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The Com Post A weekly Post for our Community Supported Agriculture Members June 13, 2013 On the Farm Volume 8, Issue 1

Welcome to the 2013 season to know the farm and the still, coming regularly— though Week A of the Good Earth Farm CSA! farmers. This is partially what often scattered and likely to the CSA connection is about. change in the blink of an eye. This week in the box: The irst delivery is here and (The other part is real food!) One moment the forecast reads Short List what an exciting time it is. If 90% rain, and the next moment you are new to CSA, you’ll Many ways to connect with the 0% rain and sunny. (No Bok Choy quickly learn that this is a true farm and the farmers: the Com kidding! This happened several Red Kale seasonal eating experience. Post, facebook, the Good Earth times this year.) Field‐grown tomatoes aren’t Farm CSA blog, and farm events mix ready until late July. Onions (details coming soon.) This spring has been a challenge aren't ready until August. And for Wisconsin farmers. Though, Popcorn winter squash comes in Check out this link from Fair I truly believe that those words Flowering Onions September. This is just the way Share CSA Coalition in Madison: could be said every year. I don’t it is in Wisconsin. How to be a Great CSA Member think any spring will ever be Herb Packs (“CSA is a two‐way street!”) “perfect”—there really is no The irst boxes of late spring such thing. It will always be Radish (Large Shares) and early summer often bring New this year to the Com Post is too cold, too hot, too rainy, or many greens, peas, broccoli, the ‘Our best Guess’ section of too dry. Each season starts with cabbages, and radishes, to name the newsletter. Some of you crazy spring weather. That’s a few. These early boxes are a expressed interest in knowing just the way it is and that’s okay gradual build‐up to the what would be coming in the with us. Next week’s box— bountiful boxes of deep next box so that you could plan Our best guess! summer and the hefty crops of better for meals, ind recipes, go To be in the art of family‐scale autumn. shopping for other ingredients, organic farming, an occupation This is our best guess of etc. dominated by the weather, it is what will come next week We anticipate that eating crucial for us to have a bright (weather and other factors seasonally and locally will be Since the newsletter comes only outlook and to always make the affect what will actually be more enjoyable (and less a day before delivery, we hope best out of whatever life (read, in the box, but we know it’s intimidating) for you if you ‘Our best guess’ will be helpful the weather) throws our way. helpful to you to have a have a lot of helpful information for the following week and that general idea for menu at your ingertips. For this your meal plans will be “A pessimist sees the difficulty in planning.) reason we offer our members smoother. every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every the Com Post newsletter, our difficulty.” —Winston Churchill Bok Choy facebook page, and our blog. In the ield

Pea Shoots Our hope is to inspire you to Each season brings with it new Micro greens really get to know your food Most farmers would classify challenges and joys. We are Salad Mix and use it in a way that works this spring as “too wet”. The glad and thankful that you have Radish great for you, your family, and ields never did fully dry out. decided to join us for these Popcorn your lifestyle. The opportunities to get crops amazing experiences. ? Strawberries transplanted and seeded were

Yukina Savoy greens Be a Great CSA Member spotty, at best—timing has been Cheers, Onion of some sort everything. The Nicole Herb Packs EOW B folks It is important to us that you get thundershowers were, and are

Good Earth Farm W8965 Oak Center Road, Oakfield, WI 53065 920.583.2121 [email protected] www.goodearthfarm.net This week in the box: Details & Descriptions Vegetable & Fruit Storage guides can be found here.

Storage Crop frig? Speciics Comment Bok Choy Yes Wrap in a Each season I get emails from members who had never tried bok choy, but since be‐ damp towel ing “forced” to try it through their CSA box, become big fans. All say they are sur‐ or bag, store prised to ind how versatile and tasty bok choy is. Bok choy can be substituted for in crisper. any recipe that calls for cabbage or cooking greens. Here’s a fantastic recipe that gets rave reviews every time we make it for the Good Earth Farm crew: Sweet & Sour Bok Choy From the June 16, 2011 Com Post. Red Kale Yes In a damp A tender tasty red kale. Great sautéed, in a soup, salad, or frittata! We’ve even sau‐ towel or bag téed and topped a pizza.

Salad Mix Yes Store in the Great greens are here! It is deinitely salad season. What is your favorite dressing? bag the Check out the GEF Green Goddess dressing on page 4 or this selection of salad dress‐ greens ar‐ ings from bon appetit rived in.

Heirloom Popcorn No In the pantry Baby Rice or Black. Non‐organic. Heirloom popcorn from our farmer friends at Stein‐ or cabinet. ke Popcorn in Juneau. Our family has been eating this popcorn for years and we love it. It pops up white and small, and is crunchy and lavorful.

Flowering Onions Yes Store in a bag Too big to store in your frig? Chop inely and store the onions in a container in the in crisper refrigerator until ready to use. Don’t throw away the lowers. They are edible! The drawer lowers tend to have a stronger lavor than the leaves. You can eat the white, green, and lower parts of this plant.

Herb Pack No These will last a week or two before they need to be put into larger pots. See page 3 for details. Add some beauty to your yard (or deck or window) and a little taste to your meals all season long.

Radishes Yes Store in bags Large Shares only this week. We’re planning for all shares to get radishes next week. in crisper Remove greens from the roots before storage. Store roots separately from the edible drawer greens.

At left: Peas shoots growing in the greenhouse. We had planned for them to be in the first box, but they need a little more time. Next week!

We wash the produce, but so should you! Flavor Essentials : Herbs

Considering that herbs are an essential part of cooking, we’ve included 9 indispensable herb plants for you to have on hand throughout the growing season. They were started just for you a few months ago. We hope that you will plant them into larger pots or in an herb bed in your yard. If you choose pots, 3 inch pots would be suficient for each variety, or one large pot for all of them together. They could be kept on a porch, by a sunny win‐ dow, or on a deck. They should be moved to their permanent pots or yard within a week or two. Keep them well wa‐ tered and they will prove to be a summer‐long culinary delight. Your taste buds will be happy!  Parsley ‐ an all‐around useful herb. Flat‐leaf is the preferred parsley for culinary uses having a stronger more deined lavor. Flat leaf Garlic Borage  Borage ‐ A lovely edible lower with a mild cucumber lavor. Bite Parsley Chives into the center of the blossom for super sweetness. Both the blos‐ soms and the leaves can be eaten. Leaves can be used in salad, sau‐ téed, added to soups, or as a ravioli illing with . The lowers Lemon Summer Italian are make a beautiful garnish to or can be added to punches or Basil Savory Basil lemonade.  Garlic Chive ‐ a fantastic herb to have on had for a little garlic‐onion lavor.  Lemon Basil ‐ Surprise! It’s basil with a bright hint of lemon lavor! Thyme Rosemary Oregano  Summer Savory ‐ a peppery lavor that adds spice to dishes. Good in beans and cabbage.  Italian Basil ‐ the popular Italian large leaf variety used in a variety 2013 Herb Pack Layout of recipes from bruschetta to Caprese salad.  Thyme ‐ a Mediterranean native with a bright, sharp taste. Good in soups and stews.  Rosemary ‐ Rosemary is a delightful herb with a pine scent. It is good with beans, potatoes, or roasted vegetables.  Oregano ‐ often used in pizza and tomato‐based dishes.

Of all the plants you received in your herb pack, borage will grow to be the tallest. It can grow 24‐36 inches high. It will grow best if planted into it’s own container at least 6 inches in diameter, preferable larger. Your other herbs do not need this much space and, as stated above, can be planted indi‐ vidually into small pots or together in one large pot. Of course, all of the plants you received can go into the ground or a raised bed if you have the space.

You won’t regret giving these tasty little treasures a chance to grow!

Herb growing basics

At left: Borage happily growing in the Good Earth Farm greenhouse.

Good Earth Farm CSA Stir-Fried Chicken with Bok Choy GEF Green Goddess Dressing

From Everyday Food, April 2012 INGREDIENTS: INGREDIENTS:  1 cup plain yogurt  1 cup loosely packed pea  1/4 cup low‐sodium shoots and stems (you  1 tablespoon rice could also try turnip greens  2 teaspoons light‐brown sugar or radish greens)  2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound total)  2 T. chopped fresh dill (dry, use less)  1/4 cup of lowering onion, chopped,  4 teaspoons cornstarch white & green parts (save the lower  2 tablespoons vegetable oil for a salad topping!)  2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced  1/2 tsp. sugar  2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger   4 cups sliced bok choy  1/8 tsp. hot‐pepper sauce  1 small red chile or jalapeno, seeded and sliced DIRECTIONS:  Cooked rice, for serving In a food processor or blender, combine the yogurt, pea shoots, dill, green garlic, DIRECTIONS: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and hot‐pepper sauce sugar, and 3 tablespoons water. Slice chicken into thin strips. In a and process until smooth. Pour the dress‐ medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated. In a large ing into a container with a tight‐itting lid wok or skillet, heat oil, garlic, and ginger over medium‐high until and refrigerate several hours or up to fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken in a single layer, pressing overnight. The dressing will be thin when against pan to sear. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned and just irst made, but it will thicken, and the la‐ cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add bok choy and chile and cook, vors mellow, when refrigerated. Shake or stirring, until bok choy slightly wilts, about 1 minute. Add soy sauce stir well before serving. The dressing will mixture and cook until sauce thickens slightly, 2 minutes. Serve keep for up to 3 days. over rice. Salad Toppings

Many times salads are topped with dressing and nothing more. A fun, tasty, and healthy salad needs to have a little pizzazz! Here are some ideas:

Some of the best toppings for salads are some of the simplest:  Sunlower seeds  Raisins or currants  Crumbled gorgonzola  Walnuts or pecans  Hardboiled egg

Try a simple dressing of , balsamic vine‐ gar, and Dijon . The taste is simple and good . Top with some of the above toppings and PHOTO by: Romulo Yanes you’ve got a super salad!

Positively Pleasing Popcorn Recipes

SURPRISINGLY GOOD POPCORN SEASONING WholeNewMom.com, Adrienne Urban

Ingredients: 4 tablespoons celery salt 4 tablespoons dried parsley flakes 6 teaspoons garlic powder 6 teaspoons salt 6 teaspoons ground savory (you can try subbing thyme, but it will be a tad stronger) 2 teaspoons dried marjoram 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon ground sage

Directions: Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Transfer to a glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Stir or shake well before sprinkling atop freshly popped popcorn. ************************************************************************************************** ITALIAN BREADSTICK POPCORN PastryAffair.com, Kristin Rosenau

Ingredients: 8 cups popped popcorn, hot and fresh 1 tablespoon basil 1 tablespoon parsley 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1 teaspoon popcorn salt (or fine grain salt) 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions: Mix together the basil, parsley, garlic salt and popcorn salt in a small bowl. Transfer your freshly popped popcorn to a larger container with a lid, then add the spice mixture and drizzle the olive oil on top. Close the lid and shake until the popcorn is evenly coated with spices. “Doing this while the popcorn is hot will allow the spices to stick better to the popcorn, resulting in a better flavor,” suggests the chef.

Happy June! More to Know

It’s official! Good Earth Farm is Certified Organic! Yee Haw!

An important note about your share and which box to take from

Small Shares are in small WHITE boxes (5/9 bushel). Standard and EOW Shares are in BROWN boxes. Large Shares are in large WHITE boxes (1-1/9 bushel).

Homemade pizza topped with sautéed bok choy. Before baking and after. It was delicious!

Please remember to bring your own bags to transfer your produce into. Farm boxes should not leave the site. We reuse them—so after transferring your produce please carefully disassemble the box (it will lay flat). Thank you!

Good Earth Farm: Certified Organic CSA Farm