TANTRÉ FARM CSA NEWSLETTER
Solstice Share
December 17, 2016

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.

HAPPY SOLSTICE, EVERYONE!
Thank you for joining our Solstice Share to celebrate the return of the light with good cheer and good health for the New Year. It is a unique moment for us to mark this collaboration of the Brinery, Garden Works, Ginger Deli, Locavorious, and Tantre Farm for this unique Solstice celebration. Through this cooperative spirit we embrace the euphoria of this moment to provide you with winter sustenance of these nutritionally dense roots and storage vegetables. This share truly represents the best proportion of nutrition, flavor, texture and health of the winter storage crops. We hope this food will contribute to a happy, healthy feast for you and your family.

**PLEASE READ THIS! With the wintry weather forecast for tomorrow, please drive safely. If you have to reschedule picking up your share on Sunday, please let us know. Both distribution sites are able to have the shares sit for another day until you can get there, if need be. Please have the courtesy to email or text/call Deb’s cell phone at 734-385-6748, so we know what your situation is, so we don’t have to track you down.
We will be distributing the vegetables for this share as 1 crate of squash, 1 1/9 bushel box of a vegetable medley, and several other items on the side, such as kale, a Brussels sprouts stalk, Tarbais beans, The Brinery’s jar of sauerkraut, Locavorious’s frozen cranberries, Ginger Deli’s baguette, and Garden Works’s pea shoots. This means that it might be helpful to bring some extra bags, boxes, or baskets. We will have some boxes or bags available, but we would like to encourage you to provide your own. You will need to check off your name on the Pick up List at the Washtenaw Food Hub from 9 AM until Noon and Tantre Farm from 2 to 5 PM, when you arrive. Please ask for help if you need any help loading, and of course please make sure that your final payment goes into the Payment Envelope at each distribution site on Saturday, if you haven’t paid for your share yet. More storage tips can be found on our website under CSA Info>Veggie Id or Recipes>Produce Information Organized by Parts of the Plant.

Also, throughout the late fall and winter, please feel free to contact us, if you are interested in squash, potatoes, radishes, cabbage, turnips, onions, etc., which you can pick up at the farm or the Ann Arbor Farmers Market. After the Solstice Distribution on Dec. 17, we will continue to set up at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market every Saturday starting again in January, but market starts at 8 AM and ends at 2 PM for these “winter hours”. If you have “liked” us on Tantre Farm’s Facebook page, you will know when we are coming and what we are bringing, since we try to keep you updated there when we can. The People’s Food Coop and Argus Farm Stop of Ann Arbor also continue to carry many of our vegetables throughout the winter and early spring.

If you are interested in our Summer CSA shares for 2017, our online registration should be ready some time next week. Just check our website and your emails for details. Consider giving a Tantre Summer CSA share as a special gift for someone during this holiday time! Now we also have gift certificates available at the AA Farmers market for those who want to make a smaller gift amount.

Thanks for buying locally and seasonally. We wish you a sustainably rich and enlightened transition into light as we enter the end of 2016 and begin anew with 2017!
–Deb and Richard

WHAT’S PART OF YOUR SHARE

BAGUETTE: This beautifully wrapped, long, thin, crusty bread comes from Ginger Deli (www.gingerdeli.com), a Vietnamese deli in downtown Ann Arbor that packs colorful flavors with a dash of style. Te Phan and crew are the newest kitchen tenants of the Washtenaw Food Hub. Such wonderful aromas come daily from the kitchens! Check them out!
-How to use: sandwiches, garlic bread, croutons, etc.
-How to store: place in plastic bag or container at room temperature
-How to freeze: wrap tightly in aluminum foil or place in plastic bag. Then store in freezer.

TARBAIS BEANS: (also called “haricot tarbais”) You will receive these in brown pods, which have plump, snowy-white seeds and are a traditional, white, cassoulet bean in France with a thin skin and subtle flavor, so incredibly tender when boiled. They also can be saved as seeds to be planted in the spring as a pole bean.
-How to use: good in soups, bean dips, cassoulet, etc.
-How to store: If storing the beans, you may shell them in a bowl and store them in glass jars or store them in their pods in paper bags.

BRUSSELS STALKS: You will receive a stalk of tiny, green cabbage-like sprouts with mildly pungent, mustard-like flavor. These sprouts are very easy to break off and seem to store better while still on the stalk until ready for use.
-How to use: Boil or steam for 5-10 minutes without overcooking, so they are still bright green; toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, or a pat of butter; excellent roasted or stir-fried.
-How to store: Refrigerate for up to a week or more unwashed in a plastic bag in hydrator drawer.
-How to freeze: Blanch for 3-4 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain, and store in air-tight bags or container.

CABBAGE (Kaitlin): large, late-season cabbage that is excellent for kraut with a very white, rather than green, interior after storage; stores well into December or January.
-How to use: steamed, stir-fried, chopped into salads or coleslaw.
-How to store: It is best to store cabbage with its protective outer leaves until ready to use, so that it will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, just peel off a few layers until you get to the crispy, clean leaves that will make it ready for eating.

CARROTS (Orange and Purple): You will receive Chantenay (shorter than other cultivars, but have greater girth with broad shoulders and taper towards a blunt, rounded tip; most commonly diced for use in canned or prepared foods) and Purple Haze (bright purplish-red roots with bright orange interior and a sweet flavor; cooking will cause the color to fade, but exquisite served raw or roasted coins).
-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; stores best in near freezing conditions around 32 degrees and 95% humidity.

CRANBERRIES: We have a special treat this year of a 12 oz. bag of frozen Michigan cranberries from Tantre Farm member and Locavorious founder, Rena Basch. Locavorious (www.locavorious) is a Winter CSA, which provides locally-grown frozen fruits and vegetables 4 times during the winter months, and is a long time kitchen tenant of the Washtenaw Food Hub. They also sell their frozen produce at other locations including the AA Farmers Market.
-How to use: sauces, breads, muffins, desserts, and salads
-How to store: Keep frozen in the freezer until ready to use.

GARLIC (German White): a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, and bolstering the immune system.
-How to use: Excellent in all cooking: salad dressings, garlic bread, meats, stir fries, soups, roasted veggies; make garlic butter with 1/2 cup of softened butter mashed with four minced cloves of garlic.
-How to store: store for several months in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated place; if cloves begin to get soft or moldy, break off bad part, chop, and pack into small jar filled with olive oil, then refrigerate (great gift idea!) or freeze.

KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”). Kale is high in vitamins A, C, and K, folic acid, fiber, calcium and iron and has the highest protein content of all cultivated vegetables.
-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

MICRO-GREENS: You will receive 2 clamshells of pea shoots (which are extremely high in vitamins A & C and calcium) from Garden Works Organic Farm. They are a certified organic 4.5 acre truck garden and greenhouse farm in Ann Arbor operating year-round with several types of heirloom vegetables, and wheatgrass, sunflower shoots and other microgreens available throughout the year. Garden Works sells produce at the AA Farmers Market. Contact Rob MacKercher at gardenworksannarbor@yahoo.com.
-How to use: use as a salad, blended with chopped radishes, turnips, and cabbage, excellent garnish as a soup, sooo yummy and tender!
-How to store: store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

ONIONS (Patterson): These are shallot-size, blocky bulbs with dark yellow skin and thin necks; excellent storage onion.
-How to use: good in French onion soup, great for salads, soups, sandwiches, slices, grilled, or roasted to a caramelized texture.
-How to store: can last for 6 months if kept in a cold, dark place, but remove any ones starting to go soft from the others.
-How to freeze: if an onion develops soft spots, you can cut it open and remove the soft segment; chop up the rest of the onion and store in freezer bags. Very easy, ready to go, and great way to store onions!

POTATOES: You will receive the following varieties of potatoes including Mountain Rose (rosy-skinned inside and out, these versatile, all-purpose spuds are deliciously moist, but not waxy textured. Excellent baked, mashed or fried), French Red Fingerlings (dark rose-red skin and yellow flesh; creamy taste and firm texture, excellent roasted or boiled), and Russian Banana Fingerling (an heirloom potato with small, banana-shaped tubers with yellow skin and light yellow flesh; used by chefs for its delicious flavor and smooth “waxy” texture that doesn’t fall apart when cooked; good baked, boiled, or in salads).
-How to store: keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag or breathable container; ideal temperature is 38-48 degrees with high humidity (80-90%). A basement or very cool closet will work. If too warm or stored with onions or apples, they will shrivel and sprout.

DAIKON RADISH: You will receive K-N Bravo (looks like an overgrown purple carrot with internal color ranging from pale purple to white with purple streaks; good, sweet, eating quality) and White Daikon (looks like an overgrown white carrot, but blunt-tipped on end, with a lightly mild, radish taste).
-How to use: excellent julienned, sliced, used in a salad or tossed with your favorite vinaigrette; good eaten fresh, cooked, or pickled
-How to store: not as hardy as you may think, so store wrapped in plastic to keep them crisp for up to 2 weeks

WATERMELON RADISH: an heirloom Chinese variety; large, 2-4”, round radishes with unique dark magenta/pink flesh and light green/white skin along with a sweet, delicious taste.
-How to use: soups, stews, steamed, roasted, eaten raw in salads, pickled, excellent julienned and tossed with your favorite dressing.
-How to store: Store dry and unwashed in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; can last for 2-4 months if stored in cold, moist conditions like beets.

SAUERKRAUT: This year The Brinery is providing “Rust Belt Sauerkraut” for your probiotic pleasure. It is a ruby colored, robust and toothsome kraut for this sacred solstice sunrise! The ingredients are red cabbage and sea salt. Longtime Washtenaw Food Hub kitchen tenant, The Brinery is a local foods business, specializing in naturally fermented local vegetables and operated by long time Tantré farmer, David Klingenberger. For more information, please visit www.thebrinery.com.

SOLSTICE ROOT SALAD: We have assembled a specially-made salad of freshly shredded orange carrots, daikon radishes, watermelon radishes, white turnips, and kale, lightly dressed with a small amount of red wine vinegar, sea salt, & a dash of turmeric. This is a salad laden with nutrition and a rainbow of enticing, crunchy flavors.
-How to use: use as a fresh salad, paired with your favorite food; or let it marinate for a few days and spread it on a sandwich or toss it as a garnish on your soup; you can even roast it.
-How to store: can be used fresh, but as it marinates the subtle flavors blend richly together, and can be refrigerated up to 7 days.

WHITE TURNIPS (Hakurei): a white salad turnip with round, smooth roots with a sweet, fruity flavor and a crisp, tender texture
-How to use: Boil, steam, bake, add to soups and stews, mash or scallop just like potatoes, excellent roasted.
-How to store: Keeps up to 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator in a plastic bag; can last for 4-5 months, if stored like beets, preferring cold and moist conditions.

WINTER SQUASH/PIE PUMPKIN: You will receive the following:
*Acorn (small, green ribbed squash with pale yellow flesh)
*Buttercup Kabocha (green, blocky, with a gray “button” on the blossom end; thick, dry, deep orange flesh; medium-dry and sweet; very dry at harvest, sweeter after a few weeks; dry storage)
*Butternut (light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh; longest storage potential of all squash)
*Carnival (a multicolor Sweet Dumpling with colorful patches and flecks of dark and light green, orange, and yellow; sweet flesh and edible skin)
*Jester Acorn (about the size of Carnival squash, but with better eating quality; an oval, ivory-colored squash with green striping between the ribs that is tapered on both ends with small to average ribs)
*Baby Bear Pie Pumpkin (unique size and shape, and is often called “the perfect mini pumpkin” by growers; deep orange, 1 1/2-2 1/2-lb. fruits are about half the size of a normal pie pumpkin.)
*Sweet Dumpling (small 4-inch diameter, coloring is like the “Delicata”, but round, flat-topped shape; makes a great bowl for stuffing with rice, breading, or soups)
-How to use: bake, steam, roast until tender in chunks, thin wedges or in half; 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) at 45-60 degrees with 60-75% humidity; will also store at room temperature.
-How to freeze: If you notice a squash is getting soft or a spot starts to show rot, cut off the bad spot, and bake it, and freeze it in freezer bags for future use.

RECIPES
**Keep in mind a very easy way to find recipe ideas for almost any combination of share box ingredients is to type the items into your preferred “search bar” with the word “recipes” at the end, and many recipe ideas will pop up. Have fun searching! Lots and lots of ideas!

TANTRÉ FARM SLAW (A simple, easy salad!) Serves 4.
2 medium beets, grated
3 large carrots, grated
2 turnips, grated
1 watermelon radish and/or Daikon radish, grated
2-3 scallions or 1 yellow onion, chopped (optional)
sesame or sunflower seeds, toasted
olive oil or toasted sesame oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Grate vegetables into a bowl. Chop scallions, if desired, and add to bowl. Toast sesame or sunflower seeds. Add when cooled. Add olive oil and lemon juice as a salad dressing to suit your taste. Be careful of too much liquid. The tartness of the lemon should be prominent. Serve immediately or marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS & CARROT SALAD (Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special)
3 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
3 large carrots, cut into 1-in. chunks
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, washed with stems cut off
freshly ground black pepper
fresh dill or parsley sprigs
diced onions (optional)
Vinaigrette Dressing:
1/4 c. canola or other vegetable oil
4 tsp. cider vinegar
4 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 Tbs. chopped fresh dill (1 tsp. dried)
1/4 tsp. salt
Bring the water and salt to a boil in covered saucepan. Add the carrots and cook until just tender, 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile, halve any Brussels sprouts larger than 1-inch across. When the carrots are tender, remove and set aside in a large bowl. Ease the Brussels sprouts into the boiling water and cook until tender, about 6-8 minutes. While the Brussels sprouts cook, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. After the Brussels sprouts are tender, drain and add them to carrots. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently. Serve immediately or chill for about 30 minutes. Garnish with pepper and a few dill or parsley sprigs. If desired, add red onions for color and spark. Serves 4-6.

BRAISED DAIKON (from Winter Harvest Cookbook)
1 Daikon radish, peeled and diced
2 Tbs. light cooking oil
1 tsp. sugar (or honey)
1 1/2 Tbs. soy sauce
Put Daikon in saucepan, cover with water, and boil 5 minutes. Drain well. Heat skillet, add oil, and stir-fry Daikon for 2 minutes. Add sugar and soy sauce; stir fry another minute. Add 1/4 cup water, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until Daikon is tender, but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4.

CARROT CHIPS (Makes 4 servings) This is delicious!
Vegetable or olive oil (or spray)
1 pound large carrots, scrubbed clean (any amount will work)
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the carrots into 1/4-inch-thick rounds with a sharp knife. Place the carrot slices on a lightly oiled baking sheet, making sure their edges don’t touch. Drizzle with light amount of oil and toss; then season with salt and pepper. Bake 5 minutes, or until they begin to brown on the edges. Carefully turn the slices over, add more oil if needed, and season again with salt and pepper. Bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until crispy and beginning to brown. Place the chips on a paper towel-lined plate and serve immediately.

ROASTED WATERMELON RADISHES (www.myrecipes.com)
1 pound watermelon radishes, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Preheat oven to 375°. Cut radishes into wedges. Mix with 2 tbsp. oil and put in a 2-qt. baking dish. Roast radishes, stirring occasionally, until fork tender, about 1 hour. Drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

TANTRE FARM OVEN-ROASTED HARVEST VEGETABLES (Keep in mind, any combination of the following root vegetables will work. Roasted veggies are standard at many Tantre Farm meals.)
1 c. Brussels sprouts, cut in halves
1 c. carrots, quartered or chunks
1/2 lb. unpeeled multi-colored potatoes, cut into chunks if large
1 watermelon radish and/or Daikon radish, julienned
3-4 onions, sliced
1 c. turnips, cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. winter squash, cut into chunks
3-4 Tbs. vegetable or olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh sage or rosemary
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine any combination of vegetables above in large bowl, except parsley. Drizzle oil over. Sprinkle with garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Bake for 30 minutes in 1 or 2 roasting pans or until vegetables are beginning to slightly brown. Turn the vegetables 2 or 3 times during cooking to prevent burning. Then increase heat to 425° and add chopped parsley (or may be added as a fresh garnish at the very end), toss vegetables, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Makes 6-8 servings.

SHEPHERD’S PIE (from Chef Dan Vernia)
2 pounds potatoes, washed and cubed
2 tablespoons sour cream or softened cream cheese
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup cream, for a lighter version use vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 3/4 pounds ground beef
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1-2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
1 cup chopped fresh kale
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream, egg yolk and cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth. While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add carrot, onion, corn and kale to the meat. Cook veggies with meat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. In a second small skillet over medium heat cook butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

APPLE STUFFED SQUASH (There is a Season: Cooking with the Good Things Grown in Michigan)
2 Acorn or Sweet Dumpling squash
3 Tbs. butter
2 chopped apples
1 chopped onion
2 c. cottage cheese
2 Tbs. lemon juice
3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. raisins (optional)
Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place face down on oiled baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. While squash is baking, sauté apples and onions in butter. Add remaining ingredients to apples. Stuff squash with mixture, covered, 15-20 minutes.

THREE SISTERS STEW (Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair) This is so delicious!!
1 c. dried beans (Tarbais, pinto, black, etc.), soaked
3 c. water
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbs. fresh or 2 tsp. dry oregano
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil or ghee
1 med. onion or 2 small onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 c. winter squash, cut in chunks
1 14-oz. can chopped tomatoes, or 2 cups fresh tomatoes
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen corn
Drain soaking water off beans. Place beans, water, and garlic in a pot; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until beans are tender (50-60 minutes) or pressure cook with 2 cups water (45 minutes). In a large pot, quickly dry toast oregano, cumin seeds, and cinnamon for about 30 seconds. Add oil, onion, salt, and minced garlic; sauté until onion is soft (5 minutes). Add squash, tomatoes, and chili powder and cook until squash is soft (about 20 minutes). Add a little water if mixture is dry. Add cooked beans and corn to squash mixture; simmer until corn is tender. Adjust seasoning to your taste.

AUTUMN MINESTRONE SOUP (Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special by the Moosewood Collective) Yields 12 cups. Serves 6 to 8.
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 1/2 c. peeled and cubed winter squash
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 c. peeled and diced carrots
2 1/2 c. cubed potatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6 c. water
4 c. chopped kale and/or cabbage
1 1/2 c. cooked Tarbais Beans
Warm the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and water; cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are almost done. Add the kale and beans (drained) and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot.

CARROT PUDDING (from AllRecipes.com by Judith Nees)
1.5 pounds carrots, chopped
2 eggs
3/4 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Steam or boil carrots until tender; mash. In an electric mixer with whisk attachment or by hand, beat eggs into carrots, one at a time. Beat in sugar, vanilla and baking powder. Fold in flour. Pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, until puffed and set.

SPICY SQUASH BROWNIES (Mad Mares Cookbook)
1 c. cooked and mashed winter squash
1 1/4 c. whole wheat or unbleached flour
1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. each–nutmeg, baking soda, & salt
1/4 c. buttermilk or sour milk
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 c. chopped nuts
Combine all ingredients and beat well. Pour into greased 13” x 9” pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

TANTRE FARM CSA NEWSLETTER
Extended Fall CSA Share
Week 3
Oct. 30-Nov. 5, 2016

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.

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.

RED BEETS (Red Ace): round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and 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, and excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
-How to store: separate roots from leaves and store unwashed in plastic bags in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; store greens wrapped in damp cloth in plastic bag for up to 1 week.

BROCCOLI: emerald green, tiny buds that are clustered on top of stout, edible stems.
-How to use: use raw, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, soups, on pizza
-How to store: store loosely in plastic bag for up to a week

BRUSSELS SPROUTS: tiny, green cabbage heads with mildly pungent, mustard-like flavor.
-How to use: Boil or steam for 5-10 minutes without overcooking, so they are still bright green; toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, or a pat of butter; excellent roasted or stir-fried.
-How to store: store unwashed in a plastic bag in fridge for 1 week.

CABBAGE: a sweet green cabbage; considered a beneficial digestive aid and intestinal cleanser
-How to use: good steamed, stir-fried, fermented into homemade sauerkraut, or chopped raw into salads or coleslaw
-How to store: refrigerate for up to 1 month or more

CARROTS: You will receive Mokum (a very sweet, slender, orange “pencil carrot”) and Deep Purple (deep purple root; taste very similar to their orange cousins, but filled with antioxidants, which help prevent blood clotting and heart diseases; anti-inflammatory).
-How to use: excellent juiced, steamed or sautéed, in stews, soups, casseroles, stir-fries, or grated raw into salads
-How to store: refrigerate dry and unwashed roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks

CAULIFLOWER (Amazing): medium-sized, white heads with domed, solid curds. (Some heads may have harmless black speckles caused from excessive moisture this fall. Just scrape or cut the spots off.)
-How to use: Raw for salads and dips, steamed, sautéed, or roasted.
-How to store: Sweetest and best when used within a week when stored in the refrigerator, but can last up to 2 weeks.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit) or Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits).
-How to use: can be baked, boiled, fried, grilled, and cut into cubes for stews and stir-fries.
-How to store: best fresh, but can be stored at room temperature or in refrigerator drawer for up to 1 week.

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 or damp towel in refrigerator

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 only been rinsed once, so you may want to wash it again.
-How to use: raw in salads or (believe it or not!) use in soups
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.

MUSHROOMS (Oyster): delectable, white or gray oyster-shaped cap with a mild, earthy odor
-How to use: brush off dirt to clean or wipe with damp cloth, do not wash or submerge in water; good grilled, sautéed, steamed, in soups, and in sandwiches
-How to store: place in paper bag or wax bag and keep in refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days.

ONIONS: You will receive Red Hawk (medium to large deep red bulbs that are slightly flattened).
-How to use: good in French onion soup, stews, casseroles, etc.
-How to store: can last for 10 to 12 months if kept in a cold, dark place, but remove any ones starting to go soft from the others.

GREEN SWEET PEPPERS: typical green bell pepper with large blocky cells with fruity, sweet flavor
-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. Peppers can be easily frozen by washing, chopping, and placing in freezer bags. Also, peppers can be dehydrated or dried.

POTATOES: You will receive Mountain Rose (rosy-skinned inside and out, these versatile, all-purpose spuds are excellent baked, mashed or fried) and Russian Banana Fingerling (an heirloom potato with small, banana-shaped tubers with yellow skin and light yellow flesh; used by chefs for its delicious flavor and smooth “waxy” texture that doesn’t fall apart when cooked; good baked, boiled, or in salads).
-How to store: Keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag

DAIKON RADISH: You will receive K-N Bravo (looks like an overgrown carrot with inside flesh ranging from pale purple to white with purple streaks; good, sweet, eating quality) and White Daikon (looks like an overgrown white carrot, but blunt-tipped on end, with a lightly mild, radish taste).
-How to use: excellent julienned, sliced, used in a salad or tossed with your favorite vinaigrette; good eaten fresh, cooked, or pickled
-How to store: wrap in plastic to keep them crisp for up to 2 weeks

SPINACH: crisp, dark green leaf—rich source of antioxidants & many nutrients, delicious flavor when juiced.
-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.

SWISS CHARD: close relative of garden beets; multi-colored, large veined, semi-crinkly, dark green leaves; mild flavor.
-How to use: greens can be prepared like spinach, and stalks like asparagus; 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.
-How to use: white roots good in salads and soups, roasted, steamed, sautéed. Greens can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried
-How to store: remove greens from turnip root and refrigerate separately in plastic bag for up to 3 days; roots last up to 1-2 weeks.

WINTER SQUASH: Everyone will receive Buttercup Kabocha (green, blocky, with a gray “button” on the blossom end; thick, dry, deep orange flesh; medium-dry and sweet; very dry at harvest, sweeter after a few weeks; dry storage), Carnival (a multicolor Sweet Dumpling with colorful patches and flecks of dark and light green, orange, and yellow; sweet flesh and edible skin), Spaghetti (pale yellow, oblong, smooth, medium size, only mildly sweet with “spaghetti” (stringy) flesh; bake like squash or boil and fork out the flesh, topping the “spaghetti” flesh with your favorite sauce; mildly sweet), and Hooligan (mini pumpkins with white, green, and orange mottled color; excellent sweet pumpkin flavor, which is slightly nutty with orange, smooth flesh; perfect for stuffing or using as a soup bowl or just a simple home decoration).
-How to use: excellent in soups or stews or as a side dish; 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. FINAL WEEK OF EXTENDED FALL CSA: Please return share boxes & bring extra bags! Please return any forgotten boxes from past weeks. You may bring bags, a cooler or other containers to transfer your produce from the boxes at your distribution site, especially this week, which is your final week of Ex. Fall Shares. We also can use any extra “GROCERY” paper or plastic bags.

2. FORAGING 101: WOODY PLANTS AND MUSHROOMS CLASS on Nov. 7 from 6 to 9 pm: This is a the last lecture and plant walk out of a series of monthly foraging classes at Tantre Farm with local forager, Rachel Mifsud. During the lecture, we will discuss 15 woody plants and mushrooms that every forager in our area should know. All of these are common and easy to identify, have long seasons for gathering, and many have multiple uses. These 15 plants are a good place for beginning foragers to start. On our plant walk, we will identify 8-10 edible or medicinal plants and/or mushrooms. We will discuss methods of harvest, preparation, and use of these plants. Then we will choose 2-3 of these that are abundant to gather and each student will take home a portion of the harvest to work with. Bring water, your harvest basket or bag, and your notebook and pen. Cost is $25 per class. You may pay in person or pre-pay online at http://mkt.com/willforageforfood/foraging-chelsea. More info at: http://willforageforfood.com/index.php/classes/foraging-101-series and also on our website on our Events Calendar.

3. THANKSGIVING CSA Registration is OPEN! 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 $120. This share will be available for pick up on Nov. 19 at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 A.M. until Noon or at Tantre Farm from 2-5 P.M. Please register by Nov. 12.

4. INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR CSA IN 2017? Summer CSA Shares will be available for $650 for 20 weeks from June through the middle of October. We will be offering “online registration” for Summer Shares very soon, so you will all receive a separate email informing you when registration opens, so please consider signing up for another year. We will be accepting a $250 deposit or alternative payment proposals. No rollover option this year, so everyone has to register or renew your membership. We welcome new members!!

5. 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.
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.

REFLECTIONS ON THE FARM
by Richard and Deb

Some of the biggest influences on a farm are Meteorology, Sociology, and of course, Economy. This year the weather, the community, and the economy have been very good to us! The “El Nino” hot, dry summer gave way to a “La Nina” wet, cool fall with no significant frost as of November 2. Naturally we have had a few light frosts, but no heavy freezes, which mean cool season vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Asian greens, and carrots continue to grow strong and robust. Unfortunately the increased humidity this fall has encouraged some mycelium growth and fungal spots for some of the crops, so don’t be surprised if you have a few black speckles on produce such as cauliflower and broccoli. Despite it’s slightly less attractive appearance, it is harmless, so just cut it off.

It seems this mild, fall weather will provide us with an abundant supply of root vegetables for the next 4 to 5 months, which hopefully will satisfy our supportive community of members, who are interested in continuing to receive produce through our November Thanksgiving CSA, our December Solstice CSA, and possibly other opportunities for stocking up on local Tantre vegetables throughout the winter. We are filling our root cellar and hoping to turn some of these delectables into plant-based, prepared foods at the Washtenaw Food Hub kitchens through fermenting, “souping”, and “salading” as an extension of some of our winter shares, which will be announced to you in separate emails throughout the coming months. We invite you to participate in the upcoming Thanksgiving Share, which is happening very soon in a few weeks. We also would like to encourage you to help us plan for next Summer of 2017 by signing up early for our Summer CSA with a deposit or full payment to help us develop a budget, so that we may purchase seeds, repair equipment, and make plans for the Summer bounty of 2017. Registration is not open just yet, but you will receive an email soon, which will let you know when to begin registration.

We are grateful to the whole Tantre community of members, volunteers, farm workers, the earth, the sun, and the rain for this bountiful harvest. Please feel free to contact us at the farm or come visit us at the Chelsea & Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Argus Farm Stop, and People’s Food Coop throughout the winter. Thank you for being a member of the Tantre Farm Extended Fall CSA!!

RECIPES

TANTRÉ FARM SLAW (A simple, easy salad!) Serves 4.
2 medium beets, grated
3 large carrots, grated
1 white turnip, grated
1 Daikon radish, grated
1 small red onion, optional
sesame or sunflower seeds, toasted
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Grate vegetables into a bowl. Chop onion, if desired, and add to bowl. Toast sesame or sunflower seeds. Add when cooled. Add olive oil and lemon juice as a salad dressing to suit your taste. Be careful of too much liquid. The tartness of the lemon should be prominent. Serve immediately or marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator. Variations: Add grated turnips, lettuce. parsley, etc.

Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #20
Oct 9-15, 2016

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.

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 green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.

BROCCOLI: emerald green, tiny buds that are clustered on top of stout, edible stems. See Week 5 for usage and storage information.

CARROTS (Mokum): a very sweet, slender, “pencil carrot” with edible green leaves. Greens are delicious in soups and also salads. See Week 5 for usage and storage information.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit) or Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits, which are delicately flavored and quick cooking). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available on the farm): A bouquet per household of up to 15 stems will be part of your share, if you are able to come and pick it. Extra bouquets cost $4.

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.
You may CHOOSE ONE bunch (NOT one bunch of each) from the following 5 options:
–French Sorrel–slightly tart, lemon-flavored green; excellent for salads, soups, and sauces; can be used in omelets.
–Rosemary—pine needle-like leaves used with potatoes, bread doughs, risottos, mixed vegetables, and meat dishes, as well as in sweet dishes such as lemonade, creams, custards, and syrups.
–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 camphorlike notes, so often added to fish sauces, salad dressings, tomato-based sauces; goes well with vegetables including cabbages, potatoes, eggplant, and beans.
–Italian Flat-leaf Parsley—flat, glossy, dark green leaves have a strong parsley/celery flavor; especially good in omelets, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soups, pasta and vegetable dishes, as well as, sauces.
–Black-stemmed Peppermint–superior fragrance and flavor; forest green leaves with deep purple veins and stems; leaves are good as a hot or iced tea, and adds a delicious flavor when minced and added to cooked peas, carrots, potatoes, and salads.

KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well ruffled green leaves; great for kale chips, in a salad, roasted, and in soups). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.

ONIONS: You will receive Copra (medium-sized, dark yellow-skinned storage onions; excellent storage onion staying firm and flavorful after most other varieties have sprouted) and Red Zeppelin (medium to large, globe-shaped bulbs with deep red color and will store for six months or more under proper conditions). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

HOT PEPPERS: Everyone will receive Jalapeño (small and conical pepper, ranging from green to red; hot chile pepper used commonly in Mexican or southwestern cooking), Padron (heirloom pepper famous in Spain; smaller peppers are milder, but the larger the pepper, the more it grows in heat; they say 1 in 6 are hot, so it’s a surprise; serve sautéed in olive oil with a little sea salt, or chop into many other dishes), and one of the following: Joe’s Long Cayenne (long, slender, bright red fruits tapering to a point with medium heat; are excellent for homemade hot sauce and dry well for dried hot pepper flakes) or Hungarian Wax (a yellow-orange, hot pepper with smooth, waxy fruits tapering to a point; good for stuffing and pickling) See Week 15 for usage and storage information.

SWEET PEPPERS: You will receive Green Bell Peppers (large blocky cells with fruity, sweet flavor), 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 Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh). See Week 14 for usage and storage information.

POTATOES: You will receive Russian Banana Fingerling (an heirloom potato with small, banana-shaped tubers with yellow skin and light yellow flesh; good baked, boiled, or in salads), Mountain Rose (rosy-skinned inside and out, these versatile, all-purpose spuds are excellent baked, mashed or fried), and/or Adirondack Blue (round to oblong, tubers have glistening blue skin enclosing deep blue flesh; superb for mashing or salads; very high in antioxidants!). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

U-PICK RASPBERRIES (only available on the farm): The harvest is slowing down, but you can still pick 1 pint as part of your share this week, if you are able to come out to the farm and pick it yourself. SALE on U-PICK: $3 for any extra pints picked this week.

TOMATOES: We still have tomatoes for you, so take them if you want to hang onto a few more bites of summer!! You will receive a few of any of the following varieties: Tiren (early, classic San Marzano shaped tomato with same meaty texture and great flavor for sauce), Amish Paste (large for a sauce tomato, slightly irregular, plum-to strawberry-shaped fruits avg. 8-12 oz. with excellent flavor; good in salads and great for processing. A Slow Food USA Ark of Taste variety), or Geronimo (newer variety but already one of the most widely used beefsteak varieties; fruits are firm, nice red color and good taste). See Week 9 newsletter for storage and usage information.

WHITE HAKUREI TURNIPS and GREENS: A white salad turnip with round, smooth roots that have a sweet, fruity flavor with a crisp, tender texture. Both roots (good source of Vitamin C, potassium, and calcium; good in salads and soups) and greens (slightly sweet and can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, and since hairless, are good in salads; excellent source of vitamins A & C and good source of riboflavin, calcium and iron) are edible!
-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.

WINTER SQUASH & PIE PUMPKINS: Everyone will receive Butternut (light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh; longest storage potential of all squash), Acorn (small, green ribbed squash with pale yellow flesh; great stuffed with rice, breading, or soups), and Baby Bear Pie Pumpkin (deep orange, 1 1/2-2 1/2-lb. fruits are about half the size of a normal pie pumpkin.) See Week 16 for usage and storage information.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. LAST WEEK OF THE SUMMER CSA: That means Oct. 12 (Wed.), Oct. 14 (Fri.), and Oct. 15 (Sat.) are the last distribution days of the summer shares until our fall shares begin next week.

2. BRING BAGS! Please bring bags (cloth for yourself and/or any “grocery-size” plastic and paper to share with others), a cooler, or a box to receive your produce this week, so you can leave the share box behind if we won’t see you again this fall.

3. MUSHROOM DAY AT TANTRE FARM ON OCT. 16 FROM 11 AM until 6 PM. Come to this mushroom workshop led by local forager, Rachel Mifsud, for all day or any part of the day. She has been leading the monthly Foraging Series at Tantre Farm. See detailed descriptions of each of the following Mushroom Classes in Week 19 newsletter or the calendar on our website.
–Mushroom ID Class: 11-1 pm, $25
–Mushroom Walk: 1:30-3:30pm, $15
–Grow Your Own Mushrooms: 4-6pm, $25
**$50 for the entire day ($15 discount) Registration link if you want to pre-register: https://squareup.com/store/willforageforfood

4. STILL OPENINGS FOR THE SAUERKRAUT WORKSHOP at the FOOD HUB on SATURDAY, OCT. 23 from 1 to 3 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. We also will give a tour of the Food Hub, and describe the buildout of the new Farm Market area that is under construction. Please register by email with your NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, and PHONE NUMBER. $5 fee for materials.

5. STILL SPACES FOR THE EXTENDED FALL CSA SHARES: This share runs from Oct. 16 through Nov. 5 for $105 celebrating all the bounty of the fall vegetables! The link for online registration is http://tantrefarm.csasignup.com. Please sign up by Oct. 15, so you won’t miss any of those 3 weeks of produce. Please go to our website for more information. We are prorating these shares as well, so if you need to miss a week of the Extended Fall CSA, just send us an email, and we will register you for the weeks you will receive a share. Hope to share more of this abundant fall harvest with you throughout October! Tell your friends and family!!

6. THANKSGIVING CSA on November 19! This CSA is very close to being open for registration! A more detailed email notice about this will come out to you sometime this week. You can also read more details about the Thanksgiving Share on our website under “CSA Info”. 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 $120. This share will be available for pick up on the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 A.M. until noon or at Tantré Farm from 2-5 P.M.

7. THANKSGIVING TURKEYS: Thanksgiving turkeys are available to order from Two Tracks Acres, a 10 acre farm in Grass Lake, Michigan. These are free-range, broad breasted white turkeys that range 13-25 pounds. Turkeys are $4.50/lb, and are fresh (not frozen) with on farm pickup the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Contact Stephanie Willette at twotracksacres@gmail.com or visit the website www.twotracksacres.com.

8. FROZEN LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGGIE SHARES FROM LOCAVORIOUS AVAILABLE FOR WINTER: Tantre Farm member and Locavorious CSA founder, Rena Basch, provides locally grown, delicious, frozen fruits and vegetables in the winter months as Winter CSA Shares. Locavorious members receive 4 shares of local frozen fruits and veggies, including Tantre’s sweet peppers, tomatoes, kabocha, blackberries and strawberries! This CSA promises to continue provide you with the “taste of summer” all winter long! Shares are only $215. Share pick-up places include Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Morgan & York, and the Washtenaw Food Hub. Contact Rena for more information at rena@locavorious.com or 734-276-5945, or visit www.locavorious.com to sign up.

9. U-PICK AVAILABLE: Please call ahead if you plan to pick on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri.).
-U-pick Golden/Red Raspberries—1 pint FREE! Extras $3/pint
-U-PICK Flowers–You may pick 1 bouquet of up to 15 stems per household for “free”. Extra bouquets will cost $4.
-U-PICK Christmas Limas Beans–$2/lb. (a large, flat dried pod with beans a light cream color with maroon splashes; this favorite heirloom has a butter-like texture and a subtle chestnut-like flavor; use in soups, stir fries…Yum!!)

10. INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR CSA IN 2017? We are NOT doing a “roll-over membership” for 2017 like we did last year which means members were automatically rolled over into the next summer season. This became a very frustrating and confusing process for many members and on our end as well. All members will renew their registration just like usual with online registration. You will all receive a separate email informing you when registration opens. Summer CSA Shares will be available for $650 for 20 weeks from June through mid October in 2017.

11. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDERS:
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.
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 1 P.M.

**Thank you for a wonderful Summer Season filled with gratitude, community building, and a bountiful harvest. Please feel free to contact us throughout the rest of fall and winter for any fall storage produce or come visit us at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, Chelsea Farmers Market, Argus Farm Stop, and People’s Food Coop throughout the winter. Thank you for being a member of the Tantre Farm Summer CSA!!

–Deb, Richard, and the Tantre Farm Crew

Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #19
Oct 2.-8, 2016

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.

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 green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.

BROCCOLI: emerald green, tiny buds that are clustered on top of stout, edible stems. See Week 5 for usage and storage information.

CARROTS (Mokum): a very sweet, slender, “pencil carrot” with edible green leaves. Greens are delicious in soups and also salads. See Week 5 for usage and storage information.

CAULIFLOWER, ROMANESCO: lime green, spiraled heads with pointed, spiraled pinnacles; crisp and mild. For all you mathematicians, it’s a fractal!!
How to use: Raw for salads and dips, steamed, sautéed, or roasted.
How to store: Sweetest and best when used within a week when stored in the refrigerator, but can last up to 2 weeks.
How to freeze: Blanch 2-4 minutes, rinse under cold water, drain and dry, pack into freezer bags.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit) or Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits, which are delicately flavored and quick cooking). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available on the farm): A bouquet per household of up to 15 stems will be part of your share, if you are able to come and pick it.

GARLIC: a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, bolstering the immune system. See Week 6 for usage and storage information.

FRESH HERBS: The herbs have been slowing down with this cooler weather and shortening days, so they have not grown back quickly enough for us to cut enough for everyone. If you really want a fresh herb bunch though, you can pick one bunch for yourself from the herb garden. Please ask for help.

KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well ruffled green leaves; great for kale chips, in a salad, roasted, and in soups). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.

LETTUCE MIX (Allstar Gourmet): a bag of ruffled red and green lettuces with unique leaf shapes that provide loft, interesting texture, good shelf life, and fancy appearance; includes Green Oakleaf, Red Oakleaf, Green Romaine, Red Romaine, Lollo Rossa, and Redleaf lettuces. Your lettuce has been rinsed once. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.

HOT PEPPERS: You will receive Jalapeño (small and conical pepper, ranging from green to red; hot chile pepper used commonly in Mexican or southwestern cooking) and one of the following Joe’s Long Cayenne (long, slender, bright red fruits tapering to a point with medium heat; are excellent for homemade hot sauce and dry well for ristras and dried hot pepper flakes) or Hungarian Wax (Yellow, orange hot pepper with smooth, waxy fruits tapering to a point. Easy to stuff and to peel after roasting; thick-fleshed for frying; colors change from yellow to orange to red, and make the prettiest pickled peppers. Definitely, but not overly, hot. See Week 15 for usage and storage information.

SWEET RED 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 Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh). See Week 14 for usage and storage information.

POTATOES: You will receive Russian Banana Fingerling (an heirloom potato with small, banana-shaped tubers with yellow skin and light yellow flesh; used by chefs for its delicious flavor and smooth “waxy” texture that doesn’t fall apart when cooked; good baked, boiled, or in salads). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

U-PICK RASPBERRIES (only available on the farm): The sweet fall red and golden raspberries have been ripening, so we are opening up to u-pick this week. Unfortunately we happened to get over 5 inches of rain in less than 4 days this past week, so you may find mold or fermented berries as well. 1 pint is available as part of your share this week, if you are able to come out to the farm and pick it yourself. SALE on U-PICK: $3 for any extra pints picked this week.

TOMATOES (optional): Our tomato bonanza is winding down, it seems. There are still a few “seconds” tomatoes that you may choose to take if you wish at each site, especially for eating immediately or freezing: Tiren (early, classic San Marzano shaped tomato with same meaty texture and great flavor for sauce), Japanese Black Trifele (unusual pear-shaped, heirloom tomato with burgundy, greenish color and excellent, rich flavor), Rose (deep pink, heirloom, medium-sized tomato, which is meaty and flavorful), or Geronimo (newer variety but already one of the most widely used beefsteak varieties; fruits are firm, nice red color and good taste).

WINTER SQUASH: Everyone will receive Butternut (light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh; longest storage potential of all squash) and Delicata (small, oblong, creamy colored with long green stripes, only slightly ribbed; pale yellow, sweet flesh; edible skin; best eaten within 4 months of harvest). See Week 16 for usage and storage information.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. SAUERKRAUT WORKSHOP on SATURDAY, OCT. 23: Get cultured with us at the Washtenaw Food Hub and learn to make your own sauerkraut using locally-grown, organic produce from Tantre Farm! 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 by email with your NAME, EMAIL ADDRESS, and PHONE NUMBER. $5 fee for materials and other ingredients.

2. ENDING SUMMER CSA DATES: The end is drawing near. This is just a reminder that our summer shares are ending in just a few weeks. That means Oct. 12 (Wed.), Oct. 14 (Fri.), and Oct. 15 (Sat.) are the last distribution days for our Summer Shares.

3. EXTENDED FALL CSA SHARE REGISTRATION IS OPEN: This share runs from Oct. 16 through Nov. 5 for $105 celebrating all the bounty of the fall vegetables! There is plenty of room and plenty of produce this fall, so you will get in! The link for online registration is http://tantrefarm.csasignup.com, which will bring you right to the sign up page. Please sign up by Oct. 15, so you won’t miss any of those 3 weeks of produce. We will be sending a separate email notice soon, so that everyone knows more details about this share. You also can go to our website for more information. We are prorating these shares as well, so if you need to miss a week of the Extended Fall CSA, just send us an email, and we will register you for the weeks you will receive a share. Hope to share more of this abundant fall harvest with you throughout October!

4. THANKSGIVING CSA on November 19! This CSA is NOT open for registration just yet, but we wanted to let you know about it. A more detailed email notice about this will come out to you sometime in the next few weeks. You can also read more details about the Thanksgiving Share on our website under “CSA Info”. 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 $120. This share will be available for pick up on the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 A.M. until noon or at Tantré Farm from 2-5 P.M.

5. U-PICK AVAILABLE: Please call ahead if you plan to pick on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri.).
-U-pick Golden/Red Raspberries—1 pint FREE! Extras $3/pint
-U-PICK Flowers–You may pick 1 bouquet of up to 15 stems per household for “free” in the u-pick flower garden on the farm. Whenever possible if you can donate $1 or $2 that will help to pay for some seed and labor costs. Extra bouquets will cost $4.
-U-PICK Christmas Limas Beans–$2/lb. (a large, flat dried pod with beans a light cream color with maroon splashes; this favorite heirloom has a butter-like texture and a subtle chestnut-like flavor; simply enjoyed after cooking with a drizzle of olive oil and a few grates of dry goat cheese; use in soups, stir fries…Yum!!)

6. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDERS:
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.
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 1 P.M.

ALL DAY “MUSHROOM DAY” at TANTRE FARM on OCT. 16
Autumn is a great time to find mushrooms, and we have been finding so many flushes of mushrooms throughout this spring and summer! It seems to be a great mushroom year with just the right conditions! This class is being led by local forager, Rachel Mifsud. She has been leading the monthly Foraging Series at Tantre Farm, and is offering this all day mushroom series on Sunday, Oct. 16, from 11 AM until 6 PM. She has split it up into sections though, so you can come for part of the day or all of the day.

$50 for the entire day ($15 discount) Registration link if you want to pre-register: https://squareup.com/store/willforageforfood

Mushroom ID Class: 11-1 pm, $25
Learn the basics of mushroom identification. This will be a paper and pencil class designed to help you become familiar with the vocabulary of mushroom anatomy. Great practice for those who are hoping to earn Michigan’s Expert Mushroom Identifier Certification, and a good introduction for anyone interested in foraging for wild mushrooms.

Mushroom Walk: 1:30-3:30pm, $15
Mushrooms like to hide in plain sight. There is no better way to develop “mushroom vision” than to practice, so we will make a foray into the woods to look for fall mushrooms. This will be a great chance to practice ID. And if we are lucky we might find pheasant backs, oysters, hen of the woods, and maybe even honey mushrooms.

Grow Your Own Mushrooms: 4-6pm, $25
Indoor mushroom gardens are ideal for people in apartments who want to grow some of their own food. Outdoors, they can be incorporated into existing gardens, added to compost, or grown on logs and tree stumps as part of a natural landscape. In this class you will learn the basics of growing mushrooms. We will talk about the benefits of growing mushrooms and the time and materials required for indoor and outdoor growth. Then you will have the chance to start your own table top mushroom farm to grow oyster mushrooms at home.

RECIPES
**Keep in mind a very easy way to find recipe ideas for almost any combination of share box ingredients is to type the items into your preferred “search bar” with the word “recipe” after it, and many recipe ideas will pop up. Have fun searching! Lots and lots of ideas!

AUTUMN MINESTRONE (Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special by the Moosewood Collective)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 1/2 c. peeled and cubed winter squash (such as delicata or butternut)
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2 c. peeled and diced carrots
2 1/2 c. cubed potatoes
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6 c. water
4 c. chopped kale
1 1/2 c. cooked (or 15-oz. can) cannellini beans (or any cooked bean)

Warm the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and water; cook for 10 minutes or until potatoes are almost done. Add the kale and beans (drained) and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the kale is tender and the beans are hot. Yields 12 cups. Serves 6 to 8.

Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK #18
Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2016

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.

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 green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.

GREEN, PURPLE, or YELLOW BEANS: You will receive E-Z Pick (a round, tender, dark green, snap bean with good sweet flavor), Royal Burgundy (brilliant purple, smooth, round, meaty pods; add stunning color to salads when used raw; pods turn dark green when cooked; excellent fresh or frozen), or Isar (beautiful, yellow, fillet bean with excellent flavor). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

BROCCOLI: emerald green, tiny buds that are clustered on top of stout, edible stems. See Week 5 for usage and storage information.

EGGPLANT: You will receive Nadia (slender, purplish-black, glossy-like, bell-shaped fruit) or Orient Express (dark purple Asian type with long, slender, glossy fruits, which are delicately flavored and quick cooking). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available on the farm): A bouquet per household of up to 15 stems will be part of your share, if you are able to come and pick it. This means that if you are splitting a share, each household can pick a bouquet in the u-pick flower garden at the farm. Please call or email ahead only if you plan to pick on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri. , when we are here!), so we can make sure someone is around to help you. More information about u-pick flowers in the “Announcements” section.

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. You may CHOOSE ONE from the following:
*Curly Parsley—curly, dark green leaves, often used as a garnish; especially good in tabouleh, omelets, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soups, pasta and vegetable dishes.
*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.
*Oregano–member of the mint family and is similar to marjoram, but not as sweet and more pungent flavor and aroma; good in soups and tomato-based dishes.
*Thyme– tiny green leaves used in meat and vegetable dishes and most casseroles, soups, stews, and medicinal teas, which soothe sore throats.

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.) See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.

LETTUCE: You will receive Green Leaf, Red Leaf or Buttercrunch (bib). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage information.

MUSHROOMS (Shiitake): flower-like cracking pattern on brown cap; edible mushroom native to East Asia; many medicinal qualities too; grown on logs at Tantre Farm. If you don’t care for mushrooms, then leave them for someone else or gift them to a friend! See Week 11 for usage and storage information.

ONIONS (Pattterson): medium-large, blocky bulbs with dark yellow skin and thin necks; excellent storage onion. See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

HOT PEPPERS: You will receive Jalapeño (small and conical pepper, ranging from green to red; hot chile pepper used commonly in Mexican or southwestern cooking) and Padron (heirloom pepper famous in Spain; typically 2 to 3 inch long; smaller peppers are milder, but the larger the pepper, the more it grows in heat; they say 1 in 6 are hot, so it’s a surprise; serve sautéed in olive oil with a little sea salt, or chop into many other dishes). See Week 15 for usage and storage information.

SWEET RED 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 Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh), or Cupid (fruits are blocky to slightly pointed, snack size, and are particularly sweet when red). See Week 14 for usage and storage information.

POTATOES: You will receive 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). See Week 8 newsletter for usage and storage information.

RADISHES: You will receive Easter Egg (a beautiful mix of red, purple, pink, and white round radishes; crisp and mild flavor).
How to use: raw, roasted, used in soups, sliced in salads, sandwiches, or stir-fries, grated in slaws; Radish greens (excellent source of vitamins A, C, and the B’s) delicious in soups or stir-fries.
How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag/damp towel for 1-2 weeks.

TOMATOES: You will receive some choices of any of the following: Verona (similar to Juliet, but with even tastier, somewhat plumper, deep red “cocktail plum” fruits; good in sauces and in salads), Tiren (early, classic San Marzano shaped tomato with same meaty texture and great flavor for sauce), or Geronimo (newer variety but already one of the most widely used beefsteak varieties; fruits are firm, nice red color and good taste), Our Heirloom slicer tomato varieties are slowing down, so you may receive one if we have enough.

WINTER SQUASH: Everyone will receive Sunshine Kabocha (red-orange, flat-round fruit with dry, sweet, bright orange flesh; excellent for baking, mashing, pies, and cheesecake!). See Week 16 for usage and storage information.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. THANKS FOR COMING TO OUR FALL WORK PARTY AND POTLUCK on Sept. 25. We managed to clean about 20 crates of garlic, weeded the mint bed in the herb garden, and filled our bellies full of delicious food. All members were able to go home with a squash or a pumpkin, a pint of raspberries, and a flower bouquet if they wanted. We really appreciate getting to know so many of our Tantre Farm community and especially all the ways you all pitched in to help the farm!

2. “15 HERBACEOUS PLANTS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW” in Rachel’s FORAGING SERIES on Oct. 3 from 6 to 9 PM at Tantre Farm: This lecture covers a list of 15 herbaceous plants that every forager should learn. Each plant on the list is common, can be sustainably harvested in large quantities, is easy to ID, and provides multiple useful products throughout the year. More info at: http://willforageforfood.com/index.php/classes/foraging-101-series/ Cost: $25 per class. You may pay in person or pre-pay online at http://mkt.com/willforageforfood/foraging-chelsea.

3. ENDING SUMMER CSA DATES: The end is drawing near. This is just a reminder that our summer shares are ending in just a few weeks. That means Oct. 12 (Wed.), Oct. 14 (Fri.), and Oct. 15 (Sat.) are the last distribution days for our Summer Shares.

4. EXTENDED FALL CSA SHARE REGISTRATION IS OPEN: This share runs from Oct. 16 through Nov. 5 for $105 celebrating all the bounty of the fall vegetables! There is plenty of room and plenty of produce this fall, so you will get in! The link for online registration is http://tantrefarm.csasignup.com, which will bring you right to the sign up page. Please sign up by Oct. 15, so you won’t miss any of those 3 weeks of produce. We will be sending a separate email notice soon, so that everyone knows more details about this share. You also can go to our website for more information. We are prorating these shares as well, so if you need to miss a week of the Extended Fall CSA, just send us an email, and we will register you for the weeks you will receive a share. Hope to share more of this abundant fall harvest with you throughout October!

5. THANKSGIVING CSA on November 19! This CSA is not open for registration just yet, but we wanted to let you know about it. A more detailed email notice about this will come out to you sometime in the next few weeks. You can also read more details about the Thanksgiving Share on our website under “CSA Info”. 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 $120. This share will be available for pick up on the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 A.M. until noon or at Tantré Farm from 2-5 P.M.

6. U-PICK AVAILABLE: Please call ahead if you plan to pick on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri.).
– U-PICK Flowers–You may pick 1 bouquet of up to 15 stems per household for “free” in the u-pick flower garden on the farm. Extra bouquets-$4.
– U-PICK Tomatoes—these are limited varieties and locations, but still some out there on the vines for freezing, canning, and dehydrating. Members–$0.50/lb. Non members–$0.75/lb.
-U-PICK Christmas Limas Beans–$2/lb. (a large, flat dried pod with beans a light cream color with maroon splashes; this favorite heirloom has a butter-like texture and a subtle chestnut-like flavor; simply enjoyed after cooking with a drizzle of olive oil and a few grates of dry goat cheese; use in soups, stir fries…Yum!!)

7. STILL COULD USE PLASTIC OR PAPER GROCERY BAGS AND YOGURT CONTAINERS (quart size for u-pick flowers), if you would like to donate some to the farm or at markets. We are running low.

8. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDERS:
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.
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 1 P.M.

RECIPES

SUNSHINE KABOCHA CHEESECAKE (from: www.GrowingChefs.org)
Note: Using yogurt cheese instead of cream cheese gives a slightly sour flavor, making the cake more savory than sweet.) To cook squash, cut in half, deseed, put cut side down in a little water in a baking pan at 350-400°F. THIS IS A FAVORITE AT TANTRE!!

For the Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cups finely ground ginger cookies (homemade or store bought)
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake:
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound cream cheese or yogurt cheese, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup pureed winter squash

Preheat oven to 350°F, and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Grease 8” pie pan. In a medium sized bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, finely ground ginger snap cookies, sugar, and melted butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared spring form pan. Cover and refrigerate while you make the cheesecake filling.

In a separate bowl, stir to combine the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. With a hand mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth (about 2 minutes). Gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until creamy and smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the vanilla extract and pureed winter squash.

Pour the filling over the chilled ginger crust and place the spring form pan on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Place a cake pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven to moisten the air. Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 325° F and continue to bake the cheesecake for another 10-20 minutes, or until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center is still wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a sharp knife around the inside edge (this will help prevent the cake from cracking). Then place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the pan so the cheesecake will cool slowly. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate at least eight hours, preferably overnight, before serving.
This recipe in an 8″ pan serves 10-12 people.