
The eternal and infernal moving around continues in the bank barn. We put up the walls in the kitchen and winter csa area (that’s the central bay where the freezer now lives) in preparation for an insulation appointment tomorrow. Our big push of the last two weeks, and really summer, is just about wrapped up. Electric is run, walls are framed and we now have a massive clean-up looming to move everything not nailed down out of the barn before morning. The thought of a tight, cozy, snow and rain free home base for the farm keeps up going even on the coldest, darkest evenings. Next priorities will be to finish the walls in the walk-in cooler and relocate the storage roots there, and to install the remaining doors both interior and exterior.
In the moments between construction phases there is beef. Butchering started yesterday and continues today, so there will be fresh rib steak, pot roast, brisket, bone-in shanks and ground beef in the share tonight!
Celebrate Carrots

We’ll be celebrating all things carrot this year—with the terrific harvest of carrots we’ve been graced with. I’ve included a slightly sweet, very hearty recipe for carrot nut bread below. I used almonds, since we had them on hand but pecans or walnuts would also work well. This is very nutty bread, you could easily reduce the quantity of nuts and perhaps include some raisins if you wish. But, the full allotment of nuts turns this practically from a sweet bread to a meal.
Carrot Nut Bread Recipe
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
Whisk together:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 ground cinnamon
Blend well in a large bowl:
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
Stir in the dry ingredients. Blend in with a few swift strokes:
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
Scrape the batter into the greased pam. Bake until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 45 minutes. Cool in the pan, on a rack for 10 minutes before unfolding to cool on a rack.
In the Farm Shares
In the veggie share: winter squash, leeks, garlic, potatoes, savoy cabbage, red and green cabbage, onions, kale, carrots, beets, sage, wheat flour, wheat berries, and cornmeal.
In the meat share: Fresh beef in the cooler. Pork and broiler chickens in the freezer.
Related articles
- Full and By Farm: Fall Gifts (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Full and By Farm: More Cider and A New Calf (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Full and By Farm: Harvest Party (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Full and By Farm: Fall Treats (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
- Full and By Farm: Preparing for Cold (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

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