Author: Bryan Housel

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 28, 2025

Hello All, It rained! A bit too much all at once, but we take what we can get. We are back in business again – the business of putting seeds in the ground. The sweet corn, carrots, and our fall brassica transplants received a good soaking, and we get a respite from constantly moving irrigation around the fields. There was some wind, which broke a few of our pepper plants, but nothing too terrible. I have one more round of beans and carrots to sow and it is time to start planting greens like arugula and spinach again for the fall crop. (more…)

Tomatoes

Tomatoes

The tomato, like the eggplant, is a member of the Solanaceae, or Nightshade family.  Tomatoes are native to western South America, but were cultivated in Mexico by Mexican Indians, who were intrigued by its resemblance to the tomatillo – a staple in their cuisine.  With the discovery of the New World, tomato seeds were brought back to Spain, beginning the introduction of the fruit into Europe.  Tomatoes made their way to North America with the colonists who first settled in Virginia. (more…)

Easy Fingerling Potatoes

Easy Fingerling Potatoes

Fingerling potatoes are quick and easy to prepare on the stove-top.  Because of their size, they cook quickly, and don’t need to be peeled.  Try any of these variations! (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 21, 2025

Hi Folks!  So, how do you know when summer is in full swing? When your CSA share contains peppers, sweet corn, and TOMATOES! Yippee!  The peppers and tomatoes are just getting started, so there will not be a huge quantity, but they will be more abundant with each passing week.  The sweet corn ears are smallish – typical of the early varieties.  We are hoping for a second planting to begin to mature for the end of the week.  If the ears are not ready in time, we will substitute fingerling potatoes and make it up next week. (more…)

Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard, along with kale, mustard greens, and collard greens, is one of several leafy, green vegetables often referred to as “greens.”  It belongs to the same family as beets and spinach and shares a similar taste profile.  Chard is a tall, leafy vegetable with a thick, crunchy stalk (akin to celery but less stringy) that comes in white, red, or yellow, with wide, fan-like, ruffled leaves that are similar to spinach but chewier.  Regardless of the stalks’ color, they have similar flavors and cooking properties, although the white stalks are most tender.  Very tender leaves can be added directly to green salads. (more…)

Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans and Tomatoes

Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans and Tomatoes

This recipe is an alternative to the “traditional” sautéed Swiss chard with garlic.  Depending on whether you want to use the chard stems as well in the recipe (you can cut them up finely, or dice them), you may need about a quarter to half a cup of chicken stock.  Start with ¼ cup and add more as needed to get the chard wilted, before adding the tomatoes and lemon juice.  Serves 4 as a side dish.  Enjoy!
(more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – July 14, 2025

Hello Folks! It has been a little dry on the farm this past week. We have sandy soil, so it dries out quickly, and we are still sowing seeds and transplanting brassicas for the fall crop. We are in the part of the summer when rainfall typically depends on scattered thunderstorms, where scattered is the operative word. As I write this update, we are receiving a light rain and hoping for more overnight, otherwise we will be moving the sprinklers around tomorrow. Fortunately, the temperatures have been moderate and are forecast to remain so for the next ten days. (more…)

Green Beans

Beans

Green beans, also known as snap beans because they “snap” when broken, are harvested when young, when the beans inside the pod are small and tender and the pods are thin. They are very low in calories and loaded with vitamins K, A, and C, fiber, folate and anti-oxidants. Interestingly, green beans were originally cultivated in Peru and were then spread throughout Central and South America by Indian tribes. Spanish explorers brought them back from the “New World” to Europe in the 16th century, and from there they spread around the world. (more…)