Stormy Weather

Ah…preparing for a weekend of wild weather. While we certainly need the rain, let’s hope it doesn’t come all at one time, or bring destruction. My yard is starting to look a little parched, and the Harpeth River, a little low.

I will be running in the Country Music 1/2 Marathon Saturday morning and am hoping for a slight reprieve from Mother Nature. I credit my neighbor’s and my ability to get ourselves to this level of fitness with clean eating! Which, of course, includes, lots and lots of Doe Run Farm’s yummy produce.

Farm
Things are busy, busy on the farm, trying to get everything ready for the upcoming CSA season, and trying to get as much done as possible before the storms.

Judy and John are still planting blueberries along with thousands of vegetables this week. They planted about 4,000 vegetable plants, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and tomatillos. The same number was scheduled for today, as long as the rain held off.

Judy attended an Earth Day Celebration Thursday, and talked to guests about Community Supported Agriculture and about Doe Run Farms being "Earth Friendly"

Doe Run had a great article written in the Huntsville Times Wednesday about the farm, and the article was titled "Earth Friendly"

One of the tractors had to be repaired this week, and parts had to be order since none were available nearby. A farm cannot do without a tractor; it's the workhorse of the farm.

Judy was invited to attend a Health Fair on Saturday morning. One of Doe Run’s CSA Volunteers will be manning the booth with her.

Judy is also seeding basil, dill, and lots of flowers this week

As time approaches for the CSA to begin, Doe Run has had a LOT of new registrants. It is a good thing they prepared another field for planting, this year they will need it!

Also, a talented CSA shareholder has designed a farm logo. It will appear soon on Doe Run’s delivery vehicles! Exciting stuff!

Recipe
Savory Summer Pie
1/2 (15 ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 purple onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

FIT pie crust into a 9-inch deep-dish tart pan; prick bottom and sides of pie crust with a fork.
BAKE at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
SAUTE bell pepper, onion, and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet 5 minutes or until tender; stir in basil.
WHISK together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in sauteed vegetables and cheeses. Pour into crust; top with tomato.
BAKE at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until set; shielding edges with strips of aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with a green salad and some fresh berries for a light summer meal.

April Flowers

It’s just such a picture perfect spring day in Middle Tennessee. Flowers are in bloom, birds are singing, and the hills are all green again. Spring is upon us and it is beautiful.







Farm Doings…

Planted: beets, carrots, chard, salad turnips, cabbage, broccoli, early tomatoes, bok choy, radishes, leeks, mustard greens, and kohlrabi. Wednesday, the spinach and arugula went into the ground, and next week zucchini and summer squash are being planted.

Completed: One of the two new walk-in coolers and the second is under construction.

Work in progress: Judy is still working on the design for the herb and perennial raised beds that will be located near the greenhouse. This task has taken more planning than she thought it would. Wednesday, she was planting a few varieties of basil, plus garden flowers.

Records for the CSA have been set up for this season, and Judy is now finalizing days, pick up times and routes for deliveries. All this information is on the farm website.

A CSA Guide for Doe Run shareholders will be electronically mailed in a week or two.

John and Barry have kept the tractors, planter, and mulch layer working well with regular maintenance.

The entire backfield has been prepared for planting, and the beds have been shaped, drip tape, and plastic mulch laid in preparation for planting more crops. Doe Run succession plants, so once something comes out, something else goes in. That way fresh vegetables are available all season.

Doe Run planted blueberries a few years ago, but at that time, they had no way of irrigating them and so many were lost due to the dry conditions of summer. Blueberries need regular irrigation in Tennessee. Since John installed a full farm irrigation system, getting them established should be easier this time around. One thousand berry plants were ordered this week, and they will arrive next week. The berries that are "buy in" for shareholders are from Lincoln County, and they have always been premium quality with outstanding flavor.


Recipe

Simple Blueberry Muffins

1 cup milk
1 egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup blueberries

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together milk, egg, and oil. Add flour, baking powder, sugar, and blueberries. Gently mix the batter with only a few strokes. Spoon batter into muffin tin. Fill about 1/2 way.

Bake for 20 minutes. Serve warm