August 27, 2013

CSA News for the Week of August 26th

Reminder: This week we are distributing vegetables and fruit. Next week we will be distributing vegetables, fruit, eggs and dairy.


This Week's Vegetable Share:
  • Green Beans
  • Broccoli
  • Bell Peppers
  • Tomatoes
  • Basil
  • Head Lettuce
  • Swiss Chard
  • Arugula
  • Cucumbers
  • Watermelon or Cantaloupe
  • Zucchini (on-farm pickup only)
  • Sweet Onions
 


This week's share is a real tribute to summer. Melons, peppers and tomatoes have really been enjoying the recent heat wave. We love all the funny-looking heirloom tomatoes we're picking right now. Heirlooms come in all sorts of colors, from pink to orange to purple, and in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Though some of them look quite different from the type of tomatoes you might buy in a grocery store, they don't need to be reserved for use in only certain recipes. Use them in all of your favorite recipes--from BLTs to Caprese salads.


This Week's Fruit Share:
  • Zestar Apples
  • Golden Supreme Apples
  • Peaches
  • 'Mount Royal' Plums
 


This week's fruit share includes Mount Royal plums. We like these tasty plums, with their purple skin and bright yellow flesh, for fresh eating as well as baking. There's no better way to conclude a late-summer dinner than with a rustic plum tart. Slice 1 1/2 pounds of plums and toss with about a half cup of sugar and a tablespoon of flour. Roll out a store-bought pie crust on a cookie sheet and mound the plum filling in the center, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Fold the edges over and bake at 400 degrees until the plums are bubbling and the crust in golden brown. The scent of this simple dessert is heavenly! 



Fall Share Registration


If you're thinking about a fall share, this is the time to go ahead and register. We have a limited number of spots available for vegetables, meat, dairy and trout. (Fall egg shares are sold out.) The fall season starts the week of October 15th and runs through the week of November 18th. Register online at http://sandhillfamilyfarms.com.

Fall Vegetable Share - $190
Vegetable shares are delivered every week. There are 6 deliveries during the Fall Season. The Fall Share is the perfect way to savor the flavors of our Midwestern roots. You will receive beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cranberries, garlic, kale, herbs, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, rutabagas, salad greens, shallots, spinach, sweet potatoes, turnips,winter squash and more.
 
Fall Dairy Share - $45
Dairy shares are delivered every other week. There are 3 dairy deliveries during the 6-week Fall Season. The Dairy Share highlights the work of licensed Wisconsin dairy artisans located in the beautiful countryside surrounding our Brodhead farm. Each delivery consists of 1 or 2 different types of cheese (3/4 lb to 1 lb total), one quart of rBGH-free creamline yogurt and a specialty item such as handmade butter. Cheeses include familiar ones like cheddar, as well as artisanal goat-milk and sheep-milk cheeses.
 
Fall Meat Share - $135
Meat shares are delivered once a month. There are 2 deliveries during the 6-week Fall Season. The selection varies slightly from month to month, but each meat share consists of a 10 lb box containing a variety of familiar and easy-to-prepare cuts. Chicken, beef and pork make up the majority of each share, but we also include our delicious lamb chorizo or signature gyro-spiced lamb brats on an occasional basis. Sausages and bacon are free of MSG and nitrates.
 
Fall Trout Share - $70
Trout Share are delivered once a month. There are 2 deliveries during the 6-week Fall Season. Each delivery consists of 6 headless, deboned trout (about 3 lbs) from Rushing Waters Fisheries in Palmyra, Wisconsin. Artesian springs feed pure, clean water to the farm's 56 ponds and raceways. The year-round water temperature of 49° helps Rushing Waters produce sustainable, delicious trout without the use of chemicals or antibiotics.



Reminder Regarding Pickup Site Hours
Just a friendly reminder that, as a courtesy to our site hosts, shares need to be picked up during the time period designated for your particular pickup site. We know that unforeseen circumstances do arise, so if you are unable to pick up your share during the designated hours, please call or email the farm and we'll try our best to make alternate arrangements for you. Thank you!



This Week's Featured Recipes

Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans and Fresh Tomato
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems chopped
1 large or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 lemon

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion; cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft and fragrant. Add garbanzo beans; season with salt and pepper; heat through. Place chard in pan and cook until wilted. Add tomato. Squeeze lemon juice over greens, heat through and serve.


BLT Wrap with Basil Mayo
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
4 whole-wheat wraps, 9 inches in diameter
4 large lettuce leaves
8 thin slices tomato
8 slices cooked bacon
 
Mix first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon of the basil mayonnaise onto each tortilla. Top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 2 slices of tomato, and 2 slices of bacon. Fold in the ends of each wrap and roll up tightly.
 

Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... sweet corn, fingerling potatoes, kale, parsley, grapes, carrots, tomatoes, kohlrabi, shallots, spinach and more!