Frog Holler CSA: July 19, 2014

WHAT'S IN THE BOX:

A caravan of garlic! The harvest has begun...

KALE

CARROTS

BEETS

GREEN BEANS - NEW!

ZUCCHINI OR SUMMER SQUASH

CUCUMBER - NEW!

ARUGULA

SWEET BASIL

FRESH GARLIC

STORAGE SUGGESTIONS:
Greens (including arugula): rinse, drain and store in plastic bag in fridge.

Root Veggies (carrots, beets): Separate from green tops and store in plastic bag in fridge to retain crispness. Cook the beet greens like spinach or chard.

Green Beans, cucumber, zucchini: in plastic in the fridge to stay crisp

Paul hanging garlic for curing

Sweet Basil: put bunch upright in glass of water out of fridge or wrap in damp towel in fridge

Fresh Garlic: in fridge for longer storage, since it isn't cured yet.

WHAT TO DO WITH THIS BOUNTY!:
Lots of good eating in the box this week, folks! You can take those beets, carrots and garlic and make Sunshine Beets. - a beautiful and nutritious addition to a dinner plate! And, according to Health.com, beets are "rich in iron, fiber, folate, and potassium, and also full of disease-fighting antioxidants." Read more about beets at the Health.com article, "13 Veggies You Only Think You Don't Like" Yes, sadly, beets are one of those veggies many folks think they don't like, but we're all out to change that, aren't we? :-)

If you want to make a tasty grain dish to accompany your veggies, the arugula in your share suggests Fried Rice with Arugula. It might sound strange, but this is a Frog Holler original and everyone who tries it seems to like it. We often use coconut oil instead of olive oil for this recipe, but your favorite cooking oil will work fine. This is a new patch of arugula so the greens are young and you might just want to enjoy their peppery flavor without cooking - in salads or on sandwiches.

Green beans - first picking! After snapping the beans to desired length, prepare by blanching in boiling water for a few minutes and immediately plunging into cold water to preserve the bright green color. Heat oil and saute a couple cloves of chopped garlic. Add beans and a half bunch of chopped basil. Saute to desired tenderness. Salt and pepper to taste and you're there!

And you can prepare the zucchini or summer squash the same way. Chop to desired size, saute with garlic and the other half bunch of basil. Equally delicious!

Ah, Kale - our faithful share box friend! Health.com reminds us that " kale provides a day's worth of vitamins C and A, and more than five times the recommended amount of vitamin K." Running out of prep ideas? Head on over to "13 Healthy Kale Recipes" and get inspired! From that group, this Crispy Kale Chip recipe looks particularly yummy - and easy!

Well, your share box is almost empty. Just take that cucumber, slice it up for a munching snack, sit back and.....

Paul in the hoophouse tomato row

MEET THE INTERNS - PAUL BURGER
One year ago, Paul was working at a wealth management firm in Bloomfield Hills. What happened??

Paul's own words best describe what happened. We are linking to his story, The Road to Frog Holler, which is too long to include in the newsletter but highly recommended for all to read - interesting, instructive and inspiring!

We appreciate that so many thoughtful young people find their way to Frog Holler and hope that their experience on the farm can contribute to the the lives of intention that they are creating!

Our thanks to Paul for sharing his story!