Hello Food Farmers,                                                                                   13 March 2012 Tuesday, March 13, 2012 is the last Winter Share delivery for the season.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the vegetables this winter. Please take our Winter Share Survey (10 easy questions!) by going to : http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2QDZSRJ

Please have your CLEAN boxes back to your site by Monday, March 19.To save an extra trip you could bring your own container and transfer your veggies at the site. We need to have every share box returned!  Summer Shares are delivered in these same boxes.  The farm van will go to each Pick-up Site on Monday evening to collect the boxes. Thanks!

We have an opening for an intern this summer. Farm member Pam Benson connected her nephew with us last summer, which worked out very well!  Anyone interested should email or call the farm to discuss the position.

Please consider joining us at Amazing Grace Café on Friday, March 23, 7 – 9 PM for the annual Farmers Take the Stage! It is a fundraiser for the Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association, whose work is helping to build a local, sustainable food economy.  You will be amazed to see your very own FARMER JOHN perform!  You don’t want to miss this!

We start all of our vegetable transplants here on the farm.  So far the onions, leeks, and first planting of TOMATOES are up and looking fine!  John built two ‘germination chambers’ this year and they are proving to be a nice improvement to our previous arrangement.  The first tomatoes germinated in only 30 hours.  We are excited for this new season of growth!

ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

3 large carrots                                                                               1 small rutabaga, peeled   1 small parsnip                                                                             3 medium potatoes            2 medium onions                                                                       1 small sweet potato, peeled 1 bulb garlic                                                                                   1 tbsp olive oil             water, evaporated milk, or soymilk                                                   salt and pepper to taste

Wash and roughly chunk carrots, rutabaga, parsnip, sweet potato, and potatoes. Place in bottom of slow cooker. Peel and wedge onions, also toss into cooker. Remove exterior paper from the garlic bulb, but do not separate cloves. Using a serrated knife (a bread knife works well) cut about 1/8 in from the top of the cloves. Flatten vegetables in cooker and place bulb of garlic on top of them. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil. Turn the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Once done, remove garlic; mash cooked vegetables into a puree. Squeeze garlic into the puree and stir to combine. Thin the puree with your choice of liquids, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and keep warm in slow cooker until ready to serve.

UNION SQUARE CAFÉ PARSNIP PANCAKES             from Park Lake Farm, Joel  Rosen

1.5 pounds Parsnips                                                                                    1 small onion       1 large egg                                                                                      1/8 tsp Cayenne powder pinch of grated nutmeg                                                               1/8 tsp black pepper           ½ tsp salt                                                                                                      ¼ cup flour        ¼ cup olive oil                                                                              1 Tbsp butter

Peel parsnips.  In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts salted water to a boil. Add parsnips and boil 3 minutes. Drain well and coarsely grate parsnips and onions. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Stir together parsnips, onion, beaten egg, spices and salt in a bowl. Add flour, stirring until just combined. Form into eight ½ -inch thick cakes placing each on waxed paper.

Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat until foam subsides and sauté pancakes until golden brown.  Drain if needed and serve. Excellent with applesauce on the side!

BEET BURGERS                                              from Fresh from the Farm                          Makes 6-8 servings

4 fresh medium beets                                                      2 sprigs fresh basil, chopped     1/2 medium onion, chopped                                                      2 eggs, beaten                  Salt and ground black pepper, to taste                                     1/4 – 2/3 c flour                Olive oil                                                                                          Mozzarella slices       Burger buns

1. Trim beet tops and root. Shred beets; transfer to bowl. Add basil, onions, eggs, salt and pepper; mix.

2. Mix in just enough flour to make mixture stick together. Form mixture into 4-inch patties about 1/2-inch thick. (Don’t make too thick or centers won’t cook well.)

3. Heat 1/4 inch of olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties 2-3 minutes on one side, until crispy. Turn patties, place mozzarella slice on top and fry 2-3 minutes more, until crispy.

4. Place hot on bun; serve immediately.