In the Box

• Cherry Tomatoes
• Sweet Basil
• Carrots
• Zucchini & Patty Pans
• Broccoli
• Scallions
• Petite Head Lettuce
• Garlic Scapes (Last time)

Out with the peas and in with the cherry tomatoes and basil. It is a tasty trade. The cherry tomatoes are primarily the orange Sungold variety. I call them farm candy as they are such sweet, tasty treats. You also got a few pink grape tomatoes and maybe some black cherry tomatoes.

Now we pick the cherry tomatoes slightly under ripe. I know this disappoints some people because they want us to pick them fully ripe. But by picking them a little under ripe we get to eat the tomatoes without some critter taking a bite out of them first. This means letting the tomatoes sit on your counter until they are fully orange, pink, or purple. Then you can fully enjoy these little bites of heaven.

Picking basil is a favorite task of mine. The scent is so wonderful and it stays on my hands for a long time. I also adore its flavor on many dishes. I love to grill zucchini and patty pans with basil. I cut up the squash, drizzle olive oil over it, chop basil and grill the whole mix. It’s absolutely delicious. The recipe for patty pans listed below is also a great and very simple recipe.

The carrots came out of the greenhouse. Carrots are a difficult crop to go here because of all the weed pressure. Carrots take so long to germinate that the weeds are often too large to remove for the carrots to grow. So I tried planting some in the greenhouse where there is a little better weed control. It seems to have worked. I don’t know if our field carrots will get weeded in time. So enjoy these now.

The Care and Keeping of Basil and Tomatoes

Basil and tomatoes are two special crops. Tomatoes should never and I repeat never go into the refrigerator unless they are cut. It will destroy their flavor. Leave your tomatoes out on the counter and use a whole tomato at a time so there are no leftovers to go into the fridge.
Basil is very picky. It should not get wet or it will turn black. It’s okay to wash it right before you use it, but unless it is sandy, I wouldn’t bother to wash it. I have had good success keeping basil in a glass of water on my kitchen counter. Most refrigerators are too cold for basil. If you aren’t going to use it right away, you can put it in a towel in a bag in the fridge.

This Week’s Recipes

Yellow Squash with Fresh Basil and Toasted Pecans
(Source unknown)

Note: This recipe works well with a combination of zucchini and patty pans.

• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 1 lb. patty pans or zucchini cut into ½ inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

Toast pecans in dry skillet over medium-high heat 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant, shaking pan often. Set aside to cool. Fill large pot with 1 inch water. Set steamer basket in pot, cover and bring water to a boil. Place squash in basket. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and steam 4 to 6 minutes, or until squash is tender. Transfer squash to large bowl. Toss with olive oil, basil and pecans. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yellow Squash with Fresh Basil and Toasted Pecans
(Source unknown)

Note: This recipe works well with a combination of zucchini and patty pans.

• 1 15-ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley

Dressing ingredients:

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed or
• 3 garlic scapes chopped
• 1 3-inch sprig rosemary
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ cup of lemon juice

Start by making the dressing. Put the garlic and rosemary in olive oil in a small saucepan. Heat on medium until the rosemary begins to sizzle. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes, allowing the rosemary and garlic to infuse in the oil. Remove rosemary sprig from the oil, discard. Remove the garlic from the oil, reserving the oil. Add the garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. In a medium bowl, gently fold the garlic mixture in with the beans until they are well coated. Let sit for a few minutes. Gently mix in the reserved olive oil, tomatoes, and parsley.

News from the Farm

Riley is better. She is tearing around the farm every morning. In the afternoon, she is the smart one sitting in the shade or getting in her wading pool. The rest of us are out working in this very hot, muggy weather. We are busy with weeding, trellising tomatoes, taking down pea trellis and all the various July tasks. We could use some rain. The irrigation is running 24/7, but rain would be better. Have a good week!

No comments yet »

IN THE BOX

In the Box

• Salad Mix
• Baby Red Choy
• Cilantro
• French Breakfast Radishes
• Scallions
• Braising Mix

There are a few new items in this week’s box. Cilantro is a wonderful herb used in a lot of Mexican and Asian dishes. It has a distinct flavor. I do find that folks either really love or really dislike cilantro. I fall in the camp that really loves cilantro. I love the fresh, citrus-like flavor and will eat it by the handful. Cilantro does not handle heat well. So chop it and add it to a hot dish right before or after you turn off the heat.

The other new item in your boxes is the baby red choy. Choy (also called choi, bok choy or pac choi) has been cultivated in China since the fifth century. It arrived in Europe in the eighteenth century and from there choi came to this continent. Today it is cultivated on every continent except Antarctica.

Choi comes in many sizes and shades of red and green. The leaves are very tender and can be cooked like spinach. The stems are crisp and can be used like celery or asparagus. I usually cook them together.

The choi in your boxes has been a little stressed by the weather recently. (Who hasn’t?). It began to bolt. Bolting is the growth stage where the plant shoots upward and begins to form buds or seed stalks. I found, much to my surprise, that the buds are delicious. They have a broccoli-like flavor. Rather than leave them in the field, I decided to harvest the plants with the buds and let you try them.

On another note, those of you who have members last year may have noticed that not everything in last week’s box was bagged in plastic. I am attempting to cut down on the farm’s use of plastic bags. So, for items that are bunched, they will be packed in the box without being bagged. I’d like some feedback on this. If you think the quality of the produce is suffering, let me know and we will bag them.

Some Words on Recipes

I always welcome recipe submissions. If I can use them, I definitely will.

I try to choose recipes that are easy and use lots of the items in your box. I don’t promote any type of diet except for one that includes lots of veggies. If a recipe includes meat, I try to list meat substitutes for our vegetarian or vegan members. I personally eat a little meat, lots of vegetables, and whole grains and pasta. These days I’ve set aside my inner cheese head and eat very little dairy products. Of course, I do have my weaknesses - chocolate and coffee being the chief ones.

This Week’s Recipe

Stir-Fried Choi with Mushrooms and Cashews over Rice Noodles
(from Farmer John’s Cookbook)

Note: Rice noodles can be found in the Asian food section of a grocery store. Rice vinegar can be found there as well. You can substitute wheat noodles and apple cider vinegar.

• ¼ cup coarsely chopped, unsalted cashews
• 8 ounces dry rice noodles
• 6 tablespoons peanut oil or mild flavored vegetable oil, divided
• 3-4 baby choi, stems cut diagonally into ¼-inch pieces, leaves sliced into ½-inch strips
• 8 fresh shitake mushrooms, sliced, OR 8 dried shitake mushrooms rehydrated in hot water for 20 minutes, strained and sliced, water reserved
• 3 scallions, sliced in half lengthwise, then sliced crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• ¼ cup water (if you are using dried shitakes, use ¼ cup of the soaking water instead)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• sugar (optional)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast the cashews in a heavy dry skillet over high heat until they begin to brown slightly. Transfer the nuts to a dish to cool. Cook the rice noodles according to the directions on the package. Meanwhile, heat a wok or large skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil and let heat for 30 seconds. Add the sliced choi stems and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, scallions, and choi leaves. Add the water (or shitake soaking liquid). Cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 8 to 12 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Add a little sugar to taste, if desired. Pour this mixture over the vegetables in the wok and toss until well combined. Drain the noodles and add them to the wok along with the sauce. Toss to combine. Serve warm or chill for 1 to 2 hours. Garnish with the cashews and cilantro just before serving.

News from the Farm

We have had four rain free days. The mud is starting to dry up and the puddles in the low spots are receding. I’ve also stopped spending quality time with the sump pump I bought last week though my basement is still wet.

The farm has survived this flood for several reasons. One, the sandy soil drains better than a heavy soil. This is a great advantage in a flood and a great disadvantage in a drought. Two, the farm is not located on the banks of a river. And three, the land slopes gently down to 2 wetlands that help drain the farm. There are no bowls to form ponds on the farm.

After seeing all the devastation on area farms, I feel fortunate that the damage here is minimal. Some plants are unhappy about having wet feet for so long. But others are starting to recover and look good. The wet weather can lead to disease issues, so I will be monitoring those. Also, we have some plants - eggplant, peppers, basil, parsley, melons, pumpkins, gourds and lots of lettuce - that have been sitting around waiting their turn to be transplanted. I hope to get most of them in this week. But the harvest of some of these crops will be delayed.

We do have more crops coming on. The peas are flowering so we will have peas soon. Head lettuce is starting to mature and I’ve seen flowers on the zucchini and cucumbers. Soon the bounty will be overflowing.

No comments yet »

In the Box

• Salad Mix
• Braising Greens
• Arugula
• Scallions
• French Breakfast Radishes

When you open this box, green will be the color you see. Green lettuce, arugula, scallions are the main components of our harvest during this early part of the season. Radishes add a bright red splash of color to your boxes.

Greens and radishes are the first things that can be planted directly into the ground in the spring. By the time greens can be planted, I have already spent several months tending little plants - first in my kitchen and then in the greenhouse. But the first time I put seeds into the ground is a magical time. I push an Earthway seeder down the rows. It whirs and clicks as the seeds drop into the soil. The rows are 200 feet long. I get to the end, turn around and push the seeder back to the other end. Change the seed and do it again. For many plantings, I walk almost 2 miles pushing the seeder.

This is the time of year to eat greens. After a long winter, greens are very refreshing and cleansing. Your body and soul will enjoy the light energy of greens. This week’s box has several different types of greens. The salad mix is a blend of different lettuces. This is best eaten raw.

The braising greens are a blend of greens. There is Red Russian kale (pale green leaves with purple stems), Tat Soi (pronounced ‘tot soy’ that looks like spinach), red mustard (a red and green leaf), mizuna (a skinny, serrated leaf in either purple or green), and a few other greens. The braising greens can be eaten raw or cooked, but most folks will prefer them cooked. Look at the recipe in the recipe section.

Arugula is a green that has a little spicy and nutty flavor. I like to mix it in with lettuce for a great tasting salad. You can also try it in a sandwich in place of lettuce. It can also be cooked along with the braising greens.

We wash all of our greens at least twice before we pack them into your boxes. But you should always wash them again when you get them home. It helps to rehydrate the greens. And it is just good food safety practices to wash all your produce when you bring it home.

The radishes are very mild. I know that radishes do not top everyone’s favorite food list. But these are very different from the red ones that have been in the grocery store for months. Try them. I guarantee that you will be pleasantly surprised.

This Week’s Recipe

Simple Cooked Greens
(A Luna Circle Farm original)

3 tablespoons sesame oil
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
3-4 cups greens, chopped
salt to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, onion and sesame seeds. Sauté for a minute or so. Rinse the greens and add them still wet to the pan. Cover the pan so the greens can sauté and steam at the same time. Stir occasionally. Sauté just long enough to wilt the greens - 3 to 5 minutes. Add some salt or a little balsamic vinegar to taste.

Leaps of Faith

Farming is an act of faith. Planting a seed is an act of faith. You put a tiny black speck into soil and trust that this will become an oregano plant. Or that the white oblong seed will become a head of lettuce. Or the black triangular seed will become an onion. It takes an extra leap of faith to plant a round tomato seed while a blizzard is raging outside. To be able to imagine that the little seed will grow into a 4 foot tall plant growing amazing fruit is an act of faith especially when one can’t even see the greenhouse because of the heavy snowfall.

And through all of it one needs faith that the sun will shine, the rains will fall, the workers will come, the members will sign up and the bugs will not.

This spring has been one of those seasons that challenge my faith. Of course, the winter tested all of us. I wasn’t sure the snow would ever melt. But it did and I began to feel the thaw inside. But the challenges continued. The spring has been cold. Our last frost on the 27th of May was the latest I have known in my 19 years of farming. And it was dry. We were irrigating and covering plants to protect them from frost. I also made the decision to hold off on transplanting some sensitive crops until the soil warmed up. It was a good strategy until it began to rain.

And it has rained and rained. We got 9 inches of rain over the weekend alone. And that fell on already saturated soil as it rained a lot last week. Luna Circle has sandy soil and is relatively flat. To have standing water on sandy soil is amazing. We don’t have a lake in the fields like some folks do. Mostly we have some big puddles in low spots. But this is also the time of year when the soil is freshly tilled. So we have lots and lots of mud. Some of the mud has shifted and buried some crops, but most everything will be ok if we can dry out a little.

My harvest crew was just amazing today. First it was a struggle to just get to the farm as roads are under water from 3 directions. Then we had to harvest in very muddy conditions. I didn’t hear a single complaint all day. The scallions in your box came from a patch that was far out in the field and all the ground around them was freshly tilled last week. We were all slipping down 12 inches into the mud. It grabs your feet and shoes and is almost impossible to walk through. I almost lost my boots several times. I am grateful for the crew’s willingness to wade through all the mess.

And I will continue to have faith. Faith, that the peppers, melons, herbs and so much more will finally make their way into the fields. Faith, that some balance will be achieved between the rain and the dry. Faith that the sun will shine again. Faith in the plants to survive the onslaught of water. And I am grateful that despite the high winds this weekend, the greenhouses are still standing and the critters and I are safe and sound.

No comments yet »

Thanks to all who signed up - we’re looking forward to a great season! We’ll be accepting plant orders that are postmarked on or before May 10th, however.

Comments Off

Saturday, March 29th, from 1-4 PM is MACSAC’s 15th Annual Open House at Olbrich Gardens. We’ll be there to talk about this year’s CSA membership, so we hope you’ll stop by. It’s a free, family-friendly event, with activities, cooking demonstrations, and lots of excellent information on Community Supported Agriculture. For more information on the event, check out MACSAC’s website.

Hope to see you there!

No comments yet »

It’s been a long and snowy winter thus far, but we’re planning and preparing for a great year - we’re now accepting CSA memberships for the 2008 growing season, and we hope you’ll join us:

Download the 2008 CSA Membership Form and Brochure

No comments yet »

In the Box

• All Blue Potatoes
• Red Cabbage
• Carnival Squash
• Marjoram
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Pea Shoots
• Spaghetti Squash
• Salad Mix
• Broccoli (West Side & UW East Clinic)

This week’s box has some new colorful foods. The potatoes are called All Blue, but I think they should be called All Purple. They are a lovely purple color inside and out. And, unlike some vegetables, the color remains even after the potatoes are cooked. They make a lovely purple splash on the plate when they are mashed. Or try the potatoes roasted. Cut them into similar sized pieces. Boil for a few minutes. Then drain the potatoes. Coat them in olive oil and put them in a baking dish. Add some minced garlic. Chop up some marjoram and bake for 30-45 minutes.

Red cabbage is making its only appearance in your boxes for this season. Once again, I think it should be called purple cabbage. You can eat red cabbage raw in salads or cole slaw. Or try it cooked. Most of the recipes that I have seen use apples with the cabbage. See the recipes below for a tasty recipe.

Marjoram is the herb of the week. A little goes a long way. Marjoram is sometimes known as wild oregano, so you can use it in any recipe that uses oregano. Try it with the roasted potatoes.

Salad Mix is back in your boxes after a break for the hot weather. It is really delicious. Add the pea shoots for a great salad.

This is the last week for cherry tomatoes, so enjoy them. Since the days are getting shorter, the plants are not producing as much as they were. Cherish every one…

Carnival squash is a beautiful cream color with green stripes and orange patches. It is a cross between acorn and delicata squash. So it is sweeter than an acorn squash, but keeps better than a delicata. You can simply cut them in half and bake them facedown on a cookie sheet. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the squash. Plan on at least 20-40 minutes. You can microwave squash as well. In this case you leave the squash whole. Poke the squash with a fork and microwave for 5-10 minutes. I’ve never actually tried this so be careful. I would cook it for a few minutes at a time until it is done.

Last CSA Pickup

The final CSA pickup will be October 16th. There will be 2 more boxes after this one. Please round up all the extra boxes that you have and return them soon.

This Week’s Recipes

Apple and Wine-Braised Red Cabbage
Stuffed Carnival Squash

News from the Farm

It was a stressful week on the farm. On Tuesday, I noticed that the cooler had flipped its breaker and was off. I flipped it back on, but it didn’t cool down. By Tuesday afternoon, I called in a professional. The long and short of it was that the compressor was shot. I ended up replacing all of the refrigeration equipment. It was a very expensive week.

But, I shouldn’t really complain. Sure I didn’t want the expense right now. (Who would?) But, when I bought this refrigeration equipment, the seller told me he would give me a great price because he didn’t know how long the equipment would last. Well, that was 17 years ago. I have paid for maintenance and repairs, but this is the first big expense in a long time.

It was a little challenging to get through the week without refrigeration. I bought lots of ice and kept things cold the old fashioned way. On Fridays, the refrigeration specialists showed up, ripped out the old equipment and installed the new. It was just in time to get everything chilled before the farmers market. Now we have a great system in place that is chilling the veggies down properly. I guess it all worked out ok in the long run.

No comments yet »

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil
½ large or 1 small head red cabbage, shredded
1 onion, halved and cut as thinly as possible
salt and pepper
½ cup red wine
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
3 apples, cored and cut into eighths
½ cup raisins

Directions:

Heat oil in large wok or saucepan over medium-high flame. Add cabbage and onions; season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir well. Cover, reduce heat, and allow mixture to wilt slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine, vinegar, and brown sugar. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in apples and raisins; cook another 20-30 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Serves: 6

Source: Asparagus to Zucchini, 3rd Edition

No comments yet »

Ingredients:

1-2 carnival squas

Directions:

Cut in half and remove seeds and strings. Place cut side down on lightly greased baking sheet with sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes until almost soft, but not mushy. (Or cook in the microwave for about 10 minutes). Remove from oven, fill with one of the following stuffing options and finish baking as directed:

Apple Stuffing

2-3 tart apples, diced
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup butter, melted

Combine apples, maple syrup, and butter. Stuff into cooked squash, cover, and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Mushroom Stuffing

1 onion, chopped
½ cup mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups bread crumbs
½ teaspoon sage
1.2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper

In large skillet sauté onion, mushrooms and garlic until soft. Add remaining ingredients and stuff into cooked squash. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Source: Simply in Season

No comments yet »