Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter WEEK #2 June 4-10, 2023

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 or SPICY GREENS: You will receive either Arugula (known as “wild rocket” with more deeply lobed leaves and a more pungent flavor; an aromatic, bright salad green with a peppery mustard flavor) OR Spicy Greens (gourmet-quality, peppery greens for quick cooking or a salad; includes Kale, Tatsoi, Hon Tsai Tai, Green and Red Mustard).
-How to use: add to 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.

NAPA CABBAGE or KOHLRABI: You will receive either Kohlrabi (see below) or Napa Cabbage (crinkly, thickly veined leaves, which are cream-colored with celadon green tips; unlike the strong-flavored waxy leaves on round cabbage heads, these are thin, crisp, and delicately mild; good source of vitamin A, folic acid, and potassium).
-How to use: use raw, sauté, bake, or braised; common in stir-fries and main ingredient in traditional kimchi; also eaten raw as a wrap for pork or oysters; the outer, tougher leaves are used in soups.
-How to store: refrigerate, tightly wrapped, up to 5 days.

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

GARLIC SCAPES: slender green stems with a slight bulge at the bottom (resemble chives, except for the bulge and often curled); the flower top of a garlic plant; tender and milder in flavor than mature garlic, but can be substituted for garlic cloves in recipes. Use this link for garlic scape recipes:  https://www.thespruceeats.com/ways-to-use-garlic-scapes-in-recipes-4160007
-How to use: mild garlic flavor, so delicious chopped in salads, roasted, and sautéed.
-How to store: put in refrigerator in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks.

FRESH HERBS: You will be receiving fresh herbs off and on throughout the summer, since harvesting them often means they need a few weeks to recover before we harvest again. Here are a couple of links to help you know more about how to use fresh herbs: https://www.urbancultivator.net/cooking-with-fresh-herbs/. The following is a good link to help you identify your herb with images and descriptions: http://theherbexchange.com/25-best-herbs-to-grow-in-your-kitchen-garden/. In general, store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 1 week or wrap in slightly dampened cloth or plastic bag and store in refrigerator. You will receive either

 *Chamomile— These small, daisy-like flowers are best known for making a soothing tea; also the flowers make a pretty garnish and a flavorful addition to salads. The whole bundle can be used fresh or dried upside down for a week or two, and then the flowers plucked and put into a jar for a restful, calming, sleepy time tea throughout the year OR

 *Oregano—This member of the mint family is similar to marjoram, but not as sweet and more pungent, spicy flavor and no mint aroma; good in soups and tomato-based dishes.

KALE (Red Russian Kale): the stems are purple, and leaves are deep gray-green, purple-veined, flat, non-curled, and tooth-edged.
-How to use: for salads, soups, and light cooking.
-How to store: keep in plastic bag or damp towel in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

KOHLRABI: You will either receive Napa Cabbage (see above) OR Kohlrabi (a delicious bulbous member of the cabbage family about the size of a golf ball to tennis ball size with greens attached; green skin and crisp, apple-white flesh tubers and leaves. Peel the skin off with a knife and eat them raw, like an apple with a taste and texture somewhere between cabbage and broccoli stems).
-How to use: good steamed and then mashed with potatoes, added to soups or stews, or delicious sliced and eaten raw with dip. Greens can be cooked like kale.
-How to store: store in refrigerator for up to a month.

LETTUCE: You will receive either Magenta (a red Summer Crisp with good flavor and shiny, slightly puckered, red-tinged leaves form a whorled, conical head with a crispy green heart) OR Romaine (upright, dense heads produce long, uniform hearts with good flavor; rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.) OR All Star Gourmet (a bag of a custom salad mix of red and green lettuces along with arugula, mizuna, tatsoi, and other unique greens of many varying shapes, flavors, and textures).
-How to use: raw in salads, sandwiches, or (believe it or not!) use in soups and smoothies.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.

POTATOES: You will receive Carola (yellow potato from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying) OR Russet (a brown-skinned, white-fleshed potato; commonly used in french fries in fast food restaurants; great baked, mashed, or fried). 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

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.

WHITE HAKUREI TURNIPS and GREENS: a bunch of white salad turnips with round, smooth roots that have a sweet, fruity flavor with a crisp, tender texture. Both roots (good source of Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium, and delicious raw!) and greens are edible!
-How to use: greens good in salads and soups and can be steamed or sautéed with green onions or garlic scapes; roots can be roasted, steamed, or sautéed.
-How to store: remove greens from turnip root and store separately in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 days; roots can last up to 1-2 weeks in refrigerator.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. STRAWBERRIES ARE JUST STARTING! We are opening on Friday, June 9, this week at 8 AM until 7 PM for strawberry picking for $5/lb at HoneyBee U-pick on the corner of Zeeb Rd. and Scio Church Rd. (5700 Scio Church Rd) in Ann Arbor, since the strawberries are ready! We will be open 7 days a week unless the weather is bad. Just look for a beautiful, artisanal, timberframe barn in the middle of the field. We will provide buckets for picking, but please bring your own containers to transfer strawberries into or we will provide bags or cardboard trays. We will also try to have “already picked” berries there for sale at that location for $7/qt if we get enough staff to pick them. This week we also are having a “1-day Special”! If you are a member you may pick one quart for FREE this Saturday ONLY. Just tell the strawberry attendant that you are a member, and sign your name. There will be several more opportunities for a free quart to pick, if you can’t make it this Saturday. We just want to get as many berries out of the field before it rains on Saturday evening and Sunday.

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! **No Immune Booster CSA on June 17 and 24, since Ryan is traveling to visit family in Wales! The Hub Market will be open though from 9 AM to 12 PM on Saturday those two weekends.

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)

RECIPES

GRILLED GARLIC SCAPES AND ASPARAGUS
Another great, and very different, way to showcase scapes is to grill them, tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, over direct heat for about two minutes. Flip them once, halfway through, and finish with an extra sprinkle of flaky salt and maybe a bit of lemon juice and zest. They’ll be charred in spots and just soft enough, and their flavor will have sweetened and mellowed dramatically. Asparagus spears can be added as a delicious grilled combination.

CHAMOMILE LEMONADE (from www.vegetariantimes.com) Serves 6. If chamomile is not your “cup of tea”, this refreshing lemonade is a great new way to give the flower a try.
3/4 cup cane sugar
2 Tbsp grated lemon zest
5 Tbsp fresh or dried chamomile flowers, or 6 chamomile tea bags
3/4 cup lemon juice
Lemon slices, for garnish

Combine sugar, lemon zest, and 2 cups water in saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, and add chamomile flowers. Cool. Strain chamomile mixture into 2-quart pitcher; stir in lemon juice and 3 cups water. Serve over ice with lemon slices, or store, covered, in refrigerator up to 5 days.

NAPA CABBAGE SALAD (by Carol from www.allrecipes.com) Serves 6
1 head Napa cabbage
1 bunch minced green onions (or scallions)
1/3 cup butter
1 (3 oz) package ramen noodles, broken
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Finely shred the head of cabbage; do not chop. Combine the green onions and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the crunchies: melt the butter in a pot. Mix the ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds into the pot with the melted butter. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake the crunchies in the preheated 350 degrees oven, turning often to make sure they do not burn. When they are browned remove them from the oven. Make the dressing: in a small saucepan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, let boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and let cool. Combine dressing, crunchies, and cabbage immediately before serving. Serve right away or the crunchies will get soggy.

STEAMED KOHLRABI WITH LEMON BUTTER (from Farm-Fresh Recipes by Janet Majure) Serves 4
1 bulb kohlrabi
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 or 2 green onions, minced
1-2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
1-2 Tbsp minced lemon balm (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Trim kohlrabi, but do not peel. Steam over simmering water, covered, for about 40 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly, then peel and chop. In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. Cook 2 minutes. Add kohlrabi and lemon balm; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Young kohlrabi greens can be cooked like kale or collard greens, so steamed sautéed or shredded into salads.

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