Dear CSA Member,
Welcome to the 2012 CSA season. The spring-time weather has been fine and the crops are growing well. We are starting off the season with beautiful Oriental Greens, tender Lettuces and a favorite of CSA members, Garlic Scapes.
The Oriental Greens: Mizuna, Suehlihung Mustard, Bok Choi, Chinese Cabbage have been covered with row cover since transplanting to keep them from the ferocious insects that love to chew on the leaves. The row cover is a light-weight spun fabric that we will roll and re-use next season. It acts as a physical barrier between the plant and pests keeping the plants in the best shape possible. You can find photos of the row cover on our Face Book page, https://www.facebook.com/StoneledgeFarm, if you are interested. There is a close up of Peter lifting the row cover, checking the Chinese Cabbage plants.
Lettuces are tender and young. Lettuce loves the cool, rainy springtime weather. With all produce from the farm, the vegetables are dipped in water to remove the field heat and give a rinse, but you will need to wash all of the vegetables at home as well. We have had quite a bit of heavy rain and so the inside core of the lettuces will need extra care. I have found the best way to rinse the greens is to cut the base from the plant and rinse the leaves in a bath of cold water. Drain and rinse again. There is nothing to beat a salad spinner to dry the greens after washing. Put the washed and dried greens in a plastic bag, vegetable container or even leave in the salad spinner and refrigerate.
Garlic Scapes are the immature seed head of the garlic plant. The plant sends up the seed head early in the season. We remove the scape to allow the plant to put all of its energy into producing a good bulb. The scape is delicious with a garlic flavor. Just chop and use as you would garlic. Scapes make a great pesto. You can find a recipe for Garlic Scape Pesto on the farm website, Recipe section.
We are utilizing a new programming system this season, and you have access to your account at all times. To check your account and add a Fruit Share or Coffee Share go to the farm website, click on My Account under the center photo. Log in with your e-mail address and password. Share partners will need to get the log in information from the share partner that registered as the Primary Shareholder. The green Summary box on the right has your subscription information. If you would like to add a Fruit Share click on the Add Subscription link and advance past the first Vegetable Share page by clicking Next. Select the Fruit Share and complete the tabs. We will be taking Fruit Share additions until the third week of delivery. After that time we need to make arrangements for Fruit Share amounts and will not be adding more Fruit Shares.
As always, if you have questions please send an e-mail to the farm [info@stoneledgefarmny.org] and we will be back in touch.
Enjoy the Vegetables
Deborah for everyone at Stoneledge Farm
Pete S.,, Peter, Arliss