CSA report
Landisdale Farm CSA, week 18
Saturday, October 11, 2008
This week’s share from Landisdale Farm contained:
- 12 small turnips
7 small pears
2 giant heads of lettuce
1 bag of spinach
Not quite a dozen sweet potatoes
2 small heads of broccoli
3 medium onions
I’m more than a little dismayed to see the return of the lettuce. My guess is that we are doomed to have lettuce hogging up our share until the end of the CSA season.
Speaking of the end of the season, my husband and I have been discussing our options for which CSA to go with next year. Craig doesn’t like a Saturday pickup, and I would rather not schlep a zillion pounds of produce on my back on the train ride home for a mid-week pick up at Reading Terminal like I did last year. I’d love to find a CSA pick up at Headhouse Square market on Sundays (or some other CSA Sunday pickup). I’ve heard that Old Earth Farm normally has a CSA pick up at Headhouse, but their CSA program was canceled for 2008. Has anyone heard if they plan to be back in 2009, or of any other CSA pickups on Sundays that are either in Philadelphia or Delaware County?
CSA Report: Red Earth Farm
Friday, October 10, 2008
I know that we’re well into October and the weather has been on the chilly side. But I’ve still been in denial about it being fall. This CSA share is proof that it’s summer no more.
Two heads of broccoli, head of cauliflower, bunch of leeks, bag of green beans, butternut squash, acorn squash, and a half bushel of apples we picked yesterday at Linvilla Orchard. I’ll probably hang on to the squashes for a while since they store well, but stay tuned for apple recipes to come.
We were pleasantly surprised to find a row of producing raspberry bushes amongst the apples yesterday. After stuffing his face with raspberries the toddler had no interest whatsoever in picking apples. It took some work and we suffered through some whining but we still managed to pick several varieties in a short time period- most for cooking but a bunch for eating. I may can some apple sauce or apple butter but most likely I’ll use the apples for fresh baked goods. And for the record, apple picking with a baby strapped to your chest is infinitely easier than strawberry picking with a baby strapped to your chest.
CSA Report: Blooming Glen Farm
Thursday, October 09, 2008
(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)
New in the share this week: a couple pounds of fun blue potatoes, cabbage, acorn squash and turnips! Thankfully, we’re still getting greens (arugula and collards) as well as scrumptious peppers.
Landisdale Farm CSA, week 17
Sunday, October 05, 2008
While I was competing at yesterday’s Philadelphia Dragon Boat Festival (my team took the women’s club championship - we’re the fastest chicks on the river!), my husband picked up our Landisdale Farm CSA share yesterday at Clark Park. Here is what we received this week:
- 2 bunches of kale
- 2 small broccoli heads
- 5 white sweet potatoes
- 5 apples
- 8 baby turnips
- 5 tomatoes
- 2 Kuri winter squash
I am not the biggest fan there ever was when it comes to kale. There was kale in our share two weeks ago, too, and I haven’t used that yet (and no, it hasn’t gone bad - kale seems to last forever). There are very few ways that I really like kale, but I’ll be trying to use it.
One way I do like kale is in soup. My plan is to pick a few soup recipes, make up giant batches of it, and either freeze or can it.
- White bean, kale, and sausage soup
Lentil Kale soup
Carrot and kale soup
North African Chickpea and Kale soup
Roasted Pumpkin and Kale soup
Cream of Kale soup
Chestnut Kale soup
Potato Kale soup with Seitan
Island Kale and Sweet Potato soup
Sweet Potato, Corn, and Kale Chowder
Yellow Split Pea Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Kale
Sweet Potato Kale soup
Now, dairy doesn’t freeze or can well...which does leave out a few of the recipes above. But you can definitely can meat, and any of these soup recipes that are mostly vegetarian would can or freeze perfectly. There’s something to be said for coming home from a busy day at work on a super cold, blustery Winter day and being able to have a warm bowl of hearty soup without toiling in the kitchen!
On a related note, I thought it would be interesting to compare what was in my Landisdale Farm share this week to what was in my Lancaster Farm Fresh share last year at this time. Fascinating!
CSA Report: Blooming Glen Farm
Thursday, October 02, 2008
(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)
Holy technicolor share, Batman! Here’s a closeup of the Swiss chard and flowers:
Absolutely stunning! Does anyone happen to know what kind of flowers those are?
CSA report: Landisdale Farm, weeks 15 and 16
Saturday, September 27, 2008
No photo from last weekend’s share - Naomi picked it up for me as I was competing at the Mercer Lake Dragon Boat Festival (thanks again, Naomi). But there were about half a dozen tomatoes, two bell peppers, a butternut squash, pears, cabbage, and - I think - spinach. Honestly, I haven’t even so much as looked at most of it: I got hit with the plague that’s going around and have been down for the count for a few days.
Still a little woozy, Mr. Fish picked up the share this morning.
Here’s what’s in it:
- Two watermelons
Two bundles of lacinato kale
A few handfuls of green beans
Two cabbages
Two bags of spinach
Eight pears
Five garilc
Two small eggplants
As you might be able to tell from the photo, the pears are in a rapidly decaying state. Luckily, I’m feeling well enough to try to deal with the pears. That also leaves the watermelon, though. I now have four watermelons because I never did anything with last ones I got. It’s going to be a busy weekend.
CSA Report: Blooming Glen Farm
Friday, September 26, 2008
(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)
More fabulous squash in the share—yum! This week, it’s a pretty yellow and green delicata squash.
The delicata slightly softened the blow of no cherry tomatoes this week (sniff, sniff). This year overall, Blooming Glen Farm graced upon its members eight quarts and two pints of the most scrumptious cherry tomatoes in an endless variety. We had green and yellow zebra-striped ones that packed a heavenly acidic punch, vibrant and tart orange ones, slightly grape-tasting and pirate-sounding Black Pearls, super mild and pale yellow ones, and of course, classic sweet cherry red ones. And that’s just to name a few! I’ve been eating cherry tomatoes every day for the last two months and now… they’re gone.
Thankfully, I preserved a few quarts by roasting and then freezing them which, along with all the funky winter squashes we’re getting now, is making the cherry tomato withdrawal a smidgen more bearable. Happy fall!
CSA Report: Blooming Glen Farm
Friday, September 19, 2008
(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)
I know fall is near when funky squashes start showing up at the farm. Last week, it was a sunshine squash, and this week is the kabocha squash. The kabocha is knobby, acorn-shaped, striped in several green shades, about the size of a coffee pot. It’s so peculiar, that our farmers placed a note next to the bin in which they sat, “Sweet tasting squash—not just for decoration!”
Landisdale Farm CSA, week 13. Sort of.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Last week Landisdale Farm canceled the delivery of CSA shares due to the tropical storm deluge. And that was really good timing for me: I was leaving for a business trip to San Francisco on Tuesday morning (more on my local food hunting, San Francisco-style, another time). Share deliveries resumed today, and this is what was in the share:
- Two small watermelons
- 8 green apples
- 2 small heads of Napa cabbage
- 2 half pint boxes of basil
- 5 sweet potatoes
- 2 bags of spinach
- 6 tomatoes
Cat not included (that’s Mayor McCheese, one of my cats - he seemed very interested in the spinach).
Sadly, the tomatoes are not particularly firm and will need to be dealt with immediately. I’m thinking maybe catsup. The cabbage will get chopped and frozen.
It’s the fruit that continually leaves me scratching my head. I did make watermelon barbecue sauce and watermelon rind relish with the last batch of watermelons. There are still lots of options for watermelon, since neither one of us particularly love watermelon just plain.
And the apples...they’re a bit too hard and tart to use for fresh eating. I could make applesauce or apple butter, but I’m looking for something more interesting. There’s always the option of making apple pie filling and canning it, but I rarely bake pies. While I’m not hot on making jam or jelly (because we’re not really jelly people), I am intrigued by the idea of four pepper apple jelly, and spiced apple rings are always sort of comforting. Ideas? Suggestions?
CSA Report: Blooming Glen Farm
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)
It’s sweet pepper time at Blooming Glen Farm—yes!
CSA Report: Blooming Glen Farm
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)
Sweet peppers are strutting their stuff over at Blooming Glen; they’re gorgeous and fun and they know it! We still (thankfully) have lots of cherry tomatoes, with two pick-your-own quarts this week. Sadly, the sunflowers are just about done, but some striking zinnias made a fine replacement in my bouquet.
CSA report: Landisdale Farm, week 12
Saturday, August 30, 2008
I was overwhelmed with joy when the share this week did not contain any lettuce. None. Not a head to be found! I would have done a little jig right there are the farm stand, but I maintained what little dignity I possess. This is what’s in the share this week:
- Two bunches of lacinato kale
- Two heads of Napa cabbage
- Six heirloom tomatoes
- Six peaches (sadly, one is already moldy)
- Two sugar baby watermelons
- Six bell peppers
- Four white onions
The kale will be blanched and frozen, and the peaches will be sliced and canned. I’ll roast and freeze the peppers. I’ll probably carmelize and can most of the onions. The Napa cabbage and tomatoes, well, I’m not 100% sure yet.
The watermelons present a challenge. I generally don’t eat a lot of watermelon. It’s not that I don’t like it, I’m just never really in the mood for it. Wanting to have options, I did a little research into how I could use up the watermelons. I’ll start with the booze. There are watermelon margaritas and watermelon mojitos. Watermelon coolers and watermelon daquiris. The watermelon fizz. Even watermelon martini and watermelon wine.
But I’m really not much of a drinker (save the occasional glass of wine or Guinness). Watermelon is typically thought of a dessert sort of thing on a picnic, but I am really not the biggest fan of fruit desserts. Watermelon pudding sounds vaguely intriguing. Or I could just go the simple route and go crazy with a melon baller, and just freeze the lot.
I did find a few main dish recipes that sound sort of interesting:
- grilled shrimp, orange, and watermelon salad
grilled watermelon and prawns
watermelon beet soup
watermelon pancakes
watermelon curry
Spicy Sweet & Sour Watermelon and Cucumber Salad
watermelon barbecue sauce
Thai spiced watermelon soup with crabmeat
And then there are recipes involving the rind: pickles, chutney, and relish.
CSA Report: Blooming Glen Farm
Thursday, August 28, 2008
(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)
It’s recently been determined that I will never tire of fresh cherry tomatoes. EVER.
Landisdale Farm CSA, week 12
Saturday, August 23, 2008
There’s irony afoot this week. Convinced that I wouldn’t be getting tomatoes through the CSA share, I ordered a 25 pound box of plum tomatoes from the Fair Food Farmstand a few days ago. And now tomatoes were included in the share this week. Granted, not enough to make sauce from (as I will with the plum tomatoes), but still.
The share contained the following:
- Two giant heads of lettuce. Seriously...no more freaking lettuce. Enough! My compost heap runneth over, people. At the very least, I found a vegan who offered to take my lettuce. But I would rather have no lettuce in the share at all. I’m sick to death of even looking at it.
- One spaghetti squash. Something different, so that’s great!
- Three cucumbers. Good, good.
- Two heads of garlic.
- A small flat container of basil
- Two handfuls of red potatoes
- A pint of plums
When we picked up the share, the ladies at the stand informed us we were allowed to pick out four heirloom tomatoes. As I was doing so, I heard some guy next to me mention Farm to Philly. I forget sometimes that people do, indeed, read the blog! Happily, I didn’t act like a wanker and yell, “Hey, that’s my blog!” I just picked out my tomatoes (which I am super glad to have and hope that more are included in next week’s share) and left.
For the sake of comparison, you might want to check out what was in the Lancaster Farm Fresh share at this time last year.
I still have every single last plum from last week’s share. With another pint on hand, I figure I have to do something with them now. I have options, happily. I can put my dehydrator to use and make dried plums. Or I can make plum sauce of some sort, which sounds more interesting to me. I like the idea of making plum barbecue sauce.
Alternatively, there’s plum granita or plum sorbet.
CSA Report: Blooming Glen Farm
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
(Click photo to read notes at flick’r regarding names/quantities of share.)
I normally split my share with my sister. This week however, she’s out of town and I’m left with ALL of this. Yikes! I think this may be the first week that I’ll immediately have to preserve a portion of the pick up. String beans are an easy freeze, so they’ll probably go into the FoodSaver, as well as most of those cherry tomatoes after I roast them. Any ideas for the rest of the loot? I’m now up to ten beets, three watermelons and one-and-a-half cantaloupe; any ideas for these specifically is greatly appreciated!
