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Thursday, June 9, 2011

Farm Fresh Newsletter June 8, 2011

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

Available for free Saturday delivery & at farmers market this Saturday: Cilantro, Radishes, Salad Mix, Baby Turnip Greens, Brown Eggs, Garlic Spinach Mustard  Orders for Freeport area Saturday free delivery emailed to me by 8 am on Friday please: wishfulacres@gmail.com .

A nasty cold virus has swept through our farmhouse this week, beginning last weekend with my oldest son and hitting me a couple of days ago.  I believe the virus was a parting gift from my son's classmates on the final day of school last Friday!  I haven't felt up to doing any farmwork for the past couple of days, aside from feeding & watering the hens, dog, and farmcats.  And caring for the children - do they count as farm creatures?  Luckily, I spent over 4 hours last Sunday morning planting all the winter squash for the season!  My husband was kind enough to take our 3 sons into church while I stayed behind to get some work done.  I began at 8 am, and by noon I was able to look back with a sense of accomplishment - an area the size of 1/2 of a football field was planted with over 20 varieties of winter squash, pumpkins, and gourds.  The heat had arrived by then, so I scooted indoors to get out of the sun. Speaking of heat - it's been a scorcher this week!  It's affecting the gardens by causing the cool-weather crops to sag a bit, and the hens have decided they don't like to lay as many eggs in this heat.  I'm looking forward to the upcoming rain and break from this heat - the gardens are honestly getting quite dry - we haven't had any rain for over a week and a half.  I'm listening to a bit of thunder in the distance as I type this and hoping it doesn't dissipate like so many of the rains that haven't quite made it to us lately!

While I haven't been out to check on the gardens, I can tell you what I expect to have this weekend at farmers market and delivery.  There may be a few surprises at my market booth if something else is ready by Saturday.


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 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).

Baby Kale - This variety is a pretty Russian type, not curly like some types of kale.  A pretty pinkish stem and blue/green foliage.  I'll have some kale recipes at the end of the newsletter this week!  1/2 gallon bag, $2.50.

Cilantro.  Hands-down my favorite herb, cilantro is great on any Mexican food and really brightens up a salad just tossed on top of the lettuce.  A sandwich bag full, $1.

Dill.  I think I may have some fresh dill leaves ready to harvest for this week's market!  My second-favorite fresh herb, fresh dill leaves are so unbelievably good tossed onto a salad you will dream of it all winter long (at least my husband and I did!).  Sandwich bag, $1.

This week, the organic Salad Mix will feature a gourmet blend of beautiful Baby Red & Green Romaine lettuces, frilly Tango lettuce, light green Simpson lettuce, baby kale, baby spinach, other baby greens, and succulent sugar snap pea tendrils. The organic salad mix is triple washed, bagged, and ready to eat.  Approximately half gallon.  $2.50 per bag.

The pastured hens are laying lots of big, beautiful brown eggs.  These are extra-large in size, and the yolks are a beautiful healthy orange color you won't see in store-bought eggs, with a rich taste and firm
white. $3 per dozen.

The Garlic Spinach mustard is still being harvested as well.  This slightly bitter  green is not a true spinach, rather a delicious relative of the mustard family.  It's a highly nutritious leafy green that has a mild garlic flavor.  Garlic Spinach is also great on salads mixed with your lettuce.  $2.50 per bag, half gallon.

Radishes are ready!  Mild & crunchy, I'll have 2 varieties available - a beautiful French Breakfast radish (elongated, pink with a white tip), and a red cherry radish.  $1 per bunch.

Hope to see you soon! 

Penny
Wishful Acres
Certified Naturally Grown produce & more

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

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


RECIPES

Kale Soup with White Beans & Sausage
1 bag kale
1 pound pork sausage
1 can white beans, or 2 cups cooked dry beans
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup dry whole wheat pasta
8 cups chicken broth
Salt & pepper
1 teaspoon Garlic powder

Saute onions & cook sausage.  Place chicken broth in a soup pot and add cooked onion & sausage.  Bring to a boil.  Add pasta, beans, and kale & cook until pasta is slightly tender.  Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt & pepper to taste. 



Kale Chips
(like a healthy potato chip!)

  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Directions

  1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
  3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.


Sauteed Kale

  • 1 1/2 pounds young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.




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