Author: artfarmllc

ARTfarm Wednesday Great Happiness, 3–6 p.m.

 

The cry of the hounds in the early morning fog punctuates the hunt for wild cucurbits. Luca’s Great-Great-Great-Granduncle Daniele Giorgio Wilfredo Blaghini Gasperi IV displays his prized trophy in a rare daguerreotype from the family album.

Great Scott! The ebb and flow of our farmstand customers is ever changing like the sands of time. Wednesdays have become Saturday-like recently, quite popular. We look forward to seeing everyone, and we will have more Fiddlewood Farm fresh local goat cheese this afternoon. Please note, we will also feature Dr. Bradford’s fresh goat cheese on Saturday morning this week, so everyone need not come Wednesday just for that creamy delectable treat.

 

Also featuring, Wednesday afternoon, from the ephemerally  rain-kissed gardens here at ARTfarm: Sweet salad mix, teen arugula, teen spicy salad mix, loads of cherry tomatoes, slicer tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes (don’t squeeze please!), exceptionally tasty pumpkin, kale, sweet bell peppers, not-hot seasoning peppers, mildly hot serrano peppers, fairly blazing Indian chili peppers, loads of freshly harvested onions with gorgeous green tops for your soup and garnishing purposes, Italian basil, lemon basil, holy basil, garlic chives, cilantro, dill, parsley, cooking greens, radishes with yummy green tops, and big bold zinnias and marigold cut flowers.

And if you’ve missed out (by the bittersweet vagaries of timing) on one of the farmstand items you had your heart set on, or if you are suffering mild fits of nostalgia brought on by the encroachment of tax season or even the onslaught of headscratching headlines in the news media nowadays, be sure to console yourself with a uniquely local vegan fruit ice cream treat by the I-Sha chefs, from our cooler. It is a perfect mini vacation from any negative thoughts. As in any fine dining establishment, we will supply you with comfortable seating and a spoon of quality flatware (which we ask you to leave behind when you depart so that we may clean and polish it for another day). We remain, at your service, at the foot of the rolling hills of the South Shore, between Ha’Penny Beach and the Boy Scout Camp. Open Wednesdays 3–6 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m.–12 noon. As always, Island Casual.

ARTfarm Open, Ag Fair Weekend: Sat. 10 AM to 12 noon

We will be open at our usual location on the farm this morning. But, we strongly urge you to also visit the Ag Fair this weekend! Happy President’s Day, and Happy Valentine’s Day, folks!

These flowers are YUGE. Some orange like The Donald! Wage a campaign of love this weekend!
We grew it for you, stop by and pick up: Sweet salad mix, loads of cherry tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, lettuce heads, a few yellow and green squash, carrots, radishes, a few bunches of kale, loads of pumpkin, beautiful onions, scallions, a few leeks, a few cucumbers, beautiful green and red bell peppers;

ARTfarm pumpkin…at the peak of flavor right now, these are crazy sweet steamed or roasted, or even sliced thin raw!

Trinidad seasoning peppers are incredibly pungent and smoky like a hot pepper, but with none of the heat. We like to chop them coarsely into all kinds of dishes to give them a specific ‘Caribbean’ aromatic profile. They must be tasted to be believed, and once you’re hooked you’ll always look for these little gems! If you’re not a big fan of spicy food, these are a great way to get a pungent peppery flavor without the pain!
Red serranos and Indian chilies, Trinidad Perfume seasoning peppers, baby ginger root, cilantro, dill, Italian basil, lemon basil, holy basil, loads of fresh cut zinnia flowers, yellow marigolds, and a few bags of figs.

From our partners we have locally made treats: vegan ice cream, raw honey, and goat cheese!

11:09AM update: Still have loads of stuff left! Lots of tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, cooking greens, herbs, peppers, honey, ice creams, pumpkin… Come on by!

Don’t miss the 45th annual St. Croix AgriFest this weekend, on the grounds of the Department of Agriculture on Queen Mary Highway just west of UVI’s campus. Open 9-6 Saturday, Sunday and Monday. $6 adults, $4 seniors, $3 children. A good portion of the island shuts down for several weeks to prepare for this major public event: Tons of exhibitors, from farmers competing for best display with great piles of fruits and vegetables, value-added goods and fruit trees; to great local cooks selling plates of food, hot sauces, drinks and spices from this and other islands; Armstrong’s ice cream truck with special local flavors made just for the fair; to vendors of art, jewelry, clothing and local crafts with great bargains; to elementary student science projects, alternative energy providers and University scientists showing a glimpse of the future; to animal judging exhibits and petting zoos with chicks and puppies and baby animals for sale; to carnival and pony rides for the kids and live music and dance performances! The old time history house is a wonderful favorite. People watching as you ride the tractor-pulled trolley tour, stroll through the throngs or sit at a picnic table with your plate of local food, quelbe music wafting through the air, is a must! This is a local annual event that uniquely expresses our island culture that is not to be missed!

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Happy President’s Day Weekend!
Although ARTfarm will not have a booth this year, we will have lettuce heads, onions and serrano peppers on display at Sejah Farm’s booth inside the large tractor barn on the west end of the fairgrounds.

We’ll see you there!!

ARTfarm Wednesday…Pumpkins! 3-6pm

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Wow zinnia! Photo by Farmer Jennifer Valiulis

We are open today, 3–6 p.m.! Some special treats today… It is pumpkin harvest time at ARTfarm this year! Pumpkins are one of those versatile vegetables that can be used in desserts and entrées alike. They are perfect in soups and stews, ravioli and gnocchi, they are wonderful halved and roasted in the oven, they go into pies and soufflés and cheesecakes and tarts, they can be puréed and added to many dishes to give them extra richness, thickness and sweetness.

Maybe we are biased, but we think that our pumpkins are incredibly beautiful, each one with a unique shape and color pattern. We suggest you buy a couple of whole ones and display them in your home for a couple of days before enjoying them.

Pumpkin and goat cheese are a great match. We have beautiful locally made goat cheese medallions today from the VI’s Alpine Dairy Goat herd, Fiddlewood Farm!

Sweet salad mix, baby arugula, cherry tomatoes, slicing and heirloom tomatoes, loads of beautiful onions, loads of red serranos and red Indian chili peppers, green bell peppers, garlic chives, parsley, cilantro, Italian basil, holy basil, lemon basil, three types of radishes, assorted beautiful pumpkins, and loads of zinnia flowers!

A Little of This, Lots of That, feat. TOMATOES! 10am – 12 noon

  

ARTfarm zinnias at dawn.
 
 
The sheep tend to graze more heavily in the dawn hours, when things are cool and there is still some dew on the grass.
  

When it’s still too dark to start harvesting, some work begins with organizing for the market.
 Good Morning! Here’s what we’ll have today down the South Shore, in rough order of quantity:

A LITTLE BIT OF: micro spicy, teen arugula, summer squash, wild cucumbers, fresh baby ginger, kale, escarole, lettuce heads, fresh Mediterranean figs. 
RESPECTABLE SUPPLY OF: heirloom tomatoes, pumpkin, onions, scallions, radishes, carrots, lemon basil, holy basil, dill, cilantro, recao, garlic chives, Italian parsley, edible yellow marigold flowers, fresh local neighborhood eggs from happy hens at Yellow Door Farm (Heather & Matthew) and Nelthropp Naturals (Jimmy & Barbara), passionfruit.

BOATLOADS OF: sweet salad mix, cherry tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, green bell peppers, red serranos, Indian chili peppers, Italian basil, fresh-cut zinnia flowers!