* Alchemy Farmhouse *

Howdy folks…

Rain or not, beautiful spring is here in full effect as the lilac outside my window blooms and the trees that only a week ago were hinted with color are surely covered in leaves today. Here at the farm the work on seeds and seedlings indoors is rivaled only by the rigorous outdoor planting of carrots, beets, peas, radishes, lettuces, spinach, chard, fava beans and much more! It’s never too early for greens or for indoor tomatoes, as we experienced earlier in the week when some of our delicious sungold cherry tomatoes ripened in the house from seeds started in the deep dark of January! What a treat that little golden treasure tasted like!

For all of you who would like to visit the farm, the gate is always open. And for those of you who’d like to enjoy some of our tasty produce, come down to the Robins market on Fridays from 4pm-dusk starting June 12th and enjoy all that we will have to offer. There will be produce,  maple syrup, baked goods, honey, wine and much more!

redhouse freestanding tomato seedling in a fine reusable container!

Throughout the winter, on the 3rd & 4th Saturdays of the month EatLocalFood.org will be hosting local food markets at Robin’s Warehouse on route 32, new paltz from 9am-noon. Come and enjoy the fabulous bounty grown and raised within 100 miles of this vibrant mountain town! There will be workshops, music, produce, meat, eggs, dairy, and more! Updates to come…See you there!

Instead of the usual mayhem and business of Halloween, this year I spent a quiet afternoon in the garden.

squash soup with its secret ingredients: Macoun apples & ginger

At the request of my good friend Liz, here are some squash soup recipes. One works well for a lighter meal or even as a chilled soup, while the other is thicker and more substantial. they are both vegan, but could easily be doctored if you are craving meat or dairy. I think you might be surprised though, if you are expecting a vegan soup to be tasteless or ‘wussy’. Give them a fair shot

Light Apple Squash Soup

1 lg. butternut squash, halved, sprinkled with cinnamon, and roasted 1 hr. in 400 degree oven

4-5 apples, peeled and sliced

1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 inch slice ginger root, finely minced

couple splashes EVOO

several cups veggie stock–I prefer Kitchen Basics because it is flavorful & lower in sodium than most brands

Saute ginger, garlic and apples in EVOO on low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Do not let the garlic or ginger brown- it will make the soup bitter. Baste it with the juices that seep from the cooking apples. Afterward, put mixture in blender and top with squash spooned from its baked shell. Add one cup stock to begin mixing, and as needed for desired consistency. I prefer mine pureed smoothly like apple sauce. Simmer quickly on the stove top if serving immediately, otherwise refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Hearty White Bean Squash Soup with Cauliflower

Same as above ingredients

1 half-head cauliflower

1 lg. can white beans

Roast squash as instructed in recipe above, and in the meantime, steam a half-head of cauliflower. Cook apples, garlic, ginger as before. If using dried white beans, have them soaked 24 hours in advance, or the easiest way is to use 1 lg. can rinsed and drained of Great Northern or Cannellini beans. Put them in the blender first, along with one cup of stock and puree. Add stock as needed. Then add cauliflower, squash and apple mixture, adding stock as needed, and going in ‘shifts’ depending on blender capacity. Pour finished batches into a large container and mix at the end, if need be. This one is a much richer version, and the beans balance the sweetness of the apples. It would be a nice soup to add sausage and sage too, if you are meat-inclined. Enjoy!

a garden mainstay

dying lemon cucumber vines

second-harvest strawberries

fall pea sprouts

cayenne chiles finally ripen

these stunners are finally getting their moment...

Love-Lies-Bleeding Amaranthus close-up

The windows need to be closed in the evenings, sitting in the warm sun is no longer a given, and halloween candy is all over the shelves. Here in the Alchemy Farmhouse garden, Autumn means getting the lead out to plant fall crops and create coldframes. I’ll be working on that for the next few weeks, and will post pictures and instructions for anyone who would like to create their own to lengthen the growing season or get a jump start this spring. But in the meantime, enjoy the weather and meet me at the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival in Saugerties, NY next weekend! It’s in its 20th year and runs from 10-6 on saturday and 10-5 on Sunday. There’s tons of stinky, savory garlic foods to try, music for dancing, and garlic for planting. I’ll see you there!

purple de milpa tomatillos

I tried to come up with a title for this using proper English, but I just couldn’t stop thinking that it was the most appropriate. I made the most bangin tomatillo salsa yesterday, and it’s not even funny! I used the recipe we had always followed at Cookies & Cream, but this time was just magical because the tomatillos, jalapeno, garlic–it was all home-grown!

Tomatillo Salsa

2 dozen tomatillos, husked and rinsed (less ripe are tangier, more ripe, sweeter)

1 small onion, diced or I have used shallots–delicious!

1 clove garlic, rough chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded & rough chopped

dash cumin

dash salt

Simmer the tomatillos for up to 5 minutes in below-rolling-boil water for up to 5 minutes, or until their colors ‘browns’ a bit. Err on the side of underdone, as overcooking will turn them to mush. Toss all other ingredients in a blender and add tomatillos last–their juice is what will bring it all together. Pulse briefly to incorporate. be careful when removing the lid as the hot ingredients will steam out. That’s it! So good and tangy! This salsa freezes well or can keep in the fridge up to about a week or so. Enjoy!

first fresh carrot!

This past week has been filled with the harvesting of many lovely orange things–namely carrots and cantaloupes. They are both full of beta carotene, as many orange things are. I hope everyone is enjoying the abundant harvest time and eating well!

super-sweet canteloupe

mini Crimson Sweet watermelon

Sweet reprieve for having cut down that sugar baby too soon last week! This morning I plucked a mini Crimson Sweet off a dead vine, figuring it wouldn’t mature any further so I might as well try it. I am so glad I did! It was still a little less pink than I’d like, but it gives me high hopes for the larger, more vigorous melons still growing! They ought to be great in a week or two. It made a great addition to this morning’s breakfast, and put us in a sweet mood as we rode the Harley to Kingston Farmer’s market for a nice change. I will keep posting on the watermelon progress as they mature…The market had their watermelons in full effect, so be sure to head to NPZ’s tomorrow for some great buys and community showing. Enjoy the holiday!

scarlet runner beans

Yesterday’s dinner was a garden mac ‘n’ cheese, with lots of garlicky tomatoes, roasted corn & chiles, and broccoli and zukes. When I went into the garden to pick for cooking, i found some wonderful purple surprises. There was a scarlet runner bean pod that had dried on the vine, so I could feel free to pick it. ordinarily you want them dry before opening up the beans. they keep better for winter storage that way. They were so pretty and speckled, as you can see. Some of the Rainbow Inca corn has blushed with purples as well, after I commented last week that it was all still white! I guess it was just taking its time. Everything tasted delicious, and will surely make even better leftovers tonight! Try the recipe if you have a great variety of veggies that need to be thrown into something.

rainbow inca sweet corn shows its colors...

Garden Mac ‘n’ Cheese

1 lb. small pasta such as elbows, shells, etc.

fresh cheddar for shredding

several cloves garlic, minced

1 medium zucchini (6-8 inches)

couple tomatoes, different colors are fun

2-3 roasted chiles, depending on how much heat you prefer

1 head broccoli

2-3 ears corn

EVOO

Cut florets off broc. and shear kernals off corn. Put in pot to steam lightly. Sautee garlic in EVOO and keep an eye so it doesn’t brown and turn bitter. If you have not already roasted the chiles, set the oven to broil, coat them in EVOO and lay them on a tray below the burner, turning frequently till all skin blisters. remove carefully from oven and wrap in wet paper towels and tie in a plastic bag to steam. Remove skins by sliding off after steamed for 10-20 minutes. Test their heat, and chop and set aside for later use. Add steamed broc & corn to garlic, as well as quartered zuke slices & tomato chunks. Sautee several minutes until fully cooked and aromatic. Meanwhile shred the fresh cheddar to your liking and blend with the cooked pasta in a large baking dish. A 9x 13 should work. Mix in the garlic veggies and chiles, and layer thinly sliced tomatoes on top as a garnish. they will brown nicely in the broiler and their juices will seep into the dish. Broil for 5-10 minutes until all is melted and enjoy!

A rainbow of Four Winds Tomato puree...

This weekend was a celebration of local foods through community events. On Saturday I joined Erin & Sam, the Four Winds Farm interns for some tomato canning. They are located right down the street from us and we are so lucky for that. They have 2200 tomato plants, in a wide array of colorful heirlooms of every shape and size from mini to several pounds a piece! We put in a few hours slicing and pressure cooking and were rewarded with over 2 dozen quarts of puree! It was well worth the work for a few weeks of sun-ripened food in the winter. Four Winds sells their delicious produce on Sundays at the New Paltz Market and Wednesdays at the Woodstock Farm Festival through the end of the season. Stop by and say hey to Jay & Polly, or come to the farm on a Saturday afternoon and do some canning yourself! The public is welcome to come and learn. Supply your own jars and come ready to get messy in the kitchen.

simmering goodness at Four Winds

The other great event yesterday was the August EatLocalFood.org potluck at Phillies Bridge Farm. there were tables set up noting just how ‘local’ the ingredients were, and everyone’s dish was primarily composed of all local ingredients grown by CSAs, home gardeners, and organic farmers. Bravo locavores, for getting the message out loud and clear about local foods in the Hudson Valley–they are delicious and easy to find & cook! Jess, the Phillies Bridge Farmer took the group on a tour to view the working areas of the farm and along the way we got to try their tasty Concorde grapes. They grow 185 shares of organic produce and offer shares of neighboring farms’ foods as well, in an effort to supply their customers with foods they themselves do not grow, and to encourage the CSA model in more conventional operations such as Tantillos. Phillies bridge also serves as an educational farm project, welcoming local schoolchildren to their grounds for exploration in the fields. Their small-scale ‘children’s garden’ allows for a close-up view of large-scale farming to interest and educate small children and children-at-heart alike. A trip to Phillies Bridge is always worth it, and they hold many events like the potluck as well as fundraisers, auctions, and workshops. Past workshop topics include fermentation and starting a school garden. Check out their website for upcoming events! I will also soon be posting some recipes from the potluck…

Jess leading the tour through the lovely brassicas

This week we were lucky enough to pick the first ears of the season. We planted both Stowell’s Sweet Corn & Rainbow Inca Sweet Corn. They were both delicious, although the Inca was just as white as the Stowell’s. I thought it would be a little colored, although most of the intense coloring occurs after it dries. oh well, perhaps it will color as the season progresses. I will post more pictures if it does!

Although we have started to harvest some excellent chiles from the garden, we have also bought some great varieties from Three Sisters Farm at the New Paltz Farmers Market. they are always super knowledgeable and ready to teach you how to use the produce to its best capacity. Last Sunday we made spicy-rice-and-bean-stuffed peppers with homemade jalapeño poppers–fantastic! After such a great pepper dinner, I was inspired to begin picking our own anaheim chiles to roast and freeze for a later date.

stuffed peppers

Roasted Anaheims

If you would like to roast peppers to use later in the year, it’s very easy. Oil them and lay them on a cookie sheet. Set the oven to broil and check them after 1-2 minutes. Depending on their size, they should cook very quickly. Be careful not to let them burn too much. Turn them so they blister evenly on all sides. Remove them from the oven, wrap collectively in wet paper towels and seal in a plastic bag for 20-30 minutes. You may want to wear gloves when you open it up and peel the peppers, depending on how hot your variety is. peppers can then be frozen or used as is fresh for slicing, stuffing, or salsas. Enjoy!

heirloom tomato salad

The past week has been filled with wonderful meals and bountiful harvests each day. One particularly good meal was homemade falafel served over an heirloom tomato salad. If you’re game, here’s how to try it yourself.

Tomato Salad

3-5 lbs. ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced

olive oil

red wine vinegar

S & P

This is best chilled before serving, but never refrigerate uncut tomatoes! It will ruin their flavor! Store any leftovers in the fridge for an ever more intense vinaigrette flavor the next day.

Falafel

1 lg. can chick peas (Or fresh, if available. They are not hard to grow, but we didn’t plant any this year.)

olive oil

garlic, onion, S & P

chop handful onion, one clove garlic, and mash chick peas with potato masher. Mix, add S & P and form patties. Bake on oiled cookie sheet for approx. 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Alternately, you could fry them in a fan, probably enhancing their flavor but also their fat content. As you wish:)

a taste of the mid-east in Gardiner

The way it flows at Alchemy Farmhouse...

Today I’ve got water on the brain. That’s not very different from most days, but today I’d like to share it with all of you. Here at the Farmhouse we are very lucky to have some seriously fresh well water that is crystal clear and not the least bit funky. You can drink it without worry. Obviously we know this is not so for much of the developing world, not to mention some places in our own country that have questionable water such as Native American reservations and astoundingly, Long Island NY, one of the richest places on earth. One of the biggest problems with the tap water in these locales is that they are infiltrated by chemicals in their groundwater such as perchlorate (rocket fuel!) and MTBE (a gasoline additive), which are chemicals water-treatment plants are not required by law to check for. If they are not required to be tracked, more than likely, any filtering is ineffective in removing it. But I digress…

My real purpose today is to ask you to consider where your drinking water comes from (tap or bottle, well or municipal, ‘Maine’ or ‘Fiji’) and look a little more into what effect that has on your health and that of the community it comes from and the environment surrounding it. For example, in her book Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It, Elizabeth Royte becomes intimate with the workings of Fryeburg, Maine, the small town where Poland Spring is born and bottled.  Swiss company Nestle owns Poland Spring (and most other waters you’ve drank), and has caused more than a few problems for the area, including lost pressure in residents’ wells, lower temperatures in surrounding surface water (leading to algal blooms and fish kills), and more. [Nestle is not that reputable to begin with, having marketed baby formula to already destitute African nations, and violating rights of Sierra Leone cocoa workers up the wazoo.]

Royte is also the author of the article “A Tall, Cool Drink of … Sewage?” from this past Sunday’s New York Times Magazine. The article details Orange County, CA’s new toilet-to-tap water reuse system, infrastructure that could become a reality that saves us if people could just get past the taboo. That is where today’s title comes from, and I urge you all Google a bit and check out what I have posted about here. See if you can feel better about water reuse and understand the implications of bottling water, both the environmental expense in petroleum and water depletion, and socially of purchasing water when ours is one of the best and cleanest systems in the world.  Check bottle labels if you must purchase water. Where is it coming from? Is it simply purified drinking water, such as Dasani or Aquafina? These brands purchase from municipal water supplies and ultra-purify it. This means they can take water from just about anywhere in the country, rather than shipping from one area only-a small plus for them environmentally. Is it Artesian water, such as Fiji? All bottles are shipped from the south Pacific, though now they claim that “every drop is green” thanks to their carbon offset program. It’s not green to simply buy off carbon points, is it really? One last thought–those of you who are courageous enough to brave the public water systems and use a employ a reusable bottle such as the one I use from Camelback, remember to buy one that is BPA-free, but that’s a whole ‘nother post:) Much love today guys…