SIW Vegetables

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-22T10:11:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year all! We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and Holiday season.

We have already started our work for the upcoming season. Check out the CSA information for 2012.

If you know anyone who would be interested working with us for the summer in a great outdoor, educational, and funfilled envirnoment, please have them contact us at siwveggies@gmail.com.

This year we are looking forward starting a few new projects that will benefit our customers. Stayed tuned for more updates in February.

Fall is upon us..............

2011-09-21T19:09:00.008-04:00

........And decor and pumkins are in, in full force. Each day another variety and another size are here. They range from Jack-B-Little to our medium size giants. The colors and textures are a sight to behold. Like our other squash the majority are edible and mighty tasty too.

Decor............

We have yellow, bronze, maroon, and daisy mums that come in a range of shades and sizes. Mini, small or large for all landscape pleasure. We also have some spectacular Autumn Decor for your home to start the Holiday season.......from tall corn stalks, indian corn and gourds to bees wax candles. .

How about those fall fruits!........ They are back again.

Honey Crisp, Galas, and Pears oh my!

The most delicious fruit to tantilize your palate is here.

Don't forget to take a peek into the cooler. We have such great fall items as Apple cider, in all different sizes. While supplies last, we have Concord and Niagra grapes, as well as fresh local figs. And for a real treat we are now carrying Amy's Pumpkin roll with a delectable creme cheese filling, Nogeeshik's pecan pie, Mary Jane's coffee cakes, and My House Cookies large and small pies.

For the cooler nights of the fall we have corn for popping and delicious candied apples.

Starting the first weekend in October we will be offering hay rides on the farm. They will be held on Saturdays' at 3pm and Sundays' at 2pm. The cost of the ride will be $7.50 for those who are riding and for those who who like to stop at the pumpkin patches and pick pumpkins , these will be charged by the pound. Please call and reserve your spot for they go quickly.

CSA for the Week of September 26th is:

1 9oz. Pumkin Butter

1 9oz. Raspberry Butter

1 lb. of green beans

4 bulbs of Garlic

2lb. Sweet Potatoes

1 Red Onion

1 Yellow Onion

2 lbs. of Gourds

1 qt of Tomatoes

2 #1 Tomatoes

2 #2 Tomatoes

6 ears of Corn

1 Jack-o-Lantern pumpkin

Neither Wind, nor Rain or Hurricane...............

2011-09-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

........will slow us down. Irene tried to ........but was not very successful. Sunday the 28th Irene helped the Brandywine Creek into SIW and manage to leave a layer of mud everywhere. With the help of a great crew, they rose to the occassion on Monday, and assembled a tent out in the parking lot to be able to service our customers while the clean-up began. We were back in the stand by Tuesday and back to full service by Wednesday.

This week we are battling the rain once again. We have plenty of corn, tomatoes, squash and zucchini. Our cooler is full with Claudio's fresh mozzarella, pesto, parmigiana, and olives; Di Bruno's various cheeses, Abruzze and Garlic and Herb cheese spreads.....and let's not forget those great Local pies and cookies for dessert.

CSA for the Week of September 5th:

6 ears of Corn

4 bulbs of Garlic

1 lb. of Green Beans

1 lb. Squash or Zucchini

1 Red Onion

1 White Onion

1 Red Tomato

2 #2 Tomatoes

3 Sunflowers

Every Day's a Holiday!

2011-08-18T10:46:00.005-04:00

Good day all! It looks like we will see a bit of sunshine in between the raindrops. Unfortunately our weather has caused a small set back as to the appearance of our famous Doc Martin Lima Beans. We will keep you posted as to the new arrival time.

Our ketchup, heirloom sauces and soups are now in stock! We hope to see you this weekend!

CSA for the Week of August 15, 2011

3lbs. Squash

6 ears of Corn

2 Hierloom Tomatoes

2 Red Tomatoes

2 #2 Tomaotoes

2lbs. Potatoes

1 White Onion

1 Red Onion

3 Spring Onions

1 Eggplant

3 bulbs of Garlic

1/2 Cantaloupe

1 Bunch of Zinnias

1/2 Sugar Baby Watermelon

Welcome August!

2011-08-01T11:21:00.003-04:00

It may be August but the Tomatoes and the Corn just keep on coming. Good Ole Doc Martin Limas have made a cameo appearance, soon to be seen on a regular basis.

We now have our mini watermelons on hand and boy are they sweet!

Looking forward to seeing ya all this week!!!

CSA for the Week of Aug. 1st:

3lbs. Yellow Squash

2 Cucumbers

6 Corn

2 Lopes

7 Tomatoes : 2 Heirlooms, 2 Reds and 3 #2 Reds

2 Wite Onions

2 Spring Onions

1 Red Onion

1 Eggplant

3 Bulbs of Garlic

Check it out!!!!!!!!!

2011-07-30T22:04:00.004-04:00

Saturday and Sunday........Two days only...........

ALL TOMATOES

Heirlooms, Regular and Cherries

$1.75 per lb.

Come on down!

Hierlooms, Hierlooms everywhere........

2011-07-29T02:43:00.004-04:00

Get a Great Special this week on Hierloom tomatoes!!!!!

Purchase 4lbs or more and get your Hierlooms at $2.00 a lb.

C.S.A. for the Week of JULY 25th, 2011

2011-07-25T16:29:00.010-04:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend at the beach or by a pool! Crazy, lazy days of Summer. Need to beat the heat, come on down and have some fresh melon of either kind. The berries are still thriving, and the cooler is full of all sorts of delightful snacks.

The CSA for this week is:

2 lb. Squash

2 Cukes

6 Corn

1 Eggplant

2 Cantaloupes

2 red Tomatoes

1 Heirloom Tomato

2 White Onions

1 Red Onion

3 Garlic bulbs

1 lb. Green Beans

1 bunch of Zinnias

HOT, HOT, HOT..........Hot Fun in the Summertime!!!!!

2011-07-18T10:08:00.003-04:00

The temperature may be rising, but the corn is coming down from the field every few hours to assure the freshest taste possible. It was great to see all of you this weekend. Thank you.

Mary Jane's coffee cakes will be back for the weekend. We would also love for you to try some of our new cheese spreads and hummus that will be here for the weekend as well. Please all stay cool and hydrated this week.

The C.S.A. for this week is:

4 lbs. Squash

2 Cucumbers

1 Eggplant

1 Cantaloupe

3 Tomatoes

2 White Onions

1 Red Onion

2 Garlic Bulbs

1 bunch of Zinnias

Recipe of the Week!

Viennese Cucumber Salad
Makes about 4 cups
2 large seedless cucumbers (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons sugar
1 garlic clove, forced through a garlic press
1 teaspoon dill seed
Score cucumbers lengthwise with a fork and slice thin, preferably with slicing disk of a food processor. In a large bowl toss cucumbers with salt and let stand 1 hour.
In a small saucepan bring vinegar and water to a boil with sugar, garlic, and dill seed, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and let dressing cool. In a colander drain cucumbers and rinse under cold water.
Drain cucumbers well, squeezing out excess liquid. In a bowl combine cucumbers with dressing and marinate, covered and chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/01/viennese-cucumber-salad/

Have a Great Week!

Good Friday Afternoon!

2011-07-15T13:56:00.002-04:00

Come and enjoy a wonderful weekend riding through the Brandywine and enjoying all the local flavor........ Speaking of local flavor ............ There is nothing like the great taste of Local Peaches and succulent plums to enjoy after a great ride or walk. Heirloom tomatoes are now available along with our regular tomatoes. Great picnic items to go along with the tomatoes would be our fresh Basil, mozzarella and then dirzzled with some of the world famous Claudios balsamic vinegar..........mmmmmmm, what a way to savory a meal. Don't forget to pick up frequent buyers card when you are makng your next purchase. Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the great weather. :)

CSA for the Week of June 27th, 2011

2011-06-27T16:37:00.004-04:00

Once again it's Monday and the start to a great week! As we head towards the July 4th weekend we will be stocked with some of your favorite items. We will have some samples out this week to enhance your palate. These will be items you will want to share with your favorite friends and Family.
So come and visit us this week to say hello and sample some of the delectables for the first big outing of the summer.

Our list for the CSA this week are:

4lbs. of squash,

4 bunches of garlicscapes,

3 cucumbers,

1 bag of lettuce,

4 ears of corn,

1 bulb of fresh garlic,

and two beautiful sunflowers.

Recipe of the Week:

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Chile and Lime

6 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or ancho chili powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
8 ears of corn with husks
2 lime, halved or quartered
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Mix sour cream, fresh lime juice, chili powder, and coarse kosher salt in small bowl to blend. DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Remove outer husks from corn, leaving inner pale green husks attached. Fold back inner husks; remove corn silk. Sprinkle corn with salt and pepper. Rewrap inner husks around corn. Grill corn until husks are charred and beginning to pull away and corn is tender, turning frequently, about 10 minutes. Grill lime quarters until lightly charred, about 5 minutes.

Pull husks away from corn to expose kernels. Place corn and lime on platter. Brush corn with cream-lime mixture. Sprinkle with cilantro.

CSA for the week of June 20th: We have turned the CORNer into Summer!

2011-06-22T06:31:00.006-04:00

Yes it is here! Put your ears to the table and listen, for the CORN is here. This week for the CSA we will be offering the following: 3 lbs. of squash, 3 bunches of garlicscapes, 3 cucumbers, 1 bag of lettuce, 2 quarts of peas, and three ears of CORN!
Our recipe for this week is for squash and zucchini:

Scooter's Saute

Use enough squash and zucchini for the size of your family. (family of four)
Ingredients:

2 large yellow squash

2 large zucchini

1 large Vidalia onion

3 cloves of garlic

2 medium sized tomatoes

1/2 lb of fresh mozzarella

fresh Basil to taste

1/2 tsp. of oregano

salt and pepper to taste

In a deep saute pan drizzle olive or safflower oil and 3 gloves of chopped garlic, and saute. Cook until browned and leaving a great aroma around the kitchen. Add a large onion chopped and continue to saute on medium heat until onions are caramelized. Add squash and zucchini that has been sliced in circles and then quartered. Let the squash and zucchini cook until softened. Add fresh chopped tomatoes and basil, spiced with a bit of oregano, salt and pepper. Let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Five minutes before you are ready to serve add small 1/2 inch cubes of mozzarella, remove from the heat and serve.

New Addition to Our CSA List!

2011-06-15T08:48:00.002-04:00

Many of you have expressed an interest in both giving and receiving recipes for the "101 ways to make squash," and other veggies greats. Starting with our next CSA list we will be making an addition of : "Recipe of the Week." During the week we will accept recipes from whom ever would like to submit them, we will pick one to enhance the veggies for that week and share it with all our friends. ......all others that are submitted will be added to our new recipe section. So if you have a great recipe, send it on in. :)

We did receive a recipe that will enhance your Garlicscape collection. It was sent in by Ashley Bird. Like many others she had never cooked with them before and found a very yummy one!

GARLICSCAPE AND ALMOND PESTO

Makes about 1 cup
Roughly 10 Garlicscapes, finely chopped
1/3 to 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (to taste and texture)
1/3 cup of slivered almonds ( you can toast them lightly, if you'd like)
About 1/2 cup olive oil
Sea salt

Put the scapes, 1/3 cup of cheese, almonds and half the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor ( or use a blender or a mortar and pestle). Whir to chop and blend all the ingredients, and then add the remainder of the oil and, if you want, more cheese. If you like the texture, stop. If you'd like it a little thinner, add some more oil. Season with salt and enjoy!

Good Morning All!

2011-06-15T08:47:00.000-04:00

CSA for the Week of June 13, 2011

2011-06-14T15:52:00.005-04:00

Hi all! It looks like things are starting to pop. This week our CSA list is growing......literally. It consists of 2lbs. squash, 2 bunches of garlicscapes, sprig of Basil, a bag of lettuce, a quart of peas, and let us not forget those kittens!!!!!!!

............. Once again a reminder that on June 21, 2011 at 6 p.m. sharp we will be having the first Farm Tour of the season. Come and join us for a relaxing scenic ride in the evening sun. We'll be looking forward to seeing you there!

Welcome to the 2011 Season!

2011-06-09T11:11:00.002-04:00

June 6th was our opening day this year. We would like to say "Thank you to our CSA members," and a warm welcome to both our loyal old friends and all the new customers. The weather is a bit warm and the growing season is upon us. Come and say hello and see what we have.

This weekend we will be carrying some of the old time favorite pies, cookies, and other delights. We also have some beautiful new bird houses, hand painted and made from our own gords, amongst our seasonal and local vegetables.

Join our CSA for 2011!

2011-01-18T15:35:00.006-05:00

A typical weekly share in late July or August

We are now offering CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscriptions for our 2011 growing season. Our CSA usually has 20 weeks of our sustainably grown veggies and fruits, from mid-June until Halloween. Our specialties include corn picked fresh all day, everyday, over 30 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, over 10 types of cherry tomatoes, raspberries and blackberries, heirloom melons, eggplant and squash, sweet onions, softneck garlic, all kinds of potatoes, tender lettuces and greens, beets, green beans, edamame, heirloom cukes, all the fall decorations and pumpkins, and gorgeous flowers.

If you have never been a part of our CSA you need to read this! We do things a little different than other CSAs.

What is Community Supported Agriculture? Historically CSAs charge you money in the winter and give you whatever they pick (their choice) every week throughout the growing season. In addition, members had to work a certain numbers of hours on the farm to share in the experience. This helped to educate the members about what it takes to produce their stuff and why some crops failed and others didn’t. Some people even like that kind of thing!

We do charge you in the winter and we do give you stuff in the summer. That is where we part paths with the CSA Fundamentalists. We don’t require you to work on the farm in the summer though we would welcome you with open arms. Summer camp for the Kids? Ha! I encourage you to at least come see that we really are growing fruits and veggies on the farm. We don’t pick out your stuff for you and don’t put it a box for you. You come to our produce stand and pick out your share from our displays using the white board to see how much of each item you are entitled to.

We do not grow everything organically, but many of our crops are never sprayed. We are very careful about what we do use to control problems that arise from time to time, and use far less than we did in the past. Some crops are more susceptible to insects and diseases and we recognize that. This is called Integrated Pest Management or IPM and we have been practicing it for 25 years. It requires a lot more management and a lot less chemicals (organic or synthetic). And best yet, every bit of our ground that is rotated in to crop production is fertilized with compost that we make here on the farm.

If you agree to become a member you pay SIW in the winter and I give you fruits and vegetables that are grown here on the farm, once a week, throughout the growing season. The idea is that you help us when we don’t have any money coming in and eat healthy all summer! You pick up your goodies on Tues., Wed., or Thurs. We are pretty strict about this as they are our slower days. However, if you absolutely can’t make it one of those days we have been known to accommodate! You also get a discount on items we don’t grow(like yummy peaches and cheese from Phiily) and any other SIW produce over your allotment, ie 200 ears for your 4th of July shindig. Plus you get all the free compost you want (actually we have a 100 ton limit, sorry). If you don’t have a truck we would be glad to lend you one. If you need me to deliver it, I can and it costs $50 for about 3.5 yds.

Typically we start to get a few things in mid June, most things in July and continue through October. Your choices diminish in October as the month wears on, but there is still plenty to choose from. 16 full weeks and 4-5 with not as much. The first two weeks are lean, but be patient.

You also share in the ups and downs of the growing season. If we have a crop failure you are out of luck. If we have a bumper crop you will get extra. We try to keep an updated board with what you are entitled to each week. If you are cornfused by something or notice an omitted product on display PLEASE ASK FOR HELP. We do make mistakes. Substitutions are not permitted as some items (the ones you like more) are not as plentiful as others. If you take extra someone else may get short changed.

I usually have one or two farm tours in June or August. It is usually at 4:00pm until whenever. It is a good time to ask all those questions that have been keeping you up at night. And to see where your food comes from. Kids are welcome!

In 2011 a share will cost $565 if paid by Feb. 29^th. and $600 anytime after that, until we fill up. Some members split it with a friend and alternate weeks with them. That works fine for us.

Assuming a 16 week season (this year it was 20 weeks) you are paying $35 per week and the other weeks are free. If you take what you are entitled to it is well worth it. Even if you don’t take all the items or miss a few weeks it is still a good deal. If you are out of town feel free to tell a friend or neighbor to pick up your stuff, it’s yours! Checks are due by February 29th or sooner. We don’t like to borrow any more money than we have to.

If you have any questions at all or would like to sign up, please e-mail me at siwvegies@aol.com

- HG Haskell

The Best of the Season . . .

2010-11-29T18:07:00.008-05:00

Fresh picked everyday, all-day. This stuff sells itself.

Cherry tomatoes in all colors, shapes and sizes. Sweet little nuggets of yum.

Undeniably gorgeous and plentiful eggplant. A shape for whatever you're making!

No doubt we are known for our heirloom tomatoes. Absolutely lives up to the buzz.

Queensland Blue squash. Yummy for pies and quite decorative, to boot!

Our local apples and Asian pears are a great transition to the end of the season.

Strawberries with flavor that is so good they taste fake (huh?).

Spotted Swans grace the tables as Autumn arrives.

A typical weeks "share" of our CSA offering.

Sweet Dumpling and Red Kuri squash. Oh, the colors and shapes of Autumn's bounty!

Vine ripened!

The crown jewels of SIW.

He who makes it all possible!

Closin' Time

2010-11-02T10:27:00.001-04:00

We have officially closed for the season and would like to generously THANK all our amazing and loyal customers for a truly wonderful season. We will re-open in mid-June so please check back in the spring to see what our actual opening day will be. See you then and remember to enjoy the bounty of the earth!

If you would like info on our CSA, please see the CSA section on our blog or send us an email at siwvegies@aol.com

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-10-28T08:01:00.001-04:00

As we sail through our last days here at the stand, we are reminded of what a great season it has been. We still have Doc Martin lima beans, green and red peppers, lots of different hot and warm peppers, a bit of eggplant left, plenty of our Fabulous tomatoes, and believe or not, a bit of corn. Plenty of delicious apples are abound, as are late season concord grapes and brussel sprouts. And of course, tons of gorgeous pumpkins, squash, mini pumpkins, striped pumpkins, gourds, indian corn, mums and all the rest!
We certainly can't think about the season without mentioning our amazing and loyal customer base. Rain or shine, blistering hot or blustery chilly, ya'll come out to support our efforts. As cliche as it sounds, we certainly couldn't do it without all of YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH for making the effort to get out to see us, support us and for helping to make it our best season ever!

The Last Weekly List:
1 lb. tomatoes
1 lb. Doc Martin limas
3 green or red peppers
5 "hot" peppers
2 carnival or sweet dumpling squash
1 spaghetti squash
1 bag gourds
2 jack-be-littles OR
2 pumpkemons
3 bunches indian corn
2 Spotted swans (gooseneck gourds)

The Great Pumpkin Carve—After

2010-10-22T09:28:00.002-04:00

Amazing what these talented folks do to our giants!

The Great Pumpkin Carve

2010-10-21T10:49:00.001-04:00

Prizewinners waiting to be delivered to The Great Pumpkin Event

Some of our largest

Smaller giants sprawled on the lawn

If you have never made it, I suggest that you try to get there and enjoy the amazing creativity. It is an amazing sight to see!

Chadds Fords Great Pumpkin Event

We supply all the giant pumpkins for The Chadds Ford Historical Societies Annual fundraiser.

Hayride to the Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-20T08:51:00.002-04:00

We will be running our Hayride to the Pumpkin Patch both Saturday and Sunday afternoons this weekend.

Saturday at 3:00pm

Sunday at 2:00pm

$20 for one child and one adult

(extra kids $15)

Includes: Hayride to pumpkin field

1 large jack-o-lantern and

1 small cannonball pumpkin

The $20 cost covers the hayride and the pumpkin picking. Kids get to pick 2 pumpkins each. Stop by the stand, or call (610-388-7491) to reserve your place. (We need 25 people to sign up for the hayride to run.)

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-10-19T11:34:00.000-04:00

Quite the year for Doc Martins lovers

As we head into our 2nd to last week of the season, we remarkably still have many items that in previous years would have been finished at this time. Doc Martins are still available, green beans, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and a bit of corn is left. This will be the last week for the corn, only because we've made it through all our patches. This is the first year ever that we were able to pick all our sweet corn patches before the frost got some! So enjoy one last meal of corn on the cob.

This weeks list:
1 lb. Doc Martins
1 lb. green beans
1/2 lb. eggplant
5 "hot"peppers
2 small green peppers (ours)
1 lb. tomatoes
your choice 3 winter squash
1 lb. sweet potatoes
1 jack-o-lantern

Pumpkins of all sizes abound!

Honey Crisp apples are still the star of the show

Fall at SIW

2010-10-18T09:18:00.001-04:00

Local broccoli and cauliflower

Blue moon, blue triad and Queensland blue winter squash

All the fall favorites are in full form right now.

The local broccoli and cauliflower is perfect and pumpkemons are cute with the longest stems. Our selection of the blue edible squash is bountiful. You can decorate with them and then cook up a delicious pie!

Bee Hill on a glorious fall day

Recipe of the Day: Roasted Red Pepper and Squash Soup

2010-10-16T08:57:00.001-04:00

Sweet dumpling squash and ghost pumpkins

I like using sweet dumpling squash for this soup, but delicata or carnival (festival) also works well. The denser squashes don't work as well, as they are a bit too, well, pumpkin-y.

Roasted Red Pepper and Squash Soup

ingredients:

4 Carnival, Sweet Dumpling or Delicata Squash

2 large red peppers

2 medium yellow onions

2 medium-large tomatoes

6-8 garlic cloves

olive oil

1-1/2 to 2 Quarts chicken broth (or veggie)

1/4 t. each dried basil & oregano (to taste)

1/8-1/4 t. red pepper flakes (or more for greater heat!)

1 t. salt

15 grinds black pepper

method:

Cut squash in quarters, scoop out seeds and steam for 20-30 minutes until soft. Remove and let cool 10 minutes, then peel off skin. While squash is cooking, cut seeded red peppers into flat sections, lay on cookie sheet with skin up and roast under broiler until charred. Cover with a towel and let cool, then remove skin and rough chop.

Heat a large heavy soup pot and saute yellow onion cut into chunks (cut in half and then cut that into eighths) until soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add rough chopped garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add in the cooked squash, skinned peppers and chopped tomatoes (peel if desired). Add spices, salt and pepper. If you want a curry soup, instead of basil and oregano, use cumin and a curry mix. Then cover with broth slightly above level of veggies in pot. More liquid will make a thinner soup, less will make it thicker. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and blend mixture with a stick blender. (Or carefully blend in blender in small batches. Cover blender top with towel to prevent hot liquid spraying out.) Serve with warm bread or grilled cheese sandwiches. Serves 5-6.

Hayride to the Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-12T20:18:00.001-04:00

It's a giant pumpkin partee!

Saturday, October 16th

3:00 pm

$20 for one child and one adult

(extra kids $15)

Includes: Hayride to pumpkin field

1 large jack-o-lantern and

1 small cannonball pumpkin

Once again, this weekend we are running a hayride that goes to the pumpkin patch. The $20 cost covers the hayride and the pumpkin picking. Kids get to pick 2 pumpkins each. Stop by the stand, or call (610-388-7491) to sign up. (We need 25 people to sign up for the Hayride to run it.)

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-10-12T09:58:00.002-04:00

The prize-winners are all picked!

Carnival and Sweet Potato squash

As the days are getting shorter and the temps lower, our crops are slowing down, too. We still have an amazing variety for mid-October, but none-the-less, our harvests are waning. They just picked a bunch of Doc martins and green beans, and the squash continues to be plentiful. The sweet potatoes are certainly in abundance this week, but onions, garlic and yellow potatoes are all over. Carnival squash is on the list, and you also get to pick one of the gorgeous large heirloom gourds (or squashes). Tomatoes are still pumping out big red, juicy fruits. And the corn is still as sweet as it gets!

If you haven't gotten any pumpkins yet, now is the time. We are knee deep in an amazing selection of all sizes, shapes and colors of pumpkins, squash, gourds, giant pumpkins and just about anything you'd like to decorate with!

This weeks list:
3 sweet corn
1 lb. tomatoes
1 lb. squash
1 lb. green beans
1lb. Doc Martin Limas
5 ea hot peppers
2 carnival squash
1 lb. sweet potatoes
1 large gourd (or squash)
2 indian corn (mini or regular)

Enjoy this Indian Summer weather!

Heirloom Gourds (some call it squash)

Mums in full form!

Tomato Sauce for the Hungry

2010-10-09T08:21:00.000-04:00

Last year I started selling Tomato sauce at my cost to customers to donate to the hungry. It was a huge success and we are doing it again this year. We’ve donated over 5000 pounds of assorted produce throughout the summer and this is a way to keep giving in the winter. If you pay for the jars here we will donate the jars for you—just as we donate hundreds of jars ourselves. Last year we donated to the Kennett Food cupboard, the Chester County Food Bank and the Emmanuel Dining Room (two locations in Wilmington).

The costs are as follows:

Gallons-------$30 40 approx. servings

Quarts---------$7.50 10 approx. servings

Pints-----------$4.25 5 approx. servings

• The gallons go to the soup kitchens

• The pints and quarts to the food cupboards

If you would like to specify where they are to be donated or deliver them yourselves, that is fine.

Thank you,

H. G. Haskell

Pumpkin Picking Hayride!

2010-10-07T09:28:00.001-04:00

Saturday, October 9th

4:00 pm

$20 for one child and one adult

Includes: Hayride to pumpkin field

1 large jack-o-lantern and

1 small cannonball pumpkin

Come join HG and crew this Saturday afternoon for a Hayride to our pumpkin patch. The $20 cost covers the hayride and the pumpkin picking. Kids get to pick 2 pumpkins each. Stop by the stand, or call (610-388-7491) to sign up. (We need 25 people to sign up for the Hayride to run it.)

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-10-06T08:28:00.002-04:00

Giant and the jacks

After many days of rain and dreary, cold weather, this mornings sunshine is a welcome sight! Looks like the weekend will be quite Autumnally-gorgeous. The shift to fall, even with all the rain we've gotten, hasn't translated to dwindling harvests, at this point. The tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes are still plentiful! And we've got a full cooler of Doc Martins. Our squash, cukes and peppers have continued to pump out their fruits. And the pumpkins—oh the pumpkins—are having a stellar year. Brent's lettuce is back in full fashion and he expects to pick beets later this week or early next. Plenty of corn and we picked a good bit of beans this week, too. The flowers do appear to be over, as is the basil, I believe. But they've been picking the sweet potatoes again, some are still small but they are delicious.

Here's whats on our CSA list for the week:

3 white corn

1 lb. doc martin lima beans
1 lb. green beans

2 lbs. regular tomatoes

1 bag lettuce

1 lb. squash
3 cuke
3 garlic
3 hot peppers

1 lb. sweet potatoes

1 Jack-o-lantern

Local concord grapes and delicious fall strawbs from Canada

A river runs through it!

2010-10-01T10:31:00.002-04:00

Lake SIW in the background

We may be spared the worst of this flooding. Reports are that the Brandywine River has crested in Chadds Ford, so it looks like our parking lot might be the worst casualty today. We will know by noon where we stand.

At this point we plan to be open by early afternoon. Creek road at Cossart toward Wilmington is now covered with about a foot of water and all roads that the Brandywine goes under are all closed right now.

Take care if you are out and about!

Drive safe and stay dry.

SIW is CLOSED today!

2010-09-30T10:24:00.000-04:00

Due to the torrential rain and high winds this tropical storm is bringing us today, we have decided to batten down the hatches and close our stand for the day.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

We will reopen on Friday and be open for the weekend, as usual.

Stay safe and stay dry!

Mums and more Mums!

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-09-28T08:35:00.000-04:00

Lots of amazing stuff abounds at the stand this week. The peppers are at their peak, most certainly. Enjoy something spicy for dinner one night!

But, once again, I have to mention the corn. If for any reason, you missed it the last few weeks, I beg you to make sure you stop by to get your share this week. It has been ridiculously sweet and as crisp as corn gets. They picked the last bi-color patch this weekend, so it will be all white corn from here on out. We will have plenty till frost.

And our tomato plants are just continuing to pump out best-of-the-season goodness. We've added on a few more pounds this week since we are so heavy on them.

A nice heap of Doc Martins were picked yesterday, so they will be on the list again. They keep saying it might be the last picking, but they come up with more, again.

Enjoy!!!

"The List":

8 white corn

1 lb. doc martin lima beans
1 lb. green beans

2 lbs. regular tomatoes

2 lbs. heirloom tomatoes

1 bag lettuce

1 lb. squash
3 cuke
3 garlic
1 red onions
3 hot peppers
1 lb. yellow potatoes

1 bunch Zinnias

1 sprig basil

5 Jack-b-littles

Honey Crisp apples

Sweet potato squash

Fall Favorites

2010-09-26T13:25:00.001-04:00

Good stuff just keeps on coming!

Fall strawberries from Canada

Local cider made from honeycrisp apples

Jack-B-Littles are the essence of Autumn

Cool nights & hot days make corn extra sweet and crisp!

Squash so pretty it looks like its painted

Autumn Has Arrived

2010-09-23T09:57:00.000-04:00

How fitting, this year, that the day our calendars flipped over to Fall, we had temperatures that reached the 90º mark! And although it may not feel like fall as far as the temps, and we still have amazingly delicious corn and plentiful amounts of tomatoes and heirloom tomatoes, it certainly looks like fall at our stand.

Most of the fall decorating stuff is in. Pumpkins of all shapes sizes and colors! Giants, cannonballs, jack-b-littles—orange and white, pump-ke-mons of many colors, gourds, amazing squash varieties—all edible but certainly decorative. Corn stalks are being picked, as are both the standard Indian corn and mini-indian corns.

One more word about the CORN. These cool nights and hot days are the perfect conditions for crisp, sweet corn. The ripening has slowed down so we are able to stay on top of picking at its perfect maturity and it is THE BEST it has been all season. Be sure to stop by and enjoy this Autumn Joy!

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-09-21T07:50:00.003-04:00

Lemon, pickling and Armenian cucumbers

As we are just about to officially enter into the Autumn season (fall equinox is on wed. at 11:09pm) this year we are blessed with a true "Indian Summer". These warm days and cool nights are allowing many of our crops to continue to grow and ripen beautifully. The cukes, summer squashes, beans, Doc Martins, eggplant, tomatoes and corn, are still thriving and producing. The corn has been astounding—crisp and soooo sweet. We are picking some of our Sugar and Spice bi-color, which is the most delicious corn I've ever eaten. And those heirlooms tomatoes just keep pumping out amazing, big gorgeous fruits.

We have been picking some really nice sweet potatoes and the yukon golds are still pumping out lots of yummy spuds.

"The List":

8 corn, you pick the type

1 lb. doc martin lima beans
1 lb. green beans

2 lbs. regular tomatoes

3 lbs. heirloom tomatoes

1 pint cherry tomatoes (if they pick)

1 bag lettuce

1 lb. squash
1 cuke
1 garlic
2 red onions
3 hot peppers
1 lb. potatoes

Flowers might be over—but if they pick, you are welcome to some

1 sprig basil

2 cannonball pumpkins OR

1 white pumpkin

Giant pumpkins

The Giant Pumpkins are going to have a fantastic year. We've picked only a few so far but the fields are full of big lumps of orange!

Giant caterpillars

A curious visitor: someone said this was a walnut caterpillar. It was huge!

Edible and Decorative

2010-09-19T16:59:00.001-04:00

Many people buy these as a cute decorative pumpkin, but they really are grown for pumpkin pie

Festival and White Acorn Squash.

It's Pumpkin Time!

2010-09-17T07:31:00.001-04:00

It's been a great season for growing so many things this year. Pumpkins are no exception. All these crazy types of squash make for good eating. Or you can make your own beautiful fall display.

And the heirloom tomatoes just keep on comin'! They are so amazing this year. Remember—we will continue to have them until frost.

"Love Apples" at their peak!

2010-09-12T12:03:00.002-04:00

Did you know that an early Italian or Spanish marketeer, in an attempt to enthuse European's palates, labeled tomatoes an aphrodisiac and coined the term poma amoris. Hence, tomatoes became known as "Love Apples". Even just a glance of these beauties and certainly with a taste, tomato lovers get why they were named as such.

What about SIW's Love Apples? Well, after a brief period between patches, our tomatoes, both Heirlooms and our Fabulous field tomatoes (Fabulous is the name of the variety we grow!) are back in full force. The cooler nights slow down the ripening in the field but we have plenty of amazingly delicious "love apples" to choose from. They will continue till frost so we have lots of good eatin' to come.

We've already had a couple of batches made this year of our simply delicious Tomato Sauce. Get yours by the pint or quart, or if you want to stock up for the winter, or get some to bring to your friends, we offer a 10% discount on full cases. We have our classic tomato, onion and garlic; classic with Basil; and we offer a limited edition Heirloom variety.

And what else goes better with tomatoes than fresh Artisan Bread? These guys (LeBus Bakery) make some pretty awesome bread and foccacia. They are delivered fresh, every day. ENJOY!!!

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-09-08T10:09:00.004-04:00

We are shifting into fall mode here. Our mums have arrived and some of the cool weather crops are just getting ready to pick. Brent's lettuce has begun again. It is so tender and sweet!

Do try the sweet potatoes. Some are a bit gnarly, but they are fresh dug and very delicious!

The next patch of tomatoes are just starting to be picked. A few more heirlooms were ready yesterday so the table is pretty full today. And it looks like we should have enough cherry tomatoes for everyone as well. But a reminder that we will have plenty of corn and tomatoes until frost.

The melons are over from our fields. We will be getting local ones—as long as they are available.

No sign of pumpkins yet but they are certainly right around the corner.

8 corn, you pick the type

1lb. doc martin lima beans

1lb. regular tomatoes
1lb. heirloom tomatoes (possibly)
1 pint cherry tomatoes (possibly)

1 bag lettuce
1 lb. squash
1 cukes
1 garlic
2 onions
1 hot pepper
1 lb. potatoes

1lb. sweet potatoes
1/2 lb. eggplant

1 edamame (possibly)

1 bunch flowers
1 sprig basil

Pick-A-Peck—The hot and heirloom peppers are abundant!

The Year of the Peach

2010-09-07T08:56:00.000-04:00

It has been an amazing season for our local peaches this year. They love it hot and dry and as ya'll know, we've had plenty of both this summer! Unfortunately, though, all good things do come to an end. We should have peaches for another few weeks, but you should get em while you can.

This little cutie was caught picking out a basket of our delicious cherry tomatoes. We grow about 15 varieties of cherry tomatoes that range from very sweet to ridiculously sweet. Lots of colors and shapes to choose from! And the crop will continue to be plentiful until the nights get frosty. So lots of tomatoes still to come!

Okra is another crop that loves it hot and dry. We have been having huge picks of okra this year so if you are one of those "Okra People" (you know who you are!) be sure to stop by and grab some while the grabbins' good.

September is Harvest Season!

2010-09-02T16:43:00.000-04:00

Although we are experiencing a slight lull in tomatoes due to being between patches right now, there are TONS of amazing heirloom and field tomatoes still to come. For lunch today I had a tomato sandwich with a Brandywine heirloom, Claudio fresh mozzarella, with mayo on our LeBus bakery sliced Italian bread. It was SUMMER DIVINE as it gets. I was going to put pesto on one side of the bread but decided not to. I was so glad I'd refrained from the pesto as the Brandywine tomato flavor was so amazing!

And our eggplants continue to be plentiful and just plain gorgeous. We have a shape for whatever it is you wish to make. For the grill: Simply cut to the desired shape you want (the lavender striped fairy tale can be cooked whole), brush with olive oil and grill for 10 minutes per side on medium heat. Add a dash of balsamic vinaigrette, or a little salt and pepper and enjoy the flavors of summer.

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-08-31T07:39:00.002-04:00

The season is really starting to change. We are waiting for the next patch of heirloom tomatoes to come in so they will be a bit slim this week. Hopefully we will get some picked for the share this week. Cukes and eggplant are a bit meager, also, but we should have some for CSA members, also. We've picked the last of our cantaloupe. What a great season it has been for those. We will be bringing some in as long as they last locally, though. And also we are at the end of our watermelons. Enjoy them while you can!

This weeks share:

8 corn, you pick the type

1lb. doc martin lima beans

1lb. regular tomatoes
1lb. heirloom tomatoes (possibly)
1 pint cherry tomatoes (possibly)
1 lb. squash
1 cukes
1 garlic
2 onions
1 green/red peppers
1 hot pepper
1 lb. potatoes
1/2 lb. eggplant
1 cantaloupe

1 sugar baby watermelon1 razz

1 edamame
1 bunch flowers
1 sprig basil

Winterthur farmers market

2010-08-31T07:33:00.000-04:00

Saturday mornings at Winterthur has become quite the busy farmers market. Located under the shade of mature trees, about 7-8 vendors show up each week to offer their locally grown or produced products.

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-08-25T07:16:00.002-04:00

The season is just starting to change a bit. We are picking in our last cantaloupe patch, so enjoy the last of our melons. Peppers have come on very strong and so have the eggplants. In the post yesterday I mentioned that the doc martin limas are finally in strong, so we are able to add those to the CSA share this week. Blackberries are dwindling, they are only picking a case or two here and there so they are no longer part of the share. But our raspberries are still going like mad, though, and will be around until the nights get cold. No pumpkins yet, but I expect mums to make an appearance very soon.

This weeks share:
8 corn, you pick the type
1lb. doc martin lima beans
1lb. regular tomatoes
1lb. heirloom tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lb. squash
2 cukes
1 garlic
2 onions
1 green peppers
1 hot pepper
1 lb. potatoes
1 lb. eggplant
1 cantaloupe
1 sugar baby watermelon
1 razz
1 bunch flowers
1 sprig basil

Doc Martins have arrived!

2010-08-24T18:52:00.001-04:00

At last, the Doc Martin Limas have come to full season. We picked over 20 crates in the last few days—we have plenty available for sale by the pound or by the case. Enjoy them while you can.

The pies have been spectacular this summer. Marie, the pie baker behind My House Cookies, has been turning out some amazing specialties this summer. All different in-season fruit varieties and a superb Key Lime.

And although they signal the impending end of summer (which for many must be a good thing this year!) the local apples and Asian pears have come in.

We are officially at our high season mark!

2010-08-13T23:42:00.001-04:00

Although we are still waiting for the Doc Martin Limas to make their grand appearance, just about everything else on the farm is having a stellar year. It is hard to not say more about the heirloom tomatoes. Both those and our field tomatoes are unbelievably plentiful and delicious. What a treat to have so many to choose from. Tomatoes love it hot and dry and we've had both this summer!
The flowers are also just blooming like mad. We have never had so many flowers in a season. The zinnias, the sunflowers and the rudbeckia are so gorgeous.
And those eggplants! So many varieties, shapes and sizes to choose from.

Mr. Stripey

Heirloom varieties of cucumber

Heirloom eggplant varieties

Yellow stuffing tomatoes (they are hollow!)

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-08-10T08:21:00.000-04:00

"Switch Hitter"

As we head into the dog days of summer the hot weather veggies are starting to come in strong. The green peppers, the hot peppers, the eggplant all have become plentiful. Some of the peppers are starting to turn red, but are still more "chocolate" than full color. The melons continue to be strong, but the last patch of sugar babies is over and I think it will be a few days till more are ready. The blackberries have slowed a bit, but honestly, we've picked more blackberries than anyone could have ever imagined! Hope you've been finding some good fun stuff to make with them.
They've picked a few bushels of Doc Martin Limas here and there, but we don't have a whole lot yet. But once they come in, we will have plenty for everyone. If you want a bushel to "put-up" ask to sign your name to the Doc Martin list. All signs look like it will be a terrific year for those once they are ready. And of course the heirloom tomatoes will continue to come in droves. Such a spectacular year for growing heat loving stuff.

This weeks share:
8 corn, you pick the type
1lb. regular tomatoes
1lb. heirloom tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lb. squash
2 cukes
1 garlic
2 onions
2 each green peppers
1 hot pepper
1 lb. potatoes
1 lb. eggplant
1 cantaloupe
1 razz
1 blackberry
1 bunch flowers
1 sprig basil
ENJOY!

August Jewels

2010-08-06T17:24:00.000-04:00

What a great year for heirlooms! All I can say is that they taste as good or better than they look. YUM!

And the peaches have been superb as well!

The swallowtails are all over the zinnia patch.

Donut peaches and other good things

2010-08-04T10:57:00.001-04:00

Donut peaches are a little, squat, immensely delicious white peach that have a short season. They are little bites of deliciousness—one of the many lovely summer delights you'll find at SIW. Get em while you can!!!

Donut peaches and sugarcube melons

Recipe of the Day

2010-08-04T10:51:00.001-04:00

Lemon-Zucchini Cornmeal Cookies

(modified from Martha Stewart)

ingredients:

1/2 cup smart balance (or pure butter)

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon packed finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup whole wheat flour (you could also used unbleached flour)

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

1 medium zucchini, grated on small holes of a box grater (about 1 cup)

method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Add flour and cornmeal and mix until mixture is crumbly. Add zucchini and stir until a thick dough forms.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are light golden brown at edges, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool completely on wire racks.

(picture and recipe submitted by CSA member Laura Novak)

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-08-02T17:53:00.002-04:00

A visual description!

The bounty of the season is upon us. Our tomatoes have officially taken over the stand. If you haven't tried the heirlooms, this is the time to try them. So many shapes and sizes. And the cherry tomatoes are copious and stunningly picturesque. They eat like little bites of sugar.

Brandywine and Tiger Brandywine heirlooms

The blackberries (like so many of our crops) are having a banner season. They continue to be a hot mover so enjoy them while they are fresh and plentiful.

This is what you call mondo blackberries—5 per half-pint!

Recipe of the Day

2010-07-29T07:04:00.000-04:00

Linguine with Zucchini

ingredients:

Coarse salt

1 pound linguine - I like the al dente w/flax seed whole wheat linguine from Jansen’s

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced very thinly crosswise

black olives

whole or cherry tomatoes

fresh basil & parsley

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

method:

Fill a stockpot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add coarse salt. Add pasta, stir until water returns to a boil, and cook pasta, according to package directions, until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add oil and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add olives, tomatoes, basil, parsley, and red pepper flakes; season with salt to taste.

Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add pasta to skillet with veggies and toss to combine. Transfer to a large platter, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with parmesan; serve immediately.

(Thank you CSA member Laura Novak for this yummy recipe!)

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-07-27T10:20:00.001-04:00

This week we've seen the tomatoes come on in full force. Our regular (field) tomatoes are now the Fabulous variety. We like these because they have the best flavor and gorgeous color, even though they are a bit more delicate that some of our other field tomatoes.
And the Heirlooms! Oh, my, we now have a plethora of heirloom tomatoes. Seems when it rains around here it certainly pours. Not only do we have plenty of our slicing varieties of heirlooms, look for the multi-selection of heirloom cherry tomatoes that we have. They are so sweet it is like eating little sugar bursts.
Don't miss some new products we've added in our cooler. Bobbi's Best Hummus comes in many different varieties. This is absolutely the best hummus we've ever tasted. Goes perfect with the italian crostinis (a cracker) we sell. And we've added a few new sizes of the Claudio Fresh Mozzarella. We still have the 8oz buffala size which is the large dome shaped size. We also have a 4oz. ovalini size which is two smaller ovals, perfect when you can't use up a whole 8oz dome. And we also added the cherry size, which like it sounds, are small round cherry sized balls. Please note that we can only get the Claudio cheese delivered once a week on Friday afternoon (usually after 5). So we are usually out for the days our CSA's pick up their orders. So sorry about this! Please come see us on the weekend to get some of this delicious cheese.

Here's the share for the week:

8 sweet corn
1 lb. regular tomatoes
1 lb. heirloom tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 lb. squash
2 cucumbers
1 garlic
2 onions
2 ea. green peppers
1 jalapeno or banana pepper
1 lb. potatoes
1 cantaloupe
1 razzberries
1 pint blackberries
1 lb. eggplant
1 bunch zinnias or sunflowers
1 sprig basil

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-07-21T08:22:00.000-04:00

We are just getting into the "meat" of our growing season. Cantaloupes started to come in last week and now they are coming in like gang-busters! We have 3 kinds, 2 of which are heirloom varieties. The large are a more regular musk melon-type. We also have a "striper" that is delicious and then the "sugar cubes" which are the cute, teeny ones I mentioned last week. You are welcome to take a couple of the sugar cubes for one of the larger ones in your share.
Green beans are taking a break, it will be up to a week before we have them again. Eggplant made the list this week. We have 7-8 kinds, so feel free to try different ones to see what is your favorite. I think mostly it is the shape that is different on eggplants, but if anyone notices a big difference in taste, please let us know so we can tell others the difference.
Our blackberries are producing like mad this year. We put them into the green pint containers (usually we only sell the berries in 1/2 pints) to get folks to take notice and buy a larger portion. Must be time to make a blackberry-peach crisp!
By the way, although the peaches we sell come from Glen Willow Orchards in Avondale, they are outstanding right now! So sweet and juicy.
As always, enjoy your share! We look forward to seeing you at the farm.

8 sweet corn
1 lb. tomatoes
1 ea. heirloom tomato
3# squash
3 large cukes
1 garlic bulb
2 onions
1# potatoes
2 cantaloupe
1 pint blackberries
1/2 pt razzberries
1 lb. eggplant
1 bu zinnias OR
3 sunflowers

Crusty Bread with Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

2010-07-17T08:13:00.004-04:00

This is a simple but amazingly delicious recipe passed on from our good customers, Steve and Nicole. It is easy and quick to make. Sort of like a fresh pizza on bread.

Crusty Bread with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

(Serves 2-3)

ingredients:

5-6 medium tomatoes, chopped (can peel or not, I don't)

3-4 garlic cloves, rough chop

handful fresh basil, rough chop

DiBruno fresh mozzarella, sliced med-thick

Fresh crusty bread, sliced thick (3/4 in)

Olive oil

salt and pepper

method:
Saute garlic in about 2 T. olive oil for 1-2 minutes on medium heat until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes until they release their juices and they look kind of "saucy". Add salt and pepper to taste. Top fresh tomato sauce with one layer of mozzarella slices in pan, arranging mozzarella around pan and one in middle. Turn down heat to medium low, put top on pan, and let mozzarella melt down, about 5 minutes. Slice crusty artisan-type fresh bread in thick slices. If using a baguette, slice on a diagonal so they are longer. When cheese is melted, using a spatula, scoop each clump of tomatoes and melted cheese onto a piece of bread. Top with a generous amount of fresh basil.

(note: you will need about 2 medium or one large tomato per person. If making a larger batch, adjust garlic accordingly.)

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-07-13T14:57:00.001-04:00

We are just starting to pick our tomatoes. This first picking was all number two's but by weeks end (or sooner) we will have ALL our own tomatoes. Keep an eye out. Plus we picked a few crates of our heirloom tomatoes which we have put on the CSA list. You all get one for this week. The eggplants have just started to be a bit substantial but we don't have enough yet for everyone to get some. (We have almost 70 members this year so the dribs and drabs are hard to put on the list.) Hopefully by next week we can add them. As I'm writing this our pickers just brought cantaloupe so I'm adding that to the list! The little ones are extremely tasty, if there are any left I'd suggest trying those. They almost taste like fake cantaloupe flavor they are so good! Oh, if they pick raspberries, we will be adding those, but sometimes the rain is really hard on them.
Enjoy!

6 corn
1lb. or 1 quart (small) #2 tomatoes
1 each heirloom tomato
1 garlic
3 onions
2# squash
3 large cukes (or 6 small or a mix)
1# green beans
2# potatoes
2 blackberries
1 cantaloupe
1 bu. zinnias OR
3 sunflowers

The Glory of Sunflowers!

2010-07-10T08:26:00.001-04:00

The drama of a sunflower is unmatched by just about any other bloom. And this year they are LOVING the heat and dry conditions at the farm. I don't know about any one else, but they make me smile. There is something happy about sunflowers!

CSA: Weekly Share

2010-07-06T09:48:00.001-04:00

Everything is growing like mad right now. We are quickly rushing into The Season! We even picked 2 boxes of tomatoes on Monday. Probably will have a few every other day and by next week, we hope to have all of ours for sale. Heirlooms won't be ready for quite a few more weeks, for those of you who are waiting with baited breath for them. But the first taste of our field tomatoes yesterday was quite a treat!. The Lancaster and Jersey grown ones we've had have been very delicious, but we all know the ones out of our fields are simply the best!
As far as corn goes, we just finished our first white corn patch yesterday and will be picking plenty of Bi-color this week. We will have some white corn mid-week, it looks like now.

Weekly Share:
6 bi-color corn
2# squash
3 cukes
1 garlic
1 onion
1# green beans
1 lb. potatoes
1 pint razzberries
1 bag lettuce
1 bunch beets
1 bunch carrots
3ea green onions
3 sunflowers
1 Zinnia bunch

Recipe of the Day

2010-07-02T08:23:00.002-04:00

Sliced Tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella with Basil

ingredients:

2 large tomatoes -sliced about 1/4” thick

One package of Claudio or DiBruno fresh mozzarella -sliced to match tomatoes

Handful of fresh basil - amount to taste, chop rough

Extra virgin olive oil

Claudio 25 yr. Balsamic (can use regular balsamic vinegar)

Salt and pepper

method:

Layer alternating tomatoes and mozzarella fanning out across a plate. Lightly salt and pepper. Top with basil, tucking some under the slices of tomato and mozzarella. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Then, lightly, to taste, drizzle balsamic across top. Serve right away. (If you make this ahead of time, wait until you are about to serve to add oil and balsamic.)

Serves 2-3.

2010-06-27T08:33:00.000-04:00

We're Pickin' Corn!

Yesterday we picked the first corn of the season. Yum, yum, yum!
It's bi-color and it is very sweet, crisp and delicious. We pick it everyday, as many times a day as we need to. For your eatin' pleasure!

CORN COOKING TIP: Drop corn into boiling water and cook for 1 minute ONLY! It will be perfect, I promise.

All our delicious refrigerated items are in. Fresh mozzarella cheese, pies baked daily, goat cheese logs, Imported Italian Olive Oil. LeBus Bakery breads.

Happy Summer Solstice!

2010-06-21T10:05:00.000-04:00

The longest day of the year is upon us and we have been taking advantage of the light. Our fields have never looked better. With the temperatures soaring, all our crops are maturing like mad. We have the first corn that should be ready to be picked by weeks end and eggplants are 6 inches long. Tomatoes are getting big quick and our squash, cucumbers and peas are cranking out already. Zinnias are just starting to be ready but with this heat, everyday they are blooming more and more. Beans will be picked in the next day or two.

It is hot and dry, which is the PERFECT climate for growing food. We are set up with drip irrigation on all our crops, so although it is dusty out in our fields, the plants are as happy as pigs in mud!!

Heirloom tomatoes staked-up and lookin' pretty!

Gorgeous eggplant are knee high.

Lots to offer at our Farm Stand this week. We have our own squash, cucumbers, garlic, garlic scapes, raspberries, lettuce, salad mix, beets, carrots, spring onions, peas, beans; Jersey corn, blueberries, Lancaster tomatoes, sweet onions, Southern peaches, georgia cantaloupe and much more!

We Are Open!

2010-06-16T08:25:00.000-04:00

As the season heats up we have lots of delicious, farm grown stuff! We have our own: Cucumbers, Zucchini, Crookneck, Eightball squash, Sunburst, English Peas, Lettuce, Beets, Spring Onions, Garlic, Garlic Scapes; local Lancaster Tomatoes, Jersey Blueberries, Jersey Corn, southern Peaches, sweet Onions, cantaloupe, watermelon and lots of other delicious stuff.

Our heirloom tomatoes are looking really big! Only a few weeks before we start picking.

The corn is getting REALLY close to pickin' time!

Rows and rows of tomatoes out there!

We Open June 14th!

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SIW Vegetables will be open for the season starting Monday June 14th. Our hours are 10am to 6pm, every day of the week. We are open through Halloween.

The tomatoes have been planted.

We have lots of Brent's lettuce!

We had peony's available at the stand as a "self serve" item in May and early June. They were amazing!

Join our CSA!

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Join Our CSA!

The basic idea of Community Supported Agriculture is that a member pays a set amount upfront in the winter (when farmers need cash to get the operation up and running) and then thoughout the growing season, they get a mix of what is available each week in return. This helps the grower when they don't have any profits coming in, and in turn makes eating fresh, local food that much more affordable.

All farms operate their CSA's a little differently, following is the basics on how ours works. We charge per share to be a member of our CSA. There should be 16 weeks of our growing season, when we are able to offer farm grown items for sale. On a tuesday, wednesday or thursday, you come to the SIW farm stand and pick out and weigh your own stuff. We have a list on our CSA Board that lets you know what items are part of the share for the week. You also get a discount on other stuff and get free compost.

Please let us know if you want more info on our CSA program.