Delicious CSA Options for Everyone!

There are so many delicious items on our CSA list this week.  Don't worry, if you aren't a CSA member you can still buy these delicious items too!  

Magical Moments on the Farm

Macgregor Mann, of Junto in Chadds Ford, PA, prepared a delicious meal! On the grill he made Lamb Kabobs that were savory and marinated in his own special recipe. 

On each table was Ricotta Caponata with Grilled Artisan Bread!  (seen to the left)  Yummy!

Since Macregor is from York, PA he is an expert on PA Dutch Potato Salad and it was very good. 

He outdid himself on the Doc Martin Succotash!  Unbelievably delicious.  We heard people say that it was the best succotash they'd ever had.  So, if we can get him to give us his recipe, we'll post it for you soon.  But the magic ingredients were DOC MARTIN LIMA BEANS.  Did you know that Doc Martins were first grown in our area back in the 1800s and they are only grown in our region.  So, they are not your normal lima bean and well worth the getting.  Our customers love them and this dish was a perfect blend of H.G.'s corn and Doc Martin lima beans.  (Don't forget their on sale for $25 a half bushel.)

 His Panzanella Salad was made with H.G.'s tomatoes and the combination of flavors was delightful! 

To add a beautiful splash of green on the plate he grilled up some scallions that were perfectly done.

And to end the night we had delicious pies from Nomadic Pies of Kennett Square. You've got to try these! The combinations are amazing. Apple Ginger!! and of course the good 'ol straight apple, peach and a whole assortment of other varieties. 

For the first time, we had a string quartet perform and they were a great hit!  The Fellowship of the Strings is a local string quartet who added an extra touch of class to the evening performing a whole host of show tunes, Irish melodies, some oldies-but-goodies and some classical pieces.   

If you need a little entertainment for your cocktail party, business event, or wedding we encourage you to contact them at thefellowshipofthestrings4@gmail.com

Everyone really seemed to enjoy the ambiance, the cool night, the delicious food and time with friends and family. 

Thanks again to Macgregor Mann for all of his hard work!  




 

If you took any great shots of your magical moments last night, please post them!

Junto's Coming to Town and CSA for this Week

Macgregor Mann, of Junto, was at the farm this weekend working through his plan for Wednesday night.  We're very excited to have him serve as our chef for our third CSA Field-to-Fork Dinner and know many of you are going to have a great meal because Macregor has great ideas and very skilled in the kitchen (or in our case, under the tent).  He is all about supporting local businesses - and that is a great idea!   

Macgregor grew up cooking.  He'd come home from school and his Mom would put him to work "pealing potatoes." Moral of this story -- Moms start your kids young on a potato peeler!  York, Pennsylvania is where he's originally from and where he learned to love culinary traditions.  So when someone asks him what kind of food he serves, his response is, "I'm trying to create a local cuisine."  He goes out of his way to "hand-source what they use from beginning to end" which enables them to offer a "wholesome product."

This year they were awarded "Best of Philadelphia" for their Sturgeon Dish. And, not only does he get his food from local businesses (farms, coffee roasters, etc.), but he supports our local environment. Junto is proud to be forming a partnership with Delaware River Keepers to help restore and preserve the natural surroundings in our area!  This is definitely a guy you want to go out and support.  

When you do go, tell him H.G. sent you!  

Don't forget, our Delicious Doc Martin Lima Beans are now on sale for $25 a half bushel.  That is a GREAT price and you will not find tastier lima beans anywhere!  Give 'em a try if you haven't already!  

Here are a few recipes to inspire your lima bean cooking!  Enjoy them with all of the tomatoes we discussed last week! 

Lots of Summer Produce Still to Enjoy

You may be getting your kids ready to go back to school which usually means FALL, but there are still many weeks for you to enjoy the tastes of SUMMER as they get used to their fall schedules! So stock up those lunch boxes with healthy snacks.  And for all of you who enjoy the cooler nights to grill in, enjoy all sorts of beautiful vegetables to add to your dinner!  We make corn shucking easy on you --- Leave the mess behind and take the deliciousness with you!

Tomatoes 101 and Why Ours Taste So Good!

H.G. grows 100 different varieties of tomatoes.  Fifty of them are heirloom. When you come to the
stand you may be wondering which ones are which.  If it's important to you to know the name of what you're eating, here's a little introduction to some of these beautiful and even unusual looking tomatoes.  Regardless of their appearance, they are all down-right delicious!  

This unique one is Pruden's Purple.

Here's a rainbow of San Marzano at its different stages of ripening.  

You've probably seen the sign while shopping at our market, but if you haven't been by, come on over and try these beautiful Mountain Magic that are pictured in Dan Barber's Book.

If it weren't a tomato, you might think it's masquerading as a pumpkin just in time for Halloween!  But it's really one of H.G.'s 50 heirlooms.

Cherry tomatoes are great for salads or just to snack on.  They are so sweet your little guys will think their candy.  Start 'em young, they'll love them!

Have you given much thought to when a tomato needs to be picked in order to reach the local grocery store RED? The Atlantic City Lab said, "First off, conventional growers don’t pick tomatoes at peak ripeness. They harvest the fruits at the “mature green” stage, "degreen" them using ethylene gas, then store and ship them at low temperatures to prevent bruising and decay. While chilling protects the flesh of the fruit, it suppresses the production of certain flavor and aroma compounds, resulting in tomatoes that are red and robust on the outside but tasteless on the inside."  

But not at our farm, we pick them RED and you eat them RED and boy that makes all the difference. These beautiful big tomatoes are called "fabulous" and of course, we agree!
We do sell you green tomatoes, but only if they are gorgeous Green Zebra tomatoes which are just a fun variety to enjoy!  Don't be confused by the fact they are green, they're supposed to be.  They are also Red Zebras.  

So, from our "arms" to yours, we strive to bring you the best quality tomatoes you can find anywhere!

If you have any questions for H.G. about his tomatoes or how he grows them, please post your question below and we'll get you an answer.  We'd also enjoy hearing which variety you prefer.  How one compares to another or any comments you have about our tomatoes! 

Do you need help with your imagination in the kitchen?

The farm is a great place to turn to, to be inspired!

 Maybe some of the items on this week's CSA list will spark your imagination when you give these new recipes a spin! 

 



1. Roasted Garlic, honey garlic, many other uses for garlic.

 2. Red or white potatoes - both are delicious!

Please let us know if you  think outside of the box and create something special with what you find on the farm.  We'd all be interested in hearing.  Why not take a picture and send it to us at photos4siw@gmail.com.  Or, post your recipes below! 

Thanks to the sweet gals who came to the last CSA Field-to-Fork dinner and inspired us all with their imagination! 

And don't forget to sign-up, at the stand, for the hayrides!  It will be a great time to break from all the stresses of your week and be a kid again on the farm.  If you can't remember what that's like, bring a kid along with you - they'll inspire you!

All About the Love

Chef Bill and his wife Merry, along with their enthusiastic and fun staff cooked up some delicious dishes that if you didn't get the chance to taste we encourage you to head over to The House of William and Merry and give 'em a try! 

What was great to see Wednesday night is that Bill's regular customers love him so much they came out to support him and enjoy more of his delicious cooking. That says a lot! 

And, as Bill said in his closing comments, it's all about the love! The love of food, family and things done well! He said it was a privilege to cook with what H.G. grows!

Menu included: Roasted Free Range Lancaster Chickens, Caprice Salad with aged balsamic vinegar and smoked salt, Tomato-Cucumber-Melon Gazpacho, Rosemary-Lemon Potatoes, and the Quinoa Salad which is always on his menu at the restaurant.  Healthy and delicious!

And special thanks to H's friend Michael who helps you pick out some good wine to go with your dinner! 
 




It was another beautiful night temperature-wise and we had many new guests, as well as returning guests many of who invited their friends to join them and were enthusiastic to spend a night together. 

There were a lot of folks out with their cameras.  If you are one of them and got any great shots, please post them.  We'd love to see what happened at your table.