Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #14
Aug. 23-29, 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: an aromatic, bright salad green with a peppery mustard flavor, which is rich in iron and vitamins A and C. See Week 9 for usage and storage information.
BEETS: Since Wed. members received this last week, this week Fri./Sat. members 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: Since Wed. members received this last week, this week Fri./Sat. members will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit), Rosa Bianca (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 (Vision): exceptionally tender, super sweet, yellow ears; great for fresh eating and freezing
* 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:
–Curly Parsley—curly, dark green leaves, often used as a garnish, but can be used the same as flat-leaf parsley.
–Oregano–member of the mint family and is similar to marjoram, but not as sweet and more pungent flavor and aroma; good in soups and tomato-based dishes.
–Sage–an herb from an evergreen shrub in the mint family with long, narrow, grayish-green leaves; a musky aroma and a warm and spicy taste; used in making sausages, stews, breads, and teas; enhances meats, vegetables, salads, pickles, and cheese.
–Cilantro– the flat, delicate, lacy-edged leaves and stems of the coriander plant, which look a lot like flat-leaf parsley, but has a distinctive, almost citrus fragrance that lends itself to highly spiced foods, such as tacos, salsas, soups, stews, and salads. Medicinally has been proved to chelate toxic metals from our bodies and considered a powerful tissue cleanser.
**Our BASIL has been 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 get it as soon as you can.
KALE: You will receive Siberian Kale (tender blue green, curly leaves, with a mildly sweet flavor). 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.
ONIONS (Cipolline): a traditional Italian onion known for its flat, oval shape and delicately mild, sweet flavor; ranges in size from 1 to 3 inches; used for pickling and to season a wide variety of dishes and especially good grilled on a skewer. 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). See Week 13 for usage and storage information.
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). See Week 13 for usage and storage information.
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.
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: Heirlooms–Pruden’s Purple (early Brandywine type; vivid dark pink, heirloom tomato with smooth, crimson flesh; delicious flavor and large–1 lb.+ fruit) and Japanese Black Trifele (unusual pear-shaped, heirloom tomato with burgundy, greenish color and excellent, rich flavor). Sauce Tomatoes– Mountain Magic (bright red, round tomatoes with very sweet flavor; excellent in salads) or Verona (similar to Juliet, but with even tastier, somewhat plumper, deep red “cocktail plum” fruits; good in sauces and in salads). Grape/Cherry Tomatoes–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), 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/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.
WINTER SQUASH: You will receive Spaghetti (3-5-pounds, pale yellow, oblong, smooth, medium size, mildly sweet with “spaghetti” (stringy) flesh; bake like squash or boil and fork out the flesh, topping the “spaghetti” flesh with your favorite sauce; mildly sweet).
-How to use: Slice in half, scoop seeds out and bake with a little water in baking pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender; boil or steam chunks for 15-20 minutes, or until tender (peel skins off “before” or “after“ cooked, but “after” is easiest when it’s cooled); mash cooked squash with butter; purée cooked squash for creamy soup, or add uncooked chunks to soups or stews; add small amounts to yeast breads, muffins, cookies, pies, oatmeal, etc.
-How to store: Keep for several months (depending on the variety) in a dry, moderately warm (50-60 degrees), but not freezing location with 60-75% humidity; will also store at room temperature.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. TAPENADE (and more!) COOKING CLASS for Sept. 16 from 6 to 8 PM: CSA member, Noemi Barabas, will be demonstrating how to use up every last bit of your share. We will be making tapenade spreads for bread, soups, and rice/pasta, so that you can try many ways to use up items that you might not normally think are usable! Please register with your NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, and PHONE NUMBER. $5 fee for materials.
2. SAVE THE DATE!! FALL WORK PARTY/END-OF SEASON POTLUCK will be Sunday, Sept. 20, between 1-4 P.M. Please bring an hors d’oeuvre, snack, or refreshment for our end-of-season potluck. Members are invited to bring family and friends to help harvest squash, pumpkins, and potatoes before the first frost. You may come just to enjoy the farm and walk around to see the produce and the animals, listen to music, or just eat at the potluck throughout this time. We also will have sit-down activities, such as onion or garlic cleaning or dried herb stripping. Lots of kid-friendly activities, such as wagon rides, feeding animals, and bubbles. All who come will be able to take something home with them, such as a pumpkin or a winter squash. Please dress appropriately for the weather, since it will be scheduled rain or shine.
3. 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”.
–U-pick Flowers–You may pick 1 bouquet of up to 10 stems per household for “free” in the u-pick flower garden on the farm. Whenever possible if you can donate $1 or $2 that will help to pay for some seed and labor costs. Extra bouquets will cost $4. You may want to bring a jar or vase to keep your flowers fresher for the ride home, although we do have a few quart-size yogurt containers to use as temporary vases.
–U-pick Tomatoes—many tomato varieties are ready for picking.
Members–$0.50/lb. Non members–$0.75/lb.
4. 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. Also, be specific about which location you prefer, since we have several options on each day. Please mindful of Labor Day weekend coming up, so you can reschedule your change in pick up or find someone else to pick up for you with plenty of notice. You can also make these changes yourself under “Membership Actions” on the Sign Up page.
5. PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS ESPECIALLY NEEDED: Please feel free to donate clean, used bags for use at the markets or distribution sites.
6. 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.
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!
EIGHT GREAT WAYS TO SERVE SUMMER TOMATOES (Capay Organic Farm CSA “Farm Fresh To You” website)
1. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Toss with finely chopped shallots, then splash with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.
2. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove center of each, and fill with a large basil leaf and a chunk of fresh mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with purchased garlic-infused oil, and wrap in foil. Roast on an outdoor grill for five minutes.
3. Cut tomatoes in wedges. Shower with grated Parmesan cheese. Top with fresh oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.
4. Cut tomatoes into chunks, and place in blender. Add a pinch of sea salt, a few fresh basil leaves and several ice cubes. Blend until smooth and frothy for a refreshing drink.
5. Cube tomatoes and firm ricotta salt or feta cheese. Toss with cooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta), fresh mint and a favorite vinaigrette.
6. For bruschetta, top grilled Italian bread with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, extra- virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
7. Toss arugula with chopped tomatoes, orange segments, basil and toasted pine nuts. Dress with olive oil, orange juice and a splash of wine vinegar.
8. Slather a thick slice of white bread with good mayonnaise. Cover with thick slices of juicy tomatoes. Sprinkle with coarse salt and Szechuan pepper or some cracked mixed peppercorns.
**Additional simple tomato recipes and article can be found in Mark Bittman’s New York Times article (8/5/11) called “The Proper Ways to Treat an Heirloom”. Well worth trying! http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/08/07/magazine/mag-07eat-recipes.html
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