CSA 2020 - Week #2

We hope you all enjoyed last week's first box.  This week we're back with more early-season greens, plus garlic scapes, which I know many of you have been waiting for since last June! Farmer Matt and I took a walk through the fields last night to check on the crops and I snapped this photo of a bouquet I pulled together from our cover crop planting of Austrian field peas and triticale. When we're not growing a crop for harvest, we plant cover crops to build soil fertility by fixing nitrogen (essentially growing our own fertilizer), providing biomass and structure for the soil and serving as a habitat and food source for pollinators.  It's also super pretty!  Very shortly we will turn in this field and plant crops in its place for fall harvest. 

Strawberry Update: Our strawberries are ripening in the field and we will begin harvesting and distributing them in the shares to everyone over the course of the next few weeks.  Please be patient, as berry picking is very labor-intensive and time-consuming.  We will slowly work our way through the fields and through each group on each day of delivery.  We're aiming to get them in the shares for every member one time this month!  No U-Pick this season.  We feel that including them in the shares is the best and safest way to get them to all of you to enjoy!

Notes from the fields

It's warm and sunny...just what our plants need to GROW!  Here's our second planting of arugula before it was harvested on Monday morning for our Tuesday members.  Everything in the shares is harvested the day before delivery straight from the fields. 

We found a window on Saturday to get our tomatoes in the ground.  It's been too wet to get into the field with our equipment to plant them until then.  They're a little behind schedule, but they should catch up and begin producing in August.  Something to look forward to!

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This week's harvest

*IMPORTANT NOTE ON CLEANING PRODUCE*
Everything in the shares comes in straight from the fields to our Washing Room where our farm team carefully washes it with fresh, clean water.   You should wash all produce a second time when you get it home.  This will ensure that all soil is removed and that it is ready to eat!

Arugula
Harvested by hand because it's so tender, be careful to wash this arugula gently and dress with a light vinaigrette.  The peppery flavor is still subtle, as the weather has been cool.  Wonderful in salads or on sandwiches.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 3 days
What I'm making: Arugula salad with shaved Parmesan and a light vinaigrette (recipe in last week’s newsletter.)

Red Kale
Hands-down the best kale variety, which is why we grow it!  Remove the center stem, as it's too tough for most recipes. 
VIDEO: Watch how to remove the kale stem here!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Half the bunch is going in a White Bean & Kale soup, the other half is going in our morning "green monster" smoothies.

Collards
This green is wonderful slow-cooked in soups or used as a wrap! 
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Cooked/Steamed as a wrap
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Asian Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce (recipe below)

Boston Lettuce
Boston or Butter Lettuce only grows in the cooler weather of the spring and fall.  It has very tender leaves and is a delicacy this time of year.  See the recipe below to master the perfect salad!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge
Uses: Raw
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Perfect Green Salad (recipe below)

Garlic Scapes
These are a real delicacy this time of year.  The scape is the flower bud of the garlic plant.  You just remove the bulbous part at the tip and the rest of the stem is edible and has a delicious gentle garlic flavor. They are perfect grilled or made into garlic scape pesto.  A CSA favorite!
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge.
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 1 week
What I'm making: Tossed with olive oil and salt and grilled until tender.  Or, I may make garlic scape pesto.  Tough decision...

ITEM IN ROTATION: Bunching Broccoli OR Japanese Salad Turnips
Throughout the season we will often have "Items in Rotation" in the shares.  This means that we have items that we can't harvest for everyone in the same week due to them growing at different rates, or due to timing for our crew.  We keep careful track of who gets what and we make sure that everyone receives the same variety by the end of the season.  The turnips don't need to be peeled, just washed.  They are surprisingly juicy and yummy eaten raw.  The tops of the turnips are delicious when cooked like spinach.
Storage: In an airtight container in the fridge. For the turnips, separate the bottoms from the greens before storing.  They will stay fresher that way! 
Uses: Raw or Cooked
When to use: Within 5 days
What I'm making: Bunching Broccoli with garlic and olive oil OR Sliced Turnips sprinkled with sea salt as an appetizer and the green tops sauteed gently with butter and salt. (The tops of the turnips are delicious!  You can cook them just like spinach.)

BRIERMERE FARM FRUIT SHARE begins in August!

Recipes!

Asian Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce
Thai Chicken Collard Wraps
Grilled Garlic Scapes with Sea Salt
Garlic Scape Pesto