Week 19 Newsletter, Winter 2012

ATHENS HILLS CSA

“Why,” you may ask ,”am I receiving 2 bunches of chard this week?” In true CSA tradition, the simple answer is, “We have lots of it, and so we share it with you!” In general, we try to avoid this doubling. This week, it is unavoidable; we have abundance! If you can’t use all of it now, there are directions for freezing on page 2. For all full share members, there is still one week after this one. For half share members who are picking up today, this is your last delivery for this Winter 2012 season. We say a fond goodbye, and hope that you have signed up for this Summer 2012 cycle which starts this June 20th. If you are not signing up for summer, then please accept our gratitude for your participation this winter, and perhaps you will join us for next winter. We will email you 1st with the reservation form for Winter 2013 this fall. Thanks again for your support. 

With the two extra pairs of hands from the new interns, work preparing for planting both in the greenhouses and in the fields is progressing. This means prepping with compost, fertilizer and in some cases, more peat moss. Half of our hothouse is already planted in basil. Two more of those beds are dedicated to producing sweet potato starts (slips) for planting when the soil temperatures are warm enough. (Yes, another example of the advance planning it takes to provide fresh produce in the winter.) 

Because it’s spring, we are already behind with mowing and trimming, and may not catch up until the middle of the summer. Hopefully, it will be done for the Open Farm Day this summer in late July. (You are certainly welcome to attend.) The west field will soon be mown and disked. The engineering projects from the OU students are almost installed. The starts house is full of new and tender plants waiting patiently for their transition to the outside. We are waiting patiently for the wind to stop so we can pull new plastic on the greenhouse Kip has been repairing. You can stay in touch with us during the break via Facebook or the Athens Hills CSA blog. Have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, John, Rob, Theo, Penny, Liz, Diedra, Bethany, Laurel, Alicia, Natalie and Emily) 

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, and pe-tsai. The last two are mild Asian greens. 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 - Everyone has shiitake this week.
Sunflower/MicroMix Microgreens - We have been sending our MicroMix microgreens to different host sites each week. We hope you have enjoyed this little change. Everyone will get them eventually. The mixed microgreens are spicier, more delicate, and won’t store quite as long. But they’re certainly good!
Swiss Chard – We grow this green all year because it will grow in every season. (It’s the only green that grows well the cold of the winter or the heat of the summer.) Known for its mild flavor and versatility, it’s great steamed, stir-fried, braised, sautéed, or in soup. It’s no wonder that it is our most popular!
Salad Radishes – You will receive either French Breakfast (red and white cylinder), White Icicle (like a white carrot), or Easter Egg (round multi-colors).
Arugula - As described before, this is a ‘love it or hate it’ veggie. As the season gets later, the peppery flavor is more pronounced, but we all love it mixed in with salad.
Carrots – The 4th and last bed is now large enough to pull. They may not look just like the grocery stores ones, but they are sweet and delicious. We will have enough to deliver them to you both this week and next!
 

THE COMBO CORNER

The apple selections from Cherry Orchard are finished for winter.
This week’s bread from The Village Bakery and Café is the French Baguette.
The cheese from Integration Acres is Smoky Goat, a pasteurized chevre that is rolled in salt, pepper and ground spicebush berries before being lightly smoked over apple wood. Try it with a baguette and fruit for
a simple, satisfying lunch. Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is a perennial shrub native to the eastern United States; its berries, leaves and twigs have a variety of uses that range from the culinary and medicinal to in the landscape.

On June 23, Integration Acres is teaming up with the Dairy Barn Cultural Arts Center in Athens for the 2nd Annual Summer Solstice Spicebush Celebration. The event will feature educational information and workshops as well as a beer garden, live music, vendors, kid’s activities and more. It's a great place to learn more about this Ohio native!

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

BREATHING SPACE YOGA 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
HARMONY CHIROPRACTIC – 740 592-4631 3pm-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!

**Please return your share bags to the host site. Thanks again!**
 

RECIPES

Freezing Chard (or other greens)
I found a blog online called The World in My Kitchen and this page has lots of good information with clear, concise directions. For those of you who aren’t viewing this newsletter online, this is the ‘nutshell’ version:
“The trick is to blanch them first.” Wash the greens in cold water. Roughly chop the greens as most recipes call for slicing or chopping. Place greens in pot of boiling water (a pasta cooker with straining basket that fits inside is ideal). Have a large bowl with ice water ready. Cover the pot and cook the chard for 2 minutes. Start your timer as soon as the greens are in the water. When the timer goes off, shock the greens in the ice water to stop the cooking. Remove the cooled greens (2 mins. in the ice water), squeeze out as much water as you can, and also let it drain. Place greens in freezer bag and remove as much air as you can. Label and date the package, and put in layers in freezer. They last 9 months in a regular freezer or 1 year in a deep freeze.
Chard, Collard, Spinach, Turnip and Beets - 2 mins.
Kale - 3 minutes

Arugula and Carrot Salad with Walnuts and Cheese

from NY Times, Martha Rose Shulman. Yield: Serves four to six.

Ingredients:
4 cups wild or baby arugula 

2 cups grated carrots 

2 tablespoons broken walnuts (1/2 ounce) 

¼ cup grated Parmesan or crumbled blue cheese (1 ounce) 

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
For the dressing:  

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 

Salt to taste 

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

1 small garlic clove, pureed or finely minced (optional) 

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 

2 tablespoons walnut oil
Directions:
1.) Combine the arugula, carrots, walnuts, cheese and tarragon in a salad bowl.
2.) In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the lemon juice, vinegars, salt and mustard. Whisk together, and add the garlic. Whisk in the oils.
3.) Shortly before serving, toss the salad with the dressing.

Warm, French Lentil Salad with Carrots and Arugula
Yield: 4 servs. Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook: 15 - 20 minutes This recipe is for a side salad. If you want to serve this as an entree, please double the recipe. From: www.ReturnToSundaySupper.com.

Ingredients:
For Lentils: 4 ounces French lentils; 1 cup water
For Salad: 4 average carrots; 12 - 16 stems of arugula
For Vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions: 

1. Carefully sort through the lentils to make sure that there are no pebbles or bits that need to be removed. Rinse, then cover lentils with an inch of water and let soak for 2 - 4 hours. Rinse again. 

2. Add water and slowly simmer lentils till they are tender, but not mushy (about 15 - 20 minutes). Most of the water should be absorbed by the lentils, if not, drain them and put them in a bowl. Please note: Do not add salt while they are cooking because it tends to toughen the lentils. While the lentils are simmering, make the vinaigrette. In a bowl, whisk the Dijon mustard and lemon juice together and slowly whisk in olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste. Wash and trim carrots, then slice. (I used a mandolin to get these long narrow strips, but if you don't have a one, you can cut them in thin slices with a vegetable peeler). Put the carrots in a bowl filled with cold water to keep them fresh. Wash and dry arugula. 

3. Toss the lentils with 1/2 of the vinaigrette and spoon them onto 4 plates. Top with the carrots (that have been drained) and arugula. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over each of the salads. Serve this salad with the lentils warm or at room temperature.

Warm Mushroom Arugula Salad

from www.foodnetwork.canada/recipes
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons olive oil 

1½ lbs assorted mushrooms, sliced (such as button, shiitake, oyster) 

4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried) 

¼ teaspoon salt 

¼ teaspoon pepper 

8 cups arugula, trimmed 

2 cups shredded radicchio 

½ cup shaved parmesan cheese 

½ cup shaved asiago cheese
Directions: 

In 2 large skillets or shallow Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper, stirring often, for 10-15 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. Prepare dressing (below). In salad bowl, toss together arugula, radicchio, mushroom mixture and Parmesan cheese.

Dressing: 

½ cup balsamic vinegar 

¼ cup olive oil 

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 

¼ teaspoon granulated sugar 

¼ teaspoon salt  

Whisk together vinegar, oil, mustard, sugar and salt; stir into mushroom mixture. Let cool slightly.