We Made it through the Heat!
I'm glad that heat is over. That's all I have to say about that. I tried to do some seeding on Thursday but had to throw in the towel around 12:30 and do some work in the barn. It was too hot to do much else. Middle of July when our crew is in the thick of it, 90F is hot but we gotta work through it. 90 in September and we sought shelter. The barn stays cool, so there was plenty of garlic cleaning being done in there.
As for the plants, half of them seemed to love the heat, but all the new stuff baked under the sun. Mostly what's going in the fields at this point are cool lovin crops. Our squash and nightshades that have been in the ground since May soaked up the sun, but kale, cabbage, fennel, lettuce, and all of our greens would prefer cooler temps this time of year. Fall is well underway in the fields, and in the greenhouses we're preparing for winter growing, time for the weather to catch up!
Farm to Table Dinner Catered by Chef Arianne THIS SATURDAY!
There are still a few tickets left available!
Our Farm to Table dinner is scheduled for September 16th and we have already started preparing for guests on the farm! We have 40 tickets available for the dinner, which includes a farm tour, live music, and local food and drinks.
We plan to serve the meal out in the field, with appetizers and refreshments offered in our barn to start the night. In the event of rain, we will host the dinner in the barn, as well. The schedule will go as follows:
4:45-5:15: Guests arrive, appetizers and refreshments in the barn with music
5:15-6:30: We tour the farm and point out specific beds where the nights produce was harvested from
6:30-8:00pm: Dinner is served. Guests are welcome to stay after dinner to keep chatting with the farmers.
The menu will feature:
Starters
▪Beet cream and parsley puree in nasturtium crisps
▪Corn and Saffron chips with celery chutney and black garlic cream
▪Grilled flank steak street tacos with pickled cabbage and cucumber salsa
Pasta Course
▪Goat cheese and sage filled homemade pasta with confit tomatoes
Main Course
▪White bean and herb puree with braised fennel and leeks
▪Beef tenderloin over zucchini cream and au jus
Salad
▪Fresh corn and radish salad with raspberry vinaigrette over greens
Deserts and Local Beverages Provided
Menu is subject to change. Please let us know upon signup if you have any dietary needs.
Dog Days Farm will be providing the beets, parsley, celery, garlic, cabbage, cucumbers, onions, radishes, salad greens, herbs, tomatoes, fennel, and leeks. All other menu items will be sourced from local farms wherever possible. Drinks and desert will be provided from local producers.
In addition to dinner, we will be raffling off a few gift baskets made up of items found at the Jaffrey and Keene farmers markets we attend. Diners will be automatically entered in the raffle when purchasing their ticket for the dinner.
The farms share of the proceeds will go towards the construction of a new propagation greenhouse that we are building this fall. There is a chance the ground prep has begun for construction. We will be showing the site of the new greenhouse on the tour.
Tickets are $125 per person. Please email me jack@dogdaysnh.com to reserve your spot and arrange payment. Space is limited.
Fall CSA Shares Start October 5th!
Our Fall CSA runs for 8 weeks from the beginning of October until the week of Thanksgiving. The fall share features all of the farmers favorite vegetables--potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage, winter squash, spinach, lettuce, kale, broccoli, and plenty more sweet, cool weather crops.
We will be offering market style pickup for fall CSA shares on Wednesdays from 3:30-7:00pm.
There are pickup locations available for further out members in Peterborough, Harrisville, and Keene.
Space is limited to 75 CSA shares, of which we have 23 shares still available, so just under 75% of shares are remaining. Make sure to sign up while you still can!
Summer CSA Shares Week 14!
Summer CSA Shares end Wednesday, 9/27
Delivery CSA Shares
Beans
Bok Choy
Carrots
Cherry Tomatoes
Eggplant
Garlic
Onions
Peppers
Radishes
Salad Mix
Tomatoes
Bread: Onion Pepper Parmesan
Market Style Pickup
Members pick eight items for their basket + 1 herb + Jalapenos + 2 Garlic
Arugula
Beans
Beets
Bok Choy
Carrots
Chard
Cherry Tomatoes
Eggplant
Garlic
Microgreens
Onions
Peppers
Radishes
Salad Mix
Spicy Salad Mix
Squash + Zuchini
Tomatoes
Herbs
Dill
Parsley
Find us at the Market!
In addtion to our CSA and farm store, we also setup at three farmers markets throughout the week starting on Thursday mornings!
You can find our produce at:
Cheshire Medical Center in the Cafeteria
Thursdays 10am - 2pm
Jaffrey Farmers Market
Fridays 3pm - 6pm
Keene Farmers Market
Saturdays 9am - 1pm
RECIPE LINK:Blistered Cherry Tomato Pasta
Ingredients
▪16 ounces cherry tomatoes
▪3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
▪½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
▪4 cloves garlic, finely minced
▪1 anchovy fillet, drained (optional)
▪8 ounces dried pasta, spaghetti or bucatini
▪¼ cup fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons
▪¼ cup pecorino-romano cheese, freshly grated (plus more for serving)
▪Salt and black pepper, as needed
Instructions
1.Slice half of the cherry tomatoes in half. Leave the other half of the cherry tomatoes intact (keep them whole). Set aside.
2.Set a large stainless steel skillet or dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the olive oil and red pepper flakes and saute with a wooden spoon until the red pepper flakes begin to sizzle, about 1 minute.
3.Add the garlic and anchovy filet, and saute for 2 minutes until aromatic. Use the wooden spoon to break up the anchovy into small pieces -- it should begin to disintegrate into the oil.
4.Add the cherry tomatoes, and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium, and bring the mixture to a simmer (lower the temp as needed to prevent any burning). Simmer the cherry tomatoes for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they begin to wrinkle and burst and release their liquid.
5.Meanwhile, set a large pot of water to boil. Generously season with salt, and cook pasta until just before al dente (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Reserve ½ cup of pasta water for the sauce.
6.Break up some of the tomatoes with a wooden spoon to release more liquid and help create a sauce for the pasta to cling to. Add half of the basil and simmer for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce is chunky and somewhat thick.
7.Keep the tomato sauce at a low simmer, then transfer the pasta to the sauce using tongs (or drain the pasta in a colander and transfer). Toss to combine, adding about ¼ cup of pasta water at a time to loosen the sauce as needed. Continue tossing the pasta and reducing the sauce until it clings nicely to the sauce.
8.Turn the heat off, then stir in the pecorino romano cheese. Add any additional pasta water as needed if you need to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
9.Divide the pasta amongst serving bowls and top with a bit of olive oil and more grated pecorino cheese. Enjoy!
RECIPE LINK:Ratatouille
Ingredients
▪1 large (1¼ lbs) eggplant, cut into ⅓-inch cubes
▪Salt
▪6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
▪2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb), cut into ⅓-inch cubes
▪1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
▪1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
▪5 large cloves garlic, chopped
▪5 large vine-ripened tomatoes (1¾ lbs), cut into ⅓-inch cubes, with their juices
▪1 tablespoon tomato paste
▪2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for serving
▪¾ teaspoon sugar
▪¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
▪3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
1.Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2.Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan (no need to clean it). Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and transfer to a plate; set aside.
3.Add two more tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 3 minutes more. Do not brown. Add the tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, thyme, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes (if using) and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken down into a sauce, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the cooked eggplant to the pan; bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the eggplant is soft. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until just warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Sprinkle with fresh basil and thyme, drizzle with a little olive oil if desired, and serve warm or chilled. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
RECIPE LINK:Lemony Green Beans and Arugula
Ingredients
12 ounce green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cup arugula
Lemon wedges
Instructions
Place green beans in a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below the basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender.
In a large nonstick skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in lemon peel, salt, and pepper. Add arugula and green beans. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until arugula is wilted and beans are coated, tossing occasionally. Serve with lemon wedges.
In The Farm Store
Through the Summer the store will be stocked up on Thursday mornings!
Open to the Public.
Dawn - Dusk
Honor System
In the store this week:
Cherry Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplant
Greens
Squash & Zucchini
Tomatoes
Garlic
Onions
Bouquets
Jalapenos
Chard
Kale
Bok Choy
Fresh Herbs
Bread
Archway Farm Meats
Ice Cream
& Eggs!
Pickup Location for Archway Farm Meat CSA
I heard back from a few of you interested in an Archway Farm meat CSA share, so Mark has added the farm as an additional pickup location. Now if you want to sign up, you can pick up your meat share from the same place you get your veggies! It makes choosing what to make for dinner a breeze!
Visit www.Archway.farm to explore options and order a share delivered to the farm!
