2019 CSA Share ~ Week #5
“Better than any argument is to rise at dawn and pick dew-wet red berries in a cup“-Wendell Berry
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:
It’s Blueberry time once again!! We’re excited to have Blueberries in your boxes soon. You are also welcome to order 10# bulk flats of Blueberries! We will have them for 2 consecutive weeks. We’ll need to have your order in by Wednesday, July 17th for the July 23rd week of delivery, and by Wednesday, July 24th for the July 30th week of delivery We will only have the Blueberries available during this time frame, so get your order in as soon as you can. The price for the flat will be $50. We will bring them to your delivery location, labeled with your name. If you are a Half Share member, be sure to order them the week that you are receiving a share!
WHAT’S IN YOUR SHARE THIS WEEK:
- Lacinato Kale
- Lettuce
- Beets
- Green Onions
- Carrots
- Strawberries
- Broccoli
- Spinach
SOME SITES ONLY:
- Basil
RECIPES:
Roasted Beets & Carrots with Miso-Yogurt
Kale Goat Cheese & Bow Tie Pasta
Szechuan Noodles with Sesame Oil
Chalk it up to my California roots, but kale is my favorite vegetable. It’s so reliable and versatile, I find I am constantly searching for it in my fridge! One of the best things about farmers’ being on the internet is there are so many seasonal recipes online. Tumbleweed Farm is a local organic farm near Mt Hood in Oregon that runs a great blog with delicious recipes that feature lots of veggies that we grow at Winter Green. Here is one of my all time favorite kale salads that she features:
Tumbleweed Farms’ Favorite Kale Salad (mine too):
- 1 large bunch of kale, washed and torn into bite size pieces (remove some of the large tough stems)
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos (or low sodium soy sauce or tamari)
- 1 tablespoon water (plus more to thin if needed)
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 avocado, diced
- 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- sea salt
PREPARATION:
- In a large bowl use your hands to lightly massage the raw kale for a few seconds.
- Using an immersion blender or small food processor puree the garlic, tahini, vinegar, lemon juice, coconut aminos, water and nutritional yeast until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
- Pour half of the dressing into the bowl with the kale and use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves. Add the diced avocado, toasted sesame seeds, pine nuts and a sprinkle of sea salt. Divide between plates and drizzle with additional dressing
Beets! Beets are so versatile and can be used for a variety of things; roasted, raw, juiced…options are endless. Keep fresh in your fridge, to keep them fresher for longer remove the beets from the greens and place the beets in a crisper or bag, they will store great for quit awhile! But don’t throw out the greens! Sauté them up similar to chard, they have an awesome sweet earthy taste to them.
Everyone’s favorite snack, carrots- seperate the carrots from the greens to keep them fresh for longer. You can use the greens in stir frys, pestos, and salads. or give them to your compost or chickens! This time of year the sugar content in these guys are so high, they are delicious raw! No need to peel these guys, the skin is thin and delicate and has lots of nutrients hidden in them.
While some of you will be receiving Red Oak Leaf lettuce today, others will be receiving this Frilly Romaine. This hardy lettuce variety really stands up in a salad, with crisp, but tender sweet leaves. Do I see a Caesar salad in your future? No matter which variety of lettuce you receive today, you have the fixings for a great salad tonight!
Green onions are a great addition to salads, stir fries and as a garnish for a variety of dishes. They last quite a long time in the fridge and add a sweet oniony flavor to any recipe. You can use the bulb end and all of the greens as well. Delicious!
FARMER PROFILE:
One of the best things about working on the farm (aside from the beauty, veggies, and dogs) are the people! Winter Green Farm is home to a great crew this year, and we have lots of new faces, as well as some who have been here for quite awhile. While doing these farm introductions, you may recognize some folks that aren’t “new”, but still deserve a refresher.
Farmer Jesse! This is Jesse’s fourth season on the farm, and she is an integral part of the crew. Hailing from the waves of Hawaii, Jesse made her way to Oregon to attend college and has stayed ever since. She is a first generation farmer, as the owner of Salty Dog Farm. She grows specialized summer crops with an emphasis on pickling cucumbers. She is passionate about regenerative agriculture, tasty veggies, and embracing the farm lifestyle. When she isn’t working hard in the fields, she enjoys playing soccer and spending time with her pup, Leroy. Jesse also leads up our King farmers’ market every Sunday in Portland. If you’re in that neighborhood, go say hi!
Farms, like most communities, would not exist without hard working crew members. Farmers work long hours, sacrifice their social life and sleep to provide nourishing food for our communities. We’ll be highlighting every crew member this season in the blog so we can learn a little about our farmers and feel connected to those that feed us! Maybe when you dive into your box these upcoming weeks, you’ll have some faces to match to the veggies…. Enjoy your box this week and happy cooking!
Hayley and the all Winter Green Farmers