Riverhill Farm

It comes as a surprise each year–it’s time to plant.  So much of farming is an act of anticipation.  Long before we’d consider discing in the cover crop, we’re seeding the crops in the greenhouse that will be planted in the fields in April, maybe sooner if the weather continues to be so mild.  10,000 onions, 1,000 parsley, 1,000 kale and chard, broccoli and on and on.  It has been an empty shell of a greenhouse since the last transplants were brought out in June.  Now we’re blending potting soil, filling flats and shaking out seed, covering the empty benches with the promise of an abundant season.  A neglected corner of the farm is again full of life.

They call it contingency planning:  What do you do if…  So, since we’ve had two wet springs the last two years that have delayed planting, we’re not missing any opportunities to make hay while the sun shines, so to speak.  We’ve seeded arugula, salad turnips and beets in the field already.  Next opportunity, we’ll lay down row after row of carrots.  The irony is that we’re planting now because we anticipated a wet spring based on the past two years of wet weather.  Last winter, I was convinced that the weather we had experienced in 2010 couldn’t be repeated.  As we all know, it most certainly was.  This year has been anything but wet.  Still, the preparations we made in the Fall to make sure we could plant have proven to be equally effective in a dry year like the one we’re having.  So, all for the better.

As most of you know by now, we’ve decided not to continue with CSA subscription boxes for the coming season.  I’m happy to say that our plans have been greeted with excitement and anticipation.  As you can imagine, Jo and I have spent a great deal of time since last summer planning for the changes we’re initiating for the coming season.  My hope is that the interest in local food has developed to the point that our farm can be sustained by the community’s enthusiasm and the quality of our produce.  For your understanding and support, we are grateful.

My personal aspiration is to farm more artfully in the coming years.  This farm has always been beautiful, but I expect it can be moreso.  I want to farm to our strengths, produce gorgeous and tasty food, and be assured that all of you are buying what you need when you need it, and that we as a farm can serve our community in many ways.

Over the years I’ve been farming here at Riverhill, I’ve grown to love this place.  My hands are stained the color of this earth, and I’ve made the soil a part of me through the daily eating of food grown here.  When I stand in the middle of our growing fields and close my eyes, I can see, even feel, every contour that surrounds me.  I can tell you where the rocks are, where the best soil is, where we can plant early, where the worst weeds are.

But the pleasure I feel is incomplete without the sound of your voices, best of all the children.  We work hard, but for what?  For you.  The moment when all of this makes sense is the moment when your chattering voices, like the sound of the songbirds, fill the air of the farm with delight and pleasure.

Photo courtesy of Alicia Berardi

We’ll feel the tiredness in our bones at the end of the day, we’ll plant and weed and trellis and plant some more.  We’ll take our cup of coffee in the morning and watch the light fill the trees and slowly work its way into the long shadows across our growing fields, and we’ll anticipate your return.  With some luck and good weather, we’ll have a great season.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

CSA Week of October 31, 2011

What’s In Your Box?

Fresh Box:

• Carrots
• Beets
• Salad Turnips
• Kohlrabi
• Parsley
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Napa Cabbage
• Kale

Storage Box

• Potatoes–many kinds this week!  Store in your refrigerator in plastic or in a cool, dry place.  Check regularly while they last
  
• Winter Squash–no need to refrigerate.  Just store in a cool, dry place until use.
  
• Onions
• Garlic
• Shallots
• Recipes Below
  

Dear Friends:

It’s strange how impersonal the news we receive daily can be.  Yesterday, while having my morning cup of coffee in town after setting up at the Farmers’ Market, I read in the newspaper about a young American soldier who was killed while defusing a bomb in Afghanistan.  I read this news item in much the same way that I’ve come to read news items about wars all around the world, whether Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan or Syria, or about the kinds of deaths that occur in more natural ways.  The effect on us of all these deaths is blunted by their frequency and by the difficulty of understanding, and we live on.  Measuring the loss to humanity of the consequences of all the senseless wars and violence is beyond grasp.

The news became more personal this morning.  As it so happens, this young man was a dear and cherished friend to our intern, Toni, and she had recently seen him before he left for Afghanistan.  It saddens me to think that this young man, with all the hopes and aspirations that are innate to we humans, a son to a woman and man, a brother perhaps, a friend to many, could have his life ended in a moment of horrible violence driven by hatred to kill blindly.  In this case, I can recall the enthusiasm that Toni expressed for her friend, heard stories about times in the past when their lives crossed, meaningful moments of friendship that they shared with one another.  Measuring the loss to humanity of the loss of one individual is a difficult measure to take but, in this instance, the loss can be measured in more immediate terms as Toni grieves for the loss of her friend.  We can hold and care for Toni as she finds her way through her own grief.

That’s not the message that I intended to write on this last week of this season’s CSA, but it does relate in a way to the message I will write.  There’s a kind of abstractness in the global food system that causes it to be faceless.  We do not know the conditions under which our food is produced, who works the fields, who grows our food.  We do not know the truckdrivers that transport it, or the produce brokers who look for the best prices or take pride in supplying the best quality.  We may recognize the produce manager where we buy our produce, or know the name of the cashier who rings up our purchase but, in all likelihood, we don’t know much about them and the life they live.

Much of our economy, for all its strengths, depends on this separation between producer and consumer.  We buy the things that we need, but it’s nearly impossible to contemplate the lives of all those who are responsible for getting it to the shelf we take it from.   In the case of the food system, a network of buyers sources food from many farms, taking from one farm one week and another farm another week, ensuring a steady supply on the grocery store shelf.  It’s rare, if ever, that you go to the grocery store and find that there’s no lettuce, or potatoes, or carrots.  The predictability of supply tends to help make it seem machine-like and impersonal, as though these produce items are produced in a factory rather than a field.  And, ever moreso, these days those items may not even come from California.  They may come from Chile, New Zealand or China, having been flown half way around the world to get to the store where you shop.  If it’s difficult to imagine your food starting as a seed in California, planted by tractor, weeded by machine or human labor, harvested, washed, sorted, packed by individuals living in Central Valley or Salinas Valley towns, try picturing a Chinese farm worker growing garlic or apples for export.

Before joining our CSA, many of you had never set foot on a farm before and seen the work and effort involved in bringing food to your table.  That’s understandable and entirely forgivable.  We’re pleased to have been able this past season to put food on your table.  We’re also pleased that we’ve been able to provide you food with a face, so to speak.  We’ve worked hard to accomplish what we have, and you’ve watched the process from beginning to end.  You may have loved the carrots and tomatoes, hated the Jerusalem Artichokes, cherished the sweet peppers and been wary of the spicy ones, but in every instance, you’ve been handed your produce by the hands that have grown it, and you’ve washed the soil from potatoes just as you may have wiped your shoes after a visit to the farm where the potatoes came from.  In this day and age, that’s a unique and intimate experience, and we all hope that you’ve found it to be a meaningful one.

And, what’s more, you’ve heard the birds singing in the fields that grow your food and, if you’ve been lucky, you may also have heard the songs or the laughter of the interns as they’ve struggled against heat, tiredness, boredom, disappointment and a host of other emotions to bring you your food.  They’ve worked hard to grow the food that has packed over 3,000 boxes of produce for the CSA this season, and I hope you’ll take a moment to offer them your thanks for their efforts.  You’ve seen me in passing as I move from one task to another, looking content or looking stressed at the thought of how much remains to be done.  And, you’ve had the pleasure of finding Jo, day after countless day, ready to greet you as you arrive to pick out this week’s produce from the table where we’ve placed it.  When the carrots were small, you welcomed them with acceptance and enjoyed their crunchy sweetness.  When they were large, you pondered the carrot slaw or stew you’d make.  Many of you have probably eaten more eggplant in one season than you have eaten in the rest of your life.  You’ve all become adept at flexibility and creativity.

Mostly, when we think back on the season, we’ll think of the many kindnesses that you’ve shown us.  We appreciate that.   As hard as farm work is, it wouldn’t make any sense without the satisfaction of knowing that you gain some measure of pleasure in your visits to the farm and in the tastes—unusual and familiar—of the produce we grow.

It’s also important to us that you know what your participation means to us.  No matter what you’ve come to understand about the current popularity of local agriculture, be assured that it’s a challenge to make it work economically at this scale.   As much as we value farming and feeding you, we wouldn’t be able to do it again next season if we weren’t able to make a living this season.   By participating in our CSA, you’ve brought this farm one season closer to becoming a lasting part of this community.  For that, we thank you deeply.   We’ve managed to feed a good number of people these past five months with the best we had to offer of the food we’ve grown.   And we hope that it’s not just that we’ve filled your stomachs.  We hope that the food we’ve grown has become the basis for your continuing good health, your pleasure and satisfaction, and more.

We’ll miss you over these winter months to come.  Just as you’ve grown accustomed to the weekly routine of coming to the farm, we’ve grown accustomed to your particular habits while here at the farm (don’t think we haven’t noticed!), and we’ve looked forward to your weekly visits.  But, in the natural order of things, we need the time to rest, regroup, plan, dream, and prepare ourselves for next season.

From all of us here at Riverhill Farm, we extend our warmest wishes and thanks to each and every one of you, young and old, for your enthusiastic participation in our CSA this year.  We wish you all a lovely holiday season and the best for next year.  Most of all, we wish you peace.

Alan and Jo

This Week’s Recipes:

Harissa Beet Soup with Quick Pickled Cucumbers
This recipe comes from CSA subscriber Jessica Flanigan.  Thank you, Jessica!  You can find her blog, which has many good recipes and is a pleasure to read, at  http://seaweedsnacks.blogspot.com/ Click on the link or copy and paste this web address in your browser line for a new world of extraordinary recipes.

makes 4 small bowls

2 cups roasted beets
1 cup roasted carrots
glug of olive oil
salt for taste
1 cup lemon cucumber seeded and diced (sorry that this recipe comes to you after cucumber season, but you can probably buy one at the store and be forgiven.  A skinned green cucumber is fine too)
2 tsp. champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Harissa powder (mix 1 T. cayenne with 2 T. cumin to make Harissa powder)
zest of lemon
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock

Wash carrots and beets. No need to remove skins. Roughly trim off tops and bottoms. Cut beets into fourths. Add carrots and beets to an oven proof baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil (about a tablespoon) to coat and a sprinkle of salt. Mix with your hands. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until the beets are knife tender. Remove from stove, keep tinfoil on pan and let sit out for 15 minutes.
In a blender, add 2 cups stock, lemon zest, pinch salt, lemon juice and harissa. Add the beets and carrots to blender. Make sure you get the olive oil in the pan too. Don’t bother with removing the beet skins. Blend for a good 5-8 minutes in your blender. Stop and taste for salt.
In a separate bowl, add chopped cucumber, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar and pinch salt. Let sit for 5 minutes, or up to overnight to pickle.
Dish about a cup of soup into a bowl right from the blender. Add a heaping tablespoon of cucumbers making sure to get a good amount of the olive oil and vinegar along with the cucumbers. Soup should be about room temperature or a little over room temperature. Keeps in fridge for a couple of days too.

Curried Winter Squash Soup

• 1 medium winter squash, chopped in 1 inch cubes, outer skin discarded.  You can also cut the squash in half, discard seeds and roast cut side down until tender (about 45 min.) then scoop the flesh from the skin and add to broth.
• 2 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or butter)
• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 -2 tsp garam masala (alternatively, you could use Curry Powder or Ground Cumin and Ground Coriander)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• red pepper flakes (for desired level of heat)
• 1½ inch fresh ginger, peeled and  roughly chopped (optional)
• 4 -5 cups (enough to cover all the squash cubes) your favorite chicken/vegetable stock or water
• ½ cup light cream or half ‘n’half + some for garnish.  We also substitute coconut milk
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• parsley leaves for garnish

Sauté onions in olive oil/ butter in a  heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until transclucent, about 3 to 5 mins. Add apples, garlic, garam masala, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt.  Continue to cook for another minute.  Stir in the cubed squash along with the stock/water and finally mix in the ginger. Bring it to boil  and continue to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 30 mins. Purée soup in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and return soup to pot.  Adjust the seasonings to your taste and stir in the cream or coconut milk. Keep soup simmering over low heat until ready to serve. Garnish with some cream and chopped parsley and serve hot.  For a delicious alternative, substitute 2 tablespoons or more Thai Green Curry Paste for the garam masala, and use coconut milk instead of cream.

Food With A Face

CSA Week of October 24, 2011

What’s In Your Box?

• Arugula
• Potatoes
• Peppers
• Napa Cabbage
• Carrots
• Winter Squash–Potimarron, a French heirloom variety said to taste like roasted chestnuts.  Cut in half and bake cut side down until soft, about 45 minutes, at 375 degrees.  Somewhat dry flesh is really good with butter!
  
• Tomatoes–cut in half and bake, topped with toasted bread crumbs and parmesan cheese
  
• Rosemary–hang any extra to dry
• Strawberries
• Onions
• Garlic
• Recipes Below!

Dear Friends,

Although the transformation is far from complete, I’m sure it’s obvious to all of you coming to the farm that, bit by bit, the farm is getting ready for winter.  The lovely, dry Fall weather has allowed me to spend most of my spare time on the tractor, mowing and discing in the crops that are finished and preparing fields for cover crop seeding.  Working back and forth across the farm, I often feel as though I’m working a giant eraser that is taking away all the work that was done over the past seven months, creating a blank slate, as it were, for next season.

There’s still a full month of work to be done before the season is really over, but the nature and tenor of the work changes dramatically over the course of the next four weeks.  Day by day, I’m checking off my list and there are many tasks that we’ve done repetitively all season long that, one by one, we won’t be doing again until next season.  It’s not that the work decreases, necessarily.  In fact, we’ll work hard to clear the fields, and I’ll spend more time on the tractor than I’ve spent since June.

It isn’t often that you hear about the advantages of farming.  Most of the time, we farmers whine about the weather, the pests, the weeds, the crops that don’t live up to our expectations, and more.  Sometimes, I think about putting up a big sign over the entrance to the farm nearest the farmhouse that says, “NO WHINING.”

So, here it is:  One of the great advantages of farming is that there’s an end to the season.  Like a dramatic play in a theatre, the curtain comes down and the play is over.  The lights come on and everybody goes home.

But where the audience sees the play once and goes home, the actors get a chance to ponder their performance before the next night.   Between performances the actors in the play may think about subtle nuances in their acting.  For the next performance, they may  change a gesture, an intonation in their voice, or a facial expression.  Far from being a static performance without variation, the play is dynamic and the actors strive for perfection in their roles.  These changes may not save a bad play from bad reviews, but they may transform a good play into a truly excellent and memorable performance.

Farming is a little like that, if you follow.  Obviously, Jo and I will welcome the chance to change our routine, get some rest and, hopefully, take a little vacation in January.  But, as much as we welcome the end of the season, we won’t be able to save ourselves from thinking about work all the time.  Jo and I will go over the season again and again in our minds and we’ll talk about it until we have to make a rule:  NO MORE TALKING ABOUT WORK!

Still, at its best, we’ll reflect on the successes and failures of this season and we’ll do what we can to plan next season to be better.  In fact, in December, we’ll have our annual Corporate Retreat (attendance: two).  A couple of times in the past, we’ve gone to Wilbur Hot Springs.  It’s the perfect place for a corporate retreat when you can’t talk above a whisper and there are many places where no talking is allowed at all.  We’ll review our crops, our expenses and income, the highs and lows, and put together our task list for that list to end all lists, otherwise known as  Winter Work.

Then, before you know it, the season starts and we get a chance to do everything that one could ever hope to do better all over again.  Enjoy the lovely Fall weather!

Here are this week’s recipes:

Winter Squash Bread

• 2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 2 ½ cups cooked winter squash
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (1 cup milk and 1 tsp vinegar, if you are without buttermilk)
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut winter squash in halves ands place into a baking pan with water at the bottom.   Bake for 1 hour or until soft.  Scoop out squash into a medium sized bowl.  Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix the wet  ingredients into another bowl.  Add the squash to the wet ingredients.  Combine the wet and the dry.  Spoon the mixture into two 9×9 loaf pans, or muffin tins.

Bake 35-40 minutes

Quick Kimchi – With the new found American interest in probiotics, this Korean staple is finding its way to the American plate and palate.

• 1 head Chinese cabbage, 2 ½ – 3lbs. (also known as Napa cabbage)
• 1 medium Asian radish
• ¼ cup coarse sea salt
• 4 scallions (cut into 1″ pieces)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger (minced)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 Teaspoon sesame seeds (optional – a personal preference)

To prepare:

1 – Dissolve salt in 1 cup water/set aside.

2 – Thoroughly wash the cabbage/then cut into 2 inch lengths/peel Asian radish and halve it lengthwise, then halve lengthwise again – then slice thinly into ½” squares.

3 – Place cabbage and radish in a large bowl and pour salt water over them.

4 – Let soak overnight or at least 5 hours.

5 – After soaking drain vegetables BUT RETAIN SALTED WATER.

6 – Add scallions, garlic, ginger, chili powder (and optional sesame seeds).

7 – Mix all vegetables, thoroughly, by hand

(using gloves as chili powder may sting)

Pack all in a large jar (about 2 quart size)/pour the salted water over the mixture. Leave an inch of space at the top of the jar. Cover tightly. Let sit for 2-3 days depending on how fermented you like your kimchi.

Refrigerate after opening.

Roasted Carrot Soup

• 1 lb. carrots (about 4 or 5), cut into chunks
• 2 small potatoes, or equivalent, cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into chunks
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 hefty thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• ½ cup light cream (may omit or replace with coconut milk, if desired)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
• 2 teaspoons minced parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Toss the veggies with the olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and some pepper.  Put them in a large baking dish with thyme and bay and roast until tender and glazed, about 1 hour, turning them 2-3 times.  Transfer the veggies to a soup pot, add the stock, and bring to a boil.  Simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes, then puree till smooth.  Return the puree to the pot, taste for salt, and season with pepper.  Stir in the cream, if desired.   Ladle into bowls and swirl a spoonful of sour cream into each.  Add a little chopped parsley and serve.

CSA Week of October 17, 2011

What’s In Your Box?

• Acorn Squash
• Red Kuri (Hubbard) Winter Squash
• Peppers
• Potatoes
• Jerusalem Artichokes
• Tomatoes
• Green Tomatoes (Recipes for Fried Green and Green Tomato Chutney below)
• Sage Bunch (leave this to hang and dry for use during the winter)
  
• Kale
• Strawberries
• Onions
• Garlic

Dear Friends:

October is my favorite month.  The heat, long days and workload of the summer are behind us and we can catch our breath and enjoy the last warm, sunny days before we head into winter.  I’m enjoying a rare afternoon in the kitchen with a pot of tomato sauce simmering on the stove for canning, and NPR on the radio.  Alan is out on the tractor, busily turning the summer crops back into the soil and preparing the soil for covercrop seed before the next set of storms move in.  While there is still plenty to do, most of the heavy lifting is behind us and we can start to make time for other activities.  We are able to look up more often from our tasks and take stock of the changing colors in the trees, the lowering angle of the sun and the beautiful clouds that announce a change in weather patterns.  Last week, we actually took the afternoon off to celebrate our anniversary.  After making our BriarPatch and restaurant deliveries, we drove up the hill to experience a few hours of high-country bliss in the Grouse Ridge area.  Our first time away from the farm together in many weeks.

This morning, Alan was eager to make some headway on the tractor and asked if I would write the blog for a change, allowing him an uninterrupted afternoon of work.  Filling his shoes in this regard is a bit intimidating.  As you have all discovered, Alan has a way with the written word – one of his many talents.  Secretly, I’m excited to have the chance to talk about Alan behind his back.

Most of you have gotten to know me a bit from my post behind the table while you fill your boxes.  Alan, however, is probably more of a mystery to you.  He is almost always busy in the fields doing a million things: irrigating, tilling, weeding, picking and on and on…. basically, making the farm tick. Besides that, he’s a quiet sort and can be pretty shy, sometimes making him more of a challenge to get to know.  His weekly musings may have given you some insight into his thoughtful soul and intelligence.  Yet, there is more you don’t know…….

Though he often seems serious, Alan surprises us on occasion by breaking into song, usually some corny show tune of all things!  At odd moments, I’ll hear strains from South Pacific or Oklahoma echo across the farm in his rich baritone.   He has a quirky sense of humor and has been known to lob a rotten tomato at an unsuspecting intern, volunteer or me.  He was raised in the Third World (first in Laos and then in Ecuador) where his father worked for the State Department doing relief work.  By his own admission, he remains a peasant at heart and is totally out of step with popular culture.   Life with Alan is not always Easy Street, but it is never boring.  I feel lucky to be his partner – in business and in life.

Alan is also one of the most dedicated and hard working people that I have ever known.  Riverhill Farm was his vision and he has worked tirelessly to make it a reality in the face of long odds.   He has set out to create a farm that honors and protects the environment of this place and to feed the community in a meaningful way.  The beauty and bounty that you see when you visit the farm is the physical manifestation of his ideals, principles and integrity.  If you take pleasure in the farm and your food, you have Alan to thank.

Enjoy the first of the Winter Squash this week – a personal favorite of mine.  And watch out for rotten tomatoes on your way up the path!

This week’s recipes:

Pork-and-Green-Chili Stew

Time: About 45 minutes

• 1 1/2 pounds pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into small strips or chunks
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups diced tomatoes, with their liquid
• 2 cups roughly chopped roasted or broiled green chilies
• Minced Garlic
• Warm flour tortillas or rice for serving.

1. Put a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the pork and cook, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking, just until the meat juices evaporate, about 8 minutes (you’re not looking to brown the pork here). Add the onion and garlic and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens slightly, 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes and 1 cup water, not quite enough to cover the mixture. Bring to a boil, and let it boil vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chilies and a sprinkle of salt. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but steadily, and cover partly. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, 6 to 10 minutes (there should be some juices left in the bottom of the pot, but the mixture shouldn’t be soupy). Taste, add a little more salt if necessary and serve with warm flour tortillas or over rice.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

A note about Jerusalem Artichokes: Jerusalem Artichokes, more aptly called sunchokes, aren’t from Jerusalem and are not artichokes.  These vegetables, native to the U.S., are part of the extensive root system of a tall, perennial sunflower.  Eaten raw, they are crisp and refreshing like water chestnuts.  Cooked, they are moist, sweet and their nutty flavor reminds some people of globe artichokes.  We recommend roasting them as follows:  Wash thoroughly, rub with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Spread on a pan and roast in a 400 degree oven for approx. 40 minutes or until tender in center when pierced.

Fried Green Tomatoes

• 4 to 6 green tomatoes
• salt and pepper
• cornmeal
• vegetable oil

Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 – 1/2-inch slices. Salt and pepper them to taste. Dip in meal and fry in hot grease or oil about 3 minutes or until golden on bottom. Gently turn and fry the other side. Serve as a side dish – delicious with breakfast!

Green Tomato Chutney -This sweet, tangy chutney is a fine topping for burgers, fish tacos, rice and beans, or grilled chicken. Chopping ingredients in the food processor makes prep time go faster.

• 4  cups  chopped green tomato (about 5)
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1/2  cup  chopped sweet or bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  chopped onion
• 1/4  cup  cider vinegar
• 2  teaspoons  grated lemon rind
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground coriander
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground allspice
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Cool; pour into airtight containers. Refrigerate Green Tomato Chutney in airtight containers up to two months.

Kale and Garbanzo (Chickpea) Soup  – We often add spicy sausage to this traditional Portuguese Stew

• 2 onions or shallots, diced small
• 11/2 t. fresh thyme or 1t. dried
• 3-4 T. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ t. pepper flakes
• 4 large tomatoes, fresh or one small can
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 t. salt
• 1/3 cup sherry or white wine
• 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped small
• 1 ½ cups dry garbanzo beans, cooked, or two cans chickpeas
• Salt and pepper

If using dry chickpeas, soak overnight.  Cook them in at least four cups of water for three hours until soft.  Be sure not to put salt in until peas are fully cooked.  Cook the onions and thyme in the olive oil over medium until soft.  Increase the heat and add the garlic, pepper flakes, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and sherry or wine.  Stew for 15 minutes.  Add the cooked chickpeas and the 8 cups of liquid.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes to let the peas absorb the flavors.  Add the kale leaves and cook ten more minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Winter Squash with Sage Butter

• 2 small or one large winter squash
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Scrub the squash well and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and attached pulp and reserve for toasting if desired. Cut each half lengthwise again, then slice crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices.

In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the honey. Arrange the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet and brush each piece with the butter and honey, reserving half of that mixture. Season the squash lightly with salt and pepper and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Roast for 20-30 minutes.

Add the chopped fresh sage to the remaining butter-honey mixture. Remove the squash from the oven and turn them with tongs. Brush each piece with the butter mixture, season again with salt and pepper, and return to the oven, uncovered for 10 minutes.

Southwestern Stuffed Winter Squash

(Use either Acorn or Red Kuri Squash for this recipe)

• 1 Acorn or Red Kuri squash
• 1/2 lb. bulk sausage meat
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1 15-ounce can black beans or pinto beans, rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with vegetable oil.
2. Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the squash cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes to one hour.
3. Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with vegetable oil; heat over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and hot sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Fill the squash halves with the sausage mixture. Top with cheese. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

CSA Week of October 10, 2011

What’s In Your Box?

• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Tomatillos–last chance for chile or chicken verde!
  
• Potatoes
• Italian Chicory–the traditional green in Minestrone Soup! (see recipe below)
  
• Kale
• Summer Squash (slim pickings, finally!)
  
• Cucumbers (as supplies last)
  
• Strawberries–weather permitting
  
• Onions
• Garlic
• Shallots
• Chives
  
• Recipes Below!

Dear Friends,

Jo and I had dinner last night with CSA subscribers Rick and Linda Aeschliman.  They’re fellow farmers, with extraordinary unique heirloom apple trees.  Walking through their peaceful orchards, it was a great pleasure to see the care they’ve bestowed on their trees, covered now with apples.  Even more pleasurable was sampling their apples.  With each bite, I was taken back to similar experiences I’ve had on occasion over the course of my life, sampling apples from under a tree.  The taste of a crisp, sweet and slightly tart apple, standing in the shade of an apple tree in a pine forest, and with that unique Fall coolness seeping into everything as summer leaves…what could be better.

Although you won’t get to stand under their trees to sample their apples, they’ll be setting up a booth this weekend at the Saturday morning Nevada City Farmers’ Market at the bottom of Broad Street, where you’ll be able to purchase apples from them and learn about the varieties they grow at the same time.  Their apples have names that may have been common among folks in different parts of the world but are rarely spoken now:  Golden Russet, Wickson, Winter Banana, Black Twig.  Each has its own unique flavor and characteristics.  You can read more about their farm and their apples at their website, which is http://www.wintercreekapples.com/Home_Page.html

For dessert, Linda baked a really good apple crisp and, to entice you to the market, we’ve put her recipe in with the recipes below.

One of our interns, Debbie Lehman, is the guest writer of this week’s blog.  Debbie has been working here since April.  She’s a pleasure to work with and is always enthusiastic.  On any given day you can hear Debbie exclaim: “That’s the best (potato, tomato, pepper, kohlrabi….fill in the blank) I’ve ever eaten!!!!”  Debbie is working on a plan to return at the conclusion of the season to her hometown in the Bay Area and start a farm of her own.  She’s working on budgets and plans for developing her farm, and is looking for land on the edge of the urban area where the market will be strong.  We wish her all the best!

Here’s Debbie’s post:

Lunch in the Intern Kitchen  (or, In Praise of Simple Food)

The most important part of the day for me here at Riverhill Farm, without any doubt, is lunch. No matter how much I enjoy working in the fields, after six hours of harvesting there is nothing better than taking off my hat, sitting down in the shade, and putting some food in my stomach.

In a shared kitchen, is not always easy to get to this point of relaxed satiety. Every day at noon, the hungry interns take part in what is now a carefully choreographed dance from sink to cutting board to fridge to stove. We duck down to find a pan while somebody reaches over our head to grab the salt. We reach into the left side of the fridge while somebody else looks for the cream cheese on the right. “Don’t close that door!” “Are you using that knife?” “Coming up right behind you.” “Are you almost done with that burner?” We cook the way people drive in other parts of the world: we don’t wait for cross-traffic to get out of the way, we just go around.

We have learned a lot during our season at Riverhill, but there are few things we have mastered as well as the 15-minute meal. Almost every vegetable on this farm — everything from eggplant to green beans to potatoes — has at one point been cooked during our one-hour lunch. We have become so good at flash-cooking that we have time to eat, check our email, lie down for a little bit and do our dishes before reporting back to work.

I often look at the vegetables in our fields and daydream about all of the deliciously complicated dishes I could cook. My love of farming stems from interests in ecology, sustainability and community-building, but it comes most deeply from a love of food. And, to be really specific, a love of vegetables. When I was in fifth grade, my favorite food was not pizza or ice cream, but sugar snap peas, which I devoured by the bag. In my early teens, I dragged my mom to farmers markets and cooked things like radicchio risotto for the family. In college, my friends and I walked three miles each way to the farmers market (in rain or sleet or snow) to buy our produce. There are few things that make me happier than fresh vegetables, and their potential in the pan.

At the beginning of the season, I eyed each of our nascent crops and made grand plans. Tomatoes, parsley and onions, along with rice and pine nuts, would be made into my Turkish grandmother’s stuffed zucchini. Peppers would turn into a gratin with kalamata olives, topped with breadcrumbs, goat cheese, parsley and plenty of olive oil. Tomatoes would end up in a gallette with feta cheese and thyme.

Now, with just one month left of the season, I haven’t made any of these things. There isn’t enough time in a day to prepare a filling, stuff a vegetable and bake it for 40 minutes. And there isn’t enough space in the kitchen.

Instead, I’ve been cooking the simplest of dishes. I sauté sweet peppers in olive oil, adding garlic only if I can bring myself to chop it, and crack two eggs on top. I steam chard with its stems until it is melt-in-your-mouth silky, and top it with lemon and olive oil. Far from being bland or boring, these meals are extraordinary; a true testament to the flavor and quality of the vegetables we grow here. When I go home to the Bay Area on weekends, I dive into more complicated things — caponata and frittata and long-stewed green beans. But inevitably, I crave a return to those simple dishes that keep me going during the week.

And that brings me back to why lunch is the most important part of the day for me. Not the best, not the most relaxing, but the most important. At lunch, I take an hour not just to eat, but to really taste the fruits of my labor, to appreciate the food we’re growing and selling. It really is good food, and that’s what keeps me going.

Recipes:

Sauteed Peppers with Eggs

Cut up any of our sweet peppers into thin strips and sauté in olive oil until soft. Add garlic if you want to, and sprinkle with salt. When the peppers are soft and starting to caramelize, crack an egg or two into the pan. When the whites have solidified, give everything a mix so that you end up with large chunks of scrambled eggs amid the sweet peppers.

Lunchtime Chard

Heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté two or three cloves of garlic. Slice the chard stems thinly and add them to the garlic. When soft, add the greens, chopped into large pieces, and some salt and pepper. Add a splash of water, cover and cook for a few minutes, until the chard is very tender. Drizzle with more olive oil and some lemon juice.

15-minute Tomato Soup

Saute some garlic and some fresh thyme in olive oil. You can also add a chopped hot pepper if you’d like. Add chopped tomatoes and salt, and simmer uncovered until the tomatoes release all their juice. Add some chopped parsley, cook a few minutes more, and enjoy.

Chive Scrambled Eggs

A favorite in the intern kitchen. Saute a handful of chives in olive oil, then add eggs and scramble. Amazingly delicious.

Parsley pesto

In the food processor, briefly pulse a handful of pistachios, two cloves of garlic and a large pinch of salt. Fill the food processor with parsley leaves. Run the food processor, adding olive oil until the mixture reaches a spreadable consistency. Add juice of half a lemon. Spread on bread, toss with pasta, or spoon into tomato soup.

And, as promised, here are the recipes for Minestrone Soup and Linda Aeschliman’s famous Heirloom Apple Crisp:

Heirloom Apple Crisp with Maple Syrup and Walnuts

Apple mixture:

• 6-7 cups peeled, sliced apples (about 3 pounds – a mixture of varieties is nice)
• ¼ cup maple syrup (honey works too – or a mixture)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• A few scrapings of freshly grated nutmeg

Crisp topping:

• 1/3 cup flour (any type)
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts (or choose your favorite)

Directions:

Peel and slice apples. Mixing different varieties allows the different textures and flavors to complement one another. Mix apples with maple syrup/honey (note: honey keeps apples from turning brown), cinnamon, and nutmeg. Turn apple mixture into 8 inch square baking pan or 1 ½ quart casserole dish.

Mix together flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon for topping. Work in butter with pastry blender or your hands until crumbly with chunks of butter holding together the dry ingredients. Add walnuts.

Sprinkle topping on apple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees until apples yield easily to a knife and look almost transparent. Crisp topping may brown quickly so keep an eye on it and put a cover on during part of the baking time if needed to prevent scorching. Baking time can vary from 45 minutes to one hour or more depending on your apples.

Minestrone Soup with Italian Chicory

• 1 lb. ground Italian Sausage (optional)
• 1 onion
• 3 carrots
• 2 squash
• 3 sweet peppers
• 1 hot pepper, to taste (optional)
• 4 medium potatoes
• 2 cloves  garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon oregano, fresh or dried
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• 4 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup penne pasta
• 1 bunch Italian Chicory greens, washed and chopped (you may also substitute kale)

Chop all veggies into bite size pieces. Brown sausage in a large stock pot.  Add onions, carrots, peppers and garlic – sauté until soft.   You will need to add a little olive oil if you are using a lean sausage or omitting sausage.  Add broth, tomatoes, beans, bay leaves, oregano, potatoes and carrots.  Simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender (approx. 30 minutes).  Add squash, chicory and pasta.  Cook until pasta is cooked (approx.  10 minutes).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with fresh parsley.

CSA Week of October 3, 2011

Here Comes The Rain

What’s In Your Box?

• Potatoes
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Beets
• Parsley
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Summer Squash
• Onions
• Garlic
• Strawberries
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Recipes Below!

Dear Friends:

We’ve had many days of notice now of the rain coming this week, bringing an end to summer and a beginning to fall, all in one.  Although we may still get some warm weather, the nights will be noticeably cooler, the days shorter, and the talk will be about rain, autumn leaves, migrating birds, and stacking firewood.

When my children were very young, the first rain of the Fall had special significance.  At their age it was possible that they had forgotten rain entirely during the five months that none had fallen.  I can remember one Fall, standing on the back porch of our home in San Francisco, my two year old son in my arms, both of us holding out our hands to feel the first falling drops of rain.

As a farmer in the foothills, the first drops of rain mark the beginning of preparations for winter.  Enough rain, and the soil is ready for discing.  The drip irrigation lines are removed from each field in turn, and all the crop residue is incorporated back into the soil.  In a normal year, there’s not much rain in October, but I’ll watch the weather carefully to make sure that, before we get any heavy rain, I’ll get the cover crop seed spread and harrowed in on any field that’s ready.  That cover crop–a mix of cereal rye and vetch, a legume–will grow through the fall so that, by the time it’s cold and the weather worsens, the soil is protected from the effects of the heavy rainfall we usually get starting in December.  By the time March comes along, much of the cover crop will be knee high and, by April, as much as shoulder high.  When it’s disced in while preparing the fields for planting, it’ll improve soil quality and return nutrients to the soil for the vegetable crops to come.

After farming here at Riverhill Farm for ten years, the rhythms of the seasons and the tasks needing to be done are well known to us.  So much so that, time seems condensed.  While doing one task, the next is waiting in line, and after that, well, it’s just another task.  And although right now we’re looking forward to the first Fall rain, we know that snow is not far behind.  Between the rain and the snow is a list of tasks that will easily fill that space to overflowing.  The beginning of December is really only a few weeks away and February, when work begins in earnest to prepare for the new season, seems like no time at all.  Jo and I will hope to take a couple of weeks of vacation in January, but we’ll spend a good deal of that talking about the farm and the coming season, and we’ll return just in time to start seeding the first transplants in the greenhouse the first week of February.  You can imagine that, from there, it’s just a matter of working when we can and waiting out the remaining weather until it’s full speed ahead into the new farm season.

But, just in case you think it’s all work and no play, I can assure you that–after all the intensity of the farm season–there’s nothing as sweet as a good night’s sleep with no list to face in the morning.  We’ll enjoy every morning we can when the sun is shining and we can take our cup of tea or coffee outside to sit and watch the birds at the feeder.  We’ll continue with the landscaping around the house, plan for more flowers, shrubs and trees throughout the farm next season, look at seed catalogs, take walks in the woodland areas around the farm, and thoroughly enjoy the winter, whatever it brings.

But, I’m way ahead of myself.  This week, we’re back to potatoes, and you’ll enjoy at least seven varieties between now and the end of the season.  We dig them by hand, of course, so you’re getting a product of much labor and much love.  There’s nothing quite like digging potatoes to elicit a Pavlovian response in me.  I like potatoes in the morning, I like potatoes in the day, I like potatoes in the evening, I like them cooked any old way…or so the song I sing in my head while digging potatoes goes.  It’s humble but miraculous food, at least.  Start with a small hen’s egg of a seed potato, plant it three inches deep, hill it twice as it grows, then wait for the plant to die.  Dig the ground and, where there was just one, there are now many, shining in the soil.  You’ll have Red Viking, Purple Viking, Kennebec, Bintje, Carola, all my favorites to eat.  Some are for boiling, some for hash, some are for baking, and some are for mash…sounds like another song in the works.

Here are this week’s recipes:

Eggplant Lasagna

• 1 large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dry oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes or 3 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 – 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup (8 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1  package lasagna noodles, cooked as directed
• 2 medium summer squash or zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 15 minutes. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, oregano, red pepper, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Combine parsley, ricotta, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl. Spread 1/2 cup tomato mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with a little oil. Arrange 4 noodles over tomato mixture; top with half of eggplant and half of zucchini. Spread ricotta mixture over vegetables; cover with 4 noodles. Spread 1 cup tomato mixture over noodles; layer with remaining eggplant and zucchini slices. Arrange remaining 4 noodles over vegetables, and spread remaining tomato mixture over noodles. Top evenly with mozzarella. Cover with foil. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until browned. Cool for 5 minutes.

Riverhill RootRoast

• 5 or 6 carrots, peeled and trimmed
• 6 to 8  potatoes, scrubbed and cut in quarters
• 1 or 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 4  large beets, peeled and cut into thick wedges
• 1 whole head garlic, separated into cloves
• 2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, or thyme
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.   Put all the vegetables and the herb sprigs in a large baking dish. Season well with salt and black pepper, drizzle generously with olive oil, and toss them with your hands to coat them evenly.   Put the baking dish in the preheated oven and cook, stirring the vegetables occasionally, until they are tender and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar, stir well and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.  Serve the vegetables from their baking dish or transfer them to a platter to accompany a roasted main course.  You can also add sweet peppers to this nutritious and tasty roast.

CSA Week of September 26, 2011

What’s In Your Box?

• Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Cabbage
• Melons
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Italian Eggplant
• Summer Squash
• Carrots
• Onions
• Garlic
• Strawberries

Dear Friends:

History has it that soldiers in George Washington’s army, while snowbound and demoralized at Valley Forge, were fed pepper pot soup to revitalize them.  Yet, far from being an “American” dish, the origins of pepper pot soup appear to be from the West Indies and, before that, from Africa, where diverse ingredients were cooked together to make a hearty stew.

Among the histories I read about Pepper Pot Soup is this:  “Pepper pot” is a dish with West Indian roots. In the Caribbean it is a very spicy stew (a “Pallat-scorching Devil’s Broath”) which can be made with any available ingredients, but preferably sea turtle. Tripe would have given a similar desirable gelatinous texture to turtle meat. The interesting thing is that two-thirds of the Continental Army were foreign born, and many of these were African Americans – who would not fight in the same regiments alongside white Americans again until Korea. The cook responsible for the soup must surely have had African roots.”

The melting pot is an apt metaphor for this week’s box which, like most boxes you’ve received as part of our CSA, contains a veritable history of human food.  We humans have colonized the world, taking with us our own customary foods but, also, adopting edible foods in our new found lands and adapting ingredients according to what was available.  The result?  Each meal we eat usually contains foods that originated throughout the world.  Most often, we’re eating foods originating in parts of the world which we have never ourselves visited and, most often, our meals contain no ingredients that originated (historically) locally.

For example, take this week’s list of fruits and vegetables and the country or continent of origin:

• Peppers–Central America
• Cucumbers-Persia/India
• Tomatoes–Central America
• Cabbage–Northern Europe
• Melons–Iran
• Italian Eggplant–China
• Summer Squash–North America
• Onions–Asia
• Garlic–Central Asia
• Strawberries–North and South America
• Carrots–Afghanistan

Moreover, since trade began in these crops, local varieties have been developed to suit the tastes of adoptees as well as the growing conditions in the countries where they are newly being grown.  So, even though peppers originated in Central America, in this week’s box you have peppers adapted for local taste and custom in Mexico, Italy, the United States and Central Europe.  Garlic, first originating in Central Asia, was widely dispersed around the world and is highly adaptable.  Gilroy, California was made famous as the Garlic Capital of the World, and it’s a distinct and unmistakable odor that greets you when you drive past the factories processing garlic there but, the truth is, most of the garlic now being grown in the world is grown for export in China, where most of Gilroy’s garlic now comes from (a side note, of course, is that–until the current economic downturn–Gilroy was mostly growing housing subdivisions).

Not all crops growing in America have lost acreage to overseas production.  California, even with its arid summers, is the largest exporter of that most staple of crops originating in Southeast Asia and consumed by more humans on earth than any other crop–rice.

I once heard that Italians consider one of the proofs of God’s existence to be that tomatoes arrived from the New World and pasta (noodles) from China at the same moment in time.  To this day, even though tomatoes originated in Central America, no country is more associated with the tomato than Italy.  Still, tomatoes have been so widely adapted around the world that it’s possible to buy seed from various seed companies that offer tomatoes with such varied names as:  Cosmonaut Volkov (Russian), Speckled Roman (Italy), Japanese Trifele Black and Momotaro (Japan), Nyagous (Greece), Hungarian Heart (Hungary), Amish Paste (Mid-West U.S.), Crnkovic Yugoslavian, Blondkopfchen (Little Blonde Girl, from East Germany), Cherokee Purple (North America), Giant Syrian (Syria) and on and on.

When it comes to food, the human imagination is almost endless.  Enjoy the cool weather this coming week and make yourself some hearty stew!

This week we’re doing something we’ve never done before.  We’re giving you sunburned peppers that are still perfectly well suited for eating fresh or cooking but which have slight imperfections from exposure to intense summer sun.  There are many this season of a particular variety of a really good, sweet pepper, so we’ve decided that, rather than discarding them, as we’ve been accustomed to doing in the past, we’re going to provide you with extra so that they can be put to good use.  When you taste them, you’ll understand why we’ve been reluctant to turn them into compost.

Among the signs of Fall that Jo and I watch for is the passing over of the first flock of Sandhill Cranes, coming from the northern Rocky Mountains and headed for California’s interior valleys for the winter.  The trilling calls can be heard above almost any noise and, whatever Jo and I happen to be doing–even if one of us is in town at the time–we’ll call out to each other so that neither one of us misses their flight.  This past Friday we were delighted to hear them flying over, and we hope that all of you will have a chance this Fall to hear them as they pass.

Tonight we’ll sit down with another farmer friend and his wife to a hearty dinner of Chile Verde, made with tomatillos, jalapenos (Central American) and a pork shoulder roast (Europe), rice (Southeast Asia), fresh corn tortillas (North America), and cabbage slaw (Europe).  For dessert?  Strawberries (North and South America), of course.

Here are this week’s recipes:

Authentic Chile Rellenos

Remove seeds and membranes from peppers.  Stuff each pepper with a strip of cheese.  In a small bowl combine milk, the 1 cup flower, egg, baking powder, baking soda, sal and canola oil, mix well to make a batter.  Pour enough oil in a heavy frying pan to reach 1 inch in depth and heat over medium-high heat.  Roll each pepper in the remaining flour and dip in the batter.  Fry until lightly browned on both sides.  Serve with your favorite fresh tomatillo or tomato salsa.

Japanese Cucumber Salad – from CSA member Rick Kalb

• 2 medium cucumbers
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Peel cucumbers to leave alternating green stripes. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise; scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Using a food processor or sharp knife, cut into very thin slices. Place in a double layer of paper towel and squeeze gently to remove any excess moisture.  Combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to dissolve. Add the cucumbers and sesame seeds; toss well to combine.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

• 3 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 tart green apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• ½ cup or more water
• 1/3 cup red currant jelly (optional)
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 head cabbage, cored, trimmed and finely sliced.

Melt butter in heavy large pan over low heat.  Add onion and cook until tender.  Add apples, water, jelly, vinegar, sugar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Simmer until jelly melts.  Add shredded cabbage and mix until coated.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally.  About 45 minutes to one hour.  Add more water if necessary.  Serve hot.

Tomato Pepper Bisque

This soup is perfect for a cool day when a light but tasty dinner served with bread and cheese can be appreciated.  It’s easy to make.

• 4-6 Amish Paste or other tomatoes, chop and reserve the liquid
• 4 sweet red peppers, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-3 Garlic cloves, to taste, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Rosemary, sage, tarragon or other fresh or dried herbs to taste, optional

Saute onion in butter or olive oil until transparent.  Add chopped pepper and garlic and saute for another five minutes.  Add tomato, salt and pepper, and herbs if desired and cook at a low simmer until pepper is very soft, about 30 minutes.  Using a stick blender, food processor or blender, puree until smooth.  Adjust salt and pepper and serve.

CSA Week of September 19, 2011

What’s In Your Box?

• Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Parsley
  
• Cabbage
• Melons–New Crop!
  
• Chard
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Asian Eggplant
• Summer Squash
• Onions
• Garlic
• Tomatillos
• Carrots
• Strawberries
• Recipes Below!
  

Dear Friends:

The cool weather this week is welcome, and brings to mind that we have just eight weeks to go in our CSA for this season.  The change over these weeks will be dramatic.  Not only will the mix of produce in your boxes change, but we’ll have rain, frost, wind, maybe even snow, and certainly we’ll witness the shortening of the days.  As we get closer to the end, we’ll have to ask all of you to pick up your shares by 5:30, as there won’t be enough light to see what there is to put in your box.  Last year, without this change, we had folks walking up the path to the farmstand with flashlights and we had kerosene lanterns in the farmstand to provide light!

It’s probably hard to believe, but Jo and I have spent the day today in the first of many meetings planning next season.  In addition to crop planning, each year we come up with a projected budget and look at what we expect we’ll spend and what we’ll make over the course of the season.  The planning that goes goes into each season is considerable, and it’s always interesting to take a moment mid-season and look at what we thought might happen and what actually did happen.  Ensuring a successful season on a farm is much more than hoping for good weather and putting seed in the ground.  We’re contemplating many changes for next season, and we’ll be communicating with all of you in due time about our thoughts and plans.

We’re entering into the period of canning and preserving for the winter.  Each year, we make an early offer to all of our CSA subscribers to buy sauce and sun-drying tomatoes along with extra heirloom tomatoes to make that delectable goo called Oven Roasted Tomatoes (also known as Tomato Confit).  We’ve reproduced the recipe below.  We sent out this recipe last season when we had an abundance of heirloom tomatoes and recommended that subscribers buy a short flat of tomatoes, roast them according to the recipe, and freeze them for winter.  Most everyone ended up eating the tomatoes right away instead of freezing them, and came back for more flats to try again to set some aside for the winter.   It’s a remarkably easy and delicious mix that can be used as a pasta sauce or eaten with bread and cheese (or with your fingers).  We know you’ll enjoy it.

You can buy a short box or a tall box of tomatoes for $1.25/lb.  We are accepting orders now for pick up on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  We can make some exceptions to the rule of Tuesday/Thursday pick up, but not many, so please try if you can to make those days work.  We’re usually too busy picking CSA produce on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to be able to pick a lot of extra tomatoes.  Send us an email and we’ll put you on a list.  Tell us whether you want the short box, which is about 10 to 12 lbs.. or a tall box, which is 20 to 25 lbs., depending on the type of tomato.  Also tell us the date you want the tomatoes on any Tuesday or Thursday for the next three weeks.  We’ll do our best to fill your order on the date requested and, if we can’t due to short supply, we’ll let you know and you can choose a new date.

We have these varieties available:

Heirlooms–for oven roasted tomatoes.  We’ll provide a mix of colors or one variety, depending on availability.  If you prefer only red, we can do that.

San Marzano Roma–a large Italian Roma shaped sauce tomato

Juliet–a small roma that makes a really flavorful sauce and is especially good just cooked, canned and used during the winter for any recipe calling for tomatoes

Amish Paste–only available in smaller quantities right now, but it makes a naturally sweet sauce that is more liquidy than roma sauce unless you cook it for a longer time.  Excellent for Tomato Bisque with fresh herbs.

Principe Borgese–the most widely grown tomato for sun-drying, dehydrating, or oven drying.  Cut these tomatoes in half, put them on a screen or cookie sheet in full sun, move them inside at night if practical, and in two or three days you’ll have sun-dried tomatoes.  You can also place them on a cookie sheet, drizzle olive oil and salt on them, put them in a 200 degree oven to dehydrate until soft and wrinkled.  These you’ll need to freeze, as the moisture content is higher and they’ll spoil in a bag if left in the pantry.  If you’re used to buying sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll appreciate how cheap and easy it is to make your own, and you’ll feel especially happy when you’ve got your own tomatoes to use in January when the snow is flying!

Here are this week’s recipes:

Tomato Confit/Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Choose enough ripe heirloom tomatoes so that, when cut in half, they cover the bottom of a large baking dish with sides.  The tomatoes will cook down considerably, but you’ll need a baking dish with sides to contain the juices while cooking.   Cut tomatoes in half and core, if necessary.  Place snugly cut side down in one layer in a large ovenproof baking dish with sides.  Salt and pepper, and you can add cut onion, pressed garlic, fresh or dried herbs on top of the tomatoes, if you wish.  You may also add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar as a very flavorful addition.  Pour in enough olive oil to come 1/3 up the sides of the tomatoes.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, until the tomatoes are very soft and lightly carmelized.  For the last 15 minutes, watch carefully.  The tomatoes should be almost dry but not scorched.  You can freeze the mix when cool and use during the winter for a pasta sauce or as an appetizer/meal with bread and cheese.

Gazpacho Soup

Gazpacho soup was invented for the summer. Refreshingly cold on hot summer days, this adaptation of the classic Spanish cold tomato soup deliciously combines the best of summer vegetables.

• 6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 1 sweet pepper seeded and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• Riverhill Farm spicy chiles, to taste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegetarian option)
• 4 cups tomato juice

Combine all ingredients. Blend slightly, to desired consistency. Place in non-metal, non-reactive storage container, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend.

Tabouli

The Tabouli recipe is a healthful and delicious Mediterranean food recipe prepared with cracked wheat, mint, garlic, tomatoes, green onions, olive oil and lemon. An excellent picnic food idea, it tastes great chilled or at room temperature.

• 2 cups cracked wheat (bulghur)
• 2 cups very hot water
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small onion, minced or 1 bunch green onions, (8) sliced
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh chopped mint, to taste
• 1 – 2 cups fresh chopped parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Soak the cracked wheat in the hot water until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. When it’s ready, drain any excess water, if necessary, and squeeze dry. Meantime, prepare the vegetables for the salad and mix the dressing ingredients together. Set aside. Stir the prepared bulghur, other salad ingredients, and dressing together in a medium bowl. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes about 8 cups.

Vegetarian (or not) Stuffed Peppers

• 4 gypsy peppers
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 sm. onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 c. diced summer squash
• 4-5 sauce tomatos, diced
• 1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 c. cooked rice
• 2 to 3 c. tomato sauce (your favorite bottled or homemade)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and clean peppers. Cut off tops and remove seeds and membrane. Blanch prepared peppers in boiling water for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oil in wok or large skillet, add onion and garlic. Sauté 1 minute. Add herbs, carrots and zucchini.  Continue to cook 3 to 5 minutes or until carrots are tender, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and add the tomato, walnuts, brown rice and 1/2 cup tomato sauce. Heat through.  Stuff mixture into peppers. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of baking dish. Stand peppers upright. Pour remaining sauce over the tops of peppers. Bake in oven for 30 minutes.  For a non-vegetarian version, add  browned cooked ground beef or Italian sausage meat.

Fresh Salsa

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
• 2 hot chile peppers, Serrano or Jalapeno, finely chopped (to taste)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons minced cilantro
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lime juice
• salt and pepper

Put chopped onion and garlic in a strainer; pour 2 cups boiling water over them then let drain throughly. Discard water. Cool.  Combine onions and garlic with chopped tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours to blend flavors.
Makes about 2 cups of salsa.

CSA Week of 9/12/11

Photo Courtesy of Alicia Berardi

What’s In Your Box?

• Potatoes–Yellow Finn, lovely steamed, baked, mashed, fried, and eaten
  
• Cucumbers–try a simple cucumber salad, or tabouli!
  
• Melons
• Tomatoes–sliced with mozzarella and basil
  
• Basil
  
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Tatsoi Greens
  
• Strawberries
• Italian Eggplant–a cool week so it’s time for eggplant parmesan
  
• Summer Squash
• Onions
• Garlic
  
• No Recipes This Week!

Dear Friends:

As many of you probably noticed, Jo was gone last week tending to her parents, and I was left to tend the farm.  It’s my job and I embrace it willingly and happily, but it’s not easy to manage a whole week without Jo’s steady hand.  There are countless details in a day and in a week and, while I’m usually out in the field picking, irrigating, giving instructions, watching for problems and doing a host of other things, it helps me just to be able to return to the farmstand for a few moments during the day and see my wife hard at work.  A hurried glance shared between us may be all it takes to set things right.  To do something alone is often necessary and even desirable in life, but the comfort that comes with companionship and a shared vision certainly makes a day more pleasant.

It’s important for me to have time alone on the farm from time to time.  I started this farm in 2001 with an incomplete vision of what it might become.  It has exceeded my expectations in most every respect, and not only in good ways.  Growing vegetables and fruits is a profoundly satisfying way of life, but it’s a hard way to make a living.  As much as it is important for me to rekindle my personal and intimate relationship to the farm from time to time, I’m not sure that I could do this work and face the challenges of making this farm economically viable without the hard work and companionship that Jo provides.

After a week without Jo here and with me being responsible for both our weekly tasks, I desperately needed a less demanding schedule today.  That means that I did what was necessary to be done out in the fields, but I didn’t spend the time I usually spend writing this week’s flyer, and I didn’t gather the recipes to help all of you make good meals from the produce.  So this week you’re getting a short message and you’ll be on your own when it comes time to prepare your daily meal.

Without considering the cause of war and violence or the reasons for hatred and revenge, I was simply sad today with the burden of so many countless lives lost ten years ago and since.   I don’t believe that I can or should live my life in isolation from what is bad or good about the world.  I farm because it pleases me, because we all have to eat, and because it is good and just work.  I also farm to be in nature and to provide others the opportunity to develop a meaningful recognition of our dependence on nature for our sustenance.  This alone will not change the world, but it is the best I can do.

I wish peace for all of you.