Eggpalnt and Cantaloupe This Week

The Andy's and all the workers are busy on the farm.  I think it might be the busiest they have been this season with weeding, picking, canning, storing and planting.  the planting is to make sure that they have enough produce for the rest of he Summer Shares and into the Winter Shares.  I love what Andy says about the weeds...'with all the rain that we have had there is quite a bit of weed pressure'.  Seems like I might not be the only one that can't seem to stay ahead of all the weeds.

Got word that the bluegills are biting at Rocky Fork Lake.  Sounds like the weeds will get a break for a day.  A fishing and picnicking they will go.  Something I experienced last year when I got to spend the day fishing...we English mostly fish for the sport while the Amish do it to survive.  They are putting food on the table for the family as well and getting to spend a little time away the chores of the farm. Not to mention a little time of fellowship.

Recipe Of The Week: Green Bean Ham Potato Casserole

Green Bean Ham Potato Casserole

 

3/8 cup of butter

3/8 cup of flour

3 cups of milk

1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar or American cheese

4 cups of green beans, cooked

4 medium potatoes, cooked and diced

3 cups of ham, cooked and diced

bread crumbs optional

 

Melt butter and stir in flour.  Add milk, stirring constantly until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Arrange potatoes in a buttered casserole.  Cover with green beans.  Pour 1/2 of the cheese sauce over the green beans.  Add ham and remaining cheese sauce.  Top with buttered bread crumbs if desired.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.



Recipe Share: Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

 1 cup chopped onion
 2/3 cup uncooked rice
 1 lb ground beef, seasoned for meat loaf
 6 tbsp butter
 4 oz chopped mushrooms, fresh or canned
 4 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
 3 cups spaghetti sauce

Saute onion, rice and meat loaf mixture in butter, mix together thoroughly.
Add mushrooms and spread mixture in bottom of large baking dish.  Top with
cabbage and then spaghetti sauce. 

Cover and bake 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Submitted by Carolyn Wolbers

Things Are Getting Back To Normal

Vacations are over and little fun adventures with the grandkids so hopefully blogging on Tuesday will get back on track.  It bothers me when I don't get them up.  Feel like I am letting Andy and Lizzie down.  They work so hard at making sure everything is great for the CSA customers...I just want to do my little part to help them.

 

The weather has been dry lately, although they had some really nice rains in the last 24 hours.  Andy went ahead and set up the irrigation system, so they will be ready to pump water in case there is a drought. 

 

The onions are all now harvested and on racks to dry.  So far the new drying system is working out really well.  Hopefully the new system will keep the onions dry through the winter.  Only time will tell.  Since the onion crop did so well, we can expect to get onions from now until the end of the fall season.  Hopefully we can use them as we get them but if there is an abundance there are several ways to store them.  Either put them in mesh bags and hang them up or lay them out in layers, one by one.  If space is an issue, you can probably go two or three layers deep.  Either way you do it be sure to store them in a cool dry place where temperatures don't fluctuate too much.  Another option is freezing.  (See the Recipe Of The Week)  There are a few CSA members who store their onions like this and they use them in soups and stir fries.   Great for all those winter soups and stews.

 

Field tomatoes are picking up and the hoop house tomatoes are slowing down.  That puts us in between right now.  Most of the tomatoes that we will be getting from here on out will be field tomatoes.

Recipe Of The Week: How To Freeze Onions

How To Freeze Onions

 

Peel, wash, chop or slice onions.  Wrap in aluminum foil (or other wrap) in amounts that you use most, such as 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup amounts.  Place these small packages in another container.  Freeze.  No blanching necessary.  After 3-6 months in 0 degrees F storage, they tend to loose their flavor.

A Little Late

We were on vacation for the delivery of the first box of the Summer Share.  Looks like a great box of goodness. This one just happened to be left on the front porch.  Someone forgot to pick up.  But no worries I have been able to save everything and this box from last week will go out with the box this week.

The Andy's are so excited to be able to provide good food to all the newcomers to the Summer Shares of the CSA.  We hope that you newcomers will enjoy the food as well as the experience.

Crops are looking really good.  The sweet corn and cantaloupes are both coming soon.  Unfortunately due to the winter weather, the blackberries are not going to be near the crop that they were last year.  The extra cold weather really did a number on them.

Onions are being harvested now and they are trying a new way to store them.  Andy is always looking for the most affective way to farm.  He will be trying a new way to store them this year.  In years past the onions would be pulled up out of the ground and left in the fields to dry for a few days.  Then they were placed in mesh bags and hung in the shed.  But Andy noticed that a lot of them were going bad.  This year they are making racks to put them in so they will have no onions laying on and crowding out others.  We will have to wait and see if this is a good idea or not.

Recipe Of The Week: Fried Onion Rings

Fried Onion Rings

2 large sweet onions
2/3 cup of water
1 Tablespoon of oil
Oil for deep frying
1 egg
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of slat
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 cup of all purpose flower

Cut onions into 1 inch slices and separate into rings.  Place in a bowl and cover for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl beat egg with water, oil, and lemon juice.  Combine dry ingredients and stir into egg mixture until smooth.  Drains onions and dip into batter.  In a saucepan heat one inch of the oil to 2375 degrees.  Fry rings a few at a time for about 1 and 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.

Last Week Of The Spring Shares

As Andy was writing the newsletter that goes in each box each week, the weather was a little cooler which makes it a little easier on him when he is working in the fields.  But by the time we are getting our boxes it could be storming or so hot and muggy you can hardly breathe.  They all enjoy just a bit of the cooler weather.  They have been able to transplant more cantaloupes, cucumbers and lettuce.  In the fields there is cucumbers, lettuce,cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.

 

This is the tenth and final week for the Spring Shares.  That was a really fast ten weeks for sure.  Unfortunately no more boxes for those who were enjoying the Spring Share.  Thanks you so much for joining the CSA and we hope that you will be back next year.  For those of you what signed up for the Summer Share you will be able to keep picking up at the same location without skipping a beat.  Enjoy the veggies!

Recipe Of The WeeK: Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

 

1/2 cup of salad dressing or mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon of salt or garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon of leaf oregano

2 or 3 diced tomatoes

1 large diced cucumber

 

In a large bowl combine everything besides tomatoes and cucumbers.  Stir well then add the tomatoes and cucumber pieces and toss lightly.  Refrigerate until serving time.



A Full Box Of Veggies

Hope you all have been working out because the box this week is heavy.  Lots of great looking vegetables.

 

The week has been a busy one of the farm with  Farm Day and work in the fields needing attention because of all the weather we have been having.  So Andy and Lizzie didn't have time to write the newsletter or find a recipe to share.  The good thing is that I had a few people give me recipes at Farm Day.  I love a good share!

Farm Day 2014

It was a hot day on the farm.  Lots of sweating.  Lots of smiles.  And lots of fun!

 This year things were just a little different.  We started out at Highland Haven Farm for a covered dish lunch and then a speaker.  After touring Highland Haven, we took a hay wagon ride back down to Cedarmore where Andy showed us around the farm.

Throwing zucchini to the pigs was a big hit with the kids.  Poor pigs thought...some of the kids tried to hit them with the zucchini.

We learned how all the vegetables are washed on this big green and white washer.  Then we went into the basement and Andy showed and explained the assembly line process that takes place when filling the CSA boxes each week.  And I told everyone how I came to  know The Andy's and became a part of the CSA.  Out of the blue I just started talking, which is unusual for me.

We got to see chickens and turkeys.

This little farmer was trying his hand at plowing the fields.

Potatoes are looking good.

Sweet potatoes fine also.

The fields are green and flourishing.

 

Even with the heat I think it was a great day!  I again came away with some new farming secrets (going to go harvest my garlic in a minute) and the best lemonade recipe I have even had.  Lizzie put Anna and I in charge of making the  lemonade the Amish way.  We are already discussing what we can do to improve for next year.

 

If you weren't there, sorry you missed a great day.  Maybe you can make it next year.  Or if you want to visit just email Rue and cedarmorefarm.gmail.com and he will go down the road and give The Andy's your request.

 

I always kick myself for not taking enough pictures. 

 

 

Recipe Share: Grandma's Caramel Corn

Grandma's Caramel Corn

Ingredients:

• 10 cups (100g) air-popped popcorn*
• 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (80g) light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200F degrees. Spread the popcorn out onto 2 large baking sheets. Set aside.
Combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, cream of tartar, and salt in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat. Stir constantly and bring to a boil for about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the baking soda.  Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir gently until all the kernels are coated.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.  Allow to cool on the pan and break apart large clusters if desired.  Cover the popcorn tightly once cooled; it will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.
 

*If you do not have a popcorn maker at home, you can simply add 3 tablespoons of popcorn kernels to a brown paper bag.  Seal the bag tightly by folding over the top.  Microwave the popcorn for approximately 1 minute, 45 seconds on High, or up to 2 minutes, depending on your microwave.  This method will make 5 cups, so you'll have to do it twice. Alternatively, you can use natural-style microwave popcorn that has no butter added to it.


Shared by Angela Padial
Seen on sallysbakingaddiction.com
 

Recipe Share: Zucchini Casserole

Zucchini Casserole

 

4 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inches thick

1/4 cup of pared and shredded carrots

water, salted

1/2 cup of chopped onion

6 Tablespoons of butter or margarine

2 1/4 cups of herbed stuffing mix

1 (10 3/4 0z) can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup of sour cream

 

In a medium saucepan, put zucchini and carrots in enough boiling, salted water to cover them.  Cover pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.  Drain.  In a large saucepan, saute onion in four tablespoons of butter until tender.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of herbed stuffing mix, cram of chicken soup, and sour cream.  Gently stir in zucchini and carrots.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly butter a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Put mixture in dish.  Melt remaining butter in a small sauce pan.  Add rest of herbed stuffing mix to the butter.  Toss gently and sprinkle over casserole.

 

Bake 30-40n minutes.  Yield: 4-6 servings


Recipe shared by:

Recipe Share: Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup water
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Gradually stir in water
until smooth.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened.  Stir in blueberries and
return to a boil.  Reduce heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes.  Yield - 1 3/4 cups

Great on almost anything - ice cream, cake, waffles, pancakes, etc.

Shared by Carolyn Wolbers