News from Lewis Waite Farm

Farm Update
The haying is finally done! The last bale put in the barn. It is ironic that the season began quite late when the early summer rains would not quit, and now we wind up the last of the haying in a drought. The ground is very dry. The grass on the hills where the soil is rocky and thin is burnt and brown. Certain patches of the pastures seem green but re-growth after the last trimming by the cows is very slow to come back. All the seasonal streams are dry and the streams that generally run all year seem a trickle of their former selves. Luckily we have 2 ponds to use for emergency watering. Today’s forecast included rain but we have yet to see a rain cloud looming. Garden seeds planted for fall crops of carrots, beets, lettuce, kale and kohlrabi are barely germinating. Let’s hope for a couple of days of steady light rains to jump-start our transition to fall. The leaves of some of the trees in dry locations are starting to turn their fall colors and falling. This is the end of the dog days of summer. The good thing is that the tomatoes love it, our swimming in our pond and tubing on the Battenkill are extended, and there is plenty of war weather to come before the chilly winds begin.

The Institute for Culinary Education (ICE) is offering some courses related to eating seasonally and/or locally. Below are the details:

The Food Shed: Cooking Local and Seasonal
ID: LOCAL
Tuition: $110
Sun 12/2/2007 06:00PM-10:30PM

Lemon-Pepper Tat Soi

tat soi
olive oil
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
lemon juice to taste

Wash, dry, and chop the tat soi. Heat a little olive oil in a pan. When it's hot, add the tat soi leaves and saute them covered, until wilted. Remove the cover and cook until liquid has evaporated. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice.

This is a sauce that is primarily based on baking the ingredients rather than simmering them on the stove for hours. It is very easy.  If you don't have a food mill, you can crush the tomatoes with a potato masher, take out as much of the skins as you like (I don't mind them so much, personally).