Week 18 Newsletter

 ATHENS HILLS CSA

WEEK #18      April 14, 2010

            Spring Salutations to All - These early spring days find us scurrying to get things done in a timely manner.  We have begun clearing out the greenhouses in preparation for the planting of tomatoes and basil, which will replace the chard, kale, salad mix, et.al.  Tomatoes which were germinated  2 to 3 weeks ago were potted up into large cell packs last week.  Basil starts are in rows in flats and will be transplanted up into larger sizes.  Kale and chard and salad mix were recently planted in the fields.  These planting tasks primarily belong to Dan and he seems to have everything under control.  Actually, he is amazingly good at the elaborate dance that must take place annually to assure there is no significant disruption in food supply.  Meanwhile, Cale and I worked on getting the drip irrigation system up and running.  The 5-horsepower pump is now required at this time of year as the greenhouses heat up rapidly and the moisture loss due to evaporation is significant.  In addition, the plants from this past winter are fully mature and growing incredibly fast and can really suck up some water.  All that being said, it is incredible that we can water acres of production with just a 5-horsepower pump.         This watering miracle is made possible thru the use of drip irrigation.  Drip irrigation is a thin hose that has holes (emitters) embossed into it at varying distances.  Drip irrigation is such an efficient form of irrigation that the government has programs helping farmers switch over to drip.  Speaking of dry ground, it is getting dry enough to plant potatoes and if the rain holds off I may try to stick'em in this weekend.  I love planting potatoes.  For us here at the farm, planting the spuds is a two person job.  One of us drives the tractor and another person usually John (who's quick manual dexterity is really sharpened by his excellent guitar playing) tosses potatoes into a slowly spinning disk.  They then fall to the ground and are covered by the planter.  It is always gratifying  when one is done planting potatoes because it appears you have accomplished so much; the hundreds of pounds of seed are gone from the back of the truck,  and the flat field is now uniformly ridged with rows of potatoes.  I could go on and on about this sort of thing, but greenhouses need closing.  Until next time!    

For all the crew,

Kip  (Becky, Dan, Cale, Rob, John, Julia, Morgan and Penny)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

SALAD MIX -  This is our famous blend of lettuces and mild Asian greens.  We expect it to last a week, and sometimes longer.  Place a paper towel in the bag to absorb the extra moisture and keep moist without being soggy.

KALE – There is little doubt that Kale is our most popular green.  Whether raw as part of a smoothie, or simmered in a tasty soup, kale is hard to beat for its versatility, flavor, and nutritional content.  It scores over 100% DV (daily value) for Vitamins A, C, and K.

SWISS CHARD –   Gently sautéed, steamed, or added to broth for soup, this simple green is one of the hardiest for growing in this region.  While the flavor and texture change subtly from one season to another, the reliability is unbeatable for pro­viding winter green. 

SHIITAKE  MUSHROOMS –   You have another week of our tasty mushrooms.  They are good on pizza, just sautéed, or in many other  dishes.  There are some recipes in earlier newsletters.

ARUGULA –   Arugula has uses beyond salad: it can be sautéed or cooked in many other ways.  In Roman times, arugula was grown for both its leaves and the seed.  The seed was used for flavoring oils.

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

SPINACH -   Enjoy this raw or sautéed, steamed, or any other wonderful way for this luscious green goodness to be prepared.  

The Combo Corner from our Athens partners ~

This week’s bread selection from the Village Bakery and Cafe is Onion, Poppy Seed,

The fruit basket has ended for this winter season.

 

We’re 99.9% sure about our new pickup site in Dublin in the Pilates Studio near Whole Foods on Sawmill.  Exact details next week.  If this is closer to home, switching is easy to do now.  Just let us know.

            Radish Vinaigrette
"Great with greens, this spicy-hot dressing will also enliven steamed vegetables."

1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1 radish, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon honey

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree.  Makes about 1/2 cup.

--The Organic Kitchen Garden, Ann Lovejoy

(Rob sent this over from his kitchen calendar.)

Refreshing and Cleansing Radish Salad – inspired by The Great American Detox Diet, by Alex Jamieson (Rodale Press, 2005)  Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:

2 cups peeled and thinly sliced daikon or    other radishes                                 1 cup thinly sliced green apple, sliced into       half-moons                                 1/3 cup grated carrot                                         ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion, sliced into half        moons                                         1 red radish, grated                                      ¼ cup freshly-squeezed orange juice         2 tsp brown rice syrup or maple syrup         1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice                   1 tsp sea salt                                                 10 leaves fresh mint and cilantro (optional)

1.  Combine daikon, apple, carrot, onion, and red radish in a large mixing bowl.         2.  In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the orange and lime juice, sea salt and rice syrup.                                                3.  Pour the liquid over the veggies and toss well to combine.  Garnish w/ mint & cilantro.

 

Radish Chutney     10 Radishes                              2 tsp Coriander Seeds                           3 tsp Black Gram*                  3 tsp Tamarind Pulp                  ½ tsp Asafetida*                      5 dry Red Chilies                     ¼ tsp Fenugreek Seeds             ½ tsp Turmeric Powder              3 tsp Oil                                                    salt to taste                           

FOR SEASONING:                      

 ½ tsp Mustard Seeds                      ¼ tsp Cumin Seeds                          ½ tsp Bengal Gram*                 ½ tsp Black Gram                     Some Curry leaves                       1 tsp oil

PREPARATION:   Wash the radishes well and cut them into medium pieces.                             In a pan heat the oil and add the coriander seeds along with the fenugreek seeds and black gram.  Fry well for some time till they become golden brown in color and finally add the red chilies and fry.  Transfer them into a plate and let cool.                                   Add the chopped radishes to the pan along with the turmeric and asafetida and fry till they turn a little brown.  Turn off the flame and let the radishes cool.                                   When the contents become cool, grind then into a fine paste by adding little water, tamarind pulp and the salt.  Don’t add too much water, as the chutney should have a thick consistency.                             For Seasoning:  In a small pan heat the oil and add the mustard Seeds.  When they sputter, add the bengal gram, black gram, cumin seeds and the curry leaves.  Fry till the dals turn golden brown.  Garnish the chutney.        

*Asafetida – a resin with an acrid and bitter taste and a strong odour.  Store is a jar with a strong airtight seal to prevent the smell dispersing into other ingredients.

*Bengal Gram – Bengal gram is used whole in lentil curries.  The flour (besan) is used to prepare bhahias and may be used to flavor and thicken curries.

*Black Gram  - Also known as Urid Dahl. This lentil is similar in size to moong dhal and is available either with the blackish hull retained or removed.  Inside, the lentil is a creamy white.  It takes a long time to cook and has a slightly drier texture than moong dhal.