Last week I went to speak at a high school class at the Solebury School right down the road from the farm. I decided that I would gear my talk towards the ideas and vocabulary around food communities and local food systems. While talking out loud about it I realized that in one short season our farm has actually become an integral part of our local food community. Our participation in our local food system is not a goal that is far off in the distance, it's real and working.

Think of it this way, our CSA members subscribe to our farm, we now have enough money to plant our farm to feed our CSA members and bring produce to farmers markets, we have more food than we can distribute so we sell to small locally owned restaurants and a small locally owned distribution company, when we have excess we can donate it through a small locally owned food bank distribution non-profit. Now other local businesses are feeding people all over the region from our farm that is supported by our local CSA members and our farmers market customers. Our direct sales, that are our most meaningful business relationships, help to make it possible for our product to help other local businesses be successful. A local economy at work! It's so cool!

Well, here's our local Candice finding some good luck:

We dug up the greenhouse to plant winter greens last week! The seasons are changing!!

Ahh, freshly seeded. Can't wait to be in there on a cold winter day!

The share!!

kale

chard

collards

broccoli

chinese cabbage

baby pac choi

spinach

salad mix

arugula

asian greens

spinach

beets

carrots

rutabaga

potatoes

celery

eggplant

sweet peppers

tomatoes

onions

garlic

acorn/delicata/spaghetti squash

herbs

Roasted Carrots with Carrot-Top Pesto

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/roasted-carrots-with-carrot-top-pesto#

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds small carrots with tops (any color)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons macadamia nuts or pine nuts
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Nutritional Information

8 servings, 1 serving equals: Calories (kcal) 270 Fat (g) 21 Saturated Fat (g) 3.5 Cholesterol (mg) 5 Carbohydrates (g) 18 Dietary Fiber (g) 5 Total Sugars (g) 11 Protein (g) 4 Sodium (mg) 210

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400°. Trim carrot tops, leaving some stem attached. Measure out 2 cups carrot tops and set aside; reserve any remaining carrot tops for another use.

Toss carrots and vegetable oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until carrots are golden brown and tender, 25–35 minutes. Let cool.

Pulse garlic and nuts in a food processor until a coarse paste forms. Add basil, Parmesan, and reserved carrot tops; process until a coarse purße forms. Add olive oil and pulse until combined; season with salt and pepper. Serve carrots with pesto.

DO AHEAD: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface; chill. Carrots can be roasted 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Sautéed Baby Bok (Pac) Choy

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/magazine/09Food-t-002.html?_r=0

By SAM SIFTON

2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, like canola

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 ½-inch piece ginger root, peeled and minced

¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste

4 bunches of baby bok choy, approximately 1½ pounds, cleaned, with the ends trimmed

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon chicken stock or water

Toasted sesame oil for drizzling.

1. In a large sauté pan with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Add garlic, ginger and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds.

2. Add bok choy and stir carefully to cover with oil, then cook for approximately 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, stock or water, then cover pan and cook for approximately 2 minutes more, until steam begins to escape from beneath the lid of the pan.

3. Uncover and continue to cook until liquid is close to evaporated and stalks are soft to the touch, approximately 3 minutes more.

4. Remove to a warmed platter and drizzle with sesame oil. Serves 4.

Chinese pork and cabbage rolls

Ingredients

Serves : 4

500 g lean minced pork (choose the leanest possible)
1 can water chestnuts (about 230 g), drained, rinsed and finely chopped
2 tsp five-spice powder
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30ml) dark soya sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed

Directions

Prep:10min › Cook:20min › Ready in:30min

1 medium egg, beaten
8 large green cabbage leaves
2 cups (500 ml) hot chicken stock, preferably homemade (recipes on this website)
2 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp (30ml) water
1 tsp sweet chilli sauce, or to taste
curled strips of spring onion to garnish
Place the pork in a bowl and add the water chestnuts, five-spice powder, ginger, spring onions, soya sauce, garlic and egg. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a fork until the ingredients are well blended, then divide into eight equal portions.
Cut the tough stalk from the base of each cabbage leaf with a sharp knife. Place a portion of the pork mixture in the centre of each cabbage leaf, then wrap the leaf around the filling to enclose it.
Pour the stock into the bottom section of a large steamer. Arrange the cabbage rolls, join side down, in one layer in the top section. Steam for 15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender and the rolls are firm when pressed. Remove the top section from the steamer and keep the cabbage rolls hot.
Mix the cornflour with the water, then stir this mixture into the stock in the bottom of the steamer. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Add the chilli sauce.
Serve the cabbage rolls with the sauce spooned over and sprinkled with curls of spring onion.

Happy eating!

The Roots to River Team

A heartening revelation.