Fresh This Week from Summer Creek Farm: CSAs

I know it has been a cold winter. Up here on the farm this weather makes everything we do tougher and we spend more time cutting wood just to stay warm. It makes everyone just want to crawl under the covers and wait for spring! But while everyone is in their long winters nap the world is a changing. What has been going on in Egypt is just the tip of the change. Much of us do not realize that in other countries people spend a much larger percentage on income on their basic food. In the US we spend about 9.8% of our income on food, and a fair percentage of that is the cost of pre-prepared food. In Egypt they spend about 40% of their income on food, and it is not microwavable dishes either. On top of that they have experienced 17% food inflation just this year. No wonder they march in the streets.

World food prices have risen sharply and yes those prices are coming to your neighborhood store soon. Not only that but the price of fiber, cotton, is rising to its highest price ever! Your jeans are going up too. This is caused by many items, weather, currency devaluation of the dollar by the fed (most world commodities are priced in dollars on traded exchanges), fuel costs and increase worldwide demand, especially from China. As third world countries become more affluent through trade they want more diversified diets that include more meat. A bland diet of mostly rice is just not acceptable anymore. This raises the cost of corn and soybeans especially. This has created increased demands on the food production systems, raising costs.

As a CSA member you are a valued customer, a partner in each season. It is our desire at the farm to buffer these price increases to you our preferred customer. While we are seeing significant price increases in seed, fertilizer and supplies it is my goal this year to provide about the same amount of produce to you this year as last for your CSA membership fee. I want to help buffer these costs to you, but you’ve got to sign up! Our CSA is around 30% full at this time and the need for us to continue purchasing the supplies for this year is ongoing. Your CSA membership help gets us there. It also helps us provide jobs for local people too. I already have three part-time people working to get things ready for the year. So if you are thinking about joining again, get the form in. The number of memberships is finite, don’t miss out.

This year we also are planning to run a couple of seminars at the farm on how to preserve food for storage. Canning, drying, and freezing are time-tested methods and becoming lost skills. This is to help you take advantage for bulk discounts during the peak of the season and eat our healthy products longer into the winter months, as well as to help buffer your budget. Stay tuned for our summer schedule; this and other new events are to be included.

So as our latest employee at the farm, Henry the Cat, is long asleep in his winter nap. Don’t get caught napping and miss your chance at fresh food all summer long. We are blessed to live in an area that provides such a bounty of local food. Sign up and partake in the bounty!

-- Farmer Rick

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Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh this Week

• Potatoes
• Slicing tomatoes
• Squash
• Cucumber
• Beets
• Basil
• Onion
• and more!

From Farmer Rick

So what happens each week to make your veggies happen? Well our work team arrives at the farm at 8 a.m. At that time nothing is harvested yet for your boxes (except maybe potatoes). On a board in the packing area of our basement is the list for today's box. We start the day picking in the High Tunnels to beat the heat of the day. Tomatoes, greens and berries are picked first. Next we move on to the field crops. Generally 4 people are in our work team on CSA days.

At the same time we are taking restaurant orders for evening delivery. Today we took orders from Cafe Nola, Isabella's and Volt. Additionally we picked an order for the Common Market and MOM's. While the crew is picking, my two young nieces start packing in the packing area (that is why CSA members sometimes see smiley faces on the bags!). They weigh and bag potatoes, tomatoes, etc. When the field crew comes back in (like today with about 200 lbs of squash and zuch!) they start cleaning the produce and methodically placing it in the CSA box so each person's box is similar. We finish by cutting the herbs so they are still fresh. All this packing is in an area that is about 75 degrees so that the produce is not stressed.

We then pull my delivery van under a large awning to keep it cool and load the produce in order of our delivery route. About 3 p.m. (give or take--OK I run late a lot) I leave to deliver to the Frederick drop-off. Then downtown to the restaurants and out to the groceries. Then to Urbana. All the while the produce is in an air-conditioned van. We do the best we can to pick it fresh that day and keep it cool so when you get it it tastes like just out of the field. I hope you enjoy all our hard work.

Thanks for all your support and for the jobs you have helped create for our young work crew.

--Farmer Rick













Photo: Summer Creek CSA box contents, Week 10, 2009

Basil

Originally from central Africa and Southeast Asia, basil has long been cultivated as a culinary and medicinal herb. Traditionally, basil has been used in treatment of headaches, coughs, diarrhea, constipation, warts, worms and kidney malfunctions.
If you have an abundance of basil, try making pesto, which can be used as a spread (it’s great in grilled cheese sandwiches) or a sauce for pasta. To make a basic basil pesto, blend the following in a food processor:

2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
1/2 cup grated hard cheese (like parmesan or pecorino)

Serve pesto at room temperature (or no more than gently warmed - do not cook). Pesto freezes well for later use. Try adding a thin layer of olive oil on top before freezing, to help maintain the bright green color. If freezing, try adding the cheese after thawing.

Sources: Purdue University (basil facts) and Food Network (pesto recipe, modified)

Recipe Feature
Panzanella

This rustic tomato and bread salad is an excellent way to use leftover artisan bread from the farmer's market (or your oven), and tomatoes and basil. For the recipe, including a photo, cruise over to Frederick Foodie's blog.

Recipe: Christine Van Bloem

Link of the Week - Buy Local Challenge

Buy Local Challenge Week (July 17-25, 2010) encourages everyone to eat at least one local item per day for the week. You've probably been doing this without trying! For the rest of this week, consider trying the challenge. If you're already eating mostly local foods at home, try visiting one of the restaurants Farmer Rick mentioned above for some tasty, locally grown treats cooked by someone else!

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Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh this Week

• Potatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Squash
• Green tomatoes
• Basil
• and more!

Notes from the Farm

The farm went from drought to mud this week. We went from fixing irrigation breakdowns to weed control. The rain is very welcome but the weeds go wild when it is hot and wet like this. Slicing tomatoes and peppers are coming on soon. Our cherry tomatoes are in four regional grocery stores this week. I hope you are enjoying them too. We pick on average 50 pints a day this time of year. At the same time we are planting for fall. More crops to continue our harvest through Thanksgiving. After Thanksgiving we get a rest, for now we have too much to do!

--Farmer Rick

Green Tomatoes

Green tomatoes are simply regular tomatoes that haven't ripened yet. They are firmer in texture than ripe tomatoes, which are usually red.

There are probably as many fried green tomato recipes as there are Southern cooks. There are plenty of ways to coat and fry your sliced green tomatoes. First, season with salt and pepper. You could use bread crumbs (such as Panko), cracker crumbs, corn meal, flour or even crushed Corn Flakes for the outside coating. The coating will stick better if you coat the tomato slices with flour, then dip them in a beaten egg, then coat with your final outside layer. Then fry in a deep skillet or deep fryer.

Of course, you can always place the tomatoes in a brown paper bag and wait for them to ripen before using. You can find some tips on how to speed the process here. Store tomatoes in a cool place, but try to avoid refrigerating whole tomatoes, for better flavor. Once they are cut, leftover tomatoes should be refrigerated.

Thanks to Chef Christine Van Bloem and Shannon Moore for the green tomato tips.

Recipe Feature
Fried Green Tomatoes
2 medium to large green tomatoes, sliced thick
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup flour, seasoned to taste (salt, pepper, cayenne, etc. to taste)
1 cup Panko bread crumbs, or other coating of your choice
1 large egg, beaten with 2 tbsp water (egg wash)
salt and pepper, to taste
Heat butter and olive oil together in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. (If you don't use a nonstick skillet, you'll need to use more butter and/or oil.)

Season the tomato slices with salt and pepper, and coat lightly with flour. Then dip in the egg wash, and coat with bread crumbs. Be sure the outside is completely covered.

Carefully place tomato slices in the heated oil/butter mixture and fry until the bottom is golden brown (4-5 minutes). Carefully flip and repeat on other side. If you have one, a fish spatula works well to flip delicate items with minimal disturbance of the coating.

Once both sides are golden brown, remove to drain on paper towels. Season again to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Recipe: April Finnen

Link of the Week - About Lycopene

According to the Mayo Clinic, "numerous studies correlate high intake of lycopene-containing foods or high lycopene serum levels with reduced incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and macular degeneration." These studies were based on tomato intake, and while it is not clear that lycopene was the sole reason since tomatoes are high in a number of nutrients including lycopene, study participants who ate a lot of tomatoes fared better than those who didn't. So enjoy those tomatoes!

Summer Creek Farm
15209 Mud College Road
Thurmont, MD 21788
summercreekfarm@gmail.com
We are on facebook!

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Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh This Week

• New red potatoes
• Snow peas
• Red Russian kale
• English shelling peas
• Radishes
• Fresh garlic bulbs
  ... and more!

Notes from the Farm

Busy time at the farm, baled hay yesterday and unloaded in the barn before the rains. Dug some new potatoes till after dark to beat the rain. Our workers picked all day in the rain Thursday to get you fresh produce, by lunch they were drenched! Fresh peas are not easy to pick in the rain. Wet vines all over searching for those pods.

Tomatoes are growing, vines are over 4' tall now. Squash in bloom, beans starting to flower, soon more summer produce will be on it's way. I hope you have enjoyed our offerings so far.

--Farmer Rick

Kale

A member of the cabbage family, kale is a hearty green. As such, it needs to be cooked thoroughly. For best results, blanch kale (boil briefly) before sauteeing with a little olive oil and garlic, or other spices.

Kale is a nutrition powerhouse - 1 cup has 206% the recommended daily value of vitamin A, and 134% of Vitamin C. It's also a good source of fiber--just like many of our CSA items--and has 2 grams of protein per serving. Kale keeps best in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. This week's box may have Red Russian Kale (pictured) or Tuscan kale (also known as Lacinato kale), which has a crinkly texture and darker color, earning it the nickname black kale.

Sources: Fine Cooking and NutritionData

Recipe Feature

Crispy Kale Chips

If you think your family won't eat kale, try this. It's important to dry the leaves thoroughly before cooking, or they won't be as crispy.

1 bunch kale

1-2 tbsp olive oil
sprinkle of chili powder, paprika, garlic powder (optional - any combination you wish)
sea salt, to taste (important: add the salt after baking!)
Preheat oven to 350, and line a large cookie sheet (with sides) or baking pan with parchment paper. Wash kale, and dry thoroughly. Cut kale into bite-size pieces. Drizzle olive oil over kale, coating the leaves as evenly as possible. Add spices, if using (but NOT salt yet). Spread the leaves into a thin layer on the parchment, and put in oven for 12-20 minutes. Check at 12 minutes. Kale is done when it is crispy with a texture almost like paper. Do not allow the leaves to brown. Sprinkle with salt and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe: modified from Steamy Kitchen

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Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh This Week

Garlic scapes
Strawberries
Chard
Radishes
and more...

Notes from the Farm

Busy time at the farm, planting, weeding, picking. I spent the last two evenings in a field cultivating. The cool evening, with the air full of honeysuckle sweetness. Wonderful time to get work done after a hot day in the field picking berries. Lots more to plant to keep crops coming all season long.
--Farmer Rick

Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are the sprout of the garlic plant—a thin green stalk that curls above the ground and is more tender and sweeter than the bulbs that grow below ground. The season for garlic scapes is only a couple weeks; after that, they become tough.

Scapes can be used in place of garlic, scallions, onions or ramps in most recipes. They have a garlic taste, but it is milder and “fresher” than that of garlic cloves. They are a great addition to croquettes, guacamole, omelets, stir fries, salads and more. For a colorful take on garlic butter, mix chopped garlic scapes with softened butter, and other herbs if you like; herbed butters will keep refrigerated for a couple weeks.

Scapes store well for a couple weeks.

Source: StarChefs.com

Recipe Feature

Garlic Scape Pesto

To make a quick garlic scape pesto (using garlic scapes instead of the more traditional basil), combine in a food processor until smooth:

½ cup almonds or pine nuts
½ cup olive oil
½ cup grated parmesan
1 cup garlic scapes
Serve immediately with your favorite pasta or crusty bread, or refrigerate and use within a few days. Note that this pesto is for serious garlic lovers. Since the garlic scapes are not cooked in this preparation, though milder than raw garlic, they still have a strong flavor in this quantity.

Recipe: modified from SeriousEats.com

Links of the Week

For more garlic and garlic scape recipe ideas, visit 2sistersgarlic, or try this white bean and garlic scapes dip from the New York Times. (You'll need one can of cannellini beans, garlic scapes, fresh lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil for the dip.)

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Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh this Week
Radishes
Mint
Strawberries
Broccoli raab
Spinach
... and more!

Notes from the Farm
It is a busy time of year at the farm. We planted peppers, more tomatoes, eggplant and melons this week. Rain has prevented us from doing much weed control but as soon as it stops and the soil dries we will have to get right after the weeds. Weeds never sleep! Weather is cooler than normal but strawberries are coming in full. I hope you all enjoy the flavor of our traditional strawberries. They are not as large in size as the berries you see in a store, but they are giganic in flavor compared to those strawberry look alikes!
--Farmer Rick

Mint
Fresh mint comes in two main varieties: spearmint, which has bright green wrinkled leaves, and peppermint, which has smooth leaves. Chop or crush fresh leaves to release their flavor (remove stems). Mint is traditional with peas or potatoes, but it goes well with many fruits, vegetables, yogurt-based sauces and chutneys. Or, if you're feeling more festive, try mojitos.
When I have fresh mint, I make Indian food, including the raita (a cold yogurt dish) recipe below. It's also great in tabouleh, served alongside warm pitas and hummus.

Tabouleh
1/2 cup fine- to medium-grind bulgur wheat
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (adjust according to taste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups roughly chopped parsley leaves
1 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup shopped green onionsSoak bulgur in hot water to cover until tender, 15 to 30 minutse. Drain well, squeezing out as much water as possible. Toss with oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Just before serving, add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve.
Sources: How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman 2008, and The Food Life. Photo: wikipedia.com

Recipe Feature

Raita
1 large cucumber, diced1 cup thick plain yogurt1 clove garlic, minced1-2 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped1 tsp. salt½ tsp. grated fresh ginger½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add yogurt right before serving. (Keeps in fridge without the yogurt for up to 2 days.) Serve with fresh naan, tandoori anything, or a great masala or daal.
Recipe: The Kitchen Studio

Link of the Week
This news article from the Associated Press reports a "persuasive" link between ADHD in children and organophosphates (a common type of pesticide) used to grow fruits and vegetables. Yet another reason to eat organic!

Your Recipes, Blog Links and CSA Cooking Tips Wanted!
If you've got great recipes for any items you'd like to share, please send them to summercreekfarm@gmail.com. We'll generally need them by Sunday for inclusion in that week's newsletter. Also, if you're blogging about your CSA share, please send us a link to your blog so we can include them all here in a future edition. Thanks, and happy cooking!

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Summer Creek Farm Newsletter

Welcome all to the 2010 season. The warm weather has accelerated some crops. We are hoping this does not causes a hole in the produce as we go through the early stuff and current cool weather delays the later produce. Time will tell. I hope you enjoy all the fresh produce we have for you and tell your friends. You can email me at any time with comments or suggestions. Enjoy the season! We are busy planting much more!
--Farmer Rick

Fresh this Week

Radishes
Chard
Strawberries
Broccoli raab
Arugula
Spinach
... and more!

About Your Newsletter

To give you some tips on what to do with some of the produce, and let you know what’s coming, we’ll send out a newsletter every week. The same newsletter is sent to all pick-up locations. Since produce becomes available when it wants to, box contents may vary from location to location and day to day. The list included in these weekly newsletters is our best guess as of newsletter publication time (which may also vary from week to week, depending on when Farmer Rick can tell us what will be in the boxes).

Recipes, tips and suggestions are encouraged. To contact Farmer Rick directly, please email him at farmer@summercreekfarm.com.

Broccoli Raab

Broccoli raab, also known as broccoli rape, rabe or rapini, is a longtime regular in Italian cooking. With a stronger, more bitter taste than broccoli, broccoli raab is a welcome addition to the adventurous cook’s repertoire. To prepare, trim the dry ends of the stems and pull off any yellowing or wilted leaves. To serve plain, parboil (boil briefly), and shock with ice water to preserve the green color. It is done when you can insert a skewer or thin-bladed knife into the thickest part of the stalk. Overcooked broccoli raab becomes mushy. You can substitute turnip or mustard greens in place of broccoli raab successfully in many recipes. Broccoli raab is an excellent source of Vitamin K, and is also high in Vitamins A and C.

Sources: How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, and nutritiondata.com.

Recipe Feature

Basic Pasta with Broccoli Raab
This recipe works well with other leafy greens or regular broccoli as well - simply adjust the cooking time for the greens according to their toughness.

1 bunch broccoli raab
2-4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2-6 cloves chopped garlic, to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1 pound box small pasta shells
¼ cup fresh grated parmesan (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt. Boil the broccoli raab whole until it is tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When hot add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook just until it begins to sizzle, then lower heat to keep warm. Scoop the raab out of the water carefully, then drain, chop into 1-2 inch pieces and add to skillet. Scoop boiling water into the skillet 1-2 tbsp at a time to keep moist as needed. Use the remaining boiling water to cook the pasta according to the package’s “al dente” instructions, then drain and add pasta to skillet. Stir to combine, add parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Recipe: Adapted from How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman, 2008.

Link of the Week

Strawberry shortcake with whole grain biscuits and an interesting twist on cream, from Eating Well.

Shopping list items for this recipe (things you may not keep in stock):

Neufchâtel (reduced fat cream cheese)
Heavy whipping cream
Reduced fat sour cream
Buttermilk (optional, if you have vinegar - see tip in recipe)
White whole-wheat flour or whole grain pastry flour (both available at the Common Market in Frederick)

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News from Summer Creek Farm

Hi all , working up here on the farm getting ready for the 2010 season. Its was a hard winter. Much damage was done with the storms and personally it was tough. Greenhouses being repaired , damage cleaned up, we are planting for the season. The weather has been good, just a little dry. We have all out potatoes and peas planted. Greenhouse is stuffed with plants. Looking forward to serving all our CSA customers for another year. We have a few slots left if you have not signed up and still want too.

To all our new CSA members, we are also a dealer for Organic Fertilizer and other gardening supplies. If you are interested in supplies or plants for your own garden let me know. CSA customers get a 10% discount. This also applies to our rain barrels.

As an FYI Farm Inc. the movie will be on PBS on April 21.

All that have signed up for this years CSA will receive a post card in the mail in early May. This is to make sure that if you are not getting these emails (thus not reading this message) you will be notified to contact us. It is very important that in order for use to communicate through the season that our emails are working. That means I have your address correct and that they are not getting dumped in the junk box. Make sure that our email address is in your address book, this helps keeps us out of the junk!

May is coming, fresh greens, strawberries , Asparagus and other goodies will be in the CSA. I will be back in touch soon!

Thanks
Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

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CSA Update from Summer Creek Farm

Hi all, just an update as we start the planting season. The CSA for Saturday pickup at Frederick Farmers Market is now FULL. We still have pick up locations in Frederick on Wed, Urbana on Wed and Monday at the Farm. Don't wait too late before these fill too if you are not already signed up. Thanks for your support.

Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

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Summer Creek Farm is Getting Ready for Spring

Hi All, I hope you all are enjoying the warmer weather. Seeds are being planted in the greenhouse every couple days now. Our custom blend Potting Soil has been very popular this year. We are busy working on mixing several times a week. You can pick up bags from us or at the Common Market if you have some plants to start or house plants to repot. Keep us in mind if you need fertilizer for your landscaping this spring. The addition of the ProHoe line to our products has been met with great excitement too. No tool like this is available in your local garden store. Great gift for you or your gardener friends.

The CSA sign ups have been going well. If you have not got your application in you may want to fill it out soon. We would hate to have some of our old friends miss out on the CSA this year and the number we can take is limited. Let me know if you have any questions.

As you may remember our greenhouses were damaged this winter. We are working now to get them back online for the season. We saw groundhogs out in the field today so spring cannot be far away!

Stay tuned for more updates as we get ready to bring your fresh produce all season. Thanks for your support!

Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

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Summer Creek Farm - Storm Update

Hi All! I hope you all weathered the storm well. It certainly was tough up here on the farm. On the farmer and livestock as well as our infrastructure. You can look at our photo album on Facebook to see pictures from the storm. If you are not a fan of Summer Creek Farm on Facebook please join us! Rick Hood's page on Facebook is where the farm information is located.

The storm did damage all of our High Tunnels. We will have to replace the tops on each one before the season begins. This is a significant cost and a lot of work but we are moving ahead so it does not impact the season. This is why your CSA membership is so important at this time of year. Costs like this along with seed, fertilizer and other supplies are significant at this time of year. Your CSA check is certainly appreciated to help us get a quick start into the season.

CSA sign ups are showing a lot of new interest. I hope we see our previous subscribers get in before the CSA fills. If you are thinking about it please act before the CSA fills. If you are not signing up this year and have a reason we should know about please let me know. Constructive comments are always welcome. Some locations are almost full. We are looking forward to a very good season, hope for a great season always comes with the warming of spring!

I hope to see you at some of our gardening classes coming up in the next month. These are great ways to learn an activity that all the family can participate in.

Thanks again for your support!

Farmer Rick

farmer@summercreekfarm.com

PS: The pic is proof the season is starting, our tomato plants are growing inside right now! Sign up so you can taste them later.

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Baby Chicks at Summer Creek Farm

Baby chicks have arrived at the farm! Warm in the greenhouse! Hope you all are staying warm. Check Summer Creek Farm out on Facebook now too!

-Farmer Rick

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CSA memberships from Summer Creek Farm

Looking for that last minute Christmas gift with the current snow storm raging outside? Just a reminder that a CSA membership makes a great gift in the season. Healthy, fun and practical. Good food in the new year and no trip to the store to get it.

We also offer gift certificates of the value of your choice for our products at the Farmers Market next spring/summer. Just let me know what you are looking for and I can email it out next week to you.

I hope you are enjoying the snow, tomorrow we are on snow removal duty in the area!

Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

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Happy Thanksgiving from Farmer Rick

I wanted to wish all our customers a Happy Thanksgiving Day and say thank you for your support during the year.

Being involved in farming and the production of food makes Thanksgiving even more special for me. Our predecessors knew how precious the harvest was to sustain them through the long winter. They were fearful of starvation each winter and thankful to have a good harvest to sustain them through. Today we are far removed from having to store all our food in the fall to make it to spring. We often take food for granted. Growing quality food for a living puts different perspective on the family meal. I know how tenuous our food supply can actually be at times and how the quality of our food has changed over the years.

I hope you have enjoyed the fresh produce we have produced this year for your enjoyment and nourishment. We are already ordering seeds and planning for next year. Hope to see you then.

Thanks So Much
Farmer Rick

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An Update from Farmer Rick, Summer Creek Farm

Hi to all, the holiday season is approaching, I just wanted you all to know I will be setting up our market stand in Riverdale, Md for a special market on Nov. 19 and again on December 12th for a special Christmas Bazaar. The Thanksgiving market is a late afternoon and evening market. It was fun but cold last year when we did this market. My heater did not work ans I lost my helper to the guy next door who had a working heater! December 12th is an all Day Christmas Bazaar. If you have friends or are in the are tell them to stop by and visit our stand. I will also be at the Saturday Frederick Market till 11/21. I am hoping for a crop of fresh spinach for that last market. I hope the holidays are bright for all of you.

Farmer Rick
farmer@summercreekfarm.com

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Fresh this week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh this Week:

• Peppers
• Sweet potatoes
• Hot peppers
• White potatoes
• Radish
• Chard or turnip or beet
• Winter squash
• Broccoli
• Cabbage

From Farmer Rick:

I am giving a presentation on Organic Gardening at the Holistic Family Health Conference at FCC tomorrow at FCC. Stop by and see me in you are in attendance. [note- this event is sold out if you did not previously get a ticket - Shannon]

We are busy at the farm planting wheat, trying to get it in between the rain drops. We have greens growing but with all the cool weather they are growing very slow.

I thank you all for your participation in our CSA program this year. We have seen a tremendous interest in next year’s program already.

I am also busy putting together our winter class schedule for gardening, composting and rain barrel classes. Don't forget we also offer gift certificates for next year’s farmers markets as a great Holiday gift that is practical and inexpensive.

Thanks to all
Farmer Rick

Broccoli:

Originating in Italy, broccoli has been around for more than 2,000 years. The name comes from the Latin word brachium, which means “branch” or “arm.” Broccoli has been grown in American gardens for only about 200 years, and commercially cultivated only since the 1920s.

Select broccoli bunches that are dark in color. Florets that are dark green, purplish or bluish-green contain more beta carotene and Vitamin C than paler ones. Also look for firm stalks, rather than rubbery or dried ones.

Store broccoli unwashed in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator’s crisper. It is best used within a few days.

Broccoli is best steamed, microwaved or stir-fried, but is also good in soup or eaten raw. Cooked broccoli should be fork tender, but still crisp and bright green. Watch carefully, and do not overcook, for best taste.

A 1/2 cup serving of plain cooked broccoli has 25 calories, 3 grams of fiber and 80% of an adult’s Vitamin C needs for one day.

Recipe Feature:

Easy Potato Leek Soup
by April Finnen

Makes 4 servings in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients:

• 3 large leeks
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound potatoes, white or Yukon gold (4 to 6 medium-sized potatoes)
• 3 to 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Paprika, for garnish (optional)
• Chives or scallions, for garnish (optional)
• Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks into thin rings, and swish around in a large bowl of water, to remove dirt and grit. Dry with towels.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan (3 quarts or larger) over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring, for about 8 minutes, until tender. (If they start to caramelize, that’s OK—it just adds flavor.)

Meanwhile, wash and peel the potatoes. Cut into 1/2-inch dice. When leeks are tender, add potatoes, thyme and stock (enough to just cover potatoes) to the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 20 minutes, or until potatoes can be easily mashed with the back of a spoon.

Carefully puree the soup using an immersion blender or regular blender. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve garnished with paprika and/or chives.

Link of the week:

More ideas for broccoli – from AllRecipes.com

Thanks to April Finnen for putting the newsletters together for Summer Creek Farm all season!!!

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Rounding up food supplies for the zombie apocalypse

If there is ever a zombie apocalypse, you should find me. I will know where all of the food is. Somebody else will have to be in charge of weapons, because that is not me. But I'll make sure we have something to eat.

Today you would have found me wandering around the farmer's market in the rain, ensuring that our food supply is still in good order. I can tell you that we are in good shape. I took this picture while hanging out at Rohrer's meats, making sure that we have an adequate supply of fresh bacon, Carolina barbecue, and raspberry-apricot jam. I am happy to say that we do. At the moment this picture was taken, however, I was just taking refuge from the rain and bothering Danny with idle chatter about chef's challenges, and how I cancelled today's due to inclement weather.

Luckily Glade Link Farm had plenty of cheddar cauliflower. And Summer Creek Farm had haricots verts and radishes. Scenic View Orchards had half pecks of Stayman apples. Catoctin Mountain Creamery had the blue goat and cottage cheeses I needed, along with teriyaki sticks. Caprikorn farms had a special on chevre and also had Italian goat cheddar. I was also relieved to see that Beth had a gluten-free pecan pie. Because that really builds the strength you need to fight off zombies. I didn't get to a lot of the other stands because I became preoccupied with running away from raindrops, taking shelter in random places. But this is good practice.

When it was all over, I took refuge at Moxie on North Market Street. I had a homemade butternut squash soup with toasted squash seeds and a harvest salad with chevre, apple, pecans, and bacon. It's important to build your strength up because you never know when...aagh!

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Fresh this week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh This Week

• Radishes
• Carnival squash
• Sweet potato
• Tomato
• Green peppers
• Italian peppers
• Zucchini
• Summer squash
• Broccoli

From the Farmer

It is the time of year for us to worry about frost. Frost will end the production of many vegetables that we all have been enjoying. Frost also leads to sleepless nights on the farm. We spend the day before spreading out covers for our sensitive plants. We use a polyester fiber blanket. It is lightweight, lets in light but traps heat. It also blows around in the wind easily so we must stake it down. Covering 700 ft. long rows of squash, 400' rows of beans and peppers takes some time. It also means picking will be slow here after since we must move and replace the covers each time we pick.

With covers in place we head inside to check the weather reports and weather station here at the farm. Next we go back out around 11 p.m. to check to see if covers are still in place. We look at wind speed and cloud cover. Back inside to bed. Up again about 4 a.m. I get up then to check the wind and temp.

If the wind is up and temperature is low I realize I may have to fix the covers soon. Back to bed, up at 5:30 to check temperature. If below 37 I go out to check the covers and repair them. Then I prepare our backup plan. Some crops I may turn irrigation on, because spraying water helps raise temps. We also may prepare bond fires that we place straw bales to blanket the field in smoke. Usually this is not the case but I must be ready. I must watch the temperatures as the sun rises. The temperature is the lowest the 1/2 hour after sunrise. I baby sit the plants until the sun is higher in the sky and temps start to rise for good.

One more night we have made it through. It would be nice for a rest, but it is morning and time for work to be done. Hopefully tonight will be warmer, so I can sleep! This goes on until temperatures rise or till I lose to Jack Frost. Just a little insight into this time of year on the farm.

-Farmer Rick

Roasted Peppers

Any pepper can be roasted, although red peppers are sweeter than green ones. You can roast them in the oven, on a grill, under the broiler, or even over a gas range.

To roast or broil peppers, heat the oven to 450° or turn on the oven and position a rack about 4 inches from the broiler flame. Line a roasting pan with foil and place the whole peppers in the pan. Roast or broil, turning the peppers as each side browns, until they have darkened and collapsed. This takes about 15-20 minutes under the broiler, or up to 1 hour in the oven.

To roast peppers on the grill, preheat to medium-high and put the rack 4 inches from the flame. Put peppers directly over the heat, turning as each side blackens, about 15 minutes total.

Wrap the cooked peppers in foil, and cool until you can safely touch them. Then remove the skin, seeds and stems. (You can run them under water during this process to make it a little easier.) The peppers may fall apart.

Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for a few days. Serve at room temperature, with a drizzle of olive oil and a little salt.

Roasted peppers are also great additions to dips, pizzas, sandwiches, bruschetta or meatballs.

Source: How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman

Link of the week

Easy Roasted Pepper Hummus – recipe from AllRecipes.com

Contact us

farmer@summercreekfarm.com

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Pretty things at the market

I had a really nice time at the market this morning. The produce was stunning and the market wasn't as busy as usual (probably due to the fair and the weather), so I got to chat with the vendors for a while.

I returned my milk bottles and picked up a quart of mocha milk, some teriyaki meat sticks, and a yogurt at South Mountain Creamery. If you have not tried the mocha milk, you shouldn't. Save it for those of us that are addicted to it.

I bought some gorgeous multicolored eggs at Whitmore Farm. Some lady bumped into me and cracked one, so I had to cook it as soon as I got home. It had an incredibly deep-colored, rich yolk.

I bought turnips from Glade Link Farm. I never cook with turnips, but I keep meaning to try them in something. On the way home I realized I was going to make a variation of shepherd's pie for the eggplant challenge, with lamb sausage and eggplant in the meat layer and mashed turnips and potatoes in the potato layer. Previously I had thought I was going to make a spiced curried stuffed baby eggplant with lamb. Funny how similar ingredients can make totally different dishes. Today is the last day of the eggplant challenge, folks, though I may make exceptions for you if you send me something next week-I have heard from a few people who are planning to do it and I definitely want to see their dishes!

I also picked up some Thai hot peppers from Summer Creek Farm. My friend Richard eats them raw. They are hotter than habaneros. I don't understand him either. I may end up making a hot Thai eggplant with basil dish later this week because I also bought an eggplant at Tomatoes Etc.

Scenic View Orchards had sold their last honeycrisp apple before I got there, so they promised to hold some for me next week. Thanks! And though I have my own tomatoes in the garden, I was stunned by the beauty of the ones at Jubilee and had to take a picture.

Hope you are enjoying the season and all of its gorgeous produce. And don't forget- today is the last day of the fair if you have not been there. (Tip: the food vendors in the ag section are local and their stuff tastes better- plus they support the local economy. Try a beef ham sandwich from Hemps, and bean or Maryland Crab soup from the New Market Grange. The bean soup is made by a 79-year-old man from scratch. And the corn dogs on that end are hand-dipped and fresh. Just sayin'. And then go to the farm bureau ice cream stand in the first commercial building in the grandstand.)

Shannon

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Fresh this Week from Summer Creek Farm

Fresh This Week

• Acorn squash
• Peppers
• Raspberries
• Summer squash
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Eggplant
• Beans
• Fingerling potatoes
• Basil

From Farmer Rick

We are already working on planning next year. Over the winter you will get a couple notes on what is going on at the farm. We are currently planning several courses at different places in the state on farming and gardening. I also have been asked to write for a new magazine on local farming and food. I appreciate any comments you want to e-mail on our CSA.

Thanks to all who have blogged about this year’s CSA. I have read several very nice blogs. Thanks to those continuing into the fall season. Food is very important to each of us and growing good food is what we are about! Your most valuable asset is your health; eating fruits and vegetables is the best thing you can do for yourself. I hope you have enjoyed our efforts this year. You can sign up for the 2010 season in November when our new form is available. Thanks for a great season.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are members of the tuber family, like other potatoes. Though sweet potatoes are often called yams, true yams can grow much larger than sweet potatoes, and are rarely produced in the U.S.; yams are generally only available in Latin markets.

Sweet potatoes become soft and sweet when cooked. They are an excellent source of Vitamins A, B6 and C, potassium and dietary fiber. One cup of plain baked sweet potato has 180 calories.
Sweet potatoes should be plump and unshriveled. Keep in a cool, dark, dry place, but do not refrigerate. Sweet potatoes are fairly perishable for tubers, and should be used within a couple weeks.

To bake sweet potatoes, preheat oven to 425°. Wash sweet potatoes and poke a few small holes in each, with a thin-bladed knife. Bake in a foil-lined baking pan, turning once, until very tender (about an hour). Serve with salt and pepper, or butter and cinnamon.

Sources: How to Cook Everything (Bittman), Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (Madison), nutritiondata.com

Recipe Feature

Sweet Potato Biscuits
adapted from How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman

About 10 biscuits, 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 scant teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 to 5 tablespoons cold butter (more is better)
• 1 cup cooked sweet potato or winter squash, pureed (a food mill or potato ricer works well for this)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk (see instructions*)

Heat oven to 450°. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl or food processor. Cut the butter into small bits and pulse in food processor, or use a pastry blender to incorporate the butter into the flour, until butter is smaller than pea-sized.

Add the pureed sweet potato to the butter-flour mixture and mix well. *Add only enough yogurt or buttermilk to form the dough into a ball (will need lesser amount if potatoes are moist). Press the dough to 1/2-inch thick and cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or the top of a glass. Put rounds on an ungreased baking sheet, and repeat until all dough is used.

Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until golden brown, and serve within 15 minutes.

Link of the week

Summer Creek Farm CSA page – bookmark us for next year!

Contact us: farmer@summercreekfarm.com

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