Friday, June 29, 2012
CSA Week 4: Another week of extreme weather (June 30, July 3 &4)
What's in your share this week?
A PESTO package!
Fresh Garlic- the first bulbs pulled from the ground! These have papery wrappings between the cloves, unlike green garlic, but are so fresh and juicy you'd never mistake them for cured, stored garlic- yes, your fingers will get sticky from handling this stuff. It's potent and delicious. . . ....................................
Basil from the hoophouse! (these first two items are your pesto kit- add your own olive oil, toasted pine nuts or walnuts, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper) . ...................................... .
Peas! Snow (flat podded and slightly curled) or sugar snap (round-podded but straight)- I doubt these will make it past the raw snacking stage, so no recipes for these sweet treats. . . ........................................
Beets! Either pink (Chioggia- with the bullseye pattern inside) or classic red. Use both interchangeably- Pink beets taste just like red ones, but don't stain your hands or kitchen red. . . ..........................................
Kale- back on the scene. Have you tried kale chips? Tear washed and dried leaves into chip-sized pieces. Toss in a bowl with a small amount of olive oil- not too much, now- and salt. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 200 until crisp but not burnt (you can also use a dehydrator; takes longer but won't burn). OR bake on higher heat for a short time to crisp faster, but it's easy to burn them using this method- pay attention!
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Baby Salad Mix- THIS JUST IN: Baby Lettuce was born at 6 p.m. today at Birch Point Farm (to Chelsea Hummon and Matt Nester, my farm-mates for the season). Mama, papa, and baby are ALL healthy and doing great. They'd love to see visitors after about a week. Call first. He was 7 lbs, 12 oz, 20 inches long, and is currently still going by Baby Lettuce until further notice. Welcome!!!!!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
*Last* week's share (Week 3)
Whoops, I dropped the ball on blogging last week- sorry! In case you were wondering about any of those things in your share, here's the rundown: (and look for another blog posting tomorrow with THIS week's share (for Sat and for Tues coming up)
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Napa Cabbage: the big, light green-leaved, white-ribbed head vegetable, with savoyed, or crinkly, leaves. Use just like lettuce, possibly with an Asian-themed dressing, OR saute/stir-fry.
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Komatsuna: The elegant, long bok choi-like thing (dark green leaves, lighter green ribs/stems). Use just like choi (in a stirfry is my favorite) OR enjoy raw for just the tiniest bite of spice (it's in the mustard family; so it has a little kick, but cooking it nullifies the bite).
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Radishes: for your salad? roasted? chopped, salted, and piled on Pleasanton rye toast with cream cheese? options are really endless....
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Beet greens: more beet thinnings! It is a GREEN share this week, hey? that time of year :) Use beet greens any way you'd use chard or spinach; bonus is you get little beets on the ends of some of them! My fave: see last week's chard recipe- sub beet greens.
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Scallions- to complement your Komatsuna and/or Napa stir-fry: slice thinly on a diagonal and sprinkle on top after removing from heat. voila. delicious, fresh onion flavor with crisp, fresh texture- USE THE GREEN AS WELL AS THE WHITE PART! I once had a farmers' market customer tell me she discards the green part because it's tough -- guess what; tough scallions are NOT fresh, and fresh scallions aren't tough! Eat the greens. They're fresh, tender, and delicious.
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Cilantro- to round out your Asian meal, depending on the cuisine you're going for. Did you know cilantro is technically a cool weather crop? That means that for all its association with tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, etc (all heat-loving crops), it would rather grow in spring and fall (sometimes through winter in the hoophouse!), so I'm mystified as to how these heat-loving crops came to be paired, culinarily, with cilantro. Try it as a generous sprinkle on top of a coconut milk curry with all the greens in your share- served over rice. (I use Thai Kitchen curry -red OR green- in the little jar with a black lid; directions on the jar).
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Garlic Scapes! The very last of these for the season- if you're tired of scapes here are two ideas: 1. "onion" rings: first, steam scapes (whole) to tenderize. If there are multiple curls, or if they are very long, cut into manageable pieces. Use a simple egg-and-flour batter to coat, then fry in hot oil til crispy (in a deep fryer OR in a generous amount of peanut or vegetable oil in a skillet). Follow a tempura recipe for specifics. 2. Scape pesto: scapes, olive oil, parmesan cheese (optional), salt, pepper, lemon juice, nuts/seeds of your choice (toasted pine nuts=optimal, but expensive; toasted walnuts= nearly as good, toasted sunflower seeds=surprisingly also nearly as good, mix of any of the above=delicious). Blend to a smooth green paste. Use or freeze. mmmmm.....potent!
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Baby Salad Mix- the famous and delicious mesclun mix. We normally wash salad mix once (or twice if it's extra muddy, like after a hard rain), but still recommend that you wash it before eating. Enjoy!
Monday, June 18, 2012
CSA Week 2: June 16, 19, 20: the Heat Wave followed by Torrential Rain
In Your Share This Week:
Rhubarb! Remember the rhubarbade we served at the pre-season member meeting? Recipe: super simple. Chop 2-3 cups rhubarb finely. Add a little water, bring to boil, then simmer 5-10 min in a small saucepan. Use an immersion blender OR transfer to blender to blend to a fine, smooth puree. Add sugar, maple, or honey to taste (you're making a concentrate here; it's supposed to taste super strong at this point). Chill, and mix with water (tap or sparkling) at about a 2:1 ratio, or to taste. Serve iced. You can of course combine rhubarb with Ware Farm strawberries for strawberry-rhubarb pie, crisp, or compote, too. Chelsea Hummon recently treated us to a traditional Icelandic Rabarbarakokur (rhubarb cake), which I HIGHLY reccommend:
http://scandinavianfood.about.com/od/coffeecakessweetbreads/r/Happy-Marriage-Cake-An-Old-Fashioned-Favorite-From-Iceland.htm
Lettuce- lovely green leaf, red leaf, mini green romaine, and/or red romaine- these heads (some large and luscious, some little) were supposed to trickle in over the next few weeks, but the heat wave has made them start to bolt, so we harvested most of them while they are still good. This week (and possibly next) you're rich in lettuce! In addition to fresh salads and sandwich-fixins, try lettuce wraps: treat the lettuce leaf like an eggroll wrapper, fill it with things you like to eat, roll it up, and enjoy as finger food.
Baby Salad Mix: You'd think with that much lettuce (big not baby), we'd hold off on the salad mix. But so many people love the baby mix so much that we decided to include a bag of it-- on the smaller size, but salad mix nonetheless. In addition to the four different red and green lettuces in the mix, you'll notice spicy greens, some with pinpoint holes -- flea beetles love plants in the mustard family, which most of our spicy salad components are, and the flea beetles have been ACTIVE the past few weeks. It's just cosmetic damage; the leaves are still tender, perhaps slightly spicier, and "lacy" too. Let me know what you think.
Swiss Chard- rainbow "Bright Lights" variety. Use chard any way you'd use spinach, including sauteed or steamed, in eggs, in lasagna, in spanikopita, etc. My favorite chard recipe: saute onions and garlic in olive oil til tender. Add chopped chard stems (do not discard! they're delicious and beautiful), saute a few minutes. Add chopped leaves, sautet til wilted and shiny, not gray and shapeless. Toss lightly with balsamic vinegar, add toasted pine nuts or walnuts, crumbly feta or goat cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, pasta, or anything else you like.
More Green Garlic- since garlic came on so early this year (scapes), I suspect this may be the end of the green garlic for the season. Use the entire plant, tip to tip, just like fresh garlic (it IS fresh garlic, just with the whole plant attached). Slice through the forming bulb in cross-section to see the cloves just starting to form! pretty cool.
More Garlic Scapes- or garlic "scrapes" as folks are wont to say when they're new to scapes, or vice versa. Again, use just like fresh garlic. Scapes are the flowering stem of the garlic plant; we harvest them to a) eat, and b) encourage the plant to direct growth energy at a bigger bulb, rather than a flowering stalk. So we get two garlic harvests, AND a bigger bulb after all that. Scapes will keep for several weeks in your fridge, in a in airtight plastic bag.
Dill weed and or other herbs - possibly some with flowers! I love dill chopped onto salads, onto eggs, or in soups or lentils. You can also use it for grilling fish or other grillables- the dill flavor seeps into whatever you put on it.
That's it for now- in the upcoming weeks, look for more greens (salad and cooking greens), scallions, Asian greens, more herbs, possibly big beets (not thinnings), radishes, peas, and more. Enjoy those green leafies!
Rhubarb! Remember the rhubarbade we served at the pre-season member meeting? Recipe: super simple. Chop 2-3 cups rhubarb finely. Add a little water, bring to boil, then simmer 5-10 min in a small saucepan. Use an immersion blender OR transfer to blender to blend to a fine, smooth puree. Add sugar, maple, or honey to taste (you're making a concentrate here; it's supposed to taste super strong at this point). Chill, and mix with water (tap or sparkling) at about a 2:1 ratio, or to taste. Serve iced. You can of course combine rhubarb with Ware Farm strawberries for strawberry-rhubarb pie, crisp, or compote, too. Chelsea Hummon recently treated us to a traditional Icelandic Rabarbarakokur (rhubarb cake), which I HIGHLY reccommend:
http://scandinavianfood.about.com/od/coffeecakessweetbreads/r/Happy-Marriage-Cake-An-Old-Fashioned-Favorite-From-Iceland.htm
Lettuce- lovely green leaf, red leaf, mini green romaine, and/or red romaine- these heads (some large and luscious, some little) were supposed to trickle in over the next few weeks, but the heat wave has made them start to bolt, so we harvested most of them while they are still good. This week (and possibly next) you're rich in lettuce! In addition to fresh salads and sandwich-fixins, try lettuce wraps: treat the lettuce leaf like an eggroll wrapper, fill it with things you like to eat, roll it up, and enjoy as finger food.
Baby Salad Mix: You'd think with that much lettuce (big not baby), we'd hold off on the salad mix. But so many people love the baby mix so much that we decided to include a bag of it-- on the smaller size, but salad mix nonetheless. In addition to the four different red and green lettuces in the mix, you'll notice spicy greens, some with pinpoint holes -- flea beetles love plants in the mustard family, which most of our spicy salad components are, and the flea beetles have been ACTIVE the past few weeks. It's just cosmetic damage; the leaves are still tender, perhaps slightly spicier, and "lacy" too. Let me know what you think.
Swiss Chard- rainbow "Bright Lights" variety. Use chard any way you'd use spinach, including sauteed or steamed, in eggs, in lasagna, in spanikopita, etc. My favorite chard recipe: saute onions and garlic in olive oil til tender. Add chopped chard stems (do not discard! they're delicious and beautiful), saute a few minutes. Add chopped leaves, sautet til wilted and shiny, not gray and shapeless. Toss lightly with balsamic vinegar, add toasted pine nuts or walnuts, crumbly feta or goat cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, pasta, or anything else you like.
More Green Garlic- since garlic came on so early this year (scapes), I suspect this may be the end of the green garlic for the season. Use the entire plant, tip to tip, just like fresh garlic (it IS fresh garlic, just with the whole plant attached). Slice through the forming bulb in cross-section to see the cloves just starting to form! pretty cool.
More Garlic Scapes- or garlic "scrapes" as folks are wont to say when they're new to scapes, or vice versa. Again, use just like fresh garlic. Scapes are the flowering stem of the garlic plant; we harvest them to a) eat, and b) encourage the plant to direct growth energy at a bigger bulb, rather than a flowering stalk. So we get two garlic harvests, AND a bigger bulb after all that. Scapes will keep for several weeks in your fridge, in a in airtight plastic bag.
Dill weed and or other herbs - possibly some with flowers! I love dill chopped onto salads, onto eggs, or in soups or lentils. You can also use it for grilling fish or other grillables- the dill flavor seeps into whatever you put on it.
That's it for now- in the upcoming weeks, look for more greens (salad and cooking greens), scallions, Asian greens, more herbs, possibly big beets (not thinnings), radishes, peas, and more. Enjoy those green leafies!
Friday, June 8, 2012
CSA Week 1: June 9, 12, 13
Q: What's in your share this week?
A: A whole lot of spring greens! Greens should keep for at least a week, in the refrigerator in an airtight bag/container. All fresh leafies (whether cooked or raw) are delicious with a simple olive oil and coarse salt dressing -lemon juice or vinegar optional-- start simple when you encounter a new vegetable, and then decide how you want to lively it up the next time, once you've gotten to know it better. Let me know what delicious preparation methods work for you.
Baby Salad Mix- a blend of 4 different baby lettuces, mizuna, red Russian kale, Asian greens, mustard greens, and beet greens
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Beet Greens- the thinnings from our spring beet patch, some of these even have baby beets attached! Use beet greens any way you'd use spinach or Swiss chard- my favorite way is a simple saute in olive oil, with garlic or onion (try chopped garlic scapes!), dressed with a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and crumbly goat cheese. Also delicious in eggs, in salad, or in a beet greens-asparagus lasagna!
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Kale! "No one could imagine a CSA without kale" -David Hambleton, CSA farmer at Sisters Hill Farm in Dutchess County, NY. And it's true. We've had requests to go easy on the kale AND requests for more and more kale. I think we'll keep the kale coming, but at some point this summer, it will become optional- i.e. kale available, but as an optional extra; pick up if you like, leave it if you don't. (Technically that's true for everything in your share, but I wanted to make a special point of NOT overwhelming folks with kale. There it is- it will be officially optional soon)
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Green Garlic AND Garlic Scapes- what? scapes already? Yes, lots of things were brought on early by the strangely warm early spring, including garlic. Normally you'd see just green garlic this time of year, with scapes a few weeks out, but we've got them! So you do, too. So... what is a scape, anyway? It's the flowering stem of a garlic plant. It grows up in the center of the plant, and we pick it for two reasons. One is to eat (use it just like fresh garlic; tip and all), and the other is that it directs the plant's growth into making a bigger bulb, rather than flower. And Green Garlic is an immature garlic plant, before the papery divisions between the cloves start to form- we offer the entire plant at this stage because you can use it all! Chop the bulb, stem, and leaves, and use just like fresh garlic (because it is). Scapes and green garlic will keep for weeks in the fridge, in an airtight bag. Scapes last a little longer; the green garlic will start to yellow after several days, still useable, but lovelier when it's green! FAVORITE scape recipe: Garlic Scape Pesto! In a food processor, combine a lot of scapes, some pine nuts or walnuts, olive oil, salt and pepper, and process til it's smooth enough for you. Taste- adjust seasoning if necessary. Stores for months in the fridge (if you can resist it that long).
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Radishes- the first of these spring beauties; you'll see more this season. Not really a radish lover? Try them with salt- here's what I do: trim and wash radishes. Cut in half, cut side up. Sprinkle with fine sea salt, let set for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy. The salt cuts whatever bitterness might be there, and brings out the flavor. One of my favorite spring treats: coarsely chopped radish, well salted, on top of a toasted bagel from Frida (Hannah Israel's new cafe in Suttons Bay!), with cream cheese. Yum! If you don't plan to eat them within the week, be sure to remove the tops before storing- otherwise the leaves will transpire moisture out of the roots, leaving you with limp radishes. ech.
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As promised, a lot of greens, and an easy start (hopefully easy to use the whole share within the week- something that may present a challenge in the months to come). I hope you'll enjoy your adventure through the season with us. In the weeks to come, you can look forward to more kale, swiss chard, *possibly* spinach if the heat didn't make it all bolt, more salad mix and radishes, kohlrabi, scallions, dill, more garlic scapes, leaf and romaine lettuces, favas, and peas! (pea plants are still pretty small- we may cut it close with the weather- peas love cool temps, so no guarantees of gobs and gobs of peas like last year- remember that cold, wet spring? Peas loved it) And always, we may surprise you with substitutions, extras, and/or practical jokes.
If you need any transplants for your garden, check with your farmers; we may have extras that you need.
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Thank you SO MUCH for being part of the farm and supporting us this season. Buon appetito!
A: A whole lot of spring greens! Greens should keep for at least a week, in the refrigerator in an airtight bag/container. All fresh leafies (whether cooked or raw) are delicious with a simple olive oil and coarse salt dressing -lemon juice or vinegar optional-- start simple when you encounter a new vegetable, and then decide how you want to lively it up the next time, once you've gotten to know it better. Let me know what delicious preparation methods work for you.
Baby Salad Mix- a blend of 4 different baby lettuces, mizuna, red Russian kale, Asian greens, mustard greens, and beet greens
.
Beet Greens- the thinnings from our spring beet patch, some of these even have baby beets attached! Use beet greens any way you'd use spinach or Swiss chard- my favorite way is a simple saute in olive oil, with garlic or onion (try chopped garlic scapes!), dressed with a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and crumbly goat cheese. Also delicious in eggs, in salad, or in a beet greens-asparagus lasagna!
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Kale! "No one could imagine a CSA without kale" -David Hambleton, CSA farmer at Sisters Hill Farm in Dutchess County, NY. And it's true. We've had requests to go easy on the kale AND requests for more and more kale. I think we'll keep the kale coming, but at some point this summer, it will become optional- i.e. kale available, but as an optional extra; pick up if you like, leave it if you don't. (Technically that's true for everything in your share, but I wanted to make a special point of NOT overwhelming folks with kale. There it is- it will be officially optional soon)
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Green Garlic AND Garlic Scapes- what? scapes already? Yes, lots of things were brought on early by the strangely warm early spring, including garlic. Normally you'd see just green garlic this time of year, with scapes a few weeks out, but we've got them! So you do, too. So... what is a scape, anyway? It's the flowering stem of a garlic plant. It grows up in the center of the plant, and we pick it for two reasons. One is to eat (use it just like fresh garlic; tip and all), and the other is that it directs the plant's growth into making a bigger bulb, rather than flower. And Green Garlic is an immature garlic plant, before the papery divisions between the cloves start to form- we offer the entire plant at this stage because you can use it all! Chop the bulb, stem, and leaves, and use just like fresh garlic (because it is). Scapes and green garlic will keep for weeks in the fridge, in an airtight bag. Scapes last a little longer; the green garlic will start to yellow after several days, still useable, but lovelier when it's green! FAVORITE scape recipe: Garlic Scape Pesto! In a food processor, combine a lot of scapes, some pine nuts or walnuts, olive oil, salt and pepper, and process til it's smooth enough for you. Taste- adjust seasoning if necessary. Stores for months in the fridge (if you can resist it that long).
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Radishes- the first of these spring beauties; you'll see more this season. Not really a radish lover? Try them with salt- here's what I do: trim and wash radishes. Cut in half, cut side up. Sprinkle with fine sea salt, let set for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy. The salt cuts whatever bitterness might be there, and brings out the flavor. One of my favorite spring treats: coarsely chopped radish, well salted, on top of a toasted bagel from Frida (Hannah Israel's new cafe in Suttons Bay!), with cream cheese. Yum! If you don't plan to eat them within the week, be sure to remove the tops before storing- otherwise the leaves will transpire moisture out of the roots, leaving you with limp radishes. ech.
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As promised, a lot of greens, and an easy start (hopefully easy to use the whole share within the week- something that may present a challenge in the months to come). I hope you'll enjoy your adventure through the season with us. In the weeks to come, you can look forward to more kale, swiss chard, *possibly* spinach if the heat didn't make it all bolt, more salad mix and radishes, kohlrabi, scallions, dill, more garlic scapes, leaf and romaine lettuces, favas, and peas! (pea plants are still pretty small- we may cut it close with the weather- peas love cool temps, so no guarantees of gobs and gobs of peas like last year- remember that cold, wet spring? Peas loved it) And always, we may surprise you with substitutions, extras, and/or practical jokes.
If you need any transplants for your garden, check with your farmers; we may have extras that you need.
.
Thank you SO MUCH for being part of the farm and supporting us this season. Buon appetito!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Info for CSA Members
LOTS OF INFO HERE- please read carefully
Thanks so much to everyone who attended the CSA member meeting last week- we had a great turnout, some delicious snacks (thank you!), and we even ended close to on-time. ;) I hope those of you who missed it can come out for a farm tour sometime (just call/email ahead of time). In the meantime, please check over these notes/minutes for logistical info.
Anyone who was there, please post a comment if you notice I've forgotten something here, or if you have additional ideas/comments.
THINGS TO KNOW IMMEDIATELY-super important; do not delay:
1. CSA STARTS THIS COMING WEEK. Shares start small and light (greens, radishes, herbs) and get progressively denser, heavier, and more diverse as the season progresses. We like to ease you into it- the season works that way.
Saturday people: pick up at market Sat. June 9th, between 8 and 11 a.m. Pick up your box with your name on it; bring it back empty the
following week in exchange for a full one. Always remember your empty box. You get two for the season. Find the Birch Point stall
at the far east end of the main drag (sidewalk facing river).
Tuesday people: pick up at the farm Tues. June 12th between 4 and 6 p.m. Bring your own cooler, bag or box. If you missed the farm tour,
leave yourself a little extra time to check out the farm before or after picking up produce. Farmers available to answer questions.
Wednesday people: See Saturday notes, pick up Wed. June 13. I don't know exactly where our stall location will be on Wed- I'll let you
know as soon as I do!
2. ORGANIC STRAWBERRIES AVAILABLE now from Ware Farm- we'll take orders AT PICK-UP. Sign up when you pick up your first share, to get your berries (any amount from one quart to multiple flats) with your share the following week. Prices TBA, usually a little less than Ware Farm sells them by the quart at market. Be thinking of how much jam you want to make, or frozen berries you want to squirrel away.
3. BREAD SHARES from 9 Bean Rows, delivered here to BPF for Tuesday pickup, or to market for Sat pickup ($63 for 18 wks, starting the second week of CSA- email me for the order form). Starts the NEXT week, so RSVP ASAP on this one.
Optional Add-ons available NOW:
1. CUT FLOWER SHARES from Birch Point- starting late July running through September- eight weeks of bouquets for $64 (at least an $80 value) for CSA members, or $80 for non-members. Email to sign up.
2. COFFEE SHARES from our friends at Higher Grounds: sign up for as many weeks as you like (1-18), to receive 1 lb of freshly roasted, whole bean coffee with your share each week. You choose medium or dark roast; Higher Grounds supplies different varieties for you to try each week. $10 per week, payable to Birch Point Farm (I'll pay Higher Grounds all at once). Email for a sign-up form; your coffee share will start the week after we get your form and payment, no matter how many weeks you sign up for.
Optional Add-ons available LATER:
1. Birch Point Honey- bring your own jars, we'll fill them with honey from the bees at Birch Point, from beekeeper Greg Griswold. Price lower than at the store, depends on the season- we'll keep in touch about this one.
2. More organic fruit as the season progresses- probably no tree fruit this year, but certainly blueberries, and possibly other berries.
3. Canning/preserving shares: large quantities of canning tomatoes, beans, basil, pickling cukes, etc. As each crop comes in, you'll have a chance to order bushels or pounds, IF we have a big enough harvest that not even CSA shares can take up the extra abundance!
4. Birch Point Eggs- from the free range biddies (just FYI, they are on pasture, but their supplemental feed is not organic). Available to purchase weekly at CSA pickup, no egg "shares" per se. Check in weekly for availability.
QUESTION for YOU:
Who wants a copy of Asparagus To Zucchini (cookbook made by and for CSA members and farmers' market customers- a cookbook organized alphabetically by vegetable rather than dish category- a wonderful reference for "mystery" veggies in your share, as well as for familiar items)? In the past, we've ordered cases of these and offered them at cost to members and friends ($15-17-ish). Do we need another case? If we get at least 10 requests, I'll order one. RSVP.
Question #2: Option to buy more produce-- At the meeting, a couple of members asked about the option to purchase additional items at Tuesday CSA pick-up. Normally if we have extras, we'll offer them as optional extras, no charge. I try to compose shares in a way that will meet most people's needs (and we've gotten feedback about shares tending toward too-big) , so we try not to overwhelm you with TOO many optional extras. However, what do you think? If we were to offer extras to purchase (extra salad mix comes to mind), what would you want? Who's interested? Just soliciting your thoughts for now. Reply here or on the blog. Currently, your option is to come to the farmers' market, where you'll find all (most) of the items that you already got in your share, available to purchase on Saturdays or Wednesdays.
COMMUNICATION/ STAY CONNECTED: 4 things to know:
1. Farm Blog: check it and/or follow it. Nearly all farm communication is via email and blog. (you're reading it right now) Sign up to "follow" the Birch Point Farm blog here: http://birchpointfarm.blogspot.com/ Click on "Join this Site" and enter your information. This is the way to receive weekly updates- what's in your share that week, announcements about optional add-on orders, farm events, etc.. YOU can post recipes, ideas, etc. here, too.
2. Email: birchpointcsa@gmail.com. I'm not going to send weekly emails- just nice newsletters once a month or so. Email me whenever you have a question.
3. Facebook: I'll post photos, announcements (only those that also go out on the blog; no need to join facebook if you don't want to), etc. If you visit us at the farm or at market and take photos, please share them- either post them on the blog, or to our facebook page (Birch Point Farm).
4. Web Site: www.csafarms.org/birchpointfarm.asp It's a mostly-static page, intended to supply basic farm and CSA info. Please send friends here when they're looking for info about CSA or directions to the farm.
VOLUNTEER/GET INVOLVED: 3 things to know:
1. Volunteers always welcome. Bring your skills, your energy, your favorite weeding tools. Just call or email first to let me know when you want to dig in the dirt. Non-garden volunteers also welcome: carpenters (fix windows, steps, hoophouse door, etc), firewood stackers, data-enterers, painters, lawnmowers- all invited. Seriously, if you have a penchant for lawn-mowing and weed-whipping, I've got many bags of extra salad greens for you. If you want to set up a regular schedule to volunteer, email or call. If you want to drop by once in a while, Friday mornings/early afternoons or Tuesday mornings are our harvest days, and the more the merrier.
2. Children's Garden: Any kid or (adult who likes kids) is welcome to the Children's Garden! Thanks to Shelly Charron (farm investor), and Colleen Losse (farm investor and my neighbor), the garden is up and running - also thanks to Matt Hess, who helped construct the gorgeous branch-trellis (that will soon be covered in, I think, cherry tomatoes). Coming: a sensory garden (think smell, touch, taste, etc), edible flowers, art space, etc. This is the spot where it's safe to walk, sit, pick, eat, plant, and otherwise get to know the plants. Stop by during CSA pick-up Tuesday afternoons, to help plant, weed, harvest, or just hang out in the bean teepee or soon-to-be sunflower house.
3. Major Farm Work Parties: We hold five per year:
1. Potato planting and Maypole dance, traditionally May 1 or so.
2. Hot Crop Planting Party (transplanting tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil), traditionally the first week of June.
3. Garlic Harvest Party- sometime in July, depending on the weather and garlic maturation rate. I'll be in touch closer to the date.
4. The Great Pumpkin, Squash, and Potato Harvest Party: sometime in late September/early October- get all the squash and pumpkins out of
the field before the frost! This may be an all-hands-on-deck work party; depends on how much warning we get before the first fall frost
5. Garlic Planting, traditionally on or near Hallowe'en or Dia de los Muertos, so it may be a costume party. The bookend to the season- garlic
planting concludes fall planting and seals the deal for next year.
OK, that's it for now- if I've omitted anything, I'll send a follow-up (or you can post a comment if you think of something I missed). I also sent you this in the body of an email msg. Thank you so, so much for being part of the farm this season!
I look forward to seeing you at your first pick-up day!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
BPF CSA Week 20 News- the second-to-last week!
In Your Share This Week:
Butternut or Fairy Squash- Fairy is the same speckled-skin squash you got last week; butternut is a classic tan-skinned tall squash that stores wonderfully- it actually improves in flavor after curing for a month or two, if you can wait that long ;)
Onions- a mix of red and yellow storage onions
Garlic- either soft or hard neck (can you tell the difference?)
Hakurei Turnips OR
Kale, Chard, or Collard Greens- your choice- see Recipes section for Kale Chips, in case you haven't tried them yet!
Rutabagas! I hope you like these sweet, pungent relatives of the turnip as much as I do. You can do anything with a rutabaga that you do with a potato- mash, boil, fry, roast. You can even make Rutabaga cheesecake (no joke- see recipe section!)
Radicchio OR other salad greens- we had to pull the last fall radicchio out of the field (to keep deer away and stop slug damage, even though some of the heads weren't fully firmed up), and there was plenty for Tues pick-up, but Sat. pick-up will get either radicchio OR some other greens- spicy mix, spinach, or lettuce.
Fennel OR Kohlrabi- both these fall crops are tiny, taking their sweet time to size up, but still tasty as babies. We wanted to be sure everyone got to taste fennel, especially if it's new to you, so you may get a baby fennel plant- use it just like big fennel, "tip to tail."
Cherry Tomatoes- sweet treats, though you can probably taste the fall-tomato flavor from shorter colder days (more sun=more sugar in the fruits during summer; fall tomatoes are always more "tomatoey" and less sugary)
Heirloom slicing Tomatoes- can anyone get tired of tomatoes? Not I! I just skimmed past newsletters (from past years) and learned that this is the latest we've EVER had tomatoes in CSA shares- hooray for the frost that never comes, or if it seems to have come, somehow still does not kill the tomato plants!(what the heck is going on here???)
Sweet Peppers- the very last of these mixed bell, Carmen, chocolate, and a few other varieties. All the big or medium peppers are sweet, even if they look like they may be hot- there are sweet varieties besides bells! Most of these are still green, but we wanted to pull them from the plants before frost killed them. So enjoy this very last pepper offering of the season.
Hot peppers- you may see three different varieties- serrano, which look like skinny green (or red) fingers, and are slightly hotter than a jalapeno, Czech Black, a tasty mid-sized, pendant-shaped hot pepper that starts out black but matures to a dark, brick red, and Limon - small schoolbus-yellow hotties with a distinct citrus flavor in addition to that capsicum heat.
Announcements:
1. Garlic! On Friday, November 4, we’ll finally get our garlic in
the ground for next year. Garlic planting is always a nice bookend to the season- tucking the last crop into the ground and mulching, before the snow falls. It's full of hope and plans for the next season. And garlic is always one of the first green things to sprout in the spring! Please join us any time after 3 p.m. Nov. 4th for planting. Wear warm work clothes and bring/wear rain gear just in case. All ages and abilities welcome! Bring apples and a jug to take home cider, or a mug to sample cider in the barn. Stay after for a potluck in the house! Or skip the garlic planting and just come for the potluck- everyone is welcome.
Garlic, a pungent member of the onion family,
is an extremely hardy plant that does
best in our climate when planted in
the fall, just long enough before the
ground freezes to establish roots.
Then in the spring, warm soil
temperatures and spring rains
stimulate growth of the aboveground
leaves and scapes, or
flowering stems. Some of you might
remember these funny-looking, curly items from early summer shares. We'll also plant a patch of densely-spaced cloves to be harvested early for green garlic- remember that? There are so many more ways to use this plan than just the traditional mature clove. Vampires, beware!
2. Winter Shares- several folks have committed to supporting the farm this season via winter shares. Thank you! Shares are still available. There is no form/contract to fill out; just send a note with your name, email, address, and phone, and a check for $50 to $500, depending on how much produce you'll need this winter. Your account will be credited with $55 to $550 (a 10% yield on your "investment"), and debited each time you shop from our table at the winter market or order via the email list. This modified-CSA allows greater flexibility on all our parts. It also makes a great gift for friends who you know love fresh greens in winter!
3. Loving Dog Needs Home- Remember Levi, the sweet, skinny, brindle boxer who lived here this summer? Vicki and the kiddos have moved back into town, into a lovely little rental house that doesn't allow pets. Levi has been staying with friends, but he needs a more permanent home. He's wonderful with kids, adults, and other pets. The thing he loves most in life is to play- with other dogs, people, and/or toys. He's a very undemanding guy (unlike some other black-and-white dogs around here). We learned recently that he had giardia, which is partly why he's so skinny, but he's been treated for that and is getting back to a normal weight. He is one of the sweetest, if funniest-looking, dogs I've ever met. I like this guy a lot; I just can't take another dog here right now- I really hope he finds the right home! Please email Vicki directly if you're interested: vickifritzlan@gmail.com
Field Notes
It's a gray, blustery fall week in Leelanau county, and it is fall clean-up time on the farm. As I write this, Jason is winding up the last of the drip (irrigation) tape and taking down tomato trellises. The giant old box elders outside the farmhouse are holding onto only a third of their leaves (the rest, on the ground, will end up in the compost pile if we get a chance to rake before it snows). The winter crops (baby salad, spinach, kale, chard, turnips, radishes, lettuce, Asian greens, parsley) are rooting down into their beds in the hoophouse, eking out a few more weeks of growth while the days are still long enough to photosynthesize enough to grow.
Chickens and ducks have been moved to their new yard- still behind the red barn, but on the north end of the garden there, rather than adjacent to the barn (come check out Chicken Tunnel #2- they seemed to remember how to use it, and the ducks finally got the hang of it, too). Depending on when we get snow, the birds may get one more fresh yard before winter, or that may be their last spot before we move them back adjacent to the barn for winter (I'd like to build a roof over part of their yard to encourage them to go outside more. Last winter they hid inside whenever snow was covering the ground, which was most of winter- those chickens.)
We've planted winter rye as a cover crop in the garden nearest the house (where the cucumbers, melons, and summer squash grew this year- what we call the "Old Garden"), in the big back field near the bees (the "Back Field"), in the southern half of the garden behind the red barn (the "Red Barn Garden"), and next to the fall brassicas in the garden just north of the house (the "North Garden"). The rye is just sprouting; maybe you'll see a subtle green carpet in those gardens next week at the last Tuesday CSA pickup, or at the Nov. 4th garlic party/potluck. In the spots that are still in crops (the fall brassicas in the North Garden, the beans, beets, Asian greens, and lettuce in "Rhubarb Row"-the garden just downhill from the rhubarb, and the leeks, scallions, and spinach in the Red Barn Garden), I'm going to interplant rye with the crops that are still there. It's pushing the too-late edge of rye planting season, but at the very least, it will germinate, root, help prevent soil erosion this winter, and grow a lush rye stand in the spring.
We've had enough not-bone-chillingly-cold temperatures that people have been able to work full days with only one or two hot tea breaks. I'm about to rent a dumpster to finally get rid of all the stuff we cleaned out of the garage and basement (back in the spring! but then the season started- so now we start to pick back up where non-farm projects left off around April). We'll have a fire circle at the Nov. 4th potluck, weather permitting - there is plenty of scrap wood in the burn pile!
Still to do: get all the reemay (frost fabric), tags, buckets, plastic trays and pots, flagging tape, wire hoops, rocks and logs and other CRAP out of the fields and yard. Last year the snow caught us with drip tape still in the field, and it was a mess to extricate and try to untangle this year. Never again, I said. So far, fall cleanup has gone smoothly. We've had enough dry weather that the drip tape and frost fabric we're taking out of fields is dry (not muddy) enough to go right into storage. The rest of the potatoes still in the field will go directly into the house basement, which serves nicely as a root cellar. The onions and garlic still curing in the barn will go down there, too. Carrots and beets still in the field will be harvested until snowfall, then either sold at market en masse, mulched in place (to be harvested later this winter), or stored in the basement, too. Leeks still in the field will be picked even after snowfall- they're super hardy. We may pull the last few and store them in the basement, but if they sell well at market, we may not need to.
My friend Laura has become the first "food preservation" member at Birch Point - this past month she's taken all the seconds or damaged crops that we can't sell or won't keep, and she's frozen, dehydrated, pickled, or canned them all, in exchange for keeping part of the product! This has been a dreamy and very productive relationship- thanks SO MUCH, Laura!
OK, next week is our last week of pickup. I have SO enjoyed getting to know you and grow food for you this season. For those of you continuing on with a winter share, we'll segway directly into it starting at the first indoor market (Nov. 5) and the first email blast (week of Nov. 7). As soon as I get a check from you, you can start using your winter account to shop at market and from the email list. For those of you not taking part in winter shares, I look forward to seeing you at the winter market anyway! And next season. For now, though, see you next week!
Recipes
Rutabaga Cheesecake!
From Asparagus to Zucchini (an old edition- I'm pretty sure it's NOT in the most recent edition)
The first time I was served this treat
at a potluck, I was pretty sure the
cooks were pulling my leg when they
said “rutabaga” and “cheesecake” in
the same breath, let alone the same
dish. But it is no joke; it is a
cheesecake (how can you go wrong?
Not even with rutabaga, as unlikely
as it sounds!). And it is delicious.
Cheers!
3 cups cubed rutabaga
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 2/3 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin or agar
½ cup cold water
¾ cup sugar, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ cup milk
3 eggs, separated
1 cup whipping cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated orange zest
Boil rutabaga in boiling salted water
until just tender. Drain and puree in
blender or whip by hand; cool and
place in large bowl with cream
cheese; set aside. Mix graham
cracker crumbs and butter. Reserve
¼ cup and press remainder on
bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
Chill. Soften gelatin or agar in
cold water in top pan of small double
boiler. Add ½ cup sugar, salt, milk,
and slightly beaten rutabaga mixture
until smooth and blended. Cool.
Beat egg whites until foamy; add
remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat
until stiff. Whip cream and fold into
cheese/rutabaga mixture; fold in
whipped egg whites. Fold in vanilla
and orange zest. Pour into prepared
pan, sprinkle with reserved crumbs
and chill until firm. Makes 10-12
servings.
Kale Chips- have you heard? it's all the rage at the farmers' market....
Baked Kale Chips-this particular recipe was lifted from smittenkitchen
Adapted from a bunch of inspiring places
1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (I used Lacinato or “Dinosaur” Kale but I understand that the curlier stuff works, too, possibly even better)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I needed two because mine are tiny; I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.
Kale-Dusted Popcorn If you’re making the chips with the intention to grind them up for popcorn, I’d use less oil — perhaps half — so they grind without the “powder” clumping. I ground a handful of my chips (about half) in a mortar and pestle (well, actually the “pestle” was MIA so I used the handle of an OXO reamer, not that anyone asked) and sprinkled it over popcorn (1/4 cup popcorn kernels I’d cooked in a covered pot with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, shaking it about with potholders frequently). I seasoned the popcorn with salt. I liked this snack, but I think Parmesan and Kale-Dusted Popcorn would be even more delicious. Next time!
That’s it for now; have a great week.
Butternut or Fairy Squash- Fairy is the same speckled-skin squash you got last week; butternut is a classic tan-skinned tall squash that stores wonderfully- it actually improves in flavor after curing for a month or two, if you can wait that long ;)
Onions- a mix of red and yellow storage onions
Garlic- either soft or hard neck (can you tell the difference?)
Hakurei Turnips OR
Kale, Chard, or Collard Greens- your choice- see Recipes section for Kale Chips, in case you haven't tried them yet!
Rutabagas! I hope you like these sweet, pungent relatives of the turnip as much as I do. You can do anything with a rutabaga that you do with a potato- mash, boil, fry, roast. You can even make Rutabaga cheesecake (no joke- see recipe section!)
Radicchio OR other salad greens- we had to pull the last fall radicchio out of the field (to keep deer away and stop slug damage, even though some of the heads weren't fully firmed up), and there was plenty for Tues pick-up, but Sat. pick-up will get either radicchio OR some other greens- spicy mix, spinach, or lettuce.
Fennel OR Kohlrabi- both these fall crops are tiny, taking their sweet time to size up, but still tasty as babies. We wanted to be sure everyone got to taste fennel, especially if it's new to you, so you may get a baby fennel plant- use it just like big fennel, "tip to tail."
Cherry Tomatoes- sweet treats, though you can probably taste the fall-tomato flavor from shorter colder days (more sun=more sugar in the fruits during summer; fall tomatoes are always more "tomatoey" and less sugary)
Heirloom slicing Tomatoes- can anyone get tired of tomatoes? Not I! I just skimmed past newsletters (from past years) and learned that this is the latest we've EVER had tomatoes in CSA shares- hooray for the frost that never comes, or if it seems to have come, somehow still does not kill the tomato plants!(what the heck is going on here???)
Sweet Peppers- the very last of these mixed bell, Carmen, chocolate, and a few other varieties. All the big or medium peppers are sweet, even if they look like they may be hot- there are sweet varieties besides bells! Most of these are still green, but we wanted to pull them from the plants before frost killed them. So enjoy this very last pepper offering of the season.
Hot peppers- you may see three different varieties- serrano, which look like skinny green (or red) fingers, and are slightly hotter than a jalapeno, Czech Black, a tasty mid-sized, pendant-shaped hot pepper that starts out black but matures to a dark, brick red, and Limon - small schoolbus-yellow hotties with a distinct citrus flavor in addition to that capsicum heat.
Announcements:
1. Garlic! On Friday, November 4, we’ll finally get our garlic in
the ground for next year. Garlic planting is always a nice bookend to the season- tucking the last crop into the ground and mulching, before the snow falls. It's full of hope and plans for the next season. And garlic is always one of the first green things to sprout in the spring! Please join us any time after 3 p.m. Nov. 4th for planting. Wear warm work clothes and bring/wear rain gear just in case. All ages and abilities welcome! Bring apples and a jug to take home cider, or a mug to sample cider in the barn. Stay after for a potluck in the house! Or skip the garlic planting and just come for the potluck- everyone is welcome.
Garlic, a pungent member of the onion family,
is an extremely hardy plant that does
best in our climate when planted in
the fall, just long enough before the
ground freezes to establish roots.
Then in the spring, warm soil
temperatures and spring rains
stimulate growth of the aboveground
leaves and scapes, or
flowering stems. Some of you might
remember these funny-looking, curly items from early summer shares. We'll also plant a patch of densely-spaced cloves to be harvested early for green garlic- remember that? There are so many more ways to use this plan than just the traditional mature clove. Vampires, beware!
2. Winter Shares- several folks have committed to supporting the farm this season via winter shares. Thank you! Shares are still available. There is no form/contract to fill out; just send a note with your name, email, address, and phone, and a check for $50 to $500, depending on how much produce you'll need this winter. Your account will be credited with $55 to $550 (a 10% yield on your "investment"), and debited each time you shop from our table at the winter market or order via the email list. This modified-CSA allows greater flexibility on all our parts. It also makes a great gift for friends who you know love fresh greens in winter!
3. Loving Dog Needs Home- Remember Levi, the sweet, skinny, brindle boxer who lived here this summer? Vicki and the kiddos have moved back into town, into a lovely little rental house that doesn't allow pets. Levi has been staying with friends, but he needs a more permanent home. He's wonderful with kids, adults, and other pets. The thing he loves most in life is to play- with other dogs, people, and/or toys. He's a very undemanding guy (unlike some other black-and-white dogs around here). We learned recently that he had giardia, which is partly why he's so skinny, but he's been treated for that and is getting back to a normal weight. He is one of the sweetest, if funniest-looking, dogs I've ever met. I like this guy a lot; I just can't take another dog here right now- I really hope he finds the right home! Please email Vicki directly if you're interested: vickifritzlan@gmail.com
Field Notes
It's a gray, blustery fall week in Leelanau county, and it is fall clean-up time on the farm. As I write this, Jason is winding up the last of the drip (irrigation) tape and taking down tomato trellises. The giant old box elders outside the farmhouse are holding onto only a third of their leaves (the rest, on the ground, will end up in the compost pile if we get a chance to rake before it snows). The winter crops (baby salad, spinach, kale, chard, turnips, radishes, lettuce, Asian greens, parsley) are rooting down into their beds in the hoophouse, eking out a few more weeks of growth while the days are still long enough to photosynthesize enough to grow.
Chickens and ducks have been moved to their new yard- still behind the red barn, but on the north end of the garden there, rather than adjacent to the barn (come check out Chicken Tunnel #2- they seemed to remember how to use it, and the ducks finally got the hang of it, too). Depending on when we get snow, the birds may get one more fresh yard before winter, or that may be their last spot before we move them back adjacent to the barn for winter (I'd like to build a roof over part of their yard to encourage them to go outside more. Last winter they hid inside whenever snow was covering the ground, which was most of winter- those chickens.)
We've planted winter rye as a cover crop in the garden nearest the house (where the cucumbers, melons, and summer squash grew this year- what we call the "Old Garden"), in the big back field near the bees (the "Back Field"), in the southern half of the garden behind the red barn (the "Red Barn Garden"), and next to the fall brassicas in the garden just north of the house (the "North Garden"). The rye is just sprouting; maybe you'll see a subtle green carpet in those gardens next week at the last Tuesday CSA pickup, or at the Nov. 4th garlic party/potluck. In the spots that are still in crops (the fall brassicas in the North Garden, the beans, beets, Asian greens, and lettuce in "Rhubarb Row"-the garden just downhill from the rhubarb, and the leeks, scallions, and spinach in the Red Barn Garden), I'm going to interplant rye with the crops that are still there. It's pushing the too-late edge of rye planting season, but at the very least, it will germinate, root, help prevent soil erosion this winter, and grow a lush rye stand in the spring.
We've had enough not-bone-chillingly-cold temperatures that people have been able to work full days with only one or two hot tea breaks. I'm about to rent a dumpster to finally get rid of all the stuff we cleaned out of the garage and basement (back in the spring! but then the season started- so now we start to pick back up where non-farm projects left off around April). We'll have a fire circle at the Nov. 4th potluck, weather permitting - there is plenty of scrap wood in the burn pile!
Still to do: get all the reemay (frost fabric), tags, buckets, plastic trays and pots, flagging tape, wire hoops, rocks and logs and other CRAP out of the fields and yard. Last year the snow caught us with drip tape still in the field, and it was a mess to extricate and try to untangle this year. Never again, I said. So far, fall cleanup has gone smoothly. We've had enough dry weather that the drip tape and frost fabric we're taking out of fields is dry (not muddy) enough to go right into storage. The rest of the potatoes still in the field will go directly into the house basement, which serves nicely as a root cellar. The onions and garlic still curing in the barn will go down there, too. Carrots and beets still in the field will be harvested until snowfall, then either sold at market en masse, mulched in place (to be harvested later this winter), or stored in the basement, too. Leeks still in the field will be picked even after snowfall- they're super hardy. We may pull the last few and store them in the basement, but if they sell well at market, we may not need to.
My friend Laura has become the first "food preservation" member at Birch Point - this past month she's taken all the seconds or damaged crops that we can't sell or won't keep, and she's frozen, dehydrated, pickled, or canned them all, in exchange for keeping part of the product! This has been a dreamy and very productive relationship- thanks SO MUCH, Laura!
OK, next week is our last week of pickup. I have SO enjoyed getting to know you and grow food for you this season. For those of you continuing on with a winter share, we'll segway directly into it starting at the first indoor market (Nov. 5) and the first email blast (week of Nov. 7). As soon as I get a check from you, you can start using your winter account to shop at market and from the email list. For those of you not taking part in winter shares, I look forward to seeing you at the winter market anyway! And next season. For now, though, see you next week!
Recipes
Rutabaga Cheesecake!
From Asparagus to Zucchini (an old edition- I'm pretty sure it's NOT in the most recent edition)
The first time I was served this treat
at a potluck, I was pretty sure the
cooks were pulling my leg when they
said “rutabaga” and “cheesecake” in
the same breath, let alone the same
dish. But it is no joke; it is a
cheesecake (how can you go wrong?
Not even with rutabaga, as unlikely
as it sounds!). And it is delicious.
Cheers!
3 cups cubed rutabaga
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 2/3 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin or agar
½ cup cold water
¾ cup sugar, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ cup milk
3 eggs, separated
1 cup whipping cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated orange zest
Boil rutabaga in boiling salted water
until just tender. Drain and puree in
blender or whip by hand; cool and
place in large bowl with cream
cheese; set aside. Mix graham
cracker crumbs and butter. Reserve
¼ cup and press remainder on
bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
Chill. Soften gelatin or agar in
cold water in top pan of small double
boiler. Add ½ cup sugar, salt, milk,
and slightly beaten rutabaga mixture
until smooth and blended. Cool.
Beat egg whites until foamy; add
remaining ¼ cup sugar and beat
until stiff. Whip cream and fold into
cheese/rutabaga mixture; fold in
whipped egg whites. Fold in vanilla
and orange zest. Pour into prepared
pan, sprinkle with reserved crumbs
and chill until firm. Makes 10-12
servings.
Kale Chips- have you heard? it's all the rage at the farmers' market....
Baked Kale Chips-this particular recipe was lifted from smittenkitchen
Adapted from a bunch of inspiring places
1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (I used Lacinato or “Dinosaur” Kale but I understand that the curlier stuff works, too, possibly even better)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I needed two because mine are tiny; I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.
Kale-Dusted Popcorn If you’re making the chips with the intention to grind them up for popcorn, I’d use less oil — perhaps half — so they grind without the “powder” clumping. I ground a handful of my chips (about half) in a mortar and pestle (well, actually the “pestle” was MIA so I used the handle of an OXO reamer, not that anyone asked) and sprinkled it over popcorn (1/4 cup popcorn kernels I’d cooked in a covered pot with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, shaking it about with potholders frequently). I seasoned the popcorn with salt. I liked this snack, but I think Parmesan and Kale-Dusted Popcorn would be even more delicious. Next time!
That’s it for now; have a great week.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
BPF CSA Week 19 News
Big news: TWO more weeks of CSA after this (for a total of 21 weeks, not 20 like I thought last week)! So Tuesday people, your last pick-up will be Tues. Nov 1st, and Saturday people, your last pick-up will be Sat. Nov. 5. That last Sat pick-up will be a the INDOOR winter market at Bldg. 50 at the Commons (Sat. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.). Also- Garlic Planting and End-of-Season Potluck: Friday Nov. 4. Everyone invited!
In Your Share This Week:
Fairy Squash: Its deep yellow-orange flesh has a dense, smooth texture and sweet taste that is unbelievably delicious and rich. It is one the earliest winter squash borne on long, vigorous, rambling vines. It is disease-resistant, particularly to powdery mildew, and stores well into the winter. Extremely versatile, Fairy is exceptional baked, roasted or steamed, and is perfect in either savory or sweet recipes. (description lifted from Kitchen Garden Seeds)
Onions - a mix of yellow and red storage onions
Garlic- this week: soft-neck garlic. Note the multiple layers of smaller cloves, compared to the single layer of larger cloves on the hardneck garlic you've been getting. Softneck garlic has a reputation for storing longer than hardneck, but the trade-off is more time spent peeling cloves. What's your pref?
Leeks- These elegant relatives of onions can be used any way you'd use an onion, but they really shine in Potato-Leek Soup and in Baked Leeks with Goat Cheese (one of my fave ways to prepare them). Did you know that the leek is a national symbol of Wales? It's associated with St. David, patron saint of Wales, who ordered his soldiers to wear the leek on their helmets in a battle against the hated pagan Saxon invaders of Britain. The battle itself is also said to have taken place in a field full of leeks.
Potatoes- Either Kennebec or Katahdin, both white-fleshed, white-skinned, and excellent in soup or fried.
Either Hakurei Turnips or White Carrots: It's the Week of the White Vegetable evidently ;). Hakurei turnips are like no other- sweet, mild, tender, and delicious tender greens to boot. I eat them raw like apples, or grated over salad, or cut into matchsticks. OR roasted OR boiled for turnip soup. They're about as versatile as a vegetable can get. White carrots- same thing! This is a variety called Creme de Lite (I know, it's hard to take a vegetable -or anything- seriously that has the word "lite" in its name, but give it a try)- it tastes sweet, looks funny, and is excellent raw or cooked- I like to include them sliced on a veggie platter and watch people try to figure out what they are.
Cherry Tomatoes- more little sweeties! The field-grown plants are still producing, believe it or not, though slowing down, and the hoophouse plants KEEP on giving! I *think* we'll still have tomatoes next week - a record for CSA at Birch Point, if not for all of northern MI!
Heirloom Tomatoes- I've been so pleased with all the heirlooms we grew this year. Despite a slow, late start, they all produced like mad toward the end of their normal growing season, and WAY beyond, thanks to the lack of frost (so far!). My favorites have to be Crnkovic (light pink, large, similar to Brandywine, but fewer super-weird shaped fruits, and less cracking) and Striped German (mammoth yellow fruits with pink starbursts on the bottom and pink streaks- the silkiest-textured tomato yet, in my opinion). What have been your favorites this season? Your feedback will help inform our seed order next year!
Italian Parsley- flavorful, flat-leaved parsley to go with your potatoes, tomatoes, or anything else you like. If you can't use it this week, parsley freezes well for use in soups, etc. later- just pop into a ziploc bag and freeze. Voila.
Either Arugula or Spinach- for salad or to toss with hot cheesy pasta, or anything else you like to do with baby greens!
Announcements:
1. GARLIC PLANTING and End of Season Potluck: Friday Nov. 4! We'll start planting and mulching early, around 3 p.m. and continue til we're done, OR til 6 p.m, whichever comes first. We'll press apples for cider in the barn, and share food in the house afterward. Come for any or all- you DON'T have to plant garlic to come to the party! Everyone invited, all ages and abilities welcome.
2. honey still available
3. A few Thanksgiving shares still available
4. Winter Shares in the form of declining-balance accounts, with 10% interest on your investment, still available
That's it for this week!
In Your Share This Week:
Fairy Squash: Its deep yellow-orange flesh has a dense, smooth texture and sweet taste that is unbelievably delicious and rich. It is one the earliest winter squash borne on long, vigorous, rambling vines. It is disease-resistant, particularly to powdery mildew, and stores well into the winter. Extremely versatile, Fairy is exceptional baked, roasted or steamed, and is perfect in either savory or sweet recipes. (description lifted from Kitchen Garden Seeds)
Onions - a mix of yellow and red storage onions
Garlic- this week: soft-neck garlic. Note the multiple layers of smaller cloves, compared to the single layer of larger cloves on the hardneck garlic you've been getting. Softneck garlic has a reputation for storing longer than hardneck, but the trade-off is more time spent peeling cloves. What's your pref?
Leeks- These elegant relatives of onions can be used any way you'd use an onion, but they really shine in Potato-Leek Soup and in Baked Leeks with Goat Cheese (one of my fave ways to prepare them). Did you know that the leek is a national symbol of Wales? It's associated with St. David, patron saint of Wales, who ordered his soldiers to wear the leek on their helmets in a battle against the hated pagan Saxon invaders of Britain. The battle itself is also said to have taken place in a field full of leeks.
Potatoes- Either Kennebec or Katahdin, both white-fleshed, white-skinned, and excellent in soup or fried.
Either Hakurei Turnips or White Carrots: It's the Week of the White Vegetable evidently ;). Hakurei turnips are like no other- sweet, mild, tender, and delicious tender greens to boot. I eat them raw like apples, or grated over salad, or cut into matchsticks. OR roasted OR boiled for turnip soup. They're about as versatile as a vegetable can get. White carrots- same thing! This is a variety called Creme de Lite (I know, it's hard to take a vegetable -or anything- seriously that has the word "lite" in its name, but give it a try)- it tastes sweet, looks funny, and is excellent raw or cooked- I like to include them sliced on a veggie platter and watch people try to figure out what they are.
Cherry Tomatoes- more little sweeties! The field-grown plants are still producing, believe it or not, though slowing down, and the hoophouse plants KEEP on giving! I *think* we'll still have tomatoes next week - a record for CSA at Birch Point, if not for all of northern MI!
Heirloom Tomatoes- I've been so pleased with all the heirlooms we grew this year. Despite a slow, late start, they all produced like mad toward the end of their normal growing season, and WAY beyond, thanks to the lack of frost (so far!). My favorites have to be Crnkovic (light pink, large, similar to Brandywine, but fewer super-weird shaped fruits, and less cracking) and Striped German (mammoth yellow fruits with pink starbursts on the bottom and pink streaks- the silkiest-textured tomato yet, in my opinion). What have been your favorites this season? Your feedback will help inform our seed order next year!
Italian Parsley- flavorful, flat-leaved parsley to go with your potatoes, tomatoes, or anything else you like. If you can't use it this week, parsley freezes well for use in soups, etc. later- just pop into a ziploc bag and freeze. Voila.
Either Arugula or Spinach- for salad or to toss with hot cheesy pasta, or anything else you like to do with baby greens!
Announcements:
1. GARLIC PLANTING and End of Season Potluck: Friday Nov. 4! We'll start planting and mulching early, around 3 p.m. and continue til we're done, OR til 6 p.m, whichever comes first. We'll press apples for cider in the barn, and share food in the house afterward. Come for any or all- you DON'T have to plant garlic to come to the party! Everyone invited, all ages and abilities welcome.
2. honey still available
3. A few Thanksgiving shares still available
4. Winter Shares in the form of declining-balance accounts, with 10% interest on your investment, still available
That's it for this week!
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