Week 6 of Spring CSA!!!!!

Goodbye spring, hello summer!  Another wild and wooly season passes on in fitting style--we go from rain and 39 degrees on Sunday morning to sun and near 90 on Saturday!

Thanks for your patience this spring...even the hoop houses were of little help this cold early spring, though they proved indispensable during the deluges;  I will try to add 2 more for next spring.

Another interesting NY Times piece this past Sunday: Veggies are losing nutritional value.  Notice the high marks achieved by arugula--it and other vaguely bitter leafy greens (like all the asian greens we've been offering) have not been tampered with through the ages--their nutritional values remain intact.  Likewise the timeworn heirlooms, like our black seeded simpson lettuce, declared an heirloom back in the 1850's!!!! 

Much to choose from this week; from the following, choose 7:

Asparagus (K-Z ONLY!!!!!!!!)
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
Arugula
Green Kale (first cutting, not a whole lot)
Semposai
Lettuce-like Mustard (mild, with the crispness of romaine lettuce)
Parsley (some, first cutting)
chives
French sorrel (red variety)
radishes (last of the reds!!!)
Head of lettuce
Tokyo Bekana (another slightly spicy asian green)
Rhubarb!!!! (Getting near the last of it...)

Please let me know if you can't make it tomorrow so I can keep track of inventory.   Thanks to all spring only folks!!!!!!! Hope you come back next year!!!!!  Keep up with us on Facebook!

Spring Week 5!!!

Summer weather peeks through the last of late spring; 85 degree days feel shocking.  Now we cool off a bit.  Good...the peonies will last longer.

All the vegetables are growing beautifully.  After the holiday, we plant our tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.  We wait a bit longer than some other farms, but we believe soil temperature to be the most important consideration, and we're just about there.  Beans, summer lettuces, zucchini, cukes, etc, are all being planted this week, too.  We planted 250 blueberries last Saturday, and another 250 asparagus--we're in this for the long haul.

Fantastic article in this weeks NY Time Magazine: Bacteria is good for you!

We don't wash our produce unless heavy rains force us to; if you've noticed, it lasts a very long time in the fridge.  Our reasons are many, not least of which are enumerated in Pollan's piece.

Lots to choose from this week:   Pick 6:

Asparagus:  A THROUGH J (LAST NAMES) GET ASPARAGUS THIS WEEK!  NEXT WEEK, THE OTHER HALF GETS ASPARAGUS (THE DARIEN GROUP GOT ASPARAGUS LAST WEEK)!  

Kale Microgreens
Asian greens (kale in the mix)
Radishes
Heads of lettuce
Arugula
Pea Shoots
Chives
Sorrel
Spinach

Want a real treat?  Slice the radishes thinly, chop the greens.  Saute the radishes briefly in butter, then add the greens until they wilt.  Add liberal amounts of salt and pepper.  YOUR KIDS WILL LIKELY NOT EAT THIS, BUT SO WHAT!!!LIVE IT UP, TREAT YOURSELF, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!

Spring CSA Week 4!!!

Dogwood winter passed through this week, bringing frost on Monday night and a close call on Tuesday.  We look good going forward, so the time for planting summer crops--tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, etc.--is upon us. 

Lots of choice this week in the share; choose 6 of the following:

Salad mix with microgreens
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce (a favorite heirloom)
Radishes (a fantastic season for radishes--don't forget to use the GREENS!!!
Spinach
Arugula (2nd cutting of this bed--strong but not bitter!)
Pea Shoots (link is to a pesto recipe without parmesan...very nice, had it this week)
Senposai (I love this plant--use it in place of spinach, kale, or any asian green in whatever recipe catches your fancy)
Chives (you can never have enough pesto, and it freezes beautifully)
French Sorrel (50 things to do with sorrel!!!)
Kale Raab (overwintered kale with some yellow spring flowers...yummy!)  This is all we will have of this kale until the new plants get big enough.

Enjoy!

CSA Week 3!!!!!

I reckon 25 plant species unfurled their flowers during the rain today...they must have thought they were desert plants!

I did not have to water for the first time in a month today!  All the outdoor veggie plants look mighty happy!

Greens still dominate in the share this week, although we do have a bunch of baby beets to add to the mix.  Also, a bit of rhubarb while it lasts.  Radishes for sure over the next few weeks, soon to be joined by turnips and beets.

Asparagus is coming on, and some will be available at the stand tomorrow.  I also brought in some cream-top Jersey Cow milk from Ithaca Milk (whole milk only).  Delicious.

For this week, choose 6 from:

little bunch of baby beets
salad mix
arugula
spinach
mixed asian greens
pea shoots
radish microgreens
rhubarb
lettucy mustard greens (mild, a bit of tang, fantastic!)

Enjoy!!!!!!!!

2013 Spring Csa Week 2!!!!!

The good: plenty of sun and warmer temps are kicking things into high gear.

The bad: it is very, very, very dry...I've never had to water so much in April.

The ugly: Nothing!  It's spring!

In this week's share:  Please take (read: must take!): salad mix (tender!) and pea shoots;

Choose 4 of the following: Mixed asian greens, baby spinach, arugula, Senposai (also spelled Semposai) which is a delightful cross of cabbage and komatsuna, french sorrel, heads of baby lettuce, and chives.

The Senposai is delicious raw, added to salads, or very briefly sauteed with garlic, salt and pepper.  Very high in antioxidants and vitamin C.

We've been having risotto with french sorrel often.  Simply chop up the sorrel and toss it into the risotto during its last couple of minutes of cooking.  Do the same with the pea shoots!

Pea shoots and sorrel also make great pestos--simply swap them for basil.

I'm harvesting asparagus tomorrow morning--it's not in the share, because not enough of it is ready for Thursday...it will be at the stand most days now--first come, first serve.  It is spectacular and tastes nothing like what you get from California.

I've brought in spelt berries from Cayuga Pure Organics in the Fingerlakes.  Really great source of protein with a great taste.  Try them, and try the beans!!!!  We practically lived on these beans all winter, in conjunction with what vegetables we canned and froze.

Lots of green stuff this week, but the radishes, turnips, beets, and kohlrabi are coming on strong...if I can keep up with the water!