Notes from the Farm

Welcome to Veggie Feast (CSA) 2020.  We hope to provide you with an abundance of fresh, healthy produce for the next 18 weeks!  We have been busy on the farm for several months preparing for the 2020 season and we thank you for supporting our farm.

FAQ’s

What time can I pick up my veggies?

We will have all the veggies packed and in the cooler by 11 am on the pick up days (Wednesday and Saturday).  You can pick up your share anytime between 11am – 8pm.

What if I cannot pick up my share at this time?

We understand that there are times when you may not be available to retrieve your veggies at the appointed time.  We can hold your share an extra day, please email and let us know that you plan to be a day late.  If you are going to be gone for the week you can either donate your veggies to a friend (please, please, please be specific in telling them what size share to grab) or tell us not to make a bag/box for you that week.  48 hour notice helps!

When does Veggie Feast (CSA) end?

Last week is the end of September.

Do you recycle packaging?

Yes! And no!  We can always reuse the box or brown paper bag, so please bring those back.  Due to Covid-19 we will no longer be able to reuse twist ties, and plastic bags.  Later in the season we will package tomatoes in plastic crates.  We can reuse these but ask that you save them and turn them in at the end of the season, so we can efficiently clean them all at once.  Much of our packaging was purchased long ago, or given to us by people getting out of the business.  In the future we will purchase biodegradable/compostable bags.  We know plastic sucks…. so do your best to reuse those bags!

This Week’s Veggie Feast

Asparagus

Asparagus can be lightly steamed, or roasted.  Stored in a bag in the fridge, it can last several days.

Pok Choi

Pok choi, also known as Pak choi or bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage, and is commonly used in east Asian cuisine.  This tender green can be sauteed, as in the recipe below, but also eaten raw.

Buttercrunch lettuce

One of our favorite lettuces, Buttercrunch has a smooth, velvety texture and packs some crunch at the same time.  Hence the name, although crunchy butter doesn’t really have the same appeal, does it?  When we pack the lettuce it often has some water droplets that get stuck in the leaves.  Take it out, give it a shake and let it sit on a clean kitchen towel to reduce the excess water before you put it in the fridge.  This will lengthen the time it stores.

Yellow dock

People laugh at us for eating “weeds.”  They actually can have a higher nutrient value compared to cultivated varieties of vegetables.  Yellow dock has a long taproot, which means in can survive drought and absorbs minerals and nutrients from deep in the soil.  This green has a lemony, sour taste.  You could chop it up finely and add it to a salad for extra flavor and texture.  It can also be added at the last possible moment to any dish that needs a green.  Careful to not cook it very long as it will turn into mush!

Garlic greens

Garlic is one of our favorite crops.  Planted in the fall, it’s stalks or greens can be consumed in late spring before the bulb develops.   You can use green garlic where you would use a clove of garlic (The flavor is milder).  Start chopping from the bulb and work your way up; as you get closer to the top the leaves get tougher and it will be harder to chew.  You can save the topmost portion for a vegetable broth.

Sage is also valued for it’s medicinal qualities, it has antiseptic qualities and can be used as a tea to soothe a sore throat.

Recipes

Garlic Sage Brown Butter

Source:  Adapted from The Spruce Eats

Shaved Asparagus Frittata

Source: The Smitten Kitchen

Notes:

• I added a few slices of proscuitto that I’d first crisped in the pan. While they were certainly not unwelcome, you’re not going to need them here to make a great, even vegetarian, frittata.
• My favorite peeler for ribbon-ing asparagus, and well, basically everything is a y-shaped one. I have this one. I like it so much get stressed when it’s in the dishwasher and I have to be away from it for an hour.
• I ended up expecting to use 4 ounces of goat cheese but only used 2. Use the amount that looks good to you; if you buy too much, the extra is great crumbled on at the end, or basically on anything, in my opinion. You could, of course, use a handful of any other cheese that you prefer here. Frittatas are flexible.

Serves 6 in dinner-sized wedges, presuming a salad or something else on the side. Takes about 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook, tops.

ingredients

1/2 pound asparagus, cleaned, not trimmed
2 ounces thinly sliced proscuitto (optional, see Note up top)
8 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled (to taste)

instructions

Prepare the asparagus: No need to snap off the tough ends of your asparagus. Lay a single stalk on its side on a cutting board. Holding onto the tough end, use a vegetable peeler to peel ribbons away from the tough end (and your hand) right through the soft tip. Discard the tough ends once you’re done peeling.

[As you get to the bottom of your stalk, you might find that the raised edge of your peeler is keeping the blade from shaving the asparagus as thin as you’d like. For this, I move the asparagus to the edge of the cutting board with the peeler blade half-off so you can get closer. Just be careful not to shave your cutting board. 🙂 ]

Crisp the proscuitto: If you’re using the proscuitto, heat the 12-inch ovenproof skillet you’ll use for the final frittata over medium heat. Lay slices in a single layer (will need to do this in two batches) and cook them until lightly brown underneath and curling. Flip them for another 20 to 30 seconds then transfer them to paper towels to blot off the extra oil and cool. Repeat with remaining proscuitto. You’ll use the pan again in a minute.

Heat your broiler.

Vigorously beat your eggs with the milk or cream, plus salt and pepper until well-combined. Stir in scallions and crumble in crisp proscuitto, if using. Gently add asparagus peels, just swishing the egg mixture over them.

Heat your skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Let it heat fully, then swish it around so it goes up the sides of the pan. Pour in asparagus and egg mixture, nudging the asparagus around so it mostly stays level with the eggs. Crumble goat cheese over, to taste. Cook gently (lowering the heat to medium-low if needed) for about 5 minutes, until the edges are set and brown but it’s still loose and eggy on top. Transfer skillet to the broiler and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until eggs are set on top.

Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges, or longer if you’d like to eat it at room temperature.