First CSA pickup! Greens Galore!
Hello folks,
Its finally here. Harvest time! Its very exciting for all of us at the farm and I know Ive seen or talked with a few of you about your anticipation for starting the pickups.
There is alot of information in this posting so PLEASE READ EVERYTHING! (Recipes at the bottom)
Richmond folks: Pickups are at the Andrews Farm Store on Rte 2 in Richmond from 3pm-6pm. Please bring a canvas bag, thank you. If you will be late please call 434-2783 (this rings to the barn during pickup time) and Ashley will put your items on the porch. IMPORTANT FOR TOMORROW- I will be scooting out around 4pm to attend my only nephews graduation so Ashley will be there to greet you until 6pm. Im sorry if I dont get to meet you but Ill see you next week! We’ll have a few eggs and a cooler of meat on hand should you like to take something home for a BBQ on the weekend. Any special requests, let me know by Wed at 3pm.
Huntington folks: Pickups are in the barn after 4pm. There will be a basket/bag of harvest waiting for you on the table and check the board for any news. You may see folks from the farm around doing chores if you have any questions.
THIS WEEKS HARVEST:
Expect a big bag of flavorful arugula (see info at bottom), Head lettuce, spinach, radishes, a few herbs to pick in the garden, your first (of four) pints of syrup and a surprise to take home to plant in your garden!
Note: Please pour the syrup into a pitcher at home and put in your fridge and use it on everything! yum! I would love the ball jar back to refill for the next pint later in the summer. Thank you for your cooperation. Help us reuse and refill and not re – Buy!
NEWS of the FARM:
Wow, where do I start, its been a busy beginning to our grazing/growing season. All the animals are healthy and happy on pasture. We are in full swing with Farmers Market season and our apprentices, Jason, Michael, and Ashley are getting in to the groove of things on the farm. We have baled up almost 100 bales of hay so far in Richmond and are hoping for another string of dry weather to do some more.
PRODUCT NOTES:
We just processed about 50 “past their prime” layer hens on Tuesday and we will be selling them as stew birds for $2.50/lb. If anyone would like to reserve a few, let us know and I can bring them to a pickup on Thursday or have them at our farmers market stand for you.
Additionally if you would like to special order any of our meat, please call or email me and I can have it set aside for you.
I look forward to a great harvest season and growing your vegetables for you and your families. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Email is usually the best but on harvest day, I have my cell with me. 233-3862.
Eat well, Beth
GARDEN NOTES/RECIPES:
Arugula
is a pungent, peppery salad green that has been widely used in Italy since ancient Roman times. It was virtually unknown in the United States until the 1970s when it, along with other exotic mesclun greens from the Mediterranean region, such as radicchio and mache, caught the wave of interest in the new style of seasonal cooking known as California cuisine – and rode that wave into the periphery of the mainstream American diet. Arugula is now widely available in farmers markets, even though it is still seldom seen in the average American supermarket.
To the uninitiated, arugula can take some getting used to, though it is an easily acquired taste if properly presented. In relatively small quantities, shreds of arugula can add a touch of spice to any salad without overwhelming it. It is also excellent as the dominant or even sole green in a salad with fruit or a fruity dressing to offset its pungency. To those who find it a bit too peppery for their taste, a portion of the arugula in any of these recipes can be replaced with spinach
This is an excellent dressing for an arugula and/or spinach salad. For more layers of flavor complexity, add walnuts and/or feta cheese and/or crumbled bacon.
Apple Vinaigrette
1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons grated sweet or purple onion 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup finely chopped apple
1. Whisk together sugar, vinegar, onion, mustard, salt, oil, and apple, or pulse a few times in blender.
2. Refrigerate salad greens and dressing separately until serving time.
Arugula and Pear Salad
Dressing: 2 tablespoons minced shallot 3 tablespoons vegetable broth 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste Freshly ground pepper to taste Salad: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 2 firm red Bartlett pears 5 cups butterhead lettuce (Bibb or Boston) washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces 4 cups arugula, trimmed, washed and dried 1. To prepare dressing, whisk shallots, broth, oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. 2. To prepare salad, toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. 3. Just before serving, cut pears into 16 slices each. Place in a large bowl. Spoon on 1 tablespoon of the dressing and toss to coat. Add lettuce, arugula and the remaining dressing; toss well. Divide among 8 plates. Top with walnuts.
