Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK 6
June 29-July 5, 2014

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 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.

**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

FAVA BEANS: (also called faba bean, horse bean, or broad bean) the pod is inedible and looks like a large bean pod; the bean seed resembles a very large lima bean with a tart, pungent flavor; fresh fava beans should be shelled from pod if skin seems tough, but bean seed can be eaten raw, skin and all, if young enough.
-To skin fava beans: Blanch for 1 minute, then drain and cool. With your thumbnail, pull open the sprout end and squeeze the bean out of its skin.
-How to use: Stew skinned beans in a little butter, oil or cream seasoned with savory, thyme or sage. SautÈ with other vegetables and toss with pasta. Good in soups. Lots of recipes on the internet.
-How to store: Store fresh, unshelled beans in the refrigerator up to a week; once shelled, blanched and skinned, favas can be frozen in plastic containers for longer storage; shelled beans are best used within a few days. See “Beans” for recipes in the A to Z Cookbook, if you have it, and also this newsletter. Delicious!

RED BEETS & GREENS: smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and medium-tall, red-veined green leaves. *The beet greens are especially delicious right now, and can be used like spinach.

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. See Week 3 newsletter 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. You may choose 1 out the following 3 herbs this week:
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.
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.
Thyme– tiny green leaves used in meat and vegetable dishes and most casseroles, soups, stews, and medicinal teas, which soothe sore throats. The flowers are edible and make nice garnishes

KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”).
See Week 3 newsletter for usage and storage information.

KOHLRABI: delicious bulbous member of the cabbage family, that grows above ground; purple or green skin and crisp, apple-white flesh tubers and leaves are good sources of vitamins C and A, calcium, potassium, and fiber.
How to use: good steamed and then mashed with potatoes, added to soups or stews, or delicious sliced and eaten raw with dip
How to store: store in refrigerator for up to a month

SHELLING or SNAP PEAS: You may receive Shelling Peas (easy to shell with delicious flavor for fresh eating and freezing) or Sugar Snap Peas (“round” pod of edible-pod pea). Chew on the pod to test if they are edible pods or tough-skinned shelling pea. See Week 4 newsletter for usage and storage information.

SALAD MIX: a custom mix of baby lettuces, spicy mix, Asian greens, and arugula.
How to use: add to salads, soups, and sautÈed vegetable dishes
How to store: very perishable, so use up quickly; store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

SUMMER ONIONS (Red or White): slightly larger bulbs (“baby bulb onions”) than green onions, but both bulb and leaves are still edible; can be prepared like cippolini onions. See Week 5 newsletter for usage and storage information.

SUMMER SQUASH/ZUCCHINI: You will receive some variety of Green/Yellow Zucchini (gourmet golden zucchini with uniform, cylindrical fruits) or Yellow Crookneck (long, curved neck with a sometimes bumpy, yellow skin; buttery flavor and firm texture) or Patty Pan (tender, rounded scallop, bright yellow squash with a green tip; nutty flavor). *Keep in mind “zucchini” and “summer squash” are basically interchangeable in recipes.
How to use: use in salads, dips, grilled, casseroles, stuffed, or mashed with butter and seasonings
How to store: store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

SWISS CHARD: close relative of garden beets; 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, and stalks like asparagus; good steamed, sautÈed, stir-fried, and in soups.
How to store: wrap in damp cloth in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 2-4 days.
How to freeze: Chard leaves freeze easily. Chop leaves, blanch for 3 minutes, dunk in cold water immediately, drain, and freeze in freezer containers/bags.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. KID FARM HIKE: Come join us for a guided monthly exploratory walk around Tantre Farm on Friday, July 11, at 2 PM. We’ll use all our senses as we take an approx. 45-60 minute hike with CSA member, Alisse Portnoy, who teaches at the University of Michigan. She and her daughter are in their fifth year of once-a-week day-long visits to the farm. They look forward to sharing some of its treasures and treasure spots with you. Meet at the Main House’s 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. “F0RAGE AND PRESERVE” CLASS: Local forager, Rachel Mifsud, will be leading this class at Tantre Farm on Sat., July 26. We will spend the afternoon in the farm’s summer kitchen using lawn weeds and common garden herbs to produce medicines. This is your chance to learn how to make salves, liniments, tinctures, and healing teas. This class will not include a plant walk. All plants will be pre-harvested, so that we can focus on learning the techniques. Tentative products (subject to change): 1) Bug Bite Butter 2) Headache Tincture 3) Tummy Tea 4) Sleepy Tea 5) Ache Liniment. Cost: special rate of $15 for Tantre CSA members (non members $30), which includes instruction, foraged tea and snacks, and 5 herbal products. This is an excellent value! RSVP REQUIRED until the class is full. Please include your name, email address and phone number in the body of your email.

3. “LULU” COOKING CLASS ON June 25 was delicious: Thanks to Laenne and Eric for sharing their culinary talents as we created and consumed 5 courses from garlic scape crostini with sheep’s milk ricotta to Pasta with Wilted Greens, Roasted Potatoes, Sage, and Cheese. Thanks to our 16 CSA members who attended and helped with enthusiasm, tenacity, and a hearty appetite!

4. WEEDING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: There are always a generous amount of weeds on the farm, especially with all this rain. If you are interested in helping out–even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes before you pick up your box at the farm, come join us. Please contact us any day of the week or evenings until dark. We could really use the help with the weeds right now. Thanks for volunteering!

5. VACATIONS or OUT OF TOWN: Please remember to contact us at least by Sunday to make changes in pick up days or locations. If someone else is picking up your share while you are out of town, you may want to give them our contact information, so they can let us know if they forgot to pick up or can’t make it at the last minute. Then we will know what to do with the forgotten box.

6. 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.)ó10 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)–8 A.M. to 12 P.M.

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”, and many recipe ideas will pop up. Have fun searching! Lots and lots of ideas!

BAYOU SUMMER SQUASH (from Capay Organic Farm CSA “Farm Fresh To You” website)
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried or 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 lbs summer squash or zucchini, cut in rounds
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
safflower or peanut oil for frying

Combine the salt, spices, and thyme in a small bowl. Sprinkle the squash rounds with a teaspoon of the mix. Divide the remaining spice mix in half and stir one half into the flour and the other half into the cornmeal. Beat together the egg and milk. Heat 1 inch of safflower or peanut oil in a deep saucepan or frying pan to 350 degrees. Using your hands, quickly toss the squash in the flour and shake off excess. Toss in the milk and egg, then dip in the cornmeal to coat, shaking off excess. Deep-fry for about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve at once.

FAVA BEAN SALAD (from Capay Organic Farm CSA “Farm Fresh To You” website)
1 lb. Fava beans, shelled
2 green onions, finely sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon parsley OR cilantro
pinch ground pepper

Boil the beans in slightly salted water until tender. Drain and cool. Blend oil and vinegar together with salt and pepper. Stir in onion and garlic. Place Favas in serving dish and pour oil and vinegar dressing over them. Sprinkle with chopped herbs.

HERBED GREEN PEA SOUP (from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home)
4 scallions or summer onions, chopped
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. fresh thyme
2 Tbs. fresh tarragon
1 pound fresh shelled green peas (about 3 cups)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 cups hot water
1 cup milk

In a soup pot, sautÈ the scallions in the oil for a minute.† Add the thyme and tarragon, and sautÈ for another few minutes.† Stir in the peas, nutmeg, salt, pepper and hot water.† Cover and bring to a boil.† Boil for 2 minutes, until the peas are tender but still bright green.† Using a slotted spoon remove about 1 cup of the peas to add back to the pureed mixture.† Blend the rest of the soup and then return to the pot and add the milk and reserved peas.† Gently reheat and serve warm or chill for about 1 1/2 hours.† Makes about 4 cups.

Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK 4
June 15-21, 2014

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

ASPARAGUS: You will receive a bunch of green, purple, or white variety; each contains vitamins A, B, and C, as well as iron.
– How to use: serve raw, chopped in salads, or with dips. You can also steam, roast, grill, 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. Alternatively, bundle spears with rubber band and place upright in container with an inch of water.

GARLIC SCAPES: This popular and highly delectable flower top of a garlic plant has a slender green stem with a slight bulge at the bottom (resemble chives, except for the bulge and often curled); tender and milder in flavor than mature garlic, but can be substituted for garlic cloves in recipes. **Attached recipes to paper newsletter. This didn’t work online last week, so just on paper copies unless you email me individually requesting the “7 Garlic Scape Ideas”.
-How to use: mild garlic flavor, so delicious chopped in salads, roasted, and sautéed.
-How to store: put in refrigerator in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks.

FRESH HERBS: In general, store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
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.
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.
Thyme– tiny green leaves used in meat and vegetable dishes and most casseroles, soups, stews, and medicinal teas, which soothe sore throats. The flowers are edible and make nice garnishes.

KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”).
See Week 2 or 3 newsletter for usage and storage information.

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 probably needs more 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 2 heads of Green Leaf, Red Leaf or Romaine in your box with an optional extra head 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.

RED SPRING ONIONS (or “Green” Onions): young shoots of red bulb onions with long green stalks and milder tasting than large bulb onions; full of great fiber and antioxidants, high in potassium and source of vitamins C and B-6.
-How to use: the bulb, flowers, and green leaves are edible; can be cooked, grilled, roasted whole as a vegetable; chopped in salads, soups, & other dishes for flavor.
-How to store: refrigerate in damp towel/plastic bag for 2-5 days.

SHELLING or SNAP PEAS: You may receive Shelling Peas (easy to shell with delicious flavor for fresh eating and freezing) or Sugar Snap Peas (“round” pod of edible-pod pea). Chew on the pod to test if they are edible pods or tough-skinned shelling pea.
-How to use: Add shelled peas to soups, stews, sautés, or stir-fries. Blanch or steam for 2-4 minutes only until color is bright green. Snap or snow peas can be eaten raw in salads or cooked quickly as in stir-fries or deep fry in tempura batter.
-How to store: Refrigerate in plastic bag for 4-5 days. If kept too long, their sweet flavor and crisp texture diminishes.

POTATOES: You will receive Dakota Red (red potato with white flesh that is good for baking, boiling, or frying) or Désirée (a red-skinned potato originally bred in the Netherlands with yellow flesh; very versatile with a waxy, firm texture for cooking from roasting to mashing and salads).
-How to store: Keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag.

RADISHES: You will receive Pink Beauty (pink-colored root with mild, spicy flavor) or Amethyst (bright purple skin and crisp, mild white flesh).
-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.

SPINACH: You will receive a bag of this crisp, dark green leaf– best eaten raw or with minimal cooking to obtain the beneficial chlorophyll, as well as vitamins A & C; 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.

STRAWBERRIES: You will receive 1 quart this week of this member of the rose family; red, conical fruit with tiny white flowers. You know “how to use” strawberries, yum!!!
-How to store: Do not wash until you are ready to consume them. Place them on a paper towel in a tightly-covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
-How to freeze: Freeze whole strawberries hulled and washed on cookie sheets and put in freezer bags.

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.

SCARLET QUEEN TURNIPS: large, flat-round, sweet, crisp, white flesh with spicy, red skin. Greens are excellent 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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. U-PICK AT THE FARM for “members only” this week: Please come during our Farm Distribution Days and regular times on Wednesday or Friday. If you want to come on any other day of the week, then please schedule an appointment for u-pick. No u-pick available on Sat. mornings, since we are at two Farmers Markets, but starting after 2 PM we’ll be back.
**Strawberries–$4/qt. for members. You can pick into our open quart baskets to measure them, but to take them home, please bring your own containers or transfer them into donated berry containers at the Distribution Shed.

2. “LULU” COOKING CLASS ON June 25 with still spaces left! We will be offering “Cooking Classes” once a month at Tantre Farm. We will be offering tips and recipes on what we are preparing, using mostly ingredients from Tantre Farm’s share box. The first class is on Wed. June 25 from 6 to 8:30 PM. We will be helping prepare a delicious 4-course meal with help from our guest chefs and fellow CSA members, Eric Lundy and Laenne Thompson. There will be a $10 fee for materials and handouts for each class. Please register by contacting us soon with your NAME, PHONE NUMBER, and E-MAIL ADDRESS in the body of the email. More details about the meal will follow in the coming weeks.

3. WEEDING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: There are always a generous amount of weeds on the farm. If you are interested in helping out–even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes before you pick up your box at the farm, come join us. Please contact us any day of the week or evenings until dark. We could really use the help with the weeds right now. Thanks for volunteering!

4. 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. It is very disappointing to put together a box that is never picked up! Please have the courtesy to make some kind of contact with us, if you can not pick up your box for some reason. You will have 1 extra day to retrieve your box at the farm before we donate it.

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.)—10 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)–8 A.M. to 12 P.M.

100% ORGANIC!
(by Renee Bertsch–Tantré Farm “alumnus”)

What does it mean to say that Tantré Farm is organic? To us as farmers, it means we practice stewardship of the land and people. To the USDA, it means something else entirely.

The National Organic Program (NOP), as created by the Organic Food Production Act of 1990, shapes the standards for organic food production. The NOP regulates organic crop production, wild crop harvesting, organic livestock management, and processing and handling of organic agricultural products. Approved synthetic materials and prohibited organic materials are reviewed by the National Organic Standards Board and placed on the “National List”. All the NOP guidelines, including the National List, are fully available to the public at the NOP website: www.ams.usda.gov/nop.

Use of the word “organic” in labeling and marketing is restricted via a three-tier outline: 1) “100% Organic” means exactly what it says–the product may contain only organically produced ingredients. These products may display the USDA Organic label and the certifier’s label. 2) ”Organic” permits 5% of the product to be made from non-organic ingredients approved on the National List. These products may also display the USDA Organic label and the certifier’s label. 3) “Made With Organic Ingredients” allows 30% of ingredients to be made from non-organic ingredients on the National List. These products may display the certifier’s label, but not USDA Organic.

Each year an agent from an USDA accredited organization visits Tantré Farm. Certifying organizations sometimes have separate, but not conflicting, standards from USDA regulations. To be certified, Tantré Farm is inspected annually, and we submit information about our practices and plans. Some of this information includes detailed daily harvest and work records, but also includes Tantré Farm’s organic plan. An organic plan is an outline of how we keep the farm “organic” on a daily basis, at several levels of operation. Two major areas of the plan are the substances we use, and how we keep organic products away from non-organic products. We also only use ecologically friendly methods and substances to improve the soil and control pests.

So what’s good about choosing organic food?
1. It provides you with a safer food supply. We don’t use toxic, synthetic pesticides, herbicides, rodenticides, or fungicides, which may remain on foods long after harvest. This could mean a long-term health risk for consumers. A number of pesticides are known or suspected carcinogens, while others haven’t been tested yet as cancer-causing.

2. Organic farming offers a healthy environmental alternative. Instead of causing water pollution and using excess energy and equipment, we use labor-intensive methods that improve soil fertility and biological diversity.

3. Organic farming methods are safer for you, the farmer, and the environment, but it also helps enrich and sustain the health of the soil. Conventional farming can deplete topsoil levels and soil nutrient content over time. This decreases soil fertility and affects the ability for our soil to provide long-term food production. We use various agricultural methods (crop rotation, green manure, mulching, etc.) to help build the organic matter in the soil, so we also see less soil erosion and more variety of animal species and microorganisms in our fields.

RECIPES

RADISHES AND GREEN ONIONS WITH FETA CHEESE (from Rolling Prairie Cookbook by Nancy O’Connor) Serves 6 to 8.
2 c. thinly sliced radishes
3 or 4 green onions, chopped
4 oz. Feta Cheese, crumbled
10 to 12 Kalamata olives, pitted, and chopped coarsely
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Toss together the radishes, green onions, Feta cheese, olives, and mint. Season with the salt and pepper. Toss again. Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together and pour over the vegetable mixture. Toss to coat vegetables with dressing.

Tantre Farm CSA Newsletter
WEEK 2
June 2-7, 2014

If needed, please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 e-mail: tantrefarm@hotmail.com phone: 734-475-4323 website: www.tantrefarm.com

In our newsletter, we try to give you an accurate listing of the produce in your box; however, since the newsletter is published before the harvest, we may sometimes substitute some vegetables for others. The information provided here is also published each week on our website. **Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with additional information on our website under CSA INFO or under RECIPES.

THIS WEEK’S SHARE

GREENS ADVICE for the entire season: Please keep in mind that greens are especially prominent during this early part of the farm season, so basically, “It’s salad time!” If you’re not sure how best to enjoy your green, taste it. Greens can be eaten raw in a salad or lightly steamed or sautéed with garlic, green onions, or butter in order to mellow their flavor. They can also be tossed into a dish (such as soup or a smoothie) for an extra nutritional and flavorful boost.

ARUGULA (Sylvetta): also known as “wild rocket” with more deeply lobed leaves and a more pungent flavor; 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 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. Alternatively, bundle spears with rubber band and place upright in container with an inch of water.

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:
Chives—mild, onion-flavored herb with long, slender, hollow leaves; can be added to potato salad, baked potatoes, soups, salads, omelets, dips and spreads, pastas and sauces.; purple, onion-flavored blossoms add an attractive garnish to soups or salads (stems attached to blossoms are often discarded due to toughness).
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.
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.

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 may choose from Green Leaf, Red Leaf or Romaine. This will be an option 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.

GARLIC SCAPES (last minute addition, so not in the paper copy): 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. **Attached recipes to online newsletter.
-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.

GREEN ONIONS (also called “Scallions”): young shoots of bulb onions with long green stalks and milder tasting than large bulb onions; full of great fiber and antioxidants, high in potassium and source of vitamins C and B-6. You will be receiving 2 bunches.
-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.

POTATOES (Kerr’s Pink): very pale skin and cream flesh; mealy, cooked texture, so makes a good Specialty/Salad Potato variety;
-How to use: good roasted, mashed, or in salads
-How to store: Keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag.

RADISHES: You will receive Pink Beauty (pink-colored root with mild, spicy flavor) or D’Avignon (also called, “French Breakfast”; traditional variety from Southern France; 3-4 inch long root that is part red with a white tip and tapered to a point).
-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.

RAPINI: also called “Broccoli Raab” or Rabe or Rape; leafy green with 6 to 9 inch stalks and scattered clusters of tiny broccoli-like buds (some of ours don’t have buds yet, so just the leaf); traditional Italian specialty combining qualities of broccoli and mustard greens;
-How to use: used for salads or light cooking. To cook simply: Clean rappini with water, oil pan, add garlic and brown. Add 1 cup of water. Put in rappini, season to taste. (Lemon may be used if desired.) Cover pan and steam for thirty minutes. Pepperoni or sausage may be added to rappini after it is fully cooked.
-How to store: wrap in damp cloth in plastic bag for up to 1 week.

RHUBARB: related to a common weed, the dock plant; it is botanically a vegetable, although generally we think of it as a fruit; pinkish-green stalks are extremely acidic and sour; high in vitamins A and C and some minerals, such as calcium.
-How to use: dice young tart stalks into salads or hot /cold cereal, add slices to spring soups, juice it, make a sauce, pie, crisp, or tart.
-How to store: wrap in damp towel or plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. For long-term storage, rhubarb may be frozen as a sauce or after it is washed, chopped, and drained, put in a bag.

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 a bag of this crisp, dark green leaf– best eaten raw or with minimal cooking to obtain the beneficial chlorophyll, as well as vitamins A & C; 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.

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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. BABY CHICKS HAVE ARRIVED!! We are happy to announce that we are the proud new parents of 25 baby Isa Brown chicks. They are quickly sprouting their adult feathers, so if you’d like to see them as chicks, you probably have a couple of weeks left before they become awkward adolescents.

2. KID FARM HIKES: Come join us for a guided monthly exploratory walk around Tantre Farm starting next week on Friday, June 6, at 4:30 PM. We’ll use all our senses as we take an approx. 45 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 4:30. No RSVP necessary, but if you email that you plan to attend, then we know to wait for you.

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. It is very disappointing to put together a box that is never picked up. 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. Please finalize payments due within the month of June, unless alternate arrangements have been pre-approved.

5. CSA COOKBOOKS: We will have a handy cookbook for sale this season called “From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce”. This $15 book includes an easy-to-follow format with vegetables listed from A to Z. We also have ordered 20 copies of a new cookbook called: “Farm-Fresh and Fast”, which features theme menu ideas, storage tips, and seasonal cocktail recipes for $20. These cookbooks will be available throughout the month of June at each distribution site until they are sold out.

6. MISSED PICK UP: If you don’t pick up or forget to come, you will have one day to come to the farm to get your share before it will be taken apart or donated. Please call or email, so we know what happened, and Deb doesn’t need to call you.

7. 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.)—10 A.M. to 12 P.M.
Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 A.M. to 12 P.M.

INTRODUCING RICHARD, DEB, AND ARIANA…
Some of our articles may feature some of the regular workers on Tantré Farm throughout the coming weeks. Here are the owners of the farm, Richard Andres & Deb Lentz, and their daughter, Ariana.

Richard and Deb both grew up with a connection to farming and growing food. Richard grew up in Plymouth & Canton, Michigan. He had an early interest in farming, since he worked as a teenager picking corn for a local farmer. Then he started raising and selling strawberries, corn, and muskmelons on his parents’ property. He also worked at his friend’s farm, Garden Works, for a few years. Following that, he tended traditional, Asian-raised gardens at the Ann Arbor and Toronto Zen Buddhist Temples for a number of years. Finally, he bought Tantré Farm in 1993, and proceeded to make it certified organic. After that he began growing organic potatoes, winter squash, and garlic for wholesale orders, besides continuing full-time work as a timber-frame carpenter.

Deb grew up on a 160-acre beef farm in Lake City, Minnesota. She graduated from the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota with an Elementary Education degree. She taught fourth through sixth grades in Central Minnesota and worked as a counselor at a Summer German Camp for the next 10 years. Then she met Richard in 1994, which led to their marriage in July of 1997. After that she taught first and third grade for several years in Napoleon, Michigan, until their daughter, Ariana, was born in 2001.

Richard is working as a full-time farmer now, and continues using his carpentry skills through the many maintenance and building projects of the farm. Now Deb publishes the newsletter and coordinates the communication and bookkeeping of the CSA. She also continues to enjoy teaching to groups who come to the farm for field trips, as well as, in area schools through Farm-to-School programs. Ariana is now completing sixth grade, and she is looking forward to hanging out with lots of kids on the farm this summer! Both Richard and Deb enjoy the sense of community that running Tantré Farm creates for themselves and their daughter, as well as the many young interns/farmers who live and work on the farm, which provides the opportunity to serve the local community fresh, organic food.

RECIPES

RHUBARB SODA
4 stalks rhubarb, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 cup (more or less) carbonated water
ice cubes, if desired

In a small pan, bring the rhubarb, sugar, and water to a boil. Lower heat and stir occasionally until the sugar dissolved and the mixture has reduced into a light syrup, about 10 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer and press the rhubarb bits with the back of the spoon to release all the juices into the bowl. Add about a tablespoon of the syrup to the bottom of each cup and top with carbonated water. Serve immediately with ice cubes, if desired.

SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE (from COOKS.COM)
1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage
1 bunch broccoli rabe (also called “rapini”)

Cut sausage into 1″ pieces and put at the bottom of a 9″x13″ baking pan. Cut stems off broccoli rabe (rapini). Place rabe over sausage and cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Mix sausage and broccoli rabe with the juice at the bottom of pan. Easy and delicious.

TANTRE FARM CSA NEWSLETTER
Thanksgiving Share
November 23, 2013
Please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at: 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 tantrefarm@hotmail.com 734-475-4323

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!

The wild winds of the north and the west have blown and blown. The moon glides with the clouds and the fog, cold and silvery over the frosty land. The rain and cold and frost have finally made the flowers stop blooming. Our backs tingle with the tension and strain of carrying so many crates and boxes over the muddy, clotted paths with row upon row of roots and the last greens of the year. There is no confusion as to what season it is anymore. It is the end of one season and transitioning into the start of another. The end of the fall harvest finds us with a barn full of squash, garlic, and onions and a root cellar full of cabbage, potatoes and other roots ready to eat for the next several months. It is so important to rejoice in the abundance of this harvest! We are full with so many fine meals with friends to share the work and harvest. This Thanksgiving Share is a sampling of this year’s fall harvest and a testament to this year’s hardworking hands. Thank you for being part of our CSA. We hope you enjoy this most abundant Thanksgiving Distribution.

Please feel free to give us a call or e-mail throughout the late fall and early winter, if you are interested in more greens, squash, potatoes, radishes, turnips, spinach, onions, garlic, etc. and are willing to pick up your order at the farm. After the Thanksgiving Distribution we are planning on being at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market on the following Wednesday, Nov. 27, for any last minute Thanksgiving purchases, but not on Sat. Nov. 30. We will continue coming to market on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout Dec. as long as day temperatures stay above freezing. 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 post updates. The People’s Food Coop of AA also carries many of our vegetables throughout the fall and winter.

If you are interested in our Summer CSA shares for 2014, there will be registration forms available at the market or you can find them on our website as well. We have openings now for returning and new members, so sign up now!

The vegetables for this last distribution will be distributed into 1 big (1 7/8 bushel) box, 1 summer share-size (1/2 bushel) box, a 20 lb. mesh bag of potatoes and cabbages. You will also receive 2 jars of The Brinery’s sauerkraut on the side. You may want to bring your own containers or bags, if you don’t want to keep the boxes. If you keep the boxes, you can keep them, return them next Wed. or next year, or bring them back to the farm or the AA farmers’ market this winter. Most of the following items can be stored for long-term (especially the root vegetables) or preserved very simply, so please note storage or simple cooking tips listed below, in the ASPARAGUS TO ZUCCHINI cookbook (p. 191), or on our website.

Thanks for buying locally and seasonally. We wish you a safe, healthy, and enjoyable Thanksgiving!
–Deb and Richard (& the 2013 Tantre Farm Crew)

BEETS: You will receive a mixed bag of topless beets with Golden (orange skin with rich gold interior; mild, sweet flavor when cooked; cook greens like spinach), Red Ace (round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and medium-tall, red-veined green leaves), and Chioggia (Italian variety with cherry red, candy-striped flesh and a sweet flavor).
-How to use: roots good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
-How to store: store unwashed in plastic bags in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS: You will receive these tiny, green cabbage-like sprouts 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: 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: You will receive Storage No. 4 (solid blue-green heads; round with a tapered base, have delicious, crisp leaves, and are capable of long-term storage into spring) and Ruby Perfection (Fancy fall storage red head; medium-sized, dense, and a uniform high-round shape with good wrapper leaves)
-How to use: steamed, stir-fried, chopped into salads or coleslaw.
-How to store: refrigerate for up to 1 month

CARROTS (Bolero): You will receive 3 bunches of these frost-sweetened, tender, excellent long-term, storage carrots with medium-long, thick, blunt, orange roots.
-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: Remove greens from roots and 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; greens may last up to a week refrigerated in plastic bag

CAULIFLOWER, ROMANESCO: lime green, spiraled heads with pointed, spiraled pinnacles; crisp and mild; exceptional roasted
-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.

CELERIAC: also called Celery Root, rather ugly, knobby, brown vegetable skin with white flesh when peeled; taste is like a cross between strong celery and parsley; can range anywhere in size from an apple to a small cantaloupe; high in carbohydrates, vitamin C, phosphorus, and potassium.
-How to use: can be eaten raw in slaws or salads or cooked in soups, stews, purees; can also be baked, boiled, or sautéed; after peeling should be soaked in lemon juice to prevent discoloration of the flesh
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for up to a month; may also be dried and used as a seasoning.

COLLARD GREENS: dark-green, flat, large leaf. 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

GARLIC: You will receive a bag of Russian Red Garlic; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, and bolstering the immune system).
-How to use: Excellent in all cooking; 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!).

FRESH HERBS: Everyone will receive 1 bunch of Italian Flat-leaf Parsley (flat, glossy, dark green leaves have a strong, parsley-celery flavor for use dried or fresh) and 1 bunch of Sage (an herb from an evergreen shrub in the mint family with long, oval shaped, grayish-green leaves; a musky aroma and a warm and spicy taste; commonly used in making sausages, soups/stews, breads, stuffings).
-How to store: Place in plastic bag and store in refrigerator up to a week or put herb bunch in jar with 2 inches of water, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks; can also be dried upside down in warm, dry place.
-How to freeze: Chop the leaves coarsely and place 1 tablespoon of chopped herb into each compartment of an ice cube tray with water and freeze solid; add to soups, sauces, gravies, stews and casseroles, as needed. Can also be just chopped & put in bags.

KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems. This variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”) and Red Russian Kale (the stems are purple, and leaves are deep gray-green, purple-veined, flat, non-curled, and tooth-edged).
*This is a very nutritious green–high in protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A, K, & C and contains many cancer-preventing antioxidants–well-worth freezing.
-How to use: Boil for 2-3 minutes or steam for 3-5 minutes, until color brightens (Colors will darken or fade if overcooked, and then can be mushy, tasteless, and less nutritious), and then toss with red wine vinegar/olive oil/salt/pepper, or sesame oil/rice vinegar/soy sauce, or lemon vinaigrette, or just butter and salt; mix greens (most are interchangeable in recipes) into omelets, quiches, lasagna, casseroles, soups, stews, and gravies.
-How to store: Refrigerate unwashed in plastic bag for to 2 weeks.
-How to freeze: Blanch washed greens for 1-2 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain, and pack into air-tight containers, or just destem, chop, and freeze in bags.

ONIONS: You will receive Copra (medium-sized, dark yellow-skinned storage onions) and Mars Red (purple-red skinned onion with sweet flavor).
-How to use: good in French onion soup, great for salads, soups, sandwiches, slices, grilled.
-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.

POTATOES: Everyone will receive 1 large mesh bag of several varieties of potatoes including Butte (russet baker that is highest in vitamin C and protein; great baked, mashed or fried), German Butterball (a round to oblong tuber with lightly netted golden skin that wraps around deep yellow flesh. Slightly mealy, this is good for everything – frying, baking, mashing, soups), 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), All Blue (an heirloom potato with deep blue skin and flesh; moist texture; perfect in salads, baked, or boiled), Swedish Almond Fingerling (dry, golden-fleshed heirloom fingerling from Sweden; perfect baked, roasted, or mashed), 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; ideal temperature is 40-50 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; light turns them green; don’t refrigerate, since the starches turn to sugars.

PIE PUMPKIN: bright orange skin with dry, sweet flesh
-How to use: Excellent for pies (For other ideas see winter squash)
-How to store: store whole pumpkins at room temperature up to a month or for 2 to 3 months in moderately cool conditions (45-60 degrees with 60-75% humidity).
-How to freeze: Bake pumpkin until fork tender at 350 degrees, purée and put cooked pulp in freezer bags.

RADISHES You will receive 3 kinds of storage radishes: Daikon (looks like an overgrown white carrot, but with a slightly mild radish taste; crunchy and sweet texture; good macrobiotic root that is good for the gut), Watermelon (an heirloom Chinese variety; large, 2-4”, round radishes with unique dark magenta flesh and light green/white skin along with a remarkably sweet, delicious taste), and Nero Tondo (large, round, black-skinned Spanish radish with crisp, “hot”, white flesh; it can be grated or sliced into salads and lentil or split pea soup, eaten raw or cooked; see good recipes for black radishes at: www.mariquita.com/recipes/black%20spanish%20radish.htm).
*Tops are edible too & good in soups and gravies.
-How to use: soups, stews, steamed, roasted, eaten raw in salads, pickled, excellent julienned and tossed with 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: We are pleased to offer 2 jars of the Brinery’s Sauerkraut. Ingredients include golden turnips, carrots, green cabbage, and sea salt. 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.
-How to use: use as a condiment with any dish, especially meat dishes, salads, roasted veggies, or sandwiches.
-How to store: refrigerate up to 3 months or longer depending on how you like the flavor, since it will get stronger with more age. *NOTE: This sauerkraut jar has NOT been canned.

SPINACH: crisp, dark green leaf—rich source of antioxidants & many nutrients, such as vitamins A, E, K, & C; 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.

SWEET POTATOES (White): tan skin with white flesh that is very sweet and dry; contains more natural sugars and higher moisture content than orange sweet potatoes.
-How to use: Bake in 400 degree oven until tender, about 45 minutes; use like potatoes—baked, boiled, sautéed, fried; can be made into pies, waffles, pancakes, breads, & cookies
-How to store: store in a cool, dark place like winter squash. *Do not store in plastic or in fridge, unless cooked.

TURNIPS: You will receive 1 mixed bag of these varieties of turnips without tops: Scarlet Queen (large, flat-round, sweet, crisp, white flesh with spicy, red skin), Hakurei (a white salad turnip with round, smooth roots with a sweet, fruity flavor and a crisp, tender texture), and Purple Top (traditional, Southern U.S. variety with smooth, round roots with white below the soil line and bright purple above).
-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.

BABY TURNIP GREENS: You will receive these luscious greens with marble-sized white turnips. The greens are slightly sweet and excellent source of vitamins A & C and good source of riboflavin, calcium and iron.
How to use: can be boiled, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, and since hairless, are good in salads
How to store: keep separately in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

WINTER SQUASH: It’s been a great squash year! You will receive all of the following varieties:
Acorn (small, green ribbed squash with pale yellow flesh)
Blue Ballet (smooth-skinned, blue-gray fruits are medium size, avg. 4-6 lb., with sweeter, bright orange, fiberless flesh; similar in color and texture to Blue Hubbard, but smaller, so more marketable)
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).
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)
Black Forest Kabocha (smaller size kabocha; dark green, flat-round fruits; buttercup size with no button on end; orange flesh is medium-dry & sweet)
Confection Kabocha (gray, flattened, buttercup-size fruits; dry taste directly after harvest, but outstanding sweetness and texture after curing for a few weeks; good for long storage)
Sunshine Kabocha (red-orange, flat-round fruit with dry, sweet, bright orange flesh; excellent for baking, mashing, and pies.)
Golden Nugget (bright orange or salmon-colored, finely-ridged, dull skin; this pumpkin-shaped variety is about the size of a small grapefruit and measures about three to four inches in diameter; pleasantly sweet and buttery)
Heart of Gold (a sweet dumpling hybrid acorn squash; outer skin is cream colored with dark green stripes covering a fine-grained inner flesh that is orange when ripe; sweet rich flavor and can be baked, mashed or steamed)
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)
Spaghetti (3-5-pounds, 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)
-How to use: Slice in half, scoop seeds out and bake with a little water in baking pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender; boil or steam chunks for 15-20 minutes, or until tender (peel skins off “before” or “after“ cooked, but “after” is easiest when it’s cooled); mash cooked squash with butter; purée cooked squash for creamy soup, or add uncooked chunks to soups or stews; add small amounts to yeast breads, muffins, cookies, pies, oatmeal. Acorn squash make excellent stuffed squash or soup bowls for holding soup or custards, 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 rot, cook it immediately, and freeze it in freezer bags for future use. (See”Pumpkin” information.)

RECIPES

MAPLE SAGE DRESSING (contributed by Sandy Michon, CSA member)
2 large shallots or 1 small onion
6 cloves garlic
4 T. chopped, fresh sage
1 oz. lemon juice
3 oz. red wine vinegar
3 oz. maple syrup
1 sprig rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together. Drizzle in 2 cups of oil and +/- 3 oz. of water to adjust consistency.

TANTRÉ FARM SLAW (A simple, easy salad!) Serves 4.
2 medium beets, grated
3 large carrots, grated
2 turnips, grated
2-3 scallions or 1 red 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.
Variations: Add grated radishes, chopped parsley, etc.

DAIKON IN PLUM SAUCE (from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables by John Peterson) Serves 3 to 4.
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons plum sauce
1 tablespoon minced scallion
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 daikon radish, peeled, cut into matchstick-sized strips (could add watermelon and/or black radish as well)
2 tablespoons water

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir until cornstarch dissolves. Stir in the plum sauce and scallions. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Swirl the oil around the wok so that it covers the cooking area, then add the daikon; cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the water; cover. Cook until the daikon is tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture and continue cooking, stirring vigorously, until the sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

WINTER VEGETABLE CHOWDER (from 366 Simply Delicious Dairy Free Recipes by Robin Robertson) Serves 6.
1 tsp. canola oil
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped, (or ¼ cup diced celeriac)
1 medium carrot, chopped
½ cup turnip, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup winter squash, peeled and chopped
½ cup sweet red pepper, chopped
1 tsp. garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable stock or water
½ tsp. minced fresh thyme, or 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
2 cups kale (and/or turnip greens or cabbage)
1 cup unsweetened soymilk or cow or goat milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook onions, celery, turnip, and carrot for 5 minutes. Add sweet potato, squash, bell pepper, garlic, stock or water, and herbs. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Boil greens in lightly salted water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Purée soup in a blender (or use a stick blender in saucepan) until smooth. Return to saucepan. Stir in the soymilk, cooked greens, and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly heat the soup, being very careful not to boil. Serve.

MARTHA STEWART’S PUMPKIN SOUP IN A PUMPKIN (from www.recipezaar.com) Serves 6.
6 cups chicken stock
2-3 cups pared pumpkin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
5 peppercorns
1 medium pie pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

In a covered saucepan, heat the stock, cubed pumpkin, onion, garlic, salt, thyme, and peppercorns to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of the pumpkin with a slotted spoon; reserve. Simmer remaining pumpkin mixture, uncovered, 20 minutes longer; transfer to a large bowl. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Cut the top off the sugar pumpkin and remove the seeds. Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes; set aside in a warm spot. Puree 2 cups of the pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; return pureed mixture to the pot. Repeat with remaining pumpkin mixture. Heat pureed mixture to boiling; reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir warm cream and reserved pumpkin into soup. Place the warmed sugar pumpkin on a platter; ladle the soup in and garnish with parsley. Serve hot.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND CAULIFLOWER WITH ORANGE
(Bon Appétit, December 2004)
1 cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into 1-inch florets
1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts, halved if large
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallot (about 1 large) or 1 small onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. grated orange peel
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Orange slices
Additional chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine first 6 ingredients in large bowl; toss to coat. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Spread vegetables on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until lightly browned and almost tender, stirring once, about 12 minutes. Pour orange juice over. Roast until vegetables are tender and juices evaporate, about 8 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped parsley. Transfer to serving dish; garnish with orange slices and chopped parsley.

SCALLOPED SQUASH AND POTATOES (Farm-Fresh Recipes by Janet Majure)
3 c. dry winter squash (kabocha, blue ballet), peeled and cut into chunks
2 c. diced potatoes
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped cooked ham
1/4 c. flour
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 1/3 c. whole milk
2 Tbs. butter

Place half of squash and potatoes in a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle half the amount of ham and onions. Whisk together flour, parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg with milk. Pour half the mixture over vegetables. Dot with half the butter. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes, or until vegetables tender.

TANTRE FARM OVEN-ROASTED HARVEST VEGETABLES (Keep in mind, any combination of the following and other root vegetables will work. Roasted veggies are standard at many Tantre Farm meals. Yummy!)
1 c. Brussels sprouts, cut in halves
1 c. carrots, quartered or chunks
1 c. cauliflower in 1 1/2″ florets
1 lb. unpeeled fingerling potatoes, cut into chunks if large
1-2 sweet potatoes, cut into coins or chunks
2 or 3 radishes, cut into small chunks
3-4 onions, sliced
1 c. beets, cut into chunks
1 c. white/red turnips, cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. winter squash
3-4 Tbs. vegetable or olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley (or any herb of your taste)

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.
*Variation: Toss destemmed kale on roasting vegetables for last 10 minutes of cooking to add greens to your meal.

GREEN KALE SMOOTHIES
**Additional note: You can always interchange the greens to whatever is on hand. Also, you can interchange water for fruit juice. Also pitted dates add sweetness.

2 apples or pears
5 leaves of kale
1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 bunch of parsley
2 cups water

Blend well. Makes about 1 quart.

TANTRE FARM CSA NEWSLETTER
“Extended Fall CSA Share”
WEEK 2
Oct. 20-26, 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

We usually try to give you a pretty accurate listing of the produce in your box, but since the newsletter is published before the harvest, sometimes we may substitute some vegetables for others.

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

APPLES (Liberty): modern American apple variety with deep dark red color, very similar in appearance to McIntosh, but its flavor is tarter and its flesh is crisper. It has a flavor all its own.
-How to use: excellent for fresh eating, but makes a good dessert apple, good for juicing, and creates a pinkish applesauce.
-How to store: can store for 2 to 3 weeks in cool location

BEETS (Chioggia): Italian variety of beet with leaves all green and pink-striped stems; root has cherry red, candy-striped flesh and has a sweet, mild flavor.
-How to use: greens can be substituted for spinach and chard in recipes; roots good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
-How to store: separate roots from leaves and store unwashed in plastic bags in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; store greens wrapped in damp cloth in plastic bag for up to 1 week.

BROCCOLI: deep emerald green, tiny buds that are clustered on top of stout, edible stems; high in vitamins A, C, calcium, potassium, and iron; known as an anti-cancer vegetable.
-How to use: use raw, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, in casseroles, soups, pizzas, etc., roasted
-How to store: store loosely in plastic bag for up to a week

GREEN CABBAGE: a sweet, green, storage cabbage; considered a beneficial digestive aid and intestinal cleanser; cabbage has a good amount of vitamins A & C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
-How to use: good steamed, stir-fried, or chopped raw into salads
-How to store: refrigerate for up to 1 month

CARROTS (Mokum): a very sweet, slender, “pencil carrot” with edible green leaves. Greens are delicious in soups and also salads.
-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: Remove greens from roots and refrigerate dry and unwashed roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks; greens may last up to a week refrigerated in plastic bag.

KALE (Red Russian): 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 for up to 1 week

ONIONS (Copra): medium-sized, dark yellow-skinned storage onions; excellent storage onion staying firm and flavorful after most other varieties have sprouted; highest in sugar (13°-14°) of the storage onions; same sulfurous compounds that draw tears inhibit rot, so the more pungent the onion the longer it will store.
-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.

HOT PEPPERS: You will receive Poblano (this chili pepper is known as “poblanos” when black-green; popular in Southwestern recipes; heart-shaped fruit, which is mildly pungent with a lightly sweet, medium-hot flavor) or Jalapeño (small and conical pepper, ranging from green to red; hot chile pepper used commonly in Mexican or southwestern cooking).
-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.

SWEET PEPPERS: You will receive Carmen (6 inch long, tapered fruit that ripens from green to a deep “carmine” red; sweet taste in salads and when roasted and fully red-ripe) and Sweet Sunrise Bell (medium-large, blocky, yellow-orange pepper; fruity, sweet flavor) or Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh).
-How to use: can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc.; excellent stuffed.
-How to store: refrigerate unwashed in drawer for 1-2 weeks.

POTATOES: You will receive 2 kinds of potatoes: German Butterball (a round to oblong tuber with lightly netted golden skin that wraps around deep yellow flesh. Slightly mealy, this is good for everything – frying, baking, mashing, soups) and Red Norland (smooth, red skin and white flesh; great baked, boiled, or roasted).
-How to store: Keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag

RADISHES You will receive 2 kinds of radishes: Watermelon (an heirloom Chinese variety; large, 2-4”, round radishes with unique dark magenta flesh and light green/white skin along with a remarkably sweet, delicious taste) and Nero Tondo (large, round, black-skinned Spanish radish with crisp, “hot”, white flesh; it can be grated or sliced into salads and lentil or split pea soup, eaten raw or cooked; see good recipes for black radishes at: www.mariquita.com/recipes/black%20spanish%20radish.htm).
*Tops are edible too & good in soups and gravies.
-How to use: soups, stews, steamed, roasted, eaten raw in salads.
-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.

SALAD MIX: You will receive a bag of mixed salad greens—baby tatsoi, baby mizuna, and baby green and red leaf lettuces.
-How to use: used for salads and sautéing–cooks up quickly
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 2 to 4 days.

SPICY GREENS MIX: You will receive a bag of a blend of arugula, Kyona/Mizuna, and red and green mustards.
-How to use: used for salads and sautéing–cooks up quickly
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 2 to 4 days.

SWEET POTATOES (Beauregard Sweet Potatoes): edible root related to the morning-glory family that has dark red-orange skin with a vivid orange, moist, sweet flesh; high in vitamins A and C.
-How to use: excellent baked in 400 degree oven until tender, about 30-45 minutes; use like potatoes—baked, boiled, sautéed, fried; can be made into pies, waffles, pancakes, breads, & cookies
-How to store: store in a cool, dark place like winter squash. *Do not store in plastic or in fridge, unless cooked.

WINTER SQUASH: You may choose 3 out of the following 4 kinds: Black Forest Kabocha (smaller size kabocha; dark green, flat-round fruits; buttercup size with no button on end; orange flesh is medium-dry & sweet), Delicata (small, oblong, creamy colored with long green stripes, only slightly ribbed; pale yellow, sweet flesh; edible skin), Spaghetti (3-5-pounds, pale yellow, oblong, smooth, medium size, only mildly sweet with “spaghetti” (stringy) flesh; bake like squash or boil and fork out the flesh, mildly sweet), or Heart of Gold (a sweet dumpling hybrid acorn squash; outer skin is cream colored with dark green stripes covering a fine-grained inner flesh that is orangish-yellow when ripe; sweet, rich flavor.
-How to use: boil or steam; mash cooked squash with butter; or add uncooked chunks to soups or stews; add small amounts to yeast breads, muffins, cookies, pies.
-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. 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 next week, which is your final week of Ex. Fall Shares. We also can use any EXTRA PAPER OR PLASTIC BAGS (Grocery Bags ONLY) that you have to donate.

2. “COOKING CLASS with LULU” for October 23 from 6 – 8:30 pm: There are still some spaces if you want to let us know before noon on Wed. that you’d like to join us in helping prepare a delicious 5-dish meal with guidance from our guest chefs and fellow CSA members, Eric Lundy and Laenne Thompson. There will be a $10 fee for materials and handouts. Please register by contacting us soon with your NAME, PHONE NUMBER, and E-MAIL ADDRESS in the body of the email.

3. THANKSGIVING SHARE AVAILABLE! We still have room for more members to pick up a $110 share on Nov. 23 at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market from 7 A.M. until noon or at Tantré Farm from 2-5 P.M. Please request a form at Distribution Sites or call or e-mail us. Full payment needed by Nov. 10 for you to be registered. Non-CSA members are welcome to register.

4. INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR CSA IN 2014? Shares for current members and non members will be available for $625 in all locations from June through the middle of October. We will be accepting $100 deposits ($25 of that deposit is nonrefundable if you choose to cancel your share) to reserve your share for 2014 starting now. Please ask for a registration form at the distribution sites if needed, or it can be sent online and through the mail.

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.) — 10 A.M. to 12 P.M. (new time)

RECIPES

BEET, CABBAGE, AND APPLE SLAW (from The Washington Post, October 19, 2011) Makes 5 cups or 6 to 7 servings
-1 or 2 medium (12 ounces) beets, cut into chunks
-2 medium (about 1 pound) tart apples, cored, cut into chunks
-1/2 head (about 2 cups) red or green cabbage, cored, shredded
-3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
-1 tablespoon agave syrup (or other sweetener)
-1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-10 stems flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped, (1/2 cup packed)

Use a box grater or a food processor to coarsely shred the chunks of beet and apples and place in a large bowl. Add the shredded cabbage to the bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, agave syrup, mustard and salt in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl. Whisk in the oil and pour the dressing over the beet-cabbage mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle the parsley over it all. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Serve chilled.

STEAMED BROCCOLI AND SQUASH WITH TAHINI SAUCE (from http://www.wholeliving.com/151380/steamed-broccoli-and-squash-tahini-dressing)
-1/2 head broccoli florets
-1 Delicata squash, sliced and seeded
-1 cup mixed tender greens (spicy mix or salad mix)
-1 cup thinly sliced red or green cabbage
-2 tablespoons diced red or yellow onion
-Coarse salt and pepper
-1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
-1/4 cup Tahini Sauce (1/2 cup tahini, grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, coarse salt)

Steam broccoli florets until bright green and tender, about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside. Steam squash until bright yellow and tender, about 10 minutes. In a bowl, toss greens, cabbage, and red onion. Top with steamed vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with tahini sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

BLACK RADISH AND POTATO SALAD (from http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2010/12/black_radish_and_potato_salad.php) Serves 4.
– 1 pound small waxy potatoes, cut into small chunks
– 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed with the side of the knife blade
– 1 medium black radish, (1/2 pound), scrubbed thoroughly
– 2 teaspoons honey vinegar or other mild vinegar
– 4 teaspoons olive oil
– 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
– a small bunch of chives, finely snipped
– a few sprigs of parsley, leaves roughly chopped
– 10 walnuts, crumbled
– sea salt, freshly ground pepper

Steam potatoes and garlic clove, sprinkled with salt, for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just cooked through. Set aside to cool until slightly warm. Grate black radish using the large holes of a box grater. Place them in a medium salad bowl, sprinkle with salt to take the spicy edge off, toss to coat, and set aside while the potatoes are cooking. Chop the garlic clove finely and add to the salad bowl. Toss with vinegar, oil, and paprika. Add the potatoes and the herbs, sprinkle with pepper, and toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Top with the crumbled walnuts, and serve. Leftovers keep well until the next day.