Greetings CSA Members,

Thunder and Lightning surprised us Sunday evening, bringing strong winds that scared poor Ruby (our sweet dog) half to death. The storms were at least five miles away (as we counted one Mississippi, two Mississippi….), but the booming thunder rattled our windows and caused lights to flicker. Much needed rain fell and how different the mood feels today from the weekend when we were biting our fingernails, anticipating a bad frost. We discovered patches of frost scattered about the fields Saturday morning, but we managed to avoid iced pepper plants and frozen summer squash. The Kale and Brussels Sprouts were singing: Bring it on! But we know that those hearty vegetables just get sweeter with a few 32-degree nights. In fact, I think that the spinach is more delicious in the Fall than at any other time of year. And so with that in mind and thanks to Rebeca, I am offering several recipes for Beets. I used to think that beets were absolutely the worst idea for a vegetable. Just give me those wonderful salad mixes or creamy butternut squash. But one evening when Brian roasted beets, onions, butternut squash, and potatoes for dinner, what stood out without a doubt were the beets. I now think that the very best way to win over the disparaging and sneering beet critic is to serve him or her beets roasted with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. In fact, we provided vegetables to a group of freshmen students from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in August for an iron chef competition. And the group with beets won hands down with their feta and beet crostini. So, if you have not yet developed a taste for beets, give them a try!

Enjoy your share this week – Justine

This week in your share, you will most likely receive: Swiss Chard, a bag with Beets, Carrots, and Radish, Lettuce, Onions, Tomatoes, Rosemary, Cilantro, or Thyme, and some combination of the following: Green Beans, Corn, Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Sweet Peppers.

***Pot-luck is this Sunday October 4th from 3-6:00***

Vegetable Curry (submitted by Julie Niles, longtime CSA Member)

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks

1 small (or 1/2 large) head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces

1 onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 Tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp grated ginger

2-3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 cup peas (optional)

Toss the sweet potato, cauliflower and onion with the oil and salt, and then spread in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

Whisk together the ginger, cilantro, curry, salt and milk until smooth. Stir in the tomatoes and peas. After the vegetables are roasted, pour the liquid mixture evenly over the veggies. Roast for about 5 minutes more. Serve with rice, raisins, cashews and plain yogurt.

Basic Roasted Beets

1. To prepare the beets, wash but do not peel them or cut off the root. Cover with water in a large pot and boil for 15-20 minutes until the skin loosens. Remove from pot and let them cool enough that they can be handled. Rub the skin off with rubber gloves or, if the skin doesn’t slip off easily, scrape it off with a butter knife or spoon.

2. Small beets can be roasted whole. Cut larger beets in halves or quarters. Toss in a bowl with olive oil to coat, add salt and pepper. Roast in oven at 350 F, for 30-45 minutes, turning occasionally so that they do not burn.

3. Alternatively, beets that have been half-cooked in boiling water and skinned can be cut into thick slices and pan roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper, in a cast iron skillet on low heat for 10 or 15 minutes.

4. Roasted beets can be eaten hot out of the pan or oven, either by themselves or tossed with beet greens that have been quickly stir-fried with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. They are even better stored in the refrigerator for several days and used in salads or on an antipasto platter.

NOTE: Beets can be roasted with the skin on and then peeled. But I prefer to peel them first so that they caramelize on the outside as they cook.


Beet and Apple Sauté

6 medium beets, boiled or roasted until tender

3 tablespoons butter

3 shallots, minced

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tart green apples, peeled, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

½cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1. Cook the minced shallots in the butter in a skillet for 2 minutes. Add apple, sugar, salt and pepper and vinegar. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes or until apples are tender.

2. Slice cooked beets ¼ inch thick and add to skillet, cooking for about 3 more minutes. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

Roasted Beet Salad

1 pound baby beets, stems trimmed to 1 inch

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

½teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 head Bibb (Boston) lettuce, leaves separated

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse beets. Wrap beets in foil, making a single layer, and roast in middle of oven 30-45 minutes, or until tender. Cool. Cut off stem and root and peel beets. Halve lengthwise.

2. Whisk together shallot, juices, zest, and mustard. Whisk in oil until emulsified and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle lettuce with 3/4 of dressing. Sprinkle with beets and drizzle with remaining dressing.


Roasted Beet Raita

1 cup yogurt

1 medium-sized beet, roasted

¼cup toasted walnuts

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Cut beet into slivers or small cubes, mix with yoghurt and chopped walnuts. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Red Beet Relish

2 cooked red beets, peeled and chopped

¼Golden Delicious apple, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon mayonnaise

Pinch ground allspice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, combine the beets, apple, vinegar and sugar and pulse until the apples and beets are finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and combine with the mayonnaise and allspice. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Chocolate Beet Brownies

Vegetable Oil

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 cup boiling water

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

½cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½teaspoon baking soda

¾cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

½cup unsweetened applesauce

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 egg white

1 whole egg

6 oz. yogurt

¼teaspoon salt

1 cup peeled raw beets, shredded in food processor

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch pan with oil. Dust pan with flour and shake off excess. In small bowl, whisk cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Set aside to cool. In medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, soda and salt. In large bowl, combine sugar, applesauce, oil, butter and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed 1 minute. Beat in eggs, then yogurt. On high speed, beat until fluffy, 2 minutes, scraping bowl with rubber spatula.

2. On low speed, beat in half of dry ingredients. Increase speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and beat in half of cocoa mixture. Add remaining dry ingredients, and then add remaining cocoa mixture, beating until smooth. With large spoon, gently fold beets into mixture evenly.

3. Add batter to pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, until skewer inserted in center comes out clean, but brownies are still moist. Let cool in pan and then cut into squares.

POT LUCK POSTPONED UNTIL Sunday, October 4 from 3:00 - 6:00
Greetings CSA Members –

Due to the prediction for an all day rain tomorrow, we are postponing tomorrow's potluck until next Sunday October 4th from 3-6:00, weather permitting. Hope to see you then. Best- Justine

Greetings CSA Members,

****Remember the annual CSA potluck is this Sunday September 27th

from 3:00 – 6:00.

Please bring with you:

blanket or chairs to sit on

eating utensils and plates

potluck dish or drink to share and serving utensils, if needed

Children must be supervised, especially around the animals & equipment.

Please leave your pets at home – Many thanks.

We had a rather crazy day yesterday on the farm – the chickens were loose, a restaurant closed that was to host a major event in the area at which several farms, Denison Farm included, were to be highlighted, the goats were howling all day for attention, a ninth grade class arrived to take soil samples in order to analyze and thus create ways for us to improve the quality of our topsoil, and the temperature at 7:30 yesterday morning was 37 degrees. But the harvest will go on - your boxes will be packed and ready for delivery to you for tomorrow. This week I am going to include an online article about tomatoes. Hope you find it interesting.

Tomatoes: 8 worthwhile facts to know

Whether you say Tom-eh-to or you say Tom-ah-to, you can be sure that this sweet little fruit is going to do your body good. As we come full-swing into Tomato season, here are a few fun and interesting facts about the popular ingredient:

1. It is a fruit. Although many people believe that tomatoes are vegetables, they are actually fruits.

2. Italian in Origin. Not so Much. Although popular as an ingredient in Italian cuisine, tomatoes are originally native to the western side of South America. However, it was first cultivated in Mexico; and it was through Columbus that seeds were first introduced to Europe.

3. Antioxidant Powerhouse. Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A. They are antioxidants that are instrumental in neutralizing free radicals known to potentially damage cells, which can increase inflammation and the progression or severity of disease. Diets high in these antioxidants have been shown to help reduce the risk or severity of all of these illnesses. Lycopene, especially, helps protect cells from oxygen damage and heart disease.

4. Prostate, Colon and Pancreas. Although tomatoes are great cancer fighters in general, they are specifically known to promote prostate and colon health. Further, a study published in The Journal of Nutrition showed that those consuming a diet high in lycopene had a diminished risk for pancreatic cancer.

5. Organic Matters. In tomatoes, research has shown that organic tomatoes and organic tomato products provide a much greater dose of lycopene than non-organic.

6. Fiber Factor. Tomatoes are a great source of fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

7. Canned isn’t so bad. Although I’m a fan of “au natural” – or right off the plant – when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables…I can get behind canned tomato products. As a matter of fact, some believe that canned products are better than fresh whole tomatoes because the nutrients are higher in concentration than the fresh fruit.

8. Every Color of the Rainbow. Tomatoes come in every color except for blue! You can find them in red, orange, yellow, green and even purple!

Ways to enjoy tomatoes: Tomatoes are very versatile.

* Dishes: Gazpacho, Salads, Tomato and Avocado Salad, Minestrone Soups, Chili

* Sauces: Tomato based sauces, salsas, ketchup, cocktail sauce

* Drinks: Tomato Juice, Bloody Marys

Do you like tomatoes? Do you incorporate them into your diet daily? Any favorite recipes?


Have a great week - Justine

This week in your share, you will most likely receive: Carrots, Butternut Squash, Leeks, Lettuce, Bok Choi or Chinese Cabbage, Tomatoes, Basil, Potatoes, either Broccoli or Cauliflower, and perhaps Sweet Peppers or Corn. Check the white board to be sure, for the harvest isn’t complete as I write this to you.

Salmon with Leeks & Bok Choi/Chinese Cabbage

This recipe uses only the greens leaves of the bok choi, but there really is no need to discard the stems. Just roughly chop or slice the stems and then add them to the pan along with the leek. They will add a nice crunch to the dish.

1 leek

2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil

1 pinch red pepper flakes, crushed

1 pound bok choi

4 salmon fillets

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Heat broiler and line baking sheet with foil.

Split Leek down the middle and clean under faucet, having removed root and tough green ends. Slice leek across the grain into thin strips (white portion only).

Heat butter or vegetable oil in large skillet. Add red pepper flakes and stir over medium low heat. Add leek and sauté until soft, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, slice bok choi crosswise into 1/4- inch strips, discarding stems. Set aside.

Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet. Broil until golden orange on top but still rare in middle, about 8 minutes. After the leeks have cooked, add the bok choi, vinegar, and lemon zest. Season with salt. Cover and wilt for 2 minutes, stirring once.

Serve vegetables and their juice in shallow soup bowls and top with salmon. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serves 4.

Basil-Broccoli Penne

1/4 lb penne pasta

1/2 lb broccoli florets

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Place a large saucepan filled with water on to boil. When water is rapidly boiling, add pasta and boil for 5 minutes. Add broccoli florets and continue to boil for 3 minutes. The pasta should be cooked al dente. Drain, leaving about 2 tbsp water in the saucepan.

Add the oil to the water and return the pasta and broccoli to the saucepan. Add the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toss well.

Greetings CSA Members,

*** Denison Farm CSA Potluck September 27th from 3:00-6:00***

This week you are in for a real treat from Jeannine Laverty – her piece entitled: End of Season Work Has Begun. Enjoy!

End of season work has begun. We hurled ourselves at our first celeriac on September 4. The bulbs will grow for at least another month, so they will get significantly larger. Today they smell and look wonderful but almost as if they come from another farm, they are so far from traditional Denison oversize. To a new crew member we happily explain the many ways celeriac is delicious. He has never seen such an ugly, gnarly vegetable, but we envision for him a grated fresh salad with a remoulade sauce, as side dish mashed with potatoes, a rich Basque stew with tomatoes. We caution him that OUR celeriac is so large that even now, in its early incarnation, only half to a third of the number of heads that any recipe calls for should be used.

Later the same day we said a fond farewell to the melons. The melon season always seems shorter than we wish it to be, and this year the excess rain took a toll on them, as it did on almost everything. Many rotted before they could ripen. The fond farewell consists of both, “Oh, no the last ones already?” and “Finally, an end to working in that terrible smell!” The melons are grown on plastic to decrease their contact with wet earth and give them extra heat for growth and ripening. Much of the plastic used to cover beds on the Denison Farm is biodegradable, but the melon plastic is not, so we pull it up and make great efforts to get every little eternally lasting piece out of the field.

In spring, a machine lays the plastic neat and tight before the baby plants are transplanted into it from the greenhouse, but plastic removal is full of the rot and decay that accompany many end-of-season jobs. There’s something strangely satisfying about this task, once you give in to it. It seems such a short time ago that we were covering the young melon transplants with row cover against the spring’s cold nights and mornings. Everything was clean, fresh, full of hope and faith in the season’s blossoming. When it was finally reliably warm enough, we had taken off the row cover and exclaimed over the flowers already appearing in the vines, happy for the work of the pollinators as they found sweetness. Now we rescue the few fruits that were weed-hidden in the last picking. Full of customer concern and late morning thirst, we hack our way into the smallest ones to determine if they are good enough for market. Some sure are, some definitely aren’t, but the sweet flavors and dripping juices banish our more disreputable coatings.

After we pull and wrap the irrigation tape—more mud and dirt on arms and shirts—Brian can go over this field with the flail mower and till in the wretched remains. Once in the ground, they are transformed into rich fertilizer for the cover crop to be sown that same afternoon, which will in turn give its nourishment to next year’s planting, whatever it will be. We head into lunch looking back on another field ready for winter, appreciating its rich production, knowing the soil has been replenished as it waits to hold whatever food will rotate into that spot for you next spring. So life gives way to death gives way to life. I am so grateful for this work.

This week in your share, you will most likely receive: Tomatoes, Lettuce, Rose Gold Potatoes or Laratte Fingerlings, Yellow Cooking Onions, Spinach or Tat Soi, Green Beans, Cilantro, and then some configuration of the following: Broccoli, Summer Squash/ Zucchini. Sweet Peppers, or Cucumbers. Check the white board at your site for the accurate list.

Say good-bye to some of the summer vegetables, for this may be the last week for receiving eggplant, cucumbers, or zucchini. Autumn is a-comin’ in.

Take care - Justine

Pickled Dilly Beans

2 lbs. fresh green snap beans

4 sm. garlic cloves

4 heads dill or 4 tsp. dry dill seeds

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 1/2 c. white vinegar

2 1/2 c. water

2 tbsp. kosher salt

Wash beans and break off stem ends. Peel garlic. In 4 sterilized jars (pint size) put 1 clove garlic, 1 head or 1 tsp. dill seeds and a pinch of red pepper. Fit beans in jar, allowing 1/2 inch head room at top of each jar. (Trim beans if necessary).

Bring vinegar, water and salt to a boil. Pour over beans, filling to within 1/4 inch of rim. Fasten jar tops according to manufacturer's directions and place in a boiling water bath, covering lids with 2 inches of water. Process at a hard boil for 5 minutes. Remove and cool.

Spinach and Broccoli Enchiladas with Spanish Rice

1 medium Onion, chopped

1 t. olive oil

¾- 1 lb. Spinach

1 c. finely chopped Broccoli

1 cup picante sauce, divided (Use thick, spicy, chunky salsa or picante sauce)

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. ground cumin

1 c. (8 oz.) cottage cheese

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided

8 flour tortillas (8-inch)

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook and stir onion in oil until tender. Add the spinach, broccoli, 1/3 c. picante sauce, garlic powder and cumin; heat through.

Remove from the heat; stir in cottage cheese and half of cheddar cheese. Right in the skillet, divide the mixture into 8 parts. Spoon each part onto a tortilla, fold, and lay seam down in a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon remaining picante sauce over the top.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees or until heated through. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Child-approved Broccoli Mashed Potatoes

2-1/2 lbs. potatoes (Yukon or Rose Gold works great)

1 bunch broccoli

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup whole milk

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large, heavy saucepan or pot. Cover with water by two inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. Let potatoes boil for 6-7 minutes.

Add broccoli to the pot. Let broccoli and potatoes boil until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 5-8 minutes. Drain vegetables. Transfer to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Mash. Serve immediately.

Greetings CSA Members,

I don’t often give time in the CSA newsletter to my goats, for Denison Farm is a vegetable farm and my goats are my pets. However, this foggy morning as I tiptoed through the heavy dew to the barn, clanging my milking pots, I thought that these girls could use a little time in the spotlight.

Milking the two Mama goats is often a meditative opportunity for me – except for the moment when the grain runs out and the kicking begins… At present, the barn is filling up with the crops that need ripening and curing. The bins of shallots, the trays of tomatoes, the wooden boxes of melons, and the plastic totes of potatoes and winter squash are scattered throughout the bays of our three-sided barn. Each morning, Spritz bolts for the shallots and her new discovery, Brian’s winter rye seed for green manures and cover cropping. With seed pouring out of both sides of her mouth, I drag her back to the milking stanchion. I think that she is fastened safely in when one of the baby goats, Lizzie, leaps completely over the top of the four-foot fence, clearing it gracefully as an Olympic high jumper. She too heads for the rye seed, then takes a bite from a handful of rose gold potatoes, and moves on towards the tomatoes. Now I can’t leave Spritz in the milking stanchion and chase after Lizzie. So I decide to shake the grain can to entice Lizzie back over to the pen. Well, that’s all a bit too much for the other baby who wailing at the top of her little goat lungs attempts to leap the fence. She is not so lucky, but while she is down, Lizzie’s mother decides that she will begin butting her. So now we have, Spritz kicking on the stand, Lizzie knocking the tomatoes to the ground, Peggy bullying Lily, and Lily wailing and moaning for both her mother and for whatever treats she thinks her pal is enjoying. To add to this cacophony, I start yelling and growling with frustration, for I know not what to do first. I shake the grain can again and Lizzie comes running. I throw her back into the pen, grain and all. So for two minutes, Lizzie and Lily are nearly inhaling the grain while Peggy yowls for her turn on the milking stand. Spritz has settled down to a big bowl of grain and I begin to milk. That meditative calm did not come easily this morning. And so, I leave you with a favorite poem by Wendell Berry.

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair grows in me

and I wake in the middle of the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting for their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

All The Best - Justine


This week in your share, you will most likely receive: Tomatoes, Summer Squash/ Zucchini, Beets and Radishes, Lettuce, Kale, Garlic, and some combination of the following: Edamame, Broccoli, Eggplant, and Sweet Peppers. Check the white board at your pick-up site for the most accurate list.

Roasted Beet and Poached Apple Salad with Curry Vinaigrette

1 pound beets (4 medium)

1 cup unsweetened apple juice

1 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt

2 medium/large summer or tart apples—peeled, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon curry powder

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the beets in a small roasting pan, cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, or until tender. Peel the beets, then slice them 1/4 inch thick.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the apple juice and wine with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Strain in a fine strainer and return to the saucepan. Bring back to a boil and add the apples. Simmer over moderate heat for 3 minutes, or until the apples are crisp-tender. Drain the apples and discard the liquid.

3. In a small skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Add the curry powder, remove the skillet from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, along with the vinegar, pine nuts and raisins; season the dressing with salt.

4. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with half of the dressing and arrange on a serving platter. Put the beets in the bowl and toss with the remaining dressing. Arrange the beets on the platter, garnish with the parsley and serve.

Sweet Pepper Pasta Toss with Kale

1 (8 ounce) package uncooked farfalle (bow tie) pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 cup roughly chopped kale

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pinch dried basil

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

salt and ground black pepper to taste

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in red pepper, yellow pepper, kale and garlic. Season with basil, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender.

In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with skillet mixture. Sprinkle with feta cheese to serve.

Greetings CSA Members,

**Denison Farm Pot-Luck Sunday September 27th from 3:00-6:00 **

(More to come in the following weeks, both in the newsletter and on our website.)

** Working Members – Please email or give a call if you can work at the Farmers’ Markets within the next two months.

I can finally say – What a glorious day! And it looks like we will have decent weather all week. But let’s keep it a secret so Mother Nature doesn’t decide to change her mind. Several years ago, I included in a newsletter a reader editorial from one of our favorite magazines entitled Farming. I recently came across it and thought that I would share it with you once again.

“I was thinking about the word ‘organic’ while thinning radishes this morning. Such a humble task takes little brain power, and so I spent my time in the garden listing the many aspects of ‘organic’ that are important to me: Healthy, tasty, safe, fair to farm workers, enriching communities, constantly improving soil, and respecting plants, soil, animals, and people. Whew! In my mind, there’s no single word that can replace ‘organic’ for all those meanings. However, the government and corporations have taken over this word and it no longer includes these values…. When large corporations claimed ’organic’, organic as we knew it died. So, what do we do now? I think we have no choice but to begin again. It seems to me the place to begin is educating ourselves and the consumer. The first thing that comes to mind is that most food labeled ‘organic’ uses an immense amount of fossil fuel to produce, process, transport, and prepare. Can organic be good for us when it’s killing our planet? Additionally, to survive transportation, most food is harvested before it’s ripe and never has the vitamin content of locally grown, ripe produce… By this time the radishes were thinned and I was on to the turnips. Actually, I was thinking about the USDA’s suggestion that non-organic additives be permitted in organic-labeled foods if the additives are not available organically…I want to find a way to communicate all the positives we want our food to represent: food safety, flavor, good nutrition, social concerns, and protecting our soil for the future. I see that Eliot Coleman uses ‘Authentic Food’ and Joel Salatin coined ‘Beyond Organic’. Perhaps one of these good phrases will be what the next wave of informed consumers can seek out. I think that the signs and phrases we use for our produce can be educational in themselves. For starters, I’m using Locally Grown and No Chemicals…We want our concept of how to raise food to again include good health for people, animals, soil, and community.”

We receive our organic certification from a local (New Paltz, NY) organization called “Certified Naturally Grown”. I am very grateful to the CSA Farmer, Ron Khosla, who developed an affordable system for us. Not only do we produce and give you locally-grown produce, but we are certified by a local agency as well. If you are interested in learning more about this organization, here is a link to their website:

www.naturallygrown.org

However you wish to define organic and local, I hope that this and every remaining week this CSA season, you enjoy your share.

All The Best - Justine

This week in your share, you will most likely receive: Salem (all-purpose) Potatoes, Tomatoes, Basil, Edamame, Sweet Peppers, Scallions, and some combination of the following: Mesclun, Cucumbers, Bok Choi, Broccoli Raab, Broccoli, Fairytale/Italian Eggplant, Summer Squash/Zucchini, Watermelon, and possibly Collard Greens.

EDAMAME (BEANS ON A BRANCH)

These sweet, nutty-flavored, green vegetable soybeans are similar in flavor to sweet peas and lima beans. They can be eaten as a snack or incorporated in many recipes that call for beans or peas. Edamame are rich in nutrients and per half cup serving, they provide 11 grams of high-quality protein.

Strip the beans from the branches and then boil for 5-10 minutes in salted water. Drain the beans and add a bit more salt or soy sauce. Strip the beans from the pod either with your teeth or by hand and eat either hot or cold. Edamame is a great snack food and is eaten in Japan like beer nuts. Put them in your children’s lunch boxes or serve as an appetizer.

Try:

Edamame with penne pasta, goat cheese and basil

Vegetable chili with black beans, edamame, and corn

Summer vegetable soup with wild rice and edamame

Sautéed spinach with edamame and sesame seeds

Pasta with swiss chard and edamame

Miso soup with edamame, shiitake mushrooms, red pepper, and tofu

Cream of Garlic Edamame Soup

2 T. Olive Oil

1 bulb of garlic, separated into cloves and peeled

2 bay leaves

3 cups shelled edamame

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1-cup heavy cream

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and bay leaves and cook for 10 minutes or until softened and golden. Add the edamame and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 35 minutes, or until tender. Remove and discard the bay leaves. In a blender, blend in small batches until smooth. Return the soup to saucepan. Stir in the cream. Heat the soup over medium-low heat until heated through. Serves 6.

Edamame Succotash Salad

(Real Food For Healthy Kids - July 2008)

Make this salad for lunch but serve it hot at dinner first. To give kids extra protein at lunch, add 1/2 cup finely chopped cold cooked chicken and round it out with a small whole-wheat roll and an apple.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped (or use 1 bunch chopped scallions)

1 pound shelled edamame (soybeans)

1 pound frozen corn, thawed, or 3 cups fresh-cut corn kernels (from about 4 ears)

2 large ripe tomatoes, diced

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup minced fresh chives or basil

1. Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion or scallions and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the edamame and corn and cook, turning often, until heated through, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato, salt and pepper. Let cool and then chill if packing in a lunch box. When ready to serve, stir in the chives or basil.

Edamame and Carrot Salad with Rice Vinegar Dressing

Bon Appétit - January 2001

Serves 6

1 1/2 cups shelled cooked edamame beans (from about 20 ounces of pods)

4 medium carrots (about 12 ounces), peeled, coarsely grated

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, minced

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, oil and garlic in small bowl to blend. Add to edamame mixture; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Try adding yellow wax or green beans, cooked, to either of these salads.

And here is a recipe from long-standing Troy CSA Members Nan and Tom Carroll.

Amber Onions

What is the story behind this recipe? This recipe comes from a cookbook put together by my mother’s mother and her friends for my mom’s wedding. My mom’s family is from the Midwest and the recipes including this one reflect that culture and taste. Grandma served these regularly and I still cook them occasionally to a round of applause from Tom.

Ingredients:

6 Onions (Bermuda or Spanish)

1 Tbs. Paprika

4 Tbs. Butter

1 cup honey

1 cup tomato soup (straight out of a can)

Preparation Instructions:

Peel onions, cut in half crosswise, and place in a casserole. Blend remaining ingredients together and pour over onions. Cover and bake one hour at 350 F.

Yield: This serves 2 – 12 people depending on whether or not they’re willing to share.

Preparation Time:

About 15 minutes