CLOSED FOR THE SEASON

Many of our faithful customers are saddened by this season’s end.  May the words of the Preacher (traditionally identified as the wise King Solomon) give comfort to us all:

“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted…”

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)

A sincere thank you to all of our faithful patrons.  Our mission remains: grow nutritious and tasty food just for you.

Blessings to you for the winter.  May we all be reunited in spring of 2017.

Morning frost on marigolds...

Last Day of Sales Includes PICK YOUR OWN TOMATOES!

Friday, October 21st, is the last day of any sales from the farm. The 10% off $10 or more and 20% off $40 or more is still in place. The farm has for sale: picked tomatoes, sweet corn, sweet bell peppers, green onions, eggplant, fennel, Daikon radishes, carrots, turnips, kale and herbs (if they survive Thursday night's cold snap.)

In addition, we have a separate special for you to pick your own tomatoes.

PICK YOUR OWN TOMATOES: Bring your own gloves and container to pick and collect your own tomatoes, which will be weighed before you leave with a $1.50 per pound charge which is NOT eligible for 10% or 20% discount.

FINAL WEEK of Sales

Our season has come to an end and we have a sale this week: Buy $10 or more and get 10% off your entire order; buy $40 or more and get 20% off your entire order.  If you do not have exact change, we will round up to the nearest 25¢, 50¢, 75¢, or $1.00. 

Produce direct from the field this last week include: Sweet corn, tomatoes, kale, fennel, turnips, sweet bell peppers, carrots, green onions, radishes, and eggplant.  Herbs include: basil, chives, cilantro, French tarragon, parsley, and rosemary. 

Herbs will not be sold after Wednesday this week.

SWEET CORN!

SWEET CORN is going fast at 3 for $1.  We are open today (Friday) from 9 am to 5 pm and will be at the Ruidoso Downs Farmer's & Artisans Market on Saturday.  We have plenty of tomatoes, eggplant, turnips, carrots and herbs left. Also three kinds of kale, Daikon radishes and colorful sweet bell peppers!

Still Open!

We have been blessed to avoid frost and remain open this far into October.  We are quickly selling out our last planting of sweet corn.  The farm is still open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 am to 5 pm until further notice, and we have one last Farmer's Market at Ruidoso Down's on October 15.

Stock up for winter while you still can! 

Tomato Plants Pulled for Sale

Brrrrr!

When the leaves turn color, it is time to pull up the tomato plants.  Today we are pulling our grape/plum size tomato plants for sale.  And those plants only.  You can hang them and pick the fruit as it ripens.  These plants are $5 each - quite a deal.  Here is a picture to help you understand the size of the tomato.

You can either:

* Pick all the tomatoes off the plant and make green salsa!

* Pickle the small unripe tomatoes;

* Pick all the tomatoes off the plant and let them ripen on your window sill; or

* Hang the entire plant upside down and let the tomatoes ripen.

Hanging the plant upside down is supposed to help all the nutrients finish making their way to the tomatoes.   

In addition, the tomatoes need good airflow as they ripen and hanging assists in this cause. 

Some are of the school that the leaves should be removed, probably for better airflow.  Others believe the leaves should remain.  Further, some say to hang them in a dark room.  We hang them wherever we can and leave the leaves!  You decide. 

Our Tomatoes Have Personality

No other words to add to this picture:

We do try to be educational on the farm.  The plants are the entertainment.

Remember Your Produce!

We had a nice couple from Alto purchase produce yesterday.  As often happens, they set some produce aside, walked the field and then left without that one bag.  They were charged for the cucumbers but not the squash.  We will appreciate the business and will make it right. 

Please remember to check that you have gathered all your produce, even after we have been distracted by a beautiful day of flowers, bees and the aroma of herbs!

Sweet Corn Coming Soon

We just finished up the yellow sweet corn and are waiting on the last bi-color corn. This cold snap has slowed things down, still it could be ready as early as Wednesday or Friday this week.  We will keep you posted.

In the meantime we have plenty of tomatoes, carrots, eggplant, kale, radishes (mostly white Japanese), fennel, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, green onions, turnips, basil, cilantro, chives, french tarragon, parsley, and rosemary.

Tomatoes, Tomatoes...TOMATOES!

We previously posted a picture of one of our heirloom tomatoes sliced up and ready to go on a BKT (bacon, kale, tomato) sandwich.

Below is another of these sweet tomatoes.  I thought it was four tomatoes when I went to pick it.  This luscious heirloom weighed in at just over 1 pound 8 ounces.  Yep, more than 1.5 pounds!

We also have what we call "Nogal Mountain Maters" that are large and yummy, as well as sweet cherry and others.

We are picking as fast as we can and are open from 9 to 5 today.  On Saturday we will be at the Ruidoso Downs Farmer's & Artisan's Market.

Come and get your maters!

Crisis Averted

Some of you visiting the farm have had a good laugh with me, or maybe at me, about the slender carrots I planted that went through the hard pan.  They are fragile enough that we could not get them out of the ground without breaking the carrot.  We have been at a standstill on that row of carrots for more than a month. 

Crisis averted!  Some very big hearted people, who will remain unnamed because I did not get permission to call them out, actually own a sturdy broadfork and loaned it to us.  Here is a picture of a bunch of the rascal carrots.  One carrot is over 13.5 inches long!

Tomatoes and more to Market Saturday!

This is a fabulous heirloom tomato we grow!

We are headed to the Ruidoso Downs Farmer's Market on Saturday with: Carrots, Sweet Yellow Corn, Cucumbers (lemon and also slicing), Eggplant, Kale, Sweet Bell Peppers (orange), Squash (yellow crookneck and zucchini), TOMATOES (lots!), turnips, basil, and cilantro.

Turnips with Greens!

We have scarlet turnips, which have a nice green, and a white Japanese turnip. One bunch, freshly pulled, for only $2.00. Yummy!

We are loaded with product today. Carrots, corn, bell peppers (sweet orange), slicing cucumbers, lemon cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, several kinds of kale, radishes, squash, tomatoes, and turnips. Herbs: basil, chives, cilantro, french tarragon and rosemary.

Sunflowers

We also have sunflowers at the farm.  Our single stems are so big they must bend their faces down to look at you!  Is it possible to gaze upon a sunflower and keep from smiling?  

The multi-flowered chocolate sunflowers are a bit smaller.

Borage

To the delight of the hummingbirds and the bees, the borage blooms have begun to open.  Yes, we also have flowers on the farm. Borage (aka 'star flower') can also be used as an herb. 

SPECIAL DEAL on Farm - Today ONLY

We have a SPECIAL DEAL today at the farm. Buy any item, then pick as many green beans as you want. We are doing this because we feel our green beans are past their prime and will not charge for them or take them to market. You just need to be your own harvester (ie. you!) Bring your own bucket and a harvesting chair if you want to sit while you harvest, or you could just kneel or bend over. I will show you how to pick and from which plants to pick. I still have a few young plants for market and will be picking those this morning.

Labor Day Hours

The farm is open on Labor Day from 9 am to 2 pm.  Come get veggies for your holiday meal!

Corn, Corn, CORN!!!

We began selling corn this week.  Seriously sweet corn!  We try to pick it the day we sell it.  Quantities remain limited, but we will do our best to get you what you want.  A buck an ear and well worth it.

Once you try this corn, we are sure you will covet it as much as Teddy Bear the Porcupine.  Thank you Adele for introducing us to this prickly corn fanatic!

We are open at the farm Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, and now on Saturdays, 11 am to 3 pm.  We are also at the Ruidoso Downs Farmer's Market on Saturdays from about 7:30 (or so) to about 10:00 or 10:30 am.   

Italian Heirloom Eggplant & New Hours

Our hours at the farm are M-W-F from 9 am to 5 pm, and now, after requests from our customers, we will try out additional hours at the farm on *Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.*  One of us will still be at the Ruidoso Downs Farmer's Market on Saturday, probably from 7:30 am to about 10:30 am.

If you love to eat eggplant, or are adventurous and ready to give it a try, have we got a treat for you!   Our Italian heirloom eggplants are in their prime right now.  Just look at this beauty, weighing in at just under three pounds...

Looks intimidating?  Apparently so, as it did not sell by the end of the day.  It did not go to waste but was rather used it to test out a recipe for eggplant parmesan.  Some people just slice eggplant up, wipe it down with olive oil, put on a few spices and grill it on the BBQ.  That is much more simple than eggplant parmesan.  Regardless, the recipe is below:

Eggplant Parmesan

By Myron & Dena Coelho at Coelho Natural Farm, LLC

Ingredients

·         Black Beauty Italian Eggplant (about ½ pound per person)

·         Olive Oil

·         Egg(s) (about 1 large egg per pound of eggplant)

·         Cornstarch

·         Panko (Kikkoman gluten free coating)

·         Parmesan Cheese - shredded

·         Pasta Sauce

·         Fresh Basil

·         Spaghetti or Linguini

Directions

Preheat an oven to 250 degrees F.

Time the preparation of the pasta and pasta sauce with the completion of the eggplant slices.

Beat egg(s) in a bowl large enough to dip eggplant.  Spread some Panko on a plate large enough to handle eggplant slices.  Heat up olive oil in fry pan.  Slice eggplant to desired thickness, I use about ½+ inch.  Sprinkle sliced eggplant with cornstarch, spread it around on slice.  (It does not need to cover slices completely, just enough to help keep beaten eggs on the eggplant.)  Then dip eggplant slice into beaten egg(s) and let excess eggs run off eggplant.  Put slice on plate with Panko and cover both sides with Panko.  Fry in heated olive oil until each side is golden to golden brown.  Remove from fry pan and put on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Top slices liberally with shredded parmesan cheese.  Put cheese covered slices into oven to keep warm until all slices are prepared.

Modify any store bought pasta sauce as you want.  Since I want my dish focused on the eggplant, I do not add mushrooms or sausage or bell peppers, rather I only add fresh Genovese basil, about 1+ tablespoons per two cups of sauce. 

To assemble, put cooked pasta on a plate, place prepared eggplant slices on top of pasta, pour sauce over pasta and eggplant, and top with more parmesan cheese.

If we have left-overs, we store the cooked eggplant separate from the pasta so that we can reheat the slices in the oven.