THE FARM NEWS Volume 4; Issue 0R/3E May 28, 2012

Greetings,

Happy Memorial Day! We hope that you all had a great weekend. We had fun today – there were many of you who came to visit The Farm today. We had farm tours and good food. We had several requests for the meat sauce recipes that we served so they are at the end of this newsletter. We really enjoy getting to meet some of our new members and getting the chance to see some familiar faces. If you weren’t able to make it this time, we will be doing this again later in the summer. There was a suggestion that we make the next one a potluck…we may just do that.

FYI – Strawberry season is up and running! Again, this is the earliest we have every picked strawberries. So, if you are interested in getting a 6-packs or jamming flat, now is the time to let us know. Even if you have not started to receive your share yet, let us know! We can deliver your strawberries anyway. Six-packs are 6 quarts of berries and cost $21.00. These berries are large and pretty. A jamming flat is over 9 lbs. and is a little different. These berries may require more cleaning as they are not as “pretty” or as large as the boxed berries are. Jamming flats cost $26.00.

We do want to let out extended members know that the boxes are just a little light this week. All of the crazy weather, really effects produce. We were able to harvest a few items early, between storms; but not as much as we wanted to, as some items don’t early-harvest well. That is one thing about farming; you are at the mercy of the weather. But, we need the rain even if we would refer to not have it all at once!

Have a blessed week!

From our home to yours,

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com

ITEM OF THE WEEK – CILANTRO

Visit our page on Cilantro for more info

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Cilantro
• Arugula
• Strawberries
• Bunching Onions
• Radishes
• Peas

Recipes

Arugula & Cilantro Salad

Ingredients – 4 Servings

• 4 oz. baby Arugula leaves
• 4 oz. baby Spinach leaves
• 1 bunch fresh Cilantro leaves, discard stems
• 6 – 7 fresh Parsley sprigs
• 1 garlic clove, crushed or very finely minced
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 – 2 tablespoons White Wine Vinegar, to taste
• 1 dash Paprika, to taste
• 1 dash Cayenne Pepper, to taste
• 1 dash Salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Place the Arugula and Spinach leaves in a salad bowl.
2. Chop the Cilantro and Parsley. Sprinkle them on the top of the Arugula and Spinach mix.
3. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Mix well. Taste mixture and adjust seasonings to your liking.
4. Pour the dressing onto the salad and serve immediately.

Herb Pesto

Ingredients

• 1 cup Arugula
• 1 cup Cilantro leaves
• ½ cup Olive Oil
• 1 clove garlic, mashed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan or miso
• 1 cup toasted walnuts, optional

Preparation

1. Put all the ingredients in the blender and whirl away. Season to taste.

Here are the two sauces we used at the open house. Enjoy!

Best Odds Pulled Pork Sauce 1

This thin, vinegary sauce is added to pulled pork after it has been cooked.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Apple Cider Vinegar
• ½ cup hot Water
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne

Directions

1. Combine water and brown sugar. Stir until brown sugar is dissolved.
2. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.
3. Slowly add to the pulled pork. The pulled pork should be lightly and evenly coated, neither dry nor soupy.

Best Odds Pulled Pork Sauce 2

This sweet, fruity sauce can be used on any meat, but is best on poultry. You can use it as you cook the meat, creating a based on sauce. Or you can add it to pulled meat, as we did, adding it to the pulled chicken. Anyway you use this sauce, it has a great light, fruity flavor.

Ingredients

• 32 ounces canned Peaches
• 1 ½ cups Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 cup cooking Oil, any kind works
• 1 cup Brown Sugar (I use the light golden brown, but you can use the dark)
• ¾ cup Maple Syrup
• 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
• ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger

Directions

1. Puree peaches in a blender.
2. Dissolve the cornstarch in a little warm water.
3. Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
5. Allow to cool.

THE FARM NEWS Volume 4; Issue 0R/1E May 14, 2012

Greetings,

 

Things are hopping around here.  We are doing our first CSA harvest today, Monday.  We spent the weekend working on fowl things.  We cleaned out the goose shed and created a new nesting box for Duke and Daisy.  She has started laying eggs again, so guess we will see if any of these hatch.  At lease it is not the end of December and extremely cold this time.  We also worked on prep-ing the chicken coop for a new roof.  We are putting up a metal roof this time and are now ready to install the metal. Hopefully, that will happen later today, after the CSA boxes are packed.

 

We are harvesting the first round of snap peas today. Dan said that this first time, he only got 9 lbs.  This means that you all will only get a small taste of fresh peas, but he could see that there should be a great pick next week.  He was not as happy with the lettuce this morning, but said that the spinach looked good.  I reminded him that we are just starting to harvest and that there are always next week’s boxes.  He just grinned.  He reminded me that he was planning this week’s box, not next week’s.  This time I grinned.

 

We have 15 Extended Share CSA boxes going out tomorrow, so for those of you, who have the Extended Share, please be sure and look for your boxes!  Just a reminder for everyone, we recycle our boxes! So be sure to return them the following week, when you pick up your next box.

Based on input from you all, we are going to have the open house on Monday, Memorial Day, May 28th.  As this is a holiday, it seems to work out best for most people.  Just a reminder, you are welcome to come visit anytime, just be sure to let us know you are coming so that one of us can be here to show you around.  The open house hours with be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a sandwich lunch buffet, shortly after noon.  Because we are serving food, could you please RSVP by May 23rd?  This gives us enough time to get the food ready.

 

Have a blessed week!

From our home to yours,

Dan & Donna Moe
www.thefarmofmn.com

ITEM OF THE WEEK – HORSERADISH

 

Visit our page on Horseradish for more info

 

A couple of quick things:

1. Horseradish is not recommended for children under 4 years old.  Not quiet sure why, but it may have something to do with their digestive systems not being able to process this.  Brassica vegetables as a whole are not currently advised for children less than 4 years.

2. Always process Horseradish either OUTSIDE or in a WELL VENTILATED area!  The smell can be over-powering and may create a burning sensation in your eyes.  Rumor has it, that it is also hard to get out of the house!

 

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:
• Fold 1 Tablespoon fresh grated horseradish into stiffly-whipped heavy cream and salt to taste for a classic horseradish sauce to accompany beef dishes.  You can also add Dill Weed as a tasty addition.

• Add 1 Tablespoon fresh grated horseradish to 1 cup applesauce for a piquant condiment to pork dishes.

• If you want to retain the spicy zing of horseradish in cooked dishes, add it at the end of the cooking process, after the dish has been removed from the heat.

Recipes

 

HOMEMADE HORSERADISH

Ingredients

• 1 cup peeled and cubed horseradish root
• ¾ cup white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons white sugar – more or less to taste
• ¼ teaspoon salt

 

Preparation

1. Peel the horseradish like you would a carrot.
2. Cube into approximately 1 inch pieces.
3. In an electric food process or blender, add all your ingredients, and process until mixture is the consistency you want.
4. NOTE: BE SURE THE AREA IS WELL VENTILATED – OR DO THIS OUTSIDE!
5. Carefully remove the cover of the processor or blender, be sure to keep your face away from the container.
6. Refrigerate the horseradish mixture in a sealable glass container.

 

Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• 1 lbs. Chicken – cut into 1 inch stripes (You can substitute any type of meat)
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1-2 Teaspoons Soy Sauce – to taste
• 1-2 cloves of Garlic, minced
• 2-3 cups fresh Vegetables – You can add any type you like, here are some of our favorites:   sliced carrots, peas – either pods or shelled, sprouts, sliced peppers, sliced or dices onions and water chestnuts.  But you can use any type of veggies you like.

• Optional: Nuts – approximately ½ cup if large nuts like cashews or peanuts, but only 1/8 cup if sunflower seeds

Directions

1. In either a large sauce pan or a stir fryer, add olive oil and chicken and garlic.  Cook until meat is done.
2. Add soy sauce and vegetables.  Cook until vegetables are heated through – usually about 7-10 minutes.
3. NOTE: if using sprouts, add them in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking. This will keep them crisp.
4. Serve over rice or noodles.  Can also be served over greens, like spinach or leafy lettuce.

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Snap Peas – Great to add to a salad or stir fry
• Horseradish
• Bean Sprouts – for salad or stir fry
• Spinach
• Chives
• Asparagus
• Dried Onions – for seasoning
• Green Onions

THE FARM NEWS Volume 3; Issue 18R/24E October 24, 2011

Greetings,

Dan says that there aren’t enough daylight hours in the day to do all of the things he needs to get done!  He thinks the best solution is to have the sun stay up longer…I told him that was called “summer”…he was not amused.  On a serious note, we were able to get the wind damage from the July 1^st storm fixed on the high tunnel.  Yeah!  Mmmmm, July 1^st, think we have been a little busy?

We also made a deal with another farmer to purchase material to build another greenhouse. Now the challenge is to get it done before the snow flies or the ground freezes – whichever comes first.  The next project is to complete the chicken house expansion – for the “new” chickens we raised this summer.  We will be adding more chickens as the “farmer’s wife” is complaining that she never has any eggs in her kitchen.  Seems they keep “leaving” the farm…

The pumpkins and squash are leaving the farm in exponential fashion. We have already delivered half of the winery’s order, although at this point, Donna is not sure that there is any missing yet…  The other half should be heading out next week.  We have another large order of pumpkins and squash to deliver to the cities this week.

Donna made it home safe and sound from visiting her aunt and mom inIllinois.  It was a short visit, but she had a great time.  It was nice to get away for a few days, but it was also nice to come home.

Have a blessed week!

From our home to yours,

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com

 

 

ITEM OF THE WEEK – MUSTARD

 

This week you have two types of mustard in your boxes.  The first type is Red Giant Mustard.  They are best known for their gorgeous combination of green and purple veined leaves.  The second is Mizuna mustard. These dark green mustard leaves are fairly narrow, deeply serrated and fringed at the edges.  Both of these mustard leaves have a great mustard flavor and are a great additive to any recipe that calls for mustard.

Mustard greens are members of the Brassica family of vegetables.  Over the years these vegetables have received a great deal of attention for their unique health promoting properties.  In addition to the extensive vitamins and minerals found in mustard greens, they also contain phytonutrients called glucosinolates.  Glucosinolates react with an enzyme that converts them into compounds that appear to reduce the potential of carcinogens through their ability to beneficially modulate liver detoxification enzymes.  They inhibit certain enzymes that normally activate carcinogens and also induce other enzymes that help to dismantle active carcinogens.

Some studies have indicated that vitamin C-rich foods, such as mustard greens, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis.  They found that those who consumed the lowest amounts of vitamin C-rich foods were more than three times more likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed the highest amounts.

One of the benefits of eating just three servings of green leafy, yellow and cruciferous vegetables each day is that it has been shown to slow the decline of mental function by 40% – which is the equivalent to about five years of younger age.  This consumption appears to decrease the brains cognitive decline.  Of the different types of vegetables, green leafy vegetables have the strongest association with this decrease.

Mustard greens may also be good for women going through menopause. They provide nutrients that are supportive of bone health. They are an excellent source of calcium, a higher intake of which can help to prevent bone loss that usually occurs at this stage of life. Women with osteoporosis also have low bone magnesium content and other signs of magnesium deficiency, so mustard greens would once again be helpful since they also provide concentrated amounts of this mineral. In addition, as noted above, the vitamin B6 and folic acid in mustard greens help to reduce the buildup of homocysteine. This plays an important role in promoting bone health, since homocysteine can obstruct collagen cross-linking, resulting in poor bone matrix and osteoporosis.

The vitamin E supplied by mustard greens is instrumental to a host of different mechanisms that reduce the development of atherosclerosis, including protecting LDL (“bad”) cholesterol particles from oxidation and decreasing platelet clumping. Dietary intake of vitamin E and vitamin C is thought to be associated with a compound called paraoxonase, an enzyme that inhibits LDL and HDL oxidation.  In addition, mustard greens also feature concentrated amounts of other nutrients that can keep your heart healthy. Included among them are vitamin B6, folic acid and magnesium.  Mustard greens are a very good source of vitamin B6, which has been shown in studies to decrease platelet clumping and thereby decrease risk of thrombosis (clot formation). Blood vitamin B6 levels tend to be lower in coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction patients, and some believe that low blood vitamin B6 levels may actually be useful as an indicator of risk for myocardial infarction.

One reason for this belief is that vitamin B6 along with folic acid, another nutrient of which mustard greens are an excellent source, is instrumental for preventing the buildup of homocysteine, which contributes to atherosclerosis through its ability to damage the blood vessels.  In fact, folic acid is so important for cardiovascular function that a major 1995 study concluded that consumption of 400 micrograms per day of folic acid could prevent 28,000 cardiovascular deaths per year in theUnited States.  Magnesium is necessary for normal blood vessel tone and function. Since mustard greens are also a very good source of magnesium, they may be able to help lower high blood pressure and may even decrease the risk of heart attack.

Need any more reasons to eat mustard greens?  Well, here are a few more. One cup of mustard greens contains the following nutrients:  Vitamin K – 419 mcg; Vitamin A – 4243 IU; Vitamin C – 35 mg; Folate – 102 mcg; Manganese – 0.38mg; Vitamin E – 2.81 mg; Calcium – 103.6 mg; Potassium – 282.8 mg; Phosphorus – 57.4 mg; and Magnesium – 21 mg.  That same cup also contains very good amounts of Vitamin B6, protein, copper, iron, and vitamin B2.

 

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Young mustard greens make great additions to salads.

Serve healthy sautéed mustard greens with walnuts and lemon juice.

Adding chopped mustard greens to a pasta salad gives it a little kick. One of our favorite combinations is chopped tomatoes, pine nuts, goat cheese, pasta and mustard greens tossed with a little olive oil.

For a simple meal with a southern flair, serve cooked mustard greens with beans and rice.

 

Recipes

 

Mustard Greens with Chipotle and Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of curly mustard greens, stems and coarse ribs discarded
• 2-3 bacon slices, cut crosswise into ½ inch pieces
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon minced chipotle chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Coarsely chop greens.
• Cook in a 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender.  About 5 minutes.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of cold water to stop cooking.
• Drain greens in a colander, pressing gently to release excess moisture.
• Cook bacon in a 12 inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring until crisp. Approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet.
• Add oil, chipotle, greens and salt to fat and cook. Stirring occasionally, until heated through. Approximately 2-3 minutes
• Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with bacon and serve.

Preparation

 Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

 

Ingredients

 

• 1  bunch mustard greens
• ½  large red onion, thinly sliced
• 4-6 Tablespoons vegetable broth, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pinch of red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ½  teaspoon soy sauce
• ¼  teaspoon agave nectar or sugar
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained.

 

Directions

 

• Remove any large stems from the greens and discard them. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.
• In a deep pot or wok, sauté the onion in a tablespoon or two of vegetable broth until mostly faded to pink, about 4 minutes.
• Add the chopped garlic and red pepper, along with another tablespoon of broth and cook, stirring for another minute.
• Add the mustard greens, 2 tablespoons of broth and cook, stirring until greens are wilted, but still bright green. About 3-5 minutes.
• Stir in that salt.
• Remove greens and onions from pan with a slotted spoon and place in a serving dish, leaving any liquid in the cooking pan.
• Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and agave or sugar to the liquid in the pan.  If there is no liquid, add 2 tablespoons of broth.
• Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about half.
• Spoon the chickpeas over the greens and drizzle the sauce over all.
• Serve warm, with additional balsamic vinegar at the table.

 

 

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Pumpkin
• Sunflower Seed Head
• Beets
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Sweet Peppers
• Red Giant Mustard
• Mizuna Mustard
• Red Fire Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Arugula

 

THE FARM NEWS Volume 3; Issue 12R/16E August 29, 2011

Greetings,

We have a temporary addition to our crew.  Her name is Ramona.  She is an intern from Germany.  She will be with us for six weeks.  She is studying composting while here at The Farm.  She is pitching in during the day with farm chores and working on compost techniques in the evening.  She is scheduled to head back home before the open house.  If you are in the Hutchinson area, try to stop by and welcome our guest from Germany.

It is hard to believe that school starts next week for most families.  This season has just gone by very quickly.  We are still planning to have the boxes continue until the end of the season; it just seems strange to be coming to September.  Everyone who has taken the time to share information about their wants needs and hopes for the boxes, thank you.  I do appreciate everyone who takes time out of there day to share information with us.  Farming is not a science and without customer feedback we can get lost in the work at hand.

We will be taking about our fall open-house with each newsletter until the 24th passes.  Dan will be gone from the farm in the morning that is why we are gathering in the evening. It will be September 24th, late afternoon to early evening.  We are going to gather around 3:45 p.m. and will have one field tour at 4 p.m.  We are planning to have the BBQ going from 5 p.m. to dark with fresh food from the farm!  Please come and join us for this harvest celebration!  We are expecting people to start gathering between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.  If we have enough interest, we will have a bonfire!  So RSVP please, so that we can know how many to plan for!  We look forward to seeing as many of you as we can!

Please have a blessed and great week.

From our home to yours,

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com

ITEM OF THE WEEK –JALAPENO

Visit our page on Jalapenos for more info

Recipes

PICO DE GALLO

Ingredients:

• 4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
• ½ Red Onion, finely chopped
• ½ Jalapeno Pepper, finely chopped (more if you like it hot)
• 1 medium Clove of Garlic, minced
• Juice of one Lime (approximately 2 Tablespoons)
• ½ Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons of Fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
• ½ Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
• ¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix ingredients.
2. Mix together well
3. Pour into a serving dish and cover.
4. Refrigerate 4 or more hours before serving.

Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon bacon bits
• 3 ounces jalapeno peppers, seeded and halved
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 cups oil for frying

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Spoon this mixture into the jalapeno pepper halves.
2. Put the milk and flour into two separate small bowls. Dip the stuffed jalapenos first into the milk then into the flour, making sure they are well coated with each. Allow the coated jalapenos to dry for about 10 minutes.
3. Dip the jalapenos in milk again and roll them through the breadcrumbs. Allow them to dry, and then repeat to ensure the entire surface of the jalapeno is coated.
4. In a medium skillet, heat the oil to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). Deep fry the coated jalapenos 2 to 3 minutes each, until golden brown. Remove and let drain on a paper towel.

Serves 8

ENJOY!

This Week’s Items – ½ Bushel:

• Jalapenos
• Zucchini
• Dill
• Basil
• Squash
• Beans – either green, purple or yellow
• Garlic
• Cucumbers
• Chard
• Corn
• Egg plant or Tomatoes

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Jalapenos
• Zucchini
• Dill
• Basil
• Squash
• Beans – either green, purple or yellow
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Cucumbers
• Kale
• Okra

This Week’s Items – Large:

• Jalapenos
• Zucchini
• Dill
• Basil
• Squash
• Beans – either green, purple or yellow
• Garlic
• Cucumbers
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Okra

THE FARM NEWS Volume 3; Issue 11R/15E August 22, 2011

Greetings,

Here is this week’s and the last update on Dan’s emergency surgery – he is doing very well!  His hand is back to its normal size, with only a small amount of swelling still occurring in his finger. He is done with his physical therapy appointments and only has to continue working on getting the strength back in his had.  He is thrilled with the progress, but frustrated with the lack of strength.  We all keep telling him that it takes time, but he is not known for having patience with himself.

We had a busy week. We continue to work on all of the “little” projects we have around here. But with the wonderful help of friends, we feel like we are making progress.  We were blessed by the youth group from our church coming out and painting our house.  If you have been here before, you know that it needed it badly!  They are still not done, but we think that it looks wonderful!  We have had help from other “family” members and the new back door is in, my craft room lights work, the woodworking shop is getting organized… and the list goes on.  We are truly blessed by all of the wonderful people in our lives!

The fields, in general, are starting to produce nicely.  The tomatoes and cucumbers are very intermittent.    Those of you who ordered cucumber shares for pickling, we have been picking for approximately two weeks and may have picked a little over a bushel.  There is no consistent size to them.  Later this week, Dan will be sending an email to each person who ordered cucumbers to determine the best way to get you the cucumbers you ordered.  The tomatoes are slowly starting to ripen in the fields and full bushels will probably be ready the first or second week in September.  The canning tomatoes will be ripe at the same time, but they will not be “pretty”. The weather has affected all of the tomatoes’ growing patterns.  The only “pretty” tomatoes will be from the high tunnel and there are not enough of them for canning.  We are hoping for a late Indian summer, so that will allow everything to ripen properly.

We wanted to remind you again about our fall open-house.  It will be September 24th, late afternoon to early evening.  We are going to gather around 3:45 p.m. and will have one field tour at 4 p.m.  We are planning to have the BBQ going from 5 p.m. to dark with fresh food from the farm!  Please come and join us for this harvest celebration!  We are expecting people to start gathering between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.  If we have enough interest, we will have a bonfire!  So RSVP please, so that we can know how many to plan for!  We look forward to seeing as many of you as we can!

This Thursday is the opening day of the Great Minnesota Get Together – commonly called the State Fair.  If any of you are planning to go the opening day, we have been asked by Renewing the Countryside to represent CSA farmers for the day in the Eco-Environment building.  We plan to be there all day, if you are there we would love to have you stop by and say “hi”.  If you come another day, stop by anyway and see who is representing other CSA farmers.  Enjoy the Fair!

Please have a blessed and great week.

From our home to yours,

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com

ITEM OF THE WEEK – BEANS

See our pages on Green, Yellow, and Purple Beans for more info

Recipes

YELLOW BEANS AND GARLIC

Ingredients:

• About 1 lbs. green or yellow green beans
• 3 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 2 heaping Tablespoons Fresh, minced Basil
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. With a stainless steel, steamer basket, placed in a pot with a lid, bring a few inches of water to a boil.  Add beans and reduce heat. Steam for 7 minutes.
2. While this is steaming, heat olive oil in a small saucepan until hot. Add Garlic. Watch closely and stir, allowing the garlic to slightly brown. Once brown, take pan off the heat.

3. Add the vinegar and some salt (about ½ teaspoon) and freshly ground pepper to the browned garlic.

4. In a pretty bowl, place the steamed beans and basil.  Toss with the garlic oil and vinegar dressing.  Adjust the flavors with salt, oil and vinegar as needed.  Serve.

PURPLE BEAN AND TOMATO SALAD

Ingredients:

• 6-8 oz. of beans (either green, purple or yellow), chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 3 Tablespoons Skinny dips Hummus
• 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• ¼ Teaspoon Oregano
• 1 sprig of Parsley, minced
• 3 oz. Romaine Lettuce, Shredded
• 1 plum tomato, halved length-wise and sliced thinly
• Fresh-ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Steam the bean pieces 4 minutes over boiling water.  Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, ix together humus, lemon juice, oregano and parsley. Set aside.
3. Place lettuce in a salad bowl.
4. Top with tomato slices and warm, steamed beans.
5. Season with pepper.
6. Pour Hummus mixture over the top of everything, toss lightly to coat.
7. Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

This Week’s Items – ½ Bushel:

• Beans – either green, purple or yellow
• Kale
• Green Onions
• Zucchini
• Summer Squash
• Patty Pans
• Cucumbers – Armenian, Lemon or Slicing

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Beans – either green, purple or yellow
• Green Onions
• Zucchini
• Summer Squash
• Patty Pans
• Cucumbers – Armenian, Lemon or Slicing
• Swiss Chard
• Broccoli
• Sage
• Okra
• Potatoes
• Peppers

This Week’s Items – Large:

• Beans – either green, purple or yellow
• Green Onions
• Zucchini
• Summer Squash
• Patty Pans
• Cucumbers – Armenian, Lemon or Slicing
• Swiss Chard
• Corn
• Sage
• Okra
• Potatoes
• Peppers
• Egg plant

Note: Armenian Cucumbers are light green, ribbed cylinders, with a great cucumber flavor.

THE FARM NEWS Volume 3; Issue 10R/14E August 15, 2011

Greetings,

Here is the update on Dan – he is doing very well!  His hand is almost back to normal size. The doctor, wound specialist and the physical therapist are all really surprised at how well he is doing.  The surgery incisions are closed up and look really good.  There is still some swelling in his finger and he will tell you he still does not have all the strength back in his hand.  But, all in all, he is doing extremely well.  We are very pleased with his progress!  He is almost back to doing what he wants to – but to his disgust, he still has some limitations.

We had a busy weekend. Saturday was the Garlic Festive and it was a great success!  For those of you who had the chance to come out and say hello, we hope you had a great time.  For those of you who did not get to come, well, there is always next year… Dan had the chance to speak Saturday afternoon.  There were a lot of good questions and he had a great time.  He talked about the importance of seasonal eating and year-round production.  He loves to share his knowledge.  On Sunday, we worked on the grainery.  We almost got it weather tight.  There is still a little bit left to do on the roof and soffits.

As you can tell from your boxes this week, the fields are doing well.  The sweet corn ripened very quickly. As fast as it ripened, it went into your boxes.  We did not get as much as we were hoping for this year. Again, this is a weather related issue.  It seems as if nothing has produced the way we have expect it to this year.  Pickling cucumbers are being very slow to come on and we will keep you posted.  The field tomatoes are ripening faster than the high-tunnel tomatoes. Go figure that one out!

Now – our fall open-house will be September 24th, late afternoon to early evening.  We are going to gather, with one field tour at 4 p.m. and are planning to have the BBQ going from 5 p.m. to dark with fresh food from the farm!  Please come and join us for this harvest celebration!  We are expecting people to start gathering between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.  If we have enough interest, we will have a bonfire!  So RSVP please, so that we can know how may to plan for!  We look forward to seeing as many of you as we can!

Please have a blessed and great week.

From our home to yours,

Dan & Donna

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com

ITEM OF THE WEEK – LEMON BASIL & SAVORY

See our pages on Basil and Savory for more info

Recipes

SAVORY – HERB RICE

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ Cups White Rice
• 3 Cups Chicken Stock
• ½ teaspoon each – Thyme, Marjoram & Rosemary
• ¾ teaspoon Savory
• ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
• ½ teaspoon Pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, stir ingredients together.
2. Heat mixture over high heat, bring it to a simmer and cover.

3. Cooking time will depend on what type of rice you use.  If you use instant rice, cook per directions.  If you use long grain rice, it will take approximately 20 minutes.

4. When done, fluff with a fork and serve!  This is best served with chicken and green beans!

Serves 6

 

LEMON BASIL CHICKEN

Pan grill, broil, or grill these tasty marinated chicken breasts!
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless Chicken Breast halves, without skin
• fresh basil or fresh parsley for garnish

Marinade Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

Directions:

1. Put chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper; gently pound to even thickness for even and quick cooking.
2. Combine marinade ingredients in a plastic food storage bag.

3. Add Chicken and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

4. Heat an oiled grill pan, grill rack, or broiler pan.

5. Arrange chicken on hot pan or rack and grill or broil for approximately 10-12 minutes.  Turn often.

6. Serve with fresh basil leaves or parsley.

Serves 4

ENJOY!

This Week’s Items – ½ Bushel:

• Savory
• Lemon Basil
• Beets
• Zucchini
• Summer Squash
• Beans
• Radishes

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Savory
• Lemon Basil
• Zucchini
• Summer Squash
• Beans
• Radishes
• Cabbage
• Egg plant
• Corn
• Marketmore Cucumbers

This Week’s Items – Large:

• Savory
• Lemon Basil
• Zucchini
• Summer Squash
• Beans
• Radishes
• Cabbage
• Okra
• Corn
• New Redfire Lettuce
• Marketmore or Armenian Cucumbers

Note: Armenian Cucumbers are light green, ribbed cylinders, with a great cucumber flavor.

THE FARM NEWS Volume 3; Issue 9R/13E August 8, 2011

Greetings,

Well, there is never a dull moment around here.  This last week has been a very interesting week.  On Monday, Dan went to the doctor’s office because he seemed to have gotten stung by something and it seemed to be getting infected.  He was given some antibiotics.  At 2 a.m. Wednesday morning, Dan woke up in a lot of pain and found that his hand was twice the size as the other.  We made an emergency trip to ER and the doctor told us that he has an infection in the sheath surrounding the tendon in the finger.  The ER doctor set up an appointment for Dan to see a specialist Wednesday morning.  Dan was admitted to the hospital Wednesday morning and went into emergency surgery at 6 p.m. that day.  He had a massive infection in the ligament sheath of his middle finger on his right hand.  He came through surgery just fine.  He saw the physical therapist and the wound specialist today, Monday, and they are very pleased with how his hand looks.  He will have to go for physical therapy for the next two weeks or so. He also sees the surgeon again on Thursday for a follow-up appointment.  So far, everything looks really good.  The infection is clearing up nicely and his hand is almost back to its normal size.  What can we say – there is never a dull moment around here!

As far as things here on the farm – they seem to be going well.  As you can tell the boxes are full this week.  We tried a different method of protecting the sweet corn this year and it seems to be working!  The product of the week is – you guessed it – corn.  Dan got to walk the fields this morning and he said that they look good.  But he said that they look great for the end of June.  The challenge – it’s the second week in August!  So we are all speaking a late fall!  We also wanted to update you on the pickling cucumbers.  They are coming on very slow this year.  We do not have an ETA on when they will be ready.  The squash, however, is blooming like crazy!  Everyone got squash this week.  Dan says that you can tell that things are finally growing the way they are supposed to.

Please have a blessed and great week.

From our home to yours,

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com

 

ITEM OF THE WEEK – CORN

Visit our page on Corn for more info

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

When making corn on the cob, heat the water to a boil.  While the water is heating, clean the corn.  Remove the outer leaf layers and remove the silk.  Rinse the corn in cool water to remove any remaining silk.  Once the water is boiling, add the corn.  Cook the corn for 4 – 4 ½ minutes, no more or the corn will get tough.  Enjoy!

Recipes

FRESH CORN SALSA

Ingredients:

• 1 ear fresh white or yellow corn
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 small tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 C. (59 ml) lemon juice
• 1/4 t. sea salt or to taste
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/8 t. chili powder

Directions:

1. Cut kernels off the cob and put them into a medium-size bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Adjust seasonings to taste, and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves 6.

 

GRILLED CORN ON THE COB

The special benefit of cooking corn on the grill in the husk is that none of the flavors or nutrients is lost in the water as with the boiling method. The season for fresh, sweet, white corn begins about early to mid May. Yellow corn becomes available at the end of June.

1. Start by soaking whole ears of corn in their husks in a large bowl of water for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Soaking makes the ears easier to shuck and helps to retain the moisture in the kernels.
2. Prepare the barbecue for grilling. When coals are hot, place whole, unshucked corn directly on the grill. Cover grill, and cook 5 minutes.
3. Lift cover and using tongs, turn corn about 1/4 turn. Cover and cook another 5 minutes.
4. Turn corn again about 1/4 turn, and cook 5 minutes longer. The husks should be quite blackened. If the corn is young to medium, 15 minutes is just about right. For medium to large kernel corn, 20 minutes is perfect.
5. Allow 5 minutes for corn to cool. Shuck and enjoy the juiciest corn you’ve ever had.

ENJOY!

This Week’s Items – ½ Bushel:

• Corn
• Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Summer Squash
• Green Onions
• Mustard Greens
• Chard or Kale

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Corn
• Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Summer Squash
• Green Onions
• Mustard Greens
• Carrots
• Cilantro
• Peppers
• Egg Plant
• Kale

This Week’s Items – Large:

• Corn
• Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Summer Squash
• Green Onions
• Carrots
• Okra
• Peppers
• Kale