Week 10 - Say it isn't so

Week 10

cucumbers, leeks, green beans, summer squash and zucchini,
potatoes, tomatoes, onions and flowers

How did it get to be week 10 already? And what a doozy it was - with the heat I was surprised to find any vegetables in our shares at all. Thanks to the faithful interns and harvest helpers and of course Pablo and Esther for keeping things watered and picked and ready for us in spite of the 100 degree days! This week I was especially hoping for tomatoes. In fact I had my Sunday supper all planned out and just needed tomatoes in the share to complete it. Thankfully there were some delicious Sungold and my other favorite tomato - for the life of me I can't remember its name but it the greenish looking one. Here is the salad those tomatoes found themselves in for supper - quick-easy- light and yet filling - perfect for the dog days of summer ahead:

BLT Pasta Salad

2 cups cooked corkscrew pasta tossed in 1/4 cup of Ranch dressing and chilled
5 strips of cooked bacon
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 large bowlful of lettuce - washed, chopped (any combination you like)
a little diced red onion

Toss together the salad ingredients with the pasta. Add additional dressing as needed.
Could it be any easier? and tasty too!

I was also glad to see the big bunches of basil on the "extra" table and I hope many of you took advantage of this treat to make pesto for the freezer.

Did you know that a small bottle of basil flavored olive oil (store brand) costs $8 (And we're not talking a gourmet store here folks, this is your neighborhood grocery) So if you grabbed a handful of basil from the "extras" table, you can make your own flavored oil for mere pennies - well probably not pennies, but for a mere fraction of the cost of purchasing it.

Basil Oil

Wash the basil leaves and pull from stems. Stuff in a quart jar and cover with olive oil. You can use cheap(er) oil because the basil will flavor it. Set in the back of the cupboard for a few weeks and let it sit. When you are ready pull it out, strain the oil, remove leaves and fill a pretty oil dispenser. Set on your counter and use it every time you need some for the pan or to make a dressing or sauce. You can't beat it. And the price is right!

One more tomato and basil recipe. This was sent in from share holder Cathy B-

Tomato Basil Linguine

1 lb Brie or Camembert cheese, rind removed and cut into small pieces
4 lg tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 - 1/2 lbs uncooked linguine
shredded parmesan cheese

In a large serving bowl, cobine the first 7 ingredients. Let stand at room temperature for up to 1 1/2 hours. Cook linguine according to package directions; drain. Toss with cheese mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings.

Sounds superb - now we just need to hope the big tomatoes are ready soon.

Did anybody do anything fun with the fennel last week? I mixed mine with potato and onion slices and grilled white fish on top of it all. It was soo good - I am now a fennel fan!

Week 9 - Fun with Fennel

Week 9
Sunflowers and Zinnias, potatoes, onions and garlic, cherry tomatoes,
cucumbers, zucchini and squash, parsley, and fennel

I must admit I am not too familiar with this vegetable and I was surprised to see the large feathery fronds and the big bulbs in the last share. Last summer they were smaller and fit in with other veggies in the recipe but what do you do with this size "bad boy?" - this was commitment to an unexplored taste. I love the smell and I know fennel goes well with fish but aside from that it was time to discover this new veggie. I posted a picture and posed the question on facebook and a lot of answers came back from my friends:

Fennel ideas: 1) save the stalks. Dry them, and when you grill fish, add them to the coals just before you put the fish on. 2) add to ratatouille. 3) slice thinly, add sliced beets, and toss with citrus vinaigrette. 4) slice & saute with sliced celery-- just don't overcook. 5) Use in place of celery in just about any recipe. 6) use in salads. 7) grill it, 9) roast it 10) use in chicken soup

SOME IDEAS from The Victory Garden Cookbook

· Sprinkle chopped fennel leaves on hot baked oysters or clams.

· Add cooked fennel to omelets, quiches, stuffings or sauces.

· Add stalks to stocks for their flavor.

· Add sliced sauteed fennel to fish chowders.

· Cook fennel in your favorite tomato sauce.

· Place stalks and leaves on barbeque coals as they do in France. The fennel scent permeates the grilled food.

· Slice steamed or blanched fennel, cover with a vinaigrette and serve chilled.

· Chop raw fennel and add to tuna fish sandwiches.

· Slice fennel thin and layer with raw potatoes, cream and cheese to make a potato au gratin.

Fennel is high in vitamins A and E, as well as potassium and calcium.

Tonight I am going to grill my fennel on the grill with potatoes and fish. Sounds delicious!

So there you have it - so many choices - what do YOU do with fennel?

Mid-Summer at Stoney Lonesome

Progress Report from the Garden

My grandma always said that when you hit the 4th of July summer was on its way out and fall was right around the corner. Doesn't seem very likely around here when its 100 degrees and the dog days of summer are still leaving us panting for cooler air! But in any event, it is the middle of summer and it is time for a progress report from the gardens.

Garlic and onions are harvested and busy curing.
A beautiful mosaic of colors in the barn.

and the fragrance of garlic above our heads

Potatoes are coming up with a lot of help from interns Logan, Katherine and farmer Pablo.

The "future field" aka the BIG Field is also producing volumes of produce and there are good things on the horizon for the CSA shares. Take a look:

Okra is almost ready. Harvest helpers enjoyed a few bites this week

and all those blossoms will soon be green beans

and it looks like a jalopeno party is in our near future

but for this week enjoy the bounty of a good harvest

The Share - Week 8
Basil, Parsley, Garlic, Red Torpedo Onions, Broccoli,
Potatoes, Tomatoes and Cherry Tomatoes, Summer Squash and
the most delicious cucumbers you will ever eat!

until next harvest...

Meet the Interns, Part 1

My name is Logan Buckley, and I grew up in Alexandria, Virginia. I am now a rising sophomore at Oberlin College hoping to major in creative writing and biology. I found out about Stoney Lonesome from Katherine, (another intern) whom I knew from high school. I believe she found out about it by googling "farm apprenticeships in northern virginia". Over the past year I've become interested in sustainable and organic farming both from an increased awareness of environmental issues due to the activist climate at Oberlin, and from reading Michael Pollan's book "In Defense of Food" (about eating whole foods, balanced diets, etc. instead of highly processed foods that are so common today). Apparently, according to Pablo, many of the pioneers in sustainable agriculture in northern VA went to Oberlin as well--must be something in the air. My favorite part of the job is harvesting. It's fun to see the vegetables go from being in the ground to shareholders taking them home, and it's also a great social atmosphere between Pablo and Esther, the other interns and the harvest helper--interesting conversations are unavoidable. I also enjoy planting, then coming back later to see how much the plants have grown. In general working on the farm is more satisfying than any other work I've done, simply because of the tangible results--seeing different crops grow from week to week, picking the vegetables that people take home, and in general taking part in the whole process of food production, from seeds to finished dishes. My favorite new discovery has been the Swiss chard--gorgeous greens, colorful stalks, delicious in omelets. I don't think I'd even heard of it before starting work on the farm. I haven't had any vegetables yet that I didn't like, but I have some trepidation about fennel--smells like licorice, which I'm not a fan of. Pablo calls it "the most polarizing vegetable". But of course, given the opportunity I would try some to find out for sure--wouldn't want to miss out on it if it turns out I do like it! One of my favorite things to make is pesto made using the basil and garlic from the farm, along with some walnuts and olive oil; mozzarella wrapped in Swiss chard and baked for a short time is also delicious (haven't made it myself yet, but Diana shared some with me that she made and I highly recommend it).

always plenty of weeding to do...

Thanks for your hard work Logan (and others!) We appreciate it each week when we pick up our shares.
The other interns will be featured in upcoming blog posts. Stay tuned.

GARLIC FEST '11

We had a great turnout at this year's Garlic Fest! Here are some of the highlights...

freshly harvested garlic, of course

the garlic taste test

quality time with the goats

crowing our Garlic Queen

socializing and music

braiding softneck garlic

Now it's time to cure the bulbs and enjoy our garlic bounty all season long!