Wednesday, July 27
CSA Summer Harvest Week Eight
We were thankful for the unexpected rain Tuesday night. Our best efforts at irrigation fall short of a good rainstorm. And these slightly cooler days are so welcome, too.
Come the first of August, all our thinking shifts to the diminishing daylight hours. We must plan for picking through November or later (we hope). While the garlic harvest cures, we will pull shallots, onions and potatoes from the field and make the last sowings of beans and carrots. We will plant collards, kale, broccoli rabe, radicchio. The eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and beans are just beginning to fruit. Yes to August!
Hope you're enjoying the bounty!
In this week's share:
1) one bag simple simple salad mix: mixed baby lettuce leaves
2) six ears sweet bicolor corn: grown by JD Farms in Danbury, CT. This corn is grown using low-spray integrated pest management methods, but it is NOT certified organic. Swap out for another item if this poses a problem for your family.
3) one bunch baby carrots: option orange or purple haze (maroon)
4) one bag purslane: these wild greens are delicious and nutritious. Think of it as a weed, and you'll be missing out on one of the most nutritious greens on the planet. Purslane has more beta-carotene than spinach, as well as high levels of magnesium and potassium. Historically it has been used as a remedy for arthritis and inflammation by European cultures. Chinese herbalists found similar benefits, using it in respiratory and circulatory function. Recently, it's been found that purslane has alpha linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid. Researchers see evidence that these substances lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as make the blood less likely to form clots. Purslane leaves and stems are great raw in salads. You can steam them or add them to soups, stews, and other vegetable dishes. Here are a few recipes from Wildman Steve Brill.
PERFECT PURSLANE SALAD
2 cups purslane leaves and stems, chopped
2 cooked potatoes, chopped
4 cups mesclun salad greens
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1 red bell pepper, chopped
PURSLANE POTATO SALAD
Purslane makes this familiar dish seem ambrosial.
6 medium potatoes, sliced and cooked
2 cups purslane, chopped
4 scallions, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
Mix together all ingredients. Serve chilled.
5) one bunch chives
6) one pound plums: grown sustainably by Woodland Farm in South Glastonbury, CT. Variety is Medley, a bite-sized red-fleshed variety.
7) CHOICE: the item of your choice at the stand (approximately $5): for example, tricolor beans, cucumbers, blue potatoes, cabbage, juice, celery root, goat cheese, eggs, milk,etc. Delivery customers will receive some lovely item. :)
Finally, if you have time, look for the beautiful green heron when you pick up. He often sits by the marsh bridge near the culvert.
Come the first of August, all our thinking shifts to the diminishing daylight hours. We must plan for picking through November or later (we hope). While the garlic harvest cures, we will pull shallots, onions and potatoes from the field and make the last sowings of beans and carrots. We will plant collards, kale, broccoli rabe, radicchio. The eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and beans are just beginning to fruit. Yes to August!
Hope you're enjoying the bounty!
In this week's share:
1) one bag simple simple salad mix: mixed baby lettuce leaves
2) six ears sweet bicolor corn: grown by JD Farms in Danbury, CT. This corn is grown using low-spray integrated pest management methods, but it is NOT certified organic. Swap out for another item if this poses a problem for your family.
3) one bunch baby carrots: option orange or purple haze (maroon)
4) one bag purslane: these wild greens are delicious and nutritious. Think of it as a weed, and you'll be missing out on one of the most nutritious greens on the planet. Purslane has more beta-carotene than spinach, as well as high levels of magnesium and potassium. Historically it has been used as a remedy for arthritis and inflammation by European cultures. Chinese herbalists found similar benefits, using it in respiratory and circulatory function. Recently, it's been found that purslane has alpha linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fatty acid. Researchers see evidence that these substances lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as make the blood less likely to form clots. Purslane leaves and stems are great raw in salads. You can steam them or add them to soups, stews, and other vegetable dishes. Here are a few recipes from Wildman Steve Brill.
PERFECT PURSLANE SALAD
2 cups purslane leaves and stems, chopped
2 cooked potatoes, chopped
4 cups mesclun salad greens
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1 red bell pepper, chopped
PURSLANE POTATO SALAD
Purslane makes this familiar dish seem ambrosial.
6 medium potatoes, sliced and cooked
2 cups purslane, chopped
4 scallions, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
Mix together all ingredients. Serve chilled.
5) one bunch chives
6) one pound plums: grown sustainably by Woodland Farm in South Glastonbury, CT. Variety is Medley, a bite-sized red-fleshed variety.
7) CHOICE: the item of your choice at the stand (approximately $5): for example, tricolor beans, cucumbers, blue potatoes, cabbage, juice, celery root, goat cheese, eggs, milk,etc. Delivery customers will receive some lovely item. :)
Finally, if you have time, look for the beautiful green heron when you pick up. He often sits by the marsh bridge near the culvert.
Wednesday, July 20
CSA Summer Harvest Week Seven
In this week's share:
1) one bulb fennel: fennel has a delicate anise flavor. It's versatile and can be used raw or cooked. To use raw, slice it thinly and add to salad or serve alone with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and salt. It has a wonderful crunch! Fennel gets tender and sweet when cooked. It can be oven roasted: heat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice bulb in half lengthwise. With cut side down, slice bulb vertically into half inch slices, cutting right through the core. Spread slices onto baking sheet, coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss with hands. Roast for about an hour, turning once, until edges are crisp and brown. Remove from oven and doer with Parmesan cheese shavings. Salt and pepper as desired and serve. Raw fennel should be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge.
2) one quart apricots: A relative of the peach, the apricot is smaller and has a smooth, oval pit that falls out easily when the fruit is halved. Fresh apricots are an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, E, potassium, iron, and beta-carotene. Today's were grown by Red Jacket Orchard in Geneva, NY.
3) one container chevre goat cheese from The Butterfield Farm Company
4) one bottle Joe's Summer Blend juice: a surprisingly delicious pairing of lemon and apple juice. From Red Jacket Orchards.
5) half pint raspberries from Red Jacket Orchards.
6) one pound new potatoes: new potatoes are harvested early. The skins are very thin and don't require peeling. They are well-suited to roasting or boiling. Today's variety is Rose Gold, the best of the gold-fleshed, red-skinned potatoes.
7) one bunch cippolini onions: Cippolinis are a small specialty onion with small, bittersweet bulbs. Not for long storage. Eat up quickly!
1) one bulb fennel: fennel has a delicate anise flavor. It's versatile and can be used raw or cooked. To use raw, slice it thinly and add to salad or serve alone with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and salt. It has a wonderful crunch! Fennel gets tender and sweet when cooked. It can be oven roasted: heat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice bulb in half lengthwise. With cut side down, slice bulb vertically into half inch slices, cutting right through the core. Spread slices onto baking sheet, coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss with hands. Roast for about an hour, turning once, until edges are crisp and brown. Remove from oven and doer with Parmesan cheese shavings. Salt and pepper as desired and serve. Raw fennel should be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge.
2) one quart apricots: A relative of the peach, the apricot is smaller and has a smooth, oval pit that falls out easily when the fruit is halved. Fresh apricots are an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, E, potassium, iron, and beta-carotene. Today's were grown by Red Jacket Orchard in Geneva, NY.
3) one container chevre goat cheese from The Butterfield Farm Company
4) one bottle Joe's Summer Blend juice: a surprisingly delicious pairing of lemon and apple juice. From Red Jacket Orchards.
5) half pint raspberries from Red Jacket Orchards.
6) one pound new potatoes: new potatoes are harvested early. The skins are very thin and don't require peeling. They are well-suited to roasting or boiling. Today's variety is Rose Gold, the best of the gold-fleshed, red-skinned potatoes.
7) one bunch cippolini onions: Cippolinis are a small specialty onion with small, bittersweet bulbs. Not for long storage. Eat up quickly!
Tuesday, July 12
CSA Summer Harvest Week Six
Can you now remember those huge piles of snow this past winter? So long ago.
July should be hot: middle summer. And many crops thrive in this weather. Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, melons, and beans seem to smile whilst we sweat and pull weeds alongside them. A plant CAN look happy; a beautiful sign of success to farmer or gardener. Which brings us to the lettuce. In this heat, we struggle to eke out a much leaner harvest of those delicious salad greens, which prefer cooler temps. Shade cloth strung over some hoop houses helps to create a microclimate for lettuce culture. We hope we've got enough to include in this week's share - savour it!
We are staying busy with hoe and hose, enjoying the best things of summer, looking forward to a full moon on Friday. You can expect plums and fennel in the near future.
In this week's share:
1) one bag Red Russian Kale. Kale is great for you offering a list of health benefits too long to list here. Eat it! Here are some recipe ideas.
2) one bag July Jubilee Salad Mix: a colorful and delicious mix of baby lettuces, cilantro and basil microgreens, and pea shoots
3) half pint raspberries from Red Jacket Orchards
4) one bunch white scallions
5) three peaches: first of the season from Woodland Farm in South Glastonbury, CT. Last year, many folks told us Woodland's peaches were the best they'd had since childhood. Woodland's crops are not certified organic, but they grow to great lengths to produce sustainably.
6) one pint blueberries from Red Jacket Orchards
July should be hot: middle summer. And many crops thrive in this weather. Tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, melons, and beans seem to smile whilst we sweat and pull weeds alongside them. A plant CAN look happy; a beautiful sign of success to farmer or gardener. Which brings us to the lettuce. In this heat, we struggle to eke out a much leaner harvest of those delicious salad greens, which prefer cooler temps. Shade cloth strung over some hoop houses helps to create a microclimate for lettuce culture. We hope we've got enough to include in this week's share - savour it!
We are staying busy with hoe and hose, enjoying the best things of summer, looking forward to a full moon on Friday. You can expect plums and fennel in the near future.
In this week's share:
1) one bag Red Russian Kale. Kale is great for you offering a list of health benefits too long to list here. Eat it! Here are some recipe ideas.
2) one bag July Jubilee Salad Mix: a colorful and delicious mix of baby lettuces, cilantro and basil microgreens, and pea shoots
3) half pint raspberries from Red Jacket Orchards
4) one bunch white scallions
5) three peaches: first of the season from Woodland Farm in South Glastonbury, CT. Last year, many folks told us Woodland's peaches were the best they'd had since childhood. Woodland's crops are not certified organic, but they grow to great lengths to produce sustainably.
6) one pint blueberries from Red Jacket Orchards
Wednesday, July 6
CSA Summer Harvest Week Five
The fireworks are over, but the fireflies are out. We've been going out at dusk to catch them and admire their small, powerful bodies.
We hope you are feeling empowered by our harvest share goodies each week. May you run faster, think better, love more...and see lots of fireflies.
In this week's share:
1) 3 stalks fresh hardneck garlic: Garlic is planted in the fall. In recent weeks you've been eating the flowering stalks called garlic scapes. Now the plant has bulbed up and the second harvest is beginning. Fresh garlic does not keep as long as cured garlic. Today's harvest is fresh, just out of the ground, ready to use. The taste is superb. You will find the flavor more delicate than the garlic you buy in the store. Store in cool, dark place until you use it. You can cure your heads by hanging them in a dry place out of direct sunlight. Takes about two weeks. Here's a recipe.
2) two pounds tomatoes: keeping them coming from March Farms until ours are ready
3) one bag swiss chard: Swiss Chard is a versatile healthy green eaten widely within the Mediterranean. Like spinach with a lemon twist, it has a more delicate flavor than other sturdy greens like kale or turnip greens. Chard comes in different colors; the leaves are always dark green, but red chard has red stalks and yellow chard has yellow ones. No matter what color, chard is a nutritional powerhouse, a superb source of calcium and potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and beta-carotene, as well as two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), which some studies have indicated can help protect the eyes against vision problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts. There is also evidence that consumption helps in blood sugar regulation. Here's a recipe for chicken enchiladas with chard. And another for sauteed swiss chard.
4) one bag red sorrel: this colorful green also has a strong lemony flavor. Great cooked in almost anything - pasta, scrambled eggs, beans, soup. Pecan crusted salmon with sorrel sauce.
5) one pint sweet cherries: from Red Jacket Orchard in Geneva, NY. Yum!
We hope you are feeling empowered by our harvest share goodies each week. May you run faster, think better, love more...and see lots of fireflies.
In this week's share:
1) 3 stalks fresh hardneck garlic: Garlic is planted in the fall. In recent weeks you've been eating the flowering stalks called garlic scapes. Now the plant has bulbed up and the second harvest is beginning. Fresh garlic does not keep as long as cured garlic. Today's harvest is fresh, just out of the ground, ready to use. The taste is superb. You will find the flavor more delicate than the garlic you buy in the store. Store in cool, dark place until you use it. You can cure your heads by hanging them in a dry place out of direct sunlight. Takes about two weeks. Here's a recipe.
2) two pounds tomatoes: keeping them coming from March Farms until ours are ready
3) one bag swiss chard: Swiss Chard is a versatile healthy green eaten widely within the Mediterranean. Like spinach with a lemon twist, it has a more delicate flavor than other sturdy greens like kale or turnip greens. Chard comes in different colors; the leaves are always dark green, but red chard has red stalks and yellow chard has yellow ones. No matter what color, chard is a nutritional powerhouse, a superb source of calcium and potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and beta-carotene, as well as two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin), which some studies have indicated can help protect the eyes against vision problems such as macular degeneration and cataracts. There is also evidence that consumption helps in blood sugar regulation. Here's a recipe for chicken enchiladas with chard. And another for sauteed swiss chard.
4) one bag red sorrel: this colorful green also has a strong lemony flavor. Great cooked in almost anything - pasta, scrambled eggs, beans, soup. Pecan crusted salmon with sorrel sauce.
5) one pint sweet cherries: from Red Jacket Orchard in Geneva, NY. Yum!
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