Week 10 Newsletter, Summer 2013

ATHENS HILLS CSA

With today’s delivery over, we are now into the second half of this season for the summer 2013 cycle. What a ride so far! New items are coming in the second half as well as the return of others that have been gone for a while. Over the past week, several members have contacted us about the availability of extra items for sale. We do have some pounds of basil available each week (until it’s gone). Also, we are experimenting with fresh ginger, and it’s doing very well! There’s not enough to send to all of you, but if you want to have some, you can just let us know and we will make the arrangements. These will both will be delivered with the shares at your regular pickup site. You can see pictures of the ginger on our Facebook page at: FB - Green Edge. 

 

The fence project is finally complete and in operation – just in time as the winter squash fruits are really starting to show. Kudos to Kip and Mark for the additional extra-long days to complete the project before the Monday evening rains. This is one big project that we are happy to have completed! 

 

In the meantime, the fall plantings of spinach, mizuna, and mustard are on the schedule for direct-seeded crops, and other fall crops like kale, collards, and chard are ready to be transplanted for the late fall harvests through December. And even though less rain has slowed the weeds, there are still plenty to be destroyed by hoes and hands. 

 

Miranda will be sending out the early enrollment forms for Winter 2014 starting this week, so keep your eyes peeled for the notice in your inbox. This winter we have decreased the number of shares and we expect that means we will fill quickly. So, please do not hesitate to let us know your if you plan to enroll. We really appreciate knowing you intentions, especially if you are not planning on participating this winter, so we can offer your space to folks on our waiting list.

 

We still have canning tomatoes in the coming weeks; and don’t forget about the basil and ginger that are also currently available. These availabilities can change as quickly as the weather, so make hay while the sun shines. Have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Mark, Penny, Emily, Matt T, Brittany, Michelle, Josh, Matt C., Natalie, Andy, Miranda, Cale and Brook) 

 

THIS WEEK’S VEGGIES

Sunflower Microgreens - We describe these tasty greens juicy and crunchy Great for snacking, in wraps or to finish off a green salad.
Slicer Tomatoes -This week you are receiving hybrid slicing tomatoes. No refrigerator until they are cut. Try them with basil and fresh mozzarella!
Cherry Tomatoes – These are a mix of the two varieties we grow: Sungold- little orange tomato candies; and Sweet 100 –juicy little red tomatoes...excellent for salads
Cucumbers - Besides just slicing these with some onion and vinegrette, cukes are used widely in many cuisines of the world.
Eggplant- We are growing several varieties of eggplant: 2 long, thin Asian varieties, and 2 bell-shaped Mediterranean ones. They have similar flavors, but the Asian ones don’t necessarily need peeled, but can be. They’re great for slicing into chunks and grilling on a skewer.
Basil – Whether it’s pesto, in salads or some other yummy dish, summer isn’t truly here without it.
Mixed Summer Squash – They all cook and taste very much the same. The varieties are zucchini, yellow, and pattypan.
Parsley – This week the type of parsley is the Italian flat leaf variety. This type is widely used in but is also delicious with fish, potatoes, or chopped in salad.

THE COMBO CORNER

The fruit share from Cherry Orchards contains yellow and white peaches topped with the first of this season's early pears, 'Harvest Queen'.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Starline Sorghum Bread, which uses organic oat flour and sorghum from Starline Organics, and organic whole white wheat and unbleached flours, yeast, and Redmond Real Salt.
The cheese from Integration Acres is Caprino Romano, a hard raw goat's milk cheese aged for over five months. It's suitable for grating or slicing; try it as an alternative to Parmesan on pasta, soups and salads. 

PICKUP CONTACT NUMBERS & HOURS

BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951, 3-8pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663, 11 am-8 pm
ECOFLORA – 614-266-1618, 12pm-7pm 
DUBLIN TREK BICYCLE 614-791- 8735, 3-7 pm
HILLIARD POWERSHACK 614-506-3086, 4-7pm
NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9370, 12-8pm

ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER - 740-592-3325, 12-8 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302, 12-6pm
BELPRE - 304-488-3620, 3-6 PM
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!
TIMELY TIPS: KEEPING THE BASIL FRESH
We are often asked about keeping basil fresh for a longer period. The most important thing is to never refrigerate it (until it’s used). When I get a new batch of basil, the first thing I do is trim the stems so I have a fresh cut; then I immerse those stems in a small glass of water. Sometimes this will last for 1 week , but occasionally it will last for 2 or more weeks. Instead of a bunch of basil, sometimes the basil is in bags because the stems are too short. If that is the case, the basil doesn’t last as long, but still at least a week. I just leave the bag open and fluffed on the counter.

RECIPES

Basil and Summer Squash Soup 
~ from: www.care2.com

Ingredients: 
2 T. olive oil 
1¼ lb. summer squash, all colors, roughly chopped 
1 large white onion, roughly chopped 
6 cups vegetable stock 
½ cup julienned fresh basil, plus whole leaves for garnish 
1½ Tbls. butter, softened 
1½ Tbls. flour 
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 
2-3 Tbls. heavy cream (optional) 
Parmesan cheese (optional garnish) 
Lemon wedges for serving

Directions: 
1.) In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add squash and onion, and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are softened and the summer squash is just tender. Add vegetable stock. Bring the soup to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low, and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring in the basil just about 5 minutes before you’re done cooking. 
2.) Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix softened butter and flour to make a paste. Carefully remove 1 cup of the soup stock, while it’s still simmer, and whisk into the butter-flour mixture. Pour mixture back into soup, and stir until the soup has thickened a little. 
3.) Remove soup from heat. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and puree until the mixture is smooth, or to your desired texture. Season with salt and pepper, stir in optional cream. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with basil leaves and optional Parmesan. Serve with lemon wedges.. (Ed’s. Note: An immersion hand blender might also work.)

Summer Squash Ribbons with Oregano, Basil and Lemon
~from: myrecipes.com

Ingredients: 
3 small zucchini (about 1 pound) 
3 small yellow squash (about 1 pound) 
1 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil 
¼ tsp. grated lemon rind (zest) 
1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice 
½ tsp. salt 
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 
1 garlic clove, minced 
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil 
1 Tbls. chopped fresh oregano 
¼ cup (1 oz.) shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions: 
1. Shave zucchini and yellow squash into ribbons using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, stopping at the seeds; place ribbons in a large bowl. Discard seed cores. 
2. Combine oil, rind, juice, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Drizzle oil mixture over vegetable ribbons; sprinkle with basil and oregano. Toss gently, Sprinkle with cheese, serve immediately.

Linguine with Summer Squash, Tomatoes, and Basil
~from: allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 
2 Tbls minced garlic 
½ cup chopped fresh basil 
salt and ground black pepper to taste 
1 large zucchini, sliced into thin rounds 
1 large yellow squash, sliced into thin rounds 
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 
1 (16 oz) packaged fresh linguine pasta 
1 (8 oz) skim milk ricotta cheese, divided 
½ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
1.) Whisk olive oil, ½ cup of basil, salt, pepper in a large bowl. Add zucchini, yellow squash, and tomatoes to the oil mixture and toss to coat.
2.) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 5 minutes; drain. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl.
3.) While the pasta is warm, fold in half of vegetable mixture along with 2 tablespoons ricotta cheese, until pasta is coated and vegetables are evenly dispersed. Top with remaining vegetable mixture. Spoon remaining ricotta on top. Sprinkle ½ cup chopped basil over the dish. Season with salt and pepper to serve.

Julia Child's Baked Cucumbers 
from: food.com

Ingredients: 
32” cucumbers 
2 Tbls wine vinegar 
1½ tsp salt 
1/8 teaspoon sugar 
3 Tbls melted butter 
½ tsp dill or basil 
4 Tbls minced scallions 
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Peel the cucumbers. 
2. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. 
3. Cut into lengthwise strips about 3/8” wide. 
4. Cut strips into 2” pieces. 
5. Toss the cucumber in a bowl with the vinegar, salt and sugar. 
6. Let stand for 30 minutes to several hours. 
7. Drain and pat dry in a towel. 
8. Preheat oven to 375. 
9. Toss the cucumbers in a baking dish with butter, herbs, scallions, and pepper. 
10. Set uncovered in the middle level of the preheated oven for about an hour, tossing 2-3 times until the cucumbers are tender, but still have a suggestion of crispiness and texture. They will barely color during cooking.
11. Variation One: Parsilied Cucumbers : In a warm vegetable dish toss the baked cucumbers with 2 Tbls. minced parsley.