Another Yummy Suprise

Cookies! Cookies!  Who likes chocolate chip cookies?

 

asparagus, radishes, rhubarb, Swiss chard

 

According to John and Anna the weather at the farm could not be more perfect...clear blue skies with patches of white clouds.  With this kind of weather the crops should start picking up.  It may be just one more week before the veggies really start coming in.  That cold snap put things behind a few weeks.

 

Tuesdays deliveries will have some cookies.  This is to make up for little produce.  If you don't find any cookies in your boxes on Friday then that  means you will be getting more vegetables then we did at the beginning of the week and John and Anna don't need to 'fill' the box.

 

Last week was the first week of the CSA this year and they think things went well. They enjoyed packing the boxes and getting the first one under their belts.  They are still pretty new at this and are learning as they go.  So please be patient and enjoy you box each week.

Recipe Of The Week: Lemony Custard and Strawberry Supreme Pie

Lemony Custard and Strawberry Supreme Pie

1/2 cup of sugar

4 teaspoons of cornstarch

1/2 cup of water

1 egg yolk, beaten

2 teaspoons of butter

3 teaspoons of lemon juice

6 ounces of cream cheese

1/4 cup of powdered sugar

1/4 cup of coconut

3/4 cup of whipping cream

3 cups of sliced strawberries

1 baked pie shell

Cook sugar, cornstarch, water, egg yolk, and butter in a 2 quart sauce pan.  Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.  Pour this into pie shell, cool and top with sliced strawberries.  Beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar.  Fold in coconut.  In another bowl, beat cream.  Fold into cream cheese mixture and spread over the berries.  Sprinkle with coconut.  Chill four hours. Enjoy!

The Boxes Are Here! The Boxes Are Here!

As with each box there comes a newsletter.  Today was an extra special treat because it also had a note from Andy! 

Anna writes about the morning on the farm with the bird's cheerful notes that are drifting through the window.  She can see the lush greens of the grasses and trees through the kitchen window.  I think spring might be her favorite time of year.  It seems that John and Anna and their helpers are excited to start packing our boxes.  She wants us to know that since the weather was so wet and cold that the boxes might be a little 'scanty' the first few weeks this year.  And because if that this week everyone will be receiving a loaf of bread and a small container of maple syrup.

She also writes that her brother, Andy Hershberger, former owner of Cedarmore CSA came last Wednesday to help with the paperwork and all the stuff that needs to be done for the first CSA deliveries.  They really appreciate his advice and help.  And Anna was excited to see her brother too.  Dennis even came along on this trip.

Andy writes that he was excited to come and help John and  Anna get things rolling with the first weeks delivery of the CSA.  He said that it makes he just a bit sad that he is no longer our farmer and that he thinks John and Anna are getting along just fine.  He is enjoying finding out about new ways and things in MO.
He was pleased with the way things looked on the farm especially with the extra wet spring that we had this year.  And after all that rain then it got really dry.  He is almost certain it will make a difference in the first few weeks of the CSA.  It is hard to get the horses in the fields to work when it is so muddy.  He sees production picking up in the next three or four weeks.  He is wishing everyone the best in the harvests of 2015.  He also wanted to make sure that you know how much he appreciates the support the shareholders have shown over the years.

The asparagus looks amazing!  The mint smells delicious.  The rhubarb is always interesting.  The onions make my mouth water.  And the bread and maple syrup are free add ins for everyone!

Recipe Of The Week: Yummy, Yummy Chocolate Cake

Yummy, Yummy Chocolate Cake

 

2 cups of cake flower

2 cups of sugar

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

2/3 cup of cocoa

3/4 cup of light olive oil

1 cup of milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 cup of coffee

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla.  Beat thoroughly, then add the cup of coffee.  Batter will be thin.  Bake at 350 degrees until done.

 

 

Chocolate Frosting

8 ounces of cream cheese

1/4 cup of cocoa

2 Tablespoons of butter

maple syrup enough to make it creamy

 

 

Cream together cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add the maple syrup until nice spreading consistency.  Add cocoa, mix then, add more maple syrup if necessary.

Other Things On The Farm

The starting house got it's chimney fixed and is up and running.

Rain from the barn being gathered in a big container use for watering the plants in the planting greenhouse.

"Work wagon"

"Church wagon"

"Making a quick trip to the neighbors wagon."

 Making rich milk is hard so sometimes you just have to find somewhere to rest.

Fields ready got planting.

Stilts of the kids to entertain themselves with.  And they are really good at it.  Me, not so much.

Runaway chicken

rhubarb

strawberries

corn for the animals and for firestarters.

The pond filled up.

 Those draft horses working at Gideon's.

 

The well.

Airing out the greenhouse

 

Lots of different crops in the fields

The new barn that is going to be the packing house and a workshop for John.