Thursday, September 26, 2013

Taking a Stab at Apple-Celeriac Soup, by Melinda

Gabriella Fosso made such a spectacular apple-celeriac soup last Friday, so creamy and soothing, that I really wanted to try something like it. This is an approximation of it, though it's not Gabriella's recipe but rather one from British chef Jamie Oliver.
Cutting celery (photo source)
His calls for celery along with celeriac; while we don't grow head celery (like what you find at a supermarket), we do have "cutting celery" in the U-pick section of the farm, down at the end of a row toward Legion Road. It looks a lot like large, fat-stemmed parsley, but you'll recognize the celery smell if you pick one of the leaves and crush it in your fingers. And cutting celery is better for you than head celery! AND, the cutting celery is thriving in this cool autumn weather! (Btw, although this recipe calls for only one celeriac, Angela says we will be getting more, not this week but probably the following week. Celeriac keeps in the crisper drawer of the fridge.)

Jamie Oliver's Apple & Celeriac Soup--serves 8-10 as a starter; Jamie says "creamy yet earthy celeriac is the perfect foil to sweet and sharp apples."

  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 1 celery stalk, sliced [for regular celery substitute 2 or 3 stalks of cutting celery, including the leaves]
  • 1 celeriac, chopped
  • 4 sweet but crisp & tasty apples, cored & quartered [in other words, not bland Red Delicious--something w/ a stronger, sharper flavor]
  • a few thyme sprigs, leaves picked off to use [Melinda thinks lemon thyme would be nice]
  • 2 qts of vegetable or chicken stock
  • about 4/5ths of a cup of creme fraiche [available at stores, or click here to make your own creme fraiche ahead of time]
  • a few sage leaves
  • olive oil for drizzling
  • toasted hazelnuts [aka filberts]--you can find these at markets [Jamie's recipe does not stipulate skinning the nuts, but here's another opinion: "Hazelnuts have a bitter brown skin that is best removed, usually by heating them at 350F for 10-15 min., till the skins begin to flake." (source). I believe that Gabriella skinned hers.]
Apple Celeriac Soup (photo credit)
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the onions & celery & cook over a medium heat for 10 min. until soft. Add the celeriac, apples, and thyme and cook for 2-3 min. Add stock, season [with salt/pepper] and simmer on low heat for 30 min, till the celeriac is tender. Remove from heat and blend w/ an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in half the creme fraiche. Heat the remaining oil and fry the sage leaves until crispy. Spoon the soup into bowls & top with remaining creme fraiche. To serve, drizzle with olive oil & sprinkle w/ crispy sage leaves and hazelnuts [crack the hazelnuts a bit first]. (recipe source) Check out Gabriella's websitehttp://www.seasonedchefservice.com/

If you're interested in connections among foods and art, see W. B. Yeats's lovely, nostalgic poem, "The Song of Wandering Aengus," about a bard who found his love in a hazel wood. Here's a printed version (http://www.bartleby.com/146/9.html) and here's a beautifully read version:

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Jamie Oliver's Pasta Aglio, Olio, and Cooking Greens, reposted by Melinda


Pasta Aglio, Olio, & Cooking Greens (photo source)
In Italian, this just means pasta with garlic, olive oil, and cooking greens.  It's amazingly simple but oh-so-good. A lovely dish for fall. We're getting both garlic and cooking greens this week--and it doesn't matter what kind; all the greens can be treated the same.

Pasta with Garlic, Oil, and Cooking Greens--serves 4
  • one lb pasta of your choice (we like angel hair, but any pasta will work)
  • olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 red chile pepper, seeded and finely chopped (this is optional, but if you do use it, wear vinyl gloves to handle the chile)
  • 1 bunch greens (kale, collards, etc.), center ribs removed and finely sliced
  • the zest (outer yellow skin) and juice of 1 large, unwaxed lemon
  • a good handful (or to taste) of finely grated parmesan or pecorino
Cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions, ~8-10 min. Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan. Add garlic & chile and fry for a minute or so, till the garlic starts to color. Add the greens and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 min., till the greens have wilted somewhat (collards might take a little longer). Sprinkle the lemon zest over the the greens. Drain the pasta & add it to the pan w/ a splash of the water it was cooked in. Squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta and serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a wispy pile of grated cheese. Now that's both good and healthy home cooking!  (recipe source)

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Margaret Roach's Rescue Operation: Freezing Stored Garlic/Onions, Reposted by Melinda

Onions chopped to freeze (source)
If you haven't got an appropriately cool place to store your farm garlic & onions (the fridge is a bit too cold, and your basement may be too warm--sheesh, you can't win!), there are ways to preserve them so you have farm garlic & onions year round! Margaret Roach, a blogger and former gardening editor for Martha Stewart, recommends slicing or chopping onions and putting them in freezer bags (or freezer jars, to avoid plastic). You can freeze them in amounts you typically would use in a recipe, or however you wish.
Cloves of garlic in a jar to freeze (source)
With both onion pieces and whole, peeled cloves of garlic (see above), toss them lightly in a very small amount of olive oil first, in order to reduce freezer burn, then place in jars or bags and freeze. After that, you are SET for the winter and spring! (article source) We do follow Margaret Roach's blog, "A Way to Garden," on this blog (see list of blogs in lower-left margin column).

Alton Brown's Baba Ghannouj, reposted by Melinda

Baba Ghanouj (or Ghanoush)--photo source
There are as many ways to spell the name of this eggplant dip as there are versions of the recipe! It's an eggplant-based, Middle-Eastern dip that Gabriella made at our farm tasting on Friday the 20th, but it's not the same recipe.

Alton Brown's Baba Ghannouj--makes 1 cup
  • 1 medium eggplant or several smaller ones
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 oz. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp sesame tahini (find at any grocery store in the ethnic section)
  • 1/2 bunch parsley, leaves only
  • salt & pepper to taste
Pierce some holes in the skin of the eggplant (to avoid explosion of said eggplant) and grill over medium-high heat, turning every 7 minutes, till the skin is blackened and the body is nice and soft. Total time for grilling is ~30 min. If you don't have a grill, you can roast your eggplant in a 375 degree oven for about 30 min.

Remove eggplant from the grill (or oven) and let cool. Once the eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and discard [or scoop out the flesh with a spoon]. Place eggplant flesh in a colander and drain for 10 min [Melinda has not found that necessary, but have at it if you wish.]. In food processor, combine garlic, lemon juice, tahini, & parsley & pulse to combine. Add the eggplant flesh. Season w/ salt/pepper to taste & pulse to combine. Adjust the flavor with more tahini or lemon juice if you like. If it tastes bitter, add a smidge of sugar or honey. Research shows that the white variety of the plant is sweeter in flavor.  [But on the other hand, Melinda has never had any problem with the lavender or purple varieties of eggplant!]  (recipe source)

Tasting Day at the Farm, and the Start of Fall, by Angela

Chef Gabriella Follo, Caterer and Personal Chef
A giant thank-you to RHF member Gabriella Follo (see above) for cooking on the farm this past Friday.  I have never had celeriac soup that tasted so good! She also made Baba Ghanoush.
Ingredients for apple-celeriac soup--SOOO good!
Baba Ghanoush, Middle-Eastern Eggplant Dip, by
Gabriella
Fall preparations are in full swing with field clean ups and the return of the Neumann nursing students to the farm as service learners. Their extra hands and hard work are much appreciated as we tackle big projects like taking down the tomato trellising and rolling up the drip tape for storage.
Mimi and Brendan double-digging the
buckwheat cover crop under. Lots of work
but great nutrition for the soil!
Neumann nursing students doing service learning

Silent Auction at the Harvest Festival, by Joanne

Harvest Festival
Saturday, October 19th, 4 to 7 pm

We could really use your support for our
Silent Auction to be held at the Fest.

Do you have a service, a skill, a vacation home, or are you willing to contribute to a "themed" basket? Red Hill Farm would appreciate your participation!

Here's Why:
  • We are a special, small community of neighbors, friends, and like-minded people, all wanting to support and enjoy local organic food.
  • Red Hill Farm has been in existence since 2000. We were the first CSA in Delaware County!
  • Over the years we have held very successful silent auctions to support our farm.
  • Like all things, the cost of running a farm has gotten more expensive.
  • Some of our equipment needed costly repairs this season, and we really could use help to maintain the current number of seasonal-worker positions for next season.

If you would like to participate in the auction, or have questions, or have a donation, please email Mimi Hall at runner203@verizon.net or call Nancy Bernhardt at 610-565-8387.


Many thanks to the members who already have made a donation! Some of the items are:
  • Use of a Cape May house for a weekend
  • Use of a Vermont house for a week
  • A gift certificate to Forrest and Main Brew Pub, Ambler, PA
  • Oil paintings, pottery, and other artisan items made by our members
  • Web page consulting
Thanks so much,

Joanne Rosenbaum, Farm Education Coordinator

Monday, September 23, 2013

Week #17, by Angela

This is a Full Share and Bi-Weekly Tuesday Pickup week.

Brendan will be in the Pickup room to assist you this week.

Our Harvest Festival is coming up on October 19th. Please view Joanne's flyer, below, for more details and mark your calendar for the date. We will be having a silent auction that evening as well--you could be a winner!
Poster by Joanne

This week you may anticipate (in addition to U-Pick):
  • yellow onions
  • garlic
  • winter squash
  • bunches of cooking greens
  • green peppers

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Back on Track, by Angela


Young Broccoli & Collards in the Field
In a whirl of conditioned farm execution, the broccoli and collards are finally in the ground! I can't tell you how good it feels to gaze out upon those rows of emerging fall delights in the field instead of panicking over their well-being during their extended stay in the greenhouse. Listen closely and you too may hear the various choruses of joy as you pass that field.
Brussels Sprouts & Josh
We bid adieu to farmer Josh whose last day with us was Friday. Seen above as the rock-star master of the weed whacker, Josh notably is the fastest garden-forker this farm has ever seen. Thank you, Josh, for all your hard work and enjoyable spirit. Blessings.
Heirloom Tomatoes in the Field for Gleaning
Same as last week, the heirloom tomato plants are dying out and are open for gleaning by members during pickup hours. Please take as many as you'd like before the plants are gone.
Heirloom Tomato Rainbow

Red Hill Farm, Week #16, by Angela

Wow, Week 16 starting on September 16th!

This is a Full Share and Bi-Weekly Friday pickup week.  Molly will be in the shareroom this week.

This Friday, September 20th, during pickup, Red Hill Farm member Gabriella Follo, will be sharing some tasty bites using Red Hill Farm produce. Gabriella is a personal chef; check out her web site here: http://www.seasonedchefservice.com/pages/06_about.html.
For your menu planning, this week you may anticipate:

  • Elba potatoes
  • garlic
  • onions
  • eggplant
  • peppers
  • lettuce heads
  • celeriac (celery root)

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Alton Brown's Tapenade, posted by Melinda

Tapenade is a French spread made largely of olives, though other things can be added to vary the flavor and texture. I'll provide links to other recipes. But this one would be good w/ Pan Bagnat.
Tapenade (source)
Alton Brown's Tapenade
  • 8 oz pitted, mixed olives [or just use pitted Kalamatas]
  • 2 anchovy fillets [if you don't eat anchovies, leave them out and definitely use Kalamatas or other salty olives]
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 2 or 3 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Rinse the olives in cool water. Put all ingredients into a food processor and process, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl, until it becomes a coarse paste, ~1-2 min. That's it!



Vegetable Pan Bagnat, reposted by Melinda

We have almost all the ingredients for this at the Farm.  And it's SOOO good--and easy! The sandwich is "bathed" (bagnat) in a vinagrette dressing (never mayo) and is a specialty of Nice, France. You can use a baguette, one of Jerry Sheehan's country loaves, or kaiser-type rolls; traditionally the sandwich has anchovies and tuna added. You can add that, or do it as here, with hard-boiled eggs, or even stay vegan!
Pan Bagnat (source)
Vegetarian Pan Bagnat

  • 1 medium or two smaller eggplants, sliced 1/4-in. thick
  • 1/2 lb string beans, ends trimmed
  • 1/2 cup roasted sweet peppers, cut in 1/2-in. strips (for how to roast your own peppers, see http://localfoods.about.com/od/peppers/r/Roasted-Red-Peppers.htm)
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs,sliced
  • 2 & 1/2 tbsp tapenade olive spread/dip (buy or make your own; see recipe above)
  • 1 baguette or one of Jerry Sheehan's French country loaves or several smaller rolls, halved crosswise
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red-wine vinegar [or more to taste]
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp finely chopped onions [or more to taste]
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp sugar or honey
Preheat oven to 350. Oil a baking sheet. Put eggplant slices on sheet in single layer & coat w/ oil. Season w/ salt/pepper. Bake 10 min. Turn & bake 10 min. more, till tender & browned. Cook string beans 5-7 min., or till tender. Drain, rinse in cold water, & dry w/ towels. Make vinaigrette: blend olive oil, vinegar, parsley, onions, mustard, & sugar in blender till smooth. Pull out most of the soft bready center from the baguette [save to make bread crumbs or to thicken a sauce or as a treat for the birds!]. Spread tapenade on the bottom half of bread. Brush w/ vinaigrette, add green beans atop that, pressing down firmly. Lay sweet pepper slices on top, then sliced eggs, then eggplant. Brush inside of baguette top w/ a goodly amount of vinaigrette & set bread atop eggplant slices. Press sandwich together & chill 1-4 hours. Cut into 4 servings & serve w/ vinaigrette.  (Vegetarian Times, July/Aug 2006)

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Red Hill Farm, Week #15, by Angela

This is a Full Share and Bi-Weekly Tuesday Pickup week.

Josh will be in the share room this week to assist you. If you have a stash of plastic bags at home, we'd greatly appreciate your help refilling the plastic-bag bin in the share room--thanks.

2nd ANNUAL TOMATO GLEANING--THIS YEAR DURING PICK-UP HOURS  :)
The tomato rows in the field will be open for gleaning during pick-up times. These are the rows that are on your left as you enter the farm, so you will have to walk back up there after you've parked your car. Please do not park your car even temporarily on the driveway to pick or load your tomatoes--it's a violation of fire safety codes. Please also note that this gleaning does not include the tomatoes in the U-pick area. 

Much like our gleaning event last year, you may take as many as you'd like, to help us clean off the plants before pulling up the stakes. So bring your bags, buckets, boxes, and brawn to lug off as much as you'd like. Remember that green tomatoes will ripen on the counter. The rows will remain open for gleaning during pickup hours this week and possibly next week. (The neighboring eggplant and pepper rows will be marked off; please DO NOT go down those aisles as we are still harvesting from those plants for parts of the share).
Samuel Palmer, Ruth Returning from Gleaning, ca 1828,
Victoria & Albert Museum, London (source) According to Palmer scholars,
"the powerful figure of Ruth the Gleaner [symbolizes] the fecundity of
the land.
"
For your menu planning this week, you may anticipate:

  • Salad greens
  • Elba potatoes
  • Garlic
  • Sweet White Onions
  • Eggplant
  • Peppers
  • Heirloom Tomatoes
Cheers from Angela!

Friday, September 6, 2013

Tomato Panzanella with Ricotta, reposted by Melinda

This is an Italian bread salad--oh, those thrifty Italians!  You can substitute sliced mozzarella for ricotta, or tofu/vegan cheese if you're vegan. It's a great way to use leftover bread and to make a tomato salad substantial enough for a meal! And so easy!
Panzanella (photo source)

Tomato Panzanella with Ricotta
  • 1/2 lb day-old, crusty bread, cut or torn into 1-in. pieces
  • 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-in. pieces
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp red-wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • coarse salt & ground black pepper
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn if large
  • 1 container (15 oz) of ricotta
Preheat oven to 375. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread bread in a single layer and bake until dry and light golden brown, ~20 min. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, vinegar, and oil and season w/ salt/pepper. Add toasted bread & basil & toss to combine. Let sit 20-30 min. to allow bread to soak up liquid. Divide salad evenly among 4 bowls & top each with some ricotta, a drizzle of oil, & season to taste with salt & pepper.  (recipe source

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Welcome to Week #14, by Angela

Hello, Red Hill Farm members.  This is a Full Share and Bi-Weekly Friday Share Pickup week.
Harvesting beans, Tacuinum Santitatis, Paris, 15th c.
Brendan will be in the share room to greet and assist you this week. Please ask if you need help finding anything. U-Pick continues to boom; make sure you save yourself oodles of time to harvest all the goodies, including green beans again! (Please return the green quart containers to the share room & transfer your picked items to a bag or your own containers--this way we can share and reuse the quart containers with everyone.)

Our tractor is still out of service. The starter was successfully replaced only to discover that the water pump & fan belt need additional attention before the tractor is operable. With much gratitude to our merciful and generous neighbor, we will be borrowing Hillside Farm's tractor this coming Thursday to turn the soil and, God willing, finally transplant our fall crops.

I also wanted to fill you in on the state of our berries (both blackberries and raspberries). First, if you have noticed any small white worms (most obvious when the berries are placed in a clear container), I believe they are the larvae of the spotted-wing Drosophila (much like a fruit fly). Below are two sources of further information about this pest, including information about how to improve the quality of your U-picked fruit at home.

Organically, the only method strongly endorsed for treating the Drosophilae is the use of OMRI-approved insecticides containing spinosad. According to Jack DeAngelis, the OSU Extension Entomologist, the active ingredients in spinosad are complex organic compounds made by soil microbes. Spinosad is a broad-spectrum pesticide but is only active if ingested or contacted while in liquid form; thus it has little residual effect on most beneficial species. Dow no longer has this product available (under the name "Entrust Naturalyte") and is by most accounts less effective after the raspberries have bloomed. We will not be using any insecticides in the berries this season.

I encourage you to harvest under-ripe fruit and help us knock off the overripe fruit to reduce populations within the canes.

The second raspberry note is that the two rows closest to the barn have rust. This is a fungus that occurs with humid, damp conditions (such as this entire season). We've been removing and aerating the canes to prevent further infestation. Berries that may be affected will show an orange spore spot. They are fine to eat, but their storage life is very short.

Hopefully this has not scared all of you out of the raspberry patch! I just wanted you to be informed and to make your choices from this knowledge. I am doing the best I can to ensure the finest crops for you, but some things are beyond my control.

[Editorial note from Melinda: most of the years I've belonged to the Farm, the raspberries have developed rust toward the end of the summer. It's just a fact that we live in a humid summer-climate area. I love raspberries so much that I've picked, washed, and frozen them with little rust spots every year, then pureed them later with some sugar and used them in smoothies or jams--they were FINE and delicious! Ditto this year with the Drosophila raspberries.]

FOR YOUR MENU PLANNING, this week you may anticipate:

  • tomatoes
  • sweet white onions
  • German Butterball potatoes
  • Garlic
  • Red Bok Choi
  • Eggplant
  • Peppers
  • Zephyr summer squash
Some further information here on Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), Biology and Life Cycle (click here for the full essay)

"SWD looks like the typical vinegar fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, of genetics fame. Female vinegar fruit flies lay eggs in damaged or overripe fruit and, hence, are mainly a nuisance. In contrast, female SWD can lay their eggs in ripe, marketable fruit, leading to direct damage of fruit by the larvae...."

How to deal with SWD fruit:  Cool berries immediately. Chilling berries immediately after picking to 32 or 33 degrees F will slow or stop the development of larvae & eggs in the fruit. U-pick customers should be encouraged to follow this strategy to improve fruit quality at home.

There are some important cultural controls that growers can adopt to minimize the buildup of populations. These include removing overripe fruit, as well as wild host plants such as wild grape, raspberry, blackberry, etc.  from nearby fields, and ensuring a timely crop harvest.  (See attached fact sheet from Michigan State University by clicking here.)

***GREAT TIP FROM FARM MEMBER CARRIE RHODES!!!!***

"I notice that the worms appear regardless of how fast you refrigerate the fruit. If they appear you can get rid of most of them by soaking them in a bowl with water and a substantial amount of apple cider vinegar. It seems to kill most of the worms. Just a thought."

Thanks, Carrie!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Here's to What Is Good, by Angela

"Biodynamics can be summed up as:  Putting one's energy into supporting the good, rather than fighting the bad."  ~Wolf D. Storl, Culture and Horticulture:  a Philosophy of Gardening

Zephyr Summer Squash
The Zephyr summer squashes (see above) went into the ground two weeks late and were leggy, brittle plants. They got blasted by a heat wave then waves of rain. To my great surprise and delight, they grew strong and came timely in the decline of the Patty Pan squashes.
Digging Potatoes
Monday's routine has included the digging of a row of potatoes for the week's share (see above). The crew and work-shares have become quite keen on how to harvest the hidden treasures. The red potatoes were initially another variety that were meant to be only small, golf-ball size. I had forgotten that the varieties were substituted, so now I smile from ear to ear to see a larger baking-size potato from the reds (see below).
Brendan with the Red Maria Potatoes
The asparagus patch is a long-term vision, as it will be another two seasons before a real harvest, but the vigor and health of the plants is excellent, as seen in the photo below of Josh next to the plants at the height of their frond season.
Josh & the asparagus fronds
The hoop houses were in dire need of some rest and relaxation.The first hoop house you see on your left when you come into the farm was sown in nitrogen-fixing cover crops this spring. It has now been straw mulched to maintain a good thick environment for healing and to allow plant materials to decay, thus enriching the topsoil for a great spring early crop to grow inside this great, season-extending invention.
Josh & Molly Spreading Straw in the Hoophouse