Mission Berry Farms The Veggie View

Ellie's Market

2011-07-01T14:57:00.000-04:00

Ellie was a hit at the inaugural Alexandria Farmers Market last Saturday. She will be there with her produce and some new produce bags this Saturday. Here's a picture taken by Bill Stout of the Time Tribune. She was on the front page of Wednesday's small town paper.

Planting Corn

2011-05-22T00:11:00.001-04:00

Planted sweet corn today. 19 rows. Also planted Mother Stollard Beans (for drying). Hank Meeker is a fan of these.

Planting Almost Finished

2011-05-16T12:53:00.002-04:00

We almost have our spring planting finished. This Saturday was great as I was able to plant so much just before it started to rain.

Tomatoes, potatoes, onions, kale, beets, peppers, basil, zenias, and more. What's left? Sweet corn, popcorn, transplant more black raspberry starts, pumpkins, squash and mellons.

The weeds told me they wouldn't be as bad this year, which is nice.

CSA Discontinued

2010-12-26T20:47:00.002-05:00

I regret to say that we will not be offering CSA shares in 2011. My day job is keeping me quite busy and I expect that will continue in 2011. I am not sure that we can keep up the pace of weekly shares. We do, however, still plan to have a garden or two and when we have surplus we would like to let you all know via email, if that is ok with you. I imagine that we'll set out a roadside table under the tent when that is the case. Thank you so much for your support of our farm for the past two years. Mission Berry Farms is still a great project for us and for my kids. Perhaps in future years we will have shares again.

Best wishes for the new year!

F.D.

Colbert on The Hill

2010-09-26T14:33:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcttDlJd98k

Now for Something Completely Different...

2010-09-23T20:38:00.004-04:00

Week 16 Box
Sweet Potatoes
Persimmons
Garlic
Tomatoes
Oregano
Chives
Basil

Persimmon Recipes:
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/fruits-and-vegetables/fruits/persimmons/top.aspx

Week 15 Box + Potato & Kale Soup Recipe

2010-09-17T10:25:00.003-04:00

The season is winding down and the rain has been too sparse.

Here's what I'm seeing for our boxes this week

Onions
Potatoes
Kale (where available)
Tomatoes & Cherry Tomatoes
Basil
Oregano
Apples (where available)

POTATO AND KALE SOUP

1 lb. kale, tough stems removed
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 tbsp. butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 lg. potatoes
5 c. water or stock
salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté onion and garlic in the butter until onion is clear and soft (do not allow garlic to brown). Add 2 cups water (or broth) and the potatoes. Simmer, covered, until potatoes are fork tender. Wash kale and chop; steam kale separately. When potatoes are well done, puree half of them with remaining water.
Combine all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. If needed, add more water or milk for desired consistency.

Week 14 Box

2010-09-06T15:41:00.001-04:00

Onions
Cherry
Tomatoes
Basil
Chives
Potatoes

Week 13 Box & Farm Report

2010-08-31T14:47:00.003-04:00

The season is starting to wind down. It has been a hot, wet summer, which is probably much better than a drought, but the weeds tend to thrive faster than the veggies. Many other organic farms have also experienced this weed infestation this year. Throughout the season we have really worked to stuff the boxes full. I would rather all of you have too much than not enough. But, for the last three to four weeks of this year the boxes might not have the heft or variety that we had just a few weeks ago.

We have had several things do well this year and several things that didn't. I guess that's farming though. It's what makes it interesting and challenging, and rewarding when things really do well.

Here are some things that did well this year:
Potatoes
Giant Fordhook Chard
Kale
Garlic
Sweet Corn
Tomatoes
Basil
Snow Peas
Sugar Snap Peas
Broccoli
Onions
Peaches
Apples
Fennel
Radishes
Prize Choy
Lettuces (most of them. I had a couple of varieties that didn't do well. Note to self).

Some things that did or are doing ok:
Egg plant
Green Beans
Yellow squash
Cucumbers
Beets
Popcorn is doing so/so. It is slow in filling out on the ears.
Arugula
Cabbage
Tomatillos

Some stuff that failed:
Zucchini (And I thought any idiot with dirt, sun, water and seeds could grow them). The weeds liked them better.)
Bright Lights Chard
Kohlrabi
Second garden of sweet corn (got flooded)

I also think my two older kids learned more this year about what it takes. I think we learned a lot as a family as to how to teach and make it less demanding for next year and still meet the needs of our CSA friends.

Here's what we expect to have for this week (week 13):
Apples
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Basil
Kale
Onions

Week 14
Onions
Cherry Tomatoes
Basil
Chives
Potatoes

Week 15
Potatoes
Garlic
Tomatoes (where available)

Week 16
Butternut squash (if available)
Onions
Potatoes
Tomatoes (if available)
Kale
Arugula

Week 12 Box

2010-08-27T15:24:00.003-04:00

Tomatoes
Eggplant (some--they are running a bit small and late)
Potatoes
Basil
Chard
Choy
Bell and Marconi Red Peppers
Apples (Jonathan variety, I think. The trees were there long before I started caring for them.)

Week 11

2010-08-18T23:02:00.002-04:00

Tomatoes
Cherry Tomatoes
Potatoes
Basil
Chard
Kale
Bell Peppers
Marconi Peppers
Jalepeno Peppers
Peaches (where avail)

Gosh It's Hot!

2010-08-10T19:24:00.002-04:00

Today has to be one of the hottest, muggiest days of the year. I dug two rows of potatoes and pulled weeds in the butternut squash and I'm almost dehydrated. I had a long cold shower afterwards.

I am getting concerned about the weeds. With the heat and rain the gardens have turned into a jungle. The eggplant are doing pretty well and I have another row of green beans growing that should get us through. There are plenty of onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and tomatillos coming along. The popcorn is looking a bit heat stressed but I think it will pull out of it as I did see the ears setting on.

Week 10 Box
Eggplant
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Peaches
Sweet corn (maybe--it's almost gone)

I'm going to make some salsa verde this week. Here's a recipe you can use for the tomatillos...
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tomatillo_salsa_verde/

Peach Cobbler
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/peach-cobbler-recipe/index.html

Peach Sorbet Recipe

2010-08-05T09:18:00.000-04:00

This was posted on Going Local...
http://www.goinglocal-info.com/my_weblog/2008/07/peach-sorbet.html

Eat a Peach

2010-08-04T15:43:00.007-04:00

Remember that Allman Brothers album, Eat a Peach. I loved that album! I just thought of that as I pealed a peach and ate it here at my desk. It was so delicious, and I don't even like peaches all that well. These peaches I love!!

Here's a Peach Smoothie Recipe...
http://www.smoothie-recipes.com/fruit/peach.html

2010 Peaches

Week 8 Box

2010-08-03T16:03:00.002-04:00

Sweet Corn
Peaches
Tomatoes
Jalapeno Peppers
Bell Peppers
Choy
Chard
Arugula
Tomatillos

News: Popcorn is growing nicely. Pumpkins are vining out well, but they went in late so I am hopeful we will have some in October. If they are late, we'll welcome you (our CSA members) out to the farm to get some (part of the CSA dealio).

Oh, we will have tons of Tomatillos over the next few weeks. Let me know if you would like to make salsa verde... Here's my recipe:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tomatillo_salsa_verde/

The only things I add to this recipe are cilantro and garlic. Gotta have garlic!

Update to Week 8 Box

2010-07-30T09:14:00.002-04:00

Due to the volume of sweet corn, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers there might not be room in your boxes for enough of some of the other stuff. I hope this is ok.

Chard, Choy, Arugula, Chives, and Basil will likely be next week. If there is room then I will put in the Arugula, Chives, and Basil as I think those things would be a nice compliment to the fresh maters, taters, and corn.

Here is one of my favorite ways to eat cherry tomatoes or any kind of tomatoes.

Tomato Salad
Slice Cherry tomatoes
Put in a salad bowl
Mix with some good Sicilian Olive Oil (or any extra-virgin olive oil)
Mix in some Balsamic Vinegar
Chop Basil and toss in
Shred some good Parmesan Reggiano cheese (check Fresh Market or Trader Joes)
Salt to taste
And toss with salad forks and serve.

Week 8 Box

2010-07-29T09:19:00.002-04:00

Baby Arugula
Potatoes
Onions
Kale
Tomatoes (slicing & Cherry)
Sweet Corn (Peaches & Cream)
Bell Peppers
Chives
Choy

Can I just say that I hate weeds? If there were no weeds everyone would be an organic gardener. Whew!! :-)

Grilled Vegetable Paninni from Giada

2010-07-27T13:34:00.000-04:00

Sweet Corn!!

2010-07-26T11:33:00.004-04:00

We should have sweet corn in your boxes this week!! Yeah!! I picked a couple of ears yesterday and they were good but a little immature yet. I'll talk to them about their behavior this week, so they should be perfect for the weekend. ;-)

I'll probably have some more at the tent for sale if you would like to get extra or know of someone who would like to get some. We'll see. It is hard to gauge the readiness of this stuff sometimes. I'll write another update mid and late this week. Thanks all!

The Tomatoes are Attacking!

2010-07-24T21:51:00.001-04:00

We have a lot of really nice heirloom tomatoes for the next several weeks!!!

And in their honor... Do you rembember this cult classic?

Week 7 Box

2010-07-22T15:23:00.004-04:00

Here's what we're seeing for this week's box (July 24th)...

Onions (red, white and yellow)
Yellow squash
Cucumbers
Dill (where available)
Tomatoes
Jalapeno Peppers
Basil
Purple cabbage and/or Giant Chard
Broccoli
Beets
Fennel

Also, the popcorn is coming along nicely. The sweetcorn should be ready within one to two weeks. The new Arugula is growing as well. One row of the Arugula though is pretty spicy--due to the hot weather, I'm sure.

Next week (July 31st) we'll have: Kale, potatoes, peppers, onions, tomatoes, Bok Choy and maybe some more green beans.

Our regular Zucchinni was rained out :-(. I'm going to see if I can get some going for the end of the season.

Cucumber Recipe from Fran Hoffman

2010-07-19T22:52:00.002-04:00

Thanks Fran for submitting this recipe for another great way to use all of those cucumbers!

Cucumber and Yogurt Salad

3 cucumbers
Onions sliced thinly – as much as you like
1 cup plain yogurt – or less, whatever you like
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried dill

Peel and slice cucumbers. Layer cucumber slices in a salad bowl, sprinkling each layer lightly with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes or more. Pour off the liquid that has formed, pressing cucumber firmly.

Add sliced onions.

Mix yogurt, dill, and garlic. Pour over cucumbers and onions and mix. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Nutritional Supplement Visual

2010-07-18T19:43:00.002-04:00

Here is a very cool website that I found referenced on Hamish Ferguson's Track Cycling blog. Check it out...

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/play/snake-oil-supplements/

I love visual data!

What To Do with Bok Choy

2010-07-17T19:29:00.002-04:00

Here's a great link to a blog with a good recipe for cole slaw using choy instead of cabbage. I made my own version tonight with shredded Kohlrabi, chopped choy, chopped red onions and shredded cucumber. It was delicioso!

http://chompdown.blogspot.com/2009/07/bbq-beef-brisket-bok-choy-cole-slaw.html

Bok Choy Cole Slaw
3 small heads of bok choy
3 carrots, shredded
1/2 c. finely minced onions
6 garlic scapes, chopped
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 t. celery salt
1/2 t. ground mustard
1 t. sesame oil
1 TB sugar
1/4 t. pepper

Chop the bok choy into thin shreds. Toss with the carrots, onions and garlic scapes. In a separate bowl mix together the vinegars, celery salt, ground mustard, sesame oil, sugar and pepper. Combine the dressing and the vegetables and then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Also, check out her Lime Basil Potato Salad!

Cucumbers!!!

2010-07-16T21:19:00.001-04:00

Here's a cool site with a lot of cucumber ideas!
http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~bcohen/cucumbers/recipes/

Boxty Recipe

2010-07-15T13:31:00.000-04:00

Found on Epicurious.com

The Boxty...

Made with a mixture of cooked and raw potatoes, boxty was created as a way to use a few readily available ingredients to produce different results. It can take shape as bread, pancakes or dumplings. The recipe has been popular for so long that one traditional rhyming song goes, "Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan; if you can't make boxty, you'll never get a man." The households that didn't have a store-bought grater improvised by using nails to punch grating holes into a box or flattened tin can. Boxty is most often made as a griddle bread, served with bacon and eggs for a special breakfast treat.Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Boxty-1915#ixzz0sY02joeO

1 9-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups grated peeled russet potato (about one 9-ounce potato), squeezed dry in kitchen towel
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (about) buttermilk
Vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300°F. Cook cut potato in saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Return to saucepan and mash. Transfer 1 cup mashed potato to large bowl; reserve any remaining mashed potato for another use. Mix grated potato, flour, baking soda, and salt into 1 cup mashed potatoes. Gradually mix in enough buttermilk to form texture of firm mashed potatoes.

Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Brush with oil. Drop 1 heaping tablespoonful potato mixture into skillet. Using back of spoon, flatten mixture into 2-inch round. Repeat, forming 4 more rounds. Cook over medium-low heat until boxty is golden brown on bottom and slightly puffed, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until second side is brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet; keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining potato mixture in batches, brushing skillet with more oil as necessary.

I saw this at an Irish Pub in San Diego a few weeks ago and they threw in some fresh herbs into the batter (sage for one). You can also make them bigger and then wrap up veggies, chicken, corned beef, or whatever floats your Irish boat.

Here is the Vegetable Boxty from The Field in Downtown San Diego.

Vegetable Boxty: Broccoli, carrots, and snow peas with melted cheddar cheese topped with white wine sauce.

Week 6 Box

2010-07-13T20:55:00.002-04:00

Yellow squash
Tomatoes
Eggplant (where available)
Choy
Purple cabbage (where available)
Onions
Cucumbers

Week 5 CSA Box

2010-07-07T23:11:00.002-04:00

Here's what I'm seeing in the gardens for this week.

Choy/Cabbage
Green Beans
Lodi Apples for making apple pie
Yellow Squash
Beets
Chard
New Red Potatoes
Cucumbers (where available--they are just starting to come on)

Also, MBF is on the Madison County Garden Tour this Saturday. The tour is from 10AM to 5PM and we are one of the gardens on the tour. If you would like to walk back to see the gardens, please go ahead. There will be someone selling tickets but since you are a CSA member you can go back any time. Just be sure to park and walk back. If you want to make a contribution to The Masters Gardeners the money goes to a scholarship fund for high school seniors planning to study agriculture. I'm sure they would appreciate any donation.

Thanks,

F.D.

Recipe for Chard tried by one of our members...

2010-07-07T23:08:00.001-04:00

Loving this week's batch! Here's that recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pasta-with-Kielbasa-and-Swiss-Chard-234992

Mandi Uhlrich

Basil Pesto

2010-07-03T00:08:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite times of the year is when the Basil is ready for making Pesto. Here's an easy recipe. I have done both pine nuts and walnuts and I prefer the richer, more buttery flavor that the walnuts add. But that's just me.

2 cups of fresh basil leaves (packed)
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (for real Italian pesto flavor use Parmesiano Reggiano)
1/2 cup of olive oil (Trader Joe's has a really good Sicilian Olive Oil for less than $6)
3 table spoons of pine nuts or walnuts. (pine nuts are expensive these days!)
3 garlic cloves finely minced.

Place basil leaves in small batches in food processor and whip until well chopped (do about 3/4 cup at a time). Add about 1/3 the nuts and garlic, blend again.Add about 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese; blend while slowly adding about 1/3 of the olive oil, stopping to scrape down sides of container.Process basil pesto it forms a thick smooth paste. Repeat until all ingredients are used, mix all batches together well. Serve over pasta. Basil pesto keeps in refrigerator one week, or freeze for a few months.

Week 4 CSA Box

2010-07-02T13:18:00.004-04:00

I've been out of town most of the week on business so this is getting out a little late. It sounds like many of you are enjoying the recipes and the produce you have to work with. I just made a stir-fry burrito with onions, yellow squash, mozzarella cheese and fresh eggs. A simple lunch and very good.

Here's what we expect to see in the boxes this week and for the next two weeks after...

July 3rd box:
Lettuce Mix (The lettuce is almost done.)
Giant Chard
Choy
New Potatoes
Snow Peas
Onions-red
Yellow squash (where available--it is just starting to come on)
Turnip or two.

July 10th box:
Choy
Green Beans
Chard
Potatoes (?)
Yellow Squash
Onions--red
Beets

July 17th
Yellow Squash
Tomatoes
Onions--red
Chard
Beets
Cucumbers (if ready)
Zucchini
Baby Arugula (if ready)
Tomatillos (for Salsa Verde)

2010-06-25T13:38:00.003-04:00

Week 3 Recipes

Sautéed Scallops with Garlic Snow Peas Recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. Scallops (smaller bay scallops are ok too)
½ lb. snow peas
½ cup white wine
3 tbs. nam pla (Thai fish sauce) Substitute soy sauce if you cannot find it.
3 garlic cloves chopped
2 tbs. fresh ginger, chopped
4 tbs. butter
1 tbs. lime juice
freshly ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
Start some rice cooking, so it will be done when the scallops are done. If you’re using large (sea) scallops, slice them into strips about ¼ inch thick. If you’re using small (bay) scallops, don’t bother slicing them. Rinse and drain the snow peas and remove the strings. Cut the pods into 1-inch lengths. Heat a small saucepan or skillet, then put in a little butter. Add the ginger and sauté for 30 seconds, then add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.

Add the wine and fish sauce, and reduce the mixture by half, stirring often. Keep this hot during the next few steps, but stir it so that it doesn’t burn.

Heat a skillet large enough to hold the scallops in one layer, and melt the rest of the butter. Over moderately high heat, add the scallops and pepper to taste. Add the snow peas and stir-fry until the peas have change color and the scallops have turned opaque, about 2 minutes. Don’t overcook the scallops, just cook them until they’ve lost their translucent look. Add the sauce and lime juice to the skillet and stir everything for a few seconds, until well-mixed.

Poached Garlic Soup
After the garlic has been cooked slowly for a certain length of time, it loses its harsh rawness and becomes delicate and refined.

30 cloves garlic, peeled
7 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided Toasted Garlic-Butter Bread (see recipe below)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
8 small new potatoes, peeled, diced and reserved in cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
Coarse salt and freshly-cracked pepper to taste
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine garlic cloves and 3 cups of vegetable or chicken broth; bring to a boil and poach 15 minutes or until soft. Remove garlic cloves to a small bowl and mash with a fork; set aside for use in make Toasted Garlic-Butter Bread. Cook and reduce chicken broth to a glaze; remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare Toasted Garlic-Butter Bread; cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
In a large soup pot over low heat, melt butter. Add onion and sauté until soft. Drain the water from the potatoes; stir the potatoes into the butter and onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add remaining 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high; simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes or until the potatoes are softened. Remove from heat and let cool 10 to 15 minutes.
In a food processor or blender, puree soup; return to soup pot. Add garlic glaze; stir until well blended.

NOTE: The soup can be made 1 to 2 days in advance up until this stage. Refrigerate until ready to finish.
Stir in heavy cream, milk, salt, and pepper; cook, over low heat, another 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve in soup bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese. Serve with Toasted Garlic-Butter Bread.

Makes 6 servings.

Toasted Garlic-Butter Bread 6 slices Sourdough French Bread, thinly sliced and lightly toasted 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
Poached garlic cloves
Preheat broiler. In a small bowl, combine butter and mashed garlic cloves; mash until well blended. Spread garlic mixture evenly over the top of the bread slices. When ready to serve, broil bread for a few seconds or until top is lightly browned and bubbly.

NOTE: Bread can be assembled earlier in the day and placed on a pan. Cover well with plastic wrap.

Bok Choy Salad

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bunches baby bok choy, cleaned and sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/8 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 (6 ounce) package chow mein noodles

Directions
In a glass jar with a lid, mix together olive oil, white vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Close the lid, and shake until well mixed.

Combine the bok choy, green onions, almonds, and chow mein noodles in a salad bowl. Toss with dressing, and serve.

WWOOF Trailer

2010-06-23T08:54:00.003-04:00

Libby and I were WWOOF'ers last fall in Sicily on an organic olive farm. Here is a cool movie trailer for WWOOF the movie. WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.

Week 3 +

2010-06-22T22:31:00.003-04:00

Rainbow Chard
Bok Choy (A Chinese cabbage that is great for stir fry and other dishes with an oriental flare)Basil (nothing like fresh basil with your pasta)
Sugar Snap Peas or Snow Peas (great in stir fry with your choy and even chard)
Lettuce Mix
Cilantro (good in salsa or salads or anything Mexican)
1 Kohlrabi (good grated in salads or eaten raw with a little salt)
Green Onions

Next week: We should have some snow peas coming on. More lettuce, onions, garlic, radishes, turnips, chard, chamomile (for tea), garlic chives and/or onion chives.

In Two to three weeks: What we're looking forward to in the next few weeks: More garlic, potatoes, tomatos, more basil, green beans, baby arugula, Zuchinni squash and more snow peas.

Week 2 Box & Recipes (6/19)

2010-06-17T13:28:00.003-04:00

1. Black raspberries
2. Rainbow Chard and Giant Fordhook Chard
3. Lettuce Mix
4. Radishes
5. Onions
6. Arugula
7. Kale
8. Broccoli (limited amount)
9. Turnips

Toasted Meringue with Black Raspberries (Pavolova)

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4), room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp confectioners sugar, sifted

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip egg whites on medium speed until very soft peaks form. While the mixer is still running, slowly add 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar. Turn mixer to high and let mix for 2 minutes.

Again, with mixer running, slowly add 2 more tablespoons of granulated sugar, and mix for 2 minutes. Repeat previous step until all the granulated sugar is incorporated into the meringue. Note: all the grains of sugar should be dissolved before the addition of more sugar. If you are unsure, simply rub a bit of the meringue between your fingers or on your tongue. If you feel grains, keep mixing.

When all the granulated sugar is incorporated into the whites, the meringue will be stiff and shiny. Remove from the mixer and fold in the confectioners sugar.

Using a large star tip, pipe the meringue onto a parchment-lined sheet pan into circles. Or, using spoons, drop mounds of meringue onto lined sheet pan and make a “well” in the center of each mound.

Place in an oven set at 200 degrees F. for 2-2 1/2 hours, until the meringue gives only slightly when pressed gently with a finger. Once cool, the meringue should be crisp all the way through. If not (or, if after a few humid hours or days in storage, they go soft and sticky again) simply return to the oven for additional time.

Store in an airtight container. For the dessert:Place one meringue in a shallow bowl. Pile berries on top. Pour fresh cream into the bottom of the bowl so that toasted meringue is sitting in a pool of cream. Top with fresh whipped cream.

Lemon Fusilli with Arugula

1 tablespoon good olive oil (Trader Joes has some wonderful Sicilian Olive Oil for only $5.00 a bottle).
1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 cups heavy cream
3 lemons
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch broccoli
1 pound dried fusilli pasta
1/2 pound baby arugula (or 2 bunches of common arugula, leaves cut in thirds)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds. Add the cream, the zest from 2 lemons, the juice of 2 lemons, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cut the broccoli in florets and discard the stem. Cook the florets in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain the broccoli and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta in a colander and place it back into the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook it over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until most of the sauce has been absorbed in the pasta.

Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, add the arugula, Parmesan, tomatoes, and cooked broccoli. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it 1/4-inch thick crosswise, and add it to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

Sautéed Radishes and Sugar Snap Peas with Dill
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed, strings removed
2 cups thinly sliced radishes (about 1 large bunch)
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

This side dish would pair beautifully with roast lamb or salmon. To remove strings from fresh peas, just snap off the stem end and pull string lengthwise down each pod. Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and radishes; sauté until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice and dill seeds; stir 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped dill. Transfer to bowl; serve.

Week 2 Box

2010-06-13T20:31:00.002-04:00

I just walked the garden this evening to see what will most likely be in this Saturday's (June 19th) box. Here's what I expect.

New onions
Sugar Snap Peas
Rainbow Chard
Arugula
Giant Chard
Turnips
Radishes
Lettuce Mix
Bok Choy
Sage

Here's a good recipe for using your Bok Choy
http://hubpages.com/hub/Sitr-Fry-Beef-Bok-Choy-Snow-Peas-and-Ginger

Here are a couple of Swiss Chard recipes...
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/swiss_chard/

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bacon-and-Swiss-Chard-Pasta-242133

Stuff we need to do this week in the gardens:

Weed, weed and weed. The rain is helping everything grow, including the weeds.
Run the tiller between rows
Transplant grape starts to larger pots.
Plant more Arugula
Plant more snow peas along fence
Plant sunflowers
Plant more popcorn
Plant pumpkins
Replant some of the sweetcorn that was overtaken by weeds. The good news? Some of our sweetcorn will be later in the season. The bad news...some of our sweetcorn will be later in the season.

It's never a requirement at our farm but if any of you get the itch to pull weeds or spend some time in the peace and quiet we'll always welcome volunteers.

Thanks and we'll see you at pick up.

Farmer Dave

Week 1 starts June 12th

2010-06-08T20:54:00.002-04:00

I've surveyed the gardens and here's what I expect to have in your boxes this week.

Salad Bowl Lettuce
Arugula
Giant Fordhook Chard
Radishes
Oregano
Red Lettuce
New Onions
Kale
Salad Mix Lettuce
Chamomile
Prize Choy
and hopefully enough strawberries for at least a pint.

What to Look For in Your CSA Boxes This Year!

2010-05-18T09:34:00.001-04:00

What to look forward to in your 2010 CSA Boxes!

Week 1 Menu
Arugula
Romaine Lettuce
Kale
Bright Lights Chard
Salad Mix
Iceberg Lettuce
Onion Chives
Green Onions
Spinach
Prize Choy

Week 2 Menu
Arugula
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach
Sugar Snap Peas
Prize Choy
Green Onions
Radishes
Onion Chives
Salad Mix

Week 3 Menu
Sugar Snap Peas
Snow Peas
Arugula
Spinach
Radishes
Onions
Kale
Chard
Salad Mix
Cilantro

Week 4
Cilantro
Turnips
Onions
Spinach
Salad Mix (Lettuces)
Arugula
Chard
New Potatoes
Snow Peas
Green Beans
Prize Choy

Week 5
Onions
Spinach
Salad Mix (if available)
Snow Peas
Sugar Snap Peas
Green Beans
Prize Choy
Purple Cabbage
New Potatoes
Giant Chard
Beets
Broccoli

Weeks 6-16 will be updated soon.

open house + garden tour June 5th!

2010-05-11T13:21:00.002-04:00

June 5, 2010 Open House & Garden Tour at Mission Berry Farms CSA! 10AM to Noon. Let us know if you plan to attend. New subscriber orientation as well. Bring a friend.

please RSVP to Dave at farmerdave@missionberryfarms.com

location: 7388 N. 750 W., Frankton 46044

Nice Rain!

2010-04-26T11:08:00.003-04:00

We've had a nice rain this weekend so I expect the lettuce, spinach and arugula to really pop! I have also seen some chard and choy coming up. Can't wait to see the carrots popping up above the weeds. I hate weeds! :-)

Later this week we will be planting snow peas and California Poppies and will be transplanting out tomatoes into larger containers.

I have also been assembling a collection of recipes for our CSA subscribers. This should give everyone some fun and new ideas on how to cook/serve your veggies this season.

Planting Onions Tonight

2010-04-12T10:41:00.001-04:00

If you are bored this evening and want to help us get a whole bunch of onion sets in the ground, stop by. We'll be planting onions tonight for our Family Night.

Grazie!

Is It Safe?

2010-04-07T13:59:00.002-04:00

Good article in Mother Earth News on Genetically Engineered Corn and why it probably isn't safe. Also, sheds light on the fact that we may be eating it whether we realize it or not since most processed foods have some sort of GE corn or soy product in them. All the more reason to partner up with a local CSA.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Genetically-Modified-Corn-Safe-Or-Toxic.aspx

Po-Ta-Toes! "Boil em, mash em, stick em in a stew"

2010-04-05T20:29:00.002-04:00

We planted 100 lbs of potatoes today which comes to 14 rows. Last year I didn't feel we had enough. This year I think we will. The miraculous part of it was that the whole family, Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Wife, and kids helped and we got them all in the ground in an hour an a half, just before the rain came. Sweeet!

Next we will be planting onions. Tomatoes, peppers, egg plants are growing well in the greenhouse.

The other thing that we are all excited about is that we think we will have some fruit this year because I think we will miss any major freezes this spring that would kill buds and blooms. The peach trees look good. We should have some strawberries and red raspberries, too.

Be sure to secure your membership! http://www.misssionberryfarms.com/ Click on subscribe.

Spring is Finally Here!

2010-03-31T13:12:00.002-04:00

This weeks temperatures will be higher than we've seen in what seems like decades. It has been a steadily cold winter, which I think is a good sign of a great growing season to come.

We already have tomatoes, peppers, red Italian onions, basil, broccoli, cabbage, celery, and fennel started inside. I'll be moving it out to the greenhouse some this week and weekend and more and more as we get closer to the past frost date for our zone.

What does this means for our CSA Members? A lot of great veggies come June. We have some really great lettuce seed in that I'm anxious to get started. We will have a lot more potatoes and tomatoes this year. The sweet corn should do much better as well.

I expect to also have some strawberries ready for our opening month of June!!

We still have some subscriptions available to sign-up soon if you haven't done so already and please tell you're friends.

February Early-Bird Special & Refer a Friend

2010-01-30T09:28:00.001-05:00

Dear CSA Friends,

Things are getting started here on the farm, in spite of the cold temperatures. Seeds are being ordered and plans for planting are being sketched, and recipes are being researched.

For the next month of February we will be running a sign-up and referral promotion.

Sign-up in February for the 2010 CSA season and receive an early-bird discount of 10%! ($25 savings for half, $40 savings for full subscription).

Refer a friend in February and receive another 5% off of your subscription for a total of 15% off. And, your friend gets the early-bird special of 10% off. (You save $37.50 for a half subscription and $60 savings on a full subscription).

Go to the website for paypal orders (paypal fee included on price on website) or send a check payable to David Anderson at Mission Berry Farms.

Mission Berry Farms
7388 N. 750 W.
Frankton, IN 46044

765-620-2880

Farmer Dave

Mission Berry Farms, CSA
www.missionberryfarms.com

My Sister's Garden Wedding

2010-01-07T19:01:00.001-05:00

How to Pick Olives & Food

2009-11-22T18:35:00.002-05:00

(The whole story is being posted to http://mygenx.wordpress.com/mygenx-travel/

How to Pick Olives. A few things you need… Hand rake
Fast hands
Net or reta
Box/milk crate—a cassetta
A truck
Ability to stand for 10 hours and zone out to the rhythm of grabbing, pulling, plucking, dumping, and shuffling around a tree. It’s like a dance of sorts and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that there is an old Sicilian peasant dance based on the olive harvest.
Oh yeah, good tunes on the MP3 helps, too.

Food. Sicilian meals on a farm during the harvest are simple. Some evenings it’s soup, other evenings pasta. Rarely is there meat.

“We eat what we have,” says Ellie.

They don’t have a freezer, no microwave, no oven like we have in America. Their oven is a toaster oven. Their stove is gas fueled by a small propane tank like we use for our outdoor grills. There is no counter space—just the table which is set after the food is prepared. …Water to drink or herbal tea, espresso, or table wine. We stick to the water, which eventually brings up the topic of religion when we explain why we don’t partake of the espresso and the fruit of the vine. They would do very well with a crock-pot but they haven’t discovered those yet in Sicily. Cat’s out of the bag now!

Our favorite dishes with the family are Caponata, Pasta con Sarde (sardines), Pasta al Forno, and of course pizza made in the 70 year old pizza oven, which is the purpose of the little house where we sleep.

Some of my other favorite things during the harvest are anchovies, canola, Bomba—which is like a donut stuffed with ricotta. Pecorino cheese is very traditional for Sicily and it is very good. Parmigiano-Reggiano with a Coca-Cola in the glass bottle is also one of my simple pleasures.
And last but not least—the Di Salvo table olives are simply wonderful!

Making Pizza

2009-11-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

We made pizza our last night on the farm.

Catania Sicily Market Video

2009-11-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

Now these folks are all about the Saturday Farmers Market. We bought cheese and salami.

Street Food in Palermo Sicily

2009-11-18T11:41:00.004-05:00

A great video capturing some of the culture and food we experienced in Sicily.

Recipe for Pannelle

2009-11-17T19:12:00.003-05:00

This is a recipe that I copied from a Sicilian cookbook after Mama made Panelle for us one evening at the olive farm. They are delicioso!

“Panelle”
These are the chick-pea fritters, rectangular in shape (4x8mm) and about 2 or 3 mm thick. Dissolve 200 gms. of chick-pea flower in half a litre of water, together with some salt and parsley.

Place the pan on the heat and mix continuously until you get a rather dense paste. Spread this paste, while still hot, over the wooden moulds and fry in hot seed-oil. In the absence of these moulds, you may spread the paste in a baking pan and then divide it into the rectangular shapes according to the dimensions given above. Often these “panelle” are offered together with “cazzilli”.

Sicily 2009--Excerpts from My Travel Journal

2009-11-16T20:37:00.001-05:00

I am so irresponsible these days! But I am living and experiencing adventure. Libby is not far off from me…just down the hill where we shared the lunch purchased in Cefalu. The scene is pastoral. Plowed soil darkened by the recent three days rain; rain which is unseasonal for this time of year in Sicily. Dogs are barking and sharing stories of our foreign scent--their clarions from the East with report from the West. Bells clang from a slowly migrating sheep herd and a rooster crows, probably announcing to his hens that it is time for the afternoon Sicilian siesta. Colors of Kelly Green and beige fields also adorn the hillsides and olive groves cascade down the smaller hills and stop at small roads with adjacent farm houses.

Lunch is prosciutto that is so good a westerner like me would consider cutting off both hands for it and paying someone to feed it to him. Locally grown olives, apples, peaches, cheese, and grapes—the fruit purchased from a street vendor that I could hear singing his entrance into the medieval village of Cefalu as he stopped to sell his goods at each arched doorway. A nonna came halfway out of her doorway to exchange her Euros for a sack of produce.

So here I sit upon a lichen covered coral rock, the wind gently gives me long Italian kisses on my ears. Wild daisies, white and yellow, and small purple sage blossoms are the gemstones nestled in and around clumps of grass. Sicily is more beautiful than I had imagined.

Sicily Olive Harvest Pictures

2009-11-14T21:25:00.006-05:00

We're back from Sicily where we volunteered to work on an organic olive farm in South Central Sicily. I'll write more about it soon. In the meantime, here are some pictures to show you were we were and a bit about picking olives.

This is Elenora Briguglia who runs the farm and sells the Kibo, Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Sicilian olive oil is different and so good compared to the crap we get here in the US. Sicilian olive oil has a bit of a spice to it and the stuff fresh from the press burns a bit in your throat as it goes down. I like that.

Late Season Garden Pictures

2009-10-17T13:57:00.000-04:00

I snapped these late in August on a particularly beautiful foggy morning.

Cucurbitadectomy Maxima

2009-10-15T22:37:00.005-04:00

Utensils were laid out, the drop cloth on the floor,

The subject on the table had been prepped for surgery

My students anxious to watch their first cranial opening

Incision lines already marked on the head by these talented young residents

With rote familiarity and a forceful hand, I inserted the blade and slid it out, inserted and slid it out, inserted and pulled it out again, cutting around the crown

Rudimentary? Even barbaric? Perhaps…Well, yes, even for a great surgeon of my long experience

After all, my first performed procedure was in my tenth year

But no worries—he was dead already— his preserved head long since plucked from his viny form

I pried the skull cap and it slowly rose with a sound of vacuum sealed suction and there was bated breath hovering over my shoulders

I removed it and without regard for life that once was, I plopped it in the pan

My interns crowded around and filled the subject’s void with their curiosity and awe over this man’s once alive orange matter

“Go ahead,” I said. “Reach in and feel what “brains” feel like! Grab a handful and squeeeeeze. That’s it, let the goo squish through your fingers! Now pull it out and slap those noodles and brain seeds on the table.”

“Gross!!” They shouted.

“Isn’t this fun?” I rhetorically asked, consumed by my own knife wielding, macabre pumpkin lust

Plans for 2010 CSA Season

2009-10-12T15:16:00.002-04:00

What an honor it has been sharing our produce with our CSA members this year! It has been a very rewarding experience for me and my family. There were days, especially those weeks without rain, when I thought we were not going to haveenough to harvest. And, I know there were a couple of weeks where we all hoped there was more in the boxes. Then, there seemed to be other weeks where there was too much!! Better too much than not enough, I think. We can always share the surplus.

Thank you for all of your input into how we can make the CSA experience better next year. I appreciated hearing about the things you liked...shared recipes on the blog, Tomatillos, Tomatoes, Kale, New Potatoes, and the variety of lettuces. I also appreciated hearing about what we need to work on…

Printed veggie lists in the boxes each week (Can do, and will do!)
No more Mexican Gherkin Cucumbers (too weird, I know)
More traditional veggies and less ethnic varieties (On it! See below)
Printed recipes in the weekly boxes for some of the unusual veggies (Yep! Will do!)

Some other ideas for next year that I am working on:

Refer a friend program. Refer a friend and get a free Mission Berry Farms T-shirt or Cap ($20 value) (www.cafepress.com/farmerdave)
Saturday pick up (new pick up time window-- from 9AM to 1:00 PM)
Volunteer at the Farm Day (Time and date TBD)
Mission Berry Farms Cycling Team to race in Central Indiana bicycle races on the road and at the Major Taylor Velodrome.

Veggies for 20010
Strawberries
Pickling cucumbers, Kohlrabi
Japanese Shuyo slicing cucumbers
Sweet Corn (Peaches & Cream)
Tomatoes (Brandywine & Amish Paste)
Green Beans
Chinese Yard long green beans
Okra
Cabbage
Lettuces (5 to 6 varieties)
Greens (Collards, Kale, Chard)
Turnips
Potatoes (more!)
Onions (more!)
Garlic (more!)
Broccoli (more!)
Basil
Zucchini
Butternut Squash
Acorn Squash
Leeks
Cilantro
Cut flowers
Pumpkins
Peaches (if the frost doesn’t kill the buds)

You can sign up any time for 2010. The sooner the better because it helps us better plan. Just go to www.missionberryfarms.com/subscribe to sign up via Paypal. Or you can send a check along with your printed form from the website to me at Farmer Dave, at 7388 N. 750 W., Frankton, IN 46044. Prices for 2010 will remain the same: $250 for ½ share and $400 for a full share.

Thanks again and Happy Holidays!

Farmer Dave

Still Working

2009-10-11T14:26:00.002-04:00

We're still working on the farm, getting ready for next year's CSA season. I planted 5 lbs of garlic (Red Chesnock and Inchellium) last Wednesday evening. I worked until almost dark and put the last clove in the ground just as a Doe and her two fawns came to see what I was doing.

I also started to raise the hoop house. I put up one panel so far and I am going to double wrap it in plastic this year. I also have an old wood burning stove that I am going to put inside and experiment with night time temperatures so that I can keep things toasty at night when March comes around. Another idea is to affix some rain gutters to the sides that would catch the water into a rain barrel and see if I can then engineer it to a soaker hose inside. It is a fun project.

Lastly, I planted sour 10 cherry trees given to me by Henry Brown of Alexandria, IN. He is an amazing gardener who is in his 90s and still gardening as if he was 50. He is sharp, resourceful and enterprising. Just to give you an example of his activity at 90+ he started a community garden in Alexandria and taught other families in the community how to garden. Just from his own 20x10 plot amongst several other small family pots, he donated over 200 vegetable items to the local food pantry.

Cayenne Pepper Wreath

2009-10-07T13:48:00.002-04:00

Last CSA Box of the Season

2009-10-07T13:46:00.002-04:00

Popcorn, Basil, Peppers, Tomatoes, and Greens.

Week 16 Box Contents

2009-10-01T12:54:00.000-04:00

Thank you for a great CSA season! See you next year.

Chard
Kale
Popcorn
Pumpkins (1/2 subscription = 2, full subscription = 4)
Tomatoes
Green Beans
Collard Greens
Basil
Parsley
Leeks
Cut Flowers

Popcorn!!!

2009-09-30T10:29:00.006-04:00

In this weeks box you will find popcorn. It is a Japanese Hulless variety that is simply to die for! I call it Tora, Tora, Tora. Anyway, it is not ready to pop yet. It still needs to dry some. So, take some twine and hang it in your garage or pantry and let it dry. Make sure there is good air circulation where ever you dry it so it doesn't mold. By the end of October it should be perfect and ready to pop! You can test pop a few kernels at a time to see if it is ready before then, which it may be. I have a hard time waiting for it to dry so I often run little experiments hoping that it is ready sooner. :-)

To pop it take a dish cloth and wring the cob to take off the kernels. I use this tool to make it easier on my hands. You can find them online for around $8-$12. http://www.jungseed.com/dp3.asp?c=534&sku=54048

Here are a couple of homemade tools:
It is basically metal lath nailed to a board. Metal lath is expanded metal that you use for putting plaster on a wall.I would use the stuff made from steel not aluminum. Another method is to drill a hole in a 1X4 and put nails in it that knock off the kernels.

Like this link shows.http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It...n-Sheller.aspx

Thank you for letting us share our gardens with you this summer! We hope to see you all next year. Also, we will have a refer-a-friend program starting early next year. I'll send an email and a blog post about it when we get back from Italy.

Deep Fried Goodies

2009-09-23T05:00:00.000-04:00

Fried Beer Batter Zucchini blossoms

Fried Beer Batter Chinese Yard Long Green Beans, Yellow Neck Squash, and Onion

Butternut Squash Recipe. I made this from this recipe found on Cooks.com and it turned out to be very good! I substituted the Fennel with Fennel Seeds and used organic whole milk instead of the chicken broth so my vegetarian daughter could try it.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

extra virgin olive oil
1 stick butter
1 or 2 large sweet onions, chopped
½ large fennel bulb with “fern”
1 large butternut squash
2 large carrots
white wine or Zinfandel
fresh sage
4 cans College Inn chicken broth (may use low sodium)

Pour generous amount of olive oil to cover bottom of a stock pot.
Add ¼-1/2 stick butter. Heat over low-medium heat.

Add chopped onion. Cook until translucent.

Clean fennel bulb and the fern (the fern is the top, finely-leafed portion of the fennel) under cold water and pat dry. Detach some fern from stems, discarding stems (they can be pithy).

Chop bulb, discarding tough outer layer. Add chopped fennel bulb to onion and continue to sauté over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Peel squash and carrots. Cut squash into medium sized cubes; slice carrot.

Add approximately 2 teaspoons salt to pan (Kosher salt preferred), and sprinkle with pepper (use white pepper if available).

Turn heat to medium, add ¼-1 cup wine to onion and fennel; cook until alcohol “burns off”, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Add carrot and squash to pot. Add 4 or 5 cans of chicken stock and remaining butter. Cover and bring to a slow boil.

Mince several sage leaves and chop reserved fennel fern. Add to pot.

Reduce to simmer, and cook until vegetables are very tender.

Flavor with a dash of cinnamon, cayenne pepper, curry powder, nutmeg, ginger, if preferred.

Remove soup from heat and puree with hand mixer/blender.

Submitted by: Deana Rowland

Please Give Us Your Feedback

2009-09-22T00:30:00.000-04:00

Help make our CSA better!

Fill out my form!

Week 15 Box Contents

2009-09-21T12:51:00.001-04:00

Week 15 (What will be in your box this week)

Bright Lights Chard
Tomatoes (Amish Paste, Cherry, and Trophy Slicing)
Basil
Green Beans or Dried Black Beans
Oregano
Parsley
Chives
Butternut Squash

Mission Berry Farms Merchandise

2009-09-18T00:40:00.004-04:00

Support your local CSA by wearing our colors!

T-shirts, tote bags, bibs, and more...

http://www.cafepress.com/farmerdave

Butternut Squash Soup

2009-09-16T10:52:00.002-04:00

I tried this recipe the other day and substituted whole organic milk for the chicken broth so that my vegetarian daughter could try it. It was really good!

extra virgin olive oil
1 stick butter
1 or 2 large sweet onions,
chopped½ large fennel bulb with “fern”1 (used seeds)
large butternut squash
2 large carrots
white wine or Zinfandel
fresh sage
4 cans College Inn chicken broth (may use low sodium) (I used organic whole milk)

Pour generous amount of olive oil to cover bottom of a stock pot.
Add ¼-1/2 stick butter. Heat over low-medium heat.
Add chopped onion. Cook until translucent.
Clean fennel bulb and the fern (the fern is the top, finely-leafed portion of the fennel) under cold water and pat dry. Detach some fern from stems, discarding stems (they can be pithy).
Chop bulb, discarding tough outer layer. Add chopped fennel bulb to onion and continue to sauté over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Peel squash and carrots. Cut squash into medium sized cubes; slice carrot.
Add approximately 2 teaspoons salt to pan (Kosher salt preferred), and sprinkle with pepper (use white pepper if available).
Turn heat to medium, add ¼-1 cup wine to onion and fennel; cook until alcohol “burns off”, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
Add carrot and squash to pot. Add 4 or 5 cans of chicken stock and remaining butter. Cover and bring to a slow boil.
Mince several sage leaves and chop reserved fennel fern. Add to pot.
Reduce to simmer, and cook until vegetables are very tender.
Flavor with a dash of cinnamon, cayenne pepper, curry powder, nutmeg, ginger, if preferred.
Remove soup from heat and puree with hand mixer/blender.

Submitted by: Deana Rowland and found on Cooks.com at http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1748,134186-252193,00.html

Black Beans

2009-09-12T22:31:00.001-04:00

I picked black beans the other day with my son
We pulled up the dried plants and stuffed them into a bushel basket
Family came to chat and by pity or guilt each brought a pile to their laps
We plucked the pods from the plant and shelled the black seeds into a pan
Cling, clang they rang as they dropped
Tedious work it is but good conversations, especially with children who come reluctantly to help
And then forget about resisting as they are hypnotized by the cling, clang and the smoothness of the beans between their fingers.
Oh once in a while one of us will say, “There’s got to be a better way.”
But we keep on shelling not thinking too hard about new methods that could be bought or built
And we comment on the late summer sunset, “That was beautiful.” “There she goes.” And “It sure does go down fast the closer it gets, huh Dad?”
Yep, it sure does.

End of Season Soup Party

2009-09-08T00:11:00.006-04:00

Soup Party

At Mission Berry Farms
(7388 N. 750 W., Frankton, IN 46044)

When: October 3 at 4:30 PM at the Farm. Please park up at the house and walk back to the gardens. We’ll have a cauldron of soup cooking, share recipes, and talk about suggestions for next year’s CSA.

Please RSVP and then we’ll talk about what Farmer Dave likes for dessert. ;-)

Butternut Squash

2009-09-03T11:51:00.003-04:00

Brown sugar and butter and bake on 350 for about 45 min plus depending on the size of the squash.

The Real Dirt on Farmer John

2009-08-28T17:02:00.002-04:00

Cool movie and CSA Member, Fran Hoffman gives it two thumbs up!

Here's the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqP1SC5Tr7U

Playing Farm

2009-08-26T14:34:00.003-04:00

One of our youngest CSA Members...

Sweet Corn is Coming!

2009-08-25T22:00:00.002-04:00

I picked some sweet corn tonight and I should have some more ready for this Saturday's boxes.

A Basket Full of Tomatillos

2009-08-15T10:20:00.002-04:00

It's Saturday morning CSA pick up and I'm sitting on my front porch greeting all of you as you stop by. I put a few tomatillos in your boxes again today, but as I have picked these and sit here with a bushel basket full of them next to me I wonder what I am going to do with them. It is the first year for me growing them and the are good but there are days when I am picking them that I can't remember why I grew them in the first place. So this morning as this modern farmer sits on the porch, I pulled up some recipes on the internet. And then I remembered the salsa verde that Taco Bell used to have that I would get instead of the red mild sauce or the medium hot salsa verde at La Bamba, Burritos as Big as Your Head. So that is what I'm going to make today, salsa verde. How about you? Here are some recipes. Let me know if you would like more of these little lanterns in your box next week.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Fruits-and-Vegetables/Vegetables-N-Z/Tomatillos/Main.aspx

Swiss Chard and Tomato Frittata

2009-08-11T17:29:00.005-04:00

I'm often asked what to do with Swiss Chard. I found this recipe today and I tried it. It was delicioso!

Swiss Chard and Tomato Frittata
http://www.recipezaar.com/Swiss-Chard-and-Tomato-Frittata-152139

Pickles, Sweet Corn Failure, and Chuck Norris

2009-07-30T16:57:00.001-04:00

Those little watermelon looking things in some of your boxes this week are not mini watermelons. They're Mexican Gherkin Cucumbers. I pickled some this week but so far they are delicious to eat right off the vine. They taste like a cucumber on the inside but the outer skin is slightly sour giving them a sweet and sour taste.

I also pickled some banana peppers.

Sweet corn crop failure. The Golden Bantam sweetcorn has been, unfortunately, very appetizing to the birds and raccoons. I have some more corn planted though as a backup and it will be ready in September. Tonight I am moving my scarecrow, "Little Chuckie" to the corn.

Chuck Norris Securing the Perimeter

Mystery Vegetable

2009-07-30T14:00:00.001-04:00

The little tiny watermellon looking things in your boxes this week are Mexican Gherkin Cucumbers or Cucamellons. They have a sweet and sour taste. Here's a simple, fresh recipe from Gradually Greener.

http://graduallygreener.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/transcontinental-treat-mexican-sour-gherkin-and-cherry-tomato-salad/#comment-448

Farmer Dave's Biggest Fan

2009-07-29T16:49:00.002-04:00

Audrey is my biggest fan! She greets me each week as Farmer Dave and she is even learning to say veg-e-tab.b.b.les. Or something close to that. Her Fisher Price farm set farmer is even named Farmer Dave. Cool! It's fun to have veggie fans like that. She is so cute that I couldn't resist snapping her picture today. Thanks Amanda and Audrey!

Veggie Tips

2009-07-24T23:28:00.002-04:00

Just a few thoughts about some of the upcoming veggies to come in your boxes. Be sure to wash your cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli in salt water to get rid of any worms. We don't use pesticides so I'm sure you will find some crawly things trying to get in their last meal before yours begins.

If you find some green tomatoes in your box those are for frying! Fried Green Tomatoes. It wasn't just an award winning book.

Also, look for some red tomatoes to start showing up in a week or two. They are just starting to turn and I can't keep from eating the Cherry Tomatoes right off the vine. Tomatillos and peppers are starting to show well, too.

The green beans have been disappointing so far. However, I just planted a bunch more for a late season crop. The pole varieties of green beans have also not produced yet and the vines are not looking as good as they should. It was very dry for June so I think that has caused a few crop failures. The snow peas also didn't do well.

See you at tomorrow's pick up!

Ciao,

Farmer Dave

Dill French Bread Recipe

2009-07-18T15:16:00.001-04:00

I made this bread with the dill I received last week. Yummy dipped in olive oil!

Dill French Bread

1-1/3 C warm water
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 cups bread flour
¼ C gluten
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons white sugar
1 tablespoon dried dill
4 tsp. yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.

When finished, put on baking stone and shape into loaf. Let rise in warm place for 1-1/2 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min.

Note: You can substitute whole wheat flour for some of the bread flour. This recipe was originally for Rosemary French Bread. I substituted dill for the rosemary, but either are delicious.

Garden Wedding

2009-07-15T15:03:00.004-04:00

Last Saturday, my little Sister got married. Rustic barn wedding is now all the rage and that is exactly what she had. It was brilliant! My mother works at Ousley's Harvest Gardens in Alexandria and also tends her own garden. I think she has spent more than her pay check there in flowers, herbs and other decor since the marriage proposal on Christmas Day to get ready for the wedding.

The morning started with a bang! A bang of thunder that is. Then the rain came, like Forrest Gump rain, "sideways". It rained all morning and I was torn. On one hand, I selfishly welcomed it for the rain starved gardens at Mission Berry Farms, and on the other hand, I worried about the evening forecast for the wedding and also worried about my mother's nerves. My sister?--heck, she'd have been fine rain or shine. No act of nature was going to stop her day!

But, Providence and the Weather Channel shined just in time. The sun came through and photography lighting for the evening was just perfect. My sister is a photographer.

Anyway, I thought I would share with you the poem I wrote for her unity candle ceremony. The exception though with this ceremony was that it was not done with lighting candles, but instead Rodney and Kara expressed their union by mixing soil from their two childhood homes and then planted a tree.

Cultivation
Earth, soil, sand, and clay,
Mud, rock, stone,
Flesh, and bone
As the woman found the man
So does the rain find the soil
As the man finds the woman,
The soil is warmed by the sun
These soils are mixed today
And so cultivation begins again
Each are different and yet the same
And when they come together
All are enriched
By the goodness of each
Thunder and Lightening may strike
Winds may blow
But soon after
Always comes the rain
Plant firm roots in each other
Nourish each other
And tend daily to your garden
Called marriage

Rain Brings Life and Dinner

2009-07-12T18:44:00.002-04:00

Hey, the rain finally came! And now, Sunday evening, after a stroll through the gardens, we are cooking some of the goodies that are popping up all over.

We ate the first tomato tonight! Thank you Indiana, it was delicious! Also, Banana Peppers stir fried with Snow Peas and Red Tropea Onion. Next I am going to saute up some of the Zucchini Striata's that I found tonight. Libby just had some green beans with cabbage and onion with some new potatoes all boiled in a pot. I'm going to cook some of the new potatoes in a skillet with butter and garlic. It is all so good! We have some BBQ ribs left over from my sister's wedding yesterday but we don't even want to eat the meat for all of the fresh veggies.

Thanks all for sharing the recipes. The Kale with Roasted Beats recipe sounds really good.

Kale Salad w/Roasted Beets

2009-07-10T19:01:00.002-04:00

I found a recipe online, and tweaked it a bit to make it more delicious.

Kale Salad w/Roasted Beets

3-4 beets

olive oil

1 bunch kale

2 scallions, sliced thin

1 medium carrot or 5 baby, sliced thin

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

goat cheese, crumbled

Peel and chop beets into wedges. Place in baking dish and toss w/olive oil. Roast at 400 for 20 - 30 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown. (You can save the green leaves of the beets, and combine them with the kale in the salad.)

In the meantime, toast the pecans for just a few minutes.

Blanch kale for 30 seconds (place in boiling water, then scoop back out). Cool kale under cold water in strainer. Chop kale into bite size pieces.

Toss the kale, carrots, scallions, and beets w/the following dressing:

3 T olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. dijon mustard

1 T chopped fresh basil

1 clove minced garlic

ground pepper

Top with pecans and goat cheese. Serve chilled. Makes 2 dinner size salads, or 4 side salads.

Ideas on Preparing Cruciferous Vegetables

2009-07-08T08:48:00.002-04:00

Zuppa Toscana (similar to soup served at Olive Garden)

2009-07-03T11:11:00.002-04:00

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

1 lb Italian Sausage

2 large Russet potatoes, sliced in half then in ¼” slices

1 large onion, chopped

½ can Oscar Meyer bacon bits

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans chicken broth

2 cups Kale or Swiss Chard, chopped

1 quart water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Makes 4-6 servings

1. Cook sausage, drain and set aside.

2. Place onions, potatoes, chicken broth, water and garlic in pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.

3. Add sausage and bacon bits.

4. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

6. Turn to low heat.

7. Add Kale and heavy whipping cream.

8. Heat through and serve.

Week 2 Box

2009-06-27T22:01:00.003-04:00

Large Box: Green Beans, onions, chard, chamomile, cabbage, cilantro, Mooli Radish, French Breakfast Radishes.

Chard for Dinner

2009-06-25T20:26:00.002-04:00

Penne sauted with Bright Lights Chard

Olive Oil, salt, pepper, chard (chopped) penne rigate pasta (previously cooked).

My favorite way to have chard is steamed with a bit of butter and salt. The flavor retained with steaming it along with all the good nutrients. Delicioso!

Recipe: Crunchy Thai Salad

2009-06-25T14:04:00.007-04:00

I concocted a tasty little Thai salad with several things from this week's box.

Crunchy Thai Salad

4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
3/4 cup finely chopped radish
3 chives, thinly sliced
1/3 cup (packed) fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup chopped peanuts (plus more for garnish if desired)

Combine above, then toss with dressing.

Dressing:
1 T sesame oil
1 T rice vinegar
1 T fish sauce (or soy sauce)
1 T fresh lime juice
1 tsp grated ginger
2 T sugar
salt and pepper to taste (red pepper is best!)

Garnish with slice of lime, a sprig of cilantro, and some more peanuts

Today's CSA Box (Week 1)

2009-06-24T09:11:00.003-04:00

Bright Lights Chard, Cabbage, Mooli Radish, Dill, Chives, Cilantro, Red Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, Mesculin.

Baked Kale Chips

2009-06-22T22:44:00.001-04:00

CSA Members Can Now Post to Blog

2009-06-22T22:15:00.001-04:00

I just sent an email to all of the CSA subscribers to invite you to post any yummy recipes or cool things you are doing with your veggies that you would like to share. I'll do the same.

I had one of the first Kohlrabi's this evening. It was so good!!

First CSA Pick Up

2009-06-20T13:57:00.000-04:00

I'll have a picture up with this soon of what the box looked like for today. In the boxes were Cilantro, Little Ceasar Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, Red Lolla Lettuce, Radishes, Mooli Radishes, Arugula, and Mesculin.

Some cabbage might be readdy for next week's pick up. Maybe some Bright Lights Chard, too.

Farmers market in Elwood was fun today. Not much of a crowd but everyone seemed to think Ellie and her farm stand was pretty cute. Ellie made $10 so she is happy. :-)

Garden Tour Video

2009-06-15T16:57:00.000-04:00

My Help

2009-06-11T12:44:00.000-04:00

Taylor Family Farm

2009-06-09T21:32:00.000-04:00

I spoke to A.J. Taylor over near Daleville today. It is great to know there is another CSA in Madison County. I look forward to touring his farm and helping him out when I can. Here is a link to his farm blog...

http://taylorfamilyfarm.wordpress.com/

I just picked the hugest radishes tonight and I thought they would be hot but the biggest one I tried was not hot at all. The Mooli Radishes are a different story--HOT!!

RSVP for the Garden Tour, Sat. June 13

2009-06-07T14:37:00.000-04:00

Please join us this Saturday for our garden tour from 10 AM to 12:00 Noon. We'll start the garden tour promptly at 10:15. If you are a new CSA subscriber or would like to become one, please stay after the tour and learn how our CSA can work for you!

Location: 7388 N. 750 W., Frankton, IN 46044

Please park in front of my house or at the side of the house or out on the road. We'll meet there and then walk back to the gardens behind our property. Our new sign will be up in front of the house.

Please reply to this email to RSVP. You can also call me on my phone with any questions but email is easiest. Cell: 765-620-2880.

Farmer Dave

Mission Berry Farms
http://www.missionberryfarms.com/

Local fruits & vegetables grown the way nature intended

Upcoming posts for this weekend

2009-06-05T16:20:00.000-04:00

Anderson Garden Club Tour Report and Pics.

Getting Ready for starting the CSA Season

RSVP for June 13th CSA Garden Tour and New Member Orientation.

Upcoming Events

2009-05-28T16:30:00.001-04:00

Anderson Garden Tour and Meeting at Mission Berry Farms, June 2nd at 6PM

Open Garden Tour & New CSA Member Orientation, June 13th, 10AM to 12:00 Noon. (Park at the house or on the road in front of the house).

First day of CSA pick-up, June 20th 8AM to 12 Noon at Mission Berry Farms. Pickup on the front porch of the house.

Spring CSA Garden Pictures

2009-05-16T23:11:00.000-04:00

Just thought I would give everyone a view of what is growing besides the weeds. Weeds like all of this rain. The forecast shows about 5 days of sun for the coming week though. Yeah!!

1.5 Inches of Rain Last Night!

2009-05-14T22:39:00.000-04:00

Wow, maybe I'll build an arc next. The new garden seems to be draining pretty well though and with today's sunshine much of it was not looking too wet, with the exception of a couple of low places at the edges. I couldn't wait any longer though so I put in all of the tomato plants and a row of Tomatillos. My brother-in-law, the gourmet, was giddy about that because he thinks there might even be enough for him to make his salsa this summer. I'm sure there will be some left over. Let's just see what we can get in the ground this weekend if the rains continue to hold off. If anyone has some mulching ideas, I think I am going to need them. With all of this rain the weeds are growing fast and the new garden will be very weedy since that ground was just turned over earlier this spring. I plan on using newspaper and straw, and maybe some landscaping fabric, which worked wonders on my potatoes a couple of years ago. I'll snap some pictures this weekend and post them soon.

Oh yeah, we still have shares available.

Beating The Rain

2009-05-13T13:52:00.000-04:00

Many thanks to Bright Farm in Frankton for allowing us to borrow the tractor with that awesome tiller on the back. To beat the rain I tried to "make hay" while the sun was smiling. Ellie ( my 7yr old) and I managed to plant snow peas, Cosmos, Green Anelino Pole Beans, three rows of potatoes (Pontiac, Irish Cobler, and Ukon Gold), one row of onion plants, Star of David Okra, 8 rows of Golden Bantam sweet corn, and two rows of Mamoth Sunflowers (placed at the far end behind the corn). Ellie was coaxed into helping by Mom telling her that she could stay up past her bedtime if she helped Dad. Ellie went in at quarter till 9:00 and I finally gave up for the dark at about 9:30. I was beat!