CSA Members 2010: Newsletter Archive

Summer Delivery #1

Dear CSA Members,

Well. . . it's still raining, and still cold; so wet and cold in fact that our first planting of corn rotted in the ground, and plants that look healthy and happy one day, look healthy and happy a week later but have not grown an inch. If you have been watching our updates, you'll know that the ten day forecasters have become my arch enemies over the past two months, repeatedly predicting what they never manage to deliver: sun. Farms throughout the Northwest are struggling with this slow, soggy season. For the fields, a day or two of sunny weather doesn't do much. The soil is soaked, and we need at least a few days to even try to work it, otherwise the equipment slides around, the seeds stick to the seeders (or to the hoppers, or your shoes, or anything but the layer of muddy topsoil where you want them to lie peacefully). Despite this adversity, your dedicated field crew has planted over thirty of the fifty acres we will cultivate this year and as I write this I can hear the rumble of tractors and trucks and the voices of our produce team packing and washing; getting ready for this first delivery. Know this: Despite the rain and the fact that the last day that reached 75 degrees was September 2009, we are completely committed to you, our members. We are delayed, but undeterred; discouraged, but far from defeated! June-uary cannot last forever, and we will provide you with the variety and freshness that you have come to expect from us, even if it takes us a bit longer to do so.

an organic kohlrabi fields of organic strawberries

We take farming and our obligation to our customers seriously. For us, it is not a job, it is our lives. As my friend Maggie puts it, "it's a breakfast deal, bacon and eggs, the chicken is undeniably involved, but the pig is totally committed." Farming is rarely for the faint of heart, and it tries our faith repeatedly. Please bear with us through the sparse weeks that will come while we wait for our seeds and transplants to mature. We at Boistfort Valley Farm promise that we will make it up over the course of the season.

We have not included flowers with today's delivery. Rest assured, they too will come when the weather warms. We have, however, included strawberries! We will celebrate our

Second Annual Strawberry Festival
this Saturday, June 26th, from noon to 4 pm.

Come on down, feast on strawberries, and see the beautiful plants that will soon be your vegetables!

A few notes about the CSA program: each week we will offer recipes and serving suggestions, along with a few tips and descriptions of the more uncommon vegetables. We offer storage tips for our vegetables here on the website. You will also find recipes here. Scroll down for a list by type of dish, or search by vegetable. Another excellent resource that I just can't get enough of: Epicurious.com.

The boxes that we use for delivery are reusable. Please help us to minimize costs and use fewer resources by returning your old box each week when you pick up your produce. Also, please stack boxes as neatly as possible, so that our wonderful drop site hosts are not overwhelmed. Thank you!

Please note that we do our best to harvest and wash our produce so that it's clean and lovely. However, please do wash your produce in cool running water prior to eating to remove any extra soil.

Join us for the 2010 Summer Season!

See our Summer offerings & sign up now!

Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy

ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 (1/4-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 4 garlic flowers, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

procedure

Trim 1/4 inch from bottom of each head of bok choy. Slice bok choy crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Wash bok choy in several changes of cold water and dry in colander or salad spinner until dry to touch.

In wok or large sauté pan over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add ginger, scallions, and garlic and stir-fry until aromatic, about 15 seconds. Add bok choy, salt, sugar, and pepper and stir-fry 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon water, cover, and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Uncover, stir-fry 5 seconds, then cover again, turn off flame, and let steam in residual heat until just tender, about 30 seconds more.

Serve immediately.

Adapted from Epicurious, by Chef Shirley Cheng, July 2008

Strawberry Shortcakes with Mint and Whipped Cream

for biscuits

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel

for berries and cream

• For berries and cream
• 3 1-pint baskets strawberries, hulled, sliced
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

procedure

Make biscuits:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Blend flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in processor 5 seconds. Add butter. Using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 cup cream and orange peel. Process just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; gently knead 5 turns. Roll out dough on floured surface to 3/4-inch-thick round. Using 3-inch-diameter cutter, cut out 3 rounds. Gather dough and reroll as needed to make 3 more 3-inch rounds. Arrange rounds on prepared sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons cream; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Bake biscuits until pale golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead.)

Make berries and cream:

Combine berries, 1/2 cup sugar, mint, and orange peel in medium bowl; stir to blend. Let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Combine cream, vanilla, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Whisk until soft peaks form.

Cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place 1 biscuit bottom in each of 6 bowls. Top each with berries, then sweetened whipped cream and biscuit top.

Bon Appétit, July 2001