Farm News, September 18, 2018
Farm News
Seems like summer has gone on longer than usual this year, but even though it’s been hot and muggy instead of fair and crisp, mid-September is time to get the big harvests done on the farm. With so many rainy days, that has become more and more difficult, so when two dry days in a row appeared, we knew it was time to get the butternut squash off the ground, pile it into bins, and tuck them away into a dry greenhouse to cure and sweeten up for a week or two. The only problem is that the best time to pick up winter squash is in the early afternoon, and the best window to get the squash in was on Saturday, at the end of a long workweek for the crew. Luckily, we have a super dedicated bunch of people here, and Dana, Lauren, Sarah, Justin and Renata were willing to help out and put in the extra time after the farm stand had closed and the New Milford Farmers’ market had ended. So, we put a bin on the pallet forks of a Kubota and drove down the aisles of windrowed squash and binned up what is shaping up to be a nice crop.
We also got an early start on the sweet potatoes, and we took another dry opportunity before the remnants of Hurricane Florence drenched us yet again to dig up the first of the sweet potatoes. Looks like a good crop this year! We’ve got them in a warm greenhouse with the butternut squash and will monitor their progress (by eating them….) to see when they have sweetened up. That usually takes about a week or two. Then we put a tighter chain on the digger and headed into the potato patch to dig up the fingerling potatoes. They also made a nice crop this year, and we can get those tasty spuds out to you this week!
Hope you enjoy the farm and produce,Paul and Rebecca, for Elliott and the Fort Hill Farm crew
Featured this week:
La Ratte fingerling potatoes: These fancy spuds are creamy, unique, and beg for butter and herbs in any number of ways ... roasted, steamed, cubed in potato salad. They also happen to be low yielding and more difficult to grow and harvest, hence the heavier price tag.
Also available:
arugula, salad mix, tatsoi, pea shoots, sunflower sprouts, microgreens, head lettuce, garlic, chioggia and red beets, carrots, rainbow chard, basil and other fresh herbs, curly green and lacinato kale, heirloom and beefsteak tomatoes, sungold and red cherry tomatoes, trickles of eggplant and peppers, Savoy cabbage, Blue Gold, Red Gold, Satina Gold, Kennebec, and Dark Red Norland potatoes, celeriac, leeks, radishes, escarole, Carnival squash, and our fresh baby ginger!
Coming Soon:
Magic Molly blue fingerlings, sweet potatoes
Pick Your Own:
Flowers - still going towards the back of the patch! Pick up a Flower Ring in the barn for bunch size.Fresh Herbs: Italian and curly parsley, thyme, sage, oregano, and cilantro. Feel free to mix and match for your bunch. Some herbs are available in the barn, others are available for PYO only. Pick up an Herb Ring in the barn for bunch size. Please pick only the herbs with signs directly in front of them, as some young herbs are still growing! ...... and NEW for 2018: CSA members may pick 1 small PYO bunch of herbs (mixed or not) each week for FREE! One bunch per share. PYO only. Please see samples in the barn for bunch size.PYO begins 30 before and goes 30 minutes beyond barn hours.
Recipes, suggested by Rebecca Batchie. For more recipes, check out the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Fingerling Potato Salad with Gremolata Dressing
Recipe from Cooking Light1/2 pound white fingerling potatoes1/2 pound red (or blue) fingerling potatoes2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil1 teaspoon grated lemon rind1 garlic clove, crushed and minced1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley1 tablespoon capers, drainedStep 1Steam potatoes, covered, 12 minutes or until tender. Cover and chill.Step 2Combine juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; slowly add oil, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in rind and garlic; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in parsley and capers.Step 3Cut potatoes into quarters; add potatoes to juice mixture, tossing to coat.
Sautéed Radishes
Recipe from AllrecipesThis simple recipe turns radishes sweet!1 tablespoon butter20 radishes, ends trimmed and radishes cut in halfHeat butter in a skillet over low heat; arrange radishes, cut side-down, in the melted butter. Season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until radishes are browned and softened, about 10 minutes.