Author: Bryan Housel

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – September 21, 2020

Hello Folks, so the weather has turned on us again. It has been nearly 2 weeks with no rain and another week to go before any precipitation is predicted. Worse than that we have had frost on 3 consecutive nights with a fourth forecast for tonight. I say forecast but actually the predictions have been for 37-38 degrees and there were no frost warnings. We covered some of the more delicate crops on the first night and then, once we saw the effects, started covering as much as we could. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – September 14, 2020

Hi All! So, the days are getting shorter and the nights cooler. This begins to slow down the warm weather crops. We are taking a break from peppers for a week or two to allow the fruit to size up and ripen, so that we can get you another round of colored peppers. We also hope to send eggplant one more time this season – the plants are loaded with fruit but are growing very slowly. We will have to see how long we can keep the zucchini coming… (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – September 7, 2020

Hi Folks, I hope you had a pleasant and safe Labor Day weekend. Of course, here on the farm every day is labor day, which I suppose is better than every day being Ground Hog day but not as good as every day being Christmas. We’re working hard for you! The good news for this week is that we have summer squash and zucchini coming in again. The bad news is that our tomato production has plummeted. We will try to get everyone a few more tomatoes over the next couple of weeks. (more…)

Cippolini Onions

Cippolini Onions

Cippolini (aka Cipolline) are small flat onions with a mild flavor. Their flat shape and size make them excellent candidates for roasting whole.

The biggest problem with these little gems is getting the skin off. Use a paring knife to cut strips of the skin from one end to another. Boiling briefly may also help to get the skins off.  But all that work is well worth it! (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 31, 2020

Hi Everyone!  We received .4 inches of rain from the remnants of Laura on Saturday.  We may get a little more precipitation tomorrow.  Soil moisture is good, seeds are sprouting, and the transplants have taken root.  Mostly moderate temperatures are forecast for the week ahead but with some cool nights. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 24, 2020

Hi Folks!  So I guess I misspoke when I said that the extreme heat was done for the year, as we are amid several more scorching days.  We had a few minor rains during the week, sufficient to help transplants to take root and seeds to germinate.  As I expected, my early August planting of spinach was almost completely killed by excessive rain from the tropical storm.  The next planting has germinated well and should be ready to cut in a month or so.  Greens in general are still scarce.  We will have some arugula next week and should have lettuce again as well.

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Summer Savory

Summer Savory

Summer savory is commonly used as a flavoring for soups, stews, and marinades.  But it is also known as the “bean herb” because it goes so well with many types of beans, especially green beans or any other type of broad bean. It is also quite tasty in stuffings, with any type of meat or chicken, or sausages.  For a different use, try it in scrambled eggs or omelets. Add it to a salad dressing recipe for an aromatic flavor. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 17, 2020

Hello Folks, it seems that we may we over with the scorching heat for this season.  Hopefully, the precipitation will be a little more regular going forward.  We received about 0.3 inches on Sunday and have a chance for some more of the wet stuff this afternoon.  We are in the process of transplanting the fall brassica crop and a little rain really helps them to take root. (more…)

Pepper Egg-in-a-Hole

Pepper Egg-in-a-Hole

If you’ve signed up for Farmer John’s egg share, you’ll definitely want to try this Pepper Egg-in-a-Hole recipe found on delish.com.  It’s the breakfast version of stuffed peppers, made with bacon, eggs, and cheese.  Serves 4. (more…)