What's In the Basket

Winter

2008-11-27T01:29:00.000-08:00

The season is over for the year. However, some items may become available on a limited basis. Shareholders will be contacted if there is enough for harvest and distribution. Expect various lettuce mixes, greens and members of the cabbage family.

August 16, 2008

2008-08-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Peruvian Blue Potatoes - these are new potatoes or fingerlings - bake or boil them like new potatoes. There will be mor eof these in October.

Zucchini or Green winter squash - some more of that great squash taste either as zucchini or green winter squash. These little winter squashes don't have enough time to mature, so we pick and eat them now. Prepare just like yellow summer squash.

Red and Green Tomatoes - we are just getting started with the tomatoes here. The green ones should turn red by the end of the week.

Saturday August 9, 2008

2008-08-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

Squash - cut it up and steam it, or saute it in a little olive oil with the basil or eat it raw.

Squash Blossoms

Basil - fresh cut. Mix it with your salad or use it in Italian dishes.

Green Tomatoes - some of these are starting to turn red.

Saturday August 2, 2008

2008-08-02T03:51:00.000-07:00

Green Tomatoes: How to fry them is easy. Slice up the tomatoes. Soak them in a buttermilk, then shake them up in a bag filled with cornmeal, salt and pepper to taste. Drop them in hot oil. When the slices are golden brown on both side, lay them on paper towels for a minute or two. Then eat them while their hot.

Dill: Dill can be used to season many different things, like carrots, squash, peas, potatoes, eggs, fish. To keep it for the week, place the dill in a small cup filled with water and put it in the fridge. It will keep fresh for at least two weeks.

Squash Blossoms: Try these in some quesadillas. Saute diced onion, garlic and poblano or sweet peppers in olive oil until translucent. Add two squash blossoms and saute until wilted. Put about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on a tortilla, add the squash blossom mixture and top with the other tortilla. Place this on a heated griddle or no stick pan with a bit of oil or butter. (I use non-stick cooking spray). Cook about three minutes on a side.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

2008-07-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

Squash Blossoms - Large, yellow and oh so delicious.

Spring Peas - We water them every day and they produce some of the best edible raw peas in the pod you can imagine. Add them to your salad. Eat them as a snack. Whatever you like.

Dill - 'Tis the season. The dill is ready before the cucumbers for pickling, but we don't mind because it's so good in everything.

Blackberries - Wild blackberries are starting to ripen up and will be with us a couplde weeks. Enjoy them while you can. These grow wild here on the farm. All we do is make sure they have space and get pruned. Then the beautiful plants produce as many berries as they can.

Saturday - June 21, 2008

2008-06-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

Squash Blossoms - Slice 'em, dice 'em, stuff 'em, fry 'em & bake 'em. Squash blossoms are a natural part of the squash management process. These male blooms are pinched to prevent the plant from setting too much fruit. And we all win. Yummy.
Dill - Oh yes, fresh dill - nothing like it.
Sage (Salvia) - try it inside a chicken, on top of a chicken, in soup, stew, beans... I could go on forever. Dried sage does not even come close to the potency of this herb when it's fresh
Chives - They're back for a reprise performance. Try them with your squash blossoms, in salad and on eggs.
Eggs - (Full share holders only) From the chicken tractor and full of Omega-3 Fatty Acid, not tested of course, but fresh this week which is about 5 weeks fresher than the store. You know you're hooked.
Snow/Spring Peas - Eat them in the pod with your salad, stir fried, as a snack. My share never makes it anywhere near the house as it gets eaten straight off the vine. Delish!
Green Tomatoes - The famous Fried kind. Not fried in the basket of course. Soak them in buttermilk. Shake them up in bag of cornmeal with salt and pepper to taste. Drop them in your favorite hot oil and eat them when the batter has browned. OMG. Heaven in the South.

Saturday May 31, 2008

2008-06-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Not every basket had exactly the same thing this week. You may have one or more of these things listed below.

Mixed Lettuce - Buttercrunch, mustard, spinach, a little of this, a little of that. Add your favorite dressing and eat up!

Broccoli - Try this with your broccoli - heat your oven to 400 degrees and grease a baking sheet with a spray or light shortening. (I save butter wrappers for this sort of thing) Cut the broccoli up into bite size florets and lay them out on the baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt - real lightly. Put the broccoli in the oven for about 7 minutes. When the broccoli is bright green and the tips are just beginning to turn, it's ready. Enjoy!

Chives - Try chopping them and adding them to your eggs this week. If you don't eat eggs, you can also eat them in your salad. Or you can add a chef;s touch to broiled chicken by sprinkling them on top just before you serve it.

Onions - Red and white bunching onions - You know what to do with those, don't you? Use them in salads, burgers, roasts, etc.

Assorted Herbs - Sage, Basil, & Parsley

basil & sage

A Note on Brussel Sprouts. They are coming along nicely and will not be ready until late summer or early fall. The taste is best after the first light frost, but honestly I'll pick them when they are small which is in my opinion when they are the best tasting.

Spring Preview

2008-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Spring crops are starting to come in at the farm. Here is what you can reasonably expect to see through spring and summer.

Lettuce
Broccoli
Leeks
Brussels Sprouts
Collards
Onions
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Peas
Carrots
Potatoes
Radishes
Mustard

May 3, 2008 Basket

2008-05-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Chives - Bring on the potatoes! and the cream cheese. and the soup. and the salad. Read more.

Collards - This will be the last cutting of collards for awhile. Get recipes and read more.

Lettuce - Buttercrunch leaf lettuce has a smooth texture and mild buttery taste. Have some salad!

April 26, 2008 Basket

2008-04-26T09:41:00.000-07:00

Collards - this member of the cabbage family is a staple of many Southern meals and quite popular in Africa. Get recipes and read more.

Chives - Bring on the potatoes! and the cream cheese. and the soup. and the salad. Read more.

Lemon Balm - Use it in your tea, on fish and chicken. Read more.

Yarrow - This dyers favorite was also used to stop bleeding from wounds. It's included for its strong sweet aroma which makes an excellent room deodorizer. Read more.

January 2008 Basket

2008-01-08T06:27:00.000-08:00

Share Agreement - Click Here

Hardwood Mulch Excellent as a compost pile additive or used as a bedding cover, this mulch is aged 3 years from local wood chips made during the NES tree trimming project on River and Sam Creek Roads. It has not been treated and contains no additives. Color is a reddish brown to light brown with natural variation throughout. This mulch will not leach nitrogen from your soil the way the store-bought product will. Available at $5 per cubic foot. Volume discounts also available.

Firewood - Cut your Own. Nothing says winter coziness like a warm fire in the fireplace. Mule Shoe Farm has 40+ acres of forested slopes with plenty of seasoned deadfall. $30 per rick. Smaller quantities available.

In the Basket This Week

2007-12-10T14:55:00.000-08:00

Collards
Overseeded in the main field, these collards will be available during the winter with cuttings taken every two to three weeks. Available in $1 and $2 bags.

Mustard Greens
Southern Giant Curled Mustard available through mid-winter as part of greens mix in $1 and $2 bags.

Late Season Dill Pickles
Made from the last of the summer's organic cucumbers, this traditional pickle has all the classic dill taste you expect. Made with Melissa's Dill, garlic, white vinegar, and pickling salt. Canned in a hot water bath. $5 for a quart jar

Late Season Sweet Pickles
Featuring the last of the summer's organic cucumbers, these sweet pickles are made with organic Florida sugar and raw sugar from Hawaii. The recipe includes pickling spices, apple cider vinegar, and pickling salt. $3.50 per pint jar.

Hardwood Mulch
Excellent as a compost pile additive or used as a bedding cover, this mulch is aged 3 years from local wood chips made during the NES tree trimming project on River and Sam Creek Roads. It has not been treated and contains no additives. Color is a reddish brown to light brown with natural variation throughout. This mulch will not leach nitrogen from your soil the way the store-bought product will. Available at $5 per cubic foot. Volume discounts also available.

Firewood
Cut your Own. Nothing says winter coziness like a warm fire in the fireplace. Mule Shoe Farm has 40+ acres of forested slopes with plenty of seasoned deadfall. $30 per rick