Last night was a late one for us. The green beans are really coming on and you'll find more in your containers this week. We had help yesterday from Jon and Nicole and then Jon again as we washed vegetables last night.
Then, just as we were packing up to leave for the day, the sky split in half and heavy sheets of rain fell without warning. Jon and I were in the pole barn but Brad was caught out in it and was wet through and through within a minute. None of this, even the fact that we got 2 and a half inches of rain in 2 hours, should be conveyed as ingratitude for the rain. We'll take a drenching over a drought any time. In an interesting twist, I drove home, 4.5 miles a away only to find it hadn't rained a drop.
I was worried about the squash blossom experiment last week because those flowers are so hard to pick and keep in good shape until the pick up. We might try them again next week though, for the members who didn't get any last week because I did get some good feedback. From Karen,
Thought you'd enjoy knowing about this - we made the frittata the other night in our big iron skillet, and it was fantastic! Erik and I each had a quarter of it for dinner, and he stuck the other half in the fridge wrapped in parchment paper. The next morning he cut it into three wedges, warmed it up and we made "frittata McMuffins" (without the Canadian bacon) for breakfast - and they were very good!
This week we'll have two guests at Two Leaves and a Bud. The first is David Goforth. He is an agent with the Cabarrus County Cooperative Extension Office. He also grows really great peaches, which he'll have with him at the pick up this afternoon for purchase. They aren't organic but he'll tell you exactly what he puts on them and when. I eat them and so do my daughters.
We will also have Jacob Pless with us. Jacob has been working with Chad VonCannon of Creekside Farms. Chad has been helping to teach Jacob how to process chickens. Here's a bit about Jacob Pless and his project.
Jacob is 13 years old. He is raising chickens as one of his 4-H projects. He read Joel Salatin’s book Pastured Poultry and decided that he did not want to continue to eat factory raised chicken. He wanted to raise chickens on pasture.
He got his brother, Daniel and his dad to help him build a brooder pen and “chicken tractors” in which he could move the chickens across the pasture. He chickens are White Rock Cornish Cross. He has the feed made by a Cabarrus County farmer. The ration consists of corn, soybean meal, oats, alfalfa meal, fish meal, coral calcium and Fertrell Vitamin/Mineral premix. The corn and oats are raised in Cabarrus County. The chickens are moved daily to a new pasture of grass and clover.
The chickens are processed on the farm by a process approved by NCDA, chilled in ice water, bagged and packed in ice. The dressed whole chickens will weigh between 4 ½ and 6 ½ pounds each. The price is $4.00 per pound.
Several of you have ordered chickens from Chad and those will be waiting for you at your respective pick up location. Jacob will have come available on site today for those of you who didn't preorder a bird. Think of it like buying girl scout cookies but from a conscientious young man selling a "home grown" local food with more protein. Chad will continue to work with Jacob for the duration of his project. Chad is also planning to make chickens available throughout much of the year. Here is his announcement about his chicken and some other offerings.
Creekside Farms is pleased to announce the availability of our all natural pasture raised whole chickens. These chickens will be available freshly processed to CSA members each Tuesday for pickup at both locations. Along with the chickens we are pleased to announce the availability of Italian sausage and a fresh pickup of bratwurst and thick cut hickory smoked bacon. All these products are in addition to our selection of beef and pork products and free range brown eggs as shown on the attached price list.
If you would like to have any of our products available for your pickup this coming Tuesday, please call (704-436-5320) or email Creekside Farms (creeksidefarms@ymail.com).
Chad VonCannon
Creekside Farms
Please remember to bring back your containers this week. Last week we did pretty well but the winner of "most dedicated container returner" for the week goes to Jessica. She took her empty container on vacation because she knew she would be driving home directly to the pick up last Tuesday and would need to have it in the trunk. That is thinking ahead!
What will you get this week?
(more) Corn! (Picked it last night and put it on ice)
(more) Green Beans
Swiss Chard (Full Share - you gotta eat your greens to grow up strong)
Straight Neck Squash (last week - maybe)
Patty Pan Squash (yummy strange-looking squash)
Zucchini
You'll get more corn and beans than in previous weeks- that will be the focus of this week. Okra and and green peppers are coming and we're going to take a week off from garlic.
Both recipes this week are from Nicole. Send me green been recipes!
Oh, I almost forgot and how could I? I had the pleasure of eating with the Locavore Wednesday group at the home of Lateef and Melissa this past week. I was wonderful to get to eat with people enjoying all the great food we grew. Good food, good conversation, good company and children running all about the property. This is such a a great weekly happening.
OK recipes.
Vegetarian White Bean and Swiss Chard Soup with Barley
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 fennel bulb, chopped
3 leeks, thinly sliced (white part only)
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
coarsely ground black pepper to taste
6 cups Mushroom broth (can sub vegetable broth)
1 cup Quick cook Barley
1 bunch Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
Parmesan Cheese (optional garnish)
Instructions 1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add fennel and leeks; sauté 5 minutes. Add beans and broth. Bring to a simmer. Add Barley, simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in Swiss chard. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, until chard is tender.
Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 8.
SQUASH PIE
2 c. yellow summer squash
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 c. Carnation milk
1 tsp. butter and nut flavoring (or lemon extract)
2 (9 inch) frozen pie crusts
Bake pie crusts as directed on package. Cook squash until tender and drain. Blend squash, eggs, milk and lemon extract in blender. Pour into cooled pie crust. Bake pies at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
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