This week marks the official start of the Fenez Follies Farm 2016 CSA season. This week each of our shareholders will receive their first box of bounty from our farm.
For those of you who are new to this, each week we share a blog about what is in each box and share a bit of information and tips on what you might be able to do with the treats you find in the box.
The plentiful rains have created both good and bad growing conditions. Many of the greens are growing well but the root vegetables are at risk of drowning if we don't get some dry weather! On the positive side, we have not had to irrigate too much which saves time and the rains have replenished a much depleted pond!
In a CSA, you receive produce as it comes into season. So at first you get lots of greens, rhubarb and herbs and as the season moves along the produce becomes more dense and includes many of the root vegetables and fall veggies.
Participating in a weekly CSA, you will need to invest some time each week to ensure that you get the most out of your produce. The veggies are picked within 24 hours of you receiving them and are ready to eat immediately and thus need to be stored well to extend their shelf life. Many of you may be used to going to grocery stores and selecting vegetables that may have been picked early in the growth development and has traveled long distances to get to the store. You may find that these vegetables stay 'fresh' longer in your refrigerator. That may be that they are not ripe or ready to begin with and/or they have been treated with preservatives to help them travel well.
For this reason, I will frequently give you tips on the best way to store or preserve your produce. This week I wanted to share with you a tip or two for extending the life of the greens that you'll find in your box each week. As most are packed wet after rinsing, they can become mushy if not tended to when you get them home. In our house, we often use the ziplock produce bags that you can get at the grocery store. I find that they are worth in the investment (and we re-use them over and over). However, if you don't have these special bags, other plastic bags will work... the trick is to ensure that the greens are as dry as possible. Therefore, I recommend that you take the greens out of the bag/pail (you can wash them again at this time) and lay them out on papertowel and then roll the whole thing up like a jelly roll. Storing the greens inside the papertowel in a plastic bag ensures it lasts a much longer time!To keep your radishes fresh and crunchy, store them in cold water in a bowl or tupperware in the fridge (change the water, every couple of days).
We have also given you a large bunch of oregano this week (it loves this weather!). While you can eat oregano fresh by taking the leaves off the stem and mincing them, you can also dry the bundle for future use if you wish. Simply hang the bundle upside down in a dry, cool place for several weeks. Once the leaves are fully dry, hold the bundle over a large bowl and crush the leaves into the bowl. They will naturally crumble into the small flakes that you use in many recipes.
So... What's in the Box this week?
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| Lily has some treats for you! |
- Radishes
- Rhubarb
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Oregano (bundle)
- Bouquet of various herbs including:
- Chives
- Parsley (flat and curled)
- Cilantro
- Dill (full shares)
- Basil
- A couple of special treats to start the season from Chocolate and Lily (our nanny goats):
- Homemade goat's milk soap
- Homemade goat's milk caramels (sample pack)
Note: We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer. (unless of course, you are drying them for storage later.)
Reminder: Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again.
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