Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #3
June 11-17, 2017
If needed, please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 e-mail: tantrefarm@hotmail.com phone: 734-475-4323 website: www.tantrefarm.com.
In our newsletter, we try to give you an accurate listing of the produce in your box; however, since the newsletter is published before the harvest, we may sometimes substitute some vegetables for others. The information provided here is also published each week on our website. **Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with additional information on our website under CSA INFO or under RECIPES.
THIS WEEK’S SHARE
GREENS ADVICE for the entire season: Please keep in mind that greens are especially prominent during this early part of the farm season, so basically, “It’s salad time!” If you’re not sure how best to enjoy your green, taste it. Greens can be eaten raw in a salad or lightly steamed or sautéed with garlic, green onions, or butter in order to mellow their flavor. They can also be tossed into a dish (such as soup or a smoothie) for an extra nutritional and flavorful boost. LOTS OF GREENS THIS WEEK!!
ASPARAGUS: You will receive a bunch of green, purple, or white variety; each contains vitamins A, B, and C, as well as iron.
– How to use: serve raw, chopped in salads, or with dips. You can also steam, roast, grill.
– How to store: wrap in damp cloth and plastic bag, then refrigerate. Alternatively, bundle spears with rubber band and place upright in container with an inch of water.
GARLIC SCAPES: This popular and highly delectable flower top of a garlic plant has a slender green stem with a slight bulge at the bottom (resemble chives, except for the bulge and often curled); tender and milder in flavor than mature garlic, but can be substituted for garlic cloves in recipes.
-How to use: mild garlic flavor, so delicious chopped in salads, roasted, and sautéed.
-How to store: put in refrigerator in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks.
FRESH HERBS: In general, store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 1 week or wrap in slightly dampened cloth or plastic bag and store in refrigerator.
You may CHOOSE ONE bunch (NOT one bunch of each) from the following 5 options:
*Marjoram: a small and oval-shaped leaf, which is light green with a greyish tint. When fresh it is spicy, bitter, and slightly pungent with camphor-like notes, so often added to fish sauces, salads and dressings, tomato-based sauces, grilled lamb and other meats; goes well with vegetables including cabbages, potatoes, eggplant, and beans. It is usually added at the end of cooking to retain its delicate flavor or as a garnish. Traditionally, it was used in tea to cure headaches, head colds, calm nervous disorders, and to clear sinuses.
*French Sorrel: slightly tart, lemon-flavored green; excellent for salads, soups, and sauces; can be used in omelets, breads, or cooked as a side dish; leaves are shaped like spinach, but paler green in color; high in vitamin A; refrigerate in plastic bag for up to 3 days.
*Thyme– tiny green leaves used in meat and vegetable dishes and most casseroles, soups, stews, and medicinal teas, which soothe sore throats. Some of the herb has gone to flower, so some leaves are small, but the flowers are dainty and delicious for salads.
*Lemon Balm– these fragrant lemon-minty leaves make a delicate herbal tea, served hot or cold, and helps with depression, tension, or nausea; good addition to lettuce/fruit salads and ice cream; pairs well with fish, lamb, & tossed with steamed vegetables.
*Winter Savory: is a semi-evergreen, perennial herb; its strong spicy flavor goes well with beans and meat; medicinally it has antiseptic, aromatic, carminative, and digestive benefits, as well as relieves bee stings; fresh savory has a strong spicy-peppery flavor and resinous odor similar to fresh thyme; prior to widespread European use of long pepper and black pepper, savory filled a similar role in European cuisine.
KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”).
-How to use: for salads, soups, and light cooking in stir-fries
-How to store: keep in plastic bag or damp towel in refrigerator for up to 1 week.
KOHLRABI: delicious bulbous member of the cabbage family, that grows above ground; purple or green skin and crisp, apple-white flesh tubers and leaves are good sources of vitamins C and A, calcium, potassium, and fiber. Leaves are edible and cook like kale.
-How to use: remove outer skin and then good steamed or mashed, added to soups or stews, or delicious sliced and eaten raw with dip
-How to store: store in refrigerator for up to a month
LETTUCE: You will receive 2-4 heads of lettuce, which may include Green Leaf, Red Leaf or Romaine.
-How to use: raw in salads, sandwiches, or use in soups
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.
LETTUCE MIX (Wildfire): a beautiful bag of dark reds and vibrant greens including Green and Red Oakleaf, Green and Red Romaine, and Redleaf lettuces. Your lettuce has been rinsed once, but probably needs more washing. See Recipes for Smoothie ideas!
-How to use: raw in salads, sandwiches, or use in soups
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.
GREEN ONIONS (also called “Scallions”): young shoots of bulb onions with long green stalks and milder tasting than large bulb onions; full of great fiber and antioxidants, high in potassium and source of vitamins C and B-6.
-How to use: the bulb, flowers, and green leaves are edible; can be cooked, grilled, roasted whole as a vegetable; chopped in salads, soups, & other dishes for flavor.
-How to store: refrigerate in damp towel/plastic bag for 5-7 days.
SNAP PEAS: You will need to take 1 level pint of Sugar Snap Peas, a“round” pod of an edible-pod pea. If members take too much, then we will run out, so please take respectful amounts.
-How to use: Add peas to soups, stews, sautés, or stir-fries. Blanch or steam for 2-4 minutes only until color is bright green. Snap or snow peas can be eaten raw in salads or cooked quickly as in stir-fries or deep fry in tempura batter.
-How to store: Refrigerate in plastic bag for 4-5 days. If kept too long, their sweet flavor and crisp texture diminishes.
STRAWBERRIES: red, conical fruit with tiny white flowers. This week each share will receive 2 quarts of this member of the rose family. We also will be offering u-pick this week. See Announcements.
-How to use: excellent raw, juicing, jam, pie, sorbet, in desserts
-How to store: Do not wash until you are ready to consume them. Place them on a paper towel in a tightly-covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
-How to freeze: This is so easy to do for fresh berries! Freeze whole strawberries hulled and washed on cookie sheets and when frozen put in freezer bags.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. FAMILY FARM HIKE on June 14: Come join us for a guided monthly exploratory walk around Tantre Farm on Wednesday, the 14th, at 4 PM. We will have a guided tour for about a 45-60 minute hike around the farm for kids and adults. We will meet behind the Main House at the picnic tables in the back yard.
2. U-PICK STRAWBERRIES AT THE FARM starting this week: You may come to u-pick this week on Wednesday (after 10 AM), Saturday (after 2 PM), and Sunday (all day), but email us or call Deb 734-385-6748, so we know when you are coming. $4/qt. for members and $5/qt. for nonmembers. You can pick into our quart baskets to measure them, but to take them home, please bring your own containers or transfer them into donated berry containers at the Distribution Shed.
3. WEEDING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We have plenty of weeds to pull. If you are interested in helping out–even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes before you pick up your box at the farm, come join us. Please contact us any day of the week or evenings until dark. Thanks for volunteering!
4. PAYMENTS DUE: If you still owe money, it will be reflected on the check-in sheet, when you pick up your box.
5. CSA COOKBOOKS: We will have a handy cookbook for sale this season called “From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce”. This $16 book includes an easy-to-follow format with vegetables listed from A to Z.
6. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:
Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)–7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 12 PM
Farm (Wed.)–10 A.M. to 7 P.M.
Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –6 P.M. to 8 P.M.
Pure Pastures (Wed.) –9 A.M. To 7 P.M.
Farm (Fri.)–2 P.M. to 7 P.M.
Community High School (Sat.) –7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)–8 A.M. to 12 P.M.
RECIPES
HONEY THYME VEGETABLES (From Asparagus to Zucchini by MACSAC) Makes 3-4 servings.
4-5 cups fresh vegetables (kohlrabi, peas, asparagus, etc.)
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. honey
1-2 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme or ½ to 1 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper
Cut vegetables into 2-inch pieces. Cook vegetables in small amount of water until crisp tender. Drain very well. Combine melted butter, honey, and thyme; toss mixture with the veggies. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
SPINACH STRAWBERRY SALAD (from From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by MACSAC) Sesame seeds
2 Tbsp sugar
Minced garlic or garlic scapes, to taste
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Dry mustard, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup salad oil
1 bunch spinach, cleaned and stemmed
1 cup strawberries, sliced or chunked
1 1/2 tsp fresh dill or 1/2 tsp dried
Toast sesame seeds in dry skillet or hot oven for several minutes, tossing often; let cool. Combine sugar, garlic, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil in thin stream. Toss with spinach, strawberries, dill, and sesame seeds. Serves 4.
FRESH STRAWBERRY DRESSING (from www.eatingwell.com)
1 cup strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp almond oil or canola oil
Place strawberries, vinegar, pepper, sugar and salt in a blender or food processor; process until pureed, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides. Add oil and process until smooth.
Note: Can store in a covered container for up to 2 days.
SAUTÉED KOHLRABI GREENS (By The Homemakers Test Kitchen)
1 bunch kohlrabi greens (about 1.5 lb) *Cooks like kale or collards.
1 Tbsp olive oil (or peanut oil)
1 cloves garlic or 2 garlic scapes, smashed
1/8 to 1/4 tsp salt
From 1 bunch of kohlrabi, strip leaves from the less-tender central stems. Blanch in boiling salted water until tender, about 3 minutes. Chill under cold water and drain; chop roughly. In skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil; fry garlic cloves and salt until garlic begins to color, about 1 minute. Add greens; sauté until heated through, about 2 minutes.
SNAP PEAS AND GARLIC SCAPES
3/4 lb snap peas, strings removed
4 garlic scapes, chopped to 1-inch lengths
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
Heat olive oil and butter together, and sauté garlic scapes and peas together until just crisp tender. Dress with balsamic vinegar and serve.
LETTUCE SMOOTHIES (You can always interchange the lettuce for any other kind of greens in your share box for a green smoothie!)
#1 (yields 1 quart)
1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, 1/2 bunch lettuce, 2 cups water or fruit juice. Blend well.
#2 (yields 1 quart)
6-8 leaves lettuce, 1 banana, 1/4 cup blueberries, 2 cups water or fruit juice. Blend well.