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New Year, New Greenhouse?

Giving thanks

So the veggies are turning into preserves & filling up the freezer..  you get a call from your favorite turkey producer to let you know it's on the way, and perfectly plump pumpkins are predestined for pie making. Sure with the cool weather it's nice to reflect on the season.. but there is still so much to participate in for the busy foodie!

Next week (Oct. 9 - 16th) is Organic Week throughout Canada. There is an open house at the Rabinowitz Organic Farm on 42 Churchill Road Portugal Cove. Farm will be open for tours on Saturday and Sunday, October 10 & 11th from 1:00 - 5:00. Products will be available at the Farm Store & children welcome!

Also upcoming in our area:
October 13th People's Food Policy, Kitchen Table Talks: Sustainable Fisheries
October 15th Food Security Network hosts World Food Day dinner & a movie
October 17th Slow Food St. John's, Celebration event featuring Preserves @ Yellowbelly
October 22- 24 ACORN-NL Sustainable Farming Conference
October 26-28th Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture hosts Agriculture Labour Market Symposium

Feels like we're just getting started!

VEGGIE STORAGE TIPS

Here are some ideas to get the most of the season’s bounty by simply storing & freezing your fresh vegetables. If you look through our blog archives there are pickling recipes scattered throughout.

Most of these tips shamelessly copied from my wonderful farm mentor Hilary Moore @ Teamwork Farm in Lanark, ON
- Sarah

Busy Bee Party

Sorry about the lack of posts, folks - we are immersed in harvest time, plus field clean up, sowing cover crop, and hoping our green house doesn't blow away! We are relieved that the hurricane damage was minimal - but last night we got some frost action as well; expect things to wrap up in a cataclysm of squash and tomato bounty.


In that theme - this Sunday we would like to invite you, our CSA members, Farmer's Market customers, as well as children, friends, neighbors, and relatives to the Farm on Sunday, October 3rd.

Veggie roll call

The weather has been incredible and we’ve finally been able to put our black fly nets away to enjoy the sun properly!


While our cabbages and peas are booming, the zucchinis and cucumbers are coming along nicely. Within your herb bags you’ll even find an edible orange flower from our zucchini plants; it has a squashy flavor and will look great atop your salad lettuce. As well, in the greenhouse, the tomatoes are downright intimidating, surpassing us all in height with multitudes of fist-sized green tomatoes. They’re on their way! The potatoes have even begun to flower so it won’t be long now.

Within your share bags, you’ll find:


* Snow peas
* ½ of a purple cabbage
* 1 bag of Egyptian onion tops (like spring onions)
* Swiss chard and kale mix
* 1 bag of Rosalind Red Premium broccoli leaves
* 1 head of either romaine or simpson lettuce
* 1 bundle of beet greens and turnips
* 1 bundle of Egyptian onions
* 1 herb bag with oregano, mint, sage, parsley, basil, mâche and an edible zucchini flower

A turn in the weather

The sun has been shining and the air has been hot and humid, so our plants are bursting! Our broccolis are the size of large fists and little cabbages are huddling in the lower fields. The squashes, peas and fava beans have even begun to flower. It won’t be long now and you’re share bags will be bursting with all of the above as well as plump green tomatoes and shortly after with bright red and yellow juicy ones.

greens and kholrabi that can't be beet

A juicy red beet
A crunchy kohlrabi
A sweet Hakurei turnip
A perfectly tart bundle of rhubarb
A few of our last sun chokes
A bag of ninja greens
A bag of salad greens
An herb bag including chocolate mint, cotton candy mint and spearmint (bring on the mojitos!)

We hope that all of you will remember to add your beet greens, kohlrabi greens as well as your turnip greens into any stir fry you make; they are essentially as good as the root they grow out of!

Welcome 2010 CSA Members!

This week we started our first harvest of delicious greens and roots for "full share" members. We will be in contact as veggies become available.
The harvest includes salad mix (lettuces, arugula, mizuna, ect), ninja stir-fry mix (kale, tai sai, pac choi, mustard..), green onion bunch, shosaku gobo, Jerusalem artichokes, radishes, and rhubarb.

Our CSA shares are full for this season - but please check us out as vendors at the St. John's Farmer's Market which starts June 5th, 9 am to 2 pm at the Lion’s Club Chalet on Bonaventure Avenue!

September 29 veggies - and that's it!

Well, that's it for your regularly scheduled veggies, friends. I hope it's been a delicious summer for you all!

In your bag this week you will find these lovely treats.

Full share:
:: buttercup squash
:: spaghetti squash
:: zucchini or crookneck squash or Costenata Romesqua (ridged zucchini)
:: potatoes
:: tomatoes (green, orange, and red)
:: cucumber
:: basil
:: beans
:: corn
:: leeks

Half share:
:: smaller quantities of the above

Buttercup squash is one of the loveliest winter squashes. You can bake it like its squash-ly cousins (cut in half, scoop out seeds, roast cut-side-down on a sheet in a 350F oven until flesh is easily pierced with a knife) and use it for soups, or as mash, put it into a casserole, make souffle, make pasta sauce... really, it's very versitile and delicious. One thing about winter squash is that you can swap them with one another in pretty much any recipe, so if you have a favourite recipe for acorn or butternut or hubbard squash, you can use your happy Portugal Cove buttercup in its place. You can also use it as a stand-in for pumpkin puree, like in this cookie recipe here.

Happy eating, and thank you for all your organic veggie love!

September 22 veggies

Look at that: in order to get all the delicious veggies from this week's share into one photo, I had to stand on a chair. Yay harvest time!

Here's what you're looking at this week:

Full share
:: tomatoes
:: potatoes
:: head lettuce
:: spaghetti squash
:: zucchini or summer squash
:: cucumbers
:: turnip
:: beans
:: basil
:: broccoli or Brussels sprouts
:: corn
:: hot peppers (if you choose)

Half share
:: tomatoes
:: potatoes
:: head lettuce
:: cucumbers
:: green sweet pepper
:: beans
:: basil
:: corn
:: hot pepper (if you choose)

There were also a limited number of bags of kale and Swiss chard that went on a first-come, first-choose basis.

Looking at the vegetables in this bag, and the ones that I've picked up from other local farms over the past while, I think I may have enough produce to make this pickle recipe I've been wanting to do for ages. It's from Joy of Cooking's "All About Canning and Preserving" book, and is most aptly named for this time of year.

End-of-the-Garden Sweet Pickle Mix
(makes about six 1-pint jars)

4 medium ears corn - boil for 5 minutes, then remove kernels and discard cobs (or use for stock!)
1 pound young zucchini or cucumbers, in 1/4 inch thick slices
8 ounces tender snap beans, in 2-inch pieces
8 ounces tender carrots, in 1/4 inch thick slices
8 ounces cauliflower, in 1-inch florets
8 ounces bell peppers, both green and red, in 2" x 1/2" strips
8 ounces pearl onions, peeled

Make sure all vegetables are washed well.

Combine and stir until the salt has dissolved:
8 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt

Pour over all the vegetables in a large bowl. Place a plate on the vegetables to keep them submerged and refrigerate 12 to 18 hours. Drain, but do not rinse. Combine in a large, deep skillet and boil gently for 3 minutes, stirring until the sugar is dissolved:
3 cups cider vinegar
3 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons celery seeds
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Add the vegetables along with:
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring often, until the largest, thickest pieces are thoroughly hot. Use a slotted spoon to pack the vegetables into hot pint jars. Add the hot vinegar solution, stirring to mix the seeds and chopped herb. Leave 1/2 inch headspace, and process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Happy eating (and maybe happy pickling)!

September 15 veggies

That's some nice-looking fall veggie bounty, don't you think? Remember the early summer veggie bags that were nothing but shoots and leaves? Not that they weren't delicious, because of course they were, but now we're really getting into the good harvest stuff.

Here's what's in your bag this week:

Full share:
:: potatoes
:: tomatoes
:: spaghetti squash
:: garlic
:: onion
:: pablo (red) or chiagga (striped) beet
:: beans
:: cucumbers
:: kale
:: corn
:: zucchini

Half share:
:: potatoes
:: tomatoes
:: garlic & onion
:: beans
:: carrots (some of them are red and purple!)
:: zucchini
:: kale

If you don't know much about spaghetti squash, its claim to vegetable fame is its unusual flesh that separates out into strands when cooked. The best method for this is baking: cut your squash in half lengthwise, scrape out any seeds, then place the halves, cut-side-down, on an oiled baking sheet in a 350F oven for maybe 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork. Turn your halves over, let them cool a minute so you don't give yourself horrible steam burns, then use a fork to fluff the strand-y flesh out of the squash shells.

Some people use the cooked squash the way you would use pasta, under any spaghetti-type sauce (how about some of those tomatoes, roasted with some olive oil and stirred together with some minced garlic?). It's a pretty cool, grain-free substitute for noodles if you have a problem with wheat or rice.

Spaghetti squash frittata is also delicious. There are loads of variations, but here's a basic recipe. I like to stir the "noodles" with garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan, then pour the eggs and milk over and cook it for a couple minutes to get the eggs close to setting. Then I cover the top with halved cherry tomatoes and a nice layer of mozzarella cheese, and put the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to get the cheese nice and bubbly. Delicious.

Happy eating!

Awww, look at those peek-a-boo tomatoes!

September 8 veggies

Look at those cucumbers! Aren't they great? And there was no joking around when the tomato plants were referred to as a "herd." That's a lot of tomatoes!

Here's what should be in your bag this week:

Full share:

:: tomatoes

:: zucchini or crookneck summer squash

:: cucumbers

:: beans

:: basil

:: corn

:: onions and leeks

:: potatoes

Half share

:: half portions of the above

:: broccoli

:: peas

If you're hoping to get in a couple more barbecues before the weather turns, why not do some chicken or pork skewers and eat them Greek-style, with tomato salad and feta cheese and some olives, all dollopped in tzatziki from your very own Seed to Spoon cucumbers? There are plenty of recipes online, but they are all basically composed of thick yogurt, cucumber, and garlic. What's not to love? One thing you need is good, plain yogurt; best to go for full-fat stuff if you can find it (like Astro Balkan style). If you do use lower-fat yogurt, check to make sure it doesn't have gelatin or any thickeners in it, because then it won't drain well.

Tzatziki

(makes 1 1/2 to 2 cups)

1 tub (750 mL) plain yogurt

1 medium or 2 small cucumbers, grated

2 crushed cloves garlic (or more, to taste)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

salt and pepper, and chopped fresh mint, if desired

Empty yogurt into a colander lined with cheesecloth or with a clean tea towel. Place colander over a large bowl. Allow yogurt to drain for an hour or two, until it has thickened to your liking (you can leave it overnight for really thick tzatziki).

Salt grated cucumber and allow to sit for ten minutes. Pat off any extra moisture with another clean tea towel.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring well to combine. Refrigerate and serve cold as a dip for grilled meats, vegetables, or pita bread, or use as a sauce for souvlaki.

Happy eating!

September 1 veggies

Those tomatoes are coming fast and furious now! Lovely, aren't they? Their colours, with the yellow squash, the carrots, and the beautiful brown onion make a lovely late-summer tableau, don't you think?

Here's what's in the bag this week.

Full share:

:: cucumber
:: pole beans
:: jalapeno pepper
:: tomatoes
:: carrots
:: peas
:: onion
:: zucchini/summer squash
:: kale
:: garlic
:: broccoli/Guy Lan florets
:: lettuce mix
:: turnip

Half share:

:: cucumber
:: jalapeno pepper
:: tomatoes
:: onion
:: carrots
:: broccoli
:: leek
:: radish

If you have a yellow squash in your bag and aren't sure what to do with it, just think of it as a zucchini in disguise. You can use the two almost interchangeably. The skin of a yellow squash is a little thicker, but you don't have to peel it. Some people feel that they don't freeze as well as zucchini, but other than that they work pretty much the same. They are excellent in casseroles or grilled on the barbecue (or just in a pan), and I know people who use them, very thinly sliced, in the place of noodles for a lasagna-like dinner. I also found this recipe for kid-friendly squash chips, but I'm not sure exctly how those would go over. Worth a try, though (and, if you have leftover zucchini accumulating in your fridge, this could use them up nicely).

One problem I've had is that I haven't been able to keep on top of my jalapeno peppers - my youngsters don't have the same appreciation for spicy food that I do, so I tend to keep dinner on the mild side. I was thinking I might make a half-recipe of these pickled jalapeno peppers to have on hand - something I can eat on the side while the kiddoes enjoy their un-zippy meals.

Happy eating!

August 25 veggies

That's it: fall is definitely in the air. Don't be sad that summer's coming to a close, get excited that harvest season is ramping up! Warming soups, tasty casseroles, and root veggies for roasting: there are some who would call this the best time of the year. Here's what's on your plate this week.

Full share:

:: zucchini or summer squash

:: tomatoes

:: green pepper

:: cucumbers (including a Boothby's Blonde!)

:: leeks

:: potatoes

:: head of garlic

:: beet

:: kale and Swiss chard

:: peas or beans or Brussels sprouts

Half share:

:: tomatoes

:: cucumbers

:: baby zucchini or summer squash

:: leeks

:: potatoes

:: kale

:: head of garlic

Leeks! They're one of the gentlest members of the onion family, and, paired with those beautiful potatoes you have there, make one of the most classic soups there is. If you don't have a recipe for leek and potato soup already, you'll find one in almost every cookbook, and about a bajillion on the internet. The simplest recipes call for only butter (about 3 tablespoons), leeks (cleaned and thinly sliced, white and green parts only), water, and potatoes (peeled and chopped). Usually you use 1 1/2 times as much potato as leek, so if you chop your leeks and get 1 cup, use 1 1/2 cups diced potatoes. For that amount I would use about one litre of water, and it would serve two people.

If you want to bolster your recipe with onions, shallots, garlic, white wine, different kinds of stock, cream, chopped herbs, whatever, go right ahead. Serve it cold, serve it hot, whichever you prefer. Traditional leek and potato soups are blended to a creamy consistency, but with these beautiful new potatoes, I would be tempted to leave the skins on and slice the potatoes into quarter-rounds. Kind of irreverent, and the soup wouldn't pass muster in a French restaurant, but I wouldn't want to compromise those buttery, beautiful spuds.

Oh, and you'll want to get your leeks really clean before you cook with them. They are grit-magnets. And nobody likes gritty soup. A lot of people just rinse down between the layers, but that tends to waste a lot of water. A better way is to slice your leeks (save the green tops for stock or some other use), place them in a large bowl, cover them with lots of water, swish them around and leave them about ten minutes. The dirt will settle to the bottom, and the leeks will float. Skim your clean leek slices off the top and use the water for your garden or your houseplants. No waste, and clean, tasty leeks!

Cabbage rolls

If you still haven't figured out what to do with your frozen cabbage leaves (or any other cabbage leaves), there's a recipe for cabbage rolls over here.

August 18 veggies

Another week, and more delicious fresh veggies. The greens and reds and oranges sure looked beautiful against the grey (but very necessary) rain today. Here's what's in your bag:

Full share:
:: potatoes
:: zucchini
:: beets
:: Brussels sprouts
:: carrots
:: cucumber
:: jalapeno
:: tomatoes
:: snap peas
:: shallots
:: mint
:: basil
:: spicy salad mix
:: peppergrass

Half share:
:: yellow zucchini
:: blond cucumber
:: peppergrass
:: shallots
:: jalapeno
:: beet
:: potatoes
:: tomatoes
:: mint


Now, there's a good chance you're wondering what to do with peppergrass. It's not commonly eaten here, but it's a tasty green that is delicious in salads. There aren't a lot of recipes floating around that use it, but here's one interesting one for veal escalopes. If you're lucky enough to know where to get wild mushrooms (people I know are picking chanterelles all over the place) then you could have a really lovely time with it. If you don't eat veal you could certainly use turkey cutlets, and if you're a vegetarian I'll bet the sauce - mushrooms, butter, peppergrass, white wine and all - would be really nice tossed with some egg noodles or over rice. I've never seen a recipe that calls for wood ash before. I think I'd probably leave that optional ingredient out.

And aren't the Brussels sprouts wonderful? When I was growing up in St. John's, Brussels sprouts came frozen in blocks and were a yellowish grey by the time you cooked them. I remember one Thanksgiving dinner when a young guest declared, "I don't like them big peas!" The Brussels sprout is the U.K.'s most despised vegetable, according to polls. I don't know where it stands in Newfoundland, but at my house Brussels sprouts are well loved, even by the five-year-old. Of course, they have to be fresh, and lovingly steamed just to doneness, not a smidge more. In case you're interested in something beyond steaming, there's a recipe here for beautiful, golden-crisped sprouts (my other favourite way of cooking them), and another here for Brussels sprouts cooked with shallots and juniper. I haven't been out to see if the juniper berries are ripe yet, but if you have some around then you're just a few ingredients away from something that I think would be very tasty. I, unfortunately, won't be able to try the recipe out this week because, ahem, I ate all my Brussels sprouts already. But if you try it, why not leave a comment here and let us all know how it turned out?

Happy eating!

August 11 veggies

Look at all that wonderful bounty! Here's what you should be enjoying this week:

Full shares
:: 1.5 kg potatoes
:: zucchini
:: cucumber
:: tomatoes
:: peas
:: Sturon onion
:: rainbow chard and kale

Half shares
:: 600g potatoes
:: zucchini
:: taxi yellow tomato
:: cucumber
:: Brussles sprouts
:: half cabbage
:: kale
:: onion

For some people, that hint of fall in the air on an August morning means nothing good, but for farm types, it means that the harvest season is coming in full force. Nothing signals the beginning of harvest time like the first, thin-skinned new potatoes. Just look at these beauties:

If you're saying to yourself, "my, they sure left a lot of dirt on these potatoes," well, it's partly to help protect the delicate skins, which rub off easily, and partly so that you can have the pleasure of rinsing your spuds and watching the beautiful red-purple emerge from underneath the layer of good, black soil. The colour fades as the potatoes cook, so take a moment to appreciate it before it's gone.

Most Newfoundlanders will hardly need to be told what to do with potatoes, but just in case you're at a loss, you should know that new potatoes don't need much embellishment. There's no sense peeling them, as the peels are barely there to begin with. Steam them or boil them whole and enjoy them with butter or a drizzle of olive oil, a good shake of salt and a grinding of pepper. Or cut them in half and roast them with some oil and some chopped herbs.

If you've ever read a recipe calling for "waxy" potatoes, these are they. Potatoes fall into two categories: waxy and floury. Waxy potatoes have thin skins and hold their shape well when boiled. Floury potatoes, like russets, are thick-skinned, and are best for French fries, mash, fish cakes, that sort of thing. New potatoes shine in chunky potato salads. If your usual potato salad is of the mashed-to-a-paste variety (don't be ashamed, mine is, too), then maybe one of these variations might oomph things up, and befit a potato of such late-summer magnificence.

Another way to enjoy your tasty new potatoes is on the barbecue. Who knows how many good barbecue days we have left (I know, I know, sad thought). One great way to do it is to clean your potatoes - select the smallest ones, or cut larger ones into golf-ball-sized chunks - and pat them dry, then wrap them, with a glug of oil or a good brushing of butter, some salt and pepper, and chopped herbs, maybe some minced garlic if that's your fancy, in a layer of thick aluminum foil. Fold your foil packet securely and place it on the barbecue for 20 to 25 minutes. Done!

Happy eating!

August 4 veggies

As the weeks go on, those bags just get bigger and heavier, don't they? And more intoxicating, too, with the basil and tomatoes and, for the full share crowd, sweet and musky blackcurrants. More about those in a minute. Here's the breakdown for this week:

Full share:

• tomato & jalepeno & basil & dill & parsley & onion tops
• fava beans & snow peas
• Brussels sprouts or broccoli or guay lan or beans or chard
• half a Melissa Savoy cabbage or turnip or head of lettuce
• spicy lettuce mix
• beets (with tops)
  
• blackcurrants

Half share:

• tomato & cuke or zuke or pepper
• onion tops
• half a Melissa Savoy cabbage
• fava beans
• beet
• bonus: blanched cabbage leaves if you wanted them

The blanched cabbage leaves will be fine in the freezer for a while, or you can thaw them out right now and make cabbage rolls. There are a bunch of different ways to make cabbage rolls, as they seem to be an almost universal food. You can find a fairly mainstream Canadian recipe here, or just type "cabbage rolls recipe" into Google, preceded by "Greek," "Lebanese," "Southern," "Indian," "Russian," "Korean," or whichever ethnicity of food you love and there's a good chance you'll find something to suit your tastes. I think I might take my cabbage leaves and fill them with a rice and pine-nut stuffing, like in this recipe for stuffed vine leaves.

When I was looking for blackcurrant recipes to link to, I found out that someone had already done the job for me. If you aren't familiar with blackcurrants, they're very popular in Australia, New Zealand, and in Europe, but pretty much neglected here in Newfoundland (although they grow very happily all over St. John's). They're wonderful in a sauce for meat; because they're so assertive, they can hold their own with wild meat like moose and caribou (although they're lovely with a pork roast, too). They're often used for jams and jellies, and, indeed, the jelly they make is transcendent, especially when the blood-burgundy juice is bolstered with some spiced port. Beautiful for Christmas, if you can keep your paws off it that long. I, for one, will be using mine to make this Danish blackcurrant schnapps. I have a feeling it will go very well over ice cream for a boozy winter dessert (for the grown-ups only, mind you).

Happy eating!

July 28 veggies (and a suggestion of what to do with them!)

Apologies for weird lighting in the picture... seems the bright white of that gorgeous cabbage and the reds and purples and oranges and greens around it are at odds with one another. But they all work together on your plate!


Here's what you should have in your bag (or, by now, your fridge):

Full share:

• kale & half a cabbage (Melissa Savoy or Peral White)
• turnip with greens & onion tops & edible chrysanthemum leaves
• snow peas, tomato, jalepeno, basil and parsley
• head of lettuce
• surprise bag: cukes or zukes or Brussels sprouts or spicy salad greens

Half Share:

• kale
• turnip with greens
• peas or beans or favas
• tomato, basil, parsley
• cauliflower

Part of the fun of getting your veggies from a CSA is not knowing what you're going to get each week. Sometimes you end up with vegetables you wouldn't ordinarily buy, and are thrown into "what do I do with this?" mode. I had never tasted Swiss chard until I started getting it from a CSA share years ago. What did I ever do without it?

One dish I've been turning to for using up veggies that might not be part of my usual repertoire is risotto. It's nowhere as difficult to make as people might have you believe, so long as you 1) have all your vegetables chopped and ready to go before you start, and 2) can give the risotto 20 minutes of your undivided attention. Other than that, it's all just stirring. Most current cookbooks have a good risotto recipe (or three, or eight); I use Jamie Oliver's recipe here, swapping in whatever relatively sturdy veggies I have around.

This batch has fava beans, green beans, garlic scapes, cauliflower, broccoli stalks, and basil (which I added near the end). Big ol' pork chop is optional.

Also: if you find that you're not making it through all your delicious kale, there's a great, very detailed tutorial on blanching and freezing the tasty stuff right here. The same method works for turnip greens, beet greens, chard, or any other sturdy braising green. You'll be glad you did it when you dig it out of the freezer come March month!

Happy eating!