CSA Weekly Report: Red Earth Farm

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

This week’s CSA share:

Arugula-- 2 bags. One bag was a substitution for an item I had requested that was unavailable. Perhaps I’ll use one bag for a salad, and one bag for a saute.
Spaghetti Squash
Swiss Chard
Slicing Tomatoes-- both red and yellow.
Cucumbers-- thinking of making my mom’s wakame and cucumber salad with these.
Peaches (from the buying club)-- probably the last of the season.
Oak Shade Cheese Horseradish Cheddar (from the buying club)-- made from a dairy farm near the CSA. Has a nice zing of horseradish to it.

Local produce report, 28 August

I basically skipped my usual farmers’ market shopping last week--I picked up some apples and asian pears (asian pears!  in August!), but then I left town for the weekend--so I got this week’s supply of local produce at my neighborhood food co-op instead.  Going clockwise from the top left, I picked up a watermelon, some hormone-free skim milk, two kinds of tofu (one atop the other), red peppers, white mushrooms, zucchini, scallions, and chickpea flour in the center.  Everything except the milk is organic.

Much as I enjoy going to the farmers’ market and speaking to the farmers, it’s wonderful to have more consistent access to local foods.

CSA Weekly Report: Lancaster Farm Fresh

Friday, August 24, 2007

In yesterday’s Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA share, Autumn snuck in!  That’s right, the first of the Winter Squash!  Having been under a deluge of peppers and tomatoes for the last few weeks (this week included), it’s sort of a relief to be seeing some new vegetables.

The full share list:

3 red bell peppers grown by Meadow Valley Organics
3 Cubanella Peppers grown by Green Valley Organics
1 bunch radishes grown by Elm Tree Organics
4 slicing tomatoes grown by Scarecrow Hill Farm
2 heirloom tomatoes grown by Riverview Organics
8 Roma tomatoes grown by Countryside Organics
6 ears sweet corn grown by Green Acres Organics
2 delicata squash grown by Green Valley Organics
1 blue Hubbard squash grown by Farmdale Organics
1 bag hot Hungarian peppers grown by Farmdale Organics

All those tomatoes and peppers, combined with the large quantity of tomatoes I’ve been pulling out of the garden, guarantee another go-round with the pressure canner.  More sauce?  Sofrito?  Hmmm.

It all comes back to the squash, though.  Since finding out that they were coming my way, I’ve been trying to figure out how I want to use them.  Ideas?  Suggestions?

CSA Weekly Report: Red Earth Farm

Thursday, August 23, 2007

I’d completely forgotten about what I’d ordered last week so this week’s share was a surprise.

I ended up with a bunch of leeks, a head of summer crisp lettuce, a bunch of curly kale, a quart of green beans and tomatoes. Lots of beautiful, stripy, red, green, orange, yellow and purple tomatoes.

I’m not a tomato person, but these tomatoes are just so pretty I want to eat them and like them anyway.

We ran out of fruit this morning and since it’s not a fruit share week I stopped at the farmer’s market in Fairmount on my way home from the gym. It was my first time at the Fairmount farmer’s market this year. Unlike the Roxborough farmer’s market there are a couple of different stands. One vendor seemed to be selling meat as well as fruits and vegetables but I didn’t ask any questions. Another vendor ( I wish I’d picked up their flyer) was selling cheese and Bobbi’s Hummus, whose garlic hummus may be the best I’ve ever eaten. The Amish stand, like the stand near my house, was also selling canned and baked goods. 

I appreciated the variety, but compared to my local farmer’s market the prices are outrageous. Corn was selling for 60 cents an ear at one stand and 80 cents an ear at the other. I bought corn for 25 cents an ear last week after complaining that 50 cents an ear was too much at Linvilla Orchards. I did not buy any corn but I did spend just over $20 on fruit. The amount seems exorbitant to me, but then again it’s fruit and it’s only in season for a short time so I may as well enjoy it while I can. 

I bought a quart of apples, a quart of pears, a pint of raspberries, a watermelon, a quart of peaches and a pint of grapes. The pears are ripening in a paper bag, the raspberries were a bit disappointing though Sam will eat them anyway, and I haven’t yet tried the peaches. The watermelon may end up being a vodka depository because my teacher husband goes back to work on Monday and might need a treat. The apples are fantastic. I’m not positive, but I think the farmer told me they were called Sansa. I asked if they were best for cooking or eating. He told me that they’re eating apples and he wasn’t kidding. They are sweet and crisp and my son ate two of them this afternoon.

The grapes are also amazing. I’m so used to eating supermarket grapes that when I bit into a truly grape tasting grape I wondered for a second if it was artificially flavored. These grapes are so good I called my husband from the car on my way back home and told him they were the best grapes I’ve ever eaten.  They’re so good I don’t want to eat them because I don’t want to lose them.  They’re so good I’m saving all of the seeds in the hopes I’ll somehow learn how to plant grapevines in my backyard next year.

I love farmer’s markets. 

CSA Weekly Report: Red Earth Farm

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

This week’s share:

Lemon basil- new to me. Smells strongly like lemon balm, tastes lemony and peppery. I haven’t decided what to do with this yet.(Update 8/23: it makes for a lemony but tasty pesto)
Lettuce- normally, I shun lettuce, as I find it boring. For some reason, I found myself in a salad mood when I ordered this.
Sungold cherry tomatoes- intended for the salad, but again, I ate a lot of them on my way home from the pickup.
Slicing tomatoes- love the tomatoes, but I think I should quit while I’m ahead. I admit that I love their full flavor-- I cannot eat grocery-store tomatoes anymore.
Perpetual spinach- it’s really a chard. It’s called “perpetual” as its growing season is longer than spinach’s. Mild-tasting, good sauteed, just like spinach.
Pattypan squash- yum.

Farmer’s Market

Monday, August 20, 2007

This week’s Red Earth Farm CSA share contained

1 quart of red slicing tomatoes
1 head of escarole
4 Walla Walla onions
1 pint of tomatillos
1 bunch of perpetual spinach
peaches and nectarines

Feeling like the share just wasn’t enough, I headed to my local neighborhood Farmer’s Market on Friday and picked up

1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 zucchini
1 cantaloupe
6 ears of corn

For dinner last night I made Grilled Vegetable Tostadas with Two Salsas. All of the vegetables for the tostada and the sauces were local, including hot peppers and eggplant from my garden, and I topped the tostadas with local Amish Cheese.

I love that Farm to City facilitates my CSA and ensures that every Friday from June through October a nice Amish family will sell fresh fruits and vegetables (as well as canned goods, baked goods, and crafts) just a few blocks from my house.  For a full list of farmer’s markets check out the Farm to City website. There’s a farmer’s market in different areas of the city and suburbs Monday through Saturday.

CSA Weekly Report: Lancaster Farm Fresh

Thursday, August 16, 2007

I’m told Lancaster Farm Fresh recently changed to a new packing system.  Unfortunately, things don’t seem to be going well - this is the third week in a row I’ve gotten shorted on something.  Last week it was a tomato and a pepper, this week it’s a tomato and a watermelon.  Well...at least most of the produce received looks really good! 

Here’s what was in today’s share (well, supposed to be in today’s share):

3 green bell peppers grown by Meadow Valley Organics
1 bunch basil grown by Scarecrow Hill Farm
3 lbs. potatoes grown by Busy Bee Acres or Hillside Organics
1 watermelon grown by Green Acres and Misty Meadow Organics
4 slicing tomatoes grown by Countryside Organics and Green Valley Organics
3 heirloom tomatoes grown by Riverview Organics and Green Valley Organics
1 pint grape tomatoes grown by Farmdale Organics and Laughing Creek
1 dozen sweet corn grown by Countryside, Green Acres and Elm Tree Organics

I now have about 15 pounds of potatoes lurking in my kitchen from various CSA shares, and I’m wondering what I can do with them.  I’m thinking about using some of them to make a gigantic vat of potato gnocchi.  I also have about three pints of cherry tomatoes from the last few week’s shares and have been contemplating making them into tomato sauce.

CSA Weekly Report: Red Earth Farm

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

This week’s share:
zucchini (for salad, or maybe muffins)
eggplant (to make with a sweet miso sauce)
onions (just to have)
Yukon Gold potatoes (I have potatoes of every color now)
swiss chard (need some greens)
frying peppers (stir-fry is in their future)

CSA Weekly Report: Red Earth Farm

Thursday, August 09, 2007

This week’s share included

1 quart of slicing tomatoes
1 quart of Yukon Gold potatoes
1 quart of green snap beans
2 large zucchini
4 Walla Walla onions

I asked for blue potatoes, but they substituted the Yukon Golds. Not pictured is the jar of honey I picked up from the buying club and the half of the share that went to my friend. 

When I first signed up for the CSA I wasn’t sure just how much produce I’d get each week. I was afraid that if I got a full share I wouldn’t use it all. Unfortunately, almost immediately after receiving our first box back in June I realized that splitting a full share with another person just wasn’t enough for my family. Now I know for next year that a full share is a necessity. I think that this week since I’m going to have to go to the farmer’s market to get more produce anyway, I’m going to roast and freeze the tomatoes for sauce and grate and freeze the zucchini for latkes and bread in the winter. 

CSA Weekly Report: Lancaster Farm Fresh

This week’s share from the Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA program saw the return of radishes!  The share is chock full of tomatoes and peppers this week.  I’m thinking it might be the week to drag out my pressure canner and make a few jars of roasted pepper and tomato sauce!

• 3 green peppers grown by Meadow Valley Organics
• 3 Cubanella peppers grown by Green Valley Organics
• 5 hot peppers grown by Farmdale Organics (a mix of banana and ancho peppers)
• 3 red slicer tomatoes grown by Green Valley Organics or Countryside Organics
• 2 heirloom tomatoes grown by Riverview Organics
• 1 watermelon grown by Riverview Organics
• 3 Walla Walla onions grown by Scarecrow Hill Farm
• 1 pint grape tomatoes grown by Farmdale Organics
• 2 bunches cherry bell radishes grown by Elm Tree Organics
• 2 green cucumbers grown by Farmdale Organics

CSA Weekly Report: Red Earth Farm

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

A veritable rainbow of produce:

Red: slicing tomatoes
Orange: Sungold cherry tomatoes
Yellow: pattypan squash
Green: green beans
Blue: blue potatoes (although some red ones snuck in)
Violet: beets

Also in the mix: first Macintosh apples of the season (from the buying club), and Lancaster County-grown peaches that I bought from Sue’s Produce (on 18th Street, near Sansom) because they looked luscious.

The cherry tomatoes are all gone-- we couldn’t help eating those sweet things all up.

CSA Weekly Report: Lancaster Farm Fresh

Thursday, August 02, 2007

What’s fresh off the farm this week from Lancaster Farm Fresh Coop?  Come and see...

3 green peppers grown by Meadow Valley Organics
1 sugar baby watermelon grown by Green Acres Organics
1 pint grape tomatoes grown by Farmdale Organics
4 heirloom tomatoes grown by Green Valley Organics
2 Cubanella peppers grown by Green Valley Organics
5 lbs potatoes grown by Scarecrow Hill Farm
3 yellow squash grown by Green Valley Organics
2 green cucumbers grown by Elm Tree Organics
2 candy onions grown by Meadow Valley Organics

Amy, our friendly neighborhood coop representative, suggests making watermelon margaritas with the watermelon in this week’s share - a woman after my own heart!  Pass the tequila!

It’s been so hot here in Philly the last few days I thought I might use the onions, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes for gazpacho - nothing beats sitting out on the back porch with a cold bowl of gazpacho and some good bread from Le Bus!  Of course, the tomatoes look so delicious that they may not last long enough in my house to make it into the soup!

CSA Weekly Report: Red Earth Farm

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

This week’s haul, from left to right:

peaches (from the buying club)
slicing tomatoes
red potatoes
onions
green bell peppers
flat-leaf parsley
leeks (hiding in the back)

The peaches are for out-of-hand eatin’. The tomatoes and some of the onions will be part of a koshary for tomorrow. I’m thinking of making vichyssoise with the potatoes and leeks. The peppers smell so fresh, I might just eat them as is, a la Iron Chef!

CSA Weekly Report: Blooming Glen Farm

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

(Click to visit notes about the names and quantities
of this week’s Blooming Glen share.)

I was out picking-my-own string beans this afternoon and considering the sign that said we were free to glean several rows of beans.  Knowing that I’d be out of town for a couple weeks and had to preserve most of my share anyway, my instinct was to spend an extra half-hour picking over the rows for a few extra quarts.  Of course, after ten minutes under the hot sun and humid air, reality took over instinct.  Besides, I still had to finish packing for that vacation. 

Another member, on the other side of the aisle must’ve read my mind. 

“I always think of the farmers when I’m out here.  It really makes you think about what goes into the food you eat, doesn’t it?”

Her words have been ringing in my ears since.  Of course, I’m thinking about the farmers. Really, I was thinking about the farmers because I didn’t want to get caught popping all those heavenly acidic cherry tomatoes into my mouth instead of into my pint basket, but I knew what she was getting at.

Little defining moments like these happen nearly every week when I go to pick up the share - honest and real moments that just don’t happen at the Superfresh. 

Local. Sort of .

Thursday, July 26, 2007

We vacation in the Outer Banks where the produce at the local supermarket is terrible. The small produce store has some better items, but since I’m a member of the Red Earth Farm CSA (I split a full share of ten items with my friend Jen) I decided to bring along the entire contents of last week’s box.

The box contained:
Beets
Bunch of kale
3 zucchini
4 green peppers
Bunch Walla Walla onions
Half pint of Sun Gold tomatoes
3 heads of garlic (extra because they were left out of the previous week’s share)
Quart of green beans
Quart of wax beans
Pint of new potatoes
Bunch of Rainbow Chard (extra because it was left out of the previous week’s share)
Bunch of carrots
Pint of apricots
quart of sweet cherries
Quart of blueberries (from the buying club)
Block of Jack cheese (from the buying club)
Block of Cheddar cheese (from the buying club)

I also picked up a separate buying club order from Meadow Run Farm and packed up more (locally grown, pastured) meat in one cooler than I’ve eaten in the past six months.

Because that didn’t seem like enough for two weeks I stopped at my local Farmer’s Market and picked up:

6 ears of corn
2 quarts of Peaches
Cantaloupe

And from my own garden I picked:
Rosemary
Basil
Tarragon
Thyme

So far, instead of eating eating out for every meal our dinners have been

Whole Wheat Rotini with Ratatouille (Roasted Golden Tomatoes, Zucchini, Walla Walla Onions and Garlic, olive oil, thyme and basil) and parmesan served with Swiss chard sautéed with garlic and olive oil.

Hamburgers with raw herbed jack and raw colby dill cheese (from the Fair Food Stand) on whole wheat buns. Sauteed zucchini and onions with tarragon

Whole brined butterflied chicken grilled, corn on the cob, Green and wax beans with butter and parsley.

I used the chicken carcass and some carrots, onion and garlic to make a chicken stock for the next night’s meal, which was Beet risotto gone wrong. I brought the wrong rice (long grain, not short) so I had to make long grain brown rice with onions, garlic and butter cooked in chicken stock, roasted beets, and sautéed beet greens with garlic instead of the risotto I’d planned

So far our meals have been delicious and I’m thrilled I packed four coolers worth of food. But traveling 375 miles leaves me with this question- if I’m eating the meals in coastal North Carolina does the food still count as locally grown?