CSA Week 3

It feels like summer has arrived not only because the Memorial Day weekend signals it , but because the weather seems to have made the shift! The sun's warmth on our bodies and on the plants makes us all lean toward it basking in the energy. Steve will say what he really enjoys is the breeze! It is a refreshing kiss while working in the gardens! 

The plants love this weather and are happily growing. Each day a leaf unfurls or a strawberry ripens to its peak. The blueberries are plumping and the tomato and corn plants are firmly established. The baby squash and cucumber plants are coming on strong, and the Swiss chard and green beans will be ready to harvest soon. Sunflowers and zinnias are also coming along nicely, so it won't be long before flower bouquets appear in your bucket. 

 It is so gratifying to walk through the gardens and choose what we will harvest for you this week.  Do you find yourself wondering what you will receive? We are still in a spring harvest, but it won't be long before the traditional summertime vegetables we all long for appear. Until then, enjoy spring's bounty. The greens will be gone when the summertime heat truly kicks in! 

This week's bucket will include: 
strawberries, radishes, spring onions,  baby mixed lettuces, spinach, arugula, and kale. 

Arugula is a spicy green you can add to your salad greens. I like to serve a bed of arugula with pieces of sweet watermelon and a sprinkle of goat cheese. Or you could use a few of your fresh strawberries instead of the watermelon! This simple salad is delicious topped with a balsamic glaze. You can find balsamic glaze with salad dressings at Whole Foods.

We hope you enjoy this week's harvest!

Mixed Baby Lettuces

Sweet and juicy sun kissed strawberries!

Garlicscapes,  onions, lettuce, and Sally!

Appreciating the detail!

Blueberries ripening soon!

The dance of summer flowers

Remembering and honoring our fallen soldiers

CSA WEEK 2

Eating  a seasonal harvest is what Community Supported Agriculture is all about. We work with the conditions of each season to grow what the climate allows. As you are aware this spring has been one of rain, rain, and more rain! The abundance of rain has delayed putting plants in the ground for most farmers in our area which means the harvesting times will be later. We will have to see how the continued rain may affect the crops, but for now the gardens are holding up!

 This week's bucket will bring you more greens! The spinach is still beautiful and we will bring it to you as long as we have it. Remember, it can be washed, roughly chopped, and frozen for fresh dips, soups, and stews. All varieties of Kale can also be frozen in the same way. Freezer bags work great. Just squeeze out as much air as you can before sealing. Double bagging will insure less chance of freezer burn. 

You will also receive a mix of salad lettuces, a bunch of radishes, spring onions, and a few spring garlics. The spring garlic is prized by chefs. It is actually the garlic before the cloves form. Use it like a spring onion in cooked dishes, or raw chopped and added to marinades or vinaigrettes. 

We also hope to have a few surprises in your bucket! Read on for some suggestions on preparations for your bucket this week.

One of my favorite ways to change up salad greens is to top them with a medley of roasted veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, onions, etc…Roasting veggies is as easy as cutting them into bite size pieces, and tossing in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, & any fresh or dried herbs you like. Pour the coated veggies onto a parchment lined (for easy clean-up) cookie sheet and roast at 400 degrees until veggies are just tender.  Toss the greens and veggies together with a vinaigrette made of extra virgin olive oil, a flavored vinegar such as fig balsamic, and salt & pepper. You can also add in a few fresh herbs like thyme or chives. Top the salad with goat cheese crumbles and serve with a crusty bread. This is great as a side dish, or add grilled chicken or salmon to make a meal.

Finally, here is a spinach and pasta recipe I've adapted from Giada Laurentis post on The Food Network. Make your own changes to suit your family's tastes!

Pasta with Spinach Sauce

4 servings

Ingredients

½  pound penne or fettucinne

1 garlic clove

2 ounces goat cheese

1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally.

Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper and half of the spinach leaves. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.

Meanwhile, place the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl.

Drain the pasta, reserving ¼  cup of the cooking liquid. Spoon the pasta atop the spinach leaves in the bowl. Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmesan over and serve.

Pasta with Spinach Sauce 

Chicken and Sundried Tomato Pizza

Appreciating the bounty of the land, the love of cooking, and the pleasure of sharing a meal with family and friends!

May you and your family have a healthy and happy week!

Karen & Steve Persinger

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Begins May 15th

Greetings CSA Members,

We are happy to announce May 15th as the beginning date for our CSA! It has been a difficult spring with lots of rain and cool temperatures, but thanks to perseverance - and a hoop house- we are ready to bring you the freshest, seasonal, harvest possible!

Your first bucket will include lots of greens! One of our favorite early spring veggies is spinach. You will receive a big bag of spinach. It will be enough to cook for 2 people, or served raw will make enough salad for a crowd. We anticipate having spinach in the bucket for a few weeks, so you will be able to try it several ways. Spinach will keep in the refrigerator for a week or more, and it also freezes very well. Just rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Chop the spinach and stuff in a plastic freezer bag. It is great to to toss in soups, or add some of the thawed chopped spinach to a store bought container of spinach dip to add fresh flavor.

We will also be harvesting 2 types of kale: Toscano (also called dinosaur or lacinato) and red Russian. Kale is packed with nutrients and is an excellent source for antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K. Both types of kale are great for sautéing in olive oil with onions as a side dish. If you make green smoothies, this is the veggie for you.  Kale chips  is also a delicious way to eat these greens. Below is my favorite recipe for kale chips, but there are lots on the internet, so explore and find your favorite!

You will also receive sorrel which is a tangy, lemony tasting green. You can add it to a tossed salad or seafood salad, or chop and use as an herb mixing it into tomato based soups and stews at the end of cooking time.

The bucket will round out with a mix of lettuces, a few carrots and spring onions, as well as a few herbs for seasoning!

We hope you will enjoy exploring and feasting on the flavors of the season!

KALE CHIPS

Ingredients:

·      1 large bunch of kale. (A large leaf such as Dinosaur or Red Russian works best)

·      salt

·      smoked paprika (or try adding your own favorite seasoning)

·      sesame or olive oil 

Directions:

·      Trim kale leaves from the ribs and cut into large pieces (they will shrink as they cook). Discard the ribs to the compost bucket.

·      Wash the leaves and spin dry in a salad spinner or blot dry with towels.

·      Taking half the leaves at a time toss them in a large bowl with 2 tsp oil and ½ tsp each of salt and paprika. Use your hands to toss the leaves until they are fairly evenly coated with the oil and seasonings.

·      Place the kale pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake in a 250- degree oven for 20 minutes or until the leaves are completely dry to the touch. You can possibly put several baking sheets into the same oven to save time.  Once dry, remove the kale to a plate to cool before storing in an air- tight container.

Repeat steps with the remaining leaves.

Making your own kale chips is pretty time consuming, but it is a healthy, crunchy snack and SO much cheaper than what you will pay for store-bought.

Rising Fawn Gardens

www.risingfawngardens.com