CSA Week 8: July 26-30

The harvest season continues to heat up here at Luna Bleu and you all are seeing it in your shares this week as we are beginning to get overwhelmed with squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes. This always is a tricky time of year since we spend so much time harvesting that we sometimes can fall behind on other things (weeding, clipping up tomatoes, etc.). We're doing our best to stay on top of it all, though, and so far we've avoided being overwhelmed at least.

Several weeks ago, I had a plan to introduce you guys to some of the animals on the farm (since many of them have names), a different one each week. At the time, I introduced Flo, the older of the 2 sows we have here on the farm, and since pigs are by far my favorite animals here this week, I'll introduce you to Randy, one of Flo's daughters from last year and our second sow. Randy was born last March along with 5 other piglets. She was given the name Randy after I got here last June. Flo had 6 piglets last year and when I got here I just assumed, based on the way they acted that they were all male. I simply didn't consider the possibility that any of them could be female and so they all were given male names. I was pretty embarrassed when I finally found out that actually only 2 of them were male. The name Randy had stuck, though, and so that's how we ended up with a sow named Randy (and yes, it's Randy with a "y", not an "i"). Randy was by far the biggest of the females and she had a good temperament so we decided to keep her to become a sow. She had her first litter on the last day of May. She gave birth to 10 piglets but 1 didn't make it so we were left with 9 (4 boys and 5 girls), a good number for her first litter (pigs generally have 8-12 piglets per litter). Randy has been a great mother. She was quite protective during the first week but has mellowed out since then and her piglets are growing quite fast. Randy is quite social; she always greets me with a grunt whenever I walk by and she really enjoys having her back scratched. Hopefully you've had a chance to meet Randy if you've stopped by the farm and if not, find one of us the next time you're here and we'll introduce you to her.


Randy with her piglets the week after they were born.

Randy and her piglets this afternoon. It's really amazing how fast they've grown!

This week's share:


Preparation Tips and Recipes:


Gazpacho - This refreshing soup is simple to prepare, uses many ingredients from your share is week and will help cool you off on a hot day.

4 cups cold tomato juice
1 small, well-minced onion
2 cups freshly diced tomatoes
1 cup minced green pepper
1 tsp. honey
1 diced cucumber
2 scallions, chopped
1 clove crushed garlic
juice of 1/2 lemon and 1 lime
2 tbs wine vinegar
1 tsp each, basil and tarragon
dash, ground cumin
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
dash, tabasco sauce
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients, and chill for at least 2 hours. (This soup can be pureed, if desired).

Recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook.

Chilled Cucumber-Yogurt Soup -

4 cups peeled, seeded, chopped cucumber
2 cups water
2 cups yogurt
1 clove garlic
1 tbs honey
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dill weed
several fresh mint leaves (optional)
chopped scallions or chives (optional)

Puree everything together in a blender, saving the scallions to garnish. Chill and serve very cold.

Another recipe from the Moosewood Cookbook.

Zucchini-Feta Pancakes - This is another Moosewoood recipe and is one of Suzanne's staples during zucchini season and is another great way to use zucchini.

4 packed cups coarsely grated zucchini
4 eggs, separated
1 heaping cup finely- crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup minced scallions or onions
3/4 tsp. dried mint
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup flour
butter for frying
sour cream or yogurt for topping

Place the grated zucchini in a colander in a bowl, salt it lightly and let it stand for 15 minutes. Rinse it, and squeeze out all excess water.

Combine squeezed zucchini, egg yolks, feta, scallions, flour, and spices. Mix well.

Beat the eggwhites until they form soft peaks. Fold into first mixture.

Fry in butter, on both sides, until golden and crisp. Serve topped with sour cream or yogurt.

Pasta Primavera - This is a very versatile recipe that I often make during the summer. You can adapt to whatever vegetables you have/like the best.

Pasta
Tomatoes, cut into chunks
Peppers, sliced
Broccoli, sliced
Zucchini/summer squash, sliced thinly
Garlic, minced
Onions, sliced
Basil/Oregano, chopped
Cream
White Wine
Parmesan Cheese

Cook the pasta. Saute the onions and garlic in butter. Add the vegetables in the order of longest cooking time (I'd go broccoli, squash, peppers, then tomatoes). Add the white wine after you add the broccoli. Sprinkle with the basil/oregano and Parmesan cheese. Add the cream and reduce. When the sauce is a good consistency, combine with the pasta and serve with more Parmesan.

CSA Week 7: July 19-23

Tomatoes! We've been harvesting tomatoes for a couple weeks now. It started slowly at first and we didn't really have enough for all the CSA members, so we brought them to the farmers' markets. The heat of the past couple weeks has made a huge difference for the tomatoes, though, and the harvest really picked up toward the end of last week. That means that we've got enough tomatoes for everyone this week! Most of them will be regular red slicing tomatoes, but there are a few of the heirlooms mixed in too. This week you'll also be getting the first garlic of the season. This fresh garlic is quite juicy and is especially great raw (in salads, mixed with olive oil for dipping bread, etc.).

The end of last week also saw the completion of our new wood-fired pizza oven. Many thanks to Maggie's friend, Tyler, who's biking around the state this summer building ovens at different farms; it would not have happened without him (or Maggie). We're hoping to fire the oven up sometime later this week.

Tyler, Olmo, and Remi mixing the clay, sand, and straw for the final layer.

The finished oven; ready to be fired up!

This week's share:


Preparation Tips/Recipes:

Fennel - Fennel has a flavor similar to licorice and is popular in Italian cooking. Usually only the bulb is eaten but the feathery leaves can be used as an herb, similar to how you would use dill (to which fennel is related). Fennel is good raw, sliced thinly, and tossed into a salad. You also can add it to a saute of zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic. I sometimes add it to tomato sauce to add another level of flavor (the main seasoning of italian sausage is fennel seed). Here at the farm, we most often have fennel grilled. Simply slice the bulb in half lengthwise (or quarter it) and toss it with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Here are a couple other ideas for using the fennel in your share this week (courtesy of the Joy of Gardening Cookbook):

Fennel Broccoli Saute

8 tbs water
3 cups julienne-sliced fresh fennel bulb
2 tbs olice oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups broccoli florets
3 tbs dry white wine
2 tbs lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the water in a large saute pan and add the fennel. Steam saute the fennel until the water disappears and the fennel is barely cooked (about 3 minutes). Add the oil, garlic, and broccoli and saute for 1 minute. Add the wine and steam saute the vegetables until the wine disappears and the broccoli is tender crisp (3-5 minutes). Sprinkle the lemon juice over the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper.

Cream of Fennel Soup

2 tbs butter
1 1/2 cups diced onion
4 1/2 chopped fresh fennel bulb
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large soup pot, melt the butter, and saute the onion until limp (3-5 minutes). Add the fennel and chicken broth. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the fennel is tender. Cool slightly
In a blender, puree two-thirds of the soup, return to the pot, and add the cream and milk. Cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Spicy Quinoa, Cucumber and Tomato Salad - Quinoa is a South American grain that I've been introduced to this summer by Jennifer, one of the other apprentices here. I'm really starting to like it and definitely will be incorporating it into more meals. This recipe comes again from The New York Times and is a great thing to try if you're looking for something different to do with all your cucumbers.

1 cup quinoa
3 cups water
Salt to taste
2 cups diced cucumber
1 small red onion, finely minced (optional)
2 cups finely diced tomatoes
1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers (to taste), seeded if desired and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 avocado, sliced, for garnish

1. Place the quinoa in a bowl, and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes. Drain through a strainer, and rinse until the water runs clear. Bring the 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt (1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) and the quinoa. Bring back to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and translucent; each grain should have a little thread. Drain off the water in the pan through a strainer, and return the quinoa to the pan. Cover the pan with a clean dishtowel, replace the lid and allow to sit for 10 minutes. If making for the freezer, uncover and allow to cool, then place in plastic bags. Flatten the bags and seal.

2. Meanwhile, place the finely diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Toss and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels. If using the onion, place in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for five minutes, then drain, rinse with cold water and drain on paper towels.

3. Combine the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, vinegar, lime juice and olive oil in a bowl. Add the cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt, and add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with sliced avocado and cilantro sprigs.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: The quinoa freezes well, and the assembled salad will keep for a day in the refrigerator. The leftovers will be good for a couple of days.

Zucchini - If you're looking to turn your zucchini into something a little sweeter, try Maggie's recipe for Zucchini Bread:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (or melted butter)
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.


Do you have a favorite way to prepare fennel or a great zucchini bread recipe? Please pass it (or any other recipe) along, or just post it in the comments section.

Have a good one!

CSA Week 6: July 12-16

Another busy week here and another late blog post ... Hopefully you were able to join us on Monday for the farm tours, oven construction, and pizza from the NOFA pizza oven. There was a great turnout (we had to order a bunch of dough at the last minute from Cockadoodle Pizza in Bethel) and a fun time was had by all (I guess I really can't speak for everyone but I definitely had fun). If you joined us on Monday then you probably met one our WWOOFERs (Willing Workers on Organic Farms). This year we have a fairly steady stream of WWOOFers here at the farm. WWOOFers come for anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months and in exchange for room and board they work with the rest of the farm crew (generally at a slightly more relaxed pace). It's really neat having a steady flow of people from all over the country and world joining the community here at the farm. July seems to be international month as Olmo and Tonalli, 2 cousins from Mexico, and Remi, a young man from France, have been with us for almost 3 weeks, and Catherine, a young woman from England, arrived last nights. It's been really neat seeing the different cultures and languages mesh together here. The big project this past week has been the construction of our own wood-fired earthen oven, directed by our apprentice Maggie's friend, Tyler. It's been awesome watching the oven materialize over the past week and we can't wait until it's ready to fire up sometime next week. We hope the oven can help be a catalyst for CSA parties and other gatherings in the future.

This week's share:

*The Friday shares will be receiving the first onions of the season instead of scallions (medium and larges also will receive scallions)

Preparation Tips/Recipes:

Kale: Thanks to Dominique Lightbody for this recipe for Kale Chips!
Baked Kale Chips
Adapted from a bunch of inspiring places
1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (most kinds seem to work)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 400°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 cover mine with parchment. Bake for 5 minutes, toss again or flip to other side and bake 3-5 minutes more or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool. I’ve also seen recipes for cooking the kale at a lower temperature, 300 for 20 minutes. Depends on how much you want to heat up your kitchen.

Beets: The New York Times had an article highlighting summer beets (and beet greens) this past week. I won't post each of the recipes here (just click the link) but they include a beet and beet green gratin and several beet salads (which also use onions/scallions and parsley).

Lastly, Dominique Lightbody also passed along this recipe for Vietnamese Lettuce Cups that calls for lettuce, scallions, cilantro, basil, and carrots - all which are in this week's share). Thanks again Dominique!


Lettuce Cups with Chicken

Adapted from the Seattle Times

Picked vegetables:

¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 cup matchstick-cut daikon (if you have it, we rarely do)
1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion

Combine vinegar with vegetables in a nonreactive bowl and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour (or overnight).

Sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ tsp. chili paste or sambal oelek, or any other hot sauce
2 tsp. sugar

Mix together ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.

Lettuce and herbs

1 head of green leaf lettuce, leaves separated and left whole
8 sprigs fresh mint
8-12 sprigs of fresh cilantro
8-12 sprigs basil

Wash lettuce and herbs, wrap in clean towels and refrigerate if not serving right away.

Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoons soy sauce
6 green onions thinly sliced

Mince the chicken breast (food processor works well for this). Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, ginger and garlic and stir fry until chicken is cooked through. Then add soy sauce and green onion and cook for another minute or two.

To serve

Guests take a lettuce leaf, spoon on some of the chicken, scatter with some of the pickled vegetables, tuck in a few fresh herb sprigs, and drizzle on some of the sauce, then roll up and eat. For a slightly less messy version, you could place lettuce leaves on a platter, followed by chicken, then scattering with pickled and fresh veggies and herbs, and drizzled with sauce (like a large salad).

Serves 4 as a light entree


And if you have any recipes that you really like, please pass them along and I'll post them or you can post them yourself in the comments section of the blog.

Have a good one!

CSA Week 5: July 5-9

My apologies that I'm not posting this until Friday but it's been a pretty crazy week here at the farm. This late post probably won't help anyone all that much (the vegetables are pretty simple this week so I don't really have any preparation and recipe ideas) but at least there will be a little continuity here and I'll make sure stay on top of the blog from here on.

Summer certainly arrived in full force with the heat wave this week. The intense heat we had this week just makes it a little tougher on everyone, people and animals (especially the pigs who need mud to cool down since they don't sweat). This is the first week that we've been harvesting our field summer squash, zucchini and cucumbers. Up to now, the zucchini and cucumbers you've gotten have come from the greenhouse. The amount of squash and cucumbers from here on only should increase. The other big news here at the farm is that one of the other apprentices, Maggie, and her friend Tyler are spearheading the construction of a wood-fired earthen pizza oven here at the farm. They started work on it this past week and are hoping to finish it sometime next week so if you'd like to be involved in the construction of the oven, give us a call and come on out this week. In conjunction with this, we will be welcoming the NOFA pizza oven to the farm this coming Monday, July 12, for pizza, a farm tour, and a discussion about CSA's. Please join us!

And here's this week's share (just to spoil it for the people who haven't picked up their Friday share yet):


Preparation tips:
Summer squash and zucchini - Great sauteed with a some butter, garlic, salt/pepper and a little oregano. This also is a great week to simply throw all your vegetables (except the lettuce and cucumber) in a stir-fry.

Sorry again for the late (and rather brief) post. Next week I'll make sure to get back to regular Monday postings. Hope to see you Monday for the pizza and have a great weekend!