Daisies In The Snow!

It was cold. And the snow was falling. But that didn’t stop the Westwood Daisy troop from venturing to Fresh & Fancy Farms! Pumpkins were set up, cider was poured and cupcakes were made! One-by-one the umbrella clad Daisies came waltzing through the greenhouse door decked out in fancy outfits from tutu dresses to striped tights! These brave little Daisy Scouts earned the pumpkin patch badge on the snowy October day. Check out some of the photos below and let us know what you think. If you’re a troop leader or want to make a trip to the farm, give us a call, shoot us an email, find us on Facebook or send us tweet. We would love to see you!

Thank you girls for joining us! Check out the blog, North Jersey Mom to find out what to do with the little ones! It's written by the Katie, Troop Leader and Mom of two!

Don’t forget we will be having Christmas trees and holiday items starting in December!

Celebrate Food Day

We’re all busy, which means sometimes meals become a quick scarf and go. From soccer practice, term papers to overtime at the office, local home cooked meals seem to be at the bottom of the list.

Today is Food Day. A day to take some time and think about the food that you put into your body day in and day out. Is it homemade and locally grown or microwaved and imported?

The goal of Food Day is to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. We’re not the preachy type we promise, we just want to share this awesome day with you and encourage you to make a home cooked family meal together! So take the time to know where your food is coming from because it’s like moms say, “You are what you eat.”

Here are our 3 suggestions for celebrating Food Day:

  1. Visit a local farmers market. Here is a list of farmers markets in Bergen County.
  2. When you’re at the food store make an effort to see where your produce comes from. The closer to you the better.
  3. Cook at home with the family! Get everyone involved to mix, mash, cut or stir!

If you have any great family recipes or photos we would love to see them! Use the comments section below. Or you can always reach us on Facebook, Twitter or shoot us an email.

How to: Roast Your Own Pumpkin Seeds

This fabulous recipe you're about to embark on is brought to us fresh from the fabulous blog, JohnandElana.com. John and Elana are an Italian brother/sister combination who write about their food adventures and generally just love food! Check out their blog for recipes, restaurant reviews and beautiful food photography!

Did you know that pumpkin seeds are for eating? It's true, I promise.

Pumpkin seeds are a meaty seed. Large and puffy, almost like a bean and they provide a chewy contrast to the snappier cashew nuts I included in this recipe. And with the added salt from a sprinkling of roasted sunflower seeds, I also promise that this recipe for roasted and spiced pumpkin seeds will make you happier than a smiling Jack-O-Lantern.

Now, you could buy some pumpkin seeds. OR you could get enthusiastic, break out a large, sharp knife and serving spoon and a pumpkin of your choosing and harvest the seeds yourself. Do this while you are carving up your Halloween Jack-O-Lantern. It's fun. It's a mess. You'll love it.

Shameless plug: you should go get this pumpkin of your choosing at Fresh and Fancy Farms, where I hear that the pumpkins are abundant and ripe for the picking. Also I painted the barn sign there, so you should check that out, too.

What You Need:

3 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp ground cinnamon Pinch of ground cloves 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 large egg white 1 cup unsalted cashews 1 cup pumpkin seeds (not roasted) 1 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds (to be mixed in later)

OPTIONAL HERBS! If you would like to get a touch "crazy" you can sprinkle some fresh herbs over the nuts while they are roasting. Sage would work nicely here as well as tarragon. Go for it!

What To Do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 4-sided sheet pan. Whisk together the sugar, spices and salt in a small bowl. Whisk the egg white in a medium bowl until frothy, then stir in the nuts. Add the spice mixture and toss to coat evenly.

Spread the nut mixture on the sheet pan in one layer. Bake, stirring once or twice until dry and toasted, about 20 - 25 minutes. Loosen nuts from the pan and cool completely.

Add in your salted sunflower seeds and mix well!

You can even make this one ahead and store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a week.

* Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine.

How To: Preserve Your Herbs!

If I were an herb, I would want to be rosemary. It’s pretty, smells good and is pest-resistant. Not to mention it comes from the Latin words ros marinus aka dew of the sea. In many locations it needs no other water than the humidity carried by the sea breeze to live. Sounds nice right! Okay, enough about me. There is nothing like growing and cooking with your own herbs. I can almost guarantee what you’re serving will suddenly taste magical. This past summer was a learning experience for myself; filled with trial and error, sunshine and rain. I went from taking care of a small potted herb garden to being the official caretaker of a farms worth of herbs at Fresh & Fancy Farms.

And with summer at its end and herbs on their last life, storing them seems like a wonderful option!  I am going to give you a few tips on how to store your herbs so you can enjoy them year round.

Oh and we’re going to keep it simple, because simple is good. You will do one of two things with your herbs, hang dry or freeze. Hang drying works best for herbs that don’t have high moisture content (oregano, rosemary, thyme). For moisture dense herbs (basil, chives, mint, sage) using a dehydrator or freezing them is best.

DRY

1. Cut your herbs. Check them out and make sure you’re not selecting anything that doesn’t look up to par – no mold, dry spots, or signs of disease.

2. Wash them and let them dry really well. You don’t want any mold growing.

3. Remove lower leaves from the bottom of the branch/stem.

4. Bundle and secure your herbs together using string, wire, binder clips, etc.

5. Hang them in a dry, warm (not humid) place for about two weeks.

6. Store in labeled and dated zip lock bag or mason jar.

FREEZE

1. Follow steps 1&2

2. Chop up your moisture dense herb and place 1/3 in an ice cube tray and fill the remainder with water.

3. Once frozen throw them into a large labeled and dated zip lock bag.

4. You can also take the whole leaf and store them in zip lock bag – that works too!

Won't You Be My, Honey Bee?

There is something so mysterious and lovely about the beautiful little creatures that call Fresh & Fancy home. They go about their day visiting brightly colored flowers and avoiding the frightened passer by. This is a short film featuring some of our famous little friends from the bumblebee to the butterfly. Enjoy! [vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/30291434 w=500&h=281]

bee friends from Fresh & Fancy Farms on Vimeo.

Highlights From Our 1st Annual Fresh & Fancy Fall Festival

The sun was shining, the cider was flowing and the popcorn was popping. This past weekend was our 1st Annual Fall Festival and it was a blast! Thank you all for celebrating with us. Below are some of the days highlights, from pumpkin picking to painting. To see more photos visit our Facebook page here.  And to find out about our future events, join our mailing list! Look forward to seeing you on the farm soon. Keep Smiling & Happy Fall!

Hooray! Today is the Fresh & Fancy Fall Festival!

The 1st Annual Fresh & Fancy Fall Festival is here...Hooray! It's such an exciting day for us at Fresh & Fancy Farms. We are celebrating fall and inviting all of our friends, family and the local community to do it with us. The more the merrier, that's (one) of our mottos!

Excited, early morning texts have been rolling in from my favorite sister Kadie. Love it! If you're excited for today's crafts, she's the pretty and crafty gal to thank! Did we mention Brian is making the trip home from school just to celebrate with us, college boy & his lovely lady, Grace, can't get enough of the farm and who can blame them! Tim we're excited you're joining us too (obviously)!

Balloons, top hats, face painting, arts, crafts, cider, popcorn & more - did we mention this is all on the house! From us to you, because well...we like you!

This is not your typical fall festival and that's the way we like it! Hope to see you today on the farm, and if not today soon! Happy Day.

Peace & Love,

Fresh & Fancy Farms

Get Pumpkiny this Fall

When I see the bright orange pumpkins peeking out from their sleepy green patches, I am immediately transported to my childhood pumpkin picking adventures.  All bundled up, in fleece-lined jeans no less, my family and I would make a day of a trip to a local farm and we would each get to pick out our very own pumpkin.  We would go home with our autumn treasures and the decision of what face to carve into my pumpkin would be the most difficult decision of my young life. Pumpkins and the feel of fall weather still hold the same magic for me today.  I've lived through 22 autumns and I am glad to say I've learned a few other wonderful things you can make with pumpkins, besides good ol' Jack-o-lantern and pumpkin pie!  Inside and out, pumpkins offer us wonderful nutrients, color and flavor that we can use in recipes and craft projects.  Here are some new twists on our good friends Mr. and Ms. Pumpkin:

[slideshow]

1.) Pumpkin pizza? Pumpkin pasta? Its time to get our creative juices flowing and make some fun new dishes with this rad veggie.  Any time a recipe calls for canned pumpkin or pureed pumpkin, try making your own.  All it involves is cutting up some small pumpkins, baking them and throwing them in the food processor.. check out a great and funny how-to on the Pioneer Woman Blog!

2.) Remember how we talked about those great nutrients that are in pumpkins?  That wonderful orange hue is thanks to the beta-carotene in orange foods like pumpkins which support healthy hair and vision.  It does wonders for your skin too.. try making a pumpkin facial scrub.  All you need is some cooked pumpkin, some honey and some milk, the details are here.  You'll smell delectable and your skin will thank you!

3.) This one is for the birds!  Mother Huddle shows us how to make a wonderful bird feeder out of a halved pumpkin, gourd or squash.  All you need is some dowels, bird seed and wire and a little elbow grease.  A kid-friendly project, the results are sure to bring chirps of happiness from the birds and your little ones.

4.) What about those seeds? Don't throw them out!  Roast them with some salt, pepper and spicy chili powder for a great snack or string them together for a fabulous fashion statement.

5.) Get funky with your decorating!  Drill a hole in small pumpkins to make them into candle holders or modge-podge some leaves onto your pumpkin for a no-carve decoration.

Pick up your pumpkins throughout October & November and don't forget to stop by tomorrow for our 1st Annual Fall Festival at Fresh & Fancy Farms! Pumpkins are a fantastic source of antioxidants, color and festivity.. use them well and make them Fresh & Fancy!

{words} Alex Roem (Food activist, sustainability queen and latest Fresh & Fancy Farm member, all while revolutionizing the way we think about food at FoodFight).

 

Happy Fresh & Fancy Friday

 

It's Friday, the sun is shining and the air is crisp. Have a fresh & fancy free weekend filled with adventures and fun. Oh and ladies, go by yourself a new lipstick. As my grandmother always says, "If you have lipstick...you have everything!"

Stay tuned for fall features all next week!

xo

 

 

 

 

 

Home Grown Bouquet

Now is a great time to clip some of the flowers that remain in your backyard, front yard and garden to enjoy indoors. Take a walk around your property with some garden clippers or scissors (regular scissors will do the trick). And trim flowers and any other foliage that makes you happy. Once you gather it trim off dead or excess leaves. Grab a vase that will fit your new flowerly friends, fill it with water and enjoy! Our latest bouquet included, roses, hydrangeas and mint. All items you can pick up at Fresh & Fancy Farms to grow on your own!

We've Got Mums!

Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms.  -Joe Fox from "You've Got Mail" (aka Tom Hanks) There is something so lively and crisp about the fall. From the colors to the cool days we can't seem to get enough. This fall we encourage you to enjoy all of mother nature's true colors before the days slowly begin to freeze and snow covers the ground. If you're looking for some more color in your life, visit us at Fresh & Fancy Farms, for some happy & vibrant mums!

Other fall planting we have include, winter pansies and colorful asters. If you have any questions, feel free to post in the comments sections below or check us out onFacebook. 

10% off this weekend only!

Come visit us at the farm and receive 10% off your entire order this weekend only. We have mums in a multitude of colors and the hardiest pansies in town! Also, don't forget if you have any containers you need help planting or designing we would be happy to help! Bring your container or just give us your best description and we will make it happen. For updates, check out our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

 

 

 

Freshly Picked Recipe: Tomatoes & Eggplants

There was a lot of work done in the vegetable garden this past weekend at Fresh & Fancy Farms!  From re-securing tomato plants to pruning, watering and weeding. The garden has given us crimson tomatoes and deep purple eggplant in various shapes and sizes. We harvest what we can and put together baskets for family and friends to enjoy along with some of our favorite recipes. Below are two simple recipes inspired by Nigel Slater  where eggplant is the star! Roasted Eggplant: On a baking pan or in a pyrex, toss the following ingredients and throw em' in the oven for about 45min or until tender at about 400°F .

  • 3 cups of cubed eggplant (lightly salted)
  • 1 cup sliced tomato
  • 1 small bunch basil
  • 1 small bunch mint
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 small hot peppers (sliced and seeded)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • Season with black pepper

Eggplant Bruschetta: Grill up the eggplant (grill marks are good) remove from the grill chop up and mix with the following ingredients. Let the mixture sit for about 30min. Top it on a toasted piece of bread brushed with olive oil. Serve to the happy crowd.

  • 2 large eggplants
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 lemon - grated and juiced
  • 1 small bunch basil
  • 1 small bunch mint

3 Things to Enjoy Before the Leaves Begin to Change

Summer is winding down and we are headed straight for fall. But before we get ourselves too excited about crisp pumpkins and colorful mums we are going to enjoy what’s left of the world’s warmest season. Here are three things we are going to hold onto before the leaves begin to change. 1. Fresh herbs  One of our favorite things is to grow fresh herbs. Sage, rosemary, basil, oregano, you name it we grow it. If you have enough space indoors for colder months, bring your herbs indoors. If not, dry them and use them for your fall and winter cooking. Later this month we will have an herb drying “how to” so stay tuned.

2. Homegrown vegetables It’s about that time when your vegetables are in their prime! Six cucumbers here, 12 tomatoes there, you have an over abundance and soon it will be winding down so enjoy them! There is nothing more exciting than harvesting homegrown vegetables so don’t let anything go to waste, jar some salsa or pickle those cucumbers!

3. Final blooms Currently at the farm we are offering our hanging baskets for $10. Yes, we said it, $10 buckaroos! The flowers are still blooming and are sure to brighten any yard. Don’t take those final annual blooms for granted. Sit back, relax and enjoy the flowers!

Why Eggplant Could Save Your Life

As a kid I can always remember my siblings and I cringing at the idea of an eggplant dish for dinner. But now, I find myself dreaming up ways to recreate it in a salad, appetizer or main course! If you're looking to grow your own eggplant, we have plenty of purple and white eggplant still available at Fresh & Fancy Farms! Not to mention, buy one get one half off! But either way, if you decide to stop on by to pick up a plant or head  to your local grocer, here are a few things you may not have known about the edible eggplant!

1. Eggplant is ripe as it grows. Pick it while it's petite or eligible for the county fair and enjoy!

2. Like kids, eggplants are spongelike. So if frying is on the cooking agenda, soak your eggplant slices in cool water. So when it comes time to drench in flour and drop into an oil filled pan, you will have a delectable dish that's not to greasy, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.

3. The name "eggplant" comes from  18th Century European growers whose yellow or white eggplant resembled goose or hen's eggs.

4. Eggplant is high in potassium, copper, folate, magnesium and fiber. It contains flavonoids and phenols such as caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, which may fight cancer, viruses, and harmful bacteria, and protect against damaged cells. - David Grotto, 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life

3 Tips on Growing the Fanciest Tomatoes in Town!

Meg is preparing the garden as we enjoy beautiful string beans, tomatoes and peppers. All while we anxiously await our corn and pumpkins in anticipation of our first annual Fall-Fest! Here are three of our top tips on raising tomatoes:

1. Clear all stem growths from the base of the soil. These can increase the chances of bacteria infesting the plant. Plus, if you have nice stems you should always show them off!

2. If the top of your soil appears dry it's in need of it's very own happy hour, so make your plant happy and water, water, WATER! Note: if the leaves of your plant are appearing yellow, lay off the water temporarily.

3. Prune your plant. Keep all unhealthy looking stems and leaves off the plant. Also, continue to remove all greens that are close to the root (even if they look great, it's tough love but your plant will thank you in the end). If you're plant produces too many beautiful tomatoes (which we have confidence it will) one word...SALSA!

Last but not least, BONUS...Enjoy New Jersey Tomatoes!

Fresh Flowers & Fancy Champagne for Opening Weekend

Okay so the champagne wasn't flowing all day but it certainty felt that way. There was a wave of energy in the air like the tiny bubbles that dance to the surface of a shiny champagne flute. We had so many smiling visitors happy to see that Klinger's Farm was open and ready to continue the tradition and keep the memories coming. So thank you so very much for joining us and for the smiles you brought with you. In honor of Mother's Day we welcomed anyone from children to adults to pot their own plant for mom paired with a personalized note. The participation was great! We will always have something to help you get your hands dirty, you want arts and crafts? planting? weeding? Come visit Fresh & Fancy Farms.

Another quick thing we wanted to note, don't forget to "Like" us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter!

www.facebook.com/freshfancyfarms

www.twitter.com/freshfancyfarms 

Here are a few photos from opening weekend.  Have an idea? Want to have a picnic on the farm, come on down, relax and smell the flowers! We would love to hear what you think, post a comment below.

Friends & Family on Fresh & Fancy Farms!

What would we do without the support from friends and family...yea, I don't know either. We just wanted to send out a special thank you to everyone that has been working their tails off to make this possible. Below there are a small snippet of photos. We will get some more up soon & make sure we recognize all of you for your hard work, support and of course your smiles. Today was another long day but we got a lot accomplished for opening day which is TOMORROW, May 7th from 8am - 5pm. Please stop by to say hello, and pick up some floral sunshine and other items to liven up your living space. Also, one of my favorite things we have are the veggies & herbs! Be still my heart the basil smells a little something like I would imagine heaven would smell like. And you can plant it outside in the garden or keep it potted inside ready to be plucked for your next homemade pizza or pesto!

Oh & if you're not into cooking and want something to just look pretty  on your desk at work, in kitchen, or simply to make Mom happy on Mother's Day, we have "Lucky Penny Petunias"©

Below see tea cups loaded with a petunia that sits in soil proudly on top of  a very lucky penny.

So one more time, THANK YOU! Thank you all for your hard work we love you guys. We look forward to seeing all of our family and friends along with new faces this Mother's Day weekend!

Mulching & Manicures...you can't have everything!

it has been a long day of planting, watering, cleaning, moving, pruning, mulching and potting. i’m tired. we all are. but it feels good. like the new adventure is beginning. my hands feel rough and thirsty they are the hands of a worker lacking a fresh manicure and a lovely layer of moisturizer. farming isn’t easy but watching your fresh flowers bloom and catching the fresh smell of basil at the tip of your nose make it all worth while.

Be sure follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get Farm updates!

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