Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #19
Sept. 27-Oct. 3, 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.
GREEN BEANS: You will receive Jade (a long, slender, deep green, fillet bean that is tender and delicious). See Week 8 for usage and storage information.
BEETS: You will receive Cylindra Beet (a uniquely-shaped 6” cylindrical beet with especially sweet flavor; this heirloom is a favorite with chefs due to uniform slices and ease of peeling). See Week 7 usage and storage information.
CARROTS (Hercules): sweet, orange, cone-shaped roots; good eating quality and stores well. See Week 9 for usage and storage information.
U-PICK FLOWERS (only available on the farm): A bouquet per household of up to 15 stems will be part of your share, if you are able to come and pick it.
FRESH HERBS: All shares will receive BASIL this week, since the plants have sprouted beautiful new leaves with no signs of downy mildew! Use the basil within a couple days though, since it still doesn’t seem to last as long as usual.
*Genovese Basil—an herb with sweet, spicy, shiny, green leaves that can be dried, frozen whole, or made into pesto. We supply it with root attached, so store it in a jar, vase, or glass of water on your counter or table top for only a couple of days. Do NOT refrigerate!
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 MIX (Allstar Gourmet): a bag of ruffled red and green lettuces with unique leaf shapes that provide loft, interesting texture, good shelf life, and fancy appearance; 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.
ONIONS (Pattterson): medium-large, blocky bulbs with dark yellow skin and thin necks; excellent storage onion
See Week 7 for usage and storage information.
POTATOES: You will receive French Red Fingerlings (dark rose-red skin and yellow flesh; creamy taste and firm texture, excellent roasted or boiled), Kerr’s Pink (very pale skin and cream flesh; mealy, cooked texture, so makes a good Specialty/Salad Potato variety; good roasted, mashed, or in salads), or Adirondack Blue (round to oblong, slightly flattened tubers have glistening blue skin enclosing deep blue flesh; moist, flavorful flesh is superb for mashing or salads; very high in antioxidants!). See Week 7 for usage and storage information.
DAIKON RADISH (Alpine): the smooth, attractive roots are white with green shoulders; looks like an overgrown green carrot, but with a slightly mild radish taste; crunchy and sweet texture; good macrobiotic root that is good for the gut; the most common type grown in Korea.
-How to use: for fresh use, pickling, and storage; greens are also edible and can be used like any other green.
-How to store: not as hardy as you may think, so store wrapped in plastic to keep them crisp for up to 2 weeks
U-PICK RASPBERRIES (only available on the farm): The sweet fall red and golden raspberries are still ripening. 1 pint is available as part of your share this week, if you are able to come out to the farm and pick it yourself. $4 for any extra pints picked.
TOMATOES: These are slowing down, so you may receive 1 pint or 1 quart of Grape/Cherry varieties, such as 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) 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) or Red Delight (round, cluster cocktail tomato with firm, deep red, shiny fruits; excellent in salads or sauces). See Week 11 for usage/storage information.
WHITE HAKUREI TURNIPS and GREENS: A white salad turnip with round, smooth roots that have a sweet, fruity flavor with a crisp, tender texture. Both roots (good source of Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium; good in salads and soups) and greens (slightly sweet and can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, and since hairless, are good in salads; excellent source of vitamins A & C and good source of riboflavin, calcium and iron) are edible!
-How to use: good in salads and soups, roasted, steamed, sautéed,
-How to store: remove greens from turnip root and store separately in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 days; roots can last up to 1-2 weeks in refrigerator.
WINTER SQUASH: Everyone will receive Butternut (light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh; longest storage potential of all squash), Acorn (small, green ribbed squash with pale yellow flesh; great stuffed with rice, breading, or soups), and Delicata (small, oblong, creamy colored with long green stripes, only slightly ribbed; pale yellow, sweet flesh; edible skin; best eaten within 4 months of harvest). See Week 17 for usage and storage information.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. ENDING SUMMER CSA DATES: This is just a reminder that our summer shares are ending in just one week, and U of M shares ended last week. That means Oct. 7 (Wed.), Oct. 9 (Fri.), and Oct. 10 (Sat.) are the last distributions for our Summer CSA.
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 Golden/Red Raspberries—1 pint FREE! Extra $4/pint
-U-pick Flowers–You may pick 1 bouquet of up to 15 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.
-U-pick Tomatoes—many tomato varieties available
Members–$0.50/lb. Non members–$0.75/lb.
-Already picked tomatoes – available for $1/lb. We will have half bushels at market and at the farm for $25/box.
Non members–$1.25/lb. for perfect tomatoes & $0.75 for 2nds
3. STILL COULD USE PLASTIC OR PAPER GROCERY BAGS AND YOGURT CONTAINERS (quart size for u-pick flowers), if you would like to donate some to the farm or at markets. We are running low.
4. EXTENDED FALL CSA SHARE COMING FOR 2015: Registration is now almost ready to go, so we will send a separate email when the sign up is ready. This share runs for 3 weeks from the week starting Oct. 13 through Oct. 31 for $100. It is a share that is very similar to the summer share, but with all the bounty of the fall vegetables! Non-members are welcome, so encourage others to register too. **Chelsea Farmers Market will not have a distribution on Saturdays though for the Fall Shares. The other distribution sites and days are the same.
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 (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.
BEET AND DAIKON SLAW (From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Farm-Fresh, Season Produce, MACSAC)
2 beets, peeled and cut into 1/8 in. julienne (matchsticks)
1 six-inch daikon radish, peeled & cut into julienne
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. unsalted rice vinegar
1 tsp. sea salt
Combine all ingredients in bowl, cover and let stand at least 1/2 hour. Season to taste, and serve. Makes 2 servings.
YOUNG TURNIP SALAD WITH APPLES AND LEMON DRESSING (from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Supported Farm by John Peterson & Angelic Organics) Makes about 2 cups.
1 cup peeled and grated raw young turnips
(about 2-4 medium/small turnips)
1 cup peeled and grated tart apples (Granny Smith or
greenings–about 1 large apple)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Toss the turnips, apples, parsley, lemon juice, and vegetable oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. *For a sweet treat, try tossing in some raisins, or top with chopped and freshly toasted walnuts.
BASIL PESTO VEGAN (What Do You Do With This Stuff?) This is delicious!!
2 c. basil leaves
2 c. tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 Tbs. toasted pine nuts
1 tsp. salt
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
AUTUMN MINESTRONE (Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special by the Moosewood Collective)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 1/2 c. peeled and cubed winter squash (such as acorn, delicata, or butternut)
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 c. peeled and diced carrots
2 1/2 c. cubed potatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6 c. water
4 c. chopped kale
1 1/2 c. cooked (or 15-oz. can) cannellini beans
Warm the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and water; cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are almost done. Add the kale and beans (drained) and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot. Yields 12 cups. Serves 6 to 8.
ARUGULA AND GREEN BEAN SALAD (from Bon Appetit, August 2001)
1 medium shallot or onion, chopped
1/8 cup walnut oil or olive oil
1/2 tsp. Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/2 pound slender green beans, trimmed
2 ounces arugula (about 4 cups)
1 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, coarsely chopped
Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
Cook green beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain. Refresh under cold running water. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add arugula and half of eggs. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat. Top with remaining eggs.