Down at Sunny Meadows

A free Saturday, care of Mother Nature

2011-03-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

After much rain outside, the greenhouse just couldn't handle it anymore and flooded. In fact, one of them was almost a swamp!

And the spinach did not like being flooded.

Kind of like when you overwater plants and they wilt and die, so did the spinach. On the positive side, we did not have a farmer's market today, giving us a break until the farmer's market starts outside in Clintonville April 29th. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean free time, we've still got lots of preparing to do for the upcoming season. And with this recent cold weather, we're spending our time adding wood to the fire out in the greenhouse every 3 hours. Oh how I look forward to spring and warm weather!

So I brought in some forsythia to force it into bloom to brighten my day.

And earlier this week, before the 30 degree weather, the crocuses and daffodils bloomed.

The tulips think it's time for spring!

We found a turnip as big as my head! That's enough to feed a family for a week, who needs that much turnip? I see it as a challenge to figure out how many ways I can use turnips!

And there was one field on high ground that was tillable. The soil was still a little too wet in some spots, but we couldn't resist the itch to plant outside.

Yeah seed starting!

We look forward to these rows filled with lettuce and sunflowers. Spring here we come!

We get by with a little help from our friends

2011-03-07T05:50:00.000-08:00

We just wanted to give some thanks to Steve and Chuck for helping us pot up all the lisianthus we got in. We ordered them as plugs because they are pretty much impossible to start from seed, and they take forever, but they were just little itty bitty guys. Unfortunately too, we had 5 trays of 288 plugs which needed to be put into trays that only hold 50 so they can continue to grow even more before they get planted out. So, let's do the math: that means we potted up 1,440 plugs into 28 trays. Whew! Now you see why we couldn't have done it without them!

Well, extreme heat I don't think we are going to have to worry about, but cold maybe. We're thinking maybe we got them a little too early, but we put a wood burning stove into the seed starting greenhouse so we are hoping they will make it!

This year is our first experimenting with heat and with trying to have flowers this early. We are shooting for Mother's Day flowers, so wish us luck!

Makes me proud to continue on the tradition of small scale flower farming!

2011-03-05T04:21:00.001-08:00

The week of presentations

2011-03-05T04:20:00.000-08:00

After being on 10 tv plugging my business and my presentation at the Home and Garden show, I came home, took a nap, and then was off to the show. Although there were only about 5-6 people that listened to my presentation, the stage manager there said I just picked a bad time to do it and suggested that I come back another year and go earlier in the day. It was a good place to start though, hearing myself in a microphone was kind of intimidating. Once I get the 10 tv DVD I will upload it onto here for everyone to see.

Then on Thursday, we went to Keller Farms to talk about how to grow greens in the winter. It began their Backyard Gardener's Series and was a huge success. There were more people there than there were seats and they were really excited to hear about it. And now that the presentations are over, time for finals week for my Columbus State classes, wish me luck!

These make for some fun projects

2011-02-22T09:09:00.001-08:00

http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/recipe-project/project-20110221.asp

Our spinach harvest last week... on a bright and sunny day!

2011-02-22T05:20:00.000-08:00

Even though it looked like this outside, the sun shone into the greenhouse and really heated it up.

Look at all the beautiful spinach.

It was warm enough in there, I couldn't resist temptation to take my shoes off and stick them in the dirt. Now don't get me wrong, this didn't last long, the soil was still cold.

Since it was so warm, I had to have some ice cream too. I figured I might as well take full advantage!

Steve didn't really want to take a break from working to eat ice cream, but I think he enjoyed it anyway.

We're also gearing up to heat our seed starting greenhouse. Our goal this year is to have flowers by Mother's Day, which requires starting things a little earlier than usual and our basement seed starting area isn't big enough to hold everything we are trying this spring.

Check it out!

2011-02-13T19:53:00.000-08:00

http://www.local-matters.org/story/sunny-meadows-grows-food-flowers-and-community

2011 Cooperative CSA info is finally here!

2011-02-08T09:49:00.000-08:00

This year we are proud to announce...

Sunny Meadows Flower Farm 2011 Farmers' Cooperative Community Supported Agriculture Program

This season will be a total of 20 weeks, beginning the week of June 7^th and ending October 18^th. Each week you will get an array of all natural, local, farm fresh vegetables based on seasonality. Mother Nature will ultimately determine crop availability, but your share will include more than a variety of produce. Instead this year, it will be a cooperative of local farms. Your share will also include fresh cut flowers, fruit, herbs, fresh baked bread, canned goods, homemade soap, cheese, eggs, meats and other things throughout the season.

This year's partners include: Honeyrun Farm, Osage Lane Creamery, Lucky Cat Bakery, Blue Owl Garden Emporium, Anderson's Orchards, Triple J Farms and an Amish farmer named Vernon Yoder. All participating farms use sustainable, all natural practices and are in the Central Ohio area. There may be others involved too, but we will always make sure to let you know where you got it from, so you know where you can get more. Our goal is to expose you to the array of things that are available locally and also to give you a more eclectic CSA share each week. Please let us know if you are a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or have any other dietary restrictions that would affect your weekly CSA share.

CSA newsletter:

There will be weekly updates via newsletter about the share that is to come. With the vegetables that you may not be familiar, will be a full description and recipes. We have found that people who utilize the recipes are the ones who typically enjoy their share the most, as they find new ways to use their share contents. To be environmentally conscious we would prefer to have the newsletter online, but for those of you whom that will not work for will receive one when you pick up your share.

For the 2011 growing season the share price is $475, but we offer payment plans:

Early bird: $450 if paid by March 1^st, 2011
Full price: $475 paid by May 1^st, 2011
Installment plan: 3 installments of $160 paid by March 1^st, April 1^st, and May 1^st
Half share: $250 paid by May 1^st, 2011

Pick up spots:

Granville Farmer’s Market, Granville

Saturday 8 am-12 pm

At our farm, 3555 Watkins Road, Columbus

Wednesday 3-6pm

Upper Arlington Farmer's Market

Wednesday 3-6

Just email us if you want more information and a copy of the contract:

sunnymeadowsflowerfarm@gmail.com

Thank you for your support,

Gretel and Steve Adams

Sunny Meadows Flower Farm

Getting married near Columbus? Join the Green Wedding Movement!

2011-02-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

We are revamping our website, so soon this will be available to everyone on the new site, but I just thought I would get this out there. Soon I will have a flickr account just for the wedding photos too, a portfolio for display.

We operate based on seasonality, so we encourage brides to use the flowers that we grow so you get the freshest, most beautiful bouquet. Contact us and we can discuss the possibilities. We have three options available for wedding services:

Buy Bulk Wedding Flowers: You would pick these flowers up a day or two before the weddings and do your own arranging. Or, combine it with some a la carte options and make sure your wedding party looks sharp.
A La Carte Design Work: Have us do some of the floral design, usually including anything the wedding party would wear or carry. These arrangements would be picked up day of or the day before the wedding. Can be combined with bulk flowers for the reception.
Full Service: This package includes everything for the ceremony, reception, set-up and delivery. This is the hassle free option, so no worrying necessary!

Contact us soon to ensure your date is still available. Then, fill out the contract below the best you can and make a deposit. You can come visit us at one of our farmer's markets to see our arranging in person. And for other wedding services you may need, check out the links we have to some of our friends who do great work.

Spring has sprung, well kind of...

2011-02-07T07:29:00.000-08:00

And so the season begins.

This is Munki. She was in with the chickens and trying to figure out how to get out. Crazy kitty!

Thanks to this handy, old tiller, it was time for reworking some of this ground for spring.

So, we tilled in the old beds.

Out with the old, and in with the new. We're planting some Bells of Ireland, flowers that will hopefully be ready early spring. It's kind of an experiment, so we'll see how it goes!

This is one of our Larkspur beds, which will be a nice greenhouse crop this year. Last year they weren't ready until after Mother's Day, but this year we are hoping they come right on time.

This one was originally a spinach bed, but the larkspur from last year reseeded and took over. We decided to sacrifice what little spinach was left in there, like that one leaf that you can see, to let the flowers grow.

This is ranunculus finally popping through the soil. It's a new spring crop for us and we're really excited about the beautiful bouquets it will make.

I found another one! So plural, would it be ranunculi? It's just so nice to see things sprouting. It gives me hope on these dreary winter days.

The farming community mourns today

2011-02-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

Our beloved farmer friend, Cliff Nishimura, Zenjiro Gardens, passed away unexpectedly Sunday the 30th. We will miss that laugh, his beautiful bouquets, and a great man. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cliff's family and friends, and all the other people who have been touched by his kindness. A memorial celebration is this Sat. Feb 5th, 11am-1pm at Jagers and Sons Funeral Home in Athens, OH.

Gretel and I are extremely thankful for being able to visit Cliff's gardens, it was amazing. His gardens were beautiful, and his place had a lot of character. Seeing his place gave us a greater sense of who Cliff was. He lived the way I always wanted to live, simple, minimal, and in the mountains. Cliff lived a hard life, but was always smiling and had an infectious laugh. We wanted to be at markets that he was at because they were so much more fun. Even though we were flower growers too and you would think there may be a sense of competition, instead it was something that brought us together and made us closer friends. He was the first farmer to reach out to us when we were fresh into doing the farmer's markets, and the friendship continued to build from there.

I learned a lot about flowers from him, and will continue to learn from Cliff. What is really sad is that his garden will not be tended to like it always has been. I think about seeing it next year with all the perennials holding on as well as they naturally can, over grown with weeds, lost in nature, and wonder what will come of it. His memory will always be a part of what we do and who we are as flower farmers and as people. He will be very dearly missed and this season just won't be the same without him.

Living the homesteading lifestyle

2011-01-31T06:38:00.000-08:00

This is a homemade alfredo made with pesto from our garlic scapes this spring that was saved in the freezer, topped with a delicious veggie burger from Luna Burger, a Columbus company.

And the dryer broke, so we are now having to hang all of our clothes in the living room where the wood burning stove is to get everything dry.

Ultimately it just looks like a tornado went through and spewed clothes everywhere, but you gotta do what you gotta do I guess. We're just living the gypsy lifestyle.

This is my first batch of homemade granola and it was amazing. I even dehydrated some blueberries we got from the farmer's market to put on top. Mix that in with some Greek yogurt and you've got yourself a nice healthy snack... much better for you then processed cereals.

This is chicken we got from an Amish farmer which we made unhealthy by frying, but who can resist fried chicken every once in a while? And with it, is cream of sweet potato soup... yum!

Overall, we're really loving winter. Although we live on a busy road, so we never technically get snowed in, we can always pretend like we are, snuggled up next to the wood burning stove. And between all the canning we do, our milk that gets delivered to us, and the stuff in the freezer, we really only need to go to the grocery store for things like toilet paper and other things we can't make ourselves. It's a good life we lead!

We're officially members!

2011-01-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

Today we joined the membership of the Bexley Natural Market and are super excited. We are close enough to it that we feel like we are a part of a community, people striving for the same goal of local, healthy, and organic. We look forward to the relationships we'll build and the sense of community we will gain. Check it out y'all!

Fighting cabin fever

2011-01-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

During the winter, Steve still needs things to do. It's actually nice because we have time inside to focus on the house. In the summer, we aren't really in it enough to spend time reorganizing and redecorating. So, we got a new shelf to organize all of our goods.

All of our tomatoes from this year, some homemade sauerkraut, and some pickled grape leaves.

Our dried goods section, herbs and teas, beans, and some more canned goods.

This Hoosier cabinet was my Valentine's Day present 2 years ago and has really been great storage space since we have no pantry. And sitting on top are a couple beers from Rockmill Brewery. We went for a taste testing on Thursday, and the Belgian style beer was so amazing we had to bring more home with us. We also discovered that good beer isn't served ice cold, that's just what the crappy tasting beer wants you to believe. That way, you just taste cold instead of the flavor of their beer. So, this good beer is served chilled, like a good bottle of wine.

Bread from our baker friend at Lucky Cat Bakery. His stuff is amazing! This is his famous Focaccia, and his new Multigrain Rye Sourdough which is 90% organic and super yummy! (The only things not organic are the local honey in it and the rye chops, which is like an oatmeal sort of mixture that helps the rye flour rise). Ultimately, the best bread around!

After the kitchen reorganizing, we moved to the spare bedroom, and there is a floor... yay!

9 degrees outside doesn't hold us back!

2011-01-24T13:57:00.000-08:00

Although we had some inches of snow in the past couple of days, it really just created an insulating layer and with the bright sun, it was nice and toasty in the greenhouse.

We even sanitized flats for our seed starting. We just brought in hot water from inside and I got pretend I was on the beach with my hands in warm water and the sun shining down upon us.

Steve's showing those seeds who's boss.

My stack of sanitized pots and flats. To save on plastic, we wash all of our plasticware and reuse it until it works no longer, then it gets recycled.

And, my Amaryllis I got around Christmas time is finally blooming. It's nice to have flowers around in the winter.

Philo was enjoying being outside off leash, although he didn't quite understand the concept of the greenhouse. It's like he was outside, he could see the outside, but he just couldn't quite get there. He pretty much spent the whole time sniffing around, plotting his escape.

Overall, it was a good snow day for us!

Good eats after a hard day's work

2011-01-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

Seared duck breast, Homemade french onion soup from a Jamie Oliver recipe with Lucky Cat Bakery toasted bread for the croutons, and fresh spinach salad with homemade dressing

Look at all these beautiful honeys. The first three are from the bees at our place, the one with the comb comes from Honeyrun Farm.

Our homemade cowboy coffee. Better than any coffee maker I've ever had!

Seed germination testing to make sure we don't over order our seeds for next year.

Cleaning out the garage, my flower studio is soon to take over!

The spinach wash area. Don't let the picture fool you though, this greenhouse isn't heated, but it does feel better in there than it does outside, especially on a warm, sunny day.

Monday we worked like crazy while the sun was out. The seeds will soon be arriving and seed starting will begin. How quickly the season approaches!

Field Trip!

2011-01-13T14:22:00.000-08:00

Now that we are home from our trip, we are enjoying the snow settling in. It is definitely winter, but it's too bad that we don't ever officially get snowed in being so close to the city. The farms that we just visited seemed to be far enough off the beaten path that they really would be snowed in. First, we went to the Great Plains Growers Conference for an all day cut flower workshop with Erin Benzakein from Floret Flowers. We learned about wedding flowers, some marketing tips, and got to be a part of a hands on workshop to learn more about how to make beautiful bouquets like Erin.

Look at my bouquet. I'm so proud :)

Boutonneires... like little mini bouquets

That's Erin

Then we went and visited Lynn Byczynski at her farm. This is Lake Clinton nearby in Lawrence, Kansas.

Then we went to Dripping Springs Garden in Huntsville, Arkansas. This farm was amazing and the Ozark Mountains were beautiful. The snow started right when we got into the mountains. I can't imagine what this place must look like in the middle of the farming season.

The tool shed... something we wish we had!

Their new house, timber built with earthen walls... it was so peaceful and inviting. Hopefully we'll attain this after more years of farming. Talk about the good life!

Some enormous pussy willow bushes... they make ours look puny.

Another shot of their beautiful house

Look at all those mushroom logs... yum!

And a shot of the Ozarks

Everything we experienced was amazing and totally inspiring. Now we just sit inside and wait for warmer weather. We have been doing our last changes to our seed order and getting things set up for the spring. 2011 here we come!

New Year's Resolution

2011-01-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

So, this year I decided that for my New Year's Resolution, I want to start documenting my farming life better. No one else is going to do it for me so I need to just stop procrastinating and get to it. This includes pictures, blogs, writing for myself, and everything else in between. We just recently got the memoirs of the farmer who used to farm in this area in the early 1900's until he died and the farm area was donated to the Metro Parks. It is really cool and I thought, maybe someday somebody would want to read my story. Who knows, right?

My holiday open house

2011-01-11T16:08:00.000-08:00

The yearly holiday open house at Sue Renner's was a hit! I even got some nice pictures that her daughter, Caitlin Renner took for me. Check 'em out!

Winter is the time for organizing

2010-12-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

So far this winter we have just spent our time trying to gather our marbles. We fix anything that got broken during our busy summer, clean up both in and around the house, and organize. Not only do we strive to be more organized every winter for our own sanity, it also makes it easier when it comes to tax time. I also wrecked our Jeep in this lovely winter mess we have outside. But have no fear, I am okay! We actually were able to buy a Subaru Outback wagon for carting flowers around in. And, it's all wheel drive, so no more worries about sliding around in the snow. Now I feel like I'm ready for dealing with the winter weather, which is probably a good thing since it doesn't look like we are going to get a break until spring comes around. But on the brighter side of things, we have been able to spend this time inside working on learning Quickbooks, but also planning our crops for next year. In our fancy new used car, we will be going to Missouri for another grower's conference and visiting a few awesome farms on the way. We will make sure to document our trip to share!
Have a good holiday season everyone!

ASCFG conference

2010-11-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

We just went to the national conference held by the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. We learned a lot and look forward to adding some new things to the repertoire. Here are some photos of our trip. There is a lot going on at Bear Creek Farms in Stillwater, Oklahoma. That is where the President of the ASCFG farms, and look at how red that soil is!

CSA week #18... the end

2010-11-21T08:37:00.001-08:00

Digging our first successful sweet potato crop :)

Season's End

The little bit of frost we got on Saturday morning has killed off some of the flowers and the one expected on Thursday morning may just finish the flowers off. This is, however, the latest frost we have experienced since we have been farmers. It has been a nice little extra boost to get us ready for the winter though, so it has been appreciated.

We have lots of spinach, salad greens and root crops planted for production through the winter months. We will be producing about 3 times more than we did last winter and hope to pick up some more restaurants on our wholesale accounts. We will also be doing markets through the winter. The Granville market will be every Saturday at the Baptist church on the corner of Broadway and Main Street. The Worthington market will be every week. For more information visit the website http://www.owba.net/winter_farmers_market.htm.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support through the season. This year's CSA was very enjoyable for us and we look forward to providing you all next year. We are going to spend the winter months figuring out the logistics of having a multi-farm CSA, but everything is looking promising. We will definitely let you know as soon as more information is available. The community of people we have gathered around us this year has been great and hopefully you will continue to grow with us. So, thank you again for your understanding and support throughout the season.

Hope the winter treats everyone well. And, if you feel like getting out of the house, come see us at the market. I will be doing the Granville High School craft show on November 6. Or, you can just come out to the farm and pick up some spinach or salad greens. Either way, keep in touch and thank you for being a part of this Community Supported Agriculture program.

What's included this week?

Braising mix- great cooked down as a side dish for dinner
Lettuce mix
Radishes
Honey from the bees on our farm
Sweet potatoes
Butternut Squash- although you have gotten a lot, you can use some to stock up for winter. We have been cutting them into thin medallions and baking them in the oven until they are crispy on the edges. Just put some salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and/ or sage

Recipe of the Week

Honey Balsamic Vinagrette

3 T olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 T honey

salt, pepper, and thyme to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a jar with a lid. Then simply put the lid on and shake before use. The extra can be stored in the fridge, but make sure to shake it up before the next use. The quality of the ingredients you use will change the taste, so pick good olive oil and balsamic. It is worth it!

Thank you for your support, Gretel and Steve

CSA week #17

2010-10-15T19:26:00.000-07:00

We kicked this greenhouse's ars... I mean seriously, that was quick!

Mr. and Mrs. Fixit here

As the season winds down, projects begin which is what has definitely been the case this year. We received the greenhouse on Monday and got everything constructed and all the poles up before the weekend was over. Now we just need to put some lumber on it to help hold the plastic on that still needs stretched. We are fortunate to have some friends that are good with construction :)

We have had our first fire in our wood burning stove and have come to a realization that despite this Indian Summer we are currently experiencing, it is almost time to need firewood up at the house. We haven't begun to split more wood, but luckily in the past couple of years, we have built up our supply. We have been getting the other greenhouses ready for cold weather too. We have to make sure we have it airtight for when it's really cold and needs to retain as much heat as possible.

We are doing the same thing with our house right now replacing a few really old windows and a new storm door. Before we moved in, the house had not been insulated and the windows were pretty much ancient. All of them being made of wood has led them to just rot with contact with moisture, making it impossible to open them in the summer and impossible to close them in the winter time.

After these windows are replaced though, we have just the sliding glass door to replace which will be another year's project. Moving into an old house means lots of upkeep, but for us it also means learning how to fix things as new things break. You know, my parents always made me go to Home Depot with them while we were going out to dinner or something like that, and I hated it, now I can't imagine my life without going to a hardware store. Oh the joys of being all growed up...

What's included this week?

Braising mix- greens for cooking. I have been using the greens recipe and adding some brown sugar... sweet and savory!
Lettuce mix- Same idea as a spring mix, only a fall mix
Turnips because they were so yummy last week
Lg pumpkin from Anderson Orchards in Pickerington. For decoration or carving.
Butternut Squash
Bell peppers

Recipe of the Week

Squash Pot Stickers

1 lb. Butternut squash peeled and seeded, flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds

20 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen

1/4 cup canola oil

Put squash, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sugar, and salt in a med saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil over med-high heat. Cook until squash is very soft, about 12 mins; drain. Transfer to a med bowl; mash with a fork until smooth. Stir in scallions and ginger. Stir together sesame seeds, 1/4 cup water, and remaining 1/2 cup soy sauce in a bowl; set sauce aside. Place 1 scant tablespoon filling in the center of each wrapper; brush edges with water. Bring up corners to make a triangle; press to seal. Place on a baking sheet; freeze until firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add 10 potstickers, and cook, shaking pan frequently, until bottoms are golden brown. Turn pot stickers over; very carefully pour in 1/2 cup water, and cover. Steam until most liquid is evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish; cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and pot stickers. Serve with dipping sauce.

Thank you for your support, Gretel and Steve

CSA week #15

2010-10-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Wild berries either blackberries or black raspberries. Whatever they are, they grow all over our place and are everbearing so we love it! And, back to lettuce season again. Look at that nice fall mix.

Duck processing

After much deliberation, we decided to process the remaining male ducks we had left. We weren’t sure if we were going to keep one and mate it with the female so we could have little ducklings, but we found out that you need to have 6 females for one drake due to their sex drive. We had four males to one female, poor girl!

So last Sunday, we took them over to a friends house who is a chef so he could help us break them down into pieces and let us borrow his vaccuum sealer. We decided to keep the female because she was laying eggs and we enjoyed having her around. Then, Thursday we had plans to make a nice dinner for ourselves and relax, but we had just a few more things to do outside before we were done. So, we put the dogs out while we got ourselves ready to go outside.

Then we caught our husky with the duck in his mouth?!?! We saved poor Mrs. Duck for a reason, and it just seems ironic that we kept her purposefully, and then our dog was a cold blooded killer. I mean, she was wondering around looking for her pack, so maybe she went into his reach on purpose. Maybe they made a deal, like a suicide pact sort of thing. It was a very somber day here, but she did not die in vain. Instead of making our nice dinner and relaxing, we decided to process the meat that night which led to a quick sandwich for dinner at about 11:30 pm. What a change in our daily plans… RIP Mrs. Duck, you will be missed!

What’s included this week?

Butternut squash- can be stored through the winter should you not want to eat them now
Radishes
Lettuce mix
Peppers- hot and sweet
Carrots
Apples

Recipe of the Week

Butternut Squash Lasagna- it’s like pumpkin ravioli except much easier!

1 T olive oil

2-3 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes***

Salt and pepper

½ cup water

¼ cup butter

1/3 cup all purpose flour

4 cups whole milk

pinch of nutmeg

12 no-boil lasagna noodles (one pkg)

2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into skillet, cover and simmer over med heat until squash is tender, about 20 mins. Transfer squash into a mixing bowl and mash, add water if necessary. Season squash with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a med saucepan over med heat. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a low boil over med high heat. Reduce the heat to med and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. (If you let it thicken too long, it will be too thick. Just add a little bit more liquid and take off heat.) Add the nutmeg. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the over to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 13”x9”baking dish. Spread ¾ cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Cover the bottom of pan with one layer lasagna noodles. Spread half of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with ½ cup sauce over the cheese. Repeat layering once more, finishing with a layer of noodles covered only by white sauce.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna and continue baking until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy! This recipe feeds about 8 people, but can freeze for another dinner later should you have a smaller family.

Thank you for your support,

Gretel and Steve

CSA week #16

2010-10-15T19:19:00.000-07:00

Making kraut, shelling beans, and the season for squashes and sweet potatoes... winter here we come!

What do I do with all this food?

Instead of focusing on the newsletter this week, I want to make sure that everyone is getting full use out of the produce that comes with the fall season. Some of it takes more processing in order to utilize all parts of the product, but it is totally worth it.

What’s included this week?

Radishes- if you feel like you have been getting too many radishes for you to eat, have no fear… just remove the green tops and store separately. Leaving them on will draw moisture and nutrients from the radish bulb. The radishes can be stored in the refrigerator, in plastic for about 1-2 weeks. If you like the tang of radishes, you can include the greens in the greens recipe provided.
Lettuce mix
Turnips- remove the greens and store the same as you did with radishes. Then, use the bulbous part in the roasted veggie recipe and the greens in the other… yum! Turnips can also be cooked like mashed potatoes to give your potatoes a little more flavor.
Bok Choy- a Chinese cabbage, great in sautés or soups
Wild berries- great on top of pancakes, ice cream, cereal
Sage- good paired with meat or with root vegetables for a great savory flavor
Full share- Arugula

Recipes of the Week

Roasted Root Veggies

3-4 carrots, peeled

1 large sweet potato, peeled

3-4 turnips, quartered

2-3 potatoes

3 T good olive oil

½ salt and ¼ tsp pepper

Sage, chopped

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut all the veggies into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly. Place all the cut veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well so all pieces are lightly coated. Add salt, pepper, and herbs to taste. Roast for 25-35 minutes until all the veggies are tender, turning once. Garnish with fresh herbs (or for the full share people, sprinkle the baby arugula on top for a nutty flavor).

This recipe is a great one to have in your arsenal. You can use different herbs based on what you have around, sage and thyme also go well with roasted veggies ( but so do rosemary and parsley, so don’t discriminate). You can also use parsnips, celery, beets, or slices of different squashes. Just experiment!

Turnip Greens

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 ½ pounds turnip greens, washed, stemmed, and chopped***

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 cup chicken stock

½ cup chopped pecans, toasted

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until tender and fragrant. Add the washed and cleaned turnip greens. Mix together. Cook until they have wilted down, about 3 minutes. Add pepper to taste. In a small bowl, whisk the Dijon mustard with the chicken stock. Add to the wilted greens and cook until the liquid has all but evaporated. Add the toasted pecans and serve immediately.

My husband likes them sweet too, so add just a little bit of brown sugar sometimes, but try it this way first.

*** To stem the greens, fold them in half along the stem, then rip the stem away from the leaf starting at the bottom. You can eat the stem too, but they take longer to cook, so chop them up well and put them in first before the leaves.

Thank you for your support,

Gretel and Steve

It's an open house y'all!

2010-09-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

Come check me out selling soap at Sue Renner's Open House. See date and time below.

Shoot me an email if you are interested in attending and I can give you more details...

I would love to see you there!

Find homemade gifts and sweet treats for you or your loved ones during the holiday season.

CSA week #14

2010-09-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

Our chestnut tree has been producing for us, some yummy chestnuts even raw... a little early for chestnuts roasting over an open fire though.

Fall has fallen
The transition into fall is always bittersweet for us. It is nice that we are not going to have to deal with sweltering weather, but is also a gentle reminder that the season is nearing an end. The farmer’s markets go through about the third week in October, which is typically when the first frost date is. Pretty crazy to think about huh?
With markers such as football season, and returning to school, we begin to reflect on the things that we have accomplished in the summer and thinking about what we are going to do through the winter. Our goal is to continue farming through the winter and making soap, and seeing how much the farm can support us without having to get other jobs.
Since I am going to school, it would be nice to be able to just do the farm for now and focus on school without having to work too. Last spring, I was taking classes full time, working full time, and trying to run a business which quickly became too much on my plate. Every year we have tested the waters a little bit more to see how much the business can sustain itself.
After the first year of farming, I quit my full time job as a social worker so we could farm full time in the summer. Slowly, Steve has worked little to none at the coffeeshop, with it first still being a couple days a week, then not through the summer, then last year barely any through the winter, and maybe this year not at all. And as for me, substituting is always an option, but my plan is to not start subbing until I need to.
Between the spinach and greens we will be growing in the winter, and all the soap making, maybe we won’t have to have outside jobs. It is crazy to think how much we have built the business up and kind of scary when your success lies totally on your own shoulders. But, I would much rather that then be working to make someone else’s business successful I suppose. But hopefully between our hard work and some good networking, we will continue to grow.

What’s included this week?
1. Pie pumpkin- great for pies or soup, see instructions below
2. Radishes
3. Lettuce mix
4. Sausage
5. Peppers- hot and sweet

Recipe of the Week
Cooking Fresh Pumpkin
A medium size pumpkin (4 lbs) yields around 1 ½ cups of pureed pumpkin (perfect for filling a pie). Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut your pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place ½” water in a 13”x 9” baking dish and add the pumpkin, cut-side down. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until done. Allow to cool. Scoop out the flesh from the skin; place the flesh in a food processor, and puree. If your puree seems loose and wet, pour it into a fine sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth placed over a bowl to drain off some of the liquid. Then, you can either follow the recipe below which was given to me by a CSA member, or follow your favorite pumpkin pie recipe.

ZESTY PUMPKIN SOUP
¼ C. butter
2 cups chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 t. curry powder
½ t. salt
¼ t. ground coriander
1/8 t. crushed red pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 ¾ cups pumpkin

1 cup half and half
Sour cream – chives (optional)

Melt butter, sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add curry, salt, coriander and red pepper; cook 1 min. Add broth; boil gently, uncovered for 15 to 20 mins. Stir in pumpkin and half and half; cook another 5 mins. Pour mixture into blender, cover and blend until creamy. Garnish with sour cream and chives if desired. Makes: 6 cups

I personally enjoy the mixture of sweet and savory when it comes to the nutty flavors of fall, so I also added some chili powder and brown sugar, giving the soup another layer of flavor too.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #12... sorry I skipped it!

2010-09-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

Homemade pizza made from scratch with all farmer's market ingredients. Too much junk on there to be able to pick it up without it falling apart, so it required fork and knife to eat, but was super delicious!

Farm happenings
The busier we have gotten, the more reliant we have become on our wonderful help. We have two friends helping us out this year for which we are very grateful. There is no way we would be able to do all of this ourselves, that’s for sure.
Along with good people, we have also invested some money in working with better tools too. You would be amazed at the difference between trying to hand weed everything versus being able to use the walk- behind wheel hoe and all the other different garden hoes that we have been using this year.
We also just found out that we were approved for a grant through the Natural Resources Conservation Service for working on season extension with flowers. We are hoping to get the greenhouse up for use this fall, but that seems to be sneaking up on us quick. With the greenhouse ordered, we are now beginning to plan when we can get some extra help out here. There are anywhere from 25-30 hoops and each one is about 7 pieces that you have to put together, drilling metal to metal.
At this point, between raising our own greenhouses and helping others, we have constructed quite a few. It helps to know the method for the madness, but that doesn’t make it any less laborious. So we thought about buying pizza and beer for all of our friends, and seeing how many people we can recruit.
The first year that we decided to put up greenhouses, it took us all winter. It is not so much fun being out in the cold trying to drill through metal. We have to get the ground posts in before the ground freezes, but we were able to do it. Rain or shine, or snow I guess when you do it in the winter. Hopefully this year we can get enough recruits that we won’t have to be bundled up doing it in the snow. I mean at least you are enjoying being outside in the winter time, but I would much rather be throwing snowballs instead!

What’s included this week?

1. Apple Cider from Paige’s Produce… man it’s good!
2. Butternut squash because we are approaching fall quickly J
3. Tomatoes- probably the end, as summer crops are ending soon
4. Potatoes
5. Onions
6. Yams- great like a baked potato with brown sugar and butter inside, or slice real thin and make chips by either frying or baking until crispy… yum!

Recipe of the Week

Tasty Butternut Squash Soup
(I know it’s just barely fall, but this is such a comfort food for me sometimes I just can hardly wait.)
1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
Nutmeg
Salt and ground black pepper

Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

We made another blog!

2010-09-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

http://chickpeasplease.blogspot.com/2010/09/good-work-in-progress-sunny-meadows.html

Check it out!

CSA week #13

2010-09-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

Farm cooperative: Working together just like your momma taught you

Through this year, we have realized that we may not be able to do everything on our own, despite how much we would like to. So, we are working on putting together some type of cooperative so that a gathering of farms could provide for a CSA. This year our flower business has expanded so much, that we are just running out of space to grow produce.

We have been in conversation with other growers to see who wants to be involved, and to gather a large variety of things to be provided to the CSA. Then, we could be responsible for spring and fall cool weather crops, soap, and pork; and find another farmer to grow the summer crops so we can focus on our flowers during the busy season. Until we figure this out, I don’t think there is anyway that we would be able to expand the CSA beyond what it is right now.

We will keep you updated on the progress as we have just begun to spread the idea around through our farmer friends in hopes to collect a large array of different types of products that our customers would be interested in. Since we already have a support system built up of interested CSA members, that has been a plus in our conversations with the other farmers since they wouldn’t be starting from scratch. And at this point, working together just seems like the best thing to do rather than abandoning the whole idea of the CSA when we have worked so hard to build it to what it is now.

We will let you know before the end of the season what the plan is for next year, so you can start saving up for the winter payment for the CSA. Being a returning customer, or being early will result in a discount on the price. Once we get established too, we would like to figure out some way to take food stamps or honor senior coupons to ensure more equal access to our produce. That may be a project for next year though, once the cooperative is established. But in the meantime, thanks for your support and continued interest in our farm!

What’s included this week?
1. Bell peppers
2. Soap
3. Onions
4. Tatsoi- an Asian spinach, eat it raw or braised
5. Beans
6. Sweet Corn

Recipe of the Week
Stuffed Peppers
(I love this recipe because you can do lots of variations from whatever is in your fridge)
4 red, green or yellow bell peppers, tops sliced off and chopped up
2 cups leftover rice or couscous
1 cup leftover meat, either ground or chopped up
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 scallions, chopped (or ½ of an onion, diced)

Slice off tops of bell peppers, remove seeds and discard. Chop up the bell pepper tops and place into a large bowl. Add rice or couscous, chopped meat, dried basil, parsley, chopped pepper tops, chicken stock and scallions. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper. Stuff each pepper with filling and place in a square baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until tender. I also like to melt my favorite cheese on top too, so in the last 10 minutes of baking, just add it on top and let it get all gooey on top…yum!
Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #11

2010-09-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

Press Release

As our business has continued to build on our reputation, we have had some very fortunate encounters. Having a business, we have learned that you are always on in public, even if just going out to dinner. Last year we were given the opportunity to be in Columbus Monthly and the editor liked the picture so much, we even made the cover!

After it came out on newsstands, we went out to dinner to celebrate at Black Creek Bistro, the owner (Kent Peters) recognized us from the cover, and that began our relationship with them. We sold them greens all winter and have continued to sell produce to them since. We were approached by Kent about a month ago to be involved in a tour that was being held for some food writers here in Columbus. He wanted to show them our urban farm too since they would be spending a few days here.

So, a couple weeks ago, we held a tour at our farm for these food writers. They were brought in by an organization called Experience Columbus to give a little more exposure to the scene around town. After the tour, we got to eat at Black Creek Bistro with the group and get to know some of the writers a little better. Kent also purchased a bar of soap for every writer that was at dinner.

It was a great experience and have just been contacted by Country Living magazine as they are going to place my soap in the gift edition of their magazine for the holidays. How exciting! We now are being shown on Ohio magazine’s website too: http://ohiomagazine.com/Main/WishYouWereHere/8.aspx

And to think, it all began with just going out to dinner wanting to support a local business. Now Black Creek has been carrying my soap at the restaurant, I am in the process of building up the shopping cart on my website, and Village Flower Basket in Granville is going to carry my soap too! I may not be substitute teaching until after the holiday soap escapades have ended. Until then, I will just have to be making more soap then I ever could have imagined!

What’s included this week?

Apples- Galas that have not been sprayed, good for snacking

Peppers

Tomatoes

Okra

Squash

Sweet Corn

Recipe of the Week

Bubba’s Shrimp Gumbo (don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, it’s worth trying)

1 cup butter (2 sticks), plus 1 tablespoon

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sliced fresh okra

3 cups shrimp stock

2 cups bottled clam juice

(can use any stock for above two ingredients if it’s already in the pantry)

1 cup chopped tomatoes w/ juice

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups cooked smoked sausage, sliced diagonally

2 lbs shrimp, cleaned and deveined

Serving suggestion: Over cooked white rice.

In a large heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt 1 cup of the butter. Add the flour, and cook on low heat until the roux is dark brown; about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring constantly. *Cook's Note: Brown does not mean burnt; if you burn the roux you have to throw it out and start over again.

Add the onions, celery, peppers and garlic and saute until translucent.

Mix in the okra and the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, and simmer over medium-low heat until thick, about 1 hour. Before serving, remove the bay leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve over white rice, if desired.

Thank you for your support,

Gretel and Steve

Public exposure of the decent kind...

2010-09-02T05:19:00.000-07:00

Another write-up from the food writers that paid us a visit. Check out Columbus!

http://heavytable.com/should-you-find-yourself-in-columbus-ohio/

Anyone up for dancing?

2010-08-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

Just received this from my friend that instructs my dance class. It's an all adult class, so it's tons of fun, and you get exercise at the same time... Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

Hello!

I hope you all enjoyed your summer break! I can't wait to catch up with you all! I am emailing some new dancers as well so I am putting all kinds of information in this email!

I will start off my introducing myself. My name is Katie Irwin-Henry. I began Irish Step dancing when I was five years old. I competed for fifteen years. I went to the world championships held in Ireland seven times, placed fifth in the mid-west championships and eleventh in the nation. After competition I went to the show Lord of the Dance and danced all over the world professionally. I moved to Chicago when I was twenty one to dance professionally with Trinity Dance Company. In January 2010 I completed my certification to teach Irish step dance(T.C.R.G.). I have been teaching with Regan Academy for over a year now.

My class is a fun and vibrant way to workout and meet new people. It is a breeze to get the basics needed for Irish dance in the first class then have a new "jig" by the end of class! I am very excited for the new dance year! Last year we only danced in soft shoes. This year my goal is to have everyone dancing a hornpipe! Which is hard shoe only!! I still have some kinks to work out on class details but wanted everyone to be in the loop. My goal is to start classes the second week of October. Classes will still run the same amount which is $40 per month paid on the first of every month. We have class once a week for an hour. Please do not hesitate to contact me with further questions.

Slainte!

Katie Henry

mailto:Henrykatiehenry2009@hotmail.com

http://www.reganacademy.com/

CSA week #11

2010-08-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

Press Release
As our business has continued to build on our reputation, we have had some very fortunate encounters. Having a business, we have learned that you are always on in public, even if just going out to dinner. Last year we were given the opportunity to be in Columbus Monthly and the editor liked the picture so much, we even made the cover!
After it came out on newsstands, we went out to dinner to celebrate at Black Creek Bistro, the owner (Kent Peters) recognized us from the cover, and that began our relationship with them. We sold them greens all winter and have continued to sell produce to them since. We were approached by Kent about a month ago to be involved in a tour that was being held for some food writers here in Columbus. He wanted to show them our urban farm too since they would be spending a few days here.
So, a couple weeks ago, we held a tour at our farm for these food writers. They were brought in by an organization called Experience Columbus to give a little more exposure to the scene around town. After the tour, we got to eat at Black Creek Bistro with the group and get to know some of the writers a little better. Kent also purchased a bar of soap for every writer that was at dinner.
It was a great experience and have just been contacted by Country Living magazine as they are going to place my soap in the gift edition of their magazine for the holidays. How exciting! We now are being shown on Ohio magazine’s website too: http://ohiomagazine.com/Main/WishYouWereHere/8.aspx
And to think, it all began with just going out to dinner wanting to support a local business. Now Black Creek has been carrying my soap at the restaurant, I am in the process of building up the shopping cart on my website, and Village Flower Basket in Granville is going to carry my soap too! I may not be substitute teaching until after the holiday soap escapades have ended. Until then, I will just have to be making more soap then I ever could have imagined!

What’s included this week?
1. Apples- Galas that have not been sprayed, good for snacking
2. Peppers
3. Tomatoes
4. Okra
5. Squash
6. Sweet Corn

Recipe of the Week
Bubba’s Shrimp Gumbo (don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, it’s worth trying)
1 cup butter (2 sticks), plus 1 tablespoon
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced fresh okra
3 cups shrimp stock
2 cups bottled clam juice
(can use any stock for above two ingredients if it’s already in the pantry)
1 cup chopped tomatoes w/ juice
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked smoked sausage, sliced diagonally
2 lbs shrimp, cleaned and deveined
Serving suggestion: Over cooked white rice.
In a large heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt 1 cup of the butter. Add the flour, and cook on low heat until the roux is dark brown; about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring constantly. *Cook's Note: Brown does not mean burnt; if you burn the roux you have to throw it out and start over again.
Add the onions, celery, peppers and garlic and saute until translucent.
Mix in the okra and the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, and simmer over medium-low heat until thick, about 1 hour. Before serving, remove the bay leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve over white rice, if desired.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

Press Release

2010-08-27T15:07:00.001-07:00

Check out our new write-up.
http://ohiomagazine.com/Main/WishYouWereHere/8.aspx

CSA week #10

2010-08-26T04:21:00.000-07:00

Our biggest wedding yet!!

Composting
Although not many households compost, it really cuts down on your output of waste. Instead of having a trash can full of food scraps, you can turn those foods scraps into black gold as the gardener’s call it. As the food breaks down, the food becomes less distinguishable and eventually is a black loose dirt that is spreadable on your garden.
Now you can not compost meat or dairy, but any veggie scraps, or even grass clippings you have can go in. These are considered the “green” part of the composting cycle. Then, you have the “browns” which need to be added to give the pile some body, so you don’t just have one big sloppy mess. This would be fallen leaves, cardboard, paper, or anything that is a little bit more woody (like for us, some of our flower stems count). If you are really good you will have a ratio of about 3 brown: 1 green, but no one’s perfect and neither is composting.
Basically, everything from inside that gets composted goes into a separate trash can with a lid. We eat a lot of veggies and drink a lot of coffee, so it adds up quickly and then is taken outside to the pile. We compost all of our napkins and paper towels (unless they were used to clean up grease or for soap making) and every once in a while I throw a cardboard box in there to make up for the browns I need. We let the pile accumulate until winter when it gets covered with a tarp and we move onto the next year’s pile. In the spring, we will turn the old pile to get it working again and then should be ready to use by fall.
So it takes a while, but it is worth it. You can also get a compost tumbler that hurries the process and contains the compost, although it doesn’t stink like you think it would. Another option is worm composting where you buy some worms that can digest all of these scraps and turn them into worm castings, which are also just as valuable for the garden.
On a more massive scale, Smith Farm Market drops off all of their unsold produce which they dump on our property. We turn it with the front end loader, still cover it in the winter time, and then use the tractor to move piles of it for hand spreading. This stuff is much better than fertilizer because you are increasing soil life and the healthiness of your plants. For more information check out Rodale’s Encyclopedia of Composting or check online. Or if you have any questions, feel free to ask. We are all about trying to get more people to compost and it makes sense even if you just have a flower bed and no garden!

What’s included this week?
1. Cherry Tomatoes
2. Focaccia bread from Lucky Cat Farm- great sandwich bread or to dip in eggs overeasy!
3. Eggs from Roshon Farms- same as last time, we just don’t have enough chickens to get everyone eggs. They are all natural chickens just like ours!
4. Bell peppers
5. Potatoes
6. Garlic

Recipe of the Week
Potatoes Au Gratin
4 potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 onion, sliced into rings
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic, smashed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 1 quart casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add smashed garlic, then mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #9

2010-08-26T04:16:00.000-07:00

Our first processing session ever- duck breasts for dinner... yum!

Fall planting

It seems like summer may be coming to an end, but we are actually only half way through the CSA as this marks week number 9 of 18. We are now in the process of planting all of our fall crops, which seems crazy since it is so hot out there still. To think about planting cool weather crops means we are nearing fall, although for us it can’t come soon enough. With many days this summer being around 90 degrees, this summer has been a struggle for us. We wilt just as fast as the flowers do out there in the heat.
This fall we are focusing on planting things that will store well through the winter or will withstand some cold weather. That is why you plant them now, because they have to be large enough and developed enough before the frost hits. The first or second week in October is when the frost typically comes, making our transition from summer to winter crops. None of the flowers we grow will survive the frost, so that’s when we officially make the switch to selling just produce which will continue until the first flower blooms again in spring.
This year we’ve got sweet potatoes planted, pie pumpkins, butternut squash and lots of carrots for us to store in the root cellar. We don’t officially have one, but we are going to dig any area to bury some produce as deep enough in the ground stays around 55 degrees even during the winter. Also, once the flowers are gone, our cooler is used for storage of crops. If you think you will need to store some of the product that you get in the fall, look up how to build your own root cellar or the conditions necessary for storage. There is lots of information out there about the proper storing conditions for each root crop. Preserving without canning or freezing is made possible with the help of a root cellar.

What’s included this week?
1. Tomatoes
2. Zucchini
3. Apples- these are from a friend’s farm who does not spray, so they may not look perfect, but they taste good. And, if you don’t want to eat them raw, just cook them up and then you can forget about the blemishes on the outside.
4. Sweet Corn
5. Potatoes
6. Sausage from our pigs- great for breakfast!

Recipe of the Week
Apple Crumb Pie
Filling:
6-8 apples, peeled and thickly sliced
½ cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Topping:
¾ cup all purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup butter

Toss the apples, sugar, and cinnamon until the apples are well coated. Mix the topping ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Spoon in the apple filling and sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 40-50 minutes until the topping has browned.
This is an alternative to pie with two crusts, but there are plenty of recipes out there for regular apple pie, so I thought I would give you something different to try instead. This one also seemed much easier for the beginning baker.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #8

2010-08-26T04:10:00.000-07:00

A lovely Caprese Salad- tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil- what can beat that summer treat?

The entrance to our permaculture garden...

Farm Update
Being in the swing of wedding season, it has been kind of crazy here lately. We had two weddings last weekend and actually provided flowers for three weddings this weekend. This is on top of doing the orders for the florists, prepping for Whole Foods, and also going to two markets a week.
Luckily this year, we have had some help. I look back and wonder how we did all this on our own before. We have a floral designer that has been helping with the weddings, and have had a couple employees here at the farm. And, even with help it has still been pretty hectic around here.
Whole Foods would take 1,000 stems of sunflowers from us a week if we could keep up with them. We have been selling them so much that it is hard for us to even keep with having enough for the farmer’s markets. Summer is also the time for both of our birthdays and our wedding anniversary, so we try to squeeze some fun things in there too.
Last night we actually went to a class in Yellow Springs to learn more about Permaculture. This is a theory where perennials are used to build ecosystems that mimic how things would naturally grow in a forest. Meaning, making sure everything included in your garden is serving some purpose. I ordered the books for Steve for Christmas and we were able to go see the author speak about his theory (which is much easier to grasp the concept rather than reading an entire textbook about it).
Dave Jacke spoke about using native plants or reintroducing ones that have been crowded out by monocultures in our current agriculture system. So, to put it in English: we are too focused on having large fields of corn and soybeans that are sprayed with lots of chemicals, deplete the soil, and don’t create habitats for beneficial insects or other animals. In the permaculture theory, you focus more on creating a whole system by planting fruit or nut trees for the canopy above, while having blueberry bushes or rhubarb plants below. This allows you to better utilize your space because you are gardening vertically which is how nature does it, rather than horizontally in rows as most farmers do.
I’m sure it’s really confusing reading it for the first time, as I still didn’t understand everything that he talked about last night, but there is a lot of information out there should you be interested. His name is Dave Jacke and his book is called “Edible Forest Gardening”. You can also look up Bill Mollison, another author who wrote about permaculture. They even talked about turning a small yard into something that will feed your family rather than just a lawn. Very interesting, so check it out!

What’s included this week?
1. Green Beans
2. Tomatoes
3. Basil
4. Squash
5. Okra- slice then coat with egg, dip in flour, and fry. Do not stir it around while it is cooking, let the mixture cook on one side and then flip it all at once. The more you toss it around, the more of the coating will come off of the okra. This can also be used in any stews or stir fry to help thicken.

Recipe of the Week
Simple Spaghetti Sauce
Quart of tomatoes
Handful of basil
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed and diced
Splash of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut any large tomatoes into quarters and put in large sauce pan. The tomatoes will take the longest to cook into sauce. All of the juices will come out of the tomatoes and then you will see the juice start to cook off and evaporate. That is when you add any other ingredients to your sauce. Make sure to stir the mixture often as any sticking to the bottom of the pan will burn during this process. How long you let the tomatoes cook down is really your personal preference. I leave some juices in there for a thinner sauce because I like to toss my cooked pasta into the sauce and absorb some of those juices. This can be used for any Italian dish too, not just spaghetti!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #7

2010-08-26T04:07:00.000-07:00

Canning and Freezing
As I touched on in the last farm update, I do a lot of canning and preserving food. It takes a lot of hard work and is definitely a hot, sweaty process, but it is worth it in the middle of winter when you are eating things that you know came from your garden. Yes, buying canned goods is easier, but you can’t buy this taste in the store!
With the help of Craigslist this year too, I have built up a nice collection of canning jars with ones ranging from half pints to half gallons. And, I’m not done collecting yet, so if you see any at garage sales, think of me! I have also added a couple crocks to my collection in hopes to make some good fermented sauerkraut, then maybe eventually more fermented vegetables.
There are lots of good books out there with recipes, but jam or pickles I think are a good start. Just don’t use the sugar free pectin mix that is sometimes sold because the recipes do not set up into spreadable jam. You need the sugar in the recipe to help hold everything together no matter how fresh your fruit is. They try to convince you that the fruit has enough natural sugar in it, or that you can add artificial sweeteners, but neither have I found to be actually true.
I have included the recipe for bread and butter pickles, which is a good recipe to start with. There are enough acids and sugars involved, that you don’t even have to put them into a hot water bath. You will, however, need sterilized jars which can be done by placing jars into a 200 degree oven for an hour. This I usually just do before you start cooking the pickles, then they can just sit in there until you are ready for them.
If you are reusing jars, remember that you can’t reuse the lids. You can buy new lids at the store for like $2.00 a package. When you are getting ready to use them, heat some water either by boiling some on the stove, or microwaving until almost too hot to the touch. Then place the lids in the hot water and let them sit while packing the jars. You just need to heat up that rubber ring around the edge of the lid to ensure better sealing.
And, if you don’t have jars to use, even new at the grocery store, they are worth the investment. They are good to reuse for leftovers, or even as drinking glasses. I know my house is small enough I love anything that has a double use.

What’s included this week?
1. Cucumbers
2. Green peppers
3. Onions
4. Sweet Corn- if you feel like you are getting more than you can eat, just scald in boiling water for 4 ½ minutes then place in an ice bath. Then you can scrape the kernels off the cob and put in the freezer for the winter. It is very easy and totally worth it.
5. Potatoes

Recipe of the Week
Bread and Butter Pickles
(a multigenerational recipe)
2 quarts sliced cucumbers
1-2 large green peppers
3 large onions
¼ cup coarse salt
Slice the veggies thinly by hand or use a mandolin if available. Put all veggies in a large pan and mix well. Add 2 trays of ice and let stand for 3 hours. Drain. I usually start the next step before the 3 hours is up, then you can drain and get the cukes ready while the mixture below is coming to a boil. Just before you start the next step, put your jars either in the oven or in a hot water bath.
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups vinegar
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 Tablespoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon turmeric
Mix and bring to a boil, then add drained cucumbers and bring to a 2nd boil. You will see the transformation from cukes to pickles as the mixture turns green. While you are waiting for the second boil, prepare the lids as described before. Pack the finished pickles into the jars and make sure they are covered with the juice. You will want to leave 1 inch of space at the top, so don’t overpack. Put lid and ring on them and you are done! You will hear a pop when they seal as they cool down. Unlike dill pickles, you can eat these immediately or store them on the shelf. This recipe yields 4 pints or 2 quarts so can be doubled once you are comfortable with it and want to can more. One batch doesn’t last long in my house. And you can gift it too!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #6

2010-07-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

Buying Local
Besides Whole Foods, most grocery stores don’t specify where there products are coming from. You may assume, such as bananas and pineapples are obviously not local, but nothing may be specifically labeled. There are also sometimes when I think people would rather not know that their clementines come from Spain, Mexico, or some South American country. We would rather just grab them and go without a second thought. As long as it is available at the grocery store, then it must be in season somewhere right?
Most things that have to endure that long haul in shipping are picked when they are underripe so the skins are harder and so they can ripen throughout the time it takes for them to get to the store. That’s why if you buy a tomato in winter, it may look nice and red on the outside, but is just grainy textured mush on the inside. Buying things that were picked that morning at their optimum freshness just make more sense for our taste buds and nutritionally.
Going to the farmer’s markets is one of my favorite things to do, and not because I am a vendor there. I shopped at farmer’s markets before I even thought about becoming a farmer, mainly because I enjoyed being able to talk to the farmer that grew it with his own two hands, and because everything tasted so much better.
When I was in college, I had organic strawberries in season for the first time, and I swore they were the best strawberries I had ever eaten. Experiences like that get tainted by the fact that strawberries are available all year at the grocery store, most people don’t even know when strawberry season is anymore.
When it comes to the choice of organic or local, to be honest with you, I choose local. I would much rather buy something that was fresh out of the field, then purchase something that has been in the shipping process for multiple days before it gets to me just because it has the organic label. Freshness is the key to taste.
And, I mean ultimately this idea applies to much more than just buying produce. Wouldn’t you rather support your neighborhood, independently owned business than the big corporations? I’m not trying to sound like I’m against the man or anything, but times are tough and small businesses need the support. It’s a hard decision to make, but worth the extra price that you sometimes have to pay for fresh, local produce.

Learn more about being a locavore at
http://www.local-matters.org/ or visit your local farmer’s market.

What’s included this week?
1. Eggs from Roshon Farms
2. Yellow Crookneck squash
3. Tomatoes- Celebrity Supremes, a red hybrid (heirlooms to come)
4. Potatoes
5. Garlic

Recipe of the Week
Frittata (a Spanish omelet)

Goes great with fried potatoes too!

6 eggs, beaten
1-ounce Parmesan, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup chopped roasted squash
1/2 cup chopped country ham (or not if you don’t eat meat)
1 tablespoon parsley leaves
Preheat oven to broil setting.
In medium size bowl, using a fork, blend together eggs, Parmesan, pepper, and salt. Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven safe sauté pan over medium high heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add squash and ham to pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with parsley. Place pan into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy. Remove from pan and cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately.

This recipe yields 6 servings, so if you don’t want to use all your eggs in one recipe, half it and only feed 3 people. The good thing is that it uses one egg per person so you can stretch them out a little bit!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #5

2010-07-26T06:53:00.000-07:00

Living a Sustainable Lifestyle
You hear the term thrown around a lot, but what does being sustainable actually mean? Well, it means that you are a system that supports yourself without any outside assistance. In today’s world, it is close to impossible to completely escape it, but it is definitely a goal to strive for.
Here at the farm, we try to do as much for ourselves as we possibly can. First, we grow our own food, which is a first big step. With all of the preserving that I do, our grocery bill is quite minimal. Also, we heat our house with a wood burning stove which means that we are constantly splitting firewood to keep up with our heating needs. But why would you want to live like this?
We take pride in living minimally and although sometimes it is definitely harder than just letting someone else do it, or just going to the grocery store, it is worth it knowing that you are responsible through hard work and perseverance. Don’t get me wrong, some of it is out of necessity as well. Being a farmer isn’t the most well paid job, but if the world was coming to an end, we would know how to support ourselves.
The animals that we raise are a part of the system of being sustainable as well. With the pigs that we had, the chickens, and the ducks, we also provide ourselves with another healthy alternative to buying mass produced meat from the grocery store. Really once you’ve had meat that is raised the proper way, conventional meat just won’t taste the same. And yes, sometimes it is difficult to slaughter the animals that you have worked so hard to raise, but at least you know they led a good life while they were around.
Our chickens figured out how to hop the fence last year and have been completely free-range ever since. This is good for us because we know we have some happy egg layers, and it cost less to feed them when they are out and about eating bugs. They also get fed our kitchen scraps, meaning that they get a well rounded diet.
The pigs are at another farmer’s place because he has more space for them to run around and be happy pigs. We enjoyed the meat so much last year that we are raising another round of pigs. The half a pig that we received in November is actually already been gone for a while because we couldn’t keep our hands off of it. And with raising pigs, preserving food, having fresh eggs, and heating the house with wood, our costs were significantly low this winter. These are the steps that we are taking to try to live a sustainable lifestyle with being off the grid as our eventual goal. What can you do that will help yourself and our environment?

What’s included this week?
1. Brats fresh from our pigs that were processed last week- grill these out with the corn…yum!
2. Bunching onions- aka scallions
3. Sweet corn- soak overnight and then just put on grill with husk on, gives you roasted, fair food-like flavor
4. Carrots
5. Mint- use fresh or hang to dry

Recipe of the Week
Fresh Sun Tea

1 large sun tea container (usually about a gallon in size)
5 tea bags
2 fresh sprigs mint

Place the tea in the bright sun for a few hours. Bring it in and mix in any sweetener that you want while it is still warm, that way the sugar or honey will dissolve. Do not leave out in the sun all day, and don’t try on a cloudy day either. Other than that, it’s pretty plain and simple.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #4

2010-07-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Berry picking, caught red handed! These are the berries that were used in my berry jelly... yum!

What’s been going on?

This year we have been focusing more on the flowers since that seems to be what we are good at. We have attained some helpers that assist with the weeding, daily farm chores, and the produce. This allows us more time to devote to the flower part of the business. We have been really fortunate for the help though and couldn’t be doing what we are doing this year with out them.

Since a lot of fruits are in season now, I have been working hard at trying to preserve some of them for the winter time. The hard thing is, they taste so good, that it is difficult for me to keep them on the shelf. We’ve already blown threw the first batch of peach plum preserves and have moved onto the mixed berry jelly. New this year for me, I canned a lot of applesauce and turned some of that into apple butter. Yes, it is apple season, but only the early tart ones.

We finally got some rain that was well needed and deserved. These plants have been suffering through these 95 degree days, and needless to say, so have we. We try to wake up as early as possible, but are at least out in the field by 7 am. When it gets that hot during the day, it is worth waking up early to beat the heat. During the hottest hours of the day, we typically try to make our deliveries or prepare bouquets in the garage so we are at least not in the blazing sun. We have definitely entered into the dog days of summer.

The transition from spring to summer always begins the waiting game where you know you as a farmer have done everything you need to for those healthy plants, and now you just have to be patient with Mother Nature as to when your tomatoes turn green, your peppers come on, and your squashes start growing. In the meantime, we are just trying to keep everything weeded, which is a never ending battle when you don’t use any chemicals. Your hands become the best tools you’ve got!

Overall with the lettuces and other spring crops we grew, it was a good spring. Besides having all of our lilies eaten, everything else produced well and got us ready for the madness of the summer. So, let the craziness ensue!

What’s included this week?

1. Green tomatoes- slice hamburger style, dip in raw egg scramble, then in cornmeal or flour… place in frying hot oil and brown on each side. Enjoy immediately, well once they cool down enough that is.
2. Kohlrabi- good raw or sautéed in a stir fry, or treat it like cabbage in the slaw recipe below
3. Carrots
4. Kale
5. Sweet corn
6. Basil

Recipe of the Week

Kohlrabi Slaw

3 kohlrabi heads, peeled
2 carrots
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 fluid ounces plain yogurt
2 fluid ounces mayonnaise
1 tablespoon pickle juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
Kosher salt, as needed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Shred or finely chop the kohlrabi and the carrots (depending on how chunky you like your slaw) and put into a colander. Toss with a couple big pinches of salt and let sit for at least an hour to pull the juices out of the kohlrabi, just so you don’t have soggy slaw. Whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together in a large mixing bowl. Put the veggies into the dressing and toss until well covered.

If you prefer vinegary slaw, sometimes I use olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and honey instead of sugar to sweeten. You will basically follow the same 3 parts oil to one part acid as the dressing from last week. So, if you got creative with a dressing last week and found something you liked, don’t hesitate to try it on this slaw as well!

Thank you for your support, Gretel and Steve

CSA week #3

2010-07-09T18:55:00.001-07:00

Our potato plants before they died off and were harvested.

After taking a week off for the holiday, we are back with a vengence!

Our Vendors

This year we have really expanded our wholesale market with both the flowers and the produce from the farm. Most of these have been picked up by merely dropping off samples to them, following up, and they have liked our product enough to pick us up. Not only do they like to support smaller businesses instead of large wholesalers, but they like to support local growers to preserve freshness.

We sell produce to Black Creek Bistro which is a restaurant downtown next to the Buckeye Ranch by the corner of Parsons and Broad. They are trying to build back up the community of Olde Town East with Black Creek at the forefront. The owner is a farmer himself but what he can’t produce he tries to find locally. He also composts scraps from the kitchen and turns the oil into biodiesel. It really is a great place and the food is delicious!

We have also been selling produce to a restaurant in Canal Winchester called Village Wines and Bistro which is run by a husband and wife team. The food is fantastic and so is the wine! The Greener Grocer inside the North Market has also been buying things off of us to sell in their store and also to put into their CSA packages.

We sell our flowers to a few florists including Village Flower Basket in Granville, Wayside Flowers in New Albany, and an assortment of others occasionally. Our biggest account with the flowers is by far Whole Foods. They order lots of sunflowers from us and also sell my mixed bouquets in their stores. When we get an abundance of one type of flower, you will also see individual seasonal bunches with which you can make your own bouquets. Just look for the LOCAL stamp on the labels and they will tell you where they are from. We sell to both the one in Upper Arlington and the one in Dublin, so go check us out!

What’s included this week?

1. Lettuce- with the warm weather this will be the last week for this until the fall, so enjoy!
2. Carrots
3. Garlic- make sure to hang or put in mesh basket, garlic needs airflow to continue drying or else it will not last as long
4. Onions- same care as the onions, refrigerate once you’ve cut into them
5. Potatoes- freshly dug, so leave the dirt on them for them to continue to dry out like the onions and garlic. This will allow the outer skin to thicken so they can store better. When you are ready to use them, then wash the dirt off, prepare however, and eat!

For the full share only
1. Flowers

Recipe of the Week

The Perfect Salad Dressing

Contrary to popular belief, it is very easy to make your own salad dressing! You know exactly what goes into it, nothing artificial, and you can change it based on your taste buds. Basically, you want 3 parts oil to one part acid whether it is balsamic vinegar, wine vinegar, or lemon juice. Then you add your favorite spices, salt and pepper and viola! It’s fun to see what you can come up with, like a science experiment. I just put all the ingredients into a jar, put the lid on tight, and shake to incorporate everything well. If you let it sit, make sure to shake it before pouring as it will naturally settle.

Honey Mustard

6 T extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping T Dijon or spicy mustard
1 heaping T honey
2 T white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
(or if you like it creamy, substitute plain yogurt for the olive oil)

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA dinner of champions

2010-06-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

We received this email from a CSA member making good use of all the veggies in this weeks share (and supplementing them with some other veggies too):

Just wanted to say "thank you" again for what you guys do at your farm and with the CSA. Here is a picture of our meal we had tonight. I made the Garlic Scape Pesto and mixed that with the hot pasta (Ditalini) and fresh veggies (sauted the swiss chard, broccoli as well as red, green and yellow peppers and a tomato). YUMMY!

CSA week #2

2010-06-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

Eating Seasonally

Part of being involved in a CSA is learning about what is available when and how to take advantage of the produce while you have it. Now we are so used to everything being available to us whenever we want it since we can just go the local grocery store. But, that’s not how our elders grew up and although it may seem convenient, who really pays attention to where the produce is coming from when they buy it from the grocery store?

Salad greens are an example of something that is only available occasionally, at least in our climate. While you can grow it in the spring and fall, lettuces and other greens can’t handle the heat of the summer without being a wilty mess. Also, they start to become bitter and bolt (which means go to seed). So gardeners beware because our spinach has already bolted, meaning that we could potentially have a short window for lettuce in the early summer with these hot, hot days we’ve been having.

When you sign up for the CSA, we try to give you a list of things that will be available during which part of the season. So in the spring you will be getting a lot of greens and the share may be supplemented with things like soap or flowers. Then, in the summer your array of vegetables will grow and so will the amount you get depending on how large our plethora of tomatoes is this year. And in the fall, we are working on potatoes, squashes, pie pumpkins and other vegetables that will store well for you into the months after the CSA.
So, while it may seem like you are getting a lot of repeats, we promise we will try to mix things up a little bit. And before you know it, the season will change and you will be wishing you had lettuce again. Like Joni Mitchell says, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”.

What’s included this week?

Garlic scapes- they grow off the top of garlic bulbs, but can be used like scallions either cooked or eaten raw but with a garlic flavor instead
Spring lettuce mix
Swiss chard- can either be sautéed; or, make a pouch of them with foil, add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast or grill until wilted (typically about 5-10 mins)
Radishes
Basil- goes great with Italian food, especially in pesto
All-natural homemade soap

Recipe of the Week

Garlic Scape Pesto

One handful basil
1/2 cup garlic scapes, finely chopped

4 T fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cups grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Put garlic scapes and lemon juice in food processor, and process until scapes are very finely chopped. With food processor running, add oil through the feed tube and process 2-3 minutes. Remove lid, add half of parmesan cheese and process 2 minutes, then add the rest of cheese and salt and pepper and process 2-3 minutes more.Serve tossed with hot pasta. This would also be good on fish, as a topping for bread, or as a seasoning for cooked rice.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

Our not-so-lily crop

2010-06-16T18:01:00.001-07:00

Although we have never had previous problems with the deer causing significant damage to our crops, they had an all-you-can-eat buffet on our many lily buds. They wait until the bud is just about to open so that way it is huge and succulent when they destroy all your hopes and dreams. I mean really, you had to eat the most expensive thing we grow?!?! C'mon now! Well, hopefully with the mixed bouquet business picking up at Whole Foods and the soap, dahlias, and gladiolas that we added to our repetoire we will be able to suffice. Now, if only we knew how to hunt!

What did you do this winter?

2010-06-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

Well, instead of allowing ourselves to sit around with the winter blues, we kept ourselves very busy around the farm. Not only is winter our time to fix everything that we didn’t have time for over the summer, it is also time for us to relax and enjoy the hard work that we have done all summer to get to this point.

We get to reflect on the past season, being thankful that we have worked so hard towards living a sustainable lifestyle. Meaning, we are not as reliant on other people to provide to us, even in the winter. We have been able to learn more by our experience each year. Winter is our time to read lots of farm books and keep up on the all the new things that are going on in farming.
We have found that a lot of the theories are modifications of what things used to be like back in the day, but with modern use of chemicals and genetic engineering, we steered away from that for a little bit. I mean if you think about how farmers used to live; the way they treated their animals humanely, they grew things that naturally belonged in their respective seasons, they didn’t use chemicals, they supplemented the soil, and they preserved their harvest. It just all really makes sense that we are getting back to those roots. We like to think that we are bridging the gap between generations and just learning how our grandparents or great-grandparents would have lived off the land.

People may think that we are crazy putting in all this hard work to living our lives this way, but it really is worth it. We spend all winter chopping wood since we heat our house with a wood burning stove. It is just nice when the gas bill costs close to nothing. In the summer I do a lot of canning and preserving the harvest, which gives us lots of things to eat through the winter that we produced. It is much better than any store bought goods in the wintertime too!

We raised pigs last fall, so we had our own pork to eat over the winter. And, we have laying hens so we get fresh eggs for ourselves. Overall, it is hard work, but I wouldn’t have it any other way now that I know what it’s like to be more self-sufficient.

Sorry for the delay...

2010-06-16T03:59:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately it has been a long time since we have posted things on our blog. We have actually had a lot going on recently and haven't really been able to keep up. We have, however, started our CSA so here is the first newsletter. I will try to stay up to date with this blog thing, but I'm a busy lady!

Welcome to our CSA

Here begins a relationship in which both parties will benefit and hopefully you will enjoy. We look forward to providing you with lots of yummy produce this year and introducing you to some things you may not have eaten before. Included with all the newsletters there will be a recipe of the week which will incorporate the ingredients we are giving you into your meal plan for the week.
I, Gretel, am the one writing the newsletters and am always up for new ideas. Whether it is recipes, or things you want to learn about the farm, I will write what you want to hear. But, this week I will begin with just a little bit about our farm to introduce you to the things we do.
We grow everything organically, but are not certified, so that’s where the term “all natural” comes from. This means we use no chemicals at all so you can feel good about what you are putting on the table for your family to eat. So, if you see little holes from bugs, we try to hand pick them all off in the field, but as you can imagine it is sort of difficult to get every single one.
This CSA will give you the opportunity to experience produce based on seasonality and with it being local too, you will be guaranteed the freshness of the products. So enjoy the salad greens while you have them because with the weather as hot as it has been lately, it doesn’t seem like they are going to last much longer.
For now, we just want to say thank you for joining in on this journey with us. If you would like to come out and see the farm, you are more than welcome to do so. Just give us a call and we will work out a time convenient for you. And remember, you are what you eat, so make sure that’s a good thing!

This week’s package includes:

1. Spring Lettuce Mix- we try to get all the extra moisture out, but if you see some collecting, just add a paper towel to your bag
2. Carrots
3. Radishes
4. Broccoli
5. Dill- if you don’t eat it all fresh, just hang it upside down to dry. Make sure to put it into an airtight jar after dry to keep from over drying. You can use this method for any herbs you get from us too!

Recipe of the Week

Veggie Cream Cheese

2 radishes
3 carrots
1 full scallion or ¼ of an onion
about 1 tsp garlic powder
sprig or two of dill, finely chopped
1 bar cream cheese, softened (I usually just leave my cream cheese sitting out of the fridge for about an hour before making this. Or if you are in a hurry you can microwave it on low in 15 second increments until softened, just make sure not to melt it.)

Cut the veggies up to a manageable size for your food processor. Place the radish, carrot and onion mixture into a large bowl, then add the garlic powder. Scrunch the dill into a little ball and run your knife through it many times, then chop away. You don’t really want large chunks of dill in your cream cheese, so make sure you get it good, then add it to your mixing bowl. Toss that all together before adding your softened cream cheese. Using a rubber spatula to mix is easiest. Don’t miss any of the good stuff!

You can use this cream cheese on your bagels, but it also makes a great spread for a BLT or an egg sandwich! It’s quick, it’s easy, and it tastes great too!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

Field trip #2

2010-05-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

The same kids came back for more of a beating :) No really they came back to volunteer on the farm again and we actually have them for one more week so next week there will be more pictures. This week we built a pizza oven of cob. This is kind of like adobe, except you mix straw in with it as well. It is a fun process, but it was kind of cold for them to want to mix clay and sand with their feet. We had a few kids help us do the stomping on the clay to mix it, but all helped build the actual oven. Next week we will be cooking some pizza in it to reward them for their hard work.

Field trip!

2010-05-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

We had a school come out to the farm for our first field trip. Here you can see the kids helping us spread out compost. Later we laid down drip tape and plastic mulch so that Steve and I can plant tomatoes later. They were a great help! What we got done would have taken Steve and I a lot longer to do, but with an extra 15 people helping, it went very quickly! These kids didn't even want gloves and they were all about it... I love watching other people get dirty!

Wow it's been a long time

2010-04-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

As spring draws nearer, we have more to talk about around the farm. We have been keeping pretty busy this winter with me (Gretel) working and going to school and Steve trying to make the farm as profitable this winter. These duckies are our new adventure this year. We liked the pigs so much and the meat was better than any other pork that I have ever eaten, that we decided to do another kind of meat this year too. They are really cute, so we will see how it goes since we will have to be the one processing the meat. I've been trying to work on disconnecting myself from them so I'm not too attached and they are kind of spastic so that helps too.

seed starting

2010-02-23T05:04:00.000-08:00

This year we are really trying to push the envelope a little more, after what I would call a successful season of growing during the winter. We have been starting snapdragons since Jan. and have also been doing a lot of Delphiniums as well. All of our seeds are started in the basement under 4 foot fluorescent, after they get so big then we plan to move them out into our small heated greenhouse to continue growing. The problem is we have yet to finish the greenhouse so I'm not sure what we are going to do yet. It will all work out. We also started 2000 artichokes plants.

We are getting ready to start our seeds for the plants we intend on selling as veggie starts, it's a part of our farm that I enjoy, because it encourages others to grow there own food as well as buying from local growers. After those are started it will be time for all our cut flowers, our own garden and for the csa garden. We are really excited about our plans this year for our garden and for our csa garden. In the past years it was all mixed together, which was okay, it just didn't have a lot of harmony. This year we are planning on keeping our garden and the csa garden together and using everything we have learned about spin farming to prove that we can feed 5-10 families on a small garden. I'm very excited about this. It has been such a long time since I have done a small garden for just food.

My second garden ( my personal favorite) was small and really well maintained, this one will not be as small, but it will be kept in order like with small gardens. During that garden is when I discovered that I really enjoy growing food. I am a big believer in food being the staple that keeps families rediscovering communication, by growing, cooking, and eating the veggies that they work so hard together to produce. That is why I can't give up growing veggies on our cut flower farm. It doesn't make a lot of sense on our books, it's not that the veggies don't sell, it's that the flowers sell so well. We will always grow veggies, not just for our selves, but for our community as well. That is very important to us, I always wanted to be able to help different groups of people, but never had the tools to do so, growing fresh, organic food gives me those tools to provide to not only a certain group, but to my community. And, that can be the Berwick folks, the 3 creeks people, or the city of Columbus. We are very lucky to be doing this for a real job. I appreciate everything that I have, even if it is cheap and brakes all the time, no really all the time.

Thank you

winter harvest on feb. 10

2010-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a day of harvesting spinach and carrots, Gretel and I harvested 30 lbs. of carrots and 30 lbs. of spinach. That was a lot of fun for us, we have missed being able to play in the dirt for a while with these big snows we have been having here. I took us about a hour to harvest all that spinach, Gretel was moving like a well greased machine, I have never seen her so focused on the task at hand, hopefully that's what we will be like come summer time. The hardest part of the whole harvest was washing everything. We don't have a heated out building, so it make sticking your hands in cold water over, and over, quite awful. But, that's the trade off, sure it's fun playing in the dirt, planting, weeding(not really), adding compost (my personal favorite), tilling, but then it comes to the washing and well its not my favorite. It all works out, and I love it. Check out our stuff this week, we sold to the Greener Grocer and to Black Creek Bistro, both are great businesses and wonderful supporters of local food

Spring will be here before I know it.

2010-02-09T04:27:00.000-08:00

Well with a couple inches of snow and my seeds being delivered it's time to begin starting seeds in flats. We have began starting snapdragons and delphiniums, as well as leeks. Today I plan on starting 2000 artichoke seeds and more delphiniums. It's time to lock myself in the basement, where all my germination takes place. We are behind on getting our 3rd greenhouse covered, which will be the only one with heat. It's crazy how the season hasn't even started and I'm already behind.

Last week for Early Bird CSA price!

2010-01-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

We are really looking forward to this year's CSA. Based on feedback that we got from last year's participants, we will be adding some new things to our repertoire as well. Visit our website for the full contract and a list of some of the things that we grow. Also, if you backtrack in the blog, you will find old newsletters that will give you a list of the things that were received last year. We hope to be able to expand this year and already potentially may have a drop off spot in Westerville if we can get a few more people in that area interested. So, tell your mama... tell your friends!!

For the 2010 growing season the share price is $375.00, but we offer payment plans:

Early bird: $350.00 if paid by February 1st, 2010
Full price: $375.00 paid by May 1st, 2010
Installment plan: 3 installments of $130.00 paid by February 1st, March 1st, and April 1st

What your share will include:

This season will be a total of 18 weeks, beginning the week of June 16th and ending October 13th. Each week you will get an array of all natural, local, farm fresh vegetables depending on seasonality, enough to feed a family for a week. Understand that we answer to Mother Nature and that will determine crop availability. So, your share will include not only a variety of produce, but also fresh cut flowers, fruit, herbs, fresh baked bread, canned goods, homemade soap, etc. throughout the season.

***The fresh cut flower option***
***Should you want fresh cut flowers weekly, make sure to mark below and they will be substituted for some of the other products that will be offered in your share. We figured since we are a flower farm, that we should share this with our CSA members!
CSA newsletter:

With the vegetables that you may not be familiar with, will be a full description and recipes. There will be weekly updates via newsletter about the share that is to come. To be environmentally conscious we would prefer to have the newsletter online, but for those of you whom that will not work for will receive one when you pick up your share.
Half shares:

Since the demand was high last year for the shares to be split, this year we will be offering half shares. This will be good for those of you who either don’t have a lot of people in the household or don’t eat as many vegetables. This will consist of 3-5 things a week and/or smaller portions of what the larger shares are receiving.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve Adams

Sunny Meadows Flower Farm

Greenhouse is still growing...

2010-01-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

This year was our first year to try winter gardening after doing some research on it recently. In the fall, instead of putting a cover crop and being done for the season, we planted cool weather crops in the greenhouse. We wanted to experiment to see exactly how long we could make our season. So, we planted salad greens and spinach, carrots, Swiss Chard, and Romaine lettuce and the science project began. We have found out that carrots are sweet as candy when they can stay in the ground longer, that Romaine doesn't tolerate the cold like some of the other crops, and that things grow REALLY SLOW in the winter. Overall, it has been very succesful with weekly harvests large enough to supply ourselves and our new restaurant that we are selling to... Black Creek Bistro.

By the way, if you have not tried, you are definitely missing out. This restaurant has got some of the best dishes in town and they are farmers too, so they support other local farmers. They also use their compost at home and are turning their oils into biodiesel for use at their farm. So remember, Black Creek Bistro at Broad and Parsons in Olde Towne East... be there or be square!

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers

2009-11-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

This is what we are doing now in the greenhouse. This is spinach in the greenhouse, along with romaine and some carrots. We are hoping to grow some flowers in the greenhouse this year and for years to come after going to a conference in Memphis held by the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (which we are now proud members of)...

Wow was that an adventure! We took the dogs with us which was probably a bad idea, but a family field trip sounded like a good idea at first. Aside from that, the conference was very informational. And, we got to meet not only other flower growers that are up and coming, but also the ones who have dominated their local flower production. We got a good idea of what life would be like if we were flower growers full time for a living, producing year round. It is nice to see that it is definitely possible, and they even raised families with that income. Prior to going, we already knew that people aren't as concerned with flowers being local like they are produce. The presenters at the conference reminded us that we aren't just trying to sell our product, we are really selling our lifestyle too. We are showing the buyers that we don't use chemicals, that we are producing locally, and that there are no flowers fresher than just picked from the farm. All in all, it was very informational and inspirational and it made us already pumped for next year. We came right home and bought a used greenhouse so that we could increase production and expand our season. So despite the long drive, the dog's anxiety, and our anxiety, everything worked out for the best.

Come check me out at my next craft show!

2009-11-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

My setup at the last craft show!

Shop for the Season at the 2nd Annual
Buckingham House Boutique
Sponsored by
The Licking County Historical Society

Join us Sunday, November 22nd, 1-4 PM
Buckingham Meeting House
Veterans’ Park
6th & Main Streets, Newark

After making it through the last craft show, I have been back to making more soaps and salves to fill in the blanks from what I sold. I will have lots of product there, so come out and see me!

Piggy judgment day...

2009-11-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

Thats me and Steve in the first picture, and then Max spraying the hog down with some beer so that it didn't dry out.

So all the little piggies are about to go to market and there is still some available! We are still selling it as half hog share for $3.00/ lb or whole hog for $2.50/ lb. We recently had a hog roast and the meat was delicious! Everyone here seemed to enjoy the meat as well. The picture is of the beginning of the process. It took a full 24 hours to smoke, but it was worth the time and effort. But don't worry, if you buy a hog from us, it will come to you packaged and frozen in easy to deal with sizes. Sausage or bacon come in 1 lb packages for example, the pork chops usually in packages of 2. It only costs $.50 more per lb to have the meat smoked, so if you want bacon instead of fresh side, it will only cost $.50 more per package of bacon (you usually get about 5 packages with half a hog). So overall, it may sound like a lot of meat for you to have or for a large chunk of money to get rid of during tough times, but you will be able to feed your family with peace of mind. Knowing that these pigs were not fed any chemicals, and got to live in the mud with the garden scraps as snacks, will make it not only taste better, but it will be better for you too!

I'm a soap making fiend!

2009-11-02T06:20:00.000-08:00

Preparing for my first craft show has been a lot more work than I had originally intended. I have been making soap and salves, labeling and packaging for many days now. I ran my printer out of ink twice just trying to label all the soap that I have made. I will be at the Granville High School Music Boosters craft show on November 7th, this Saturday, from 9am-3pm. Hopefully there will be lots of sales for holiday gift giving. If you don't have a chance to see me at the craft show, I can always ship soap. I am working on getting this information on our website, but for now, here is the information that I am passing out in a flyer...

Order your soaps today!

$5 a bar

$65 for a ½ block (makes 16 bars)
approximately 3.5 pounds

$120 for a whole block (32 bars)
approximately 7 pounds

$4 salves, or $20 for 6

Shipping available

Now taking orders at
sunnymeadowsflowerfarm@gmail.com
(614) 296-1637

Bars of soap make great gifts even for the person who has everything! They can be used for soap, for decoration, or even as air fresheners in cars, drawers, or just to carry in your pocket!

Sunny Meadows’ soap is made with all natural ingredients including vegetable oils, beeswax and essential oils. A lot of the soaps in the store consist of things that have no benefit for your skin. Actually, on the labels of most they aren’t even called soap, instead they say “deodorant” bar. They don’t even claim to be soap!

In fact, when you use our soap you will be able to feel the difference. The moisture that is left on your skin is the glycerin in it, a natural by product of soap making. The big soap companies actually take the glycerin out of their soaps to make lotion with it. Doesn’t make much sense!

With our soap, everything in it serves a purpose. The coconut oil is for good lather in any type of water. The palm oil and beeswax make a hard bar so it can handle heavy use, while the soybean oil lets it soften just enough. The extras added, like the coffee grounds or dried herbs, are there to help exfoliate the skin. Also, the cocoa butter or shea butter will make the soap extra moisturizing while still allowing your skin to breath, therefore not clogging your pores.

Scents available include:

Gardener’s Soap- a woodsy smell with poppy seeds in it for the scrubbing of extra dirty hands

Rosemary Mint- my personal favorite, with dried mint for a long lasting scent

Sweet Earth- the most popular scent with a blend of lavender, patchouli, and vanilla

Lavender- with dried lavender to help exfoliate

Forest Rose- smells just as the name says, with a nice mixture of rose, patchouli and sandalwood

Vanilla Latte- with coffee grounds and shea butter for moisturizing and exfoliating the skin

Jasmine Vanilla- a good balance of scents between floral and sweet

Double Chocolate- made with extra moisturizing cocoa butter

Holiday scents also available:

Apple Cinnamon- with ground cinnamon in it for a swirl of color and long lasting scent

Pumpkin Spice- great to have for those holiday get togethers

Frankincense and Myrrh-
a great mix of the two, with subtle reminders of baby

All salves are made with cocoa butter, sunflower oil, castor oil, beeswax, and essential oils. This is a formula that will moisturize the driest hands without leaving them feeling greasy. Any soap scent can be made into salve, but the current scents available are:

Forest Rose
Lavender Mint
Pumpkin Spice
Jasmine Vanilla

Double Chocolate

Bayberry

thankful of others

2009-10-30T05:33:00.000-07:00

lately I have been thinking of all the great people in my life, and all the great people that were in my life at one point or another. I know I wouldn't be here if it were not for all the people who have guided me or influenced me in to the direction of who I'm now. Having a farm is a lifestyle that I had no experience with going into it, there are allot of things that always need repaired. If it were not for some close friends who knew what they were doing I would have been stuck paying others to do a simple job. As a teenager my family used to talk about how influenced I was by others, back then it wasn't always good influences, but because of that I feel as if I'm smarter and more aware of things that I wouldn't have been otherwise. As I've grown up I have had many people keep me in check and now I continue to meet people with the same interest and we are able to bounce ideas off of each other. Gretel and I are always trying to make friends with fellow organic farmers, and those relationships have been great. I would not be who I am with out others, and our farm would not be as successful if we were in it all alone.
So, to all those who know us thank you very much for everything you have done for us.

Bittersweet fall to romantic winters

2009-10-19T03:06:00.000-07:00

Farmers market season has come to a end, and the flowers were all killed by Sundays freeze. We do have a few beds of spinach, a bed of greens, and swiss chard in our high tunnels still. We plan on having it through winter, but we aren't sure we will be selling it or not.

Gretel has gone back to work and left me here to take care of things, it is alway7s hard when she goes back, I begin to feel more lost, and I find it hard to keep up on my chores and to-do list, but I will adjust after a week or so, and most likely will start back to work soon aswell. It can get kind of boring through the winter, and if I don't go to work then who knows if I will get out of the house at all.

With the full arrival of fall our farm takes on a new identity. With all the fields planted with winter wheat and new fencing up around the orchard, to protect our little fruit trees from deer, it's time to start getting ready for winter. That means sealing gaps around the chicken coop, and around the house, we started filling the porch with firewood, we need to cover the windows with plastic, put more rugs down inside, and add straw around the N.E. side of our house. We are stock up on can and dehydrated produce from the summer. I like to feel almost like the farm turns into a homestead during winter and there is something very romantic about that, wood stove burning real hot, candles, coffee, music and playing chess with Gretel. As much as I hate to see the growing season end, for many reasons, I do welcome winter for a little while. I do get sick of it towards the end of the season, just like I look forward to the end of a blisstering summer. Here in Ohio our summer and winters last a little to long, and spring and fall are always inconsistent, but that's what makes the anticipation so worth while.

The final week... how sad!

2009-10-05T05:38:00.000-07:00

So, with this week brings us cold weather and the end of the CSA. It is always bittersweet when it comes, knowing that there will be much colder weather to come and that farm fresh produce isn't readily available. For us, this is when the preserved food comes into handy, but a tomato that has been canned can not be sliced and put on a sandwich. What we eat adapts to what is in season though, just as our ancestors would have had it. Now, don't get me wrong, we still go out to eat every once in a while or go to the grocery store in the winter to buy produce, but every time just adds to my longing for the spring to come back and the things picked straight from the garden to return. We really appreciate everything that you guys have done for us and for the opportunity that we were given. This is a way that we wanted our business to grow to reach out to more people who can't always come to the farmer's markets, and it worked! Thanks again and we look forward to next year!

Preparing for next year

We just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to all. We have really enjoyed this year and look forward to having a CSA again next year. We are looking for feedback, so don’t forget to fill out the survey for us. This will help us so that we know what we need to change next year. This will be very beneficial for you if you are going to participate in the CSA next year, and helpful for others even if you aren’t.
So, now that things are slowing down, we have time to reflect on the season over all. We appreciate the business from Whole Foods and also the florists and restaurants who bought produce from us (Harvest Moon Coffee Shop, Village Wines and Bistro, and Orchids and Ivy Flower Shoppe all in Canal Winchester; Steven Cox flowers, Green Floral Design, The Greener Grocer). It amazes us the growth of the support that we receive from businesses who want to buy things locally. We also appreciate the customers and all the brides for choosing us.
Now that all 10 weddings are over, soap takes over as my main hobby. Soon we will be selling the soap online available to be shipped for holiday gift giving. We will be doing winter craft shows with the soap. I will also be going back to substitute teaching while Steve will be working at the coffee shop and selling roofs. If there is a wind or hail storm, keep him in mind!
Winter time will be spent splitting firewood to keep the house warm and fixing all the things that were broken during the season that we didn’t have time to fix. We will also be busy planning for next year when the seed catalogs start coming in. Each year we will add certain things to our repertoire.
Most of the winter is spent trying to relax and preparing ourselves for the next season. Although farming isn’t a year round thing, when we are in season we are working from sun up to sun down! It’s hard work but definitely worth it. Much better than working for someone else, and we get to do it together! So again thank you for making it possible and your support throughout the season.

What’s included this week?

1. Ancho peppers- hot, but not too hot!
2. Salad greens
3. Turnips- can be roasted with a little butter and salt, or eaten raw
4. Bacon from the farmer’s market
5. Aloe plant- make sure not to overwater it as it is related to cacti
6. Bell peppers
7. Kohlrabi- peel the outside and chop finely to use like cabbage. It is really good in a homemade slaw.
8. Flowers- as a thank you gift for your participation this year! Don’t forget to cut them back every other day and change the water so they are freshest.

Recipe of the Week

Killer Chile Rellenos

***we made this recipe and it was to die for! If you can handle some heat, then you should definitely try it. Also, you can make extra and then put them in the freezer. Reheat them in the toasted oven and you are good to go.

6 Ancho Chiles

1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Flour

6 eggs (separated)

2 cups salsa

1 cup Oil for frying

Salt to taste

1. Rinse the chiles. Preheat your oven to broil. Place the chiles in a baking dish and place on the top shelf of your oven. Watch and listen closely. When the skins start to make popping sounds and are charring, take the chiles out and flip using a potholder. When both sides are fairly evenly charred, remove from oven. Place chiles in a sealed plastic bag to steam. After a few minutes, check them. Once the skin comes off easily, peel each chile. Cut a slit almost the full length of each chile. Make a small "t" across the top, by the stem. Keep stem intact and just pull out the seeds. Pull out fibers and seeds and replace with a slice of cheese. Set aside.
2. Whip the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer, until stiff peaks have formed. Heat the oil in a skillet until a drop of water sizzles when dropped into the pan. Beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl with one tablespoon flour and salt. Mix the yolks into egg whites and stir until you have a thick paste. Roll the chiles in ¼ cup flour and dip each one in the egg batter. Coat evenly. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain.
3. Meanwhile, heat the salsa in a medium saucepan or in the microwave. Place one or two Rellenos on each plate and pour salsa over them. You can also try putting enchilada sauce over them instead. Serve them immediately and dig in!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

All pink and white wedding... zinnias galore!

2009-09-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures from our latest wedding. First you see the tossing bouquet, then the flowers left for the cake lady to place on the cake, then a table arrangement. Unfortunately I didn't have time to take pictures of the bridal bouquet or the bridesmaids, but they looked similar to the tossing bouquet. The bride just had baby's breath and cosmos in her bouquet as well. When we do weddings stress is high and time is short, so we don't always get the pictures that we want to. These I think are very beautiful though. Kind of reminds me of Valentine's Day!

CSA week #15

2009-09-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of all the zinnias that we harvest to take to market with us on a Saturday. Here you see 60 bunches of 16 flowers... it's a lot of work, but well worth it!

Preserving the Harvest

As the farm season ends, there are many ways to make sure that you have veggies to eat throughout the winter. Sure you could go to the grocery store and buy tomatoes from there, but they have no flavor and sometimes they even look nice and red outside, but are just mush on the inside. Wouldn’t it be nice to have things from the garden all winter long? Well, it is possible! You have options too: canning, freezing, and dehydrating all help.
Freezing things is pretty simple, but just make sure that you look it up before you do. Some produce needs to be blanched first before it is frozen to stop the enzymes from breaking it down. For example, corn will continue to turn the sugars to starch unless blanched before freezing. If not, corn will taste bad when you take it out of the freezer.
If you have the freezer space, they suggest placing things in a single layer on a cookie sheet to freeze and then putting them into bags to ensure that everything isn’t stuck together. Just remember that veggies will not be as crisp as they were when you put them into the freezer. These are used for soups, stews, jambalaya perhaps.
Dehydrating is more space efficient as everything shrinks down when dehydrated and can just be placed in an airtight container afterwards. This does require a dehydrator, but they aren’t that expensive for the time that it saves you not having to can the produce. Also, you can build a solar dehydrator and use that on a warm day. We recently replaced some old windows so we were able to use the glass and the screens from those to make a solar dehydrator. There are plans for it online if you are interested. You just have to make sure that it is a hot, sunny day if you are going to use the solar one. We tried drying some tomatoes on a cloudy day and they molded, so beware!
The other option that you have is canning. If you are a beginner, I suggest finding someone who knows how to can so that you can follow their methods. It was much easier for me to learn hands on then to read about it. Then you will learn all the little tricks about it too, which can be helpful to save you time. Many things can be canned, but without proper acid content, it needs to be pressure canned rather than just using a water bath. You will read more about this as you can. Also, if you have any questions I would be more than willing to help. I’m still fairly new to canning, but I learned from someone very experienced.
The benefit of preserving your harvest is that you don’t have to buy so much from the grocery store. Why have processed tomato sauce, when you can just pull some out of your pantry and feel good about eating something that you produced? It’s very rewarding to feel less reliant on the grocery store, especially if you get snowed in!

What’s included this week?

1. Watermelon- it’s supposed to be pink inside, so don’t think it’s not ripe… it’s delicious!
2. Swiss chard
3. Bell peppers
4. Spinach
5. Radishes
6. Acorn Squash- don’t put this in the fridge, can store up to 3 months on the counter

Recipe of the Week

Heavenly Squash Casserole

3 c. mashed acorn squash

1/2 c. white sugar

2/3 stick butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, well beaten

TOPPING:
1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

1/3 c. flour

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Combine squash, white sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat well the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and eggs. Combine all thoroughly. Place in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Combine topping ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle over the squash and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Good for dessert or as a side!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

My how those little piggies have grown!

2009-09-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

They are getting big and some of them will be ready by the end of this month. We are still open for taking orders. It will be $4.00/lb if you buy half a hog and $3.50/ lb if you buy a whole hog. So, start telling your friends and figuring out who you can share it with! They will be going to be processed starting October 4th and going through the 1st of the year. Sign up for yours today!

Village Wines in Canal Winchester

2009-09-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

Recently Steve and I went out to eat at the restaurant where we have been selling our produce. It was very neat to see how our food was presented to others. And, I must say he did a fantastic job. The food tasted as great as it looks! His menu changes due to what is available seasonally, so you'll have to go there soon if you want to eat our produce. It is on Waterloo across from the Walmart in Canal, but a quaint little place with fabulous food! Pictured here is the Caprese Salad and Fresh Tomato Bruschetta.

Thank you Whole Foods!

2009-09-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

Recently we have been selling our flowers to Whole Foods, both the one in Dublin and the one in Upper Arlington. We read about another farmer in Texas who was selling to them and thought we would give it a try. So, after about a months worth of paperwork, we were on our way and still going strong! They not only buy our sunflowers and other mixed bouquet flowers, but they buy my mixed bouquets and sell them in the store. Soon, we will have a little sign with our picture and information up at the Upper Arlington store so people will be able to associate our flowers directly with us and our farm. Whole Foods does a great job at supporting the local farmer and it allows us the opportunity to reach more clients since we do not do farmer's markets in that area. We started with them kind of late in the season this year, but look forward to providing again for them next year too! Hopefully we will get people hooked on our flowers. I always say FOOD MAY FEED THE BODY, BUT FLOWERS FEED THE SOUL!

CSA week #14... only two weeks left!

2009-09-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Look at that monstrous watermelon!

Guerilla gardening

So, I’m sure you are thinking to yourself… what the heck does that mean? Well, officially it is defined as “the illicit cultivation of someone else’s land” which I know may sound like something that would be illegal, but it’s not for the most part. All people involved are just improving the public land around them.
The term “guerilla” you may be familiar with but in a negative connotation, but not here. The reason why it is used to describe this type of gardening is that a lot of it is done without orders to do so, it may be at night, and it is usually a sneak attack. Some people do it during the day and just wear a safety vest so others will think that you are a worker sent to do the job.
But why would someone want to do such a thing, you might ask? Well, the idea of a garden is usually something that is personal or the garden belongs to somebody. The garden could be attached to a home or to a place of work, but usually it is someone’s intentional creation for it to belong to them. With guerilla gardening, you are letting the garden belong to everyone that walks past.
For example, you might put some seed in a bare spot in between the sidewalk and the road or around a road sign, really anywhere that is bare, and decide you want to walk past something beautiful everyday on your way to work. This could mean that you either plant seed or bulbs or you could even go so far as planting plants. There are some guerilla gardeners that just carry seeds in their pocket so that they can just sprinkle them in places as they walk.
Now, I am not saying that you should rip up someone else’s garden because if it is already planted, then the work is done for you. If your passion is gardening then you should check it out. There is a book that is available called On Guerilla Gardening by Richard Reynolds or you can go to their website at http://www.guerrillagardening.org/. When you sign up, you will receive a troop number and then let the gardening begin!

What’s included this week?

1. Honey fresh from bees on our farm- if it sits then it may crystallize, but don’t worry. That’s normal since it is fresh honey and there are no preservatives!
2. Watermelon- it’s supposed to be pink inside, so don’t think it’s not ripe… it’s delicious!
3. Salad greens
4. Bell peppers
5. Lemon basil
6. Onions
7. Okra

Recipe of the Week

Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp Dry mustard
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Lemon pepper or lemon juice
1 1/3 cup Oil
3/4 cup Honey
3/4 cup Cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

Shake all ingredients, except honey and vinegar, in a quart jar. Stir honey into vinegar until blended. Add to oil mixture and shake. Can be stored in refrigerator for several weeks. Taste to make sure it doesn’t need any extra salt or pepper. Serve on top of a bed of salad greens. Try adding some extra veggies or bacon and feta cheese, whatever you like extra on your salad!

The watermelon are sweet like candy so I think you will be excited. Don't forget though, this kind is supposed to be pink inside, not red! The okra can be battered by dipping in egg and then a combination of flour and cornmeal. The trick is to put it all in the skillet at once, in one nice layer and do not stir it around. Try to flip it all as one glob of okra. This will help the coating stick better to the okra and will cook it more evenly, leading to less goop inside. Or, if you don't want to fry it, you can stew it or sautee it with some other veggies and serve over rice, or make gumbo... no matter what it's great!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #13... we are nearing the end with only three weeks left!

2009-09-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

Natural fertilizers

Farmers who do not follow organic practices may feed their plants with chemicals, but we try to supplement nutrients otherwise. Along with the mass composting system that we have, we also use other natural fertilizers. Manure from places with animals is always
First, we use an all natural fertilizer from a local business called Ohio Earth Food. It is mainly made of chicken manure, but is just made into pellets for easy application to your fields. We have found that it works well for all of our plants because it is not too strong and since it is in pellets, it slowly releases the nutrients into the soil.
We also do vermicomposting which is making compost with worms. Yes, we store worms and we use their excretions! By the time the kitchen scraps have been eaten and digested by worms, what comes out the other end is pure nutrients for your soil.
We store them in big 10 gallon tubs and continually add compostable material until it is full. Then, you just let the worms go to work. Every once in a while it will need stirred in there so they eat what is on top too. This is first year trying it, so we will see how it goes.
When the worm poo is ready, we take everything out of the tub and lay it out on a tarp. The worms are photophobic, meaning they are scared of the sunlight. They will slowly retreat into the middle of the pile; you scrape the top layer off and repeat until you just have a pile of worms left. Then, you can get another tub prepared and just reuse the worms.
While some of the things that we do may sound crazy, they really work. Using natural things in your garden you also have the benefit of not having to worry about what you are eating. When you are buying conventional produce, who knows what is really going on your table.

What’s included this week?

1. Radishes- white or pink
2. Eggs- fresh from our chickens
3. Ginger Gold apples from Paige’s Produce- they may not look perfect, but they taste great!
4. Cherry tomatoes
5. Potatoes- freshly dug, so leave them in airy spot to dry if storing, or just use them fresh!

Recipe of the Week

Hot Apple Pie
· 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (or just use a frozen crust. That’s what I do because I have problems making crust)
· 1/2 cup unsalted butter
· 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 1/2 cup white sugar
· 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
· 1/4 cup water
· 8-10 apples - peeled, cored and sliced (or however many fills the crust!)

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white and brown sugar and water; bring to boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #12

2009-09-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

Outreach efforts

Here at Sunny Meadows, we strive to give back to the community in which we live. Seeing that we live in the city, there are lots of people around us that could benefit. We have many ideas but a lot of them are in the forefront.
Down the street from us, where Smith Farms used to be, is now a city park. We have proposed to them that we start a community garden there. This would be a place where people could come and see where their food comes from. We would hold workshops and have farmers speak so that we may not only show people what a garden should look like, but teach them how to do it themselves. Even if they live in the city, there is probably space for a plant or two somewhere in their yard or on their patio.
The Parks and Recreation department of Columbus is still pondering on this one and we are waiting to hear back from them. It is a little late for this year, but maybe we will get everything set up for next year. We feel it would be beneficial for both parties.
There is a Special Olympics office near our house that has a mass of land next to it. We would like to partner with them to use the land, but allow their folks to come out and plant pumpkins at the beginning of the season. Then each family could have a pumpkin when they were ready. So far they have not been too interested in this idea, but we’ll see how our relationship with them continues to develop.
Although our business proposals are in the beginning stages, we are hopeful that as we grow, they will see that our efforts are sincere. We really do want to give back to the community in which we live. Now, we donate any extra produce or flowers that we don’ sell to a group in Granville every Saturday. They take it and disperse it between a battered women’s shelter and various recovery centers and soup kitchens throughout Newark. During our busy time of the year, we donate extra flowers to hospitals and nursing homes. It’s nice to see smiles on everyone’s faces when you come in with some nice flowers.
Recently, I have been speaking to the local Rotary Clubs about our farm and our community outreach efforts. They are an organization based on service to the community and beyond… some are even international! They have been a good connection as the Canal Winchester Rotary Club has talked about next year buying a share of our CSA and donating it to the food bank. They also have connections with the Special Olympics so we will see where this leads us.

Food may feed the body, but flowers feed the soul!

What’s included this week?

1. Hot peppers- Hungarian Hot Wax (banana peppers) or Jalapeno
2. Tomatoes
3. Onions
4. Kale
5. Bar of homemade soap

Recipe of the Week

Homemade Fresh Salsa

1 quart tomatoes
3-5 hot peppers (or even more if you like it really hot)
2 small onions
1 clove garlic
½ bunch of cilantro (you usually get pretty big bunches at the grocery store. We tried to grow it, but unfortunately our crop wasn’t successful so you’ll have to purchase it elsewhere.)
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

Chop all vegetables to the desired chunkiness of your salsa. Make sure before you chop the hot peppers that you remove all seeds. You may also want to wear gloves so that the heat from the peppers doesn’t stay on your hands. Also, to some people this salsa seems a little watery, so you can chop all veggies and place them in a strainer shortly so that some of the juice runs off. Make sure if you are going to do this that you add the lime juice afterwards.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #11

2009-08-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

Organic weed control

Although for some people weeds are easily taken care of by spraying chemicals on them; that does not describe how we do things here. Since we follow organic practices, there are no herbicides, pesticides, or any other type of chemicals that you can think of… just plain old hand weeding!
We try to minimize what you actually have to do on our hands and knees by laying down black plastic mulch around our tomato plants or pepper plants. This is basically about the thickness of a trash bag and is laid down on top of our irrigation system. When planted in, we just rip holes in it and plant in those spots.
We use newspaper or cardboard on the ground covered in either mulch or straw when we run out of plastic. This is when the mulch that we get from local tree service guys really comes in handy. We get free mulch to help secure the weed control. The cardboard or newspaper itself would work, but unless it stays wet will sometimes blow away. Covering it helps to keep it down and also helps restrict the weeds that want to come through the cracks in between the paper.
We do own hoes and a wheel hoe, which have saved a lot of work this year, but there are still some things that just need to be hand weeded. Thistle, for example, is a perennial weed which means that any little bit of root will just stay in the ground and send off more shoots later in the year. So, using something on the surface like a hoe is not sufficient. You must wait until a good rain has happened to go out there and yank it up, wild blackberry vines and morning glories are the same way.
Overall, we have found that keeping things clean not only increases the production of plants, but also helps to keep down pests. Mowing around our plots has helped also, keeping grass out of the way on the edge and decreasing the grass seeding into the gardens. It may seem like too much physical labor, but keeping the plots clean really is worth it in the end!

What’s included this week?

1. Sweet zucchini relish- keep refrigerated, will last up to 12 months in fridge
2. Cherry tomatoes- great for salads or for snacking
3. Swiss Chard- roast or boil down and add your favorite spices
4. Peppers
5. Spaghetti Squash- do not store in fridge as it will just soften (see recipe below)
6. Lemon basil

Recipe of the Week

Spaghetti Squash Sautee

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons sliced black olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on the baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven, and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sautee onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and sautee for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash, and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #10

2009-08-18T05:40:00.000-07:00

This picture is Katie and Dan at the Athens farmer's market for us. Since we already do Granville on Saturdays, we are fortunate enough to have friends that help us out. Assisting us in spreading the knowledge about local flowers!

Why you should buy local

Although you may be able to find what you want at the grocery store, who knows where it comes from. We get potatoes from Idaho, oranges from Florida and the list goes on. But, if you can buy it from your local farmer, why not do so?
By buying local, not only do you support your local farmer, but your local economy as well. This is back to the way that things used to be before we could package and ship food all over the world. A group of farmers worked together, all growing something different so they could provide for the whole community.
And, if you care about the environment then this decreases your carbon footprint. The fuel it takes to get that produce to its destination adds up quickly. Especially if there is refrigeration involved to store all the produce along the way.
When people think of local things though, they don’t usually think of flowers. We have not been trained yet to start to do so. Our mission is to spread this idea through the people that we encounter, and hope that the idea continues to infiltrate the rest of the flower buying community.
There are many reasons why local flowers are important. Cheap flowers that you find at the grocery store and most flowers used by florists, come from either California or foreign countries. Flower producers outside of the United States do not have to abide by the rules set forth here. This means that they can use whatever chemicals they want on the flowers because a lot of what the import people are worried about is the bugs that it may bring, so as long as there are no bugs, these flowers are allowed in.
Despite the growing conditions for the poor little flowers, what about the working conditions for the people employed by these big flower companies? As you can imagine, flower growers moved outside the country for a lot of the same reason that many companies do: cheap labor, no unions, and no worker’s rights.
Yes, it would be nice to buy local things year round, but unfortunately in Ohio we can’t do that. This takes much planning with preserving your products by drying, canning, or freezing. Really, it’s the effort that counts!

Suggested reading:
Flower Confidential by Amy Stewart
This book is the source of a lot of our information and is a great inside look at the world of flowers.

What’s included this week?
1. Tomatoes
2. Zucchini and yellow squash
3. Peppers
4. Carrots
5. Cauliflower- it may not look pretty, but it tastes good.
6. Flowers picked fresh for you!

Recipe of the Week

Zucchini Carbonara

2 large green and yellow zucchini
1 pound penne
4 large free-range or organic egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 good handfuls grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
12 thick slices pancetta or lean bacon, cut into chunky pieces
A small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Halve and then quarter any larger zucchini lengthwise. Cut out and discard any fluffy middle bits, and slice the zucchini at an angle. Add the penne to the pot and cook according to the package instructions.
To make your creamy carbonara sauce, put the egg yolks into a bowl, add cream and half the Parmesan, and mix together with a fork. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat a very large frying pan, add olive oil and fry pancetta until dark brown and crisp. Add the zucchini slices and 2 big pinches of black pepper. Sprinkle in thyme and stir everything so the zucchini is coated with, and fry until they start to turn lightly golden and have softened.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it, reserving a little of the water. Immediately, toss the pasta in the pan with the zucchini mix, then remove from heat and add a ladleful of the reserved water and creamy sauce. Stir together quickly. (No more cooking now or you'll scramble the eggs.)
While you're tossing the pasta and sauce, sprinkle in the rest of the Parmesan to give you a silky and shiny sauce. Serve and eat immediately, as the sauce can become thick if left too long.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #9

2009-08-13T12:40:00.000-07:00

The benefits of farmers working together

At our local farmer’s markets, there are a variety of things sold. We would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to some of the other things that are available locally. All the different farmers bring a feeling of community and makes the market a place where ideas are shared, products are sold, and friends are made.
You would think that the farmers may not get along since we are competition for each other. However, there are those that we have developed a strong bond with through being with them at the farmer’s markets and sharing tips for the business. It is actually quite beneficial for us to share things.
We believe strongly in supporting farmers who do things right. We were both vegetarians for years, but began eating meat when we met the farmers that were raising it. This allowed us to be confident that they were being treated properly. Not eating meat did not stem from being against killing animals, but being against treating them unfairly while they were alive.
So, how does this benefit you? Well, first off we have access to advice that we may not get otherwise so maybe tomato production goes up because we work on a new way to tie them up. Or, salad greens are more prolific due to a new way of planting and harvesting them that we learned.
Most of all, this is beneficial when we need to provide something that we may not have. The farmer’s markets forbid buying and reselling anything, which we totally agree with because you are claiming the product is your own. The CSA, though, allows us to expose you to other things that are available locally. It also allows us the opportunity to help out other farmers as well as the consumer. We will always inform you if something comes from somewhere else, but we just enjoy being able to have that variety in your packages.
Overall, befriending other farmers is a win-win-win situation for everyone involved. It will also give you access to resources that you may not know were out there for you. Because although you may love us, there are other things to experience locally, so check them out!

What’s included this week?
1. Ripe, delicious cantaloupe from Henson Farms- enough to feed a party, so cut it up and enjoy!
2. Tomatoes- see recipe below
3. Basil- also in the recipe
4. Bunching onions
5. Cucumbers- this is the end of them for the season

Recipe of the Week

Caprese Salad

3 large tomatoes
1/2 bunch fresh basil, hand torn
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
3 balls mozzarella

Cut the large tomatoes into 6 or 8 wedges and put them into a bowl. Add the basil leaves, olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. With your hand, gently mix everything together and squeeze the tomatoes a bit to release some of their juices. Cut the mozzarella into bite sized chunks and add them to the tomatoes. Gently toss to blend everything together and serve immediately.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #8

2009-08-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

Heirloom Tomatoes and Seed Saving

Some people might ask why we grow heirloom tomatoes, they look so different! Believe us; they are worth taking a chance on a different looking tomato. The variety of colors and tastes, allows people with all different taste buds to enjoy these tomatoes.
Heirloom means that this is a type of tomato that has been passed down through the generations. These are tomatoes that have been around since at least World War II. The seeds have been saved and passed down so that the traditional varieties continue. These tomatoes have not been modified by science, so your tomatoes are in their truest form.
Saving seeds is something that you can do at home. Anything that is open-pollinated can be saved, which means that it occurs naturally and is not created by man. That is just another reason why heirloom tomatoes are superior, less dependence on buying seed or plants when you can just produce it yourself!
To save tomato seeds, to remove as much gunk as possible and put them into a cup full of water. The rest of the pulp attached to the seeds will separate from the seeds in a few days, making them easier to clean. Put a paper towel over top of the jar to discourage any bugs from being interested.
After the separation has occurred, rinse the seeds off by placing them in a strainer and running cold water over them. Then, set them out on newspaper or cheese cloth to dry. Using a paper towel just makes them stick to the fibers and then they are difficult to get off.
Once they are dry, place them in into a jar that you can close so they can be stored in a cool, dry place until next year. You may also use a Ziploc bag, but a jar decreases your use of plastic. Next year, just plant the seeds when you are ready.
You can follow these instructions for saving other seeds as well, but most will not need the soaking if you can get the seeds clean without that step. If you use seeds from things that are hybrids, or man made, then they will not produce something true to the plant next year. You will end up with something like it, but not exactly what you had before. And, if you need any help saving your seeds, there are lots of resources out there, even seed savers exchanges. Happy seed saving!

What’s included this week?

1. Heirloom tomatoes
2. Cucumbers
3. Bell peppers
4. Squash
5. Kale
6. Bread and butter pickles made fresh on Sunday (see the picture above). They have been canned so if you don’t get to them right away, store them in a cool dry place for up to 2 years. The date is on them just in case you forget. Refrigerate after opening.

Recipe of the Week

Garlic Bruschetta

1 cup diced ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped lemon basil leaves left over from last week
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove chopped garlic
Salt and ground black pepper
1 loaf French bread, sliced into 1-inch thick slices and toasted
*you can also add chopped mushrooms or onions, really anything to your taste

In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and garlic. Mix well to combine. Season it to taste with salt and black pepper.
Spoon tomato mixture onto toasted bread slices and serve. We also like to put the bruschetta on the bread, sprinkle some cheese over top, and put it back in the oven for melting. Heirloom tomatoes make for some great bruschetta!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #7

2009-07-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

This little guy belongs to our friends, but he was too cute for me not to share him!!

Farming in the winter? In Ohio?

While it may sound crazy, farming in the winter time is definitely possible if you prepare yourself. There are many crops that can tolerate cold temperatures, and with proper storage, you can have veggies long after summer is over. Here are some things we do.
First off, you need to start seeds now for the stuff that needs to be started inside. This includes broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, brusselsprouts, etc. You can either place them in your window or start them outside since it is now summer and warm. If you want to know exactly when you should plant, add ten days to the length stated on the package, and count backwards from our last frost date which will usually be the first weekend in October (e.g. the variety of broccoli that we have takes 58 days, so add 10 to make 68 and count backwards to July 26th).

There are also things that you can direct seed outside that you need not worry about until a little later in the summer. Things like lettuces, salad greens, radishes, carrots, or other root crops. The trick is to plant them so they have long enough to grow to maturity. Then, the cold weather becomes like free refrigeration for them.

Some crops can just store in the ground while others need to be stored in a root cellar. This is what people did in the olden days to store things like potatoes and onions, although there are other things that tolerate this method of storage. This way, once they are cured, they are stored in a cool, dark place without the moisture that you would get of storing things in the soil.
This idea is not new to farming, but more people are experimenting with it again lately. Eliot Coleman, who is a fabulous farmer, has figured a lot of this stuff out. Any of his books will give you more information on it and he’s easy to read. They are usually available through your local public library.

What’s included this week?
1. Carrots
2. Lemon basil- great in Italian or with chicken
3. Onions- finally, big onions!
4. Green Beans- from Paige’s Produce since ours got devoured by the deer
5. Hybrid tomatoes- your typical red, round tomato
6. Swiss chard- same instructions as previous weeks

Recipe of the Week

Simple Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes (the whole quart)
Basil (1/2- whole bunch)
Onions (1-2)
Garlic (1 elephant clove or 2-3 regular cloves)
Salt and Pepper to taste

It is hard for me to give you exact measurements for this recipe because it all depends on your taste buds. You will need at least an hour to make this sauce, and don’t forget about it and let it burn to the bottom of the pan, it needs lots of stirring. If you don’t mind the tomato skins being in your sauce, you can chop the tomatoes up and put them into a large pot. If you want no skins, you have two options. First, you can put the tomatoes in a blender or food processor to mix them in. Or, you can boil water and put the tomatoes into the water until the skin peels off nicely. Doing it the second way makes this sauce not so simple.

The tomatoes will cook down and the mix will look real watery. Then, they will start to boil off that water until it is thick enough to be sauce. You don’t want to add the other veggies and spices until the tomatoes are done cooking down and starting to reabsorb some of their own juices. You can also add any other veggies to this mix if you like peppers or mushrooms in your sauce. How chopped up you make them just depends on how chunky you want your sauce to be. It’s okay if it turns out different every time, so be creative!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

Christmas ham

2009-07-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

You may think that this is cruel way to think of these piggies, but they are so cute I have to keep reminding myself of this so I don't get attached. The day they get put on the truck to be processed will definitely be a sad one. But, they will be raised right with brothers and sisters to play with, kitchen scraps to eat, and even a good back scratching every now and then. These are hogs that would have been raised for meat anyways, but now we just know that they have led a happy pig life.

We are raising them on another farmer's property because I don't think that the neighbors would appreciate us doing it here. These pictures are from the first day we got them so they were just settling in. The bigger troughs will be built for their food and water but for now we are just using baby pools. Once they discovered the water, they were really enjoying themselves. They even enjoyed being sprayed off with the hose since it was a hot day.

They should be ready by November- the 1st of the year. If anyone is interested in buying half a pig, a whole pig, or can find friends and family to split one, definitely contact us. We haven't quite calculated the cost yet, but we will have more information once we know what the cost per pig is going to be for us. If you let us know before they are processed then they can be made into sausage, brats, etc. to your liking. Soo-ee!

The biggest wedding yet!

2009-07-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

This wedding was definitely our biggest, most important one yet! Everything was white and green, so not my typical style of bouquets. Usually I like bright colors and funky flowers, but this was very elegant. They looked beautiful though and I'm glad that I challenged myself to this. Luckily we were contacted by this bride last year, so we knew that an all white wedding was coming. Lots of planning went into seeds ordered and specific things planted to her liking. The grapevine around the columns was kind of an experiment that we were told held up throughout. The wedding was at East Golf Club in New Albany and it really added to the beauty of the place. To check out more photos from their wedding and see the flowers in action, visit http://mjstudio.zenfolio.com/ and look at Tara and Austin. They look fabulous!

A well deserved rain

2009-07-22T11:27:00.000-07:00

Finally we are getting some rain here. Really, we have been waiting for at least a month. It seems that being on the Southeast side of the city, the storms always go right around us. They will get rain in Bexley or Pataskala, but never here. Well, I know the plants definitely are enjoying it and so are we! We actually got some things accomplished inside the house that have been waiting for a rainy day... which has been a long wait! You can see in the picture that we actually got enough to accumulate in the rain gauge. And, although it may look like a dreary day out on the farm, it is actually quite exciting. This means that our well will get a break from watering all day everyday.

We have already broken our well pump this year from making it work too hard, but the well guy said this one would last another 10 years. I guess it will just depend on how dry our summers continue to be. We only have one well for the house and the farm so it is not run out of water. Especially with flowers, they have to go straight into water. Luckily, we have nice neighbors who let us steal some water from them. But, now we shouldn't have to worry about that. YAY!

CSA week #6

2009-07-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

Our wedding mania

While we previously thought that July and August couldn’t get any crazier, we started doing weddings. Around this time we are not only planting things for the fall, but are still trying to harvest everything for the market, lilies are coming on strong, trying to keep cleaned up around here, and weddings. Needless to say, we are very busy.
We have been fortunate to have help this year. My friends have come to the rescue when it comes to the day before the wedding, helping me by either going to the market for me, helping in the field, or actually doing some of the arranging. On these days Steve does a lot of field work by himself unless one of us has any down time. Sometimes even long days turn into long nights trying to prepare for our Saturday market as well.
So far, our weddings have been very successful. Brides have been pleased which is the most important thing, with mother of the bride coming next. Although sometimes the mothers don’t always agree with using wildflowers or non-traditional flowers in weddings, they usually end up happy in the end.
Next year we are still wide open, so spread the word. Anytime between the end of June and the beginning of September will be our wedding season. Lilies are available in the month of July and sometimes in the month of August too. If you are interested in looking at pictures, you can check out the ones on our website or on our blog.

www.oursunnymeadows.com
www.oursunnymeadows.blogspot.com

Overall we enjoy the weddings, despite the stress. It allows us to really put ourselves out there and show our product off. It also allows me, Gretel, to express my artistic abilities. It is very therapeutic to know that you worked hard at something and be complimented. Really, that’s what we live for!

What’s included this week?

Your CSA package will include:
1. Scallions- you can eat the green part too!
2. Okra- good fried or in gumbo
3. Cucumbers (see recipe below)
4. Dill
5. Heirloom tomatoes- the different colors bring different flavors- much better than what you get in the grocery store
6. Sweet corn- picked fresh, so eat it soon before the sugars turn to starch… that’s why corn is usually not as sweet in the grocery store (shipping, packing, storing, etc.)

Recipe of the Week

Cucumber Tomato Salad

2 large cucumbers, sliced into chips
1-2 scallions greens included, sliced
2 small tomatoes or 1 large, sliced or chunked, however you prefer
4 sprigs of dill, chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (or you can use balsamic vinegar)
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop up veggies and combine in large bowl. Mix around to start to get the tomato juices flowing. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix it well. The salt brings the juices out of the cucumbers so be generous with it when making the recipe. Just taste it a few times while making it to check, you don’t want it oversalted either! You can either eat right away or store in the fridge for the next day. That way all the flavors and juices have time to meld, but in our house it never lasts that long! It’s a great addition to a barbeque.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

Busy, busy weekend

2009-07-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

With wedding #3 this weekend, and lots and lots of flowers, we kept ourselves pretty busy. The flowers had to be ready in Newark by 6 am and then the farmer's market setup starts at 7:30. We woke up before the sun, loaded everything for both, and had to have Katie follow us with a third car because with all the stuff we had for the market, not everything fit into the two vehicles we usually have to take. What a good employee, being at work at 5 am on a Saturday morning. I'm sure she thought we were crazy!

Also, we had so many flowers that we sent Katie and Dan to a market in Athens. The flowers went well, as you can see with them working hard selling them. Overall, I would say the lack of sleep was worth it. Everything went really well. And, if the bride's happy then we are happy!

What are those crazy neighbors doing?!?!?

2009-07-15T17:51:00.000-07:00

We are a part of a farmer's networking group and the Wall Street Journal contacted the head of the group whoe emailed us this:

Hi SPINners.
A reporter for the Wall Street Journal is interested in knowing what kind of relations do you urban and suburban farmers have with neighbors who live next to your backyard or front lawn plots. Apparently there has been an explosion of farm and garden creation within neighborhoods, and this reporter is doing a story on whether that has created any problems (not surprisingly, I guess, he is looking for negatives.) But if you have any feedback on reaction you are getting, positive or negative, please let me know, and I will pass on your feedback to him.
Thanks.
--Roxanne

And this was my response:

We are on almost 10 acres, although we are still considered an urban farm since we are technically still in the city of Columbus. We do a lot of cut flowers which take up most of our space, so our produce is done on a SPIN model. We use up most of the space we can and have gardens in the front and side yards around the house. At first, I'm sure the neighbors were wondering what we were doing tilling up the whole front yard, but now that we have been operating for a few years, they are all very accepting. They are just glad that something is being done with the property because before it was not taken care of. One neighbor is a science teacher so she enjoys that we have chickens and are contributing to the lan.

The part of town that we live in used to be more farm land before the city expanded, so the older folks that live in the neighborhood feel like it is taking this area back to the way things used to be. And, there is a little retail produce stand up the street that gets to dump their unsold produce on our land for composting. It works out great for us! We are close to the city so we have access to resources that other farmers may not have that live out in the country. There was one older lady next door who wasn't comfortable with the spot where we had the compost pile because she was afraid of rodents, but was understanding. She just asked that we put it further away from her house, but was supportive of us composting.

Also, we are in the process of working out a lease city owned property that is vacant. The program that they have allows properties in rough areas of town to be rented out for farm or garden use. They would rather have something done with the land than have it sit there vacant and unkempt. They will have us pay for the water, but the houses on the property are not using water so it will be easy to keep track of.

It seems like gardening is catching on again though. We are both in our mid-20's so it's encouraging to see that people from different generations are reconnecting through farming. It gives us more of an idea of how things used to be before there were factory corporate farms and before all our food was processed before eating it. And, it seems that older folks enjoy seeing young farmers who are passionate enough about growing fresh, all natural food that they want to till up their whole yard.

So, overall I would say that people may be shocked by it at first, but the more you advocate what you are doing, the more supportive they will be. If you can try to get them to understand the importance of buying locally and eating fresh, then it will be easier to convince them. My advice, just start giving them some of your product so that they can taste the difference themselves. Talk to them when you see them outside, and let them take a bite out of a freshly picked heirloom tomato, give them some flowers, or cook them some farm fresh zucchini bread; then they'll give in!

Gretel Adams
Sunny Meadows Flower Farm
3555 Watkins Road
Columbus, OH 43232
www.oursunnymeadows.com

CSA week #5

2009-07-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Don't throw that away...
That’s Good Compostable Material!

Another part of us doing things organically is our mass composting system. We not only compost everything from our farm, but we have a produce store up the road from us that also dumps all their waste on our property. This relationship is beneficial for both of us.
Instead of throwing kitchen scraps away in the trash, we choose to throw them in the compost pile. This means that it will break down and slowly decompose. This allows the nutrients it used from the soil to mix together. Then, the bacteria in the soil will get to work turning this decomposed material back into stuff that can be sprinkled on your garden.
In your compost pile, you will need green and brown material. The green will be the produce scraps that you have from your kitchen. You do not want to put meat, dairy products, or fats in it. You can also put yard waste in there too (grass clippings, straw). The brown material would either come from dead leaves, newspaper, cardboard, etc. For a complete list of do’s and do not’s, read some literature about it.
This process will take about a year, turning it once a month to ensure that everything is breaking down at the same rate. Inside the pile will be warm from the microbial activity inside, so don’t be alarmed if it smokes when you turn it. It’s actually really neat to see!
You also have the option of just letting it sit for two years before using it and letting it do all the work for you. At our farm, we try to work smarter to conserve energy and allow ours to sit. This, of course, requires space and patience so is a little harder for those with little to no yard.
Not long before you are ready to use it, you will want to control the moisture level (which may mean covering it if it is raining). You will be able to tell it is ready because it will be the consistency of clumpy dirt. You can then spread this on your garden to put the nutrients back in the soil that the vegetables took out of the soil to begin with. This is just a small overview, so if you are really interested you can find information on the internet or at the public library, or find literature.

Suggested reading:
The Rodale Book of Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener

Your CSA package will include:
1. Broccoli
2. Cucumber
3. Carrots
4. Elephant Garlic- hang to dry for proper storage. After a clove has been cut off, cover and put in refrigerator until later use.
5. Collards- don’t forget about taking the stem out before cooking these
6. Peppers- assorted colors
7. Canned tomatoes- from our harvest last year

Recipe of the Week
Stuffed Peppers
*can be made sans meat for vegetarians, just add some more veggies to the recipe instead
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 cup water
6 bell peppers
1 jar tomatoes, drained but reserve juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, diced
1 small onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano from last week if you still have it

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. Cook the beef in a skillet until evenly browned.

Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and insides of the peppers. Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward. In a bowl, mix beef, cooked rice, tomatoes, Worcestershire, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Spoon the mixture into each hollowed pepper. Mix some tomato juice and Italian seasoning in a bowl, and pour over the stuffed peppers.

Bake 1 hour in the oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender. If you would like, you can melt cheese on top during the last 15 minutes of cooking. In our house, they wouldn’t be eaten any other way!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #4

2009-07-06T19:23:00.000-07:00

Our Seasonal transition

While the calendar may say that summer is here, our crops didn’t get the memo yet. I have heard that patience is a virtue, but can be troublesome for a farmer. Our plants are producing here and there, but we are still waiting for the big harvest. It is always well worth the wait though!

Our tomatoes are big and green, waiting for the sun to ripen them into beautiful tomatoes. Although we still love those first fried green tomatoes, it is difficult to just sit around and play the waiting game. As a farmer at this point, you know that they have their nourishment, that they have been properly trimmed and tied, and now it is Mother Nature’s turn to do the work.

Along with the wait for the tomatoes to turn red, we are also waiting for the peppers to turn colors. This year we planted all different colors of bell pepper and they are just beginning to get their color. Soon we will have yellow, orange, red, purple and even chocolate colored peppers. With the different colors come different flavors too… not just your typical green pepper.

And, soon we will have big, huge good smelling Oriental lilies blooming which means wedding season has begun for us. We will be harvesting our garlic in the next few weeks, our annual flowers will start to bloom, and it will be prime picking time for our berry plants.

You may be thinking to yourself that you have been eating greens and lettuce for a month now, but things will be changing shortly. And besides, all those greens are good for you!

*****Check out the new movie coming about food awareness and it will change the way you look at the big corporate farms that provide our main food system. They do say you are what you eat, so make sure that’s a good thing:

FOOD, INC.- Drexel theater starting July 17th
See the trailer at their website
http://www.foodincmovie.com/

What’s included this week?

Your CSA package will include:

1. Bell peppers- assorted colors
2. Swiss chard- see #3
3. Red Russian Kale- both these greens are good roasted
4. Baby leeks- a nuttier flavor than onions, especially when roasted… try with greens
5. Green tomatoes- for frying
6. Oregano- good for Italian
7. Peach apricot jam- canned last year from fresh from the orchard peaches
8. Mixed bouquet

Recipe of the Week

Fried Green Tomatoes

As many tomatoes as you think you can eat fried… in our house it takes a lot to feed us!
2-3 eggs, scrambled
Bread crumbs
Chopped oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slice the tomatoes hamburger style. Then scramble a couple eggs in a small bowl. Chop up the oregano and mix salt and pepper in with the bread crumbs. Dip the tomatoes into the egg mixture and then into the flour. Place in the skillet and cook for a few minutes. Flip the tomato slice and let it fry on that side for a few minutes. The tomato should be squishy in the center before taking it out of the pan. Place a paper towel on a plate and place the fried tomatoes on the plate. Allow them time to cool before eating; the freshly fried juice of a tomato is squirting hot!

Thank you for your support,

Gretel and Steve

Wedding #2 for the season

2009-07-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

While preparing for our second wedding of the year, I was attempting making a headdress for the bride. Unknowingly, the first one was way too big until I tried it on and looked like someone who should be in a Vegas show. It was no big deal though, the dogs enjoyed it as you can see in the pictures! The second attempt at the headdress came out a lot better. Using much smaller flowers was the key. The wedding was in their backyard, very laid back. So far we haven't had any "bridezillas" and we hope to keep it that way. Since we let them come over, take a tour of the farm, and kind of pick what they want in their bouquets, it has seemed to work out very well. This wedding used their husky as their ringbearer, how cute! I don't think that Philo (our husky) would have worked out so well. We thought about using our dogs in our wedding, but what happens when they see a squirrel and then take off with your rings? I know that I wasn't going to chase them around in my dress. Plus, Captain was not very happy about these flowers around her neck as you can see in the picture of our Chocolate Lab, and Philo was trying to eat it.

CSA week #3

2009-06-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

The Fun of Homesteading

Nowadays you may hear people talk about living green. You may call it sustainable living, but we like to call it homesteading. This means living ecologically sound and trying to be more self-sufficient.
We implement organic farming methods to ensure that we are giving back to the earth what it has given us. We love composting, which means our kitchen scraps do not get thrown into the trash, but rather our compost pile. Then, after they have decomposed, it will be added back into the soil, forming a full cycle.
Also, we plant cover crops in the winter to make sure that nutrients don’t leach out of the soil. Then in the spring when the cover crop is tilled in, it will give back all those nutrients that took from the soil. We also try to invite beneficial insects. So, we go out and collect praying mantis egg cases, along with planting other plants that invite such things as butterflies.
Along with butterflies and ladybugs, we also invite bees to our property by having a beekeeper tend bees on our property. It benefits both of us. For him it allows him to tend more hives and get more honey. And, for us it allows our products to be better pollinated, bringing us more produce per plant.
Having chickens at the farm, we produce our own eggs. Right now, we get just enough for us to eat but hopefully some day we will expand to provide eggs to others. The chickens also help us because they eat all the perennial weeds that are impossible to get rid of otherwise. Things like thistle and blackberry vines, they will eat right up. They are a lot like goats, only they don’t clear things out quite as fast!
When the weather gets colder, we will also heat our house with a wood burning stove. This allows us to not depend on the gas company for our comfort during the winter. Although it is a lot of work, it is definitely worth it! And, it is usually warmer in our house than it would have been with the heat on low enough to afford it.
All in all, it does take more labor for us to live our lives this way, but it is so much more rewarding. We feel that people these days, especially ones our age, are much too reliant on others for services. We pride ourselves in that if grocery stores ceased to exist tomorrow that we would still be able to survive! So, ask yourself what can you do to be more self-sufficient?

What’s included this week?

½ dozen eggs fresh from our hens at the farm
Spinach- just enough for the recipe below
Onions- eat these fresh, do not try to store them please
Baby Swiss chard
Romaine lettuce
Dill- great for cooking fish with a little bit of lemon
Sunflowers- cut them down every other day and change the water for optimum freshness

Recipe of the Week

Quiche pronounced key-sh
(It’s French, just try it!)

3-4 slices bacon
1 frozen pie crust (or you can make your own if you are a baker)
½ cup spinach, chopped*
½ cup onion, chopped*
½ cup shredded cheese
3 eggs
2 cups cream, milk will do
*other veggies may be substituted, or you can make it without veggies too! You can even make it vegetarian sans bacon.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cook bacon in skillet until just cooked. Do not crisp it for it will continue cooking later. Drain oil from bacon and blot until not greasy. Chop up just like veggies. If you want to chop finer (or you want it done faster), you can use a food processor. Sprinkle bacon, veggies and cheese into pie shell. Scramble the eggs with the cream and then pour into shell. Place pie shell onto baking sheet to minimize dripping into the bottom of your stove. Bake 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing so that it may solidify. Enjoy!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA newsletter week #2

2009-06-24T13:45:00.000-07:00

Urban Farming

Living in the city gives us the ability to make use of the resources that are available within a populated area. We have had Bexley dump the leaves that they collect in the fall, using them first as mulch and now letting them compost for later use. Once they got wet, we realized that the wood chips we have dumped on our property would be easier to use as mulch. These wood chips come from guys that provide tree services and they are untreated, making them not as appealing, but they fit into our organic way of farming here.
Having more people around us means that there is a larger pool of customers, but also means that there are more markets within our area. This spreads the customers out, making it so that you have to shop around for the market that is perfect for you. At least we have options though, because as we learned on our honeymoon, not everyone does.
While honeymooning in Floyd, Virginia we realized that living out in the middle of nowhere wasn’t as good of an idea as we had originally thought. We always romanticized being out in the mountains, but that not only meant that you were away from your neighbors, but away from other people and the market for your products.
Everyone out there has their own garden, making being a small scale farmer a difficult job. After the trip, we came home feeling more grateful that we lived in the location that we did. Although daily we deal with sirens going by thanks to the local fire station, it’s nice to be able to escape by being out in the field.

What’s included this week?

Your CSA package will include:
1. Thyme- great spice to add to everything
2. Radishes- pink and white
3. Scallions (or little baby onions)
4. Baby carrots- take the tops off for maximum storage
5. Spinach- good cooked or raw
6. Collards- before cooking these you need to take the stems out. The best way to do this is fold the leaf along the stem and then pull the stem out.

Recipe of the Week

Vegetable Cream Cheese

1 package cream cheese, softened
2 big carrots
2 radishes
2 scallions
1 teaspoon garlic powder
*you could also add thyme

To soften the cream cheese either let it sit out at room temperature or microwave it on low for a minute or two. Chop all vegetables just enough to fit it in your food processor. Process them until they are finely chopped. In a large bowl, place softened cream cheese and chopped vegetables. Add garlic powder, and thyme if you want, and mix well. Can be used softened as veggie dip, or you can put it in the fridge and harden it for later. This cream cheese is great with bagels or on egg sandwiches.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

Summer is here!

2009-06-24T13:26:00.001-07:00

So a lot has been going on at Sunny Meadows. We have started our CSA, got our first honeycomb from our bee guy, the flowers are blooming and spring vegetables are at the end of their lives. We have already gone through one batch of lilies, the sunflowers are blooming and wedding season is soon to ensue! In fact, below you will see a picture of our friend's wedding in which I did the flowers for. It was awesome!

Overall, we have been really excited about the summer and have begun to realize that every farmer ever is behind on their to do list. There is so much to do and so little time. Well, not really but some hours of the day are just too hot to be working outside the whole time. We have been trying to create shady spots for us to work during the hottest hours, or we have been taking a little break. We have found that it is better to wake up early in the morning and work late in the evening if we can take an extended lunch break while it is sweltering outside. So far this has worked for us, but who knows what it will be like during the really busy season.

When we got the honeycomb from our bee guy, we scraped everything off of it into a strainer. After a couple of days, the honey separated from the beeswax, we bottled it up and have been enjoying it tremendously every since. It is like the maple syrup of honey, man is it good! Also, this has sparked an interest in making bath and body products. We are looking forward to being able to use fresh herbs from our garden to add into the soaps, lotions, or lip balms that we will create. We'll let you know how all this goes!

CSA newsletter week #1

2009-06-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

Why organic farm practices?

Here at Sunny Meadows, we chose to follow organic practices because we feel that it is a healthier decision. It may be a little more work for us, but we feel that it is worth the effort. There are many other benefits of doing it this way also.

First, we are able to get more in touch with the way that things used to be. Back when our grandparents’ generation was farming, they were farming this way. They were using hard work and a little sweat to get the weeds out, not chemicals and trying to do as much as they could to benefit the soil and the garden overall.

We have learned that being organic means a lot of preparation on our part. We try to cover crop an area with wheat or rye the year before to add more nutrients into the soil. We also add compost to the soil and use certified organic fertilizer to supplement the nutrients that are plants need and we are not providing otherwise.

Also, to pick something straight out of the garden and eat it without having to worry about washing off harmful chemicals gives us peace of mind. We already eat enough chemicals, preservatives and things that are processed; we want our products to be set apart from all those negative things.

And lastly, I, Gretel, am a foodie. I love to eat first off, but I love to cook too! And, nothing tastes better than something cooked with fresh vegetables from our garden!

What’s included this week?

Your CSA package will include:
1. Radishes- both pink and white
2. Red Russian Kale- great steamed with a little bit of malt vinegar on them, you can sauté with butter, or even roast it for maximum flavor
3. Salad greens- a bit spicy, but great with blue cheese dressing
4. Swiss Chard (the multicolor stuff)- the stems are eaten too, so don’t throw away the good stuff! These can be roasted, steamed, sautéed, or you can put them on the grill wrapped in some foil with your favorite flavorings.
5. Garlic Scapes- these are actually the tops of garlic plants but are excitingly different (see recipe below)
6. Sage- good for cooking meats. You can use this either fresh or hang up the bunch in your house and dry it for later use. The flowers have flavor too!
7. Rustic Baguette from Lucky Cat Bakery in Pataskala. You can put in the oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes to soften it up and eat it. If you can’t eat it all now, then you can cut it up and freeze it for toasting later.

Recipe of the Week

Garlic Scape Pesto

1/2 cup garlic scapes, finely chopped
4 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cups grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Put garlic scapes and lemon juice in food processor, and process until scapes are very finely chopped. With food processor running, add oil through the feed tube and process 2-3 minutes. Remove lid, add half of parmesan cheese and process 2 minutes, then add the rest of cheese and salt and pepper and process 2-3 minutes more.Serve tossed with hot pasta. This would also be good on fish, as a topping for bread, or as a seasoning for cooked rice.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

The race against Mother Nature

2009-05-13T03:10:00.000-07:00

Although we are not late with our plantings outside, it sure does feel like it. Since it was warm early, it has made us feel as though spring has been going on for a while. Mother's Day is technically the frost free date, so we're really not that far behind. It just keeps raining as soon as it gets dry enough for Steve to till, not leaving us much time to try to squeeze in plantings.

Also, we have discussed with a fellow farmer and discovered that the damage to the pepper plants is merely mechanical damage from it being so windy on Saturday. Whew! What a relief! That means that they will recover because all new growth looks good and hopefully we won't have another 40 mph windy day before we try to sell these plants at the market so that way they look as healthy as they actually are.

We recently put in 35 fruit trees, making an orchard in the back of the greenhouses. So, within the next few years we should have 5 sour cherry trees, 5 sweet cherry trees, and 25 asian pear trees (34 including the 9 we already have) producing fruit for us. We planted 25 blueberry plants as well. Last year we had 6 blueberry plants producing and it only fruited enough for me to eat because man they were good! We are really looking forward to this too, just another thing to expand our horizon and become more than just flower farmers. This does mean more work though, mulching and weeding even more areas.

This spring has been spent doing lots of weeding. Since it has been wet, all the weeds have been growing like crazy (well, like weeds I suppose). So, we have been trying to clear our beds of weeds now while we have the time instead of waiting until they are out of control in the summertime. So, all in all still feeling a little overwhelmed, but we are getting a lot accomplished so at least it is getting us somewhere. Who knows, maybe someday we will near the end of our to do list!

The trials and tribulations...

2009-05-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

Here at the farm, we have had our share of ups and downs lately. Here you can see the greenhouse that was ripped apart by the wind storm that we had, taking 17 poles out of the ground. This is one of two greenhouses, both of them causing us headache right now. So far we have not been successful in making it worth our while to have them. Last year we planted all flowers in them and quickly discovered that we did not get enough production out of sunflowers for it to make sense that we use the space for that.

The second one was planted with all lilies in hopes that we could have them ready to harvest in June for the bridal season. Instead, we had a huge wind storm in Ohio (see first picture) and the plastic to our greenhouse came off, leaving them exposed to the elements as if they were outside. Therefore, they are going to be prepared to harvest at the same time that all of our other lilies out in the field will be, which means we will have lilies coming out of our ears again this year. We got the greenhouse covered recently (see second picture), but not in time enough to make a difference in forcing them to bloom sooner. So be prepared because there will be tons of them!

Also, all of our transplants looked great until recently when we took them outside. Something happened and now they have yellowish, brown spots on them. We have so far been unable to identify them and are hoping that it is just a nutrient deficiency in the plants and that optimum growing conditions will pull them out of this stress. Otherwise, all that hard work and they will just be thrown away. Keep us in your thoughts!

And lastly, due to a recent misunderstanding with the administration of the Upper Arlington Farmer's Market, we will be unable to attend this year. This means that you can find us at Pearl Market which is downtown in Pearl Alley across from the statehouse from 10:30-2 on Tuesdays and at Granville on Saturdays from 8-12. Granville is thinking about having a market that would be in the evening on Tuesdays too and since we will have more time, we will be experimenting with other markets. We are going to be open at farm stand here at the farm though, which will allow us more sales directly off our property. This will give us the ability to make each sale more personal and allow you to see the farm first hand while you are making your purchase. And, coming that direct from the farm means that it is the freshest you can get! So, maybe this lost market won't be a bad thing for the customers after all...

Community Supported Agriculture

2009-05-05T10:47:00.000-07:00

Our farm is starting a CSA this year. This is called Community Supported Agriculture because it wouldn't exist without you! It takes someone to develop an entrusting relationship with a farmer by paying upfront for a season's worth of produce. The money upfront gives the farmer the resources to buy seeds and other things to start up the season and ensures that you get a weekly share of the harvest for the season.

This year we are doing a 16 week program starting June 19th and going through the first week in October. You would get enough to feed a family of four, with 5-9 different things per week. Now remember, everything is based upon seasonality so you will not be getting the same thing all season, and what is available is up to Mother Nature!

If you would be interested in something like this contact us at sunnymeadowsflowerfarm@gmail.com. Our farm is southeast Columbus, but we do a market in Granville where it can be picked up also. We invite you out to the farm to check out how we do things and so that you can be an interactive part of the food you put on your family's table. And remember, we do everything organically so you can feel good about making your kids eat your vegetables too!

Welcome to our lives!

2009-05-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

Now begins our third season in farming and we are always developing who we are as farmers and what we grow. We recently put in 25 Asian pear trees, 10 cherry trees, and got four chickens. So, it has been a busy spring!

Along with starting seeds under lights in our house, we have been trying to repair the greenhouse that we lost in the wind storm. You wouldn't think that we would get hurricane strength winds in Ohio, but sure enough we did! Seventeen poles were ripped out of the ground, along with the plastic being ripped off of it. After much digging, pulling, planning and a lot of concrete, we think that we have it settled in there. We were planning on having lilies early by planting them in the greenhouse, but since we just got it together, they will be right on time with the ones outside. This means we will have lilies galore, so if you're interested definitely let us know.

This winter was spent keeping warm by the wood burning stove and preparing for the next farm season. A lot of reading and planning ahead, with the goal of being more organized this year than last. Eventually we will get the hang of this organization thing. We also built ourselves a lean-to onto the back of the garage so that we could park our tractor underneath out of the elements and give us some more storage space.

So, all in all, we have got a lot going on here already! We are always welcome to visitors, just let us know when you would like to come out and see us. We want to spark as much interest in our urban farm as we can, with the goal of teaching kids that their food doesn't just come from a grocery store! It would be good for them to come out and get their hands dirty a little bit.