Category Archives: CSA

2016 CSA Winter March 19

 

  • Chard
  • Baby Salad Mix 8×8
  • Baby Arugula 8×8
  • Baby Red Ribbed Sorrel
  • Flat Parsley
  • Dill
  • Cilantro
  • Mint
  • Rose Geranium
  • Butternut Squash
  • Sorrel Pesto

2016 CSA Winter March 19

Renew or signup for CSA at https://specials.planetearthdiversified.com/pay-online

With the advance of a cold spell approaching, let’s appreciate the comfort of the butternut squash. We like to oven roast by cutting it in half, removing the seeds and placing it open side down in about an inch of water…baking it about 45 minutes at 350f or until it is soft when forked and the skin is separating. This flesh can be eaten as is, topped with favorites from sweet to savory, such as butter, nuts, cheese, sage, cinnamon, etc. Make another meal out of it by blending it in the food processor to make a creamy soup. We have used cream, sour cream, sage, arugula, peppers and curry powder as additions for texture and flavor. The flesh can be used in recipes such as you might find for pumpkin. Below is a recipe from allrecipe.com that looked really good!

Squash soup

Squash soup

1 ½ cups squash, 3 eggs, ½ cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup white sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 cups whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup raisins, ¼ cup walnuts; preheat oven 400f; grease 20 muffin cups. Combine eggs, water, vegetable oil, and the white and brown sugars with the squash. Whisk flours, baking powder, baking soda, spice and salt, adding it to the squash mix until smooth, folding in raisins and walnuts. Spoon into muffin cups at ½ to 2/3 full, and bake about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then move to a wire rack.

To your health & pleasure, always, love, leslie.

 

Rose geranium

2016 CSA Winter March 12

2016 CSA  Winter  March 12 

It’s Time to Renew or signup for CSA at https://specials.planetearthdiversified.com/pay-online 

We have created a new online portal for you to manage your CSA account (usually your id is your email) and renew or pay online. If you already see yourself as a member – just request a password for access by checking the “I need a Password” link or forgot password link at the login. If you want to create a new CSA account or don’t see yourself listed just Register. If you prefer the old way then just fill out the paper form and bring it to us or mail it in.

  • Kale
  • Baby Salad Mix 8×8
  • Baby Arugula 8×8
  • Baby Red Ribbed Sorrel
  • Flat Parsley
  • Dill
  • Cilantro
  • Mint
  • Rose Geranium
  • Butternut Squash
  • Basil Pesto

For the CSA Winter March 12 – we bring the rosy smell of rose geranium back! Rose geranium is one of my favorite herbs to use. Drop a leaf into hot water for tea and drink up this delicious plant. It goes well with fruit flavors and one of our members uses it for an accent in her herbed chicken. Below is our simple recipe for a rose geranium coffee cake that was featured in the local magazine C’ville.

“Rosy Outlook” Coffee Cake

Rose geranium yogurt

Rose geranium yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a glass 9″x9″ baking pan and press a small handful of geranium slivers, and a few leaves onto the bottom of the greased pan.

In one medium bowl, combine 1 1/3 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. In another medium bowl, combine 2/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup softened butter, two room temperature eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1 cup (approx.) shredded rose geranium leaves. Beat with a hand mixer on medium until well blended. Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and blend on medium for about one minute. Pour mixed batter into greased pan, on top of leaves and slivers. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10-15 minutes and then invert cake onto a plate. Cool completely before cutting into finger tea cakes or squares.

 

Pictured to the right is an example of putting rose geranium leaves into yogurt to create a salad dressing. I usually whip this together just before making the salad because it does not take long for the flavor to take hold and it can become too perfumed if over steeped. We really like this dressing over a salad of greens that has chopped apple, raisins and walnuts.

 

To your health & pleasure, always, love, leslie.

2016 CSA Winter March 5th

  • Kale
  • Baby Salad Mix 8×8
  • Baby Arugula 8×8
  • Baby Green Sorrel
  • Flat Parsley
  • Dill
  • Cilantro
  • Mint
  • Lemongrass
  • Butternut Squash
  • Chickweed Pesto

2016 CSA Winter March 5th

For this CSA Winter March 5th,  we take a different view of the benefits of kale this week: not only is it good for our bodies but also for helping to suppress soil borne diseases and infestations by pests like nematodes, which can devastate crops we grow such as potatoes and tomatoes. Rapeseed kale like ‘Dwarf Essex’ contain sulfur containing chemicals (glucosinolates) that break down in decomposing into compounds that are toxic to nematodes. These natural compounds are released from the roots of living plants or by plants incorporated into the soil as green manure. (See Alabama Cooperative Extension, Hagan, Gazaway, and Sikora for a more in-depth view into plants explored for this property.) Thusly, growing this kale in rotation helps us with pest control naturally and produces healthier soils.

Kale in Greenhouse

Kale in Greenhouse

Kale as Soil Builder

Kale as Soil Builder

We love the combination of lemongrass, cilantro and mint. These lend themselves nicely to Thai noodle soup or a curry. We enjoy curry with a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, onion, peas, eggplant…we keep a can of coconut milk in the cabinet for just the occasion. With a bit of sauté that includes your lemongrass, you can have an exotic and spiced experience to help keep away these chillier nights. I use the back end of a knife and the knife handle to bruise the base and leaves of the lemongrass and plop them in the pot, pulling them out upon serving, as they have a tough consistency and are not pleasant to eat. The perfume lingers as the leaves have served their purpose of infusing the flavor. We like to use a curry stew as a base recipe in a crock pot, too, or as a way to repurpose leftover veggies. Lemongrass can be added to your dishes for a nice pick-me-up, just be sure to remove the sharp leaves before eating. Again, the lemongrass pairs nicely with the cilantro and mint in Asian noodle soups: just scissor cut the fresh cilantro and mint on top as a garnish.
To your health & pleasure, always, love, leslie.