Table Talk: New greenhouse jump-starts arrival of spring's first greens

By CLAIRE HOPLEY

Published on April 06, 2007

Spring is a time of firsts: the first snowdrop, the first crocus, the first robin, first-run maple syrup.

For farmers and growers, the most important first is the first plant that pokes up from the depths. Bill Gillen of Sunset Farm in Amherst was happy to photograph the first lettuce of 2007, which he'd planted on March 10, peeking pertly from pots of growing medium only a few days later.

This lettuce was not emerging outside of course. Twelve inches of snow still blanketed the ground, and the thermometer registered only mini-numbers. But inside Gillen's new greenhouse at his farm on Brigham Lane, it was a balmy 75 degrees, and baby plantlets of beets and kale as well as various kinds of lettuce were peeking from trays that already crowded the benches on one side.

Benches on the other side were still empty - though planting was proceeding apace - partly because the greenhouse is new.

"We needed a new greenhouse so we can grow more seedlings to set out," Gillen said on a tour of the building last week. "If you sow directly outdoors, the weed seeds keep pace with the vegetable seeds, and weeding is a problem with tiny plants. You have to do it by hand. Bigger plants can be hoed."

Noting that baby plants have less sensitivity to frost and other adverse conditions than older ones, he says that while they may survive a cold snap outdoors, they don't always do well and often mature late.

"I'm hoping that the temperature-controlled conditions in the greenhouse will mean that the plants do better," he said.

Controlling the temperature in the greenhouse involves propane heaters and a hairdryer-size fan that forces air between the two layers of plastic film that form the walls. Inside it's mild enough for short-sleeve working, even on the chill March days.

"It's going to be 100 degrees in here in summer," Gillen said, so cooling is required too. Fortunately, it's all automatic.

"The big payoff is not having to worry about overheating or heating," Gillen said. "When the multi-stage cooling fans come on - powered by three 4-horsepower motors - the effect is immediate."

Not only do plants need benign temperatures to thrive, they also need to feel the breeze. "Moving air helps control mildew," Gillen explained as he turned on a fan. "Also they seem to do better and taste better when there is some movement in the leaves."

In addition to controlling temperature and air flow, greenhouse owners need to control weeds and even animals. The floor of Gillen's new greenhouse has matting that prevents weeds coming up but allows water to drip through and soak into the ground below. Gillen's hoping that it will also give him a grace period free of mice. "They just love sweet peas and muskmelon seeds," he said. "Maybe for a while they just won't know they're here!"

The previous greenhouse was one he described as having been "cobbled together" using wood from an old hemlock tree. It was heated by kerosene, which required a fair amount of lugging and left an unpleasant odor. In contrast, the new 26- by 28-foot greenhouse feels spacious and pleasant. But it does come at a cost. The greenhouse package itself was $4,000, but on top of that there were costs for loam, site-leveling, water, electrical and gas installation. There was also a charge to have it erected and for the benches, which Gillen and his wife, Connie, assembled themselves.

"The project cost will be about $17,000, a little more than $20 per square foot. A new residence will run $150 a square foot," said Gillen, who is an architect as well as a farmer. "In that perspective it is not bad."

The products of this investment and months of work will soon be appearing in the Amherst Farmers Market, where Sunset Farm's stand is a major attraction. Connie Gillen makes fruit popsicles that lure families with kids; flower bouquets to woo folks looking for a grace note for their dinner tables, and a rich array of vegetables that mutely encourage cooks to get into the kitchen.

Gillen explains that to have a stall every week, they have to come up with a season-long supply of vegetables and flowers. They grow more than 50 kinds of flowers and at least 50 different vegetables. He says eggplants are the most challenging to grow because they are susceptible to a wilting disease. Strawberries give the highest returns, but are troublesome because of the need to control weeds.

Among the Gillens' specialties are chestnuts - Sunset Farm is the only local farm growing them commercially - wine grapes and muskmelons. In the future, Gillen said he's hoping to expand into raspberries, blackberries and peaches. He thinks that since the greenhouse is temperature controlled, he might be able to start tomatoes and cucumbers in August and thus be able to sell them as late as October.

In addition to maintaining the stall at the market, Sunset Farm also sells its crops on a pick-your-own basis. The minute the snow melted there was already something to pick: cilantro, spinach, parsley and parsnips that had wintered over. Anything local and fresh is delicious at this time of year, but many people will agree that parsnips are especially divine. The frost develops their natural sugars, so they emerge from the winter tasting lush and rich. Here are a couple of recipes for their use, as well as recipes for the green leaves of very early spring.

CURRIED PARSNIP SOUP

Curry powder is an easy way to add spicy flavor to many root vegetables. Parsnips taste best when the frost has nipped them, so this is a soup for cold days.

1½ pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

salt and pepper to taste

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into quarters

1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

2-4 teaspoons medium-hot curry powder

1/3 teaspoons brown or white sugar

½ cup (or more to taste) half-and-half

Put the parsnips into a pan and cover with about 6 cups water. Add half a teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the apple quarters and continue simmering until both parsnips and apples are tender.

Drain and mash the vegetables and apple together with a little liquid, or process in a food processor with some liquid. In either case, gradually add the remaining liquid to make a soup.

Combine the butter and oil in a small frying pan and gently soften the crushed garlic in it. Stir in the curry powder and cook for 30 seconds. The powder will absorb the oil. When this has happened, pour in about half a cup of the parsnip soup and stir well. Combine this with the rest of the soup and return it to the pan. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper and a little sugar as needed. Simmer for another 10 minutes, tasting from time to time and adjusting the flavor as you see fit. Finally stir in the half-and-half and serve.

PARSNIP CAKES

This traditional English recipe can make use of leftover parsnips or you can boil them until tender just for this. Serve with sausages or bacon, or top with gravy, or serve instead of potatoes as the starch part of the meal.

2 pounds parsnips, boiled

2/3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoon mace or nutmeg

salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

about 1 cup dry breadcrumbs (seasoned if you like) or panko

oil for frying

Drain the boiled parsnips well and mash them, working in 2 tablespoons of flour as you go. Also mash in the butter and the mace or nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Beat the egg and milk on a shallow plate.

Array the crumbs or panko on another plate. Divide the parsnips into about 8 portions and flatten them into 1-inch cakes. Coat first in the egg and then in the bread. Heat about ¼inch oil in a frying pan, then, using a spatula, put in the parsnip cakes. Fry on fairly high heat, turning to brown on both sides. Serves 4-8.

SPINACH AND FETA SALAD

The quantities below serve just one person, so multiply for more.

2 cups washed spinach

1½ tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans

1 ounce feta cheese, cubed

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

6 kalamata olives or more or less to taste

½ teaspoon dried oregano or thyme

Put the spinach, walnuts and feta in a serving bowl. Drizzle with honey. Thoroughly mix the olive oil with the lemon juice and, immediately before serving, pour it on the salad and toss. Sprinkle the olives and oregano on top.

PARSLEY SALAD

This recipe is from "Country Herb Cooking: Four Seasons of Recipes from Pickety Place" by Judy Walter (Herb Farm Press, Mason, NH).

2 cups shredded carrots

2 cups chopped celery

4 cups coarsely chopped parsley leaves

dressing of your choice

1 dozen radishes, sliced

Toss the carrots, celery and parsley together. Add the dressing of your choice (vinaigrette, blue cheese and thousand island are all good), and do again. Garnish with sliced radishes and serve.

CILANTRO RELISH

This recipe is from "The Herbal Palate Cookbook" by Maggie Oster and Sal Gilberti (Storey Publishing: North Adams). The relish is actually an Indian sambal, so it goes perfectly with curries and other Indian meals. It is also good with grilled meat or fish.

1 cup regular or low-fat coconut milk

1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 garlic cloves, peeled

½inch piece fresh ginger

2 small green chili peppers

1/3 cup lime juice

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin

To prepare, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and whiz to process. Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.