Week 14 - fall!

OK - here's the run down for this week:

1. A bunch of collards
2. Almost a pound of beans (purple, Northeaster (large, flat beans.  If you haven't tried these, you should.  They're my favorite), Kentucky Wonder).
3. A quart of tomatoes - sliceing tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and saladettes.
4. A quart of potatoes - today is Adirondack Blue which are fun
5. About 1 pound of onions.  The yellow onions are Stuttgarters which are superb sauteed.  Red ones are also tasty either fresh or cooked.
6. Either a quart of Tongue of Fire beans (see last week's comments on how to cook), okra or an english cucumber
7. 5 - 7 spicy pepeprs.  Today we have peppinos (start out sweet and end with a kick) or serranos (spicy but very tasty).
8. Either poblano or sweet bell peppers
9. 2 slicing tomatoes
10. A box of squash or a jumbo summer squash
11. A bunch of beets
12. A bunch of kale
13. Some basil

Hope you enjoy it!

Week 13 - August 20 & 21

This week we are distributing the following:

1. 3/4 lb of beans
2. Cherry tomatoes
3. A slicing tomato
4. Winter squash (either spaghetti or delicata) - cut these in half, lengthwise, and place face down in a baking dish and add a little water (1/4").  Bake at 350 until fork-tender.  The skin on the delicata is edible.  When done, scoop out squash and eat with a little salt and pepper, maybe some cheese.
5. a sweet pepper
6. either okra or eggplant or cucumber or tongue of fire beans or beets.  This week Tuesday members will receive the beans, next week it will be Wed.  These are a shelling bean and are in between dry and fresh beans - we simmered them in water for about 20 minutes.  I think if you added salt to the water it would be tasty but we didn't.  They were a bit dry but very good added to a salad with some dressing.  A nutty, bean.  Enjoy!
7. Summer squash - yes, some are quite large.  Try a zucchini boat (stuff it and bake it in the oven) or slice and grill - that's a great way to eat it.  
8. a bunch of carrots - these are a smaller variety - they are small but are fully mature.
9. A bunch of chard
10. A bunch of lacinato (or dinosaur) kale
11. spicy peppers (3 - 4 serranos or peppinos or padron or a combo)
12. a bunch of radishes
13. a head of famosa cabbage (this makes a great wrap - Dave made nice stuffed cabbage rolls last year with this)
14. garlic
15. parsley (enough for taboulleh), some basil
16. a small bunch of flowers

Summer - week 10, July 30 & 31

1. Lettuce
2. Summer squash
3. Beans
4. Cherry tomatoes
5. Slicing tomatoes
6. Carrots
7. Cucumbers
8. Peppers or beets
9. onions
10. swiss chard
11. kale or collards
12. potatoes
13. herbs

Summer - week 8, July 16 & 17

1. Green beans
2. Summer squash
3. a pint of tomatoes
4. Arugula
5. Basil
6. Onions & garlic
7. Carrots or beets
8. Chard
9. Kale
10. Fava beans
11. herbs
12. 
    

Summer - Week 5, June 25 & 26

1. Radishes
2. Arugula
3. Lettuce
4. Kale or Collards
5. Cauliflower or broccoli or summer squash or carrots
6. peas
7. rhubarb
8. Green onions
9. mix of herbs

Summer - Week 12

Hi there. I'm out of town so I'm using a dated distribution list to contact you all (cut and paste from an old email). I know some are omitted or accidentally included. Sorry if I miss people. Please forward if you notice an omission. 

We hope you've enjoyed the potatoes the last couple of weeks. They included Adirondack Blue and German Butterball.   The first is pretty cool as it keeps its lavender color when cooked- a favorite with the children. They're a bit drier than the butterballs. The butterballs are aptly named. Very tasty and great roasted or baked. 

This week's new item is spaghetti squash. I cut in half and place face down on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven. You can remove seeds before or after cooking. Up to you. Add enough water to dish so it covers bottom of squash by about 1/8 " and bake for about an hour or until you can poke a fork though the outer skin. As the name implies, the fruit comes apart like noodles. Many people use in place of noodles with a sauce. I like it as a side dish with a little butter or olive oil and salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Other than that, we have a lot of tomatoes right now so you're probably be getting more than normal. Try a caprese salad or a fresh salsa. Maybe you'll get some cilantro this week as well. Spicy peppers are kicking in, too, so don't forget to take a jalapeño or Serrano to kick up your dish. You could also try poppers or use some Peppinos for shish kebob. Yum!

We also have a lot of kale. Lacinato, Siberian, Red Russipn, White Russisn and Winterbor. Also, collards. If you'd like to order some in bulk, we will sell it for $2/lb for orders of 10 lbs or more. It's a great way to put up some greens now for winter (blanche and freeze). 

It's that time of year when everything is starting to come in. It's a bit later than normal (okra and eggplant are slow) for some heat-loving fruiting veggies but it seems to be working out, as usual. Please let us know if you have any comments, concerns or questions. 

Thanks!

Jennifer & crew. 

Summer - Week 4

This week we distributed a large amount of herbs.  This is a bit unusual.  Dry the rosemary, mint, etc. if you don't use it fresh.  I hang it upside down from a cabinet handle in the kitchen.  

If you picked up today (Wednesday) and didn't receive something, please let me know.  We went out and got back right at 7 and one member showed up and there was little left.  So, I either miscounted or forgot to list someone.  If you can make sure to check your name off on the list, that would help me to know that I have you on the right day (you're on the list).  Anyway, they got a freshly picked share of veggies so it all worked out.  But, if you missed out on anything, or ever do, please let me know.

We do harvest amounts per person.  Every once in awhile I have someone ask - if I don't like beets, can I take 2 heads of lettuce instead?  The answer is sorry but no.  If you don't like beets, you can leave them in the grab box and take something else from that box instead but you can't take 2 of something from the same box.  Just as importantly, if you don't like something, please move it to the "grab box" so someone else can take it.  That way, it all seems to work out.

Re storage & prep:  Root veggies need to be stored separately from their greens.  So, the turnips that we distributed today and last week & carrots & beets, etc. in the future:  cut off the greens and bag separately.  Store root veggies in a plastic bag.  They will keep for months this way as long as they're not too wet.  I serve many root veggies with the tops on because they are edible.  But, they will continue to try to grow and draw moisture from the root so the roots will become soft and mushy in a day or two if you don't cut off the greens.  Many veggies in the store are coated with a waxy coating to keep them from dehydrating but our veggies are not preserved in this way.  Trust me - they'll keep for MONTHS if you store them correctly.

Greens - many greens are a bit limp when you pick them up.  If this bothers you, just soak them in cold cold water for 20 minutes or so and they should spruce back up.  Lettuce is best stored in a salad spinner in your fridge.  It will keep for 2 weeks or more if you store it that way.

If you have any other questions about how to store or use an item, please let me know.

Thanks!

Summer - Week 6

It's fava time!  If you're not familiar with fava beans, you soon will be.  They are long pods - you open the pod and take out the beans.  Then I generally simmer them in a little water until they turn light green - maybe 2 or 3 minutes.  Then you peel off the outer layer of the bean and eat the bean.  They're small and tender right now so you can eat the outer layer (don't have to do the second peel).  As they get older, the outer layer becomes tougher and a little bitter.  Note:  the plants have been attacked this year by black aphids.  As a result, the plants are kind of a mess and some of the pods are colored (not green).  It's OK - just open up the pod.  Even some of the inner pods are a bit brown but the inner bean should still be fine.  The only problem I've found in previous years is if a bean beetle lays its eggs inside a pod then you might find worms inside a bean.  But I haven't found any yet and hopefully you won't either.

Today's box:

1. A box of garlic scapes - these will be the last for the season.  Enjoy!
2. A head of lettuce
3. A bunch of collards - some have large holes in them but I still served them because, other than part of the leaf missing, they still look beautiful!  The cabbage worms have been busy.  I will be spraying BT soon (as soon as we have a break in the rain).  BT is a bacteria that kills caterpillars when they ingest it.  Small holes (pin size) are due to flea beetles.
4. A bunch of arugula.  I think this is the prettiest arugula I've seen in a long time.
5. Either squash or cauliflower or broccoli
6. Either carrots or beets
7. Either radishes or turnips
8. A box of favas
9. A bag of braising greens - cook or eat raw
10. A pint of peas
11. Some thyme, lavender and sage
12. Some spicy peppers.

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

Jennifer

Summer - Week 2

First - the fun news.  Here's the list of planned veggies for this week:

1. Lambs quarter - this is a relative of spinach.  Most people think of it as a weed but we find it tastier than spinach.  I like it sauteed with salt & oil.  It can be eaten raw.  To prepare, remove any woody stems, wash, spin and sautee in some oil with a little salt.  Here's a link re. nutrition facts.  Here's a summary: The good: This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Niacin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.
   
   Read More http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2469/2#ixzz2VBCj9hi7
2. Nettles - another unconventional offering.  Most people run away from this plant but we love it!  I generally would not serve it to so many people because it is a lot of work to harvest - due to the fact that we will be attacked by mosquitos and will also receive multiple stings (even if we wear gloves, unless maybe they're leather) from the nettles themselves.  In small quantities, they're easy to harvest.  But, since the veggies in the field aren't ready, we'll have to bite the bullet.  Long story short, this is your bonus week.  These lovelies will be prickery.  The stings do promote blood flow.  But, if you don't want to deal with being stung, wear gloves or just plunge the leaves in cold water and scoop out with a spoon or sieve.  Then sautee in oil and salt.  They sometimes have a lobster flavor.  There's a good nettles soup recipe on our blog page as well.  Here is the nutritional info for nettles.  This shows they have a huge amount of Vitamins A & K as well as high amounts of minerals.  Since both lambs quarter and nettles are native to our area, they are said to have high amounts of antioxidants which are most applicable to our area as well (i.e. they've adapted to the pollution here and can help boost our immune systems via their strength).  I don't have a degree in nutrition but I have read this in many places.  http://skipthepie.org/ethnic-foods/stinging-nettles-blanched-northern-plains-indians/
3. Some sort of greens mix - probably a mix of young kohl rabi leaves, mustard, arugula, yukina, etc.
4. A small bunch of hukurei turnips.  These are the turnips we handed out last week.  They'll probably be a big larger.  They are generally harvested at the size of a 50 cent piece to silver dollar size.  These are sweet and are generally eaten fresh - slice, salt and enjoy.  You don't need to peel them.  The leaves are also tasty so throw them in with another green and cook them.  Or you can eat them fresh if you like stronger greens.
5. A bunch or bag of sorrel.  Not sure if we'll have a lot but we'll do our best to get you enough to make a dish with.  This is also good for pesto - freshly ground with some salt.  It makes a nice condiment when served with fish (it has a lemon flavor and is quite acidic).  If we don't have enough for everyone, we might sub in pea shoots.
6. A bunch of cilantro (they're pretty small but tasty).
7. A bunch or rhubarb or some sweet peas or maybe a little of both
8. Lettuce
9. Spinach
10. Herbs.