CSA Harvest For July 1st:

• Garlic Scapes
• Chives
• Garlic Chives
• Salad Mix
• Kale: Dino or Curly
  
• Chard
• Italian Parsley
• Beets: Red or Chioggia
• Arugula
• Lettuce: Butterhead or Romaine
• Dill
• Cilantro
• Broccoli
• Beet Greens
• Turnips
• Radishes
• Summer Squash: Zucchini (First Picture) or Patty Pan
• Basil, Italian: (Second Picture)
• Dandelion Greens
• Baby Boc Choi

I would first like to apologize for the size of the carrots last week. I was jumping the gun a bit.
Secondly, I would like to apologize for any items which may have been missing at your drop off site. If this occurs please do not take items from other boxes except for the "free box". All items are specifically counted in the boxes. Please contact me immediately if you are missing something. I have a unique situation in that I live in Reading and can deliver the produce to you the next day if there is an issue. This unique situation also makes it hard for me to receive phone calls which is why I prefer emails. We will continue to work out the bugs as the season goes on.

On a better note: The Cherries are here if you are a fruit share member the fruit share will begin next week with yummy Bing Cherries!

I have a few notes to pass along from our members this week: (By the way I love all the feedback and communication)

• This comes from one of our West Lawn Members: "I also wanted to pass on a recipe that I made tonight and just LOVE. It's my 'go to' recipe whenever we have hakurei turnips in the house : ) It's hakurei turnip and pork fricassee and can be found here - http://www.loyno.edu/~ecoinst/ccfm/recipes/turnip.html "
• This is from another West Lawn Member:"I couldn't believe it when I saw a whole article dedicated to garlic scrapes. There's links to recipes all down the left side, too:
  
  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/dining/18appe.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=garlic%20scapes%20melissa%20clark&st=cse
  
  If you're not familiar with Mark Bittman or his blog for the NY Times (or numerous cookbooks) I highly recommend him."
• A market customer recommended baking the garlic scapes whole on a baking sheet drizzled with olive oil and salt and pepper at 375 until crispy. This is how I love my beans so I know I will love this.
  

And from the farm kitchen table:
We are beginning our own version of "Iron Chef" here at the farm. Each week we will be featuring a different vegetable and we each have to bring an "originally" prepared item to lunch on Fridays. (If you are ever in the neighborhood at noon and want to be a "Guest Judge" let me know). For now we don't have judges but I might let you know my favorite of the week. Here is what lunch served up today:

• Baby Boc Choi Salad with a Strawberry Vinaigrette.
• Baby Boc Choi Coleslaw: a mayo base with apples, carrots, sweet onion, and sunflower seeds.
• Grilled Baby Boc Choi with a Thai Peanut Sauce.
• Ants on a Baby Boc Choi Log: your traditional "ants on a log" but using baby boc choi instead of celery. (peanut butter, honey and raisins).. This was my favorite.
• And for desert: Baby Boc Choi centers lightly steamed and dipped in chocolate. Served with strawberries dipped in chocolate. Don't turn your nose up this was awesome.

Who said greens could not be decadent? Wow we ate well. And we hope you are eating well too. Have a great week.

CSA Harvest List for June 24th.

1. Chives
2. Garlic Chives
3. Flat Leaf Parsley
4. Garlic Scapes
5. Thyme
6. Kale: Winter or Dino
7. Swiss Chard
8. Beets, Chioggia : a red and white striped beet, very tender (Third Picture)
9. Carrots, Dragon: a red outer layer with an orange center ( Second Picture)
10. Baby Boc Choi
11. Salad Mix
12. Arugula
13. Lettuce: Romaine and Butterhead
14. Dill
15. Cilantro (First Picture)
16. Beet Greens
17. Basil Tops: Italian, Red and Lemon Mixed
18. Radishes
19. Turnips

Eating Ideas:

1. My new favorite is to simply slice the turnips and drizzle them with tamari. A great salty and crunchy snack.
2. Arugula Guacamole: Simply add arugula to your favorite guacamole recipe for a extra kick.
3. Baby Boc Choi: use this in place of cabbage in a Pepper Cabbage recipe. This idea was given to me by a market customer.
   
4. Baby Boc Choi Coleslaw: Substitute the cabbage with baby boc choi and use vinegar, oil, red onion and cilantro. Mmmmmmmmmm.
5. Pesto: Use the basil tops this week and substitute pistachios for the pine nuts. This idea was also given to me from the same market customer.

Here is a great blog to check out featuring local foods and recipes:
http://phoebespurefood.blogspot.com/

I hope you all have a great week.
Erica

Recipes, Recipes, Recipes

The first picture here is of Sam, Kayla and I at the Brecknock Elementary Garden Planting day in May. We volunteered to help the school plant a vegetable garden. The second picture is our wonderful Butterhead Lettuce which is at it's best this time of year.




Recipes, Recipes, Recipes:


Swiss Chard Potstickers:
This recipe comes from a loyal farmer's market customer.
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c vinegar
pinch of red pepper flakes
Dumplings:
1 tb + 1 tsp safflower oil
8 oz swiss chard (leaves chopped and stems minced) or any of the greens may be used.
4 oz shitake mushrooms (stems removed and discarded. caps chopped)
2 scallions thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves minced or garlic scapes
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp tamari
salt & pepper
24 round dumpling wrappers (found in produce section of Giant)

1. Heat 1 tsp safflower oil, add chard, mushrooms, scallions and garlic. Cook until tender and liquid has evaporated. Squeeze extra liquid and transfer to a bowl. Stir in vinegar, sesame oil, tamari, salt & pepper. Wipe skillet and set aside.
2. Fill dumpling wrappers. To seal moisten and pinch one side and place on parchment lined baking sheet. Keep covered.
3. Th tb safflower oil in skillet and cook dumplings until brown. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup water and cook until heated thoroughly and water is evaporated. Remove lid for 1 minute to finish cooking.

* for a less oily version: prepare the dumplings and bake on a cookie sheet at 375 until brown and crispy.
Enjoy.

Arugula Pesto Recipe

I made this recipe, as a sample, for market this past week to try and sell some of the massive amounts of arugula, which is in peak season, on the farm. It was a huge hit and we sold out of arugula early. I wish I had brought more.

In a food processor or blender combine: 1 8oz bag arugula, 1 cup raw almonds, 8 oz goat cheese, I bunch garlic scapes, 1 cup olive oil, 1 tspn salt, 1 tspn cumin, & 6 fresh sage leaves.

This is great served on crackers, as a salad dressing, on fish and more.


And if you are new members you may not have heard my rhetoric on kale to here it is:
Kale
Please do not be afraid of this amazing vegetable. Kale is very high in minerals, and vitamins. Kale is an amazing anti-inflammatory and is great for lowering your PH. But don’t let all that scare you.
We grow 2 kinds of kale Lacinato (also known as Dino Kale) is a flatter leaf with wrinkles ( I suppose like dinosaur skin), and last but not least Winterbor this is the traditional light green kale you have probably seen in the grocery store.
Kale cooked:
Is great in stir frys, in soups ( I prefer to put it in the end of the soup so it still retains it’s texture). Steam it and finish off with a little tamari and lemon juice. Saute it in a pan with garlic and lemon juice. Serve it over plain brown rice with black beans.
Kale raw:
This surprises most people. It is a shame that at one time the propaganda was spread that you can’t eat kale raw. My favorite way is to chop it up very small and serve it topped with a sweet vinaigrette, like raspberry, strawberry or blueberry.

* Special notes for this week's delivery:
Garlic Scapes - chop up the whole garlic scape and use as garlic in any recipe. They are a great fresh garlic addition to any recipe.
Turnip Greens- Don't forget your greens. Turnips are like 2 vegetables in one. Add the greens to a salad or sautee them as you would chard or kale. Enjoy.