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Monday July 25, 2011
Greetings Purchase CSA Members,
Just when I think that it will be smooth sailing, another obstacle appears on the horizon. And so along with the heat wave of last week, we encountered birds in the numbers not unlike that of Hitchcock's The Birds, joined by several hungry families of neighboring racoons all feasting on your corn! We have a few tricks up our sleeves to help put them all at bay, but the damage in the meantime was incredible. Last year's abundance due to such an early Summer and heat revealed itself in the size and quantity of vegetables. This year's abundance lies in the enormous quantity of weeds, insects, and vegetable loving birds and animals. We have dear friends who just acquired a new puppy and named him Sedge because the weed, sedge, is so prolific on their farm!
Enough bad news - here is the good news. Rebeca, our right arm on the farm here, madame of all trades, has created a fundraising page on the ASA (Agricultural Stewardship Association) website in order to encourage everyone who reads her page to donate towards the conservation easement which will preserve this farm as a farm forever. I began to tear right up reading her piece and hope that you enjoy what she has to say.
Enjoy your share this week - Justine
This week in your share, you most likely will receive:
Lettuce, Parsley, Scallions, Fairytale Eggplant, Green Peppers, Green Beans, Tomato, Corn, Summer Squash/Zucchini
Hi everyone!
As you know, I have been working at Denison Farm since 2005. I started as a CSA member with a working share and am now in my third year as crew boss. These past years have been the most amazing and transformational of my life and I have come to truly love the land that I work on. Both the view from the tractor and the view under the mulch are continuous sources of awe, inspiration and learning. I have seen the soil and crops improve under Brian Denison's care and taken pride in the vegetables that we grow and harvest. I have seen wildlife thrive in the parts of the farm that we purposely leave wild, and even in the cultivated areas where we protect them in the midst of our work. I have learned so much and have been inspired to have my own farm someday soon.
Like many other farms across New York state -- really, across the nation and world at large -- the land that Denison Farm sits on is under pressure from surrounding development. That development pressure drives up the prices of farmland, making it hard for new farmers (like me!) to be able to afford purchasing a farm to start their own business. The great majority of farmers in the USA are over 55 and when they are ready to retire and pass on that land, it is vital that it remain affordable for the next generation. One way to keep down the costs of valuable farmland is to sell the development rights to the land. This is where organizations like the Agricultural Stewardship Association come in.
(The Agricultural Stewardship Association (ASA) is a nonprofit land trust that has assisted farmers in Washington and Rensselaer counties with the protection of almost 12,000 acres of farmland since 1990, for help.)
Caramelized Fairy Tale Eggplant
It’s still early for traditional eggplant, but the tiny Fairy Tale variety is in full swing at the Farmers’ Markets and here at Denison Farm. Cuteness aside, Fairy Tales are less seedy than their large Italian counterparts and lack their bitterness. They do not have to be peeled and are perfect grilled or sauteed.
1 red or green pepper
4-5 Fairy Tale eggplants
Olive oil to coat the pan, plus more for drizzling
2 tbs. aged balsamic vinegar, plus 1 tbs. for drizzling
1 tbs. dried oregano
1 tbs. chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Roast red pepper, and allow to cool. Remove skin and seeds and julienne and then set aside. Wash eggplants, and halve lengthwise. Lightly coat a hot 16-inch sauté pan with olive oil, and set heat to medium-high. Add eggplant, and caramelize until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Deglaze with 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and then add the roasted pepper and herbs. Serve hot, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Grilled Zucchini and Fresh Corn With Baby Basil
3-4 small zucchini and yellow squash
Fleur de sel and white pepper
Kernels from 4-6 ears of corn
3-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh basil
2 teaspoons butter
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and then make several shallow slashes in each cut side. Season with salt and pepper, and coat all over with olive oil. Barely cook the zucchini on a hot grill pan (do not allow them to get soft). Slice into 1/2-inch chunks.
Bring 3 tablespoons of water to a boil in a saucepan, and whip in the butter until emulsified. Add the corn, and heat gently (do not bring to a boil; you want the kernels crunchy and barely cooked). Stir in the basil, fleur de sel, and pepper. Add the zucchini to the corn, and heat briefly. Place the salad on a platter and serve immediately.
Mixed Bean Salad
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons grainy mustard
1 can (15.5 ounces) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Coarse salt and ground pepper
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook green beans until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, oregano, shallot, and mustard. Add green beans, red kidney beans, and chickpeas; toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Scallions with Lemon/Parsley Butter
This recipe calls for more scallions than you are receiving in your share. But I thought the general idea of combining scallions with a lemon/parsley butter sounded great. Green Beans and the Fairytale Eggplant would be wonderful to add to this recipe as well.
2-5 bunches scallions
1/4 stick unsalted butter, well softened
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Season with Salt and Pepper
Trim roots from scallions, leaving ends intact, and remove any bruised outer leaves. Trim greens, leaving a 9-inch length of white and green parts.
Cook scallions in a deep 12-inch skillet of boiling salted water until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
While scallions are cooking, stir together butter, zest, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Drain scallions in a colander, then arrange in a shallow serving dish and gently brush with lemon parsley butter.
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You received this email because you are a member of the Denison Farm CSA.
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