6/23/09
CSA Newsletter
June 23, 2009
On every stem, on every leaf,... and at the root of everything that grew, was a professional specialist in the shape of grub, caterpillar, aphis, or other expert, whose business it was to devour that particular part. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
The Harvest
¾# salad greens
2 oz basil
2.5 oz arugula
1 bunch herbs (dill or cilantro)
Not everyone will get the following, but you will get one of the following….
1# tomatoes (Cherokee Purple, Red Brandywine, Yellow Brandywine, Double Rich, Striped German). Check the list on the white board to see if you get tomatoes this week.
Jalapeno pepper
1 bunch turnips
1 bunch radish
Bag of beans (purple and green)
½# Gwen’s Favorite Stir Fry Mix
Turnips - Ahh yes, turnip season is starting. I know some of you are dreaming of turnip chips right now! Me too, but these may be too small for turnip chips. These are baby turnips – we have a lovely recipe for them later in the letter. Both the greens and the roots are edible. The greens should be cooked before eaten…mostly because they are prickly. For storing you are going to want to cut the tops off the roots, store them both in plastic bags in the fridge.
Jalapeno Pepper – I just usually toss mine into the fridge, but I am sure that putting it in a plastic bag would help it keep longer.
Striped German Heirloom Tomato – This is my favorite! It is a large multicolored tomato, with an exciting citrusy flavor. It’s a great slicer as the red, orange and yellow colors are a show stopper. So, don’t wait for it to turn all red – it won’t. The red part is mostly on the bottom, with the top being yellow. Don’t confuse it for the Yellow Brandywine which will be all yellow with no red.
Stir Fry Mix – You may recognize some of the characters in the stir fry mix from your salad mix. The stir fry mix is made up of more mature Mustard Greens, Tatsoi, Kale, Swiss Chard, and Bulls Blood Beet Greens. We call it a stir fry mix because it will taste best lightly cooked. You can chop it up and throw it in at the very end of a stir fry (they only need a moment of cooking), or you can steam them for a couple minutes for a side dish, put them in a quiche, chop them up and add them to your cooking scrambled eggs, use in burritos or enchiladas…..you get the picture. The stir fry mix will have a slightly spicy flavor due to the Mustard Greens and the Tatsoi. Enjoy.
Nutrition Tip and other random factoids (from Becca this week)
Mustard Greens: Mustard Greens were originally grown in India over 5,000 years ago. They are packed full of phytonutrients like glucosionlates, antioxidants C and E, B vitamins, and minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These nutrients are associated with healthy lung and heart function, bone health, and soothing the nervous system. The high level of magnesium in mustard greens help to reduce stress and promote healthy sleep patterns. Mustard Greens are a great peppery add to salads, delight on their own in garlic, olive oil stir-fry, and mixed into bean and rice dishes.
The News
Yoga starts next Thursday (July 2nd). It’s hard to believe July is upon us already, but it is….and that means Becca’s yoga series starts (this is a class for all levels). Yoga will be every Thursday morning through August, 7-8am. Muffins and tea will be served afterwards. Bring a mat if you have one, if you don’t, there will be extra’s here. You can sign up for the full series by emailing me, or you can just drop in for classes when it works for your schedule.
Thursday mornings, 7-8 am, July 2nd through August 27thAll 9 Classes - $108 ($90 for Copper Moose Farm CSA members)Drop in - $15 per class
Hope to see you here. Dress in layers as it can be a bit chilly at 7 am….
Joy oh joy the sun is out! What a relief. We’ll be busy here this week trying to get back on schedule…..and so will the veggies probably. As I have mentioned before, the salad greens loved the rainy weather, but it seems that some other crops may have slowed down a bit. I expect we will see a huge growth explosion (all over the county) in the next week with the warm sunny weather.
If you got your greens in plastic bags this week…….it means you have all the cotton bags at your house…..which is not the goal. You should have one set and we should have one set.
There will be additional bags of salad greens available for sale in the fridge, along with some additional herbs. Help yourself – its self service as far as making your own change using the money jar which is on the tables near the sink. (3/4# salad greens $7.50, herb bunch $2).
The Recipes
The following 3 turnip related recipes come from Becca.
Roasted Turnips in Wine with Baked Brie and Goat Cheese
1 bunch turnips, cleaned, greens reserved for Turnip Greens Meal1 cup red wine 1/4 cup honey 2 Tablespoons butter Place turnips in saucepan; add remaining ingredients and enough water to barely cover. (You may also add other root vegetables: carrots, parsnips, etc.) Simmer until tender. Pour into baking dish and bake at 350 degrees 1/2 hour. Serve with baked brie, goat cheese, and fresh bread. 2-3 servings.
Baked Brie
1 large sheet of puff pastry dough or 1 tube of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 round or wedge of Brie cheese (do not remove rind) Raspberry Jam, or other sweet jam Brown sugar 1/4 cup of maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a stick-free cookie sheet, lay out the puff pastry or the crescent rolls flat; put brie round or wedge on top. Spread jam on brie, fold dough over top, cutting off excess dough. Drizzle maple syrup and place a handful of brown sugar on top. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes, pastry should be golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.Serve with crackers and apple slices.
Turnip Greens Meal
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil3 Garlic cloves, minced 1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced (can find these fresh at Park Silly)1 Tablespoon Red Raspberry or cider vinegar 1 large red onion, sliced 1 can black beans 2 Tablespoons soy sauce 1 large potato, cubed (I would substitute a couple of the turnips...) cleaned greens from one bunch of turnips.
Put all ingredients in a large pot, in the order listed. Bring mixture to boiling point, stir, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 or 20 minutes, or until potato is tender. Serve with a chilled fruit and yogurt accompaniment.
This last one comes from our good friend Alayne (many of you will remember her from her hard work here at the farm the last two summers)! She is living it up in Chamonix France, tending a beautiful garden, and creating wonders in her kitchen. Thanks for the recipe Alayne – keep them coming!
Radish Leaf Pesto
- 2 large handfuls of good-looking radish leaves (could substitute turnip leaves I bet, if you don’t have enough radish leaves), stems removed- 30 grams (1 ounce) hard cheese, such as pecorino or parmesan, grated or shaved using a vegetable peeler- 30 grams (1 ounce) nuts, such as pistachios, almonds, or pinenuts (avoid walnuts, which make the end result too bitter in my opinion)- 1 clove garlic, germ removed, cut in four- a short ribbon of lemon zest cut thinly from an organic lemon with a vegetable peeler (optional)- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to get the consistency you like- salt, pepper, ground chili pepperPut all the ingredients in a food processor or blender or mini-chopper, and process in short pulses until smooth. You will likely have to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. This produces a thick pesto; add more oil and pulse again to get the consistency you prefer. (This can also be done with a mortar and pestle; it's great for your karma and your triceps.)Taste, adjust the seasoning, and pack into an airtight container (I use a recycled glass jar). Use within a few days (it will keep longer if you pour a thin layer of oil on the surface) or freeze.
Hope you’re all out enjoying the gorgeous weather! See you tomorrow between 8-6. Daisy
June 23, 2009
On every stem, on every leaf,... and at the root of everything that grew, was a professional specialist in the shape of grub, caterpillar, aphis, or other expert, whose business it was to devour that particular part. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
The Harvest
¾# salad greens
2 oz basil
2.5 oz arugula
1 bunch herbs (dill or cilantro)
Not everyone will get the following, but you will get one of the following….
1# tomatoes (Cherokee Purple, Red Brandywine, Yellow Brandywine, Double Rich, Striped German). Check the list on the white board to see if you get tomatoes this week.
Jalapeno pepper
1 bunch turnips
1 bunch radish
Bag of beans (purple and green)
½# Gwen’s Favorite Stir Fry Mix
Turnips - Ahh yes, turnip season is starting. I know some of you are dreaming of turnip chips right now! Me too, but these may be too small for turnip chips. These are baby turnips – we have a lovely recipe for them later in the letter. Both the greens and the roots are edible. The greens should be cooked before eaten…mostly because they are prickly. For storing you are going to want to cut the tops off the roots, store them both in plastic bags in the fridge.
Jalapeno Pepper – I just usually toss mine into the fridge, but I am sure that putting it in a plastic bag would help it keep longer.
Striped German Heirloom Tomato – This is my favorite! It is a large multicolored tomato, with an exciting citrusy flavor. It’s a great slicer as the red, orange and yellow colors are a show stopper. So, don’t wait for it to turn all red – it won’t. The red part is mostly on the bottom, with the top being yellow. Don’t confuse it for the Yellow Brandywine which will be all yellow with no red.
Stir Fry Mix – You may recognize some of the characters in the stir fry mix from your salad mix. The stir fry mix is made up of more mature Mustard Greens, Tatsoi, Kale, Swiss Chard, and Bulls Blood Beet Greens. We call it a stir fry mix because it will taste best lightly cooked. You can chop it up and throw it in at the very end of a stir fry (they only need a moment of cooking), or you can steam them for a couple minutes for a side dish, put them in a quiche, chop them up and add them to your cooking scrambled eggs, use in burritos or enchiladas…..you get the picture. The stir fry mix will have a slightly spicy flavor due to the Mustard Greens and the Tatsoi. Enjoy.
Nutrition Tip and other random factoids (from Becca this week)
Mustard Greens: Mustard Greens were originally grown in India over 5,000 years ago. They are packed full of phytonutrients like glucosionlates, antioxidants C and E, B vitamins, and minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These nutrients are associated with healthy lung and heart function, bone health, and soothing the nervous system. The high level of magnesium in mustard greens help to reduce stress and promote healthy sleep patterns. Mustard Greens are a great peppery add to salads, delight on their own in garlic, olive oil stir-fry, and mixed into bean and rice dishes.
The News
Yoga starts next Thursday (July 2nd). It’s hard to believe July is upon us already, but it is….and that means Becca’s yoga series starts (this is a class for all levels). Yoga will be every Thursday morning through August, 7-8am. Muffins and tea will be served afterwards. Bring a mat if you have one, if you don’t, there will be extra’s here. You can sign up for the full series by emailing me, or you can just drop in for classes when it works for your schedule.
Thursday mornings, 7-8 am, July 2nd through August 27thAll 9 Classes - $108 ($90 for Copper Moose Farm CSA members)Drop in - $15 per class
Hope to see you here. Dress in layers as it can be a bit chilly at 7 am….
Joy oh joy the sun is out! What a relief. We’ll be busy here this week trying to get back on schedule…..and so will the veggies probably. As I have mentioned before, the salad greens loved the rainy weather, but it seems that some other crops may have slowed down a bit. I expect we will see a huge growth explosion (all over the county) in the next week with the warm sunny weather.
If you got your greens in plastic bags this week…….it means you have all the cotton bags at your house…..which is not the goal. You should have one set and we should have one set.
There will be additional bags of salad greens available for sale in the fridge, along with some additional herbs. Help yourself – its self service as far as making your own change using the money jar which is on the tables near the sink. (3/4# salad greens $7.50, herb bunch $2).
The Recipes
The following 3 turnip related recipes come from Becca.
Roasted Turnips in Wine with Baked Brie and Goat Cheese
1 bunch turnips, cleaned, greens reserved for Turnip Greens Meal1 cup red wine 1/4 cup honey 2 Tablespoons butter Place turnips in saucepan; add remaining ingredients and enough water to barely cover. (You may also add other root vegetables: carrots, parsnips, etc.) Simmer until tender. Pour into baking dish and bake at 350 degrees 1/2 hour. Serve with baked brie, goat cheese, and fresh bread. 2-3 servings.
Baked Brie
1 large sheet of puff pastry dough or 1 tube of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 round or wedge of Brie cheese (do not remove rind) Raspberry Jam, or other sweet jam Brown sugar 1/4 cup of maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a stick-free cookie sheet, lay out the puff pastry or the crescent rolls flat; put brie round or wedge on top. Spread jam on brie, fold dough over top, cutting off excess dough. Drizzle maple syrup and place a handful of brown sugar on top. Bake at 350º for 25-30 minutes, pastry should be golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.Serve with crackers and apple slices.
Turnip Greens Meal
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil3 Garlic cloves, minced 1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced (can find these fresh at Park Silly)1 Tablespoon Red Raspberry or cider vinegar 1 large red onion, sliced 1 can black beans 2 Tablespoons soy sauce 1 large potato, cubed (I would substitute a couple of the turnips...) cleaned greens from one bunch of turnips.
Put all ingredients in a large pot, in the order listed. Bring mixture to boiling point, stir, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 or 20 minutes, or until potato is tender. Serve with a chilled fruit and yogurt accompaniment.
This last one comes from our good friend Alayne (many of you will remember her from her hard work here at the farm the last two summers)! She is living it up in Chamonix France, tending a beautiful garden, and creating wonders in her kitchen. Thanks for the recipe Alayne – keep them coming!
Radish Leaf Pesto
- 2 large handfuls of good-looking radish leaves (could substitute turnip leaves I bet, if you don’t have enough radish leaves), stems removed- 30 grams (1 ounce) hard cheese, such as pecorino or parmesan, grated or shaved using a vegetable peeler- 30 grams (1 ounce) nuts, such as pistachios, almonds, or pinenuts (avoid walnuts, which make the end result too bitter in my opinion)- 1 clove garlic, germ removed, cut in four- a short ribbon of lemon zest cut thinly from an organic lemon with a vegetable peeler (optional)- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to get the consistency you like- salt, pepper, ground chili pepperPut all the ingredients in a food processor or blender or mini-chopper, and process in short pulses until smooth. You will likely have to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. This produces a thick pesto; add more oil and pulse again to get the consistency you prefer. (This can also be done with a mortar and pestle; it's great for your karma and your triceps.)Taste, adjust the seasoning, and pack into an airtight container (I use a recycled glass jar). Use within a few days (it will keep longer if you pour a thin layer of oil on the surface) or freeze.
Hope you’re all out enjoying the gorgeous weather! See you tomorrow between 8-6. Daisy
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