From the Farmers….
With a frost warning for Tuesday night, we decided to pick all the rest of the peppers and tomatoes. It was a big pick and you are getting the results of it in your boxes this week. If you haven’t already, you might want to make up a batch of Tomato Sauce (see the recipe included). We didn’t get that freeze because the cloud cover kept us just above, but cold as it already is this evening, we are pretty sure this will be the big killing frost tonight.
On Sunday, our church had “Farm Day at Church” complete with a petting zoo of lambs, a goat, a chicken and three rabbits from NGDF. It was a bit crazy not only getting chores done, but loading up animals for church. But all went well – the animals were a hit – and another family brought apples from their orchard to press into fresh cider. It was a fun day. On Monday morning we took three pigs to the meat locker where they will be transformed into brats and Italian sausage.
We continue getting in all of the harvest. We finished harvesting the last of the red onions which will show up in your share next week and we will begin the marathon task of digging the last nine rows of Norland potatoes for your shares and our root cellar. Starting next week, we’ll begin unhooking the drip irrigation lines and rolling up the blue layflat hose, and then will begin the dirty task of pulling out the plastic much. I am always reminded of afterbirth when I see the piles of filmy, dirty, black plastic pile up at the end of the row. It is truly the end of the garden – when the mulch comes out and the tractor and disk roll in.
…. Until next week ….
With a frost warning for Tuesday night, we decided to pick all the rest of the peppers and tomatoes. It was a big pick and you are getting the results of it in your boxes this week. If you haven’t already, you might want to make up a batch of Tomato Sauce (see the recipe included). We didn’t get that freeze because the cloud cover kept us just above, but cold as it already is this evening, we are pretty sure this will be the big killing frost tonight.
On Sunday, our church had “Farm Day at Church” complete with a petting zoo of lambs, a goat, a chicken and three rabbits from NGDF. It was a bit crazy not only getting chores done, but loading up animals for church. But all went well – the animals were a hit – and another family brought apples from their orchard to press into fresh cider. It was a fun day. On Monday morning we took three pigs to the meat locker where they will be transformed into brats and Italian sausage.
We continue getting in all of the harvest. We finished harvesting the last of the red onions which will show up in your share next week and we will begin the marathon task of digging the last nine rows of Norland potatoes for your shares and our root cellar. Starting next week, we’ll begin unhooking the drip irrigation lines and rolling up the blue layflat hose, and then will begin the dirty task of pulling out the plastic much. I am always reminded of afterbirth when I see the piles of filmy, dirty, black plastic pile up at the end of the row. It is truly the end of the garden – when the mulch comes out and the tractor and disk roll in.
…. Until next week ….
"On The Road" at Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm
On Sunday, October 19th, KSTP will air the episode of On The Road (10:35PM) regarding CSAs. They spent a day with us here at Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm (a delivery day no less), during our mid summer season. They followed us through chores and harvest, box packing and even a delivery. Watch for it.
In your share this week:
In your share this week:
Potatoes – Norland red and Russet brown
Squash – Butternut (tan dog bone), Sweet Dumpling (green and tan striped small pumpkin shaped)
Onions – Walla Walla yellow, Superstar white, Burgermaster red
Peppers sweet – Carmen (2” x 6”) Jimmy Nardello (1”x5”), Islander (purple bell), Bianca (cream bell), Gourmet (orange bell), Snapper (green bell), Ace (red bell), Lipstick (2”x4” red or green), Apple (2”x3” red or green)
Peppers hot – Numex Joe Parker (2”x5” green), lemon drop(1/2” x 3”)yellow, Serrano del Sol (1/2” x3”green), Poblano (3”x4” or smaller very dark green)
Eggplant – Dancer, Galine, Orient Charm, Orient Express
Tomatoes – Paragon (large red), Polbig (large red), Pink Beauty (large pink), Moonglow (med orange), Taxi (med yellow), Green Zebra (green striped)
Radishes – Pink Beauty, Scarlet Globe
Basil – Ararat purple (if it doesn’t freeze)
Basic Quick-Cooked Tomato Sauce
5 pounds tomatoes peeled and chopped
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small to medium green pepper seeded and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves or 1 Tablespoon dried basil
1 ½ Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ Tablespoon red wine vinegar
Simmer gently for about an hour. Use immediately, can (waterbath for 15 minutes), freeze or refrigerate up to one week.
(If you want to make a hot sauce – just add hot peppers.)
The Bread Box
This week’s bread is a new creation of Robins that uses a hearty mix of ingredients from a 7-grain Mix and Polenta to Molasses and Arrowhead Alt Beer brewed right here at Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm. We shared a loaf soon after it came out of the oven and it had turned out so well that she actually wrote down the recipe!
Fall Harvest Festival
Thanks to those of you who emailed your RSVP. If you haven’t responded and would like to come, let us know asap as we are planning the food. The fest is Sunday, October 5th at 2:30 PM. Dress warm.
Squash – Butternut (tan dog bone), Sweet Dumpling (green and tan striped small pumpkin shaped)
Onions – Walla Walla yellow, Superstar white, Burgermaster red
Peppers sweet – Carmen (2” x 6”) Jimmy Nardello (1”x5”), Islander (purple bell), Bianca (cream bell), Gourmet (orange bell), Snapper (green bell), Ace (red bell), Lipstick (2”x4” red or green), Apple (2”x3” red or green)
Peppers hot – Numex Joe Parker (2”x5” green), lemon drop(1/2” x 3”)yellow, Serrano del Sol (1/2” x3”green), Poblano (3”x4” or smaller very dark green)
Eggplant – Dancer, Galine, Orient Charm, Orient Express
Tomatoes – Paragon (large red), Polbig (large red), Pink Beauty (large pink), Moonglow (med orange), Taxi (med yellow), Green Zebra (green striped)
Radishes – Pink Beauty, Scarlet Globe
Basil – Ararat purple (if it doesn’t freeze)
Basic Quick-Cooked Tomato Sauce
5 pounds tomatoes peeled and chopped
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 small to medium green pepper seeded and finely chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves or 1 Tablespoon dried basil
1 ½ Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or 2 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ Tablespoon red wine vinegar
Simmer gently for about an hour. Use immediately, can (waterbath for 15 minutes), freeze or refrigerate up to one week.
(If you want to make a hot sauce – just add hot peppers.)
The Bread Box
This week’s bread is a new creation of Robins that uses a hearty mix of ingredients from a 7-grain Mix and Polenta to Molasses and Arrowhead Alt Beer brewed right here at Nitty Gritty Dirt Farm. We shared a loaf soon after it came out of the oven and it had turned out so well that she actually wrote down the recipe!
Fall Harvest Festival
Thanks to those of you who emailed your RSVP. If you haven’t responded and would like to come, let us know asap as we are planning the food. The fest is Sunday, October 5th at 2:30 PM. Dress warm.
