Prairie Farm, WI
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
What a fine day we had on Sunday! The event was a great combination of work and play and chit-chat and food. Thanks to all who ventured out to the farm to be part of the day and to all those who volunteered to take on a designated task – really helpful! A special thanks to Spring Hill’s Community Events committee for their planning and their good work in making the day a success. The day was indeed a community effort. We dug a trailer full of potatoes, harvested a whole patch of sweet dumpling squash, cleaned up a big batch of garlic, pressed some really delicious apple cider and gleaned bushels of tomatoes.
Karen Melander had the young ones exploring the farm on a scavenger hunt that sent them off to “pick a milkweed pod, carefully hold the pod high above your head so the milkweed fairies can fly free” and “head for the big trees near the picnic tables, look for paper and crayons to do a bark rubbing” and finally landing at the weeping willow tree to make a wind wand. “When your wand is done; run as fast as you can to make it catch the wind.” Delightful!
Aeron Ridgeway had the attention of the adults as he demonstrated how to make a fermented hot sauce with jalapenos, onion, garlic, tomato and salt. We’re excited to sample the results after the fermentation has done its magic.
As is true of most everything on the farm, weather rules the roost. The heat of the day had us changing our menu for the day; changing many, many years of tradition really, from cooking up a pot of vegetable soup and a pot of potato leek soup to stirring up a gazpacho soup and kale salad. When I ran the plan by Kimberly Laudert, she had this to say, “Gazpacho and Kale salad, sounds good to me as an embracing of late summer and early autumn.”That about sums up the day.
Thank you all.
(Minnesota’s Bounty; 2013)
2 medium acorn squash
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. chopped rosemary (or sage)
¼ cup dry white wine (or broth)
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan, plus a little more for
the garnish
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash cut side up in a baking dish, sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Bake
until the squash is very tender, about 45 minutes to one hour.
2. Remove the squash from the oven, and scoop most of the flesh into a bowl. Mix in the butter, rosemary, wine,
and Parmesan, adding a little more wine to moisten it if necessary. Mound the seasoned squash flesh in the
shells. Top it with the breadcrumbs, and drizzle the oil over the top. Return the squash to the oven, and bake
until the filling is heated through, the cheese is bubbly, and the bread crumbs are crisped.
3. Serve garnished with additional Parmesan.
Sauce – makes 4 cups (Minnesota’s Bounty; 2013)Cookbook author Beth Dooley notes, “This is a go-to sauce. It is great tossed with pasta, spread on pizza, spooned over
sautéed chicken. make an extra batch to can or freeze for later.”
1 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chopped roma tomatoes
½ cup chopped basil
1 tbsp. oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Put the oil in a large pot, and set it over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and sauté, stirring
constantly, for about 15 to 30 seconds, watching that the garlic doesn’t burn. Add the tomatoes, basil, and oregano and
bring the sauce to a boil. reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for about 20 to 25 minutes. For a smooth sauce,
run it through a food mill or strainer. For a rustic sauce, leave it as it is. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
(Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone; 1997)
1 ½ to 2 lbs. kale or mixed greens, stems and ribs removed
Salt and freshly milled pepper
1 small onion, finely diced
1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil
2 plump garlic cloves, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 tsp. chopped rosemary (or sage?)
½ cup dry white wine
1 ½ cups cooked cannellini, rinse well if canned
Freshly grated Parmesan, optional
Simmer the kale in salted water until tender 5 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking water and chop the leaves.
In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the oil with the garlic, pepper flakes, and rosemary for about 3 minutes. Add the
wine and cook until its educed to a syrupy sauce. Add the beans, kale and enough cooking water to keep the mixture
loose. heat through, taste for salt and season with pepper, and serve with a dusting of Parmesan.
https://food52.com/recipes/20271-leek-risotto
Tumbleweed Farm Potato Leek Soup with Herbed Socca Flatebread
https://www.delish.com/cooking/g869/leeks-recipes/?slide=14
Arugula | Basil | Beets | Bok Choy | Braising Mix |Broccoli | Broccoli Raab | Brussels Sprouts | Cabbage | Carrots | Cauliflower | Celeriac | Chard | Cilantro | Collards | Cucumbers | Eggplant | Fennel | Garlic | Green Beans | Jalapenos | Kale | Kohlrabi | Leeks | Lettuce | Onions | Parsley | Parsnips | Pea Vines | Peppers | Potatoes| Pumpkins | Radishes | Rhubarb | Rutabagas | Scallions | Spinach | Sugar Snap Peas | Sweet Potatoes | Tomatillos | Tomatoes | Turnips | Winter Squash | Zucchini |
Not only does your visit to the farm increase the sense of community we all enjoy, but the harvesting/packing/transport of veggies is an essential part of our success. We truly rely on your participation! Many members report appreciating connecting to the land where their food is grown as well. The sooner you sign up the better (more options and helps out our delivery coordinator).