The Golden Earthworm Farm CSA NEWSLETTER

"A child born in a wealthy country is likely to consume, waste, and pollute more in his lifetime than 50 children born in developing nations. Our energy-burning lifestyles are pushing our planet to the point of no return. It is dawning on us at last that the life of our world is as vulnerable as the children we raise." ~George Carey

this week's
HARVEST

Green Boston Lettuce
Boston lettuce, otherwise known as Butter lettuce, is a wonderful variety with thick, tender, buttery leaves! Don't use a heavy dressing- it has a delicate flavor!
Qty: 1 head

Red Boston Lettuce
Just like the green- but red!
Qty: 1 head

Baby Bok Choi
This is a traditional style bok choi. It's wonderful sauteed in a stir fry, or chopped up raw in a salad. You can eat the whole thing- leaves, stem and all!
Qty: 1 bunch

Pink Beauty Radishes
Less spicy than it's red cousin. Love the color!
Qty: 1 bunch

Lettuce Mix
This specialty mix is a blend of our best tasting lettuces.
Qty: 1 bag

Arugula
Qty: 1 bunch

Collards
Collard greens are just delicious this time of year. The stalks are generally too tough to eat, so leaves should be stripped from the stalks and torn into small pieces before cooking. Collards are best sauteed until tender. You can serve them with beans- especially black-eyed peas for a very traditional southern meal—or add them to soups and stews. Good seasonings for collards include garlic, fresh ginger, dill, parsley, hot sauce, cinnamon, hot peppers, vinegar, and curry.
Qty: 1 bunch

Week of June 4th, 2007~ Issue #2

HAPPENINGS news & musings from the fields

GREENS GALORE!
'Tis the season for greens- and lots of them! This week we have salad greens and cooking greens in the share. It's very important that you store them properly so they hold up for the week, so be sure to read our Storing Greens note in the recipe section of this newsletter.

Everything is going well here at the farm. I enjoyed a cozy rainy day inside yesterday catching up on paperwork, but poor farmers Matt and James and the crew were out in the muddy fields picking your veggies! The rest of the week is looking much drier...perfect weather for our strawberry crop which is coming soon!

CELEBRATE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY!
Today, June 5th is World Environment Day, a day for
celebration of our wonderful planet and a day to take
action for its preservation. It is more important than
ever!!!

HELP DO YOUR PART! Take a stand. Make a change!

I know, I know. You see these lists of ways you can help reduce your environmental footprint, but you think it doesn't apply to you. Well, IT DOES! It is everyone's responsibility to do their part to change their ways and do what's right to help protect our planet and the future generations that will hopefully call this place home.

PROMOTING A CULTURE OF CONSERVATION BY CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE - National Audubon Society

Individual choices can have a significant impact on global climate change. Reducing your family’s heat- trapping emissions does not mean forgoing modern conveniences; it means making smart choices and using energy-efficient products. Americans’ per capita emissions of heat-trapping gases is 5.6 tons— more than double the amount of western Europeans—we can all make choices that will greatly reduce our families’ global warming impact.

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging (buy in bulk or the economy size when that makes sense for you) will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans.
• Aim to recycle half of your household waste. CO2 reduction = 2400 lbs/year

2. Conserve Water
You can reduce your energy consumption by using less hot water. Run your dishwasher only when full and use the air dry option.
• Wash clothes in cold or warm water, never hot. C02 reduction = 500 lbs/year. When it’s time to replace your washing machine, choose a new high-efficiency front-loader. You’ll see great savings on water, electricity, and detergent, and you’ll discover you can more safely wash delicate items, too.
• Buy low-flow showerheads to save hot water CO2 reduction = 350 lbs/year

3. Tame the Fridge Monster
New refrigerators use about 50% less energy than those made just 10-15 years ago. That’s important because refrigerators account for between 10 and 15% of total home energy consumption. The next time you buy a new refrigerator or any household appliance look for the Energy Star label to be sure you’re getting a high efficiency model. In the meantime, keep your refrigerator’s thermostat set to the recommended temperature and clean the condenser coil regularly. This one, very simple thing can improve the efficiency of your refrigerator by a third! If you own a second refrigerator, unplug it when it is not being used for special occasions.

4. Home Heating and Cooling
Reduce excessive use of home heating and cooling. Try turning up the thermostat in the summer and turning it down a few degrees in the winter. If you don’t have an automated thermostat, install one. Program it to adjust temperatures at nighttime. Try installing better insulation throughout the house. Seal up windows, close vents, and clean filters. If you really want to save energy, try to avoid using air conditioning on all but the very hottest days. You’d be amazed at how effective ceiling fans alone can be in making you feel cooler.
• Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy. CO2 reduction (for each 10-degree adjustment) = 500 lbs/year.
• Wrap your hot water heater in an insulating blanket. CO2 reduction = up to 1000 lbs/year

5. Change Your Light Bulbs
Switch from conventional incandescent bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluorescents. Or better yet, try to maximize your use of natural sunlight for daytime lighting needs. Replacing just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL will save you $30 over the life of the bulb. CFLs also last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat. If every U.S. family replaced one regular light bulb with a CFL, it would eliminate 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, the same as taking 7.5 million cars off the road.

6. Think Before You Drive
Consider driving less by taking public transportation, walking, bicycling, or carpooling. Drive a more energy-efficient vehicle.
When you drive, follow the speed limit and drive at a consistent speed. Take your car in for regular tune-ups. Take off any rooftop carriers when not in use. Keeping your tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by more than three percent. Every gallon of gas you save not only helps your budget, it also keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
• Leave your car at home at least two days a week (walk, bike or take public transportation to work instead).
CO2 reduction = 1,590 lbs/year

7. Plant a Tree
Plant leafy trees around your house to provide windbreaks and summer shade. Each year, the average yard tree cleans 330 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. An average tree absorbs ten pounds of pollutants from the air each year, including four pounds of ground level ozone and three pounds of particulates.

8. Buy Local
As much as possible, buy local produce and other goods. The fewer miles your fruits and vegetables have traveled, the less energy has been used for refrigeration and transportation. Whenever possible, select organic produce. The pesticides used to kill pests also kill the organisms that help keep carbon dioxide in the soil.

9. Stand Tall
Yes, your individual actions do add up! But with more consumer choices — such as the option to buy electricity from renewable sources, more and less expensive hybrid car models, among others — we can have an even greater impact. But we won’t be successful in reducing global warming pollution without strong federal leadership. These changes will come about only if you act. You can do a lot to press local and state government, and Congress to curb global warming. Stay informed, write letters to your leaders, raise the issue at Town Hall or district meetings, and support candidates who promise to take the aggressive and farsighted actions necessary to curb global warming.

10. Cut Emissions in Your Yard
Gasoline mowers are big polluters and greenhouse gas emitters. In one hour, a conventional lawn mower produces as much pollution as 40 late-model cars driving for the same amount of time. Try a manual or cordless electric mower, or be sure to tune up and maintain your gas mower so it runs with fewer emissions. Reduce the amount of lawn you need to mow by planting native species of ground covers, plants and wildflowers, or vegetables – that’s better for birds too! Plant trees for shade, CO2 absorption and improved air quality. Mulch gardens with pesticide free clippings. Take your yard organic and eliminate chemical inputs of pesticides and fertilizers. Nitrous oxide, a byproduct of nitrogen-based fertilizers, is a potent greenhouse gas.

Source: National Audubon Society, Link to PDF version

RECIPES from the farm & from our friends

STORING GREENS
Here's a basic tip for storing all types of greens, including lettuces, cooking greens, herbs, etc.

When you get your veggies home, wash all of the greens. Without shaking off the excess water, place them onto a laid out kitchen towel. Fold the towel so that the greens are nicely tucked in and then place it into a plastic bag-- then right into the fridge! This will keep the greens fresh, crisp, and ready for eating for the entire week.

NOTE: Greens should never be exposed to the air in the fridge! Even if they are placed in the produce drawer, they must be in a plastic bag.

COLLARD POTATO SALAD WITH MUSTARD DRESSING

2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed
1 pound collards, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
6 slices of lean organic bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and crumbled (optional!)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion

In a kettle combine the potatoes with enough water to cover them by 2 inches, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the potatoes 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are tender. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a colander, reserving the cooking liquid, and in the reserved cooking liquid boil the collards, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Drain the collards in a sieve, refresh them under cold water, and squeeze them dry in a kitchen towel. In a bowl whisk together the mustard, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it emulsified. Quarter the potatoes and add them to the dressing. Add the collards, pulling them apart to separate the leaves, the bacon (optional!), and the scallion and toss the salad well.