Can You Top This?

Greetings!  We hope that you’ll join us for our next delicious Pathfinder Produce market at the Village Commons this Thursday, June 28, at 1 p.m.  Our online ordering is available to customers (pick-up locations are in Edmeston and Morris on Thursdays), and we’ve got all the makings for your summertime fruit and veggie favorites.

Next week our schedule changes just a bit due to the Independence Day holiday … the online markets will be open from this Friday through Tuesday, July 3^rd at noon, and our market will be open as usual on Thursday, July 5^th.  Another calendar item is the startup of our annual Summer Concert Series at the Pavilion … these free concerts are a highlight of the season.  (The Summer Concert Series is a Decentralization Program.  These programs are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, which is administered by the Chenango County Council of the Arts, with support from Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.  The series is also made possible with funds from private donors, Stewart’s Shops Holiday Match Program, and WGY’s Christmas Wish).

In this week’s blog, my colleague Martha Spiegel reflects on salad season and offers some of her favorite garden combos.

***

I eat salad almost every day for lunch. I love a nice crisp green salad. I do not, however, care for most of the typical add-ins—tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, radishes. When I was a kid, my idea of a perfect salad was a bowl of iceberg lettuce, with maybe some shredded carrots. Oh, and gobs of bleu cheese dressing.

As an adult, I have grown to appreciate a more varied, nutritious, and calorie-friendly salad. First, I start out with some darker greens (there are so many, but that’s another blog for another day). In the colder months I usually just top my salad with some black beans, chickpeas, or turkey to get some protein. However, in the summer months, I love to experiment with fresh items. Here are some of my latest favorites:

Salad turnips: Salad or Hakurei turnips look like white radishes. They are also similar in taste, but much, much milder. I slice them thinly or cut into small sticks.

Raw broccoli or cauliflower: Break them down into small flowerets. You can peel broccoli stems and chop the tender insides as well.

Kohlrabi: This root vegetable looks like it came from outer space, with sprouts sticking out everywhere, although those are usually trimmed before marketing. The tough skins are green or purple, but inside they are white, resembling a potato. I chop them small and throw them in. The flavor is like an intense cabbage, and in fact, they make an excellent addition to a slaw. My foodie grandson, Jack, asked for me to cut one into sticks; he loved the first one, but when he went for another it was a bit much for him.

Bok choy: I have tried several ways to cook bok choy, but I have found that, like many vegetables, I prefer it raw. I chop the stalks like I would celery. The flavor is cool and mild, so it provides a nice balance for some of the more intense flavors.

Salad dressing: I typically buy bottles of low-cal salad dressing just for convenience sake, but when my daughter comes to visit she spoils me with homemade. It’s actually very easy, and I should do it more myself! She starts with olive oil, and then adds some sort of acid—usually balsamic vinegar or lemon juice. Then she heads to the spice rack and starts grabbing bottles of what she thinks would go well together. She loves to experiment, and always comes up with something delicious.

Until next time, be adventurous and experience all the flavors!

Martha (and Lori)

The Farmer Feeds Us All!

Hello everyone, we hope that you’re well and enjoying your summer!  Congratulations go out to all our families, near and far, who are celebrating the close of another school year!

As families transition into their summer routines, we hope that you’ll stop by our weekly Pathfinder Produce market, open on Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m.  Keep a supply of delicious fruits and veggies on-hand to keep summer meals and snacks fresh, delicious and healthy!  We also have our convenient online ordering site, so you can place your order and pick it up at one of our delivery sites … it’s easy!

***

You may talk of all the nobles of the earth,
Of the kings who hold the nations in their thrall,
Yet in this we all agree, if we only look and see,
That the farmer is the (one) that feeds us all.

As I was working in my small garden plot this weekend a song in the “Little House” books came to mind.  The lyrics were written in 1874, by Knowles Shaw, an evangelist minister better known for his hymn, “Bringing in the Sheaves.”

The song caught on as farmers were facing some real issues: the financial Panic of 1873, saturated markets as more land came into production, and fee hikes by the railroads, which small farmers relied upon to get their harvests to market. At that time, farmers joined together in The Grange Movement to advance their collective interests: Learn more at this page from the University at Houston’s Digital History site and this lesson from the Gilder Lehrman Institute.

The more we learn about our agricultural past, the better we can model our food and farming future. This past week, I saw that local students remain interested in farming and farm-related careers; there were about two dozen students who received Future Farmers of America awards at our school during the recent end-of-year ceremonies. The students were recognized for achievements in diverse STEM fields: agriculture and the environment, agricultural mechanics, and animal husbandry. The FFA’s vision statement is forward-looking, “Students …will achieve academic and personal growth, strengthen American agriculture and provide leadership to build healthy local communities, a strong nation, and a sustainable world.” 

I was also encouraged in meeting several members of a local 4-H Club who presented Pathfinder Village with several pots of flowers for all of us to enjoy, part of their community service projects for the year.  4-H (head, heart, hands, and health) has been on the scene since the early 1900s, with its mission focused in helping “young people and their families gain the skills needed to be proactive forces in their communities and develop ideas for a more innovative economy.”  Again, the focus is on positive youth development, community-based learning, and working to solve societal challenges.

According to State Comptroller DiNapoli, “While New York ranks 26th in the country in terms of overall agricultural sales, there are several items—such as dairy, fruits, berries, wine, and some vegetables—in which New York ranks among the biggest producers in the nation.” I hope that schools, the Education Department, and communities can encourage more young people to look to agriculture as a career; that the Federal government better supports independent family farms in its policies; and that farmers are encouraged to diversify crops.  In general, we are too reliant on the monoculture model (about half of New York’s farms are highly focused in dairy; we’re the nation’s third-largest dairy producer). Crops that would appear to be promising for New York are hops, which were once extensively grown throughout the region and are now important to a resurging craft beer industry.  Hemp, which is slowly gaining a foothold and not hallucinogenic, can be transformed into food ingredients, paper (saving trees), bio-fuel, biodegradable plastics, clothing, building materials, and more. (Hemp crowds out weeds, so it needs few herbicide applications and can be grown on marginal land).

Until next time, thank a farmer!

Lori

Sweet, Sweet Summer!

Hello!  This week we’ll begin celebrating lots of area school celebrations and high school graduations.  At Pathfinder Produce, we can assist you as your family gets ready to honor your student.  We have a wide variety of fruits and veggies for you to use on party platters, salads, and other tasty and colorful creations.

Stop by the Edmeston market at the Village Commons on Thursday, from
1 to 5 p.m., or place an online order to start the preparations for your party.  We look forward to serving you, and hearing about your student’s accomplishments!

In this week’s blog, our Senior Director of Education Maura Iorio shares her thoughts on summertime meals and graduation gatherings.  Good luck and well done to all our area grads!!!

***

For me, June is always a time of reflection. The school year is coming to an end and summer is just around the corner. Although I love every day at Pathfinder School, our Graduation and Moving Up Ceremony is hands-down always my favorite. Even though we are sad to say, “So long!” to our graduating students, it is an opportunity to let them shine with one last hoorah!

This year’s Moving Up Day theme is Candyland—and boy, are we having fun with it! From creating lollipop forests to gumdrop mountains, to ice cream lakes and even some dancing M&Ms, the school gymnasium will be transformed next week into a sweet and colorful celebration!

Our year-end ceremony will definitely be featuring some sweet treats, but looking ahead to the summer break, there are some healthier alternatives to indulge in, especially with all the great fresh items at our weekly Pathfinder Produce.  Here are a few favorites!

Perfect Summer Fruit Salad

Sometimes you just need a little bit of everything! This fruit salad has the perfect balance of sweet and tart, with some added citrus for some zing! Check out the recipe here!

Summer Fruit Salad with Arugula and Almonds

Tired of the same old garden salads? Add some bursts of texture and flavor to mix things up! Try adding grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a meal. You can read the full recipe here.

Watermelon Salad with Mint and Lime

Keep it simple and sophisticated with this refreshing snack or side dish! Check out the recipe here. Are you worried that you’ll pick the wrong watermelon? Make sure the watermelon feels heavy for its size, check it for a yellow spot—this indicates that the melon is ripe, and give it a tap! Watermelons that are perfectly ripe should sound hollow. Check out this article for more tips and tricks!

In closing, we offer our congratulations to members of the Class of 2018 at all our regional schools!  All are welcome to join us at our celebration at Pathfinder School on Wednesday, June 20^th at 1:00pm in the Pathfinder Gymnasium.

Well done, Grads, and happy summer!

Maura (and Lori)

Rebuilding & Repurposing

Hello!  We hope you'll be able to come to our next delicious Pathfinder Produce fresh fruits and vegetable market at the Village Commons this Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. There are so many different items to try, and fresh items are so much more flavorful. Our friendly market staff will be looking for you!

Don't forget our convenient online ordering option … when you use this option and pay online, our market pros will select fresh items for your order, pack it all up, and have it ready when you come to the pick-up location in Edmeston or Morris.

Thanks go out to all our regular customers who support Pathfinder Produce … we're rooted in community! Fresh produce at a local market, with great prices, supporting area families... it's a winning combination.

***

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

Following in the footsteps of my practical farmer forbearers, I spent the past few weekends getting my small veggie garden ready. For years, our garden had included three raised beds, surrounded by wire fencing to keep out the critters. However, the beds were too closely spaced so we couldn't mow easily to keep things neat, and the weeds grew with a vengeance around the base of the fencing. Every time we tried to weed-whack around the fence it would waste a lot of line. AARRRGH!

So, this year, I decided it was time to change it up, especially as the wooden beds were in bad repair.  I tore down the fencing, which was not easy as plants had matted around the wire. Things immediately started to look better as I mowed back the offending weeds.

Next came the long task of tearing apart two beds … the third one I think will hold up for one more season as I transition to new beds.  Going this route helped me conserve the soil and also gives me time to think through a “garden master plan.”  As I come up with something more durable, Pinterest will be a great resource.

And thus, with my trusty old tennis racket-turned-sieve, a wheelbarrow, and an old army entrenching tool (found discarded many moons ago), I spent two days sifting dirt, removing grass stems and stones. Bed A, the keeper, got most of the dirt from Bed B (none of the original beds had been completely filled). Realizing I had more dirt than space, I cobbled together another bed with some decorative pavers and metal trim I had sitting around from an old greenhouse I'd picked up years ago but had never rebuilt. (Rebuilding the greenhouse will be Part B of the master plan!).

So the new bed was filled with the cleaned dirt from Bed C, but I still had more soil. So, engaging my “upcycling brain” I went into the top of our barn and found an old wooden toy box, unpainted on the inside. Just the thing … I drilled some drainage holes and soon that was filled too. And yet there was more dirt …

I've seen many online posts on container gardens, so I grabbed every pot in the garden shed. There was still leftover soil from Bed C, but it was the end of the first weekend, and I felt satisfied with my progress. 

Over the week, I was able to run to Watercress Greenhouse, a small family-run business, where I got some starter veggies. Soon, two summer squash plants were popped into the toy box, six tomato plants and two squash were in Bed A, lettuce seeds were in the new bed, and six pepper plants and a bunch of broccoli were in the pots, which were sitting on some other concrete pavers we'd had sitting around.

For a few days, I congratulated myself on my gardening gains. But this past Friday morning, as I looked out past the garden, there they were … insidiously lurking in the shadows … several rabbits and a woodchuck.  I knew I had to rethink the no-fencing idea – I’ve had woodchucks clear-out a garden in one night by deftly striping off leaves from every plant.

So, another trip to the attic for repurposing was in order … I used an old dog crate as the start of a fence for the new bed, paired with some homemade gates (made of unpainted wooden frames and reclaimed fencing; they are attached to supporting fence posts using loops of 12 gauge wire). To keep the critters out of Bed A, I built a tent of reclaimed fencing (tall stakes, some old plumbing elbows, and a piece of pine). I have some old corrugated plastic panels somewhere that I will use to block off the ends.

I also made another smaller bed for six broccoli from patio blocks, bent yard sign stakes, and more reclaimed fencing. The remaining container plants were moved by the house, a woodchuck would have to be very brazen to come that close; time will tell if the hooligan bunnies will make a night raid.

Until next time, upcycle and enjoy the outdoors!    

Lori