Instead of Rain

"Man - despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments - owes his existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains." - Author Unkown

And when it doesn't rain for awhile, "man" (i.e. woman) has to figure out other means of getting water.

For the most part, it's been a wet/rainy year, so the drip-irrigation system I ordered this past winter has remained in its box until this weekend. Without much rain the past couple of weeks, I knew I was pushing my luck by not having any sort of irrigation system installed. I kept expecting it to rain, but, despite distant thunder, reports of rain around the region, and my being forced off the road by a 20-minute downpour, the farm has managed to remain pretty dry.

So...this weekend I set out to install the irrigation system. As per my usual mode of operation, I spent hours studying the directions, reviewing the drawings of the system I designed, and carefully checking each part as I planned exactly how it would all fit together. I then napped, ate, reviewed my plan again, then finally dug in and started to put it together. Fifteen minutes later (only a slight exaggeration), I had it all together and working. It was that easy. Seriously. Not the rocket science exam I had expected at all. Oh, to have the type of personality that just jumps right in and does it! It would save me so much time and agony.

Anyway, the drip lines are in (I may add a few more later) and are working well to irrigate the newly planted seeds for Fall. Now I just have to mulch and get those rows covered. If all goes well, there should be produce through the end of October.

Tomatillo Time!

The tomatillos are beginning to ripen. I picked about a peck of them today, so I thought I should prepare you all with information about this "strange" fruit.

Very popular in Mexico and other parts of Central America, tomatillos are just beginning to become known and used widely across the US. They are used mostly in salsa verde, but can also be eaten raw, stir-fried, chopped into salads, or made into preserves or pies. Tomatillos stored at room temperature will last about 1-2 weeks. For longer-term storage, refrigerate in husks, but not in a plastic bag. Also, don't store with vegetables and fruits that give off ethylene gas such as apples and pears, as ethylene gas will cause the tomatillos to spoil more quickly.

To learn more about tomatillos and/or find recipes for using them, here are a few websites you might want to check out:
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/tomatillo.html
http://whatscookingamerica.net/tomatillos.htmtscookingamerica.net/tomatillos.htm
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/tomatillos.htm
http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch25.html

In addition to those websites, here are two recipes you might enjoy. Both come from the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition:

Tropical Tomatillo Banana Salsa
1/2 pound tomatillos
2-3 serrano chiles, seeded and minced
3-4 T minced green onion
1-2 t minced garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T (or more to taste) lime juice
1 medium banana
salt and pepper

Husk the tomatillos, wash them, and cut out the cores. Finely chop the flesh and place it in a bowl. Stir in the chiles, green onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. Mash or finely chop the banana, then stir it into the salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with plaintain chips or tortilla chips, or use as a sauce to top grilled fish. Makes about 2 cups.


Pork Chops with Tomatillo Chile Sauce
4 pork chops (about 2 pounds)
salt and pepper
1 T vegetable oil
1 C chopped white onion
1 T minced garlic
3-4 finely chopped jalapenos
12-14 tomatillos (about 1.5 lbs total), husked and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 t dried oregano
1 1/2 t chile powder
1-2 t sugar

Season pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Let stand while you prepare the other ingredients. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet over medium-high flame. Add chops and brown well on both sides. Reduce heat to medium, transfer chops to a plate, and add onions, garlic, and jalepenos to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until tender (about 7 minutes). Stir in tomatillos, oregano, and chile powder. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is saucy (about 20 minutes). If it is very tart, stir in sugar to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Return pork chops to the skillet, nestling them in the sauce. Cover and simmer until chops are cooked, about 10 minutes. Corn bread is a great accompaniment. Makes 4 servings.

Seeing the Bigger Picture

My friend, Wes, sent this to me today. It supposedly originated on The Daily OM, but I couldn't find it on that website, so I'm not sure who to credit for it. Anyway...I think it's a good reminder for us all, so I thought I'd post it here.


Together On Earth

Seeing an image of the planet Earth taken from space inspires awe in many of us, since we can clearly see the connectedness of all of us who live upon this planet. We have created imaginary boundaries, sectioning ourselves into countries and states, forgetting that in reality we are all living together, breathing the same air, drinking from the same water, eating food grown from the same earth. We share everything on this planet, whether we are conscious of it or not, with other people, and those people are our brothers and sisters. Keeping a photograph or painting of the planet Earth in a prominent place in our homes can be a positive way to remember our interconnectedness.

Meditating on the fact that any sense of separation we have from one another is truly an illusion, we will naturally begin to make more conscious choices in our daily lives. The simple act of preparing food, or determining how to dispose of our refuse, can be done with the consciousness that whatever we do will affect all our brothers and sisters, no matter how far away they live, as well as the planet herself. When we foster this kind of awareness in ourselves out of a feeling of awe, it becomes easier to be conscious than to fall back into old habits of thinking of ourselves as separate.

When we contemplate the earth in her wholeness, we attune ourselves to the truth of the bigger picture, which is the Earth, and all of us, every one of us, living on her body. We are connected to one another in the most intimate way, because we literally share our living space. As more people become aware of the reality of our interdependency, things will shift in a positive direction, and much of the discord that we see now will give way to a more cooperative, loving conscious. This is happening already, so as our consciousness grows, we can join with the many other minds working to live in the spirit of togetherness.

Cukes and Zukes

Wow! The cucumbers have certainly made their presence known in the garden. Last week I picked about 30 before I left for Chautauqua (took them with me and made all my friends take some home with them). When I got back I found the plants teaming with cukes again - picked close to 150 of them between Monday and Tuesday morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just can't seem to keep up with them and can't give them away fast enough. Thank goodness for the Rippey Street gathering during National Night Out on Tuesday. I was able to give away most of them there. I also talked with a neighbor today who has agreed to take a couple of bushels to the Sewickley Farmer's Market with her on Saturday. She and her husband had several cucumber plants die, so they are running low until their next crop comes in. That's a huge relief for now.

Since I've been frantically trying to convince friends, neighbors, and even strangers to take cucumbers from me, I thought it might be a good idea to suggest some ways they can be used. Not being a big cucumber fan myself, I did a little online research and came across this fantastic website that has tons of cool information about cucumbers and a list of recipes that will make your head spin -everything from cucumber drinks to soups and sandwiches. It's called B's Cucumber Pages and is located at: http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~bcohen/cucumbers/info.htmlumbers/info.html. I don't know who "B" is, but I am forever grateful to her/him!

As for the zukes...they are holding their own in battle with the cukes for king of the garden. Several people have asked what to do with the round zucchini I've been giving out. I searched online again and came upon the following websites that might help with some recipes for stuffing them: Balsamic Stuffed Round Zucchini, Herb-stuffed Zucchini, Zucchini Soup, and Stuffed Globe Zucchini. Of course, as the description on Hume Seeds website says, they can also be baked, stir-fried, or used in salads or zucchini bread. Basically, just experiment and enjoy.

Zucchini Season

Yep, it's that time of year again. Summer squash season!!!! The tomatoes are not quite ripe, but the zucchini are beginning their takeover of the garden. I turn my back and wham, another zucchini pops out. It's crazy. And this is just the beginning:)

So...to prepare you for the onslaught of zucchini and other squash that will be coming your way, I am posting several recipes - a whole meal of recipes, actually (a bread, a salad, a side, a main dish, and a dessert) - all taken from the Mennonite Cookbook, Simply in Season. Hope you find something you enjoy.

Zucchini Yeast Rolls (yields 24 rolls)
2-3 C summer squash (shredded)
1 C water
1/2 C sugar
3 T oil
2 t salt
Combine in a saucepan and heat slowly until warm, stirring to blend. Or warm in microwave.

1 C bread flour
1 C whole wheat bread flour
1/3 C dry milk powder
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1/2 t ground mace
Combine in a mixing bowl. Add liquid ingredients and beat well until smooth.

1 3/4 - 2 1/2 C bread flour
Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, turn to grease both sides, cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in bulk. Punch down and let rise 10 minutes. Shape rolls and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake in preheated oven at 350F until golden brown, 25-35 minutes. Brush with milk for a soft crust and let stand fro 5-10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Tip: Shredded uncooked zucchini may be frozen in freezer bags/boxes for this bread. Squash may also be cooked and mashed, then frozen in 1 1/2 portions.
Recipe by Naomi Zimmerman (Irwin, OH)



Squash and Basil Salad (serves 4-6)
3-4 medium summer squash (julienned)
2-3 T fresh basil (chopped)
3-4 T Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
1-2 T garlic scapes (chopped; or add some minced garlic to the dressing below)
Toss together

1/4 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t sugar
Combine and pour over the salad. Mix, chill 1 hour, and serve. Best eaten the same day. May be served with lettuce and chopped onions.
Recipe by Karen Brandes (State College, PA) and Steve Miniger (Sod, WV)


Summer Squash Skillet (serves 4)
4 C summer squash (sliced, diced, or shredded)
1/2 C onion (sliced or diced)
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
Saute together in 1 T oil until tender. Add one of the options below:

Option 1:
1/2 green pepper or chili pepper (diced)
2 T fresh parsley (chopped)
1 T fresh basil (chopped)
1 bay leaf
1/2 C cheese (shredded; optional)
Add ingredients except cheese with the onion and squash, cover, and steam until tender. Top with cheese just before serving.

Option 2:
1/4 C fresh parsley (chopped)
1/2 t lemon peel (grated)
1/2 t lemon pepper (instead of the 1/4 t pepper above)
Add and simmer 2 minutes longer

Option 3:
Add soy sauce to taste to the sauteed squash before serving.

Option 4:
2 T pesto
Add to the sauteed squash before serving.
Recipe by Dawn Showalter (Harrisonburg, VA), Mary Meyer (Fresno, OH), and Ruth Isaac Wiederkehr (Guelph, Ontario)


Stuffed Zucchini (serves 2-4)
1 extra large zucchini - split lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and discard. Carefully cut away (and reserve) flesh to form two shells, each 1/2 inch thick.

3/4 lb. ground beef or venison (preferably from cows and deer that have been in my garden!)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 red sweet pepper (chopped)
Cook in frying pan until meat is browned. Drain off fat.

1 C corn
1 C stewed tomatoes
2-3 T mild chili peppers (seeded and chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 T chili powder
1 1/2 t fresh oregano (chopped)
1/2 t ground cumin
Add, along with chopped zucchini flesh. Turn heat to high and boil, stirring often, until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.

1/4 C bread crumbs
1/4 C Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
2 T fresh cilantro (chopped)
Add to filling and mix well. Place the zucchini shells in a baking dish and fill with the meat mixture. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

1/4 C Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
Sprinkle on the filled zucchini halves. Return to the oven and bake until cheese begins to brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with 2 T chopped fresh cilantro and serve.
Recipe by Gloria Snider (Richmond, VA)



Zucchini Brownies (serves 18-24, unless they like brownies like I do, then maybe 1 0r 2!)
1 C flour
3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/3 C baking cocoa
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt.
Combine in large bowl.

2-3 C zucchini (shredded)
Stir in.

1 egg
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar
1/2 C plain yogurt
1/2 C oil
1 t vanilla
Combine in separate bowl and beat with a fork. Stir into zucchini mixture. Spread evenly into greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

1/2-1 C semisweet or mint chocolate chips
1/2 C nuts (chopped; optional)
Sprinkle on top of batter. Bake in preheated oven at 350 until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.
Recipe by Julie Swartzentruber (Pittsburgh, PA) - anyone know her??? and Mary Keith (Sefner, FL)

Gittin 'er Done

With so much that needs immediate attention in the gardens, it's easy for me to lose track of long-term goals for the farm. Fortunately, I have friends who periodically help me re-focus and move towards my larger mission.

Building a barn (with an apartment/office upstairs for me) is one of my more expensive, but absolutely necessary goals for the future. Much of what I'd like to do with the farm (from raising various animals to growing more produce) will be easier with some sort of barn in place. Plus, while the RV is nice and all, I'd really like to have a place to live where more than one person at a time can actually visit and even dine with me!

I'm hoping to get started on building the barn sometime next year, but in the meantime, I've decided to restore the one section of the old barn which still remains. We refer to the remaining section as the milk house because apparently at some point in its lifetime that's what it was - go figure. I don't recall it being used for that at all, however. The uses I do remember include an extension of the cow barn - usually used for calving or separating cows who were to be sold, a pig pen, a horse stall, and, most recently, a dog house and place to store hay. In short, it's a musty old building that has undergone many incarnations in its lifetime and is about to undergo one more. It's about to become the place where I will wash and refrigerate the produce! Clearly, much work needs to be done on it before that happens:)

While the milk house already has plumbing in it, the wiring in it grew defunct long ago. My friend, Ramsey (Evan), has taken the leadership in getting the electric in and working again. Thinking towards the future (when the barn will be rebuilt), he has wired it to handle all anticipated electrical needs. I am so excited that I'll have electrical power up there soon! Right now all electrical needs in "the barn" are met by the use of hundreds of feet of extension cord stretched from the house. Not a very safe or convenient way to do things!

After finishing the wiring, an overhead path had to be made from the barn to the electric pole for the service line. That required some pretty precarious tree limb cutting- mostly from a ladder. While I'm always eager to use my new easy-start and light-weight Stihl chain saw (I should really be a spokesperson for them, I love it so much), I did not relish the idea of using it on a ladder - I just don't trust my arm strength or my balance! To my relief, Ramsey agreed to cut the trees for me. What a guy! He seemed to enjoy it and I enjoyed watching and learning from him. Unlike me, he really seemed to know what he was doing.

So...slowly, but surely (with enormous help from friends) I'm actually getting things done here, and inching my way towards my goals. I have to say....that's pretty darn exciting to me.

Berry (or squash) Muffins

Berry Muffins
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 C rolled oats
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
Combine in a bowl.

1 egg
1 C milk
1/4 C oil
1/4 C honey
In another bowl, combine and mix well. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.

1 1/2 C berries.
Fold in berries. Fill well-greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Sprinkle top with cinnamon sugar. Bake in preheated oven at 400F for 15-20 minutes.

What germ or flax seed variation: Replace rolled oats with 1/2 C additinoal whole wheat flour and 1/2 C raw wheat germ. Or use 3/4 C additional whole wheat flour and 1/4 C flax seed meal.

Summer squash variation: Replace berries with an equal amount of shredded summer squash.

Recipe by Diane Jonson (Carstairs, Alberta), Judy Hildebrand (Crystal City, Manitoba), Tamara Brubaker (Mount Joy, PA)