Week 8 Newsletter, Summer 2013

 ATHENS HILLS CSA

Monday of this week was the last day for our microgreen grower , Theo. He has been with us for two years and we all will miss his zany sense of humor! We wish him well in his new ventures in North Carolina. Penny, who has worked part-time in the microhouse and her daughter Brook will be taking over Theo’s responsibilities. 

We hardly know what to do since there has been no rain for three days. (Just joking, of course!) As the ground dries, we anticipate being able to use the cultivator on some of the row crops (instead of hoes). It’s time to weed in the asparagus and rhubarb beds as well as the sweet potatoes which are all in the East Field. And it’s time for the direct seeding of the fall root crops. Happily, the ground will be dry enough to prepare the seed beds. 

Along with this dry weather, Kip is preparing to begin the fencing project across the creek in the new field containing the winter squashes and potatoes. Just as he was mowing that area yesterday though, one of the bushhog blades broke completely off from its base. It’s another delay and fortunately, the parts store in town had replacements. It’s never boring here – there’s always a new challenge! 

Miranda is very busy creating the spreadsheet for the One-Time Special Orders that we are offering. If you haven’t had an opportunity to look at the list of locally Athens-based products, you are missing a great opportunity to sample some of the best! From soap to chocolate, these goods are amazing! In addition to the spreadsheet, she is also redesigning the CSA brochure. Look for a new format for Winter 2014. (We’ve already had folks asking about signing up, so this work is right on time.) This winter we will be slightly reducing the number of shares offered, so when the Early Enrollment Form comes to you, please don’t hesitate and be closed out of our amazing winter veggies! 

Canning tomatoes are available now. They are $27 for 25 lbs. Let us know if you’re interested so we can plan your delivery with the regular CSA delivery. Have a great week! 

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Mark, Penny, Emily, Michelle, Matt T, Brittany, Josh, Matt C., Natalie, Miranda, and Brook) 

 THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

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.
Beets – Some sites will receive Beets with tops and the rest beets without tops. Either way, the beets will be delicious.
Parsley – This week the type of parsley is the ‘curly’ variety. This is widely used in tabouleh, but is also delicious with fish, potatoes, or chopped in salad.
Cucumbers - Besides just slicing these with some onion and vinegar, sugar, and oil, cukes are used widely in many cuisines of the world.
Eggplant- We are growing several varieties of eggplant: 2 long, thin Asian varieties, and 2 bell-shaped Mediterranean ones. They have similar flavors, but the Asian ones don’t necessarily need peeled, but can be. They’re great for slicing into chunks and grilling on a skewer.
Onions – The onions this week are from another local organic grower. Alomg with garlic, onions are another crop that our soils don’t allow us to grow.
Mixed Summer Squash – They all cook and taste very much the same. The varieties are zucchini, yellow, and pattypan.
Slicer Tomatoes -This week you are receiving hybrid slicing tomatoes. Remember: No refrigerator until they are cut. Try them with basil and fresh mozzarella!
Cherry Tomatoes – These are a mix of the two varieties we grow: Sungold- little orange tomato candies; and Sweet 100 – little red tomato candies…
 

THE COMBO CORNER

The fruit share from Cherry Orchard is a bag of sweet yellow peaches great for eating for breakfast, lunch, supper and for snacks. This is the season for fresh peach pie and peach cobbler from your favorite cookbook.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Persian Wheat - oragnic Khorasan (sometimes known as Kamut) whole wheat, organic Artisan white wheat, and fennel.
The cheese from Integration Acres is a very young mild Gouda made from raw goat's milk. This semi-hard cheese is great cut into chunks for a packed lunch or cheese plate. 

If you have a fruit share…..
When you receive your share, it is a good idea for you to take all the pieces out of the bag and inspect it. If you find a couple of bruises, don’t fret, but plan to use those first. If you think the fruit is ripening too fast for you to use it – just put it into the refrigerator. This will slow the ripening process, but remember to take it out to warm up to room temperature if it needs to ripen a little more for optimum flavor before you use it. 

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951, 3-8pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663, 11 am-8 pm
ECOFLORA – 614-266-1618, 12pm-7pm 
DUBLIN TREK BICYCLE 614-791- 8735, 3-7 pm
HILLIARD POWERSHACK 614-506-3086, 4-7pm
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370, 12-8pm

ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER - 740-592-3325, 12-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302, 12-6pm
BELPRE 304-488-3620, 3-6 PM

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 DON’T FORGET TO RETURN YOU CLEAN BAG FROM LAST WEEK! THANKS.

RECIPES

Fresh Tomato Pie
from: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
1 9” pie shell 
7 ripe tomatoes, sliced 
1 yellow onion 
¾ cup mayonnaise 
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
ground black pepper to taste 
2 teaspoons fresh basil 
2 teaspoons fresh oregano

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Bake the pastry shell for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. 
3. Slice onion and place in the bot- tom of the pastry shell. Slice tomatoes and arrange over onions. Add black pepper to taste. 
4. In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella, Parmesan, and mayonnaise. Spread this mixture evenly over tomatoes. 
5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Once cooked, garnish with fresh herbs

How to Caramelize Onions 
from www.simplyrecipes.com

Ingredients: 
Several medium or large onions, yellow, white, or red 
Olive oil Butter 
Salt 
Sugar (optional)

Directions:
1.) Slice off the root and top ends of the onions, peel the onions. 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 tsp 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 look, stirring occasionally. Depending on how strong your stove top burner is you may need to reduce the heat to medium or medium low to prevent the onions from burning or drying out. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some salt over the onions, and if you want, you can add some sugar to help with the caramelization process. One trick to keep the onions from drying out as they cook is to add a little water to the pan. 
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 20-30 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 the need to scrape the pan every minute. Continue to cook and scrape until the onions are a rich, browned color. At the end of the process you can add a little balsamic vinegar or wine to help deglaze the pan and bring additional flavor to the onions. Store refrigerated for several days in an air-tight container.
Cucumber, Onion, and Parsley Salad

Ingredients:
1 European cucumber (2 medium cucumber, peeled and seeds scraped out) 
¼ red onion, finely diced (or more to taste) 
½ cup chopped parsley, flat or curly 
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese 
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 
1 tbsp lemon juice 
black pepper (fresh ground, to taste)

Directions: 1. Peel cucumber, leaving some strips of green peel if your cucumbers don't have thick skins. Cut into fourths lengthwise and if the cucumber has large seeds, scrape out seeds with the tip of a spoon. Cut pieces into thinner strips and chop cucumbers into pieces less than ½inch square. 
2. Dice onion into small pieces. (If you prefer a milder onion flavor, soak the onions in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain well and pat dry.) 
3. Pat Feta cheese dry with a paper towel, then crumble into pieces. 
4. Wash parsley and spin dry or dry with paper towels, then chop coarsely. 
5. In large bowl, combine cucumbers, onions, and parsley. Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice and stir into vegetable mixture. Sprinkle feta cheese over and stir gently a few times. Season with fresh ground black pepper and serve immediately. This recipe could be varied endless ways, with tomatoes, olives, capers, blue cheese, mint, and balsamic vinegar being a few things that come to mind as possible substitutions or additions.

Week 7 Newsletter, Summer 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

With all of the recent rains, we missed one of the plantings for salad mix. We plant this every 7 days to provide the continuous supply we need for you and our other customers. But planting just a few days late caused a shortage this week. Sorry for that (a little out of our control), but we have filled your bags with lots of variety! 

This week the tomatoes are finally available in quantities to fill all of the shares. Remember that tomatoes are in the nightshade family and do not survive well when refrigerated (except after you have cut them.) This year’s Open Farm Day had some of the best food yet! Many dishes that were brought to share were made with some of the items from the shares of last week. (And none of them was like ‘bringing coals to Newcastle’.) The weekend rains did put a damper on the 63rd annual Fireman’s Festival as well as the Farm Day, but those who made it to either of them had a great time! It was wonderful to meet in person some of the names that are so familiar to us in our database…. 

By now, you will have received from Miranda, an email containing our newest offering – The Seasonal Share Option. The idea is to make available once per CSA season, the opportunity for you to experience even more of our amazing Athens entrepreneurial artisans’ wares. We plan to offer these choices once per CSA season, so if you are interested, don’t hesitate. Act now so you don’t forget! All of the details are explained clearly in the online brochure, but if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email Miranda at the farm for answers. To order, just print the form and send in a check (just like the CSA payments) made out to Athens Hills CSA. We can’t wait for you to try them! 

With most of the summer’s scheduled activities finally over, we are now fully focused on some of the projects that we have had to delay. Of course, some of this delay is from the excessive amounts of rain and mud, but with some dry days, the mud will abate and projects can continue. Have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Mark, Theo, Penny, Emily, Josh, Matt T, Brittany, Michelle, Matt C., Natalie, Brooke, and Miranda)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Cucumbers - Besides just slicing these with some onion and vinegar, sugar, and oil, cukes are used widely in many cuisines of the world.
Sunflower Microgreens - We describe these tasty greens juicy and crunchy Great for snacking, in wraps or to finish off a green salad.
Basil – Whether it’s pesto, in salads or some other yummy dish, summer isn’t truly here without it.
Mint – Easy to dry for tea or use fresh in recipes. Wonderfully refreshing on a hot summer day – drop a sprig in a jar of water for the refrigerator.
Mixed Summer Squash –Zucchinis, yellow, or patty pan are the varieties. The yellow looks like yellow zucchini; the pattypan look like pies. They all cook & taste much the same.
Eggplant- We are growing several varieties of eggplant: 2 long, thin Asian varieties, and 2 bell-shaped Mediterranean ones. They have similar flavors, and the Asian ones don’t need peeled, but can be. They’re great for slicing into chunks and grilling on a skewer.
Green Beans – Tender and tasty- stir-fry, steam, roast, saute, or boil these. Cool, them and marinate for a crunchy refreshing salad ingredient or just by themselves.
Beets – Two veggies in one! The roots make one meal and the greens are another. Some like them raw, but most prefer them roasted or steamed.
Tomatoes – This week you are receiving hybrid slicing tomatoes. Remember: No refrigerator until they are cut. Try them with basil and fresh mozzarella!  

THE COMBO CORNER

The fruit share from Cherry Orchards this week includes early Red Haven yellow peaches that are sweet and juicy. These are topped with Jersey Mac apples, an early Macintosh variety.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Italian Wheat.

The cheese from Integration Acres is Percy's Blue, a pasteurized goat's milk blue cheese. Aged for about a month, this ¼- pound wedge is milder and less salty that many blue cheeses. It is delicious crumbled onto a salad, or spread some on crusty bread, then broil for a couple minutes before topping with a slice of tomato and basil leaves and drizzling with balsamic vinegar.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951, 3-8pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663, 11 am-8 pm
ECOFLORA – 614-266-1618, 12pm-7pm 
DUBLIN TREK BICYCLE 614-791- 8735, 3-7 pm
HILLIARD POWERSHACK 614-506-3086, 4-7pm
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370, 12-8pm

ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER - 740-592-3325, 12-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302, 12-6pm
BELPRE 304-488-3620, 3-6 PM

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 don’t forget to return your bags! 

RECIPES

Basil–Mint Sauce 
from: www.epicurious.com

Ingredients:
¼ cup plain yogurt 
 ¼ cup chopped fresh basil 
¼ cup chopped fresh mint 
¼ cup sliced green onions 
3 tbls. mayonnaise 
2 tbls olive oil 
2 tbls fresh lime juice

Directions:
Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. It can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Cover, and chill.
Many of the reviews wanted to omit the mayo because is was such a strong flavor in the mix. Most people used this for fish or scallops.

Cucumber, Tomato, Mint Salad 
from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
10 oz. goat cheese 
2-4 ripe tomatoes, cut in small wedges 
4 medium-sized cucumbers, thinly sliced 
2 small white onions, julienned (Vidalia will work great for this if they are available) 
20 mint leaves 
½ cup white vinegar 
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
Salt and pepper

In a large mixing bowl crumble goat cheese. Add tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions to bowl. Cut mint leaves chiffonade-style into shreds and add to salad. Add vinegar and olive oil. Mix well. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then serve.

Below is a link for Lebanese Cucumber Salad: 
http://www.ehow.com/video_12158468_lebanese-cucumber-salad.html 
This is so easy and sounds quick and good!
Sunflower Microgreen Salad as made for Open Farm Day
At Open Farm Day, we served this microgreen salad that was made from what we found in the fridge! Several people ask what was in it and if we would include it in the newsletter. Here it is.
 
Ingredients:
1- 1½ lb. of sunflower microgreens, chopped coarsely 
1-2 small bell pepper (used purple ones for color), chopped finely 
1-1½ cups broccoli tops, chopped into ¼-½“ pieces 
1-2 finely diced ripe tomatoes 
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped 
olive oil 
orange juice 
salt and pepper

Directions:
Layer all of the veggie ingredients in a wide bowl. Drizzle olive oil and orange juice over veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss, cover, & refrigerate. That’s all we did, but the flavors were surprisingly complimentary.

Roasted Beets, Tops, And Green Bean Salad in Honey Vinaigrette
from: myhumblekitchen.com

Ingredients:
5-6 assorted beets (1 variety will also be delicious.) 1 ½ cups beet tops with stems, chopped 2 cups fresh green beans ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher (large granule) salt ¼ teaspoon ground pepper Fresh cut mint to garnish

Directions:
1. Cut the green tops off the beets. 
2. Cut the beets in half and lie cut side down on a baking sheet. 
3. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil then sprinkle with kosher salt; toss to coat. 
4. Roast at 400F for 40 minutes or until the beets are soft enough to be pierced with a fork. 
5. Once the beets are roasted, allow to cool them remove the outer skins. 
6. Cut into bite sized wedges and set aside in a serv- ing bowl. 
7. In a separate pan, bring water to a boil. 
8. Add the green beans and boil until tender, 8-1`0 minutes. Remove and transfer to serving bowl with beets. 
9. In the same pan of water, add the beer tps with stems and simmer until tender, 2-3 minutes. Trans- fer to serving bowl. 
10. To the vegetables in the serving bowl add extra virgin olive oil, honey, golden balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, and pepper; toss to coat. 
11. Finish with a garnish of freshly cut mint. 
12. Allow the salad to come to room temperature or place in the refrigerator to serve cold.

Veggie Lasagna with Beets and Eggplant 
from recipes.sparkpeople.com

Ingredients:
9 whole lasagna noodles, uncooked 
2 15 oz. tubs ricotta cheese (1 big) 
3 medium eggs 
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese 
Italian herbs to taste 
Pepper to taste 
3-4 medium beets, peeled & sliced 
2 Tbls. + 2 tbls. olive oil 
1 cup chopped raw onions 
1 medium peeled & chopped eggplant 
30 oz. can tomato puree 
½ glass red wine (preferably shiraz) 
½ - 1 cup water 
Italian herbs to taste 
1½ cups mozzarella, shredded

Directions:
Roast the beets first. Peel the beets. Using a mandolin or a food processor fitted with a thin slicing blade, slice the beets, and arrange on a foil-covered cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Arrange the slices in a single layer and spray the tops with cooking spray. Roast the beets at 450F for 7-8 minutes, until soft and cooked, but not crispy. Set aside. Reduce oven heat to 350F. Sauté the onions and eggplant in 2 Tbls. olive oil. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, ground black pepper, and Italian herbs to taste, including 1 clove finely chopped garlic. In 2 Tbls olive oil, sauté 1 clove finely chopped garlic and herbs until they release their smell. Deglaze the pan with the wine, add tomato puree and water. Add in eggplant and onions. Cook about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste, or use veggie bouillon for flavor. 
 In the bottom of a 13x9 pan, spoon in 1/3 of sauce mixture. Layer on 4½ noodles, breaking to fit. Top noodles with ½ ricotta mixture. Layer sliced beets over cheese, using all of the beets. Top with 1/3 sauce. Top with 4½ noodles. Top with ½ cheese mixture & top that with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover with foil and cook up to 1 hr. until noodles are done and dish is hot through. Remove form oven. Remove foil; rest dish for 10 minutes to firm up.

Week 6 Newsletter, Summer 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

The farm is bustling with activity as we prepare for our Open Farm Day (OFD) coming up this Sunday, July 21st from 1:00 – 5:00 pm. Mowing, trimming, and general ‘sprucing up’ are our main tasks receiving the focus this week. Of course, the regular chores of weeding, irrigating, planting, and harvesting are still a part of the regimen. Open Farm Day begins with potluck at the Amesville Grange at 1:00 pm. (Potluck in this neck of the woods means please bring a dish to share.) Beverages, plates, and cutlery are provided. Around 2:15, we will begin to muster folks into groups for the short trip (about a mile) to the farm. Upon arrival at the farm, there will be tours with staggered start times. We hope you can make it to meet your farmers and visit your veggies! Rain or shine we’ll be there waiting to meet you! 

With all of the rain in the past weeks, there has been a real race for dominance between the weeds and the crops. Kip and some crew members spent several days in the winter squash field, weeding and laying mulch – a task much delayed by the rain. In the end, the crew was victorious, and the next area that needs attention is the field of sweet potatoes. Soon the potato foliage will cover the soil and the weeds won’t germinate, but until then, the current weed pressure needs to be reduced as soon as possible. 

Updates to the website will soon be completed. We’ll be sure to tell you when they are complete. In the meantime, we continue to wait for things to dry out enough for the completion of the diversion ditch project and the repair to the creek ford that crosses into the newly planted south field. With the dryer weather in the forecast, the fencing project around that same field can also begin before there is any temptation for the deer. 

Our thanks go out to the folks at Pattycake Bakery on High in Clintonville. They graciously opened their doors as a temporary drop site to the folks from the Eco-Flora site a couple weeks ago. What great neighbors! Hope to see you at the Open Farm Day on Sunday. Have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Mark, Theo, Penny, Brooke, Emily, Josh, Matt T, Brittany, Michelle, Matt C., Natalie, and Miranda)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – Our summer salad mix is a ‘lettuce only’ blend of 5-7 varieties. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any moisture.
Mushrooms - Some shares are receiving all shiitake, but some are receiving both shiitake and oyster.
Sunflower Microgreens - Juicy and crunchy is our description of these tasty treats. Great for snacking, in wraps or to finish off a green salad
Cilantro/Parsley – Exciting additions to a tossed salad. Two sites are getting parsley, and the rest will receive cilantro.
Swiss Chard – We grow chard throughout the year. In fact, it’s the only green that will survive the heat of high summer. Look for new recipes throughout the season, or better yet - share your favorites with us!
Lemon Grass (leaves, not bulb) – Makes a refreshing tea, and wonderful addition to many cooked foods such as Thai-style curries or marinades
Cucumbers - Besides just slicing these with some onion and vinegar, sugar, and oil, cukes are used widely in many cuisines of the world.
Mixed Summer Squash – You should find a mix of squash: zucchini, yellow (looks like yellow zucchini) and the pattypan look like pies. They all cook and taste very much the same.
Eggplant- We are growing several varieties of eggplant: 2 long, thin Asian varieties, and 2 bell-shaped Mediterranean ones. They have similar flavors, but the Asian ones don’t necessarily need peeled, but can be. They’re great for slicing into chunks and grilling on a skewer.

THE COMBO CORNER

The fruit share from Cherry Orchards contains a bag of Jersey Dawn Peaches, developed in New Jersey. The fruit share is topped off with a pint of sweet and juicy Methley plums, an Asian variety. Faye says, “We survived last week’s rain and are anticipating a good fruit crop for the remainder of the summer.”
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is the French galette.
The cheese from Integration Acres is the Smoky Goat, a puck of pasteurized chevre rolled in salt, black pepper and ground spicebush berries before being lightly smoked over apple wood. Smear the cheese on pork chops before roasting, use it as a unique topping on a burger or spread it on crackers or crusty bread.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951, 3-8pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663, 11 am-8 pm
ECOFLORA – 614-266-1618, 12pm-7pm 
DUBLIN TREK BICYCLE 614-791- 8735, 3-7 pm
HILLIARD POWERSHACK 614-506-3086, 4-7pm
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370, 12-8pm

ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER - 740-592-3325, 12-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302, 12-6pm
BELPRE 304-488-3620, 3-6 PM

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!  
Don’t forget to return your bag from last week!

RECIPES

Grilled Eggplant - Here’s a link to a website with instructions and pictures. Hope it will assist those of you who want to try it! (ps – any leftover grilled eggplant is the basic ingredient to baba ganoush) http://thehappyhousewife.com/cooking/grilled-eggplant

Roasted Eggplant, Garlic and Chickpeas with Swiss Chard
~from: cultivatingsustainability.com 

Ingredients: 
1 large sweet onion 
1 red bell pepper, chopped 
1 medium eggplant, diced into ½“ cubes 
6-9 cloves of garlic, minced 
1 cup chickpeas (use canned or you can use dried chickpeas that have been soaked in water for 24 hr.) 
½ tsp kosher salt 
5 Tbls extra virgin olive oil, divided 
½ tsp freshly ground pepper 
2 bunches Swiss shard, rinsed, drained, and chopped 
¼ cup vegetable broth

Directions: 
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2.) Combine chopped vegetables, chickpeas, salt, 4 Tbls oil, and pepper in a 13”x9” baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes, stir. 
 3.) Increase oven temperature to 425. Bake uncovered for 10 minute intervals, stirring between each interval for another 20- 40 minutes, until eggplant is very tender and vegetables begin to brown. 
4.) While vegetables are roasting, heat 1 tbls oil in a large skillet over medium- high heat. Add chopped swiss chard and vegetable broth. Reduce heat to medium and stirring frequently, coook swill chard until tender. Remove from heat and set aside. 
5.) Combine roasted vegetables and swiss chard.



Lemongrass Chicken Soup
from: myrecipes.com
This Asian-inspired chicken soup is chock full of meat, vegetables, and delicious spices like lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and fish sauce. 

Ingredients: 
3 qts. fat-skimmed chicken broth 
2 stalks fresh lemon grass (or 6 thin strips lemon peel ½ “ x 3”; yellow only) 
12 thin quarter-sized slices fresh ginger 
6-7 fresh jalapeno peppers 
1 ¼ lbs. cabbage 
8 oz. mushrooms 
2 carrots (8 oz. total) 
2 lbs. boned, skinned chicken breast halves 
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 
1 can (14½ oz.) diced tomatoes 
about ½ C. lemon juice 
 about 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce or soy sauce 
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions 
5 cups hot cooked rice 
 2 lemons (5 oz. each), cut into wedges 
 1½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions: 
1. In an 8-10 qt. pan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Cut each stalk into about 3: lengths. With the flat side og a knife, lightly crush lemongrass and ginger. Rinse chiles and cut one ot two in half lengthwise (use 2 for spicy); stem remaining chilies (remove seeds for less heat) finely chop, and reserve. Add lemon grass, ginger, and halved chilies to boiling broth. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, rinse cabbage and cut into shreds about ¼ “wide and 2-3” long. Rinse mushrooms, trim off and stem ends and discolored parts, and slice lengthwise ¼” thick. Peel carrots and slice ¼“thick. Rinse chicken and cut into ¼“thick slices about 1½-2 “ long.

3. With slotted spoon, remove and discard lemongrass, ginger, and chilies from broth.

4. Add cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, and garlic to broth; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced, 8-10 minutes.

5. Add chicken and tomatoes (including juice). Cover and cook over high heat until ckicken is no longr pink in the center, 2-4 minutes. Add lemon juice and fish sauce to taste. Serve soup from pan or pour into tureen. Sprinkle with green onions.

6. Place rice, lemon wedges, cilantro, and chopped chilies is separate bowls and off with soup to add to taste.


Tomato Soup with Lemongrass
from:familyoven.com
Ingredients: 
1 qt. water 
1 Tbls. tomato puree 
2 stalks lemongrass 
2 Tbls. olive oil 
 ½ tsp. cumin seeds 
1 stalk celery 
salt and freshly ground pepper 
8 oz. onions 
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes 
1 small red chili 
15 dried curry leaves 
1 baking potato

Directions:
1.) Heat the oil in a large pan, add the cumin seeds and cook for 10 seconds. 2.)Add the potato, onion, celery, curry leaves, lemongrass and chili. 3.) Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 4.) Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. 5.) Add the water, tomato puree and seasoning. 6,) Stir and bring to the boil. 7.) Simmer, covered for 1 hour. 8.) Remove the lemon grass and curry leaves. 9.) Blend the soup with a hand blender or in a food processor. 10.) Strain and reheat to serve.

(Ed. Note: I think this would be good served cold too.)

LEMONGRASS TEA

Served hot or iced, lemongrass tea is a refreshing accompaniment to many different types of cuisine, or a proper health tonic in its own right. One 4” piece of leaf/cup of hot water. Many people add milk and sugar to their tea once it is brewed, for a smoother treat after meals, or because they find that the milk adds an extra soothing benefit for those trying to use it to get a good night of sleep. Lemongrass tea is safe to drink but is not recommended for women who are pregnant or nursing. ~from: lemongrasstea.org

Week 5 Newsletter, Summer 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

With all the rain in the past few weeks, some of the low-lying roads were finally closed due to high water this Tuesday morning. Fortunately for us, they were not any roads that the crew uses to come to work! So all of the shares as well as restaurant orders were harvested and packed just as efficiently as ever.

Planting of salad mix and more transplanting of basil and Swiss chard is scheduled for this week. Finding soil that is ‘dry enough to work’ is pretty challenging currently. This excess moisture is just one of the reasons that we are increasing the number of raised beds in the center field. Having ground that is slightly higher than the surroundings means that some drainage will occur. This drainage is critical to the survival of plants, since most plants that we eat don’t grow well in standing water (Rice is the most well-know exception). As the fields begin to dry, we will be weeding, hoeing and mulching to keep the weeds from growing faster than the crops.

This Thursday around 15 young folks who are working with the Godman Guild in Columbus will be visiting Athens and our farm. We will be showing them how high tunnels and unheated greenhouses can provide year-round employment opportunities. Currently, these teens are working at community gardens in and around Columbus. We’re very excited to have young people visit and see for themselves how these simple systems can work in other places.

You can see our simple systems for yourself at our Open Farm Day. This summer the date is Sunday, July 21 from 1–5 pm. We begin the event with a potluck dinner at 1:00 at the Amesville Grange. Around 2:30 we will head out to the farm for tours of the fields, the greenhouses, the microhouse, and the mushroom grow room. Come meet your farmers. Come and visit your veggies!

Have a great week!
From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Mark, Rob, Theo, Penny, Emily, Matt T, Brittany, Michelle, Josh, Matt C., Natalie, & Miranda)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – This week our salad mix includes our lettuces plus French sorrel. The pungent herb has a clear lemon flavor. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any moisture.
Mushrooms - Shiitake for all.
Sunflower Microgreens - Sunflower microgreens should store well for a week or so in the plastic bag they come in. If they seem too wet, add a piece of paper towel to the bag. They are a delicious and nutritious favorite of our CSA members. As someone recently wrote us "they are worthy as a snack all on their own," but you can also add them to salad, sandwiches, eggs, tacos, etc.
Parsley, Flat-Leaf – Prized by chefs, this type of parsley has the same great flavor, but the flavor holds up to the heat of cooking without bitterness.
Mixed Summer Squash – Most of you will get zucchinis, but a few will get yellow, or patty pan. The yellow looks like yellow zucchini and the pattypan look like pies. They all cook and taste very much the same.
Beets – Two veggies in one! The roots make one meal and the greens are another. Some like them raw, but most prefer them roasted or steamed.
Onions – The onions this week are from another local organic grower. Along with garlic, onions are another crop that our soils don’t allow us to grow.
Cucumbers - Besides just slicing these with some onion and vinegar, sugar, and oil, cukes are used widely in many cuisines of the world.
Swiss Chard – We grow chard throughout the year. In fact, it’s the only green that will survive the heat of high summer. Look for new recipes throughout the season, or better yet - share your favorites with us! 
 

THE COMBO CORNER

The fruit share from Cherry Orchards begins today with Lodi apples, tart and most delicious when made into applesauce or pie. The second item is the first peaches of the season. These are ‘cling’ peaches meaning it’s hard to get the pit out of the peach.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Honey Oat.
The cheese from Integration Acres is Herbes de Provence Chevre, a soft, fresh goat cheese rolled in kosher salt and a blend of basil, thyme, rosemary, savory, fennel seeds, and marjoram.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951, 3-8pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663, 11 am-8 pm
ECOFLORA – 614-266-1618, 12pm-7pm 
DUBLIN TREK BICYCLE 614-791- 8735, 3-7 pm
HILLIARD POWERSHACK 614-506-3086, 4-7pm
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370, 12-8pm

ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER - 740-592-3325, 12-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302, 12-6pm
BELPRE 304-488-3620, 3-6 PM

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! Don’t forget to return your bag from last week!
 

RECIPES

Lodi Apple Sauce Recipe from Cherry Orchards
Ingredients:
¼ PK apples–about 7 apples

Directions:
Peel, core and slice into 8ths.
Place in 3 qt. pan with ½ cup water or apple cider. Simmer until apples are tender.
Add ½ cup sugar (or more to taste!) Spices may be added- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or ½ teaspoon nutmeg.
Don’t like to peel? You may core apples – cut into eighths – cook until apples are soft and then press through a food mill or sieve.

Roasted Beets with Chevre
Ingredients: 
1 large bunch beets (about 2 pounds) 
¼ cup olive oil 
½ teaspoon kosher salt 
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 
2 tsp apple cider vinegar 
½ cup crumbled fresh chèvre (about 2 ounces)

Directions: 
Heat oven to 375ºF. Peel beets, cut into chunks, and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover in foil, and roast until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Mix beets with another drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. Top with crumbled fresh chèvre.

Summer Squash Hummus
from www.relish.com 

Ingredients: 
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 cup coarsely chopped zucchini, or other summer squash 1 garlic clove, chopped ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup chopped fresh basil ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper ¼ C. extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
 
Directions: 
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is reached. Serve with pita bread, grilled tortillas or vegetable sticks for dipping.

The recipe below was sent to us from Beth – Thanks!
Zucchini, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Tart 
from: seriouseats.com

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lb zucchini or any summer squash, cut into ¼” rounds 10 oz. mushrooms, sliced, preferably a mix of types 2 Cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 tablespoons Madeira wine 1 sheet frozen puff pastry ( ½ of 17.3 oz pkg) 3 oz. goat cheese, thinly sliced

Procedures: 1.) Preheat oven to 400oF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2.) In a large (12”) skillet, heat half the oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini slices and cook until golden, 5-7 minutes, turning halfway through. Transfer to a place and add the mushrooms, a good pinch of salt, and remaining oil. Continue cooking until liquids have evaporated and mushrooms have browned; add garlic and thyme and continue cooking an additional couple of minutes until garlic softens. Add Madeira wine and cook until it has evaporated and absorbed into the mushrooms, about 1 minute. Season to taste. 3.) Lay puff pastry on parchment paper and prick all over with a fork, leaving ½“ border on all sides. Spread mushrooms over sheet, the layer zucchini and cheese on top. 4.) Cook in oven 30-40 minutes, until edges of pastry are golden and puffed. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

“Chard is a cruciferous vegetable, meaning that it is high in anti-oxidants and thus proclaimed to possess cancer fighting properties. Anti-carcinogenic or not, it is high in vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, and fiber”…. read the article about Swiss Chard that contains this quote : Swiss Chard article
 
Warm Beet and Chard Salad
Serves 4-6 
Ingredients: 
6 medium beets (red, golden, Chioggia)
½ red onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic
1 bunch chard, Rainbow or regular
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (canned is fine, but rinse well)
2 tablespoons good olive oil 

Directions:
1.) Roast the beets: Wrap beets in foil two and two together (of the same type so they don’t stain each other), place on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven and roast at 375 degrees for about one hour. Take the beets out of the oven to cool in the foil for a while. (Keeping them in the foil will help loosen the skin.) When cold enough to handle, remove the skin and slice beets in big pieces. Keep aside in a bowl. 2.)Sauté the onion and garlic on medium heat for about five minutes. Add roughly chopped chard, stems removed, and cook until the chard is done (5-10 minutes). Add the garbanzo beans and beets and heat for a few minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

SWISS CHARD & BEET SALAD
from: foodreference.com
Ingredients:
• Stems from one batch of chard, chopped into small dice
• 1 large beet, chopped into small dice
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped into small dice
• 1 small red onion, chopped into small dice
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped into small dice
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• Parsley, chopped, to taste
• Thyme, chopped to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Champagne vinegar, as needed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
If you only used the leaves for the sautéed or braised chard, here’s a recipe for the leftover stems.
Simply chop and combine all the vegetables and add parsley, thyme, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to suit your taste.
If served immediately, the varying colors of the vegetables make for a visually striking and aesthetically interesting dish.
Resting the salad overnight improves the flavor but at the cost of the beet juices coloring everything a boringly uniform red. Your choice.

Week 4 Newsletter, Summer 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

It’s been another cool week with lots of little rain showers, and still unseasonably cool temperatures for July. The plants though are happy as can be. This extra moisture has made keeping ahead of the weeding somewhat challenging. In fact, Dan has declared a “War on Weeds” this week. With luck and persistence, we will be able to declare victory long enough to mulch the worst of the areas and eliminate some of the tedious work. But all in all, the crew has been able to keep up with the work load. 

Last Friday, we hosted another of our SARE – grant funded workshops for growers and other agriculture professionals. The topic of the workshop is “Season Creation”. We are sharing our knowledge and experiences about growing and harvesting throughout the winter months in unheated greenhouses. If you have been a member of the winter CSA cycle, you know firsthand what that can mean for local growers and customers who value locally sourced fresh food. 

Folks were here from as far as Darke County (north of Dayton by the Indiana border), Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus. The group was smaller which allowed for more in-depth discussions about growing techniques, planting schedules, infrastructure, finances, as well as many other topics that come up during these sessions. Our next one is scheduled in December when we will begin the Level 2 discussions with even more details than this season’s introductory workshops. 

Last week we said goodbye to Rob who came as an intern in April ’11 and joined us as staff that fall. He left to pursue a career in his degree field of social work. We will miss his enthusiasm and his zany jokes as well as all of his knowledge of our systems and talent in growing. And we wish him great success with all of his future endeavors! 

Look for information coming your way about this summer’s Open Farm Day coming up on Sunday, the 21st of July. Join us for a potluck and tours of your veggies! We hope to see you there! In the meantime, have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Mark, Theo, Penny, Emily, Matt T, Brittany, Michelle, Josh, Matt C., Natalie, & Miranda)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – Our summer salad mix is a ‘lettuce only’ blend of 5-6 varieties. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any moisture.
Mushrooms - Shiitake for most, oysters for a few.
Sunflower / MicroMix Microgreens - Some of you will get our more delicate mix this week, and some will get sunflower. The MicroMix has a tangy flavor and does not store as long as the sunflower.
Basil – The official start of summer for us begins with the 1st bite of basil. Whether it’s pesto, in salads or some other yummy dish, summer isn’t truly here without it.
Cabbage – We don’t grow cabbage and get this from another Athens organic grower. We hope you enjoy it!
Swiss Chard – We grow chard throughout the year. In fact, it’s the only green that will survive the heat of high summer. Look for new recipes throughout the season, or better yet - share your favorites with us!
Cucumbers - Besides just slicing these with some onion and vinegar, sugar, and oil, cukes are used widely in many cuisines of the world. Cucumber dip is a welcome foil to spicy flavors of Indian, Thai, and Greek dishes.
Mixed Summer Squash – Most of you will get zucchinis, but a few will get yellow, or patty pan. The yellow looks like yellow zucchini and the pattypan look like pies. They all cook and taste very much the same.
Curly Parsley – Some will recognize this as a garnish; others as an amazing herb.

THE COMBO CORNER

The fruit share begins next week, the 10th of July for full-shares and ‘Week A’ half-shares. (FYI- Today is a ‘Week B’ day so if you are a have share this week, your first fruit comes on the 17th.)
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Etruscan Wheat, featuring Starline Organics’ (another Athens grower) whole spelt flour.
The cheese from Integration Acres is Chase Cheddar, a 3-month-old white cheddar made with raw goat's milk. It is named for the road where the farmstead goat dairy is located.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951, 3-8pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663, 11 am-8 pm
ECOFLORA – 614-266-1618, 12pm-7pm 
DUBLIN TREK BICYCLE 614-791- 8735, 3-7 pm
HILLIARD POWERSHACK 614-506-3086, 4-7pm
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370, 12-8pm

ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER - 740-592-3325, 12-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302, 12-6pm
BELPRE 304-488-3620, 3-6 PM

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!
Join us for Open Farm Day Sunday, July 21st 1-5 pm 1:00 Potluck- Amesville Grange 2:30 Leave for Farm Tours MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW….

RECIPES

 Zucchini Keftedes with Feta and Dill
from: epicurious.com
Emily and Rob served these for our Friday Farm Lunch and they were a huge hit – so here’s how…
 
Ingredients:
1 1/3 lb zucchini, trimmed
1 tsp. coarse kosher salt
½ cup thinly slide green onions
3 tbl chopped fresh dill
3 tbl. chopped fresh mint
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs; larger than usual)
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
Canola oil (for frying)
Plain whole milk or reduced fat Greek-style yogurt (garnish)
Additional chopped fresh dill (for garnish)

Directions:
Grate zucchini on large holes of box grater onto clean kitchen towel.
Sprinkle zucchini with 1 tsp coarse salt; let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Wrap zucchini in towel; squeeze out as much liquid as
possible. Place zucchini in medium bowl. Mix in green onions, 3 tbls chopped dill, mint, garlic, lemon peel,
and ½ tsp black pepper. Gently stir in panko and egg, then feta. Using 2 tbls. zucchini mixture for each, shape mixture into a 1¾ -2 inch diameter patty; place on baking sheet. Chill at least 1 hour. (These can be make up to 4 hours ahead, but keep chilled.)
Pour enough canola oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of ¼”; heat over medium-high heat. Working
in batches, add patties to skillet.
Cook until golden and cooked through, adjusting heat if browning too quickly, 3-4 minutes per side. Using a slotted, metal spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain oil.
Arrange keftedes on platter. Top each with dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle each with dill. Serve warm or at
room temperature.

Quinoa Tabbouleh Recipe
from: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 pinch salt
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
¼ cup lemon juice
3 tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 bunches green onions, diced
2 carrots, grated
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa.

Parsley Potatoes
from: copycat.com
Ed.s Note: This version is as simple as it gets. There are many other versions of this classic, and all of them sound delicious. Some call for new potatoes as well as the specific variety of them.

Ingredients:
2 pounds russet potatoes
½ cup sliced onion
¼ cup of butter
1 tsp dried parsley – you can use fresh but use more, finely chopped
½ tsp salt

Directions:
Wash and peel potatoes. Cut potatoes into small bite sized pieces, place in pot. Cover potatoes and onions with water, and place on medium high heat. Allow potatoes to boil for about 15 minutes.
Check to see if potatoes are don’t by pricking with a fork. If the fork goes through the potatoes, they are done. Drain potatoes in a colander. Place ¼ cup of butter into the pot that you just boiled the potatoes in, and add dried (or fresh) parsley. Stir until the butter has melted, add cooked potatoes and onions to the melted butter, and stir to blend the parsley butter on the potatoes. Season with salt.

Savory Zucchini Chard Muffins
from: allrecipes.com
 
Ingredients:
cooking spray
3 tablespoons butter
5 slices bacon, diced
¾ cup diced onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
8 chard leaves, stems removed &
leaves thinly sliced
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup finely shredded Swiss cheese 

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400oF (200C). Generously spray 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.
2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; add bacon. Cook gently until bacon begins to curl, 3-5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and chard leaves; cook and stir until chard has wilted, stirring occasionally, 5-8 minutes.
3. Transfer chard mixture to a large bowl; stir in zucchini, eggs, salt and black pepper. Add flour and baking
powder; mix until flour is evenly distributed and moistened. Stir in Swiss cheese. Spoon batter into prepared
muffin tin.
4. Bake in preheated oven until edges of muffin turn golden brown, about 20 minutes.