Farm News, September 26, 2017
Farm News
I’ve been trying to avoid commenting about unusual weather for most of the season, but when the mercury pushes 90F and it’s almost October, it’s hard to ignore. It’s become pretty dry around here, so we’ve brought out the pipe and hose and drip tape for another round of keeping the crops watered, which really makes us appreciate the three wells that provide dependable, clean water for us to make our sandy soils productive.Far more ominous have been the large storms that have savaged the Caribbean, Texas, and Florida. We have been fortunate that they have largely stayed off to the east and have not threatened New England, but the memories of Irene and Super Storm Sandy are not too far from my mind. The news has been full of heart breaking losses by so many people, it makes a little extra sweat on my part seem like small potatoes.The warm weather has brought an extended tomato season, and lots of great fall cooking greens. We brought in a nice harvest of butternut squash that we have curing in the greenhouse and hope to have ready next week. The crew is still bringing juicy cherry tomatoes, and we dug first of the fall carrots. These are a bigger variety that produced some large, sweet roots. Beets are extra sweet this time of year, and we have a bumper crop. And to add some excitement to the mix, we’ve started harvesting a very good Brussels sprouts crop. We planted these ways back in June, and have spent the whole season tending them. Brussels sprouts are challenging to grow in New England, so we’re happy that the combination of a productive variety choice, the right soil fertility, diligent weeding and watering have all worked out!We hope you enjoy the harvest,Paul and Rebecca, for Elliott, Lauren, Bailey, Justin, Hannah, and the field crew
Three photos from 3 minutes on the farm yesterday afternoon:
Featured this week:
Brussels sprouts: Our Brussels sprouts clearly liked whatever combination of weather 2017 brought us, as we’ve never seen such large and healthy sprouts spring from the our soil. And while is seems like we should be introducing watermelon instead (based on the current swimming weather), we’re offering this healthy and delectable fall favorite. We’ve consistently found it amazing that kids really love to try our sprouts, once they seem them on the stem, right out of the field. We have yet to see that kind of enthusiasm for the ones that come in a frozen square block, which is interesting. Pluck the sprouts off and steam them, then finish them off by browning in a pan with leeks or the like. Store sprouts for at least a week in the refrigerator. Note that while our stalks may appear to command a high price, they contain a hefty amount of sprouts and also compare favorably to local stores’ prices for both organic and conventional sprouts.Cauliflower: one of the trickiest crops to grow, so much so that we've given up on a spring crop. But I'll be darned, we’ve got a nice fall crop coming in this week. Store for a week in the fridge crisper. See recipe below.Purple Top Turnips: another fall classic, yet turnips are a highly underrated veggie. Try them cubed and roasted with other root vegetables, mash with or without potatoes, or try them in soup. Store for at least a few months in the fridge crisper. See www.forthillfarm.com for more recipe ideas.Also available: arugula, baby red kale, tatsoi, rainbow chard, curly green and lacinato kale, pea shoots, sunflower sprouts, red, Chioggia, & golden beets, garlic, carrots, parsnips, celeriac, Red Torpedo and storage onions, leeks, radishes, salad turnips, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, baby bok choy, fennel, escarole, radicchio, mixed sweet peppers, green bell peppers, assorted hot peppers, potatoes, eggplant, Brussels sprout greens, collards, spinach, and baby ginger!Pick Your Own at the farm: The late flowers are still going...what a great flower year it's been! Beans are taking a break -we're hoping for the fall planting to get going next week. The parsley and perennial 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: Butternut squash, green cabbage
Recipes, suggested by Rebecca Batchie; also see the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar & Honey
By Jennifer SegalAnother heavenly roasted Brussels sprouts recipe... 1-1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved, stems and ragged outer leaves removed*3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil3/4 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon honeyPreheat oven to 425 degrees.Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with 2 tablespoons olive oil, kosher salt and pepper. Transfer the Brussels sprouts to baking sheet and roast, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning, until tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.Place Brussels sprouts back in bowl. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey and toss to coat evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve.*If you have some Brussels sprouts that are very large, cut them into quarters. They should all be cut about the same size to ensure even cooking.
Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
From Yup, it's VeganFor the baked cauliflower:1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour1/2 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup water plus more as needed1 small head of cauliflower cut into florets (scant 4 cups of florets) For the sticky sesame sauce:2 and 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil divided1/2 inch ginger minced or grated2-3 cloves garlic (to taste), minced or grated3 and 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar (or less, to taste)2 and 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce1 teaspoon rice vinegar2 tablespoons tomato paste1 teaspoon chili paste like sriracha For the sticky sesame cauliflower:battered cauliflower (above)sticky sesame sauce (above)toasted sesame seeds for servingchopped green onions for serving Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper.In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1 cup of water and stir. Continue adding water 1 tablespoon at a time until a pancake batter-esque consistency is reached. You want batter that is thick enough to stay on a cauliflower floret but thin enough that you can easily shake off the excess. I usually need another couple of tablespoons of additional water.One by one, dip the cauliflower florets into the batter, gently shake off extra batter, and place them onto the baking sheet. Leave plenty of space between florets on the baking sheet so that they can get crispy. You may not be able to quite fit a whole head of cauliflower on two baking sheets.Bake the battered cauliflower for 20 minutes, rotate the position of the trays, and then bake for another 5-10 more minutes or until crispy and browned.Meanwhile, heat two teaspoons of the sesame oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about 60-90 seconds, or until the garlic and ginger are softened and fragrant.Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and stir well. Continue cooking on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and thickened slightly. Turn the heat to low and leave on the burner, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. Stir in the remaining sesame oil just before mixing with the cauliflower. (I do this to make sure there's a nice noticeable sesame flavor).Once the cauliflower is done baking, use a spatula to gently mix it together with the sauce in a bowl or the saucepan if large enough. Spread it back out on the baking sheets, and return it to the oven for just 2-4 minutes, to thicken the sauce onto the cauliflower. Watch it carefully, as the sticky sesame sauce can burn quickly. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped green onions if desired.