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IN THE FIELDS/AT THE STAND
This list is prepared a few days before publication.
The harvest might change, so don't set your heart on any one item.
Then again, there will be welcome surprises.
Summer Crops: Arugula, Beets, Cauliflower, Swiss Chard, Collards, Cucumbers, Edamame, Eggplant, Fennel, Garlic, Husk Cherries, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Melons, Mizuna, Hot & Sweet Peppers, Fingerling Potatoes, Radishes, Red & Golden Raspberries, Tatsoi, Red Turnips, String Beans, Summer Squash (yellows) and Zucchini, Pumpkins, Autumn Squash, Tomatillos, Cherry Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Wheat Berries. Herbs: Bay, Bergamot (Bee Balm), Borage, Chives, Dill, Bronze Fennel, Anise Hyssop, Lemon Balm, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Shiso, Tarragon, Thyme. Flowers: Ageratum, Celosia, Cosmos, Coxcomb, Globe Amaranth, Gomphrena, Cracker Jack Marigolds, Scabiosa, Statice, Strawflowers, Sunflowers, Sweet Alyssum, Tithonia (Mexican Sunflowers), Yarrow, Zinnias.
COMING SOON!
Summer Crops: Broccoli, Cabbage, Celery, Winter Squash.
NOW AVAILABLE!
LATE SUMMER & WINTER SEASON SHARES
An opportunity to enjoy Quail Hill's late summer/fall bounty!
And/or to expand your Farm season through February!
Starting the Friday before Thanksgiving and continuing every two weeks, swing by the Farm Shop to pick up carrots, beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, celery root, parsnips, cabbage, kohlrabi, radish, turnips, winter squash, burdock, garlic, shallots, wheat berries and more. Plus harvest fresh greens from the greenhouses.
SINGLE PERSON & FAMILY SHARES
Sign up today! Spread the word!
Info: Robin Harris at Peconic Land Trust -- 631.283.3195
Farm members Sydney and Zed welcome you!
WEATHER REPORT
a conversation with farm manager Layton Guenther
For the past week, Scott has been in California attending and speaking at the National Heirloom Exposition in Santa Rosa. His absence afforded a welcome opportunity to catch up with  Layton.
September -- the month of bounty. Summer crops are still plentiful and early fall crops weigh down our harvest baskets. The air turns crisp, the quality of light crystalizes, and farm work takes on new rhythms.
The last of the transplants -- lettuce, kohlrabi, fennel and leeks  -- are now in the ground. The growing beds of spent vegetables are slowly being planted with cover crops -- this month peas and oats, next month rye. The welcome rain on September 13 broke a very long dry spell and the timing, Layton says, was "really great. We had just planted about a third of the 'blocks' on Birch Hill and they nicely got watered in." The rain on September 17 was "insurance." It's likely the days of lugging irrigation hoses are over, athough it will be "tricky" to ensure that new seedings of cover crops get watered, hopefully by Mother Nature. 
A stretch of sun is in the offing, which will allow our farmers to use the mechanical potato digger to harvest the Town Lane spuds. This good weather is also favorable for threshing the beans (which, dried, are part of the winter share). This good weather is also good for the pumpkins; the sun hardens their rinds preparing them for storage. "We are excited about that."
Cool weather, however, can be "a dagger in the hearts of  summer crops." The melons -- the most delicious in recent memory -- are nearing their end. Last week's harvest of 30 crates dropped to 4 or 5 for the Tuesday harvest just past. There is still fruit on the vine, but if the temperature remains cool, it won't ripen.
There are still flowers on the eggplant, but most likely the fruit will be smaller when it reaches maturity. Nevertheless, it's not  unusual to harvest eggplant in October. So, too, peppers. They are now "coming on" in the Town Lane fields. It takes times for them to reach their full color, and farm members harvesting the Birch Hill rows are often too impatient to wait to enjoy them at their peak. Not to worry. Both sweet and hot peppers growing on Town Lane will, at their maturity, be picked by our farmers and brought to the Farm Stand in the Valley. Some of the peppers will be smoked and dried for the winter share.
The winter share will include not only the peppers and dried beans, but also frozen tomatoes. (Sign up now! Revisit the above blurb!) Our farmers recently picked 600 pounds of plum tomatoes and, at South Fork Kitchens run by the Amagansett
Food Institute, blanched and froze them. "We're trying to
preserve as much as we can."
The winter squash are starting to come in -- all 30 varieties!  Scroll down for descriptions and photos. And there are apples in the Orchard. They are abundant and ready to be picked, but please, don't climb the trees!
All this bounty would not have been possible without the careful and loving attention of the Quail Hill crew -- Matt, Ella, Brendan, Nick, Michelle, Jesse, Morgan and Greg. "This year has been unique. Everyone has brought some farming experience  and a broad range of skills to the farm. And energy! It's so amazing!" Moreover, each crew member sees his and her experience at Quail Hill as "a stepping stone to continuing to work in agriculture."
This indeed fulfills Quail Hill's mission as a teaching farm.  "Personally, I look forward to putting more energy into improving my management and teaching skills. The challenge is to balance my time training and working alongside the crew with my responsibilities as farm manager. It's nice to be in a place that supports that."
It would be the rare farm member who has not expressed appreciation for the effort Layton and the farm crew have exerted over the past several months -- seeding, transplanting, weeding and harvesting. Overcoming the challenges of weather and weeds, they have done a Herculean job of making the farm beautiful, diverse and bountiful. We thank them.
TALES FROM THE FIELD
as told by QHF farmer Nick Berini
I've never seen the movie Rent but I have heard that iconic song about the number of minutes in a year -- it's five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred. It's a beautiful song; youtube it if you don't know it. The chorus asks, "How do you measure a year in your life?" As the resident number cruncher at Quail Hill Farm this season, I figured my contribution to Tales From the Field should attempt to measure a year in our collective lives here at the farm. So here it is:
In Bed Feet? We've planted and maintained 162,560 feet of bed space. That comes out to 31 miles or the same distance as walking from the farm to Montauk and back.
In Transplants? We transplanted about 75,000 plants from seedling trays, enough to give each resident in Amagansett 65 seedlings, or each resident in the town of east Hampton 3.5. And this doesn't include the 25,000 potato slips we set into the ground!
In Plants? This was a tough one. There are about 1.2 million wheat plants in an acre, and we planted two acres of wheat, plus several acres of buckwheat, rye, oats and peas. So, it's pretty safe to say we've put over 8 million plants in the ground or about one each for every resident of New York City. And these are only the intentional ones!
In Hours Worked? Your nine farmers have so far put approximately 8,860 hours into the farm. That's equivalent to one person starting work at midnight on January 1 and working straight with no breaks or sleep until January 4of the next year.
In Units of Energy? The crew has burned approximately 4.8 million calories doing farm work, about enough energy to raise the temperature of every pool in Amagansett 1 degree Celsius.
In Pounds of Food? Also a difficult one to calculate, but a conservative estimate says we've grown at least 150,000 pounds of food -- which is equivalent to 150,000 pounds of food.
So there you have it! A song of sorts. Measured in love.
*****
Nick recently started surfing and seeks a wetsuit and/or longboard for a 6'1" male. He writes that he's "willing to pay bottom dollar." Can anyone provide? Write him at nberini@gmail.com
DOWN IN THE VALLEY
Member and Farmer News
SEEDTIME
Sunday, September 21, 2 PM
Amagansett Free Library (215 Main Street)
Scott Chaskey
reads from his recent book, Seedtime: On the History, Husbandry, Politics and Promise of Seeds. Considering "the web of biodiversity and resilience at the heart of our cultural inheritance," Scott will weave history, politics, botany, literature, mythology, and memoir into a provocative talk. Info/Reservations: 631.267.3810
CONGRATULATIONS!
The Amagansett Food Institute received its second annual grant of $20,000 from the Long Island Community Foundation for its Farm to Pantry program. AFI works with local farms including Quail Hill, collecting and then selling surplus produce to Long Island Cares and other buyers for distribution to more than 600 Long Island food pantries. So far this year, the program has distributed more than 12,500 pounds of produce. Info:
WHAT IS IT? / HOW DO WE PREPARE IT?
EDAMAME
Edamame are soybeans, a major source of protein for over two thousand years in East Asia. The name translates to "Beans on Branches" as edamame grow in clusters on bushy plants. Harvest  the immature yet plump, bright green pods before any yellowing begins; this is critical to ensure maximum texture and flavor. Parboiling and freezing the beans retains their freshness and natural flavor, then used as needed.
Soybeans can eaten as "finger food" from the pod, added to soups, salads and fried rice, or mashed into a hummus-like paste.
For a delicious and nutritious snack, boil or steam edmame pods for 4 to 5 minutes (in lightly salted water), then cool under running water. Sprinkle with salt and squeeze the seeds from the pods.
For a spicier snack, heat 1 Tbs. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and 2 garlic cloves, sliced, in a skillet over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked edamame pods, some lime juice and salt.
CRISPY EDAMANE
www.allrecipes.com
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rinse12 oz. edamame beans, fresh or frozen, under cold water and spread beans on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbs. olive oil. Sprinkle 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated, over beans and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the cheese is crispy and golden, about 15 minutes.
WINTER SQUASH
Quail Hill Farm is growing a record number of winter squashes -- 30 varieties! Bizarre shapes, gorgeous colors, and intensely sweet flavor. Try as many as you can -- roasted, in soups, as pies. In an approximate order of their being harvested, they are:
Fairy. The 2-2½ pound oval fruit have smooth green and golden- streaked skin; its thick flesh has a sweet honeyed flavor. Good for soups, pies, baked and stuffed.
Carnival. Distinguished by a deeply furrowed top, its thick exterior is both spotted and striped in many colors. The presence of green indicates peak maturity; orange and cream remain as the squash ages. Its pale orange flesh is rich, buttery, nutty and sweet.
Sweet Reba. The flesh of this 1½-2 pound acorn variety is dry, substantial and very sweet, hence its name.
Gold Nugget. The 1-3 pound pink -orange fruits have orange flesh and a buttery flavor. Good storage squash.
Thelma Sanders. This light beige, deeply ridged acorn squash
measures 7½-8 inches. Its thick, orange-gold flesh is sweet and has a soft buttery texture. Good storage squash.
 Jester. A striped acorn with small to average ribs, the fruit is oval and tapered at both ends.
Winter Sweet. Shaped like a small pumpkin, this  blue-grey heirloom has a fine-grained texture and delicious flavor. Wonderful on its own or in soups and pies. Excellent for canning or freezing.
Cha Cha. This kabocha type squash weighs up to 4 pounds and has dark green, slightly flat-round fruits. Its bright orange flesh cooks up dry, flaky and sweet. Delicious when roasted or in soups.
Sunshine Winter.The stunning, deep scarlet fruits are slightly flat-round and weigh 3-5 pounds. Its tender flesh is smooth, sweet, and bright orange. Use for baking, mashing, and pies.
Bagheera. This dark green kabocha averages 3-4 pounds and has an exceptionally dry texture. Its flavor is deep, dense and delectable.
Burgess Buttercup. Its fruit has dark green skin with a gray button  on the blossom end and its stringless flesh is golden orange and very sweet. Use for baking and steaming (a great substitute for mashed sweet potatoes). Good storage squash.
Nutty Delica. This Japanese kabocha produces 2-3 pound flattened round dark fruits stippled with bright green. Its deep golden flesh has an incredibly sweet, slightly nutty flavor.
Uncle David's Dakota Dessert. Perhaps the original "buttercup" -- it's been in David Pohl's family for 70 years -- the fruit has dark green skin with a bluish button on the blossom end and very sweet flavor. Great for pies.
Zucca Tonda Padana. The beautiful 4-5 pound fruits have alternating grey-green stripes with orange ribs. Its orange flesh is sweet and dry. Use for soup, gnocci, and roasting. Good storage squash.
Blue Hubbard. This largest of the winter squashes (next to field pumpkins) is slightly tear-shaped with dark green to pale grayish blue skin. Its remarkably sweet, pumpkin-like flavor gets sweeter as the fruit ages. Good storage squash.
Sweet Dumpling. The small flattened and ribbed 1 pound fruit has a white skin with green stripes. The orange flesh is tender and sweet.
 Zeppelin Delicata. The cylindrical fruit has finely textured, deep orange flesh that is exceptionally sweet. Slice lengthwise and bake.
 Marina di Chioggia. One of the most beautiful of all squash, the large turban-shaped fruit are deep blue-green and can weigh 10 pounds. The rich, sweet flesh is a deep yellow-orange and is delicious baked or in pies.
Australian Butter. This large, gorgeous peach-colored squash from "down under" can weigh 15 pounds. Its extra-thick, orange flesh is perfect for pies and baking. Good storage squash.
Silver Bells. This small bell-shaped squash has a silvery gray-blue shell that turns pink in storage. It weighs about 4 pounds and its deep orange flesh is dry and sweet.
Queensland Blue. The beautiful blue turban-shaped fruit is deeply ribbed and weighs 10-20 pounds. Its deep golden flesh is sweet and fine flavored. Good storage squash.
Galeux d'Eysines. The flattened, round 10-15 pound fruit has a gorgeous salmon-peach colored skin that is covered with large warts! The orange flesh is very sweet. Good baked and in soups.
 Black Futsu. A Japanese squash, the flattened round, heavily ribbed fruit is black but turns a rich chestnut color in storage. It weighs 3-8 pounds and its golden flesh has the rich taste of hazelnuts.
Jarrahdale. This blue-grey pumpkin is flat, ribbed and weighs 6-10 pounds. Good storage squash.
 Pink Banana. A variety that boasts a 100 year lineage, it has large, pink, banana-shaped fruit that weighs 10-40 pounds. The orange flesh is dry and sweet.
 Candy Roaster. The pink, banana-shaped fruit have a blue tip and weigh around 10 pounds. The smooth orange flesh is delicious baked, fried and in pies.
 Triamble (Shamrock). Highly unusual in appearance, this light sea-green squash is lobed like a three leaf clover and weighs about 10 pounds. It has a sweet orange, fine-grained flesh.
Honey Nut. This 4-5" long mini-butternut initially appears dark green when immature, but ripens to deep orange-buff color. Good storage squash.
 Metro. This small butternut weighs 2½-3½ pounds and has very good flavor and texture.
Waltham. The "standard" butternut, its 9" fruit is light tan and has cylindrical necks without crooks and small seed cavities. It  weighs 4-5 pounds and its flesh is smooth-textured and very sweet.
RECIPES
HERB JAM
 from Russ Moore at www.tastingtable.com
contributed by Suzanne Lengye
l
A savory-sweet North African condiment so good that Alice Waters asked for seconds! Try it spread on ricotta-topped crostini, stirred into a Greek yogurt dip laced with cumin and cayenne, or slathered on top of roasted eggplant or summer squash.
Place 4 garlic cloves, halved, in a steamer basket set over boiling water. Top garlic with 1 lb. greens (Swiss chard, arugula, spinach/tatsoi) and 1 c. flat-leaf parsley, 1 c. mint, 1/2 c. cilantro and 1/2 c. tarragon. Cover and steam until the greens and herbs have wilted and the garlic has softened, about 30 minutes. Remove the greens, herbs and garlic and allow to cool. Pick out the garlic and set it aside. Squeeze any excess water from the greens and herbs, finely chop, and set aside. Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped greens and herbs and cook, stirring often to cook most of the moisture out of the greens, about 15 minutes. Adjust the heat to medium-low and add the garlic and 1/4 c. black Nicoise olives, pitted and roughly chopped. Mash the garlic into the green mixture and stir to combine. Add 1/2 tsp. cumin, and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from heat. Season with salt and stir in an additional 2 Tbs. olive oil. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl, cover, and refrigerate. To serve, mix in 1 Tbs. lemon juice (or more to taste) and allow the herb jam to come to room temperature. Yield: 2 cups.
Editor's note: The cooking times seemed overly long, especially if using the farm's very fresh produce. Use your own judgment.
FOR SALE at the Farm Stand and Shop  Available Saturdays and Tuesdays at the Farm Stand: Carissa's Breads -- including her signature loaf made with whole flour from wheat grown by Quail Hill and Amber Waves Farms. The wheat is milled just before baking and the bread incorporates a natural rising agent first cultured in Amagansett in 1968. Info.
 Available daily at the Farm Shop: QHF eggs from hens raised on organic feed; Mary Woltz's Bees Needs Honey from QHF hives; milk, butter, ice cream and yogurt drinks from Ronnybrook Farm; the Quail Hill Farm Cookbook edited by Hilary Leff and Linda Lacchia; French Fridays at the Farm by Sydney Albertini; and pickled garlic scapes and string beans from Taste of the North Fork. 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 the Farm Stand and Birch Hill boards as well as the 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 Thank you! | 
