10/06/2009
CSA Newsletter October 6, 2009 A garden is the place millions of people go to touch the earth, to smell the flowers – to use some of that fabled human brainpower in the cause of better participating with natural processes in the place they call home. If serves as an art project, an organic produce market, a spiritual practice, a pharmacy. It offers ongoing lessons in ecology, biology, chemistry, geology, meteorology. Gardening imparts an organic perspective on the passage of time. Jim Nollman Why We Garden (p.2) This will be the last week of the 2009 CSA. The Harvest ¾# salad mix ½# spinach Onions (Rossa Di Milano, Redwing, Mustang (white), Lisbon White) Wild Rocambole Garlic Your cotton bags Not everyone will get all of the following: (making it all even…..) 2 oz basil 4 oz arugula Radish bunch Salad Mix – It got cold! The salad is a little hammered from the cold temps. What does that mean? It means it is not going to store as long as it normally would. Onions – the onions come to you not fully cured…..which shouldn’t affect much. I am not sure they will store until April at this point, but it’s not like you’re getting a 10# bag, so I imagine eating them up in the next few weeks won’t be a problem. Enjoy! Your cotton bags – You guys bought them, so here they are. Hopefully you will find them useful this winter while shopping at the grocery store, might as well continue to reduce your plastic bag usage. If you loose some over the winter, you will have to buy new ones for next year’s CSA (I will facilitate that). Nutrition Tip (from Becca this week) Garlic: Ancient Egyptians were the first known culture to cultivate garlic and since its first days of cultivation it has been used for medicinal purposes. Only recently, has research begun to support all of the amazing health claims of this allium. The sulfur containing compounds – allicin, alliin, and dithiins – which are responsible for garlic’s odor, have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral qualities. Garlic is also an excellent source of manganese, B6, C, and selenium – nutrients that support cardiovascular health. Use garlic to spice any dish or roast on its own and serve with your favorite bread and cheese. The News Well, the big news is that it’s the end of the 2009 season for us. It flew by! As it always does I guess…and, as usual, it was a pleasure to see you all each week. It’s always weird saying goodbye to many of you until next season but hopefully we’ll see lots of you out on the slopes! What will be going on here this winter? Eggs - We will have eggs available for sale this winter. The set up will be the same as last winter: we will be selling eggs on Wednesdays. There will be a little fridge set up at the back of the main greenhouse, right next to the red sliding doors. The money jar will be on top of the little fridge – make change for yourself as always. Salad Greens – I hope to have a couple harvests of salad greens this winter. I will send out an email when I have greens available for sale. They will be on a Wednesdays as well. There are still a couple sides of beef available, let me know if you are interested. We will be doing sign up in the spring again. I will send out an email around mid February inviting you all to join the CSA for 2010. I will hold your spot for 2 weeks – if I have not heard from you after 2 weeks I will open your spot up to the waitlist. If you know you are going to be out of town during that time, you may want to shoot me an email at the beginning of Feb letting me know you are interested in 2010. I also tend to call anyone I haven’t heard from, just to make sure you did get the email. I want to send out a big thank you to Craig, Lorin, and our volunteers (Inge, Rob, Alisha, Brad, Rebecca and Becca) for a fabulous season. You all had to pull more weight this year because of me…..and I really appreciate it. This year would not have gone as smoothly as it did without you all! It was a PLEASURE to work with you, and I’m looking forward to doing it again next year. Craig – you keep this place from falling to pieces. I don’t know how you do all that you do! I am so grateful for all of your talents. Thanks for your help all the time. Lorin – you completely stepped up to the plate this year…..and it was a bigger plate than normal! You carried heavy things that my pregnant body couldn’t carry, you remembered things that my pregnant brain forgot, and you held down the fort while I enjoyed my newborn. Thank you for your hard work, attention to detail, and your care for all the living things around here. John and Kristi – thank you for making this all possible. This is a dream job for me and working for you is fabulous! It’s a pleasure and I am grateful for the opportunity. I look forward to the challenges and success ahead! And to you, our CSA – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – you make this community the fabulous community that it is! Thank you for being a part of it! I love to hear what you are doing with your vegetables, I love to see your kids each week, and I love to catch up with you each week. We all will miss seeing you around here this winter, and look forward to next spring! The Recipe What else could it be?? FRENCH ONION SOUP! Ingredients 5 sweet onions (like Vidalias) or a combination of sweet and red onions (about 4 pounds) 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt 2 cups white wine 10 ounces canned beef consume 10 ounces chicken broth 10 ounces apple cider (unfiltered is best) Bouquet garni; thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley tied together with kitchen string 1 loaf country style bread Kosher salt Ground black pepper Splash of Cognac (optional) 1 cup Fontina or Gruyere cheese , grated Directions Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise. Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes. Set electric skillet to 300 degrees and add butter. Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet. Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning. Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency. Add consume, chicken broth, apple cider and bouquet garni. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler. Cut country bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks. Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute. Season soup mixture with salt, pepper and cognac. Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip. Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with grated cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. That’s all for this week, and for the year! Keep in touch – I’ll be around. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow between 8-6. Daisy
9/15/2009
CSA Newsletter September 15, 2009 History celebrated the battle-fields where on we meet our death, but scorns to speak of the ploughed fields whereby we thrive; it knows the names of the king’s bastards, but cannot tell the origin of wheat. That is the way of human folly. J.H. Fabre, The Wonders of Instinct The Harvest ¾# salad mix ½# spinach or stir fry (we’re slowly getting ya’ll the spinach….) ¼# arugula 1.5 oz basil 1 bunch carrots Squash Pepper (hot, sweet or mild) 1 bunch herbs Potatoes (you might get All-Blue, All-Red, German Butterball, Fingerling, Yukon Gold or a mix) 2 bulbs Garlic Not everyone will get all of the following: Tomatoes –check the board U-Pick – check the board Edible flowers Eggplant Radish (it’s time for radish again!) Cabbage - Garlic and Potatoes will be around the sinks somewhere – don’t forget them!! - The arugula is pretty wet this week because of yesterday’s rain. I would recommend giving it a good dry before you put it away. Nutrition Tip (from Becca this week) Thyme: Thyme has been used for many centuries in folk remedies for respiratory ailments, as a mouthwash, and in antimicrobial topical ointments. Current studies show that thyme has an abundance of volatile oils -specifically thymol, which supports healthy functioning of brain, kidney, and heart cell membranes. These oils are also high in antimicrobial activity. Other current studies reveal a high percentage of flavonoids (antioxidants), as well as significant amounts of manganese, iron, calcium, and dietary fiber. Thyme has been used in food preservation techniques because of its antimicrobial qualities. These qualities also seem to decontaminate foods as well – making a vinaigrette with you thyme will not only boost your own health, but will also ensure clean food. Thyme is a great add to beans, eggs, and vegetable dishes. The News We’ll be pulling out most of the peppers and eggplant this week. It’s time to start getting this greenhouse ready for the next production season (winter greens). We have to start now because I also have to get some cover crops into these beds as well – lot’s to grow and not enough time! I know many of you did not get an eggplant this year….I join you in that. The aphids this spring really put a damper on our eggplant crop. I hope we do better with eggplant next year. These are probably the last peppers you can expect for the season as well. The Recipe Stuffed zucchini recipe with bread crumbs and seasonings. Cook Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: · 2 medium zucchini, about 1 pound · 2 tablespoons butter · 1 clove garlic, minced · 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion · 2 cups soft bread cubes · 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning · salt and pepper Preparation: Wash zucchini; cook whole in a small amount of boiling water for about 8 minutes. Drain and cut into halves lengthwise. Scoop out pulp; chop. Melt butter in a heavy skillet, sauté garlic and onion for a minute, or until onion is tender; stir in chopped zucchini pulp, bread cubes, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Stuff zucchini with bread mixture. Place zucchini in a greased baking dish and bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.Recipe for stuffed zucchini serves 4. Cheese and Chives Potato Casserole Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Ingredients: · 4 cups cubed potatoes · 1 teaspoon salt · 1 cup milk · 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened · 1 tablespoon chopped chives · 1/2 teaspoon salt · 1/4 teaspoon pepper · 1 clove garlic · paprika · chopped chives for garnish(optional) Preparation: Cook potatoes with 1 teaspoon salt in boiling water to cover 15 minutes or until tender; drain. Place cooked potatoes in a shallow, lightly greased 2-quart casserole. Heat milk and cream cheese in a medium saucepan, stirring until cheese is melted. Add chives, salt, pepper, and garlic; pour over potatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and more chives, if desired.Cheese and chives potato casserole serves 4 to 6. That’s all for this week! I sincerely hope that next week’s letter will be coming from Lorin……I hope I’m busy doing something else…… See you tomorrow between 8-6. Daisy
9/08/2009
CSA Newsletter September 9th, 2009 I think the true gardener is a lover of his flowers, not a critic of them. I think the true gardener is the reverent servant of Nature, not her truculent, wife-beating master. I think the true gardener, the older he grows, should more and more develop a humble, grateful and uncertain spirit. ~Reginald Farrer, In a Yorkshire Garden, 1909 The Harvest ¾# salad mix ½# spinach or stir fry ¼# arugula 2 oz basil 1 bunch beets 1 bunch carrots 1 bunch leeks 1.5# potatoes (All Red and German Butterball) Garlic (Georgian Crystal) Summer Squash (Early Yellow Crookneck, Flying Saucer Patty Pan, Zyphyr or Cashflow) Jalapeno Not everyone will get the following: Sweet Bell Pepper Heirloom Tomatoes (check the board) U-Pick (check the board) Eggplant Cucumber Nutritional Tip The humble potato is the 4th largest food crop grown in the world. Genetic testing has indicated that all varieties come from a single origin in Southern Peru. Thousands of varieties persist throughout the Andes, although China is now the world’s largest potato producing country. The nutrients in potatoes are pretty evenly spread between the skin and the flesh (so for maximum effect eat with the skins on). Almost all of the protein in a potato is contained in a thin layer just under the skin (so again, for maximum effect eat with the skins on). A medium size potato with skin on will give you a good percentage of your daily allowance of vitamin C, potassium and B6, and contains trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, and zinc. The News You’ve probably noticed that we are putting in a new field at Copper Moose. Another acre of beds should be ready to go for next summer. It’s a decent process getting a new field up and ready. Obviously the fence and irrigation are a big deal (thanks Craig, Tor, Jason, Lorin, Rob, and GW), but getting the soil ready to go is also a process. Lots of time in the tractor is an integral part, but spraying compost tea and biodynamic preps onto the land is also a big part. One more watering and then one more tilling of the first part of that field, and it will be ready to go into cover crop until next spring. I’ll let the roots of the cover crop do a lot of the work loosening up the subsoil in those beds, and then will incorporate those cover crops into the soil to help increase organic matter. Generally our soil is very good, but a bit low on organic matter. The main reason it’s low on organic matter is because this land has been hayed for decades. Bailing the grass and taking it off the land obviously does not leave much organic matter for the soil. Cover crops and compost are two great ways to increase organic matter. When you add the use of compost tea and biodynamic preps (which both add the microbial population to the soil needed to break down the organic matter), and you’ve got a recipe for repair! The Recipe Gratin of Potato and Summer Squash with Herbes be Provence (taken from the Gardener’s Community Cookbook) ¼ cup olive oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tsp Herbes de Provence ¾# summer squash 1 tsp salt sliced 1/8” thick ¼ tsp black pepper 1# red potatoes, scrubbed ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese and sliced 1/8” thick Herbes de Provence – equal amounts of dried rosemary, thyme, sage, summer savory and bay mixed with a little less of lavender flowers and fennel seed. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 12X9 inch baking dish. Combine the oil and garlic in a small pot and simmer together for 2 minutes. Set aside for 15 minutes for the garlic to infuse the oil. Remove and discard the garlic. In the baking dish, make 2 layers of the squash, potatoes, and onion, sprinkling each layer with the herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Top with the cheese and drizzle the oil over. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender. Let stand for 10 minutes, then serve right away or at room temperature. That’s all for this week – see you tomorrow between 8-6. Daisy
9/01/2009
CSA Newsletter September 1, 2009 Despite the gardener's best intentions, Nature will improvise. ~Michael P. Garafalo Wow, September 1st, is it possible? The Harvest 1# salad greens ½# spinach or Swiss chard ¼# arugula 2 oz basil 1 bunch beets 1 bunch herbs Not everyone will get all of the following: Yukon Gold Potatoes - check the board Summer Squash Cabbage Tomatoes - check the board Peppers Eggplant Cucumber (don't forget that one of our varieties is called Lemon - and that's what it looks like) 1 bunch carrots Potatoes - just a reminder that potatoes do not go in the fridge, so they will not be in you boxes. Check the white board, if your name is on there for potatoes you will find potatoes in a box near the sinks, labeled. Take 1 bag per membership. If you split a membership make sure to leave the ½ bag of potatoes with your share partners name on it so they know which one to take. This week the potato variety is Yukon Gold. Some consider Yukon Gold's to be the best eating potato. They have a medium dry, golden, buttery tasting flesh that is best baked or boiled. They also store very well. Enjoy! Nutrition Tip Eggplant - The eggplant is in the solanaceae family, along with tomatoes, potatoes, and tobacco! The seeds are bitter when raw because of the nicotinoid alkaloids they contain. Eating 20# of eggplant would give you the same amount of nicotine as is in one cigarette. The plant is a perennial but is most often grown as an annual. The fruit is botanically classified as a berry. When eaten raw they can taste bitter, but once cooked they take on a tender, complex flavor. Eggplant can be stewed, roasted, deep fried, grilled, stuffed, and, I am sure, much more. The News It was so great to see you all on Sunday. What a fabulous potluck - and only due to the great company and the INCREDIBLE dishes you all brought. Seriously, you all went to town on your contributions, and it was gorgeous! Thank you so much for coming. I know it felt like our end of the season bash, but we really have probably 6 more weeks of the season to go. It's not over yet! As with last year, I would love to get all your recipes to send out to everyone at the end of the season (and get them on our website). So please email me the recipe for you dish or dishes. They may not be put together as fancily as last year...feels like there is a little too much going on this fall.....but I will get them compiled, with the appropriate credits, and out to you all. The Recipe Ginger Sesame Eggplant (From the Quail Hill Farm Cookbook) Coat one medium eggplant with olive oil and roast at 400 until soft. Allow to cool, then peel, chunk into ½" dice, and mix with any juices. Combine 1 clove of finely chopped or pureed garlic and 1 Tbsp peeled fresh ginger and 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Sauté together until translucent. Toss with the eggplant chunks and season with ¼ tsp hot sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, ½ tsp sugar, soy sauce to taste and 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro. Serve warm or cold. Arugula Salad with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes Combine 1.5 cups fresh corn kernels, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved, 1 small red onion, chopped and 1/5 cups arugula leaves, roughly chopped, stems removed. In a separate bowl mix 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. Add ½ cup of crumbled feta cheese. Pour dressing over salad and garnish with pine nits and more feta cheese. Hope you are having a fabulous start to the new month, and we'll see you tomorrow between 8-6. Daisy
8/25/2009
CSA Newsletter August 25, 2009 Microbes in a healthy acre of soil will weigh as much as an average sized cow. Hands on Agronomy by Neil Kinsey and Charles Walters The Harvest 1# salad mix ½# stir fry mix 1 bunch carrots 1 bunch beets 1 small bunch leeks (a teaser) Garlic bulb (not cured, not cleaned, fresh out of the ground!) 1 bunch herbs Not everyone will get all of the following: Cabbage (Red Express (red leaves), Famosa (curly leaves, it’s a Savoy cabbage) or Copenhagen Market (more of your standard blue-green heads)) 1# potatoes – check the board Cucumber Squash Tomatoes – check the board U-Pick – check the board Edible Flowers Eggplant Peppers Leeks – The variety this week is King Richard. This is a little sampler bunch, more to follow in a couple weeks. Leeks will store best in the fridge in a plastic bag. Garlic – All of the garlic is out of the ground now and curing. As I mentioned two weeks ago, after it has cured we will go through it all, clean it, and select the best for seed for next year’s crop. Then we’ll start sending lots of beautiful, clean garlic home with you all. The variety this week is Wild Rocambole. Potatoes – The potatoes this week are called La Ratte, they are a fingerling type potato. Potatoes should never go into the refrigerator, hence they will not be in your boxes, and they will be out in the main room in a box. Potatoes need to stay out of direct light so that they do not turn green. The green is a chemical called Solanine that is made by the potato when in direct sunlight or artificial light. In very high doses solanine can be poisonous to humans. If you have a little green spot on your potato, just cut that section of the potato off – the rest of it is good to eat. When potatoes are stored at too cool temperatures the starches in them turn into sugars – although this may sound tasty, it doesn’t work out. So, store you potatoes in a cool (not cold), dark spot. A paper bag on your counter should work just fine for short term storage. For longer storage a paper bag in the basement or cool garage would be better. Nutrition Tip (from Becca) Leeks: Leeks are native to Central Asia and have been cultivated there and in Europe for thousands of years. Throughout history, the leek has held an esteemed position in the vegetable world. Aristotle credited his clear voice to leeks. Nero, a Roman emperor, used leeks to make his voice strong. Leeks also star as Wales’ national emblem. Leeks are a member of the allium family, but have a more delicate and sweet taste then there relatives the garlic, onion, and scallion. Many studies reveal that alliums reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol levels, are proactive in fighting cancer cells, and help to stabilize blood sugar. Leeks are a perfect add to soups, casseroles, roasted vegetables or make a fantastic side on their own when grilled. The News We’re looking forward to celebrating the season with you all this Sunday at the CSA Potluck (Sunday August 30th from 5-8). It looks like we have some incredible dishes coming! As you know, our parking is a bit limited, if you can walk or ride your bike, great, if not, most of the parking is going to be out in the field before you get to the greenhouse. We will make sure to sign it well. Because I have put requested ingredients in some of your boxes for the potluck, if you split a share you may want to check with your partner to make sure you are not taking their ingredients. This is the last CSA distribution of August and our 14th distribution of the season – hard to believe! I predict that the season will continue into the first few weeks of October, but weather will ultimately determine that. I’ll keep you posted as we get closer. The new “barn” kitties have adjusted well to life on the farm. They seem to spend their nights out and about, as they always greet us very early in the morning, and then proceed to sleep most of the day. We have seen them catch quite a few mice and voles already, and Lorin and I praise them like proud parents. They have gotten over their fear of the chickens, and now go in and out of the duck house at will – which is good since that’s where their accommodations are (the carpeted 2nd story of the duck house, very luxurious). All in all we are completely attached even though we know we shouldn’t be because they are “barn” kitties. Either way, it’s great to have their playful personalities ripping around the farm. The Recipe Spicy Coleslaw (Chez Panisse Vegetable Cookbook) Great with anything BBQ’d or fried. For every 4 cups of sliced cabbage (cored, quartered and sliced into 1/8” strips), add 1 diced small red onion, 1 thinly sliced jalapeno pepper (with seeds and veins removed), juice of 1 lime, 1 tbsp white balsamic or wine vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, the leaves from a good –sized bunch of cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss it all together and let marinate for 1 hour. Serve at room temperature. Serves 3-4. Stuffed Cabbage (From Quail Hill Farm Cookbook) Remove the leaves from 1 large Savoy cabbage and soften for several minutes in boiling water. Drain. FILLING: boil 2 cups basmati rice in water for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain. Meanwhile sauté until golden 1 to 2 thinly sliced onions and 1# sliced mushrooms in 2 Tbsp olive oil. Toss with drained rice, and season with paprika, pepper, and salt. Place 2-3 Tbsp rice mixture in the center of each leaf and roll, tucking the sides into the center to form a package. Pack the finished rolls tightly together in an ovenproof dish. Cover with broth or water and 1 cup tomato juice, 1 Tbsp grated horseradish and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. Bake covered at 350 until the rice is cooked and the cabbage is very tender, about 1.5 hours. Serve hot or warm. That’s all for this week. See you tomorrow between 8-6. Daisy
08/18/2009
CSA Newsletter August 18, 2009 Many people either believe that GMO food are tested and safe or simply don’t know that 80% of the processed foods sitting on their grocery store shelves contain GMO’s. In the meantime, multinational agribusiness companies have insinuated their patented and genetically engineered organisms into our food supply. But the apparent success of this strategy does not mean that GMO’s are inevitable. Part of the mythology behind the industrialization and the globalization of agriculture is the notion that these commercial technologies are the foundation of our economic progress. In reality, these technologies are undermining the natural wealth of agriculture by extinguishing agricultural diversity and harming the environment. Uncertain Peril, Claire Hope Cummings The Harvest 1# salad mix ¼# arugula 2oz basil 1 bunch beets 1 bunch carrots 1 bunch herbs Not everyone will get all of the following: Cucumber Squash Tomatoes – check the board Peppers Edible flowers U-Pick – check the board Nutrition Tip The jalapeno is named after Xalapa, Veracruz where they are traditionally produced. Capsaicin, which is where the heat comes from, is concentrated in veins surrounding the seeds. Removing seeds and de-veining the pepper can reduce their heat. Jalapenos come in between 2,500 and 10,000 Scoville units in heat (which means they are medium hot). Hmmm, guess that wasn’t nutritional info….oh well. The News It’s been cold! This happened last August around this time also, but it still feels a little odd to me. The squash and potatoes did get frosted a bit, even under our heavier row covers (that’s about all we can do to protect them). They are ok though, the squash has slowed down, but it’s alive and producing. Lost some of the flowers outside also……oh well, that happens around now I guess. But what I have really been noticing is that the leeks, storage onions and potatoes are behind. The cool June must have affected them enough that now we are feeling the repercussions. They are on their way, but not ready yet. I, for one, am really looking forward to some potatoes! CSA Potluck – August 30th from 5-8. Don’t miss it. And please sign up this week – sign up is on the cooler. We are having a pig slaughtered for it on Thursday and I need to know how big that pig needs to be……..that depends on how many of us will be enjoying that pig. So….please sign up tomorrow. It’s going to be a great time, and we can’t wait to have you all out here at once. Craig will be doing hayrides for the kids again, and Doug (the bee guy) has some fun bee games. Along with that he will also be opening up the hive so you can all take a look at what the bees have been up to this summer. Many of you may be familiar with Foodell.com – or you’ve heard them mentioned on the radio. Well, Susan Odell of Foodell.com is a member at Copper Moose Farm. The Odells would like to offer our CSA a free 3 month membership to Foodell.com. Below is some information from the Odell’s: As some of you may know, one of the members of our CSA is Susan Odell of foodell.com. Foodell is an online cooking community teaching the Hungry Generation how to eat. You may have seen Susan on Park City TV, as she has a cooking segment each Thursday on the Mountain Morning Show. She is also the "beet" reporter for KPCW and does a live broadcast every Wednesday from the Farmers Market at the Canyons. Susan would like to offer everybody in the CSA a free 3 month membership to foodell.com. Members of foodell.com receive a Weekly Menu with a consolidated grocery list, plus all of the features of the website including recipes, entertaining menus, educational videos, product reviews and recommendations, a community forum, an Ask the Chef feature and much more. As foodell.com has absolutely no advertising, they charge an annual subscription fee of $25, which is a great value. If you would like a free 3 month membership to foodell.com, then just send an email to Susan at susanodell@foodell.com. I know you'll like it. – David Odell I had quite a few people show up today to bring their bags back……I appreciate the thought, but don’t worry about it. The bags all get washed on Monday mornings, so getting them to us any later than a Friday afternoon doesn’t do us any good. Bringing them on Wednesdays makes the most sense (even if you know they are ‘late’). Don’t bother making a special trip…but again, we appreciate the thought. The Recipe Barley Salad with Carrots and Dill Serves 6 · 3 1/2 to 4 cups cooked barley · 3/4 pound (5 medium) carrots, coarsely grated · 1/2 cup tightly packed, minced fresh dill · 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds, toasted · 1/4 cup dried currants · 1/3 cup fruity olive oil · 3 to 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice · Salt to taste In a large serving bowl or storage container, combine the barley, carrots, dill, sunflower seeds, and currants. Dribble on the olive oil, lemon juice and salt to taste. Toss until the ingredients are thoroughly coated with the dressing. Recipe copyright, Lorna Sass, 2008 This next one comes from Betsy Bothe – a 2008 CSA member. Arugula Dip In Blender combine: 3 garlic cloves ¼ cup Olive Oil 2 handfuls of arugula 1 Tbsp rice vinegar 3 Tbsp organic cream cheese Salt and pepper to taste I cut up other veggies and use this as a dip—delicis! That’s all for this week, we look forward to seeing you tomorrow between 8-6. - Daisy
08/11/2009
CSA Newsletter August 11th, 2009 It is estimated that up to a third of all of the increase in global CO2 since the industrial revolution can be attributed to carbon losses from soils as a result of agricultural practices. (Practices such as) organic matter removal, erosion, compaction, cultivation, fallow, and the use of certain chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Mike Amaranthus, Jeff Anderson, Zack Amaranthus, Dave Perry Building Soil Organic Matter Organically, ACRES USA, January 2009 The Harvest 1# salad mix ¼# arugula ½# cooking greens (either kale, chard, or a mix of kale and chard) 1 bunch beets 1 bunch carrots 1 bulb garlic 1 bunch herbs Not Everyone will get the following: 1 head cabbage (if you didn’t get it last week, you’ll get this week) U-Pick – If you did not pick last week, pick this week. Heirloom tomatoes - Check the board Sweet and Hot peppers Edible Flowers Summer squash Garlic – This week you will be getting one bulb of Georgian Crystal garlic. Garlic does not go in the cooler, so it will be in a box in the main room – don’t forget it! 1 bulb per membership. This garlic is green – that means it has not been cured yet. That means it should be eaten now-ish – not stored for later use. We are going to be harvesting all the rest of the garlic from the field this week. Once it is harvested it is hung to cure for about 2 -3 weeks. Once the garlic has cured we will sort every bulb – the biggest and the best we will keep for seed to be planted in October for next year’s harvest. The rest (which will be big and beautiful, believe me) will be sent out to you all starting sometime in September. All of the garlic grown at Copper Moose this year (and all the years past) is hard neck garlic. Most of the garlic you find at the grocery store is a soft neck variety. Soft neck is more widely grown because it is easy to plant and grow it mechanically and it keeps longer due to many layers of papery skin. Soft neck garlic can also be braided. Hard neck garlic produces a scape (you should be very familiar with those by now), has fewer but much larger cloves per bulb, and has less of a papery wrapper hence it is a bit more sensitive and does not store as long. Having said that, I know many CSA members from last year didn’t finish up their garlic until April or later. I was eating last year’s garlic at least until the end of April. The reason I love to grow hard neck garlic is because of the range of flavors the different varieties offer. Once you have cooked the garlic you can’t really tell a difference in the flavor, but when compared raw – there is very discernable differences. I also really enjoy the large juicy cloves that hard neck varieties produce. The three varieties we grow here are Wild Rocambole, Metechi, and Georgian Crystal. I’ll tell you more about each of those varieties later in the season once it’s cured. Tomato Update – Our tomatoes have peaked already. What does that mean? Well, with heirloom tomatoes it means their production is going to rapidly drop off. That’s the way they do it. We are already starting to pull some of the plants out to get ready for winter growing in the greenhouse. That’s the thing with harvesting heirloom tomatoes in early June…….we are not going to be harvesting Heirloom tomatoes in September (we will still be harvesting cherry tomatoes though). We will harvest tomatoes for another week or two, but unfortunately it won’t be much. So I encourage you all to head over to the farmers markets and support those Salt Lake growers who are just now starting to bring tomatoes to market (Ranui Gardens should also have some good heirlooms showing up). Please only take a bag of tomatoes if your name is on the board, if your name is not on the board and you take a bag, you are taking someone else’s food. Members that are splitting a share: you must split one bag of tomatoes. If you are each taking a bag of tomatoes, you are taking someone else’s food. Nutrition Tip Cabbage is a member of the Brassicaceae family. It was originally derived from a wild plant that grew along the Mediterranean. Cato The Elder praised it for it’s medicinal properties stating: “It is the cabbage which surpasses all vegetables”. Cabbage is great in soups, stews, slaws, and salads. It is the main ingredient for sauerkraut and kimche (both fermented foods). Cabbage is high in vitamin C and contains glutamine which is an amino acid with anti-inflammatory properties. The News The CSA potluck is 2.5 short weeks away (Sunday August 30th). I am going to put a sign up sheet on the cooler door – so sign up for the dish you would like to bring. Here is how it works. Copper Moose Farm will provide the main course and beverages, you all will bring a favorite veggie dish or dessert. Maybe it’s one of your favorite CSA recipes this year, or maybe it’s an old stand by you want to share with the rest of us – it’s up to you. I will try to get you as many of the ingredients in your dish as I can and send it to you in your August 27th CSA box. I will need a list of items you would like from me by Friday August 21st. This year we will be doing a pig roast. We will be getting a pig from Russell Taylor (our beef and pork man). Russell raises organic Beef and Pork down in Emery Utah. I first met Russell’s dad at an Acres USA conference 3 years ago. Acres USA is a fabulous agricultural publication and in its own words is “The Voice of Eco-Agriculture”. Since then Russell and I talk a couple times a month, whether about the Steers I have reserved for Copper Moose Farm this fall, or about vegetables, or fertilizer. The main business for the Taylor family is organic fertilizers. They have a mine down in southern Utah where they harvest Humeric Acids. Russell will be at the CSA Potluck so you will all get a chance to meet him then (if you didn’t already this past weekend at the Harvest Dinner). Cotton Bags How are they going for you? Are you using less plastic bags? Are you re-using your plastic bags? The reason I ask is this: we decided to use the cloth bags to reduce the amount of plastic bags our CSA (as a whole) puts in the land fill (or the recycle bin for that matter). It is a significant amount of additional work for us to use the cotton bags, which we are willing to do IF we are reducing the amount of plastic bags ending up in the trash/recycle. If the majority of our members are just putting the greens into new plastic bags and then throwing those bags out when finished, the additional work is no longer worth it to us. So…. no judgment here, just let me know how it’s going so that I can make educated decisions. Thank you! The Recipe Tangy Braised Cabbage Ingredients: · 4 tablespoons butter · 1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced · 1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, finely diced · 1/2 head of cabbage, coarsely chopped or shredded, about 8 cups · 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper · 3 tablespoons cider vinegar · 1/4 cup apricot preserves or apple jelly · salt, to taste Preparation: In a large saucepan or electric skillet, or Dutch oven, heat butter over low heat; add onion and apple; sauté for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until soft. Add cabbage, pepper, and vinegar; and preserves or jelly; toss to blend well. Cover tightly and simmer slowly over low heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until cabbage is very soft and tender. Add salt to taste. Serves 4. Cabbage with Creamy Sauce Ingredients: · 1 medium head of cabbage, about 1 1/2 pounds · 2 cups beef broth · 2 eggs, beaten · 3/4 cup half-and-half · 1/2 teaspoon salt · dash pepper · dash nutmeg · 3 tablespoons olive oil · 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar · 2 teaspoons sugar · ground sweet paprika Preparation: Cut cabbage into 8 wedges; wash. Place in a large saucepan or kettle; add beef broth and simmer, uncovered, until tender. Drain and keep cabbage warm. Combine eggs, cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In top of double boiler heat olive oil, vinegar, and sugar over direct heat. Stir hot mixture into the egg mixture then return to top of double boiler. Cook mixture over simmering water, stirring constantly, until thickened. Put cabbage in a warm bowl or serving platter; pour sauce over cabbage wedges. Sprinkle with paprika.Serves 4. That’s all for this week, we look forward to seeing you between 8-6 tomorrow - Daisy
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