Monthly Archives: August 2023

Summer CSA Week 12, 2023

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It was so nice to see Food Farm folks this Saturday–we enjoyed speaking with so many of you and show off our hard work!

As some of you may have noticed, the root cellar is gradually filling up with a colorful abundance of carrots, beets, cabbage and potatoes. The farmers have been diligently packing up more and more of these vibrant vegetables, destined for grocery store shelves and eager CSA members.

Moreover, last week marked the collapse of our onion tops. This may sound slightly catastrophic, but don’t worry – it’s a good thing! The leaves fall over simply because the plant has matured and is no longer developing. It’s also how we know they are ready for harvest. In the photo (see left), you can see Teri & Aaron gently lifting them from the ground before laying them out to dry. Careful handling is essential during harvest to avoid bruising, which makes the bulbs susceptible to storage rot. Following the uprooting, these onions will begin their curing process in the fields for a week or so before having their tops removed and transferred to a well-ventilated indoor storage space.

In your share this week:

Basil – Beans – Broccoli – Cauliflower – Carrots – Celery – Cucumber – Melons

Sweet Onions – Bell Peppers – Potatoes – Tomatoes – Zucchini

The recipes this week have a lot of room to make them your own. Either one would be good with just about any item in the share (excluding the melons). So feel free to follow them as directed or create your own pizza & curry experiments…

Zucchini Crust Pizza, from The Cozy Cook

2 cups shredded zucchini
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all purpose flour (almond flour, coconut flour, and whole wheat flour may also be used)
1/3 cup shredded parmesan

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Spread the shredded zucchini out on a lightly greased baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and transfer the zucchini to paper towels or a cheesecloth.
  3. Increase oven temperature to 450°.
  4. Squeeze out as much additional moisture from the zucchini as possible. Add the zucchini to a large bowl along with the whisked eggs.
  5. Sprinkle the flour in gradually, stirring to incorporate. Continue to add flour until desired consistency is obtained. (I use the entire ½ cup for all-purpose flour.)
  6. Spread out onto a lightly greased 12-inch pizza pan, leaving 1-inch or so around the edges.
  7. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese and bake for 18 minutes, until it begins to brown slightly. Remove from oven.
  8. Reduce heat to 400°.
  9. If possible, let the crust cool for extra crispy results.
  10. Top with desired pizza toppings. Bake for ~10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Summer Vegetable Curry, Inspired by Half Baked Harvest

Basil Coconut Ginger-Lime Rice:

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
1 lime juiced + zest

  1. Add the coconut milk to a medium size pot. Bring to a low boil and then add the rice, salt, and ginger. Stir to combine and then place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely and let the rice sit on the stove, covered for another 20 minutes (don’t take any peeks inside!). After 20 minutes remove the lid and add the lime juice + zest.

Curry:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, diced
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 cups green beans, chopped
1 cup broccoli, diced
1 cup cauliflower, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
2-3 tablespoon thai red curry paste
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 mango, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded + diced
fresh naan and goat cheese, for serving

  1. Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-10 minutes.
  2. Add another drizzle of olive oil to the skillet. Add the peppers, zucchini, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, ginger and garlic. Cook the veggies 5 minutes or until they just begin to soften.
  3. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, and fish sauce. Stir to combine, bring the mixture to a boil, cook 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
  4. In a small bowl toss together the mango and jalapeño.
  5. Serve the curry over the rice. Add a spoonful of the mangos and a sprinkle of goat cheese. Eat with Naan!

For the farm crew,

Charlie

Summer CSA Week 11, 2023

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It’s farm tour time–this Saturday from 10-noon, we’d love to see you!

It’s melon mayhem at the Food Farm! We recently set our new daily harvest record with a whopping 377 cantaloupe. That is more than 800 pounds of weight to pull from the field! We expect them to slow down soon, so enjoy it while it lasts.

In other news that is orange, the crew christened a “new-to-us” carrot harvester. A lucky few climbed aboard as it took its maiden voyage through the fields, while the rest of the crew assembled at the washing stations. There were certainly some wrinkles to iron out, as there often is with any new piece of machinery, but by the end of the week the process seemed to be moving along rather quickly.

Beans – Broccoli – Carrots – Cilantro – Cucumbers – Dill – Greens Mix – Melons

Onion – Bell Peppers – Hot Peppers – Potatoes – Tomatoes – Zucchini

Usually the melons are best enjoyed straight up in all their glory. That way you can fully appreciate the depth of their flavor. This week though, because there are so many, I thought it would be nice to include a recipe with them in it. It does include basil, which we are not sending this week… I’m hoping some of you still have a few sprigs leftover from last weeks share, or can maybe snag some from a friendly neighbor’s garden.

P.S. The vinaigrette would also go great on the greens mix in today’s share 🙂

Melon Caprese Salad, from Half Baked Harvest

Honey Herb Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon white balsamic
1 cup fresh basil
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
1 pinch flaky sea salt

  1. To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

3 balls fresh burrata cheese
4 cups melon balls
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh mint
6 slices prosciutto

  1. Break the burrata in half and place each half in the bottom of a small bowl or glass (about 8 ounces). Over the burrata, layer the melon balls, basil, and mint. Top with a slice of prosciutto. 
  2. At this point the salad can be covered and placed in the fridge for up to 6 hours. 
  3. Before serving, drizzle over the vinaigrette.

Blistered Green Beans w/ Tomato-Almond Pesto, from Bon Appétit

1 1/4 cups diced tomatoes
1/8 cup unsalted, roasted almonds
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pounds green beans, trimmed

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, turning once, until blistered and lightly charred, 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Finely chop almonds in a food processor. Add garlic, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, and half of tomatoes; pulse to a coarse pesto consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 3/4 tsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of beans; cook, undisturbed, until beginning to blister, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 7–9 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Spread beans out on a platter; let cool. Repeat with remaining vegetable oil and beans.
  3. Toss beans with pesto; season with salt and pepper if needed. Add remaining tomatoes and transfer to a platter.

Summer-Vegetable Casserole, from Food & Wine

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 pound tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium zucchini, sliced on the diagonal 1/4 inch thick
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Coat a 9-inch baking dish with olive oil. Spread the potatoes in the dish in an even layer; drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the bell pepper, onion, garlic and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Arrange two-thirds of the bell pepper mixture over the potatoes and drizzle with oil. Top with the tomatoes and the zucchini; drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the remaining bell pepper mixture and sprinkle with the cheese.
  2. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425°. Uncover the casserole and bake for about 20 minutes longer, until the vegetables are tender and glazed on top. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

For the farm crew,

Charlie

Summer CSA Week 10, 2023

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Let’s take a moment to say thank you for the bit of rain that came last week. The farm was lucky enough to get three quarters of an inch, which isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things, but as my mother likes to say “beggars can’t be choosers.” The problem is that we need rain consistently to make much of an impact. Every hotter-than-normal, rainless day with ample sunshine dries the soil out. We do have a pond toward the back of the farm property, which we are able to pump water from to aid in our irrigation efforts, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt if we all put some collective energy into wishing for more rain to fall 🙂

We are getting to that time of year where every day is a harvest day. Whether it’s digging beets, carrots & potatoes, picking canning tomatoes, or slicing bunches of kale, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day. One fun item that got added to the list this week is cantaloupe. This is a crop that can be difficult to grow in our area, but through a lot of trial an error, we have managed to grow consistently for the last five or so years. It has become somewhat of a crowd favorite and for good reason! Nothing quite cuts the summer heat like a freshly sliced melon!

Carrots – Cilantro – Cukes – Kale – Lettuce – Green Onions – Green Peppers

Green Beans – Hot Peppers – Parsley – Potatoes – Tomatoes – Zucchini – Melons

Feel free to get creative with the salad recipe below… As is, it uses up a good chunk of the ingredients in your share this week, but it could feature even more farm goodness if you happen to have some leftover cabbage or snap peas hiding in your fridge from weeks prior. The dressing itself is also pretty versatile and would make a wonderful marinade or stir fry sauce.

Salad w/ Peanut Butter Dressing

2 medium cucumbers
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup salted & roasted peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1-2 hot pepper, finely diced (optional)

PB Dressing, from theendlessmeal.com:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon ginger, finely minced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 – 1/2 cup water
sea salt, to taste

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, and garlic. Thin with the water, starting with ¼ cup. (The amount of water you’ll need to add will depend on how thick your peanut butter is and how thick or thin you’d like the dressing to be).
  2. Taste and add salt as needed.
  3. Dress the salad as you see fit!

Potato Salad w/ Grilled Kale, from Bon Appétit

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more
2 pounds potatoes
1 pound shallots, unpeeled
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped pickles
2 tablespoons drained capers (optional)
1 bunch kale, ribs and stems removed
3 green onions, sliced
1 cup parsley leaves w/ tender stems

  1. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grate. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in cold water to cover by 1″. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain and return to saucepan.
  2. Meanwhile, grill shallots, turning occasionally, until skins are blackened and flesh is tender, 15–20 minutes. Let cool. Halve lengthwise and scoop out insides (discard skins).
  3. Whisk lemon juice, vinegar, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add cornichons, capers, and potatoes and toss to coat.
  4. Toss kale and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl; season with salt. Grill, turning often, until charred and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Fold into salad along with scallions, parsley, and shallots.
  5. Do Ahead: Potato salad can be made 1 hour ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

For the farm crew,


Charlie

Summer CSA Week 9, 2023

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Start your engines… The harvest machines are starting to make their laps through the fields! Heretofore, the veggies you’ve been enjoying have been harvested by hand, with love. Towards the end of last week, the carrots and potatoes were still harvested with lots of love, but with a little extra help from two wonderful harvesting machines that are made specifically for those crops. The added volume means we can now send carrots to local grocery stores like the Co-op & Mt. Royal, as well as more for our CSA members.

Not all the work was machine assisted, however, as the crew also spent many hours crawling on their hands and knees to remove weeds from the beet, carrot and pea fields. This may not be the most glamorous of tasks, but the plants sure are thankful for less competition for water, sunlight and nutrients.

I hope you’ve been enjoying this newsletter as a way to stay updated about the recent happenings at the farm, however, nothing captures the beauty of this place quite like seeing it for yourself. Coming up is the perfect opportunity to do just that! We would love to see you all at our Annual Farm Tour get-together on Saturday, August 26th from 10am to noon!

In your share this week:

Basil – Green Beans – Broccoli – Carrots – Celery – Cucumbers

Green Garlic – Onion – Bell Peppers – Potatoes – Tomatoes – Zucchini

This weeks share features a few new additions in basil, bell peppers, onion, and celery. Also included is a head of green garlic, which is brighter, milder and has less heat than fully cured garlic.

The past couple weeks, I have had multiple friends reach out to tell me about the delicious berry pies they have been making with the freshly foraged juneberries, raspberries and blueberries that are currently in season. We have many wonderful berry farms in our area, but that isn’t the only thing a pie crust is good for. A more veggie applicable method would be to make a quiche! This is also a delicious way to use up some of our girls’ eggs if you happen to have an egg share.

I’ve decided to include my favorite most versatile recipe for flaky pastry crust as the base for both recipes this week. It is somewhat involved, so If you are short on time, a store bought crust will also do the trick.

Flaky Pastry Crust

12oz butter
3/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

  1. Put butter in the freezer for an hour or so to let it get nice and cold.
  2. Combine flour, salt & cumin in a large mixing bowl. Stir 3-4 times to combine.
  3. Combine apple cider vinegar and water in a small cup or liquid measuring container.
  4. Using the large holes of a cheese greater, grate the frozen butter into the flour mixture. Gently stir to combine.
  5. Slowly add water & vinegar mixture to the large mixing bowl until a crumbly dough starts to just come together. A little extra water may be necessary depending on humidity levels. Go slow though, as the dough should just barely hold together.
  6. Remove the dough from the bowl and mound onto a clean work surface. Cut ball in half then form each half into discs. Wrap discs in plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least an hour.
  7. Roll out when ready.

Broccoli Quiche w/ Peppers and Tomatoes

2-ish cups broccoli florets (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup peppers, diced
1 medium tomato, sliced
5 large eggs
3/4 cup milk (whole works, but half and half can be used for extra richness)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheese of choice (cheddar is great!)
1 9-inch pie crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Roll out pie crust, arrange in pie tin, and chill until ready to use.
  3. Place 1-2 cups water in the bottom of a small pot. Add broccoli and bring to a boil. Cook until the broccoli is bright green and slightly tender (about 3-4 minutes). Transfer broccoli to a colander and rinse with cool water. Chop broccoli into small pieces.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir in the broccoli, peppers, and cheese. Pour into the prepared pie shell.
  5. Gently pat the tomato slices with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and place on top of the egg mixture.
  6. Bake quiche for 35-40 minutes, until eggs are set in the center. Check quiche starting at 25 minutes, and tent with foil if the crust is browning too quickly.

Vegetable Galette

Galettes are a wonderful way to use up vegetables! “Galette” is a french term for a pastry base, filled with sweet or savory fillings, with the edges folded in. I recommend sautéing vegetables such as onion, broccoli, and green beans before baking in a galette. They don’t need to be fully cooked, as they will continue cooking while the galette is baking. Veggies such as zucchini, pepper, garlic can be chopped and mixed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and any other dried spices of your choosing and placed in a galette raw. Grate some parmesan or another hard cheese over the vegetables before folding up the sides. Fresh herbs (such as the basil from this weeks share) can be chopped up and sprinkled over the top of the galette when it comes out of the oven.

Here’s an article from Bon Appetit to shed some more light on the galette-making process.

Channel the spirit of this free-form pastry to experiment with ingredients from this week’s share and whatever is hanging around in your fridge! You can rarely go wrong when pie dough is involved 🙂

For the farm crew,

Charlie