Week 7 - spring!

We have a few new offerings this week!  Here's the list:

1. Lettuce
2. Chard
3. Collards
4. Green onions
5. spicy peppers (dry)
6. Radicchio - this is pretty bitter - try the recipe I posted last week.
7. Mustard - great sauteed.  Good fresh if you like spicy greens
8. Spinach - still great either fresh or sauteed
9. Radishes - a small bunch - they're tasty
10. Rhubarb!  The first of spring.  This variety is greenish so don't worry that it's not red.  It's ripe.  You can buy some strawberries and make a rhubarb strawberry pie or you can chop the rhubarb up into approx. 1/3" pieces, place in a sauce pan with just a little water and some sugar and cook down into a sauce - drizzle on top of ice cream.  Yum!  Some children like this raw - I used to - but it's too tart for me to eat like that now.
11. Cilantro

Enjoy!

Week 6 - spring

• Lettuce - mix of varieties.
• Spinach
• A bunch of either mustard or arugula. Try this sauteed or make a pesto. The pesto is great on a sandwich!
• A large bunch of collards. These are very tender. They might be wilted but if you soak them in cold water, they'll spruce right up. Of course you can just cook it because it wilts anyway when it's cooked.
• A bag of carrots
• A large bunch of cilantro - might try making tabbouleh with this (use in place of parsley but in a smaller amount). You might also find some roma tomatoes in the store and make fresh salsa. Of course cilantro is great on top of enchiladas or tacos or (my fave) on top of pazole. 
• spicy peppers
• Green onions
• Radicchio - this is more of a leaf variety vs. the tight heads you often see in the store. I like it sauteed as it is milder when cooked. Here's a recipe which I haven't tried but it souds interesting: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sauted-radicchio-10000001536489/
• One more bunch of cooking greens (choi or yukina savoy)
• 

Week 1 - spring, March 19

A couple of notes re. tomorrow's pick up:

• Pickup is from 2:30 - 6:30.  
• Our address is 6755 Scio Church Road, Ann Arbor, 48103.
• We have a u-shaped drive.  Please enter from the east (you'll see the sign) and exit from the west.  Please remember that Scio Church is a 50 mph road and there's a passing lane in front of our house so look both ways before exiting and slow down well before the drive.  
• Until the snow melts a little more, we're going to distribute from the front porch.  So, park in front of the house in single file and leave room so people can pass.  It should work out.  The driveway isn't paved - it's a crushed limestone base - so it can be a bit muddy and hard on your shoes, especially if you wear heals.  FYI.
• Pick up will most likely be buffet style unless it gets really cold in which case I'll bag up the distributions and keep them in a cooler or something so they don't freeze.  But for tomorrow, you'll arrive, leave any money you owe in the "money jar", check off your name from the list and follow instructions on the white board.  I'll most likely be around and most members know the routine so if you need help, just ask someone.
• If you'd like a quick tour tomorrow, I'm happy to do that.  Just ask.
• Tomorrow we're working to distribute the following:
• parsnips
• leeks
• carrots
• potatoes
• spinach
• salad mix 
• spicy mix (arugula/mustard/other?)
• a bunch of greens (kale or collards or chard)
• dried spicy peppers (these are thai)
• an herb - either rosemary or cilantro.  Some of the rosemary took a hit from the cold so I might cut it back.  If I give it out, it won't be fresh - it will be dry (freeze-dried).

Thanks & see you all tomorrow!

Week 2 - spring, March 26, 2014

Here's the list and a few comments about today's box:

1. 1 quart potatoes - mostly Kennebec which is a white potato and a few boxes of Red Pontiac
2. 1 bag frozen sour kraut - this is a bit salty so you might want to rinse.  Thaw it out.  Soak in water, drain.  Then I simmer it in a sauce pan on the stove with 1/2 can or more of beer and 2 - 3 juniper berries or 2-3 whole allspice.  
3. 1 bag spinach
4. A double bag of carrots - these are baby carrots.  You should remove the tops in order to keep them for any length of time
5. A bag of salad mix - this week I didn't wash it because it tends to rot when stored wet in the bag.  It's a combo of lettuce, mustard, arugula, choi and yukina savoy.  Very tasty and will hold up well to flavorful dressings and also great with simply oil, vinegar, salt & pepper
6. A bag of chick weed - I know, it's a terrible connotation to call something a weed but isn't this any plant growing where you didn't intend for it to grow?  This requires extensive rinsing but it's really good sauteed.  One member told me she adds it to egg salad.  Another said she added it to a quiche.
7. A bag of choi.  The bases are rotting out so just cut that part off.  This is good sauteed or steamed or even fresh.
8. Some spicy peppers

Enjoy!  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Week 4 - spring, April 9

Today's box includes the following:

1. Carrots
2. spinach
3. salad mix
4. Yukina Savoy - includes blooms.  The stems are tender.  Chop & saute the entire plant
5. Kale
6. potatoes
7. cilantro
8. Spicy peppers
9. parsnips (not enough for everyone) or extra carrots

Week 3 - spring, April 2

Today's veggies will include:

1. A double dose of carrots
2. Potatoes
3. Spinach
4. Salad mix
5. A cooking green (collard or chard or yukina or choi)
6. Frozen pumpkin - I labeled these as containing 2 cups but I'm pretty sure it's closer to 1 cup which is all you need to make a pie.  I also like to serve this as a side dish with a savory mix - some cheese or bacon or other salty addition.
7. A bag of chick weed (maybe the last one for awhile)
8. A small amount of cilantro
9. Spicy peppers - we've been mixing these in with cooked carrots for a spicy side dish.  They really warm you up!