FARM ETIQUETTE

Please help make harvesting an enjoyable experience for everyone.

OBSERVE FARM HOURS

Fields open at 8 AM and close at 5:30 PM.

OBSERVE SHARE LIMITS

Check farm stand board and signs at end of harvest rows. Ask a harvesting neighbor if in doubt. If no share limit is posted, harvest only what you can reasonably use until the next harvest day.

HARVEST ONLY in rows headed by signs or poles with ribbons

No CELL PHONES

No DOGS

No YELLING ACROSS BEDS

NoTRAMPLING PLANTS

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

It's a busy time of year at the farm -- crops still to be seeded or transplanted and, always, weeding. If you can help out, call the farm shop at 267-8492 the day before. If you get voice mail, indicate your morning or afternoon availability and a phone number where you can be reached. Someone will call you back with a time and place to meet. Thank you!

Grateful thanks to: Barbara DiLorenzo, Greg Kessler, Jane Weissman, Linda Laccia, Nick Microulis, Nick Stephens (for stunning gate in the transplant area by the greenhouses), Melissa, Sujo Offield and Sydney Albertini (for the beautiful harvest board).  And to Bennett Konesni, Edith Gawler, Steve Eaton, and a crew of 12 from Sylvester Manor Farm on Shelter Island.

UPCOMING

QHF EVENTS

programs for young people and adults . . . 

 

at Quail Hill Farm

 

LADYBUG HUNT

Tuesdays, July 10 & 31

10 AM - Noon

rain cancels

Free!

 

Park on Deep Lane.

Meet at farm stand.

 

Wear sunscreen.

Bring a digital camera.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. More info. . . 

 

RSVP requested:

631.283.3195 or

events@PeconicLandTrust.org.

 

 

and at the Amagansett Free Library

LOST LADYBUG PROJECT

Learn about the rare 9-spotted ladybug and how to catch them (for scientific study) with Dr. Leslie Allee of Cornell University

Monday, July 9

3:30-4:30 PM

Free!

 

215 Main Street, Amagansett

Info: 631.267.3810 

 

For accommodations due to a disability, please contact the library in advance.

 

Read more about the Lost Ladybug Project at right.

 

 

Shakespeare in the Orchard

THE TEMPEST

presented by

Green Theatre Collective

Wednesday-Sunday

July 18, 19, 20, 22 at 6:30 PM

July 21 at 5 PM

 

Read more at right.

 

 

POT LUCK SUPPER

Saturday, July 21

6:30 PM

Apple Orchard

 

 

AT THE COMMON TABLE

benefit dinner

Saturday, August 18

4:30 PM - dark

Apple Orchard

 

 

THE GREAT

TOMATO TASTE-OFF

Saturday, September 1

9 AM - Noon

Apple Orchard    

 

 

Peconic Land Trust EVENTS

SOUPER TUESDAYS

August 7, 14, 21 & 28

5 - 7 PM

Amagansett Farmers Market

Main Street, Amagansett

Savor a delectable soup created by the Amagansett Farmers Market using ingredients grown by Amagansett farms on Trust-managed or owned land. Meet farmers from Quail Hill, Amber Waves, Balsam, and Sunset Beach Farms  

More details to follow.

UNCOMMON GROUND III

a sculpture exhibition featuring the work of seven internationally recognized artists

June 20 - September 10 

Bridge Gardens

Opening Reception

Saturday, July 21

6 - 8:30 PM  

More info. . .   

AT THE FARM SHOP

QHF Eggs

Bee's Needs Honey

From Ronnybrook Farm....

Milk, Butter, Ice Cream, Yogurt Drinks

Quail Hill Farm Cookbook

Edited by Hilary Leff and Linda Lacchia

French Fridays at the Farm

By Sydney Albertini

Coming Soon!

Garlic Scape Pickles

Prepared by Taste of the North Fork

YOUR

CONTRIBUTIONS

ARE WELCOME

Please send recipes, anecdotes, news, photos, poems, etc. to e-news writer Jane Weissman at QuailHillNews@aol.com.  

Or call her at 631.267.6963

Producing over 500 varieties of organically grown vegetables, flowers, fruits, and herbs, QUAIL HILL COMMUNITY FARM is located on 220 acres of land donated by Deborah Ann Light to Peconic Land Trust.  For membership information, contact Robin Harris at Peconic Land Trust at 631.283.3195   

A Community Supported Agricultural (CSA) project, Quail Hill Farm helps to ensure the survival of agriculture on Long Island's East End by bringing together community members, farmers, and agricultural land in a relationship of mutual support. Quail Hill Farm is a stewardship project of Peconic Land Trust.

IN THE FIELDS / AT THE STAND

Early Summer Crops: Garlic Scapes, Lettuce, Rhubarb, Peas: Sugar Snaps and Shucking, Pea Shoots & Flowers, Radishes. Spinach. Herbs: Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Anise Hyssop, Lemon Balm, Lovage, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme. Flowers: Bachelor Buttons, Zulu Daisies

COMING SOON!

Arugula, Fava Beans (for salads and quick cooking), Fennel, Kale, Mizuna, Snow Peas, Scallions, String Beans, Summer Squash, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi. More Herbs: Parsley More Flowers: Ageratum, Snapdragons and, over the summer, more than 40 varieties.  

WEATHER REPORT

A Conversation with Scott

SCOTT CHASKEY

Farmer Poet, Director  

Quail Hill Farm 

"I have a good feeling about this year. Things are going along nicely. We have a great group of apprentices (see below) and the fields look good." It was a most variable spring. Due to a mild winter and some summer-like weather, the soil heated up quickly, allowing the farmers to plow in March -- an event occurring only once before in the farm's 23 year history. April -- poetically the "cruelest month of the year" -- was for Quail Hill Farm the driest in memory. It was so dry that the farmers had to irrigate. May was unseasonably cold, which retarded plant growth. But with June, the weather righted itself and plants took off, helped by "nice even rainfalls." Just look (and enjoy) the gorgeous lettuce, spinach, and early peas while admiring the favas covered in flowers. June is the month for planting and a walk through the fields reveals a first planting of tomatoes (two more planned), peppers, eggplants, summer squash, cukes, beets and carrots. Spud lovers will be glad to know that potatoes are growing well in four places -- in the Valley, on Birch Hill and Town Lane -- and so far the dreaded potato beetles are under control. Soon to go into the ground are many more flower, melons, watermelons and winter squash.

For Scott, it was a busy and productive winter. Rodale Press bought his new book, Seed Time: The History, Husbandry, Politics and Promise of Seeds. Now he needs to carve out time to finish writing it. In April, he joined a winemaker, musician, and chef among others, participating in the Parrish Art Museum's "Lighting Round" program and presenting 20 slides and speaking for six minutes about his work and motivations. More recently he participated in Canio's celebration of Rachel Carson on the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking expose of the adverse effect of the pesticide DDT, Silent Spring. And just last week, he spoke about community agriculture in Wethersfield, CT at Comstock, Ferre and Company, the oldest seed company in the U.S. The company was recently bought by Baker Creek Seeds of Missouri which was started by 30 year old "whiz kid" Jere Gettle, an heirloom seeds advocate. (Scott spoke there last year.)

The farm continues to host visits from local schools -- this season, fifth grade classes from East Hampton School and first graders from Ross School.

This year, Quail Hill's garlic crop has doubled to 40,000 bulbs and with the spring's early warm weather the scapes were harvested earlier than usual (look for the "stinking rose" at the farm stand in July). The farm stand is overflowing with them, so enjoy them while they last. See below for ways to prepare them. This bounty bodes well for the entire season.  

MEET THE APPRENTICES

As Scott says, this year's farmers are a "hard working crew, fast, curious, and eager to learn." Stop and chat them up on harvest days. In the meantime, here are their photos and short bios of half the team. The others will appear in future issues of QHF E-News.

KATE ROWE, Market Manager

Kate grew up near Chicago on five acres helping in her dad's huge vegetable garden and two small orchards. In 2006, when she moved back to Chicago, she started farming, first on a small organic CSA farm and the following year opening her own farm with a friend on leased land north of the city, selling to chefs and at renowned Lincoln Park farmers market. In 2009 she was hired to start a farm for a restaurant north of Boston, then moved to a raw milk dairy farm in Vermont where she also made cheese and milked goats. After managing a heritage breed pig farm last year in upstate NY, Kate is happy to be back growing vegetables and working with Scott in the beautiful fields of Quail Hill Farm. She looks forward to being a part of this community and to growing tons of beautiful food for all of you.

BARRIE COHEN, Apprentice Farmer

Barrie grew up in Manhattan and spent her summers out here in Amagansett. Graduating from Goucher College in 2010, she spent time volunteering on campus community gardens, rooftops farms in Brooklyn, and organic farms in New Zealand. Barrie is looking forward to exploring the South Fork and learning how to drive a manual truck.  

SEAN FRAZIER, Apprentice Farmer 

Sean grew up surfing in Montauk and playing in the fields of Quail Hill Farm. He volunteered at EECO farm while at high school in East Hampton, and at Princeton University he studied physics and began teaching yoga. During a year off from school he worked on a small farm in Springs and falling in love with the lifestyle, he decided to do farm work after college. He is excited to have ended up at Quail Hill for this season, and is looking forward to many months in the sun and rain, learning as much as possible and enjoying this special place.  

  CALVIN KYRKOSTAS           RACHEL KLEPNER 

  Crew Chief                            Apprentice Farmer

WILL VAN HEUVELEN

WHAT IS THIS?  HOW DO WE USE IT?

HERBS & LEAFY GREENS

When harvesting herbs, snip off individual stems from plants throughout the patch. Clear-cutting (i.e.,lopping off an entire section) is neither good for the health of the plants or for the look of the fields. When harvesting leafy greens (spinach, arugula, tatsoi, Swiss chard, kale), snip the outer leaves; this allows the smaller, interior leaves to mature and keeps the plants producing for their entire life span.  

GARLIC SCAPES

Very young garlic, planted in October and harvested in July, is soft and onion-like. As the underground bulb gets bigger, it sends out a long thin shoot that curls into a beautiful tendril. If left unattended, the tendril's soft top will harden and form a mini-garlic bulb that inhibits the growth of the "stinking rose" below. Thus, the garlic scapes are removed from the plants and, much to our delight, can now be found at the farm stand. Store them in the refrigerator or stand them in a jar filled with an inch of water (they also look great in an herb bouquet.) To prepare them, remove the stringy bit above the soft top and snap off the fibrous bottom as with asparagus. Brush with olive oil and cook them on the grill. Cut them into 1½ inch lengths and sauté them alone in a little olive oil or with asparagus or peas (before serving, spinkle with summer savory). Cook with roast potatoes (adding them about 15 minutes before they are done) or fold shorter lengths into scrambled eggs. And then there is pesto! The pesto keeps for a week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It also freezes well--just leave out the grated Parmigiano and pine nuts or walnuts that you would add to the cut up scapes, oil, salt and pepper--and can be used long after the scape season is a fond memory.

RECIPES

Upside down buttermilk rhubarb cake

contributed by Sydney Albertini

Preheat oven to 400. Whisk together 1 c. flour, ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda and ¼ tsp. salt. Beat 4 Tbs. sweet butter, softened, and 2/3 c. granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in ½ tsp. pure vanilla and 1 large egg, beaten. Using a mixer, beat at low speed, incorporate the flour mixture and ½ c. buttermilk, alternating between the two and beginning and ending with the flour. In a 9-inch cast iron (or other high sided) pan, melt 2 Tbs. salted butter. When melted, sprinkle in ¼ - ½ c. brown sugar. When the sugar begins to dissolve scatter 2 c. rhubarb, chunked and packed as tightly as possible. Cook slowly for approximately 5 minutes. Pour batter over rhubarb and bake for 30 minutes until golden. Let cool in pan before inverting on a plate. Serves 6 to 8. Serve warm or room temperature with ice cream or crème fraiche.

RECIPES WANTED! QHF E-News is always looking for creative ways to prepare farm produce. Please send your favorites for vegetables that are now in the fields/on the stand or coming soon to quailhillnews@aol.com. If the recipe is not yours, be sure to include its source (book/author or web site) and note any adaptations or tips.

FARM BREAKFAST

Bakers & Volunteers Needed!

Love those herbed scrambled-eggs-from-the farm, roasted potatoes, blueberry pancakes, strawberry rhubarb compote and baked goods, all accompanied by juice and coffee? It takes a lot of work -- all provided by farm members -- to make it all happen.

Here's how you can help. Bring a batch of muffins or a loaf of quick bread to share. It's amazing how fast these treats disappear. And/or join the great team of Volunteers. People are needed to...

On Friday, June 29: Prepare the compote and roast potatoes (food and trays provided), pick (and/or chop) herbs, wash recycling containers, help set up the orchard in the afternoon, and fill the coffee pots. On Saturday, June 30: Help with the 6:30 AM set up, work the grills, staff the pastry / welcome / sales tables, and clean up.  

Look for the Volunteer Sheet at the farmstand or contact Jane at 631.267.6963 or quailhillnews@aol.com  

THE LOST LADYBUG PROJECT

at QHF and the Amagansett Free Library

Last summer, QHF farmers, guided by staff from Cornell Cooperative Extension in Suffolk County and Cornell University, triumphantly discovered several nine-spotted ladybugs (Coccinella novemnotata or C9) in the fields. A native species, the C9 was thought to be locally extinct, and not been seen on Long Island since the late1980s -- when, ironically, the ladybug became the official New York State insect.

Ladybugs are ferocious yet essential predators. They eat many plant pests including aphids and mealy bugs. Several native ladybug species that were once very common have, over the past 20 years, become extremely rare -- due, perhaps, to the loss of agricultural land and the introduction of non-native ladybug species whose population has grown with their range.

Hunts for the rare C9 will again take place at Quail Hill Farm -- on two Tuesdays, July 10 and 31, from 10 AM to Noon. Become a "Citizen Scientist" and help capture, identify and release these rare beneficial insects. All data collected will further Cornell's Lost Ladybug Project (http://www.lostladybug.org), a national research study examining the changes to the ladybug population across the U.S.

Sponsored by QHF/Peconic Land Trust, Cornell University and the South Fork Natural History Museum.

SHAKESPEARE IN THE ORCHARD

Combining a passion and respect for the environment with engaging, entertaining theater, the GREEN THEATRE COLLECTIVE (www.greentheatrecollective.org) is one of the country's first eco-theatre companies, leaving a minimal carbon footprint -- no scenery, no costumes, no lights. Last summer, the collective -- led by executive director and producer Hal Fickett -- presented a very witty As You Like It, delighting its Quail Hill audiences. This year, the six actors present Shakespeare's great romance, The Tempest -- a tale of revenge, redemption, betrayal, greed, innocent love and selfless generosity. Young and old will succumb to the humor, mystery and magic of a tale told by six actors (playing multiple roles), aided by music, dance, daring and passion. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy this production under the evening sky!  

Info: www.greentheatrecollective.org

Performances run from

Wednesday, July 18 through Sunday, July 22.

Wednesday-Friday & Sunday at 6:30 PM.

Saturday at 5 PM (to be followed by the farm's Pot Luck Supper)

$20/adult, $5/child. Tickets sold "at the door." Cash only.

DOWN IN THE VALLEY

Member & (former) Farmer News

Joe O'Grady -- who came to QHF farm in 2005 -- as an apprentice, moving into the farm manager position which he held through 2010 -- and Emma Hoyt have now settled in Long Valley, NJ. Emma writes, "We are starting a farm for a general practitioner whose holistic vision encompasses his patients as CSA members. Paying one membership fee, they will come to the farm for both their healthcare and food. Currently we're building the soil and infrastructure in preparation for growing crops next year." Joe adds, "We feel like pioneers in a new world -- not too many organic farms around here. It's exciting to be starting a new farm, but I have to admit, we miss Quail Hill and all our friends and Ruby Toonses, too. We are still living like a couple of tinkers and have to drive up Schooley's mountain to the library to use the Internet . There are three houses on the property, the one designated as ours is a charming 18th century stone cottage."  

Congratulations to Liz Moran, who worked the past two seasons at QHF, and Steve Eaton, longtime QHF volunteer, on the birth of their daughter Harbor Adah Eaton, on March 11, 2012. (Liz and Steve met at QHF's compost pile!) Liz writes, "We moved to Shelter Island a week after Harbor's birth.   Steve is working as the Crew Leader at Sylvester Manor Farm while I am raising Harbor. I'm also putting together a program to support East End farmers and their workers by offering educational tours/visits to the area's farms. My hope is to connect farmers better and make apprenticeship opportunities more educational. We look forward to staying connected with the Quail Hill Community and hope to see everyone in the lush fields one sunny harvest day."

Congratulations to long time farm member and chef COLIN AMBROSE on his new restaurant Estia's American www.estiasamerican.com in Darien, CT. As with Estia's Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor, Colin is working with local farmers and producers, giving his American menu a Mexican twist.