These and other measures resulted in a 2013 Green Business of the Year Award from Newton Needham Chamber of Commerce.įor its next-step commitment to the GO GREEN Needham campaign, Volante Farms will take measures to further improve its recycling operation. Food that is not edible is composted on-site or picked up by Save That Stuff, a Boston-based waste resource management company. The farm also donates to the Needham Community Council and the Brookline Food Co-op. The food rescue group Lovin’ Spoonfuls picks up donations three times a week. (Look carefully the next time you’re there and see the housing for the insulating curtains that are pulled down over the freezers and coolers at night.)Īddressing food waste and getting edible food to those in need are high priorities. The new farmstand building features a new boiler, motion detector lights, and energy efficient coolers and condensers. An energy-efficient boiler, radiant heating in the concrete floor, and energy curtains on the roof bring additional cost and energy savings. In addition to the rainwater collection system, the greenhouse is designed to conserve water and save money by using a special “flood bench” watering method in two of the bays of plants. As always, we began the process by finding out what sustainable practices their operation has already adopted. Volante Farms is among the first Needham businesses to participate in GO GREEN Needham, a program to encourage local businesses and organizations to take next steps towards sustainability. A mere one inch of rain can fill the tank, providing a week’s worth of water needed for the greenhouse and nursery plants. ![]() Their state-of-the-art greenhouse has a rainwater collection system on the roof that redirects rain to a 10,000-gallon collection tank behind the building. The summer rains that refresh our gardens and lawns do double duty at Volante Farms. Best enjoyed before 7 a.m.Volante Farms is well known for its nursery plants, local produce and grocery items, deli lunches, and impressive array of fresh apples in the fall, but - as they say on TV - “Wait, there’s more.” Tear chunks off of loaf and stuff peppers into chunks. Cover and cook until they develop a good char, about 3 to 5 minutes.įlip the peppers, cover, and cook until they look like they are starting to melt, another 3 to 5 minutes. When grill is hot, dump peppers onto aluminum foil and spread into a single layer. In a bowl, drizzle olive oil over peppers, sprinkle with salt, and mix thoroughly. Volante Family Heirloom Recipe, from The Volante Farm CookbookĢ pounds Cornetta peppers, halved and deseededĬover grill grates with aluminum foil and preheat grill to high. Grilled Cornetta Peppers (photo courtesy of Volante Farms/ Tara Morris) Grilled Cornettas Serve with pita chips, crudité, or enjoy as a sandwich spread. If the mixture gets too thick, add a tablespoon of water. Using a paper towel, wipe the skin off of the beets, cut them in half, and place into the food processor. Pulse until well combined, about 30 seconds, and scoop into a bowl. Add lemon juice, 1 tablespoon water, cumin, remaining za’atar, remaining olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Put garbanzo beans, tahini paste, and garlic into a food processor. Purée for 30 seconds. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Place on a sheet pan and cook until tender, about 45 to 60 minutes depending on their size. Toss beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon za’atar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Todd Heberlein, The Volante Farms Cookbook Makes 3 cupsĢ beets (about 1 pound), rinsed and greens removedģ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, dividedġ 14-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed Ryan Conroy, field manager of Volante Farms and author of " The Volante Farms Cookbook: A Century Of Growing." Todd Heberlein, Steve Volante, and Ryan Conroy at Volante Farms in Needham (Deborah Becker/WBUR) Steve Volante, co-owner of Volante Farms, which tweets volantefarms. Todd Heberlein, executive chef at Volante Farms. We visited the farm and talked about the challenges and rewards of farming in suburban Boston. ![]() Peter Volante started farming in Massachusetts in 1917. The farm has been in the Volante family for four generations. And on that anniversary, the family has published a new cookbook to highlight their favorite recipes. This year, Volante Farms in Needham turns 100. Volante Farms beet hummus (photo courtesy of Volante Farms/ Tara Morris) This article is more than 5 years old.
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