What is to come for the July 2nd delivery?...
Kale, Chard, Beets, Carrots, Lettuce (Red Romaine, Green Romaine, Red Oak Leaf, Buttercrunch Bibb), Basil ( Italian, Lemon, Cinnamon, & Thai), Zucchini (Yellow & Italian), Patty Pan Summer Squash, French Filet Beans, & Scallions. The herbs you may choose from Parsley (Flat leaf and Curly), Dill, Cilantro, Sage, Chives, Oregano, Thyme & Anise Hyssop. We also have fresh cut flower bouquets if you are interested. Pictured above are Valentine Red Romaine Lettuce, Jericho Green Romaine Lettuce, & a beautiful sunflower with one of our wonderful pollinators.
Please let us know of your preferences. We are still experiencing difficulties with the pictures but hope to have this remedied by the beginning of the week.
We are looking forward to taking this weekend off and relaxing. The plants are still growing steadily. We should all hope for a bit of rain.
Just a note about the summer squash that we grow. Zucchini:
Costata Romanesco is a heirloom Italian zucchini. It is at the peak of it's flavor when at least 12 inches long. Unlike regular zucchini it is better when it is a bit bigger. We like to compare the flavor to artichoke hearts. I think you will agree that it is the best tasting zucchini by far.
Yellow Zuchinni: Your traditional zucchini with a bright yellow/golden flesh. A tender zucchini with the optimal size of 6-8 inches.
Patty Pan: A small summer squash shaped a bit like a flying saucer. The variety we are growing this year is yellow with a green tip. Although it seems to not be uniform in color. (Unfortunately not all organic seed is created the equal). These summer squash can be prepared like any other however, they create a unique texture and shape to the dish you might be preparing. Oh and they fit perfectly on a skewer for grilling.

Veggie Lasagna

This great recipe is from my friend Mary, whom is a cook and a farmer. Originally from Ohio she now fills happy bellies in Denmark. Not to mention her amazing baby boy Noah and super awesome husband Anders. Thank you both for all of the laughs.

-2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

-2 small eggplant, thinly sliced

-2 carrots, grated

-1 block firm/extra firm tofu

-fresh oregano, chopped

-finely chopped nuts

-salt, pepper

-about 2 cups favorite tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 325. In a mixing bowl, combine tofu, oregano, salt, and pepper. In a large lasagna pan, spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Place a layer of zucchini on top. Add a layer of the tofu mixture. Add a layer of grated carrot. Add a layer of tomato sauce. Alternate in this pattern until all ingredients are used of pan is full, ending with sauce. Sprinkle nuts over the top and bake for about 30 min. Énjoy with friends and/or family.

Dear Members,
This is a very exciting week for us at the farm. We have been blessed to have the perfect amount of rain and sunshine and the veggies are growing faster than ever. Beets and Carrots are abundant and bringing us to the end of the spring crops as we head to the summer goodies. We have almost managed to clean out our spring section of the garden just in time for the squash and beans to be heading up. Most of the greens are still coming, but some will have to wait for fall to return. Lettuce is abundant as well as chard and kale.
Pictured above are Golden Beets, Red Beets and Chioggia Beets.
We have been appreciating your feedback and requests for your produce. We ask that you have your requests in by Monday evening. This helps to make our harvest/processing and packing easier.
Sam and I are still working on the pictures. But we are working harder on the crops.
We are happy to have had such a great response on the fruit share. I think it will be a great combination. Please have your checks in by July 15th to facilitate the paperwork.
We will be taking this Sunday off from market to visit with our family. We wish you all a wonderful and safe summer.
Below are two awesome Carrot recipes. I love soups anytime of year and these are two fast soups to keep you out of the kitchen and to keep you cool.

curry chick pea and ginger soup

This recipe is from my friend Darren. He is definitely the best song writer in Berks County. Thank you for all the great music and shows.

3 cloves garlic (diced)
2 whole onions (diced)
4 cups chicken or veg stock
2 cans chick peas (rinsed and strained)
3 carrots (chopped)
2 tsp curry powder
_ tsp tumeric
_ tsp. salt
_ tsp. ground ginger
_ tsp fresh cracked pepper
_ cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)

1. boil onions and garlic in chicken stock for 5 minutes
2. stir in the rest of the ingredients and boil for another 15 minutes
3. reduce to low for 15 more minutes adding the milk about halfway
4. blend
ENJOY!

Carrot Lentil Soup

This is an adaptation creation. A quick soup for the summer.

½ cup lentils (dry green or red)

1 medium onion chopped

½ pound carrots chopped

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon vegetable broth powder

3 cups water

1 tsp salt

¼ cup fresh cilantro

2 cloves garlic

1 cup yogurt (plain goat yogurt is perfect for this)

Sautee onion, and lentils in 2 tablespoon olive oil, for 5 minutes. Add water and vegetable broth and bring to boil. Add carrots and simmer until carrots are soft. In a food processor prepare a cilantro pesto: garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, & cilantro. Blend the broth mixture with the pesto and yogurt in the food processor. Garnish with a dolup of yogurt and a sprig of cilantro. Enjoy. Serves 4.

Dear Members,
We apologize that we have been having a bit of trouble getting new pictures to the blog. We are working to remedy this very soon.
You should have received an email referring to our offering of a fruit share beginning July 23rd. If you are interested please send the check ($45.00) to the farm 211 Twin County Rd Morgantown, PA 19543. We are looking forward to working with Frecon Farms. They have a true dedication to local foods and great peaches.
We have been very thankful for your wonderful comments. We are working hard to provide a high quality service and we are glad it is working. And keep the requests coming. It helps to learn who you are and what you like.
This week we will be harvesting:beets (3 kinds), baby carrots, turnips, radishes, romaine lettuce (red and green), snow peas, swiss chard, kale, & basil (lemon, Italian, Thai, & Cinnamon). If you are interested in herbs we have: oregano, chives, garlic chives, cilantro, dill, & sage.
What is coming soon? ..... chives, beans & summer squash.
Here are some ideas for Beets. We grow Chioggia Beets ( red and white stripes, great for salads extra tender and sweet, they turn pink when cooked), Red Beets (your standard red beet), & Golden Beets (Wonderful yellow/orange color). Don't forget you can eat the greens too.

Cold Beet Orange Salad

It is my belief that beets are best when the eaten with very little preparation.

This recipe makes a great dish for picnics, can be added to tacos or tostadas with black beans. Refreshing and full of strong energy.

4 medium sized beets cleaned and grated

1 large navel orange ( I like navel the best but if you are a Valencia person go ahead. Other sweet citrus works great with this also)

Squeeze the orange juice on to the shredded beets. Add zest as a garnish and serve.

Cold Beet Goat Cheese Salad

Another simple beet recipe. You can add chopped oranges to this too if you like.

4 medium sized beets cleaned and cubed

¼ pound goat cheese (chevre)

Steam the cubed beets until you can sink a fork into them. Boiling is also an option but I feel steaming keeps the flavor better. Chill. The beets should be nice and chilled before adding the goat cheese otherwise the cheese melts. This still tastes good but is not very pretty. Mix crumbled goat cheese and serve. Chives make a nice garnish for this dish.

Warm Beets

Never underestimate the amazing flavors of vegetables simply cooked with garlic and butter. I can eat almost anything this way. You may use a butter alternative if necessary.

4 medium beets cleaned and cubed

1 tablespoon butter

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon water

Sautee all ingredients in a pan on low heat until you can stick a fork into the beets. You can also bake this same combination at 375 for approximately 35minutes.

Enjoy

Dearest CSA members,
This week in your box you may receive: garlic scapes, lettuce, radishes, chard, kale, baby carrots, beets, salad mix, arugula, turnips, snow peas, and daikon radishes. Please let us know if there is something you would prefer. We still have the lighter butter head and loose leaf lettuces. It is often hard to predict the veggies as it is hard to predict the weather. They go hand in hand. Pictured above are German Giant Radishes, & Swiss Chard.
Things are growing leaps and bounds in the garden. The squash is blossoming and there are the tiniest sweetest looking baby zucchini you ever did see.
What follows is information about something we grow a lot of Swiss Chard:

Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard is probably the most abundant crop of the summer season. We delightfully call it “Summer Lettuce” because it thrives in the heat when all other greens melt to the ground. Swiss Chard is basically a glorified beet green. It actually has the same latin name as beets (beta vulgaris). Both beets and chard are very closely related to spinach. Swiss chard & beet greens can be substituted for spinach in almost any recipe. The preparation for spanikopita or creamed spinach would be the same if you simply substituted Swiss Chard. Swiss Chard is great eaten raw in salads. We use chard in many of our salad mixes. It is great steamed like many of the other greens. One of my favorite preparations is to use Chard to make dolmas or stuffed chard leaves.

Dolmas

Makes 12 leaves.

12 large Swiss Chard leaves, cleaned & stems removed

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp tamari

½ tsp your choice fresh finely chopped herbs (oregano, thyme, mint, basil)

2 finely chopped scallions

Mix brown rice, lemon juice, tamari, herbs and scallions in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator. Steam Swiss Chard leaves keeping them flat (a bamboo steamer works well for this). Only steam them until slightly wilted (2-3 seconds on a rolling boil). Gently remove the leaves and pat dry with a towel. Place leaves in refrigerator for 5 minutes to chill. When all ingredients have chilled, remove from the refrigerator and begin to roll. Gently place Chard leaves flat on cutting board. Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the rice mixture into the middle fold in the sides and roll starting with the stem side and working toward the tip. Place on a dry plate with the loose end down. Continue until all of the leaves are rolled. Place rolls in refrigerator until ready to serve. They are wonderful snacks packed with lots of energy. A great appetizer for pot lucks and picnics. Enjoy.

Daikon

OOPS! I almost forgot the Daikon.

Daikon Radish

Daikon is more versatile than it seems. It is a potent radish that is amazing for clearing out stagnation in your body. Eaten raw is best, but if you find that too harsh steaming mellows out the bite.

I use daikon a lot in miso soup. We eat miso soup at least once a week. Chop it thin or chunky whatever your preference.

Daikon is nice when it is sliced into very thin strips. This is a great way to eat it raw, on salads, in nori rolls or as a garnish. I have also had amazing Vietnamese Hoagies made with tofu, topped with shredded carrots and daikon.

And another amazing way I am told but have yet to try is to roast it and eaten in a sandwich.

Dear Members
We hope you enjoyed your first full box of the spring season. We were trying out a system of writing the items on your label. This was slightly more efficient but next week we will be trying something new. I enlarged your names and put them in bold face for next weeks delivery. I realize that the previous labels are a bit hard to read. We are all figuring out the bugs together. I appreciate all of your feedback and suggestions.
Pictured above are snow peas, hakurei turnips, & black seeded simpson lettuce.

Peas

In general I feel that peas have had a bad rap and are taken for granted in our modern culture. But, ask any farmer and you will know that they are a true delicacy. Mostly, because they are extremely labor intensive to harvest. The pea harvest can be just as grueling as rewarding. Many hours spent in the intense sun picking will usually yield just a few pounds of peas. But I have always been blessed to have upbeat early season coworkers who sang songs from a few rows over. Invisible to the eye their voices carry their eagerness for the summer to begin.

There are several types of peas and each one means something very different. There are shelling peas, (which we do not grow), single round peas which are extracted from the shell. There are Sugar snap peas, these are my favorites but were an unfortunate crop failure for us this season. And lastly, we have the ever- popular Snow Pea. The later 2 peas are best eaten fresh and the entire fruit is consumed shell and all. They both must be picked often and are superb when eaten right from the vine. That said, peas are one of the many crops that I recommend you eat like candy. Try eating them plain. While they are great cooked there is nothing like a fresh raw pea.

Hakurei Turnips

These turnips are almost unjustified as turnips. They lack all the bitterness and toughness of traditional turnips. A farmer I used to work for called turnips “War Food” referring to them as being the only thing to eat during WWII. Hakurei turnips are a Japanese salad turnip. They are crispy and tender, slightly sweet with a mellow bite.

I recommend eating these raw. You may cook them as you would any other turnip but eaten raw you truly enjoy their uniqueness. Anita, an employee at Hartz’s and a CSA member eats them raw with a bit of salt for a snack.

And don’t forget the greens. In spring when the greens are abundant eat them in salads or in stirfrys.

*Another great suggestion from Anita is to use the beet greens in a morning smoothie. She simply blends bananas, orange juice and beet greens. A great way to get you ready on a hot day.
Enjoy,
Erica

Our second week begins with a heat wave. Wow it is hot. We are adjusting our schedule to accommodate the temperatures by waking up super early and resting mid day. Or at least that is the idea. This weather is generally hard on the greens but our drip irrigations is keeping them strong. This will be the last week for our tender Bibb lettuces. Next week we will be featuring our Romaine types. Otherwise the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants seem to be tickled to have the sun warming them all the way down to their roots.
We are busy this week cultivating and putting down straw mulch. This will keep the weeds down and the ground moist. Not to mention the improvements to the soil.
In addition to what was previously listed for this weeks box items we will also have daikon radishes. We only have a few so if you would like them please email and let me know.
Pictured above are some the herbs we will have this week: garlic scapes, cilantro, and oregano. The garlic scapes are the tender flowers shoots of the garlic plant. When picked tender they are used as a fresh mild garlic. Use them the same way you would garlic. They are truly a delicacy. Simply chop them and add them with olive oil and tamari to the kale, chard, baby boc choi, or beet greens.
There are many recipes for cilantro. It is an acquired taste and one I love. Add the cilantro to any fish or chicken dish when baking or sauteeing. And what salsa is not complete without cilantro. We will have cilantro through most of the season and great salsa recipes when the tomatoes come in.
For oregano recipes see the "Miso Mustard Dressing" recipe below.

This weeks recipe was given to us by Julie one of our CSA members. Just one more way to love baby boc choi and all the spring greens.
"I made a salad using the baby bok choy mixed with some spring onions and dressed it with olive oil, white vinegar, soy sauce and some sugar. Also did another salad using arugula and strawberries with chopped walnuts and sprinkled with some balsamic, olive oil, salt and pepper. I topped ours with some shaved parmaggano. I served it to company alongside homemade pizzas and everyone enjoyed it."
Thank you Julie.
Stay cool everyone.

Greens

With the spring comes greens by the truck loads. Pictured here (respectively) are Arugula, Curly or Winter Kale and Lacinato or Dinosaur Kale.
Things about the farm are steadily progressing. And things are growing tremendously with the warm weather. We are very excited about the response to our CSA. I have worked on several CSA's in the past and was not sure if it was what I wanted to do, in my own business. That is why I created the $20 box. It is an experiment. For years I heard people complain that a typical CSA provided too many vegetables and not enough choice. Then I worked at a CSA which offered a lot more choice than it could realistically provide. So here I am in the middle trying to blaze a new trail and see if there is a better way. I am thankful that you are all willing to take this step with me and try something unique.
This coming week will be a full share. In your box you may find: kale, lettuce, spinach, strawberries, chard, salad mix, arugula, beet greens, radishes, peas, turnips, baby boc choi, or garlic scapes. We encourage you to send your preferences. We cannot promise anything except that we will try to honor your requests. As of now I will not be adding herbs (other than garlic & basil) or flowers to your box unless you request. Many of you have already asked for these things. I love to grow herbs and flowers. We have a wonderful selection. Some of you are a single person household and some are a full family. For the sake of the whole family I will only be adding these items out of request or necessity. The herbs available this week are oregano, chives, garlic chives, sage, & cilantro. Email us at bhorganics@gmail.com .
The recipes coming in are awesome. I can't wait to try them myself. Many thanks again for all of your support.
Erica

Arugula

Arugula is I am my husband’s favorite green. It has an intense sharpness and bite which compliments any salad mixture. There are many preparations for this delicate green. In my opinion the delicacy is lost when it is cooked for too long. The best way to prepare arugula is to add a hot oil dressing to it. Arugula is great when used as a bed for a hot steaming dish such as fish. When it is used fresh and then has a hot item added to it, arugula melts and the aroma fills the plate.

B & H Organic Produce Perfect Summer Combination:

I realize it is a bit early for tomatoes but this gives you an idea of how to use this amazing green.

Fresh Arugula

Garden Peach tomatoes raw sliced thin

Debbie’s Cheese Board Parmesan (West Reading Farmer’s Market)

Layered in this order this is our favorite taste combination. We make a meal of this.

First CSA delivery...
Dear Members,
I hope you will enjoy the first delivery for this season. I would like to remind you all to check this blog often to see pictures and details of the boxes you will be picking up. All the greens are best stored in a plastic bag or crisper in your refrigerator. Greens tend to lose their moisture quickly in the refrigerator. Storing the greens properly will make them last much longer.
If you are not clear on how to prepare either the baby boc choi or broccoli raab what follows is what I made for dinner tonight (broccoli raab may be substituted for the baby boc choi).
I simply sauteed a half of an onion, 2 cloves of garlic, chopped baby boc choi , 1 pound white fish, tamari, toasted sesame oil and water. I let it simmer for about 20 minutes. When it was all cooked I added 1 tablespoon miso to the broth and served. This would be great with brown rice or noodles. We had it plain with a salad (made from the salad mix and radishes).
I hope this clears things up. I will be posting a blog in the next few days to let you know what to expect for next week.
Erica
B & H Organic Produce

First CSA delivery.... You may find these items in your box this week. If so they are (pictures top to bottom), Pirat butter bibb lettuce Buttercrunch bibb lettuce, Broccoli Raab, Easter Egg Radishes, & Beet greens (with baby beets). You may also find Salad Mix, Arugula, Spinach, Strawberries, Kale, or Baby Boc Choi. I would like to remind you that this week is a half order. And next week you can expect about twice as many items.
The vegetables seem to have doubled in size in the past few days. Everything seems happy and healthy. We are still planting more and caring for what we already have.
The greens (baby boc choi, beet greens & broccoli raab) may all be steamed or sauteed with lemon juice, garlic, tamari and olive oil. I encourage you to try new things. The baby beet greens can be used in place of spinach in any recipe. Broccoli Raab is a delicacy in most Italian dishes. I love greens fresh in brothy soups. Greens are very refreshing this time of year when the chill of winter is gone and we are busy outdoors. Greens clean the body and the blood, they provide a lot of strength and vigor for your cells.
If you have not ordered organic produce before you may be wondering what all the tiny holes in the brassica greens (arugula, mustard, baby boc choi) are from. These holes are created by a tiny bug called a flea beetle. They are beetles whom jump around, and are the size of a flea. They are equally as hard to catch. These bugs do very little harm to the plant and carry no disease. Because, we are dedicated to not using any sprays in which we would not eat ourselves, we do not spray for these bugs. It unfortunately takes away from the presentation of the crop but you can be rest assured that your vegetables are clean and free of chemicals. I think you will find the holes to be very easy to look past once you taste the freshness and flavor of the vegetable.
We strongly encourage feedback and suggestions as to what you might prefer in your weekly order. Please email these to us bhorganics@gmail.com . Until then we hope you enjoy your first box of farm freshness.
The following is my favorite homemade salad dressing. This dressing may also be used to season any dish of steamed greens. Enjoy.

Miso Mustard Dressing

Salads are my favorite thing to eat. The most important ingredient in a salad is fresh greens, the darker the better. There are many salad dressings to choose from in the world. This one is my favorite. Recipe makes enough for 2 dinner salads.

2 tablespoons of mellow miso

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vinegar (balsamic or apple cider)

1 tablespoon mustard (avoid the bright yellow ones)

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, thyme or any other herb. ½ teaspoon if using dried herbs.

Mix all ingredients with a whisk or fork. It is important to make sure that the miso is mixed thoroughly. Serve this with sautéed mushrooms and green onions on top of the salad makes a better vegetarian alternative to “hot bacon dressing.”

Strawberries. Yes, we are expecting to be adding strawberries to your CSA box this week. I am not listing a recipe because these are best eaten fresh. We are very proud to have such an amazing and sweet harvest this spring.
The first market day went very well. It was so wonderful to see all of the familiar faces and see how much all the children have grown.
Do you have any favorite vegetable recipes you might like to share with the other members? If so please email them to us bhorganics@gmail.com.
Thank you all for your support.
Erica