Second Box and Surprises

     The sun has been shining all day today. It is  really needed. Hopefully it will clear off now and the farm will see more sun and some less rain. Either way they will be short handed this week and probably next week too, although next week looks better than this week. They have hopes that things will be even better the week after next. Of course it all depends on the weather too.
     This week we have garlic, wild ramsons, a bag of mixes greens, and a bag of watercress. Some  CSA members have radishes. If they don't reach around to you this time , it will be made up to you sometime in the rest of the growing season. They try to give us all the same amount as near as they possibly can. Because of the low yields they are including a jar of Sorghum Molasses this week. This Sorghum was grown by some neighbors.
     They are going to try to include a canned goods sheet in our next box, which will have Maple Syrup and Sorghum Molasses listed. That way you can purchase some of these products and pick them up at your pick up location.

Our second box..This was my first pick-up.  Thank heavens for GPS.  I'll try to remember to take my camera so you can see the set-up.   And just so I know what I will be fixing for dinners this week I will try very hard to identify the ingredients in our boxes. (Since I have already identified green garlic and ramsons I won't do them again) 

parsley

mixed greens

watercress

our surprise canned good...sweet pickled peppers

sorghum molasses...I have no idea what to do with this

Recipe Of The Week: Ginger Cookies

Today I will share a recipe using sorghum molasses (our daughter was so excited...it is one of her recipes...and she says they are the best cookies she ever ate!)

GINGER COOKIES

3/4 cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg

2 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Combine dry ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll into balls and drop in sugar, coating them well. Placed on greases cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for ten minutes.

Recipe Of The Week: Leek and Potato Soup

From time to time we want to share information about organic farming and the CSA.  We will also will be sharing recipes.  Since we got some green garlic in our first CSA, I went to the new cookbook that Lizzie and I are sharing and for some information and several recipes.  And since green garlic is a cousin to an onion and an onion is cousin to a leek...I am trying out a new recipe.

     Leeks are also called 'poor man's asparagus', leeks are valued for their mild, sweet flavor.  While onions mack a dish oniony, the milder leeks meld with, and enhance, the flavors of the foods they are cooked with.
     Leeks are large, non-bulbing, members of the onion family.  They require a growing season in the 110-130 day range.  Because of the days to maturity, it is best to start with transplants instead of direct seeding.
     Start plants in February or March to set out as soon as your soil can be worked in the spring.  Plant seedlings 6 inches apart, in holes dibbled about 6 inches deep.  Only a few inches of leaf needs to be exposed.  Don't firm the soil around the plant.
     As the leeks grow, hill up the soil several times during the summer on wither side of your row.  This will maximize the white edible portion of the leek.
     Although larger leeks (1.5 inches across) are sweeter, you can start using them when they are 3/4 inch across.  Because of the way the are grown, leeks need to be thoroughly washed to remove any grit.  Trim off the root and the dark green leaves.  Then slit lenghtwise on one side to within a 1/2 inch of the base.  Gently separate the leaves and wash by holding under running water.
     Use leeks in salads, casseroles and soups.  They can also be left whole and eaten like a cooked vegetable-braised, boiled or steamed.  Overcooked leeks turn mushy and slippery, so watch cooking times carefully.
     Unwashed leeks will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.  If your winters are mild, mulch unused leeks in the garden and you can enjoy fresh leeks all winter.
     Leeks are a good source of vitamin C, with some niacin and calcium.

     Yield:  1 lb. fresh leeks = 6 cups sliced leeks

Information taken from The Practical Produce Cookbook

Leek and Potato Soup

3 Tbs. butter

4 C sliced leeks

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and diced

4 C chicken broth

1/8 tsp pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 C sour cream

4 slices fried crumbled bacon

Melt butter in a 3-qt saucepan.  Add leeks and cook until tender.  Stir in potatoes, broth, pepper and bay leaf: bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer approximately 20 minutes.  Remove bay leaf.  Cool slightly.  Blend mixture, half at a time, until smooth. Pour blended mixture into saucepan.  Gradually stir in sour cream.  Cook over low heat for 3 minutes.  Serve hot and garnish bowls with bacon.

First CSA Box

     Welcome to my first box of veggies for 2011.  It is with mixed feelings that Cedarmore Farm begins this 2011 season.  They  are glad to get the season started, but with all the rains that we are having things are off to a slow start.  The supply of vegetables is not looking as good as they would like to see it, but they are hopeful that things will pick up in a few weeks.  Rain is needed and good, but this much rain slows crops from maturing.  They are including a jar of Maple Syrup in our boxes to help make up for the low yields.  This maple Syrup is made from the Maple Sap that we gathered from the trees in their woods.
     Our first box this year contains lettuce, kale, a bag of mixed greens, garlic, wild ramsons, and of course the jar of syrup.  The ramsons were gathered in the nearby woods.  They can be eaten in salads or just about any way you might eat garlic, although there are milder than garlic.
     Please bring your empty boxes back to your pick up location when you come to pick up your next box of veggies.  Also, please to try to keep things neat when you drop off your empty box and pick up your new one.  Remember that your pick up location is at someone else's house.  I'm sure they will appreciate it if you keep things tidy. 

As you can see we are taking part in the egg share also.  I love brown eggs.  The yellows are so much more yellow than 'regular white' eggs.  We also got a jar of canned tomato chunks.   There were a few things that we are not sure about...so I looked them up.

As I stated before, I had to look up some of these veggie...I'm a city (wanta-be-country girl) girl.  I noticed that we had several comments about the vegetables that were in the CSA boxes.  I thought I knew what I had in mine but I was wrong.  So I emailed pictures to Cedarmore Farm and ask for help.

wild ramsons...

Ramsons (Allium ursinum) (also known as buckrams, wild garlic, broad-leaved garlic, wood garlic or bear's garlic) is a wild relative of chives. The Latin name is due to the brown bear's taste for the bulbs and its habit of digging up the ground to get at them; they are also a favorite of wild boar.

kale

green garlic

lettuce

baby mix salad greens

Hope this helps.  I will try to identify each weeks contents to the best of my ability.

Cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

So Excited

Today is the first CSA pick up.  I can hardly wait to see what is in our share this week!  Here is a sample of some of the canned goods that you might find in you share.

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

Tomatoes and Herbs

I could be wrong but I think Andy told me that he planted 650 tomato plants...could that be right?

The green house is filled to the brim and the plants look very strong and healthy.

Andy has even slipped in some zucchini on the side.  I can hardly wait to have grilled vegetables.

Next time I visit I wonder if there will be a little green tomato here.

Lizzie has started her herbs and they are growing in the green house.

A Busy Time

Rain or shine, there is always work to do at Cedarmore. The fields are starting to fill up with crops...rows and rows of them.

There is still a little concern about all the wet weather that we are having in Ohio.  Andy says that he is doing the best that he can possibly do.

The onions are loving all this wet cold stuff.

The garlic seems to be thriving.

All those other cold crops like broccoli and cabbage are under hoop houses (that is what I call them...I wonder what the real farming term for them is?  I'll have to ask Andy and then write it down so I won't forget it.)

I can already taste the green peppers.  They are ready to go to the field.

Seedlings just warming up  and growing in the green house.

Cedarmore Farm CSA isvery excited to begin the 2011 CSA.  

The first pick up at the Cedarmore Farm Location will be on Tuesday May 3rd from 5:00 until8:00pm.  They have been getting an unusual amount of rain this last month, and very little sun.  This will make things grow slower for the first week or two but all the moisture should really stimulate growth once we get some sunshine.  Your boxes will not be quite as full as normal for the first few weeks, but they do expect things to improve soon.  If you have any questions, please let them know.

I got to spend a little time with Lizzie and the kids while Andy was visiting with a neighbor.  I wish you could meet these sweet children.  I ended up on the floor with them sitting beside me or on my lap...I was in heaven.  Anna was singing songs and we worked in one of her 'school books'.  Lizzie was sewing Dennis some suspenders for his pants.  She makes all of their clothes.  Dennis was being a typical boy and into everything.  They are such an excepting family.  Lizzie answers all of my questions.  She even shared her lye soap recipe with me.  That is my next adventure.  She has even promised to teach me how to hand stitch a quilt.  They are a very amazing, interesting, and very friendly family.  Can't wait for my next trip.

cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com

The Cats and The Dog

We need to catch up with the rest of the animals on the farm.

"The Cats"

The farm is home to many cats.. Tigger is the prettiest, Tiger is a close second, Yeller is the best mouser, Fraido, his name describes him well, Midnight is obviously black.  The usefullness of the cats is their tactful way of keeping the mouse population in check.  Besides eating mice, they also make very good pets.  The children, Anna (3) and Dennis (1) love playing with them.

"The Dog"

They have one more animal that loves to play with the kids, or perhaps I should say chase them.  He goes by the name of  "Duke".  He is a big German Shepherd and Labrador cross (100% dog).  Duke is a big friendly dog that everyone loves around the farm.  He is a very good pet that the children like playing with.  He also does a nice job protecting the chickens from wild predators.  The Farm used to have a lot of problems with coons and foxes getting into the chickens, but since Duke is getting older and out and about more they have a lot less problems.  He's also doing a good job of keeping the deer and coons out of the produce.  In short he is very well worth his keep.

I can honestly say that the first time I pulled up in front of Cedarmore Farm, I was just a little intimidated by Duke.  He is one big dog.  But the minute I stepped out of the van he came running to greet me.  Not a mean bone in his body.  And he does like to play with Anna and Dennis and any other children that happen to be around. Duke doesn't like being in front of the camera.  I think it kinda scared him.  Every time I got down to get eye level with him I think he thought I wanted to play and he would come and give me a nudge.  So we not a not so flattering pic of him for the blog.   As for the cats...I have only seen one and that was from a distance.  They all must have been of doing those cat jobs Andy mentioned.

Spring Plantings

The greenhouse is stating to fill up. By the time you are reading this blog entry most of these vegetables will have been planted in the rows in the fields.  It is amazing what a few weeks of TLC can do for the plants.

Broccoli

Broccoli and Cabbage

I see lots of good green leafy vegetables that will be on our dinner table really soon.

Tomatoes

This lettuce is under a row cover already in the ground

If you have any questions or would like some information on how to join Cedarmore Farm CSA just email cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com and someone will get back with you.  Andy and Lizzie already have about 100 shares and hope to max out with 50 more.

Oh My, Lizzie's Cinnamon Rolls

From Lizzie's  warm and inviting kitchen to our table...warm cinnamon rolls.

We visited the farm to take some shots of the animals for this blog.  But I had a little 'want' for some cinnamon rolls.  Thru email (cedarmorefarm@tdisp.com) I was able to order some to be picked up on the day we would be there.  When I walked into the house...the wonderful aroma coming from the oven made my mouth water.  Not only cinnamon rolls but bread was baking also..

Lizzie is trying to come up with a new combination of flours for her cinnamon rolls...a little healthier version.

This is the icing.  While she stirs the color becomes lighter and lighter.  I think she might have used some of the maple syrup that was made a few weeks ago.

Don't take my word for it...order some of your own...you'll be glad that you did.  There are other baked goods that can and need to be ordered ahead of time.  Click here to see the product and pricing list.