Farm News, August 17, 2021
The weather gods turned up the heat on us last week. We seem to have come out of the heat wave with a bunch of watermelons as we cruise into the late summer stretch. Picking watermelons is a good job on the farm. The best part comes first. We check the yellow spots on the fruit where they are sitting on the ground, and also see if the tendril near the stem is dead. Some combination of these two signs will tell us if a watermelon is ready, and the only way to correlate them is to crack a bunch of watermelons in the field and see how they taste. Good work if you can get it!
The gang enjoys the literal fruit of their labors. Hmm … hmm … good.
Then we pick the ready melons, line them up on the edge of the field, load them into bins, and park them in the cooler. We’ve trialed some new red watermelons this year, and you may see the solid dark green “Blacktail Mountain “ and the light green, peanut shaped “Ambrosia” along with our usual striped red melons. The yellow melons are just coming in and we hope to have more next week.
The great melon toss of 2021.
On the sweet corn front: the soil was fertile, the plants were set in on time, the weeds and bugs were kept at bay, and if we can just keep what has to be the largest flock of blackbirds on record (along with 2 wayward raccoons I have spotted on many a night’s work) from damaging this new planting, we should have some great corn this week.
Good thing Brendan has a strong background in football, as he was the main recipient of these slippery weights.
We’ve been throwing water on the lettuce, salad mix, and all the greens seem to have made it through the hot spell in fine shape. The flowers are still looking great and may be a good place to unwind and escape from distressing, sad, and frustrating news that seems to stream in each day.
We hope you enjoy the farm and the produce,
Paul and Rebecca for the Fort Hill Farm Crew
Julia brings in the chard.
Featured this week:
Watermelons: They seem late this year, but nonetheless, are a welcome treat. There are three types of red and yellow are just starting to come in. Give a new one a try - we love them all! Slice and enjoy or try the recipe below.
Fresh Edamame: We look forward to this ephemeral summer harvest, as fresh Edamame is not something you see everyday. Strip the pods from the stems steam for five minutes, salt, squeeze the beans from the pods into your mouth, and enjoy. Or see the recipe below. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Also available:
Salad mix, arugula, 8 kinds of head lettuce, pea shoots, fresh carrots, Rainbow carrots, limited red radish, limited salad turnips, scallions, Red cabbage, Tendersweet cabbage, limited red, Chioggia, and gold beets, curly and lacinato kale, rainbow chard, garlic, parsley, cilantro, dill, chives, oregano, sage, thyme, rosemary, radicchio, Red Torpedo and Ailsa Craig onions, Red Gold potatoes, garlic, Heirloom and beefsteak tomatoes, Sungold and red cherry tomatoes, slicing cucumbers, summer squash, sweet corn, green bell peppers, and the first eggplant, and hot peppers
Coming Soon:
fresh young ginger, Satina Gold potatoes
Pick Your Own:
Sunflowers: there are fewer varieties now, but they are still the happiest flowers on the planet.
Flowers: * please get a flower ring from the barn for bouquet size.
The blossoms are in full swing now! Don’t miss the Dahlias, some of which are short and hiding behind the other flower rows.
Perennial Herbs: * please get an herb ring from the barn for bunch size.
Chives, Oregano, Thyme, and Sage
Green and Yellow Wax Beans:
We expect the wax to come in later in the week. Green beans are still taking their time.
PYO Hours: 1:30 - 7PM. (PYO begins 30 minutes before and goes 30 minutes beyond barn hours.)
Recipes
Suggested by Rebecca Batchie
For more recipes, check out the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Watermelon Gazpacho
By Tyler Florence via Epicurious
For the watermelon gazpacho doubters, I hear you, but when Genee from Herbaceous Catering at the Westport Market made this last year, I was smitten. She makes it sans the cheese, and uses fresh parsley, basil, and a hint of fresh mint in place of the dill. Both she and I always leave chunks in gazpacho too.
Ingredients
1 large tomato, pureed
1/2 serrano chile (or substitute with jalapeno)
2 cups cubed fresh watermelon
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1/2 cucumber, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
In a blender, puree the tomatoes, chile, and 1/2 of the watermelon. Pour in the red wine vinegar and olive oil and pulse. Add the onion, cucumber and dill and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour into chilled bowls and sprinkle with dill, feta, and remaining watermelon. Serve.
Plant-Based Ramen with Edamame
By Lindsay Mattison
There’s been a bit of chatter about Ramen on the farm lately. Something about that satisfying savory broth after sweating all day, which seems to make salt generally more acceptable. Even more, it’s a fast way to cram as many Fort Hill veggies as you can into a one-pot meal that becomes more than the sum of its parts.
Ingredients
6 cups vegetable broth low-sodium
1 tablespoon ginger fresh, minced
3 garlic cloves minced
2 green onions chopped, plus additional for garnish
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 cup cremini mushrooms thinly sliced
1 tablespoon white miso paste vegan-friendly
8 ounces ramen noodles vegan-friendly, seasoning packet discarded
3 cups baby spinach fresh
1 cup edamame shelled, thawed if frozen
1 carrot large, shredded
2 tablespoons cilantro fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 jalapeno thinly sliced, optional
Instructions
In a large saucepot, combine the vegetable broth, ginger, garlic, green onions, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer.
Add the mushrooms to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften.
Add the miso paste and whisk until the mixture is well combined.
Add the ramen noodles and spinach to the pot and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the noodles are soft and the spinach is wilted.
Add the edamame and simmer until it’s warmed through, about 2 minutes.
Divide the noodles between four bowls and top each bowl with the broth and vegetables. Garnish each bowl with the shredded carrot, chopped cilantro, sesame seeds, and jalapeno (if using). Yields 2 cups.