CSA Members 2009: Newsletter Archive

Summer Delivery #3

Dear CSA Members,

Thank you to everyone who attended our Strawberry Festival! The farm events are so much fun for us -- we get to meet many of you and take a break from the busy season. So many of our members are excited to finally see the farm and be able to picture where their food is grown -- and it's nice to put a face behind all those vegetables you're receiving. The weather was perfect, the shortcake was scrumptious, and the chocolate fountain received rave reviews. It was the perfect farewell to the Strawberry season, which is slowly winding down.

For those of you who couldn't attend, our Open House is just around the corner on August 1st. Mark your calendars!

Today's delivery brings the first cabbage of the season! We grow a sweet, mild cabbage that is perfect for chopping, wrapping, or salad. The sugar snap peas are still producing sweet, delicious pods. They are usually my go-to snack when I'm passing through the kitchen and want to snack on something. We have one more appearance from the garlic flowers, a bit larger and even more garlicky, with a spicy finish. My dad, a true garlic lover, eats them raw, but I'm not so bold. Better a quick sauté with peas or vegetables. See below for an easy, flexible recipe.

Every week brings us a bit closer to Summer. As I walked the fields today, I noticed the first green tomatoes (Sungold cherry tomatoes. . . yum), some tiny peppers, and the first flowers on our Summer squash. The corn plants get noticeably bigger each day, and the green bean plants are nearly ready to flower. It's exciting to poke around in the fields, snapping photos of our newest seedlings and sampling tiny new vegetables. I will add some of our best new photos to the website soon, and we'll keep updating our blogs with posts and pictures.

Speaking of which. . .

If you haven't looked at our website lately, you haven't seen our latest blog updates. Take a moment to catch up with us and see what's happening on your farm. Mike started his blogging journey, Farming with Mike, some months ago, when we began the barn renovations. Our Farm Blog is a recent addition, finally started when I found myself wanting to share more information with all of our members and customers. So many little things happen that never make it into the farm notes! It's my hope that more of our farm team will find time and enthusiasm to contribute as we settle into the schedules of the season, so that they can offer their perspectives on life, farming, recipes and more.

Vegetable and Tofu Stir Fry with Honey Tamari Glaze

for the stir fry

• 1-2 Tbsp Safflower oil (or light oil for higher heat)
• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• 6-8 garlic flowers, tips and ends removed, sliced
• 1 block firm or extra firm tofu
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of cayenne (optional)
• 6 carrots, sliced into ½ inch slices
• 1/2 lb sugar snap peas, washed, ends trimmed
• 1/4 head cabbage, chopped roughly
• 1 bunch Asian broccoli, ends trimmed, chopped
• Fresh ground black pepper

for the glaze

• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1/3 cup Tamari
• 1 tsp Rice vinegar
• A pinch of Garlic powder

procedure

Sauté onion and garlic flowers with oil until onion is translucent and just beginning to brown. Add tofu and tamari, just enough to color the tofu (2 Tbsp or so, or to taste). Sauté until tofu browns lightly in places, stirring frequently to keep it from sticking (if sticking excessively, add more oil). Sprinkle with pepper to taste, and remove from pan.

While tofu cooks, add glaze ingredients to a separate small pan. Heat until liquid -- do not boil. Set aside.

Add carrots and peas to recently vacated pan. Add an additional Tbsp oil if necessary. Cover and let steam over medium heat, until carrots and peas are almost tender, then add cabbage and Asian broccoli. Cover and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium high, stirring frequently and allowing any liquid to cook off. Remove from heat and allow pan to cool slightly, then pour glaze over vegetables and stir lightly to cover evenly.

Serve hot over rice or rice noodles and top with tofu.

Sautéed Spinach

ingredients

• 1 bunch spinach, stems removed, rinsed and spun or patted dry
• 1/2 large head new garlic, sliced, or three garlic flowers, sliced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Optional: red pepper flakes

procedure

Sauté garlic in olive oil until soft (or translucent, if using garlic heads). Add spinach and sauté lightly until wilted. Salt & pepper to taste.

Beet and Sugar Snap Salad

ingredients

• 3 medium beets, rinsed, roots trimmed, stems cut to one inch
• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, rinsed and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• Half head each of two varieties of lettuce, washed and torn

procedure

Steam beets until tender (about 30 minutes, depending on size). Rinse under cold water until just cool enough to handle. Slip skins off and cut beets into wedges. Add snap peas to skillet with 1 Tbsp oil. Cover and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Remove lid and let brown slightly in places. Mix mustard and vinegar in small bowl. Gradually mix in oil, then dill and sugar. Mix beets, sugar snap peas and dressing in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over salad greens.

Adapted from Bon Appétit, August 1995