ATHENS HILLS WINTER CSA:

WEEK TWENTY

Hello Everyone!

Well, here we are already--the end of our Winter 2008 CSA season. It is truly hard to believe that twenty weeks ago we were hustling and bustling getting your first bag of produce ready to go. It is amazing to look back and think of all that happens over a winter here at Green Edge, especially now that we are planting our starts out in a field that was covered with snow not too long ago.

Spring is our boom time on the farm, and everything is in motion to make sure our summer crops get in the ground on time, are healthy and happy, and are kept safe from drastic weather changes, deer, etc. When we are this busy, it is nice to take a step back and think about the winter and our nice tidy cold frames full of greens, salad & spring roots. Before we know it, these houses will be the new homes of our heirloom tomatoes and not a touch of the winter season will remain. As the warm weather settles in to stay and we all move forward into spring, summer and fall, we will look fondly on this past winter season, and we thank all of you for your continued support as our farm’s community members. We hope that you have enjoyed your Winter CSA and will join us again for another season of delicious vegetables here again soon! Have a wonderful week!

Best Wishes,

Claudia (on behalf of Becky, Kip, Margaret, Dan, Kate, John, Cale, Tristan, Penny & Ryan)

FEATURED VEGGIES

Salad Mix: A mix of several lettuce varieties picked for their delicious taste and color combinations.

Micro Mix: Amix of sunflower, buckwheat, radish, cabbage and kogani (pac choi).

Mushrooms: Pickers' choice of our farm-grown shiitake, oyster or trumpet mushrooms. Store these beauties in your refrigerator in a paper bag or in an unsealed plastic bag for a least a week.

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.

Swiss Chard: One of our favorite greens that happens to be growing like gang-busters-- don’t forget that you can blanch, freeze & store it for later.

Carrots: These orange gems are so versatile it’s hard not to love them. Raw or cooked in your favorite dishes, these favorites pack in the nutrition along with their sweetness.

Radishes: A zesty vegetable that not only brightens up a dish, they also add their special crunch and spice. Whenever these appear in our garden, we know spring is here to stay. Enjoy them in your salads, roasted with other vegetables, or plain with a sprinkle of salt to taste.

Recipe: Carrot & Cucumber Soup (Makes 4 ½ cups)

3 medium carrots

1 ½ C. milk

1 pint (2 C.) sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk

1 medium cucumber, chopped

3 green onion bulbs

1 ½ tsp. garlic salt

½ tsp. allspice

dash of pepper

Chop the carrots in a blender with ½ cup of water, and then cook until tender. In a blender, place the milk, sour cream, cucumber, onion, garlic salt, allspice and pepper. Chop. Pour into a bowl. Stir in the cooked carrots. Chill. Garnish with cucumber slices, carrot curls, or fresh dill.

This dish would be wonderful at a brunch, shower, for a refreshing lunch, or as a great way to cool down in the evening after a particularly warm day working outside (I see many of those ahead of us here at Green Edge!).

(Recipe courtesy of Country Wisdom & Know-How: Everything You Need to Know to Live Off the Land, 2004.)

Recipe: Spinach Squares (Makes 50 1-inch squares as an appetizer or 8 servings as an entrée.)

4 C. uncooked fresh spinach, chopped (about 10 oz.)

2 to 3 Tbs. butter or margarine

3 eggs

1 C. flour

1 C. milk

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

¾ to 1 lb. Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 350F. Wash the spinach well and pat or spin it dry. Melt the butter in a 9-inch by 13-inch pan in oven. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour, milk, salt, and baking powder. Stir in the cheese and spinach. Mix well and pour into the buttered pan. Smooth the surface and bake for about 35 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting into 1-inch squares.

If you want to freeze these, arrange them on a cookie sheet and place it in the freezer. Once they are frozen, put them into a plastic bag. Reheat on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes at 350F, or if at room temperature, 20 to 35 seconds in a microwave oven.

(Recipe courtesy of Country Wisdom & Know-How, 2004.)

Recipe: Sautéed Radishes with Hard-Cooked Eggs and Spiced Yogurt Sauce (Serves 4)

6 large, hard-cooked eggs, halved & each half quartered

1 scallion, chopped

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbs. butter, divided

1 bunch radishes, quartered

1 tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. crushed coriander seeds

1 tsp. crushed sesame seeds

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 ¼ C. plain yogurt

1/3 C. chopped fresh cilantro

3 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. paprika

Arrange the hard-cooked eggs pieces in a shallow serving dish. Scatter the scallion over the eggs and season with salt & pepper.

Melt 1 Tbs. of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the radishes; cook stirring until tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer the radishes to a plate & set aside to cool.

Let the skillet cool for a couple of minutes, then return it to the stove over low heat. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the cardamom, coriander, sesame seeds, and cumin; cook, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning, until they are fragrant (3 to 4 minutes). Scrape the spices into a small bowl and set aside to cool.

Put the yogurt in a medium bowl. If it is firm yogurt, beat it vigorously with a fork or whisk until creamy. Add the cooled spices, cilantro, lemon juice and paprika; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the cooked radishes over the eggs and scallions in the serving dish. Pour the yogurt sauce evenly over the dish. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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

Have a wonderful week and don’t forget you can contact us at:

(740) 448-4021 OR

greenedgegardens@verizon.net

We look forward to hearing from you!