Week of June 23, 2018

Welcome to our farm family!  Welcome back to our returning customers!  With the fast paced world that life is these days, the difficulties and the pressures, we applaud you for deciding to join our CSA and step back to a place where food is pure and clean again and where your health comes first.  It is seasonal eating from our certified organic farm where regenerative practices are in effect to their fullest. You have joined us for a conservational and rehabilitative approach to food and farming, where we focus on regenerating soil, which is the basis for organic agriculture.  Our farm is a place where ecosystems thrive, biodiversity is enhanced and resilience to climate change is increased.  What this means for you and your families is  good, clean, healthy food that is not only health enhancing but is good for the environment and strengthens our community.  You are a working park of this dynamic system and an integral part in its success.     We have been working hard on producing food for this summer and we hope that you will enjoy the harvests from our farm as much as we have been enjoying producing them for you!

A word on storage:  Storage of your freshly harvested veggies may take a few moments when you get them home, but it will be time worth spent!  Salad mixes can be stored in the bag you receive them in or inside your salad spinner.  Cut veggies like chard, dandelion greens, kale, etc. can be stored in a plastic bag with a wet paper towel wrapped around the bottom (cut side) of the stems.  Root veggies:  cut the root away from the stems/leaves and store roots in a bag in your crisper drawer and stems/leaves as above as with chard, kale, etc. A good practice is to eat the salad veggies first.  Everything else can be quick blanched and popped in the freezer if you find yourself getting behind.

Vegetables This Week:  Salad Greens Mix,  Chicory,  Radishes,  Italian Dandelion Greens,  Baby Bok Choy,  Spinach,  Cilantro

Chicory Salad with Citrus and Walnuts

1 head chicory, washed and rough chopped

1 orange, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

several generous dashes of coconut aminos or balsamic vinegar

many generous dashes of good virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

sea salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients.  Serve immediately or let sit 30-60 minutes in fridge before serving for a more intense flavor

Spinach Salad with Seared Bok Choy, Ginger and Cilantro

1 Tbsp sesame or olive oil

1 bunch bok choy, rinsed and chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 Tbsp good soy sauce

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

fresh spinach leaves

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add bok choy, garlic and ginger and cook 2-3 minutes.  Add soy sauce and pepper. Stir.  Cook 1 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.  Arrange spinach leaves on serving platter or on individual plates.  Spoon bok choy mixture over spinach and serve.  To make this a one dish meal,  top with white or black cooked beans, grilled or roasted chicken, or grilled or steamed shrimp.

adapted from recipedetails.com

Toast with Radishes and Dandelion Greens

drizzle of olive oil or a pat of butter

1/4 cup chopped onions or scallions

handful of radishes, chopped

1/2 bunch of dandelion greens

1/4 cup frozen edamame, thawed and chopped

4-6 slices of grainy bread, toasted

pinch of red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

Herbed sunflower seed spread:

1 1/4 cup hulled sunflower seeds, soaked and drained

1 clove garlic

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp lemon juice, plus a bit of zest

1 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

handful chopped cilantro

Make the sunflower seed spread by blending sunflower seeds, garlic vinegar, lemon juice and zest, water and salt until smooth.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium low heat.  Add onion, radishes, salt and pepper.  Cook for a few minutes then add a few tablespoons of water, cover and steam until radishes are tender but still have a bite, about 5 minutes.  When the radishes are nearly done, add the dandelion greens and a big squeeze of lemon.  Cook until the greens are just barely wilted.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Top toasted bread with sunflower seed spread, radishes, greens, chopped edamame, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Store sunflower seed spread in the fridge for up to 4 days.

adapted from loveandlemons.com

Next week:  Red Leaf Lettuce,  Chicory,  Tender Baby Beets with Greens,  Cilantro,  Salad Greens Mix,  Carrots

Have a wonderful week!

The whole human population of the world cannot live on imported food.  Some people some where are going to have to grow the food.  And where ever food is grown the growing of it  will raise the same two questions: How do you preserve the land in use?  And how do you preserve the people who use the land?

The farther the food is transported, the harder it will be to answer those questions correctly.

Wendell Berry