CSA Autumn Share 2014 - Week #6 (7 May/9-10 May)

WEEK SIX OF THE AUTUMN SHARE WARNING: Your box contains STINGING NETTLES.  With heat, the sting subsides and you are left with a highly nutritious crop, rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and one of the highest sources of digestible iron in plant form. Kitchen gloves will protect you from the sting, which contains formic acid (the same as an ant bite)  while you remove the leaves from the stems. You need only to lightly braise or put the nettles into hot water to eliminate the sting.  The formic acid dissolves in heat and is no longer present.  You can add nettles to soups, tarts, omelettes, spanikopitas, teas - anywhere you would use herbs and spinach.

Your box also contains Cayenne Long Thin Chili Peppers.  These peppers received a Scovilles rating of 30,000-50,000 whereas the Hungarian Hot Waxes only received 5,000. THESE ARE HOT! Please use care in handling and preparing.  They do have a wonderfully well rounded flavour and make excellent chili pastes.

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

Beetroot Broccoli Capsicum Carrots Chilies Coriander Garlic Brown Onions Potatoes Pumpkin Silver beet Stinging Nettles Turnips Turnips

Extras Cauliflower Rhubarb Zucchini

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Roasted Japanese Turnips & their Balsamic Greens Onion and Nettle Tarts Vegetable, Nettle and Quinoa Soup Beet and Carrot Salad Thai Curry Paste Roasted Pumpkin, Kumara and Coriander Soup - This is a delicious recipe from the cookbook "My Darling Lemon Thyme".  Emma Galloway, the author, chef and a mother, has a fantastic blog by the same name with lots of whole food recipes.  Her cookbook showcases her desire to create family friendly, vegetarian recipes for food intolerances such as no gluten. We have found lots of cooking inspiration on her blog and in her cookbook!!

FARM NEWS

In the past week, all of the potatoes and sweet potatoes were dug from the ground, we sorted through the storing onions and the remaining garlic and put them in the store room.  The sweet potatoes are being “cured” in the glass house which allows the starches to convert to sugars and makes the tubers sweeter.  All the pumpkins are in the store room too.  We built a room in the packing shed to protect these crops from the cute field mice who are also trying to find cosy places to spend winter….so far, the room seems to be working!  It is great to have the packing shed and all of it various uses...garlic drying in the spring, cool area for washing in the summer and Autumn crop storage.  It changes with the seasons and sits so beautifully in the field.

The fields are being prepared for sowing cover crops.  the cover crops provide winter protection for the soil life, keep nutrients from washing away in the winter rains and will add valuable humus material to the soil next Spring.

The frost was a month earlier this year compared to past years.  Although we lost a few weeks of lettuce and the pea crop was injured by the frost, many of the other greens are still thriving and growing.  The cold loving crops do not mind the change in temperature.

We harvested the first heads of cauliflower this week.  This is a rotating item as the cauliflower crop never comes on all at the same time.  We have green cauliflower, purple and white heads all growing well.  As they mature, we will get them into the boxes.  We record who has received them and who has not - so please trust that it may take some weeks but you will get one.

The high winds over the weekend kept blowing the 100 foot cloches we have protecting the young plants off.  But there does not appear to be any damage - to which we are thankful!

With the frost also came the end of daily harvesting.  We, Peter and I, are having weekend time free of irrigation and harvesting commitments. We start seeding in late July and with that comes the three or four times a day commitment of nurturing seedlings which continues through summer with crop irrigation.  We look forward to this time when the farm slows down and we have flexibility. 

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

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Please note – Photo is of a full share box.

Vegetable Soup with Quinoa and Nettles

Quinoa, a grain like seed is a complete protein, unlike rice or beans. It is also gluten free. It is the best source for a plant based protein and being high in fiber and iron it should have a place in every vegetarian kitchen. Sopa de quinoa is a staple soup in Peru.  The Andes is where this grain thrives.  Quinoa is cooked with potatoes, onions and garlic in lard or oil and flavored with native oregano and annatto seeds. Whatever vegetables or greens are at hand are added to the soup. The soups I had ranged from a clear pale yellow soup to a thick creamy one, chock full of vegetables and greens.It usually served with an aji made from chili peppers.  You can take one slice from a chili and float it in your bowl of soup until you have the desired heat you like.

Ingredients 8 cups (2 liters) of vegetable or chicken stock 1/2 cup quinoa, well rinsed 1 cup carrots, quartered and sliced 1 cup pumpkin, peeled and cubed 1 cup onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup celery, chopped 1 cup potatoes, cubed salt (to taste) 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley 1cup minced nettle

Method 1. Combine carrots, onions and celery in a heavy bottomed soup pot with a splash of olive oil.  Gently fry until the onion is translucent. 2. Add pumpkin, potato, quinoa and stock.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the quinoa has "split", the curly tails have removed, about 10-15 minutes. 3. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt, if necessary and add the fresh herbs. Cook 2 more minutes, then remove from the heat.

CSA Autumn Share 2014 - Week #5 (30 April/ 2-3 May)

FIFTH WEEK OF THE AUTUMN SHARE Week#30 of our CSA season! WOW. With an early frost, the "summer" crops are done. The kale and carrots are sweeter for the drop in temperature and there are sweet potato fingers. We love these wrapped in aluminium foil and cooked in the fire!!

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

Broccoli Carrots Celery Chinese Cabbage Kale Leeks Parsley Parsnips Pumpkin Spinach Sweet Potato Fingers

Extras Sugar Snap Peas Radish

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Spicy Roasted Parsnip Soup Jamie Oliver's Beef Stew Chunky Potato and Leek Soup Roasted Vegetables, Quinoa, Feta and Spinach Salad Cavolo Nero Kale and Chili Chips 

FARM NEWS

We had our first frost of the season on Thursday night...a bit unexpectedly as last year it came in late May.  Luckily we had begun to protect some of the younger plantings with plastic cloches.  Unfortunately, we had not protected the more mature lettuce plantings for the upcoming weeks.  We lost most of the lettuce planting for this week and the next few weeks.

The frost killed the basil - That is why the Friday boxes did not receive any.  It also burned the zucchini, capsicum, eggplant and tomato crops.  We were expecting to lose those soon...but were hoping for a few more weeks.

The sweet corn is small but still very tasty!  We pick it right before the van leaves on Wednesday and Friday afternoon and recommend eating it on the day you collect your box.  It is lovely lightly steamed or made into a salsa with garlic, chilies, lime and parsley or coriander.

As we move fully into Autumn, the boxes include all of those crops that are frost hardy...and some that are sweeter for the frost such as kale, cabbage and carrots!  If you never thought you liked kale before, try it again now that it has been frosted and is freshly picked!

Our final crop of sweet potatoes was also burned by the frost.  We are curing the large tubers so that they will store for coming weeks.  This week, you have the slender tubers...the ones you would never find in the grocery store.  These are so tasty and easy to prepare!  We lightly scrub them and then roll them in aluminium foil and throw them in the fire or slice them into rounds and add them to soups and curries or put them whole into the oven and roast them until they are toasted on the outside.  These sweet potato fingers are gorgeous!

Another crop of broccoli is heading up and we can see the first signs of cauliflower heads forming.  there is green and purple cabbage, fennel, silver beet, and more varieties of kale to come.  Our best bet for some of the items in next weeks box...beetroot, carrots, potatoes, silver beet, coriander, onions, broccoli.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

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Please note – Photo is of a full share box. 

Chunky Potato and Leek Soup

This is my new favourite crew lunch soup recipe.  The chunkiness allows each vegetable to speak for itself while the overall flavour is gorgeous. Ingredients 300 gm sweet potato - scrubbed not peeled and cut into 1 cm rounds (if they are the finger sweet potatoes) 500 gm potato - scrubbed not peeled and cut into large bite size pieces 3 carrots - halved and cut into 1/2cm semi rounds 1 leek halved and sliced into 1/2cm semi circles 250ml white wine 200 gm of pumpkin peeled and cut into 2 cm squares a large knob of butter...about 80 grams 1.5L vegetable stock 1/2 cup chopped parsley 3/4 cup chopped stinging nettles

Method 1. Place the butter and leeks into a large heavy bottom stock pot on medium heat.  Caramelise the leeks...stirring occasionally until they begin to brown. 2. Add carrots, potato, pumpkin, sweet potato and wine and turn the heat up burning the alcohol from the wine. 3. Turn heat back to medium and add stock.  Ensure that there is ample stock to cover vegetables.  Simmer until pumpkin begins to break down.  The pumpkin can completely disintegrate adding flavour to the stock. Add stock if needed. 4.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Once the stock is well flavoured, add the parsley and nettles and remove from heat.  Let rest for five minutes before serving.

Photo Credit Belinda Sheekey at Dyeing Trade

Spicy Roasted Parsnip Soup

This recipe comes from one of our CSA members Karen Thornton.  Served at a family get together, it was raved about! Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cumin seed, plus extra to garnish ½ tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp mustard seeds 2 large onion, cut into 8 chunks 3 garlic cloves 675g parsnips, diced can of diced tomatoes 1.2L veal stock (you can use vegetable) 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method 1. Heat oven to 220C. 2. In a bowl, mix together the oil and spices. Add the vegetables and mix well. Spread over a heavy baking sheet, then roast for 30 mins until tender. 3. Spoon into a food processor or liquidiser with half the stock and process until smooth. Pour into a pan with the remaining stock, season, then heat until barely simmering. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Garnish with cumin seeds.

Photo Credit Heidi Sze from Apples Under My Bed

CSA Autumn Share 2014 - Week #4 (23 April/25-26 April)

WEEK FOUR OF THE AUTUMN SHARE Many of the "summer" crops are finishing this week.  With the cold and moist nights, these crops succumb to powdery mildew and/or late season blight. Enjoy this week as we transition further into Autumn.

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

Basil French Beans Beetroot Broccoli Carrots Cucumbers Lettuce Brown Onions Potatoes Tomatoes Zucchini

Extras Red Bok Choy Eggplant Mustard Greens Peas Radishes Silver beet

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Vegetable Pesto Pasta Roasted Beetroot, Carrots and Potatoes Bok Choy, Brocolli and Chicken in a Spiced Sauce

FARM NEWS

The brassica plantings are growing well and looking very healthy.  The next two broccoli plantings are looking like they will mature at the same time.  This means that we may have a surplus of broccoli and then have a bigger gap until the final planting is ready for harvest.  We try very hard in our planning to ensure this does not happen but some varieties respond to the season differently than expected. We are seeing signs of the cauliflower planting forming heads.  It may still be weeks away but good to see it doing its thing.  There is green cabbage heading as well.  Our Autumn kale planting is glowing and will appear next week in the boxes.We are planning the crop rotation for next year and tailoring the winter cover crops to best suit the food crop being planted in that location next year.  Large areas of our farm are dormant for the winter, protected with these green manure crops which feed the soil life and provide valuable hummus to help build our sandy soil.  The garlic has sprouted, as have the broad beans.  And there is purple sprouting broccoli and fennel in the field growing for the Spring.  We are very lucky in this area to be able to harvest 12 months of the year!!

If you have any crop suggestions for next year, please email us now.

A farm internship position has become available from 1 May - 30 June.  If you or someone you know is interested in small scale micro farming/ biodynamics/ permaculture/ thriving CSA's/ home scale, four season sustainable vegetable production, please check our website for a full description of our internship program.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

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Please note – Photo is of a full share box.

CSA Autumn Share 2014 - Week #3 (16 April/18-19 April)

THIRD WEEK OF THE AUTUMN SHAREYou can see by the photo that the sun has been shining these past days.  The Autumn crops are loving the warms days and cool nights while the summer crops are starting to finish.  We are picking our last crop of beans and the tomatoes are starting to give way to late season blight.  There are still sweet capsicums and another planting of sweet corn.  The melons and watermelons have finished and the cucumbers are almost done as well.  The Autumn crops will begin to take over the box with more basic crops, silver beet, spinach, and root crops.

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

French Beans Broccoli Celery Chinese Cabbage Coriander Cucumbers Lettuce Pumpkin Red Onions Radishes Rocket Sweet Potatoes Thyme Tomatoes Japanese Turnips

Extras Eggplant Peas Pimiento de Padrons Zucchini

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Green Beans, Peas, Pink Grapefruit and Coriander - This is a salad my daughter made for us.  Very quick and delicious! Creamy Pumpkin Soup Mashed Sweet Potato with a twist Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Spicy Feta and Coriander Roasted Japanese Turnips and Their Balsamic Greens - This recipe is an internet find- 10 minute prep and 20 minute cooking time. Hearty Pumpkin Soup

FARM NEWS

We are so grateful for the harvests that are continuing - While some of the crops in the box we continue to plant, many of the items in the box in Autumn were sown awhile ago.  Through the cool Spring, the hot, dry summer and the early Autumn these plants have grown. This is our last bean crop of the season.  The tomatoes and cucumbers are also in their last weeks.  Coming up though are more members of the Brassica family - Cauliflower, cabbages, turnips, more broccoli, romanesco broccoli and different kale varieties.

This is our first sweet potato crop.  Sweet Potatoes are filled with nutrients especially Vit A, Vit C, calcium, potassium and iron.Autumn is the time when we plan for next season- which cover crops to plant to ensure the nutrients in the soil are replenished, where to rotate crops, which crops to grow.   It is a great time to reflect on what has worked and what we can do better. If you have any  suggestions, please let us know.

Our best bet on the harvest for next week - beet root, sweet corn, lettuce, basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, radish, spinach, potatoes, carrots

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

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Mashed Sweet Potato with a twist

Ingredients700g sweet potatoes A small bunch of fresh coriander 2tbsp mango chutney Soy sauce 2 limes

Method 1. Wash the sweet potatoes, trim off any gnarly bits, then cut them into chunks and put them into a steamer with half a lime. Add water and steam them for about twelve minutes or until tender. 2.  Finely chop the coriander on a large wooden chopping board, setting a few leaves aside for the garnish. Add the mango chutney, a good splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, the juice from ½ a lime and the reserved chopped chilli. Chop and mix everything together on the board. 3. Check the sweet potato are cooked through, then use tongs to squeeze over the juice from the hot lime half and discard them. 4. Carefully tip the sweet potatoes on top of the mango chutney mixture and use a knife or masher to chop and mash everything together, including the skins. Season to taste, adding more fresh lime juice if needed.

Roasted Potato Wedges with Spicy Feta and Coriander

Ingredients1 medium potato 2 sweet potatoes olive oil 1 fresh red chilli A bunch of fresh coriander 50g (1¾oz) feta cheese

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. 2. Toss the sweet potato wedges in a roasting tray with a pinch of salt and pepper, the paprika and a lug of olive oil. 3. Cook in the hot oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. 4. Meanwhile, finely chop the red chilli and most of the coriander on a board, mixing as you go. Add the feta and keep chopping and mixing. 5. Toss the coriander, feta mix through the wedges.

Sweet Potato Wedges with a Basil Mayonnaise

Here is a recipe inspired by one of Jamie Oliver's 30 minute meals. Ingredients 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cut lengthways into wedges ½ teaspoon sweet paprika olive oil For the basil mayo 4 sprigs fresh basil 1 heaped tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise juice of ½ lemon 1 tablespoon fat-free natural yoghurt

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. 2. Toss the sweet potato wedges in a roasting tray with a pinch of salt and pepper, the paprika and a lug of olive oil. 3. Cook in the hot oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. 4. Meanwhile, chop off the tough ends of the basil stalks then pound the rest of it with a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar until you've got a paste. Add the mayonnaise, yoghurt and lemon juice and muddle it all together.

CSA Autumn Share 2014 - Week #2 (9 April/11-12 April)

SECOND WEEK OF THE AUTUMN SHARE We are very happy to have had steady rain since Tuesday afternoon.  We have had minimal rain this Autumn.  Despite irrigation, there is nothing like rain!  Even though the fields have not been constantly moist, the Chinese Cabbage were filled with big snails.  We extensively washed all the heads and recommend you do the same.  We have started lifting...or in the case of these parsnips, digging them out with a shovel... the parsnips.  These are huge, tender roots delicious in stews and roasted. We love the cross over between seasons...still harvesting tomatoes and cucumbers and yet with the weather moving into the soup and stew vegetables.

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

French Beans Broccoli Carrots Chinese Cabbage Cucumbers Garlic Kale Lettuce Brown Onions Potatoes Tomatoes Japanese Turnips Watermelon Zucchini

Extras Eggplant Pimiento de Padrons

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Kimchi - Based on Sandor Katz's recipe this is a delicious Korean spicy pickle. Jamie Oliver's Beef Stew Ministrone Soup - 15-20 minute prep/2 hour cooking time Pasta with Broccoli and Lemon Basil Sauce - 20 minute meal Roasted Japanese Turnips and Their Balsamic Greens - This recipe is an internet find- 10 minute prep and 20 minute cooking time.

FARM NEWS

In a few weeks, we will finish direct seeding for this year  - Almost all of the crops left to harvest for the Autumn are in the ground!  In the next few weeks we will also be working out our crop rotation which will dictate which cover crops are sown where.  We try and get the cover crops in while the soil is still warm so they are a great winter blanket, protecting the soil and the soil life.Some Spring crops have been sown and transplanted- hard to believe that some crops can take up to nine months to mature. We are also starting more flowers and herbs from seed to fill in the mandalas and also to make more corridors through the "market garden" for beneficial insects and critters.

Around the farm, we continue weeding and making compost, collecting the pumpkins from the field and trying to make sure the mice do not get them.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

Follow us on instagram and facebook.

Please note – Photo is of a full share box.

CSA Autumn Share 2014 - Week #1 (2 April/4-5 April)

FIRST WEEK OF THE AUTUMN SHARE We continue to enjoy the summer bounty of tomatoes, capsicums, eggplant, cucumbers and sweet corn.  And our long awaited first crop of Autumn broccoli is here!! It missed being in the photo...but it will be in the box!  The sweet corn is best eaten on the day it was harvested...and yes those might be corn borers in the tops.  They like this organic corn as much as we do!  Just cut off the top of the cob - there should still be plenty left for you to enjoy.  More news about what is happening on the farm below.

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

Broccoli Carrots Capsicum Chillies Coriander Sweet Corn Cucumbers Garlic Red Onions Potatoes Pumpkin Silver beet Spinach Tomatoes

Extras Cherry Tomatoes Eggplant Lettuce Pimiento de Padrons

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Tomato Salsa -  5 minutes Thai Curry Paste and Thai Baked Tofu - 15 minute prep/45 minute cooking time Chicken and Cashew Stir-fry with Broccoli, Capsicum and Carrots - 30 minute meal Pumpkin and Spinach Curry - This recipe is an internet find.  I love the homemade curry powder! - 30 minute prep and cooking

FARM NEWS

Finally...the broccoli we have been eying off for weeks is starting to be ready for harvest.  This is a delicious variety with sometimes huge heads that do take longer to mature...something to note for next year. Might be better to save 'Marathon' for the second Autumn planting!

The What's in the Box picture - We randomly grab a full share box each week to photograph for the What's in the box photo.  This makes the photo as authentic as we can be about what really is in the box.  There are items which rotate through boxes like eggplant and pimiento de padrons and these will appear in the photos occasionally.  This weeks photo is missing broccoli...we keep the broccoli on ice until the boxes are loaded in the van.  This insures your broccoli arrives crisp.  And we just forgot it when the photo was laid out.  We have put all of these photos in an album on facebook.  They offer a great visual on the diversity in the boxes from week to week.

There is sweet corn this week and still two more plantings in the field.  There may be corn borers on the tops of some ears.  This is organic corn and they like it as much as we do.  Just cut the top of the corn off - there is still plenty for us to enjoy.  We harvest the corn on the delivery day as it is so delicious the day it is picked. Try to eat it tonight!

We have a third zucchini planting which may start to flower.  The second planting succumbed early to powdery mildew.  This one is looking very good so we are hoping that the heat this week will make a difference.  And...what is with the heat this week!!

There are many new crops to come in the Autumn share - Parsnips, leeks, sweet potatoes, turnips, different pumpkin varieties, Romanesco broccoli and then some of the cool weather crops returning - broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, snow peas and sugar snaps.  Our summer plantings of silver beet, beet root and carrots will hold in the cold. We will continue to harvest the summer crops of beans, cucumbers, capsicums, chilies, eggplant, tomatoes and zucchini until they succumb to disease or get touched by the cold. And as always, we have a variety of greens to rotate.

We have two new interns starting this week and they will work and learn with us through the Autumn share.  We are really enjoying the process of mentoring interns and sincerely hope they leave the farm with an understanding of sustainable growing and all the tools they need to grow food.

I apologise for the lack of newsletters.  Our farming has been very demanding this season and we have tried to make time off to spend with our family.  The newsletters have a lowered priority - but we do appreciate how the photos help keep you connected to your food and the process of growing it.

We will try and have another farm tour this season but it will not be in the next few weeks.  I, Robin,  had a knee operation five weeks ago and am still not back in the field.  We will let you know.  In the meantime, all members are welcome to pick a posie during farm pick up times and take a walk around to see your food growing! There are many cut flowers still blooming as well as edible flowers.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

Follow us on instagram and facebook.

Please note – Photo is of a full share box.

CSA Summer Share 2014 - Week #13 (26 March/28-29 March)

FINAL WEEK OF THE SUMMER SHARE This is week #13 of the summer share and week #26 of our CSA season.  As this is the last week of the Summer Share - Thank You to all of our members.  With your support we have continued to explore how to grow food sustainably and worked on providing a diverse box each week to our local community.  As we begin to prepare some of the areas of the farm for a winter's rest, we have already begun planning next years season.

Our summer crops of beans, cucumbers, capsicum, eggplant, sweet corn and tomatoes are still producing.  We will begin to harvest the first Autumn broccoli planting at the end of this week. Next week, we will begin to harvest leeks and parsnips.

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

French Beans – Green bush beans. Bok Choy –Bunches of nutrient dense bok choy.  This has more vitamins and minerals then broccoli! Carrots –Harvesting  'Cosmic Purple' an heirloom variety. Capsicum –The capsicums all sense that Autumn is here and are ripening much faster now.  There are heaps of coloured capsicum, sweet and filled with vitamin C. Chillies – Harvesting 'Hungarian Hot Wax' and 'Cayenne Long Thin'.  To read about how hot they are and identify which you may have received, please go to our Capsicum and Chillies post. Sweet Corn – Yes, those may be big, fat corn borers on top of your ears of corn.  This is organic corn and they love it too! They are usually only on the top of the ear.  You can just cut that off and the rest is fine. We have tried to remove the ones we saw but their evidence may still be there. Cucumbers – We are growing several varieties of cucumber.  One is noticeably bitter.  Test your cucumber.  If it is bitter, peel it, slice it and place it in a colander with salt for 20 minutes.  Rinse and drain.  Rinse and drain.  Dress with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. We do have surplus cucumbers available for only two more weeks if you would like to make pickles. Garlic – This is biodynamically grown garlic.  Sprayed with seaweed brews and biodynamic preparations.  It is full of trace minerals, strong and sweet. Mesclun – Mixed lettuce, beetroot and silver beet leaves. Red Onions – Good for salads and stir fries. Baby Rocket –Bags of very spicy baby rocket. Spinach –Bags of 'Bloomsdale' English Spinach.  Great raw or cooked. Tomatoes –The tomato’s flavour is better ripened away from direct sunlight so we do harvest ours before they are fully ripe.  We leave them on the kitchen counter to ripen which should take about three to four days.  The natural sugars in tomatoes are lost if they are refrigerated.  We are currently harvesting heirloom varieties 'Tommy Toe',  ‘Black Russian’, ‘Rouge de Marmande’, 'Marglobe' and ‘Ox Heart Red’. Watermelon – Harvesting 'Klondike' watermelon.

Extras Eggplant – Harvesting the larger variety of eggplant 'Florida Market' and the Asian variety 'Long, Thin Purple'. Pimiento de Padrons –Delightful "sometimes hot, sometimes not" chilies that are wonderful fried as a Tapas style entree.  They have a lovey full flavour great for pizzas and stir fries too.  These come bagged.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Classic Greek Salad Sesame Salmon with Honey Bok Choy Blue Cheese, Proscuitto and Rocket Bruschetta Spinach and Chicken Curry

FARM NEWS

We have been thinking lately about the viability of small scale, sustainable market gardens to "feed" the ballooning population. Our garden has "new" soil, maybe 2.5 acres under cultivation, and we are still testing varieties, timing and cycles of plants. We are currently feeding 80 families and estimate we can continue to increase that number with experience and as our soil life grows.But...as biodynamic/organic growers can our produce compete with commercially grown food? I do walk into a local fruit and veggie shop and marvel over the size of their capsicum and eggplants. With all my research, I know that those vegetables contain maybe 25% of the nutrients that the ones we are growing contain. But they are so big and "perfect" looking...does the vibrancy of nutrient dense food show?The Red Hill Agricultural and Horticultural Show began in 1922 with the local apple growers constructing an apple pyramid and local axe men felling the trees on the site. There are still axe men and apples and vegetables, flowers, cattle, sheep, poultry, alpacas, cooking, craft and photography. We entered 15 categories including 'Collection of 15 distinct varieties of vegetables'. Vegetables are judged strictly on appearance, uniformity in size, diversity, and overall display. Our display won the best collection and we were the overall aggregate winners in the vegetable section.  We were very excited to see biodynamic/organic food recognized!!

Small scale, sustainable market gardens have the capacity to provide produce that is more nutrient dense then mono cropped, heavily sprayed produce. They keep the soil life alive which also helps with climate change. They can work in a non-competitive environment with other small scale producers resulting in the sharing of information and resources. Without your support as members though, we would not have this great opportunity to grow as growers.  Thank you!

We have been waiting for the first Autumn broccoli crop to produce heads and it has finally started!  This variety is known for its big heads and we have four hundred feet of broccoli so we are hoping this first crop will go for a few weeks!  We will also begin harvesting leeks, parsnips and sweet potato over the next four weeks.  These crops will continue through Autumn along with beet root, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, lettuce,  pumpkins, romanesco broccoli, silver beet, snow peas, spinach, and turnips.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

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Please note – Photo is of a full share box.

CSA Summer Share 2014 - Week #11 (12 March/14-15 March)

WEEK ELEVEN OF THE SUMMER SHARE The days are getting shorter and although we have had some heat this past week, the nights are cool- Autumn.  Plants such as capsicums recognize this time and they ripen quicker, trying to produce seed for next year.  There is sweet corn again this week and yes, those may be big, fat corn borers on the top of the ears.  This is organic corn and their damage is easily cut off with the rest of the ear to enjoy.  We have tried to include a little 'Tiny Tim' pumpkin.  These are ornamental-just a little Autumn gift.  We will be sending confirmation letters for the Autumn share by the end of the week.  Please look for them in your email and respond - Thank you.

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

French Beans – Green bush beans.  These plants struggled through the extreme heat in January.  Although they recovered, the yield has been affected. Beetroot – Gorgeous bunches of 'Detroit Red' and 'Ruby Queen'. Carrots –Harvesting 'Royal Chantenay','Solar Yellow' and 'Cosmic Purple' - all heirloom varieties. Capsicum –The capsicums all sense that Autumn is here and are ripening much faster now.  There are heaps of coloured capsicum, sweet and filled with vitamin C. Chillies – Harvesting 'Hungarian Hot Wax' and 'Cayenne Long Thin'.  To read about how hot they are and identify which you may have received, please go to our Capsicum and Chillies post. Sweet Corn – Yes, those may be big, fat corn borers on top of your ears of corn.  This is organic corn and they love it too! They are usually only on the top of the ear.  You can just cut that off and the rest is fine. We have tried to remove the ones we saw but their evidence may still be there. Cucumbers – We are growing several varieties of cucumber.  One is noticeably bitter.  Test your cucumber.  If it is bitter, peel it, slice it and place it in a colander with salt for 20 minutes.  Rinse and drain.  Rinse and drain.  Dress with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. We do have surplus cucumbers available for only two more weeks if you would like to make pickles. Garlic – This is biodynamically grown garlic.  Sprayed with seaweed brews and biodynamic preparations.  It is full of trace minerals, strong and sweet. Lazy Lettuce – These quick growing, thickly seeded baby lettuce plantings are helping us make it through the gap in our lettuce harvest.  The leaves are not as small as mesclun but wonderful and colorful. Melons – Harvesting green flesh ‘Edens Gem’ and ‘Green Nutmeg’ and orange flesh ‘Carmes de Noir’, ‘French Chantenais’, ‘Hale’s Best’ and ‘Hearts of Gold’. Red Onions – Good for salads and stir fries. Curly Leaf Parsley Radishes – Bunches of 'Champion' radishes. Tomatoes –The tomato’s flavour is better ripened away from direct sunlight so we do harvest ours before they are fully ripe.  We leave them on the kitchen counter to ripen which should take about three to four days.  The natural sugars in tomatoes are lost if they are refrigerated.  We are currently harvesting heirloom varieties 'Tommy Toe',  ‘Black Russian’, ‘Rouge de Marmande’, 'Marglobe' and ‘Ox Heart Red’.

Extras Eggplant – Harvesting the larger variety of eggplant 'Florida Market'.  This is the classic purple eggplant. Pimiento de Padrons –Delightful "sometimes hot, sometimes not" chilies that are wonderful fried as a Tapas style entree.  They have a lovey full flavour great for pizzas and stir fries too.  These come bagged. Pumpkins – 'Jack Be Little' We tried to get one of these in each box.  They are ornamental and just a fun little Autumn gift. Also harvesting 'Sweet Dumpling'.  These are a great little squash wonderful for stuffing (recipe below) or roasting with the skin on. Watermelon – Harvesting 'Sugar Baby' watermelon.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS

Watermelon, Feta and Toasted Pumpkin Seed Salad Quinoa, Roasted Veggies, Marinated Chickpeas and Feta Salad Tabouli Moroccan Inspired Cous Cous Stuffed Sweet Dumpling Squash

FARM NEWS Our late summer interns have been with us for five weeks now.  In addition to hands on learning about harvesting, weeding, soil blocking, seeding, storing the harvest, compost making, biodynamic planting and biodynamic preparation application, they are very keen to leave the farm with a guide of what they can plant in each season and how to rotate those crops in order to maintain soil health.  They are making a test plot with a guide to the tools they will need, how they will prepare the soil, how they will seed crops, what crops to seed, the projected yield and how they will market their crops.  We are thrilled that they are so keen to get growing!

The Autumn crops are all growing well.  We are continuing to transplant broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, fennel and lettuce from the greenhouse and have begun to plan the areas for the overwintered crops like garlic and broad beans.  In the field, we are direct sowing Asian greens like bok choy and tatsoi, spinach, Autumn root crops like beetroot, carrots and turnips, silver beet and rocket. Same news really as last week.

We have had some crop failures - Our second planting of celery turned woody.  last night was ther first substantial rain we have had this year.  Irrigation can not substitute for a good soaking rain.  The celery turning is a result of the lack of rain.  Our third celery planting is growing well and does not show signs of water stress.  We also lost our first Autumn planting of fennel.  The night before planting it into the ground, slugs came and ate almost the entire planting...over 200 seedlings.  As we start things from seed, we just had to move on and wait for the second planting which will be transplanted this week. These things affect the diversity of the weekly boxes but we have planted extra crops so they should not affect the number of items each week.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

Follow us on instagram and facebook.

Please note – Photo is of a full share box.

Cream of Celery Soup

Another quick and easy Jamie Oliver recipe perfect for the cooling nights Ingredients 1 head of celery, sliced 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, chopped Small bunch of flat leaved parsley, roughly chopped 1 litre of vegetable stock 100ml single cream (plus a little extra for serving if desired) A good pinch of nutmeg and some black pepper to season A couple of tbsps of extra virgin olive oil (or a mix of oil and butter)

Method 1. In a large saucepan or casserole, heat the oil gently and add the sliced celery, onion and garlic to the pan. Sweat over a gentle heat till vegetables are soft but not browned. This process will take around 15 minutes. 2. Add the chopped parsley and vegetable stock then season well with nutmeg and black pepper. 3. Simmer the soup for approx. 15 minutes then pour into a blender or food processor along with the single cream. 4. Process/puree at high speed till soup is smooth and creamy.

Serve with an extra drizzle of cream if you wish.

CSA Summer Share 2014 - Week #10 (5 March/7-8 March)

TENTH WEEK OF THE SUMMER SHARE While in Australia we are now into Autumn, the solstice is not for another few weeks.  The sun is heading north and the nights have chilled, but the soil still holds the heat of the summer.  The cold last week did slow the field tomatoes, beans and greens.  The brassicas love the cold though and the array we have planted for the Autumn Share are growing well.

CRATES Please remember to leave your crate out on Delivery Day or return them to the farm.  Farm Pick Up people need to bring bags to transfer their vegetables into as the crates need to remain on the farm - Thank you!

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

Basil – Pesto bunches of Italian basil. Capsicum – We are harvesting ‘Purple Beauty’, ‘Emerald Giant’, 'California Wonder', 'Golden Cal Wonder' and ‘Corno di Toro’. To identify what you receive, please go to our Capsicum and Chillies post. We harvest the capsicums "breaking"- with some colour but maybe not fully turned.  If you leave these in your fruit bowl, they will turn fully red in a few days! Chillies – To see the varieties we are growing and to identify what you receive, please go to our Capsicum and Chillies post. Cucumbers – We are growing several varieties of cucumber - 'Marketmore', 'Straight Eight', 'Poinset' and pickling cucumber 'Boston Pickling'.   Test your cucumber.  If it is bitter, peel it, slice it and place it in a colander with salt for 20 minutes.  Rinse and drain.  Rinse and drain.  Dress with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Garlic – This is biodynamically grown garlic.  Sprayed with seaweed brews and biodynamic preparations.  It is full of trace minerals, strong and sweet. Melons – Harvesting green flesh 'Edens Gem' and 'Green Nutmeg' and orange flesh 'Carmes de Noir', 'French Chantenais', 'Hale's Best' and 'Hearts of Gold'. Onions – Brown onions 'Cream gold'.  These onions will store well and can be kept in a cupboard. Potatoes – 'Sebago'. This potato is great for boiling, mash, roasting, baking, chips and mash. Pumpkin – Chunks of just harvested 'Queensland Blue'. Perpetual Gator Spinach – Large bunches for salads or cooked. Sweet Corn – For the best flavour and tender kernels, eat it today! Tomatoes –Field tomatoes slowed with the cool week last week.  There was a good harvest of smaller 'Tommy Toe' which is a winner of the Diggers taste test. Cherry Tomatoes– 'Sungold'

Extras Eggplant Pimiento de Padrons –Delightful "sometimes hot, sometimes not" chilies that are wonderful fried as a Tapas style entree.  They have a lovey full flavour great for pizzas and stir-fries too. These are rotated through the boxes. Watermelon – 'Sweet Baby' Zucchini– Harvesting ‘Nero di Milano’, ‘Romanesco’, and a stuffing zucchini ‘GreyZiti’. Our second zucchini planting is being challenged by powdery mildew.  This is greatly reducing the harvest.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Pumpkin and Autumn Green Cannelloni Spaghetti Vongole with Fresh Mussels Spanish Truita (Potato Omelete) Pesto

FARM NEWS The persistent cold snap over the past week slowed the tomatoes, zucchini, beans and successive plantings of "greens" that we sowed to fill in the lettuce gap we have from extreme heat.  Always interesting the hand nature plays in the best laid plans on paper.  The 'Perpetual Gator' silver beet is wonderful raw or cooked and can be a good salad green for the week.

There is sweet corn this week and again we think it is best the day it is picked!  There are still three more plantings of sweet corn.

We were starting to wonder if we were moving into that in-between season time when summer things finish up and Autumn things are not quite ready.  While the nights are cooling down, the forecast is for heat this week. The many green tomatoes should ripen, the greens will grow and the beans should be ready for harvest next week.

The first Autumn broccoli planting is looking great too and we recon we could be harvesting it in the next fortnight. The snow peas have germinated as have the turnips.  We should begin harvesting leeks and parsnips in the next fortnight.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm organic milk, yogurt and grass fed beef , Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

Follow us on instagram and facebook.

Please note – Photo is of a full share box.

Spaghetti Vongole with Fresh Mussels

Ingredients30 grams butter 6 cloves of garlic 1 onion (Brown onion,red onion or shallotts) 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley 4 stems of thyme 1.5 teaspoons lemon zest mussels (quantity depends on the catch but let's say this is around 1kg) 1 cup white wine 1 cup cherry tomatoes

Method (If you want to eat the mussels with spaghetti, cook the pasta just before beginning cooking the mussels. Drain the spaghetti in a colander and place a lid on top to keep it warm) 1. In a large heavy based pot with a lid, melt butter over medium heat and saute onion and garlic til onion is soft. 2. Add in wine, tomatoes, thyme and mussels, turn heat up to high and place lid on. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer until mussel shells open (about 6-8 minutes), discard any that don't open. 3. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon zest. 4. If you want to reduce the liquid you can remove the mussels once they open and turn the heat up to reduce the 'soup'. 5. To serve put the spaghetti in bowls, place mussels on top and then pour the mussel soup over the top of the spaghetti.

Photo: Nikki Fisher at Wholefood Mama

CSA Summer Share 2014 - Week #9 (26 Feb/28Feb - 1 March)

NINTH WEEK OF THE SUMMER SHARE There is a chill in the air - much different to late February last year.  Autumn does feel like it is coming.  We are still harvesting melons.  We have planted many heirloom varieties that you usually do not see in the grocery store because they do not "travel" as well as other varieties.  We also "slip" pick them which is the plants way of saying the fruit is ready.    We are in between sweet corn plantings - Sweet corn again next week.  Zucchini will begin to be a rotated item.  More about that below.  Watermelons will be ready next week.

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

French Beans – Purple bush beans.  These lovely beans do turn green when cooked. Beetroot – Gorgeous bunches of 'Detroit Red' and 'Ruby Queen'. Carrots –Harvesting 'Royal Chantenay'. Celery – We are harvesting our second planting of 'Tall Utah'. The tops were burned by the intense heat in January.  The stalks are still succulent and moist.  These are huge heads.  If you have extra, you can make stock now to use for winter stews. Chillies – To see the varieties we are growing and to identify what you receive, please go to our Capsicum and Chillies post. Coriander – Bunches with the roots for making pastes. Cucumbers – We are growing several varieties of cucumber.  One is noticeably bitter.  Test your cucumber.  If it is bitter, peel it, slice it and place it in a colander with salt for 20 minutes.  Rinse and drain.  Rinse and drain.  Dress with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. We do have surplus cucumbers available for only two more weeks if you would like to make pickles. Garlic – This is biodynamically grown garlic.  Sprayed with seaweed brews and biodynamic preparations.  It is full of trace minerals, strong and sweet. Mesclun – Bags of mixed baby lettuces, tatsoi, silverbeet and mustards. Melons – Harvesting green flesh ‘Edens Gem’ and ‘Green Nutmeg’ and orange flesh ‘Carmes de Noir’, ‘French Chantenais’, ‘Hale’s Best’ and ‘Hearts of Gold’. Red Onions – Good for salads and stir fries. Radishes – Bunches of 'Champion' radishes. Tomatoes –The tomato’s flavour is better ripened away from direct sunlight so we do harvest ours before they are fully ripe.  We leave them on the kitchen counter to ripen which should take about three to four days.  The natural sugars in tomatoes are lost if they are refrigerated.  We are currently harvesting heirloom varieties ‘Black Russian’, ‘Rouge de Marmande’, Brandywine, Marglobe and ‘Ox Heart Red’.

Extras Eggplant – We have begun harvesting the larger variety of eggplant 'Florida Market'.  This is the classic purple eggplant. Pimiento de Padrons –Delightful "sometimes hot, sometimes not" chilies that are wonderful fried as a Tapas style entree.  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.  It might take awhile to get them into everyone's box. Summer Squash – 'Golden Crookneck'.  The Golden crookneck are sweet steamed with butter, salt and pepper. Zucchini– Harvesting 'Nero di Milano', 'Romanesco', and a stuffing zucchini 'GreyZiti'. Our second zucchini planting is being challenged by powdery mildew.  This is greatly reducing the harvest consequently we will be rotating zucchini through the boxes.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Tomato Salsa – 5 minute recipe Black Bean Burritos – Although you soak the beans overnight and then cook them for 1 1/2 hours, the rest of the meal takes 20 minutes and my children LOVE them! Celery Gratin – Preparation 15 minutes.  Cooking 30 minutes. Thai Salad Dressing - 5-10 minute recipe Beet and Carrot Salad - 10 minute salad

FARM NEWS Late summer is a bit cooler then last year.  The pumpkins are finishing - we have built a mouse-proof room to store them in this year.  The watermelon are ripening.  The growth of summer is slowing down.

We sowed parsnips and leeks in the Spring which are ready for Autumn harvest.  Turnips have been sown. We are continuing to plant brassicas - broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage.  We are also sowing Asian greens, spinach and silverbeet.  Our carrot plantings are growing well.  We still have more bean plantings too.  The third sweet corn planting will be ready next week and there are three more plantings growing.  We have sown snow peas for Autumn.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

Follow us on instagram and facebook.

Please note – Photo is of a full share box.

Black Beans

Black beans, or turtle beans as they are also known, are a staple from Cuba to Mexico and down into South America. Black beans are full of iron and really easy to cook.  I have been able to find the raw ones in health food stores here on the peninsula.  I have also found organic tinned ones at the Blairgowrie IGA. Black beans are very versatile - lovely in a burrito, as a dip with chips and salsa, as the bean in chili con carne and just with a side of saffron rice- and they freeze well, too!  Because I soak the raw beans with vegetables and spices, they have more flavour.  I also add a piece of seaweed adding nutrients to this already nutritious protein.  If you prefer to use tinned ones, skip to #5

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked black beans (or use 2 tins of precooked) 2 medium to large red onions 1-2 capsicums - green or coloured depending on your preference 8 large garlic cloves 1 chili pepper 6 bay leaves Olive oil for frying the onions, peppers and garlic 1 large tablespoon tomato paste 3-5 medium size tomatoes 1 tbsp cumin seeds toasted and then ground zest from one lime coriander leaves and stems Salt and Pepper to taste

Method 1.  SOAKING OF THE BEANS Clean and rinse the beans several times looking for any little pebbles. Place in a stock pot with 1 onion cut into quarters, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 4 peeled garlic cloves, 3 bay leaves, large piece of Kombu seaweed. 2.  Fill the pot with water about 1 inch above the bean line, cover and soak overnight for at least 12 hours…. 3. In the morning,  check the bean water line- water has been absorbed, add more, at least 1-inch above the bean line.  Bring to a high boil for about 5minutes, stir and reduce to low heat. 4.  Cook uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours.  Stir and keep checking water line and bean tenderness.  You want a bean that is tender, not mushy. You can take veggies out and puree them with the bean water and add it back in if you want a wetter bean.  For burritos, I like to drain the beans in a colander. 5. Meanwhile in a large fry pan, heat oil.  Add 3 bay leaves, 4 garlic cloves pressed, 1 large onion finely diced, 1 capsicum finely diced, chilies finely diced (optional).  Continually stir until onion is translucent. 6.  Toast cumin seeds until they start jumping and brown slightly.  Grind in a mortar and pestle. 7.  Add cumin and tomato paste to the frying pan.  Then cut your tomatoes in half vertically and grate them into the frying pan too.  After a few minutes, add the beans. 8. Taste and adjust seasoning adding salt, pepper, lime juice, tomato paste.  The cumin should not be over powering. 9.  Just before serving top with minced coriander and the zest from one lime.

For Burritos

1. Take a tortilla.  layer black beans, avocado, salsa, rice, grated cheese and a bit of mixed lettuce and roll.

2. You can add a side of sour cream and/or make the avocado into guacamole!

CSA Summer Share 2014 - Week #8 (19 Feb/21-22 February)

EIGHTH WEEK OF THE SUMMER SHARE SWEET CORN!!! We HIGHLY recommend that you eat it tonight!  The sugars in the corn start to turn to starch immediately after picking. Melons –  We wait until they “slip” off the vine to harvest them - the plants way of saying they are ready for eating.  If you want to save them for later in the week, these store better in the fridge.  You can let them return to room temperature before eating. Sweet Capsicums – We pick these when they are "breaking".  If your capsicum is not fully red, leave it out of the fridge and it will finish turning in a few days.  You can also try putting it into a paper bag with a banana.

CRATES We have many CSA members who have more then one crate.  Please remember to leave your crate out on Delivery Day or bring them to the farm.  As we are so low on crates, the Farm Pick Up people need to bring bags to transfer their vegetables into as the crates need remain on the farm - Thank you!

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.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly. 1/4 share: 5-7 items   1/2 share: 8-10 items   Full Share: 10-12 items

Carrots – 'Little Fingers' Chillies – To see the varieties we are growing and to identify what you receive, please go to our Capsicum and Chillies post. Cucumbers – We are growing several varieties of cucumber.  One is noticeably bitter.  Test your cucumber.  If it is bitter, peel it, slice it and place it in a colander with salt for 20 minutes.  Rinse and drain.  Rinse and drain.  Dress with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Garlic – This is biodynamically grown garlic.  Sprayed with seaweed brews and biodynamic preparations.  It is full of trace minerals, strong and sweet. Lazy Lettuce – Bags of mixed lettuce leaves. Melons – Harvesting green flesh 'Edens Gem' and 'Green Nutmeg' and orange flesh 'Carmes de Noir', 'French Chantenais', 'Hale's Best' and 'Hearts of Gold'. Parsley – Bunches of curly parsley. Potatoes – 'Royal Blue' They have dusky purple skin and yellow flesh. Their flavour is slightly sweet, and they’re good mashed, roasted, fried or used in salads. Perpetual Gator Spinach – Large bunches for cooking Sweet Corn – For the best flavour and tender kernels, eat it today! Tomatoes –Field tomatoes are here! We are currently harvesting heirloom varieties ‘Black Russian’, ‘Marglobe', 'Roma', 'Tommy Toe' and ‘Ox Heart Red’. Zucchini–We have a new variety - 'Grey Zini'.  This is an Italian stuffing zucchini.  We are also harvesting 'Romanesco' and 'Black Beauty'.

Extras Dwarf Purple Beans – Great colour that does turn to green when cooked. Capsicum – We are harvesting ‘Purple Beauty’, ‘Emerald Giant’, 'California Wonder', 'Golden Cal Wonder' and ‘Corno di Toro’. To identify what you receive, please go to our Capsicum and Chillies post. We harvest the capsicums "breaking"- with some colour but maybe not fully turned.  If you leave these in your fruit bowl, they will turn fully red in a few days! Cherry Tomatoes – 'Sungold' Eggplant – We have begun harvesting the larger variety of eggplant 'Florida Market'.  This is the classic purple eggplant. Pimiento de Padrons –Delightful "sometimes hot, sometimes not" chilies that are wonderful fried as a Tapas style entree.  They have a lovey full flavour great for pizzas and stirfries too. These are rotated through the boxes.  We have lots of plants but the harvest has only just begun.  It might take awhile to get them into everyone's box. Rocket – Bunches of teenage size leaves. Summer Squash – 'Golden Crookneck'.  The Golden crookneck are sweet steamed with butter, salt and pepper. Grey Zini – This is an Italian stuffing zucchini.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Quinoa and Feta Spinach and Chicken Curry Fresh Corn and Tomato Salsa And a recipe Heidi, one of our lovely volunteers who blogs at Apples Under My Bed,  found for Spinach and Ricotta Souffles.

FARM NEWS Late summer on the farm - The glasshouse is full again with the Autumn Brassica crops - broccoli, cauliflower, romanesco broccoli, brussel sprouts and kale.  The first of the broccoli plantings is already in the ground growing well and about four weeks away from producing heads.  With the cooler weather, we have seeded more bok choy.   We are preparing beds, direct sowing and transplanting the Autumn and over wintered crops.

Compost - Autumn is the main digestive time of the earth and a great time of year to make compost heaps.  We are making more windrows to be used in the next growing season (Spring).

We are harvesting the second planting now of Sweet corn - There are six plantings currently seeded with the last of the season still to sow. The melons in the second planting are ripening and the early watermelon are showing signs of being ready soon.

We have tried to fill the gap in lettuce plantings with mesclun, rocket and young Perpetual Gator.  There looks to be plenty of greens for salads.

Although the second crop of celery was tip burned on the extreme heat days we had weeks ago, it has continued to grow well and we hope to begin harvesting it next week.  There are still lots of carrots and beetroot in the ground with more being sown for Autumn and Winter.  Our first parsnip crop which was sown in October is HUGE as are the leeks.  We will begin to sow the Autumn turnip crop...not as many as last year but a great variety of salad turnips and stewing turnips.

U-PICK FLOWERS We have a large assortment of cut and edible flowers planted all over the farm.  CSA members are welcome to come during the farm pick up times and cut a posy and pick some edible flowers.

FARM PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 2pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am. Please contact us if you need to arrange to pick your vegetables up outside of these times.

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Please note – Photo is of a full share box.