Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 2: June 19, 2008
To return to the 2008 Harvest Guide page, click here
Greetings, Spoutwood Farm friends!
Welcome to the second week of the 2008 Community Supported Agriculture season, here at Spoutwood Farm! There is a saying in this region that most of you will know: “if you don’t like the weather, just wait a little while, it’ll change.” And that has certainly been the case this week, with summer-like highs and spring-like lows in temperature, not to mention sporadic storms. But it’s all part of keeping life interesting, and so far, our vegetables continue to grow at a healthy pace (as do the weeds, of course, but that too is part of farming life).
This perhaps goes without saying, but it’s worth mentioning anyway: Spoutwood Farm is proud to provide its shareholders with delicious, fresh, local, and natural vegetables. This means that the veggies you pick up from us may not always look exactly like the ones you might obtain at the supermarket, from conventional growers. Those vegetables are selected for their “shelf appeal,” protected from bugs with dangerous chemicals, misted with water as they sit on the shelf, and sometimes even waxed to enhance their appearance. Ours are selected for flavor and nutrition, protected as best we can from bugs by hard-working apprentices, and never cosmetically modified.
One result is that you may occasionally find Spoutwood produce that is slightly wilted (from being in a bin or bag), has holes in the leaves, or you might even get the added “protein bonus” (tongue firmly in cheek!) of a bug or slug. Wilted greens, lettuces, etc., can be easily revived by placing them in a bowl or pan of cold water for an hour or two, sometimes even 30 minutes will do the trick. They will be as fresh, crisp, and lovely as when they first came out of the field, with no loss of nutrients! Sometimes leaves may exhibit holes chewed by insects who like our produce as much as we do. This does not detract from the veggy’s food value, either. Just rinse your produce thoroughly, and then eat around the holes.
Your best defense against slugs and bugs is vigilance: knowing they might be there, and looking for them carefully. They aren’t harmful (to humans, although too many of them can kill the plant), they just need to be removed: humanely, if you have the heart for it, or else consigned to wherever it is that pest¬iferous bugs go, when their time on earth is through! Vegetables that are going to be cooked later can be soaked in salted water for an hour or so before cooking, and then rinsed carefully, to take care of any possible bug or slug problems. Again: these kinds of issues are part and parcel of a method of farming which strives to be as natural and “organic” as possible. If you’re a shareholder with us, that means you care about not putting chemicals onto the crops that can get into our bodies. The result may sometimes be produce that may not “look” as good as conventional produce in the supermarket. But ours is richer in flavor and nutrition, and supports the health of the land, a local farm (Spoutwood!), and local communities (including our CSA community). Like much else in life, it’s all about priorities…
Even this early in the season, we face the challenge of both bugs and weeds. To combat the former, especially on our hard-hit cole crops, we’ve applied BT (bacillus thurigensius), an approved organic biocontrol which attacks the larvae of cabbage white moths - the dreaded cabbage worms. To combat weeds, hand weeding and mulching is the natural solution. We’re deeply grateful for those wonderful share¬holders who’ve come out help us with these necessary tasks. If you’d like to join our “Weed Warriors,” please contact us at our e-mail address, spoutwood_csa@yahoo.com. We check this address regularly, so don’t hesitate to be in touch.
Please feel free to also drop us a line if you discover a new recipe, have any cooking tips, or would like to share your favorite way to eat the veggies from our harvest - email us and we’ll share with everyone else! Again, that address is: spoutwood_csa@yahoo.com. As the old commercial used to say, “please make a note of it.” Thanks!
Peas: A plethora of Sugar Snap Peas today! The entire thing is edible (pod and all). Enjoy these delicious peas in stir fries, sautéed with butter, or just simply nibble on these delicacies raw!
Lettuce: Pick from a variety of five different lettuce varieties to delight your taste-buds! Lettuce will require some sorting and washing, although we’ve made an effort to remove the most blatant weeds and clumps of compost-rich Spoutwood soil. Excellent for salads, sandwiches, and more.
Mustard Greens: A Southern favorite, these bitey, tangy greens are a “pot-herb” that can be eaten alone or in combination with other leafy greens (of which we have several this week). Typically cooked (boiled or steamed, perhaps stir-fried), they can also be added sparingly to salads. Rob likes them in sandwiches with peanut butter!
Bok Choi: Also known as pak choi, “white vegetable” to the Chinese, bok choi is an Asian green related to Chinese cabbage. Excellent as the basis of stir-fries (which might also include snap peas), or added to soups, bok choi is high in vitamins A and C and calcium, and low in calories.
Green Onions: Green onions and radishes are two classic vegetable signs for spring for me (Tom), and this week we have both. Enjoy our robust green onions raw with (or without) a little salt, or slice them up and add them to salads, soups, omelets, quiche, or anything you like. Don’t forget the flavorful and colorful green tops!
Radishes: Our variety is called “Easter Egg,” and these bracingly tangy root vegetables are available in a variety of colors – red, purple, and white. Once again, enjoy raw with a little salt, or slice into salads. Radish greens are edible, tasty, and nutritious! Try them in salads or stir-fries. Our Vegetable of the Week this week!
Swiss Chard: This delicious, attractive, and nutritious large-leafed plant is our main leafy green (or as they used to call them, “pot-herb”) for the week. May have white (Fordhook Giant) or colored (Brightlights) stems. More delicate (and faster-cooking) than kale, use as you would spinach or another green. May be blanched or sautéed lightly and layered with parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese and baked en casserole for a lovely gratin. Also delicious in quiche, with or without the addition of spring onions or mushrooms.
Kohlrabi: Dubbed “the Sputnik plant” by one of our previous apprentices for the antenna-like look of its leaves springing from the rounded body of the vegetable, kohlrabi is another wonderful veggie in the cruciferous (cabbage) family. Kohlrabi may be added raw to salads (or become the basis of a slaw), steamed, stir-fried, or added to soups. It can also be boiled and mashed with potatoes, or even fried. Versatile and delicious, if a bit odd to the eye!
Garlic Scapes: Our Vegetable of the Week for this week, garlic scapes are the “stem” of the garlic, the part which would eventually flower if allowed. To prevent that, and direct the energy of the plant toward growing the cloves, we snip the scapes, which are delicious in stir-fries, soups, sparingly in salads, or even in pesto. Zesty, garlicky, and good for you, too!
Mint: One of the most useful and flavorful herbs, mint makes a wonderful tea, or a sauce to be enjoyed with lamb. Its leaves can be torn into tabouleh salad, and a single leaf, chewed, makes a simple drink of water more refreshing. This variety is apple mint, which used to be called simply “tea” by country folk.
Oregano: Best known for its association with Italian cuisine, oregano is popular in many Mediterran¬ean dishes, and in Mexican cookery as well. Oregano is also a potent anti-oxidant, and its oil has anti-bacterial properties. Please note that cooking requires twice as much fresh as it would dried herbs! So if the recipe called for half a teaspoon of dried oregano, you’d need a full teaspoon of fresh.
Flowers: Our bouquet this week features wild asters, flowering lavender, and several native grasses.
Bread: For those who purchased bread shares, today’s selection from Atwaters is a delicious Sesame Wheat. The perfect side to your salad of fresh Spoutwood greens, spring onions, and radishes!
Other Add-Ons: Spoutwood aims to become your “one-stop shop” for fresh, local, natural foods! If you would like to partake of an add-on share, including bread from Atwaters, meat, dairy, and eggs from Breakaway Farms, or cheese from Farmstead Fresh, we have extended the registration period by one month (until July 1st), at full price. After that, you’ll have to wait until next year! If you do want to add one of these shares, please contact us at spoutwood_csa@yahoo.com.
Garlic Scape Pesto with Pine Nuts
½ lb garlic scapes
½ cup pine nuts
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (may substitue asiago or romano cheese)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
In a food processor combine the scapes and pine nuts, pulse to chop into a rough paste. Add cheese and pulse. With processor running, drizzle in just enough olive oil to achieve moist spreading consistency. Taste for salt and add some sea salt if necessary. It depends on the saltiness of the cheese.
Possible additions: 1/2 C fresh herbs – parsley, dill, or cilantro, or an equivalent amount of spinach or arugula. Place in processor with scapes and pine nuts.
“Greensgal” on The Omnivore’s Solution website says,
“Our very favorite omelet is folded over a ribbon of this pesto – yum! We also eat it plain as a spread on crunchy bread or crackers. It can be used to season steamed vegetables, a topping for brown rice, or as an addition to potato salad for a mild garlic flavor. Stir some into vegetable soups as a garnish and flavor enhancer. This freezes amazingly well and keeps many months in the freezer.”
For another approach to Garlic Scape Pesto:
Garlic Scape Pesto with Lime Juice
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (may substitute lemon juice)
½ lb of scapes
Salt to taste
Puree scapes and olive oil in food processor until smooth. Stir in Parmesan and lime (or lemon) juice. Salt to taste. Serve on bread, crackers or pasta.
Garlic Scape Frittata
1/4-cup hot water
4 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1-1/2 cups chopped garlic scapes
Salt & pepper
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Place garlic and scallions in a 10" skillet with 1 tsp. oil, 1/4-cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook covered over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well. Beat eggs with salt and pepper. Add remaining oil to skillet. When oil is hot, shake skillet to spread greens evenly, add eggs. Cover and cook over medium low heat until top is set (2-3 minutes). Serve hot or warm, cut into wedges. Serves two.
Garlic Scape Soup
(This soup enhances the delicate garlic-asparagus flavor of the scapes. You may use the flower as well.)
3 cups garlic spears, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 cups chicken broth (or use vegetable broth)
1 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the garlic spears and the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until vegetables are soft. Add the thyme at the end. In food processor, pureé the vegetables and add stock as needed to make a smooth paste. In saucepan, heat the vegetable mixture and add the remaining chicken (or vegetable) broth. Bring to a simmer and add the cream. Adjust the seasoning. Serves 4.
Bean Burritos w/Green Onions & Garlic Scapes
Six small or four large soft tortillas
1 16 oz can refried beans
1 15.5 oz can salsa
1 10.25 oz can olives, with liquid
2 cups fresh corn, sliced from cob (or use frozen)
three small green onions, chopped
1-3 garlic scapes, chopped (to taste - more = stronger garlic flavor)
spices to taste
Sautee green onions and garlic scapes on medium heat in butter until slightly brown. Add beans, salsa, olives, corn, onions and spices. Let simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Serve burrito-style in tortillas.
Sauteed Garlic Scapes
Cut scapes into green bean size pieces. Sauté them in butter and a little salt for six to eight minutes, or until tender but still bright green. During the last minute of cooking add a splash of balsamic vinegar to taste. Serve hot.
Lemon Scented Pasta with Garlic Scapes and Veggies
(Serves 2 as a main course or four as a side dish)
1/3 box of spaghetti
5 or 6 garlic scapes sliced thinly
6 Sun dried tomato halves sliced thinly
3⁄4 cup fresh corn
1⁄2 cup flat leaf parsley
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
1 cup chicken stock (vegetable may be used)
Cook the spaghetti till al dente and set aside.
Sautee scapes and tomatoes till fragrant then add the corn, parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice and simmer lightly.
Turn the heat up a bit; add the chicken stock and pasta and toss everything to coat and until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Serve garnished with additional parsley.
If there are still some scapes left over, chop them up freeze in ice cube trays until needed.
Sources and Resources:
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/mighty-appetite/2006/06/my_friend_the_garlic_scape_1.html
http://www.moscowfood.coop/archive/scape.html
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/SimplyMJ/articles/column39.asp
http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/dining/18appe.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&ref=dining&oref=slogin
http://www.calorie-count.com/calories/item/115865.html
http://weblog.clagettfarm.org/2005/06/garlic_scapes_r.html
http://www.theomnivoressolution.com/the_omnivores_solution/2007/06/garlic_scape_pe.html
http://www.baristanet.com/food/2004/07/did_you_say_sca.php
http://thegarlicstore.com/index.cgi/Newsletters/Newsletterlist/Summer2003.html
http://www.greenearthinstitute.org/recipes/garlic/fried_garlic_scapes.html
BAGS: Requested, Recycling of Same
As most of you will know, especially after today’s distribution, there are various share items which must be bagged even within your usual share bag. Today, these included peas, lettuce mix, and spinach. And frankly, we’re low on appropriate bags. Thus, we’re asking our shareholders to please bring in plastic bags that you might have at home. We are looking for both standard grocery-sized bags, and smaller plastic bags such as those used for produce in supermarkets, to keep news¬papers dry, etc. If at all possible, please help us by bringing them in pre-sorted as to size.
Also, please be aware (if you aren’t already) that your plastic share bags can be re-used the following week! Better yet, invest in a cloth “market bag” that can be used over and over again. We are in the process of investigating Spoutwood-themed practical items to offer for sale, including Market Bags -- stay tuned to this space! In the meantime, if you bring back your plastic ones, you’ll help us and Mother Earth alike. Many thanks, from us and the Home Planet.
The garlic scape, also known as the garlic flower or top set, is the looping stem of the garlic plant. This tasty immune booster is part of the allium family, and related to leeks, chives and onions. Harvested once a year in early June, this hard neck variety of garlic scape has a mild flavor when compared to the spicy taste of a powdered or crushed garlic bulb. However, it is still the suggestion of this columnist [Rhie Lantz, Spoutwood’s education intern] to keep a breath mint handy. This very versatile vegetable can be stir fried, steamed, picked or added raw to just about any dish or sauce for an extra kick.
Garlic scapes are low is sodium, low in sugar, high in calcium, and very high in Vitamin C: a cup of them provides 71% of the recommended daily requirement of C. [Tom adds:] The “Vegetarians in Paradise” website states that
Garlic's secret armory consists of more than 33 active sulfur-containing sub¬stances that do battle with enemies such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Some of the more familiar compounds are allicin, alliin, cycroalliin, and diallyldi¬sulphide. Allicin, garlic's warrior against bacteria and inflammation, is also the culprit behind its offensive odor. Garlic's antibiotic effect is attributed to alliin, the sulfur-containing amino acid responsible for the manufacture of allicin.
It is reasonable to assume that garlic scapes, though milder, contain the same general properties. In addition, folklore credits garlic with the ability to ward off demons, evil spirits, and vampires! Hope¬fully, however, we won’t need to test this property with this week’s offering of garlic scapes. More practically, the same site reports that “Recent research reveals garlic is quite effective in keeping mosquitoes at bay.” Apparently they don’t care for the scent, when distilled through the pores of a devoted garlic-eater!
COOKING TIPS:
The Washington Post recommends “dicing it into scrambled eggs, adding to a veggie sauté or using as a garnish for rice” while the New York Times says “steam them whole and serve with melted butter.”
As most of you will know, especially after today’s distribution, there are various share items which must be bagged even within your usual share bag. Today, these included peas, lettuce mix, and spinach. And frankly, we’re low on appropriate bags. Thus, we’re asking our shareholders to please bring in plastic bags that you might have at home. We are looking for both standard grocery-sized bags, and smaller plastic bags such as those used for produce in supermarkets, to keep news¬papers dry, etc. If at all possible, please help us by bringing them in pre-sorted as to size.
Also, please be aware (if you aren’t already) that your plastic share bags can be re-used the following week! Better yet, invest in a cloth “market bag” that can be used over and over again. We are in the process of investigating Spoutwood-themed practical items to offer for sale, including Market Bags -- stay tuned to this space! In the meantime, if you bring back your plastic ones, you’ll help us and Mother Earth alike. Many thanks, from us and the Home Planet.
Garlic Scapes
The garlic scape, also known as the garlic flower or top set, is the looping stem of the garlic plant. This tasty immune booster is part of the allium family, and related to leeks, chives and onions. Harvested once a year in early June, this hard neck variety of garlic scape has a mild flavor when compared to the spicy taste of a powdered or crushed garlic bulb. However, it is still the suggestion of this columnist [Rhie Lantz, Spoutwood’s education intern] to keep a breath mint handy. This very versatile vegetable can be stir fried, steamed, picked or added raw to just about any dish or sauce for an extra kick.
Garlic scapes are low is sodium, low in sugar, high in calcium, and very high in Vitamin C: a cup of them provides 71% of the recommended daily requirement of C. [Tom adds:] The “Vegetarians in Paradise” website states that
Garlic's secret armory consists of more than 33 active sulfur-containing sub¬stances that do battle with enemies such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Some of the more familiar compounds are allicin, alliin, cycroalliin, and diallyldi¬sulphide. Allicin, garlic's warrior against bacteria and inflammation, is also the culprit behind its offensive odor. Garlic's antibiotic effect is attributed to alliin, the sulfur-containing amino acid responsible for the manufacture of allicin.
It is reasonable to assume that garlic scapes, though milder, contain the same general properties. In addition, folklore credits garlic with the ability to ward off demons, evil spirits, and vampires! Hope¬fully, however, we won’t need to test this property with this week’s offering of garlic scapes. More practically, the same site reports that “Recent research reveals garlic is quite effective in keeping mosquitoes at bay.” Apparently they don’t care for the scent, when distilled through the pores of a devoted garlic-eater!
COOKING TIPS:
The Washington Post recommends “dicing it into scrambled eggs, adding to a veggie sauté or using as a garnish for rice” while the New York Times says “steam them whole and serve with melted butter.”
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