C.S.A. Week 5

Its a week of transition here at Hosac Farm.  Spring and early summer crops are out, fall and winter storage crops are in, or going very in soon.  We did a major rock pickup these last few days, loading the wheelbarrow many times over and dumping them on our existing stone walls down by the pond. The garden looks temporarily rock free, a fleeting pleasure, as more will be thrown up by the tiller again in the spring.  We are trying to get to a point where we feel momentarily caught up with garden work to do some accessory projects around the property.  

In this weeks share:

• Green Peppers
• Green Beans
• Tomatoes
• Kohlrabi
• Swiss Chard
• Summer Squash/Zucchini
• Cilantro
• Still baby Carrots

Lemon Garlic Swiss Chard

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 12 cups Swiss chard, chopped (about 10 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 teaspoons shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until garlic begins to brown. Add Swiss chard and 2 tablespoons water to pan; cook 3 minutes or until chard wilts. Stir in lemon juice and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese. Add pine nuts and/or raisins to your liking.  Goes well with Scallops or seared Salmon. 

Baked Summer Squash/Zucchini

• 2 pounds summer squash (zucchini, pattypan squash, yellow crookneck squash)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon flaked salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the stem ends and slice the squash cross-wise in 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Toss with the olive oil.

In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Arrange the squash rounds in a 9x12-inch rectangular baking dish, or 10-inch pie plate. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another five minutes until the top is bubbling and crispy.

C.S.A. Week 4

The big project here at the farm this week has been pulling and processing all of our garlic.  The garlic gets planted in late October, heavily mulched, and is the first thing to pop up in the garden in the spring.  In June the garlic starts to produce its seed stalk other wise known as the "scape".  Once the scape has curled once, we cut it off to promote bulb growth.  If the scape is left on the plant, more energy goes to producing the seed and the size of the bulb suffers.  Now, in mid July we are pulling up the entire garlic plant, cleaning off the bulb, trimming the root, and tying them in small bunches to hand dry in our barn for several months.  After the drying process, the bulbs will be clipped from their stems and ready for winter storage.  We have had good success so far, following our garlic with fall beets and carrots.  We pulled the garlic and immediately weeded the beds, added fertilizer, direct seeded carrots, and transplanted in beets. The spring/summer carrot germination has been very poor this year and our early plantings are spotty.  Carrot seeds require consistent moisture until they pop up, which can take up to 3 weeks.  The dry year we are having has made and even planting difficult.  We covered this round of seed with finely sifted soil and then a layer of peat moss to try and help hold the moisture over the seed, combined with some well timed rain today. Also had the pleasure of a beautiful farm tour this week of “Chase Hill Ciders” in Albany NH.  It’s a mostly for pleasure orchard, with upwards of 100 incredibly healthy fruit treas set on a northeast slope overlooking South Moat Mountain and the Conway Valley  pictures below...

In the share:

Green Cabbage

Fennel

Tomatoes

Cucumbers

Summer Squash/Zucchini

Snap Peas

Green Beans

Lettuce

Sautéed Fennel and Green Beans
 

• 1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into thin slices
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced tomatoes

1. Fill a saucepan half full with water and bring to a boil. Add the green beans and fennel slices; cook until just beginning to become tender, about 4 minutes. Pour into a colander to drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. Return the empty pan to the stove and set heat to medium. Pour in the olive oil and let it heat for a minute. Return the green beans and fennel to the pan. Season with basil, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until coated and warm. Transfer to a serving dish and toss with feta cheese and sliced fresh tomatoes. 

Cabbage, Summer Squash and Zucchini Medley
 

• 1 medium head cabbage, chopped
• 2 medium zucchini (about 2 cups), sliced
• 1 medium summer squash (about 1 cup), sliced
• 3 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper

1.    Heat the skillet over a medium flame.

2.    Add about half the cabbage and zucchini and season with half of the seasonings, stir.

3.    Add the remaining cabbage, zucchini and seasonings, stirring really well.

4.    Cover and simmer on a low flame until the cabbage is soft (about 30 - 60 minutes). The vegetables need no oil or water as they will naturally release a lot of moisture. Also, the cabbage will reduce by half as it softens.

5.    You can increase or reduce the garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper to your taste.

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C.S.A. Week 3

    When we worked as apprentices at the Earle Family Farm, Tom slowly eased us into the ideas of Biodynamic Farming.  Biodynamics is very complicated and has many layers that make up its philosophy, but in a basic sense it works off the idea of a whole farm system, that the earth is influenced by forces bigger than what we can see including those from the solar system at large.  One small aspect of Biodynamic farming involves the use of "preparations" and "plant teas".  We will get more into the preparations at compost making time in the fall.  For now we are experimenting with the plant teas.  The teas are made from commonly found plants that when made into a tea boost the gardens natural defense mechanisms and help keep diseases at bay. Overall, they enhance the ability of the treated plants to use sunlight for growth.  One of the teas suggested by Biodynamic Gardeners is Equisetum 508, or horsetail tea, used to prevent mildew, rot, or other fungus and disease organisms.  Horsetail is very rich in silica, which according to biodynamic farming, makes plants overall healthier.  Horsetail tea, specifically, promotes a downward drying effect to ward off diseases.  We collected horsetail a few weeks ago in the woods near our house and made it into a large batch of tea to be sprayed on the garden every two weeks or so throughout the season.  You can find the horsetail 508 recipe if you are interested online, or ask us...

In this weeks share: 

baby carrots

snap peas

summer squash/zucchini  

basil

white globe turnips

beet greens

scallions

Penne With Summer Squash/Zucchini and Snap Peas

• 1 cup basic chicken stock
• 1 lb penne
• 1⁄2 lb summer squash cubed
• 1⁄2 lb zucchini cubed
• 1⁄4 lb sugar snap pea
• 1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaf, thinly sliced
•  

1. Bring 1/2 gallon of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to a boil in a skillet large enough to hold the vegetables. Add the vegetables to the chicken stock and steam, covered for about 3 to 4 minutes.
3. When the vegetables are just tender, add the cooked penne and the olive oil and toss until it is heated through.
4. Divide the pasta and vegetables evenly among 4 warmed plates or bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and basil.
5. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste

C.S.A. Week 2

Happy 4th to everyone.  It was a stormy first pick-up at our house last Thursday in Cornish.  About every five minutes we would think it couldn't possibly rain any harder, and as soon as the thought was finished, it would.  We stayed outside until the lightning struck what sounded like just over our shoulders and then we fled to the safety of the house.  Once the storm stopped we found our electric fence charger experienced a surge and was no longer working.  Luckily, all of our other equipment plugged into the barn was safe.  We replaced the charger and have been out installing an overdue lightning diverter system for our fence.    We  and the garden are holding up fairly well in this heat.  We are trying to be out early and have been taking rather long breaks in the middle of the day.  The plants and the weeds had a massive growth spurt after last weeks rain, combined with this heat, so we have been out with hoes trying to keep the gardens neat. 

In this weeks share:

-Kohlrabi

-Cucumber

-Summer Squash/Zucchini

-Watermelon Radishes

-Broccoli

-Summer Crisp Lettuce

-Parsley

-Lacinato Kale

KOHLRABI

White Wine and Brown Butter Glazed Kohlrabi and Radishes

-3 tablespoons unsalted butter

-1 large or 2 small kohlrabi

-kosher salt and ground pepper

-1 bunch of globe radishes, halved

-1 cup white cooking wine

-greens

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high.  When it boils reduce heat to medium; simmer until foamy.  Continue cooking stir occasionally until foam subsides, butter turns golden brown with nutty aroma, and milk solids separate into brown specks that sink to bottom. 2-7 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add Radishes, kohlrabi, wine, and ¾ cup water.  Generously season with salt and pepper.  Boil, stir occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender and liquid reduced to a glaze that evenly coats the vegetables, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a serving bowl, cool 5 min.  Toss with greens, serve. 

KOHLRABI

Simple Uses:

For all of the uses below, peel the purple skin off first.

-Shave raw into any salad.  Adds good crunch to a cold summer tabbouleh salad.

-use in slaw

-cube and roast with other root vegetables

-slice thin, and make fries

C.S.A. Week 1

Welcome to the first CSA pickup of 2018.  We are excited to have a number of new members this year and to be offering a pickup at our farm in Cornish, Maine in addition to our Earle Farm pickup.  

Things to know about the CSA:  

1. Please bring bags or a basket to take your share home in.  

2. The share follows the seasonal flow of the farm. It will start out with LOTS of greens and move into more varied hardier items like root crops, squashes, and tomatoes.  

3. We harvest the share the day of the pickup and really take pride in giving you fresh produce. If you can’t make a pickup, ask a friend to pick up for you! We only need to know if your share will not be picked up on any given week.   

4. We will post a weekly produce list here on Tuesday nights.  Feel free to comment with a favorite recipe to share with other members.  

In this weeks share: 

Sugar Snap Peas

Bok Choi

Garlic Scapes

Head Lettuce

Swiss Chard

Veronica Cauliflower 

Cucumbers

Simple Uses: 

Our favorite early summer dinner is:  

Cut Snap Peas, Cauliflower, and Bok Choi into chunks. Sautée lightly in a pan with oil. Cut garlic scapes into tiny slices and sauté in a separate pan until lightly brown. Add all ingredients to a grain like quinoa or couscous and top with your favorite salad dressings and a sprinkle of feta cheese.  If your feeling more ambitious about eating your daily dose of greens add all of the above on top of a bowl of lettuce and enjoy as a delicious dinner salad.  

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June 4th 2018

Farm News 6/4/2018

Happy to be writing to you on this rainy day.  Its been a sunny spring!  As gardeners we are learning to find an appropriate awareness of the weather as it pertains to the plants. We’ve accepted that it is totally beyond our control, and usually worthless to worry about it.  That being said, there is something appreciated in the way a rainy day gives us permission to relax for a minute. 

The plants are all in the ground at this point.  They always seem a bit fragile for a few weeks until they really take root.  They are seemingly vulnerable to pests and drying out, although its always fairly amazing what they’ll go through and survive.  The first rounds of peas are flowering, which means fruit will soon follow. 

The morning here was spent seeding our fall crops into trays, they will go into the garden in mid-July for harvest in September and October. The early crops like snap peas and beans will free up garden space once their time is done.   Even though we haven’t officially entered summer, in the plant world we are always preparing for the season ahead. 

The turtles have begun their annual week-long appearance.  We are taking a more relaxed approach, leaving them to lay their eggs in our compost piles, and garden aisles.  The past few years we frantically carried them back to the pond on aluminum shovels in fear of them digging up our new transplants.  No easy task, as they each must weigh upwards of 30lbs, and lurch and snap while being transported.  So far, they have done minimal damage, and seem content to lay their eggs and head back to the safety of the pond. 

The C.S.A. starts the last week in June! There will be a reminder email before the first pickup. Thanks!

See you all soon. 

Natalie and Kyle

May 10th 2018

Farm News May 10:

Bees arrived at our farm earlier this week.  Our neighbors down the hill proposed the idea of keeping bees with us this winter and we readily agreed.  They used to keep bees at a previous property, and now find theirs too wooded.  We are eager to have the bees around, without the burden of needing to master the art of beekeeping.  It seems like a beneficial relationship many farms/beekeepers enjoy.  Things are slowly blooming in fast succession now, daffodils, tulips, violets, pear trees…  There is a steady hum of activity near the hives during the daylight hours, and I have seen the bees tending to the violets around the greenhouse. 

Early tomatoes went into the greenhouse on Friday morning of last week, they were starting to get too big for their trays in the seedhouse.  Another row of heirloom tomatoes and cherries will join them in a few days.  We are going to try trellising tomatoes and cucumbers in the greenhouse using “tomahooks” this year instead of stakes.  We strung fencing wire along the rafters of the tunnel and each plant will grow vertically along a string attached to its own tomahook that hangs on the wire.  We have been watching a lot of YouTube videos about trellising, talked to a few friends about it, and are excited to try something new. 

The first of the snap peas are up, and a second planting went in yesterday morning.  The health and quantity of a pea harvest depends heavily on cool soil temperatures during seed germination, so we were anxious to get them in the ground before it warms up. 

Our field was tilled by a pretty large tractor this year for the first time.  Up until now we have been relying on our walk behind tiller, but our garden space has really outpaced what the walk behind can reasonably keep up with, and we had a fair amount of new ground turned under, which is a pretty jarring experience to do by hand.  It was amazing what the tractor accomplished in just a few hours.  It was also exciting to see the difference in soil texture and quality in the areas that we have worked before versus the new plot.  We are now totally occupied by prepping beds and planting, more later….

Kyle and Natalie

Sign-up for the summer share:

www.hosacfarm.com/csa

April News

Dear Farm Community Members,

As April is nearing its end, we are beginning to really gear up for the farming season.  We have been lucky to participate in a weekly reading group this winter hosted by the Earle Family Farm.  The focus of the group was Biodynamic Farming.  We read and discussed Rudolf Steiner’s Agriculture Lectures given in June of 1924 at Koberwitz ( which prior to 1945 belonged to Germany).  Biodynamics in a most basic explanation, is a whole farm system, that acknowledges the importance of elemental and cosmic influences on plant and animal life.  The winter felt like a very appropriate time to be visiting and contemplating Steiner’s ideas and thinking about how we can incorporate more of them into our farming practices this season.  During the two years working at the Earle Farm we were exposed to some Biodynamic principles, but this winter allowed us to delve deeper into the philosophy behind the practices.  On the whole it is very humbling to think about all that goes on in the nature world that is beyond what we can see at first glance. 

Another exciting winter development is an event we are planning called “Community Supported Agriculture Through the Arts”.  We have seven farms and seven artists who have agreed to participate.  We have paired each artist with a farm, and they will visit and paint at the farms throughout the upcoming summer and fall season.  The Snowvillage Inn in Eaton, NH has wholeheartedly agreed to host this event for us.  At the close of the season, there will be an Art reception at the Inn on Saturday November 3rd, where all the farmers and artists will be present.  Following the reception, the Inn will be putting on a family style farm-to-table dinner with ingredients sourced from the participating farms.  We are pretty excited to bring together the farm and art communities with this event.  The stronger and more involved our local community is, the stronger our farms and food systems will be. 

That’s all for now.  We are tending to our seedlings in preparation for planting out in the next couple of weeks.  Please help us get more people involved in local agriculture. 

Our 2018 Summer C.S.A. membership is open.  We are doing our usual pickup at the Earle Family Farm Stand on Wednesdays from 4-6pm.  We have also added a new pickup at our farm in Cornish, ME on Thursdays from 4-6pm.  Visit our website to sign up or call or email!  www.hosacfarm.com/csa

Got to get back to the plants and painting!

-Natalie and Kyle (at Hosac Farm)

Entering April

We are slowly leaving winter behind and entering our fourth season here at Hosac Farm, although it still feels like we only just got here.  This time of year always has us feeling a bit antsy.  The weather is warming and there is much to do on the horizon, but for a little while longer we are still limited by the weather and the remaining snow on the ground.  Around this time I am always reminded of the first April Fool's day we had here on our farm, when I went into the barn and found 2 unplanned newborn lambs.  It's a bit of a long story, but we had a loose ram get in with the Ewes for no more than an hour a few months prior to that April morning,  and we had since blissfully put the consequences out of our minds...  When I ran back to the house to alert Kyle of the newborns in the barn, he was sure I was joking.

We completed the construction of our seedling house in late February of this year.  The building allows us to start our own seedlings for the first time.  Past seasons we have bought in seedlings and traded work with the Earle Farm for starts. The project took almost two years to complete, start to finish, in very sporadic busts.  Kyle and his dad spent many hours digging the foundation, and making the building a reality over the course of those two years.   There was a lot of prep. and site work done that is now buried!  Time spent working on the seedling house was limited by winter, dismantling two older out-building near the work site,  spring mud, and other more pressing summer/fall farm work priorities.  Various stages of the building process left us with what I called "the pit" in the middle of the yard, and the neighbors were quite convinced we were putting in a swimming pool.  It is now a beautiful functional space, and relieving some of our early spring restlessness with the tiny green plants that it holds inside. 

Happy Spring.