Week 14 Newsletter, Summer 2012

ATHENS HILLS CSA

This week we have a surplus box with ready-to-eat, ‘dead-ripe’ heirloom tomatoes just patiently waiting to be taken! If there is some bruising or bad spots, but just cut them out. At the farm, we eat the seconds all the time. Please check your site’s list and make sure that there are tomatoes left for those who have yet to make it to pickup. Thanks for sharing.

The time for fall harvest is upon us. As soon as the fields dry a bit from Tuesday’s lovely rain showers, we will begin to dig the potatoes that will be an important part of this winter’s shares. Both sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are nestled in the rows waiting for the harvest plow and digging forks to pry them from their hiding places. The winter squashes and pie pumpkins are also out there. As their foliage begins to wither, the fruits are easy to see, even from the top of the hill by the barn.

While we wait for some drier soil though, all of the flats of starts of greens for the winter greenhouses (coldframes) are in need of thinning. Thinning eases the competition for nutrients while still in the flats. This process will take a while, but the more vital the plant is when transplanted, the less the shock, and the sooner the new roots will take hold in the new environment. Other starts of green onions and salad mix are being transplanted into a few of the already empty beds in some of the houses. There are still tomatoes in a large portion of all the houses, but that will soon change.

The fall field greens are doing well and will be at a size large enough to begin harvesting soon. The crew will be spending some quality time weeding the many rows. Harvest time is faster and more efficient when the rows only contain the leaves to be harvested. Miranda has emailed the priority registration information for Winter 2013 to last winter and this summer’s members. If you didn’t get it, we have a problem with your email address. Please let us know about that, and also tell us your intentions so we know the number of open spots we have to fill. Thanks! Have a great week.

From all of us at Green Edge,

Becky (Kip, Mark, Dan, Rob, Theo, Penny, Alicia, Emily, Bethany, Natalie, Jane, Molly Jo & Miranda)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce and mizuna. The last 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.

Mushrooms - A few Shiitakes

Sunflower / MicroMix Microgreens - Some of you will get our more delicate mix this week, and some will get sunflower. They have a tangy flavor and do not store as long as the sunflower.

Basil – We’re about to the end of the basil, so have one last blast of summer with tomato and basil yum-yums. Or, bunch the stems and hang leaves-down to dry for winter storage; freeze individual leaves on a cookie sheet for fresh basil in February.

Beets – Freshly harvested and delicious. Too bad the greens weren’t nice enough to bunch…

Heirloom/Cherry Tomatoes – The cherry tomatoes are ready to eat. The heirlooms are not quite ripe. This is why we can even begin to ship them without a box. Place them stem-side down in a warm place to ripen which could take 1-3 days. Remember do not refrigerate these beauties.

Eggplant – Mixed varieties of Asian eggplants are in the share this week. This warm weather loving veggie will soon be gone for this season.

Surplus Box - DEAD-RIPE HEIRLOOM TOMATOES  

THE COMBO CORNER

The fruit selections from Cherry Orchard this week include just picked Jonagold apples, a sweet, crisp apple. Also two kinds of pears-Bosc (a russet pear) and little sugar pears (known for their sweetness) are included. Both types of pears need to be left at room temperature to soften and ripen before eating.

This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is the French Galette.

The cheese from Integration Acres is the Alexander, a raw goat's milk tomme (rhymes with home). Aged for over five months, the cheese is periodically scrubbed with salt water, which helps create the appearance of its natural rind. Cheese tip: Remove most cheeses from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving - cheese tastes best at room temperature.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS AND HOURS

BREATHING SPACE YOGA (New Albany) – 614-216-9370 (12-8pm)
TIBET ROAD – 614-784-8124 (11am-6pm)
BEXLEY NATURAL MARKET – 614-252-3951 (3-8pm)
HILLIARD POWER SHACK – 614-506-3086 (4-7pm)
CLINTONVILLE COMMUNITY MARKET – 614-261-3663 (11am-8pm)
PILATES STUDIO OF CENTRAL OHIO – DUBLIN - 614-336-9502 (4-8pm)
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302 (12-6pm)
HARMONY CHIROPRACTIC – 740 592-4631 (3-7pm)
 

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!
Thanks for remembering to return your bags to us!

RECIPES

Beet Hummus

Some who came to the summer Open Farm Day may remember the most striking dish of the day – Beet Hummus. Now that beets are back in the share, here’s the recipe for it. I’ve also included the link to the recipe from online. Thanks to Heidi for sharing it!

from: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beet_hummus

Ingredients:

½ lb. beets (about 4 medium) scrubbed clean, cooked, peeled and cubed

2 Tbsp tahini sesame seed paste

5 Tbsp lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx. 2 lemons)

Generous pinch of salt or Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired.

2. Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

3. Eat with pita chips, or with sliced cucumbers or celery, or on a crostini with goat cheese and shaved mint. Makes 2 cups.

When I was looking at this recipe, I found myself scanning other beet-hummus sites. Most of them just referred back to this recipe as being the all-round best. So reassuring!

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

This is a recipe from a Dublin member.

Ingredients:

5-7 medium-sized eggplants (I used the long ones from the CSA that were fairly thick) 

¾ c. flour (or more, as needed) 

Salt & pepper 

¼ tsp Italian seasoning 

1 egg 

 ¼ c. whole milk 

Oil (for sautéing – I used coconut oil because it works well and is safe for high-heat cooking) 

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese 

1 c. grated other melty cheese (I used Fontina) 

½ c. Italian bread crumbs

Sauce: 

28-oz can diced Italian tomatoes 

14-oz can plain diced tomatoes (optional – this makes a lot of sauce; if you like it less saucy, you can omit this one) 

1 medium onion, diced 

1 Tbsp. olive oil 

½ tsp Italian seasoning 

½ tsp salt (Feel free to add other stuff to the sauce if you want – I just made it really simple.)

Directions: 

Sauté onion in olive oil in a saucepan until translucent. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and salt, plus other sauce ingredients if desired. Cover and let simmer on low, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, wash and peel eggplants, and slice lengthwise about ½” thick. Beat egg and milk in a shallow bowl. Mix flour, salt & ground black pepper to taste and ¼ tsp Italian seasoning, and spread out on a large plate. Heat skillet(s) – it goes faster if you use 2 – over medium heat, with 1-2 TB of oil until hot. Dip eggplant strips in egg mixture, then dredge in flour mixture to lightly coat on both sides (tap to remove excess flour if needed). Place eggplant in hot skillet, and cook on both sides until golden brown – flipping once or twice. Place a layer of the cooked eggplant on the bottom of a greased 9 x 13” glass casserole dish. Try to cover the entire bottom of the dish as much as possible. Cover with a generous layer of sauce, and sprinkle on ½ cup of each cheese. Add one more layer of eggplant. Cover with rest of sauce, sprinkle on ½ cup melty cheese, breadcrumbs, and top with rest of Parmesan. Place in 350-degree oven for about 25 minutes, or ‘til golden brown & bubbly.

 Devour. YUM!!

Thanks for sharing this, Rose!

Rigatoni with Tomato, Basil, and Mushroom Sauce

from: www.epicurious.com

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, minced (about 1/4 cup), plus 1 shallot, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced

4 ounces oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced (shiitakes will work)

4 baby portabella mushrooms (about 4 ounces), stemmed, gills scraped, thinly sliced 

4 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced 

 3/4 cup chopped onion 

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice 

½ cup dry white wine 

½ cup chopped fresh basil 

12 ounces rigatoni 

3/4 cup vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth 

 ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese 

¼ cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced 

Additional grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add minced shallot & 1 minced garlic clove & sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high, add all mushrooms, & sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl.

Heat remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add onion, sliced shallot, & remaining 2 garlic cloves; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes with juices & white wine & simmer 10 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture & ¼ cup fresh basil. Remove from heat. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper; cover to keep warm. Cook pasta in heavy large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well. Return pasta to pot. Add mushroom sauce to pasta and toss to coat. Add vegetable stock and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, tossing to coat. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle sun-dried tomatoes and remaining ¼ cup basil over. Serve, passing additional Parmesan cheese separately.