Welcome to your first week of our Vegetable and Fruit 2011 CSA!
Pick up is Thursday, June 16th between 4 and 7pm.
Locations:
On the farm: 17970 W. Millburn Road, Old Mill Creek
Lake Forest: 1490 N. Green Bay Road, Lake Forest -pull up to the gates and they will open for you.
Tempel Steel - Chicago location
Logan Square: 3711 W. Palmer, Chicago
Despite the cool wet Spring that set us back a few weeks we are ready to share the farm's bounty. I would like to remind our customers who are picking up on the farm to please bring your own container to bring home your produce and/or fruit. For those of you that are picking up at our different locations off the farm your produce and/or fruit will already be packed in boxes. You may take the boxes home or you could bring your own container and leave the box behind. We will be reusing these boxes all season so please remember to bring them back weekly. They break down easily and could be stored flat taking little room.
When picking up your share remember to take what you ordered. If an extra vegetable or fruit box goes missing one of our customers who signed up for it will have missed that week's share. The vegetable and fruit boxes are clearly marked so you'll know what you're taking. Each pick up area will have a sign in sheet to check off and will also note what you have ordered. If you seem to think the order is wrong please contact me, not your host site, by sending me and email at tempelfarmsroganics@yahoo.com. I check our emails every early morning and late evening.
Eggs will be available for sale on the farm starting this week. We do have a limited quantity right now until our new flock start to lay in a few weeks, first come first serve. For our customers that are picking up at our other locations you are able to pre order your eggs by sending me an email by Tuesday night of each week. You may ask for a weekly or bi-weekly standing order. Details of payment arrangements will be sent via your confirmation email.
This week's bounty!
Vegetable Share will include:
Spinach, Green Swiss Chard, Asparagus*, Hakurei Turnips, Red and Green Head of Lettuce, Pak Choi and Garlic Scapes!
*The Asparagus is not grown on our farm. This Asparagus crop is grown by Mick Klug, our farmer friend in Michigan.
Fruit Share will include:
2 quarts of Strawberries and 1 pound of Rhubarb!
Rhubarb a fruit? No, it's a perennial vegetable that is often paired with Strawberries so I couldn't resist not to include it in your Fruit Share this week.
Recipes to try:
Sauteed Green Swiss Chard with thin slices of Onion is always delicious but if you're up to trying something new, Barbecue-steamed Green Leaves
These beautiful curly greens are used the same as you would with any garlic recipe,
The Hakurei Turnips show their true flavor by serving them raw, though lighlty steamed with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice would make a great side dish too. There is no need to peel these turnips, just rinse and slice as you wish.
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB COMPOTE
This is a great sauce that you can use for breakfast over pancakes or yogurt, a great topping for your kid's pb sandwhiches, or top of your ice cream and make it a special treat!
Ingredients
1 pound strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed
1 lemon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Method:
1. Select about 4 ounces of the smallest strawberries and cut lengthwise into quarters. These will be added raw to the cooked compote; set aside.
2. Cut the remaining larger berries in halves or quarters so that the pieces are about the same size. (You should have about 2 1/2 cups.) Place them in a medium saucepan.
3. With a paring knife, pull away and discard the strings that run the length of the rhubarb stalks. Cut the stalks into 3/4-inch pieces (you should have about 3 cups) and add to the saucepan.
4. Use a fine grater or a Microplane to zest the lemon. Add 1 teaspoon of the zest to the pan. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice and add it to the pan. Add the sugar and stir to coat the fruit.
5. Place the pan over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. By the time the sugar has dissolved, the fruit will have released a lot of juice. Boil for about 4 minutes to reduce the liquid somewhat, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the rhubarb is soft. Don’t worry if some of the rhubarb falls apart.
6. Take pan off the stove and stir in reserved strawberries. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in a covered container until cold. (This makes about 4 cups of compote, but the extra will keep for a couple of weeks)
Here is what happened on the farm in the past few weeks:
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| Overhead irrigation on direct seeded beds. |
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| Elliott and Mario hand weeding the bed of Spinach. |
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| Greenhouse work: potting up seedlings into larger cell flats. |
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| A bee swarm happened here on the farm. |
If you're coming to the farm to pick up your shares don't forget to stop and say hello to our pigs, chickens and goats!
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| When visiting the animals please be aware that some of our fencing is electrified for their protection. To be safe, please don't touch the fence or attempt to hang on them! Enjoy your bounty! Your farmers, Tania and Chris Cubberly and their crew: Armando, Joe, Michael, Francisco, Mario, Sherman, Elliott and Charlie! |
