Week 6 of 24

Fresh produce is starting to roll into the local farms around Westen NY and our CSA distributions at farmthisway are getting exciting.  

In my family, we plan most of our meals around the produce in the distribution for that week.  This past week we received Cucumbers, cabbage, and 2 more flats of strawberries, plus eggs.  

The strawberries have been made once again into jam, frozen for future use, sliced with sugar for shortcake and just eaten plain.  One of my favorite things to do with the strawberries in the freezer is to make smoothies.  We use these for breakfasts, lunches and snacks.  One of my favorites is the "Banana Split" smoothie.  Greek yogurt, frozen strawberries, banana, Ovaltine (or your favorite chocolate milk making powder/liquid), and milk.  Another frozen strawberry favorite is a simple strawberry milkshake.  Berries, ice cream or frozen yogurt, and milk in the blender is great for dessert. 

The cucumbers never usually make it to dinner, unless we slice one or two on our salad.  They are often just sliced and eaten either plain or with a little salt.  Sometimes if we have a lot of them, I like to make a cucumber salad, with sour cream/vinegar dressing and some sweet onion, or if we also have fresh tomatoes, we use the cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet onion and a little Italian style dressing.

A lot of people fear the cabbage.  My family was never really a big cabbage family until we started getting it from our CSA.  It was something I just never bought because I didn't have many standard recipes for.  We have grown to enjoy it though...and found many tasty ways to prepare it.  Whether a fresh cabbage slaw, or sauteed with onion and bacon, stuffed with ground beef and rice for cabbage rolls, or made into sauerkraut, there are way more uses for cabbage than I had ever imagined.  This week, I used some of mine to make an Asian style stir fry of cabbage, onion, and thin sliced beef, tossed in a little sesame oil mixed, and finished off with toasted sesame seeds, soba sauce and some fresh garlic chives chopped out of my herb garden that was part of an earlier distribution (and that I have miraculously managed to not kill!). 

Strawberry Fields...FOREVER

 

We are on Week 5 of our 24 week farmthisway CSA distribution already.   This week, besides the farm fresh brown eggs, we got a big box of broccoli and 2...yes 2 flats of strawberries!  What does one do with so many strawberries?  Well, for one thing, I immediately hulled, washed, patted dry and then flash froze some.  These come in very handy for smoothies and for recipes involving strawberries when we are way past fresh berry season.  The next thing my oldest daughter and I did, was find some new recipes to try.  

The first thing we came up with was Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet.  We made two batches...because we have a lot of berries... We only tasted a couple of testing bites as we put in in the ice cream machine, but we liked what we tasted!  

Next up was Strawberry Smoothie Ice Cream Pie .  It was a layer by layer in the freezer sort of thing.  A labor of love...but boy, am I having a hard time not going down there right now, releasing it from the prison of its springform pan, and eating half of it in one sitting.  Layers of strawberry, banana and blueberry (each layer mixed with vanilla ice cream) on top of a waffle cone crust.  YUM!  Dessert tomorrow cannot come soon enough!  

There was of course much jam making as well...some will be given away as end of year presents to teachers and bus drivers, but much will be ferreted away in the basement for a later date. And of course some to eat now as well!

And then we had to think about tonight...

So we decided to put the broccoli to good use with Broccoli Cheddar Soup.   I know, I know...you are probably thinking it is too hot for soup!  Well, I cranked the AC anyhow because we were cooking on the stove all day...so the soup tasted great!  I made a double batch, which is a good thing, because we only have a couple of bowls left after dinner!

And sticking with the soup theme...we opted for Strawberry Soup for dessert. (although I left off the olive oil, salt and pepper that this recipe calls for, and substituted white grape juice for the wine it called for).  Essentially, it was a bowl of smoothie, and we loved it. 

All in all it was a BUSY day.  We even took some time out from our crazy kitchen madness to ride out to farmthisway with a friend who wanted to buy a flat of strawberries as well, but wasn't sure how to get out there.  Now we have just about 1 1/2  quarts left in the fridge for just EATING.  

I hope your day was productive too!  I'm falling asleep at my keyboard, so it must be time to sign off and dream of strawberries...

Market Time!

 

Today was the first day of the 2014 Wednesday Farmer's Market in Blasdell.  It takes place in the Ilio DiPaolo's additional parking lot on South Park.  This year the market is PACKED with vendors, and opening day was a pretty good success I would say.  I was working my weekly shift at the farmthisway stand, and we were quite popular with the crowd.  Marty and Carolyn provided a huge array of flowers.  Annuals, planters in multiple sizes, hanging baskets, herb plants, patio tomatoes, lettuce bowls, strawberry plants and more!  It was a gorgeous sunny day!

Also, we had week three of our distribution.  As always, they always supply an amazing distribution for the farmthisway CSA members.  This week's distribution consisted of the dozen brown eggs (YUM!), a bundle of rhubarb, 2 citronella geraniums (they keep the bugs away!), a flat of mixed annuals, a flat of geraniums, and another lettuce bowl.  We have been using our lettuce bowls every single night to have a fresh salad with dinner.  Just clip off what we need, and it will grow back for us too!  

We are all anxious for the fruits and veggies to start making their way to market, but have to be patient as the rough Winter and crazy Spring proved to be difficult for some of the crops.  However, fresh produce should start making its debut within the next week or two, so keep your eye on the farmer's markets, and look for farmthisway!  

Back in the Swing of things

Yesterday was our second week of distribution with the 24 week farmthisway CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  This is our 3rd year with the program and we are NEVER disappointed.  Yesterday's lot included 2 gorgeous potted planters with varied plants in them, two patio tomato plants, a dozen farm fresh brown eggs,  rhubarb (and a tasty sounding recipe for an orange rhubarb breakfast bread), and a box of herb plants (with info on how to care for them and what they are good for!).  And I even ran into someone from high school, who I've kept in touch with on Facebook yesterday at the farm.  She and her family had done a different farm experience last year, but based on my posts of the goodies we've received, they are trying farmthisway this year, and two weeks in, really loving it already.


With June on the horizon, my family is looking forward to the Member Solstice Strawberry Social.  Marty and Carolyn Rosiek (And their son Eric who will be running the South Buffalo Market on Sundays this year), our farm family, are planning a fun evening for the members to gather, eat, enjoy music and a fire, and I even heard rumors of 200 Chinese lanterns that are to be released! 

I can't say enough how much our family loves being a part of this CSA.  Once you are a part of the CSA, you become part of a family of sorts.  For instance, the rhubarb and recipe actually came from another member who wanted to share with the "family".   It is so much more than just a farm share. It is a learning experience, with recipes and information on canning and freezing. It is a community builder, with members helping members, farmers helping members and members helping farmers. It is a family. 

You don't have to be a CSA Member to experience this however (although I recommend it!) Stop out at the farm in Brant, or one of the farmer's markets Hamburg on Saturdays, South Buffalo (Caz Park) on Sundays and Blasdell (Ilio DiPaolo's Lot) on Wednesdays, and check out all of the great ways that you can farmthisway. 

Time to think SPRING

Yeah, yeah...I know what Punxatawny Phil said about another 6 weeks of winter, but even so, now is a great time to think about Spring.  And think about where you will get your food this year.  For me, I know I am all set for another year of CSA Membership with farmthisway .  They have different programs to suit many different family sizes/needs. 

I am actually still eating canned and frozen items from my 2013 membership.  There is something very comforting about knowing where my family's food (or at least a good bit of it) comes from!  You can see what kinds of things we got over the past two years (the CSA is entering its 3rd year!)....FARMTHISWAY CSA BUSHELS 2012 & 2013

It is a great time of year to sign up, as I know we, like many others are just getting our tax returns and what a great way to spend some of that money, supporting local farmers and providing yourself and your family with wonderful farm fresh produce and MORE! 

Winding Down

Well, it always has to happen...the end of the farmthisway CSA season.  Almost...Week 23 arrived yesterday, with cold wind, and stinging rain (and some hail too) to remind us that winter is on the way.  For us 24 week members, that means just one more distribution.  It comes in the form of a wreath and a bushel of hard squash for the winter. 

This year, that last distribution will arrive on November 16th.  Marty and Carolyn, our beloved farmers, are hosting an end of the year gathering so that all of the members can get to know one another, and enjoy a meal together.  Everyone will bring a dish to pass, and there will even be live entertainment, in the form of a folk musician.  The Fall setting in the barn seems a perfect way to end the season. 

This week we had our decorations distribution, but that's not all.  Besides a hay bale, corn stalks, Indian corn, pumpkins, and another beautiful mum, we also got an 8 qt basket of tomatoes, some squash (acorn and butternut) cabbage, and our farm fresh eggs. 

I look forward to some Butternut Squash Soup but also would like to attempt to make some more Butternut Squash Ravioli.  The last time I made the ravioli, they came out OK, good even, but I know I can do better, particularly in my pasta quality. 

As for the cabbage, that is bound for sauerkraut to have with my New Year's pork dinner.  Something my family always has on New Year's day is pork and sauerkraut.  I am not sure why, but I usually stick to that menu.  I used  Alton Brown's Sauerkraut Recipe last year, and it worked great.  Very easy, not a lot of attention needed, and it was tasty. 

Well, I am signing off for the season..sort of.  I may pop up over the winter with some new squash recipes just for fun, or when I pull some canned or frozen veggies from my CSA distributions out to use.  Year 2 of our membership with farmthisway CSA has again been fantastic and we look forward to seeing Marty and Carolyn continue to grow the membership!  If you are looking for a way to get your veggies and more from people you know, go out and meet Marty and Carolyn at the farm.  It's a great program and we will be back again next year!

Fall Harvest = Good eating!

A fabulous week of beautiful Fall weather brought us another WONDERFUL farmthisway CSA distribution.   8 quarts of tomatoes, 2 quarts of baby heirlooms, 2 quarts of delicious concord grapes, 10 heads of broccoli, 4 heads of cauliflower, 16 apples (half Macintosh, half Cortland) 2 heads of green cabbage, 1 of purple cabbage, 6 mini acorn squash, 2 pie pumpkins, and farm fresh brown eggs.  Today I will be processing some of this for the winter, but we will also be eating some more of it fresh.  I had an heirloom tomato and cheddar sandwich this morning for breakfast, and my kids all took some fresh fruits and veggies in their lunches.  Dinner tonight will include this recipe I found for Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower to go with our roasted chicken and mashed potatoes.   There will be a salad as well, with baby heirlooms, and some baby cukes picked up at the farmthisway stand at the Farmer's Market as well.  For dessert, we are going to take a page from Rachel Ray's book and have Super Stuffed Baked Apples a la Mode.  Yum.

In the time between now and dinner however, I need to blanch some broccoli and cauliflower for freezing (always nice to have my freezer stocked for winter) and make a couple of quarts of  tomato sauce as well.  The acorn squash will hold up well until we've had time to make a couple of meals out of it, so no need to process that.  Maybe I will rake the leaves so the kids can jump in them after school as well. 

Then, onto pie pumpkins.  I promised my 13 year old that if she had all of her homework done early enough today, she could help me get the pie pumpkins ready to bake with.  I am thinking there will be enough for a few pies, some muffins and pumpkin raisin cookies (we still have 3 pie pumpkins from our previous distribution). 

OK, time to log off.  As I read this, it appears I have a LOT to do today!  Happy Fall!  Enjoy the tail end of growing season and the beautiful weather outdoors.  Autumn is my favorite season!