2015 Summer CSA – Week 15

***This is an ODD week, therefore we will deliver half shares to the following cities: Bluffton (On-Farm), Columbus, Dothan, & Tallahassee.

This Saturday marked the beginning of summer. What will you do with yours?

Summer is a time of traveling, vacations, family, food, and great books! I want to list out a couple of wonderful reads that I have been given. I am hoping that this post will stir others to list some of their favorite food and/or cookbooks. Food is and always be the topic of debate, intrigue, mystery and passion. Whether you love to cook or love to eat, we live in a world with billions of other eaters & cooks. We have so much to learn from each other. Please send me your favorite food books!

Omnivore’s Dilemma & Cooked: Michael Pollan

Farm City: Novella Carpenter

Jayber Crow: Wendell Berry

Ad Hoc: Thomas Keller

Summerland: Anne Quantrano

The Flavor Bible: Karen Page & Andrew Dornenburg

Cooking for Geeks: Jeff Potter

New this Share: Cucumbers, Cut Flowers & Cantaloupe!

Cucumbers: This is a summertime favorite! It subtly says refreshment like few other things do. It is so simple, yet so tasty. Enjoy your cukes!

Cut Flowers: we wanted to share a little sunshine with you so we picked some fresh flowers and sent them along to your CSA pick up! Please take 3 stems from the mason jar, you can choose which ever color combinations you desire!

Cantaloupe: Believe it or not this melon is actually related to the cucumber & squash. As crazy as it sounds, pumpkins, melons, gourds, squashes, and cukes are all cousins.

Perfect pairings:

Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Mint & Feta salad: cut into desired size, toss with feta and mint then enjoy!

Cabbage & Dill Flower coleslaw: Allow the dill flower to add some zest to your next batch of coleslaw.

Cantaloupe & Mint Popsicles: Juice your cantaloupe & mint. Freeze into popsicle containers.

Braised Cantaloupe & Beets with a hint of Mint: Braise your cantaloupe and beets with a little red wine vinegar for a sweet & savory topping to your favorite grain salad.

Organic Share Items

Cut Flowers: Be Creative!

Cantaloupe: braised, garnish, gelato, popsicles, tart.

Storage: Short term storage, keep on the counter 1-2 days. If longer storage required, then remove rind, cut into cubes or slices and store in the fridge.

Cucumbers: raw, pickled, salads, soups, & sandwiches.

Storage: Short term storage, keep on the counter 1-2 days. If longer storage required, dry off & place in crisper drawer.

Cabbage: braised, dumplings, fermented, pickled, raw, rolls, sauerkraut, slaw, steamed, stews, stir-fry, soups & wraps.

Storage: Place in a Ziploc in the back of your fridge, outer leaves will wilt. If the outer leaves are wilted, discard outer leaves the inner leaves are perfect!

Dill Flowers: Used for pickling: carrots, jalapenos, green beans, cabbage, fennel, green tomatoes, swiss chard stems, okra, and so many other vinegar favorites.

Storage: keep in glass of water, like fresh flowers, use quickly.

Squash: bake, blacken, fry, grill, and roast, sauté, stuffed,

Storage: Store in plastic wrap, or in plastic storage bag with all of the air removed.

Eggplant: baba ghanoush, braised, baked goods, eggplant Parmesan, fried, grilled, kabob, marinated, moussaka, roasted, stuffed, tarts, and vegetarian cutlets

Storage: If using quickly, it can be left on the counter. If longer storage is required, place in crisper, no container.

Okra OR Green Beans: fresh, braised, blanched, pan fried, baked, roasted, & pickled. (okra): baked, blackened, curry, fresh, fried, pickled, steamed, stews, stuffed

Storage: Remove from bag, store in a container with a damp cloth covering the beans, close lid slightly. (okra) Store in an airtight container wrapped in a dry towel. Bruises easily, eat soon!

Onions: braised, jams, pickled, roasted, stuffed,

Storage: Store in a cool, dark space with good ventilation. Do Not stack, Do Not store with potatoes.

Beets: braised, candied, cupcakes, juiced, pickled, roasted, smashed

Storage: Remove rubber bands. Immediately remove leafy greens, approx. ¼ away from root. Leaving greens attached causes the roots to wilt & become soft. Keep roots in a gallon sized Ziploc with the bag half closed. *See above green storage for the removed tops.

Mint: butter mints, chickpea salad, chutney, coolers, cocktails, Feta-watermelon salads, grain salad, infused waters, pesto, smoothie, simple syrup, sorbet, tea, & yogurt dip.

Storage: Keep in fridge in a plastic bag, or out on the counter in a shallow glass of water (stems only).

Rosemary: Breads, cocktail, herb marinade, olive oil infusions, lamb, pasta, pork, potatoes, poultry

Storage: Keep in fridge in a plastic bag, or out on the counter in a shallow glass of water (stems only).

2015 Spring CSA – Week 14

This is an Even Week, therefore we will deliver half shares to the following cities: Albany & Atlanta.

Tallow Soap: each bar made with love.

This week we are including a bar of our handmade tallow soap, send your thank you notes over to Amber on our facebook page. It was her generous offer that allowed us to send these along this week!

Our soap is the final encore to a beautiful story. Cattle roam our pastures every hour of every day. They feel the sun on their skin, the rain on their backs, and even rub their faces in the upturned clay. The cattle are agile, playful and travel as one large entity. They are treated with respect up to their last breath, as such all of our artisans use each and every inch of the cattle in some fashion. Our cowboys, butchers, chefs, leather workers, pet treat makers, compost gurus, candle makers, and even a beauty line has been born out of the need to find a special place for every iota that comprises a cow. When you lather with this bar of soap, think of all the hands that went into creating this unique item. In its entirety, it was raised on farm, rendered on farm, and reacted with lye to create the bar that you now hold in your hands. How many bars of soap have you held that were made in one location? The only traveling they have done is directly to you. It is so simple, so sweet. Please enjoy your bar, being made from hand rendered tallow gives it a uniqueness, each batch varies in color, each bar an imperfect brick. There is so much thought that has gone into making our farm a zero waste operation, this is just one of the gifts that a cow has to offer.

New This Share: Amaranth, Sweet Potato Greens, Savory, Dill Flowers & Okra.

Amaranth & Sweet Potato Greens: Think “spinach of the summer”. These delicate greens go well as a salad or wilt beautifully under a small flame. I recommend trying them cooked and raw to determine your taste preference. A fresh vinaigrette works really well with the lightness of the greens. The amaranth is has a lovely scarlet streak running down the center of the leaf. The sweet potato greens are large full leaves with sturdy stems. Including chopped stems to a salad adds some crunch & flavor to a summer dish. The stems can also be added into a stir-fry.

Savory: This herb is known for its thyme like flavor with a hint of pepper. It can be cooked with fresh, or dried for later use. Savory pairs well with beans, and would work well with your fresh garden green beans. If you are more adventurous try pairing with grilled rabbit for a summer feast.

Dill Flower: This looks like the sparkler(firework) of the garden. Bursting with intense color & aroma it makes the ideal inclusion to summer canning recipes. We thought sending some along would encourage our at home chefs to try to pickle something fun (beans, okra, green tomatoes, cabbage, carrots & Jalapenos)

Okra: You know that summer is almost here when the Okra begins rolling in. We grow a traditional green, and a vibrant crimson on the farm. The crimson okra has a less prominent spine than the green. The flavor is similar to the traditional green okra.

Perfect Pairings:

Carrot, Jalapeno, & Dill Flowers: Try pickling them, the sweetness of the carrots, the spiciness of jalapenos and the tangy touch of the dill flower make for a wonderful pickled item.

Braised Leeks & Eggplant: Braise leeks & eggplant in balsamic vinegar.

Okra, Jalapenos, & Goat Cheese: Dice jalapenos, fold in with goat cheese, stuff okra. Bake, fry, or grill and enjoy!

Apple, Leek, Amaranth/Swt Potato Green Salad: Thinly slice apples & leeks, serve on top of a fresh bed of greens.

Lamb & Eggplant: These are my favorite summer pairings, taking a large eggplant carving it out and filling with ground lamb, eggplant, feta, nutmeg, and chipotle in adobo is extremely good. You can also make lamb meatballs to accompany eggplant parmesan!

Onions, Squash, Green Bean & Savory sauté: sweat onions, add in green beans & squash. Season with fresh savory, S&P, and fat of choice (duck, tallow, evoo, vegetable).

Organic Share Items

Amaranth OR Sweet Potato Greens: Salad, juiced, raw, steamed, sauteed,

Storage: Remove rubber bands from greens and wrap in a damp towel, and place leaves first into a plastic container. If stems stick out, wrap in a damp cloth to prevent moisture loss.

Savory: Herb rubs, marinades, herb roasted nuts, roasted rabbit, sausages.

Storage:

Dill Flowers: Used for pickling: carrots, jalapenos, green beans, cabbage, fennel, green tomatoes, swiss chard stems, okra, and so many other vinegar favorites.

Storage: keep in glass of water, like fresh flowers, use quickly.

Leeks OR Bunching Onions: braised, frittata, latkes, quiche, risotto, savory muffins, salads, soup/stew/stock.

Store in the crisper drawer wrapped in a damp towel, or on the counter is a shallow dish of water.

Okra: baked, blackened, curry, fresh, fried, pickled, steamed, stews, stuffed

Store in an airtight counter wrapped in a dry towel. Bruises easily, eat soon!

Squash: bake, blacken, fry, grill, and roast, sauté, stuffed,

Storage: Store in plastic wrap, or in plastic storage bag with all of the air removed.

Hot Peppers: blackened, marinade, pickled, salsa, stuffed.

Storage: Store unwashed peppers in a paper towel, wrap around each pepper and store in crisper drawer.

Eggplant: baba ghanoush, braised, baked goods, eggplant Parmesan, fried, grilled, kabob, marinated, moussaka, roasted, stuffed, tarts, and vegetarian cutlets

Storage: If using quickly, it can be left on the counter. If longer storage is required, place in crisper, no container.

Baby Carrots: candied, juiced, muffins, raw, salad, steamed.

Storage: Remove rubber bands. Immediately remove leafy greens, approx. ¼ away from root. Leaving greens attached causes the roots to wilt & become soft. Keep roots in a gallon sized Ziploc with the bag half closed. *See above green storage for the removed tops.

Purple, Yellow OR Green Beans: fresh, braised, blanched, pan fried, baked, roasted, & pickled.

Storage: Remove from bag, store in a container with a damp cloth covering the beans, close lid slightly.

Onions: braised, jams, pickled, roasted, stuffed,

Storage: Store in a cool, dark space with good ventilation. Do Not stack, Do Not store with potatoes.

Apples OR Beets: braised, candied, cupcakes, juiced, pickled, roasted, smashed

Storage: (Beets)Remove rubber bands. Immediately remove leafy greens, approx. ¼ away from root. Leaving greens attached causes the roots to wilt & become soft. Keep roots in a gallon sized Ziploc with the bag half closed. *See above green storage for the removed tops.

Spring CSA 2015 – Week 13

***This is an ODD week, therefore we will deliver half shares to the following cities: Bluffton (On-Farm), Columbus, Dothan, & Tallahassee.

Low rumbles from nearby thunderstorms surround the farm today. It gives this feeling of anticipation. Waiting for the sudden storm, the refreshing rain, and the cool breeze. Small storm clouds swirl around the little town of Bluffton. As tiny droplets tap on your roofs, windows and cars listen intently. It is one of the sweetest sounds on earth.

This share is bursting with a unique array of goods from the farm. These are things that sounded good to me this share.

Perfect Pairings:

Roasted Beets & Hot Peppers, tossed with Basil & feta.

Green Tomato & Swiss Chard soup topped with blackened Bunching Onions.

Onion, Carrot, Hot Pepper, Chard Stem, Bunching Onion & Cabbage stir-fry!

….and these are wonderful sounding dishes from the interwebs:

Green Tomato Pasta Sauce

Moroccan Roasted Carrot & Eggplant Quinoa Salad

New this share: Squash & Hot Peppers!

This is the first appearance of peppers & squash of the season! Soon other varieties of both squash (zucchini, patty pan, rhonde de nice), and peppers (sweet roasting, bell) will be ready for harvest and pack into your shares! Be on the lookout for more interesting items to come!

Organic Share Items

Squash: bake, blacken, fry, grill, and roast, sauté, stuffed,

Storage: Store in plastic wrap, or in plastic storage bag with all of the air removed.

Hot Peppers: blackened, marinade, pickled, salsa, stuffed.

Storage: Store unwashed peppers in a paper towel, wrap around each pepper and store in crisper drawer.

Bunching Onions: braised, frittata, latkes, quiche, risotto, savory muffins, salads, soup/stew/stock.

Storage: Remove rubber band, wrap bulbs in damp paper towel.

Eggplant: baba ghanoush, braised, baked goods, eggplant Parmesan, fried, grilled, kabob, marinated, moussaka, roasted, stuffed, tarts, and vegetarian cutlets

Storage: If using quickly, it can be left on the counter. If longer storage is required, place in crisper, no container.

Baby Carrots: candied, juiced, muffins, raw, salad, steamed.

Storage: Remove rubber bands. Immediately remove leafy greens, approx. ¼ away from root. Leaving greens attached causes the roots to wilt & become soft. Keep roots in a gallon sized Ziploc with the bag half closed. *See above green storage for the removed tops.

Basil: bruschetta, pesto, pizza, sauces

Storage: Keep in fridge in a plastic bag, or out on the counter in a shallow glass of water (stems only).

Purple, Yellow OR Green Beans: fresh, braised, blanched, pan fried, baked, roasted, & pickled.

Storage: Remove from bag, store in a container with a damp cloth covering the beans, close lid slightly.

Tomatoes Green: blackened, burgers, canned, cocktails, jams, salad, salsa, sandwich, sautéed, sliced, stuffed, soup/stew. Green (chutney, fried, pickled, sandwiches, salsa.)

Storage: Ripe(counter, windowsill, paper bag), Green(fridge)

Onions: braised, jams, pickled, roasted, stuffed,

Storage: Store in a cool, dark space with good ventilation. Do Not stack, Do Not store with potatoes.

Beets: braised, candied, cupcakes, juiced, pickled, roasted, smashed

Storage: Remove rubber bands. Immediately remove leafy greens, approx. ¼ away from root. Leaving greens attached causes the roots to wilt & become soft. Keep roots in a gallon sized Ziploc with the bag half closed. *See above green storage for the removed tops.

Cabbage: braised, dumplings, fermented, pickled, raw, rolls, sauerkraut, slaw, steamed, stews, stir-fry, soups & wraps

Storage: Place in a Ziploc in the back of your fridge, outer leaves will wilt. If the outer leaves are wilted, discard outer leaves the inner leaves are perfect!

Swiss Chard: braise, pesto, pickling (stems), raw, salads, stir-fry, sautéed, wraps.

Storage: Remove rubber bands from greens and wrap in a damp towel, and place leaves first into a plastic container. If stems stick out, wrap in a damp cloth to prevent moisture loss.

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Tyrannosaurus Rex Red chickens roam the land freely to feed at White Oak Pastures in Bluffton, Ga., Monday, May 7, 2012.

Spring CSA 2015 – Week 12

This is an Even Week, therefore we will deliver half shares to the following cities: Albany & Atlanta.

Thus begins a new month, and with each moon new crops blossom and fade. As we say farewell to collards, kale, & Asian Greens we welcome fruit, eggplants, & beans! This is the bittersweet transition between cool weather spring crops and heat loving summer staples. As we say goodbye to our greens get ready to welcome all the summertime favorites.

I have had some lovely shout outs from our CSA members as to what they are creating with their share items. Keep them coming! These comments and suggestions give inspiration to your community of eaters.

This is from Seth, one of our CSA members:

“Off the top of my head week is fresh salsa, buffalo roasted cauliflower, thai chicken and swiss chard tom yum soup, chicken caprese and pickled fennel.”

Please keep sending suggestions, for recipes, preparations, sneaky substitutions, and cookbooks! These keep us all on our toes, and enjoying items in new ways. If you have a recipe you would like to share on the blog send it to me and we will make it readily available to everyone!

New this Share: Various Fruits (*see organic share list) Eggplant, Leeks & Dill.

Fruit: This is the first fruit of the season, savor the delicious! Each fruit has its own delicious characteristic!

Eggplant: A summertime favorite. This purple beauty comes in various shapes, shades and weights. Some of our plants bare large globes, others small fingerlings. Our crops are split between Asian & Italian varieties. This link gives a wonderful history as well as pictorial. It works well in sauces, it marinades beautifully and can be used in any preparation that calls for chicken.

Leeks: The gentle cousin of the onion. A sweet & mild Allium, that is wonderful as the base to many stocks, soups, and sauces. Enjoy your bundle of leeks with one of the following suggestions: braised, frittata, latkes, quiche, risotto, savory muffins, salads, soup/stew/stock.

Dill: A cousin to carrots, cilantro, & celery. This herb, is reminiscent of a pickled flavor, it is fresh and distinct. It adds a nice subtle flavor to martinis, yogurt dips, fresh salads, and soups.

Organic Share Items

Leeks OR Bunching Onions: braised, frittata, latkes, quiche, risotto, savory muffins, salads, soup/stew/stock.

Storage: Leeks (Store in the crisper drawer wrapped in a damp towel, or on the counter is a shallow dish of water.) Bunching Onions (Remove rubber band, wrap bulbs in damp paper towel.)

Eggplant: baba ghanoush, braised, baked goods, eggplant Parmesan, fried, grilled, kabob, marinated, moussaka, roasted, stuffed, tarts, and vegetarian cutlets

Storage: If using quickly, it can be left on the counter. If longer storage is required, place in crisper, no container.

Apples OR Blackberries OR Peaches OR Pears: fresh, compote, preserves, sweet jams, tarts, popsicles, dehydrated, drunken, gelato, marinated, pickled, salsa,

Storage: Berries(Place in a single layer on a paper towel lined plate in the fridge.) Stone Fruit (

Baby Carrots: candied, juiced, muffins, raw, salad, steamed.

Storage: Remove rubber bands. Immediately remove leafy greens, approx. ¼ away from root. Leaving greens attached causes the roots to wilt & become soft. Keep roots in a gallon sized Ziploc with the bag half closed. *See above green storage for the removed tops.

Mint: butter mints, chickpea salad, chutney, coolers, cocktails, Feta-watermelon salads, grain salad, infused waters, pesto, smoothie, simple syrup, sorbet, tea, & yogurt dip.

Storage: Keep in fridge in a plastic bag, or out on the counter in a shallow glass of water (stems only).

Dill: creamy sauces, dressings, fish, herb rub, pickling, marinades.

Storage: Keep in fridge in a plastic bag, or out on the counter in a shallow glass of water (stems only).

Purple, Yellow OR Green Beans: fresh, braised, blanched, pan fried, baked, roasted, & pickled.

Storage: Remove from bag, store in a container with a damp cloth covering the beans, close lid slightly.

Tomatoes(Ripe OR Cherry OR Green): blackened, burgers, canned, cocktails, jams, salad, salsa, sandwich, sautéed, sliced, stuffed, soup/stew. Green (chutney, fried, pickled, sandwiches, salsa.)

Storage: Ripe(counter, windowsill, paper bag), Green(fridge)

Sweet Onions: braised, jams, pickled, roasted, stuffed,

Storage: Store in a cool, dark space with good ventilation. Do Not stack, Do Not store with potatoes.

Beets OR Cabbage: Beets(braised, candied, cupcakes, juiced, pickled, roasted, smashed.) Cabbage(braised, dumplings, fermented, pickled, raw, rolls, sauerkraut, slaw, steamed, stews, stir-fry, soups & wraps.)

Storage: Beets(: Remove rubber bands. Immediately remove leafy greens, approx. ¼ away from root. Leaving greens attached causes the roots to wilt & become soft. Keep roots in a gallon sized Ziploc with the bag half closed. *See above green storage for the removed tops.)Cabbage (Place in a Ziploc in the back of your fridge, outer leaves will wilt. If the outer leaves are wilted, discard outer leaves the inner leaves are perfect!)

Swiss Chard: braise, pesto, pickling (stems), raw, salads, stir-fry, sautéed, wraps.

Storage: Remove rubber bands from greens and wrap in a damp towel, and place leaves first into a plastic container. If stems stick out, wrap in a damp cloth to prevent moisture loss.