Week 6; july 13, 2023

What’s In the box?

notes on the box.

Cosmic wheel creamery cheese shares.

This week I’m sending our soft-ripened cheese (like a brie or camembert) called First Snow. It’s called first snow because I started making it late in the fall when we got our first snows of the season and the cows were at the end of their lactation. At that point the milk is perfect for this type of cheese. High in fat and then the ripening would be done right around Thanksgiving- Christmas. I next made it in the early spring when the cows were eating just hay and there was usually snow on the ground at that point, too.. That worked out pretty well also. I’ve tried to make this cheese so many times during the warmer summer months, but it had never worked out. It usually turned into hard little pucks that never developed the mold on the outside needed for ripening. It was very frustrating! I always felt pretty crummy feeding cheese that I spent a long time making and trying to age to our pigs when it failed. So I’m really pleased to have this work out! It’s lovely and buttery and flavorful. I credit the success with the learning that I was able to do at Westminster Artisan Cheesemaking in Vermont earlier this year.
It might still be firm in the center, but it’s ready to eat! Or you can let it age in your fridge for another week or two if you like it softer and more pungent. I prefer it at this stage smeared onto a good baguette and paired with some jam or cured meats. You can also make a super indulgent grilled cheese with it. I hope you enjoy it! I have another round ripening, if it turns out that may come your way as well.

Recipes.

Vegan Stir-Fry Cabbage in Peanut Sauce

Tangy Buttered Beets and and Beet Greens with Dijon

Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad with Dill

On the farm.

If you feel like going out for a drive, we are having an open farm tour day that several other area farms are participating in. Since the Eat Local Coop Farm Tour isn’t happening this season, we wanted to make sure folks still have a chance to connect with some land and some local growers. Josh and I (Rama) will be at farmers markets during the farm tour, but Otto and Sadie will be here to give tours and our farm store will be open for you to check out. More info and the map of participating farms is below. Let us know if you have any questions!

Another chance to see the farm will be July 30 for our next Sunday Sundaes Ice Cream Social. At the farm from 1-4.

Magdalen hoeing corn

Alayna in the corn

Phil making beautiful beet bunches

Ben loves brassicas

piggies enjoying the cheese that didn’t meet quality control standards

Alayna and Rusty relaxing hard after working hard

a cherry from our little cherry tree on some Cosmic Cream softserve!

Next week.

carrots
cabbage
onions
new potatoes
salad mix
cukes
zucchini
kale?
broccoli/broccolini

Turnip Rock FarmerJuly 12, 2023Comment

Week 5; July 6, 2023

What’s in the box?

Notes on the box.

napa cabbage

fennel

salad mix

radishes

cilantro

beets

cucumbers

carrots

Fennel and Napa Cabbage might be new veggies for some. The main part to eat of the fennel is the bulb. It’s great if you slice it very thin with a mandolin and then marinate it for a salad or it can be chopped and then roasted. The stalks can be chopped and pickled as a quick pickle that is really a nice flavor and great addition to a salad, slaw, sandwich, or to add to a cheese board. The frond leaves can be used in a similar way to dill, but it will have the nice anise flavor of the fennel.

Napa Cabbage makes a wonderful slaw (try an asian peanut slaw with the cilantro and some garlic scapes). It’s also yummy in stir-fry or can be fermented.

Also this week I need to note that these beet greens taste SO GOOD. Phil wilted some down with some garlic scapes and served them along with the beets which had been steamed till tender.

Cosmic wheel creamery cheese shares.

This week we have some fresh whole milk ricotta. So creamy and rich! My number one favorite way to eat it is to pile it onto a slice of sturdy sourdough bread and drizzle with nice olive oil, some cracked black pepper, and a generous pinch of salt. It’s also great drizzled with honey, some lemon zest, and some fresh fruit if you like to go sweet with it. It’s really versatile. I packed a larger container and it has a pretty short shelf life. You’ll want to eat it or get it into the freezer within a week or so for the best flavor.

Also this week I packed our Deneb. It’s made in the style of a gouda and this one is aged a little over a year. It’s got a natural, uncoated rind. I like the slight sweetness and the smooth, but firm texture of this batch.

recipes.

Crunchy Peanut Slaw
Mix together:
1 small head napa cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons by cutting across the head.
roasted, unsalted peanuts, chopped coursley (about 1 1/2 cup)
2-3 (or more if you like) garlic scapes, cut into small pieces with flower bud discarded
coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 carrots, shredded
Salt and pepper

Next, make the dressing:
1/2 cup light vegetable oil, such as canola
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce, plus more as needed

Toss dressing and veggies then garnish with more peanuts. Add chili crisp if you like spice!

Pickled Fennel Fronds

Beet Fennel Salad

Roasted Fennel and Carrots

Baked Ricotta Garlic Scape Dip - recipe calls for fresh basil, but feel free to substitue oregano, dill, fennel leaves, or radish tops!

on the farm.

we got some more rain. whew! it truly is a relief! along with the rain, some cool mammatus clouds, a rainbow, some lightning, and a really cool big orange full moon. The plants truly prefer the rain, as do we!

Another chance to see the farm will be July 30 for our next Sunday Sundaes Ice Cream Social. At the farm from 1-4.

cool sky alert! mammatus clouds!

well hi there

fennel and smiles from Alayna

next week.

cabbage
zukes
cukes
salad mix
radishes
dill
beets
fennel

Turnip Rock FarmerJuly 5, 2023Comment

Week 4; June 29, 2023

What’s in the box?

Notes on the box.

radishes

greentop beets

red leaf lettuce

broccolini

salad mix

oregano

greentop carrots

garlic scapes

Did you know that you can freeze garlic scapes?! I just learned it and you can bet I’m going to be freezing so many for soup, stir-fry, and roasted veggies this Winter. Simply cut them into inch size pieces and place them in a pastic bag, squeezing out as mich air as possible for freezing. Alternately, you can pulse them in your food processor with some olive oil and freeze in cubes for later. I adore having prepped garlic in the Winter.

Cosmic Wheel creamery Cheese Shares.

This week I included our Moonshadow and Moonglow. I like to include these two together to demonstrate what a difference what the cows are eating makes on the quality of the milk and the finished cheese. These are both made from the same recipe, but one was made in April 8 of last season before the pasture came in and so the cows were eating hay (dried grass) and the other was made on June 8 when the cows were on fresh, Spring flush pasture. You can see the difference in the colors of the two cheeses and I encourage you to taste them side by side as well. I don’t made very much of the Moonshadow because we milk seasonally and the cows aren’t making milk for too long when there isn’t fresh grass for them to eat. Most of them start milking for the year in April and May and then are given a break from milking from November until the next Spring. We only milk 10 or so cows per year which makes just the right amount of milk for our 90 gallon cheese vat. I hope you enjoy both of the cheeses!

Recipes.

Fresh Oregano Honey Dressing
Add together in a blender or jar with lid: 6 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 Tablespoons honey, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 minced garlic scapes (flower bud removed), 2 Tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves, and 1-1/2 tsp Dijon mustard. Blend together or put all ingredients into a jar a shake well. Dressing is great on a salad with roasted beets or a grated carrot and beet salad. Add cheese and toasted nuts to make a hearty and satisfying salad.

Garlic Scape Fries

Garlic Scape Hummus

On the farm.

Whew. We got some rain over the weekend. What a huge relief. The grass greened up a little bit and the veggies are popping up with so much delight from getting a drink.

The air quailty has been rough again (which I’m sure you all are aware of, too. We are very grateful for our crew and for everyone out there working outside in these rough conditions. We are trying to save the really more strenuous parts of the job to a minimum until things clear up, but even just the regular days work is not easy with the smoky skies. sigh. Clearer skies ahead?

We hope you will mark your calendars for the next Sunday Sundaes Ice Cream Social on the farm! It will be July 30 from 1-4. Hope to see you then!