Winter's Groundwork

The first big snow of the winter felt last week, complete with blizzard warnings and high winds. With a long driveway, very rural roads, employees who come to work every day, and regular deliveries both coming and going, I pay close attention to the weather forecast to plan out how to keep the driveway clear. With a big snow, waiting too long can make the driveway almost impossible to clear; but starting too early wastes time and fuel, so I try not to do that, either. During a long snowfall event, I will plow each morning and night.

Our snow plow setup isn’t fancy. We have two large-ish tractors on the farm (well, they seem big to me, but not to my neighbors) – neither with a cab, and both with front-wheel assist. During the winter, I keep a simple grading blade hooked to the back of one, and a large snow bucket on the other. It doesn’t hurt to start both tractors periodically, and a good snowfall gives me a good excuse to start them both. Because it can take a long time to warm up the transmission and hydraulic fluid they use to lower and raise the tools, when the weather hovers down below zero, I will often head out to start the tractor I plan to use, and then come back in for another cup of coffee.

The first plowing of the year lays the groundwork for the rest of the winter and on into the spring. A poorly-positioned pile of snow can melt right into the greenhouse, or cause large drifts every time the wind blows, or take up space I will need for the next big snowfall.

I always plow to the south and the east whenever possible, to avoid drifting, even though it means extra trips up the driveway. I also learned early on to plow driving backwards (the blade goes on the back of the tractor) to avoid driving off the driveway in flat light and deep snow; driving backwards and to the south means I first drive up to the top of the driveway, then back down it, about a quarter mile. Then up to the top again, and back down again. The site of the snow rolling away from the blade easily turns hypnotic, and makes me want to spend all day just moving snow – a dangerous temptation at ten below.

With the driveway clear, I start plowing out the farmyard where trucks turn around to get to the packing shed or the greenhouse, moving all of the snow to the southeast corner, lifting the blade at the end up each run to push the snow up and over the pile. Then, I head back up to the wide top of the driveway, where I build up piles at either side of the entrance so that speedy drivers trying to turn into the driveway have something to bounce off of instead of going straight into the ditch. The farm’s on a stretch of road that bends to the left but banks the other way, and it’s pretty easy to misjudge things; besides, a stuck car means getting out the tractor all over again.

Farm Happenings

Weather: We had the first big snow of the winter last week, with fifteen inches of snow on Wednesday and drifts up to my waist in places. Not the greatest snowshoeing weather, but daughter Isabel and I went out anyways, and found a peaceful spot in the woods to listen to the world around us.

What We Did: We washed and packed and washed and packed. Wholesale sales of roots have been strong this December, which we’ve really appreciated.

Comings and Goings: Chris’ friend Jana came twice to help out with the extra work on our plates, which was just great. Chris spent too much time on the road doing the organic activist-organizer-teacher thing, with several farm visits in Wisconsin and Iowa, and classes on financial planning for Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings program (in River Falls, Wisconsin, and St. Joseph, Minnesota), a conference staff meeting in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, a meeting in La Crosse about a book project he’s working on, classes in Ames at the Iowa Organic Conference on season extension and post-harvest handling, and another class near Whitewater State Park about all of the non-technical stuff farmers should consider when they think about building a greenhouse.

In the Kitchen

Like beets, Brussels Sprouts often garner looks of disdain, with memories of childhood dinners ruined by the funny little cabbages. But wait! Brussels sprouts harvested after a hard frost are an entirely different vegetable than the specimens from the coast of California. Try them! To prepare for cooking, pare off the tough bottom part of the sprout stem. Steaming works well, and is more forgiving than boiling, but don’t overcook them! Sprouts are best when tender but not mushy. This year’s sprouts got harvested a little bit late, and suffered a little bit for it in appearance; but what they lack in beauty, they more than make up for in sweet deliciousness. Our favorite, albeit unconventional, preparation follows.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

1 lb Brussels sprouts
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat the oven 400 degrees. Mix Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet for about 40 minutes, shaking occasionally, until crisp on the outside but still tender inside. Sprinkle with even more salt, and serve.

Heart of Gold squash has been a Rock Spring Farm favorite for years and years, loved for its pleasant texture (not too dry, not too moist) and sweet, rich flavor.

Flattened Cipollini Onions (“cipollini” means “little onion” in Italian, so this ends up being “little onion onions,” but, oh well) have a more well-rounded flavor than the standard red or yellow globe-shaped onions, and we like to use them in places where we want to feature the onion, rather than using it as a seasoning, as you might in cooking them alongside a roast, or as a stand-alone vegetable.

Caramelized Cippolini Onions

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds Cipollini onions, peeled
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons stock
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large, ovenproof saucepan over a medium flame. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the onions to the butter and cook for about 20 minutes, until they are nicely browned. Add the sugar, wine, vinegars, bay leaf, and stock, and bring to a simmer. Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the onions are soft. Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon. Reduce the sauce over low heat until it achieves a slightly viscous consistency, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper, and reheat the onions in the sauce.

Beauty Heart Radishes – green on top, with white tails and a little pink blush at the tip – have a delicious sweet flavor and crunchy texture. Just slice them thinly and enjoy.

The Rutabagas are the ones with purple shoulders and pale yellow tails. The Rutabaga’s reputation is a mystery to me. With a texture as smooth as a new potato and a delightfully earthy flavor and golden color, why are rutabagas so unloved? I find them to be a wonderful symbol of the strength and grounded-ness, with a little but of sweetness added in, that can bear us through winter. Delicious mashed with potatoes, but this recipe won the family favorite award at our house.

Rutabaga Gratin

1-1/2 lbs rutabaga, sliced very thin
2 tbsp flour
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup grated parmesan
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
2 cloves minced garlic

Preheat oven to 375. Steam rutabaga slices for about three minutes, until crisp tender. Butter a 5 x 9 baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of the rutabaga slices evenly over the bottom and sprinkle with 1/2 of the rosemary, 1/2 of the flour, 1/3 of the parmesan, and black pepper. Add a second layer, and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary and flour, another 1/3 of the parmesan, and black pepper. Add a third layer, and sprinkle with parmesan and black pepper. Combine the cream, stock, and garlic and bring the mixture just to a boil. Pour over the rutabagas. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes or so, until browned.

This week’s Red Savoy Cabbage has a delightful, light flavor and beautiful color well suited to light cooking.

Spicy Cabbage

1/3 cup onion, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
dash or two of ginger juice or some thinly slice ginger

Cook the onions lightly in the olive oil, and add the cabbage, sesame seeds, and hot pepper. Cook until the cabbage is tender about 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the ginger, toss and serve.

The bright red roots in this week’s box are Chioggia Beets. That’s kee-oh-gee-uh, with a lot of Italian thrown in away. Sliced latitudinal-ly, they have a delightful bull’s-eye pattern that will bleed away if you boil or steam them, but stays intact when baked or roasted. They have a slightly sweet flavor than your average beet, and less earthiness.

Basic Baked Beets

Some beets
Some olive oil
Some water

Simply rub trimmed (not peeled) beets with olive or vegetable oil and place them in a casserole dish with 1/2 inch of water. Cover and bake in a 400 degree oven for about an hour. The beets are ready when they can easily be penetrated with a paring knife. Cool slightly and slip the peel off. We slip the peel off under running water; it saves on burning the fingers. Eat and enjoy.