From the Farm

From now on we will send vegetables every other week. The next pick up will be January 2nd. It was biting cold last week. And we talked about how it got warmer towards the weekend; warm meaning in the twenties. It is challenging to get to the vegetables when it is that cold.

The root vegetables are stored in heaps outside on the ground called clamps. They are covered and insulated with carpet, a thick layer of straw and plastic. The vegetables have enough of their own warmth to keep from freezing when the cold is kept out. To open the clamps and take vegetables out for distribution, we like to wait for temperatures above freezing. Thanks to the students from the Third Way Center who come twice a week during the school year. They were here on Monday for their last work day for this semester and helped to make 5 buckets of sauerkraut.

You are receiving red cabbage again this week. We received several emails from members who tried Ursula's Holiday Cabbage recipe sent out at Thanksgiving, who said it was a big hit at their celebrations. Try it. Every year on Christmas eve, we sing Christmas carols to our animals and walk over the land. You are cordially invited to join in with your voice. You are also welcome to come inside for hot cider before you head back home. 2 pm at the farm on Thursday, Christmas Eve. Dress warm and bring a blanket to wrap in.

With a wish for reflection and inner peace!
Thank you for supporting fertility farming,
Ursula and Lawrence


A Cabinet of Seed Displayed
by Howard Nemerov

These are the original monies of the earth,
In which invested, as the spark in fire,
They will produce a green wealth toppling tall,
A trick they do by dying, by decay,
In burial becoming each his kind
To rise in glory and be magnified
A million times above the obscure grave.

Reader, these samples are exhibited
For contemplation, locked in potency
And kept from act for reverence’s sake.
May they remind us while we live on Earth
That all economies are primitive;
And by their reservations may they teach
Our governors, who speak of husbandry
And think the hurricane, where power lies.


In The Share
Garlic
Carrots
Rutabaga
Daikon
Beets
Onions
Potatoes
Red Cabbage
Raddicho
Fermented Veggies


Turnips From Asparagus to Zucchini
Turnips are one of the most ancient and globally used vegetables. They've played an important role as a reliable storage crop in times and places where diets were seasonal by definition. Despite this, the turnip has often been ridiculed, falling in and out of favor in cultures and cuisines. In Europe, turnips were once the vegetables of choice to throw at someone as an insult, and an eligible English maiden would present her suitor with a turnip when rejecting him. Along these line un navet, the term for turnip in French, can also mean "a play that flopped."

Despite the centuries of abuse, the turnip is making a comeback; its virtues and storability, nutrition a versatility are overcoming its comic reputation. The turnip's simultaneous sharp and sweet flavor is loved by many. Turnips are a good source of vitamin C (particularly raw), potassium and calcium. Turnip greens top the charts as an excellent source of vitamins A, C and B complex and the minerals potassium, magnesium and calcium. Turnips are also one of the cruciferous vegetables believed to prevent cancer.

As many of us "return to our roots" and explore the importance of a local season food supply, turnips and other root vegetables, commonly rejected in standard American fare, become important once again.


*Scrub turnips with a stiff-bristled vegetable brush. No need to peel--simply trim away damaged areas.
*Try turnips raw. Slice or create turnip sticks and add to a a veggies platter with favorite dip.
*Grate raw into salads or slaws.
*Boil 1/2- to 1-inch-thick turnip slices or cubes 8-10 minutes; boil whole turnips 15-20 minutes.
*Steam 1/2- to 1- inch slices or cubes 12-15 minutes, steam small whole turnips 20-25 minutes.
*Bake turnips alone for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees, based with butter or oil, or bake along with other seasonal roots.
*Place turnips alongside roasting meats.
*Dice or cube turnips into hearty soups or stews, and thinly slice into stir-fries.
*Mash or scallop turnips, just as you would potatoes.


Ursula’s tips
This week’s fermented vegetables contain mostly beets, cabbage and bok choi. Keep them refrigerated. They will keep for several months. The fermentation is a live process producing lactic acid that preserves the vegetables. The fermentation process is a anaerobic process. So when you open the jar and start using the vegetables, you want to make sure that the remainder in the jar is covered with liquid. A yeasty white cover might grow where the vegetable is exposed to air for a long time. This is not harmful, just not very tasty. It can be taken off and what is left underneath will be fine. The rule is it is safe to eat when it tastes alright to you.


Grated Turnip and Apple Salad
1 c Peeled & grated raw turnips
1 c Peeled & grated tart green - apples
1/2 c Chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 large lemon or cider vinegar
1 tbs Vegetable oil
Salt & pepper
Combine all the ingredients. Toss well & chill, covered in the refrigerator.


Red Kidney Beans with Turnips
1 c Red kidney beans, soaked
4 medium Turnips (14 oz)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Salt
1/2 ts Cayenne (reduce if desired)
4 tbs Oil
1 medium Onion, cut into half rings
3 Garlic cloves, chopped
Combine kidney beans with 5 c water & bring to a boil. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes, reduce heat & simmer, partially covered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, peel turnips & cut into wedges. Combine ginger, turmeric, salt & cayenne in a small bowl with 1 tbs water. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, brown the turnip wedges & remove. Stir-fry the onions until brown. Reduce heat a little & add garlic. Stir for a few seconds & add spice paste. Stir once & turn heat off. When beans have cooked for 45 minutes, add turnips & onion mixture to them. Let the beans finish cooking. Serve with rice & green vegetables.

Adapted from www.justvegetablerecipes.com