Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK 3
June 9-15, 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. **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
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.
ASPARAGUS: You will receive a small 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, or serve “cold” with a bit of olive oil, a dash of salt, and lemon juice.
– How to store: wrap in damp cloth and plastic bag, then refrigerate.
BABY BEETS & GREENS: small, round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and medium-tall, red-veined green leaves.
* The beet greens are especially delicious right now.
How to use: greens can be substituted for spinach and chard in recipes; roots good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed
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.
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: Most of these herbs when made into a salad dressing or vinaigrette can dramatically change the flavor of a plain salad. In general, store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
You will choose 1 out of the following 4 herbs this week:
Lemon Balm– these fragrant lemon-minty leaves make a delicate herbal tea, served hot or cold; good addition to lettuce or fruit salads and ice cream; nicely paired with grilled fish or lamb and tossed with steamed vegetables; also aids in depression, tension, or nausea.
Sage–an herb from an evergreen shrub in the mint family with long, narrow, grayish-green leaves and a musky aroma and spicy taste; vibrant, edible blue flowers with a subtler sage flavor than the leaves; leaves used in making sausages, stews, breads, and teas; enhances meats, vegetables, salads, pickles, and cheese.
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.
Black-stemmed Peppermint–forest green leaves with deep purple veins and stems, purple flowers; leaves are good as a hot or iced tea; adds a delicious flavor when minced and added to cooked peas, carrots, potatoes, salads, and fresh strawberries.
KALE: You will receive Red Russian Kale (the stems are purple, and leaves are deep gray-green, purple-veined, flat, non-curled, and tooth-edged).
– How to use: for salads, soups, and light cooking
– How to store: keep in plastic bag in fridge for up to 1 week
BABY 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 needs washing.
How to use: raw in salads, sandwiches, or use in soups
How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.
HEAD LETTUCE: You will receive 1 head of Green Leaf, Red Leaf or Romaine in your box and 1 on the side.
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 onions
-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.
SPICY SALAD MIX (Spectrum): an amazing, mildly spicy, leafy salad mix of greens and reds with a wide variety of leaf shapes and sizes with ingredients such as Yukina Savoy, Golden Frills, Ruby Streaks, Tokyo Bekana, and Red Komatsuna.
How to use: used for salads and sautéing–cooks up quickly
How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 2 to 4 days.
SPINACH: You will receive this large, crisp, dark green leaf, which is very large right now due to the weather and maturation. Some may prefer to cook this or juice it, if it’s too much for a salad.
– How to use: toss in fresh salad, add to sandwiches, sauté, steam, braise, or add to crepes, quiche, lasagna, and soups.
– How to store: refrigerate with a damp towel/bag for up to 1 week.
BABY SWISS CHARD: close relative of garden beets; very small, multi-colored, large veined, semi-crinkly, dark green leaves; mild flavor; good source of vitamins A, E, & C, as well as iron & calcium.
How to use: greens can be prepared like spinach or beet greens; good steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, and in soups.
How to store: wrap in damp cloth in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 2-4 days.
WHITE HAKUREI TURNIPS and GREENS: A white salad turnip with round, smooth roots that have a sweet, fruity flavor with a crisp, tender texture. Use the greens as well, sautéed or braised.
– How to use: good in salads and soups, roasted, steamed, sautéed,
– How to store: remove greens from turnip root and store separately in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 days; roots can last up to 1-2 weeks in refrigerator.
YUKINA SAVOY (Asian Green): similar to Tatsoi, but larger round, thick, savoyed, dark green leaves held upright on pale green petioles.
How to use: delicious steamed or stir-fried
How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag or wrap in a damp towel for up to a week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. KID FARM HIKES: Come join us for a guided monthly exploratory walk around Tantre Farm starting next week on Friday, June 21, at 2 PM. We’ll use all our senses as we take an approx. 30 minute hike with CSA member, Sheila Schueller, and explore the farm’s fields, wetlands, and forest. Sheila teaches ecology and field biology classes at Eastern Michigan University and the University of Michigan. Meet at the Distribution Shed at 2 pm. No RSVP necessary, but if you email that you plan to attend, then we know to wait for you.
2. PLEASE LET US KNOW of any changes in your address, phone, e-mail, or of misspelled names on any mailings or check off lists at Distribution Sites as soon as possible.
3. CHANGING PICK UP DAYS: Please remember to contact us preferably a week in advance, but at least by Sunday of each week, to make changes in pick up days or locations. Please have the courtesy to make some kind of contact with us, if you can not pick up your box for some reason.
4. PAYMENTS DUE: If you still owe money, it will be reflected on the check-in sheet, when you pick up your box. If you believe there has been some mistake, or have any questions, please call or e-mail us.
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.
SALAD GREENS BONANZA
By Deb and Richard
These cool nights and warm days produce the best salad greens. They have been grown in the fog and rain, which have provided moisture for more succulence. The flavors are less bitter so far this year, because of the lack of heat stress. They are loaded with vitamins and minerals and roughage, which help your gut pass bile from your liver. They can range in flavor from spicy to sour to sweet. The texture can be tender to crisp or chewy. These greens provide the perfect medium for your favorite salad dressings. They also can be easily thrown in as a nutritional burst to any green smoothie recipe. Some of the more flavorful greens can be quickly sautéed or added at the end to a soup for extra nutrients.
There are many ways to change the way that you enjoy your greens. Sometimes it can be as simple as tossing in a different herb. Many herbs are interchangeable in most herb dressings creating subtle flavor differences. Another great way to eat a salad is to roast a variety of veggies and toss them onto a bed of greens. The lettuce leaves also make simple and easy wraps stuffed with hummus or taco like fillings for a gluten free alternative. Keep in mind, if you like the flavor of the green raw, then throw it in a salad or a smoothie. If the flavor is a little too strong for your tastes, then cook it or toss it into a lasagna or sauce to mellow the flavor.
Be creative and try new things with your onslaught of greens this week. Of course the internet is full of ideas, as well as your favorite cookbook, including the A to Z cookbook. Have fun!
RECIPES
LEMON-MINT VINAIGRETTE (from www.eatingwell.com) Makes about 3/4 cup.
? cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1 clove garlic, minced (1-2 garlic scapes)
? cup extra-virgin olive oil
? cup chopped fresh mint, lemon balm (try sage leaves)
? teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Whisk lemon juice, mustard, sugar and garlic in a small bowl until blended. Drizzle in oil, whisking until blended. Stir in mint, salt and pepper.
HERB BLENDER DRINK (a Tantre Farm favorite!)
Wash and remove leaves from 1 bunch of peppermint AND/OR lemon balm. Blend leaves in blender with 6-8 ice cubes and about 2 to 4 quarts of water. Drizzle sweetener (sugar, honey, maple syrup) to taste. Strain through a sieve into a pitcher. Add some whole ice cubes to a glass. Very refreshing! We HIGHLY recommend it!
SESAME BEET GREENS (Learning to Eat Locally) 6 small servings.
greens of 4 to 6 beets, cut off 1 inch from root
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed or 3 minced garlic scapes
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Sage flowers for garnish
Rinse and dry beet greens. Slice them across the stem into 1 inch strips. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, tilting pan to coat. Stirring constantly with a spatula, toss in garlic, sesame seeds, and about half of the sliced beet greens. Shake on soy sauce and add remaining greens. Continue stirring until all greens have wilted and stems are tender (about 3 to 4 minutes). Move greens to a serving bowl and serve hot or at room temperature. Toss in a few sage blossoms for extra flavor.
SUMMER SAVORY SOUP (from “www.oldfashionedliving.com)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups mixed vegetables such as spinach, turnips, chard, kale, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, etc.
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 small cloves garlic, minced (or 3 garlic scapes)
3 cups broth-vegetable for chicken
1/4 cup milk or half and half
1 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. (or more to taste) each of minced basil, oregano, and savory
3/4 cup. Orzo or other small pasta
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan. Add garlic and onions and cook until onions are softened. Add any of the chunkier vegetables that will need extra cooking and cook for 5 minutes or so on low. Add the broth, remaining and the vegetables, Bring to a boil. Add orzo, basil and oregano. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Whisk the flour into the milk. Reduce the heat and stir in the flour mixture. Add the savory. Stir frequently while the soup thickens. Salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
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