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Our Ladies of Edgewater Farm pictured with their chicken tractor… we move the tractor every few weeks to supply the freshest grass to graze. |
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Week #8 (August 2-5)
What’s in the big box? What’s in the little box?
Blue Berries Blue Berries
Cukes Cukes
Patty Pan Squash Patty Pan Squash
Tomato (seconds) Tomato (seconds)
Mini Melon Mini Melon
Potatoes (white) Potatoes (white)
Lettuce Peppers
Garlic Garlic
Basil Basil
Bok Choy Bok Choy
Onion
Zucchini
Pepper
Notes From the Farm:
We’ve aquired quite a few females in the past couple weeks. You can hear them gossip all day long inbetween nibbles and naps. So far they put out 3 to 4 dozen eggs a day- and I believe the more they settle into the Edgewater Farm Community, the more comftorable they will lay. These hens are very happy. They peck away at the grain in the morning, roam and graze the grass in the day- and go absolutely bananas over lettuce, melons, and tomatoes (remind you of anyone? Ahem, CSAers). At night they settle into their coop, the chicken tractor- made in 1 day’s time by Ray, Griffin, and Mike. In the morning you know it’s time to start pick when you hear them begin their daily gossip (around 6 a.m.). Lucky for us, we sleep well within pecking distance. It is so exciting to have FRESH EGGS!! I will continue to bring down as many cartons as their eggs fill within 1 day of CSA drops for yall to enjoy the freshest eggs to compliment your shares. And on the other end of the chicken spectum- we are currently raising our first batch of broilers! Ready to eat by the beginning of September!!! Let me know if any of yall are interested in ordering 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 (depending on your freezer space)… Oh, and in case any one is curious- we are still picking blueberries… ENJOY!!!
Tips, Tricks & Recipes:
FFore hlhAsAsjnflksdfTo celebrate this season’s CSA half way point- 8 weeks in, 8 weeks to go- I give you the best recipe to enjoy all of this season’s bounty- Grilled Pizza Dough!! Don’t be intimidated. It’s easier than you think and I guarantee it will impress your taste buds as well as your friends. Also, be daring with your toppings!! This week, go for the classic tomato-basil-mozzerella… but next week, who knows? Hold on to this week’s newsletter to revisit the grilled pizza over and over again.
GRILLED PIZZA DOUGH…
Makes 6 1/2 ounce dough balls
5 cups (22 1/2 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons table salt or 3 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
3 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 ¾ cups room temperature water (70*F)
1. With a large metal spoon, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, 1 ½ tablespoons of the olive oil, and the water in a 4-qt bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer until combined. If mixing with an electric mixer, fit it with the dough hook and mix on low speed for about 4 minutes, or until the dough forms a coarse ball and clears the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Add more flour or water by the tablespoonful as needed. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, then mix again on medium-low speed for an additional 2 to 4 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, supple, and tacky but not sticky. If mixing by hand, repeatedly dip one of your hands or the spoon into room-temperature water and use it much like a dough hook, working the dough vigorously as you rotate the bowl with your other hand. Continue mixing for about 4 minutes, or until the dough forms a coarse ball, adding more flour or water by the tablespoonful as needed. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a lightly floured counter, Dust the top with flour to absorb the surface moisture, the knead the dough by hand for 2 to 4 minutes, or until it is smooth, supply and tacky but not sticky.
2. Immediately divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Gently round each piece into a ball and brush or rub each ball with olive oil. Place each ball inside its own zippered freezer bag. Using the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over each ball in each bag and seal the bags closed. Let the balls sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate the balls for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight.
3. Remove the dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to roll them out to take off the chill and to relax the gluten. At this point, you can hold any balls you don’t want to use all the way in the fridge for up to 3 days, or you can freeze up to 3 months.
Two hours before grilling, pour 2 tablespoons olive oil per dough ball into a sheet pan. Remover the dough balls from the fridge and from the plastic bags. Roll them in the oil and let them sit in the pan, uncovered, at room temperature… start the grill… stretch the dough so it’s 1/8 “ thick… throw it on the grill… wait for the heat to strengthen the dough… flip, add veggies and sauce… close the grill, wait for the finished project.. and eat!
Week #7 (July 26-29)
What’s in the big box? What’s in the little box?
Blue Berries Blue Berries
Green Beans Green Beans
Cukes Cukes
Zucchini Zucchini
Tomato (seconds) Tomato (seconds)
Beets Beets
Cantaloupe Cantaloupe
Cilantro Cilantro
Lettuce
Pepper
Calling all rain dancers- we need some water! As a member of the C.S.A. you agreed to dance when we say dance… it’s a very special responsibility reserved for the few and the proud. For those wondering where they may have read this info, it was included on the sign up form, written in very very fine print. So please friends- get up, shake what your momma gave ya, and make it rain!
On other things around the farm- field crew has taken advantage of this heat, using it as an excuse to float the river and take extra long lunch breaks by the pond (yessss!!!). And yes, the blueberry picking continues. ENJOY!
Tips, Tricks & Recipes:
MRS. T’s BLUE BERRY CRISP… makes 6-8 servings
4 cups fresh blues 2-4 tbsp sugar 2 tsp lemon juice
¼ cup butter (marge) 1/3 cup flour 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon dash salt
¾ cup rolled oats (quick or old fashion)
Place BB in a buttered 8x8 baking pan, sprinkle with 2-4 tbsp sugar & lemon juice. In medium bowl mix together butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt until crumbly. Stir in oats, sprinkle over BB. Bake 375* for 35-40 minutes until topping is nicely browned. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
MEDITERRANEAN BEET YOGURT... Serves 4
from the NYT health section
(For all those CSAers who have seen this recipe before- forgive me- It’s just so good, I want the world to know!)
11/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar, or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste)
1/2 cup thick Greek style yogurt or drained yogurt
2 tablespoons minced dill (or cilantro or mint)
1. Roast the beets, peel and cut in wedges or slice into half-moons. Stir together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with the warm beets and allow to marinate for 2 to 3 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
2. Place the garlic in a mortar and pestle, add 1/8 teaspoon salt, and mash to a paste. Stir into the yogurt. Stir in half the dill. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the beets and stir some of the marinade into the yogurt (to taste). Toss with the beets, or arrange the beets on a platter and drizzle the yogurt over the top. Sprinkle on the remaining dill, and serve.
Advance preparation:
The beets can be prepared and marinated 4 or 5 days ahead.
Week #6 (July 19-22)
What’s in the big box? What’s in the little box?
Zucchini Zucchini
Cucumber (picklers!) Cucumbers (picklers!)
Green Beans Green Beans
Romano Beans Romano Beans
Tomatoes (1 qt) Tomatoes (1 qt- 2nds)
Lettuce Lettuce
Blue Berries Blue Berries
Broccoli Broccoli
Garlic(!) Raspberries (1/2 pint)
Scallions Scallions
Kohl Rabi
Cabbage
Carrots
Kale
Raspberries
Tips, Tricks & Recipes:
PICKLES; my absolute favorite event of the summer (next to peaches). Rather than supplying a real deal canning recipe (see your mother’s cook book for details), I leave you with the simplest recipe for pickles I know… The REFRIGERATOR PICKLE. The recipe is idiot proof. Trust me, I know.
1. Purchase your very favorite store bought pickles.
2. Eat the pickles.
3. Slice the pickling cucumbers found in the box into quarters and place inside jar with juice.
4. Let it sit in the fridge overnight.
5. Chomp away!! I guarantee you these cukes will taste better and crunchier than the original pickles the jar supplied.
An aside: you can use and re-use the same pickle juice/jar. Just keep those picklers coming- soaking up all that good juice until there is no more left.
Adapted from Laura Sbrana via The NYTimes 08/12/08 posted by smitten kitchen.com
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup minced celery
1/2 cup minced carrot 1 cup minced red onion
1 clove garlic, crushed 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon tomato paste Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup peeled, crushed ripe tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes, with their juices
1 1/2 pounds romano beans (flat green beans), ends trimmed (or fresh cranberry beans in their shells).
1. Heat oil in a deep skillet or a shallow three-quart saucepan. Add celery, carrot and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables barely begin to brown, about 25 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, a few minutes. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until mixture is well combined, about 5 minutes.
2. Add beans, setting them in pan all in one direction. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer. Baste beans, season with salt, reduce heat to low. Cook gently, partly covered, turning beans in sauce from time to time, until beans are very tender, about 40 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve hot or at room temperature.
Yield: 6 servings.
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