CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #9 (4 December/7 December)
/
CHANGE TO THE PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 3pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am.
NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies. We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption. We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days. While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.
NOTES ON THE SHARE *Basil Beet Root – Bunches in every box Red Bok Choy – The ANDI rating for bok choy is 824 - higher then spinach and broccoli! And with the Red Bok Choy, you are getting different phytonutrients to last week. (ANDI stands for "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index." An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.) *Cauliflower – Harvesting 'Early Snowball'. The heads are smaller then Autumn...caused usually from plant stress which these plants have had with the wind and the bugs. Those who have been missed for the past two weeks will receive these gorgeous heads. Chilies – By Request and availability–We sent an email out with a description of the chilies we are growing this year. We will try and add that information to our website as well so you can identify what you receive. Coriander – Beautiful bunches with the roots! Fennel – Tender, young bulb or two in every box Green Garlic – This is a treat for all of us who grow and use our own garlic. The bulbs are starting to ripen...we can tell by the stronger smell when we are harvesting. The greens are also becoming stiffer - only use the white part. Do not cook them very long if at all. I like to mix them into stir fries at the very end and use them raw in salads. Lettuce – 'Perella Rougette', 'Grandpa Admire's', and 'Lollo Rosso'. With the two days of heat, our lettuces have rushed ahead giving us a surplus of lettuce. Two heads in every box. These are heads in their prime. If you can not eat them, gift them to friends! *Pimiento de Padrons –Delightful "sometimes hot, sometimes not" chilies that are wonderful fried. They have a lovey full flavour great for pizzas and stir fries too. These are rotated through the boxes. We have lots of plants but the harvest has only just begun with enough for one full share. It might take awhile to get them into everyone's box. Radish – Bunch in every box. Rocket – Bunches of rocket. *Romanesco Broccoli – This is much more of a cauliflower then a broccoli. We are rotating this through the boxes like the cauliflower. You may receive 'Romanesco' or cauliflower. Shelling Peas – The sugars in these plants begin to degrade into starch after harvest - so try and eat them tonight! Fresh peas are so delicious. We like them raw in salads as well as very lightly steamed. Spring Onions – Bunch in every box on Wednesday. Sugar Snap Peas –F– A new planting just coming on. *Summer Squash – 'Golden Crookneck' and 'Patty Pan'. There is a recipe for 'Patty pan' squash on the website. Zucchini – Here we go with 150 feet of zucchini producing. There has been a great harvest this week with the two warm days.
NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING We have started harvesting Chilies and sent an email out describing the varieties and asking you to let us know if you like them or not. There are capsicums on the plants growing bigger but not yet big enough to harvest.
This will be the last week of cauliflower and 'Romanesco Broccoli' until the Autumn. There is another broccoli planting which will be ready in two-three weeks.
We harvested the first three cucumbers today with many more on the vines. Hope to be getting these in the boxes next week...depending on the weather.
There are some tomatoes turning colour in the polytunnel. We are hoping for enough for everyone by Christmas. The beans are also flowering...three weeks until the Christmas harvest if we get more warm days!
The warm weather of last week did make a few lettuce plantings ready on top of each other. The change of seasons always brings with it some excess of Spring crops while the Summer Crops ripen. The timing of things is an uncertain game and we try and err on the side of expecting for colder weather. If you have an excess of greens, give lettuce away, make rocket pesto and freeze it for the winter and make some green pies or green curries that you can freeze. You can also freeze an excess of peas for winter enjoyment...if they make it that long!
RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Crunchy Salad Stir-Fry Bok Choy with Tofu Moroccan Inspired Dressing - I know that there are no carrots this week in the box, but I have been using the dressing in this recipe of steamed beetroot, feta, coriander and chickpeas and serving it with lettuce and cous cous with preserved lemon and coriander. It has been delicious. Rocket Pesto - If you just cannot eat any more greens, turn the rocket into pesto to use as a dip or on pasta or gnocchi! Beetroot, Persian Feta and Rocket Salad - As all boxes are receiving beetroot and rocket and their flavours work so well together, here is Nikki Fisher's fantastic recipe
You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's. If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.
Please note - Photo is of a full share box.
