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.

September 30, 2011

Week 16 Veggie List

Sunflower microgreens
Sweet peppers
Eggplant
Carrots
Heirloom tomatoes
Potatoes
Kale
Parsley

September 28, 2011

Week 15 Newsletter

ATHENS HILLS CSA
   There are more personnel changes here this week. Last Wednesday we bid goodbye to Guinevere who was the planter in the microhouse. She is pursuing her degree in Music Therapy from OU. Replacing her is Theo who has come from Columbus to join the crew. Planting the microgreens takes a special talent for seeing things that are unobservable to many folks. We are very pleased to have found someone so quickly! Kurt is moving after the 1st week of October, so Alicia is replacing him on the crew as planned. We are already speaking to replacements to finish her internship. So many changes in one year are certainly requiring us to be more flexible! 
   Despite the raindrops on Monday, all hands were in the dirt harvesting the potatoes. The yield was good, not record-breaking. We think it will definitely be adequate to fill the needs of customers for this fall and into the winter. The winter squashes have been stored in the bunker in the barn along with the potatoes that were just dug. We’re planning to get the sweet potatoes out of the ground on Wednesday and Thursday – definitely before the forecasted lows of 40o for Saturday night. 
   The crew has also begun to pull the tomatoes plants from the greenhouses. Preparing the ground to receive the plants for the winter takes many days and many hands. After the beds in each house are prepared, each week we plant different rows of a crop in each house. By the first week in November, we are fully planted. But during this time, we are still harvesting from the fields for the luscious fall greens that announce the winter growing season for us. 
   And speaking of the winter growing season, lots of folks have sent us their enrollment information for this coming Winter 2012 cycle. Don’t delay if you want to be a part of this harvest cycle. Spaces are filling up even faster than other years. Every day more people write to be put on the waiting list. We are grateful for all of the kind words from past members who are telling their friends! Lastly, this is the last week for the OSU student’s ag/survey to be posted, so please take moment to answer. Thanks and have a great week! 
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Maria, Cale, Kurt, Liz, Penny, Bethany, Alicia, Diedra, Corey, and Theo)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Sunflower Microgreens - mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
Mushrooms - This week some folks will receive oyster mushrooms and some will receive shiitake. If you’re tired of the shiitake, I sure hope you got oysters this time!
Carrots – If you haven’t had freshly dug carrots before, prepare to be amazed with their sweetness. As with all things in the winter, sugar is made by the plant to keep it from freezing, so the colder the weather, the sweeter the veggie.
Heirloom Tomatoes - Heirloom tomatoes differ from hybrids. Their amazing flavor is the trade-off for their delicate nature that is easily bruised difficult to transport.
Sweet Peppers – We grow a variety of sweet peppers, and your shares will reflect that variety. For the names of each, just refer to the blog where they are labeled with a picture…
Eggplant - We have included a half-pound of eggplant this week. The varieties include Nubia (striped), Orient Express (dark purple) and Peng Tung (pink tongue). Don’t bother to peel them; the skins are tender. Try the chunks on a shish kabob.
Collards - These are the first of the fall greens to be ready. You can treat then as you would any green. They may require a little more time for cooking, but the wait is worth it.
Hot Wax Peppers – Just a few of these this week. Seeds are hot so do not rub your face after removing them from the pepper….

THE COMBO CORNER

The fruit selection from Cherry Orchard this week contains the last peaches of the season. It is topped off with Gala, Golden Delicious apples and Magness pears. The Magness pear will soon soften into a sweet, yellowish pear.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Batard.
This week’s cheese share from Integration Acres is Herbes de Provence.


PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370 12-8pm
TIBET – 614-784-8124 11am-6pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-506-3086 4-8pm
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! 

Please keep those green bags coming home!

OSU/Ag Survey Link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/osucsastudy
Please take a moment and answer these questions. Thanks!

RECIPES
Hot Sauce
If you’re looking for a way to preserve some of those hot peppers, here’s a favorite from our Friday Farm lunch.
Directions:
Wash the Hungarian Hot Wax peppers and cut off the stem. Cut the peppers into several pieces. Place the peppers into a food processor along with some vinegar, salt and a little water. Blend until you achieve your desired consistency. The more seeds that you use, the hotter the sauce will be. Be careful not to touch your eyes after handling the peppers. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Hadley's No Pork Low Cholesterol Collard Greens
 
from cooks.com 
Ingredients:
1 med. onion, peeled & whole
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp. hot sauce (Louisiana style)
2 lg. smoked turkey wings
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 c. Promise butter
2 lg. bags fresh chopped collards or 2 bunches fresh collard greens
Directions:
1. Chop greens by cutting up leaves until very small.
2. Start to a boil 1 quart water with turkey wings and butter and onion. Add greens and cook medium high for 1 hour. Add hot sauce, vinegar, sugar and continue to cook until tender, 30 minutes or more.

Collard Greens Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 c. Northern beans
2 qt. water
1 sm. ham bone
1 sm. ham hock
½ lb. beef short ribs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
2 potatoes, diced
1 bunch fresh collard greens, chopped
½ onion, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
1 blood sausage (Morzilla)
3 tbsp. bacon drippings
Directions:
Soak beans overnight. In a large pot put water, ham bone, ham hock, short ribs, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to boil, remove foam with a skimmer. Lower heat and simmer approximately 30 minutes. Add beans and cook until tender. Add potatoes and collard greens. Sauté onion, green pepper and sausage (cut in 3 pieces) in the bacon drippings. When onion is soft, add to collard greens. Bring to boil and cook

Carrot Souffle
from allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
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
Directions:
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.

Eggplant, Zucchini and Sweet Red Pepper Stew

from allrecipes.com
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes 
¼ cup olive oil 
1 cup chopped onion 
5 cloves garlic, chopped 
½ cup Basmati rice 
1 zucchini, cut into large chunks 
1 large red bell pepper, chopped 
3 fresh tomatoes, diced 
1 cup Marsala wine 
1 ½ cups water 
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste 
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 
¼ cup chopped fresh basil 
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped 
Directions:
1. Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt.
2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Rinse eggplant and pat dry. Sauté until slightly browned. Stir in onion and sauté until transparent. Stir in garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Stir in rice, zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, wine, water, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture reaches a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4. Remove from heat and stir in basil, parsley and rosemary.

September 23, 2011

Week 15 Veggie List

Sunflower microgreens
Mushrooms
Carrots
Heirloom tomatoes
Sweet peppers
Eggplant
Collards
Hot peppers

September 21, 2011

Week 14 Newsletter

ATHENS HILLS CSA   
      At the very first this week, let me apologize to all for my error with the veggie list from last week. Several people emailed looking for their salad mix. Eventually the realization banged me in the head when I reviewed the master list and found no salad listed there! I am sorry for this, and I have checked this week’s list three times to avoid the same kind of mistake.
      Last week was a lesson in patience and anger management. Again our phone line was severed, and we were without phone or internet service for 5 days. Fortunately, we are back to normal as of Monday. We did manage to live without the technology, and would have managed nicely except that the rest of our world was still operating with technology. 
      On Friday we said goodbye to Marie as Liz fully assumed the duties of CSA coordinator. Marie and Rob both did a great job training her for the many tiny tasks involved to keep all of the details organized. On Monday, both Kip and Liz presented a proposal to the Senior Mechanical Engineers class at Ohio University. Each year members of the community present project ideas from which to choose. We had two for them: one for developing a mechanism to make winter inside covering in the greenhouses a one-person chore; the other was the creation of an inexpensive mechanism for summer opening and closing of the sides of the greenhouses. We’re hoping both will be chosen by more than one team as we could really use the tools!
      We were able to cut the winter squashes from their stems and pile them for curing this weekend, but the rain kept us from starting on the potatoes. With luck and no rain for a few days, we hope to start that digging this week. One stress relieving task was also accomplished. The last of the field planting of the fall/early winter greens and roots was finished as the rains began on Monday morning. Finally, a reminder about the Winter 2012 cycle sign-up. This Friday we will send out the reservation letters to this summer’s members. Please respond quickly if you are interested as these spots are available on a 1st -come 1st –served basis. Have a great week!
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Maria, Kurt, Rob, Penny, Guinevere, Diedra, Bethany, Alicia, Corey, & Liz)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Mushrooms - This week some folks will receive oysters mushrooms and some will receive shiitake. If you’re tired of the shiitake, I sure hope you got oysters this time!
Sunflower Microgreens - mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
Heirloom Tomatoes - Heirloom tomatoes differ from hybrids. Their amazing flavor is the trade-off for their delicate nature that is easily bruised and difficult to transport.
Parsley – After the cold and wet spring, the parsley has finally made an appearance in the garden. We hope it will be here for a while. This flat Italian parsley is prized by cooks.
Garlic – We are having more success with this each year. This is such an essential component to most sautéed dishes, we are glad to have a small portion of your needs.
Eggplant - We have included a half-pound of eggplant this week. The varieties include Nubia (striped), Orient Express (dark purple) and Peng Tung (pink tongue?) Don’t bother to peel them; the skins are tender. Try the chunks on a shish kabob.
Sweet Peppers – We grow a variety of sweet peppers, and your shares will reflect that variety. For the names of each, just refer to the blog where they are labeled with a picture…
Swiss Chard - This green is the summer stand-by. Versatile, mild, and nutritious with a low glycemic load although a little high in sodium. Stir-fry or sauté are just a two of its uses.
Hot Wax Peppers – Just a few of these this week. Seeds are hot so do not rub your face after removing them from the pepper….

The Combo Corner

The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard will include Encore peaches and the first picking of Golden Delicious apples.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is called Anadama. This is an early American classic combination of whole wheat, white, rye, and corn meal (all organic). Their version is a hearty sandwich loaf baked in a wood fired oven.
This week’s Cheese Share from Integration Acres is Tomme, natural rind hard goat cheese.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370 12-8pm
TIBET – 614-784-8124 11am-6pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-506-3086 4-8pm
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!

Please keep those green bags coming home!
OSU/Ag Survey Link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/osucsastudy
Please take a moment and answer these questions.
Thanks!

RECIPES
Heirloom Tomato, Peach, and Plum Crisp 
By Anne Baptiste, Millennium Restaurant, San Francisco
 
Tomato Filling: 
2 medium Heirloom tomatoes 
6 Peaches, peeled 
6 plums, peeled 
¾ C (to taste)Florida Crystals or sugar 
1 T vanilla extract 
1 tsp balsamic vinegar 
6 T arrowroot powder or corn powder 
½ tsp salt
 
Chop tomatoes, peaches and plums into half inch pieces. Mix in sweetener to taste as well as vanilla, vinegar, salt and arrowroot. Place in a 9x9 inch baking pan. Cover with desired amount of crisp topping and bake 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees. Crisp is done when topping looks toasted; some juice may bubble through.
 
Almond-Pine Nut Crisp Topping: 
1 ½ C almonds, toasted 
½ C pine nuts, toasted 
1 ½ C spelt flour 
2 ½ C rolled oats 
2 C brown sugar 
1 tsp salt 
½ tsp cinnamon or 1 ½ - 2 tsp spices of your choice 
½ tsp ginger powder 
¼ tsp cardamom powder 
¼ tsp cumin 
¼ tsp coriander 
¾ C oil 
1 T vanilla extract
 
After toasted nuts have cooled, chop them coarsely in a food processor. Mix with flour, oats, brown sugar and salt adding whichever spices you like. Mix in the oil and vanilla. The mixture should look a little wet and hold together somewhat when squeezed. This recipe makes lots of topping and can be halved if you prefer less.

Heirloom Tomato and Halibut Ceviche
By Sean O'Brien, MYTH Restaurant, San Francisco

Ingredients:
1 lb Heirloom Tomatoes, peeled, diced 
1 lb Halibut, diced 
1 cup Lime juice, fresh 
½ teas Lime zest 
½ cup Orange juice, fresh 
½ teas Orange zest 
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
½ cup Red Onion, minced 
1 ea Garlic Clove, minced 
2 Tbl Cilantro, minced 
1Tbl Mint, minced 1 Tbl Basil, minced 
2 ea Jalapenos, seeded, minced 
1 ea Mango, diced 
½ teas Cumin, ground 
1 teas Salt, Kosher 
1 ea Avocado, diced (optional)
 
Method: Marinate halibut in ½ cup of lime juice for 1 hour. Discard the ice and incorporate all of the ingredients with the halibut.
 
Kip and I had our first ceviche last year on Caye Caulker off the coast of Belize. It was made with conch –simply divine! The lime juice ‘cooks’ the fish while marinating.  -Becky

Avocado Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
 
Mark Bittman of the New York Times recently did a write up of simple meals ready in 10 minutes or less. This avocado tomato salad would be my entry, but in five minutes or less, and that would include picking the chives and tomato from the garden.
 
Ingredients: 
1 half avocado, peeled, sliced 
1 half ripe heirloom tomato, sliced 
A pinch of chopped fresh chives or sliced green onions 
Juice from one slice of lemon 
A pinch of coarse salt (fleur de sel if you can get it)
 
Method: Arrange slices of avocado and tomato on a plate. Sprinkle with chives, lemon juice, and coarse salt.
 
Yield: Serves one.
 
~from Elise @ simplyrecipes.com

Cold Tomato Summer Vegetable Soup
 
Ingredients:
6 fresh, ripe tomatoes, seeds removed (cut tomatoes in half, squeeze out seeds into a sieve over a bowl to catch the juice, use the juice, discard the seeds), chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
2 zucchini, chopped fine
1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped fine
1-2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups tomato juice (in addition to the juice made when you squeezed the tomatoes above)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano (or pinch of dry)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Hot sauce if needed
 
Method:  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Use the additional tomato juice to thin the soup to desired consistency. Adjust seasonings to taste. Better the next day.
 
Serves 8.
 
~from Elise @ simplyrecipes.com

September 16, 2011

Veggies for Week 14

Mushrooms
Heirloom Tomatoes
Parsley
Swiss Chard
Peppers
Eggplant
Garlic
Sunflower Microgreens
Hungarian Hot Wax Peppers

September 14, 2011

Week 13 Newsletter

Athens Hills CSA
As the days get shorter, the work load seems to increase for us.  More tasks with less daylight.  Periodic rain showers make things even more challenging as we await drier soil to harvest the fall crops.  Fortunately, there are warm, sunny breezes blowing today and we hope that we will see an opportunity to bring in parts of the harvest soon!
Yesterday, Liz (the new CSA coordinator) sent the first of the Winter Reservation letters to last winter’s members.  Already we have folks replying.  In another week or so, this summer’s members (that’s you) will be receiving the same letter of reservation.  If you are interested in a share of this winter’s bounty, please don’t hesitate to send in the deposit and the form so that we can put your name on the list.  For the first time, we have a waiting list of new folks who are anxious to become a part of the farm’s community, but we always want to let current members to have their share secured before we open the enrollment to the new folks.  This winter season we are offering another partner item called the Sweet Share.  Delivered once a month, it will include maple syrup from Sticky Pete’s and  honey from Cantrell’s Honey and Candles.                     
We have ordered two more greenhouse frames and hope to have at least the ground stakes in place by the end of September.  With those in, at least we can begin to prepare the soil.  Building around soil that has been ‘worked up’ is more time consuming, but we do what needs done to assure that we can plant when it’s time.  Fortunately, most of the crops that go into those houses don’t mind being a little chilly.  After all, they survive and thrive in an unheated greenhouse all winter!  Seeding, planting, transplanting, weeding, and harvesting continue throughout the week as we continue to fill orders from our other customers and deliver the weekly shares.           
I offer a brief reminder about the OSU CSA survey (link in sidebar).  Please take a moment if you haven’t already done so.  And take another moment to reflect on the beauty of the season.  All of the rain this spring and summer will mean a very colorful fall. 
Make hay while the sun shines!
From all of us at Green Edge,                    
Becky  (Kip, Dan, John, Maria, Kurt, Rob, Marie, Penny, Guinevere, Diedra, Bethany, Alicia, Corey, and Liz)

This Week's Veggies
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce and mizuna. The last one is a mild Asian green. 
Mushrooms  -  Shiitakes this week….
Heirloom Tomatoes  -  Heirloom tomatoes differ from hybrids.  Their amazing flavor is the trade-off for their delicate nature that is easily bruised difficult to transport.
Eggplant  -  We have included a half-pound of eggplant this week.  The varieties include Nubia (striped), Orient Express (dark purple) and Peng Tung (pink tongue?) Don’t bother to peel them; the skins are tender.  Try the chunks on a shish kabob.
Sunflower Microgreens  -  If you’re not familiar with microgreens, you are in for a surprise!  These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy. 
Sweet Peppers – We grow a variety of sweet peppers, and your shares will reflect that variety.  For the names of each, just refer to the blog where they are labeled with a picture…
Green Beans -  The green beans  this week are tender and fresh.  Whether steamed, sautéed, boiled, or stir-fried with other veggies, we know you’ll enjoy them.  No strings either…
Garlic – We are having more success with this each year.  This is such an essential component to most sautéed dishes, we glad to have a small portion of your needs.
Parsley – After the cold and wet spring, the parsley has finally made an appearance in the garden.  We hope it will be here for a while.  This flat Italian parsley is prized by cooks.

The Combo Corner
The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard this week include Gala and Golden Supreme apples, Crest Haven peaches, and a Bartlett pear.                                                   
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is the Country Wheat loaf.
This week’s Cheese Share from Integration Acres is a new variety call Tomme. This is a natural rind hard goat cheese.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS &; HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370  12-8pm
TIBET – 614-784-8124    11am-6pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-506-3086 4-8pm
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!

Please keep those green bags coming home! 
OSU/Ag Survey
Please take a moment and answer these questions. Thanks!   
     

Recipes
I am so thrilled to have another recipe from a member.  This is an original recipe for beets. 
I realize that there aren’t beets in this week’s share, but you might have some still hanging around….

Carmelized Beets
Scrub and thinly slice 5-6 medium beets (peel first if desired).
Melt 2TB butter in large skillet until hot.
Add beet slices.
Cover and sauté on medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add a few drops extra-virgin olive oil if needed.
Add 1-2 pinches dry ground mustard,
1/4 tsp ground black pepper,
1/2 tsp sea salt.
Stir well, and lower heat to medium-low. Cover and continue to cook about 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove lid and sauté about 5 more minutes, until lightly caramelized around edges. Serve hot.
Yum yum yum - they were amazing!! I will probably be cooking most of my beets this way in the future. :-)
Thanks Rose!  I wonder if this is a way to caramelize other veggies, hmmm…..  b.

Parsley Pesto
Ingredients
2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
(ed. note – as with all pesto recipes, you can most likely sub walnuts, cashews, or sunflower seeds for the pine nuts)
Preparation
Combine all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.
~from myrecipes.com

Parsley Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds new red potatoes                                           
1 tablespoon vegetable oil                                                          
1 onion, chopped                                                              
1 clove garlic, crushed                                                    
1 cup chicken broth                                                                 
1 cup chopped fresh parsley                                            
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions: 
1)  Peel a strip of skin from around the center of each potato, place the potatoes in cold water. Set aside.  2) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until tender. Pour in broth and 3/4 cup of the parsley; mix well. Bring to a boil.  3)  Place the potatoes into a large pot full of salted water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce heat. Simmer covered, for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. 4) Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the black pepper into the skillet and stir. Pour the peppered sauce over potatoes and sprinkle with remaining parsley.
~myrecipes.com

Sweet Pepper Crostini
Ingredients:
 6 slices baguette (1/2-inch-thick)                  
 2 tablespoons olive oil                                   
½  to ¾  cup roasted red bell pepper strips
1/3  to ½  cup grated smoked mozzarella or fontina
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush the oil over the bread slices. Bake until pale golden and crisp, about 15 minutes. Arrange the bell pepper strips atop the bread. Sprinkle with the cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
~foodnetwork.com

Sweet Pepper  Rice
Ingredients:
½  cup uncooked long grain rice       
1 clove garlic, minced                       
1 tablespoon butter                              
1 cup chicken broth                        
¼  cup chopped sweet red pepper  
¼  cup chopped green pepper         
½  teaspoon dried oregano             
1/8  teaspoon salt                                     
1 pinch pepper                
Minced fresh parsley 
Directions:
In a small skillet or sauce pan, sauté the rice and garlic in butter until rice is browned. Add broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; add the peppers, oregano, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender.  Fluff with a fork.  Sprinkle with parsley.
~from allrecipes.com

September 9, 2011

Veggies for Week 13

Mushrooms
Heirloom Tomatoes
Sunflower Microgreens
Peppers
Eggplant
Green Beans
Parsley
Garlic

September 7, 2011

Week 12 Newsletter

Athens Hills CSA
Two days ago, we were sweltering from the heat, but today we are wrapped in sweatshirts and trying to avoid the wind. Welcome to the Ohio River valley. The excessive rain has squashed our plans for succession planting and we will now be planting as much as we can every day we can. But with several more days of rain forecast for the remainder of this week, it may be a while before anything will get planted. “Extremes” seems to be the norm for this year. As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, we are participating in a CSA survey with an OSU Agricultural Communications student. When you have a moment, please follow this link to his survey. We’ll get his results, and share them with you when we do. Thanks! https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/osucsastudy We had thought we would have mushrooms for this week, but alas, the mushrooms have been replaced with Basil. Last week the air exchanger in the mushroom grow room went ‘down for the count’. Its replacement took a few days to complete which meant the schedule was pushed out of sync. We will be back on track in a few more days though so not to worry, the fungus will be among us again shortly. And speaking of basil, some of you had asked about extra basil for processing. When the disease came, we had said we couldn’t have any, but with the miraculous recovery of the plants, we could have pounds available if wanted. Just e-mail Becky for the details if you are interested. But don’t dawdle, with these cooler temperatures, we won’t see much regrowth of the current plantings. The first planning session for the Winter 2012 season went smoothly last week, and we will have the final session this week. We have new partner items for this winter and we are excited to offer even more fine Athens county products for you to enjoy. We expect to have the Reservation letters to our past winter members and our current summer members by the middle of September. I can tell you that the first delivery of the Winter 2012 cycle will be December 7th. We hope you will be joining us for those next five months. Have a great week! Stay warm and dry.
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Kurt, Maria, John, Rob, Cale, Marie, Penny, Guinevere, Diedra, Bethany, Alicia, Corey, and Liz

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES
Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce. We are so excited to have this back for your enjoyment!
Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with micro-greens, you are in for a surprise! These are grown in soil and im-part the nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
Sweet Peppers – We grow a variety of sweet peppers, and your shares will reflect that variety. For the names of each, just refer to the blog where they are labeled with a picture…
Slicer Tomatoes - Round and red are these hybrid beauties. They are easier to transport, and store than their fragile heirlooms cou-sins. They are firm enough for chunking into salads or slicing for the ultimate sandwich.
Eggplant - We have included a half-pound of eggplant this week. The varieties include Nubia (striped), Orient Express (dark purple) and Peng Tung (pink tongue?) Don’t bother to peel them; the skins are tender. Try the chunks on a shish kabob.
Swiss Chard - This green is the summer stand-by. Versatile, mild, and nutritious with a low glycemic load although a little high in sodium. Stir-fry or sauté are just a two of its uses.
Sweet Basil -Week #1 newsletter talks some of pesto making and different ingredients that can be used to make this herbal ‘paste’ for dipping, pasta sauce or a spread for bread.
Heirloom Tomatoes - Heirloom tomatoes differ from hybrids. Their amazing flavor is the trade-off for their delicate nature. Easily bruised and thin- skinned, they are difficult to transport.

The Combo Corner
The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard this week include grapes, peaches, and apples.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Batard, a French loaf.
This week’s Cheese Share from Integration Acres is their newest variety of cow’s milk cheese - fresh mozzarella.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370 12-8pm
TIBET – 614-784-8124 11am-6pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
UPPER ARLINGTON- 614-506-3086 4-8pm
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!

Please keep those green bags coming home!
OSU/Ag Survey Link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/osucsastudy
Please take a moment and answer these questions.
Thanks!

Recipes
This week we have two recipes that were sent by members. I pass them to you and say Bon Appétit!

Chicken Ratatouille with Penne
by In One Pot, from Weight Watchers Publish-ing Group
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast
1 medium red onion, chopped
 2 garlic clove, chopped
 ½ pound(s) raw eggplant, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut into 1- inch cubes
1 medium green pep per(s), seeded and cut into 1” pieces
28 oz canned tomatoes, Italian, drained and chopped
 ½ cup white wine, dry 2 tsp dried oregano
 1 tsp sugar 3/4 tsp table salt
4 cup cooked penne, hot
½ cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped
¼ cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a nonstick Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden on the outside and no longer pink inside, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let rest 5 minutes for easier slicing. Cut diagonally into thin slices.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the same Dutch oven. Add the onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, tomatoes, wine, oregano, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are softened and the flavors are well developed, about 30 minutes
.
Return the sliced chicken to the Dutch oven and briefly heat through. Stir in the cooked pasta, basil, and cheese. Yields 6 - 1 ½ cup per serving.
THANKS AMANDA!


Lasagna with Eggplant and Chard
This family favorite comes from page 468 of Deborah Madison’s “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone” (1997). Stephan writes, “I make fresh tomato sauce and pasta with all-purpose flour. It’s a time consuming dish to prepare but worth every single minute.”

1 ½ pounds Egg pasta (p.444), or 1 box dried 1 Cup Fresh Tomato sauce, page 61, or Quick Canned Tomato sauce p 63 2 Tbl olive oil, plus extra for eggplant 2 Tbl butter ½ Onion, finely diced 3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped 1 bunch green Chard, stems removed Salt and freshly milled pepper 1 Egg

1 ½ pounds eggplant, sliced crosswise ¼” thick ½ cup dry white wine 1 cup ricotta ¾ cup grated pecorino Romano 8 oz, fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Prepare the pasta dough and tomato sauce. Roll and cut dough, set it aside on towels to dry while you prepare the vegetables. Unless it’s garden fresh, salt the eggplant, let stand 30 minutes, then blot dry. (For dry pasta, start no more that 15 minutes before assembling lasagna, boil until pliable, drain, store in ice water until layering in baking dish)

Preheat the oven to 400oF. Brush both sides of the eggplant lightly with oil. Place the slices on a sheet pan and bake, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 30 minutes in all. Chop coarsely.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chard, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, cover and cook until the chard is tender and the pan is dry, about 10 minutes. Turn the mixture out onto a cutting board and finely chop. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, 1/3 cup water and the egg, then stir in the chard. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Oil a 9” x 12” baking dish. Spread 1/3 cup tomato sauce over the bottom and cover with a layer of pasta. Scatter a quarter of the grated cheese over the top and add a quarter of the eggplant, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella. Follow with another layer of pasta and repeat for three more layers. End with a layer of pasta and the remaining sauce. Cover with foil, tenting it above the surface.

Bake 20-30 minutes (or until heated through) in the preheated 400 degreesF. oven. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes more. Let it rest a few minutes before serving…

THANKS STEPHAN!

September 2, 2011

Week 12 Veggie List

Salad Mix
Sunflower Microgreens
Peppers
Eggplant
Slicer Tomatoes
Heirloom Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Swiss Chard