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

BEETS (Red Ace): round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor; you will receive just the roots without the greens.
-How to use: roots are good in soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
-How to store: store roots unwashed in plastic bags or damp cloth in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks

BROCCOLI: You will receive either Green Magic (broccoli heads, which are smooth, well-domed, and very attractive deep emerald green, tiny buds that are clustered on top of stout, edible stems) or Sweet Bunch (central heads followed by abundant side-shoot production; excellent flavor, raw or cooked).
-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.

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 sauteed, 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: You will receive either Bristol (classic American cucumber look; fruits avg. 8″ long) or General Lee (fruit is long and fairly narrow with white spines and an attractive mid-green color). The thin skin doesn’t need peeling, unless waxed for longer shelf life in stores, and the wax brings a bitter flavor to the fruit.
-How to use: raw or pickled in salads or sandwiches, can also be julienned, sauteed, 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.

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.

LEEKS: green leaves with white to pale green stems.
Cooking tip: slit from top to bottom and wash thoroughly with root facing up to remove all of the dirt trapped between the leaf layers.
-How to use: white and lower part of greens can be cooked whole, chopped in slices and substituted for onions; delicious raw in salads or cooked in soups, quiches, casseroles, stews, stocks, or stir-fries.
-How to store: refrigerate unwashed for 2 weeks in plastic bag.

LETTUCE: You will receive Romaine (upright, dense heads produce long, uniform hearts with good flavor; rich in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C), New Red Fire (red leaf lettuce with uniform, heavy heads of well-colored, frilly leaves), OR Tropicana (large, bright green heads with thick crumpled leaves; good in salads and sandwiches).
-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.

SNAP or SNOW PEAS: You will receive Sugar Snap Peas (“round” pod of edible-pod pea) or Snow Peas (“flat”, crispy pods used in stir-fries and salads); chew on the pod to test if they are edible pods or tough-skinned shelling pea.
-How to use: edible pods can be eaten raw in salads or cooked quickly as in stir-fries or deep fry in tempura batter; wonderful steamed or sautéed.
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 4-5 days; if kept too long, their sweet flavor and crisp texture diminishes.

ZUCCHINI (Golden & Green): gourmet golden and 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. U-PICK RASPBERRIES FOR SALE! The first of the summer raspberries are ripening and will continue into August and September with different fall varieties at HoneyBee U-pick. We are selling them for $6/pint when you pick and $4/half pint for Already Picked. These are NOT part of your share yet, so please watch for raspberries being in the section above in THIS WEEK’S SHARE. We have a limited picking staff, so pre-picked raspberries are first come/first serve at the HoneyBee barn. We will be closed on Wednesday due to the weather forecast and staffing issues. We will be open again on Thursday and Friday from 8 AM-7 PM this week and throughout the weekend. To keep informed go to https://www.tantrefarm.com/tantre-farm-raspberry-u-pick. This patch is a bit weedy, so wear pants and closed toed shoes, but the berries are fantastic! Hope to see you there!!

2. FORAGE AND FEAST Cooking Class on Thurs., July 20, from 6-9 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. You will forage for about an hour looking for edible, medicinal, and otherwise useful plants that are ready for harvest, Then you will learn how to prepare and cook these items combining them with grocery store supplies and farm fresh ingredients to make a gourmet meal that we will share. The meal will include a main dish, a couple of sides, a desert, and a beverage, all made with wild ingredients. 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 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/ .

3. PLANT WALK ON SATURDAY, July 29, from 4-6 PM: We are hosting a leisurely plant walk at Tantre Farm with our local foraging expert, Rachel Mifsud from Will Forage For Food. Plant walks are excellent learning opportunities for those with beginning to intermediate foraging skills and for anyone wanting to learn more about their local flora. Our discussion will include information about identification, methods of harvest, preparation, and use of around 20-25 edible plants and mushrooms to focus on. Kids under 12 are free with paid adult. You may want to bring a notebook, camera, and water. Unlimited class size, drop ins are welcome, and cost is $25. To register ahead of time or find more information, just go to her website at https://willforageforfood.square.site/

4. 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 any day of the week or evenings until dark. Thank you!

5. STILL PLENTY OF BOXES AVAILABLE FOR OUR “LATINO” IMMUNE BOOSTER CSA THIS WEEK: Still time to sign up this week for a share with TAMALES from Pilars this week! 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 or gifting someone else, please go to our website to sign up every Monday – Wednesday night. 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!

6. 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

RECIPES

LEEK SALAD Serves 4
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced thinly crosswise
2 ripe tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber
1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

 Whisk together lemon and oil with a healthy pinch of salt and several grindings of pepper. Toss with leeks. Core large tomatoes, cut them in half horizontally, and shake out their seeds, squeezing gently. Chop. Peel the cucumber, if necessary, cut in two lengthwise, and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Slice thinly. Combine all ingredients, and taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish and serve.

BEET AND SUGAR SNAP PEA SALAD (from Capay Organic Farm CSA “Farm Fresh To You” website)
1 lb beets, scrubbed or peeled and quartered or sliced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced or 2-3 leeks
1 tsp ground coriander, lightly toasted
1/2 lb snap peas, trimmed
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Soak onion in cold water for 10 minutes; drain. Whisk together vinegar, coriander, sugar and salt in a salad bowl, then add oil in slow stream, whisking. Toss onion and beets with dressing. Steam peas over boiling water, covered, 2 minutes, then transfer to ice water. Drain well and toss with beet mixture.

GREEN LETTUCE SMOOTHIES (contributed by former CSA member, Cher Dowling, who adapted it from Green For Life, by Victoria Boutenko)
Additional note: I started out using these recipes and now I just throw anything into the blender and get creative. You can always interchange the greens to whatever’s on hand. Also, you can interchange water for fruit juice.  Also pitted dates or honey add sweetness. 

OPTION #1 (yields 1 quart):
1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, 1/2 bunch lettuce, 2 cups water. Blend well.

OPTION #2 (yields 1 quart):
6-8 leaves red leaf lettuce, 1 banana, 1/4 cup blueberries, 2 cups water. Blend well.

ANDREA REYNOLDS KALE SALAD (from Learning to Eat Locally) Serves 4
1 bunch kale, stems removed, torn (about 3 cups)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

 Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add kale and boil until it is bright green and wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove kale with a slotted spoon and plunge into cold water. Drain kale and pat or spin dry. Set aside. Put garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil in a serving bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the blanched kale and toss to coat. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

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