Farm Share Week 22 (Oct 30-Nov 1, 2013)

It’s here- the final week of Farm Share, accompanied by a rather conclusive frost. We experienced temperatures of minus 7 with clear skies, which spells doom for almost everything left in the field. Even the peppers and eggplants in the greenhouse hang their leaves in defeat. Two surprising survivors are parsley, which looks great save a few stems closest to the ground, and the carrot tops, which are still firm and green.

Call me crazy, but this heavy frost gives me a sense of relief from the very physical work of work out in the fields, which gets less appealing as the cold temperatures and fewer hours of sunlight discourage your muscles from cooperating. I wonder- do Canadians have a lower economic output in the winter, because between the cold and dark it sure seems like our beds try to keep us a little longer. I think us Canadians are a hardy bunch in that we do carry on. Maybe we just need some peppy music, a strong cup of java, and some hearty, nutritious meals to fuel us!

Half Shares

• Black kale (remember, it makes a great addition to pastas, soups or eggs, or even raw, massaged with olive oil and tossed with lemon juice, salt, pepper and yeast nutrition flakes- thank you Lyne 😉
• Baby bokchoy (also stellar in salad or chicken soup)
• Red swiss chard
• Pepper squash (see recipe below)
• Red beets (see recipe below)
• Carrots
• Green cabbage
• Leeks
• Parsley
• Jerusalem artichokes (see recipe below)

Whole Shares

• Black kale (remember, it makes a great addition to pastas, soups or eggs, or even raw, massaged with olive oil and tossed with lemon juice, salt, pepper and yeast nutrition flakes- thank you Lyne 😉
• Baby bokchoy (also stellar in salad or chicken soup)
• Red swiss chard
• Pepper squash (see recipe below)
• Red beets (see recipe below)
• Carrots
• Green cabbage
• Leeks
• Parsley
• Jerusalem artichokes
• Honeycrisp apples
• Garlic chives
• Red radish
• Green peppers
• Celery root (probably the ugliest of veggies, but it is adds great celery flavor to taco meat, soups and stews without overpowering the other flavours)

 

Recipes

 

Dairy-Free Jerusalem Artichoke Shepherd’s Pie (my own concoction, so feel free to modify the quantities at your discretion)

(Can be modified to be vegetarian as well). A good option for helping a meat-and-potatoes family consume embrace Jerusalem artichokes.

Ingredients

• 1lb. ground meat or meat substitute
• ½ lb. celery root
• ½ cup beef or vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. Montreal steak spice seasoning (garlic, salt and pepper)
• 1 lb. Jerusalem artichokes, washed
• ½ lb. potatoes, peeled
• 1 cup or more rice or almond/coconut milk
• 1 tbsp. olive/canola oil
• 2 cups frozen peas (I cheated on this one)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat meat on medium in medium sized skillet until lightly browned, Add celery root and Montreal steak spice and, add broth and sautee until celery root is soft. Place in bottom of deep casserole dish (I used 8 in. round CorningWare dish that’s about 3 in. deep.)
2. Meanwhile, boil medium-sized pot with lightly salted water. Wash Jerusalem artichokes (no need to peel), chop coarsely if desired. Peel and cut medium-sized potatoes into quarters. Add Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes to boiling water and cook until tender. Drain and add 1 cup rice milk or more, a dash of salt and pepper and 1 tbsp. oil and mix with hang mixer until desired consistency.
3. Layer frozen peas over the meat mixture. Then place artichoke mixture overtop and smooth out. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes, until heated through.

 

Roasted Winter Vegetable Medley with Goat Cheese

I brought this one to a pot luck when I was short on time and came home with an empty dish- victory! Maybe this will help me get over my fear of pot-lucks. 😉

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized pepper squash, peeled and chopped into 1-1 ½” cubes
• 1 bunch of beet roots, peeled and chopped into 1-1 1/2’” cubes
• Yellow-flesh potatoes, cut into 1-1 1/2” cubes (or sub in carrots or Jerusalem artichokes for those who don’t eat potatoes)
• 1-2 tbsp. olive oil (or enough to coat)
• 150g crumbled goat feta (I used Woolwich Dairy that comes in a brick form)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: fresh parsley to garnish

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and peel squash and beets. Chop them along with potatoes and place in casserole dish. Add olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with goat feta.
2. Cover dish (I used a 9×13” glass dish) with tin foil and bake for approximately 1 hour or until veggies are tender when pierced with fork. Enjoy! Makes 6-8 servings.

 

Quick Indian-Style Spinach and Chickpeas

Fellow farm-sharer Keren sent me this recipe. Sounds like the perfect thing to gets some greens into my son. I think I may try it with black kale until we have spinach again.

http://onehungrymama.com/2011/09/recipe-winning-quick-indian-style-spinach-and-chickpeas/

Ingredients

• 2 10-ounce packages frozen spinach, defrosted (scratch that- use fresh or try black kale)
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1/2-3/4 teaspoons minced (or grated) fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
• Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Combine spinach (don’t include any water that’s drained out of the spinach, but you don’t need to squeeze the spinach either) and your preferred broth in a powerful blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Set spinach puree aside.

2. Heat butter in a medium pan over medium-low heat. As soon as it melts, add the ginger (1/2 teaspoon for a more mild ginger flavor; I use 3/4 teaspoon for a stronger flavor) and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garam masala, cumin, coriander and curry powder. Toast the spices for 3-4 minutes, until they are fragrant and take on a deep color. If the garlic begins to brown or the spices darken quickly, lower your heat. This is a gentle process to ensure that your ground spices release their oils and keep from imparting a powdery flavor. (This dish will taste significantly better when made with fresh spices.)

3. Add spinach puree to the pan, along with the lemon juice. Cook for about a minute, to bring the flavors together, then add the chickpeas. Continue cooking until the chickpeas are heated through and all of the watery liquid cooks down leaving a puree (with a consistency like baby food). Add more broth if you end up needing to make adjustments to the consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Suggestion: serve with rice.

*Note: Be sure to mash or puree the chickpeas into the spinach for babies not yet managing larger chunks.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Farm Share customers like you are amazing because they…

1. Really, truly believe in local, organic food.
2. Value freshness and taste over cookie-cutter veggies.
3. Experiment with new varieties and get creative in the kitchen for their good health.
4. Reduce food waste and the use of fossil fuels and thus have itty, bitty, carbon footprints.
5. Support Organics for Orphans- an organization which brings self-sufficiency and amazing, nutrient-dense organic foods to some of the most vulnerable people in the most impoverished nations.

http://www.organics4orphans.org/

1. Remind me with their enthusiasm of why I keep farming and connecting families like yours to our tasty veggies.

So thank you, thank you, thank you. You have eaten your way to a positive change this season. May you be blessed with great health to enjoy your every day with the people you love.

Farm Share Week 21 (Oct 23-25, 2013)

This is the second-last week of farm share, and the last week for some of you with biweekly boxes. It’s hard to believe another season is over, but admittedly my motivation go harvest out in the fields cools off with my frozen toes. On a warmer note, this week’s bin is just crying out for some good soups. I believe everything in your box would be delightful in one of 3 soup ideas listed below. This week there are some back to back frosts happening, so the fields are pretty much empty now, save a few frost-hardy crops. Delightfully, there are still many different items available and I didn’t have a need to desperately hoard things to have enough for your last few boxes. This time of year I get very possessive of everything grown on the farm that’s in limited quantity. I don’t want to end up giving you 3 types of kale in your box at once, and I won’t need to. Phew!

Perhaps you are eager to pick out your own comfort food staples from the grocery store after a season of creatively cooking the farm-fresh variety we sent your way. For those faced with a limited organic selection (especially in Durham), one of the farm’s owners, Ted has opened up Teddy’s Organic Market in downtown Uxbridge, (www.teddysorganicmarket.com). Those of you from urban areas still wanting home delivery and as much of local produce as you can get through the winter and spring may wish to check out https://toronto.greenearthorganics.com . I have long wanted to create a winter share myself, but desiring to put my best into both home and work life means keeping farm share seasonal for now.

 

Half Shares

• red swiss chard

• green kale

• jerusalem artichokes (not sure about this new tuber? Learn to love it for all the good stuff in it- see a nutrition profile here on this iron and potassium powerhouse http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2456/2 ). Mash it together with mashed potatoes for an easy nutrition boost. No need to peel the skin, just wash well). I’ve even eaten mine in a twist on shepherd’s pie.

• Buttercup, butternut or delicata squash

• carrots

• red beets

• garlic chives

• red radish

• celery

• green peppers

Whole Share

• red swiss chard

• green kale

• jerusalem artichokes (not sure about this new tuber? Learn to love it for all the good stuff in it- see a nutrition profile here on this iron and potassium powerhouse http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2456/2 ). Mash it together with mashed potatoes for an easy nutrition boost. No need to peel the skin, just wash well). I’ve even eaten mine in a twist on shepherd’s pie.

• Buttercup, butternut or delicata squash

• carrots

• red beets

• garlic chives

• red radish

• celery

• green peppers

• red cabbage

• leeks

• baby bokchoy

• eggplant

• coloured peppers

 

Recipes

This one’s been circulating around facebook and it made me happy to see a recipe with in-season produce! From www.mindbodygreen.com

Harvest Minestrone With Quinoa and Kale

Ingredients

• 1 sweet onion (or sub one leek- save greens of leek and add later in cooking)

• 2 celery stalks

• 3 carrots, finely diced

• 2 tbsp. Olive oil (or enough to cover the bottom of the pot)

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 cups fresh zucchini (sub for chopped radish)

• 2 cups green beans- cut in 1 in. pieces

• 1 bell pepper- medium diced

• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes

• 2 28oz cans water

• 1 15oz can chickpeas

• 1 cup quinoa

• 2 cups kale, stems removed

• 1 tsp. Turmeric (or to taste)

• pinch of red pepper flakes

• salt and pepper to taste

• garnish with parmesan to taste and chopped garlic chives

Directions

1. Place a large stockpot over medium heat heat and add onions, carrot and celery. Cook for about 5 mins or until softened. Add the garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 min or until garlic begins to colour.

2. Add the zucchini and green beans, season with salt and pepper, add the turmeric, stir and cook for about 3 mins. Add the tomatoes and water, raise heat to high and bring to a boil.

3. Lower the heat to medium-low and allow the soup to gently boil uncovered for 20 mins. Add quinoa and cover for 15 mins. Remove the cover, add kale and canned beans (more water if needed), bring back to a gentle boil and cook for another 5 minutes or until the kale is tender.

4. Grate the parmesan, add garlic chives and serve (or do in individual servings).

 

Creamy Dairy-Free Jerusalem Artichoke and Leek Soup

An easy and amicable soup that eats a potato soup’s heart out nutrition-wise.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. Coconut oil

• 2 tsp. Chopped garlic

• 1 medium leek, chopped with greens separated from whites

• 1 lb. Jerusalem artichokes (scrubbed, not peeled, sliced ¼ in. thick)

• 3 cups chicken stock (or 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup plain unsweetened milk alternative)

• salt and pepper

• 1 tsp. Chopped garlic chives

Directions

1. Melt the oil in a medium-sized saucepan over high heat, add garlic and leek whites and cook until soft, about 2 mins. Add jerusalem artichokes and sautee about 2 mins. Add stock and leeks and simmer until chokes are tender. Add milk substitute (if using) and bring back to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Puree in blender until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve (I never remembered doing this and it tasted fine to me). Keep warm. Sprinkle with chive and serve.

 

Enjoy your last (or almost last) taste of this year’s harvest! 

Farm Share Week 20 (Oct 16-18, 2013)

Well, I think it is officially cold season. Many viruses have been shared among my family and friends but my little family has escaped with a couple days of very mild symptoms. Thinking of the veggies in your farm shares this week- kale, brussels sprouts, bok choy and sweet peppers, it is interesting to note what nutritional superstars they are for their abundance of vitamins and minerals, especially much-needed vitamin C. I see it as a heaven-sent blessing that such veggies would come ready just as the temperatures dip and our immune systems come under fire. So eat up and arm your body to fight off those germs. Also, remember this is no time to cheat on your sleep. Cheat- and you will be caught…by a bug! (Or so my experience warns).

Half Share

• red or green leaf lettuce (probably the last week- it is still coming out of the fields!

• Snow or sugar snap peas (totally an unexpected blessing given the frosts we have had)

• white bok choy

• black kale (aka dinasaur kale)

• savoy cabbage

• brussels sprouts (the jingle-bell like stalks- see below for recipe ideas)

  or jerusalem artichokes

• rainbow carrots

• red radish (leaves are edible also)

• pepper squash

• 2lb beets

Whole Share

• red or green leaf lettuce (probably the last week- it is still coming out of the fields!

• Snow or sugar snap peas (totally an unexpected blessing given the frosts we have had)

• white bok choy

• black kale (aka dinasaur kale)

• savoy cabbage

• brussels sprouts (the jingle-bell like stalks- see below for recipe ideas)

  or jerusalem artichokes

• rainbow carrots

• red radish (leaves are edible also)

• pepper squash

• 2lb beets

• rainbow swiss chard

• leeks

• green beans

• eggplant

• fennel

Brussels Sprouts- 2 Ways: One may be slightly healthier than the other….hmmm

Can I just recommend not overcooking. I think many of us think we hate them because we`ve only ever eaten them previously frozen and cooked until colourless. They`re actually nice raw.

 

1. Bacon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

   One of my staff told me about an idea that had her teenage relatives fighting each other for seconds. She baked them in the oven till tender-crisp, with lightly pre-cooked bacon (1/3 of a pound for an 8×8 dish full) and Parmesan cheese on top.

    

2. Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad as recommended by fellow farm sharer Petra from www.epicurious.com

   Ingredients

• 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1 tbsp dijon mustard

• 1/2 tbsp. Minced shallot

• 1/2 small garlic clove, finely grated

• 1/8 tsp. Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

• black pepper to taste

• 1 bunch kale

• 6 oz. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded with a knife

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

• ¼ cup almonds, coarsely chopped

• ½ cup finely grated Pecorino

Directions

1. Combine lemon juice, dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

2. Measure ½ cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 tbsp. Oil from cup into small skillet; heat oil over med high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir until golden brown in spots, 2 mins. Transfer nuts to paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.

3. Slowly stir remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with almonds.

 

Here`s hoping your immune systems are armed and ready for victory!

Farm Share Week 19 (Oct 9-11, 2013) Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone:

Slowly I’m feeling for you who have food allergies or children with them. Never before was I aware. We went to a birthday party where my poor toddler son had to watch all the other kids eat pizza while he munched on snack foods. He has snuck forbidden foods when I turn my head for a second, or from relatives that are equally oblivious to the presence of gluten and milk in virtually everything prepackaged. I think the new dietary restrictions may be helping, though it’s early to tell. Eating well is sure not about instant results. At least I have a fresh start with my two young kids- as many of you do. I’m already noticing the benefit of an added sensitivity to others’ dietary needs. Now I can offer guests alternatives and leave the welcome mat open a little wider.

I hope everyone feasts this weekend with gratitude for the abundance we all enjoy and the others around your table. When you’re doing dishes for a gazillion people, grab a partner, reminisce a little, and remember, each dish represents someone dear to you whose company you have for another year.

Half Share

• spinach

• chinese cabbage

• pumpkin

• pepper or delicata squash

• assorted sweet peppers

• assorted beans

• sage (great for adding savory flavour to stuffing)

• carrots

• radish

• green leaf lettuce

Whole Share

• spinach

• chinese cabbage

• pumpkin

• pepper or delicata squash

• assorted sweet peppers

• assorted beans

• sage (great for adding savory flavour to stuffing or roasted veggies- see recipe below)

• carrots

• radish

• green leaf lettuce

• rainbow carrots

• garlic chives

• eggplant

• green kale

• grape tomatoes or cucumbers

• red beets

• sugar snap or snow peas

Recipes

Spicy Asian Slaw With Napa Cabbage from http://www.cookincanuck.com

A twist on classic slaw- could be tasty on a leftover turkey sandwich, too!

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. Rice vinegar

• 2 tsp. Sugar

• 1 tsp. Peeled and grated fresh ginger

• 1 tbsp. Sesame oil

• 1 tbsp. Canola oil

• ½ tsp. Grated lime zest

• 1 tbsp. Lime juice

• ½ serrano chile, seeded with membranes removed (or dial it down with sweet pepper), and finely chopped

• 1 small napa cabbage (1 ½ lbs), halved lengthwise, cored, and cut crosswise into ½ inch slices

• 1 ½ cups grated carrots

• 4 scallions, sliced

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, ginger, sesame oil, canola oil, lime zest, lime juice and chile. Set aside.

2. Separate the cabbage leaves into a large bowl, add carrots, scallions and cilantro, and toss well.

3. Pour the dressing into the cabbage mixture and toss again. Let stand for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Serves 4-6

Have a blessed Thanksgiving with those you love!

Farm Share Week 18 (Oct 2-4, 2013)

 

So this week I am joining you in the challenging endevour of eating both dairy and gluten-free. We saw a 4^th year student at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (where we have quite a few wonderful Farm Share customers) overseen by a licensed practitioner at a fee that was so reasonable I ran out of excuses not to go. She suspects a food allergy in my 2 ½ year old son, so we are plunging into the world of gluten and dairy-free eating, a world that shuns most traditional packed products (almost all of which contain gluten and dairy in some form). I am not one to embrace convenience foods, but I think making flavourful sauces and replacing our beloved cheese will be the greatest area of challenge. I am re-learning to make all those classics that my family loves. My husband and I agree that this is a good thing for all of us, who consume far too many of these products anyway.

 

To top it off, I finally viewed the documentary Food Matters, and was struck by how a diet with a majority of cooked food vs. raw foods causes your body to produce white bloods cells in droves, as if it is fighting a foreign invader or illness! I cant say that Im eating mostly raw, and my friends think I’m the healthy-eating one. How did our culture get so far off the mark in what we eat? I am eating some humble pie here- some humble dairy-free, gluten-free, raw pie, that is.

 

Half Shares

 

• red swiss chard

• green peppers

• honeycrisp apples (yay! Please excuse some spots- apples are very hard to grow organically and I sent the best ones in the orchard. The taste is awesome!)

• eggplant or zucchini

• green cabbage

• butternut squash

• green or yellow beans (we took a gamble and looks like we have beans in October…weird but wonderful)

• green leaf lettuce

• rainbow carrots

• parsley

•  

 

Whole Shares

 

• red swiss chard

• green peppers

• honeycrisp apples (yay! Please excuse some spots- apples are very hard to grow organically and I sent the best ones in the orchard. The taste is awesome!)

• eggplant

• green cabbage

• butternut squash

• green or yellow beans (we took a gamble and looks like we have beans in October…weird but wonderful)

• green leaf lettuce

• rainbow carrots

• parsley

• red kale

• red leaf lettuce

• grape tomatoes

• radish

• cilantro

• zucchini

 

 

 

Raw Food Green Bean Salad (www.vegetarian.about.com)

 

Ingredients

 

• 2 cups green beans, sliced into ¼ inch pieces

• 1 cup shredded peeled carrot (pick any or all colours!)

• 2 tbsp. Diced leek, green onion whites or red onion

• 1 tbsp. + fresh parsley or coriander

• 2 tbsp. Cold-pressed olive oil

• 1 ½ tsp. Grated ginger (if desired)

 

Directions

 

1. Slice beans, shred carrots, chop onions and herbs. Add olive oil and mix, mix mix. I would think some quality time in the fridge might make it more flavourful. The recipe recommends 20 mins to let the flavours combine. Also, lemon juice or lime juice could add a little something.

 

Have fun discovering new ways to be good to your body! P.S. I’d love some comments about how you eat gluten or dairy free and love it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farm Share Week 17 (Sept 25-27, 2013)

Welcome to fall!

We’ve had a brisk start to the week but some lovely 20-degree highs complete with sunshine are in the forecast. That’s some ideal fall growing weather! It’s also Organic Week, a time to celebrate all things organic. How do you plan to celebrate? With 2 small children, I can’t see myself traveling to a special event, but I think I can use one of the most powerful tools for change in our possession- our wallets. See, we can talk about organics, which is good, but purchasing organics shows that we value ecologically-produced items enough to purchase them, even if it costs us extra. Changing to everything organic may be a daunting task for you, and so it is for most of us. Why not make a small change in the right direction? You are clearly supporting organic by investing in a Farm Share.

What`s next?

Try purchasing something new organically that you have always purchased conventionally before. I find organic yogurt is pretty affordable, for instance. I can buy the Saugeen County brand, a whole litre tub, for $4, or just over. Also, you could ditch some chemical cleaning products. Vinegar really does work so well, and heated and combined with Dawn dish soap it makes a great tub cleaner. Baking soda and water works great on electric stove tops. This is one area where your disdain for chemicals will actually save you money (money that can help you purchase organic food ;). I am dying to try making my own dishwasher pucks or detergent. See this link for a recipe: http://thethriftycouple.com/2013/03/26/homemade-natural-dishwasher-detergent-easy-effective-healthy-and-only-05-per-load/

So, on to the veggie line-up. It`s stunningly colourful this week!

Half

• rainbow carrots (they`re finally here!)

• red beets

• pepper squash

• red cabbage

• red radish

• baby bokchoy

• red leaf lettuce

• grape tomatoes (from the greenhouse, all other tomatoes bit the dust with frost)

• assorted sweet bell and sheppard peppers

• sweet corn (grown by Kawartha Organics, Mennonite growers in Lindsay. Normally everything is grown by us but this week I was having a tough time getting all the items I needed and we had an abundance of local, organic corn)

Whole

• rainbow carrots (they`re finally here!)

• red beets

• pepper squash

• red cabbage

• red radish

• baby bokchoy

• red leaf lettuce

• grape tomatoes (from the greenhouse, all other tomatoes bit the dust with frost)

• assorted sweet bell and sheppard peppers

• sweet corn (grown by Kawartha Organics, Mennonite growers in Lindsay. Normally everything is grown by us but this week I was having a tough time getting all the items I needed and we had an abundance of local, organic corn)

• fennel

• celery

• cilantro

• green leaf lettuce

• red swiss chard

• green bell peppers

Recipes:

Are last week`s turnips still hanging out in your fridge? One of the hardworking staff packing your box suggests mashing it with beets to offset the bitter taste.

Turnip-Beet Mash

Directions

1. Roast beets with tops removed for 45 mins in the oven. Remove skins from cooked beets. Meanwhile, remove tops from turnips, clean, peel and chop and boil until tender. Mash beets and turnip together and season to taste. Experiment with different amounts of beet and turnip to see what you like best.

Hope you enjoy this week`s harvest!

 

 

Farm Share Week 16 (Sept 18-20, 2013)

First frost of the season. It came rather early this year. We farmers watch the forecast with holy fear, playing a game of odds as we decide when to spring into action to defend our crops. Many things affect a frost other than temperature. Even temperatures above zero can cause burning out in the fields, especially on a clear, windless night. Monday night was a flurry of activity- harvesting all the squash and carrots we could get our hands on, covering eggplants and peppers in fabric forming mini greenhouse shelters, and turning on sprinklers in the wee hours of the morning. Most things seemed to have escaped harm, but that late crop of peas we hoped to harvest soon may never be.

 

Even the weeds can sometimes shelter plants. I feel rather satisfied as I harvest some green onions among weeds that have been charred by the frost. The bugs begin to die down, gratefully, aside from the friendly abundance of flies that seek shelter indoors. Root veggies like carrots and parsnips, as well as apples, fill up with sweet sugars in response to the chill. It’s a mixed blessing, something powerful and uncontrollable like a wave of the sea, propelling forward the one who is positioned well, and capsizing the one that is not.

 

Our adorably sized butternut squash testify to the way climate can vary the produce. Last year the same squash were too large to sell to retailers and ended up being sold cheaply to be pureed for baby food. This year the gap between the last frost of the spring and the first one of the fall was uncomfortably narrow. But still, some things grew beautifully and us farmers are nothing if not adaptable. I love this country and it’s worth living here, short growing season and all, to enjoy the freedoms we take as givens.

 

Half Share

• Turnips (yes, these ones have the bulbs also)
• Carrots
• Butternut squash
• Eggplant
• Campari tomatoes
• Watermelon or cantaloupe
• Collard greens: try sautéing with a little garlic, bacon and chicken stock: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kickin-collard-greens/
• Green kale
• Romaine lettuce
• Assorted sweet Sheppard and bell peppers (despite the shape, none of these are at all hot!)

Whole Share

• Turnips (yes, these ones have the bulbs also)
• Carrots
• Butternut squash
• Eggplant
• Campari tomatoes
• Watermelon or cantaloupe
• Collard greens: try sautéing with a little garlic, bacon and chicken stock: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kickin-collard-greens/
• Green kale
• Romaine lettuce
• Assorted sweet Sheppard and bell peppers (despite the shape, none of these are at all hot!)
• Green peppers
• Saladette tomatoes
• Green onions
• Parsley
• Green cabbage

 

Hope you enjoy your veggies this week. I am stoked to have some sweet peppers!

Farm Share Week 15 (Sept 11-13, 2013)

Phew! So summer’s having a little comeback this week. I hope you are enjoying the sun while we have it.

Half Share

• Spinach
• Beefsteak or Campari tomatoes
• Carrots
• Red beets
• Savoy cabbage
• Red or green scallions
• Green peppers
• Zucchini (yellow or green)
• Turnip greens or green kale
• eggplant

Whole Share

• Spinach
• Beefsteak or Campari tomatoes
• Carrots
• Red beets
• Savoy cabbage
• Red or green scallions
• Green peppers
• Zucchini (yellow or green)
• Turnip greens
• Eggplant
• Campari tomatoes
• Black or green kale
• Spaghetti squash
• Red sheppard or yellow bell peppers
• Cantaloupe
• Green leaf lettuce
• Strawberries or apples
• Leeks or garlic

 

This week I wanted to give you some ideas of how to use all of your veggies for the week, based on some of the tasty meals I’ve made with our veggies lately. I do not follow any specific diet except for the more veggies and unprocessed foods, the better, but I think most of these ideas could be adapted to vegetarian or gluten-free diets.

Monday:

Roasted chicken (legs and wings) and roasted veggies (beets, carrots, potatoes or squash). Roast whole chicken and save the breasts for tomorrow.

Tuesday:

Spinach, chicken, avocado and strawberry salad with mango chipotle dressing. A five-minute meal if you pre-roasted the chicken!

Wednesday:

Eggplant Parmesan with turnip green and beet green salad

Thursday:

Sweet and Sour Chicken (green peppers, carrot, cabbage and scallions)

Friday:

Burgers with tomato (reg or veggie) with savoy cabbage salad (carrot, savoy cabbage)

Saturday:

Fish filets and zucchini fries

Sunday:

Ground chicken chili (green peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, scallion) with cheese, plain yogurt, and scallions to garnish.

 

Hope these ideas get the wheels in your head turning. Here’s a tip if you are overwhelmed with tomatoes. Wash and put in the freezer in a bag, and simply pull out and use in your cooking later. I made a large watermelon and a few very ripe bananas into juice by throwing it all into a blender, doing a quick blend, seeds and all, and simply straining out the seeds and pulp. I also froze some juice for popsicles for my son.

Farm Share Week 14 (Sept 4-6, 2013)

Happy back to school everyone! I’m going to keep it brief but meaningful this week.

Half Shares
• Spinach
• Eggplant (or zucchini)
• Buttercup squash
• Grape tomatoes (great for lunches)
• Romaine lettuce
• Mini red romaine lettuce (a bonus item as it’s teeny)
• Carrots
• Parsley (if you are adventurous, you may want to try making tabouleh)
• Chinese cabbage (tasty in stir-fries and soups)
• Raddichio/chicory/turnips/turnip greens
• Cantaloupe/watermelon

Whole Shares
• Spinach
• Eggplant (or zucchini)
• Buttercup squash
• Grape tomatoes (great for lunches)
• Romaine lettuce
• Mini red romaine lettuce (a bonus item as it’s teeny)
• Carrots
• Parsley (if you are adventurous, you may want to try making tabouleh)
• Chinese cabbage (tasty in stir-fries and soups)
• Raddichio/chicory/turnips/turnip greens
• Cantaloupe/watermelon
• Field tomatoes
• Radish
• Red swiss chard
• Rhubarb
• Zucchini
• Green peppers
• Beets

And a few ideas for you….

Stuck with zucchini you don’t know what to do with. Try slicing and using the zucchini instead of crust (could work for eggplant also, though you might want to salt the slices and let them sit to reduce bitterness)

Overwhelmed with another watermelon? It makes wonderful juice or smoothies, or can be paired with feta and fresh mint for a delicious salad.

I’m about to try a spinach, tomato and quinoa frittata tonight. Feel free to add your own recipes in the comments sections.

Jennifer

Farm Share Week 13 (Aug 28-30, 2013)

Summer returns! Hopefully the rain doesn’t dominate the long weekend and we can squeeze some more sunshine out of summer. The thing I am most excited about this week is honey crisp apples- just for the whole shares for now. They should sweeten up more once we get a good frost, but the trees were bowing under the weight of the apples and some were beginning to fall. This is the best crop I have seen so far and anything seems like abundance after last year. There might be a couple spots on your apples but I picked the best ones for you and did a lot of taste-testing to make sure they would be enjoyed. Apples are near the top of the “dirty dozen” list, a list of the most sprayed fruits and veggies. If you see a little white residue on your apples, it is not a chemical spray- don’t be alarmed. We sprayed the apples with clay to create a physical barrier to the bugs and end up with nicer apples. We tried to get it all off but it just might need another rinse. The honey crisps are my absolute favourite type of apple because of their crispyness- a nice apple to munch as is instead of the softer ones that are ideal for baking. Hope you enjoy. There are more apples to come for you half sharers.

Also, we have some lovely spinach (our spinach crop was not going well at all before now, so I am stoked!) which I’m sure you will enjoy. See below for a recipe that uses 3 of the items below, requires no cooking, and is a crowd-pleaser!

Half Shares

• field tomatoes

• campari tomatoes

• green or burgundy beans

• green peppers

• watermelon

• cucumber

• red leaf lettuce

• spinach (woo hoo!)

• green onions

• carrots

Whole Shares

• field tomatoes

• campari tomatoes

• green or burgundy beans

• green peppers

• watermelon

• cucumber

• red leaf lettuce

• spinach (woo hoo!)

• green onions

• carrots

• saladette tomatoes

• eggplant

• red beets

• chinese cabbage

• red romaine or green leaf lettuce

• green kale

• honey crisp apples

• garlic chives

Easy Fresh Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

• 9 campari tomatoes

• 1 extra small green pepper

• 1 green onion

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/8 cup fresh cilantro (parsley or basil would also work)

• 1 ½ tbsp. Fresh lemon or lime juice

• fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

• dash cayenne powder

Directions

1. Dice tomatoes, green pepper and green onion. Mince garlic and finely chop cilantro.

2. Add dash cayenne, along with freshly ground pepper and salt. Let flavours combine for at least one hour.

3. Serve with whole grain tortilla chips or as a topping for bruchetta.

 

May you savour healthy, organic foods and the company of family and friends this weekend.