Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK 12
Aug. 11-17, 2013
 
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.
   
We also try to keep the formatted newsletter to a 2-page printed copy, which means that we don’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.  
   
**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
 
FRESH BEANS:  You will receive Maxibel Green Bean (very slender green bean with firm texture and good taste) and/or Rocdor Yellow Bean (long, slender, yellow bean; meaty, firm texture and no watery taste). See Week 8 for usage and storage information.
 
BEETS:  You will receive Red Ace (round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor) or Cylindra Beet (A uniquely-shaped 6” cylindrical beet with especially sweet flavor; this heirloom is a favorite with chefs due to uniform slices and ease of peeling).  No greens this week, so look just for the roots.  See Week 3 newsletter for usage and storage information.
 
BROCCOLI:  deep emerald green, tiny buds that are clustered on top of stout, edible stems; known as an anti-cancer vegetable.  See Week 11 newsletter for storage and usage information.
 
COLLARD GREENS:  dark-green, flat, large leaf.  May be substituted for kale or other hearty greens recipes.  Use large leaf rolled up as a wrap and stuff with vegetables or hummus.  
How to use: for salads, soups, and light cooking
How to store: keep in plastic bag or damp towel in refrigerator for up to 1 week
 
SWEET CORN:  Corn is often referred to as maize and is an ancient staple food of the Americas.  Everything on the corn plant can be used: “husks” for Tamales, the “silk” for medicinal tea, the “kernels” for food, and the “stalks” for fodder; 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. See recipe at end.
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.
 
CUCUMBERS: You will receive either Olympian (considered a slicing cucumber with dark green, straight 8-9 in. fruit; crisp with fresh flavor) and/or Little Leaf (considered a pickling cucumber with blocky, medium-length, distinctively bright emerald green fruits, which are good for fresh eating and pickling) and/or Sultan (small delicate cucumbers with thin skin, a seedless interior, and gourmet flavor).  See Week 7 for usage and storage information.
 
EGGPLANT:  You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit), Rosa Biana (an Italian heirloom; round fruit streaked with white and violet), or Orient Express (long, lavender fruit).  See Week 11 newsletter for storage and usage information.
 
U-PICK FLOWERS (only available on the farm):  Every summer we plant a variety of flowers for drying or fresh bouquets.  Picking flowers is labor-intensive and transporting them is difficult, so we are not able to bring cut flowers to all the distribution sites, but we do encourage you to come to the farm to pick your flowers each week.  This week you can pick between 10-15 stems.   Whenever possible if you can donate $1 (or more) that will help to pay for some seed and labor costs.  More information about u-pick flowers is in the “Announcements” section.
 
GARLIC (optional):   a bulb of 8 to 10 papery white cloves. ** It’s been a little too wet  for curing garlic well this year, so we have some bulbs, which are good tasting and a bit dirty, but will probably not store for long periods of time (several months), so we’re offering these “seconds” to members, when we sort them.  Easy to freeze:  Mince garlic and cover or blend with olive oil, then freeze in air-tight containers.   Cloves can also be just put in freezer bags minced or whole with skin on.  See Week 6 for usage and storage information.
 
FRESH HERBS:  In general, store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or wrap in slightly dampened cloth and store in refrigerator.  *All shares will receive Basil, and you may choose ONE from the following 3 Herbs:
        Black-stemmed Peppermint–superior fragrance and flavor; forest green leaves with deep purple veins and stems, purple flowers; leaves are good as a hot or iced tea, and adds a delicious flavor when minced and added to cooked peas, carrots,  potatoes, salads, and fresh strawberries.
        Italian Flat-leaf Parsley—flat, glossy, dark green leaves have a strong parsley/celery flavor for use dried or fresh; especially good in omelets, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soups, pasta and vegetable dishes, as well as, sauces to go with fish, poultry, & pork.
        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; refrigerate in bag for up to 3 days. 
        *Genovese Basil—All shares will receive basil this week, an herb with sweet, spicy, shiny, green leaves.  We supply it with root attached, so it will last up to a week or 2 when stored in a jar, vase, or glass of water on your counter or table top.  Do NOT refrigerate!
 
KALE:  You will receive Curly Kale (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”) or Red Russian Kale (the stems are purple, and leaves are deep gray-green, purple-veined, flat, non-curled, and tooth-edged).  See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.
 
LEEKS:  green leaves with white to pale green stems.  See Week 8 for usage and storage information.
 
SWEET ONIONS:  You will receive Super Star (white-skinned onion with mild flavor and thick rings; great for salads, slices, onion rings, and frying; not for long storage) or Mars Red (purple-red skin onion with sweet flavor).  See Week 10 for storage and usage information.
 
PEACHES (Red Haven):  Fruit again in your share!  This is an early rosy-orange skinned peach with firm, creamy yellow flesh.  Mature peaches will continue to ripen after they are picked.  Keep in mind the fruit may have the white clay residue of Kaolin (organic spray described in Week 10 newsletter), which can be washed off.
How to use: great as a fresh snack, or for canning, freezing (just cut in pieces and throw it into a freezer bag), and dehydrating (excellent, concentrated sweet flavor cut into thin slices and dehydrated for several hours).  See recipe at end.
How to store:  If the fruit is firm and not quite ready, just set them on your kitchen counter in the sun or in a paper bag to ripen more quickly.  The less the fruit is touching each other or at least not too many on top of each other, the longer they will last.
 
POBLANO CHILI PEPPERS:  known as “poblanos” when dark green, but becomes an “ancho” when brick-red and fully dry; popular in Southwestern recipes; heart-shaped fruit, which is mildly pungent with a lightly sweet, medium-hot flavor). See recipe at end.
How to use: often roasted, chopped, and used to season corn bread and cheese dishes; good for stuffed appetizers, jams, & salsa.
How to store:   For fresh peppers, store in refrigerator.  For drying peppers, place string through the stems and hang in cool, dry, well-ventilated spot. 
 
NEW POTATOES (Red Norland): smooth, red skin & white flesh; great baked, boiled, or roasted.  See Week 9 for storage & usage information.
 
SUMMER SQUASH/ZUCCHINI:  You will receive some variety of Yellow or Green Zucchini (gourmet golden or green zucchini with uniform, cylindrical fruits) or Yellow Crookneck (long, curved neck with a sometimes bumpy, yellow skin; buttery flavor and firm texture). See Week 5 for usage and storage information.
 
TOMATOES:  You may choose from some of the following different varieties:  Sun Gold Cherry (exceptionally sweet, bright tangerine-orange cherry tomato), Red Grape (oval to oblong, baby red grape tomatoes), or Chiquita (deep rose-pink grape tomato), Tomatoberry (unique strawberry-shaped, deep red colored fruits with firm, meaty texture), or Juliet (deep red, plum tomato; good in salads, salsa sauce).  See Week 9 for storage and usage information.
 
WATERMELON: You may choose Little Baby Flower (small, 2-4 lb. round fruit; bright green stripe pattern on shell and dark pink flesh) or Sunshine Yellow (8-10 lb. oval-rounded fruit; green-striped shell with bright yellow flesh, which is brittle, juicy, and very sweet).  See Week 11 for usage and storage information.
 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 
1. HELP NEEDED FOR KID FARM DAY, and we still have room for more kid registrations!  I could use 1 or 2 more adults to help out, especially if you have experience working with kids. Anyone interested, please contact Deb as soon as possible for some brainstorming ideas. Kid Farm Day is next week, Wed., Aug. 21, from 9 AM until noon.  This half day will be for all kids who are 4 years old and older. Activities will include an edible farm walk, a nature craft, and other activities about animals and plants.  Snacks harvested from the farm will be included. Advance registration is required with a small fee of around $5 per kid.  Please register by e-mail to tantrefarm@hotmail.com or by sign up at the distribution sites with Names and Ages of children, Name of Adult attending, Phone Number, and E-Mail Address.   If you want to switch your share for pick up at the farm that day, then please let Deb know this week.
 
2. VACATIONS or OUT OF TOWN: Please remember to contact us preferably a week in advance, but at least by Sunday to make changes in pick up days or locations.
 
3. PLASTIC OR PAPER GROCERY BAGS AND YOGURT CONTAINERS (quart size for u-pick flowers) STILL NEEDED, if you would like to donate some to the farm or at markets.  We are running low.
 
4. U-PICK AVAILABLE: Please call ahead if you plan to pick on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri.), so we can make sure someone is around to help you.                    
U-pick Flowers– Some of the flowers are ready in the u-pick flower garden.  You may pick 1 bouquet of up to 15 stems for “free”.  You may want to bring a vase or a jar to keep your flowers fresher on the ride home!  Extra bouquets will cost $4. 
U-pick Tongue of Fire Beans—if fresh, then good for freezing after blanching; if dried, then good for storing in jars for later use; Cost is $0.50/lb.
 
5. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:
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.
Farm (Fri.)–2 P.M. to 7 P.M.
Community High School (Sat.) –7 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)– 8 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)–8 A.M. to 12 P.M.
 
RECIPES
 
GRILLED CORN, PEACH AND POBLANO SALAD (from “The Washington Post”, August 19, 2009)
**This salad is best served within 24 hours after it is made.
Ingredients:
4 ears grilled corn, husks removed & kernels cut off (about 3 cups; See NOTES)
1 large or 2 small grilled poblano peppers; cut into 1/4-inch dice (3/4 cup; see NOTES)
2 large ripe peaches, peeled and cut into kernel-size pieces (1 1/2 cups; see NOTES)
2 teaspoons honey, or more to taste
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
10 to 20 stems chives (or parsley), chopped (2 tablespoons)
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
 
Directions: Combine the corn, poblano chili pepper(s), peaches, honey, cider vinegar, oil, chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
 
NOTES: To grill the CORN, discard the husks and silk. Rinse and wrap each damp ear of corn in aluminum foil. Cook for 20 to 35 minutes on a hot covered grill, turning the ears every 7 to 8 minutes, until the kernels are tender and start to brown. (The time depends on the heat of the grill and the size and age of the corn.) Grill the POBLANO directly over the flame on the grill, turning to evenly char all sides. Remove from the grill and cover with plastic wrap or place inside a food-safe plastic bag for 10 minutes. Remove, peel away the charred skin, core and seed. To remove the skin from the PEACHES, place each piece of fruit in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen the skin. Peel when cool enough to handle. Makes 6 3/4-cup servings
 
GARLIC, BASIL, CORN ON THE COB: 
Combine 2 Tbsp. butter (softened), 1 Tbsp. basil, and 1 garlic clove (minced) in a small bowl. Place 4 ears of corn into a large saucepan of boiling water; cook 4 minutes. Drain. Spoon 1 teaspoon butter mixture over each ear of corn.