We try to keep the printed newsletter to a 2-page maximum, which means that we won’t list all the share items’ descriptions every week, but refer you to previous newsletters for information on items that have already appeared in your shares. 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 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. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.
FRESH BEANS (Tongue of Fire, Purple, and Yellow Mix): You will receive a mix of Tongue of Fire (Italian heirloom shelling beans are round, ivory-tan with red streaks and stringless, red-streaked cream/green pods–eat the fresh-shelled beans, not the pods; have nutty flavor and creamy texture when cooked; can be substituted in recipes calling for Cannellini, Great Northern, or Pinto beans. See Week 2 newsletter for usage and storage tips.) and Goldilocks Yellow (beautiful bright yellow beans; 5–6″ pods are straight, and flavorful) and Royal Burgundy (brilliant purple, smooth, round, meaty pods; add stunning color to salads when used raw; pods turn dark green when cooked; excellent fresh or frozen). See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips for yellow & purple beans.
BEETS (without greens): You will receive Red Ace (round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and medium-tall, red-veined green leaves) and Golden Beets (orange skin with rich gold interior; mild, sweet flavor when cooked).
-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
BROCCOLI (Asian bunching): this Chinese specialty (also known as Kailaan or Chinese kale) is tender and sweet with a mustardy flavor
-How to use: use raw, steamed, sauteed, stir-fried, in casseroles, soups, pizzas, etc.
-How to store: store loosely in plastic bag for up to a week.
CAULIFLOWER: You will receive Amazing (medium-sized, white heads with domed, solid curds) OR Romanesco (lime green, spiraled heads with pointed, spiraled pinnacles; crisp and mild).
-How to use: raw for salads and dips, steamed, sauteed, 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.
U-PICK FLOWERS (NOW available for picking at HONEYBEE & TANTRE FARM): We still have flowers left for you including plenty of dahlias, although the selection is thinning. You are still welcome to come to the farm or HoneyBee U-pick and pick 16 stems, especially since there is only 1 more week and they won’t last much longer. Please email if you plan to pick on other days besides Farm Distribution Days (Wed. and Fri.), so we can make sure someone is around to help you. You may want to bring a vase/jar to keep your flowers fresh going home, but we will have donated yogurt containers as well. Your bouquet is part of your share, although it is always greatly appreciated when you make a donation to pay for seeds and labor. Extra bouquets at the farm are $6/bunch for 10 stems. Extra bouquets at HoneyBee are $1/stem. We hope you can come to enjoy this food for the soul!
GARLIC: a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, and the immune system.
-How to use: minced raw in salad dressings, sautéed and added to stir-fries, meats, vegetables
-How to store: fresh garlic can be stored in an open, breathable container in a cool, dark place for many months.
LETTUCE MIX (Wildfire): a bag of dark reds and vibrant greens including Green and Red Oakleaf; your lettuce has been rinsed once. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.
CHILI PEPPERS (Poblano): a mild variety of chili pepper known as “poblanos” when dark green; popular in southwestern recipes; heart-shaped fruit, which is mildly pungent with a lightly sweet, medium-hot flavor.
-How to use: often roasted, chopped, and used to season corn bread and cheese dishes; good for stuffed appetizers, jams, salsa, and pickles.
-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.
POTATOES (Carola): yellow potato from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying.
-How to store: keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag.
RADISHES (French Breakfast): also called, “D’Avignon”; traditional variety from Southern France; 3- to 4-inch long root that is part red with a white tip and tapered to a point). Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and the B’s. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.
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 rapini, 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 dampened cloth in plastic bag for up to 1 week.
WINTER SQUASH (Delicata): small, oblong, creamy colored with long green stripes, only slightly ribbed; pale yellow, sweet flesh; edible skin; best eaten within 4 months of harvest. See Week 1 newsletter for usage and storage tips.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. NEXT WEEK IS LAST WEEK OF EXTENDED FALL CSA: This means Oct. 25 (Wed.), Oct. 27(Fri.), and Oct. 28 (Sat.) are your last distribution days for our Extended Fall Shares, but please feel free to continue with our Thanksgiving CSA (details on website). 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.
2. THANKSGIVING CSA Registration will be opening soon! A detailed email notice will be sent to you sometime later this week. You can also read more details about the Thanksgiving Share on our website under “CSA Info” and register here soon https://www.tantrefarm.com/how-does-our-thanksgiving-csa-work/. This share is a one-time pick-up of 60 to 80 pounds of produce for winter storage or to stock up on vegetables before the holiday for $145. It will be available for pick up on Nov. 18 (the Saturday before Thanksgiving) at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market 7 AM-12 PM, Tantré Farm 2-5 PM, Washtenaw Food Hub 9 AM-12 PM, Agricole in Chelsea 9 AM-12 PM, and Pure Pastures in Plymouth 9 AM-5 PM. More specific details and registration opening very soon.
3. RASPBERRY SEASON IS NOW OVER, BUT HONEYBEE WILL STILL BE OPEN SATURDAYS ONLY FROM 8 AM TO 12 PM: We will be open on Oct. 21 from 8 AM-12 PM at HoneyBee Upick for extra Tantre produce, Elder Farms eggs, honey, and u-pick flowers for sale. Please also feel free to use our SELF SERVE produce wagon stand, which is open 7 days a week, but please use Venmo or bring exact change. To keep informed go to https://www.tantrefarm.com/tantre-farm-raspberry-u-pick.
4. STILL PLENTY OF ROOM – Forage and Feast Cooking Class TODAY, Oct. 18, from 6-9 PM at Tantre Farm: We still have room for more hungry foragers if anyone is thinking they missed this yummy chance to forage your feast that is happening TODAY! Come to this foraging class with local foraging expert, Rachel Mifsud, from Will Forage For Food. You will forage for edible, medicinal, and otherwise useful plants and then learn how to prepare and cook these items combining them with grocery store supplies and farm fresh ingredients to make a gourmet meal. Note that one or more of the dishes may include meat, eggs, dairy, wheat, nuts, etc., so if you have dietary restrictions you should let us know before signing up. Bring your harvesting basket if you have one, a kitchen knife, a kitchen towel, and a notebook. Tantre CSA members are offered a discounted price of $50/person compared to $75 for nonmembers. Please register at https://willforageforfood.square.site/
5. PICK UP TIMES & LOCATIONS REMINDERS: *Distribution Coordinator will be at most sites during designated times.
*Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market (Wed.)—7 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF there the whole time)
*Farm (Wed.)—10 AM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF there with some self check-in)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Wed.)–6 PM to 8 PM (No Distribution Coordinator, so text number on sign in sheet if questions)
*Pure Pastures (Wed.)—9 AM to 11 AM (JESSICA will be there with some self check-in)
*Farm (Fri.)—2 PM to 7 PM (TANTRE STAFF will be there with some self check-in)
*Ann Arbor Farmers Market (Sat.) —7 AM to 12 PM (SHANNON & TANTRE STAFF there the whole time—Come to the market stall if no sign of Shannon)
*Washtenaw Food Hub (Sat.)—9 AM to 12 PM (Staff there and in the market store the whole time)
*Chelsea Farmers’ Market (Sat.)—8 AM to 12 PM (DEB and staff there the whole time)
*Argus-Packard (Sat)—9 AM to 3 PM (ARGUS STAFF there the whole time)
*HoneyBee U-pick (Sat)–8 AM to 12 PM (TANTRE STAFF will be there the whole time)
*Roos Roast-Rosewood (no longer a distribution site for the Ex Fall share)
RECIPES
**Keep in mind a very easy way to find recipe ideas for almost any combination of share box ingredients is to type the items into your preferred “search bar” with the word “recipe” after it, and many recipe ideas will pop up. Have fun searching! Lots and lots of ideas!
CAULIFLOWER WITH GINGER, GARLIC & GREEN CHILLIES (from Kate Pugh with recipe adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s Quick & Easy Indian Cookery) Serves 2-3
3 garlic cloves
1 x 2.5-cm (1-inch) cube fresh root ginger
1 medium head cauliflower (Romanesco or white)
1 tsp sunflower oil
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1-3 hot or mild green chillies (Poblano)
1/4 tsp salt
freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala
chilli powder to taste (optional)
Peel and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Keep the chilies whole or cut in long strips. Heat a wok, and add the oil. When oil is hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds, and stir. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the garlic, ginger, cauliflower and chillies. Stirfry for 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower is lightly browned, adding a tiny drop of water if it begins to stick. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, garam masala and chilli powder (if using). Mix well, add 4 tbsp water, cover and cook for 2 minutes until cauliflower is done to your liking.
STEAMED BROCCOLI AND SQUASH WITH TAHINI SAUCE (from http://www.wholeliving.com/151380/steamed-broccoli-and-squash-tahini-dressing)
1/2 head broccoli florets or a few stalks of Asian broccoli
1 Delicata squash, sliced and seeded
1 cup mixed tender greens (lettuce mix or rapini)
1 cup thinly sliced red or green cabbage
2 Tbsp diced red or yellow onion
Coarse salt and pepper
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup Tahini Sauce (How to make: Mix together 1/2 cup tahini, grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 chopped garlic clove, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp 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.
ROSY HOME FRIES (from Rolling Prairie Cookbook by Nancy O’Connor) Serves 6
4 to 5 medium potatoes, cooked until tender, then cubed
3 medium beets, cooked until tender, peeled, and cubed
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large red or green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
3/4 tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the potatoes and beets and sauté for approximately 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown slightly. Remove from heat. Toss in the red pepper, parsley, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.
DELICATA SQUASH PASTA WITH BROCCOLI AND SAGE (https://www.daisybeet.com/delicata-squash-pasta-with-broccoli-and-sage/)
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 shallot, 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 ( or Asian Broccoli)
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.
BROCCOLI RABE (RAPINI) WITH LEMON AND GARLIC (from https://www.cooks.com/) Serves 4
1 1/2 lb broccoli rabe, wash and discard coarse stem ends and yellow leaves
2 tsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 tsp fresh grated lemon rind
In a heavy kettle cook the broccoli rabe covered in very little water until stems are tender. Saute garlic in butter over medium heat 3 minutes. Drain the broccoli rabe, toss with garlic mixture, parsley, salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon rind.