News & Updates From SIW

The Farm Stand Is Coming Along!

We can't wait to welcome you to our newly rebuilt farm stand next month. Stay tuned for the announcement about our opening day!

SIW In The News

Read The Article

Everyone's Irish This Week!

In anticipation of Saint Patrick's Day Chef Natalie is taking orders for corned beef dinners. For the menu and more information please email her at the link below.

Click Here For More Information

 

Celebrating National Farmers' Day

A Word From Our Farmer

Every day there is a tribute to something. National Squirrel Day, Columbus Day and even National Hot Dog Day. Today is no exception. It is National Farmers Day. A day we are supposed to pay tribute to American farmers throughout the history of our country. Today’s farmers would not be as productive, efficient or environmentally conscious without the innovations the farmers of yesteryear have contributed to this industry. However, I am going to focus on our local farmers of today and highlight their contributions to our society as a whole. What they give us we mostly take for granted because of the abundance of fresh, nutritious food 365 days a year.

The face of our small local farmers is not the same as it was 200,100 or even 50 years ago. Our small family farms with big families offering cheap or no labor costs years ago have evolved into small farms with little or no “help” (low cost labor) from family. Now the small farms face the same difficulties that any small business does in order to survive. The difference between other small businesses and small farms is what they sell. You can go to a big efficient competitor and buy the same product at a cheaper price compared to the vast majority of small businesses.

You cannot go to a big low cost food competitor and buy the same product as you can from your local farm. It is logistically impossible. Your local farmers pick their product riper, therefore more nutritious and tasty. They grow varieties that taste better and none of the big farmers will touch those because they are not “tough” enough. A riper more fragile fruit or vegetable cannot travel over any distance and has a greatly reduced shelf life. It’s production cost is 2-4 times higher as well. It is economically prohibitive for the big guys to grow them. Also, they cannot sell you produce that is picked fresh the same day as you buy it. Your local farmers can and do. The only way you can get produce that fresh is to grow it yourself. 

In addition, local farms cannot charge enough for their product because there is a limit to what people will pay. Though they must in order to survive. The days of buying stuff straight from the farm to get it cheaper(Amish farms are the exception-free labor) are gone. All those old timers are out of business. Gobbled up by developers or bigger farms.

We as a society need to look at our small farms in a different light. Farms are not just small businesses that need to be run better. They are a community service pure and simple. They provide something vital to the health, aesthetic and cultural beauty of our community. No one else can fill this vacuum when they are gone. 

What is this worth to us as a society? It is priceless. If you left an extra $5-10 every time you visited a produce stand it would not be enough. And farmers are generally too proud to take it anyway. You can shop there as often as possible. Join a CSA. Take part in other activities at the farm. Tell your friends. Give positive and negative feedback. Go out of your way to shop at your local farm market. Some of us drive 5 miles to get a cup of coffee but buy our veggies at the supermarket because they are more convenient.

There is a very short window of opportunity in our area for consumers to visit their local farms. Late June-October is when the local stuff is plentiful. It is very hard to grow fresh vegetables when the temperature is below freezing.........

Peter Flynn (Pete’s Produce Farm), Norm Shultz and the Linvill family (Linvilla Orchards), Steve and the Rosazza family (Glen Willow Orchards), Baily's Dairy (West Chester, PA), Lewis Barnard (Barnard Orchards), Juan Medina (Landhope Farm Market), Indian Orchards (Media), Highland Orchards (DE and PA) are some of our local fruit and veggie farmers. Wolff's Apple House and Marini Produce are farm markets that do an outstanding job of buying from local farmers and helping promote their products.

Google them, visit them, shop with them and talk to them. They are your local farmers.

That’s all I have. Enjoy this wonderful day.

HG

#nationalfarmerday #baynardsorchard #mariniproduceandchristmastrees #linvillaorchards #GlenWilloworchards #landhopefarms #indianorchards #highlandorchards #wolffsapplehouse #siwvegetables #siw #petesproducefarm #bailysdairy

Join Chef Susan Teiser of the Centreville Cafe and Montrachet Fine Foods in Centreville, DE on August 28th!

Join Chef Susan Teiser of 

the Centreville Cafe and Montrachet Fine Foods in Centreville, DE on Wednesday, August 28th

THIS DINNER IS SOLD OUT. PLEASE JOIN US ON A FUTURE DATE.

Dinner Menu

Passed

Vegetable Bruschetta on Charred Crostini, Garlic Scape Goat Cheese

First Course

 Tomato Carpaccio with Shrimp and Burrata, Lemon Basil Micro Herbs, 

Balsamic Drizzle & Olive Oil, Flaked Sea Salt, Rough Cracked Pepper

  

Main Course

 Medium Rare Tri Tip Steak, Grilled & garnished with Farm Green Chimichurri Sauce

Charred Corn & Arugula, Pickled Red Onions, Montrachet Vinaigrette

Roasted Salad with Prosciutto, Dr. Hook Limas, Blistered Red Peppers, 

Creamy Roasted Shallot Dressing, Marble Rye Croutons

Dessert

     Summer Shortcake, with Macerated Peaches & Cherries in Mascarpone Cream, and Lemon Curd

Susan established the Centreville Café in 2003, supporting the local community of Centreville with breakfast and lunch daily. During the Café’s first year, clients appreciated the personal, warm and friendly atmosphere, and asked Susan to consider expanding her menu and hours. In 2004, she opened Montrachet Fine Foods, as a commissary kitchen for the Café, preparing all soups, stocks, meats and prepared foods for clients in the Café and what used to be Troll of Scandinavia. Catering off-site expanded the business, with clients returning time after time, and is the basis for Montrachet Fine Foods. Montrachet is known for Susan and her staff’s excellent food, superb presentation and highly professional service. Her businesses are open 364 days a year, and Susan is known to be there on almost all of them.

Professionally, Susan has extended her catering and baking base with the staffing support of two professional chefs: Kathleen Donovan, former chef/owner of Feasts of Fairville and Troll of Scandinavia; and Erica Ferguson, certified pastry chef, former head pastry chef of Harry’s Savoy Grill and Taste of Britain English Tea Room.

Susan has also greatly expanded the range of foods prepared by Montrachet from her extensive travels around the world and across the United States, focusing especially on high end appetizers and food presentation. She is a Founding Officer and local Bailli (President) of The First State Bailliage of The Chaine Des Rôtisseurs, and invitation-only organization based in France, and is the recipient of their highest volunteer award in the organization for her work in 2012. She is a patron and chef at many local events, supporting not for profit groups in our community that include: Meals On Wheels Delaware; Faithful friends Animal Sanctuary; the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation; the Delaware Center for Horticulture; The Delaware Theatre Company; the March of Dimes – Farmer and the Chef; the Delaware Museum of Natural History – Wine & Dinosaurs; Mid-Atlantic Food & Wine Feast – Private Dinners, Gospel Brunch, and Wine Guild; Helen F. Graham Cancer Center of Christiana Hospital; Leadership Delaware and the Delaware Youth Leadership Network, to name a few. She has been featured in the New York Times – Travel Section on September 1, 2013, in “36 Hours – What To Do in the Brandywine Valley” and is the only Delaware café identified, one of two restaurants in Delaware noted. She also personally supports many organizations, including Meals On Wheels Delaware, Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County, The Delaware Theatre Company, and Faithful Friends. Montrachet prepares foods for many of the finest homes in our region, and in public spaces such as parks, museums and fields and barns.

Prior to the Centreville Café and Montrachet, Susan has served as Managing Director for Meals From The Masters, and managed several not-for-profit events centered around food. In her extensive corporate career, she led management teams in strategic planning, supply chain management and marketing; all provided a strong base for concise planning and organization. Always a serious ‘foodie’, her corporate work allowed her to travel the world, meet and talk with fine chefs everywhere, and develop excellent skills in her kitchen and those of friends for groups large and small. She takes pride in the diversity of her workforce at the Café, and routinely employs high students form at least four different schools in the area. Susan teaches classes each semester for Wilmington University, on food preparation and presentation, and wine and cheese.

Susan holds a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree. Personally, she is married to Patrick who also loves food and travel, enjoys (tolerates) her two dogs, and loves to work in her gardens when she is home.

Sign up here for the August 28th Dinner with Susan Teiser

To read more about Susan Teiser & her establishments, please follow the links below:

https://centrevillecafe.com/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1232137-d4453139-Reviews-Centreville_Cafe_Montrachet_Fine_Foods-Centreville_Delaware.html

http://www.delawaretoday.com/Blogs/Dining-Insider/March-2019/Afternoon-Tea-at-Centreville-Caf-Is-a-Must-Try/

https://www.bringfido.com/restaurant/29319

Social Media

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Montrachet-Fine-Foods/145640692123076

https://www.facebook.com/CentrevilleCafe/

Menu from Chef Dan Tagle for our July 31st FTF Dinner

Dan Tagle is Our Next Guest Chef on 
July 31st and Here's His Menu!

SORRY, THIS DINNER IS NOW SOLD OUT. PLEASE JOIN US ON ANOTHER DATE.

Passed:

Watermelon Gazpacho Shooters

Crab and Avocado Salad on Grilled Baguette with Micro Greens

Peach, Bacon and Smoked Gouda Sliders

First Course:

Heirloom Tomato and Burata Salad with

HG Greens, Spiced Sunflower Seeds, Pickled Red Candy Onions, Shaved Radish, 

and a Creamy Garlic Dressing

Main Course:

Mojo Roasted Pork with

Charred Corn Relish, Grilled Candy Onions, Cherry Tomato Salad, 

Roasted Peach Mole & Salsa Verde

Chilled Mexican Style Noodle Salad with

Roasted Chicken, Cotija, Cabbage, Jicama, Red Onion, Roasted Red Peppers, Carrots, Roasted Bi-Color Corn, Pepitas, and a Jalapeño-Husk Cherry Dressing

Dessert:

Lemon-Poppy Seed Angel Food Cake with 

Stewed Blackberries, Fresh Ricotta, and Bourbon Cashew Brittle

It should have been obvious as a child that Dan Tagle would eventually be a chef - he read cookbooks instead of school books. After high school, Dan attended culinary school and fine-tuned his skills at a variety of restaurants earning a reputation for creating mouth-watering dishes. While at Krazy Kats, he found a passion for French cuisine and made it fun and playful. Diners took notice. At 21, he was promoted to Sous Chef and shortly after he found himself running his own kitchen at The Arsenal Crazy Kats and The Gables.

Dan shifted gears and ran Nordstrom Grill for seven years, traveling the country as a trainer and food innovator. In 2016, Dan won Delaware Burger Battle and came in 1^st place at the Wilmington Flower Market Kids Cook-off.

These days, you’ll find Dan teaching the next generation of cooks at Appoquinimink High School. He enjoys spending his free time cooking at home with his fiancé, three daughters and two dogs. 

 Sign Up Here for the July 31st Dinner with Dan Tagle

To read more about this awesome chef, please follow the links below:

https://www.delawareonline.com/story/life/food/2017/03/14/fired-future-chefs/99147480/

http://www.delawaretoday.com/Delaware-Today/302-Health/Fall-Winter-2016/How-Chef-Dan-Tagle-Gets-His-Kids-Involved-in-the-Kitchen/

@ChefDanTagle

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the first Field to Fork dinner last Wednesday, July 10th, with Jeffrey A. Miller Catering. It was a wonderful evening. View the full photo album from Kelli Wilke Photography on our Facebook page. 

This week's dinner with Terrain Garden Cafe is sold out but join us for one of our other dinners this season. The link is below to click and peruse our other offerings for this season!

 Click Here To View Our 2019 Field to Fork Dinner Line Up

 Click Here To View The Full Dinner Photo Album

https://www.kelliwilke.com

FIELD TO FORK DINNER

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

FIRST COURSE

family style

flower pot bread

smoked agave sweet corn whipped butter

watermelon + sunflower sprout salad

doe run cheese, husk cherry sichuan peppercorn gastrique

SECOND COURSE

family style

sumac jerk chicken

wilted kale, charred peppers, heirloom tomato, red candy onions

seafood boil

prawns, blue cobia, middleneck clams, Canadian blue mussels,
sweet corn, onion, green beans

fresh green bean salad

green, yellow, lima, local herbs

local andouille sausage

DESSERT

grilled peaches + cornbread

almond brittle ice cream

The SIW Veggie stand at Richardson's in Hockessin is now OPEN!

Address & Phone Number: 

644 Yorklyn Rd, Hockessin, DE 19707

(302) 239-2699

A special thank you to Tyler Richardson for partnering with us to help bring SIW Veggies to the masses at Richardson's in Hockessin! 

**Prices are the same at both the Farmstand and Richardson's**

The stand that will be set up at Richardson's is a "mini" version of our original farmstand in Chadd's Ford! For the full experience take a ride down to SIW Veggies (4317 South Creek Rd, Chadds Ford, PA) to check out the stand chock-full of fruits, veggies, homemade goods & more!

For any questions please email siwveggies@gmail.com

The Farmstand is Open!

Today is the day! 

Our farmstand is officially open for the season and we're so excited to provide you with delicious fruits, veggies and other goodies all summer long through October 31st!

We hope to see all of our friends again this year and meet some new ones too.

Our hours of operation are 9AM to 6PM, 7 days a week including July 4th and Labor Day.

For any questions please feel free to email or call us.

p. 610-388-7491

e. siwveggies@gmail.com

**Reminder that CSA members receive a 10% discount on farm stand purchases. This cannot be combined with any other coupons/offers. 

Tickets for the 2019 Field to Fork Season are on sale TODAY!

Photo by Kelli Wilke Photography

Come dine with us on the farm and experience the pleasure of just 

picked produce enjoyed in an idyllic setting. Chefs feature beautiful 

ingredients and prepare simple but delicious dishes for guests to savor 

in our historic renovated barn. 

2019 Field to Fork Dinner Calendar
Tickets are $78.00 pp BYOB

Saturday, June 22, 2019 featuring Chef Jeff Scheer from Maui, Hawaii
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, July 10, 2019 featuring Chef Jeffrey A. Miller from JAM Catering, Philadelphia, PA
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019 featuring Terrain Garden Café, Glen Mills, PA
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019 - Chef TBA

Wednesday, July 31, 2019 featuring Chef Dan Tagle, Private Chef from Wilmington, DE
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019 featuring Chefs Gerald Allen & Khoran Horn from Eat Blvck, Philadelphia, PA
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019 featuring Chef Michael Kline of The Millstone Cafe for the Brandywine Conservancy, Chadds Ford, PA
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Sunday, August 18, 2019 featuring Chefs Jonathan Nodler, Michael Fry, and Samantha Kincaid from Cadence, Philadelphia, PA
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - featuring Chef Susan Teiser of Montrachet Fine Foods in Centreville, DE
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019 - featuring Chef  Elijah Milligan of Stove and Tap in Landsdale, PA
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019 featuring Chef David Banks from Banks Seafood Kitchen & Raw Bar, Wilmington, DE
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - Chef TBA

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 with Chefs Ari Miller & Chris Wright, featuring Jonathan Reisman  from Musi, Pasta Lab, and Anatomy Eats (respectively) Philadelphia, PA
Click here to purchase tickets to this dinner.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019 - Chef TBA

Cancellation Policy: While, we are unable to provide refunds, we will make every attempt to reschedule you to another dinner with at least 7 days prior notice.  

*If you choose to pay online, there will be a $3.00 convenience fee.

*Due to the nature of our family style dinners prepared at the farm, we may not be able to accommodate all dietary restrictions. Please email pd@paulaanddana.com in advance of purchasing your tickets if there is a concern. Thank you!

*If you choose to pay by check: please print, fill out the form below and mail it, along with your check to:

SIW Vegetables

4317 South Creek Road 

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Field to Fork Dinner Form

Contact Paula & Dana Events for any questions:

pd@paulaanddana.com 484-343-4434 or 302-463-4580

 Address to the Field to Fork Dinners

4317 South Creek Road, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania 19317

Scroll through the posts on our homepage to revisit highlights from the 
2018 Field to Fork dinners.

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.

Join our CSA!

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.