thankful of others

lately I have been thinking of all the great people in my life, and all the great people that were in my life at one point or another. I know I wouldn't be here if it were not for all the people who have guided me or influenced me in to the direction of who I'm now. Having a farm is a lifestyle that I had no experience with going into it, there are allot of things that always need repaired. If it were not for some close friends who knew what they were doing I would have been stuck paying others to do a simple job. As a teenager my family used to talk about how influenced I was by others, back then it wasn't always good influences, but because of that I feel as if I'm smarter and more aware of things that I wouldn't have been otherwise. As I've grown up I have had many people keep me in check and now I continue to meet people with the same interest and we are able to bounce ideas off of each other. Gretel and I are always trying to make friends with fellow organic farmers, and those relationships have been great. I would not be who I am with out others, and our farm would not be as successful if we were in it all alone.
So, to all those who know us thank you very much for everything you have done for us.

Bittersweet fall to romantic winters

Farmers market season has come to a end, and the flowers were all killed by Sundays freeze. We do have a few beds of spinach, a bed of greens, and swiss chard in our high tunnels still. We plan on having it through winter, but we aren't sure we will be selling it or not.

Gretel has gone back to work and left me here to take care of things, it is alway7s hard when she goes back, I begin to feel more lost, and I find it hard to keep up on my chores and to-do list, but I will adjust after a week or so, and most likely will start back to work soon aswell. It can get kind of boring through the winter, and if I don't go to work then who knows if I will get out of the house at all.

With the full arrival of fall our farm takes on a new identity. With all the fields planted with winter wheat and new fencing up around the orchard, to protect our little fruit trees from deer, it's time to start getting ready for winter. That means sealing gaps around the chicken coop, and around the house, we started filling the porch with firewood, we need to cover the windows with plastic, put more rugs down inside, and add straw around the N.E. side of our house. We are stock up on can and dehydrated produce from the summer. I like to feel almost like the farm turns into a homestead during winter and there is something very romantic about that, wood stove burning real hot, candles, coffee, music and playing chess with Gretel. As much as I hate to see the growing season end, for many reasons, I do welcome winter for a little while. I do get sick of it towards the end of the season, just like I look forward to the end of a blisstering summer. Here in Ohio our summer and winters last a little to long, and spring and fall are always inconsistent, but that's what makes the anticipation so worth while.

The final week... how sad!

So, with this week brings us cold weather and the end of the CSA. It is always bittersweet when it comes, knowing that there will be much colder weather to come and that farm fresh produce isn't readily available. For us, this is when the preserved food comes into handy, but a tomato that has been canned can not be sliced and put on a sandwich. What we eat adapts to what is in season though, just as our ancestors would have had it. Now, don't get me wrong, we still go out to eat every once in a while or go to the grocery store in the winter to buy produce, but every time just adds to my longing for the spring to come back and the things picked straight from the garden to return. We really appreciate everything that you guys have done for us and for the opportunity that we were given. This is a way that we wanted our business to grow to reach out to more people who can't always come to the farmer's markets, and it worked! Thanks again and we look forward to next year!

Preparing for next year

We just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to all. We have really enjoyed this year and look forward to having a CSA again next year. We are looking for feedback, so don’t forget to fill out the survey for us. This will help us so that we know what we need to change next year. This will be very beneficial for you if you are going to participate in the CSA next year, and helpful for others even if you aren’t.
So, now that things are slowing down, we have time to reflect on the season over all. We appreciate the business from Whole Foods and also the florists and restaurants who bought produce from us (Harvest Moon Coffee Shop, Village Wines and Bistro, and Orchids and Ivy Flower Shoppe all in Canal Winchester; Steven Cox flowers, Green Floral Design, The Greener Grocer). It amazes us the growth of the support that we receive from businesses who want to buy things locally. We also appreciate the customers and all the brides for choosing us.
Now that all 10 weddings are over, soap takes over as my main hobby. Soon we will be selling the soap online available to be shipped for holiday gift giving. We will be doing winter craft shows with the soap. I will also be going back to substitute teaching while Steve will be working at the coffee shop and selling roofs. If there is a wind or hail storm, keep him in mind!
Winter time will be spent splitting firewood to keep the house warm and fixing all the things that were broken during the season that we didn’t have time to fix. We will also be busy planning for next year when the seed catalogs start coming in. Each year we will add certain things to our repertoire.
Most of the winter is spent trying to relax and preparing ourselves for the next season. Although farming isn’t a year round thing, when we are in season we are working from sun up to sun down! It’s hard work but definitely worth it. Much better than working for someone else, and we get to do it together! So again thank you for making it possible and your support throughout the season.

What’s included this week?

1. Ancho peppers- hot, but not too hot!
2. Salad greens
3. Turnips- can be roasted with a little butter and salt, or eaten raw
4. Bacon from the farmer’s market
5. Aloe plant- make sure not to overwater it as it is related to cacti
6. Bell peppers
7. Kohlrabi- peel the outside and chop finely to use like cabbage. It is really good in a homemade slaw.
8. Flowers- as a thank you gift for your participation this year! Don’t forget to cut them back every other day and change the water so they are freshest.

Recipe of the Week

Killer Chile Rellenos

***we made this recipe and it was to die for! If you can handle some heat, then you should definitely try it. Also, you can make extra and then put them in the freezer. Reheat them in the toasted oven and you are good to go.

6 Ancho Chiles

1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Flour

6 eggs (separated)

2 cups salsa

1 cup Oil for frying

Salt to taste

1. Rinse the chiles. Preheat your oven to broil. Place the chiles in a baking dish and place on the top shelf of your oven. Watch and listen closely. When the skins start to make popping sounds and are charring, take the chiles out and flip using a potholder. When both sides are fairly evenly charred, remove from oven. Place chiles in a sealed plastic bag to steam. After a few minutes, check them. Once the skin comes off easily, peel each chile. Cut a slit almost the full length of each chile. Make a small "t" across the top, by the stem. Keep stem intact and just pull out the seeds. Pull out fibers and seeds and replace with a slice of cheese. Set aside.
2. Whip the egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer, until stiff peaks have formed. Heat the oil in a skillet until a drop of water sizzles when dropped into the pan. Beat the egg yolks in a separate bowl with one tablespoon flour and salt. Mix the yolks into egg whites and stir until you have a thick paste. Roll the chiles in ¼ cup flour and dip each one in the egg batter. Coat evenly. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain.
3. Meanwhile, heat the salsa in a medium saucepan or in the microwave. Place one or two Rellenos on each plate and pour salsa over them. You can also try putting enchilada sauce over them instead. Serve them immediately and dig in!

Thank you for your support,
Gretel and Steve