Author: Horton Road Organics

By Reiden Gustafson

Fall is in the air and in less than a month I’ll be returning home to Portland. With the season slowly coming to an end, I’ve begun thinking about which aspects of the farm I’ll miss most. For example, I’ve come to love taking outdoor naps at lunch, seeing stars on clear nights, the low-hanging fog on the hills in the morning, and of course the goofy group of apprentices I’ve spent the last five months living and working with. Last but not least, there’s Rey…

Rey was found on the side of Horton Road the day before the summer solstice (hence the name “Rey”). He weighed just over a pound and wasn’t yet able to drink milk on his own. Soon after he came to live with us on the farm he got sick, really sick. So sick in fact that he temporarily lost both his vision and hearing.

Thanks to a quick round of antibiotics, Rey’s was eventually able to see and hear again and it was at this time that his true and rambunctious nature became apparent. Rey now eagerly follows us to work in the fields. He chases leaves while we’re in the greenhouses and he explores the tool shed when we’re nearby washing vegetables. As with many kittens his age, he is extremely fascinated by anything and everything that crosses his path.

Today it’s obvious that Rey thoroughly enjoys his life on the farm. He has a giant barn and several sheds to explore, acres of fields to run through and a plethora of mice to chase. Horton Road Organics has it all! So the next time you eat some Horton salad, one of our onions, or a beet, you can think of the black kitten who was there supervising our harvest efforts from a distance. For me, his presence around the farm has been a pleasant reminder of what it can look like to live in the moment and enjoy life to the fullest.

 

Reiden is a first year apprentice at Horton and can be found at the Amazon Park farmers market every Thursday. Having been born on the Oregon coast and then spending most of her life living elsewhere, Reiden is happy to once again be back in the familiar and beautiful coastal range.

 

What’s in Box #18?

Little Gem Lettuce: These tasty heirloom greens are favored by chefs and foodies.  Cut each head in half for a wedge salad or use the leaves on sandwiches, burgers, etc.

Gypsy Peppers:  We still have lots of these sweet peppers. You can eat them raw or roast them to use in your favorite hot dishes. Yummy when sauteed.

Celery:  Tango variety. Ribs and leaves can be used to make soup and/or stock. For best storage, keep the whole head in a plastic bag or cut the ribs and soak them in a bowl of water in the fridge.

Kale: Red Russian variety. These greens get sweeter as the temps get cooler. Cook these greens on their own or add them to soups and casseroles. They are a very good keeper.

Garlic: Music variety.  Easy to peel with great flavor. These have been cured, so feel free to keep them on your kitchen counter.

Beets: Red Ace variety. Roast these to bring out the sugars. No need to peel. These will last for months in the fridge in a plastic bag with a little moisture.

Leeks: Megaton variety. The first of the season. Most people use the white part the same way they would use an onion. The green leaves are tougher but are great for making stock.

Potatoes: Time for potato leek soup? Our potatoes have been cured for long-term storage and have not yet been washed. Keep them in a cool, dry, dark place.

Recipes:

Tarragon Chicken Breasts with Buttered Leeks
Source: The Herbal Kitchen (Jerry Traunfeld)
4 servings

This recipe mentions that other herbs can be substituted for tarragon. For example: marjoram, dill, or parsley. I’ve tried it separately with tarragon and with dill. Both had completely different flavors and I can’t decide which one I like better. In my opinion they are both delicious. –Reiden

Ingredients:
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only (1 large or 2 small)
2 cups chicken broth
4 T unsalted butter
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
2 t lemon juice
2 T coarsely chopped tarragon
salt & pepper

Put the leeks in a large skillet with the chicken broth and 2 T of the butter. Cook them at a gentle boil over medium heat until they are tender and the broth has boiled down far enough that the leeks are no longer completely submerged. This should take about 8 minutes.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with salt & pepper. Place them on top of the simmering leeks, spoon some of the leeks over the chicken and cover the pan tightly. Reduce heat to low. In 10 minutes test the chicken for doneness (firm to the touch and no sign of internal translucence). Large pieces could take 15 minutes, but don’t overcook them.

When the chicken is done lift the pieces from the leeks and put them on a warm platter. Increase the heat under the leeks to high and stir the lemon juice, the remaining 2 T butter, and the tarragon. When the butter melts, taste the sauce and add salt and pepper. Pour the leek sauce over the chicken and serve.

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Creamy Dairy-Free Potato Soup with Kale

6 servings

https://www.veggieinspired.com/creamy-dairy-free-potato-soup/

Potato soup is a staple in my diet. I love the fact that you can eat it as is or add in any other vegetable you’re craving. Potato soup is also a great way to sneak in some greens. If you’re feeding picky eaters, chop the greens up small, toss them in the soup and violá, a tasty serving of greens! ~ Taylor

As much as summer is near and dear to my heart, there is something peaceful about the coming of fall. Everything begins to change .When I was living in California I never really felt that, recently, they have not had full seasons. It all stayed slightly warm and all the plants turn from a dry cold to a slightly damp brown. On the farm I am getting a beautiful taste of the beginnings of fall.

 

Granted the mornings may be a bit chilly to me, they are surely breathtaking. As I am harvesting the salad or spinach that’s close to the tree line I take a moment to look up and admire the bright vivid colors of the leaves against the dark and cool background. It makes me think about how the farm is changing. The soil still keeps its warmth while the brisk air chills the leaves and leaves it mark of frost. The summer and heat loving crops that were once lively and standing tall start to give way to the rest that is promised. Other crops thrive and take advantage of the cooler days and the cover crops get to join in on the farm.

Seeing all of this change happen right in front of me doesn’t make me sad to see all of it go, it exhilarates me for what is to come.  Pumpkins, winter squash, soups, stews, apples and pears!

The farm work slows down, just a little bit, and clean up for next season ensues. Green houses get cleaned out for the next spring crops, soil mixes get made and stored, the beds are laid to rest up during winter before they have to wake up again.

Most of all fall reminds me that change isn’t always a thing to fear; moving out on my own was a big risk. I left my friends and family behind in California and I miss them dearly, but I have been embracing the new friends that I have made here! Fall just lets you know that it’s okay to slow down, take in the beauty of the scenery around you and appreciate what the bounty of summer has given you.

 

 

Heather is from California and moved to Oregon to experience the life of a farmer. She is enjoying apprenticing at Horton Road Organics and getting her hands dirty and full of vegetables! During her down time she like to hang out with her cat or ride her horse. She’s excited to see what other opportunities come her way this year!

Welcome to Autumn!  We had a really good frost out here on the farm this morning.  That means we will be harvesting our delicata squash this week and you’ll be seeing it in the last few boxes.

What’s in Box #17?

Salad Mix:  These greens are back!  When the night-time temps start falling, our salad greens grow at a much slower rate.  We are already harvesting in our last field!

Tomatoes:  We haven’t picked these yet, but are hoping to send you a mix of Early Girls (a low-acid slicer) and the heirloom Black Prince.

Spinach:  Spinach is a cooler weather staple for us. Cold and even frosty nights will make these leaves sweeter. Don’t be fooled by the size of the bag, the greens will shrink down quite a bit when you cook them.

Carrots: Merida variety.  These large roots will keep for a long time in a plastic bag or container in your fridge.  We’re talking months!

Cauliflower: Clarify variety.  Delicious roasted or grilled.  Cauliflower soup is also a great idea!

Parsley: Italian flat-leaf parsley. Nice flavor. Will keep well in a plastic bag in your fridge. A great addition to soups, stews and other cool-weather dishes.

Yellow Onions: Frontier variety. These are pungent onions that are great for cooking. They are cured for storage and should keep well.

Recipes:

Parsley Pesto

A simple recipe to use up a large bunch of parsley.  Can be frozen for future use.  Excellent on fish, chicken, tofu and/or tempeh.  Can be served warm or cold. ~ Lisa

2 c. fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts (or another favorite nut)
1 1/2 tbsp grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.

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Roasted Cauliflower Soup

https://avocadopesto.com/roasted-cauliflower-soup/

Whole heads of cauliflower are best stored in a loosely sealed plastic bag accompanied with a wet paper towel for 4-7 days in the refrigerator. For recipes like this Roasted Cauliflower Soup, I like to precut my cauliflower and store it in the freezer. It’s an easy method for long-term storage and the pre-cut pieces save time when preparing the dish. ~ Lisa

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Stir Fry with Carrots & Broccoli

Ingredients:
Broccoli, chopped – 1-2 heads dependin on size
Carrot, chopped – 2
Ginger, grated – 1 tsp
Chili flakes – 1 tsp
Sesame seeds – 2 tsp
Cumin seeds – 3/4 tsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil – 3 tbsp
Lemon juice – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Sugar- 1/4 tsp

Preparation:
Scrape carrots and make thin slices.
Chop broccoli into small florets.
Peel and slice the broccoli stem.
Heat oil in a pan and add 1 tsp of cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds start crackling add sesame seeds.
When sesame seeds become golden then add grated ginger.
Now add turmeric powder and broccoli and saute for a minute.
Add chopped carrot, salt and chili flakes. Mix well.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat.
Cook until it is cooked through but remains crisp and crunchy.
Now add lemon juice and sugar and mix.
Garnish with 1/2 tsp of toasted sesame seeds and serve.

“Oh, I just need an onion, I”ll stop by the store today.” That used to be the maximum effort and concern I ever gave towards acquiring an onion. Such a common vegetable, many of us use them often. But after helping harvest Horton Road’s 2018 onion crop, numbering in the thousands, I can’t say I’ll ever look at an onion the same way…

Here at Horton Road we plant onions and shallots every 6 inches. We initially planted the starts in early May in an epic 2 hour 40 minute plantout. Onions are ready to harvest when their tops have fallen over (sometimes they require a push) and they have started to brown. It is important to make sure onions are relatively dry when harvesting.

Onions bring out the best in people.. here’s Reiden harvesting our storage onions. The onion harvest was one of those rare tasks that was so large it really required all of us to make it happen at one point or another.

Our onions are harvested into carts and then transported to a greenhouse to be laid out to dry.

Here’s Taylor laying out onions in one of our greenhouses. Onions can be eaten fresh, aka without being dried, but they will keep much longer if dried out.

Our process here is pretty passive as we simply lay the onions and shallots out in greenhouses and let them dry over time, more active ventilation would speed up the drying process.

 Our onions and shallots will stay here for the next couple weeks as they continue to dry.

For now we continue to “harvest” sweet onions by simply picking out the right size onions from the greenhouse and trimming off the roots and tops. The storage onions and shallots will remain in the greenhouse until the tops are fully dry which is an indicator that the onion is getting dry and will be good for storage!

Tada!