raspberry baret

It is berry season in New Hampshire, and we are taking full advantage (or enough advantage as we have time for!)

Last week Pat and I set out for an afternoon of picking, and came home with a nice little bounty. 

I made personal-sized raspberry pies. Pat was in charge of pancakes for dinner!

Next up: BLUEBERRIES!

potAYto, potAHto

Pat and I spent yesterday morning diggin' up spuds. It is one of my favorite tasks, and now one of Pat's... it's really a farming treasure hunt!

This weeks feature veggie/recipe is something I have only heard about and can't wait to try: Salt Potatoes. Everyone up here keeps talking about them, but upon further research, I learned that salt potatoes actually hail from NY state. So here is a version I found in the NY Times:

New York Salt Potatoes

8 cups of water

1 1/2 cups of kosher salt (add another cup if using the Diamond Crystal brand)

3 pounds well-scrubbed small red or white potatoes, as uniform in size as possible and with skins on

1 stick butter, cut into pieces

Freshly snipped herbs (optional)

Pepper. 

Bring salt and water to a boil and add potatoes. Cook until tender, about 25 minutes.

Drain potatoes in a strainer and place pot back on stove over medium heat and add butter. 

When just melted, after about a minute, add potatoes and, if desired, herbs and black pepper. 

Toss and serve immediately.

Kohlrabi

I have to admit - I like to grow this veggie for it's looks. I know, I know, in our society things of beauty are generally favored and I really should not encourage such discrimination. But I just can't help myself! And, honestly, I like the taste and texture, too!

I adapted the following recipe from a book - of sorts - that some dear friends gave me when I left Philly, and architecture, for the country. "The Vegetable Box" is a fun box filled with small books each containing recipes for all kinds of veggies. This would go well with some short grain, sweet brown rice.

 

Kohlrabi With Coconut (Adapted from Cabbage With Coconut)

2 Kolrabi

3 Tbl grated coconut

2 Tbl oil (I use coconut oil to sautee everything!)

1-2 Tbl mixed spices: garam masala, curry powder, Chinese 5-herb powder, ras el hanout, etc.

4-5 Tbl coconut milk

Salt

Peel leaves from kohlrabi (these are edible, you might wish to chop them and add them to the meal, or save them, they are just like kale!)

Cut kohlrabi into thin sticks (1/4" thick or so)

Heat a large skillet or wok and toast coconut, shaking the pan

    once coconut starts to brown, remove from heat, transfer to dish

In (now empty) large pan, heat oil

Add kohlrabi and spices, stir over high heat for 2 minutes

Add coconut milk + stir for 1 minute more

Salt to taste

Sprinkle with toasted coconut and serve

5 for Farms

Pasha from Holland Hill Studio has come up with a great way to get people out and about, walking or running around the farm!

Next Sunday, the 24th, at 8am is the "Five for Farms" 5K walk/run at the Community School to raise money for their farm, specifically soil enrichment. 

There is a $20 entry fee, kids + students get a discount, with all proceeds going to the farm. Each participant gets to bring home a bunch of beautiful flowers from the farm and a heart full of joy and
pride.  

There is also an extra (yummy!) challenge...

Dan Kush, of BIG LOVE Burritos, can run! And since he thinks he is the best thing on two legs running around this farm, he is giving everyone a 10 minute head start!

If he can't catch you, you get a FREE BIG LOVE Burrito at the end of the race. 

Burritos will be available for all participants at low cost with proceeds going to the farm. 

At 9am, kids under 5 race for free around the farm.

Register by calling Holland Hill at 476-2476 or emailing pasha@hollandhillstudio.com

big love, pig love

It's been a while since pig photos...

A new food truck (the only food truck) is in town, Big Love Burritos. They are super awesome, and since The Community School is 'home base', the piggies get slopped with really good food!

Kevin and Sassafras are taking turns in the 'pool' while Hamlet is LOVEing himself some Big Love slop!

Many hands

The past two days on the farm have been EPIC!

Tuesday morning, Sarah and Daimon from NHIAF came by to help in the high tunnel, stringing up tomatoes... it's starting to look and smell like summer in there! Daimon even piked 2011's first Sungold tomato! 

A new member to the farm crew, Jared, started, too. A TCS graduate, Jared is home from college and looking for work, and boy do we have plenty of that!

In the afternoon, Blythe and crew came by from The World Fellowiship Center for a farm tour and to help weed the flower garden. I couldn't let them leave empty handed, so we stopped by the collard greens on the tour to load up!

Today we had a visit from Camp Robindale. The girls stopped by on their way to an overnight camping trip up north. It was fun to have a group of 'city gals' on the farm, learning about veggies and soaking up some farmer sun!

Chicken, Cheese, and Arugula Salad

Here we are at week 4 if the CSA. We are patiently awaiting the arrival of tomatoes... The plants look great - bright green, healthy, flowering - we should be enjoying the most anticipated of summer fruits soon!
Because of such a wait, (we are also waiting on a few other goodies to be ready for harvest) this weeks share is a bit light and very green!

Here is this week's recipe with the feature veggie, arugula.
I switched out some ingredients to make it a bit more local + seasonal, enjoy!

Chicken, Cheese + Arugula Salad (adapted from 100 Best Fresh Salads, pg 106)
~ 1/2 bunch arugula
1/2 cucumber
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 oz walnut pieces
12 oz chicken, roastes
4 Tbsp Sandwich Creamery Boursin cheese
1 handful quartered strawberries (optional)
salt + pepper

For the dressing
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chopped mixed herbs of choice
 *place all ingredients into a mason jar, shake well

Wash + dry arugula, place in large salad bowl
Add cucumber, scallions, parsley + walnuts
Mix together
Transfer to large serving platter
Arrange chicken + cheese over leaves
Scatter berries (if using) and add salt + pepper to taste 
Drizzle dressing over salad and serve

Hooray for kale

Maybe you've noticed the "Eat More Kale" bumper stickers, or maybe you've had a delicious kale salad at the Bluegrass meal here at the school, or maybe you just know the wonders of kale... 

Welcome to week #3 for the CSA. 

This week's feature veggie is, you guessed it: kale!

I love kale. It can be enjoyed raw or sauteed, in soups, in quiches, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Since this veggie is going to be a staple for the season, we'll explore a number of ways to enjoy it. And since this week is a bit hot, I'm going to give you a way to avoid heat in the kitchen - a raw kale salad. 

Once again, I am using my go-to recipe blog: 101 cookbooks

Raw Tuscan Kale Salad

1 bunch kale (washed + stemmed)
2 handfuls good, coarse breadcrumbs (instructions included... use your Sunnyfield bread!)
1/2 garlic clove (or some of last week's scapes)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1/4 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon (scant 1/4 cup or ~50ml)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste


Slice the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons (you should have 4 to 5 cups).
Place the kale in a large bowl.

Toast bread it until golden brown on both sides and dry throughout.
Tear into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, or crumbs to your liking.

Using a mortar and pestle or a knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste.
Transfer the garlic to a small bowl.

Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine.

Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well (the dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat the leaves).

Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the bread crumbs, some additional cheese, and a drizzle of oil.