Eight Mile Creek FarmWeek of August 4, 2019
Kathy Otto with her CSA share. The Otto’s are a very special family. Kathy and her daughter, Emily, pick up their CSA share at our farm on Mondays. We love seeing them each week!
One of the fields down the road that we cut hay on for our cows
Contrary to news statements made recently about cows being harmful to the environment, the opposite is actually true. Pastured, grass fed cows employ large amounts of land which keeps that land in agricultural use. Well managed pasture grasses sequester nitrogen, trap carbon dioxide, reduce erosion and reduce temperatures. The cows produce manure which fertilizes the fields. Collected manure can be composted and used as organic fertilizer, which eliminates the need for harmful chemical fertilizers. Organic beef and dairy production requires a minimum amount of acreage per cow and also requires cows, which are ruminants, to have pasture as the primary component of their diet during the grazing season.
Produce from the farm This Week
Summercrisp Lettuce, Cherry Tomatoes, Beets, String Beans, Basil, Patty Pan Squash, Zucchini, Swiss Chard
A customer at the Peekskill Farmer’s Market Saturday holding our Swiss chard
Beef Stuffed Patty Pan Squash
3 Patty pan squash
1/2 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp yogurt
1/4 cup roughly chopped mixed sweet peppers, core removed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 onion, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2-2/3 tsp chili powder
1/2-2/3 cup corn kernels (optional)
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
sea salt and pepper
Heat oven to 400. Remove stem end from squash, and slice in half so you have 6 “bowls.” Leaving a quarter inch border, scoop out the halves with a spoon. Chop and reserve the insides. Place the squash halves, skin side down, in a shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. In a large pan, heat oil over medium high heat and add the chopped squash insides, onion and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, a couple minutes. Add tomato paste and chili powder and cook, stirring an additional minute. Add beef, breaking it up and cook until no longer pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the peppers, corn and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon beef mixture into each squash half. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan. Cover baking dish with foil and bake until squash is tender, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is golden brown, 5-10 minutes more. Drizzle with yogurt and serve.
adapted from Farm to People
Summer Pasta with Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil
extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 lbs zucchini, sliced in half longways, then into 1/4 inch thick pieces
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups basil leaves
1 lb pasta
8 oz. ricotta
pinch of crushed red pepper
zest of 1 lemon
2 oz. grated Parmesan
Put a pot of water on to boil for pasta. In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the onion in 3 Tbsp olive oil until softened, 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat and add zucchini. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until soft, about 10 min. Turn off heat. Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil, and a little salt into a paste or use food processor. Stir in 3 Tbsp olive oil. Salt the pasta water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest. Stir. Adjust seasoning. Cook 1 min. more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add basil paste and half the grated cheese and stir. Spoon pasta into plates and sprinkle with additional cheese.
from keyingredient.com
Next week……..kale
Ya know, it really irks me when I read the words of the experts who seem to blame any old cow who grazes in a field as a contributing cause of climate change. Why is there not always the mention of the INDUSTRY, which is what is truly impacting the environment? That is, CAFOs- concentrated animal feeding operations. Hundreds and thousands of these unfortunate animals are confined into sickeningly small areas for months on end— and to what end? Profit for big business.
I am so glad you spoke about your cows, Pam, and the part they play in the health of the planet. It’s common sense! I believe a small farm exemplifies a healthy cycle of life. The industry is what perverts the cycle and endangers the planet.