Sparrow Arc Farm

CSA Newsletter 10.14.11

2011-10-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

The leaves are at peak in our area this week and the range of colors are gorgeous this year. Maceo and I have been decorating winter squash and carving pumpkins in anticipation of Halloween. This is the last week for the Bounty Share members and we hope that you all enjoyed our CSA this year. There are two more weeks left for Season share members and we included next seasons sign up forms in your box. Please spread the word to friends and family!

In your box this week:

Full Share:
Sunshine Kabocha Winter Squash
Leeks
Brussels Sprouts
Bosc Pears
Hikurai Turnips
Gilfeather Turnip
Orange Fall Carrots

Half Shares:
Sunshine Kabocha Winter Squash
Bosc Pears
Leeks
Brussels Sprouts
Hikurai Turnips

Chicken and Leek Pie
Recipe by Curtis Stone

Ingredients
3 whole chicken legs with thighs attached (preferably from corn-fed chickens)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 tablespoon coarse-grained (Pommery) mustard
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (1 sheet), thawed
1 large egg
Sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions
To roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Sprinkle the chicken legs with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place the chicken legs on a large heavy rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes.
Turn the chicken legs over and continue roasting for 20 minutes, or until the chicken legs are golden brown and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly.
Reserve the pan drippings on the baking sheet.
Shred the chicken meat into large chunks and place the chicken in a bowl. You should have about 12 ounces of chicken meat.
Discard the sinew, bones and skin.
To prepare the filling: Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Add the onion and leek and sauté for 5 minutes, or just until tender. Stir in the mustard ,then the flour, and cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, 3/4 cup of milk, the cream, and the reserved pan drippings.
Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sauce thickens.
Stir in the shredded chicken and tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Chill until cool.
To assemble pie: Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Spoon the chicken mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
Roll out the sheet of puff pastry into an 11-inch square.
Drape the puff pastry over the pie and press it against the rim of the dish to seal. Cut slits into the pastry to allow steam to escape.
Mix the egg and remaining 1 tablespoon of milk in a small bowl to blend. Brush some of the egg mixture over the pie and garnish with sesame seeds.
Set the pie on a heavy baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown.
Set aside for 30 minutes to cool slightly.

-Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc crew

CSA Newsletter 09.30.11

2011-09-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Hello Happy Eaters! I’m absolutely ecstatic to see winter squash and rutabagas making an appearance on the dinner table and hope you are too. Winter squash especially compliments so many other flavors and can be incorporated into casseroles, pasta dishes, soups, stews, and sweet treats; love it! The Gilfeather Turnip is an exciting heirloom from Vermont that just gets tastier with the cold weather. I love this Gilfeather recipe, it’s so good!

In your box this week:

FULL SHARES:
French Breakfast Radishes
Sunshine Kabocha Winter Squash
White Satin Carrots
Fall Carrots
Gilfeather Turnips
Red Mustard
Broccoli
Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin
Delicata Winter Squash
Leeks

HALF SHARES:
French Breakfast Radishes
Sunshine Kabocha Winter Squash
Fall Carrots
Gilfeather Turnip
Leeks
Broccoli
Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin

CIDER SCALLOPED GILFEATHER TURNIPS
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup apple cider or juice
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
½ cup Jarlsberg cheese, shredded
1 cup milk
½ cup chicken broth
¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground
½ cup Vermont cheddar cheese, shredded
2 lbs. Gilfeather turnips, peeled and thinly sliced

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Put oven rack in center position. Grease 10 x 2 round baking dish or an 8 x 10 rectangular baking dish; set aside. Place flour in a medium heavy saucepan; gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Whisk in cider, broth, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly. Cook one minute more, remove from heat and set aside. Combine cheeses. Arrange half of the sliced turnips (slightly overlapping) in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle half of cheeses on half of the turnips. Arrange another layer of turnips on top of cheese. Pour cider mixture over turnips. Bake 25 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven. Using a metal spatula, press down on the turnips. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to oven. Bake until turnips are fork-tender and the top is crusted and lightly browned – about 20 minutes more. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

~Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 09.23.11

2011-09-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the busiest weekend in Unity, Maine! The annual Common Ground Country Fair is happening and last year forty two thousand people came through our town. It’s a ‘celebration of rural living’, with farmers markets, livestock, organic food vendors, and so much more. If you have never been, it might be worth the trip for you some year. Our son, Maceo, loves to see the oxen and chickens and the demonstrations are great. This week we will start pulling the winter squash out of the fields and it’s a beautiful thing to see all that squash windrowed. This week’s box feels like the end of summer, enjoy!

In your box:

Full Shares:
Radishes
Potatoes
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Pears
Greens
Tomatoes

Half Shares:
Greens
Radishes
Potatoes
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Pears

This is such a fun recipe, especially if you have children who are fans of the movie  Also a tasty farewell to fresh summer produce items.

Ratatouille’s Ratatouille
As envisioned by Smitten Kitchen
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 cup tomato puree (such as Pomi)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small eggplant
1 smallish zucchini
1 smallish yellow squash
1 longish red bell pepper
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
Few tablespoons soft goat cheese, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour tomato puree into bottom of an oval baking dish, approximately 10 inches across the long way. Drop the sliced garlic cloves and chopped onion into the sauce, stir in one tablespoon of the olive oil and season the sauce generously with salt and pepper. Trim the ends off the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash. As carefully as you can, trim the ends off the red pepper and remove the core, leaving the edges intact, like a tube. On a mandoline, adjustable-blade slicer or with a very sharp knife, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.Atop the tomato sauce, arrange slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, overlapping so just a smidgen of each flat surface is visible, alternating vegetables. You may have a handful leftover that do not fit. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon olive oil over the vegetables and season them generously with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs with your fingertips, running them down the stem. Sprinkle the fresh thyme over the dish.Cover dish with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit inside. (Tricky, I know, but the hardest thing about this.) Bake for approximately 45 to 55 minutes, until vegetables have released their liquid and are clearly cooked, but with some structure left so they are not totally limp. They should not be brown at the edges, and you should see that the tomato sauce is bubbling up around them. Serve with a dab of soft goat cheese on top, alone, or with some crusty French bread, atop polenta, couscous, or your choice of grain.

~Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 09.16.11

2011-09-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

Brrr! It feels like fall out there and with a frost warning forecasted for this evening the crew is out stripping the peppers and eggplants. Amazing how the first frost always comes during the 2nd or 3rd week of September at the farm. Time to break out the flannel and wool 

In your box this week:

Full Shares:
Arugula
Rainbow Chard
Red Beets
Green Beans
Scallions
Ailsa Craig Onions
Fushimi Peppers
Rainbow Carrots
Luscious Pears

Half Shares:
Arugula
Red Beets
Ailsa Craig Onions
Fushimi Peppers
Fairy Tale Eggplant
Rainbow Carrots
Luscious Pears
Note: The peppers are NOT hot!

Butterscotch and Black Pepper Carrots
Ingredients
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound baby carrots, halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a medium skillet, heat the butter, sugar, and salt over medium-high heat, stirring until smooth. Add the carrots and toss to coat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender and glazed. Top with black pepper.

Happy eating!

Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 09.9.11

2011-09-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Fall has crept into the forecast and we’re ready for the cooler temps. You’ll start seeing some fall crops this month like kales, Brussels sprouts, rutabagas, and winter squash; such rich flavors to work with. This is our favorite time of year on the farm. The fall in Maine is lovely. The orchard is loaded with pears and apples, ready for pressing and saucing, yum!

In your box this week:

Full Shares:
Yukon Gold Potato
Rainbow Chard
Petite Orange Carrot
French Breakfast Radish
Ailsa Craig Sweet Onion
Yuri Asian Pear
Basil
Fairy Tale Eggplant

Half Shares:
Yukon Gold Potato
Mesclun
Petite Orange Carrot
French Breakfast Radish
Cherry Tomatoes
Ailsa Craig Sweet Onions
Yuri Asian Pear

Pear Tart Tatin
Ingredients
All-purpose flour, for rolling
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4-5 firm, ripe Yuri pears, each peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 6 wedges

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a lightly floured work surface, roll puff pastry to an 11 1/2-inch square; using a plate as a guide, cut out an 11-inch round. Refrigerate until ready to use. In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, combine sugar, vinegar, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in butter. Arrange pear wedges in a circle along the edge of skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until pears are crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Drape chilled pastry round over pears, tucking edge under. Place a small oven-safe plate or pot lid on top of pastry; bake 15 minutes. Remove plate; continue to bake until pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Let tart cool in skillet, 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of skillet, and carefully invert tart onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

~Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 09.2.11

2011-09-02T05:39:00.000-07:00

What an exciting week with all the Irene coverage. Hope everyone fared well, nothing besides a little wind and rain here. Our carrots grew 4 inches overnight, thanks Irene! We are so thankful that nothing happened; a lot of farmers on the east coast (poor Vermont!) lost their crops last weekend. Enjoy the holiday weekend!

In your box this week:

Full Shares and Half Shares:
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Mesclun
Cherry Tomatoes
Green Beans
Leeks
Clapps Favorite Pear

Roasted Green Beans with Dill Vinaigrette
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

Directions preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the green beans in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the coarse salt; toss to coat. Roast the green beans in the preheated oven until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Whisk 1 tablespoon of olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, dill, and pepper together in a bowl; drizzle over the roasted green beans to serve.

Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 08.26.11

2011-09-02T05:38:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Everyone! We are very apprehensive about the possibility of hurricane Irene paying us a visit this weekend and are prepping the greenhouses for wind. Our wash up area is held under a large tent and will need to be taken down, so the crew is very busy at the moment. Hopefully Irene dies down before she gets here. Wishing you all the best, be safe!

In your box this week:

Full Shares:
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Mesclun
Beets
Arrowhead Cabbage
Cherry Tomatoes

Half Shares:
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Mesclun
Beets
Green Beans
Cherry Tomatoes
Ailsa Craig Onions

Beet Salad

Ingredients

4 bunches fresh small beets, stems removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 medium heads Belgian endive
1 pound spring lettuce mix
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat beets lightly with oil and roast for approximately 45 minutes, or until tender. Allow to cool thoroughly, then peel and dice. For the dressing, place lemon, vinegar, honey, mustard, and thyme in a blender. While blender is running, gradually add 1/2 cup of oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place spring lettuce mix in a salad bowl, pour desired amount of dressing over greens, and toss to coat. Rinse endive, tear off whole leaves, and pat dry. Arrange 3 leaves on each plate. Divide dressed salad greens among them, and top with diced beets and feta cheese.

This salad is really good without the endive too!

~Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 08.19.11

2011-08-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

Walking around the farm this time of year is always a treat, there are so many delicious veggies to munch on. The apple and pear trees are also very heavy this year and the crew had their first taste of harvesting them this week, yummy crab apples. Hopefully the fruit looks good enough to include in your boxes, since we don’t spray the apples are usually very wormy, but the pears are excellent!

In your box this week:

Full Shares:
Irish Cobbler Potatoes
Mesclun
Mustard Braising Greens
Pickling Cucumbers
Ailsa Craig Onions
Green Filet Beans
Fennel
Cherry Tomato Mix

Half Shares:
Irish Cobbler Potatoes
Mesclun
Mustard Braising Greens
Boothby Blonde Cucumbers
Heirloom Tomatoes
Ailsa Craig Onions
Cabbage
Green Filet Beans

Creamy Braising Greens Soup

Ingredients
1 slice thick-cut bacon, diced
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound sausage, dried chorizo or smoked sausage, diced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
7 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 cups mixed braising greens, such as kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens and dandelion greens, thoroughly washed, stems removed, and cut into very fine strips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Coarsely ground black pepper

Sauté bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving drippings in pan. Crumble bacon when cool. Add onion and carrot to pan; cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sausage; cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes and broth; stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Add greens, cream and salt and continue to simmer until soup is thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes. Add hot sauce, if using, and black pepper to taste.

This is one of our favorite recipes and if you’re a vegetarian it’s just as good without the meats. Enjoy!

Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 08.12.11

2011-08-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

At this point in the season, there’s a great rhythm going on in the fields and we are able to sit back and enjoy the process as a whole. The kitchen is full of veggies to be processed and put up. Maybe some of you are doing the same?! Our baby girl will be starting foods this winter and there will be peas, green beans, and summer squash ready for her to try. Pickles are always in demand around here too and if you have never made them you can always start with a simple refrigerator recipe. Being able to enjoy the harvest during the cold months is always such a treat.

In your box this week:

Full Shares
Heirloom Tomatoes
Potatoes
Scallions
Mesclun
Wild Arugula
Boothby Blonde Cucumber
Summer Squash
Rainbow Chard

Half Shares
Cherry Tomatoes
Potatoes
Scallions
Mesclun
Wild Arugula
Rainbow Chard

Swiss Chard with Parmesan and Lemon

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste (optional)

Directions
1. Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

~Matt and Heather

CSA Newsletter 08.05.11

2011-08-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

Another lovely week here on the farm and the rain keeps falling. August and September are my favorite months to eat on the farm, since July is usually too hot I’m glad to see it go. We lost one of our core crew members this week, due to family illness, and will be losing three more once school starts. The crew this year has been amazing and once again the farm season is flying by!
In your box this week:
Full Shares:
-Mesclun
-Arugula
-Frisee
-Golden Beets
-Ailsa Craig Onions
-Summer Squash
-Scallions
-Arrowhead Cabbage
-French Breakfast Radishes
Half Shares
-Mesclun
-Arugula
-Ailsa Craig Onions
-Green Filet Beans
-Summer Squash
-Scallions
-Arrowhead Cabbage
-French Breakfast Radishes
Roasted Stuffed Onions
• 10 medium red and yellow onions (4 lb)
• 1 lb sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide pieces
• 3 celery ribs, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 15 oz baby spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped (14 cups)
• 1 (9-inch) round loaf country-style bread (1 1/4 lb), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (10 cups), lightly toasted
• 2 cups salted roasted cashews (10 oz), coarsely chopped
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/4 chicken or vegetable stock
Preparation
Make onion shells:
Cut a 1/2-inch-thick slice from tops of onions, discarding tops, and trim just enough from bottoms for onions to stand upright. Scoop out all but outer 2 or 3 layers from each using a small ice cream scoop or spoon (don't worry if you make a hole in the bottom), reserving scooped-out onion and onion shells separately.
Make stuffing:
Coarsely chop enough scooped-out onion to measure 3 cups.
Cook bacon in 2 batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, about 10 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving about 1/3 cup fat in skillet.
Add chopped onion, celery, salt, and pepper to skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in spinach, bread, cashews, butter, 1 cup stock, and bacon, then cool completely.
Roast onions:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Arrange onion shells, open sides up, in a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan, then add 1/2cup water and cover pan tightly with foil. Roast onions in middle of oven until tender but not falling apart, 25 to 30 minutes.
Stuff and bake onions:
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Transfer shells to a work surface and pour off water in pan. Fill shells with stuffing, mounding it, and return to pan. Reserve 5 to 7 cups stuffing for turkey cavity, then put remaining stuffing in a buttered shallow 3 1/2-quart baking dish and drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup stock. Bake stuffed onions and stuffing in dish in middle of oven, uncovered, until heated through, about 25 minutes.

~Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 07.29.11

2011-07-28T20:41:00.001-07:00

After two very hot weeks, it finally rained and we are thankful. The farm has no irrigation and it can be stressful on the fields and the farmer. Although, farmer Matt is very happy with how the crops are looking this season, especially our self blanching Frisee. This delightful relative of the endive is commonly called curly endive and has a peppery/nutty flavor. It is most frequently used as a salad green and is seen in mesclun mixes, but this subtly bitter green is great to experiment with. The bitterness is best, or most popularly, balanced with an emollient, a la eggs and bacon. The recipe this week is a very traditional French frisee salad and it’s amazing.

In your box this week:
Full Shares:
Potatoes
Frisee
Arrowhead Cabbage
Green Kohlrabi
Salad Turnips
Green Filet Beans
Scallions
Tuscano Kale
Baby Arugula

Half Shares:
Potatoes
Mesclun
Green Kohlrabi
Salad Turnips
Scallions
Zephyr Summer Squash
Baby Arugula

Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Eggs

1/2 pound frisée (French curly endive)
6 ounces slab bacon or thick-cut bacon slices
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

Tear frisée into bite-size pieces and put in a large bowl. If using slab bacon, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bacon slices crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick sticks (lardons).
In a heavy skillet cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and remove skillet from heat.
Have ready another skillet with 1 inch warm water. Half-fill a 4-quart saucepan with water and stir in white vinegar. Bring liquid to a bare simmer. Break each egg into a teacup. Slide 1 egg into simmering liquid and immediately push white around yolk with a slotted spoon, moving egg gently. (Egg will become oval, with yolk completely covered by white.) Add remaining 3 eggs in same manner. Simmer eggs about 1 1/2 minutes for runny yolks to about 3 minutes for firm yolks. Immediately transfer eggs to skillet of warm water.
Reheat bacon in its skillet over moderate heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add red-wine vinegar and boil 5 seconds. Immediately pour hot dressing over frisée and toss with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide salad among 4 plates and top with drained poached eggs. Season eggs with salt and pepper and serve salad immediately.

Hooray for good food!

Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 07.22.11

2011-07-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

What an impressive heat wave this has been! Hope y’all have been able to stay cool. It’s salad weather for sure, and what veggie is more refreshing than the delicately sweet kohlrabi. Have you ever eaten this alien like veggie? It’s from the cabbage family and was a European favorite before broccoli, cauliflower, and asparagus upstaged the mild vegetable with their pungent flavors. Kohlrabi’s German name, meaning cabbage turnip, comes from the western part of the country where Charlemagne aka Karl des Grosses, Emperor of Roman Empire 800 AD, ordered the brassica to be grown. Commonly served in Indian cuisine, it also gained popularity in North Africa and China. Kohlrabi is common in the southern US, but only recently has it gained momentum in our area. It has many nutritional attributes; very high in fiber, low calories, and 245 grams of potassium per half cup. We usually eat them raw, peeled and sliced, or added to a salad. Try it cooked too!

In your box this week:
-Red Norland Potatoes
-Head Lettuce
-Kohlrabi
-Red Stem Turnips
-Summer Squash
-Topped Salad Turnips

Kohlrabi & Squash Empanadas
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 inch of ginger, peeled and grated
2 medium kohlrabies, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 large summer squash, cut into small cubes
2 large scallions, both white and green parts, finely cut
1 radish, minced (optional)
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. butter
salt and pepper to taste
dash of freshly grated nutmeg
1 box of pre-made pie crust or one batch homemade
1 egg
In a medium skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger to brown.
Add kohlrabi cubes, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Toss well and cook 3 or 4 minutes until kohlrabi are softening a bit. Add squash cubes and continue to cook for 4 more minutes. Add scallions, radish, nutmeg and another pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for one minute before removing from heat. Set mixture to this side to cool.

Roll out dough to be a little thinner than pie crust typically is. If you are using pre-made crust from the store, run your rolling pin over it once or twice. Using a cereal bowl or large circular cookie cutter, cut out 6 inch-ish circles from the dough. It should yield about 15, give or take depending on your cutter and dough thickness.

Pre-heat oven to 425F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Prepare egg wash by beating egg with a teaspoon of water and set to the side along with a small bowl of water.
To make the empanadas, spoon one tablespoon of kohlrabi and squash mixture into the center of a circle of dough. (It’s better to have less filling than too much or the empanadas won’t hold together. Feel out the right ratio that allows you to close off the dough without any filling popping out.) Dip your finger in the bowl of water and run it around the outside edge of the dough. Fold dough over the filling to create a half circle. Press down edges. Carefully pick up the dough pocket and pinch edges (see photo) to seal them tightly. A fork can also be used to crimp the edges if you want a less tedious method.

Repeat above process to finish all the empanadas, laying them on the lined cookie sheet when done. With a fork, prick the tops once and brush with egg wash. Bake for 8 minutes and turn over. Bake another 5 to 7 minutes until deep golden brown and flaky. Best served straight from the oven.

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients." — Julia Child

~Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 07.15

2011-07-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

"What I stand for is what I stand on." Wendell Berry

It was another busy week on the farm, full of hand weeding, harvesting, and planting. The weeds seem to be just as busy as we are, popping up everywhere and refusing to die. There is lots of laughter on this farm and we are so thankful to our crew for coming to work every day with a kiss ass attitude! Each week there is something new to harvest and joining the list this week are scallions, potatoes, Scarlet Queen red stem turnips, escarole, and sea kale. Trying new vegetable varieties every season keeps the farm kitchen smelling good. We always look forward to the fennel, chard, and kales being ready. Hopefully you are all trying new recipes or enjoying old favorites!

In your boxes this week:

Full Shares:
-Mesclun
-Arugula
-Siberian Kale
-Tuscano Kale
-Head Lettuce
-Fennel
-Scallions
-Scarlet Queen Turnips
-Frisee

Half Shares:
-Red Radishes
-Mesclun
-Arugula
-Tuscano Kale
-Rainbow Chard
-Fennel

Shaved Fennel Salad
If you're using a knife to prep here, do your best to slice things very, very thinly - not quite see through thin, but close
1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into paper thin coins
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and shaved paper-thin
2/3 cup / .5oz/ 15g loosely chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup / 80ml fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
1/3 cup / 80ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
fine grain sea salt
4 or 5 generous handfuls arugula
Honey, if needed
1/2 cup / 2 oz/ 60g pine nuts, toasted (I used almonds)
1/3 cup / 2 oz / 60g / feta cheese, crumbled
Combine the zucchini, fennel and dill in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside and marinate for 20 minutes, or up to an hour.
When you are ready to serve the salad, put the arugula in a large bowl. Scoop all of the zucchini and fennel onto the arugula, and pour most of the lemon juice dressing on top of that. Toss gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust with more of the dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, or salt if needed. If the lemons were particularly tart, you may need to counter the pucker-factor by adding a tiny drizzle of honey into the salad at this point. Let your taste buds guide you. Serve topped with pine nuts and feta.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON BOXES: We would ask everyone to please return the boxes to your pick up site each week if you can, we do try to reuse them. If you are picking up from High Rise or Flour they requested that if you want to unload your boxes and leave them, please do so outside the bakery. Thank you for the extra help, we really appreciate it!

~Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

CSA Newsletter 07.08.11

2011-07-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first CSA distribution of the 2011 farm season. Farmer Matt was busy this winter researching new vegetable varieties and deciding what the crop plan would look like this year. As a result there are many new and interesting things happening here on the farm. March and April were busy in the greenhouse and the spring rains seemed never-ending, but here we are in July and the fields are looking gorgeous. The crew has been working so hard and it’s showing as multiple crops are ready for harvest. The weekly seedings are humming along and the fall carrots and rutabagas went into the ground yesterday. We’ve had some exciting additions to the farm this year, a new tractor AND a baby girl! Louisa Marguerite was born June 5th and according to her big brother, Maceo, she is also going to be a farmer 
Your box this week includes:

-Red Radishes
-Garlic Scapes
-Mesclun
-Arugula
-Siberian Kale
-Tuscano Kale
-Rainbow Chard
-Head Lettuce
-Salad Turnip
-Fennel

Our featured vegetable this week is the Garlic Scape. Maybe some of you have never had them, if so you’re in for a treat. Scapes are the shoots that grow off of hard neck varieties of garlic. When they’re young and tender they look like curly pig tails with a tight flower bud on top. Farmers harvest them so they don’t drain nutrients from the garlic bulbs. There are many ways to eat them, think of scapes as a rowdy alternative to garlic. It’s grilling season and tossing the scapes with EVOO and salt and pepper for 2 minutes is excellent. Finish them off with a little more salt and lemon zest, delicious. They have the consistency of asparagus. Other tasty ideas are chopped on pizza, sautéed in stir fry, and scape pesto will blow your mind during the cold winter. Enjoy!

Stay tuned for more farming adventures..
Farmer Matt & Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew

OUR CSA SHARES ARE NOW IN BOSTON!

2011-03-16T16:28:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to annouce that our CSA shares are now available at 3 Boston area locations for pick-up every Friday during the season.

Hi-Rise Bakery in Huron Village
Flour Bakery in Central Square
Flour Bakery at Fort Point Channel

Boston chefs have long been enjoying our produce and now you can have it in your own kitchen. Contact sparrowarcfarm@gmail.com for a sign-up form. Reserve your share of the 2011 harvest now.

CSA Shares for 2011

2011-01-31T11:17:00.000-08:00

Thanks for again considering Sparrow Arc Farm as your 2011 CSA! We've got the crop plan done in record time and there are tons of new and exciting vegetable varities making their way to our fields this spring. Some of the new additions are: new heirloom radishes and French salad turnips, new European winter squash varieties, and more hot peppers. We are also amping up our CSA basics with weekly broccoli and beet plantings, putting our heirloom tomatoes in the new greenhouse, and lots of other household staples like head lettuce and potatoes.

There are also TWO share options this year! On either the Season share or the Bounty share you may get a full OR half share. Full shares are $40.00 and contain a $50.00 retail value per week. Half shares cost $25.00 and contain a $27.00 retail value.

- Bounty Share - Full Share $360.00 or Half Share $225.00
9 weeks of produce -August 15 to October 10- balance due by August 1

- Season Share - Full Share $680.00 or Half Share $425.00
17 weeks of produce - July 4 to October 24- balance due by June 15

We currently have pickup sites in Portland and Kennebunk, Maine and Wellesley, Mass. If you'd like to have a site closer to you please call the farm at 207.948.6105 and 207.323.4439 or email us at sparrowarcfarm@gmail.com.

We love being your farmer!

-Matt & Heather & the Sparrow Arc Farm Crew

Introducing the Sparrow Arc CSA!

2010-02-12T09:09:00.000-08:00

For the first time this year, we are introducing a CSA.

What is a CSA?

CSA stands for "community supported agriculture," an increasingly popular way to bring seasonal, local produce to the public. Under a CSA, farmers sell a certain number of "shares" to members of the local community, who agree to purchase an annual membership in the CSA, in return for regular shipments of farm-fresh produce each week throughout the season.

Click here for more information about Community Supported Agriculture.

Information on Sparrow Arc Farm's CSA:

- Member shares will be delivered to Elmwood Chapel, located at 42 Elmwood Road in Wellesley every Thursday
- One share feeds a family of four (or a couple that loves to cook lots of fresh produce!)
- CSA distribution starts the week of July 4 and continues through Thanksgiving for a total of 21 weeks
- We encourage those we don't want a full share to find a friend with whom to split a share
- Shares cost $735 up front ( this breaks down to $35 weekly, and every box contains at least $40 of produce)
- Share boxes must be picked up at Elmwood Chapel between 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. each week
- If a member can't pick up their share (for example, during a vacation), they can send someone in their stead

- Boxes unclaimed at 6:30 p.m. will be given to a deserving family or a local food pantry

We have 100 shares available in 2010.

Some sample Boxes:

Late July
½ bag Mesclun
1 bunch Spinach
2 Summer Squash
1 bunch of Radish
1 bunch of Salad Turnip
2 New Potatoes
½ Fennel
1 bag Green Beans

Early September
2 Heirloom Tomato
1 pint cherry Tomato
1 bunch Swiss Chard
1 Cucumber
2 Italian Bean
1 Sweet Onion
2 Eggplant
½ bag Mesclun

Late October
5 Potato
5 Winter Squash
1 bu Beets
2 Parsnips
2 Carrots
2 Rutabaga
1 Spinach
1 bunch Kale

Apples and Pears will also be included in season.

Questions?

Call us!

Matt Linehan, Owner

Daytime: 207-948-6105

Evenings: 207-948-2006

Become a member

Reserve your share by mailing a check for $735.00, made payable to Sparrow Arc Farm, and include your mailing address, phone number and email so we can provide receipt of payment.

Sparrow Arc Farm

43 Fisher Rd

Unity ME 04988

Thank you so much for your interest -- I'd love to grow your food. Do tell your friends!

Matthew Linehan, owner

Sparrow Arc Farm

Kennebunk Farmer's Market Apple Tasting & Children's Apple Art Day

2009-10-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

'Tis the season for farm fresh apples!

The Kennebunk Farmers Market is hosting its Second Annual Apple Tasting and Children's Apple Art Day, this Saturday, Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

From Gingergolds, Macs, Mutsus and Empires, come down to taste the best apples in York County and vote on Best Tasting, Best Looking and Personal Favorite!

Also, Kathy Marquis (Art Director of Kennebunk Elem. School) and her 1st graders have put together some BEAUTIFUL apple art collages for display to the public!

Raffles, recipe sampling, face painting and farm animals will be available to enjoy. Stock up on pumpkins, squash, cider, goodies and other fall products while they last!

Save the Date: Sparrow Arc Farm at the Bueno Queso Social Club

2009-09-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

The Bueno Queso Social Club meets one Sunday of every month at 2:30pm at theMiddlesex Lounge, Central Square, Cambridge, MA. $40 per person.

October 18th @2:30PM
Matt from Sparrow Arc Farm and Maine's Cheese offerings, Wine and Beer to match.

to sign up Email roberto@buenoqueso.org.

It's tomato time!

2009-08-31T08:06:00.000-07:00

Check out these tomatillos, from the Tomato Tasting Day at the Kennebunk Farmers Market on Saturday, August 29!

Due to Tropical Storm Danny, the Tomato Tasting Day moved indoors to St. Martha's Church on Route 1. Countless varieties of locally grown tomatoes were on display, with recipes on showcase alongside Master Gardner advice and raffles.

Summer's winding down, but what better way to taste the fleeting flavors of warm-weather New England than farm-fresh tomatoes?

Unity farm is keeping it fresh

2009-07-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

Story and Photos By David Leaming
Staff Writer
July 19, 2009

UNITY — The increasing desire for fresh produce grown in an environmentally conscious manner has led to a bumper crop for a Unity-based market garden farmer.

Matt Linehan, owner of Sparrow Arc Farms, said the business he started four years ago has steadily grown as demand rises for quality vegetables and fruits.

Walking through rows of broccoli in one of 18 acres of gardens in Waldo County, Linehan said he and his four workers are busy this summer planting, weeding, cultivating, harvesting and delivering 220 varieties of vegetables and fruits grown without harmful pesticides and picked fresh for customers in New England.

Linehan trucks boxes of produce each week that is picked the day before and sold at farmers markets in Kennebunk and first class restaurants in the Boston area like Clio, L’Espalier, Henrietta’s Table and Rialto.

“Although the business is still young, we are doing real good,” Linehan said. He said he and his paid employees — he does not receive pay himself — put in long, hard and dirty days and any profit is reinvested into the farm operation. “We continue to grow and there is lots of opportunity with this type of farming.”

Part of the success is that people do not see farmers markets as a novelty for a few items bought once in a while, according to Linehan. “People now shop at markets for a weeks- worth of groceries,” he said.

Customers want fresh foods that have not been exposed to harmful chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Our clients want super fresh, flavorful and ethically grown products. We also like doing fancy crops.”

Linehan’s products include salad greens, peas, carrots, radishes, broccoli, cabbage, fennel, cucumbers, onions, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, squash, potatoes, fruit trees and edible flowers, to name a few, and are fertilized with farm manure. Any pest control on plants is achieved with the use of less harmful certified organic chemical sprays and not hard chemicals, according to Linehan.

Linehan said he believes the food movement is wide open with lots of growth potential without competing against other farmers.

“People want the freshest produce at the most affordable prices and that is what we do,” Linehan said before heading to his fields to do inventory.

Sparrow Arc Farm is on Twitter!

2009-06-29T09:12:00.001-07:00

Sparrow Arc teams up with 'Evangeline'

2008-12-11T11:36:00.000-08:00

Paris Meets Portland
Evangeline brings the feel and flavors of France to Longfellow Square

By Kathy Gunst, DownEast Magazine
Photograph by Jeff Scher

It has become a cliché to say that a restaurant reminds you of Paris. But Erik Desjarlais has done such a wonderful job evoking a Parisian bistro at his new restaurant Evangeline on State Street in downtown Portland, that it would be remiss not to make comparisons.

The huge glass window offers great views of Longfellow Square. Below the logo on the window is a picture of a pig and the inscription “Maison Fondée En 2008.” The ceilings are high, behind the bar nests an eclectic assortment of mirrors, and a huge black chalkboard announces the daily specials.

The staff plays the Parisian part, too. The waiter is dressed in black pants and vest, starched white shirt, and with a traditional white bistro apron folded at his waist. He delivers hot, airy, cheese-filled gougères to start the meal. Edith Piaf plays on the speakers, her smoky French voice filling the small thirty-eight-seat room. There is peppery focaccia and crusty bread served with soft butter adorned in a poached eggcup. The waiter is exceptionally knowledgeable about the wine list and suggests a Stephen Ross Pinot Noir. He describes the wine as “silk on your tongue.” Turns out this is not pretentious, but accurate.

For the most part, the best bets at Evangeline are the bistro classics. The marrow bones are Flintstone size and served with gray salt that balances out the rich meat that lies in the center.

The frisse salad served with “house-made pancetta” and a hen’s egg is a delicious misnomer. Instead of Italian-style peppery smoked bacon there is a large square of pork belly that’s so tasty and tender you don’t need a knife to cut it. The oysters on the half shell taste fresh, but don’t sparkle. The calf’s brains, sautéed with briny capers, are melt-in-your-mouth tender and burst with flavor. The steak frites offers a tender, well-cooked, beautifully seasoned piece of beef with excellent, crisp, salted fries. But for each outstanding hit, there is a miss.

The duck might be Evangeline’s signature dish, but a far better choice is the extraordinary looking golden-brown whole poussin (young chicken) that comes out of the kitchen served in an oval-shaped French copper skillet.

Erik Desjarlais, the restaurant’s thirty-two year old chef formerly of Bandol on Exchange Street, says his goal with Evangeline is “to offer both ends of the dining spectrum.” He wants “people to come in and have a twelve-course meal if they like, or sit at the bar and order steak frites and a glass of table wine.”

He claims Evangeline “is not really a French restaurant, but inspired by French cuisine and the French lifestyle.”

And as much as France inspires the menu and the mood, it is Maine that provides many of the ingredients. Desjarlais has teamed up with Sparrow Arc Farm in Unity. Twice a week the farmer drives down to Portland in his truck to share fruit and produce with the chef. For Desjarlais, every detail of the restaurant matters, down to the name.

“We brainstormed and came up with more than 150 names,” laughs Desjarlais. “I kept thinking about Longfellow Square being right outside the window. So I did some research on Longfellow and remembered the famous poem we all had to memorize from high school. Even if you don’t know the poem, Evangeline is a pretty name.”

Speaking of pretty, desserts at Evangeline are a strong point. The pot au chocolat is not to be missed. It arrives in a huge white French soup tureen and is scooped out tableside. It’s a classy presentation and every bit as good as it looks. A complimentary plate of petit fours included sinfully rich chocolate fudge squares and little lemon teacakes. A sweet ending, indeed.

Evangeline has only been open since April 2008, but Desjarlais is clearly talented and his passion is one of his most important ingredients. One can only expect that this charming bistro will soon take its place on the list of Portland’s top restaurants.

Evangeline, 190 State Street, Portland. 207-791-2800. Dinner served Monday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10 p.m.; reservations suggested. Wheelchair accessible. On Monday nights Evangeline offers a three-course prix fixe dinner. It’s a mellow, homey evening where Desjarlais cooks with his wife, Krista Desjarlais, the chef at Portland’s Bresca restaurant. There are no reservations taken for Monday night.

Portland Press Herald talks to Matt in "Fresh Chef"

2008-12-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

FRESH CHEF
Good stuff still to be had post-frost

GUY HERNANDEZ

Bar Lola, Portland

Editor's note: With the season for farmers' markets drawing to a close, this will be our final Fresh Chef column.

A few weeks ago, as the summer vegetables were starting to wane, I asked Chris from Fishbowl Farms what he was excited about next. Without hesitation, and with the sincerity usually reserved for heirloom tomatoes and the like, he told me, "Parsnips."

He had some that day, but what he was waiting for was a real frost. After that, he told me, the ones he harvested would be like "candy from the ground."

Matt from Sparrow Arc Farm stopped by the restaurant the other day to show me what he was carting to and from market and, after the usual vegetable tour, he reached into a box and pulled out, with some pride, a rutabaga. Not just any rutabaga, although these were gorgeous as well, but an heirloom rutabaga.

Not too long ago at Bar Lola we served a braised-rabbit dish with Chantenay carrots from Laughing Stock Farm. Someone asked me to describe a Chantenay carrot, and I told them to think of the kind of carrot Bugs Bunny would like; the kind of carrot a 5-year-old would conjure up; a carroty carrot with the greens still attached and perfect, orange crunch.

We may be getting to the end of the farmers' market, but the carrots, parsnips, beets, rutabagas and other late-season vegetables are still worth the trip. They are great raw, pickled, braised or roasted or pured. They can be sweet, sour, salty, spicy. They can whet your appetite at the start of a meal. They can be a meal themselves. And they can be the perfect sweet spoonful to finish an evening.

While root vegetables may not often be considered sexy, they are to the folks who pull them from the ground to bring them market, and I appreciate that.

ROOT VEGETABLE GALETTE WITH GOAT CHEESE AND SWISS CHARD
PAT BRISE
21/2 cups all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
8 ounces butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1/2 cup cold water
Sift the flour and salt together in medium-size bowl.
With your fingertips or pastry cutter, work in the butter until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
Slowly add cold water, a little at a time, gently working together until dough just comes together. Press into a disk, wrap in plastic film, and chill for 30 minutes.

ROASTED RUTABAGA
1 large (2-21/2 pound) rutabaga peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400.
In ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add rutabaga and saut on stove top for two to three minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and roast in oven until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

PAN-ROASTED PARSNIPS
1 pound parsnips, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
Add parsnips (work in batches if they don't all fit comfortably) and cook until they begin to color, about five minutes.
Add butter and thyme and continue cooking until tender.
Drain on paper towels and reserve.

CARAMELIZED ONIONS
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
In large pan stir oil and sliced onions together over moderately low heat.
Cover and cook slowly until very soft, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to brown onions.
Uncover, add butter and continue to cook until golden brown.
Remove from heat and reserve.

BLANCHED SWISS CHARD
1 pound swiss chard, stems removed and saved for another day
Bring large pot of salted water to rolling boil.
Blanch swiss chard leaves for two minutes or until soft.
Shock in ice water, drain and pat dry with paper towels.

FOR THE TART
8 ounces goat cheeese
8 ounces crme frache
Preheat oven to 400.
With wooden spoon, beat goat cheese and crme frache together until smooth. Roll pat brise out into 12x15 rectangle.
Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.
Spread goat cheese/crme frache mixture out into 9-by-12 rectangle in middle of crust.
Evenly distribute chard, onions, parsnips and rutabaga over cheese mixture.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Fold free edges of pastry over mixture.
Brush crust with olive oil and bake until golden, about 40 minutes.
Remove to wire rack.
May be served warm or room temperature.

Welcome to Sparrow Arc Farm

2008-12-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

Sparrow Arc Farm offers gourmet and heirloom vegetables, salad greens, cut flowers and culinary herbs. Based in Troy, Maine, we are independently owned and operated. Our clients include the Zagat-rated L'Espalier restaurant, located on Boylston Street in Boston and offering new-French cuisine; and Sel de la Terre restaurant, with locations in Boston's Back Bay, Financial District, and at the Natick Collection in Natick, Mass. You can also find us at the Kennebunk Farmers Market, running seasonally in Kennebunk, Maine.

Owner Matthew Linehan would love to hear from you -- feel free to stop by the farm, e-mail us at sparrowarcfarm@gmail.com, or read more about us in the local culinary media. Cheers!