What did your CSA farmer send you?

23 July 2021, 12:16 PM

Here's what we got this week:

Scallions, broccoli, summer squash (zucchini, yellow and patty pan), carrots, kale, lettuce mix, and beets....

The beets are HUGE. Farmer John noted this in his weekly newsletter .

We love beets; I've done them in the Instant Pot in the past and it's worked out well, but I don't think I've ever cooked one that large before. .

Would love to see what people in other parts of the country are getting through CSAs and farmer's markets! Please post pics. And how you prepared your veggies. And I welcome suggestions/recipes for the stuff I got in my CSA box this week.

23 July 2021, 02:49 PM

big al

My wife usually roasts beets when we get them. I like them pickled - her not so much.

In last Tuesday's CSA, we got lettuce (there's been a head every week so far), some scallions, an eggplant, blueberries, sweet corn, a cucumber, and celery. We had the kohlrabi already discussed here, a variety of spring onions, strawberries, tomatoes most weeks, and probably a couple of other things I'm not remembering. All our food this year has been very good and fresh.

We were in a CSA for several years, but the group of organic farms had trouble finding distribution sites, joined with a larger organization that was not better and lost our business at that time. This is our first year with a family farm relatively near us. Their pick-up location is very convenient, being the parking lot of a church about 3 miles from us.

Big Al

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Money seems to buy the most happiness when you give it away.

Why does everything have to be so complicated, all in the name of convenience. -ShiroKuro

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23 July 2021, 04:57 PM

BeeLady

Wow! That is a big share!

I delivered ours today to folks who are housebound. Lucky us, all staff get them as well.

Today I have a huge head of Napa cabbage, another huge head of bok choi, a bunch of kale, summer squashes and a fresh head of garlic. That is the small share. The large had that along with others, I saw dill, greenbeans, carrotts and beets...I didn't pack them today so not sure of the rest.

With all the rain we have had the last two weeks, the farm slowed a bit but should start picking back up again next week.

This is from a few weeks ago, just the smalls. Mostly greens but garlic scapes were included. I cannot get enough of those!!

23 July 2021, 06:10 PM

wtg

Our farmer only offers one size share (3/4 bushel), but you can get it every week or every other week. We do the every other week version.

Our CSA software lets us list preferences, and also to tailor our individual boxes each delivery cycle. Farmer John grows garlic and scapes are available but I've never had them and just put them on the "don't give me any" list mostly because I don't know what to do with them.

So..... what do you do with them?

23 July 2021, 06:45 PM

BeeLady

I use them like scallions...raw in salad or sauted.

Their garlic flavor is pretty strong raw! And they a so curly cool! They keep longer than scallions, too btw.

23 July 2021, 06:58 PM

dolmansaxlil

quote:
Originally posted by wtg:
Our farmer only offers one size share (3/4 bushel), but you can get it every week or every other week. We do the every other week version.

Our CSA software lets us list preferences, and also to tailor our individual boxes each delivery cycle. Farmer John grows garlic and scapes are available but I've never had them and just put them on the "don't give me any" list mostly because I don't know what to do with them.

So..... what do you do with them?

They are great in stir-fries. Any we can’t use fresh I freeze. But you can cut them up and put them in anything that would taste good with garlic in!

02 August 2021, 05:44 PM

wtg

I ended up roasting the beets. I also chopped and sauteed the greens with some scallions. I cubed up some beets and added them to the greens along with crumbled feta and a balsamic vinegar glaze.

That still left a lot of roasted beets, but we are happily eating our way through those!

We had summer squash pancakes with the zucchini and yellow squash. Still have to use the patty pan; I think I'll stuff it with something and bake it.

02 August 2021, 06:32 PM

wtg

I love hearing about what's happening at the farm. From this week's Farmer John newsletter:

quote:
Sweet Corn—One Variety is a Little Disappointing

Some of the ears of early sweet corn did not pollinate properly; the kernels are uneven here and there. I’m not sure of the cause. We irrigated it generously at tasseling and silking time, but still some kernels didn’t form. It’s delicious, though. Please don’t doubt the deliciousness of your corn, based on an uneven distribution of the kernels.

Watermelons

The vines of the watermelons died back prematurely, plus the crows feasted on about 1/4 of the crop, so the watermelon crop is sparse this year. (To be more accurate about the crows, they don’t actually feast on the watermelons; they just poke a hole into the shell, suck out a few juices, and go on the next melon. They sample the watermelons.) The watermelons are a bit less sweet than usual, due to the vines dying prematurely—not sure you will notice, as they are still quite tasty. We have a lot of other types of melons coming soon (which the crows seem to have no interest in.)

We pick up our next box this Friday...

02 August 2021, 07:29 PM

Qaanaaq-Liaaq

They look good. I don’t belong to a CSA but I attend a weekly outdoor farmer’s market located near me during the summer. I like the idea of supporting local farmers. There are also many bakers and cheese makers present.

Everything appears to be back to normal at the farmers market that I go to. At least for now. Masks don’t have to be worn any more. Shoppers get to pick individual fruits and vegetables themselves rather than having all the produce be situated behind tables and having the farmers retrieve it for you which is what happened last year. There’s live entertainment almost every week by a chamber music group.

I bought some shishito peppers for the first time. They’re not as hot as jalapeno peppers. One of the farm stands sells herbs only so I bought some mint which is not usually stocked in supermarkets.

02 August 2021, 10:59 PM

Amanda

Yet one more reminder of how genetically determined food tastes are.

Speaking as someone who can't abide beets. No right or wrong to it. I perceive them as exceptionally beautiful to the eye, and on that account, every few years I give into the temptation to try them.

Alas, I always find their beauty hasn't changed what I still find to be a bitter, unpleasant taste on the tongue - also kind of squeaky in texture.

03 August 2021, 12:33 AM

Daniel

I don't like them, either. Lol.

03 August 2021, 09:08 AM

Piano*Dad

I see CSA and think Confederate States of America ..

03 August 2021, 09:25 AM

kluurs

quote:
Originally posted by Piano*Dad:
I see CSA and think Confederate States of America ..

03 August 2021, 09:26 AM

kluurs

Of course, Doug sees "Caesar's Senate Allies"

03 August 2021, 01:53 PM

wtg

quote:
Originally posted by Qaanaaq-Liaaq:

I bought some shishito peppers for the first time. They’re not as hot as jalapeno peppers.

I'm growing shishito peppers again this year. They were slow to get started but now each plant has anywhere from four to eight peppers on it! This is the third or fourth year I've grown them. They've always been mild, like a regular bell pepper, except that the wall of the pepper is much thinner and they are less watery. The flavor is more intense. I've heard that grilled shishitos have become popular at restaurants.

quote:
One of the farm stands sells herbs only so I bought some mint which is not usually stocked in supermarkets.

Tony's Fresh Market usually carries mint, if you have a hankering for it when the farmers markets aren't around. Don't know if there's one near you.