If there is inclement weather, you can pick up your bag on the front porch, in the large Styrofoam cooler. If the weather is nice, you can pick up your bag on the shady side (right side) of the house in the large white Styrofoam cooler.
This week’s share:
cilantro
basil
dill
kale
green head lettuce
red leaf lettuce
oregano
Swiss chard
Hello! Summer is here, and I am happy not to harvest in the rain this week. But, it rained last night, so I spent a good portion of my time today rinsing lettuce.
Trying to keep up with the weeds is NOT going to kill me…I keep telling myself. That has been a challenge in between all the rain. Another challenge that has come up is the finding of Colorado Potato Beetles in the community gardens. My son helped pick the bugs off, and so far we have been safe from them. They like to feed on potato, peppers, eggplant, and tomato. These little bugs can be quite devastating, so “drop everything & pick bugs” is the directive.
We found five beans yesterday, which are signaling the onslaught of bean harvesting which will begin soon. We also harvested one kohlrabi today, so the other’s time is near! There are tomatoes forming, and the potatoes, watermelons, and muskmelons all have blossoms.
Compost Share
Good compost is black gold to gardeners. We have been making our own compost, and approximately every 30 days we have a complete batch. The struggle we’ve been having is our kitchen waste cannot keep up with the demand. This is where you come in: You reduce the amount you put into the landfill, and at the same time help us build healthy soil. You fill up an ice cream bucket/coffee can, etc. with food scraps, and then bring your full bucket of compostables at the pick-up site when you pick up your share and we'll have an empty bucket waiting for you. This is good for you and your food, and good for the environment.
Acceptable:
• All fruit and vegetable peelings and pits
• Non greasy food scraps or leftovers
• Rice, pasta, bread, cereal etc.
• Coffee grounds with filter, tea bags
• Hair and nails (animal or human)
• Egg and nut shells
• Cut or dried flowers, wreaths
• Houseplants and potting soil
•Dryer lint
•Vacuum cleaner bag contents
Not acceptable:
• Meat, chicken and fish
• Greasy food scraps
• Fat and oil
• Dairy items: cheese, butter
• Dog or cat feces, kitty litter
• Coal or charcoal
• Coconuts
• Diseased and/or insect-infested houseplants and soil
Thank you CSA member Kris S for the following recipes:
Baked Kale Chips (from smittenkitchen.com)
Adapted from a bunch of inspiring places
1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (I used Lacinato or “Dinosaur” Kale but I understand that the curlier stuff works, too, possibly even better)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I needed two because mine are tiny; I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.
Kale-Dusted Popcorn If you’re making the chips with the intention to grind them up for popcorn, I’d use less oil — perhaps half — so they grind without the “powder” clumping. I ground a handful of my chips (about half) in a mortar and pestle (well, actually the “pestle” was MIA so I used the handle of an OXO reamer, not that anyone asked) and sprinkled it over popcorn (1/4 cup popcorn kernels I’d cooked in a covered pot with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, shaking it about with potholders frequently). I seasoned the popcorn with salt. I liked this snack, but I think Parmesan and Kale-Dusted Popcorn would be even more delicious. Next time!
Freezing Greens
So, you've been enjoying all the kale, spinach, and lettuce you can eat. But let's be honest. There might still be some greens left over, and perhaps you are thinking, "Gee, I wish there was some way we could save these greens for later."
Luckily, there is a fast and easy way to preserve greens like kale, chard, spinach and mustard. Greens freeze VERY well, and with a little preparation you can fill your freezer with packets of greens that will make your day in January!
HOW TO DO IT
Wash and chop the greens into roughly 1-2 inch square pieces, removing any tough stems. Then plunge the greens into boiling water for the following periods:
Beet greens, kale, chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, spinach......................................2 minutes
Collards............................……………........................................................................3 minutes
As soon as the cooking time is up, plunge the greens in cold (preferably ice) water to stop the cooking process. Drain VERY well, and pack into storage containers (I use quart ziplock bags). Cool completely, label, and freeze! It is not only delightful, but quite convenient to pull a bag of parboiled greens out of the freezer for use in soups, stews, stir-fry, or for braising or sautéing. The thawed greens will require less cooking than they did when fresh, but, as always, cook to your tenderness preference.
How is it going?
How have your CSA bags been? Have things been squished, wilted, or otherwise not in good shape? How can things be improved upon? Any feedback you can provide will make a positive impact on our operation and on your food. We welcome you, and well, beg you to tell us how we’re doing.
Want Eggs?
If you are interested in getting eggs every week with your CSA share from an organic farmer, let me know and I may be able to arrange this.
Hope your week is fantastic! Kathy
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