September 27, 2014 - Share #14

The old farm windmill - can you tell what's caught in its blades?

 WHAT'S IN THE BOX:

BEETS

KALE

ARUGULA

SPINACH

RADISHES

CABBAGE

ONION

GARLIC

WINTER SQUASH

POTATOES

DRIED OREGANO



STORAGE TIPS: Remove tops  from beets and radishes and save for stir-fries. Store beets and radishes in plastic in the fridge to maintain crispness. All leafy greens keep best in plastic bags - if you rinse them first be sure to drain them before storing. Cabbage in the fridge unless you want to store it as sauerkraut! (see below) Potatoes, garlic, onions and squash can all keep outside the fridge. The dried oregano is from an early cutting that was bunched and hung in our barn loft for a month. Crumble the leaves, remove any large stems, and store in a small container for use throughout the winter. Oregano goes in many, but especially tomato-based, dishes!





Okay, can you see the frisbee and the tennis ball in the blades? This was the result of a post-workday left-handed frisbee throw contest. The tennis ball was supposed to dislodge the frisbee! We haven't had any strong breezes lately so they are both still there ( and no other items have been added yet!).













RECIPE SUGGESTIONS: Your share once again reflects the weather and the happy cabbage crop!

A traditional and nutritious use for cabbage, and way to preserve it, is to make sauerkraut! Here is an excellent description of sauerkraut's benefits, along with a very accessible method for making a small quantity of sauerkraut in a mason jar. The cabbage in your share should provide just the right amount for a mason jar or two of "kraut" and a lot of good probiotic eating! As the blog says, "when life [or your CSA] gives you cabbage, make sauerkraut"!

 We finished up our winter squash harvest this week and are starting on the sweet potatoes, which turned out to be a little sulky due to the cool summer. The sweet potatoes are curing and should be available in the shares to come. You can wait for them to try out this recipe for Curried Sweet Potato and Quinoa Pilaf. OR, you can do what we did - substitute winter squash for the sweet potatoes! (We also used Michigan apples from the Farmers Market - the fall apple harvest is on!).

From one of our CSA members we received this incredible recipe for "Cheesy Kale Chips". No cheese, but tons of flavor. So if you're looking for a new twist for using your kale, give this one a whirl. We also used the sauce over pasta and had a quick vegan Mac n' Cheese. Delicious!

We appreciate hearing from members and how they are using the veggies in their share. Here is another tip from member Ponda: Winter Squash with Caramelized Onions. You have two of the main ingredients in your share this week, so have at it!

And here's a blast from the past! From the 2010 newsletter: Intern Angie wowed us tonight with tempeh cutlets marinated in tamari and wine, mashed potatoes with garlic and parsley, and mushroom gravy. Get your fresh Michigan mushrooms from Tantre Farm at the Farmers Market! Well, Angie is back with us this year and still cooking amazing dishes. Tantre Farm still has mushrooms at the market and now you can buy fresh, Michigan-made tempeh from our friends at The Brinery - available at the Farmers Market and select stores around town. Let the fall feasting begin!

And another blast from the past - the 2010 newsletter tells us that...Intern Kirstin suggests this flavorful fall salad: Equal parts spinach and arugula, toasted sliced almonds or walnuts, apple chunks, dried cranberries, goat cheese or feta (optional but not really), and dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. Still sounds delicious, and there's more to come on Kirstin!

We be jammin'! L. to r.: Autumn Olive Jam, Grape Jam, Ground Cherry Jam, Raspberry Jam.

A Farm Jamboree! We have been busy preserving the harvest this week, and here are some of the results! Angie and Kirstin are smiling behind four different jams. The sun was a little bright, but hopefully you can see the beautiful contrasting colors, and the beautiful smiles!









Another day in the kitchen yielded more raspberry jam, Pickled Peppers, "Wonderful Salsa" (it is!), and a Chili sauce. It also yielded good conversation, shared music picks, a toast with the wine that was called for in one of the recipes, and a feeling of proud productivity as those beautiful completed jars started to line up. If you have canned before, you know the satisfying popping sound as the jars seal. And all of ours did!

Kirstin checks to see if the jars have sealed

If  you can't use all of the produce in your share, we hope you are finding ways to preserve the harvest. You'll be glad you did next January! We'll have more tips on food preservation in the next newsletters.




MEET THE INTERNS - KIRSTIN POPE

Kirstin in the Jerusalem Artichoke patch. The "sunchokes" are coming to a stall near you very soon!

Actually, Kirstin needs no introduction to many of you, as she has been contributing to the farm in a myriad of ways since 2010. Kirstin had just returned from two years in Mali with the Peace Corps, and was looking for a farm to learn about growing food. By chance, Kirstin's dear friend from Kalamazoo College was interning at Frog Holler that year and encouraged Kirstin to join her here. Even though it was late in the season, we decided we could take on another crew member, and we're glad we did! 

Kirstin in 2010.

Kirstin grew up in Germany, where her parents taught at an Air Force base. Kirstin's parents then moved to England to teach at a base there, and that's where Kirstin visited them in the winter after her first summer at Frog Holler. Since she worked a partial season in 2010, she decided to see what an entire season felt like in 2011 and returned to the farm in April. Since 2010 Kirstin has continued that pattern of Europe in the winter, Frog Holler in the summer.

Kirstin with Lionel kibbutzing

 Kirstin's artistic ability is evidenced in many places on the farm. Here she is putting the finishing touches on our market sign that was totally redesigned in 2011. Kirstin's patience and skill helped bring it into reality. ( She is patient with cats too!)

Kirstin with brother Kai

 And here is the sign hanging at market!

Among Kirstin's many skills is an ability to drive a stick shift. Because of that, Kirstin was able to drive the pickup to our Wednesday market and so, since 2011, has taken over the main responsibility for managing our stall on Wednesday. Here she is with her younger brother Kai, who visited in 2011. In true big sister fashion, Kirstin made, that is, strongly encouraged her little brother to join her for the 4:30 AM wake-up call!

Kirstin with "Pampas Plume" flowers

One of the ways Kirstin's artistic sensibility has been expressed is through her interest in growing and arranging flowers. Here she is in 2012 with our first small flower bed. For the last two years Kirstin has designed a much larger flower patch and many of you who shop at the market (or come to the farm) have appreciated the beauty that the flower bouquets add to the stall (or to their homes for those who have purchased bouquets!).

Kirstin picking red clover blossoms

 Kirstin's interest in herbs - both wild and cultivated - has been evidenced at our stall by an increasing diversity of herbal choices.

Kirstin diving into the Lemon Grass harvest!

 And in 2013 Kirstin created her own Herbal Tea Blends - all 100% organic and crafted from herbs gathered at Frog Holler Farm. They are available at the Farmers Market or by special order.

Kirstin with Tea Blends and single dried herb tins.

 Actually, if you have seen anything at our stall that looks a bit different or interesting, there's a good chance Kirstin is behind it! From Okra to Ground Cherries to Moringa Leaves to Shiitake mushrooms, Kirstin has enhanced the diversity of our stall through her wide-ranging interests and hard work.

Kirstin soaks logs in the bathtub in the woods to encourage a shiitake mushroom bloom.

Sadly, we are saying goodbye to Kirstin after this season. As she goes off to find other opportunities to grow and learn, we wish her well, knowing that the farm has been positively affected through her dedication and creative pursuits, and knowing that it sure won't be the same in her absence.

Thank you Kirstin - we will miss you!

Kirstin 

 

 

 Have a great week everyone! Just two more shares left - thanks for bringing your boxes back!

September 20, 2014 - Share #13

Here is one of the newest members of our farm family. We have named her Big Bertha, and you'll find out why as you read on!

WHAT'S IN THE BOX:

KALE

BEETS

CARROTS

RADISHES

POTATOES

ONION

GARLIC

WINTER SQUASH

LETTUCE

RED PEPPERS




 STORAGE SUGGESTIONS:


Remove greens from beets, carrots and radishes and store roots in a plastic bag in the fridge. Rinse and drain the radish and beet greens and store in plastic in the fridge. Feed the carrot greens to your bunny! Rinse and drain the kale and lettuce and store in plastic bags in your fridge. The peppers will keep longer and stay crisper if also stored in a plastic bag in your fridge. Potatoes, onion, garlic and winter squash can all stay unrefrigerated.

Perhaps you can see how Bertha dwarfs her fellow chickens.

You can certainly see how Bertha's egg dwarfs the other chickens' eggs!

Bertha was given to us from some friends who could no longer keep "backyard chickens" in the town of Chelsea. She is a gentle giant, and we hope to give her and her sisters a happy home on the farm!






COOKING SUGGESTIONS:

In honor of Bertha and her sisters, let's start with a classic Vegetable Omelet. You surely have a favorite way to prepare, but if you saute some onion, garlic, red pepper and kale from your share, and when tender, fold into some fresh eggs that you purchased at the Farmers Market, you'll have a stellar way to start the day! Make some Hash Browns to go with and you have a feast!

But you can do something even better with those spuds - enjoy what we had for lunch this week: Potato/Daikon Latkes! Now the recipe doesn't really call for Daikon but our lunch cook Emily got creative and grated some in. It was delicious! So if you still have some Daikon lurking in your fridge, let it add some sparkle to this classic potato dish!

A hearty loaf of Mill Pond rye bread!

You could also use your red radishes in the potato latkes, but why not let these fresh little  nuggets (from a new patch) stand on their own in a Radish Sandwich. John Savanna, our friend, market neighbor, and head baker at Mill Pond Bread, has been making some super Rye Bread lately which, sliced thin, works very nicely in a radish sandwich. Alternatively, you can make Radish Butter, which spreads easily and uses some of the radish greens as well! Radish Sandwiches are often mentioned in French cuisine, so bon appetite!

Emily's Kale Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette and Candied Walnuts

Emily is not only an excellent cook, but a whiz on the food processor! She used the processor to grate the potatoes and daikon for the latkes, and then used it to make a favorite salad on the farm: Massaged Kale a la Food Processor! Running your kale leaves through a food processor breaks down the fibers and renders them much more digestible. It also condenses that big bunch of kale into a delicious and manageable-sized dish. Emily added this tasty Raspberry Vinaigrette and topped the salad off with these amazing Candied Walnuts. We sure eat well on the farm - hope you do too!

Another view of the Kale Salad with jars of canned salsa behind. The canning kitchen has been busy on the farm and this Wonderful Salsa (the red jars) turns out to be a keeper! The green jar is filled with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
- also yummy.

We're sorry we no longer have enough tomatoes (and never had enough tomatillos) to distribute. Hope you made good use of them when they were abundant! We will still have some tomatoes on the stall for purchase for the next couple of weeks.






Some of the crew, including the farm band, Billy and Kenny King and Angie Martin, head up north this weekend to play at Harvest Gathering, a festival in Lake City. They play on Friday at 6 PM (in case anyone is going!) and Billy King plays in a "Guitar Summit" on Saturday morning.

Angie and Billy at Holler Fest

 But you'll see some familiar faces holding down the fort at the farm and market this Saturday.

 Have a great week, thanks for bringing your boxes back, and Happy Equinox!

September 13th, 2014 - Share #12

Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Autumn - 1573

WHAT'S IN THE BOX:

KALE
BEETS

Our wonderfully delicious winter squash selection! mmm!

POTATOES
ONIONS
GARLIC
WINTER SQUASH - new!
GREEN BEANS
CABBAGE - GREEN OR RED
DAIKON RADISH
RED PEPPERS
TOMATOES


STORAGE SUGGESTIONS:

Tomatoes, garlic, winter squash and onions outside the refrigerator.  Everything else rinsed, drained, plastic-bagged and fridged! Take the tops off the Daikon Radish to keep it crisp.

Our trusty market truck, ready to be loaded for market  in it's newly cleaned shed parking spot!

COOKING SUGGESTIONS:

Sweet Spanish Onions - The Easy Way!


The onions in your share box are a variety of Sweet Spanish onions called "Ailsa Craig", and they come with quite a pedigree! According to seedaholic.com, this variety was introduced by David Murray, Head Gardener for the Marquis of Ailsa, at Culzean Castle, Maybole in 1887 and catalogued by Sutton & Sons in 1895.  "Ailsa Craig" is named after the Scottish island, a distinctive dome- shaped island-rock, which rises sharply from the Firth of Clyde.

Ailsa Craig onions have been popular in the UK as an exhibition onion. Its large size and mild flavor make it a reliable favorite, "...much loved by both home gardeners and exhibitors producing weighty onions perfect for the kitchen or show bench.
This is a Heritage variety and great all-rounder."

We didn't really grow this variety for the "show bench" but actually answered a request from a long-time customer who wanted us to offer the seedlings in the spring. We planted a few that we had left over, and never looked back.

These Ailsa Craigs will store moderately well, but aren't known for their keeping qualities. We grow other varieties for storage and those will be available soon. But for now, try this easy and absolutely delicious Roasted Sweet Spanish Onion recipe!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice your onion crosswise, to create 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick rounds. Place on oiled baking sheet and baste with additional olive oil and salt. Roast until the onions are tender and start to brown. Use on sandwiches or mixed into stir-fries. But you'll probably just eat most of the onion right off the tray - a rich and sweet melt-in-your-mouth treat!

Preserve What is Left

We are sad to say that it is likely the last week that we will be able to provide tomatoes to the CSA members :(  But lucky for all of us, there are myriad ways to preserve the delicious flavors so that we can enjoy them when our hearts are most longing for some of the delicious flavors that they can provide.  

One delicious way to combine summer veggies into a versatile sauce is to combine tomatoes and roasted red peppers.  It's a simple and easy recipe that can be used as a pasta sauce, a soup base, on pizza, or in a curry just to name a few.  Any combination of tomatoes and peppers will yield a delicious sauce, just use what your garden and CSA farm gives you :)

Start by placing whole red peppers on a baking sheet and placing them under your oven broiler, around 4 inches from the heating element.  In just a few short minutes the skin on the peppers will start to bubble up and then turn from brown to charred black depending on how long you leave them in.  Rotate the peppers periodically so that they obtain a nice even cooking.  If you like, you can wait until all of the skin has bubbled up off the flesh on all sides, and then wait for the peppers to cool before removing the skin, stem and seeds.  The skin will slide right off, and the flesh will have a beautiful flavor, even if the skin charred.  The other option is to blend the charred skins right into the sauce for a little "fire roasted" flavor.

Second, remove the skins from the tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, and again slide the skins off when cooled.  Alternately, roast your whole tomatoes with the peppers,

Once cooled, mix the vegetables with some gently sauteed garlic and/or onions, and any herbs that suit your taste, and cook down for at least 20 minutes, but longer is ok too.  You can freeze or can this creation as you would a normal tomato sauce, or eat it right away if you are hungry :)


What the Heck is a Daikon Radish?!

Daikon Radishes are can be a bit intimidating with their hefty size and un-radishlike (to us) shape and color. Daikons are thought to have originated in Asia and you can find many references to their use in Asian cuisine.

I asked Brian Truskowski, a long-time customer who is starting a "Cooking Coaching" business, for some ideas on how to use Daikons. Here is what Brian came up with. And if you would like to learn more about Brian's new business, there will be flyers at the stall this week.

Okay - on to Daikons! Here is what Brian wrote:

Daikon is a Japanese root vegetable that tastes a lot like a radish.  Other than being a different color and size, you can use it in the same way you would use a radish. Slice it, shred it, add it to salads, or just eat it by itself plain or with some hummus!  

In addition, the greens are very delicious and nutritious as well! You can add them to a salad, eat them straight or even sauté them with some oil or butter and salt. If making a vegetable stir fry or something similar, chop and add the greens to the pan a few minutes before the dish is done cooking to add some color and flavor to the dish. 

You can cook with the root as well. Cut it into pieces, or slices, putting on a baking sheet with some oil, salt or other desired spices, in the oven at 350 for about 10-15 mins or until it reaches the tenderness you desire. You can make the equivalent of potato chips or kale chips, fries or even cut it up with other root vegetables and make a root bake out of it!

Lastly, you can shred the daikon in a bowl, add equal parts of toasted sesame seed oil, rice vinegar and soy or tamari sauce ( about a tablespoon depending on quantity or root) and some sesame seeds, all to taste and enjoy a simple yet delicious salad!

These are just a few ideas of what you can do with this wonderful root vegetable.  If you like these ideas and would like to learn more about Brian's service, look for his flyers at the stall or contact him at BMT Wellness: Brian@BrianMTruskowski.com.

ONWARD! - AUTUMN IS COMING!

Happy fall everyone! Well, maybe we are a little premature in our well-wishing, but as we approach the Autumnal Equinox, there are sure signs of the new season! The last Supermoon of 2014 peeked through the clouds this past Monday, and also happened to be this year's Harvest Moon! Just in time for us to harvest winter squash :) 

After enjoying the big bright moon from the rolling hills of the Holler Fest site our intern Paul wrote this Haiku poem about the lunar wonders that he had witnessed.

                                                  High red harvest moon
                                     Clouds caress you, whispering
                                          On high, I see you



Have a great week everyone, and thanks for bringing your boxes back!

September 6, 2014 - Share # 11

Zucchini glorious zucchini! The most generous of vegetables!This is our new patch so you will never be without zucchini! Lots of recipes in this week's newsletter.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX:

RED PEPPERS

ZUCCHINI/SUMMER SQUASH

TOMATOES

KALE

GREEN BEANS - NEW PATCH!

DAIKON RADISH

CABBAGE

GARLIC

ONIONS

ASIAN GREENS

ARUGULA

STORAGE SUGGESTIONS:

Tomatoes, garlic and onions outside the refrigerator. Everything else rinsed, drained, plastic-bagged and fridged! Take the tops off the Daikon Radish to keep it crisp.

COOKING SUGGESTIONS:

 Yes, it's true, we planted another zucchini patch and it's starting to come in. We eat zucchini regularly at the farm, appreciating its ease of preparation, its humble willingness to reflect the flavors of its partners in the pot, and its abundance! Here are some recipes to help you stay in the happy zucchini zone!

This kid-friendly Broiled Zucchini Rounds with Cheese recipe is quick, easy and delicious! There are lots more zucchini recipes at the end of that linked article, so read (or scroll) to the bottom.

This week we enjoyed Couscous with Spiced Zucchini. Couscous is a light grain for these warm days of late, and the blend of spices gives the zucchini a different "kick". Adding the mint leaves and lemon at the end takes the dish into traditional North African territory - we let the diners decide if they wanted to add them or not. We also cooked the couscous in veggie broth; it's fine either way.

Kirstin's version of Moroccan Stew

One of our crew was inspired to cook a Moroccan Stew, reminiscent of one she had when she lived in Africa. This recipe comes close, although she added cardamon seed for a exotic and tasty twist. You have a lot of the ingredients in your share this week; just substitute a red pepper for the carrot. (Again, veggie broth can be subbed for chicken broth - this is a tasty dish no matter what!)

Kirstin's cooking partner, Paul, added a refreshing Cabbage Crunch salad to the meal. He subbed sunflower seeds for the almonds and regular onion for the scallions - it was still delicious! And isn't that what recipes are - a starting point?

Zucchini Fritters are a painlessly tasty way to consume zucchini. You can enjoy a rich zucchini fritter with parmesan and egg, or keep it on the light but equally delicious side with this vegan version.

And finally, you can always transform your zucchini into a moist and irresistible Zucchin Bread or Zucchini Muffins. Make extra - freeze for winter - come January, you'll be glad you did!

Now you wish you had MORE zucchini, don't you!

By the way, you still have the fixings for an Asian-flavored lovely stir-fry in your box this week. See last week's newsletter suggestion if you want to revisit that idea.

MEET THE NEIGHBORS - BERNIE AND DOROTHY ANN COYNE

Bernie and Dorothy Ann

Bernie and Dorothy Ann (Dottie) have lived near Frog Holler Farm for twenty-five years, moving to this area from Toledo, where Bernie was the head of the Theater Department at the University of Toledo. They converted a little cottage on Mud Lake into a beautiful retreat center, "Sunnyside", where they have hosted yoga camps, meditation retreats, and personal growth workshops.

Long-time friends and supporters of Frog Holler and Holler Fest (and CSA members!), Dottie and Bernie have woven themselves into fabric of the farm in many wonderful ways.

If you were at Holler Fest, you may have seen Dottie, an artist in several media, painting on the hillside of the Main Holler.

The artist with her gear!

 Dottie showed up at the farm this week to work on an oil painting of a particular scene. She had been intrigued by one of intern Nhin's photos that was included in the newsletter feature about Nhin. She saw that photo as a painting and came to the farm to realize it. She and Bernie spent a lovely morning in the shaded yard, and we get to see the process!

Dottie starting to sketch out the scene

Nhin's original photo

The artist's eye. 

 Dottie says the painting starts "lean". Soon more oils and colors will add depth and texture. She promises to share the painting's final form with the newsletter!

Box handcrafted by Jim MacBain. Painting by Dorothy Ann Coyne. Providing the tea selection at Holler Fest.

If you came to breakfast at Holler Fest, you saw this beautiful handmade wooden box with one of Dottie's paintings on the inside cover. You may recognize the stone cabin at Frog Holler (site of many memorable Holler Fest performances!).

Thank you Dottie and Bernie for your ongoing support and inspiration!

And while we're on creative topics, here is a poem co-created by two families at Holler Fest, at the "Renku" poetry workshop, led by Beverly Ostrowiecki. In a lovely spontaneous manner the poem reflects so much of the spirit of Holler Fest. Thanks to Beverly for facilitating this charming creative process! (click on the picture - or any of the photos - to view full-size.)

Have a great week everyone!