Athens Hills CSA: January 2013

January 30, 2013

Week 7 Newsletter, Winter 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

The brain knows it is January, but the rest of the body is very sure it must be April. That is, at least until Wednesday night when the weather folks are predicting a 50 degree plummet in the temperatures from morning until evening. Such drastic changes keep all of us hopping here at Green Edge. For the most part, the crew is attempting to keep up with the weeding the greenhouses.

On Thursday, the 21st of February, with support from Rural Action, we are hosting another Season Creation Workshop. We could not accommodate all of the folks who wanted to come in January, so we’re repeating ourselves. The session includes an in-depth tour of the greenhouses, lunch, and an afternoon session of slides, questions, and discussions. The fee is $25.00 per person that covers the lunch and the materials participants will receive. Please let those you know who would be interested. There are only a few spaces still available.

This week, on your public television station, Our Ohio is airing a segment filmed right here at Green Edge. Since every PBS station carries this show at a different time, it has been difficult to know when to tell our friends, families, and members when to tune in for the show. But the production company told us that it would be available on YouTube after this week of regular airings. The neighbors up the road saw it Monday night. They don’t want to move, so it must have been okay. We’ll include a live link as soon as we find it.

Kip spent most of Tuesday sitting in the truck repair shop waiting for them to fix the switches on the refrigeration unit of the delivery truck. Fortunately, he had his 500 page copy of the new Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption, and judging from the highlighting, the tome is now half-read. He plans to attend OEFFA’s Pre-Conference Workshop that is a day of discussions and questions concerning how this new part of the Food Safety Modernization Act will affect our fellow growers and us. As said before, we will let you know what we learn when we know it. Oh yeah, and the truck is now fixed. Have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Rob, Miranda, Emily, Natalie, Penny, Mark, Theo, and Matt)

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 - Some will receive shiitake and some will receive our oyster mushrooms.
Sunflower / MicroMix Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with microgreens, you are in for a surprise! These are grown in soil, not sprouted in water. The sunflower has a mild, nutty flavor, is juicy and crunchy, while the MicroMix is spicier, and does not store as long as the sunflower.
Arugula- For some this is a ‘love it or hate it’ flavor. Known for its peppery flavor, it’s a great addition to a salad, or in a stir-fry with mushrooms or other veggies.
Swiss Chard – This is the mildest flavored of all the winter greens. Just last night we included it in a lovely omelet with shiitake mushrooms and cheese.
Beets - Some years we are very unhappy about the germination rate - not so this year. These beets are Lutz ‘Winter-keepers’ and they are tasty.
Butternut squash – This flavor is somewhere between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. Bake whole or cut up and use in a recipe. Store in a cool and dry place.

THE COMBO CORNER

The apples from Cherry Orchard are Mutzu, a yellow-green Japanese variety good for cooking and eating, and Melrose. They both are excellent for eating and baking.

The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is a French Galette.

The cheese from Integration Acres is a 4-oz disc of chèvre (pasteurized goat's milk cheese). It has been rolled in kosher salt and a blend of Herbes de Provence (rosemary, thyme, savory, fennel seeds, basil, lavender, and marjoram).

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

RECIPES

Beets with Chevre – a recipe from Michelle at Integration Acres:

Ingredients:
1 large bunch red beets (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
1/2 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 to room temperature.
~Mix beets with another drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. Combine beets with the orange.
~Top with crumbled fresh chèvre.

Winter Kielbasa Stew
A MEMBER CONTRIBUTION, THANKS!
Ingredients:
4-5 cups Kale- Chopped
2 Large Sweet Potatoes- Cubed
1 1/2 cups Carrots- Sliced
1 lb Fully Cooked Kielbasa
1/2 tsp Basil- dried
1/2 tsp Thyme- dried
1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
32 oz Chicken Stock (or Veggie)- unsalted
Directions:
1) In a stock pot, combine the Kale, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, and Kielbasa.
2) Add the Basil, Thyme, and Ground Pepper.
3) Add the Chicken Stock (or Veg gie) and stir to combine
4) After bringing to a boil, cook on low heat for 1 hr or until potatoes are tender.
Now, you could fix this in a slow cooker and cook it on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours. I would not recommend much longer than that though because the sweet potatoes will get all mushy.
I fixed this last night when the kids were going to bed with the intention of having it to eat this week. It makes about 8 cups, so I am counting that as 8 servings since it is easy to measure.
It was certainly delicious. The little bit of spice from the kielbasa and kale was nicely balanced by the sweetness of the carrots and sweet potatoes. It was quick and easy to make. And I have already had some for lunch today. Best of all, I was able to use the Carrots, Kale, and Sweet Potatoes from my CSA share, which really helped me use up my kale before it deteriorated. Enjoy! Thanks so much for sharing this quick and simple idea! It sounds delicious!

Chard, Arugula, and Feta Soup
from: www.werenotmartha.com (serves 2)

Ingredients:
2 T olive oil
1 C chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 C Swiss chard leaves (ribs and stems removed)
3 C arugula leaves
2 C vegetable or chicken broth
1 C coarsely chopped parsley
1/4 C chopped mint leaves
2 T fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 C plain Greek yogurt
2-3 oz. feta, crumbled

Directions:
Start by pouring the olive oil into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add your onion and garlic in and cook for about 7-8 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add chard, arugula, broth, parsley, mint. Bring this mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the greens are tender. Stir in the lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Puree the soup. You can either puree in batches in a blender and then return it to the pot or you can use an immersion blender right in the pot. I’m sure the soup would be delicious like this, but you really love a soup to be nice and creamy, right? But without adding cream, of course. You’ll want to take about 1/3 of your Greek yogurt and put it in a separate bowl. Now, add about 1/4 C warm soup to it and whisk until smooth. Repeat this twice with the rest of the yogurt and another 1/2 C soup.

And then return the yogurt and soup mixture to the soup pot. Stir almost all of the feta into the soup, saving a little for garnish.

I think this could work just as well with any leafy green you happen to have a surplus of. I know I’ll be making different variations of it again. And now you know what to do when your CSA overloads you with too much chard, arugula, etc. Never a bad problem to have!

Beet Risotto with Greens, Goat Cheese and Walnuts
from www.myrecipes.com, taken from Cooking Light, December 2002

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup Arborio rice
1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups finely chopped peeled beets
½ cup water
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
1 can (14.5 oz) vegetable broth
6 cups finely chopped Swiss chard
½ (2 oz) goat cheese, crumbled
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:
In a Dutch oven, heat and toast the walnuts until fragrant. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add rice, ginger, and rosemary; sauté 1 minute. Add wine; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.

Add beets, water, salt, and broth, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until beets are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in chard, cook 5 minutes. Add cheese, stirring, until blended. Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon walnuts.

Harvard Beets
from: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
3/4 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup water
2 lbs beets, sliced or cubed
3 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Peel and cook beets until almost tender. In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beets to the liquid, and simmer for 30 mins. over low heat. Stir in butter, salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Serve warm or chilled.

January 23, 2013

Week 6 Newsletter, Winter 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

These last two days, temperatures have caused quite a scramble for the crew. With temps in the single digits, all of the items that needed to be picked were harvested on Monday (when it was warm enough to uncover), and believe this – it took everyone all day. Tuesday is normally spent finishing the harvest and packing, but this Tuesday was not quite as normal. Snafus with the delivery truck parts caused Kip to make an emergency trip to Charleston for the correct switch. Here is hoping that will repair the problem.

On Saturday, we said goodbye to Jane who has left for a full-time position with a mental-health facility assisting children and families in crisis. We will miss her charm and also her strength! And even more intern candidates are contacting us and coming for a visit. If you know an interested person, have them contact us now as it seems the spaces for interns may fill earlier than usual for this season.

Monday night, interested crew members gathered around a pot of curried dahl with rice, and bread and butter for our second ‘visioning’ meeting. The group is talking and dreaming about the next ten years. We have these once a month, and folks take turns bringing the soup. These discussions inform and educate all of us about the business end of the farm as well as the history and development of why we do what we do. These started in response to the need for more relaxed surroundings for answers to important questions about future employment opportunities, to allow sharing of goals, dreams and desires, and to provide direction for policy decisions.

Thanks to Nikki, one of our members in Clintonville for posting 2 of today’s recipe on our Facebook page – one for mushroom stroganoff and vegan sour cream; and the other for a squash soup. Thanks again, Nikki!

Once again, we are making a plea for the return of the share deliver bags. Having trouble remembering, read one member’s solution at the bottom of the next column. Stay warm and have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Rob, Miranda, Emily, Natalie, Penny, Mark, Theo, and Matt)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – In the winter salad mix 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 - All sites are receiving shiitake this week. Store them in a paper bag in the fridge.
Sunflower Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with microgreens, you are in for a surprise! These are grown in soil and impart nutritional additions from the soil. These have a mild, almost nutty flavor and are juicy and crunchy.
Butternut squash – This flavor is somewhere between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. Bake whole or cut up and use in a recipe. Stored in a cool and dry place, they will last for months.
Turnips – My shorthand name for these is ‘petwogs’ for Purple-Topped White Globes. The ones we had raw in salad yesterday were sweet and crunchy. I sliced them in very thin quarters, the shape resembling a piece of pie. Swiss Chard – This is the mildest flavored of all the winter greens. Just last night we included it in a lovely omelet with shiitake mushrooms and cheese.
Spinach – This wonderful green is so versatile. Use it raw in a salad, or cooked in many different dishes. “…good source of Niacin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese." www.nutritiondata.com

The Combo Corner

The apples from Cherry Orchard are Yellow Delicious, Red Delicious, and Cameo. All three are sweet eating apples, but can be enjoyed in other ways too.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Honey Oat Wheat, a soft and rich loaf made with local organic oats, butter, honey and milk.
The cheese from Integration Acres is raw milk goat feta. This batch of was made last fall and has been in a heavy brine in their aging room.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

BEXLEY NATURAL MARKET 614-252-3951 (3-8pm)
CLINTONVILLE COMMUNITY MARKET 614-261-3663 (11am-8pm)
DUBLIN TREK BICYCLE 614-791- 8735 (3-7pm)
HILLIARD POWERSHACK 614-506-3086 (4-7pm)
NEW ALBANY 614-216-9370 (12-8pm)
TIBET 614-784-8124 (11am-7pm)

ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER 740-592-3325 (2-8pm)
BELPRE 304-488-3620 (3-6pm)
HARMONY CHIROPRACTIC 740-592-4631 (4-7pm)
HYACINTH BEAN FLORIST 740-594-9302 (12-6pm)
OHIO UNIVERSITY - HR CENTER 330-284-5510 (4-6pm)

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!

Helpful Hint:
“This might be so obvious it's not worth saying but just in case... For people forgetting to bring back the bags: I found it was a hassle to remember the bag every week so I just transfer my share into one of the reusable shopping bags I always keep in my car and leave the Athens hills bag at the pickup site.” (from: Eva)

RECIPES

Roasted Carrots with Feta:

Ingredients: 3 pounds medium carrots, cut 1/2 inch thick 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil coarse salt and freshly ground pep per 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss carrots with oil on a rimmed baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until carrots are caramelized and tender, about 25 minutes. Transfer carrots to a bowl, and toss with feta and parsley. (Thanks, Michelle.)

Triple Squash Soup
Adapted from Whole Foods

1 tablespoon canola oil
3 cups yellow onion, cut in to ¼” dice
1¼ cups carrots, julienned
1 cup celery, finely sliced
2 cups butternut squash, cut into chunks
½ cup golden Hubbard squash, sliced
½ cup canned pumpkin
8 cups water
1 tablespoon clover honey
¼ cup maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon ground cin namon
1 tablespoon sea salt
3½ tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp powdered ginger
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1. Heat oil in kettle. Add onions, carrots and celery and sauté until all glazed over. Add squash, pumpkin, water and honey and bring to a boil. Add maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Cook for 30 minutes.
2. Mix cornstarch with the heavy cream to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the soup and mix well. Blend soup in a food processor. Add the parsley and serve. Makes 1 gallon of soup.

Chef Del’s Mushroom Stroganoff
From: www.forksoverknives.com, Serves 4

Ingredients:
• 2 large shallots, peeled and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons minced thyme
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced rosemary
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, stemmed and cut into large pieces
• 1 ounce porcini mushrooms, soaked in 1 cup boiling water for 30 minutes
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 pound whole-grain fettuccine, cooked ac cording to package directions, drained, and kept warm
• 1 cup Tofu Sour Cream (recipe follows)
• Chopped parsley

Instructions:
~Place the shallots in a large skillet and sauté over a medium heat for 8 minutes. ~Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep them from sticking. ~Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for another minute. ~Stir in the salt and pepper, rosemary, and the portabella mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. ~Add the porcini mushrooms, and their soaking liquid, and the wine. ~Stir, and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. ~When the stroganoff is finished cooking, stir in the sour cream. Add the cooked noodles and toss well. Serve garnished with the parsley.

Tofu Sour Cream
Use this healthy dairy alternative in any dish that calls for sour cream. Serve it with baked potatoes and fresh chives, with tacos or enchiladas, or with Mushroom Stroganoff. Makes 1½ cups.

Ingredients:
• 1 package extra firm lite silken tofu, drained
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Instructions:
~Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy. ~Chill until ready to serve. ~Salt to taste.

Mushroom Stock
The stems of both the oyster and shiitake mushrooms can be saved in the refrigerator until there is a spare moment to simmer them for about 1½ hours. In a small saucepan, immerse the mushroom stems in 2 cups of water and 1-2 teaspoons of salt. Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour, more time is better. Strain, and pour broth into a container and freeze. Great as a soup base for rice, savory sauces & more.

About Spinach – If you have removed the stems (which can be tough), then you are ready to begin your preparation. Here are some general cooking times:
Steam - 3-5 minutes
Blanch - 2-4 minutes
Sauté/Stir-fry- 3-5 mins
Spinach is easily overcooked. Briefly steam or sauté spinach just to wilt it and reduce its volume.

COOKING TURNIPS?
Here are some time guidelines for cubed turnips: Blanch: 4 minutes Steam: 4 minutes Sauté or stir-fry: 2 ½ mins.

Garlic Butter Turnips
from The Joy of Gardening Cookbook, Ballentyne 1984

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespooon vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cups thin, bite-sized pieces of turnips
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/8 tsp. ground rosemary salt and pepper

Heat the butter and oil in a sauté pan, and sauté the garlic until golden brown. Add the turnips and sauté until tender and golden brown. Add a tablespoon of water if the turnips are browning too quickly. Season with parsley, rosemary, and salt and pepper.

Buttery Spinach and Mushrooms
~www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil 1 cup sliced baby porta- bella mushrooms (yes, sub shitake.) ½ cup thinly sliced leek 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ cup vegetable broth 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 cups fresh spinach ¼ cup grated parmesan

In a large skillet, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium-high heart. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the broth, cream, lemon juice, and salt; cook for 2 mins. Stir in the spinach, and lower the heat, stirring frequently, until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the cheese and stir to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

CRUSTLESS SPINACH QUICHE
from: A Life in Drive via Food Network

Ingredients: Small tab of butter 4 Tbsp. parmesan cheese 2 eggs 2 egg yolks 2 cups fat-free half & half 1 10 oz. box of chopped spinach or fresh 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese 2 Tbsp. flour 1 tsp. paprika Salt & pepper

Directions: ~Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. ~Grease the bottom of a glass pie plate with butter and sprinkle 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese across it. ~Combine spinach, eggs, half & half, cheese, flour, paprika, and S&P in a blender or food processor. ~Pulse until combined and mixture starts to turn green. ~Pour the mixture into the pie plate. Top with remaining 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese. Bake for about 40 minutes, until browned on top.

SPINACH RICOTTA PIE
from Moosewood Cookbook, Katzen, 1977

3 hours to prepare, assemble, and bake; yield: 1-9” pie

THE CRUST - Cut together 1 cup flour (4/5 white plus 1/5 whole wheat is nice) (that’s approximate, of course) and 1/3 cup cold butter. Use a pastry cutter or two forks, or a food processor fitted with steel blade. (Try to work quickly so ingredients stay cold.) When the mixture is uniformly blended, add about 3 Tablespoons cold buttermilk (or water. But buttermilk really is better. Specialness is worth it.) ~ or enough so that mixture holds together enough to form a ball. Chill the dough at least 1 hour.

THE FILLING –
1 lb. ricotta cheese 3 beaten eggs ½ lb. chopped spinach 1 small onion, diced 3 tablespoons flour ½ cup grated sharp cheese dash of nutmeg

1 cup sour cream

Sauté the spinach and onion in butter with black pepper, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp basil. Mix all ingredients except sour cream together, blending well. Spread into unbaked pie shell. Top with 1 cup sour cream spread to the edges of the crust and a generous application of paprika. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Serve piping hot.

Patty’s Mashed Turnips from: www.allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
7 large turnips 1 cup milk 2 tablespoons butter salt to taste ground black pepper to taste

Directions: ~Peel, wash, and quarter turnips. ~Boil 35-45 minutes or until tender. Strain and rinse cooked turnips. ~Place in large mixing bowl and use fork to break up turnips into smaller bits. Add milk and butter. Blend to desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spinach and Pine Nut Pesto From: www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
2 cups lightly packed spinach leaves (about 4 ounces) ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Combine the spinach, pine nuts, lemon juice, and lemon peel in a processor. Lightly pulse. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of the oil, blending until the mixture is creamy. Add salt and pulse. Put half of the pesto into ice cube trays and store in the freezer for future use.

Transfer the rest of the spinach mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste.

Swiss Chard Frittata
From: www.food.com/recipe

Ingredients:
1 egg
10 egg whites
½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese, pressed through a sieve
½ teaspoon kosher
salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1¼ cups Swiss chard, sliced cross-wise into ½ “ thick slices and stalks chopped into inch pieces
½ onion, sliced crosswise

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. ~In a bowl whisk together first 5 ingredients (egg - pepper). ~Over medium high heat heat oil in oven-proof skillet, Stir in Swiss chard stalks and onion - cooking until onion is tender (3-5 minutes). ~Stir in the sliced leaves and cook, stirring another minute or so. ~Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and add the egg mixture, stirring to distribute vegetables evenly. ~Place skillet in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until eggs are set.

January 16, 2013

Week 5 Newsletter, Winter 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

Some, not all, will celebrate this week as the end of the sweet potatoes for this season! The good thing is that they store well without refrigeration! Many seasons we have been eating the last of the monster-sized ones in May or even later. Abundance of one crop is a blessing and a curse for us. We’re thrilled to have enough product so that everyone has plenty. We’re sorry when folks have gotten more than they can stand. Eating with the seasons can mean ‘want or plenty'.

While Kip is making the Columbus deliveries on Wednesday, Dan and Becky will be hosting a small group of folks in a mini-workshop. This is an abbreviated version of last December’s “Season Creation” workshop. This same workshop in its full form is scheduled again for Feb. 21. The cost is $25.00. While it is geared for growers, it is definitely open to anyone. If you are interested, send us a message and we’ll put your name on the list.

The final details for the Summer 2013 season will be completed on Thursday this week. Miranda will be sending out the early sign-up notices in the 1st part of February. Work continues on the final budget, which is scheduled to be finished by the middle of next week. Once those numbers are complete, we have a much clearer picture of ‘what kind’ and ‘how much’ to plant.

In the greenhouses, the crew keeps a watchful eye for pests of the winter and weeds. When the temperature falls again and the ground freezes, which could be next week, the asparagus field will be spread with farm-generated compost. Adding this compost improves the organic matter in the soil.

During the last week or so, the farm has been receiving messages of all formats about the impending implementation of the new Food Safety Act and it’s impacts for small farms. However, the details are very sketchy. Some say the standards don’t apply to a small farm, but others say the standards will be the same throughout the country no matter the size. This means a 10,000 acre Arizona lettuce farm would have the same standards as us. We’ll keep you informed as we hear. Have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Rob, Miranda, Emily, Natalie, Penny, Jane, Mark, Theo, and Matt)

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Salad Mix – In the mix this week are 7 varieties of lettuce, mizuna, pe-tsai, and tatsoi. The last three 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 - Some will receive shiitake and some will receive our oyster mushrooms. Store these in the fridge in a paper bag – even if they dry out, you can use them for soups.
Sunflower / MicroMix Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with microgreens, you are in for a surprise! These are grown in soil, not sprouted in water. The sunflower has a mild, nutty flavor, is juicy and crunchy, while the MicroMix is spicier, and does not store as long as the sunflower.
Carrots – Our 2nd harvest of carrots for this winter. They are so sweet and tender, there is never enough to satisfy the demand.
Tatsoi - This very mild Asian green is versatile. We use it raw in our salad mix, but lightly sautéed, steamed, stir-fried is also delicious.
Kale – A favorite on the farm! Like all greens, steam, stir-fry, sauté, use in soups, casseroles and other preparations. Also, it’s delicious raw and massaged with olive oil, lemon juice, and honey. Yummy!
Arugula- For some this is a ‘love it or hate it’ flavor. Known for its peppery flavor, it’s a great addition to a salad, or in a stir-fry with mushrooms or other veggies.
Sweet Potatoes - These sweet nuggets store for a long time in a warm, dark and dry place. Baked and mashed are just 2 ways to use them – and don’t forget Sweet Potato Pie!

THE COMBO CORNER

The apples from Cherry Orchard are Yellow Delicious. This apple is an excellent for eating, but is also very good in salads, pies and for making applesauce.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Italian Wheat--mixed whole and unbleached wheat flours, with some extra virgin olive oil, which really comes through when this bread is toasted.
The cheese from Integration Acres is Goat Gouda, a wax-covered raw milk cheese that has been aged over six months - For a twist on the typical grilled cheese sandwich, use the goat Gouda and include thin slices of crispy apples.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

RECIPES

Japanese Kale Salad with Shiitake Mushrooms
Recipe by Steven Petusevsky

This delicious and healthy salad stars kale and mushrooms and is dressed with a light tamari dressing. Tamari Dressing: ¼ cup tamari 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar 2 tablespoons canola oil

Kale Salad: 1 cup packed dry arame*-- Water 2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil 2 teaspoons canola oil ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and caps sliced 6 to 8 cups chopped kale (2 bunches) 1 cup grated carrots ½ cup grated daikon radish 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Instructions: To make dressing: In a nonreactive bowl, combine all ingredients well; set aside.

To make salad: Cover arame with 2 cups boiling water and let soak 30 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Mean-while, heat oils over high heat in a small sauté pan or skillet. Add shiitake mushrooms and sauté until golden; set aside to cool.

In a covered pot place a steamer basket over ¼ cup water. Add kale and steam 3 minutes until bright green. (Alternatively you can steam it in microwave.) Drain and plunge kale into ice-water bath to stop cooking. Gently squeeze water out of kale and fluff it in a nonreactive bowl.

Add arame, carrots, radish, mushrooms and sesame seeds. Just before serving, toss with dressing.

*Arame is a mild-flavored sea vegetable available in natural food stores. To toast sesame seeds: Place in a dry skillet over medium heat and cook, shaking pan periodically, until golden.

Recipe adapted from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook (Potter, 2002) by Steve Petusevsky ~ found on www.relish.com

SALAD DRESSING - Many years ago, a friend wrote down her recipe for blue cheese dressing. I have used that basic recipe as a guide for the ratio of oil to vinegar in all of my dressing creations since. This basic recipe included below mirrors that ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

ITALIAN DRESSING
~from www.food.com
Ingredients:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
1.) Combine all ingredients in a bottle. 2.) Shake to blend. 3.) Allow flavors to blend about an hour or so; it will even be more flavorful the following day. Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers, if using the cheese. 4.) Makes about 1 cup.

BALSAMIC HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING
~from www.food.com
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard or 4 tablespoons stone ground mustard
12 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste
4 whole peppercorns, optional
Directions:
1.) Blend the honey and mustard in a small bowl with a fork until emulsified. 2.) Drizzle in the balsamic vinegar until dressing is just thin enough to pour over salad. 3.) Taste and add more vinegar if desired. 4.) Crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or in a spice grinder. 5.) Mix in dressing and drizzle on salad.

BAKED SWEET POTATO CHIPS
from HomeMakingMom.com

Ingredients: Sweet Potatoes + Olive Oil + Sea Salt
Directions:
1.) Preheat the oven to 400oF. 2.) Place thinly sliced sweet potatoes (approximately 1/8”) on the baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. It is important to slice them thin, so that the chips will get nice and crispy while baking. 3.) Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes (flipping the slices over once midway through the baking time). 4.) Sprinkle with salt immediately after taking them out of the oven. In my opinion, the sweet potato chips are best when served hot.

Shiitake and Arugula Ravioli
from www.norecipes.com, makes 18 raviolis

For the dough:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup minced shallots
1 clove garlic minced
½ -3/4 cup fresh shiitake mush rooms, roughly chopped
3 packed cups arugula
3 tablespoons marscapone
3 tablespoons ricotta
2 teaspoons tahini
½ teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup water chestnuts, rinsed and thoroughly dried
For the raviolis:
1 egg
1 tablespoon of water
For the balsamic reduction:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon demi-glace

Put the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk together. Add the olive oil and eggs and mix together until it comes together into a ball. Attach the bowl to a mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead until the dough is smooth and satiny. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest while you make the filling.

Blanch the arugula by putting it in a glass container, adding about a tablespoon of water, covering with another glass plate, and microwaving for 1 minute. Remove the lid, let it cool enough to handle, then squeeze as much moisture out of it as you can.

Heat a small sauté pan and add the olive oil. Sauté the shallots, garlic and shiitake mushrooms until the mushrooms have given up most of their moisture (about 10-15 minutes). Let this mixture cool down to room temperature.

Add the arugula, onion mixture, marscapone, ricotta, tahini, soy sauce and salt to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the water chestnuts and pulse a few times to roughly chop them up (there should still be chunks). Prepare an egg wash by whisking together an egg with 1 tablespoon of water.

Heat the balsamic vinegar, honey and demi-glace in your smallest sauce pan. Once the demi-glace has dissolved and the mixture is thick and bubbly, it’s ready (this shouldn’t take long). I poured the mixture into a mini squeeze bottle to make the dots, but you can also just pour a bit on the plate and smear it with a spoon, or just drizzle it on top of the raviolis.

Cut off a quarter of the dough and flatten it out on a floured surface using your hands or a rolling pin, then pass it through the rollers of a pasta maker starting from the thickest setting and working your way down to a thinnest, passing the dough through at least 2 times per setting. If the dough starts to stick, just dust some flour on it. Lay the dough out on a long flat floured surface then repeat with another quarter of dough.

When your second sheet is done, line the sheets up and trim off the ends so they are exactly the same length. Place 1 tablespoon of filling a few inches apart, leaving room around the edges of the dough so you can seal the raviolis. Be careful not to overcrowd the dough or you’ll have a hard time sealing the raviolis properly. Use a pastry brush to paint the egg wash all around the filling. Drape the other piece of dough over the first piece and use your fingers to start sealing each ravioli starting from one end. It’s crucial that there aren’t any air pockets with the filling as the air will expand while cooking and your ravioli will burst. The best way to do this is to seal one side, then use two fingers to trace the outline of the filling starting from the side that’s sealed, then seal off the other side, and you should be good.

I used a round cookie cutter that’s 1/4″ bigger than the filling mound on both sides, but you can also cut your ravioli with a knife. If you are freezing the ravioli, place them on a floured cookie sheet and freeze them. Once they are frozen you can put them in a Ziploc bag, but they will stick together if you don’t freeze them separately first. To cook the ravioli, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, then turn down the heat to maintain a gentle boil. If you have a very large pot you can cook all 18 at the same time, but I just cooked them in two batches. Drop the raviolis in and then they float to the surface they are done (this won’t take very long). Drain the ravioli and transfer them to a bowl. Drizzle with sesame oil, add a handful of arugula, and sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Serve the ravioli with the balsamic vinegar reduction. Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds and chives on top to garnish.

Beet and Goat Cheese Arugula Salad
from www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium beets, cooked and quartered
6 cups fresh arugula
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
¼ C. dried cranberries or dried cherries
1/2 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled

Directions:
~Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. ~Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool. ~Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.

Sesame-Ginger Tatsoi
recipe by: Alice Brunk on www.papaspuds.com

Ingredients:
½ lbs Tatsoi, washed and dried
¼ cup soy sauce
1 TBS sesame oil
2 tsp fresh minced ginger
1 TBS sugar
1/8 cup white vinegar
2 dashes Tabasco
2 heaping Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Directions:
Boil water and quickly blanch Tatsoi. It works best to place uncooked Tatsoi in a wire colander and dip the colander with Tatsoi into the boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Remove and plunge into ice cold water to stop cooking process. Drain Tatsoi and place in refrigerator. While Tatsoi is chilling, mix dressing ingredients: soy sauce, sesame oil, minced ginger, sugar, white vinegar, Tabasco, and sesame seed. Mix Tatsoi and dressing mixture in bowl and serve. Can be made ahead and chilled for several hours before your serve.

January 9, 2013

Week 4 Newsletter, Winter 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

Happy New Year to all! We’re happy to be back from the whirlwind of holiday activities and schedules. Sometimes, though, all of the changes in routines can seem stressful! Over the holiday break, Jane, our winter intern was offered a job so she will be leaving us in two weeks. To take her place with the Columbus delivery route, a former intern will be riding with Kip. Morgan was with us 2 summers back, so she will be an easy addition!

As the New Year begins, activities here are far from routine. Next season’s seeds and sets will be ordered by the end of this week. This includes sets of rhubarb and asparagus that we hope to harvest in a year or so. In addition to the seed orders, we are also ordering more of the row covers to complete the winter covering project started last fall. When finished, one person will be able to open and uncover the beds or, close and cover the beds in the greenhouses in a matter of minutes instead of the current system that requires 2 people several minutes in each house. This improvement will save over an hour a day. In winter, daylight is precious and there is much to be done during the shorter window of light.

Intern candidates for this spring have started to visit the farm – so far we have seen one from Atlanta and one from Toledo with at least one more visitor on the schedule for next week.

We have been officially notified about our award of a PDP (Professional Development) grant from SARE. Our partner in this endeavor is Rural Action. During the next two years we will be hosting Beginning and Advanced Season Creation Workshops (8 total) for extension agents from around the state. Our unheated greenhouse winter growing systems show much promise for other growers to provide local product around the state – but first, extension agents need to understand how it works. Needless to say, we are excited to be able to offer this training, and honored to be given this opportunity. We will keep you updated as this process unfolds.
Have a great week and let’s all eat veggies!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Rob, Miranda, Emily, Natalie, Penny, Jane, Mark, Theo, and Matt)

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 - Some will receive shiitake and some will receive our oyster mushrooms. Store these in the fridge in a paper bag – even if they dry out, you can use them for soups.
Sunflower / MicroMix Microgreens - If you’re not familiar with microgreens, you are in for a surprise! These are grown in soil, not sprouted in water. The sunflower has a mild, nutty flavor, is juicy and crunchy, while the MicroMix is spicier, more delicate, and does not store as long.
Sweet Potatoes - These sweet nuggets are so tasty! Store in a warm, dark and dry place. Baked and mashed are just 2 ways to use them – and don’t forget Sweet Potato Pie!
Potatoes – Katahdin or blue are the varieties of potatoes this week. PLEASE NOTE: BECAUSE WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR POTATOES, A COUPLE SITES GOT ALL SWEET POTATOES INSTEAD.
Collards – Store in the fridge in an air-tight bag to keep from wilting. These amazing leaves are great for braising, stir-fry, or in a saucepan with water and ham bone. OR, they serve well as veggie wrappers for tacos or other hand held foods.
Tatsoi - This very mild Asian green is versatile. We use it raw in our salad mix, but lightly sautéed, steamed, stir-fried is also delicious.
Carrots – Our 1st harvest of carrots for this winter. They are so sweet and tender there is never enough to satisfy the demand.

THE COMBO CORNER

The apples from Cherry Orchard are Enterprise and Granny Smith apples. These are tart, crisp apples that are great for eating and cooking.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Local Harvest Wheat, featuring locally grown spelt flour and corn meal.
The cheese from Integration Acres is the Alexander Tomme, pasteurized hard cheese with a natural rind that is aged for a minimum of 60 days.

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

RECIPES

Hungry Hound’ s Root Vegetable Gratin

Ingredients:
5 small potatoes, peeled
½ of a large celery root, top& bottom removed and peeled
½ of a medium parsnip, peeled and cored
1 butternut squash
1 rutabaga, peeled
1¼ cup heavy cream or whole milk
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup + freshly grated parmesan
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp fennel fronds or parsley
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Butter a 9 by 13 gratin dish.
2. Slice the potatoes on a mandoline into 1/16" thick slices. Repeat with each of the root vegetables, keeping them separate.
3. Stir garlic, nutmeg, fresh thyme, and fennel fronds into the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange potato slices in overlapping rows on the bottom of the gratin dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add a layer of rutabaga, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add a layer of celery root and seasoning again. Repeat with a layer of parsnip and then butternut squash, seasoning in between each layer. Sprinkle with half of the Parmesan. Repeat starting with a layer of potatoes, seasoning between each layer. Finally, top with a final layer of overlapping potatoes. Pour the milk mixture over the top until it comes to the edge of the top layer. Press the vegetables down into the milk with a spatula.
5. Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour. Remove the foil and lightly press the gratin down with a spatula. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and continue baking until vegetables are tender the top is golden brown, 15-30 min. more. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Collard Greens & Black-Eyed Pea Soup
From: www.eatingwell.com
45 minutes total time; 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
5 cloves garlic, (4 sliced and 1 whole), divided
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
5 cups chopped collard greens, or kale leaves (about 1 bunch), tough stems removed
1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed
6 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette, preferably whole-grain, cut on the diagonal
6 tablespoons shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
2 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped

Directions:
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add sliced garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Increase heat to high and add broth, tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in collard greens (or kale), reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig. Stir in black-eyed peas; remove from the heat and cover.

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and broil until lightly toasted, 2 to 4 minutes. Rub each bread slice with the remaining garlic clove. (Discard garlic.) Turn the slices over and top with cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve the soup topped with the cheese toasts and bacon.

Browned Butter Pasta with Tatsoi
from: www.appetiteforchina.com
Serves 2

Ingredients:
Your pasta of choice, preferably curved or with ridges
1/2 stick unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
Leaves of 2 to 3 bunches of tatsoi, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped sage
Freshly grated Parmesan
Lemon wedges, optional

Directions:
Cook pasta to al dente in salted water.
When pasta is almost done, melt butter in a skillet. Swirl the butter in the pan as it foams. (At this point, remove pasta from the heat and drain well in a colander.) When butter begins to brown, toss in pasta and mix to coat with butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Add tatsoi and sage and cook until slightly wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Plate and serve immediately with grated parmesan and lemon wedges on the side.

Tatsoi Egg Bake
from: www.wordenfarm.com

Ingredients:
Low-fat cheese and milk work fine here. Mustard greens can be used instead of or along with tatsoi. 1 bunch tatsoi
1 cup cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, feta, cottage cheese, or other cheese)
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
½ cup bread crumbs, or several slices of bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
paprika

Directions:
1. Wash tatsoi and chop leaves. Sauté until wilted. Drain well.
2. Mix cheese, eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and fresh basil in a baking pan.
3. Distribute bread crumbs or bread pieces and tatsoi evenly throughout the egg mixture. Top with paprika.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until baked through. Allow to stand for several minutes before cutting.