Another New Rabbit

We sure aren't having good luck with rabbits at the farm.  Meet rabbit number 3...Hershey...a male Mimi Rex.  I will write an update when I visit in January.

Gingebread House Construction

Anna was looking in a magazine and saw a picture of a gingerbread house. She has been begging Lizzie to make one. Lizzie gives me this mischievous grin...little did I know we would be making one from scratch. We usually make ours from a kit. Oh, but wait, I am visiting an Amish family...

Love that Lizzie keeps her cookbook in a large plastic bag.  And at the end of this experience I understand why!

According to directions we were to make five packages of the gingerbread dough.  Done!

Templates were next.

The kitchen was a little warm for the 'cement' on the house to set up so we decided to put it on the back porch summer kitchen to cool and set.  I love that wood burning stove.

We mixed up some thicker 'cement' and loaded up the roof.  Then added a few Mason jars for support. Lastly, Lizzie gave the kids each one cinnamon bear.  There are...The Andy's all lined up on the front of the house. And this is how you make an Amish Gingerbread House.

 

I wonder how long it took before they stated eating it?

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

I just received this email from Rue...

Jan,
You might want to put on the blog that the boys (the hired driver and his little brother) are leaving the produce for Covington and Burlington at the downtown location.  I have sent them (CSA members)  an email to let them know.

And then a few minutes later...

Clifton will now be delivered downtown as well

Please take a moment and think about and pray for the boys driving the van.  The driver is 16 and I am guessing he has never driven in this mess. It is a long way on the two lane back roads from downtown to Hillsboro.  I worry about my boys.

Cedarmore Farm 2014 Sign-Up Sheet

Cedarmore Farm 2014 Sign-Up Sheet

 

Name __________________________________________________  Phone ___________________

 

Address __________________________________________________________________________

 

City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________________________

 

Email ____________________________________________________________________________

 

1.  Choose Your Shares  Free Delivery to the pick up location of your choice!

           All Season Share  sign-up by March 1st to get a produce box delivered weekly for 32 weeks   

               first full week of May - second week of December

        $515 x __________ (number of shares) = $ __________

 

Spring Share  sign-up by March 1st to get produce box delivered per week for 10 weeks

first full week of May - first full week of July

$190 x __________ (number of shares) = $ __________

 

Summer Share  sign-up by April 1st and get a produce box delivered per week for 12 weeks

2nd full week of July - last week of September

$180 x __________ (number of shares) = $ __________

 

Fall Share  sign-up by May 1st and get a produce box delivered per week for 10 weeks

first week of October - second week in December

$170 x __________9number of shares) = $__________

 

Weekly Egg Share lets you add a dozen pasture range eggs with your produce box

(number of weeks in your share choice from above)

__________ x $3.50 per dozen =  $__________

 

Bi-weekly Egg Share  one dozen pasture range eggs every other week in your share from above

(half the # of weeks in your share from above)

__________ x $3.50 per dozen =$__________

 

Canned Good Share  one surprise jar in your share from above! 

possibilities are ketchup, tomato juice, tomato chunks, pizza sauce, pickled beets, sweet peppers, sweet or hot pepper butter, bread & butter, dill, or mustard pickles, strawberry, blackberry or red raspberry jam, peach or pear butter and more

(number of weeks in your share choice from above)

__________ x $4.00 per week = $__________

 

Weekly Baked Good Share  get one surprise each week with your share from above

possibilities include pies (cherry, blueberry, blackberry, pecan nut or apple), cookies )monster, chocolate chip, pumpkin, chocolate no=bake, buttermilk or raisin oatmeal), bars (three-layer snack bars, peanut butter, pumpkin with frosting & nuts, pumpkin with chocolate chips or granola bars), cinnamon rolls, zucchini bread, banana bread or wheat bread

(number of weeks in your share from above)

__________ x $5.00 per week = $ __________

 

                                                                                                    TOTAL from above __________

 

 

 

 

2.  Choose Your Pick-Up Location Get boxes labeled with your name from...

• Cedarmore Farm:   126112 Turley Lane, Hillsboro, on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm
• Anderson #1:   7225 Cobblestone Court, Cincinnati on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm
• Batavia:  3553 State Rt. 222, Batavia, on Fridays 5:00-8:00pm
• Clarksville:  3668 Nicholson Road,  on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm 
• Eastgate:  4873 Beechwood Road, Cincinnati, on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm
• Hamilton:  914 Richwood Avenue, Tuesdays 6:00-9:00pm
• Hillsboro:  8586 US HWY 50, on Tuesdays 8:00-10:00pm
• Kenwood:  7791 Montgomery Road, on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm
• Lebanon:  2308 Wood Road, on Tuesdays 6:30-9:30pm
• Loveland:  865 Miami Ridge Drive, on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm
• Mason: 106 West Church Street, on Tuesdays 6:00-9:00pm
• Milford:  1224 Eagle Ridge Road, on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm
• Mt. Orab:  16844 Bodman Road, on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm
• Wyoming:  508 Wirtz Way, on Tuesdays 5:00-8:00pm
• Anderson #2:  1980 Gainsborough Lane, Cincinnati, on Fridays 5:00-8:00pm
• Burlington:  6989 Lucia Drive, Burlington, KY, on Fridays 5:00-8:00pm
• Clifton:  2170 Elysian Place, Cincinnati, on Fridays 5:00-8:00pm
• Covington:  836 Alhambra Court, Park Hills, KY, on Fridays 5:00-8:00pm
• Downtown Cincinnati:  1222 Race Street, on Fridays 5:00-8:00pm
• Norwood:  1624 Sherman Avenue on Fridays, 5:00-8:00pm
• Oakley July 1y:  2733 Arbor Avenue, Cincinnati, on Fridays 5:00-8:00pm
• Peebles:  33 Dodge City Drive (Bob Malcolm Chrysler), on Fridays 1:00-5:00pm
• Westwood:  3110 Coral Park Drive, on Fridays 5:00-8:00pm

 

 

3. Choose Your Payment Option

• Pay total now
• Pay 50% of total now and 50% by July 1st

Make checks payable to Cedarmore Farm and mail with a copy of your sheet to:

 

Cedarmore Farm

12612 Turley Lane

Hillsboro, OH 45133

 

 

*For questions, comments, or extra order items send an email to:

 

cedarmorefarm@gmail.com

 

 

Get a FREE 1 year subscription (an $18 value) to Farming Magazine.  Simply fill out this form and return it to Cedarmore Farm with your purchase of an All Season Share from Cedarmore Farm CSA.

 

Name____________________________________________________________________________

Address  _________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip code _________________________________________________________________

 

 

order expires February 20, 2014

Sign-up form and check must be mailed on or before

February 20, 2014 to be eligible for this FREE subscription



Last Week of CSA 2013

Today marks the last day of the CSA delivery for this season.  It went by so quickly!  Andy feels like when he looks back that it was a pretty good season.  Early in the season it was a little bit wet and then came the drought in September and August.  But all in all the weather we had in this part of the country was good for growing produce.  He feels like this season was the best on the farm so far.

And then there was the issue with not enough eggs.  Thye started out with over 250 chickens but because for predators, laying skills, and the cooler than normal weather, there haven't been enough eggs to go around to all those who ordered the Egg Share.  To compensate Andy and Lizzie sent canned goods in the boxes that had signed up for the Egg Share.  Guess I am just going to have to go out there and have a little talk with those chickens.  Hopefully they will do better next year.

Andy and Lizzie are already excepting sign-ups for the 2014 season.  Current members of the CSA will be receiving the paperwork in the mail in the coming weeks.  If you are new to the CSA and wish to gather information please email Rue at the email address for Cedarmore Farm on the right side of the blog.  Or you can send snail mail to Andy and Lizzie.  That address is on the right also.

We all thank you for your support and look forward to hearing from you for next year's CSA.  Please share you experiences and help grow the CSA.

Recipe Of The Week: Potato Bacon Omelet

Potato Bacon Omelet

 

8 slices of diced bacon

1 1/2 cups of peeled potatoes, diced into 1/4 inch pieces

1/4 cup of finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon of salt

3 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

12 eggs, beaten

2 Tablespoons of water

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

2 Tablespoons of oil

cheese (optional)

 

Fry bacon until browned, drain on a  paper towel.  Pour off about 2 Tablespoons of drippings.  Add potatoes and onions to drippings.  Cook until potatoes are tender and golden.  Stir in bacon and parsley.  Set aside.  Beat eggs, water, pepper, and salt.  Add potato mixture until well blended.  Heat oil in skillet and pour in egg and potato mixture.  Cook, lifting cooked egg portion around the edge to uncooked portion runs underneath.  Cook until mixture is set, (if desired, sprinkle with cheese) fold in half and slide onto a serving platter. 



2014 CSA Information and Sign Up

Cedarmore Farm

 

Fresh Produce Club

Eat Better!!!  Join Our CSA Produce Club!!! 

 

• Get fresh picked, locally grown vegetables each week, all season long
• Feed you family healthy, seasonal fruits and vegetables
• All our produce is grown locally in Highland County, Hillsboro, OH
• We farm using only organic methods.  No chemical pesticides or fertilizers.

CROPS PLANNED FOR 2014

Spring:  beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, cucumbers, lettuce, onions, radishes, salad greens, strawberries, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini

 

Summer:  blackberries, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, garlic, green beans, onions, peppers, potatoes, red beets, sweet corn, and tomatoes

 

Fall:  broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, onions, radishes, carrots, squash (sweet dumpling, acorn, butternut), garlic, potatoes, red beets, kale, Chinese cabbage, sweet potatoes

 

For 2014 Options with the CSA Shares

• free delivery is included to many Greater Cincinnati pick up locations
• your share will be in a produce box labeled with your name at the pickup location of your choice
• two 'Fresh Egg Shares' choices are available for you to receive pasture range eggs
• 'Weekly Canned Good Share" gets a surprise jar added to each produce box!
• 'Weekly Baked Good Share' delivers a fresh baked surprise with each box!
• We continue to offer the option to send a full or 50% payment when you sign up, with the balance due by July 1
• We will also take orders throughout the season for extra items such as maple syrup, fresh baked pies, cinnamon rolls. breads, cookies, bars, and home canned goods.  Grass fed chicken will be available in season too. 
• All extra ordered items will be delivered with your weekly produce box.

 

Extras

 

Baked Goods (Place order three days in advance of your CSA pickup day)

breads: $3/loaf...zucchini, banana, and wheat bread

rolls: $5/tray...cinnamon

pies:  $6/each...cherry, blueberry, blackberry, rebury, pecan nut, and apple

cookies: $4/doz...monster, chocolate chip, pumpkin, chocolate no-bake, buttermilk, raisin oatmeal

bars:  $4/tray...3 layer snack, peanut butter, pumpkin with frosting and nuts, chocolate chip pumpkin, granola bars

 

Canned Fruit

red raspberry jam...$4.50 per pint or $2.75 per 1/2 pint

strawberry or blackberry jam...$4.00 per pint or $2.50 per 1/2 pint

pear or peach butter...$4.00 per pint or $2.50 per1/2 pint

 

Canned Vegetables  pint jars are $3.50 each

pickled beets, pickled sweet peppers, mustard pickles, dill pickles, bread & butter pickles, salsa

sweet pepper butter, hot pepper butter, ketchup, tomato juice, tomato chunks, pizza sauce

 

Maple Syrup (from our own trees on the farm)

one gallon...$45.00

half gallon...$25.00

one quart...$14.00

one pint...$8.00

half pint...$5.00

 

Pasture Range Eggs   $3.50 per dozen

 

Homemade Bar Soap (made by Lizzie's mom)  $3.00 per bar

unscented, spearmint, lily of the valley, cucumber melon, rose, lavender, lemon grass, and love spell

 

 

CSA Members send inquires and orders to

cedarmorefarm@gmail.com

 

*Availability is not guaranteed and prices are subject to change

 

 

 

 



Thanksgiving Dinner In A Box

The 2013 CSA season is just about finished...just a few more weeks.  That is not good news.  Andy is please with this years CSA success.  He will be reflecting on it in a few weeks.  And I am sure that my next visit to the farm will be filled with conversations like...what did I like?  This week we got a small treat...a pint size jar of maple syrup.  Yummmmm!

He also reports that the CSA members have been taking time out to respond in a positive way about the CSA.  That is a good thing.  The Andy's are always glad to hear from the share holders positive and negative.  They only want the CSA to grow and be the best that it can be.  Thanks for helping with this.  They are very thankful for the members because with out them there would be no CSA.  So spread the good word and help the Amish Community prosper.  It takes all of us to make it work.

Parts of Thanksgiving Dinner in a box.

Recipe Of The Week: Pecan Sweet Potato Pie

Pecan Sweet Potato Pie

 

1/4 cup of butter

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of mashed of mashed sweet potatoes

3 eggs slightly beaten

1/3 cup of corn syrup

1/3 cup of milk

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 cup of chopped pecans

1 unbaked pie shell

 

Cream the butter and sugar.  Add potatoes and eggs.  Mix well.  Stir the remaining ingredients and pour into the unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake another 35-40 minutes.

 

They smell heavenly!

 



A Little Something Different

 

With the weather turning a little colder, the work on the farm is starting to wind down.  Now Andy and Lizzie have time to work on all those things that have had to wait.  One of those projects is hog butchering.

 

I can't believe Andy didn't let me know it was hog butchering time!  I would have loved to have had the experience.   And I can just imagine the pictures.  I promise they would have been tasteful.  I'll have to remember this time next year.

 

The Andy's participate in a 'butchering ring" with three other Amish families.  The ring actually is helping out the other families that need to butcher their hogs for meat for the winter.  Lizzie's sister, Katie (she is a funny one that Katie), will be the first on the list.  They plan to butcher on Monday. 

The first thing that needs to be done is to kill the hog.  He hasn't gone into detail about that which is probably a good thing. Next the list of how tos is take the hog to a tub where the water is 170 degrees (HOT).  When the hair starts to come off it is time to take them out and scald them....which is removing all the hair until the skin is nice and smooth.  Then they are hung and dressed.  After splitting them in half, they take the half in and put them on a table in the basement.  This is where the different cuts are removed from the animal...the bacon, the sirloins, the ribs and the hams.  As the bones are taken out they are placed in a cast iron kettle with water and they are brought to a boil.

 

The lard needs to be separated from the meat.  The meat needs to be cut up into smaller pieces and ground into sausage.  When the meat that is still on the bone gets nice and soft, the bones are removed from the kettle and someone has to pick all the meat off.  The meat will be put into pudding later in the day.

 

As soon as all the bones are out of the kettle, the lard needs to be cut up into pieces and put into the same kettle.  This needs to be boiled just right and then run through a press.  The liquid that runs off is put into containers where it will be left to harden.  This is now ready to be used or to make soap or keep for cooking and baking.  When the lard is done it is time to  put the meat that came off the bone in the pudding and then the bacon and hams need to be put in brine for a few days and then it will be smoked.  Most of the meat will be canned in a day or so but the bacon and hams will need to be hung in the cellar after being smoked.  And there they will keep.

 

Andy says that there are a lot of details missing from the processes that are done when butchering hogs...he just wanted us to have an idea what happens in a butchering ring.  Sounds like a very

Recipe Of The Week: Butternut Squash Pie Squares

Butternut Squash Pie Squares

1 cup of flour
1/2cup of quick oats
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of butter
2 cups of mashed butternut squash
2 12 ounce cans of evaporated milk
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ginger
1/2 teaspoon of cloves
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
2 Tablespoons of butter

Combine the first four ingredients until crumbly and then press into a greased 9X13 baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Beat the squash, butter, eggs, sugar, spices, and salt until smooth and pour over the crust.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Combine the reamiaing ingredients and sprinkle over top.  Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Keep refrigerated.

Recipe Share: Sweet Dumpling Squash

 

And you see what I have done with my acorn squash and my newly discovered sweet dumpling squash.

 

Someone email a question about the little pumpkins we got in our boxes last week.  Just knowing the CSA I knew they were edible but had no idea what they were called or how to fix them.  We just called them cute little pumpkins.  So I did the next best thing...emailed Rue.  So he sent back the recipe that I am sharing today.  We are going to have them for dinner tonight and I will let you know how they are. 

Sweet Dumpling Squash

 

Cut in half from top to bottom.  Put face down on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until tender/soft when poked with a fork.  Remove the skin and eat with butter and maple syrup or butter and brown sugar.

 

I was really surprised.  I liked at it!  I think I would choose to put more brown sugar in to make it a little sweeter.  The texture is like mashed sweet potatoes and the taste is somewhat like that also.  I think we will have these little cuties again sometime.  Also maybe I might add some nutmeg.

 

Prep For Next Season Begins

There is no rest for the weary at Cedarmore Farm.  There is always something that needs tended to.  Right not Andy and his crew are busy pulling out hundreds of tomato stakes and miles of drip lines.  This clean up must be complete before winter sets in.  They will also be digging up the last of the sweet potatoes. 

It is hard for me to believe that there are only four weeks (if you are counting this week) left in the CSA.  Andy assures us that there is still a good supply of produce for the reaming three weeks.

Recipe Of The Week: Stir Fried Cabbage

Stir Fried Cabbage

 

1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil

1Tablespoon of butter

3 cups of shredded cabbage

1 cup of diagonally diced celery

1 cup of red or green pepper strips

1 onion, sliced

1 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

 

Hear oil and butter in the skillet.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook, stirring frequently, 5-7minutes or until tender crisp.

\

Variation: Omit salt and pepper and season with 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce.  Add soy sauce near the end of cooking time.

A Visit Home

A little time away from the farm this week for the Andy's.  The entire family will be traveling 'home' to Wayne county to visit with Andy's dad.  A few weeks ago Andy's dad was involved in a car-buggy accident.  A can hit the buggy from behind.  Andy's dad was thrown from the and buggy hurt his back and has a few broken ribs.  He had to stay in the hospital for about a week, but is now home recovering well.  Everyone else involved in the accident is well also.  Thankfully the horse was not injured.  They should have returned on Wednesday. 

The farm is in very capable hands while they are away.  The helpers, as they are referred to, know exactly what needs to be done and how to do it so Andy and Lizzie feel comfortable with going on the visit.  It is rare for them to leave the farm for an extended amount of time.  Getting to Wayne county is another blog post for another time.

 



Our boxes have turnips again this week.  I know that the Andy's like to eat them raw but we like to either boil or roast ours.  There is some great looking lettuce also.  Andy hope that the lettuce will mature enough for us to have lettuce in our boxes for the rest of the CSA season.

Recipe Of The Week: Lettuce Sandwich Spread

Lettuce Sandwich Spread

1/2 cup pf chopped lettuce
3 Tablespoons of chopped green pepper
3 Tablespoons of chopped celery
3 Tablespoons chopped cucumber
2Tablespoons of chopped onions
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
1/4 cups of mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients and spread on bread.

A Good Fall Vegetable Harvest

 

 

Andy says that Jack Frost came for a visit last week so that means the end to frost susceptible plants.  But he does have peppers growing in the hophouse.  They will show up in our boxes in a few weeks.

Even with the cooler weather, there are still plenty to do on the farm.  Harvesting sweet potatoes is the main chore at the moment. There is a good crop. Andy even dug up a sweet potato that weighed in close to 5 pounds.  Also he noticed that there are plenty of odd shapes and some roughness  on the surface.  He is not sure what has cause that but he suspects it might be a potassium deficiency.  They may look a little different then the ones that you might buy in the store but they should be fine to eat.

During the month of November the farm will be offering a sale on maple syrup.  A 15% discount for any maple syrup orders...any quantity can be ordered.

Some sad news to report...Chocolate Drop got sick and died a few days after I dropped him off.  Andy isn't sure what it was.  But he has heard of other rabbits with the same symptoms.  So I'll visit my friends and pick up a new one in a few weeks.  The kids are so sad.

Recipe Of The Week: Sweet Potatoes With Maple Syrup

Sweet Potatoes With Maple Syrup

1/2 cup of maple syrup

1/4 cup of butter 

4 cups of sweet potatoes sliced

Bring syrup and butter to a boil.  Boil rapidly for five minutes or until thickened.  Pour over boiled and peeled hot sweet potatoes.  Serve warm.

So Much Goodness In One Box

Got a note from Andy saying that they are getting colder weather and he thinks by this time this week they should have. Which means that will be an end to the beans, tomatoes, peppers and strawberries.  But the more hardy crops...turnips, broccoli, cabbage, chard, spicy greens, lettuce and radishes...should be fine.  There are lots of vegetables in storage...potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, and winter squashes.  And I know Andy and his crew are thrilled that they have finished planting all the garlic for next year.  The next project is to get all the sweet potatoes out of the ground!

 

There are so many vegetables in this weeks box...and they are all my favorites!  Little things stuck in all the nooks and crannies of the box.

Recipe Of The Week: Turnips With Onions

Turnips With Onions

 

3 cups dices, peeled turnips

2 cups of sliced carrots

1/4 teaspoon of ginger

3/4 cup of water

1 teaspoon of salt, divided

1/2 cup of chopped onions

1/2 cup of diced celery

3 Tablespoons of butter

3 Tablespoons of flour

1/4 cup of black pepper

1 1/2cup of milk

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

 

In a saucepan, combine turnips, carrots, ginger, water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, drain and reserve liquid.  Set vegetables aside.  In a skillet, sauté onion, celery in butter until tender.  Stir in flour, pepper, and remaining salt.  Ass milk and vegetable liquid.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in cheese until melted.  Stir in vegetables and heat through.

Recipe Of The Week: Turnip Greens

Turnip Greens

 

Bring about 1/4 of a inch of water to a boil.  Add one pound of turnip greens and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Return to a boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes, depending on size.

 

4 slices of bacon

1 onion chopped

6-8 cups of turnip greens

salt and pepper to taste

 

Fry bacon and remove fro skillet.  Saute onions in the bacon drippings.  Add the greens to the skillet.  Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.  Add crumbled bacon, salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

A First For Me

This is the first week since I have been involved with the CSA that Andy or Lizzie has been to busy to write a newsletter.  And to add to that, Rue and Susan, the couple that help with the communications for the farm, are out of town enjoying some family time. 

 

And I thought that spring was the busiest time for them.  Our boxes were full to overflowing again this week.  I have never seen a bigger head of broccoli!  And strawberries...what a sweet surprise!

Fluffy Has A Friend

Anna is going to start raising rabbits to sell to make a little money.  So I drove to my favorite rabbit pick up spot (Jamie Kinner's in Batavia) and picked up a male brown mini Rex.  Just so happens that the Kinner's use to own a coffee shop in Batavia that was a CSA dropoff.  And Adam, Andy's brother dresses chickens for the Kinner's.  And Jamie went to school with my next door neighbor.  Very small world around here.  I met Jamie thru FreeCycle about a year ago.

Fluffy didn't come out to meet Chocolate Drop.  This is home sweet home for the rabbits and all the little bunnies to come...a reused, recycled, repurposed chicken coop and run.  I love that.  And an added bonus, Sem, the watch dog.

Anna from this day forward will be known as my Cedarmore Blogger Assistant.  She suggested that we go out in the yard and take some pictures of all of her growing things.  These are her knockout roses.

She suggested a close up.  And after every shot she has to okay the pics.

Her sad sunflowers.

The birds are enjoying them.  So next year I am going to plant a row of sunflowers over by the chicken coop.  She got me hooked.

Slowing Down?

Has anyone noticed that the days are getting shorter?  The weather is getting cooler?  And the leaves are starting to turn.  All of this means that some of the work on the farm is beginning to slow down.  Andy says that this is his favorite time of year.  Work might be slowing down from the spring and summer shares, but there is still work to do, plenty of it.  The sweet potatoes are needing to be dug up.  Andy and his crew do all the digging by hand.  Talk about a job!  And then there is planting of the garlic for next year.  Hopefully these two projects will be accomplished in the next two or three weeks.

Along with shorter days and cooler nights, comes a change in the plants that are to be harvested.  Which means a whole new menu.  More green and less tomatoes and sweet corn.  Oh how I am going to miss that sweet corn!

Even with things beginning to slow down, our boxes are full to over flowing.

Running out to the farm on Saturday to deliver a buck mini Rex so Anna can begin raising rabbits.  Can't wait to see how much Fluffy has grown.

Recipe Of The Week: Chewy Tortillas

Chewy Tortillas

8 cups of soft wheat flour
2Tablespoons of salt
3 cups of milk or water warmed
2 Tablespoons of baking powder
3 Tablespoons of olive oil

In a mixer with the dough hook, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add olive oil and mix.  Slowly add the milk.  Knead for two minutes after the dough forms a ball and begins to cling to the sides.  Cover and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes.  Divide into 40 equal balls. (It works well to freeze the dough at this point for future use). Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before pressing to rolling.  Cook on a griddle over high heat until bubbles begin to form.  Flip and cook a little longer until bottom has some light brown spots. Store leftovers in the freezer for best exults.  Good results can be made without a mixer.

Makes 40 tortillas.

Lizzie suggests adding onions, radishes, peppers, tomatoes or just about anything you want.  And I love this part...'of course you may prefer to buy your tortillas rather than making them.  This is fine, but making your own can be fun and adventurous and we encourage you to give it a try once in awhile.'

Those Are Some Really Big Radishes

This is the first week of the fall share.  And once again the boxes are packed really full. Must be all the good weather we have been having.  And had been surprised with the moisture that he has found in the ground while digging sweet potatoes,  He thinks the cooler weather and the shorter days keeps in moisture in the ground longer.

The fall crops are still looking good.  There should be a good sweet potato harvest this year.  The regular potatoes are looking just a s good.  Andy says that tomatoes are starting to slow down but we are still getting lots.  He seems to think they are slowing down a few  weeks sooner than he thought they would.  There is a large patch of green beans that they are starting to hardest from.  He is hoping they will last until the frost.

In this weeks box you will find a large leafy green leaf with red stems.  That would be Swiss chard, my all time favorite vegetable in the entire world.  The long red vegetable with green leaves that looks like a radish on steroids, is actually a "Shunkyo" radish.  It is a little more spicy than most radishes.  More mild radishes will be coming later in the fall. 

If you have a moment, please take the time to email Rue and he can let Andy how you are liking your boxes.  If you have any questions or suggestions.  Any feedback is helpful.  If you would like to send along a recipe to share, please email me.  Both email are listed on the right side of the blog.

Recipe Of The Week: Chard Salad

Chard Salad

1 pound of coarsely chopped chard
1/2 cup of thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup of thinly sliced radishes
1/4 cup of sliced onions
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon of celery seed
salt and pepper to taste

Steam chard for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.  Rinse under cold water to cool.  Drain well.  To combine, toss chard with celery, radishes, and onions.  Put remaining ingredients in a jar with a tight lid.  Shake well.  Pour over salad.  Toss to coat.  Season to taste and serve.

Short But Sweet

Not too much in way of news from the farm today.  Andy wants to let the people who joined the summer shares that he hates to see them go because this will be their last box.  But if you have an All Season Share for the CSA you have 10 more weeks.

There was a good rain last night so that should really help the fall crops take off.  As far as Andy can tell there should be a good crop for the fall season.

Lots of good vegetables this week...again the box is jammed.  And for those of you that are new like I was, the big yellow thing is spaghetti squash.  It can be cooked just like any other winter squash.  I had to look it up.

I got a letter from Lizzie in my box today.  She has been really busy canning.  Tomatoes are coming out her ears.  And she is thankful that there will be no more to can because the rest will go to the pigs.  Today she was in the process of canning 2 bushels of concord grapes and two bushels of apples.

They got some bad news yesterday.  Andy's dad was injured in a car-buggy accident.  He has a broken back and some broken ribs.

Fluffy is doing well but continues to escape from her pen.  We are trying to figure out how to make it safe for her.  She gets out and runs loose in the yard.  The kids are worried that the dog or cat might catch her...and that would be a really bad thing.  Pray for Fluffy.

Recipe Of The Week: Spaghetti Squash Salad

Spaghetti Squash Salad

 

3 cups of cooked spaghetti squash

2 cups of cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces, parboiled

1 cup of celery, sliced thin

1 medium onion diced

1 green or red pepper, diced

1 teaspoon of dill weed (optional)

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

1 cup of vinegar

1 teaspoon of paprika

 

Combine squash, cauliflower, celery, onion, peppers, and dill weed.  Shake rest of the ingredients well in a jar with the lid on tight.  Pour over vegetables.  Chill before serving.



Almost Overflowing

The weather on the far is nice but a little more of the light showers that they have been getting would be nice.  Produce is still looking nice.  It looks like the sweet potatoes should be ready to harvest in a week or two.  So dig out that sweet potato pie recipe.

There are still plenty of tomatoes on the vine.  So many that Andy is offer tomatoes by the pound.  Canning tomatoes are those tomatoes that just don't make the grade for our CSA boxes.  They might be smaller with a few nicks and bumps on them.  But the are great for canning.  If you would like to order some they are 50 cents a pound.  Hurry and place your order by emailing cedarmorefarm@gmail.com ASAP because frost is just around the corner and once it comes that will be the end of the tomatoes.  You will be billed at the end of the month.

Just a friendly reminder...please return your empty CSA box each week.  And any containers (green baskets and jars with rings) from previous weeks.  This helps keeps the cost of the CSA down and recycling/reusing is a good thing.

The boxes are so full this week that they are hard to close!

More on the Growing Methods...Andy though it was important that he list the products that are used on the pants to defer insects and disease...Neem oil, Garlic spray (this is made from his own garlics grown in the field) Mycotrol O, Montery Insect spray, Pyganic, Dipel, Surround and Champ (a copper spray).  These products are all approved by the NOP (National Organic Program).  Andy likes to think of them as band aids.  They use them to help the infested plants get back on their feet.  The primary focus at Cedarmore is to rebuild the soil.  Mycotrol O, Montery Insect spray and Dipel are beneficial bacterias that will infest insects and their eggs.  They have been found to be very affective in controlling certain species of insects.  Surround and garlic spray work more by deterring insects away from the crops.  Surround forms a white coating on the pants that insects don't like.  Garlic has a bad smell that insects don't even like.  Champ or copper sprays help prevent disease.  Pyganic is used primarily to control those tough cucumber beetles.  No other spray seems to work on those pesky beetles.  The down side to Pyganic is that it will also kill the beneficial insects.  For that reason Andy only uses it when he has to.  It is supposed to be non-toxic to humans and animals.

Recipe Of The Week: Green Tomato Chocolate Cake

Green Tomato Chocolate Cake

 

3/4 cup of butter softened

2 cups of sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon of mint extract

2 cups of coarsely grated green tomato

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1/2 cup of milk

2 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of cocoa

2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

 

Cream sugar and butter.  Beat in the eggs.  And mint extract, tomatoes, vanilla, and milk.  Combine dry ingredients and stir into the batter.  Pour into a buttered and floured 10 inch tube pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.

A Little Twist To Things

I can tell you that the weather is dry last week has dried out everything on the farm.  When I drove up last week a huge cloud of dust enveloped me as I got out of the van.  Andy has started using the irrigation system...now running the pump around the clock...which he really doesn't like to do.  The good thing is that this summer it has been wet or damp enough that they haven't had to run it much.  The report is that the fall crops like sweet potatoes and winter squash are looking good.  While the summer crops are about to wind down.

Do I see strawberries?

When I talked to Andy lst weekend he was telling me that he thought the eggs might run low this week.  I could tell by the amount of chicken in the egg mobile that we would be running a little short this week.  But Andy and Lizzie saved the day for me.  My grandson called me a few weeks ago and told me that he had an emergency...they were out of strawberry jam.  I was supposed to get some when I went to the farm last weekend...but I forgot.  So I was so glad to find a jar waiting for me instead of eggs this week.   Thank you Andy and Lizzie!

 

More About The Growing Methods

 

Andy has mentioned before that this year they are trying some newer techniques on the farm.  He would rather not but sometimes an old dog needs to learn a few new tricks.  He would prefer to use the tried and true growing methods that generations of Hersberger's have used.  He has finally come to the conclusion that by combining these new ways...we get the best of both worlds in our organic produce that is grown at Cedarmore.  They will continue to use cover crops, lime, compost like they have been doing since starting the farm.  Then they will be fine tuning things by checking the Brix and the plant sap PH and then adding the missing elements.

Recipe Of The Week: Scalloped Potatoes With Cheese and Peppers

Scalloped Potatoes With Cheese and Peppers

 

5 cups of sliced potatoes

2 Tablespoons of flour

1 teaspoon of salt

dash of pepper

1/2 pound of cheese cubed

3/4 cup of milk

1/2 cup of chopped green peppers

1/2 cup of chopped green onions

2 Tablespoons of pimento strips (optional)

 

Coat potatoes with combined flour and seasonings.  Place in 12x8 inch baking dish.  Heat cheese and milk over low heat.  Add green pepper, onion, and pimientos.  Pour over potatoes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until potatoes are done.



A Little Time At My Happy Place

Once again I got a chance to go visit my favorite Amish family at Cedarmore...my Happy Place.  I took some of my Amish books from my library to share.  And I had something SPECIAL to leave behind.

 

When I drove down the driveway the three older children (as Lizzie calls to them) were standing in the yard waiting for me.  I wonder how long they had been standing there?  I know why they were there waiting but I will give you the whole run down in just a bit.

 



This is Anna's garden.  She has dill, corn, and green beans.

Andy and I went to see the tomatoes in the greenhouse and look what we say...actually several of them.  This is a Tomato Hornworm.  He is a bad thing. The little white things on its back are the pupae of the Barconid wasp. These wasps are parasitic insects that prey on hornworms. These wasps hunt down our garden pests, inject their eggs into their prey where the eggs hatch into larvae and begin eating the internal organs of the hornworm. After these "maggots" have matured they bore through the skin of the hornworm and proceed to spin a cocoon and attach themselves to the worm. From the cocoons emerge adult Braconid Wasp which will begin hunting for other Tomato Hornworms and Tobacco Hornworms to feast upon.  It is the cycle of life right there in the tomato patch.

 

These are about all the turkeys that have survived the cat and chicken attacks.

golden comets...mean old chickens

The only rooster on the farm.  Isn't he a beauty?  He's a Barred Rock.

So this is the reason for my visit today to the farm.  I promised Anna that I would get her a bunny for her birthday...well, she got it a little early.  Meet Fluffy.  She is about 13 weeks old and is a mini Rex.  Fluffy will be getting a male companion on my next visit.  Anna is going to be raising rabbits to sell to her cousins and all of her friends in the community.   A little bunny business on the side. And the bunny poo can go on Anna's garden. But before I handed her over I made Andy and Lizzie promise that Fluffy wouldn't end up on the dinner table. They promised.

Fall Shares Still Available

Just wanted to let everyone know that we still have fall shares available. So if you don’t have any and still want one please try to get signed up while we have them available. Fall crops are doing very well as far as I can see. We should have a good supply of, potatoes, onions, winter squash, sweet potatoes, garlic, lettuce, broccoli, turnips and cabbages for the fall share. We should also have a fair amount of carrots, radishes, red beets, kale and chard. The fall share runs from the first week of October through the first week in December and are $170 for 10 weeks.

Another Pretty Heavy One

The weather is giving Andy a little bit of trouble.  All the rain that we have been having in the Cincinnati area has not reached Hillsboro.  So the farm is experiencing a little bit of drought.  Not severe by any means.  The good news is that the irrigation system is doing a good job keeping things watered. Andy doesn't seem think the crops and produce will be affected.  The irrigation system is taking care of everything very well.

 

The last batch of cantaloupes is all but over.  They were really good and sweet this year.  Now it is time to get ready for all those earthy fall crops like sweet potatoes and winter squash.  Andy thinks they will be in our boxes in a few weeks.

 

The okra in the boxes is something new that Andy is trying this year. In case you don't get any this week rest assured that you will get some next week...share and share alike.

  

 

And More About Our Growing Methods

 

Last week Andy mentioned that they have start using a P.H. meter and refractometer to check on the growth of the plants and to get a better view of what minerals are still needed. The refractometer tells us how high the brix (sugar content) is in the plants.  Basically  the higher the brix is, the healthier the plant is.  High a high brix there is less chance of plant disease and insect pressure.  Also the produce keeps  better flavor. Although the refractometer tells how high the brix level is, it really does not tell much about the minerals that are lacking.  The P.H. meter tells more about what minerals are still needed.  Andy will be telling us more about this next week.

Recipe Of The Week: Sliced Fried Okra

Sliced Fried Okra

 

1 pound of okra sliced into 1/2 inch slices

1/2 cup of cornmeal

1 teaspoon of salt, divided

`/8teaspoon of pepper

1/2 cup of vegetable oil

1 cup of water

 

Cook okra in the cup of water for about 10 minutes.  Mix the cornmeal, the other 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the pepper.  Toss the okra in the cornmeal mixture until the okra is completely coated.  Heat the oil.  Cook and stir okra in oil until brown.

Everything Is Looking Good

Produce is doing well but they could use a little bit of rain.  The irrigation system is keeping the plants well watered.  With what Andy see now he believes that the fall crops will do just fine.

More About The Growing Methods...

 

As I understand it, all plant minerals are either positively charged cations or negatively charged anions.  To name a few of the important ones:  Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium are cations, while Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Boron are anions.  If we have a P.H. of between 6 and 6.4 that means that we have a good balance of the cations and anions and we should have healthy plants.  If the P.H. is low we are low in one or more of the cations. 

 

 Andy is still in the beginning stage of learning all about these things and he in no way thinks that he is an expert.  But he loves to read and research about better organic growing methods.

 

New Beginnings

It's that time of year even for the Amish. The school bell will be ringing and the schoolhouse will be open.  Anna will attend this year for the first time.  She is so excited.  Lizzie on the other hand, hasn't really figured out how she feels about it.

 

Cedar Hill School is a one room schoolhouse in the community with a total of 13 children...first through eighth grade.  Two other children will join Anna in first grade.  She will learn to speak English and will learn reading, writing, arithmetic, and spelling.

This is the view from the teachers desk.  The teacher is the Bishop's daughter.  One day I hope to meet her.

This is the view the student will see everyday while they are doing their lessons.

Recipe Of The Week: Peppers and Onions With Cod

Onions and Peppers With Cod

2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 green pepper cut into strips
1 onion sliced thin
1 clove of minced garlics
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
1/8 teaspoon of pepper
1 1/2 pounds of cod fillet cut into 6 pieces

Heat oil in large skillet then sauté the pepper, onion, and garlic for four minutes.  Add the seasonings and push the vegetables asides in the skillet and add the cod.  Cover and cook until the fish is opaque and fully cooked.  Spoon the pepper mixture over the fish and serve.