Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter WEEK #18 Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2022

 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. **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.

 If you are new to our CSA, since you signed up with a prorated share, you can find all past newsletters on our website under the NEWSLETTERS section in the CSA Info tab.

THIS WEEK’S SHARE

CARROTS (Hercules): sweet, orange, cone-shaped roots; good eating quality and stores well. See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET CORN (Cadence): Long, beautiful, bicolor ears with 2″ diameter and improved quality for the late season; great for fresh eating and freezing. See Week 11 newsletter 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).
-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.

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 20 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 make a donation to pay for seeds and labor. Extra bouquets cost $6/bunch for 15 stems.

FRESH HERBS: 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. It will last longer when stored in a jar, vase, or glass of water.

KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”) or Red Curly (well ruffled red or green leaves with red stems; gets redder and sweeter after a frost). See Week 3 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

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, but needs washing.
-How to use: raw in salads or (believe it or not!) use in soups.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.

MUSTARD GREENS (Scarlet Frills): Spicy green and red, intricately lobed and ruffled leaves with spicy, pungently sweet flavor
-How to use: deliciously beautiful in salads, garnishes, and for quick braising.
-How to store: very perishable, so use up quickly; store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

ONIONS: You will receive any of the following Red Zeppelin (medium to large, globe-shaped bulbs with deep red color and will store for six months or more under proper conditions) and/or Copra (medium-sized, dark yellow-skinned storage onions; excellent storage onion staying firm and flavorful after most other varieties have sprouted; highest in sugar of the storage onions; same sulfurous compounds that draw tears inhibit rot, so the more pungent the onion the longer it will store) See Week 7 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

SWEET PEPPERS: You will receive any combination of the following– Red or Green Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, “green or changing to red” pepper) and/or Carmen (6-inch long, tapered deep red fruit; sweet taste in salads and when roasted and fully red-ripe). See Week 12 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

PIE PUMPKIN: bright orange skin with dry, sweet flesh.
-How to use: excellent for pies (for other ideas see winter squash).
-How to store: store whole pumpkins at room temperature up to a month or for 3-6 months in moderately warm and dry conditions (45-50 degrees with 60-75 percent humidity).

RADISHES (Pink Beauty): mildly spicy, pink-colored round root. See Week 16 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

U-PICK RASPBERRIES (only available at Honey Bee U-pick in Ann Arbor): The fall, red raspberries have been ripening and now are ready to be picked! 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 Ann 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 one day ahead to pick up at the Honey Bee U-pick this week on Sat. (9/24) or Sun. (9/25) or at the Farm in Chelsea on Fri. (9/23) or the Chelsea Farmers Market on Sat (9/24) this week. U-pick – $6/pint or Already Picked – $4/half pint.

TOMATOES: The tomatoes are winding down, so this week Wed. members will receive a half pint of the last of the tomatoes. We are hoping we will have enough for Fri/Sat members, so stay tuned! You will receive something of the following: Sun Gold Cherry (exceptionally sweet, bright tangerine-orange cherry tomato; less acidic than the red cherry tomato, so slightly less bland in flavor; popular as a garnish, in salads, or as a cooked side dish that can be sauteed with herbs) or Cherry Bomb (vivid red fruits of cherry size; firm, sweet, and well-balanced). See Week 9 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

WINTER SQUASH (Butternut): light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh. See Week 15 newsletter for usage and storage tips.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. LAST WEEK OF THE SUMMER CSA: That means Sept. 28 (Wed.), Sept. 30 (Fri.), and Oct. 1 (Sat.) are the last distribution days for our Summer Shares, so PLEASE RETURN ALL SHARE BOXES THIS WEEK! Plan on bringing bags, a cooler, or a box to transfer your produce this week,

2. STILL ROOM: “EXTENDED FALL CSA” SHARE REGISTRATION IS OPEN UNTIL SEPT. 30: This is a 4-week Extended Fall CSA Share for $150 starting the week of October 2-8 and ending the week of October 23-29. In order to receive all 4 shares, please register online anytime before Sept. 30 (extended deadline!) at https://tantrefarm.csaware.com/extended-fall-csa-2022-C24117. Please go to our website for more information.

3. PLANT WALK ON SATURDAY, Oct.15, from 4-6 PM: We are hosting a leisurely plant walk at Tantre Farm for our local foraging expert, Rachel Mifsud from “Will Forage For Food”. Plant walks are excellent learning opportunities for those with beginning to intermediate foraging skills, and for anyone wishing to increase their knowledge of the local flora. Our discussion will include information about identification, methods of harvest, preparation, and use. We will explore the area and choose around 15 edible, medicinal, or otherwise useful plants and mushrooms to focus on. Unlimited class size, drop ins are welcome, and cost is $25. To register ahead of time or find more information, just go to her website at https://willforageforfood.square.site/

4. THANKSGIVING CSA on November 19: This CSA is NOT open for registration just yet, but we wanted to let you know to “save the date”, since it will open sometime in October. A more detailed email notice will come to you in the next week or so. This share is a one time pick up of 60 to 80 pounds of produce for winter storage or to stock up on vegetables before the holiday for $135. This share will be available for pick up on the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 AM until 12 PM, at Tantré Farm from 2-5 PM, and other locations TBD.

5. HIRED HELP STILL NEEDED: We are looking for additional help to bring the root storage crops in. We are looking for part-time and full-time workers who are interested in getting their hands dirty and enjoy healthy, hearty, hard work. We provide home-cooked lunches every day with food from the farm. Room and board are available for full time work, and part time work is available as well for an hourly wage. Please fill out an application at https://www.tantrefarm.com/internships/.

6. U-PICK RASPBERRY PATCH OPEN SATURDAY and SUNDAY: We will be open this Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM-4 PM. U-pick is $6/pint and $4/half pint for Already Picked Raspberries. To keep informed go to https://www.tantrefarm.com/tantre-farm-raspberry-u-pick.

7. STILL PLENTY OF BOXES AVAILABLE FOR OUR IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA THIS WEEK: Please feel free to sign up for our weekly, collaborative CSA share if you would like to supplement your box or give it as a gift. The menu is updated on our website every Monday – Wednesday http://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-immune-booster-csa-work/. Still time to sign up this week for a share!

8. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM
*MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 12 PM
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 PM to 8 PM (Hub Farm Market open during this time!)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.)—9 AM to 11 AM
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM
**Community High School CHANGED TO AA FARMERS MARKET (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM
*Argus-Packard (Sat) 10:30 AM to 3 PM
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM to 11 AM
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM

FAREWELL TO SUMMER
by Richard and Deb

As the red apples ripen and fall back to the earth, we suddenly find ourselves in early autumn. Cool, misty mornings, and light frosts are settling on the low places in the pasture grasses. As the blue jays and crows call across the sunny afternoons, they also herald the end of the glorious summer. As the daylight wanes and the darkness grows, it is comforting to have the squashes and root crops baking a medley of starchy, simple sweetness in the oven as a remembrance of the warm sun. This is our last share for the summer. It has been a great adventure for us living on the land and learning what it means to be a member of the community of land and space that we call our home. Thanks to all our friends of Tantre Farm near and far. We wish you great success in all that you do for your friends and neighbors of our community.

We would also like to express our deep appreciation to our current hardworking crew (Andy, Jordan, Donn, Adam, Chizo, Ake, Sarah, Mai, Stacy, Rene, Tyler, George, Ryan, Andrew, Brooke, the Rubio family) and our earlier part-time crew (Abe, Alex, Dawn, Liana, Amber, Louis, Sabina, Rachel, Will, Avery, Martha, John) for all the hours of hard work withstanding mosquito torture, extreme fluctuations in temperature, rain and wind, staffing shortages, etc. These resilient folks display a dedication to health and nutrition to our body and mind with the nutrients of the plants of healthy and local soil. If you get a chance to thank them please do! Please feel free to contact us throughout the rest of fall and winter for any storage produce. We will continue to supply produce through the rest of 2022 through the Peoples Food Coop, Agricole Farm Stop, Argus Farm Stop, the Ann Arbor and Chelsea Farmers Markets, and our various CSA programs. Thank you for being a member of the Tantre Farm Summer CSA!! Hope to see you in 2023!

RECIPES

**Keep in mind a very easy way to find recipe ideas for almost any combination of share box ingredients is to type the items into your preferred “search bar” with the word “recipe” after it, and many recipe ideas will pop up. Have fun searching! Lots and lots of ideas!

SPICY COCONUT PUMPKIN (adapted from The World in Your Kitchen by Angelic Organics Kitchen) Serves 3-4
*For a hearty meal, enjoy this over basmati rice accompanied by kale and chutney.
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2-3 tsp curry powder
1 tsp finely chopped jalapeno or Serrano pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 1/2 lbs pie pumpkin (about 1/2 medium or 1 small pie pumpkin), peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 Tbsp raisins
1 tsp maple syrup or brown sugar
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the onion; saute until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Add the ginger; cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the curry powder, jalapeno, cloves, and cardamom; cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the pumpkin chunks, coconut milk, raisins, and maple syrup. Cover; cook over low heat until the pumpkin is tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover, and if the sauce is thin, let the coconut milk boil away until the mixture thickens to your liking. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

COUSCOUS WITH TOMATO EGGPLANT SAUCE (from Farm-Fresh Recipes by Janet Majure) Serves 6
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 eggplant, skin on, diced
1 green pepper, cut julienne
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dry basil, rosemary, and oregano
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup water
1 lb couscous

 Cook onion until golden in olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute. Add eggplant and green pepper; cook and stir 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, paprika, herbs, and water; stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring often. Mash eggplant, then cook 30 minutes more. Cook couscous according to package directions. Serve sauce over hot couscous.

SPICY CORN KERNEL “PAN” CAKE (from From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by MACSAC) Serves 4
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 heaping cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 6-8 ears)
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil, cilantro, or parsley
2 Tbsp minced green onion
1-2 Tbsp minced jalapeno or serrano pepper
3 Tbsp cornmeal
3 Tbsp flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
*Garnish:  Fresh basil, cilantro or parsley
Freshly made or bottled salsa

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Measure oil into a heavy, ovenproof, medium-sized skillet (cast-iron is best) and heat pan in oven for 30 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients except the last two in a bowl, then press evenly into hot pan. (Don’t stir corn in the pan, or the crust won’t form properly.) Bake 25-30 minutes, until edges are brown and crispy. Run a spatula around the outer rim and underneath the corn cake to loosen it from the pan. Wearing hot pads, place a heat-proof serving plate face down over the pan and invert pan so the cake drops onto plate. *Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with salsa.

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