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Letter from a Farmer,
Starting off the New Year right, with a delivery of veggies!
We are moving back into farming mode after a nice holiday break. Our seeds are ordered for 2017 as well as most of our supplies. Now that we are certified organic we have to purchase certified organic seed whenever it is available. This is important to us but can be much more costly. In the past we have purchased seed potatoes directly from a farmer in northern New York for around $800.00 plus the drive up to his farm and back. He had very high quality seed and the varieties that grow well on our farm. This year we are purchasing our seed potatoes from FedCo, a small seed company in Maine. Our cost is now $4500. Quite a jump in price. Although it seems paying $800 wasn't quite enough either.
Winter is also a time for teaching and learning. Keri talked about our crop rotation practices at a flower growers conference in the beginning of December. In January I will be presenting with Jean-Paul at the Northeast Organic Farming Conference of New York about how we raise pigs. We will also attend some workshops to improve our growing practices and catch up with old friends. I am also speaking at a cover cropping conference in Vermont about one of the crops we grow, Crotalaria or Sunn Hemp. Justin Rich, who worked at Roxbury for 4 seasons, will also be talking about his cover cropping practices on his farm in Vermont. It will be great to see what he is up to now.
Next week I am leaving for Mexico for a five day trip. Through a farm business planning course I taught a few years ago I met two farmers who want to start a CSA relationship with customers in Mexico City. They will grow some of the crops on their newly purchased farm and create relationships with rural farmers to bring their products into the city for a fair price. I am excited to learn about what they are doing. I will let you know more when I return.
Everyone at Roxbury Farm sends you good wishes for the New Year. We are looking forward to a great season in 2017. ~Jody
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The end of the year means time to make investments in the farm. With a hotter & drier climate, we can't keep up with the irrigation needs of all the crops, so we found a new irrigation reel. No more fighting with our old, leaky reel or losing crops on hot, dry days like the cabbage last year.
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BEEF, LAMB, PORK, AND CHICKEN AVAILABLE: We have a variety of cuts of our own grass fed beef & lamb and pastured pork & chicken available. Click here to see what is in stock and to place an order. Your order will be delivered with your veggie share.
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Unwashed root crops store for a longer period of time, so keep them dirty until you are ready to cook them.
Potatoes: Store potatoes in a dark location. Exposure to light turns their skin green. Potatoes will store at room temp for 3 to 4 weeks. For longer term storage keep them at 45 to 50 degrees. Humid locations work fine for potatoes
Winter Squash: Store them in a dry location. They will keep for a month at room temperature. For longer term storage keep them at 55 degrees
Onions: Keep them in a dry, cool, dark location at 40 to 50 degrees for long term storage. Onions will keep at room temp. for about a month.
Carrots, Beets, and Watermelon Radishes: Keep them in a vented plastic bag in your crisper drawer in your fridge.
Cabbage: Keep the outer leaves on during storage. Peel the leaves off when you are ready to cook. Store in your crisper drawer in your fridge. Once you cut the cabbage keep the remaining half in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Sweet Potatoes: Keep you sweet potatoes at room temperature for about a month. For longer term storage keep in a cool, dark, moist location between 55 and 60 degrees.
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Spiced Beet Salad with Citrus-Ginger Dressing
1 lime
1 small grapefruit
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup olive oil
salt & ground black pepper
2 pounds beets, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons chopped mint
1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Cut the lime and grapefruit in half and juice half of each one, reserving the juice and the unjuiced halves, and discarding the juiced halves.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon each of grapefruit and lime juice with the mustard seeds, pepper flakes, coriander, turmeric, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add a pinch or two of salt and pepper, taste, and adjust. Throw in the beets, grapefruit half, and lime half and mix until everything is coated.
Transfer the mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the beets are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool.
Make the dressing: Whisk together the reserved fresh grapefruit and lime juices, the juice from the roasted grapefruit and lime halves, the ginger and sugar, along with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a few pinches of salt and pepper.
Transfer the beets to a serving bowl or plate, drizzle in a few tablespoons of dressing, and toss to combine. Plate, dollop each with some yogurt and sprinkle with mint and pistachios. Serve.
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Snowy sunset on the farm.
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COMING NEXT MONTH: onions, watermelon radishes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, celeriac, and beets.
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Triple Radish Yum
Roasted Radishes
3 large watermelon radishes
1 daikon radish
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Chevre Horseradish Dressing
Fresh horseradish
Zest from 1/2 of a lemon
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chevre
salt & ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400º F, with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and spray with a light coat of cooking spray. Set aside.
Remove ends and peel radishes. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut each half-moon slice into halves or thirds as needed to maintain fairly evenly sized pieces. The narrower end of the daikon may be left in half moons.
Toss radish pieces with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl to coat evenly. Distribute the radish pieces in an even layer on the baking sheet. (Set bowl aside.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. Radishes should have some browning, and retain some firmness when they are done.
While radishes are roasting, grate about 2 to 3 packed tablespoons worth of fresh horseradish using a microplane. Thoroughly combine 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of the grated horseradish with the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, chèvre, and 1/8th teaspoon salt in the reserved bowl. Taste, and if the horseradish flavor is not strong enough add more.
Once radishes have finished roasting, transfer them to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to coat. Taste and add salt if needed. Transfer to serving bowl and grind some fresh black pepper over the top. Serve hot or at room temperature.
www.food52.com
Suspiciously Delicious Cabbage
1 medium cabbage, cored & thinly sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt & ground black pepper
In a very large pan, heat the butter over medium heat until it is melted and starting to bubble a little. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.
Stir in the ginger and cook for about a minute. Then, add in the cabbage, stirring well to coat it with the butter and other flavors. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 15-20 minutes, until the cabbage has softened and caramelized.
Turn the heat to low and stir in the cream making sure to scrape any browned bits up from the pan bottom. Cover and cook over low for about 10 minutes. Uncover, add salt and pepper to taste. Then cook for a few more minutes, stirring once or twice, to let some of the liquid evaporate. Adjust seasonings as desired and serve.
www.food52.com
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Moroccan Carrot Salad with Harissa
10 carrots
2 Tablespoons Harissa
4 Tablespoons chopped preserved lemon
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 bunch cilantro
salt & ground black pepper
Cut the carrot to rounds about 1/2 cm thick.
Boil 4 cups of water and add salt.
Boil the carrots for 10 min until soft but still have some bite to it.
Drain, let dry and cool.
Mix the carrots with the rest of the ingredients and let it sit in the fridge at least over night.
Before serving check and see if the salad needs more salt or vinegar. Serve at room temperature.
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