(From elocal.com)

LOCAL

What is important to you when it comes to food?  Convenience, quality, price, environmental impact, etc.?  What about the upcoming holiday season?  What is important to you when you purchase a Christmas gift for a loved one?  Convenience, quality, price, environmental impact, etc.?  Are you beginning to see a theme here?
Do you know what ONE word describes all of the above?  Yes, you guessed it.  LOCAL!

When you support your local, homegrown business that provides locally produced products be it food, artisan gifts, or any other locally produced products you are giving back to your community, making a contribution to the environment, and supporting your neighbor, friend, or even a family member.   The benefits are many,

BEGIN............................................................

The benefits of buying local are numerous, the quality is outstanding, and the gift will be unique! 

AUTUMN THANK YOU'S

Michael and I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to EVERYONE who supported us throughout the 2011 growing season. 

We want to expressly thank all of our CSA customer's from Lake City, Red Wing, and Rochester.  To the restaurants who believe in us - Hope's Harvest, Rabbit's Bakery, and Zzest!  To our farm customer's!   To the families who allowed us to bless them with veg and to my niece, Lori, for delivering said food!  To ALL of the volunteers who gave of their time and energy this past summer - Paul, Theresa, Caryn and Garrit, Luke, Evan and Michelle, Anne, Jason, Erin, Scott, Nick, Mark and Erin, and Will!  To our granddaughter's Bella, Amaya, and Ellie who HAVE to work when they visit so they can play!  To my daughter, Tona, and son-in-law, Alberto, for supporting us and making sure the girls were able to visit during our crunch time!  To Michael's parent's, Bob and Bette, and his sister, Barb, for all the moral support!  Of course to our other family members and friends who were afraid to visit because they might have to work!  We appreciate the moral support from afar!  To everyone who has listened to us, visited the blog, visited the farm or touched our lives in some fashion - thank you!

We also would like to thank the wonderful groups of young, promising, hope filled individuals who visited the farm!  Some of them harvested and then dined on tomatoes and some of them assisted in putting the fields to rest for the winter.  We truly appreciate your efforts!

Finally, a huge thank you to Michael, my husband, who had to put up with a tired, intense, and grumpy wife for six months.  He often heard - "No honey, you can't harvest that.  We have to save it for our CSA customer's!"  "Honey, can you do this for me?"

The 2011 growing season was a challenge and another blessed year of learning and adventures! 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

EVERYTHING FLORENCE TOWNSHIP FAIR

This weekend!  Saturday, October 8, 2011, from 1pm to 5 pm at the historic Florence Town Hall, 33923 Highway 61 Blvd, Frontenac.  South of the Whistle Stop.

There will be displays by the following:

• Goodhue County Sheriff's Department,
• Goodhue Country Historical Society,
• Goodhue County Public Health,
• Florence Township Planning Commission,
• Florence Heritage Preservation,
• Florence Wizard's 4-H club, and
• Author Ken Allsen will be in attendance!

You can help ID photos for Florence Township timeline and view family histories, photos, and artifacts from the Savage Family, the Wells family, the Witt family, and more. 

Township Historical Characters will be appearing and if you like Karaoke at 3:00 pm you can sing with Duane Earney!

Refreshments are being served!  Jump in your jalopy, get out, enjoy the weather,bump into your neighbor, and learn more about our glorious township - FLORENCE!!!

EAT ORGANIC FOOD!

POTATO LEEK SOUP

Tis the season for comfort food and with local potatoes and leeks available how can a person go wrong with this time honored combination?  Pair it with a nice crusty bread from your favorite local bakery (ours is Rabbit's Bakery in Lake City, MN) and your meal is complete. This recipe incorporates the entire leek plant.  Enjoy!

POTATO LEEK SOUP

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

Ingredients
• 1 large or 2 small locally grown leeks, about 1 pound
• 2 bay leaves
• 20 black peppercorns
• 4 sprigs fresh organic thyme
• 2 tablespoons organic butter
• 2 strips bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups chicken stock (we substitute using a veg stock)
• 1 to 1 1/4 pounds locally grown organic russet potatoes, diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup creme fraiche or heavy organic cream
• 2 tablespoons snipped chives

1. Trim the green portions of the leek and, using 2 of the largest and longest leaves, make a bouquet garni by folding the 2 leaves around the bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme. Tie into a package-shaped bundle with kitchen twine and set aside. (Alternately, tie 2 leek leaves, bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme together in a piece of cheesecloth.)

2. Using a sharp knife, halve the white part of the leek lengthwise and rinse well under cold running water to rid the leek of any sand or dirt. Slice thinly crosswise and set aside.

3. In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter and add the bacon. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is very soft and has rendered most of its fat. Add the chopped leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the reserved bouquet garni, chicken stock, potatoes, salt and white pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are falling apart and the soup is very flavorful.

4. Remove the bouquet garni and, working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor or blender. (Alternately, if you own an immersion blender, puree the soup directly in the pot.) Stir in the creme fraiche and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately, with some of the snipped chives sprinkled over the top of each bowl of soup.

GREEN SALSA VERDE

This recipe typically uses tomatillo's, but we needed a way to use our green zebras over the weekend and this is what we did.  When tomatillo's are in season (should be now or shortly) substitute the tomatillo's for the green zebra tomatoes. 

  

GREEN SALSA VERDE

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 POUND GREEN ZEBRA TOMATOES—ROUGHLY CHOPPED
• 4 SERRANO CHILIES, WITH SEEDS
• ¾ CUP FRESH CILANTRO LEAVES (1 BUNCH)
• 2 TABLESPOONS FRESH LIME JUICE
• 1 TSP SUGAR
• 1 TSP SALT

PLACE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A FOOD PROCESSOR OR BLENDER AND PUREE.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
AN ALL-PURPOSE SALSA VERDE, ESPECIALLY GOOD WITH TORTILLA CHIPS, MOST SEAFOOD, AND EGGS.

YIELD: ABOUT 2 CUPS     HEAT: 5

CHERRY TOMATOES

They are of the small variety - cherry's!  You have Lemon Drops, Sapho, Brownberry, Hartman's Gooseberry, and Cherry Roma!  Which ones are which???

Their uses are many---pop them in your mouth for a quick, refreshing snack.  Toss them in a salad or pick them green and pickle them, called a Tomolive™.  Use the Tomolive™ in place of an olive in your martini, if you are one of those that likes to imbibe! 

However you use them, enjoy them now when they are in their prime and filled with the flavor of the sun!

MORNING DEW

 

THE MANY FACES OF CHARD

CRISPY CHARD CHIPS
The recipe is from the blog “A Full Measure of Happiness.”
Recommended by my daughter and the three girls who love them.
Bella—9, Amaya—7, and Ellie—3.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch chard (or kale, or any hearty green)
•  1-2 T olive oil
•  salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

• Rinse the chard leaves and tear them into pieces–they can be as large or small as you want–I went pretty large.
• Drizzle two cookie sheets with the olive oil and divide the chard pieces between them. Using your hands, toss the leaves with the olive oil until they are evenly coated.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper (and other spices if you want–garlic salt, paprika, chili powder…go crazy!).
• Place on a middle rack in the oven and bake until dry and crispy, about 20 minutes.•Once they are cool, they shouldn’t stick to the bottom of the pan (thanks to the olive oil) but they may need to be gently loosened to remove them.
• You can store these in a Tupperware container or plastic baggies, but trust me, they’ll go pretty quickly.



Photo courtesy of Culinate



FRIED EGG SANDWICH WITH GARLICKY SWISS CHARD AND CHEDDAR

Recipe courtesy of Culinate

Introduction

If you prefer, kale may be substituted. Cheddar cheese is just a suggestion; feel free to substitute what you find at the market or happen to have in the refrigerator. It should be assertive; mild cheeses won’t stand up to the garlicky greens.

Ingredients
•1 large bunch Swiss chard, leaves trimmed from stems and rinsed; stems trimmed, rinsed, and chopped in ¼ inch long pieces
•4 T extra virgin olive oil
•3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
•Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes
•1 lemon, juiced
•1 small to medium red onion, sliced thinly
•½ tsp sugar
•4 large eggs
•2 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, sliced thin or grated
•4 crusty rolls (such as ciabatta or Kaiser), split and lightly toasted if desired

Steps
1.Bring large saucepan filled with water to boil. Season generously with salt and add chard leaves. Simmer until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool under running water. Squeeze dry, chop coarsely and set aside.

2.Combine 2 tablespoons of oil, the garlic, and crushed pepper flakes in large, nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic just begins to color, about 2 minutes. Add greens and cook until glossy and covered in oil and garlic, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice to taste; transfer to bowl and set aside.

3.Return pan to burner and reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pan along with chard stems, onion, sugar, and large pinch salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have softened and are beginning to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Push onion and chard mixture to ring around outside of pan; add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to center of pan and crack eggs evenly around center of pan. Season eggs with salt and pepper and cover pan. Cook until eggs are just set but yolks are still runny, 2 to 4 minutes. Top with cheese, recover, and cook until cheese has just melted, about 2 minutes longer. Divide greens evenly amongst rolls, top each roll with an egg, and spread onion mixture over top. Serve immediately.

SWISS CHARD STALKS GRATINEED WITH PARMESAN CHEESE
By Caroline Lewis, from the Caroline Lewis collection, via Culinate

Introduction
The trimmed stalks will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Ingredients
•2 bunches chard, stalks only, leaves reserved for another use
•Unsalted butter
•Kosher salt
•2/3 cup Parmigianino Reggiano, freshly grated

Steps
1.Cut the chard stalks into pieces about 4 inches long, and wash them in cold water.
2.Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, drop in the stalks, and cook at a moderate boil until they are tender, about 10–15 minutes, depending upon the maturity of the stalks. Drain and set aside.
3.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4.Smear the bottom and sides of a baking dish with butter. Place a layer of chard stalks on the bottom, trimming to fit if necessary to make a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and with grated cheese, and dot sparingly with butter. Repeat the procedure, building up layers of stalks, until you have used them all. Sprinkle the top layer generously with Parmesan and dot thickly with butter.
5.Bake on the uppermost rack of the preheated oven until the cheese melts and forms a light, golden crust on top, about 15 to 18 minutes. Let settle a few minutes before serving.

MONARDA

Aka - bee balm, bergamot, horsemint, oswego tea.  This genus has roughly 16 species.  Native Americans used bee balm as a seasoning when cooking wild game, in particular birds.  They also used it to brew teas, to treat flatulence, to treat headaches, and when needed as a stimulant. 

Monarda also works wonders as a companion plant for tomatoes!  We have three colors adorning our herb bed--pink, purple, and red.

We call it bee balm around here and we are touting her attributes because she LOVES to attract those busy pollinators, the bees.  But you can call her what you like stunning, beautiful, interesting, versatile...........

PAYING FORWARD A QUOTE

"He who is aching in every limb, worn out by the effort of a day of work - that is, a day when he has been subject to matter - bears the reality of the universe in his flesh like a thorn. The difficulty for him is to look and to love. If he succeeds, he loves the Real." -Simone Weil

 

The above quote came across our facebook page from Polyface Farm's Blog, THE HEN HOUSE.  Polyface is home of the ever present and well spoken advocate for local food, Joel Salatin.  You may remember him from Food, Inc. and other assorted documentaries. 

 

As of late, the "aching in every limb, worn out by the effort of a day of work" is very true and AS we fight the tiredness we reflect on why we do what we do.  Simone Weil sums it up completely -"If he succeeds, he loves the Real."

 

When we succeed our tenacity and ability to work with the natural elements has allowed us to grow along with our veg!  We have been able to find the place between worry and joy that brings peace of mind.  Anyone who relies on the earth, the sky and the elements she creates, to make a living, finds a gentle space in their inner being to patiently wait for the ripening of the harvest!

 

 

 

We hope your inner being finds a gentle space too.

PURPLE, YELLOW, AND GREEN

No, it's not a bruised part of your body.  They are haricots verts or filet beans that we are specifically paying reference to although other green beans come in an array of colors also.

Velour in the beginning stages of forming the bean.

Haricots verts, French for green beans, are are a very slender and stringless green bean compared to the typical American style of green bean.  We are growing three types: Concador - yellow, Tavera - green, and Velour - purple.  They are a bush style bean and need to be harvested every 36 to 48 hours to make sure we don't get oversized, tough beans.

Velour almost ready to harvest.

We found the recipe below courtesy of Simply Recipes. However you choose to devour them, ENJOY!
French Green Beans with Butter and Herbs Recipe

Use fresh herbs if available. If not, you can used dried, but use a quarter as much.

Ingredients

(Photo courtesy of Simply Recipes)

• 1 pound thin green beans (haricot vert), trimmed      
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped fine        
• 3 Tbsp butter        
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped fine        
• 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves        
• 2 Tbsp tarragon or basil, chopped fine        
• 2 Tbsp chives, chopped fine        
• Salt and pepper to taste        
• Lemon wedges

Method

1 Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Boil the beans for 2 minutes. Plunge them into the ice after to stop the cooking and set the color. Drain the beans and pat dry on a cloth or paper towel.

2 Heat the butter over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. Cook the onions until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

3 Add the green beans and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

4 Add all the herbs and some salt and pepper and toss to combine. Cook for 1 minute more.

Serve hot or at room temperature, with lemon wedges.

Yield: Serves 4.

TINY TREASURE

She is exquisite and delicate in her beauty.  What is she?

CONGRATULATIONS!

We want to congratulate Mike and Jessica for answering "brussels sprouts" to the second in the series of What Is It!

We provided this bouquet of flowers, from our scattered about the farm flower beds, pastures, and woods, as a reward for their answer.

BEAT THE HEAT

Do you want quick, nutritious, refreshing, and liquid nourishment?  Especially after you've been out in the 90 degree heat hoeing and weeding for hours.  Do you have bananas that go bad quickly this time of year because of the heat?

Well freeze those bananas in large pieces after you have peeled them.  Then do the following:

BANANA TAHINI SMOOTHIE

2 organic oranges juiced, then add enough cold water to make 1 or 2 cups of liquid.
2 T tahini
2 frozen organic bananas

Toss in your blender and hit liquify!  Drink and go ahhhhhhh!  I think I'll go make another batch.

BEAUTIFUL BROCCOLI

Check out our harvest of broccoli yesterday and we did not find ONE critter on it.  We are hoping our CSA customer's didn't either.  But if you are buying at a local farmer's market this is how you should care for your broccoli when you get it home.

CARING FOR BROCCOLI
Because the spaces between the florets on broccoli heads make a convenient hiding place for tiny caterpillars and aphids, some of them invariably find their way into the kitchen. Plunge harvested broccoli into warm water with a little white vinegar added, and any stowaways should float to the top. Never soak the shoots more than 15 minutes; use only warm water, because hot water destroys nutrients and cold water doesn’t clean as well.

Broccoli will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, but the longer it is stored, the tougher the stems get and the more nutrients it loses. Either can, freeze or pickle excess harvest. Freezing best preserves broccoli's flavor, color and nutritive qualities. Separate the large heads into bite-sized chunks with a bit of stem and cut the remaining lengths of stem into 1-inch pieces.

Blanch the pieces in boiling water for three minutes, plunging them promptly into icy water for three minutes to stop the cooling process. This will kill any harmful bacteria, and allow the broccoli to retain its firm texture and bright green color. Drain them then store the broccoli in plastic freezer bags. Frozen broccoli retains its quality for up to six months.

BEETORAMA

Yummy, nutritious, colorful, easy to work with, all parts edible!  Woot! Woot!  What more could one ask from a veg?  That is the beet!  Detroit Dark Red, Bulls Blood, Burpees Golden, Yellow, Chioggia, and more.  They are their most tender from June through October and the greens are packed full of beta carotene, calcium, iron, and vitamin C.  Here are ways to enjoy!

BEETROOT HUMMUS
4 or 5 beets roasted
1 can of organic chickpeas drained and rinsed
3 T of Tahini
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 T lemon juice from an organic lemon
1/2 tsp salt
2 T organic olive oil

Roasting beets:  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Cut the greens away from the beet leaving about 1/4 inch of stems.  Scrub the beets and place in a baking dish (or double wrap in tinfoil).  Add a 1/4 inch of water to the dish.  Cover tightly. Place in the oven and roast small beets (3 oz or less) for 30 to 40 minutes, medium beets (4 to 6 oz) for 40 to 45 minutes, and large beets (8 oz or more) for 50 to 60 minutes.  They're done when they can be easily penetrated with the tip of a knife.  Remove from oven and allow to cool in the dish.  (We slip ours into a dish of ice cold water for 5 to 10 minutes).  The skins should slip right off.

After you have the beets prepped place in a food processor the beets along with the chickpeas, tahini, garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, and oil and process until smooth.  Serve with crunchy veggies and pita chips.

Not to be left out - the greens are as yummy as the root itself.  Here you go - try this one!


FARRO SALAD WITH BEETS, BEET GREENS, AND FETA
(Modifed from a NYT recipe and recommended by one of our own CSA members!  Thanks Scott!)

• 2 medium or 3 small organic beets (any color) with greens. Roast the beets (see above recipe on how to roast).  Remove the greens about an 1/2 inch from the root and wash in two changes of water.
• 1 cup organic farro or other similar substitute (red and green orzo, wheat berries, or Israeli couscous
• Salt to taste

Vinaigrette

• 2 T organic sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp organic balsamic vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup extra virgin organic olive oil
• 1/2 cup organic walnuts - broken into pieces
• 2 ounces organic feta or goat cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped organic fresh herbs -- parsley, tarragon, marjoram, chives, or mint

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add salt to taste and the greens. Blanch for two minutes, and transfer to the ice water. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop coarsely and set aside.

2. Bring the water back to a boil, and add the farro. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, stirring from time to time, or until the farro is tender. Remove from the heat and allow the grains to swell in the cooking water for 10 minutes, then drain.

3. While the farro is cooking, make the vinaigrette. Whisk together the vinegars, salt, garlic and mustard. Whisk in the oil. Add to the farro. Peel and dice the beets and add, along with the beet greens, feta or goat cheese, herbs and walnuts. Toss together, and serve warm or room temperature with a little more cheese sprinkled over the top if you wish.

GARLIC SCAPES

The most exciting veg for our CSA boxes last week were the garlic scapes.  Mostly because they possess a short window of enjoyment and you probably will not find them in your local grocery store.  We want to extend a HUGE THANK YOU to Susan and Randy Johnson of hawks brain garlic in Red Wing, MN for providing the scapes and recipes!  Visit their website for more indepth information about the wonders of garlic.  We are going to share Susan's recipes here and a little bit about the garlic scapes.

What are Garlic Scapes?
“Scapes” are the flower stalks found on certain members of the allium family. Garlic scapes, which appear on the finest hard neck garlic varieties, curl upward as they grow, ultimately straighten, and then grow little seed-like bulbs. A young scape makes one or two loops before straightening out, and then develops seeds. By snipping off the scapes before the seeds develop, more energy goes into making a bigger garlic bulb. When the garlic scapes are still in full curl, they are tender and delicious. They have a taste that is milder than the garlic cloves, and have a broad spectrum of uses from soup to salads to garnishes. The garlic scape is an allium delicacy that is highly prized and traditionally used in Southern, Eastern European, and Korean cuisine because of its subtle garlic flavor and tender-crisp texture.  Eat from the part that was snapped to the bulbis where the flower is forming.

Garlic Scape Uses:    

• Cut into 2-inch lengths and sauté in olive oil or butter over medium heat, adding salt and pepper to taste.        
• Add scapes to your favorite stir-fry dishes.        
• Chop and add raw to salads.        
• Preserve them by using the Dilly Bean canning recipe found in many canning cookbooks.   
• Chop in a food processor into small bits and put in ice cube trays to use as a seasoning.        
• Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper and put on the grill.        
• Add to pickled beets or cucumbers.        
• Steam and dress with a bit of lemon juice.        
• Make garlic scape pesto (see recipe).        
• Slice and sprinkle over any pasta.        
• Slice and add to most any sauce.        
• Chop and add to guacamole or fresh salsa.        
• Chop and mix with softened cream cheese or butter for a unique spread for sandwiches or bagels.
• Use chopped fresh scapes as a garnish for tomato or potato soup.

GARLIC SCAPES RECIPES:
(All recipes courtesy of hawks brain garlic - Susan and Randy Johnson - Red Wing, MN)

Colleen’s Cream Cheese Spread

3/8 c. scapes (about 8-10 scapes depending on size).

Cut the scapes into about one inch pieces before measuring. (I cut the dry ends off the tips.)

4 oz of cream cheese

½ T. lemon juice

Salt to taste

In food processor, put in scapes and process. Add cream cheese, lemon, and salt.

Buzz until smooth.

Serve with crackers, veggies, whatever. Use instead of mayonnaise on your favorite sandwich.
Yum!

Scape Pesto—I looked at a lot of different recipes and came up with this one.

1 c. scapes (depending on size of scapes, about 15-20, cut in small one-inch pieces or so)

½ c. olive oil

½ c. parmesan cheese

1/3 c. pine nuts (or combo of walnuts and pine nuts)

Fresh parsley if you wish.

Salt to taste

Put all in food processor and buzz. Makes about 1 ¼ cups.
Serve over pasta. Remember—it might be strong in garlic flavor. Use accordingly.
Yum!

Grill ‘Em—These are suggestions from various friends who love scapes grilled:

Brush or spray your scapes with olive oil, sprinkle with any herb you want – marjoram, oregano, seasoned salt, herb blend—and stick on the grill. Turn once. Take off the grill and give a squeeze of fresh lime juice and shake of coarse salt. Eat.

You can cook them next to your steak or put them right on top while it grills.
Yum!

Enjoy!  Please feel free to share your own use or recipe for garlic scapes.  Email us at solntyne@yahoo.com and we will pay your recipe forward!  Thanks!

PEA PICKING

When was the last time you picked peas?  God did an incredible job designing his vines and pods.  I will get down an entire row and look back and see pods hanging in mid air like I had never been there.  Poof pods appear out of nowhere!  So I do it again, peruse the row.  Then head to the north side of the row and wouldn't you know it -- I hear crunch, crunch of teeth.  Amber Jo (our chocolate lab) wandered into the row and found peas at her height!

Plus it's hard to resist the temptation to crunch on them myself.  The ones we call 'seconds' end up in the mouth not in the bucket of ice cold water sitting at my feet.

Grubby Ellie helping harvest peas in 2010! 

I tend to let my thoughts wander aimlessly while pickin'.  Thinking how thankful I am for the opportunity to be out in the pea row, in the early hours of the day, listening to the birds sing, the bees buzz, and feel the dampness of the day burn off in the rising sun and the gentle breeze.  No matter the knats are biting or a I just saw a boat being trailered to the river!  Life is Good!  Have an awesome day and have some fun harvesting peas!

CHILLY HARVEST

Since Monday.

Despite the chill in the air this morning (51 degrees - my hands are still tingling) we had a bountiful few hours gathering for CSA shares.  Out the door just past sunup and we made it inbetween the moisture.  hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!  Five and a half inches of rain since last Wednesday.












Radishes, onions, and greens were lush and full.  Ooooo the onions smell soooo good when we gather.  In fact, when I'm done with this post I am going to make Theresa and I eggs with those good smelling onions.  Her reward for helping us gather this morning!!!













We have the tomato field about half way through the first trellis step, and as we worked yesterday we found a Black Krim with a little, teenie tomato!  Getting the tomatoes trellised and off the plastic and pruned will help deter any disease potential with all this moisture. 















We are off to make breakfast now and and enjoy those yummy onions coming your way.  Be thankful for the chill, be thankful for the moisture, be thankful and enjoy your day!!!

WHAT IS IT? THE SECOND IN A SERIES

They were likely originally cultivated in ancient Rome and as we know them today as early as the 13th century in Belgium.  French settles brought them to Louisiana in the 1800's.  They contain an anti cancer agent which protects against colon cancer and another naturally occurring substance that boosts DNA repair in cells.  They also contain vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid and other good essential nutrients.   The Netherlands produces 82,000 metric tons annually.

TO PARTICIPATE
1)  Well you have to go to SOL 'N TYNE BLOG. 
2)  In the comment section below this post you must leave your answer. You cannot leave an answer until after 12:00 pm on Friday, June 24.  You also cannot post an answer on facebook - you have to leave your answer in the comment section below this post on the blog and you cannot email me the answer!

THE WINNER GETS
Soooo...what do you get if you do all the above and your answer is the FIRST correct answer after 12:00 pm on Friday, June 24?

Well.....for the second ever SOL 'N TYNE WHAT IS IT? posts give aways - you will receive a fresh bouquet of flowers, already arranged, in your next CSA delivery or delivered to your door the week of June 26, 2011, if you live in Red Wing, Lake City, Zumbrota or  Rochester.  If you live far, far away - thanks for playing and we hope you enjoyed the challenge! 

There ya have the rules and regs for the SOL 'N TYNE WHAT IS IT? give away posts!  Have fun!!!

This is the second in a series of  WHAT IS IT? give away posts.  We will do these intermittently through November 1, 2011.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

Wisdom rolled up in a scroll.  This is what it said:

Interpretation:
This is a garden float.  It doesn't take a farm to make a garden or even a ditch of dirt you can take pots, pans and just a bag of soil. 

I think you should try to make your own garden.

I think everyone should have at least to have one plant.

Have a nice Garden.

See you.

Written by Bella (9) and Amaya (7) today while playing on the farm - wisdom at a young age.  There is hope.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

RAIN ANYONE?

No more complaints about the soil condition.  Too dry - zip the lips.  Too wet - be thankful and zip the lips.  Here's why:

Thursday morning after a 24 hour rainfall 1.5 inches and the tomatoes LOVED it.























Saturday afternoon after a one hour rainfall an additional 1.5 inches and the tomatoes tipped over.  Of course the 45 mph wind and pea, bean, and dime size hail didn't help. 























Lesson learned - be thankful for each day no matter what the world has to offer.