Transplant and transplant some more!

And it begins. It starts in February with thousands of tiny plants and all of our time consumed by cultivating and coddling teeny tiny seedings. Giving them the nutrition, sunlight, warmth, and water that they need to grow big and strong.

Once it warms enough to turn the soil outdoors we start the preparations for all the beds to be made. Once it is relatively warm enough some plants that are cold tolerant are able to go out. We use all drip irrigation on our farm, as it’s very sustainable for preserving water so the lines get laid out after the plants go in and they can get a nice drink to establish their roots into the Earth. Most of the crops will need hoops and row cover to keep them warmer than they would be if they were exposed to raw elements. In a few weeks, all the crops we grow will be safe to go out into the world to produce thousands of pounds of chemical free nutrient dense food!

We plan our plant sale for a time when it becomes safe to plant out all plants for the season so we hope you can join us! As a reminder, it is on May21 and May 22 from 8am to 4pm.

Many Blessings to you All,

Nicole

 

New Beginnings

Each year, in the spring, it feels like a new beginning. Not just for farmers, but for all life where the winters are cool. There is so much magic in the new beginning of each spring. It’s a chance to do things differently than the year before. And a chance to do things perfectly right (FAT CHANCE!).

I love this recent post on the Elephant Journal. The Super New Moon will be in Aries this month, which is pretty magical. There are some powerfully beautiful words in there:

“Together these planets will be handing us the key enabling us to finally leave our comfort zones. Sometimes the best thing we can do is close our eyes, hope for the best and jump.”

Every season it feels a bit like jumping off the edge of a cliff. Will the seeds germinate? Will the heaters break? What will the weather present us with? What major faux pas will happen? Will all of this years crew be healthy and happy? Will we fill our CSA? There are SO many what if’s. The truth is we are always moving forward and jumping off the edge of the cliff, knowing for certain that we are doing the best we can. We are doing something beautiful that we believe in with all of our hearts. When it comes down to the hard stuff we encounter, we navigate it and make the best out of each challenging situation.

We are so grateful to those of you who support our farm. You are making our dreams come true and allowing us to trust in our own magic each year. Happy Spring!

~Farmer Nicole

2016 PLANT SALE!!

 

Hi friends,

We hope you had a relaxing and peaceful winter. The 2016 farm season is well on its way and we have solidified the dates for our annual plant sale! Come and join us at the farm on Saturday May 21 and Sunday May 22 from 8am-4pm. There will be a huge variety of garden favorites!

• beefsteak tomatoes
• cherry tomatoes
• heirloom tomatoes
• sweet peppers
• hot peppers
• italian eggplant
• asian eggplant
• summer squash
• zucchini
• cucumbers
• herbs, herb, and more herbs!
• cut flowers and edible flowers to attract those beneficial insect colonies!
• lettuce
• kale
• collard greens
• swiss chard
• onions
• broccoli
• cabbage

Looking forward to seeing you all there:-) HAPPY SPRING!

 

July 15, 2015 ~ CSA Week 5

It’s July. The month of extreme exhaustion on every farm. Let’s just say this weeks post is short!!

Here are the goodies you can expect in this magical July share:

• head lettuce
• dandelion greens… delicious recipe here
• zucchini
• zephyr
• cucumbers
• tomatoes
• cippolini onions
• french breakfast radishes
• carrots
• green peppers
• eggplant
• kohl rabi
• cilantro
• fresh garlic

We are swimming in cucumbers! We urge you all to make some refrigerator pickles. They are so easy and delicious and don’t require canning… We will have bulk pickling cucumbers on the stand this week!

REFIRGERATOR PICKLES

Makes 2 quarts 

1 pound medium cucumbers
3 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon whole mustard seed
1 teaspoon fresh dill weed
1 whole dried bay leaf
⅔ cup organic light brown sugar
6½ tablespoons white distilled vinegar
6½ tablespoons white-wine vinegar
¾ cup water

1. Cut the cucumbers into spears or slices and place in a 2-quart container or jar with a lid. Add the garlic, peppercorns, mustard seed, dill weed, and bay leaf.

2. Stir together the brown sugar, vinegars, and water until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and shake the jar well to combine. Cover and chill. For fullest flavor, wait at least 24 hours before serving. These pickles will keep up to 3 months in the refrigerator.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015 ~ CSA week 4

Summer. It is definitely summer. And a summer’s sun is worth the having. I, Nicole, have personally been thoroughly enjoying this humid, sweaty summer weather. The plants seem to adore it as well. The farm is looking fantastic and just about to enter the peak of production. We have a delectable variety of veggies coming in and are so excited to share them with all of our shareholders this week! And of course with our market supporters this weekend. Here is this weeks CSA share:

• lettuce
• kohl rabi
• fennel
• tendersweet cabbage
• hakurei turnips
• zucchini
• summer squash
• carrots
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• kale
• scallions
• fresh garlic
• herbs, Italian basil

ROASTED SUMMER VEGETABLES

This weeks recipe is roasted summer vegetables. These can be eaten hot but is also delicious as a cold leftover on top of a salad for lunch the next day:)

*Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients:

peeled and cubed kohlrabi

shaved fennel

zucchini and/or summer squash

julienned carrots

2 cloves chopped fresh garlic

What to do:

Put all prepared vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Toss to coat the veggies and put them on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped basil when they are done.

Wishing you all a beautiful week filled with beautiful food,

Your farmers at Hunts Brook Farm

Wednesday, July 8, 2015 ~ CSA week 4

Summer. It is definitely summer. And a summer’s sun is worth the having. I, Nicole, have personally been thoroughly enjoying this humid, sweaty summer weather. The plants seem to adore it as well. The farm is looking fantastic and just about to enter the peak of production. We have a delectable variety of veggies coming in and are so excited to share them with all of our shareholders this week! And of course with our market supporters this weekend. Here is this weeks CSA share:

• lettuce
• kohl rabi
• fennel
• tendersweet cabbage
• hakurei turnips
• zucchini
• summer squash
• carrots
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• kale
• scallions
• fresh garlic
• herbs, Italian basil

ROASTED SUMMER VEGETABLES

This weeks recipe is roasted summer vegetables. These can be eaten hot but is also delicious as a cold leftover on top of a salad for lunch the next day:)

*Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients:

peeled and cubed kohlrabi

shaved fennel

zucchini and/or summer squash

julienned carrots

2 cloves chopped fresh garlic

What to do:

Put all prepared vegetables in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Toss to coat the veggies and put them on a cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped basil when they are done.

Wishing you all a beautiful week filled with beautiful food,

Your farmers at Hunts Brook Farm

Wednesday June 17, 2015

“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” 
― Laura Ingalls Wilder

Like the first beets of the season. Simple, sweet, tender, and earthy. It’s the simple things. And spring greens, lots of greens!

Here we are again at the start of the 2015 season. The CSA begins tomorrow! We hope you all have survived the winter and are excited for the new growing season ahead of us. We are very much looking forward to seeing all of your sweet faces and sharing the fruits of our labor with you in the upcoming weeks.

What to expect in your share this week:

• Tat Soi
• Bok Choi
• French Breakfast Radishes
• Curly Kale
• Spicy Salad Mix
• Head Lettuce
• Garlic Scapes
• Beets
• Hon Tsai Tai
• Oregano, see how to dry and store oregano here

 

We have lots of spring greens for you this week! We know this amount of greens can feel a little overwhelming for some. Here is a delicious recipe for “Simple Lemony Spring Greens” that is a lovely addition to most meals. 

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Your farmers at Hunts Brook Farm