WEEK of JUNE 2, 2008 | ISSUE #1

HAPPENINGS news & musings from the fields
Greetings from the farm! The spring is always filled with anticipation of the first CSA delivery of the season, and before we know it, it's here! We would like to extend a warm welcome to all of our new members this year, and thank those of you (and there are many!) who are returning for another season of membership in our Community Supported Agriculture program.

Who's Who? For those of you who are new to the Golden Earthworm, I would like to provide a brief introduction... Matt and James are your farmers. Neither of them come from farming backgrounds, but both feel like they're the luckiest guys in the world to be able to do what they love day in and day out. Maggie (that's me!) is the voice behind your weekly newsletter, a green designer and consultant by profession, and Matt's second half. Holly is our harvest and greenhouse manager who keeps the harvest running smoothly and is responsible for packing up your boxes each week. We hope to meet all of you some time this season and introduce ourselves in person!

Talk about the Weather On the farm, the weather rules everything! It determines our work schedule for the week, the crops that thrive or fail, the contents of your box, and many times, the farmers' moods! It has been an unusually cool spring, so many of our crops have had a slow start. This is the reason behind the light box this week. Our returning members know all about the ebb and flow during the season, but for those of you who are new, we'll explain... The first weeks of the harvest season are usually on the lighter side, mostly consisting of greens and vegetables that grow quickly in the spring. As the weather warms up, you'll see a greater variety of vegetables, and more of them! This is all part of the joy of eating what's in season in our area of the world. It makes the first strawberry in June and the first tomato in August worth the wait!

Can't get enough? If you're desperate for more farm news (and photos!) then you should check out our blog!

this week's HARVEST

BUNCHED ARUGULA | Qty: 1 bunch
It's very rare to find two different types of arugula in the box in one week! This bunched arugula has pretty large leaves - perfect for more sturdy salads or for lightly wilting in pasta or on pizza.

RED RADISHES| Qty: 1 bunch
A spring delicacy! Did you know that radishes become spicier in the hotter weather? Since it's been so cool this spring, these babies are on the milder side. If you're not a typical "sliced radishes in salad" person, try this... Wash, cut off tops, and slice into quarters. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and let sit on a plate for a minute or two. The sea salt brings out the sweetness and takes away some of the bite!

BABY ARUGULA | Qty: 1 bag
This beautiful baby arugula was seeded with a special spider seeder that seeds 12 rows per bed. That's a lot! Be gentle when washing and tossing these tender leaves, since they're easily bruised. Go light on the dressing too! It's easy to overpower the delicate flavor of baby arugula. Try my simple vinaigrette recipe below.

RED or GREEN BOSTON LETTUCE | Qty: 1 head
This is my favorite type of lettuce, hands down! Tender, but thick leaves, flavorful, and pretty enough to paint! It's also known as butter lettuce in the supermarkets, but you'll never see heads as beautiful as these in the store!

SPINACH | Qty: 1 bunch
A spring stand-by, this spinach is still tender enough to eat raw in salads. One of my favorite raw spinach salad recipes is so simple-- spinach, red onion and sliced hard-boiled egg with a balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! Of course, you can also cook it, but beware if you're used to frozen spinach...fresh spinach takes just about 60 to cook down. If you overcook it, it turns to mush, so be careful!

RHUBARB | Qty: 1 bunch
Another springtime favorite! Just our Tuesday deliveries will be receiving rhubarb this week. The rest of you will be receiving it next week, or the following week. Rhubarb is very sour, so it is best used in desserts with sugar or honey as sweetener. You can try this week's rhubarb cake recipe below, or a simple compote. To make the compote, wash and chop the rhubarb into 1/2" pieces and put in a saucepan over med heat. Add sugar or honey to taste (it often takes quite a bit!). I often add some orange zest and a tablespoon of water. The rhubarb cooks down and softens very quickly-- maybe 20 minutes or so. Cool and store in the fridge up to one week. It's delicious with yogurt for breakfast or over ice cream for dessert.

Note: The contents of the veggie boxes can change, depending on the day of the week. We update the below veg list almost daily to reflect the next day's deliveries. Keep this in mind if you're looking at the list more than one day before your delivery.

RECIPES from the farm & from our friends

THE CSA KITCHEN
In the first newsletter of every season, I give out my recipe for a basic salad dressing and my directions for washing greens. I also insist that if you do not own a salad spinner, you go out and get yourself one right away! Matthew and I prefer the spinner made by Zyliss, but there are many brands out there. We are believers in limited kitchen equipment (less is more!), but a salad spinner is a must.

WASHING GREENS | A Primer
This works for lettuce, arugula, spinach, kale, collards...

You are going to receive lots of greens in your box this season, so learning to wash them quickly (and well) is very important! We recommend filling the sink, or a very large bowl, with lots of cold water. Trim the greens (this usually means removing the part you're not going to eat), and drop the leaves into the water. Wash the leaves by tumbling them gently in the water, allowing any dirt or sand to settle to the bottom for a few moments. Lift the leaves out in bunches, lightly shake off excess water and dry them in the salad spinner (if needed).

VINAIGRETTE IN A JAR
This is my basic recipe- fabulous for everyday, extraordinary salads! I usually make a full jar which will last through the week. I use all organic ingredients, and I encourage you to do the same*.

2 tsp crushed garlic
2 Tbs Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper (I use white peppercorns, which are must better!)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients in a jar, screw on the lid, and shake very well. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more oil or vinegar, as you like. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks, and shake to blend before using.

*Remember, the higher cost of organics is the true cost of producing food. When you purchase non-organic, the costs don't show up at the register, but we all pay for it one way or another through environmental pollution from pesticides, health care costs from long-term chemical effects on our bodies, and other negative impacts from conventional production.

RHUBARB CAKE
This recipe comes from a CSA Member, Carolyn Kaylor, of our Jackson Heights Farmspot group. This is really delicious and simple to make!

4 cups rhubarb (chopped in 1/2" pieces)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix the rhubarb and sugar and set aside. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Cream the butter, add the wet ingredients, and then add the flour mixture. Grease/butter a 9x9 pan and put the rhubarb/sugar on the bottom, then add the batter on top. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden.