It's hard to believe that the end of September is just around the corner! Do you know what that means? Not only do we have fresh produce ready for you daily, but it also means that our pumpkins will soon be finding their way down to our pumpkin patch over the next few weeks! We all love this time of year, the crops are doing well, the farm starts to look like fall, the pumpkins ripen up, and scarecrows are not just found in farmers fields rather they become the newest addition to any house! Of course, what better way to celebrate fall then with our annual Pumpkinfest! For those of you who do not know what it is, it is a day long event which is held on the farm where there is fun for the whole family. Throughout the day there are games to play, prizes to be won, contests such as our hot pepper eating contest, as well as our pumpkin catapult. A portion of the proceeds go towards helping others in our surrounding communities through community charities. So come along on October 16 (Saturday, weather permitting), and have fun with everyone while helping others out as well.
Thanksgiving is also coming around the corner, that means that many of us will be enjoying a turkey dinner with fresh veggies from the farm! We are now taking orders for the Thanksgiving turkeys, but there is a limited amount! So call in (747-3276) or drop by as soon as you can!
Looking to decorate the outside of your house for the fall? Whynot try some corn stalks with bales of hay? It creates a perfect fall scene for your front step! And soon you will be able to add pumpkins and gourds to the scene as well!
Hope everyones fall is going good so far!
Your Little Farmer Bloggers,
Ashley, Kate, and Susan
Monday, September 20, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Little Farmers Blog!
September has come quickly, and you know what that means...
It's Harvest Time!
Wow! the summer certainly has gone by quickly, but now it is time for all of the boys in the field to harvest the veggies before the winter. The crops are looking good and with the fall season in the air we know that our bright orange pumpkins will soon be here!
Labor Day weekend was a busy one for us on the farm, many customers came to get veggies for the weekends trips and events. And lucky for them, we had our broccoli on a special for $1. 50 a bunch! as well, we had the start of our peaches and cream corn, delicious!
As promised, we have gathered up some recipes over the past week to share with you. Most of the recipes are available at the market as well. Enjoy!
Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients:
3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
Method:
You don't need a mixer for this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if using. Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.
Zucchini Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
Layered Lettuce Salad
1 head lettuce, torn
1 c. diced celery
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed & uncooked
1/2 c. diced green pepper
1 med. onion, diced
8 slices cooked & crumbled bacon
2 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. sugar
4 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Directions:
Layer ingredients in order shown in a large glass bowl. Combine mayo and sugar then spread over top of salad evenly. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
Vegetable Pasta Salad II
Ingredients
1 zucchini, cubed
1 eggplant, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (12 ounce) package rotini/corkscrew pasta
2 chopped tomatoes
3 ounces diced feta cheese
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine zucchini, eggplant, onion, bell pepper and garlic in a baking dish. Toss with olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. In a bowl combine vegetable mixture, cooled pasta, tomatoes, Feta cubes, and salad dressing; toss until well mixed.
It's Harvest Time!
Wow! the summer certainly has gone by quickly, but now it is time for all of the boys in the field to harvest the veggies before the winter. The crops are looking good and with the fall season in the air we know that our bright orange pumpkins will soon be here!
Labor Day weekend was a busy one for us on the farm, many customers came to get veggies for the weekends trips and events. And lucky for them, we had our broccoli on a special for $1. 50 a bunch! as well, we had the start of our peaches and cream corn, delicious!
As promised, we have gathered up some recipes over the past week to share with you. Most of the recipes are available at the market as well. Enjoy!
Zucchini Muffins
Ingredients:
3 cups grated fresh zucchini
2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup walnuts (optional)
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
Method:
You don't need a mixer for this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture. Stir in walnuts, raisins or cranberries if using. Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with a little butter or vegetable oil spray. Use a spoon to distribute the muffin dough equally among the cups, filling the cups up completely. Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and the top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them, about 25 to 30 minutes. Test with a long toothpick or a thin bamboo skewer to make sure the center of the muffins are done. Set on wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from the tin let cool another 20 minutes.
Zucchini Bread
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.
Layered Lettuce Salad
1 head lettuce, torn
1 c. diced celery
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed & uncooked
1/2 c. diced green pepper
1 med. onion, diced
8 slices cooked & crumbled bacon
2 c. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. sugar
4 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Directions:
Layer ingredients in order shown in a large glass bowl. Combine mayo and sugar then spread over top of salad evenly. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.
Vegetable Pasta Salad II
Ingredients
1 zucchini, cubed
1 eggplant, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (12 ounce) package rotini/corkscrew pasta
2 chopped tomatoes
3 ounces diced feta cheese
1 cup Italian-style salad dressing
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine zucchini, eggplant, onion, bell pepper and garlic in a baking dish. Toss with olive oil. Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water. In a bowl combine vegetable mixture, cooled pasta, tomatoes, Feta cubes, and salad dressing; toss until well mixed.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Little Farmers Blog!
Hello again! And what a busy week it has been for us down on the farm!
It certainly is getting that time of year again where our veggies are at their best, and the boys in the fields are kept more than busy with all of the harvesting. But wait! not all of our produce is in yet! Next weekend we will have the start of our own sweet corn, which is perfect boiled or even on the barbeque!
With the fall approaching quickly many customers are beginning to make their own pickles, and even freezing some veggies for the winter so we thought that we would share with you some ways to enjoy local veggies all winter long!
To freeze broccoli:
-Clean amount of desired broccoli
-Then, split the broccoli lengthwise. You should end up with flowerets that are 11/2 inches wide. Make sure to remove all of the leaves and woody parts of the stem.
-To ensure the broccoli is clean, soak the florets in salt water for about a half hour
-Then boil the broccoli for 3-4 minutes, or until it changes in color.
-Remove the broccoli from the water and place in ice to cool it down. Make sure that you remove all of the heat before packing them away for the winter.
-Once cooled, drain the broccoli and place in a bag. Make sure you get all of the air out of the bag before placing it in your freezer.
Many other vegetables can be frozen this way as well, such as greens, and spinach but the boiling time is different than that of the broccoli. For these particular veggies as well as others, follow through with the same procedure but remove from the boiling water when the vegetable has changed in color.
Over the next few days we are planning on getting some family recipies from the Lester family. All of the family members have the knack for cooking, especially Mary Lester who is the lady who started this part of the farm, as well as her mother in law Juanita Lester. So keep in touch for our tips and secrets!
Your Friendly Little Farmer Bloggers,
Ashley, Kate and Susan
It certainly is getting that time of year again where our veggies are at their best, and the boys in the fields are kept more than busy with all of the harvesting. But wait! not all of our produce is in yet! Next weekend we will have the start of our own sweet corn, which is perfect boiled or even on the barbeque!
With the fall approaching quickly many customers are beginning to make their own pickles, and even freezing some veggies for the winter so we thought that we would share with you some ways to enjoy local veggies all winter long!
To freeze broccoli:
-Clean amount of desired broccoli
-Then, split the broccoli lengthwise. You should end up with flowerets that are 11/2 inches wide. Make sure to remove all of the leaves and woody parts of the stem.
-To ensure the broccoli is clean, soak the florets in salt water for about a half hour
-Then boil the broccoli for 3-4 minutes, or until it changes in color.
-Remove the broccoli from the water and place in ice to cool it down. Make sure that you remove all of the heat before packing them away for the winter.
-Once cooled, drain the broccoli and place in a bag. Make sure you get all of the air out of the bag before placing it in your freezer.
Many other vegetables can be frozen this way as well, such as greens, and spinach but the boiling time is different than that of the broccoli. For these particular veggies as well as others, follow through with the same procedure but remove from the boiling water when the vegetable has changed in color.
Over the next few days we are planning on getting some family recipies from the Lester family. All of the family members have the knack for cooking, especially Mary Lester who is the lady who started this part of the farm, as well as her mother in law Juanita Lester. So keep in touch for our tips and secrets!
Your Friendly Little Farmer Bloggers,
Ashley, Kate and Susan
Friday, August 20, 2010
The Little Farmers Blog!
Hi there everyone!
As this week is coming to a close, we are bringing you new beginnings!
After this week, we now have a good supply of our peas and green beans. This weekend we will have the start of our yellow beans, yum! As well, many of our crops that were just new over the past week or two are now picking up their pace growing wise. Many vegetables such as our broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and lettuce are getting bigger by the day. It's amazing to see how the crops progress each and every day, sometimes its hard to believe how much they progress!
We are also proud to announce the opening of our corn maze for the year! This is always an event on the farm as even we like to get lost in our corn maze. Although we have a smaller size corn maze, it is still ideal for family and children, and best of all it is free of charge! So why not take the whole family through the maze and see who can make it through the quickest!
It seems like this week flew by! As Mary Lester would say, "Time flies when you're having fun" and that is exactly what happened on the farm this week!
See you soon!
Your Friendly Little Farmer Bloggers,
Ashley, Kate, and Susan
As this week is coming to a close, we are bringing you new beginnings!
After this week, we now have a good supply of our peas and green beans. This weekend we will have the start of our yellow beans, yum! As well, many of our crops that were just new over the past week or two are now picking up their pace growing wise. Many vegetables such as our broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and lettuce are getting bigger by the day. It's amazing to see how the crops progress each and every day, sometimes its hard to believe how much they progress!
We are also proud to announce the opening of our corn maze for the year! This is always an event on the farm as even we like to get lost in our corn maze. Although we have a smaller size corn maze, it is still ideal for family and children, and best of all it is free of charge! So why not take the whole family through the maze and see who can make it through the quickest!
It seems like this week flew by! As Mary Lester would say, "Time flies when you're having fun" and that is exactly what happened on the farm this week!
See you soon!
Your Friendly Little Farmer Bloggers,
Ashley, Kate, and Susan
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The Little Farmer's Blog!
Hi again everyone!
We know it has been a while, but here are some pictures of the animals that live here on the farm.
One of our newest additions.
We know it has been a while, but here are some pictures of the animals that live here on the farm.
One of our newest additions.
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