CSA Week #7

July 23, 2013

Image

  • Carrots
  • Beets
  • Lettuce
  • Collards
  • Sweet onion
  • Zucchini
  • Pesto

Some sites only:

  • Cauliflower
  • Eggplant
  • Tomatoes
  • Cucumbers
  • Strawberries

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

You will all be getting PESTO in your box this week! We make the pesto right on the farm, in our certified processing kitchen, from basil that we grow on the farm and harvest the morning we process. We are excited to be sharing it with you this year! The pesto is a frozen product so you will find it at each drop-off site in a CSA bin full of ice. Please only take ONE per share. If you share your box on-site with another, you will need to split up the container, so plan accordingly.  Try to get to your site as soon as you can to pick it up and get it back home!

ImageIn other announcements, we would like to remind you that if you have any business matters, or important questions pertaining to your CSA experience, please contact the farm via the office phone number: 541-935-1920, or email [email protected]. We will be able to get back to you quicker through those avenues, then with the blog or facebook. Thank you for your understanding!

ImageThe boxes are looking full and beautiful this week. The warm weather crops are starting to make more appearances in your boxes, but it will still be a surprise as to which of these vegetables you will be receiving, as these harvests come on slow. The strawberries are slowly starting to ripen again, and we are picking the entire patch for the CSA these next few weeks to make sure you all get a share of the berry harvest. We are dividing it up between drop-off sites and keeping good records to make sure it is all divided fairly.

Image

Recipes:

Steamed Collards with Lemon Balm Cream

From: Farmer John’s Cookbook, The Real Dirt on Vegetables

  • 1 pound Collard Greens, stems removed and discarded, sliced crosswise into ½-inch strips
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon balm
  •  1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Place the chopped collards in a steamer basket over 1 ½ inches boiling water, cover, and steam until just tender about 20 minutes or longer depending on the thickness of the leaves.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and stir it in to form a thick paste. Stir in ¼ cup of the cream, then gradually add the rest of the cream, stirring it in thoroughly, so that the mixture slowly changes from a thick to a thin, runny sauce.

3. Stir in the lemon balm and add salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until thick again. Remove the skillet from heat.

4. Pour the sauce over the collards; toss to coat well.

Top Five Ways to Use Pesto by Linda Larson, about.com guide

Parmesan Encrusted Zucchini from Kalyn’s Kitchen

ImageVegetable Storage and Preparation tips:

CUCUMBERS: Cucumbers are best when eaten fresh, but will keep for up to a week in a drawer of your refrigerator.  Cut or peeled cucumbers will stay fresh for only a few days. Wash cucumbers well before using. Peeling is optional for organic cucumbers. Try peeling skins in alternating strips for a decorative effect. Cut into spears and serve with dip, put slices on sandwiches, or marinate slices for cold cucumber salad.

This Week’s “Meet Your Farmer!”

ImageI would like to introduce you all to Kevin Melia. This is Kevin’s fourth season at Winter Green Farm. He worked his first three seasons in our pesto-processing kitchen, and this year he is working full time on the crew as well as working in our pesto kitchen. He was born and raised in Eugene and comes to us with previous farming experiences. He “WWOOFed” (the acronym stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) in Huelo, Maui for three months, worked for Tell Tale Farm in Eugene, and also took two Permaculture courses at Aprovecho in Cottage Grove, Oregon. When asked why he loves farming he wrote, “I love to be outside and to be with plants and animals, which helps make farming feel good to me.”

Here is how Kevin answered some of the questions on our “Meet Your Farmer” questionnaire:

What are your hobbies/interests?

I love to be in the forest, Bryce Creek is one of my favorite places right now. I like to learn about wild edibles, and to cook and play music with friends and family.

What is your favorite vegetable and your favorite way to prepare it?

My favorite veggie changes hourly. However, lately I’ve loved zucchini. I like slicing it no more than a centimeter thick, oiling and seasoning it, then baking or Barbequing. They turn into something like a zucchini chip and have been much appreciated by others and myself.

If you have worked on a farm before, what is your favorite job?

I love making the pesto because of how much I love the product. That is saying something because seldom do I prefer to be indoors. The pesto is loaded with basil and top-notch ingredients. I love to load it on the bread of a sandwich or burger, but mostly use it as a chip dip (it’s also great on quesadillas).

If you could meet anyone from the past or present who would it be?

I’m going to go with Rumi or Sasquatch.

Read any good books lately? What are you reading right now?

I’m reading multiple books right now. One of which is by Susan Cain called, Quiet: The Power of Introverts In a World That Can’t Stop Talking. I highly recommend it.  

Who is someone who has inspired you in your life?

Family, friends, and many random people I’ve met along the way

What music are you listening to right now? Who is on your playlist?

I’m listening to Mamuse, Brooks Robertson, Jim Croce, and loving Lake Street Dives version of “I want you back.”

We would like to thank Kevin for all his hard work on the farm, we are lucky to have him!

May you all have a great week and enjoy the bounty of the farm!

-Sara