Mareko Fana Diversity

Some Mareko Fana peppers are red. Most are brown.

Mareko Fana comes in many shapes.

The Mareko Fana that Menkir Tamrat brought us two years ago is probably best characterized as a "land race". Some are short, some are long. Most are brown but some are red. Most are thick-fleshed, but some are thin-skinned and delicate.

We are going to be evaluating and playing around with the diversity of our populations for a long time to come. However, in the short term we are selecting for two types of Mareko Fana:

Mareko Fana: Brown and thick-fleshed. Excellent for making Berbere spice. We typically use these mature, and dry them before use.

Mareko Fana Red: Red, thin-skinned and delicate. Fantastic as a frying pepper. We typically pick many of these young, and sell (or eat) them as frying peppers. The taste is mild when they are young.

Thursday Sunol Farm Stand

Sunol Jazz Cafe

We are switching our farm stand in Sunol to Thursdays.

We will have assorted farm products for sale between 12 and 3PM in front of the Jazz Cafe.

This week we have highland kale, microgreens, herb tea, arugula flowers and Triamble squash.

We are also at the Menlo Park Farmers Market on Sundays.

Wednesday Workshops

We will be presenting a series of workshops this year. Participation is limited to 20 persons. The cost for each workshop is $60, and each participant will take home at least $40 worth of plants, seeds and/or produce from the workshop.

Our next workshop is on Mustards, which include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, mustard seed mustard, cabbage, turnip, canola, radish, horseradish, watercress, mustard greens, arugula, mizuna, sweet alyssum and many others. We use mustards as winter cover crops, and we grow specialty mustard microgreens. We grow unique Ethiopian mustards and sell them directly and indirectly to high-end restaurants. We use mustard crops to fumigate our soils and decrease pests associated with tomatoes and strawberries. We use them to attract beneficial insects, and we harvest mustard seeds each spring and summer to provide seed stocks for all of the uses mentioned above.

Workshops are conducted at our farm, which is part of the Sunol AgPark. They run from 11AM-2PM, on the last Wednesday of the month. All workshops include a light, vegetarian lunch.

To sign up:
1. email us to reserve a spot in a workshop, or workshops (see our profile for our email address).
2. We will email back, confirming availability. We will tell you where to send a check.
3. Send a check within one week (we will refund cancellations made 48 hours ahead of time).

On the day of the workshop, plan to arrive between 10:45 and 11AM. We will meet you in the Sunol water temple parking lot. For directions see here.


February 29th workshop -- The Mustard family

Topics: Mustard cover crops, mustard microgreens, edible mustard flowers (radish, arugula), Ethiopian mustards, mustard seed harvesting, broccoli diversity in Italy, how to grow mustards at home.

Hands-on Activities: Microgreen sowing, stone-ground mustard making

Take home: Microgreens, seedlings for transplanting at home, edible mustard flowers, Highland Kale (Ethiopian Gommanzar), Mustard seeds, Spigariello


March 28th workshop -- Herbs and edible flowers

Topics: Mint diversity, edible herb flowers, Mexican Mint Marigold, herb teas, Basil diversity, Nasturtium, Edible radish pods, growing herbs at home.

Hands-on Activities: Blend your own herb tea, transplant herbs to take home.

Take home: A tin of herb tea, herb transplants, Nasturtium flowers, Edible radish pods, herb seeds, dried herbs.


April 25th workshop -- Tomatoes and peppers

Topics: Methods for germinating, transplanting, watering and trellising tomatoes, tomato diversity, Ethiopian peppers, growing peppers in containers and in the ground, drying peppers and tomatoes. Tomato and pepper breeding.

Hands-on Activities: Soil preparation and transplanting tomatoes and peppers.

Take home: Sixteen seedlings (tomato and/or pepper), a tin of Grey Dog tea (containing Ethiopian Mareko Fana peppers).


May 30th workshop -- Squash and Shell Beans

Topics: Squash diversity, varieties that double as both summer and winter squash, squash growing tips, shell beans -- fresh and dried, shell beans as summer cover crops.

Hands-on activities: Transplanting squash, cooking and seasoning squash.

Take home: 6 large squash seedlings, one Triamble pumpkin, 6 complementary herb starts, an assortment of shell beans to take home and plant.

Artisan Seeds

New in 2012: Artisan Tomatoes

We have formed a new business with FrogsLeap Farm in Minnesota. This new joint venture is called Artisan Seeds. Over the past few years our two farms have independently set up breeding programs with strikingly similar goals. Now we have joined forces, and over the next few years we will introduce unique new varieties each year.

In 2012 we will start by releasing six new varieties of striped cherry tomatoes. Three are long "julienne"-type cherry tomatoes, similar in shape to Maglia Rosa and Blush. The other three are round. Details about their release are being finalized and will be posted to the Artisan Seeds blog shortly. Individual seed packets of the new varieties will be available exclusively through an online website and store which Artisan Seeds will launch fall 2012.

Stinging Nettles make a great tea

We are adding a new tea to our lineup this week -- Lemon Stinger -- which contains stinging nettles. Nettle tea is a good source of iron, and nettle tea often calms allergies.

We will be passing out samples today at the Menlo Park Farmers' Market. Stop by and try some.

Courtney is a very very bad girl on the Bachelor

Winter Squash

Terremoto: A work in progress

We grow a number of excellent varieties of winter squash, including:

Butternut Rugosa -- Deep orange flesh. Fantastic depth of flavor.

Kikuza -- Edible skin. Light flavor. Keeps up to 6 months.

Chirimen -- Creamy, complex flavor. Best used 1-2 months after harvest (October or November), as black-green skin fades to orange. Edible skin caramelizes when roasted in small slices.

Galeux d'Eysines -- Light, very sweet flavor. Excellent for pies. When used as vegetable, cook lightly.

Potimarron -- Chestnut Pumpkin. Superlative soup squash. Soft edible skin should be pureed into soup. Also excellent sauteed with skin on. Our best guess is that with Potimarron the French got ahold of a Red Kuri-type squash and tweaked it.

Triamble -- Savory, complex flavor. Keeps up to 2 years without loss of flavor.

Terremoto -- Sweeter than Triamble. Keeps up to 1 year. Excellent balance of sweet and savory. This is a variety that we are breeding. It's pretty much done.

To read more about our winter squash, please see Food Gal, Oliveto and Edible East Bay.

We still have a small amount of Triamble and Terremoto available.

Pre-ordering squash in 2012/2013: Demand for our squash, particularly Butternut Rugosa, Potimarron and Chirimen, increased dramatically in 2011, and our supply did not meet the demand. We sold out very quickly.

In winter 2012/2013 we would like to make sure that everyone gets the squash they want, in the quantity desired. To accomplish this, we will be taking pre-orders between now and February 1 (when we start seeding out for the field). A 20% deposit will be required to guarantee delivery, but no deposit is required. We will plant our squash fields in accordance with all pre-orders, and we will be greatly increasing squash production in 2012 to meet expected demand.

Hopefully, we will be able to fill all pre-orders in 2012. However, if we experience a reduced harvest due to weather, cucumber beetle infestation, ground squirrels or unforseen , we will fill orders secured by a deposit first. Second priority will go to other pre-orders in the order received.

To pre-order please email us (see profile for email address)

Grey Dog Tea now on Steepster

Grey Dog Tea has been entered on the Steepster website for tea aficionados.

All 3 of our Mint Dog teas are available now online.

Business Opportunities at Baia Nicchia

Baia Nicchia Original Cherry Tomatoes

In the past 5 years we have developed a farming business while at the same time operating a breeding business that has produced an exciting array of novel plant varieties. 2012 will be a watershed year in which we will make a dramatic shift from growing and selling mostly other people's varieties of tomatoes to growing and selling mostly our own unique tomatoes varieties (see photograph above).

We also grow and sell a diverse array of uncommon squash and peppers, including exceptional varieties from around the world that are virtually unknown here.

In the past few years we have forged a number of key business relationships which will move our business forward in 2012, and the vast majority of the crops we will produce next year are already spoken for. On the other hand, we will also be continuing to develop our farm stand in Sunol, which is a critical link to our local East Bay community .

In addition to farming, we are also partners in a new breeding/seed business, Artisan Seeds, that will release and distribute the new organically-bred varieties developed on our farm, in addition to hard-to-find varieties of particular value from around the world. Our targeted launch date is December 2012.

Papavero -- An un-released original squash from Baia Nicchia

In addition to winter greens and edible flowers this winter we are also selling:

Shares in our business. We are interested in selling between 1% and 20% of our business, and we are currently discussing investment with potential business partners as well as with small investors simply interested in helping us move forward, with the opportunity to benefit with us in the future. Please email us (our address is in our profile) to receive a business summary, and we can start the conversation. Baia Nicchia is organized as an LLC.

Rights to novel striped cherry tomato varieties: We have a number of striped cherry tomato varieties with exceptional flavor that are now available (see photograph above for some of the new lines). They will be evaluated in field trials by potential customers this coming summer, and at the same time showcased for visitors to our farm's summer breeding nursery in Sunol. Some of them are elongated, like Blush and Maglia Rosa, and others are round. Flavor-wise, our new varieties are on par with Maglia Rosa and Blush. While most of the new varieties will likely be adopted following breeding trials this summer, we are also interested in selling options for some of the varieties this winter. Fruits of these novel cherry tomatoes will be served at some of the best restaurants in the west this summer. Please contact us for details.

Highland Kale

Highland Kale (Ethiopian Gommanzar) -- An incomparable winter green

We grew Highland kale for the first time last winter. It wasn't hard to convince chefs to use it. It's an outstanding mustard crop. Tender, flavorful, and with beautiful streaks of purple on the leaves and buds. Mature leafy shoots -- sold as "Highland Kale Tops" will be available from us later this winter.

Highland kale is one of the many crops brought to us by Menkir Tamrat. For more on the Ethiopian crops we grow, and the story behind these crops see the current issue of Edible East Bay. We are calling this kale "highland kale" because it grows in the temperate highlands of Ethiopia.

William's Pumpkin Ice Cream

Galeux d'Eysines

William Phelps buys Galeux d'Eysines pumpkins from us at the Menlo Park farmers' market. He makes pie and ice cream from them. Last week he brought some of the ice cream to the market (we've never had better) along with his recipe:

William's Excellent Pumpkin Ice Cream

First step -- Bake Pumpkin

Slice in half and remove seeds (I use an ice cream scoop with a sharpened edge)

Bake FACE UP on cookie sheet in hot oven (400 degrees) for 1 hour or more (do not steam). This is where the flavor comes from!

I usually set the timer to turn oven off after 1 hour so I can start the pumpkin baking and then do something else. This way it actually cooks even longer...

One 4 lb pumpkin yields approximately 4 1/2 cups of cooked pumpkin


Second Steps -- Prepare Pumpkin Pie Filling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine the following ingredients in a food processor: 3 cups of baked pumpkin (from step above), 1/3 cup of honey, 1 egg, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of ginger, 1 tablespoon of nutmeg and 1/2 cup of evaporated milk

Process all ingredients for, except the milk, for a few seconds. The resulting mixture can be used to make pumpkin pie, or it can be used to make ice cream by following the steps below:


Third steps

1 1/2 cups pumpkin pie filling (baked as described above)
1/4 cup agave syrup
2 cups half & half or whipping cream
pinch salt

Chill the pumpkin pie filling.

Combine with honey or syrup, cover, and refrigerate for an hour or more.

Add agave syrup, salt, and cream to pumpkin pie filling and pour into ice cream maker bowl.

Follow ice-cream maker instructions.

William's Excellent Pumpkin Ice Cream

Polenta Ruvido

Red Flint Corn Polenta

Note added November 15th: We are SOLD OUT of Floriani Red Flint Corn for 2011. For polenta see Community Grains. For seed see Fedco (they should have seed in December) or Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (they say they will have seed available later this month).


Polenta is made of ground corn meal, which includes the germ. Most polenta is made from yellow flint corn, but Floriani Red Flint Corn makes a wonderful red-flecked polenta, which permeates the menu at Oliveto where we first tasted it.

Floriani Red Flint Corn is an heirloom variety selected by small farmers in the valley north of Valsugana in northern Italy for the past 200 years. It has recently, however, been brought back to the US and it is grown on a relatively small scale for Community Grains which sells it as ground polenta.

We grew a small plot on our farm this past summer and we are also making Red Flint Corn available -- but not as finished polenta. We are selling 2 lb bags of unground corn at our farm stand and at the Menlo Park farmers' market.

Flint corn is very hard when it is dry, but we have found that Red Flint Corn can be processed into polenta using a standard blender or food processor. You just have to boil it for at least an hour before you grind it wet. After that, it still needs to be cooked over low heat for at about 3 more hours.

Polenta Ruvido

One advantage of using unground Red Flint Corn is that you can grind it (and re-grind it) to the level desired. We do not grind until our polenta is as smooth as the polenta from Community Grains. We like the added texture of our polenta ruvido (rough polenta).

Polenta Ruvido recipe:

1. Boil Red Flint Corn (with 3 parts water) for at least an hour, until grains start visibly splitting and softening

2. Let cool, and grind corn in blender or food processor. For polenta ruvido, it is not necessary to grind to uniform texture. Note: Additional cooking and grinding may be necessary for a uniform, smooth texture.

3. Cook over low heat for 2-3 additional hours, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed.

4. Add butter and salt to taste. Season as desired.


Popping Red Flint Corn

Red Flint Corn makes great popcorn too. However, only about 40% of the kernels of our fresh harvested corn will pop. To increase popping efficiency simply dry the corn in an oven at 125 degrees Farenheit, or let it dry for a few weeks (out of the bag) in a cupboard or on a counter.

It's the season for herb tea...

We have a tea for each one of our dogs. Our newest dog is Max, and our newest tea is MaxiMint. Max is a big ex-racing greyhound, and MaxiMint is a peppermint tea with a big, bold flavor. Roman Mint provides a bit of complexity to the aroma.

Our teas are unique blends of dried herbs and other ingredients from our farm. Our favorite sweet pepper -- Dolce di Minervino -- provides natural earthiness and sweetness to Hit The Spot tea. Jordy (sometimes called "Spotty") is the cover dog for this tea.
Mareko Fana peppers spice up Grey Dog Tea. Our girl greyhound, Lady Bug, is linked to this tea... but we didn't want to name it "Lady Bug Tea", and have people get the wrong idea. A bit more information about our teas is available from Food Gal.

Cetriolo (Cucumber) tomatoes

Fresh Cetriolo tomato salad at Oliveto

Looking back on the 2011 tomato season, one of our most exciting new tomatoes turned out to be a green tomato with a unique flavor profile. Most green tomatoes are not eaten raw, but this tomato shines in raw preparations, and has shown up in slaw, compressed and paired with frisee and avocado (above) this year. We still have a few Cetriolo tomatoes left, and they will be available for the next week or two at our farm stand and at the Menlo Park Farmers' Market.

Available this fall: Floriani Red Flint Corn

Floriani Red Flint Corn

Note added 11/19: Sold out.

We grew a small, experimental plot of Floriani Red Flint Corn this year in collaboration with Community Grains, which provided the seed. The plants grew very well in our field (up to 10 feet tall), and each plant produced 1 or 2 ears.

Our ears of Red Flint Corn are suitable for display (we are leaving the husks attached to the base), for use as seed corn, and for making polenta or hominy. We also have 2 lb bags of unground Red Flint Corn available.

Directions to the farm

Location of our farm in Sunol

Red arrow indicates 4-way stop sign. Blue dot is the Sunol Water Temple. Yellow rectangle is our field.

We farm adjacent to the Sunol Water Temple, and the site is open from 9-3 on weekdays. Drop-in visitors and groups are welcome. Please contact us ahead to check on our availability. Our email address can be found in our blog profile.

Formal tours and/or educational workshops can be arranged by us, or by SAGE.