Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter WEEK #15 Sept. 5-11, 2021

Tantre Farm

    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. 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 under the NEWSLETTERS tab.
 
    **Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with addit ional 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.
-How to use: use in soups or as a cooked green like spinach
-How to store: refrigerate with a damp towel/bag for up to 1 week.

BASIL:  Everyone will receive a bunch of  Prospera Italian Large Leaf Basil this week, an herb with a sweet aroma with notes of anise in its green leaves; traditionally used in pesto, and originally from India where it was traded in ancient times via the spice routes.  This herb does not store well in a refrigerator, so it will last longer when stored in a jar, vase, or glass of water on your counter.

GREEN and/or PURPLE BEANS:  You will receive Jade (long, slender, deep green, filet bean) and Royal Burgundy (brilliant purple, smooth, round, meaty pods; add stunning color to salads when used raw; pods turn dark green when cooked; excellent fresh or frozen).  See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SAVOY CABBAGE:    loose, full head of crinkled leaves varying from dark to pale green; mellow-flavored cabbage considered to be superior for cooking
-How to use: excellent for cooking or chopped raw into salads or coleslaw.
-How to store: refrigerate for up to 1 month

ORANGE CARROTS (Romance): blunt-tipped, deep orange roots with impressive flavor for a summer-harvested carrot.  See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET CORN (Vision): exceptionally tender, super sweet, yellow ears; great for fresh eating and freezing   * We don’t treat our organic corn with pesticides, so you may find some earworms enjoying the corn too; just cut off the damaged part and cook the rest of the ear.  Delicious!! See Week 12 newslett er for usage and storage tips.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit), Rosa Biana (an Italian heirloom; round fruit streaked with white and violet), or Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits, which are tender, delicately flavored, and quick cooking).  See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available for picking on the farm):   We welcome  you to the farm to pick your flowers on any day of the week, but please contact us if it will be on other days besides Wednesdays and Fridays, so we can make sure to be around to show you where to go.  This week you can pick up to 15 stems per household.  You may want to bring a vase/jar to keep your flowers fresh going home, but we will have donated yogurt containers to fill with water as well.  Your bouquet is part of your share, although it is always greatly appreciated when you ma ke a donation to pay for seeds and labor.  Extra bouquets cost $5/bunch.

KALE (Green Curly): well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”.  See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

MELON:  You will receive either Honey Blonde (bright yellow-skinned melons with sweet, juicy, orange flesh) or Sarah’s Choice Cantaloupe (sweet tasting, thick, orange flesh with corky net on the skin; medium-sized, oval fruit).  
-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.

SWEET or CHILI PEPPERS: You will receive some combination of  Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green or changing to red pepper) OR Poblano (a mild variety of chili pepper known as “poblanos” when dark green, but becomes an “ancho” when brick-red and fully dry; 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).  See Week 12 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

POTATOES: You will receive Yukon Gold (yellowish brown skin with yellow dry flesh and pink eyes; long storage and good tasting; perfect baked, boiled, mashed or fried ) AND Red Norland (smooth, red skin and white flesh; great baked, boiled, or roasted).  See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

U-PICK RASPBERRIES (only available at Honey Bee U-pick in Ann Arbor):  The sweet, fall , red raspberries have been ripening  steadily through August and now into September.  If you are able to come to our Honey Bee U-pick site (5700 Scio Church Rd.) at the corner of Zeeb and Scio Church Roads in A nn Arbor, we are inviting you to pick 1 pint as part of your share for FREE (and you can pick 1 pint for someone else less able-bodied, if you like).  If you are less able-bodied with an injury or the inability to bend or walk very well, please preorder your 1 pint to pick up at the Honey Bee U-pick this week on Wednesday (9/8) or Saturday (9/11) or Sunday (9/12) or at the Farm in Chelsea on Wed. or Friday distributions this week by emailing or texting Deb at 734-385-6748.  Extra U-pick pints are $4/pint or extra Already Picked pints are $6/pint.

SCALLIONS (also called “Green Onions”): young shoots of green 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.  See Week 4 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ANNOUNCEMENTS


1. STILL ROOM:  TOMATO PRESERVING WORKSHOP on Sept. 12: There are plenty of spaces for more participan ts, so please sign up and invite a friend, neighbor, coworker, or family member.  This workshop is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12 from 1 to 4 PM, and much of it will be spent outside on the picnic tables. Our neighbor, Stephanie Doll, will teach mostly how to can tomatoes, but also some information will be on dehydrating and freezing them. She is respectively asking that folks who are attending are vaccinated, but is okay with unvaccinated members outside with masks. There will be active participation and “take-home” samples for those attending.  Plan on bringing a Quart Size Canning Jar or $1 if you need one, so you can take a jar of canned tomatoes home.  Please register with an email entitled TOMATOES and your Name, Phone Number, and E-mail Address in the body of the email to us.  There will be a small $5 fee for materials.  Bulk tomatoes will be available to buy.

2. ENDING SUMMER CSA DATES:  The end is drawing near for Summer CSA.  T his is just a reminder that our summer shares are ending in just a few weeks.  That means Sept. 29 (Wed.), Oct. 1 (Fri.), and Oct. 2 (Sat.) are the last distribution days for our Summer Shares.

3. HERD SHARE PROGRAM OPENINGS:   Got real, raw farm fresh milk? Longtime Tantré crew member and manager, Jordan Comer, is accepting new members for his cow herd share program. Jordan has a herd of four pure-bred, Jersey cows and two calves. These bovine beauties graze daily in the sun on their very own salad bar of clover and a variety of grasses. They are hand-milked each evening and the milk filtered, bottled, and refrigerated on sight. This is “Sol” food.  The grasses that are nourished by the sun nourish the cows, which in turn nourish “you”. True solar power! Get some today!  Contact Jordan @ 734-474-2438 or jordancomer4@gmail.com for details.

4. WANTED: TOMATO PICKERS!!   Is there anyone interested in helping us pick tomatoes an y weekday morning for the next few weeks, but especially on Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Friday mornings?  We will even feed you a homemade, farm-cooked lunch at 12 PM if you stay.  We continue to be short-handed due to our part time college students going back to college.

5. U-PICK RASPBERRY PATCH OPEN WEDNESDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY THIS WEEK:  Our September berries continue to ripen more and more at the Honey Bee U-Pick site (5700 Scio Church Rd., Ann Arbor), and will continue  throughout September with different varieties.  We are selling them for $4/pint when you pick and $6/pint if we pick.  We will be open on Wed., Sat., and Sun. from 8 AM-5 PM this coming week. To see updates go to https://www.tantrefarm.com/tantre-farm-raspberry-u-pick.

6. IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA THIS WEEK:  Please feel free also to sign up for our weekly, collaborative CSA share if you would like to supplement your box or give it as a gift. This  menu is updated&n bsp; on our website every Monday – Wednesday http://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-immune-booster-csa-work/.  Still time to sign up this week until midnight!

7. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:  
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there  the whole time)
*MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 10 AM (SARA there the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 PM to 8 PM (LIZZIE will be  there the whole time)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.) (limited site) —10 AM to 5 PM (Pure Pastures staff will be there)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)
*CHANGE:  Community High School is now Ann Arbor Farmers Market (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON there the whole time)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM (RYAN and Staff there the whole time)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 A M to 12 PM (DEB and staff there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) (limited site)—12 PM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF there the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM  to 11 AM (DEBRA is there the whole time)

RECIPES

MELON-RASPBERRY SMOOTHIES (from https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/melon-raspberry-smoothies/0bf41d23-f6a9-4be1-9f62-8f2395c54f66)
1 cup cubed cantaloupe or honeydew melon
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 container (6 oz) yogurt strawberry mango (or any flavor option)
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon sugar
            In blender, place ingredients. Cover; blend on high speed 20 to 30 seconds or until smooth.  Pour into 2 glasses. Serve immediately.

TOFU AMARANTH SALAD (from https://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/tofu-amaranth-salad-recipe.html)  Serves 4.
1/2 small clove garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2/3 cup/160 ml coconut milk (full fat)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
2-3 heads small Romaine lettuces (cored and sliced into 1/2-in ribbons)
a handful of amaranth leaves, or red lettuce, or spinach
12 ounces extra firm tofu, pat dry and cut into tiny cubes
1 small handful of basil leaves
1 small avocado, thinly sliced
          Start by making the dressing. In a mortar and pestle, smash the garlic and chile flakes into a paste along with the salt. Alternately, you can use a food processor. Add the oil and the scallions, and smash or chop a bit more. Transfer the mixture to a jar or bowl, and whisk in the coconut milk, then the lemon juice. Taste, and adjust with more salt or lemon juice if needed. You can store the dressing in a refrigerator for up to a week.  Be sure your lettuce and amaranth is well washed and dried, then combine in a bowl along with the tofu and basil. Toss gently. You can either dress at this point or serve the dressing to the side. Add the dressing a bit at a time, until the lettuce is coated to your liking. Taste, and salt, if needed. Add the avocado last and give the salad one last gentle toss.

Thank you for supporting your local food system! – Tantre Farm
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