Maysie's FarmMaysie's Farm Newsletter: Fresh from the Fields
August 2008

August 26, 2008
Greetings!

HOLIDAY ALERT: Because of Labor Day next week, Monday pick up will be on TUESDAY, September 2 from 1-7pm.

You don't want to miss these upcoming farm events! There will be another cooking class on Saturday, September 6 from 11am-1pm featuring Middle Eastern and African cuisine. The menu includes fish filet with charmoula, quinoa couscous with preserved lemons, Moroccan carrot salad, Ethiopian collard greens, and almond biscuits. Cost is $20 for CSA members. Contact Annmarie at ambutera@verizon.net to register.

Then on Saturday, September 13 beginning at 5pm, please plan on attending our Annual CSA Potluck Dinner. Families and friends are invited too! Just bring a potluck dish to share. There will be a sign up sheet in the barn so we can get an idea of how many people are attending.

And don't forget about the Field To Fork Dinner at the farm on Sunday, September 14 at 4pm. Chef Nick Milak will turn out spectacular dishes using local ingredients. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at www.fieldtoforkcatering.com.

In other exciting news, the salmon will be here beginning next Friday, September 5! Pennsylvanians Steve and Jen Kurian spent six weeks this summer fishing 125,000 pounds (!) of wild Alaskan sockeye salmon, which was flash-frozen and shipped here to be sold at PA markets. The taste is amazing, and will spoil you from eating any other salmon! It will be available in our store in two different package sizes: $12.50/lb for the larger filet portions, and $13.00/lb for the smaller portion sizes. The prices are marked on the packages, and you can pay by cash or check made out to Maysie's Farm. The salmon should be available every week through at least the rest of the CSA season, and we'll also be offering their smoked salmon later in September.

And it's time to start thinking about turkeys! Once again, Ben Stoltzfus is raising organic, pasture-fed turkeys for Thanksgiving, and you can order one now. He will deliver turkeys FRESH to the farm on November 19 and November 26 (Thanksgiving is on November 27) and he will also be offering them FROZEN in mid-December. The cost is $3.75/lb. TO RESERVE YOUR TURKEY you need to leave a $15 deposit in Ben's folder in the store with your name, telephone number, and the date you want the turkey.

We said good-bye to our three interns this week — Nicholas went back to France, Emily went into the Peace Corps, and Matt went back to school. So if you have some time to spare, we could really use your help in the garden. Contact Mishra at mishra@nutrisults.com.

Did you get any of the short, stubby Alibi cucumbers? They are great pickling cucumbers. This recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine:

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES (16 servings)

5 1/2 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
1 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/8 teaspoon turmeric

Combine cucumbers and salt in a large bowl; cover and chill 1 1/2 hours. Drain; rinse cucumbers under cold water. Drain; return cucumbers to bowl and add onion. Combine sugar and remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirrring until sugar dissolves. Pour hot vinegar mixture over cucumber mixture; let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Store in an air-tight container in a refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

And because you can never have enough recipes for kale, this one comes from "The Veg-Feasting Cookbook."

MARINATED KALE

1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced
5 cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
Dressing:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons flaxseed oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)

Whisk together the dressing ingredients, add the vegetables, and toss to coat.

See you at the farm!

~ Colleen

August 14, 2008
Greetings!

This is your last chance to get in on the cooking class featuring Mediterranean food being held at the farm this Saturday, August 16, from 11am-1pm. They will make home made ricotta cheese and stuff fresh tomatoes with it; use the bountiful basil on the farm to dress a pasta dish; enjoy a salad with some wild greens; and make a fruit dessert using the blackberries, peaches and Ben's cream. Contact Annmarie at ambutera@verizon.net to reserve a spot.

Many of you expressed interest in the Farm Dinner with Nick Milak. Here are the details:

Come join us for dinner at MaysieÕs Farm on Sunday, September 14th! The evening will commence at 4pm where you will be greeted with a glass of local sparkling wine. Upon arrival, you will have the opportunity to meet local producers from our area, and later have the chance to taste their food through a relaxing 4 course family-style meal provided by Field to Fork Catering. Local wines will also be paired with each course.

Tickets for this event can be purchased online for $75 starting Monday, August 18th by visiting www.fieldtoforkcatering.com. Prior to the event we will send an email update with our menu and a list of featured producers. We look forward to meeting you for dinner!

Member Amy Guskin sent along the following link to a short clip about a new film called "Good Food." It was filmed in the Pacific Northwest, but the message is relevant anywhere! If you have 5 minutes to spare, take a look: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_13984.cfm

I hope you're going out to Field 2 to pick some of those great green beans! Remember to gently lift up the leaves to find the beans (the purple beans are easier to spot!) and harvest with two hands to prevent damaging the plant. The cherry tomatoes are coming in too (finally!), and if you've never tasted a SunGold tomato, you're in for a treat! These tomatoes are ripe when they're bright orange — don't wait for them to turn red (they won't!). They are the sweetest tomato I've ever tasted.

The following recipe is from an old Parade magazine (I think):

FARMSTAND GAZPACHO (serves 8)

2 cups peeled and diced cucumber
2 cups diced bell pepper
2 cups diced ripe tomato
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 dashes Tabasco sauce

Place all of the diced vegetables in a large bowl. Add the tomato juice, vinegar, oil, and Tabasco. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Transfer half of the mixture to a blender or food processor and pulse the machine on and off to coarsely puree the contents. Return the pureed mixture to the bowl and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours before serving.

I'm away on one last little vacation next week, so you'll hear from me again the week after.

See you at the farm!

~ Colleen

August 12, 2008
Here is more information regarding the Field to Fork Dinner scheduled for September 14 at Maysie's Farm:

Field to Fork Catering is working to bring the farmers, fisherman, ranchers, artisans, and chefs together with the general public to enjoy the harvest of The Greater Philadelphia Area.

Our dinners will be held on local farms, vineyards, big backyards, or fields of any kind. Each event is designed to bridge the gap between producer & consumer and support those who spend countless amounts of time, contributing their part in the lifecycle of food.

Our first outdoor event, to be held at Maysie's Farm in Glenmoore, will feature a one-hour meet & greet cocktail reception followed by a three-course family style dinner with wine pairings (we might even sneak in a beer or two!).

The menu will be designed according to the availability of peak harvest. Several items will be served during each course, allowing you to pick and chose from the offerings. Vegetarian and vegan-friendly options will also be available upon prior request (please state your needs when making a reservation).

Our events are designed to be a one-table social gathering, not a typical restaurant setting where patrons are separated by several different tables. No assigned seating will be issued and we encourage you to mingle with others. Who knows you might land a spot next to the individual who raised the chicken, grew the tomatoes, or caught the fish on your plate!

Please contact us at www.fieldtoforkcatering to show your support or make an inquiry. With enough interest from those like you we'll announce our first date for the summer '08.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Nick Milak Chef / Owner

Field to Fork Catering — Sample Farm Dinner Menu
Handmade Raw Milk Mozzarella, Arugula, & Heirloom Tomatoes
Watermelon & Aged Balsamic
Pierre Sparr, 2005, Riesling, Alsace, France

Radishes & Sweet Onion-Anchovy Butter
Roasted Beets & Tangy Sheep's Milk Cheese
Tenuta Roveglia, 2004, Lugana, Italy

Crispy Amish Chicken Ballotine, Creamy Napa Cabbage, Roasted Hedgehog Mushrooms
Black Bass, Braised Collard Greens, Port Wine Jus
Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse

Plum Clafouti
Custard Filled Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce
Aventinus Weizenbock

"Think Globally, Eat Locally"
Maysie's Farm Conservation Center
610-458-8129
Sam@maysiesfarm.org
www.maysiesfarm.org

 
August 7, 2008
Greetings!

We apologize for the recent confusion surrounding products ordered from Ben at Pleasant Pastures. Because he receives few orders for Maysie's Farm, he has decided he can only deliver to us on Fridays. Monday people can still order and pick up products from him on Mondays (they'll be three days old) or make a special trip out to the farm on Fridays if you prefer. THE DEADLINE FOR ORDERING IS WEDNESDAY AT 7PM, and the online system should be working fine as of next week. We hope you take advantage of the convenience of this raw milk and organic meat vendor — there is no other good substitute for the full line of his products in this area — and we are in danger of losing him as a vendor if he continues to experience a low volume of sales to our members.

To try to accommodate people's busy summer schedules, we are moving Annmarie's Mediterranean cooking class to Saturday, August 16 from 11am-1pm at the farm. The menu includes Ricotta Stuffed Tomatoes, Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette and Shaved Parmesan, Pasta with Goat Cheese and Basil Pesto, and Wine-Soaked Peaches with Fresh Cream. (Now I'm hungry!) The price is $20 for Maysie's Farm members. Contact Annmarie at ambutera@verizon.net to register.

In other exciting news, former member and chef Nick Milak has launched a business called Field to Fork Catering, where he hosts events that connect consumers to the people who produce their food. He's planning a dinner at Maysie's Farm on Sunday, September 14 (the day after our Annual CSA Picnic). Details will follow, but mark your calendars for this unique experience!

The next Saturday Volunteer Day with the Wellsprings Congregation is August 23 from 10-12. Anyone is welcome to join in! Also, if you can help us in the garden for a few hours (or more) each month, please contact Mishra at mishra@nutrisults.com.

This week's recipe comes from my sister with rave reviews.

ZUCCHINI CAVIAR SALSA

2 medium zucchini, chopped finely
1 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 cup finely chopped tomato
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 Tablespoon parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic

Combine ingredients. Cover and refrigerate up to 5 days. Serve with crackers or small breads. Makes 4 cups.

~ Colleen

 
August 3, 2008
Greetings!

A word of warning: the unpaved part of St. Andrew's Road was oiled on Friday. It's a vegetable-based oil that keeps the dust down, but it has a rather pungent smell. If you are a Monday pickup and come from Rt. 401, you can come in the back way and avoid the oiled section. As you're coming down St. Andrew's Road, immediately past the church and before the pavement ends, turn left into the upper part of the Church Field. From there you can drive down into the regular parking area for your pickup.

The cooking class that was to be held on Monday, August 4 has been postponed due to lack of response. If you are interested in taking these classes, but the times don't work for you, let Annmarie know (ambutera@verizon.net) and we'll try to accommodate. The next class, which features Mediterranean food, is scheduled for Monday, August 18. Proceeds benefit Maysie's Farm.

Just around the corner — pick-your-own beans, blackberries, and cherry tomatoes!

See you at the farm!

~ Colleen

 

Wish List
Looking to get rid of any of the following items? Maysie's Farm will put them to good use! The first three needs are for our new "office," which is (still) under construction in the old "staff room":

• Wooden file cabinets
• Small electric range/oven
• Sink base, under-counter cabinets, wall cabinets and a short length of countertop material
• Picnic table(s)
• Large outdoor canopy
• Solar powered walkway lights (ideally to match the two donated by Martha Thomae)
• Straw bale chopper (for mulching large areas)
• Assistance building a bio-diesel production system or a compost tea brewing system
• Diesel station wagon or delivery vehicle for use as our produce hauler (for the Farmers Market and our Farm and School partnership) that we could run on bio-diesel or vegetable oil
• Housing for potential Farm Manager
Please contact Sam at (610) 458-8129 if you can donate any of these items.

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