With an unusually early rainstorm in the forecast for today, we decided last Friday to go out and harvest all the tomatoes still out in our hanging on the plants in our last field. That turned out to be a good decision given that the two inches of rain we received this week essentially guaranteed that tomato season is now over. There's one catch: the tomatoes are not ripe. Fried Green Tomatoes are in [MORE ...]
Cabbage and Leeks are slow-cooked with the rice and the peas get tossed in at the end. Trim the leaves off of 1-2 Leeks. Cut the leek shanks into 2" pieces, then cut them in half lengthwise. Use a sharp knife to cut each section into julienne strips. You want 2 packed Cups. Cut a cabbage in half and then thinly slice it to make 2 C. Heat a quart of vegetable broth (or [MORE ...]
Last week's newsletter was titled "How Cold is Too Cold?". Well, this week we know. The answer is "24 degrees". We've been growing apricots and peaches at Terra Firma for over 30 years. In that time, we've never seen a freeze destroy the crop. Older farmers had told stories about it happening so I've always known it was a possibility. And we've had plenty of close calls. But this time was different. Last Wednesday [MORE ...]
There's a Butternut Squash in your boxes today, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. You could make a pumpkin pie, but why not try something a little different? This has all the flavor of the classic desert, but with a very different spin. You can make these in individual ramekins for a nice presentation, or in a traditional flat-sided pie pan. This recipe is from the New York Times. Up to 3 days [MORE ...]
Holiday Delivery Schedule Week of Christmas: Tuesday 12/22 - Pickup for Friday CSA members Wednesday 12/23 - Normal pickup for Wednesday CSA members Thursday 12/24 - Normal pickup for Thursday CSA members Week of New Year's: No CSA box deliveries (Wed 12/30, Thu 12/31, Fri 1/1) Your box will automatically be put on hold for this week. CSA deliveries will resume as normal on Wednesday, January 6th. CSA Store Orders: Do not order through [MORE ...]
Do not order through the CSA store for items you wish to receive the week of Thanksgiving - you will not receive your order if you submit it that way. Instead, place your CSA store order using either of the below options. Please be sure to double-check that you've ordered everything correctly so you get exactly what you want. CSA store orders must be submitted by Thursday, November 19th for delivery with your CSA box the week [MORE ...]
Terra Firma Farm Melon Varieties. Click to view larger image. Cantaloupe: Classic breakfast melon. A round, medium-sized melon with netted skin, and a juicy, sweet flavor. Orange Honeydew: Round melon with a smooth, white exterior, and an orange, juicy interior. Sweet and refreshing - a kid favorite! Sharlyn: Medium to large-sized oblong melon with a netted skin. The interior has a creamy flesh with a floral, fruity smell. Well-balanced flavor that will sweeten over [MORE ...]
During the past 90 days, a spotlight has been focused directly on all numbers of structural inequalities that continue to thrive in 21st Century America. The light is deservedly shining right now on Black Americans suffering racism, police violence and economic injustice. Rural issues rarely inspire broad-scale protests like we are seeing this week in cities across the U.S. But we are suffering related impacts from corporate consolidation, systemic racism and economic policies that favor [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly CSA contents! We post these every Monday, but please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. The list that Pablito shares in the Wednesday newsletter is what you will actually receive. Happy eating! Small: spinach, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, onions, Gypsy peppers, Fuyu persimmons Medium: arugula, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, onions, Gypsy peppers, Fuyu persimmons, cilantro, spinach, sweet potatoes Large: arugula, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, onions, [MORE ...]
This dish has hints of the Middle East. You can substitute spinach for either the kale or Beet greens. The beet greens or spinach must be parboiled and all the water squeezed out of them or the frittata will have too much liquid to cook properly. Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 375. Remove the stems from 1 bunch of Beet greens (reserve the beets for [MORE ...]
Here are your tentative weekly CSA contents! We post these every Monday, but please bear in mind the contents may change slightly, as things are always in flux on the farm. The list that Pablito shares in the Wednesday newsletter is what you will actually receive. Happy eating! Small: carrots, green garlic, lettuce, sugar snap peas, spinach, strawberries Medium: carrots, green garlic, lettuce, sugar snap peas, strawberries, arugula, asparagus, spring onions, english shelling peas Large: carrots, green garlic, [MORE ...]
While tomatoes are winding down with the cooling weather and ominous haze from the multitude of wildfires, peppers are thriving. We have a number of varieties to offer that are both beautiful and tasty! The photo above shows the varieties of peppers that we are offering this season. From left to right, Gypsy (red, orange, yellow), Corno di Toro (red, orange), Jimmy Nardello and Shishito. We are offering 10# packs for all peppers except [MORE ...]
You've probably had days when your alarm rings in the morning and you just can't get out of bed. So you hit the snooze button once. Then again. And maybe even a third time. This year it felt like our farm woke up from its winter slumber back in February, and then hit the snooze button. And kept hitting it. Until this week. Our farm is not normally a quiet, peaceful place. It's a [MORE ...]
2018 is a new year, and new things are happening at Terra Firma. We have a new staff member, Alicia Baddorf, who is going to take over most of the correspondence and communication with our CSA subscribers. Alicia started two weeks ago, and some of you may have already emailed with her. Twenty five years ago we built a small structure so we could wash produce out of the sun and the rain. We [MORE ...]
Twice a year at Terra Firma we go through a major, grinding crop shift from the green leafy vegetables that love cool weather to the fruits and fruiting vegetables that love the dry warmth of summer, and back again. You get to experience this shift in your kitchen to a certain extent. It is happening right now, today, in the box you are bringing home. On the farm the transition is a bit more [MORE ...]
Dear (Contact First Name), Cucumbers. You either love them, or well, you just don't pay that much attention to them. Unfortunately for us, there are two insect pests that love cucumber so much, they are actually named after them. They are both little black beetles -- one with green stripes and the other with green spots -- and which people often assume are related to ladybugs. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Ladybugs [MORE ...]