Wednesday, September 22, 2010

End of Summer Harvest

Today was autumn officially began.  My final three days of summer harvest kept up the tradition of the cherry tomato.  On Monday, I picked 3 Green Zebras and 24 cherry tomatoes:


This was followed up by Tuesday with 3 Green Zebra and 6 Cherry Tomatoes:




And today, the last day of summer gave me 1 Bell Pepper, 1 Green Zebra and 42 Cherry Tomatoes.



Good-bye Summer....hello Autumn. 

Monday, September 20, 2010

North Fork Adventures

Today was a beautiful 70 degrees, the sun was shining and there was a light breeze blowing in.  We took a ride out to the Twin Forks today to get pumpkins, gourds, mums and apples.  We stopped at some great places along the way.  We made a loop starting on Main Road and then over to Sound Avenue. 

We began the day at Bayview Farm Market.  It is located at 891 Main Road, Aquebogue, NY 11931.  They have a huge assortment of locally grown produce.  In addition to the usual fall favorites of pumpkins, squash, gourds and apples, they carry other great produce, baked goods and products.  The best deal I saw was the corn.  They carry a bag of 40 ears of corn for $10!!!  It is all bagged for you.  Who says that fresh produce is expensive?  Buy this bag, remove the husks, boil the corn for 3-4 minutes, cut the corn off the cobs and store the kernels in zip top bags in the freezer.  You will have enough corn to feed you and your family in the winter and until next corn season.  Here are the bags:


Here is what the corn will look like as cut it and store it:



We also saw some great sunflowers. 



We saw some great fruit as well.  I bought a quart of grapes to make some jelly. 

Beautiful concord grapes
I also saw some great peaches so I had to capture them.  I did not buy them this time, but maybe on my next trip.


But I think my favorite things were the assorted pumpkins and other squashes.  I wanted to buy them all.

The aptly named Turban Squash
Long Island Cheese Pumpkins


Pumpkins
And since it is one of the great crops at this time of the year, I had to have this great cauliflower.  It was $1.99 for the entire thing!


Overall, the prices were great.  The pumpkins were 69 cents per pound.  They also had butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash for 99 cents per pound.  Another great deal was the 50 pound bag of potatoes for $9.  You can feed a lot of people on that - buy it and share with some friends. 

They also carry Long Island duck and duck breast.  They have duck eggs as well.

This farm market carries pies, jams, honey and all the other items you want in a great East End locale.  Of course they also sell the must have item for any fall farm tour - Roasted Corn.  Hot, fresh and dipped in melted butter.  Nothing says "autumn is here" like veggies drowning in butter.

I highly recommend this market.  It is located just a few miles east of Route 104 on the south side of Main Road in Aquebogue.  It is one of the furthest east farm markets if you do not like to travel too far.  Stop in.



We also stopped another stand on Main Road in Aquebogue where we bought some great mums.  They were 4 for $10 and are huge.  I bought my favorite colors:  Maroon, Gold and Maroon with Gold Centers for my alma mater Boston College.  These will look great in my flower beds.

They also carried straw bales for $4.99 each.  I buy one each year to put together my front yard display.



They carry corn stalks and other fall flowers such as Montauk Daisy along with decorative cabbage and kale.   Stop into this great bargain located on the south side of Main Road.



Next we stopped at the Wickham Fruit Farm Stand located at 28700 Main Road (Route 25) in Cutchogue, NY.  I found a blue pumpkin variety called Queensland Blue to add to my collection. 



They also had large pumpkins, including the bright white pumpkins.  These are a great addition to a fall display and give a great contrast to the orange pumpkins that one would expect.  Every year I want to buy one of the large pumpkins but since I cannot lift them, maybe that is a sign that I do not need them.


And since we were at Wickhams we had to buy a pie.  All the pies are made with fruit they grow themselves.  They are also known for their donuts.  You can buy a bag for a few bucks!  Apple crumb pie was the choice for us at about $12.  Overall, this is a great stop along the way.
All the pumpkins were 69 cents per pound.  The website is http://www.wickhamsfruitfarm.com/.  Check it out.


We took a turn to Sound Avenue where we passed some great farms and stands but did not stop.  We also passed some great vineyards.  They are for another day.

We stopped at Harbes Farm which is on the north and south side of Sound Avenue.  We bought two plain old pumpkins.  This spot has fall adventure for $6.95 mid-week and $9.95 on the weekends.  There are a ton of activities for the family.

Harbes also has wines and u-pick fruit and pumpkins.  And of course - Fresh Roasted Corn!

Our last stop on the North Fork was Garden of Eve Organic Farm.  We bought white pumpkins and some other varieties of various colors.  They are beautiful and add some great color to my display. I bought white Lumina Pumpkins, Blue Hubbard Squash, Cinderella pumpkin and a white and orange variety.  Photos to come.

The Milk Pail Country Store

After a long morning on the North Fork I wanted to head to the South Fork to get some fresh apples.  I know exactly where to go - The Milk Pail. 

                                                     

                     

                         

                           


This place is full of history and I wanted to see it for myself.  The Halsey family has been farming in the Mecox Bay area of Long Island since 1640.  The Milk Pail Country Store is located on the north side of Montauk Highway in Water Mill, just east of town.  They grow the fruit in their own orchards and sell in the stand where you can see the fruit trees all around.  They also sell some pumpkins, pies, donuts, cider and homemade ice cream.  The ladies were so nice and very helpful.  I told them I was looking for apples to make applesauce and they told me that they sell their "seconds"  for half price!  At $1.69 that was a great price and you do not get much fresher than straight from the orchard.  And the "seconds"  looked like apples you might find in lesser grocery stores. You can buy apples a bit less at the grocery store but it was worth the few extra cents to be able to speak directly to the growers and see where the fruit comes from.  The money all went to the farmer and not to trucking companies and other middle men.  Overall, this was a great stop and a locavore's dream. 

Here is what $20 bought me, just under 14 lbs:

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Thanksgiving Dinner - Apple and Sausage Stuffing


All of the stores, farm stands and farmers market are over flowing with apples.  It is apple season here on Long Island and it is welcome.  Nothing says the fall is coming like the sight of these beautiful fruits.  The cool nights, the sound of leaves crunching underfoot and the smell of apples all tell me that my favorite season is here.  And since fall is the season of the harvest, it is no wonder I love it so much.  When I saw the apples in the store yesterday I knew I needed to make something seasonal for Sunday dinner.  I pulled out the pork chops and thought about what I could make.  I remembered the apple sauce from last year (one jar left!!)  But what can I make with fresh apples?  I know: apple sausage stuffing.  This is also the stuffing I use on Thanksgiving.  I stuff my turkey with it and make extra on the side.  It is so good with turkey - the flavors of the apples really goes well with the turkey meat.  This recipe is just all around good - no matter what you serve it with.

Ingredients:

1 large fry or saute pan
1 lb. bulk Italian Sausage (or take the meat out of the sausage casing)
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 large carrot or 1 small carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 Granny Smith Apple, chopped
1.5 to 2 cups chicken stock or broth (depending on how moist you like it to be)
1 cup apple juice
11 Slices stale White Bread, cut into cubes
2 sage leaves, chopped
1/2 stem fresh rosemary, chopped
5 stems fresh Italian parsley, chopped
3 small stems thyme, remove leaves from stem
1 large casserole dish
non-stick spray

Here's how:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the pan on stove top to medium heat.  Place sausage meat into a pan and brown.  Stir and break up the meat with your spoon as it cooks.  After 7 minutes it should be brown, and you can see no pink.  Remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and place it on a small plate.  You want to leave the fat behind. 

Once the meat is removed, add butter and let it melt.  Add the celery, celery, onion and apple and cook for 15 minutes until soft and translucent.

Add chicken stock and apple juice to the vegetable mixture and stir up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Turn off the heat on the stove.

Add the bread cubes and herbs to the pan and stir until all the bread is wet and the liquid is gone.  Spray casserole dish with cooking spray then add the entire mixture.  Cover with foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and cook for another 30 minutes. 

Now here is the illustrated version:

Do all of your prep work first, it makes it much easier to just add as you go.

Leave the bread out overnight on the counter:



Cube the bread into 5 by 4 pieces:









 Chop carrots.  Cut the carrot in half the long way, then in half again.  Then chop into small pieces:


Chop celery.  Slice the celery the long way into 4-5 pieces.  Then chop into small pieces.  I like to also use the leafy part of the celery that is in the heart.





Chop onions:




Core the apple and slice it into pieces.  Then chop into small pieces.  I use and apple corer to make it easier.  You can leave the skin on if you want.






Now it is time to cook.  My Whole Foods was out of bulk sausage but they had patties, which is bulk sausage in a round shape.  Place the meat into the pan and brown. Remove once done.




Add butter, apple and veggies. 


Cook for for 15 minutes:



 Add apple juice and chicken stock.  I don't usually buy this brand.  But I forgot to buy organic juice.  So I picked some up at Walmart.  Sorry, I like to buy organic but I am not a purist. 






Add the bread and herbs.  Mix until well combined and all the liquid is absorbed.  Add to a sprayed large casserole dish. 



Cover and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to cook for 30 minutes.  It will be browned on top and delicious on the inside.  It serves 6 people.


 
All done

 

Sunday's picks

Today was a wonderfully warm day.  What was supposed to be in the 70s turned into the 90s!  Tomorrow the tomatoes will be ready for sure after this warmth.  But this morning was a bit sparse.  Considering it has been in the 50s at night, that is to be expected.  But as long as the frost stays away, I will keep picking and looking forward to my next harvest.

1 Arkansas and 16 Cherry Tomatoes

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Green Pepper Pickin'

I began green pepper seeds indoors in March.  I bought Cal Wonder Bell Sweet Pepper Seeds from Seeds of Change and planted them in an organic seed starter soil in peat pots.  I watered them, gave them sun and kept them warm.  The week of May 24 I put out the seedlings into the garden which I had tilled and added compost and manure to.  The soil was ready and warm enough to plant in.  And now, all these months later, as the season comes to a close, the green peppers were ready to pick.  The plants are still small but the peppers are coming in nicely.  I picked 2 green peppers.  Finally!!!  They are on the smaller side but very nice.  There are several more peppers growing out there and I hope they are ready in a few days.

The cubanelle (frying) peppers are coming back in again too.  They had grown very well back in July and August and then stopped.  I left the plants in and waited.  Well, that was a good idea because I picked 2 more today with a couple more still growing.

The Green Zebras are getting big on the plants and there are about a dozen almost ready to pick.  I picked 2 today but anticipate that on Monday they will be ready to pick too.  You can tell when they are ready when it turns yellow and the stripes remain green.  Also, they will feel like a ripe tomato if you place your hand around it and give it a light squeeze.  They are delicious when sliced thin and put on a homemade pizza.  They are also good to eat out of your hand.

The Cherry tomatoes are still going strong.

Here is the picture from today:

2 Cubanelles, 2 Green Zebra, 2 Bell Peppers, 25 Cherry Tomatoes

September 17, 2010 Tomatoes

Yesterday was a warmer day than it has been.  There were only cherry tomatoes ready.  They really have been the most reliable tomatoes this season.  I just wish I liked to eat them...

32 cherry tomatoes


Thursday, September 16, 2010

Mayflower Harvest

Another cool morning greeted me as I strolled through the veggie bed.  Slowly I see the garden getting ready for a slumber.  The carrot tops are high and look ready.  I think I am going to over winter them again this year.  It worked really well.  You just leave them in the garden and can pull them up as you need.  The ground and the snow act like a root cellar.  It was very cool when I pulled carrots in April that were so sweet and made great carrot cake.

The tomatoes are still producing and I will be picking the peppers finally this weekend. 

The herbs are still going and will for a while.  The basil will die at first frost.  The chives will survive until the first freeze.  The woody stemmed herbs usually last until Thanksgiving.  I go out and pick sage, thyme and rosemary for the stuffing each Thanksgiving morning.  There is something so fitting about my thoughts of that ultimate harvest feast since on this day in 1620, the Pilgrims left England on the Mayflower to start out on their journey.  When I was in the garden looking at those herbs I was struck by the thought of the Pilgrims at this time of year, gathering up the ends of the harvest, drying the herbs, and preparing for the winter.  When I am in the garden these are the things that I reflect upon; the connection to nature and the connection to our proud American past.  And so, the garden reminds me of where I am came from and those brave men and women who endured 66 days at sea for freedom.  I give thanks and think of those who landed on Plymouth Rock and cultivated not only the soil but a great tradition of celebrating the gifts from the ground and the bounty of the harvest.

2 Green Zebra, 1 Roma and 27 Cherry

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Cherry Tomatoes Still Rocking

This morning when I headed out into the garden I realized I should have put on a long sleeve shirt.  The days are getting shorter and the mercury is dropping.  While my plants are still full of fruit, they are taking too long to ripen.  Today was a small harvest but I am still holding out for the remaining fruit to surprise me. 

That is the beauty of gardening, you never never know what you are going to get out of each seed, each plant, each season.  I am perpetually hopeful each spring that this year will be the ONE.  The year when there is no blight, no pests and nothing but perfection.  But nature is not perfect and each year has its ups and downs.  In the end, maybe it is perfect, perfectly the way it is meant to be.  And I am continually reminded me that I cannot control it, nature knows how it goes.  So this year was the year of the Cherry Tomatoes.  I did make that one perfect Cherry Tomato and Mozzarella salad.  Perhaps that is what it is all about - that one perfect tomato, the one perfect dish that makes it all worth it...and that makes me do it all again each year.


31 Cherry and 1 Roma

This Week's Sales

The flyers were in the mail for the grocery sales.  Here is what I think are great prices for organic and natural food and products this week.  There are a few local deals thrown in for good measure:

Stop and Shop

Gerber Organic 2nd Foods 2 pack - 2 for $3
Nature's Promise Organic Pasta Sauce - 2 for $5
Nature's Promise Bread - $1.99 loaf

King Kullen

Bell and Evans Antibiotic Free Split Chicken Breast -$2.99
Seventh Generation Bath Cleaner or Multi-Surface - $3.10 each
Organic Gala Apples - $1.99 lb

Waldbaums

Organic Yams $1.49 lb
Green Way Sunday Roaster, Ready to Eat - $7.99 each

Pathmark

Green Way Fresh Chicken Sale 25% off, this includes chicken sausage

3 DAY SALE ONLY FROM FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY:
Marcal Small Steps 12 Roll Bathroom Tissue - $4.99
Marcal Small Steps 8 Roll Paper Towel $4.99
Marcal Small Steps 250 ct napkins - $1.99

Best Yet

Fresh Farmland All Natural Pork Tenderloins - $3.99 lb
Naturewell All Natural Angus Top Round London Broil $2.89 lb
Full Circle Organic Milk half gallon - $3.49
LOCAL: Upstate NY Sweet Gala or Honey Crisp Apples - 99 cents lb
LOCAL: Upstate NY Sweet Cortland or Macintosh Apples 69 cents lb
LOCAL: Upstate NY Butternut, Spaghetti or Acorn Squash - 49 cents lb
LOCAL: Long Island Grown 9" Mums or Asters 3 for $11

Uncle Guiseppe's

Marcal Small Steps Family Napkins 350 ct - 2 for $4
Organic Grapes $2.99 lb
Earthbound Farm Organic Baby carrots 1 lb - $1.99
Earthbound Farms Organic Romaine Hearts 3 ct bag - $2.99
LOCAL: New York State Tote Bag Apples 99 cents lb

Whole Foods:

LOCAL: New York State Apple Totes 89 cents lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $2.99 lb
Stonyfield Farms Organic Low Fat Yogurts 3 for $5
Organic Ciabatta Bread 99 cents
LOCAL: Lioni Fresh Mozzarella made in Union, NJ $4.99 lb

Lowe's

Green Works Natural Laundry Detergent 90 oz - $11.97

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Happy Birthday Dad Harvest

Happy Birthday Dad!   Here is my harvest for today.

2 Arkansas Traveler, 1 Roma, 11 Cherry


These were put into the freezer.  It is geting full in there.  Sauce to come soon.