25 Sep Fri 2009
Week 15 Newsletter with recipes
CSA Newsletter
Volume 5
Issue 15- Farm
September 24, 2009
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Week 15
We’re starting to do some of our fall clean up work with weeds and crops. Eric and Brian harvested ¾ of our onions and laid them out in the greenhouse to dry on Friday. They’ve also been working at clearing out rows and weeding our newly planted crops.
This week you see a return of celery and carrots. We’ve returned to flower bouquets so everyone can enjoy them while we have them! They’ll be gone with the first killing frost which could happen any time now.
Local Harvest website blog (
http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M13345): Go here and click on "Read Our Blog" to view your CSA contents for the upcoming week and past newsletter with recipes.Garden Progress
This is a repeat for some of you:
With all the rain we had early in the season, we do have some crops that are not producing well, including our winter squash and pie pumpkins. I’m trying to work out trades with other farmers to get more winter squash for you. We will not be buying in corn this year. The farmer we usually buy from has a shortage this year. He lost his whole first crop and has had low production in his subsequent plantings. We’ve tried unsuccessfully to include sweet corn for two years now. I think in the future we will buy some in at wholesale price to have available for sale to anyone who wants to buy corn at a discount.
Update: I found two farmers who will barter with us for winter squash! I’ll have it available for everyone the last two weeks of our CSA.
Farm News
Eric brought home a new bull last Thursday. His name is Harvey. He’s a thirteen-month-old Belted Galloway. He’s a good-looking animal! He went out with our herd Friday and has been making friends/butting heads with the others, finding his place in the order of things. Brian researched the Belted Galloways and found that the bulls do pass on the belt, so we should know next spring or summer if Harvey sired any calves! Exciting!
Here is another excerpt from our upcoming brochure, our story:
Maplewood Organics ~ A Noël Family Farm Since 1972
Conserved in 1995 with the Vermont Land Trust, this 300-acre certified organic farm in Highgate, Vermont, is home to Hannah and Eric Noël’s beef and vegetable CSA operation. Hannah, a graduate of Smith College, is a certified teacher, who has always had her hands in the soil having started her first garden in her sandbox as a little girl. Eric, aka the "organic mechanic", has a passion for both farming and race cars. He grew up on the farm and received his training in automotive repair from Vermont Technical College. After working as a race car mechanic in the IndyCar Series, Eric returned to the farm with plans to diversify and continue his parents’ land stewardship. He was trained in Holistic Management Planned Grazing by his local farm mentor and certified instructor, Abe Collins of Cimarron Farm in St Albans, Vermont. Eric and Hannah were married on the farm and home-birthed both of their children, Madeleine and Calvin.
Winter CSA – SOLD OUT
You may place your name on a waiting list for our winter CSA, which runs October through December. If someone cancels, you have a chance at a share in the order that you signed on. (The total cost to you is $140.)
Recipes of the Week
Cabbage Patch Soup Recipe 2¼ hours | 45 min prep SERVES 10
2 lbs ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 beef bouillon cubes*
1 head cabbage, chopped
8-11 cups water*
salt and pepper
In a large soup kettle, brown beef with onion, garlic and green pepper.
Add tomato paste, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, parsley, kidney beans and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir well.
Dissolve bouillon in 1 cup water and add to soup along with cabbage.
Slowly add desired amount of remaining water.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
*In place of the bouillon with 1 cup water and the 8-11 cups water, use season beef broth or beef stock that you season to taste yourself (or vegetable broth with no meat for vegetarians!). You can also add carrots, celery, and other veggies to this soup.
© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com
Eggplant Elegante (from www.eggplantrecipes.net)
Eggplant casserole combines eggplant, sauteed onion and green pepper, bacon, and chopped tomatoes. Breadcrumbs and melted butter top off this elegant dish before baking.
1 large Eggplant, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon Salt
8 slices Bacon, fried and crumbled
1 medium Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 medium Onion, diced
1 (15 ounces) can Chopped or Diced Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup melted Butter or Margarine
1. Preheat oven to 325 F.
2. Add eggplant to saucepan. Cover with water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Boil 10 minutes.
3. Drain eggplant thoroughly.
4. Saute onion and green pepper in small skillet. Add bacon and diced tomatoes.
5. Add eggplant. Toss to combine.
6. Spoon mixture into casserole dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top of eggplant.
7. Drizzle breadcrumbs with melted butter.
8. Bake 45 minutes.