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
ARUGULA (Sylvetta): also known as “wild rocket” with more deeply lobed leaves and a more pungent flavor; an aromatic, bright salad green with a peppery mustard flavor
-How to use: great in salads, soups, and sautéed vegetable dishes
-How to store: very perishable, so use up quickly; store in plastic bag with a paper towel in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
ASPARAGUS: Also known as “sparrowgrass”, these green or purple spears each contain vitamins A, B, and C, and iron.
– How to use: serve raw, chopped in salads, or with dips. You can also steam, roast, grill.
– How to store: wrap in damp cloth and plastic bag, then refrigerate. Alternatively, bundle spears with rubber band and place upright in container with an inch of water.
BOK CHOY (Asian Green): written as bok choi, bak choy, or pac choi; a traditional stir-fry vegetable from China with a sweet and mild flavor; looks like white Swiss chard with the stems all attached at the bottom; considered a cool weather crop and part of the cabbage or turnip family.
-How to use: two vegetables in one–the leaves can be cooked like spinach, and the crisp stem can be eaten like celery or asparagus; excellent in stir-fries, soups, sauteed or eaten raw.
-How to store: store as you would any green–in a loose plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
CARROTS (Bolero): excellent long-term, storage carrot with medium-long, thick, blunt, orange roots. These certified organic, storage carrots come from Adam of Wayward Seed Farm (http://waywardseed.com) in Ohio and are incredibly sweet.
-How to use: best used for cooking in stews, soups, casseroles, or stir fries
-How to store: refrigerate roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks
CELERIAC: also called Celery Root, rather ugly, knobby, brown vegetable skin with white flesh when peeled; taste is like a cross between strong celery and parsley; can range anywhere in size from an apple to a small cantaloupe; high in carbohydrates, vitamin C, phosphorus, and potassium. These certified organic, storage celeriac come from Adam of Wayward Seed Farm (http://waywardseed.com) in Ohio.
-How to use: can be eaten raw in slaws or salads or cooked in soups, stews, purees; can also be baked, boiled, or sauteed, or thinly peeled for salads; after peeling should be soaked in lemon juice to prevent discoloration of the flesh.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for up to a month; may also be dried and used as a seasoning.
POTATOES: You will receive Carola (yellow potato from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying). These potatoes have been stored in the root cellar, but perfectly fine for soups or other kinds of cooking. These “old buddies” potatoes have been over-wintered in optimum storage conditions; possibly slightly less firm and slightly more sweet than a new potato, but good for cooking in any way suggested below.
-How to use: good baked, boiled, roasted or in potato salads
-How to store: keep in cool, dark place in paper bag; ideal temperature is 38-40 degrees with 80-90 percent humidity
RADISHES: You will receive Easter Egg Radish (a beautiful mix of red, purple, pink, and white round radishes; crisp and mild flavor) .
-How to use: raw, roasted, used in soups, sliced in salads, sandwiches, or stir-fries, grated in slaws; radish greens are delicious in soups or stir-fries and are an excellent source of vitamins.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag/damp towel for 1-2 weeks.
SCALLIONS (also called “Green Onions”): young shoots of red or 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.
-How to use: the bulb, flowers, and green leaves are edible; can be cooked, grilled, roasted whole as a vegetable; chopped in salads, soups, and other dishes for flavor.
-How to store: refrigerate in damp towel/plastic bag for 5-7 days.
SPINACH: crisp, dark green leaf; best eaten raw or with minimal cooking to obtain the beneficial chlorophyll, rich in of vitamin K, vitamin A, manganese, folate, magnesium, iron and a plethora of other nutrients and antioxidants. The appearance of spinach also marks the beginning of spring for many of us farmers/gardeners!
-How to use: delicious flavor when juiced, toss in fresh salad, add to sandwiches, saute, steam, braise, or add to crepes, quiche, lasagna, and soups.
-How to store: refrigerate with a damp towel/bag for up to 1 week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. ANY CHANGES in your address, phone, e-mail, or of misspelled names on any mailings or Pick Up Lists at Distribution Sites? Are we missing your share partner’s name or email address? Please let us know as soon as possible.
2. FAMILY FARM HIKE on FRIDAY, June 23, from 5-6 PM: Come join us for a guided monthly exploratory walk around Tantre Farm with CSA member, Alisse Portnoy, who teaches at the University of Michigan, and her daughter, Jessica. Alisse and Jessica are in their fourteenth year of once-a-week, long visits to the farm. They look forward to sharing some of its treasures and treasure spots with you. We’ll use all our senses as we take an approx. 45-60 minute hike. Meet at the picnic tables behind the Main House.
3. IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA: This collaborative CSA started with several local farms and food businesses. You can opt in or out of this share each week. If you are interested in supplementing your share with more veggies and other locally produced, value-added products, please go to our website to sign up every Monday – Wednesday night. This is also a perfect gift for someone else! Pick up is from 9 AM to 12 PM every Saturday at the Washtenaw Food Hub and the Chelsea Farmers Market during the summer: http://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-immune-booster-csa-work/. Still time to sign up this week!
4. FARMERS MARKETS: If you need to supplement your share with a few extra items, we are set up at the Ann Arbor Market on Wed. and Sat. starting at 7 AM. We will also be at the Chelsea Farmers Market from 8 AM-1 PM starting June 3. On top of that, our Washtenaw Hub Market (soon to be known as the Sunflower Farm Market!) is open only on Saturdays at this time during CSA pick up times from 9 AM-12 PM due to staffing issues, so please feel free to purchase all your basic local needs and a few extra treats at any of these markets.
5. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER: Please use your Member Dashboard to schedule Vacations or Pick up Location Changes. **Distribution coordinators will be at each site during designated times below.
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)
*MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 9:30 AM (SARA there the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 PM to 8 PM (No Distribution Coordinator at this time. Please contact Deb @ 734-385-6748 for questions)
**Pure Pastures (Wed.) —9 AM to 11 AM (JESSICA there most of the time) *New Location just a few doors down with pick up in the front of the store. Please look at our website for details.
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time with some self check-in)
*Community High School (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 AM to 12 PM (DEB there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) — 9 AM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF there the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM to 11 AM (LIZ is there the whole time)
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM (Tantre Staff)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by Deb
Over the winter we sometimes have a few extra moments to read and wonder as we sit by the wood stove, and sometimes our minds consider issues that go beyond our impact locally. As we begin our new summer season this week we wanted to give you a few facts to ponder, and consider a thoughtful look at our perceptions of food on a personal scale, but also on a global scale. We all may consider how we are part of the problem of food waste as farmers and consumers, but also more importantly how we can be part of the solution. Here are some statistics to consider:
*About a third of the planet’s food goes to waste, often because of its looks. That’s enough to feed two billion people.
*Fruits and vegetables, plus roots and tubers have the highest wastage rates of any food.
*At retail level, large quantities of food are wasted due to quality standards that over-emphasize appearance.
*Even if just one-fourth of the food currently lost or wasted globally could be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world.
*In medium- and high-income countries food is wasted and lost mainly at later stages in the supply chain. Differing from the situation in developing countries, the behavior of consumers plays a huge part in industrialized countries. The study identified a lack of coordination between actors in the supply chain as a contributing factor. Farmer-buyer agreements can be helpful to increase the level of coordination.
Additionally, raising awareness among industries, retailers and consumers, as well as finding beneficial use for food that is presently thrown away are useful measures to decrease the amount of losses and waste. (sourced from http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en).
Other related articles below:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/03/global-food-waste-statistics/
https://www.npr.org/tags/395584998/ugly-produce
RECIPES
BOK CHOY, CARROTS, CELERY, AND ONIONS, WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE (from https://www.all-creatures.org/recipes/bokchoycarcelon-swsour-sf.html)
2 heads of Bok Choy
1-1/2 lbs. Onions (1 bunch Scallions, tops and bottoms)
1 lb. Carrots
4 Celery, ribs, large
1 tbsp. Ginger, ground
Cayenne Pepper OR Hot Sauce, to taste
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Bragg Aminos OR Soy Sauce
4 tbsp. Sesame Seeds
2 drops Smoke Flavor
4 Dates, pitted OR 1/8 tsp. Stevia Extract, powder
2 tbsp. Corn Starch
3 cups Brown Rice cooked in 6 cups water (optional)
Prepare in a stainless steel wok or large skillet. Bring the pot of rice to a boil. While the water is heating, wash and clean the vegetables. When the water in the rice pot begins to boil, add the brown rice, cover, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook the rice until all the water has been absorbed into the rice (20-30 minutes). Cut the bok choy into bite sized pieces, and place in the wok. Coarsely slice and cut the onions, and add to the wok. Thinly slice the carrots and add to the wok. Cut the celery into thin slices about 1 inch long, and add to the wok. Add the ginger and hot pepper, and stir-fry until the the veggies are tender but still crunchy. Place the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, corn starch, smoke flavor, and dates OR stevia (for fewer calories) in a high speed blender. Cover and run at high speed until the ingredients are smooth. Reduce the heat in the wok to simmer, add the sauce, and continue to stir-fry until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat. Serves 4 adults as a main dish, or 6 adult servings served over a bed of brown rice.
SPINACH AND ASPARAGUS FRITTATA (from Capay Organic Farm CSA “Farm Fresh To You” website) Serves 4
Filling:
1 bunch spinach, washed and drained, with stems removed
1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 green onions, minced
Egg mixture:
8 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp whipping cream or water
1/4 tsp salt
Pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, shredded
Olive oil, to coat skillet
Preheat broiler. Mix ingredients well and pour into a greased 8-inch skillet and stir until set (about 5 minutes). Place under broiler for 2 minutes until top is golden brown. Cut into slices.
RADISHES AND GREEN ONIONS WITH FETA CHEESE (from Rolling Prairie Cookbook by Nancy O’Connor) Serves 6-8
2 cups thinly sliced radishes
3-4 green onions, chopped
4 oz Feta cheese, crumbled
10-12 Kalamata olives, pitted, and chopped coarsely
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Toss together the radishes, green onions, Feta cheese, olives, and mint. Season with the salt and pepper. Toss again. Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together and pour over the vegetable mixture. Toss to coat vegetables with dressing.