Author: bloomingglenfarm

20 Mar

Posted at 08:57h in On The Farm by
3 Likes

It is with the first call of the red winged blackbirds that I know spring is right around the corner. It is only in the past few days that there is some glimpse that the farm fields may be beginning to dry out. Winter came fast and fierce this year. The wind roared off the plastic coverings on more of our high tunnels than I’d like to say. There are so many challenges specific to this land that we farm- heavy soils and a windy hilltop being chief among them. It will be a while before we fully recover from last year’s extremely wet season but we pray and hope that it will be an early and dry spring.

Seeding in our heated greenhouse began in late February with the onions, and has continued weekly, the greenhouse now full to the brim with seedlings in various stages of growth. Kale, lettuce, chard, basil and tomatoes, flowers and more- hundreds and thousands of seeds being sown. We have brought on a new employee to manage the care and seeding of these magical creatures, Dan Zerbe, plant papa extraordinaire. His dedication and steady good humor has been a pleasant addition to our team, and he has been busy bringing your future meals to fruition.

Over the course of the last month in our propagation greenhouses we have been to battle with both mice and aphids- the mice are a familiar foe, the aphids a new problem. Every farmer we follow on social media seems to have their own tactics and methods to outwit rodents, many building elaborate cages around their plants to keep them out. Farmers are nothing if not creative! Some of you may remember last spring we basically sunk an underground barrier of aluminum flashing around the entire perimeter of our two 100′ heated greenhouses. Yet there have been breaches- so we set traps, use steel wool and extra layers of 2×4’s to plug holes. We bait traps with peanut butter and their most scrumptious favorite- spinach seed. So far, we are winning the battle. As for the aphids, a combination of lady beetles and Aphidius colemani (mini-wasps), both natural parasitic predators, has turned the tide in our favor. Whoever said farming was a peaceful endeavor never stepped onto a farm, it’s an eat-or-be-eaten world 😉

Other tasks keeping us busy (besides greenhouse repair and pest control) is compost making. A combo of municipal leaves and horse manure mixed and turned and heated to a toasty 140 degrees is a recipe for black gold.

Looking ahead to harvest season, I’m super excited because we have not one but two amazing women on board to provide weekly recipes created straight from your CSA shares. Stephanie Borzio from Tru You Essentials returns for another season, and Olivia Edgar joins us. Check out Olivia’s mouth watering instagram posts @balancingliv for a glimpse of the goodness to come.

We’re still only half way to our membership goals, so spread the word to friends and family. And if you haven’t signed up yet, now’s the time! Your investment now in the season ahead really helps us get all those supplies we need to get things rolling before the harvest is flowing. We’ve got something for everyone this season- delivery share folks have the opportunity to purchase the 12 week fruit share from North Star Orchard that we have previously only been offering as an add on for on-farm members only, and for an extra fee we will deliver it with your boxed delivery produce shares. We are also offering an 8-week summer flower bouquet share to our delivery sites for those not interested in the pick-your-own option- straight from our field to your vase! Register here!

It’s March 20th, the Vernal Equinox and the full worm moon, a powerful day- get outside and breathe in the air of spring, bask in the light of the last supermoon of 2019 and tread lightly on the earth, at this moment of almost balance between night and day. Say a blessing for the season ahead and for this wonderful land that sustains us.

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 14th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

06 Nov

Posted at 09:55h in On The Farm by
6 Likes

The 2018 farm season will be burned into our psyches forever as the wettest and most devastating year on record for our farm. In the past 13 years we’ve been farming here in Perkasie, and the 19 we’ve been farming overall, we have never experienced a year like this. If you’ve been following along with us on social media, then this will come as no surprise to you. Or maybe the rain has impacted you personally- you’ve tried to garden, or have your roof repaired, found mold growing in the dark corners of your house or your basement flooded for the umpteenth time. Maybe you suffer from SAD in the winter but actually felt it this summer, or you are a contractor, landscaper, or arborist struggling to find days to work. Perhaps you just noticed the prevailing gloomy weather and the constant downpours, or you’ve seen the reports that we are about 20 inches of rain above our entire annual average for the region, and the year is not over yet.

Here at Blooming Glen Farm we lost field after field after field of crops- to flooding, to rain stress, to rot. We saw a noticeable lack of pollination in crops that were still able to survive- tomatoes and eggplants and sweet corn that either was unable to pollinate during the extreme summer heat events, or dropped blossoms in the heat, or didn’t see enough sun. Crops we have consistently seen succeed in the past, through no fault of our own, were complete and utter losses. Yet we kept trying- we sowed carrots 5 times- that’s seed and labor costs, to see no rewards. The same for fall broccoli- early successions rotted before harvest was possible. We lost our entire field of brussels sprouts, all the fall cabbage, at least half of our winter squash and 2/3 of our potatoes. Fennel and radicchio and lettuces either bolted from the extreme temperature swings or water stress. Weekly plantings like salad mix and green beans were unable to go into the ground consistently due to a lack of any dry ground, only mud. Early spring plantings struggled along, stressed and stunted, like our pick-your-own cherry tomatoes, or completely died, like all our spring peas.

As much as the farm has struggled under the strain of endless extreme weather this year so have your farmers. The most challenging part of this season was simply having to find a way to keep going, to not hide under the covers every. single. day. Our best efforts were not enough to bring crops to harvest and it is really hard to feel so helpless week after week. We always carry the notion that things are about to get better, the weather will turn, the plants want to grow, the harvest will come. This year really tested that belief and our spirits.

We are not telling you all of this so that you can throw your hands up at supporting a local farm (please don’t!), and return to the comfort and convenience and glorious array of trucked and flown in produce at your local grocery store. We are telling you all this so you can be reminded even more so then ever, of the connection that the weather has to your local food system. Your local food system is not Florida or California or even New York; it is Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and most specifically right here in Bucks County. Your local farmers faced an undeniably crippling season and we need your support now more than ever.

Despite all the challenges we faced this season, the opportunity to grow food for you all is still what keeps us going year after year. Cultivating this community of eaters is one of our proudest achievements and we are not ready to throw in the towel quite yet. If there is a silver lining to be found in this terrible year, it is in the strength of the model of a CSA farm. Without the commitment from the CSA to share the successes, and failures, of whatever the season may bring, we’d be sunk. And at the backbone is the idea that we are all interconnected, a web of the weather, the farm, its crops and its ecosystem, the growers and the eaters. If nothing else we want our loyal supporters to walk away from this season seeing the connection between the weather and the food on your dinner plate, and hearing the voices of your farmers, who I truly believe are on the front lines of climate change- the canaries in the (pollution spewing) coal mine so to speak. And to really understand that though there are many ways to buy and support local (and we need them all), it is truly the CSA model that will keep farming viable in a changing climate.

And call us crazy but we are optimistic (or we will be after some time away to reflect and re-energize) that it can’t be this terrible again, and hopeful that if it is, then we, with the support of our community, will find a way to adapt (more high tunnels!). Though we know that this year did not have the same diversity of offerings, and certainly not the top quality that we so pride ourselves on, we still managed to provide a share of delicious organic vegetables every week to our CSA members. In order to do that we completely eliminated our wholesale sales, and saw a drastic reduction in our farmer’s market income. Despite efforts to cut our biggest expense, labor, there was still always work to be done, and those repeated attempts at planting, came at a cost.

How can you help? We are asking, we are pleading really, if you are planning to return as a CSA member for the 2019 season, and we hope that you will, that you register before Jan. 1st , and pay in full if at all possible (if you can’t, that’s ok too- we’d rather you register and just pay the down payment then not register at all!). We will not be able to offer an early registration discount- we are in a serious financial bind and need every dollar of the share cost- however we will also not be raising the prices at all. In addition, if you are at all able to make a small, medium or even large donation on top of the cost of your share- whatever you can afford- it will help us immensely to weather this storm, and be able to keep paying our fixed costs like rent, insurance, and payroll throughout the winter, as well as move forward with ordering all the seeds and supplies for a new season of sowing.

We are so grateful for those of you that reached out to us over this past season- whose kind words of encouragement and support bolstered our morale. And for the CSA members who’s delight in their shares each week was unwavering, for those of you who strapped on your rain boots to tromp out to the muddy fields and returned with smiles as bright as your flower bouquets. We are so grateful for the farmer’s market customers who came out every week, despite more limited selections and a seemingly endless streak of rainy, windy Saturdays. We are so grateful for all of your support, in receiving the gifts of the harvest that were hard won this season, for taking the time to cook, eat and enjoy a nourishing meal with your family (and in turn for going easy on yourself when maybe a head of lettuce went uneaten or a kohlrabi lay buried in your crisper drawer). We know that meal preparation can often be an incredibly difficult task in its own right in these busy and challenging times. Just as in farming, we can only learn by trying, we may not always succeed but hopefully we triumph more often than not. Thank you for being with us on this crazy farming journey, whatever the weather may bring.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and have a restful, healthy, joyful winter. Here’s hoping for sunnier skies in 2019. (The last CSA shares of the season are the week of Nov. 13th.)

With many thanks and a grateful heart, your farmers at Blooming Glen

Tricia and Tom and the BGF crew

**Click here to Register for the 2019 season.** Returning members, look for the green bar at the top that says “Returning Member? Click here to Continue”. Please email us at bloomingglenfarm@verizon.net if you have any questions or issues with your registration.

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 13th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

31 Oct

Posted at 09:10h in Recipes by
4 Likes

How about an easy fall salad to showcase some of the amazing autumn produce we have been getting in our CSA share?  This salad can be used as a side dish or as the main meal.

Maple Roasted Veggies
1 lb sweet potatoes (about 3 medium)
1 radish (I used a purple daikon radish)
1 onion
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup

Kale Salad
½ lb kale
1 bunch arugula
Additional toppings: dried cranberries, chopped pecans

Dressing
½ cup olive oil
4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder

  • Preheat oven to 400°
  • Peel sweet potatoes and radish, chop into ½ inch squares, and place in medium bowl.
  • Chop onion and add to bowl.
  • Add sea salt, garlic powder, olive oil, and maple syrup to vegetables. Stir to coat.  Spread out on baking sheet and roast for 10-15 minutes.  Vegetables should be fork tender when done roasting.

  • While vegetables are roasting, mix all dressing ingredients and set aside.
  • Rinse and chop kale. Place in large bowl.  Pour half of dressing over kale and gently massage with hands.  Add arugula and mix.
  • To assemble salad, place dressed greens on a serving platter. Top with roasted vegetables.  Sprinkle on some dried cranberries and chopped pecans.  Drizzle on additional dressing.  Enjoy!

*I like to serve the roasted vegetables warm over the salad, but you can absolutely let the vegetables cool and serve them room temperature.

Recipe and Photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie Borzio is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior. After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member. She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes. Instagram & Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

24 Oct

Posted at 14:28h in Recipes by
1 Like

We are reaching the last few weeks of our CSA shares and are seeing all of the wonderful autumn vegetables that our farmers have worked hard to provide for us.  This recipe uses the sweet potatoes, leeks, and celery that made their way into our baskets or bags last week.  It’s definitely a soup that freezes well, so feel free to cook and freeze half for later.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
3 leeks- chopped (about 2 cups for soup; reserve 1/3 cup for garnish)
1 cup celery- chopped (include stalks and leaves)
5 cloves garlic- crushed
7 cups broth (vegetable, chicken or beef)
1 head cauliflower- chopped (¾ head for soup; reserve ¼ head for garnish)
2 lbs sweet potatoes- peeled and chopped
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 ½ tsp onion powder
Optional garnishes: sour cream, almond yogurt, cashew cream, bacon bits, broiled cauliflower bits*, fried leeks**, chives

  • Place oil into large saucepan or stockpot. Heat to medium heat.
  • Add leeks and celery to saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add broth, ¾ head of cauliflower, sweet potatoes, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour.
  • After soup is done cooking, transfer in batches to blender and puree.
  • Garnish and serve. Enjoy!

*Broiled Cauliflower Bits: Chop remaining ¼ head of cauliflower into tiny bits.  Combine with 1 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil, 1/8 tsp sea salt, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and 1/8 tsp black pepper.  Broil for about 4-6 minutes, flipping halfway through.

**Fried Leeks: Use the reserved 1/3 cup of chopped leeks.  Heat ½ cup of avocado oil (or preferred cooking oil) in small frying pan.  Separate the chopped leeks and drop them one by one into the hot oil.  Quickly flash fry the leeks and remove when crispy.  Lay on paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with sea salt.

Recipe and Photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie Borzio is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior. After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member. She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes. Instagram & Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

03 Oct

Posted at 13:47h in Recipes by
1 Like

We have received butternut squash in the last few CSA shares.  I knew when it was in this week’s share that I wanted to use this vegetable in a different way than I have in the past.  Butternut squash is delicious in soup, but also great roasted or mashed and served as a side dish.  This week’s recipe uses the squash as part of a sauce to serve over your favorite pasta.  I know this is a different dish, but it was incredibly tasty and uses many of the other vegetables we received this week.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 butternut squash (about 3 lbs)
2 Tbsp + 3 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil (divided)
½ tsp + 1 tsp sea salt (divided)
¼ tsp + ¼ tsp black pepper (divided)
1 onion- chopped
1 bulb celeriac (peeled and diced) or 4 stalks celery- thinly sliced
3 leeks- cleaned well and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic- crushed
2 green peppers- chopped
1 ½ lbs red tomatoes- sliced
1 cup water

  • Preheat oven to 350°
  • Peel butternut squash. Slice in half.  Remove seeds and set aside.
  • Chop squash into ½- ¾ inch pieces. Place in a large bowl.  Add 2 Tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper.  Mix well and spread on cookie sheet.
  • Roast squash for 30 minutes.
  • While the squash is roasting, heat 3 Tbsp oil in a large saucepan to medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to low and add celeriac or celery, leeks, garlic, and green peppers. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • After the squash is done roasting, add it to the saucepan. Mix well.  Using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables.  If you want a smoother texture, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree.
  • Cover and let the sauce simmer for 20 minutes on low.
  • Separate the squash seeds (which you set aside earlier) from the pulp. Place on cookie sheet and sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Roast in oven at 300°F for 8-10 minutes or until crispy.
  • Serve the sauce over your favorite pasta. We used a gluten free brown rice spaghetti.  You can also use spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or kelp noodles.  Garnish with the roasted squash seed

 

Recipe and Photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie Borzio is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior. After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member. She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes. Instagram & Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

17 Sep

Posted at 09:53h in Recipes by
4 Likes

As summer comes to an end, I find myself enjoying my time in the kitchen more. The stagnant heat has given way to some breezier warmth which makes me crave comfort food. These days my kids are busy with sports and school so, like always, time is a pinch. I feel happy and content on those nights where I can pull off two farm fresh meals that both kids enjoy- followed of course by dish-washing shenanigans and some good old rough housing. It’s hard to feel connected as a family some days…. which can drag into weeks and months if I’m not mindful to carve out those special nourishing evenings. Sometimes few and far between are the glimpses of the old time picture of “The American Dream” that lives somewhere in my fantasies. I can’t express my gratitude enough for the gift of Earth and Harvest…. work of the men and women, and the sacrifice of a family that does whatever it takes to feed me and my community. The challenges and responsibility bestowed upon the hands and hearts of our farmers is a duty of service and reciprocity that lends its vows to honorable harvest and stewardship year in and out. Thank You Blooming Glen Family for feeding my family.

Popper Squash

Ingredients
1 Acorn Squash (or Butterkin)
1/2 onion – diced
1 cup cooked rice or other grain
2 ears corn de-cobbed
1 poblano or jalapeno – roasted and diced
1 jalapeno – roasted and diced
2 T cream cheese – cut into bite sized chunks
1/4 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the acorn squash in half, scoop seeds, drizzle with oil of your choice and roast face down on a baking sheet along with the peppers, about 25-30 minutes on 400.

In the meantime, mix in small bowl the remaining ingredients and season to taste.

Remove roasted squash from oven and carefully spoon each half with the rice mixture.

Thinly slice big rounds of red tomato, lay atop the stuffed squash, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil and place under the broiler for an additional 10 minutes until the tomato is softened and browned.

Remove and serve with a dollop of sour cream, cilantro, and a sprinkle of pepita seeds.

Squash-ta Alfredo

Ingredients
1/2 any choice of winter squash – grated
1/2 onion – grated
6 slices bacon
2 cloves garlic
4 tiny peppers
2 ears of corn – de-cobbed
handful cherry tomatoes
1/2 pint heavy cream
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 T black pepper
1/2 lb wide pasta

Over medium heat, sauté your veggies until softened and browning. Add the heavy cream and reduce 2-3 minutes. Finish with parmesan and black pepper. Toss with hot pasta. Serve with sprinkle of fresh parsley or other fresh herbs.

Recipe, post and photos by Kristin Moyer, a local mom and chef who loves to eat, write and play with her food.

12 Sep

Posted at 16:53h in Recipes by
1 Like

We are nearing the end of summer and seeing an abundance of tomatoes and peppers in our CSA shares.  This week’s recipe showcases that late summer produce- sweet onions, tomatoes, green peppers, sweet peppers, hot peppers, sweet corn, and lettuce from our weekly share.  I’m going to share the recipe I created, but this meal offers a great deal of options so adapt it to fit your family’s needs or preferences.

Fajita Bowls
Ingredients:
Marinated Beef, Chicken, or Mushrooms
Pepper and Onion Mixture
Green Tomato Salsa
Cauliflower and Kohlrabi “Rice” (for a gluten free option) or Regular Brown or White Rice
Grilled Corn
Avocado Slices
Jalapeno Slices
Fresh Cilantro- finely chopped
Lime Slices
Chopped Lettuce

Marinated Beef:
1 ½ lbs hanger or skirt steak (choose local grass fed beef from either Hershberger Heritage Farm or Tussock Sedge Farm)
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 lime- juiced
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp sea salt

Combine all ingredients, except beef, in a bowl.  Mix well.  Place steaks in a shallow container and cover with marinade.  Allow to marinate at least 3 hours.  Preheat grill to about 400°F.  Grill steaks 2-3 minutes per side or until desired temperature is reached.  Cook time with vary depending on thickness of steaks.

**You can use this same recipe for boneless chicken breasts, boneless chicken thighs, or even portabello mushrooms.  If using mushrooms, you can marinate for 30 minutes.

Pepper and Onion Mixture:
2 green peppers- sliced
3 sweet peppers- sliced
2 onions- sliced
2 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp chili powder

Heat oil in frying pan to medium heat.  Add onions and cook for 5 minutes.  Add peppers.  Cover and cook until fork tender (about 10 minutes).  Stir throughout cooking time to insure even cooking of vegetables.  Once vegetables are cooked, add spices and serve.

Green Tomato Salsa:
2 lbs green tomatoes, or tomatillos- sliced in half (you could also make this a red tomato salsa if you’d prefer)
1-2 jalapenos- sliced in half, seeds removed (or one poblano for milder heat)
1 large sweet onion- cut into fourths
1 lime- sliced in half
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp lime juice

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Place green tomatoes (or tomatillos or red tomatoes), jalapenos (or poblano), onion, and lime on cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Roast in oven for 30 minutes.  Place roasted vegetables in food processor.   Squeeze pulp out of roasted lime and add that to the food processor.  Add remaining ingredients and pulse to desired consistency.  I like to serve this salsa a little chunky.

Cauliflower and Kohlrabi “Rice”:
1 head cauliflower
2 large kohlrabi bulbs
4 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro- finely chopped
½ lime- juiced
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Clean cauliflower, chop into chunks, and place half of the chunks into the food processor.  Pulse until you get a “riced” texture.  Remove riced cauliflower and set aside.  Pulse the other half of the cauliflower and then add that to the first batch.  Peel kohlrabi, chop into chunks, and place in food processor.  Pulse to chop and then add to cauliflower.  Add oil to frying pan.  Heat to medium heat and then add cauliflower/kohlrabi mixture.  Cover and saute for 15-20 minutes.  Stir frequently to insure even cooking and prevent the vegetables from sticking.  Remove from heat and add cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well and serve.

**If you do not have kohlrabi, you can just use cauliflower.

Grilled Corn:
Clean and husk corn.  Wrap each ear in aluminum foil.  Heat grill to about 400°F.  Place ears on grill.  Cook for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time.  Remove from grill and allow to cool a little before handling.  When cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to remove the corn from the ear.  Place in bowl and serve.

**Fajita Bowl Assembly: Once all components are cooked and ready to serve, you can assemble each bowl.  Fill the bottom of the bowl with either the cauliflower and kohlrabi “rice” or regular white or brown rice.  Top with marinated steak (or chicken or mushrooms), pepper and onion mixture, chopped lettuce, avocado slices, jalapeno slices, green tomato salsa, and grilled corn.   Sprinkle on some chopped fresh cilantro and squeeze a lime over top. Enjoy!

Recipe and Photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie Borzio is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior. After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member. She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes. Instagram & Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

06 Sep

Posted at 10:07h in Recipes by
1 Like

We may be in the middle of a crazy heat wave right now, but fall is on its way and we are seeing some of the fall harvest vegetables make their way to our CSA shares.  I created an Autumn Salad that showcases the fennel and delicata squash, as well as the lettuce and sweet onion from this week’s share.

Salad Ingredients
1 Delicata Squash
2 Tbsp Olive Oil or Avocado Oil
Sea Salt and Black Pepper
1 Head of Lettuce
2 cups Spinach
2 Fennel Bulbs and a small amount of the Fennel Fronds
1 Sweet Onion
1 cup Pomegranate Seeds
½ cup Chopped Walnuts
8 oz Goat Cheese

Dressing Ingredients
2 Tbsp Orange Juice
1/3 cup Olive Oil
3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
½ tsp Sea Salt
¼ tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Maple Syrup

  • Preheat oven to 400°
  • Slice delicata squash into ¼-inch wide rounds. Scrape out pulp and seeds from center and set aside.  Place squash on cookie sheet.  Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time.
  • Clean pulp from squash seeds. I like to soak them in a little bowl of water.  It makes it easier to separate out the seeds.  Place seeds on a small cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Roast in oven for 8-10 minutes.
  • Chop lettuce and add to a large bowl or serving dish. Add spinach and mix with lettuce.
  • Lay squash rounds on top of lettuce mix.
  • Thinly slice fennel bulbs and sweet onion. Sprinkle onto salad.
  • Add pomegranate seeds, chopped walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese to salad. Sprinkle the roasted squash seeds on top and then add some of the chopped fennel fronds for garnish.
  • Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well. I like to put them all in a mason jar and shake to combine.  Drizzle dressing over salad and enjoy!

Recipe and Photos by Stephanie Borzio. Stephanie Borzio is a mom of three active boys and is an autoimmune warrior. After battling her own health for several years, Stephanie found healing through food and lifestyle changes, including joining Blooming Glen Farm CSA of which she is a long time member. She is a Board Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach who is passionate about sharing healthy living tips and real food recipes. Instagram & Facebook: Tru You Essentials; Website: www.truyouessentials.com

30 Aug

Posted at 16:57h in Recipes by
1 Like

Ingredients
1 fennel bulb
1/2 jalapeño
1 green tomato
1 tomatillo
1 bell pepper
4 cherry tomatoes
1/2 heirloom tomato
1 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 ts. Cayenne pepper
1 tsp. Coconut aminos
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 Cup water or tomato juice

Literally plop everything in the blender. Let this blend longer than most stuff as the veggies are
pretty fiberous and take a while to break down. I was feeling under the weather and this really
hit the spot. It’s mildly spicy and tart. I also discovered that the little bulb end of a stalk of fennel
is perfect to be used as a little spoon and that made me happy. Make sure you use good salt
for the added mineral boost. This was my breakfast but I’m sure would be good with vodka
for….. well, for breakfast if day drinking is in your cards. I usually prefer to eat my food in an
un-blended state and think smoothies are overrated but this baby hit me where I needed a jolt
of vitamins and zippiness. Enjoy!

Recipe, post and photos by Kristin Moyer, a local mom and chef who loves to eat, write and play with her food.

23 Aug

Posted at 08:17h in Recipes by
2 Likes

This soup recipe with just a few simple ingredients makes for a quick satisfying dinner and was a real hit with our family. The sweet corn from the farm, with its wonky pollination and extra juice thanks to the rainy season we’ve had, is perfect for this. We paired it with fried green tomatoes (hey, when the rain kills your tomatoes, make fried green tomatoes!), but a salad would also have been lovely.

Ingredients- (recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Living)
1 jalapeno hot pepper, seeded and chopped (a serrano or more than one jalapeno could be used for added heat, but we found one jalapeno was perfect for kid and adults of varying heat tolerances)
3 Cups fresh corn kernels (5 ears was perfect)
1 can coconut milk
2 1/1 Cups water
salt to taste
1 lime for fresh juice
few sprigs of thai basil

Cut your kernels off the corn cob. Bring hot pepper, corn kernels, coconut milk and water to boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until corn is tender, about 20 min.
I then used an immersion blender to blend- you could also transfer to a blender. I left some larger bits of corn but you could go completely smooth if desired. Season with salt to taste. Add half a lime fresh juice, and serve with lime wedges. Chop up thai basil, sprinkle on top of each soup bowl (don’t miss this step- wow the flavor really complements this soup!). Chill for a few hours, or eat it warm or room temp. Delicious!

Gluten- free Fried Green Tomatoes (from Our Salty Kitchen)

Ingredients
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk (or almond milk or buttermilk)
1 cup almond flour (or ground flax seeds, or regular flour)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 Cup ground oats (or cornmeal)
1 Cup rolled oats (not ground up)
parmesan cheese (optional, for sprinkling on top of finished fried tomatoes)
4 medium size, firm green tomatoes (2 pounds makes a lot!)- cut into 1/2 inch slices
canola oil for frying
pinch of hot pepper flakes- optional

Whisk together egg and milk. Combine dry ingredients in a shallow dish. Dip tomato slices in egg mixture, then dredge in mixture of dry ingredients. Pour oil to depth of 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet, heat over medium-high heat. Drop tomatoes in batches into hot oil, cook about 2 min each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese (and optional pepper flakes) to taste.

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 13th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.