The Golden Earthworm Farm CSA NEWSLETTER

this week's
HARVEST

Note: The contents of the veggie boxes can change, depending on the day of the week. We update the below veg list almost daily to reflect the next day's deliveries. Keep this in mind if you're looking at the list more than one day before your delivery.

Red or Yellow Potatoes
Wash gently, but be careful not to damage the skins. Boil in salted water until just tender.
Qty: 2 lb

Swiss Chard
Qty: 1 bunch
Cherry Tomatoes or Red Tomatoes
This is the beginning of our tomato crop, so everyone is getting a first taste!
Qty: 1 pint or 2 tomatoes

Green Peppers
Qty: 3 pieces

Eggplant
Some of these may be on the softer side due to a lack of water. They're just as delicious when cooked up!
Qty: 1 piece

Onions
Qty: 2 pieces

Yellow or Green Zucchini
Qty: 3 pieces

Baby Romaine Lettuce
Qty: 2 pieces

Baby Red Leaf Lettuce
Qty: 2 pieces

FRUIT SHARE

Blueberries
Qty: 1 pint

UFO Peaches
Important Note! Peaches should be removed from the plastic bag and allowed to ripen in a paper bag, or out in the open air. If you leave them in the plastic, they will rot before they ripen.
Qty: 1 bag

Week of August 6th, 2007~ Issue #11

HAPPENINGS news & musings from the fields

I've been away this week, but according to the boys, they've been busy planting the last of the fall crops in the field, finishing up the well on our Sound Avenue land, and getting ready for the mad rush of tomatoes which will start this week. Phew! So much for the lazy days of summer...

Next week we're going to give you our mid-season crop update, so stay tuned!

Save the Date...
We've set the date for our CSA Day this fall for SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21st. We know it's a long way off, but we thought you might want to put it on your calendars!

RECIPES from the farm & from our friends

FRENCH SWISS CHARD
A special recipe from Cait Johnson

The French love their chard (“blettes” in their language), and my Grannie (who was French and Swiss, among other things) used to make this recipe for me when I was little because she knew how good it was for me (chard is a fabulous source of many antioxidant vitamins and minerals)--and because this was one way I would actually eat it and enjoy it!

The secret is adding raisins and pine nuts to the chard. I recently bought a drop-dead gorgeous book of French Provincial recipes, and in it was a recipe that looked just like the chard my Grannie used to make for me. It was even called “Blettes Grand-mere!” Try making it for your little ones: the sweetness of the raisins and the nutty, buttery crunch of the pine nuts make chard completely irresistible--and it cooks in about 3 minutes.

1 bunch Swiss chard
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/3 cup raisins or golden raisins
2 tablespoons pine nuts
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Remove the chard stems and the thick central vein from each leaf. Chop the leaves very coarsely. Using a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium high heat, melt the butter with the oil until sizzling. Add the chard and the rosemary, stirring well to coat the chard with the butter mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for another minute until the chard has wilted to about half its original volume. Add raisins and pine nuts, stirring to combine evenly, and continue cooking until any moisture has evaporated. The entire cooking process should take no more than about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

SWISS CHARD PRIMER
Read Helen Rennie's recipes & instructions here.

STUFFED SWISS CHARD LEAVES

1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp oil
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup raisins
1 tsp dill
3/4 tsp salt
5 -10 large swiss chard leaves

Preheat oven to 350 F. Sauté onion. Mix all ingredients except chard. Wash and dry chard and remove stems. Place 2 tbsp of filling on the underside of the leaf, a third of the way from the bottom. Fold over the sides of the leaf and roll up into a square packet. Place seam-side down in a greased casserole. Cover and bake for about 30 minutes. Bake any extra filling and serve with stuffed leaves.