Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #9

GEOF onions
Onions. Image via GEOF

Golden Earthworm Veggie Share*
Parsley – 1 bunch
Baby Watermelon – 1 piece
Cucumbers – 1-2 pieces
Batavian Lettuce – 2 heads
Basil – 1 bunch
Red Onions – 1 bunch
Red or Yellow Potatoes – 1 quart
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week.

Fruit Share
White Peaches – 1 bag
(Ripen peaches in a paper bag on the counter, then refrigerate)

Herb Share
TBD…

Milk Not Jails
Dairy share pick up

A few friendly reminders & updates:

NOTES FROM THE GOLDEN EARTHWORM FARMHOUSE KITCHEN
Storage Tips
-In a bag in the fridge: Parsley, Lettuce, Basil
-In the fridge: Cucumbers, Watermelon, Red Onions
-In a cool, dark place: Potatoes (and eat within the week!)

The salsa verde recipe below is a wonderfully versatile relish that you can toss with boiled Potatoes (my favorite) or used as a spread on sandwiches, with eggs, tossed in beans, or a thousand other ways. You can make it with any assortment of green herbs, and this week’s Parsley and Basil would be a perfect combination! I’ve been making a simple Cucumber and Red Onion salad every few days since the cukes first started coming in from the field. Sometimes I add smashed garlic and ginger or chopped mint, but a basic mix of sliced cukes, sliced red onion, a splash of red wine vinegar and olive oil and salt & pepper to taste is my starting point. We’re hoping to harvest enough Watermelons for everyone this week, but there may be a few groups who don’t receive them. If that’s the case, don’t worry! We’ll be sending you some at a later date.

Bon appetit! -Maggie

A NOTE FROM GOLDEN EARTHWORM FARM
After farmer Matt’s long newsletter last week, I’ll keep this short and sweet! We’re enjoying the more seasonable temperatures this week and our greenhouses are once again buzzing with activity. We’re getting all of our fall and winter transplant crops seeded into trays that will be transplanted out into the fields in another month or so.

A Note About the Melons…
Our harvests are yielding some beautiful summer crops, including watermelons for most members this week. Be sure to refrigerate them immediate and eat them right away. Our melons don’t usually travel too well and if you find that yours has split, check inside to see if it is still ok – and if it is – eat it! Slight cracks to the rind are mostly cosmetic and don’t effect the flesh. (In past years some members tossed their melons because of a split rind without checking inside to see if it was still good. We don’t grow enough melons to replace many, so please be sure that you’re not throwing out a perfectly good melon!)  Of course if your melon has spoiled, please let us know!

CONNECT WITH YOUR FARM
Golden Earthworm welcomes you to explore their website to learn more about our farm and the wonderful things you can do with your weekly share.

+ FIND RECIPES 
+ VEGETABLE INFO & STORAGE TIPS

If you have questions or concerns about your share, please do not hesitate to contact the farm. That is one of the benefits of knowing where your food comes from!

RECIPES FROM THE FARM
Potatoes with Olives, Feta & Mint
Tzatziki
Salsa Verde 

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #8

GEOF potatoes
Potatoes! Image via GEOF

Golden Earthworm Veggie Share*
Zucchini – 3 pieces
Swiss Chard – 1 bunch
Red Batavian Lettuce – 1 head
Green Batavian Lettuce – 1 head
Green Cabbage – 1 head
Cucumbers – 4-5 pieces
Baby Red Potatoes – 1 quart
Garlic – 1 small head
Basil – 1 bunch
Onion – 1 bunch
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week.

Fruit Share
Peaches – 1 bag
(Ripen peaches in a paper bag on the counter, then refrigerate)
Blueberries – 1 pint
(Store in the refrigerator)

Herb Share
Orange Mint – 1 bunch
Marjoram – 1 bunch

Milk Not Jails
Dairy share pick up

Lewis Waite Farm CSA Extras
If you ordered, pick up your LWF items

A few friendly reminders & updates:

NOTES FROM GOLDEN EARTHWORM
Everyone seemed to find last week’s storage tips helpful, so I’ll try to include them in each newsletter from now on. All greens – Swiss Chard, Lettuce and the Green Cabbage should be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge. The Basil can be stored this way for a day, but if you want it to last longer its stems should be put in a glass (bouquet style) standing up in the fridge. The Cucumbers should be stored in the fridge, as should the Onion and the Potatoes, which are freshly harvested and will not store well in this heat. The garlic is fresh, so its skin has not fully dried out. This is a special hard-neck variety not found in stores. It is worth its weight in gold! We don’t grow much since the organic seed is very hard to come by in quantity, so savor it! It can sit on your counter for a week or so, but I would highly recommend using it with the basil for a delicious pesto! (Recipe below) I use pesto on pasta or as a spread on crostini or crackers as an appetizer.

Bon appetit! -Maggie

A NOTE FROM YOUR FARMER
After a couple of lackluster weeks of harvests for the CSA boxes we have a lovely assortment of new crops to harvest and send out this week. At these times we get the feeling that some of our members think were playing a trick or game and hiding all our extra special delicious crops somewhere. It may be hard to believe, but even with our 70+ acres in production for CSA, it is possible to have very, very little to harvest at a particular point during the year. Almost always this is due to lengthy periods of excessively wet field conditions.

Climatic conditions from June 7 through June 19th prevented us from working in the fields doing any kind of tillage, planting, weeding, fertilizing, etc. Most vegetable production is fairly complex, but growing for CSA is extra complex and demanding because of the need to continuously harvest and deliver a well balanced, diverse assortment of produce. With great weather this is already a significant challenge. With extended disruptions to planting and general field work it is not possible to come through with the intended crops at the desired time, thus leading to potential dissatisfaction when you pick up your shares.

We always plan to plant a certain quantity of crops which relates to the number of members we anticipate signing up. What we actually harvest is a result of various things, but the largest deciding factor of what ends up in your CSA box is the WEATHER! For people whose daily lives are relatively unaffected by weather, this may seem mind boggling that the darn weather affects their CSA share.

Farmers and field workers are intrinsically linked to the daily weather and how it affects them. In April and part of May we long for the awful Long Island wind to stop blowing from the East or the North, so we and the plants can thaw out. In the summer it’s such a rare treat to have a nice cool moist Easterly breeze, or a crisp North wind like we had this past Sunday. This past week we were lucky enough to enjoy high humidity and temperatures in the mid 90’s and the searing sun for more than 10 hours a day!!! But luckily there was a nice breeze for part of it. Talk about things that slow down production! Yes, the farm keeps on rolling, just a little slower.

Which brings me to the main theme of last week… irrigation. That is about all I did last week – the whole week- plus a little tractor work. I think it’s been 3-4 weeks with no rain and the unirrigated parts of the farm are either dust or completely dried out vegetation. With heat like last week all of our crops need loads of water, so that’s what we must provide. Luckily we can, and we managed to do it.

We irrigate with aluminum pipes with sprinklers that are hand moved from section to section, and also with a fair amount of drip hoses on crops like tomatoes and cucumbers.  As you will see in your shares this week the cucumbers are very happy with the heat and the water they get from their drip lines. Now that we have watered the crops we need to start watering the other sections of the farm so we can prepare for our late summer and fall plantings.

We appreciate your patience as we deal with the various weather issues that have affected the farm. We would also like everyone to share in the excitement of looking forward to the best months of the CSA season…coming soon! As always, everyone at the farm works diligently to uphold our end of the CSA relationship by growing as much high quality, nutritious, organic produce as we can. We also hope to bring some joy to your lives as we share this unique experience.

Happy Eating from our family to yours…

-Farmer Matt

CONNECT WITH YOUR FARM
Golden Earthworm welcomes you to explore their website to learn more about our farm and the wonderful things you can do with your weekly share.

+ FIND RECIPES
 + VEGETABLE INFO & STORAGE TIPS

If you have questions or concerns about your share, please do not hesitate to contact the farm. That is one of the benefits of knowing where your food comes from!

RECIPES FROM THE FARM
Fresh Pesto (for pasta)
New Potatoes with Pesto and Parmesan
Coleslaw with Yoghurt Dressing

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #13

Veg Share*
Green Beans – .75 lb bag
Sungold Cherry Tomatoes – 1 quart
Spaghetti Squash – 1 piece
Yellow Onions – 3-4 pieces
Chioggia Beets – 1 bunch without tops
Red Tomatoes – 6 lb bag – WOW!
Basil – 1 bunch
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week

Fruit Share
Peaches – 1 bag
Ginger Gold Apples – 1 bag

Herb Share
Oregano
Parsley

Milk Not Jails Dairy Share
Dairy share pick up is weekly. Don’t forget your milk!

Lewis Waite Farm CSA Extras
Pick up your Lewis Waite extras today! Forgot to order? The next deadline is September 2nd for delivery on the 6th.

A few friendly reminders & updates:

Tomato Shares, Available Now! ORDER NOW for delivery this Thursday
Tomato shares are ready for this Thursday! Shares are $35 for 20 lbs. of plum canning/sauce tomatoes. Please deal with Golden Earthworm Farm directly—READ MORE HERE.

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #11

Tomato Shares are IN! See details below for ordering instructions.

Veg Share*
Swiss Chard – 1 bunch
Red Potatoes – 3 lb bag
Cucumbers – 3-4 pieces
Genovese Basil – 1 bunch
Green Cabbage – 1 head
Fresh Yellow Onions – 1 bunch
Baby Watermelon -OR- Sungold Cherry Tomatoes AND Green Beans – 1 piece or a mixed bag
Red Tomatoes – 3 lb
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week

Fruit Share
A mixed bag of Yellow and White Peaches

Herb Share
Rosemary
Garlic Chives

Milk Not Jails Dairy Share
Dairy share pick up is weekly. Don’t forget your milk!

Lewis Waite Farm CSA Extras
Pick up your Lewis Waite extras today! Forgot to order? The next deadline is August 19th for delivery on the 23rd.

Tomato Shares, Available Now! ~ ORDER NOW for delivery this Thursday
We just got word from our farmers, tomato shares ready for this Thursday! Shares are $35 for 20 lbs. of plum canning/sauce tomatoes. Please deal with Golden Earthworm Farm directly—READ MORE HERE.

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #9

GEOF-watermelon
Hot weather is ripening mid-summer crops—expect these guys soon! (image via GEOF)

Veg Share*
Zucchini – several pieces
Cucumbers – several pieces
Green Cabbage – 1 head
Walla Walla Onions – 1 bunch
Asian Eggplant – 1 small piece (see note below)
Bell Pepper – 1 piece
Green Long Peppers – 3 pieces
Red Potatoes – 1 quart
Basil OR Chives – 1 bunch
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week

Fruit Share
UFO Peaches – 1 bag
Yellow Peaches -1 bag

Herb Share
Orange Mint
Tarragon
(Everyone always asks what to do with the orange mint. GEOF recommends making tea or chopping and sprinkling on top of fruit!)

Milk Not Jails Dairy Share
Dairy share pick up is weekly. Don’t forget your milk!

Lewis Waite Farm CSA Extras
Pick up your Lewis Waite extras today! Forgot to order? The next deadline is August 5th for delivery on the 9th.

Friendly Reminders

CSA BBQ *This Saturday* July 28th, 4pm
Join your fellow CSA’ers for an evening barbeque at Sunnyside Gardens Park! Bring your friends and family, grilling items and a dish to share. Please RSVP by July 25th.

Winter Veg & Fruit Shares via Winter Sun Farms
Early bird signup for the Winter Sun Farms 2012-13 winter share season continues online. The total price is $137. Read more and sign up online.

Categories
Recipes

Shrimp and White Bean Pasta


This adapted Michael Chiarello recipe is, as my husband puts it, a great mid-week dinner. -Jessica

Ingredients
8-10 (or more if you feel like it) raw deviened shrimp
2 chopped garlic clove
1/2 med. onion chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
3/4 can of white beans drained and rinsed (or use dried and soaked)
olive oil
1-2 tablespoons lime juice
crushed hot red pepper
salt
black pepper
fresh whole basil leaves
fresh parsley
hot cooked pasta ( I made with whole wheat cork screws) to serve 4
Parmesan (optional)

Method
1. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in pan on medium heat. You want enough that the whole pan is covered well. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and then put in pan and cook thru, turning frequently for about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and put aside.

2. Sometime before or after the shrimp are cooked put beans in bowl with some water and a little oil and microwave (probably about 1 minute and 30 seconds) till hot and set aside was well.

3. Throw onions and garlic in same pan with oil you cooked shrimp in and saute till almost soft.

4. Add cherry tomatoes, crushed red pepper, lemon/lime juice, salt and pepper to taste, basil and saute for a couple minutes.

5. Add warm beans and mix briefly on heat.

6. Pour over hot pasta, adding shrimp and toss together.

7. Sprinkle with parsley and cheese (if you dare to break Italian tradition and put cheese on a seafood pasta dish) and serve!

Categories
Recipes

Basil Dill Slaw

recipe & image via AllRecipes


Ingredients
6 cups shredded cabbage
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1/3 as much dried basil
3 tablespoons snipped fresh dill, divided
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Method
1. In a serving bowl, combine the cabbage, basil and dill.

2. In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients until blended. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss to coat.

3. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Categories
Recipes

Corn & Tomato Salad

recipe and image via Sunset


I have not made this exact recipe, but Mamma’s in the East Village used to make something similar that I LOVED. The goat cheese and corn wins every time! – Jessica

You can make this salad (through step 2) up to 4 hours ahead; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature to serve. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 10 oz.), halved if larger than 3/4 inch
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 ounces fresh chèvre (goat) cheese, crumbled

Method
1. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir onion in olive oil until limp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add corn and stir often just until tender to bite, 5 to 6 minutes.

2. Pour mixture into a wide serving bowl and stir in tomatoes, basil, and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Sprinkle goat cheese over salad; serve warm or at room temperature.

Cutting kernels: An average ear of corn weighs from 10 to 14 ounces and yields about 1 cup of kernels. To remove them, with a large, sharp knife, cut off and discard the stem end of each ear down to the beginning of the kernels. Pull off and discard the husks and silks; rinse ears. Holding each ear upright, shear off the kernels close to the cob.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Categories
Recipes

Quinoa with Basil & Poached Egg


This is a pretty effortless recipe. Perfect for summer days when you don’t feel like firing up the oven. I used red quinoa, because I love how it looks, but any quinoa would do. I’ve served this both cold and warm and always over a bed of arugula.

Ingredients
1 cup dried quinoa
lots of basil (feel free to use additional herbs, such as mint or parsley or cilantro)
3 scallions
4 eggs
1 T olive or sesame oil + 2 ts oil
1 ts vinegar (I use rice)
black pepper
coarse salt

Method
1. Cook the quinoa (Put 1.5 cups of water + 1 cup dry quinoa, bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes).

2. Chop and slice the scallions and herbs.

3. Once quinoa is cooked, remove from heat and add basil, scallions, 1 T sesame or oil, some black pepper and mix well.

In the meantime, poach your eggs. Don’t be scared! It’s simple.
1.  Bring water to boil.

2. Add 1 ts vinegar

3. Reduce heat to simmer. 

4. Crack eggs into measuring cups, then slide them out of cups into simmering water. (They will look ghostly and disgusting.)

5. Kill the heat and cover the pot.

6. After 4 minutes, remove eggs with a slotted spoon.

Top the quinoa with dash of salt, a drizzle of oil and a poached egg.

Categories
What the veg?

Basil

Recipes