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by Kristen Needham
Dan drives his ‘79 Ford tractor out to the field with a wagon full of empty picking flats. I jump out of the wagon with our daughters, Evelyn and Eileen, and we choose a row, each grabbing a couple of flats. Polly, our Brittany spaniel, heads to the nearby pond to chase frogs, while the iridescent tree swallows skim for bugs. It’s a warm day in Hinesburg, so we’re all lathered in sunscreen and wearing hats. (The deer flies don’t bother you as much if you wear a hat.)
The field smells sweet with ripe strawberries and mulch straw. We all pick berries contently for the first hour until the girls lose interest and start throwing dirt balls at each other. Dan and I dismiss the girls to paddle the canoe in the pond, catching minnows, frogs, and crayfish with a butterfly net. He and I continue picking for another hour and a half until all the ripe berries have been harvested. Our hands sticky and red, we load the full berry flats into the wagon. I climb in the back of the wagon, but the girls choose to continue playing in the pond. As Dan drives out of the field, muddy Polly runs behind.
Our farm is a year old, and based on our experiences in the family strawberry patch and harvesting our vegetables last year, this is what we expect things will be like this summer, the first year we will be selling our strawberries. We’ll be harvesting Honeoyes, a mid-season variety, and we expect them to be ready in late June.
We purchased our 20 acres of rolling hills (with a spring-fed pond and a gorgeous view of Camel’s Hump) in 1994, and the Needham Family Farm was founded in 2009. We sell certified organic asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, mixed vegetables, cut flowers, pumpkins, pastured poultry, and eggs. Evelyn, Eileen, and I also make jelly, jams, salsa, and gourmet desserts with our own fruit and eggs. And with our strawberries, we make this pie recipe—one of our favorites!
This pie crust recipe is an adaptation of my mother’s recipe. The original called for shortening, but I have replaced it with butter for a transfat-free crust, using local Cabot butter. The maple, strawberry, rhubarb filling is my own twist on a traditional pie filling and also a way to use a locally available sweetener and local produce.
Kristen and Dan Needham’s produce, jam, salsa, and dessert by-the-slice can be found at the Hinesburg Farmers’ Market, the South Burlington Farmers’ Market, and Healthy Living Market in South Burlington. They also have a seasonal farm stand. Contact: needhamfamilyfarm@gmavt.net.
4 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose white works best)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup water
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups rhubarb (chopped)
1 cup amber or grade B maple syrup
1 quart strawberries (hulled and sliced)
1/2 cup flour
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, combine butter with flour mixture by cutting in butter using a pastry knife; mixture should resemble loose crumbs. In a small bowl, beat together water, vinegar, and egg. Slowly add egg mixture to flour/butter and mix with a sturdy wooden spoon. Knead by hand for 3 minutes. Chill dough for 30 minutes.
Roll out 1/2 of crust dough on a lightly floured surface. Fit in a 9” pie plate, trimming excess then pinching edges. Roll out 1/2 of crust dough for top crust. Set aside while preparing filling. (Crust dough can be prepared ahead of time, but must be allowed to warm for 30 minutes to 1 hour before trying to roll out.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium-size saucepan, combine rhubarb and maple syrup. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until rhubarb begins to soften. Remove from heat and gently stir in strawberries and flour. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Place top crust on top and pinch to seal edges. Trim off excess crust. Poke steam vents in top crust, being careful not to pierce bottom crust. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Crust will be a golden brown when done. Serve hot or cold with whipped cream or ice cream.
