What’s in the box this week:

... and if you have an extra-fruit share:
Strawberries, raspberries or blackberries, a few tomatoes, and a bag of mixed fruit (note: not all bags will contain the same fruit)

CALENDAR

Sat. Sep 21 - Fall Equinox Celebration,
3pm - 9pm

Sat. Oct 26 - Halloween Pumpkin U-Pick,
all day

Nov. 20/23 (Weds/Sat) ***Last box !***

Crop Update: The extra fruit shares will receive the first tomatoes of the season this week. Everyone else should see these tasty "latecomers" in about two weeks, unless we have an unexpected heat wave (in which case they'll arrive sooner). Peppers are still green, and their flavor and nutrition will only really come out once they turn colorful. And yes, we will have sweet corn and eggplant, however my best guess is not until September. We are harvesting our main pear crop in 10 days, so expect to see these irresistible "French" beauties in a couple of weeks – no later than early September. That's the latest news from the farm’s crystal ball!!! - Tom

What's Up on the Farm
Altogether 10 families set up tents and spent the weekend with us for our third annual Children's Mini-Camp. The fog rolled in early on Friday, and after a "jummy" pot-luck dinner we stayed warm by sitting around the campfire. The kids went for an exciting night walk, overcoming their fear of the unfamiliar shapes and sounds they encountered in the fields. After we returned to the "safe" and warm fire circle, Linnea surprised us again with her gracefully skilled fire dance, and then everyone retired to their tents for a good night's sleep. The night was damp, and by morning the heavy fog almost turned into a light rain. First we fed the goats and Joe introduced the kids to the "art" of milking. Some were not quite sure what to make of the fact that milk comes from "squeezing on an animal's udder." After a hearty breakfast, we all piled into a pick-up to go out to harvest food for our lunch and dinner. It was wonderful to experience the kids’ excitement as they dug potatoes and pulled up carrots, radishes and beets; each was like a discovery of Earth treasure. The cherry tomatoes were a hit, and even the sour pink apples (Pink Pearls) were a delightful discovery for everyone. Our bountiful harvest was turned into a delicious lunch and enough was left over for the evening's pizzas. Some of the boys got a taste of riding the farm's little crawler tractor, and even though the sun didn’t come out all day some braved a swim in the pool. After the kids' annual search for the funniest and weirdest-looking plant or vegetable they could find, they warmed up with a cup of hot chocolate. Our chickens and goats were frequently visited to be chased, fed, and petted. At 5 o’clock we fired up "Toastie" our wood-fired oven and prepared the pizza dough. Flour, salt, yeast and water was kneaded by many little hands into perfect balls of dough. By 8 o’clock, hot, tasty pizzas emerged from Toastie’s belly and were devoured hungrily by everyone. We ended the day around the campfire again, this time listening to Suresh’s guitar music and songs. Before heading home on Sunday we picked more of our favorite berries and baked fruit-pizzas with the leftover pizza dough. Thank you to everyone who participated -- we hope you had as enjoyable an experience as we did and hope to see you all at our next farm event.

This was our third Mini-Camp, and it confirmed our belief that the farm should continue to integrate and expand its educational component. Nature with her many gifts is an incredibly inspiring teacher, and so it's important to us that the farm continue to be a venue for this learning. As always, we welcome your participation and feedback on ways to strengthen this educational side of the farm.

(recipes below)

Chinese Bean Salad
serves 6
from Jane Brody's Good Food Book

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 tbsp. lightly toasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
1 tbsp. finely minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. finely minced garlic (1 lg. clove)
1 tbsp. salad oil
1 tbsp. mild vinegar (e.g. rice or berry)
1 tsp. Oriental sesame oil
1 to 2 tsp. soy sauce, or to taste
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp freshly ground white or black pepper

Steam the beans over boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, or blanch them in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes (the beans should be crunchy but not hard). Cool them immediately under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a serving bowl. In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. Pour over the beans and toss to coat well. Chill until serving time. Just before serving, stir in the sesame seeds.

Green Bean and Chickpea Salad
serves 6 to 8
also from Jane Brody's Good Food Book

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
1 16-ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed
1/4 C chopped onion
Dressing:
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
1/4 tsp. salt, if desired
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 lg. clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tbsp. olive or salad oil

Steam beans until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Place beans, chickpeas and onion in a large bowl. Combine dressing ingredi-ents and add to the bean mixture, tossing well. Chill for 1 hour or more before serving.

Baked Beets with Dried Cranberries and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
serves 4 to 6
from "Tomato Blessings and Radish Teachings", by Edward Espe Brown

[Espe says] This recipe turned out to be "alchemical," which is to say that the flavors unite and blend in a surprising way.

12 to 15 sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 C dried cranberries
5 to 6 medium beets
Peel of half an orange, grated
Salt

If you are using sun-dried tomatoes that are not packed in oil, place them in a saucepan, cover with water, and cook several minutes. Add the cranberries for half a minute at the end. Drain and reserve the liquid. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes into narrow strips. Trim the stems off the beets and place them in a baking dish with the water from the sun-dried tomatoes (or add enough water to fill up the pan 1/4 inch). Cover the pan and bake in a 375- to 400-degree oven for one hour or more until they are fork-tender. Remove beets from pan and allow to cool enough so that you can remove the skins, roots, and stems. Then cut up the beets and put them back in the baking dish with the tomatoes, cranberries, orange peel, and a touch of salt. Reheat in the oven before serving.

Aromatic Whole Wheat Pasta
serves 4
from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

1 tbsp. olive oil
3 C diced onion
1 C peeled and diced carrots
1 C diced celery
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 C Marsala, red wine, or vegetable broth
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
12 oz. whole wheat penne, elbows or shells
1 C finely chopped arugula or Swiss chard
1 tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 C grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add in order, the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté until the vegetablse are just tender. Add the Marsala and parsley, cover, lower the heat, and gently simmer. When the water boils, add the pasta, stir, cover the pot, and bring back to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile add the greens to the vegetables and stir for 1 minute, until bright-colored and wilted. Add the salt and pepper, cover, and set aside. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and toss with the extra-virgin olive oil. Spoon the vegetables over the pasta and serve immediately, passing the grated cheese at the table.

*Click Here* for a link to a comprehensive listing of recipes from Live Earth Farm's newsletters going back as far as our 1998 season! You can search for recipes by harvest week OR by key ingredient. Recipe site is updated weekly.