Organic Education
The organic farming community has a long history of working together—if not in absolute harmony, then at least with the idea in mind that success in organic farming is not just about my farm, but about...
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Roasted Winter VegetablesThis is a great “clean-up” recipe that I used to clear out the refrigerator. Plus, it tastes great.4 lbs assorted root vegetables: turnips, celeriac, carrots, beets; winter...
View ArticleIn This Week's Box
Our best estimate for this week’s box…Spinach – This is the season for spinach. Growing close to the ground in what we horticulture-types refer to as a basal rosette – a circle of leaves on an...
View ArticleGoings On On the Farm
Although it’s gotten plenty cold, we missed both of the snows that fell on our neighbors to the north. Overall, the weather remains tremendously dry, so we haven’t had the contend with the freezing...
View ArticleSeed Catalogs
Taking its own sweet time, winter seems finally to have arrived at the farm, where we’ve had a succession of extremely cold mornings. Walking up to harvest some dinner kale, the soil seemed to have...
View ArticleGoings On On the Farm
We’re ready for some snow. It’s kind of nice not to have to spend time plowing snow – last year at this time I was contending with drifts higher than my car - but this grey and rainy weather is getting...
View ArticleIn This Week's Box
The Chinese Cabbage in this week’s share is a testament to the quality of our employees and the initiative they regularly take. I missed the Chinese Cabbage on my regular field tour, but the crew knew...
View ArticleRecipes You Can Use
Overnight Daikon Pickles1 1/2 cups chopped daikon (1/2-inch pieces)3/4 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon rice vinegar1/4 teaspoon ground black pepperToss daikon with salt. Cover, and refrigerate until 1 to 2...
View ArticleGood Food, Good Systems
Over the last twelve years, I’ve worked hard to develop systems at Rock Spring Farm that consistently provide our customers with clean, ready-to-use vegetables and herbs. As the farm grew beyond the...
View ArticleIn the Box
Savoy CabbageDelicata (2)TurnipsRutabagasSpinachGarlicYellow onionsRed BeetsStaying with the too-much-work and too-few-hours theme, I’m going to refer folks to the blog site for recipes:...
View ArticleNo News
With a lot more work than is seemly in early January, and some big picture issues to wrestle with right now, I’ve decided to take the week off from the normal newsletter.The oddly-mild winter weather...
View ArticleRecipes You Can Use
Baked Beets in Rosemary Butter1 lb beets1 Tbsp butter1 Tbsp olive oil1 tsp chopped rosemaryPreheat oven to 400. Halve beets if they are large, otherwise use them whole. Place them in a covered baking...
View ArticleIn This Week's Box
Our best estimate…CarrotsCeleriac – the ugly, somewhat knobby root that smells just like celery. In fact, genetically speaking, it is celery, just a variety that has been bred for its swollen root...
View ArticleScale on the Market Farm
I’m writing this from Little Rock, Arkansas, where I am doing a presentation on farm financials for the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group. It’s another in a string of presentations I...
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Beet, Carrot, and Daikon SaladDaikon radish are popular in Japan, where they account for 15% of that country’s vegetable production. We frequently enjoy them sliced, raw, as a foil to salty meats or...
View ArticleIn This Week's Box
ShallotsGarlicHeart of Gold SquashSavoy CabbageBeet MedleyPurple Top TurnipsFresh Winter SpinachDaikon RadishWorld Famous Carrots
View ArticleLocal Food Lies, Part I
I’m tired of hearing about how local food is fresher than produce trucked in from California, Arizona, and Mexico. “Freshness” relates to the amount of biological activity that has occurred from the...
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Roasted Fall Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar4 lbs assorted root vegetables: turnips, rutabaga, celeriac, winter radish, carrots, beets; winter squash works well too.3 tablespoons olive oila smattering...
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Rutabagas – Enough said, I think.Scarlet Turnips – Truly one of my favorite vegetables. Use them just like you would purple top turnips. They have a sweeter flavor that offsets the slightly metallic...
View ArticlePutting Down a Rutabaga
Back in 1993, on a cold near-winter’s day at Harmony Valley Farm’s market stand in Madison, Wisconsin, I started juggling rutabagas as a way to pass the time and attract some attention on a day with...
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Crisped ShallotsA staple of Southeast Asian cuisine, crisped shallots have been gaining popularity as a topping for almost everything lately.Several shallots, thinly sliced and separated into rings3/4...
View ArticleIn This Week's Box
Beet Medley—Beets of several different stripes, including gold, red, and Chioggia. I will definitely be baking these this week, to take the most advantage of the diversity of colors and interior...
View ArticleOrganic Farming Conference
Last week, most of the Rock Spring Farm crew traveled to La Crosse for the MOSES Organic Farming Conference. I traveled over on Tuesday in his role as conference co-director, and started work with the...
View ArticleRecipes You Can Use
Wilted Spinach Salad1/2 lb fresh spinach4 Tbsp olive oil1 garlic clove, peeled and pressed1/2 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts– or almonds2 Tbsp balsamic vinegarsaltfreshly ground pepperHeat the oil in a...
View ArticleLast Box
I suppose that, upon writing the newsletter for Rock Spring Farm's last CSA box, one ought to have some profound thoughts.This last box brings mixed feelings of regret and relief. I’ve made enough...
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