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!!!

FFore hlhAsAsjnflksdf   Tips, Tricks & Recipes:

To 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!