Chinese cabbage, radishes, "Bronco" Cabbage and cucumbers!
This is our last week at the firehouse then we will be moving to our outdoor location. We will not be at the market Derby weekend but will be there the second Saturday in May for our “GRAND OPENING“. Watch our post for specials that week!
Our greens are still looking wonderful, our Swiss chard is growing and we will have a small amount available on Saturday. Our kale and spinach are very nice right now as is our lettuce. Currently we have our mixed blends; Italian and French, as well as butter crunch head lettuce available. We will have radishes this weekend too.
Just a reminder that we have been selling out each week so come early or pre-order to make sure you get what you need. If you need produce and would like me to have ready, just e-mail me and let me know early in the day Friday. I will have your order ready when you arrive on Saturday morning.
Don’t forget to pick up your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market, our girls have been very productive lately.
Thanks for supporting us with your purchases at the market,
- Val & Kenny
Around the farm this week…
It really seem to early for these... "Nellie Mosier" clematis
New to us this year, a white clematis, planted last spring!
Cabbage, Butter Crunch Lettuce and Chinese Cabbage 4-4-12
It’s been another busy few weeks…Kenny keeps planting, transplanting, watering and weeding. He is working hard to get things ready for the grand opening of this year’s New Albany Farmer’s Market in May. It looks like we will have plenty of plants and herbs for sale as well as cabbage, spring onions, radishes, greens, lettuces and potentially some early tomatoes and cucumbers.
We still have two more weeks at the firehouse then we will be moving to our outdoor location. We will not be at the market Derby weekend but will be there the second Saturday in May for our “GRAND OPENING“. Watch our post for specials that week!
Our greens are still looking awesome, our Swiss chard is slow growing but we will have a small amount available. Our kale, spinach and collard greens are very nice right now as well as our lettuce. Currently we have our mixed blends, Italian and French, as well as butter crunch head lettuce available. Kenny tells me he will have radishes available this weekend too.
Just a reminder that we have been selling out each week so come early or pre-order to make sure you get what you need. If you need produce and would like me to have ready, just e-mail me and let me know early in the day Friday. I will have your order ready when you arrive on Saturday morning.
Don’t forget to pick up your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market, our girls have been very productive lately.
Thanks for supporting us with your purchases at the market,
Cabbage, Butter Crunch Lettuce and Chinese Cabbage 3-19-12
Val & Kenny
WATCH US GROW… these are photos of the same greenhouse, just weeks apart!
Cabbage, Butter Crunch Lettuce and Chinese Cabbage 2-19-12
Greenhouse Gone Wild ~ 3-19-2012
What weather we have had in the last ten days or so, everything has really taken off in the gardens. Kenny has been so busy seeding and planting that I have hardly seen him. It amazes me how he finds so much to keep him occupied thirteen hours a day.
I guess that’s why our greens are still looking awesome. Our Swiss chard is slow growing especially since Kenny transplanted it from the greenhouse to the field. We probably will not have any this week but should have it again in a couple of weeks. Our kale, spinach, mustard greens and collard greens are very nice right now as well as our lettuce. Currently we only have our mixed lettuce blend available, but we will have some of our butter crunch head lettuce ready in a couple of weeks. Kenny tells me we will have turnip greens available this weekend too.
This weekend we are having an “Eggtravaganza”, our chickens are loving this weather as much as we are and they have begun laying like crazy. We will be running a special on eggs, $2.00 a dozen, for all of you who pre-order before Friday afternoon. So don’t forget to e-mail and pick up your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market.
If anyone needs greens and would like me to have ready, just e-mail me and let me know early in the day Friday. I will have your order ready when you arrive on Saturday morning.
Thanks for supporting us with your purchases at the market,
Val & Kenny
A view from the farm on Monday…
"Little Guy" enjoying a fresh picked turnip!
Tonya's Spinach
This recipe is from one of our regular customers at the market. Tonya is from Europe and loves our salad greens and spinach, she sent this recipe to me this week when she placed her weekly greens order. She noted…” Feel free to adjust the recipe to more local taste; I know my taste is different from most of the people.”
This is such a simple and fast side dish that would accompany most any meal. I tried it out on Kenny using fresh mushrooms I picked up at the grocery this week and olive oil I had on hand. We enjoy a variety of different mushrooms so this was a pleasurable side for dinner. I will look for the macadamia oil next time I head to Louisville, I’m curious as to the flavor difference.
Sauté Shitaki mushrooms in your favorite oil (she uses macadamia oil) for a few minutes, salt to taste. Then add sesame seeds and fresh spinach, stir until wilted (about a minute or less). Crumble goat cheese on top once you have plated, she uses Capriole.
Kenny told me after trying this that he could make a meal of just this; I guess it could be a meal in itself, especially when you add the cheese for your protein.
Thanks again Tonya for the recipe, we really enjoyed.
Tags: goat cheese, sesame seeds, shitaki mushrooms, spinach
Good Luck Braves!
Thanks for another great day at the winter market on February 25th . We appreciate all of you that support us by coming to the market. We sold out of most everything again that day, but I did get to take home a few collard greens. I talked to some of you about making my “Rustic Cabbage Soup” with collards instead of cabbage; and since they are in season and cabbage is not, I tried it. Well, Kenny said he liked it better with the collards! So if any of you tried the cabbage soup you should try it with the collard greens.
Kenny will be handling the market this weekend alone because I am heading to Lagootee, Indiana to watch our Borden Braves in the Class A High School Basketball Regional’s. My nephew, Cody, is on the team and I always support the team so I’m off for another day of basketball mania! Be sure to pre-order this week so I can have your order ready for pick-up on Saturday. Just shoot me an e-mail early Friday morning and I will pack them early Saturday morning before I leave and Kenny will bring to the market for you.
Our greens are looking awesome, our Swiss chard is slow growing but we will have some available. Our kale, spinach and collard greens are very nice right now as well as our lettuce. The lettuce is actually loving these warm days and our European blend looks great! We have been cutting pretty hard the last several weeks but the new plantings are ready to begin cutting. Kenny tells me he will have mustard greens available this weekend too.
Don’t forget to pick up your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market. Just a reminder that we have been selling out early each week so come early or pre-order to make sure you get what you need.
Thanks for supporting us with your purchases at the market,
Val & Kenny
View from the farm Monday…
Have you ever tried mustard greens? Related to kale, cabbage, and collard greens, they are the peppery leafy greens of the mustard plant and are used frequently in Chinese, Japanese, and Indian cooking. I find them less bitter than kale or collard greens, and more peppery, like arugula. This is a quick, easy and delicious recipe I fixed for Kenny. He really enjoyed it even though he thought he was having his standard cooked to death greens. He was raised on the farm and greens were always cooked with onions and ham hocks for hours on the stove. This is diffidently not your mama’s greens, but good none the less. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
4 to 5 medium red potatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon bacon drippings, or use more butter
8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms (any kind will do)
salt and black pepper, to taste
dash red pepper, optional
4 cups (about 1 pound) shredded mustard greens
Boil potatoes until just tender; cool and slice. Melt butter with bacon drippings in a large heavy skillet over medium heat; add potatoes and mushrooms. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper, cook and stir until mushrooms are tender and potatoes are heated through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add greens and stir until wilted, about 1 minute.
Tags: mushrooms, mustard greens, red potatoes
Thanks for another great day at the winter market on the eleventh. We appreciate all of you that support us by coming to the market. We sold out of most everything again that day, we did however have kale left over thus the additional kale inspired soup I posted today.
Our greens are still looking awesome, our Swiss chard is slow growing but we will have a small amount available. Our kale, spinach and collard greens are very nice right now as well as our lettuce. Currently we only have our mixed blends available. We have been cutting pretty hard the last several weeks and the new plantings need more grow time. Kenny tells me he will have baby mustard greens available this weekend too.
Don’t forget to pick up your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market. Just a reminder that we have been selling out early each week so come early or pre-order to make sure you get what you need. If anyone needs produce and would like me to have ready, just e-mail me and let me know early in the day Friday. I will have your order ready when you arrive on Saturday morning.
Thanks for supporting us with your purchases at the market,
Val & Kenny
View from the farm last Monday…
- Out for a stroll !
A door in the souk of the Tunis Medina
Last month as you all know was the tragic sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship. My mom and I had the pleasure of experiencing that beautiful ship a few years ago while traveling in the Mediterranean. I hadn’t thought much about that trip for awhile, but as soon as I heard of the tragedy those memories started to return. Then is when I was first introduced to saffron and other spices not commonly used here in the states. We visited Tunisia and the souks of the Tunis Medina where we explored the local perfumeries and spice markets. I have lots of photographs of our trip but could only choose one, this was one of my favorites. That was an experience of a lifetime and a place I would love to explore again…maybe someday. I hope that you can see it one day, too.
This seasoning combination is of my own devising, but it conjures up images of Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt in my imagination. My son, Gary, is a lover of international cuisine so this spice inspired creation was with him in mind; little did I know that Kenny would appreciate this as well. If you can get saffron, please use it. It offers a unique flavor that there’s just no substitute for. This is truly a vegetarian soup, but chicken broth could be used and would only enhance the flavor.
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced or diced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8-1/4 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne
Kale and Chickpea Soup
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
generous pinch saffron, lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
3 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
8 cups vegetable broth (or water plus bouillon)
1 large bunch kale, thick center ribs removed and chopped (at least 8 cups)
2 cups water
salt to taste
In a large saucepan heat olive oil, add the onion and carrot and cook over medium-high heat until the onion begins to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Then add the spices, including bay leaves and cinnamon stick, and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat them with the spices. Pour in the 8 cups of vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the chopped kale and stir. If necessary add water to cover the kale and cook until it is tender, about 10-25 minutes, depending on how cooked you like your kale. Check frequently to see if it is becoming dry and add water as needed. Add salt to taste and serve.
Saffron Crocus
Notes:
The word saffron is derived from the Arabic word za’faran meaning yellow. Human cultivation and use of saffron spans more than 3,500 years and spans cultures, continents, and civilizations. Saffron, a spice derived from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), there are only 3 stigmas (referred to as saffron threads) per flower. Saffron is hand harvested so you can understand why it is so prized and so expensive. It takes about 13,125 threads to weigh one ounce. So through history it remained among the world’s most costly substances.
To read more about the history of saffron go to… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_saffron
Cooking with Saffron:
The most important rule is “don’t use too much”. A very little bit of saffron goes a long way and if overused becomes overpowering and leaves a “medicinal” flavor. When determining how much saffron to use in cooking, remember that the saffron flavor will be stronger the second day. In general, just use a pinch in soups and stews that serve 4 to 6 people.
A few additional hints…if your recipe includes liquid (water, broth, or wine), use a little of it and pour over the saffron. Turmeric may be substituted for the color properties, not the flavor.
Do not use wooden utensils when mixing saffron, wood utensils tend to absorb saffron easily, and since saffron is expensive, you don’t want to waste it…plus it “stains” your wood.
Tags: allspice, bay leaf, carrots, cayenne pepper, chickpeas, cinnamon, cumin, Garlic, ginger, kale, onions, paprika, Saffron, Vegetarian
Sausage and Kale Soup
This is Kenny’s newest absolute favorite soup, and I can have it on the table in 30 minutes. I should have double the recipe, as Kenny ate six bowls yesterday! The flavors blend and make the soup even better the next day (if someone doesn’t eat it all the first day). Hope you enjoy this as much as we do.
1 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices*
3 medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch kale, trimmed and torn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes,
1 can (15 ounces) Bush’s Mayoacoba or other white beans, rinsed and drained ***
1 carton (32 ounces) chicken broth
1 cup water (plus or minus for more broth)
fresh grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
In a Dutch oven over medium-low heat, cook the sausage, potatoes and onions in oil for 5 minutes or until sausage is heated through, stirring occasionally. Add kale; cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until kale is wilted. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 9-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Serve with a dusting of fresh Parmesan cheese and a slice of nice crusty bread.
Notes:
* I will only use ½ pound of sausage next time, it does bring a lot of flavor to the soup but a little too much for my preference. It would also be good without the sausage and replace the chicken broth with veggie broth for a great vegetarian soup.
** I used a quart of our home canned tomatoes and alimented the cup of water (the water is need to add a little more juiciness to the soup).
***I found these Mayocoba beans at the store a few months ago and fell in love with them. They have a great hearty taste and are much firmer than Great Northern beans, you could also use a white cannellini beans.
bowl of sausage and kale soup
Tags: bay leaf, Garlic, kale, Mayocoba beans, onions, Parmesan cheese, Potatoes, Tomatoes
Broccoli 1-24-2012
Good evening, I’m forgoing the recipes this week since I posted earlier in the week and sent out a special welcome to Ms Vicki tonight. I’ll try to keep this short…
Kenny put up another “high tunnel” today in hopes to get his broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Chinese cabbage in the ground within the next week or so. His plants are about twice the size of this photo and are ready to either be re-potted again or set out for the season. Weather permitting he will get them in the ground soon.
Our greens are still looking awesome, our Swiss chard is slow growing but we will have a small amount available. Our kale and spinach is very nice right now as well as our lettuces. A few different varieties will be available. Kenny will be cutting collard greens on Friday as well.
Don’t forget to pick up your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market. Just a reminder that we have been selling out early each week so come early or pre-order to make sure you get what you need.
If anyone needs produce and would like me to have ready, just e-mail me and let me know early in the day Friday. I will have your order ready when you arrive on Saturday morning.
Thanks for supporting us with your purchases at the market,
Val & Kenny
P.S. I think old man winter has returned… stay warm and we’ll see you at the “INDOOR” (warm) market Saturday!
