Author: Sunnyside CSA Core Group

Veggie pickup for Thursday, July 13 will be at Sunnyside Community Services from 5-8pm.

Spice Tree Organics will be at pickup today, too! Check out their wide variety of organic spices, blended right here in Queens!

• NYC Halal Cart Chicken
• Middle Eastern Shawerma
• Beiruti Zaatar
• Lebanese Seven Spice
• Damascus Kofta
• Cairo Falafel
• Mecca Rice & Meat
• Athenian Gyro
• Tandoori Masala
• Garam Masala
• Chai Confection
• Mexico City Barbacoa
• Southwest Taco & Fajita
• Istanbuli Kofta

Spice Tree Organics was started by two health-conscious NYC moms with a passion for global cuisine. Our range of blends span the Middle East, India, Mexico, Greece and Turkey, and have been tried, tested, and perfected in our kitchens. We source the best quality certified organic spices, and hand grind them and blend them in small batches so they remain at the peak of freshness. Our blends make it easy for you to recreate your favorite restaurant and street-food dishes at home with quality ingredients you feel good about.

The short message: Distribution will start at 6 today instead of 5. Sorry about that.

The long message: The Golden Earthworm truck broke down about an hour and a half from Queens and had to be towed. The farm loaded the veggies to another truck and is on it’s way but will not get to Sunnyside until 6.

We will unload the truck as quickly as we can and get you on your way. We regret the inconvenience to you, especially to those who pick up at 5.

Welcome to the 2017 Summer Season! We could not be more excited for fresh veggies!

The veggie pickup for Thursday, June 1st will be at Sunnyside Community Services from 5-8pm. Here’s what you’ll be getting:

Mustard Greens Salad Mix – Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw in salad. When to use: Within 5 days.

Red Boston Lettuce – Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw in a salad. When to use: Within a week.

Green Boston Lettuce – Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw in a salad. When to use: Within a week.

Bunched Red Kale – Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw, Baked (Chips) Cooked (Best in Soups), Steamed, Smoothies or Juiced. When to use: Within a week

Baby Arugula – Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days.

Bok Choi – Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or cooked. When to use: Within 5 days.

Please note that any boxes not picked up by 8pm will be donated to SCS and items are subject to change.

In general, greens should be stored in an airtight plastic bag or container. They “go bad” when they dehydrate, so never put them straight in your fridge. If you find that they have gone “limp”, a tell-tale sigh of dehydration, you can try soaking them in a bowl of cold water for a period of time. Often they will perk right back up again!

For more tips, recipe ideas, and more information on this week’s produce, check out the Golden Earthworm blog. http://goldenearthworm.com/farmblog

Trip to the Farm

The annual CSA Fall Harvest Festival is this Sunday!!! Golden Earthworm will be hosting Walking Tours, Cooking Demos, Kids’ Activities, Local Food…and more!

Get all the details from the farm by clicking here!

ALL are welcome, but we are sharing a bus with our Astoria & LIC CSA partners, so PLEASE sign up because space is limited. The sign-up is primarily to gauge interest and help us organize- if you change your mind at the last minute and forgot to sign up, COME ANYWAY!

SIGN UP HERE!

Meet up is at 9am on Sunday, October 16 in the parking lot of the Food Bazaar supermarket on Northern Blvd. Check the sign up sheet for all the bus trip details!

Veggie Share

Pickup is today, October 13 at Sunnyside Community Services from 5-8pm.

Here’s what you’ll be getting in your box:

Arugula – Baby arugula for everyone this week! The leaves are extremely tender, so please wash gently and dress lightly so the flavor can shine!
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days.

Fennel – Back again for our fall harvest, fennel has a distinct flavor that mellows and practically disappears when cooked. It’s my favorite secret ingredient in soup – including tonight’s white bean and vegetable soup that the family can’t of… Here’s how to prep fennel.
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within a week.

Parsley – A must in soups, or try parsley pesto. My mom told me that you can pull off the leaves and place them directly in a ziplock bag in the freezer. This way, you can just pull out a handful of frozen leaves and throw them in your soups to brighten up flavors all winter. Genius!
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within a week or FREEZE.

Onions – Bring them on! I’m using up onions like crazy in all my fall soups!
Storage: In a dry, dark and cool place.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within a month.

Butternut Squash – One more week, and probably the last of the squash for the season. These butternuts should keep pretty well on your counter, but I usually bake them up in batches and scrape the flesh into ziplock bags to store in the freezer. Pull them out for soups and purees all winter long.
Storage: Winter squash should be stored at room temperature – and dry. Keep in paper bags or baskets out of direct sunlight and they will up to a month.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within a month.

Sweet Potatoes – The kids can’t get enough of these! You may notice some cosmetic skin damage – see photo below. The flesh inside is perfect, so just peel it off!
Storage: In a dry, dark and cool (NOT COLD) place – 55F-65F.
Uses: Cooked
When to use: Within 2 weeks.

Green Kale – Try this type steamed and then seasoned with fresh crushed garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil and umeboshi (ume plum) vinegar OR in place of the umeboshi, lemon juice & salt.
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within a week.

Lettuce – Either Red Boston or Red Batavian variety this week.
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days.

Please note that any boxes not picked up by 8pm will be donated to SCS and items are subject to change.

For more tips, recipe ideas, and more information on this week’s produce, check out the Golden Earthworm blog.

Fruit Share

Mixed bag of Bosc Pears, Empire & Red Delicious Apples

FRUIT SHARES ARE SEPARATE FROM VEGETABLE SHARES AND ARE NOT INCLUDED. Unless it says “FRUIT” next to your name on the check-in sheet, you have not signed up or paid for the fruit, so please DO NOT TAKE FRUIT.

Learn more about the fruit share by clicking on this link: http://goldenearthworm.com/fruit-shares

Veggie, Fruit and Lewis Waite pickup for Thursday, August 11 will be at Sunnyside Community Services from 5-8pm.

Here’s what you’ll be getting in your box:

Fresh, “New” Red Potatoes – These are freshly dug, beautiful new potatoes. You’ll notice that they cook much more quickly than potatoes you find in the store because they have a higher water content. If you boil them, check their tenderness with a knife every few minutes to avoid over-cooking. We noticed that some parts of the field had potatoes with some cosmetic skin blemishes (rough scab spots). These can be removed by peeling in those spots. But most of them look gorgeous, so no need to peel!
Storage: In a cool, DARK place. Do not store in plastic bags. Store in paper bags or loose. Uses: CookedWhen to use: Within 5 days. These won’t store well – use them right away!

Tomatoes – The red beefsteaks are coming in nicely!
Storage: On the counter until they are a deep red. At that point, eat them right away or if you must, put them in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/CookedWhen to use: Right away when deep red.

Red Long Onions – More of these beauties…great in salsa! If you want to save them to use later, just be sure to leave the stems attached and store somewhere cool and dry OR in the fridge. They need airflow or they will rot. Don’t expect them to last too long, but a few weeks is reasonable.
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/CookedWhen to use: Within 5 days.

Green Beans – Please note that these need to be refrigerated right away — you can store them in the bag they come in. Also be sure to wash them before cooking. These are super fresh and should be steamed gently for just a few minutes until fork tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK THEM or they will turn green-gray and taste mushy. Watch them carefully and check them every minute or two in the steamer. I love them steamed with butter (or olive oil) and a bit of salt, but there are lots of wonderful green bean recipes to try.
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: CookedWhen to use: Within 5 days.

Arugula – You’ll notice some cosmetic holes on the leaves from beetle damage when it was young – it looks a bit like Swiss Cheese! We considered not including it in this week’s share, but decided it would be a waste to turn it in since it tastes just fine! Ugly veg is still yummy veg, right?!
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Best RawWhen to use: Right away! Within 3 days.

Swiss Chard – The “summer green”…enjoy it now because the cooler weather greens will be back next month. Try this week’s recipe with tomatoes in a quick saute. Delish!
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within 5 days.

Zucchini or Summer Squash – We thought we had finished harvesting these last week, but there were a few more out in the field…consider this a bonus item.
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked, Baked When to use: Within 5 days.

Please note that any boxes not picked up by 8pm will be donated to SCS and items are subject to change.

For more tips, recipe ideas, and more information on this week’s produce, check out the Golden Earthworm blog.

FRUIT SHARE

1 bag of mixed Apples, Peaches & Donut Peaches

PROGRAM NOTE: The fruit farmer at Briermere Farms has notified us that the start date of the Fruit Share starts THIS WEEK, and will run for 15 consecutive weeks. Please mark your calendars accordingly! The following is a schedule of what you can expect:

August through mid-September : Peaches
September through November : Apples & Pears

FRUIT SHARES ARE SEPARATE FROM VEGETABLE SHARES AND ARE NOT INCLUDED. Unless it says “FRUIT” next to your name on the check-in sheet, you have not signed up or paid for the fruit, so please DO NOT TAKE FRUIT.

Learn more about the fruit share by clicking on this link: http://goldenearthworm.com/fruit-shares

Veggie and Lewis Waite pickup for Thursday, August 4 will be at Sunnyside Community Services from 5-8pm. Spice Tree Organics will also have a table this week.

Here’s what you’ll be getting in your box:

Tomatoes
Red Long Onions
Cabbage
Green Beans
Sweet Corn
Scallions
Zucchini

Please note that any boxes not picked up by 8pm will be donated to SCS and items are subject to change.

For more tips, recipe ideas, and more information on this week’s produce, check out the Golden Earthworm blog.

PROGRAM NOTE: The fruit farmer at Briermere Farms has notified us that the start date of the Fruit Share will be NEXT WEEK, August 8th, and will run for 15 consecutive weeks. Please mark your calendars accordingly!

FRUIT SHARES ARE SEPARATE FROM VEGETABLE SHARES AND ARE NOT INCLUDED. Unless it says “FRUIT” next to your name on the check-in sheet, you have not signed up or paid for the fruit, so please DO NOT TAKE FRUIT.

Learn more about the fruit share by clicking on this link: http://goldenearthworm.com/fruit-shares

Spice Tree Organics will be at pickup on Thursday, too! Check out their 14 varieties of organic spices, blended right here in Queens!

• NYC Halal Cart Chicken
• Middle Eastern Shawerma
• Beiruti Zaatar
• Lebanese Seven Spice
• Damascus Kofta
• Cairo Falafel
• Mecca Rice & Meat
• Athenian Gyro
• Tandoori Masala
• Garam Masala
• Chai Confection
• Mexico City Barbacoa
• Southwest Taco & Fajita
• Istanbuli Kofta

Spice Tree Organics was started by two health-conscious NYC moms with a passion for global cuisine. Our range of blends span the Middle East, India, Mexico, Greece and Turkey, and have been tried, tested, and perfected in our kitchens. We source the best quality certified organic spices, and hand grind them and blend them in small batches so they remain at the peak of freshness. Our blends make it easy for you to recreate your favorite restaurant and street-food dishes at home with quality ingredients you feel good about.

Veggie and Lewis Waite pickup for Thursday, July 14 will be at Sunnyside Community Services from 5-8pm.

Here’s what you’ll be getting in your box:

Batavian Lettuce
Carrots
Scallions
Parsley
Zucchini
Cucumber
Cipollini Onions

Please note that any boxes not picked up by 8pm will be donated to SCS and items are subject to change.

PROGRAM NOTE: The fruit farmer at Briermere Farms has notified us that the start date of the Fruit Share will be the week of August 8th and run for 15 consecutive weeks. Please mark your calendars accordingly!

For more tips, recipe ideas, and more information on this week’s produce, check out the Golden Earthworm blog.