THIS WEEK’S SHARE

ARUGULA: an aromatic, bright green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C.
-How to use: add to salads, soups, and sautéed vegetable dishes.
-How to store: very perishable, so use up quickly; store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

YELLOW BEANS (Rocdor): long, slender, yellow bean; meaty, firm texture and no watery taste.
-How to use: raw in salads, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, etc.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for up to 1 week.

BASIL (Prospero Italian Large Leaf): an herb with a sweet aroma with notes of anise in its green leaves; traditionally used in pesto, and originally from India where it was traded in ancient times via the spice routes. See feature article below.
-How to store: store herbs upright with cut stems in 1 or 2 inches of water on your counter or table top. This herb does not store well in a refrigerator, since it does not like cold temperatures.

BROCCOLINI or KALE: You will receive either Broccolini (green vegetable similar to broccoli but with smaller florets and longer, thin stalks; a hybrid of broccoli and gai lan (which is sometimes referred to as “Chinese kale” or “Chinese broccoli”); mellower and less bitter than standard broccoli with a mild sweetness much more like Chinese broccoli; long stems have a pleasant crunch) OR Lacinato Kale (dark green, noncurled, blistered leaves, but heavily savoyed).
-How to use: great roasted, sautéed, grilled, or in salads
-How to store: store loosely in plastic bag for up to a week.

SWEET CORN (Montauk): small, fancy, bicolor kernels on 8” long ears with superior, sweet flavor
-How to use: ears of corn can be steamed in 1-2 inches of water for 6-10 minutes, or drop ears into boiling water (enough to cover) for 4-7 minutes; ears of corn can also be roasted unhusked in the oven or outside grill for about 20 minutes.
-How to store: refrigerate with husks on, and use as soon as possible to retain sweetness and flavor.

U-PICK FLOWERS (only available for picking on the farm): Every summer we plant a variety of flowers for drying or fresh bouquets. We welcome you to visit the farm to pick your flowers on any day of the week, but please contact us if it will be on other days besides our usual CSA distribution days of Wednesdays and Fridays, so we can make sure to be around to show you where to go and what to do. This week you can pick up to 15 stems per household. If you choose a dahlia, please only take 1 per bouquet. You may want to bring scissors or clippers and a vase/jar to keep your flowers fresh going home, but we will have clippers and donated yogurt containers to fill with water as well. Your bouquet is part of your share, although it is helpful whenever you can make a small donation to pay for seeds and labor when you can. Extra bouquets cost $6/bunch this week.

WILDFIRE LETTUCE MIX: 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.
-How to use: raw in salads, sandwiches, or (believe it or not!) use in soups.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.

RED OR YELLOW ONIONS: You will receive either Mars Red (purple-red skinned, globe-shaped onion with sweet flavor) OR Copra (medium-sized, dark yellow-skinned storage onions; excellent storage onion staying firm and flavorful after most other varieties have sprouted; highest in sugar 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 soups, stews, casseroles, egg dishes, etc.
-How to store: can last for 10-12 months if kept in a cold, dark place, but remove any ones starting to go soft from the others.

GREEN or RED PEPPERS: You will receive Green or Red Knight Bell (big, blocky, thick-walled, green-to-red pepper with sweet flesh) OR Red 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).
-How to use: can be baked, grilled, and cut into chunks for stews, soups and stir-fries
-How to store: can be stored at room temperature or in refrigerator drawer for up to 1 week.

RED THUMB FINGERLING POTATOES: small, oblong potatoes with smooth, ruby red skin and creamy pink flesh; have a firm texture, nutty, earthy flavor, and are high in nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber.
-How to use: good for roasting, potato salads, and pair well with fresh herbs, garlic, and olive oil
-How to store: keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag; ideal temperature is 38-40 degrees with 80-90 percent humidity, but no condensation; a basement or very cool closet will work. 

SUNSHINE KABOCHA SQUASH: red-orange, flat-round fruit with dry, sweet, bright orange flesh; excellent for baking, mashing, and pies
-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; puree 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) in a dry, moderately warm (50-60 degrees), but not freezing location with 60-75 percent humidity; will also store at room temperature.

TOMATOES: You will receive any of the following: Cherry Mix (may include a colorful variety of Sungold, Sungreen, Sakura, Indigo Cherry), Rapaho Slicers (southwest beefsteak varieties; good slicer that is firm, nice red color and good taste), AND a few Tiren Sauce (Italian variety with classic San Marzano shape; meaty flesh that makes for good sauce and paste making it a fast variety to boil down into sauce).
-How to use: sauté, bake, broil, or grill; eat raw in salads or add to soups, stews, or sauces.
-How to store: keep at room temperature for up to 1 week.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. FALL FORAGE AND FEAST Cooking Class on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 5-8 PM at Tantre Farm: Come to this foraging class and turn our collections into a gourmet meal with local foraging expert, Rachel Mifsud, from “Will Forage For Food”. Plant walks are great, but what do you do with stuff once you get it home? This class is designed to teach you exactly that. We will go out and forage for about an hour, then we will bring our harvest into the kitchen where we will combine it with previously foraged items (from Rachel’s stash), farm fresh ingredients, and some grocery store staples to make a gourmet meal that we will share. Our meal will include a main dish, a couple of sides, a desert, and both an alcoholic and a non-alcoholic beverage, all made with wild ingredients. Note that one or more of the dishes we make may include meat, eggs, dairy, wheat, nuts, etc. So if you have dietary restrictions you should contact Rachel before signing up. Bring your harvesting basket if you have one. It will also be helpful if you bring your favorite kitchen knife and a kitchen towel. And you may want a notebook to jot down recipes as we go. You may also want a notebook to jot down recipes as we go. This class is limited to 8 participants and Tantre CSA members are offered a discounted price of $50/person compared to $75 for nonmembers. Please register at https://willforageforfood.square.site/.

2. ENDING SUMMER CSA DATES: The end is drawing near for our Summer CSA. This is just a reminder that our summer shares are ending in just a few weeks. That means Sept. 25 (Wed.), Sept. 27 (Fri.), and Sept. 28 (Sat.) are the last distribution days for our Summer Shares.

3. EXTENDED FALL CSA REGISTRATION COMING SOON! Some of you have inquired about our Fall CSA’s. Our 4-week Extended Fall CSA will start the week of Sept. 29-Oct. 5 through the last full week of October for $150. Coming soon, you will receive a separate email announcing when registration is open, so you will not miss it. You can always look up general details on our website about each of our CSA programs. Thank you for your patience, while we work out a few more logistics!

4. U-PICK & ALREADY PICKED TOMATOES AVAILABLE: THIS WEEK we have some sauce tomatoes (Roma or Veronas-good for sauce and dehydrating), Geronimo slicers, cherry tomatoes (good for soups, freezing, & dehydrating) available for those of you interested in u-pick for preserving, whether canning, freezing, or dehydrating. The sauce or Roma tomatoes are just starting to ripen due to these cool days and nights. Please feel free to come on Wed AND Fri during CSA distribution times. The u-pick sites will be listed on the map on the distribution shed wall, but it is always helpful for a heads up that you are coming, so please email or give Deb a quick text at 734-385-6748. Please schedule the time on other days, so we can show you where to pick and what to do.
-U-PICK: $0.50/lb for heirlooms, slicers, cherry, or sauce tomatoes. Please schedule the time on other days, so we can show you where to pick and what to do.
-ALREADY PICKED: Minimum orders of $15 for a 15-lb box for sauce or slicer tomatoes in good condition. Other amounts are available for $1/lb for heirlooms, green zebra tomatoes (tangy, citrus flavor; excellent dehydrated and in salsas or sauces), and a few Veronas (plum, cocktail tomato). Can be brought to Saturday Chelsea and Ann Arbor Farmers Markets and maybe HoneyBee U-pick if ordered by email by Thursday morning with BULK TOMATOES in the subject line.

5. 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. & Sat. this week starting at 7 AM. We will also be at the Chelsea Farmers Market from 8 AM-1 PM. 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).

6. SUNFLOWER FARM MARKET IS HIRING: Calling all locavores! Sunflower Farm Market is looking for help running the market Wednesday 3-9 PM & Saturdays 8 AM-1 PM. $10/hr + free produce. Contact Deb at info@tantrefarm.com for more information with SUNFLOWER FARM MARKET in the Subject line.

7. HONEYBEE U-PICK is OPEN ONLY ON SATURDAY MORNINGS: We are open this week from 8 AM until 12 PM on Saturday mornings at 5700 Scio Church Road on the corner of Zeeb Rd. and Scio Church Rd. in Ann Arbor. You may purchase fresh Tantre produce and Elder Farm eggs. The raspberries are not very productive this season and the thistles have overtaken the patch, so it will not be a good year for preserving. However, we have mowed some paths and there are a few raspberries ready for picking, so if you are a true raspberry lover then we recommend bringing pants, long sleeves, closed toe shoes, and just give it a try! Sign up to be on our mailing list, so you know times, prices, weather-related closings, etc. here: https://www.tantrefarm.com/honey-bee/

8. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDER:
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)
*MOVE Fitness & Wellness Studio (Wed)—8 AM to 9:30 AM (SARA there the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.) –4 PM to 8 PM (Come inside the new Sunflower Farm Market to pick up your share! STAFF there the whole time)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.) —9 AM to 11 AM (JESSICA there most of the time)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time with some self check-in)
*Ann Arbor Farmers Market (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON there the whole time)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM (Come inside the new Sunflower Farm Market to pick up your share. STAFF there the whole time)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (DEB there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) — 9 AM to 3 PM ( STAFF there the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM to 11 AM (LIZ there the whole time)
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)

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!

GREEN BEANS WITH TOMATOES AND BASIL (from From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by MACSAC) Serves 4-6
1 1/2 lbs green beans (OR yellow beans), cooked
1 garlic clove, diced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tomatoes (or several cherry tomatoes), seeded, peeled, and coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp of dried basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp of dried parsley

Cut beans into 1-inch lengths; set aside. Sauté garlic and onion in oil in skillet until soft. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Stir in basil and green beans. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley, and serve immediately.

POTATO ARUGULA SALAD (from Capay Organic Farm CSA “Farm Fresh to You” website) Serves 4-6
1 1/2 lbs red potatoes cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar or regular vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp of fresh minced tarragon or thyme
1 bunch arugula, rinsed and chopped or torn
2 cloves minced garlic
1 pt of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp salt

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add cubed potatoes and cook until tender, about 12-15 minutes. In a bowl, mix next 5 ingredients until salt dissolves. Whisk in oil until it thickens. Drain potatoes, return to pot. Toss with dressing, tomatoes, and arugula. Serve at room temperature.

SPICY CORN KERNEL “PAN” CAKE (from From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by MACSAC) Serves 4
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 heaping cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 6-8 ears)
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil
2 Tbsp minced green onion
1-2 Tbsp minced jalapeno or serrano pepper
3 Tbsp cornmeal
3 Tbsp flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish: Fresh basil, cilantro or parsley AND Freshly made or bottled salsa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Measure oil into a heavy, ovenproof, medium-sized skillet (cast-iron is best) and heat pan in oven for 30 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients except the last two in a bowl, then press evenly into hot pan. (Don’t stir corn in the pan, or the crust won’t form properly.) Bake 25-30 minutes, until edges are brown and crispy. Run a spatula around the outer rim and underneath the corn cake to loosen it from the pan. Wearing hot pads, place a heat-proof serving plate face down over the pan and invert pan so the cake drops onto plate. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with salsa.

DELICATA SQUASH PASTA WITH BROCCOLI AND SAGE (from https://www.daisybeet.com/delicata-squash-pasta-with-broccoli-and-sage/)
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 shallot (OR onion), sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 delicata squash, prepped into 1/4th inch thick quarters
Salt
Pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine or water
1 head broccoli, cut into bite size florets
1 lb penne pasta
1/4 cup sage, chopped
2 tbsp pine nuts
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add shallot, garlic, nutmeg, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the delicata squash to the pan along with a generous shake of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes, until squash has softened. Deglaze the pan with white wine or water and use your spoon to bring up any browned bits. Add the broccoli and sage to the pan, and continue to cook until broccoli is fork tender. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. Add the cooked pasta directly to the sauté pan with the vegetables, along with the pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and reserved pasta water. Drizzle generously with olive oil and toss everything together. Serve with more grated parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.

SUNSHINE KABOCHA CHEESECAKE (from www.growingchefs.org)
For the crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cups finely ground ginger cookies, homemade or store bought
1 Tbsp granulated white sugar
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb cream cheese or yogurt cheese, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup pureed winter squash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Grease 8-inch 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 (1-2 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 degree 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-inch pan serves 10-12 people.

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 and cook in a little water in an oven at 350-400 degrees.

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