Collard Greens & Broccoli Raab

Dearest Veggie Friends,

This is our last market week. Please don't miss out. Our favorites this week are Collards and Leafy Broccoli Raab. I could not have imagined this week without them. Here is what we will have at market this week.

Veggies: Swiss Chard, Kale, Lettuce, Salad Mix, Arugula, Spinach, Beets, Broccoli Raab, Mustard Greens, Celeriac, Daikon Radish, Collards, Baby Bok Choi, & Turnips (the best turnips ever).

Meats: Beef: Ground, Hot Puppies, Bologna, Patties, Assorted Steaks
Chicken: Whole, Breasts, Wings, Legs & Thighs.

Body Products:
Soap, Bath Salts, Face Scrub, Bug Spray, Lip Balm, Lavender Spray, Chest Rub, Hair Tonic & First Aid Salve.
Plus an added bonus of Fresh Soap Company Gift Packs. Start holiday shopping with local, handmade "Green Gifts.

A bit of farm news: We are planting garlic like crazy. The picture above is my view of Welsh Mountain. Those are the cows whom watch me work everyday. They think I am a bit silly running around such a small plot of land all day. What must they think? We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you in the spring.

Really quick collard Greens

(This recipe comes from our amazing market customer Matt. He will be the best daddy of twins. Hooray for him and his wife.)

Ingredients

¼” thick slice of pancetta or 3 slices of thick cut bacon

A bunch of collard greens

A health splash of apple cider vinegar

Cut the bacon into small chunks. Add it to a large non-stick skillet on medium low heat with a little olive oil and let it slowly render out its fat.

Ok, I know, bacon is bad for you. Fine. Here’s the thing, bacon is delicious. If you can’t eat bacon because of your religious / spiritual beliefs, yes, you can make this dish with butter or potentially olive oil (if you’re going this route at least add some garlic to the oil to give it some flavor). It won’t be quite as good but it’ll still be delicious. If, however, you don’t want to eat bacon because it’s “bad” for you – please reconsider. Not only is this dish unbelievably good with pancetta or bacon, but, it you use one of these delicious pork products, you’ll totally want to eat all of the greens. If you ask me, the goodness of the greens more than outweighs the supposed badness of the bacon. Really. Repeat after me “Bacon is good. And I’ll eat more greens so it’ll be OK.”

If, on the other hand, you’re enlightened enough to be willing to eat bacon without guilt, you don’t need me to tell you that you’ve reached a higher plane of enlightenment.

While the bacon is cooking, cut out the stems from the collard greens. I usually throw these out, but I’ve heard that if you cut them really finely and cook them a few extra minutes they’re delicious. I say, put them in the compost heap and move on with your life. Once the stalks have been removed role the leaves into a cigar shape and slice it very thinly across the round part of the “cigar”. Technically this is called a ”chiffonade” cut. It’s really easy to do and you can dazzle your friends by saying “chiffonade”.

Add all the greens to the bacon pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for EXACTLY two minutes. Add a heavy splash of the apple cider vinegar. Remove from the heat and serve immediately. If you’d prefer, you can add the juice of one lemon instead of the apple cider vinegar. Somehow that makes the dish feel more summer-y to me. Now that it’s fall, I like the vinegar better. It’s probably also good using balsamic instead of the apple cider. Enjoy – I love this dish

Thank you again to Matt for this wonderful recipe. I might even rethink bacon. Thank you for the laugh. I have been feeling quite silly as well. The end of the season will bring delirium on all of us. This picture of me and the giant radish will prove it. (This radish was actually rather tasty)

In the spirit of Fall.

Yes, we are in the fall spirit. The garden may be winding down but we are getting ready for the holidays in the store. Hartz Natural Foods (south on Rt 10 just past the Windmill Restaurant. First farm on the left).
The new Fresh Soap Company display is up, we are taking orders for local pasture- fed, free- range turkeys and we are milling flour.
Yes, we grind our own Spelt grain for flour. What is "Spelt" you may ask? Spelt is what I like to call an heirloom variety of wheat. Spelt is lighter in texture and flavor than wheat and contains more nutritional value. So why do you never see Spelt in the grocery stores? Because, Spelt has two hulls instead of one. This requires an extra processing to crack the second shell. And in our "cheap food" culture, Spelt has become too labor intensive to be bothered with.
I am here to tell you that it is worth the bother. (Especially, when we hull it and grind it fresh for you). Our Spelt flour is ground finer than traditional whole wheat but not as fine as whole wheat pastry flour. How do you use Spelt? I recommend using it in place of whole wheat flour. You will find that your texture and flavor will be lighter and more pleasing to your holiday guests (but, not lacking the fiber).
Why use Spelt instead of whole wheat? Because, it is local and we grind it fresh to order for you. (We grind it fresh while you wait in the store. If you would like more than 2 lbs please call ahead.)
The flour I bring to market is ground on Saturday. Not fresh out of the mill but fresher than the leading grocery store.
How do I use Spelt Flour? Pizza dough, pancakes, cookies, breads, muffins, flat breads, pita bread, noodles. I pretty much use it for everything. I have found the experimentation to be extremely fun. Have you ever baked with fresh ground flour? You may never go back. The best chocolate chip cookies hands down. Well, not better than my momma's.
I hope to see you all this Sunday. It is the last market. This year has been very rewarding for me and I thank all of you for your support. Thank you to all of you who come out and see us and inspire me to keep going. I will probably be randomly posting blogs so please check in with us every once in a while. If you are not on our email list please email me(bhorganics@gmail.com) and add yourself. We will be notifying you all of the first harvest in the spring.
Many warm blessings to you and your family for the holidays. I am hoping for a bit of relaxation.

Chicken & Mustard Greens

Hello Friends,
As we move steadily into fall and what feels like faster into winter we are counting down the weeks of market. Two weeks left.
What will we have for the last 2 weeks?
Veggies: Swiss Chard, Kale, Lettuce, Salad Mix, Arugula, Spinach, Scallions, Beets, Carrots, Savoy Cabbage, Baby Cabbage, Mustard Greens, Celeriac, Daikon Radish, Collards, Baby Bok Choi, & Turnips.

Meats: Beef: Ground, Hot Puppies, Bologna, Patties, Beef Cubes, Assorted Steaks
Chicken: Whole, Breasts, Wings, Legs & Thighs.

Body Products:
Soap, Bath Salts, Face Scrub, Bug Spray, Lip Balm, Lavender Spray, Chest Rub, Hair Tonic & First Aid Salve.
Plus an added bonus of Fresh Soap Company Gift Packs. Start holiday shopping with local, handmade "Green Gifts."

And as promised a recipe from one of our loyal market shoppers.

Roast Chicken, Mustard Greens, and Roasted potatoes in a pot!

You need a Dutch-oven that can accommodate a full size chicken

1 Chicken from B&H Farms

1 medium yellow onion

1 lemon

3 cloves of garlic – smashed but not peeled

1 B&H carrot

the green tops of a B&H celeriac

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

3 medium Yukon Gold or similar potatoes (quartered)

1 bunch of B&H mustard greens

Put the Dutch-oven, without the lid, into a cold oven, then turn the oven on to 425 (could you put the lid on the Dutch-oven before you put it in the oven? Probably, but I never do. It could have no effect on the cooking or it could be the secret to making it perfect, so I say, why risk it?)

While the oven & Dutch-oven are pre-heating, divide the lemon into 8ths, slice the onion into half rounds, smash the garlic, cut off the top of the celeriac, and slice the carrot into sticks.

Remove the giblets from the chicken and salt and pepper the inside and the outside of the chicken thoroughly (OK, I know, salt is bad for you. You’re using it on the inside the cavity and on the skin – most of the meat won’t come into contact with all the salt. If you don’t use enough salt, your food will be bland and you’ll be sad. OK – don’t say I didn’t warn you. Don’t use enough salt. Enjoy your tasteless food. I’ll be over here eating my delicious chicken with salt. At least use a lot of pepper – there are no health risks associated with pepper right? Not yet anyway…)

Stuff the lemon, garlic, carrot, celeriac tops into the chicken cavity.

Remove the Dutch-oven from the stove (careful – it’s hot).

Sprinkle the bottom of the pot with Olive Oil and toss in the onions (they should make a satisfying sizzling sound. If they don’t it either means that your oven isn’t working or you’re way faster at prepping the veggies and chicken then I am) Put the chicken (breast up) into the pot. Stuff the potato pieces around the chicken (wherever they fit – no need to stuff them way into the pot, just slightly along the sides). Cover the pot with the cold lid. Put the covered pot back into the oven (OK, I know the pot has been sitting out on the stove for a few minutes, but PLEASE DON’T FORGET it’s still VERY HOT!!! Don’t make the mistake of grabbing the pot without pot-holders – you’ll burn yourself. How do I know? ‘cause I’m the idiot who grabbed the hot Dutch-oven without pot holders, that’s how.)

Roast the chicken for an hour then remove the lid and cook for another 10 minutes to crisp up the skin. At that point you should check to make sure the chicken is cooked through. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the thigh should be at least 160 degrees (some people say “the juices should run clear.” If you can see the color of the juices of a chicken in a hot Dutch-oven surrounded by potatoes, more power to you). If it’s cooked through, remove the chicken from the pot and set it on a platter to rest for 15-30minutes.

Put the pot with the potatoes and onions uncovered, back into the oven. Let cook for a little longer to crisp up the potatoes. If they’re already crisp, you can skip this step.

Remove the stems from the mustard greens and slice the greens thinly, perpendicularly to the stem. Take the pot back out of the oven, put the crisped, but not burned potato wedges around the chicken that is still resting on the platter.

Put the mustard greens into the still-hot Dutch-oven. What’s that you say? There’s brown bits and onions and a little chicken fat at the bottom of the pot? I know – that the good stuff, trust me. Stir the greens around in the pot until they wilt (the pot will be plenty hot, no need to turn on the stove-top).

Once the greens are done, the chicken should have rest enough – carve it up and enjoy! Keep the stuff in the cavity and the carcass – it makes great stock!

Thank you Matt for this recipe it makes you hungry and it makes you laugh.

Lots of warm blessings to you all.
Erica

Abundance even in the cold

Just in case you may have thought that due to the cold weather we would not be out at the farmer's market... I am here to tell you that it isn't true. This is fall, the time of abundance, and we have it. So be sure to come out and see us. We have only 3 weeks left.
Veggies: Swiss Chard, Kale, Lettuce, Salad Mix, Arugula, Spinach, Scallions, Beets, Carrots, Savoy Cabbage, Baby Cabbage, Mustard Greens, Celeriac, Leeks, Daikon Radish, Collards, Baby Bok Choi, & Turnips.

Meats: Beef: Ground, Hot Puppies, Bologna, Patties, Beef Cubes, Assorted Steaks
Chicken: Whole, Breasts, Wings, Legs & Thighs.

Body Products:
Soap, Bath Salts, Face Scrub, Bug Spray, Lip Balm, & First Aid Salve.

And as we promised with a plug we will include a recipe:
This one comes from Martha whom is hosting the Macrobiotic Cooking Class later this month (see the previous blog).

Berry Pie with Oat/Almond crust

1 cup rolled oats put oats and almonds in food processor and

1/2 cup almonds (raw) process a little bit, then add other 3 ingredients

1/4 cup sunflower oil and process so that crust is still a bit crunchy

1/4 brown rice syrup press mixture into pie plate and bake 15 min

1/4 tsp salt at 350 degree oven, let cool

Add whatever berry you prefer on top of the crust, be generous

4 cups apple juice Heat to just below a boil, stir to disolve the agar

4 Tblsp agar agar flakes flakes, and then pour over the crust & berries

juice of 1/2 lemon Refrigerate until firm.

grated rind of one lemon

I like to make just the crust and use it for the crisp part of apple crisp. Yum Yum

For a crowd, just double the recipe and use a larger, rectangular glass baking dish

Thank you all for your support.

Hello Friends...
This is a wonderful picture of my favorite intern Michelle. She is such a great trooper and I would not be making it through the end of this season without her. Hooray for Michelle.
What follows is a list of what we will have at market this week:
Veggies: Swiss Chard, Kale, Lettuce, Salad Mix, Arugula, Spinach, Scallions, Beets, Carrots, Mustard Greens, Celeriac, Daikon Radish, Eggplant, Collards, Baby Bok Choi, & Radishes

Meats: Beef: Ground, Hot Puppies, Bologna, Patties, Beef Cubes, Assorted Steaks
Chicken: Whole, Breasts, Wings, Legs & Thighs

Body Products:
Soap, Bath Salts, Face Scrub, Bug Spray, Lip Balm, & First Aid Salve

In an effort to join the community and fill up my recipe database, I am offering to plug "your" event or craft in exchange for a recipe. Email me a recipe and what you would like to let the community know about and I will post it on the blog. If you have a blog let me know and I can link you in.

Our first plug comes from Martha at our favorite health food store Hartz Natural Foods:
Macrobiotic Cooking Class
Hosted by Martha in her home in Elverson.
Class is on Sunday October 26th 10 am till 1 pm and the charge is $45 per person.
The class will be taught by Melanie Waxman a wonderful Macrobiotic Chef. Please check out Melanie's website to see all the great things she is doing www.celebrate4health.com .
B & H veggies will be used in the cooking demonstration.
We are hoping this class will be the beginning in a series.
To sign up or for more information contact Martha at:
610-286-7446 (home)
484-942-6261 (cell)

Thank you all and have a great week.

Dear Friends and Customers,
Yes, the weather has become chilly. There is a "Fall Breeze" in the air. But we are still harvesting and marketing for SIX more weeks. Hooray the fun has yet to end. Hopefully, you are all on our email list and received our email update last week. If not please email us and get on our list bhorganics@gmail.com. If you already submitted your email address to me than please remember to take us off your spam list and let us into your inbox. We have sent out few emails this season in order not to bug you, but also because this blog has been very effective for us.
Michelle and I cried to see Sam go this week. But with the weather changing so do our lives. We thank him greatly and wish him the best on all of his adventures. It is only fair that we share him with the world.
I will be posting our list of produce for market weekly. This will hopefully give you an idea of what we will have for your shopping list. It is subject to change depending on how busy we are and if someone buys all the 'turnips' early. Here it is:
Celeriac, Fresh Cut Flowers, Tomatoes, Carrots, Baby Cabbage, Daikon Radish, Turnips, Spinach, Salad Mix, Arugula, Mustard Greens, Baby Boc Choi, Radishes, Scallions, Lettuce, Eggplant, Collards, Beets, Kale & Swiss Chard.
Don't forget our homemade soaps, bath salts, lip balms, face scrubs, & body sprays. We are now selling chicken parts as well as beef. All the meat is raised on the farm. All of our meat is frozen. Please let us know if you would like a full list of the meats we sell. We bring limited items to market but stock the freezers in our store with a large selection of cuts.
Just to let you know we are taking names for our waiting list for out CSA for the 2009 season. We hope to send out applications in January or February.
And now for the fun: Our member Laura linked us to several recipe sites for the items we have in season now. Thank you Laura I am sure we will all have fun with this.

celeriac:

http://www.goneraw.com/recipes/2083-Easy-Celeriac-Mash - mmmmm...

Bok Choy Apple Slaw - http://www.therawchoice.com/discovery_recipes.html ( a quarter of the way down the page)

http://www.goneraw.com/recipes/3096-Bok-Choy-Coleslaw

http://www.goneraw.com/recipes/3430-bok-choy-salad

http://www.goneraw.com/recipes/2776-BABY-BOK-CHOY-DELIGHT

http://www.goneraw.com/recipes/2601-Simply-Kimchi-Mild

http://goneraw.com/recipes/3955-Bok-Choy-Salad-w-Papaya-Mango-Tomato

this morning i had 2 heads baby bok choi (however you spell it), 2 pears, and some avacado blended up... mmmm, really hit the spot...

Thank you all for your support and have a marvelous week.
Erica

Dearest Customers,
We would like to once again extend our warm thanks to you for your support for this season. The end comes with mixed blessings. We are exhausted, however we are sad to see the box packing end. This fall has brought many wonderful opportunities and we are eager to finish out the season with fun and productivity. I am posting this blog a bit early this week because on Saturday we will be at the West Reading Fall Festival. We (Sam , Michelle and I) will be working the kids area and pumpkin decorating. Please come out and visit us 1pm till 6pm on South 6th street. It will be a great way to meet all of you that we have not yet met. We are always eager to give back to our community and share the beauty of nature with children.
We are also teaming up with The Food Trust, whom is starting a nutrition program in Reading elementary schools. We will be providing yummy veggies for the children to learn about food, nutrition and local veggies.
And we will be at the West Reading Farmer's Market every Sunday until November 9th if you are missing the food. We will still be harvesting for the store each week. Hartz Natural Foods located on the farm is open Monday thru Friday 9 am till 6pm and Saturday 9am till 3pm. Come to the store and peek behind to see the garden.
If you are missing the fruit, the Frecon store on 562 is open through the week and offering "Pick Your Own" on weekends. What a great way to see where your food comes from.
Also, look for our soap in Berks County Living's Gift Guide this fall.
Thank you so much for taking the time to fill out the questionnaire. We hope it was not too damaged in the delivery this week.
This is the last week to order the things you wanted all season. Thank you all for ordering and we hope to see you next season. Stay posted in the spring for our Open House and "Meet the Farmer" event.
Here is the list for Wednesday September 24th: Leeks, Celeriac, Tomatoes (Paste, Garden Peach, Martian, Cherokee, Striped German, & Green Zebra), Carrots, Turnips, Spinach, Collards, Mustard Greens, Arugula, Beets, Scallions, Eggplant (Turkish Orange, Italian, Oriental), Flowers, Swiss Chard, Lettuce (Green Romaine), Salad Mix, Baby Bok Choi, Baby Cabbage, Broccoli Raab ( limited quantities), & Butternut Squash.
Thank you again.
Pictured: Paul Hartz cultivating the garden (and the blue, blue sky); Italian Eggplant, Baby Cabbages.

Our harvest list for September 17th includes: Kale (Dino & Curly or Winter), Salad Mix, Arugula, Tomatoes (Glacier, Striped German, Garden Peach, Martian, Cherokee Purple, & Green Zebra), Carrots, Hakurei Turnips (Japanese Salad type), Spinach, Radishes, Basil (Lemon, Thai, Cinnamon, Italian), Mustard Greens, Baby Bok Choi, Beets, Scallions, Broccoli Raab (Leafy type), Fresh Cut Flowers, Eggplant (Turkish Orange, Italian, Oriental (limited quantities)), Leeks (limited quantities), Celeriac, Collards, Swiss Chard, Lettuce (Green Romaine), Flat leaf Parsley, Sage, Oregano, Anise Hyssop, Mexican Tarragon, & Winter Squash (Butternut & Delicata). Fruit this week will be Nectarines, Pears, & Gala Apples.
This is the second to last delivery. We will be including a Questionaire as well as a self addressed stamped envelope. We hope that you will take the time to give us your feedback to improve our services. Also, if you have any wax boxes around your house we would love to have them back. Reusing the boxes really cuts down on our costs. We thank you all for your cooperation and support. Have a great week.

Another recipe donated by my mom: She has been making this recipe and using as many different veggies as possible. She tops it with different fruit salsas (peach, melon, tomatillo and traditional tomato)
Spicy Corn Fritters (adopted from http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/005275spicy_corn_fritters.php)
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander (try fresh cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup water
2 cups corn kernels (cut from 3 large ears of corn)
4 large scallions, sliced
Grapeseed, Canola, Peanut or Coconut oil for frying
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, ground coriander and cumin in a medium bowl. Add egg, lemon juice and water. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the corn, onions, and cilantro. Stir until just combined.
Heat a large frying pan on medium high heat. Add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons worth of fritter batter into pan to make one fritter, pat down with back of spoon. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to absorb the oil. Makes approx 16 fritters. Enjoy.

I apologize that I have not been as diligent with the blogs. It has just been very busy recently with all of the harvest. It is hard to complain about having so many vegetables to pick and clean and eat. Hooray for eating. I have been cooking up a storm. My husband told me the other day that I was "on a roll". I immediately responded with "aren't I always on a roll." Ha Ha. During the hours of weeding I spend dreaming of dinner and the possibilities. The vegetables are my blank canvas because I am not much of a painter. And it is so wonderful to be able to share the artwork with others. It enriches their mouthes and their bellies. Pies, I am inspired by the fruits. Peach pies, Raspberry Kanten pies. Butter crusts, Graham Cracker crusts. Ummmm.
And with the veggies: Tomato soup, Nut Terrine, Eggplant Raviolis, Corn Fritters. I am so thankful for summer.
As things are beginning to slow at the farm we are able to catch up with the weeds, finish our planting, and plan for the fall. We are wrapping our brains around finishing our walk-in cooler and building our greenhouse. No small feat but we are so excited, it is like spring all over again. (I am not ready for it to end).
Pictured above: Scallions, Celeriac, and Scarlett our pet Garden Orb Spider. As you can see Scarlett is also reaping the benefits of a healthy summer garden. A "gentle" spider, she is not only beautiful she is helpful at the same time. We look forward to seeing her new webs every morning.
As for some cooking ideas:
Celeriac (AKA Celery Root)
It is actually the cultivated root of celery. Bred for the root and not the stalk. Although, the stalk is edible it will not give you the same celery flavor and texture when eaten raw. Used in soups however, it will add a nice mild celery flavor. Which is similarly said for Celeriac. This root will store (without greens) for up to 6 months. It is amazing to have a fresh celery taste (not from California) in December for soup. My favorite Celeriac preparation is to peel it, (it should always be peeled the outer skin is very tough), slice very thin, place in a roasting pan with onions, salt, pepper, and butter. Bake at 400 degrees until tender (about 25 minutes). Or for an even better treat bake for 45 minutes until crispy (Celery chips).
Celeriac is wonderful added to potatoes au gratin or scalloped potatoes.
Celeriac is also wonderful when eaten raw. Shredded with carrots, and apples this makes a wonderful salad. You won't need to add dressing but it is nice with a bit of apple cider vinegar and olive oil. This recipe is always a big hit at potlucks.

Have a great cooking week and please feel free to share your own culinary artworks with us.

Dear Customers,
The list for the week of September 10th is as follows: Green Romaine Lettuce, Celeriac (Celery Root), Fresh Cut Flowers, Tomatoes (Garden Peach, Martian, Striped German, Cherokee, Glacier, Green Zebra, Paste), Carrots, Hot Peppers, Beans (Green), Broccoli Raab (leafy type), Radishes, Salad Mix, Spinach, Mustard Greens, Arugula, Collards, Baby Boc Choi, Pac Choi, Red Beets, Scallions (real Scallions), Swiss Chard, Parsley (Curly & Flat), Basil (Italian, Lemon, Thai, Cinnamon), Winter Squash (Hokkaido, Buttercup, Butternut, & Delicata). Fruit will be a choice of: Nectarines, Gala Apples, Red Raspberries (limited quantities), & Pears.
Including this week there are only 2 full share deliveries left (fruit only 2 weeks). On September 24th we will be delivering a 1/2 box to make up for the 1/2 box on the first week of delivery. It is hard to believe we are finishing up. We will be very sad to be ending the CSA for this season but look forward to gearing up for a longer season next year. We will be at the West Reading Farmer's Market until the first Sunday in November. We will be selling in our store (Hartz Natural Foods) until the ground freezes and the crops cease to produce. We thank you all very much for your support and participation. Have a great weekend.

Our list for the September 3rd delivery....
Arugula, Spicy Mix (a spicy version of our Salad Mix), Salad Mix, Fresh Cut Flowers, Tomatoes (Paste, Black Plum, Cherry, Glacier, Garden Peach, Martian, Striped German, Cherokee Purple, & Green Zebra), Beans (Green, Purple, Dragon), Basil (Thai, Lemon, Italian, Cinnamon), Collards, Pac Choi, Baby Boc Choi, Eggplant (Pickling, Italian, Turkish Orange), Mustard Mix, Lettuce (Green & Red Romaine), Hot Peppers, Swiss Chard, Parsley (Curly or Flat), Sage, Winter Squash (Spaghetti, Buttercup (Pictured), Red Kuri, Delicata, Hokkaido), Radishes, & Red Beets.
Fruit this week will be the same as in the past two weeks. If you have a preference for fruit please let us know.
We are sorry to report our poor year for peppers. We know how important they are to you. This is the second year our pepper crop has contracted a disease. We have identified the cause and are going to work very hard to prevent this in the future. Our only option of saving the crop would have been to spray copper sulfate. Due to the fact that you cannot enter the field for 24 hours after spraying we have decided it is not worth it. We are committed to the true meaning of "Organic". We would rather loose a crop than to subject our workers or your bodies to a toxic substance. We hope you understand.
However, tomatoes are still plentiful as well as basil and beans. If you would like larger quantities of any of these items please let us know. We have been adding extra to your boxes these last 2 weeks to pass on the bounty.
We have been busy canning ourselves in the meantime. Salsa, Hot Sauce, Catsup, Tomatillo Salsa, Tomatoes, Beans. Whew. Winter will taste amazing.
A customer at the Farmer's Market suggested roasting the string beans. I tried this last night. Simply bake them with olive oil, salt and pepper at 400 degrees until tender (about 20 minutes). If you bake longer they get crispy. They are even better than french fries. I will be eating this for dinner again tonight.
One of my other favorites is a Thai/ Vietamese dressing over a mustard greens salad. A mixture of sesame oil, shredded carrots, fish sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, peanuts & shredded coconut. The sweetness of this dressing cuts the bite of the greens.
And don't forget homemade pizza. Topped with any of the fresh veggies in your box. Hooray for eating great. Have a great week.

Dear Customers...
Our abundance continues. We are so thankful for all of the beautiful veggies for our bellies and we hope you feel the same.
Pictured above you will find Turkish Orange Eggplant, Mustard Greens, and Collards. The Collards and Mustard Greens may both be prepared the way you would Kale or Swiss Chard. The Mustard Greens are a bit spicy. The spiciness is great for cleaning out stagnant energies in the body and the digestive system. They are wonderful eaten as a salad with a warm sweet dressing. The Collards are hearty enough for soups and stews. I love to eat greens more than anything else. I like to steam them lightly or quickly saute them with olive oil, garlic and tamari. A perfect well rounded meal in our house would be baked winter squash (with butter or honey), steamed greens, sauted green beans with balsamic and slivered almonds. We hope you have a great eating week.

Dear Customers,
Let me begin by saying that I love your orders. It helps me in my job and it is a pleasure to be able to fill them. However, in order to fill them I need to have the order by Monday evening. Tuesday evening is fine if you are running late, but on Wednesdays I don't have access to the computer and can't receive your requests. I want to be able to fulfill your requests.
Our greens are coming in beautifully due to this unusually cool summer. I know to many of you it may not seem cool but to the peppers, tomatoes and eggplants it seems cool. Pictured above is Pac Choi and Garden Peach Tomatoes.
Here is the list for the August 27th delivery: Arugula, Salad Mix, Spicy Mix (a salad mix made of entirely mustard greens), Fresh Cut Flowers, Tomatoes (Black Plum, San Marzano (paste), Cherry, Glacier, Garden Peach, Martian, Striped German, Cherokee Purple, & Green Zebra), Tomatillos, Beans (Dragon, Purple, Green), Peppers (Green, Chocolate, Poblano, Hot Peppers), Basil (Lemon, Thai, Cinnamon, Italian), Collard Greens, Pac Choi, Baby Boc Choi, Eggplant (Italian, Oriental, Turkish Orange), Lettuce (Green & Red Romaine), Swiss Chard, Parsley (Curly or Flat), Sage, & Winter Squash (Delicata, Spaghetti, Butternut, Buttercup, Red Kuri, Hokkaido).
Fruit this week will be the same as last week Nectarines, Apples & Peaches. If you have a preference for any of the above please let me know.
We have plenty of basil, beans and tomatoes. Let me know if you would like extra. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

The delivery of August 20th may include these items: Salad Mix, Fresh Cut Flowers, Beans (Purple, Green or Dragon), Tomatoes (Cherry, Glacier, Garden Peach, Martian, Striped German, Cherokee Purple, or Green Zebra), Cucumbers (Standard, Lemon, Pickling), Tomatillos, Winter Squash (Red Kuri (Pictured), Spaghetti, Delicata, Butternut, Buttercup, Hokkaido), Peppers (Green or Poblano), Basil (Lemon, Cinnamon, Thai, Italian), Collards, Pac Choi, Lettuce (Buttercrunch or Green Romaine), Parsley (Flat or Curly), Sage, Mexican Tarragon, Summer Squash (Costata, Patty Pan, Yellow Zuchinni).
Yes, the garden is recovering from the storm. Although it looks as if many of the plants are ready for the winter rest they are perking up and healing. I gave Eggplant a rest this week to grow bigger but expect plenty of eggplant in the near future. Summer Squash and Cucumbers are still dribbling in but in very little quantities. Let us know if you would like them and we will try our best to fill your orders.
Are you interested in extra peaches for freezing? Basil for pesto? Tomatoes for canning? Just let us know this is the time of year and we have lots.
Including this coming delivery of August 20th we will have 5 more deliveries. I can hardly believe it is mid-August.
Fruit this week will be apples and nectarines. We are going to mix the bag. We will also have peaches in house if you would like some of those too.
Let's all cross our fingers for sunshine and no HAIL. Have a great weekend.

Today's box... I hope you enjoy all of today's goodies. We apologize that we are a bit behind on recipes and pictures. If you received tiny round orange objects in a brown bag they are Turkish Orange Eggplant. They may be used the same way you would any other eggplant. They are a bit more bitter but really make up for it in their texture and color (which they retain when cooked).
The long skinny purple eggplants are Pickling Eggplants. They taste similar and may be used the same as regular eggplants. I am fond of little eggplants because it is just my husband and I at home and we find it hard to finish a 2# eggplant. But the big ones are on their way.
My husband taught me a trick of using wonton wraps, (found in the produce case at the grocery store), to make raviolis. Eggplant after it has been roasted makes an amazing ravioli. After you fill the wraps simply place them on a cookie sheet with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake. These are a meal in themselves no sauce needed.
Winter Squash is coming in just as the summer squash is dwindling. Winter Squash may be prepared in either a sweet or savory way. For a sweet version just bake and add honey and cinnamon before serving. For a savory version bake and serve with butter, salt, pepper and your favorite dried herbs. Winter Squash is best when sliced in half and laid open side down in a pan with 1-2 inch of water. Bake this way on 375 degrees until soft in the middle (about 45 minutes). Simply remove it and let it cool a bit then, remove the inside from the shell. I personally don't like to peel it before it is cooked because it is too much work. The Spaghetti Squash should be removed with a fork because it is stringy (hence the name "Spaghetti Squash"). You may use Spaghetti Squash in place of pasta with you favorite tomato sauce. Winter Squash is a great carbohydrate. It is high in fiber, Vitamin A and minerals.

My mom has donated this wonderful recipe. Adapt how you like and Enjoy. This is her variation of a pasta dish. It may be eaten warm or cold.

Spaghetti Squash with Swiss Chard, Kale or any Garden Vegetables:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
14 cups chopped fresh garden vegetables
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 plum tomatoes diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
salt to taste
1 large Spaghetti Squash
2 tablespoon freshly grated locatelli cheese
2 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

Begin by baking the Spaghetti Squash until tender (described above).
On the stove top heat the oil on medium heat. Add onions saute until tender (4 min), add tomatoes (8 min). Add vegetables & garlic (1min). Add wine cover and simmer until tomatoes break down and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally (5 min). Season to taste. Add Spaghetti Squash to vegetables and toss to combine. Sprinkle with cheese, add pine nuts and serve.

Enjoy your week.

Dear Customers,
I am not one to complain about the weather or the season of growing. I believe that we are blessed with different things each year and that we should be thankful for what is given to us. We can try hard to grow the plants but there are always unseen forces of which you cannot predict or prevent. I am referring to the storm that hit the farm on Sunday. It brought strong winds, heavy rain and the worst HAIL. It is not a major catastrophe and we will be fine and have plenty of fresh veggies to go around. However, we will be very short on greens & peppers this week. I have complete confidence that in the next few weeks they will bounce back and we will be back on track but for now we will have to tough it out with tomatoes and other midsummer goodies. The hail is also the reason for the tiny holes or marks in most of the produce. As well as why we have only had peaches for the past few weeks. Never fear apples are on the way for next week. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working hard to get them all back on their feet. Until then enjoy the Tomato Explosion that has befallen us. It could be much worse.
Pictured above are Pickling Eggplant & San Marzano Paste tomatoes.

Dearest Members,
Thank you to all of you whom made it out to our potluck dinner. It was ashame more of you could not have made it, but the event became very intimate and sweet, the way it was supposed to be.
We are so very blessed in the last few weeks to have had several people come to help in the garden. Yes, they have brought their physical labor but more importantly they have brought an amazing spirit and excitement for growing. We would like to thank Sam (of course), Doreen (whom makes the beautiful flower arrangements and sings our praise all over town), Christina, Michelle (our newest intern), and Todd. You will be happy to know that your food is not only grown in healthy pesticide free soils but that it is grown with much love and laughter. I am very thankful to be apart of it all.
On that note, here is your list for the August 13th delivery: Salad Mix, Beans (Purple, Dragon, Green), Fresh Cut Flowers, Cucumbers (Standard, Lemon, Pickling), Summer Squash (Costata, Yellow Zucchini, Patty Pan), Tomatoes (Cherry, Black Plum, San Marzano, Garden Peach, Glacier, Martian, Cherokee Purple, Striped German), Peppers (Green, Poblano), Pickling Eggplant, Tomatillos, Basil (Italian, Cinnamon, Lemon, Thai), Lettuce (Green Romaine, Buttercrunch Bibb), Swiss Chard, Parsley (Curly & Flat), Sage, Chives (Garlic, Standard), Oregano, Thyme, Winter Squash (Delicata, Spaghetti, Red Kuri, Kabocha, Butternut).
We have less of the cucumbers and summer squash but tons of tomatoes. If you would like extra tomatoes please let me know we have plenty. Pictured above is a wonderful picture of our Winter Squash, Green Zebra Tomatoes & Potluckers.
Recipes will be coming again soon.
Thank you all.

For the August 6th delivery we will be offering: Salad Mix, Arugula, Lettuce (Red Romaine, Green Romaine, Buttercrunch Bibb), Beans (Burgundy, Green, & Dragon), Cucumbers (Lemon, Pickling, Standard), Tomatillos, Tomatoes (Cherry, Glacier, Martian, Cherokee Purple, Black Plum), Basil (Thai, Lemon, Italian, Cinnamon), Eggplant Pickling (Japanese variety), Spaghetti Squash, Summer Squash (Costata, Yellow Zucchini, Patty Pan), Fresh Cut Flowers, Swiss Chard, Garlic, Curly Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Anise Hyssop, Chives, & Garlic Chives.
Yes, we are in the season of abundance. Have a wonderful weekend.
Pictured above are Martian Tomatoes & Cherokee Purple Tomatoes.

Cucumbers & Peaches, Oh My!

Cucumbers & Peaches, Oh My!
This is the time of year for abundance. We wait and prepare all year for right now. We are so thankful to have all of you to share with.
We have a new friend, Christina, working with us. She took this photo for us this morning of the wonderful Frecon peaches.
We have not heard back from many of you about whether or not you will be attending our Member Potluck next Friday August 6th. We are excited to see you all and show you the garden.
Some notes about your delivery this week (July 30th).

Tomatoes- Tomatoes are turning amazingly slow this season. The plants are healthy and loaded. I feel we are headed for a future tomato explosion. But for now they are dribbling in. We pick tomatoes on the green side. This is called "Breaker Stage". The reason for this is so that they are shipped to you in one piece. We grow mostly heirlooms which are big, bulky and fragile. If we were to deliver them to you when they were fully ripe you would find a big wet mess in your box. Simply place them in a windowsill for a few days. I think you will be very pleased with our tomato flavors when they finally arrive.
This past Sunday as you all probably well know Berks County was hit with a fierce storm. Our farm in Morgantown was spared the hail and hard rain. The Farmer's Market received the brunt of the storm. (Thank you to everyone whom helped us pack up our van in such a hurry).
Unfortunately, our friends at Frecon Farms were not spared the hail damage. Their main orchard was hit as well as much of their Peach crop. It is very sad but they are in good spirits and still moving along. We were still able to get peaches from them (although no Plums). The peaches were discounted due to the fingernail markings left by the hail. Therefore, we were able to buy more peaches with your money and so this week you will find 4.5lbs of peaches in your box instead of 3. We mixed them some white and some yellow. Happy peach pie making. We can't complain about our abundance.
What follows are some ideas for Peaches other than pie or Custard. And don't forget you can freeze or can them for a mid winter treat.

Grilled Peaches- Simply halve them and grill. Try adding a bit of BBQ sauce for pizazz.

Peach Salsa- Use peaches (cooked or raw) instead of tomatoes in your salsa. This would be great with a bit of roasted Tomatillos, as well.

Cucumber Salad with Peaches- Simply add peaches (raw) to your traditional Cucumber Salad. This works with either the yogurt or vinegar variation. Peaches are amazing with a balsamic vinegar base.

Peach Burritos- Add the peaches to your favorite Burrito dish. I love them raw in the burrito with black beans and onions. You can even bake the burritos for a few minutes after you roll them with the peaches inside. The peaches will melt. Cheddar cheese will go great with this as well.

And we cannot forget a wonderful summer favorite. This recipe was adapted and used by our wonderful intern Sam.

Refrigerator Pickles

4 c. sugar
4 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. pickling salt
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
3 med. onions, sliced thin
Med. size cucumbers

Mix all ingredients together except the onion and cucumbers. Do not heat. Stir until completely dissolved.

Sterilize jars.

Slice one onion in the bottom of each jar. Slice cucumbers to fill the jars. Pour mixture over the cucumbers and onions. Fill to top of the jar. Screw on the lids and refrigerate for at least three days before using. Store in refrigerator.

Makes 3 large 18 ounce jars. Will keep indefinitely.

....

Instead of onions, I put in a few cloves of garlic. I also made it spicy by adding red pepper flakes.

For the July 30th delivery we are offering: Fresh Cut Flowers, Beans (Burgundy, Dragon, Green), Cucumbers (Standard, Lemon, Pickling), Tomatoes (Cherry, Glacier & Slicing), Basil (Lemon, Thai, Cinnamon, Italian), Summer Squash ( Costata, Yellow Zucchini, Patty Pan), Parsley (Curly or Flat), Swiss Chard, Salad Mix, Romaine Lettuce, Tomatillos, Sage, Chives, Garlic Chives, Anise Hyssop, Oregano, & Thyme.
Pictured above are Green Beans, Dragon Beans & Burgundy/ Purple Beans.
We have tons of cucumbers & summer squash if you would like extras to freeze or just eat lots of. Summer Squash is also nice dehydrated. The tomatoes are turning, and beans are also plentiful.
This week we will have Yellow Peaches again and also a small amount of Red Plums. I am not sure how many plums I will have but I will try to mix them in with your peaches. If you have a preference please let me know.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Halfway

Pictured above are Cherry Tomatoes, Glacier Tomatoes, & Tomatillos.
This week's order of cherry tomatoes is a bit small because they are just turning. In the future the orders will be larger.
The Cherry and Glacier tomatoes are the first to ripen of the season. They are a wonderful treat but not as tasty as what is to come. I am a tomato snob. I don't eat a lot of tomatoes so they have to be excellent in order for me to do so. I have selected varieties based on flavor, reliability and disease resistance. These two varieties although not my favorite have passed the taste test around the farm. I actually have to hide some from Paul in order to have them in your boxes. The first tomatoes of the season are the most exciting. As the other varieties ripen and come into season I encourage you to try all the different ones and let me know what you think.
Then there are Tomatillos. No substitute for tomatoes but another wonderful summer treat none the less. I love Mexican food and Mexican inspired dishes. Tomatillos are an essential ingredient in Mexican sauces and salsas. Commonly known as "Husk Cherry" they are best eaten sauteed, roasted or fried. They are a bit tart eaten raw. If you know any raw recipes please let me know. Below is my favorite salsa recipe of all time Tomatillo Mint salsa. For more recipes consult Diane Kennedy's books on her culinary experience from Mexico. She has the best tricks for making amazing salsa.

Tomatillo Mint Salsa
1 pound Tomatillos, cubed
1 medium onion diced
1/4 cup mint washed(any of the basil flavors would work well for this)
2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
salt to taste

Saute the onion and tomatillo in a pan until onions become clear. Add all ingredients to blender and puree. Serve chilled with a spoonful of sour cream.
Add a bit of hot pepper to the pan for heat. Roasting the hot peppers beforehand will give you a more intense flavor.
To can this mixture simply add all the ingredients to food processor without cooking. The salsa will cook in the canner. This a wonderful winter treat as well, summer trapped in a jar.

Tomato Curry Salad

I adopted this recipe from my father in-law. I know this is a simpler version and probably not as tasty but, it is a summer favorite.

3 medium tomatoes, (any type will work the salad types are less juicy than the slicing but the slicing tends to be more sweet)

1 small onion chopped

2 tablespoons mayo ( I always use vegenaise you can’t beat the taste)

1 curry powder to taste.

Salt & Pepper to taste.

Chop tomato into cubes. Mix all ingredients and serve chilled.

Tomato sauce

This recipe comes from my lovely friend Mary. She cooked many meals and kept a hungry farming team growing.

-8 ripe tomatoes of different varieties

-2 onions

-1 bell pepper

-1 hot to medium hot pepper (optional)

-fresh oregano

-salt, pepper

Chop all ingredients and simmer on low heat until very cooked down. Use as is or blend for a thinner sauce.

Tomato Onion Basil Salad

A great recipe from my momma. She is the best cook in the world.

4 Tomatoes Sliced

1 Large Red Onion

1 Cup Basil, chopped

Vinaigrette Sauce

1 clove garlic chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoon Balsamic 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

wine

9 Tablespoon Olive Oil Fresh Ground Pepper

Mash garlic and salt together, stir in vinegar and mustard

Gradually beat in olive oil. Ground Pepper

Drizzle tomato, onion with vinaigrette sauce and top with Basil


Baked Fennel
Another recipe from my father- in - law.

1 bulb fennel julienned
1 shallot chopped
1/4 cup provolone cheese
1/4 bread crumbs
1tablespoon grated Parmesan

Saute the Fennel and shallots until tender. Place in a baking pan. Top with Provolone cheese and bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Remove from oven and top with bread crumbs and Parmesan. Place until broiler for 10 minute or until browned.
Serve warm and enjoy. I can't wait to try this one.

Have a great week.

What is available for the July 23rd delivery: Dragon Carrots, Salad Mix, Lettuce (Green Romaine, Red Salad Bowl, Buttercrunch Bibb), Fresh Cut Flowers, Cucumbers (Pickling, Standard, Lemon), Cherry Tomatoes, Tomatillos, String Beans (Green & Purple), Basil (Lemon, Thai, Cinnamon, Italian), Zucchini (Italian & Yellow), Patty Pan Squash, Fennel, Swiss Chard, Parsley (Flat & Curly), Sage, Garlic Chives, Chives, Oregano, Thyme, & Anise Hyssop.
Pictured above are Yellow Zucchini & Lemon Cucumbers.
We have plenty of Cucumbers, & Summer Squash if you would like extras. We also have giant Zucchini for Zucchini bread for FREE. Just let me know if you want to make Zucchini Bread.
We hope you all received the email about our summer potluck on Friday August 8th at 6:30 pm we hope you will be able to make it.
Here is a Cool Recipe for the hot days. Given By Anita a farm member and she also works in our store.
Green Soothie
makes 1 Qt
2 Frozen Ripe Bananas
1 Apple or Mango
2 cups cold water
2 cups greens ( Swiss Chard, Kale, Parsley)
Blend well and drink.

And don't forget Peaches...the variety is Sentry.
Enjoy.

Pictured above are Pickling Cucumbers & Standard Cucumbers. I could say a lot about cucumbers but I will share with you a poem written by Sarah, my good friend and former farm worker.
Picking Cucumbers For Erica
In the noonday sun the cucumbers lie
In the shade cast by broad, low leaves
Which cup pockets of heat to dry
The black plastic beneath, & render
All stretched tight as a drum, hard
And merciless to a body used to tender
Air & yielding soil. Saw-teeth line
Stem & leaf & fruit, as if to warn
Casual passersby away with the sign
"Touch me not."

This is a gift too pure
For lightness, or a tossed thanks before
Turning to other affairs. It's sure
The fruit's worth is well-known by the fingers
Who must beat aside the brooding plant.
Yet, above such sternness, a scent lingers
In the dusty, burning air: the soft peal
Of cool water, the thick tongue slaked
Of thirst, & snow melting on this field

Here lies the goodness of a seed,
Raised in tenderness & laid after labor
In the early spring ground, a deed
Of trust - that no blight would ripple
Along the rough new leaves, to touch
Them with brown & gray, & stipple
Their green freshness with a hundred
Marks to show the balance thrown.
There is the product of a wise head
That hoarded cold in early days
Snatched from the retreating frost, & conjured
Memory of an after like this: rays
Of sun like a woven web, & sweat
Panting at the pres, eyelids weighted
Heavy, & every move languor

And yet
Although the lulling heat urges me
To drowse in dreams & cloud like, rock
Between what was & what may be,
One needle touch brings me to earth,
To the tough skin dusky s falling night,
And the green beneath, swelled round in girth
With a dripping fertility which subdues the blazing light.
Sarah Vogelsong

Sarah was always the first and only to volunteer to pick the cucumbers. That is truly amazing.

Cucumber Salad
This replaces our greens salads for much of the summer. Serves one. Double or triple it for your family.
2 pickling cucumbers (standards, or lemon may be used), sliced thin
1 tablespoon raw red onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
3 grinds of pepper.
4 basil leaves, rolled and sliced (remoulade)
Mix and serve. This is a refreshing treat after picking cucumbers.

Cucumber Juice
I learned this from a raw foods demonstration given by the Kind Cafe.
Simply juice cucumbers and apple mint. Any mint will do but apple mint is the mildest. I have also tried the Anise Hyssop and found that to be a nice addition. Cucumber Juice is extremely mild, refreshing, and nutritious.

Look next week for Lemon Cucumbers. They have the same flavor as a regular cucumbers but have a thinner skin and therefore are milder for digestion. Appropriately named because they are round and yellow. Perfect size for snacking.
I hope you enjoyed your box this week. The garden seems to be exploding. Ahhh. Hooray for all the yummy goodness. Fruit next week. Hooray for peaches.