It was the week the farm received a new solar system! This is another step forward towards using renewable energy source that is sustainable and inexhaustible (where budget permits) to the farm. The Orang Asli farmers were keen to learn how to install the new system, and they did with guidance! Although the solar system does not currently power the entire farm, it triggers the farmers as to what alternate, sustainable, renewable energy is.
A new cycle begins in the farm – bottle gourds! Those who have been buying from the farm since July 2016 would remember our bottle gourds. They were something many of us did not know how to cook initially, but once tried, many simply loved the crunchy texture of the bottle gourds. Due to abundant bottle gourds yield from the farm – we had once 400kg bottle gourds in one week (!) – many of us experimented cooking with bottle gourds and came out with some brilliant recipes.
The bottle gourds are very versatile. They can be:
- stir-fried with garlics or with added dried shrimps (udang kering),
- cooked “yong tau foo style” with fish paste,
- steamed as bottle gourd boats or bowls with fillings you fancy,
- made into Thai style salad (raw),
- juiced with ambra – refreshing!
- boiled as soup; they taste a bit like the Chinese old cucumber,
- cooked as curried dishes.
Back by popular demand, the bottle gourds are coming our way again! This is one farm produce we highly recommend!
Look out too for another cycle of pumpkins. If you liked the mini sweet pumpkins, you probably would like the the new pumpkin variety available. The pumpkins are seasonal so enjoy them while they last!