Forgetful me

When I first started this blog it was a way to keep my CSA customers aware of what was happening on the farm and what they could expect in their baskets for the week.  I have never professed to be an intellect about gardening.  I can't spout off the Latin names of plants, nor quote verbatim the proper way to grow tomatoes.  I don't know what is the best way to get rid of squash bugs.  My own simple-minded observation is to do as their name suggests.  Remove them from the plant and SQUASH them.  And as for fire ants---pour.......well you figure it out.

But I can tell a good story and funny things do happen to us all the time and sometimes peoples' lives are just plain made for good story telling so I hope  you don't mind me sharing with you.

As you know I have been on the road a lot lately.  Good ole Wilma brought me home to the farm again the other night.  It was well after dark when I arrived because the weather had been horrible over the canyon.  Slow going, the rain the night before had frozen solid on the roads.  Black ice covered with a couple inches of snow.  I must be crazy I told myself as I started up the steep grade over Indian Canyon.  Near the summit a semi truck was struggling to make the climb.  His wheels were spinning and he wasn't going up, knowing if I stopped I would never be able to get going again, and fearing he may come sliding back and knocking me off the cliff I made the quick decision to go around him hoping someone didn't come  the other direction..... it would be the end of me.  I pulled around him, losing all traction and sliding within inches of his tires.  By keeping the wheels spinning and turning,  with the skid I zig-zagged back and forth and was able to finally get around him and into my own lane.  I had passed a snow plow down at the bottom 30 miles back so I knew he was behind me and by the time I had slip-slided to the summit he  was in my rear view mirror..  For those of you who travel in the snow know it is the down hill grade that is the most exhilarating, anything can happen.  I pulled off and let the snow plow and another vehicle by me and began the adventure down the steep grade.  Needless to say even fearless me was a bit concerned.  The snow plow went down the grade sideways his back tires off the road throwing the sand/salt mixture off the road where it would be of no use.  His blade hugging the road scraping off the snow, but only skimming across the ice.     Every once in a while he would manage to get  lined back up on the road.  That day the scruffy faced, handsome man in the big orange truck was my knight in shinning armor.  Why does it seem I always need to be rescued?  It is tough on this independent gal.
Called Glen when I got to Spanish Fork, so he wouldn't worry, it was 1:00 p.m.  The usual 2 and1/2 hour trip over the mountain had taken 4 hours.
 "Thanks, Wilma, I knew you wouldn't let me down.  You made that canyon easy."  I told the old gal as we caught the freeway and headed for home.  For those of you wondering who Wilma is, she is my trusty 17 year old vehicle.  She is all heart and never lets me down.

Stopped in Cedar for a while to check on my daughter.  We are lucky to have her.  She is one of the 5% who live through a undiagnosed ruptured appendix.  After 2 months of being deathly ill, she finally found a Doctor who just wouldn't say you're fine and send her home.  The antibiotics seem to be clearing up the infection and she is feeling well.
 
By the time I got home it was well after dark.  The wind was blowing and it was blasted cold.  About 13 degrees the barometer read.  I bundled up and checked the animals at the farm.  Gathered the frozen eggs and drove up to the house.  Parked the car in the driveway and left Wilma running so I could see by the lights how to make my way around to the back of the house to unlock the door.  Burr it was cold, said that already, ran out to the car and grabbed my suitcase and the strawberries and grapes so they wouldn't freeze.  Left the car running so I could see to make another trip with items that needed to be brought in--------------well, I got in the house and it was so cold I got busy and built a fire....... and then I had to run outside and turn the water on in the pumphouse and run back into the house to shut off the taps so the water wouldn't fill the sinks and run all over the floor.  After all this was accomplished I decided that everything left in the car wouldn't be hurt by the freezing, windy weather.
 I didn't go to the farm real early the next morning, I  waited for daylight and the temperature to warm up before walking down to check on everyone.  Well, it took quite a while to warm up above 20 degrees, and the wind was still howling, so it wasn't until about 10:00 a.m. before I ventured out to the farm.  I walked around the gate and looked at Wilma sitting contently in the drive way.  Her lights were on, looking at me, and she was humming.  I had left her running all night!  Silly me--forgetful me--- I immediately began to apologize to her about leaving her running all night and do you know what she said?

"Don't worry about it, I was frozen solid by the time I got us home last night.  I had ice frozen everywhere from that blasted snow on the  mountain.  It was so cold, and the wind last night blew so hard my fenders  were turning blue and  besides........ I am not ready for winter.  I finally got warm with my heater on all night and my engine running.  You can leave me running all night anytime you want!"

Well,  needless to say I was a bit embarrassed.  Good thing I live out in the middle of nowhere,  I think my absentmindedness will go undiscovered.

Bringing in the Harvest

Spent the last few weeks finishing all the projects before winter sets in,-----finally got the hay tarped, the last of the potatoes dug, the remaining squash taken out of the hay bin and put in the house, got the butchering done (thanks to my cave-man hubby) and even hauled a little wood.  Had a nice warm fire last night.  There is nothing better than warming your hands over the wood stove after your fingers have turned blue from the cold. 
Gathered  several pounds of pine gum and will be rendering the fat from the animals to make pine gum salve.  This is my favorite time of year.  I am busy squirreling away the harvest from the garden.  Stocking the shelves with preserved vegetables and fruit.  Filling the freezer with animals I know were raised humanely and with care.........but my absolute favorite thing about this time of year is..........

                                   SOUP FOR BREAKFAST
                                   quite frankly,  I am getting just a little tired of eggs, eggs, eggs!

                         Winter has officially arrived when running water freezes in it's tracks

                                            What have you been squirreling away for the winter?

stranded-------again

It's the time of year when I am on the road constantly.  Drive up and spend a few days, hurry back to pick for market, attend market, do farm work and back on the road.  Well, as you all know, most every trip I spend hours and hours stranded along the road. This last trip was doomed from the start.  I was taking the BURBANATOR.  Everything just started out wrong.  You see the burb had stranded me out in the middle of nowhere last summer ----now that is another long story------- anyway it had sat the winter and summer without running until Glen could have the time to work on it.  He got it up and going (replaced the alternator and some fuses and did a little more tinkering) and it seemed to be running fine, but I was hesitant to take it on a one way 350 mile trip alone, but we need it up north to haul wood for the winter.   I packed my necessary---stranded along the road kit-------- something to read, something to eat and drink, something to do, (knit), a pillow and blanket, jacket and my camera.

After hauling half a ton of  large 120 pound 3 string bales of hay, dispersing them among the animals, and rigging waters to run while I was gone, and bringing in the last of the winter squash, etc. etc. etc   It was well after dark before I began loading the burb with some furniture we needed for the new rental in Roosevelt we are moving into.  A big dresser, a large hutch mirror, a hugh area rug, a large cooler of winter squash and a beautiful vintage hanging lamp.  Whew, got everything in and shut the back door only to have glass shatter all over me.  Because of the darkness I couldn't see the pointed end of the lamp was past where the door would close and when I slammed the door-----well, needless to say I decided to deal with it in the morning.
Got up early used duct tape to enclose the broken window and set off down the road.  Made a mental note to get more duct tape.   Used a-lot this summer.

Cedar City in the rear view mirror, Beaver in the rear view mirror, Fillmore in the rear view mirror, Spanish Fork in the rear view mirror.  5 hours up the road and going strong.  " Good job burbanator we may make it yet",  I said out loud patting her on the sun baked, cracked dashboard, but I still had that feeling she was just going to give out any minute.  Spanish Folk canyon in the rear view mirror, took the short cut and headed up Indian Canyon.  Going up just fine until the real steep climb.  I had been keeping a close eye on the gages and noticed the alternator gage dying.  Great---sure enough after a few more miles up the steep grade she began to sputter.  Keep going I haven't anywhere to pull off with a guard rail on my side stretching for miles.  Sputter, sputter, chug, chug.  "Come on girl, just get me to a place I can pull off."  Well, I am the luckiest person I know and just around the bend is a big turnout area.  Pulled off and the engine died.
Put on the parking brake and placed rocks behind the rear wheels---didn't want a scenic straight down of the mountain backwards ride at the moment--- and called Glen, my knight in shinning armor.  I was lucky enough to have cell service and his response was "You're serious, you're broke down?"
" Of course", I just rolled my eyes and said "Yes, we were expecting this, but the good news is I'm just on the other side of Indian Canyon", only a little over an hour away.  I described the  Burbanator's symptoms and he would get his tools  and come rescue me after work.

no room to pull off

at least the scenery is beautiful

took off my boots

hung my hat on the steering wheel

took a denim shirt from my suitcase to hang over the window to block the afternoon sun,
 and then settled in for the duration

glad I remembered to throw in my reading glasses

I usually read gardening books, historical  biographies ( I have a secret crush on Ben Franklin, John James Audubon and Sam Houston, just to name a few),   or a classic written by one of the mid-west writers of the early 20th century--Cather, Steinbeck, or just one of the good ole classics.  However in anticipating the probability of breaking down I grabbed a book that looked enchanting to me.  I didn't want anything that would require deep concentration.

Picked up a book by
LORD DUNSANY
that I had found my last trip to the thrift store
after flipping through the pages I knew
it was a book to read

I can't sit very long; so it was off into the deep woods hunting for trolls and unicorns.

a passage from this beautiful, lyrical book reads:

He walked in the sparkling morning through scenes familiar from infancy; he saw the ruddy orchids flowering early, reminding the bluebells they were just past their prime; the small young leaves of the oak were yet a brownish yellow; the new beech-leaves shone like brass, where the cuckoo was calling clearly; and a birch tree looked like a wild wood-land creature that had draped herself in green gauze.........

from the KING OF THE ELFLAND'S DAUGHTER 

 I think I found where the trolls live,

in a culvert under the road

 or maybe under the gnarly roots of this dead aspen tree

but..... not even a whisper of unicorn hooves

or a snort as it caught my scent

THEN

Shortly before dusk I was rescued

good thing I had my reading glasses so Glen could see to check the fuses

He said, "the fuses are good, I guess the new alternator we put in is bad.  We'll jump it and then I will drive it home as fast as I can,  (which can be pretty fast because the speedometer doesn't work and the burb loves to go FAST----I call it airplane mode----),  we may have to jump it several times to get it home."

"Well", said I,  "If you don't see me behind you don't get worried, I will be along shortly if it quits running, but I might find something I have to look at on the way home."  Glen nods his head knowingly, sometimes it takes 3 or 4 hours to make a one hour drive because I have to discover all the wonders along the way

almost to the summit

(notice the duct-taped back window)

                                                     we can coast a ways down if needed
                                            

 

saw this sign placed along the road next to a steep drop-off, I had to find a place on the twisty, winding road to turn around and go back and get a picture.  Some one on the road crew has a great sense of humor, or just was ready to go home and didn't realize how the sign was placed

cows along the open road

on the way back to the farm a few days later

this ole gal was laying on her back with 4 legs sticking in the air

I am lucky it was just a bad alternator

and not

a cow through the windshield (one experience of that happening is enough) 

hope no one was seriously hurt

No, I didn't take the burbanator back down to the farm.  I drove  17 year old Wilma down for my last CSA delivery and market.  She is fairly dependable, and took me to the farm and back up to Roosevelt without a hitch

we'll see how the trip  down again goes in a

couple of days

keep your fingers crossed

should buy a new(er) vehicle

something that won't leave me stranded

along the road,

but where's the

FUN IN THAT?

Radish Report/CSA delivery

 

 

 

This will be the last CSA delivery of the season.  I have mixed feelings about it.   I am grateful for all the wonderful friendships that have been formed over the past 6 months of weekly deliveries.  I  enjoy meeting and talking to faithful customers at the market.   However as I came in this morning from harvesting, my toes are frozen solid, my hands are so cold I keep dropping the squash, I am soaking wet from the wonderful rain, and  I realize my harvest has come to a close. I am ready to pour over the seed catalogs, sitting -- WARM and DRY-- by the fire, sipping hot chocolate, and making plans for next year.

A SEASON OF CHANGE :


As life goes by sometimes change happens and starts a chain reaction.  My husband has been moved to the district office as a director and will no longer work 16 hours a day, dragging in at 11:00 p.m. every night, and he will also have Saturdays off.   It will be wonderful to spend more time together and I am looking forward to it.  This change has resulted in reconfiguring the CSA and how best to accommodate my family and my customers.  So-------

     *  the CSA delivery day has been changed to Wednesday evenings  5:00 til 7:30p.m.
         in the parking lot of  the new kitchen store 188 North Main on Bluff Street in St. George
        

         farm pick-up will be Thursday evenings  7:00 p.m.


     *  I will be offering 3 separate seasons-----Spring, Summer, and Fall --get info at my booth
         tomorrow or follow my blog for more information

     *  my sister Shelly will be offering a limited amount of fruit shares--call her 435-703-3046
          I would suggest calling her now to reserve your spot!!!!


     *  Reserve your CSA share NOW.  We offer a limited amount because our family grows all the
         vegetables ourselves ensuring the integrity of our farm and our produce, which limits the
          amount of shares available.

As our 20th year of providing vegetables for our CSA customers draws to a close, I look forward to the next 20 years-----well, maybe not that many-------  Every one have a great winter and we'll see you in the spring!!!


I will continue with the blog, keeping you informed of what is happening on the farm and of course telling my far fetched stories, odd bits of nonsense (reality in my life), and sharing recipes-------




 THIS WEEKS FULL SHARE DELIVERY

tomatoes
beans--maybe---
broccoli
brussels sprouts
carrots
onions
potatoes
beets
turnips
chard
greens
cabbage
celery
3 spag squash
2 turks turban
buttercup
acorn
green hubbard
home-made soap
honey
sage------just hang to dry for your Thanksgiving meal
pomegranate
melon

COMFREY/ COMFREY SALVE

I have always had an herb garden.  Culinary herbs that flavor the bounty from the garden.   Sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon, savory, dill......... Fresh scented, aromatic herbs to tuck in between the linens,............... lemon balm, mint, lavender,..... or make a tea to calm or rejuvenate you,........... but my favorite herbs are the medicinal ones that can cure a headache, draw the infection from a wound, and allow you better, over-all health.  This will be the year I begin my certification to become a Master Herbalist.  Something I have always wanted to do, but I  threw all my energy into producing acres of vegetables and living a sustainable life that took up all my time and effort so I never accomplished my desire to become a herbalist.   Everything and everyone has a season.  It is my season now to slow down a bit,  paint more , wander more, create more, breath deeper, enjoy the late summer of my life.  Yes I will still garden, I am rooted in the soil, but it will be a smaller garden only two or three acres.

Comfrey is one of my favorite herbs.
Every house needs comfrey at the door.  Knitbone as it was referred to in Culpepper's time is an herb that we can't live without here at the farm.  We use it for wounds, bruises, cracked hands and feet, and to sooth an itchy rash.  We feed it to chickens and rabbits in small helpings. 

HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR EXPERIENCES USING COMFREY:   Years ago when we first bought the farm  moving my comfrey to our new home was the first priority.  Being a farmer's daughter and spending all day under the sun year after year, and now year after year growing vegetables has taken it's toll on my skin.  I had a particularly large, deep, pre-cancer dug out of the front of  my cheek.  The doctor informed me that I would have a big hole in my face.  I let it scab up a day or two and then applied comfrey salve and covered it with a band aid for a couple of weeks, applying salve and changing the bandage  daily.  At my next visit 6 months later to have more from a different area removed the doctor was AMAZED that no scaring had occurred and asked what I had done to prevent it.   Just said, " hummmmmm", and semi-rolled his eyes when I told him what I had used----- some home-made comfrey salve.  I have even cleared up small patches of the pre cancer sores using just the salve.--------DISCLAIMER-------I am not giving out medical advice, please contact your physician for any medical attention.

My oldest daughter gashed her leg wide open on a nail.  It was a 4 or 5 inch long 1/2 deep cut.  I know, I know , it was something that we should of had stitched up, but we cleaned it well and applied comfrey salve and butterfly taped it together the best we could.  Kept a clean dressing and salve on for a couple of weeks.  She doesn't even have a scar.

Glen,  the boys and I were building a green house onto the front of the barn.  Glen is a big, strong, burly man and was  on a ladder, holding a roofing beam on his shoulder, wrapping his left arm around the beam to keep it in place and then hammering the nails in with his right hand.  Needless to say the awkwardness of the angle caused him to miss swing and hit his finger.  The force of the blow blew  the end of his finger off , (it looked like the back of a pop-can that had been shot, how it splits in several places and rolls back) it split his nail clear down past the cuticle length-wise in 3 places.  It was not a pretty sight.  I got down off my ladder and ran to the comfrey patch.  Grabbed a large handful of comfrey and chewed it up and  carefully placed it on his finger.  Then I wrapped it in gauze and tape.  We placed chewed comfrey on several times  a day for 3 or 4 days then switched to the comfrey salve I make.

Usually when extensive damage is done to a fingernail, the nail does not grow back in normally.  Can you tell which finger was smashed?

comfrey in bloom

Now is a good time to plant comfrey.  If getting some from a friend or neighbor, cut the leaves off at soil level.  Harvest the leaves by bundling and hanging up to dry.  Dig out the entire root ball and shake off the excess soil.  Carefully divide the roots.  Plant each root separately.  I usually divide in the early spring, but fall plantings generally take hold and grow well.  Don't wait to long, you want the root to establish itself before winter.

Molting

As the day length decreases and the frost is turning everything brown, I begin to observe the first signs of the dreaded molt.  My hair is filling the bristles in my brush and covering the bathroom floor.  Odd I think to myself,  I don't remember it coming out quite this bad before.  Being the observant farmHer that I am I began to notice the "girls" were loosing their wavy feathers too.  Hum---------I have always observed the molting process in the hens and the natural cycle of egg production.  Less feathers------less eggs, plain and simple.   Sometimes molting will occur in  the spring if your chicks were hatched the prior spring, but generally the molt occurs in the fall of the year.   Being the curious farmHer I am I looked up information about molting and found:

USUALLY STARTS ON THE HEAD-----yep

INVOLVES HORMONAL FLUCTUATIONS----yep, I am on the downhill side of 50

NEED INCREASED ENERGY REQUIREMENTS----Yep, that would explain why I ate the whole bag of peanut m&m's leaving only the blue and red ones for Glen

DECREASED DAY LENGTH IS THE NORMAL TRIGGER TO MOLTING----yep, it's fall and the sun is setting around 8:30.  I'm exhausted and ready to roost for the night.

THE BEST THING FOR MOLTING IS TO ELIMINATE STRESS------guess I'll just put up my feet and eat bon bons til spring  because

                                                 I AM DEFINITELY
                             MOLTING

RADISH REPORT/CSA DELIVERY

This week's CSA delivery contained:

heirloom tomatoes
slicing cucumbers
lemon cucumbers
head of broccoli
cabbage
onions
beets
new potatoes
white bush scallop summer squash
chard
greens of choice
sorry, forgot to dig the carrots!
turk's turban squash
spaghetti squash
buttercup squash
hubbard squash
red or gold raspberries

CSA members remember I never deliver the weekend of the marathon, Oct.6th.  The last delivery of the season will be on the 13th.  Please bring sturdy boxes or bags to carry your share home in, there will be an end of season bounty.  Thanks so much for another wonderful year.  I will have sign- up info for next year available.

WE WILL BE ACCEPTING NEW MEMBERSHIPS FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON.  If you are interested in a CSA share for the spring, summer and fall season MAY 2013 THRU OCT 24, 2013
please stop by my booth for sign-up information. 

TURKS TURBAN SQUASH

This beautiful, flamboyant squash is not just for fall decorating, it is also good to eat.  Turk's Turban is one of my favorite winter squash.  It has a distinct "squashy", savory,  squash flavor.  Sometimes the sweetness of the other fall squash is a little over whelming and I especially enjoy the nutty, earthy taste of this unique squash.  It is just a little moister than some of the other fall squash, making it a great candidate for a hearty fall squash soup.

loading winter squash on the ole 53 ford

To prepare:  I usually just cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and bake.  Sweeten with a little agave nectar or live dangerously and put real organic butter and brown sugar on it. 

                                                                              

TURK'S TURBAN STEW

Cut the top section off.   Place on a baking sheet. ( I place the top along side the squash bowl and bake it with the stew). Scoop out the seeds and fill the cavity 1/2 full with chicken broth, add browned hamburger or stew meat, chopped root crops, onions, salt and pepper, a little molasses, and seasoning.  Pour in additional broth until the cavity is full.   Bake until squash is tender, about 45 mins.   Add additional liquid half way through if needed.  To serve, set squash on table and scoop out spoonfuls of squash along with the stew.  For a thick hearty stew add a little flour as a thickener, or I also use mashed cooked black beans to thicken.

LESLIE (one of my regular Farmers Market customers) suggested filling the squash with your favorite chili recipe before baking.  Sounds delicious!

SQUASH SOUP:
Cut squash in half and remove seeds.  Bake cut side down in a 350 oven until soft.  Remove flesh from the shell and puree.  I add 1&1/2 cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth to every 3 to 4 cups of flesh (add more broth if you feel the consistency is too thick). Mix well and add 1 cup of heavy cream.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Pour into a large stock pot and return to a slow simmer to heat through, about 20 minutes  (do not scorch).  In a separate skillet brown chopped onions, garlic, tomatoes, celery and cubed carrots.  Saute until tender.  The vegetables can be added to the soup whole just before serving, or pureed and added to the stock pot.   Serve with a scoop of sour cream and chopped sage leaves.  I also have used cream cheese mixed with fresh cooked, crumbled bacon, and chopped fresh herbs of choice.  This is a hearty, filling, soup.  A suggestion is to use the hollow squash shell as the serving bowl.  Cut the top off the squash before baking to reserve the bottom portion as the bowl.(as stated in the above recipe)




                                                        Thanks for stopping by my blog.

 Please visit my home page at

  cricketsongfarm.blogspot.com

  What's your favorite recipe for turk's turban or other winter squash?  Share your recipe in the comment section.

 PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE A LARGE QUANTITY OF WINTER SQUASH.

I HAVE BUTTERNUT, BANANA, GREEN HUBBARD, TURKS TURBAN, SPAGHETTI, BLUE HUBBARD,AND BUTTERCUP

OVEN DRIED TOMATOES

Do you have an abundant harvest of tomatoes?  I make these tomatoes and store in the freezer.  Use when you are making soup, sauces, spread over crusty bread. or anytime sun-dried tomatoes are needed.  These make great Christmas gifts for friends and neighbors.



my thoughts about moving

I can sum up the process of moving in just one word.  I consider myself an expert on the subject, after all we have moved 28 times.........





  AARRRUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHH !!!!!



This will be our last move --------not counting the move back to Nevada to finish out my husband's years to get retirement,  or our move to Colorado, Arizona, or New Mexico after that----cause I have always wanted to live there------ and then our final move back to the farm-------or maybe sell the farm and just live place to place in the airstream-------2 old gypsy, hippies-----painting, spinning, weaving, wood carving, flea marketing, selling antiques along the roadside--------o.k. time to quit daydreaming-----back to work, I've got to figure out which box my hair brush is in, I look hideous.

It could only happen to ME

So, as some of you all ready know that if something bad can happen, or if something can go wrong it does, and that if you drive by someone stranded along side the road it is probably me.  My life is a tragic comedy.  Really, I am not complaining, because it makes for good stories to tell and always gives us something to laugh about.

Well do I have a story to tell about trying to get to Roosevelt  on Thursday to help move. (we are moving because we got a 5 day notice that we needed to vacate the property because our landlord is going through bankruptcy and the rental is being foreclosed).  Yes, we did find a place to live.

For those of you who are new to my blog.  I have a small, beautiful, sustainable, farm in South-West Utah and when my husband got a job in North Eastern Utah as a Principal I relunctantly went along with the move, but he agreed not to sell the farm.   I commute back and forth ( about 500 miles one-way) spring through fall.  When school is out the kids come down full time and Glen comes for a few weeks when he can.  I continue to run a small CSA and participate in several farmer's markets.


  ANY-HOW BACK TO MY STORY:

 I scheduled a bus ticket  to get to Roosevelt because my transmission is going out on my vehicle and I definitely didn't want to be stranded along the freeway.  I had been hauling squash the past couple of days and was finishing up everything that needed to be done at the farm before I left.  I mowed the back lawn behind the trailer and proceeded to turn the waters on.  I run 5 sprinkler heads to carry the load from the well so it doesn't click off and on, it just runs.  Got all the waters going, hauled some more squash, and walked the 1/2 mile up to the house to get ready to go.

Quickly finishing packing and putting out feed for Eppie dog I began getting ready to go and the water quit.  We are on a different well at the house.  I went and checked the breakers, flipped the switch and nothing.  No water.  O.K.  I will be gone for a few days and it can be fixed when I get back.  As I came around the house I looked to the farm and couldn't see the water running there either so I walked down and sure enough the water wasn't working.  So I have 2 well pumps and neither one of them is working.  The power works in both houses, just not the water pumps.  Now what  do I do?  I have a bus to catch in an hour and a half.  Including my hour drive to town-----if my vehicle makes it--------.    I  can't leave if there isn't water and expect my good neighbors-----the awesome 4 country gals----who are doing chores for me, to haul water to the animals until we get it fixed.  It will take several days to pull the pump------guess I better just stay home cause I'm going to miss my bus before we get this figured out.

I assumed that for some reason it was something wrong with the power and I wasn't getting enough to run the wells.  I really didn't have a clue because it just didn't make sense.  It did not even enter my mind that 2 seperate well pumps about 1/2 mile apart would go out at exactly the same time.  (I should have known that if there was 1 in a kazillion chances it could happen, that it would happen to me).

In the meantime Glen had called the power company and they were sending out RUSS to the RESCUE.  He is the son of my cousin and came lick-ity split.  He diagnosed the pump at the house and got it running and then trouble shot the pump at the farm and found out what was wrong.  I called another cousin who has a pump and well drilling business and he would come right out  with the part and get it going.  Whew, no pumps to replace, there is ALWAYS a silver lining in my comical life.  And I have 4 minutes to spare, I think I can make my bus.

Called my daughter who I am picking up to drop me off at the bus, and will be  keeping my vehicle at her house in town while I am gone.   I  explained why I was running a little behind and she just started to LAUGH and said ,"Of course mom, that is your luck that not just one pump, but both would go out at the exact SAME time."


One of my favorite books when I was a kid was "Fortunately" by Remy Charlip.  Look it up on amazon books and see a preview of it.   Little did I know that it would be a metaphor for my life.  I am always so fortunate.  I am the luckiest person I know!!!!!!

Blue Moon

While harvesting vegetables for market in the wee early hours (4:00 a,m,) during late August, I was accompanied by the beautiful BLUE MOON.  It's brilliant light shone down over the gardens casting an ethereal glow.  I hope I didn't step on the garden faeries as they hid out of sight under the protective squash leaves.  The night air is crisp and the smell of dew upon the vines waifs around my feet.  There's magic in the garden when the BLUE MOON is shinning.  August had 2 full moons.  A blue moon in today's language means the 2nd full moon in the same month.  This happens about every three years.

As I harvested early yesterday I was accompanied by the new moon and I couldn't see a thing.  Pitch black, at least I didn't worry about stepping on the faeries.  I"m sure they had sense enough not to be out wandering in the dark...........unlike myself...................

Radish Report/CSA delivery

Busy week at the farm. The frost last Sunday night has sweetened the winter squash, turnips and killed all the tender vines.  I had an extra 2 week longer  season this fall.  If this is the result of global warming,  I"M  ALL FOR IT!!!!

Your basket will be overflowing this week :

TOMATOES
TOMATILIAS
 PEPPERS
 BROCCOLI
 CELERY
 BEETS
 ZUCCHINI
 PATTY PAN
 YELLOW  (take all the summer squash you want this is THE LAST WEEK)
 STRING BEANS
 CUCUMBERS
 ONIONS
 CABBAGE
 CHARD
 NEW POTATOES
 TURNIPS
 ACORN SQUASH
TURKS TURBAN
 SPAGHETTI SQUASH
 CHOICE OF GREENS
FRUIT SHARE:  APPLES

I ate 10 tomatoes---REALLY

I just can't help myself.  When the produce is producing I am harvesting.  Not in a jar or in the freezer........nope everything goes directly in my mouth.  I am happiest eating warm tomatoes right off the vine, crunching on dragon tongue beans,  filling my pockets full of carrots to munch on during the day.   Let's have corn for breakfast, corn for lunch and you guessed it corn for dinner.  And when the Armenian cucumbers are on........ it's, how did you know, cukes for breakfast, cukes for lunch, and cukes for supper.  Not just slices mind you, but the whole dang thing.  I haven't been to the grocery store in ages.  I don't even own a cosco card.  Nope, just good food grown right here on the farm.  Milk from my beautiful goats, quick set home-made cheese, and yogurt,  eggs from my spoiled chickens, and veges from the garden.  This has got to be paradise.

Been making oven dried tomatoes the last few days.  I always like to eat them with home-made asiago cheese bread grilled on a hot skillet with olive oil so the cheese is melty.  Made me a couple of loaves the other day and without the boys here I have eaten more than my usual lucky to get even one slice.    Put me a couple of the oven dried tomatoes on my plate just warm from the oven and before you know it half the pan had disappeared
Make your own oven dried tomatoes to use in pasta, on crusty country bread, blended up for a spaghetti sauce that is unbelievable ,or just eat them right out of the oven.

Find a recipe here for making "sun-dried tomatoes"  in your kitchen oven.

OVEN DRIED TOMATOES

 

CUT SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZE TOMATOES IN HALF

USE TOMATOES OF A SIMILAR SIZE

 SO THE DRYING TIME WILL NOT VARY

 

SCOOP OUT THE CORE AND SEEDS

POUR OLIVE OIL TO COAT THE

 BOTTOM OF A LARGE BAKING SHEET

PLACE TOMATOES SKIN SIDE DOWN AND SPRINKLE WITH

GROUND SEA SALT AND DRIED HERBS OF CHOICE

I USE ITALIAN

 

BAKE IN A LOW OVEN 250 DEGREES UNTIL QUITE  DRY

REMOVE FROM OVEN AND SLIP SKIN OFF

TURN THE TOMATO OVER AND SEASON OTHER SIDE

 

 

skins removed, turned and seasoned and put back into the oven to dry

 

CONTINUE DRYING UNTIL THE TOMATO

 IS AT THE DESIRED CONSISTENCY

(note you can leave the skins on also

sometimes I get to busy and the tomatoes have dried

quite small so I don't bother to remove them)

with skins

 

CHOP 1 CLOVE OF GARLIC FOR EACH 1/2 PINT CONTAINER

ADD FRESH GARLIC AND COVER TOMATOES WITH OLIVE OIL

 

STORE IN THE REFRIGERATOR UP TO

 2 WEEKS

        CAN BE FROZEN FOR LONGER

TERM STORAGE

 

USE THE OIL IN YOUR COOKING AS THE TOMATOES ARE EATEN

 

I HAVE PACKAGED IN THE INEXPENSIVE DISPOSABLE CONTAINERS

THESE MAKE WONDERFUL HOSTESS GIFTS

 

 

THIS IS A QUICK EASY METHOD TO HAVE THE....... ALMOST

SUN DRIED TOMATOES......... WITHOUT ALL THE TIME INVOLVED

THEY ARE DELICIOUS!

LOCK YOUR DOORS

WAYYYYYYYYYYYY TO MUCH SQUASH 


I would like to take this opportunity to publicly apologise to my CSA members.  You have been inundated with bags and bags of squash.  And I was concerned about the full acre of squash I lost to the critters-----what was I complaining about?

This year we grew green bennings tint, yellow sunburst, pear, white bush scallop, yellow gold rush zucchini, black zucchini, yellow eight ball, green eight ball, costata romanesco,  round d' nice, regular ole green zucchini, crookneck, and the straight neck early prolific yellow squash. Winter squash, yet to come will include buttercup, hubbards, spaghetti, turks turban and acorn.

 There are entire cookbooks dedicated to the cucurbit  that invades our homes every summer. LOCK YOUR DOORS!
 My grandmother gave me a favorite zucchini cookbook of hers years ago that I treasure.  It's pages are yellowed with time.  It's corners are rounded.  Old, dried, grated zucchini is stuck to several of my favorite recipe pages.

So load up on this prolific vegetable and make something good!
It freezes so easily, just grate, let drain in a colander and put in freezer bags.  You can have zucchini bread, pancakes, or muffins all winter long!

                                  Here are just a few of my favorite ways to prepare zucchini.

Note about brown rice:  Here's a suggestion of mine that saves me time.  Buy a 1 lb bag of brown rice.  Add a pkg. of wild rice mix to it. Cook up a big batch and just have it refrigerated ready to pull out and use, try adding a can of black beans to the cooked rice.

ZUCCHINI PANCAKES:
grate zucchini, add 1/2 ratio bread crumbs to zucchini, add enough eggs to form a moist dough.  Fry on a hot griddle.

BREADED ZUCCHINI:  Mix equal parts flour, cornmeal and bread crumbs in a large bowl.  Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch rounds and dip in egg.  Coat with crumbs and fry on a griddle with real butter.  For a healthier version try this.  Cut into 1/2 inch rounds brush with olive oil and place on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with mixture (recipe below) and bake 10 minutes in a 425 degree oven. Turn rounds over applying oil and mixture.  Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes.
MIXTURE:  1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup wheat germ, 1/2 cup sesame seeds 1 tsp. chili powder and 1/2 tsp. salt.  mix and put in a shaker bottle.  Refrigerator left over seasoning.
You might also try a sprinkling of dry powder ranch dip mix instead.

ZUCCHINI ROUNDS:  slice a  zucchini into 1/2 inch slices.  Do not cook.  Spread cream cheese that you have added garlic salt and Italian Seasoning to on each slice.  Add cooked and crumbled bacon over top.  Makes a great appetizer or side dish.

STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS:  Pick your blossoms early in the morning.  Only pick the male blossoms leaving the female blossoms so you will have a crop.  Watch for bees in the blossoms.  Place blossoms in a plastic bag and refrigerate until you are ready to use.  Make a simple batter of equal parts flour and cornmeal.  Add a pinch of baking soda.  pour in enough water to make a medium batter.  Stuff blossoms with herbed goat cheese.  Carefully twist the petals together at the end of the flower.  Coat with batter and deep fry until golden brown.  These are delicious!


STUFFED ZUCCHINI
Cut zucchini in half length-wise.  Scoop out seeds (discard if to large) and pulp (reserve), leaving about  1/4 to 1/2 inch of flesh.  Place in a large skillet, cut side down.  Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan.  Simmer, covered for 6-10 minutes. Or bake on a cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes.  Meanwhile cut pulp and add other desired ingredients. Cook ingredients if necessary (meat or rice) before stuffing.  Add ingredients to zucchini and bake for 20-30 minutes.

  VARIATIONS YOU MAY LIKE TO TRY: 

SAUSAGE AND EGG:  for a delicious breakfast prepare the stuffed zucchini the previous night and pop in the oven for 30 minutes or microwave until heated through.
While squash is steaming chop pulp and saute with the sausage, when fully cooked add beaten eggs (use 2 eggs for each 1/2 squash) and cook until the eggs are just set.  Add chopped pimentos or sun dried tomatoes.  Scoop mixture into zucchini shells and bake 20 minutes.

RICE:  Saute the pulp with your favorite meat and vegetables, or just vegetables, and add pre-cooked  brown or wild rice, mix in thickened vegetable or chicken broth, season to taste.  Add mixture to shells and bake 30 minutes.

BULGAR:  Mix the chopped pulp, 1/2 cup reconstituted bulgar, 1/2 cup  chopped day old wheat bread for each 1/2 large zucchini. 1/4 cup each for a small one. Season to taste.
Sprinkle cheese over-top and bake 20 minutes.  This is quite dry so serve with a good homemade gravy , add chopped, cooked bacon  and sun-dried tomatoes.

MUSHROOM AND SPINACH:   1 cup minced onions, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp olive oil, 3 cups chopped portabella mushrooms, caps and stems, 1 tsp dill, 2 tsp soy sauce and zucchini pulp.  Saute until onions and zucchini are tender.  While ingredients are sauteing, steam spinach until wilted.  Add to the onion and mushrooms.  Stir in 1 cup pre cooked brown rice.  Place in zucchini shells and arrange in a deep baking dish.  Pour 1 cup of tomato juice in the bottom of the baking dish and grate cheese over top.  Continue baking 30 minutes.

ZUCCHINI MEATLOAF:  prepare your favorite meatloaf, adding the zucchini pulp.  DO NOT PRE-COOK the zucchini.  Form small long meatloaves and place in the zucchini.  Place on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with dry bread crumbs and place foil or a lid over pan.  Cook 45 -60 minutes depending on the size of the zucchini. Remove lid the last 10 minutes to allow browning.


Add chopped zucchini to your favorite salmon roll or meat loaf recipe.


GRILLED ZUCCHINI:  the 8 ball zucchini are purposely left to grow to a large size.  Slice thick, marinate in Italian dressing and grill.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN COCONUT ZUCCHINI:  Serves 4
At market Angela told me about using coconut milk with the squash and how delicious it was.  I found this recipe in the MOOSEWOOD COOKBOOK.

4 to 5 cups cubed zucchini
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp coconut oil
2 chopped scallions
2 tbs. fresh lime juice
2 tbs each chopped fresh basil and mint
1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk
In a skillet, saute the zucchini, garlic, and turmeric in the coconut oil for 5 minutes. Stir constantly.  Add scallions, lime juice, basil, mint, and coconut milk.  Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, until the zucchini is tender.  Stir occasionally add a splash of water if necessary to keep from sticking.  Add salt to taste.  The turmeric turns the zucchini a lovely yellow.

Try canning the zucchini, make relish, pickles, ect.

Above are just a few recipes.  I'll post more during the winter when I am using the grated, frozen zucchini.  Only a few more deliveries of summer squash!  HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!