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.

April 27, 2011

Week 20 Newsletter

Week #20 April 27, 2011


  For this last newsletter of the Winter 2011 cycle, let me begin by saying thanks to the many folks who joined us, some returning and some for the first time. We are so grateful for your participation. We are also grateful that we can supply you with the many items you have received over the last four months. Thanks again to all of you who have taken a moment (or three) to complete the online ano-nymous survey. The comments at the end have been thoughtful and informative. There were several great ideas that we hope we can implement. If you still haven’t had a chance to answer the questions, don’t fret about it. Here’s the link to copy and paste into your browser: http://websurveymaster.com/s/AthensHillsCSAWinter2011
   This week we greeted the last of the interns for the season, Janelle. We also said Hey! to our new field worker, Kurt. With all hands on the dirt so early this year, we are anxiously waiting for drier weather. Planting is going to be late this season. This seems to be the case for all our fellow farmers down here. The bounty will come, but it will definitely not be early this year. A representative from the CAN (Central Appalachian Network) visited the farm to take pictures and interviews for a new video clip featuring aspects of successful operations in the Appalachian region. We will post the video on the website and blog when we receive the finished product.
   We have been fortunate for the last several days. Much of the forecasted rain did not fall here. In two days of work, the square shell of lumber was transformed into a framed equipment shed complete with trusses and most purlins in place. It appears that there really is an end to this project after all. If you are joining us for the summer, you will receive the Summer 2011 welcome letter in mid-May. This will detail the starting dates and other details pertinent to your pickup site as well as other general CSA topics. If you are not joining for the summer, we bid you thanks and adios. Hopefully, you will be back for the next Winter 2012 season.
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Maria, Kurt, Rob, Penny, Guinevere, Bethany, Deidre, and Janelle

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce, mizuna. The last one is a mild Asian green. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.
Arugula - This versatile green can be used raw in salads or steamed. Its peppery flavor will delight or disgust. These greens are also very balanced with vitamins and minerals.
MicroMix Microgreens - We are so pleased to once again bring you the other microgreens that we grow. Unlike the sunflower ones, these are more delicate, don’t store as well, and have the tangy flavor of cabbage and radish. We hope you enjoy them.
Salad Radish- This week you have received either French Breakfast (long and slender), or Easter Egg, ronded and various colors. The first of the season radishes are so special for their tender crisp crunchy juiciness. Enjoy these on salads, bread and butter, with a dip, in a stir-fry, or just by themselves, maybe a pinch of salt.
Spinach - Another week of spinach and our blood is happy for it! Use it raw in salad (we do) or steamed lightly as a side dish. Some folks like it with relish as a condiment, some like vinegar. No matter your taste, the nutri-tional value is awesome!
Green Onions – Our 3rd time to include green onions (scallions to some.) We tried last winter, but the crop failed, so we are tickled pink to share them with you this week!
Swiss Chard - We are glad to still have this favorite. The mild flavor of chard makes it the all around choice for most customers. It’s the only green that grows well in winter and summer.
Mushrooms - Shiitake. It’s a good thing they’re so good.

The Combo Corner

This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Batard – an oval-shaped French bread.

The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard ended in March. Thanks.

Recipes
Sautéed Swiss Chard

1 bunch Swiss Chard, ends trimmed
1½ tbls extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cloves crushed garlic
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
1. Rinse greens well. Cut ribs and stems from leaves. Cut ribs and stems crosswise into 2” pieces; set aside. Cut leaves in 2” pieces.
2. In 12” skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic and cook 1 minute or until golden, stirring constantly. Add chard ribs and stems and cook, covered, 5 minutes or until almost tender.
3. Add chard leaves in batches to skillet, stirring to wilt leaves. Stir in salt and crushed red pepper. Cook, covered, 5 minutes or until leaves are tender and most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.
~from Good Housekeeping via http://www.delish.com/
Simple Swiss Chard ~from allrecipes.com

2 tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stalks discarded, leaves cut into wide ribbons
¼ cup balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat the olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until tender and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the chard and vinegar; cook and stir until the chard is wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

SAVORY SWISS CHARD

2 tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large bunch of any color Swiss chard, stemmed and coarsely chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg, about ¼ teaspoon
½ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika or ground cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper 1 teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce ½ cup chicken stock
In a large skillet heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the greens to the pan and wilt. Season the greens with nutmeg and smoked sweet paprika or cumin, salt and pepper and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a few minutes then serve.
~from Rachel Ray www.foodnetwork.com

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ small red onion, diced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste (optional)
Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine, Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

QUINOA WITH CHARD AND MUSHROOMS


1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Swiss chard, chopped
Small pinch red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, sliced 12 ounces cremini (shiitake will work), sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ ounce Parmesan shavings (carefully use a vegetable peeler)
1. Combine the quinoa in a saucepan with 2 cups water with a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and tender.
2. In the meantime, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chard and red pepper flakes, cook until wilted, and tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove to a plate.
3. Add the remaining oil into the skillet and add the garlic over medium heat. When it is slightly golden, add the mushrooms. When they release their moisture, about 3 minutes, stir in the quinoa and divide among 4 bowls or plates. Top with shaved Parmesan.
~from www.SeriousEats.com

April 22, 2011

Week 20 Offerings

Veggie List for Week 20 Pick-Ups:
Pick-Ups 4/27 & 4/30
Final Week of the Winter CSA--THANK YOU!

Salad Mix
Green Onions
Microgreens Mix
Mushrooms
Swiss Chard
Salad Radishes
Spinach

April 20, 2011

Week 19 Newsletter

Week #19 April 20, 2011


   First this week, we say a fond farewell to the Athens-Area Half-Share folks. Today is their last pickup for this Winter 2011 season. With the end of this season also comes time for you to “Tell It All”! (anonymously). Rob has emailed you (Tuesday morning) with the link to the online survey for this season. As always, he does a terrific job explaining what to do. Basically, click on the link and answer the questions with your opinion. Hopefully, you can take a moment to share with us things that you particularly liked or disliked. This is a great help for us as we begin to plan next winter’s cycle. We value your opinions, and try to implement your ideas if we can. Thanks in ad-vance for your time! There is no end to the excitement of spring on the farm. As this is being written, the school buses in Amesville are returning the children to their homes as the water is once again about to cover the roads. With storms forecast for the rest of the day, this is only prudent. The water will only get deeper for several hours as it rushes from the small creeks in the hollows to meet the larger streams. On the farm, the crew is scurrying to finish the packing of the shares so they too can leave and still get to their homes before the water closes them out. Fortunately, while the water comes up quickly, it usually recedes quickly too as that same water rushes on to fill the rivers further downstream. If (and when) it ever stops raining, the crew will be planting carrots and beets, transplanting chard and kale, and shifting eggplants and peppers to larger pots while we wait for the soil temperature to warm enough for these fussy nightshades. The greenhouses are being “turned over” one bed at a time as we continue to harvest the last of the crops. Soon those juicy, luscious heirloom tomatoes will be planted there. And not so long after they are planted, we will be sending them to you, our members in the Summer 2011 shares. We are getting close to being sold out for the summer cycle, so let us know if you are still planning to sign up. Have a great week, and here’s to some drier weather!
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Maria, Rob, Penny, Guinevere, Bethany, and Deidre

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water.
Arugula - This versatile green can be used raw in salads or steamed. Its peppery flavor will delight or disgust. These greens are also very balanced with vitamins and minerals.
Mushrooms - Shiitake. It’s a good thing they’re so good.
Salad Radish- This week you have received either French Breakfast (long and slender), or Easter Egg, rounded and various colors. The first of the season radishes are so special for their tender crisp crunchy juiciness. Enjoy these on salads, bread and butter, with a dip, in a stir-fry, or just by themselves, maybe a pinch of salt.
Green Onions - Our 2nd time to include green onions (scallions to some.) We tried last winter, but the crop failed, so we are tickled pink to share them with you this week!
Spinach - Another week of spi-nach and our blood is happy for it! Use it raw in salad (we do) or steamed lightly as a side dish. Some folks like it with relish as a condiment, some like vinegar. No matter your taste, the nutritional value is awesome!
Swiss Chard - We are glad to still have this favorite. The mild flavor of chard makes it the all around choice for most customers. It’s the only green that grows well in winter and summer.
MicroMix Microgreens - We are so pleased to once again bring you the other microgreens that we grow. Unlike the sunflower ones, these are more delicate, don’t store as well, and have the tangy flavor of cabbage and radish. We hope you enjoy them.

The Combo Corner

The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard are finished for the Winter 2011 season.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Italian Wheat.

Recipes
 
Sautéed Swiss Chard

1 bunch Swiss Chard, ends trimmed
1½ tbls extra-virgin olive oil
1½ cloves crushed garlic
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp crushed red pepper

1. Rinse greens well. Cut ribs and stems from leaves. Cut ribs and stems crosswise into 2” pieces; set aside. Cut leaves in 2” pieces.
2. In 12” skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic and cook 1 minute or until golden, stirring constantly. Add chard ribs and stems and cook, covered, 5 minutes or until almost tender.
3. Add chard leaves in batches to skillet, stirring to wilt leaves. Stir in salt and crushed red pepper. Cook, covered, 5 minutes or until leaves are tender and most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.
~from Good Housekeeping via www.delish.com

Simple Swiss Chard ~from allrecipes.com
2 tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stalks discarded, leaves cut into wide ribbons
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until tender and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the chard and vinegar; cook and stir until the chard is wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

SAVORY SWISS CHARD

2 tbls. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large bunch of Swiss chard, stemmed and coarsely chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg, about ¼ teaspoon
½ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika or ground cumin
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup chicken stock

In a large skillet heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the greens to the pan and wilt. Season the greens with nutmeg and smoked sweet paprika or cumin, salt and pepper and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a few minutes then serve.
~from Rachel Ray www.foodnetwork.com

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan Cheese

2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ small red onion, diced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste (optional)
Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine, Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed.

QUINOA WITH CHARD AND MUSHROOMS

1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Swiss chard, chopped
Small pinch red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, sliced
12 ounces cremini (shiitake will work), sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ ounce Parmesan shavings (carefully use a vegetable peeler)
1. Combine the quinoa in a saucepan with 2 cups water with a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and tender.
2. In the meantime, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chard and red pepper flakes, cook until wilted, and tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove to a plate.
3. Add the remaining oil into the skillet and add the garlic over medium heat. When it is slightly golden, add the mushrooms. When they release their moisture, about 3 minutes, stir in the quinoa and divide among 4 bowls or plates. Top with shaved Parmesan.
~from www.SeriousEats.com
Did you know that quinoa is really a seed, not a grain or even couscous!  And not only is it NOT a grain, it still IS a complete protein!  This recipe is originally from Martha Stewart Living.

April 15, 2011

Week 19 Offerings

Veggie List for Week 19:
Pick-Ups 4/20 & 4/23

Salad Mix
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Salad Radishes (Easter Egg & French Breakfast)
Scallions
Microgreens Mix
Shiitake Mushrooms
Arugula

April 13, 2011

Week 18 Newsletter

Week #18 April 13, 2011


  As is pretty typical for spring, I’m sure I just wrote the last newsletter yesterday – at least that’s how it seems! The Starts House is full of your food for the summer, and we’ll be adding more there as the flats germinate and can be moved to the cooler environment. The Starts House is heated, but not as warm as is needed to germinate the heat-loving summer crops. This week we are pleased to have our new delivery helper and market assistant for Columbus. We are excited to have this additional helper for Kip without the expense of paying the helper to ride in the truck for 4 hours.
   This Monday we received word from the Upper Arlington market that we have been accepted again for this season. Their market starts in mid-May. More details will be given to you when I get them. But that market is a place to get these wonderfully fresh and tasty veggies during the off-weeks of the CSA. Speaking of the off-weeks, spring break seems to have con-fused some members. To remind all, the last day of deliveries is April 27th - including today, that’s 3 more.
   Work on the equipment shed has come to a temporary halt as we await the arrival of the trusses. After they are delivered (with the tin for the roof) this project will soon be finished, and we can move to the next. Other scheduled tasks for the week will in-clude some greenhouse soil maintenance as we prepare the soil for the tomatoes. Field work, though, seems delayed due to the excessive rain we have had. Hope-fully, before I write another newsletter, the west field will have been ‘disked’ to knock down and incorporate the cover crop of winter rye.
   On Saturday, Kip and Becky are traveling to Marietta (after the market is over) to give a presentation about Green Edge Organic Gardens, a discussion of how and why we do this. Of course the biggest part of the ‘how’ doesn’t involve the two most important factors, namely, one - you, our beloved members and customers, and two - our equally beloved employees who make this possible by their efforts - every day. We are so grateful to you both! Thanks.
  From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Maria, Rob, Penny, Guinevere, Bethany, and Deidre

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Arugula - This versatile green can be used raw in salads or steamed. Its peppery flavor will delight or disgust. These greens are also very balanced with vitamins and minerals.
Mushrooms - Shiitake. It’s a good thing they’re so good. If you can’t use them all in one week, they should store fine in their paper bag to be combined for a really big mushroom extravaganza next week!
Sunflower Microgreens - 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-( 2 bunches this week) We are glad to still have this favorite. The mild flavor of chard makes it the all around choice for most customers. It’s the only green that grows well in winter and summer.
Kale - One of our all-time favorites. We love it raw, massaged, steamed, in soup, etc., etc. ,etc.
FRENCH BREAKFAST RADISHES - The first of the season radishes are so special for their tender crisp crunchy juiciness. Enjoy these on salads, bread and butter, with a dip, in a stir-fry, or just by themselves, maybe a pinch of salt.
Carrots - Many of you have written to say that you agree about the flavor of these sweet things. And thanks for that. What a special flavor and treat on a gloomy winter day.
Spinach - Another week of spinach and our blood is happy for it! Use it raw in salad (we do) or steamed lightly as a side dish. Some folks like relish as a condiment, some like vinegar. No matter you taste, the nutritional value is awesome!

The Combo Corner

The apple selections from Cherry Orchard are finished for the Winter 2011 cycle.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Honey Oat Wheat.

Recipes
FREEZING SWISS CHARD ~from eHow.com

Things you’ll need: Swiss Chard; cutting knife; quart-sized freezer bags; cooking pot; water; ice water
1. If you’re planning on using it in the next 2-3 weeks, simply cut it and place it in the quart-size freezer bag. It will still have a food flavor and texture for a few weeks.
2. You can freeze Swiss Chard for up to a yeatr with the following steps: Rinse the Chard and check each leaf thoroughly for dirt in the grooves of the leaves.
3. Fill a pan with enough water to cover the Chard. Bring the water to a rolling (hard) boil. While the water is boiling, cut off the stems and set aside for another use (They don’t freeze well.) Cut the leaves into pieces, whatever size you prefer.
4. Once the water has reached a hard boil, place the chard in the water and boil for 2 minutes. Next, drain the chard and place it in ice water until cooled down (this process is called ‘blanching’.)
5. Remove as much water as possible from the chard and place the chard into quart freezer bags and seal the bags. Lay the bags flat until frozen. The Swiss chard is now ready to enjoy when needed.
Read more: How to Freeze Your Garden Swiss Chard
http://www.ehow.com/how_5050837_freeze-garden-swiss-chard.html#ixzz1JKj1mGDW
This is the method used to blanch and freeze all greens that you receive except salad mix.

Beans-and-Greens Tacos with Goat Cheese ~from Martha Stewart Living, May 2011

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 red onions, sliced in ¼-inch-thick rounds
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb. Swiss chard, stems and ribs removed, leaves washed well and coarsely chopped
1 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup vegetable or chicken stock
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
8 white-corn tortillas
1/3 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled (2 ounces)
8 cilantro sprigs
1. Heat oil on a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook onions until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in chard, beans, and stock, Cook until greens are wilted and beans are warmed through, about 4 minutes. Season with ¾ teaspoon salt and some pepper.
2. Using tongs, hold each tortilla directly over a gas flame, turning, until heated through, about 5 seconds. (Alternatively, wrap tortillas in foil, and warm in a 350 oven.) Spoon filling onto tortillas, Top with cheese and cilantro.
 
CARROT SOUFFLE ~from allrecipes.com~

1 lb. carrots, coarsely chopped
½ cup margarine (butter will work)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup white sugar
1. Preheat oven to 350 F . Lightly grease a 2-qt. casserole.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add carrots and cook until tender, 15-20 mins. Drain and mash.
Stir in butter, vanilla extract, sugar, and eggs; mix well.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; stir into carrot mixture and blend until smooth.
Transfer to prepared casserole dish. 3. Bake for 45 minutes.

Garlicky Greens Recipe (repeated from earlier newsletter)

If you are using spinach, ignore the stem instructions below. With spinach, I simply trim any long stems. Also, feel free to make this vegan and/or dairy-free by leaving out the Parmesan cheese. Toasted almonds or pine nuts are a great substitution (or addition).
1 large bunch of kale, chard, or spinach
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (opt)
crushed red pepper flakes
To de-stem each leaf of chard/kale, grab the main stalk in one hand and strip the leaf from the stem all the way up with the other. I then tear the big leaves into bite-sized pieces, but you can use a knife for this task if you prefer. Wash the greens in a big bowl (or sink) full of clean water, rinsing and swishing to rinse away any stubborn grit and dirt. Drain, rinse again, and set aside.

Hold off cooking the greens until just before eating. Then, in a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add a couple big pinches of salt and the greens. They should hiss and spit a bit when they hit the pan. Stir continuously until their color gets bright green, and they just barely start to collapse - two, three, maybe four minutes, depending on how hot your pan is and how much structure your greens have. Then, just thirty seconds before you anticipate pulling the skillet off of the heat, stir in the garlic. Sauté a bit, remove the pan from the heat, stir in the Parmesan, and add a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Taste, add a bit of salt if needed, and serve immediately if not sooner.
Serves 2- 3.
from 101 Cookbooks

April 8, 2011

Week 18 Offerings

Veggie List for Week 18:
Pick-Ups 4/13 & 4/16

Sunflower Microgreens
Arugula
Carrots
French Breakfast Radishes
Kale
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Mushrooms

April 6, 2011

Week 17 Newsletter

Week #17 April 6, 2011


   SPRING!!! With the peepers chirping every night and full buds on the lilacs and magnolias, spring is surely here – finally. Not only has spring arrived, but our first on-farm intern has arrived also. It’s a little chilly still for an unheated cabin, so Bethany is staying in the spare room of the farmhouse. Deidre lives close by, so she stays at her place, and Janelle will arrive in 2-3 weeks. Joining them soon will be our newest field worker, Kurt. It’s good to have these choices made. We have never had so many interesting and eager applicants, so the final decisions were tougher than before. This is just the 2nd day for the new interns. Monday they learned about picking things. Today, it’s all about the packing of the shares for you and other Wednesday orders.
   The Summer 2011 cycle is filling steadily – so if you still have not let us know your intentions, please take a second to do so soon. Summer crops are being seeded and/or transplanted – well, if and when the fields dry out. The greenhouses are being weeded (again). That never stops really. As the temperatures warm, especially in the houses, we have begun to see aphids. To control them, we are fighting back with the ever-so- gentle spraying of insecticidal soap. (Should you find these little darlings on your greens, they usually will come off under running water.) The parsley and tomatoes are ready to be ‘shifted up’ which means transplanted into larger containers to continue to get that head start before being planted in the fields. Work on the new equipment shed is plodding along in between raindrops, sleet, or the occasional snow flurry. Thanks to the folks who responded to our ‘help needed’ note. We don’t have a permanent replacement yet, but we are working
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, , Rob, Julia, Penny, Guinevere, Morgan, Bethany, and Deidre)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any extra drops of water that can form.


Mushrooms - Shiitake. It’s a good thing they’re so good. If you can’t use them all in one week, they should store fine in their paper bag to be combined for a really big mushroom extravaganza next week!

Sunflower Microgreens - 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 are glad to still have this favorite. The mild flavor of chard makes it the all around choice for most customers. It’s the only green that grows well in winter and summer.

Kale - One of our all-time favorites. We love it raw, massaged, steamed, in soup, etc., etc. ,etc.

Carrots - Many of you have writ-ten to say that you agree about t he flavor of these sweet things. And thanks for that. What a special flavor and treat on a gloomy winter day.

Green Onions - Our first time to include green onions (scallions to some.) We tried last winter, but the crop failed, so we are tickled pink to share them with you this week!

French Breakfast Radishes - The first of the season radishes are so special for their tender crisp crunchy juiciness. Enjoy these on salads, bread and butter, with a dip, in a stir-fry, or just by themselves, maybe a pinch of salt.

The Combo Corner

The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard are finished for the winter.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is the Galette.



Please remember to return your green delivery bag each week. We want to reduce packaging as much as possible. Thanks !
Answer to FAQ: Yes, you can still make changes to your Summer 2011 share. From adding someone to upgrading to the cheaper Full Share, to changing the size of an Ala Carte item, early sign-up makes flexibility possible.

Recipes
Fava Bean and Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes

~from Martha Stewart Living, Apr ’11
“Here’s an easy way for fava bean fans to enjoy the ingredient during its short peak season, March to May. At other times, shelled edamame are a worthy stand-in. Radishes make good, crunchy dippers for either ver-sion.” Martha

Coarse salt & freshly ground pepper
2 lbs fava beans, shelled
½ cup soft goat cheese (4 oz)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, + 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water + more if needed
1 bunch radishes, halved or quartered lengthwise, if large

1. Prepare an ice-water bath. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook fava beans until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and transfer to ice-water bath. Let cool. Drain, and peel beans.
2. Pulse beans, goat cheese, oil, tarragon, lemon zest and juice, ½ teaspoon salt, a nd ¼ teaspoon pepper in a food processor until just combined but still chunky, about 6 or 7 times. Stir in water. Add an additional tablespoon water if mixture is too thick. Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Sprinkle with pepper just be-fore serving. Serve with radish-es.

SIMPLE GREEN ONION DIP

~from grouprecipes.com 16 servings
1 large tub sour cream (2 cups)
6 nice green onions
¼ cup fresh minced parsley
1 heaping teaspoon fresh minced garlic salt to taste
In a large bowl, add the sour cream. Cut the green onions in half lengthwise; then cut crosswise in small pieces, greens and all. Stir well, check to see if it needs salt. Let sit in frig for at least 2 hours for flavors to meld. Serve with chops, crackers, or veggies. Also, it can be used on baked po-tatoes. This is so easy, no need to buy the packaged mix.

Green Onion Cocktail Biscuits
~from grouprecipes.com 16 servings

1 cup flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter cut into bits
4 green onions minced
½ cup cottage cheese
5 tablespoons milk
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Grease a baking sheet.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
Stir in remaining ingredients until soft dough forms.
Knead dough gently on a floured surface and roll into a rectangle.
Cut into rounds with a 2” cutter and place them on prepared sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes.
 
CARROT COLESLAW RECIPE ~from carrotrecipes.net

2 medium carrots, shredded
1 cup of green cabbage, shredded
½ cup of red cabbage, shredded
½ cup of light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon skim milk
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
½ teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded vegetables.
Whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the salad. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

SPICY CARROT SOUP
8 carrots, roughly chopped
5 celery stalks, cut into pieces
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 cups of water
1 tablespoon of curry powder
1 tablespoon of olive oil salt
Heat up the olive oil in a frying pan; then fry the chopped garlic and chopped onion or 4-5 minutes.
Add a teaspoon of curry powder, then stir.
Add all of the remaining ingredients except the salt and cook until the vegetables are tender. Mix in a blender until the soup is smooth.
Add salt to taste and serve.

April 1, 2011

Week 17 Offerings

Veggie List for Week 17:
Pickups 4/6 & 4/9

Carrots
Kale
Green Onions
French Breakfast Radish
Salad Mix
Sunflower Microgreens
Swiss Chard