Farm Happenings at Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
Back to Farm Happenings at Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York

Farm Happenings for December 9, 2021

Posted on December 3rd, 2021 by Bob Baker

Hello Members - Hope your Thanksgiving was very enjoyable with family and friends gathered around the table.  Must say for my family, it was the first time since 2018 that we were all together and it sure felt wonderful to give hugs and once again enjoy some normalcy in our lives!  Much gratitude for sure! 

So with the fall waving good by - and winter greeting us with frost on the wind-shields - we turn the next corner into the holiday season!  I want to thank you for your support of the winter shares - it means a lot to us - for your support brings winter income to the Farm - Thank you!

I need to send out this email and then you will receive a second final email from Harvie - so that the software program will generate labels for the share boxes.  There is nothing you need to do.  Each winter share box will contain the same produce.  You do not need to reply - Even though it says adjust cut-off time is 10 am - You do not need to reply. Thank you!

We are submitting our order for oil, motor fluids, hoses, clamps, paint, gaskets, etc. as Bill and Brandon begin the winter maintenance on tractors and the balance of farm equipment.  All maintenance will take a good part of a month to complete!

For Brandon - Bill and myself - We wish you a very happy and enjoyable holiday season!

Very best, Bob

Our December winter share will bring a few changes from last month - Cabbage - Cider - Empire Apples - Ever-crisp Apples - Holiday Baking Mix - Potatoes - Red beets - Sweet Potatoes - Winter squash

Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing
"My ultimate starter salad would celebrate the produce of the season and make a knockout-gorgeous addition to the table, so I developed this one using fresh orange juice,  beets, and--for good measure--some creamy, tangy goat cheese." --Timothy Q. Cebula, Associate Food Editor

Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400°.

  • Leave root and 1-inch stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place beets on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat beets with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until tender. Cool beets slightly. Trim off beet roots and stems; rub off skins. Cut beets into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.

  • Bring juice and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan; cook 10 minutes or until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Pour into a medium bowl; cool slightly. Add shallots, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk.

  • Combine lettuce, watercress, and radicchio. Sprinkle lettuce mixture with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss gently to combine. Arrange about 1 cup lettuce mixture on each of 8 salad plates. Divide beets evenly among salads. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon dressing over each salad; sprinkle each salad with 1 tablespoon cheese.

  • Wine note: White wine is usually a good bet with salad, but the earthy and robust flavors in Winter Salad with Roasted Beets and Citrus Reduction Dressing allow this hearty course to handle a lighter red wine, such as Irony Monterey Pinot Noir 2006 ($16). The wine's berry fruit goes well with goat cheese, and its earthy mushroom flavors are enhanced by roasted beets, while tart acidity on the finish matches the citrus. --Jeffery Lindenmuth

     

    STUFFED SWEET POTATOES WITH BROCCOLI & AVOCADO

    ingredients

    • 3 large sweet potatoes
    • 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, steamed
    • 1 avocado, sliced
    • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
    • sriracha cashew cheese sauce

    instructions

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

    Scrub sweet potato and prick them in a few places with a fork.

    • Oven: Place on baking sheet and bake until soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
    • Microwave: Microwave on high for 5 minutes, rotate the potatoes and cook another 3 – 5 minutes, depending on how large the sweet potatoes are you may even need a 1 – 2 minutes more.

    Prepare your sriracha cashew cheese sauce and set aside.

    Towards the end of baking time, or when sweet potatoes are cooling, steam your broccoli and warm the optional black beans.

    To serve, slice your sweet potato along the top center from end to end, push the ends to open up the middle. Fill with broccoli and avocado, top with a nice drizzle of the sriracha cheese sauce. Enjoy the simples!

    Serves 3

    SRIRACHA CASHEW CHEESE SAUCE

    ingredents

    • 1 cup raw cashews (pref. soaked – see notes)
    • 1/2 cup water, + more as needed for thinning
    • juice of 1/2 lemon, optional
    • 1 large garlic clove
    • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • 2 teaspoons sriracha chili sauce, + more to taste

    instructions

    Place all ingredients into a small blender (I used a magic bullet for this job). Blend until creamy, taste for flavor adding extra chili sauce if needed.

    Thin with water to desired consistency using one tablespoon at a time. If you find it’s too watery add a few cashews and blend again until smooth.

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

    Makes about 2/3 cups.

    NOTES:

    Quick soak your cashews: To soak your cashew fast, simply place them in hot water for 5 minutes, drain and use accordingly.

    I also didn’t add in any salt but feel free to add salt to taste.

    Lastly, I usually use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in my cashew creams but didn’t add any in this recipe, I didn’t feel it needed either. You may try adding 1 tablespoon if you have it on hand for another layer of flavor.

     

 

Please return your boxes to your sites - and your reminder for pick up - December 9th or 10th - Thank you!

 

  • Regional Food Bank (965 Albany Shaker Rd, Latham) – Thursday 3 – 6 pm Friday 8 am - 4 pm

    Patroon Land Farm (132 Ketcham Rd, Voorheesville) - Thursday 11 am – 5 pm - Friday 9 am – 2 pm

    Clifton Park (Exit 8 – 40 Longwood Drive, Clifton Park) - Thursday 12 noon – 6 pm

    Great Flats Brewing ( 15 Lafayette St, Schenectady) - Thursday 4 – 8 pm

    EOC (39 Bath St, Ballston Spa ) - Thursday 12 - 4:30 pm - Please call when you arrive - they will bring out your share - 518-288-3206

 

 

Farm Happenings for December 9, 2021
Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
We are ready to begin our winter share season!  For the months of November, December, and January - we will be offering for purchase one share box of vegetables and fruit each month.  Delivery will be the first week of each month.  Typical items in your share will be winter squash, potatoes, onions, garlic, cabbage, carrots, beets and apples.  We will source from our own farm and from local farms.

 The Regional Food Bank, in partnership with the Patroon Land Foundation, manages a sustainable farm that grows large quantities of high-quality vegetables. The Farm supplies the Food Bank and 1,000 participating agencies in 23 counties with diverse, fresh produce. Currently, we have grown over one million pounds of fresh produce to feed the hungry.  Although the majority of the Farm’s production is allocated to the Food Bank, we generate revenue to cover farm expense through our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program and Farm stand.  The CSA program sells vegetable shares to the community and by purchasing a share, you become one of our partners, enjoying farm fresh vegetables and feeding the hungry.

Your access to fresh local farm products has never been greater or more convenient! The Harvie platform provides the technology required to bring the farm to the click of your digital device! 

Simple fresh convenience!
Go to farm profile
January 2023 (1) November 2022 (1) October 2022 (2) September 2022 (3) August 2022 (4)