CSA Week 1!!!!
Welcome to the first week of CSA! ‘Tis the season for green things as all the summer crops are sizing up out there! I feel so fortunate to have met some of you this week, seen some old faces, and invited you to our home for pick-up!! The day went really well and as we move into the season I look forward to seeing you all every Monday through October.
Its going to be a quick blog today as I have to get out there and make it rain on everything (since our climate now is that of the eastern Oregon desert - cold nights, dry, hot days) . I am not complaining although a little more rain would be nice, however with the exception of the cold these bright, beautiful sunny days have been an absolute joy and the plants, especially the tomatoes, are soaking it up along with us. We are still very hard at work getting over that “Spring Hump” with big plantings, bed prep, and getting all those summer favorites in the ground (summer squash, winter squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers, etc.). Once we get over the preparation hump, I can take a deep breath and start pulling weeds for real. It feels really good this year.
Speaking of, we are thinking about potentially having some social/weeding (fun) work days here if there is enough interest. Details to follow in case anyone is looking for something to do, wants to get their hands dirty and enjoy a beer/seltzer with some happy growers. There is plenty of space to stay 6 feet away from each other here!
On to the share!!!
CSA Week 1 - delicious green things.
This week we have some Spring favorites:
a bunch of green kale for all your sauté, raw eating, kale chip needs. We often chop and toss green kale with some oil (authentic Italian olive oil courtesy of one of our globe trotting CSA members) and acid, usually lemon and let it sit for a bit. The lemon sort of wilts and softens the kale for raw salad eating. Yum. Shred some carrots on it too (coming soon).
a bunch of Bok Choi. White stem (Joi Choi) and green stem (black summer) varieties. I love the flavor and texture of Bok Choi. I like to prepare it by barely cooking it, adding it to a skillet at the end of cooking sausages or other meat by placing whole leaves on top and covering after turning the heat off. It will wilt and take up some of the meat flavor. For the vegetarians out there, I would recommend tossing in a pan of hot oil and butter for like one minute each side. Doesn’t take long. Here is a recipe for inspiration:
https://www.inspiredtaste.net/34160/lemon-garlic-bok-choy-recipe/
a pint of snap peas! They are probably gone by now. More on the way. If there are any left over you can chop them and add them to the mixed greens
a bag of mixed greens - for all your salad needs. My mix is ever changing and this year I’ve been adding more lettuce leaf to it. Its got great flavor so we don’t add an overpowering dressing. If you like Asian inspired flavors try this out - I add a little sesame oil and a little Tamari to make a light, delicious dressing.
a bunch of mixed herbs courtesy of Genica and Home Front Gardens. Chives for dicing and adding to salad to a stir fry, and thyme for seasoning, and the globe flowers are good for eating too!! You can add petals to salad or a cocktail if you are so inclined - Genica said a classic martini might be good - sprinkling petals on top for added beauty and a slight savory flavor. Just some inspiration for summer cocktails.
That’s it for this week. Until next week I will leave you with a serendipitous photo I took of one of the Waterbury drop locations. I took the photo to pass on to folks as a reference for pick-up but after looking at it, I realized it was just a beautiful snap shot! Thank you all for your support and I am looking forward to a wonderful summer with you all!!
Summer Vermont scene.