Seldom Seen Farm

Hoosiers Encouraged to Participate in GOING LOCAL Week by Eating More Local Foods

Event supporters’ long term goal is “eating of Indiana locally grown and produced foods will become the norm, not a novelty at Hoosier dinner tables across the state”.

An increasing number of individuals are rejecting well traveled food items in favor of more locally grown and produced ones. They call themselves “locavores”. The term refers to individuals who choose only to eat foods that have been grown and/or raised within 100 miles of their homes. Locavores pride themselves on finding and using ingredients that are locally available and in season. While few can realistically adhere to the extreme “rules” of a locavore diet, more and more individuals are expressing a desire to eat fresh, local, and in season food. In fact, the trend toward eating local food is the number one culinary trend in the United States. The supporters of GOING LOCAL Week in Indiana hope to encourage Hoosiers to follow that trend and eat more locally grown and produced food for a number of reasons.

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I’m dirty. Not in some perverse Michael Jackson kind of way. I just
stink like fish emulsion (organic fertilizer) and onions. Quite a
combination. . . imagine cooking two gallons of onions in a gallon of
fish oil. If the wind was from the east and my neighbors caught a
whiff, i’m sure they’d think I was crazy. Oh well. . . . they already do.

Kelly and I have been sponsored by Slow Food Indy to attend Terra Madre
in October. “The purpose of the conference is to increase small-scale,
traditional, and sustainable food production. Issues include what ‘high
quality food’ means, environmental resources and planetary equilibrium,
and aspects of taste and consumer safety.(1)”

There will be a number of Slow Food benefit dinners in the coming
months. The next is Sunday August 10th. Hope to have more details next
week.

http://www.terramadre.info (1)
http://www.slowfoodusa.org
http://www.slowfoodindy.net/

Really need a shower. . . .

What’s the difference? What do you think of when someone says summer
squash? Mention Zucchini and what veggie comes to mind?

Last Friday I was busier than usual at the Creamery. A customer was
rattling off what they had selected, and I was working on the total in
my head. “half pound of salad mix, two cucumbers, beets, two summer
squash and three zucchini.” The last two items threw me for a loop, and
I had to start over. I’ve never grown zucchini before. . . at least not
the long green ones. So the customer’s mind these yellow and green
things were two different products. To me. . . it’s all summer squash.
All three come out of the same row. The seed is mixed to save time
changing seed plates and emptying the seeder. So, what’s the difference?

Summer squash may bring to mind yellow crookneck, but is a much more
broad category. In most seed catalogs zucchini will be under summer
squash. But then there are yellow zucchini too. What about the patty
pans and round zucchini and cousas?

All summer squash are Cucurbita pepo, meaning that they will cross
pollinate readily regardless of visual differences. While all squash
originated in the Americas (along with corn, potatoes, tomatoes and
peppers), different varieties and sub-types came out of Europe and the
Middle East. Zucchini is, surprise, from Italy, and the variety of cousa
we grow is from Lebanon. Both cousa and zucchini mean squash in their
original languages. Is the division between the various types getting
blurry yet? All can be used in much the same way, but for various
culinary reasons one might be preferred.

Everyone has something to do with squash. . . here are some interesting
things you may not know about.

Cousa – Use smaller squashes ~3” as stuffing squash. Slice lengthwise
and fill with whatever is on-hand. Spicy sausage with a tomato base
works well. Larger cousa don’t get very tough until the lines on them
turn dark green. Use these for grilling. After cutting in strips
lengthwise they resist being eaten by the grill grates (our problem).

Patty Pan – Unnerving house guests with oddly shaped vegetables.

Zucchini – Our yellow squash this year is actually a yellow zucchini. .
. grill ‘em or add to a pico de gallo type salsa with cucumbers.

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I’m sitting here, staring at my computer screen. Maybe it’s just been a
long day, but I’m wondering whether my world is just getting smaller.
No energy to go out. . . and plenty to do at home. NPR and the BBC have
been replaced with cucumbers, basil, tomato trellising and that list at
the bottom of this email. Reading has turned into running spreadsheets
to dig out of a messed up spring. If I have some spare time you might
find me lurking on Ebay looking for cultivator parts. Heh. It isn’t
that bad. Just a little myopic. (and just for the record, i had to
pull out Websters for myopia)

The website was hacked last weekend or so. . . the correct term is
probably ‘defaced by spammers.’ All content was overwritten by Gangsta
Killa from somewhere south of the US/Mexico border. Seems Gangsta Killa
isn’t a big fan of the Iraq war. . . . or of “governmeant” generally.
The site is back up after a couple days of rain, this time with the
newest version of Wordpress with a backup plugin.

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Well, we need to get harvesting. . . seems there’s a ton of lettuce in
the field. Hope all’s well and have a good 4th. Somebody better get
out and watch some fireworks for Kelly. . . she’s a little disappointed
that all except Kokomo have them on Friday night.
John

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Where was this weather in May? Warm days, cool nights. While it was
still terribly wet we took an afternoon and got the farm sign up. Kelly
used sheet steel to make a textured pattern and then hand painted the
letters. We put it up in one of the flower beds facing the road. In
the past people haven’t needed much excuse to check out what we do.
With the sign there seems to be some renewed interest. When the farm
first started I think most of the neighbors were skeptical and curious.
More than a few thought we had a little ’somethin, somethin’ growing
the the greenhouses.

But now we’ve got Ross harvesting with us, and something about hiring a
neighborhood teenager makes us legitimate. The ‘antique’ Allis G might
help too. Our nearest neighbor, Knoll, restores antique tractors. In
the summer there are two dozen or better shiny tractors in his back
yard. He doesn’t have a G, and seems happy to see one working. Now,
regardless of whether we’re in the field people are slowing down just to
check out what’s there. I’ll have to grow some veggies just to stump
them. Maybe artichokes. But I think the rows of broccoli, cabbage, and
onions will work for the moment.

John

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Well. . . it’s been a trying 10 days. While southern Indiana got ~11
inches in 24 hours, we’ve gotten the same amount spread over 10 days.
So the weeds are doing well. We dug the post holes for the new farm
sign earlier this week. Water started filling the hole once we passed
30 inches. But the sign looks good. Kelly did a nice job welding and
(hand) painting it. So now the neighbors have something new to
rubber-neck at. Gotta keep them on their toes.

-=- Local Growers in Indianapolis Monthly -=-
http://www.indianapolismonthly.com/article.aspx?id=23792

I don’t know where our second market will be this weekend, either
Binford or Carmel.

The farm stand will be open next week, starting Tuesday. The hours are
8-7 M-Sat. We’re more than happy to give tours if there’s time.

John

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Well, what can I say? It’s a little soggy. I’m sitting here on my
computer listening to the patter of rain drops. Unfortunately the rain
outside has abated for the moment and the water has discovered a new
pathway into the house. So, as the water dings off the chest freezer
and file cabinets I’m wondering what will be waiting in the veggie
fields. Guess it could be worse. . .

On our way into town last Saturday there was a foot and a half or better
of standing water on Kessler. . . with cars stalled on either side and
in the middle. Broad Ripple seemed to have been hit pretty hard. But
some friends of Kelly’s on the east side trumped all. . . a tree trunk
through their kitchen roof Friday night.

-=- Binford Farmers Market - http://www.binfordfarmersmarket.com
We’ll be at the Binford Market starting this weekend. It’s at 62nd and
Binford on the northwest side of the interesection.

-=- Do you know about the Eat Local Challenge? Find out more
at http://sustindy2016.wetpaint.com/page/Sign+the+Pledge
and add your name to the list. As subscribers to or customers of our
farm, you’ll already be well on your way to meeting the 50 percent local
goal!

-=- Availability
What will we have this weekend? I’m not 100% sure after 9 inches of
rain in a week (6 came yesterday and last night).

There is some hail damage in the salad and spinach from last friday
night. . . we’ll do our best to pick it out, but there will likely be
some torn lettuce leaves.

Continue Reading »

Apologies for the late newsletter. Kelly and I have been weeding like
crazy and hoping to get in to do some tillage this afternoon. Then the
60 year old cultivating tractor wouldn’t start. . . and then Jon
Cherniss from Blue Moon Farm (where I interned in 03) stopped by. I
just got the Allis G running again after some parts swapping and general
12 volt frustrations. But we did have a nice visit with Jon last
evening. If anything it was nice to hear the same gripes from someone
who’s been doing it for 20+ years. The cold wet weather has been a
serious challenge this spring, reducing my motivation and generally
being a PITA. The last spring like this was 2006 and I never want to
repeat that year. A late crop is one thing. . . digging scallions out
of two foot tall foxtails is another.

But all seems to have turned around with this warm weather.
Cultivations are caught up, and I’ll be out with the chisel and tiller
this afternoon. For the moment I’m ignoring the 2 acres of 6 foot rye
and vetch in the back fields. Kind of a intentional denial thing. . .
if i don’t think about it there isn’t a problem. Wait, I’m thinking
about it. Better go help Kelly harvest.

John

Available This Week:
Spinach (lots)
Turnips - white salad
Radishes
Bok Choy
Salad Mix, limited quantities
Kale
Sunflowers/Bouquets
Arugula (probably)
We would have swiss chard too, if the deer had left us any.

Well, if nothing our weather of late is great for broccoli, cabbage, and
potatoes. This cool weather and large amounts of rain are getting to me
though. Kelly and I have been getting through out to do lists quickly.
. . even the manure spreader is working reasonably. Every spring when
we’re spreading straw on flowers it seems to break down and most springs
I can’t find the time to fix it. This year it has already been in the
shop twice, and after some tweaking, grinding, and welding it’s overcome
the usual entropy enduced flaws.

While the well and cultivators are idle is does lend some time to
enjoying the spring. The warblers are moving through and I think we’ve
got a nesting pair of orioles. The weekend forecast looks awesome. . .
very May like.

John

Available this week:
Baby Mustard Mix 5$/bag
Pea Shoots 3$/bag
Arugula 3$/bag

Around the corner/ when we get some warm days and nights
Bok Choy
Turnips
Radishes
Kale
Chard (if the deer stop eating it)
Salad Mix
Summer Squash
Sunflowers