Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 18- September 30, 2002
Want a printable version of this Harvest guide? Click here.
Spoutwood on the Road: As you all know by now the CSA is only one of many Spoutwood Farm projects. This week we are gearing up for the The 59th Annual Waterford Homes Tour & Crafts Exhibit in Waterford Virginia. Spoutwood Farm will be selling hand made wreaths, swags, and other dried flower crafts at this colonial crafts fair. Waterford is one of only three craft shows in which Spoutwood Farm participates. The first of the year, at George Washington's Mt. Vernon, has already passed. The next two are advertised in flyers included with this week's share. Any of these shows is a treat to attend. Not only are they a delight to wander through, but it is also the perfect place to find lovely gifts for your loved ones. Many talented crafters travel far and wide to bring the highest quality goods to these two shows.
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!
Local Honey: The official Spoutwood beekeeper has jars of honey available for sale. Although we cannot guarantee that the jar you receive contains actual Spoutwood honey, there is that possibility. Either way it is a high quality, local honey available for $2.50 per pound. Call 717-235-6610 to order, or talk to either Rob or Kurt about getting a jar of your very own.
Chard: Chard is wonderful cooked and anointed with butter or olive oil and seasonings. Add it raw to salads or chop into stir fries. Some of the leaves are from a variety called "Bright Lights" which have colored stems and veins.
Collards: The best way to prepare collard greens is to steam or stir fry adding oil or butter and seasonings. Very humble, very good fare.
Kale: Kale is among the most nutritious vegetables available. It is a wonderful source for vitamins A, C, E, K folacin, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, and biotin. Kale is also rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. Curly Green Kale is included in this week's share.
Lettuce: Our lettuce fields are back in production!!! With the coming of the cool weather we are again able to distribute our own lettuce.
Arugula: Arugula is a wonderful salad green. It adds a bitey, nutty zest to any salad. Be sure to eat all of the nutritious green arugula from around the tiny holes.
Yakina Savoy: This oriental green is like a cross between bok choi and spinach. These are just thinnings from the patch, so you have a lot more of this to look forward to.
Spinach: Spinach is rich in iron as well as other vitamins and minerals. It is great raw in any green salad. It can also be stir-fried, chopped into soup, or cooked on its own. Best of all, it'll make you strong to the finish, so be sure to eat your share of spinach.
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.
Carrots: These are thinnings from our fruitful carrot patch. It looks like we will have a healthy carrot yield.
Garlic: Use your garlic sparingly when cooking. These little buds are potent. A small amount will go a long way.
Bell Peppers: Our pepper crop coming on stronger than ever. Each share will receive several red peppers along with a few green.
Chilies: The elongated, paler green and red peppers in your share are hot chilies. Reportedly these are hotter now then they were when we first distributed them. Handle with caution if you are allergic to spicy food. If you find that these peppers 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. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after handling these spicy little devils. The pepper oils can be spread to your eyes and other sensitive areas by hand contact.
Tomatoes: The tomatoes are starting to dwindle. This will probably be the last week for a large tomato delivery. Many of these specimens aren't fully ripe. If you get a tomato that isn't fully ripe set it out on a counter top or in a sunny windowsill with the stem side down. With just a little patience your tomato can still reach its peak flavor. The tomatoes are starting to slow down as well.
Eggplant: This week's share includes a variety called Orient Express, characterized by its long, slender shape. They are a specialty, early harvest breed. Some shares will also receive a purple striated variety as well as the more usual purple-black variety.
Herbs: This week's 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. Use your mint in fresh brewed teas, combine in tabouli and other recipes, or simply enjoy on its own. Mint is an integral part of this week's featured recipe.
Flowers: Purple and/or red globe amaranth, goldenrod, spider plant, painted fern leaves, yew, white or lavender asters, sage leaves, and poke weed are some of your floral treats. Important!!! Poke berries are highly toxic. Do not eat them or leave them in a place where they are likely to be eaten.
Broiled eggplant on Bread with Tomato Salsa
from
30-Minute
Vegetarian Recipes by Mary Gwynn
serves 4
Ingredients:
1 lb. Eggplant
1 Garlic Clove
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Loaf Olive or French Bread
2 Tblsp. Fresh chopped mint
2 Tblsp. Olive Oil
For the Salsa: 1 Green Chili, 2 Tomatoes, 2 Green Onions
Preheat the broiler to high. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into slices about ¼ inch thick. Chop the garlic. Put the oil, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper into a bowl and mix together. Arrange the eggplant slices on the broiler pan and brush with half of the oil mixture. Broil about 5 minutes until golden, then turn the slices over and brush the other side. Broil again until golden.
To make the salsa first remove the seeds from the chili. Put the chili, tomatoes, green onion, salt, and pepper into a blender or food processor. Process until chopped. The salsa should be coarse, not pureed. Split the bread in half horizontally, then cut each piece in half again. Toast both sides of the bread under the broiler. Arrange the eggplant slices on top of the slices of toast. Serve with tomato salsa.
This method can also be used to make a quick eggplant and pepper salad. Make up extra oil mixture and brush it over halved peppers, then broil them alongside the eggplant. Layer the vegetables in a serving dish and let stand until the vegetables are at room temperature before serving.
Note: This dish works well on the barbecue as the eggplant picks up a wonderful smoky flavor from the coals. Don't worry if you're not having a barbecue, because it is still good prepared under the broiler. The mint flavor adds its own kick either way.
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