Winter CSA Newsletter Week #21 Mar 31-Apr 6, 2024 “A" week
Because our garage cat Smudge has become of favorite for many of you, I share this week's photo of her.
She'd just come in from outside and proceeded to climb atop an old storage cabinet. From this vantage point she was able to comfortably monitor the outside farm events. (The wood stove that powers our house boiler heat lives in the garage also.😉)
VEG SHARES
(Photo of the "Default" FULL Share below. See listings to see which share size has what, how much, along with info, guides, recipes.)
FULL VEG SHARE:
SPINACH & TURNIP GREENS (¼ lb) - This green is very versatile (and YES! You can eat the stems, in fact they are very tasty too. ;) It can be eaten cooked or raw, requires little prep, works with sweet or savory ingredients, stands up to other hearty ingredients, and pairs well with rich, fatty foods such as cheese, butter, bacon, and cream. Raw is popular in salads with, or without, pecans, dried fruit such as cranberries, chunks of cheese, sunflower seeds, and roasted beets. Other possibilities are steaming, boiling, stir-frying, or sautéeing with butter or olive oil. Known as a longer keeper than lettuce, store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or more. Note - Cooks down in size considerably. Guide & Recipes
CARROTS (1 lb) - Store the roots dry and unwashed in
a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Guide & Recipes (from Red Door Family Farm - organic)
SUNFLOWER SHOOTS (¼ lb) - Sunflower Shoots, also called sunflower greens or microgreens, have a nutty flavor with a crunchy texture. They are versatile and can be used like fresh salad greens, stir fried or steamed lightly, used in sandwiches, with pasta, or on pizza. Store in a plastic bag or wrapped in a slightly damp towel for about a week or maybe a little more. Guide & Recipes
GERMAN BUTTERBALL POTATOES (1 lb) With a brown peel and flesh that's a vibrant yellow to gold and is firm, waxy, and dense. German Butterball Potatoes are most commonly used as baking potatoes but can also be fried or roasted. When cooked, they're creamy with a smooth consistency and offer a rich, buttery flavor. Guide & Recipes
KIMCHI mild (1/2 pint) - This is our first attempt at this fermented tangy Korean side dish, and it’s missing ginger and fish sauce. (Maybe we should be calling it Kimchi-ish!) We intend future batches to include those. However it’s still good. Store in fridge. It’ll keep several months and is chock full of healthy probiotics. Makes a great side dish, condiment with burgers or brats, or addition to a salad or breakfast.
HALF VEG SHARE: (see Full VEG Shares above⬆ for info on each item)
SPINACH & TURNIP GREENS (¼ lb)
CARROTS (1 lb)
SUNFLOWER SHOOTS (¼ lb)
GERMAN BUTTERBALL POTATOES (1 lb)
KIMCHI mild (1/2 pint)
Other ITEMS available in "Design My Share"
GARLIC PESTO JACK CHEESE (6 oz) Semi-soft cheese with the perfect balance of garlic and basil is great on your favorite cracker or topping a pizza. Pairs well with: a soft white wine.*NOT organic. (from Meister Cheese)
BRUSCHETTA JACK CHEESE (6 oz) - A semi-soft Monterey Jack with mild flavors of tomato, garlic, parsley, and basil. A real crowd pleaser at all gatherings. Pairs well with: a sweeter red or white wine. *NOT organic. (from Meister Cheese)
Adirondack Blue Potatoes
Yellow Onions
Purple Top Turnips
Daikon Radish
All Purpose Bolted Flour
Pickled Beets
Fermented Sauerkraut
MES SHARES
Week 1 of the rotation so MES is for LEUCC.
FULL: 2 Dozen Eggs
HALF: 1 Dozen Eggs
EGG SHARE
WEEKLY = 1 Dozen
BIWEEKLY = 1 Dozen
PREPARED FOOD & RECIPES:
On the Farm
One of this week's signs of spring was the arrival of our first batch of chicks. They came yesterday.
The photos have a red glow from the infrared light bulb used to keep them warm.
In nature the hen would provide that service and we wouldn't need to "cheat" with heat lamps.
Once their feathers come in and cover their baby down they'll be able to maintain their body temperature themselves and the extra heat will be unnecessary. But for now, it's vital to their well-being!
The top left photo shows chicks taking a drink. they fill their beak with water from the tray and then lift their head up so it runs down their throat. They often close their eyes as they go through this motions which you can see in this photo.
You probably also notice pieces of gravel in the tray.
When the chicks arrive they are very thirsty after their day of travel and drink lots. Because keeping them warm at this young age is so important, we fill the waterers with warm - not cold - water.
That's all just fine but there's a problem as many of the chicks sense the warmth of the water and jump right in.
And wet chicks are cold chicks. And cold chicks don't last long -- YIKES!
To prevent them from taking that plunge, we put gravel in the trays. It serves to let them get water to drink, but makes it shallow so they can't actually get in it.
Speaking from experience -- blow drying a hundred chicks is for the birds -- LOL.
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