Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #13

GEOF-tomatoes
Tomatoes image via GEOF

Golden Earthworm Veggie Share*
Tomatoes – 6 lb. bag
Yellow Potatoes – 1 quart
Zucchini – 2 pieces OR Sweet Dumpling/Acorn Squash – 2 pieces
Scallions – 1 bunch
Swiss Chard – 1 bunch
Green Bell Peppers – 2 pieces
Garlic – 1 piece
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week.

Fruit Share
Peaches – 1 bag
Mixed bag of Apples and Pears
Ripen peaches in a paper bag on the counter, then refrigerate.

Herb Share
Mint – 1 bunch
Oregano – 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:

STORAGE TIPS
In a bag in the fridge: Scallions, Eggplant
In the fridge: Peppers
On the counter: Spaghetti Squash, Tomatoes, Garlic
Cool, dark place: Potatoes

NOTES FROM GOLDEN EARTHWORM
Last week’s heat has helped the tomatoes turn a corner. We now have ample supply of tomatoes and hope to have at least 6lbs for everyone this week! The rest of the contents may be a bit mixed this week. We may not have enough eggplant, spaghetti squash or bell peppers for everyone this week but we’ll be sure to make it up in the weeks to come. Even the fruit share is likely to change as the week goes on, so please keep checking our newsletter for updates to this week’s share.

Also, if you are yearning for even more tomatoes, we do have some delicious seconds available. Keep in mind that they can only be picked up at the Jamesport farm location and/or our farmers markets. Please contact the farm for more information.

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
Romesco Sauce
Roasted Tomato Soup with Parmesan Wafers

Save the Date:
Golden Earthworm’s Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 20th
This year’s Harvest Festival promises to be a delicious and fun outing! If enough people are interested, we’ll organize a bus trip, as we did last year! Stay tuned for more info.
Save the date! October 20th ~ 11am-3pm

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #12

Sweet Dumpling Squash
Sweet Dumpling Squash image via GEOF

Golden Earthworm Veggie Share*
Acorn Squash – 1 piece
Sweet Dumpling Squash – 1 piece
Scallions – 1 bunch
Fennel – 2-3 pieces
Peppers – 2 pieces
Green Beans – 3/4 lb. bag
Cucumbers – 2 pieces
Tomatoes – 3 lb. bag
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week.

Fruit Share
TBD…

Herb Share
TBD…

Milk Not Jails
Dairy share pick up

Chef Demos are Back!
Have you been wondering how to use all those cucumbers we’ve received in the past two weeks? Wonder no more—CSA Chef demos return to this week‘s pickup! Chef Daphne will be on deck with some ideas for your share. Stop by for some yummy samples and tips between 5pm and 7pm.

A few friendly reminders & updates:

STORAGE TIPS
In a bag in the fridge: Scallions, Fennel and Green Beans
In the fridge: Cucumbers and Peppers
On the counter: Tomatoes, Acorn & Sweet Dumpling Squash ** see note below about squash!

NOTES FROM GOLDEN EARTHWORM
What a great share this week! **A quick note on the winter squash… They should be stored on the counter, but eaten within 1-2 days. We’ve had some disease issues with these plants and have noticed that many of the squash have been rotting prematurely. So be sure to eat them right away!

Baby farmer is just starting to eat solid foods and as of last night, his favorite is the sweet dumpling squash! I would have to agree—it is absolutely delicious! The best way to prepare the winter squash is to wash the skin well and cut in half lengthwise with a knife. Scoop the seeds out of each half and place face down in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of water. Bake, uncovered in a 350F oven until the flesh is soft. Depending on the size and variety, this takes anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

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!

Save the Date:
Golden Earthworm’s Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 20th
The farm has set the date for this year’s Harvest Festival, and though it’s not until October, we would like to start gauging member interest. We’ll have a signup sheet at this Thursday’s pickup, so if you’re interested in attending, be sure to put your name down- with enough member interest, we’ll organize a bus trip to the farm, as we did last year! Stay tuned for more trip info.

RECIPES FROM THE FARM
Fresh Tomato Sauce
Fennel with Olive Oil and Parmesan
Green Beans Braised with Tomatoes and Basil

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #10

cherry tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes! Image via GEOF

Golden Earthworm Veggie Share*
Scallions – 1 bunch
Swiss Chard – 1 bunch
Cucumbers – 4 pieces
Batavian Lettuce – 2 heads
Eggplant – 1 piece OR Green Frying Peppers – 3-4 pieces
Garlic – 1 head
Tomatoes – 1 red OR Cherry Tomatoes – .5 lb bag
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week.

Fruit Share
Yellow Peaches – 1 bag
Donut Peaches – 1 bag
Ripen peaches in a paper bag on the counter, then refrigerate.

Herb Share
Summer Savory
Oregano

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:

UPDATE: The farmers had intended for each box to contain a bunch of Purslane, but there will only be a handful of bunches available for our most passionate purslane fans—Please ask for it! Here’s what the famers have to say: “The purslane has developed a leaf spot (probably a nutrient deficiency of some kind) and we’ve decided to replace it with eggplant or peppers (long green frying peppers). However, we did pick some (37 bunches) anyway for your most ardent purslane fans. It will be a separate white crate.”

NOTES FROM GOLDEN EARTHWORM
Storage Tips
-In a bag in the fridge: Scallions, Swiss Chard, Lettuce, Purslane
-In the fridge: Cucumbers
-On the counter: Tomatoes, Garlic

This week’s share reflects the ongoing transition from mid-summer crops to late-summer produce; Tomatoes have started to come in, albeit slowly, and we have Cucumbers galore! The weather has been absolutely gorgeous and relatively cool, particularly in comparison to July’s heat and humidity, but the trade off is that crops like tomatoes are taking a long time to ripen. As a result, the contents of this week’s share may fluctuate more than usual – please be sure to check back frequently for updates! And don’t forget, if you do not receive an item this week, we will work hard to try to provide it for you in the weeks to come.

A few more specific notes about this week’s share: We continue to have plenty of Batavian Lettuce, Scallions, and Swiss Chard, which have all done very well this season. The cucumbers have really taken off in the past week, and you may notice that they’ve increased in size due to the recent rain we’ve had. The water also helps to make them crisp and crunchy! Purslane is new this week, and is a personal favorite for many of us here at the farm. We will continue to distribute Garlic periodically; it’s such a beautiful sight to see it hanging/drying from the rafters in our front barn and we’re just a little sad to see it come down (though we’re always happy to provide it to our members!). Finally, please be aware that many of the tomatoes have cracks or crevices. Much of this is directly attributable to the wet and cool period we had during pollination. They are still very tasty despite the occasional deformities, and we hope to have many more tomatoes in the coming weeks.

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
Purslane Salad
Cucumber Purslane Yogurt Salad

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #7

GEOF-parsley
Parsley. image via GEOF

Golden Earthworm Veggie Share*
Radicchio – 1 head
Cucumber – 1 pieces
Zucchini – 3 pieces
Scallions – 1 small head
Parsley – 1 bunch
Walla Walla Onions – 1 bunch
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week.

Fruit Share
Blackberries – 1/2 pint
Blueberries – 1 pint
(Please be sure to store your berries in the fridge!)

Herb share
Chives
Sage

Milk Not Jails
Dairy share pick up

A few friendly reminders & updates:

CSA BBQ on July 13th
Thank you for joining us for our annual cookout—what fun! Are you looking forward to the next CSA get-together? More CSA events coming soon! Contact us with pictures from the BBQ or suggestions/feedback for next time.

NOTES FROM GOLDEN EARTHWORM
I think it’s a good time to talk about veg storage—especially in this heat! As a general rule, veg should be kept cool or cold. It should not be left out on the counter or it will deteriorate very quickly. Remove the tops of the Carrots before storing them in the fridge in a plastic bag. Scallions should also be kept in a bag in the fridge. Cucumbers and Zucchini should be refrigerated as well, but they don’t need to be bagged. The Parsley is best stored in a bag in the fridge, or in a cup of water (standing up like a bouquet) in the fridge. You can revive limp greens of any kind by submerging the whole bunch in a large bowl of ice cold water for several minutes. The Walla Walla Onions are fresh (not cured) so they should be eaten soon and stored in the fridge. The onion greens should be removed. And finally, the berries in the fruit share are extremely perishable. They must be kept in the fridge and eaten with a day.

Our share this week is on the light side as we hit our annual July dip before the bulk of the summer harvest comes in. Perhaps this is perfectly convenient timing since who wants to cook in this heat? Farmer Matt wanted me to give you some more information about this dip in the quantity of produce in the shares…

We are just starting to harvest our cucumber crop, so the one piece this week is just a teaser of things to come. That said, about 30 percent of our cucumber and zucchini plantings were lost due to flooding in the heavy rains last month. As we mentioned in last week’s letter, our planting and cultivating schedules were set back from June 7th through 20th (typically a very busy planting time) because of the wet field conditions, so some of the crops that would usually be harvested this week are delayed. Good news is that we have a lot of beautiful crops coming your way shortly! These include more cucumbers, green beans, eggplant, bell peppers, several types of early potatoes, basil, garlic, red onions, red and cherry tomatoes and baby watermelons!

-Maggie

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
Pickled Cucumber
Spaghetti with Parsley Pesto
Caramelized Onion, Feta and Sage Pizza

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #3

GEOF-beets
Image via Golden Earthworm

Golden Earthworm Veggie Share*
Cilantro – 1 bunch
Escarole – 1 head
Purple Kohlrabi – 1 bunch
Romaine Lettuce – 1 head
Scallions – 1 bunch
Baby Arugula – 1 bag
Red Beets – 1 bunch
*Contents of the share may fluctuate over the week.

Milk Not Jails
Dairy share pick up

A few friendly reminders & updates:

Lewis Waite Farm CSA Extras
Deadlines to order your next delivery of Lewis Waite products start Friday, June 21st for delivery on Thursday, June 27th. Note the NEW ORDER DEADLINES. Please be sensitive to the busy farmers and order on time. Late orders may not be filled! Place your order now!

We *heart* Volunteers!
To keep the CSA running—and the fresh produce flowing—we need everyone’s help! VolunteerSpot hosts our new volunteer calendar. Once there, navigate through the CSA season and sign yourself up directly for your shifts. Please keep in mind that each share is required to complete 2 shifts over the course of the season. Read more…

NOTES FROM GOLDEN EARTHWORM
I’m loving the share this week! Escarole is one of my absolute favorites and it only comes around a few times each season. Be careful—it looks a lot like Romaine Lettuce, but it has frilly outer leaves and a white center. It’s a bitter green, so you have to know how to prepare it well. If you’re going to try it in a salad, I would stick to the inner leaves with the white stem. This part is more tender and less bitter. Save the outer leaves to cook. (Or you could cook the whole head.)

The Red Beets are small and incredibly sweet. The tops are not only edible, they’re delicious too! You can cook them like spinach—they’ll wilt down quickly in a pan with some olive oil and salt and pepper. I usually plop the beetroot in a pot of boiling water with the skins on and cook til knife tender. (Roasting them in the oven intensifies their flavor, but I opt to keep the oven off during the summer.) Once cooked and cooled, the skins will slip off easily.

Purple Kohlrabi is probably new to many of you. We like to call it the “Sputnik” veg because of its unusual shape. Peel the skin carefully and then you can slice raw in a salad or braise gently. I like its cabbage flavor raw in salads this time of year.  Scallions are great sliced and sprinkled on any salad and the baby Arugula practically melts in your mouth. Be sure not to dress with an overpowering dressing. A light coating of good quality olive oil, a splash of vinegar and some salt and pepper with bring out its peppery flavor nicely.

Finally, Cilantro! My love affair with this herb is well-known, and I can’t keep myself from adding it to every salad and bean dish (as well as chicken soup!). However, the recipe below for Halloumi with cilantro, lime and caper vinaigrette is the first recipe I make when the cilantro comes in from the fields. Halloumi is a greek cheese that doesn’t melt when cooked! You can find it at Whole Foods and some Trader Joe’s and I’ve even seen it at the local grocery after I pestered them about carrying it. The recipe calls for a sprinkling of cilantro, but I usually serve the cheese over a salad of equal parts arugula and cilantro.

Bon appetit, mes amis! – Maggie

U-PICK ORGANIC STRAWBERRIES
And finally, don’t miss out on Golden Earthworm’s pick your own strawberries! It’s likely only going to last one more weekend—this coming Friday, June 21st (10am to 6pm), and Saturday, June 22nd (9am to 5pm). PYO strawberries are $4.00 a qt for CSA members.

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 + READ MAGGIE’S FARM BLOG

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
Escarole and White Bean Salad with Fennel and Gruyere
Escarole and Pine Nuts
Kohlrabi Salad
Halloumi Cheese with Cilantro, Lime and Caper Vinaigrette

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #7

Veg Share
Zucchini – several pieces
Scallions – 1 bunch
Toscano Kale – 1 bunch
Green Swiss Chard – 1 bunch
Beets – 1 bunch
Carrots – 1 bunch
Parsley – 1 bunch
Batavian Lettuce – 2 heads

Fruit Share
Rhubarb
Blackberries

Herb Share
Thyme
Peppermint

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

Lewis Waite Farm CSA Extras
Pick up your Lewis Waite goodies today! Forgot to order? The next deadline is July 22nd for delivery on the 26th. By the way, orders for the next delivery will arrive just in time for the CSA Summer BBQ (July 28th)!

Reminder: Early bird signup for Winter Sun Farms’ winter shares continues online. The total price is $137. Read more and sign up online.

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #4

pea_cover
Pea cover crop (img via GEOF)

Veg Share
Kohlrabi – 1 piece
Fennel – 1 piece
Carrots – 1 bunch
Cilantro – 1 bunch
Escarole – 1 head
Scallions – 1 bunch
Arugula – 1 bag
Green Romaine Lettuce – 1 head
Green Boston Lettuce – 1 head

Fruit Share
Red Currants – 1 pint

Herb Share
Starts this week!!

Milk Not Jails Share
If you have a dairy share this season, remember it is a weekly share, so pick up your dairy today too!

Reminder: Early bird signup for Winter Sun Farms’ winter shares are *this Thursday (June 21st)!* Bring your checkbooks. The total price is $137. Read more and sign up (right now!) online.

Categories
*In the box

In the Box: Summer, Week #3

Veg Share
Baby Spinach – 1 bag
Scallions – 1 bunch
Toscano Kale – 1 bunch
Romaine OR Red Boston Lettuce – 1 head
Cilantro – 1 bunch
Red Beets – 1 bunch
Bok Choi -OR- Japanese Salad Turnips – 1 bunch

Fruit Share
TBD…

Lewis Waite Farm CSA Extras
Pick up your Lewis Waite extras today! Forgot to order? The next deadline is June 24th for delivery on the 28th.

Milk Not Jails Share
If you have a dairy share this season, remember it is a weekly share, so pick up your dairy today too!

Categories
Recipes

Kohlrabi, Carrot & Scallion Sautee Recipe

At the CSA board meeting this week, the conversation turned to kolhrabi (as is typical) as Jess told us about how a little fennel / kohlrabi mix up resulted in enjoying cooked kohlrabi for the first time. So it’s with perfect timing that CSA member, Sabrina, emailed us this quick recipe for sauteed kohlrabi.

If you have this root still lurking in your fridge (I admit, I do), give it a try.

Ingredients
1ts butter or grapeseed oil
2 bulbs of kohlrabi, peeled and sliced
3 carrots, peeled and cut into spears
3-4 scallions, sliced
Salt and Pepper

Method
1. Heat the butter or oil in a sautee or non-stick, add kohlrabi and carrots and saute for five minutes.

2. Add scallions and continue sauteeing until browned slightly.

3. Remove from heat, add salt & pepper to taste and enjoy!

** If you prefer softer veggies, add a small amount of water to de-glaze the pan, then cover and cook until desired consistancy.

Categories
Recipes

Zucchini Pancakes with Mint & Feta Cheese

Recipe via Joy of Cooking

Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds green or golden zucchini, shredded
salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 bunch scallions with 2-inch of green, slivered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (or 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

Method
1. Shred zucchini on the large holes of a grater or in a food processor. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

2. In a separate bowl mix together eggs, feta cheese, breadcrumbs, flour, scallions, garlic, parsley, mint, salt and pepper.

3. Quickly rinse the zucchini, then using your hands or a towel, squeeze out the excess liquid. Add to the batter.

4. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Drop in the batter, using 1/4 cup for a 4-inch griddle cake. Fry over medium heat until golden brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the second side. Keep the fried pancakes warm in the oven while you fry the remaining batter, adding more oil if needed.

Yield: approx. 19 pancakes (6 to 8 servings)