Farm News, August 22, 2017
This week’s Farm News is brought to you by Fort Hill Farm Field Manager, Elliott McGann. If Elliott is not running around the farm, he just might be leading a 5K race or swimming with his aquatic gang. He clearly has a penchant for energetic pursuits! Elliott writes:This weekend I read a fantastic article in the Washington Post (link) about some of the new discoveries regarding soil life that are being made.So after thanking our human crew last week, I want to thank the ultimate unpaid interns on the farm - the billions of bacteria, fungi, arthropods, insects, nematodes, and other soil creatures that contribute (mostly positively) to the growth of the crops of the farm, which deserve our appreciation.Some of the ways we try to protect the health of soil life is defined by things we don’t do - like not using highly toxic herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. We have also been trying some new “low till” techniques to disturb the soil less when preparing it for planting - if there is one thing these critters don’t like, it is getting their home mixed around and flipped over. For example, this year in our greenhouses instead of mixing up the top 10 inches of soil with machinery, instead we used hand tools to prepare the beds, only disturbing the top couple inches or so of the soil, and allowing life there to carry on without missing a beat. We hope to be able to adopt more of these techniques going forward.Back above the soil surface – the summer crops are still going at full tilt, but our highly tuned farmer senses are feeling a tickle of fall coming. Now is the time to really savor the summer crops - the best crop of tomatoes we have had in years, cucumbers and summer squash, watermelons, cantaloupes, and fantastic sweet corn.Finally, I would like to thank all of our CSA members and farmers’ market and farm stand customers for your continued support and positive feedback. It helps make all the hard work worth it!Elliott, for Paul, Rebecca, Bailey, Lauren, Justin, Hannah, Adam, and the field crew Scenes from the week:
Featured this week:
Edamame: These delicious fresh soybeans are rare in these parts, and long-awaited by some. They're also a snap to prepare. Just pull the pods from the plant, steam for a few minutes, sprinkle some salt on them, put the pod in your mouth, and squeeze out the beans. Great appetizer or snack.Sungold cherry tomatoes: always one of our most popular crops. So sweet! We are opening them up to PYO this week, as they are going strong now, and there is plenty to go around. For the best picking and for our easy management of the patch, please pick from the designated aisles only. Try substituting cherry tomatoes in the tomato pie recipe below for a real treat.
Also available: arugula, baby red kale, tatsoi, salad mix, head lettuce, rainbow chard, curly green and lacinato kale, pea shoots, sunflower sprouts, red, Chioggia, and golden beets, garlic, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, American slicing and Asian burpless cucumbers, Tendersweet, Savoy, and red cabbage, Ailsa Craig and Red Torpedo fresh onions, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, escarole, radicchio, assorted hot peppers, and the start of our baby ginger! (prices will be higher since we are pulling the crop very early....there will be plenty in the coming months at the usual price.)
Pick Your Own at the farm: The flowers are still doing well this week, but sunflowers are starting to decline. Green, yellow, and Roma beans are ready for picking. The herbs are going strong.PYO Hours: The PYO patch is open 30 minutes before and 30 minutes beyond barn distribution hours. Pick your own patch is also open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays during our Farm Stand, from 2:30 to 6:30 pm.
Coming soon: Eggplant
Recipes, suggested by Rebecca Batchie; also see the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Tomato and Onion Tart
Adapted from Gourmet2 large onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced thin2 tablespoons olive oilbutter pastry dough for a single-crust 12-inch tart1/2 pound Jack or Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)1/2 pound red tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges and laid to dry on paper towels1/2 pound medium yellow tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges and laid to dry on paper towels1/4 cup Niçoise olives, pittedButter Pastry DoughIn a large heavy skillet cook onions with salt to taste in oil, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove lid and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until golden and any liquid evaporates. Remove skillet from heat to cool onions slightly.Preheat oven to 375°F.On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll dough into a 14-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Fold round in half and transfer to a 12-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim or a 12-inch quiche dish. Unfold dough, easing to fit, and trim overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold overhang toward center and press against side of pan or dish. Spread onion mixture over dough and top with cheese. Arrange tomato wedges and olives in concentric circles over cheese and season with salt and pepper.Bake tart in middle of oven 1 hour, or until pastry is golden, and cool on a rack. Remove rim of pan if necessary. Serve tart warm or at room temperature.
Corn Salad With Hazelnuts, Pecorino, and Mint
From Bon Appetit1/2 cup blanched hazelnuts4 ears of corn, husked1 garlic clove, finely grated2 tablespoons fresh orange juice2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zestKosher salt2 tablespoons vegetable oil2 ounces Pecorino Toscano, shaved1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint1/4 cup coarsely chopped tarragon1 teaspoon Aleppo-style pepperPreheat oven to 350°F. Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.Meanwhile, prepare a grill for medium heat. Cut kernels from 1 corncob into a large bowl. Add garlic, orange juice, vinegar, and lemon zest and toss to combine; season with salt. Set aside.Brush remaining 3 ears of corn with oil and grill, turning occasionally, until very tender and charred and blackened in spots, 10–12 minutes. (Alternatively, remove kernels from cobs and cook in a dry large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until charred in spots, about 4 minutes.) Let cool.Cut kernels from cobs and add to reserved salad; add hazelnuts, Pecorino, mint, tarragon, and Aleppo-style pepper and toss to combine. Season with salt. Yields 4 servings.