Todd in his Blue Blockers.

Todd in his blueblockers.

Bucket of cukes.

Spaghetti squash--our first year growing these!

Brussel sprouts!

Lettuce, we missed you this summer!

Heirlooms and Carrots

We are famous for our carrots.  People LOVE our carrots.  They are the freshest, tastiest, most carrot-y, sweetest carrots in town.
But we do know there is a limit.

Soon the carrots will end and our CSA members will miss them.  (In the meantime, remember that carrots keep for a loooonnng time if you store them, without stem and greens, sealed tightly in a plastic bag in the fridge.)

We DO have some greens coming along, so look forward to the green leafies again soon.

Many of our seed varieties are heirloom varieties this year and people have asked me:  What is the big deal with heirlooms?  So, here's my long-winded answer:

What’s the deal with heirlooms and hybrids?

Heirlooms are grown from seed that has been passed down from generation to generation for more than 50 years (general rule).  Seeds taken from these plants will produce the exact same type of plant.  There are some very unusual heirloom varieties that you probably will never see in the grocery store.  This is not the case with hybrids.  In the case of hybrids, a human plant breeder cross-pollinates two different varieties to create a new variety.  The new variety has traits from both mom and dad.  If you plant the seeds from this offspring, you will get something you did not expect.  It will grow with the traits of just one of the parent plants, not both.  To get the desired new variety, human intervention is required again.
Got that? 
Hybrids can be nice because they often create plants with traits like resistance to disease or high yields or early production.

Hybrids are NOT the GMO’s you hear about. Genetically Modified Organisms are the bad guys, in our humble opinion.  They are plants or animals created after taking the genetic material from one organism and putting it into the genetic code of another.  The famous example is the tomato with flounder genes.  Many health risks are suspected with GE (Genetically Engineered) crops, but according to The Center for Food Safety, “Congress has yet to pass a single law intended to manage them responsibly.” The issue for vegetable lovers is that, with the persistence of genetic modification within open-pollinated plant species, cross-pollination endangers those original species. “Organic” status is endangered this same way (ex:  no organic alfalfa = less organic dairies).  And it seems a very slippery slope.   Here is a good resource that explains the fight against GMO alfalfa and beets: www.centerforfoodsafety.org

We are dedicated to supporting seed sources that are certified organic and that pledge to never support GMOs in the marketplace.  

Here is our new batch of chickens, getting ready to start laying:

Thanks for this recipe, Marcy!  A souvenir from our night at the Hideout last week...

Carrot Soup with Ginger and Lime/Lemon

1/4 cup butter
1 1 /2 cups chopped onion
1 T finely chopped and peeled fresh ginger
1 1/3 t. minced garlic
1 bunch of carrots, chopped
about a cup of tomatoes
1 1/2 t. grated lemon or lime
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 T fresh lime or lemon juice
4 T sour cream
1 small carrot, peeled, grated for garnish

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion; saute 4 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic; saute 2 minutes.  Add chopped carrots, tomatoes and lemon or lime peel; saute 1 minute.

Add stock and bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover partially and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes.  Cool slightly.

Puree soup in batches in blender OR use a stick blender, a tool we should all own.

Return soup to pot after blending.  Mix in lemon or lime juice.  Reheat to simmer and then ladle into bowls.  Top with sour cream and grated carrot.