CSA Summer Harvest Week Three

In this week's share:

1) three stalks rhubarb: What to do with this? Look here.
2) one bunch deep purple scallions
3) one bag pea shoots: These are the growing tips of pea plants and provide full pea flavor without the work. They can be eaten raw alone or in salad or thrown into a pasta or eggs. Recipes here.
4) CHOICE: one bunch chioggia beets OR baby Scarlet Nantes carrots
The Chioggia (pronounced kee-O-gah)beets are also known as lollipop beets due to the striking striped flesh. Read about this lovely beet here. The carrots are sweet orange fleshed.
5) one bag simple salad mix
6) one pound wildflower honey from White Oak Apiary. Owner Mike Bruen keeps hives here at the Garden of Ideas and many other area locations. He is based out of Brewster, NY.

patriotic food? garlic scapes and strawberries

CSA Summer Harvest Week Two

One week ago, the thermometer hit 96. This morning I wore a fleece. !!!!

But we can't deny summer. The longest day of the year is next Tuesday. The eggplants and peppers are in the ground. Beans are germinating. And the flea beetles are eating the brassicas (arugula, bok choy, etc). Comforting cycles.

And, an even surer sign of summer: strawberries and garlic scapes.

In this week's share:

1) one quart strawberries: grown by Red Jacket Orchards in Geneva, NY. Sustainable growing practices, but not certified organic.
2) one head lettuce: loose leaf type that is delicious and crispy
3) two pounds tomatoes: from March Farms in Bethlehem, CT
4) garlic scapes: these are the flowering stalks of the garlic. The green stems, not flower bud at tip, can be used just as you would garlic cloves. The effect is slightly milder and delicious. Can even be used for pesto. Read more here.
5) one quart half & half: from Arethusa Dairy in Litchfield, CT. To complement your berries, or a cream sauce with tomatoes and garlic scapes?
6) one bag simple salad mix

For those of you who don't do dairy or don't want the berries, utilize the swap option.

See you tomorrow!

Ilsa & Joe

CSA Summer Harvest Week One

Good golly. The heat. Hello summer! And hello summer harvest shares! We look forward to getting to know all our new shareholders.

We've been busy pulling out spring crops (spinach, radishes and bolting greens), planting for summer (tomatoes, beans, eggplant, cukes, peppers), and watering, watering, watering.

The snapping turtles have been coming ashore to lay eggs in the mulch piles. The chipmunks are eyeing our microgreens. And we have baby birds (finches, I think) in the window box. Keep your eyes open during your visit tomorrow; who knows what you'll see.


In this week's share:

1) two tomatoes (approximately one pound total). Talented growers at March Farms in Bethlehem, CT produced these beautiful and tasty gems. They are the best tomatoes you can find in June. Although March is not certified organic, we find their practices sustainable.
2) one head green lettuce: we harvested two varieties to choose from, a crispy romaine called Green Towers and a luscious looseleaf called Nevada.
3) one bag baby bok choy: here are some recipes
4) one bag simple salad mix: we are renowned for our salad mix. This mix is a blend of lettuce leaves only.
5) CHOICE: one bag baby kale (variety if Red Russian) OR one bunch baby white turnips with greens. I know you're scared of the turnips. No need. They can be chopped and sauteed in butter and salt for a delicious side dish. Greens may be cooked also. Kale is great sauteed as wilted green side dish or can be added to salad mix, soups, pasta.
6) one bunch asparagus from Pedersen Farms in Geneva, NY. They are certified organic growers.

See you tomorrow!

Ilsa & Joe

Spring Harvest Share Survey

Now, that spring harvest share is over, we request any suggestions for improvements. Please do so in comments below.

Here are a few things people have mentioned. Feel free to second.

1) Label crops - we don't know what they are.
2) Earlier notice of share contents.
3) Love the recipes.

Thanks again for your support of our farming endeavors!

Certified organic

HOORAY!

We completed the mountain of paperwork and passed all inspections. We can now say our crops are "certified organic." Our practices have not changed, but by submitting to independent oversight and intense recordkeeping to prove we adhere to the program standards, we are allowed to use the term "organic" for marketing, a term near and dear to many consumers.

Obtaining this certification was a big step for us. Now, we can speak with greater authority as we work toward a new standard for crop quality: nutrient dense crops. We hope this term eventually overtakes organic. If you'd like to know more, click here.