Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #3
June 12-18, 2016
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. **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
BEETS (Red Ace): topless, round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor when eaten raw or cooked that have been stored all winter in our root cellar.
-How to use: roots good in juices, soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
-How to store: store unwashed in plastic bags in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
GARLIC SCAPES: This popular and highly delectable flower top of a garlic plant has a slender green stem with a slight bulge at the bottom (resemble chives, except for the bulge and often curled); tender and milder in flavor than mature garlic, but can be substituted for garlic cloves in recipes.
-How to use: mild garlic flavor, so delicious chopped in salads, roasted, and sautéed.
-How to store: put in refrigerator in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks.
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 bunch (NOT one bunch of each) from the following 4 options:
*Chives—mild, onion-flavored herb with long, slender, hollow leaves; often used as a garnish or chopped into any foods that call for onion; purple, onion-flavored blossoms add an attractive garnish to soups or salads (stems attached to blossoms are often discarded due to toughness).
*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, pickles and teas. The flowers are edible and make nice garnishes! This herb is suffering from some fungus or insect damage, but we needed to cut it all out anyway, so a few of you might not mind the damage on the leaves for their aromatic and culinary favors.
*Thyme– tiny green leaves used in meat and vegetable dishes and most casseroles, soups, stews, and medicinal teas, which soothe sore throats.
*Lemon Balm– these fragrant lemon-minty leaves make a delicate herbal tea, served hot or cold; good addition to lettuce or fruit salads and ice cream; nicely paired with grilled fish or lamb and tossed with steamed vegetables; also aids in depression, tension, or nausea.
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) or Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”).
-How to use: for salads, soups, and light cooking in stir-fries
-How to store: keep in plastic bag or damp towel in refrigerator for up to 1 week
KOHLRABI: delicious bulbous member of the cabbage family, that grows above ground; purple or green skin and crisp, apple-white flesh tubers and leaves are good sources of vitamins C and A, calcium, potassium, and fiber. Leaves are edible and cook like kale.
-How to use: remove outer skin and then good steamed or mashed, added to soups or stews, or delicious sliced and eaten raw with dip
-How to store: store in refrigerator for up to a month
LETTUCE: You will receive 2-4 heads of lettuce, which may include Green Leaf, Red Leaf or Romaine.
-How to use: raw in salads, sandwiches, or use in soups
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.
GREEN ONIONS (baby red onions): young shoots of red bulb onions with long green stalks and milder tasting than large bulb onions; full of great fiber and antioxidants, high in potassium and source of vitamins C and B-6.
-How to use: the bulb, flowers, and green leaves are edible; can be cooked, grilled, roasted whole as a vegetable; chopped in salads, soups, & other dishes for flavor.
-How to store: refrigerate in damp towel/plastic bag for 2-5 days.
SNAP PEAS: You will receive Sugar Snap Peas, a“round” pod of an edible-pod pea.
-How to use: Add peas to soups, stews, sautés, or stir-fries. Blanch or steam for 2-4 minutes only until color is bright green. Snap or snow peas can be eaten raw in salads or cooked quickly as in stir-fries or deep fry in tempura batter.
-How to store: Refrigerate in plastic bag for 4-5 days. If kept too long, their sweet flavor and crisp texture diminishes.
-How to freeze: Peas freeze well, but will lose their crunchy texture. Blanch for 2 minutes (shell peas must be shelled first), rinse with cold water, drain, and pack into freezer containers.
POTATOES (Carola): yellow potato from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying. These potatoes have been carefully stored in our root cellar since last fall.
-How to use: good roasted, mashed, or in salads
-How to store: Keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag.
RADISHES: You will receive Pink Beauty (pink-colored root with mild, spicy flavor) or Easter Egg Radish (a beautiful mix of red, purple, pink, and white round radishes; crisp and mild flavor).
-How to use: raw, roasted, used in soups, sliced in salads, sandwiches, or stir-fries, grated in slaws; Radish greens (excellent source of vitamins A, C, and the B’s) delicious in soups or stir-fries.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag/damp towel for 1-2 weeks.
SAUERKRAUT: We are pleased to offer the first of 2 jars of The Brinery’s “Sauerkraut”, made exclusively with Tantre cabbage and juniper berries. You will receive your second jar in next week’s share. The Brinery is a local foods business, specializing in naturally fermented, local vegetables and operated by former Tantré farmer, David Klingenberger. For more information, please visit www.thebrinery.com. These krauts are raw and unpasteurized, so be sure to refrigerate, since they are not “canned”.
– How to use: use as a condiment with any dish, especially meat dishes, salads, roasted veggies, or sandwiches.
– How to store: refrigerate up to 3 months or longer depending on how you like the flavor, since it will get stronger with more age.
SPINACH: You will receive a bag of this crisp, dark green leaf– best eaten raw or with minimal cooking to obtain the beneficial chlorophyll, as well as vitamins A & C; delicious flavor when juiced.
– How to use: toss in fresh salad, add to sandwiches, sauté, steam, braise, or add to crepes, quiche, lasagna, and soups.
– How to store: refrigerate with a damp towel/bag for up to 1 week.
STRAWBERRIES: Each share will receive 1 quart of this member of the rose family (if you split a share, you will need to divvy it up); red, conical fruit with tiny white flowers. The 5 acre plot in AA is doing so well that we decided to offer more U-pick opportunities again mentioned below.
-How to use: excellent raw, juicing, jam, pie, sorbet, in desserts
-How to store: Do not wash until you are ready to consume them. Place them on a paper towel in a tightly-covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
-How to freeze: This is so easy to do for fresh berries! Freeze whole strawberries hulled and washed on cookie sheets and when frozen put in freezer bags.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. STRAWBERRY U-PICK in ANN ARBOR: We still have strawberries to pick, so we are offering another week of 4 free strawberries! For those of you who didn’t get your 4 quarts of free strawberries, please feel free to come this week. There should be plenty of strawberries this week! If you have already come for your 4 free quarts last week, please feel free to come again to get some more! Please keep in mind this is NOT at Tantre Farm. Our large strawberry field is about a half mile north of the Washtenaw Food Hub (4175 Whitmore Lake Rd.) on the west side of the road. There are lots of signs that show you where to go and a white roadside stand. Strawberries are $4/level quart after you pick your free berries. Right now the berry patch will be open every day from 9 to 6 PM until the berries run out. We will keep you informed.
2. KID FARM HIKE on June 17: Come join us for a guided monthly exploratory walk around Tantre Farm on Friday, the 17th. Each month various community members will share their expertise in a guided tour. We’ll use all our senses as we take an approx. 45-60 minute hike around the farm for kids and adults. We will meet at 2 PM behind the Main House at the picnic tables.
3. FREE PLANT WALK on June 24: Take a walk on Tantre Farm with local forager, Rachel Mifsud, and talk about the plants in the lawn and herb gardens. We will identify and discuss 15 plants. Roughly half of these will be culinary and medicinal herbs that are grown on the farm. The other half will be edible or medicinal “weeds” found in the lawn and garden. Participants are encouraged to bring their own notepad and camera (or smart phone) to take notes. The walk will last 1 to 1.5 hours. This is FREE for CSA members. Nonmembers pay $15.
4. PAYMENTS DUE: If you still owe money, it will be reflected on the check-in sheet, when you pick up your box. If you believe there has been some mistake, or have any questions, please call or e-mail us. Please finalize payments due within the month of June, unless alternate arrangements are made.
5. CSA COOKBOOKS: This $15 book includes an easy-to-follow format with vegetables listed from A to Z. We will have a limited number of these cookbooks available, so if you are interested in purchasing these books, and they are no longer at your site, please let us know so we can make another bulk order.
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 (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
FRESH STRAWBERRY DRESSING (from www.eatingwell.com)
1 cup strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons almond oil or canola oil
Place strawberries, vinegar, pepper, sugar and salt in a blender or food processor; process until pureed, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides. Add oil and process until smooth. Makes about 3/4 cup. Stored in a covered container for up to 2 days.
SAUTÉED KOHLRABI GREENS (By The Homemakers Test Kitchen)
1 bunch kohlrabi greens (about 1.5 lb) *Cooks like kale or collards.
1 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil (or peanut oil)
1 cloves garlic, smashed
1/8 to 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
From 1 bunch of kohlrabi, strip leaves from the less-tender central stems. Blanch in boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Chill under cold water and drain; chop roughly. In skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil; fry garlic cloves and salt until garlic begins to color, about 1 minute. Add greens; sauté until heated through, about 2 minutes.
SNAP PEAS AND GARLIC SCAPES
3/4 lb snap peas, strings removed
4 garlic scapes, chopped to 1-inch lengths
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
Heat olive oil and butter together, and sauté garlic scapes and peas together until just crisp tender. Dress with balsamic vinegar and serve.
ROASTED RADISHES
Scrub and trim as many radishes as you have to use up. Cut large ones into bite-sized pieces. Toss in a bowl with enough olive oil to lightly coat; add a pinch of salt, black pepper, thyme, sage, or any other herb you like. Spread evenly on a baking sheet; cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender.
This recipe can be adapted to any root vegetable on hand — add or substitute carrots, potatoes, garlic cloves, sweet potatoes, onions, parsnips, beets, etc. It’s also a delicious way to use up slightly shriveled old veggies you almost forgot you had! (In that case, cook in a pan with sides and add a little water in the bottom while cooking)