2012 CSA Season! Highlights and Signup

If you're new to our CSA program, please go to our FAQ page for more, in-depth information.

Sign-up Deadlines

• Early Sign-up by April 1st

• Regular Sign-up by May 22nd

• We will accept late members (as shares are available), with a $20 late processing fee.

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Click here for a CSA Membership Form!

Send completed form and payment by mail to 9739 Ridge Rd, Brockport, NY 14420 or email to info@kirbysfm.com. You can also bring your application and payment to the market as of May 1st, during regular hours.

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2012 CSA Highlights

>> 100 shares available for the 2012 season! We've doubled the number of shares we offer after a very successful first season.

>> New Produce! At this very moment, Farmer Tim is ordering seeds for the coming growing season. He's planning to grow a greater variety of greens throughout the year with spinach and lettuce in the Spring, and collards, swiss chard, and kale in the Fall and Winter. I've also heard mention of fennel, green beans, yellow beans, celery, cilantro, basil, celeriac, parsley, and onions. We'll also have more plantings of peas and pickles to create a longer, continuous season.

>> Days and times are staying the same for market pick-ups:  Tuesday or Saturday, 1pm-7pm.

>> Minimal price increase of $22 (short season)  and $26 (long season). Why did our prices go up? We upgraded our CSA box. Instead of reusing cardboard boxes, shares will be packed in a sterilized plastic crate. They're sturdy, fold up for easy storage, and minimize the risk of cross contamination. More info on the new containers coming soon!

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In Progress: Satelite Pickup Locations

Have you been wanting to sign up for our CSA, but you live too far away? We're asked about other pick up locations all of the time. We're very interested in expanding our distribution, and figuring out a way to bring our weekly boxes of fresh, Kirbygrown fruits and vegetables to you!

We will set up pickup locations within about 30 miles of Brockport, for a minimum of 25 members per location. This is a great opportunity for companies interested in helping their employees live a healthy lifestyle!

If you have a group of interested people, contact us to receive an information packet and schedule a meeting or presentation. Phone: (585)637-2600   Email: info@kirbysfm.com

End of the Season Produce

The end of the season is nearly here! Stock up on produce while these quality homegrown fruits and vegetables are still available.

TREE

APPLE UPDATE:

• We'll have Jonagold, Empire, McIntosh, Macoun, Cortland and Twenty Ounce apples until we close on December 24th.

• Varities we're getting low on: Red Delicious, Crispin, and Northern Spy.

To store apples for a long period of time, it's important to keep them around 33-35 degrees F. Because of their sugar content, apples won't freeze at 32 degrees. If freezing does occur, it will have an affect on the quality so be sure to keep them from temperatures below 30 degrees.

You could also enjoy the flavor and nutrition of apples throughout the winter, preserved as applesauce, dried apples, apple butter or apple juice. Click here for safe, simple recipes from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Over the years our customers have told us about storing their apples in large coolers, like the kind you would take to a picnic or on a camping trip. Storing apples in an insulated container like a cooler will help to maintain an even temperature, and keep the apples from freezing. In a cooler, your apples could be kept in a place where they might freeze otherwise, (in a garage, shed, or on a porch). I've also heard of people wrapping each apple in newspaper to keep them from bruising or spreading rot. It is important to make sure all of your apples are free of rot, because it will eventually spread in long term storage.

romanesco

VEGETABLE UPDATE

With the mild weather we've had this December, cold season vegetables have lasted quite awhile. As temperatures finally drop into the appropriate December range, crops are experiencing one freeze too many. What we have now is it for fresh vegetables!

As of December 17th, we have a good stock of Romanesco, Cabbage, Broccoli, Kale and Brussel Sprouts, Butternut and Acorn Squash.

To enjoy these healthy veggies throughout the winter, check out the website of the National Center for Food Preservation. They have some great articles on freezing vegetables (like broccoli) and the proper way to blanch.

Locally grown potatoes are another great item to stock up on at this time of year. Right now we have seven 50 lb bags of red potatoes, as well as one 50lb bag and two 10lb bags of white. potatoes.  To properly store potatoes, keep them in a well ventilated, dark place

While your here, be sure to check out our selection of locally made gifts, stocking stuffers, and unusual gift-giving ideas! It's always worth a stroll through the greenhouse to enjoy some holiday color from the poinsettias too.

The Holidays at Kirbys

top by to say hello and Happy Holidays before December 24th!

Handblow glass ornaments from Delish Glass in Rochester.

Can you believe the 2011 season is almost over? We'll only be open for twelve more days! We're ready to help you prepare for a wonderful holiday season:

• Locally made Gifts and Delicious Treats
• Christmas Trees - Concolor, Douglas and Frasier Fir,
• Handmade Wreaths
• A variety of gorgeous Poinsettias
• Traditional End of the Year Sales
• Stock up on produce like apples, potatoes, onions, and squash for the winter.

Fresh picked Romanesco, the perfect Christmas vegetable!

Owners Tim and Linda Kirby spend some time in the greenhouse together.

Twenty Ounce apples on special in November. Fill your own 1/2 bushel basket for seven dollars!

One of our handmade wreaths. We harvest most of our own greens, including boxwood, holly, fir, pine, dogwood, and rosehips. This is a ten inch wreath that also includes cedar

We ship apples from October 1st, until the second week in December to anywhere in the continental USA. Choose any combination of vairieties to sendas a gift or a treat for yourself. Pictured here is Empire and Crispin.

One of our handmade wreaths. We harvest most of our own greens, including boxwood, holly, fir, pine, dogwood, and rosehips. This is a ten inch wreath that also includes Ilex berries.

4.5" Poinsettias in pink, marble, and white. Other colors available include red, white, and varigated red and white 'jinglebells'. We also have 6.5" and 8" in all of these colors.

A beautifully varigated red and white poinsettia called 'Jinglebells', in a 6.5" pot.

A 10" poinsettia in red. The greenhouse at Kirby's is a beautiful place to visit in Decemeber, with gorgeous, brilliant color from wall to wall.

Cool Weather Vegetables Part 1 : Cauliflower

Delicious Cruciferous!

Members of the highly nutritious cruciferous family include broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, collards, kale, swiss chard, cauliflower and romanesco. Each one contains unique nutrients to keep you and your loved ones healthy, and the entire family has well known health benefits.

Orange Cauliflower

This unique vegetable contains 25 times the level of Vitmain A of white varieties. This trait came from a natural mutation found in a cauliflower field in Canada in the seventies. Scientists have since used the same strain of mutation to develop more nutritious foods (with increased beta carotene) such as golden rice.

Purple Cauliflower

The beautiful purple color is caused by the antioxidant group anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage and red wine. Thousands of years ago, some of the very first cauliflower ever eaten was purple!

This morning as we were packing the CSA boxes, the truck pulled up to the back of the market with the rest of the produce for the CSA shares. It was full of vegetables that had been harvested minutes before the truck left our farm in Albion:  beets with dirt still clinging to the roots and leaves; dewy heads of  cauliflower crowned with crisp leaves cropped short, brilliant purple, orange and soft white peeking through.

There's nothing like standing by the truck as the back door slides up and your faced with giant mounds of perfect vegetables. You immediately want to photograph them, (maybe paint their portrait,) and then cook them up into a number of dishes good enough to pay tribute to their perfection. Here are a few suggestions...

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head medium Cauliflower

2Tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Salt, or to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

Break the cauliflower up into one to two inch pieces. Toss the florets with the olive oil, salt, and garlic. Spread on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 450 for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender and golden brown.

An alternative method from Orangette, a food blog.

From NPR:  spice up your cauliflower with a recipe from Melissa Clark. And read a Cauliflower love story from Nicole Spirifakis, with the added bonus of an intriguing recipe.

And if you really want to dress up your cauliflower, this Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart from Smitten Kitchen looks phenomenal!

The Peak of Harvest Season!

Below is a listing of everything available from the fields and orchards at Kirby's Farm Market for the end of September and early October! Call to place orders for large quantities (585)637-2600.

Decorate for Fall: Little white and orange Pumpkins, Gourds, Pie Pumpkins, tons of beautiful Mums, and Straw Bales. Soon to come: cornstalks and a fun variety of big pumpkins!

Kirbygrown Vegetables: Acorn Squash, Delicata Squash, Swiss Chard, Kale, Garlic, Sweet Corn(done by Sept 30th),  Eggplant, Cucumbers, Green Peppers, Red Peppers, Sweet Hungarian Peppers, Hot Peppers

Kirbygrown Fruit (done by early October): Tomatoes, Peaches, Nectarines, Prunes, Pluots

Kirbygrown Apples: Honeycrisp, McIntosh, Cortland, Gingergold   (Coming soon, dates are Approximate: Twenty Ounce 9/23, Empire 10/03, Golden Delicious 10/05, Macoun 10/05, Red Delicious 10/08, Jonagold 10/10, Crispin 10/15, Northern Spy 10/15)

Locally Grown Produce: Potatoes, Onions, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots

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It's Canning Season!

The weather right now couldn't be better for canning. Spend a few hours in a steamy kitchen with baskets of gorgeous fruits and vegetables, putting them up for the coming winter, and you will relish every cool breeze. But you'll relish the satisfaction of putting up your own fruits and vegetables for a delicious and healthy winter even more!

Some of the most popular things to put up this time of year: stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice, canned peaches, canned pears, peach jam, applesauce, and apple butter. Every family has their own traditions. Last week the Kirby family canned tomatoes and peaches, this week we're making salsa! What preserving traditions do you have?

Freezing produce instead of canning is a great alternative. Quick, easy and definitely less steamy! You can freeze just about anything, but peaches, tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, and sauces work wonderfully.

Follow this link to read tons of great information on preserving, canning and freezing fruits and vegetables form the experts at Cornell Cooperative Extension. They have fantastically comprehensive lists that will inspire you to make the most of the fresh fruits and vegetables so unique to WNY!

Late Summer Salad

Celebrate these last sunny days of summer with a beautiful, healthy salad!

I love using raw beets and carrots together. The color is amazing: magenta and orange layered with vibrant green lettuce and brightened by slices of apple and a sprinkling of feta. You know you're going to get a whole range of important vitamins and nutrients with all of that brilliant color! And we didn't even start talking about flavor yet... Earthy, sweet, tart, crisp and salty. A delicious assortment of tastes and textures.

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KIRBY'S LATE SUMMER SALAD

This will make one big dinner salad, or five side salads. Crisp, mild and sweet, Gingergold is the perfect apple variety for salads. You can find most of these ingredients at Kirby's!

1 local Carrot, coarsely grated

1 Kirbygrown Beet, coarsely grated

3 cups of local Leaf Lettuce, loosely packed

5 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar

1/5 tsp Salt (a good pinch)

1 Kirbygrown Gingergold Apple, diced, with several slices reserved as garnish

1 ounce Feta Cheese, crumbled

1 Tablespoon of Crunchies (sunflower or pumpkin seeds, chopped raw almonds or walnuts) optional

Method: Whisk together vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place lettuce on a large plate or in a bowl. Arrange heaps of grated beet and carrot on lettuce. Drizzle with vinegar solution.

Add apples, sprinkle with feta and seeds or nuts. Enjoy!

Note: My default salad dressing is Cider Vinegar and Salt, and it works perfectly for this salad, in my opinion. Incredibly simple and refreshing, it brightens up a bowl full of veggies without overwhelming their individual flavors. If this isn't your kinda thing, have your favorite bottle of vinaigrette handy as a backup.

Peaches at Kirby's!

Several new peach orchards were planted on our farm within the last five years. All of that patience and hard work has paid off this season with one of the biggest peach crops we've ever seen! We have bushels of beautiful orange-gold fruits available until the end of September for canning, freezing, baking, making jam or just eating fresh.

Peach Varieties

Glohaven: A midseason variety, Glohaven is a freestone peach that's excellent for canning (or jam), fresh eating, freezing, and desserts. Great peach flavor and plenty of juice!

Babygold: A unique peach, very popular for canning. It has excellent flavor, with a firm almost 'rubbery' texture. The upside is that you don't have to remove the skin when you can them and the firm flesh doesn't become stringy like so many other peach varieties when they've been in the jar for a little while. The only downside: they're clingstone, so you usually have to cut them off the pit. Babygold is the Kirby family's peach of choice for canning and we think the extra work is well worth it.

Gloria: A new variety this year, Gloria is another unique peach. This freestone, low- acid peach is nice and sweet with plenty of juice. It stays firm (almost crisp)  even as it ripens, so you don't have to worry about bruising! We've never had a peach quite like it. Gloria is excellent for baking and fresh eating.

Raritan Rose: A  low-acid, freestone, White Peach.  Many of our customers wait for the white peaches to come out every year because they prize the distinctive, aromatic qualities. It's one of those fruits that create instant memories the moment you bite into it, and you'll never forget that first bite.  Have you ever tried one? You really should, (especially if you're a fan of fresh peach daiquiris! They make the best I've ever had.) they are unusual and delicious... and they won't be here for long!

Cresthaven: Our last peach variety of the season. Freestone, excellent for desserts, canning (and jam) fresh eating, and freezing.

Donut Peaches: I'm sure you've heard of these odd looking stone fruits by now. If you haven't, hurry in and try some because they're almost gone! Each squished little peach is packed with flavor.

Tip: Freezing peaches for the first time?

It's super easy, here's how I do it. Slice up the peaches and toss them in a large bowl with 1/2  cup of sugar per 4 quarts  (about 12 peaches).  Scoop them into freezer bags, 2 cups each, seal and lay flat in the freezer (be sure to spread them out instead of stacking them right on top of each other). Take out whenever you need a nice taste of summer during the long NY winter.

Since I use most of my frozen peaches for smoothies and other delicious beverages, I leave the skin on. If you plan to bake with them and would prefer to do so without the skins, dunk the peaches in boiling water for about two minutes. Allow to cool and remove the skin before continuing on with the rest of the process.

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RECIPE: Healthy Peach Smoothie

Vanilla gives this delicious smoothie the effect of creaminess without any dairy, while hints of cinnamon and orange complement the peaches perfectly.

1/4 Cup Orange Juice

2 Ripe Peaches, cut into chunks

1 Cup of Ice

Dash Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Vanilla

Put all ingredients into a blender, beginning with the orange juice. Blend until frothy and smooth, then pour into glasses and garnish with a peach slice. A refreshing, fat-free beverage!

And remember... it's always nice to share!

August Snapshots

August is a beautiful month at the market.  Produce, perennials, and great food! Mouse over for captions, click for larger images, and enjoy!

Does this cool weather make you think about Fall? It will be here before you know it! Make sure you take full advantage of the wonderful summer produce filling the market throughout August and September!

What's Fresh

Peaches - bushels of peaches arrived this morning. As you can see, the color is gorgeous. We pick our peaches tree ripened for flavor and a little firm to avoid bruising. The first peaches are always clingstone  (the fruit clings to the pit) but the flavor and incredible juiciness make up for it!

Sweet Corn- Our very own. Order by the bushel for your next summer picnic!

Tomatoes - nothing compares to the taste of a field grown tomato! Available by the pound right now, but canning season is just around the corner. Stay tuned...

Sweet Peppers - green for now, the red are getting redder all the time in this sunshine!

Eggplant - a unique vegetable in appearance and texture... eggplant parm, anyone?

Pickles - you can pick up these tiny, crisp versions of cucumbers one at a time or by the bushel. Our favorite cucumbers for salads. Available in 3-4" (perfect for whole dills) or 5-6" (best for sweet chunks, relishes and slicing). We also have regular cucumbers for slicing.

Zucchini and Summer Squash -  Have you tried grilling zucchini yet? Just toss it with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, maybe some fresh herbs and you're good to go.

Black Raspberries - Fill a few freezer bags to enjoy this amazing flavor in the winter time! Great with yogurt for breakfast, in cobblers, cakes and pies... if they make it home, that is.

Beets - have you tried them shredded on top of salads? They add a wonderful splash of color to so many dishes

Sweet Cherries - won't be here too much longer. Another great treat to stock up in the freezer!

Sour Cherries - Their season is very short, so grab them while they're here. If you're a fan of these refreshing, sweet-tart stone fruits, check out the previous blog entry. You can enjoy them allll year long.

Locally grown - we also have blueberries from Fabry's in Holley, red raspberries from Brown's in Waterport, and carrots from a farm in the Rochester area.

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Sweet, Cold, and Delicious

IQF Cherry Pickup! Call Now to Place Your Orders

637-2600

Pick up Dates Are:  Friday, August 5th 9am to Noon

Saturday August 6th, 9am to Noon

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IQF Blueberries - 30 lbs

IQF Sour Cherries - 20 lbs or 40 lbs

***NEW!  IQF Sweet Cherries - 40lbs ***

Please note that we don't have enough freezer space to store frozen  fruit past noon. Come as close to 9am as you can to make sure your cherries thaw as little as possible!

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Do you have a favorite sour cherry recipe? Post it as a comment on this post for a chance to win 4lbs of IQF Cherries! A winner will be randomly selected on August 5th.

Have you ever seen a cherry shaker?

They look pretty strange. There are two very similar halves that go on either side of the tree, each driven independently by a 'tractor', tucked beneath a large, moveable, piece of yellow canvas stretched on a metal framework. A big pair of retractable pincers is nestled in the middle of one half. The pincers grab the tree and shake it! Ripe cherries tumble onto the canvas and cascade down the angled fabric, while a conveyor belt on the other half of the machine catches the cherries, sending them into a giant bin full of water and ice.  I can totally imagine the thought process that went into designing this contraption!

The Kirby brothers (Francis, George, Bob, and John) invested in a cherry shaker together around 1980. Every year each farm would send a representative or two to help out as the cherry shaker made it's way from orchard to orchard. You need a truck driver, someone to man both halves of the shaker, people to drive the tractor or two moving bins around and loading them on the truck, as well as several people to fill bins with ice and water.

My empathy for trees and the serious demeanor of everyone involved, combined with the activity, noise, and vibrations in a place normally so quiet and tranquil, all added up to make quite the impression on my seven year old mind. Every year we would go out to the orchard to watch. If you're interested, there are some videos on youtube showing how the different parts of a cherry shaker work! I'll try to get some photos up of our cherry harvest this year.

The Kirby clan has sent many tons of cherries to the processor over the years. Only a small fraction goes to market as fresh fruit because they just don't keep that long. (They're fresh picked in the market RIGHT NOW, grab 'em while you can!) The cherries are washed, pitted, and frozen at the processors. From there they go to various companies to be made into pie fillings, juices, etcetera.

For decades large tins of frozen cherries, some of them sugared, were available to retailers and the public. Anyone remember those? My Dad made a trip to Middleport twice a year, bringing back a truckload of frozen cherries to fill the orders. People line up in the front room, pick up their cherries, pay at the register, and whisk them away to their freezers to enjoy a year of pies, cobblers, and other cherry dishes. It goes like clockwork!

There aren't too many things that have changed over the years...

Instead of a tin full of frozen cherries that often stuck together in blocks, the fruit is now quick frozen so they pour out like marbles, and packed in large blue plastic bags. After a fire closed the plant in Middleport, we now get our truckload of IQF cherries from Holley Cold Pack, along with IQF Blueberries.

The biggest change is that you can get IQF fruit from Kirby's whenever we're open, May-December. We have a freezer in the market  full of 4-8 pound bags of fruit - sweet cherries, sour cherries, and blueberries. We still have the big IQF event each year (coming up soon!) because as always, you save money by ordering large amounts.

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(585) 637-2600

In Season Now

Dark Sweet Cherries showed up last Saturday.

Freeze them, dry them, blend them with lemonade, toss some onto a salad - if they make it home that is!  When the Sweet Cherries show up, Sour Cherries can't be far behind.

July is fast approaching!

We've had strawberries for several weeks but they won't be here much longer. Now is the time to purchase by the flat for jam, juice, and freezing. Freezing is my favorite way to preserve strawberries for the winter. Last year I somehow ran out of time and only got around to making jam. Let me tell you, I missed them alll winter. And I learned my lesson - there are eight quarts in my freezer right now!

Our lettuce is grown right behind the market,

so we can take a short walk out back and pick more whenever we need to. We keep at least two heads of each type available (Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Ithaca, and Buttercrunch), and you know it's fresh! I didn't know what good lettuce was until we started growing it ourselves. It is so sweet and tender and beautiful!

Regular Peas are still going strong!

We'll have them for a few more weeks, so take a few pounds home to enjoy a little pea-shelling meditation on the front porch.

Delicious Days of June: Field Update & Recipe

Things are really picking up speed on the farm! You can practically watch the crops grow with the sunshine and warm temperatures we've been enjoying.

Kirbygrown produce available in the market right now:

• Strawberries
• Edible Pod (Sugar Snap) Peas
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Asparagus
• Rhubarb
• Peppers (field grown in our high tunnel)
• MacIntosh, Empire and Crispin Apples (last years, from CA storage)

We also have locally grown gourmet mixed field greens (that's a delicious mouth full!),  and hothouse tomatoes.

We are expecting regular peas to be here by the weekend in about ten days if the temperatures stay above seventy, and we'll start Pick Your Own peas and strawberries in the next week or so. If you're interested in pick your own, give us a call at (585)637-2600 to check on picking conditions.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Last week, Betty, one of our market salespeople, brought this salad in for us to try. It features two of our favorite early summer ingredients, and was so refreshing that we had to share it with you!

For the Salad

• 1 lb fresh, washed Spinach
• 2 cups sliced Strawberries
• ¼ cup slivered Almonds

For the Dressing

• ½ cup Miracle Whip
• ½ cup Orange Juice concentrate
• 1 Tbsp Honey

Preparation:

Combine Miracle Whip, honey, and orange juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

Tear the spinach into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl or on individual salad plates. Arrange strawberries on top of spinach. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with Almonds. Enjoy!

Rhubarb, a Last Taste of Spring

Definitely one of the lesser known vegetables, rhubarb is tart, tart, tart. Just about any rhubarb recipe you encounter will also have a good amount of sugar in the ingredients list. Next time you pick some up, try a bite of it raw and you'll know why. Although rhubarb is most often found in pies and crisps, sometimes in breads, and occasionally as a sauce (my favorite), I've also heard of plenty of people eating it raw dipped in sugar. For those that favor this method, there's usually a story about hiding in grandmother's garden among the tall rhubarb leaves, with the sugar bowl.

History and Nutrition:

Wikipedia tells us that rhubarb has been enjoyed for thousands of years in China and Russia. As an import, it's value topped expensive spices like cinnamon in medieval Europe, but it didn't appear in the states until the early eighteen hundreds. Rhubarb's biggest nutritional contribution is Vitamin K (45% of your daily allowance) and Vitamin C (16%). It also tallies up a notable amount of Calcium (10%), Potassium(10%), andManganese (12%), among other nutrients. The leaves are, in fact, poisonous. That's why you will never see them for sale, we always chop them off first.

Recipe: Rhubarb Sauce

New to the flavors of rhubarb? I definitely recommend trying this recipe for Rhubarb Sauce. It's incredibly simple, you get to put it on vanilla ice cream, and it would be impossible to feature the flavor of this unique vegetable to a higher degree.

• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 2 lbs Kirbygrown Rhubarb, trimmed, washed, and cut into small chunks.

Preparation: In a saucepan simmer sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Add rhubarb and simmer for 15 minutes,  stirring occasionally. Adjust sugar to taste.

Set aside to cool for about twenty minutes, then serve warm over vanilla (or strawberry!) ice cream, or simply in a cup by itself. It's also a great breakfast chilled, with vanilla yogurt.

sauce

Variations: Stir in 1tsp vanilla extract before serving to balance out the rhubarb with some mellow sweetness. For another delicious variation, add 1 cup of fresh, chopped Kirbygrown strawberries or whole raspberries right after you take the sauce off the stove.

If you've tried all of the the usual rhubarb options and you're looking for something new, check out some of the ideas at epicurious. The sweet/sour/savory chutney paired with a pork tenderloin is definitely on my to-do list! Have any favorite uses for rhubarb, or stories of grandma's garden? Let us know, we'd love to hear about it!

Asparagus Season!

History and Nutrition

The brief season of our first vegetable is full of enthusiastic fans, and for good reason! Asparagus has been enjoyed as far back as 3000 B.C, as documented in an Egyptian frieze. Beloved by kings, early physicians, and ancient epicureans alike, asparagus has a lot to offer the modern vegetable eater! 4-5 grams protein and 3 grams of fiber per cup, an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6, not to mention it's high rating on a scale of deliciousness. Grilled, satueed, steamed, boiled, roasted, or broiled asparagus is delicious with just about anything. Beef, chicken, eggs, salads, pasta... The flavor of asparagus pairs especially well with garlic, rosemary, tarragon, thyme and lemon.

Try this simple recipe!

• Cut 1 pound of fresh, rinsed, Kirbygrown asparagus into even pieces.
• Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on medium.
• Add one clove of fresh, minced garlic and saute briefly, then toss in your asparagus.
• Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the asparagus is crisp tender. (My asparagus of medium thickness was done in 8 minutes.)
• Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt or to taste, and serve! I recommend a garnish of chive flowers or purple violas.

Variation: Toss with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.

Storage and Peparation Tips:

1. It's best to use asparagus within a few days of purchasing to get full flavor and nutritional benefits.
2. To store asaparagus, wrap the ends in wet paper towel and then put the entire bunch in a plastic bag. You want to contain a little moisture so the stalks don't get dried out.
3. Asparagus loves growing in the sandy soil of our Ridge Road farm, so make sure you rinse it well to avoid crunching on grains of sand.
4. Break off the white woody end before cooking to remove the fibrous part of the plant that grows under the soil.

More recipes to come!

Field Update 5/9/11

Peaches - Our early peach varieties are in full bloom right now! When you drive by the farm you'll see rows of cloudy pink - those are the peaches and they smell fantastic. Peaches won't be ready until July, but Spring is still a crucial time of year for our peach crop.  A hard frost wiping out thousands of peaches is a very real danger through the month of May, which would mean the end to delicious Kirbygrown peaches for 2011. How can you tell if it gets too cold? The morning after a cold break Mr. Kirby will go out to the orchard and open up a blossom. If the center is black, the fruit has been killed. This is also true of strawberry blossoms. As of this moment our peach crop is looking great - let's hope Mother Nature is kind this season!

Asparagus - On a hot day you can practically watch the asparagus grow. This cold wet Spring we've had so far has slowed it down. Our first picking came in last week but it will be a few days before we pick again. If you're planning to come by for asparagus before the weekend, call ahead to be sure we have it in. We also take orders by phone, which is always a good idea for large quantities (asparagus freezes and pickles well). Check our facebook page for updates!

Rhubarb - we'll be picking some nice big stalks this weekend. Rhubarb pie anyone? Or sauce! Yum.

Spinach & Beets - if we continue to get warm sunshine for a while (cross your fingers!) we'll have spinach and beets in two weeks.

Is CSA Right For You?

CSA Informational Meeting

Wednesday, April 13 at 7:00 pm

Location: Our greenhouse at the Market (map).

We hope you can make it to our first meeting! Topics for discussion include our farming practices and what you can expect from a CSA share with Kirby's. Then we will open the floor to questions! Your feedback will help us make decisions throughout the season, starting with our first meeting.

A few details about our CSA Shares

• There are 50 Shares available
• All produce we grow will be included as permitted by Mother Nature, including fruit!
• Choose a Half Share or a Full Share.
• A share can be paid for in one or two payments.
• Your first payment is required to reserve your share.
• Shares will include additional market benefits.
• Members must commit to picking up their share on Tuesday 1pm - 7pm or Saturday 1pm - 7pm.

We are still in the process of calculating a price. We will publish that information by Friday April 8th.

Click here to visit our page on localharvest.org for more information, including a list of the fruits and vegetables we grow and a description of our farm.  And, if you are new to the idea of Community Supported Agriculture, check out this article at Local Harvest.

News! Kirby's CSA Program

We spent this afternoon hammering out the structure of our brand new CSA program. There is still more work to do, but we are all very excited to offer 50 CSA shares! for the 2011 season.

If you don't know much about CSA, (which stands for Community Supported Agriculture) check out the articles at localharvest.org. This is a wonderful site with so much information on what's available from small farms across the country. (We used it when we visited California last year and enjoyed some really fantastic produce.) We've also used it for sourcing locally grown beef and pork. Kirby's has our very own listing, and if you have an opportunity we would love for you to share your experiences at Kirby's by reviewing us on the site. We need to see some green stars on there!

Stay tuned to learn more about Kirby's CSA shares! We'll be posting more details soon. If you have any questions feel free to email or message us on facebook.

Squash Bisque

This is a squash soup I put together one fall, with left over roasted squash. The parsnip adds a little complexity with a hint of spicy sweetness, but feel free to leave it out if you're not a fan of parsnips. For a non-dairy squash soup with more of an exotic flair, try our Curried Butternut Soup with Coconut.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• A good swirl of Olive Oil
• 1 cup Roasted Squash, mashed
• 1 small Parsnip, grated
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 cup Half and Half
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider

Over medium hear, sautee onion in olive oil until golden. Add garlic and parsnip. Continue to cook for a minute, until the garlic is lightly golden. Pour in the chicken stock and apple cider. Stir in the squash and simmer 5 - 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to low and gently stir in the cream. Cook until heated through. Enjoy!

Serving suggestion: For a smoother soup, puree with an immersion blender, or carefully in a regular blender.

I made this for Christmas Eve dinner one year with a swirl of homemade creme fraiche on top. The end result was beautiful little bowls of elegant and earthy, savory with a little sweetness. Creme fraiche, which is kind of like a thin sour cream I guess,  is easy to make and it's fun having a delicious and unusual ingredient in the fridge.

End of the Year Sales

Today marks the beginning of the end of the season for us here at Kirby's! There are only five more days left until we close for the winter at 2pm on Friday, December 24th. It is traditional for us to run sales the last week of the year. As a special Holiday thank you, our Poinsettias are 25 % off. It's time to stock up on homegrown produce for the winter! As of today, our Kirbygrown apples are all 25% off.  While you're here, don't forget the keeping potatoes from Rush's - they'll store very well and last for months.

All gift shop items  and jams are 20% off.  Finish up your Christmas shopping and save a little money at the same time!

We hope you're enjoying the holiday season, see you soon!

The Twelve Days of Gift Hunting

Are you starting to feel the crunch? Today is December 12th and sadly, we no longer have twelve days until Christmas. The deadline no longer creeps, it looms. In addition to deadlines, we have  the usual WNY winter weather, long lines, crazy traffic at the malls, and the guarantee of at least one challenging person on our list to contend with. Kirby's Farm Market is here to help! As I posted on facebook today, there are definitely benefits to taking your holiday shopping to the country.

* We have gobs of talented crafters out here creating quality gifts (by quality I mean the made-with-love-talent-and-pride type of quality). If you don't have time for homemade, then handmade and local is the next best thing. (More on these talented people in a moment.)

*There may be a lot of myths about the country but this one is true - we're all pretty laid back! Traffic is a tad more low key and lines are just a bit shorter (non-existent!) out here on the very Western edge of Monroe County. In the market the sound of Christmas music is relaxing, the glow of little lights and scent of balsam candles soothing.... sip a cup of hot, mulled cider as you wander, browsing in our gift shop.

*And finally, you know you can find something unique at Kirby's for just about anyone on your list.  I have twelve suggestions.....

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1. In the year that Tranquility Herbals has been around, we've seen a huge variety of herbal products come into the market. Jaime (Kirby) Brennan has been studying the art of herbology and applying it to the benefit of our every day lives. Nourishing teas to relax or invigorate, rubs for aching muscles, and a wonderful lip balm, just for a few examples. Show someone that you care about their health and well being by putting an herbal gift under the tree this year!

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2. Men! They like to eat. For the men on your list we have a variety of mustards from Nunda, NY-  Peppercorn, Tangy, and Honey Brew are just a few options. Seawards Chocolates are always a good bet whether they like milk, white or dark, caramel, sponge, or assorted.We also have over 35 types of jams, butters, and preserves. From Apple to Quince, we've got your morning toast covered.

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3. A Taste of NY! We will definitely start this gift off with a nice stash of Kirbygrown apples, and Kutter's cheddar is always a perfectly complement to a  crisp, empire. Maple Syrup will be perfect alongside New Hope Mills Buttermilk Pancake Mix. Finish off this treasure trove of delicious NYS flavor with a jar of Doan's Honey and some Maple Sugar Candy.

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4. A Day at the Spa - you might not expect to create a Spa package at a farm market, but the price tag will be the most pleasant surprise. A bar of luxurious goat's milk soap from Nanny Naturals, a hand-knit washcloth, Miracle Grains facial scrub and herbal facial steam from Tranquility Herbals, comes to a grand total of $20. Every bit of it is made in Orleans County.

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5. Afternoon Tea - we now carry a selection of 25 different teas from Tranquility Herbals. Unique gifts for the tea-lover on your list includes a collapsible infuser (strainer),  a variety of lidded cups with tea infuser included, the "perfect scoop" to measure out loose leaf tea, and tea sets and mugs in hues of green and blue from local potter Deborah Wilson. Throw in a decorative and indestructible teabag saucer for good measure.

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6. Windchimes! Definitely a unique gift.  I will be the first to admit that while we all know someone with half a dozen windchimes in their backyard, not everyone appreciates the musical partnership of mother nature and a set of metal pipes.  All we ask is that you stop by and play around with the dozens of windchimes we carry from Woodstock (another NY based company). Not only will the joyful poking and prodding of something that makes a lot of noise remind you of your childhood, the results of Woodstock's creative material combinations may just win you over. Prices start under $10 with an adorable set that is also perfect as a tree ornament!

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7. Holiday Color - a splash of red, an armful of blooms, poinsettias make excellent holiday gifts for the people on your list that don't really need anything. Easy to care for with extremely long lasting 'flowers', they'll brighten any room.  We still have a good selection of poinsettias in our greenhouse, but don't wait too long! Certain colors are selling out.

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8. For the organized person on your list (or maybe someone that could use a little more organization in their life) we have beautiful stationary. Notepads of all sizes, all under $5 and perfect for stocking stuffers or as a little gift. Tiny pocket sized; medium purse sized with matching pencil; and one with a magnet, perfect for jotting notes in the kitchen. We also have special calenders designed to sort out the events of the week, and big desk calenders, handy folders for phone numbers... even recipe cards! All with great art, all under $20.

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9. For new arrivals - An adorable package from Tranquility Herbals created for new mothers and their little ones! Contains a hand-knit, organic washcloth, Rosy Bottom Salve, all-natural Baby Powder, and Cradle Cap Oil.

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10. Scent with Love - Our collection of scented items has really grown this year.  We were excited to add Sandy Creek Candles of Kendall, NY in 2009 and 100% Essential Oils of Aura Cacia this year. Sandy Creek crafts wonderfully scented votive and jar soy candles that last 50% longer then traditional paraffin candles.  Holiday scents are Balsam, Cinnamon Strudel and Christmas Cabin. Or put together a little package of diffuser reeds, essential oil and a vessel of your choice for another way to scent the holidays. It's as easy as that!

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11. Sweet and Simple - pair any of our festive mugs with a carton of delicious hot chocolate mix from Aspen. We have 10 holiday mugs to choose from, as well as a selection of mugs that will be great for any season.

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12. Haven't heard the right one yet? A gift certificate from Kirby's Farm Market is like giving someone hundreds of opportunities to choose from. Whether they decide on a gorgeous flowering plant next Spring, a basket of the world's juiciest, freshest fruits in Summer (no, I'm not biased), or a wagonful of gourds and pumpkins in the Fall, we are here to show them the joys of homegrown. With four gorgeous WNY seasons, and hundreds of varieties of fruits and vegetables to choose from, they'll have a lot of fun with that little piece of paper. Gift Certificates are available at Kirby's in any amount.

* We would be happy to help you but together a special gift package. Place an order over the phone (585)637-2600 or at the market, and we'll have it ready for you by Christmas!

Happy Holidays!