ATHENS HILLS CSA
With this delivery, we begin the second half of the Winter 2013 season. From experience, we know these next few weeks will begin to fly by as spring gets nearer. Before we know it, winter jackets will be replaced with sweatbands and sunscreen. And – yes, we are very ready for that! This winter has seen many dreary days of cloud cover; currently, the projected yields are down somewhat due to this lack of sun. That will soon end and ‘bounty’ will be with us once again. This week direct seeding begins for the late spring crops. Of course, salad mix is on that list along with arugula, radishes and dill and cilantro. The crew will also be planting flats for transplants of parsley and broccoli. We’re very excited to start these production trials for broccoli. If we are happy with the results, it could be a great addition to the items we offer.
Last week’s reminders to let us know your intentions for the summer season prompted even more folks to respond and we thank you for our efforts. Here’s another mention to those of you who are deciding. If you are looking for a partner to split a full share, we might be able to assist. We can post a message to your pickup site to let others who might be interested in the same situation. Just a thought….
In the next week, Miranda will be sending the E-vite to this winter’s Open Farm Day. This year we will gather on Sunday, March 17th. As usual, we will meet at the Amesville Grange Hall at 1:00 pm for a delicious potluck lunch followed with farm tours beginning at 2:30. This event happens rain or shine – boots are always appropriate. We use the E-vite tool to help us plan the amount of food which the farm will prepare. We make an entrée and supply the plates, cutlery, and beverages. Please take a minute to respond to this E-vite when you receive it. Thanks so much. We can’t wait to see you!
The workshop last Thursday was a huge success! Again, there were some growers that we didn’t have room for, but it seems likely that we will be offering this workshop again. We’ll keep your in the loop, of course. 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, 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.
Rutabaga/Turnips - These are very similar but the rutabaga has a little creamier flavor. You can use them interchangeably. These are mild in flavor, and are crunchy when eaten raw. Delicious with veggie dips.
Spinach – We are thrilled to bring you this item again. This wonderful green is so versatile. Use it raw in a salad, or cooked in many different dishes.
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.
Carrots - Many of you have written to say that you agree about t he delicious flavor of these sweet things. And thanks for that. What a special flavor and treat on a gloomy winter day.
Collards or Pac Choi - Pac Choy: similar to bok choy in handling and cooking. The flavor is a little stronger than the tatsoi; takes a little more time to cook and the texture is a like Napa Cabbage. Collards – require mush more cooking time, but oh so tasty…
THE COMBO CORNER
The apples from Cherry Orchard are Fuji and Yellow Delicious apples. The yellow delicious apple is an excellent eating apple but is also very good in salads, pies and for making applesauce. The Fuji apples outward appearance is not as attractive as most years, but don’t let that fool you - their flavor is excellent. The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is the French Galette.
The cheese from Integration Acres is Chase Cheddar – it’s lightly smoked with apple wood. Made with raw goat's milk, this 7-month old cheddar is dry, salty, and crumbly. It pairs nicely with a hard cider, and is a great substitute for any hard Italian cheese you might sprinkle on pasta.
PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS
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 ROAD 614-784-8124 (11am-7pm)
ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER 740-592-3325 (2-8pm)
BELPRE 304-488-3620 (3-6pm)
HARMONY CHIROPRACTIC 740-592-4631 (3-7pm)
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!
Faye Cherry from the orchard sent these seasonal notes for you: Fuji apples were developed in the late 1930’s by growers at the Tohoku Research Station in Morioka, Japan. Fuji apples are a cross between two classic American apple varieties - Red Delicious and Virginia Ralls Janet. The Fuji apple variety was introduced to the United States in the 1960’s. Fuji apples contain between 15 - 18% sugar levels, making them one of the sweetest varieties available. ~ Pruning our apples trees has been an ongoing process this winter. Winter continues in our hills of southeastern Ohio but we are dreaming of spring as we are starting to plant seeds in our greenhouse. Thanks Faye!
RECIPES
Carrot Fritter Puffs
from The Joy of Gardening Cookbook, Ballentyne 1984 These puffs taste very much like potato knishes, but are much easier to make.
Ingredients:
4 cups diced carrots (or 2 C. puree.)
4 cups diced potatoes (or 2 C mashed)
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1 cup bread crumbs
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups diced onion
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
oil for deep frying
Directions:
Cook the carrots and potatoes together in water to cover until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash together. Add the eggs, flour, bread crumbs, and cheese.
Sauté the onion in the butter until browned and add to the batter with the salt and pepper.
Heat the oil to 375. Drop the batter into the oil by the teaspoon and fry for 1 minute or until golden brown, turning once to brown the other side. Drain on a paper towel and serve warm.
Spinach and Red Chard Quiche
Kip’s mom reads the blog and so she sees the contents of the share each week. She is also a great cook and reads recipes all the time. So, when she saw spinach, she sent this recipe for an eggless quiche. Thanks Gloria!
Ingredients:
1 (9”) unbaked pie crust
½ lb. spinach, rinsed and chopped
½ lb. red Swiss chard, rinsed & chopped
1 tbl. vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
¼ tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. dried parsley
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
8 sm. oyster mushrooms, chopped
2 tsp. capers
1 (12 oz) package tofu, cubed
¼ cup skim milk
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cardamom
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Bake pie crust until lightly browned. Meanwhile, place spinach and Swiss chard in a steamer over 1” of boiling water, and cover. Lightly cook, about 5 minutes. 3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté onions and garlic. When onions become transparent add spinach and chard. Stir in curry powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Sauté until spinach and chard reduce, then add mushrooms and capers. Stir and remove from heat. 4. In a blender or food processor, combine tofu, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom and Parmesan cheese. Process until smooth and creamy. Pour over vegetables and mix well. Transfer mixture to the pie crust. 5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle top with Cheddar cheese. Bake for 10 more minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned. from allrecepies.com
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 water. 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. 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 lbs. ricotta cheese 3 beaten eggs ½ lb. chopped spinach 1 small onion, diced 3 tablespoons flour ½ cup grated sharp cheese dash of nutmeg
Sauté the spinach and onion in butter with black pepper, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp basil. Mix altogether, 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.
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.
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