Maplewood Organics

Sunday, September 26th - Potato and Sweet Potato harvest.

This is our usual harvest day also. We're looking for some extra folks to come out to help dig the rest of our potatoes and get the sweet potatoes out of the ground. Sweet potatoes are a new crop for us which we are excited to offer a bit of to each of you this year. Depending on what the harvest is like, we may plant more next year. Please give a call or send an email if you're willing and able to come help. We'll also be rooting some strawberry runners on this day.

Friday, October 8th - Garlic Planting - 1pm-5pm

This is the best root day this fall to plant our garlic. Lots of hands will make it go quickly. We'd LOVE your help. We'll make our rows, plant the cloves and mulch the whole area with loose hay. Please call or send an email if you would like to help us on this day.

Garden Progress and Farm News

Maggie and I started spreading compost in the garden behind the house this weekend. We'll finish that up early this week. We have a few more rows to till up and prepare for our garlic planting coming up.

I pulled a couple hands full of parsnips yesterday and found some good-sized roots! We'll offer these the last two weeks of our summer CSA and for our fall/winter members.

I'm pleased with our new plantings - our last round of beans, summer squash, zucchini, lettuce, Swiss chard, beets, and carrots. What a difference the proper row spacing (for our rototiller) makes!!! It makes me feel really excited for next year already!

We do have some melons ripening...not a great yield. We are picking what's ready each week now and offering them as extra choices. If you have already taken one as an extra choice, consider leaving them so that someone else who hasn't had one can get one. Next year they will be more abundant. The area behind the house is designated for melons and garlic next year.

We are interviewing another potential intern. We hope she comes to spend at least part of the winter with us. She has some farm experience already and seems like she'd be a great addition to our team! Wish us luck.

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Recipes of the Week

Sky Blue Potatoes

24 new red potatoes, halved lengthwise

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, plus more for garnish

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1.Preheat the oven to 400°. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until the skins are crisp, 20 to 25 minutes; let cool.

2.Scoop out the center of each potato half and place in a medium bowl. Stir in the sour cream, blue cheese, bacon, parsley and onion. Fill each potato skin with the sour cream mixture and top with more crumbled bacon and parsley.

Chicken with Skillet Tomato Sauce

2 to 2-1/2 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks))

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup slivered almonds

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 ounces packaged dried rigatoni

1/2 cup sliced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 medium tomatoes, seeded and cut up (1-1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup coarsely chopped, pimiento-stuffed green olives

1. Skin chicken, if desired. Sprinkle with the first 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; set aside. Place almonds in a 12-inch skillet. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until almonds are lightly toasted, stirring often; remove from pan and set aside.

2. In the same 12-inch skillet heat olive oil. Add chicken to the skillet, placing meaty pieces toward the center. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, turning to brown evenly. Reduce heat. Cook, covered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm. Remove chicken from skillet; drain off all but 2 tablespoons drippings. Cover chicken and keep warm while preparing sauce.

4. For sauce, cook onion and garlic in the reserved drippings until tender; transfer to a blender container or food processor bowl*. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and red pepper. Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth. Return mixture to skillet. Stir in olives. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until desired consistency.

5. Divide pasta among 4 bowls or plates. Top with a piece of chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken and pasta. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Garnish with marjoram sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings.