Threshing Table Farm
Week 17 A October 5th, 2017

In this week’s box:

Acorn Squash                           Butter Nut Squash                         Onions                               Sage
Thyme                                      Radishes                                         Cauliflower/broccoli              Bell Peppers
Leeks                                       Potatoes                                          Jalapenos                          Lettuce
Celery root                              Popcorn                                            Carrots

 

Hello Farm Members!
Another wet week here on the farm. I checked the rain guage this morning and found 2 ½ inches of rain and a tiny frog! He was swimming for his life and was glad to be set free. Did it actually rain frogs? It might have- that was one intense storm! We have never moved into October and not had a fall frost. I would actually like it to come as the broccoli is really more wonderful after a frost. We usually really enjoy a bountiful fall broccoli harvest, but this year it is pretty pokey. I think cooler temps would help a lot. This batch of cauliflower is also pretty pokey, so you will get either cauliflower or broccoli this week.

This is the final week for our “A” half share members. We thank you for being a farm member this year! We hope you enjoyed eating your produce as much as we enjoyed growing it for you. Thanks for supporting our family, our farm practices and all the benefits that come from it. Please sign up for a 2018 share at www.threshingtablefarm.org any time.
January 1st we will open the sign up to non-members as well.

Mike and I had a wonderful meal catered by Table 65 this evening through a United Way event. It was a beautiful farm to table meal that highlighted our produce, Bifrost farm’s cheese and Phil’s raspberries among others. The dinner was a celebration of the work United Way has been doing in the area, including feeding the hungry through the food pantries. We have been enjoying the opportunity to donate food to both the New Richmond 5 loaves food pantry and the Somerset Food Pantry. The Somerset food pantry bought 4 shares to ensure a variety of fresh produce was available each week at the food pantry. If you asked us to donate your share, it went to one of these local food pantries. It is great to know that through the help of these resources, our food is reaching more people. Thank you for helping us to feed those most in need.

Bifrost Goat Cheese This is the final week to order Bifrost Goat cheese. Please go to www.bifrostfarms.com to order. Orders will be delivered next week.

Phil’s Raspberries As I write this, I am not sure how his berries are doing through all the rain, but if you’d like some, let me know and I’ll see what I can do. $4 a pint.

Maple Syrup- Stock up for winter, we still have some left. $15 a quart/$8 a pint.

 

Storage tips

Celery Root: Crisper drawer. Celery root is awesome! Peel the outer layer off. Dice and use in soups, stews or salads. Raw or cooked. Tastes like celery! Great steamed or roasted like potatoes and very low carb!
Lettuce: salad spinner and covered bowl
Radishes: Remove leaves, and place those in the salad spinner/bowl with other greens. Radishes do great in the fridge in a bowl with a little water.
Carrots: Put in plastic bag in the refrigerator
Cauliflower: Crisper drawer. Cauliflower bruises easily, (like an apple). Handle with care!
Leeks, Peppers and broccoli- crisper drawer
All others- kitchen counter

PoPcorn -The popcorn is not quite ready yet. It needs to continue drying. Please leave it in a kitchen cabinet or somewhere else warm and dry. You can also hang it as a decoration indoors while it dries. Sometime after Thanksgiving, try popping it. If it does not pop well, wait another few weeks for it to dry some more and try again.
To pop: Remove kernels from cob by twisting the cob in your hands. Pop as you would normally pop popcorn.
OR
Place the whole cob (without leaves) into a paper bag. Close the bag. Place in the microwave and microwave on the popcorn setting until the popping slows down. (Just like with store bought microwave popcorn.)

Are those onions piling up? Try this!

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

 

7 small onions, cut in half and thinly sliced (about 7 cups)

1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted

1 tablespoons sugar

2 dried bay leaves

1 ½ pounds beef stew meat

3 cans (10 1/2 ounces each) condensed beef consommé

¼ cup dry sherry or apple juice

1 cup apple juice

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

8 slices ( 1/2 inch thick) French bread, toasted

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (8 ounces)
Toss onions, butter and sugar in 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Top with bay leaves and beef.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 9 to 10 hours or until onions are deep brown.

Stir in beef consommé, sherry, apple juice and thyme. Increase heat setting to high. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until hot. Remove bay leaves.

To serve, spoon into ovenproof soup bowls and top each serving with slice of toast and 1/4 cup cheese. If desired, broil with tops 6 inches from heat 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and begins to brown.

Roasted Radishes and Leeks
Radishes, washed with the tops removed
Leeks, trimmed, use only the white and very light green sections. Wash well, slice.
Extra virgin olive oil.
Salt and pepper.
Fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 400. Toss radishes and leeks with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet, stirring once, until slightly tender and browned, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Drizzle with lemon juice.

Moroccan Carrot Salad
4 carrots, cut into wedges
1 handful, black olives
6 radishes, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic chopped
¼ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cumin
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 parsley sprig, chopped
1 fresh lemon, squeezed
¼ cup olive oil
Bring a pan of water to boil. Add the carrots and cook until tender and then rinse them with cold water. Drain the carrots and mix with the olives and radishes. Mix the rest of the ingredients, including the chopped parsley and garlic, to create marinade. Pour the marinade over the carrots, olives and radishes and serve.
Have a great week! Happy Eating-
Your farmers, Jody, Mike, Claudia, Malcolm and Jonas lenz

 

In this week’s box:

Carnival Squash              Kabocha Squash              Onions                  Celery Root                Celery Leaves
Napa Cabbage                 Radishes                         Cauliflower              Peppers                    Oregano
Tomatoes                        Potatoes                            Asian Greens        Parsley                         Lettuce

 

Hello Farm Members!
What an odd weather week! Though we expect a couple of hot September days, this past weekend was more than we bargained for! The tomatoes and cauliflower loved it. The heat and rain really worked together to make some pokey things out in the garden mature much quicker. The lettuce and cabbage have struggled a bit with the heat, as have the farmers. 😊 The bugs have also been thriving in these wet, warm conditions. Frankly, we could use a frost to wipe them out! Our cauliflower and cabbage have definitely been damaged by the bug pressure, which you will likely notice. There is a lot of good produce there, just ignore or cut off the damaged parts. That’s what we do, and the eating is still good.

This past weekend we enjoyed an absolutely wonderful meal put on by our friends from Taher. A handful of very talented chefs were here to roast chickens over the fire pit, grill squash, make ice cream just as desert was served, and delight our senses with beautiful and delicious food. It’s really wonderful to see all of our produce and other local farmer’s produce highlighted in that way. But better than the food, was the community of people the farm dinner brought to the table. Thank you for coming if you were lucky enough to take part in it! If you didn’t get to come, I sincerely hope that next year you make it out for one. It is truly a one of a kind experience!

We are sad to say goodbye to the pigs this week. It’s always a sad day to see them go. However, we are thrilled that we got to share our farm with them for the season and we are blessed by the bounty they provide us as we fill our freezer. They also did a great job eliminating the Creeping Charlie we had in the woods and eating a lot of scraps from the vegetable washing and weeding. If you would like to get some pork from these pigs, please give our neighbor Dave Jensen a call. I believe he’s got a few pigs left to sell. Call Dave at: 612-685-0155

Also wrapping up this week is my 9 months of service on the Ground and Surface Water committee for St. Croix County. I was asked to serve on this committee that was put together by the County Board. We looked at lots of research and listened to a lot of experts as we tried to evaluate what the health of our ground water looks like and how we can improve it. These 2x a month meetings were never fun. Always informative and we learned that there is so much more that needs to be learned. As we worked to make recommendations to the County Board on ways to improve the quality of our ground water, I feel more strongly than ever that each and every one of us has to do our part. The fertilizer we may be putting on our lawns, the functionality of our septic systems, the type of agriculture we take part in- it all effects the ground water. We all share this valuable resource and Mike and I will continue to do the best we can to protect the ground water we share with you.

Sharon Overland was here Friday night with her pottery class. What a fun time! We had a great time making beautiful fairy luminaries! She’s a great teacher- even mine turned out! Check out the community ed. Book for more classes she is teaching- maybe I’ll see you there!

Phil’s Raspberries: $4 a pint. Let us know if you would like any.
Maple Syrup: $15 a quart, $8 a pint. Great for that winter squash and oatmeal 😊
Farm Sweet Farm Grass Fed Beef and organic Chicken: Heather is making a trip here towards the end of the week. If you’d like to order meat, contact her. www.farmsweetfarm.com

Free Beans!!
We have one last batch of beautiful green beans in the field. We are not going to put these into the boxes, but if you’d like to come out and pick all you want, please do! They are in the north field, near the large corn field. If you send me an e-mail letting me know you are coming I’ll make sure to be around to show you where the patch is.

Storage tips
Celery Root: Crisper drawer. Celery root is awesome! Peel the outer layer off. Dice and use in soups, stews or salads. Raw or cooked. Tastes like celery! Great steamed or roasted like potatoes and very low carb!
Lettuce and greens: salad spinner and covered bowl
Radishes: Remove leaves, and place those in the salad spinner/bowl with other greens. Radishes do great in the fridge in a bowl with a little water.
Cauliflower: Crisper drawer. Cauliflower bruises easily, (like an apple). Handle with care!
Peppers and cabbage- crisper drawer
All others- kitchen counter

Wild Rice Celeriac Pilaf
1 T. Olive oil
¾ cup diced celery root
¼ cup diced onion
1 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
1 T. fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
Salt and pepper
2 T. dried cranberries

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add celery root and onion; saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in wild rice, thyme, parsley and stocks. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer. Cook until rice is nearly tender, 30-60 minutes. Stir in dried cranberries, cook until rice is tender, 5-15 minutes longer.

Chinese Cabbage Salad
5 cups Napa cabbage, chopped
¾ cup sliced or shredded radish
1 ½ cup chow mein noodles
1 cup crushed peanuts
¼ cup sesame seeds
2 T. rice vinegar
4 T. sesame oil
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. honey
½-1 tsp. dry mustard

Combine cabbage, radishes, chow mein noodles, peanuts and sesame seeds. Mix remaining ingredients. Toss with cabbage, using just enough dressing to suit your taste. Make 6-8 servings.

Silky Cauliflower Soup
1 head cauliflower
2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken stock
½ cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper

Chop Cauliflower. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not brown. Add cauliflower and stock. Boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. When soft, puree using an immersion blender. Add the parmesan and stir until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Have a great week! Happy Eating-
Your farmers, Jody, Mike, Claudia, Malcolm and Jonas lenz

 

 

Mike and Jody Lenz
Threshing Table Farm
www.threshingtablefarm.org
threshingtablefarm@gmail.com
715-248-7205

Hello Threshing Table Farm Members!

In your box:

Eggplant        Bell Peppers              Jalapeno peppers                 Kabocha Squash                  Spaghetti squash

Lettuce          Beets and Greens     Onions                                  Garlic                                     Celery Leaves

Thyme           Tomatoes                  Ground Cherries                  Beans                                        Potatoes

We have been needing rain for quite some time, so it was nice to get a good watering on Monday. We had to work out in it, but it was good for the plants. The fields continue to put on a fall show while hanging on to the last bits of summer. We are pulling in the most bountiful crop of winter squash we have ever had. We will be sending different varieties each week.  The popcorn is drying nicely on the stalks and the cauliflower and broccoli are starting to size up.

Another sign of fall is that the pigs will be soon leaving us. This always makes me sad, but I do love the wonderful pork in the freezer. It not only tastes wonderful, but I know that these pigs have been loved, fed great produce and allowed to dig in the dirt and root to their heart’s content. We’ve given them the best life a pig could ask for while they were here. If you would like to have pork in your freezer this year, please call Dave Jensen at 612-685-0155.  He has a few pigs left to sell as whole or half hogs.

Another great sign that fall is here is the FALL FARM DINNER with Taher. The chefs have another amazing meal in the works to celebrate the fall harvest.  We look forward to seeing some of you here on Saturday.  The dinner is sold out but we will post a few photos on the farm facebook page afterwards.

The tomatoes have graciously agreed to hang in there one more week. The cherries are done, but the larger tomatoes are doing alright. This might be the last week- we’ll see how it goes. With a late first frost date, we have enjoyed them longer than we thought we might.

It is with sadness that we report that our single baby chick was attacked by another critter last night. The chick and his momma did not like going in the coop, so they slept unprotected in the large shed. Something found them and made a meal out of the chick. Nature is harsh sometimes. But, it is also really beautiful at times. Come on out and take a walk around the farm if you haven’t had a chance yet. The fall colors and textures in the field are good for the soul.

Are you needing some Maple Syrup for your fall apple crisps, morning oatmeal or squash dishes? Let us know- Mike’s syrup is available for $15/quart or $8 a pint. We can send it with your share.

Phil’s Raspberries are going strong! $4 a pint. Order ASAP and we will get them to you with your share. Just send us an e-mail.

Last chance to get into Sharon’s Fairy house Luminary community Ed Class. The class will be held here on Friday evening and there are just a few spots left.

Friday, Sept 22nd from 6-9pm.

Cost is $30 for a project with a $5 materials fee. A single person or parent/child could work on one project, or people have the option to pay $15 + $5 (for materials) for a second project for a child or additional child.

Sign up online with New Richmond Community Education at https://www.newrichmond.k12.wi.us/Domain/14
Or stop in the Community Ed office from 7:30-4:00. 715-243-7421

Storage:

Bell Peppers: Crisper drawer. Are you getting more than you can use? Slice or dice them up and pop them in the freezer. Done. You now have peppers for your winter meals. I like to put them in glass jars with screw on lids to keep the pepper smell from escaping.

Tomatoes, onions, garlic, thyme, ground cherries and squash- kitchen counter

Potatoes- cool, dark place

Beet Greens and lettuce- store together in a covered bowl or plastic bag

Everything else- in the fridge’s crisper drawer!

 

Grilled Eggplant

1 eggplant

3 T. olive oil

3 T. balsamic vinegar

2 T. minced garlic

dash of celery leaves

dash of thyme

dash of oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together except the eggplant.  Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Brush the sliced eggplant on both sides with the marinade mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes. Brush again with the mixture and place on a hot grill for 7 minutes and flip. Grill for another 7 minutes and serve.

 

Wild Rice and Beet Salad

1 cup Wild Rice
Large Beet and small bunch of beet greens
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup Pecans
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 avocados, halved, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper As Needed

Directions
1. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees°.
2. Wash the beet under cold water and pat dry. Wrap in foil and place in preheated oven.
3. Roast the beet until knife tender 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Place a large pot of water on the stovetop. When the water boils, add the wild rice and cook until the rice pops.
5. Drain the rice and run cool water on it and place in a large bowl.
6. While the cooked beet is still warm, peel the skin off of it. Cut into 1/4 inch dice. And add to the wild rice in the bowl.
7. Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over a burner and add to the bowl with the rice and beet
8. Add the sliced green onions to the bowl.
9. Pour in the vinegar and oil into the bowl and toss to combine the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper

10. Cut beet greens into small pieces. Saute in a pan over medium heat until wilted.  Add to the salad. Cool and serve.

 

Spaghetti Squash

1 medium spaghetti squash (2 pounds)
1-2 medium bell peppers, sliced
4 medium fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe dish or plate. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Cool.
In a large nonstick skillet, saute the peppers, mushrooms and onion in oil until tender. Add tomatoes and garlic; saute 4-5 minutes longer. Add the broth and salt; simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes.
When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands. Place squash on a serving platter or individual plates; top with the pepper mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 4 servings.

Hello Threshing Table Farm Members,

In your box this week you will find:

Kale                    Fennel                 Onions                          Broccoli                         Delicata Squash                       Potatoes

Sage                  Parsley                Bell Peppers                  Jalapeno peppers         Cabbage                                  Ground Cherries

Garlic                 Tomatoes             Sweet Corn

 

We have really been enjoying the weather this week, as I know many of you are! Last week I was wearing my long underwear (Really! I was!) and this week the kids are back in the swimming pool. The only down side to all this warm weather is all the gnats, mosquitoes and flies that are back with vigor.  Small price to pay.

The sweet corn has matured nicely. Though we don’t have huge cobs, they look to be timed out beautifully. We also have petite cabbages in the boxes. They may be small, but they still taste great!  The tomatoes have really surprised us. We have had blight confirmed in our field for the past week. We pulled all of the plants in our field that looked to be infected with blight. This was about a quarter of the crop.  The rest of the tomatoes are looking very nice. This is unlike blight as we know it. Usually, blight comes in and wipes everything out in a matter of days. It seems to have stalled or greatly slowed. We’re not sure what will happen to the tomatoes, either frost or blight will eventually wipe them out. It’s interesting to watch and until then, we’ll enjoy the tomatoes! We recommend placing them on newspaper on your counter. Do not let the tomatoes touch. Use them as soon as they are ripe and watch closely for any bruised/rotting spots. The blight won’t hurt you, but it will cause the tomato to rot and that is not nice.

I have to confess that I have been luke warm to fennel to say the least. I just don’t like black licorice and that is what it reminds me of. But- I got brave and I used a cut up fennel bulb with a beef roast. Oh My Gosh!  It was amazing!! I couldn’t believe how wonderful that fennel bulb was after roasting with the beef all day in the slow cooker. Super easy and super yummy! If you, like me have been hesitant to use the fennel, this is your week to give it a try!

 

We’re looking forward to the Taher dinner on the farm next week Saturday along with farm member, Sharon Overland’s pottery class on Friday of next week. We hope to see you out here for one of those events. If you would like  a different option, remember that we are open for a mini-farmer’s market on Saturday mornings, 8-1. Come on out and enjoy some time on the farm then!

Raspberries

Phil has a beautiful crop! $4 a pint. Order ASAP and we’ll try and get them delivered to your pickup site.  Or you can pick up on the farm. Send a check (Phil McConville) to us at

2249 150th St.
Star Prairie, WI 54026

Bifrost Goat Cheese

Only one more month to order cheese! If you didn’t get your order in for September, get going on the October order!

Orders will be delivered the first two weeks of October.

www.bifrost.com

 

 

Storage Tips:

Squash, tomatoes, ground cherries. sage, onions and garlic- Leave on your kitchen counter

Potatoes- cool, dark space

Parsley- Glass of water on your counter

Fennel, broccoli, kale, peppers, cabbage, peppers and Sweet corn- keep in your crisper drawer

 

Eggs in Purgatory By Barb Krueger, local librarian and friend of Threshing Table Farm

 

Medium size frypan depending upon how many eggs you want to fix. Medium high heat.

Add tomato juice or tomato sauce or salsa (approximately a couple of cups). I have also taken plum tomatoes, sliced them, cooked them down to make juice in the pan (if I do this I add basil & oregano, salt & pepper) My parents liked using V8 juice.

Season as desired – I will add cumin or oregano, or fresh tarragon,

Heat to just starting to boil, turn heat to simmer. Add eggs. Cover pan. Cook for approximately 5 minutes depending upon how done you like your poached eggs.

While eggs are poaching toast bread or English muffins, or savory waffles

Place toast on a plate and cover with a slice of Swiss cheese (cheddar, garlic cheddar, many possibilities here.)

Remove fry pan from heat. Using a large spoon place an egg and sauce/juice on top of the cheese and toast. If extra juice left divide it between each of the servings. Serve with extra toast.

Enjoy!

Here are the weblinks:

http://www.jpost.com/Magazine/Lifestyle/Poached-eggs-the-Mediterranean-way

http://www.marthastewart.com/258542/poached-eggs-in-tomato-sauce

https://food52.com/recipes/15166-christmasy-poached-eggs-over-grilled-polenta (This one adds lemon zest to the tomato juice).

 

Fennel and Roast Beef

Place roast beef in slow cooker.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley. (Thyme would be lovely too!)

Cut fronds off of the fennel. Sprinkle some cut fronds on the roast.  Slice the fennel bulb into chunks. Add that to the roast.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Enjoy!

 

Garden Pasta with Broccoli and Herbs

1/2 cup butter

2 T. chopped fresh basil (optional)

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tsp.  olive oil

8 oz. pasta

2 cups small broccoli florets

1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

salt and pepper

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Bring a pot of slated water to boil. Add olive oil. Add pasta and cook until just under al dente. Add broccoli and boil until pasta is tender, about 2 minutes longer. Drain pasta, and broccoli, transfer to large serving bowl.

Add herb butter and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with jalapeno, salt and pepper. Gently stir in tomatoes and finally a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Hello Farm members,

In your box this week:

Green Beans                 Onions                   Delicata squash                        Leeks                            Sage                     Thyme

Lettuce                         Bell Peppers           Tomatoes                                 Cherry Tomatoes          Ground Cherries

Jalapeno peppers         Broccoli                 Sweet Corn

 

Sad news from the farm. We found out today, that we have late blight on our tomato plants. We were hoping that we were invincible. It was not to be.  Too much rain. Too much cold. Too many cloudy days.  The tomatoes you are receiving were picked on Monday. We pick the tomatoes a few days early, while still partially green. They hold better, ripen more evenly and are less cracked than if we let them ripen on the vine. This saved the tomatoes you are getting today from getting blight. Blight will move very fast through the field and will likely have caused all the tomatoes to rot by the end of the week.  We’ll try and pick some green ones in the next two days and if we catch them early enough, we may get them to hold until we send the boxes next week. We’ll see. Late blight is not dangerous to us, only the tomato plants. It also affects potato plants (Remember the great potato famine in Ireland? Same blight.) Mike mowed the potato plants down a few weeks ago when we heard reports of blight in the area. They were done growing any way, so the potatoes won’t be affected. We will soon be destroying all the plants in order to help stop the spread of the disease to neighboring gardeners.

On the positive side, the sweet corn is young and sweet! The ground cherries are ready too! They are in the bag with the cherry tomatoes. Ground cherries are ripe when the paper husk they grow in is brown and papery. Peel the paper off and pop it in your mouth. It’s a favorite treat for everyone around here!  If your ground cherries are not brown and papery yet, just leave them sit on your counter. They will ripen.   And the green beans are still beautiful!  Winter squash is also on the way! We are sending the first of them, the delicata  Delicata are great for slicing and roasting or sautéing, because they have thin skins that can be eaten.

The kids are all off to school this week. That makes for some intense mornings of getting everyone out the door, but a quieter day around here. I’ll miss their help, their chatter and how well they kept Tess and June (Our dogs) busy and on the run.

Please remember to order your Bifrost cheese for next week’s delivery. www.bifrostfarm.com

We also have Phil’s raspberries for $4 a pint. If you would like to order some, please let me know! We can send them with your share box.

And also remember to sign up for the fairy house making event, here on the farm, with farm members Sharon Overland. I can’t wait to see what Claudia and I come up with for our fairy house! Check out last week’s newsletter for all the info. (Can’t find it? GO to www.threshingtablefarm.org to see our newsletters for all the info).

Sign up online with New Richmond Community Education at https://www.newrichmond.k12.wi.us/Domain/14    Or call or stop in the Community Ed. office from 7:30-4:00. 715-243-7421

 

Storage tips

Squash, ground cherries, thyme, tomatoes and onions: All of these will do well sitting on your counter. The thyme will dry nicely, and if the tomatoes are getting “too” ripe, then you can stick them in the fridge to keep them a bit longer.

Lettuce: Plastic bag in the crisper drawer

Corn, peppers, leeks, broccoli and beans- Crisper drawer

Sage- try keeping it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. You can also put it on the counter and leave it to dry.

Bell Pepper Relish

1 bell pepper, chopped into small pieces

1/2 onion, chopped in small pieces

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes or a bit of jalapeno pepper cut up

Add everything to a small sauce pan an stir all ingredients well. Cook the relish on medium heat for 5 minutes and turn down the heat to medium low for an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has reduced. Remove from heat and cool before serving.  Serve on bagels with cream cheese, crackers or bread with brie.

 

Corn and Bell Pepper Vegan Soup

2 T. Olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 cups finely chopped bell peppers

3 cloves garlic,  finely chopped

6 ears of corn, kernels cut off

4 cups vegetables stock

4 sprigs thyme

1 jalapeno, chopped to taste

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Saute onion, peppers, and garlic in olive oil on medium-high heat. Stir to coat and cook 3-5 minutes until softened.  Add corn and stir again, let cook another 3 minutes. Add vegetable stock and leaves from four thyme sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove 2 cups of the soup and puree with an immersion blender. Add salt and pepper.  Add puree to the remaining soup and  Garnish with fresh thyme.

Squash with sage and leeks

2 delicata squash

olive oil

1 T. salt

2 leeks, washed, all but first 2 inches of green removed

1 stick butter

4 T. fresh sage leaves

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Rub the squash generously with olive oil and season well with salt. Pierce 3 holes in the top of the squash with a sharp object to allow the seam to vent when cooking.  Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, until thoroughly soft and easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the onion.

When cool enough to handle, cut open the squash, carefully remove the seeds and throw away. Using a large spoon, scoop out all the flesh and place in a bowl.

Cut the leeks lengthwise and julienne into straw like strips, about 2 inches in length and set aside.

Heat the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan and cook until the color reaches brown-butter stage. Add the fresh sage leaves and continue cooking until the sage becomes slightly crisped. Add the julienne of leeks and continue stirring until cooked, about 2 minutes. Add the 1 T. of slat and 1/2 tsp. pepper and stir to blend.

Add the cooked squash and continue to stir over medium heat to mash the squash and to blend all the ingredients together. Spoon into bowls to serve.

 

 

 

In this week’s box…

Oregano                            Leeks                              Beans                              Summer Squash                 Onions

Potatoes                           Bell Peppers                   Jalapeno Peppers             Tomatoes                          Lettuce

Swiss Chard                    Rutabaga                          Eggplant                           Cilantro                             Cherry Tomatoes

 

What a fun time we had Friday night! It’s always so nice to see so many of you at the Pack Shed party! Gravel Road made sure there was great music, and many of you supplied the wonderful food and great conversations. We’re looking forward to next year’s pack shed party!

Saturday was another big day on the farm. Due to some lobbying I was involved in with Land Stewardship Project in February, I have been having  some conversations with Congressman Duffy’s office about the 2018 farm bill as well as the rural economy and the state of agriculture in our state.  Congressman Duffy asked us to host a small- midsized farmer roundtable discussion. About 10 farmers got together with Mr. Duffy and shared concerns and ideas for helping to make sure new and current farms are successful. More farmers on the land is a good thing!  The conversation is far from over, but it was a good next step.

Around the farm, we are watching summer crops gasp their last breaths while fall crops move in with vigor.  This is likely the last week of Summer Squash. Next week, we will probably see winter squash. I cooked up a few for supper tonight, just to see if they are ready. Those I chose were perfect.  The tomatoes are still doing well. The plants are dying quickly, as they have septoria. It is a disease they often get in wet, humid years. But the tomatoes are still ripening beautifully. Many farm friends in the Amery and Osceola areas have 100% loss of tomatoes due to late blight. We are very grateful that we have not been impacted by the blight. So far…  It could still come.  The cucumbers are done, but the peppers are just gearing up!

Fairy House Pottery Class details!

Friday, Sept 22nd from 6-9pm.

Cost is $30 for a project with a $5 materials fee. A single person or parent/child could work on one project, or people have the option to pay $15 + $5 (for materials) for a second project for a child or additional child.

Sign up online with New Richmond Community Education at https://www.newrichmond.k12.wi.us/Domain/14
They can also call or stop in the office from 7:30-4:00. 715-243-7421

Farm member Sharon Overland will be offering a “Pottery on the Farm” class here at Threshing Table Farm. We will be making Fairy House Luminaries in the pack shed. Come and enjoy the first evening of fall with friends, new and old. We will learn how to use simple molds, and how to add texture and handmade details to slabs of clay to create one of a kind handmade luminaries. No experience necessary. 10+ years old is recommended, although children are welcome to work on a project with a parent (or create their own), but must be able to follow directions and sit for the duration of the project.  Claudia and I are excited to make fairy houses! Join us!

 

Saturday September 23rd, Fall Farm Dinner with Taher

If you haven’t signed up, do so quickly! I haven’t heard it’s sold out yet, but act quickly! I promise a beautiful and delicious evening.

 

Order your goat cheese from www.bifrostfarms.com. Deliveries will be the first two Thursdays of the month. Please be sure to let Meg know your name, pick up site and what flavor of cheese you would like.

 

Storage tips:

Oregano and cilantro- covered glass jar in the refrigerator

Leeks- crisper drawer.  Leeks need to be washed carefully to get the dirt out of the many layers that make up a leek.

Beans- Plastic bag in the refrigerator

Summer squash, peppers, Rutabaga- crisper drawer

Onions- not totally dry yet. Store on your kitchen counter but keep an eye on it- use it sooner rather than later.

Potatoes- Cool, dark place

Tomatoes- on the counter. ONLY refrigerate if you are trying to keep them from over-ripening.

Chard and Lettuce- Plastic bag in fridge

Eggplant: crisper drawer

 

Recipes

 

Pico de Gallo

2 cups diced tomato

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 jalapeno

1 lime, juiced

salt to taste

 

Pizza sandwich

On a slice of bread:

Layer with tomato slices, oregano, cheese, peppers, onions, cooked ground pork or pepperoni and any other pizza toppings you like.

Place under the broiler on low for 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted.

 

Zesty Mexican Soup

1 medium onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 T. red chili powder

3 cups + 1 T. chicken or vegetable broth

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 small summer squash, diced

1 cup finely chopped Swiss chard

1 cup of diced tomatoes

2 cups black beans, rinsed

1 cup corn

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

1 T. fresh oregano

1 tsp. of ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

 

Heat 1 T. broth in a medium soup pot. Sauté onion, garlic, and green peppers in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add chili powder and mix in well. Add broth and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes and add beans, corn and jalapeno, oregano and cumin.

Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes longer. Add summer squash and chard and cook another 5 minutes. Add chopped cilantro, pumpkin seeds, salt and pepper.

 

Rutabaga puree with leeks

Combination of potatoes and rutabaga to make 2lbs.

2 medium chopped leeks, white and light green parts only.

1 garlic clove, chopped

salt and pepper

2 T. milk

2 T. butter

2 tsp. thyme

Peel and chop rutabaga into small pieces. Chop potatoes into pieces twice the size of rutabagas to even out cooking time. Put vegetables, leeks and garlic in a pot with cold water just to cover. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and simmer, partially covered, until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid. Mash the vegetables with a fork for a rough-textured puree or blend with immersion blender. Add 2T. or more milk or broth to thin to desired consistency. Stir in butter and thyme. Salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Farm Members!

In your box this week you will find:

Cabbage             Onion               Beans                          Rutabaga                      Kale

Parsley                Thyme             Tomatoes                     Carrots                        Bell Peppers

Summer Squash                         Cucumbers                  Potatoes

 

This is a week of changes and excitement  around the farm. Claudia starts school at Hill  Murray this Thursday. Laura, our steadfast, hardworking employee started school at Century College this past Monday. We will miss those two laughing and working together!  We’ve got some great people who are stepping in to fill in those labor holes. It’s wonderful to have a deep pool of fabulous people to help us out on the farm. We are really grateful to our employees, volunteers and work shares. We couldn’t do it without you!

We are also looking forward to the Pack Shed party!! Please come and join us!!!!!!  Friday night, 6pm potluck, followed by Gravel Road, camp fire, lots of visiting, dancing and fun on the farm! This life we live is intensive, exhausting and too often- serious work. It’s a great thing to be able to relax, kick back and enjoy the farm and the people in our community.

Fabulous fun fact! We’ve accidentally made the discovery that if you store parsley with basil together, in a glass of water, both herbs will last for a very long time. My basil looked great for over a week! The parsley must have a great preservative effect on the basil. Try it and see how it works for you! Sadly, our basil is not looking good, so we cannot send any this week. I am sending parsley, so if you have beautiful basil of your own, put them together in a glass of water. We have a younger batch of basil still coming, so we hope to see some more basil soon.

Elsewhere on the farm- we are winning the battle of keeping Chumley on grass but not wandering free! Our very old horse loves to be put out on grass, but refuses to stay in the temporary fences we make for him. He then quickly wanders off our property, which is not safe. We have started to tie him to a stake in the ground and so far, so good! He gets out on grass for a good part of the day and we feel better, knowing he is where we left him!

The baby chick keeps on peeping and growing. Mama hen is doing  a great job keeping her baby safe from predators, including a black lab puppy who is just too excited about everything! Mama hen has taught Tess who is in charge.

We’re starting to pull the onions in and we are eyeing up the winter squash. It’s turning color nicely and should be ready in the next few weeks to start sending. The cucumbers are quickly coming to a halt. The summer squash is also halting, but at a much slower rate. We should have some for the next few weeks.  The beans we picked this week didn’t time out quite right. One patch was nice but larger than I’d like. The next patch was nice as well, but smaller than I’d like. Kind of like Papa bear beans and Mama Bear beans. Maybe next week, we will find the “just right” sized ones. You’ll know which ones you got as soon as you see them.

We are really thrilled with the tomato crop so far. Beautiful, big tomatoes! And small tomatoes! And striped tomatoes! And yellow tomatoes! This is the first picking and we have a beautiful assortment. There are just a few for each of you this week, but that should increase as the weeks progress. Tomatoes do better if we pick them before they are completely ripe. They will continue to ripen as they sit on your kitchen counter. Use them as they ripen to your liking.

We’re waiting on the next patch of Sweet Corn, so no corn this week.

Cabbage is again a mixed lot. You will get a green Savoy or red cabbage. Use them interchangeably.  Rutabaga is a nice fall item. Some were getting so big though, we decided to harvest a little early. If you would like to store them for a fall dinner, you can. Just place in the crisper drawer and check it now and then for any bad spots. It should store just fine.

Order your Bifrost Goat cheese for delivery the first two weeks in September. www.bifrostfarms.com

Check out last week’s newsletter for info about a bread making class with ancient grains from sunflour mill.

And next week I hope to have the final details for the fairy house pottery class that will be held on the farm September 22nd.

Taher Farm Dinner Saturday, September 23rd. See the e-mail Mike sent out on Monday. If you would like to come, order tickets ASAP. We expect the dinner to sell out quickly.

Storage tips:

In your crisper drawer or open plastic bag in your refrigerator:

Cucumbers, summer squash, cabbage, beans, rutabaga, carrots, kale and peppers

Kitchen Counter: thyme (It will dry nicely), in a glass of water- parsley, tomatoes and onions.

In a dark cabinet: Potatoes

 

Recipes

Raw rutabaga salad

1 whole rutabaga

1 orange

1/4 cup raisins

Grate the rutabaga on a mandolin or large side grater. Put the strips into a bowl. Peel the orange and cut into bite size pieces. Mix the orange pieces with rutabaga. Add some raisins.

Zucchini with pasta

8oz spiral pasta

1/2 c. olive oil

1 clove garlic

1/2 lb sliced mushrooms

2-3 small summer squash or zucchini

2 small carrots, sliced

1 pepper, seeded and sliced thin

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta. Heat oil and sauté garlic until slightly browned. Add vegetables and stir. Saute 3-5 minutes or until tender crisp, stirring frequently. Toss with parsley and drained pasta. Season to taste. Sprinkle with grated cheese before serving.

 

Cabbage Sandwich Spread

1/4 cup chopped cabbage

3T. chopped apple

3T. chopped carrot

3T. chopped celery

3T. chopped bell pepper

1 T. chopped onion

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix together and spread on bread

 

Roasted chicken, potatoes and thyme
1 1/2 lb.  boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Sweet paprika, to taste
2 Tbs. olive oil
1  onion, finely chopped
1 lb.  potatoes, quartered
8 carrots,  cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. gluten-free flour mix (Or regular flour.)
1 1/3 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup   dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 1/2 Tbs. minced fresh thyme

Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and then generously with paprika. In a large, heavy fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the onion to the pan and stir, then add the potatoes and carrots. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the vegetables are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the flour mix and stir to coat. Gradually stir in the broth and vermouth and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a boil.

Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken and vegetables are cooked through, stirring and turning the chicken over occasionally, about 25 minutes. Stir in the thyme. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide the chicken and vegetables among 4 warmed plates and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Gluten Free, by Kristine Kidd (Weldon Owen, 2013).

Happy eating and see you at the pack shed!
Jody, Mike, Claudia, Malcolm and Jonas

 

 

 

 

In this week’s Box:

Basil                    Cabbage                       Bell pepper                     Jalapenos                       Kohlrabi                           Carrots

Onions                Potatoes                       Garlic                               Cilantro                          Summer Squash               Cucumbers

Beets w/Greens  Sweet Corn

 

Hello!

Remember the little chick we saw last week? S/He is still doing really well and peeping it’s cuteness out to the world as it follows mama. There is some cuteness competition around the farm though- we’ve just come across two different families of mom and baby pheasants. One family is living in our front field, and one in the north field. We’ve seen one papa pheasant on the edge of our north field. This makes Mike very happy!

This has been a very cool and wet August. Usually this is a very hot and dry month. The tomatoes really love the heat. They are ripening extremely slowly. Farm friends in Osceola have lost all of their tomatoes to Late Blight. We are watching ours closely, but so far, so good. There is nothing to be done to keep late blight away, all we can do is watch and wait.  The wet conditions make it more likely to happen. Late blight affects potatoes as well, so Mike has spent the evening mowing the potato plants down. This ensures that the plants won’t get late blight and the potatoes in the ground will be safe. Luckily, the potatoes are matured enough that they don’t need to grow any larger.

We’re still planting some fall things- lettuce, radishes, beets and more. We’re doing a few weeding projects, but over-all, the weeding is subsiding. We’re busy harvesting, and watching the winter squash. They’re sizing up and putting on nice color. Summer squash and cucumbers are still coming on strong, but they are moving a little slower. It’s fun to see the rutabaga, leeks and pumpkins that are still coming. We’re taking a break from beans this week, but there are still several patches of beans to come yet.  It was nice to see those of you who came out to pick your own beans from last week’s patch.

We have lots of fun things happening out at the farm-

Pack Shed Party!!! Come on out! Bring a chair, bring a dish to pass and bring your favorite beverages. Eat, visit and dance to Gravel Road. It’s one of our favorite nights of the year!  Friday, August 25th, 6pm-?

Sour Dough Bread baking Class- At the last farm dinner, I met the owners of Sunrise Flour Mill. They mill organic, ancient grains into flour. I am not celiac, but I do struggle with wheat and other grains. I have to watch that I don’t eat too many. I was given the Sunrise flour left-over from the pie baking done for the dinner. I baked bread, pies, cookies and a few other things and found it was delicious, easy to work with and didn’t bother my tummy!  This is a common comment made about the ancient grain flours that Sunrise Flour Mill produces. They are going to come out to the farm on Thursday, September 14th at 6pm to hold a class about their flours, baking sour dough bread and they’ll also be bringing a pizza oven so that we can all enjoy pizza made from Sunrise flour. Watch your e-mail for more info on the class and directions on how to sign up.

Fairy House Pottery Class with Farm Member- Sharon Overland. Friday, September 22nd.

 Farm member Sharon Overland will be offering a “Pottery on the Farm” class here at Threshing Table Farm. We will be making Fairy House Luminaries in the pack shed. Come and enjoy the first evening of fall with friends, new and old. We will learn how to use simple molds, and how to add texture and handmade details to slabs of clay to create one of a kind handmade luminaries. No experience necessary. 10+ years old is recommended, although children are welcome to work on a project with a parent (or create their own), but must be able to follow directions and sit for the duration of the project. Stay tuned for cost and more information

Taher Farm Dinner

Plans are in the works for a September dinner. More details to come!

Storage:

Basil: Glass of water on your counter

Cabbage: Red, Green, Savoy, or Napa- they’re all coming in together, and in stages. Store any of them in your crisper drawer. Though they have slightly different flavors and textures, you can use them interchangeably in your favorite cabbage recipes

Peppers: Crisper drawer

Kohlrabi, Carrots, beets, summer squash, cucumbers- Crisper drawer or plastic bag

Potatoes- cool, dark place

Onion- Walla Walla, not a great storage onion. Use soon or place in refrigerator

Cilantro- covered jar in refrigerator

Sweet Corn- Bag or crisper drawer

Garlic- counter

Beet Greens- salad spinner, plastic bag or covered container

Potatoes and Cabbage

1 head of cabbage
3 medium potatoes
1/4 c oil
1/4 c butter
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Rinse head of cabbage. Remove leaves from cabbage, discarding the core. Slice cabbage leaves into 6-8 pieces. Wash and slice potatoes. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add oil.  Add potatoes, garlic and cabbage leaves, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add salt and pepper. Stir to coat and simmer another 10 minutes until potatoes are tender.

 

Cilantro Lime Rice

2 Tbps olive oil
1 1/2 cups basmati long grain white rice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
Zest of one lime
3 Tbsp lime juice
1/2-1 cup lightly packed chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems

1 Brown the rice: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium high heat. Add the raw rice and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice has started to brown.
Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

2 Add water, salt, zest, then simmer: Add water, salt, and lime zest to the rice. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and lower the heat to low to maintain a very low simmer.

Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes (check your rice package instructions), then remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork.
3 Stir in lime juice and cilantro: Transfer the rice to a serving bowl. Pour lime juice over the rice and toss with chopped cilantro.

Serve with chicken, steak, shrimp, Mexican or Asian food.

 

Carrots and Basil

carrots (sliced diagonally)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves (sliced thinly)
2 tablespoons fresh basil (thinly sliced or chopped)

Cook carrots in boiling water for for 2 -3 mins until tender but crisp or microwave if desired.
Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of liquid.
Combine the garlic and oil in a nonstick pan and cook over a moderate heat until fragrant (you can smell the garlic).
Add the carrots and stirring, cook until well combined and hot, adding a little of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary.
Remove from the heat and stir in the basil

 

In your box this Week:

Savoy Cabbage                                   Bell Pepper                 Jalapeno peppers                          Kohlrabi

carrots                                                 cucumbers                   summer squash                            celery leaves

walla-walla onion                                potatoes                      basil                                                garlic

beans                                                 broccoli                        lettuce

 

Hello from the farm! What a fun time to be in the fields, there are vegetables begging to be picked everywhere! They are even screaming louder than the weeds! (At last!)

So the big news around here is that Claudia had a great time at the Wisconsin State Fair last week! If you don’t follow us on our Threshing Table Farm facebook page, (And you really should…)  you may not know that she placed 12th in the state  in dairy showmanship. Showmanship is all about how she handles the calf, not about how good the calf is.  She was 12th out of 90 kids her age. She is thrilled and so are we! She’s already counting down the days until the fair next year.  (344)

Aside from that, we are enjoying the cooler temps as  we are out working each day. The weather has been beautiful. This is making for a slower ripening of the tomatoes, but we are seeing some red glimpses out there. The carrots have been struggling this summer. They have not sized up like we would like. We will have some for you this week and next, and then a long break while we wait to see if the fall carrots fare better.  And we have Garlic! Beautiful garlic! We have never had such an abundant, beautiful crop as this, and we are pretty proud! The bulbs may not be totally dry, so please use soon or leave in a warm, dark, dry place to continue drying. A dark corner of your kitchen counter will probably be fine.  The onions are coming in big time! Enjoy the Walla Walla’s!

We’ve got some fun activities coming up on the farm…

Pack shed Party!!  August 25th, 6pm-? Come for the pot luck and stay for the music!

Fairy house building!!

Save the date… Friday, September 22nd. Farm member Sharon Overland will be offering a “Pottery on the Farm” class here at Threshing Table Farm. We will be making Fairy House Luminaries in the pack shed. Come and enjoy the first evening of fall with friends, new and old. We will learn how to use simple molds, and how to add texture and handmade details to slabs of clay to create one of a kind handmade luminaries. No experience necessary. 10+ years old is recommended, although children are welcome to work on a project with a parent (or create their own), but must be able to follow directions and sit for the duration of the project. Stay tuned for cost and more information.

Peep Peep!

Each spring we move the chickens to the moveable coop and set them out on the farm somewhere. This allows them to have fresh dirt, vegetation and bugs while also fertilizing and eating ticks that helps us. We always have a few rogue chickens that refuse to stay in the moveable coop no matter what we do. They remain living near their winter coop. This week, one of the hens hatched out 1 chick.  So we have a tiny yellow “Peep” wandering after it’s mama. Totally adorable. Since the rooster lives in/near the moveable coop and the rogue hens never want to go over there, I have no idea how those two managed to “hook up” but we’re glad they did.  If you’re out at the farm, take a look for her.

 

Bean picking

We have a nice crop of beans and if you would like to come out this weekend to pick some, feel free! Free beans! Come pick as many as you would like. Bring bags/containers. Please walk out to our north field using the path behind the greenhouse. The path runs along side the neighbor’s corn field.  Stay on the path until you reach the bean patch. We’ll have a sign out there so you’ll have no problem finding  them.  Enjoy!

 

Storage Tips:

Cabbage: Crisper drawer or plastic bag in the refrigerator

Peppers: Crisper drawer

Kohlrabi: Crisper drawer

Carrots: Plastic bag in the coldest part of your refridgerator

Cucumbers/Summer Squash-:Crisper drawer

celery leaves: covered container in refrigerator

Walla-walla- refrigerator

potatoes- cool, dark place

Basil- glass of water on kitchen counter

Garlic- warm, dry, dark place

Beans: covered container in refrigerator

RECIPES

Blackberry Basil Crisp

6 cups blackberries

8 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons

juice of half a lemon

2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cups ground flaxseed

1/3 cup butter melted

1/2 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together blackberries, lemon juice, basil and salt in a 9×9 baking dish. In a bowl, combine oats, flaxseed, sugar and butter. Mix until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of berries. Place baking pan on cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp and the fruit is bubbling. Add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and serve.

 

Cabbage and sausage skillet

1 small head cabbage, shredded (5 cups)

4 medium potatoes, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings

1 tsp caraway seed (optional)

1 lb cooked kielbasa cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup apple juice

2 T. prepared brown mustard

1 tsp. worchestershire sauce

In a 12inch skillet, combine cabbage, potatoes, onion and caraway seed. Top with sausage.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over sausage and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

 

Cucumber water

1 cucumber, sliced and unpeeled

1 1/2-2 liters water

3 mint sprigs

half a lemon, sliced and unpeeled

 

In a pitcher, combine all ingredients. Let it rest in the refrigerator 24 hours. Serve with ice.

 

Grilled Zucchini

zucchini or summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch thick sliced, lengthwise

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Heat grill to high.  Rinse and dry zucchini. Cut into long slices. Toss with olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper. Grill over direct heat until well browned. 4-6 minutes per side.

 

 

In this week’s box:

Thyme         Cucumbers                 Summer Squash                   Cabbage                  potatoes               Beans

Swiss Chard                Kohlrabi                   Lettuce                   Dill                          Broccoli

 

Welcome to August! We are kicking off a few great weeks of cabbage! We have 4 types of cabbage planted and they are all coming in together. They are also maturing at equally, unequal rates! We will be harvesting and sending them as they size up, but know that from week to week and box to box, you may find different cabbages.  Most of you will be getting a Napa cabbage this week, but a savoy might sneak in a few boxes too.

The potatoes are washed this week. Though the skins are a bit fragile, they are tougher than they have been the past few weeks. This variety is called, “Dakota Pearl” and they are beauties!

Are you enjoying the broccoli? We hope so, but if you are finding you get more than you can use, you can freeze it for eating later. Boil a large pot of water. While that is happening, cut your broccoli into bite size pieces. Drop the broccoli into the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from boiling water and submerge into ice water to cool. Drain and package into freezer bags. Seal and freeze. There. Done. This is called blanching and a blanching pot can make the job even easier.

4-H has taken our kids this week… and done lovely things with them.  Claudia is at the Wisconsin State Fair. She left at 4am Tuesday morning and won’t be home until Sunday. She is showing her dairy calf there. She also has a set of pillows that were chosen at the county fair to go to the state fair. I’m jealous that she will be near those state fair cream puffs!  Malcolm is on a 4-H Wisconsin trip to spend 3 days in Green Bay. Lots to see and do there.  Jonas gets to go to the state fair with grandma and grandpa, so he gets a fun excursion as well.

Mike and I will be home, keeping the farm moving along. We’re doing some weeding, but it really is slowing down. The fall carrots are starting to show themselves and we’re busy with harvesting and still a little planting.

CHICKEN ORDERS
If you ordered chickens from Farm Sweet Farm, I will be picking those up today.  They will be in my freezer and ready for pick up as early as tomorrow.  Please let me know when you will be coming to pick them up and I will make sure to be handy to get them out for you and figure out your total payment.  Thanks!  Did you miss the chance to order chickens? No worries! Contact Heather at www.farmsweetfarm.org and she will get you set up! She had a larger than average set of birds and has more to sell!

Bi-Frost Farm’s Goat milk cheese!
Time to order more Goat’s Milk cheese. Deliveries will be the first two weeks in August.
Due to Meg’s does not milking as much as they should be, she is  short on milk. Therefore she is  only making two kinds of Chevre right now, Plain and Garlic Dill, as they are the most popular. She’s hoping in September to be adding Feta/Salzkase back to the line up.  Order your cheese at:  bifrostfarms.com
715-643-2208

Stone Soup!

It’s getting closer! If you would like to be a part of Stone soup, please contact our farm member, Sue Keskinen at skeskinen@yahoo.com

For those of you not aware, Stone soup is a fun event to share your crafty side with others. Everyone involved brings about 10 items made by you, (10 of the same type of thing is preferred) and then traded with others. It’s kind of like a Christmas cookie exchange without the cookies. We’ve had really wonderful items of art in the past- pottery, homemade soaps, wooden signs, jewelry, dried herbs and many more! The list is never ending. All levels of craftiness are welcome and we’re even having a youth stone soup. So sign up with your young one! It’s helpful to let Sue know what you will be making when you sign up. The actual event “Stone Soup” will be a gathering in early November. It will be here before you know it. Get creating!

Pack Shed party! August 25th. Invite to come in a separate e-mail.

Green Beans

We like to offer a Free-Pick of green beans when they are in season to all of our members. If you are interested in picking green beans for winter, please let us know and we’ll let you know when a good time to come out is. I think we’ll have some this weekend, but I am hoping for an even better week next week.

 

Storage Tips:

Thyme: Refrigerator in a plastic bag, or I just like to leave it on the counter. It dries nicely.

Dill: In a glass of water on the counter or refrigerator. Can also be chopped and frozen for later use.

Cucumber, summer squash: Crisper drawer

Cabbage: Put in plastic bag in refrigerator

Beans and Broccoli: plastic bag in fridge

Lettuce and Swiss Chard- Plastic bag in crisper drawer

Kohlrabi- Crisper drawer.  My favorite way to eat these is peeled, sliced and raw!

Potatoes – cool, dark place

Recipes:

Vegetable Fried Rice

1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice

Make rice as directed. Cool, at least 2 hours.

Heat 2 T. oil in large skillet over med-high heat.

Fry 1/2 lb tofu, chicken or scramble a couple of eggs. Set aside.

Saute-  3 swiss chard ribs, 2 cups shredded cabbage, a handful of diced green beans and

1 onion, just until hot. Reduce heat to low and stir in the rice and veggies. Add tofu, chicken or eggs.

Pour on 1/4 cup tamari soy sauce. Cook slowly, tossing frequently until hot throughout. About 10 minutes.

Thyme roasted potatoes with chicken

3 pounds small red potatoes, halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
2 whole chickens (3 1/2 to 4 pounds each), rinsed and patted dry, or 1 large chicken.
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
To make the seasoning: in a small bowl, combine thyme leaves with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 2 teaspoons salt; set aside.
Working from neck end of chickens, use your fingers to gently separate skin from flesh, including thigh and leg areas. Distribute thyme mixture under skin of each chicken, dividing evenly; season cavities generously with salt and pepper. Tuck wings under breasts. Using kitchen twine, tie legs together securely on top of chickens. Besides helping them cook evenly and stay moist, this will also help preserve their shape.

Nestle chickens, breast sides up, among potatoes; rub chickens with remaining tablespoon oil, and season each with salt and pepper.
Roast, tossing potatoes occasionally and brushing chicken with pan juices, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees. about 1 hour.  Longer if using one large chicken.
Let chickens rest in a warm spot 10 minutes before serving.

Napa Cabbage Salad

napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1/2 onion chopped

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup sliced almonds

DRESSING
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1/8 teaspoon gorund ginger
In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, cider vinegar, sugar,  oil, salt and pepper and ground ginger and simmer for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and refrigerate.
In a small saute pan, heat oil over low heat and add noodles, sesame seeds and onion; stirring frequently, cook until golden brown.
In a large salad bowl, toss the nuts/seeds and sliced cabbage together.
Add dressing

 

Green Beans and Dill
9 ounces fresh green beans
1/3 cup vegetable broth or water
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons butter
salt & freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place fresh green beans in a saucepan with vegetable broth and dill.
Cover; bring to a boil.
Separate green beans with a fork, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.
Drain.
Stir in butter, adding salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Serve and enjoy!.