Fizzy legs

Well what a weekend! Yesterday we visited the Butterflies in the Greenhouse exhibition at RHS Wisley which was absolutely beautiful with butterflies fluttering around everywhere and lots of flowering tropicals and orchids. But a word of warning-get there early as its very popular with young families and much as I love kids......enough said!
So today I have been very busy sowing seeds for the nursery, including lots of Echinaceas,Salvias and Phlomis as well as taking the Chillis we sowed last week out of the propagator and onto a warm windowsill as they have already germinated!!And this afternoon we took our men to see the greenhouse that we hope to be setting the nursery up in and they both seemed reasonably impressed by it and couldnt find a single negative so hurrah to that! Im am so excited about all this that I seem to have permanently fizy legs just like you get before Christmas when youre a child who still"believes!"

This is a picture of Echinacea purpurea Pow Wow Wild Berry,one of the echinaceas I sowed today.
Plans for the week-keep on sowing!!

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Lone Duck Farm CSA Shares Now Available!

Some people know all about CSAs (and might even school us!) and others are left scratching their heads about what this acronym could possibly mean. So just in case youre wondering, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture (a buying agreement between the farmer and his or her community). CSAs provide pre-paid "shares" of the farms produce to individuals/families, who then pick up their box of produce on a set day (usually once a week). This allows the share holder to get to know his or her farmer, to have a stake in the growing process, and to have access to the freshest food available; it also allows the farmer to know how much and which types of food to grow, guaranteeing him or her a market for their hard work. Financially, shareholders/members pay less than they would if they bought each item individually, though there is some risk involved- CSA farmers may sometimes need to substitute one item for another, depending on growing conditions. And did we mention that when you pre-pay for your veggies (and can plan for a set amount of produce to enter your house each week), you might just find it easier to actually eat the recommended amount of vegetable servings? :)


Lone Duck Farm is about to embark on the whole CSA adventure, and wed love it if you came along! Were starting out with two share options- a full share and a half share, available weekly. Share holders can sign up for a three month season, and our first season will be starting in October and ending in December (14 weeks of delicious, fresh greens!). After that, shareholders can decide whether to commit for another three months, let their share expire, or to extend their share for even longer than just the next season! So what can you expect from each option?

Full Shares ($30/week = $420/season) include:
3 heads of living lettuce
1 bunch of kale OR swiss chard
1 bunch of watercress OR purslane
1 bunch of arugula OR endive
1 bunch spinach OR mizuna (a delicious, mild alternative)
1 head of pak choi OR celery
2 bunches of fresh herbs (basil, oregano, mint, chives, parsley, or cilantro)
1 seasonal item (see list below)

Half Shares ($18/week = $252/season) include:
2 heads of living lettuce
1 bunch of kale OR swiss chard
1 bunch of watercress OR arugula OR purslane
1 head of pak choi OR celery
1 bunch of fresh herbs (basil, oregano, mint, chives, parsley, or cilantro)
1 seasonal item every other week

Seasonal items may include: rhubarb, peas, mulberries, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, kohlrabi, garlic, leeks, beets, onions, potatoes, or Brussels sprouts.


**As an added benefit, were also offering a discount on tilapia to our CSA members- about 15% per fish! And members get first notice of any other products that may become available as we expand our offerings.


At this time, were offering CSA shares on-farm, meaning that youd need to stop by the farm between 3 and 6 p.m. on Tuesdays to pick up your share for the week. If we happen to have multiple shares headed to the same area of town, we can discuss setting up a delivery option.

So does this sound interesting to you? Wed love to answer any questions you have or send you a sign up sheet! Drop us a line or give us a call- were excited to hear from you!

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Were now taking fall CSA reservations

It may only be August, but its not too soon to start thinking about where youll get fresh, tasty greens once the weather starts cooling off! Our fall CSA share starts in October, and there are only 15 spots left!

Contact us to reserve your (full, half, or design-your-own) share today!

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Spring A Time For New Beginnings

When snowy slush turns to warm(ish) rains, bright flowers pop up (love me some primroses!), and the birds start building their nests, we all tend to get a little excited about new ideas and whats to come. Its no different at the farm, and so were embarking on a new (online) project.

Welcome to the first weekly installment of the Lone Duck Farm Recipe Book!

 

Every week, well be posting a new recipe that uses one of the ingredients we grow (youre welcome, CSA members!). We welcome submissions from the community, and if the warmer air gets to our heads, we might even post TWO recipes in the same week! You can find a compilation of these recipes in the new tab at the top of the page.

 

So without further ado, heres our first delicious treat:

 

Potato Leek Hash with Swiss Chard and Eggs

Source

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups sliced leek (about 2 large)
• 12 ounces fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise (about 4 cups)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/4 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
• 4 cups thinly sliced trimmed Swiss chard (about 1 bunch)
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded Gruyère or Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. 1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan. Add potatoes; cook 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.Add leek and garlic; cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chard; cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Using a spoon, push potato mixture aside to make 4 egg-size spaces. Crack 1 egg into each space; sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon paprika over eggs. Cover and cook 3 minutes; sprinkle cheese over potato mixture. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until egg yolks are lightly set.

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