Week #12 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Final Treats

Well, twelve weeks have rolled by and we find ourselves on the last week of our CSA share for 2014. We have enjoyed feeding you all, new customers and old (or should I say returning :). Its been a growing season of extremes.. wet start and wet finished sandwiched between a very dry spell. As usual some plants enjoyed the season and others didn't. We hope that despite any of the challenges that you ate well, learned something new and expanded your eating experience. 

The final box will bring a few final treats: 

• Eggplant - this purple people pleaser is yummy fall treat. Slice it up and roast or fry it or make our favorite baba ghanoush - a Mediterranean dip.  
• Tomatillo - you will find these gems inside the paper bag. This is the best way to store them. Tomatillos are often referred to as the Mexican tomato and grow with a papery husk around them that you remove. (similiar to ground cherries). A tomatillo is the main ingredient in many salsas such as salsa verde.
• Spaghetti Squash - as many of you know our squash experiment using straw bales did not do as well as we would hope. Between this new growing technique and the weather conditions this growing season, most of our squash are delayed and are not yet ready. We have tucked in a special treat from our friends from Almost Urban Farm who had some spaghetti squash to share. Please be assured that they too grow their veggies in a natural, sustainable manner with no pesticides or herbicides. A huge thank to them for helping us out! 
• Pumpkin - Fall would not be fall if it didn't have pumpkins! This year we grew both the traditional orange pumpkins as well as a yellowish "ghost" pumpkin variety. We wanted to be sure that you all got your pumpkin before the end of the CSA so we have tucked them in the box. If your pumpkin is still green, do not fear it will ripen up over the next few weeks in time for carving or eating - whatever your pleasure! 
• Finally, we've also tucked in a small potted cilantro plant for your windowsill. May the fresh, fragant smell of this yummy herb extend your summer just a little. 

So... What's all in the Box this week?

• Swiss Chard
• Romaine Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Spaghetti Squash - New!
• Tomatoes
• Eggplant - New!
• Beans
• Tomatillos - New!
• Ground Cherries
• Melons 
• Kale
• Carrots
• Peppers - Hot and Sweet
• Onion
• Leeks
• Potatoes
• Rhubarb
• Pumpkin - New!
• Dried Basil - for full shares only
• Potted cilantro plant - New!

Please keep in touch! As you may know we sell eggs, meats and selected other products all year round so check back here regularly for updates. We are gearing up for Open Farm Day this Sunday from 11-4 when we, along with many other farms, open our farms to the public. As always you are welcome to come for a visit, either on Sunday or any other day. Just let us know. Thank you so much for your confidence and trust in our products... we look forward to feeding you in the future. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #11 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Marvelous Melons

As we contemplate the frosty weather forecast, we have decided to harvest the majority of our melons this week as they won't make it through the projected frost on Thursday. Some are fully ripe and ready, while others may need to ripen a little in your fridge. Better that they are safely with you, then risking losing them all! We grew three types of melons this year, watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew melons - mainly as they are typically the three most popular. Below I have tried to give you some pointers on how to tell if a melon is ripe: 

Cantaloupe - You can use three of your five senses to see if a cantaloupe is ready to eat. First smell it, a ripe cantaloupe will smell sweet and musky. If it is not ripe.. you won't smell anything at all. Then push with your finger (gently) on the opposite side to the stem. Use your thumb and press down. You want it to give a little. Finally take a look, cantaloupes are unripe when the skin beneath the textured 'web' is green and ripe when orange or golden. 

Honeydew Melon - The best way to tell when honeydew melons are perfectly ripe is to feel the melons. Ripe melons have some very fine veining that you can only detect by touch. The melon should not be soft or scarred in any areas and should be somewhat fragrant. Again, the side opposite to the stem should give a little when you press on it and the skin begins to take on a creamy yellow/cream appearance.

Watermelons: It is extremely difficult to tell if a watermelon is ripe by just looking; it must be examined. Store the harvested fruits at 50 degrees to 60 degrees F. Here are indications you can look for: 

1. Thump it. If the watermelon sounds hollow (if you hear a dull thump/thud), the melon is usually ripe. This is difficult for less-gifted ears. The unripe melon will have a tighter, metallic ringing sound. 

2. Look for the spot where the melon rested on the ground; a yellow-white, yellow or a cream-yellow color spot suggests ripeness and a white or pale green spot indicates immaturity. A green watermelon will have a white bottom; a ripe melon will have a cream- or yellow-colored bottom. . 

3. The rind where the fruit laid on the soil should toughen and resist denting with a fingernail when the melon is ripe. Scratch the surface of the rind with your thumbnail. If the outer layer slips back with little resistance, showing a green-white color under the rind, the watermelon is ripe.

4. Press on it. If the watermelon feels like it gives a little, it's ripe.

5. Rely on your nose, and check for a melon with strong fragrance. Breath deeply and follow your nose to a sweet ripe melon. Next, look for a melon that is heavy for its size, because if you have two melons of equal size, the heavier one is almost assuredly the riper and better tasting melon.

6. Still confused? Guess. All indicators will not always work. Take your best shot and go with it. 

So... What (else) is in the Box this week?

• Rhubarb
• Swiss Chard
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Beets
• Turnip or Kohlrabi
• Beans - for full shares only
• Ground Cherries
• Melons (cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon) New!
• Kale
• Carrots
• Peppers (sweet and hot)
• Onions
• Leeks
• Potatoes
• Peas - for the half shares only
• Herbs (oregano, chives, rosemary, cilantro)

Note: As next week (September 16th & 17th) is the last week of the CSA, please ensure that all boxes are returned and that you bring with you bags to pack your last delivery of vegetables into. 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #10 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Soup for September

September is here and whether we like it or not, fall is in it's way. The mornings are getting nippy and the evenings noticeably shorter. To cheer your end of summer blues, we are suggesting some yummy soup! 

In our CSA box this week, you will find some leeks and of course some potatoes (along with other things!). Thus, you have the makings of potato and leek soup! The recipe we like to use is here and the result is a hearty, creamy soup along with a salad and some bread would be a wonderful fall supper! 

While I have your attention.. thought I would pass along two important notes: 

1) We are again participating in Open Farm Day on September 21st. While our CSA share holders are always welcome to tour/visit the farm... if you haven't made it out to visit us, feel free to come on the 21st. There are many other farms participating... for more info check out this website. 

2) For those who have been waiting... our beef is ready as of today. If you are interested in fresh beef, check out our products page and send an email to order. For those that have ordered, we will be in contact shortly to arrange to meet up... or "meat up" :) 

So... What's (else is) in the Box this week?

• Swiss Chard
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes - large and cherry
• Beets
• Turnip or Kohlrabi
• Ground Cherries
• Kale
• Carrots
• Peppers - Hot and sweet varieties
• Onion
• Leeks - New!
• Potatoes
• Herbs - oregano, rosemary, curled parsley, cilantro, chives

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #9 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Ground Cherries

I can't believe we are at Week #9 of our CSA program this year already! I have to admit that this morning picking vegetables it felt decidedly fall-like! 

This week everyone has a bag of ground cherries. If you are not familiar with these golden nuggets you are in for treat! I've heard someone describe the taste of ground cherries as like a cherry tomato injected with mango and pineapple juice! That's a fairly apt description for this fruit that are similiar (and in the same family as gooseberries. They can be used in both sweet or savory recipes or just eaten plain and simple. You can use them in salsa, put them in pie, tarts or cake or our favorite... make jam! 


ground cherry jam recipe:
3 cups ground cherries
1/4 cup orange juice
1/8 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
zest of 1/2 an orange
pinch of sea salt

Our CSA customers can count on getting ground cherries each week for the remainder of the season. They are ripe and ready to be picked when they fall off the plant to the ground, so we need to pick frequently. Luckily Ground cherries will keep for up to 3 months in the fridge - best in a mesh bag (like those that other produce sometimes come in from the store (i.e. onions or oranges). 

So... What's in the Box this week?

• Swiss Chard
• Zucchini for the half shares
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Beets
• Broccoli for full shares
• Ground Cherries New!
• Kale
• Peppers - Hot peppers for all, Sweet and Hot for full shares
• Corn - New!
• Onions
• Potatoes (Yukon Gold variety)
• Herbs - parsley, chives, oregano, rosemary and cilantro

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #8 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Do you want to Salsa?

Well the rain finally came and a big sigh of relief was felt by all things green (or pale yellow!). And with more rain in the forecast it looks like we will be have some ongoing moisture to ease some of the near drought conditions and our irrigation responsibilities. 

All our CSA shareholders will enjoy a large bag of tomatoes this week, so I thought a focus on what you can do with tomatoes would be appreciated. 

Tomatoes are a fruit even though many people think of them as a veggie. They belong to the nightshade family along with potatoes, egg plants, tomatillos, and ground cherries. The tomato is a very versatile item that can be used in drinks, sauces, salsas, salad or of course simply raw and unadorned! 

My favorite thing (after simply popping them in my mouth while still in the garden!) is to make fresh salsa - no need to cook or can, this is very easy when the ingredients are in good supply. 

Simply cut/dice fresh tomatoes, add chopped garlic and onion along with lime juice and/or a little bit of apple cider vinegar. Add cumin, minced hot peppers to your taste preference and plenty of fresh cilantro and you have a wonderful refreshing explosion in your mouth. For those of you who want a recipe to follow (I admit I never do...) I've linked to one here that will give you some ideas of ratios and amounts. Enjoy!

So... What's in the Box this week?

• Swiss Chard
• Zucchini - full shares only
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Tomatoes
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Turnip
• Beans - full shares only
• Kale
• Hot Peppers
• Onion
• Potatoes
• Herbs - this week besides chives and oregano, I gave everyone lots of cilantro so that you can use it for your fresh salsa - if you choose.

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #7 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box

What started as a wet year has turned decidedly less moist! Watering is becoming a full time job as everything is looking parched. The nice thing is that this kind of weather slows down the mowing and weeding.... so trade offs everywhere. This is an exciting week of for all tomato lovers as your first lovely gems of the season have finally matured. We grow many different varieties and I hope you enjoy exploring the different colours and flavours as the weeks go on.

As the summer trundles along, we inevitably must turn our attention to the coming fall and winter and I encourage all of you to think about how you can continue your enjoyment of your veggies into the colder weather. At the risk of being called lazy, I thought I would simply link you back to my blog last year where I walked our shareholders through a number of ways that you can extend your harvest from freezing, drying and pickling. 

I'm busy drying our first crop of basil plants for you all so that you will have some dried basil through the winter and we will do the same with our cilantro/coriander plants a bit later in the season. So check out what you can do today to eat better tomorrow by checking out last year's post here.

So... What's in the Box this week?

• Swiss Chard
• Romaine Lettuce
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes New!
• Beets
• Broccoli for full shares
• Turnip
• Kohlrabi for full shares
• Beans
• Ground Cherries for full shares New!
• Kale
• Carrots
• Peppers (mostly hot)
• Onion New!
• Potatoes

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #6 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Dog Days of Summer bring Cows?!

This nice long stretch of hot, sultry weather... often described as the Dog Days of summer... has put a smile on almost everyone's face! With the exception of the need to water more frequently, the hot weather is generally good news for all things plant like. The veggies are soaking up the warmth and growing well. Of course, lettuce, spinach and cilantro tend to bolt in this kind of weather which is only a problem if you want to eat them.. ;).

 Our most recent excitement was this week's birth of Grace's calf. If you haven't met Grace yet, she is our Dexter mama cow, who last year around this time, gave us Gwendolyn, a lovely heifer (which is what you call female cow who hasn't given birth yet). This year she has produced a healthy male (bull calf) who we have named Gaston! (big thanks to all our Facebook fans who sent in a multitude of suggested names!) 

Earlier this week, Grace very politely waited until morning, sauntered out to the back field and expertly delivered Gaston on her own. I think Gwendolyn was more excited than anyone, as she ran around, bellowing at the top of her lungs most of the day! You would swear she was announcing her new baby brother to the world! Mama, babe (and older sister) are doing well! 

It is hard to believe it is week #6 of our CSA share this year, meaning we are already half way through the twelve weeks. As usual the boxes are getting heavier each week, as more and more of the root vegetables become ready to eat! This week we have some yummy carrots ready for our shareholders. I've linked up some nutritional information about carrots  - they do more than help you see in the dark! as well as some recipes that you may expand your ideas of what to do with them! 

So... What's in the Box this week?

• Swiss Chard
• Mixed Lettuce/Spinach 
• Cucumber
• Beets
• Broccoli or Cauliflower
• Turnip - full share only
• Kohlrabi - full share only
• Beans
• Peas 
• Kale
• Carrots - New!
• Hot Peppers
• Potatoes
• Herbs (Dill, Oregano, Basil, Chives, Parsley (Curled and Flat leaf)

... and remember we pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #5 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Cucumbers are Cool (on the inside)

Our cucumbers are exploding with fruit (yes, they are a fruit) so I thought I would share with you some thoughts on what to do with them over the next few weeks. Did you know that cucumbers are in the same family as watermelons and cantaloupe? Another cool fact (no pun intended) is that the inside of a cucumber can be up to 20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature... now you know where the phrase "cool as a cucumber" came from! 

There are generally two kinds of cucumbers, pickling and slicers. In your box you will only find slicing cucumbers. Pickling cucumbers as the name suggests are used to make pickles! Slicers can be eaten in many different ways. Our returning customers will know that our favorite is making tzatziki - a greek yogurt based dip made with cucumbers, garlic and dill. Recipe here!

For more info about cucumbers and their nutritional value, recipes, etc. follow this link.

So... What else is in the Box this week?

• Mixed Lettuce with Spinach
• Cucumber - New
• Beets
• Broccoli or Cauliflower
• Turnip for the full shares
• Beans - yellow and green - New
• Kale
• Peppers - New (gave everyone a taste of the peppers as they ripen up - this week, there is a mix of sweet green peppers, purple "musto gusto", jalapeno, & yellow hungarian wax)
• Potatoes
• Peas
• Basil
• Parsley
• Chives
• Oregano
• Dill
• Cilantro for the full shares
• Swiss Chard for the full shares

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #4 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - New Potatoes - Simply Exquisite

This week has been another busy one on the farm. Our four new piglets are settling in nicely, and all the birds are now finally big enough to be outside on pasture. Grace our cow is due to calve any day now so we are keeping a close eye on her. We got our new sign up (check out our facebook page for pics), we have visitors from BC staying with us and our oldest son got his driver's license! We've had a great week... how about you?

 

This week you will find a feed of new potatoes in the CSA box! There isn't much better than the first taste of potatoes each summer.  New potatoes are picked before their sugar content has converted to starch making them taste almost like a whole new vegetable. We are growing the red Norland potato as well as the yellow Yukon Gold this year.  

 

New potatoes are simple to cook. Scrub them clean of dirt, boil them and smother with butter... Yum! No need to peel them, the skin is so tender and nutritious. An alternative is to roast them. Again, wash and cut into bite size pieces, toss with olive oil and herbs such as the fresh rosemary you will find in your herb cup and roast for 40 min at 450F.

So... What (else) is in the Box this week?

• Rosemary New!
• Dill New!
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Chives
• Peas
• Mixed greens - includes lettuce and spinach
• Beets
• Turnip
• Kale
• Potatoes New!

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #3 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Herb-alicious

What a week of wild weather! Wind, rain, heat and then cold... our poor plants (and animals) don't know what season it is! So far we've been managing with no major losses but it would be helpful to get some consistently warm and drier weather pattern. 

Each week you've been given a bundle of various herbs in your CSA box.  For some these are familiar items that you use every day, for others you may be less aware of each herb and what you can use them for. This week, I thought I would spend some time identifying each herb that you might find in the box and some its potential usage.

Basil:

Basil comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, we will have a few varieties but the ones that you are getting right now and is the most popular is the Genovese Basil.
Basil has a wonderful aroma and is very versatile. Throw it in pasta sauce, chop it with garlic, nuts and olive oil for a quick pesto, and of course you will need it to make wonderful salsas when our tomatoes begin to ripen.


Oregano:


This leafy friend can be thrown into anything Italian. You will likely be familiar with the dried variety as it is commonly called for in many recipes. However, you can't compare the zip and zest you get from using fresh oregano with the dried variety!


Cilantro: 

Cilantro and Coriander are actually the same plant. Eat the leaf as you will find in your CSA box right now and its Cilantro, while later when it goes to seed, those little
pods when ground up make the spice called coriander. Both are yummy! I find you either love cilantro or hate it. If you enjoy the taste, there isn't much you can't add it to. We throw it in salad, salsas, tacos, pasta sauces, soups, you name it. You don't need a lot as it is quite intense however, if you really enjoy the flavor... a lot won't ruin a dish either! Cilantro is difficult to grow. It goes from a small undersized plant to a large plant that has bolted and flowered overnight. It dislikes the heat and is generally finicky. 

Parsley:

We have tucked both the curled version as well as the flat Italian into your boxes lately. Parsley is well known and in my opinion wasted as a garnish! It again is often called for in recipes and can be added to almost all dishes to add flavour, colour and zest. Parsley is very good for you, delivering a significant dose of Vitamins K and C - amongst others. Parsley also is very easy to grow both inside and out. A small pot on your window sill will provide parsley all year round for your table.


Chives:

Chives are essentially small edible onions. They have beautiful flowers making them a great perennial to add to your flower bed which has the fringe benefit of provide tasty leaves (long hollow tubes) that you can add to many dishes. Cut some into your salads, soups, garnish that baked potato with a few bits of chives, or eat as my children do... plain from the garden. The plant will endure quite a bit of pruning of leaves and still grow quite well. 

A little later in the year we will tuck in some rosemary and sage... these are so pretty in the garden, I hate to pick them! The sage flower is really quite lovely and the rosemary plant provides such wonderful texture to your garden. Add to that, they taste wonderful! 

So... What's in the Box this week?

• Swiss Chard
• Zucchini - for full shares only this week. (new)
• Lettuce
• Beets 
• Broccoli (new)
• Turnip
• Rhubarb
• Kale
• Peas (new)
• Basil, Oregano, Chives, Cilantro, Parsley

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #2 - 2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Kale Chips!

Welcome to week #2! We hope you enjoyed your first box of goodies and are anxiously awaiting some more.

Despite the weather, the veggies are doing alright although a few are showing signs of stress (yellowing at the roots). Luckily the fact we have hilled our rows and plant primarily in mulch or straw bales, means that the plants are not sitting in water! Our animals however, are not as lucky! Everyone's looking for high, dry ground! That being said we are soooo much better off than people along the Assiniboine and other tributaries so we are grateful for that and hope that everyone gets through the next few days safely and with minimal damage. 

Today I thought I would talk a little about kale. It is often a leafy green that some people are not familiar with. Kale is a brassica, so in the same family as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. This means that the cabbage moth/worm love kale and we have to grow it under cover to save it from being eaten! After last week, you will know that kale is very good for you and is considered one a powerhouse vegetable. Fresh, tender kale leaves can be used like lettuce in a salad, can be cooked or steamed like spinach or my favorite... can be made into Kale Chips! This healthy but tasty snack is even a hit with our kids. 

Rip the kale into bite size pieces, toss with oil until fully coated, lay out on a cookie sheet or dehydrator tray and then season with whatever combination of spices you wish - garlic & salt and pepper are good or add some cayenne pepper for a little more zip! If you want to get creative, try curry! Pop in the oven at 250F for 4-6 hours or until dry and crunchy or in the dehydrator (if you have one).  While the dehydrator is the healthier choice as the plant remains "alive" and the nutrients don't degrade, my kids actually enjoy the oven dried version best! 

So... What's in the Box this week?

• Radishes
• Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Beets
• Turnip
• Kale
• Basil
• Oregano
• Chives
• Parsley (flat and curled)
• Cilantro 

As always in the beginning of the growing season you will again enjoy a lot of fresh greens this week. A note about the best way to preserve the life of the greens as if you don't take some care you may find them wilted! As you will have discovered we put everything we can (with their ends) into water to keep it as fresh as possible. When you get home, be sure to put the greens in the crisper or in a plastic bag in the fridge as soon as possible. To freshen up any greens, submerge completely in icy cold water. I find adding some lemon juice to the water also helps. Keep the greens there for a while - 5-10 minutes and it should freshen things considerably. If you can be sure to spin after in a lettuce spinner or dry off as well as you can before putting back in the fridge. The dryer the better if you are storing in a plastic bag. 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #1 -2014 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Powerhouse Vegetables with a side of Rhubarb

This week marks the official start of the Fenez Follies Farm CSA season.  This week each of our shareholders will receive their first box of bounty from our farm.

For those of you who are new to this, each week we share a blog about what is in each box and share a bit of information and tips on what you might be able to do with the treats you find in the box.

This week I came across this article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which ranked common fruits and vegetables by how nutrient dense they were. They tested over 45 different foods and shared their scores. I was surprised to see watercress top the list with a amazing score of 100 out of 100! 

I wasn't at all surprised however to see some of the other foods who made it into the top 10... and even more excited to see that this week's box contains five of those top 10 foods! A powerhouse in a box! Your best nutrition this week will come from chard, beet greens and the lettuce in the box. The parsley, kale and chives also are all within the top 15 too!  

This week you will also find some rhubarb stalks in the box. For those not familiar with what to do with rhubarb... well the sky is the limit! Rhubarb makes yummy cobbler or jam, is wonderful in muffins, cakes, pies, or cookies... heck I've even seen recipes for rhubarb pickles or wine! It has a tart taste which can be sweetened with sugar or by mixing with other fruit such as berries. If you need a little help with some ideas or details, check out the Rhubarb Compendium for a great collection! 

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?

• Swiss Chard
• Lettuce
• Beets
• Rhubarb
• Kale
• Oregano
• Chives
• Italian Parsley
• a taste of cilantro
• Basil
• and as a special homemade treat.... Farm Fresh Yogurt Cheese

The cheese is made from our very own goats milk! It is a creamy spreadable cheese similar in texture to cream cheese. If you are interested in how its made, I've previously blogged about that and you can find that post here. Enjoy! 

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 
We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

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Straw Bale Squash Planting - this year's experiment!

(Check out the interview we did on CBC after they caught wind of our experiment - here)

Every year we try something new... sometimes it works and sometimes we earn our name (follies)! 

This year we are re-purposing those old rotting straw bales that often just get burnt by farmers. They are felt to have little value as bedding and have begun to compost and rot. 

We relieved a local farmer of thirty of these bales and created three holes in each bale which we filled with composted manure and soil. After making sure that the bales were saturated with water we planted our squash crop. 

We use inverted pop bottles filled with compost tea (yes, it is pretty much what it sounds like!) to fertilize the plants while we water. 

Time will tell how history will report on our little experiment. After this weekend's rain the bales are surrounded by water making us look quite genius! The plants are out of the sitting water and the bales act like sponges in the water. We will keep you all updated on how things go through out the year! 

What are you experimenting with this year? 

Easy-Peasy Yogurt Cheese!

One of the wonderful things about raising goats is having an abundance of goat's milk to create wonderful things with. Besides drinking the milk, we make soap, yogurt or various types of cheese. One of our very favorite is a combination of those - well without the soap! 

Yogurt cheese is super easy and very yummy. I can't see why you all couldn't try this at home with cow's or goat's milk that you purchase at the supermarket - I have never tried that.. but I can't see why pasteurization would hinder this process. So I thought I would walk you through the steps so that you can try at home... or not. I should add a word of caution, as you are toying with milk, a product that can become nasty if not treated with care. Proceed at your own risk.

We use raw goat's milk.. the fresher the better. After milking we filter our milk to take out as much of the impurities as possible and store in quart jars. The way we make our yogurt is .. oddly enough to add yogurt to milk. We found that using an organic probiotic plain yogurt you can pick up at the grocery store works best. You can use other yogurt or even your own cultured yogurt over again but we found that for the thickest creamiest yogurt, a probiotic culture works well. Of course, if you are then going to make cheese with this yummy yogurt as we do then you want it as thick as possible! 

Take about a 1 1/2 - 2  Tablespoons of yogurt and add to each quart (or litre) of milk. Stir and mix well. Now you need to find a warm place to let the milk stand. Certainly you can purchase yogurt makers that create this environment. We  have found a handy way of using our dehydrator with a towel draped over it. Other ways that we have heard or read about involve heating the milk and then keeping it in a warm place like the oven to cool. You want to be sure its in a place where it is not jostled. 

After approximately 15-24 hours in a warm place, you magically have yogurt! This creamy substance can be eaten now or if you wish to take one more step you can turn it into cheese! We use a variety of methods to drain the yogurt, as you can see from the pictures below. Essentially you want to strain the yogurt through cheesecloth so that you remove the whey and make the yogurt into a spreadable cheese. This can take a couple of days and is best done in the fridge for safety reasons. 

In the end you up with a cheese that is like a soft cream cheese. It has a tangy flavour due to the yogurt base which we really like. You could then whip in all kinds of interesting additions, such as herbs, spice or something like minced sundried tomatoes. We have also had much success with freezing this cheese. We simply put into small tupperware containers and put in the bottom of the freezer. This extends your milking/cheese season considerably (as you can't milk all year.. but you can certainly eat cheese all year!)

Hope this may have been helpful or at least interesting, for you foodie's out there who like to experiment with new food processing methods, give this a try this weekend. You could have a batch done in time for Easter! 

Thoughts about counting days....

The way we look at time is interesting... so much of how we perceive time depends upon our perspective. 

Time seems to go so slowly when we are looking forward to something pleasant, it spills through our fingers when we are immersed in an experience we hope would go on and on and appears to flash by when we are dreading an event. 

Here on the farm we have our 4-H Achievement night in 8 days - something that likely is  being met with some mixed feelings depending upon how ready each of us feels.... This event is the culmination of a year's worth of work for us all - members and leaders alike - and the house is a buzz with preparation. 

This year we have been involved in a wide range of 4-H projects. From blacksmithing to microbiology... from dairy cattle to fashion design - whoever thinks 4H is only about farming hasn't seen the awesome video that Noel made this year... (come to think of it I haven't see it yet either!) 

We are about 75 days away from our first delivery of our CSA (weekly vegetable box) to our shareholders - which we always look forward to with both excitement and stress... made even greater by the height of the snowbanks still on the field! Hard to believe that in 40 days we should be safe to move our plants outside! 

Grace our Dexter cow is due in about 102 days if all goes as planned - which is not typically the case on our farm! Our chicks arrive in 18 days with another batch coming in 60 days. New piglets arrive in 24 days.... we seem to be always counting days around here! All these events will come and go and the rhythm of the farming season will roll on. 

There are other more important days to count however! The days that I am blessed to be alive (15 919) days or married to my best friend (7 623 days) or a mother to smart, funny & healthy children (6 216 days). Yes, time is an interesting thing .... what days are you counting??