Earth Day & 25 years of Farming Sustainably on Ambrosia Farms

  while others compromise, we plant only by giving back each year to enrich the soil with composted horse manure, peat moss (very sparingly & only spot on) and all natural enrichment.  This year should be our best ever to celebrate 25 years of growing organically - nope - plastic not included.  We simply mulch around our plantings which is a further input to enrich the soil as it quickly composts - hay, grass clippings, etc.

Here is a list of 2013 plantings as we go

April
peas - monmouth sugar snap peas - trellis made by thehaystore - one side only - 18 ft
   2 rows approx 45 sds per row - rareseeds

garlic - planted last October - var rocambole type - uncovered mulch

fava beans - seeds of italy

herbs - dill, parsley,

edible flowers - nasturtium

lettuce - escarole

lettuce -


potatoes -

summer squash -

April hours and inputs

hours per day
4/22   4
4/23  5
4/24  5

jobs per hour
escavated composted manure from field
cut through grass and weed border of field
planted peas
planted favas
planted herbs
transplanted oregano near mint
weed mint
transplanted tiger lilies to clay pots
transplanted tiger lilies to field driveway
racked ditch in front of field and seeded with cottontails in ditch

RED MEAT WARNING/STUDY

Today - the NYTIMES  story about " carnitine - found mostly in red meat and energy drinks and supplements used in body building is responsible for an increase in TMAO levels in the blood - made from a little-studied chemical that is burped out by bacteria in the stomach after people eat red meat. It is quickly converted by the liver into yet another little-studied chemical called TMAO that gets into the blood and increases the risk of heart disease..." According to the USDA all meats obtained from livestock are red meats because they contain more myoglobin than chicken or fish.  You'll need a track like this - run daily - in quick bursts of muscular output -  to try and repair cardiovascular damage caused by meat.

2013 Plants (850) from Heirloom Seeds

I am not sure how many people realize they can bring seed to their local greenhouses and ask for custom plants.  Most would prefer a quantity order for the extra labeling and specifications.  Our nursery man labels each tray with my name, the items planted and correlates my planting schedule with the desired size of plant etc... grows organically on request - and seems really attentive each year we bring them seed.  Imagine my delight when I first approached them almost 7 years ago!

Today I took the following seeds where they will be grown to a good planting size for our Northeast climate, picked up around 3rd week of May, hardened off, and planted in the fields on our farm.

I am planting ALOT less this year as I focus on our 20c kitchen - up and running - and all the other details that go  into bringing a successful product to market!

Here is the list of seeds dropped off (we get most if not all seeds from Bakers Creek Heirloom Seeds):

Tomato Plants - 600 (down from 2,500 in prior years)

BLACK CHERRY
BONNIE BEST
PANTANO ROMANESCO
DELICIOUS
PEARLY PINK
GERMAN RED STRAWBERRY
GERMAN LUNCHBOX
PRINCIPE BORGHESE
BREAD AND SALT
PLACERO

COUR DI BUE
PANTANO ROMANESCO
CHEROKEE PURPLE
STRIPED ROMAN
THESSANLAKI
MARMANDE

Pepper Plants (50)

Hot- CORNE DE CHEVRE
Sweet - QUADRATO D ASTI ROSSO

Gooseberry (50)

GIANT CAPE

Savoy Cabbage (100)

PERFECTION DRUMHEAD

Celery (50)

TENDERCRISP

Chocosol

This company is beyond dynamic - founder Michael Sacco appears in many youtube videos - not the one featured here which is about their packaging choices - something we have focused on ourselves for our products at Ambrosia Farms. He started a bean to bar factory in Toronto, Canada and appears to sell mostly through farmers markets and direct from the factory and still encourages customers to bring their own containers to purchase unwrapped chocolate and receive a discount - brilliant again! Especially for those repeat customers that previously read the ingredient list.   I encourage you to learn more via youtube search about these young folks doing good work and let them speak for themselves.

 I will have another blog post about the co- opting of dark chocolate - a increasingly popular beneficial food that is loaded with unhealthy additives by comercial companies and still marketed as healthy - once again by large commercial corporations- and even small ones nowadays - with misleading labels! 

This company is one of the REAL deal...
AUTHENTIC TRUE GOOD FOOD SOURCES FROM FARMER TO TABLE!
Chocosol 6 St Joseph St Toronto, ON M4Y 1J7, Canada
https://www.facebook.com/ChocoSolTraders
Phone: (416) 923-6675 photo from EAT PRAY BAKE blog

Large Lettuce Harvest: Satur Farms

" To create continual revenues and to offer year-round employment to our team, we began farming in Florida in the winter months. Additionally, we represent our neighbors' farm products during our growing season; occassionally we might source from other growers beyond our region. Sourcing is done only to ensure the sustainability and viability of the farm. The company's social responsibilities continue beyond our fence line, as we donate to food rescue organizations and are involved in local fundraisers for farm organizations and other socially responsible causes."
...from their website saturfarms.com (Long Island, NY)

Planting Tomatoes with my Dad

When I was growing up we had a kitchen garden in the backyard - my father came from a farming family - they grew tomatoes for Campbell's Soup Co in the early days.  I learned at an early age how to grow tomatoes.

Tomatoes at the ready for jarring tomato sauce at harvest time - we enjoyed them many ways - most notably as a tomato salad - and 2nd to none in my opinion - in a sandwich with mayo.

My Dad came up with putting plastic down and growing organically long before anyone else thought of it - although I do not use plastic anywhere on the farm - thinking that it must leach into the soil - instead I mulch with straw & grass clippings  - plastic would be so much easier!

Fond memories of working with my Dad in the garden and of my mother watering every night.

Postscript
In UpState NY I water in the early morning - but in Jersey - the perfect climate for tomatoes outside of Italy - it was preferable to water at night.

Why?  The cooler zones hold moisture overnight due to the drop in temperature - and that can harm the plant  - while warmer nights down South is perfect to absorb the water.  If you were to water during the day in these warmer zones you could burn the plant.

Italian Farmhouse Recipes: Easter Pie

Love, love love this pie - with locally grown organic wheat berries!!! Family Farmers Unite!

I use the "pasta frolla" instructions previously posted on this blog

There are many versions of Ingredients for the filling - here are some - scroll down:

http://www.emikodavies.com/blog/pastiera-napoletana/

• 250 grams of cooked whole grains*
• 200 ml milk
• 30 grams of butter
• 350 grams of fresh ricotta (from sheep and cow’s milk, if you can get a mixture of both)
• 350 grams of caster sugar
• 2 whole eggs, plus two yolks
• 100 grams of mixed candied citrus fruit (such as citron or orange), finely chopped
• grated rind of one organic lemon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence (or 1 vanilla bean pod)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of orange blossom water

• The Filling
• 10 ounces (300 g) ricotta (purchase this fresh from a delicatessen) 
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar 
• 3 eggs, separated 
• 1 vial (1/4 cup) acqua di fiori d'arancio (not orange extract, but orange blossom water -- purchase this from an Italian deli)
• A pinch powdered cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup minced candied citron 
• 1/4 cup minced candied orange peel

there are so many recipes out there!  I will try some and let you know which I liked best.  Where we grew up the neighborhood had some good bread and pastry shops!  Lucky, right?

 http://www.pastiera.com/history.htm 

1 kg pre packed frozen short pastry (if you want to make it at home click here for the recipe) 700 gr ricotta cheese 600 gr sugar 400 gr of boiled wheat (you can easily find cans in any supermarket) 80 gr crystallized citron

80 gr crystallized orange a dash cinnamon 100 gr milk 30 gr butter or lard 5 eggs and 2 egg yolks a spoon full of vanilla a spoon of orange flavoured water 1 lemon

Ingredients

http://lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/recipe/neapolitan_cake

• 1 3/4 cups wheat berries
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 lemon
• 2 pounds fresh ricotta cheese
• 1 cup candied citrus
• 2 tablespoons orange flower water
• 1 orange
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• Heat oven to 375°.
  
  Separate remaining 4 eggs. In a large bowl, stir together wheat berries, ricotta, remaining cup sugar, candied citrus, egg yolks, orange water, finely grated zest from orange, 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest and cin