Turning into the New Year

Happy New Year
From the People and Critters of Buckwheat Blossom Farm

The days have shifted to host a little more sunlight, if slightly, as they pass... the chickens sense the optimism and have started to lay more eggs. The sheep have given up on seeing green grass again and settle into the routine of feeding on hay twice daily, chewing cud to pass the time otherwise. The pigs are gone; the last of the lambs gone. The horses have a bit of ease until winter logging starts. They have the excitement of mealtime, scratching on young trees, and the occasional horse-drama they create amongst themselves. Oh yes, and then there was the other day, when Ruth un-intentionally terrified Millie, our youngest mare, with her snowman! Ruth had the kindness and good sense to stand in front of her new snowman, blocking it from Millie's view, so the large and frightened horse could brave walking past to get to her water trough.

“An old barn owl is the only one awake to greet the January of another year. No, here are the deer, come silently to the barnyard for a bit of salt and a little left-over hay. And the quiet fox is making certain the chickens are safe in bed this New Year’s Eve.”

-from The Year at Maple Hill Farm

December 21 Winter Pantry CSA Share:

garlic
leeks
golden turnips
potatoes
carrots
winter squash: sunshine & sweet dumpling
Brussels sprouts
kale
fermented pickles
shallots
frozen green beans
frozen tomatoes
dried dill

January 4 Winter Pantry CSA Share:

garlic
onions
rutabaga
potatoes
carrots
winter squash: acorn
cabbage
celeriac
dilly beans
frozen summer squash
frozen corn

Jeff recently reported that a few folks at farmers' market claimed to be sick of winter squash... WHAT!? All year I look forward to the cool days of autumn that bring me winter squash, and I never tire of the sweet orange flesh. So, here are some squash ideas to keep you feasting as happily as me: acorn squash is great cut in half, stuffed (grains, apples, nuts, ground meat, anything...) and baked, squash is wonderful with black beans in burritos, used instead of pumpkin in pie, as a filling for enchiladas, in sweet breads, in lasagna, in a sweet-style chili with cinnamon, or, in one of our family's favorites, the galette:

Winter Squash Galette
- Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone; serves 6

Yeasted tart dough, with olive oil or butter, or galette dough
2 1/2 pounds winter squash, such as butternut
1 small head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 Tbs. olive oil, plus extra for the squash
1 onion, finely diced
12 fresh age leaves, chopped, or 2 tsp. dried
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino or Parmesan (I often leave this out, and it is still great!)
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1 egg, beaten

Make the dough. Pre-heat the oven to 375. Cut the squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and brush the cut surface with oil. Stuff the garlic into the cavities and place the squash cut side down on a sheet pan. Bake until the flesh is tender, about 40 minutes. Scoop out the squash and squeeze the garlic cloves. Mash them together with a fork until fairly smooth, leaving some texture.
Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sage and cook until the onion is soft and beginning to color, about 12 minutes. Add it to the squash along with the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Roll out the dough into a 14 inch circle and spread the filling over it, leaving a border of 2 inches or more. Pleat the dough over the filling, the galette will be partially or completely covered, almost like a two crust pie. Brush the edges with beaten egg. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

Galette Dough:
2 cups all-purpose or whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
12 Tbs. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water as needed
Mix the flour, salt, and sugar together in a bowl. Cut in the butter by hand or using a mixer with a paddle attachment, leaving some pea-sized chunks. Sprinkle the ice water over the top by the tablespoon and toss it with the flour mixture until you can bring the dough together into a ball. Press it into a disk and refrigerate for 15 minutes if the butter feels soft.

Happy Eating,
Amy

December 6: The first snow fell today. It is amazing how the accumulation of so many tiny white flakes can transform the landscape. Suddenly the photos in my last post here look out-dated; was that really only two weeks ago? Ruth was the first to explore our new surroundings, joyously running out onto the deck barefoot to watch her footprints, then back in to warm the little toes. First her Spanish class was canceled, then Jeff deemed the roads too slick for us to venture out for fiddle lesson, so we stayed home and drew snails, and more snails.... Thank you snow for a slow day. But Jeff, Andy, and Ben put on an extra layer and headed out. First chores to do, animals to feed and water, then more of the root crop harvest to wash. At lunch they contemplated the afternoon, stalling over a cup of tea; are we really going to go out there and dig out greens to harvest? Yup. In an attempt to provide our CSA members with one last fresh-from-the-field harvest, they headed out. The beets were tucked under the shelter of a plastic row cover, and easily pulled once Ben and Andy peeled back the cover. The carrots and collards had to be coaxed out of the snow and frosty ground; the mustard greens too delicate under the snow to harvest. The fall harvest is complete, and just in time. Now the basement is brimming with food for the winter. Last week we harvested and cleaned all of the storage rutabagas, turnips, carrots, kohlrabi, cabbage, and leeks. Pictured below is on of our new favorites, golden turnips, on the washing table.
The horses dutifully pulled a load of straw to the field, with our apprentices on board, to blanket the carrots for winter harvesting and the strawberries for re-growth next summer. How quickly our minds must already shift to next season!

The seed catalogs are filling our mailbox, and we are working on clearing an area near our house for a hoop-house, to be used as a barn this winter and for veggies in the spring. As the days continue to shorten, the kitchen lures, the wood cook-stove asks for soups to be cooked on its continuous heat, and I oblige. I have been having a wonderful time turning our farm bounty into family meals. And you? What are you creating in your kitchen these days? I was just about to set into mixing up a batch of potato latkes for Hanukkah this past week, when the pigs (all 13 of them) busted out. Jeff had just driven off. So, Ben, Andy, Ari, Ruth and I set to getting them back in. It took hours. Luckily, Leah had just fallen asleep in her stroller, and when she woke was amused enough with the chaos, and running through the woods, to watch quietly from the pack on my back. No, never a dull moment. By the time Jeff returned, the pigs were confined, and I left him, Ben, and Andy to finish setting up their new are while I headed to the kitchen. The potato latkes were great. The table happily crowded.

This week's Winter Pantry CSA share includes:
garlic
onions
potatoes
bunched carrots
daikon radish
collard greens
kim chi
beets with greens
sweet potatoes
delicata squash
rutabaga

Potato Latkes
- from Love and Knishes, adaptations by Amy’s mother, Thyle Shartar

2 Cups grated raw potatoes (measure after draining out the liquid)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 small onion, grated
1 heaping Tbs. flour (mom uses whole wheat pastry) or matzo meal
1 pinch baking baking powder (mom never uses)

Mix all ingredients. Scoop into pan using a ladle or measuring cup and flatten to fry like pancakes. Use a high heat oil, such as sunflower, and cook on medium high heat until browned on each side. You can keep them warm in the oven until serving by laying them flat on a cookie sheet. If you stack them they will become soggy. The texture of the latkes is best when the onions and potatoes are hand-grated; using a cuisinart for the grating leaves the latkes a little mushy. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

Under Open Skies

Someone commented to me recently that Jeff looked tired at farmers' market. He is in a state beyond tired; driven by the cold nights we've been having and the promise of colder nights to come. A couple root crops still wait for harvest, and a few jobs in the field still to accomplish before the ground freezes solid. This past week we brought in the potato harvest. Have you ever dug potatoes? It is a job that begs for children to join. What fun to paw through dark, cool soil searching for the smooth, pale bellies of hidden potatoes! And then to imagine baked potatoes, potato leek soup, oven fries... Harvest is even more exciting, and easier, when the horses are involved.
While we dug, they pulled an old potato harvester found in a friend's barn. Ruth and Leah joined us in the field, along with Ruth's friend Eben and Django of Swallowtail Farm. Django is 12 and has a passion for work horses. Jeff invites him to the farm from time to time to learn and lend a hand. He has a knack for the horses. Jeff has a knack for teaching and a strong desire for hands in the next generation to pass the reigns to.And me? I rarely have reigns in my hands these days, but a sling... I suppose I am passing a philosophy of working and living together as I pass on the use of a baby sling. I love watching Ruth quickly throw it on before launching into a job, whether its feeding hay to the sheep, cleaning, carrying wood, or baking and selling bread in her imaginary bakery. Her dolls always seem quite content strapped to her side, and Ruth carries them with an air of business, accomplishment and importance.
It is such a thrill to be caring for our animals on our own land. The horses, pigs, laying hens, and sheep are all here now, their hooves and feet pushing their manure and uneaten hay chaff into the soil to become the fertility of future pasture. Our cows, broiler hens, and the first batch of lambs have all gone to the butcher. For me, a sad quietness takes their place. But, I am thankful to be able to provide our local community with pasture-raised, organically fed meats. I much prefer this sad quietness to the racket of industrial agriculture's feedlots and confinement of animals. The spring will again bring the joyful sounds of new lambs frolicking under open skies; my ewes and ram are working hard to ensure the cycle continues...Another mother once told me that when raising children, the days are long but the years are short. So true; somehow Ruth just turned 5! A group of her friends joined her to celebrate and follow the trail of a scavenger hunt. Below they run to "Grandmother Sugar Maple" in search of poor Mama Crow's lost feathers.As Thanksgiving approaches, I am thankful for the open skies we all work and play under, the color and bounty of harvest, the people and animals that work hard to nourish us, and the friends and family that take the time to join us at the table.

In Gratitude,
Amy

This week's Winter Pantry CSA Share includes:
Winter Squash
Pie Pumpkins
Potatoes
Onions
Leeks
Carrots
Parsley
Kohlrabi
Golden Turnips
Kale
Cabbage
Garlic
Applesauce

O-Konomi-Yaki - The Tassajara Bread Book

1/4 chinese, green, or red cabbage (or one mini cabbage)
1 large carrot
1/2 onion (or leeks, scallions, etc)
1/2 C meat or fish pieces (optional)
2 C (or more) whole wheat or unbleached white flour (or both)
1 egg, beaten
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tall can evaporated milk
enough water to make batter

Chop, shred, dice, or thinly slice vegetables (and meat). It is essential that the pieces be small so that the pancakes are not too thick. Mix together the remaining ingredients to form a batter. Fold in the vegetables and proceed to grill. If the pancakes are not cooking in the middle, thin the better some and cook more slowly. These may also be eaten cold on a picnic.

These Japanese pancakes are one of Amy’s childhood favorites. I usually adapt and improvise from the recipe; I have never added meat, fish, or evaporated milk. I usually just use more cabbage, carrot, or other vegetable instead of the celery, and I prefer maple syrup over the brown sugar. You can make them with any combination of veggies (we have even used beets), and kohlrabi is great in it. O-Konomi-Yakis are best fresh off the griddle (cooked in a high heat oil such as sunflower oil); if you want to serve them all at once, keep them warm by spreading them out on a cookie sheet in the oven. They tend to become a bit soggy as a stack in the oven. We love these pancakes with tamari or soy sauce.

Trail Blazing

This fall marks the end of the first season in our new home and on our own farmstead. Our farm has seen many transitions since we began over eight years ago. We started small as a newly married couple, farming the ground at Old Stone Farm, living modestly in a yurt with no running water or electricity, marketing mostly wholesale. Then came the running water, electricity, marketing at a farmers market, a baby, moving to lease The Morris Farm, and expanding our business there to create a summer and a winter CSA and raise more livestock. At the end of December we loaded up our truck and trailer, and the trucks, station wagons, and mini vans of friends and family, and moved our home and farm business to our own house and land. Of course, the move had to be somewhat horse-powered. Pictured here horses Bill and Perry (driven by our winter apprentice Josh Sullivan) haul the wagon full of sheep to their winter quarters at the new farmstead.We still farm the beautiful soil of Old Stone Farm, but the center of our family and farm life is now here. Settling in, with two daughters and Amy's sister, we are getting to know this brand-new home (where to dry the garlic, where to hide when I need to be able to hear on the phone) and this land (where to range the pigs, plant the perennials, and where to start cutting the trees to clear pasture!) We still have a lot of figuring, finishing, setting-up, and tree-clearing to do around here. This season was one of trail-blazing. The newness is indeed thrilling, and the promise of a smooth trail broken ahead keeps us trudging on the hard days.
And the humor keeps us moving along as well. No one can accuse Jeff and Ross of being too serious when working together. Here they don garlic dresses to haul the harvest in one load to the attic to dry.
Now the garlic pictured above is trimmed and nestled in boxes for winter eating. This time of year all other projects are put on hold as we harvest and preserve food for winter. The summer's harvest is now all either dried, canned, frozen, or fermented. It was a bountiful season, making for late nights at the canning pots for the farmers!Much of the winter root crop harvest still waits for us in the field, and we are currently harvesting cool-weather hardy crops for our winter CSA and for our booth at the Brunswick Winter Farmers' Market. The onion harvest is dried, cured, and in storage, thanks to help from our friends Keena at Little Ridge Farm and Ken and Adrienne at New Beet Farm. We are doing a work exchange with these other farms, one of the only ways for farmers to be social during harvest season! We had a great time helping Keena harvest, and will soon be heading to Ken and Adrienne's for a work day.
The other great help during harvest has been our summer apprentice, Leah Erlbaum. Leah just finished her stint here, but luckily still lives close enough to come and help on the farm from time to time. A couple of her friends will be working on the farm a bit until our winter apprentice arrives in January.
Yesterday we welcomed our Winter Pantry CSA members to the farm for the first time this season. We missed that connection over the summer. I had forgotten how much fun it is to have folks come to the farm for their food, to listen to families share recipes and children begging to munch on a carrot or a chard leaf! The share included:

Carrots
Salad Turnips
Watermelon Radish
Red Onions
Sweet Potatoes (!)
Buttercup Squash
Chinese Cabbage
Broccoli
Leeks
Fennel
Parsley
Mustard Greens
Chard

CSA members, if you ever have questions on how to use some of your produce, don't hesitate to call or email. Recently I have been in love with winter squash soups. I usually just make up the recipe (leeks are great in a squash soup, if you are wondering how to use them, apples, too!) But a couple times recently I have had squash soup at a friends' house who actually followed a recipe. So, I gave it a try, and found this winter squash soup that the whole family loves (I used Chicken broth instead of vegetable broth, and no cheese.) It is also a good use of your parsley.

Winter Squash Soup with Fried Sage Leaves
from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
2 1/2 to 3 pounds winter squash
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for the squash
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
12 whole sage leaves, plus 2 tablespoons chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
Chopped leaves from 4 thyme sprigs or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt and freshly milled pepper
2 quarts water or stock
1/2 cup Fontina, pecorino, or ricotta salata, diced into fine cubes

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Brush the surfaces with oil, stuff the cavities with garlic, and place them cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender when pressed with a finger, about 30 minutes (or more, I usually bake 45 min - 1 hr.)
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the 1/4 cup oil until nearly smoking, then drop in the whole sage leaves and fry until speckled and dark, about 1 minute. Set the leaves aside on a paper towel and transfer the oil to a wide soup pot. Add the onions, chopped sage, thyme, and parsley and cook over medium heat until the onions have begun to brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Scoop the squash flesh into the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Peel the garlic and add it to the pot along with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. If the soup becomes too thick, simply add more water to thin it out. Taste for salt.
Depending on the type of squash you've used, the soup will be smooth or rough. Puree or pass it through a food mill if you want a more refined soup. Ladle it into bowls and distribute the cheese over the top. Garnish each bowl with fried sage leaves, add pepper, and serve.

Your Farmers,
Jeff, Amy, Ruth, & Leah

Leah Kip

A lot has happened since I last wrote you here. I have been on a little, yes, maternity leave! Leah Kip Burchstead was born on Setember 28th at 12:09 am. We gave birth to her in our home at The Morris Farm. As many of you know, our life here is a little hectic, full of people coming and going, and far from private. While I knew a home birth was the right choice for us, I was a little concerned about having a baby at The Morris Farm. What if it was during a volunteer work day? Or the big Slow Food Dinner? Luckily, the day I went into labor was a quiet Sunday. The day blessed us with a curtain of heavy rain, keeping random visitors and the sounds of the cars a a world away. A quiet day of just Jeff and I (when else would that ever happen?!) Jeff did have to go out to check on the animals and move a little fence, so I took a walk, then spun wool on my spinning wheel when the contractions became heavier and Jeff was still out. After the midwives arrived and got settled in, they they rested while Jeff and I labored alone. The space and privacy they gave us was just what I needed. After giving birth to Ruth in a birthing center/hospital where I walked among strangers through contractions (and had a 30+ hour labor), doing a little reading, and watching how all our farm animals prefer to labor and birth alone, I decided that the animal in me needed to hide out to labor and birth as well. We brought Leah into the world after only 8 hours of real labor. My midwife, Heather Stamler, did a wonderful job reading my cues, comforting, and guiding me through the pushing. Her support after the labor is also invaluable. Above is a picture of our new farm girl. She is healthy, strong, and big. At birth she weighed 9 lbs. 4 oz., and at her 2-week check-up weighed 10 lbs. 10 oz.

So, adjusting to parenting an infant again and helping Ruth through this transition time, while still trying to run a farm and get a house built before the new year has been a little crazy! How are we doing it? The key is a loving community of fabulous cooks. Every evening for 3 weeks a friend dropped of an evening meal for us, lined up by our friend, CSA member, and amazing organizer Eve Conlin. These meals made all the difference for us, eliminating a layer of stress and allowing us to spend peaceful evening time together as a family. Thank you!

Since I last wrote here, the farm has made the transition from summer to fall. We finished haying at the end of September. Pictured below is Jeff driving the team to gather the last load of hay. Ruth accompanies him on the forecart and the farm crew tosses and stomps the loose hay down on the wagon behind.
The horses are also in action plowing under old crop land to prep it for cover crop planting. They help with the harvest as well; pictured below is our mother/daughter team Mary and Millie plowing up the potato rows to expose the potatoes for us to collect. Cabbage and chard for late fall/early winter harvest are in the foreground.
Several frosts have visited our farm; we successfully scurried ahead of them harvesting all our warm weather crops such as peppers and tomatillos. The more sensitive winter crops, winter squash, pumpkins, storage onions, storage potatoes) are in as well. Pictured below are the winter squash and pumpkins "curing" in the warm sun of the greenhouse. Many crops, such as carrots, kale, and parsnips, only get sweeter with the frost, and they are still out in the fields. If you don't think you like kale and parsnips, please try them again now that they are "frost sweetened"! The fall harvest pulls us out of the field and into the kitchen a bit more as we freeze and ferment veggies for winter eating. Sadly, our kitchen is not nearly as busy this fall as in autumns past due to a smaller harvest. Remember the rain that would not stop followed by the tomato blight? Hopefully next summer it will all be a distant memory...
And life as usual continues. The critters need to be fed, eggs collected, fence moved to new pasture, CSA and farmers' market to set up for... Last week the farrier, Stan, made his regular 6-8 week visit to trim the horses hooves. Pictured below is Stan working on Mary's hooves. Mary also had the horse dentist working on her earlier in the day. She is older, and we have trouble keeping weight on her every winter. The dentist came to make sure her teeth are even and filed so she does not loose food from her mouth as she chews.
CSA members, we have one more pick-up next Tuesday the 27th to complete our 20 weeks of summer harvest for you. The last 2 weeks of harvest included:

October 13th CSA Share:

• carrots
• parsnips (great cut into rounds and boiled or sauteed and tossed with a little butter, salt, and/or lemon juice. Also, see recipe below - one of our favorites!)
  
• leeks
• green peppers
• hot peppers
• kale
• salad turnips
• parsley
• Halloween pumpkin
  

October 20th CSA Share:

• carrots
• parsnips
• fennel
• parsley
• scallions
• Delicata squash
• leeks
• mixed greens (mizuna, mustard, pac choi, arugula: makes for a spicy salad, and is mild steamed, sauteed, braised)
• celery

Parsnip Pancakes
allrecipes.com; submitted by: Lois Frazee; Serves 6

• 2 pounds parsnips, peeled
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon minced chives

1. Place parsnips in a large saucepan and cover with water; add salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and place parsnips in a large bowl; mash. Stir in the onion, flour, egg and chives.
2. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a well-greased hot griddle. Flatten with a spatula. Fry until golden brown; turn and cook until second side is lightly browned. Drain on paper towels.

These are great topped with a little sour cream. You can try adding a herb (like parsley) instead of or in addition to the chives or a little curry powder for a different zip...

Happy Eating!
Your Farmers,
Jeff, Ruth, Amy & Leah

A Few Are Idle

The feel of September is settling over the farm. All crops are planted, the pace of weeding has slowed, and only a small patch of hay remains to be cut. We purchased some baled hay from Lee Straw to help feed the horses over the winter, and of course to provide the best possible napping spot for our cat, "Onion". He now smells deliciously of hay when he comes in to greet us in the morning. Onion is the definition of idle when the late afternoon sun slants throught the barn windows and warms his spot in the hay.
The horses have earned a bit of idle time as well. Their cultivating work is done for the time being. Once the forecast ceases its small threats of rain, Jeff will harness up a team to complete the season's haying. And, once we find the time, we'll put them to work plowing crop ground where we have harvested in preparation for planting cover crops.
The old loose hay loader, which we purchased from a field in Pittston a few years ago, has seen an active month. It has served us well this season. If you get a chance to get out to the farm to see our last bit of hay-making, make sure you stay long enough to see this piece of equipment in action. It, like our mower, tedder, and hay rake, is "ground driven", meaning the circular motion of its wheels moving over the earth set into motion a series of gears which in turn make all the components of the equipment work. We do have a baler which has its own motor and can be pulled by the horses, enabling us to make hay bales. But loose hay more fun to make, requires no motors or gas, and our livestock much prefer the loose hay we put up as opposed to the baled.
An expectant momma can't help but point out that sunny days are not just fine for hay making, but are also fine for laundry drying. These baby clothes, diapers, and blankets waving ever so slightly in the sun are the calm in the center of my storm of preparation. They are also a firm reminder that very soon a real babe will fill and bring the clothes to life.
At the center of Jeff's storm is the back of the farm truck, holding the evidence of all that is done and needs to be done with the reaminder of the day. A chainsaw and helmet indicate he has been at the house site; fencing supplies mark his work setting up cow fencing in the back pasture of The Morris Farm and sheep fencing over at Old Stone Farm. Early Tuesday morning the truck is filled with harvesting knives and crates for the CSA harvest. Ruth is loving spending most of her day helping Jeff and Kate on the farm. She bursts in the door at the end of the day, energized and feeling very important, usually a tool in hand, and covered in dirt (today a bit of paint from the house site and chocolate ice cream from lunch as well.) Her stories of the afternoon's work and unforeseen challenges spill from her as she heads again for the door to go out and do "one more thing" before dinner. She is so much like her dad, who is currently (at 9:30 pm) at the house site painting window trim and catching escapee chickens in our neighbor's yard (sorry Mr. & Mrs. Rines!)

September 8 CSA share:

• potatoes
• green beans
• purple and yellow beans
• daikon radish
• carrots
• purple scallions
• summer squash
• chard
• hot peppers
• purple bell peppers
• cucumbers

September 15 CSA Share:

• colored peppers
• kale
• basil
• patty pan summer squash
• assorted summer squash
• cucumbers
• leeks
• carrots
• potatoes
  

We are...

Harvesting
Our kitchen table, as well as the CSA tables, farm stand, and farmers' market booth, finally has a diverse and colorful offering of veggies. Thanks to all our members and customers for your patience and support, and for sharing the joy of our first green beans of the season! Last Tuesday evening, Jeff taught a canning and fermenting workshop at The Morris Farm to help folks preserve the season's harvest. If the nip in the evening air has you thinking of stocking up for the winter, just let us know; we have several books we can recommend to you, and are happy to answer any questions on food preservation.
Weeding
The job that is never done until the snow flies... is made much more fun with the help of friends. Our good friend Clay, pictured to the left, is now joining us every Tuesday to help with CSA harvest and other farm tasks in barter for food. Here Clay, Jeff, and Kate are weeding the carrots and throwing the weeds into the old manure spreader to haul out of the garden. Ruth stands by ready to drive the team forward when the crew is ready (and chatting all the while.)
Grazing
Our rotational grazing system has our critters moving all over The Morris Farm and the Old Stone Farm pastures. When the livestock all end up in the same general area, it is like the constellations lining up. I love being able to look across the pasture and see all of them at once. All four horses are now at The Morris Farm to work on making the hay here. They are also entertaining themselves watching over the cows on the other side of the fence. Two cows decided to make their Saturday night more exciting last night by breaking through a gate to visit with the horses. Consequently, Jeff's Sunday morning has been a little more exciting than usual as well!

Getting ready for baby
Above is the world from my point of view these days: over the curve of an 8 1/2 month pregnant belly. So much of what we are doing now is in preperation for the arrival of our new little one. We were both awake at 4:30 this morning, with thoughts of what needs to to be done driving us from bed by 5:00. Now it is 7:30 am, Ruth and Anna are still sleeping, Jeff has moved the cows, done chores, and is on the road to Winterport for a few shearing jobs (some breeds of sheep need to be shorn twice a year). I am stealing this rare quiet hour (ignoring the pile of dishes) to write to you. Our goal is to get the farm and our house building project to a point where we can slip away from both for a few days after the baby is born and hunker down in our home to rest and nest and eat and stare in wonderment at each other.

Your Farmers,
Jeff & Amy

September 1 CSA Share:

• cilantro
• garlic
• kale
• lettuce mix
• potatoes
• basil
• beets
• onions
• carrots
• cucumber
• summer squash

This week's share contained a large amount of basil tips as well as a head of garlic so you can make some pesto. Pesto is one of our most treasured tastes of summer; it freezes great in little jars or plastic bags to bless you with a taste of summer in the winter.

Pesto
Moosewood Cookbook

3 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
3 to 4 large cloves garlic
optional: 1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts, lightly toasted (I also sometimes use sunflower seeds or pecans)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup parmesan (I often omit the parmesan and the pesto is still great!)
optional: salt and pepper to taste (I think the salt is necessary, but not the pepper)

1.) Place the basil leaves and garlic in a blender or food processor and mince well.
2.) Add the nuts, if desired, and continue to blend until the nuts are ground.
3.) Drizzle in the olive oil, as you keep the machine running. When you have a smooth paste, transfer to a bowl, and stir in the parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, place room-temperature pesto in a warmed serving bowl. Add hot pasta and toss thoroughly. Allow 2-3 Tbs. pesto per serving. (In our home we also love pesto as a sandwich spread, on burgers, and even mixed with sauteed veggies.)