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Tuesday June 7, 2011
Greetings CSA Members,
“I talked to a farmer who has farmed 74 years last week, and he said this is the worse spring he has ever seen.” (Farmer Friend in Argyle, NY)
Now that is quite a way to start the 2011 season, don’t you think? Indeed this season has presented many more obstacles and challenges than ever before. The weeds especially are overwhelming along with the abundance of insects and disease. We underestimated the damage of the heavy rains this Spring. Nonetheless, the crew just pulled out in trucks and tractors to harvest for tomorrow’s opening day. I believe everyone is grateful for warmth and sun and for finally diving into the season. It was a lovely sight to see legs swinging over the edge of the trailer, water bottles in hand, smiles on faces, and to hear Walter singing as I walked out to milk Spritz. Gillie, the one baby goat we kept is cuter than cute, jumping on my back and trying to play with Ruby (our dog). During milking, Gillie just loves to jump into the bowl holding Spritz’s grain. Sometimes Spritz sends her flying; other times Spritz just sighs and continues to munch on what is in front of her.
**Bread Share – Please email me by Thursday June 9th at noon if you intend to purchase the 4-week Bread Share. Your check does not need to be received by then, but please do put it in the mail as soon as possible. Thank you!
** For this week, only the primary email address holder will receive this newsletter. We are still working out the bugs on the website/database. Please forward to your spouses, friends, share partners etc. We hope to have this straightened out within the next week or so. Thank you for your understanding.
Each week when you read this email, I will tell you what is most likely in your share. Sometimes we don’t know exactly what will be harvested until we are knee-deep in the harvest. I will always tell you what I know and hey, a good surprise every now and again can be wonderful thing!
For those of you who will receive the egg share – just a little note from Peggy and Dick Ayres, the farmers: “If the eggs look a little small this week, they are. But they will increase in size very soon. We have layers-in-training (pullets).”
Please check Facebook and the website under Membershipfor any Current Notices.
Please read the Member Handbook and check out the Recipeson the website.
Please, Working Members, give a call a few days before you would like to work.
Enjoy your first share – Justine
This week in your share, you will most likely receive:
Lettuce, Spinach or Mesclun, Scallions, Garlic Scapes, Radish or Turnips, Summer Squash (maybe) or Chinese Cabbage or Bok Choi or Broccoli, and Cilantro.
(Did I mention that this has been a very challenging Spring – thus, the difficulty providing a concise list)
Cilantro
“Prized for its clean, fresh fragrance and flavor, cilantro (fresh coriander) is widely used in Middle Eastern, Asian, and Mexican cooking. Add fresh leaves to salad, salsa, dip, curry, and chili; it is best included at the end of cooking time. Cook chopped stems with beans and soups.” (Simply In Season)
“Since cilantro doesn’t stand up to much heat, it is usually added to a dish right before serving. Cilantro’s delicate leaves can be sensitive to moisture, so be sure to keep the bunch upright with the stems in a jar.” (Farmer John’s Cookbook)
Cilantro Cooking Tips:
Add fresh leaves to soups, stews, and stir-fries for an aromatic touch. Add cilantro leaves toward the end of cooking time to retain fresh flavor and color.
Toss fresh leaves into a green salad.
Chop into pasta and potato salads.
Add cilantro to scrambled eggs.
Add cilantro to your favorite vinaigrette
Marinated Radish Salad (Adapted from Simply In Season)
1 Bunch radishes, thinly sliced or julienned.
6-8 scallions, sliced.
2 Tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt if desired.
This salad can be served on its own or over lettuce, using the following dressing
Salad Dressing
¼ c. olive oil
1/8 c. lemon juice
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste.
Toss salad with dressing. Can be kept in a covered bowl in refrigerator for up to 4 hours.
Garlic Scape Pesto
1/2 lb. garlic scapes (chopped into 1" sections)
1 c. organic olive oil
2 c. grated parmesan cheese
In a blender, combine the scapes and olive oil. Pour mixture into bowl and blend the cheese in by hand.
When cooking Bok Choi, remember to sauté the stalks first and add the leaves later once the stalks have softened. For a quick dinner, cook brown or white rice (Jasmine or Basmati are excellent choices). Then 20 minutes before the rice is done, add 1-2 cups of washed spinach to your rice and let it steam on top as the rice finishes cooking in a different skillet, sauté in some olive oil the scallions, garlic scapes, and bok choi, and zucchini/summer squash until the garlic scapes have softened. Serve the vegetables over the cooked rice mixture. A salad can accompany the rice and vegetables, if desired.
Relevant Recipes from the Website:
Spinach and Scape Frittata
Bok Choi With Garlic and Ginger
Stir-fried Bok Choi
Lemon-Scented Pasta with Garlic Scapes and Veggies
Mashed Potatoes and Turnips with or without Roasted Pear Purée |
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You received this email because you are a member of the Denison Farm CSA.
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