Thanksgiving at the Farm: All is Safely Gathered In

Once again, we pause to give thanks. We give thanks for the good times and the blessings, and if we are really brave and honest, we give thanks for the tough times, and consider what it taught us, and how it helped us grow.  

It’s the same at Restoration Farm.  Some things thrive and some things struggle, but we give thanks for it all. As Thanksgiving 2014 approaches, we gather again at the farm to share the final bounty of the season – root vegetables, Long Island Cheese pumpkins, winter squash, potatoes, stunning heads of broccoli and whimsical Brussels sprouts that look like sleigh bells.

Head grower Caroline Fanning talks about the unpredictability of the weather, and the cold snap that has gripped Long Island.  

“I thought we’d have beautiful lettuce for the members, but it didn’t make it,” she says. “The water was turning to ice on the ground as I washed the carrots.” 

Nothing is guaranteed.  We can only soldier on, hope for the best, and celebrate and be grateful for what we have.  

Members stream in for their Thanksgiving produce. The Tin House pulses with a sense of excitement at the bounty spread before us. 

The fields of Restoration Farm will take a brief respite, but even as they anticipate slumber, they are drenched in rich, emotional colors. It is a fiery, final celebration of the season that was. 

And, even still, things grow. As I walk in the fields, Glenn Aldridge pulls the truck to a stop in front of me and opens the passenger door.

“I have sage,” he says with excitement.  He passes me a handful of fragrant, slender leaves from a basket on the car seat, which I stuff in my coat pocket.  It smells like Thanksgiving dinner. 

At Apple Trace, the heirloom apple trees planted in memory of my dad Jim are shedding their leaves, but they grew extensively this season.  Some tower over me by three or four feet.  He would be amazed at how these trees have grown. 

I revel in the crisp beauty of it all for just a little longer, think about what germinated, blossomed and was harvested since that frigid New Year’s Day when we sat around the table selecting seeds, and wonder about the season that is yet to come. 

©2014 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved

A Bevy of Beautiful Brussels Sprouts

Before we conclude Thanksgiving 2013, let us take a moment to recognize a petite powerhouse of the holiday table – Brussels sprouts.

Both adored and reviled, the one thing Brussels sprouts will never evoke is indifference. The little cabbage-like buds may have once been cultivated in ancient Rome. While the rich, earthy, complex flavor is often too strong for a young palate, many adults become die-hard fans.  

Regardless of how you feel about the taste, at the CSA, just harvested Brussels sprouts are a showstopper.  My mom describes the stalks as resembling musical sleigh bells. At Restoration Farm, Brussels sprouts are a “micro crop.” They take up quite a bit of valuable land, so a smaller patch is planted later in the season and made available at the annual Thanksgiving distribution for members who have renewed for the upcoming season.  

The mountains of sprouts at the Thanksgiving distribution inspired awe, admiration and delight from members. 

The little buds snapped easily off the stem, and were tender and sweet – a lovely treat to complete the 2013 growing season.  

One of my favorite recipes for Brussels sprouts comes from chef Julia Shanks, the co-author of “The Farmer’s Kitchen – The Ultimate Guide to Enjoying Your CSA and Farmers’ Market Foods.”    Brussels sprouts are sautéed with garlic and oil and then tossed with lemon juice and quinoa. 

I leave the sprouts in the pan as long as possible until they are deliciously crispy, brown and caramelized.  

Quinoa with Roasted Brussels Sprouts (adapted from “The Farmer’s Kitchen” by Brett Grohsgal and Julia Shanks)

½ cup quinoa

½ pound Brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons olive oil (my olive oil was infused with lemon)

3 cloves garlic, sliced thin or chopped

½ lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup toasted, slivered almonds (optional)

Rinse quinoa under cold water. Put in a small saucepot and cover with water. Add 1teaspoon salt. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until the quinoa has popped and is cooked through. 

Meanwhile, cut Brussels sprouts in half.  If sprouts are larger, slice thin.

Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add the olive oil and let heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until aromatic. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring regularly until they are bright green and soft (I covered the pan and turned down the heat, stirring occasionally and allowing the sprouts to get crispy-brown). Remove from heat.

When quinoa is cooked, drain excess water.  Toss with Brussels sprouts.  Add juice from ½ lemon and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Stir in almonds, if using. 

For more on the annual Restoration Farm Thanksgiving celebration, visit Edible Long Island.   

©2013 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved   

A Restoration Farm Thanksgiving

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;

They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.                                                                        

-- Marcel Proust

Happy Thanksgiving to All!   

© 2012 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved 

Thanksgiving at Restoration Farm

The weather has turned damp and gray and raindrops splatter indiscriminately. But, the distribution tent at Restoration Farm is hung with twinkling lights, there is music in the air, the mood is festive and a bonfire burns brightly.

The final gift from farmers Dan and Caroline to returning members is a cornucopia of vegetables to be steamed, braised, sautéed or roasted and placed on Thanksgiving tables. In previous years, between 60 and 70 members have renewed in advance of the next season and received this special Thanksgiving distribution. This year, 105 members have renewed. Seeds, soil, sun and sweat have delivered. The leap of faith that comes with joining a CSA has been rewarded tenfold. It has been a bountiful season, indeed.

The field crew is hosting a happy hour that gets underway as the skies darken. People bring wine, cheese, beer, chips, dips and home baked muffins to the table to share.

My friends Maria and Matthew arrive with his dad. Matthew fills a glass with red wine and makes a toast: “Here’s to a short winter that brings us back here soon.”

We huddle under the tent as it becomes wet and raw but nothing will dampen the celebration. Adrian Fanning arrives and says we look like tailgaters at a football game. Although it is cold, we linger, not wanting it all to end, but like all growing seasons it must.

It seems only fitting to conclude the story of Restoration Farm’s 2011 growing season with the words of my friend George Garbarini. He is Restoration Farm’s gentleman farmer - and resident philosopher - who took up farming in retirement and now spends rigorous days throughout the year working in the fields.

Says George with a sly gleam in his eye, “This farming…you know it sort of grows on you.”

Happy Thanksgiving!

©2011 T.W. Barritt All Rights Reserved