Past and Future Harvests

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Dave @ HappyAcres

The summer vegetable harvests have slowed down considerably here, and I must say we have mixed emotions about that. The heat and drought have definitely made for a lousy year for peppers and eggplant, and the pole beans suffered as well. Last year was a banner year for all three.

But in a flip-flop, last years tomato harvest was terrible, but this year we have been up to our ears with them! So far we have harvested 174 pounds of tomatoes. We still have a few on the counter, but I’m planning on using the ripe ones in some spaghetti sauce tonight, and frying the green ones. There’s a few more on the vines, but they are nearing their end.

So despite the weather, we have harvested 736 pounds of fruit and vegetables from our gardens so far this year, and we are very thankful for that. But we are ready for a slower pace – ready to enjoy autumn, and yes winter too. We’re well prepared when it comes to food. Our freezer is crammed full of goodies.

We have lots of winter squash in the cellar.

The Gold Nugget squash was very prolific this year. The size is just right for a serving.

Gold Nugget squashes

But the gardens aren’t done yet, not by a long shot. The Fairy Tale eggplants I have growing in pots are blooming and getting their second wind, as it were. I gave them a drink of fish emulsion a while back, and they have responded with a new flush of blooms. These eggplants have given us over 4 pounds of their tasty little beauties this year.

Fairy Tale bloom

I also planted an heirloom long-neck pumpkin vine back in early July, and it has taken over the lasagna garden area where potatoes grew earlier. The plants are just now starting to set some pumpkins. With 60 days left until our usual first frost date, they should mature in plenty of time – at least I am hoping they do!

pumpkin vines

The necks are already curved, and the shape is distinctive. These pumpkins can weigh up to 20 pounds, so even if we get a few of them we will have lots of pumpkin for pies and such. Lynn over at Wood Ridge had a great post last year about how to cook and process them.

baby pumpkin

I’ve also got my eye on two Asian persimmons that are on one of our two small trees. This is the Ichi Ki Kei Jiro variety (say that three times fast!). The other variety we have planted is Gwang Yang. These non-astringent persimmons are marginally hardy in our area, but we are hoping these varieties will make it here in our zone 6b climate.

persimmon fruit

One interesting thing I harvested last week was a volunteer ‘mystery’ squash that was growing over by the compost bins.

mystery winter squash

It’s a mixed variety, sort of resembling a cross between a Delicata and an acorn squash, though I didn’t grow any acorn squash last year! I have no idea what they will taste like, but we’re going to bake them up soon and see. Hopefully they will at least be edible.

So that’s a look at some past and future harvests here at HA. Last week’s total harvest was about 11 pounds. Check out Daphne’s Dandelions for more harvests!

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Quinoa Tomato Salad

Posted on August 28, 2010 by Dave @ HappyAcres

I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with quinoa the last couple of years. It is quick cooking, nutritious, and its mild flavor allows it to combine well with the bolder flavors of curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, and cumin. It also pairs well with sweet and tart fruits like apple, orange, mango and lime.

uncooked white quinoa

This ancient grain is a natural in salads, soups and pilafs. Vegetarians and meat eaters alike can appreciate the fact that it has all the essential amino acids, thus making it a complete protein. And it lacks gluten, which makes it suitable for those on a gluten-free diet. It’s also easy to cook, taking less than 20 minutes. Can you tell I really like quinoa?

This salad makes a nice cool side dish when chilled, but it’s good at room temperature too. Cook quinoa according to package directions (2/3 cup uncooked quinoa should make about 2 cups cooked). Toasting the pumpkin seeds really pumps up their flavor.

Quinoa Tomato Salad Print This Recipe Print This Recipe
A Happy Acres Original

2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup dried tomatoes (or 3/4 cup oven roasted tomatoes)
1 green onion, chopped
1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp mild curry powder (hot curry powder may be used for a spicier taste)
1 garlic clove, minced
dash salt

1. Soak dried tomatoes in water for 15 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop.
2. Combine olive oil, lime juice, curry powder, garlic and salt in medium mixing bowl. Add quinoa,  chopped tomatoes, green onion and pumpkin seeds, mix well.
3. Chill before serving, or serve at room temperature.

Servings: 6
Yield: 3 cups

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 117 calories, 35 calories from fat, 4g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 140.3mg sodium, 335.4mg potassium, 17.6g carbohydrates, 1.8g fiber, 1.8g sugar, 3.7g protein, 22.6mg calcium, <1g saturated fat.


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Ancient Grain Suits Modern Diets

Posted on August 26, 2010 by Dave @ HappyAcres

Quinoa is an ancient grain that is native to the Andes mountains of South America. It has been eaten for 5000 years by the people who live in this region. It was highly valued by the Incas, and is thought to have been a staple of their diets.

Botanically, quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah” in English) is from the genus Chenopodium (aka goosefoots), which contains around 150 species of plants found worldwide, including the common and widely distributed pigweed/lamb’s quarters. Like many of its relatives, quinoa leaves are edible, but it’s the seeds that are most highly prized.

Quinoa seeds are high in protein, and contain all of the essential amino acids needed by humans, which makes it a ‘complete’ protein. It’s also high in fiber and minerals, quick-cooking and very tasty. Cooked in a saucepan, it is done in 15-20 minutes. If I’m not in a hurry, I usually cook it in the rice cooker. It takes longer that way (depending on the rice cooker cycle time), but doesn’t require any effort or attention once you press the start button. Either way, you combine 1 part quinoa with 2 parts water (or broth).

Quinoa can be grown much like amaranth, but I haven’t yet tried growing it myself. I usually buy quinoa in bulk. I’ve found it that way in health food stores, coops, and at markets like Whole Foods. In addition to the usual white variety, there is also a red quinoa available in many stores. So far I’ve not found the red in bulk, but it is available in packages in several brands.

In its natural state, the quinoa seeds are covered with saponin, a bitter tasting soapy substance. The saponin is beneficial to the quinoa plant, as it makes the seeds unpalatable to birds, allowing it to be cultivated easily and without protection. Most quinoa sold in the U.S. has been pre-rinsed to remove the saponin. If the package doesn’t specify it has been rinsed, you should put the seeds in a fine meshed strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water, then let drain before cooking.

cooked red and white quinoa

I can’t taste much difference between the white and red quinoa. I sometimes like to mix the two together, which makes for a pretty presentation. If you look closely at the cooked seeds, you can see the germ, which is the curly white part.

closeup of cooked quinoa showing the germ

Quinoa is pretty versatile in the kitchen. We love it in stuffed peppers, where it can replace the usual rice and add extra nutrition. I also make a salad with it using roasted or dried tomatoes. I’ll post that recipe soon (I need to get a photo of it first). Cooking Light has a recipe for a quinoa side dish with apples and almonds that we like. There are also a lot of quinoa pilaf recipes floating around, but I’ve yet to settle on any as favorites.

If you haven’t yet tasted quinoa, it is definitely worth trying. It has quickly become a favorite here at Happy Acres. Try it, and you just might agree with the Incas who called it the ‘Mother Grain’.

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Got Eggs?

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Dave @ HappyAcres

As I write this, almost a half a billion eggs are being recalled in the U.S. due to salmonella contamination. At times like these, I’m glad we get most of our food from homegrown or local sources.

incredible edible egg, or contaminated bombshell?

For some time now we have been buying locally grown eggs. And since early this year, we have partnered with a local family (the Cannons) and joined a CSA that provides us with free range chickens and eggs each month. And though the chickens and eggs are more expensive than those from a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation), the improvement in taste is like the difference between night and day. Plus we also have the satisfaction of supporting a local grower – a real family with names and faces. While on the surface this may seem like a new idea, it’s really more of a return to the way things used to be.

It’s only been within my lifetime that food, at least in the U.S., has become a mass-produced commodity. In my parents’ generation that wasn’t the case. Even in the 1950’s, when I was young, we had not one but TWO local markets in our little neighborhood. At one, they sold a variety of meats, and Mr Campbell (or his father) would grind fresh ground beef for you while you waited. I’m not exactly sure where his cuts of beef came from, but I am guessing it wasn’t a huge feedlot in Iowa or Texas.

I also remember Mrs Smith who came in “from the country” to sell meat and vegetables, and we always looked forward to fresh pork from them whenever they slaughtered a hog. And no, I didn’t grow up in Mayberry! I’m talking about a city of around 100,000 people in Southern Indiana.

Of course, the arrival of supermarkets, and later super-everything stores, changed all that. I can recall shopping at the A&P supermarket when I was young, before they put little neighborhood markets like the Campbell’s out of business. The food at the A&P was cheaper, there was more variety, and the ground beef was already ground up for you – no waiting! Forget about the taste, it was more convenient to shop there, and cheaper.

So here we are now in 2010, when Wal-mart is the country’s biggest retail grocer, and the latest food recall involves eggs – half a BILLION of them and counting. I do realize that even our local eggs can be infected with the salmonella bacteria. The likelihood of that is rather small, though, and with proper cooking and handling of ALL eggs it really becomes a moot point. I do know the Cannon’s chickens have a good life, because I’ve seen the farm with my own two eyes. And the great taste of their products reflects the care that is given to their whole operation.

I’m not sure what needs to be done to fix our food supply system in America. I do know that what we have now isn’t sustainable, or desirable. We’ve got massive factory farms, and monocultures of genetically similar, and oftentimes genetically modified crops (corn, wheat, soybeans) that are fertilized and maintained with ancient fossil fuels. It’s gotten us cheap food for the time being, but at what real price?

I’d love to have a few chickens myself, but my wife wisely reckons we have enough on our plate as it is. Still, I have heard of  folks who get into a poultry-sharing arrangement with their neighbors. John, Donna, Barbara and Ken – if you’re reading this – can you see yourself chicken-sitting? Can’t you just hear the cluck-cluck of your own “happy hens” as they scratch and socialize???

Oh well. I suspect I am going to be out-voted on this one!

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Summer and Fall Gardens

Posted on August 21, 2010 by Dave @ HappyAcres

I haven’t posted much about gardening of late, but I’ve been busy dealing with the harvests. Even though this has been an unusually hot and dry year (5 degrees warmer than average, and 8 inches less rain than “normal”) our heavily mulched and intensively planted gardens have been extremely productive.

As of today we’ve harvested over 700 pounds from our gardens in 2010. We’ve gotten 170 pounds of tomatoes alone. Given the number of days we’ve had with highs in the mid to upper 90F range, that is truly amazing. I was expecting a lot less. The large fruited heirlooms have not fared well though. Many of those vines just shriveled up and died when the temperatures climbed (Druzba, Magnus, Opalka, Brandywine OTV, Golden Queen, Giant Belgium). All of the smaller fruited varieties (except Green Zebra) have done great, and the paste varieties grown using a stake and weave support system have done very well. The hybrid slicers are also holding their own. We’ve gotten lots of Ramapo, Jetsonic, Jetsetter and Celebrity. While Early Girl doesn’t usually win any taste tests here (it did beat Amish Paste), it just keeps cranking out the tomatoes. I got an oven full of larger tomatoes roasted yesterday, and the freezer is already full of sauces and purees plus dried and roasted tomatoes.

Besides tomatoes, it was a banner year for squash. We got 75 pounds of summer squash before the heat did them in, and we’ve also gotten 75 pounds of winter squash so far. I still have one late planted heirloom long-neck pumpkin squash that is growing strong and just now setting fruit. I’ve not seen any signs of squash vine borers, so perhaps the Neem oil does work as a deterrent.

We won’t dig sweet potatoes until October, but the vines are looking good. They don’t mind the heat or dry weather. We still have a few left from last year, though we are down to mostly the odd shaped ones.

 

fall planting of Swiss Chard

Of course, even as the heat wave continues, it is time to plan and plant our fall crops. I got some Swiss Chard going back in July, and it is growing nicely in the rich soil on the south side of the greenhouse. I even planted some late cucumbers in one greenhouse bed. We harvested 30 pounds from the spring planting, but the vines finally succumbed to the 120F daytime temps in there. I am hopeful we will get enough from this late planting for some salads and pickles.

young cucumber plants in greenhouse

I’ve also planted some late cabbage and broccoli, though far less than we had in spring. I set a dozen broccoli and about eight cabbage plants, along with a dozen plants of collard greens. I had to cover them all with bird netting since last year the birds pecked to death every seedling I set in the ground. I have a whole flat of kale that is hardening off and I should be able to get it in the ground next week.

 

fall broccoli covered with bird netting

I’ve got another spot ready for turnips, and I hope to get them sown tomorrow. I planted 3 rows of Purple Top White Globe at the church garden yesterday morning.

spot ready for fall turnips

And speaking of the church garden, it’s done well for a first year effort. The squash and cukes are done there, and we pulled the green beans a couple of weeks ago to make room for the turnips. The tomatoes are holding up to the heat, though the birds are pecking holes in a lot of them.

So that’s a little bit of what’s going on around here. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go roast another load of tomatoes in the oven!

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