Watermelon radish Tag

10 Oct

Posted at 18:30h in On The Farm, Weekly Share by
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This week at the farm we are gearing up for our harvest festival. We are very excited that local bluegrass band Goose Creek Pioneers will be joining us this year. They will be performing on and off from 2-5 pm this Saturday October 13th. We will also have a drum circle with Valerie Hopkins, Professional Musician and Rhythm Facilitator, of Drum Circles Heal. Join us for crafts, relay races, garlic seed splitting, a wagon ride and more! The Coffee Scoop, Bucks County Cookie Company and Owowcow Creamery will be selling their treats and hot coffee. And, drumroll, you asked and they’re here! Blooming Glen Farm t-shirts, printed by Green Changes on gorgeous organic cotton, and designed by CSA member Chris Caruso, will be for sale!!

For $1 you can participate in tasting (and voting on) all the fabulous pies in our pie bake-off contest. During dinner the winner will be presented with the “pie” trophy (a beautiful piece of ceramic artwork by tile artist Katia McGuirk), to be kept for one year, then passed on to next year’s winner! It’s not too late to enter a pie- just shoot us an email! Potluck dinner will be around 5 pm (bring a dish to share, and your own place settings and beverage). CSA members and musicians Cliff Cole and Brian Pearson will entertain us with their musical talents during dinner. See you this Saturday at 2pm!

CSA share, week 22, 10/9/12

Fall radishes are here, in the share and at our market stands. The long white daikon radish is an Asian staple: its name is Japanese for “great root”, and it’s no wonder when they can reach lengths up to 3 feet long. Daikons are said to aid the digestion of fatty foods and can be eaten raw- grated or in fine matchsticks. The daikon radish can also be used as you would a turnip, in stews and soups where they provide a bright, refreshing note. They can also be stir-fried, pickled, baked or simmered.

Watermelon Radishes on the left; Daikon Radish growing in the field

The watermelon radish is round and and could easily be mistaken for a turnip, but when sliced open it looks just like a watermelon with a green rind and a bright rosy-pink interior.  It’s a bit milder and sweeter than regular radishes, and much larger. Though they can be braised, roasted or mashed, I think they are best enjoyed raw, for in its natural state you can trully appreciate it’s stunning pink color and flavor. Slice them up and enjoy with your favorite dip, or grate them into a salad (peel off the tough outer skin first).

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.

01 Nov

Posted at 17:45h in Weekly Share by
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A whopping six inches of heavy snow fell on the farm this weekend… a first for the end of October, but considering the fall we’ve had, not all that surprising. A few crops that we thought we might have for this week and next are buried under snow (arugula) or just didn’t hold up to the hard freeze (swiss chard). But thanks to the high tunnels, we have bok choy, head lettuce and greens. Next week is the last pick-up of the season: Tuesday, November 8th and Friday, November 11th.

November 1, 2011

In the share this week are a few new crops you may not be familiar with.

The watermelon radish when sliced looks just like a watermelon with a green rind and rosy pink interior.  The color intensifies with a splash of vinegar.  Gorgeous in a salad raw, this radish can also be roasted, added to stir fries, sautéed, added to stews, or even boiled and mashed (peel the skin first). Milder than most radishes, it is actually slightly sweet with a nice crisp bite when raw. The watermelon radish is an heirloom variety of the Daikon.

In the squash family there is a choice of cheese pumpkin, blue hubbard squash and butternut.

A classic pumpkin of the 19th century, the Long Island Cheese pumpkin was likely named for its shape and color, which bring to mind a wheel of dairy-fresh cheese. The name may also come from the colonial practice of making “pumpkin cheese”, a somewhat sweet preserve (or what we would call pumpkin butter) from squashes that do not store well. This pumpkin has a sweet flesh that’s good for baking.

The Blue Hubbard winter squash is believed to have originated in the West Indies, and first arrived in Marblehead, Massachusetts in the 1700’s. It is described as “starchy, dry, thick, flaky, floury, melting, nutty and fine-textured with a brilliant orange flesh”. It has excellent storage properties. When kept in a cool place (around 50°) it will last for a few months. It is delicious in pies, for which it is best known, but it can also be cut into serving size pieces and baked or steamed. Because of its grainy texture, it is often mashed or pureed with butter and seasonings before serving. You can bake it whole, or if it is too large, cut it, or break it by putting it in a big plastic bag and dropping it on the ground. Excellent source of Vitamin A and contains fair amounts of iron and riboflavin.

The butternut squash has the longest storage potential of all squash. The butternut has a bright orange, moist flesh with a nutty flavor and a tan exterior skin and bulbed end. It is very versatile for cooking. Bake in sections in oven with skin on, or peel off the skin, cube and boil, then blend into soup.

Saturday's snowy harvest.

Photos and text by Tricia Borneman, Blooming Glen farmer and co-owner.