Welcome to week 3!
On Monday evenings Chris and I venture out to the fields just before the sun sets to talk about what will be ready for this week's harvest. We're both amazed as we walk among the onions growing nearly reaching our knees. Three beds over from the onions is more lettuce forming wonderful heads and the next secession of beets producing brightly covered leaves. What really stands out is the Rainbow Swiss Chard. The strong dark green leaves are held up by yellow, red, purple, green, pink and orange stems. If my camera was working I would include a picture of them for you, instead, we're including them in your share this week so you'll see for yourself how really magnificent they look.
This week begins our seasonal fruit share! As we watch our strawberry and blueberry plants mature in it's first season we look to our farmer friends who practice sustainable agriculture and share their fruit with you. Much of your fruit will come from Mick Klug Farm. Mick and his family run his second generation family owned farm in St. Joseph, Michigan. He practices IPM, integrated pest management, on his farm. In order to suppress a pest from a particular plant he has carefully studied their cycle and uses minimal spray in order to keep his plant healthy. He is able to reach the pest while the plant is in it's early stages and is able to leave the fruit untouched.
We have enjoyed Mick's fruit for many years and hope you will to.
Enjoy the bounty of the farm:
Rainbow Swiss Chard
Spinach
Head Lettuce
Parsley
Garlic Scapes
Broccoli
Scarlet Red Turnips
Rhubarb*
Seasonal Fruit Share:
Sweet Cherries
Red Raspberries
Our spinach is growing such wonderful leaves we had to include it one more time before it turns. Most of the time we like to eat it in a salad with some sort of fruit, whether it's a citrus fruit or berry. However, I've me many of you with babies around this something you don't want to pass out on feeding them. I rinse the leaves and toss them in a steamer, I don't chop the leaves or break the stem off, I use every inch. Once I feel that they have wilted enough I puree it and either use it fresh or put it in a freezer bag for later use. Charlie, who is 11 months old, can't stop eating it. I wonder if it's the amazing bright green color or if he's really enjoying the flavor! For those of us who have teeth here is a great recipe you could try (with our honey) http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-911/wilted-spinach-salad-with-balsamic-honey-vinaigrette-recipe/index.htmlrecipe/index.html.
Ah yes, garlic scapes, back again! Enjoy these one more time because we won't see them until next season. Raw or cooked, great with your chard or drizzled with soy sauce. One of our members said that their young son loved them as a snack, great news! Here is a great recipe from one our CSA members, Tamara Brusca, passed on to me and I included it in our Recipe Finder on our website, White Bean and Garlic Scapes Dip. Enjoy!
May I introduce, Scarlet Red Turnips! This one is more of a traditional turnip compared to your Sweet Salad Turnip from last week. These are wonderful raw in a salad and great added to a slaw. I do occasionally boil these and toss with some butter as a great side dish.
Rhubarb! These are from our friend Mick Klug that are growing strong on his farm. Discard the leaves as they are toxic but may be used in your compost. The stalks are strong and crunch like celery but really tart. You might want to impress someone by making a traditional rhubarb pie http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fresh-Rhubarb-Pie/Detail.aspx or rhubarb custards that I have included on our Recipe Finder. Either way, make sure you have sugar in the house before you start cooking with these stalks! Enjoy and may the best pie win smiling faces at the dinner table.
We hope you enjoy this weeks bounty!
Your farmers,
Tania and Chris Cubberly
