Happy Holidays! December 2014

As I reflect back on 2014, it was truly a year filled with interesting events and experiences. My oldest daughter, Melissa, turned 22 (so hard to believe) and I am so grateful that she works here with me. My daughter, Laura, started her sophomore year in college and my son, Thomas, is a sophomore in high school. He helped bring a wonderful season to his golf team at school and got a part in the spring school play. One of the highlights this year was having my close friend’s daughter come to work here on the farm. We had many interesting visitors here to the farm, including many of our wonderful customers, officials from the state legislature; local and state representatives of the Soil and Water Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Services. We also had a visit from the New York Farm Bureau who came with a film crew and featured Eight Mile Creek Farm in a film they are making about New York agriculture. We put up another high tunnel and expanded our vegetable acreage. We planted a field full of garlic and started our own heirloom seed garlic. We began a new farmers’ market in Westchester County and had an opportunity to get to know some wonderful people there! We expanded our pork and beef breeding program by adding two additional sows and an additional bull, respectively. We also added a few more dairy heifers. Yes, it truly has been a productive year. There were heartaches and disappointments also. But Thomas coming home and announcing proudly that he has a 93 average in trig overshadows them all. Or the vision of the cows turned loose on a new grassy field, their red coats like jewels in the emerald green. Or the site of the days’ harvest layed out ready for market. Or hearing about how you each cooked or prepared your favorite vegetable that week…… So we are thankful for all of our blessings this year and so thankful that each and every one of you has been such a special part of our farm!

Merry Christmas!

King of the Early Bean Soup

1/2 – 1 pint Eight Mile Creek Farm King of the Early beans

Sea salt

1 large red onion

short grain brown rice (optional)

1/2 to 1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp garam marsala

Rinse beans. Place in a large bowl of salted water and leave on your countertop over night. Rinse beans and place in a large stock pot. Chop onion and add to pot. Add spices and 1 Tbsp sea salt. Fill pot with water. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low. Simmer, covered several hours until beans are tender. Adjust seasonings. If desired, in a separate pot, cook rice. Ladle soup into serving bowls and add a dollop of rice in the center of each bowl.

Roasted baby cabbages

4 baby cabbages, halved around core and rinsed

2-3 large garlic cloves, minced

extra virgin olive oil

sea salt

Lay halved cabbages on roasting pan cut side up. Drizzle very generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and minced garlic. Place in 400 degree oven and roast until edges are golden and cabbage is tender.