Advice for Richmond growers in Style

http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/best-food-to-grow-here-this-summer/BestOf?oid=1463062&keywords=

packing things up

What I truly love about capitalism is that when the free market no longer has a use for you the market lets you know. I got that news on February 18th. The goal for the CSA this year was 20 members. We needed to have at least ten by the 18th to meet the farms' obligations. We had five. The market has spoken. As I am writing this, refunds are going out to those five members.

I have no complaints; I have learned a great deal from this experience. I have met many amazing people and felt a level of involvement in the community that I have never known before. I have the greatest respect for the farmers that have successfully grown produce for CSA and market for many years. I was only able to make it for two-and-a-half very hard years. I tip my hat to the folks that have been doing it for more then two decades.

I wouldn't have made it as long as I did without the support of many wonderfully generous people who have lent financial, emotional, and physical support to the farm. First I would like to thank every CSA member for their support. The half dozen members of the micro CSA in 08, the pioneers who signed up in 09 when the farm was just taking shape, and last years' members who endured the drought with me. Thanks to all the other market vendors. I probably learned more from fellow growers than I ever learned in horticulture school. Special thanks goes out to Megan Marconyak who has been editing and contributing to this blog for the past year. She made the whole process so much easier and was always encouraging no matter the feedback the farm was receiving.

I do plan to continue growing for myself and my family and will continue to post here on occasion.

Thank you all,

Russell

Seeds

The last big seed order for the spring was just placed. Did I get everything I wanted? ... No. Am I growing only heirlooms? ... not by a long shot. All the same, it's what the budget will allow and what the market will desire. If it wasn't for CSA support there would be no seed order at all. The drought last year was horrible. I'm still trying to repair the damage it did to the farms' budget. That said, the standards you'll see at market are on their way, or already in the greenhouse.

I am often asked if everything I grow is heirloom. I wish it was. When I was a home gardener heirlooms were the only seeds I grew. I saved my seeds each year and watched the evolutionary process season after season as the strongest and the fittest survived and prospered. In some varieties I can still do that. I've been growing Purira chiles for years. The seeds from my original order from Seedsofchange.com grew the peppers that were the foundation of the seed stock I still grow. Seeds of Change no longer sells this variety, but I will be growing several hundred of them this year to border my tomato fields and to deter pests. If you are interested heirloom seeds, I highly recommend my Louisa neighbors http://www.southernexposure.com/.

Two seasons ago, I asked Charlie Collins victoryfarmsinc.com , probably the best market grower in our area, about the difference between heirloom and hybrid vegetables. In a real brass-tacks kind of way he explained that heirlooms and seed diversity is great, but if you want to make a living growing vegetables the majority of your crops have to be hybrids. This was reinforced by a field experiment the same year. In a field of 500 heirloom summer squash I planted 20 hybrid seeds another farmer had given me. Those 20 plants out-produced the other 480 heirlooms. Math like that is hard to argue with when the premium for heirlooms is minuscule at best.

If you are planning a home garden to supplement your household vegetables this year and are looking for a great source of seeds, I always recommend the following:

growitalian.com

johnnyseeds.com

rareseeds.com

Look for varieties that say "vigorous." Try to keep in mind the space you have, and the labor you are willing to put forth.

The importance of growing heirloom varieties can not be overstated. The majority of hybrid seeds are produced by about a half dozen large companies. Monsanto by far is the largest. Years ago they stated that the biggest threat to their business was people who saved their own seeds. They also lobbied hard for the recent food health safety act that was passed by the US government. I have huge problems with this act.

In order to be certified organic, you have to be accountable for everything that goes into your field from its origin. You can ensure this by purchasing certified organic seeds. This makes it difficult to save seeds, due to cross pollination. As the varieties of vegetables grown are reduced, we increase our exposure to the chance of a vegetable disease that can wipe out a large crop, similar to the Irish potato famine. By saving seeds and growing heirloom varieties, we may be increasing the biodiversity in our area and thus prolonging such an epidemic. The new food and health safety act could very well institute similar regulations on non-certified organic growers. If my business was selling seeds, and I wanted to eliminate seed-savers, having laws passed to indicate that only my seeds were "safe" might be a smart move. That is not the current case, but I do have concerns that we are heading in that direction. How the new law will effect small farms remains to be seen.

The little heated greenhouse is filled with chilies and herbs. Soon they will be moved into cold frames on the farm where they will be waiting for warmer weather and planting. This will free up space for the first round of cherry tomatoes, 4500 is the goal this year. Two times the number of beefsteaks that are hoping to fill our market tables this year. Sweet peppers and eggplants will replace the tomatoes in late march and so forth, and so on.

Time to get back to planting,

Happy growing,

Farmer Russell

Paypal

A recent member requested to pay using Paypal. This is a new experience for us, but we are happy to do what we can to make supporting local agriculture easier. Contact us farmerrussell@gmail.com with any questions.

2011 CSA (first year of the debit system)

Howdy all!

Enrollment in the 2011 CSA has begun! Membership is very limited, so hurry if you're interested.

We will only be offering 20 memberships this year. Fresh, local food introduced me to some amazing people last year. Bringing real food to other people's tables has been a wonderful experience. I wish we could expand every year, but the "C" in CSA (community supported agriculture) is important. And in order to keep our community happy, we are reducing the size of the CSA while we move into a debit system. After two-and-a-half years of providing pre-selected bags of produce, next year we will be offering members the choice of picking what they want, when they want. I will be vending at the following markets:

North of the James Market at Bryan Park, Tuesdays, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
South of the James Market at Forest Hill Park, Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Community Supported Agriculture allows me to provide families with fresh, local food. I've greatly enjoyed filling people's tables with quality produce in the height of its growing season. I'm hoping this new debit system will allow my members to get more of their favorites in a more convenient way.

Costs and Deadlines:

The season runs from the first week in May through the third week of November.

whole shares: $500.00
half shares: $275.00
50% due february 18
50% due march 18
No refunds after april 1, and no refunds will be offered on unspent credits.
There is a 10% discount for returning members (you wonderful, patient souls!)

Members receive their initial investment plus 10% as credits to use as they choose at either market.

Examples of this year's produce:

*These items aren't guaranteed at market. Produce varies by what grows each week and by farmers' choice.

Early Spring:
arugula mix
spicy greens mix
swiss chard
broccoli rabe
bok choy
radishes
beets
kale
carrots
peas
onions
herbs

Early Summer:

tomatoes (possibly by late june)
peppers
eggplant
beans
salad mix
herbs

Mid Summer:

squash
cucumbers
melons
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
salad mix
herbs
beans

Late Summer:
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
okra
salad mix
herbs
beans

Fall:
squash
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
okra
herbs
swiss chard
broccoli rabe
bok choy
radishes
beets
kale
carrots
beans

The Tomato Question:

Tomatoes have taught me that one cannot live on heirlooms alone. Almost a third of the farm is dedicated at one point or another to my prized ripe, juicy love apples.

Cherry Tomatoes:
There will be pints of cherries made up of the classics: sungolds, green zebras, oregon springs, and either brown or black cherries.

Beefsteaks:
We grow a variety.
- Great White is a low-acid white beefsteak that is soft, delicate, meaty, and juicy.
- Red Pear is a large heirloom old north italian pear-shaped beefsteak.
- Hybrid beefsteak varieties will be grown and labeled as non heirloom.

Paste Tomatoes:

We grow several types.
Black Plum is my all time favorite sauce tomato – perfect in my eggplant parmesan recipe.
San Marzano Redorta are large roma paste tomatoes great for canning and sauces.

If you have any questions about the CSA, feel free to contact me or leave them in the comments below.

CSA FAQ:

FarmerRussell@gmail.com is my email.

Please make all checks payable to Edible Old Dominion LLC
and mail to:
Edible Old Dominion
2105 Davenport Ave.
Richmond Va. 23228

Though we are happy to hear from everyone who is interested, we start counting the members when the checks start showing up. Shares will be limited to 20 members this year.

How does the debit system work?

You will receive your initial investment plus 10% as credits for use at market. So, if you purchase a whole share for $500, you will receive $550 in credits to use on produce. The credits can be used at either market on any items you want. We'll keep track of them for you. We're hoping this new system will allow our members to get what they want when they want it.
*No refunds will be offered on unspent credits.

Are you organic?
No. Organic is a government certification that takes three years to obtain and can cost several hundred, to several thousand dollars, to maintain. We do use organic methods. We never use synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. My daughter runs through the fields on the farm. I want to be able to keep it that way.

Do you grow only Heirloom vegetables?
I wish. We are huge fans of biodiversity and use heirlooms whenever possible. The split this year will probably be 50 /50. Losing half of a tomato plants production can be hard when you are growing a couple in your backyard, when you have 800 plants of that variety it can bring you to your muddy knees.

Thanksgiving / CSA ends

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

CSA wrapped up last week. Thank you all for your support of local agriculture during this past difficult season. The 2011 Edible Old Dominion CSA will have fewer members as we switch to a debit system. Once again there will be a loyalty discount for returning members. Look forward to a CSA Post in the near future. I hope your tables are filled on this day of thanks with local and artesian delights. -FR

Seems like rest garlic and.vitamins have done the trick again. I will be at south of the james today 8-noon

Im currently running a temperature of 101. I may not make it to the South of the James Market in the morning.

Soup Recipes and Such

Tis the season for Soup. As a single father and one-man farming operation, time, like sanity, is a rare commodity. Every autumn soup is my answer to providing real food and several meals in a short period of time.

It is rare that I go by a recipe, so I'm attempting to write one down ... On second though, let's call these general guidelines instead of exact recipes.

* Note: If I am saying shredded or diced, odds are I'm running it through a Cuisinart with a medium shredding disc (every minute counts)

Miso Soup

The farmers' go- to cure for all ailments is eating raw garlic until your mouth is on fire, washing it all down with red wine, and repeating, followed by sleep (works like a charm).

When that's not an option, Miso Soup is plan B. The recipe I started with probably came out of Vegetarian Times in the late 90's (?).

Here's the basics:

Olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a large stock pot)

Ginger, shredded (as much as your sickly hands are willing to peal and can afford)

Garlic, chopped (see plan A, at least 4cloves. However much garlic you work with, divide it in half.)

Large red onion, diced

2 Carrots, shredded (or a handful of baby carrots)

1lb firm tofu, cubed (I prefer twin oaks herb)

1/2 a cabbage head,

shredded

1 bundle radishes, shredded

Egg noodles

Tamari (about 1 Tablespoon)

Red miso paste

6 cups water or vegetable broth

Fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in the large stock pot over medium heat. Add ginger. Cook until the ginger is fragrant and has infused the oil. If you are so congested you cannot smell the ginger, then cook until just before it starts to brown. Add half the garlic and tofu. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tofu is lightly browned, but the ginger and garlic haven't burned. Add carrots, cabbage, radishes and onions. Cover. Stir often. Once the onions turn translucent add the vegetable broth. Bring soup to a solid boil. Add egg noodles. Once noodles are fully cooked, add parsley, remaining garlic, and tamari. A teaspoon of tamari should work, but I haven't measured it in years. When the color is right you will know it. You want the soup to be almost salty enough, but not quite there. The miso will take it the rest of the way. Remove from heat.

Add red miso paste, a little at a time, stirring frequently. It's important to add it in small chunks. A salty glob of goo is just a horrible thing for sick folks to have to endure. The quanity of Miso you use is totally dictated by taste. It's amazingly good for you. I've had friends survive break-up solely on this stuff. Serve hot, Serve often.

*For years cayenne pepper and or hot sauce was a regular part of this soup. Since I've been cooking for a younger palate lately, I have been skipping it. If you can handle the heat, load it on. You may not be able to feel your mouth, and the bathroom may scare you, but it is right up there with garlic as a cure-all in this farmers' opinion.

Veggie-Packed Potato Cream Soup with Aged Cheddar

Olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a large stock pot)

4 yellow onions, 2 diced, 2 pureed

2 carrots, shredded (or a handful of baby carrots)

3 sticks celery, shredded

1/2 a head of cabbage, shredded

1 bundle radishes, shredded

3 gold potatoes, diced

6 cups water or vegetable broth

Fresh parsley, chopped

1 lb mixed small potatoes: redskins, blues, yukon golds, cranberry reds whatever is available, quartered or cubed

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 lb shredded aged cheddar

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and add onions. Once onions are translucent, add remaining shredded vegetables and diced potatoes. Cover. Stir Often. Once vegetables have wilted, add vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

In a separate smaller stock pot filled with heavily salted water, bring quartered potatoes to a boil.

In small batches, begin to puree shredded vegetable broth using a blender or food processor. Strain cubed potatoes and add to pureed vegetable mix (do not puree potatoes). Simmer for 20 minutes. Puree 2 onions with 1 cup pureed vegetables, then blend with parsley. Add back into soup. Stir together until blended and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Add cream and mix thoroughly. Add 1 Tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot garnished with shredded aged cheddar.

Check Out RVAFOODIE

Through my adventures in Twitterverse I have come to know Jason Guard/aka RVA Foodie. If you are not currently following his blog Caramalized Opinions through RVAFOODIE.COM , I would highly recommend it. I have started to comment there on occasion. He tends to ask good questions.

Below you will find my comment on his most recent post about being a "foodie". Thank you all for your continued support of local agriculture and bio diversity.

When I was 16 I took a road trip up to Georgetown to see my first long distance girlfriend, who was visiting her aunt. During lunch some fresh shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano was served. This was my first experience with the cheese outside of the ubiquitous green can I had known over far too many spaghetti dinners. I guess I’ve been a foodie ever since.
The importance of bio diversity in agriculture can not be over stated. As a local grower, I can say with out doubt, that the rise in farmers markets and the locavore movement has been fueled by a holy trinity of Environmentalism, Health Consciousness, and Foodieisim. It’s a lot easier to get a fair market price, and thus be willing to grow, Broccoli Rabe when the customers know what Broccoli Rabe is. It takes foodies to provide a market for variety, whether that is for 8 kinds of salt, or 6 kinds of kale.

-FR

Radish Soup and Farmer Russell's Renegade Market!

Found a great recipe for radish soup. I wouldn't consider this a main course kind of soup like minestrone or a veggie heavy Miso, but it is easy to make and it would make a great first course.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/8004/red-radish-soup.html

I tweaked it a bit when I made it for myself and my daughter. I skipped the horseradish. When you cook radishes they get sweet like turnips, or carrots almost. The horseradish would have brought back the spice and zing that you would probably expect from a radish soup. Instead of using half and half and the mayo, I just used 4 cups of heavy whipping cream. It was rich, but worked nicely with the remaining texture from the radishes. I didn't serve it with cheese, but a little garnish of an aged white cheddar might have been nice. Enjoy!

Farmer Russell's Renegade Market

The Bryan Park Market officially ended last Tuesday, but I will continue to be setting up shop through the third week of November. Look for me near (in ... shhh) shelter 3. I can appreciate why RVA's most hidden market closes shop at the end of October, but with three more weeks in the CSA, the show must go on. I will be inviting other farmers to come out and join me, but odds are that I will be there solo. Radishes and other winter greens continue to come in and I look forward to wrapping up the CSA with larger and larger bags each week. -FR

My apologies to any CSA members who pick up at Bryan Park this afternoon. Shares will be particularly small. Beans are done for the season, and greens are not in yet. We hope we'll have greens for you next week!

It's so strange to see fewer and fewer farmers at the market each week. It's been a hard year for everyone and many former mentors question if they will return.

We are receiving constant requests for 2011 office delivery. At the moment we are at a loss as to how to provide it in keeping with the new debit system. Ideas? Please leave 'em in the comments section!

Radishes are In!

This week we’ve got plenty of fresh radishes for you to enjoy. Sure, you can just slice ‘em up and eat ‘em (maybe topped with a bit of sea salt), or add them to your favorite salad, but a nifty, unconventional way to enjoy them is in the form of radish chips.

Check out this recipe from a woman who was a little iffy on radishes until she sliced them thin, drizzled them with olive oil, sprinkled them with salt and baked them to crispy, crunchy perfection.

These are an ideal, crunchy treat for those looking for a healthier, crunchy snack, or those trying to convince their kids to eat more nutrient-rich foods. Radishes contain folic acid, potassium, vitamin B6 and riboflavin, among other nutrients.

Try them tonight!

Any avid mountain bikers are welcome to contact me about riding on the trails at the farm. One of our neighbors just opened up some new paths in preparation for deer season.

We hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend! For more farm updates everyone is welcome to follow me on twitter @farmerrussell. -FR

Next Year’s CSA

A recent article on Richmond.com listed our CSA as one of the many community supported agriculture options in town. They posted details from this year’s CSA, and we are changing a few things next year. We just wanted to let our followers know.

Next year our CSA will, for the most part, be closed to new members. Members from the first two years will be eligible to join. Depending on demand, we may make a few exceptions, so if you were not a member in the past two years, but are particularly interested in Edible Old Dominion, please contact Farmer Russell directly.

Instead of our past style of giving all members an equal amount of what’s in season each week, next year we will operate on a debit system, meaning you’ll be able to get as little or as much as you want each week.

Don’t like greens? Skip ‘em. Love blackberries? Stock up on some extra pints. Going on vacation? Don’t worry about it. You can use your shares later in the season. Want to come to one market one week and another the next? That’s fine. You can use your shares anywhere we are.

It will work like this. You’ll get your investment plus 20 percent to spend on veggies throughout the season. So, if you buy a full share for $500, you’ll get $600 to spend, and if you get a half share for $275 you’ll get $330 to spend. Each week you can pick what you want, and we’ll deduct the cost from your total amount. If you use up your shares, you’ll receive 20 percent off your produce for the rest of the season.

Because we are moving to a debit system, we will no longer offer office deliveries. Members will need to be present at the market to choose their produce.

The CSA will run for 29 weeks again, from the first of May through the third week of November, making this one of the longest running CSAs around.

We’ll share more information as we get farther into next year.

We love our members!

Check out this post from CSA member Green Shutter's blog. She took a way cool canning class at Lavender Fields Farm, whipped up some tomato sauce with our fresh tomatoes, and canned some delicious sauce. What a cool use for our produce!

It's been a rough year.

Over the past few weeks a few CSA members have expressed discontent with the size and contents of their shares. We just wanted to take a moment to address these concerns.

As we've said throughout the season, we are sorry about the limited sizes and varieties in the CSA this year. Unfortunately, there has been extreme weather, both in terms of heat and lack of rain, and no expert farming can control the elements. In addition, by choosing to be a member of Edible Old Dominion, you made the decision to support a new farm in the area. It takes years of work and a lot of money to create dependable soil that always gives perfect, plentiful crops. We appreciate every member who chooses to support us as we grow, but it won't happen overnight.

In addition, we at Edible Old Dominion strive to create completely organic produce for your eating pleasure. We don't use any additives that are even slightly questionable in their pure organic nature. Sure, we could spray our fields with pesticides and create tons of beautiful, perfect vegetables, but that's not what we're about.

Again, we truly appreciate the members who have supported us during this tough season, and we are working hard to get more produce ready for you in late summer and fall. And to those who have expressed their dissatisfaction, we apologize. We're doing the best we can.