creekside-gardener

Creekside Gardener September 7, 2011

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:06:18 +0100

What a whirlwind this season has become! From the excitement of a growing community to the expansion of our living spaces, we are fueling ourselves on fresh veggies and utilizing the sunny days to the best of our abilities. Coffee Creek Community welcomed Shane Keller and Joe Smith to the farming family and is pleased to have celebrated by exercising our creativity in the building of a hot running water station and a kitchen bus (in the works). We have also broken ground on the first of our forest homes and built a tree house, well...because we wanted to. Be sure to check out our Facebook page for recent photos and updates on projects and community life.

The summer sun has graced us at long last, and the gardens (and gardeners) are basking in the glory that warm days bring. Bright red tomatoes hang heavily on the vines and summer squash are finding their way into every meal, farmers' market stand and CSA box. We even have a couple orange pumpkins already! It is rare to be able to leave pumpkins on the plant until the stem dries (when you are supposed to harvest) in Western Washington, but I think the extra care given by starting them in the greenhouse really payed off, as there are surely some fine pies in our future.

Unfortunately, our chickens are not quite as excited about the 90 degree weather as we are, and egg production has dropped some over the last week. Please enjoy your smaller share of eggs and be thankful (we are!) of our hens' daily labors. Just last night we introduced our spring pullets to the laying flock and are hoping to bypass the fall drop off by supplementing light and a little extra feed as the days grow shorter, but only time will tell what autumn will bring. We appreciate your patience!

You will notice some Michihili cabbage and bok choi in your boxes today. Already our fall gardens are bringing on the goods and, once again, are surpassing the summer gardens in dependability, if nothing else! Do consider growing an early spring, late fall and winter garden next year if you are not now: these are the greatest of growing times in our unique and sometimes unpredictable climate zone. I am seriously considering planting another patch of shelling peas to see if we can bring in one more harvest before freezing weather comes on.

Chickens are in the cooler for all recipients this week, so be sure to pick your bird up in a timely manner. They are delivered frozen at 10 a.m. and should be kept frozen unless they are to be thawed completely and cooked within a couple days. We have been enjoying our chickens in stir fries with garlic, crookneck squash bok choi and fresh basil over rice or quinoa.

Happy Wednesday!

Creekside Gardener No. 6, July 20, 2011

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 06:09:05 +0100

Late last winter I began to dream of July. While I was not envisioning woolen shirts and slug hunting as much as, say, summer squash and peaches, this is Washington. I should know better. But if July won't warm me up now, at least it did in February! Some crops really enjoy the cooler, wetter days, and for these plants I am ever thankful. Alas the slugs are every bit as eager to enjoy them, so we continue the food fight to the death with our mollusk forest friends. Thank goodness for ducks. While they are not yet prowling the gardens for slugs on their own, they are very helpful in, ahem, disposing of the the slimy buggers.

The mild temperatures and high humidity are also great for starting up our fall plants in the greenhouse, and the little seedlings are emerging everyday! This is your chance to get your plant order in early, providing the option of mixed six-packs instead of receiving a single crop in each. Take a look at the varieties I have and place your order before the end of the month to receive TWO custom six-packs for your fall gardening pleasure. The current plant list will be on the "Goods and Talents" page (look up!) by the end of the week, so shoot me an email, and remember: two six packs= 12 plants for your home garden. You are welcome to order extras for $2.50 per pack of six. This is also a great time to transplant leeks and seed beans, peas and carrots for a late season crop, just in time for winter preparations!

We stayed up way too late on Monday night just to bring you this preserved taste of June! Homemade strawberry jam, fresh out of the garden with just a touch of organic sugar is sure to brighten up a pb&j or your breakfast toast. It is also great on vanilla ice cream or yogurt! Fresh apricots are from Calhoun Family Farms in Wapato, Washington, and the ones that don't make it into your boxes this week are going right into the next batch of preserves to keep us warm this winter.

Fresh Spanish Roja Garlic was pulled out of the garden last night, and is not dried like most of the garlic you encounter. The sharp spicy cloves should be enjoyed soon, as they won't last as long as the ones we are curing for later. Roasted garlic spread on crusty bread is a super special treat:

Peel outer layers of garlic off, but leave the cloves wrapped and attached to head.
Cut off the top 1/4 inch of the whole head, exposing the cloves inside.
Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and bake at 400 for 35 minutes.
YUM.

Have a great Wednesday!

Creekside Gardener No. 5, July 6, 2011

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 06:22:49 +0100

At long last the ten day weather report shows no sign of precipitation or nighttime temperatures under 50, and not a moment too soon! The gardens are in full swing, with bees buzzing at each squash blossom and peas hanging heavily on trellised vines. Green tomatoes are appearing everyday and our newest Coffee Creekers have arrived: The Turkeys!

Yes, 23 five day old turkey poults are peeping and bouncing around the brooder in the woodshed, and we are all delighted when they peck at our fingers and hop into our palms. They are very social creatures, with a lot of personality. We were all a little bummed last year when turkey season was through, so we are hoping to keep a couple as a layers throughout the winter to hatch our very own grip next year!

Baby animals develop quickly, but who knew that our very own son, Waylon, would grow up so fast? This weekend we will celebrate his fifth birthday (!) with friends and family here at Coffee Creek, and as we have been preparing for the festivities it has come to my attention that this will be the third birthday party of his here on the land. Three whole seasons have gone by since our landing here at Coffee Creek. Three years of establishing our farm and business, of creating community here on the land and in the surrounding areas, of building gardens and demolishing brambles, of working hard and loving life. Three years of chasing Waylon through this very special forest we call home!

I am so thankful to have this space to raise my son, free range. I am grateful for the dedication to grow food for my family and yours, to have the land to do it on and the willingness to work for our health. I cannot think of a better way to watch my son flourish and grow into the amazing little man that he is today, and I cannot think of a better way to preserve this space and our lifestyle than by growing nutritious veggies, raising delicious chickens and creating wholesome products made of the same. This fall will be our third anniversary here at Coffee Creek and I give thanks to you for your involvement in this blessed process!

It is late, and honestly, I haven't packed your boxes yet :) I am expecting to bring to you the sweetest of snap peas, fresh strawberries, garlic scapes, kale or chard, eggs, kombucha, and dried chamomile. Chamomile is a wonderfully soothing herb that can be infused at a rate of 1 teaspoon to one cup of boiling water. Add a touch of honey and enjoy before bed for a great night's rest.

Hmmm...a cup of chamomile tea sounds just perfect right now! Good night and sweet dreams if you are checking this late, good morning and great day to your early emailers. Blessings to you all!

Creekside Gardener No. 4, June 22, 2011

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:36:58 +0100

Happy Summer and Blessed Solstice!

The sun shone bright and warm for the first day of summer, and oh, what a joy it was! The plants are stretching high to the sky and blossoms are popping up on everything. Buzzing bees are ensuring a great harvest of future fruits and some early season delights are making their way onto our table and into your boxes!

Your kombucha is made with Darjeeling tea and a dark sucanat sugar and is paired with my extra special garden kimchi for a fermented frenzy of beneficial bacteria. Please do not let the canning style jars fool you- these are both biologically active foods and should be refrigerated, eaten directly, or cared for like any kitchen-meets-science project: 1) loosen the lid on your kombucha and let the effervescence build over a couple days at room temperature, 2) kimchi may be left in jar at room temperature to continue the fermentation process. Please press kimchi down each day with clean hands to release juices and keep the top moist and therefore protected from contaminants. Honestly, if it were me, the kimchi would not even make it home. I would immediately open my box and eat it with my fingers. It is one of the most nutrient and enzyme rich foods, rich in heritage and flavor. Eat to your health!

We celebrated the summer solstice this year in a very special way and I am so glad to share the bounty of our labor with you today. We spent a day with friends partaking in a Native American style sweat lodge, an experience to cleanse the body, mind and spirit, followed by a Solstice butcher. The chickens brought to you today are fresh and sacred, as only a Solstice day chicken can be :) Another special note about today's chickens: these are the first chickens finished on our very new and exciting all Washington grown and milled Organic Scratch & Peck whole grain chicken feed. We are so happy to take one more step toward sustainability by purchasing our feed directly from a small mill in Bellingham!

You may notice a couple new shades of egg, as well, as we are now home to ten more year-old laying hens that we bartered some of our great new feed for. The barter system is alive and well and never fails to make me thankful to live in a family-farming community!

Before you open that carton of eggs for breakfast tomorrow, take a minute to chop a few of your garlic scapes (flowers of the garlic plant) into 1/2 inch sections and cook them in a tablespoon of oil or butter on med-high heat for about three minutes. Now, scramble up a couple of those cackleberries with some salt and pepper and cook them in the same pan with the scapes. Serve with sprouted grain bagels and goat cheese, and make extra- I am coming over for breakfast!

Rainbow chard has endless applications from smoothies to soup and salad just to name a few. I suppose you know what to do with the cherries! These are from our good friends and Farmers' Market buddies Calhoun Family Farm in Wapato, Wa. All of the canned fruits that I do not grow here at Coffee Creek comes from them, as they grow the tastiest, juiciest tree fruits around!

I have also included a small packet of our very own Scarlet Runner Bean seeds for your garden. These are a fun and beautiful plant that loves to wind it's way up, up, up a pole with dark green foliage and bright red flowers that turn from a great green bean into a marvelous dry bean, depending upon when you want to harvest your bounty. A teepee of Scarlet Runner Beans is a great addition to any garden- for show and for food!

Sunny Summer Blessings from Coffee Creek!

Creekside Gardener No. 3, June 1, 2011

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 07:17:31 +0100

I am so pleased to bring you some of Coffee Creek's first garden produce this week- a head of Romaine lettuce and some crisp and spicy radishes. Chop them up with the fresh mint and oregano and toss with apple cider vinegar and olive oil for a real taste of spring.

One jar of Pomegranate Kombucha is included for your digestive pleasure, as well as a jar of green beans. These are my favorite addition to a big pot of minestrone soup on a cold and rainy May day (grumble grumble).

You may notice some new shades and sizes of eggs this week, as some of our pullets (young hens) are just beginning to lay! Two more Americauna pullets have moved into the big coop, along with their cocky cockerel friends, who will probably be separated soon to fertilize some eggs for hatching. We have eight more pullets (the Peep Squeaks) that are still a bit young to hang in the big coop, but are growing fast. It is so exciting to have a large enough coop for gradual expansion. I just adore our laying flock!

Now that the meat birds, or Meaps, as I like to call them, are all feathered out and on pasture I am ready to bring on the big guys. Today I put in an order for 25 bronze turkeys to arrive early summer! I am so excited to have turkeys back on the farm, and will source some heritage breeds soon as well. The intent is to raise a laying flock of turkey in addition to the meat birds with the hopes of hatching our own grip next year. We are on the look out for a peacock and peahen, as well!

We are also home to ten two week old Muscovy ducklings. They are beyond yellow (I have truly never seen such a yellow!) and are already munching all the slugs we provide and splashing happily in their water bowl. As soon as they have feathered out they will be the only birds allowed to range within the gardens, as ducks are well know for their slug-hunting abilities and disinterest in seedlings. Not to mention the hilarity of hanging out with ducks! Please feel free to contact me about visiting the farm with your families, because we would love to share in the magic of spring time and baby animals with you and your children!

For those of you that have placed your plant orders, I am delivering sweet or hot peppers or eggplant starts this week. If you have a small hoophouse or greenhouse, I recommend planting peppers within the protection and warmth available. I have had great results from transplanting peppers into a large (two gallon or more) black pot for the season. This way you are able to move them inside when the nights are cold and rainy, and to move them about with the sun during the day. Peppers are actually a perennial in tropical climates, so last season I moved my pots back into the greenhouse when the weather began to cool and we had fresh peppers well into November! Another option for helping our more heat sensitive peppers and eggplant along is black plastic mulch to help warm the roots. Whatever you do, I wish you the best! Our climate is hard on these plants, but I grow them ever year, just the same. It really feels like an accomplishment to grow hot peppers in Western Washington!

Many other veggie starts are still available, so don't think it is too late for your order! Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and squash can all be grown in containers on porches, too.

Creekside Gardener No. 2, May 18, 2011

Wed, 18 May 2011 05:56:19 +0100

Even the rain stayed at bay for butcher day, and we are happy to bring your first chicken delivery! They arrive on ice and in a cooler, so please be prepared to keep your fresh- not frozen- bird cool.

Here is how to roast your whole, fresh bird:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Chop two tablespoons of fresh herbs (the oregano and chives included in your box work great, as well as rosemary, thyme, sage), and mix with one tablespoon of coarse salt, one teaspoon of pepper, and 3 tablespoons of oil.
Cut in half one lemon, apple, or onion (or a combination!) to stuff the cavity. Don't forget a couple garlic cloves!
Pat dry the outside of the chicken, and rub the herb and oil mix on all sides.
Place in baking pan in oven for an hour to and hour and a quarter, until golden brown with a nice crust (165 degrees)
Let sit for ten minutes -very important!- as this lets the juices settle. Cut in right out of the oven and all the juice will run out, leaving a dry bird.
Enjoy over pasta with creamy mushroom sauce or wild rice and a side of braised greens!

Fresh oregano is great as a culinary herb, and it has many medicinal applications as well. Its is a powerful anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal herb that can help to fight off the nastiest colds, infections and athlete's foot. Try it in a tea or smoothie next time you are under the weather, or make a warm foot bath with the fresh or dried herb.

Your kale and chard are from our friends at Sweet Briar Herb Farm, and I am officially shopping for a large greenhouse! We are still waking to find heavy frost, and many seedlings cannot tolerate this during the early stages. Be sure to keep an eye on the forecast before planting out your tomato and squash starts, as they are very sensitive to cold weather. I had planned to transplant our squash Monday after butchering, as I like to assist in growth after I assist in death. I am glad, for once, to have been distracted in the greenhouse, and we did not loose any plants...just time!

This is very late in the season for frost, and is quite reminiscent of last year's chilly spring. I am glad to have gotten a head start on a lot short season and cold tolerant varieties in the greenhouse. Tomato and squash starts are included with this delivery, so if you have already made your plant selections, you may want to clear a sunny window sill for their arrival. If not, be sure to check out the updated plants list on the "Goods and Talents" page. Many brassicas are still available, too, if you didn't get a 6 pack with the last delivery.

Sweet and tart is the name of the game as you enjoy Pie Cherry Jam and Strawberry Rhubarb Oolong Kombucha! I bottled the kombucha on Tuesday, so you may want to let it rest at room temperature for another day or two to begin processing the fruit sugars. It will develop in taste as you do, or you can enjoy it now for a sweeter treat.

This Saturday, the 21st, and Sunday. the 22nd, we are hosting a work party at Coffee Creek. Come anytime between 10 and 4 to help us move some earth, clear some brush, and celebrate community. We will provide snacks and drinks throughout the day and a nice big dinner at 5pm. Bonfire and music to follow the wheelbarrow pushing, of course! Bring your kiddos, your mud boots, your shovel and guitar!

Enjoy and be well!

Creekside Gardener No. 1, May 4, 2011

Wed, 04 May 2011 14:47:06 +0100

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday!

Today is the day of your first CSA delivery, and I am excited to bring you a small variety of early spring delights to kick off our season together. There is frost on the ground this morning as I write this, so greens are the name of the game, beginning with plants for your own garden. Thanks to all of the excited gardeners who have contacted me about plants already. You have a 6 pack of hardy greens with your box, and they are ready to transplant right into your garden, although you should cover them up at night to protect them from the chills while they get established. If you haven't looked over the plant list just yet, no worries. Give it a glance before the next delivery, though, as western WA usually sees the last frost in mid-May, and we'll be ready to bring you tomatoes and squash by next delivery. You will also find two seed packs ready for direct sowing: watercress, a 50 day green, and sugar snap peas, a delicious munching pea that is ready in about 60 days.

We are exploring micro-greens for the first time, so you have some spicy arugula greens to top your lovely mesclun mix from our friends at Sweet Briar Herb Farm in Onalaska. They are an organic farm specializing in culinary and medicinal herbs as well as certified organic produce out of their huge (and hugely inspirational) greenhouses. Way to get a jump on the season! Top the bowl off with these alfalfa sprouts, your favorite cheese or seeds and you have a great green salad to celebrate this sunny day.

Sweet and Sour Relish is included as a reminder of last season's bounty of unripened tomatoes! It was a difficult one, but the treats show no indication- crackers with cream cheese and relish is a great snack at your next potluck.

Your bottle of kombucha is fermented with organic Oolong tea and organic cane sugar, and is one of the same (read: many) mothers that have been brewing up the goods here at Coffee Creek for years. We have quite an abundance, so please, let me know if you are interested in growing your own, and I would be happy to get you started.

Our chickens are happily pecking outside of their recently expanded and improved palace on this fine morning. We have seen our egg count go up with the sun, and we are relishing in their delightful home-grown protein that keeps us moving on long spring days of water system projects, transplanting, and mow- mow- mow- mowing! Ahh, spring! The grass is always taller than the peas.

Well, it is about time to hit the road and get your goodies to you! Have a great day and enjoy the bounty of the season and the love from Coffee Creek Community.

Creekside Gardener No. 13, November 22, 2010

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:34:01 +0100

I am thankful for the last month. The weather has changed so much and so recently that we have found ourselves willing to play a card game after breakfast, read one more book with Waylon and not go back to projects after dinner. I feel rested and mellow, deliberate with my energy. We are settled into a different pace, tying up loose ends while restoring and regaining strength for next year. Enter over-winter mode!

Coffee Creek has proven to be a place of transition, constant only in that it is sure to change. 2010 brought many challenges, but with them came opportunities to grow, learn, and transcend the limitations we place upon ourselves and others. Our community has changed completely, from the folks to the flock. Francis, myself and our son, Waylon, are currently living on the farm, building a hoop house and tending a flock of 23 chickens, 17 chicks, 2 turkeys (not by the time you are reading this!), one cat and one dog. The delivery of your Thanksgiving CSA boxes marks the end of the “work” season and without much in the gardens to care for, we will focus our winter months on plumbing projects, board games, and blackberry demolition. This truly is a time to celebrate the hard work we have put into our year and Give Thanks!

I am so happy to be a part of your thankful celebrations this year, though I must tell you that we were all a little sad to see the turkeys go. They were such a joy to have on the farm that we are planning to raise another rafter next year! Your turkey was dressed on Saturday the 20, and has not been frozen. The meat cures during the days of refrigeration giving you the freshest, tastiest bird for your platter. Plan on dedicating your oven to roasting for some time, as your bird’s hanging weight was over 21 pounds! Giblets and necks are included for gravy or pate.

A special project I have taken on during recent cold and rainy days has been perfecting my pumpkin pie recipe. And much to your benefit, because this lovely Cinderella pumpkin is not only a great centerpiece, but a tasty desert as well!

Pumpkin Pie (makes 4 small pies or two 9inch deep dishes)

Crust

3 cups flour

1 cup coconut oil

½ cup butter (you can use 1 ½ cups of shortening instead)

1 egg with enough water pored over to make 2/3 cup

2 tbs. vinegar

Cut oil into flour until well blended and crumbly. Stir in egg, water and vinegar. Knead until smooth then cut into four or two balls, roll out and shape in pans. Bake scraps with a little honey and sugar for a special treat while you are waiting!

Filling

4 cups pumpkin or squash, cooked and blended

5 eggs

1 cup of cream, half and half, milk or favorite substitute. Cream is my favorite, but they all work well.

1 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cloves

Mix all ingredients together until smooth and pour into prepared crusts, Cover the exposed crust with foil to keep them from burning before the pie has fully baked, and place in a preheated 400 degree oven for about one hour, or until a knife comes out clean. Cool in oven, with door open to prevent cracking.

I haven’t tried to half the crust recipe, but I have frozen this crust in a pan for later use. I have been successful at making one 8 inch pumpkin pie by using 1 c. squash, 2 eggs, ¼ c. cream, ¼ c. sugar and spices to taste. This all comes together very quickly with leftover squash (or sweet potatoes!), and can be a life saver when you forget about a potluck until the last minute!

How to prepare your squash for eating or baking:

Cut squash in halves or quarters and scoop out all seeds. Place in a glass dish and bake at 350 degrees until pierced easily with a fork, about 30 minutes. At this point you may butter, salt and enjoy, or cool in refrigerator until it is comfortable to handle. Scoop the meat out of the skin and mash, food process, or blend before using in your favorite pie, cookie, or muffin recipes!

Squash seeds may be rinsed and soaked in salt water for a couple hours before draining, seasoning and roasting lightly at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes.

The preserved goodies you will find in your basket today include Tomatillo Salsa, a versatile and mild sauce that is yummy on chips, and downright delicious on a pork burrito. This may not fit into your Thanksgiving meal, so squirrel it away for later. These little gems can warm up the dead of winter! “The Joy of Relish” is my rendition of a Joy of Cooking favorite and may be served on a cracker and cheese platter, used to dress up leftover turkey sandwiches, or enjoyed on a bagel with cream cheese. Fresh produce includes one red onion, one bulb of garlic, 2 pounds of Russet potatoes, 1 ½ pounds Cameo apple, and one Cinderella pumpkin. Sorry, I cannot harvest greens in the freezing weather without the danger of losing the whole plant.

There are also two flavors of Kombucha. The larger bottle contains a green and black tea blend with eggnog spices, a perfect companion to a large and festive dinner, and the small bottle contains my personal favorite: Double Bergamot Earl Grey. I am pleased to say that my Oma, who is 84 and had been suffering from C. Dificile outbreaks for the past year has been convinced. She has not tested positive for this naturally occurring (but very harmful when out of balance) gut bacteria since she began drinking Kombucha over a month ago! What better time to keep your digestive and immune systems in top notch order than this next month and a half of delicious foods, holiday stress, and sniffles. Drink to preserve your health!

One dozen eggs for each have come again from our friends at Rose of Sharon Farm in Chehalis, with a little fun bonus: Turkey Eggs! These super-jumbo eggs have a very hard shell, so you may have to use a butter knife to get through. But once you do you will find a rich and luxurious treat that is great for baking or breakfast! I will begin my day of deliveries tomorrow with Huevos Rancheros, which is simply a pan-fried corn tortilla topped with pinto beans, one turkey egg, a dollop of plain yogurt (sour cream), and Tomatillo Salsa. Just thinking of that makes me want to get into bed immediately to promptly sleep off any time between myself and that breakfast!

A note about your returnable packing materials: First off, thank you all for returning (and donating) reusable packing materials such as wax boxes, plastic bags, canning jars, egg cartons and berry containers. This has been a tremendous help for us, as these items are essential and costly. This is our last delivery of the year, but I will be passing through town on Friday the 26^th and Wednesday the 8^th of December. If Friday is too soon after the holidays to drop off, no worries! But please be sure to not drop anything off until my next visit, so the gracious Lovedays may enjoy their porch unadorned for a spell. You may be planning to make pies from scratch and stock from your turkey carcass…but maybe you aren’t. I am! If you don’t think that big ole pumpkin will make it to the oven before the compost, feel free to use them as decorations and then return them. I will also pick up frozen carcasses and send you a jar of the soup I plan to can after the holidays! Send me a note, text or call to let me know when I can pick them up.

Thank you for your participation in our CSA. You have expanded garden delight by more than you can imagine. It has been an honor to grow a portion of your nourishment this year.

I hope your day is fine, your Holiday is hearty, and your winter is full of snuggles!

Best Wishes from Mokey, Francis and Waylon at Coffee Creek Community & Gardens

Creekside Gardener No. 12, October 27, 2010

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 16:12:15 +0100

    Tuesday was the last scheduled day of our local farmers’ market, but the weather had a different plan for the hard-working, food growing folks of Lewis County: the work day was cancelled when the first canopy set sail and word spread about a free bluegrass show in town. A banjo, a guitar, and a room crowded with local farmers. People danced, canned goods were exchanged, and everyone had someone else in the room to blame for playing hooky. There will always be a project to complete, a batch to can, and a compost pile to turn, but there must be time to put the hoe down. It felt important, as if it sealed the deal and the season had changed.
   As I prepare these last boxes of our regularly scheduled CSA season, I feel excited and relieved. The gardens are becoming simpler and tidier as the tomato and cucumber vines are cleared and garlic is planted deep then mulched with golden straw. Cabbage, kale and mustard will continue to brighten the garden through rain and snow, but fruit has come and gone; seeds are saved for years to come. Puddles are forming and our focus shifts to keeping water out of the gardens. The chickens also seem to have changed gears (egg laying proving to be the least of their concern) so we took the opportunity to support another local farmer and drove out to visit Bob and Sharon Harris at Rose of Sharon Farm in Chehalis yesterday.
    The next delivery will be the 22^nd of November, the Monday before Thanksgiving. These are the last Coffee Creek Chickens of the year, since the next box will contain your fresh (never frozen) Turkey and some farm-fresh trimmings! We hope you have enjoyed superior meat from a happy home this season. We are considering a pig share next year, and may raise turkeys again since we all enjoy their company so much. Our chicken population is expanding slowly but continuously, as we are trying to stagger the ages (and therefore stages) of our flock for steadier laying, and only spring will tell if we continue to raise chickens for meat. Being a small operation and so fresh into our land and our visions, we want try our hands and hearts at a little of everything, just not at the same time!
    I am sorry to say that on Monday we lost the three Creekers that would most enjoy these days of drizzle and slugs, when a neighbor’s dogs put an end to the waddling and splashing. Quack in peace, Puddle Ducks.

In your boxes you will find

One dozen eggs
bag of kale
bundle of mustard spinach and curly mustard greens
head of red cabbage
1 1/2 lbs.Jerusalem artichokes
1 lb.tomatillos
herb bundles of orange thyme and chives
pint of Indian relish
pint of applesauce that Waylon peeled and cored all the apples for. He is a can-o-matic rock star.
3 lbs. russet potatoes
hot peppers: serrano and hot wax
chickens are in the cooler
spider plants are on the railing

    To prepare Jerusalem artichokes they should be washed and steamed until poked easily with a fork. Serve with melted butter and sea salt to enjoy the unique combination of a potato-y texture and distinct artichoke flavor. I wouldn’t serve them with cabbage, as they can both cause gassiness for some people.
    Ground cherries are a special garden snack that has a flavor described as anything from pineapples to graham crackers. Peel the husk and eat them as is, or toss them in your next green salad.
    Tomatillos are best known for their award-winning appearance in salsa verde. To prepare tomatillos, I like to peel the husks and cut them in half before spreading them out in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle with sea salt and roast at 350 degrees for about a half hour, when they are nice and juicy. Cool in refrigerator then chop or food process with cilantro, onions, chives, garlic, peppers, kitchen sink, salt and lime to taste. Serve with warm chips or quesadillas for a delicious snack.
    I am totally behind on the batch of kombucha, so my apologies for its absence. If you have come to enjoy the tastes and benefits of kombucha, you may want to make some of your own- it is surprisingly easy and fun to do! If you would like a mother let me know, I will include one in your Thanksgiving box, free of charge…alongside some bottled and ready to enjoy, of course.
    Have a magnificent day, containing many good meals.

                                                                                                 Be well!
                                                                                                 Mokey

Creekside Gardener No. 11, September 22, 2010

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 06:14:40 +0100

Blessed Autumn and Happy Harvest!
    As the tomatoes ripen and rain falls, there is a balance one must obtain. Preparations are at hand: the food must be harvested and properly prepared in order to be preserved through the coming weather, the soil must once again be worked and replenished for winter gardens, and any plants that are to remain beyond the first frost must be protected in a hoop or green house. There is also the energetic shift into fall gear. Stoking up the wood stove creates the desire to sit close and read a book. Or write one, as this is also a great time for reflection. This is the time when everything we've done right (and wrong) in the garden is most apparent, so the time to learn is now. I am now planning ahead for next years gardens, markets and CSA shares, and as with everything, I intend to improve upon these ventures.
    As shareholders during our first year of offering a CSA, your input is extremely valuable. Please give me a call or send me an email with your thoughts, suggestions, concerns, and complaints, as I am anxious to hear about the things that were great as well as the aspects that stunk about your experience this season. It is my goal to have complete satisfaction, if not this year, in years to come. Coffee Creek continues to grow and fine tune as a community and as a business. It has been an honor to expand our gardens to supply more families than ever with the high-quality, homegrown nutrition the good earth, hard work, and your investments were able to procure. My hopes are that you will continue to be involved as we evolve to bring lovingly grown organic produce, eggs, meat, and canned and fermented goods into the community. Just in case my undying gratitude is not enough, I am offering a $30 discount on a 2011 share for any returning members.
Before we get into the boxes, here is an awesome recipe that my Aunt Terry shared with me today (finally! I have been after it for years, but you know how good recipes are.) as we talked about about the season and our abundance of green tomatoes. Maybe you are experiencing this as well, and it's time to figure out what to do with them all! I received a half-pint of Indian Relish one winter long ago, and cream cheese has not been complete since it was gone! A gleaming glass jar of food is a great gift and a special treat on a chilly winter day.

     Indian Relish

12 Green Tomatoes
12 peeled, cored tart Apples
3 peeled onions
Chop or food process these ingredients
Boil:
5 cups vinegar
5 cups sugar (I will reduce this to 2 c. and try honey instead of cane sugar)
1 tsp red pepper
3 tsp fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
Add chopped ingredients, simmer for half hour. Pack in sterile jars, seal and process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.
Makes about a dozen pints depending on the size of your fruit.

    Green Tea with Honey and Pear Kombucha is freshly fruited and bottled this morning, so it will be sweet and tangy. Given a few more days to ferment, the flavors and benefits will unfold in ways that only time will tell. Leave jar at room temperature with lid slightly ajar to permit expansion from carbonation. Enjoy the many flavors you will encounter by having a small amount each day. Drink to your health!

    In each box you will find:

2# desire red potatoes
1# fingerling potatoes
one head red cabbage
one bulb Nootka Rose garlic
one pint Sungold tomatoes
1/2# Stupice tomatoes
2# Bartlett pears from Calhoune Family Farm in Wapato, Wa. They vend at the Community Farmers' Market in Chehalis with us, and grow most of the fruit we have fresh in the summer and canned in the winter.
one dozen eggs
one whole chicken
one quart Green Tea Honey and Pear Kombucha
half-pint Apple Butter

    This batch of apple butter was truly a family affair. Lennon and Waylon gathered all of the apples, Kalee washed, cored, and peeled them, we all watched over them as they simmered slowly, hour after hour, and I canned them after adding just a touch of sugar and cinnamon. Nothing like a pb and ab sandwich with a side of love from the whole bunch!
    Plants are still available!

    Plant List

early White or Purple Vienna kohl rabi
Long Island improved Brussels sprouts
dinosaur and red Russian kale
rainbow chard
tendergreen mustard spinach
early snowball cauliflower
michihili cabbage (wong bok)
pak choi (Chinese mustard)
limestone bibb lettuce
golden burgundy romaine
giant Indian curled mustard
rapini
southern giant curled mustard     Choose Any 12
~or~
one spider plant in small hanging basket.

    Spider plants add colour, texture and oxygen to any indoor space and are easy to care for. Be sure to not over-water.
    I should be pealing pears right now!

                                                             Ciao,
                                                             Mokey