Our Daily Tasks: Covering and Uncovering

Our Daily Tasks: Covering and Uncovering

The winter wonderland where we grow your veggies.

The winter wonderland where we grow your veggies.
Photo credit: Emily Hammon
Want to join and receive your own share of delicious veggies each week? If you are interested in signing up, please email us at greededgegardens@gmail.com. For more information or to download our Enrollment brochure, visit our website at www.greenedgegardens.com/CSA.

We love sharing our wonderful produce with you! We started this blog so that we can keep you up to date with all that is happening on the farm. It is also an opportunity for all of us to get to know one another better. One of the strengths of a CSA is the direct relationship between the farmer's experience and your experience receiving fresh vegetables weekly.

We want to hear from you, so please feel free to share recipes, thoughts and ideas-just click on the COMMENT below each post to add to our CSA community.

July 28, 2010

Week 7 Newsletter

Week 7: Pickups 7/28 & 7/31

    The Open Farm Day was a great success. Thanks to all of those who made the journey despite the weather reports. The rain hit is several communities around our area, but did not fall over us! We enjoyed a great dinner with lots of varied and tasty dishes. Chris from Integration Acres joined us with samples of some of the cheeses he and Michelle are working on. Once again, we were especially grateful for the use of the Amesville Grange for the meal. Not only is it air-conditioned, but has the entire infrastructure needed for large group dinners.
    As some of you who garden know, and others have probably heard from the local news channels, this year has been a different kind of ‘difficult’ for farmers. We are no ex-ception. New lessons are being learned concerning seed tolerances for heat and moisture, always having backup starts, and others. The salad mix has been especially hard hit in this current spell. We lost two consecutive plantings. There is a hole in our salad mix rotation. Fortunately, Dan has rigged a system that is working. We expect its return in 3-4 weeks. We thank you for your patience and understanding!
    As we did last summer cycle, we will be offering 25# boxes of paste and/or slicer tomatoes for canning this year. Please let us know if you are interested so we can put your name down for contacting when we have them. The harvest has begun and I am processing my 1st batch tomorrow. (Thank goodness the weather will be cooler than last week!!) If you don’t know how to can, but want to learn, give me a call. You can arrange to come down during one of the farm sessions for some hands-on training.
    This coming week will begin the planting of the fall root crops – more carrots, more beets, and rutabagas. Are you planting a fall garden? This week in the office, we will begin discussions for this winter’s CSA cycle. As soon as we set the dates, you will know. We are already receiving requests for information from people who want to sign-up for winter. How gratifying it feels. Have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Cale, Rob, Julia, Penny, Guinevere, Morgan, Martin, Geoff, and Maria

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Beets - Beets with greens are sweet and tender. To remove the skins, place in boiling water for 30 seconds. Skins will slip off. Steam, roast, or boil them. Use the greens as you would kale or chard.

Sweet Basil – We love this pungent herb for its many and varied uses. When all else fails, you can always dry it for winter soups, stews and sauces.

Tomatoes - This week you have slicing tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. We grow 2 varieties of cherries: Sweet 100 (red) and Sungold (orange tomato candy).

Yellow Onions - This time each year, we like to bring you some onions from another certified or-ganic grower down here. Our soil is not good for growing onions, but we wanted you to have some that are locally grown. Taste the difference!

Carrots- Sweet and tender, these little beauties are real treasures for us! Cooked or crunchy and raw, they are packed with goodness!

Parsley – Use this aromatic herb in salad, potato salad, tabouli, and many other dishes. Today you received either Flat Italian Parsley (prized for cooking) or Curly Parsley (that familiar garnish). Both have the amazing parsley flavor and can be used in the same recipes interchangeably.

Swiss Chard - We are thrilled to have the chard back. These mildly-flavored and tender leaves are perfect for chopping into any number of dishes, hot or cold. Separate the stems and leaves, blanch and go….!

Green Beans - We are excited to have green beans for your this week. The variety is an old standby called ‘Provider’. Check the 2nd page for an interesting recipe for these.

The Combo Corner
The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard this week are peaches.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Honey Oat Wheat.

Twice a year and unannounced, the food safety inspector from the Ohio Dept. of Ag visits and inspects our premises and packing operations. We are always ready to see these folks. Once again, this facility passed with no ticks on the sheet. Yeah to the Green Edge crew members and owners for their willingness to do what is asked.



In two weeks, our other inspector from O.E.F.F.A. (the organic guy) will be here to make the annual inspection that is so necessary to maintain our organic certification. His interests include every aspect of the operation from seed sources to distribution logs and everything in between – and you better have documentation. It is a lot of work to keep track of these little bits and bobs of paper, but we are committed to the process and the outcome. We are certain that most of you are too.
 
Recipe: Fresh Green Beans & Basil
1 Lb. green beans (the amount in your share today) 
1 tsp. herb vinegar
1 tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
¼ cup fresh basil, thinly sliced


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook green beans for 5 to 6 minutes until just tender. Drain will. In the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add green beans, herb vinegar, salt and pepper; stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Toss with basil and serve immediately.
From: OldFashionedLiving.com

Here’s a recipe sent to us over a year ago. I found it again while I was sorting through old messages. I wouldn’t hesitate to use fresh tomatoes and other fresh things for a great summer soup – maybe even cold.
"I made this using veg from the farm. I did also buy parsnips and add them. It was almost as good as the soup my Mom use to make."  --Ruth Ann
Recipe: ODDS 'N ENDS SOUP
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 can (35 oz.) peeled whole tomatoes, chopped coarse
6 c. assorted chopped vegetables such as carrots, celery, parsnips, turnips, green or wax beans
1 can (16-19 oz.) red or white kidney beans, chickpeas, drained
1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernel
2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. chopped parsley, divided
3/4 tsp. dried rose-mary
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. cooked bow-tie or other pasta


In large saucepot, sauté onion and garlic in oil 1 minute. Add tomatoes, vegetables, beans, corn, 2 table-spoons parsley, rose-mary, pepper and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover; simmer 30 minutes until vege-tables are tender. Add pasta during last 5 minutes to heat. To serve, ladle into bowl; sprinkle with parsley.

THE MOST VERSATILE SOUP!
USE AN ASSORTMENT OF VEGETABLES TO CREATE A DIFFERENT MEAL EVERY TIME! Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 239 cals. Preparation: 15 mi-nutes. Cook: 30 mi-nutes. Ready to serve in 45 minutes.

The GREEN BAGS and BOXES provided by us for you to carry your veggies is actually on loan to you for the season. We have two per member, so please return your GREEN BAG and BOX each week that you pick up. We are happy to support the goal for allto use fewer resources. But you need to help by joining with us in the effort to keep the GREEN BAGS and BOXES in the recycling loop. Thanks so much!

July 23, 2010

Veggie List for Week 7

Veggie List for 7/28 & 7/31 Pickups

Tomatoes
Yellow Onions
Carrots
Swiss Chard
Basil
Beets
Parsley
Beans

July 21, 2010

Week 6 Newsletter

Week 6 Newsletter: July 21st
  As you might imagine, with the Open Farm Day looming this weekend, we are all scampering to find the time to do the little extra things to prepare for your visit. Between harvesting and packing the orders, planting, and weeding, general ‘tidying-up’ has transformed the farm. It is looking better every day. You will be receiving (if you haven’t already), an e-vite from us about the Farm Day. Please take a moment to respond, so we can plan for the number of people attending. Thanks so much.
  Again this week, THE EXTRAS BOX will be at each site. This is an opportunity for you to share something you may not want for a little more of the extra item. Remember the others who haven’t yet picked up, and everybody wins. YEAH!!! This week you will find Sweet Basil. Last week, we explained about the two failed salad mix plantings that have left a hole in the salad rotations. With that in mind, we are once again very grateful to have the extras box this early in the season. For the Half-share Combo members, this is your 1st delivery of the amazing fruit from Neil Cherry’s orchard. We hope you will be pleased. If you did not order a Combo Share, please be sure to inform all those who may help with your pickups to check the list at the host site each week. That list will tell each person exactly what he or she should be picking up. With all of the choices, everybody really has to pay attention to the lists that Rob painstakingly prepares each week. Thanks so much.
  As for field work, more of the winter squashes are mulched each day. It is hot and sweaty work that is not made any easier by the recent rains. The Long Beans continue their climb on the trellises, while the bush beans are beginning to fruit. Peppers, eggplants, beets and more are on the brink of explosion! But you can see all of this for yourself this Sunday! So do come down and visit this cornucopia of your veggies, meet the folks who grow and deliver them. We can’t wait to see and meet you!


From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Cale, Rob, Julia, Penny, Guinevere, Morgan, Martin, Geoff, and Maria

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with micro-greens, you are in for a surprise! Unlike sprouts (which are only grown in water), these are grown in soil and therefore im-part the nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.

Mushrooms - This week’s mush-rooms are either shiitake or any of the oyster mushrooms (yellow, white, brown, or blue) that we grow.

Sweet Basil – The official start of summer for us is pesto, and we’ve been enjoying it for several weeks now! We hope you will too! You may also see packages of this in both Columbus Whole Foods. (Look for the Green Edge logo.)

SUMMER SQUASH – The varie-ties of squash we grow: Patty Pan, Sunburst, Yellow Squash, and Zuc-chini. Sauté, steam or grill - another great ingredient for vege-table shish kabobs. Notes on page 2.

TOMATOES!! - Yes to summer!! This week’s varieties include paste tomatoes called Bellstar, and var-ious ‘slicer’ tomatoes we grow. Heirlooms are not far behind.

Swiss Chard – We are thrilled to have the chard back. These mildly-flavored and tender leaves are perfect for chopping into any number of dishes, hot or cold. Separate the stems and leaves, blanch and go….!

Yellow Onions - This time each year we like to bring you some onions from another certified or-ganic grower down here. Our soil is not good for growing onions, but we wanted you to have some that are locally grown. Taste the difference!

STORING TOMATOES – We attempt to ship you tomatoes that are not dead ripe the day your receive them. Store them shoulder side (stem end) down, and blossom end up.
Get the most out of your tomatoes. Tomatoes are a warm loving fruit. Do not store them in the refrigerator unless you will be using them very soon.

SUMMER SQUASH: We grow a tasty medley of summer squashes that thrive in the heat of the season. Our zucchini, yellow & pattypan varieties can be enjoyed raw, but also do well grilled whole alongside your favorite meat, fish or other veggies. Marinated or not, their flavor suits any barbeque or picnic. If you find that you prefer to cook them on the stovetop, try adding them to a pasta dish, pizza, stir-fry, or curry. Store them on your countertop if you anticipate eating them right away, or in the crisper drawer of your fridge if you want to save them for later in the week. They should keep this way for least a week if not more.
 
The Combo Corner

This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Italian Herb Garden - It is a lighter whole wheat and white with olive oil, rosemary, basil and fennel.
The cheese share from Integration Acres this week includes White Goat Cheddar and Chevre’.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370 3-10pm
TIBET – 614-784-8124 11am-6pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-284-1188 2- 6pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663 11 am-8 pm
PLATES STUDIO –DUBLIN - 614-336-9502 4-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302 12-6pm


Please remember to call your host first if problems arise. Since they are closer to you, they can usually resolve the problem. Feel free to call us if the host is unable to help you – 740-448-4021 Thanks!
 
The GREEN BAGS and WAX BOXES provided by us for you to carry your veggies is actually on loan to you for the season. We have two per mem-ber, so please return your GREEN BAG and BOX each week that you pick up. We are happy to support the goal for allto use fewer resources. But you need to help by joining with us in the effort to keep the GREEN BAGS and BOX in the recycling loop. Thanks so much!
 
Recipe: Spanish Tortilla Serves 2-4.


Ingredients:
6 eggs, beaten 2 Yukon Gold potatoes 2-3 green onions (or ¼ cup chopped yellow onion), chopped up to the light green 1/4 cup olive oil Salt


Method:

1.) Slice the potatoes (peeled or unpeeled) into disks between ¼ and 1/8” wide.
2.) Pour the olive oil into a cast-iron or hard anodized aluminum pan (a pan that will be able to take the heat of a broiler in the oven) and heat it over medium-high heat. When it is hot enough to sizzle the potatoes as soon as they hit the oil – start frying them in one layer. Working in batches, fry them until they are lightly browned, not crispy. When they are done, let the potatoes dry on a paper towel & salt them well. Keep frying until they are all cooked.
3.) When the potatoes are all done, pour off most of the oil and sauté the onions. When they are just starting to crisp, turn off the heat. Arrange the onions so they are evenly covering the bottom of the pan. Layer the potato on the pan in a scalloped pattern.
4.) Turn the heat back on - to medium, and pour in the eggs. Add a generous pinch of salt. Shake the pan to get the eggs to coat everything in the pan. Let this cook until you see the edges of the tortilla begin to set, then put the pan under the broiler.
5.) Cook it under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the top browns. Remove the pan and set it to cool for at least 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. It’s also good at room temperature, and will keep a couple days in the fridge. (from simplyrecipes.com)

Caramelizing Onions - Caramelizing onions, by slowly cooking them in a little olive oil until they are richly browned, is a wonderful way to pull flavor out of the simplest of ingredients. Onions are naturally sweet; and as caramel comes from the simple cooking of sugar, when you slowly cook onions over an extended period of time, the natural sugars in the onions caramelize, making the result intensely and wonderfully flavorful. You can use onions prepared this way on top of steak, or for onion soup, tarts, pizza, or onion dip. 1.) Slice off the root and top ends of the onions & peel them. Cut the onions in half. Lay them cut side down and slice the onions lengthwise to desired thickness. 2.) Use a wide, thick-bottomed sauté pan for maximum pan contact with the onions. Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil, or a mixture of olive oil and butter (about 1 teaspoon per onion). Heat the pan on medium high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some salt over the onions, and if you want, you can add some some sugar to help with the caramelization process. 3.) Let cook for 30 minutes to an hour more, stirring every few minutes. As soon as the onions start sticking to the pan, let them stick a little and brown, but then stir them before they burn. The trick is to let them alone enough to brown (if you stir them too often, they won't brown), but not so long so that they burn. After the first 20 to 30 minutes, you may want to lower the stove temperature a little, and add a little more oil, if you find the onions are verging on burning. A metal spatula will help you scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the caramelization proceeds. As the onions cook down, you may find you need to scrape the pan every minute, instead of every few minutes. Continue to cook and scrape, cook and scrape, until the onions are a rich, browned color. At the end of the cooking process, you might want to add a little balsamic vinegar or wine to help deglaze the pan and bring some additional flavor to the onions.



Store refrigerated for several days in an air-tight container. (from simplyrecipes.com)

July 16, 2010

Veggie List for Week 6

Veggie List for Shares
Picked Up On 7/21
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Sunflower Microgreens
Yellow Onions
Summer Squash
Basil
Swiss Chard

July 14, 2010

Week 5 Newsletter

THE EXTRAS BOX
     At each drop site, there will be one of our boxes that will have some veggie that we have sooo… much of – we just have to share the bounty with you! This is also an opportunity for you to share something you may not want for a little more of the extra item. Remember the others who haven’t yet picked up, and everybody wins. YEAH!!! We feel fortunate to have the extras box in place already, especially since we have been having very trying time with the lettuces. Two plantings in a row failed to germinate and have left a hole in our salad rotations. It will be filled soon, but in the meantime, it is very disappointing to many people. We hope you will understand.
     Kip continues to mow the fields. He’s getting help from others for the trimming and weed eating that keep the fence lines free from green matter. When the weeds grow to touch the wires, it weakens the charge of the electric fence wire. The gentle rains of the last few days have brought cooler breezes to the hollow, and lushness to the fields. The tomato harvests are beginning. Morgan weeded rows of sweet potatoes by hand all day today. The recent rains made for wet ground that can’t be hoed, and even larger weeds that need removed for the vigor of the plants. She was thoroughly soaked she said. But she was smiling.
     This is the 1st week of the luscious fruit shares for the season. We are always so excited when the fruit shares start. Neil picks them on Tuesdays for the shares. Please take special care to explain to those who might be involved with the ‘picking up’ of your share. Only those who specially ordered fruit, or who ordered a combo share should take fruit. If you are unsure, there is a list at the pickup site that will tell you who has a share of fruit. Thanks.
     As the Open Farm Day approaches, we are excited for the chance to meet some of our new members, some old friends, and break bread with folks. We hope you will be able to join us!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guinivere, Morgan, Martin, Rob and Maria



THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with micro-greens, you are in for a surprise! Unlike sprouts (which are only grown in water), these are grown in soil and therefore impart the nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
Mushrooms - This week’s mushrooms are either shiitake or any of the oyster mushrooms (yellow, white, brown, or blue) that we grow.
Eggplant - Your first eggplants of the season, and definitely not the last! This is the variety called “Orient Express’. It is prized (at least by us) for its lack of seeds and its tender skin. This means that blanching and peeling is not necessary when using this treasure - also a great addition to kabobs on the grill.
Sweet Basil – The official start of summer for us is pesto, and we’ve been enjoying it for several weeks now! We hope you will too! You may also see packages of this in both Columbus Whole Foods. (Look for the Green Edge logo.)
Summer Squash – The varieties of squash we grow: Patty Pan, Sunburst, Yellow Squash, and Zucchini. Sauté, steam or grill - another great ingredient for vegetable shish kabobs. Notes on page 2.
Tomatoes!! - Yes to summer!! This week’s varieties include paste tomatoes called Belle Star, and various ‘slicer’ tomatoes we grow. Heirlooms are not far behind. Pictures are on the blog to help you identify which ones you have.
Storing Tomatoes –
We attempt to ship you tomatoes that are not dead ripe the day your receive them. Store them shoulder side (stem end) down, and blossom end up.
Get the most out of your tomatoes. Tomatoes are a warm loving fruit. Do not store them in the refrigerator unless you will be using them soon.
Using Summer Squash: We grow a tasty medley of summer squashes that thrive in the heat of the season. Our zucchini, yellow & pattypan varieties can be enjoyed raw, but also do well grilled whole alongside your favorite meat, fish or other veggies. Marinated or not, their flavor suits any barbeque or picnic. If you find that you prefer to cook them on the stovetop, try adding them to a pasta dish, pizza, stir-fry, or curry. Store them on your countertop if you anticipate eating them right away, or in the crisper drawer of your fridge if you want to save them for later in the week. They should keep this way for a least a week if not more.
The Combo Corner
The first fruit selections from Cherry Orchard will start today and will include: Blackberries, Peaches, and Green Apples.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Onion Poppy Rye.

The cheese share from Integration Acres this week includes White Goat Cheddar and Smokey Goat.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370 3-10pm
TIBET – 614-784-8124 11am-6pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-284-1188 2- 6pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663 11 am-8 pm
PILATES STUDIO –DUBLIN - 614-336-9502 4-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302 12-6pm
Please remember to call your host first if problems arise. Since they are closer to you, they can usually resolve the problem. Feel free to call us if the host is unable to help you – 740-448-4021 Thanks!

Recipe:  BABA GHANOUSH
1 eggplant 1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turn-ing occasionally, or until soft. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.
Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
~from Winky at allrecipes.com

Recipe: GREENS, PEAS ‘N’ CHEESE SALAD
4-6 Cups bite-sized greens (lettuces, spinach, endive, etc. mixed is great)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 Cups cooked peas
4 oz. Swiss cheese, julienne strips
6 Tbl. cooked salad dressing or mayonnaise
2 tsp. sugar
2 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled, or the equivalent bacon substitute

In a large salad bowl, place half the greens, onions, peas, and cheese; sprinkle with 1 Tbl. sugar. Dot with 3 Tbl. mayo. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Add the bacon and toss just before serving.
The friend who shared this recipe adds that she has successfully used ham, or conversely, no meat at all. Also, she has added sliced hard-boiled eggs and cucumbers (although not together).
From: More-with-Less Cookbook by Doris Jansen Longacre …suggestions by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the world’s limited food sources. Shared by Catharine Hare
(Ed.s Note: I had originally chosen to use this recipe for this week before I received the ingredients list. But it’s such an all-purpose formula that is very adaptable to myriads of combinations, I thought I would go ahead and use it. I had this at a potluck and was very surprised. It was very good.)

The GREEN BAGS provided by us for you to carry your veggies is actually on loan to you for the season. We have two per member, so please return your GREEN BAG each week that you pick up. We are happy to support the goal for all to use fewer resources. But you need to help by joining with us in the effort to keep the GREEN BAGS in the recycling loop. Thanks so much!

For the most part, these past few weeks have seen lots of GREEN BAGS being returned . Thanks for making this effort for us all.

July 8, 2010

Veggie List for Week of July 14th-17th

Veggie List for 7/14 & 7/17 Pickups

Sunflower Microgreens
Mushrooms
Tomatoes (Paste and/or Slicers)
Eggplant
Summer Squash
Basil
Sorry, but Salad Mix will not be available for your shares this week.  We are able to increase the amount of basil you will be getting---Pesto Time!

July 7, 2010

Newsletter for 7/7 Pickups

Wow! What a difference a few days can make! Just a few days ago, we needed blankets for warmth, but the current temperatures are a far cry from that! Tuesday’s harv-est started at 6:00 am to take advantage of the morning coolness. This is good for your farmers as well as your veggies. This is also the case for herbs. Waiting to cut means that the plant has already moved its liquid reserves to the roots to stay cool meaning the leaves can be limp and wilty. And even though we aren’t quite acclimated to this new heat wave, the nightshades like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are thrilled! Warm nights are the missing ingredients these plants need for their fruits to ripen.
Because we are a part of the Conserva-tion Service Program, we have to wait until after late June before we can mow our fields. This late date protects the nests of birds who raise their young in fields not trees. So, Kip has finally been very busy mowing the fields. We hope to have them done before you visit with us on the Open Farm Day.
As this season progresses, we are continually answering inquiries about internships and WWOOFing (Willing Workers on Organic Farms). We are pleased to be of such interest to folks who are looking and learning. As we view the fall, we know there will be more. Is this because more people are truly interested in growing know-how, or more a reaction to the lack of jobs available in the broader market? That’s hard to know for sure, and is likely some of both.
The new perennial herb bed has had the first tilling, and is waiting for the spare time to finish the soil preparation. In the meantime, tomato tying looms large on the weekly tasks along with the picking of the tomatoes and other fruits as they start to ripen. We’ve been busy staying current with the irri-gation needs of the all of the different houses and fields. And we are ever grateful for the new and larger holding tank for the irrigation water. This week we’re also hoping to sow the cover crop on the West Field which is fallow is season. Have a great week!!
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Cale, Julia, Penny, Guini-vere, Morgan, Rob, Martin and Maria)



THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Salad Mix - This week the salad mix is an all lettuce blend of about 10 different varieties. We hope you enjoy it!

Sweet Basil – The official start of summer for us is pesto, and we’ve been enjoying it for several weeks now! We hope you will too! You may also see packages of this in both Columbus Whole Foods. (Look for the Green Edge logo.)

Parsley - Use this aromatic herb in salad, potato salad, tabouli, and many other dishes. Today you received either Flat Italian Parsley (prized for cooking) or Curly Pars-ley (that familiar garnish). Both have the amazing parsley flavor and can be used in the same reci-pes interchangeably.

Mushrooms - This week’s mu-shrooms are shiitake. These bold flavored treasures are great as kabob ingredients, inside an ome-lets, or in a myriad of other reci-pes.

Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with micro-greens, you are in for a surprise! Unlike sprouts (which are only grown in water), these are grown in soil and therefore im-part the nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.

Swiss Chard – We’re thrilled to have this hearty green for your share this week. Sautéed, stir-fried, or steamed, this luscious and mild green is sure to please.

Eggplant - Your first eggplant of the season, and definitely not the last! This is the variety called “Orient Express’. It is prized (at least by us) for its lack of seeds and its tender skin. This means that blanching and peeling is not necessary when using this trea-sure. This is also a great addition to kabobs on the grill.



The Combo Corner
The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard will start in July.

This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Pan Marino with olive oil and rosemary.

The cheese share from Integration Acres this week includes Feta and Smokey Goat.



The GREEN BAGS or Waxed BOXES provided by us for you to carry your veggies are actually on loan to you for the season. We have two per member, so please return your GREEN BAG or Waxed Box each week that you pick up. We are happy to support the goal for all to use fewer resources. But you need to help by joining with us in the effort to keep the GREEN BAGS and WAXED BOXES in the recycling loop. Thanks so much!
 

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370 3-10pm

TIBET – 614-784-8124 11am-6pm

BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm

UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-284-1188 2- 6pm

CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663 11 am-8 pm

PLATES STUDIO –DUBLIN - 614-336-9502 4-8 pm

HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302 12-6pm

Please remember to call your host first if problems arise. Since they are closer to you, they can usually resolve the problem. Feel free to call us if the host is unable to help you – 740-448-4021 Thanks!
 
 
Recipe:  BASIL FETTUCINI
Serves 2

¾ Cup chopped fresh basil 1 ½ Cups sll-purpose flour 1 Egg 1 tsp. olive oil 2 Tbl. water 2 ½ Tbs. all-purpose flour

1. Using a food processor, process basil leaves until very fine. Add 1 ½ Cups of flour and pulse two or three times, or until combined. Add egg, 1 teaspoon oil, and the water until dough forms a ball shape. If dough seems dry, add a bit more water. Wrap dough in a piece of plastic wrap that has been coated with a few drops of olive oil. Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.

2. Remove dough from refri-gerator, and cut into 6 equal size portions. Run pasta through pasta machine, or roll with rolling pin to desired thickness. Use the additional flour to coat pasta while roll-ing.

3. Allow pasta to dry for one hour prior to cooking.

4. Cook in a large pot of boil-ing water unil al dente. This should take only 3 to 5 mi-nutes, depending on the thickness of the pasta.

Recipe: EASY TABOULI
Tabouli salad is one of those recipes that has as many variations as it has cooks. Traditionally, this Lebanese dish contains both parsley and mint, olive oil, lemon juice and onions.
Serves 4 Prep Time: 1 hr.

1. Rinse the wheat berries under cool water and remove any stones/debris. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with water so that the water is about 1” above the wheat berries. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cook, uncovered for about 1 hour. Drain excess water before adding to salad.

2. While the wheat berries are cooking, rinse the parsley, onions tomato and lemon under cold wa-ter. Using a sharp knife or food processor, chop the parsley leaves finely. Add to a large bowl. Mince the green onion and tomato and add to the bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice into the bowl, and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Stir well. Season with salt and a generous amount of black pepper, to taste. When the wheat berries finish cooking (berries will be plump and soft), strain excess wa-ter. Let the berries cool slightly, then add them to the bowl. Stir all ingredients together. Chill to help the parsley soften and the flavors meld. Serve Cold. – jill harris allrecipes.com

 
This season’s weather has been unlike any summer that anyone here can remember. The sudden changes from warm to cold and back (several times) and the shift from WET! to DRY! have been challenging to say the least. We are experiencing a little delay in the supply the abundance we have begun to expect at this time of year. All of this is to say that one little eggplant is not much for the creation of any recipe I could find. BUT, we had these and we wanted to share this new crop with you as soon as it was possible.


Tonight was the monthly meeting of the local Grange. Our program was a docudrama from the early 1950’s about the need for the formation of a union for farmers, small farmers like us. As we know, those early farmers did organize into buying, selling, marketing, and distribution cooperatives to protect the livelihood of small family farms.

And even though those cooperatives were successful in what they were seeking to accomplish, the overall goal of keeping the small family farm as a viable way of life was not realized. At that time, one-quarter of the population was involved with the production of food for the rest of us. Now, that percentage is far smaller. We want to take this opportunity to say thank you for your support of our efforts to bring whole, fresh, certified organic vegetables to your home.

July 2, 2010

Veggie List for Week 4 (July 7th) Pickups

Veggies Coming In Week 4 Shares
Pickups: July 7th and July 10th

Salad Mix
Sunflower Microgreens
Mushrooms
Parsley
Basil
Swiss Chard