Blueberry Season 2012

August 22, 2012.....Our organic U-pick blueberry season is now closed.

Apologies, but Mother Nature truly does control it all despite the best farming practices.....this season was perhaps the shortest in our record, since 1992, only 5 weeks. Many thanks to all for your support and hope to see you again next year!

Town of Milton Spells Favoritism

"How does one spell favoritism?" Or to re-phrase, a town that only enforces zoning regulations to some.

We posed this question as our courteous silence for over 20 years has come to an end. April 27 was the last straw. A certain "entitled" neighbor decided to move his 100+ year old house with professional explosive contractors on site, without ever getting a building permit or notifying the town, police or any of his neighbors. A recurrent pattern of behavior and openly defiant narcissism.

This caused some late pregnancy cows to stampede and crash into each other over the course of the day as they repeatedly heard sirens and blasts from the dynamite less than 75 feet from our dairy barn...and drilled well..why is it that this whole town must get a building permit while we have watched for 20 years, "minding our own business," as this neighbor has never gotten one single building permit-for his multiple commercial construction projects, which some actually might have fallen under Act 250 jurisdiction with the state.

It appears that some in our small town do not need to abide by the same rules/laws as the rest of us. Doesn't it "take a village?" Maybe not this one. Our barn is across from this house where blasting occurred directly behind it. 

Later, some broken windows were found in our dairy barn. Police said possibly a high velocity instrument (like a stone flying) caused it. Imagine if someone was checking the mail at that time? Road was never blocked off during the entire two days of blasting. Who would want to move a house anyway? Really? 

Hand-dipped housemade Ricotta

We have been toying with the idea of bringing hand dipped ricotta to farmers market  this year. Hand dipped ricotta made from whey after the cheese making process, for those that might not know, is a bit different than the store bought product made from whole milk. It is a bit creamier and more dense in texture. Wonderful used in the usual way, stuffed in pastas, vegetables, lasagna etc. But it is most enjoyable smeared over a baguette with a little sea salt and olive oil and maybe even some balsamic vinegar or for sweet tastes, honey.

Spring has sprung early this year and so tiny ramps were bursting and just begging to be harvested. A little homemade flatbread with ramps and ricotta.

Wild ramp and housemade ricotta flatbread

Reopening Date

Happy Spring friends!

We thank you for your support and appreciate that you like to visit/use the farm. Please take note:

We are closed to the public until May 1, 2012.

This includes bikers, cyclists, dog walkers, hikers, kids in strollers, tourists, neighborhood walkers.......this road we built, the entrance to the farm, is our driveway. It is not a public road. For some reason in the farming community there has been an observation made that the public 'thinks' by default a farm is public property. It is not. This is our HOME and business. Please respect our privacy while we are closed to the public. Thanks for your attention in this........we felt it necessary to post this as with the recent warmer weather there has been a sufficient increase in traffic up our driveway....


We will also have new cheese viewing room hours. We will be open from 10-5 each day, not 9-5 anymore. Thanks!

Butternut Gets Gold

Happy to announce that our alpine style cave aged cheese, 'Butternut', so named due to its buttery and nutty tones, got Gold at the most recent World Cheese Awards in England! Honored to be among large companies from Germany, Switzerland, Africa, France, Italy, Spain and Austria, who knew a little ole' farm from Vermont that could, did!?....Pun intended...By the way, the name 'Butternut' has nothing to do with the squash. There is no squash in it or on it. Ha! We are very proud since this competition was one of their largest, over 2500 entries, 200 judges and at least 77 cheeses just in our category.

The kicker though? We are almost sold out of this cheese right now as its season has ended. So we must wait for the ones to age in the cave. Go figure.

Building buildings

I feel like we are constantly building. Ugg. This year began with blowing out old walls in the then cow parlor to expand our numbers and make for an easier and cleaner milking experience. Done. Sorry no pics yet.

Then onto the big barn/arena in June and that is still continuing. Will post a youtube video once it's complete for anyone interested in this type of construction. Gable end walls are next and hope we button it up before snow flies. Isn't that an oxymoron in Vermont?

And now finally we are onto the door entry to the self-serve viewing room at the cheese house. After 6 years!!!

That's huge. Well, not the project, but that it is happening before we are all snowed in which is normally when we begin things here. Next up? Oh, just a bit of trim on the several year old horse barn. And again, I'll be painting everything in full next year.

Blueberries or Bust

Wahoo! It's blueberry time again and they are bursting with blue-liciousness! Is that a word? You can taste all the blue goodness in them, in other words, their powerful antioxidant health benefits. First day open was yesterday, the hottest day in Vermont this summer. It hit 93 up here on the hill, must have been worse down in the village. Eek! Thanks to all who came out!

We are now open Weds-Sat from 10-2 for picking. Please phone 802.893.2963 for directions and picking updates. We have complimentary cold water to keep you hydrated too. Oh, and crop's bountiful.

Certified organic since 1992. Follow us on facebook for more frequent ruminations from the farm.

Ramping Up

Hmmm. I just noticed how very long it's been since I last wrote. Sometimes as a farmer/cheesemaker I feel that there are not enough hours in the day to put something on paper, being so busy, as well as thoughts of, 'does the world need yet another farm/food blog?'  That said, our facebook page has largely taken the place for notifications of upcoming events, products, ideas etc. Willow Hill Farm Facebook link.

Let's see. What can I slash off the to-do list that got happening today? Woke up early, went to do animal feeding chores, then with head nets in hand a la African safari off to a secret location on the farm to harvest the elusive wild ramps for farmers market tomorrow. Afterwards, I managed to continue painting cheese plant siding and trim, while husband rented a tiller for the tractor to prep this year's garden spot. Don't ask me why we need to rent a tiller when we own two broken ones from when we were veggie farmers in the 90's. Next up, is prepping cheeses for market while husband moves on to pouring concrete for columns at the cheese plant viewing room entry way. This is the third attempt. It's been so wet and with the flooding each time he did it, it collapsed back in on itself before he could pour concrete down the hole! Back to the ramps to wash, prep and package...













more animal feeding chores...laundry and dishes.....
One side of cheese plant painted? Check.
Garden plot prepped? Check.
Columns concrete poured? Check.
Ramps harvested and ready to go? Check.
Cheese ready for market? Check.
Laundry and dishes? Who cares.
Whew! I'm pooped.
What's for dinner? Hmmm. Smoked salmon antipasto salad with grilled ramps,  puff pastry with shaved Butternut cheese. Add a pomegranate cosmo.

World Cheese Awards 2010

Just a quick post here, not much to tell except very busy on the farm tying things up for the winter-too many building projects!
We got lucky again and were garnered an award for our Butternut cheese, an Alpine style which is aged at least 5 months on our own ash planks harvested on the farm. This competition, which seems to be getting bigger each year had over 2600 entries and 201 judges. Yikes!

FDA Shuts Down Small Cheese Makers

Scary stuff. And not preventable when Goliath stomps on the little companies....

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-10-30-the-fda-inspired-shutdown-of-two-small-cheesemakers-raises-more

Labor Day Blues

Yes, we are STILL open for picking blueberries. So come on all you moms with kids in school, stock up on some superfood for the winter! We will be open the same hours as our summer schedule until the frost ends it all (which is late into Sept usually):

Fri 10-2

Sat 10-2

Weds 10-2

Thurs 10-2, 3-6:30

CLOSED Sun-Tues

Call 802-893-2963 for weather updates

Organic U-pick Blueberry Hours

Blueberry Picking hours will be the following for 2010:
Closed Sun, Mon, Tues
Open Weds 10-2
Thurs 10-2, 3-6:30
Fri 10-2
Sat 10-2

We are the original certified organic blueberry farm in Chittenden County est.1991. Please join us for another bountiful blueberry crop!

Directions:
Coming from Main St in Milton, turn onto East Rd, make a left onto Hardscrabble Rd (3/4 mile) and go up that hill 1.3 miles. We are on the right!
Feel free to phone 802.893.2963 for updates if there is rain predicted on the day you plan to pick.

Our cheese viewing room (unlike the blueberries) is open every day 9-5. It is a self-serve system, sorry we do not give formal tours as we are such a small operation.

U-Pick Blueberry Picking

Hi Folks!
We're finally open for the 2010 blueberry season!
Our hours as of July 19, for now, will be Weds-Sat from 10-2.
Directions:
Coming from Main St in Milton, turn onto East Rd and make a left onto Hardscrabble Rd. We're just 1.3 miles up that hill on the right!
And remember, our cheese viewing room and self-serve retail is open every day from 9-5 as well. Cheeses in season now:
Alderbrook
Butternut
La Fleurie
Summertomme
Vaquero Blue
Vermont Brebis

And don't forget, coming up this Sunday is the 2nd annual cheese festival at Shelburne Farms on July 25!

Wildfires smoke out Memorial Day

This is unreal. I woke up this morn before dawn to a smell in my bedroom, thinking it was our barn burning down again. I yelled out  "are you there, are you there?! IS idiot across the street burning plastic?" Neighbors illegally burn plastic trash at will but mostly on a North wind and so it goes wafting thru our dairy barn pissing off the calves and dairy mamas. Yesterday, while working with my horses, I thought I detected a sort of plastic-y smoke smell. And maybe that's why horses seemed sort of-well, out of sorts.  Anyway, no answer from downstairs, and no response to either text message or voice mail, I feared the worst. I jumped in the truck with eyes still stuck together from the sand man and at each building seeing it was ok, sighed whew! So then I hear a yell from the dairy barn that it was all over the news this morning-wildfires in Quebec affecting air quality and smoke on a west wind-that should go away come afternoon.........
Afternoon came and went and one still can't see across to the lake. Hazy, red yellow-y sky. Smells bad and must be affecting the animals as one cow wouldn't even come in for milking. And no, she's not in heat. Hard to believe that with my house windows shut, fires from hundreds of miles away woke me up. Hope they can get the fires under control and puff them out. Quite a different smell than the proverbial memorial day barbecue. Hovers in the air more like cigarettes than dry rub.
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Sheep Bloomies are here!

It's official folks. The 2010 first sheep bloomy rind cheeses are now available! Citrusy Alderbrook, olive-y Vermont Brebis, and floral/herbal Summertomme have arrived. Come see us tomorrow, if you're local, at the Burlington Farmers Mkt, from 8:30-2., May 29. Yum!

Snow Woes

Update on the storm as lots of folks are emailing. We have so far over 20 inches at noon and it still is coming down hard. We seem to be in some sort of pocket of whirling around moisture. Picture of beautiful apple tree below, yesterday, destroyed overnight. No power for over 12 hours so far, 30,000 people without power. Had to milk with generator this morning and go find it-the generator-under 3 ft of snow that slid off roof. Then go get tractor to haul it, bring it in barn and get going 3 hours behind schedule. 

These kinds of freak storms also affect animals in a negative way. We keep careful watch on young lambs especially-they cannot tolerate any sort of quick change in the weather. The calves don't seem to be affected. In fact, two sick lambs on my bathroom floor warming, as I write. Why do we do this?

Did I mention I got stuck in my 4WD truck 3 times all before 9 am?! Tractor had to pull me out-that has never happened in 20 years (in April anyway). On a good note-I caught this critter on my way down to feeding.......he was all confused. 

April 27, 2010 snowstorm

6 inches and counting. Enough said. Yesterday was 70 degrees. More than enough said...

Nap Time

Dumpling Diehard

I haven't posted in a bit, as I find it difficult to actually sit down and write while busy farming...fixing fence, lambing, calving, making cheese, building the new barn.....so sadly, writing on a casual farm blog hasn't been my highest priority especially too, given the sad state of affairs with the sheep dairy FDA mandate on new antibiotic test kits.....so my apologies to those who read my farm diary for lack of new info. That said, another excuse for me, haha, is that for the first time in Vermont winter, it seems,  it has actually been sunny for a few days in a row! So that means to get outside is of paramount importance. Hiking, taking in the chickadees' song, making sure we get our dose of Vitamin D from the sun!

Meals must quick and easy as well. Growing up in tropical climes, all things Asian are quick and much easier than one would think. Perhaps it is their inherent simple beauty on a plate- one would guess there's more to it than that! When I can't think of what to make for dinner, I grab some of our own ground pork, some won ton wrappers, veggies and some oil. I make this often for guests as well. Involving them as well as children is lots of fun too....Wait a minute. Yes, this can be healthy! I make both steamed and fried versions to round out the meal. Please note that these can obviously be made with just vegetables for vegetarians. As I have so many times before mentioned not being a 'measuring cook' unless I am baking here is the plan:

First I mix up a meat medley whatever suits my mood. This time it was 1 pound ground pork (could be ground turkey, ground chicken, chopped shrimp), grated fresh ginger, grated fresh garlic, chopped scallions, julienned carrots, minced button mushrooms and finely shredded napa cabbage. Add to it a tad of shoyu (soy sauce), dash of rice vinegar and you are ready to roll. Or 'push' as it were. I take one won ton wrapper and using said mixture load about a tablespoon on top 

then set it either on my palm or the counter and 'push' or smoosh it together. It's not technically correct with Asian cooks but I find it makes for just as tasty and fast! Certainly one wouldn't try this with a won ton to be fried. These, are only to be steamed. And as they sit in a steamer undisturbed, it works like a charm. 

As you fill the won ton wrappers, set aside on a clean plate after which you will refrigerate for approx 30 mins to set the dumplings. Below is a finished steamer!

For a fry-able version with the same internal ingredients, I use the won ton wrappers with a slightly different technique. Place won ton wrapper flat on your palm and fill with stuffing, then fold in half forming a triangle and using a bowl on the counter with plain water (yes that's how easy it is-no need for egg wash or egg whites) lightly dredge edges with water using index finger and fold. Voila! A pot sticker to rival any commercial version. 

And with local pasture raised and whey fed pork! I use any high heat type oil, canola, safflower or peanut. Use what you like depending on budget. Last night I used non-GMO canola oil. No need to deep fry, it can be accomplished in a skillet. Just fill to half the thickness of the won tons. Fry until golden and line up on a sheet pan to keep warm in a 200 degree oven to keep 'em comin'! Steam the others, make some Jasmine rice, and steamed Napa cabbage and you're all set for the night! My side dipping sauce is once again, improvised. I usually use fresh grated ginger, grated garlic, chopped scallion or two, dash red pepper flakes, shoyu, rice vinegar, dash mirin and splash sesame oil and top with a few sesame seeds on top. Mix this all together and you have a fantastic dipping sauce without preservatives or extra sodium. You can even use low sodium soy sauce or tamari if you like. It's all good! Just make it to taste. Ok so that's it folks. NOW, I gotta go tend to my barbecue pit-threw a couple slabs of ribs on for tonight's academy awards eve tv watching-I'm running behind what with kegging up the Belgian Ale I made last week. Too little time for hobbies!!!!!!!!! Spring's coming!