All pink and white wedding... zinnias galore!

Here are pictures from our latest wedding. First you see the tossing bouquet, then the flowers left for the cake lady to place on the cake, then a table arrangement. Unfortunately I didn't have time to take pictures of the bridal bouquet or the bridesmaids, but they looked similar to the tossing bouquet. The bride just had baby's breath and cosmos in her bouquet as well. When we do weddings stress is high and time is short, so we don't always get the pictures that we want to. These I think are very beautiful though. Kind of reminds me of Valentine's Day!

CSA week #15

This is a picture of all the zinnias that we harvest to take to market with us on a Saturday. Here you see 60 bunches of 16 flowers... it's a lot of work, but well worth it!

Preserving the Harvest

As the farm season ends, there are many ways to make sure that you have veggies to eat throughout the winter. Sure you could go to the grocery store and buy tomatoes from there, but they have no flavor and sometimes they even look nice and red outside, but are just mush on the inside. Wouldn’t it be nice to have things from the garden all winter long? Well, it is possible! You have options too: canning, freezing, and dehydrating all help.
Freezing things is pretty simple, but just make sure that you look it up before you do. Some produce needs to be blanched first before it is frozen to stop the enzymes from breaking it down. For example, corn will continue to turn the sugars to starch unless blanched before freezing. If not, corn will taste bad when you take it out of the freezer.
If you have the freezer space, they suggest placing things in a single layer on a cookie sheet to freeze and then putting them into bags to ensure that everything isn’t stuck together. Just remember that veggies will not be as crisp as they were when you put them into the freezer. These are used for soups, stews, jambalaya perhaps.
Dehydrating is more space efficient as everything shrinks down when dehydrated and can just be placed in an airtight container afterwards. This does require a dehydrator, but they aren’t that expensive for the time that it saves you not having to can the produce. Also, you can build a solar dehydrator and use that on a warm day. We recently replaced some old windows so we were able to use the glass and the screens from those to make a solar dehydrator. There are plans for it online if you are interested. You just have to make sure that it is a hot, sunny day if you are going to use the solar one. We tried drying some tomatoes on a cloudy day and they molded, so beware!
The other option that you have is canning. If you are a beginner, I suggest finding someone who knows how to can so that you can follow their methods. It was much easier for me to learn hands on then to read about it. Then you will learn all the little tricks about it too, which can be helpful to save you time. Many things can be canned, but without proper acid content, it needs to be pressure canned rather than just using a water bath. You will read more about this as you can. Also, if you have any questions I would be more than willing to help. I’m still fairly new to canning, but I learned from someone very experienced.
The benefit of preserving your harvest is that you don’t have to buy so much from the grocery store. Why have processed tomato sauce, when you can just pull some out of your pantry and feel good about eating something that you produced? It’s very rewarding to feel less reliant on the grocery store, especially if you get snowed in!

What’s included this week?

1. Watermelon- it’s supposed to be pink inside, so don’t think it’s not ripe… it’s delicious!
2. Swiss chard
3. Bell peppers
4. Spinach
5. Radishes
6. Acorn Squash- don’t put this in the fridge, can store up to 3 months on the counter

Recipe of the Week

Heavenly Squash Casserole

3 c. mashed acorn squash

1/2 c. white sugar

2/3 stick butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, well beaten

TOPPING:
1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 stick butter

1/3 c. flour

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Combine squash, white sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat well the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and eggs. Combine all thoroughly. Place in a greased 1 1/2 quart casserole. Combine topping ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle over the squash and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Good for dessert or as a side!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

My how those little piggies have grown!

They are getting big and some of them will be ready by the end of this month. We are still open for taking orders. It will be $4.00/lb if you buy half a hog and $3.50/ lb if you buy a whole hog. So, start telling your friends and figuring out who you can share it with! They will be going to be processed starting October 4th and going through the 1st of the year. Sign up for yours today!

Village Wines in Canal Winchester

Recently Steve and I went out to eat at the restaurant where we have been selling our produce. It was very neat to see how our food was presented to others. And, I must say he did a fantastic job. The food tasted as great as it looks! His menu changes due to what is available seasonally, so you'll have to go there soon if you want to eat our produce. It is on Waterloo across from the Walmart in Canal, but a quaint little place with fabulous food! Pictured here is the Caprese Salad and Fresh Tomato Bruschetta.

Thank you Whole Foods!

Recently we have been selling our flowers to Whole Foods, both the one in Dublin and the one in Upper Arlington. We read about another farmer in Texas who was selling to them and thought we would give it a try. So, after about a months worth of paperwork, we were on our way and still going strong! They not only buy our sunflowers and other mixed bouquet flowers, but they buy my mixed bouquets and sell them in the store. Soon, we will have a little sign with our picture and information up at the Upper Arlington store so people will be able to associate our flowers directly with us and our farm. Whole Foods does a great job at supporting the local farmer and it allows us the opportunity to reach more clients since we do not do farmer's markets in that area. We started with them kind of late in the season this year, but look forward to providing again for them next year too! Hopefully we will get people hooked on our flowers. I always say FOOD MAY FEED THE BODY, BUT FLOWERS FEED THE SOUL!

CSA week #14... only two weeks left!

Look at that monstrous watermelon!

Guerilla gardening

So, I’m sure you are thinking to yourself… what the heck does that mean? Well, officially it is defined as “the illicit cultivation of someone else’s land” which I know may sound like something that would be illegal, but it’s not for the most part. All people involved are just improving the public land around them.
The term “guerilla” you may be familiar with but in a negative connotation, but not here. The reason why it is used to describe this type of gardening is that a lot of it is done without orders to do so, it may be at night, and it is usually a sneak attack. Some people do it during the day and just wear a safety vest so others will think that you are a worker sent to do the job.
But why would someone want to do such a thing, you might ask? Well, the idea of a garden is usually something that is personal or the garden belongs to somebody. The garden could be attached to a home or to a place of work, but usually it is someone’s intentional creation for it to belong to them. With guerilla gardening, you are letting the garden belong to everyone that walks past.
For example, you might put some seed in a bare spot in between the sidewalk and the road or around a road sign, really anywhere that is bare, and decide you want to walk past something beautiful everyday on your way to work. This could mean that you either plant seed or bulbs or you could even go so far as planting plants. There are some guerilla gardeners that just carry seeds in their pocket so that they can just sprinkle them in places as they walk.
Now, I am not saying that you should rip up someone else’s garden because if it is already planted, then the work is done for you. If your passion is gardening then you should check it out. There is a book that is available called On Guerilla Gardening by Richard Reynolds or you can go to their website at http://www.guerrillagardening.org/. When you sign up, you will receive a troop number and then let the gardening begin!

What’s included this week?

1. Honey fresh from bees on our farm- if it sits then it may crystallize, but don’t worry. That’s normal since it is fresh honey and there are no preservatives!
2. Watermelon- it’s supposed to be pink inside, so don’t think it’s not ripe… it’s delicious!
3. Salad greens
4. Bell peppers
5. Lemon basil
6. Onions
7. Okra

Recipe of the Week

Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp Dry mustard
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Lemon pepper or lemon juice
1 1/3 cup Oil
3/4 cup Honey
3/4 cup Cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

Shake all ingredients, except honey and vinegar, in a quart jar. Stir honey into vinegar until blended. Add to oil mixture and shake. Can be stored in refrigerator for several weeks. Taste to make sure it doesn’t need any extra salt or pepper. Serve on top of a bed of salad greens. Try adding some extra veggies or bacon and feta cheese, whatever you like extra on your salad!

The watermelon are sweet like candy so I think you will be excited. Don't forget though, this kind is supposed to be pink inside, not red! The okra can be battered by dipping in egg and then a combination of flour and cornmeal. The trick is to put it all in the skillet at once, in one nice layer and do not stir it around. Try to flip it all as one glob of okra. This will help the coating stick better to the okra and will cook it more evenly, leading to less goop inside. Or, if you don't want to fry it, you can stew it or sautee it with some other veggies and serve over rice, or make gumbo... no matter what it's great!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #13... we are nearing the end with only three weeks left!

Natural fertilizers

Farmers who do not follow organic practices may feed their plants with chemicals, but we try to supplement nutrients otherwise. Along with the mass composting system that we have, we also use other natural fertilizers. Manure from places with animals is always
First, we use an all natural fertilizer from a local business called Ohio Earth Food. It is mainly made of chicken manure, but is just made into pellets for easy application to your fields. We have found that it works well for all of our plants because it is not too strong and since it is in pellets, it slowly releases the nutrients into the soil.
We also do vermicomposting which is making compost with worms. Yes, we store worms and we use their excretions! By the time the kitchen scraps have been eaten and digested by worms, what comes out the other end is pure nutrients for your soil.
We store them in big 10 gallon tubs and continually add compostable material until it is full. Then, you just let the worms go to work. Every once in a while it will need stirred in there so they eat what is on top too. This is first year trying it, so we will see how it goes.
When the worm poo is ready, we take everything out of the tub and lay it out on a tarp. The worms are photophobic, meaning they are scared of the sunlight. They will slowly retreat into the middle of the pile; you scrape the top layer off and repeat until you just have a pile of worms left. Then, you can get another tub prepared and just reuse the worms.
While some of the things that we do may sound crazy, they really work. Using natural things in your garden you also have the benefit of not having to worry about what you are eating. When you are buying conventional produce, who knows what is really going on your table.

What’s included this week?

1. Radishes- white or pink
2. Eggs- fresh from our chickens
3. Ginger Gold apples from Paige’s Produce- they may not look perfect, but they taste great!
4. Cherry tomatoes
5. Potatoes- freshly dug, so leave them in airy spot to dry if storing, or just use them fresh!

Recipe of the Week

Hot Apple Pie
· 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (or just use a frozen crust. That’s what I do because I have problems making crust)
· 1/2 cup unsalted butter
· 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
· 1/2 cup white sugar
· 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
· 1/4 cup water
· 8-10 apples - peeled, cored and sliced (or however many fills the crust!)

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white and brown sugar and water; bring to boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve

CSA week #12

Outreach efforts

Here at Sunny Meadows, we strive to give back to the community in which we live. Seeing that we live in the city, there are lots of people around us that could benefit. We have many ideas but a lot of them are in the forefront.
Down the street from us, where Smith Farms used to be, is now a city park. We have proposed to them that we start a community garden there. This would be a place where people could come and see where their food comes from. We would hold workshops and have farmers speak so that we may not only show people what a garden should look like, but teach them how to do it themselves. Even if they live in the city, there is probably space for a plant or two somewhere in their yard or on their patio.
The Parks and Recreation department of Columbus is still pondering on this one and we are waiting to hear back from them. It is a little late for this year, but maybe we will get everything set up for next year. We feel it would be beneficial for both parties.
There is a Special Olympics office near our house that has a mass of land next to it. We would like to partner with them to use the land, but allow their folks to come out and plant pumpkins at the beginning of the season. Then each family could have a pumpkin when they were ready. So far they have not been too interested in this idea, but we’ll see how our relationship with them continues to develop.
Although our business proposals are in the beginning stages, we are hopeful that as we grow, they will see that our efforts are sincere. We really do want to give back to the community in which we live. Now, we donate any extra produce or flowers that we don’ sell to a group in Granville every Saturday. They take it and disperse it between a battered women’s shelter and various recovery centers and soup kitchens throughout Newark. During our busy time of the year, we donate extra flowers to hospitals and nursing homes. It’s nice to see smiles on everyone’s faces when you come in with some nice flowers.
Recently, I have been speaking to the local Rotary Clubs about our farm and our community outreach efforts. They are an organization based on service to the community and beyond… some are even international! They have been a good connection as the Canal Winchester Rotary Club has talked about next year buying a share of our CSA and donating it to the food bank. They also have connections with the Special Olympics so we will see where this leads us.

Food may feed the body, but flowers feed the soul!

What’s included this week?

1. Hot peppers- Hungarian Hot Wax (banana peppers) or Jalapeno
2. Tomatoes
3. Onions
4. Kale
5. Bar of homemade soap

Recipe of the Week

Homemade Fresh Salsa

1 quart tomatoes
3-5 hot peppers (or even more if you like it really hot)
2 small onions
1 clove garlic
½ bunch of cilantro (you usually get pretty big bunches at the grocery store. We tried to grow it, but unfortunately our crop wasn’t successful so you’ll have to purchase it elsewhere.)
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

Chop all vegetables to the desired chunkiness of your salsa. Make sure before you chop the hot peppers that you remove all seeds. You may also want to wear gloves so that the heat from the peppers doesn’t stay on your hands. Also, to some people this salsa seems a little watery, so you can chop all veggies and place them in a strainer shortly so that some of the juice runs off. Make sure if you are going to do this that you add the lime juice afterwards.

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve