CSA WEEK 2

Eating  a seasonal harvest is what Community Supported Agriculture is all about. We work with the conditions of each season to grow what the climate allows. As you are aware this spring has been one of rain, rain, and more rain! The abundance of rain has delayed putting plants in the ground for most farmers in our area which means the harvesting times will be later. We will have to see how the continued rain may affect the crops, but for now the gardens are holding up!

 This week's bucket will bring you more greens! The spinach is still beautiful and we will bring it to you as long as we have it. Remember, it can be washed, roughly chopped, and frozen for fresh dips, soups, and stews. All varieties of Kale can also be frozen in the same way. Freezer bags work great. Just squeeze out as much air as you can before sealing. Double bagging will insure less chance of freezer burn. 

You will also receive a mix of salad lettuces, a bunch of radishes, spring onions, and a few spring garlics. The spring garlic is prized by chefs. It is actually the garlic before the cloves form. Use it like a spring onion in cooked dishes, or raw chopped and added to marinades or vinaigrettes. 

We also hope to have a few surprises in your bucket! Read on for some suggestions on preparations for your bucket this week.

One of my favorite ways to change up salad greens is to top them with a medley of roasted veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, onions, etc…Roasting veggies is as easy as cutting them into bite size pieces, and tossing in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, & any fresh or dried herbs you like. Pour the coated veggies onto a parchment lined (for easy clean-up) cookie sheet and roast at 400 degrees until veggies are just tender.  Toss the greens and veggies together with a vinaigrette made of extra virgin olive oil, a flavored vinegar such as fig balsamic, and salt & pepper. You can also add in a few fresh herbs like thyme or chives. Top the salad with goat cheese crumbles and serve with a crusty bread. This is great as a side dish, or add grilled chicken or salmon to make a meal.

Finally, here is a spinach and pasta recipe I've adapted from Giada Laurentis post on The Food Network. Make your own changes to suit your family's tastes!

Pasta with Spinach Sauce

4 servings

Ingredients

½  pound penne or fettucinne

1 garlic clove

2 ounces goat cheese

1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally.

Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.

Meanwhile, place the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl.

Drain the pasta, reserving ¼  cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach leaves in the bowl. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan over and serve.

Pasta with Spinach Sauce 

Chicken and Sundried Tomato Pizza

Appreciating the bounty of the land, the love of cooking, and the pleasure of sharing a meal with family and friends!

May you and your family have a healthy and happy week!

Karen & Steve Persinger

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Begins May 15th

Greetings CSA Members,

We are happy to announce May 15th as the beginning date for our CSA! It has been a difficult spring with lots of rain and cool temperatures, but thanks to perseverance - and a hoop house- we are ready to bring you the freshest, seasonal, harvest possible!

Your first bucket will include lots of greens! One of our favorite early spring veggies is spinach. You will receive a big bag of spinach. It will be enough to cook for 2 people, or served raw will make enough salad for a crowd. We anticipate having spinach in the bucket for a few weeks, so you will be able to try it several ways. Spinach will keep in the refrigerator for a week or more, and it also freezes very well. Just rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Chop the spinach and stuff in a plastic freezer bag. It is great to to toss in soups, or add some of the thawed chopped spinach to a store bought container of spinach dip to add fresh flavor.

We will also be harvesting 2 types of kale: Toscano (also called dinosaur or lacinato) and red Russian. Kale is packed with nutrients and is an excellent source for antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K. Both types of kale are great for sautéing in olive oil with onions as a side dish. If you make green smoothies, this is the veggie for you.  Kale chips  is also a delicious way to eat these greens. Below is my favorite recipe for kale chips, but there are lots on the internet, so explore and find your favorite!

You will also receive sorrel which is a tangy, lemony tasting green. You can add it to a tossed salad or seafood salad, or chop and use as an herb mixing it into tomato based soups and stews at the end of cooking time.

The bucket will round out with a mix of lettuces, a few carrots and spring onions, as well as a few herbs for seasoning!

We hope you will enjoy exploring and feasting on the flavors of the season!

KALE CHIPS

Ingredients:

·      1 large bunch of kale. (A large leaf such as Dinosaur or Red Russian works best)

·      salt

·      smoked paprika (or try adding your own favorite seasoning)

·      sesame or olive oil 

Directions:

·      Trim kale leaves from the ribs and cut into large pieces (they will shrink as they cook). Discard the ribs to the compost bucket.

·      Wash the leaves and spin dry in a salad spinner or blot dry with towels.

·      Taking half the leaves at a time toss them in a large bowl with 2 tsp oil and ½ tsp each of salt and paprika. Use your hands to toss the leaves until they are fairly evenly coated with the oil and seasonings.

·      Place the kale pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 250- degree oven for 20 minutes or until the leaves are completely dry to the touch. You can possibly put several baking sheets into the same oven to save time.  Once dry, remove the kale to a plate to cool before storing in an air- tight container.

Repeat steps with the remaining leaves.

Making your own kale chips is pretty time consuming, but it is a healthy, crunchy snack and SO much cheaper than what you will pay for store-bought.

Rising Fawn Gardens

www.risingfawngardens.com

From the beginning...

 In February, Steve began to cultivate the seeds for many of the plants to be grow in the garden.  Our basement was transformed into a nursery as tiny seeds were put into trays of rich soil. During the germinating and early growth, the trays started out on a heating pad with grow lights set on a timer. The baby plants were monitored everyday for water, and after several weeks, each little plant was transplanted from the tray into a 2 inch pot. Our basement has been filled with broccoli, cauliflower, zinnias, lavender, shasta daisies, celosia, calendula, peppers, celery, and of course tomatoes -4 varieties. After the initial   growing in the basement, there is a transition time to the cold frame. A cold frame is like a mini greenhouse!    Steve  built this lovely way station to  prepare the plants for their final growing spot in the ground. They adjust to the outdoor temperatures but remain protected from wind, cold, and heavy rain. Now that the air temperatures are warming and the chance of frost almost gone, these plants will soon be placed in the ground where they will take off!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Under the lights!

Lots of baby tomato plants!

Tomato plants in the next phase!

Getting a dose of sunshine in the cold frame

WInter at the Farm - 2013

The plans for a fruit orchard began mulling around in Steve’s head almost as soon as we bought the farm property in 2007. As he made his way through the multitude of necessary improvements on a new piece of property, the idea of an orchard stayed with him. So in 2011 after much planning and soil preparation, 28 apple trees were planted. Since then, 2 pears, 2 cherries, and 3 figs, have been added. Looking at the trees soon after we had planted them, they certainly looked small, but we trusted that with proper care and a little time, they would grow. As we compare our memory of them then to what has become of them now, we are amazed at the amount of growth that has taken place in two short years. Those slight trees that barely had leaves to speak of are now ready to be pruned for the first time.

Steve read a good bit about pruning, and he consulted with a friend in the landscaping business. He learned that there’s a pretty specific process involved when it comes to pruning, and it requires making some drastic cuts of some limbs. After gathering all the information that he could, Steve began the pruning process in our orchard. As he came to each tree, he would carefully study the tree, paying close attention to the angles of the limbs and the direction of their growth before he made each cut. The whole process required careful consideration, and when it was all said and done, he had pruned back all the limbs that needed to go.

This reminds me of when our boys were young, and we would go to see Harold, the barber. Nearly everyone who had walked the streets of downtown Chattanooga had either met or heard of Harold. I’m sure he must have been working on his 3rd generation of customers when our boys came along. To our sons’ delight, they would climb into the big chair and be lifted to see themselves in the huge wall mirror. Then they would take turns to get a “buzz cut” for the summer. As the hair fell to the floor and the bristly, blunt haircut emerged, so did a more interior change. The new cut seemed to give them a sense of freedom that manifested in smiles that were brighter and a bounce that was lighter. It was more than a shedding of hair; it was a sense of new things to come- summer camp and fishing and swimming in the lake. It’s as if they knew they were being pruned for a season of growing! Our sons are grown now, and their haircuts (or lack of haircuts!) are as different as they are. They are all strong young men who have made us proud each in his own way.

So, how does this remind me of pruning trees? Well, the way I see it, as beautiful as all those branches on the trees were, they were not ultimately serving the purpose of creating a strong tree for generations to come. Some parts just had to go in order to make way for stronger branches. While the pruned trees may look a bit stark on a winter day, we understand that the purpose is to create the strength within. We are imagining how beautiful the trees will look as they bud leaves and flowers this spring. It takes courage to prune and patience to grow an orchard. When we planted it, we knew it would be a lifetime venture, and that it would be full of faith and growth, just like raising our sons. The reward of growing an orchard is long-lived: with continued love and careful pruning, a healthy orchard can produce apples for 30-75 years (sometimes even longer)!  We hope to enjoy and share with you our first crop in 2014.

The orchard, like everything we choose to do at the farm, is with the intention to take care of the earth and to provide the healthiest food for our family and our customers. We choose to farm in a sustainable way so that the soil can continue to produce nutrient rich fruits, vegetables, grains, and gorgeous flowers.

In 2012, we started our first Community Supported Agriculture with 5 members. It was extremely rewarding to feed these 5 families and to hear the various exclaims over what they received in their bucket each week. One young couple shared their love of cooking together and awed us with their creativity in the kitchen. Another family loved sharing their goods with a neighbor. All appreciated eating the healthiest, seasonal food available!

We are happy to say, because we love growing food to share with our community, we are expanding our CSA to include 5 additional families. It may not seem like a lot, but like I said, we are in it for the joy of taking care of the land and serving a few families at a time. Besides, it is just the 2 of us and we want to continue to enjoy what we do!

We expect the 10 memberships to fill quickly, so if you think you are interested, please contact us at risingfawngardens@gmail.com or send us a facebook message, and we will send you an application. You can check out our website www.risingfawngardens.com, as well as previous blog entries below, for photos of CSA buckets and farm-life!

Here’s to another year of joy, work, and healthy eating!

Karen

A newly pruned apple tree on a winter day.

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.

       Ralph Waldo Emerson

What's Harvesting?

We now understand why farmers are always lamenting the weather! Last month's drought demanded a lot of irrigation, but Steve "weathered" through it lugging the huge hoses from one dry area to another.   The recent rains have been just what the gardens needed- a thorough soaking! So what have these much needed rainstorms nourished to ripeness? Tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes! The vines are overflowing with red and sungold cherry tomatoes great for snacking. 

The Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, and Martha Washington heirlooms are unique in color and full of flavor lending them beautifully to salads with basil, fresh mozzarella and a splash of red wine vinegar.

 The Celebrity and Big Beef are picture worthy, hefty, and just the right accompaniment to a sandwich or burger. 

Also just beginning to harvest is the edamame or soybeans. Edamame is a complete plant protein food. See this link for more info on this bean’s health benefits. Health Benefits

If you have not tried edamame before, then prepare yourself for a surprise. The easiest way to prepare the beans for snacking is simple. The beans are cooked in the pod in boiling water. You can salt the water if you like. Cook for about 10-15 minutes.  Drain water. Sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy by pressing the beans out of the pod and right into your mouth! See the link below for more recipes using edamame.

Recipes

So, we will keep praying for a regular rain shower to keep the gardens growing, and we hope you will continue to enjoy the summer harvest!

Happy Eating!

Here We Grow!

Back in early June, when we were still enjoying regular rain and cooler temperatures, Steve and I made the certain decision to start a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). We felt like the time was right. We had been receiving interest from people who knew about our gardening, and we felt like if we started with 5 members, we could supply them with weekly vegetables and learn the process without too much pressure. So began our 12- week session with 5 families willing to take a chance with us in the hopes they would receive a hearty portion of fresh, nutritious, seasonal vegetables each week.

 Last week was our first week.  We awoke early Monday morning in hopes of a few hours of work before the intense heat of the day set in.  The harvest was good, picking tomatoes, green beans, kale, squash, flowers, and herbs. Steve was digging potatoes when a snake caught his eye.  A timber rattler was making its way through the garden crossing from one green patch to another.  It is always a surprise to look up and see a snake, but when it is a deadly, poisonous one, surprise turns to action.  It was a big snake measuring over 4 feet and had 12 rattles.  Steve was able to kill the snake with the hoe. It was relatively docile and certainly had made its way to the garden in search of water or cooler temperatures.  Once we caught our breath and settled our beating hearts, we got back to work.  At the end of the day, we were able to deliver a full pail of veggies and flowers to our CSA members.

So summer is here in all its glory- heat, drought, bugs, and even snakes!

We realize each day we are in the gardens, there is more to learn about the earth and its unfolding nature. While we cannot predict or control the rain or the heat or even the arrival of bugs and snakes, we can choose to be a part of the rhythms of the land. In so doing, we gain wisdom and guidance in moving forward.

Our First CSA Pails!

From Pail to Plate!
Thanks to CSA member Leah Muelemans for sharing!

                 

Welcome Summertime!

Summer is officially here and the gardens are growing everyday! Truly, plants will grow significantly from one day to the next. Where there was a bloom, the next day will be the fruit! It is so cool to be a part of such a vibrant atmosphere. It just shows what a lot of TLC and a healthy dose of sunshine and rain will do!

The spinach, kale, and lettuces are about gone for the season. There are still some carrots, beets, onions, and garlic to harvest, but the primary crops over the next weeks will be green beans, tomatoes, potatoes, squashes, and sunflowers. There are still herbs and sometime in July, we hope for sweet corn.

We are starting our first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group and we are thrilled to be offering 5 memberships for this first season. The season will run for 12 weeks from July to mid-September. If you are interested, please let us know and we will send you more information. It is a great way to support us and you receive a bucket of fresh picked harvest every week. It is a sweet deal!