Each week we hear from a new member of the farm staff and
learn something new about the operation of Hawthorne Valley Farm.
But throughout the season, Katy Lince, our gardener, stands ever
fast, working, planning, managing the garden that brings forth
the delicious vegetables we eat each week. Here is a mid-season
report from Katy and also here is huge THANK YOU for all your
hard work!
Rachel Schneider, CSA Coordinator
Anticipated August 26th
- Basil
- Cucumbers
- Garlic
- Potatoes
- String beans
- Summer Squash or Zucchini
A Dozen and Counting
This week’s edition of the newsletter is No. 12, which
means we are more than more than halfway through the season
already!
A visit to the Farm is a fitting way to end the summer,
especially this weekend for the Aug 28 Farm Tour. Call
the Farm Store for details.
Dear CSA members,
I’ve just gone on my Sunday farm walk. It begins as I
head toward the vegetable seedling greenhouses and past the young
calves along the way. The calves are sleek and plump and playful
–in other words, healthy. The vegetable seedlings in the
greenhouse are serene, colorful and quiet –they’re
also healthy. Both plants and animals look glad of the sun today
after all the rain and humidity we’ve been having.
After the seedlings, I visited the small close fields of
vegetables, noticing the growth of next week’s CSA share of
lettuce heads. They look beautiful and glowing. At the edge of
the field, near the calf shed, Steffen and Laura were hooking up
the hay mower to the old "800" tractor. Today and the next few
days will be sunny and dry, perfect weather for cutting hay
fields, letting the cut grass dry for a few days, and then
gathering it into rows and bailing up the hay for the winter feed
for the cows.
Continuing my farm walk, I walk through pastures of clovers
and grasses. Most of the fields on the farm are pastures for the
cows. The vegetable fields are almost in the center of our farm
valley, with pastures on all sides. To get to the bigger
vegetable fields, there is a small wooden bridge to walk over
that crosses the farm’s creek. The creek is home to an
abundance of wildlife, as our Farmscape Ecologists, Conrad and
Claudia can attest to. The creek is home to many species of fish,
crawdads to the delight of some young children who learn to catch
a few, turtles, and a great blue heron and a white egret. A small
little creek that can support all of this wildlife has good and
clean water in it.
Crossing the bridge and walking through the vegetable fields,
I look at what needs to be done in the coming week. There are
more than 200 tractor size vegetable beds and more than 50 types
of vegetables at different states of development to observe and
keep track of. One could probably become entirely immersed in
just the vegetables, to the exclusion of all else. But here at
Hawthorne Valley Farm, being surrounded by pastures and animals
and a vibrant eco-system, I am glad the vegetables are part of a
whole living farm.
The diversification of Hawthorne Valley Farm keeps us busy, no
doubt about that, but it also keeps the honey bees, the
beneficial soil micro-organisms and the plant and animal life
around us bustling and strong. All of us together are
contributing to the health of this valley and to the health of
the food we consume from this valley: the vegetables, the
pickles, the milk, the yogurt and the cheese. Thanks for being a
part of the vim and vigor of Hawthorne Valley Farm.
Katy
Beet Risotto with Chard, Goat Cheese, and
Walnuts
Before you sauté the onion, toast the
walnuts in the Dutch oven until they're fragrant. Cooking the
beets along with the rice renders a beautiful burgundy color.
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup Arborio rice
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups finely chopped peeled beets
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
6 cups finely sliced Swiss chard
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion;
saute 3 minutes. Add rice, ginger, and rosemary; saute 1 minute.
Add wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed,
stirring constantly.
Add beets, water, salt, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover,
reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until beets are tender,
stirring occasionally.
Stir in chard; cook 5 minutes. Add cheese, stirring until
blended. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon walnuts.
4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups) From Cooking Light
December 2002
Tabbouleh
Here’s one version of this popular cracked wheat
salad.
½ cup bulgur
1 cup boiling water
1 cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf
parsley
3 medium scallions, finely chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and
finely diced
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, chopped
In a bowl, cover the bulgur with boiling water and let stand
for 1 hour. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in
the parsley, scallions, cucumber, and mint. In a small bowl,
whisk the lemon juice with the cumin, a ½ teaspoon of salt,
and pinch of pepper. Whisk in the oil. Stir the dressing into
the bulgur. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 to 5
hours to allow the flavors to blend. When ready to serve, add
the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to
combine.
Makes 4 Servings.
Zucchini-Carrot Fritters
2 eggs
3 cups unpeeled, shredded zucchini
(about ¾ lb.)
1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
(about ¼ lb.)
¼ cup flour
Salt & pepper to taste
Beat eggs until thickened and lemon
color. Stir in remaining ingredients, one at a time, in order
given. Mix well and drop by tablespoons, well apart, into hot
skillet coated with oil or butter. Fry in batches, turning once,
until lightly browned.
Makes 16 pancakes.
Parsley Pesto
This variation highlights the flavors of garlic and cheese
and always draws raves. Toss with cooked spaghetti and slivers of
sundried tomatoes
1 cup parsley sprigs
½ cup walnuts
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup water
3 Tbsps chopped basil
2 cloves garlic
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
In mini-food processor or blender, mix all ingredients except
the cheese. Add cheese in batches and blend until the desired
consistency.