CSA week of July 23, 2009

Well, the csa continues to roll on. We are still really surprised and delighted every week that we see our bounty. It is so cool. The Ruby Swiss Chard is really beautiful. We also started to buy dairy and eggs through the csa.

1 head green cabbage – certified organic – Green Valley Organics
1 bunch Detroit red beets – certified organic – Farmdale Organics
1 bag Yukon gold potatoes – certified organic – Millwood Springs – 2.5 lbs
1 bag candy onions – transitional – Taste of Nature Farm – 2lbs
3 green slicing cucumbers – certified organic – Goshen View Organics
3 green zucchini – certified organic – Maple Valley Organics
1 bag yellow or green beans – certified organic – White Swan Acres – 1 lb
10 red slicing tomatoes– certified organic – Green Valley Organics
1 bunch red bor kale – certified organic - Life Enhancing Acres
1 bunch Swiss chard – certified organic – Little Brook Organics

Have fun

CSA Week # ? 9 July 2009

Yes, I have lost count on the csa weeks. We got a rather nice haul this week. A little lighter on the greens this week. That's no sweat, a few times this summer we have been pressed a little to mow through all the greens we have. No complaints, it's just a fact; we do love greens. Check out the details below. Those li'l baby eggplants are beautiful, can't wait to slay them.

Alright ya'll stay great and stay tuned for a picture of the table with mates. Please continue to think of and pray for my sister Stephanie. She is now at home recovering, but finds herself in another neck of the woods.

Be well,

Stephan


You will receive the following items in your share:

1 head green cabbage – certified organic – Goshen View Organics

1 bunch Detroit red beets – certified organic – Farmdale Organics

4 green zucchini – certified organic – Organic Willow Acres

2 cucumbers – certified organic – Elm Tree Organics

1 bag red gold potatoes – certified organic – Millwood Springs – 2 lbs

2 candy onions – certified organic – Taste of Nature

1 bag specialty eggplant – certified organic – Taste of Nature

1 bunch dandelion greens – certified organic – Hillside Organics

1 head butterhead lettuce – certified organic – Goshen View Organics

Keep It Continue, The Same Thing

Succession planting has been on my mind lately; luckily earlier than last year. The idea is to keep the garden going; to not have any or many bald spots through the season. As crops stop producing, you replace them with other crops. It is good to have seeds already started so you can just pop plants in when it is time.

Crops can be divided into four broad growing categories: 1. perennial crops like asparagus, rhubarb and chives, which come back in subsequent years; 2. crops that thrive in the early part of the season like lettuce, mustard, radishes and peas; 3. crops that stay in the ground during most of the season like tomatoes, beans, eggplant, cucumber, okra and peppers; 4. crops that thrive in the later part of the season into the fall like kale, beets, Chinese cabbage, lettuce spinach, collards and broccoli.

They thrive at different times of the season for varying reasons, but a popular one is sensitivity to hot summer temperatures; lettuce goes bitter, radishes get spongy and crops bolt and go to flower too quickly. While kale and broccoli are said to taste best after a light frost or two.

The "polycultural" bed pictured above is an attempt at succession gardening. It is going alright so far. I had to really thin out the lettuce in order to give some sun and space to the Swiss Chard. I also put in some pepper plants and Brussels sprout plants that we were given. I am going to start some seeds outside of the garden to pop in as we start to have plants fall out.

Last year we did not buy greens from about May until October-late October even. Sarah is quick to remind me of our CSA, but we had buckets of greens from the garden all season long. We did well with greens last year, but I am looking to get a little more serious about it. I am still in the planning stages, I will let you know what happens.

I am also going to learn when to capitalize plant names, it is bugging me. I have learned to spell lettuce, so proud.

CSA # 3 5/28/2009

Wow, the CSA haul was very substantial this week. I think we have a green for every day of the week, if you count radish and beet greens, and of course you do. I tested the strawberries and all the greens, including the two leaves coming off the broccoli. They were all ding dang delicious. The greens taste so robust and savory. I can't get over it.

Here are Mariko and Owen. We walk together to pick up our csa's each week. Owen is a really interesting guy.

Here is the haul.

You will find the following items in your share: 1 head broccoli – certified organic – Farmdale Organics 1 bunch baby beets – certified organic – Pleasant Valley Farm 1 bunch purple radishes – certified organic – Country Boy Farm 1 bunch Lacinato (or dinosaur) Kale– certified organic – Goshen View Organics 1 bunch tatsoi – certified organic – Hillside Organics 1 bag wildfire lettuce mix – certified organic – Farmdale Organics – 1 lb 1 bag young rainbow chard – certified organic – Elm Tree Organics – ¼ lb 1 head red leaf lettuce – certified organic – Farmdale Organics 1 box Chandler strawberries – certified organic – Goshen View Organics

Those are purple radishes in the middle of this picture; dinosaur kale to the left, rainbow chard to the right.

Pretty.

Here are the baby beets. Notice those spots of red on the table; that is some beet juice that emerged when I pinched of a leaf of the greens, mmmmmm, succulent.

CSA in the House! 5/21/09

I picked up the CSA yesterday! The weather was great, as were the Snooks. Mariko, Owen and I went down to pick up our loot together-always fun. I will get a picture of them next week. Below is a picture of our bounty this week. The strawberries are delicious! The scallions and the yellow radishes pass as well. The highlighted de-light of the week though is the Flashy Trout romaine pictured below. Check it out.

This is the pre-packing list of produce ordered for your share: 1 head flashy trout back Romaine Lettuce – certified organic – Riverview Organics 2 bunches scallions – certified organic/transitional – Country Boy and Taste of Nature Farm 1 bunch radishes – certified organic – Goshen View or Hillside Organics 1/2 lb baby greens – certified organic – Elm Tree Organics 2 mixed baby head lettuces – transitional – Taste of Nature Farm 1 8oz package cremini mushrooms – certified organic – Mother Earth Organics 1 pint strawberries – certified organic – Green Valley Organics

Here is the Flashy Trout romaine. That's not rot you see; the lettuce is mottled with a beautiful red color. I ate about four big leaves of this stuff last night. I would describe the taste as savory, and the texture as buttery. It felt kind of silky in my mouth. Can't wait! Well, I didn't, I guess.

And lastly, before it goes into the ice box, we lay it before Lucius for his inspection. He agrees, delicious again Peter.

Grow well, pick well, eat well.

Radish Shots

Just some pretty radish pictures to get you going. These came in the CSA last week. They were quite mild. I had one of the new ones last night; it was far more rowdy. You can see the bean tee pee out the door. Be well.

CSA #2 5-14/09

Here is a picture of the Walking Fish Theatre in Kensington. It is right across the street from our most used 5 bus stop, at the corner of Frankford Avenue and Cumberland. It is where we pick up or CSA. Incidentally...



Here it is. Admittedly, it looks a lot like last week's, but that's how it works. One gets what is in season; just the way nature intended. This is what we found in our share:

1 head green Romaine lettuce – certified organic – Riverview Organics
1 bunch white scallions – certified organic – Windy Hollow Organics
½ lb spinach – certified organic – Goshen View Organics
½ lb asparagus – certified organic – Farmdale Organics
1 bunch red radishes – certified organic – Farmdale Organics
3 baby head lettuces – transitional – Taste of Nature
1 lb bunch rhubarb – transitional – Country View Produce

Here are the radishes. I have never seen a purple one before. Zoiks!


Eat well!

CSA Meal #1

Well, here it is. The first meal from our 2009 c.s.a. Sarah made these delightful mixed greens salads today. It was so fresh and tasty. She toasted walnuts to put on top and made a great dressing for it. I'll ask about the dressing and fill you in later. Yes, we have a C.Crane radio in our kitchen. Have fun!

CSA # 1--5/7/09

Here is what we found in our share this week. A photo and mor info are below.

1 lb rhubarb – transitional – Country View Farm
1 bunch red radishes– certified organic – Farmdale Organics
1 bunch mint– certified organic – Goshen View
1 bunch white scallions – transitional – Taste of Nature Farm
8 oz cremini mushrooms – certified organic – Mother Earth Organics
¼ lb wrinkle-crinkle cress– certified organic – Riverview Organics
1 lb wildfire lettuce mix– certified organic – Scarecrow Hill Farm
½ lb arugula – certified organic – Farmdale Organics

CSA, it stands for community supported agriculture. It works like this: before the beginning of the growing season, you can purchase a full- or half-share in a CSA. The money goes to local farmers who deliver their harvest weekly, or bi-monthly, depending on your share. What you get in return is fresh, local, in-season, usually organic or transitional farm good (vegetables, fruit, eggs, dairy, baked goods, or whatever your CSA provides). It is a nice way to support local, small family farms as well as get fresh, tasty produce. Sarah and I feel closer to our food. Participating in a CSA is also a good way to build relationships with the people who deliver or produce your food. When was the last time you met the person who grew the tomatoes you bought at the supermarket? It is also fun because you get what is harvested. It is always a surprise and makes one be more creative with meals.

This year is our second season with the CSA. Last year we bought a half-share from Greensgrow, a nursery/produce stand down the street. It was a nice introduction to the CSA. At Greensgrow, in addition to produce, the shares include meat, dairy, eggs, honey, bread or other local farm goods, but dairy, eggs and such was just gravy to us. We can still go to Greensgrow if we need eggs or cheese if we like, but we don't have to purchase it in our CSA.

We decided to go with Lancaster Farm Fresh this year, as it is just vegetables. We pick up our share at Walking Fish Theatre, which is a couple of blocks from our house. I went with Dan, Mariko and their little man Owen. We hope to make it a Thursday date throughout the season. It was cool, we ran into Lena. She is a big part of the food coop start-up group that Sarah and I are a part of. See, relationships, nice.

Be well, eat well.