Morning Song Farm News

I should post this email from time to time, so that newcomers to our CSA won't miss out. Leafy Green Storage is a huge issue. As organic farmers, we know we can't rely on chemical preservatives or fungicides to keep your leafy greens fresh and tasty during the week. So proper storage is critical. A new subscriber said that she'd googled a recomendation to put leafy greens in a paper bag with a paper towel inside, and I have to say I think that is pretty much going to guarantee a poor outcome. Frankly, other than stomping on them first, I can't think of a worse plan for storing fragile leafy greens.   That paper towel will suck the moisture out of the leafy green, wilting it quickly, and the paper bag is too porous, and will compound the problem.  I often use simple tupperware type containers, or zip locks, although the best method is to use the Green Storage bags that you see advertised here and there.   I get mine at the 99 cent store, but I t...

Just the soup to enjoy to celebrate the beginning of the warm months! Ingredients 1 tablespoons olive oil 3 1/4 cups thinly sliced leeks 1 medium russet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh fennel, divided 1/4 teaspoon (or more) freshly grated nutmeg Fine sea salt 1/8 cup plain nonfat yogurt 1 tablespoon very thinly sliced lemon peel (yellow part only) Small fresh fennel sprigs (for garnish) Preparation Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until softened and wilted, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes (do not brown). Add potato; stir to coat. Add broth, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup with 2 tablespoons fennel and nutmeg in blender until very smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Season to taste with...

Preheat oven to 350. Peel off the outer skin of each tuber, and then carefully slice into long, thin sections. In a separate bowl, combine a quarter cup of either olive oil or virgin coconut oil with a couple crushed garlic cloves, dash of tabasco sauce, pepper and salt to taste. Dump your cut sweets into your oil mixture, toss, and then scatter on a baking sheet. Bake until tender. Enjoy!

Actual sweet potatoes on the left, African yams on the right. Sweets or Yams? Most of us think that the dryer, lighter fleshed tuber is a sweet potato, while the orange fleshed variety is a yam. But actually, both are sweet potatoes, botanically. This is important to know, because the two; yams vs. sweet potatoes have distinctly different nutritional benefits. The tubers we normally see in the grocery store or farmers markets here in the US are almost always Sweets. Often grocers refer to the light skinned ones as Sweets, and the orange fleshed ones, in the image at left, as yams. True yams are grown in Africa as a staple, and are rarely seen in grocery stores domestically. (For comparison, see the image above of the African yam. The true yam is rough skinned, and can grow to an astounding 150 pounds. Sweets are smooth skinned and certainly aren't known for rivaling livestock in weigh-ins. All Sweets, whether light fleshed or orange fleshed, are morning glory relatives. Though...

This is so quick and easy, smooth and delicious, it may become a favorite quick breakfast meal! Ingredients: 2 medium cooked yams (I throw them in the oven when I'm cooking something else, and then have them at the ready when I want to use them for this or another quick recipe. They can also be easily microwaved) 3 cups vanilla yogurt 1 cup milk 2 cups crushed ice 1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cinammon 1 ripe banana Blend until smooth. Serves 8.

Come on out to Morning Song Farm’s beginning cheese making class! Come visit the farm that feeds you and learn something new! We'll focus April 20 th ’s class on a few of the fun and easy cheeses that will easily turn you into a cheese maker! Impress your friends with cheesy gifts and try out a fun and different hobby that brings dividends of appreciation. You may find that you'll discover a passion for cheese as we have here at Morning Song Farm. It's easier than you'd ever think! Follow along with handouts and easy to follow recipes so that your success is insured when you repeat the steps at home. We'll talk about which milk to use, cultures, and why certified organic milk isn't always your best choice. We'll make two or three different cheeses; Garlic Ricotta, Herbed Queso Fresca, Fromage Blanc, Paneer, Feta and Neufchatel cream cheese are among those we choose to make and sample during the class.  Class starts at 9:00. Arrive 15 minutes ear...

kumquats and honey This is a great recipe to introduce yourself to the pleasures of both cooked kumquats (which, incidentally will fill your kitchen with the other-worldly aroma of simmering kumquats) and sauteed, freshly harvested young fennel leaf. Combined, they make a lovely stir fry with a little wilted spinach over a nice basmati rice. Young leafy fennel and butter To do: I cut a handful of kumquats longwise, and flicked out the seeds. Toss kumquats in the smallest pan you have, add water and a quarter cup of honey. If you have honey on the shelf that has crystalized, here's a good use for it. I cook down the kumquats until the liquid has thickened somewhat. Leave the pan uncovered, and as the liquid reduces; you'll enjoy a little "aroma therapy":) Finished Product I sliced the tender stems and leafy green of the fennel and sauteed with a bit of butter until the fennel leaf is tender, and then set aside. This doesn't take long, the fennel toda...