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Week 8 Newsletter, Winter 2014 (Athens Hills CSA)

0 Comments 11 February 2014

Another 4-7 inches of snow fell on the rolling hills of Athens County on Monday effectively bringing most things to a standstill. But, not your CSA farm. Most of your farmers made it to the farm (albeit a little later than usual) to begin the harvest for this week’s share. The 1st to arrive spent several hours shoveling the snow from the driveways so that the trucks could get out and back in. Then, Mark moved on to the gutter connect roof on 2 of the greenhouses, a slow, tedious and slippery job. It was a late start and an even later finish for Josh and Kip who stayed at it until around 9:00 pm Monday night. An early start on Tuesday meant that we were able to harvest, wash, and pack all of the other items you are receiving today. And as I write this, we are already a little worried about tomorrow’s start given the forecast of ice and freezing rain overnight.

Just a few words about the items in the share this week can explain some of the site differences. Because of all the cold, not all crops are re-growing at the rate we typically expect. This means that we don’t have quite enough of one variety to supply all the shares. There are 3 types of greens this week: Red Russian kale (frilly edged leaves with purple stems), Dwarf Siberian kale (large flat all green leaves), or Swiss Chard (dark green flat leaves with white stems). All are delicious, so we hope you enjoy the one you received.

Last Friday we said goodbyes to our assistant manager Matt. He left to take a position with a new cooperative farming venture near Wilmington/Morrow. He left us with an improved system of composting, cover crops, and soil testing. We wish him great success as he begins this new adventure. We will miss his dedication to the soil and crop health.

We have begun receiving apprenticeship applications for the summer already. In fact, we have already had a couple come for their on-farm visit. We hope to have all selections made by the end of March or earlier. If you know of someone who is interested please let them know that now is the time to apply. Have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Mark, Emily, Andy, Natalie, Josh, Miranda, Paula, Penny, and Kristina)

Salad Mix – Our winter salad mix is a blend
of 10 varieties of lettuces plus the mild-tasting tatsoi, pe-tsai, and
mizuna. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some
paper towel or cloth to absorb any moisture.
Mushrooms –
Shiitake for most and oysters for the rest. We change the oyster sites
each week so that all can have them at least once. Sites that receive
them are selected based on numbers of shares and how many oyster
mushrooms we have.
Sunflower / MicroMix Microgreens – Some of
you will get our more delicate mix this week, and some will get
sunflower. The mix have a tangy flavor and do not store as long as the
sunflower.
Turnips – Purple top/white globe turnips are finally
here. The traditional winter roots are pungent and sweet. Boiled and
mashed, roasted in the oven – any way to cook other roots will work for
the turnips too.
Kale or Chard – An explanation of the
difference is in the body of the newsletter. The 2 varieties of kale
can be used the same way. In fact, most greens can substitute for one
another in various recipes.
Spinach – We are thrilled to bring
you this new item. This wonderful green is so versatile. Use it raw in
a salad, or cooked in many different dishes.
Butternut squash –
This flavor is somewhere between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. Bake
whole or cut up and use in a recipe, something like squash soup. Yum!
Store in a cool and dry place.

The apple share from Cherry Orchard includes Mutzu and Melrose.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Country Wheat.
The cheese from Integration Acres is raw goat’s milk feta. Aged for over three months in a heavy brine, this feta is great crumbled into scrambled eggs, in a Greek salad and even on pizza.

Please remember to call your host first if
problems arise. Since they are closer to you, they can usually resolve
the problem. Feel free to call us if the host is unable to help you –
740-448-4021 Thanks!

Return rate of the green/red bags has
fallen off. Folks, this return is very important. Please gather the
ones you have and return them this week. Thanks so much!
Another outstanding Butternut Squash recipe from member Lisa H. in Athens. Thanks so much for sharing these two ways to flavor a creamy butternut soup.
The butternut squash is outstanding! Very sweet and the color is so vibrant! It’s a soup and I have two seasoning choices that I’ve used that are equally tasty. The soup can be vegan or creamed with some of that Snowville milk or half-n-half.

Ingredients:
Large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 or 4 sweet apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 or 2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
4-6 C. veggie broth (or substitute 2c with milk)
1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper
2-3 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl brown sugar, optional (honey would also be good)
Spice mix of choice: Curry or Spicy

Curry ½ -1 tsp of your favorite curry powder, to taste
Spicy (my fav!) 1t ground ginger ½ tsp garlic powder (or 1-2 tsp fresh, minced) ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ground chili of choice (ancho or chipotle are good)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread cut veggies and apples on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast uncovered in the oven 35-40 minutes, turning a few times, until the squash is very soft. Alternatively, these can be sautéed in a soup pot until soft and slightly browned.

In the soup pot, add seasoning of choice and broth, add roasted veggies/apples (or: broth and seasoning go into the pot with the sautéed mixture), heat through.

For a smooth soup, remove the pot from heat. Using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth. Or blend in batches in a blender and return to the pot. Add milk, if desired, or more broth if you like a thinner soup. Top with croutons or crumbled Shagbark Corn Chips.
~from www.cooks.com

Sautéed Spinach with Mushrooms

This classic combination can be served as a side dish or as an entree — with grains or piled atop a thick slice of toast. It also makes a great filling for omelets or crepes.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and sliced
1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound baby spinach, rinsed but not dried; or 2 pounds bunch spinach, stemmed and rinsed but not dried, and coarsely chopped

Directions:
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until seared and beginning to sweat, about five minutes. Turn the heat to medium, and add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir together for another minute or two until the mushrooms are tender. Add the spinach, and stir until wilted, about two minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Serve hot or warm.

Roasted Turnip Chips
http://annesoddsandends.blogspot.com/2012/03/roasted-turnip-chips.html

Ingredients:
Turnips, sliced thin (I used 5 small)
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp garlic flakes
¼ tsp onion flakes
Sea salt to taste
1½ – 2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350
2. Cover a baking sheet with foil.
3. Slice the turnips thin, the thinner they are the crispier they will be.
4. Put the slices in a large mixing bowl and the olive oil. Massage the oil in to coat all the pieces.
5. In a small bowl combine the spices. Then add to the larger bowl and mix to evenly coat.
6. Put the slices on the baking sheet and bake for 30-50 minutes flipping every 10 minutes or so. Remove from the oven when they look crisp enough for your liking. If you don’t have garlic and onion flakes you could also use powder. Make sure to go easy on the olive oil so they don’t get too soggy.

KALE AND SPINACH SAAG
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kale-and-spinach-saag/

Ingredients:
1 (1”) piece fresh ginger, peeled coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic
¼ cup water, or more as needed
½ tsp garam masala
10 oz fresh spinach, chopped
10 oz kale, chopped
1 cup milk
1 cup cottage cheese
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground nutmeg
2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
2 onions, chopped

Directions:
Place the ginger and garlic in a blender with ¼ cup water, and blend to a smooth paste.

Heat a large skillet with a lid over medium-low heat, and scoop the ginger-garlic paste in the skillet. Sprinkle with garam masala, and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer the paste for about 15 minutes, checking to see that it hasn’t cooked dry. Add more water if the mixture gets dried out. Stir in the spinach and kale, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are bright green and limp, about 10 minutes.

Place the milk and cottage cheese into the blender, and blend until smooth. Add a pinch of salt and nutmeg to the blender and pulse again just to mix.

Heat the ghee in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the onions until they are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir the cottage cheese mixture and the cooked onions into the skillet with the greens until well combined, let cool slightly, and place about half the saag into the blender. Pulse until smooth, return the blended mixture to the skillet, and stir well.

Remember Massaged Kale? Check this video out. It is so informative and takes the raw salad to new heights: Mediterranean Kale

Article source: http://greenedgegardens.blogspot.com/2014/02/week-8-newsletter-winter-2014.html

Local Athens News

Week 9 Newsletter, Winter 2014 (Athens Hills CSA)

0 Comments 11 February 2014

Our delivery last week is an example of our commitment to
bring you the veggies you are expecting. We received many amazed, yet
grateful comments. Besides our CSA deliveries, we also deliver to a
number of other businesses, both grocery and restaurant. We have many
incentives to show up. If we are not able to make the delivery, we will
call and email all of the members as soon as the decision is made (like
calling off school…). If you haven’t heard from us, please expect to
pickup.

Recent articles in grower magazines are all about this winter season’s
record-breaking siege of cold weather. Many growers have lost part or
all of their plantings, or if not lost, their plants have stopped
growing, waiting for warmer days. At Green Edge, we’ve been fortunate,
but also diligent. Even though we have strict protocols for ‘covering
temperatures’ that guide us in the number of covers that we will pull
each evening, there has been a slow-down in the rate of re-growth of the
heartier greens, and the lettuces have more cold damage than
experienced in the past winters. We’re fortunate that our conscious
decision to limit the number of winter shares this season means that we
have enough to fill them. As the season progresses, please be aware
that we will make certain you have made a good investment.

Both Monday and
Tuesday of this week saw temperatures inside the houses range between 50
and 70 degrees, even with single digits outside. We know these warmer,
sunny days only help the recovery of the plants. As the days lengthen,
re-growth will speed making more availability of all things planted.
Yeah!

Empty beds in the
houses are being planted with things to come for April and beyond.
Miranda is almost finished with the brochures for the 2014 summer CSA
cycle. We’ll send them your way as soon as they are completed. Please
let us know your plans as soon as you can. Thanks.
Stay warm and have a great week!

From all of us at Green Edge,
Becky (Kip, Dan, Mark, Emily, Andy, Natalie, Josh, Miranda, Paula, and Penny)

Salad Mix – Our winter salad mix is a blend of 7 varieties of lettuces plus the mild-tasting Asian greens tatsoi, pe-tsai, and mizuna. This mix is best stored in an air-tight container with some paper towel or cloth to absorb any moisture.
Mushrooms – Shiitake for most and oysters for the rest. We change the oyster sites each week so that all can have them at least once. Sites that receive them are selected based on numbers of shares and how many oyster mushrooms we have.
Sunflower / MicroMix Microgreens – Some of you will get our more delicate mix this week, and some will get sunflower. The mix have a tangy flavor and do not store as long as the sunflower.
Pac Choy: similar to bok choy in handling and cooking. The flavor is a little stronger than the tatsoi; takes a little more time to cook and the texture is rather like Napa Cabbage.
Arugula – Arugula is one of the ‘love-it-or-hate-it’ veggies. It’s distinctive peppery flavor makes a statement whether raw in a salad or cooked in a recipe.
Sweet Potatoes – These are some of our favorite root veggies to grow and to eat! Whether they are baked, sliced and fried, chunked and roasted, or preserved as pickles, the sugar content is unmistakable.
Butternut squash – This flavor is somewhere between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. Bake whole or cut up and use in a recipe, something like squash soup. Yum! Store in a cool and dry place.

The apple share from Cherry Orchards this week includes Red and Yellow Delicious.
The bread from The Village Bakery and Café is Country Sourdough Rye.
The cheese from Integration Acres is Caprino Romano, a natural rind goat’s milk cheese. This batch has aged for 11 months!

NEW ALBANY – 614-216-9369 12-8pm
BEXLEY MARKET-614-252-3951 3-8pm
HILLIARD POWERSHACK 614-506-3086 4-7pm
CLINTONVILLE COOP – 614-261-3663 11 am-8 pm
ECO-FLORA – 614-266-1618 12pm-7pm
DUBLIN TREK BICYCLE 614-791- 8735 3-7 pm
HYACINTH BEAN – 740-594-9302 12-6pm
ATHENS COMMUNITY CENTER – 740-592-3325 12-8 pm
BELPRE 304-488-3620 3-6 PM

Please remember to call your host first if
problems arise. Since they are closer to you, they can usually resolve
the problem. Feel free to call us if the host is unable to help you –
740-448-4021 Thanks!

This year we are planning a change in the plans for our Open Farm Day. Currently, we expect that the day will be later in the season. However, if you are interested in seeing the greenhouses this early spring, we are happy to show you. Just give a call and we can schedule your visit.
Shiitake mushrooms contain the active compound lentinan, which has the ability to strengthen the immune system. Lentinan is a polysaccharide that has also been shown to have anticancer activity. The amount of L-ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant, is 40 times higher in shiitake mushrooms than in wheat germ.
For more immune-boosting recipes, visit http://www.juliedaniluk.com.

Stir-Fried Shiitake Mushrooms with Tofu and Bok Choy
Serves 4

Can be prepared in 30 minutes or fewer

Ingredients:
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. Thai chile sauce, such as sriracha
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 tsp. sesame oil
3 Tbs. canola oil, divided
1 14-oz. pkg. extra-firm tofu, drained cut into bite-sized cubes
1 lb. bok choy, cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms

Directions:
1. Whisk together cornstarch and 1 tsp. water in bowl. Whisk in soy sauce, ginger, chile sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.
2. Heat 1 Tbs. canola oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry tofu 7 minutes, or until golden brown; transfer to plate. Add 1 Tbs. oil to pan. Stir-fry bok choy 4 minutes; transfer to plate.
3. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to pan. Stir-fry mushrooms 2 minutes, or until tender. Return tofu and bok choy to pan. Stir in soy sauce mixture, and stir-fry 1 minute, or until hot.
Mushroom and Spinach Frittata
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/06/health/mushroom-and-spinach-frittata-recipes-for-health.html?_r=2

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 ounce mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
6-ounce baby spinach, rinsed
8 eggs
¼ cup grated Parmesan (optional) Or your CSA cheese, Caprino Romano, a similar style cheese
2 tablespoons low-fat milk

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy 10-12” nonstick skillet and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring or tossing often, until they begin to sweat and soften, 3-5 minutes. Add salt, pepper and the garlic, and stir together until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the spinach, a handful at a time and stir until wilted. Turn up the heat and let any excess liquid evaporate from the pan, then remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl (you can do this while the mushrooms are cooking). Stir in salt and pepper to taste, the milk, and the mushroom and spinach mixture. Add the Parmesan if desired.
3. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat in the skillet until it feels hot when you hold your hand about 1 inch above it. Drop a bit of egg into the pan and if it sizzles and cooks at once, the pan is ready. Pour in the egg mixture, scraping all of it in with a rubber spatula. Swirl the pan to distribute the eggs and filling evenly over the surface. Shake the pan gently, tilting it slightly with one hand while lifting up the edges of the frittata with the spatula in your other hand, to let the eggs run underneath during the first few minutes of cooking. Once a few layers of egg have cooked turn the heat down to low, cover and cook 10 minutes, shaking the pan gently every once in a while. From time to time remove the lid and loosen the bottom of the omelet with a spatula, tilting the pan, so that the bottom doesn’t burn. It will turn golden. The eggs should be just about set though there will be a layer on the top that is not.
4. Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Uncover the pan and place under the broiler, not too close to the heat, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the top sets, watching very carefully to make sure the top doesn’t burn (at most, it should brown very slightly and puff under the broiler). Remove from the heat, shake the pan to make sure the frittata isn’t sticking and allow it to cool for at least 5 minutes and for up to 15. It can be a little runny in the middle if you like it that way. Loosen the edges with a spatula. Carefully slide from the pan onto a large round platter. Cut into wedges. Serve hot, warm, room temperature, or cold.

Balsamic Roasted Butternut Squash Mushrooms with Pasta
http://www.bostonorganics.com/balsamic-roasted-butternut-squash–mushrooms-wit/re/balsamic-roasted-butternut-squash–mushrooms-wit

Ingredients:
1 med. butternut squash, peeled chopped into 1” pieces
3 cloves garlic crushed
½ medium red onion, chopped
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 box thin spaghetti or angel hair
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced (shiitake, baby bella, portobellos, buttons)
3 cups spinach, chopped in ribbons
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, grated (You can use your CSA cheese, Caprino Romano!)
½ cup Ricotta Cheese (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss butternut squash with ½ the crushed garlic, onion, 3 Tbs. olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a cookie sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden-brown and tender. Puree about ¾ of the squash and add ½ the balsamic. If the sauce is too thick, you can add pasta cooking water at the end. In a large pot of salted, boiling water, boil pasta according to box directions and reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain and add pasta water to squash puree if you prefer the sauce thinner. Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil and add remaining garlic, more onion if you, and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes until mushrooms begin to brown. Add the remaining balsamic and toss in the spinach and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until the spinach wilts slightly. To serve, toss about ½ the sauce with the hot pasta and plate a nest of pasta on each plate. Top with additional squash sauce, a spoonful of the mushroom-spinach mixture, a dollop of ricotta, and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve warm and enjoy!

Article source: http://greenedgegardens.blogspot.com/2014/02/week-9-newsletter-winter-2014.html

Local Athens News

Happy Valentine’s Day! (Passion Works Studio)

0 Comments 10 February 2014

Happy Valentine’s Day!

For the first time ever we are offering free Valentine’s Day delivery to any location in the Athens city limits and The Plains with a minimum order of $35.

Our Valentine’s 3-Flower Paper Bouquet with Vase is one of the many varieties of beautiful paper flowers we are offering this Valentine’s Day. We also have a brand new, limited edition design Valentine Passion Flower available in small and medium sizes. Both make a truly unique gift and are eligible for free shipping to any location in the Athens city limits and The Plains. Passion Flowers last a lifetime, just like your love.

Delivery orders must be made by phone, (740) 592-3673, or by visiting our store at 20 E. State Street in Uptown Athens.

Article source: http://www.passionworks.org/happy-valentines-day/

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