Sept. 29, 2012 - Share # 12

 IN THE BOX:

SPINACH

Frosty dill plant rising above the carrot patch

LETTUCE

TOMATOES

SORREL - spear-shaped leaves, lemony flavor 

ASIAN GREENS -pac choi and/or tat soi

GREEN BEANS

BEETS

HAKUREI TURNIPS-small white "salad" turnips

SWEET POTATOES

ONIONS

GARLIC

NOTES FROM THE FIELD:

The sweet potato digging crew

You might notice a change in the share this week. Only tomatoes and beans represent warm weather crops, and this is the last time we will have a significant amount of beans. Tomatoes may be with us a bit longer if the weather stays moderate. The river of summer squash has slowed to a trickle, and, despite all our coddling, the basil has protested these cool nights by turning yellow with black spots - not pretty!

But we harvested sweet potatoes and the first of the winter squash this week! We dodged a hard frost so the lettuce continues to grow; late cole crop plantings still have a chance in this race to the finish line, and hardy greens say "Bring it!".

NOTES FROM THE NY TIMES: :-) Perhaps you saw this article that was published last Monday. It might have been written about our crew - it even starts out in the sweet potato patch!

NOTES FROM THE FROG HOLLER RECIPE BOX:

We're commemorating the last green bean distribution with this green bean casserole recipe that has been a hit at the Frog Holler lunch table. Takes a little work, but this is a vegan version of comfort food at its finest!

Try roasting the Hakurei Turnips - they come out sweeter and very moist and tender. But they aren't called "salad turnips" for nuthin'! Grate or dice them into salads for a little zip, without being overpowered by turnip spiciness. But our favorite way to prepare them really is roasting. Include them in the oven when you roast the sweet potatoes. (Btw, these sweet potatoes are freshly dug and not fully cured, so they aren't appropriate for long-term storage.)

One of our farm dinners this week was a roasted vegetable extravaganza, with four full trays of potatoes, daikon radishes and/or hakurei turnips, and sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes were flavored with cinnamon, butter and a little maple syrup. Who needs dessert? Well we had it anyway because we were celebrating a birthday. Whose birthday? We shall see when we...

MEET THE INTERNS: COLLEEN PERRIA, WITH HER FRIEND FROM SWEDEN, FILIPPA SVENSSON!

Filappa (left) and Colleen

Yes, Colleen just celebrated a milestone birthday, and she has covered a lot of miles in her first twenty one years. Although born in California, Colleen's father's work took the family on the road, and despite spending four years in the UK, Colleen had attended fourteen  schools by the time she graduated from high school!

Colleen had generated her own interest in seeing the world, and traveled to Ghana in 2007 as an AFS (American Field Service) exchange student. As fate and luck would have it, Filippa was also assigned to Ghana as an AFS volunteer. The girls met, hit it off, and a friendship began that would span the globe!

Sharing a mutual love of travel, Colleen and Filippa met again in California, then in Denmark, and most recently, they spent three months exploring Peru together, saying goodbye in December of 2010. Now Filippa has been visiting Colleen in Michigan, first spending time in northern Michigan, where Colleen's family now lives, and then spending the last week at the farm.

Colleen with a really big sweet potato

Colleen came to Frog Holler last June, after spending the year after her return from Peru in New York City, where one of her sisters was based. We had just realized that we needed more help when Colleen contacted us. We were happy to sign her up, and she jumped in with both boots - a very willing and enthusiastic worker!

Colleen reports her time at Frog Holler has been a happy one; she  appreciates the combination of idealism grounded in practicality. And despite having seen "the seven wonders of the world", she especially enjoys the unique natural beauty of Frog Holler.

Filippa dittoes what a pretty place the farm is. She admits that she hadn't expected to have quite such a "working vacation", but firmly claims that she has enjoyed the work and commented how surprised she was, after an especially long day, when she finally looked at the clock - the time had seemed to fly!

Filippa and Billy on the digging line. What kind of tool is Billy using?

Filippa will be heading back to Stockholm after her stay at Frog Holler. Colleen will finish out the harvest with us, and then is formulating a plan to hike in the Southwest during the winter. Although these two good friends are going off  in opposite directions to other adventures, one thing is certain - they will meet again - we just don't know where!

Good luck to Colleen and Filippa and thanks for all your hard work and good spirits!

bff's!

Have a great week everyone!

Sept. 22, 2012 - Share # 11

Our souped up golf cart hauls in the tomatoes.(Thanks to neighbor Tom Hines for the cart add-ons!)

  

 IN THE BOX:

BEETS

KALE

CHARD

WATERMELON RADISH - peel the outer "rind" for a milder flavor. Excellent fresh or roasted!

ONIONS

GARLIC

POTATOES

TOMATOES

LETTUCE

ARUGULA

RED PEPPER

HOT PEPPERS - CAYENNE(long, skinny), JALAPENO(short,squatty), SERRANO(medium long & thin)

NOTES FROM THE FIELD:

Well, we dodged Jack Frost on Tuesday night.. The weather report  predicted a low of thirty-two, although did not issue a "frost advisory". We weren't taking any chances; we double-covered the basil and the nasturtiums and set up sprinklers for the bean patch, if needed. Perhaps preparation is the best defense! Ol' Jack was deterred and we hope he takes his sweet time returning. Of course, even without an actual frost, growth has slowed on all the crops. Even the zucchini and summer squash can't muster the same growing verve. Tomatoes will try, but shorter days and less sun will slow the ripening. Green tomatoes anyone? Curious how fast it can change, but then change is the one constant in trying to work with the natural cycle.

One basil bed all tucked in.We saved it from frost, but when we peeked at the tender leaves, they still showed signs of damage :-(  If the weather stays mild, they may have time to recover.

Farm visit : Thirty-five members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, affiliated with the University of Michigan, visited the farm this week. They arrived in one of the biggest vehicles that has ever tried to navigate our driveway! Here's a shoutout to the intrepid bus driver who managed to turn the bus around when it was time to go!

Tour participants disembark from a REALLY big bus!

The group was participating in a tour of two organic farms, Cornman Farm in Dexter, and Frog Holler Farm.  They are interested in learning about the local food supply and what goes into producing vegetables on a market garden scale (or for Zingerman's Roadhouse, in the case of Cornman Farm)..

Questions were lively and engaged, and it was a fun and meaningful experience to share how Frog Holler Farm came into existence and why we continue to do what we do! A beautiful fall day showed Frog Holler off at its finest and we hope all of our visitors enjoyed their time strolling through our woods and gardens.

And if you are interested in continuing to learn on all manner of subjects, despite being well past "school age", do look into the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (or OLLI) - lots of interesting topics and interesting people!

Cathy King recounts some of the history of Frog Holler Farm

NOTES FROM THE FROG HOLLER RECIPE BOX:

Beets, walnuts and feta cheese always make a tasty combination. Here's an easy beet salad recipe from the Frog Holler Recipe Box that also uses the kale in your share. For another version of the beet-walnut-feta combo that will ask you to supplement with other items, check out this Honeyed Beet Salad that uses quinoa and practically is a meal in itself.

We know red peppers have been coming out of your CSA ears lately - what a bountiful crop it has been! And yes, that's past tense; cool weather has brought a dramatic slowing in ripening and pepper production. But it was a really good run and we have no complaints, except that we didn't discover this "Peperonata" recipe sooner! Hopefully you saved or preserved some peppers so you can give it a try!

The Thursday, Sept. 20 edition of the Detroit News had some excellent recipes in their feature article titled,  It's Easy to Go Vegetarian. Here's a link to two of the recipes; the first one even includes some daikon radish!

The cooler temps this week inspired us to make chili. We'll have more on that later, but first we'll...

(RE)MEET THE INTERNS: EMILY FOLEY

Emily at the golf cart's wheel

Emily joined us in the spring of 2011. After graduating in 2010 from U-M with a B.A. in Screen Arts and Culture, she moved to Brooklyn, New York. An interest in food production piqued by working at Zingerman's while in Ann Arbor, joined with a desire to get out of the city for the summer, landed her at Frog Holler for a summer internship.

Emily returned to Brooklyn last fall, but rejoined us this spring. Due to projects in New York, she split her time between Brooklyn and Brooklyn this summer (Frog Holler is in Brooklyn, Michigan!). But she was here during an important chunk of the summer, helping many of you with your share boxes at the market, writing the CSA newsletter when Holler Fest prep was heating up, and managing key areas of Holler Fest before and during the festival.

One of Emily's New York projects involves teaching Latin to a bright autistic teenager. Emily's background in Latin comes from attending the Boston Latin School, the oldest public school in America - established April 23, 1635, at least one year before Harvard! A strong grounding in the humanities characterizes Boston Latin School students, and Emily has drawn on her academic strengths to teach her young charge Latin for the past year and now adding Calculus this fall.

Emily is in Michigan for a short visit and hopefully will be at market this Saturday. She suggested this chili recipe to nourish us in the fall weather and to use several items in our share box this week!

We wish Emily well as she heads back to more adventures in the Apple!

 Sunflower Man says have a great week!

Sept. 15, 2012 - Share # 10

Nasturtiums ready to go into the Frog Holler salad mix

IN THE BOX:                                                                   

SUMMER SQUASH/ZUCCHINI                                       

ARUGULA -new patch, young plants, milder flavor                                                                      

BEETS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
RED PEPPERS                                                           

CURLY KALE

TOMATOES

RED CABBAGE - new

DAIKON RADISH -new

LETTUCE
 
BASIL  - pesto special!Basil plants are extremely cold sensitive and are showing the effects of the recent cool nights. Lower temps are coming up this weekend so we have pulled whole plants to distribute. There are some spots on the leaves, caused by the cool temperature. The leaves are fine to use and will make wonderful pesto - you'll be so glad you did next January!                                                        


NOTES FROM THE FIELD:

Our hoophouse tomatoes, reaching for the sky!

A quote from the farmer at Mariquita Farm, a CSA in California:
Tomato behavior exhibits “quantum” characteristics; that is, there are never enough tomatoes until the moment when there are too many tomatoes. I’ve never seen an example on a farm of “just enough tomatoes.”

We know what he's talking about! Tomatoes continue to pour from the vines, although our first patch is winding up, and as the nights get colder, production will slow in all the patches. One day we will wonder where the tomatoes went. So it's a good time to revel in tomatoes! We aren't taking orders this week, but if you want some extra, ask at the stall for the discounted CSA price, and we'll weigh some out for you.

Cathy King reaches for a red beauty (photo courtesy of Tom Hines)

NOTES FROM THE FROG HOLLER RECIPE BOX:

First this quote from a gardening neighbor: "When you have fresh vegetables, any stir-fry tastes good - doesn't matter what you put in it!"  With that for inspiration, knowing that you have a box of fresh, organically grown veggies, stir fry with abandon - you can't go wrong! But if you're looking for new twists on some old friends, here are some possibilities:

With kale and beets in your share, seems like a good time to try the roasted kale and beets dish.

Another way to use tomatoes, from the farmers at Mariquita Farm:  

"Tomato Juice, Indian Style" from our friend Sumana: "I'm not sure why this is something I haven't had or heard of anyone making in the US, although on visits to India it was frequently served."

Blend the juiciest tomato you can find, strain out the largest pieces of pulp so it's smooth and thin, pour over a few ice cubes and cold water, add sugar to taste, stir and drink. Variations include blending with a little mint, or ginger. We think it's much better than the thick V8 type stuff...very refreshing and light. 



Daikon Radish may be a new vegetable for some of you. It is a staple in Japanese cuisine, used in soups, salads, and preserved through pickling. As an introduction, you might try this easy Daikon Radish salad.

Daikon goes well in salads or stir fries to add a little radishy spice. You can also roast chunks of the root for a milder radish flavor.

Ever wonder why so many health experts encourage eating green leafy vegetables? Here's a simple explanation for one good reason to include green leafies in your diet. This is from a book titled "Spinach & Beyond - Loving Life and Green Leafy Vegetables", by local health educator, Linda Diane Feldt.

Eating green leafy vegetables protects the body against a process called oxidation. As our bodies use oxygen to produce energy, oxygen by-products, called free radicals are formed. Another name for free radicals is oxidants. Oxidants cause oxidation, a process that damages cells and can lead to disease. To understand oxidation, think of rusting metal. This same type of process happens in the body. Green leafy foods are loaded with anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants help stop the damage caused by oxidants. As a source of anti-oxidants, green leafy vegetables are hard to beat.

Kale, asian greens, arugula, beet greens all fall into this helpful category. We include them regularly in your share box; we hope you include them regularly in your diet! Check out the Frog Holler Recipe Box for lots of ideas!

Zucchini and summer squash - the veggies that just keep giving! This week we enjoyed summer squash stir-fry with basil and had zucchini bread/cake for dessert! Our neighbor made the zucchini bread and lacking the chocolate chips she usually adds, just threw in some cocoa powder. Chocolate zucchini bread? Of course!     

Here's a tasty zucchini bread recipe  that works fine with summer squash. And sure, add some chocolate chips or cocoa powder! 

 (RE)MEET THE INTERNS: BRETTON FOBES

Bretton at Holler Fest

Bretton joined us last year while she was making a transition back to this area from a stint as a vet tech in Cincinnati. She took another vet tech position in Okemos last fall, but arranged her hours so she could still help on the farm Mondays and Fridays. We're glad she did!

Bretton's vet tech degree came as a natural extension of her lifelong love of animals. In addition to her work at the veterinary practice where she especially assists with anesthesia during surgery, Bretton freely shares her expertise with any friends who have animal concerns. The four-legged Frog Holler crew have regularly benefited from Bretton's  care and coddling!

A lifetime gardener, Bretton continues to tend a large garden at her mother's "farmette", as well as helping to take care of the numerous cats, two dogs, two pygmy goats and several bunnies!

Bretton is an experienced home brewer and has helped the crew at Frog Holler mix up a couple of tasty batches over the course of the summer. The latest was "Spiced Winter Ale", ready in about six weeks. In the spring, Bretton and fellow intern, Kirstin, made a batch of dandelion wine from the copious little yellow flower heads dotting the farm. The tiny petals had to be carefully removed from each flower, then mixed with yeast and other flavor components such as oranges. The final result  is now aging in the farmhouse basement. Estimated time for popping the corks: next December. Looking forward to it!

Dandelion wine at rest

 Bretton has been vegan for over a decade, and each year her family hosts a "Vegan Thanksgiving". With "Tofurkey" as the centerpiece, the table is loaded with a huge variety of vegetarian and vegan side dishes and desserts. Friends and family surround the table, while cats loll on couches and dogs curl up in corners. The whole celebratory scene reflects Bretton's appreciation of the natural world, love of animals, closeness with family and maybe even appreciation of quality home brew, if that dandelion wine gets opened a tad early!

And we appreciate Bretton's awesome work ethic coupled with a cheerful willingness to get the job done, and at the same time, have fun!

And have a great week everyone!

Sept. 8, 2012 - Share # 9

IN THE BOX;

A tub full of Vitamin C!

Broccoli!

Lettuce!

Summer Squash/Zucchini

Carrots

Green beans

Tomatoes

Arugula

Red Peppers

Baby Asian Greens - pac choi and tat soi

NOTES FROM THE FIELD, THE SHARE, AND THE RECIPE BOX:

Broccoli protesting the hot dry weather!

We are glad to be harvesting broccoli again - or rather harvesting broccoli that looks like the broccoli we are familiar with. Every year offers lessons and hopefully insights into the interface between the natural world and our attempts to market garden. This summer's exceptional heat caused some varieties to respond in ways we had never seen.

Once it got hot, the broccoli started looking like the head in the photo. No amount of watering could convince the broccoli to return to its former state. We had to conclude that it was a response to the heat - other growers reported similar misshapen heads. As soon as it cooled down a bit and we had a little rain, the familiar dark green uniform heads returned and we added them to your share this week!

Lettuce on the other hand didn't even try. We kept planting and scraping out a little for the salad mix, but germination was abysmal; the lettuce seemed to know it didn't want to face 100+ degree temps. Now things are looking pretty frilly in the garden. We transplanted 1500 seedlings last Saturday and look forward to a leafy fall. Enjoy the lettuce in your share after a long drought!

Now the red peppers couldn't be happier! We can hardly harvest them fast enough. Originating in Mexico and northern South America, the pepper family thrives in hot weather. We witnessed that this summer ( as long as we could irrigate) and are happy to load up your share with this flavorful and nutritious vegetable.  According to Wikipedia: Compared to green peppers, red peppers have more vitamins and nutrients and contain the antioxidant lycopene. The level of carotene, like lycopene, is nine times higher in red peppers. Red peppers have twice the vitamin C content of green peppers.^[6] Also, one large red bell pepper contains 209 mg of vitamin C, which is three times the 70 mg of an average orange.  Sounds good - guess we can thank the hot summer for something!

If you think about what red peppers will cost in the store this winter, you might be inspired to preserve some red peppers for later use. Freezing is the easiest way to preserve peppers and they are one of the few vegetables that do not require blanching before freezing. Simply slice or chop and spread out on cookie trays to freeze. Once frozen they can be bagged up and the amount needed can be easily broken off from the frozen clump. Try it!

Traditional summer vegetables, green beans and summer squash, have enjoyed themselves throughout the hot spells, and actually were able to avoid some fungus diseases that sometimes strike during cold rainy seasons.We are starting to pick our third planting of both of these vegetables so they are fresh and ready to nourish us for weeks to come!

Tomatoes also originated south of the border, and they are doing just fine. Many of you opted for some extra pounds this week, but even if you didn't, you have a nice amount in your share and are hopefully finding lots of ways to enjoy them. Here are some other options suggested by a California CSA farm. Try out #7 with the bunch of arugula in your share and definitely check out the link to Mark Bittman's article - lots more good tomato recipes as well!

 EIGHT GREAT WAYS TO SERVE SUMMER TOMATOES (Capay Organic Farm CSA Farm Fresh To You website)
1. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Toss with finely chopped shallots, then splash with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.
2. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise. Remove center of each, and fill with a large basil leaf and a chunk of fresh mozzarella cheese. Drizzle with purchased garlic-infused oil, and wrap in foil. Roast on an outdoor grill for five minutes.
3. Cut tomatoes in wedges. Shower with grated Parmesan cheese. Top with fresh oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.
4. Cut tomatoes into chunks, and place in blender. Add a pinch of sea salt, a few fresh basil leaves and several ice cubes. Blend until smooth and frothy for a refreshing drink.
5. Cube tomatoes and firm ricotta salt or feta cheese. Toss with cooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta), fresh mint and a favorite vinaigrette.
6. For bruschetta, top grilled Italian bread with a mixture of chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, extra- virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
7. Toss arugula with chopped tomatoes, orange segments, basil and toasted pine nuts. Dress with olive oil, orange juice and a splash of wine vinegar.
8. Slather a thick slice of white bread with good mayonnaise. Cover with thick slices of juicy tomatoes. Sprinkle with coarse salt and Szechuan pepper or some cracked mixed peppercorns.

**Additional simple tomato recipes and an interesting related article can be found in Mark Bittmans New York Times article from August 5, 2011 called The Proper Ways to Treat an Heirloom. There are 12 ways to treat a tomato listed in this article, and each one would give your tongue a different sensation. Well worth trying! http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/08/07/magazine/mag-07eat-recipes.html

( A shoutout to Tantre Farm CSA for reposting this helpful tomato info from the Capay Farm CSA newsletter. Hopefully another CSA will see this post and keep the tomato love flowing!)

The carrots we are now harvesting are called "Sugarsnax" and are named for their sweet flavor. The dark orange color indicates high levels of beta carotene.The irregular shapes indicate how rocky our "glacial rubble" fields can be!

From China come vegetables that grow prolifically in small spaces and deliver a high nutritional content. Pac Choi and Tat Soi are no exceptions - both veggies are very low in calories while high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 1 cup of cooked pac choi contains 15% of your recommended daily allowance of calcium - the equivalent of 1/4 pint of full fat milk! Tat Soi pairs well with ginger in this quick and refreshing salad recipe. Pac Choi and/or Tat Soi  add character to this simple Lunchtime Fried Rice.

And finally, Arugula Fried Rice has been updated to new heights of deliciousness - check it out, and thanks Susan for creating this dish!