Author: Bryan Housel

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 11, 2025

Hey Folks! So the beautiful weather continues… if you are not a farmer. Down here on the farm it is starting to get ugly. There is still no rain in sight, and it has me very worried. We are using all the tricks that I know and all the pumping capacity that we have, but it is hard to give all the crops the water that they need to grow. We have five acres of winter squash and pumpkins that we will never be able to irrigate. We are in between plantings on the string beans. We hope to have enough for all groups, but if we come up short, we will make it up next week. (more…)

Eggplant

Eggplant

Eggplant is a member of the Solanaceae, or “nightshade,” family of vegetables, which also includes tomatoes, sweet peppers, and potatoes. As you already noticed, they come in a variety of shapes and colors. While the varieties exhibit slightly different tastes and textures, generally eggplants have a pleasantly bitter taste and spongy texture. (more…)

Quick Kimchi

Quick Kimchi

This quick, spicy, tangy cabbage side dish stands in for the traditional salty Korean staple.  Unlike fermented kimchi, this quick variation is best eaten shortly after preparing and does not keep its crunchy texture when stored. Enjoy it with grilled meats or chicken.  The recipe makes 4 cups and is from Eating Well Magazine. (more…)

Circle Brook Farm

Farm News – August 4, 2025

Hi Everyone! The second half of last week brought a welcome respite from the scorching heat, with the Thursday storms dropping a half inch of rain on us. It was not as much as desired, nor as much as other areas received, but we were spared the damaging winds. There is not much in the way of precipitation forecast for the next ten days, so the well pumps will be running day and night, and we will be moving the sprinklers around the fields. (more…)

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…)