Sunday, September 25, 2011

NEWS FROM THE FARM
I can sure feel a change in the weather this weekend. Fall seems to be blowing in over our mountains. We’ve had a nice long blast of warm weather and everything is gravy from here on out as far as I can tell. Our tomatoes are ripening slower, winter squash is hardening off and the lettuce and kale are loving this. I am hoping the season will continue on through the third week of October. Another month!! We aren’t planting anything new any more and as beds finish, they are getting planted with a winter pea cover crop to fix nitrogen and provide biomass to till in the spring.
This week we are working with Sisters High Schoolers to clean out our hundred year old potato cellar so that we can refurbish it this winter to receive next fall’s harvest. I am so excited about this project and what it means to the food I will be able to provide to you all!



Our harvest of organic hard red spring wheat.


Wheat Berries With Winter Squash and Chickpeas
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
1 cup wheat berries
2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in 1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or mint
1 pound winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut in large dice
1 can chickpeas, drained
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy soup pot. Add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender. Stir in the garlic, ground allspice and cayenne. Stir together for about one minute, then add the wheat berries, tomato paste and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and add salt to taste. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons each of the parsley and dill or mint, and stir in the winter squash and chickpeas. Bring back to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for another 45 minutes until the beans and wheat berries are tender and the squash is beginning to fall apart.

2. Uncover the pot, and turn the heat to high so that the liquid returns to a boil. Boil until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat, and stir in the remaining herbs. Taste and adjust salt.


GRAIN

We are developing our grain growing to be able to offer more staple foods to our community. We are starting with a partnership with Baked Bakery to build a mill here at the farm to grind our fresh flour. Be sure to sift and clean your wheat berries and you can cook them as a whole grain breakfast, hearty dinner or delicious dessert!

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