(7/2018) In the event you have not yet heard of the Spotted Lanternfly, let me introduce you. This is not an introduction that I really care to make, but as a fruit and vegetable grower – I must get the word out! I’d suggest you google it, as it is a remarkably beautiful insect. But that’s where the beauty stops – it is lovely to look at, but devastating in nature.

The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) is native to China, India and Vietnam. It was first detected in the US – in PA – in September of 2014. It impacts a number of commercial crops – timber, grapes, peach, and apples. It does not feed on the fruit, but rather damage is sustained from sucking sap from the tree/plant tissue – thereby "de-vitalizing" the tree. This impacts winter hardiness, and the ability for the tree to set fruit buds for the following year. In addition to damage to plants, the SLF excretes large amounts of "honeydew" resulting from its eating. The honeydew coats everything around it – where sooty mold then grows. In addition to commercial agricultural challenges, this is one of the largest residential issues. It is significantly affecting quality of life in the quarantine zone (currently Berks County area). Folks simply won’t go outside starting in late summer.

SLF are especially attracted to the invasive plant – Tree of Heaven. It is a unique plant. Google it if you don’t know what it looks like! SLF will come from far away to gather and feed on Tree of Heaven. Destroy this tree if you have them!

So what should you do? If you see an adult or a nymph, kill it immediately and gather the carcass to be given to PDA. You can email a picture to: Badbug@pa.gov. If you see an egg mass, scrape it off the surface it’s on and destroy it. Call or email PDA. 1-888=4BAD-FLY.

Our County (Adams) is not yet quarantined and we hope it will never be quarantined! However, at our farm market, we are instructing our staff as to what to look for and how to talk to our customers about this horrible pest. Just to let you know how bad it is in Berks County? Farm marketers speak of many thousands of SLF all over their stores in the fall – swarming the displays, and swarming into customers. Pumpkin displays have been totally covered by the insects to the point, one could not discern what color the pumpkins were. Customers have simply stopped going to regions where SLF has been spotted.

On a much brighter note, the purpose of my column is to share some tasty recipes from products grown on our farm so I’d like to share some of my favorite rhubarb recipes. Rhubarb is a very undemanding perennial vegetable. Wrongly, it is often called a fruit due to its sour, fruity taste and the fact that it is mainly used for desserts. I never cared much for rhubarb as a child, but have come to really love and appreciate it for its diversity.

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

• 2 C. Fresh Strawberries
• 1 Lb. Rhubarb, Cut in 1" pieces
• 2 T. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 C. Sugar
• 1/3 C. Cornstarch

Topping:

• ¾ C. Sugar

Batter:

• 3 C. Flour
• 1 C. Sugar
• 1 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 2 Sticks Butter (1 Cup)
• 2 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
• 1 C. Buttermilk
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla

In saucepan, combine strawberries and rhubarb. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add lemon juice. Combine sugar & cornstarch. Add to strawberry mixture and cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, stirring frequently. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Combine eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened.

Spread half of batter in pan. Spread fruit filling evenly over batter. Drop remaining batter by spoonfuls over filling. Sprinkle with sugar topping. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool before cutting.

Rhubarb Crumble

• 3 Bunches of Rhubarb
• Zest and Juice of One Orange
• 1/3 to ½ C. Sugar
• ½ C. Flour
• ½ C. Brown Sugar
• ½ C. Shredded Coconut
• ½ C. Rolled Oats
• ½ C. Wheat Germ
• ½ C. Butter, Softened
• 1 Tsp. Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Remove tops, wash the rhubarb and chop into 2" lengths. Put it into a saucepan with the zest, juice, sugar and ginger. Cover and let simmer gently until just cooked. Pour into an ovenproof dish. Work the remaining ingredients together with your fingertips. Cover the rhubarb with the topping and bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until golden.

Rhubarb Bread

• 1.5 C. Brown Sugar, Packed
• 2/3 Cup Cooking Oil
• 1 Egg
• 1 C. Buttermilk
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 1 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla
• 2.5 C. Flour
• 2 C. Diced Rhubarb
• ½ C. Chopped Nuts
• 1 T. Soft Butter
• ¼ C. Sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans. Combine in a bowl, brown sugar and oil. Stir until smooth. Add egg, buttermilk, salt, baking soda, vanilla and flour. Blend until moist. Fold in diced rhubarb and chopped nuts. Turn batter into prepared pans. Combine butter and sugar until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until done.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

• 9" Unbaked Pie Shell
• Crumb Topping:
• 1/3 C. Brown Sugar
• ½ C. Flour
• 2 to 3 T. Butter
• Pinch of Cinnamon

Filling:

• 3 C. Rhubarb, cut in ½" pieces
• 3 C. Strawberries, Halved
• ½ C. Sugar
• ½ C. Brown Sugar
• 3 T. Cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400. To make crumb topping, mix together sugar, cinnamon and flour in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine rhubarb and strawberries. In a smaller bowl, stir together sugars and cornstarch. Add to fruit and toss gently to coat the fruit.

Spoon filling into unbaked pie shell. Top with crumb topping. Bake at 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional hour until pie is bubbly. This is delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream!