BLUE GOOSE NEWS
BLUE GOOSE NEWS September 5 - 7, 2017 – Week 14 From the Farmer… I hope everyone had a good Labor Day Weekend. And as this weekend usually marks the end of summer, it certainly felt like fall with the sudden drop in temperature. It is hard to believe, but the weeks that are left for this season can be counted on one hand…only 5 more to go! We are missing too many of our CSA boxes. If you have any white crop boxes at your house (or in your car), PLEASE RETURN THEM to your pick-up site. Even if they are broken, we still want them back so return those as well. I am sure you have noticed that we simply hot glue them back together and keep on using them. As a CSA farmer, my goal is always to have good crops that come ready steadily over time so they are not all ready at the same time. I planted the same variety of cantaloupe 2 ½ weeks apart. In theory that should have spread our cantaloupe production over several weeks. In reality, however, they were all ready at once! As the plants were maturing, the first planting seemed to slow down and let the 2nd planting catch up. The melons that have been picked over the last 2 weeks came from both plantings. Over the weekend, it seems that the rest have all ripened at once. I was really hoping to have melons over a longer period of time, but this looks to be the last week. And since they are ripe now and need to be eaten before it is too late, everyone will get 2 melons this week. And with everything else I am trying to fit into the boxes, as it looks now, one melon will be packed in your box, and you will have to take another melon from the separate cantaloupe boxes at your site. The abundance of melons has caused me to put a few other items on hold for now because I just can’t get everything into the boxes. All of our red cabbage has grown incredibly well (just like our green cabbage). It should be cut this week, but the cabbage will hold until next week. We were also hoping to have butternut squash in the box this week, but that too will hold until next week. Trust me, there have been times in the past when I was worrying about what I might possibly have that was ripe and ready to put into the boxes. Yes, I am grateful and view it as a luxury to be able to have so many fresh and ripe options to put into your boxes. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of the tomatoes, return to the basics – who can turn down a good BLT sandwich, a fresh salsa, or a warm bowl of chili. Try slicing them and roast them in the oven to add to a pizza, pasta, or omelet. They will soon be gone and we’ll miss them for sure. Eat them now and enjoy them the few short weeks we have them! Have a wonderful week! Scott & Chrissy Farabaugh www.bluegoosefarmnicktown.com
IN THE BOX THIS WEEK
Cantaloupe (2) Carrots Garlic Head Lettuce Onion Peppers Sweet Corn Tomatoes & Juliets OR Romas
NEXT WEEK’S BEST GUESSES
Beets Butternut Squash Potatoes Red Cabbage Tomatoes
To You, With love. From, Our Pretty Peppers
Racks and Racks of Red Ripe Juliet Tomatoes [email protected]
2 FOOD FOR THOUGHT
There is a “natural” joy that comes to those who belong to a CSA. The food tastes better– as the flavors are intensified somehow. There’s a connection to the farm and the farmeras you know the name of both and where they are located; there’s a connection to the seasons– as you learn to eat what is naturally in season until you’re almost sick of it because you know you won’t get more until next summer. There’s less cost, less waste (we hope), and a chance to try vegetables we might otherwise avoid. The truth is, though, CSAs can be a lot of work. The vegetables don’t come cleaned, or prepped and packaged, like the ones found in the grocery store. The farmer is the one who selects what is ripe and ready to go in the boxes, so you get what you get. Thus having to plan meals around “the box” each week. If you think about it, it is the opposite of a “normal” grocery list or shopping experience. And it can take some getting used to. CSAs certainly are not for the faint of heart. We take pride in the fact that our members take on this challenge, weekafter-week, year-after-year. And for some of you, you may have the mind set to say, “I’m going to avoid the produce section of my grocery store as long as possible.” But the truth is, you must make peace with the produce section. From time-to-time, you have to supplement your box with a few items from the grocery store because you want to eat more of something than what is provided in the box. Sure, you’ll need more staples for base cooking, like celery, onions, or garlic. You may even want more chard, leeks, or squash. When you visit the produce section, you may feel a little frustrated because you can’t get the variety we try to provide, let alone the flavor. However, the grocer is simply providing what the masses want. We are beholden to them to tide us over until the next CSA season. That’s the point…there’s always next season! www.bluegoosefarmnicktown.com
IN THE KITCHEN
What do you do with 3 ears of corn and 2 cantaloupes? Give up? No, this isn’t a riddle. Here are a couple of suggestions: Cook the ears of corn, cut kernels from the cob, and add them to your favorite corn chowder, chili, or corn bread recipe. And with so much melon, this is a good chance to go wild in the kitchen and make a fresh, modern melon salsa with onion and pepper. Lots of variations to be found on the internet. GARLIC BUTTER ROASTED CARROTS 1 lb. carrots, washed and cut diagonally 4 T butter 2-3 cloves garlic, minced salt and pepper to taste garnish with dried parsley or dill Preheat oven to 425F and set rack in center o oven. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter over medium-heat in a large nonstick skillet or pan. Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring very frequently. DO NOT burn the garlic. Add carrots to the garlic butter in the pan and toss until well combined. Transfer carrots to greased baking sheet; arrange in one layer. Bake for 22-30 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving plate. Season with salt and pepper to your liking and garnish with your preferred dried herb. TOMATO PIE 1 9-inch pie shell (store bought is fine) ½ C onion, diced 4-5 tomatoes, cut in half, squeezed to remove juice, and roughly chopped to yield @ 3 cups 1 t salt ¼ C fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1 T dried) 1 C grated sharp cheddar cheese 1 C grated Monterey Jack cheese ½ C mayonnaise 1 t (or more) Tabasco or other hot sauce Black pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350F. Prebake pie shell to package directions. Set chopped tomatoes in a strainer and salt them to rid excess liquid. Squeeze out as much as you can. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together cheeses, mayo, hot sauce, and pepper to create a gooey spread. In baked pie shell, layer ingredients in this order: diced onions, chopped and drained tomatoes, chopped basil, and spread mayo-cheese mix over top. Bake at 350F for about 40-45 minutes, until browned and bubbly.
EAT WELL. EAT OFTEN. [email protected]
IN THE BOX THIS WEEK
Cantaloupe (2) Carrots Garlic Head Lettuce Onion Peppers Sweet Corn Tomatoes & Juliets OR Romas
NEXT WEEK’S BEST GUESSES
Beets Butternut Squash Potatoes Red Cabbage Tomatoes
To You, With love. From, Our Pretty Peppers
Racks and Racks of Red Ripe Juliet Tomatoes [email protected]
2 FOOD FOR THOUGHT
There is a “natural” joy that comes to those who belong to a CSA. The food tastes better– as the flavors are intensified somehow. There’s a connection to the farm and the farmeras you know the name of both and where they are located; there’s a connection to the seasons– as you learn to eat what is naturally in season until you’re almost sick of it because you know you won’t get more until next summer. There’s less cost, less waste (we hope), and a chance to try vegetables we might otherwise avoid. The truth is, though, CSAs can be a lot of work. The vegetables don’t come cleaned, or prepped and packaged, like the ones found in the grocery store. The farmer is the one who selects what is ripe and ready to go in the boxes, so you get what you get. Thus having to plan meals around “the box” each week. If you think about it, it is the opposite of a “normal” grocery list or shopping experience. And it can take some getting used to. CSAs certainly are not for the faint of heart. We take pride in the fact that our members take on this challenge, weekafter-week, year-after-year. And for some of you, you may have the mind set to say, “I’m going to avoid the produce section of my grocery store as long as possible.” But the truth is, you must make peace with the produce section. From time-to-time, you have to supplement your box with a few items from the grocery store because you want to eat more of something than what is provided in the box. Sure, you’ll need more staples for base cooking, like celery, onions, or garlic. You may even want more chard, leeks, or squash. When you visit the produce section, you may feel a little frustrated because you can’t get the variety we try to provide, let alone the flavor. However, the grocer is simply providing what the masses want. We are beholden to them to tide us over until the next CSA season. That’s the point…there’s always next season! www.bluegoosefarmnicktown.com
IN THE KITCHEN
What do you do with 3 ears of corn and 2 cantaloupes? Give up? No, this isn’t a riddle. Here are a couple of suggestions: Cook the ears of corn, cut kernels from the cob, and add them to your favorite corn chowder, chili, or corn bread recipe. And with so much melon, this is a good chance to go wild in the kitchen and make a fresh, modern melon salsa with onion and pepper. Lots of variations to be found on the internet. GARLIC BUTTER ROASTED CARROTS 1 lb. carrots, washed and cut diagonally 4 T butter 2-3 cloves garlic, minced salt and pepper to taste garnish with dried parsley or dill Preheat oven to 425F and set rack in center o oven. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter over medium-heat in a large nonstick skillet or pan. Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring very frequently. DO NOT burn the garlic. Add carrots to the garlic butter in the pan and toss until well combined. Transfer carrots to greased baking sheet; arrange in one layer. Bake for 22-30 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving plate. Season with salt and pepper to your liking and garnish with your preferred dried herb. TOMATO PIE 1 9-inch pie shell (store bought is fine) ½ C onion, diced 4-5 tomatoes, cut in half, squeezed to remove juice, and roughly chopped to yield @ 3 cups 1 t salt ¼ C fresh basil leaves, chopped (or 1 T dried) 1 C grated sharp cheddar cheese 1 C grated Monterey Jack cheese ½ C mayonnaise 1 t (or more) Tabasco or other hot sauce Black pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350F. Prebake pie shell to package directions. Set chopped tomatoes in a strainer and salt them to rid excess liquid. Squeeze out as much as you can. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together cheeses, mayo, hot sauce, and pepper to create a gooey spread. In baked pie shell, layer ingredients in this order: diced onions, chopped and drained tomatoes, chopped basil, and spread mayo-cheese mix over top. Bake at 350F for about 40-45 minutes, until browned and bubbly.
EAT WELL. EAT OFTEN. [email protected]
