Farm Diggity Fun

My apologies for the lack of farm update! We have been in mourning since we lost our beloved Dana. No, no. Don't worry, she's fine. Just left us for the east coast once again. Time to move on and conquer new things. We enjoyed her presence here at the farm and appreciated all her hard work (one responsibility being the blog). That Dana!

After the last update, things slightly mellowed out on the farm. The house of many dwindled back down to the original two, Lori and I (I being Lydia). It gave us time to recollect our thoughts and get ready for the next wave of WWOOFers, whom I will introduce momentarily, and the second half of the farming season.

The farm itself is in full swing. We are in our sixth week of eight weeks of the Big Sky Farmers market in the Village. We have had a great response from the community who are all happy to see us there. I got the impression that not very much fresh produce makes its way to Big Sky, so we are happy to supply the need and hope that other farmers in the community will contribute next year. The market is a lively one with live music every week and lots of arts and crafts and delicious food to satisfy the taste buds. If you are a local or out of towner, the market is a great place to spend the evening and take in the surroundings. Big Sky Farmers Market is every Wednesday from 5pm to 8pm. There are three weeks left so be sure to come and visit us before time runs out!

On site at the farm we are battling weeds! From thistles to pig weed and hounds tongue, the weeds are relentless. At one time, the squash bed looked... well, let's just say you would have had no idea there was squash growing there. But we are slowly regaining our fields back. We had a nice long day of weeding the other day in the squash bed and found ginormous zucchinis just waiting to be picked. What once was lost, is now found!

Our CSA members have been very lucky as our harvests have been bountiful. It's been quite a large distribution full of goodies. We only hope our recommendations of how to use the produce have been helpful so that none goes to waste. We understand that some unusual crops like fennel and radicchio can be intimidating to prepare. That's the beauty of a CSA though, finding new foods in your bag to expand your taste buds and creativity. There are lots of crops out there and an infinite list of possibilities to prepare them. Lately we have had amazing meals on the farm. The collaboration between everyone has resulted in fantastic feasts. And right now, I'd love to share some recipes with you.

Perrine (who again, you will meet soon) made a cucumber gazpacho. We are thankful for this recipe for it helps to use up the, what feels like, endless supply of cucumbers. Now, Perrine did not follow a recipe but it consists of blending ingredients together so it's easy to manipulate, but I will provide a basic list.

CUCUMBER GAZPACHO
4-5 medium cucumbers, chopped for ease of blending
1 Tbs or 2 of fresh lemon juice
a bunch of fresh mint leaves
a bunch of dill and any other herbs you might like to add
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 cups of plain yogurt, although Perrine used some heavy cream as part of the yogurt
salt and pepper

Blend everything together in a blender and chill for at least a half an hour to an hour before serving. We garnished the soup with fresh alfalfa sprouts. So YUM! Perfect for a hot summer day.

WARM CHARD RIBS WITH YOGURT, TOASTED WALNUTS, AND DILL serves 4
*Chef's note: Chard ribs take longer to cook than the tender leaves, so it's a good idea to cut the ribs away and cook them separately. White-ribbed chard tends to have broader, sweeter ribs than other varieties.

3 cups Swiss chard ribs, in 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, preferably Greek style
2 tsp minced fresh dill
1/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add chard ribs and boil until tender, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Drain in a sieve or colander and immediately run under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry
2 Melt the butter in a skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add the chard ribs, season with salt and pepper, and stir to coat with the butter. Cook, stirring, just until the chard is hot throughout.
3 Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt, dill, and walnuts. Taste again for salt and pepper. Serve warm, not hot.

Bon Appetite!

So Harvest House is once again a full and lively house, perhaps the most its been all summer. We enjoy the anticipation of new arrivals and seem to luck out with the most pleasant and hard working people. It's been great getting to know everyone and so without further ado, please meet our new temporary crew.

DAN and LATEESHA are from Wisconsin. They met at a CSA farm, Whitefeather Organics in Custer, WI, where they both became working members. Teesh entered an intern program at MSU here in Bozeman for a future in dietetics. While she learns, Dan will work. With the knowledge he learned at the farm in WI, we hope we can learn new ideas from him. Their stay will max out at two months, then on to Great Falls for eight months to finish up Teesh's internship. What a lovely couple they are!

PERRINE and ARNAUD are originally from France, just outside of Paris. They flew to Quebec, Canada on a work Visa and stayed for two years. Both being nurses, they had no problem finding a job. When their time was up there, they bought a van and drove across the country to Vancouver and down through Washington and Oregon and finally to Bozeman, Montana to experience their first farm as WWOOFers. They will be here for two weeks total and are next headed to California. They will continue their trip down south through South America with a final destination of Brazil. They have about another year on the road but must be back in France next summer for a wedding and before their money stash de-pleats. They are motivated in their endeavors and I will miss hearing the beautiful French language when the leave!


BARBRA is from Germany and is on a life adventure. Traveling by herself, she hopes to enhance her worldly experience. She began her trip by flying to Vancouver, Canada and to visit the city for two days. Afterward, she spent 26 grueling hours on her first Greyhound bus experience with a pleasant overnight stop in Seattle (I noticed a bit of sarcasm in her voice when she said "pleasant"!). She will be with us for at least two weeks, if not more. She plans to travel more after this but seems spontaneous as to where she's headed. She enjoys gardening and loves horses.

Last but not least, NICK is from Wisconsin. He's a 20 year old looking for an adventure. Unfortunately he had other plans for another farm but when he showed up they somehow over booked WWOOFers and had to send him away.  He called Harvest House and of course we took him in. He hopes to spend time with a friend that is currently in the Montana Conservation Corps and staying in Bozeman and also to learn more about farming. He plays a mean guitar and we look forward to hearing his music around the farm.  

So there you have it. Feel free to come to the farm and visit with all of us! We have quite a good time. How can you not with good food and good company?

Other quick updates for the farm: We were a part of the Gallatin Gateway Garden Tour and had a great turn out. Many people expressed that they drove by our place often and was always curious about what went on here. We were happy to show them. We were also a chosen farm to bike to during the Bike to Farm Tour. There was a new farm every weekend and the bikers started at the Leaf N' Bean in town at 10am. I believe there is one more trip which is an overnight trip into Norris if anyone is interested. All are welcome.
Harvest House is planning a couple of events for the next couple of months. One we can mention now is a Weed N' Greet for singles. Perhaps some of you read an article in the paper about "Weed Dating", like speed dating but in a different setting. Before seriously thinking about it, we were asked by many if we were going to/should do it. So, we have answered, and yes, we will do it! Further planning is scheduled so keep tuned in and look for posters.

Sorry for the extensive update, but it sure has been awhile. The cooks are in the kitchen once again and the aromas are drawing me away from my computer so until next time, be well, eat well, and remember to always smile :)