Goats, Troublesome Goats

Our ruminants have been a major focus on the farm. The goats seem to love Carrie, or at least her ax-wielding skills. We have been taking down some poplar (mostly) trees and letting the goats enjoy and defoliate them as part of opening up some paths and pasture expansion. Boris is now courting our various does and my how he flirts with the ladies. It really is a sight to behold. Though it seems some are less fond of his advances and more fond of going out on the town. The goat kids and their teen chaperones (or perhaps bad influences) were spotted on Loop Road late Saturday night, down past Frost Road. We were none the wiser, until hearing the report, as they were in the field near the Turkeys Sunday Morning. Ah, fall, not an easy time.

Kale & Potato Hash

Photo from Eating Well

Kale & Potato Hash from Eating Well
Serve as a side with pork or set a poached egg on top for a hearty breakfast or brunch.
8 cups torn kale leaves (about ½ large bunch; see Tip)      
2 tablespoons horseradish       
1 medium shallot, minced       
½ teaspoon ground pepper & ¼ teaspoon salt          
2 cups cooked shredded potatoes    
3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Place kale in a large cast iron skillet and sauté in butter, until wilted, about 6 minutes. Cool slightly, and finely chop.
2. Mix horseradish, shallot, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Add the chopped kale and potatoes; stir to combine.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the kale mixture, spread into an even layer and cook, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes and returning the mixture to an even layer, until the potatoes begin to turn golden brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes total.
Kale & Potato Hash Tips: A 1- to 1 1/2-pound bunch of kale yields 16 to 24 cups of chopped leaves. When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it--allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.

Sally the Salamander

A new Green Mountain Girl showed up on the farm this week -- Sally the Spotted Salamander.  She was spotted near the turkeys looking a little sad, dry and lost.  With a bit of TLC from Anna & Mari, Sally started looking better. The spots are really amazing.  Some quick research about spotted salamanders indicates they can live 20 years.  So she was repatriated to the underneath of nice log in the woods, hopefully to enjoy many more years in the dirt.

Join us for Brookfield Market Day

The fun starts at 2pm with a Farmers’ Market, Buggy Rides, Art show, Face Painting, Book Sale, Silent Auction, cooking classes and live music throughout the afternoon, all at the Old Town Hall in Brookfield Village by the Floating Bridge.  

A BBQ dinner with local chicken and veggies will be available from 5-7pm and an old time square dance starts at 7pm with music by Her Majesty’s Streak O’ Lean.  Join us as we launch Floating Bridge Food and Farms, a collective of local businesses offering farm products and farm vacations.   

Product samples and information from members will be on offer.  We are proud to be founding members, along with Fat Toad Farm, Ariel’s Restaurant, Sweet Retreats, Brookfield Bees, All Together Farm,  Brotherly Farm Organic, Turkey Hill Farm, and more.  More Details Here. Or on our Facebook page—just search Green Mountain Girls Farm.  or Check out Alice Levitt's thoughts from Seven Days

http://www.floatingbridgefoodandfarms.com

Summer Tomatoes

Fresh from the field

Is there anything better than a fresh, delicious August tomato? Well, perhaps that tomato sliced with some basil, salt and olive oil. Oh, summer eating is at its best right now with luscious vegetables of all types. I try, but do not always succeed, to savor them, taking a moment to just enjoy that taste sensation that only happens this time of year. Hope you all are enjoying fresh tomatoes, they are plentiful here.

Farm Happy Hour

Music, Tastings and Socializing by the Pond

Summer’s bounty is here and it is time to celebrate.
Join us for a Farm Happy Hour
Thursday, August 19th from 5-8pm

Join us this Thursday to celebrate summer at the farm. We will have food samples, including BBQ goat, summer veggies, goat milk custard and more. Live music will be performed by some local talent with a new band. Take this opportunity to check on the growing animals, lounge by the pond and enjoy summer. Our farmstand will also be fully stocked with fresh chicken, eggs, vegetables, milk and frozen pork all for sale.
Questions?? Email us at: GreenMtnGirls@gmail.com

Directions: From I-89, take exit 5 toward Northfield 1 mile, turn left on Loop Road.  Go about 1 mile, the farm is on the left - 923 Loop Road.

45 pounds of Chard

Megan and lots of chard!

The food processing has begun in earnest!  Megan and Donna persevered despite Liva's repeated deliveries of larger and larger baskets of chard to process.  45..or more pounds later, the winter food security is well on its way.  45 pounds of chard have been harvested, washed, chopped, blanched, dried, packaged and frozen. 

So much more is on the list: Pestos, salsas, dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, pickled veggies, broccoli, cauliflower..and who knows what else.  All so members can enjoy quality local food this winter, when the delights of fresh tomatoes and harvesting from the field have passed.    It makes August and September busy months.  In addition to the regular farm work there is lots of harvesting and processing. But as the freezers and Canning cupboards start to fill up, it is really satisfying!

Some of the animals love this time of year as well.  The pigs were the beneficiaries of the massive chard processing.  They LOVE chard.  I don't know why, but they do.  So big and small, the pigs were thrilled o get the cuttings and gleanings from the chard.