VEGGIE COOP FARM NOTES: WEEK 12: September 07, 2009: Smaller Bag
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Packing Slip: Smaller Bag

Basil – 25g (Thai) 2.00
Cucumber – large (either Chinese or English) 2.50
Leeks (2)/ first of the season 3.00
Radishes - bunch 1.25
Tomatoes – 400g greenhouse or a pint of Latah 3.20
Onions – three (small, medium and larger) 2.50
Runner Beans - 200g. 3.00
Summer squash 500 g. 1.50

Total: $25.95
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For information, questions or comments, we are only an e-mail or phone call away. Contact; Mike Rabinowitz, Co-Owner and Coordinator, Veggie Coop. House Phone: 895-2884. If you are running late for the pick up, call Mike on the Farm Cell at 689-7693.

FEED-BACK FROM LOYAL READERS.
One member wrote that they read Farm Notes to each other. Others send in recipes with personal notes. One reader, Louis who grew up in Louisiana found my story about my dad felt everyone should own and know how to shoot a gun, a familiar experience. Louis is 25 years younger than me, or thereabouts, so his experience was with his grandfather rather than his father. Thanks/ Louis.

SPECIAL ORDERS:
We have lots of things to sell and share, but often not enough quantity for veggie coop bags! Did I see artichokes and broccoli being exchanged as a special order at last week’s pick-up? Edible peas? Garlic? The last pint of gooseberries, promised to the mother of a six month old, who gobbles them down.

IT’S IN THE BAG!
The frost on Saturday night scared the squash, beans and outdoor tomatoes. We do have some of each, but not as much as we hoped. “That’s it, boy’s. You pays your money and take your chances.” When I talked to Louis around nine on Sunday morning, we knew there had been frost, but didn’t know how bad, until later in the day. . On mornings like that, we go about business as usual, opening the greenhouses, watering and getting things ready for the farm store, but keeping our eyes on the plans, until the sun has warmed the plants and the wilting begins.. Based on the morning news on the way to the golf course, Mike also thought it was going to be a wipe out! When he go home mid-afternoon, he was also relieved. However, this reminded us of one Labour Day week-end, probably twenty years ago. Alberta, a woman we knew from Mike’s Graduate program at the Institute of Child Development and Behaviour in Iowa City was visiting us. She was in the early stages of Alzheimer’ and having difficultly following the high energy discussion around the impending frost. We were out scurrying around, picking some things and covering others. When we came indoors, the floor was filled with pumpkins she had plucked from the vines in the front yard, while we were covering the pumpkins in the field. Mike just shook his head, for as Toby would say, “ She didn’t do it on purpose.” Often, with a light frost, the winter squash will go on to mature well into mid-October . No such luck that year!

THREE NEW RECIPES!
I am getting a great deal of pleasure out of all of the good things; many of these things are vegetables that have blemishes and are not fit to pass along to people off of the farm. I refer to this dish as Everything But The Kitchen Sink because you can use any vegetables you have, including cucumbers. Last week, I filled an oven roasting pan with layers and layers of vegetables - squash, all kinds, onions, garlic, a stray shallot that was overlooked when they were harvested earlier in the week, tomatoes, both green and red and the first eggplant from the greenhouse. The only thing not from the farm was mushrooms. I sprinkled a little more olive oil over the top, a few other herbs and roasted for about an hour in a oven of 350, while I drove the Hungry Heart Café order to St. John’s. When I returned, I gently stirred the layers from the bottom and added a large can of stewed tomatoes over the top along with a dash of Italian spices; returned it to the oven for another hour or so. It was done in time for lunch, but will also be supper when we get back from Veggie Coop Drop-Off. Today, we served the roasted vegetables with rice, but I usually serve with pasta. Easy! Healthy! Delicious! Use Everything But The Kitchen Sink!!

CHICKEN ON THE RUN.
Another simple dish which will pretty much cook on its own after it is set up is Roasted Herb Chicken. Brush well with olive oil and clips fresh herbs over the chicken and stuff remainder, stems and all, inside the cavity. Add apples, mandarin slices, even bread crumbs along with spices. I usually start with a lid on the roasting pan; then, open the lid two or three times to brush the chicken with drippings from the bottom of the pan, to keep it moist. When it is well on its way to being tender, remove the lid the last l/2 hour to encourage browning. Cook for around an l l/2 hr. to 2 hrs. depending on how frozen the bird was in the beginning. Mind is often quite frozen and takes 2 hours. I also like it best when it falls a part, as long as it is moist. Serve pulled apart in pieces, legs, wings, thighs, breast, etc., laying the pieces on a bed of rice on a large platter. Garnish with fresh herbs, micro-mix or sections of mandarin or thinly sliced apple wedges. This is an easy meal which will cook on its own, while you are doing the laundry, or excuse me, the e-mail, as long as you remember to check it a couple of times.
(And, yes, I would use the Thai basil in today’s bag!)

THREE NEW RECIPES
I have just posted three new recipes on the farm Website - Tuscan Style Artichokes, spicy radish relish and Radish Soup. Yes, Radish Soup! The new WOOFER who arrived last evening just brought in a huge bunch of radishes with leaves, which are the aftermath of the bag packing. I handed her the recipe and smiled. I have not made the Tuscan-Style Artichokes yet. It was contributed by a Veggie Coop member after he picked up his first special order of Artichokes. The radish relish recipe is new to me. It is from the Milkweed Website. It is worth a try since we do truly have radishes galore this year. Also, look for the zucchini- pineapple bread recipe. It is a variation I have made many times; I plan to have some on hand with other veggies, raw and cooked next week to share with the young people who will be visiting as part of the MacMorran Skill Building Project. Coming soon! Recipe for Zucchini Chocolate Cake!

PESTO GALORE!
Louis came into the kitchen with Andrew, a new WOOFER and several huge bags of basil and said, “Do you have any pine nuts?” This is basil that needs to be harvested to make a place for the new fall crops which will be developed in large grow bags. Not sure how many it will make, but, we will have it available at Tail Gate Sales and Farmers Market by next week.

OPEN HOUSE AT FARM: Saturday, September 12 and 13th. 1 - 5 p.m.
This is part of a project called: DOORS OPEN, sponsored by the Heritage Committee, St. Philips-Portugal Cove. As you may remember, our farm was part of an Agriculture Crown Land Grant awarded to the father of the late Peter Churchill around 1860. I am developing a FACT SHEET re: Farm History. It will be posted on Website under Fact Sheets and Articles by next week-end.

FRONT PAGE OF WEBSITE HAD BEEN REVISED. MORE COMING! STAY TUNED!

Melba Rabinowitz, September 7, 2009