Historic Richmond Town's

Hello, Neighbor!!!

Woohoo! Decker Farm can be found at two places this weekend!  In just a couple of days we will be at the Island's big craft beer fest in our local, underutilized ballpark in St. George! The weather's looking nice for the day --- a blissful 62-degree fall afternoon.

Yes, the Richmond County Craft Beer Fest (RCCBF) is where I'll be on Saturday.  Meanwhile, back at the farm, Dave will man the stand which is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. (October 30 is the last day for the 2011 season.) So visit both if us!

Pumpkin Picking will still be in full swing this weekend. We still have plenty of pumpkins.  Volunteers are needed every day through November 1.  If you have time to spare, please call Sue at 718-351-1611, Ext. 240.

When you go to the beer festival, look for the Decker Farm stand where we will be giving out complimentary samples of lobster-pumpkin bisque and will pair Manchego cheese with a beautiful Armenian-made quince paste that Dave brought in especially for the RCCBF.

 And guess what??? A brewer in Brooklyn, Kelso Brewery, crafted a special beer called Richmond Pale just for the Oct. 22 festival!!! It is made with two pounds of hops from Mark Zappasodi's New Brighton backyard and his family's Massachussets farm. We hear it is absolutely excellent from someone over at Manhattan Beer Distributers. The Decker Farm is paired with Kelso at the event (which, by the way, is owned by a lovely husband and wife team, Kelly Taylor and Sonya Giacobbe (hence the amalgamation of their name into "Kelso.")

Annnnyway, as you can tell, I'm stoked about Saturday.

With that....the Decker Farm is located at 435 Richmond Hill Road, New Springville.

Yours in craft beer,

Pam (The Farmer's Wife)

P.S. --- Dave, the Farmer, can be reached via this email address or at 718-249-7480.

P.P.S. --- The Beer Fest Web site is www.RCCBF.com

Ornamental artichokes going to seed. In early summer, they are an iridescent purple. But I think they're rather beautiful in this straw-like, fall state.

From the Decker Farm:

Celeraic

Tuscan kale

Calabaza and other pumpkins

Escarole

Butternut squash

Green beans

Radishes

Scallions

Assorted hot peppers

Sweet pea flowers (use like a radish but they taste like sweet peas)

Lemon balm

Basil

Rosemary

Lavender

Tarragon

Greek and Italian oregano

Hen eggs

Next weekend is the last weekend for pumpkin picking. How cool is it that we have an operational farm on Staten Island? For more information on education programs and the like with Decker Farm, go to www.Historicrichmondtown.org.

Domestic produce:

Turnips

Acorn squash

Brussels sprouts

Marble potatoes

Cippolini

Yellow onions

Red onions

Parsnips

Carrots

Bell peppers

Romaine lettuce

Heirloom tomatoes

Beefsteak tomatoes

Apples: Gala, Fuji and Granny Smiths

Bartlett pears

James takes a pumpkin pause. He is deciding whether or not he will allow Mommy or Daddy to take him to the barber shop.

Prepared foods:

Crabcakes

Lentil cakes

Pulled pork (by the pound)

Herb roasted chicken

Spinach and artichoke quiche

Pulled pork sandwich on an onion roll

Soups:

Butternut squash

Potato leek

A special batch of pumpkin lobster bisque made with Kelso's Richmond Pale will be available for sale on Sunday at the farm stand.

Baked goods:

Pumpkin bread

Pumpkin meltaways

Bourbon pumpkin cheesecake

Chocolate chunk cookies

Cranberry scones

Cream cheese pound cake

Blueberry and apple crumb pies

Dave's Bartlett pear jam

(Quince jam will be available on Sunday at the farm stand but debuts at the RCCBF.)

Cheeses:

Roomano, 6-year aged cow milk cheese from Holland

"Monte Alba" Manchego, 6-months aged, from Spain

Chevre rolled in fresh herbs

Breads:

Prosciutto

Prosciutto rolls

Raisin semolina with fennel

Brioche

Baby brioche

Onion rolls

White baguette

Rustic whole wheat

Onion baguette

Cranberry-walnut baguette

Finger-painted and carved for a table centerpiece on a crisp autumn night.

Thanks for your enthusiasm and support of Decker Farm, an 11-acre patch of land that is a unique part of Historic Richmond Town. Many thanks for forwarding this email to a friend who might be excited about farm-fresh items from our borough when in season.

Decker Farm can be found at 435 Richmond Hill Road in New Springville, up the road from our main village site.

HERE’S A LINK TO A MAP

Decker Farm Fests

Festivals revolve around the bounty in the fields. On the last Saturday of each month, find recipes, cooking demonstrations and many samples to taste.

October 29: Squash Fest- Pumpkin, zucchini, calabaza, hubbards and the last of the "gagootz" (cucuozza) take center stage in the final stretch of the growing season

November 19: Turnip Fest- Appreciating the underappreciated brassica on this final day of the farm stand's season