Merrimack Valley Magazine

Weeding, Sowing, Growing

September 24, 2021 by Dean Johnson

A Look Inside Horne Family Farms

Here’s something rarely heard from a person who just graduated with a degree in economics: “I’m going to become a farmer.”

But that’s exactly what Lowell native Christopher Horne decided when he graduated from UMass Lowell in 2014.

The result is Londonderry-based Horne Family Farms, a half-acre property that maintains only organic practices and last year grew nearly 20,000 pounds of produce that ended up in several local restaurants — including Cobblestones/Moonstones, the Keep, and the Old Court — and dozens of local homes.

The feel-good story is a prime example of how someone can turn a near disaster into an unexpected dream come true. “During college,” Horne, 29, says, “my mom had a heart attack and my dad had a stroke, all in a year.”

Both survived, but Horne knew their lifestyles and diet contributed to those health scares. “So at a younger age,” he says, “I started thinking about the food we are eating.”

Horne began shopping at the Lowell Farmers Market and got the itch to grow his own healthy food. Knowing that he was out of his league, he picked up a copy of the book “Urban Gardening for Dummies.”

He volunteered for the nonprofit Mill City Grows, did his research, and even attended The Farm School in Athol. Along the way, he really got bitten by the gardening bug.

During his time at The Farm School, a friend offered to lease him a half acre of farmland in Londonderry.

Horne knew he wanted to use a technique known as SPIN-Gardening, which is “small-plot intensive,” he says. “It’s utilizing every square inch of space with intercropping — tomatoes, for example, with basil and lettuce — all different techniques to maximize every square inch of the plot.”

He believes in “all organic practices,” and that includes no herbicides and no machine tilling. When asked, as a joke, if that means handpicking insect pests from his plants … well … yes … that’s exactly what he does when necessary.

It’s a family operation. His wife, Michaela, is a Lowell school teacher, but once school is out for the summer, she spends much of her time gardening. Christopher’s brother, Marc, is a behind-the-scenes presence and responsible for many of the recipes the brothers have contributed to the pages of Merrimack Valley Magazine. Their sister Jessica and parents, Paula and Mark, also help.

Michaela and Chris (left) of Horne Family Farms prepare for the fall season. They are helped by Barry Francoeur (top right). The farm hosts a successful CSA program and supplies fresh produce to several notable local restaurants, including Moonstones and the Old Court.

“There is a lot of labor up front,” Horne says. “Weed management can be a ton of hard work, and it really can only work on this [small] scale.

“But the plants are doing phenomenally. I really think that I am not even there yet for maximizing our space because I’m still learning as a grower. I think the sky’s the limit. We are so ingrained [that] big-time farms are the only way to grow food. But you can grow an amazing amount of food on a small scale.”

This season, dozens of families paid $650 for a weekly bag of fresh vegetables. Horne’s CSA program is expected to run 18-20 weeks, and the operation has been such a success that he is already lining up a waiting list for next year.

It’s not yet a full-time job for Horne; he picks up the odd weekend bartending gigs at the Old Court, and his wife still teaches. But ask him about his goals, and there is no hesitation.

He is looking forward to a “lifetime of learning” how to farm. “I can’t tell you how special it is to feed people good food that I’m really proud of,” he says. “What’s next, though, is to crush it on this scale and grow as much food as possible.”

HorneFarms.com

MVCSA – Bok Choy with Sweet Peppers

August 16, 2021 by Marc and Christopher Horne

Many varieties of beautiful green vegetables become available in the late spring and early summer. Often, the issue with these vegetables is that they can be bitter, overwhelmingly so if not handled properly.

To manage the bitterness, we can borrow a simple technique from classic Chinese cuisine. It involves quickly boiling the greens in salted water, adding a pungent sauce, and then pouring hot oil over the sauce to gently cook and aromatize the vegetables. There are multiple reasons this works so well. The quick boil removes some of the bitter flavor. And since the vegetables aren’t sliced, the cell walls aren’t damaged, which also limits the release of bitter flavors. Lastly, the pungent sauce and hot oil release sweet and spicy flavors that balance out any remaining bitterness.

BOK CHOY WITH SWEET PEPPERS

Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 4-6

2 pounds baby bok choy
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons salt
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper (Aleppo pepper or gochugaru work equally well)
1 tablespoon sesame seed
1 teaspoon sugar

Fill a large stockpot with 4 quarts of water and 4 tablespoons of salt. Bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper and sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.

When the water reaches a boil, add the bok choy and cook for
2 minutes. Remove from the water, strain thoroughly and place on a platter

Evenly distribute the bell pepper and garlic ginger sauce over the bok choy.

In a small saucepot, add the 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat just until there is a wisp of smoke. Immediately remove from the heat and carefully spoon the hot oil over each piece of bok choy.

Top with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

This is excellent on its own or served with a side of steamed rice. It’s also great as a side dish for grilled meat and fish.

MVCSA – Kale and Shredded Carrot

July 24, 2021 by Marc and Christopher Horne

KALE AND SHREDDED CARROT

Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 4-6

2 pounds kale (lacinato kale or baby kale is best — Chinese kale, AKA Chinese broccoli, is great as well)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons salt
1 large carrot, grated/shredded
2 large chile peppers, diced (Fresno or serrano are best)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon sugar

Fill a large stockpot with 4 quarts of water, 4 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, combine the grated/shredded carrots, diced chile pepper, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar.

Add the kale whole to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes — if you choose to use Chinese kale, increase the cooking time to 4 minutes. Remove and strain thoroughly. Place in a large serving bowl.

Top the kale with the chile pepper and fish sauce mixture.

In a small saucepot, add the 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat just until there is a wisp of smoke. Immediately remove from the heat and carefully pour the vegetable oil on top of the kale. Mix thoroughly and top with peanuts.

This is a flavorful warm salad that is a fantastic meal and a wonderful side dish.

MVCSA – Hearty Grains: Polenta with Tomato

April 12, 2021 by Marc and Christopher Horne

When people think of New England farms, grains may not be the first crop that comes to mind. However, this region has a rich history of grain production, so much so that three sheaves of wheat are visible on Vermont’s state flag. In the 19th century, French and English settlers transformed the Green Mountain State into one of the largest grain producers in the country, earning it the moniker “Breadbasket of America.”

Drawing on this history, and the availability of incredible New England-grown grains from producers like Maine Grains, or through the Northern Grain Growers Association in Vermont, we are offering two Italian-inspired classics with a local twist.

The secret to the recipes is to use the best quality grains and to soak them overnight for optimal texture and flavor. These hearty, simple dishes are particularly satisfying on cold New England evenings.

POLENTA WITH TOMATO

Start to finish: 24 hours to soak,
45 minutes to cook
Servings: 4-6 as a main course

Tomato Sauce

This is basic tomato sauce, inspired by a recipe from cooking writer Marcella Hazan, with a few twists. Use your canned or jarred tomatoes from the summer if you still have them.

1 standard 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
6 tablespoons butter
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
In a sturdy saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the chopped onion, kosher salt and crushed red pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Add the tomatoes to the pan. Using a large spoon, stir occasionally to prevent scorching and use the back of the spoon to break up the tomatoes.
After 45 minutes, remove from the heat, cover and set aside in a warm oven.

Polenta

1 cup coarse ground cornmeal
4 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

About 24 hours before you make this recipe, place the cornmeal, salt and half of the water (2 cups) into a container and store in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to cook, place the remaining 2 cups of water into a large saucepan or Dutch oven and bring to a boil.

While you wait for the water to boil, take the soaking corn mixture and stir it vigorously.

When the water boils, carefully add all of the cornmeal and soaking water to the pot.

Stir this often for 10-15 minutes until the water is fully absorbed.

Remove from the stove and add the butter and Parmesan cheese.

Top the polenta with the warm tomato sauce and enjoy immediately.

MVCSA – Hearty Grains: Farro Risotto with Herbs

March 23, 2021 by Marc and Christopher Horne

FARRO RISOTTO WITH HERBS

This is a take on classic Italian risotto. It’s simpler to prepare than the traditional rice dish, and much more flavorful.

Start to finish: 24 hours to soak, 20-30 minutes cooking time

Servings: 4-6 as a main course

2 cups farro 4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil 6 medium shallots, sliced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar 6 cups chicken stock
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 cup parsley, chopped 1/4 cup chives, chopped 1/4 cup tarragon, chopped

About 24 hours before cooking, soak the farro in the chicken stock. Keep it in the refrigerator.

Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat.

Add half (2 tablespoons) of the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.

When the butter is melted, add the shallots, salt and pepper. Brown for 2-3 minutes until the shallots are golden.

Add the white wine vinegar to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Carefully add the chicken stock and farro to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Once the stock boils, reduce to a simmer, stir occasionally, and cook until the grains are tender and have absorbed the stock (10-20 minutes).

Remove from the heat. Add the remaining butter to the pan (2 tablespoons), as well as the parsley, chives, tarragon and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.