Monthly Archives: August 2010

What to Do With Your Share—Week 17

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Enjoy Some Fried Food
Not a normal suggestion from an organic farmer, but one that I think will delight your palate this week. It comes from my father’s side of the family—zucchini fritters. We know we have been giving you a lot of beautiful summer squash and zucchini and you may be running out of ways to cook it. This is a definite crowd pleaser.

It is a modification of my Aunt Betty’s recipe. I made it for brunch on Sunday to feed three of my sisters who were visiting. They agreed that the fritters had a taste that reached back in time to when we used to travel to South Bend, Indiana to visit my Dad’s folks.

Sorry I don’t have a picture of the fritters, but I do have one of my sisters at the farm. Left to right; Jeanne, Margy, Cathy, me, Rebecca



Zucchini Fritters
A fritter starts out as one thing; a pancake like batter with zucchini and seasoning. You simply fry it in a 1/2 inch of oil until browned on both sides. The aroma of it cooking is worth it.

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded zucchini
2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup grated cheese (parmesan, goat cheese, mozzarella…)
1/2 cup water
flour to make a pancake-like batter (thick)

Method:
Mix together all of the ingredients except the flour. Add flour to form a thick batter.
Heat 1/2 inch frying oil in a pan.
With tablespoon, spoon batter into the oil to form patties. Fry until browned on both sides.

In the Share – Week 16

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SWEET POTATO GREENS (F) a seasonal treat. It is time for the plant to stop growing greens and start bulking up those roots. See Tom’s post for more info.

TOMATOES (F/P) We have not had our best tomato year. The cold snap in May and the humid summer did not help. But we do still have a few for everyone for another couple of weeks.
CARROTS (F) sweet orange ones.
GARLIC (F/P) of the hardneck variety
SUMMER SQUASH (F/P) get it while it last!
GREEN BEANS (F) The first picking of the last planting.
CUCUMBERS (P) ditto
OKRA OR SWEET PEPPERS (F) Rumor is the okra is more popular than sweet peppers. You don’t say.
SALSA PACK, EGGPLANT OR HOT PEPPERS (F)
BASIL, GARLIC CHIVES OR COMMON CHIVES (F) partials gets a choice of either herbs or garlic.

ALSO THIS WEEK: Parker Farms delivery
NEXT WEEK: More tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash and peppers. Potatoes and onions return. Perhaps some kale. Won’t be long before we have some lettuce again.
It seems no matter where we go lately we see butterflies. Of every size and color, they are everywhere. One of their favorite meeting spots apppears to be our compost pile. Here is a photo of them gorging on the leftovers from the melon harvest.

The Limenitis arthemis astyanax, or Red-spotted Purple, seems to be particularly inclined towards the watermelon rinds. They are the blue and black ones with the red dots on their wingtips.

Butterflies are not the only creatures that seem to be thriving on the farm. Our daily tasks in the fields are often accompanied by a cry for everyone to gather for the latest critter needing inspection. Most are harmless; many are fascinating. Moth larvae with strange protuberances along their bodies, robber flies carrying off their latest prey, large black ants setting up house in a winter squash and even crawfish entertain us with their weird beauty.

In amongst the sage plants, we discovered a large and quite beautiful moth, although we later discovered that it is the adult form of the tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) a quite formidable pest if left to devour a plant from the top down.

The farm’s ecosystem also supports a large population of frogs and toads. Here is a leopard frog blending in amongst the mulch of the flower patch.

We are heartened to see all the life that shares the fields with us. Amphibians and reptiles, butterflies and moths are especially sensitive to toxins that are commonly used in chemical farming systems. Leopard frogs, in particular, are seen as environmental indicator species.

What to Do With Your Share—Week 16

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Sweet Potato Vines
This little cooling spell has made it feel like Fall is around the corner. It reminded us of how long we have been without greens in our meal. Well, the farm provides, as we currently have a sea of sweet potato vines growing.

Our knowledge of their delicious nature, nutritional facts and growing requirements has been increasing over the past several seasons. Among the new things we’ve experienced is eating the sweet potato vines.

We sauteed some up tonight with a little oil, garlic, onion, salt, and vinegar to re-aquaint ourselves with their mild flavor. It made a small side-dish. It’s nice to work it into a main dish too. Add it to your favorite tomato sauce and cook until tender. Or add some fresh to a salad.

Treat it like you would spinach or any other green. The stems are also edible, so chop them up and add them to the dish, not the compost.

When storing, DON’T PUT THEM IN THE FRIDGE. The sweet potato is a tropical plant and the coolness of your fridge will kill it quickly. Instead, store it in a jar of water on your counter.

For a great recipe I suggest going to Emily Akins’ blog. If you don’t have all the ingredients for her Sexy Stir Fry, substitute as the share allows.

Fair Share Farm Art Project

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Submissions are slow, but behind the scenes we are seeing the CSA lumber to life. Interest in the Fair Share Farm Art Project is growing. We know of several pending artworks for display in our gallery.

As a CSA member you are among those that know the most about food. You’ve picked you own beans, and dug your own carrots. You’ve visited the chickens, pigs, sheep and cattle that you buy. You’ve helped harvest and distribute food to over 120 families. So who better to describe their feelings about food in art?

Just click on the happy girl with the big carrot for all the details.

What To Do With Your Share—Week 15

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Summer is passing in the fields, though some crops have just started. The okra has liked the African weather the last month, and is starting to flower and fruit. The stem of the pod is the same as the stem of the flower. After pollination the pod starts growing up from the base of the flower, shedding the pedals and making some wild looking food.

For the eating part we turn to a recipe from Jan Glauberman. We can attest to her knowledge of okra, having watched her make this dish, and tasted its virtues. We also made it ourselves tonight and remain impressed.

Wok Fried Okra
Water is the enemy of okra. Cooking okra with water will bring out the slimy texture we all hate. Okra needs to be cooked with dry heat and the easiest way I have found is to cook it in the wok with a little oil.

Wash and dry the okra. I leave the cap on but cut off most of the stem, then slice into 3/4 quarter inch pieces. Heat the wok on high and add 1/2 to 1 Tbl of oil, corn or canola works well with the high heat. Just before the oil starts to smoke add the okra and saute, stirring frequently.

It takes about 10 minutes at most and the okra will start to get black edges and soft. Add a sprinkling of kosher salt, stir and it’s ready to eat. I like to add 1/2 tsp of an Indian spice mixture called Pickle Masala after I stir in the salt. It can be purchased at the local Indian market.

If you want to make your own, there is a good recipe at Simply.food. Just type in Pickel Masala. This is about the easiest way to cook any vege. Woks rule!

Thanks,
Jan =

In the Share – Week 15

late summer, winter squash


WATERMELON (F/P) One last week of melons. The scorching heat did a number on the last planting, but we found enough to get everyone a red or yellow one.
TOMATOES (F/P) Another 3 or 4, but also some romas or cherry tomatoes thrown in.
POTATOES (F/P)
RED AND WHITE ONIONS (F/P) One of each
SUMMER SQUASH (F) There will be a few warty yellow ones in the mix, Rugosa Friulana from the region near Venice, Italy. It’s a bit ugly, but has good flavor with no squeaky texture.
SWEET PEPPERS OR OKRA (F/P) See Tom’s post for the best okra recipe ever (no slime!) submitted by of your fellow CSA members.
EGGPLANT (F) I know it is not a familiar vegetable to alot of my fellow Midwesterners, but it grows well in our region. There are more recipes for eggplant than any other vegetable, many of which are quite delicious.
SALSA PACK/PEPPERS (F) The tomatillos are slowing down, so some will get another shot at sweet peppers instead of the salsa.
HERB CHOICE: Basil, thyme or a dried herb.

ALSO THIS WEEK: Bread of Life Bakery delivery

NEXT WEEK: more tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, okra and squash. Cucumbers, green beans, carrots and garlic return.

The big break in the weather this past weekend signaled our entrance into late summer. The final plantings of cucumbers, tomatoes, beans and squash will be on the plate for another few weeks. The peppers, eggplant and okra have been growing since early spring, but have one last push through the month of September before falling to frost. These summer fruits will continue to be combined with the storage crops of potatoes, onions, carrots and garlic safely kept in the upper barn.

our newest addition to the stores

Winter squash has recently joined its fellow keepers in the barn. After we harvested the standard issue of tomatoes, squash, cukes, peppers, eggplant, okra and tomatillos in preparation for tomorrow’s shares, the rest of today was spent harvesting a lovely crop of butternut, acorn squash and pie pumpkins.

Our relationship with winter squash is a tumultous one. We love them as they are tasty and keep far into the winter. All too often, however, we have been left at the end of fall with no crop. Vine borers, squash bugs and cucumber beetles along with various viruses, mildews and wilts are formidable opponents for an organic farmer armed with row cover and not much else. This year a combination of technique and luck seems to have paid off. We added generous amounts of Missouri Organic compost and used the Allis-Chalmers G to make hills. The weather was pretty ideal during most of their growth -warm and relatively dry. So, who knows what made the difference and really, in the end, who cares! We’ve got lots of winter squash to eat! But not yet, in a couple weeks. We’ll put them in the share when they are fully cured and when a warm butternut squash soup sounds just right.

What to Do With Your Share—Week 14

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Fatigue is setting in out here at the farm. It’s all part of summer though, as we can’t coast home just yet. But the bounty has fed us well. The diversity of the farm has shone this year, as a disappointing crop of early tomatoes is replaced by wonderful melons.

And the thing about melons is that you don’t have to cook them. This week’s watermelon can be sliced and eaten, or turned into a refreshing juice. Just scoop out the flesh, squeeze it and press it through a colander, and you have a ruby red drink.

We mixed it with some strawberry juice frozen since June, added a little honey, and filled some popsicle containers. Looking forward to one at lunch tomorrow.

It also makes a dynamite drink. Some strawberry/watermelon juice, ice, water, Italian fizzies, a shot of rum and a lime garnish is the cat’s meow.

In the Share – Week 14

irrigation

TOMATOES (F/P) Another week of an adequate tomato crop, nothing too overwhelming. Plants that survived the cold, wet early May are doing horrid compared to those planted afterward, some of which are slow to ripen.

WATERMELON (F/P) A choice of two varieties: the red Sangria (oblong and grassy-green on the outside) or the yellow Peace (more round and a lighter green with dark green stripes). As our favorite Coop seed company, Fedco, says “Give Peace a chance”.
SALSA PACK (F/P) All full shares get them, partial shares get a choice with carrots
CARROTS All orange this week
GARLIC (F/P) An artichoke softneck variety
HERB CHOICE: Basil, garlic chives or a dried herb. Partial shares choose between garlic and herbs.
SUMMER SQUASH (F) Running out of summer squash recipes? The last planting of the season is just coming on now. Check out FSF CSA member Emily Akin’s blog for a recipe for vegetarian squash burgers
CHERRY TOMATOES OR RATTLESNAKE BEANS (F) The pole beans are beginning to slow, so enjoy them while you can
HOT PEPPERS OR EGGPLANT (P) Check Tom’s blog from last week for the hot pepper i.d.
EGGPLANT, SWEET PEPPERS OR OKRA (F) Nothing loves the heat more than the okra.
ALSO THIS WEEK: Parker Farms shares delivery
NEXT WEEK: More tomatoes, squash, peppers, eggplant and salsa. A few more melons. The last planting of cucumbers may be starting. Potatoes and onions return.
When Tom and I first moved back to the Graff-Cave Family Farm in the fall of 2002 the region was in the second year of a two-year drought. Photographs from the time contain lots of burned-up grass and stunted crops. Our first irrigation system was built in a hurry out of resources on hand. The old cattle pond served as water source and a gas-powered generator pumped the water to our thirsty crops. It wasn’t a very elegant solution, but it kept our plants alive along with our dream of building a truly sustainable farm.
Fast forward to 2010 during a hot, dry summer. Yes, I said dry. Most everyone in the region is feeling the heat this summer, but most have had record rainfall to go with it. Not us. We count ourselves lucky to have missed the 2-5 inch deluges that others have received. The headline of the KC STAR today reads First rain, now heat causes grumbling among growers. While our neighbors to the north and south have much to grumble about, we have been spared for the most part (what’s my excuse then?!).


pond full of water makes farmer sleep easy
Dry weather can only be looked upon as good luck if you have an dependable irrigation system. Ours has come along way since our first year at the farm. A new pond and a solar-powered pump bring water to our fields cleanly, quietly and cheaply with a rate of at least 25 gallons per minute. We’ve been pumping thousands of those gallons on our fields for the better of three weeks now and will probably be pumping for a couple weeks more. As long as we get the usual soaking fall rains, the pond should recharge quickly. Irrigation is especially critical for establishing the fall crops.
Newly transplanted cabbage with drip tape
The next chapter in the irrigation saga is about to unfold. Energize Missouri Agriculture, a program funded with Federal stimulus dollars is helping us expand our solar-powered system. With cost-share funds we were able to purchase additional solar panels and underground supply pipe that will make our system more energy-efficient with better pressure so that we can bring water to the highest sections of the farm. We will be installing the supply line in the next month or two, as soon as the weather breaks and we have time to get to it.
pile of pipe and valve boxes waiting to be put to use