Author: bloomingglenfarm

14 Aug

Posted at 16:51h in Recipes by
0 Likes

Health Coach Amy Hutchinson was at the farm last week and demonstrated how to make spiralized zucchini noodles. Zucchini noodles are all the rave, but this is one trend that’s on point. It’s a pretty fantastic way to eat lots of fresh raw zucchini (though you can also lightly sauté the noodles if you prefer). The “zoodles” are delicious topped with pesto and cherry tomatoes, or a more traditional marinara sauce that’s made exceptional by using farm fresh produce and herbs. Amy provides some recipe suggestions below. If you want to add zucchini noodles to your summer repertoire, there are lots of different inexpensive spiralizer models online at amazon.com or at places like Bed, Bath and Beyond.

ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI WITH EASY LENTIL MARINARA, serves 4

Author: In Sonnet’s Kitchen

Ingredients
1 cup dried french lentils
2 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2-15 oz cans organic tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
6 medium zucchini, spiralized into pasta
salt and black pepper to taste
½ yellow onion halved and sliced

Instructions

  1. Add lentils and 2 cups of water to a medium pot. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender and liquid is evaporated, about 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic cloves and sauté for an additional minute, until fragrant.
  3. Add the tomato sauce, basil, oregano, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.
  4. When lentils are done cooking, add them to the sauce and simmer for an additional 5 – 10 minutes.
  5. In a separate pan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the zucchini pasta for 5 – 10 minutes, until desired tenderness is achieved.
  6. In another sauté pan, cook onions until browned and crispy.
  7. Divide the pasta among four plates and top with lentil marinara and fried onions. Serve hot.

Notes:
Fresh zucchini will often lose moisture as the zucchini pasta cooks so be sure to drain any liquid that has built up in the pan. The recipe holds well as leftovers, but the zucchini does tend to release extra moisture as it sits so be sure to drain pasta before serving.

RAW VEGAN MARINARA SAUCE over ZUCCHININI NOODLES

Ingredients
6 roma tomatoes or equivalent cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/3 c dried tomatoes
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped (or 1 green bell pepper)
1-2 dates, pits removed
Handful of fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Fresh or dried oregano
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T olive oil

Instructions
Add all ingredients to a powerful blender or food processor. Blend until desired consistency.

Topping options
Fresh Lemon or Thai Basil
Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
Walnuts, chopped

VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE : https://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-vegan-parmesan-cheese/

Recipes provided by Amy Hutchinson, a recent graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Amy is the mother of 3 very busy girls and understands the complexities of the weeknight and the importance of a home cooked meal.  She helps clients with planning and prepping and provides quick, easy, delicious and mostly “clean” recipes and meal plans for busy families.  Amy also helps families reduce their sugar and caffeine intake.  She believes that eating healthier and cleaner  can lead to making other overall healthy choices and decisions effecting our wellbeing.  Visit Amy at http://www.healhc.com/ on Facebook as Amy Hobson Hutchinson and Instagram as Healhealthcoach.

Honor where you are today. Eliminate that which does not serve you. Align mind body and soul. Live the life you are meant to live.

19 Jul

Posted at 15:42h in Recipes by
0 Likes

Chef Rich Baringer of Dinner’s Done Personal Chef Service was at the farm Tuesday afternoon during CSA pick-up, filling the air with the delicious smells of his roasting tomatoes and grilled potatoes. Rich sampled some quick and easy dishes using farm fresh ingredients from the farm, and provided the recipes and instructions below. The dishes were so tasty (who knew mango, mint and cucumber could create such a refreshing dish), I will definitely be adding them in on a regular rotation in our household! Be sure to check out Chef Rich’s website and sign up for his newsletter for more recipes and tips, or check him out on Facebook.

GREEN BEANS AND GRILLED POTATOES WITH CILANTRO SAUCE
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Vegetarian Cookbook, Serves 6

Ingredients
¼ c walnuts
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 ½ c cilantro (leaves and stems)
½ c olive oil, plus more for the potatoes
4 tsp lemon juice
1 scallion, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 2” lengths
1 lb red potatoes

Instructions

  • Preheat grill to high.
  • Cook walnuts and garlic in small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until toasted and fragrant, 5-7 min. Transfer to bowl. Let garlic cool slightly, then peel and roughly chop.
  • Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Salt generously, and then blanch beans until crisp-tender, about 3-4 min. Drain and place beans in an ice bath to stop the cooking.
  • Cut the potatoes in half (if small) or in quarters (if larger). Pieces should be ¼-½” inches thick. Place in a bowl and toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper until coated. Clean and oil grill grate and grill potatoes until tender—turning to brown all sides. Remove from grill and let cool slightly. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • Meanwhile, process the walnuts, garlic, cilantro, ½ c oil, lemon juice, scallion, ½ tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper in food processor until smooth, about 1 min. (You may want to add a little more oil if the consistency is not where you’d like it.) Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
  • Toss beans and potatoes in the sauce and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve.

 

HONEY-MUSTARD COLESLAW
From Cook’s Country magazine, Serves 6

Ingredients
1 head green cabbage (2 lbs), quartered, cored and sliced thin (about 12 c)
Salt and pepper
1 ½ tsp sugar
½ c spicy brown mustard
¼ c honey
3 Tbsp minced chives
2 Tbsp mayonnaise

Instructions

  • Toss cabbage, 1 ½ tsp. salt and sugar together in a large bowl. Transfer to a colander and set colander in bowl. Let stand until cabbage has wilted and released about 2 Tbsp. water, about an hour, stirring and pressing occasionally.
  • Discard liquid and wipe bowl clean. Whisk mustard, honey, chives, mayo, ½ tsp. pepper and 1/8 tsp. salt in bowl. Stir in cabbage and refrigerate, covered, until chilled, about an hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

 

MANGO COCONUT CUCUMBER SALAD
Adapted from Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites, Serves 4

*Serve this as a side, as a condiment for fish or grilled meat or with chips as a salsa.

Ingredients
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
½ tsp minced chile
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 tsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 small red bell pepper, minced
Chopped cilantro or spearmint

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except herbs. Toss well. Cover and chill for 15-20 min. Garnish with herbs just before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature.

 

ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Serves 4

For the grill, I heated a pan and sautéed the tomatoes rather than roasting. The prep is the same.  However, it takes much less time to sauté than to roast.

Ingredients
3 pints cherry tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
20 basil leaves, chopped or julienned

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Toss tomatoes lightly with olive oil in a bowl. Transfer to a sheet pan in one layer and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast until softened—start checking after 10 min.
  • Toss with basil and additional salt before serving. Serve on salad greens for a delicious side.

 

SHAVED ZUCCHINI AND HERB SALAD WITH PARMESAN
From Milk Street magazine, Serves 4

*You can use a mix of zucchini and yellow squash if you wish.

Ingredients
1 tsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp honey
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 lb zucchini
1 oz Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 c), plus extra for garnish
½ c mint, torn
½ c basil, torn
¼ c hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the zest, juice, oil, honey, salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • Peel zucchini with a vegetable peeler until you reach the seeds, creating ribbons. Rotate the zucchini and keep shaving until only the core is left. Discard core.
  • To the dressing, add zucchini, grated cheese, mint and basil. Gently toss. Garnish with shaved Parmesan and nuts (if desired).

 

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner. Recipes provided by Chef Rich Baringer of Dinner’s Done Personal Chef Service. Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 12th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

17 Jul

Posted at 16:54h in On The Farm by
0 Likes

Here’s what’s happening on the farm: the crops are pouring in, but the weeds are growing just as fast. The continual wet weather is keeping our tractor cultivators out of the fields, which puts a damper on things. We are certainly at a scale where it is just impossible to hand weed the entire farm, so certain crops can and do fall by the wayside. Typically bare ground, direct sown crops are the hardest to manage in a wet season: carrots, arugula, broccoli raab, and radishes for example. Transplanted crops have the advantage of height and resiliency, so they have a head start on the weeds. Sometimes we are able to undersow a cover crop, like in this kale field. The undersown crop out competes the weeds, providing a living mulch.

The pick-your-own flower fields are in full bloom right now. It is a magical spot to be as the sun is setting, or on an early misty morning (though an extreme downpour soon followed that picturesque moment).

Our farm solstice blessing was a beautiful opportunity to stop and mark the changing of the seasons. Especially here on the farm it does mark the peak of the flurry of planting activity that begins for us with the sowing of the first seeds in early March. With the approach of the summer solstice we race to get the long season crops planted, for we know after the solstice the days start to shorten ever so slightly and the window of plant growth begins to narrow.

You wouldn’t know it though by observing the summer squash. This plentiful crop requires our constant vigilance- harvesting happens every other day. Picking squash requires a team of six- 4 pickers, one packer and one tractor driver. The cucumbers are on the same picking schedule. Lots of bending over- down to the ground, up to the conveyor, over and over again, every other day.

July on our farm means long days, at least 7am to 6pm, but sometimes stretching to 7 or 8pm. Almost every morning we are doing some sort of harvesting, trying to beat the midday heat. Make hay while the sun shines, or as pictured below, harvest celery before it’s too freaking hot.  Some days feel like we are just treading water, and every moment is trouble shooting a new problem, from leaking drip tape to broken trucks, tractor implements, I-phones and ez-ups. But then there are the triumphs, the beneficial insects released at the right moment in the beans, and the moments of joy- the taste of a sweet yellow wax bean, the beauty of the bright gold sunflowers against the vibrant blue sky.

In addition to our regular daily harvests for the CSA and markets and wholesale, we have to squeeze in the harvest of crops that will be done all at once, for storage and later distribution. Our garlic harvest went smoothly, and this year we were able to protect them from the allium leaf miner insect, which was a huge triumph. The crop is currently laid out on tables in our friend’s barn, drying down. Soon we will harvest all our onions, also to be cured. Currently however, we are all enjoying the beautiful fresh onions, such a wonderful seasonal treat.

The big question on everyone’s mind is, where are the tomatoes? It’s like a watched pot over here at the farm! The pick-your-own cherry tomatoes are just starting this week for the CSA, and the greenhouse heirlooms are beginning to trickle in…we’ll have a few on the roadstand and at market this week.

The field tomatoes look beautiful, and, very green! Yes, they are certainly behind schedule. We didn’t change anything on our end from previous years, but mother nature sure sent us a curve ball. With the cool wet spring, and overall cooler temps so far this season, their growth and ripening has definitely been delayed. But have no fear, we will all be swimming in the tomato bounty soon enough and you’ll be begging for it to stop 😉

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner  (Photos 1, 4 & 5 contributed by Matthew LaVergne). Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 12th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

05 Jul

Posted at 09:27h in Recipes by
0 Likes

Did you know that Dill has anti-inflammatory properties, helps with insomnia and is useful in treating hiccups?  In fact, Dill has many health promoting components and would be a good addition to your food palette. Dill can be used in dressings, dips, pickling, added to sautéed vegetables and salad greens. Read more about dill at https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/seed-and-nut/dill.html

Dressing – www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/creamy-dill-dressing-101084, https://www.acedarspoon.com/4-ingredient-creamy-dill-salad-dressing/

Dip – http://allrecipes.com/recipe/16761/creamy-dill-dipping-sauce/

It may not be soup weather, but this could be a great lunch option if prepared the night before, especially if you work in a chilly air conditioned office!

Ingredients
1 pound carrots, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt
3 ½ Cup chicken or veg stock
¾ c milk
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives

In a large sauce pan over medium heat melt butter and add olive oil. Add carrots, onions, garlic and salt. Let simmer and soften for several minutes, until carrots are just tender. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 min until carrots are soft.  Puree the mixture in a blender or food processor, in batches if needed. Return to sauce pan and add milk and herbs. Heat through and serve!

KALE SALAD two ways

Kale is the hottest celebrity in the vegetable world right now and for good reason! It belongs to the Brassica family along with cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower etc. It is packed with antioxidants and health-promoting phytochemicals that can help protect against prostate and colon cancers.  Kale can also boost your immune system with it’s antibacterial, antiviral and rich vitamin and mineral components.

Storage: to prevent quick softening or wilting of the leaves, tear the kale into bite size pieces, leaving out the tough part of the stem. Store with a moistened paper towel in a zip-lock bag.

Vegan Caesar Dressing:

From – https://minimalistbaker.com/5-minute-vegan-caesar-dressing/

Ingredients
1/4 cup plain hummus
1 teaspoon spicy mustard
½ teaspoon lemon zest
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons capers finely chopped
3 teaspoons caper brine
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and stir with a whisk. If it too thick, add a little hot water to thin it out. Will store in the fridge 5-7 days in a sealed container or jar.

After the kale is torn into bite size pieces, drizzle olive oil and a spritz of lemon juice to the kale and massage them in with your hands for 1-2 minutes. This breaks the kale down making it softer and easier to digest. Add the dressing!

Kale with Almonds and Cranberries

Drizzle torn kale with olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup and salt. Massage the kale for 1-2 minutes.  Add a handful of dried cranberries and sliced almonds (or keep it seasonal and try kale salad with fresh cherries, or try chopped pecans and fresh peaches). Enjoy!

Blog post and photos by Amy Hutchinson, a recent graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Amy is the mother of 3 very busy girls and understands the complexities of the weeknight and the importance of a home cooked meal.  She helps clients with planning and prepping and provides quick, easy, delicious and mostly “clean” recipes and meal plans for busy families.  Amy also helps families reduce their sugar and caffeine intake.  She believes that eating healthier and cleaner  can lead to making other overall healthy choices and decisions effecting our wellbeing.  Visit Amy at www.healhc.com on Facebook as Amy Hobson Hutchinson and Instagram as Healhealthcoach.

Honor where you are today. Eliminate that which does not serve you. Align mind body and soul. Live the life you are meant to live.

12 Jun

Posted at 10:25h in Recipes by
0 Likes

Kohlrabi is a crispy, mildly sweet stem vegetable rich in vitamins and fiber. Like other members of its family, such as cabbage, kale and broccoli, kohlrabi is packed with phytochemicals to promote health. The stems and leaves of kohlrabi are also edible and full of nutrients and vitamins – so don’t toss them aside!  Kohlrabi can be eaten cooked or raw (I prefer raw). This recipe is a good start, but feel free to make additions – I added red bell pepper for color and crunch.

Storage
Remove the stems and leaves and wrap them in a moist towel and put in a ziplock bag. Bulbs can be stored in a vegetable bag in the fridge, and will a few weeks.

Kohlrabi and Turnip Slaw

Ingredients
1 pound kohlrabi (about 2 small heads, leaves included)
1 medium turnip (about 8 ounces), peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Optional additions: Diced red bell pepper, minced jalapeno,  shredded carrot, chopped roasted nuts (such as almonds, cashews or peanuts), cilantro, mint, shredded apple

Instructions
Separate stems from kohlrabi bulb, trim, and discard tough bottoms of stems. Half leaves lengthwise then thinly shred crosswise. Trim root end from bulb and peel away tough outer layer; halve lengthwise.

Fit a food processor with a shredding blade (or use a box grater) and shred kohlrabi bulb and turnip.

In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, peanut oil, honey, and sesame oil; season with salt and pepper. Add scallions, kohlrabi leaves and bulb, and turnip to bowl; toss to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes.

For more ideas visit:
http://www.marthastewart.com/1033766/kohlrabi-recipes
http://www.thekitchn.com/top-five-ways-to-prepare-kohlr-60321

Search our blog for past kohlrabi posts: Kohlrabi fritters with yogurt dill sauce; Kohlrabi and Radish Salad; Slaw variations and garlic scapes; Kohlrabi dal with aromatic rice

Spinach and Scallion Greek Stuffed Sweet Potato

Did you know that scallions are one of the richest sources of vitamin K- important in blood clotting, essential to building strong bones and preventing heart disease. They also provide B complex vitamins and can help fight certain cancers. I remember my grandparent’s summer picnics and there would always be a plate of freshly picked scallions to munch on. This is a great weeknight meal and leftovers make an awesome lunch! Feel free to use organic russet potatoes if you prefer.

Storage
Scallions store easily in the fridge in a vegetable bag in the fridge for several days.

Ingredients
2 Large Organic Sweet Potatoes (best if a uniform size)
1 bunch of spinach (you can sub swiss chard or kale)
1 garlic clove minced
Olive oil for pan
2 thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)
A handful of julienned sundried tomatoes, and halved, pitted Kalamata olives
Feta cheese

Instructions
Scrub potatoes then poke with a fork a few times and wrap in aluminum foil. Bake the sweet potatoes at 375F until soft – about an hour.

Sauté the spinach and garlic in olive oil. Once wilted, remove from heat and stir in the sundried tomatoes, scallions, and olives.

Top potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and feta. Enjoy!

Blog post and photos by Amy Hutchinson, a recent graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Amy is the mother of 3 very busy girls and understands the complexities of the weeknight and the importance of a home cooked meal.  She helps clients with planning and prepping and provides quick, easy, delicious and mostly “clean” recipes and meal plans for busy families.  Amy also helps families reduce their sugar and caffeine intake.  She believes that eating healthier and cleaner  can lead to making other overall healthy choices and decisions effecting our wellbeing.  Visit Amy at www.healhc.com on Facebook as Amy Hobson Hutchinson and Instagram as Healhealthcoach.

Honor where you are today. Eliminate that which does not serve you. Align mind body and soul. Live the life you are meant to live.

05 Jun

Posted at 12:30h in Recipes by
0 Likes

Springtime always offers an abundance of garlic flavor with garlic scapes and green garlic. The scapes are the curly flowering stem of the garlic and are removed to encourage the bulbs in the ground to fatten up. Green garlic, on the other the hand, is almost like a scallion. It is removed from the ground before reaching the maturity of a garlic head you find in the grocery store. They offer slightly different tastes, but can be used interchangeably. So how can we use these spring delectables? Both can be chopped and used in dressings and marinades, stirred into eggs, grilled on their own and made into pesto. Be sure to freeze leftovers, the season for scapes and green garlic is very short.

How to Store: Scapes can be placed in a paper bag and kept in the fridge for up to a month.

How to Freeze: Chop them into 1-inch pieces and freeze in zipper freezer bags. This makes it easy to grab a handful of garlic scapes and add them to soups, stews, stir fry, or anywhere else that you would use garlic.

Garlic Scape Chutney on naan bread, adapted from http://www.feastingathome.com/ makes a personal pizza or a stunning appetizer. Add a nice green salad and a weeknight dinner is complete!  This spread is so tasty that you can freeze half and use on any meat or fish. For vegetarians or gluten free option, use it with grilled eggplant, squash, zucchini or on a baked potato!

Garlic Scape Chutney on Naan Bread

Fire up the grill or broiler!

Ingredients
1 package of naan
¾ cup chopped garlic scapes, tops removed
½ cup fresh mint packed (or sub in Italian parsley or cilantro)
½ cup roasted or almonds
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ jalapeño or Serrano pepper- for a little kick (optional)
1 T lime juice ⅓ C olive oil.
1 diced mango ( I prefer champagne they are small and sweet!)
Olive oil or Melted butter for brushing
1 C Melty cheese- such as mozzarella, queso fresco, or paneer

Instructions
Place all chutney ingredients (garlic scapes through lime juice) in a food processor and process until granular.

Gently fold in the diced mango.  Spread over the Naan and top with cheese of choice. Grill or broil until the naan is warmed through and the cheese is melty. Enjoy!

Here is a recipe that uses the scapes or green garlic with greens that you are sure to have on hand in the spring: Greens with Green Garlic & Prosciutto

For more recipe ideas visit: All About Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes

Bok Choy

Bok Choy is a phenol filled phytonutrient packed power food that contains over 70 antioxidants and is an excellent source of Vitamins A, C and K. This powerhouse is filled with cancer-fighting properties and the list goes on: What is Bok Choy Good For?  In other words this is one healthy vegetable! Bok Choy has been used in Chinese cuisine for centuries and has thankfully begun to make its way into the American diet. It is a versatile veg that can be pickled, sautéed, steamed, or chopped and eaten raw in salads. I LOVE bok choy in this easy homemade Miso soup!  It makes a lot, so you will have plenty of leftovers for lunch.

How to Store Bok Choy: Wrap in a moistened paper towel in a ziplock bag and put it in the fridge.

How to Freeze Bok Choy: Boil washed and trimmed bok choy for 2 minutes. Then plunge into ice water for 2 minutes. Pack dried bok choy in Freezer Zipper bags. Remove as much air as possible from bag. Place in the deepest part of the freezer.

Hearty One-Pot Meal Miso Soup

PREP TIME 15 mins
COOK TIME 30 mins
TOTAL TIME 45 mins
Author: Susan Voisin
Serves: 8

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, or coconut oil
1 tablespoon ginger-root, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, minced (or sub in 4-6 chopped garlic scapes)
12 cups water
1/2 tablespoon wakame or other seaweed
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into matchsticks (or substitute other root vegetables from the share, like hakurei turnips)
5-8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame
5 ounces Vietnamese brown rice noodles, uncooked (1/2 here ½ for next week)
1 pound bok choy, cut into 1/2-inch slices (or sub in other spring greens- swiss chard, kale, spinach or escarole)
6 to 8 tablespoons mellow white miso (found in the refrigerator section of grocery store)

Instructions
Heat the sesame oil in a large, non-stick soup pot. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for one minute. Add the water, wakame, carrots, and dried mushrooms and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Add the edamame and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the noodles and the bok choy, cover, and cook until noodles are tender, about 7 minutes.

Place the miso in a bowl and add about 1/2 cup of the hot soup broth. Stir or whisk until there are no lumps and then add it back to the pot and heat through but do not boil. Taste and add more miso as needed.

Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/8 of recipe Calories: 160 Fat: 2.9g Carbohydrates: 27.9g Sugar: 3.4gSodium: 691mg Fiber: 4.1g Protein: 9g

For more recipe ideas: http://www.marthastewart.com/1502518/bok-choy-recipes

Blog post and photos by Amy Hutchinson, a recent graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Amy is the mother of 3 very busy girls and understands the complexities of the weeknight and the importance of a home cooked meal.  She helps clients with planning and prepping and provides quick, easy, delicious and mostly “clean” recipes and meal plans for busy families.  Amy also helps families reduce their sugar and caffeine intake.  She believes that eating healthier and cleaner  can lead to making other overall healthy choices and decisions effecting our wellbeing.  Visit Amy at www.healhc.com on Facebook as Amy Hobson Hutchinson and Instagram as Healhealthcoach.

Honor where you are today. Eliminate that which does not serve you. Align mind body and soul. Live the life you are meant to live.

28 May

Posted at 12:02h in On The Farm by
0 Likes

What a wacky spring. Seems like we had better weather back in February. Though wacky is kind of the norm for our spring’s here in southeastern PA, the month of May has certainly been a mixed bag- from upper 90’s, lather on the sunscreen and break out the heat stress training guide kind of days, alternating with cold sweatshirt weather, ferocious wind, and pouring rain. This spring has certainly been cooler overall, so things are growing slowwwwly. The first few weeks of the CSA may be on the lighter side, but don’t worry, we’ll make up for it in the long run!

Our amazing farm crew has been jamming this spring, putting in long hours to stay on top of our to-do lists. From hand transplanting and weeding, trellising, tractor cultivating, seeding, thinning, hoeing, field and bed prep, tractor maintenance, harvesting, stooping, bending, shoveling, repeat, repeat, repeat.

We’d love to introduce you to all your farmers, so we will be featuring them here in the coming weeks. With the exception of just two of our crew members (in addition to Tom and myself) we have a whole new farm crew this season. So that means everyone is learning tons of new skills every day, especially spending many many days this spring tacking down row covers in the wind, (practicing remaining calm and good natured while tacking down row covers in the wind), to re-tacking down row covers the next day (and still remaining calm and good natured while tacking down those darn row covers every few days). Offering protection from cold weather and from insects, at times it felt like the majority of the farm was under row covers.

Skills can be taught but to maintain a positive attitude through the orchestrated chaos that is farming, that one is the most important skill, and not necessarily one we can teach. Thankfully farming is a job best suited for optimists, as every day something can and will go wrong and if you’re someone who focuses on the negative, you won’t get very far. True in much of life, I’m sure, but farming certainly has a way of exposing raw truths of human nature.

It’s amazing to see how much has been planted in the short window of time since winter started to wind down and the fields dried out. It’s only been two months, but we’ve got an incredible amount of food out in the fields growing. Tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, squash, cucumbers, lettuce, fennel, onions, beets, carrots, turnips, radishes, potatoes, kale, chard, cabbage, sweet corn, sweet potatoes and so much more.

We are very excited for the CSA to begin next week. We look forward to the shifting energy on the farm (it’s so quiet without you all!) as we welcome the energy and enthusiasm of the hundreds of families heading to the farm each week to take home and enjoy the fruits of our labors. You can look forward to strawberries, kale, bok choy, spinach, lettuce, scallions, and garlic scapes the first week.

The CSA will begin:

  • Tuesday May 30 and Thursday June 1 for on-farm full shares (weekly pick-up) and half shares week A (every other week pick-up).
  • Tuesday June 6 and Thursday June 8 for half shares week B (every other week pick-up).
  • Wednesday May 31 for all delivery shares (weekly delivery of medium and large boxes).

Please pay your balance by June 1st. Please kindly be sure that you have at least paid your down payment prior to your first pick-up.

Remember to “subscribe” to our blog if you wish to receive email notification when new blog posts go live on our website. The blog is a great way to stay connected with what is happening out in the field. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram. We will post a labeled photo of the share on Facebook every Tuesday afternoon so that you can refer to that in case you are unsure what veggies you got. If you are someone who prefers to know a day or two in advance what you are getting in the share, then you would be better off choosing Thursday pick-up.

New to eating fresh veggies? Check out the cookbook we have for sale, From Asparagus to Zucchini. In this classic cookbook of seasonal eating you will find lots of storage tips for each vegetable, as well as fantastic recipes. Keep an eye on our blog for recipes and cooking tips!

On farm pick-up reminders:

  • Please make sure you are aware of your assigned pick-up day and week (A or B if you are a half share) and come on the correct day during the correct hours (between 1 and 7:30pm: **Do not come before 1pm, as we need every minute of the morning to get everything harvested, washed and put out in the distribution room. We clean up at 7:30pm, so please come before 7:30 and allow yourself to have enough time to be finished gathering your share by 7:30pm.) If you need to switch pick-up days permanently please let us know asap. If you just need to switch for one week, let us know via email by Sunday at 7pm of the week you wish to switch. You do not need to let us know if someone else will be picking up the share for you- just make sure they sign in for you.
  • We have a new page on our website which is displaying an event calendar. In addition to classes, chef demos and farm events, you will see the CSA schedule posted there, with color coding for weeks A and B (in case you forget where we are in the rotation). We’ve got lots of great stuff planned so check it out!
  • BYOB- Bring your own Bags/Baskets/Box for picking up your share.
  • Please remember to locate the sign-in sheet FIRST, and sign-in BEFORE picking up your share.
  • There will be strawberries to pick the first few weeks of the CSA season. Please wear the proper footwear for heading out to the fields (depending on the weather, the fields can be very muddy). We will provide a quart container to pick into, but we ask you to leave it at the farm, so bring your own container or tupperware to take your strawberries home in.
  • There is a port-potty and hand washing station located in the parking lot by the silo if you should need the restroom while you are at the farm.

 

Interested in a Fruit Share?  New for 2017: A 12-week CSA Fruit Share membership from our friends at North Star Orchard (in Chester County, Pa), which you’ll be able to pick up here at the farm on CSA day!  We encourage you to take a look at what the share has to offer here: https://northstarorchard.com/fruit-share This is not ordinary fruit, but unique and heritage varieties which are full of flavor: plums with pizazz, perfect peaches, amazing Asian pears, great (seedless) grapes, astounding apples, and a sprinkling of heritage pear varieties. North Star Orchard grows no standard varieties, but rather heritage and super-flavorful varieties which you’ve likely never heard of and will knock your socks off! Sign up directly with North Star on their website: https://northstarorchard.com/csa-locations-signup, or if you need to reach them directly, email Lisa@northstarorchard.com And for a quick view of North Star Orchard itself, enjoy this 90-second bird’s eye view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izdj6VIWyao

Interested in a certified organic pastured meat share? Sign up with our friends and neighbors in Sellersville, Pa: Hershberger Heritage Farm. You may have met Nate Hershberger last season, he was a regular here at the farm, set up in the parking lot on Tuesday and Thursday afternooons with his offerings of fresh certified organic pastured chicken, pork and eggs. He’ll be back again on Tuesdays and Thursdays during CSA pick-ups. However, if you join his new “Free Range” CSA, this flexible model gives members access to their provisions at a significant discount (10-15% off retail prices), and the flexibility of purchasing exactly what and how much you’d like throughout the season. For more information and to sign-up, click here http://www.hhf.farm/csa-info

Interested in a Bread Share? Bakers on Broad in Souderton will be offering their delicious artisan bread shares again this season. (Full shares will be delivered weekly, half shares will be delivered every other week on your corresponding pick-up days). The cost for the bread share is $5/ week for full shares ($120 total) and $5.50 for half shares ($65 total)- one loaf is delivered each time. The breads you will enjoy include: Spelt, Whole Wheat, Sesame Semolina, Italian, Olive, German Rye, Country Grain and many more! To register, click here for the sign-up form. You will need to print and fill out, then mail to Bakers on Broad with a check, or call them for credit card payment. All information is on the form.

*Fruit, meat and bread shares are only available to CSA members picking up at Blooming Glen Farm in Perkasie.

We are looking forward to a great 2017 farm season! See you soon!

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner  (*Header photo by Matt LaVergne). Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 12th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

06 Apr

Posted at 16:47h in Classes by
0 Likes

Eat (and drink) your veggies! Join fermentation author and blogger Amanda Feifer to explore two great ways to turn those CSA veggies probiotic. In the first half of this class, we’ll dig in to pickled, seasonal vegetables, made tart not by vinegar, but through the power of microbes from the soil. Then we’ll switch it up and make kvass, sometimes called “rossol,” for a refreshing sour tonic drink.

Each participant will chop and salt their way through fun fermented recipes with a full understanding of how it works, why it’s incredibly safe and how to troubleshoot and experiment on their own. Everyone will make one of each of these gut-healthy goodies to ferment at home while sampling finished fermented pickles and kvass.

When: Wednesday, June 7, 6:30 — 8:30 PM
Where: Blooming Glen Farm, 98 Moyer Rd, Perkasie, Pa
Cost: $35
Registration: https://phickle.ticketleap.com/kvass-and-pickles/dates/Jun-07-2017_at_0630PM

Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 12th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community. Register now for our CSA and enjoy 24 weeks of delicious produce!

Photos above provided by Amanda Feifer of phickle.com

29 Mar

Posted at 13:20h in On The Farm by
0 Likes

The sun is shining and the birds are singing their songs of spring. Our greenhouse is bursting at the seams with beautiful plants. Now is the dance as we wait until the ground dries out enough to begin working the soil, sowing seeds in the fields and transplanting crops. In the warm and sunny greenhouse, Brienn pictured above and below left, is busy with the weekly sowing, moving flats around to make room as things gets more and more crowded, keeping the babies watered and happy. Our peas are beginning to sprout. Sowing them into flats and transplanting them enables us to get perfect germination, and stay on schedule despite the soggy soil. Peter, pictured below right, is in the barn dealing with the annual overflow of equipment, getting things organized, repaired and ready so when the time comes we can focus on planting.

Amidst the sounds of the melting snow, we ushered in spring with a beautiful vernal equinox blessing at the farm last weekend. Rebekah Barnes of Rooted Rhythms gathered us in a circle to honor the spirit of the land, the sky and within, moving us towards the directions and their corresponding elements. As we turned to the south we rubbed our hands together, feeling the heat generated by our own bodies, the fire within. To the west, as we licked our lips, we felt the water within and how it is connected to the waters around the world. Turning to the north, we felt the strength and stability of our own body, connected to the earth and hugged ourselves, feeling our solid presence. To the east we took a deep breath, inhaled, exhaled, feeling the breath of life in our body and around us.

I spoke of the wonder of the soil, and had everyone take a handful to feel and smell, and to offer up a blessing for the season ahead. In just one handful of soil there are more soil microbes than there are people on the earth!  These are the unsung heroes of our farm. These tiny microscopic creatures, the billions of bacteria, yards of fungal filaments, thousands of protozoa and nematodes, all lead incredibly active lives. They are a little more sluggish in the winter, but like us, they are waking up with the warmth of spring. And they each have incredibly important jobs to do. We take care of the soil so that it can do its important work and together we can raise healthy strong plants.

Did you know that snow contains nitrogen which can benefit the soil? As precipitation falls through the atmosphere it collects atmospheric nitrogen. When snow collects on thawed soil, it slowly melts, allowing a slow release of nitrogen into the soil profile, adding to the total nitrogen content that the microbes then convert to plant available forms.

We ended the vernal equinox ritual by making a spiral out of branches against the blanket of snow. Wood is an element of spring. The power of wood is gentle, persistent, and filled with creative potential. It has the power of both being and becoming. Thank you Rebekah for bringing this to our farm, and I am already looking forward to the summer solstice ritual on June 21 at 7pm.

CSA shares are still available! Please spread the word and help us expand our community. Those first juicy strawberries will be here before we know it! And for your friends that may have their own vegetable garden, let them know we are offering pick-your-own flower shares. For 10-weeks of pick-your-own bouquets, this is a wonderful opportunity to connect to nature in a field of blooms. In these tumultuous times, it is certainly my happy place, to be out in the flowers, under the rosy glow of the setting sun.

Post and photos by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.  (*Vernal equinox blessing photos by pro photographer Vanessa Lassin.) Tricia and her husband Tom have been farming together since 2000. Blooming Glen Farm is celebrating its 12th season bringing high quality certified organic vegetables, herbs, fruits and cut flowers to our local community.

07 Mar

Posted at 17:31h in Events by
0 Likes

“The earth has music for those who listen” ~Reginald Vincent Holmes

What: Vernal Equinox Ritual
When: Sunday, March 19, 3-4pm
Where: The fields of Blooming Glen Farm, 98 Moyer Rd, Perkasie, Pa
Led by: Rebekah Barnes, Rooted Rhythms

Join us to honor Mother Earth as she welcomes Spring!
Let us come together and connect with her awakening energy of renewal through song and the offering of our blessings as we stand upon her fertile farmland.

We will move through a facilitated family ritual together, tapping into the surging spring energy of Mother Earth through song, creating a blessing sculpture out of wood, the element of spring and offering gratitude to her for worldwide healing.

Please arrive at 2:45 for parking and walking out to the field
All are welcome!

This is the first in a series of Earth Rhythm Rituals we will hold throughout the year, celebrating the vernal and autumnal equinoxes and the summer and winter solstices. Vernal Equinox Ritual, Sunday March 19, 3 pm; Summer Solstice Ritual, Wednesday June 21, 7 pm; Autumnal Equinox Ritual, Thursday Sept. 21, 6:30 pm; Winter Solstice Ritual, Thursday Dec. 21, 5 pm. Join us as we honor the rhythms of Mother Earth on the Wheel of the Year. We will come together to connect with the seasonal energy of our sacred planet.
…
Free Family-Friendly Ritual
Registration appreciated for planning

Offered by Rebekah Barnes of Rooted Rhythms
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rootedrhythms/
Hosted by Blooming Glen Farm, Perkasie, PA