Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 15- September 12, 2002
Want a printable version of this Harvest guide? Click here.
The Eco Foods Guide: We have been offered this book at half price as a pre-publication special. Cynthia Barstow is a very well known speaker in CSA circles. It looks like an unusually good book and an unusually good buy. Let us know by September 20th if you are interested and we will order it for you. For more information point your browser to www.newsociety.com/News/ecofood.html
Plastic Bags and Unwanted Containers: We have purchased clear strong plastic bags for distributing our shares as I'm sure you've noticed. It helps us save money if you return them to us. And send any other plastic bags you might have. We are also in need of glass and plastic containers. Spaghetti sauce jars and like size containers are ideal. If you have any to spare, please clean them out and send them to the farm with lids. They are an important part of our evolving distribution process. Thanks.
Tomato Surplus: Any shareholders who could use extra tomatoes are encouraged to make an appointment to come pick some at the farm. Tomatoes can be canned or turned into sauce and frozen to keep for the winter, but we have more than we can use. We would like for our surplus to find a loving home.
Electronic Harvest Guides: We were reminded on Monday of how important our website can be for communicating with our members. Due to technical difficulties with our printer we were unable to distribute a guide with the shares on Monday. Fortunately having the Harvest Guides available to view or download on our web page allowed all of those Baltimore members to get their Spoutwood news. Be sure to keep up with us on the Internet. Visit www.spoutwood.com for all the latest farm news.
Chard and Collards: We are sending chard and/or collards and/or kale with less predictability while the greens recover from the heat and a major pest infestation. Be sure to thoroughly wash your collard leaves. They have been sprayed with an organic pesticide.
Lettuce: The lettuce is back!!! Each share will receive a full head of fresh lettuce.
Radishes: The radishes came on sooner than we expected. One variety, called "Easter Egg,," comes in many fun shades of red, pink and purple. Please don't throw the greens away. They are excellent cooked like spinach or raw in salads, and very nutritious as well.
Kohlrabi: Kohlrabi is a crisp member of the cabbage family. It can be eaten raw, stir fried, steamed, or however else you'd like to try it. We recommend trying some freshly sliced. Some shares have white Kohlrabi, others have purple. The nutritional value is the same for either type.
Green Beans: We're certain that you'll enjoy these tender, fresh green beans.
Garlic: We'll give out garlic at least once more over the coming months. Use your garlic sparingly when cooking. These little buds are potent. A small amount will go a long way.
Bell Peppers: Our pepper crop is still coming on strong. You might even see a red pepper mixed in with the green.
Chili Peppers: The elongated, paler green pepper in your share is a hot chili. Although they don't have a lot of heat to them, there is certainly enough to add a bit of punch to your favorite dish. If you find that they are too hot for you then be sure to remove the fleshy membranes before cooking. These membranes contain most of the pepper's hotness. Some of the chili peppers have turned red. They are just as yummy red as they are green.
Habanero Pepper: The small hot pepper in your share is a habanero pepper. It is one of the hottest peppers known to man, so be cautious in how you use it.
Cucumbers: The cucumbers are definitely slowing down, but they are still producing. Be sure to include these fresh cucumbers in your salads. We're certain you'll enjoy this cooling summer treat.
Tomatoes: If you get a tomato that isn't fully ripe set it out on a counter top or in a sunny window sill with the stem side down. With just a little patience your tomato can still reach its peak flavor. You should each get a Valencia variety, a yellow tomato that we think has a special low acid taste. We hope we're not flooding you with tomatoes. We have lots more that we're not giving out. If any of you want extra, let us know, but you'll have to stop by the farm to pick them up
Cantaloupe or Watermelon: Another one of this year's experimental crops, we only have enough melons for the large shares and for those shareholders who we know have children. If you have children under 12 and didn't receive a melon, please contact us and we'll include one in your next delivery.
Eggplant: This week's share includes a variety called Orient Express, characterized by its long, slender shape. They are a specialty, early harvest breed. You will also be getting a purple striated variety as well as the more usual purple-black variety.
Herbs: This weeks share includes some fresh basil sprigs as well as mint. Try combining basil with tomato in any dish and we're certain that you won't be disappointed.
Flowers: Chive flowers, black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia), jerusalem artichoke flowers, tansy and Spider Plant are a few of your floral treats this week.
Tomato Soup
from Mollie Katzen's Honest Pretzels, submitted by shareholder Daniel Gillespie
You'll Need:
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 cup of pureed onion
1 TSP salt
3 Whole Tomatoes
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions
1. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan, and then put then put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Wait for 30 Seconds.
2. Put into the pan:
1 cup of onion
2 teaspoons of garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
3. Cook and stir the onions and garlic for 10 min.
4. Put 3 tomatoes in a food processor or blender. Add the cooked
onions and garlic, and puree until smooth.
5. Pour the Pureed mixture into the saucepan on the stove again on medium.
6. While soup heats up, measure 1 cup of milk.
7. When you think the soup is hot, add the milk
8. You may add dill or basil
Time To Eat!
Salsa, courtesy of member Hilary Toon
Combine the following: 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped, ditto for yellow bell pepper, 6 plum tomatoes, 1 onion, finely diced, ½ c chopped cilantro leaves, 3 garlic cloves mashed, juice of 1 lime (about 2 T), 2T parsley chopped, 5 spring onions chopped, 1 ½ t salt.
Optional: 4 tomatillos, jalapeno to taste, 8 oz yellow sweet corn, cumin
Flavors will blend nicely if chilled for several hours or overnight
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