ATHENS HILLS WINTER CSA:

WEEK TWELVE

Hello Everyone!

This past week the winter flu bug(s) had its way with many of us here at the farm. We were all holding out pretty well for the most part, but this bug wasn’t going to let those of us who hadn’t yet suffered get through the winter season without some bout with illness. Luckily, we have such a great crew that if we are feeling ill, we can take the day to stay home and recuperate. I hope all of you are feeling well or recovering well as we move into March.

I have a couple of recipes here that should help us all feel a little healthier & more like spring is around the corner. I hope you enjoy them and have some time to add your own little flair to them using up some of the items you have in your fridge.

Our Green Edge Gardens worker profiles are in full swing, and this week we are featuring our very own father of (almost) three, and hardworking devil’s advocate—responsible for keepin’ it real here on the farm, Cale Linscott.

Please have a look at the back of this newsletter for his brief autobiography. I hope you enjoy getting to know all of us over the next couple of weeks, and if you have missed the profiles of Kip & Becky, Dan, John, Margaret or Kate please let us know and we can email you that newsletter. Have a great week!

Best Wishes,

Claudia

FEATURED VEGGIES

Salad Mix (a mix of several lettuce varieties picked for their delicious taste and color combinations.)

Micro Mix (a mix of sunflower, buckwheat, radish, cabbage and kogani (pac choi)).

Mushrooms (pickers' choice of our farm-grown shiitake, oyster or trumpet mushrooms.)

1 bunch of Greens (This week you will receive a bunch of Kale, Collard Greens, or Mustard Greens to enjoy. All can be prepared in similar ways—steamed, sautéed, included in a soup, or raw in a salad. Have fun discovering a new way to enjoy them!)

Spinach (A truly wonderful green vegetable, very nutritious and delicious. It adds wonderful color and texture to a salad when you chop it into strips and toss with the lettuces. Enjoy this familiar staple this week—it might just help you avoid those yucky winter illnesses that have been hanging around.)

Daikon Radish (This is one of our favorite root vegetables that is (believe it or not) part of the cabbage family. It has a mild radish flavor and can be used in salads, but it really shines cooked as you would any of your favorite root vegetables. Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator—here it will last at least a week. Some complimentary flavors for daikon include honey, lemon, miso, butter, sour cream, feta, chives, curry powder, dill, ginger, parsley, oregano & onions)

Recipe: Zesty Daikon Radish Salad (Serves 4)

3 C. shredded daikon

½ C. minced onion

2 Tbs. lemon juice

½ tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. honey

½ C. yogurt

Shred the daikon radish into a serving bowl. In a blender, mix the yogurt, onion, lemon juice, honey and salt. Pour the dressing over the daikon and serve.

You can also include shredded carrots, beets and other root veggies to make a wonderful and colorful medley.

Serve as a side dish, appetizer stuffed into some pita bread, or serve on top of our micro greens or salad mix for a great quick & healthy meal.

(Recipe adapted from Confessions of a Sneaky Organic Cook, 1971)

Recipe: Mushroom Stuffed Cabbage (Serves 4 as a main course)

1 head cabbage

3 Tbs. olive oil

½ lb. mushrooms, sliced

½ C. onion, chopped

½ C. raw brown rice

1 C. boiling water

1 tsp. sea salt

1 C. strained tomatoes

Cover cabbage with boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes to soften. Carefully remove 16 leaves. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet and sauté the mushrooms and onions for 10 minutes.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in a saucepan, stir in the rice and cook until it is yellow. Add boiling water, cover and cook over low heat until tender and dry. Mix in the vegetables and salt. Place a heaping tablespoon of the mixture on each cabbage leaf, turn in the end and roll up. Shred the remaining half of the cabbage and spread in a casserole dish. Arrange the cabbage rolls over it. Add tomatoes and remaining oil. Cover and bake at 350F for one hour, removing cover the last 15 minutes. Enjoy!

(Recipe courtesy of Confessions of a Sneaky Organic Cook, 1971)

CALE LINSCOTT

Greetings. After living in North Florida for 15 years, I settled in Southeastern Ohio last summer with my wife of 6 years and our two daughters (we are anxiously awaiting the birth of our third child any day). We have been fortunate enough to buy a small farm that has been in my family for over one hundred years. We have a great deal of work ahead of us to make the place home, but we are extremely thankful to be able to raise our children in such a beautiful place, and to have such a great group of people here at Green Edge helping us along.

Have a wonderful week and don’t forget you can contact us at:

(740) 448-4021 OR

greenedgegardens@verizon.net

We look forward to hearing from you!