Winter CSA Share #2, Tuesday, November 11th, 2014

 What You’re Getting: 
 

Standard Share

5 lbs Onions	8 lbs Winter Squash
5 lbs Potatoes	1/2 lb salad mix
5 lbs Carrots	1 stalk Brussels sprouts
1 green cabbage	2 lbs green tomatoes
1/2 lb kale	1 Long Pie Pumpkin

Family Share:

10 lbs Onions	10 lbs Winter Squash
10 lbs Potatoes	1 lb salad mix
10 lbs Carrots	2 stalks Brussels sprouts
1 green cabbage	2 lbs green tomatoes
1 lb kale	1 Long Pie Pumpkin

Farm News:

Winter CSA Share #2!

Well, we survived the snow storm just fine – We even enjoyed it, so much sledding! Our late fall kale however, did not. Sad day. Kale can take frosts, but apparently not a heavy snow load, which stripped all the leaves off the plants. We were able to get you kale as planned, but this kale is not very tender, so don’t use it for kale salad! Instead, chop it finely and add to soups or pasta sauce (Like the recipe included today) to add a nutritional kick.

            November is a busy month of end-of-the-year projects for us. Over-wintering crops need covering, the last of the storage crops need harvesting, buildings need to be buttoned up, equipment must be stored properly, spring greenhouse need seeding, firewood needs to be split and stacked – the list is never ending, always! Despite that, we love late fall. We miss our summer crew but appreciate the time we get to spend alone as a family, and look forward to seeing our extended families over the holiday.

We hope you enjoy all the many vegetables in your share – We are feeling particularly excited about Brussels sprouts, ourselves! Put that Long Pie pumpkin to work in a delicious holiday pie! We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families!

 Enjoy, and many thanks!

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nick

A few notes:

Long Pie pumpkin looks funny, like a giant orange zucchini, but is actually a heirloom pumpkin with great flavor and smooth flesh that makes WONDERFUL pies.

            For green tomatoes, try also: Fried Green Tomatoes! Find on our blog at www.bahnerfarm.blogspot.com or Google to find 1,000,00 recipes! I also like to add chopped green tomatoes to enchiladas.

Recipes:

Green Tomato Salsa

           

    2 Tablespoons lime juice

    1 finely chopped garlic clove

    Salt & Pepper (to taste)

    Pinch Garlic Powder

    Pinch Cumin

    Pinch Chili Powder

    1 Tb chopped fresh cilantro (Or use parsley if you hate cilantro)

    ¼ cup finely chopped onion

    2 Tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno

    1 ½ cups chopped green tomatoes

Remove the stems and cores of the green tomatoes.

    Chop all the ingredients and combine.

    Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

From: http://wonkywonderful.com/1/post/2013/09/green-tomato-salsa-verde-recipe.html

Delicious pasta sauce with Kale

    Olive oil for the pan

    1/3 cup roughly chopped red onion

    2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

    2 tablespoons tomato paste

    1 bunch chopped Kale

    1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

    1/2 cup red wine

    1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

    1 tablespoon granulated sugar

    Salt and pepper to taste

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil.  Place the pan over medium heat with the onion and garlic.  Cook until the onions begin to brown, about 5 minutes.  Then add the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes.  It will likely become stuck to the bottom of the pan, and that's ok! Add the kale and cook until it wilts, about 3 minutes.  Pour in the wine and tomatoes and increase the heat to high.  Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. 

Finish the sauce with the sugar and the cheese and then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Read more: http://www.momtastic.com/food/128950-kale-pasta-sauce/#ixzz3IggoHIWS

Caramelized Winter Squash

Always a huge hit at Thanksgiving!

2 medium butternut squash (4 to 5 pounds total)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off and discard the ends of each butternut squash. Peel the squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inch cubes and place them on a baking sheet. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients together and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize. While roasting, turn the squash a few times with a spatula, to be sure it browns evenly. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved

“Pot-Stuck” Brussles sprouts

    1/2 pound medium-sized brussels sprouts, halved

    2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

    1/4 cup finely diced onion

    1/2 lemon

    Salt, to taste

    Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Blanch your brussels sprouts for 30 seconds, drain, and dry thoroughly.

    The key to getting a good char on your brussels sprouts is making sure they don't crowd. If you're working with a large pan (e.g. a 10-inch cast iron skillet), cook them all at once. If your pan is smaller, fry in two batches. Heat oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add one sprout, cut-side down; if it begins to sizzle immediately, add the rest. You want most of them to land cut-side down, but don't drive yourself crazy.

    Let your sprouts cook, untouched, for a minute or so, and then check them. If they're white or light brown on the bottom, let them cook a bit more. You want to wait to flip them until they are charred and almost black. Once they are, flip to the other side, and wait for side two to cook until crispy. Add salt, toss a few times, then move them all to the edge of the pan.

    Add your onion (or half of the onion, if you're working in batches) to the pan. If it looks very dry, add a touch more oil. If you're worried about them burning, turn the heat down a bit. Let them cook for a minute or two, stirring lightly, until they soften slightly.

    Toss onions and sprouts together; let them cook for 30 more seconds. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, allow everything to steam for a moment, and then you're done! Taste for salt. Fry your second batch now, if it's still waiting for you.

    Note: These taste great at any temperature, so don't stress about timing.

Adapted from Mollie Katzen's "The Heart of the Plate."  By Marian Bull

Roasted Cabbage and Apples with Italian Sausage

    1/2 head cabbage, thinly sliced

    1 medium onion, thinly sliced

    1 medium apple, sliced

    2 sprigs thyme

    1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

    2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

    Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

    1 lb sausage or your choice

    Crusty bread (for serving)

    Preheat oven to 400°. Toss cabbage, onion, apple, thyme sprigs, vinegar, 1 Tbsp. oil, and 1/4 cup water in a 13x9" baking dish; season with salt and pepper and roast, covered, until cabbage is wilted and softened, 35–45 minutes.

    Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook sausages until browned and cooked through, 10–12 minutes. Add to cabbage during last 10 minutes of cooking, tossing to coat. Serve with bread.

Winter CSA Share #1, Tuesday, October 21st , 2014

What You’re Getting: 
 

Standard Share:

5 lbs Onions	8 lbs Winter Squash
5 lbs Potatoes	1/2 lb Spinach
5 lbs Carrots	1/2 lb Swiss Chard
1 bunch Beets	1/2 lb green peppers
1 Pumpkin	2 lbs Cauliflower

Family Share:

10 lbs Onions	8 lbs Winter Squash
10 lbs Potatoes	1 lb Spinach
10 lbs Carrots	1 lb Swiss Chard
2 bunches Beets	1 lb green peppers
1 Pumpkin	3 lbs Cauliflower

Farm News:

Hello, and welcome to this year’s Winter CSA! We’re so glad you chose to join us and hope you enjoy every bite!

Fall is here and we are doing our fall tasks: Harvesting and storing winter crops, seeding and planting the greenhouses with hearty winter greens, enjoying the beautiful sunrises and sunsets, cleaning the chimney, bringing in firewood, planting over-wintering crops, and savoring the slightly shorter workdays.

We love to cook in the winter and hope you do too! If you need extra inspiration beyond the recipes we send out each week, check out our blog at http://bahnerfarm.blogspot.com/.  I’ve been behind on adding this summer’s CSA recipes to the list, but three years worth of CSA recipes are available, searchable by vegetable. Check it out!

Enjoy, and many thanks!

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nicky

Recipes:

Curried Rice with Peppers and Onions

    1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

    1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

    1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder

    1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

    2 cups small cauliflower florets

    1/2 cup diced red or green pepper

    1 cup chopped onions

    1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

    2 cups water

    3/4 teaspoon salt

    2 cups chopped swiss chard

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger, curry powder, and lemon peel; stir 30 seconds. Mix in cauliflower, bell pepper, and onions, then rice. Add 2 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Add chard and cook until chard is wilted, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Season with pepper. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

From: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Curried-Rice-with-Cauliflower-Bell-Pepper-and-Green-Onions-106121

Oven-Fried Winter Squash Latkes

These work best with kabocha, buttercup or butternut squash!

4 cups grated squash (Peel and remove seeds before grating)

2 medium yellow onions, grated

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp kosher salt (or more, to taste)

1 tsp finely ground black pepper

1 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder

3 tbsp white or white whole wheat flour

2 tbsp canola oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (convection will take less time, so use if possible).

Peel and grate onions and squash and place both in a colander to drain excess moisture. Transfer mixture to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove more moisture.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in the egg, salt, pepper and canola oil. In a small bowl, mix together the baking powder and flour, and combine both mixtures.

Grease baking sheets well. Drop scoops of 2-3 tablespoons of mixture for each latke. Flatten out the latkes slightly. Bake for 60-90 minutes, checking several times. The cooking time will vary based on the temperature of your oven and how well done you like your latkes. Latkes should be deep gold on both sides when done.

Yields approximately 15-18 medium latkes.

See more at: http://www.kosherculinaryarts.com/oven-fried-butternut-squash-latkes#sthash.JbMbgsrh.dpuf

Soup in a Pumpkin!

If you don’t want to carve your pumpkin, here’s a DELICIOUS way to use it!

1 4 to 6 lb  pumpkin

7 tbsp. butter

Salt

1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 1⁄2 cups fresh white bread crumbs, toasted

1⁄2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1⁄2 tsp. ground sage

Freshly ground black pepper

1⁄2 cup grated Swiss cheese

4 cups Chicken Stock or vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

1⁄2 cup heavy cream, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut a lid about 4" in diameter out of top of pumpkin and set lid aside. Remove and discard seeds and strings. Rub inside of pumpkin and lid with 1 tbsp. softened butter, season with salt, and place on a baking pan.

2. Melt remaining 6 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in bread crumbs and cook for 2 minutes, then add nutmeg and sage and season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, stir in cheese, then spoon mixture into pumpkin. Pour enough stock into pumpkin to come within 1⁄2" of the rim. Lay bay leaves on top, then fit lid onto pumpkin.

3. Bake until pumpkin begins to soften and brown on the outside and the stock bubbles on the inside, about 1 1⁄2 hours. Carefully remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter. With a long-handled spoon, scrape flesh from bottom and sides of pumpkin and, just before serving, stir in heavy cream if using.

From: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Pumpkin-Soup-in-a-Pumpkin

Roasted Root Vegetables

This is one of our favorite recipes, and we probably eat it 3 times a week or so until we run out of the ingredients. This is a very simple recipe – you can make as much or as little as you want. This makes enough to roast on a large cookie sheet – I would cut the amounts in half if you want to roast them in a roasting pan.

2 cups diced potatoes

2 cups diced onion

1.5 cups cubed squash

1.5 cups diced beets or turnips

1.5 cups diced carrots

1 or two apples, diced.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the veggies in a liberal amount of olive oil – I usually use about ½ cup – as well as salt and black pepper to taste. Spread them evenly on a cookie sheet, and cover with aluminum foil. Roast at 400, covered for about 20-30 minutes (until veggies begin to soften). Remove foil cover, and continue to roast until veggies are soft on the inside, but browning on the out side. Yum!

CSA Share #17, Tuesday, September 30th, 2014

 What You’re Getting: 
 

Standard Share:

1 lb green tomatoes

1 bunch kale

1 lb onions

1.5 lb potatoes

2 lbs carrots

2 hot peppers

1 delicata winter squash

1 bunch fresh sage

 

Family Share:

1 lb green tomatoes

1 bunch kale

1 fresh green cabbage

2 lb onions

3 lb potatoes

4 lbs carrots

2 hot peppers

1 delicata winter squash

1 bunch fresh sage

Farm News:

Next week will be the last week!

We are really enjoying fall, which we look forward to all summer long. The cool mornings, the sunshine, the beautiful leaves, the delicious food! We’re picking away at our fall projects list and enjoying the feeling of a successful season drawing to a close.

We hope you guys have been enjoying your shares and are eating well! The babies are hollering at me today, so I’ll leave more farm news for next week.

Enjoy, and many thanks!

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nicky

Recipes:

Potato-Onion Hash with Jalapeno

½ cup thinly sliced onion

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1.5 lbs  potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces*

2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil

1 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh jalapeno

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add enough oil just to cover the bottom of a 10-inch skillet and heat over medium high. Add the potatoes, jalapeno and onion; season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to coat with oil. Cover skillet and steam cook for 10 minutes covered, before stirring. Remove cover, turn in sections, and continue cooking over medium high, uncovered, turning and stirring occasionally, until potatoes are browned as desired.

Fried Green Tomatoes

    1 large egg, lightly beaten $

    1/2 cup buttermilk (Or just milk, it works fine)

    1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided $

    1/2 cup cornmeal

    1 teaspoon salt

    1/2 teaspoon pepper

    3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into slices

    Vegetable oil

    Salt to taste

    Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.

    Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.

    Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

    Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt.

Stuffed Delicata Squash

            One of our favorite meals, we look forward to this simple dish all summer long!

1 Delicata squash, halved lengthwise

1.5 cups cooked rice

4 large kale leaves, minced

One large onion, diced

 Three cloves of garlic, diced

Cheese – to taste (We usually use extra sharp cheddar)

1 lb sausage of your choice

Salt, pepper, olive oil

            Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Scoop the seeds and guts from the squash, and then place the halved squash in a baking pan, face-up. Cover the bottom of the pan with water, about ¼ inch deep. Place the pan in the pre-heated oven. Sautee the onions and garlic in olive oil. Add the kale and sautee 2 minutes more, or until kale is cooked. Fry the sausage, and then chop cooked sausage as finely as desired. Mix sausage with kale, onions and garlic. Mix in cooked rice, as well as pepper and salt to taste. When squash is soft (is easily punctured with fork, usually after about 20-30 min.), remove from oven and fill with mixture. Grate cheese and cover tops of filled squash. Put it all back in the oven until cheese has melted

CSA Share #16, Tuesday, September 23rd, 2014

What You’re Getting: 

Standard Share:

0.5 lb tomatoes

1 bunch kale

0.5 lb leeks

1.5 lb onions

1.5 lb potatoes

1 red or green pepper

2 lbs carrots

 

Family Share:

1 lb tomatoes

1 bunch kale

1 lb leeks

2 lb onions

2.5 lb potatoes

2 red or green peppers

4 lbs carrots

Farm News:

Phew, we made it through the fair. We had an awesome weekend. It was great to see those of you who made it there! Now, on to the fall harvests for us. Carrots, beets, cabbages, turnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes and more will be dug up and stored for the long winter months. Firewood needs to be bucked and split. Greenhouse plastic needs to be replaced. Fields need to be put to bed with winter cover crops or mulch. A busy, fun time, racing to finish before the heavy frosts and snow!

If you’re interested in a Winter CSA Share, now is the time to register! Thanks to those of you who have already. If you have already signed up, expect a confirmation email this week.You can sign up online at www.bahnerfarm.com.

Fall is here and the CSA is drawing to a close, but we’re not done yet! The last share will be on October 7^th.

Enjoy, and many thanks!

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nicky

Recipes:

Leek and Tomato Quiche

This recipe calls for swiss cheese, but I think it’s tastier with feta or cheddar. Also, Hannaford carries some very decent organic whole wheat frozen pie crusts for those of you who (Like me) have given up on making your own pie crust.

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups sliced leeks

1 (9 inch) frozen pie crust, thawed

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 3/4 cups heavy cream

1 tomato, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

    Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the leeks until tender. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pie crust.

    In a bowl, toss together the Swiss cheese, Romano cheese, and flour. Spread over the leeks.

     In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and heavy cream. Pour over the cheese layer in the pie crust. Top with the tomato slices, and season with salt and pepper.

    Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and continue baking 30 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center of the quiche comes out clean.

From http://allrecipes.com/recipe/leek-and-cheese-quiche/

Caldo Verde Soup

    1/4 cup olive oil

    1 large onion, diced

    2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

    10 ounces chorizo or other spicy sauage, diced

    6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

    8 cups cold water

    1 bunch kale, cut into very fine strips

    Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and half the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover everything with the water, bring to a boil and lower the heat, simmering until the potatoes are almost done, about 15 minutes.

When the soup is cool enough to handle, purée it in the food processor and return to the pot. Add the greens, bring everything back to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and garnish with the remaining cubes of chorizo.

Potato-Carrot Pancakes

    1 lb potatoes, shredded                      

    1-2 large eggs, beaten

    1 lb carrots, shredded                      

    Salt and pepper to taste

    1 large onion, shredded                      

    Vegetable oil for frying

Combine shredded carrots and potatoes. Drain off excess liquid. Add onions, egg, salt and pepper. Heat a griddle or non-stick pan and coat with a thin film of vegetable oil. Take about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture in the palm of your hand and flatten as best you can. Place the potato mixture on the griddle, flatten with a large spatula, and fry for a few minutes until golden. Flip the pancake over and brown the other side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve immediately. You can also freeze the potato pancakes and crisp them up in a 350-degree oven at a later time.

CSA Share #14, Tuesday, September 9th, 2014

What You’re Getting:

Standard Share:

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 lb tomatoes

1 lb onions

2 lbs carrots

1 green bell pepper

1 bunch kale

1 head lettuce

 

Family Share:

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2 lbs tomatoes

2 lbs onions

3 lbs carrots

2 green bell pepper

1 bunch kale

1 bunch chard

2 heads lettuce

Farm News:

Ahh, this is more like it! I am loving these crisp, cool mornings and the cool, dry wind! Feels like fall, and it’s starting to look like it, too! The onions have all been harvested and are drying in the greenhouse, and in a few days we will bag them and store them in their cooler for winter. Then the winter squash will be brought in and laid out to cure. The list of things to plant, harvest, dry, bag, seed and more goes on and on and on in the fall. At the same time, the later, darker mornings make it easier to sleep just a little more… By September we all really need a just an extra half hour or so every night to help start making up for the sleepless, endless days of July and August!

Enjoy, and many thanks!

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nicky

Recipes:

Easy Mexican Rice

    1/2 cup chopped onion

    1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

    1 large clove garlic, minced

    2 teaspoons canola oil

    1 cup cooked rice

    1 lb tomatoes, diced

    1 teaspoon chili powder

    1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1 1/2 cups beef broth

In a heavy skillet sauté onion, green bell pepper and garlic until onion is softened. Add rice to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until rice has browned. Add tomatoes, chili powder, salt, and beef broth. Bring to a boil; cover, lower heat, and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Add additional salt to taste.

Gingered Carrot and Kale Ribbons

    8 large carrots (about 2 lbs), peeled

    1/4 cup vegetable oil

    2 medium onions, sliced into thin strips

    1/3 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped

    2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

    2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

    1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; plus 1 tbsp lemon juice

    salt and pepper

    4 large kale leaves, thinly sliced

    Using a vegetable peeler, slice the carrots into long, thin ribbons.

    In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the raisins, garlic, ginger, lemon zest and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the carrots, kale and 1/2 cup water and cook, stirring or turning with tongs, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

Lettuce Salad with Bacon and Roquefort

Adapted from SALAD AS A MEAL by Patricia Wells

¾ cup chopped bacon

1 head lettuce, cut into chunks

6 ounces chilled blue cheese (preferably Roquefort), crumbled (1 1/2 cups)

Buttermilk-Lemon Zest Dressing (recipe follows)

Sea salt

Coarse, freshly ground black pepper

In a large, dry skillet, brown the bacon over moderate heat until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes.

In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, chives, bacon, and cheese.  Pour just enough dressing to lightly and evenly coat the ingredients.  Season with sea salt.  Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates.  Season generously with black pepper and serve.

BUTTERMILK-LEMON ZEST DRESSING

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup buttermilk, shaken to blend (Or make your own with ½ cup of milk and 2 tsp lemon juice)

Grated zest of 1 lemon, preferably organic

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

 In a jar, combine all the ingredients.  Cover with the lid and shake to blend. Let stand for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.  (Store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Shake to blend again before using.)

CSA Share #13 Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014

 What You’re Getting: 
 

Standard Share:

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2 lbs tomatoes

1 lb onions

1 bunch carrots

1 slicing cucumber

5 lbs cantaloupe melon (1 large or 2 small)

 

Family Share:

1 quart cherry tomatoes

3 lbs tomatoes

2 lb onions

2 bunches carrots

1 slicing cucumber

2 lbs zucchini and summer squash

8 lbs cantaloupe melon (2-3 melons)

Farm News:

September already! Ahh, the crisp fall air, cool mornings… just kidding, it’s 85 degrees with what feels like 100% humidity and we’re sweating our sunscreen off faster than we can apply it. Luckily, our delicious ripe cantaloupes LOVE this weather! It’s exactly what they need. Enjoy them, because I can’t say whether or not we’ll still have them next week! Their season is short and sweet (Very sweet!). They are ripe and ready…. Don’t wait until the end of the week to eat them!

            We are also in countdown-to-the-fair mode… The Common Ground Fair, that is! We have a lot to do to get ready. If you frequent the fair, or will be coming for the first time, come visit us at the Rose Gate Farmers Market area!

Our tomatoes are slowing down a lot, so if you had your heart set on #2 bulk tomatoes but haven’t ordered yet, now is the time to do so! We’ll try to squeeze you in. We can’t promise anything, but we’ll try!

Thanks!

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nicky

Recipes:

Melon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

1 cucumber, diced

Salt to taste

1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut in thin wedges or diced

1 small ripe cantaloupe, peeled and diced or shaped into melon balls

2 to 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon mild honey

4 tablespoons grapeseed oil, rice bran oil or canola oil

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Put the cucumbers in a colander set in the sink or a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients. Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes and melon together in a bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, salt to taste, lime juice, honey and oil and toss with the fruit and vegetable mixture. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Just before serving, toss with the herbs. Taste the salad, adjust the seasonings and serve.

 Because of the salt, the vegetables and fruit will give off a lot of water, so if you don’t want the salad to be too juicy, salt shortly before serving.

Adjusted from: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/16/health/nutrition/melon-cucumber-and-tomato-salad.html?_r=0

Balsamic Maple Roasted Carrots and Onions

1 bunch carrots, cut into sticks

1 lb onions, peeled and quartered

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

 ¼ cup maple syrup

 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

    Preheat oven to 375°C. Line a large roasting pan with non-stick baking paper.

    Place the carrots, onion and oil in a large bowl and gently toss until well coated. Arrange carrots and onion, in a single layer, in the lined pan. Roast in oven for 20 minutes or until tender.

    Sprinkle over the maple syrup and vinegar and gently toss to coat. Roast for a further 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and caramelised. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

CSA Share #12, Tuesday, August 26th, 2014

What You’re Getting: 
 

Standard Share:

1 pint cherry tomatoes

2 lbs tomatoes

1 bunch onions

1 head lettuce

1 bunch mint

Green beans (Amount depending on harvest)

1 bunch carrots

¼ lb basil

 

Family Share:

1 quart cherry tomatoes

4 lbs tomatoes

2 bunch onions

2 heads lettuce

1 bunch mint

Green beans (Amount depending on harvest)

2 bunches carrots

¼ lb basil

Farm News:

Ahh, late August. The big harvests have begun in earnest. We pulled all our onions, loaded them into hundreds of crates and laid them out on tables in our greenhouse to dry. In a few weeks, we’ll trim them and bag them up, and then it will be time to bring in the winter squash to cure. Then the sweet potatoes, and then the popcorn. We’ll dig the fall storage carrots and beets, then the potatoes, and plant our garlic for 2015. And then, in the wink of an eye, it will be November! How quickly each season rushes by. This is important to remember in August, when we are all exhausted from months of long days. It will rush by, and then we’ll be thinking longingly of these long, sunny summer days! Better appreciate it while we can!

            As our returning members know, we usually host a Farm Dinner for our CSA members in the summer. This year, with Mike’s injury, we don’t think we can pull it off. It would be hard for Christa to spend a whole day cooking when she needs to be out with the crew so much more now. Instead, we’d like to host a farm tour in the fall, so those of you who would like to can see the farm and talk to Mike about what we do here. We are thinking that we will choose a date in early October. Farm dinners starting again in 2015! We’ll keep you posted!

Thanks!

Christa, Mike, Lizzy and Nicky

Recipes:

Mediterranean Salad with Green Beans and Feta

    Coarse salt and ground pepper

    ½ lb green beans, trimmed and halved

    2 navel oranges

    2 tablespoons olive oil

    2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

    1 1/2 cups crumbled feta (6 ounces)

    1 head lettuce, halved and roughly chopped

    1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

    1 can (15 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained

    In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook green beans until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain green beans, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

     Using a sharp knife, slice off both ends of each orange. Cut off peel, following the curve of the fruit. Halve fruit from top to bottom, and thinly slice each half crosswise.

     In a bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Add feta, oranges, lettuce, onion, beans, and green beans. Toss to combine.

From: http://www.marthastewart.com/336939/mediterranean-salad-with-green-beans-and

Tomato Salad with Lemon and Mint

    1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

    4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

    Coarse salt and ground pepper

    1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion

    1 pint cherry tomatoes, coarsely chopped

    1 lb red tomatoes, coarsely chopped

    2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves

    In a large bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add onion and tomatoes to bowl. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with mint leaves.

From: http://www.marthastewart.com/355926/tomato-salad-lemon-and-mint