planting some fall crops. John also informs me that the tomatoes are starting to turn color-Yeah!

We are also thankful for safety granted last week at our Sioux Center farm stand. A car crashed into our van and farm stand. While we had damage to our property, none of our customers or anyone else was hurt.

This week in your share.....

Rio Colorado Potato - red with nice white flesh. We oven roasted some potatoes last night and served them with pesto - yum!
Onions - big sweet white ones (still waiting for the reds to size up)
Beans - green or yellow
Swiss Chard - if you have leftover potatoes, try wilting in the chard when you reheat them with some garlic and onion and seasonings of your choice.
Cucumbers - always refreshing on a hot day
Peppers - purple, pale yellow or lime green - wonderful in an omlet or salad
Parsley - not just a garnish - parsley has many health benefits and is high in vitamins A, C, and K - try the leaves mixed in with a salad.

This week the 1/2 share will also have zucchini, whole shares will have beets and basil.

Note on Basil: putting it in the fridge will cause it to turn brown more quickly. If your house is air-conditioned, you could just leave the bag on the counter until you use it. Better yet, take the longer stems out and trim the ends as you would fresh flowers and put them in a little jar of water on your counter and use as needed.

Pesto: this is a basic recipe, but you can easily adjust amounts to your taste.

3 cups basil leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (you can also substitute pumpkin or sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, etc)
2 - 3 cloves of garlic chopped roughly
Parmesan cheese

mix it all up in your food processor or blender and use with pasta, as a veggie dip, on potatoes, etc.

Simple Beet/Carrot/Parsley Salad
Grate equal amounts of beets and carrots, add some chopped parsley and dress it with your favorite oil and vinegar dressing.


Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Pulling carrots out in the rain...

Good Evening,

This morning it was actually a pleasant experience pulling out carrots one by one in rain gear, feeling the drops on my back, nice and cool compared to the sweat that it took to dig potatoes on Monday. We have the boxes and bags ready in the cooler to go to town in the morning. The showers today and possibly tomorrow will help us get some carrots and lettuce started for fall. The lettuce that was planted about a week ago was already harvested ( by a rabbit or rabbits) or some if it died because of the heat so we replant.

The potato of the week was developed years ago at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada's "Ag School". It is the Yukon Gold. Light yellow skin with yellow flesh, not as smooth as some potatoes we will have over the next month but a texture that you can detect on your tongue. It is considered a general purpose potato, I like them fried as leftovers, of course to be leftovers they are boiled and served first the night before and then the left overs are fried. To get that to happen one needs to bring extra to the kitchen when one is asked to bring potatoes for supper.

Most of our crops are coming along well because of the recent heat and sunshine. The tomatoes are looking better, we did plant them later than we usually do so we may not have them as soon as you might expect but so far the plants look much better than last year in July. Last year the outdoor ones basically rotted because of wet ground.

The boxes this week have;

Green and Yellow Beans
Onion
Garlic
Yukon Gold Potato
Broccoli
Zucchini
Carrots

Shunkyo Radish



Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Along with the Sunshine, You need a little Rain

We hope that you had a wonderful Holiday weekend. We are grateful for our many freedoms and thankful to our Service-men and women who have dedicated themselves and given their lives to preserving those freedoms.
This has been a beautiful week of warm weather and this is the perfect kind of day for setting out transplants - a little moisture and cloud cover to help them make the transition to the field without too much stress. This morning I bolted out of bed when I heard thunder because I knew that I had a lot of lettuce to go out into the field. Last night John helped me put out around 100 basil (3 varieties) and about 200 lettuce. This morning during and after the rain I was able to put out another 800. I'm glad no one had time to take my picture - it was a pretty muddy business :) It was the kind of day every kid loves - out in the rain with mud squishing between your toes.

I'm excited about your shares this week - mostly because I think this is the first time I've had such a nice harvest from a second blooming of Peas and also because the Broccoli is ready!

This week in your share......

Purple Viking Potato - purple skins with white flesh - makes a pretty potato salad if you leave the skins on. We have washed these to get the mud off, so you'll want to use them soon or store them in the fridge.
Broccoli - steam it or serve it raw with dip or in a salad
Sugar Snap Peas - just string them and eat the whole thing - pod and all. We love them raw, but if you do cook them be sure not to overdo it or they'll get stringy.
Chives - 1/2 share has garlic chives and Whole share has regular chives. These will be perfect chopped into some sour cream and served with your new potatoes.
Onions
Lettuce - crunchy summer lettuce for your salads and sandwiches.

Whole shares will also have Carrots, Beets and Garlic this week. The garlic is not dried down yet, so either hang it up to dry, or cut off the stem and store it in your fridge. Peel the cloves like usual when you are ready to use it. If you store it in the fridge you'll want to use it in the next week to 10 days.

Colcannon

You’ll find this classic dish on the menu at any real Irish restaurant. It’s a recipe that takes two staples of the island, potatoes and kale (or sometimes cabbage), and transforms them into a dish truly worthy of the word classic. Angelic Organics Kitchen.

Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds medium boiling potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes)

2 teaspoons salt, divided, plus more to taste

1 1/2–2 pounds kale (15–20 large leaves)

1 cup chopped leeks or scallions

1 cup half-and-half or milk

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Put the whole potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to boil. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and boil until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and mash. Put in a heatproof dish and keep warm in a 200° oven.

2. Meanwhile, put the kale in a pot, cover with water, and bring to boil. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook until the kale is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. (There you go Mrs. Nesbit, it’s in the directions. Don’t worry, everyone will do it this way now that it’s spelled out exactly.) Drain and finely chop the kale.

3. Place the leeks or scallions in a small pot, cover with the half-and-half, and cook over low heat until very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Add the kale to the warm potatoes and mix well. Add the half-and-half with leeks or scallions. Add the pepper; season with salt to taste.

5. Spoon a little of the melted butter over each serving and serve hot.

Have a wonderful week!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Things are Heating Up!

It looks like we will be having a break from all the wet weather and enjoy some heat and sunshine. We also look forward to seeing some of the benefits of the sunshine for plant growth. There are some great grilling options this week for the hot weather. Most of these veggies will be great in a foil packet for some easy summer meals.

This week in your share:

New Red Potatoes
Carrots
Big Red Radish
Cilantro
Butterhead Lettuce
Onions

Whole shares will also have Scarlet Queen turnips, Garlic Scapes and Swiss Chard this week.

Have a great week!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

days are too short

Hi,

We brought chickens to B and B Poultry Processing this morning, fortunately it was not raining! It has rained a lot, and it seems to rain when I need to put chickens in crates to take to Hospers. This morning Jessica and Madeline helped. I will be picking up the frozen birds tomorrow afternoon.

In the subscription shares this week we had;

white turnips
garlic scapes
onion
dill
parsley
kale
arugula

whole shares also had leaf lettuce and spinach

This morning we notice that the summer crisp head lettuce is looking good for next week. The herbs are also coming along nicely. We will be very busy as the sun warms up the next week or so. The weeds have done well with the recent wet spell.

We look forward to putting next weeks delivery together.

John

Monday, June 20, 2011

Last Wednesday Sioux Falls Argus Leader

http://www.argusleader.com/article/20110615/LIFE/106150311/Color-me-happy-Achieve-great-amount-nutrients-by-adding-unusually-colored-veggies-your-diet

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Another rainy day...

Hi. Madeline here. Mom isn't here to write this week so I'm taking over for now.
After seeing so many tops go to the compost, I tried something yesterday and it turned out pretty good! I'm not sure what to call it but many dishes don't have names so it will just have to be called Beet Tops. Look forward to the next experiment: Carrot Tops! :)
Beet Tops
4-6 beets with tops
1 bunch green onions or 1 small onion
1 green garlic (opt.)
sauce:
1 cup chicken/vegetable broth
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tamari
Boil beets in a small pot on the side or save in the fridge for later.
Heat large pan w/ olive oil, add chopped garlic and onion and soften. chop beet tops (and stems if desired), add and cover to wilt. adding a little water helps the wilting process.
mix sauce and pour over wilted greens, let simmer until tender and ready to eat.
serve immediately. approx. 4 servings

This week in the whole share:
salad mix
carrots
leaf lettuce
arugula
radishes
onions
beets
peas

The half share includes:
salad mix
leaf lettuce
arugula
radishes
onions
beets

Remember! We have chickens for sale tomorrow in Sioux Center! call or email to place an order.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Ribollita Recipe

Here is the link to the Ribollita Recipe

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/ribollita-reboiled-italian-cabbage-soup/Detail.aspx

Green fields

Suddenly this week, everywhere I look is a lush green. The brown spaces in the fields are giving way to the canopy of crop cover. It is amazing to see the huge variety of color from light lime green of the ditch grasses to the deep blue green of leek and garlic. The potatoes have gone from being "down in the trench" to being up on the ridge of the hill. All of this green is accented with the light pink and white of blossoms unfolding. John went through all the rows this week with the hiller to pile up dirt around the plants to keep the tubers covered and out of the sun so they don't turn green as they develop.

This week in your share....

Lettuce - Green Romaine this week

Red Radishes

Scallions/Green Onions

Green Kohlrabi - just like the purple, only green instead :)

Turnips -

Kale - try the recipe for the Ribollita from the link listed below

Beets - the first of the season

Full share will also receive Rhubarb this week - if you don't want to use it now, just wash, chop and freeze for later. Make some rhubarb sauce, or add it to your favorite fruit and make some jam.

Rhubarb Cake (from my mom)

1/2 c. butter

1 1/2 c. sugar (part white/part brown)

1 egg

1 c. sour milk or buttermilk

2 c. flour

1 tsp soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. rhubarb- diced

cream the sugar and butter, mix in the egg, mix dry ingredients together and add alternately with the milk. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour batter into 9x13 pan and top with 1/2 c. sugar and some cinnamon. Bake @ 325 for 35-40 minutes.

Ribollita - keep this in the fridge to serve with salad for a satisfying meal.

Tip: the ribollita recipe calls for cabbage and swiss chard - feel free to use the kohlrabi and beet leaves as substitutes. Also, use your shallots for the onion.


Have a great week!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Greetings everyone!
It looks like we are jumping right into summer with temps in the 90's this week. It is quite a change, but the drying weather has allowed us to get some major weeding done and continue some planting that was put on hold during the rains last week. This week was also the start of two markets for us - Sioux Center market and the Wednesday market at Sioux City. We have been watching the news closely regarding flooding in the Sioux City area and hope that everything will go well for our customers and friends who may be suffering from flood damage.

This week in your share.....

New Carrots - always a marvel to pull those first tender slim carrots - eat them raw - or give your dinner plate a gourmet look by trimming the top to 1" and lightly steaming.
Green Butterhead Lettuce
Red Butterhead Lettuce
Purple Kohlrabi - these are just beautiful this year. Peel the "bulb" and snack on it raw, lightly sprinkled with salt or dipped in your favorite dressing. The leaves may be cooked, chopped into salads etc. Use them like you would cabbage leaves.
Hakurei Turnips - best eaten raw, and the tops are great cooked or raw in salads
Swiss Chard - great on a sandwich, steamed, chopped and tossed with pasta, fabulous in a "green smoothie" boost your veggie intake.

This week Full shares will also receive....
Shallots - a.k.a. green onions - great fresh or added to your favorite cooked dish - stir the green part into some sour cream or cream cheese for a flavorful dip addition.
Spinach - this will be the last picking of this round of spinach while we wait for the next bed to size up and mature. Spinach lasagna anyone?

Have a great week!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Even the Birds want to come Indoors

Well, as you all know, it is raining again, but we are happy to be harvesting under the cover of the high tunnel. This morning, while Madeline was seeding some trays a little hummingbird found its way into the garage. We all enjoyed watching it for a little while, and then opened the big door wide to be sure it could find its way out again. Well, 2 hours later, it is still fluttering around - not seeming too distressed. I think it is enjoying being out of the wet weather.

This is an exciting week for our family. Madeline will graduate from Unity Christian H.S. on Thursday, and yesterday her grandparents from Ontario, Canada flew in to help us celebrate. In addition, John's cousin from Holland (yes, The Netherlands), also arrived yesterday to surprise his parents with whom she spent a year when she was a teenager. And, Allison also joined us from California. I think we will have lots of coffee drinking and story telling in the next week.

In your share this week........

Spinach -
Green Kale - use this like the red kale last week. The leaves are a little bigger, so be sure to tear out the larger stems. Try kale chips for a fun treat.
Choy
Red Lettuce - make a lovely salad with these beautiful red leaves and their lovely light green centers
Hakurei Turnips - for some reason they have short tops this spring(blame it on the weather). Eat these raw for a wonderful snack, chop up into your salad, or lightly steam them. The tops are also good cooked.
Cilantro - add flavor to salsa, salads, or make into pesto.

Full shares also have a head of Flashy Troutback - a speckled type of Romaine lettuce.

Try this link with pictures for Kale Chips
http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/baked-kale-chips/

And here is a link for Sweet Annie Kale Salad
http://dickmanfam.blogspot.com/2009/07/sweet-annie-kale-salad.html

Enjoy your week!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Bring on the Sunshine!

This will be a brief post because the sun is shining and we are going full steam ahead to get as much in the ground as possible before the rain starts again on Thursday. It looks like a great week for seeds to sprout. I'm going to also provide some information about greens from Angelic Organics - a CSA farm with their own cookbook and great online resources. Grilling season is also fast approaching (already here) and many veggies are great on the grill in foil packets (smaller pieces) or simply split in half, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with seasonings and placed directly on the grill. Enjoy the Sunshine!

In your share this week....

Spinach
Green Butterhead Lettuce
Red Butterhead
Red Russian Baby Kale - I love this added to salads, soups, or served as a side.
Green Pac Choi
Garlic Greens - looks like green onions - use anywhere you'd use garlic - also great on the grill

Choi

Choi (also spelled choy) has been cultivated in China for centuries and is now commonly found in markets in the United States. Choi is practically two vegetables in one: the leaves can be cooked and eaten like spinach, while the crisp stems—sweet and mild in flavor—can be used like celery or asparagus.

Storage

Refrigerate unwashed choi in a plastic container or loosely wrapped in a plastic bag. Choi keeps for over a week but is firmest and tastiest if used within a few days.

Handling

Just before using, rinse choi under cold running water and gently shake it dry. Cut the stems into 1-inch pieces and slice, shred, or tear the leaves. If you will be eating the stems raw, slice or julienne them.

Choi with Gingery Butter

This sauce has characteristically Asian-inspired flavors, but this recipe uses butter instead of oil for added richness. Don’t be fooled by how simple this is; it is an interesting and wonderfully flavorful side dish. Angelic Organics Kitchen (adapted from Judy Gorman’s Vegetable Cookbook).

Serves 4 to 6

2 medium choi (any kind), sliced crosswise into 1-inch strips

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

1 tablespoon grated or finely chopped fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed (about 1/2 teaspoon)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the choi; cook until the choi is tender but still crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the choi in a colander and immediately run under cold water. Drain well.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and choi; cook, stirring constantly, until the choi is well coated and heated through.

3. Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately

Salad Greens

Salad greens start early and keep coming throughout the season. Experiment with salad building! You can top greens with fruit, nuts, seeds, pasta, and whole grains in addition to numerous dressings. As nineteenth-century editor and author Charles Dudley Warner once wrote, “You can put everything, and the more things the better, into a salad, as into a conversation; but everything depends on the skill of mixing.”

Storage

Store unwashed lettuce or mesclun in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. (Wet greens will spoil quickly, so make sure they are truly dry before refrigerating them.) If you have a salad spinner, wash and spin the greens before refrigerating. Use mesclun mix within three or four days, and use lettuce within a week.

Handling

Salad greens bruise easily, so be sure to handle them gently. For lettuce, slice the head at its base with a sharp knife and let the leaves fall open. Discard any damaged or leathery outer leaves and tear large leaves into bite-size pieces. Wash lettuce and mesclun mix by swishing them in a basin of cold water. Dry the greens in a salad spinner. (Or place them loosely in a mesh bag or thin towel, then go outside and swing the bundle.)

Another possibility for lots of lettuce when you are in the mood for something warm is to wilt it and add to rice or potatoes. Simply wash and chop coarsely, then saute in olive oil or butter until wilted, season (try also adding a dash of balsamic vinegar) and toss with warm potatoes or rice.

Monday, May 9, 2011

The 2011 Vegetable Season is Here!

Welcome to a new season of fresh produce from The Cornucopia! We look forward to serving you in 2011.

Yesterday I woke to the loud crack of thunder. John rolled over and said, "do you think I should pull those plants inside?" I was happy that he said "I", it was a good Mother's Day present to stay in bed a few more minutes while he dodged rain drops and pulled young plants out of the wind. Saturday was spent transplanting and planting seeds, so we were glad for the gentle rains Sunday morning to give the transplants a boost, provide moisture for germination and keep the soil crust soft so seeds planted earlier can break through. Every spring we eagerly watch as things start "popping up" and get established. This is a season of anticipation and wonder. We are glad that you are here to enjoy it with us.

In this blog, we try to keep you in touch with what is happening on the farm through words and pictures, as well as give you a listing of what to expect in your delivery each week and some useful information about how your food is produced, how to use it in recipes and storage tips. Above all, we hope that you enjoy the food.

In your share this week....(our best estimates for the week)

It's spring so pull out your spinner and get ready for salad fixings!

Spinach - great in salads or steamed. This spinach was growing through the cool days of April, so it has a lot more "umph" than the thinner leaves of summer spinach. So if you prefer it cooked, then go for it - it will hold its texture quite well. I like to steam it or just dunk it in boiling water quickly, then drain and serve.

Leaf Lettuce - lots of color to brighten your plate.

Arugula - we've kept it separate, but it's great on its own, or mixed in with your other greens. Be adventurous and layer it on a bread and butter sandwich.

Spectrum Greens - these greens are full of wonderful flavor and texture that make them one of my favorites. Really good with a light oil dressing and some chopped boiled eggs or nuts and dried cranberries. Make it a meal by adding some leftover grains like rice or quinoa.

Radish - slice some on your arugula sandwich or top a salad. Radishes are said to be a blood cleanser (probably why they give you that cool fresh feeling) - and the tops are also edible, containing lots of vitamin C.

Basic Salad Dressing (I give this recipe every year because it is a standard in our house and so easy to make) - you can easily expand the recipe to feed a crowd. Add crushed garlic or other herbs for a variation.

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (preferably fresh)
1 tsp. brown mustard
2 tsp. honey

Put it all in a small jar and shake it up, or mix it with a whisk in a small bowl. Adjust the honey and mustard to your personal taste. If I'm making a big bowl of salad for the family I usually just pour it over top and toss it all together, but you can just as easily pass it and let everyone serve themselves.

Have a great week!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

New Season is underway!

No Complaining allowed Janna said, so I'll only tell you that I am waiting patiently for sunshine!
We have most potatoes planted. The garlic looks really good so far, and we have most of the onions planted. The tunnels are planted, all the beds have product in them and up and growing. We just need some sunshine!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

It has been a month, we have had cold, and snow and some days we thought winter would never end. We are not into spring yet but look at the ten day forecast! The snow is going to melt this week. It is going to warm up considerably which means work will progress on the third tunnel we are putting up, the beds will be prepared in tunnels 1 and 2 and seeds will be started. Spring is coming!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Planning for Spring


Good Evening,

Planning for spring is happening. Seed Catalogs, garden maps, equipment brochures, there is so much to do!