tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233280632012-01-02T13:29:35.098-05:00Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-68785479725383993792011-12-28T11:01:00.000-05:002011-12-28T11:01:39.839-05:00

Here is an updated list of what we have available going into the New Year.  We are happy to take orders Monday or Tuesday for pickup Wednesday-Friday.  The cold December nights have (finally) done in the field greens and kale, but what a year it has been!  Soon enough we will be planting seeds for spring!   We will have mesclun and parsley from the high tunnels, and the usual delicious roots and

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-80794121183447678172011-12-09T13:06:00.001-05:002011-12-09T13:15:41.523-05:00

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Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-39361366119654914632011-06-05T13:51:00.006-04:002011-06-05T14:03:18.888-04:00

Yesterday we had our first Beets of the season. They are still a little small but very soon will be ready to go to market! Grating the beets raw and tossing with some lime and olive oil made for an awesome salad. The greens went on a pizza topped with Gorgonzola green garlic and anchovies--Yum!In other matters lettuce is in full swing and we are transplanting like crazy and trying to keep up

Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-46195272437884952592011-05-20T10:16:00.002-04:002011-05-20T13:36:41.500-04:00

Green Zebra Originally uploaded by rovingsprout It's perfect spring planting weather, so we have decided to kick off the season with a yard sale featuring all kinds of fun and unusual treasures, plus BIG BEAUTIFUL certified Organic plants to get your garden off to a bold start! We will have sweet and hot peppers, and an array of tomato plants featuring heirlooms from Italy, to the Ukraine

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-56061388741318243882011-05-05T09:00:00.005-04:002011-05-05T09:21:09.920-04:00

The farm is in full swing now. The soil is warm enough that we are able to start planting. Lettuce loves the spring and is happy to get into the ground! We just moved our Hoop House and planted the first tomatoes.Today begins our first out door market in Exeter and we are ready to go!While we are moving fast and furious we still make time for friends and fun. We don't eat out often, but when

Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-44691845617537154732011-04-22T11:20:00.004-04:002011-04-22T11:36:04.370-04:00

Green things happening on the farm!The green house is looking might full and we have started to add plants to the cold frame. The hoop houses are cranking out fabulous salad, and the Asparagus is just starting to poke its head out for a breath of spring air. Tomorrow is our last Seacoast Eat Local market and only two weeks till the first out door market in Exeter.Jean is planting our first

Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-27000951155319372882011-04-11T08:21:00.004-04:002011-04-11T08:38:30.253-04:00

Finally on Sunday we were able to get into our fields. With the summer markets only a few weeks away its nice to get going. We hope to have some delicious spring greens at the end of this month and into May. Yesterday we were able to get all of our sugar snap and snow peas planted. Some of my most favorite veggies!We are still accepting new members for our year round CSA. Check out our

Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-31879436603946666732011-03-24T11:10:00.004-04:002011-03-24T11:29:53.727-04:00

Spring may have arrived, but its not quite the t-shirt weather that we had this time last year. With the spring comes maple season and we are happy to have a rough homemade evaporator. It takes some time to boil, but is worth the wait. Here the farmers are taking a break to enjoy some Ginger Mate Chai SAP tea. The tea is from our friends at White Heron Tea and the Ginger Mate Chai is a farm

Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-30626928701822940792011-02-20T10:52:00.003-05:002011-02-26T23:39:34.150-05:00

Spring is beginning here on the farm.  Even though the temperatures are still chilly, the sun is high in the sky, and the birds are starting to sing.  Last Thursday we put packets of seeds in our backpacks, grabbed some rakes, and headed out on our snowshoes down the hill to the high tunnels in the lower fields. We rolled out our "Jang" push-seeder out over the frozen fields down with us.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-6759313687862386412011-02-10T16:46:00.004-05:002011-02-26T23:39:34.151-05:00

After the many snows we get to play "Find the Hoop House" and clear the snow off the sides so it does not build up on the roof. Some pretty hefty work, but good exercise and actually fun on a sunny day. The greens in the houses are slowing, but should start to grow in the next couple of weeks when we get more daylight hours. Some black beans (Jean's Beans) cooked with cilantro, onions and

Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-34739239950649738012011-01-27T16:09:00.012-05:002011-02-26T23:39:34.151-05:00

Winter brings visions of the future. We plan, budget, order and hope. Jean and I are definitely looking forward to the coming season, but we always try to make some time for the fun. The combination of friends snow shovels and some giant snow banks brings a farm luge together.

Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-88420014550494952712011-01-14T10:44:00.004-05:002011-02-26T23:40:36.385-05:00

The winter normally is a time for us to settle down and spend our days drinking tea. With the winter markets we still have the tea, but we have hardly settled down. We continue to bring vegetables to restaurants and travel to farmers markets on weekends. Our new Hoop Houses have been a great addition to having greens all year long. It can be freezing out side but on a sunny day its 50 degrees

Joshnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-84158549323990414312010-10-20T11:40:00.001-04:002011-02-26T23:38:22.302-05:00

Well, I am off to Italy for a few days to attend Terra Madre, a sustainable food conference in Torino.  It is very exciting, although I am unsure what to expect!  There will be farmers and food producers from all over the globe, which is kind of a mind-blowing concept to me right now.  So, I am going with an open mind with the intent of sharing and learning as much as possible.  I am almost sad

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-4167945695530231472010-10-15T18:32:00.000-04:002011-02-26T23:44:44.320-05:00

I found my camera the other day! On it I found some lovely pictures from the field this summer...perfect warm sunny shots for a blustery October day. Here is the winter squash field, a shot from within "Thunder", one of the tomato tunnels, and the bean field. The winter squash is sweetening up in the basement, the tunnels are just about ready to be rolled onto greens from the winter.  And we

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-45822782296502276402010-06-28T11:41:00.000-04:002011-02-26T23:44:44.320-05:00

OK, so it isn't red either. But the verdict is: definitely not green. Lets hope they keep it up.  Plus here is a little 'test dig' on our dark red norlands.  Pretty and pink, but not big enough yet.  We are hoping for the weekend, but time will tell.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-89153023707584737892010-06-10T19:41:00.000-04:002011-02-26T23:42:18.503-05:00

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Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-69947477239441358742010-03-26T11:19:00.002-04:002011-02-26T23:39:17.920-05:00

Welcome Spring! We are seeing bits of color from the crocuses and a few precocious daffodils on our street, but for the most part, we are waiting for the pop!  It's truly mud season, and busy season at that!  Here's a photo of a friend helping us put up the door to "West Side" one of our new greenhouses.  (Note the trademark "W.")  And one of Jean putting in the top purlins on a cool but sunny

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-32493903260024100882010-02-12T09:38:00.011-05:002011-02-26T23:39:42.402-05:00

I was downstairs cleaning up red onions yesterday.  As each of these little gems passed through my hands, I couldn't stop marveling at how gorgeously they caught the light.  Then I started to think about how some of them were almost heart shaped, and what a sweet thing for someone's sweetheart!  Just as is or perhaps sliced thinly with local greens, and maybe some orange wedges.  We'll have those

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-35533061326726878272010-02-06T13:16:00.003-05:002010-02-06T13:27:28.221-05:00

So this year we are switching things up in the CSA department.  We have been mulling this over since we began our CSA three years ago.  How do we give members choice?  If we were to join a community supported agriculture program what would we want?  So we came up with a new model that would give our members free choice as to when and where they wanted to pick up as well as which vegetables they

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-72116326374628598962009-12-18T06:54:00.007-05:002011-02-26T23:39:55.745-05:00

It used to be that winter was the time of year where we hunkered down with steaming mugs perusing seed catalogs and planning for the spring. It was a time to get part time jobs and generally rest our work-weary bones for next season. Then we started talking about "winter" markets. At the time it seemed a longshot: people barely came to our later markets in October, why would they want to come

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-53914505851201020362009-12-09T12:30:00.004-05:002009-12-09T21:29:55.843-05:00

Bridget and Kate harvesting arugula.  Photo from seacoastonline.com Check out this article about Seacoast Eat Local's Winter Farmers' Markets with a nice little highlight about our farm in Sunday's Portsmouth Herald. Don't forget...this Saturday we will be at the new Exeter High School from 10-2 and if you haven't make it to the markets yet, check out this fun video of last weeks' market...

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-46953133669673196542009-12-09T12:23:00.000-05:002011-02-26T23:40:23.709-05:00

Winter farmers markets growing on Seacoast | SeacoastOnline.com

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-25749386559102897812009-12-04T12:56:00.006-05:002011-02-26T23:40:23.709-05:00

Tomorrow will be the second of our Winter Farmers' Markets held at the Wentworth greenhouses in Rollinsford. It's been such a mild autumn, and our delicious arugula is still thriving! This outdoor planting will only be around until the snow flies, so now's the time to snag some. We will also have potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and turnips. Other vendors will be bringing seafood, freshly roasted

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1376248235746362302009-11-18T10:23:00.010-05:002011-02-26T23:40:23.710-05:00

This Saturday will be the first in a whole bunch of indoor winter markets this year hosted by Seacoast Eat local.  The market will be from 10-2 at the Wentworth Greenhouses* in Rollinsford.  Seacoast Eat Local started up just over two years ago with three markets, now they are up to eleven, all in bigger spaces.   And there are farmers' markets sprouting up all over the place.  It is exiting to

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-52060896052702881432009-10-23T11:08:00.004-04:002011-02-26T23:40:23.710-05:00

We are delighted at our newest piece of equipment: a barrel root washer! Just in time for cold weather, we've got it put together. It makes quick work of washing veggies like turnips, carrots, even potatoes. In the end it will save time, water, and (more importantly) our FINGERS while washing up prior to those cold winter markets. It's like magic: roots go in dirty and come out

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-13738858462497133282009-09-21T11:59:00.008-04:002011-02-26T23:40:23.710-05:00

On the eve of the fall equinox, one thing is for sure as we begin to close down the season: we've got onions. Lots of 'em. With more than a little help from Kate and Bridget (our intrepid farm crew) we've just brought what will be the most onions we've ever grown! It's very exciting to see all that work really pay off. Whew! Now we can focus our attention on getting in the rest of the

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-152838834364601392009-08-03T14:25:00.004-04:002009-10-05T11:11:31.045-04:00

It's August....and the harvest is finally in full swing! The rain has slowed things down a bit, but summer squash, cucumbers, beets, carrots, potatoes, and plenty more have finally kicked into full gear. Even peppers and eggplant are beginning to happen, much to our delight. There have been cases of late blight reported in the state, which is disconcerting to say the least. Late blight is the

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-34178393567330222912009-05-14T17:28:00.007-04:002011-02-26T23:43:06.535-05:00

We got all of the potatoes (that's right ALL of them) in the ground with the help of a 1930's era potato planter we borrowed from a neighboring farm. It wasn't quite as nifty as this video, but you get the idea. It wasn't no work, but we had some fun, for sure. The best feeling is that of all all those 'taters in the ground!pulling up the discscutting seed potatoes with a seed cutter

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-11482613221187421992009-04-23T15:30:00.009-04:002009-10-05T11:12:54.682-04:00

April is showering us with some fine weather. It looks like we have some good sunny days ahead, so who can complain? We've been busy getting seedlings going. We needed room in the greenhouse for warm-weather loving crops like peppers and tomatoes, so the onions had to get moved outside. They don't seem to mind it, and we have extra cover to throw on them if it gets too cold at night. Whew.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-62480513541368013042009-03-03T16:35:00.011-05:002009-03-13T21:32:16.146-04:00

If you are living in New Hampshire, or just about anywhere in the Northeast, it might be difficult for you to imagine that spring is, in fact, just around the corner. Old man winter is putting up a pretty good fight, but believe me, it is a battle he won't win. He never does. The seasons just keep coming, and there's no stopping spring's immanent arrival.So, we figured we best be getting

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-75209847938338243942008-11-09T08:42:00.012-05:002008-11-09T09:34:45.572-05:00

The most common question I am asked these days is, "are you winding down on the farm?" As much as part of me would like to answer "YES!" to that question, there is simply too much going on to be winding down at all. While the pace has slowed down a bit, we are still harvesting! Our winter CSA is off to a great start. They received carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, turnips, onions, squash,

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-22965451850713881662008-04-14T08:28:00.002-04:002008-12-08T17:30:40.656-05:00

We finally broke into the last of our storage squash. This one wasn't a squash (technically) but a Marina di Chioggia pumpkin. We made delicious baked pumpkin "sandwiches", and they were just as good (or perhaps maybe a little sweeter) than they were back in November. We tend to hoard our storage crops (except onions, we eat them like crazy) which I am sure stems from some sort of primal

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-45056111512747358272008-03-18T19:15:00.006-04:002008-12-08T17:30:40.740-05:00

It's been years since I remember having snow like we've had this winter. As much as I hate to, I am going to have to relent: hang those snowshoes back up in the barn, and get back to work (or at least blogging about work.) All good things must come to an end (to make room for more good things, of course.) Each season has something to offer, and while I appreciate snow and the quiet beauty of

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-56102106738793503292007-11-24T18:23:00.001-05:002008-12-08T17:30:41.083-05:00

Here are some pictures from the end of the 2007 season:cinderella pumpkingreen zebra & garden peach tomatoesJacob's Cattle beans

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-20432690797557945482007-11-24T12:39:00.001-05:002007-11-24T18:22:46.711-05:00

Much thanks to Seacoast Eat Local and the McIntosh Atlantic Culinary Institute for putting on the Holiday Farmers' Market. For a first run it was a huge success. It was great to see our regulars as well as some new faces. The music and demos by the chefs really made for a hoppin' good time. I am definitely looking forward to the December market.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-76613613113176810992007-09-08T17:01:00.000-04:002007-09-23T11:59:37.391-04:00

here's my baked bean recipe!1 lb. beans1 head garlic, crushed1/2 lb. salt pork, cut in half1/2 cup sugar2/3 cup molasses1/2 t ginger1 t dry mustard1 t pepper1 t saltSoak beans for no more than four hours.Boil beans with 2 cloves of the garlic until tender. Save the cooking "liquor."Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place half of the salt pork at the bottom of the pot.Add beans along with their

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-53208660800590145622007-08-08T18:49:00.001-04:002011-02-26T23:42:48.490-05:00

They're finally here! Some purple-skinned new potatoes.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-72289384945539631202007-07-24T06:57:00.000-04:002007-08-08T18:53:40.169-04:00

Audrey from Seacoast Eat Local just shared her secret Cousa (or Kousa) recipe. So promise not to tell anyone, alright? Cousa is a Lebanese zucchini that is traditionally stuffed with seasoned meat and rice, but she shows an easy way of enjoying the same great flavors. You can use the same preparation guideline for any summer squash or zucchini, but it's best with the real-deal light green

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-19550844242742154702007-07-19T13:44:00.000-04:002007-07-19T13:49:36.750-04:00

From Pia's Grandma Esler2 Cups grated Zucchini (or other summer squash)1 cup seasoned bread crumbs2 eggs, beaten1 Tbsp. mayonnaise1 tsp. old Bay Seasoning---------------------------------------------------1. Combine ingredients2. Shape into cakes3. Saute or fry in small amount of oil until golden brownServes 4

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-15578202108987295602007-07-18T12:23:00.001-04:002007-07-18T13:04:54.257-04:00

There are plenty more photos of us on flickr. Some of them are from us, but most of the really good ones were taken by Jennifer Dickert. She's been taking great pictures of us and other vendors at the Portsmouth Farmers' Market.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-76928566141102214242007-07-18T12:10:00.001-04:002007-11-24T16:51:03.144-05:00

I have a love - hate relationship with flower farming. It can be a lot of work, but it's times like this that remind me why I love it. Here are some flowers from back in June. The photo was taken by a friend as I was arranging bouquets Friday night before market.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-2109888852194445842007-07-01T08:15:00.000-04:002008-12-08T17:30:41.926-05:00

CAUTION: the following scenes contain violence and graphic bug sex that may be offensive to some viewers. What can I say? This is organic farming at it's best, folks. Sometimes, it just plain "sucks."Cue the violins!He was out for a walk alone, when suddenly...disaster struck!They thought they found the perfect spot to profess their love, but tragedy loomed from above the protective canopy of

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-68377936693205316842007-06-17T07:55:00.000-04:002008-12-08T17:30:42.343-05:00

...and the sun is finally shining! Here are some spring highlights:the garlic is sizing up in the fielda trailer load of tomatoes ready for plantingOur newest addition: Planet Jr. junior-bought as a 'parts' machine, it has more parts than our old one that we used to plant last year's beans. And it comes in tangerine.It's the only way to plant...an acre of beans! Wheee!

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-91430590238870643602007-04-13T20:13:00.000-04:002008-12-08T17:30:42.648-05:00

...come she will! So maybe last year this time we had peas and garlic coming up. And maybe we've had not one but two icy, Nor'easters come blowing through in the past few weeks. (It looks as though this Sunday should bring us a third!) But that's no reason to get down, right? Hmph. April. Meanwhile the greenhouse is practically bursting- you know with those early things that can handle

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-66991414750659156582007-04-13T20:10:00.000-04:002008-12-08T17:30:42.779-05:00

This photo was taken a few weeks ago. As the fire died down outside, we were inside doing the final boil. Notice the condensation on the window in the background. P.S. Extra! Extra! There's a great article in the Exeter newsletter about local sugaring. We're even in it!

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-16751740762503508982007-03-10T11:58:00.000-05:002008-12-08T17:30:43.072-05:00

March generally has perfect weather for Maple sugaring: cold nights and warm days. With the major cold snap we had this past week the dripping stopped, and the sap froze solid in the buckets. We had collected some first run sap a few days back, so we decided to give "Little Eva," Josh's evaporator its trial run:The average ratio is 40:1 which means lots of boiling. The first run is usually the

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-13905726469839934762007-03-10T11:07:00.000-05:002008-12-08T17:30:44.161-05:00

Our friends brought over some sugaring equipment: taps, buckets and lids. So we decided to go to town with the maple thing. The general rule of thumb is to start tapping on Presidents' Day. We started on February 26th. Drill, tap, drip, drip... now all we have to do is wait for those buckets to fill up!

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-76200687366939771812007-01-30T00:03:00.000-05:002008-12-08T17:30:44.555-05:00

jean's beans- bean varietiesJacob’s CattleThis popular New England heirloom variety is also known as trout or Dalmation bean. This bean is excellent in soups and chili, and unsurpassed for baking.Maine Sunset:A wonderful baking bean, with a creamy texture and rich flavor when cooked . Also delicious in soups or pasta con fagioli.Steuben:Old-timey bean variety. Great baked or for use in soups

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-24353437145633571412007-01-28T16:18:00.000-05:002008-12-08T17:30:44.691-05:00

Winter has finally settled in and I must say it feels as though all is right with the world again. We are in the thick of January's seed-ordering frenzy. There's nothing like pouring over catalogs with a hot bowl of soup as the cold wind blows outside. One of the best aspects of farming is the ability to start from scratch every spring- tweaking, improving, trying new things. Who knows what

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1163213428529323232006-11-10T21:49:00.000-05:002007-01-28T16:21:02.644-05:00

from Seacoast Eat Local: This is more a preparation guideline than a recipe, though following these ingredients will produce wonderous results. However, substitutions in seasonings and stock are highly encouraged. This method allows the unique qualities of these heirloom variety local beans to come through. Since these beans are fresher by far than dried beans in the grocery store, they require

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1162741586239923962006-11-05T09:45:00.000-05:002007-01-28T16:22:52.449-05:00

A lot of people at market are surprised to hear that we grow our own beans. We do all of the processing the old-fashioned way, too. Here are some photos of this year's bean harvest:Josh threshing with a hand-made threshing tool, 'Yin-yang' beans waiting to be winnowed, sorting 'Peregion' beans.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1158117963552216602006-09-12T22:49:00.000-04:002007-01-28T16:22:32.488-05:00

It's September you say? The fall migration has begun, the leaves are starting to turn, and there's frost up in the North Country. Although the nights have definitely been chilly, things are still crankin' down here: tomatoes, eggplant, green beans, and tons of flowers. The dried beans got in late. (Remember the rain? May seems like ages ago!) They are close, but not ready yet. I've been

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1155643360565786712006-08-15T07:40:00.001-04:002007-01-28T16:22:06.053-05:00

...better late than never. Many of our plants have put on some beautiful new growth, and we are getting into some serious harvests. Whew. Here is some delicious "fairy tale" eggplant. We are have some gorgeous tomatoes, and snap and shelling beans are beginning to go crazy!If the weather hasn't been strange enough, we have had night temperatures dip into the 40s, with frost warnings up north.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1154025834686883542006-07-27T14:37:00.000-04:002006-07-27T14:45:44.490-04:00

After weeding, mulching, fertilizing, and nine long months of waiting, they are all finally out of the ground and hanging in the barn to cure. There will be much eating, rejoicing (and guaranteed no vampires) in the months to come!

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1153371943929101542006-07-20T00:48:00.000-04:002006-07-20T14:17:17.476-04:00

Ok, so things have been a little dismal lately. However, I want to make one thing clear, if it hasn't been made so already... FARMERS' MARKETS ARE HOPPIN'!!!The Seacoast Growers' Association is an organization of farmers, crafters, and food vendors from Rockingham, Strafford and York counties. Just because there was an isolated weather event doesn't mean that everyone is hurtin'. There's

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1153021267645114162006-07-17T22:17:00.000-04:002006-07-18T00:06:50.233-04:00

but I get up again.I've been talking to farmers about weather a lot in the past week. It seems like everyone has at least one story. The bottom line is, sometimes you loose a crop (or part of a crop or many crops.) There are no guarantees. The only thing that comes close is this: plants want to survive. They are tough. I could take a lesson or two from them.Each season brings it's own

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1152834873711504412006-07-13T19:53:00.000-04:002006-07-14T07:30:28.536-04:00

from top left: summer squash, tomatoes, cucumbers,eggplant (plants)

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1152834812168003562006-07-13T19:43:00.000-04:002006-07-14T07:25:08.203-04:00

This is what fell from the sky onto our tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, snapdragons, swiss chard... You name it - ice cubes were hurtled at it. Down the hill in Exeter, the same hail smashed windshields, dented cars, and collapsed a roof. At the time it seemed as though someone had turned on a giant ice cube dispenser somewhere. Only it didn't seem to stop. Things are not looking

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1152107694162798902006-07-05T09:34:00.000-04:002006-07-13T19:42:19.853-04:00

Organic growing is all about finding a balance. The idea is to work with nature to keep plants healthy. It's a proactive approach. However, that is not to say that organic farmers don't have their issues (and boy, do some of us have issues!) Oh, and some of us have pest problems on the farm too.Ours came in the form of an aphid ourbreak on our artichokes. In the past, we have had great luck

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1151899650164434792006-06-19T23:50:00.000-04:002006-07-05T09:31:42.396-04:00

I've wanted to keep bees ever since my neighbor gave us a taste of the honey from his beehives when I was a kid. Josh and I have been talking about beekeeping for a few years now, and for one reason or another it didn't happen. One wintry evening this March I had visions of blueberry blossoms dancing in my head, and it occurred to me: we live on a berry farm now, we simply must get bees! So a

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1149548220300490022006-06-05T18:44:00.000-04:002006-06-05T18:57:00.310-04:00

After another bout of rain, the soil is still too squishy to plant in. To cheer myself up, I decided to go for a walk. Much to my surprise, I found the fields abloom! Squash, favas, tomatoes, and of course, peas!

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1148436633359537882006-05-23T21:38:00.000-04:002006-06-05T19:00:16.303-04:00

Amidst floods and tornadoes, somehow our little farm made the front page of the Exeter Newsletter today! Actually it was taken two Fridays ago, right before things got really insane weatherwise in New Hampshire. When foul weather strikes, farmers in particular are hit with the stark reality that there just isn't one umbrella big enough to cover the field when the torrents and pea-sized hail

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1147473205493586002006-05-12T18:25:00.000-04:002006-06-14T21:34:25.966-04:00

Here's a peek at what is to come! Yay, we finally have FOOD!

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1146639688897998982006-05-03T02:50:00.000-04:002006-06-14T21:31:48.553-04:00

There's a lot of buzz out there about the eat local challenge the whole month of May.) While. It's up and running nationwide (for that's great for those living out in California, here in the northeast the folkfood plan is to do the "ELC" in August when there's more than eggs and frozen meats to be had for staples. While that's admittedly taking some of the "challenge" out of it, the point is

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1146611004532711012006-05-02T18:57:00.000-04:002006-05-08T22:06:48.746-04:00

The garlic is looking pretty good. We had a bit of a time during a warm spell back in February- some of our varieties began popping up through the hay mulch thinking it was springtime! Unfortunately the blustery 20 degree days that followed were none too kind on their tender young leaves. The good news is that we didn't loose many, although those varieties suffered a bit of a setback.

Jeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13698903156499723599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1144360927302683242006-04-06T18:01:00.000-04:002006-05-10T21:18:32.183-04:00

After a few good days of rain ( and snow) our peas are finally up! Sweet crunchy goodness is just around the corner.

rovingsproutnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23328063.post-1144281461813612392006-04-05T19:55:00.000-04:002006-05-10T21:18:12.210-04:00

We took our artichoke seedlings out of the greenhouse a few weeks ago. They need to be tricked into thinking that it's winter. Well here we are bringing them in the basement for the night. It's already 28 degrees out!

rovingsproutnoreply@blogger.com