Category Archives: CSA

2015 CSA Fall October 3rd

2015 CSA Fall October 3rd

• Eggplant Mix
• Field Mix 10×10 bag
• Arugula 10×10 bag
• Chard
• Pepper Medley
• Potatoes
• Lemon Verbena
• Rose Geranium
• Poultry Herb Blend
• Thai Basil
• Butternut Squash
• Gourmet Cucumber
• Zucchini/Squash
• Squash Blossoms
• Fresh Baby Ginger

Water: the source of all life on our beloved planet. And boy, have we had a lot of it! The compost is making tea all by itself. Terrible flooding has racked the east coast and it is a very humble blessing indeed to not yet have had anything major take place. Several plants and mushrooms thrive in this environment and an advantage has been had by the continuous string of grey days: inhabitants were transplanted outdoors with the most minimal invasive techniques. Goldenseal made an incredible showing this week (see photo left for a bit of yellow root atop dry rose) as well as a dear friend who brought us a macaroni and cheese casserole made from 4! cheeses and our roasted “Hatch” green chilis. Incredible! Simply chop and include in your favorite recipe as such and enjoy baked in the oven, i was advised, in a pan of water, covered. Came out perfect. Another pasta inspiration: eggplant cut long ways, top to bottom, in sheet-like thins, dry, and store for pasta replacement before frost. Pie becons with inclusion of fresh baby ginger. Dash in processor with cooked and drained butternut, sugars and egg for a pie. The ginger benefits from some shade and a bit underwatering with its suceptability to root rot. The same for the aloe, benefiting from sparse watering, yet attendance to young crowns’ hydration is paramount. Everything at the farm is recycled in one way or another, and the water is a good example of that. There is a seven tiered system that lays beneath the gravel in the driveway and into the hillside recycling pond. All the waters that come out of the greenhouse are turned right over into hydration for other plants. The well water is purified being pumped out, but deep beneath lies tiny blind cave shrimp. Viva la cave shrimp!

PawPaw Walnut Fig Leaf

2015 CSA Summer September 26th

2015 CSA Summer September 26th

This week’s share includes a look into facets of fig leaf, pawpaws and black walnut, and what to do with the seed for planting out in nature. Pawpaws are palm-sized fruit considered Native American food and medicine. The skin is thin around a custard-like inside, with dark brown seeds nestled in the center; these are about the size of a small lozenge. The seeds need a cold period in order to germinate. We clean them and store in the refrigerator, in soil, for spring planting. There are anti-tumor properties in the seeds, and this plant, Asimina Triloba, is a primary food source for the Zebra Swallowtail, which only existed in books until my move to Virginia. Fig, i grew up with. The leaf is included for a simple tea. Toast the leaf in the oven for a few minutes, until the leaf curls and gets crispy. Crumble into boiling water or, for an adventure, imagine it as a coconut replacement in recipes. Treatment for ulcers, capacity to lower triglycerides, and as a wrap for baked foods are uses revealed this week. Black walnut is special here. Michael planted black walnut with his grandfather and the meat, through arduous labor, is like no other walnut (after removing husk, crack with vice or hammer, using eye protection ;). The husk blackens quickly and will stain your fingers. This stain is often used as the dried powdered husk is added to henna to intensify pigmentation in a skin tattoo that is temporary, primarily used in healing ceremonies and weddings. We enjoyed spooning ourselves pawpaw pulp while cleaning the seeds for future plantings. Nibbles of black walnut meat enhanced the snack and our darkened fingers brought a smile… toasted fig-leaf tea was lifted in gratitude. Keep an eye on the sky Sunday night for a lunar eclipse. Enjoy!

Spring Rolls

2015 CSA Summer September 19th

2015 CSA Summer September 19th

Eggplant Medley
Mixed Field Greens
Collard Greens
Pepper Medley
Baby Ginger
Potatoes
Lemon Verbena
Rose Geranium
Poultry Herb Blend
Dill
Tarragon
Thai Basil
Squash/Zucchini
Squash Blossoms
Gourmet Cucumber
Butternut Squash

Today’s corresponding photos are for further development on previous recipe suggestions for your CSA goods. The photos above refer back to ideas last week for spring rolls; image at top right is courtesy of lavatnus.blogspot.com. Ingredients at lower left are butternut squash, cucumber planks with shredded horseradish, rose petal slivers, mixed salad greens, micro color mix, a ghost pepper bar-b-que sauce, plum sauce, grilled beef and a ribbon of seaweed. The metal lunch box came from C’ville Oriental. With the first harvest of baby ginger, consider using a microplane, as shown with the horseradish root at upper left, to add fresh flavor to these spring roll recipes. Whether sliced thin into vinegar for pickles, into sugars for a jam, into tea for brewing, or into the skillet for stir-fry, these moments of baby ginger are sure to enrich your culinary experiences. Also revisited in imagery are illustrations regarding the rose geranium, which can be applied to the lemon verbena, Thai basil, tarragon and dill. Tarragon may not be your cup of tea, but you may find it in ours. The dill pairs wonderfully in yogurt dressings; chop finely and stir into your favorite non-sweetened yogurt. Try this with your cucumber for a classic combo. In the case of rose geranium, after steeping the whole leaves in the yogurt, they are removed so as to not over flavor the dressing. Similarly, whereas lemon verbena may be left in the pot to meld further or even be re-brewed, rose geranium is removed once the leaves turn a tan color. Pictured left is black tea with geranium added to enhance after the core brew had cooled down. For best result, boiling this herb is not recommended. Now baking it into a cake is another matter… Rosey Outlook coffee cake can be found at our blog, address below. Enjoy!