Farm News July 30, 2024
Our Farmstand is in full swing
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(PYO & Farmstand Hours):
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 2 - 6:30 PM
Saturday: 8 am - 12:30 pm
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One of the crazier things I experience on the farm is setting up irrigation systems as it is spitting some rain. The problem here is that we really need a soaking rain to get our soils saturated. A sprinkle that delivers a tenth of an inch is not going to do the job. So, we often find ourselves watering crops even as its raining. We only stop once we get three quarters of an inch or more, and when the temps are 80F or above, within a few days we pick up the pipes and start watering again. That’s how it goes when you farm sandy soils. The blessing is that when you get into a wet weather spell, we can generally find enough dry windows to keep planting crop successions and keep everything weeded.
We’ve got a great group of people bringing in the veg this season and they are doing the hard, physical work of bunching, pulling, picking, cutting, washing, packing and distributing the thousands of pounds of produce we grow each year. This time of year, we often find ourselves working in hot and muggy conditions to boot. We really appreciate their dedication and energy!
Kolade and Paul often tag-team the job of cultivating the blocks of sweet corn. The farm mistakenly looks like a monoculture of corn in this photo!
Looking out over the farm, it’s gratifying to see things growing well. Way at the north end of the farm, we have a half-acre of winter squash just bursting with dark green leaves and starting to set fruit that we will pick up in September. Red and sweet Ailsa onions are ready to bulk and set to drying in the greenhouse, and the storage onions will be ready soon too. Leeks are looking on track to start pulling soon, and we are into our new patch of celery. Elliott and Matt have kept the lettuce succession plantings on track—we plant it every week, so at each harvest week we have heads at peak flavor. Rebecca has seeded the final sowings of carrots and beets in the ground and Faye continues to do regular seedings of arugula and bok choy as well. Peppers and eggplants are starting to come in from the field, and its peak tomato season from our soil grown high tunnel planting.
We are picking some great corn and hope we can continue through mid-September, and we’re going to mow off some potato beds so we can start digging them soon. The flower patch is in full glory, and some of the dahlias are starting to bud up as well. Cantaloupes and watermelons will be in soon, hard to say when since we only pick at peak flavor.
“Have you tasted this corn?” Julia wants to know. Then she says, “It’s sick!” (meaning very, very GOOD). We ARE pleased with the corn so far!
Despite all this abundance, my personal favorite thing to do on the farm is plant cover crops. Once Dana, our harvest manager, deems a crop “done”, she mows it to the ground so we can plant cover crops. These robust plants quickly put roots into the soil to feed the microbes that are the basis of soil health. Truth be told, it’s my favorite activity on the farm, and its very gratifying to see the old strawberry field now sporting rows of tiny seedlings emerging from the ground. During our open farm stand times, we invite you to walk around the farm to check out all this coordinated madness! Please just stay on the farm roads and make way for farm vehicles. You can see first-hand all the moving parts that go into growing your organic veggies.
We hope to see you at the farm or a farmers’ market soon,
Paul, Rebecca, and the Fort Hill Farm crew
Featured veg:
Fort Hill Farm Simmer Sauce: STILL ON SALE! … to the tune of Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO)! There is even a case discount for those of you looking for locally made, organic gifts. Made with our beautiful, perfectly ripe heirloom plum tomatoes and packed with herbs, this flavorful sauce can dress pasta or serve as a rich, flavor-boosting base for anything involving tomatoes. Stock up, because these prices are certainly temporary!
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes: The Sungolds have really ramped up in the last week, and we are able to open them up for Pick Your Own! Sungolds are always a favorite, and it’s been hard to get enough of these saffron-colored rubies to everyone who wants them. Enjoy the sweet taste of summer while it lasts! (see recipe below).
Tomatoes: Why feature tomatoes when we’ve been harvesting them for a month and a half already? Because they’re finally coming in in droves and they are once again on sale! Whether from the high tunnel or the greenhouses, the key to our tomatoes’ flavor is the fact that they are soil grown. Most of the grocery store organic tomatoes you find in the store are hydroponic and can’t compete for flavor. We grow two broad groups of tomatoes. The classic round, red, and fairly uniform tomatoes are our standard, tasty slicers. We also grow about 15 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, which are more of a challenge to grow. Our varieties are from around the world, and most are bred by gardeners or small growers for their great taste. While focusing on great taste, the breeders who birthed these guys into the world didn’t focus a whole lot on fruit shape or uniformity, so heirloom tomatoes tend to be lumpy, bumpy, and kind of weird looking. As with most things in life, looks can be deceiving, so give each one a try! Among them you will find Brandywine (large, pink), Striped German (yellow, with green tops and red bottoms), Cherokee purple (maroon with green tops when ripe) and Paul Robeson (red with black-green tops when ripe), Lemon Boy (yellow), Mortgage lifter (medium sized, pink), and some oddball trials. Savor the unique flavor of each heirloom by slicing and layering with some fresh mozzarella and drizzling with good olive oil.
Also available:
Head lettuce; salad mix; pea shoots; curly and lacinato kale; rainbow chard; purple, red and French Breakfast radish; cilantro, parsley (limited), dill, basil; scallions; red beets, chioggia beets and gold beets; Tendersweet and Red cabbage; garlic scapes; zucchini, zephyr, and Patty Pan summer squash; Asian and slicing cucumbers; heirloom and beefsteak tomatoes; sungold, artisanal, and red cherry tomatoes; rainbow and orange fresh carrots; sprouting broccoli; German Extra Hardy garlic; Ailsa Craig and Red Torpedo fresh onions; jalapeño and shishito peppers; Sweet Red Italian and orange snacking peppers (just coming in); eggplant (just coming in); baby bok choy (back!); sweet corn
Coming Soon:
sweet peppers & eggplant
Pick Your Own:
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes:
Open for PYO! Stop by the barn for containers and head to the high tunnel to pick.
Perennial Herbs:
There are HERB RINGS provided to establish the bunch size.
Chives and Oregano: trim long lengths from the base of the plant, leaving 1” behind
Sage: clip 4 - 6 inches from the largest stems
Thyme: clip 4-6 from the perimeter of the plant
Flowers:
Bouquets on SALE! There is a full selection of blossoms out there. Be sure to use the flower ring provided to establish the bunch size.
Recipes
Suggested by Rebecca Batchie
For more recipes, check out the Fort Hill Farm Recipe Database
Tomato Tart with Puff Pastry
Author: Cheryl Avrich
I use my regular pie crust for this recipe in place of the puff pastry, but omit half of the salt (the capers and cheese salt it up enough). I tend to add more cherry tomatoes than stated, and most importantly, use just about any cheese I have on hand and it turns out delicous. This is wonderful as a fancy appetizer or as part of a special occasion!
Ingredients
1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed (about 8-9 ounces or 245g)
1 egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup grated gruyere cheese
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 20), cut in half
salt and black pepper to taste
Vinaigrette dressing for tomatoes
2 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (or 2 tsp dried) e.g. basil, chives, dill, oregano, parsley
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoon capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or 1/8 tsp. garlic powder)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F/204C.
PREPARE AND PRE-BAKE PUFF PASTRY CRUST: Line a large baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper. Unfold defrosted puff pastry sheet and set it on the parchment. Stretch it if necessary to about 14 x 14 inches (35 x 35cm) and 1/8 inch (32mm) thick. Score a line 1/2 inch (1.27cm) in from all four sides with a knife to make a border (not cutting all the way through). Prick the dough with a fork over the entire sheet of pastry except the border. Spread a very thin layer of Dijon over the inside surface. Brush the border with the egg wash (egg plus water). I use my fingers for both these steps. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. If pastry is puffed up in the middle, gently press it down.
MAKE TOMATO TOPPING: Squeeze handfuls of the tomato halves over the sink to remove most of the juice and seeds (this will help prevent the tart becoming soggy). Place in a bowl. Add oil, capers, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Mix together. Taste and add a pinch of sugar if needed.
ASSEMBLE TART AND BAKE AGAIN: Sprinkle cheeses over the pre-baked tart inside the border. Place tomatoes on top of the cheese in a single layer, cut side facing up. Spoon on any of the tomato seasonings left in the bowl. Bake the tart for another 12-15 minutes. The crust should be flaky and golden. Remove from oven, transfer to a cutting board and cut into 16 squares with a sharp knife. The tart is best served warm but can also be served at room temperature.
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