August 6, 2010

CSA News for the Week of August 9th

This Week's Vegetable Harvest:
  • Muskmelon (from Tipi Produce, a certified-organic farm near Evansville, WI)
  • Shallots
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Assorted Varieties of Tomatoes
  • Bell Peppers (assorted colors)
  • Curly or Italian Parsley
  • Swiss Chard
  • Beans (Tongue of Fire or Romano)
  • Fresh Thyme
  • Fresh Basil

This Week's Fruit Share:

  • Raspberries
  • John Boy Peaches
  • Ozark Premier Plums

Farm Journal
Friday evening

Sitting on the lawn in the fading light, savoring a mouthful of warm mulberry cake and vanilla ice cream, I am reminded of what a unique place this is. I am surrounded by fifty or sixty people who have come here to the Prairie Crossing Farm on this warm summer evening to celebrate the achievements of the Prairie Crossing Farm Corps. The Farm Corps is one of the programs of the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm, a non-profit organization that shares the farm with us. The Farm Corps is composed of about a dozen teenagers who learn about teamwork and job skills while growing vegetables for sale at farmers markets and for the local food pantry.
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After a delicious meal made from vegetables grown by Farm Corps members, the teens act as guides while leading us on a tour of their part of the farm. Their pride is evident as they show us their flock of laying hens, rows of well-tended vegetables and beds of beautiful sunflowers. Matt and I are proud of the small part we have played in mentoring these young people. They have learned so much this summer about the value of hard work and the importance of giving back to community. To learn more about the Farm Corps program, you can visit If you know anyone interested in participating in next year's program or in supporting the efforts of the Farm Corps, please have them contact Erica Hill Pfeiffer at epfeiffer@prairiecrossing.com.


Two members of the Prairie Crossing Farm Corps lead a tour of the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm.


Chef Tim Kuck of Stargrazer Cafe in Grayslake created a delicious meal for sixty people using produce grown by Prairie Farm Corps members.

The Prairie Crossing Learning Farm owes its success to hardworking staffmembers like Eric, Erica & Logan.

Notes from the Farm Kitchen

Shallots are closely related to onions. Instead of forming a bulb with concentric rings like onions, shallots grow more like garlic in elongated sections. They are prized in various cuisines, but especially in France, where they are appreciated for their wonderful flavor and texture. Store shallots in a dark, dry place.



The first tomatoes of the season were harvested on Tuesday. We planted more than 30 different varieties, so you will receive tomatoes of different shapes, sizes and colors over the course of the season. This first harvest is relatively small, but we will be harvesting more and more with each passing week. If this year is like most others, we will continue to harvest tomatoes until the first frost.


Derek and Jeff, intrepid Sandhill Organics crew members, sport mosquito head nets as they proudly display the first tomato harvest (for which they each had to give at least a pint of blood....It's buggy out there!)


Muskemelon, sometimes referred to as canteloupe, is a crop that historically hasn't performed well on our farm. Fortunately, our friends Beth Kazmar and Steve Pincus grow great melons on their farm, and we're very pleased to be able to share them with you. Their certified-organic farm is called Tipi Produce and is located near Evansville, Wisconsin. Make sure to store your melons in the refrigerator.

Farmer Matt takes a break while enjoying a cold slice of muskmelon.


A quick note about storing peaches and berries -- For best results, cover a plate with a paper towel and then spread the raspberries on the plate in a single layer and refrigerate. Peaches and plums should be kept refrigerated until shortly before you plan to eat them.


This week we're picking romano beans and tongue-of fire beans (see photo below). The beans in your share will be one of the two. Romano beans are broad, flat-podded beans that are sometimes referred to as Italian flat beans. They can be prepared much like the more familiar green beans. They will take slightly longer to cook than a thinner bean, but be careful not to overcook them as they will become mushy. Tongue-of-fire beans are fresh shelling beans, which means that you don't eat the pods of this lovely pink beauty. If left on the plant, these beans would mature into the type of dried beans that we are all familiar with. They can be used like dried beans, but they are more creamy than starchy and they cook in less than half the time of dried beans. Fresh shell beans are best eaten with a couple of days. The romanos will store up to a week. Be sure to store both types in the refrigerator.



This Week's Recipes


Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, leeks, arugula, beans, kale, onions, poblano peppers, nectarines, Paula Red apples, and more!
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