Farm News

This afternoon it came to me. Running a nice farm is all about 'getting your ducks in a row'. To find people to work with that are highly committed, and enjoy the hard and rewarding work. To find the funds early season to make necessary purchases needed to start seeds, fill the propane tanks, and heat the greenhouse. To make crop plans and stay with them come rain or shine: to take advantage of the rhythms of the season. To spend time in the winter fixing the little this-and-that on our equipment, to avoid unnecessary "when will that part need to come from" break-down delays.

And ideally, that line of ducks would keep moving nicely from one point to the other. Sit back and watch ... well, that's ideally. Of course, even with the best of preparation, and the best of people to work with, there are still things going haywire: Spending a Saturday evening getting the truck back on the road in East-Berne. Improvising for unexpected staff changes. Drought.

So, walking the fields, and seeing a beautiful succession of fall lettuces, ripening long-season pumpkins, leeks that are starting to pick up size, and a barn full with help putting together yet another great CSA share, we've got our ducks indeed somewhat in a row - moving forward nicely, although maybe not always in a very straight line.

Enjoy this week's harvest,

Your farmers,

Raymond and Sara

Expected harvest & U-pick update

For this week, Red and Yellow Onions, Swiss Chard, Lettuce, Garlic, ans Sweet or Bell Pepper.

We are rotating tomatoes (they are slowing down a lot ...), Broccoli, Tomatillos, Hot pepper, Eggplant, Basil, Parsley, and Spinach.

U-Pick: The going is still good in the U-pick, although the cherry tomatoes plants are starting to show their 'end of season' attire. Flowers are all beautiful - plenty of herbs. No frost in sight yet, but the much cooler night temperatures predicted for later this week will slow down the cherry tomatoes more, but make the flowers stunning!

Fox Creek Farm Winter CSA share sign-up now open

For the first time we'll be offering a Winter Share - from October 31 to December 20th, for pick-up at the farm only. The winter share will be a mix of fresh spinach, salad mixes and other greens grown in our tunnels, along with stored crops like carrots, beets, and some newbies like fennel. Shares will be pre-packed, with somewhat flexible pick-up times.

The share size will be between a Medium and a Full share, with ample greens and about 3 non-green (read: storage crop) items per week.

Please note:

This is for pick-up at the farm, only: No deliveries!
Pick-up times are Monday 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, or Tuesday 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
We do plow the snow, but in case of a major snow storm, we might not have the road open at 8:00 AM (in which case you probably don't want to be on the road, anyways). We don't salt the road, but if needed will sand.

Extend your season of exceptional produce from Fox Creek Farm! The sign-up link is on the homepage of our website, see link below:

Winter Share Sign-up

Recipe: Vegetarian Polenta with Swiss Chard and Eggs

Ingredients:

For the Polenta:
4 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Fresh ground black pepper

For the greens and egg topping:
1 bunch Swiss chard
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
Eggs (1 per person)
Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions

For the polenta:
Bring the water to boil in a medium sauce pan. When the water boils, whisk in the cornmeal in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue whisking until the polenta begins to thicken (around 1 to 2 minutes). Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Reduce the heat so that the polenta bubbles slowly. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until the cornmeal loses its raw flavor (taste every so often to check).

When the polenta is complete, turn off the heat and add the butter, and more kosher salt and pepper to taste. You can cover it to keep it warm before serving. If the polenta becomes too thick, you can stir in a bit of milk or water to loosen it up.

For the greens and egg topping:

In a large skillet, heat some olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, around 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for about 1 minute.

Add the chard and stir to combine. Cover the pan and sauté until the greens are dark and soft, around 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the cover and let the liquid evaporate for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste (be careful not to add too much salt at this point!).

In another skillet, heat a bit of olive oil and fry the eggs.

To serve, place a scoop of polenta in a bowl, top with greens and egg. Sprinkle with cheese, salt, and pepper.

Serves 4

Questions, suggestions, remarks ...

We love to hear from you! Let us know your questions, suggestions or remarks. Either give us a call at 518-872-2375 (we will return your phone message), or send us an email:

farmer@foxcreekfarmcsa.com