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Pennypack Pickings
| November 6, 2010
Volume 8, Issue 31
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| Weekly Harvest |
Sweet Potatoes
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Turnips
Kohlrabi
Kale
Swiss Chard
Mizuna
Arugula
Lettuce
Braising greens
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2011 CSA Shares
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Current Members
Be sure to send in your application before Thanksgiving to guarantee your share for 2011!
Click here for form!
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Save the Dates
2011 Sustainability
Movie Series
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Pennypack Farm is proud to be sponsoring another Sustainability Movie Series in 2011! Last year's movies were sold-out events and anticipation is building for the upcoming season.
The movies will be the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm at the Ambler Theater.
Feb. 8 - Two Angry Moms
Mar. 8 - A Chemical Reaction
April 12 - Bag-It
More details to come in
next week's Pickings!
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| Leaf Donations |
The farm is accepting leaf donations this year. They must be entirely wood/branch/wood chip free. Leaves must be dumped near the existing leaf/compost piles at the far end of the parking lot, near the College Settlement pine forest, without blocking any existing roadways. For more information, contact Andy at the farm.
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President's Message
Where did the time go? It seems like only last month the farm was buzzing with the first share pick-ups of the 2010 season and that just last week we were overwhelmed with tomatoes! But here we are at the end of the season. The greens are once again dominating our dinner tables, the farm fields are being prepared for winter, and our laying hens have left the farm bound for new homes within our community.
This has been a year of many successes and a few challenges:
- Our vegetable harvest was bountiful and delicious in spite of the tremendous heat and drought
- Our education programs and Harvest Festival exceeded expectations
- We held our inaugural Community Appreciation Dinner with much success
- We lost our Local Foods Market
- We hosted many bright and enthusiastic interns and WWOOFers (Willing Workers on Organic Farms)
- We started to search for additional acreage to accommodate the demand for fresh, local food
- We tripled our food donation program, putting fresh vegetables on the tables of families who may not otherwise have access to them
I could go on and on - but will stop and just say how proud I am (and I hope you are) to have been a part of Pennypack Farm this season. Please join me in the spirit of Thanksgiving and give thanks to the farm staff who worked hard to provide us with healthy food and terrific programs.
We'll see you next season!
Kristy Gregory
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The Dirt on Education
Join us for a creative workshop of transforming dried natural materials from around the world (pods, cones, seeds, flowers, bark, peels and more) into delightful critters and more. Inspired by nature, your designs will make great gifts, centerpiece or wreath accents, or window ornaments. Guaranteed smiles.
We will be working on our critters between the hours of 2:00pm and 4:00pm. You are welcome to drop by within those hours, but are free to leave when you are satisfied with your creatures.
Children MUST be accompanied by an adult as we will be working with hot glue guns.
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 Notes from Farmer Fred
November 4, 2010
Summer share 2010 goes down in my book as A Good Season. Next Wednesday, November 10, will be the finish line. We can be proud of what we have accomplished, not just as farmers, but as a community.
First, we weathered yet another unprecedented climate swing - the hottest year on record in these parts. Our irrigation system worked well, and the only crop loss was to some of the lettuce. You, the community, have given us the tools - most recently through our 2010 Growing Fund campaign -- to get the job done.
Second, we brought five new acres into production, expanding our cropland by 25%. Volunteers led by Joe Ingersoll and Ron Denzell extended our deer fence to protect this ground without the farmers having to lift a hammer. Neighborhood farmer Gary Mckeown plowed the ground for us with his oversize tractor and we were in business. The fertility of the new field has been evident in the superb fall broccoli crop.
In addition, we took major steps to clean up the appearance of the farm, organizing and clearing out various junk piles. We installed better fire safety and security measures. We trialled new conservation practices in the fields, including the use of hay mulch and roll-down cover crops. We expanded the number of CSA shares by about 10 percent, and expanded our college-age intern program. And an unprecedented number of volunteers - easily in the hundreds - pitched in over the course of the season.
Pennypack Farm is a dynamic, vibrant place, where many hands make light work. Our mission is to make local, sustainable agriculture an important part our community. But the reverse is also true - the community is what makes Pennypack Farm such a success.
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Pennypack Farm & Education Center
Board of Directors - WANTS YOU!
If you enjoy being a part of the Pennypack Farm community and would like to get more involved, please consider joining our Board of Directors. Guided by our mission and core values, the board of directors is a dynamic group of individuals who meet on a monthly basis. Our BOD exists to support the farm staff and programs, ensure effective organizational planning, ensure adequate resources and to enhance the farm's public image. Are you qualified? If you care about Pennypack Farm, its staff and its future, have 3-4 hours per month that you can dedicate to the organization, and want to help guide the future direction of the organization, then you are qualified! Some specific talents we are looking for include (but are not limited to):
- legal expertise
- experience with marketing programs
- funds development
- teachers
- bookkeeping/finance experience
If you want to help your CSA grow in the future, contact Kristy Gregory at president@pennypackfarm.org for more information.
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Greek Swiss Chard Pie
By Martha Rose Shulman via the New York Times
Published: October 7, 2008
Submitted by Jayne Bahrenburg
You may be familiar with Spanakopita, the Greek spinach pie; this dish is very similar. I prefer a sturdier green like chard to spinach, because it retains its dark green color and fresh flavor better when cooked for a long time in the phyllo dough.
Ingredients
2 to 2 1/2 lbs. Swiss chard, stemmed and thoroughly washed
Salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, preferably a combination of dill and parsley, or 1 teaspoon each dried thyme and oregano
3 large eggs, beaten
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground pepper
12 sheets phyllo pastry plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil or 2 tablespoons each melted butter and extra-virgin olive oil, combined, for brushing
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you stem and Thoroughly wash the greens. (Do not discard the stems--save them for later. They are tasty braised with garlic and parmesan cheese). Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the chard and blanch for 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to the ice water. Let sit just until cool, a few minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water by taking up bunches of the greens, making a fist around them and squeezing. Chop coarsely and set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Oil or butter a 10-inch tart or cake pan (I like to use a ceramic dish for this). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds to a minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Stir in the greens, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir the mixture for a minute, until the greens are coated with oil. Remove from the heat.
3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Crumble or blend in the feta. Stir in the greens, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Line the pie dish with 7 pieces of phyllo, lightly brushing each piece with butter or oil and turning the dish after each addition so that the edges of the phyllo drape evenly over the pan. Fill with the greens mixture. If using phyllo, fold the draped edges in over the filling, lightly brushing the folded in sheets of phyllo ,then layer the remaining 5 pieces on top, brushing each piece with butter or olive oil. Stuff the edges into the sides of the pan. Brush the top with the butter or oil, and make a few slashes so that steam can escape as the pie bakes.
5. Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is golden. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.
Yield: Serves 6
Advance preparation: The blanched greens will keep in the refrigerator in a covered bowl for 3 or 4 days. The dish can be prepared through Step 2 up to a day ahead. Keep the cooked greens in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. You can assemble the pie several hours before baking and keep it in the refrigerator, or freezer. Transfer directly from the freezer to the preheated oven, and increase the baking time by about 10 minutes. The finished tart keeps for a few days, but you must re-crisp the phyllo in a low oven (300º to 325ºF) for 10 to 20 minutes.
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Hosted by the College Settlement of Philadelphia
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Natural Critters