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February 2012
| Vol 3, Issue 1
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The Fresh Picked
Issue 1, Winter
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WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
| We are looking forward to our 2012 season and are excited to think of how to make it better. We would very much appreciate feedback from our 2011 CSA members. Please take a couple minutes to answer a few questions. To access this anonymous survey please click here.
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THE STATE OF OUR FARM
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January & February have been about seed ordering, equipment research, and farm planning. The warm winter has even allowed us to get into the fields and do some tilling. We are excited to take our growing to the next level while implementing organic methods of farming. We have been pouring over seed catalogs such as Johnny's, Territorial, and Seedway to compile an amazing selection of produce for our CSA members. Get ready for lots of heirloom varieties which you have most likely never heard of (I know I haven't).
We have been using a software application called Vegetable Garden Planner to help us lay out our farm plots. We will be integrating lots of companion plantings & cover crops to get us the healthiest, best quality yields, while replenishing our soil for future seasons. We are also integrating other organic methods of farming such as crop rotation, on farm composting, beneficial companion plantings, and trap crops to deter pests. We are planning on using bird seed mix to attract birds which help eat insects.
For the next couple weeks we will be erecting an impromptu seed propagation house so we can start seeding trays of heirloom tomatoes so we can get them in the ground by May.
We would like to welcome our new X500 Series John Deere tractor into our family. We realize this is a big investment but necessary to take our farm a step closer to obtaining our vision.
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SIGN UP FOR THE 2012 CSA SEASON
 Pre-Season Shares will be available in late winter.
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Submit Your Story
We would love stories from you to post on our newsletters. Stories of interest may about growing up on a farm, sustainable gardening tips, getting your kids to eat healthy, or anything that is relevant to eating, farming, sustainability, etc.
Please submit your story to us at normansfm@gmail.com
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PASA 2012 Annual Conference: Farming for the Future
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This past weekend, Eris and I ventured up to Penn State for PASA's Farming for the Future Conference. On our night drive to the Happy Valley we discovered a most relentless PA Turnpike. Lost in conversation and missing our exit for 99N in Bedford we added another hour and a half to our drive when we found no turn around for 25 miles. No worse for the wear, however, we arrived our hotel at midnight and still managed a good night sleep to attend our first day well rested.
On our first day we participated in an eight hour track of CSA School. It was filled with inspiring seminars. Tricia & Tom discussed marketing and wowed us with their story and the idyllic Blooming Glen Farm. As for opening our eyes to new possibilities, Zach, of Tree & Leaf Farm, is a guru of organic 4 season farming. His immense knowledge and creative farming techniques blew us away.
These lectures along with other speeches & discussions including managing crop production, mushroom cultivation, beginning an intern program, benefits of fruit orchards on the farm, and starting a meat CSA were great for stirring the pot for fresh ideas.
The Keynote Speaker, Brian Halweil, author of Eat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket and editor of Edible East End, painted a motivating portrait of how the establishment of a small community garden at Stanford University can elicit substantial change over 20 years. Also his approach to creating a paradigm shift across Africa for sustainable agriculture to feed the population and stimulate local economies. Finally he discussed effective grassroot projects such as oyster gardening clubs, and educational gardens at elementary schools to get children excited about the importance of knowing where food comes from.
We met Sophia Maravell of Nick's Organic Farm. We discussed the importance of her farm as preserving pure organic seed free from cross contamination of GMO seed. They primarily grow organic corn and soy. Sophia is hoping to turn the farm into an educational farm which we believe would be a great asset to the community. We want to help give support to Nick's Organic Farm, however we can and thought it a great start by sharing it with our network. To find out more or get involved check out Save Nick's Organic Farm.
We are fired up to breath new life into 2012.
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JAPANESE NOODLES WITH BOK CHOY AND TOFU
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Recipe Courtesy Aviva Goldfarb (local Chevy Chaser and NFM customer) via Epicurious.com
yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
I was looking through recipes for dinner today and this recipe caught my eye, then I realized it was by Aviva Goldfarb who is a customer of ours. Her latest cookbook SOS! The six o'clock scramble to the Rescue! is a great cookbook!
Chef's Note: Dried udon noodles are found in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets; if unavailable, use linguine instead.
Eris' Note: I used rice noodles and added zucchini. Delish!
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 8 green onions, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2 heads bok choy, bottom third discarded, leaves thickly sliced
- 1 12-ounce package extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, drained well on paper towels
- 1 12-ounce package udon noodles or 12 ounces linguine, freshly cooked
PREPARATION
Whisk soy sauce, vinegar, honey, 1 tablespoon oil and cornstarch in small bowl to blend. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic and ginger and stir 30 seconds. Add bok choy and sauté until beginning to wilt, about 2 minutes. Mix in tofu, then noodles and soy mixture. Stir until sauce thickens and coats noodle mixture, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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At The Root of the Farm to Table Movement
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Enjoy and have a wonderful week!
Jeff, Eris and John Norman
Norman's Farm Market
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