U Pick CSA

AsideJanuary 19, 2016January 21, 2016 Goodness GrowsLeave a comment

Can’t wait to get my hands on Goodness Grows’ U Pick CSA! We offer the area’s only 100% certified organic CSA from May – October and now we will offer the area’s only U Pick CSA. With the additional option of renting our commercial kitchen, you can get the most from the farm on your […]

Educational Series of Events

March 5, 2015 Goodness Grows2 Comments

(All events are on the farm unless otherwise indicated. To RSVP to any of the classes and events, please check out the Events tab on our Facebook page.)

Tree Tapping (Weather Dependent)follwed by farm tour: Thursday March 12, 2015 at 5:00 pm class is approximately 1 hour $15.00 fee.

Bread Making,Thursday March 19th, 2015 at 4:30pm–Making bread with fresh milled grains can be much different than flour that sits on the shelf for months. Learn how to work with fresh whole grains to make nice loaves of bread with no added gluten or preservatives. Fee includes materials and recipes Take home your work and some flour to make your own at home. Class is approximately 1 hour 20 minutes $15.00 fee.

Soap Making Class Thursday March 26th 4:30pm followed by a farm tour. Learn how to make luxuriosly rich goat’s milk soap. Class time approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. $20.00 includes materials and recipe take home your work.

Rabbit Harvest, Thursday April 2nd, 2015 at 4:30 pm. Learn to humanely and properly skin and dress a rabbit. Class time approximately 1 hour. Class fee is $30.00 take home your work.

Cheese making class Thursday April 9th at 4:30 pm. Learn how to make some simple cheeses with ordinary ingredients. We will learn to make chevre, paneer, yogurt and ricotta. $20.00 fee includes recipes materials and supplies. Take home your work.

Gluten Free Spaghetti

August 12, 2014 Goodness GrowsLeave a comment

The perfect picture of what we are getting this week! Also TOMATOES!!!!!! So let’s go over a simple pasta recipe with a twist, using spaghetti squash instead of wheat based pasta.

How to prepare Spaghetti Squash

Slice the squash in half lengthwise, or from stem to blossom end. Spoon out the seeds. You can cook vegetable spaghetti in the microwave on high for 5 minutes per pound, or roast in the oven for 30 minutes per pound at 350 degrees. Take a fork and scrape the inside flesh. It will come out in long thin strands like spaghetti noodles. When we eat veggie spaghetti, I put the sauce or pesto inside the squash halves and we just eat from the squash. This makes clean up really easy!

You can use the tomatoes, peppers and basil from the farm for a delicious sauce to compliment your squash.

I finally picked some ripe cantaloupe last week, and I’m starting to see more turn ripe as the days progress.

We have some CSA volunteers helping at the Cumberland Market this week, and could use some help with the other markets when anyone has a free moment! At the farm, our help would be getting the fall gardens ready for plants, and seeding lettuce for the fall. Just email me when you think you can get some time in for the season!

We’ll see you all this week!

Lots of recipes, and new things to try!!!!

July 14, 2014 Goodness GrowsLeave a comment

Purslane salads!!!

Purslane and yogurt salad

1 bunch of purslane

yogurt, enough to coat the purslane

garlic minced to taste

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Purslane Cucumber Salad

1 bunch of purslane

1 cucumber chopped

1 tomato chopped

1 hot pepper minced

2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice

salt to taste

Okra recipes!!

Ginger and tomato okra

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound small fresh okra, untrimmed

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

coarse salt and black pepper

place ingredients in a skillet in the order they are listed and saute for 10 minutes

Roasting Okra

Roasting and grilling okra can reduce the slime texture that turn people away from eating okra.

Preheat oven to 475 and roast okra for 10-15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Eggplant Recipes!!!!

Here is a link to my favorite eggplant recipe…This is a recipe that my father and I made together often!

https://goodnessgrowspa.com/2012/12/11/eggplant-moussaka-recipe/

And here is a list of what we’ll be preparing for the week!

Tomatoes

Okra

Purslane

Cucumbers

Zuchini

Patty pan Squash

Eggplant

Basil

Dill

Beans late in the week!!

Kale, of course!

Tofu

Soysage

Eggs

Squash blossoms

Grape leaves

Cut flowers to make you smile the rest of the week!

See you all soon!

Back with new stuff to please your plates!

July 7, 2014 Goodness GrowsLeave a comment

After a much needed vacation, and some great times with family, we are ready to get back on track for the rest of the growing season!

Speaking of the rest of the season, we have a whole new line of great organic produce to bring to you all this week!

I loved seeing those that came over last week to pick your own, we had lots to clean up, and still have a little left from the early spring season, so if you are in the mood for more broccoli, cauliflower, kale or swiss chard, than you are in luck! Last Saturday for our family reunion I made a wonderful-

Asian Kohlrabi and Broccoli Salad

1 Kohlrabi shredded

1 cup of broccoli broken into tiny florets

1 Tablespoon of sesame oil

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pine nuts

1/4 cup dried fruit of choice ( I used dried figs on Saturday, but I have used other fruits too and it seems like any work well)

Combine and chill for 30 minutes. Serve cold.

So what’s new this week?

From left to right: Fairy Tail, Orient Express, Raveena, and Black Beauty.

Eggplant will begin to appear on our tables as well as Okra, Peppers and serous amounts of TOMATOES!!!!!!

I’m also excited to tell you that our zuchini and squash blossoms are ready to take a place at the table too!

This evening I made a delicious pesto pizza for our crew!

Pesto

1 bunch of basil, large stems removed

2 cloves of garlic

2 T olive oil

2 T sunflower seeds or pine nuts

2 T Parmesan cheese

pinch of sea salt

Add all ingredients to food processor and process on high until well mixed and there are no chunks left.

You can freeze this pesto in ice cube trays for the winter months. Just fill your ice cube trays with the pesto and freeze. Once you have pesto cubes, you can pop them out of the tray and into freezer bags with the date and contents labeled.
These cubes will make quick and easy meals for you later on!

We will have plenty of basil for the rest of the summer!

Our green beans are blooming, but I’m not sure we will see beans until next week.

Kale and Strawberry Smoothies

June 17, 2014 Goodness Grows1 Comment

Planting is the theme right now as we get the last of our summer crops in the ground. It certainly has been a challenge to get working in the ground with all of the rains we have had. Our melons and winter squash were planted last week, and we are currently trellising tomatoes and interplanting cucumbers with the tomatoes.

Sad news that I will not be baking anymore until we harvest our grains again in August. For those of you who love our bread, it will return later this summer. It is kind of a nice transition to harvesting and weeding all of our gardens anyway. I will have more time to give the growing more attention now that I am not baking. Our grains are almost out, and the whole reason I bake is because I can use our very own homegrown, certified organic, non GMO grains. We have a lovely field for harvest this summer, and I will start baking when it’s ready.

We do have lots of growing going on now too!

This Week

Snow peas!!!- Sugar snaps will be ready next week.

Beautiful red onions

Kale

Swiss Chard

Green and red romaine lettuce

Butterhead lettuce

Cauliflower and broccoli- light on both- end of the broccoli, beginning of the cauliflower!

Cilantro and Basil!!!!!

We have a nice cooler selection for those of you who have been enjoying it and here is my recipe for the week!

Kale and Strawberry Smoothie

1 cup Kale

1 cup Strawberries

1 cup of plain greek yogurt

1 cup of ice

1 tablespoon chia seeds (these can be purchased at Everything Natural in Altoona, Wholesome Living Marketplace in Bedford or Fisher’s Country store in Cessna)

1 tablespoon honey

Combine ingredients in a blender and run on high until the kale appears to be well incorporated.

The CSA’s will be all market choice this week. Half shares will have a credit of $11.00, Regular shares will have a credit of $21.00 and large shares will have a credit of $32.00. This way you will be able to really customize what you get this week.

Happy St Patty’s day everyone! Lettuce pray.

March 17, 2014 Goodness Grows2 Comments

I took a look around today and I saw life.

: Lettuce and Cauliflower

I’ll leave you with a little poem I wrote for St Patrick’s Day a few years ago:)

Ode to the Potato

Oh we have misunderstood you, dear potato, taking your children but only a few. We depended on them to provide for us and when they got sick, we fled.

Oh how we massively mistreated you, giving you a bad reputation, slicing you skinny and frying you in oil.

We didn’t see the beauty, your rich history, your diversity and complexity.

How I long to find your real roots, so I may restore you to your former glory.

I will plant you today with your eyes looking up.

I will respect you whole.

Week 15- Back To School With Apples

August 25, 2013 Goodness Grows8 Comments

So we’ve got some Ginger Gold apples ready to go into your bags this week. These are an excellent fresh eating variety that mature earlier in the season than most. I also have some New England Pie pumpkins coming your way too, along with some wonderful pumpkin recipes everyone should try.

Pumpkin Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe sounds a little off, but one evening last summer, I was short on spaghetti sauce for our supper. I did have a pumpkin that needed to be used, so I improvised and this is what I came up with. My family and helpers LOVED it!!! Everyone had seconds, and I had enough for everyone, because pumpkins go a long way for a meal!

2 peppers with seeds removed and sliced in half

1 onion

1/2 a pie pumpkin seeds removed

5 tomatoes peeled

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons of oregano leaves

1/4 cup of basil

salt and pepper to taste

In a roasting pan place onion, peppers and pumpkin face down, I add a little water to keep them from drying while roasting. Roast these veggies until the pumkin is soft, about 1 hour. In the mean time, place the remaining ingredients on the stove and simmer for the same amount of time. When all ingredients are done, mix in small batches in the food processor and puree until all ingredients are combined. Serve over spaghetti noodles or rice.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

We all snacked on the seeds while we waited for the spaghetti sauce to cook. This is my usual recipe, but I have added garlic powder, cinnamon or cardamon for extra flavor. Pumpkin seeds Olive oil Sea Salt On a cookie sheet place the pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Roast at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes.

New England Pumpkin Pie

Here’s my relationship with pie- I love to eat it, but making it is a very different story. My mom started making pies long after I was out of the house, as my younger siblings grew more independent. The pie crust is intimidating to me, as far as time commitment goes, so I usually cheat and buy store made pie crusts- that’s my confession. I have no trouble throwing together nearly anything from scratch, but pie crust is a hurdle that I may cross one day, just not today!

I will give you a recipe that makes a wonderful pie filling, but the crust is entirely up to you. If you have a favorite recipe, by all means use it. Or you can opt for the easier softer way of purchasing your favorite brand of ready made crust like I do.

1 roasted pumpkin mashed (instructions for roasting are in the first recipe)

1 cup of sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 can evaporated milk

3 eggs

Blend ingredients together and pour into pie shells. I believe you will get 2 9 inch pies from this recipe, depending on the size of the pumpkin. You could also make lots of little serving pies with the filling if you like, but the baking time will be much shorter.

Bake at 425 for the first 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 and bake for an additional 45 minutes for a 9 inch pie, 20 minutes for a single serve pie.

Acorn Squash

This is my family’s favorite in the garden right now! I usually slice the squash in half, remove the seeds and roast the squash until it is soft. Scoop out the flesh from the skin, mash it and serve like mashed potatoes. I add a little butter, milk and salt to give it a creamier, savory flavor. The boys love it, and so do I because it’s a healthier alternative to white potatoes.

Fried Green Tomatoes

This recipe brings back really good memories about my grandparents, with whom I spent most of my youthful summers. I always loved it when Grandma made this for us grandchildren, I hope you enjoy it too.

Just like the fried squash blossoms, you will need 3 ziplock baggies- 1 with flour, 1 with eggs, and 1 with seasoned bread crumbs. Slice your tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices. In a skillet heat up about 4-5 Tablespoons of oil, then in this order shake the tomato slices until covered in the flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. Saute about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve hot.

What we are getting this week-

1. New England Pie Pumpkin

2. Apples

3. Tomatoes- red and /or green for the “fried green tomato recipe”

4. Peppers

5. Tomatillos

6. Acorn Squash

7. Flour- Wheat or Rye and you can contact me if you have a preference:)

8. Basil for the spaghetti sauce recipe

Have a great week!

Your Farmer,

Dawn

We did it!

August 16, 2013 Goodness Grows5 Comments

Yesterday morning the heavens opened up, angels sang glorious tunes and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture handed me my Commercial Kitchen Certification.

I have been working really hard to get all of my ducks in a row this year. We have had 3 visits from the PA dept of Ag, and 2 from the USDA this year. We have been certified as a commercial Kitchen, approved as a farm producer to accepts Farmer’s Market Nutrition vouchers from seniors, mothers and children, we have been approved to accept snap benefits from low income families. Whew!

Did I mention that I greatly underestimated how much time it takes to cube all of that lamb?

I am not a person that relies on excuses to get by in life, but the last 2 weeks have been a real blur to me. I may have messed up some bags, I know I didn’t get my blog out on time, but really, I am so glad that I have finally reached my goals so I can focus better on our CSA’s. In my original plan, many of these things were to be done before our picking started, but our government just doesn’t operate like that. Se la vie!

The nights have been cold. Our tomatoes didn’t do what they told me they would do this week, so many are still on the plants waiting for that perfect color. I am trying to substitute other items. I personally have had enough of the squash, but it’s doing so well and refuses to quit! I’ll leave you with a recipe this week and look forward to Sunday’s blog to get back on track.

Patty Pan Pizza

The wonderful shape of these squash lend to a Pizza that contains no gluten and low carbs.

Slice the patty pan squash through the center. Sometimes I slice the stem end so the squash sits flat on the pan. Add your favorite pizza toppings, I used pesto from the basil in our CSA’s this week, but regular pizza sauce works well too. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Week 10 – Sunflowers

July 21, 2013 Goodness GrowsLeave a comment

Something special this week…

Each CSA will have a bouquet of sunflowers!

Here’s the full list:

Cucumbers

Basil

Sweet Peppers

Onions

Zuchini

Dill

Bouquet of Sunflowers

Look at these peppers!

Here’s a great recipe for some of this weeks ingredients:

Sweet Pepper Poppers

12 mini sweet peppers
3 slices bacon
1/2 cup (75g) diced onion
4 ounces (112g) cream cheese at room temperature
4 ounces (112g) goat cheese at room temperature
1 teaspoon garlic (about one clove)
2 tablespoons finely sliced green onion (use both green and white parts)
1 lemon, juice and zest
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use more for a spicier popper)
1/4 teaspoon dry oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoon melted butter
3/4 cup (45g) panko breadcrumbs (sometimes called Japenese bread crumbs)
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
Method

Preheat the oven to 375° F (190° C).
Slice each pepper in half lengthwise then use a spoon or your fingers to scoop out any seeds and membrane to make space for your filling.
Cut the bacon crosswise into ¼-inch-thick strips (also called lardons) then add the bacon to a pan over medium heat and cook until golden. Remove the bacon from the pan onto a paper towel.
Add onions to the pan used to cook the bacon; additional fat should not be necessary since fat rendered while cooking the bacon will be left in the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove the garlic and onions, set aside.
Combine both cheeses. Add the bacon, onions, garlic, sliced green onions, the zest and juice of a lemon, red pepper flakes, dry oregano and salt. Stir to combine.
In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parsley with the melted butter.
Spoon the cheese mixture into each pepper half, place filling side down into the buttery breadcrumbs then place filling side up onto a baking sheet.
Bake the sweet pepper poppers for about 20 minutes or until the peppers have softened and the breadcrumbs are crusty and golden brown.
Serve then watch the poppers disappear.

How about some stuffed peppers?

Wild Stuffed Peppers

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3 ounces cremini mushrooms (6 to 8 depending on their size), ends trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup wild rice blend
1 cup chicken broth, divided
1/3 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 red bell peppers (1/2 pound each)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Special equipment: a (9- by 2-inch) square baking dish

Directions

Melt butter and oil together in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until liquid given off by mushrooms has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add rice and toast, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup chicken broth with 1/2 water and stir into rice. Simmer, covered, until rice is cooked through, 45 to 50 minutes. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Preheat oven to 400F.

While rice is cooking, put hazelnuts on a baking pan and toast until golden, 6 minutes. Place in a kitchen towel and rub off any loose skins, then chop. Transfer to a bowl with cherries and cheese.

Halve peppers lengthwise through stem, leaving stem intact. Remove seeds and white ribs with a small sharp knife.

Add rice to ingredients in bowl along with vinegar and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each). Arrange pepper halves in baking dish and divide mixture between each. Pour remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth in dish (not on peppers). Cover tightly with foil and bake until peppers are softened, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake, uncovered, to brown and crisp tops, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Make ahead: Rice mixture can be cooked 1 day ahead and kept covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before stuffing peppers.

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