Still Producing

 The last two boxes have been filled with a variety of delicious vegetables.

Things are starting to wind down on the farm.  The crop have slowed down growing because of the cooler weather but have faired well in the cooler conditions.  Next week will be the last week of this year's CSA.  That doesn't mean that work has stopped on the farm.  Thre greenhouses are ready to get planted and it is time for tapping those maple trees to get that sugary deliciousness.  If you haven't gotten yourself some maple syrup from the farm you are missing out!.

Hope The Weather Treats Us Right

 

For your boxes this week you should have lettuce, Winterborne kale, potatoes, cabbage, mashed potato squash, and bell peppers. The row covers have managed to hold the frost off for the most part. You may notice a few edges on the lettuce and kale that got frost burnt but overall things came through it well. We have some warmer weather coming this week which John hopes will help him finish out a few crops before things get colder. We’ve really had some beautiful weather for this time of year!

First Box Of November

For your boxes this week you should have lettuce, bell peppers, potatoes, butterkin squash, Swiss chard, and possibly Chinese cabbage and or sweet potatoes.  It looks like we’ll have frost at least 3 or 4 days this coming week and they have covered the frost-sensitive crops so it looks like we have at least another week or 2 of fresh greens. John and Anna have a good bit of lettuce in the greenhouse so we should have that for the last 4 weeks of the fall share. They have also been busy planting winter cover crops and getting ready to wind down the growing season. About the time the fall share is over, they will start ordering seeds and supplies for next year and get the greenhouses ready for the February plantings.  We hope you all are enjoying the produce!

The Last Week Of Oct

   For your boxes this week John and Anna expect to have potatoes, delicata squash, Black Magic kale, bell peppers, lettuce greens or head lettuce and zucchini or yellow squash. This will probably be the last week for bell peppers and squash as the temps are working their way down close to freezing. We still have head cabbage and plenty of kale coming and they have winter lettuce growing in the greenhouse. I don’t know about you folks but I’m missing the tomatoes already!

Hopefully November will be a better month for me and I will be able to get the blogs done on time.

Recipe Of The Week: Bell Pepper and Kale Frittata

 Bell Pepper and Kale Frittata

Makes four servings.

4 large eggs

1/2 cup of milk

olive oil, drizzled

1/2 cup of chopped kale

1/3 cup of diced bell pepper

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1/4 cup of feta cheese, crumbled

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk.  Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-low heat.  When the oil is simmering, add the kale, bell pepper, salt, and pepper.  Saute until the pepper is tender, about 10 minutes.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan and sprinkle the feta cheese on top.  Continue to cook, pushing the edges occasionally to make sure that all the eggs are done and it cooks evenly.  Remove from heat.  

Place the pan in the oven and broil on high until the top is lightly browned for about four minutes.

Two Boxes For October So Far

 

As you can see the crops are still doing very well.  The boxes continue to be full.

This is a copy of the newsletter that I received from Rue (the Englishman that helps out with deliveries and other things for Cedarmore)

 For your boxes this week you should have salad greens, kale, potatoes, sweet potatoes, acorn squash, hot peppers and possibly zucchini and or yellow squash.  We had some high winds around the Hillsboro area last night but there was no damage at the farm and we’re thankful for that. The weather continues to cool down this week and next but it’s still pretty nice out. We’re looking forward to seeing the leaves start to turn colors soon! Have a great week!

Pictures Of September Boxes

 

This is what September veggies from the farm looked like.

My favorite part of the Tuesday delivery from the farm is opening up the boxes and getting those wonderful aromas of all the vegetables.  Then I can't get over the vibrant colors.

Recipe Of The Week: Watermelon Slush

 Watermelon Slush

2 cups of water

1/4 cup of sugar

12 ounce can of frozen fruit punch concentrate

1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

6 cups seeded watermelon cubes

2-liter bottle of lemon-lime soda or ginger ale

Combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Boil gently, uncovered for three minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in fruit punch until dissolves.  Combine half of the lemon juice and half of the melon cubes in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Repeat with the other half. Stir melon mixture into the fruit punch mixture.  Mix and pour into a freezer container.  Cover and freeze for at least 8 hours.  To serve scrape with a spoon to form slush.  Fill cups at least half full with slush.  Slowly pour the lemon-lime soda until cups are filled.

What Do You Do With Hot Peppers?

Jalapeno Pepper Salsa

3 cups of diced jalapeno peppers

(seeds if desired)

3 cups of peeled and chopped tomatoes

1 cup of chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons of minced cilantro

2 teaspoons of oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

3/4 c vinegar

Wear rubber gloves while chopping hot peppers.  Combine all ingredients in a large kettle.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Put hot salsa into pint or 1/2 pint jars, leaving 1/2 headspace.  Process for 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

 

Recipe Of The Week: Pepper and Potatoes

 

Peppers and Potatoes

4 m4dium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup of diced green peppers

1/2 cup of red diced peppers

1/2 cup of chopped onions

1/4 cup of butter

1/2 tsp of salt

dash of pepper

Cook potatoes in boiling salt water for 15 minutes or until tender.  Drain.  Saute peppers and onions in butter until tender-crisp.   Stir in potatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring carefully, five minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned.

Recipe Of The Week: Suateed Eggplant

 Sauteed Eggplant

2 pounds of eggplant

salt

1/2-3/4 cup of olive or vegetable oil

salt and pepper

Cut and peel eggplants into 3/4 inch cubes.  Sprinkle with salt, let drain for 30 minutes then pat dry.  Heat oil a 1/4 of a cup at a time.  Add some eggplant cubes, leaving space between the cubes.  Saute for 6-8 minutes or until browned on all sides until tender.  Stir constantly or shake in the pan so the eggplant doesn't burn.  Finish cooking eggplant in batches.  Season with salt and pepper.

Variation:  Add minced fresh herbs, onions, or garlic while sauteeing eggplant.

First Box Of August

 

Look at the size of that eggplant!  I see bell peppers, tomatoes, green beans, and banana peppers.

Good news.  The second planting of tomatoes is beginning to ripen so they might show up in the boxes next week.  John was surprised to have watermelons last week but those hot days just sent them over the scale.  Cantaloupes should be coming soon as well as heirloom tomatoes.  

The little bit of rain that they had on the farm last week was good for all the plants.  Then the sun came and everything took a breath and began to grow with gusto.

So excited to see the corn!  Nothing says summer like corn on the cob.

Just a reminder to help out the hosts, please break down your CSA boxes and leave them neatly at your location.  It is good for us all.  Thanks and have a great week!

The Boxes of July

 These are the Cedarmore CSA Boxes for the month of July.

I have heard nothing but great things from the people that pick up from the front porch.

I love the smell that I smell when I open a box each week to get a pic.

There is always a good variety.

This was the first box of the month.  And Each week as you can see in the pics above the boxes are getting to be filled to the brim.

No Box Pic This Week

My people are so quiet and quick about picking up their boxes I was unable to get a pic of what was in the box this week.  Thankfully Rue sends an email relaying what John and Anna want to tell us.

There was lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, onions, Chinese cabbage, sugar snap peas(edible pods)., pr strawberries.  They have been happy with the strawberry production and hopefully they will still be going for the boxes next week.  But count on the to slow down production with all the rain coming this week.  There should be zucchini, squash and head cabbage in the next few weeks and maybe some green beans.

But we do have a Recipe Of The Week...one of my favorites!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Swiss Chard with Garlic and Bacon

4 slices of bacon chopped

1 bunch of Swiss chard

3 cloves garlic, roughy chopped

1 Tablespoon of butter

salt and papper

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the bacon and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.  While the bacon is cooking, separate the chard leaves from the stems.  Tear the leaves into rough pieces.  Then chop the stems into small pieces.  Add the garlic to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the chard.  Toss everything together.  Continue cooking and tossing until just wilted.  It should be softened, but should mostly retain its shape.

Recipre Of The Week: Kale Chips

 Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale

Salt to taste (we like Creole seasoning)

1-2 teaspoons of olive oil or cooking spray

Wash and dry the kale. Remove wems and cut into 1 to 2-inch strips.  Rub with olive oil then sprinkle with seasoning.  Place on a baking sheet and put into a 300-degree oven.  You will need o to watch them closely as you will need to turn them to get them nice and crisp.  Cooking time depends on the moisture in the kale but it usually cooks in 10-15 minutes.

Ahhhh, Strawberries

 

A healthy box of goodness this week includes Chinese cabbage, lettuce, onions. radishes, kale, and some strawberries.  Hopefully this week the strawberries will continue to ripen in the cooler weather.  The cooler weather gives the family a little break from working in the heat and they are thankful for that.

Week Three

 And I see some delicious strawberries in there!

lettuce, mixed green salad, asparagus, kale, radishes, onions, and strawberries

Green, Green, And More Green

 Getting a late start on last week's delivery blog.  I'm sorry but it is the end of the school year and we have a few other challenges to deal with.

lettuce greens, kale, asparagus, onions radishes

The weather is starting to warm up and it looks like it will stay warm this week.  John says that after a week of warmer weather the crops should really improve.  All of the strawberry blooms made it through the last frosts and they are starting to set berries.  The warmer weather has dried things up on the farm which has allowed them to get more plowing done.  They that more rows prowed in and the winter cover crops have been plowed in.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Roasted Radishes and Asparagus with Maple Mustard Dressing

12 radishes

8 asparagus

8 spring onions 

1 Tablespoon of oil

For the maple syrup dressing

2 tablespoons of oil

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Heat over to 400 degrees.  Cut any large radishes in half and leave the smaller one's whole. Cut and tough woody stems off the asparagus.  Trim any roots from the spring onions.  Spread the radishes, spring onions, and asparagus in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil and bake for 15 minutes or until they start to darken.  

Meanwhile, make the dressing:  place all dressing ingredients into a jar and shake or in a bowl and which.  Drizzle over the warm vegetables.

First Box Of The Season

I spy a bag of mixed greens along with some bo Choi and radishes.  I can smell some spring onions and asparagus.

They keep row covers on everything to raise the temperatures a little bit and protect the produce from frost.  They are hoping that the weather will warm up and stay warm for a while.  So far the strawberry plants have done well through the cold weather.  They are blooming and beginning to bear fruit.

Pick Up Locations For Tuesdays

r Anderson/Eastgate 3054   8 Mile Rd. on Tuesdays 12:30 – 8:00 pm

r Mt. Washington: 2505 Wenatchee Lane on Tuesdays 1:00 - 8:00 pm

r Cedarmore Farm 10148 Pigeon Roost Rd., Hillsboro on Tuesdays 5:00 - 8:00 pm

r Deerfield: 3202 Pauls Point Dr., Loveland on Tuesdays 4:30 - 8:00 pm

r Glendale: 1195 Congress Ave. on Tuesdays 2:15 to 8:00 pm

r Kenwood: 7345 Timberknoll Drive on Tuesdays 1:30 - 8:00 pm

r Liberty Township: 4449 Squaw Valley Drive on Tuesdays 3:00 – 8:00pm

r Loveland: 865 Miami Ridge Dr. on Tuesdays 5:00 - 8:00 pm

r Mariemont: 3867 Settle Rd. on Tuesdays 4:30 - 8:00 pm

r Mason: 5435 Hamilton Rd. Lebanon, OH on Tuesdays 3:30 - 8:00 pm

r Milford: 1224 Eagle Ridge Road on Tuesdays 4:30 to 8:00 pm

r Pleasant Ridge: 3246 Orion Ave. on Tuesdays 2:00 - 8:00 pm

r Mt. Orab: 134 Liming Farm Rd. on Tuesdays 11:00 am to 8:00 pm

It's Been A Long Time

 Note from Rue, John, and Anna...

We want to Thank You for joining Cedarmore CSA and let you know that your first CSA produce pickup will be Tuesday, May 11th. John and Anna wanted me to let everyone know that the first boxes will not be packed full due to the longer than usual cold spells we’ve been having. We are used to spring cold spells, freezes, and frosts, but these have lasted longer than usual and it has slowed things down quite a bit. It looks like the weather will be improving in about a week and things should really take off then. When you pick up your produce please make sure to get the box with your name on it. It is very important that all of the CSA members get the box with their names on it. If you are picking up eggs they will be in a box or crate by the produce.  There will be a list of who gets them and how many they get or the name will be on the carton depending on how many dozen that location gets. The pickup locations are members’ homes and the boxes are usually located on the porch.  We do ask that you please keep things as neat as possible and that you bring back your empty box from the previous week and flatten it and stack it neatly. It will help us out if you return empty egg cartons and berry boxes also. Besides helping keep our costs down, returning containers for reuse helps lessen the impact on the environment as well.  If you have any problems picking up please e-mail us immediately and we will do everything we can to help out. If you have any questions just let us know.

A side note from a drop-off host...if you bring a bag or box you can just transfer the veggies to your bag and leave the box from the CSA on the porch.  That way you won't need to remember to bring it back the next week.  And it is very helpful if you break down the boxes and put them in the designated location on the porch.

Enjoy!