Fieldwork: Washout at The Tracks

We didn't get a lot of damage to our fields or properties from the torrential rains, expect for our piece in Swanton.  We call it "The Tracks" because you have to cross the railroad tracks to access it.

Note the size of fieldstones that come up in these fields.

Main fields have drainage tiles running to this ditch, but it is where the culvert creates a bridge over it that it had some major erosion.

You can see the repairs better here (the darker-colored earth).  We may have to replant some corn, but the soybeans are in.

It's been a funny sort of year, hasn't it?

Fieldwork: Picking Rocks

The neatest tool of the rock-picking trade is the yellow skidsteer to the right.  The attachment on the front is a "rock bucket" which is used to dislodge rocks and leave behind the soil.  One person can do it alone, clearing rocks brought to the surface by plowing and chiseling.

Just a smattering of the types of rocks that show up.  Lots are red granite.

In previous years - say, when I was the one picking rocks - three or four of us would walk in front of a tractor and pick up rocks by hand, depositing them in a bucket on the front.  Hot, hard work, and it dug up the fields.  Learned a lot about leverage on a personal level.

That's a lot of planted field, and just a fraction of the 400 tillable acres located at this property in Swanton.   See any rocks out there?  That's the result of years of diligence, sprains, and sunburn.

Fieldwork: First Cut

Dan is cutting hay, in spite of the threat of rain.

He put down 110 acres in a day.  And me?  I brought him lunch.

Weekend Cook: Grilled Lobster

Just like zombies, you wreck them in the head.

When you think of Memorial Day cookouts, you probably think of hamburgers, hotdogs and chicken - but, for me, it is lobster - because that is what I grilled for my cousin, Lin, when he returned back home after handing Saddam Hussein his proverbial ass.

Takes about 20 minutes of turning to cook.

My gas grill has hot spots in the front and is warmish toward the back.  I had to keep moving the bugs around to keep the claws over the hottest areas, cover down between turns, trying not to overcook it.  I used fennel fronds to create an awesome aroma, but I don't think they contributed much else.

Grilled Lobster and Vegetables

The meat was so moist, it fell apart like the very best barbecue.  It was mixed with warmed garlic butter and served with the sides posted yesterday.

On The Side: Vegetarian Mixed Grill

Vegetarian Mixed Grill

 On Memorial Day, I cooked up a mess of sides.  Asparagus, baby fennel, shiitakes and oyster mushrooms (all from farmer's market) were marinated in a garlicky commercial dressing and grilled on "high".  The potatoes were previously boiled and marinated in Drew's Romano Caesar - which caramelized very quickly.

The highlight was the potatoes, which were served with a dollop of soy-free mayonnaise mixed with sriracha (delicious).  Dan ate all the fennel - I didn't get any - but he said they were his second favorite item on the plate.

Burlington Farmers' Market #4: Hitting Our Stride

Under threat of rain again!    This week, we brought a new version of Boucher Blue cheese to sell, which we aged in warmer, drier conditions and for two months longer than usual.  (There's a photo of it in the slideshow.)  Unfortunately, there was only the one wheel, and it will be September or October before we have any more.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Morris Dancers, popular tomatoes, cakes, wines, good times!  See you at market.

"Cave-aged" Boucher Blue

This cheese was an experiment to see how our blue cheese would age under other conditions.  It grew no significant rind, was less blue than normal, waxy in texture, a bit salty and had a peppery finish with a lingering butteriness.

We will certainly be selling this variation at farmer's market next season - but are out of it until fall, since it ages twice as long as "normal" Boucher Blue and we did not commit any significant inventory to the project.

Children Need Potatoes Every Day

This was a satisfying green curry of root vegetables and leftover chicken, but this post is about the potatoes.

I rarely buy food because I find it funny - but really, I couldn't resist, because the packaging made me snicker.  Somewhere, a band begs to be called "Children Need Potatoes"!

They were very good potatoes.