Amarosia Organic Garden

Renelle came to help out last Monday. She works for Rogers where she manages scheduling of shows, but she took a vacation day to get some hands on experience of how an organic farm works.

Of course she spent much of the day weeding (which is a good illustration of a typical day on an organic farm!) but also tried out our new Glaser Wheel Hoe, did some bed preparation and used the Earthway Seeder to seed the latest batch of salad.

Finally she got to taste the first of our early melons… hopefully there will be lots more to follow (melons and helpers that is!)

Latah are the earliest ripening tomatoes this year. They are a small red tomato which vary in shape from round to miniature beefsteak (flattened). They have green shoulders, as do many heritage varieties, which makes people think they are under-ripe. They are super juicy with a well balanced flavour; the perfect mix of sweet and acid.

Greg Wingate of Mapple Farm in Weldon, NB grows the seed (which is also available from Hope Seeds and Perennials) along with seeds for a selection of other early ripening and unique vegetables suitable for growing in our short season conditions.

They are a ‘determinate’ tomato, meaning that they produce all of the fruit at the same time and have a more compact bushy form (not vining) which is the reason that they ripen early when other tomato plants are still getting taller and sending out new growth.

Bloody Butcher are another winner this year. Slightly later ripening than Latah but with larger fruits and a greater yield. They also taste phenomenal. I was introduced to this variety by my Dad who told me that they were the best tomato he had ever eaten. Tracking down the seed proved to be tricky however as they are very rare, but I managed to find it at Cottage Gardener Heirloom Seeds in Ontario.

They have an oval form and green shoulders. They are juicy and are a taste test winner this year. They also have ‘potato leaves’ like Brandy Wine and Pruden’s Purple. Perhaps the greater surface area allows them to photosynthesize better because they started to ripen only 2-3 days after the Latah Tomatoes and have produced a heavy crop on small sturdy plants.

Gold Nugget are tiny yellow cherry tomatoes with a really intense flavour; this is unusual in yellow tomatoes which are normally very mild. They are also super productive and very early ripening.

They grow on sprawling bushy plants that are literally covered in berries.

Legend was our first large tomato to ripen. It is a round, red tomato with no green shoulders, so it looks more like a ‘typical’ tomato. However, its flavour is far superior. I sat in the field last week and ate one of these tomatoes picked fresh from the vine and all I could think about for that minute or so was how darned good it tasted. Quite an accomplishment for a very stressed and overworked farmer who can think about nothing but what needs to be weeded next!

The plants are bushy, compact and determinate and produce a very early heavy set of tomatoes. Seeds for Legend are available from Mapple Farm.

Tomato seedlings for all of the above, plus a wide selection of other Heritage tomatoes will be available from the farm next year. Call in advance to reserve your preferred varieties:-)

When we get back from the Market we are EXHAUSTED! We are up at 4am so I want something simple and delicious to make for our dinner. This recipe takes a maximum of10 minutes  to prepare (most of the time is spent waiting for the water to boil) and can be reproduced by the least able chef.

In addition this recipe was prepared entirely from ingredients found at the Dieppe Market. The vegetables are fresh, organic and in season. Even the pasta and goats cheese are freshly made by local farmers and artisans.

The lemon and olive oil were imported, but New Brunswick is not a great climate for growing lemons or olives, and it’s always better to shop at local stores than giant supermarkets. You know that the quality will be good and the service is infinitely better.

For anyone who says that they don’t have time to eat right… they are not shopping at the Dieppe Market!

Light Zucchini Pasta with Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Serves 4. Takes 10 minutes to prepare.

• fresh pasta for 4 people (Pasta Casalinga)
  
• 1 large or 2 smaller zucchini (Amarosia Organic Garden)
• Fresh Mint (Amarosia Organic Garden)
• 8 squash blossoms (Amarosia Organic Garden)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (Mediterranean Market)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (La Fleur du Pommier)
• 1 garlic clove (Amarosia Organic Garden)
• goats cheese, quark, ricotta or other soft cheese (Ferme Au Fond des Bois or Armadale Farm)

1. Cook Pasta.
2. While pasta is cooking stuff a pinch of cheese into the centre of the squash blossoms (be as generous as you like!).
3. Finely slice zucchini and then cut crossways into thin sticks, then marinade with olive oil, lemon juice and coarsely chopped garlic with a chopped sprig of mint.
4. Drain cooked pasta and mix in marinaded zucchini then gently stir in stuffed squash blossoms.

Enjoy outside under the trees, soaking up the late afternoon sunshine.

Small Boxes contain 5 of the following, large boxes contain 10.

1. Royal Burgundy beans
2.  ’Diva’ English Cucumbers
3. Rainbow of Carrots
4. Radicchio
5. ‘Orient Express’ Eggplant
6. ‘Bloody Butcher’ Tomatoes
7. Mixed Salad Greens
8. “Zephyr’ Summer Squash
9. ‘8-Ball’ Zucchini
10. Mixed Asian Greens

Friday 7am In the field

Saturday 7am Proudly displayed at the Dieppe Market

Saturday 7:01 am Nestled in a customers shopping basket

Saturday 12 Noon. Local, Organic Lunch.

1. Shelling Beans
2. Lebanese Cucumbers
3. Radicchio
4. Bloody Butcher Tomatoes
5. A Rainbow of beans
6. Napoli Carrots
7. Asian Greens
8. Spaghetti Squash
9. Epazote

1. 8-Ball Zucchini
2. Latah Tomatoes
3. Mesclum Salad
4. Lebanese Cucumber
5. Goldy Zucchini
6. English Cucumber
7. Lemon Cucumber
8. Napoli Carrots
9. Mint
10. Green Beans
11. Scallopini Squash
12. Broccoli
13. Spring Onions
14. Oregano

Small boxes contain a selection of 8 of the following while the large boxes contains a selection of 12./ Nos petits paniers contiennent huit des items suivants, tandis que nos grands paniers en contiennent douze.

1. Calaloo: A Caribbean green that is great steamed with onions, tomato, garlic, thyme and hot peppers./ Calaloo: Une verdure Caribbéenne qui est très bonne cuit à la vapeur avec des oignons, tomates, ail, thym et piments chauds.

Spaghetti Squash: stab with a sharp knife and either microwave for approx 7 mins (turn half way through) until soft (cook for a little longer if not fully softened), then allow to cool a little before slicing in half. Scoop out the seeds then use a spoon to scrape out the flesh (notice the fine, spaghetti-like texture). Serve with olive oil and lemon juice or a spaghetti sauce. / Courge spaghetti: Percer la courge avec un couteau et cuire au four micro-onde pendant environ 7 minutes (tourner à mi-temps) jusqu’à ce que la courge soit molle, puis laisser refroidir un peu avant de trancher la courge en deux. Retirer les graines puis utiliser une cuillère pour évider la courge. Remarquer la texture comme du spaghetti fin. Servir avec des olives et jus de citron ou une sauce spaghetti. OU

2. Crookneck Squash: The best tasting summer squash, they resemble cave mans clubs! Slice up and add to summer soups, casseroles and stews, dip in batter and deep fry or brush with olive oil and grill on the barbecue./Courge Crookneck: La courge la plus savoureuse, elle ressemble à une massue d’homme de caverne. Trancher et ajouter aux soupes, casseroles et ragouts. Tremper dans pate à frire et faire frire ou brosser d’huile d’olive et griller sur le barbecue.

3. Mesclum Salad: Tasty Asian greens plus a mild tender mix of 5 different lettuces. Notice how as the weather gets colder the red lettuce becomes darker coloured./ Salade Mesclum: Un mélange de délicieuses verdures asiatiques et de 5 différentes laitues. Remarquer comme la laitue rouge devient plus foncé avec le temps plus froid.

4. Garlic: an essential for any meal!/ Ail: essentiel pour tous les repas!

5,10 Cucumbers: The baby green cucumbers are called ‘Diva’. They are a kind of baby English cucumber with thin skins and virtually no seeds. Round yellow ‘Lemon cucumbers’ are perfect for munching on like an apple. / Concombre: Les petits concombres ‘Diva’ sont un type de concomnbre Anglais avec une peau mince et pratiquement aucun pépins. Les concombres rondes jaunes ‘citron’ sont parfait pour une collation tout comme une pomme.

6 Tomatoes: Juicy and sweet – Look for the name of the variety in your box. Any slightly under-ripe tomatoes can be placed in a paper bag on the kitchen counter to ripen (add an apple to speed up the process). Please note that our tomatoes are thin skinned (so not chewy) so often have some superficial skin damage that makes them look imperfect. They still taste great:-) / Tomates: Juteux et sucré – Le nom de la variété inscrit dans votre boite. Placer les tomates qui ne sont pas complètement müres dans un sac en papier et laisser mürir sur le comptoir. Inclure une pomme pour accélérer le processus. Prendre notes que nos tomates ont une pelure mince et ont donc des dommages superficiels qui les rendent ‘non-parfaites’ – Elles sont toutefois délicieuses.

7 Eggplant: These are Asian eggplants, known for their milder flavour and thinner skins. Slice diagonally, brush with olive oil and grill or add to tomato sauces. Store on the kitchen counter top in a paper bag./ Aubergine: Ceux-ci sont des aubergines asiatique connue pour leur saveur plus doux et peau plus mince. Trancher en diagonale, badigeonner avec de l’huile d’olive et griller, ou ajouter aux sauces tomate. Conserver sur le conptoir dans un sac de papier.

8 Mint: adds a fresh bright taste to any recipe. See below. /Menthe: donne une fraicheur à n’importe lequelle recette.

9 Napoli Carrots: Famed for their great taste and crunch. Delcious raw or cooked./ Carottes Napoli: Renommé pour ëtre délicieuces et croquantes. Manger cru ou cuit.

11, 12 Zucchini: Round ‘8 Ball’. Zephyr are yellow with a green tip, while yellow ‘goldy’ zucchini are completely yellow and the Cousa (Lebanese zucchini) are a pale green with nutty flavour)./ Courgettes: Les courgettes rondes ‘8 Ball’ sont d’une grandeur parfaite à farcir (voir recette ci-dessous). Les ‘Zephyr’ sont jaune avec un bout vert tandis que les ‘Goldy zucchini’ sont complètement jaune. Les ‘Cousa’, des courgettes Libanaises sont d’un vert pâle et une saveur plus ‘noisette’.

Small boxes contain a selection of 10 of the following while the large boxes contains a selection of 13. / Nos petits paniers contiennent dix des items suivants, tandis que nos grands paniers en contiennent treize.

1,2. Cucumbers: The baby green cucumbers are called ‘Diva’. They are a kind of baby English cucumber with thin skins and virtually no seeds. Round yellow ‘Lemon cucumbers’ are perfect for munching on like and apple./ Concombre: Les petits concombres ‘Diva’ sont un type de concomnbre Anglais avec une peau mince et pratiquement aucun pépins. Les concombres rondes jaunes ‘citron’ sont parfait pour une collation tout comme une pomme.

3. Napoli Carrots: The first baby carrots for the field. Our soil is a very heavy clay which means that when the weather is dry it is very hard to grow carrots. Now the rain has finally come you can expect to see the carrots increase in size each week!/ Carottes Napoli: Les premières carottes ‘bébés’ de nos champs. Notre sol est très argileuse qui veut dire que lorsque le temps est sec, le sol est très dur et les carottes ont de la difficulté à pousser. Maintenant que la pluie y est, nous devrions voir les carottes grossir d’une semaine à l’autre.

4. Tomatoes: Juicy and sweet – with a little more sunshine we can have even more./ Tomates: Juteux et sucré – avec un peu de soleil, il y en aura d’autre.

5. Eggplant: These are Asian eggplants, known for their milder flavour and thinner skins. Slice diagonally, brush with olive oil and grill or add to tomato sauces. Store on the kitchen counter top in a paper bag./ Aubergine: Ceux-ci sont des aubergines asiatique connue pour leur saveur plus doux et peau plus mince. Trancher en diagonale, badigeonner avec de l’huile d’olive et griller, ou ajouter aux sauces tomate. Conserver sur le conptoir dans un sac de papier.

6. Fennel: Chop up the leaves and bulbs and saute in butter or olive oil. Serve alone or combined with freshly cooked snap beans. The roots can also be chopped at added to vegetable soups as you would carrots. / Fenouil: Trancher les feuilles et bulbe et faire sauter dans du beurre ou huile d’olive. Servir seul ou en combinaison avec des haricots. Les racines peuvent être coupées en pièce et ajouté aux soupes comme des carottes.

7, 8, 12, 13. Large Zucchini: Round ‘8 Ball’. At this size they are perfect for stuffing (see recipe below). Zephyr are yellow with a green tip, while yellow ‘goldy’ zucchini are completely yellow and the Cousa (Lebanese zucchini) are a pale green with nutty flavour)./ Courgettes: Les courgettes rondes ‘8 Ball’ sont d’une grandeur parfaite à farcir (voir recette ci-dessous). Les ‘Zephyr’ sont jaune avec un bout vert tandis que les ‘Goldy zucchini’ sont complètement jaune. Les ‘Cousa’, des courgettes Libanaises sont d’un vert pâle et une saveur plus ‘noisette’.

9. Baby Leaf Lettuce: a mild tender mix of 5 different lettuces. Notice how as the weather gets colder the red lettuce becomes darker coloured./ Jeune laitue: Un mélange de 5 différentes laitues. Remarquer comme la laitue rouge devient plus foncé avec le temps plus froid.

10. Chard: Beautiful rainbow chard and tasty ‘lucullus’ heritage green chard. Both are excellent steamed or chopped up raw in salads. / Bete à carde: Variété ‘rainbow’ et une variété hértage appelé ‘lucullus’ . Elles sont tous excellent cuite à la vapeur ou coupé en pièce et mangé cru en salade.

11. Italian Beans: Flat podded with extra buttery flavour/ Haricots romains: Cosses plates. OR/ OU

French Filet Beans: Extra long and thin. The perfect gourmet bean. In both cases cook as you would a regular snap bean./ Haricots filets: Très longues et minces. Le haricot du gourmet. Dans les deux cas, cuire comme des haricots communs.

So, here’s a new artsy way of presenting the contents of the box this week.

Firstly the box as a whole - so show what a beautiful rainbow of veggies is in the box this week.

And now for each of the individual items in all their glory.

large boxes contain 12 different items, small boxes contain 8

Mesclum salad: Dress with a little olive oil and good quality vinegar, or keep it simple and just wash, spin dry and eat! /Salade Mesclum: ajoutez un peu d’huile d’olive et de vinaigre, ou vous pouvez tout simplement la laver, l’essorer et la manger.

Cucumbers: The baby green cucumbers are called ‘Diva’. They are a kind of baby English cucumber with thin skins and virtually no seeds. Round yellow ‘Lemon cucumbers’ are perfect for munching on like and apple. The Pickle cucumbers are called ‘Parade’ and are a rare Russian Heriloom saved by Greg Wingate of Weldon, NB./ Concombre: Les petits concombres ‘Diva’ sont un type de concomnbre Anglais avec une peau mince et pratiquement aucun pépins. Les concombres rondes jaunes ‘citron’ sont parfait pour une collation tout comme une pomme. Les concombres à cornichon se nomment ‘Parade’ et sont une variété Russe rare et les semences proviennent de Greg Wingate de Weldon, NB.

Napoli Carrots: The first baby carrots for the field. Our soil is a very heavy clay which means that when the weather is dry it is very hard to grow carrots. Now the rain has finally come you can expect to see the carrots increase in size each week! / Carottes Napoli: Les premières carottes ‘bébés’ de nos champs. Notre sol est très argileuse qui veut dire que lorsque le temps est sec, le sol est très dur et les carottes ont de la difficulté à pousser. Maintenant que la pluie y est, nous devrions voir les carottes grossir d’une semaine à l’autre.

Purple Snap Beans: This variety is called Royal Burgundy. The beautiful colour is lost when cooked, so ideally they should be chopped and mixed in with cooked green and/or yellow beans for a dramatic bean salad. Steaming lightly will also allow them to keep their colour. / Haricots violet: Cette variété s’appelle ‘Royal Burgundy’. Sa belle couleur disparaît lorsque cuit, donc il est préférable de les couper et les mélanger avec des haricots cuits vert et/ou jaune pour une salade aux haricots spectaculaire. Les blanchir rapidement est un moyen de conserver la couleur.

Summer Squash and Zucchini: Zephyr are yellow with a green tip, while yellow zucchini are completely yellow. Combined with green ‘8 balls’ they are gorgeous sliced in salads added to soups and casseroles. / Courgettes et courges d’étés: Les ‘Zephyr’ sont jaune avec un bout vert tandis que les ‘yellow zucchini’ sont complètement jaune. Mélangé aux ‘8 ball’, elles sont délicieuse en salade, dans les soupe et casseroles.

Potatoes: Freshly dug Norlands are delcious boiled and served with herbed butter. No need to peel!/ Pomme de terre: Cette variété ‘Norlands’ sont délicieuses bouilli et servi avec du beurre aux herbes. Pas nécessaire de les peler.

Broccoli: Eat raw, steam or add to a summer soup or casserole with snap beans and summer squash./ Broccoli: Manger cru, cuit à la vapeur, ou ajouter à votre soupe d’été ou casserole avec haricots et courges.

Tomatoes: Juicy and sweet – with a little more sunshine we can have even more. / Tomates: Juteux et sucré – avec un peu de soleil, il y en aura d’autre.

Fennel: Chop up the entire plant, leaves, stems, bulbs and roots (Except for the part between the bulb and the roots which is tough) and saute in butter or olive oil. Serve alone or combined with freshly cooked snap beans and/or potatoes. / Fenouil: Trancher toute la plante: feuilles, tige bulbe et racines sauf la partie entre le bulbe et les racines qui peut être coriace. Et faire sauter dans du beurre ou huile d’olive. Servir seul ou en combinaison avec des haricots et/ou pommes de terre.