HIS WEEK’S SHARE
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: great in 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: Also known as “sparrowgrass”, these green or purple spears each contain vitamins A, B, and C, and iron. – How to use: serve raw, chopped in salads, or with dips. You can also steam, roast, grill. – 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. BOK CHOY (Asian Green): written as bok choi, bak choy, or pac choi; a traditional stir-fry vegetable from China with a sweet and mild flavor; looks like white Swiss chard with the stems all attached at the bottom; considered a cool weather crop and part of the cabbage or turnip family. -How to use: two vegetables in one–the leaves can be cooked like spinach, and the crisp stem can be eaten like celery or asparagus; excellent in stir-fries, soups, sautéed or eaten raw. -How to store: store as you would any green–in a loose plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. ORGANIC RAINBOW CARROTS from Second Spring Farm: A carrot is a root, whose skin color can be white, red, purple, or yellow, but more commonly known for their bright orange color; high in all kinds of various nutrients based on their color. Thanks to our former intern (2003)-turned-farmer, Reid Johnston, owner of Second Spring Farm from Cedar, MI for growing these vegetables. Besides finding his certified organic produce up north, he also distributes his veggies at Argus and Agricole. -How to use: Can be used raw as carrot sticks, grated in salads or juiced; steamed or sautéed, in stews, soups, casseroles, stir-fries; pureed or grated into cakes, pancakes, or other baked goods -How to store: Refrigerate dry and unwashed roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks FRESH HERBS: You will be receiving fresh herbs off and on throughout the summer, since harvesting them often means they need a few weeks to recover before we harvest again. Here are a couple of links to help you know more about how to use fresh herbs: https://www.urbancultivator.net/cooking-with-fresh-herbs/. The following is a good link to help you identify your herb with images and descriptions: http://theherbexchange.com/25-best-herbs-to-grow-in-your-kitchen-garden/. You will receive Chamomile (these flowers are small and daisy-like, with white collars around raised yellow centers and long, narrow leaves with an apple-like scent; makes a soothing tea or infusion to help with sleep; also the flowers make a pretty garnish and a flavorful addition to salads) AND/OR Sage (an herb from an evergreen shrub in the mint family with long, narrow, grayish-green leaves; a musky aroma and a warm and spicy taste; used for digestive problems, heartburn, depression, memory loss; used also in smudging negative energy from spaces; used in making sausages, stews, breads, and teas; enhances meats, vegetables, salads, pickles, and cheese. For those of you who may receive blossoms, here are some fun things to do with them: https://gardenandhappy.com/sage-flowers/ -How to use: make a soothing tea or infusion; also the flowers make a pretty garnish and a flavorful addition to salads -How to store: store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water and refrigerate for up to 1 week or wrap in slightly dampened cloth or plastic bag and store in refrigerator. KALE (Green Curly): well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip” -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. RED & GREEN LEAF LETTUCE: You will receive Cherokee (a red Summer Crisp with medium-sized, red heads with thick, crisp leaves that have dark red color with good flavor) AND Tropicana (a green leaf lettuce with large, bright green heads with thick crumpled leaves; good in salads and sandwiches). -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.
ORGANIC YELLOW ONIONS (Patterson) from Second Spring Farm: medium-large, blocky bulbs with dark yellow skin and thin necks; excellent storage onion. Thanks to Second Spring Farm with the description above.
-How to use: great for soups, stews, egg dishes, onion rings, and other dishes for flavor.
-How to store: once cut, wrap in damp towel or plastic bag in fridge for 2-5 days or chop all extra parts of the onion and freeze immediately in Ziploc baggies for quick use; if not cut, store in dry, well-ventilated place for several months.
POTATOES (Carola): this variety of yellow potato originated from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying. These potatoes have been stored in the root cellar, but perfectly fine for soups or other kinds of cooking. These “old buddies” potatoes have been over-wintered in optimum storage conditions; possibly slightly less firm and slightly more sweet than a new potato, but good for cooking in any way suggested below.
-How to use: good baked, boiled, roasted or in potato salads
-How to store: keep in cool, dark place in paper bag; ideal temperature is 38-40 degrees with 80-90 percent humidity
PURPLE/RED RADISH MIX: You will receive Cherriette (smooth, bright red roots with short green, edible tops and a sweet/hot taste) and Purple Bacchus (stunning, purple, round radish with white inner flesh. Very good flavor and not too hot). Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and the B’s!
-How to use: raw dipped in hummus, roasted, used in soups, sliced in salads, sandwiches, or stir-fries, grated in slaws; radish greens are delicious in soups or stir-fries
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag/damp towel for 1-2 weeks.
FENNEL LOVE SAUERKRAUT from The Brinery: This dreamy romance between fronds and fruits has a perfectly balanced fennel bite. This jar includes green cabbage, apples, carrots, golden beets, fennel, and sea salt. The Brinery is a local foods business at the Washtenaw Food Hub, specializing in naturally fermented local vegetables and operated by long time Tantré farmer/alum (2001+), David Klingenberger. Their products are available in many stores in the area, including Whole Foods, Plum Market, Arbor Farms, the Argus Farm Stops in Ann Arbor, Agricole in Chelsea, and especially The Sunflower Farm Market at the Washtenaw Food Hub. For more information, please visit https://thebrinery.com and for Sauerkraut Background & Recipes: www.timesunion.com/living/article/Sauerkraut-on-New-Year-s-a-Pennsylvania-tradition-561496.php
-How to use: use as a condiment with any dish, especially a perfect topping for tacos and other meat dishes, roasted vegetables, sandwiches, and salads.
-How to store: Must be REFRIGERATED and will last up to 3 months or longer depending on how you like the flavor.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. ANY CHANGES in your address, phone, e-mail, or of misspelled names on any mailings or Pick Up Lists at Distribution Sites? Are we missing your share partner’s name or email address? Please let us know as soon as possible.
2. FAMILY FARM HIKE on FRIDAY, June 9, from 2-3 PM: Come join us for a guided monthly exploratory walk around Tantre Farm with CSA member, Alisse Portnoy, who teaches at the University of Michigan, and her daughter, Jessica. Alisse and Jessica are in their fifteenth year of once-a-week, long visits to the farm. They look forward to sharing some of its treasures and treasure spots with you. We’ll use all our senses as we take an approx. 45-60 minute hike. Meet at the picnic tables behind the Main House.
3. FARMERS MARKETS: If you need to supplement your share with a few extra items, we are set up at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market on Wed. and Sat. starting at 7 AM. We will also be at the Chelsea Farmers Market from 8 AM-1 PM starting June 1. On top of that, our Sunflower Farm Market (formerly known as the Washtenaw Food Hub Market) is open on Wednesdays from 4 to 8 PM and on Saturdays as usual during our CSA pick up times from 9 AM-12 PM, so please feel free to purchase all your basic local needs and a few extra treats at any of these markets. We also have a small farm stand at the HoneyBee U-pick area (more details below).
4. HONEYBEE U-PICK: We are opening on Saturday, June 1, this week from 8 AM until 7 PM for strawberry picking at 5700 Scio Church Road on the corner of Zeeb Rd. and Scio Church Rd. in Ann Arbor, since the strawberries are ready! We will be open 7 days a week unless the weather is bad. Just look for a beautiful, artisanal, timber frame barn in the middle of the field. We will provide buckets for picking, but please bring your own containers to transfer strawberries into, or we will provide bags or cardboard trays. We will also try to have “already picked” berries for sale if we have enough staff to pick them. Other u-pick opportunities might by blueberries in July, raspberries in July through September, and u-pick flowers from July through September. Sign up to be on our mailing list, so you know times, prices, weather-related closings, etc. here: https://www.tantrefarm.com/honey-bee/
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by Deb
Over the winter we sometimes have a few extra moments to read and wonder as we sit by the wood stove, and sometimes our minds consider issues that go beyond our impact locally. As we begin our new summer season this week we wanted to give you a few facts to ponder, and consider a thoughtful look at our perceptions of food on a personal scale, but also on a global scale. We all may consider how we are part of the problem of food waste as farmers and consumers, but also more importantly how we can be part of the solution. Here are some statistics to consider:
*About a third of the planet’s food goes to waste, often because of its looks. That’s enough to feed two billion people.
*Fruits and vegetables, plus roots and tubers have the highest wastage rates of any food.
*At retail level, large quantities of food are wasted due to quality standards that over-emphasize appearance.
*Even if just one-fourth of the food currently lost or wasted globally could be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world.
*In medium- and high-income countries food is wasted and lost mainly at later stages in the supply chain. Differing from the situation in developing countries, the behavior of consumers plays a huge part in industrialized countries. The study identified a lack of coordination between actors in the supply chain as a contributing factor. Farmer-buyer agreements can be helpful to increase the level of coordination.
Additionally, raising awareness among industries, retailers and consumers, as well as finding beneficial use for food that is presently thrown away are useful measures to decrease the amount of losses and waste. (sourced from http://www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en).
Other related articles below:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/03/global-food-waste-statistics
https://www.npr.org/tags/395584998/ugly-produce
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!
BOK CHOY, CARROTS, CELERY, AND ONIONS, WITH SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE (from https://www.all-creatures.org/recipes/bokchoycarcelon-swsour-sf.html)
2 heads of Bok Choy
1-1/2 lbs. Onions
1 lb. Carrots
4 Celery, ribs, large
1 tbsp. Ginger, ground
Cayenne Pepper OR Hot Sauce, to taste
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Bragg Aminos OR Soy Sauce
4 tbsp. Sesame Seeds
2 drops Smoke Flavor
4 Dates, pitted OR 1/8 tsp. Stevia Extract, powder
2 tbsp. Corn Starch
3 cups Brown Rice cooked in 6 cups water (optional)
Prepare in a stainless steel wok or large skillet. Bring the pot of rice to a boil. While the water is heating, wash and clean the vegetables. When the water in the rice pot begins to boil, add the brown rice, cover, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook the rice until all the water has been absorbed into the rice (20-30 minutes). Cut the bok choy into bite sized pieces, and place in the wok. Coarsely slice and cut the onions, and add to the wok. Thinly slice the carrots and add to the wok. Cut the celery into thin slices about 1 inch long, and add to the wok. Add the ginger and hot pepper, and stir-fry until the the veggies are tender but still crunchy. Place the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame seeds, corn starch, smoke flavor, and dates OR stevia (for fewer calories) in a high speed blender. Cover and run at high speed until the ingredients are smooth. Reduce the heat in the wok to simmer, add the sauce, and continue to stir-fry until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat. Serves 4 adults as a main dish, or 6 adult servings served over a bed of brown rice.
SAGE FLOWERS (https://www.splendidtable.org/story/sage-flowers-can-add-another-dimension-to-a-dish)
Herb flowers are delicate; you don’t want to do a lot to them because they are fragile in aroma and taste. You can flavor chicken or a robust-tasting fish with the sage leaves. Then sprinkle the sage flowers on the cooked food, encouraging people to eat the flowers with the sage-flavored dish — the flowers will add another dimension. You can also make Sage Butter by mixing it in the processor with some lemon juice and freeze it in logs for later use.
You might also fry them! Make a batter of flour, water, salt and pepper, and dip the flowers in the batter. Have about 1/2 inch of oil in a shallow pan, get the oil hot and drop in the batter-coated flowers. They’ll brown quickly. https://www.fivesensespalate.com/fried-sage-flowers/
CHAMOMILE LAVENDER MINT ICED TEA (from www.myrecipes.com)
1 loosely packed cup fresh mint leaves
2 Tbsp dried culinary lavender
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh or dried chamomile (or 4 chamomile tea bags)
Crush mint leaves and put in a 1-gallon lidded jar. Add lavender and chamomile. Fill jar with water to within 2-inches of rim. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined colander into pitcher for serving.
SIMPLE ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE (from “Detroit Free Press”, May 24, 2015)
1 1/2 lb asparagus (trimmed and washed)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2-3 lemon wedges, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place asparagus on large baking sheet, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread out spears on baking sheet, and roast for 10-15 minutes, turning once. Meanwhile to prepare the glaze, mix vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low and simmer until glaze is reduced by half, about 5-8 minutes. Glaze should coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to serving dish and if desired, sprinkle spears with lemon juice wedges. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve.
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