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
RED ACE BEETS AND GREENS: round, smooth, deep red, small roots with sweet flavor and luscious medium-tall, red-veined green leaves.
-How to use: greens can be substituted for spinach and chard in recipes; roots good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, 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.
GREEN CABBAGE: a sweet green cabbage; considered a beneficial digestive aid and intestinal cleanser; cabbage has a good amount of vitamins A and C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
-How to use: good steamed, stir-fried, or chopped raw into salads or coleslaw.
-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. ** This is the best time of year to try the greens, which are plentiful and rich in Vitamin C, and very tasty in soups.
-How to use: can be used raw as carrot sticks, grated in salads or juiced; steamed or sautéed, in stews, soups, casseroles, or 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.
CUCUMBERS: long, cylindrical, green-skinned fruit of the gourd family with mild, crisp flesh; the thin skin doesn’t need peeling, unless waxed for longer shelf life in stores. See feature article in newsletter.
-How to use: raw or pickled in salads or sandwiches, can also be julienned, sautéed, or baked.
-How to store: store them in a sealed plastic bag in refrigerator crisper drawer for up to a week; use up leftovers as soon as possible.
FAVA BEANS: (also called faba bean, horse bean, or broad bean)–the pod 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, and bean can be eaten raw, skin and all, if young enough. Interesting recipe and ways to preserve: https://www.thespruceeats.com/sauteed-fava-beans-2217303
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; saute 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
FRESH GARLIC: a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, bolstering the immune system, lowering blood pressure and preventing heart disease, used as an expectorant or decongestant, and at least some people believe that it can ward off vampires and insects.
Cooking tips: to mellow garlic’s strong flavor opt for longer cooking; to enjoy its more pungent flavors and increased medicinal benefit, use it raw or with minimal cooking.
-How to use: minced raw in salad dressings, sauteed and added to stir-fries, meats, vegetables; make garlic butter with 1/2 cup of softened butter mashed with four minced cloves of garlic; try roasting garlic by cutting off tops of garlic bulb, so cloves are exposed, brush with olive oil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees, squeeze garlic out of skins and spread on a good, crusty bread.
-How to freeze: mince garlic and cover or blend with olive oil, then freeze in air-tight containers.
-How to store: fresh garlic can be stored in an open, breathable container in a cool, dark place for many months; if cloves begin to get soft or moldy, break off bad clove and chop up others and pack into small jar filled with olive oil; then refrigerate (great gift idea!).
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.
LETTUCE (Romaine): upright, dense heads produce long, uniform hearts with good flavor; rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.
-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.
U-PICK STRAWBERRIES: This may be our last week of “good picking” strawberries, so we are encouraging you to come to our Honey Bee U-pick site (5700 Scio Church Rd.) at the corner of Zeeb and Scio Church Roads in Ann Arbor to pick your own FREE 1 quart as part of your share (and you can pick extra quarts for someone else less able-bodied, if you like) through Sunday, July 2. If you have a physical disability such as an injury or the inability to bend or walk very well, please preorder your 1 quart to pick up for this week’s share at the Honey Bee U-pick, the Farm in Chelsea on Wed. or Friday distributions, the Sat. Washtenaw Food Hub distributions, and at the Wed & Sat AA Farmers Market. Unfortunately we can’t deliver preorders to any other sites due to lack of refrigeration and logistics. Extra quantity for U-pick is $5/lb and Already Picked are $5/pint. We are open 8 AM to 7 PM daily unless on our website.
-How to use: excellent fresh or frozen in smoothies, juiced, jams, in desserts like pie
-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. Wash and put in freezer bags to freeze.
ZUCCHINI (Golden and/or Green): gourmet golden and/or green zucchini with uniform, cylindrical fruits.
-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.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. 4th of July VACATIONS or OUT OF TOWN: Please let us know of any last minute changes in pick up days or locations if you will be out of town for the 4th of July weekend and need to put your share on hold or donate it to a needy family. Thanks for being courteous and letting us know. Safe travels!!
2. SOLD OUT– JAPANESE COOKING CLASS on June 28 from 6-8:30 PM: We will be learning traditional cooking methods using Japanese cooking tools and Tantre seasonal vegetables in small groups! Kori will also demonstrate traditional food presentation and share beautiful cultural expressions of eating.
3. WEEDING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: 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 by email any day of the week or evenings until dark. Thank you!
4. IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA: This collaborative CSA started with several local farms and food businesses. You can opt in or out of this share each week. If you are interested in supplementing your share with more veggies and other locally produced, value-added products, please go to our website to sign up every Monday – Wednesday night. This is also a perfect gift for someone else! Pick up is from 9 AM to 12 PM every Saturday at the Washtenaw Food Hub and the Chelsea Farmers Market during the summer: http://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-immune-booster-csa-work/. Still time to sign up this week!
5. 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.) –6 PM to 8 PM (No Distribution Coordinator at this time. Please contact Deb @ 734-385-6748 for questions)
*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 (RYAN and Staff there the whole time)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat) — 9 AM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF there the whole time)
*RoosRoast-Rosewood (Sat)–9 AM to 11 AM
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM
COOL AS A CUCUMBER
The cucumber, a member of the gourd family, is a distant relative to pumpkins, squash, and melons. It is said to have originated in the Middle East. It has been eaten as an unripe fruit, since Biblical times. As a relative of melons, cucumbers are very high in water and so very refreshing, especially during these hot days of summer. They are 94% water and also contain small amounts of vitamins A, C, and a few minerals. For some, however, cucumbers are hard to digest, so seedless and “burpless” cucumbers have been bred to prevent this problem.
Our cucumbers are not waxed (to keep them from rotting for a longer shelf life) like ordinary cucumbers found in the store, so skin and all can be eaten. The skins are rich in vitamin E, so they are also known as an effective skin conditioner. Also, some of the nutrients, such as vitamin A, iron, and potassium are lost when the skin is removed. The cucumber skins, besides being good for human skin, also contain silicon and chlorophyll, making them well worth eating. If you do wish to remove the skins, you may try making “cukesicles” for the kids. At Tantré Farm, sometimes we peel the skins off and slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise making a long, slender, cooling treat we call “cukesicles”.
The cucumber is a non-starchy, alkaline “cooling” vegetable. It is an excellent diuretic, helping the kidneys in waste elimination. Cucumbers contain the enzyme, erepsin, which helps digest proteins and destroys worms. The cucumber’s potassium content makes it useful for high and low blood pressure.
Cucumbers deteriorate very quickly, because of their high water content, so it is important to store them in a sealed plastic bag in refrigerator crisper drawer. Keep them away from tomatoes, apples, or citrus, which give off ethylene gas, and can speed up their deterioration.
Most people enjoy cucumbers raw or pickled in salads or sandwiches, but sometimes a cuke can be julienned, sauteed, or baked. Try cucumber rounds topped with egg or tuna salad, or simply with salt. Make refrigerator pickles, which are very simple and delicious. They are featured in a number of ethnic dishes.
Although not as nutritious as most of the garden vegetables, cucumbers are very satisfying and help us replenish fluids and minerals lost in perspiration, leaving us as “cool as a cucumber”. They are very reviving on a hot summer’s day.
RECIPES
GADEER’S FAVA BEAN RECIPE
A traditional Mediterranean recipe. Adjust ingredients to taste.
1-2 qts fava beans with pods
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice, fresh or bottled
1/4 cup olive oil
Prepare fava pods for cooking, but remove “string” on edge of pod by grasping stem part with a knife and pulling “stringy” part of the pod off. Chop beans in 1-inch chunks (shell and beans together). Heat olive oil in pot and add the beans. Stir occasionally on low heat. When the beans begin to water, add garlic, cilantro, and lemon. Beans are ready when they turn a more brownish-green. Enjoy!
KALE CHIPS
1 bunch Kale (curly kale works well)
Olive oil
Sea salt or tamari sauce, to taste
Destem kale and chop it into small pieces. Coat lightly with olive oil and sea salt . Place on cookie sheet and bake for a 3-5 minutes, then flip leaves over and bake another couple of minutes until crisp. Yum!
CUCUMBER & BEET SALAD (Serves 4 to 6.)
1 bunch beets (about 1 ¾ lbs.), tops trimmed to 1-inch
1 to 2 cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded, & sliced ¼-inch
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ cup light or regular sour cream
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 Tbs. prepared white horseradish
1 Tbs. white sugar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap each beet in a sheet of foil. Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until the beets are easily pierced with a small knife. Unwrap. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the cucumbers and 1-teaspoon kosher salt; cover with plastic wrap. Set a plate on top, weight with a heavy can, and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Rinse the cucumbers, drain, and put into a medium bowl. When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel, quarter, and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Add to the cucumbers. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, scallions or garlic scapes, vinegar, horseradish, sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add to the beet mixture and toss until mixed. Spoon into a bowl and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.