Love Notes #13, September 7, 2016
By: Hannah Slipakoff
- Contents of Share
- Announcements
- Farm and Food Justice News
- Recipes
Beauty and grace. This sunflower is exploding joy all over the Soul Fire Homestead! (Photos: Cheryl DeSanctis)
CONTENTS OF SHARE
- Salad Mix- ~½ lb
- Leeks – 1 bunch
- Red Russian or Russian Frills Kale – 1 bunch
- Carrots or Beets- 1 bunch
- Fennel or Celery- 1 head or bunch
- Zucchini- 1-3 fruits
- Crookneck yellow squash – 1-3 fruits
- Tomatoes- Heirloom or Slicers – 3-6 fruits
- Tomatillos or Ground Cherries or Cherry Tomatoes- small bag
- Jalapeño hot peppers – 1-3 fruits
- Optional: 1 dozen eggs
- Optional: Green Lentil Sprouts
Hannah’s farmer hands cradling this week’s leek crop. (Photo: Neshima Vitale- Penniman)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- COMMUNITY DAYS. 8-1 Work and learn together. 1-2:30 Potluck lunch. September 24, October 22, and November 12. RSVP here.
- UPCOMING EVENTS: We will host an on-farm seed keeping workshop with Owen Taylor on Saturday, October 8 and an ancestor healing workshop with Enroue Halfkenny on Saturday, November 19. Please join us!
- RETURN YOUR BOXES AND JARS please. You can leave them where you get your delivery. If you break them down, please make sure not to tear or bend any of the tabs, or just leave the assembled box for us and we are happy to break it down.
- WASH YOUR VEGGIES. We DO NOT extensively wash veggies before delivering them to you. We will do some washing if there is a lot of dirt on greens and we always rinse root crops. In general, this allows the food to stay fresher longer. It also means you need to wash your veggies before consuming them. For greens: fill a bowl with cold water. Soak greens in water for a minute. Drain water and repeat two more times. Dirt will rinse to the bottom. Bugs should float to the top.
- KEEP FOOD FRESH, EASY: Store leafy greens in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge. To revive wilted greens, dunk them in ice water and dry in salad spinner or with gentle toweling. To make it easier to use greens on the go, wash and chop them in advance and store them in a sealed plastic bag. Then you can just grab a handful to add to your eggs, smoothie, soup, or saute. Quick and easy.
Artistic skills run in the family! Top sign was painted by Neshima, bottom sign created by her Aunt Naima, and brilliant photo by Jonah! (Photo: Jonah Vitale- Wolff)
SFF onions are so fresh they make you cry, especially when they are harvested with the love these healers of Harriet’s Apothecary put into their efforts this past weekend. (Photo: Leah Penniman)
The Healing Village unites: Sunday’s day-long event began with ceremony to honor the land and spirits. (Photo: Naima Penniman)
FARM NEWS
Sometimes labors of love and acts of resistance leave me speechless. This past week was one of those times.
Over one hundred people and more than a dozen healers gathered on the land this weekend to create the magic that is Harriet’s Apothecary. A new communal altar was built. Massage, reiki, spiritual baths, and counseling sessions took place in the woods, barn loft, pond-side, and beside the curing onions in the firewood sheds. Members of the NYC chapter of White Noise Collective worked in-solidarity to provide rides, nourishing food, and easy clean-up for the Soul Fire Family. Sweet notes of affirmation and inspiration were posted across the farm. This is a picture of healing, regeneration, and resilience.
Harriet’s Apothecary serves as a reminder that our movements grow strong when we take time to care for ourselves, to nourish our spirits, and embody the power of our values. As the farm crew turned back to the regular routine of caring for the crops and attending to business this week, we found ourselves with a joy-hangover. We continue to toil with the utmost of intention, and hope that all the Farm Share members out there know their food is packed with vitamins, minerals, and a whole universe of heart-felt intention.
Our crop of New England Pie Pumpkins is curing in the hoop house. With sun, heat, and plenty of air circulation winter squashes and pumpkins dry out and become sweeter, storage-friendly fruit. (Photo: Neshima Vitale-Penniman)
WE LOVE OUR FRIENDS!
This week, a few of Soul Fire’s favorite friends were featured in national media. Check out their stories!
Rise and Root Farm is run by our Farmy-Godmother Karen Washington and friends Jane Hodge, Michaela Hayes, and Lorrie Clevenger. They were featured in this Huffington Post Article critiquing Rush Limbaugh’s offensive and misguided comments about queer farmers.
Soul Fire Farm Board Member, Super Friend, and local artistic genius, Taina Asili was featured in an amazing interview in Yes! Magazine. We love you Taina!
Love and Nourishment for the week ahead!
RECIPE – Orange Infused Quick Pickles!
Adapted recipe and photo from Marisa McClellan and Serious Eats. Full Recipe HERE. Marisa also has an amazing website about food preservation with recipes for all your farm share goods. Check it out HERE
Ingredients
- 1 lb beets, carrots, or fennel
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 small orange, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
Directions
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Wash veggies and slice them paper thin- use a mandolin if you have one.
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Sprinkle kosher salt over shaved vegetables and toss. Let veggies sit for at least an hour.
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When time is up, pour vegetables into a colander and squeeze to remove the liquid that was produced while it sat with the salt.
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Return vegetables to the bowl and toss with orange slices and black pepper.
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Pack vegetables and orange into a quart jar and top with the apple cider vinegar.
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Use a chopstick or the end of a wooden spoon to work the vinegar down into the vegetables.
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Stash jar in the fridge and let sit for at least 24 hours before eating.
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This quick pickle will keep at least 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.