2015: Week 13, August 16-22

Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #13
Aug. 16-22, 2015

If needed, please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 e-mail: tantrefarm@hotmail.com phone: 734-475-4323 website: www.tantrefarm.com.

In our newsletter, we try to give you an accurate listing of the produce in your box; however, since the newsletter is published before the harvest, we may sometimes substitute some vegetables for others. The information provided here is also published each week on our website.

We try to keep the printed newsletter to a 2-page maximum, which means that we won’t list all the share items’ descriptions every week, but refer you to previous newsletters for information on items that have already appeared in your shares.

**Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with additional information on our website under CSA INFO or under RECIPES.

THIS WEEK’S SHARE

ARUGULA (Sylvetta): also known as “wild rocket” with more deeply lobed leaves and a more pungent flavor; an aromatic, bright salad green with a peppery mustard flavor. See Week 9 for usage and storage information.

BEETS: You will receive Red Ace (round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and medium-tall, red-veined green leaves). See Week 7 usage and storage information.

CARROTS (Nelson): a sweet, blunt root with smooth, crisp texture and deep orange color. See Week 9 for usage and storage information.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit), Rosa Biana (an Italian heirloom; round fruit streaked with white and violet), or Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits, which are tender, delicately flavored, and quick cooking). See Week 11 for usage and storage information.

SWEET CORN: Corn is often referred to as maize and is an ancient staple food of the Americas. Everything on the corn plant can be used: “husks” for Tamales, the “silk” for medicinal tea, the “kernels” for food, and the “stalks” for fodder; contains a significant amount of vitamin A, B-complex, phosphorous and potassium along with vegetable protein. * We don’t treat our corn with pesticides, so you may find some earworms enjoying the corn too; just break off the damaged part and cook the rest of the ear.
-How to use: ears of corn can be steamed in 1-2 inches of water for 6-10 minutes, or drop ears into boiling water (enough to cover) for 4-7 minutes; ears of corn can also be roasted unhusked in the oven or outside grill for about 20 minutes
-How to store: refrigerate with husks on, and use as soon as possible to retain sweetness and flavor.

FRESH HERBS: In general, store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or wrap in slightly dampened cloth and store in refrigerator.
You may CHOOSE ONE from the following:
–Black-stemmed Peppermint–forest green leaves with deep purple veins and stems, purple flowers; leaves are good as a hot or iced tea; adds a delicious flavor when minced and added to cooked peas, carrots, potatoes, salads, and fresh strawberries.
–Italian Flat-leaf Parsley—flat, glossy, dark green leaves have a strong parsley/celery flavor for use dried or fresh; especially good in omelets, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soups, pasta and vegetable dishes, as well as, sauces to go with fish & poultry.
–Winter Savory– is a semi-evergreen, perennial herb; its strong spicy flavor goes well with beans and meat; medicinally it has antiseptic, aromatic, carminative, and digestive benefits, as well as relieves bee stings.
–French Sorrel–slightly tart, lemon-flavored green; excellent for salads, soups, and sauces; can be used in omelets, breads, or cooked as a side dish; leaves are shaped like spinach, but paler green in color; refrigerate in plastic bag for up to 3 days.

**Our BASIL has gotten zapped with Downy Mildew again just like last year due to the damp, humid conditions this summer, so we have a lot of basil that suddenly overnight doesn’t look so great, so we are not going to take the time to harvest it, but if you want it for PESTO come and get it. We are making pesto with it too, but the basil doesn’t have a great shelf life, so you’ll need to use it up as soon as you can.

KALE: You will receive Red Russian Kale (the stems are purple, and leaves are deep gray-green, purple-veined, flat, non-curled, and tooth-edged.) See Week 2 for usage and storage information.

LETTUCE: You will receive a head/heads of Green/Red Leaf, Romaine, or Buttercrunch. See Week 2 for usage/storage information.

LETTUCE MIX (Allstar Gourmet): a bag of ruffled red and green lettuces that includes Green Oakleaf, Red Oakleaf, Green Romaine, Red Romaine, Lollo Rossa, and Redleaf lettuces. Your lettuce has been rinsed once. See Week 1 for usage and storage information.

MUSHROOMS (Shiitake): flower-like cracking pattern on brown cap; edible mushroom native to East Asia; good in sandwiches and cooked; many medicinal qualities too; grown on logs. See Week 12 for usage and storage information.

ONIONS: You will receive Super Star (large, white-skinned onion with mild flavor and thick rings; great for salads, slices, onion rings, and frying; not for long storage). See Week 7 for usage and storage information.

HOT PEPPERS: You will receive Jalapeño (small and conical pepper, ranging from green to red; hot chile pepper used commonly in Mexican or southwestern cooking).
-How to use: Handle hot peppers with gloves, and cut on glass plate. Often roasted, chopped, and used to season corn bread and cheese dishes; good for stuffed appetizers, jams, salsa, and pickles. See newsletter recipes.
-How to store: For fresh peppers, store in refrigerator. For drying peppers, place string through the stems and hang in cool, dry, well-ventilated spot.

SWEET RED PEPPERS: You will receive Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh) and Carmen (6 inch long, tapered fruit that ripens from green to a deep “carmine” red; sweet taste in salads and when roasted and fully red-ripe).
-How to use: eat raw for best nutrient retention; can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc. Excellent roasted.
-How to store: refrigerate unwashed in hydrator drawer for 1-2 weeks.
-To freeze: Clean, seed, and mince peppers. Place in freezer containers or bags to be used later in soups or casseroles.

POTATOES: You will receive both Yukon Gold (yellowish brown skin with yellow dry flesh and pink eyes; long storage and good tasting; perfect baked, boiled, mashed or fried) and Dakota Red (red potato with white flesh that is good for baking, boiling, or frying). See Week 7 for usage and storage information.

SUMMER SQUASH/ZUCCHINI: You will receive some variety of Green Zucchini (green zucchini with uniform, cylindrical fruits) or Yellow Crookneck (long, curved neck with a sometimes bumpy, yellow skin; buttery flavor and firm texture) or Patty Pan (tender, rounded scallop, bright yellow squash with a green tip; nutty flavor). See Week 8 for usage and storage information.

SWISS CHARD: close relative of garden beets; very small, multi-colored, large veined, semi-crinkly, dark green leaves; mild flavor; good source of vitamins A, E, & C, as well as iron & calcium. See Week 4 for usage and storage information.

TOMATOES: You will receive a wide variety of tomatoes, so some of the following: 1 Heirloom Tomato , a slicing tomato, Five Star Grape (oval to oblong, baby red grape tomatoes, which have a chewy texture, sweet taste, and few seeds), Chiquita (deep rose-pink grape tomato with great flavor and pleasant texture), Mountain Magic (bright red, round tomatoes with very sweet flavor; excellent in salads), Verona (similar to Juliet, but with even tastier, somewhat plumper, deep red “cocktail plum” fruits; good in sauces and in salads), or Sun Gold Cherry (exceptionally sweet, bright tangerine-orange cherry tomato; less acidic than the red cherry tomato, so slightly less bland in flavor; popular as a garnish, in salads, or as a cooked side dish that can be sautéed with herbs). See Week 11 for usage and storage information.

WATERMELON: You will receive Little Baby Flower Red (small, 2-4 lb. round fruit; bright green stripe pattern on shell and dark pink flesh that is sweet and crisp with a high sugar count), or Starlight (10-12 lb. round fruit; deep green with highly contrasting black stripes and pink flesh; excellent flavor with crisp texture), or Sunshine (8-10 lb. oval-rounded fruit; green-striped shell with bright yellow flesh, which is brittle, juicy, and very sweet). See Week 11 for usage and storage information.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. KID FARM DAY will be Wed. Aug. 19 from 9 AM until noon. We will be making herbal tea packets and healing herb jars, having a garden ramble/scavenger hunt, singing and dancing, and eating lots of freshly picked Tantre fruits and vegetables. It should be loads of fun! We’ll tell you all about it next week!

2. U-PICK AVAILABLE: Please call ahead if you plan to pick on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri.), so we can make sure someone is around to help you.
–U-pick Blackberries—$3/pint
–U-pick Basil –Free! The basil has downy mildew, so it doesn’t look really well, but if you want to u-pick for pesto or preserving, please come and help yourself. See “Fresh Herbs”.

3. VACATIONS or OUT OF TOWN: Please remember to contact us at least by Saturday or Sunday (NOT in the middle of the week of the switch) to make changes in pick up days or locations.

4. PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS NEEDED: Please feel free to donate used bags for use at the markets or distribution sites.

5. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:
Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)–7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 12 PM
Farm (Wed.)–10 A.M. to 7 P.M.
Washtenaw Food Hub-UM employees (Wed)–3 PM to 6 PM
Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 P.M. to 8 P.M.
Farm (Fri.)–2 P.M. to 7 P.M.
Community High School (Sat.) –7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)–8 A.M. to 12 P.M.

CORN LOVERS OF ALL SIZES

We are sure you’ve been waiting impatiently as we have for our first bite of corn. This cold weather has kept this high summer crop slow growing, but it is finally ready. As we introduce you to your first ear of Tantre corn, we would be remiss if we forgot about our yearly introductions to two fellow corn lovers: the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) and the Corn Earworm (Heliothis zea), which you may have encountered already.

The European corn borer has been a resident of the U.S. since the early 1900s. The larvae are grayish-pink caterpillars with dark heads and spots on the top of each segment about 1 inch long. They chew on leaves and tassels of corn, but especially favor the tasty insides of stalks and ears. It is not partial to corn though, since it has been recorded on 200 different plants, including beans, celery, beets, and potatoes.

Despite the fact that we hear much about the corn borer, the earworm is probably the worst pest of corn. It is said that American farmers grow two million acres of corn a year just to feed it. The color of the larvae varies from white to green and even red. They have four pairs of prolegs, are spined, and 1-1/2 inches long. These voracious eaters enter corn ears at the tip and work their way to the kernels.

If you are “lucky” enough to encounter one of these guests in your ear of corn this week, don’t throw the ear away, just break off the offensive part and cook the rest. We are “pleased” to introduce you to these smaller relatives who share your taste for corn.

RECIPES
**Keep in mind a very easy way to find recipe ideas for almost any combination of share box ingredients is to type the items into your preferred “search bar” with the word “recipe” after it, and many recipe ideas will pop up. Have fun searching! Lots and lots of ideas!

TABBOULI (The World in Your Kitchen)
1/2 c. bulgur
a few lettuce leaves
4 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
1 onion, finely sliced
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
4 Tbs. lemon juice
4 Tbs. olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Soak bulgur 20-30 minutes in cold water to cover. Drain well. Line a salad bowl with lettuce leaves and spoon in bulgur. Mix in 3 tablespoons of the parsley, mint, onion, and tomatoes. Whisk lemon juice with olive oil, salt and pepper; toss with salad. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon of parsley on top. Serves 4-6.

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