with any other items we could re-use.

Traditional Basket

Asparagus

Spring Mix

USDA Organic Italian Kale

USDA Organic Spinach

USDA Organic Swiss Chard

USDA Organic Spring Onion (white)

Extra Unit

Fruit Basket

2 Strawberries

1 Blueberries

Vegetable of the Week: Asparagus

Fun Fact: Asparagus is a member of the lily family; 8 spears or 1 cup contains 27 calories, 2.9 g protein, .2 g fat, 5.2 g carbohydrates, and 2.8 g fiber as well as vitamins A, C K, folate, phosphorus, potassium and the antioxidant, glutathione

Tips:

1 - Size and color aren’t indicators of tenderness; spear tips are the best gauge of asparagus quality.

2 - As long as the tips of the spears are tight and not opened (purplish color is fine), the spears will be tender.

3 - Thick spears do not indicate toughness; thick spears can be just as tender as thin spears.
4 - Keep an eye open for asparagus that may be purple or white when shopping the market; these specialty varieties are just as delicious but often cost more.

How to cook asparagus
Before preparing, gently rinse the asparagus in a large bowl to remove any soil. Break off the tougher part of the stem near the bottom where it snaps naturally. (If you have two pounds, save the snapped end you would normally discard, freeze and save for Cream of Asparagus Soup.) Although asparagus is usually cooked, it can be eaten raw with a dip or as part of a salad or vegetable tray. One pound of chopped asparagus yields about three cups, so make sure to buy enough.

This versatile vegetable is good grilled or roasted until lightly browned; steamed or boiled in a small amount of water just until crisp tender; and even microwaved in a covered dish with water for three to five minutes. To stir fry asparagus, cut the stems diagonally into one-inch pieces, leaving the tips whole, and cook with a couple tablespoons of olive oil for three to five minutes. Add other seasonal vegetables, like snap peas and carrots, to make a delicious vegetable medley.

To store asparagus:
• Stand vertically fresh stalks in a half inch of water (or wrap the cut ends in wet paper towels).
• Refrigerate until time to prepare.
• Asparagus will keep for a week to 10 days with little loss of quality.

RECIPES FOR THE WEEK

Roasted Asparagus

1 lb. asparagus
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, Parmesan or other cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus and olive oil. Pour asparagus and oil into a nonstick pan and top with cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Serves 4.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

2 pounds green asparagus

1 large onion, chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 to 6 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup crème fraîche, fat free ½ and ½, or heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 ½ inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish. Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmer, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain.

Purée soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids), and return to pan. Stir in crème fraîche, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter. Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.

Greens with Mustard Vinaigrette – easy salad to accompany grilled portabellas or meat

1 rounded teaspoon grainy mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 to 8 ounces greens, 1 sack

Salt and pepper

Combine mustard and vinegar in the bottom of a bowl. Stream in extra-virgin olive oil, whisking dressing as oil is added. Add greens to the bowl. Toss and turn greens with tongs to evenly coat them with dressing. Season with salt and pepper, to taste

Swiss Chard Quiche

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 sweet onion

1/2 bunch swiss chard

2 1/2 cups shredded cheese

4 eggs

1 cup skim milk

salt

pepper

1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2Washand dry swiss chard. Cut off the very ends of the stems. Roughly chop (leaving stems intact) the chard.

3 Add onion and Chard to the oil and saute until stems are tender (do not overcook). Add salt & pepper to taste.

4 Meanwhile, grate 2.5 cups of cheese. Use whatever varieties you want/have. Be creative! I used Cheddar and Parmesan.

5 Wisk eggs. Add milk and cheese. Fold in the onion/chard mixture. Add salt & pepper to taste, if necessary.

6 Pour into a pie dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

7 Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and no liquid

Roasted Kale

6-8 cups chopped fresh kale, hard stems removed

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt

Place a rack on the lowest shelf of your oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread kale out on a sturdy baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Toss to coat completely.Place on the lowest rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir so that kale can get crispy all over.

Bake another 8 to 12 minutes or until kale is crispy. It should be just lightly browned and crispy to the touch. If kale still bends, rather than crackles, when you touch it, it isn't done yet. Return it to the oven. Turn down the heat if it is getting too brown. Continue cooking until crispy.

Remove from oven, and sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.

Grilled Spring Onions

Vegetable oil (for the grill)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 pound spring onions, cut in half lengthwise

1. If using a gas grill, preheat one side to high and one side to low. If using a charcoal grill, start a two-zone fire. Clean the grill with a grill brush. Oil the grill by holding a folded wad of paper towel with tongs, dipping it in vegetable oil, and brushing the oil (sparingly -- it's flammable) onto the grill grate.

2. Slice the onions in half lengthwise. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, garlic and lemon juice. Using a basting brush, lightly coat both sides with the oil mixture.

3. Put the onions cut side-down on the high-heat side of the grill. Continuing to baste the onions with the oil mixture, cook 3-4 minutes. Then turn the onions and cook until they start to become tender and the sides darken, another 3-4 minutes.

4. Move the onions to the low-heat side of the grill and cook until the onions are tender and browned

Sauteed Spinach – Easy, quick and very good for you

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 1/4 pounds spinach, trimmed, well washed, and dried

3 cloves garlic, peeled and very thinly sliced

1 lemon, halved

Generous pinch red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

In your largest saute pan, heat the oil over high heat until very hot, almost smoking. Add the spinach and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 to 2 minutes, the spinach should turn bright green and wilt slightly. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring for 30 seconds.

Remove the spinach from the heat, squeeze the lemon over the top, and add the red pepper and salt and black pepper. Toss well and serve. 

Cullipher Farm Market opened in 2005 and serves as our retail headquarters. The “Stand” as we call it, is filled with old-tyme family antiques and heirlooms. At the Stand we sell handpicked fruits and vegetables picked fresh that morning.  

You can also enjoy other local fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies, relishes, dressings, Mae-Belles baked goods, cheese and butters, peanuts, bedding plants and much more.

While visiting the stand you will feel like a member of the family and treated to the best service, from friendly and knowledgeable staff and members of the family.

Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Phone: 757- 721-7456

Opening date: late April

Closing date- August 19

*During the fall and winter months we are only open around the Holidays.*

Cullipher Farm Market (1444 Princess Anne Road VB, VA) - Certified USDA Organic berries

 *please click here to view current hours*

• The only USDA Certified Organic U-Pick farm in Virginia
• Grown on plastic, for easy picking
• 2 children’s play areas
• Mowed centers for easy walking
• Picnic tables so you can bring a snack and enjoy the scenic views
• All kids leave with a sticker and coloring book

Cullipher Berry Patch (772 Princess Anne Road VB, VA) – chemical-free/natural

*please click here to view current hours*

• Hayrides on the weekends around the farm
• Grown without the use of synthetic chemicals or fertilizers
• Grown on plastic, for easy picking
• 2 free mazes for the whole family to enjoy
• Mowed centers for easy walking
• All kids leave with a sticker and coloring book
• Located on our main farm, so pickers can look at what other things we have growing

New for 2012:

• Hayrides on the weekends.
• Take your picture with our strawberry cutouts.
• 2 mazes to navigate your way through.

Location: 772 Princess Anne Road

Hours: Click here for current hours

The Cullipher Berry Patch opened its doors in 2011 and currently serves as a U-Pick Strawberry location for our chemical-free strawberries.  

We grow 2 main varieties of strawberries, Chandler and Camarosa. These two varieties have been selected based on eating quality and ease of picking.

We have also begun experimenting and doing field trials with several other varieties to extend our growing season. Our hopes are to have strawberries from the first of April through October.

After you finish picking strawberries be sure to stop at Cullipher Farm Market on the way back into town for fresh local produce, canned goods, bakery items, and much more!

-Ynot Wednesdays?

Day of week: Wednesday

Where: Virginia Beach Town Center

Physical Address: 201 Market Street (adjacent to the Westin Hotel) in Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462

Start date: June 6

End Date: August 29

Time: 5-8:30pm

-Whole Life Market

Day of Week: Thursday

Where: Good Shepherd Episcopal Church parking lot in Norfolk

Physical Address: 7400 Hampton Boulevard Norfolk, VA 23505

Start Date: June 7

End Date: August 9

Time: 3-7pm

http://www.cfot.org

-Fresh on Fridays

Day of Week: Friday

Where: Simon Family JCC in Virginia Beach

Physical Address: 5000 Corporate Woods Drive, Suite 100 Virginia Beach, VA 23462

Start Date: TBD

End Date: TBD

Time: TBD

-*NEW* Farmers Fare at East Beach

Day of Week: Saturday

Where: Pavilion Park at East Beach in Norfolk

Physical Address: 4730 Hammock Lane between 27^th and 28^th Bay

Start Date: May 19

End Date: September 1

Time: 9 am-noon

www.shopfarmersfare.com

           

The Cullipher Family has been farming in northeastern North Carolina and Tidewater for almost 200 years. The Culliphers and the Britts were from Bertie County, North Carolina while the Simpsons and Brumleys were from Knotts Island (Currituck County), NC. The Bertie County family consisted of peanut, cotton and tobacco farmers with some livestock. James B. Cullipher had three sons who farmed with him raising three cash crops and feed crops for the mules and horses. Like many farms of that era, they were almost self sufficient. Cattle, hogs, and poultry provided the meat and a mixed orchard and berries supplied the fruit. A lot of canning and preserving helped sustain them over the winter. One of those sons was Louis’ father James E. The arrangement was the senior kept all but half of the tobacco money which was divided between the sons as he owned ‘the’ tractor and mules. The first tractor he bought was a 1923 Farmall on the only thing rubber was the fanbelt. He said anything else they wanted to grow would be theirs to keep. That was the beginning of our truck farming. (For those who do not know, truck farming came from the fact that most of a farmer’s crop was sold from the back of a truck in town.) James’ first crops were sweet potatoes and tomatoes.

            Our great, great grandfather George W. was taken by Union soldiers patrolling the Chowan River. After being questioned for a night aboard ship, he was allowed to return home. Even though tobacco is not a popular crop to grow now, it provided a good source of income for many small farms throughout the South. Louis' mother often said that tobacco paid for many a child’s college tuition. Certainly times have changed and we understand now all the dangers associated with tobacco but it did support a lot of families and provide the economic beginning of our country. 

            Right after World War II ended, James and Belle Cullipher (Louis' parents) moved back to her home on Knotts Island, NC. Away from the peanut and tobacco growing areas, James became a full time truck farmer. The old Market in Norfolk was where that produce was sold. They would leave Knotts Island between midnight and one in the morning. They would sleep in the truck until the buyers came around 5:00 am and were done by 6:00 or 6:30am. The treat came with a big breakfast downtown and back to the farm.

            The Simpsons/Brumleys were from Knotts Island and lived a different lifestyle. They grew vegetables for sustenance and for market during the spring and summer. The fall and winter was spent hunting and fishing. Early on, market hunting for waterfowl was a major source of income during the winter. After that type of hunting was banned, guiding sportsman helped fill that void. Louis often talked about how his grandfather (Burvell Simpson) would take him hunting but he never really enjoyed it because he still associated with work in those harsh conditions. Livestock was handled much different than they are today. The hogs and cattle were kept “on the beach”, what is now known as False Cape and Carova. Each fall, groups of men would round up the herd to gather theirs for market. Papa Simpson as we called him “marked” his with two notches in the left ear. They had no fences, just the marsh and water to keep them from roaming. Looking back, those men were ahead of their time by producing free range, grass fed meat. One of the stories that Papa’s (Louis’) mother loved to tell was about spending her summers on Cedar Island (Back Bay) with her aunt, uncle and cousins. It’s hard to imagine that island supported a family and small farm (Google Earth Cedar Island and imagine a house and farm). She said it was like a Garden of Eden because of the longer growing season. Times were not easy on Knotts Island, but they always ate well.

            With these two backgrounds, we always thought we had the best of both worlds, plenty of fresh seafood, good Eastern Carolina barbeque, and an appreciation of both types of farming. 

            Our current farming is a true blend of our ancestors. Even though our equipment and growing practices have changed, we are still growing a lot of the same crops.

     We grow over 70 varieties of fruits and vegetables that are hand selected based on a variety of factors, with eating quality being at the top. Our produce is monitored throughout the entire growing process so we can ensure your family enjoys produce that meets our family’s unsurpassed quality standards. If it has our name on it you can rest assure it is grown to the highest standards possible and matched by our 100% money back guarantee.

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Detailed Description:

• You will receive one (1) basket each week consisting of 3-4 units of fruit with some “extras” along the way.
• You will pick up a basket each week for 15 consecutive weeks. The season this year will run from the week starting May 8^th to August 17^th.
• You may pick up your basket at one of the following locations:

Cullipher Farm Market (1444 Princess Anne Road VB, VA) on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday between the hours of 10am-6pm

Virginia Beach Town Center – Wednesday from 5pm-8pm

Church of the Good Shepherd (7400 Hampton Boulevard Norfolk, VA) -Thursday from 4pm-7pm

• Members choose a pick up site for the duration of the program and will not be allowed to switch once the program begins.
•  Please also pay special attention to the pickup times listed at each location.
• The expected items for each week’s basket will be posted each Monday on our website. You will also be emailed information that gives you tips on how to use and store your produce and activities happening on the farm. We also will include hand selected recipes so you can incorporate your week’s bounty into your cooking.
• Please note the list is our best prediction on what we will have available, and is subject to change without notice. A lot can change from Monday to Friday in the fields but every effort will be made to include everything we can from the expected list of items.
• One of the benefits of this program is that members get to try new fruits. To make sure we have enough product so that all of members can enjoy the same experience, substitutions are not allowed.
• Every effort will be made to provide a wide variety of items to include in your basket on a week to week basis. In order to provide you with the best experience possible we partner with other local growers who meet our family’s stringent standards as needed. For example we don’t live in a climate that can grow tree fruit to our standards so we have developed a relationship with a family owned and operated orchard in Pennsylvania that we source our tree fruit from.
• All items in you basket are covered through our 100% satisfaction guarantee. We will replace or refund any items deemed unsatisfactory.
• In the event we are unable to fulfill our obligations, your money will be gladly refunded on a prorated basis. As we are dealing with perishable crops planted seasonally, we may not harvest some crops we planted or may be prevented from planting because of the weather. Therefore, some of the crops on our list may never make it to your basket despite our best intentions. We will be making daily evaluations and harvesting decisions
• If you are unable to pick up your basket please email cullfarm@msn.com at least 24 hours prior to your pick up day so you can make alternative arrangements. Any items not picked up will be donated to the Society of St. Andrews, a Methodist Network that distributes food to the needy in our community.
• Our family grows with a conscience and is a leader in innovative and sustainable farming practices. We subscribe to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and USDA Organic farming practices. This means that cover crops, beneficial insects, crop rotations, and soft chemicals are used in our production practices. The stewardship philosophy (physiology) is used to sustain productivity and conserve the resource base. Stewardship of the resources will allow younger family members to continue producing quality produce for generations to come.
• Payment of $225 is due in full before the start of the program.

                       The following is a list of fruit which may appear in your box:

USDA Organic Strawberries                                      3+ varieties of raspberries      

Chemical-Free Strawberries                                        Yellow Flesh Peaches

Chemical-Free Blackberries                                        White Flesh Peaches

Blueberries                                                                  Nectarines                                                    

Pears                                                                            Figs

Cantaloupe                                                                  3+ varieties of plums

Seeded/Unseeded Melon                                            Cherries

Honey Dew                                                                 Grapes

7 varieties of specialty/Tuscan melons                        5+ varieties of apples

 Fruit Jams and Perserves                                            Canned Peaches, Apple Sauce, Apple Cider

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          The Cullipher family utilizes both USDA organic and conventional production processes. We currently have 15 acres and counting of USDA certified organic land, certified by Quality Certification Services (QCS). While our main farm is conventional, we use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) which emphasizes sustainable and ecological growing practices. IPM means the use of multiple methods, including biological, cultural, genetic and chemicals to control pests. We use many of the same organic products on our conventional crops. Crop rotation is a key component in our pest management. We do not use any genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) on our farm. Modern plant breeding has improved tremendously in the area of disease resistance which reduces our pesticide usage. We also plant host crops for beneficial or predator insects throughout the farm.

 Soil and Water Conservation

           Aside from family, our natural resources are our most valuable asset. Clean water and soil are keys to the sustainability for us and future generations. We have a Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation approved nutrient management plan (NMP). What that means is each year we take soil samples from every field to establish the existing nutrient levels. With that information, we determine how much fertilizer to use on each crop. We also split our fertilizer applications to match the crops’ needs as opposed to applying all of it at the beginning of the year. By doing this, very few nutrients have a chance to leach into the groundwater.

           We have also been able to reduce our fertilizer use by planting cover crops that produce nitrogen and improve organic matter. Composted chicken litter and chicken feather meal are our main organic sources of fertilizer.

Land Preservation

          The vast majority of the land that we farm was just enrolled in the City’s Agricultural Reserve Program which is designed to help keep farms viable and prevent development. The City purchases development rights of the land over the span of 25 years.  This benefits the community and the owners by minimizing the need for additional city services and a safety net to weather the tough years. We felt like this is a very important step to take to ensure the land base is secure for future generations. We are also partners with the USDA, Va Dare Soil and Water Conservation District, and Va Dept. of Game And Inland Fisheries  in several programs to enhance water quality and wildlife habitat.

This is just a small sampling of MaeBelle's offerings:

        Cakes:                                             Cookies:

Vanilla Pound Cake                            Oatmeal Raisin

Lemon Pound Cake                            Marshmallow

Almond Pound Cake                          Smores

Five-Flavor Pound Cake                     Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Pound Cake

Fresh Apple Cake

Fruit Cake