Recipe Of The Week Tomato Bacon Square Appetizers

Tomato Bacon Square Appetizers

 

6 slices of bacon, crisply cooked, drained, and crumbled

1/3 cup of dices bell peppers

1 teaspoon of dried basil

2 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise

3/4 cup of shredded Swiss cheese

4 medium plump tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/3 cup of chopped onion

12 inch pizza crust

1 clove of garlic, pressed

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine bacon, tomatoes, peppers, onion, and basil in a bowl and mix lightly.  Mix mayo with garlic and spread over crust,  Top evenly with bacon mixture.  Sprinkle with cheese over the top.  Bake 18-20 minutes or until till top is bubbly and crust is browned.



CAUTION: Heavy Box This Week

Hope you bring your muscles this week because the box is filled to the brim with some 'heavy' vegetables.

 

Who needs any meat for dinner when you get all of this!

 

We get lots of sweet corn this week but Andy seems to think the corn crop is behind last year.  The cooler weather we have been having isn't the best weather for growing corn.  It needs to be HOT.  The ears ore fine the just take a little longer to mature enough to pick.

 

It has been a god growing season this year so far for most of the crops.  Most of the time there has been plenty of moisture in the ground which means that Andy has not had to run the irrigation system much.  Potatoes have by far been the best grower this year.  So we should be getting lots more potatoes in the coming months.

 

More About The Growing Methods:

The good cycle works like this...Andy takes care of the soil and then the plants do well and have a better defense system so that means he doesn't have to use any chemicals to protect the plants.  The microbes do very well and they are able to provide the minerals for the crops.  When his animals do well and they don't have to use any antibiotics or hormones, the composted manure they help make (which is rich in minerals and nutrients) is put back into the soil.  The cover crops do well and when they work them into the soil.  They provide lots of good things for the soil life.  The microbes and earthworms love it and thrive very well in this type of environment.  They break down the residue into a useable form for the plants.  With each cycle that is successful everything grows better.  We as humans are on the top of the food chain and thus we have choices to make.  Which cycle do we support by the food we eat?  The good or the bad cycle?

 

Answers and more on the in next weeks blog.

 

Recipe Of The Week: Sauteed Corn

Sautéed Corn

 

1/3 cup of chopped pepper

1/3 cup of chopped onion

3 Tablespoons of butter

3 cups of fresh cut corn

3/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of pepper

 

Sauté pepper and onion in butter until soft.  Stir in worn and seasonings.  Cover and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Variation:  Fry 4-6 slices of bacon and reserve 3 Tablespoons of drippings. Sauté vegetables in drippings.  Add less salt.  Sprinkle with crumbled bacon before serving. 

Fall Share Still Available

The work Andy, Lizzie and the workers put in never stops.  They are now in the process of planting the fall crops.  So far they have planted, turnips, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, regular cabbage, lettuce, kale, chard, red beets, and carrots.  They want to also plant radishes, spicy greens, more lettuce, kale and chard.  there is also a good supply of potatoes, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, and some winter squashes.  So as things looks now there will be a good supply for this fall.  There are still a number of Fall Shares available but it looks like they may sell out in the next few weeks.  If you or your family, or someone you know would like to sigh up to be part of the Cedarmore Farm CSA now would be the time to do that.  The Fall Share starts the first week of October and runs for 10 weeks through the second week in December.  The shares are $170.

I see salsa in my near future.

 

More info on the growing methods...

 

Last time Andy talked to us he told us the difference between good soil and bad soil.  It seems to go in cycles.  Farmers that don't take care of their soil will be growing unhealthy plants that are much more prone to diseases and pests.  Then they start spraying on chemicals to ward off the pests.  These same chemicals will also kill the beneficial microbes and the earthworms in the soil.  This makes growing conditions even worse.  And these are the crops that are eaten by the farm animals and humans.  Both animals and humans are likely going to get sick.  So then they will start using antibiotics for the diseases and hormones to make the animals grow faster.  The manure from this animal is put on the fields but now the manure has toxic chemicals and antibiotics in it, killing still more soil life.  Then the next time around stronger chemicals will have to be used.  this makes everything worse.  That is what Andy calls a 'bad cycle'.  Fortunately there is also a 'good cycle' which is one that he intends to practice.  He will tell us more about that in the next newsletter.

Recipe Of The Week: Mild Salsa

Mild Salsa

8 cups  peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes (about 5 pounds)
2 cups of seeded and chopped green, red, or yellow bell peppers
1 cup of chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minces
2 Tablespoons of minced cilantro
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of vinegar
2 drops of hot pepper sauce

Combine all ingredients in a large kettle.  Bring the mixture to a boil: reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Carefully ladle the hot salsa into hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 inch headroom.  Adjust lids.  Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.  Makes about 7 half pints.

Things Are Hopping

Things on the farm must be hopping because Andy didn't have time to write a newsletter and Lizzie didn't send a recipe.

I see an heirloom tomato this week.  And more of the best corn on the planet.  Have you tried the new way (well, new to me) to shuck corn?  Boil the ears just like you find them in the box.  Remove them from the water and cut about an inch or two off the bottom.  Hold it up bottom down and the ear comes out clean.  It is amazing and a time saver to boot!

Heirloon Tomatoes Are Coming

 Andy is hoping for a little bit of rain this week.  He is having to use the irrigation system which is okay, but rain from the sky would even be better.  The heirloom tomatoes (the large pink ones) have been so slow in ripening due to the colder weather we had.  Good news for all of us...it looks like they are coming on heavy real soon. 

Speaking of tomatoes...orders will be taken for canning tomatoes and canning peppers in the next month.  Canning tomatoes are the tomatoes that have the little cuts and nicks in them.  They aren't pretty to look at but they are great for canning.  Taste just a good as the pretty ones.  The peppers might have little black spots of them.  Those spots can be cut out and can just fine.  They don't quite make the grade to pack in our CSA boxes but are fine for canning and freezing.  The price for the tomatoes is $.50 per pound and the peppers are $10.00 per half bushel.

Please remember to bring your empty CSA boxes to your pick up location when picking up a new box.  Andy is running low on boxes and he really doesn't want to have to go buy new boxes.  Please bring back your empties.  And also be considerate of the pick-up location.  Breakdown you box and pack the egg cartons and green baskets in a CSA box.  Keep the pick-up area as nice as you find it.

Recipe of The Week: Chicken Bacon RanchPizza

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

Use the following ingredients to make the crust
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2/3 cup of milk
1/3 cup of oil

Mix together and press onto a greased cookie sheet or a 10 inch round pizza pan.  Bake at 350 degrees until barley done.

Cream together the following for sauce and spread on the baked crust:
3/4 cup of sour cream
4 ounces of cream cheese
3/4 cup of ranch dressing

Next, for toppings you will need:
1 medium onion chopped
1 pound of cooked and cubed chicken
1 medium tomato, diced (optional)
cheese, your choice
1/3 pound of bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup fried diced potatoes (optional)
peppers and mushrooms (optional)

Put onions, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms on sauce.  Cover with chicken and bacon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Top with your favorite cheese and bake again until the cheese is melted.

Dinner In A Box

This is what I call Dinner In A Box!

 

I've notice that it is starting to be a little drier around here.  Lots more watering to do.  I have been having to water everything...flowers and vegetables.  Andy says that it is getting drier on the farm also.  They will probably have to start up the irrigation system again.  He is pleased that the crops are showing no signs of distress.

 

The sweet corn will be coming on in the second patch soon.

 

Growing Methods at Cedarmore Farm:

Everything starts with the soil. The plants depend on the soil for their survival.  To grow good healthy food the farmers must take good care of the soil.  There is an old saying..."So goes the soil, so goes the farmer."  And Andy would add to that..."so goes the soil, so goes the people."  Food grown in well managed soil will have food with more mineral content.  Unhealthy soil produces unhealthy plants that are prone to deseases and insects.  So food grown in unhealthy soils can be lower in minerals and usually need to be sprayed with toxic chemicals.  These chemicals are harmful to the microbes in the soil.  Andy feels that most of the large farms in our country do not pay much attention to their soils.  I feel sure this topic will be discussed again down the road.

 

 

Recipe Of The Week: Pineapple Carrot Salad

Pineapple Carrot Salad

 

3 ounces package of lemon gelatin

1 cup of boiling water

10 1/2 ounce can of crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup of pineapple juice

1 1/2 cup of grated carrots

1/2 cup of nuts

 

Dissolve gelatin in ho water.  Drain juice from crushed pineapple (add water if needed).  Add pineapple juice to gelatin.  Chill.  When mixture begins to thicken add pineapple, carrots, and nuts.  Pour into 1 quart mold or bowl.  Serve on lettuce with mayonnaise if desired.