Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 15

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9-18-18

Large shares: Charentais melon, chard, cauliflower, eggplant, yellow onions, Austrian crescent fingerling potatoes, kohlrabi, beets, garlic, cilantro

Small shares: Charentais melon, cauliflower or kohlrabi, eggplant, yellow onion, red or fingerling potatoes, beets, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro

Green shares: perpetual spinach, red cabbage, lettuce

Roots shares: daikon radish bunch, parsley root, red carrots

Juicing shares: red kale, Charentais melon, chard, Italian parsley, carrot seconds, green cabbage

 

Dear CSA members,

Hello from an absolutely gorgeous fall day. Today besides CSA and deliveries we are finishing up our big winter squash harvest. Sometimes it can be a really fun group harvest for the crew while we all work to toss squashes to each other chain-gang style to fill the big bins on the tractor forks.

Today we brought in several tons of winter squash of many varieties! We will store the squash in our storage barn where it will stay warm and cozy and safe from rain and frosts. In the next several weeks it will cure and sweeten up for our fall and winter enjoyment.

Charentais Melon: A true French cantaloupe that originated in the Poitou-Charentes region circa 1920. Considered by many to be the most divine and flavorful melon in the world. Smooth round melons mature to a creamy gray or golden with faint ribs. Sweet, juicy, orange flesh with a heavenly fragrance. Store dry on the countertop until ready to eat, they don’t hold for long and so asap is best. . Small cracks are ok and just represent true ripeness. These are heirlooms that have been bred for flavor and not convenient pack ability for grocery stores.

Perpetual spinach: Perpetual spinach is actually a chard (beet family) but is very similar to true spinach in flavor. We prefer it as it is much easier to grow and far more vigorous than true spinach. It also has the advantage of constantly producing a new crop when picked and so is ideally suited to gardening in a small space. It’s a biennial that is grown as an annual for its big crinkly leaves. The stalks are red or white with large, dark green leaves that can be used as lettuce or spinach is used.

Daikon Radish: these long white winter radishes are primarily grown in Southeast and East Asia. Daikon is characterized by large, rapidly growing leaves and a long, white root. It is technically considered a cruciferous vegetable, and therefore has many of the same benefits in its leaves as those other popular vegetables. It is also praised for the nutrient content of its root, which is commonly pickled and eaten as a vegetable in Japan, China, and other Asian countries as a part of their cuisine. Daikon is also commonly used in diced form as an ingredient in soups, salads, curries, rice dishes, and various condiments, while the leaves are often consumed as typical green salad vegetable. The juice is most commonly marketed as a healthy beverage for a wide range of conditions. Daikon is extremely high in nutrients and antioxidants and low in calories.

Hope you all have a great week,

Asha

 

 

Charentais Melon Salad: In a small bowl combine 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine. Halve and seed a large Charentais melon, then slice into 1-inch thick wedges. Arrange the melon slices over 6 salad plates. Top melon slices with a slice of Prosciutto di San Daniele, scatter basil leaves on top and dress with the balsamic vinaigrette and freshly ground black pepper. From thecooksatelier.com

Melon smoothie:     1 (1-1/4 pound) Charentais melon 1-cup low fat vanilla yogurt 1 teaspoon lemon juice ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom (or cinnamon or nutmeg) Peel and seed melon. Chop into large chunks. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (don’t freeze completely). Place the yogurt in a blender. Place the chilled melon chunks on top of the yogurt. Add lemon juice and cardamom. Blend until frothy. Chill until ready to serve.

Spicy Cantaloupe Salad adapted from The Splendid Table’s How to Eat   1 medium and very ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into strips 2 limes, zested and juiced 1-2 tablespoons sugar 2 drops Asian fish sauce Dash of cayenne pepper, or 2 dashes if you’re serious Salt and pepper to taste. Put everything in a bowl. Stir! Refrigerate for an hour or so to let the flavors meld.

Peach and Tomato pasta: Prepare 12oz of spaghetti or linguine according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the spaghetti cooking liquid. Drain spaghetti and return to pot. Keep warm. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet cook 3 cloves of thinly sliced garlic in 1 tbsp hot oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 1-pint cherry tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add 2 lbs of pitted and sliced peaches. Cook for 4 minutes or more until peaches are just soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in ½ cup halved, pitted kalamata olives, 1/3 cup chopped basil leaves, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp crushed red pepper, 1/8 tsp black pepper; heat through. Add Peach mixture to cooked spaghetti along with reserved spaghetti cooking water. Toss to combine, season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature garnished with slivered toasted almonds. From Better Homes and Gardens August 2010 issue.  

Sautéed Daikon Greens with Onion, Garlic and Lemon 2 tsp sesame oil 1/2 onion, cut in thin half-moons pinch of sea salt 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped small 3 bunches daikon greens (1 bunch is the amount from 1 radish), washed and chopped a few slices of fresh lemon 1.  Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the oil. Add the onion and sea salt as soon as a little piece gently sizzles in the oil. Sauté, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until onion starts getting translucent.   2.  Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. 3.  Add the daikon greens and stir until the greens get coated with the oil and onions. Add a Tbsp or two of water. Cover and let cook until tender, 3-4 minutes. 4.  Remove from heat. Add squeezes of lemon juice when serving.

Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice: Cut 1 lb of cauliflower into peices and put in a food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower looks like rice. Into a medium skillet over medium heat add 1 tsp olive oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, then cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper and fresh squeezed lime juice to taste. Heat for 5 to 10 minutes ( fluff with a fork). You just want to heat it not burn. Once cauliflower is heated add 1/2 to 1 cup of loosely packed cilantro, mix and enjoy.

Eggplant with Lemon Tahini Dressing: Cut one large eggplant into ½ inch dice. Place in a steamer basket and steam until the cubes are tender and silky but still hold their shape, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside. In a small bowl whisk together 2 tbsp tahini, 1 tsp lemon zest and 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 cloves minced garlic, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp cayenne, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp cold water, and 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley. Stir the dressing into the eggplant, 1 tbsp at a time, until the eggplant is evenly coated but not drowning in dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with parsley.

 

Perpetual Spinach Salad: Chop 1 bunch chard, 4 cups perpetual spinach, shred 3 medium carrots, ¼ head of red cabbage, ¼ of a sweet onion. Toss together with 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice. Toast ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds. Add spicy herb salad dressing (see below) and top salads with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Smoky Eggplant Raita: Heat your grill t o 450 to 550 degrees with an area left clear or turned off for indirect heat. Peirce 1 lb of eggplant in several places with a knife. Grill Eggplant over indirect heat, covered, until very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to touch. Meanwhile, toast about ½ tsp of cumin in a small dry frying pan over med. Heat until fragrant and beginning to darken, 2 to 3 minutes. Pound fine with a motar and pestle. Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in pan over medium heat. Saute ¼ large onion for 3 minutes. Add 1 lg minced garlic clove and continue to sauté until both are softened, about 2 min more. Let cool slightly. Slit the eggplant lengthwise and scrape flesh from the skin. Chop flesh coarsely and set aside. Combine 1 cup whole milk yogurt, the onion mixture, 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, ¼ tsp sugar. Add eggplant and stir gently. Season to taste with coarse sea salt and cayenne pepper. Garnish with a little more cilantro. From the September 2010 issue of Sunset

Swiss Chard Quesadillas: Wash but do not dry 1 bunch of chard. Cut off the stems and slice them 1/4 inch thick; cut the leaves into 1/4 inch ribbons. Set aside. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup finely chopped scallion and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 3 min. Add the chard stems and cook, stirring often, until they are tender but retain a slight bite, 6 to 8 min. Add the leaves and cook, stirring, until they wilt and become quite tender, 3 to 5 min. For each quesadilla, spread 1 tbsp sour cream on a flour tortilla. Top with 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup pepper jack cheese, 1/4 of the chard mixture, and 1/4 cup Cotija. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, and a dash of hot sauce. Squeeze lime juice over the top. Fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling. Brush a large skillet with vegetabl oil and place over medium heat. Place the quesadilla in the pan and cook, turning once, until the tortilla is golden on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes total. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas.

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Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 13

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9-4-18

Large shares: Snow leopard honeydew melon, sweet corn, chard, purple or yellow finn potatoes, romano or green beans, yellow onion, eggplant, summer squash, heirloom tomatoes, Italian parsley,bell peppers, garlic

Small shares: sweet corn, chard, purple potatoes, romano beans, yellow onion, eggplant, summer squash, sungold or heirloom tomatoes, bell pepper, Italian parsley, garlic

Green shares: braising mix bunch, green cabbage, lettuce

Roots shares: kohlrabi, cipollini onions, carrots

Juicing shares: apples, cucumbers, red kale, tomatoes, bell peppers, green cabbage

 

Dear CSA members,

Here we are in September already. I hope you all had a great Labor day weekend! We have to harvest on Mondays whether it is a holiday or not so not such a long weekend for us. I love the weather in September, cool nights and reasonably warm days with beautiful blue skies. It is really the best time of year on the farm with all the fabulous food we have. There is tons of fruit growing in the wild trees and vines around the farm too. I have been busy harvesting pears, plums, blackberries and apples to dry and preserve before they are all gone.

Thank you all for ordering tomato seconds this week! I had the perfect ammount of orders to use up the seconds that we had available. There will be more next week so watch for the email if you are still interested in ordering.

The second planting of sweet corn came on so another round for us, plus plenty of tomatoes for all. Almost everyone got Romano beans this week except a few large shares got regular green beans. The Romano beans are large and flat podded. They are used often in Italian cooking and are delicious and robust, similar to green beans. I think they are excellent marinated and then roasted!

Large shares received a Snow leopard honeydew melon this week. This is our first time growing this variety. The vines weren’t super productive but they are really delicious and sweet. They have a showy white rind with green speckles. The white flesh has a sweet honeydew flavor with a bit firmer texture. They are lovely eaten with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, wrapped with prosciutto or in a fruit salad skewer. Store the melon in the refrigerator and use up asap. There wil be watermelons for all the shares next week!

The braising mix bunches for the greens shares are a mix of chard, kale, and mustard greens that are excellent for steaming, sauteeing, stewed, braised. They can be served on their own, as a side dish, or incorporated in tacos, burritos, pizza, soups and stews.

Cipollini onions: The root share received these this week. These slightly flattened, disc like onions originate in the Reggio Emilia province of Italy, an area also known for “Prosciutto of Parma” ham and “Parmigiano Reggiano”. They are exceptionally sweet are great for roasting or caramelizing.

Have a great week,

Asha

 

Fried Romano Beans: In a medium saucepan whisk ½ cup Dijon Mustard, ¼ cup honey, 2 tsp hot sauce, 1 ½ tsp soy sauce and a pinch of dried mustard, cook over low heat until warmed. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. In a medium Dutch oven fitted with a thermometer over medium high heat, heat 4 cups canola oil to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 large egg whites to soft peaks; add in 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, and 1 ½ cups club soda. Working in batches, dip 1 lb Romano beans with ends trimmed, one at a time into batter, and then drop into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with dipping sauce.

Garlicky Roasted Romano Beans: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim 1 lb Romano Beans and toss whole with ¼ cup olive oil, 3 cloves smashed garlic, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until the beans are browned and tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tangy Coleslaw: Combine: 1 cup mayonnaise, 4 scallions, chopped, 2 tsp cider vinegar, 1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ¼ tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp sugar. Place in a large bowl, dress and toss tightly: 3 cups shredded Cabbage, 3 cups shredded Arugula, 1 carrot, grated, and ½ of a green bell pepper cut into strips. Makes 6 servings. (From the Joy of Cooking.)

Sesame ginger romano beans: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium high heat, heat 1 cup vegetable oil. Add 3 small shallots, thinly sliced, and fry, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss 1 lb fresh romano beans (stem ends trimmed), with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger, and 1 tsp salt to coat. Roast beans until tender but still green, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer beans to a serving dish and toss with sesame seeds. Top with reserved shallots.

Algerian Carrot Salad: Thinly slice 2 lbs fresh carrots. Put the carrots and enough water to cover by 2 inches in a 2 to 3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil over mediums-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and reserve until ready to use. Heat 2 tbsp of walnut oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 medium chopped yellow onion, 3 cloves of crushed garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved carrots and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring often. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing in a small bowl; whisk together ¼ cup walnut oil, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper, 1/8 cup minced fresh cilantro, 1/8 cup minced fresh parsley until well blended. Combine the carrot mixture, dressing and 1 cup finely chopped pitted dates in a serving bowl, toss until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once or let cool to room temperature and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings. From Cooking in Cast Iron.

Italian Style Salsa Verde: In a small bowl, combine ½ cup coarsely chopped Italian Parsley, ¼ cup each coarsely chopped chives, fennel fronds, or dill, mint leaves, tarragon and shallots; 2 tbsp finely chopped capers; 2 tsp coarsely chopped sage leaves, and ¾ tsp kosher salt. Whisk in 1 ¼ cups fruity extra virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust salt. Chill overnight if possible, so flavors can marry. Makes 1 ¾ cups.

Tabbouleh: Cook 4 cups coarse bulgur or quinoa, and cool slightly. Combine bulgur or quinoa, 1 large grated carrot, 2 cups tightly packed fresh Italian parsley leaves and 2 tbsp dried currants. In a jar combine, 3 tbsp olive oil, 4 tbsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 large clove roasted garlic, 1/3 cup fresh mint, minced, 1 tbsp lemon zest, and ½ tsp sea salt. Shake well to blend. Pour the dressing over the bulgur mixture and toss to thoroughly coat the grains. Taste and add more olive oil, lemon juice, mint or salt as needed.

Ratatouille Provencal: Heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven over high heat; ¼ cup olive oil. Add and cook, stirring, until golden and just tender, 10 to 12 minutes: 1 medium Eggplant, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks, and 1 lb zucchini, cut into 1 inch chunks. Remove the vegetables to a plate and reduce the heat to medium high. Add and cook, stirring, until the onions are slightly softened: 2 tbsp olive oil and 1-½ cups sliced onions. Add a cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender but not browned, 8 to 12 minutes: 2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch chunks, 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add: 1 ½ cups peeled, seeded, chopped fresh tomatoes, or one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained. 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook until everything is tender, about 20 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in ¼ cup chopped fresh basil and chopped pitted black olives if desired. From the Joy of Cooking.

Red chard and Rice: heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepot over medium heat. Add 4 slices bacon, finely chopped. Cook 2 minutes. Add 2 cloves garlic and stir 1 minute. Add 1 small bunch red chard, stemmed and chopped, season with a little nutmeg, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika. When the chard is wilted add 1 cup white rice and stir 1 minute more. Add 1 ¾ cups chicken stock or water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover the pot. Cook 15 to 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and serve

Baked Eggplant Sandwiches: Slice 2 eggplants into ½ inch thick rounds and lightly salt them. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. Mix together; 1-cup bread crumbs, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsely, and black pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set up a work station with a plate of ½ lb sliced provolone or mozzarella, a plate with the eggplant slices, a bowl of flour, a bowl of beaten eggs, and a bowl with the bread crumb mixture, and an oiled baking sheet. For each sandwich, place a slice of cheese between two slices of eggplant. Hold the sandwich firmly and coat the sides with flour. Dip the sandwich first into the eggs and then into the bread-crumbs to coat both sides. Place the finished sandwich on the baking sheet. Continue assembling the sandwiches until you have used all the eggplant slices. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. These are best served bubbly hot.

 

Roasted Tomatoes and Cipollini: Preheat oven to 375. Boil a small pot of water and blanche 1 lb whole cipollini for 10 seconds, then plunge them into cold water. Use paring knife to make a small slit in each, and slide them out of their skins and outer layer. Spread peeled onions and 1 lb chopped tomatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil and a few good pinches of coarse salt. Toss everything together until well coated and roast in oven for 45 minutes, reaching in every 15 minutes with a spatula to roll the tomatoes and onions around to ensure all sides get blistered. Just before you take the tomatoes and onions out, place 4 1-inch thick slices of country or ciabatta bread on the oven rack and let them toast lightly. You can rub the toasts with a halved garlic clove, if you like, while still hot. Use tongs to arrange the toast in one layer on a serving platter. Dump 1½ cups cooked white beans over the bread. You can also use 1 15 oz can of white beans rinsed and drained. Scrape the entire contents of the tomato- and -onion roasting pan, still hot, over the beans. Do not skimp on the juices that have collected, all of them – don’t leave any in the pan. Sprinkle the dish with a few slivered basil leaves and eat at once. Serves 4 as a small dish, 2 as a main. (From smittenkitchen.com)

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 7

 

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8-8-17

 

Large shares: Arugula, lacinato kale, red onion, yellow onion, new potatoes, summer squash, shell peas, lemon cucumbers, jalapeno pepper, garlic, sungold cherry tomatoes, basil

 

Small shares: Arugula, lacinato kale, green cabbage, yellow onion, cucumber, shell peas, new potatoes, summer squash, garlic

 

Greens shares: Arugula, romaine lettuce, mustard greens

 

Roots shares: carrots, turnips, Walla Walla onion, beets

 

Juicing shares: red cabbages, cucumbers, beet seconds, red carrot seconds, Italian parsley

 

Dear CSA members,

 

Hope you are all weathering these hot smoky conditions well enough. I work outside all day and I must say I have developed some mild throat and lung irritation due to the smoke. We are certainly hoping for a nice westerly wind sometime soon to clear things out a bit, and of course that the fires are over soon for the forests of British Columbia.

 

Though things have been pretty hot temperature wise it thankfully didn’t reach the 105 to 107 that was originally forecast for last Thursday. I have been continually amazed by the extreme weather fluctuations we now seem to experience with regularity. This year we went from the wettest rainy season in 60 years to one of the longest stretches with out precipitation ever recorded for the area. We have also had consistent high temperatures above 80 degrees for 15 days or so… also unusually warm for us. I guess we can just expect the unexpected when it comes to climate conditions.

 

Out in our fields the crew has been working super hard as our harvest volumes increase by the week. They have been doing a great job getting the produce harvested, washed and to the cooler in the extra hot and dry conditions. We have a picking of the last of the shell peas for the year, tomatoes beginning to ripen, fresh onions being harvested, and even a jalapeno pepper for the large shares. The Heirloom tomato plants that are so loaded with fruit are starting to get color, so it won’t be long until we have enough for CSA. We managed to find enough Sungolds for the large share this week as well as a generous portion of fresh basil.

 

Sungold cherry tomatoes are bright tangerine orange cherry tomatoes that are citrusy and sweet with floral and grape notes. Considered by many to be the best cherry tomato, Sungolds are delicious raw in salads, grilled on skewers with other vegetables, or cooked into a relish or jam. Store cherry tomatoes at room temperature and use up within 3 or 4 days. Sungolds have a tendency to crack when ripe so watch out for that.

 

Another new item for the large shares is the lemon cucumbers. These small, light yellow, lemon shaped (but not flavored) cucumbers are an heirloom variety. They are tender and thin- skinned and have a nice small serving size.

 

Large shares also received a jalapeno pepper. The jalapeno is considered the most popular hot pepper in the world and is considered mild to medium in hot pepper terms. About 2500 to 8000 in the Scoville heat units classification. By contrast a Cayenne pepper has about 25,000 to 30,000 SHU! You can use a jalapeno to spice up salsas, pickles, marinades, dressings, a quesadilla or meats and beans for burritos. Not using the seeds will reduce the heat.

 

Everyone received Arugula this week. Arugula is an aromatic salad green often found in Italian cuisine. It has a peppery and nutty flavor and is quite delicate, use it up as soon as possible!

 

Have a great week,

 

Asha

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sungold Tomato Caprese Salad: Combine 3 cups halved Sungold cherry tomatoes, 1 cup chopped Cherokee Purple tomato, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 3 oz. fresh mozzarella balls, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper. Mix gently and top with 1/3 cup torn fresh basil leaves.

 

Arugula, Onion and Citrus Salad: wash and trim a large bunch of arugula. In a medium bowl drizzle the arugula with ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, gently toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 salad plates and top with the divided segments to 2 oranges or grapefruits and thinly sliced red onion to taste. Season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of additional olive oil.

 

 

Kale Caesar Salad: Preheat oven to 300. For croutons, mince 2 garlic cloves, in a medium saucepan warm ¼ cup olive oil and the minced garlic over low heat; remove. Add 4 cups bread cubed into 1 inch pieces. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt. Stir to coat. Spread bread pieces in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Bake 20 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, stirring once. Cool completely. Meanwhile, for the dressing, in a blender combine 4 cloves garlic, ½ cup olive oil, 6 anchovy filets, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, and 2 egg yolks. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Remove stems from 3 large bunches of lacinato kale and thinly slice the leaves. Add the dressing, and using your hands work the dressing into the kale. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. To serve, sprinkle with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and top with croutons.

 

Arugula Pesto: in a food processor combine, ½ cup walnuts, 1 large garlic clove, 2 cups packed arugula leaves, ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup olive oil and kosher salt to taste. Puree until smooth. You can also cut back the arugula and substitute in some basil leaves. From epicurious.com

 

Cucumbers Wedges with Chile and Lime: Wash 2 8 to 10 inch cucumbers and slice off the ends. Halve each crosswise and then slice each half lengthwise to make wedges. Place cucumbers in a large bowl. Halve a lime and discard any seeds. Squeeze lime juice over the cucumber wedges and toss gently to coat, dust with salt and a spicy flavorful chile powder such as Chimayo. Serve immediately.

 

Summer Squash and Arugula Pesto Pasta: boil water for pasta and make a batch of pesto (see above). Saute I medium chopped onion and 3 + cloves of chopped garlic. Add 3 cups cubed summer squash and sauté until tender. When pasta is done, pile a generous helping on your plate and mix with the vegetable sauté and pesto.

 

Pesto Potato Salad 

4 pounds fingerling potatoes, quartered

1 pound green beans, cut into one-inch segments

1 to 2 small garlic cloves, peeled

2 bunches of basil (about one ounce each)

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

¨6 tablespoons (or more to taste)

mild vinegar, such as champagne, white wine or a white balsamic

1/4 cup chopped green scallions

1/2 cup pine nuts toasted

Parmesan cheese to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; cook four minutes longer. Drain well and let cool, then transfer potatoes and beans to a large bowl. Wash and dry the basil. Puree in a food processor with garlic, drizzling in enough olive oil that it gets saucy. Season the pesto with salt and pepper. Toss the beans and potatoes with pesto. Stir in vinegar, green onions, pine nuts and season with salt, pepper and/or additional vinegar to taste. Finally, shave some parmesan over the salad. Serve immediately, or make this up to two hours in advance. It can be stored at room temperature.

 

Cucumber Salad with caramelized onions and herbs: slice onions into ¼ inch thick slices (enough to yield 1 cup) and toss to separate into rings. Have a slotted spoon and double layer of paper towels ready. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil to 275 in a small, deep heavy saucepan and drop in onion rings. Cook onions, stirring often, until they turn a uniform light brown, about 8 to 12 minutes. They’ll brown faster toward the end, so be careful. Lift onions from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tsp onion oil for vinaigrette; let cool. For the vinaigrette: whisk together 1 tbsp each champagne and rice vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tp salt, and ½ tsp pepper together in a bowl until salt and vinegar dissolve. Add reserved onion oil and 1 tbsp minced onion and whisk well to blend. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and lemon juice. Slice several fresh cucumbers into ¼ inch thick slices with a knife. Toss cucumbers and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes with vinaigrette. Add 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, and 1 tbsp roughly chopped red or green shiso (optional). Arrange salad on a platter and top with finely diced mild cucumber pickles and fried onions.

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week 10

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8-16-16

Large Shares: Lacinato kale, Romaine lettuce, slicing cucumbers, lemon cucumber, bell pepper, summer squash, carrots, Romano beans or green beans, yellow onion, red onion, cherry tomatoes, Penasco blue garlic, cilantro

Small Shares: carrots, golden beets, green cabbage, yellow onion, lemon cucumbers, kohlrabi, cilantro, green beans

 

Dear CSA members,

Week 10 and mid August! We are certainly in the peak of the summer season. With warm/hot temperatures forecast for some time to come we should indeed see a significant upswing in harvests in the near future. Everyone who ordered boxes of tomato seconds hang in there, they are coming! We may be adding quite a bit to the bulk order list including green beans and pickling cucumbers.

New this week is Romano Beans: Green Romano beans are broad and flattened in shape, averaging about five inches in length at maturity. The beans have a stringless seam that opens rather easily while still young. The pods cling loosely to a series of about six tiny lime green to white colored peas. The beans are crisp and fleshy in texture, extremely succulent, offering a subtlety sweet and grassy flavor. They are great both raw and cooked.

This week I wanted to share with you some thoughts on the benefits of organic agriculture, just to reiterate the reasons why we do what we do. As well as why you choose to spend your food dollars with us.

Soil. Soil building practices such as crop rotations, inter-cropping, symbiotic associations, cover crops, organic fertilizers and minimum tillage are central to organic practices. Organic practices encourage soil fauna and flora, improve soil formation and structure and create more stable systems. In turn, nutrient and energy cycling is increased and the retentive abilities of the soil for nutrients and water are enhanced, and soil erosion is reduced. If we treat our soil right our crops will show it by increased vigor, flavor and disease/pest resistance.

Water. In many agriculture areas, pollution of groundwater  with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides is a major problem. As the use of these is prohibited in organic agriculture, they are replaced by organic fertilizers (e.g. compost, animal manure, green manure) and through the use of greater biodiversity (in terms of species cultivated and permanent vegetation), The enhanced soil stucture and better nutrient retention and water infiltration of well managed organic systems  greatly reduce the risk of groundwater pollution.

Air and climate change. Organic agriculture reduces non-renewable energy use by decreasing agrochemical needs (these require high quantities of fossil fuel to be produced). Organic agriculture contributes to mitigating the greenhouse effect and global warming through its ability to sequester carbon in the soil. Many management practices used by organic agriculture (e.g. minimum tillage, returning crop residues to the soil, the use of cover crops and rotations, and the greater integration of nitrogen-fixing legumes), increase the return of carbon to the soil, raising productivity and favoring carbon storage. A number of studies revealed that soil organic carbon contents under organic farming are considerably higher. The more organic carbon is retained in the soil, the higher the potential of agriculture to mitigate climate change.

Biodiversity. Organic farmers are both custodians and users of biodiversity at all levels. By utilizing traditional, heirloom and adapted seeds and breeds organic farmers choose varieties that have adapted resistance to diseases and climactic stress and therefore reqire less inputs to create a marketable crop. Organic farms also by and large maintain natural areas within and around their lanscapes, that combined with the absence of chemical inputs creates suitable habitats for birds, pollinating insects and other species that may benefit our crops. Many recent studies have concluded that organic farming produces more biodiversity than other farming systems.

Thank you and have a great week,

Asha

 

 

 

 

Oriental Cilantro Slaw: Shred 1 medium cabbage (6 cups). Place the cabbge in a large serving bowl. Mix in 1 large shredded carrot, 1 cup tightly packed minced fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup thinnnly sliced scallions. In a jar combine, 3 tbsp canola oil, 3 to 4 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp tamari, 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and finely chopped and sea salt to taste. Shake well to blend, pour dressing over the salad and toss well. Add more lime juice and tamari as needed.  Garnish with 1/2 cup chopped toasted and salted peanuts.

Sesame ginger Romano Beans: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium high heat, heat 1 cup vegetable oil. Add 3 small shallots, thinly sliced, and fry, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss 1 lb fresh romano (or green) beans (stem ends trimmed), with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger, and 1 tsp salt to coat. Roast beans until tender but still green, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer beans to a serving dish and toss with sesame seeds. Top with reserved shallots.

Cucumber Salad with Caramelized Onions and Herbs: slice onions into ¼ inch thick slices (enough to yield 1 cup) and toss to separate into rings. Have a slotted spoon and double layer of paper towels ready. Heat 2 cups vegetable oil to 275 in a small, deep heavy saucepan and drop in onion rings. Cook onions, stirring often, until they turn a uniform light brown, about 8 to 12 minutes. They’ll brown faster toward the end, so be careful. Lift onions from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve 2 tsp onion oil for vinaigrette; let cool. For the vinaigrette: whisk together 1 tbsp each champagne and rice vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tp salt, and ½ tsp pepper together in a bowl until salt and vinegar dissolve. Add reserved onion oil and 1 tbsp minced onion and whisk well to blend. Season to taste with more salt, pepper and lemon juice. Slice several fresh cucumbers into ¼ inch thick slices with a knife. Toss cucumbers and 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes with vinaigrette. Add 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, and 1 tbsp roughly chopped red or green shiso (optional). Arrange salad on a platter and top with finely diced mild cucumber pickles and fried onions.

Tomato, Red onion, and Purple Pepper Salad with Yogurt Dressing: Thinnly slice 1 medium red onion, place in a salad bowl, sprinkle on 2 tbsp fresh lime juice and 1 tsp salt and mix well. Set aside for 30 minutes. Slice 1 hot chile into matchsticks and add to the onion, cut one medium purple bell pepper into ½ inch wide strips about 1 inch long and toss with the onions and chile. Just before serving add 2 to 3 tomatoes cut into ½ inch pieces and ¾ cup full fat yogurt and toss gently to mix. Taste for salt and adjust, if you wish, and add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Green (or Romano) Beans on the Grill: put 1 lb of green beans on a sheet of aluminum foil large enough to fold and seal. You may need to fold two sheets together. (you can also use one sheet of foil to set the pouch on. This way if any liquid seeps out or it pulls apart it dosen’t leave a mess.) drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over the beans. Add 2 – 3 minced garlic cloves and 1 tsp crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Toss beans with tongs until well coated. Add 1 to 2 tbsp water and fold aluminum foil together at the top and pinch the sides closed. Cook the green bean pouch on the grill until the beans are tender. (food.com)

Roasted Golden Beets and Sauteed Beet Greens: trim one bunch medium beets with tops to 1 inch. Wash and chop greens and stems. Scrub beets and wrap tightly in heavy duty foil. Roast in the 400 degree oven until tender, 50 minutes. Cool, peel and cut into wedges. Sauté greens, stems and 2 tsp minced garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat until tender, 6 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, 2 tbsp each pistachios and goat cheese. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. ( from Prevention magazine June 2012)

Lemon Ricotta Summer Squash Galette: thinly slice 2 medium zucchini ( about 2 ½ cups) and sprinkle lightly with salt. Transfer to a colander; drain for 15 minutes. Pat dry with a paper towel. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, on a large piece of lightly floured parchment, roll ½ of a 15oz package of refrigerated unbaked dough to a 12 inch circle. Transfer parchment and dough to a large baking sheet; set aside. For ricotta filling; in a medium bowl whisk together ¾ cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 clove of minced garlic, 1 tsp olive oil, 2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Using a spatula spread the ricotta filling over dough, leaving a 1 ½ inch border. Top with squash rounds. Drizzle with more olive oil. Gently fold over pastry edges, pleating as necessary. In a small bowl whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp water. Lightly brush pastry edges with egg mixture. Transfer galette to oven. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh dill weed, if desired. Serve warmor ar room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Cilantro Pesto: In a food processor or blender combine. 1/3 cup olive oil, 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 cup tightly packed minced fresh cilantro, 1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts, finely chopped, 2 large cloves roasted garlic, or 1 small clove raw garlic peeled and minced, 1 tsp mild chili powder, 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds, 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon, 3/4 tsp sea salt.  Great served over beans and grains, bean and grain salads, this pesto is delicious brushed onto grilled corn on the cob or tossed with cooked corn kernels.

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA week #18

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10-13-15

Day in Autumn

by Ranier Maria Rilke

After the summer’s yield, Lord, it is time 

to let your shadow lengthen on the sundials 

and in the pastures let the rough winds fly. 

As for the final fruits, coax them to roundness. 

Direct on them two days of warmer light

to hale them golden toward their term, and harry 

the last few drops of sweetness through the wine. 

Whoever’s homeless now, will build no shelter; 

who lives alone will live indefinitely so, 

waking up to read a little, draft long letters, 

and, along the city’s venues, 

fitfully wander, when the wild leaves loosen.

Large shares: Delicata squash, red fingerling potatoes, yellow onions, Korean red garlic, mizuna, rapini, eggplant, watermelon radishes, cherry tomatoes, butterhead lettuce, rosemary

Small shares: Delicata squash, red fingerling potatoes, cabbage, vitamin green, yellow onion, Korean red garlic, sweet pepper, green beans, rosemary

Dear CSA members,

We have, at long last, arrived at our 18th and last delivery for the summer CSA. It has been an amazing journey from the delicate lettuces and strawberries of early summer to the heavy cabbages and winter squash of this last box. It all seems to have gone by so fast, and yet mid June seems so long ago at the same time. We, as a farm crew, are all ready for a bit of respite. But we will also be sad to see the season end, as many of our long time crew members will be moving on to bigger and better after this season.

This, being our 11th season as a small organic farm, in some ways blends together with the many seasons we have behind us. A few things stand out in my mind however.  It was the hottest, driest spring/summer that I can ever remember. In years past, we have always worried that we could get enough warm, sunny dry weather for our heat loving crops to mature. In fact too much water has always been a bit of a problem around here (big floods of 2007 ring a bell?) This year we had the opposite, with crop failures/yield reductions due to the hot dry conditions. Beans dropped blossoms during the hottest part of the summer, tomatoes experienced sunburn, sections of the potato and winter squash didn’t get the water they needed and had a smaller yield or in the case of the potatoes that did get water, grew so fast they developed hollow centers. Overall though, these crops as well as most of the fall greens and root crops experienced a nice comeback once we got that big rainstorm in late August and things cooled down a bit.

Second: we have some serious disease challenges that weren’t around when we started farming in this area 15 years ago. We have experienced an upswing in major diseases such as downy mildew in the onions, leaf rust fungus in the garlic, and clubroot in the brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage etc.). We trialed some new onions varieties with the help of High Mowing Seeds that are possibly disease resistant and are working on solutions for the club root as well as other pests such as flea and cucumber beetles that are continuous challenges for us. One thing that I know will be a positive for us is leasing 5 new acres for next year! Good crop rotation/fallow cycles are of the utmost importance when it comes to pests and diseases, as well as fertility management of our soil.

Third; thanks to you, our CSA had its most sucessful year ever! Our membership increased to the largest yet, and we had a higher percentage of folks pay in full, which really helps out our finances in the early season. We also had a higher percentage of returning members than ever, which is always a great feeling. Despite the challenges of the hot, dry season, and Joseph breaking his ankle, we were still able to deliver 18 weeks of gorgeous produce, with the large share receiving 15% more than they paid for in produce.

We are certainly appreciative of the support you have given us by becoming members of our CSA, and hope that you have been satistifed with your experience and the produce that you have received. We will be continuing on for four more weeks with our fall CSA option if you are interested in joining us and haven’t already done so. The majority of the crops that we produce in the fall can be stored for several weeks if not longer, so it is a great way to stock up on local produce for the winter months.

Wobbly Cart will also continue to be at the Olympia Farmers Market  through October Thursday through Sunday. November and December Saturday and Sundays. We offer 15% off for all our CSA customers at the market stand so come on down and see us this fall and winter!

I also thought I would go over a couple of crops that may be unfamiliar to you:

Mizuna is a Japanese green that has a mild earthy, peppery taste. It is very tender and makes excellent salads and stir-fries. It will keep for 3 to 4 days loosely wrapped in plastic and stored in the crisper drawer of your fridge.

Delicata Squash: These are, in my humble opinion, the best winter squash there is. Delicata have excellent sweet flavor, tender skins, and a very manageable size that make them easy to transport and process. Kept cool and dry, these squash will keep for several weeks and possibly months. Their flavor will improve over time if you can hold off from eating them tonight!

Vitamin green: this asian green is similar to bok choy but more delicate in texture. I noticed that this batch is extra tender and likely to get slightly bruised. I would attribute this to the warm growing conditons we have been having this October. That said, you should probably use these up very soon! Vitamin green is also very sweet and delicious so that shouldn’t be a problem. They are great sautéed, or eaten fresh.

Rapini is essentially the Italian equivalent to turnip greens. Used extensively in Italian and Chinese cooking, it is not as popular in the United States but is gaining popularity. The stems are generally uniform in size (hence cook evenly) and need not be peeled. Clean it as you would other greens, removing the bottom portion of the stems which appear tough (sometimes the stems are tougher than other times depending on the age of the rapini). They stems can be removed up to where the leaves begin, and sautéed before adding the leaves to the pan. This vegetable is a source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium.  To maintain crispness, refrigerate, unwashed, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag or wrap for up to 3 days.

Thank you all and we hope to see you in the Fall CSA as well as in the 2016 Summer CSA!

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

Delicata squash with rosemary, sage and cider glaze: Peel 2 medium delicata squash, cut lengthwise in half, scoop out the seeds. Cut each half lengthwise again, and then into 1 1/2 inch slices. Melt 3 tbsp butter in a large heavy skillet over low heat, add in 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage, 1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh rosemary and cook 3 to 5 minutes, just until the butter begins to brown. Do not brown the herbs. Add the squash to the skillet, then add 1 1 /2 cups fresh apple cider, 1 cup water, 2 tsp sherry vinegar, and 1 tsp salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is reduced and the squash is tender about 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Pickled Onion Watermelon Radish Salad: Slice 1 small sweet onion into thin rounds, slice 1 large watermelon radish into thin rounds, Add 1/3 cup orange juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp sea salt, ½ tsp pepper, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, and a splash of rice wine vinegar. Toss well. Place in fridge to chill overnight. Serve!

Rapini and garlic: Chop 3 cloves garlic. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet add the garlic and then the bunch of rapini that has the bottom of the stems removed and then been chopped. Turn the greens to wilt them and coat with the oil. Add 1 cup chicken broth, cover the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve.

Watermelon Radish Chips with Cumin Salt: Peel 4 to 6 Watermelon Radishes and thinly slice. If you have a mandolin, this is ideal for getting the most uniformly thin slices. Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in a small pot. When hot, toss a handful of radish, making sure you don’t crowd the pot. Fry for about 8 t 10 minutes until really brown. You’ll be tempted to take them out earlier, but you need them to crisp up. They do take longer than potato chips. Continue until done. Season each batch separately and set aside. To make cumin salt – add one tsp salt and ½ tsp cumin and mix in a small bowl, season the radish chip with this. Makes a great appetizer. (From janespice.com.)

Delicata Squash Rings: Preheat oven to 375. Take a whole delicata squash and slice it across sideways. This will make ring shapes out of it. Scoop the seeds out of the middles of your squash rings. Lightly oil a large cast iron skillet with olive oil. Lay the rings out in a single layer across the skillet. Place in the hot oven. Bake for about 10 minutes. Then flip the rings with a spatula. Bake the other side until both sides are lightly browned and the squash is tender. Remove from oven and serve.

Mustard Greens turnovers (could use rapini, vitamin green, or mizuna here): prehat oven to 400. place 1 lb mustard greens (stems removed) in a colander, rinse with cool water, and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup chopped onion and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1 garlic clove, minced, and cook 1 minute more, add the chopped greens and cook unitl they wilt and are tender, about 5 minutes. transfer the green back to the colander and press to extract any extra liquid. place them in a large mixing bowl and stir in 5 oil-cured black olives that have been chopped, 8 slow-roasted tomato halves that have been finely chopped, and 1/4 cup feta cheese. You should have about 1 1/2 cups filling.

Unfold 2 sheets frozen puff pastry that has been defrosted onto a lighty floured surface. depending on pastry size, cut each sheet into four 4 inch squares. Divide the filling amongst 8 pastry squares, leaving a 1 inch border. Fold each square into a triangle, enclosing the filling, and seal the pastry by firmly pressing fork tines along the open edges. Use a sharp knife to make 2 1/2 inch long vents in the top of each turnover. Place the turnovers on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush their tops with beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #11

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Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #11

 

8/25/15

 

Large shares: yellow doll watermelon, oak leaf lettuce, eggplant, red tomato, Romano beans, sweet pepper, sweet corn, lemon cucumbers, yellow onion, cilantro, arugula

 

Small shares: yellow doll watermelon, sweet corn, chard, new potatoes, cilantro, romaine lettuce, salad cucumbers, garlic, either Romano beans, green beans or sweet onion.

 

Dear CSA members,

 

Watermelon harvest worked out really well on Monday afternoon. I was pleased that we were able to get enough small and large melons all at once for CSA this week! The variety is called “yellow doll” and has a bright lemon yellow flesh with a sweet, dense and crisp flavor and mouth-feel. This variety is good for our climate because they are small in size and mature quickly. This has been an excellent summer for melon growing, and despite this being our first effort at a large scale melon planting the vines are producing more and larger fruits than the average (at least as described by the seed company). Some of the small shares have a melon that is just touching the lid, so I hope they make it to you in good enough condition! We tried very hard to size them to fit the boxes, but like I said they were certainly above average size all around!

 

While washing CSA boxes this morning in preparation for packing I came a cross a plant tag stuck to the inside of one of the boxes. I pulled it out, and being naturally curious, read the tag. It was from a home depot plant of some kind, but I went on to read. “This plant has been treated with neonicotinoids to protect it from aphids, mites, whiteflies and other insect pests”. Wobbly Cart has been supporting a WSU native pollinator project that has been studying native bee populations of organic farms for the past couple of years. Through this project we have been learning a lot about honey bee and native pollinator declines and the link between this and the increased use of neonicotinoid pesticides.

 

Neonicotinoids are systemic insecticides that are taken up by a plant through either its roots or leaves and move through the plant just like water and nutrients do. These insecticides provide very effective control of piercing and sucking insects in this manner. There are currently around 465 products containing neonicotinoids approved for use in the state of Washington. Approximately 150 are approved for use in the home or garden. The systemic action of this insecticide is what makes it a problem for honey bees and other pollinators; because the pesticide spreads withing the entire plant, it can also be found in the nectar and pollen of the flowers.

 

Ongoing research is being conducted to learn more about Colony Collapse Disorder and the long term effects neonicotinoids can and will have on bee populations. There is increasing evidence that these pesticides could have a “sub-lethal” effect on bees and other pollinators by imparing their learning behavior, reduced reproduction, memory loss, reduced immune function, and altered foraging behavior. Due to this evidence the European Union has suspended use of neonicotinoid pesticides until impacts on bees can be further assessed. The United States has yet to take action, though I did hear that the State of Washington has banned their use on state property landscapes. These products are not allowed in organic production. I urge you to be cautious in purchasing plants and look for tags that indicate they have been treated with neonicotinoids and or in using insecticides in your landscape, you may be having a far reaching effect beyond just the pest you are trying to eliminate.

 

Thanks for supporting farms and enjoy this weeks’ box,

 

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

Potato Salad with Herb and Caper Dressing

 

Tender new potatoes

Mixed Herbs, such as basil, parsley, mint, cilantro, and tarragon

1 T capers

Juice and zest of one lemon

2-3 t Dijon mustard

1 T red wine vinegar

½-3/4 cup Olive Oil

Salt and pepper

 

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Slice while still warm. Meanwhile, make vinaigrette. Put a bunch of mixed herbs in a food processor. Add capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper. Drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running. Taste for salt, acid, and balance. Add more oil if necessary. Toss dressing into warm potatoes.

 

Watermelon, Cucumber and Lime Salad

 

Watermelon

Cucumber

Salad greens

Feta

Lime, zest and juice

Olive oil

Agave

Salt and pepper

 

Toss watermelon slices, cucumber slices, salad greens and diced feta with lime zest, juice, olive oil, agave syrup, salt and pepper to taste. Correct seasoning.

The previous two recipes are from our NE Portland dropsite host Santha Cassel!

 

Watermelon Margaritias: bring ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water and 3 strips of orange zest to a boil in a small saucepan. Simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved about 3 min. remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Place 2 cups peeled and seeded watermelon in a blender and pulse until pureed. Stir watermelon puree into a large pitcher with ¾ cup white tequila, the simple syrup and ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice. Place a small amount of salt or sugar on a saucer. Moisten glass rim with lime juice and press into the salt or sugar to coat the rime. Fill glasses with ice cubes and pour margarita mix over the ice. Serve with additional lime wedges.

 

Red chard and Rice: heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepot over medium heat. Add 4 slices bacon, finely chopped. Cook 2 minutes. Add 2 cloves garlic and stir 1 minute. Add 1 small bunch red chard, stemmed and chopped, season with a little nutmeg, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika. When the chard is wilted add 1 cup white rice and stir 1 minute more. Add 1 ¾ cups chicken stock or water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover the pot. Cook 15 to 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and serve

 

Baked Eggplant Sandwiches: Slice 2 eggplants into ½ inch thick rounds and lightly salt them. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. Mix together; 1-cup bread crumbs, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsely, and black pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set up a work station with a plate of ½ lb sliced provolone or mozzarella, a plate with the eggplant slices, a bowl of flour, a bowl of beaten eggs, and a bowl with the bread crumb mixture, and an oiled baking sheet. For each sandwich, place a slice of cheese between two slices of eggplant. Hold the sandwich firmly and coat the sides with flour. Dip the sandwich first into the eggs and then into the bread-crumbs to coat both sides. Place the finished sandwich on the baking sheet. Continue assembling the sandwiches until you have used all the eggplant slices. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. These are best served bubbly hot.

 

Green Salad with Spicy Thai Citrus Dressing: For the dressing: in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, ½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, ¼ brown sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp black pepper. Cover and shake well until the sugar is dissolved. Add 1 Tbsp minced Jalapeno Pepper, 1 tsp minced fresh garlic, and 3 Tbsp vegetable oil and shake again. For the salad: In a large bowl, combine 6 oz Romaine Lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces, 1 ripe tomato cut into bite sized chunks, 3 small cucumbers, peeled and cut into thick rounds, 2 thinly sliced scallions, and a handful fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped. Drizzle on about 1/3 cup of the dressing. Toss well and serve at once. (From Real Vegetarian Thai by Nancie McDermott).

 

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #9

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Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #9

 8-11-15

Large shares: carrots, green cabbage, red new potatoes, lettuce, yellow onion, red onion, salad cucumber, lemon cucumbers, red tomatoes, red cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic

 Small shares: Mixed red and gold beets, lettuce, red onion, salad cucumbers, sun gold or red cherry tomatoes, Romano beans, red new potatoes, garlic

 

“In his view we were already a success, because we were doing something hard, something that mattered to us, you don’t measure with words like success or failure, he said. Satisfaction comes from trying hard things and going on to the next hard thing, regardless of the outcome. What mattered was whether or not you were moving in a direction you thought was right.” -Kristin Kimball The Dirty Life: Memoirs of Farming, Food and Love

 

Dear CSA members,

It’s been and interesting week for us at Wobbly Cart. Unfortunately, Joseph managed to break an ankle last Thursday evening while out riding motor cross bikes around the field. He is going to have to be off his foot for the next 6 weeks or so, right in the peak of our season. What a bummer! Joe does so much around the farm that to have him out of commission is kind of a major blow. Our back –up field bosses and tractor operators from years past have all moved on to different jobs. So we are in a bind where Joe is training Caleb to do tractor work, and supervising the crew from the cab of his truck and via text message from the porch of his house. We will all be helping out where we can to fill the void, but it’s going to be hard to make up for Joe’s expertise and efficiency in running the fields, and at Sunday market in Olympia.

Despite it all, and thanks to our awesome crew, we have a fantastic CSA box this week! We are now coming into the heavy time of the season. Endless crates of potatoes, onions, tomatoes, beans, corn, carrots zucchini, and cucumbers are making our backs sore each day. You may notice your CSA box feels a bit heavier this week, multiply that by 200 and you’ll get a feel for the weight of the produce we moved just this morning alone. It’s a good reminder to have Joe injured, just how careful we need to be in this line of work (though he did not get injured on the job) to protect our bodies from injuries. Especially over the course of many years of heavy lifting, being around machinery, and doing a lot of repetitive motions.

Sometimes I wonder about it being a very sustainable profession body wise, but I think we still get a great sense of satisfaction at the end of a day, that you just cant find in other lines of work. It is an amazing feeling to provide fresh, locally grown, high quality organic produce to 1000’s of people throughout our region, and hopefully doing something to make our place on this Earth a little bit better. That’s the kind of thoughts that keep my head in the game.

 

Have a great week,

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

Fried Romano Beans: In a medium saucepan whisk ½ cup Dijon Mustard, ¼ cup honey, 2 tsp hot sauce, 1 ½ tsp soy sauce and a pinch of dried mustard, cook over low heat until warmed. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. In a medium Dutch oven fitted with a thermometer over medium high heat, heat 4 cups canola oil to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 large egg whites to soft peaks; add in 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, and 1 ½ cups club soda. Working in batches, dip 1 lb Romano beans with ends trimmed, one at a time into batter, and then drop into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with dipping sauce.

 

Algerian Carrot Salad: Thinly slice 2 lbs fresh carrots. Put the carrots and enough water to cover by 2 inches in a 2 to 3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil over mediums-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and reserve until ready to use. Heat 2 tbsp of walnut oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 medium chopped yellow onion, 3 cloves of crushed garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved carrots and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring often. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing in a small bowl; whisk together ¼ cup walnut oil, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper, 1/8 cup minced fresh cilantro, 1/8 cup minced fresh parsley until well blended. Combine the carrot mixture, dressing and 1 cup finely chopped pitted dates in a serving bowl, toss until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at once or let cool to room temperature and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings. From Cooking in Cast Iron.

 

Red New Potato Salad: Place 2 ½ lbs red new potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water by 1 inch and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Run under cold water to cool slightly, and then drain. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tbsp Dijon Mustard, 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 small minced shallot, 3 tbsp minced fresh parsley, and 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme; season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes and ¼ of a sliced red onion and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature. (To store, refrigerate, up to overnight.) Makes 6 servings. From Everyday Food.

 

Marinated Tomato Salad: Combine 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges, 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 to 3 leaves fresh basil, minced, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

 

Creamy Cucumber Salad with Fresh Dill: Peel 1 large cucumber (several small lemon cucumbers would work just great). Slice very thin, sprinkle with a ½ tsp salt, and set in a colander to drain for at least 20 minutes. In a separate bowl combine 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar, 4 oz sour cream, 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp sugar, 2 Tbsp fresh chopped dill, or to taste. Combine with the cucumbers and serve chilled.

 

Garlicky Roasted Romano Beans: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim 1 lb Romano Beans and toss whole with ¼ cup olive oil, 3 cloves smashed garlic, 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a large baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until the beans are browned and tender. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Tangy Coleslaw: Combine: 1 cup mayonnaise, 4 scallions, chopped, 2 tsp cider vinegar, 1/8 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ¼ tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp sugar. Place in a large bowl, dress and toss tightly: 3 cups shredded Cabbage, 3 cups shredded Arugula, 1 carrot, grated, and ½ of a green bell pepper cut into strips. Makes 6 servings. (From the Joy of Cooking.)

 

Golden Beet Slaw: Whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tsp orange zest, 1 Tbsp orange juice, ¾ tsp coarse sea salt, ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Peel 1 ½ lb Golden Beets, and cut into matchsticks. Toss the beets with 3 sliced scallions, and ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, and the dressing. Serves 6. (From Martha Stewart Living April 2011).

 

 

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm Fall CSA box #2

10-28-14

Wobbly Cart Farm fall CSA box #2

Large share: parsnips, escarole, butternut squash, yellow onion, rainbow lacinato kale, rutabaga, sweet peppers, purple potatoes, jalapeno peppers, cilantro

 Small share: parsnips, escarole, butternut squash, yellow onion, rainbow lacinato kale, rutabaga, sweet pepper, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro

 

Dear CSA members,

Well, I would like to think that things are finally going to start slowing down around the farm this week, and they are in their way. Unfortunately, with the perceived reduction in workload comes a simultaneous reduction in crewmembers. Many of our loyal and hard working crew head off to greener pastures about this time of year, leaving those of us left with many more hours of tasks to complete. All with fewer daylight hours and more challenging conditions in which to complete them!

The good news is as of next week our markets will be scaled back to just Thursday –Sunday, as this will be the last Tuesday for the Chehalis farmers market. Also, Fall CSA will end on Tuesday November 11th. Visions of a much-needed rest are starting to look closer to a reality!

Once the harvest workload slows down, amazingly we will turn our attention to planning for next season. We will begin going over our crops successes and failures and make variety selections for next season. Seeds will be ordered, bookkeeping and paperwork of all kinds will be done, tractor maintenance will hopefully be performed, and by February we will be busy planting early crops in the greenhouse! It’s quite astonishing all that goes in to planning and succeeding on a small organic vegetable farm and more and more it seems that we have very little downtime in doing so!

On that note, I will leave you to enjoy your vegetables for this week. Amazingly, we still have sweet peppers this week, as well as a nice selection of hardy greens, root vegetables, and sweet winter squash. Here are also some notes about vegetables that you may not be familiar with.

Rutabaga: this cross between a cabbage and turnip is one of the many edible manifestations of the brassica family. Rutabagas have been eaten for centuries by humans and are excellent roasted and mashed. They are very high in nutrients and fiber and low in calories.

Escarole: these hardy and bitter greens are one of our fall and winter stars. Escarole is much like lettuce in texture but adds a very nice bitterness that pairs well with sweet flavors of fruit and balsamic vinegar. You can also grill or braise them and then dress with a vinaigrette. I have also heard that soaking the greens in water for a few hours will reduce some of the bitterness if so desired.

Parsnips: parsnips are a root vegetable member of the carrot and parsley family that has been eaten in Europe for centuries. These sweet white roots are excellent served mashed, baked, boiled, roasted, made into fries, and cooked into soups and stews. You can store them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for quite some time to come if desired. We plant parsnips very early in the spring in order to have them ready for harvest when the cold weather sets in as they sweeten up with the cold and frosty weather.

Butternut squash: this large yellow bell shaped squash has a sweet and slightly nutty flavor. When ripe the flesh is deep orange in color. Butternut squash is best eaten roasted, grilled, or mashed to make soups, or desserts like pies and muffins. To roast: cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds (reserve them to roast in the oven with salt or soy sauce if desired) place cut side down on a oiled baking sheet, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until softened. Once cooked the flesh can be used in a variety of ways or just eaten as is with butter and brown sugar!

 

Thank you all,

 

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

 

Parsnip Puree: cover 2 c. peeled and chopped parsnips with water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until very tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and place in a food processor with ¼ cup milk, 1 tbsp butter and salt and black pepper to taste. Puree until smooth.

Butternut Squash Cheesecake with Chocolate crust and Salted Caramel: Make crust: Preheat oven to 350. Whirl 9oz of chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Whirl in ½ cup melted unsalted butter just until incorporated. Pour crumbs into a 9-inch spring form pan and press over bottom and about 1inch up the sides of the pan. Bake 7 min, then let cool on a rack. Reduce heat to 300. Make filling: In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 3 8oz pkg cream cheese, at room temp, ¾ cup sugar, and ½ cup light brown sugar, and 1 tbsp flour until smooth. Beat in 4 large eggs, one at a time. Add in 1 cup of cooked, pureed, butternut squash, ¼ cup each heavy cream, sour cream, and maple syrup, the zest of 2 medium oranges, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Beat until just blended. Wrap the bottom of your pan with foil, pressing it up the outside. Set the spring form pan in a roasting pan and pour filling into the crust. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the ring pan. Bake until the cheesecake barely jiggles in the center when gently shaken, about 1-¼ hours. Let cheesecake cool on a rack 1 hour, then chill until cold, at least 5 hours. Whisk 6 tbsp store-bought caramel topping with 1/8 tsp table salt in a bowl and spoon over the cheesecake. Arrange ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans around the rim and sprinkle flaked sea salt over pecans for garnish. (Adapted from a recipe in the November 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine.)

Rutabaga and Carrot Soup: In a large saucepan, sauté 1 medium onion in 1 tbsp butter for 5 minutes. Add 3 small carrots and 1 small rutabaga peeled and chopped. Add ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground ginger, and ¼ tsp nutmeg. Sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1-cup vegetable or chicken stock and cook covered, on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and tender. Puree the soup with 2 cups orange juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with unsweetened whipped cream and a dollop of cranberry sauce.

Maple-Braised Butternut Squash with Fresh Thyme: Melt 6 tbsp butter in a heavy large deep skillet over high heat. Add 1 3 to 3 1/2 lb butternut squash, halved lengthwise, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes, sauté 1 minute. Add 1 ¼ cups low-salt chicken broth, 1/3-cup pure maple syrup. 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme, 1 tsp coarse sea salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer, to cook squash until almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer squash to a large bowl. Boil liquid in skillet until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Return squash to skillet. Cook until tender, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with more pepper, if desired. (From Bon appétit.)

Lentil and Vegetable Stew with Kale: Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add 1 large chopped onion, and 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped, 1 medium celery root, peeled and chopped, and 1 medium rutabaga, peeled and chopped; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to soften and brown, 10 to 11 minutes. Stir in 1 lb brown lentils, rinsed and 1 Tbsp herbes de Provence. Add 8 cups vegetable broth and 1 large bunch kale, ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped. Bring to a boil, stirring to incorporate Kale. Reduce heat to med-low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add more broth to thin, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. (From the March 2011 issue of Bon Appétit magazine).

Kale Cabbage Salad: Stem and chop one bunch of kale, finely shred ½ a red cabbage, finely chop ½ a red onion, and grate 1 large carrot and place in a large serving bowl. For the dressing combine ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/3 cup dark sesame oil, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 3 tsp freshly grated ginger, and sea salt and pepper to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad and top with ½ cup toasted, chopped almonds.

Kale, White Bean and Escarole Soup: In a large soup pot over low heat, add 3 Tbsp olive oil and sauté 2 oz pancetta, finely chopped, 1 large yellow onion, chopped, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 celery stalk, finely chopped, and 1 chopped carrot until tender and fragrant, 15-20 minutes. Add 2 cups kale, stems removed, leaves washed and chopped and 5 cups Escarole, stems removed, leaves washed and chopped. Cook until the greens are wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chopped tomatoes and cook another 10 minutes. Pour in 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 2 cans cannellini beans and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Just before serving, add the juice of ½ lemon, stirring to combine and salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #17

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October 7, 2014

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA Box #17

 

Large share: broccoli, oakleaf or crisphead lettuce, yellow onions, garlic, cayenne peppers, sweet pepper, red tomato, turnips, chard, Italian parsley, carrots, red kuri squash.

 Small share: cauliflower, oakleaf or crisphead lettuce, yellow onion, cayenne pepper, sweet pepper, red tomato, chard, carrots, red kuri squash.

 

Dear CSA members,

This last week has been a busy time of fall chores that prepare us, and the farm for winter. We dug our last beds of potatoes and bagged them for storage, mowed down summer crops like basil and cucumbers, got ground prepped and garlic seed ready for planting this week, and planted cover crops on all bare areas where crops are finished for the year.

Walking around the fields you can see that we truly are in the late season as far as crops go. The shining stars are now cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, parsnips, endive, escarole and leeks, all vegetables that can hold up to the cold temperatures and heavy rains to come. This week have some very nice broccoli and cauliflower for you. Our earlier plantings this year have not been successful due to various factors, but I am happy to say that the late planting is doing very well!

We also have a red kuri squash. The red kuri is an orange somewhat pumpkin like squash with a nice dense chesnutty flavored flesh. You can store this squash for many weeks in your pantry or a cool dry place, until you are ready to use it. I particularly like this squash in soups.

The tiny long red pepper is a Ring of Fire Cayenne pepper. It is VERY hot. Use caution when chopping, and most people will want to remove the seeds as they will add considerably to the heat factor!

Large shares will also receive a large bunch of turnips. Turnips are a versatile and delicious root vegetable, the greens are also edible and very nutritious. I would recommend removing those huge greens and cooking asap if you plant too, or just compost them. Then you can store the roots in the fridge easier, and they will last longer with the greens removed.

Enjoy your box. Also, next week will be the last share of the summer season. We would love to have you join us for the Fall share which begins Tuesday October 21^st. You can extend your membership on our website http://www.wobblycart.com

Thanks,

Asha, Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

Buttered Turnip Puree: peel and chop 3 large turnips. Combine with 1 quart milk, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, and 1 clove of smashed garlic in a saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the turnips are tender. 20 to 30 minutes. Drain, discarding the thyme but reserving the liquid. In a food processor, puree the turnips with 1 stick butter and 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

 

Easy Turnip Greens: wash and chop 1 large bunch turnip greens (discard stems). Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add 1 chopped shallot, 1 clove chopped garlic, and 1 tsp chopped cayenne pepper (or to taste) and sautee until tender. Add the washed and chopped turnip greens and cook down for 3 minutes. Season with pepper. Mix together 1 cup chicken stock and 2 tbsp Dijon mustard. Add to the turnip greens and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add 1/3 cup toasted pecans and serve immediately.

 Winter Squash Shepherd’s Pie: Preheat oven to 400 with rack in top third of oven. Put 2 ½ lbs cubed, peeled winter squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast squash, covered, until tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, wide pot over high heat. Add 2 lbs lamb stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. Cook, stirring as needed, until meat is browned on all sides. Add 1 medium onion, cut into wedges, and 3 chopped garlic cloves and cook until vegetables are starting to soften, about 2 minutes, transfer lamb mixture with juices to a bowl; add 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks and 8 oz medium mushrooms, stems removed. Reduce heat to medium low. Add ¼ cup flour to the same pot and cook, whisking continuously, until flour smells toasted, about 1 minute. Pour in ½ cup red wine and 1 cup beef or chicken broth and simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Pour over the lamb mixture and stir to combine. Spoon the mixture into 6 individual ramekins. Mash the squash in a bowl with 1 tsp salt, and 1/3 cup cream, adding more cream if needed until mixture is consistency of mashed potatoes. Dollop over the lamb. Bake until browned and sauce is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes; sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley. Serves 6. (from Sunset October 2012)

Roasted Winter Squash and Beet salad: Preheat oven to 400. Tightly wrap 1 lb small beets in aluminum foil bundles. Place on middle shelf of oven. Roast 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender when tested with a sharp knife. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Peel beets and set aside. Place the slices of 1 ¼ lb of winter squash on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with salt, pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Place on middle shelf in oven; roast 15 minutes. Drizzle 1/3 cup maple syrup over the squash, and roast another 10 minutes, or until tender; cool. To make the dressing: in a small bowl whisk 1 tsp Dijon mustard, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, and ¼ cup maple syrup together. Add 1/3 cup olive oil and whisk until smooth. Season to taste. To assemble, place 3 cups mixed salad greens in the middle of a large plate. Arrange beets and squash on the greens. Pour half of dressing over salad. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds. Pass remaining dressing. Serves 6 to 8.

Winter Squash Soup with Red Chile and Mint: Halve 1 2 lb winter squash (red kuri), scoop out strings and seeds, and peel. Then cut into 1 inch cubes. Heat 2 tbsp light sesame oil or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add squash, 1 onion chopped, 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, and 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon stick, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp ground chiles, followed by 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock and a cheese cloth sachet containing 12 coriander seeds, 12 black peppercorns, and 4 cloves. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and cook, partly covered, until squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove spice sachet and cinnamon stick. Using a stick blender, puree the soup, and season to taste with salt. Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl 1 tsp or so of heavy cream into each, leaving it streaky. Finish with a pinch of ground chiles.

 Creamy Barley and Chard Dressing: Preheat oven to 325. Cook 1 ¼ cups pearled barley in 4 cups chicken broth according to package directions and add ¾ tsp cracked black pepper. Meanwhile in a large skillet cook 2 cups chopped onion, and 1 ½ lbs winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch pieces in ½ cup butter over medium heat, covered, until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked barley, 5 cups chopped Swiss chard, 1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts, and 1 ½ cups finely shredded Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a 3- quart rectangular baking dish. Bake, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 servings. (From BHG magazine November 2013)

 

 

 

Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #11

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Wobbly Cart Farm CSA box #11

8-26-14

 

Large share: green bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, cucumber, summer squash, 1 bunch carrots, 1 bunch chard, 1.5 lbs purple potatoes, 1.5 lbs heirloom tomatoes, 1 lb red tomatoes, yellow onion, red cipollini onion.

Small share: purple bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, 1 bunch chard, 1 bunch carrots, 1 lb purple potatoes, lemon cucumber, red onion

 

Dear CSA members,

 

Here we are in the time of the season when the boxes and crates just seem to get heavier and heavier. As our days shorten in length plants all around prepare for the cold to come by going into overdrive to complete their lifecycle. Winter squash ripening in the field are seemingly huge all of a sudden, tomatoes come off the vine over a pound each at times, and pepper plants start collapsing under their own weight. I have also noticed that as the surrounding natural landscape gets more and more dry, pressure from insect and mammalian pests increases as they loose natural food sources. I can see the beetles, deer and voles attraction to our lush irrigated produce fields! They do look awfully tasty!

 

I wanted to mention we have bulk quantities available of tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, garlic, dill, basil for pesto and more. Now is a good time to place an order if you are interested in doing any canning or preserving for the year. For the pickling cucumbers, your name will be added to the list and you will get a call when we can deliver your order. Harvest for these varies, and there is a lot of demand. Most everything else we can deliver with your CSA share on Tuesdays as long as we receive the order Sunday night!

If you would like to order please check out our web store:

 

http://wobblycart.smallfarmcentral.com/store

 

Or give Joseph a call at 208 512 3186.

 

Have a great week!

 

Asha Joe and the crew at Wobbly Cart

 

Roasted Tomatoes and Cipollini: Preheat oven to 375. Boil a small pot of water and blanche 1 lb whole cipollini for 10 seconds, then plunge them into cold water. Use paring knife to make a small slit in each, and slide them out of their skins and outer layer. Spread peeled onions and 1 lb chopped tomatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil and a few good pinches of coarse salt. Toss everything together until well coated and roast in oven for 45 minutes, reaching in every 15 minutes with a spatula to roll the tomatoes and onions around to ensure all sides get blistered. Just before you take the tomatoes and onions out, place 4 1-inch thick slices of country or ciabatta bread on the oven rack and let them toast lightly. You can rub the toasts with a halved garlic clove, if you like, while still hot. Use tongs to arrange the toast in one layer on a serving platter. Dump 1½ cups cooked white beans over the bread. You can also use 1 15 oz can of white beans rinsed and drained. Scrape the entire contents of the tomato- and -onion roasting pan, still hot, over the beans. Do not skimp on the juices that have collected, all of them – don’t leave any in the pan. Sprinkle the dish with a few slivered basil leaves and eat at once. Serves 4 as a small dish, 2 as a main. (From smittenkitchen.com)

 

 

Vegetable Kebabs with Mustard Basting Sauce: ( from Gourmet July 1995)

Prepare the Veggies: In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook 1 bunch of topped carrots for 1 minute. Add 1 ½ lb of whole summer squash and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer vegetables with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water to stop cooking and then drain well in a colander. Slice the cooled summer squash and carrots into ¾ inch slices. In boiling water that remains in the pan cook ¾ inch chunks of one yellow onion or about 4 minutes. Transfer them into a bowl of ice water to cool and then drain well in a colander. Do the same for 2 sweet peppers cut in to ¾ inch chunks. These veggies may be boiled 1 day ahead and chilled in bags in the fridge.

For the sauce: In a small bowl whisk together 11/2 Tbsp of white-wine vinegar, 11/2 Tbsp of Dijon mustard, 2 tsp olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. The basting sauce may also be made 1 day ahead and chilled covered in the fridge.

Heat your grill to medium-high: Thread the vegetables, alternating them, onto skewers. Brush one side with about half the sauce and grill, coated side down on an oiled rack 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 5 minutes. Brush kebabs with the remaining sauce and turn. Grill kebabs 5 minutes more, or until squash is tender.

Serves 4.

 

Potato-Swiss Chard Curry:

Cut 3 medium, unpeeled purple potatoes, into 1 inch cubes, Put in a large pan, cover them with water and bring to the boil. Boil them for 4 to 6 minutes or until tender-crisp. Drain. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the cooked potatoes, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes more. Stir in 3 cups chopped chard, and 1 lb diced tomatoes (canned is fine too). Reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes. Serve over rice.

 

 

Mole de Olla:

In a stewpot or large saucepan, saute 1 cup chopped onion, 1 large clove garlic, and 1-2 Tbsp minced chiles in 3 Tbsp vegetable oil for about 5 minutes. Include the seeds from the chiles if you like a hotter stew, discard them if you don’t. Add ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cloves, and 4 small potatoes that have been cut in to chunks (about 2 cups). Cook, covered for another 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of chopped tomatoes and 2 cups cut green beans. Cook 5 minutes more. Add 1 small zuccinni and 2 cups cut corn. Simmer, covered, on low heat until all the vegetables are tender. If the stew seems dry, add tomato juice or water. Add 1 -2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro and salt to taste. Serve topped with plenty of grated cheese or sour cream.

Serves 4.

 

Limonata Scozzese (Cucumber Cocktail):

Muddle 2 1 inch pieces of cucmber w/ peel in a mixing glass. Add a 16 oz glass of ice, along with 1 ½ oz of gin, the juice of one lemon, and ¼ oz cucumber infused simple syrup (recipe to follow) and shake well. Strain into a highball glass. Garnish with a cucumber slice.

 

Cucumber simple syrup: cut ¼ to 1/3 of a medium sized cucumber into large chunks. Boil 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of sugar and the cucumber chunks in a pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, and liquid becomes syrupy, about 30 seconds after it comes to a boil. Strain out the cucumber and chill.