Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #11
Aug. 2-8, 2020

	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. 												

	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.   You can always find past newsletters on our website at http://www.tantrefarm.com/newsletters/! 

	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

AMARANTH (RED LEAF): known as “Callaloo” in the Caribbean; medium-green, oval to heart-shaped leaves with splashes of burgundy-red; tastes like spinach and can be prepared like spinach. See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

GREEN BEANS (E-Z Pick):  a round, tender, dark green, snap bean with good sweet flavor
-How to use: raw in salads, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, etc. 
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for up to 1 week.

CARROTS (Mokum):  sweet, slender, "pencil carrot" with edible green leaves.  Greens are delicious in soups and also salads. See  Week 6 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET CORN (Potawatomi): yellow kernels with excellent sweet flavor.  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.

EGGPLANT or ZUCCHINI: You will receive Orient Express (dark purple, Asian type eggplant with long, slender, glossy fruits) or Zucchini (uniform cylindrical, green or yellow fruits with mild flavor. See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.).
-How to use: may be salted to remove bitterness from old fruit, but also makes it less watery and more absorbent, and can greatly enhance the taste and texture of your dish; can be baked, boiled, fried, grilled, or can be sliced into rounds for grilling or broiling, and cut into cubes for stews and stir-fries
-How to store: best fresh, but can be stored at room temperature or in refrigerator drawer for up to 1 week.

FRESH GARLIC:  a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, and bolstering the immune system.  See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

NO HERB BUNCH THIS WEEK!  Most of our herbs are taking longer to grow back, so  we are letting our smaller  patches of herbs recuperate.

KALE: high in vitamins A and C, folic acid, fiber, calcium and iron and has the highest protein content of all cultivated vegetables.  See Week 4 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

LEEKS: green leaves with white to pale green stems.
Cleaning tip: slit from top to bottom and wash thoroughly with root facing up to remove all of the dirt trapped between the leaf layers. See Week 4 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

PEACHES (Red Haven): an early rosy-orange skinned peach with firm, creamy yellow flesh; mature peaches will continue to ripen after they are picked.
-How to use: great as a fresh snack, or for canning, freezing (just cut in pieces and throw it into a freezer bag), and dehydrating (excellent, concentrated sweet flavor cut into thin slices and dehydrated for several hours).
-How to store: if the fruit is firm and not quite ready, just set them on your kitchen counter in the sun or in a paper bag to ripen more quickly; the less the fruit is touching each other or at least not too many on top of each other, the longer they will last.

SHISHITO CHILI PEPPERS: sweet, mild, slender Japanese chiles about 2- to 4-inches with squarish end.  It is said that 1 in 6 are hot!
-How to use: often roasted or used in stir-fried dishes, with tempura, in salads, or as a pickled condiment
-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.  

POTATOES:  You will receive Red Norland (smooth, red skin and white flesh; great baked, boiled, or roasted) OR Mountain Rose (rosy-skinned inside and out, these versatile, all-purpose spuds are deliciously moist, but not waxy textured; extra nutritious, and high in antioxidants; excellent baked, mashed or fried). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

CHERRY TOMATOES:  You will receive any of the following: Sakura (bright-red, shiny, medium-large cherry tomato with sweet tomato flavor),  Sun Gold Cherry (exceptionally sweet, bright tangerine-orange-cherry tomato; less acidic than the red cherry tomato, so slightly less bland in flavor), Yellow Grape (oval to oblong, baby yellow grape tomatoes, which have a chewy texture, sweet taste, and few seeds), Tomatoberry (unique strawberry-shaped, deep red colored fruits with firm, meaty texture and excellent sweet flavor), Clementine (tangerine-colored, oval-round fruits; appealing, sweet-tart flavor; exceptional when halved and roasted), or Mountain Magic (bright red, round, small tomatoes with very sweet flavor; excellent in salads). 
-How to use:  sauté, bake, broil, or grill; eat raw in salads or add to soups, stews, or sauces
-How to store: keep at room temperature for up to 1 week

WATERMELON:  You will receive Sunshine Yellow (8-10 pounds oval-rounded fruit; green-striped shell with bright yellow flesh, which is brittle, juicy, and very sweet) or Mini Love (sweet and firm, oval-round fruits avg. 3–5 lb. Distinctive, bright green rind with dark green stripes and dense, bright red flesh).
-How to use: slice, dice and serve as drinks, salads, or salsa.
-How to store: if melon seems not quite ripe, store at room temperature until sweet smell is coming from the soft, stem end; then store in the refrigerator.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. MSU EXTENSION ONLINE FOOD PRESERVATION CLASSES:
Join MSU online to learn safe home preserving techniques and valuable resources to ensure the safety of your home preserved food. Preserving your Harvest classes will be held every Thursday from Aug.13 through Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. EDT.  No matter what your home food preservation experience is whether beginner or seasoned, these FREE classes will allow you to learn the most current recommendations for safe home preserving and to ask any questions you may have. Join them  for all sessions or choose the topics that interest you. 
-Aug. 13 – safe home food preservation – traditions and trends
-Aug. 20 – preserving what’s left in your garden
-Aug. 27 – peaches – can or freeze?
-Sept. 3 – too many tomatoes
-Sept. 10 – salsa 101
-Sept. 17 – know your canners
-Sept. 24 – basics of sauerkraut
-Oct. 8 – preparing soups for winter
-Oct. 15 – making applesauce
-Oct. 22 – preserving food for gifts
-Oct. 29 – preserving venison
*To register please visit:  https://events.anr.msu.edu/PreserveHarvest/. 
*To listen by phone, please call to register, 877-643-9882.

2. FAMILY FARM HIKE on FRIDAY, Aug. 21:  Come at 4 PM or at 3 PM or at 1:30 PM for all three fun and physically distanced farm activities on Friday, August 21,   CSA member, Alisse Portnoy, who teaches at the University of Michigan, and her daughter, Jessica, are in their eleventh year of once-a-week, long visits to the farm, and they will guide our monthly family farm hike around our original farm at 4:00, which typically lasts about 45 - 60 minutes.  Before then, at 1:30, you have the option to join us in walking down the road to tour some of our newer farm land, where this year's corn, tomatoes, melons, peppers, and more -- plus pigs and cows -- are thriving. At 3:00, you may join us in roasting and then eating some of what we harvest in our outdoor pizza oven, and spend some time independently exploring, swinging, or just resting in the shade. This series of events replaces our annual Kids Farm Day for 2020. There is no fee for participating, and registration is not required, though if you RSVP by emailing Deb (tantrefarm@hotmail.com) for one, two, or all three events ahead of time we'll know to keep an eye out for you and it will help us as we plan. Please bring a mask (though when we're spread out outside it will not be required). Hand sanitizer, an outdoor handwashing station, and a refreshing place to refill your water bottle will be available. 

3. MASKS & GLOVES: We recommend that all come to each distribution site with a mask and gloves to pick up your shares.  We will have hand sanitizer at most sites as well.  

4. IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA:  As some of you know we started a collaborative CSA with several local farms and food businesses that you can opt in or out of each week called the Immune Booster.  If you are interested in supplementing your share with more veggies and other locally produced and sourced value-added products, please go to our website to sign up every Monday - Wednesday night.  Pick up is from 9 AM to 12 PM every Saturday at the Washtenaw Food Hub:  http://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-immune-booster-csa-work/.  Still time to sign up this week!

5. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER: **Volunteers will be at each site during designated times below, so if you need to come at a different time, please feel free to bring gloves and your own pen to check off your name.
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF for check-in from 7-9 AM)
*MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—CHANGE IN TIME: 8 AM to 10 AM (SARA for check-in the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF checking off names from 10 AM-12 PM and from 2-4 PM)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) --6 PM to 8 PM (LIZZIE for check-in the whole time)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.) (limited site) —9 AM to 5 PM (JESSICA for check-in from 9 AM – 11 PM)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF for check-in from 2 to  4 PM)
*Community High School (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON & FRAN for check-in for the whole time)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM (PETER & RYAN for check-in for the whole time)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (DEB for check-in the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) (limited site)—12 PM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF for check-in the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)--9 AM  to 11 AM (JONATHON for check-in the whole time)

RECIPES

GRILLED CORN, PEACH AND POBLANO SALAD (from “The Washington Post”, August 19, 2009)  Makes 6 3/4-cup servings
4 ears grilled corn, husks removed and kernels cut off (about 3 cups; 
1 large or 2 small grilled poblano peppers; dice 1/4-inch into 3/4 cup
2 large ripe peaches, peeled and cut into kernel-size pieces (1 1/2 cups; see Note)
2 tsp honey, or more to taste
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
10 stems chives (or parsley), chopped (2 Tbsp)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
	Combine the corn, poblano chili pepper(s), peaches, honey, cider vinegar, oil, chives, and salt and pepper to taste.  Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.  Serve warm or at room temperature. This salad is best served within 24 hours after made. 
NOTE: To grill the CORN, discard the husks and silk.  Rinse and wrap each damp ear of corn in aluminum foil.  Cook for 20 to 35 minutes on a hot covered grill, turning the ears every 7 to 8 minutes, until the kernels are tender and start to brown.  (The time depends on the heat of the grill and the size and age of the corn.)  Grill the PEPPERS directly over the flame on the grill, turning to evenly char all sides. Remove from the grill and cover with plastic wrap or place inside a food-safe plastic bag for 10 minutes.  Remove, peel away the charred skin, core and seed.  To remove the skin from the PEACHES, place each piece of fruit in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen the skin.  Peel when cool enough to handle.