This year’s experiment is an upside down tomato plant, in one of those As Seen On TV planters.  Cheesy? yes, but one of my favorite church ladies swears by the upside down method, which she does with 5 gallon buckets.  I got the tomato plant at a fundraiser table for the local high school, so any actual fruit it bears is a bargain, since my $ are supporting some school program.

This year’s tomato varieties:  (1 plant in each variety)

Sun Gold (cherry)

Sweet Pea (currant/grape)

Gold Medal

Malachite Box

Cuor Di Bue

Mountain Fresh

Super Steak

Costovoluto Genovese

Anais Noir

Pink Brandywine

Carbon

Herbs (1 plant of each unless marked otherwise):

Basil (2)

Thyme (2)

Cilantro

Italian Parsley

Rosemary (7)

Marjoram

Sage

Other plants:

Two zucchini plants (for their blossoms)

Four nasturtium plants (for their flowers as salad garnishes)

Two Gerbera Daisy plants (to make the yard look pretty

We’ll see how it all goes this season.  I should have some pictures soon.

Our Illinois Urban Farmers

DH and I recently returned from an annual event.  Each spring we visit his parents in central Illinois, and help them plant their EarthBox planter with tomatoes for the summer.  This is tomato season #3 for them.  Longer term readers might remember them from last year, and their system of tying cages to the bench.

This year, they purchased a determinate variety of beefsteak tomato locally, and we brought another Sun Gold cherry tomato plant from Minnesota (an indeterminate variety).  We were a week or two earlier in planting the box than last year, given our freer schedule this summer.  We’re all hoping for good tomato yields and less cold and rain than they experienced last summer.

Heather Seacrist, Farmer and Dynamo

From June through October, my vegetables and eggs are coming from Suncrest Gardens in Cochrane, WI (which is 20.3 miles from my house, according to Google Maps).  My husband and I subscribe to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) at Suncrest Gardens.  This is our fourth season.  Suncrest Gardens is owned and run by Heather Seacrist.  I hadn’t seen Heather since the first year I signed up for the CSA, and this was my first visit to her farm.  I wish I had visited the farm sooner.  I went on a rainy Friday with Connie (of My Part) so we could see what Heather’s operation is like, and to see how and what she is doing.

I am much better for the experience.  I already have entrusted Heather by eating her eggs, chickens, berries and vegetables for three years now, but I feel even better about it now, having talked to her and seen her operation.  It’s clear to me that she had an excellent business plan when she started, and she’s great at implementing new ideas as things have grown.   Her CSA now has 70 subscriptions,  so she feeds about 150 people through weekly and bi-weekly shares from her 16 acres, though not all of the acreage is in production.  (In Food, Inc., Michael Pollan quotes the average as 126 people fed per American farmer)

Heather and her crew of  interns and working subscribers serve more people with her wood-fired brick oven on Thursday Pizza Nights.

The Glamour and Romance of Farming in the Rain

Above is Heidi Carlson, a full-season intern on the farm this year, after picking asparagus from the front field.  You can see part of the barn to the left, and part of the hoop house off to the right.

The Apprentices in the Barn

These are the new crop of soon-to-be egg layers, hanging out in the barn where it was warm, with the adolescent rooster who is learning to crow.

Future Big Man on Campus

After meeting the “new recruits”, we got to see what’s growing outside the barn.  I don’t have pictures of everything, but here are a few highlights.

Coming Soon to a Salad Bowl Near Me

Here is some lettuce, mesclun, spinach, and kale.

Cupid's Sister

Here is a calf being raised for beef, already on its grass-only diet.  I can’t remember what this calf’s name is.

The Meat Chickens

The Camping Caravan for the Meat Birds

This movable shelter, surrounded by electrified net fence, allows the chickens to be inside out of rain and wind, or outside, eating bugs and grass, at their whim, but protect them from predators.  After a few days,  Heather will move the fencing and hoop house to fresh pasture.  The chickens eat up the grass and bugs, and fertilize at the same time.

The Gypsy Egg Crew

The laying hens have a similar caravan and fence arrangement, but with nest shelves.  I’m happy to see the birds out doing what they want to, knowing that I’ll have their eggs in my kitchen through the fall.

Suncrest Gardens Security Team

Here is Mama Llama (on the lookout) and her son, Rocky, who patrol the farm’s periphery, watching for and fending off predators.  Mama Llama has been known to wake Heather up with her whistling if she smells coyotes, and has the claim to fame of actually killing one by stomping it with her front legs.  Don’t mess with Mama Llama.

Hundreds of Dollars Worth of Garlic

Here is part of one of the vegetable planting beds, which has about 500 lbs. of garlic seed.  You can see the dog, (which is about 75 lbs). in the distance, as a scale reference.  Heather says garlic seed is very expensive as seed goes, and she’s gradually increasing her stocks by saving the best seeds each season, and adding a bit more.  This is all the same variety of garlic, a German type that is bred for hardiness.

Snap Peas companion planted with Oats

In some of her vegetable beds, Heather has grown crops like alfalfa and oats as winter cover crops that are then tilled into the soil before planting to provide nutrients for the soil. In this case, she is growing the oats with the Sugar Snap Peas as a means of structure for the pea vines.  As the plants grow taller, the vines will wrap around the oat plants, using them as a natural stakes to keep the pea plants upright.   The oat plants can also act as mulch, preventing weeds and erosion.  How cool is that?

In addition to the land that is in cultivation and pasture, an important part of Suncrest Gardens farm is the area near the farmhouse and barn, which is in production in a different way, as a place for Pizza Night.  What appears to be a bit of a playground is also an area for seating, for musicians, and for the pizza creation and service.  This is also an area where customers can see the animals, and learn more about how the food is grown.

Combination Sand Box and Fort Tower

New Pens for Animals

These new pens are near the barn, so that the calves and chickens can hang out on pizza night and be social with the pizza customers, since educating customers about the farm, what she grows, and the way she grows it is a big part of Heather’s mission.  She wants the kids and adults who come to her farm to see the animals, and see how their food is produced.

The Pizza Menu

On one side of the barn’s ell, you order your pizza.

Pizza Prep Area

Then Heather and her crew prepare the pizzas in this room off the ell,

The Big Smoke

and it’s into the hot wood-fired oven.  (We visited on a Friday mid-day, and the oven was still warm inside, after the previous night’s pizza fire.  Heather also uses the pizza oven to dry herbs and sometimes to bake bread.)

Pizza Pickup Location

On the opposite side of the ell is where you pick up your pizza when it’s done.  The number you were given when you ordered your pizza will be put up on display, so you can check where you are in the order line while you are waiting.  Once a month, Heather has live music on pizza night.  She said she likes live music, but forgets to go out to hear it, so she has them come to the farm instead.

I’m looking forward to taking a group of friends out for pizza this summer season.  I want to see the oven in action.

I don’t have pictures of the hoop house, or the cool root cellar, or the berry vines, and I haven’t told you any of the great stories or conversations we had with Heather about many more interesting things.  Hopefully I’ll have more photos and anecdotes later on.

It’s hard for me to summarize all my thoughts about this visit.  I’m so impressed with how well run this farm is, and about how smart, thoughtful, and careful Heather is about what she’s doing.   I feel lucky to know her, and to be one of her customers.  (No, I am not getting any of my eggs or veg for what I’m writing) Perhaps the best way to sum it up is to show you the sign you see as you go out the driveway.

Suncrest Gardens Philosophy?

Here is the basis for my entry, Panino del Po,  (Bacon Butty Italian Stylie, in Jamie Oliverese)

I made the  basic pancetta recipe from Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing with friends M and B some time ago.  Here is a picture of us with our lovely tied rolls of pork belly, ready to hang for curing.  As you can see, I was wearing the official Team Bacon t-shirt when we did it.

Pancetta, Rolled and tied, ready for cure

Here is what the results look like, sliced, before cooking.

Slices of cured goodness for the sandwiches

The tomatoes have been growing along, pretty slowly, but have changed to some lovely colors.  I think the micro climate near our driveway has been warmer than that of many others this year, despite our Minnesota locale.  I picked out two pretty tomatoes for the project.

A Jubilee and a Cuor di Bue

The one on the left is a Jubilee (I think).  The one on the right is a Cuor di Bue, which has taken over as one of my favorite tomato varieties.  You can see that it is shaped somewhat like the heart of an ox, which is the meaning behind its name.  Both of these varieties have dense “beefsteak” texture, and are juicy but not watery when you slice them. In the interest of giving credit where it’s due, I’d need to thank Whitewater Gardens for starting the seedlings, and my DH for helping with the watering of the plants.

While my love of Italian flavors is influencing my overall product, good toast was an essential for my sandwiches.  My current favorite bread for toast and club sandwiches is Pain de Mie.

The prepared pan and risen dough

I used Nick Kindelsperger’s recipe from The Paupered Chef.  I had better luck with this recipe than I have had with others.  This is the first time I’ve had a perfectly even colored crust. Since it came out so well, I’m happy to say I’ve now checked #78 of the Cook’s 100 off my list.

Even shape and even browning

For the mayonnaise (or otherwise emulsified sauce, also #54 of the Cook’s 100),  I chose the basic recipe using one egg yolk from Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking, also by Michael Ruhlman, but not without prior research in the works of Julia Child and Simone Beck.  The main tipping point was not that quoting Michael Ruhlman again might provide me with a better chance at a prize in the challenge, but for the simple reason that I didn’t need two and a half cups of mayonnaise for only two sandwiches.  Ruhlman’s recipe yields about a cup, which was more than enough.

Mise en place for arm-strong mayo

I decided to use the mayonnaise as my arm workout for today.  And I’m glad I did.  It’s very satisfying to improve one’s understanding of the egg and emulsion, as Julia Child might say.  Beating the 1 yolk, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. lemon juice together with a teaspoon of water, then drizzling 1 cup of canola oil into it very very slowly while whisking constantly does, really, create a cup of mayonnaise.

After tasting the basic mayo, I flavored it with some balsamic vinegar (1-2 tsp.) to fit in with the other Italian flavors.

"Arm-strong" Mayonnaise

Finally, while Panino del Po was completely homemade, it does not contain lettuce, since we never got any lettuce planted.  Instead, to stay with the Italian flavor profile, and still use home grown ingredients, I used large basil leaves which we grew alongside our tomatoes in containers.

Sandwich fillings, ready while the bread is sliced and toasted

Here’s how the sandwich finally looked:

The end result, ready to eat

I’m no Donna Ruhlman, so the photos of this may not do the sandwich justice. This was a lot of fun to make and to eat.  It was well worth the effort.  This project entertained me several times.

J & M in front of the EarthBox in Downingtown, PA

J & M live in Downingtown, PA, where it’s been wet, and plants are going crazy, as you can see by the lush lawn and the gynormous cherry tomato plant on the right, which is dwarfing the heirloom tomato plant on the left, which is only a little taller than J, who has just turned 3.  (Happy Belated Birthday, J!)

Equipment

• food processor or mortar & pestle
• garlic press (optional)
• knife and cutting board (if you don’t use a garlic press)
• Microplane  or other fine cheese grater
• bowls (2) or 1 bowl and 1 plate
• rubber spatula
• salad spinner
• nonstick skillet
• pot holder

Ingredients

• fresh basil leaves, approximately 4 cups, lightly packed
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, approximately 1 1/4 cups,  freshly grated
• pine nuts, approximately 3/4 cup
• garlic, 4-6 cloves
• salt to taste
• lemon juice, approximately 3 Tablespoons
• olive oil – use the good stuff if you feel like it- there’s no heat to kill the subtle flavors in this recipe.

Prep

1. Pick all the basil leaves off their stems, then rinse and dry in a salad spinner.
2. Grate your cheese with the fine cheese grater onto a plate or bowl.
3. Peel your garlic, if you’re not using a garlic press, or if your garlic press won’t work well with unpeeled cloves.

Here's our basil, in two different varieties

Here's the grated cheese

And some small garlic cloves with the press. No peeling for me!

Process

1. Put the pine nuts in the nonstick skillet on the stove over medium heat.  Toast the pine nuts, flipping them every minute or two, until they are toasty.  Don’t leave the stove when you do this because there’s a very fine line between toasted and singed.
2. Put the basil, pine nuts, and garlic into the food processor or mortar and pestle.  If you’re using the processor, pulse until you get small consistently sized bits.  If you’re using a mortar and pestle, bash the ingredients until you’re satisfied they’re well mixed.
3. Add olive oil  and pulse or mix until you have a smooth paste/slurry (approx. 3/4 cup)
4. Using a rubber scraper/spatula, move the paste to a bowl.
5. Mix in 3/4 of the grated cheese, and about half the lemon juice.
6. Taste the pesto, then add salt and more cheese or lemon juice until it fits your taste buds.
7. Use immediately, or store in plastic containers, with plastic wrap pushed onto the surface to prevent oxidization, or with a thin layer of olive oil over the top. Otherwise, the pesto will turn brownish.  This isn’t dangerous, just not as aesthetically pleasing.  Store the pesto in the fridge. It will last a couple weeks.  This recipe made enough for about 2 lbs of pasta.

Beginning of Toasting Procedure

Toasted pine nuts - I erred on the side of caution

Completed Pesto

Our first picking

I’m pleased to say that we’re having good luck again this year with our EarthBoxes.  I picked these 5 cherry tomatoes (variety Sun Gold) from our plant on June 28th.  Yes, they are supposed to be orange, not red.

Here’s where I picked them from:

Ripening Sun Golds

What’s even more impressive is that the plant itself is now taller than we are, and is expecting a second level of trellising soon:

The plant's HUGE!

This is mostly due to lots of moist rainy days, then a sudden surge of sun and heat, I’m guessing.  It’s almost shocking how quickly we went from basic plants with a few blooms to bushes with big green tomatoes.  We’ve got about ten plants, of varying ages, and all but one have tomatoes on them now.  Here’s the rogue’s gallery:

Plant variety forgotten, but look at these beauties!

I can’t remember which plant these are from, but look- a whole bunch! And plenty of light seems to be improving my photography.

Paul Robeson tomatoes peeking out from under the leaves

This blurred shot (ok, photography improvement is pretty spotty) shows two on our Paul Robeson plant, which has a very sturdy main stalk, supporting small bunches of tomatoes… these are about the size of a tennis ball right now.

Cuor Di Bue (Heart of Ox) tomatoes, about half final size

And here are two of my current favorite variety, Cuor di Bue.  See how the one on the right really is shaped like the heart organ?  These will get a bit bigger, to the size of a red delicious apple, but with MUCH better flavor.  Again, like their namesakes, these tomatoes are dense in texture and flavor, with less runny water than other varieties, but not arid like a paste tomato can be. It was these tomatoes that made me appreciate the “beefsteak” varieties.

Yet again, our EarthBoxes are quietly doing what they do best- grow plants!  I should get pix of our thriving herb plants, too.

Do you have an EarthBox?  Please let me know if you’ve got pictures you’d share!

(Hello, my wonderful relatives who received them as gifts…. I’m talking to YOU  too!  Don’t let J and S get all the fame!)

And just in time….  Ruhlman’s blog has  got a HomeMade BLT challenge on for the summer.  I’m DEFINITELY in for this one.  Who wants to join me here in Southeast Minnesota?  Should we get together for some summer bacon-making?  I can call the pork farmer tomorrow….

FIL and MIL with their replanted Earthbox

This past weekend, DH and I went to Normal, IL to visit his parents, and help them get their Earthbox replanted for the season.  They bought a Better Boy plant (left), and we brought them another Sun Gold cherry tomato plant (right, by MIL), since they enjoyed them last year. They decided that Romas are not their type, and are going for the bigger variety this year.

Doesn’t FIL look pleased with the whole thing?  We tied the cages to the bench from the start this year, so they won’t have to deal with tipsy cages in the wind.  Now that they are experienced with the Earthbox, they’re looking forward to the mass of tomatoes.

In the course of the weekend, we also made another visit to the Bloomington Farmer’s Market, which has a large section devoted to art and musicians, as well as plenty of great seedlings,  free range chickens, and other foodstuffs.