Tuesday October 7th, 2008
In this issue:
The WhoFarm
(The White House Organic Farm Project)
From Slow Food On Campus September 29, 2008
and The WHOFarm website www.thewhofarm.org
The White House Organic Farm Project is an organization leading a
movement to “respectfully request that our 44th President oversee
the planting of an organic farm on the grounds of The White House”.
The WhoFarmers are advocating for an interactive and educational farm
on the White House lawn that will incorporate members of the community
into the growing and harvesting of food for the President ’s
table and local citizens in the Washington D.C. area.
The White House Organic Farm Recipe:
Article I: The Farmers
Public school children and Americans with disabilities will work The
White House Organic Farm, to set an example for the world of hands-on
learning and will foster an independent, do-it yourself work ethic.
Article II: The Eaters
The White House Organic Farm's harvest will provide fresh food for
the President, the President's family, and the President's distinguished
guests. Just as importantly, it will also supply healthy food to public
school lunch programs and food pantries in Washington, DC.
Article III: The Delivery
Food from The White House Organic Farm will be delivered to local
public schools and food pantries by volunteers on foot and by bicycle,
at a net-zero cost to U.S. taxpayers.
Article IV: The Seeds
The White House organic farmers will plant a diverse mix of heirloom
seeds passed down from Thomas Jefferson's farm at Monticello and seeds
donated by American farmers and gardeners, to celebrate both the rich
agricultural traditions of the Office of the President and the passions
of everyday Americans for working her fertile and bountiful land.
Article V: The Soil
The White House Organic Farm will use healthy topsoil, nourished by
compost supplements from yard and food waste from all three branches
of the federal government; from The White House, from The United States
Capitol, and from The United States Supreme Court.
To sign the petition go to www.thewhofarm.org
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Upcoming Events
Kayaking on the Hudson
Saturday, October 11, 2008
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Join the Downtown Boathouse for 20-minute instructional paddles and
explore the Hudson River firsthand. Please wear a bathing suit or
shorts and a t-shirt, and know how to swim.
Saturdays & Sundays, Through – October 12; 10:00 a.m.–
5:00 p.m. FREE.
No sign up required. Come anytime between these hours. Weather permitting.
Daily Weather Status: (646) 613-0740
Location
South Waterfront West Side
72nd Street and the Hudson River?Manhattan
Contact Number
(212) 408-0219
Contact Email
robin.schatell@parks.nyc.gov
The Amazing Maize Maze
Saturday, October 11, 2008
11:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m
Enjoy getting lost in our three-acre interactive corn maze. The adventure
begins with a stalk talk to prepare you for the challenge of finding
clues, solving puzzles, and making your way out of the maze.
To add to the adventure, join us for Maze By Moonlight on Saturday
October 18th and 25th, when the maze will be open until 9:00 p.m.
Feel up to the challenge? Then join us for the fun of getting lost
and loving it!
Admission: adults: $8, children ages 4-11: $4, ages 3 & under:
Free
Group rates available for groups of 10 or more.
Additional days of operation TBA--see our website or call the farm
museum.
Location
Queens Farm Museum
Queens County Farm Museum
(73-50 Little Neck Parkway) Queens
Contact Number
(718)347-3276
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Recipes
Savory Kabocha Tofu Pie
If you don't have a kabocha on hand, butternut or buttercup squash
would be equally delicious. Tofu makes the filling hearty without
being heavy, and it is especially wholesome when baked in a whole
wheat olive oil crust. I'll be honest, the crust isn't as flaky as
those that use refined flour and butter, but it has an earthy texture
and flavor that I like alongside the sweet squash. (You may, of course,
substitute any other crust that you like.)
Makes one 9" pie
Crust
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/8 cup olive oil
Small pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1/4 cup ice water
Filling
2 pounds kabocha, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces firm tofu, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons agave nectar mixed with 1 tablespoon water (optional)
For the Crust
(Adapted from Brother Ron Pickarski's Friendly Foods)
Mix the flours in a small bowl and freeze. Freeze the olive oil in
a separate container. Both should remain in the freezer for one hour.
Mix the oil into the flour until it forms a crumbly meal. Stir the
salt into the ice water and add the water to the flour mixture. Mix
only to bind the dough. It may seem a little wet at first, but it
should become drier as it absorbs moisture. If it's still too wet,
you can add a little whole wheat flour to the dough.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/16" thick. Transfer
to a 9" pie dish, trim, and crimp the edges. Set aside.
For the Filling
Preheat oven to 350F.
Steam the squash until soft (about 15 minutes) and mash with a fork.
(Alternatively, you can process the steamed squash with the tofu in
a food processor until smooth, but I like the heartier texture that
comes from fork-mashing.)
In a large saucepan, sauté the onions and garlic until onion
is translucent. Add squash, tofu, rosemary, salt, and pepper and heat
for another 5 minutes. Stir in the dissolved arrowroot, which will
thicken the filling.
Pour filling into the pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes.
Optional: after 15 minutes, brush agave nectar over the top of the
pie to glaze. Serve hot or warm.
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