Sweet Potatoes and Sage
These sweet potatoes are as good as we’ve ever grown. Caked in mud since coming from the fields, we try not to damage their skins when washing them. There may be a little dirt left on them, as we try not to scrub too hard.

The sage in this weeks share is the perfect addition to most any sweet potato dish. It gives them a savory flavor that may not be familiar to you if overly sugared is how you have normally had sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Chips
More than one member has mentioned that they like sweet potato chips. I have never made them so thought I’d give it a try. The recipe below is modified from one in Recipezaar.

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
1 tsp olive oil
salt

Method:
Slice the sweet potato thin and place in a bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil. Toss with your hands so that all of the slices are lightly oiled. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake at 225 F for 40 minutes. Flip the chips and bake for 30 to 40 minutes more, or until crisp. Let cool and they will crisp up more.

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Greens and Green Beans
The classic dish greens and beans consists of white beans and cooked greens (and sometimes sausage). This dish is actually quite different in texture and taste, but just as good. It is a nice way to clean out the fridge too. We served this over rice.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 radishes, chopped
3 Hakurei turnips, chopped
½ to 1 bunch greens (stems and greens chopped separately)
1½ cups chopped green beans
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
¼ cup water
½ tsp salt

Method:
Sauté the onion, radish, turnips and greens stems in the olive oil over high heat for 2 minutes. Turn heat to medium, cook for 3 more minutes, then add the remaining ingredients. Stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until vegetables are desired tenderness. Add more water if necessary to keep the vegetables from burning.

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

This week brings lots of root vegetables. You can enjoy them all at once if you roast them. This week’s recipe actually includes some of last week’s vegetables, but is just as good substituting this week’s veggies.

Leftover Pakoras
Pakoras are an Indian snack of fried, battered vegetables. In this version, we used some squash we had baked and put in the fridge, and leftover greens to make small meatballs. You can substitute potato for the squash, and any vegetables you want for the greens. We gave it an Indian flavor by topping with a yogurt and curry powder dressing.

Ingredients:
2 cups baked squash (baked per last week’s recipe)
1 cup Kale with Vinegar and Egg
or other leftover greens chopped
¼ cup flour
Flour to coat pakoras
Vegetable or other cooking oil

Method:
Scoop out and mash the squash pulp. Mix in a bowl with the greens and flour and form small balls. Roll in flour to coat. In a skillet, fry until golden brown. Drain on paper.

Bulk List
CSA Bulk Week of 9/1/08

Item Member Cost Non- Member Cost

Dried herbs: $1.75 $2.00
thyme, marjoram, dried hot peppers,
lovage, lavendar flowers, coriander, oregano

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

Greens
For us greens become a welcome sight on the table as the summer winds down. We know what a valuable source of nutrition they are and just how delicious they can be. The Greens recipe section has lots of helpful hints. One of our favorites is the Kale with Vinegar and Egg.

Winter Squash
We’ve been taste testing the various different varieties of winter squash stored in the barn, and enjoying it. Butternut, Carnival and Sunshine have all been delicious. We like to bake them in the toaster oven for a quick meal. You can either eat the squash right from the rind, or scoop it out for use in other recipes.

Baked Winter Squash
Ingredients:
Winter squash
Salt
Olive oil
Optional: butter, honey, sorghum, maple syrup

Method:
Cut squash in half from top to bottom. Scoop out seeds. Prick the cut side of the squash with a fork a dozen or so times. Sprinkle some salt and drizzle a little olive oil on the squash. Rub to coat and bake at 350 F for 40 minutes.

Eat as is, or top with butter and sweetener.

Bulk List
CSA Bulk Week of 8/18/08
Item Member Cost Non- Member Cost
Dried herbs: $1.75 $2.00
thyme, marjoram, dried hot peppers, lovage, lavendar flowers, coriander, oregano

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

Giant Rattlesnakes
I’m talking of course of the purple striped Rattlesnake beans in the share this week. Some of them evade the picker’s eye for a round or two and grow quite large. These are still good, but will require some stringing.

The culinary suggestion for the week also relates to the beans. Whether it’s the Rattlesnake, Italian flat bean or regular green bean, they are all great with just the simplest of preparations. Steaming them and dressing with just a little salt and butter or oil is all you need. Enjoy the flavor of freshly picked beans while you can.

What’s Not in the Share
We’d been keeping an eye on several elderberry patches on and near the farm, and Sunday enjoyed a good harvest—over 12 pounds. Half of the berries are now fermenting, on their way, we hope, to becoming wine. The rest is destined to be jelly.

Elderberries abound in this area. Look for them along roadways and near culverts or other low areas. If you decide to forage some simply search the web for a recipe that suits you. Elderberries contain antioxidants and are know to exhibit anti-viral properties. It’s been a good year for elderberries, so take advantage if you dare.

Bulk List
CSA Bulk Week of 8/18/08
Item Member Cost Non- Member Cost

Dried herbs: $1.75 $2.00
thyme, marjoram, dried hot peppers, lovage, lavendar flowers, coriander, oregano

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

The canning continues on the farm, as we save some more tomatoes from the compost pile. The seconds have been good in salsa and chili sauce, while the paste have been reserved for tomato sauce. The Speckled Paste variety has been a promising trial. I’ve never seen a better paste tomato. We hope to get an even better harvest next year.

Carrots
While we feel we have found several excellent versions of orange carrots, we are still working on the red and yellow ones. They are not always as tender as the orange ones, and may need a little cooking to shine.

The recipe below was inspired by a dish that friend Liz Elmore treated us to. It as been modified from the version in the Week 15, 2006 newsletter, and is ready for whatever recipe change you can think of. Additions or substitutions of sesame oil, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, almond butter, hot pepper, etc. are all great. Try it on the kids.

Carrot Butter Spread
Ingredients:
4 medium carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Cut carrots into bite-size pieces. Take three of the carrots and steam them until tender (10-15 minutes) Put the raw carrot, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper into a food processor and process on pulse to a coarse paste. Add the carrots and peanut butter and process again into a paste. Mix in the chives. Spread on bread or crackers, or use as a dip for vegetables.

Bulk List
Fair Share Farm
CSA Bulk Order Form Week of 8/11/08
Item Member Cost Non- Member Cost
Dried herbs $1.75 $2.00
thyme, marjoram, dried hot
peppers, lovage, lavendar
flowers, coriander, oregano

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

What’s in the share may be slimming down a bit over the next few weeks due to the many factors surrounding farming this season. So it’s a good time to clean out the fridge of all those veggies you never quite got to.

You may be surprised at what you can still eat from a past share. Got some beets left from week 11, or a cabbage from week 9, or possibly even a kohlrabi from week 7? These items should store pretty well and still be edible. Other things no doubt got a little lost in the fridge and may need a good look over before cooking. But either way there is no doubt some items still around that will go good with this week’s share.

In keeping with that line of thinking, this week’s recipe is a mix of items from the last 2 shares. It was originally meant to be a type of stovetop au gratin, but it never set up, so Rebecca suggested putting it over pasta.

Onion and Chard Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
2 medium onions, cut into chunks and separated
1 bunch chard, stems and leaves chopped separately
2 cups grated sharp cheddar or other cheese
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk or cream
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onion, chard stems, salt and pepper and cook on high for 5 to 7 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Turn heat to medium, add chard leaves, water, stir and cover for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook off any remaining water.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat, add the flour and stir for 30 seconds. Add the milk and cook until the mixture thickens. Add the cheese, stir until cheese is melted. Pour cheese sauce over vegetables. Stir and cook for 5 minutes or until desired thickness. Serve over macaroni such as elbows or fusilli.


CSA Bulk Order List Week of 8/4/08
Item Member Cost Non- Member Cost
Paste tomatoes (No. 1’s) $2.25/lb $2.75/lb
$1.75/lb over 10 lb $2.25/lb over 10 lb
Tomato seconds $1.75/lb $2.00/lb
$1.50 over 10 lb $1.75 over 10 lb
Basil $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Tarragon $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Dried herbs $1.75 $2.00
thyme, marjoram, dried hot
peppers, lovage, lavendar
flowers, coriander, oregano

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

More Summer Fare

This week’s share includes tried and true veggies of summer, and needs little explanation. With the current tomato surplus I hope that you try a simple tomato salad. Last year when I was home in Cincinnati with my brother, he went straight for the box of tomatoes I brought, cut a couple heirlooms in a big bowl, sprinkled a little salt, olive oil and vinegar on them and started in. It’s a simple, delicious treat and a wonderful way to make sure none of your tomatoes goes to waste.

Summer Canning

Tomato and chili sauce (more exactly Clara Zimmer’s Chili Sauce c. 1918) are the tasks at hand right now. A photo of the ingredients for each is shown, respectively. Little more than salt and oil was needed for the tomato sauce, while the chili sauce also called for 1-1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 cups vinegar and some pickling spices. The veggies in those crates was converted into 6 quarts of tomato sauce and 10 pints (5 quarts) of chili sauce.

Each called for between 20 and 25 pounds of tomatoes, showing that, canning can be an expensive (but very worthwhile) venture if you are buying your produce. These days though, it can cost less than a tank of gas, and can fuel you through the winter. Of course if you grow your own all you need it to do is be ready when the tomatoes are.

Bulk List

Fair Share Farm
CSA Bulk Order Form Week of 7/28/08

Item Member Cost Non- Member Cost
Beets $2.75/qt $3.00/qt
Pickling pack* (small cukes) $17.00 $19.00
Pickling pack* (med. cukes) $13.00 $15.00
Pickling pack* (large cukes) $11.00 $13.00
Paste tomatoes (No. 1’s) $2.25/lb $2.75/lb
$1.75/lb over 10 lb $2.25/lb over 10 lb
Tomato seconds $1.75/lb $2.00/lb
$1.50 over 10 lb $1.75 over 10 lb
Basil $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Tarragon $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Dill flowers $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Dried herbs $1.75 $2.00
thyme, marjoram, dried hot
peppers, lovage, lavendar
flowers, coriander, oregano

* Pickling pack aromatics choices are garlic, dill, or cornichon

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

Summer Fare

The peak has arrived. The summer harvest is bringing us the tomatoes everyone seems to be craving at sign-up. While we can’t label every one, and the hybrids and heirlooms are mixed together, here is some general info on what’s to choose from:

Purple: Cherokee Purple, Black Krim
Pink: Brandywine, Rose de Berne, Hungarian Heart
Yellow/Orange: Amana Orange, Striped German, Goldie, Orange Blossom, Golden Girl
Green: Green Zebra, Aunt Ruby’s German Green
Red: Costoluto Genovese, Early Girl, Goliath, Bolseno, BHN 826

The herb share this week is a great compliment to the tomatoes. Try the basil on fresh tomatoes, and use the oregano when cooking with them.

Summer Canning

The peak also applies to the canning season. Due to this fact, this blog will be a little short, as canning is in progress. We are lucky to have a resource like the farm to be the source of our veggies. Many of those vegetables that are just a little too blemished or damaged to distribute to the CSA find their way into our farm stores. Right now all the seconds tomatoes, small headed garlic, funny looking carrots, leftover basil and field pulled onions we can find are being combined into our tomato sauce. The recipe is here.

Bulk List

The bulk list is expanding this week as the tomatoes come in, and some pickling cukes finally come available. All of these items will be sold on a first come first serve basis. Simply email me your order and it will be filled based on availabilities. This week Rebecca will be at Bad Seed with some surplus tomatoes.

CSA Bulk Order Form Week of 7/21/08
Item Member Cost Non- Member Cost

Beets $2.75/qt $3.00/qt
Pickling pack* (small cukes) $17.00 $19.00
Pickling pack* (med. cukes) $13.00 $15.00
Pickling pack* (large cukes) $11.00 $13.00
Paste tomatoes (No. 1’s) $2.25/lb $2.75/lb
$1.75/lb over 10 lb $2.25/lb over 10 lb
Tomato seconds $1.75/lb $2.00/lb
$1.50 over 10 lb $1.75 over 10 lb
Summer squash – lg. $1.00 each $1.50 each
Summer squash – med. $0.50 each $0.75 each
Summer squash – baby $3/qt $3.50/qt
Basil $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Parsley $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Tarragon $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Oregano $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Dill flowers $1.75//bu $2.00/bu
Dried herbs $1.75 $2.00

thyme, marjoram, dried hot
peppers, lovage, lavendar
flowers, coriander, oregano

* Pickling pack aromatics choices are garlic, dill, or cornichon

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

Garlic
As Week 8 and this week’s shares can attest, the garlic harvest has commenced. Two weeks ago you got garlic straight out of the field. Sorry if there was any confusion about how to use it as I didn’t mention it in the blog. I even gave some bad advice to one member (sorry Jennifer), saying that you could chop the stalk and eat it (it’s a little rough).

The garlic you are getting in your share is mature garlic that has not yet been cured. We bring the harvested garlic back to the barn and hang it for a month to allow it to dry out some. This helps it store better and can make it easier to remove the cloves from their skin. It will be in your share every other week until the end of the season.

What To Do With Summer Squash
Summer squash is one of those vegetables that can show up in a share for and extended period of time. If you tire of it there is also the swap box. Another option is to try something new. For us, it’s to try something we usually cook with Mediterranean flavors (basil, thyme, oregano) with Indian spices. This dish has very few ingredients and is easy to make. We made it a little harder by making our own green curry paste last fall and freezing it for use tonight. Unfortunately the recipe has disappeared, though we will try to recreate it again this fall.

Summer Squash with Green Curry
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium summer squash cut into 1 inch chunks
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tbsp green curry paste
Optional:
3 tbsp coconut milk
Yogurt and cilantro for garnish

Cook the summer squash in the olive oil over medium high heat for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomato and green curry paste and cook for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until squash is tender. Add coconut milk and cook 1 minute more. Serve over rice garnished with the yogurt and cilantro.

NEED TO KNOW MORE? Go to our Recipe page and search.

Bulk List Items for the Week of July 14, 2008