Chef Gwen's Christmas Kale Chopped Salad

We're growing four varieties of kale here at The Simple Farm - and all ready to be harvested.  I think most people avoid kale because they don't know quite what to do with it and because they really don't know how amazing it is?

Kale, a winter crop, is rich in calcium, iron, lutein, Vitamin A,C, and K and it's a great source of antioxidants along with being excellent fiber (that we all need more of!).

One source I read said that kale has naturally occurring phytochemicals that may protect against cancer.

With all these benefits of kale, it's a MUST for the table. I have a recipe here for Tuscan kale salad and Chef Gwen has this incredibly looking Christmas Kale Chopped Salad that I am definitely going to make!

The question is: have you had your kale today?  We are growing four kinds of kale here at The Simple Farm.

Quick Happenings Around the Farm

Midst the holiday preparations of tree trimmings . . .

cookie making. . .

and cake baking for to celebrate my husband (Michael became a year older this year and our dd made THIS amazing cake) . . . 

planning a trip to PDX for a few days, writing out milking schedules for Anita (our farm manager), pulling weeds, trimming goat hooves, making goat milk fudge for our Simple Celebration of Christmas here at the farm, planting new seeds, preparing and planting new starts of herbs, tomatoes and peppers to sell at our Tuesday market . . .

and regular home front care - Michael's building a green house (and by the way, I'm incredibly proud of him...he designed and built it himself!) . . .

and breeding goats - today . . .

. . .no, it's not a full life at all!  Ha! Ha!

No matter how full a day gets and no matter how many speed bumps we run into (that's a constant on farm life) or how many projects we're simultaneously working on (which is often farm life), we LOVe what we're doing and get to do what we loVE.

And, so . . . that's just a little update for today!  We hope you all have a wonderful and Merry Christmas!

French Breakfast Radishes - The Beauty of Them

I think we grow some of the loveliest French Breakfast Radishes at our farm (other ones too).  Something we value is discovering the "specialness" of everything we grow and then passing that on to you.

For example, did you know that French Breakfast Radishes are part of the root vegetable family and they have the more gentle and sometimes sweet flavor of all the radishes?  I have started a 'love affair' with these FBR when I found out they are a wonderful source of B6 (needed for your nerve endings), riboflavin, magnesium, copper and calcium.

Another interesting tidbit about FBR is that the French simply call them breakfast radishes - les radis petit déjeuner  an unlike Americans, they eat them for breakfast and Laura writes that they are also French children's snacks with butter and salt. She shows the way she eats them too and makes a few recommendations.

Our market at the Farm (right now) is open on Tuesdays and you can be sure that the next market day (we're closed the week between Christmas and New Year) we'll have more FBR.

Freshly Picked - Tuesday's Beauty At the Market At Our Farm

Did you know that there is a farm in YOUR neighborhood? Yup, right here in N. Scottsdale - off Cactus and the 101...and Tuesday's our farm market is OPEN. Stop by from 9:30 - 11 ish and then again at 4:30 until 6 ish.

Here's a bit of today's fresh picked produce.

We're The Simple Farm located at 9080 E. Cactus Rd, Scottsdale, AZ.

Swiss Chard, Kale, Red Carrots, Fresh Herbs and . . .

. . . will be at our market at The Simple Farm on Tuesday.

We'll also serve up some spicy greens - arugula and endive along with mixed greens and baby spinach.

There will be TONS of radishes: white icycle, cherry belle, French breakfast and another nice gentle tasting red radish.  Carrots are popping up....I just pulled a nice red one today....with more to harvest Tuesday morning!

We'll have a bit of broccoli and few beets: Detroit red and chiogga on our market table.

Herbs? We have lovely herbs:
Lovage,
Thyme,
Marjoram
Cilantro
Dill
Parsley (both kinds)
Chives (garlic and common)
Oregano
French Chervil
French Sorrel

The market opens at 9:30 till 11 ish and then again at 4:30 till 6 ish.

9080 E. Cactus Rd. Scottsdale, AZ


Recently we started  "you snip your fresh snipped herbs" faire here at the farm.

Red Carrots At The Simple Farm

I just pulled this carrot....isn't it beautiful!!!!!!  These will be available at our market at the farm tomorrow!  Gates open at 9:30 - 11 and 4:30 - 6pm.

The Farm In The Neighborhood - The Simple Farm

We love being known as the farm in the neighborhood and we love having our farm be opened to the neighbors on Tuesdays.

Why you ask?  Not only are we meeting so many new faces, but we get to provide families with quality and fresh vegetables and herbs.

Tuesday morning early, you'll find a few farm volunteers picking what is fresh and lovely.  Others you'll find setting up our simple market display at the south side barn (near the goat yard).  Others will be hustling about making some coffee to set out for morning and afternoon market shoppers.

Besides selling YOU our produce and herbs (flowers soon - and eggs soon) we love showing you around a bit.  Everyone is curious about The Simple Farm. It's not every day there is a farm like ours in the middle of suburbia.

Hope to see you this Tuesday at our market - right here on the farm!  9080 E. Cactus Rd. in Scottsdale!

Christmas Eve Gathering At The Simple Farm

WHAT: You are invited to The Simple Farm for a Simple Celebration of Christmas for the Simple Farm Soup and Christmas Carols.  We'll eat and talk and sing.

When & Time: Christmas Eve at 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Where: 9080 E. Cactus Rd. Scottsdale, AZ - outside with a few fire pits burning (hopefully it will be a free burn day!)

Details:  Farm volunteers will be cooking and serving homemade (vegetarian)
Simple Farm Soup & Salad (made with some fresh produce from our farm), goat milk fudge and cookies.  

RSVP: There is a limited seating (50) to this first Farm Affaire so please RSVP by emailing us at thesimplefarm @ gmail dot com with your name, how many and contact information.

Cost: Nothing. Absolutely Nothing. It's our gift to our community .