Extended Share Week 1, Oct 14-20, 2012

TANTRÉ FARM CSA NEWSLETTER
“Extended Fall CSA Share”
WEEK 1
Oct. 14-20, 2012

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.

Keep in mind that the internet is overflowing with information, including pictures of almost everything that we grow. Also, we have two sections on our website to help you identify unfarmiliar produce with color images including descriptions of appearance, taste, nutrition, uses, storage, and seasonal information. You can find this under “CSA Info” on the “Veggie ID” page and also under “Recipes”, the section is called “Produce Information Organized by Plant Part”. We already have some ideas on how to make it easier for you to use (especially an alphabetical tag list of produce), but it’s as good as it gets for this season. Please feel free to pass along any ideas you may have to make it more user friendly.

THIS WEEK’S SHARE

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. Store in jar of water or in a plastic bag in fridge.

CYLINDRA BEETS: 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.
How to use: greens can be substituted for spinach and chard in recipes; roots good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
How to store: separate roots from leaves and store unwashed in plastic bags in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; store greens wrapped in damp cloth in plastic bag for up to 1 week.

EGGPLANT: a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades); fruit is fleshy with a meaty texture that range in color from glossy black to pale lavender.
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.

GARLIC: a bulb of several papery white cloves.
How to use: minced raw in salad dressings, sautéed and added to stir-fries, meats, vegetables
How to store: fresh garlic can be stored in an open, breathable basket in a cool, dark place for many months

KALE (Green Curly): well ruffled green leaves with strong, cabbage flavor. **Excellent kale chip recipe on website!
How to use: for salads, soups, roasted, sautéed with garlic
How to store: keep in plastic bag or damp towel in refrigerator for up to 1 week

KOHLRABI: delicious cabbage-flavored bulbs that grow 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.
How to use: good steamed and then mashed with potatoes, added to soups or stews, or delicious sliced and eaten raw with dip
How to store: store in refrigerator for up to a month

SALAD MIX: You will receive a bag of mixed salad greens—arugula, tatsoi, and baby green and red leaf lettuces. a custom mix of red and green lettuces such as Rouge D’Hiver, Parris Island, Royal Oak, and Saladbowl.
How to use: used for salads and sautéing–cooks up quickly
How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 2 to 4 days.

SWEET ONIONS (Mars Red): purple-red onion with sweet flavor.
How to use: can be grilled or roasted whole as a vegetable or chopped in salads, soups, & other dishes for flavor
How to store: wrap in damp towel/bag in fridge for 2-7 days.

GREEN BELL PEPPERS: large blocky cells with fruity, sweet flavor; excellent source of vitamin C, fair amount of vitamin A.
How to use: can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc.; excellent stuffed.
How to store: refrigerate unwashed in hydrator drawer for 1-2 weeks. Peppers can be easily frozen by washing, chopping, and placing in freezer bags. Also, peppers can be dehydrated or dried.

POTATOES: You may choose from Butte (russet baker that is highest in vitamin C and protein; great baked, mashed, or fried) and Colorado Rose (large, oval, smooth, rose-red-skinned tubers with white flesh; all purpose potato; great roasted with rosemary or sage or in potato salad)
How to store: Keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag

RADISHES (Amethyst): bright purple skin and crisp, mild white flesh.
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.

SPINACH: crisp, dark green leaf—rich source of antioxidants & many nutrients, especially vitamins A, E, K, & 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.
How to freeze: Blanch leaves for 1-2 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain well, and pack into containers. Also, spinach can be pureed after cooking, frozen in freezer bags, and used in many recipes.

WHITE HAKUREI TURNIPS and GREENS: A white salad turnip with round, smooth roots that have a sweet, fruity flavor with a crisp, tender texture.
How to use: Roots are good in salads and soups. Greens are slightly sweet and can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, and since hairless, are good in salads.
How to store: separate greens from roots and store each in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 7 days.

WINTER SQUASH: You will choose from 3 items: Jester Acorn (about the size of Carnival squash, but with better eating quality; an oval, ivory-colored squash with green striping between the ribs that is tapered on both ends with small to average ribs), 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), Butternut (light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh).
How to use: boil or steam chunks for 15-20 minutes, or until tender; mash cooked squash with butter; or add uncooked chunks to soups or stews; add small amounts to yeast breads, muffins, cookies, pies.
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. VACATIONS or OUT OF TOWN: Please let us know a week ahead of time, or at least by Sunday of the week to be changed, if you know that you will not be picking up your share or you want to change your pick up date or location. Please make a strong effort to PICK UP ALL OF YOUR SHARES in the next few weeks. If you miss a share pick up, it is available at the farm ONLY for that day and 1 day after.

2. HARVEST AT THE FARM: Please call ahead if you plan to u-pick or pick up on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri.), so we can make sure someone is around.
U-pick Kale and Collards–$1/lb. Good time for freezing.
U-pick Shelling Beans–$1/lb. Christmas Lima

3. THANKSGIVING SHARE AVAILABLE! We still have room for more members to pick up a share on Nov. 17, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 A.M. until noon or at Tantré Farm from 2-5 P.M. It will be $108 this year. Please request a form at Distribution Sites or call or e-mail us. Full payment needed by Nov. 10 for you to be registered. Non-CSA members are welcome to register.

4. INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR CSA IN 2013? Shares for current members and non members will be available for $600 (Farm) and $625 (Ann Arbor or Chelsea) from June through the middle of October. We will be accepting $100 deposits ($25 of that deposit is nonrefundable if you choose to cancel your share) to reserve your share for 2013 starting now. Please ask for a registration form at the distribution sites if needed, or it can be sent online and through the mail.

5. IS YOUR SHARE PARTNER TAKING A FULL SHARE OR LEAVING NEXT YEAR? A few CSA members are losing their share partners for next year, but still want to rejoin. If you need a share partner and can’t find one on your own, please let us know. Also, keep in mind that even if you are still looking for a share partner, you might want to reserve your membership by making a $100 deposit for 2013 with your name as the contact person, so you don’t lose your spot.

6. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER
Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)–7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
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.) — 8 A.M. to 12 P.M.

EATING HEARTILY OF THE FALL CROPS
By Richard and Deb

Welcome to the Extended Fall CSA Share season! As hot and dry as the summer was, October is turning out to be somewhat cool and wet. The early fall root crops of carrots (coming next week!), turnips, radishes and beets with their baby greens are a very tender and sweet celebration. There are so many ways to savor these abundant roots along with potatoes, squash, and kohlrabi, which can easily be assembled into a delicious root bake. Another way to enjoy the fresh roots is to shred or grate them with chopped salad greens, kale, or cabbage. Then toss them with olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and toasted seeds. This can be an excellent complement to roasted or steamed vegetables.

The frozen rain a few weeks ago took out the summer crops and sweetened the leaves of the hearty greens. The shorter, cooler days and the gentle sunshine have made the kale and collards widen their leaves to catch what little sun was left of this season. As the rhythm of gray, cold and cloudy days begins to increase at the end of the fall, we look forward to stuffing our produce into the root cellar, the dry barn, and the walk-in coolers during the long, gray winter months in order to anticipate fresh grated root, cabbage slaws, and starchy, stick-to-your-ribs, sweet and savory squash, potato bakes. If you have a similar impulse to stock up, please feel free to contact us to glean the fields of their last glories of kale, collards, squash, and broccoli.

RECIPES
*Keep in mind-Cooks.com, Epicurious.com, Recipes.com, and especially www.tantrefarm.com for more recipe ideas.

GYPSY SOUP (from Moosewood Cookbook by Molly Katzen)
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. Spanish paprika
2 medium onions, chopped
1 tsp. turmeric
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. salt
dash of cinnamon
1 stalk celery, chopped
dash of cayenne
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 pepper, chopped
1 Tbs. tamari
3 cups stock or water
2 cups chopped, peeled winter squash or pumpkin
15-oz can garbanzo beans

In a soup kettle, sauté onions, garlic, celery and sweet potatoes in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add seasonings, except tamari, and the stock or water. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and beans. Simmer another 10 minutes or so – until the vegetables are tender. Add tamari and serve. *Tip: This soup freezes well. You can also throw in greens at the end, such as TURNIP GREENS or KALE or SPINACH.

TANTRÉ FARM SLAW (A simple, easy salad!) Serves 4.
2 medium beets, grated
sesame or sunflower seeds, toasted
3 large carrots, grated
olive oil
1 kohlrabi, peeled and grated
lemon juice
1 medium onion (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Grate vegetables into a bowl. Chop onion, if desired, and add to bowl. Toast sesame or sunflower seeds. Add when cooled. Add olive oil and lemon juice as a salad dressing to suit your taste. Be careful of too much liquid. The tartness of the lemon should be prominent. Serve immediately or marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator. Variations: Add grated turnips, lettuce, cilantro, etc.

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