Twin Springs Fruit Farm
Growing better since 1979
A reward for reading this newsletter!
(I'm sure you deserve it)
 SAVE 10%

This discount will be in effect through the holidays, in other words starting this
Saturday 12/19/15 through New Years Day, ending on Sunday 1/2/16.
This makes it our annual 2 week discount period, to get you to ignore all the food that has built up in your refrigerators, and come out to purchase more good stuff!
Just let your clerk know you read our newsletter, no need to print anything, just don't let the others in line know about it - they would have to put up with the newsletter to be worthy. (rock on Garth)
 
Michael holding one of our delicious Sunshine Winter Squash
For what's at market this week see the bottom section.
For times and locations please 


Holiday Scheduling
     As always you may always click on the link above to get the market schedule. We have decided to attend the three remaining Saturday markets on the day after Christmas. We have had some inquiries from customers, and decided, in true Twin Springs fashion, to do them despite the holiday weekend.
     Jeremiah will be building those loads earlier in the week and they can sit in the cooler for one or two days, until Saturday morning, at which time the three trucks can be loaded by forklift, not too time consuming of a job. We don't want to make anyone work on Christmas!
     The three are: the Arlington Courthouse Market, and two of our own markets - Bethesda United Church of Christ, and the Maret School Market. All three will run all winter. (Friendship Heights will have stopped as of this coming Saturday, and Saturday Pike Central has closed till Spring).
     We will also be doing all of the six Sunday markets, and the only relevant information at this time is that Westover's hours have been changed to 9:00 - 1:00, and that this Sunday, 12/20, will be the final day for the Mosaic Central Market, until Spring.
     In January the Dupont Farmers' Market will also be altering their hours, shortening them to 10:00 - 1:00.
     Alas, we had our last day at Mt.Vernon on Wednesday, and I'll truly miss the market; wishing that they could turn it into one of the many thriving year-round markets in the area. We do, after all, attend ten markets through the whole winter, and have been growing stuff to that end for a couple of decades. 
Winter Squash

"BonBon" Buttercup Squash
I saw Domenica on the last day of the Mt.Vernon Market, stocking up, in anticipation of our being gone for four months. She handed me a copy of her book "The Glorious Vegetables of Italy", and indicated that Twin Springs got a mention in it. Needless to say on getting home and popping open a homebrew I looked for and found her reference, pretty much on the first page of text - the Acknowledgements.

"...Of course, seeds need to be nurtured to grow into beautiful, edible vegetables. For this I thank farmers, from those who set up stalls every week in the parking lot of my local library in northern Virginia to those across the ocean who work the terraced hills of Italy and beyond. A special tip of the hat to Aubrey King of Twin Springs Fruit Farm, in Orrtanna, PA, whose candy-sweet buttercup squash inspired several recipes in this book, including the Winter Squash Panna Cotta (page 248) and the Buttercup Squash and Ricotta Crostada (page 242)."


     A very much appreciated mention in a fine cookbook, and of course I'm going to lay out one of her recipes right here. I couldn't resist the tie in with our having Joe's Tuscan Kale (yes, our sweet corn guy) at "Our Own" markets this *weekend, and beyond for the foreseeable future,
which are the Friendship Heights Market (its final day until Spring), the Bethesda U.C.C. location as well as our Maret School market.
     The below recipe is worth trying, if only to make risotto rice, a fine skill and a wonderful way to create any number of dishes. It just transforms rice into a centerpiece rather than just a starch on the side.
*Actually we're keeping our fingers crossed as it may not be quite mature enough to cut. I guess you'll find out if you look for it at market.

Winter Risotto with Butternut Squash and Tuscan Kale
If you don't get the kale our Flower Sprouts could be chopped and used in its place.

Ingredients
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced *yellow onion
1 lb. **Butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2" cubes
8 oz. ***Tuscan kale, coarsely shredded
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
2 cups arborio, carnaroli, or other short grain rice
1 cup dry white wine
5 to 6 cups vegetable broth, or best quality commercial vegetable or chicken broth
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper

*Twin Springs has that covered!
**You may substitute either of our other winter squash selections:
"BonBon" or "Sunshine"
***Hopefully Joe will get some cut, if not try our flower sprouts, chopped somewhat.
Instructions
   Warm the olive oil and the onion in a large Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the squash and kale and toss to coat them with the oil. Sprinkle in the salt. Cover the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the kale is completely wilted and the cubes of squash are tender.

   Stir in the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the grains are shiny and glassy-looking. Raise the heat to medium-high and pour in the wine. Let it bubble for a minute or so, until it is almost absorbed. Reduce the heat to medium-low and begin to add the broth, a ladelful at a time, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost absorbed. You do not need to stir the risotto constantly, but be sure that you do stir it often, and take care that the rice grains do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
   Continue to cook the risotto and add broth, 1 or 2 ladlefuls at a time, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is almost but not completely cooked. It should be al dente--still rather firm and chalky at the center. Check by tasting a few grains. Stir in the butter and cheese. Then stir in a final ladleful of broth to achieve a creamy texture. The risotto should not be stiff or runny: it should mound softly on a spoon. Taste and season with salt and pepper if you like.

Spoon the risotto into shallow rimmed bowls and serve immediately, with additional Parmigiano on the side.

So, why eat Winter Squash?
     Well, I just got off of a website which gives what looks like a very complete picture of the nutritional benefits of winter squash. I'll link to it HERE as there is an overwhelming amount of information on why it is considered one of the most nutritious Super-Foods out there. Having an interest in sugar related problems, it's good to know that sweet winter squash is considered a low-glycemic food and also has anti-inflammatory properties. I am going to copy out some of the info, but there is much more to be found at the web location.

Health Benefits of Consuming Winter Squash
     Did you know that one cup of winter squash may provide up to 146% of your daily value of vitamin A since it is rich in beta carotene, the pre-cursor to vitamin A? Beta-carotene is one of the carotenoids found in winter squash that provides it with its deep orange color and has been shown to have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidants help prevent the progression of atherosclerosis by inhibiting the oxidation of cholesterol in the body. Since it is only the oxidized form of cholesterol that builds up in the blood vessel walls, these antioxidants help protect against both heart attack and stroke. 
     The anti-inflammatory properties of winter squash may help reduce the severity of conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, which all involve inflammation. And that's not all. The carotenoids found in winter squash protect against diabetic heart disease and may be beneficial to blood sugar regulation for those suffering from diabetes. Research suggests carotenoids may be inversely associated with insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels. 

Potential Blood Sugar Regulation Benefits
     A second area of high potential for winter squash and its health benefits is blood sugar regulation and prevention of type 2 diabetes. We've already seen evidence in animal studies that show improvement in blood sugar and insulin regulation following intake of cell wall polysaccharides from winter squash and other Cucurbita foods. 
    Likewise, we've seen research pointing to other nutrients found in winter squash as beneficial for blood sugar control. These nutrients include the B-vitamin like compound d-chiro-inositol-a nutrient we expect to see moving up on the radar screen with respect to blood sugar regulation. It's also important to remember that blood sugar regulation is closely tied to our overall supply of B-complex vitamins, and that winter squash is unusual in its B-vitamin composition. This food provides a good amount of five B-complex vitamins! Those vitamins are B1, B3, B6, pantothenic acid, and folate.
Happy Holidays, whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim, (or even Festivus!)
Aubrey, Michael, Jesse and the crew

WHAT'S AT MARKET THIS WEEK
HERE IS A LIST OF WHAT WE EXPECT TO CARRY AT 
ALL LOCATIONS THIS  WEEK.


Apple Varieties - GoldRush, Sun Fuji, Nittany, Pink Lady, Stayman, SunCrisp, Buckeye Gala, Jonagold, Golden Delicious and Cameo.
For cooking purposes I prefer a base of GoldRush, but in a pie or cobbler I generally also will use a couple from among the following: Stayman, Nittany, Pink Lady, SunCrisp and/or Golden Delicious. 
Hot Peppers - We still have a few Jalape�os, Anaheim, and two sorts of New Mexican chili peppers, fresh from the greenhouse.
Sweet Peppers - Just a handful being picked.
Celery - I know that there are just a few left, so come out early as just a handful will be sent to each location this weekend.
Winter Squash:
BonBon - a very sweet, smooth deep orange, an award winning Buttercup squash. It is the green one, usually with a funny looking knob on top.
Sunshine - also quite sweet and smooth, this one is a Kabocha squash, orange skinned, with deep orange flesh inside. Both are considered super-foods due to their being high in manganese, fiber, vitamin C and a good amount of beta-carotene.
Butternut - the traditional winter squash used in many recipes, though I would consider using one of the above, because I find them more flavorful, and think the deeper color indicates higher levels of anti-inflammatories.
Spaghetti Squash - Our spaghetti squash is bright yellow outside. Apparently it really did catch on with our customers as we are about out of it, way earlier than expected. We'll just have to plant a greater amount next year.
Bagged Potatoes - These are mostly medium to large Vivaldi potatoes, bagged at five pounds and selling for only $7.50, therefore $1.50 per pound as opposed to our loose potatoes, which are priced at $1.99 per pound.
Brussels Sprouts - We will have plenty of sprouts everywhere, as fresh as can be!
Flower Sprouts AKA Kalettes -"Kaleidoscope" - We expect there to be sufficient quantities.
Apple  Cider - As always, pressed weekly, and has no added sugar, preservatives or flavorings. 
Tomatoes - ''Trust" tomatoes, our primary indoor variety will be at market, but very few.
Cherry Tomatoes - There are very few at this time.
Arugula - Finally, Arturo tells me that they will be able to cut and bag the amount Jeremiah has calculated that we need for this weekend.
Sweet Potatoes - Both the traditional Beauregard, and the white fleshed Japanese variety Murasaki
Lettuce - There will be plenty of greenhouse grown Green Butter-Crunch, as well as a few Red Butter-Crunch, perhaps about the right amount for the weekend. 
BokChoy - There will be a good showing of our greenhouse grown BokChoy.
Garlic - Our fine variety named German White Hardneck. A reminder, in Jo Robinson's book "Eating on the Wild Side", she cites research which demonstrates that for maximum nutrition, when using garlic that you will be cooking, it is best to crush, press or dice it, let it sit for ten or so minutes, then introduce to heat.
Manar Cucumbers - Sorry, just a few available.
Vivaldi and Red Norland Potatoes - small, tender and delicious. 
Onions - Both our mild red onions, and "Candy" our sweet onions will be available for the foreseeable future.
Carrots - We have lots of bagged carrots: a new to us red variety as well as purple and orange are mixed in one pound bags, while the orange are to be found in 2 pound bags, at a bit of a discount. 
Pink Lady Dried Apples - Very popular as a good-for-you delicious snack, our dried apples have no sugar or preservatives added; many commercial ones use sulfites as a preservative.
Patty's Apple Cider Caramels - Made weekly from our current batch of cider. These are simply "to die for" if you are a caramel fan. We send these everywhere, but for Takoma, because Patty herself sells them there at her and Robert's farm stand, Audia Farm.
Twin Spring's Own Products - Jarred Peaches, Hot Pepper Jelly, Chipotle Ketchup, Marinara Sauce, Apple Butter and Apple Sauce. All may be purchased individually, or by the 12 jar case, for 10% off.

In addition, we will offer the following products at 
OUR OWN Markets, where we are the sole vendor, all of which are open to the general public, excepting Goddard Space Flight Center.


From Lancaster County - Purple Cauliflower, Broccoli, Orange Cauliflower, Romanesco, Turnips, Rutabaga, Watermelon Radishes, red and green Cabbage, Parsnips, Spinach, and bunches of freshly cut Rosemary and Thyme.
Joe's Tuscan Kale, Russian Kale and Spinach, greenhouse grown for us.
Tart Cherry Juice - a very powerful natural anti-oxidant food - AKA "The healing fruit", which is especially helpful at lessening the aches and pains of arthritis (For use as a sleep aid try 8oz. about 2 hours before bedtime) 
Elizabeth's Breakfast Loaves - Baked fresh for our own markets, these tasty little cakes are lovingly made, and often include Twin Springs' ingredients; the "no oil" apple loaves use our apple sauce in place of any fats. 
Fresh Hard Pretzels - both Regular and Honey Whole Wheat, locally produced.
Michelle's Granola - Handmade and freshly baked in the DC area
Allen's fresh Eggs - Raised right outside Gettysburg, both brown and white, from "free walking hens". Delivered fresh to us every Wednesday.
Artisanal Cheeses - Twin Springs carries Ed's fresh local: Sharp Cheddar, Cheddar, Smoked Cheddar as well as Smoked Jalape�o; also available are his Goat Gouda and Goat Cheddar.
Local Wildflower Honey - Jim Small has kept us supplied with his pure, raw honey, much of it drawn from hives kept year-round at our farm.
Maple Syrup and Maple Sugar - tapped and bottled on the Patterson Farm in Pennsylvania.
McCutcheon's Products - We carry an extensive line of their jams, some fruit sweetened, ie. no cane sugar or corn syrup, and jellies, as well as many other great products created right in Frederick Maryland
Baked Goods - From Stonehearth Bakery, also in Frederick, all items are baked "that" morning: Baguettes, innumerable kinds of fresh breads, both sliced, and unsliced, as well as croissants, scones and cookies.

 Twin Springs Fruit Farm            717-334-4582 info@twinspringsfruitfarm.com  
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