The other side

We are working on the other side of the property this week, cleaning up downed tree limbs and mowing around the buildings. While the house on this side has been well maintained, the barns and other outbuildings are older and need more work. The site has not been actively farmed for a long time. Still it is beautiful and different, with more trees and a wilder feel.

We are fortunate that Heidrun Meadery keeps some of their beehives on the property. In the warmth of the day, the bees were active and the hives were buzzing. I have also seen them on the broccoli flowers in the vegetable fields on the other side of the farm. 

We finished the exterior of the wood shop. We will start on the interior this week and hopefully be moved in next week. There are still many more building projects on the list for this winter but spring is approaching fast. I am finally caught up with accounting and able to move onto the crop planning. I find that as I work on the plans for the next season I am both giddy and nervous at the same time. You never know what the season will bring.

Luckily for all of us, it does seem that rain is on the horizon. Thank goodness! 

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish
• Chard

The fennel, lettuce, and chard will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes and hakueri turnips available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

The week we will be making magic wands.

Furry cows

The cows are basking in the sunshine and lengthening days. When I went to visit them, everyone was relaxed and eating. They are still furry with their winter coats but they are looking full and healthy, enjoying the green feed.

While there is plenty of work to be done in the winter, the sphere in which it occurs is much smaller. The animal chores are the same, but the rest of days are mostly focused around the barnyard, rather than the fields. We are in the office or doing construction, with the occasional weeding tasks. I am curious how that will change next year when we are growing year round. I am sure that we will spend more time in the fields, but I also think that it will still be less and different than the summer.

While I miss growing food and having members at the farm each week, I am so grateful to have this winter to just be here, to watch the plants and the fields, to think and plan.

The barnyard construction zone

The corrugated metal for the wood shop roof and the mobile chicken coops should arrive tomorrow. The wood shop should be done by next week. Then we can move on to building the chicken coop on the mobile home chassis you see above. 

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish
• Broccoli
• Chard

The fennel, broccoli, lettuce, and chard will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes and hakueri turnips available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

For the activity, we will be doing a scavenger hunt again. No one had a chance to complete it last week. If anyone has craft and activity ideas, please let me know. I would be happy to hear your suggestions!

Let's hope it starts raining again soon!

Office work

There has been a lot of thick, heavy fog at the farm lately. I don't mind the grayness in the wintertime, especially when it is not raining. It feels as if the moisture is staying in place and protected. It also helps me stay focused in the office on the records and paperwork, rather than itching to be outside. 

The office view

We took the pigs to the slaughterhouse last week. We were sad to lose their presence on the farm but we do hope to have more pigs in the future. We are grateful for the tillage work they did, for the manure that they left us, and for meat they will provide.

Last week's craft: stick stars made of willow branches collected by the pond and madrone berries from our yard

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Purple Top Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish
• Broccoli
• Chard

The fennel, broccoli, and chard will be freshly harvested. The rest has been previously harvested and stored. We will also have potatoes and hakueri turnips available for free. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

For the activity, we will be doing a scavenger hunt. If anyone has craft and activity ideas, please let me know. I would be happy to hear your suggestions!

Winter Weeds

Even though it has not rained for a while, the ground is still very wet. The water in drainages is mostly stagnant but there is slow trickle that moves along. There are swampy areas that the birds are enjoying. The plants are barely recovering from the cold and wet. Their growth has almost stopped. Soon enough though, everything will begin again. And as always, we are hoping for more rain.

We took advantage of the dry spell to hoe the onions and garlic that were difficult to see in all the weeds. In November, before the first big rains came, we did hoe them but we have been unable to do anything since then. The soil is so dense in the winter that weeding is much more difficult. It feels almost impossible to get the weeds out of the ground. Still, to the best of our abilities, we need to keep the weeds under control so that the garlic and onions can thrive. 

We took the old shingles off the wood shop roof so that we can put on a new metal roof. The framing looks so little in comparison to the big open sky. We also pressure washed the entire building, cleaning off many layers of dirt and cobwebs. It is starting to look like usable building again!

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Purple and Fingerling Potatoes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish

The fennel and turnips will be freshly harvested and the rest has been previously harvested and stored. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

For the craft, we will be playing with sticks.

The New Year

The break in the rain has been welcome, as the growing fields and pasture needed time to dry out. However, even as I am grateful for the dry spell, I do hope there is more rain in the future. The large herd of cows, as well as Stella and the sheep, are back out on fresh grass. The pigs were moved back into the big barn where they have more space and fresh straw in which to root around. 

The crew did not work the first week of the holiday break; Seth and I did chores and tried to find some quiet time in between all the various festivities. The second week of break, we were fortunate to travel to New Hampshire to see family and friends while the crew cared for the farm. We missed the cold temperatures here but we can see evidence of them in the fields. 

The deck and railing on the chick barn are complete. We built the railing from old redwood fence posts that we saved after replacing the fences. They are covered with moss and lichen. It was simple to build and exciting to find a use for some of the fence posts! Now we are working on the new roof for the wood shed.

he winter vegetables look battered after all that rain and then the cold spell. Honestly, even the grass is slightly yellowed and limp. We shall see if some of the vegetables recover; I know the grass will. I am grateful for this experimental winter garden plot so that we can watch and learn how the plants behave and make plans for next year.

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Fennel
• Onions
• Purple and Fingerling Potatoes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Watermelon Radish

The fennel and turnips will be freshly harvested and the rest has been previously harvested and stored. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

For the craft, we will be making note cards, for all those thank you notes you need to write!

Overflowing ponds and drainages

While the storm last week may not have been as dramatic as anticipated, it did deliver a large amount of water. All the ponds are full and cresting over the spillways. It is a relief to know that we have irrigation water for next year. It is hard to believe that last year at this time, they had not filled at all. Still, when the light appeared Thursday morning and we could see the fields, it was a bit overwhelming. The fields looked more like one large pond than areas of grass; there was white water in the drainages from the rushing water. And yet, by the afternoon most of the water had receded and the drainage flows had calmed. 

With each additional rain, the large puddles return and are slower to disappear. Some of the plants in the flower field, as well as the strawberries, onions, and garlic in the big field, were sitting in water after the rain today. While I am loathe to complain about any rain, it would be nice to give the soil time to absorb this moisture and to let the plants dry out a little.

We are still learning about this farm: how the water moves, how the soil acts, which plants thrive at which times and where. It is delightful and humbling at the same time. 

In the rain, the tasks have turned to construction. The windows are in on the chick barn, where the baby chicks will leave until they graduate to the mobile coop. Now we are building the deck and doors.

The animals are warm, dry and happy in the barns. I look forward to a time when they can have more space but I am also grateful for all the manure we are collecting.

We will be open this Friday from 2 pm to 5 pm. We will be closed the next two Fridays for the holidays. We will be making felted angels this week.

For this week, here is the list for sale:

• Beets
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Chard
• Collards
• Fennel
• Kale
• Onions
• Purple and Fingerling Potatoes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Turnips
• Winter Squash

The chard, collards, and kale will be freshly harvested and the rest has been previously harvested and stored. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

I thought this recipe looked delicious!

Fennel, Kale and Rice Gratin (Adapted from nytimes.com)

• 1 bunch black kale, thinly sliced

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 ½ pounds bulb fennel, trimmed, quartered, cored and chopped (about 4 cups chopped)

•  Freshly ground pepper to taste

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill

• 3 eggs

• ½ cup milk

• 1 cup cooked rice, preferably short-grain

• 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup)

PREPARATION

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add fennel. Cook, stirring often, until the fennel begins to soften. Add salt to taste and continue to cook, stirring often, until the fennel is very tender and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and kale, stir together for until the kale is wilted and lightly cooked, then stir in dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in milk and salt to taste (I use about 1/2 teaspoon). Stir in fennel and kale mixture, rice and Gruyère, and combine well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Scrape into baking dish. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until set and the top and sides are beginning to color. Remove from oven and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. This is good hot, warm, or room temperature.

Moving animals

After last week's rain, the drainages are flowing. Large puddles appeared in all the low spots, but most of the water has been absorbed by now, just in time for the next storm! As the soil is already saturated, there will be even more puddles after the coming rain. It is lovely to have water running through the farm again.

Today we are getting spaces ready in 3 different barns for all the animals. It is a bit of a puzzle to find a place for everyone. While they would all be fine outside during the storm, they could damage the pastures. We will bring everyone in and feed hay. It will be curious to see when the pastures will be ready for them again.

Last week we were able to clean up all the equipment and put most of it away in the barns. We also organized the walk in and the dry storage. We even found some time to weed whack around the barns. Now that everything is tidy, our minds are clear and we can dive into the office work and planning for next season. 

The farm is open this Friday from 2 pm to 5 pm. For sale we will have:

• Beets
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Chard
• Collards
• Fennel
• Kale
• Onions
• Purple and Fingerling Potatoes
• Parsnips
• Rutabagas
• Turnips
• Winter Squash

The chard, collards, and kale will be freshly harvested and the rest has been previously harvested and stored. When we are growing year round next year, we hope and will plan to be able to offer even more diversity.

Glorious rain

The day after our last harvest, we emptied the field of the irrigation lines, remay, and pea fence, and let the pigs into the whole field. They loved to hide in the tall brassicas and feast on all the leftover vegetables. The strawberry plants were their favorite! Today we moved them into the animal barn, bedded down with lots of straw so they will be dry and warm in the next storm. If it is not too muddy, we hope to put them back in the vegetables for the rest of December.

On Friday, Seth, Teddy, and I spent the day outside working to get ready for the rain. It was sunny and calm most of the day. We hoed the onions, built compost and moved the animals.

Now the farm truly feels ready for winter and plenty of rain. We hope it keeps coming!

Thanksgiving

The farm and the animals are looking clean and refreshed after that lovely rain last week. Everywhere is starting to be glowing and green. The clouds and cool weather made it truly feel like the beginning of winter; I actually needed to wear my thick wool sweaters. Still the bright sunshine today felt lovely. When I was out in the field, the flowering broccoli was buzzing with bees and other pollinators. It was a reminder to me to try and always have something in bloom, especially after we had just finished mowing and tilling the flower field.

We trained the pigs to electric fence which means that we can move them more easily and give them more space to run. Today we moved them into a section of the old vegetable field so that they can clean up the leftovers. They are happy for all the food, the spacious area, and to find some softer ground to root around.

This week's pick list:

• Brussel Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Turnips
• Fennel
• Watermelon Radish
• Pac Choy
• Peas
• Escarole and Frisee
• Radicchio
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Parsnips
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Celeriac
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Pick your own Strawberries

Brussel Sprouts

I had leftover pumpkin puree so I made some pumpkin bread for us to snack on at pick up. The winter luxury pumpkins cook easily and have excellent texture and flavor.

Pumpkin Bread (adapted from 100daysofrealfood.com)

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
• 12/3 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 and 1/4 cups pumpkin puree

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (from the flour down to the salt).
3. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Fold in the pumpkin puree.
5. Generously grease 2 large loaf pans and pour in the batter.
6. For a loaf bake for approximately 30 – 40 minutes and for muffins bake for approximately 18 - 22 minutes. Check for doneness by making sure a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

It was Seth's birthday this Saturday. As always we had his favorite soup. It is easy, delicious and satisfying. We eat it often in the winter, not just on his birthday! I am sure a vegetarian version would be tasty as well.

Wild Rice Soup (from Betty Puffinberger many years ago)

• 1 cup diced onion
• 4 slices of bacon, diced (optional)
• 1 cup diced celery or celeriac
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2/3 cup wild rice
• 1 quart of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup of milk
• Handful of chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a soup pan, saute the onions and bacon on medium heat until the onions are translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the carrots and celeriac and saute for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the wild rice and saute for 1 minute.
4. Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
5. Cook until the wild rice is tender and split open, about 1 hour.
6. Add the milk and parsley and taste. Season with salt and pepper if need be. Serve!

It is even better the next day!

Frost

The frost finally came last night.  There was actually very little left in the fields that is susceptible to frost but it was still nice to feel that weather change. Hopefully it will sweeten the rest of the crops for these last few harvests. 

Next Tuesday November 25th is our last pick up day. We will have plenty of everything; stock up for Thanksgiving and beyond! Please plan to return your tote that day or this week if you will be gone next week. To help you get all the produce home, we can provide you with extra grocery bags and help you carry anything to your car of course.

We planted the garlic today. All the fall planted crops are in the ground. We are working to spade the rest of the fields and plant the cover crop as soon as possible. We will finish digging the dahlias this week. Soon the fields will be tucked away for the winter. Then the building projects and office work begins!

This week's pick list:

• Turnips
• Fennel
• Watermelon Radish
• Pac Choy
• Peas
• Kohlrabi
• Escarole and Frisee
• Radicchio
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Parsnips
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Celeriac
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Pick your own Strawberries

Frosted celosia

Creamy Braised Parsnips with Sage (Adapted from Marthastewart.com)

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-by-2-inch pieces
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Salt and pepper

1. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add parsnips and saute until lightly browned, 4 minutes.

2. Add broth and sage and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender.

3. Increase heat to high, and cook most of the liquid is gone.

4. Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper.

urnip and Kohlrabi Slaw (Adapted from whole living.com)

• 1 pound kohlrabi (about 2 small heads), peeled and quartered
• 1 medium turnip (about 8 ounces), peeled and quartered
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Handful of chives and cilantro, finely chopped

1. Fit a food processor with a shredding blade (or use a box grater) and shred kohlrabi and turnip.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, honey, and sesame oil; season with salt and pepper. Add kohlrabi, turnip and herbs to a bowl; toss to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie

Thank you to those who were able to attend the Fall Harvest Fair! The farm was full of activity: beautiful wreaths were made, lots of pie was eaten and more. It was a true celebration of the wonderful season we have had. 

Our last pick up day will be Tuesday November 25th, right before Thanksgiving. We hope to send you home with lots of delicious produce for your holiday meal. 

The swings behind our house with the young green grass coming through.

Even though the flowers are still abuzz with birds and flying insects, the plants are truly starting to die. I have been waiting for a frost to kill them but it has yet to come. Instead we are going to start pulling them and cutting them back this week. I hope to dig the dahlias Thursday and get the field tilled and cover cropped soon. However, we will leave the perennial flowers and those will be available for picking until the day that the frost actually arrives. 

It is lovely to see the green grass coming up everywhere. I am looking forward to more rain to foster its growth. In contrast to the grass, the growth of the plants in the vegetable fields has definitely slowed. And yet the peas seem to be flourishing. The plants are huge and there are many blossoms. It has been a treat to snack on the sweet snap peas every day.

Peas a plenty!

We are giving out the dry beans and popcorn this week. It was a small harvest so it will only be a taste but hopefully there will be abundance in the future. The heirloom popcorn can be harder to make but it is delicious. Here is a great article on it from the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/dining/heirloom-popcorn-helps-a-snack-reinvent-itself.html. For a detailed description of how to make stovetop popcorn, go to http://tinybutmightyfoods.com/how-to-pop/.

This week's pick list:

• Dry Beans

• Popcorn

• Turnips

• Watermelon Radish

• Pac Choy

• Peas

• Kohlrabi

• Escarole and Frisee

• Radicchio

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Parsnips

• Onions

• Lettuce

• Celeriac

• Winter Squash

• Potatoes

• Kale

• Chard

• Collards

• Beets

• Rutabaga

• Carrots

• Dill and Cilantro

• Pick your own Strawberries

• Flowers

The toyon berries by our house that the birds are loving.

Fall Harvest Fair Saturday November 8th 10 am to 2 pm

We hope you can join us to celebrate the bountiful harvests of this year!

Please bring your friends and family to join in the fun! 

Fog, Pigs and More

I love to wake up in the morning and see the fog. It is never exactly the same. Some mornings it is a low band in the valley, others it is high on the hills. On the way to school, we often drive out of it on the top of the hill and then look down on the town, covered in white. In the summer, that moisture feeds the plants  and provides everyone with a needed break from the dryness of the days.

Sunrise with a fog

We have pigs on the farm now! While we would like to raise pigs for the CSA in the future, we have also been anxious to get some to work as rototillers and help us to manage bindweed. We have bindweed everywhere on the farm. In the pastures the grasses keep it in balance and it does not cause problems. In the vegetable fields, it is a difficult weed to manage well. You cannot pull out its roots and simply cutting off the top only sets it back a week or two.

We were able to purchase 8 four month old pigs, ready to get to work from another local farmer that needed to sell his animals. We are hoping that the pigs will actually get to the roots of the bindweed and eat them. Right now we are moving the pigs through the area we are planning to till and cover crop this fall for 2 new fields. When you come in the driveway, you will see the horse trailer parked in the middle of the field on the right. That is the pigs! It is hard to actually see the pigs themselves. They are very curious and happily eating most of the leftover vegetables we are feeding them.

Duroc and Gloucester Old Spot Pigs

This week's pick list:

• Turnips
• Watermelon Radish
• Green Beans
• Peas
• Sorted Sweet Peppers
• Kohlrabi
• Escarole and Frisee
• Radicchio
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Parsnips
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Celeriac
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Dill and Cilantro
• Pick your own Strawberries
• Flowers

Spring Onions in the ground with the pig trailer in the background.

Seth's Cabbage and Ground Beef

This is a very simple dish but it is also satisfying and delicious. Seth lived on it in his bachelor days and we continue to eat it often.

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 small green cabbage or 1/2 a larger one, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Saute the onions in olive oil on medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add the cabbage and sauté until softened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan into a bowl.
3. Return the pan to the heat and sauté the ground beef until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the cabbage and onions to the pan and cook everything together until warm, about 2 minutes.

Green Cabbage Salad with Soft Boiled Egg (Adapted from Nature by Alain Ducasse)

• Thinly slice one head of green cabbage.
• Heat a casserole dish with 1/4 cup of wine vinegar.
• Add sliced cabbage and cook for just 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and pour over 1/4 cup olive oil and season with freshly found black pepper and salt.
• Leave to marinate for 20 minutes.
• In the meantime, soft boil 3 eggs (6 minutes), cool and shell them. Put them in a bowl and crush them.
• Add them to the cabbage after it has marinated.
• Chop a small handful of tarragon and chives and add to the cabbage. Mix it all and taste. Add salt and pepper if need be.
• Toast 8 thinly sliced pieces of bread. Serve them with the salad.

Patches of Green

The fields and the very brown hills seem so barren right now. Still with the little rain we had there are patches of green popping up. The last of the vegetable beds still in production are a lone island of bright green.

Last Friday Seth mowed the dry corn in the two acre plot closest to the road. Today we spread compost where the new strawberry beds will go and began to spade that field. We were hoping that Friday's rain moistened the soil a little but it is still very dry. On Thursday we will plant the onions and next week the strawberries. 

Still green fields

We also started to clean out and reorganize barns in preparation for the chicks that will be arriving in the beginning of December. The old calf barn will now be a home to the baby chicks before the go into their mobile coop. We are looking forward to eggs next spring! Lastly, we mowed the wildflower ring around the herb garden and began to cut back and weed the beds in there. It should be easier to find the herbs now!

Young greens

The drainage work that connected the culvert under the driveway to the culvert past the CSA barn is done. It is a relief to know that the fields will not flood this winter. 

This week's pick list:

• Turnips
• Peas
• Arugula
• Sorted Sweet Peppers
• Fennel
• Kohlrabi
• Escarole and Frisee
• Radicchio
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Parsnips
• Onions
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Celeriac
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Dill and Cilantro
• Pick your own Strawberries
• Flowers

Harvest Vegetable Galette (Adapted from marthastewart.com)

• 1 potato, scrubbed and diced
• 3 large beets (1 1/2 pounds), scrubbed and peeled
• 3 carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (from one 15-ounce can), drained and rinsed, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (1/4 cup)

1. Bring potato to a a low simmer in a pot of salted water. Cook until knife-tender. Drain.

2. Grate beets and carrots on the large holes of a box grater into a large bowl (or shred in a food processor). Stir in chickpeas, potato, flour, dill, and 1 teaspoon salt. Season with pepper.

3. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add beet mixture, and firmly press evenly into pan. Cook, undisturbed, 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover with a serving platter, and carefully invert pancake onto platter. Slide pancake back into pan, and cook until crisp and brown around edge, 10 to 12 minutes. Invert pancake onto platter.

4. Top pancake with goat cheese, and cut into wedges.

Clouds in the sky

The rain and cool weather have been refreshing. I can only hope that the trend continues. We harvested the parsnips today. The middle field is almost completely cleared of plants and irrigation, ready to be tilled and cover cropped. 

The cows are all together again in one herd. We drove them across the hill behind our house and back to the large pond last week. There is still beautiful grass back there. We will graze them quickly around the pond to minimize the manure load but to manage the vegetation, and then keep moving them across the back hills.

Last week we also did a large clean out of the flowers. It should be easier to harvest and see what is still growing. The flowers are slowly fading but there are still some lovely blooms out there. We did leave a few older plants and seed heads for the birds. 

This is the last week for cucumbers and leeks. We are no longer harvesting sweet peppers but we have them stored in the cooler and will continue to offer them as long as they stay crisp. 

This week's pick list:

• Turnips
• Peas
• Pac Choy
• Sorted Sweet Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Kohlrabi
• Escarole and Frisee
• Radicchio
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Parsnips
• Leeks
• Onions
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Celeriac
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Dill and Cilantro
• Strawberries
• Flowers

Root Vegetable Soup with Orange, Ginger, and Tarragon (Adapted from marthastewart.com)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1 small celery root, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) broth
• 2 oranges
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated peeled ginger
• 1/2 cup water, plus more if needed
• Freshly chopped tarragon

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cook until onion is softened, about 6 minutes (do not let brown). Add parsnip, rutabaga, celery root, thyme, and broth. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Discard thyme. Puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth (fill blender only halfway), and transfer to a clean pot.

3. Finely grate enough peel of 1 orange to yield 1/2 teaspoon zest. Working over a bowl, cut segments of orange free of membranes, and set aside. Squeeze juice from membranes into a bowl, then squeeze enough juice from remaining orange to yield 1 cup total. Just before serving, reheat to warm. Stir in orange zest, juice, ginger, and water, plus more to thin to desired consistency. Season with salt, and garnish with orange segments, tarragon, and pepper.

Harvest Days

Slowly, all the storage crops are being harvested and brought in from the fields. We pulled the onions last week and let them dry in the sun but now we are collecting them and cleaning them. We have shallots, cippolinis, red and yellow storage onions to offer.

It is remarkable that it is the middle of October and the summer crops are just ending. We will have no more tomatoes or basil this week.The zucchini plants are still beautiful but they are barely producing fruit. The heat wave boosted them a little but after this week we will not have any more. We have plenty of sweet peppers though! 

Broom corn drying in the large hay barn

Hopefully, we will have rain this week. After the heat wave, moisture would feel so good. We are slowly pulling the old crops, the irrigation, the remay and hoops from the fields. After a little rain, we will mow them and plant cover crop. If we get rain this week, we are planning to till a section of the field in preparation for next year's strawberries, garlic, and spring onions.

Thank you to our friend David Howekamp for the beautiful photos this week!

This week's list:

• Hakurei Turnips
• Peas
• Arugula
• Sweet Peppers
• Zucchini and Summer Squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Kohlrabi
• Escarole and Frisee
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Leeks
• Onions
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Strawberries
• Flowers

Pumpkins and Winter Squash

Winter Squash and Kale Gratin

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 bunches kale, sliced thin
• 1 large onion, sliced thin
• About 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pint cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Saute the onions in about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until soft. Add a pinch of salt when cooking. When they are ready, remove them from the pan into a bowl.
3. Saute the kale in about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat until it is just soft and has released some juices. Add a pinch of salt when cooking. It does not need to be cooked thoroughly.
4. Line a 9x11 baking pan with half of the winter squash. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper on top.
5. Layer in the onions, kale, and finish with the rest of the squash and another sprinkle of salt and pepper.
6. Pour on the cream. Cover the pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until the squash is soft.
7. Remove the cover and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until the top is slightly browned.

A New Ram

We have a new ram on the farm. He just arrived this Sunday but he is already happy in with the 2 ewes, the weather, and Stella, our Jersey cow. He looks just like the other sheep but he still has his tail. Please be extremely careful around him. For now all the sheep and Stella will stay on the fenced area behind the houses as he gets settled. Please do not enter this area while they are there. For the kids, that means no swinging until they are gone. 

4 sheep in the shade

This Tuesday and Wednesday, Seth will be in Modesto at a Sustainable Poultry Network conference, learning more about heritage breeds, hatching our own chicks and more. We plan on starting a flock of laying hens this year and we look forward to being able to offer eggs next year. If you are curious to learn more, check out the sustainablepoultrynetwork.com.

On Thursday, we are pulling the two bulls and putting them back in their paddock at the driveway entrance. Then we will combine the remaining cows, steers, heifers, and calves into one herd. It will be nice to only move 1 group again. Right now the large herd is close by and it is nice to see them for a change but they will be moving back to the fields around the large pond soon.

The cows 

Now we are finally getting the heat wave I was waiting for all summer when it should be more moderate. Still, the nights are cool and the days are shorter so the plants are not fooled. The tomatoes and eggplant are done for the season but all the delicious fall crops are coming in and looking great.

This week's pick list:

• Hakurei Turnips
• Sorted Tomatoes
• Sweet Peppers
• Hot Peppers
• Zucchini and Summer Squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Kohlrabi
• Escarole and Frisee
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Leeks
• Onions
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Collards
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Basil, Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Strawberries
• Flowers

Sunflowers

We will be offering whole sunflower heads this week. They are beautiful to look at and fun to process. Here is a thorough description of how to process and roast them.

Roasted Sunflower Seeds (adapted from vegetablegardener.com)

1. Lay them flat on a covered table and rub the front of the sunflower heads. The seeds will easily pop out.Carefully go through the seed pile and pick out undesirable pieces of stem, etc.
   
2. If you'd rather have unsalted seeds, skip this whole section and go straight to roasting. For salted seeds in the shell, you'll need a bowl or other container with a couple of quarts of water. Add about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of table salt to the water, add the sunflower seeds, and let them soak in the salt water overnight. Another way to get the salt onto the shells is to put the salt water and seeds in a pot and let it simmer for 2 hours on the stove. 
3. The next day, drain the salt water from the seeds and lightly dry them with a paper towel. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. *Spread your seeds on a large cookie sheet and let them roast for 30-40 minutes in the oven. You can stir them around after 20 minutes or so, if you'd like. You'll want to watch for the seeds to become a little brown and looking crisp - or you can pull them out when they just look dry. Be careful because the seeds can easily burn near the end.
   

Peppers Galore

The tomatoes are almost done, only the San Marzano and Brandywine plants are still producing. However, we have saved all the older Early Girls and San Marzano tomatoes in the walk in cooler. They keep their texture and flavor well so we will continue to offer them while they last. Please be aware that while we have sorted them to remove any soft ones, they may not last as long as the freshly harvest ones do. We also pulled the cherry tomatoes and the tomatillos out of the fields today. However we did harvest them first so we will have them this week. As you probably have noticed, we are planting our winter vegetables in the flower field now. Please watch out for newly seeded and transplanted beds!

Stark contrast of flowers and freshly seeded beds

There are so many birds and flying creatures in the flowers it is lovely to watch them as we work. Lately there have been a few monarch butterflies. What a treat!

Monarch on a marigold

We have so many beautiful peppers! Please feel free to take plenty to freeze or preserve. You can slice them and then freeze them in bags. You can roast them, peel and seed them and then freeze them whole or chopped. They are a delicious addition to many meals. While the summer crops are winding down, some fall crops are also coming in. This is our last picking of corn.

This week's pick list:

• Corn
• Tomatoes
• Sweet Peppers
• Hot Peppers
• Eggplant
• Zucchini and Summer Squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Kohlrabi
• Escarole and Frisee
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Leeks
• Onions
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Basil, Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Strawberries
• Flowers
• Cherry Tomatoes and Tomatillos

2 birds on the old sunflower heads.

My neighbor saw our enormous cauliflower heads and thought of this recipe. I am hoping to try it tonight. It sounds fun and delicious!

Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 head cauliflower
• 1½ cups plain whole milk yogurt
• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400° and lightly grease a small baking sheet with vegetable oil. Set aside.

2. Trim the base of the cauliflower to remove any green leaves and the woody stem.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt with the lime zest and juice,  cumin, garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper.

4. Dunk the cauliflower into the bowl and use a brush or your hands to smear the marinade evenly over its surface. (Excess marinade can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to three days and used with meat, fish or other veggies.)

5. Place the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the surface is dry and lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes. The marinade will make a crust on the surface of the cauliflower.

6. Let the cauliflower cool for 10 minutes before cutting it into wedges and serving alongside a big green salad.

Fall is truly here.

We harvested the winter squash and pumpkins today. The jack o' lanterns are huge! It is nice to see all the beautiful colors and sizes in the crates and to know that we will be eating them all winter. Next we will be bringing in the potatoes.

Rain is coming! The little drizzle last week smelled delicious and I am sure the plants appreciated it but it disappeared quite quickly. Still it is hopeful to have rain forecasted twice in a short amount of time. This rain seems like it could be more substantial. It keeps us on our toes, working hard to get the harvest in and the fields ready for winter but we don't mind. 

Dried flowers and summer vegetables

This week's pick list:

• Corn
• Tomatoes
• Sweet Peppers
• Hot Peppers
• Eggplant
• Zucchini and Summer Squash
• Cucumbers
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Leeks
• Onions
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Basil, Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Strawberries
• Flowers
• Pick your own Cherry Tomatoes and Tomatillos

Sweet annie, fresh bouquets, and hot peppers.

Last year, we were fortunate enough to have our good friend Rachel Dixon farming with us. She introduced us to New Mexican green chiles. For someone who is likes spice but has a wimpy mouth like me, they are perfect. We blacken them on the barbecue or under the broiler, peel and seed them, and then add them to anything. We served this dip at our fall festival last year.

Green Chile Sour Cream Dip

• 1 heaping cup sour cream
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 heaping cup roasted & peeled green chile
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Refrigerate to blend flavors at least 1 hour, preferably a few hours or overnight. 

New Mexico Green Chile Sauce

• 1/2 up chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon flour
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 cups chopped green chile (roasted, peeled & seeded)
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt to taste

Heat the oil and saute onions until transluscent, add garlic and cook until softened. Stir in flour, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Slowly add stock and whisk until smooth. Add the chile. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add water or stock if sauce gets too thick. Makes about 3 cups.  

Dry Beans

We harvested the dry beans last week and today. We hand pulled them plants and piled them on a tarp laid on the hay wagon. When the tarp was full of each variety, we brought them back to the barnyard to thresh and then store in buckets. Soon we will winnow them and they will be ready to eat! The giant sunflowers are almost ready as well. The seeds are fully formed but need to dry more. The plants are buckling over because of the weight of the heads. One variety called Hopi Black Dye stains your hand purple as you eat the seeds. We have been thinking about dying the raw carded wool from our sheep and I was excited to see the strength of the color of the seeds. I wonder if it would make a good dye...

Full sunflower heads

Our weekly greenhouse seedings are slowing down. Almost everything we will harvest this year is in the ground or will be soon. We only have lettuce left to seed and transplant. Jay tilled the empty beds in the flower field today. We will fill up that garden with winter vegetables for ourselves. It will be good practice for us to see how the fields produce during the winter.

This week's pick list:

• Pesto Basil
• Tomatoes
• Sweet Peppers
• Hot Peppers
• Padron Peppers
• Eggplant
• Zucchini and Summer Squash
• Cucumbers
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Leeks
• Onions
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Celery
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Chard
• Beets
• Rutabaga
• Carrots
• Basil, Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
• Strawberries
• Flowers
• Pick your own Cherry Tomatoes and Tomatillos

Sacred Basil

As some members have discovered, there is sacred basil, also known as tulsi, planted in the flower and herb gardens for tea. It has a sweet fragrance and flavor that I love and so do the bees! Please feel free to harvest some. You can make fresh tea with it or dry it to use later. 

Romesco Sauce (Adapted from serious eats.com)

• 1 1-inch thick slice of crusty bread, crust removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large tomato
• 5 cloves unpeeled garlic
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 2 medium red or orange bell peppers
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place almond, garlic, bread and tomato on baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast almonds until fragrant and bread is crusty and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove almonds and bread and continue roasting garlic until soft and tomato until tender, about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and remove skin from tomato and peel garlic.

2. While other ingredients are roasting in the oven, roast peppers over an open flame on a gas stove or grill or broil in the oven until the skins are blackened. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Remove charred skin, seeds, and cores.

3. Place bread, tomato, almonds, peppers, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Purée until smooth. Taste and season with additional salt and cayenne pepper as needed.