Farm News October 25, 2022
Please note our Fall Farmstand Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 2 - 5:30 PM (closing an hour earlier)
Saturday: 9 am - 12:30 pm (opening 1 hour later)
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This week’s Farm News is written by Field Manager James Gilbert. James has worked in many capacities during his 4 years on the farm, notably running our Chappaqua market stand and keeping the field plantings orderly and running on schedule. He’s a man of many talents, and we’ve been lucky to have him here on the farm for so long. James writes:
As the chlorophyll in tree leaves dissipates and the fall colors reveal themselves in full, we farmworkers can no longer just throw on a long sleeve shirt and a pair of work shoes to be prepared for the day. Last week the hard frosts three mornings in a row brought back memories of winter, and some of us were more relieved than others that the sun melted it all away by late morning. No section in the field speaks for this better than the frost-irrigated flowers, which somehow continue to brighten our day, even after being encased in many layers of ice in the morning.
Elliott captures the frozen dahlia scene. This gives new meaning to the old adage about being cruel to be kind!
This time of year also means that we have to wait for the crops to thaw out before we harvest them. It makes for a bit of a time crunch once we start harvesting, but since the demands of farming slow down with the season, we can focus on harvest when the time comes. It also makes for some deliciously sweet crops, as starch is converted into sugar acts as an anti-freezing agent for many greens like Brussel sprouts, kale, and spinach, and root crops like carrots, beets, and parsnips.
Monty gets busy carving a pumpkin at the Farmstand.
We boosted up the amount of garlic we’re going to plant from last year, and we’re hoping it comes close to (or dare I say it, is even better than) the hugely successful crop we had this year. We now have all the beds composted, fertilized, and ready to plant. This marks the last field preparation for the year, which carves out a good time to really reflect on how the season went and what changes we’d like to see next year.
Faye picks snap peas. It’s our first time (that I can remember, anyway) growing fall snap peas.
I haven’t spent much time at our markets or the farmstand this year, but I still managed to have a few meaningful interactions passing through the farmstand. It’s one thing to grow great food, but it really only means something to me once it is shared. Thanks for sourcing your food from Fort Hill. Hopefully the autumnal spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove, coupled with warm cooking and cider are shared with people who matter to you.
James, for the Fort Hill Farm crew
Calin and Faye show off some fine autumnal goodies: turmeric and dahlias.
Fort Hill Farm Store Feature:
With Elliott taking the lead, we’ve ramped up our Farm Store offerings this year and sourced a number of local delicacies that might otherwise be out of reach. We hope these specialty crafted items are adding joy and value to the fresh produce you pick up at the farm.
Mayapple Hill Farm
We are very excited to start stocking lamb products from New Milford's own Mayapple Hill Farm. Started by Nick and Linda Pouder in 2009, Mayapple Hill Farm is committed to a pasture based and holistic approach to raising their animals. I had the pleasure of visiting the farm last week and the care they put into their animals was clear to see. Currently available at the farm stand - ground lamb, lamb kabobs, racks of lamb and loin roasts, and lamb merguez sausage.
If you want to learn more about Mayapple Hill Farm check out their website -
Featured veg:
Collard greens: These somehow manage to both be overlooked and yet garner a distinct cult following. We love them. Stir fry/braise with slow-cooked leeks for a real treat, try the recipe below, or even better, the Caldo Verde recipe from the 2018 newsletter. You won’t be disappointed!
Jack - O'- Lantern Pumpkins: NOW ON SALE!
What a joy the sight of these brings! Get your Jack-o for Halloween directly from the farm and not the big box stores. We have nice big ones with tons of personality and also a bin of smaller ones for grouping a display (aka pie pumpkins). Roast the seeds and let’s get this ephemeral autumn ritual underway.
Also available:
Head lettuce (back on sale!), arugula, salad mix (limited), pea shoots, carrots, red and French Breakfast radishes, curly and lacinato kale, rainbow chard, escarole, radicchio, cilantro, parsley, chives, rosemary, oregano, sage, thyme, red, Chioggia, and gold beets, red and yellow storage onions (farmstand only), green and red cabbage, garlic, jalapeño, poblano, & shishito peppers, limited sweet peppers, heirloom & beefsteak tomatoes, parsnips, Kennebec, Blue Gold, Dark Red Norland, and Satina Gold, Magic Molly blue fingerling, & gold fingerling potatoes, classic sweet potatoes and Murasaki Japanese sweet potatoes, Butternut, Koginut, & Honeynut squash, Carnival and Starry Night winter squash (at farmstand), speckled swan gourds, leeks, Brussels sprouts on stalk, fresh ginger and turmeric!
Pick Your Own:
~Perennial Herbs:
chives, oregano, sage, and thyme
~Flowers:
Amazingly, and thanks to Elliott and Paul, the dahlias persevere!
Recipes
Suggested by Rebecca Batchie
For more recipes, check out the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Vegan Collard Green Burritos
Author Minimalist Baker
Don’t let this lengthy collection of recipes deter you from making collard-wrapped burritos! Simply add your own burrito filling to this vitamin-packed powerhouse of a vegetable for a healthy alternative to flour tortillas.
Ingredients
2 cups Raw Walnut Taco “Meat” *RECIPE BELOW
3/4 cup Mexican Cheese Spread *RECIPE BELOW (or something similar store-bought)
4 large collard greens (as big and fresh as possible)
1 cup alfalfa, broccoli, or radish sprouts
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 small ripe avocado
1/2 cup pickled red onion (or thinly sliced radish)
1/2 cup Red Salsa *RECIPE BELOW (or store-bought)
Instructions
Prepare vegan taco meat and cheese spread if you haven’t already. For the cheese spread, we used the recipe for the spread and added a little hot water to thin. Be careful not to get the cheese too thin or it will make for extra-messy burritos.
Place washed collard green leaves on a cutting board and cut off the large stems at the base. Then use a knife to thinly shave along the remaining stem at the base of the collard green to thin until pliable (this helps ease the rolling process).
Place a collard green leaf on a cutting board and top with 1/2 cup raw taco meat, 1/4 cup sprouts, 1/4 cup cilantro, a couple slices of avocado, pickled onion (or radish), and a few spoonfuls Mexican Cheese Spread and Red Salsa (see photo).
Roll one end of collard leaf over the fillings lengthwise. Then fold the ends in, roll again, and place wrap seam-side down on a serving plate. Repeat previous step with the remaining collard leaves and fillings.
Best when fresh. Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
10-Minute Raw Vegan Taco “Meat”
Author Minimalist Baker
2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (preferably packaged dry, not in oil)*
3 cups raw walnuts
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp coconut sugar (omit if avoiding sugar, or sub a little stevia)
1-2 small habanero peppers (deseeded and chopped // more or less to spice preference // or sub 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, plus more to taste, but this will make the recipe no longer raw)
1-2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
~1/4 cup water as needed (plus more as needed)
Instructions
Add sun-dried tomatoes to a small bowl and cover with warm water. Set aside and allow to soak for at least 5 minutes.
To the bowl of a food processor, add walnuts and pulse into a semi-fine meal (some larger chunks are okay. Be careful not to churn into a butter). Transfer walnuts to a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Drain the sun-dried tomatoes (reserving the water in a small bowl to add back to the sauce later on) and add to the bowl of the food processor. Add garlic, sea salt, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, coconut sugar, habaneros, and nutritional yeast (optional) and blend until a smooth paste is formed. Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of reserved water at a time until a thick but pourable sauce is formed (see photo).
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, garlic for more “zing,” peppers for heat, cumin for smokiness, or coconut sugar to balance the heat.
Add mixture to walnuts and stir to combine. At this point, you can taste and adjust flavors as needed once more. We added a bit more salt.
Enjoy in any setting one would use taco meat: tacos, salad, nachos, burritos, and more. Leftovers can be stored up to 5-7 days in the refrigerator or up to 1 month in the freezer.
Smoky Vegan Cheese (Three Ways)
Author Minimalist Baker
FOR THE SHAKABLE:
3/4 cup raw cashews
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
FOR THE SPREAD:
1 1/2 cups raw cashews
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 pinch chili powder
1 chipotle in adobo with a little sauce (or sub salsa or your favorite hot sauce)
1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil (for blending // optional)
FOR THE QUESO:
1 cup of the spreadable + hot water
Instructions
To make the shakable cheese, add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse until a fine meal is achieved (see photo). Store in a jar and refrigerate and use on anything from tacos to salads to tofu scrambles.
To make the spreadable cheese, add raw cashews to a food processor and process into a butter, scraping down sides as needed. Add in spices and chipotle pepper and mix until a spread is formed. You may need to add a little oil to help things blend together. Store in a jar and refrigerate to keep fresh and use as a dip or spread.
To make the queso, simply scoop out desired portion of the spreadable cheese and add very hot water a little at a time and whisk until pourable. Use as a dip, tacos and salads. Store leftovers in a jar in the fridge to keep fresh.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 2 Tbsp of the shakable cheese (which yields a total of 6 servings). For estimates on the spread and queso, roughly double those numbers per serving due to increased volume/weight.
*Recipe as originally written yields ~2 cups cheese.
Easy Red Salsa
Ingredients
2 15-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes* (slightly drained)
1 medium serrano or jalapeño pepper (more or less depending on preferred spice level // stems and seeds removed)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (large stems removed)
1 medium lime, juiced (~3 Tbsp or 45 ml as original recipe is written)
1/2 cup chopped white or red onion (or sub green onion)
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp sea salt
1 clove garlic (crushed // or 1 tsp garlic-infused oil per 1 clove garlic)
Stevia or cane sugar (optional // to taste)
2-4 Tbsp diced mild green chilies (optional // for extra heat)
Instructions
Add tomatoes, pepper, cilantro, lime, onion, cumin, salt, and garlic to food processor or blender and pulse to mix. You're looking for a well-blended but semi-chunky salsa.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, lime for acidity, garlic for kick/zing, cilantro for herb flavor, pepper or mild green chilies for heat, or a little stevia or sugar to sweeten/offset heat.
Serve immediately with chips of choice, such as DIY Chili Cheeze Fritos, tortilla chips, or kale chips!
Store leftovers in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 1 month.