This Week at Tierra Vegetables

2012-01-13T10:10:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone,

Hope you are enjoying the new year. I must admit I am enjoying this weather but at the same time know it just isn't right! It should be raining!

We are patiently waiting for that rain. Wayne irrigated the cover crop for the first time in 36 years! It is very hard for me to see the sprinklers on at this time of year since our own Mother Nature should be doing the watering for us. That being said, i am grateful that we have the irrigation system for certain.

The Tierra Vegetables Farm Stand is OPEN Thursdays and Fridays from 11 - 6 and Saturdays 10 - 4. We have a wide variety of produce for your culinary needs. Yesterday, Lee and Dominique slaked Hopi Blue Corn and made posole/ hominy corn. This is gorgeous and delicious. Slaked corn has been boiled in water with added culinary lime, then rinsed very well. In the process the skins come off and the corn releases its bound niacin, making it more digestible! It is great cooked up with onions and a bit of oil (or butter, or water), made into posole, added to beans and/ or rice, or just eaten right out of the bowl! Come check it out. I know our CSA members are getting some today and I am rather sure we will have some for all of you as well.

More stuff: Carrots, Beets, Celery Root, Parsnips, Rutabaga, Salsify (better hurry, JG), Sunchokes, Potatoes, Leeks, Onions, Garlic, Fennel, Celery, Cauliflower, a bit of Broccoli, a bit of Cabbage, lots of Italian Greens such as Endive, Escarole, Puntarelle and more, Chard, Kale varieties, Butternut Squash, Pie Pumpkin and a few Kabocha Squash, Brussels Sprouts, gorgeous Cilantro (great mixed with the corn), what else?????

Taste of Tierra, Smoked Onion and Chipotle Salts (great of the Popcorn - hey- we have Popcorn too!), Enchilada, Mole and Salsa Verde "kits", Dried and Smoked Chiles and Powders....

Corn Meals such as Hopi Blue, Oaxacan Green, Bloody Butcher and (hopefully, if it gets ground) the Black Peruvian, more than 20 varieties of Heirloom Dried Beans.

Remember you are welcome to walk out into the field and check out what's going on. Hope to see you ambling ( jogging? skipping?) out to the Farm Stand at the White Barn!

Farm Stand Open for the winter!

2012-01-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

Happy New Year! Hope you all enjoyed all the holiday cheer! We had a few days off to get caught up on a few projects. Now we are back and the Farm Stand will be OPEN three days a week all winter long.

The hours are THURSDAY AND FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4 for the next few months.

This weather, believe it or not, is not very conducive to growing. It has been too cold and dry. We are now irrigating which is unheard of in January! Wayne says he has never irrigated a winter cover crop in the 36 years he has been growing vegetables (starting in 1976 in Potter Valley). We hope it rains soon. If not, we will adjust.

In spite of the weather we have quite a variety of vegetables and of course the many extras such as Corn Meal, Hot Sauce, Dried Chiles and the Heirloom Dried Beans. Yesterday Lee ground up Black Corn (I think it's called Peruvian Black). It is gorgeous and ground up to a very fine flour. She says it will make great cookies. http://www.tierravegetables.com/CornMeal.htm

We will have it as some point this week once she gets it packaged up. Come check it out.

Here's most of what we have: Fresh Hominy Corn, Green, Red and at some point a bit (there's not much) Black Heirloom Corn Meal, almost 30 varieties of Heirloom Dried Beans such as Yellow Eye, Black Turtle, Hutterite and Tepary, Red and Blue Popcorn, Hot Sauces from mild to wild, Chile Jams, many varieties of Dried Chiles, Chipotles, Powders such as Harissa, Mole and Enchilada "Kits" Smoked Onion and Taste of Tierra Salts and lots more. Dried Tomatoes!

Fresh vegetables include Potatoes, Leeks, Onions, Garlic, Beets, Carrots, Rutabaga, Sunchokes, Celeriac, Salsify, Chard, Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli (not much), Cauliflower, many Chicories such as Pan di Zucchero, Castel Franco, Escarole and more, Fennel, Cilantro, what else???

Hope to see you all flocking into the Farm Stand at the White Barn! The weekly Raffle will continue so come on in and get a raffle ticket to win something fun!

OPEN THURSDAY AND FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4.

Thanks,

Evie

This Week at the Tierra Vegetables Farm

2011-11-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving. We were at my sister's (thanks again, Patsy) and had a great time! We had a little time off which was great. Now it's back to the farm!

The days are beautiful once the fog rolls away but it's soup weather in the evening! We're got all your ingredients from Celery to Cilantro/ Potatoes to Parsley Root! Leeks to Legumes! Garlic to Greens! Beets to Broccoli!

Hey, this is fun! Point is, we've got what you need for soups! Spices to Surprises!

Onions, Garlic, Potatoes, Leeks, Celeriac, Parsley Root, Sunchokes, Salsify, Beets, Carrots, Rutabaga, Brussels Sprouts, Romanesco, Chard, Kales of many varieties and colors, Celery, Fennel, Broccoli, Cauliflower Green Onions, lots of Italian Greens such as Caselfranco, Pan di Zucchero, Traveso and more! Winter Squash such as Butternut, Pie, Delicata and Spaghetti and ???

Great Gift Ideas such as Heirloom Dried Beans with Spices such as Smoked Onion Salt, Chipotle Salt and Powder, Espelette and other Chile Powders, the hard to find Nora chiles, yes, we have them! Heirloom Corn Meals in various colors and of course the Chile Jams, Hot Sauces and lots of Culinary Gifts!

Come on in! We were nicely busy the days before Thanksgiving and we really need to keep it that way! Local, local, local! We are so Local we are members of Go Local and if you have a Go Local Card you get $2 off purchases over $20! Here's the Go Local Link for other local business members. http://sonomacounty.golocal.coop/

We are still OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK! Tuesday - Friday 11 - 5:30 and Saturday 10 - 4!

Come on in and say, "hey!"

Thanks,

Evie

This Weekend at the Tierra Vegetables Farm

2011-11-18T07:18:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone,

Here I sit. I just checked the weather report and it says there's a 90% chance of rain. That means there's a 10% chance it won't rain! It's cloudy outside, but still early.

We shall see what the day/ weekend has in store weather-wise.

No matter what the weather, the Tierra Vegetables Farm Stand will be OPEN as usual. We have a huge variety of freshly picked vegetables and a growing one of processed goods with our produce! The Farm Stand in the Barn is cozy with the heater on and (I think) popcorn tastes for all!

Here's what we have: Lettuce, Italian Greens such as Pan di Zucchero, Traviso and many others, Rutabaga, Parsnips, Jerusalem Artichokes (Sunchokes) Parsley Root, Carrots, Beets, Celery Root, Onions, Shallots, Garlic, Fennel, Kohlrabi, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Romanesco, many Winter Squash varieties such as Butternut, Acorn, Delicata, Spaghetti and Kabocha, what else? Potatoes, Leeks, Kale(s), Swiss Chard, Salsify and maybe a couple of Puntarelle. Have I forgotten anything???? CELERY!

Some of the Heirloom Dried Beans include Petaluma Gold Rush, Black Turtle, Flageolets, three types of Tepary, Cranberry and more. These are getting cleaned up daily and we have more varieties all the time!

Chipotle Salt, Powders, Smoked Onions, Enchilada "kits" have returned!, the Heirloom Dried Corn Meal ready for your favorite recipes, Jams, Hot Sauces, the last of the PIckles. POPCORN!

We are open Tuesday - Friday 11 - 5:30 and Saturday 10 - 4. Hope to see you all!

Thanks for your continued support.

This Weekend at the Farm

2011-11-11T09:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, It's true, FREE BABY BEAR PUMPKIN for purchases of $20 or more! These are very efficient pumpkins. They are cute, they are delicious to eat, and they have "naked" seeds which means the seeds have no hull so are easily roasted and eaten! You can use the whole thing. There's no hurry in cutting into them either; they will last for months (you may have to dust them once in awhile!) Come on in! We have slowed downed immensely and it's lonely in the White Barn. Here's a little incentive.

More incentive: Join the Frequent Buyer Program if you haven't yet. It's FREE! You get a card, which we keep at the Farm Stand. Every time you spend $10 you get a punch. With 20 punches you get a 10% discount!

The Heirloom Dried Beans are being cleaned up and we have more varieties now at the Farm Stand. We have a few Mitla Black Tepary, lots of Swedish Brown, Santa Maria Piquinto, Petaluma Gold Rush, Cranberry, Alubias de Tolosa and more that I don't know yet. They are beautiful and cook up quickly since they are so fresh.

The end of the Fresh Shelling Beans is here if you want to try them before going on to the dried ones. We have the Black Coco and Cranberry! Here's what else: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kales of many varieties, Chard, Onions, Garlic, Shallots, many Italian Greens such as Pan di Zucchero, Traviso, and Castle Franco, and more, Fennel, Kohlrabi, Celery, Celery Root, Carrots, Beets, Parsnips, Potatoes, Parsley Root, Leeks, Salsify, Jerusalem Artichokes, Rutabaga? maybe, hmmmmmmm what else? BRUSSELS SPROUTS, LETTUCE, LOTS OF BUTTERNUT, ACORN, DELICATA and other Winter Squashes, sweet, tender Lettuce and is that all???

Here's a link for a delicious Butternut Squash Soup using our squash and chipotles: http://www.tierravegetables.com/recipes.html

Wait! There's More! Pickles that are crunchy and a little spicy, Dried Chiles, Chipotles, Powders and other Dried products such as the amazing Smoked Onions, Heirloom Corn Meal for biscuits,

polenta, bread, Chile Jams, Hot Sauces and I think that's all.

Tierra Vegetables Farm Stand is OPEN TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 - 5:30 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4.....RAIN OR SHINE!

Hope to see you.

Thanks,

Evie

2011-11-04T08:59:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

It's a beautiful, if chilly and frosty, morning here. I was afraid it was going to be raining so I'm happy to see it clear. We need the rain but since we still have some of the dried corn to get in, it's nice that it has held off a day or two. The crew has been busily cleaning up the Popcorn and Grain Corn the past few days to get it in before the wet weather begins. Yum Yum

Guess what? We have Tomatoes! I was shocked yesterday when I got to the Farm Stand and Pablo and crew walked in with four boxes of Red (and some Orange) Tomatoes! They're not pretty, but they taste great. This is it for the Tomatoes for sure. Come on in this weekend if you want a few more tastes before winter. I am planning on Tomato Soup with Marrowfat Beans for dinner tonight!

Marrowfats? Yes, we have some and also the Black Coco and Cranberry Beans. These fresh shelling beans are special in that they cook up quickly and are rich and creamy. The window to enjoy them is short. They will be replaced by the Dried Beans which we can enjoy all winter long.

On to the list: Tomatoes, Cabbage, Kale(s), Chard, Carrots, Beets, Fennel, Celeriac, Celery, Onions, Garlic, Shallots, Broccoli, a bit of Purple Cauliflower, Fresh Chiles of many varieties, Fresh Sweet Peppers such as Pimientos, Bells and lots more, Sweet Lettuce, Chicories such as Pan di Zucchero, Escarole and more, Summer Squash, Winter Squash (Pie Pumpkin, Red Kuri, Butternut, Delicata, etc), a few Eggplant, Potatoes, Leeks, more that I am forgetting.

Smoked Onions, new Season's Heirloom Dried Beans, Chipotle and other Chile Powders, Dried Chiles, Pickles, Sauerkraut, Chile Jams, Hot Sauces, Hopi Blue and Oaxacan Green Corn Meals and whatever surprises await all of us at the good ol' Farm Stand in the White Barn!

OPEN Tuesday - Friday 11 - 6 and Saturday 10 - 4! Come take a walk in the field, hang out in the White Barn and get some vegetables while you're at it!

Thanks to you all!

Evie

2011-09-30T08:33:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all having a good, no great, week! We are all busy as can be with harvest in full swing; not just harvest, we're also always thinking ahead and planting so we have food all year round. This past week we put more leeks in, transplanted the last batch of cabbage, broccoli, romanesco, cauliflower, seeded carrots, chicory (puntarelle, pan di zucchero, radicchio, etc---yum, yum). When I say, "we" I mean, Jesus and Pablo! We have to thank them so much for keeping on top of things!!! We're a team, that's for sure.

If it rains, that will really put a damper on Tomatoes and could cause problems with the dry Grain Corn. Let's hope it stays dry for the most part. We shall just have to wait and see. Those of you who are thinking about putting up Tomatoes had better get it done soon, however. The Tomatoes are winding down one way or another. We will be cooking some up this weekend and making more batches of Pesto as well. Time for Eggplant Parmesan too. It is so easy to freeze stuff. Just ask if you need help.

Okay, here's most of what we have: Tomatoes, Strawberries, Orange Flesh and Green Flesh Honeydew Melons and Watermelons, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Pickling Cucumbers, Lemon and Slicer Cucumbers, Potatoes of a few varieties, Garlic, Onions, Chard, Kale(s), Eggplant, Colorful Summer Squash (Zukes, Patty Pans), Kohlrabi, Fennel, Dill, what else??? gorgeous Chile Peppers and Sweet Peppers, Lettuce, Chicory, Green Beans, both Romano and Blue Lake, Huge Celery, Carrots, Beets, Fresh Christmas Limas! and some Green Onions, and a bit of Okra...

Wool products from Lee's Shetland Sheep, Heirlooms Corn Meal, Dried and Smoked Chiles and Powders, amazingly delicious PICKLES, Sauerkraut, Hot Sauce, Jams...

Speaking of Jams, Dominique and Lee just made a new batch of Farm Blend the other day so we should have that this weekend!

Reminder our OPEN HOUSE or BARN WARMING PARTY is October 9 from Noon to 5. Here's a link for a bit of more info: http://www.tierravegetables.com/Partyontheslab.html

Clover Stornetta has donated 30 pounds of cheese for the tacos!!! La Tortilla Factory donated tortillas the last time and I am pretty sure they will do so again (I just need to call today and ask them). We have a great community, that's for sure! Please, let's keep it local and support them!

OPEN TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4. 651 Airport Blvd, Santa Rosa

Come on in, see the White Barn, say, "hey" and get stuff to eat now and freeze up for the winter that is rapidly approaching!

Thanks,

Evie

2011-09-23T08:35:00.001-07:00

Fall is here! The bounty continues at the Tierra Vegetables Farm. We are bursting at the seams! Did you know that all Tomatoes, including Heirlooms are only $2.50/ pound? There is also a discount for non-heirloom Tomatoes when you buy five or more pounds and (if we have any) softish Tomatoes, they are hugely discounted. Please let me know if you want any in bulk and we can set you up! Watermelons are only 49 cents/ pound this weekend!!!! (while they last I guess)

Celery! We have lots and lots of Celery. It is dark green, very crunchy and bursting with flavor. Come crunch on a stalk before you buy! Please let me know if you know of any restaurant that may want some in bulk. Thanks.

We have lots of other stuff too: Heirloom Tomatoes, Roma, "Stripedy Italian" Romas, Regulars, Sungolds, so many varieties!, Strawberries, Orange Flesh Honeydew Melons, Cantaloupe variety Melons, Watermelons, Eggplants, Summer Squash, some Marrowfat Shell Beans, Yellow and Red Onions, Garlic, Sweet and other types of Basil, Pickling Cucumbers, Slicers, lots of varieties of Sweet Peppers and Chile Peppers, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Romano Green Beans, Chard, three or four Kale Varieties, Lettuce, Endive, Potatoes, Kohlrabi, Fennel, Okra if it gets picked, more and more!!!

Jams, Sauerkraut, Pickles, Hot Sauces, Dried and Smoked Chile products, Wool products including gorgeous Shetland Yarn.

Talk about Diversity!

I am so proud of our farmers! We have such beautiful variety, so packed with flavor and nutrition! Come on out and see and taste! We love to have you out in the field, taking pictures, showing the children where their food comes from! Go to the second floor of the White Barn and you can see the field in its splendor....

Speaking of which: The White Barn "Barn Warming Party" is set for October 9 from noon to 5. We are hoping that you can come out and help us welcome the White Barn to the Tierra Vegetables Farm. We will have games, hay ride tours, tacos available for $10/ plate, hopefully music. It is also Wayne and Lee's Dad's 90th Birthday celebration!

Farm Stand at the White Barn is OPEN TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4! 651 Airport Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA

On a more personal note: As many of you know, I am training for the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon on October 16 in San Francisco. I am training hard with the Leukemia/ Lymphoma Team in Training and raising money for cancer research. If you care to read more here is a link to my fundraising page: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf11/etruxaw

Thank you for all the support you give us at Tierra Vegetables. We are here thanks to all of you.

Thanks again,

Evie

2011-09-09T08:19:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Hope you are all having a good week. It sure feels like summer is rapidly coming to an end, doesn't it? Hope not too soon. The Melons are just starting up!

We are happy to have the Farm Stand at the White Barn. We are slowly getting organized. When you come out, feel free to drive out; just drive very slowly and watch out for dogs, children and grown ups too! We will have a more proper parking lot at some point but have other priories first; such as getting in the harvest.

Speaking of harvest, we've got so much stuff right now. Some I would urge you to come and get soon, such as the Fresh Shelling Beans. We have three varieties: Marrowfat, Black Coco and Cranberry. All three are spectacular. You can cook them separately or together for a beautiful dish. Last night we had the Black Coco mixed with the Marrowfat. I cooked them with sauteed onion/ garlic/chile for about 20 minutes and they were done. While cooking I added chopped squash and kale. Not only delicious but beautiful. I may have a sample at the Farm Stand today.

Here's most of what else we have: Strawberries, Heirloom Tomatoes, Red and Sungold Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, a bit of Lettuce, Kale, Chard, Sweet Red Onions, Garlic, Carrots including the huge Chantenay which are great for juicing, a few Beets, the three varieties of Shell Beans, Cucumbers, Lemon, Slicers and Armenian, Summer Squash varieties, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, lots of Chiles and Sweet Peppers (glorious), a few Melons, Asian Greens, a few Bartlett Pears, Potatoes, lots of Sweet Corn (last batch of the season, a great one to freeze), Fennel, Eggplants, Padrones Peppers and ???????

Fresh PIckles, Sauerkraut, a new batch of Fresh Salsa, Hot Sauces, Dried/ Smoked Chiles, Dried Beans, Onions, Powders and more!!!

Do you paint? Come out and paint the barn, the garden, the field!

Hope to see you all at the good ol' Farmstand! Look for the White Barn. It is so happy to have been saved!!!

OPEN TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4

Thanks,

Evie

2011-08-26T08:39:00.001-07:00

Hello all,

The weekend is here again! We are one week away from the Taco Night at Tierra Vegetables! Meanwhile, we have moved our CSA to the White Barn and are planning on moving the Farm Stand out there this Saturday!!! Let's see if that happens! It is so cool in the White Barn in every way.

Meanwhile, the Tierra Farm Stand is bursting at the seams with produce. Here's most of what we have (there are usually some surprises): Tomatoes, Heirloom Tomatoes, Sungolds, Strawberries, Lettuce, Cabbage, Chard, Broccoli, Kale, Carrots, Beets, Eggplant, Summer Squash of many colors and shapes, Blue, Yukon Gold, Red and Russet Potatoes, Basil, Cilantro, Tomatillos, Chiles including Padrones, Poblano, Anaheim, Inferno, Sweet Peppers including Gypsy (ask me what happens if you eat too many of these!), Carmen, the Shelling Beans: Marrowfat, Black Coco, and some Cranberry, Cucumbers including LEMON CUCUMBERS ANDA GORGEOUS PICKLERS, Dill, Sweet, Sweet Red Onions, Garlic, and what??? for what I may have forgotten you can go to: http://www.tierravegetables.com/farmstand.htm

Amazingly delicious PIckles, Sauerkraut, Hot Sauces, Chile Jams, Heirloom Corn Meal, the end of the Dried Beans, Parching Corn for all you athletes (and everyone, really), Dried and Smoked Chiles and Powders, Smoked Onions, Onion Salt.......

Taco Night is September 2 from 4:30 - 7:30. All you can eat Tacos to benefit the Rebuilding the White Barn project. We will have Roasted Chiles, Peppers, Grilled Vegetables, Cheese courtesy of Clover- Stornetta, and other goodies to make your own Tacos! We will also have dessert. Adults are $25 and children under 10 are $10.

Hope to see you all this weekend!

Thanks,

Evie

This Week at the Farm

2011-08-22T19:32:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Hope you are all doing fine. We are getting ready for a busy week ahead at the good ol' Tierra Vegetable Farm Stand.* We are finally bursting at the seams with lots of stuff for your dining enjoyment! You know, it is so easy to cook a great meal when the vegetables are freshly picked. You don't need to do much to them. They speak for themselves. Just throw them all together in a saute pan and you've got dinner! So beautiful with all the colors and flavors. Remember a chile to zip it all up!

Speaking of which, here's what we have for this week. I am sure I am forgetting something so you can check out the website www.tierravegetables.com and, hopefully, it will be listed there on the Farm Stand page. Here's what we have: Heirloom Tomatoes, Red Tomatoes, Romas including some heirloom Romas, Sungold "farm candy" Tomatoes, Lettuce, Cabbage, Broccoli, Strawberries, Gravenstein Apples, Eggplant, Cucumbers including a few Lemon Cucumbers, Summer Squash including Zucchini, Patty Pans and more, Chard, Kale, Fresh Shelling Beans: Black Coco, Marrowfat and Cranberry (yum), Sweet Red Onions, Garlic, Sweet Basil (and other Basils), Dill, Cilantro, Amazing Chiles and Sweet Peppers, Freshly Dug Red, Yukon Gold and Russet Potatoes, Tomatillos**, Padrones Chile Peppers, Carrots, Beets, Chard.

*WAYNE JUST TOLD ME THAT THE PUMP IS BROKEN, SO THERE IS NO WATER AT THE FARM TOMORROW. ALL CARROTS, BEETS, ETC WILL BE DIRTY AS THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO BE WASHED. WE ARE HOPING THAT IT WILL BE FIXED WITH IN A DAY OR WE ARE IN REAL TROUBLE.

Back to the list: Heirloom Dried Cornmeal, Dried Beans, Sauerkraut, Pickles, Hot Sauces, Dried and Smoked Chiles and Powders, Smoked Onions, Onion Salt and lots more.

So much from one small farm. I am in awe of our farmers, I really am..........

Taco Night reminder: All you can eat Tacos to benefit the White Barn. Friday, Sept 2 from 4: 30 - 7:30. Lots of fun. We may have a guitarist to entertain! White Barn will be open for all to go inside and check it out if you haven't yet.

We are OPEN TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4

(**Easy Tomatillo Salsa: Take "papers' off tomatillos. Put in oven with a few slices onion, a garlic or two, a chile or two. Roast at about 375 until soft; not very long. Put in blender. Add cilantro/ salt/ pepper to taste. Enjoy.)

Thanks,

Evie

This Weekend at the Farm

2011-08-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

Summer has arrived at the Tierra Vegetables Farm Stand!!! She was held up for awhile and is (we hope) planning on staying for a few more months! The Farm Stand is bursting with summer time goodness. There's so much variety you may have to look around the corner to find something you're looking for. From Apples (yes we have a few Gravensteins) to Zucchini, we have such a diverse array of produce. Everything grown right there behind the Farm Stand!

Here's what's what: Strawberries, Tomatoes including Red, Heirloom, Sungolds, Cucumbers including Slicers, Picklers and an Armenian or two or three (or more?), Colorful Summer Squash (yellow, light green, dark green), Sweet Lettuce, Chard, Dino Kale, Sweet Red Onions, Cabbage, Garlic, Eggplant, Sweet Peppers including Gypsy and Banana, Chile Peppers including Poblano, Anaheim, Inferno and the rest of the gang. Did I mention the Fresh Shell Beans? We have Cranberry, Black Coco and the Marrowfat. They are all there so you can come compare (limited supply of Marrowfat for another week or so), Broccoli, Carrots, Beets, Freshly Dug Yukon, Red and Russet Potatoes, Cilantro, Dill, Basil, Sweet, Sweet Corn, did I mention Padron Chile Peppers? These are the little peppers that are either very hot or very not. You saute them whole in a little oil until blistered (just a few minutes), then put on plate (if they get that far) with a bit of coarse salt. Take turns eating them and see who gets the HOT one(s). So fun. Lee takes most of them to the San Francisco market so if you need a bunch on Saturday, let me know and we'll make sure we save them for you. We'll have plenty on Friday.

Okay, onward; we have the Heirloom Cornmeal, some Dried Beans, freshly made Sauerkraut and Pickles, FRESH SALSA, Hot Sauces, Dried and Smoked Chiles/ Powders and Chile Jams. My apologies to whatever I am forgetting.

Not to forget the Taco Night at Tierra Vegetables: September 2 from 4:30 - 7:30. All you can eat chile/ vegetable/ cheese tacos to benefit the White Barn Project. We will have Kombucha from Revive Drinks, and you can bring your own beverages of course. We will also have dessert. Cost is $25 for adults and $10 for children under 10. ALL proceeds to the BARN FUND.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend. The Farm Stand is OPEN TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4.

Hope to see lots of you traipsing out to check out the glorious White Barn that was meant to be moved to the spot it's at!

2011-08-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

What are Black Coco Shell Beans you may ask? Well, let me tell you! They are an amazing fresh shell bean that we have for the second year. Last year we grew them mostly for a dried bean. This year we have them FRESH and they are beyond DELICIOUS!!

For those of you familiar with the Marrowfat beans, these are similar in texture and size. They are large and beautifully black, almost purple when you look at them in the sun. Lee says they turned blue in the sun at San Francisco the other day. They are as delicious as they are beautiful. All by themselves, they make a wonderful side dish or a meal. Teamed up with the Cranberry Beans, which we also have now, they would make a gorgeous bean salad. Please come check them out.

I cooked them up on Sunday with some onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, summer squash and corn off the cob. We stuffed them into Poblano and Anaheim chiles = ooh, lah lah! They cook up quickly, in 15 - 20 minutes or so and are so versatile: eat them with just a touch of salt, with other vegetables in a soup/ stew, in pasta flagioli, stuffed into roasted chiles, and on and on...

Speaking of ooh, lah lah, we have Sweet Yellow Corn (Golden Nugget), Lettuce, Carrots, Beets, Cranberry Shell Beans, Strawberries, Red and some Black Tomatoes, Sungold Tomatoes, Arugula, Cilantro, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Slicing Cucumbers, New Red and Yukon Gold Potatoes, Summer Squash, Dill, Basil, what else?? Sweet Peppers such as Gypsy, Banana and Carmen and and Chile Peppers such as Padrones, Poblanos, Infernos, Serrano, Jalapeno, Eggplant I am pretty sure, and what I will remember after I get this out.

More: New, colorful Hot Sauces, Chile Jams, the remaining Heirloom Dried Beans, Heirloom Corn Meal, Sauerkraut, Pickles, Dried and Smoked Chiles and hopefully a new batch of the very popular Smoked Onions. (I won't know about them until I get there later on today).

Reminder All You Can Eat Taco Night on September 2 to benefit the White Barn Rebuilding project! It will be right there at the Barn and will be tons of fun. Please let us know if you think you may attend. Cost is only $25 for adults and $10 for children under 10.

meanwhile, the Farm Stand is OPEN TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4 Come on in and get some stuff, go check out the vegetables in the field and go see the White Barn. It definitely belongs where it is.

Thanks,

Evie

2011-08-12T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Yes, we have Sweet Corn and Fresh Cranberry Shell Beans. They may be picking the Fresh Black Cocos today as well!!!! As Wayne said last night (while we were eating our leftover Shell Bean Stew as burritos), "The Cranberries are really good, the Black Cocos are even better and the Marrowfats are the best." Come on in and try each one as they mature and see what you think for yourself!

For those of you who don't know, the Fresh Shell Beans are dried beans that are not yet totally dry. Certain varieties are good in three ways, as green beans, fresh shell beans and later as dried beans. We usually start harvesting them in their shell bean stage. You need to take them out of the pods (which is quick and easy) then add to sauteed onion/ garlic with a bit of water and simmer until tender, which usually is 15 - 20 minutes. I added extra stuff the other night: Sumer Squash, Inferno Chile, Fresh Tomatoes, Sweet Corn off the cob and Cilantro. It kind of grew as I looked around the kitchen! Simple, elegant. Come check them out!

What else? Sweet Lettuce, Strawberries, a few Apples, Kale, Chard, Carrots, Beets, Green and Yellow Fresh Beans, Red Onions, Garlic, New Red and Yukon Gold Potatoes, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage, Green Onions, Cilantro, Beautiful Basil thanks to Justin and his pruning, Lots of Red, Ripe Tomatoes, Sungold Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers and Chiles including the Padrones, Infernos, Poblanos, Anaheim (my home town) and many more, Baby-ish Summer Squash, hopefully some Eggplant, Cucumbers (really loving them this year for some reason), Dill, Arugula, Asian Greens and ............did I mention the Sweet Corn?

lots of new Hot Sauces including one bottle of Padron left, the Chile Jams, Heirloom Corn Meal, Dried Beans, Sauerkraut, Pickles and I think that's it.........

OPEN TUESDAY - FRIDAY 11 - 6 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4

REMEMBER TACO NIGHT ON SEPTEMBER 2. All you can eat Tacos to benefit the White Barn Rebuilding Project! Speaking of White Barn, the Farm Stand will be moving soon!

That's it. I'm off to the swim I hope (it's a cross training day for the 1/2 Marathon training I'm doing) http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/nikesf11/etruxaw

Hope to see you this weekend at the Farm Stand.

Thanks everyone for all your great support.

Evie

to be taken off this list, pls reply to evie@tierravegetables.com and ask to be taken off

2011-08-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Yes, it's Salsa Time! Turn on the music and make a few batches of your favorite Salsa! Dance along while you're at it! We've got the Chiles, from mild to Wild, including the popular Padrones! Among many others we have Gypsies and Banana (sweet). (yes, Lisa, we now have Bananas!!!), and (hots) Beaver Dam, Anaheim (my home town), Poblano, Inferno and other HOTS! It's so easy to make a fresh salsa: Tomatoes, Chiles (sweet or hot), Onion, Garlic and Cilantro if you like. We've got all these ingredients today and tomorrow and for awhile now!! Tomatillos too if you want to make a Green Salsa. I can tell you how.

What else? Strawberries are back to their luscious state. They had a bit of a few hard weeks and now seem to be ready to supply all of us for the next few months, Carrots, Beets, Asian Greens, Arugula, Lettuce, Chard, Red Onions, Garlic, Tomatoes including Sungolds, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Tomatillos, Walnuts, Rhubarb, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Zucchinis, Sweet Basil and other Basils, Cilantro, New Red and Yukon Gold Potatoes, Cucumbers and ???? I think that's it.

Roast up a few chiles, make a salsa, heat a few tortillas, add a bit of cheese and the roasted chiles to the tortillas, salsa, more tomatoes, lettuce = simple dinner.

We have Eggs

New Hot Sauces including a Roasted Padron, Dried and Smoked Chiles and Powders, Heirloom Cornmeal, Dried Beans, Chile Jams, Sauerkraut, Pickles...

Should be a beautiful weekend so come on in and check out YOUR LOCAL VEGETABLE FARM!

We have saved a beautiful White Barn that was doomed for destruction. Please come check it out! It is glorious.

We are OPEN Tuesday - Friday 11 - 6 and Saturday 10 - 4

Thanks to all of you,

Evie

2009-12-15T08:16:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Is it going to rain??? We'll find out shortly. We'll be at the Farm Stand, rain or shine. May not have any shine today; the old wait and see...

Winter mode has descended on us at the farm: the fields look barren near the farm stand but there is lots of food out back, on the other side of the "creek". If you want to see, come on and take a little walk, it's not too far, and see what's out there.

Meanwhile, what's fresh at the Farm Stand is the following: Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Fennel, Leeks, Potatoes, Kales, Chard, Carrots, Beets, Parsnips, Rutabaga, Sunchokes, Celeriac, Salsify, Pan di Zucchero, Puntarelle (so delicious), Radicchio, Red Cabbage, Lettuce, Spinach, Shallots, Onions. Am I forgetting anything???? Winter Squash!!!! I almost forgot: Butternut, Delicata, Spaghetti, Pumpkin.

Gift ideas: Heirloom Dried Beans, Chile Jams, gorgeous Hot Sauces of many heats, colors, varieties, Chile and Chipotle Powder, Chiles, Chile "kits", Sauerkraut, T-Shirts!, Honey from the field.

Clothes Drive: We will be giving the warm clothes to the Homeless Emergency Shelter in Guerneville. I got an e-mail from the director minutes after the announcement that we were collecting stuff. They are in great need and are rather a "forgotten" shelter. They need warm clothes most large sizes, and also panchos, socks, layering clothes, etc. Bring whatever you may have to the farm and we'll make sure it gets to the shelter. Thanks.

OPEN TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY FROM 11 - 5:30 AND SATURDAY 10 - 4. 651 AIRPORT BLVD, SANTA ROSA.

There's a nice, easy, comforting recipe below if you want to check it out too.

Thanks,

Evie

Colcannon

from The Victory Garden Cookbook

1 lb kale (more or less)** 1 1/2 lbs potatoes

8 Tbsp butter 1 cup finely chopped leeks

Salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 - 3/4 cup light cream, milk or combination of both

Wash, trim and blanch kale. Drain, gently squeeze out water and chop finely. Set aside. Peel potatoes, boil in salted water.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp of the butter in a frying pan and gently stew the leeks until tender, 5 - 10 minutes. Add the chopped kale and saute over high heat, stirring to evaporated excess moisture.. Turn the heat to low, add 2 Tbsp butter and slowly cook the leeks and kale for 5 - 10 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a small frying pan, brown the onions in the remaining butter. When the potatoes are tender, drain and mash them. Whip in the kale and leek mixture and 1 tsp salt. Heat cream or milk and gradually beat in until mixture is smooth, creamy, yet firm. Season with salt and pepper. Reheat, if necessary and mound in a hot dish. Make a depression in the center and pour the browned onions and butter in the well until they spill over the side.

Note: If you want to cut down on butter simmer the leeks in milk until soft and cook onions in less butter.

** All amounts are more or less

to be taken off this list pls reply to evie@tierravegetables.com and ask to be taken off.

14 Baby Chicks!!!!

2008-04-24T14:57:00.000-07:00

We knew the hen was sitting on a bunch of eggs near our compost pile as she almost got her head chopped off by the weed eater a few weeks ago. Had Mario not been so vigilant and seen her sitting, motionless, under a patch of weeds he could have whacked her. Instead he fixed up her area and we all have been waiting and wondering when she would proudly show up with her young chicks.

Well, yesterday was the day. I went out to check and there they all were. I couldn't count all the chicks but today I did and it looks like there are 14 of them!!!! How in the world will she be able to cover that many chicks when they start to get bigger? We'll find out. She's a fierce mother, having tried to attack me yesterday when I put some baby chick food out in front of her brood. Today they are all safe in our little baby chick area; safe from hawks for the time being.

In the general gloominess of the bad weather and the growing season getting off to a very slow start, it's hopeful to see the new brood. At the same time we hope we don't have another hidden nest of 14 more somewhere in the yard!!!

Sick of the Cold/ Freezing Weather

2008-04-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

I have to get used to this blogging. It's been more than a month since my blogging debut!

I am so sick of this cold, freezing weather. Up until today, we had been awakened almost daily at around 3AM by the wind machines that surround our house. That doesn't bother me; I can go right back to sleep. It's the thought of all of our beautiful fruits and vegetables being subject to this weather. We should have had strawberries weeks ago but still are waiting for the great onslaught of rich, ripe fruit.

Up until the tomatoes and summer squash were planted last week, the susceptible fruits and vegetables: the baby berries and asparagus tips kept freezing. This was a loss we could take as it wasn't worth the cost of putting the sprinklers on and we knew they would eventually come back when the weather improved. Last week the tomatoes and summer squash had to be transplanted and so, with the freezing temperatures, Wayne has been getting up at 3AM to go to the field, turn on the sprinklers and protect the baby plants. It seems to have worked.

Here's a picture of a small tomato plant with ice crystals on it.

2008-03-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

Here I am...My first blog. I've been told by many people that I should be blogging my weekly farm news so that's why I am doing this. It may turn into a daily thing depending on the time involved.

We will all pitch in...and I'll get some pictures in, once I learn how to do that, so we can show all of you who can't get out to the farm what's going on. We may even get a web-cam!!

Modern!

So, today my bee partner and friend, Lisa, and I went and got more equipment for our bees. We only have one surviving hive, having lost two over the winter. We're not sure what happened: maybe colony collapse syndrome which has affected so many bees or maybe they got too cold or maybe they didn't have enough food to get through the winter. We're just finishing our first year, so we're learning. We're hoping our surviving colony is strong enough to eventually divide.

We're going to check on them tomorrow if the weather cooperates. I'll post the results.

Meanwhile over at the field, the strawberries look gorgeous. They are all weeded and there are lots of flowers. We're hoping to have berries within the next few weeks.

We have asparagus for the weekend. Of course I'll give a complete list before Friday.

I'm signing off for now.