ATHENS HILLS WINTER CSA:

WEEK ELEVEN

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all are doing well these days. As usual this crazy, snowy, icy winter weather made for a very interesting week last week. All the vegetables survived just fine, it was us the crew who had the adventures.

Some of us couldn’t make it to work at all, while those that tried had little success. No one was hurt, and no vehicles damaged. But those of us that discovered what ice on our hilly roads can do had some funny stories to tell the next day. We hope all of you managed to stay safe and warm last week. And I think I can safely say that we are all just about ready for the warmer weather that spring promises!

Our Green Edge Gardens worker profiles are in full swing, and this week we are featuring our very own fun and feisty baby of the farm, Kate Lainhart (don’t let her youth fool you, she is one organized woman who manages to keep all of us in line!). Please have a look at the back of this newsletter for her brief autobiography. I hope you enjoy getting to know all of us over the next couple of weeks, and if you have missed the profiles of Kip & Becky, Dan, John or Margaret please let us know and we can email you that newsletter. Have a great week!

Best Wishes,

Claudia

FEATURED VEGGIES

Salad Mix (a mix of several lettuce varieties picked for their delicious taste and color combinations.)

Micro Mix (a mix of sunflower, buckwheat, radish, cabbage and kogani (pac choi).)

Garlic (store this perennial from the Lily family in a cool, dry place.)

Mushrooms (pickers' choice of our farm-grown shiitake, oyster or trumpet mushrooms.)

1 bunch of Greens (This week you will receive a bunch of Kale, Collard Greens, or Mustard Greens to enjoy. All can be prepared in similar ways—steamed, sautéed, included in a soup, or raw in a salad. Have fun discovering a new way to enjoy them!)

Spinach (A truly wonderful green vegetable, very nutritious and delicious. It adds wonderful color and texture to a salad when you chop it into strips and toss with the lettuces. Enjoy this familiar staple this week—it might just help you avoid those yucky winter illnesses that have been hanging around.)

Daikon Radish (This is one of our favorite root vegetables that is (believe it or not) part of the cabbage family. It has a mild radish flavor and can be used in salads, but it really shines cooked as you would any of your favorite root vegetables. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator—here it will last at least a week. Some complimentary flavors for daikon include honey, lemon, miso, butter, sour cream, feta, chives, curry powder, dill, ginger, parsley, oregano & onions.)

Recipe: Ginger Miso Soup with Daikon, Greens & Carrots (Serves 2 to 4)

2 C. water, divided

¼ C. white miso

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 ½ tsp. grated ginger (fresh)

2 packed cups finely chopped greens

1 C. diced daikon (6oz.)

1 C. diced carrots

Put ½ cup of water and the miso in a medium pot. Mix the miso with the water until it is diluted to a thin paste. Stir in the remaining 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, and ginger. Place over medium-low heat and bring to a very light simmer, reducing heat as necessary to prevent boiling.

Add the greens; continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the greens are nearly tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the daikon and carrots and cook until the vegetables are just tender, 5-7 minutes more. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe: Daikon with Tahini Dressing (Serves about 4)

This dish is great served over a bed of lettuce, stuffed into pita bread or even mixed with a little shredded chicken for a unique take on chicken salad.

4 inches of daikon, cut into match- stick-sized strips

¾ C. thinly sliced red radishes

1 medium carrot, grated

¼ C. tahini

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 ½ Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 Tbs. dry sherry or vermouth

Dash of salt

Sugar

¼ C. chopped almonds

Combine daikon, red radish, and carrots in a medium bowl.

Whisk the tahini, scallions, lemon juice, sherry, salt and sugar to taste in a small bowl until well combined. Thin the dressing with a few tablespoons of water until the mixture is a smooth paste.

Toss the dressing with the radishes and carrots until well combined. Garnish with almonds if desired.

(Both recipes courtesy of Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables, 2006)

KATE LAINHART

I was born and raised in Nashville, TN, but I moved to Ohio for college. I graduated from Kenyon College in 2006 and then moved to Athens with my boyfriend, Matt. While Matt attends the Ohio University College of Medicine, I spend my time on the farm. I love working with the land and learning about growing produce. My hope is to one day open a farm school. I would love to teach children the importance of local, organic agriculture. In August, we are moving our family (a dog and a cat) to Columbus for the rest of Matt's schooling. He will be doing his medical rotations at Doctor's Hospital, on the west side of Columbus. If anyone has any leads on jobs or rentals, I would love to hear from you. You can contact me at the farm. Thanks so much for supporting Green Edge and enjoy your veggies!