Wholesome Living Marketplace and Altoona

March 13, 2016 Goodness GrowsLeave a comment

Winding up with such velocity I can barely stand it!
This week, our friend Jess at Wholesome living marketplace is allowing us to take over the store with some of our certified organic goodness for you to choose from! Catch me at the Station Medical Center from 10am-1:30 pm on Friday. Then I’ll swing down to Bedford at Wholesome living marketplace from 3:30-5:00. Saturday morning I’ll be in Frostburg at Mountain City Traditional Arts from 10 am-1pm.

I will be baking my head off, as I have already received orders from several of you who just can’t wait to get some freshly milled, fresh baked breads grown right here on the farm. I also spotted some collard greens out in the field that need to be saved from the plow. I am bringing some micro greens and baby salad blends this week to Altoona, Bedford, and Frostburg.

I want to say that we really can use the financial support through purchases right now, as we are about to embark on a very major, much needed (and expensive) barn repair. We finished the greenhouse project and the new cover and new sides have made our plants, happy, cozy, warm and very productive. I will be bringing some certified organic starts in the weeks to come. So if you plan on having a garden, check with your locally certified organic growers first, before you hit the chemical soaked everyday big box department store plants for food. Busy weeks ahead for Goodness Grows!

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Heirloom Tomato Salsa

August 26, 2014 Goodness GrowsLeave a comment

Today I made salsa from some of the garden goodies our crew picked.

Heirloom Tomato Salsa

Three Houseworth Tomatoes
Three Black Prince Tomatoes
2 Pineapple Tomatoes
1 pint of Bell Star Tomatoes
1 Pint of Tomatillos
3 Carmen Peppers
3 lunchbox Snack Peppers
2 Pimiento peppers
3 sweet onions
3 cloves of garlic
2 left over corn on the cob, cut off the cob
2 Tablespoons of lime juice
1 teaspoon of sea salt

Chop all ingredients into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch pieces and toss with lime juice and salt. Serve chilled.

I only wish I had some cilantro to go with this recipe! It is really hard for me to have cilantro the same time as my tomatoes, peppers and tomatillos, but its coming. Cilantro likes cool weather, while all of the other salsa ingredients like it hot. We had cilantro at the beginning of the summer, but as does the lettuce, it bolts and nothing until it cools down again. I planted cilantro at the beginning of the month, and just transplanted it to the ground last Sunday. Maybe next week we’ll see some of it harvested.

Tuesday is a big picking day at the farm, so if anyone is looking to get some volunteer time in at the farm, Tuesdays are oipen for farm help! Email me if you are interested!

Also we are planning our farm to table dinner for the third week of October. We plan to have our pig roast with live entertainment by “The Canned Hams” more news to follow as the event unfolds!

See you this week!

Dawn

Beans.

July 21, 2014 Goodness GrowsLeave a comment

The beans are in! There’s a lot more too, here’s this week’s haul:

Tomatoes

Eggplant

Beans

Peppers

Cucumbers

Basil

Okra

Zuchini

Patty Pan Squash
IMG_2437[1]

These are the different kinds of beans we grow: Jade- Green, Carson Yellow Wax & Royal Burgundy. They’re all delicious 🙂

Basil

We all know basil is great for making Pesto. Here’s a simple recipe and some excellent ideas for meals and snacks:

Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Special equipment needed: A food processor

Method

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Yield: Makes 1 cup.

Pesto quesadilla (above) take one: pesto, tomato and mozzarella between a whole wheat quesadilla.

Pesto pasta with extra protein: Toss steamed, shelled edamame, lightly sautéed spinach (optional) and whole wheat rotini in pesto. The buttery texture of edamame complements pesto surprisingly well.

Pesto tortilla pizza: Top an organic whole wheat tortilla with pesto, reduced fat mozzarella and sliced tomatoes. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably on a baking rack, until the cheese is golden and bubbling.

Pesto scrambled eggs: cook your scrambled eggs as usual and take the pan off the burner once the eggs are mostly set. Stir in pesto and top with Parmesan and diced tomatoes.

Pesto popcorn: stove top popcorn lightly tossed with pesto and grated Parmesan (optional).

Pesto grilled cheese: layer pesto, mozzarella, and roasted red peppers or tomatoes on good whole wheat bread. Grill. Amazing!

Arugula pesto pizza bagel: Top a 100% whole wheat bagel with pesto, mozzarella pearls and cherry tomatoes. Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about ten minutes, until the cheese is melted. Let the bagels cool slightly and top with arugula that has been lightly tossed in lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Avocado pesto pasta: This might not be the prettiest pasta around, but it sure is tasty. Combine roughly equal parts avocado and pesto in your food processor. Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend thoroughly. Drizzle in extra olive oil if necessary. If you’re feeling adventurous, blend in some goat cheese, too. Toss with whole wheat pasta.

Hoping that everyone is having a great week,

Your Farmer,

Dawn

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!

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.

Mark it on your Calenders!!!

September 24, 2013 Goodness Grows5 Comments

3rd Annual Harvest Celebration

Saturday, October 12th 4pm-8pm

At Goodness Grows’ Farm

Pig Roast- Plus

Lots of Garden Grown Goodies Prepared for you Right Here!!!!

Don’t miss your chance to receive lots of goodies and get to meet other CSA members, and have a great time here on the farm as we will be saying adieu until next spring. Mark it on your calenders and be sure to make it out:)

It looks like this week will be our last distribution until our harvest dinner, but until then we have a great line up for you this week!

This is Boo, our veteran porch kitty, I thought he looked very appropriate in this pic, I couldn’t help but to post it. We are still getting pumpkins for all this week. We are harvesting Musque du Provence, some report that this is the world’s most flavorful pumpkin for fresh eating and making wonderful soups and pies!

Some other items we’ll be getting are:

Butternut Squash

Apples

Sweet Potatoes

Anything left in the gardens that hasn’t been hit with frost!!!

Yes we did get a frost this morning. I walked out around 6:30 this morning and saw ice on our cars and roof tops- ’tis the season. We still have a very busy few weeks ahead of us. We have a USDA technical assistant coming on October 2 to make sure we have as much paperwork as plants- yeah it’s all about the papers- for our organic certifications. We also need to clean up our gardens and put to rest the beds that have been providing for us this year. I’ll be growing in the greenhouse all sorts of goodies this fall and winter, and I’m really exciting about trying some new things out under plastic. Stay Tuned!!!!

I am looking forward to normal work week hours, and catching up on a much needed to do list. I might even get some rest later this winter. But not for now, busy, busy, bizzzeee!

Week 16- Parsnips

September 2, 2013September 2, 2013 Goodness Grows6 Comments

We have some beautiful parsnips for your pot this week along with a recipe for caramelized parsnip skillet, I have saved the last of the celery for this occasion. For those of you who haven’t had parsnips before, they are delicious!!!! Parsnips are closely related to carrots, but they are much sweeter, and they do not store as well. This may be why you don’t see many parsnips at the grocery store. They can get “rubbery” relatively quickly. Also, proper harvesting of parsnips require the soil to not be washed off. This helps to keep them crisp. We will be brushing off the field dirt before we pack them, but you will need to wash your roots before you cook them. Enjoy-

Caramelized Parsnips

1 bunch of parsnips sliced

1 bunch of celery with leaves chopped

2 T butter

1/8 t nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in skillet and add the parsnips, celery, and seasonings. Sautee for about 20 minutes on medium heat or until parsnips begin to brown. Serve hot.

Canning Tomatillos

Wash and rinse canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer’s directions. Remove the dry outer husks entirely from the tomatillos and wash the fruit well. Leave whole; do not peel or remove seeds. Add enough water to cover the tomatillos in a large saucepan and boil them gently until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to the hot jars, 1 T of lemon juice for pints, 2 T lemon juice for quarts. Fill hot tomatillos loosely into hot jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Cover with the hot cooking liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process.

Option 1—Process in a Boiling Water Canner:
Pint jars………………………………………40 minutes
Quart jars……………………………………45 minutes

What’s in the bag-

Tomatoes!!!

Peppers

Parsnips

Celery

Melons

Tomatillos

Apples

Have a great week everyone!

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

Is it really week 14 already?

August 18, 2013 Goodness Grows1 Comment

Time flies when you’re having fun! I have a great line up for this week- some new ingredients to work with:)

Purslane Salad

1 bunch of purslane

1 red onion finely diced

1 tomato finely diced

Dressing

juice of 1 lemon

4 T olive oil

1/2 t salt

Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a jar with a lid. Shake until well blended.

Tear leaves away from the stem of the purslane and chop the stem into 1/4 pieces. Mix the leaves and stems of the purslane with onion and tomato. Pour dressing over the mixture and toss until the purslane is well coated.

Melons!!!!!

We’ll have three different types of cantaloupe along with some watermelons coming on, and you’ll be sure to get at least on kind this week. We have sweet granite, lambkin and banana cantaloupe and sweet favorite watermelon.

Peppers

If you don’t tolerate hot peppers, now would be the time to tell me. I have 4 varieties of sweet peppers planted, and only 2 kinds of hot peppers. We’ll be picking sweet italian peppers, green and yellow bell peppers, aji dulce peppers, and the pimientos are not ready yet. On the hot front, chiles and pablanos.

Tomatillos are still doing great! I wish my tomatoes would take notes from these prolific producers. You’ll still be getting tomatoes too.

Celery

It seams like every other year is a celery year, and this is the year for celery. We have been enjoying it fresh with peanut butter. Wow, our celery is so much better than what you buy in the store, the flavor is intense, and the texture is real!

Spaghetti Squash

Yes it is still going strong this week, and it remains to be my all time favorite veggie!

If you haven’t seen our FB page lately, then I’ll leave you with this thought, as we all have a great week!

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.