THIS WEEK’S SHARE

ORGANIC RED BEETS from Second Spring Farm: You will receive Red Ace Beets (round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and many health benefits). You will receive just the roots without the greens. Thanks to our former intern (2003)- turned-farmer, Reid Johnston, owner of Second Spring Farm from Cedar, MI. Besides finding his certified organic produce up north, he also distributes his veggies at Argus and Agricole.

-How to use: beet roots are good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.

-How to store: store roots in plastic bags or damp cloth in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

ORGANIC RAINBOW CARROTS from Second Spring Farm:   A carrot is a root whose skin color can be white, red, purple, or yellow, but more commonly known for their bright orange color; high in all kinds of various nutrients based on their color. (See above for description of Second Spring Farm)

-How to use: can be used raw as carrot sticks, grated in salads or juiced; steamed or sautéed, in stews, soups, casseroles, stir-fries; pureed or grated into cakes, pancakes, or other baked goods

-How to store: Refrigerate in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks

ORGANIC WHITE CAULIFLOWER from Second Spring Farm: nutrient-rich cruciferous vegetable featuring a dense, rounded head of tightly packed creamy-white flower buds known as curds. (See above for description of Second Spring Farm)

-How to use: can be eaten raw in salads or with dips, steamed, roasted whole or in florets, boiled, or mashed

-How to store: sweetest when used within a week when stored in the refrigerator, but can last up to 2 weeks.

CUTTING CELERY from Tantre Farm:  also called leaf celery or Chinese celery, is a dark green, leafy herb grown for its aromatic, thin, hollow stems and serrated leaves rather than thick, crunchy stalks; stronger and more peppery than regular stalk celery, with a strong herbal punch.

-How to use: chop stems and leaves together to flavor soups, stews, and stir-fries; add minced leaves to salads or use as a fresh garnish much like flat-leaf parsley

-How to store: Put cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water in the refrigerator; also can be chopped and frozen in freezer bags for later use.

SWEET CORN from Tantre Farm: You will receive either Vision (exceptionally tender, super sweet, yellow ears; great for fresh eating and freezing) OR some of you will receive a new purple variety called Ultra Violet (a super sweet corn known for its striking multicolored kernels in shades of pink, purple, and white; retains its color beautifully when boiled, blanched, grilled, or roasted).

*Keep in mind that 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: great steamed, roasted, boiled, grilled, etc. 

-How to store: refrigerate with husks on, and use as soon as possible to retain sweetness and flavor

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available for picking on the farm): Every summer we plant a variety of flowers for drying or fresh bouquets. We would like to welcome you to visit the farm to pick your flowers on any day of the week over the next week, but please contact us if it will be on other days besides our usual CSA distribution days of Wednesdays and Fridays, so we can make sure to be around to show you where to go and what to do. This week you can pick up to 20 stems per household for the first week of the Extended Fall CSA before the first frost, which is forecast for Monday night or Tuesday morning next week! You may want to bring scissors or clippers and a vase/jar to keep your flowers fresh going home, but we will have clippers and donated yogurt containers to fill with water as well. Your bouquet is part of your share, although it is helpful when you make a small donation to pay for seeds and labor when you can. Extra bouquets cost $7/bunch. Please call or text Deb at 734-385-6748, if you can’t find anyone around to help you find where the flowers are. This is a bit of a weedy patch, but lots of beautiful flowers. Thank you for understanding, and hope you come out to enjoy them any day this coming week!

GARLIC from Tantre Farm: a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, bolstering the immune system, lowering blood pressure and preventing heart disease, used as an expectorant or decongestant, and at least some people believe that it can ward off vampires and insects. 

-How to use: minced raw in salad dressings, sauteed and added to stir-fries, meats, vegetables 

-How to store: garlic can be stored in an open, breathable basket in a cool, dark place for many months  

GREEN CURLY KALE from Tantre Farm: This is a nutrient dense leafy green with well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems and a mildly, earthy, peppery flavor; known as the “Queen of Greens,” its heavily frilled texture makes it perfect for trapping dressings in raw salads or crisping into chips

-How to use: for salads, soups, light cooking; excellent roasted

-How to store: keep in plastic bag or damp towel in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

LETTUCE MIX (Wildfire): a beautiful bag of dark reds and vibrant greens including Green and Red Oakleaf, Green and Red Romaine, and Redleaf lettuces; your lettuce has been rinsed once.

-How to use: raw in salads or use in soups

-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.

YELLOW ONIONS from Tantre Farm: You will receive Patterson (medium-large, blocky bulbs with dark yellow skin and thin necks; excellent storage onion).

-How to use: ideal for slicing thinly into summer salads, burgers, and sandwiches; great for light sautés or grilling, as their high sugar content caramelizes beautifully

-How to store: can last for 10-12 months if kept in a cold, dark place, but remove any ones starting to go soft from the others. 

RAINBOW PEPPER MEDLEY from Tantre Farm: You will receive any of the following – Goddess Banana Pepper (sweet banana pepper; excellent for pickling or fresh eating; 8-9” long, thick-walled, smooth fruits; fruits are mildly sweet when yellow) OR Green/Red Knight Bell (medium-sized, block-shaped green pepper with crisp, earthy flavor and less sweet; an unripe version of the bell pepper fruit, harvested before it has fully matured and changed color into red, yellow, orange, or purple fruit; good source of vitamin A & C) OR 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) OR Poblano Chili Pepper (a mild variety of chili pepper known as “poblanos” when dark green; popular in southwestern recipes; heart-shaped fruit, which is mildly pungent with a lightly sweet, medium-hot flavor) OR Shishito (sweet, mild, slender Japanese chiles about 2- to 4-inches with squarish end; often used in stir-fried dishes, salads, or as a pickled condiment).

-How to use: can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc.; excellent stuffed and roasted.

-How to store: refrigerate unwashed in hydrator drawer and store for 1-2 weeks; can also be dehydrated or dried very easily OR frozen by chopping into chunks and placing in freezer bags. Very easy to use in soups, stir fries, omelets, etc. throughout the winter. 

POTATOES (Masquerade) from Tantre Farm:  considered a gourmet specialty potato variety with oval to medium round tubers with a golden-yellow skin wrapped in patches of deep purple, creating a “mask-like” pattern; rich, creamy, buttery-flavored yellow flesh  

-How to use: excellent for roasting, boiling, steaming, baking, and mashing

-How to store: keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag 

DELICATA SQUASH from Tantre Farm: You will receive this small, oblong, creamy colored winter squash with long green stripes, only slightly ribbed; pale yellow, sweet flesh with a rich, creamy texture and a taste similar to a blend of butternut squash, sweet potato, and fresh chestnuts; edible skin; best eaten within 4 months of harvest.

-How to use: mashed, baked, pureed, and good for stuffing in squash boats

-How to store: will store at room temperature or keep for several months in a dry, moderately warm (50-60 degrees), but not freezing location with 60-75 percent humidity

ANNOUNCEMENTS 

1. COMMUNITY TABLE: “BLACK WALNUT REVIVAL” with BILLY SULLIVAN at the WASHTENAW FOOD HUB on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, from 6 – 7 PM: Black walnuts are often seen as a nuisance, but they can be a valuable source of free, local food. Join Billy Sullivan to rediscover these abundant, nutrient rich nuts and learn how to collect, dehull, cure, and shell them for your own table.

*Registration:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-table-black-walnut-revival-tickets-1997616647166

**You can check out our Food Hub calendar for all future events here: https://www.thewashtenawfoodhub.com/events/washtenaw-food-hub-events/ 

***If you are interested in sharing your skill or talent related to food/farming, sustainability, or community, please contact us at sunflowerfarmmarket@gmail.com. Although we may not be able to engage everyone’s skills, we welcome your ideas.

2. SAVE THE DATE–6th ANNUAL HONEYBEE NUT FESTIVAL on OCTOBER 11 from 10 AM to 5 PM: Celebrate the Earth and the seasons with a FREE, fun, outdoors event at HoneyBee U-pick (5700 Scio Church Rd, AA). In the past years, we have made walnut butter, acorn flour, hickory nut milk, fresh pressed apple cider, and roasted chestnuts on the campfire. Fall foraging (root season!) and nature hikes will be available in the AM and PM, along with networking with local nut experts, and learning about how the HoneyBee property continues to become a wild, nut-centered, native polyculture. A special guest this year will be a visit from the Michigan Avian Experience and they will present about Michigan birds of prey with live raptors. More updated details coming about speakers and activities on Facebook Events, Instagram posts, and our website page https://www.tantrefarm.com/nut-tree-planting-fest/ . 

3. HONEYBEE U-PICK is OPEN ONLY ON SATURDAY MORNINGS THROUGH OCTOBER 25: We are open this week from 8 AM until 12 PM on Saturday mornings at 5700 Scio Church Road on the corner of Zeeb Rd. and Scio Church Rd. in Ann Arbor. We will have a wide variety of TANTRE PRODUCE at our farm stand for purchase as well as local HONEY. Sign up to be on our mailing list, so you know times, prices, weather-related closings, etc. here: https://www.tantrefarm.com/honey-bee .

4. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:

*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)

*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)

*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –4 PM to 8 PM (Come inside the new Sunflower Farm Market to pick up your share. STAFF there the whole time)

*Pure Pastures (Wed.) —9 AM to 11 AM (JESSICA there most of the time)

*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)

*Ann Arbor Farmers Market (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON there the whole time)

*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 5 PM (Come inside the new Sunflower Farm Market to pick up your share. STAFF there the whole time)

*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (DEB there the whole time)

*Argus-Packard (Sat) — 9 AM to 3 PM (STAFF there the whole time)

*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM to 11 AM (LIZ there the whole time)

*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)

RECIPES

SHEPHERD’S PIE (from Chef Dan)

1-2 lbs potatoes, washed and cubed 

2 Tbsp sour cream or softened cream cheese 

1 large egg yolk 

1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version substitute vegetable or chicken broth 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper; to taste

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan 

1 3/4 lbs ground beef 

1 carrot, peeled and chopped 

1 onion, chopped 

2 Tbsp butter 

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 

1 cup beef stock or broth 

2 tsp Worcestershire, eyeball it 

1 cup chopped fresh kale

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1 tsp sweet paprika 

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves (or use cutting celery leaves)

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth. While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3-4 minutes. Add carrot, onion, corn and kale to the meat. Cook veggies with meat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6-8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.  

THAI CORN BLACK BEAN SALAD (from The Totally Corn Cookbook) Serves 4-6

2 cups cooked corn kernels

1 can (16 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup celery

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 poblano chili peppers, seeded and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp ginger root

3 tsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp lime juice

Salt, to taste

Combine corn, beans, celery, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, chilies, garlic, and ginger root in large bowl. Wisk sesame oil with vinegar and lime juice in a small bowl. Toss with corn mixture. Season with salt. Chill.   

DELICATA SQUASH PASTA WITH BROCCOLI (CAULIFLOWER) AND SAGE (https://www.daisybeet.com/delicata-squash-pasta-with-broccoli-and-sage/)

2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 shallot, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 delicata squash, prepped into 1/4th inch thick quarters

Salt

Pepper

1/3 cup dry white wine or water

1 head broccoli or cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces

1 lb penne pasta

1/4 cup sage, chopped

2 tbsp pine nuts

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add shallot, garlic, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the delicata squash to the pan along with a generous shake of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, until squash has softened. Deglaze the pan with white wine or water and use your spoon to bring up any browned bits. Add the broccoli and sage to the pan, and continue to cook until broccoli is fork tender. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. Add the cooked pasta directly to the sauté pan with the vegetables, along with the pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and reserved pasta water. Drizzle generously with olive oil and toss everything together. Serve with more grated parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.

CAULIFLOWER WITH GINGER, GARLIC & GREEN CHILLIES (from Kate Pugh with recipe adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick & Easy Indian Cookery) Serves 2-3 

3 garlic cloves

1 x 2.5-cm (1-inch) cube fresh root ginger 

1 medium head cauliflower

1 tsp sunflower oil 

1/2 tsp cumin seed 

1/2 tsp mustard seed 

1-3 hot green chilies (poblano)

1/4 tsp salt 

freshly-ground black pepper 

1/2 tsp garam masala 

chili powder to taste (optional) 

Peel and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Chop the chilies or cut in long strips. Heat a wok, and add the oil. When oil is hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds, and stir. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the garlic, ginger, cauliflower and chilies. Stir fry for 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower is lightly browned, adding a tiny drop of water if it begins to stick. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, garam masala and chili powder (if using). Mix well, add 4 tbsp water, cover and cook for 2 minutes until cauliflower is done to your liking.

BEET SOUP (contributed by Ellen Scheffer)

1 large onion, diced   

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, diced   

4 stalks celery, about 2 cups diced

3-4 large beets, diced  

1 qt vegetable broth

1-2 cups water, to desired consistency 

Salt, pepper, basil and oregano, to taste

Sour cream

Saute diced onion, carrots, celery, and beets in a skillet for 10-15 minutes until tender. Add vegetable broth, water, and spices. Simmer approximately 30 minutes. Serve individually and top servings with a dollop of sour cream.

APPLE-CELERY EN BLEU (from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home) Serves 2

1 apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2-3 celery, about 1 cup thinly sliced

1/3 cup crumbled blue or Roquefort cheese

Enough of your favorite salad greens (lettuce mix or kale) for 2

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp honey

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the apples, celery, cheese, and bite-size pieces of greens in serving bowl. Toss with vinegar or lemon juice, oil, and honey. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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