Weekly Farm Fresh newsletter 08-06-2010

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Hi everyone!

 

Rain, rain, rain... wet, wet, wet.  The 11 inches of rain we received almost 2 weeks ago is still wreaking havoc around the area as well as in the garden.  We received a couple more inches over the past week, which the soil certainly didn't need.  This has amounted to mud, soggy & rotten vegetables, jungle-variety mosquitos, and more mud.  The fall seeds I had planted before the heavy rain were all washed away.  I started replanting this week but there were a few varieties of veggies that I won't have now - some of the rare varieties I plant can only be ordered from specific companies and I felt it was too late, with shipping time, to place another order.  However, most everything else is being replanted and hopefully I'll have better luck this time!

I hope all of you have dried out from the flood and are ready for some delicious summer eating!  Remember, if you can't make market but still want to order I have pickup available at my house in Freeport (email for details).  I have included some great recipes for you this week at the bottom of the email.  Hope to see you soon!

 

 

This Saturday at the Freeport Farmers Market, located in the CVS parking lot on South Street from 7:30-11 am, I'll have:

 

• Tomatoes  A few heirloom varieties are beginning to ripen and I'll have a select few Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Tigerella, Roma, Delicious, Isis Candy, Black Krim, and Siberian.  The other varieties should be ripe soon, but in the meantime mix & match to find your favorite heirloom!  Visit the vegetable page on my web site for detailed descriptions of the heirloom varieties I'll have available this year.
• Tomatillos  The first tomatillos have been harvested and will make a first small appearance at market this week.  Get your Mexican recipes ready!
• Zucchini & Summer Squash  Squash-o-rama!  I'll have all 7 heirloom varieties on tap this week.  :-)  Look for recipes below.  My favorite soup recipe is included!
• Cucumbers  3 varieties are ready!  Lemon cucumber (very mild & sweet), slender slicing cucumbers, and pickling cucumbers.  (Recipes below).
• Lettuce Blend  
 The lettuce will return this week!A few bags of blended, washed baby lettuce varieties.
• Beans are probably taking a break this week.  The new plantings should be ready in the next week or two.
• Herbs Possibly some fresh dill and parsley.
• Swiss Chard  A beautiful green, chock full of vitamins!  I grow an heirloom-variety of Swiss Chard that has multi-colored stems - bright yellow, red, orange, pink, even white! 
• Kale A small amount of Red Russian kale.
• Kohlrabi The kohlrabi are really coming in now. 
• Surprises Sometimes I realize something is ripe & ready after I've already sent you this message, so you never know what I might have.
• Aprons & Potholders as always, I'll have my handmade unique aprons for sale.  Aprons are priced as marked.

To follow the happenings at the farm, recipes, and daily life, you can read my blog at http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/ .

Wishful Acres Organic Farm is on Facebook, and you can visit me there as well: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3D938258&id=3D1642007622#!/pages/Wishful-Acres-Organic-Farm/222010642190?ref=3Dts

Thanks, all! Have a great weekend.  Recipes follow.

Penny http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/

 

 

RECIPES

The following Creamy Vegetable Marrow  Squash Soup recipe is one of my hands-down favorite soups.  It's so creamy, mild, and delicious.  I grow an heirloom variety of squash called "Vegetable Marrow" that is a very light green, almost white, color that grows fat around the middle but stays mild with very tender skin.  I recommend this particular squash for the recipe, and I'll have plenty of soup-sized Vegetable Marrow squash on hand this week at market.  When I was swimming in these squash last year, my mother-in-law came up with this recipe.  Even people who don't particularly like squash will probably enjoy this delicious simple soup. 

(This recipe makes a giant batch.  The soup freezes & reheats beautifully , or feel free to cut the recipe down).

Creamy Vegetable Marrow Squash Soup
12 cups chicken stock
15 cups zucchini
1 large onion
1 package Neufechtel or cream cheese
salt or pepper to taste (optional)

Chop the onion & squash.  Saute the onion in a stockpot with a bit of oil.  Then add your chicken stock.  After adding the chicken stock, toss in all of your chopped zucchini.  There will be more zucchini than stock, so the zucchini will fill the pot higher than your stock.  That's fine.  Now, bring up to a boil.  Then turn the heat to low, put on a lid, and let it simmer until the zucchini is soft.  This will take anywhere from 15-30 minutes.  After the zucchini is soft, toss in your package of cream cheese.  Then puree the whole thing.  The easiest way is with a handy-dandy immersion blender (aka stick blender), but you can always transfer it to a regular blender if you don't have a stick blender.  Next, salt & pepper if necessary.  Serve and enjoy!

 

Neverending Pickles

• 2 large, garden-fresh cucumbers, sliced into rounds
• white wine vinegar
• fresh dill (optional)
• garlic slices (optional)
• onion slices (optional)

Place cucumbers in a bowl.  Pour enough vinegar over the cukes to cover them.  Cover & refrigerate.  Begin eating the next day.  Add fresh cucumber slices to the vinegar as needed.  Make sure to use garden-fresh organic cucumbers.  They are more crunchy and nutritious when fresh-picked plus they are unwaxed, unlike the waxy substance applied to grocery store cucumbers.

 

Grilled Zucchini / Summer Squash

One of my favorite ways to eat vegetables is grilled, and squash is no exception.  Simply slice it lengthwise at about 1/2" in thickness.  Then coat with olive oil and herbs/spices of your choosing.  Grill for 5 minutes on each side.  Enjoy!

 

Italian Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

Serves 4

• small to medium-sized Patty Pan Squash
• 1/2 pound Italian Sausage or Ground Beef
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded mozarella cheese

To prepare the patty pan squash for stuffing, wash and then cut a circle around the stem, leaving a bit of the edge - as you would cut open the top of a pumpkin.  Use a small spoon to scoop out the seed cavity and dispose of the seeds.  The inside should now be hollow.  In a pan, brown the meat.  Then add the marinara and stir to combine.  Stuff the marinara sauce into the hollowed-out patty pan squash.  Top with shredded cheese.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the squash is soft.  To eat, cut with a knife and fork, eating the squash along with the stuffing.  Delicious!

 

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