Farm Fresh Newsletter June 17, 2011

Hi everyone & welcome to this edition of the Farm Fresh newsletter!

Organic vegetables available at this Saturday's farmers market & delivery:
Sugar Snap Peas!!, Arugula, Spinach, Lettuce Mix, Cilantro, Dill, Radishes, Brown Eggs, Garlic Spinach Mustard, baby kale. 

(Orders for Freeport area Saturday free delivery orders over $5 emailed to me by 8 am on Friday please: wishfulacres@gmail.com .)

It's been a busy week on the farm, which is nothing new I suppose!  We have spent a lot of time this week weeding and planting, planning and implementing.  And dreaming.  Always dreaming.  As a member of CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training), I visit a few organic non-conventional farms each summer for field days.  Monday was the first field day of this year, and I asked my husband to join me as he's never been on a field training day.  We visited Tomato Mountain Farm, a certified organic produce & value-added farm in Wisconsin (value added: they make their salsas & soups in an on-farm commercial kitchen & sell in the Chicago area).  I am always in awe when I visit these farms: 10 acres of beautiful organic produce is a sight to behold.  However, I personally have no desire to truck my vegetables into the greater Chicago area at this point in my life, which is where the large local produce farmers need to go to sell their wonderful veggies.  For me, it's nice to remain a small family farm at this point, where I can be available to my sons and lead a somewhat low-stress existence!  However, who knows what the future may hold though, as my young children grow.  So for now, I dream.

I do have some big news this week!  First off, the first crop of Sugar Snap Peas will be ready this Saturday!  Among everyone's favorites, these morsels are crisp, juicy, and sweet.  Look for some recipes at the end of this newsletter!

Other happenings: Now that I can post to the farm blog journal directly from my cell phone, I'm posting a lot more frequently.  Did you read my blog posting this week about the chemically treated seeds that were sent to me?  No?  Well, here is a link to the farm blog: http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/.  You can also see other postings from the week, including a couple of farm meal pictures, baby chick & hen pictures, and some harvest pictures. 

I'll be at the Freeport Farmers Market this Saturday, located in the CVS parking lot in Freeport (corner of South & West streets, near Higher Grounds Coffee Shop), from 7:30-11 am.  Look for the blue tent with the Wishful Acres Farm sign.  If you're unable to attend market, but would like your order delivered free of charge (Freeport & outlying area only), please email your order to me ( wishfulacres@gmail.com ) by 8 am on Friday (available products are listed below - vegetables and plants as well as eggs).  I'll be delivering orders over $5 after farmers market on Saturday, so you can expect your order to arrive sometime between 11:30-1:00.  If you won't be home, you can simply leave the money, and direct me to a place you'd like your order left (a porch, cooler, etc).


Sugar Snap Peas!! - One of my favorite crops!  So crunchy & sweet, a delight.  $2.50, sandwich bag size.

Arugula - 1st picking new crop, a peppery addition to your salads.  $2, sandwich bag size.

Lettuce Mix - a gourmet blend of 6 baby leaf lettuces, washed 3 times and bagged.  $2.50, 1/2 gallon bag.

Spinach - I will have a few bags of spinach this week.  1/2 gallon bag, $2.50.

Radishes - We are nearing the end for spring radishes, so get them while they are still here!  1 bunch (10 radishes), $1.  Mild French breakfast or punchier Cherry red.

Baby Kale - Last week for baby-sized kale!  1/2 gallon bag, $2.50.

Cilantro.  A sandwich bag full, $1.

Dill.  Fresh dill - unbeatable on a salad, eggs, sandwich, on and on. Sandwich bag, $1.

Eggs.  Only a few dozen this week, my hens were confused this week as to how to lay!   $3 per dozen.

Garlic Spinach mustard will still be here, for your pesto recipes!   $2.50 per bag, half gallon.



Hope to see you soon! 

Penny
Wishful Acres
Certified Naturally Grown produce & more

Wishful Acres: http://wishfulacres.blogspot.com/

Farm Blog: http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/


RECIPES


Roasted Sugar Snap Peas

1 bag sugar snap peas
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Coat peas in oil and place on baking sheet.  Cook for approximately 15 minutes, upon removal sprinkle with salt.  Awesome!



Salad with Sugar Snap Peas and dill

1 bag lettuce mix
1/2 bag of sugar snap peas
1/2 bag of fresh dill
Dressing of choice
Toss all together, chopping the sugar snap peas first.  Top with dressing.  Yum!


Sugar Snap Peas with hummus dip

• 2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pinch paprika (optional)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley (optional)

1. Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley, if desired.

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