Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
Extended Fall CSA Share
WEEK #2
Oct. 6-12, 2018
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 often before the harvest, we may sometimes substitute some vegetables for others. **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.
We try to keep the printed newsletter to a 2-page maximum, which means that we won’t list all the share items’ descriptions every week, but refer you to previous newsletters for information on items that have already appeared in your shares.
THIS WEEK’S SHARE
ARUGULA: an aromatic, bright salad green with a peppery mustard flavor
-How to use: add to salads, soups, and sautéed vegetable dishes
-How to store: very perishable, so use up quickly; store in plastic bag with a paper towel in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
GREEN BEANS (Jade): long, slender, deep green, filet bean with firm texture and good taste).
-How to use: raw in salads, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, etc.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for up to 1 week.
RED ACE BEETS AND GREENS: round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and beautiful, medium-tall, red-veined green leaves.
-How to use: greens can be substituted for spinach and chard in recipes; roots good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
-How to store: separate roots from leaves and store unwashed in plastic bags in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; store greens wrapped in damp cloth in plastic bag for up to 1 week.
NAPA CABBAGE: crinkly, thickly veined leaves, which are cream-colored with celadon green tips; unlike the strong-flavored waxy leaves on round cabbage heads, these are thin, crisp, and delicately mild; good source of vitamin A, folic acid, and potassium.
-How to use: use raw, saute, bake, or braised; common in stir-fries and main ingredient in traditional kimchi; also eaten raw as a wrap for pork or oysters; the outer, tougher leaves are used in soups.
-How to store: refrigerate, tightly wrapped, up to 5 days.
CARROTS (Romance): blunt-tipped, deep orange roots with impressive flavor for a summer-harvested carrot; excellent greens this week! Good in Carrot Top Soup!!
-How to use: can be used raw as carrot sticks, grated in salads or juiced; steamed or sautéed, in stews, soups, casseroles, stir-fries
-How to store: refrigerate dry and unwashed roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks
SWEET CORN (Potawatomi): excellent sweet flavor with yellow kernel; contains a significant amount of vitamin A, B-complex, phosphorous and potassium along with vegetable protein. * We don’t treat our corn with pesticides, so you may find some earworms enjoying the corn too; just break off the damaged part and cook the rest of the ear.
-How to use: ears of corn can be steamed in 1-2 inches of water for 6-10 minutes, or drop ears into boiling water (enough to cover) for 4-7 minutes; ears of corn can also be roasted unhusked in the oven or outside grill for about 20 minutes.
-How to store: refrigerate with husks on, and use as soon as possible to retain sweetness and flavor.
U-PICK FLOWERS (only available on the farm): Every summer we plant a variety of flowers for drying or fresh bouquets. We welcome you to the farm to pick your flowers on any day of the week until the first frost, but please contact us if it will be on other days besides Wednesdays and Fridays, so we can make sure to be around to show you where to go. A bouquet per household of up to 15 stems will be part of your share, if you are able to come and pick it. You may want to bring a vase/jar to keep your flowers fresh going home, but we will have donated yogurt containers to fill with water as well. Your bouquet is part of your share, although you may always feel free to make a donation to pay for seeds, if you like. Extra bouquets are $5.
ONIONS: You will receive Red Zeppelin (medium to large, globe-shaped bulbs with deep red color) and Copra (medium-sized, dark yellow-skinned storage onions; excellent storage onion staying firm and flavorful after most other varieties have sprouted; highest in sugar of the storage onions).
-How to store: will store for six months or more, if kept in a cold, dark place, but remove any ones starting to go soft from the others.
SWEET PEPPERS: You will receive Carmen (6 inch long, tapered fruit that ripens from green to a deep “carmine” red; sweet taste in salads and when roasted and fully red-ripe) or Cornitos (exceptionally sweet, smaller versions of Carmen , but can be bright yellow or red when ripe; “bull’s horn” pepper type).
-How to use: eat raw for best nutrient retention; can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc.; excellent stuffed.
-How to store: refrigerate unwashed in hydrator drawer for 1-2 weeks.
POTATOES (Mountain Rose): rosy-skinned inside and out, these versatile, all-purpose spuds are deliciously moist, but not waxy textured; extra nutritious, and high in antioxidants; excellent baked, mashed or fried.
-How to store: Keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag
RADICCHIO: This beautiful, gourmet, salad vegetable is often called “Italian chicory”; colorful, white-veined, red leaves with appealingly bitter, nut-like texture; bitter and spicy taste which mellows if it is grilled or roasted.
-How to use: raw in salads, roasted, grilled, sauteed; excellent side dish for rich dishes; pairs nicely with beef roast or stews.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag/damp towel for 1-2 weeks.
RADISHES (Bacchus): stunning, purple, round radish with white inner flesh. Very good flavor and not too hot.
-How to use: raw, roasted, used in soups, sliced in salads, sandwiches, or stir-fries, grated in slaws; radish greens are delicious in soups or stir-fries and are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and the B’s!
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag/damp towel for 1-2 weeks.
TATSOI: an Asian green with small, spoon-shaped, thick, dark-green leaves with tangy, sweet flavor.
-How to use: commonly eaten raw in salads, but can be cooked in stir-fries/soups.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag or wrap in a damp towel for up to a week.
WATERMELON: You will receive Starlight (10-12 pound round fruit; deep green with highly contrasting black stripes and pink flesh; excellent flavor with crisp texture) or Mini Love (sweet and firm, oval-round fruits avg. 3–5 lb. Distinctive, bright green rind with dark green stripes and dense, bright red flesh)
-How to use: slice, dice and serve as drinks, salads, or salsa.
-How to store: if melon seems not quite ripe, store at room temperature until sweet smell is coming from the soft, stem end; then store in the refrigerator.
WINTER SQUASH: You will receive each of the following: Butternut (light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh; longest storage potential of all squash) and Red Kuri (Orange Hokkaido) (type of Hubbard squash that is reddish-orange in color with a brown, “corky“ stem; round to oval; about 4-7 pounds; medium-dry, medium sweet orange flesh; good for pies and purees).
-How to use: Slice in half, scoop seeds out and bake with a little water in baking pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender; boil or steam chunks for 15-20 minutes, or until tender (peel skins off “before” or “after“ cooked, but “after” is easiest when it’s cooled); mash cooked squash with butter; purée cooked squash for creamy soup, or add uncooked chunks to soups or stews; add small amounts to yeast breads, muffins, cookies, pies, oatmeal, etc.
-How to store: Keep for several months (depending on the variety) in a dry, moderately warm (50-60 degrees), but not freezing location with 60-75% humidity; will also store at room temperature.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. EARTH OVEN REPAIR WORKSHOP at Tantre Farm on Oct. 13 at 10 AM: For those of you who have ever been to the farm on a Friday night, you have smelled the wood fire or the aroma of homemade pizza made for the farm crew every week. Right now it needs some tender, loving care as it has some cracks that have developed over time, so on Sunday, Brendan from Earth L’oven will be demonstrating how to add a new insulation layer to this earth oven. In this day-long workshop, you will learn about ratios of sand, clay, and other materials that are optimal for making earth baking domes, folding, and mixing the materials. Bring some rain/mud boots for stomping, and please dress for the weather! Children are welcome, but must be supervised (of course, there is plenty to see and play with on site). Pack yourself a lunch or dinner and come hang out! This workshop costs $5/adult. Please feel free to come for all or part of the day. You can text or call at 734-385-6748, if you need to come late and want to see if we are still constructing it. Please call Brendan at 734-709-1792, if interested in an earth oven on your own property.
2. SAUERKRAUT PRESERVING WORKSHOP at the Washtenaw Food Hub on October 14 from 6 to 8 PM: Come make your own sauerkraut at the WASHTENAW FOOD HUB using Tantre Farm produce! Brinery Fermentation Expert, Melissa, will be leading this Farm-to-Fermentation workshop that will cover the basics of wild vegetable fermentation. Participants will take home a jar of fermenting sauerkraut made during the workshop. Please register with “SAUERKRAUT” in the subject line by email with your NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, and PHONE NUMBER. $10 fee for materials and other ingredients.
3. THANKSGIVING CSA Registration is OPEN! A more detailed email notice about this will come out to you soon. You can also read more details about the Thanksgiving Share on our website under “CSA Info”, and sign up on our website. This share is a one-time pick-up of 60 to 80 pounds of produce for winter storage or to stock up on vegetables before the holiday for $125. This share will be available for pick up on Nov. 23 (the Saturday before Thanksgiving) at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 A.M. until Noon and Tantré Farm from 2-5 P.M.
4. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDERS:
Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)–7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
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.
Argus (Sat)– 10 A.M. to 7 P.M.
Agricole (Sat)—8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
RECIPES
SUPER EASY STIR-FRIED NAPA CABBAGE
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound shredded Napa cabbage
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a few seconds until it begins to brown. Stir in the cabbage until it is coated in oil; cover the wok, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the soy sauce, and cook and stir for another minute. Increase the heat to high, and stir in the Chinese cooking wine. Cook and stir until the cabbage is tender, about 2 minutes more.
CORN SALAD WITH RADICCHIO & RED ONION (from https://www.thedailymeal.com/corn-salad-radicchio-red-onion-recipe)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 head of radicchio, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
Olive oil
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
Salt, to taste
4-5 leaves fresh basil, chiffonade
Combine the red onion and radicchio in a pan over medium-low heat and sauté with a drizzle of olive oil for about 5 minutes. Once the ingredients have cooked and softened slightly, add in the red wine and sherry vinegars. Sitr to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes, and then remove from heat and add to a medium-sized serving bowl.
Next, take the raw corn (I remove the kernels by running down the ear of corn with a chef’s knife) and add it to the serving bowl with the other ingredients. Toss again and season with salt to taste. To serve, garnish with fresh basil. Serves 4.
TATSOI STIR FRY
Olive oil
1 carrot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch tat soi
Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until translucent. Add carrot slices and saute 3 minutes. Add sliced tat soi stems and cook another minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Add mushroom slices and stir-fry another minute. Add tat soi greens and steam with a cover for 3 minutes. Add a little hot water, if necessary. Serve hot.