What’s up on the farm?

A couple of weeks ago I stopped into an area antique store with my mom, looking for a Christmas gift. There, leaning against the fence was my “dream” tool, an Earthway high wheel cultivator with oak handles and three interchangeable implements! Not everyone’s dream, I know, but I had been wanting one for a couple of years and this was the first time I had seen one in person (not in a catalog.) Well, long story short, I went back and bought it later that week (and got a really good deal on it, too!) Then my hopes for a weather warm-up were answered this week. So I have been trying out my new tool in the new garlic bed. It’s such a satisfaction when a “dream tool” actually lives up to your hopes. I love this thing! I used it to plow three rows last week when the weather started to warm, in preparation for planting. Then today I went out and started sowing my eight pounds of garlic…well three rows wasn’t nearly enough, so I had to pull out my new toy (tool) again and plow another two rows. All in all I planted and mulched about 350’ of garlic (+/- 700 cloves) today. I’m sure glad to have that all done. Now if it will just grow next spring I will be really pleased and we will all be in garlic heaven!

With the gift-giving season just around the corner, I wanted to give you a couple of vegetable book suggestions that you might enjoy giving or receiving. I have and use all of these for recipe suggestions in the newsletters and for the farmers market. They are fabulous references for the veggie-lover on your list. They are all available on Amazon.com or other online booksellers.

Better Homes and Gardens Farmer’s Market Cookbook. Meredith Publishing. ISBN # 0-696-01985-X

Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables by John Peterson & Angelic Organics

ISBN # 1-4236-0014-2

From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce. Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition. ISBN #0-9721217-8-1

It’s hard to believe that after this week, we only have 2 deliveries left this season, its sure gone fast. I’ve been checking the root crops in the high tunnel weekly, and I can’t say they are beating any records for speed of growth. The carrots are doing a little better than the beets and I hope that we can have baby carrots next week. If I just can’t harvest enough carrots or beets before the season ends, I will schedule a special delivery for everyone sometime after the New Year so that you can get the root crops that we should have had by now. So one way or another, we’ll try and get them to you.

Best from the farm,

Jill & Sean

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Serve these for breakfast or as a side dish. Small, even tiny pancakes, topped with spicy pineapple salsa or something creative of your own choosing, make ideal hors d’oeuvres.

Makes about 20 3 ½” to 4” pancakes.

6 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and grated

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced or finely chopped

1 cup all purpose flour

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 tbs. olive oil

½ cup milk

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ cup vegetable oil

Combine sweet potatoes and onion in a large bowl. Add the flour, eggs and olive oil; mix well. Stir in milk, salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Drop pancake batter into the hot oil, then lightly press into pancake shape with a spatula. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes, then cook other side, Remove from pan and drain in paper towels. Serve immediately or keep them warm in the oven.

Recipe Source: Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables

Quiche with Leeks

Serves 6

4 large eggs

½ cup half-and-half

1 cup cream

½ lb Gruyere or Swiss cheese, grated

¼ tsp. salt

4 slices bacon, optional

¼ cup butter

2 large leeks, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

½ tsp. marjoram

1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell

Beat eggs with cream and half-and-half. Stir in cheese and salt, then set aside. If using bacon, fry until crisp, then crumble and set aside. Drain grease, then melt butter in the same skillet. Add leeks and sauté until golden brown. Remove from heat and add marjoram, parsley and bacon. Combine with egg mixture and pour into pastry shell. Bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Recipe Source: Mother Earth News. December/January 2007 Issue