Lots of Color

I haven't had much communication with Andy and Lizzie this week.  They have been extremely busy trying to get the irrigation pump up and running.  It is really giving them trouble. And with the weather being so dry, it really needs to be working. Andy has been working on it all day and thinks that he might be able to get it running soon.

I am so impressed that Andy has stories to go along with some of the vegetable.  This week in our CSA boxes we got several different types of tomatoes.  The large pink ones are an heirloom variety that has been handed down to them for many generations.  He doesn't know the name and that is really unusual.  The long skinny one is an Italian heirloom.  The more orange-red ones are called Mountain Fresh and they contain more acid.  My Mom could not eat these because she would end up with a big fever blister.  I really don't care what the name...I am always hoping we get some because I know that they will be delicious!

corn, beets, garlic, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and two really skinny egg plants (I think), green, yellow and purple 'green' beans

We were excited to find our canned share was pizza sauce.  We are looking forward to dinner on Friday when we will be making homemade pizza....with bacon and pineapple.

Recipe Of The Week: Beet and Egg Salad

Beet and Egg Salad

2 cups of cooked and diced beets

2 hard boiled eggs, diced

2 Tablespoons of chopped onions

Combine cold beets with egg and onion.  Chill and serve with dressing.

Our weather here in Cincinnati and the surrounding areas have been really pleasant the last couple of days but we haven't had much rain so things are beginning to get dry. Andy says that he is glad they have an irrigation system in place because it seems to be what he is going to have to use until the rains. He says it does a decent job taking care of all the crops.

He was talking last week about the different growing methods that he and his providers use. They feel that the soil is the most important things they have to look after. All the farmers agree that they need to focus on building healthy soil because that is what will give us healthy plants. Healthy plants have a higher Brix level (sugar content). Most insects don't like the taste of plants that have a high Brix level. These plants are better able to fight off disease and insects, and are also sweeter and tastier. It is kind of like our bodies. They will be more able to ward of sickness and disease much better if we keep them in good health. Many people feel that when we get sick instead of reaching for the antibiotics we should be thinking how to prevent it in the first place by maintaining good health. We can use that same philosophy when the plants are attacked by insects or disease. Farmers should be trying to figure out what is lacking in their soil instead of reaching for some chemicals to fix the problem.

I am sure that Andy will have more to day about the farming ways soon.

Another wide variety of vegetable this week...corn (the best I have had this summer), onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, Swiss chard (yea! My new favorite vegetable.  Check the blog for the recipe...it is delicious!), and a variety of beans and okra.  Tonight we will be having the chard, corn and grilled okra.

A pint of vegetable juice...haven't decided what to do with this just yet.

If you just happened on the blog why not consider the CSA. I  can tell you that it is good food and like getting a gift each week because you never know what Andy and Lizzie will pack in your box. 

For more information contact

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

Recipe Of The Week: Okra Tomato Rice

Okra Tomato Rice

3 slices of bacon, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

1 cup sliced okra, 1/4 inch slices

2 large tomatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

3/4 cup of hot water

1/1/4 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon of basil

1/8 teaspoon of pepper

3 drops of hot pepper sauce

Brown bacon and drain on a paper towel.  Add onion and okra to bacon drippings.  Cook, stirring occasionally until okra is tender.  Stir in bacon and remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.

Too Wet For Mellons

Andy had listed melons as one of the planned crops for the summer CSA, but with the weather being so wet int he spring when it was time to plant no one attempted to plant any.  He is trying to find someone locally that would have grown the melons organically but so far no success.  He may be able to find some that are NOT grown organically.  If you would like one of those , please email Cedarmore Farm and they will see that you get a watermelon.  Also Fall Shares are open but there are not too many left.  So if you  would like to join the CSA, please email as soon as you can.


The weather has been pleasant for the last four or five days.  Also Andy reports to me that they got a few good rains and he is hoping for a bountiful harvest.  Things are going so well  that they are getting ready to plant more fall crops in the field.  Since the rains the soil is nice and moist so hopefully the crops will be off to a good tart.  Lizzie and the girls that have been hired to help around the farm are busy canning.  Something new to me ....cow peas.  Andy says that they will be able to harvest some in the next few weeks so many you should google a recipe or two.  This is the first year that they have grown then.  So he is looking for your feedback.  Andy gives me a heads up (because he knows I don't know to much about some of the things the farm grows) and says that you only eat the peas...just like you would regular peas.


The melons are still a little bit of a question mark.  Since Andy writes the Newsletter that is placed in each box on the Thursday before picking on Tuesday  he wasn't sure if they would be able to find any organic watermelons.  Again...if you don't mind getting a non-organic grown melon, please email (cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com) and let them know what you would like to do for next week.

tomatoes, a Italian heirloom tomato, bets, peppers,potatoes, corn, watermelon, cow peas

Delicious...can't wait to eat them on a hamburger!

I love Lizzie's Mom's soaps.  They make you smell wonderful and they are so moisturising. 

We couldn't wait to cut into the cherry pie...DELICIOUS!

I look forward to Tuesdays because I know Jesse (a hired driver) and his sweet children will be bringing us some good food and it is always like opening a gift.  We never really know what to expect.  There have been some things that I have no clue what they are.  I had to buy a vegetable encyclopedia so I could tell you what they were.  We communicate by emails to a neighbor down the road, (a non- Amish or English) organic farmer.  Recently we have just been exchanging notes in the CSA box each Tuesday.  Truly the highlight of my week.  And I am learning so much about organic farming and the Amish way.  Not to mention I have a whole bunch of new friends!

Please consider joining the CSA and trying out some new things.  It is a very interesting and you will not believe what you will be cooking.  And your family will like it....mine does!

Cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

Recipe Of The Week: Potato Pancakes

Potato Pancakes

3 cups grated potatoes

1 onion, grated

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

oil

Mix all the ingredients except the oil.  Heat enough oil in the skillet to cover the bottom of the skillet.  Use a 1/4 cup measure to pout batter into skillet.  Flatten a little if necessary.  Fry until golden brown.  Turn and fry on the other side.  Pancakes may be kept warm in a 300 degree oven while frying more.  Top with an egg, maple syrup, and a slice of tomato.  How about a piece of sausage yet?  Mmmm!

Cow Peas

Cow Peas...I have no idea!  So I googled them and found out that they are also called black-eyed peas.

I think I will find a good salsa recipe to make.

Cow Pea Salsa

1/4 cup of sweet corn

1 cup cow peas

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup lime juice

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup onion, chopped

Mix all veggies in a bowl (except cilantro).  In a second bowl whisk together lime juice, olive oil, and cilantro. Pour over veggies and toss.  Chill 30 minutes.  Serves 4.

Pattypan Squash

Looks like the raccoons are taking a sweet corn break this week or Andy's supplier has figured out how to protect it.  The tomatoes in the greenhouse are pretty much finished but the good news is that the field tomatoes are coming in.  We should be getting some of them in a few weeks.

I am so excited when our box comes!   I know that it will be filled with good food and I can hardly wait to figure out what we are having for dinner.  This week there were some pattypan squash, grown by Lizzie's sister and husband..  We have been trying to grow them but the deer have eaten all the blooms.  Our plants are nice and green but no blooms that survive.  These little squashes look like tiny custard squashes.  They can be green, yellow or white and have a slightly firmer texture that zucchini, but have a similar flavor.  They can be sliced and broiled in the same was zucchini is prepared but to make the most of their size and shape, steam them whole until tender.

We love our brown egg share!

This week our canned share is pear butter.  Can't say that I have ever had any pear butter...I am an apple butter girl myself.  But I see some toast with pear butter for breakfast tomorrow.

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

Recipe Of The Week

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 cups shredded peeled zucchini or summer squash

Cream sugar, butter, and oil.  Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla.  Combine dry ingredients and add.  Stir in zucchini, pour into buttered 13x9 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees approximately 40 minutes.  Make your favorite icing or top with chocolate chips and nuts before baking.

A Wide Variety of Vegetables

It is hard to believe that August is here already.  Some of the vegetable are a little late in maturing because of all the wet weather we have been having but since it has been unusually hot the last few weeks they hope to have plenty of vegetables in the coming weeks.  It has been so dry that they have had to run the irrigation pump quite a lot lately.  They are praying for the rain to come soon.

Since I was visiting the farm this morning to learn how they keep our orders straight and see the process of packing the boxes, I got to be the 'delivery person' for our area today.  Not a big deal...so far only two families but we are hoping to grow.

This week the raccoons feasted on the  sweet corn so there were  only a few ears for each share.  Andy was a little discouraged about that.  He says that there really isn't anything you can do about it.  Hopefully next week we will have more.  We got lots of different colors of peppers and more potatoes this week.  The green beans aren't quite ready to pick.  But we were able to get a bag of yellow and purple beans.  Always onions which are delicious.

I learned that any of the peppers that have been picked for today's share that were not used are cut and used for canning.  Meaning we will be getting some more pickled sweet peppers in our shares soon.  When I was leaving the girls had already started preparing the peppers.

Please share the information about Cedarmore Farm CSA with your friends.  Email or get the information from the blog.  It really is a great way to start to eat a variety of different vegetables and it is a good thing for Andy and Lizzy and their family.

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

How It All Works

Well, maybe not all of it. 

I had asked Andy and Lizzy if I could come out to the farm on a day when they were packing the CSA boxes. I was thinking early...like before the sun came up. No way, they had me come at 8:30AM.

I was thinking that I would be helping get the vegetables out of the fields and helping to clean them to get them ready for the CSA boxes.  All that work was done by the time I got there.  Everything was all nice and tidy, organized and ready to go.  Everything had a place.

The table was lined with tomatoes that were as red and a hummingbirds neck and almost too big for me to hold in my hand..  On the opposite side of the room were bins of the other vegetables.

The peppers were separated according to color.  And the smell...made my mouth water.  See the vegetable basket in the bottom right corner?  Lizzy would fill it up with just the right number of peppers to fill the baskets.  I think we filled close to 50 baskets today.  When Moses was fussy I got to fill the boxes with peppers.  If I was really quick I was able to put in the newsletter.  But if I hesitated for one second...I lost my job.  They were all business...no fooling around.

Each box is lined up on a bench according to pick-up location.  Each box has to be labeled with pick-up location and customer name.  Andy has a clipboard with all the information hanging on the wall just in case he forgets what he is doing.   I would probably have to carry it around with me at all time because I wouldn't be able to remember it all.

Bags filled with onions hang along with garlic out in the back by the barn.

Just as I was leaving, Jesse and his family pulled up.  He is the driver that delivers the CSA boxes all over the area.

I had a great and interesting time.  I understand a little more bout the CSA and how it all works.  Seems to run very smooth. 

Be sure to share the blog and the link to the CSA with your friends.

Recipe Of The Week: Potatoes O'Brien

Potatoes O'Brien

3 Tablespoons oil

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup green pepper

1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper

4 diced medium potatoes

1/4 cup broth or water

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon salt

Heat oil and saute the vegetables for 4 minutes.  Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over vegetables.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Stir occasionally.  Uncover and cook 3 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed.