CSA Harvest #16

If you are what you eat then this week each of you will be sweet corn! Finally after the weeks and months of waiting it is ready and we have lots of it to share! We're sure you remember of us writing about the corn woes we faced earlier this year when the seed kept rotting in the cold soil.
Also we are cursed with the dreaded wire worm at our farm which is the larvae of the click beetle. Crop rotations are a must when dealing with wire worm as they love root crops, corn and brassicas (cabbages/broccoli). In fact the last harvest of carrots you had were looking so beautiful and the next week we went to harvest more of them and the wire worms had moved in and made ugly tunnels through them and we had to share the rest with the pigs and not you.

When farming you must learn to roll with the punches since many of the things you plant and tend and care for never come to fruition. The bugs or deer eat them or the weeds take over seemingly overnight. Farming definitely teaches you the art of letting go. Each Fall we watch sadly as the first hard frost kills off the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Of course this sadness is quickly overshadowed by the growing excitement we feel at having some down time in the winter.

At this time of year on the farm we are busy clearing up spent crops (such as the cantaloupe which are done now). Also the large block of early tomatoes that you enjoyed early this summer. We are still planting as well, lettuce, spinach, chard, bok choy, radish and turnips. Enough things to carry us through the last weeks of CSA harvests.

We are embarrassed to be showing off the fields this year to those of you attending the potluck. Dealing with weeds on an organic farm is a battle and this season it is a battle we have lost! Instead of calling the farm walks "farm tours" we may be instead calling them weed identification walk. C'est la vie! Next year is a clean start!


We hope to see you all this Sunday for the potluck and weed identification walk! :)

Your farmers~ Suzie, Asinete, M.A, Violet, Sally and Grandma GG


Harvest This Week Includes:

Easter Egg Radish (we are more impressed with the leaves on these! Recipe ideas for the leaves below!)

Baby greens (a mix of arugula, mustard and green bibb lettuce)

Jalapenos (salsa anyone?)

Heirloom Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

Luscious Sweet Corn

Cucumbers

Summer Squash

Watermelon

Summer Squash

Bartlett Pears

Grapes

Garlic

Yellow Sweet Onion

Raspberries


How to Keep it Fresh and Eat it!

The Bartlett Pear!~
The Williams' bon chretien pear, commonly called the Williams pear, or Bartlett pear in the U.S. and Canada, is the most commonly grown variety of pear in most countries outside Asia. It is the pear that is most commonly used for canned pears. It is wonderful eaten fresh and also when baked. If your pears are still too firm to eat leave them at room temperature to ripen. Once they are ripe and soft to the touch they will last longer in the refrigerator.


Pear Frangipane Tart
Servings: 8

Pastry for 9-inch tart pan

1/2 pound blanched almonds

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 tablespoon Oloroso or other sweet Sherry

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, cut into 8 pieces

3 ( 1/2-pound) Bartlett pears, firm but ripe

Apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1. Prepare the pastry and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 20 minutes. Prick the shell with a fork and bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let come to room temperature.

2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and place a baking sheet on a low rack.

3. In a food processor, grind the almonds. Add 2/3 cup sugar, the eggs, vanilla, orange zest, Sherry and salt, and process to make a smooth, sticky paste. With the motor running, drop in the butter through the feed hole, piece by piece, and process until smooth.

4. Peel the pears, cut them in half lengthwise and with a spoon remove the vein for the stem and the seed pit. As you finish each pear half, slip it into a work bowl filled with a mixture of 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and enough water to cover all of the pears.

5. Spread the almond mixture in the base of the tart, using the back of a spoon to spread it as evenly as possible.

6. Pat each pear half dry and carefully cut it into thin crosswise slices, about 1/8 inch, keeping the pear in its original form. As you finish each pear half, lift it, using the flat of the knife as a spatula, and carefully place it in the tart pan, with the narrow stem end toward the center. Gently press down into the frangipane. Place each subsequent pear half next to the previous one in a spoke pattern until the tart is filled. Brush the pears with the melted butter and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon sugar.

7. Place the tart pan on the baking sheet and bake until the almond mixture is puffed and golden and the pears are tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

Each serving: 355 calories; 149 mg. sodium; 89 mg. cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 5.04 grams fiber.


Pear and Apple Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup cranberry juice

1/4 cup minced dried cranberries

1 tablespoon minced shallot

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt

Cracked pepper

1 pear

1 apple

1 lemon, cut in half

1 endive, sliced crosswise

5 cups mixed salad greens

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. Combine the rice vinegar, cranberry juice, cranberries, shallot, sugar, rosemary, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Let the dressing stand for the flavors to meld.

2. Meanwhile, cut the pear into quarters then core and slice. Place the slices in a shallow dish filled with water and the juice of half a lemon; the liquid should cover the fruit. Cut the apple into quarters, core and slice. Place the slices in a shallow dish with water and the juice of the remaining lemon half to cover.

3. Just before serving, drain the pears and apples. Toss together in a large bowl with the endive and salad greens. Arrange the salad on a platter and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Serve the dressing alongside.

Each serving: 250 calories; 1,143 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 46 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 5.99 grams fiber.


Honey-Poached Pear with Greek Yogurt and Toasted Walnuts
Total time: 50 minutes, plus cooling time

Servings: 4

1/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons honey, divided

2 cups sugar

1/2 slice lemon

3 black peppercorns

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 large Bartlett pears

1/2 lemon

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

1/2 teaspoon melted butter


1. Combine 4 cups water, one-fourth cup of the honey, the sugar, lemon slice and peppercorns in a large saucepan. Using a knife, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add to the mixture. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 10 minutes to blend the flavors.

2. Add the pears and simmer until they are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and lift the pears into a glass bowl, then pour over the juices. Let cool to warm. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

3. When you are ready to serve, remove the peel and stem from the pears. Halve each pear lengthwise and remove any seeds, if necessary. Cut each pear half into 4 wedges.

4. Arrange two pear wedges on a plate and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over them. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the yogurt on top. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the honey over the yogurt and around the pears on the plate. Repeat with the three remaining plates. Toss the toasted walnuts with the melted butter then scatter over the pears and serve immediately.
449 calories; 5 grams protein; 84 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 13 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 6 mg. cholesterol; 11 mg. sodium.
Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times

Radish Top Soup

Don't throw out your radish greens. Believe it or not, those fuzzy leaves can be transformed into a smooth green soup, with a hint of watercress flavor.
6 Tb butter
1 cup chopped onions or leeks
8 cups loosely packed radish leaves
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
6 cups liquid (water, chicken stock)
Salt
1/2 cup cream (optional)
Freshly ground pepper

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan, add onions or leeks, and cook until golden, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in radish tops, cover pan, and cook over low heat until wilted, 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook potatoes until soft in liquid along with 1 teaspoon salt. Combine with radish tops and broth, and cook, covered, for 5 minutes to mingle flavors. Puree finely in a food processor. Add cream if desired. Season to taste with butter, salt and pepper.

Spicy Stir-Fried Radish Greens
(Makes 2 servings, can easily be doubled.

8-10 ounces radish greens and/or swiss chard, washed and cut into 1/2 inch slices
2-3 tsp. peanut oil
2 large garlic cloves (for seasoning the oil)

sauce mixture:
1 T soy sauce (I like Kikkomans)
1 tsp. rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tsp. Agave nectar
1/4 tsp. (or less) Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce


Wash and dry radish greens and/or swiss chard. (I used a salad spinner.) If desired, soak greens for about 30 minutes in very cold water. (This makes sure they're crisp for the quick stir-frying.) Working in batches, cut greens crosswise into 1/2 inch slices.

Mix together sauce ingredients and set aside. Preheat the wok or large, heavy frying pan until it feels very hot when you hold your hand there, then add the oil. When oil looks shimmery, add the garlic cloves and cook about 30 seconds, making sure garlic doesn't start to brown. Remove garlic and discard.

Add chopped radish greens and/or swiss chard all at once and immediately begin to stir-fry, turning greens over and over just until they are almost all wilted. (For me this was only one minute, but I have a great gas stove with a burner with really high heat.) When greens are almost all wilted, add sauce ingredients, stir, and cook 30 seconds more. Serve hot.


Yummy!! Enjoy!!

CSA Harvest 15 and the arrival alas of the sweet corn!

The month of June is considered strawberry season in this neck of the woods but with the variety we have planted (seascape) our strawberry season last for 6 months out of the year. Above you can see Tione supervising the strawberry picking and Suzie's Mom lending a helping hand in the harvest (we truly are a family farm!) Tuesday and Friday are our strawberry harvest days. Tuesday we harvest for the CSA and Friday for the Sat Market in Roseburg. In the peak of strawberry production harvesting can take two people up to four hours a day. Today as we picked my Mom asked me what my favorite crops were to harvest.. definitely not the strawberries only because it can be so back breaking. My top two favorite crops to harvest are melons (love to see them turn yellow and then slip right off the vine) Also I love harvesting eggplant.. moving along the row with a sharp pair or pruners cutting the beautiful fruits and piling them into the box gives me a feeling of satisfaction.

And finally the sweet corn! It could have gone another day before harvesting to really fill out the kernels but if we waited until next week it would not be good. This is our first planting of corn! We have three more plantings maturing so there will be more to come! The variety we grow is a bi-color sweet corn called Luscious. Corn is the best picked straight off the plant, prepared accordingly (alot of times for us in the field preparing simply means peeling back the husk and munching!)and eaten. Immediately after picking sweet corn the sugars in it begin turning to starch. It is especially good grilled on the bbq.

Unfortunately this year has not been a good one for our sweet peppers. You will get a few today but it is a sad harvest compared to last year when we were literally harvesting wheelbarrows full of the fruits. Many of the peppers that have formed have developed huge scabs that are caused by the sun (called sun scald).. it happens to tomatoes as well and you may have noticed a bit on your raspberries (the white areas). Early this week I went through and removed bucket loads of the peppers that were the worst marred from the sun scald. If you notice a small spot on any of your peppers simply cut that part away, the rest is still good!


Potluck Sunday September 18th from 2-6pm! Please RSVP

Harvest This Week Includes:

Sweet Corn

Shallots

Red Torpedo Onion

Ambrosia Melon

Sweet Pepper

La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes (please wash well before enjoying)Don't worry about peeling these.. very thin skinned!

Beets

Strawberries

Raspberries (hopefully enough for all)

Basil

Cherry Tomato Mix

Heirloom Tomatoes

Summer Squash

Eggplant

How to Store it and Enjoy it!

La Ratte Fingerling Potatoes.. please excuse the mud on these. Their skins are so thin that we tried to rub dirt away and ended up rubbing off all the skin. They should be stored at room temp until ready to use. Only wash right before cooking!
This is the first time we have grown this certain variety of fingerling and we are very impressed with its high yields... will definitely be planting more of these next season. We will have two more varieties of fingerlings for you all to try as well.. French fingerling and rose finn. yummy!
More info about La Ratte fingerlings....
Long prized by French chefs as a top quality fingerling it is an absolute delight to cook with. Long uniform tubers, yellow flesh with firm waxy texture and a nice nutty flavor, holds together very well. Especially good for potato salad or as a boiled potato. Commands a high price both in the restaurant and fresh market trade

CSA Harvest #14

Good day everyone! We are excited to announce that there will now be fresh baked artisan breads avail for those of you picking up your baskets in Roseburg. Anthony (the baker) and Sandee his wife will be offering samples of their difft loaves with some avail to buy for $3 loaf. We have had their bread and it is delicious! The bread will be avail. for sampling and purchase from 5-6:30pm tomorrow (Wed) at the pick up site on Broccoli Street.

Here is a letter from Anthony regarding his breads!~

Hi, My name is Anthony Szlachciuk. I am a new baker and my specialty is Artisan sourdough bread.


Some of my clients are : "Black Bird Bar and Grill", "Mystic earth" and "Till it shines" coffee and deli.
You might have also seen me selling my loaves at Roseburgs "Old Town Market" on Thursday nights or "The Lookingglass Farm Market" on Fridays.


This week at the CSA pickup i will have four kinds of sourdough boules and batard loaves.


The types are:
1. Walnut Cranberry loaf
2. Currant loaf
3. Roasted Jalapeño and cheddar cheese
4. Plain Seeded(Flax, sesame and sunflower seed)
Come and see me for free samples of these tasty breads and I will have fresh bread for sale. loaves cost 3 dollars.


Thank you so much and sincerely at your service
anthony

We hope you find some time to sample their breads. We support community through community supported agriculture (and baked goods) ;)

Suzie, Asinete, M.A, Violet, Sally and Grandma GG


Harvest This Week Includes:

Fennel

Ambrosia Cantaloupe (super ripe.. eat promptly and store in fridge!)

Rainbow Chard

Garlic

Yellow sweet onions

Peaches OR Plums

Peppers (jalapeno and Anaheim. Chile Relleno recipe below!~

basil (finally)

Heirloom tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes

Strawberries

Raspberries (hopefully enough for all!)

Cucumbers

Summer squash

How to Use it!

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 10 minutesIngredients

1 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
1/4 cup olive oil
Method
1 Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters.
2 Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.

3 While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4 Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.



5 Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

Serves 6-10 as an appetizer. Or 3-4 for lunch (delicious served with cottage cheese on the side.)

Yield: Makes 24 small slices.


Caprese Salad
Yield- 4-5 servings

Ingredients
3 vine-ripe tomatoes, 1/4-inch thick slices
1 pound fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch thick slices (found this at Fred Meyer in their salad bar area)
20 to 30 leaves (about 1 bunch) fresh basil
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse salt and pepper
Directions
Layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella, adding a basil leaf between each, on a large, shallow platter. Drizzle the salad with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Baked Chile Rellenos with Corn and Crema
serves 4

Prep time 45 minutes, total time 1 hour
6 Anaheim chiles
5 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, or other Mexican melting cheese
½ cup Mexican crema
Procedures1
Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 375°.

2
Meanwhile, if you have a gas stove, turn heat to high on one of the burners, and set as many of the anaheims as will fit on the grate. Cook, flipping and moving the chiles often with a pair of tongs, until blackened on all sides. If you don't have a gas stove, turn on broiler to high. Place chiles on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, and place underneath the broiler. Cook, flipping occasionally with a pair of tongs, until blacked on all sides.

3
When chiles are blackened, transfer to a plastic bag and seal. Let them steam for at least five minutes. When done, peel off the blackened skins. Cut a slit down the side of each, starting under the stem and continuing down to the tip. Carefully remove the seeds, being careful not to tear the chile.

4
Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the corn cobs. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent, about two minutes. Add the corn, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until corn turns golden brown, about five minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

5
Carefully stuff each chile with a layer of ½ cup of the sauteed corn mixture, ¼ cup of the shredded cheese, and 1 ½ tablespoons of the crema. Finally, add a 1 ½ tablespoon of cheese on top of each slit. When stuffed, place each chile slit side up on a baking dish.

6
Transfer baking dish to the upper middle rack in the oven and cook for ten minutes. Turn on the broiler to high, and cook until the cheese is golden brown, about five minutes. Serve immediately.

CSA Harvest #13~ the halfway mark!

Here we are at the halfway point for CSA deliveries and the climax of the amount of produce you will be getting in your baskets. As you noticed in the early part of the CSA deliveries leafy greens reigned supreme, now the heat of summer and longer days have allowed the later maturing crops to ripen! Hello this week to eggplant, shallots, peaches and melons!
For those of you who love your lettuce it will be back as the days cool off. We have another planting of lettuce in the ground and the deer have found it. We do not have deer fencing... living on the flood plain of the river we are not willing to invest that much money into a project to have it wash away when the river decides to flood again. This means each year in the late summer when the hills dry up we have deer to contend with. By day they sleep in the shade along the river and at night while we sleep they help themsleves to their favorite things on the farm~ beans, lettuce, corn and carrots. In a few weeks you may find your carrot tops nibbled down or jagged edges on your head lettuce, the telltale sign that a deer has smapled it before you. Our dogs do their duty and bark from our fenced in yard but we do not like to let them loose to chase the marauding deer since we live right off of Highway 99 which is highly traveled at all hours. So please excuse any cosmetic flaws you may see (especially in your lettuce greens) in the next coming weeks!

We wanted to include some images from the great onion harvest of 2011! With Geronimo's help we were able to haul in the walla wallas, red torpedo, red marble, cipollini, red zepplelin, Alisa Craigs and copras. We store the onions on pallets under the shade of the fir trees. Be prepared for the large onion flood coming your way!

This year we have also experimented with growing shallots.. that delicious onion family member that tastes like onion crossed with garlic. Shallots are usually a delicacy item.. very expensive to plant from bulbs and seed. The shallots in your basket were started from seed way back on the cold day of February 2nd.. they did great and now hang in our barn drying for storage. You will see the shallots as regular visitors to your basket now too!


Please don't forget about our upcoming annual potluck at the farm happening September 18th from 2-6pm... please RSVP as soon as you can to let us know you will be attending, what you will be bringing and how many in your group.


This Week's Harvest Includes:

Potato Mix ( yukon golds, purple majesty and mountain rose) use combined for great colors!

Green Haricot Vert Beans and Yellow Wax Beans

Carrots

Strawberries (we are so impressed with these seascapes and how long they pump out these berries!)

Shallots

Tomatoes

Cherry Tomato Mix (includes sungolds, red cherry, isis candy, brown berry and lemon drop)

Cucumber

Summer Squash

Red Marble onion and Cipollini Onion

Dill (great with potatoes!)

Eggplant! (finally!)

Melons

Peaches (we are hoping enough for everyone) Please bear in mind the trees are young (only three years old) and only a few are really loaded with fruit. Also much to our dismay earwigs have come out at night and started to nibble into the ripening fruit. Next year we know now to apply tanglefoot (a sticky paste that you apply to the base of tree that prevents insects from crawling up the trunk) For this year please cut away any superficial holes you may see in these sweet, fragrant beauties!


How to Keep it and Eat it!

Eggplant~ these fruits are members of the nightshade family like their brothers tomatoes. They keep best loose in the crisper drawer of your fridge. They should be eaten within 5 days for best quality.

Baba Ganoush~ no eggplant introduction is complete without including this recipe! A wonderful dip for pita wedges or spread for sandwiches.

Ingredients
1 eggplant
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste in natural food section of grocery store)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2.Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.
3.Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

Spicy Szechwan Eggplant

Ingredients
1 large eggplant, diced
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon chili sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons water
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 large green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root
1/2 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined (can substitute chicken here)
1 pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon vegetable or sesame oil

Directions
1.Remove the eggplant stem and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, chicken stock, chili sauce, sugar, ground black pepper and oyster sauce. Stir together well and set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, and set aside.
2.Coat a large, deep pan with cooking spray over high heat and allow a few minutes for it to get very hot. Saute the garlic, half of the green onions, ginger and shrimp for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they begin to brown. Stir in the ground beef and cook for 3 more minutes, again stirring constantly, until browned.
3.Pour the eggplant into the pan and stir all together. Pour the reserved soy sauce mixture over all, cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and let heat until thickened. Finally, stir in the rest of the green onions and the sesame oil.

CSA Harvest #12

The colors and tastes of summer can be experienced in your basket this week. Finally so many of the crops that we have had our doubts would produce anything have finally started to come alive and decide to grow and produce something edible for us all. The corn is tasseling (finally!) Neon purple eggplant are appearing and we will harvest the first ripe melons tomorrow! A true sign that summer is upon us.

This week and last week we have been busy getting many of the fall crops planted. More broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kohlrabi, cilantro, baby greens, radishes and turnips. Soon as the days shorten and turn cool again it will be too late to start more things so we take advantage now of our warm days to get things to grow!

Also on the farm we are doing our big onion harvest. When we see the tops of the onion leaves start to turn brown and die back we know that the onion bulbs are done growing and it is time to stop irrigating them and let them start drying to cure for storage. We grow lots of onions (perhaps too much!) but we figured that onions were a staple that many of you use to cook your meals plus the onions can be stored for many months once cured and added to your baskets over a long period of time.
This week in your basket you will find a tremendous yellow onion, perhaps the biggest you have ever seen! This variety is an heirloom sweet variety called Alisa Craig.

Next week will be CSA harvest #13.. this means our halfway mark with 13 more weeks to go. It also means for some of you that the second half of your payment is due. If you are unsure of your balance please email us.

Also we hope you all can make it to our 4th annual Potluck/Farm Tour Sunday September 18th from 2-6pm. Please RSVP via email if you think you can make it!

Enjoy this week's bounty!

Suzie, Asinete, Tione, Grandma GG, M.A, Sally & Violet


Harvest This Week Includes:

Strawberries

Dill

Glacier and Oregon Spring Tomatoes

Summer Squash

Head Lettuce

Cucumbers

Cantaloupe (possibly on rotation) Small variety called Tasty Bites and larger Sarah's Choice.

Fennel Bulb

Beets

Alisa Craig Sweet Onion

Garlic

Yellow Wax and Haricot Vert green beans (half share this week)

Sungold Cherry Tomatoes (possibly on rotation.. hoping we can get more ripe ones on vine before delivery tomorrow!)

Raspberries (like cherry tomatoes possibly on rotation depending how many more ready to harvest in the am.)

How to Use it!

Roasted Beets with Dill

yield: Makes 6 servings

This simple side dish is even easier to prepare if you roast the beets the day before you plan to serve them.

Ingredients
2 pounds beets, trimmed (about 6 medium)
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter (can use less and still tastes great!)
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
print a shopping list for this recipe

Preparation Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets in small roasting pan with 1/4 cup water. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Cool slightly. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Peel beets. Cut into 1-inch pieces.

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Stir in dill and lemon juice. Add beets and toss until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; serve.


Creamy Beet with Dill Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds raw beets, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large onion, cut into large dice
1 tablespoon butter
1 pinch sugar
3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1 teaspoon toasted caraway seeds*
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth, homemade or from a carton or can
2 tablespoons fresh dill
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Garnish: chopped hard-cooked egg

Directions
1.Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan until shimmering.
2.Add beets, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until squash start to turn golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
3.Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich spotty caramel color, about 10 minutes longer.
4.Add caraway seeds and cayenne pepper; continue to saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer.
5.Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until beets are tender, about 10 minutes.
6.Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree (adding fresh dill) until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If using a traditional blender, vent it either by removing the lid's pop-out center or by lifting one edge of the lid. Drape the blender canister with a kitchen towel. To 'clean' the canister, pour in a little half-and-half, blend briefly, then add to the soup.)
7.Return to pan (or a soup pot); add enough half-and-half so the mixture is soup like, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Heat through, ladle into bowls, garnish and serve.
Footnotes

*To toast caraway seeds, heat 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds in a small skillet over medium-low heat until they start to gently pop and smell fragrant. Cool slightly, then crush with a rolling pin.

CSA Harvest #11

Eleven weeks down and 15 more to go and the best things are still to come! Peaches which are ripening, sweet corn tasseling, melons growing, eggplant, basil, shallots, winter squash, pears, brussels sprouts, and much more!

For many of you this is the first time you have tried a CSA program. As you wade through new and possibly strange vegetables (ie: kohlrabi!) each week you may wonder again what the benefits are of eating locally. We found this list of reasons why it is important to eat locally and in season. This list is not complete but it is a good start!

10 Reasons to Eat Local Food

1. Eating local means more for the local economy. According to a study by the New Economics Foundation in London, a dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction. (reference)

2. Locally grown produce is fresher. While produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big-box store has been in transit or cold-stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer's market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time.

3. Local food just plain tastes better. Ever tried a tomato that was picked within 24 hours? 'Nuff said.

4. Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen. Because the produce will be handled less, locally grown fruit does not have to be "rugged" or to stand up to the rigors of shipping. This means that you are going to be getting peaches so ripe that they fall apart as you eat them, figs that would have been smashed to bits if they were sold using traditional methods, and melons that were allowed to ripen until the last possible minute on the vine.

5. Eating local is better for air quality and pollution than eating organic. In a March 2005 study by the journal Food Policy, it was found that the miles that organic food often travels to our plate creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefit of buying organic. (reference)

6. Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons. By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.

7. Buying locally grown food is fodder for a wonderful story. Whether it's the farmer who brings local apples to market or the baker who makes local bread, knowing part of the story about your food is such a powerful part of enjoying a meal.

8. Eating local protects us from bio-terrorism. Food with less distance to travel from farm to plate has less susceptibility to harmful contamination. (reference)

9. Local food translates to more variety. When a farmer is producing food that will not travel a long distance, will have a shorter shelf life, and does not have a high-yield demand, the farmer is free to try small crops of various fruits and vegetables that would probably never make it to a large supermarket. Supermarkets are interested in selling "Name brand" fruit: Romaine Lettuce, Red Delicious Apples, Russet Potatoes. Local producers often play with their crops from year to year, trying out Little Gem Lettuce, Senshu Apples, and Chieftain Potatoes.

10. Supporting local providers supports responsible land development. When you buy local, you give those with local open space - farms and pastures - an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped.

As farmers we would also like to add that commercial farmers only collect about 10 cents of the retail food dollar. The majority of that food dollar goes to brokers, advertising and shipping cost. Local farmers like Big Lick Farm who sell directly to the consumers cut out the middle person and get full retail price for their food. Farmers can earn a fair wage to raise their families.


Upcoming Farm Tour and Potluck!

We hope you can all join us for our annual farm tour/potluck. We have decided on Sunday, September 18th from 2-6pm. More details to come as we near the date! We hope you can all come out and see where/how your food is grown!

Enjoy this week's goodies!

Suzie, Asinete, Tione, Grandma GG, M.A, Sally and Violet

Harvest This Week Includes:

Kohlrabi (peel until you get to the tender flesh inside)

Garlic

Walla Walla Onion (please store in fridge!)

Green Simpson Lettuce

Cucumber

Squash mix (zephyr and costata romanesco zucchini)

Italian Flat Leaf Parsley (recipe ideas below)

Tomatoes

Strawberries

Raspberries OR Sungold Cherry Tomatoes

Maxibel Haricot Green Beans (full share only this week.. new planting just kicking into production).


Recipe Ideas:

Flat leaf parsley is a mainstay of our gardens each year. It grows all season and as we cut it it just comes back again better than before. Parsley is so good for you too! It is rich in Vitamins A and C and the minerals, iron and calcium.

Your parsley will keep very fresh stored in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. We love it especially chopped very fine and added to our fresh green salads. If you would like to get more fancy here are some ideas!

Tabouli
2 cups bulgur
2 cups boiling water
1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch mint
3 cloves garlic
4 tomatoes
3 scallions
juice of 4 lemons
⅓ cup olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste

1. Place bulgur in large bowl, add boiling water and toss well with a fork. Let rest in refrigerator for ½ hour.

2. Finely chop mint and parsley; peel and finely chop garlic. Cut tomatoes into ¼” cubes. Slice scallions finely.

3. Add all vegetables to bulgur. Combine lemon juice and olive oil. Pour over bulgur-vegetable combination. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Let flavors blend for at least two hours before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.


Chimichurri a traditional Argentine spicy condiment that is typically served with grilled and roasted meats

1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons minced onion
1/3 cup vinegar
5 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Finely chop the parsley and garlic in a food processor. Add the onion, vinegar, water, salt, oregano, pepper flakes, and black pepper and process until the salt crystals are dissolved.

2. Add the oil in a thin stream. Do not over process. The chimichurri should be fairly coarse.

3. Correct the seasoning, adding additional salt or vinegar to taste. Let stand at room temperature for several hours before serving.

CSA Harvest #10

Hooray for summer that is actually outside and now reflected in your CSA baskets! Tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash and berries. The luscious bi-color sweet corn will not be far behind. We would have been getting ready to harvest the first crop by now if our first two sowings had not rotted in the cold, wet spring soil. Many of the other U-Pick farms in our area will have corn long before us since the seed they plant is treated with chemical fungicides to protect them from rotting in the uncertain Spring weather. Due to our certification with Certified Naturally Grown we are not allowed to use these seeds and chemicals and instead we need to rely on Mother Nature to let us know when the time is right for the corn to grow on its own. Of course this method resulted in quite a bit of wasted seed that rotted and time planting and replanting only to have nothing sprout. Still we would not farm any other way!

We wanted to include a picture of our faithful helper who arrives every Monday and works nine hours straight stopping only for an occasional sip of water. Geronimo comes from Oaxaca,Mexico and is a great help to us this season. His help allows us more time to play with Tione and make sure his needs are met. The pictures above show Geronimo digging up the potatoes that you will be enjoying in your baskets this week. Potato digging is hard work and I am not very good at it. I seem to find the potatoes best by spearing them underground with my digging fork. If you see spuds in your basket that have nicks or cuts it's a safe bet that they are ones I harvested. Please enjoy nicked ones first since they do not store as well. In your baskets this week is a mix of Red Pontiac potatoes, Mountain Rose (look inside when you cut them and see the beautiful rose colored hue!) Also the magnificent but stingy yielding Purple Majesty Potato. We have over 8 other varieties of potatoes growing at the farm yet to harvest!


Enjoy your bounty!

Suzie, Asinete, Tione, M.A, Violet, Sally and Jeanne


Harvest This Week Includes:

Potato Mix

Romano Beans

Carrots (new crop! yummy!)

Green Onions

Strawberries

Rainbow Chard

Summer Squash Mix

Cucumbers

Raspberries (this week we do hope for everyone! If not enough for all those who did not get last week will!)


How to Cook it and Store it!

Rainbow chard is one of the favorite crops we grow at the farm for a number of reasons. First of all every time we pick a bunch we don't know whether to cook it up or put it in a flower vase to enjoy its vibrant colors! Another reason is that chard is a crop that we can keep harvesting from almost all season. As we harvest the outer, largest leaves the new leaves keep coming up from the middle. The majority of the crops that we grow at the farm are harvested once and done (carrots, potatoes, beets, onions, turnips, radish, head lettuce). The last reason we love chard is because it is so darn tasty, easy to prepare and so good for you! Chard has high levels of magnesium, calcium, vitamin K, iron, potassium, vitamin A, folate, zinc, copper, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and vitamin E. Not only beautiful but good for you too!

Your chard will keep best wrapped in plastic bag in crisper drawer. Use by the weekend in one of the recipe ideas below.

Stuffed Chard Leaves

ingredients

1 pound 90%-lean ground beef
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 medium shallots, minced, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
8 large Swiss chard leaves, stems removed (see Tip)
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

directions

1.Gently mix beef, breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon shallot, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until just combined. Divide the mixture into 8 oblong 3-inch portions.

2.Overlap the two sides of a chard leaf where the stem was removed and place a portion of beef there. Tightly roll the chard around the beef. Place each roll, seam-side down, in a large nonstick skillet. Pour in broth, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer; cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a roll reads 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes. Discard any remaining broth.

3.Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining shallot, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot is soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened, about 8 minutes. Serve the chard rolls topped with sauce and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

4.Tip: Remove chard stems, including the widest section of the rib at the base of the leaf, by making narrow triangular cuts.


Chard with Olives and Goat Cheese

ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound chard, stems and leaves separated, chopped (see Note)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives (can use kalamata)
1/4 cup currants
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (2 ounces)

directions

1.Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chard stems, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chard leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in olives and currants. Dot goat cheese over the top, cover and cook until the chard is tender and the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes more.
2.Note: After washing the chard for these recipes, allow some of the water to cling to the leaves. It helps steam the chard and prevents a dry finished dish.

recipe source
eatingwell


Easy Chard Recipe

Ingredients

1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard
1 small clove garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp water
Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon butter
Salt

1 Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard or save for another recipe. Roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.

2 Heat a saucepan on a medium heat setting, add olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top. Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes (remove a piece and taste it). Add salt to taste, and a small amount of butter. Remove the swiss chard to a serving dish.