Farm News, September 12, 2017
Farm News
(Cue the Star Trek music…) Apples ... the final organic frontier. These are the voyages of the organic Farm, Fort Hill. Its continuing mission, to explore strange production techniques, to boldly go where few organic farms have gone before!I thought we would take some time today to talk about our attempts at tree fruit here on the farm. Of all the crops that one could grow organically in the Northeast US, apples rank among the most difficult. There are a host of diseases, insects, and physiological issues that apple growers face in humid climates that make growing perfect fruit without the use of synthetic pesticides extremely difficult. Nearly all the organic fruit you see in grocery stores is grown in eastern Washington state, or in Chile, where a lack of summer rains make growing tree fruit a whole lot easier.Nine years ago, we planted 40 fruit trees, mostly apples, but also some pears and peaches, to take a shot at organic production. We tried to go with disease resistant varieties with good taste, which is why some of the varieties you will see us growing are less familiar, but still worth a try. Our fruit is also admittedly appearance challenged! We could go the familiar farmer routine and blame the weather, but the true reason is we are beginners in apple growing business, and now that it looks like the trees will be putting out fruit, we need to invest more time in tending the trees to make sure the crop is thinned out in the spring, and sprayed with materials like kaolin clay and micronized sulfur. The clay deters plum curculio, a little weevil that is our main insect pest. And the sulfur inhibits disease organisms from invading the apple leaves and fruit. Both are naturally occurring materials that are non-toxic to people and other critters. We have a modest crop this year, and we hope you’ll give them a try to sample the different varieties. This week we are picking the first of the pears and “Sweet 16,” apples developed at the University of Minnesota. True to its name, “Sweet 16,” sometimes called the “bubble gum apple,” it very sweet and fruity, with a decent crunch.Meanwhile, out in the field, the transition to fall crops is in full swing. We will begin digging potatoes in earnest, and next week will start bringing in the butternut squash and sweet potatoes to sweeten up in a greenhouse. You should see them near the end of September. Summer squash and cukes bid us a farewell this week. We should have tomatoes for another few weeks, and corn as well, although supply may be limited some days, as growth has slowed dramatically. Greens production has picked up nicely, with spinach back on the menu after a long absence. Based on the harvest and the color of the trees on the hills, looks like fall is here a bit early.We hope you enjoy the harvest,Paul and Rebecca for Elliott, Lauren, Bailey, Justin, Hannah, and the field crew
Featured this week:
La Ratte and Magic Molly blue fingerlings: what can we say...these are fancy spuds...La Ratte is waxy & gold, and Magic Molly is the moistest potato we grow, not to mention it is "blue all the way through!" Cube and roast, or boil and dress with butter and herbs (see recipe below). Store in a cool, dark place, but never in your fridge.Brussels Sprouts Greens: we break the tops off our Brussels sprouts to encourage the sprouts to swell, and lucky for us they taste just like collard greens (only more tender!). Some of us wait all year for these! See www.forthillfarm.com and look for collard and kale recipes for ideas.
Also available: arugula, baby red kale, tatsoi, head lettuce, rainbow chard, curly green and lacinato kale, pea shoots, sunflower sprouts, red, Chioggia, and golden beets, garlic, carrots, Savoy cabbage, Red Torpedo and storage onions, shallots, leeks, radishes, salad turnips, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, fennel, escarole, radicchio, mixed sweet peppers, green bell peppers, assorted hot peppers, potatoes, corn, eggplant, and baby ginger!
Pick Your Own at the farm: The flowers are still vibrant this week, sunflowers are just about over. Beans are back for the fall! The parsley and perennial herbs are going strong, and there's some new cilantro out there.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: parsnips
Recipes, suggested by Rebecca Batchie; also see the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Chile Rellenos
By Panchita from allrecipesThese can be time-consuming and not so easy on the heart, but they are a big hit for a special occasion.12 Poblano or Anaheim chile peppers, charred and peeled1 pound Cheddar cheese, cut into strips1 cup milk1 cup all-purpose flour1 egg, beaten1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon canola oil1/2 cup all-purpose flour for coatingRemove seeds and membranes from peppers. Stuff each pepper with a strip of cheese.In a small bowl combine milk, the 1 cup flour, egg, baking powder, baking soda, salt and canola oil; mix well to make a batter.Pour enough oil in heavy frying pan to reach 1 inch in depth and heat over medium-high heat. Roll each pepper in the remaining flour and dip in the batter. Fry until lightly browned on both sides.
Pan-fried Fingerlings with Leeks
By Kimberly Killebrew from daringgourmet2 pounds fingerling potatoes, washed and boiled in salted water for 4-5 minutes until just barely softened2 tablespoons butter (vegans: use olive oil)1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil1 large leek, sliced and thoroughly washed2 tablespoons butter (vegans: use olive oil)3 tablespoons dry white wineSalt and freshly ground black pepperFresh chopped parsley for garnishHeat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the leek until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a rapid boil, and boil for 2 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.Add the butter and olive oil to the same skillet and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add the potatoes and fry until browned on all sides. This will take several minutes. Don't turn the potatoes over too frequently to prevent the skins from coming loose. Return the leek to the potatoes and stir to combine and heat through.Transfer the potatoes to a warmed serving platter and serve immediately garnished with fresh chopped parsley. Serves 4.