WHATS IN YOUR BOX THIS WEEK AND HOW TO USE IT

LETTUCE MIX - Store in a plastic bag loosely in your refrigerator. The ideal temperature for storing lettuce is at or near 32 degrees. Wash prior to use. Lettuce stores normally for UP to two weeks. $5

CARROTS- If your carrots have the tops on, take them off right away to avoid limp carrots. The tops like to suck the moisture from the root (carrot) which makes for lifeless carrots. Store carrots in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or container. They can store for several weeks and sometimes even months. $5

SPRING ONIONS - Store in the refrigerator crisper drawer for up to one week. You can peel off layers that become dry or slimy if used after one week. $2.50

KALE or SPINACH-

Kale loves the crisper drawer. Does well in a loose bag in your refrigerator. Wash prior to use. Stores normally for UP to two weeks. Swiss Chard will become limp and lifeless very easily. Gently wrap unwashed greens in paper towels and store loosely in plastic bags. Keep moist and cool in the lower part of the refrigerator in the high-humidity bin. Store for up to 5 days. but, have no fear you can still use it in lots of things if chard becomes a little lifeless! $5

Spinach can be maintained loosely in a bag in your crisper drawer. Wash well prior to use. Stores normally for one - two weeks. $5

HERBS - Parsley . $2.50

Parsley: Trim a little off of the bottoms of the stems so that they can take in more water. Fill a jar or glass partially with water and set the parsley inside. An inch or two of the stems should be submerged.: Cover the jar of herbs loosely with a plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator. Change the water when it becomes cloudy (every few days). The herbs should stay fresh for 1 to 2 weeks.

BEETS - cut off immediately. Store the roots in a bag in your refrigerator. Before use wash your beets., you can peel them with a knife or peeler, or you can roast them in foil or boil them, and the peels will come right off. $6.50

GARLIC SCAPES - Garlic scapes keep well in a plastic bag in the fridge for two to three weeks.$3.00

VEGGIE OF THE WEEK

BEETs and GARLIC SCAPES

You're getting a “twofer” this week. Lots of recipes for beets and garlic scapes.

My family doesn’t eat a ton of beets, but they sure fly off the shelf at a farmers market. They are another product I didn’t think was as popular as it is. Matt and I were both shocked at how many beets we sell at market, which lead me down the path of finding out why, starting with trying them!

The simplest preparation I have found so far with beets is to wash them well, and then roast the heck out of them. Sometimes we cook them for as long as an hour. Once they’ve cooled, peel, chop, toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, I also don’t mind a little parm or asiago cheese added at the end.

My FAVORITE way to eat beets and lots of other veggies is in a breakfast I had at a restaurant in Michigan called Anna’s House. The dish is called Hippe Hash. It has two eggs cooked your way on top of a medley of slow roasted cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, radish and beets seasoned with garlic and ginger then served on brown rice with red potatoes. Finally topped with Monterrey Jack cheese and a dollop of sour cream. . You could also sub the radishes, since there are not any in your box and use turnips. YUM YUM YUM!! You can omit the cheese, sour cream and egg and just eat all the roasted veggies, but as is, this was so, so good. I have to assume the root vegetables were all slow roasted and the cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage were roasted separately. They might have been roasted together but separate from the root veg and then brought all back together at the end. I have yet to find a copy-cat recipe that fits this dish, but maybe my CSA members can find one as the season goes on. Beets and turnips stay fresh for a long time with greens removed, so you have plenty of time to find something to try. Save a few behind and try this as the other veggies come in.

A few others to try:

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Recipe - Love and Lemons

Whole Wheat Strawberry Beet Muffins Recipe - Super Healthy Kids

These look fun and something I might try with my kids!

Sautéed Beet Greens Recipe - Love and Lemons

Something to use those nutritious tops in!

Spring Rolls With Carrots, Turnips, Rice Noodles and Herbs Recipe - NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)

Feel free to interpret the spring roll recipe according to your preferences. You can generously fill them with a variety of vegetables. However, the real secret lies in the sauce, which perfectly complements the rolls when paired with a delicious peanut sauce. You can purchase a pre-made sauce over the counter or you can try the ones we added at the bottom. The combination of the refreshing coolness of the roll, the satisfying crunch of the veggies, and the subtle heat of the sauce will undoubtedly leave you craving for more. If you desire a boost of protein, consider adding chilled cooked shrimp while preparing the rolls. During our previous life in Columbus, GA, we discovered these delectable spring rolls at a charming Thai restaurant. Whenever we return to the area, we never miss the opportunity to revisit and indulge in this delightful dish.

Another recipe option for spring rolls with shrimp and peanut sauce -

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp + Peanut Sauce (bigflavorstinykitchen.com)

The recipe below is very detailed and discusses the “tuck and roll” method well, when making your rolls. -

How to Make Fresh Spring Rolls | Fresh Vietnamese Summer Rolls (whiteonricecouple.com)

Also! don’t forget your greens! Greens on root vegetables are not always beautiful and likely much cleaner in the fall, but if we have a good spring crop make sure to use your turnip tops! Try the recipe below, this chef is great at explaining in detail and with photos a step-by-step process to getting tasty bitter-less turnip greens.

Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are likely new for many of you which, means a little information is likely needed in order to know what to do with these seasonal treats.

Garlic scapes are the thin, green stalks that grow from the garlic bulb. They are long, curvy, and kind of look like a cross between chives and scallions. Garlic scapes have a more in-your-face garlic flavor, though they’re less spicy than raw garlic cloves. Once cooked, the scapes have a sweeter flavor similar to roasted garlic. My favorite way to use garlic scapes is to make a compound butter. Compound butter is great to add garlic flavor without actually adding garlic. The recipe below calls for Oregano and Parsley, You could save your herbs this week and wait until next week to get the other herb and make this. Simply follow the storage instructions and there shouldn’t be a problem. You can also omit some of the herbs and just use butter and the scapes.

Garlic Scape Butter with Herbs - Binky's Culinary Carnival (binkysculinarycarnival.com)

You can also try to this site which gives twelve ways to use garlic scapes.

How to Cook With Garlic Scapes | Bon Appétit (bonappetit.com)

Week 4

Welcome to week 4. We hope that you enjoyed your bag last week and that you were able to utilize all the items we packed for you.

Last week, we planted another succession of cantaloupe, got our sweet potatoes in the ground, and moved the chickens into their summer enclosure. We finally tackled the enormous burn pile of old wood, resulting in a towering bonfire that exceeded 25 feet and we've been busy pruning the tomatoes in preparation for the upcoming harvest. The highlight of the week, however, was Matt finally receiving his new Gator, a moment he's anticipated for quite some time, and he couldn’t be happier.

He made several upgrades to it, including a 25-gallon sprayer, a hydraulic bed, a winch, and a tool rack. These enhancements will significantly simplify his tasks on the farm and extend his ability to work comfortably. Many may not be aware that Matt was involved in a serious helicopter crash back in 2010, which ended his career in the Army. At that time, he was told that he would face lifelong physical challenges that would worsen with age.

Matt chose farming as his second career, which keeps him active; however, it can be tough on his body and sometimes hinders his ability to work effectively. Until now, he has relied on his tractor to navigate around the farm, but that wasn't a viable long-term solution. With the Gator, he will have a much smoother time checking on the sheep, managing the bees, transporting equipment, spraying and harvesting crops, and generally getting about with ease. This upgrade will allow him to continue enjoying his work for many more years to come.

IF ALL ELSE FAILS

If your week has been crazy and you haven’t had time to do a thing with items in your bag, focus on these tasks:

Make sure the greens are removed from the root vegetables. Your roots will store for a good while, your greens from your root vegetables need to be used or lose them.
Lettuce and Kale will store for at least 7 days. We wash and spin dry your lettuce one time. You should wash and dry again before consumption. Keep in mind moisture leads to spoilage. You can wait to wash your greens until you plan to consumer them. Place greens in an airtight container such as a bag or Tupperware.
You can freeze green onions including the leafy green tops, the white bulb end, and the stem in between. After freezing, the texture changes somewhat. Stem and bulb portions become soft, while the green parts sometimes become tough
Parsley wash and dry thoroughly. You want to make sure no excess water is present as that can cause freezer burn. Cut the lower part of the stems. Place cleaned and dried parsley in a large freezer bag and push it down to the bottom
Greens such as carrot tops or other veggie scraps can be saved and used for homemade vegetable broth. Try this recipe: How to Make Vegetable Broth Using Saved Kitchen Scraps ~ Homestead and Chill

NEXT WEEK’S POSSIBILITY’S

Your bag next week will include 6-7 of the following depending on availability and if it’s ready to harvest.

Carrots
Herbs
Lettuce (head or mixed)
Turnip
Beets
Kale
Tomatoes (big maybe but, they’re close)
Garlic Scapes

Wishing you a fantastic week ahead, see you next week!

Summer CSA Newsletter: Week 5