CSA Shares Begin!
Let the 2017 CSA season begin! The first week of CSA pickup is always a whirlwind both on the farm and off. Over the next few weeks we will all get into the flow of the season (harvests, pick ups, etc). Spring is the perfect time to learn new eating habits and to adapt to to eating locally, seasonally, and fresh. Every crop has its time and we have a whole slew of them coming your way. Be patient, be excited, and enjoy the ride! Enjoy all the benefits of eating fresh, eating seasonally, and eating locally. You'll find your produce is full of more flavor, more nutrients, and more love then ever before. Every day after something is picked it loses nutrients and flavor. You're getting produce picked THAT day, something very special indeed. There are so many food choices that a person must make every single day. Revel in the food choices that the changing of the seasons are making for you each week. Get creative and be inspired, try adding something new into your diet you haven't tried before. Try out the recipes or look for some new ones (tastespotting.com is the perfect source- type an ingredient into the search bar and hundreds of recipes pop up!). Ask questions and be open, you’ll be surprised what you might find as the season unfolds. We love to talk cooking and each week your pick up will be run by the very people harvesting the crops for you. We send out the list of crops we will be harvesting ahead of time to give you the ability to meal plan around our offerings, this helps reduce food waste and ensures you are getting the most out of your share. This first week as you get into the flow of CSA pick up, I (Stephanie) will be there with one of our farmers to help you with whatever you need. After this week you will have either me, John (the co-owner), Cody (our Assistant Manager), or Savannah (one of our interns) to help you with whatever you need at pickup. Every week you will get recipes in the newsletter, as well as the list of produce available to pick from. Please note: the list does change sometimes. There are harvest mornings when we go out to pick a crop and it's just not quite ready, there's not enough, or something happened to it. Usually though we have whatever is listed. Sometimes we do have limits on the amount you can get, this applies to both box share and market share members. This week there is a limit on carrots. We seeded these carrots in February in our high tunnel and are so excited to share them with you all! They are an incredibly delicious, sweet, rare Spring treat. Remember: pick up is byob (bring your own (reusable) bags! Lambertville Pick Up: Monday, 3:30-7 pm (please do not come earlier or later). Parking lot of DeAnna's Restaurant: 54 N Franklin St, Lambertville, NJ 08530 Washington Crossing Pick Up: Wednesday, 3:30-7pm (please do not come earlier or later). Parking lot across from the Visitor's Center: 112 River Road Washington Crossing, PA 18977 Please remember: You can make up missed veggie shares, you just need to let us know in advance. Fruit shares can not be made up. Savannah's really psyched on these amazing carrots
Lettuce growing beautifully
picking those strawberries in the heat last week
Cody and Savannah helping prune tomatoes
Pink oyster mushrooms
No explanation needed
Precarious situations to protect our crops from deer and groundhogs
Here are 6 easy things to do with your Napa Cabbage: (thanks to Early Morning Farm)
1. Soup: Add a cup or two of shredded napa cabbage to virtually any soup. Napa is especially good in chicken and beef soups. One easy idea is a to make a simple miso soup broth and just add some steamed chopped Napa, quick, easy, delicious! 2. Quick Kimchi: Kimchi is a Korean lacto-fermented pickled Napa Cabbage dish. It usually involves a long brine time in an airtight container mixed with hot pepper, fall radishes, onions, and garlic. However, you can make a quick and easy overnight version. Just take about 3 cups of shredded Napa Cabbage, add a Tablespoon or so of Sriracha (or other Korean garlic-hot pepper sauce), about 3 Tablespoons of rice or white wine vinegar, 4 chopped Garlic cloves, and a half teaspoon or so of salt – Mix it all together and let chill overnight in the fridge.
3. Slaw. Do you have a favorite Coleslaw recipe? Just substitute Napa Cabbage for the European standard for a unique and delicious summer salad!
4. Stuffed. Blanch whole Napa leaves until they just wilt. Stuff with beans, rice, ground beef, pork – whatever! The sky is the limit with this one.
5. Stir Fry: If you’ve ever eaten a stir fry at an Asian restaurant, there’s a good chance there was Napa Cabbage in your stir-fry. There’s a million ways to add Napa to a Stir fry, separating the white stems and dicing them into one inch squares can make for a nice presentation. Don’t throw the green part out though – just add it to the stir fry toward the end (since it takes less time to cook)
6. Spring Rolls: add Napa cooked or raw to a mix of other veggies, shrimp, pork, bean thread noodles…and wrap in spring roll wrappers. Serve with an asian style dipping sauce. Easy Komatsuna and Mushroom Garlic Stir-fry Oyster Mushrooms- 1/4 lb Komatsuna- 1 bunch Garlic- 2 cloves Olive Oil- 1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar- 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce- 2 teaspoons Salt/Pepper- a pinch of each
1. Shred the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Thoroughly rinse the komatsuna, then chop into 5-cm lengths. 2. Pour the olive oil into a frying pan, and add the thinly sliced garlic and heat until aromatic (over medium heat). 3. Increase heat to high, add the mushrooms and komatsuna, then add the vinegar right away. When the vegetables become tender, season with soy sauce, salt, and pepper, then serve!
KOHLRABI FRITTERS
3 kohlrabi (more tender if peeled)
2 potatoes
1 egg
HOW TO MAKE KOHLRABI FRITTERS
Grate the kohlrabi and the potatoes with the grating disc of your food processor.
If you don’t have a grating disc you can simply use the S blade, I have tried and it works!
If you don’t have a food processor you can of course use a hand grater.
Put the grated vegetables in a sieve and try to squeeze out their liquid.
Beat the egg in a bowl with a fork.
Add the drained vegetables.
Add a pinch of salt.
Mix.
Heat some olive oil in a skillet and make the fritters placing tablespoons of the mixture in the hot oil.
Leave them get golden on one side before turning them to cook on the other.
Add salt on the top if you like.
Eat them still hot!
Share Options This Week Kale- 1 point/bunch Chard- 1 point/bunch Asian Spinach (Komatsuna)- 1 point/bunch Carrots- 2 points/bunch (limit one) Scallions- 1 point/bunch Strawberries- 2 points/pint (limit one) Head Lettuce- 1 point/head Escarole- 1 point/head Kohlrabi- 1 point/bunch Napa Cabbage- 2 points/head Spinach- 1 point/bag Oyster Mushrooms- 1 point/pint Collards- 1 point/bunch Bok Choy- 1 point/head Cilantro- 1 point/bunch
