CSA 2015 - Week #5
NEWS FROM THE FARM
Bring on the heat! Our summer crops love this hot, sunny weather. They start growing like crazy, so we find ourselves cultivating (weeding) and irrigating (watering) constantly! Above is a photo of our new irrigation boom. It provides an even spray of water to the fields and slowly moves across the length of the field at a pre-programmed rate. This sure beats our other system of pipes that have to be manually moved from field to field. Long Island's sandy soil is great for drainage, but not great when you want the water to stay in the soil and keep your plants hydrated. In order to keep the soil moisture at the proper level, we need to rotate irrigation around our fields on a daily basis.
Please note that there will be no farm tour on Saturday, June 27th since I will be out of town. Thank you to everyone who came for a tour this month! We look forward to seeing many of you at the farm in October for our annual CSA Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 18th!
IN THE BOX
I try to stay away from my oven in the summer. The house stays cooler and it gives me a good excuse to put everything on the grill! The zucchini and salad turnips can be sliced, coated with oil and grilled until tender. Then I usually toss them with some olive oil, crushed garlic, lemon juice, Parmesan and s&p to taste. Summer herbs like mint, parsley, fresh oregano and thyme are wonderful thrown in too!
White Salad Turnips - Slice in a salad, sprinkle with a little sea salt as an appetizer, or grill! Save the greens and try my recipe for turnip greens with garlic & Parmesan. Yum!
Zucchini - This is the first zuke harvest of the season, so they're small(er), tender and a favorite early-summer veg. The plants will continue to produce for a while, so you'll see these often in your summer shares.
Swiss Chard - So much beauty and delicious flavor! Try Emilie's recipe for a simple saute (see recipe section).
Batavian & Romaine Lettuce - Both of these lettuce varieties love the summer heat. Enjoy your crunchy cool salads for dinner on these hot summer nights.
Baby Toscano Kale - Are you a kale connoisseur yet? If so, you'll be excited to find this baby Toscano variety in this week's share! Kale salad is where it's at for me this week. Need a little inspiration? Here are 12 Kale Salad recipes that look amazing!
Bon appetit!
- Maggie
KIM'S NUTRITION CORNER...
Hello everyone! I hope the information on oils last week was useful to all of you when you are preparing different meals for you and your family. As I'm sure you noticed, there are many options and certainly it is important to use the best oil for the different ways you will be cooking throughout the seasons. Don't be afraid to research and experiment to see what works best for you.
This week I will be discussing smoothie recipes that incorporate "Superfoods."
>>READ MORE of my article SMOOTHIES 101...
Time is flying by...Happy Summer!
All the best, Kim
"A bird sitting on a tree branch is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on its own wings. Always believe in yourself." (Author unkown)
WANT MORE BEHIND-THE-SCENES? FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM! Get up-to-the-moment posts from the fields, the barn, the farmhouse kitchen and more!
VISIT OUR FARMERS' MARKETS
Can't get enough of our veggies? Some of our best Farmers' Market customers are our CSA members! Stock up on more of the goodness you get in your shares at our markets in Port Washington (Saturdays), Islip (Saturdays) and Huntington (Sundays). Visit our website to learn more about our markets and find a map! Brian & Orlando look forward to seeing you there!
THIS WEEK IN THE SHARES
JUNE 23, 24, 25 & 26
White Salad Turnips - 1 bunch
Zucchini - several pieces
Swiss Chard - 1 bunch
Green Romaine Lettuce - 1 head
Red Batavian Lettuce - 1 head
Baby Toscano Kale - 1 bunch
*The contents of the share may change through the week as we monitor the fields and harvest what is at its peak.
Clockwise from top: Red Batavian Lettuce, Green Romaine Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Baby Toscano Kale, Zucchini, White Salad Turnips
STORAGE TIPS
In a bag in the fridge...
Lettuce, Kale, Turnips, Swiss Chard, Zucchini
RECIPES
• Turnip Greens with Garlic & Parmesan
• Roasted Zucchini with Ricotta & Mint (Instead of roasting, try grilling the zucchini instead!)
• Simple Sauteed Swiss Chard from The Clever Carrot