New! Organic tomato sauce and salsa at Wild Carrot Farm

The Natural Princess visits Wild Carrot Farm

Here is a "webisode" of The Natural Princess web series hosted by Alicia Ghio. Alicia visited Wild Carrot Farm last August to talk about fennel!

http://thenaturalprincess.com/episodes.html

Wild Onions

Wild onions are a very flavorful delicious edible. They are one of the first plants to push through the ground in spring. They look like a cross between chives and scallions. Their leaves, bulbs, and flowers are all edible and have a distinctive sharp flavor and scent.

They are typically found in clumps and because of their small size, cleaning can be a little tedious. Wash the bulbs and remove the roots and skins until you get down to the snowy white bulbs.

I simply sauteed these wild onions in olive oil with a little bit of salt and pepper.

Wild onions are delicious grilled, chopped into a salad, used as garnish, roasted, creamed, made into an onion dip or an onion broth or soup.

Community Supported Agriculture "What You Want, When You Want It!"

Farmers' Mark and Joanie are excited to announce the 2011 CSA. A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a program where we offer customers fresh-picked USDA Certified Organic produce by purchasing a share of the season's harvest in advance.

By participating in a CSA, customers become dedicated to sustaining the farm by supplying capital for start-up expenses, (farm labor, seeds, potting soil, utilities, greenhouse supplies, etc.) that need to be paid before the first crop is harvested.

This year a share entitles our members to fresh produce, vegetable, flower and herb plants, fresh cut flowers and all other products available in our farm store (honey, maple syrup, goat cheese and goat soap, jams, baked goods, seasonally prepared foods, etc.). Members will be able to choose what's in their share anytime the farm store is open from May through October.

We strive for a wide variety of USDA Certified Organic produce throughout the season. A major benefit to this program is its flexibility. You select what you want, when you want it!

Visit our website today for additional details about our CSA and to download your enrollment application!

Food Focus: a variety of Winter Squash

Our winter squash laying out in the greenhouse, curing.

Winter squash is the fall harvest storage vegetable. Winter squash will store three to six months, depending on the variety, in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. All varieties are great for baking, roasting and pureeing. Once squash is cooked, it can be used in soups, main dishes, vegetable side dishes, even breads, muffins, custards & pies. Any type of mashed or pureed winter squash can be used in place of canned pumpkin.

Winter Squash is rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium and dietary fiber. It has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

These are some of the USDA Certified Organic varieties you will find at our farm store and farmers' markets:

HONEY BEAR, a mini-acorn squash is just the right size halved for single servings. It is deliciously starchy and sweet.

ACORN SQUASH is a small, ribbed squash; it has a pale yellow flesh and is deliciously starchy and sweet.

It is delicious right from the garden and best eaten within 3 months of harvest. Acorn squash is ideal for baking, but can also be sauteed or steamed.

To bake simply cut acorn squash in half, remove any seeds, add butter and bake at 350 degrees 45 to 60 minutes until squash is tender. Store in a cool dry place such as a cellar.

KABOCHA is a Japanese variety, that refers most commonly to a squash of the buttercup type. It is like a buttercup without the "button" on the blossom end.

This squash has a green, bluish-gray (Grey Kabocha) or a deep orange (Scarlet Kabocha, pictured above) skin. The tender flesh is deep yellow to bright orange, smooth and sweet for baking, mashing & pies.

Usually a tear-drop shape, HUBBARD SQUASH are often used as a replacement for pumpkin. Hubbard squash are good for pies and purees.

Hubbard squash can be cooked whole, but are generally peeled and boiled, cut up and roasted, or cut small and steamed or sauteed. The yellow flesh of these tend to be very moist and longer cooking times in the oven are needed.

Hubbard squash, if in good condition initially, can be successfully stored six (6) months at 50 to 55 degrees F. with 70% relative humidity. Less rot will develop in the Hubbard Squash if stems are completely removed before storage.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH usually have a tan skin. The "oranger" the color, the riper, drier, and sweeter the squash. The bright orange, moist flesh tastes best after a few weeks storage.

Butternut is a more watery squash and tastes somewhat similar to sweet potatoes. Its choice, fine-textured, deep-orange flesh has a sweet, nutty flavor. Some people say it is like butterscotch.

Butternut is a common squash used in making soups because it tends not to be stringy.

It has the longest storage potential of all squash; it will keep all winter.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH is a small, watermelon shaped variety ranging size from 2 to 5 pounds or more. It has a golden-yellow, oval rind and a mild, nut-like flavor. When cooked, the flesh separates in strands that resemble spaghetti pasta.

The yellowest Spaghetti squash will be the ripest and best to eat. Although it may seem counterintuitive, larger Spaghetti squash are more flavorful than smaller ones.

To prepare Spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds, then bake or boil it until tender. Once cooked, use a fork to rake out the "spaghetti-like" stringy flesh (all the way to the rind) and serve.

Spaghetti squash can be stored at room temperature for about a month. After cutting, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to two (2) days. Spaghetti squash also freezes well.

BUTTERCUP SQUASH is one of the most common varieties of winter squash with a turban-shape (a flattish top and dark green skin), and normally heavy (weighing 3-5 pounds), with dense yellow-orange skin.

It has a sweet and creamy orange flesh. This squash is much sweeter than other winter varieties. Buttercup squash can be roasted, baked, mashed, pureed, steamed, simmered, or stuffed.

It can be used like pumpkin and can replace sweet potato in most recipes.

SWEET DUMPLING is a small, mildly sweet-tasting squash resembling a miniature pumpkin with its top pushed in. It has a cream-colored skin with green specks or can be multi-colored like the Carnival (pictured left).

It has sweet and tender orange flesh and is a great size for stuffing and baking as individual servings. Sweet dumplings are tiny but great for roasting and presenting whole.

DELICATA is an heirloom variety and is one of the tastier winter squashes, with creamy pulp that tastes like corn and sweet potatoes.

Delicata can be baked or steamed. The thin skin in also edible.

USDA Certified Organic Flower Bouquets

* Photo by Priscilla Russo

Our farm store has fresh USDA Certified Organic Mixed Flower and Sunflower bouquets. The flowers are harvested and bouquets are made on Tuesday mornings and will be available in the farm store on Tuesday afternoons.

We also harvest flowers on Friday mornings. Bouquets are available at the farm store and at the Litchfield Hills Farm Fresh Market on Saturday's from 10am-1pm.

While bouquets last!

Keep your flowers fresher longer with our Flower Power Recipe:

• 1 tbsp. sugar (food source)
• 1 tsp. bleach (anti-bacterial)
• 1 tsp. lemon juice or vinegar (lowers pH & aids in water uptake)

Thoroughly mix above ingredients in vase of water. Re-cut stems using a knife to avoid smashing stem. Change water and re-cut stems every few days.

*Priscilla Russo and her husband Lou are CSA "work shares" at the farm. When they are not on the farm, they run Russo Photography together. Priscilla has been kind enough to share some of her photos with us for our website and blog. Thank you Priscilla and Lou!

The Great Garlic Harvest!

The happy harvesters from left to right - Ben, Farmer Mark, Selah, Ally, Farmer Joanie, Mary, Katy, Molly; and down in front - Caleb a/k/a "Big Tuna"

Everyone is lined up on either side of the garlic bed. The soil has been loosened; they are pulling up the bulbs, shaking off some of the dirt and stacking the garlic on pallets.

Next, the garlic will be bunched and hung to cure for two to three weeks.

Fun Facts about Garlic:

• The first known labor strike was over garlic. Slaves forced to build the great Egyptian pyramids refused to work without a daily garlic ration.
• At ancient Greek and Roman weddings, the brides carried bouquets of garlic and other herbs instead of flowers.
• Garlic is a member of the onion family which also includes leeks and shallots.
• Garlic is considered both a vegetable and an herb.
• The first recorded writings of garlic were in Sanskrit in 5000 B.C.
• On-going medical research is confirming all the old wives tales about the benefits of eating garlic. Regular consumption of garlic reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol, helps fight respiratory infections, improves circulation and so much more.
• To remedy "garlic breath" try chewing a little raw parsley, a lemon wedge or drink green or mint tea.

Farm Store Update

We have USDA Certified Organic Apple Mint, Basil, Blackberries, Cauliflower, Collards, a variety of Cucumbers including marketmore, picklers and asian (burpless), eggplant, garlic scapes, kale, kohlrabi, a variety of Lettuces, New Zealand Spinach, Parsley, Peppers, Raspberries, Scallions, Shallots, a variety of Summer Squash and Zucchini, Swiss Chard, and our very own greenhouse Cherry and Regular Tomatoes.

We also have Conventional Corn and Conventional Peaches from March Farms.

Our USDA Certified Organic produce can be found at our farm store

located at 541 Albany Turnpike (Route 44) in Canton, CT.

You will also find us at:

Litchfield Hill's Farm Fresh Market, Saturday's 10am-1pm

Canton/Collinsville Farmers Market, Sunday's 10am-1pm

Windsor Farmer's Market, Thursday's 3:30pm-6:30pm

Food Focus - Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi tastes like a sweet turnip with a bit of a radish tang. Grate kohlrabi raw into salads, or make a coleslaw like this Kohlrabi slaw:

• 1 1/2 lbs. kohlrabi, peeled and shredded (about 4 c)
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 2 tbsp minced onion
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp each chopped fresh dill & chopped fresh parsley
• Black pepper to taste

1. In a bowl, blend onion, sour cream, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice, dill, parsley and pepper.
2. Add kohlrabi and carrots and toss to coat. Serve, or chill 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Or, make Steamed kohlrabi with lemon butter:

• 1 bunch kohlrabi
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp minced frash parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim kohlrabi, but do not peel. Steam over simmering water, covered, 40 minutes or until tender.
2. Cool slightly, then peel and chop.
3. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. Cook 2 minutes.
4. Add kohlrabi; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve and Enjoy!

You can also add sliced or cubed kohlrabi to hearty soups, stews, or a mixed vegetable stir-fry; mash cooked kohlrabi, mix with cooked potato, form into patties, and fry in butter. Try raw kohlrabi, thinly sliced, alone or with a dip. Peel kohlrabi and eat it raw like an apple.

Kohlrabi offers generous amounts of vitamins A and C, and emphasizes the minerals potassium and calcium. It's high in fiber and contains only 40 calories per cup.

Food Focus - New Zealand Spinach

New Zealand Spinach is not a true spinach but a warm season alternative to regular spinach. It thrives in hot weather and will not bolt or get bitter like true spinach. It has similar flavor and texture properties to spinach and is cooked like spinach. New Zealand Spinach does have a high oxalate content - it contains antioxidant carotenoids that are responsible for much of its nutrition. Because of the form they are in, it is harder for the body to digest them. By blanching the leaves, the nutrients can be converted to a form the body can easily absorb. New Zealand Spinach is valued because of its high vitamin C content. It is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 and is low in fat and fiber content. Use New Zealand Spinach raw as a salad green or in any of your favorite spinach dishes, like this:

Quinoa Stir-Fry with Spinach and Walnuts:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1 bag (6 oz.) fresh baby spinach or New Zealand Spinach
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Torn fresh basil leaves (garnish)

1. Place quinoa in small bowl, add water to cover, and swish to rinse. Pour into fine mess strainer and drain well.
2. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add quinoa. Toast, stirring, over medium heat until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add salt and 2 cups of water. Heat to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
3. Spread walnuts in small skillet and stir over medium-low heat until toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
4. When quinoa is cooked, add spinach and tomatoes to skillet. Stir-fry over medium heat until spinach is almost wilted and tomatoes are warmed, about 1 minute. Stir in walnuts and cheese. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve warm. Enjoy!

Farm Store Update

In our farm store now...

USDA Certified Organic Raspberries and Blackberries,

USDA Certified Organic Apple Mint, Basil and Parsley bunches,

USDA Certified Organic Cauliflower, Collards, Cucumbers-marketmore, picklers and asian, Eggplant, Kale, Kohlrabi, a variety of Lettuces, New Zealand Spinach, Peppers-green, colored and hot, Scallions, Shallots, Summer Squash and Zucchini, Swiss Chard
and Greenhouse Tomatoes-cherry and regular.

We also have conventional Sweet Corn and conventional Tomatoes.

Farm Store Update

Please, please, please pass the peas...

We have USDA Certified Organic shelling peas, snow peas and sugar snap peas.

We have USDA Certified Organic raspberries.

We have bunches of apple mint, basil and parsley.

We have beets, collards, a limited amount of cucumbers, garlic scapes, kale, kohlrabi and a variety of lettuces.

We have scallions, yellow summer squash & zucchini and swiss chard.

We have our own USDA Certified greenhouse tomatoes - cherry and regular.

We also have conventional corn on the cob.

*Please note on Sunday, July 4th - we will be open 9am - 3pm.

Tune In...

Tune in to NBC 30 on Monday, July 5th between 5pm and 6pm. NBC 30's Ryan Hanrahan visited the farm on Wednesday, June 23 for a piece he is doing on CSA's - Community Supported Agriculture.

In the News...

The following link will take you to an article featured on the front page of the Monday, June 21st Hartford Courant.

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-work-share-at-farms-0621-20100620,0,3376730.story

The article focuses on the CSA Work Share, where in exchange for providing the farm with 80 hours of labor - seeding, transplanting, weeding, harvesting and any other farm task you can think of, you earn a "share" of the farm's produce.

Our very own workshares Priscilla and Lou Russo and Katie Conroy were quoted in the article as well as Farmer Joanie!

Food Focus - Napa Cabbage

Napa Cabbage is a type of chinese cabbage. It is an Asian specialty that combines the thin crisp texture of lettuce with the fresh peppery tang of juicy cabbage. Napa Cabbage has very few calories, plenty of fiber and small amounts of vitamins A, C, and minerals are present. It is a main ingredient in egg rolls and is excellent fresh, stir-fried, or pickled as kimchee.

Our recipe book features a simple and delicious Napa Cabbage Salad recipe. For the salad you will need:

• 1 head of Napa Cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 bunch of scallions, chopped

For the vinaigrette you will need:

• 1/4 cup safflower oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. sugar

Whisk together, pour over veggies, serve and enjoy!

Our 1st Annual Parsnip Contest

Parsnips take 100 days from seed to mature! We gave you a head start!!

We have a few parsnips started in pots.

We would like any child (12 and under) who is interested in growing a parsnip to take one home and plant it.

On September 26, 2010 dig up your parsnip (leave the soil and leaves on it)

and bring it to the farm at 1:30pm for judging.

A few things you should know about parsnips:

• Parsnips grow really long.
• Parsnips like deep, loose soil;
• Plenty of water and sunshine;
• And, to be kept free from weeds.

1st Prize goes to the Biggest, Longest Parsnip!

2nd Prize goes to the Best Looking Parsnip!!

3rd Prize to the Weirdest Looking Parsnip!!!

Contest begins Monday, June 7th. Stop by and pick up your parsnip today!

USDA Certified Organic Plant Sale

If you haven't purchased your plants for your garden and flower boxes, now is a great time!

Starting June 2nd through Father's Day, June 20th - we will continue to place plants ON SALE. THIS WEEK:

• 3-pack vegetables (cucumbers, summer squash & zucchini) - $2./3-pack
• 6-pack vegetables and flowers - $3.25/6-pack
• Seeds of Change Organic Seed Packs - $2.29/pack

We also have a SPECIAL on :

• Bellstar Plum Tomatoes (4" pots) - 2/$5.99
• 6-packs of Spinach - Buy One, Get One - while supplies last.

Starting June 9th, 4" Eggplant, Pepper and Tomato Plants will go ON SALE; as well as our 4" Specialty Annual Flowers, Memorial Planters, Hanging Baskets, Swiss Chard Bowls, Herb Bowls and 2 Gallon Tomato Plants.

And finally, on June 16th our 4" Herb Plants will go ON SALE.

Stop by and see what we have - you'll be pleasantly surprised!

As always our staff - Deb, Betsy, Shirley, Katherine and Randy - will do their best to answer your gardening questions.

Farm Store Update

Our Farm Store is now open 7 days a week!
Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm.

We have USDA Certified Organic Bok Choi, Lettuce, Napa Cabbage, Spinach, limited amounts of Asparagus and Scallions. We have Conventional Native Strawberries and March Farm's Tomatoes.

We have compiled a book of recipes to guide you through the organic crops grown at the farm - Wild Carrot Farm Recipe Book is for sale at our Farm Store.

Stay tuned...I will be sharing recipes from the book on this blog throughout the season.

Other specialty items in our store include: Mead's Maple Syrups, Jones' Apiaries Honey, Winding Drive Jams, Griffin Farms Goat Cheese, Goat Soap, Locally Baked Biscotti by Danielle Marone Brennan of Beans, Inc. and organic spice blends, heritage beans & lentils, heirloom & exotic grains & rices from Boxed Goodes.
For your flower and vegetable garden we have organic Eggplant, Pepper, Tomato and Heirloom Tomato Plants, vegetable, flower & herb bedding plants, organic seeds from Seeds of Change, organic compost and organic potting soil.

Stop by and see us soon!

Food Focus: Asparagus is in Season!

Asparagus is the classic spring harvest treat. It is a perennial plant and only the young shoots of asparagus are eaten. Asparagus provides excellent nutrition. It is low in calories, contains no cholesterol and is very low is sodium. It is a good source of folate and potassium and its stalks are high in antioxidants. Asparagus can be eaten raw in a salad, boiled or steamed and served with butter or hollandaise sauce, stir-fried, wrapped in bacon or grilled. It is also used as an ingredient in soups and stews.

This is Farmer Joanie harvesting some asparagus last weekend.

I used what I brought home with me to make an Asparagus Soup with Garlic Cream. This recipe is super simple to make and delicious!

For the soup you will need:

• 1 pound asparagus, 1-1/2 inches of the hard ends removed
• sea salt
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound (2 cups) leeks, cleaned and finely chopped, white parts only
• 1/4 cup roll oats
• 5 cups vegetable stock

Cut 1-1/2 inches off tip of each asparagus spear; set tips and stems aside. Bring saucepan of salted water to a boil, add the asparagus tips and cook until tender - about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Warm oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks and a pinch of salt and saute over medium-low for 7 minutes or until leeks are softened but not browned. Add the oats, asparagus stems and stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered, until the oats are tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the Garlic Cream.

For the Garlic Cream:

• 1 medium head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup water
• 5 sprigs of fresh tarragon
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• Fresh parsley; chopped for garnish

In a small saucepan, combine garlic, olive oil, water and tarragon. Simmer, uncovered until the garlic is tender, 20-30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender. Puree, adding a little of the vegetable cooking liquid if needed. Stir the garlic cream into the soup and mix well. Puree the soup in a standing blender or with a hand-held immersion blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot. Add salt to taste and season with fresh ground pepper and lemon juice. Add reserved asparagus tips and reheat if necessary. Serve warm, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Note: Although they may seem unusual in soup, blended oats produce a delicate, creamy consistency; you'll never know they're there!

My soup wasn't completely true to the recipe, but it was still delicious. This was my first attempt and I overlooked separating the tips and stems and cooked and pureed the entire asparagus spear. Instead of vegetable stock, I used chicken stock - only because it was what I had on hand. And, I didn't have fresh tarragon, so I used oregano. Why oregano? It was what I had and it seemed comparable. This recipe as well as other asparagus recipes are available in our recipe book. Look for it in our farm store and at farmer's markets soon!

Transplanting into the field

This weekend I had the pleasure of meeting and working with a new employee at the farm - Jen. Jen is currently a 7th grade math teacher and will be working at the farm this summer. Welcome Jen!

A lot of our plants are ready to be transplanted into the field. Unfortunately, the weather forecast is predicting low's in the 30's and the possibility for frost until mid-week. However, we were able to transplant some lettuce in our new high tunnel. And, because kale and broccoli are able to tolerate the colder temperatures, we were able to transplant both into the field. At one point, Jen and I felt like we were re-living an episode of "I Love Lucy" - the one where Lucy is working in the chocolate factory. Farmer Joanie was driving the tractor through the field and Jen and I were on the back of the transplanter attempting to transplant into three rows - not an easy task with only two people. We transplanted 1080 broccoli plants. Not too bad for first-timers. And, we did have a laugh!

This blog is new for us. We hope to share news and information about the farm, the different people who work at the farm including our CSA work shares, recipes and more! Please let us know if there is something more you would like to hear about. Thanks!