The Weekly Share

It was a gorgeous day to work on the farm on Tuesday.  Lots of sun, but not hot, a little breeze, not so many bugs…  We did a lot of harvesting.  Here’s what we brought home:

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• .25 oz. arugula
• 1 zucchini/squash
• 5 beets
• 8 oz. carrots or (? another item I can’t remember)
• 3 onions
• 1 garlic
• 5 sprigs basil
• .15 oz. salad mix
• 3 radishes
• 1 hot pepper
• 1 jalepeno pepper
• 1 spaghetti squash, pie pumpkin, or acorn squash
• 1 handful cilantro
• 8 oz. beans
• 1 sweet pepper
• 1.5 lbs. potatoes
• 1 head lettuce
• I took 3 tomatoes from the “help yourself” pile

I will use the carrots, salad mix, head of lettuce, sweet pepper, radishes, and tomatoes for snacking and salads.  I will make sesame green beans with a dinner later this week.  I will probably make french fries out of the potatoes.  I will saute the arugula and zucchini with garlic.  I have never made spaghetti squash before, but there are lots of recipes out there, so that will be a side dish sometime this week.  I have lots of beets (leftovers plus from our garden) so I would like to try pickled beets.  I think that leaves hot peppers and herbs.  Don’t know what I’ll do with those yet – maybe freeze them.

I spent my day at the farm harvesting basil, beets, arugula and beans.  I washed lots of arugula and lettuce heads.  And I chatted with my co-workers about everything from recipes to raising kids to wilderness survival!  The time goes quickly when you are surrounded by good people and good conversation.  Thanks to Jon, Beth,  Christine, Dawn, Emily, Fern, Francie, John, Lisa, Victoria and Vince for helping my day pass quickly and happily!  Here are a few pictures from my day at the farm…

Goldfinch Farm Entrance

Christine and Fern harvesting beans

Share Pick Up at the Farm

I spent Tuesday morning working at Goldfinch Farm as part of our working share.  I forgot to bring my camera, so I don’t have any pictures of the farm, but here is a lovely picture of our huge autumnal share.  As you can see, it’s another large share.  We received:

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• 1 small handful cilantro
• 6 sprigs of basil
• 1 cabbage
• 1 box tomatoes
• 1 head garlic
• 3 onions
• 1 squash/zucchini
• 1 cucumber
• 5 daicon radishes
• 1 lb. beans
• 1 handful watercress (from the farm pond!)
• 1/2 pint raspberries
• 1 jalepeno pepper
• 1 hot pepper
• .2 lb. arugala
• 2 eggplant
• 1.5 lb. potatoes
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes
• 1 head lettuce
• 1 sweet pepper
• I took a green pepper and a yellow tomato from the “extras-help yourself” pile, too

I helped harvest the basil, arugala, raspberries and beans.  SO MANY BEANS!    We also harvested lots of beans at home this week – I’ve got too many beans!  John, a farm worker, said he makes pickled beans.  I found this recipe, so I’m going to give that a try.  I used some of the potatoes tonight in a corn chowder, mmm-mmm!  I used some of the watercress on sandwiches today – what a great alternative to lettuce!  We will eat the sweet peppers, cucumber and raspberries fresh as snacks.  Probably in salads, too, with the lettuce, arugala, onions, radishes and tomatoes.  I may steam some of the radishes (we have some from our garden, too).  I understand they become sweet when cooked that way.  I’m thinking mashed sweet potatoes will be a nice change this week.  For the cabbage…I didn’t make this recipe when we received cabbage before, so I think this is the week to try it!  Maybe I’ll make zucchini bread this weekend.  Yum – now I’m getting hungry!

I work at the farm again next Tuesday and I WILL remember to take my camera!  It is a great experience to know where this delicious food comes from and how it gets to our shares.  If you have a chance to work on the farm, do yourself a favor and go!  The setting is beautiful, the work is gratifying and the people are delightful !

The fall crops are starting to come in.  You will see a big difference between these two share pick-ups!  Last week’s share, #14, contained:

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1 lb. potatoes

5 Swiss chard

1 box tomatoes

8 sprigs basil (I think)

2 eggplant

10 oz. beans

1 jalepeno pepper

1 hot pepper

2 onions

1 garlic

2 sweet peppers

1 handful parsley

1 cabbage

1 cucumber

1 zucchini

It’s still a lot of produce, but wait until you see this week’s share (#15):

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3 edamame stalks

1 lb. potatoes

2 sweet peppers

1 garlic

1 jalepeno pepper

2 hot peppers

1 tomatillo

2 onions

1 squash

1 handful parsley

8 oz. beans

1 box raspberries

1 bunch broccoli

8 sprigs basil

2 leeks

1 lb. sweet potatoes

(up to) 10 okra

Whew!  Look at all of that food!  Now, what should I do with it?  I have a pile of potatoes in the basement.  And onions and garlic on the kitchen counter.  And bags full of beans in the fridge!  The potatoes, onions, and garlic will keep – and I use some of them each week.  Most of the beans will probably be blanched and frozen.  I have hot peppers to freeze, as well.  I will blanche, puree and freeze the last of the tomatoes, too.  We always eat the cucumbers and sweet peppers raw, as snacks and with meals.  I used the Swiss chard in place of spinach in a recipe last week.  I made a squash saute last night, using the zucchini and eggplant from last week, the Swiss chard stems (also from last week), a red onion, and  some garlic.  Mmmm-Mmmm!  I used the parsley and some share potatoes for parsley-buttered potatoes last week.  I steamed the edamame tonight and popped the seeds out of the pods.  I added some to our salads.  Yummy!

I made my own coleslaw using the cabbage and a carrot.  It turned out OK.  I used the same sauce I use on store-bought coleslaw mix, but it didn’t have as much flavor.  Anybody know why?

I plan to steam the broccoli and the beans with dinners this week.  I will fry up the okra in butter, just to see how it tastes.  I think I’ll make the summer chowder again – the weather is starting to turn and I love soup on blustery days!  I am looking forward to all of the root vegetables that will soon appear in our share!  Mmmm – comfort food!

Our share seemed smaller this week than it has been recently.  I believe this is due to the ending of summer crops while the fall crops are not quite ready.  We have been assured that the fall crops are doing well and will be showing up in our shares in the near future.  This week we received:

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• 7 sprigs basil
• 2 lbs. tomatoes
• 1 head garlic
• 1 squash
• 2lbs. potatoes
• 1 handful parsley
• 1 box raspberries
• 6 oz. green beans
• 1 red onion
• 1 yellow onion
• 1 bunch celery
• 2 sweet peppers
• 2 jalepeno peppers
• 2 hot peppers

I used the parsley Tuesday night in spaghetti with clam sauce (YUM!).  We have eaten the raspberries right out of the box (YUM YUM!).  The sweet peppers have been cut up for snacking and lunch boxes.  The basil is drying.  If I can find just a little bit of space in my freezer, I will freeze some of the jalepeno and hot peppers.  I still have some left from previous weeks and I either need to use them or freeze them.  I’d like to blanch and freeze some tomatoes, too, but I have absolutely no room in my freezer!  Maybe I’ll rearrange my basement this weekend and buy a chest freezer…  I do not currently have a plan for the squash, potatoes, onions, celery and green beans.  I’ll let you know what I end up doing!  Have a great weekend!

We picked up another big share this week.  Here’s what we got:

Share #12

3 1/2 lbs. tomatoes

1 eggplant

1 squash/zucchini

1/2 oz. cilantro

2 cucumbers

1 head lettuce

1 box raspberries

1 box cherry tomatoes

2 lbs. potatoes (I took 1 lb. purple and 1 lb. gold)

1 bunch spring onions

7 sprigs basil

1 garlic bulb

2 sweet peppers

2 hot peppers

1 tomatillo

We’ve already eaten the raspberries – YUM!  I’m making tacos tonight.  I will use some of the spring onions, some tomatoes and some lettuce as toppings.  I will also use up the fresh salsa I made last week.  We are having Pittsburgh Steak Salads this weekend (a nice garden salad topped with steak, french fries and cheese!) and that will use the lettuce, cherry tomatoes, spring onions, the tomatillo, some cucumber and some sweet pepper.  I’ll do a saute using the squash, eggplant and some garlic this weekend, too.  I think the hot peppers will get frozen since I still have a bunch left over from the last couple weeks.  I will also blanch and freeze some of the tomatoes.  Our garden tomatoes are coming in strong now and I just can’t keep up!  I will probably make some more salsa, too.  I will either dry or freeze the basil.  I still have potatoes left over, so I’m not sure what to do with those…  I think that covers it.  Look for an article on salsa and one on the grocery store price comparison this weekend.

2 pick-ups have passed since the last post, with a vacation in between!  Here’s what we got and what we’ve done with it:

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Share #10

1 box cherry tomatoes

1 oz. cilantro

1 1/2 lbs. potatoes

1 head garlic

2 hot peppers

2 sweet peppers

2 cucumbers

1 box raspberries

4 oz. green beans

10 sprigs basil

2 zucchini

1 yellow squash

1 tomatillo

1 bunch green onions

4 lbs. tomatoes

1-2 eggplant (NOT taken)

I picked this up on Tuesday, then we left for vacation on Friday.  We ate the raspberries.  I cut up the peppers and we ate some of those.  I dried the basil.  I pureed and froze the tomatoes (along with 4 lbs from week 9), and I made cilantro ice cubes, but otherwise, the rest waited until we got back from vacation on Tuesday…just in time to pick up…

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Share #11

5 lbs. tomatoes

up to 20 sprigs of basil (I took 6)

1 melon

1 oz. cilantro

6 oz. green beans

2 tomatillos

2 sweet peppers

2 cucumbers

2 jalepeno peppers

2 hot peppers

1 head lettuce

1 head garlic

1 summer squash

1 box cherry tomatoes

I will blanch and freeze most of the green beans, along with a huge haul from our garden.  I plan to make some fresh salsa, too, since I have so many tomatoes and hot peppers.  I made pickles with 5 lbs. of cucumbers from our garden, plus a few from the share.  I have made 9 quarts of pickles so far.  We opened a jar already, even though they are supposed to sit for 8 weeks (1st batch until September 22nd!).  They were very good!

Last night I cooked up a triple batch of tomato sauce, using the frozen, pureed tomatoes from last week and a few fresh tomatoes from this week.  As per something I had seen on the internet, I shredded a zucchini and a yellow squash and added that to the onion, garlic and carrot mixture.  I have to say that my end product does taste a little “squashy,” so maybe I added too much.  What I have is a base sauce that I can add to/adapt for whatever the recipe calls for.  I am making a sausage rigatoni bake tonight.  I will use my sauce and let you know how it turns out.  Look for a post on the tomato sauce recipe tomorrow.

We had a large share today!  Here’s what we got:

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• 12 sprigs of basil (that’s right – 12!)
• 2 lbs. of potatoes
• 1 zucchini
• 10 oz. carrots
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cabbage
• 1 tomatillo
• 2 green peppers
• 1 garlic
• 1 hot pepper
• 2 quarts of cherry tomatoes
• 4 lbs. of tomatoes
• okra (I helped myself to 2)

I’ve already hung up 6 sprigs of basil to dry.  The other 6 sprigs will go to a friend who uses fresh basil all the time.  We have been harvesting basil from our garden, too, so I have plenty!  I still have potatoes left over from the last 2 weeks, so I’m gonna have to get creative.  Maybe potato pancakes?  Twice baked potatoes?  Yum!  I’ll let you know…  Tomatoes are definitely in season now, no doubt about it!  I think it’s time I learned to make homemade spaghetti sauce.  We use so much at our house that it will definitely benefit the grocery budget!  I’ll make some fresh salsa, too.  As for the cabbage, I will make this recipe.  It’s got bacon in it so my kids are sure to love it!

I missed a week…So here are the pick-up lists for weeks 7 & 8!

Week 7:

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1 green pepper

1 squash or zucchini

1 cucumber

1 hot pepper

1 garlic bulb

14 oz green beans

1 head lettuce

8 oz carrots

1 box cherry tomatoes

2 1/2 lbs tomatoes

1 tomatillo

2 lbs. Purple Viking potatoes

5 sprigs basil

help yourself to : okra, herbs

Last week I made salsa and guacamole, using the tomatoes, tomatillo, hot pepper, garlic and herbs (cilantro).  We had fresh veggies for lunch and dinner (carrots, green pepper, salad, cherry tomatoes).   I steamed the green beans for 2 meals.  I made pesto with the basil.  I sauteed the squash.  I still have potatoes, tomatoes and okra left over.  I have plans for potatoes and okra this week.  I think I’m gonna have to start canning tomatoes!

Week 8:

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1 green pepper

1 zucchini

1 summer squash

1 eggplant

1 hot pepper

2 heads of lettuce

5 1/2 oz. green beans

2 1/2 lbs. tomatoes

1 box Sun Gold cherry tomatoes

1 tomatillo

1 head of garlic

8 oz. carrots

2 lbs. Purple Viking Potatoes

7 sprigs of basil

I plan to make Garden Chowder from our CSA newsletter.  It will use carrots, green beans, zucchini/squash, fresh herbs (basil), and tomatoes (I may throw in the eggplant, too).  We always eat lots of fresh vegetables – green pepper, carrots, cherry tomatoes, salads.  That leaves me with potatoes and tomatoes.  I have a chicken and potato recipe to try this week, but I’ll still have more potatoes left.  I plan to bake the big potatoes I picked up this week, I just don’t know when!  And I think it’s time I learn how to make tomato sauce…

Check back this week for recipes.  I have lots of cooking to do!

I was out of town for 4 days this week (was only supposed to be away for 2!), so my in-laws picked up our share on Tuesday (thanks, Mike & Terry!).  I don’t have a picture or weights/amounts this time, but our share consists of the following:

• tomatoes
• cucumber
• zucchini
• green beans
• green onions
• beets
• cabbage
• spring mix
• garlic scapes
• dill
• cilantro
• basil

We’ve got a nice variery of herbs, now.  I think I will make some fresh salsa with the tomatoes, green onions, garlic scapes and cilantro.  I just received my order of a basic canning kit, so I will use the dill, along with cucumbers from our garden to make pickles.  Wish me luck!  Beets, cabbage and dill get me in the mood for borscht.  It’s quite an involved recipe, but it is well worth it.  If I tackle it over the weekend, I will post pictures.  If you’ve never had borscht, you are in for a treat!  It is really amazing!  Our own basil plant really grew while I was gone, so I think I’ll be making and freezing some pesto this weekend.  Our own green beans are florishing, too, so with share and home-grown green beans packing the fridge, I think I need to make ham, green beans and potatoes.  Not sure what I’m doing with the zucchini yet…  OK, I’m off fold laundry load #4!  Good night, all!

Our share seemed a little smaller this week, but that’s the way farming goes.  It actually works out well, though, because I’m going out of town for 2 days, so that’s 2 days of no cooking.  I have less produce to use up before it goes to waste.  Serendipity?  I think so!

Share #5

Our 5th share:

• 1 squash or zucchini
• 1 cucumber
• 1 bunch green onions (5)
• 10 oz. green beans
• 1 head lettuce
• 1/2 oz. cilantro
• 8 sprigs basil
• 6 garlic scapes
• 2 lbs. potatoes
• 1 box tomatoes
• 1 box wineberries OR sugar snap peas OR cherry tomatoes

So far, we have used the cucumber, 2 of the green onions, 2 of the garlic scapes, a few leaves of lettuce, 1 tomato, and the berries.  We’ll have salads at lunch, using the rest of the  lettuce, green onions and tomatoes.  I will bake the potatoes with tonight’s dinner.  We might have green beans, too.  I think I have some creative cooking to do today to use up more of this great food!