Italian Seeds

We feel the need to give a huge shout out to Bill McKay from Franchi Seeds for participating in our 2nd (now maybe Annual?) Gardening Workshop & Seed Exchange. The event, held last month at the beautiful Arnold Arboretum, was a sold-out success, thanks in no small part to Bill's expertise & enthusiasm.

For those of you that missed out on the workshop, or are interested in getting some of his amazing Italian varietal seeds, see his website.

Not only can you purchase the seeds, but you can also learn how to grow them and even get tips on how to prepare the 'fruits' of your labor in the kitchen!

The Bird People have Pork!

Jen, of Pete and Jen's Backyard Birds, sent through an email the other day reminding us that they have expanded their menagerie of animals on the farm. In addition to the birds (of course) they are now also raising rabbits, sheep, and yes, pigs!

If you happened to feel inspired after tasting the wonderful pork dishes at the Hungry Mother dinner last week (or find yourself so after attending Cochon 555 this Sunday) they happen to have some pork available in the freezer in Concord.

Some of the meat is from Tamworths and some from Gloucester Old Spot crosses, and according to Jen they "...have amazing 3-4lb roasts that will knock your socks off!"

Check out the website for more information on what they have to offer.

Hmmm... Italy as a belated Valentine's Gift?

Did you not quite live up to what was expected on Valentine's Day? Redeem yourself with a trip to Italy! Red wine, tuscan sun, fabulous food - what could be better?

La Dolce Vita Wine Tours is offering $400 off the following three upcoming tours: (plus you lock in the price at the current exchange rate of $1.27 per Euro, versus last year's astronomical highs!)

TUSCAN WINE TREASURES
May 18-23
An ideal Italian-wine primer in Tuscany's three most historic wine zones: Chianti Classico, Montalcino, and Montepulciano.

VENICE TO AMARONE
July 13-17 & September 21-25
Visit the enchanting and elegant northern cities of Venice, Verona and Padua. Explore the many faces of Valpolicella wine, including cult-status Amarone.

DISCOVER SICILY
September 7-12
Italy's most ancient wine zone is undergoing a metamorphosis. Meet Sicily's pioneering winemakers, and enjoy the island's cultural and culinary riches.


Limited-time offer. Direct sales only; no travel agents.
Call for details (888-746-0022) or email info@dolcetours.com

Local Microgreens!

A small farm in Exeter Rhode Island growing the most incredible BEAUTIFUL microgreens. And they're finally available in our area!

Thanks to Farming Turtles (Why the name? It's all about Myrtle) and the Whole Foods on River Street in Cambridge we can have those greens on our table tonight.

Check them out - they even offer pet salads and edible centerpieces!

Flea's Wine Recommendations

I just received the tasting list from last week French Wine Evening with Felisha "Flea" Foster at Dave's Fresh Pasta. You can find the list (a Word file) on our website here. My personal favorites were the Alain Normand La Roche-Vineuse Chardonnay (this wine was never allowed to even hear the word "oak" much less forced to bathe in it for months), the Clos Roche Blanche Gamay and the Maréchal Cuvée Gravel Pinot Noir which, to my mind, tasted thin when we first tried it but was just plain amazing with food--it took the flavors of this duck and porcini ravioli and somehow amplified them. Really amplified them. It was crazy. And I wasn't alone in my assessment. The folks at the tasting cleaned out every last bottle of the Pinot before they left (thankfully Flea has re-stocked--I know 'cause I just bought some yesterday). You can pick up all of these wines at Dave's.

Flea was also kind enough to forward us a list (also in Word) of her favorite importers by country. You can find this list also on our website.

Winter CSA's!

HEAVEN'S HARVEST FARMS in New Braintree and ENTERPRISE FARMS in Whately have both created partnerships with farms down south that are able to grow throughout the winter in order to offer us up here in (brrrr) cold New England some freshies throughout the season... Check out their websites for more info.

Here's to keeping ourselves fed!

Allandale Farm starts up a CSA...

John Lee, of Allandale Farm, as sent along this update on their plans to offer a CSA this year. Check it out!

"In 2009 Allandale Farm will open its own CSA. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a term used to describe an alternative marketing method for agricultural entrepreneurs and those consumers who appreciate truly fresh produce and the need to support their local farm(er)s. There are many different types of CSAs but essentially all of the models involve ‘selling’ shares of the anticipated harvest to local consumers who agree to pick up an amount of fresh produce every week for a specified number of weeks during the harvest season.

The Allandale model will be somewhat different from other CSAs in MA. We will not require a work commitment from shareholders. Nor will we be able to offer a pick-your-own option. We will, however, offer occasional premiums on fresh produce (such as tomatoes or cut flowers) from time to time as the season progresses and as surpluses become available. (For instance, there might be a canning tomato special for CSA members.)

THE PLAN
The initial offering will be 150 shares at $600. Half shares will be available at $350. A share will consist of approximately one bushel of fresh produce each week during the season. The shares will be assembled by the farm staff and we will try to give each share a good distribution of whatever is being picked that week. Pick-up days will be Tuesday and Thursday starting May 26th and running for twenty weeks until October 13th. You must pick up your share between 10AM and 4PM. After that we will donate any uncollected shares to a local food shelter. Not all of the shares each week will necessarily have the same contents. You may not negotiate the contents of your share – it is what it is. No substitutions, please.

Please purchase your share(s) before March 15th so that the farm manager may plan for the summer. Your share will include periodic recipes and newsletter which will also be attached to the farm website.

Pick-ups will be made at the cash registers in the farmstand. Please give the cashier your name and our staff will get your share for you. We will be able, that way, to know who has picked up each week. Please bring your re-usable container with you each week so that we can have it for the following week’s pick-up.

It is expected that this will be an interactive relationship between the share-holders and the farm. We will be very interested in what you would like to see in you shares and we will be growing new varieties for you to test.

If you have questions or would like to join this exciting fresh food opportunity, please email John at allandalefarm@verizon.net. Shares will be limited this year to the first 150 subscribers. Your food has never been so fresh!"

Sign up for 2009 CSA's Right Now!

I know it's cold and the ground is frozen and things like heirloom tomatoes and fresh nectarines seem sooooo far away. But don't let that all stop you!

Now is the time to be thinking about summer shares for 2009 -- CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) are a great way for farmers to get an influx of cash during the winter, when they need it to buy seeds and to do any updating around the farm before planting season. AND they are a perfect way to be sure that you & your family get a summer full of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables (and even meat or seafood!).

Given the current economy, eating seasonally & locally and doing your best to buy directly from the growers and producers will absolutely help keep your eating costs down. What a great holiday gift to you, your spouse, your kids -- or even other loved ones who might not think of doing something like this!

We have a list of local CSA's in .pdf format available - send WILLOW an email if you'd like it forwarded to you. Alternatively, check out these resources:
Local Harvest
Boston Localvores
Farm Fresh

Squash update

In regards to my earlier post about Ark of Taste variety squash from local sources, a quick update:

Turns out that Allandale has sent all of their Boston Marrow Squash on to Russo's, in Watertown, so you'll need to head there, if you'd like some.

On the other hand, JOhn & co at Allandale DO have the Sibley, so buy up! According to our reearch, if kept in a cool, dry place, it will keep until January. Load up now and you're all set for Thanksgiving AND Christmas - soup, pie, mashed, baked, stuffed... The possibilities are endless.

Ark Variety Apple - the 'WEALTHY'

Kimball Farm is picking their now incredibly ripe heirloom Wealthy apples. We had a few of these at the Ark event last month, but they were still a bit 'green' and pretty tart -- but with an extra few weeks on the tree, they are ready to go now!

Carl at Kimball says that he doesn't usually send them to the Farmers Markets because he has such a small quantity, but if you're interested in them, call him: 978-433-9751. He will bag up your requested amount and send them along to the market that's most convenient for you to pick up from. They attend a wide variety of the local markets - check out the SCHEDULE.

John Bunker, an apple 'expert' and author of books on the subject describes the Wealthy with these words: "With its perfect texture and complex flavors, Wealthy is considered to be one of the best apples... Tender, very juicy and sweet... Good eating and even better cooking. Wonderful pies!"

Can't get much more of a rave review than that, can you?

Ark Squash Available NOW!!

For those interested in local foods listed on the Slow Food Ark of Taste -- Allandale Farm in Brookline has two kinds of heirloom winter squashes available for purchase!!

The two they have are Boston Marrow and Sibley. This is your only opportunity (that we know of) to get them locally. The Sibleys will keep for a while if you have a cool dry place, but the Boston Marrows will need to be used a bit sooner. A great excuse to make up the first of some warming fall dishes!

More information about the two varieties can be found on the Slow Food USA website:
SIBLEY
BOSTON MARROW

Directions to Allandale Farm and their wonderful farmstand can be found HERE.

CSA opportunity - from the sea!

In this month's Gourmet magazine, they are reporting on a whole new way to think of Community Supported Agriculture. Instead of just supporting your local produce farmer (and maybe a bread baker or meat producer) you can now go even one step further...right into the ocean!

They call themselves Community Supported Fisheries and according to Gourmet, "...have popped up around the country, from Alaska to North Carolina."

Specifically, they describe a Maine-based organization, called Catch a Piece of Maine where you can 'buy' a lobster trap for a season. An investment of $2,995 gets you minimum of 40 lobsters a year shipped overnight anywhere in the country.

Hey - if you love the crustaceans, and want to support our New England lobstermen it's a pretty good deal! 10% of the profits also go to the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

www.catchapieceofmaine.com

Eva's Garden cottage for rent again!

Eva Sommaripa has a wonderful organic herb farm in South Dartmouth, MA... which just happens to have a small cottage smack in the middle of it. If you're looking to get away from the hustle & bustle of the city, this is an amazing opportunity to visit the local area farms and wineries, take long walks down rural roads or even get your hands dirty helping Eva out in the garden!

The cottage has one double & two single beds and one bathroom, as well as a fully outfitted kitchen and wood-burning stove if the nights turn chilly. It is $600 per week in May & June and $800 during July & August.

Contact Eva for more information or to make a reservation: evasgarden@comcast.net

Ecuador...Galapagos...Chocolate???!!??

Carol Madsen from the Alliance for Cultural & Economic Exchange has alerted us to a fantastic 'Chocolate Journey' that they are planning for June. So in case you haven't planned your summer travel plans yet, and those chocolate cravings are overwhelming, this is a fabulous opportunity.

The trip through the highlands and rainforest of Ecuador is planned June 5th through the 17th with the option of an extension to the Galapagos Islands.

Contact them and find more information here:
Alliance for Cultural & Economic Exchange,
www.alliancexchange.org
617-628-9297

Veg Cooking Class with one of our Favorite Chefs!

The Boston Vegetarian Society is hosting a series of cooking classes with Didi Emmons, who has worked with us in the past at events we've held at Haley House.

Next class is this Saturday, March 29th, and there will be another one held the end of April. Description of the upcoming class is below. See their website for more information and to register: http://www.bostonveg.org/

Vegan Cooking Class with Veg Cookbook Author Didi Emmons
This is the second in our series of cooking classes with acclaimed Chef Didi! "Spring is for Spring Rolls" is our theme. Learn to play with fresh herbs and inventive ingredients to create spring rolls such as Sweet Potato Tempeh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce and Banana Palm Sugar Spring Rolls. Pre-payment required