Time for a change…

Peter's thoughts....

First of all, we want to say “thank you” to everyone stopping in at the farm for corn, beef and produce during the last two weeks.  It has been great to see everyone again and we appreciate everyone adjusting so well to the “COVID” requirements of physical distancing, hand washing, masking and limiting the number of people in the shed; well done!

Tonight, we had two varieties of “peaches and cream” corn on the Doris table for dinner.  “Temptress”, the variety that we have been selling for the last two or three days and “Allure” the next maturing variety in the Doris corn patch.  I can say that the Temptress has performed very well this year but alas it is getting a bit too mature for my liking (in other words, it is starting to get starchy).  This is keeping true to the “Bernadette Doris*” method.  Simply stated, the “Bernadette Doris” method is making sure you eat the same produce regularly as your customers and once you notice a variety that has peaked, you need to move on to the next.   In this light, the Allure variety tastes great and we will be offering it starting tomorrow (Wednesday).  Change is good!

Allure on left, Temptress on right. It's time for a change!

There is still a bit of Temptress in the field but don’t worry, the Doris cows don’t seem to mind if it is a little starchy especially when it is chopped up into bits with the other parts of the corn plant. Watch our video on Facebook to see the excitement in the barnyard when corn is delivered.

*Bernadette Doris is Peter Doris’ mother and she was the Quality Control Manager (and main corn picker) at the Dorisdale Farm sweet corn table until her passing in 1997.  We think of her often – especially at sweet corn season.

Bernadette and Gerald leaving for their honeymoon in 1953.

It's the Most Delicious Time of Year!

It's the perfect time to eat local at Dorisdale Farm!  Our sweet corn is delicious with great quantities of both white and bi-colour varieties. Our green and yellow beans are dripping on the plants due to the sunshine and the much needed rain over the last 24 hours. Garlic has been picked, cured and selling as fast as we can clean it!  Our freezers are stocked with Dorisdale Beef perfect for summer meals.  Amazing!

It's the perfect time to think about preserving/pickling/canning/freezing to keep the taste of summer  at your table all winter long!  Pickling beans is on the agenda for us.  

I recently had a shocking bean picking experience!  We try to utilize our land efficiently for producing food for the sweet corn table and also ensure our cattle's feed needs are met. This year, one of our green and yellow bean patches is immediately beside the house along County Road 2.  (Yes - perfect for people to honk as they drive by!)  Friends and family know that I've had a history of back issues but have been doing much better after surgery in August 2015.  Picking beans means I have to adjust, bend, lean and move around constantly.  Usually that works and keeps me picking but I discovered it's not a great option when there's a strand of electric fence along the last row of yellow beans.  Definitely electrifying and unfortunately, I didn't learn my lesson the first time!! When beans have to be picked, they have to be picked!  Enjoy your freshly picked beans and think of me:)

Each year we have a number of questions about our favourite recipes.  Here's my longstanding favourite way to freeze corn all season long.  Thinking of my Aunt Sara Campbell as I share this family recipe with you to enjoy. 

~Carolyn


Aunt Sara's Easy Freezer Corn

Ingredients:
10 cups corn kernels
2 tsp salt (or less)
6 tsp sugar
3 cups water

Directions:
With an electric knife, cut kernels from cobs of corn (remove the husk and silk first!!).  Hold at the top of the cob and watch your fingers!!  Putting the cob in a tube pan works great. 

Measure raw corn kernels into large pot.  Add sugar, salt and water.  Bring to boil over high heat.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Portion into freezer bags (corn and liquid) and freeze.

Dorisdale Farm 2020 Season

How can it be July already?  We'll do our best to get back to a couple of Dorisdale blog posts.  It's an exiting year with sweet corn season well underway, our freezers full of Dorisdale beef, garlic harvested and more veggies arriving daily at the table. 2020 also marks 100 years since the Doris' moved to our farm.  More on that to come!

With COVID-19, we appreciate everyone's understanding as we implement new public health measures for us to keep everyone safe and well.  Please screen yourself for COVD-19 symptoms before arriving.  We do have a sign to remind you.  Please use hand sanitizer as you enter the "store door". We ask everyone to keep physically and socially distanced at least 2 meters.  We have some markings to help navigate this.  We will be pre-bagging your corn and veggies.  Know that we pick everything fresh daily so you're only getting the best. Most importantly, if you are ill, please do take care of yourself and stay home.

We are also launching our on-line store at www.dorisdale.ca for placing on-line orders and payment for contact-less farm pick-up.  Feel free to give it a try!

While it's sweet corn season, we've had requests for the recipe for one of our zucchini meals.  Ella loves Shanghai Noodles with Spicy Beef Sauce (it's not really that spicy).  We had the best intentions to make something else for dinner but her persistence and offering to make it sealed the deal.  It doesn't call for spiralized zucchini but that's the great thing about zucchini - you can add it to anything and everything (Check our out Zucchini Palooza post from last year).

We'll try to add some more of our Dorisdale Family Favourites to the blog this year.  Hope you like them as much as we do!  To all my Valley Family - there's bound to be a few of my Mom's recipes too - as you know, she was the best in the kitchen.

Spicy beef sauce (with lots of zucchini!!) cooking
before adding to cooked noodles.  

Shanghai Noodles with Spicy Beef Sauce

1 lb Dorisdale ground beef
2-3 cloves Dorisdale garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup red or green pepper, chopped
1 cup diced or minced carrots (if you really want to load up the veggies!)
Spiralized or diced zucchini - as much as you can take!!
1/2 cup chicken broth (divided)
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry or beef broth
2 tbsp corn starch
cooked and drained noodles (delicious with a fine noodle like spaghetti or vermicelli)
1 tsp sesame oil
peanuts (optional)
Sriracha sauce (option - Liam's addition)

In fry pan or wok, cook ground beef.  Add onions, peppers, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.  Stir fry until onion is translucent. Add zucchini.  In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup chicken broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sherry/broth.  Stir into meat and veggie mixture.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  Dissolve cornstarch in remaining chicken broth.  Slowly stir into mixture; cook and stir until the sauce is thick.  Add sesame oil to cooked/drained pasta on a serving plate/bowl.  Pour sauce over top and toss gently to combine.  (True confessions - we usually just dump it into the pot the pasta cooked in). Serve with topped green onions and peanuts.
Note:  Depending on how many people you're serving for dinner, you may need to double the amount of sauce...especially if you're hoping for leftovers for tomorrow's lunch!