Author Archives: Matt E.

Canning Class Tuesday August 15th

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Matt E.

Interested in learning more about canning and preserving your Tomatoes? Register for a canning class this Tuesday hosted by our gracious shareholder Terry Greenstein. Terry will lead participants in harvesting various ingredients including tomatoes in our fields, followed by a canning demonstration in making a spicy salsa at the Moose Hill Nature Center.

The class this Tuesday the 15th will run from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. See link below to register…Hope to see you there!

http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#results:sanctuary=10:keywords=canning

The Beginning Of “Extras”

Posted on August 5, 2017 by Matt E.

This Monday we will begin giving out extras after distribution. Because of other commitments on Saturday, we will be giving out extras only on Monday and Wednesday. What are “Extras”?

This is an opportunity for shareholders to return on Monday or Wednesday at 7pm and pick-up unclaimed harvested vegetables. Why do we have this opportunity? There are several reasons:

When we harvest, we intentionally harvest just a little more than we need for distribution on that day. This helps ensure that shareholders will have a choice as they select each item all the way through to the end of the evening.
There are times when shareholders do not take everything that is offered at distribution – perhaps it is a vegetable that they do not like or they just cannot handle this vegetable one more time (radishes are often the classic scenarios here). Although we encourage shareholders to move items to the share bin so that throughout the distribution, unclaimed vegetables can find a home with another shareholder, it doesn’t always happen and we arrive at the end of the evening with some excess – unclaimed harvested vegetables.
Sometimes a shareholder unexpectedly misses their pick-up and we have already harvested their share for the day.

It is important to note that we do not harvest vegetables with the intent of having “extras” – they really are a product of the above reasons.

What does this mean?

We prefer all vegetables that we harvest for our shareholders to go to our shareholders, and if there are items that are not being taken, then this is a great way to get it back out there.

How does it work?

If you decide to return on Monday or Wednesday at 7 pm, you will form a line and be told how much of each item you may take. Take those items that interest you and skip those that do not. Once you have gone through the line, if you would like additional vegetables, then you return to the end of the line and you have a new chance to receive more vegetables. This continues until the vegetables are gone.

Some things to note about how this works:

This can be very hectic so PATIENCE and GOOD HUMOR should always be top of the list.
There are some vegetables that will be more popular than others so please follow the rules.

CSA Pickup: Week 10

Posted on July 31, 2017 by Matt E.

A bountiful array of food awaits for this week’s distribution, yet due to the irregular weather patterns as of late, the tomatoes are sadly not quite ready. Carrots, cucumbers, and squash will be given out today (Monday), yet they may be rather slim later this week. Here is what to expect at pickup this week:

Green Beans
Onions
Carrots
Garlic
Squash
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Hot and Bell Peppers
Corn
Tatsoi
Arugula
Mizuna
Sunflowers
Pick your own cherry tomatoes

Monday is fish pickup for those of you with fish.

As always, we are selling pasture raised beef from the Trustees, spices from Organic Green Kitchen, Moose Hill Community Farm cookbooks, and our delicious honey!

How To Use Mizuna

Posted on July 28, 2017 by Matt E.

Several of you have been asking how to use this uncommon green that we have been giving out at distribution. After doing a bit of research I found a variety of methods, and I included a link to a recipe of Mizuna Quinoa Salad. Enjoy!

Using Mizuna

Mizuna is an Asian green that is commonly found in baby lettuce mixes. It’s a mild tasting green that can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Here are a few easy ways of how to use it.

Salad. Wash and chop the salad into bite size pieces. Mix with lettuce or any greens for salad. Try spinach and arugula, or even by itself.

Pasta. Even Asian greens can be tossed with pasta and fresh parmesan. One option is to use Mizuna with bok choy, penne, and parmesan. Boil noodles of your choice al dente. While the noodles are cooking sauté chopped mizuna in olive oil with garlic. When the noodles are ready, drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Toss the noodles, parm, and a bit of the pasta water together in a skillet over low heat. Add more pasta water if the mixture looks dry. Can be served with crushed red pepper and more cheese.

Risotto. Another Italian-inspired use for mizuna! Stir chopped and cleaned mizuna into a batch of risotto at the end of cooking, and pair with mushrooms for an earthy dish.

Stir-fry. Asian greens are of course perfect for stir-fry! Pair with any vegetables in your share, lots of garlic, ginger, and tofu if you prefer.

Soup. Goes well with miso soup, and can be tossed into any vegetable soup at the end of cooking. Mizuna would also pair well with chicken noodle or light creamy soups.

Grain Salads. Here is a link for Mizuna Quinoa Salad with Lemon Scallion Vinaigrette. Toss raw mizuna with farro, quinoa, rice, barley, or any grain for fresh salad.

Sauté. The simplest of all…Wash mizuna and then toss in a pan with garlic and olive oil.

Reference:

7 Ways to Use Mizuna, https://www.earlymorningfarm.com/7-ways-to-use-mizuna/

CSA Pickup: Week 9

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Matt E.

Halfway through the season already! Tomatoes are approaching but are still not quite ready this week. Corn is also on the horizon, but was not quite ready to be harvested this morning. Here is what to expect at distribution this week…

Green Beans
Carrots
Bulb Onions
Garlic
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Squash and Zucchini
Bell Peppers
Hot Peppers
Eggplant
Arugula
Mustard Greens
Mizuna
Brocoli
Pick your own Sunflowers

Monday is fish pickup for those of you with fish.

As always, we are selling pasture raised beef from the Trustees, spices from Organic Green Kitchen, Moose Hill Community Farm cookbooks, and we just received a new batch of honey!

Storing Our New Veggies

Posted on July 21, 2017 by Matt E.

Here are some quick tips about storing some of our new additions of garlic, eggplant, onions, peppers, and beans. Gotta keep those veggies for as long as possible!

Eggplant

Refrigerate?: No

At Freshest: 1 week

Optimal Storage: Store loose or in a breathable bag in a cool place. Refrigeration can lead to browning and off-flavors.

Freezing: Wash, peel, slice about ⅓-in/8-mm thick, blanch with ½ cup/120 ml lemon juice per 1 gl/3.8 L water, immerse in ice water, drain, then freeze in airtight container, leaving ½-in/12-mm of headspace.

Usage: Salt the flesh of older eggplant to remove bitterness.

Garlic and Shallots

Refrigerate?: Unpeeled, no; peeled, yes

At Freshest: Unpeeled, a few weeks to several months (garlic will last a bit longer); peeled, up to several weeks

Optimal Storage: Store unpeeled garlic and shallots in a cool, dark, and dry place in a well-ventilated container such as a basket or mesh bag. Do not store in plastic. To help prevent the heads from drying out, leave the papery skin on and break off cloves as needed. If peeled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freezing: Peel garlic or chop shallots and store in an airtight container. Both will lose crispness when thawed but will retain most of their flavor.

Usage: In gardens, green garlic leaves can be used just like green onions. Similarly, if garlic grows a shoot while in storage, that can be eaten as well. Even garlic flowers are edible and have a mild flavor. Garlic scapes can also grow small shoots of garlic after being stored for several weeks.

Blend garlic with basil or blanched kale stems and other ingredients to make a pesto, which can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Green Beans

Refrigerate?: Yes

At Freshest: 3 to 5 days

Optimal Storage: Green beans and peas are fragile vegetables; they quickly degrade in quality, even at cold temperatures. Store unwashed peas and beans in the refrigerator in a breathable bag in the high-humidity drawer, but try to eat them as quickly as possible.

Freezing: Blanch, immerse in ice water, drain until dry, and then place in an airtight container.

Usage: If the pods are too tough to eat (this can happen when beans are over mature and bulging from the pods), they can still be shelled and eaten or refrigerated in an airtight container and used within 2 days.

Although often the ends of the beans are cut off before cooking, they need not be—remove only the stem end and enjoy the rest of the bean.

Salvage less-than-ideal green beans by removing any that are soft to the touch or slimy. Wash the remainder in cold water.

Briefly cooking older green beans can enhance their flavor.

Onions

Refrigerate?: No

At Freshest: Whole, several months; cut, 7 days

Optimal Storage: Store whole onions in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated place. Do not store in plastic. Remove onions with mold or other signs of dampness immediately so others aren’t affected. Storing in hanging sacks is a great idea, as it encourages ventilation. Do not store near potatoes; onions will cause the potatoes to sprout. Partially used onions should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, with the peel left on if possible.

Freezing: Remove the skins and root. Chop and freeze raw. Don’t blanch. Plan to use in cooked dishes when thawed.

Peppers

Refrigerate? Yes

At Freshest: Whole, 5 to 7 days; cut, 3 days

Optimal Storage: Do not wash until ready to use. Store in a breathable bag in the low-humidity drawer of the refrigerator. Store cut peppers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freezing: Wash and core peppers, chop and lay out on a baking sheet to freeze, then transfer to an airtight container. Can also be blanched. Or roast peppers and then flatten them and pack into zip-top freezer bags. Best used for cooked dishes, as crispness can be lost when thawed.

Usage: Drying (hot peppers)—If you have a lot, string them up together and hang in a well-ventilated place in the sun as long as the evenings don’t get cool enough to cause dew. Alternatively, use a dehydrator or place in the oven at 120ºF/50ºC for several hours until fully dry.

Green peppers last a lot longer than red peppers, which are fully ripe when picked. All peppers start out green on the plant, then change to red or yellow, purple, etc.

Reference:

savethefood.com, I want to store vegetables

CSA Pickup: Week 8

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Matt E.

Quite a bountiful harvest ready for this week folks! We have several new additions, and while tomatoes are still not quite ready, they may be ripe enough within the next couple weeks. Here is this week’s pickup list:

Lettuce
Kale
Squash/Zucchini
Eggplant
Green and Yellow Beans
Cucumbers
Carrots
Garlic
Bulb Onions
Peppers
And of course…Radish

Monday is fish pickup for those of you with fish.

As always, we are selling pasture raised beef from the Trustees, honey from our farm hives, spices from Organic Green Kitchen, Moose Hill Community Farm cookbooks, and sadly our Moose Hill maple syrup has sold out.

Homemade Fire Cider Recipe – Medicinal Tonic

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Matt E.

Last year, I decided to go to Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota to be apart of the historical events that were taking place there. I went during thanksgiving weekend, at which point there were over 10,000 people camping out!

I got the chance to cook with a few Native Americans at one of the camp sites, and one interesting creation which really stood out to me was this medicinal tonic. It is made using a wide variety of herbs and spices. I have read articles referring to this drink as some sort of witch’s concoction, coming straight out of a Grimm’s fairy tale. The remedial effects of fire cider seem to be undeniable however, which is why I wanted to share it. The cider contains powerful immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory remedies that can help with our immune system, stimulate digestion, and warm us up on cold days.

The standard base ingredients are apple cider vinegar, garlic, onion, ginger, horseradish, and hot peppers, but there are plenty of other herbs I have included below that can be thrown in for an added kick. Fire Cider can be taken straight by the spoonful, and because it has a very pungent and “firey” taste (It’s called fire cider for a reason!), I was advised to take only 1 tbsp in the morning to warm up while it was frigid, or up to 3 tbsp if I felt a cold coming.

How To Use Fire Cider:

Fire cider can be added to organic veggie juice (throw in some olives and pickles — a non-alcoholic, health-boosting bloody mary!), splashed in fried rice, or drizzled on a salad with olive oil. You can also save the strained pulp and mix it with shredded veggies like carrots, cabbage, broccoli, and fresh herbs to make delicious and aromatic stir-fries and spring rolls. There is a wide-range of ingredients you can add depending on what type of flavor you’re looking for, so feel free to experiment by using any particular spice, juice, or chopped veggie you think is appropriate.

Here is a batch of fire cider I made this past weekend…Due to its pungency it is preferable to drink in small portions, i.e 2 -3 tbsp

Homemade fire cider recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh grated organic ginger root
1/2 cup fresh grated organic horseradish root
1 medium organic onion, chopped
10 cloves of organic garlic, crushed or chopped
2 organic jalapeno peppers, chopped
Zest and juice from 1 organic lemon
Several sprigs of fresh organic rosemary or 2 tbsp of rosemary leaves
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
organic apple cider vinegar
raw local honey to taste

Directions

1. Prepare all of your roots, fruits, and herbs and place them in a quart-sized jar. If you’ve never grated fresh horseradish, be prepared for a powerful sinus opening experience!

2. Pour in apple cider vinegar until all ingredients are submerged. Use a piece of natural parchment paper under the lid to keep the vinegar from touching the metal, or a plastic lid if you have one. Shake well.

3. Store in a dark, cool place for a month and remember to shake daily.

4. After one month, use cheesecloth to strain out the pulp, pouring the vinegar into a clean jar. Be sure to squeeze as much of the liquidy goodness as you can from the pulp while straining.

5. Next comes the honey. Add 1/4 cup of honey and stir until incorporated.

6. Taste your cider and add another 1/4 cup until you reach the desired sweetness.

Herbal Ingredient Variations

These organic herbs and spices would make a great addition to Fire Cider creations.

Thyme, Horseradish root Powder, Rosehips, Sar Anise, Schisandra Berries, Astragalus, Parsley, Burdock, Oregano, Peppercorns, Beet Root Powder, Habanero Powder, Bird’s Eye Chili Powder, Whole Chili Peppers, Orange, Grapefruit, Lime peels/or juice.

References

https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/fire-cider

mommypotamus.com/fire-cider-recipe/

Soon-to-be Favorites

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Matt E.

Several of our markee crops have grown significantly within the past week due to the ideal combination of sunshine and rain. It won’t be long before you are freezing your tomatoes and enjoying some eggplant parm! Here are a few glimpses into some of our soon-to-be favorite crops.