Boxes Are Overflowing

     Strawberry season is in full swing at the time being. Strawberries are a crop that Cedarmore Farm does not grow themselves.  They have an agreement with a neighboring family that grows these strawberries. They grow them using the same organic methods as Cedarmore does. Last reports are that they are producing very well, but they are having to feed a lot of them to the hogs (about 50%) from rotting because of all the rain. This is unfortunate for them. However, they said they had all the strawberries that will be needed for this CSA. In fact they have some extras to sell. If you want some, please order them by email (cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com) at least three days before your pick up date. They are $4.00 per quart or $3.50 per quart if you want to by 10 quarts or more. You will have one quart each week for your share as long as they are in season.

The large leafed thick stemmed vegetable with different colors is Swiss chard. It and some of their other vegetables have some holes in them from the hail storm that passed through there a week ago. It should be just fine to eat, but it does affect the looks of it some.  i should mention that since Cedarmore is an Organic Amish farm they have no access to the Internet and printer and such.  Andy usually writes this newsletter by hand the Friday before we get it in our CSA box.  His neighbor, an English man, picks it up and prints it off and brings the copies back to Andy to put in our boxes.  He wants us to know that sometimes he is not accurate when he is trying to predict what will be in our boxes ahead of time.

Swiss chard is one of the easiest greens to grow because it is hardy in the cold and tolerant to hot weather.  Most areas of the country are suitable for growing Swiss chard.  Chard comes in wither red or white stems.  Red chard is sometimes called rhubarb or ruby chard.  Use the two types interchangeably in recipes.  Chard is in the beet family , but doesn't develop any root bulbs. 

Many people prefer to cook greens with bouillon to soften their sometimes sharp edge.  However you choose to cook them, the cardinal rule is don't overcook.  It doesn't take long to turn a tasty cooked green into a limp, watery, grayish, unappealing mess.

Unwashed greens placed in perforated plastic bags will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.

Yield: 1 lb. fresh greens = 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked

i bushel = 12 lb )(kale 18 lb.) = 8-12 pints (kale 12-18 pints)

From the Practical Produce Cookbook

Just a reminder that we need to recycle and reuse the egg cartons and the canning jars and rings.

Lizzie's wheat bread is delicious and her Mom's Lily of The Valley soap makes the entire bathroom and bedroom swell so sweet.  And it makes your skin really soft.

If you need price list or list of baked goods, canned fruits and vegetables, maple syrup sorghum molasses, pasture Range eggs or homemade soap...please email

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

Also remember that you are responsible for making payments for items ordered at the end of the month...please send you check to

Cedarmore Farm 

c/o Andy H. Hershberger

12612 Turley Lane

Hillsboro, OH 45133

Make checks out to wither Cedarmore Farm or Andy Hershberger.

Recipe Of The Week: Swiss Chard and Zucchini

Sauteed Chard

5-6 cups chopped chard

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cut stems off chard.  heat butter and oil in skillet.  Add stems and saute for one minute.  Add leaves, toss to coat, then cover and simmer 3-4 minutes or more.

Zucchini Omelet

2 cups thinly sliced zucchini

1 onion

2-3 Tablespoons of butter

6 eggs

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/2 c shredded cheese (optional)

Quarter zucchini lenghtwise then slice thin.  Chop onions fine.  Sautee zucchini and onion in butter for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, beat eggs and add salt and pepper.  Pour over zucchini and onions and stir quickly to mix.  Cook, lifting cooked eggs around the edge of the pan so the uncooked portion runs underneath.  Slide pan back and forth to prevent sticking.  Cook until mixture is set, but top is creamy.  Sprinkle half with cheese and fold in half.  Slide onto serving dish.

Good News

About two weeks ago Andy, Lizzie, Anna and Dennis welcomed a new healthy 6 pound little boy into the family.  His name...Moses.  And I can tell you he is a little bundle of sweetness.  He just fits in the crook of your arm and has the sweetest china doll face.  I wish you could see the faces of all the children...they are totally different but all as precious as they can be.

Recipe Of The Week: Chinese Cabbage Stir Fry

I will have a post about the vegetables later in the week but today I want to share a Chinese cabbage recipe that Lizzie shared with me. Andy says that he really likes it and that Lizzie never makes it the same way twice.

Chinese Cabbage Stir Fry

1 head of Chinese cabbage cleaned and cut

1 zucchini sliced

6 green onions sliced

1 head of broccoli cut into chunks

1 tablespoon of browned butter

1 tablespoon of bacon grease

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of taco seasoning

some Parmesan cheese

Brown the butter then add the bacon grease.  Stir fry all veggies for 3-5 minutes.  Plate it up and add some Parmesan cheese to taste.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION....

Additional pick up location added....

    Cedarmore Farm wants to let everyone in the Loveland group to know that there has been an additional pick up location  added to the area.  They have a few delivery groups that have multiple pick up locations which helps to make it more convenient for the CSA members.  The address is in Milford, right of  Rt 131 and Woflpen-Pleasant Hill Road.  Pick up times are the same:  Tuesdays from 5:00 to 8:00 PM.  If this location will be more convenient for you, please let Cedarmore Farm know.  Or if you were thinking about joining the CSA and this location is more convenient for you, please let them know.

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

More Veggies

    Farmers tend to like rain...but not as much as we are getting these days.. Whenever they possibly can the CSA farmers would like to put out some more potatoes, more tomatoes, more peppers, more kale, more chard, more beans, more red beets, as well as some sweet potatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, and carrots. The sun is shining today, so maybe they will get a change in the weather here.
     Hopefully things will dry off and they will be able to get some plowing done, prepare the soils and get all of the above planted.  With all the weather they have had things have really piled up. It does get a little overwhelming sometimes but if they can get about 3 or four days where they can get in the fields it will be amazing what they will be able to do.  This week it looks like they have some lettuce, green onions, kale, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage.

UPDATE:spoken too soon about the weather drying up. Today they had some thunderstorms that put down a lot of rain and some hail. Thankfully they only had minor damage to the crops. If you do notice a scratch or two on the vegetables that is the season. One good thing, they did get part of the ground ready to plant  that they needed to. It has taken everything they can do to get enough in the ground to have enough produce.  They are thankful for the opportunities they have had to get in the fields, and  will continue to do the best that they can to provide good CSA boxes.

We can tell that it is looking better on the farm water wise...our boxes were filled to overflowing this week with lots of goodies!  Kale and bib lettuce from last week with some new additions.

We love broccoli around here and were so glad to have two heads.

The onions smell so good!

Please don't for a minute think that this is how full our strawberry bucket was...we have a nine year old that was in charge of our CSA box on the way home...and he LOVES strawberries!

Just enough for zucchini bread

Could this be the Chinese cabbage Andy told us about?  Somebody help out this city girl, please.

With our share we get a little something as a surprise...this week it is ketchup.  Now if you are like me you are probably wondering how to make ketchup.  Well, according to the label it contains tomato juice, tomato paste, ketchup spice, vinegar, and cane juice crystals.

If you need information about the CSA or you would like to place an order..just email

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

Recipe Of The Week: Best Zucchini Bread, Ever

Quick and Easy Zucchini Bread

2 cups of chopped zucchini in the blender, with peels
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs

Blend the first 4 ingredients in the blender.

Add to the blender:
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon

Pour into two greased loaf pans.  Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

Summer squash is a general term used for more than 70 different varieties of fast-growing, tender- skinned, soft-fleshed, bland-tasting squash.  Zucchini is by far the most famous ( or is it infamous?) of all summer squashes.  Some other common types are yellow squash-either straight or crook necked- and scallops (also called patty pans).  Summer squash keeps for about 7-10 days refrigerated; they can not be winter stored. 

Yield: 1 lb summer squash =  4 cups sliced or diced

The Practical Produce Cookbook

Recipe Of The Week: Kale Chips

We have been wanting to try our hand at making chips using kale.  The process is really simple...it just takes  a lot of kale to make a good batch for the family.  And it is a little time consuming.

Kale Chips

a bunch of kale

1 tablespoon of olive oil

sea salt to taste

Heat oven to 300 degrees.  Rinse and dry kale and remove stems and tough center ribs.  Cut into large pieces.  Place in a bowl and coat with the tablespoon of olive oil then sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  Line baking dish with parchment for easy clean up.  Arrange on cookie sheet in one layer.  Bake for 20 minutes or until crisp.

(Be careful not to over cook...I did but I thought they were still good.)  

Third Box

     It's had to believe but we are having rainy weather once again today. I do not remember ever having had a spring as wet as this year has been before in my lifetime.  Cedarmore Farm is finding it quite challenging to get the crops in the ground this spring. So far they have been lucky enough to get in on some of their ridges and get stuff planted.They do have a good bit of stuff out, although they are a little behind schedule.
     This week in or CSA boxes we have a bag of mixed greens, some green onions, lettuce, and kale.  Our boxes have a Baked and Canned Goods sheet in them. Please hang on to this sheet. You can then order any of the products by mail, and they will deliver them to your pick-up location along with your veggies. At the end of the month you will be billed for the extra products.

I was so excited to see vegetables that I know.  I have enjoyed using vegetables and finding new ways to use them.  And the family hasn't even complained.

I do a little bit of canning so it is nice to be able to sample things that we wouldn't necessarily try ourselves.

Since this is our first time using a CSA I thought I might let others see the set up.  Everyone chooses a drop-off location.  The deliveries are make before 5PM and we have been asked to pick up our shares between 5 and 7PM.  Each of us have a box with our names and pick-up location.  We 'recycle' our boxes each week.

Some things to remember when picking up your CSA Share....Always bring your waxed box back and any empty egg cartons...let me get back to you on the canning jars.  Please keep things nice and tidy as you have found them.  Please read all notes and remember to take just what your ordered, no more.  Be respectful of the families that are allowing us to us their homes at pick-up locations.

Andy mentioned in his note that he added a Baked and Canned Goods Sheet in each box this week.  You can also click here and see the list that has been posted on the blog.  A few new items have been added.

Sorghum Molasses (grown by the neighbors) 

     One gallon.............$30.00

     One quart...............$9.00

     One pint.................$5.00

     1/2 pint...................$3.00

Homemade Bar Soap (made by Lizzie's Mom for $3.00 a bar)

     Unscented

     Spearmint

     Lilly of the Valley

     Rose

     Lavender

     Lemon Grass

     Love Spell

     Cucumber Melon

    

Be sure to send orders three days before the pick-up date.

Send orders to

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

Second Box and Surprises

     The sun has been shining all day today. It is  really needed. Hopefully it will clear off now and the farm will see more sun and some less rain. Either way they will be short handed this week and probably next week too, although next week looks better than this week. They have hopes that things will be even better the week after next. Of course it all depends on the weather too.
     This week we have garlic, wild ramsons, a bag of mixes greens, and a bag of watercress. Some  CSA members have radishes. If they don't reach around to you this time , it will be made up to you sometime in the rest of the growing season. They try to give us all the same amount as near as they possibly can. Because of the low yields they are including a jar of Sorghum Molasses this week. This Sorghum was grown by some neighbors.
     They are going to try to include a canned goods sheet in our next box, which will have Maple Syrup and Sorghum Molasses listed. That way you can purchase some of these products and pick them up at your pick up location.

Our second box..This was my first pick-up.  Thank heavens for GPS.  I'll try to remember to take my camera so you can see the set-up.   And just so I know what I will be fixing for dinners this week I will try very hard to identify the ingredients in our boxes. (Since I have already identified green garlic and ramsons I won't do them again) 

parsley

mixed greens

watercress

our surprise canned good...sweet pickled peppers

sorghum molasses...I have no idea what to do with this

Recipe Of The Week: Ginger Cookies

Today I will share a recipe using sorghum molasses (our daughter was so excited...it is one of her recipes...and she says they are the best cookies she ever ate!)

GINGER COOKIES

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Combine dry ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll into balls and drop in sugar, coating them well. Placed on greases cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for ten minutes.

Recipe Of The Week: Leek and Potato Soup

From time to time we want to share information about organic farming and the CSA.  We will also will be sharing recipes.  Since we got some green garlic in our first CSA, I went to the new cookbook that Lizzie and I are sharing and for some information and several recipes.  And since green garlic is a cousin to an onion and an onion is cousin to a leek...I am trying out a new recipe.

     Leeks are also called 'poor man's asparagus', leeks are valued for their mild, sweet flavor.  While onions mack a dish oniony, the milder leeks meld with, and enhance, the flavors of the foods they are cooked with.
     Leeks are large, non-bulbing, members of the onion family.  They require a growing season in the 110-130 day range.  Because of the days to maturity, it is best to start with transplants instead of direct seeding.
     Start plants in February or March to set out as soon as your soil can be worked in the spring.  Plant seedlings 6 inches apart, in holes dibbled about 6 inches deep.  Only a few inches of leaf needs to be exposed.  Don't firm the soil around the plant.
     As the leeks grow, hill up the soil several times during the summer on wither side of your row.  This will maximize the white edible portion of the leek.
     Although larger leeks (1.5 inches across) are sweeter, you can start using them when they are 3/4 inch across.  Because of the way the are grown, leeks need to be thoroughly washed to remove any grit.  Trim off the root and the dark green leaves.  Then slit lenghtwise on one side to within a 1/2 inch of the base.  Gently separate the leaves and wash by holding under running water.
     Use leeks in salads, casseroles and soups.  They can also be left whole and eaten like a cooked vegetable-braised, boiled or steamed.  Overcooked leeks turn mushy and slippery, so watch cooking times carefully.
     Unwashed leeks will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.  If your winters are mild, mulch unused leeks in the garden and you can enjoy fresh leeks all winter.
     Leeks are a good source of vitamin C, with some niacin and calcium.

     Yield:  1 lb. fresh leeks = 6 cups sliced leeks

Information taken from The Practical Produce Cookbook

Leek and Potato Soup

3 Tbs. butter

4 C sliced leeks

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced

4 C chicken broth

1/8 tsp pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 C sour cream

4 slices fried crumbled bacon

Melt butter in a 3-qt saucepan.  Add leeks and cook until tender.  Stir in potatoes, broth, pepper and bay leaf: bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer approximately 20 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.  Cool slightly.  Blend mixture, half at a time, until smooth. Pour blended mixture into saucepan.  Gradually stir in sour cream.  Cook over low heat for 3 minutes.  Serve hot and garnish bowls with bacon.

First CSA Box

     Welcome to my first box of veggies for 2011.  It is with mixed feelings that Cedarmore Farm begins this 2011 season.  They  are glad to get the season started, but with all the rains that we are having things are off to a slow start.  The supply of vegetables is not looking as good as they would like to see it, but they are hopeful that things will pick up in a few weeks.  Rain is needed and good, but this much rain slows crops from maturing.  They are including a jar of Maple Syrup in our boxes to help make up for the low yields.  This maple Syrup is made from the Maple Sap that we gathered from the trees in their woods.
     Our first box this year contains lettuce, kale, a bag of mixed greens, garlic, wild ramsons, and of course the jar of syrup.  The ramsons were gathered in the nearby woods.  They can be eaten in salads or just about any way you might eat garlic, although there are milder than garlic.
     Please bring your empty boxes back to your pick up location when you come to pick up your next box of veggies.  Also, please to try to keep things neat when you drop off your empty box and pick up your new one.  Remember that your pick up location is at someone else's house.  I'm sure they will appreciate it if you keep things tidy. 

As you can see we are taking part in the egg share also.  I love brown eggs.  The yellows are so much more yellow than 'regular white' eggs.  We also got a jar of canned tomato chunks.   There were a few things that we are not sure about...so I looked them up.

As I stated before, I had to look up some of these veggie...I'm a city (wanta-be-country girl) girl.  I noticed that we had several comments about the vegetables that were in the CSA boxes.  I thought I knew what I had in mine but I was wrong.  So I emailed pictures to Cedarmore Farm and ask for help.

wild ramsons...

Ramsons (Allium ursinum) (also known as buckrams, wild garlic, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic or bear's garlic) is a wild relative of chives. The Latin name is due to the brown bear's taste for the bulbs and its habit of digging up the ground to get at them; they are also a favorite of wild boar.

kale

green garlic

lettuce

baby mix salad greens

Hope this helps.  I will try to identify each weeks contents to the best of my ability.

Cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

So Excited

Today is the first CSA pick up.  I can hardly wait to see what is in our share this week!  Here is a sample of some of the canned goods that you might find in you share.

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com