June 16

This week's share (subject to change):
Chard, a selection of lettuce heads, Toraziroh, Red Giant Mustard, Green Wave Mustard, Salad Turnips, Salad Radishes, Kale, perhaps some Arugula, and Last Call for Garlic Scapes!

Coming soon:
Beets, Chinese/Napa Cabbage, Carrots, Kohlrabi

Dear Friends, Neighbors, and CSA Members

It seems so odd to read of a national drought, here in the northeast so soggy and muddy.  Images, photos of a severe dust storm, a wall of desert sand stirred into being by the downward force of a thunderstorm.  Contrast, cascades of water running through our garden, constant need for rain pants, boots, jackets.  I can hardly imagine, never having been (let alone lived) in the southwest, such weather.  These past couple weeks, it seems we hardly have a chance to dry our socks before it's raining again.  Perhaps now we have a break ahead of us – still predicting thunderstorms, but lowered chances, in the next week.  I do look forward to riding our cultivating tractor through several beds that are starting to show a bit too much of an unwelcome green.  Grasses and annual weeds, as much as our vegetable crops and (below) buckwheat cover crop, are thriving under this intense alternation between sun and rain.

Our garden soil does drain exceedingly well, so I did a bit of hoeing this afternoon while Jon started shaping beds with our loaned Spader.  It seems the new field has a bit of a shale vein running through it, and the shear bolt (somewhat like a safety latch, meant to break or "shear" before something else on the implement does) for some reason did not shear when it should have, leaving us on the hunt for a replacement piece for the Spader's shaft.  He did get a few beds made beforehand, so we'll be able to get in the last succession of cucumbers, summer squash, and zucchini before they've outgrown their greenhouse trays.  The seeds we've put in the ground in between downpours are growing in leaps and bounds.  Green beans (and purple and striped beans)  will be ready for pick your own sometime in July, as well as a bed of edamame.  We're growing three varieties for seed this year, for the Hudson Valley Seed Library – Oxheart Tomatoes, Panther Edamame, and Prizehead Lettuce.  Now if only I can get in there to cultivate!  It's amazing how a slight, shallow stirring of the soil around vegetable plants promotes growth spurts and well-being.  Inevitably, plants look and behave healthier than without.  Especially after so much rain!

If you like strawberries, I'd highly recommend you make it over to Thompson Finch Farm, growers extraordinaire of organic pick your own strawberries.  We haven't gotten there as of yet, but I certainly plan to.  These are seriously tasty berries.  There's likely a couple weeks left of picking (until beginning of July), so plan your trip soon!

And yes, our cooler is complete!  (or at least complete enough, as these things go)  It readily kept Friday's harvest at around 40 degrees until delivery Saturday morning, which I do hope helped keep those greens from wilting.  If you're experiencing some wilt once you get your greens home, here's a tip.  Undo the rubber band (if it's a bunch), dunk them in cold water, place in a sealed plastic bag (or reusable produce bags) with a damp paper towel or dish cloth, and then in the fridge.  The dry cold air in the fridge will wilt greens like nobody's business unless they're protected!

Many Good Wishes to all on this Father's Day!

Thankful for the food Jon's cooking us for dinner right this very moment,
Your Farmers,
Jen and Jon

From soil to salad bowl (and other bowls, besides)

Pickled Garlic Scapes, from the Garden of Eating Blog, adapted from the Food in Jars cookbook

*She also has a recipe for Garlic Scape Pesto, for those with a less vinegar-y bend.

 

 

Makes one pint jar

(Skipping most of the canning spices, and just using peppercorns, bay leaf and dill or coriander seeds is also quite acceptable)

 

Ingredients

 

* 1/2 pound garlic scapes (1 decent-sized bunch)

* 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds

* 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

* a few whole cloves

* a bay leaf

* 1/4 teaspoon dill seed

* an allspice berry

* a juniper berry

* a pinch of hot pepper flakes

* 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

* 3/4 cups apple cider vinegar

* 3/4 cups water

* 1 tablespoon pickling salt

 

Directions

 

1. Trim the ends of the scapes, both the blossom end and the hard bit that formed at the original cut, and cut them into lengths that will fit in your jar. Prepare a small boiling water bath and sterilize a single pint jar, lid and band.

 

2. Combine the vinegar, water and pickling salt in a pot and bring to a boil.

 

3. Remove the jar from the boiling water bath, empty and set on a kitchen towel. Place the spices in the sterilized pint jar along with a pinch of salt.

 

4. Pack the trimmed scapes into the jar. Note: since you'll be dealing with both straight and curved pieces, Marisa suggests packing the curved pieces along the sides of the jar and the straighter pieces inside standing straight up – kind of a like a curly log cabin look (or vice versa) – I ended up just putting mine all in there in no order which is also fine.

 

5. Slowly pour the hot brine over the garlic scapes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Once the jar is full, tap the jar lightly to dislodge any air bubbles. Check the headspace again and add more brine if necessary.

 

6. Wipe the rim, apply the lid and ring, and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. Let these pickles cure for at least a week before eating. Pickles will last for several weeks in refrigerator after initial seal is broken.

The Peace of Wild Things
 

by Wendell Berry
 

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

 May 29th

This week's share (subject to change):
Chard, salad radishes, arugula, lettuce heads, baby bok choi, Big Bok Choi, spinach, salad mustards, and potential for garlic scapes

Dear Members,
The thunder is rolling across the heavens, rumbling up and down the river, and I'm glad we've made it inside for the night.  Being caught in one lightning and hail storm last week is enough adrenalin rushes for me, please!  You may have noticed that our Saturday sites have different start dates – Brooklyn a week later than on the farm.  Also, you may be wondering about how this whole choice situation will pan out.  And I am here to share what answers I have, along with some photos of the amazing amount of transplants and farm activities that were accomplished this past week, with essential and very welcome help from several of you!
 

First of all, I want to extend our gratitude to the incredible amount of help we received, between last Tuesday, Monday, and yesterday, in putting ever so many Summer and Winter Squashes, herbs, Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplants and Okra into the soil, where they are thriving and stretching their roots in their new garden bed homes, nestled in by the patter of rain and welcomed by the network of nutrients now available to them.  It was a truly incredible feat!  Thank you thank you thank you to: Ashley and John Scott (and Emma Rose and Ida Pearl!), Travis x 2, Luke x 3, and Marcia and Carmine, we could not have done it without you!

Brooklyn, we want your veggies to be as crisp, fresh and delicious as possible.  Since Jon will be leaving Hudson around 5:30am on Saturday mornings to get to you, we need a cooler to store vegetables in overnight (because harvesting and washing for all of you before 5:30am just ain't gonna happen).  We're working on it!  A few calendar and cooler glitches are keeping us from sharing with you this weekend, but we'll have the full array of veggies ready for you next Saturday, and 21 Saturdays to follow!

As for choice, what we are offering to Hudson, Pri Ha Emek, and Greenpoint members is this:  Full Share, choice of 8 or 9 items per week; Small Share, choice of 5 items per week.  So you walk up to the table, see a bunch of vegetables, and just grab as much of whatever you want, right?  Well, we're not quite there yet.  Here's what's more likely to greet you:  Check the SIGNS!  We will have a list of vegetables, and the amount of each that you are welcome to take.  For instance, this week, you may choose 1 head of lettuce, 1 bag of arugula, 1 bunch of salad radishes, 1 bok choi – and, say you really like bok choi – another head of bok choi.  Sometimes we will offer that certain items may be chosen twice in one week (ie the bok choi in the example prior).  Sometimes certain items may be limited to being chosen only once (ie when we only have enough of a popular item for each person to take one home, for instance our first cucumber harvest in a few weeks).  Most often, we will be able to offer more than 9 items, so that Full Share members will have more than 9 items to choose 8 or 9 vegetables to take home.  As always, we recognize that different people have different appetites – to Jon and me, a head of lettuce every meal (excluding breakfast) is almost enough.  For most others, 1 or 2 is plenty for a week!  But is it one or two for you?  So we'll try to offer enough lettuce every week for everyone to choose whether they take home one, or two.  Or, of course, none.

On Farm members are welcome to come to the farm from 9-10am, or to the Chatham Market at the Chatham Brewery from 11am to 4pm, to choose your shares.  I will have the descriptions posted, and look forward to helping you fill your bags with your Full Family or Single Serving shares.

We will also have bulk quantities for sale throughout the season, and will notify you via newsletter which vegetables, and how much we are asking (generally per pound).  Vegetables we expect to have in quite more than enough of an abundance this season that are great for freezing and eating through the winter include:  Kale, Chard, Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Okra, Eggplant, and even beans and peas if you come to our pick your own parties! 
 
Vegetables that store well at proper temperatures for several months in the winter, that we expect to have in extra abundance this season include Winter Squashes (of many sorts, sizes, textures, and colors), Beets, Carrots, Celeriac, Onions, Leeks, Shallots, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, and Turnips. 
 
There’s even some you can dry, at the lowest setting on your oven, in a dehydrator, or sometimes simply by tying and hanging up with a paper bag.  Most of our herbs can be saved in this manner, as well as Paprika and Hot Peppers, Sweet Peppers (chopped), and Zucchini and Summer Squash. 
 
And of course, there’s the canning and fermenting – if you’re into making batches of kim chee or sauerkraut, we’ve got your ingredients (except the ginger).  We’re even growing pickling cucumbers!  And, we hope you’ll join us when the Paste Tomatoes are really popping come August, for a seed saving and sauce canning extravaganza!  (date tbd).
 
Jumping in the fields between the downpours,
Your Farmers,
Jen and Jon

From soil to salad bowl (and other bowls, besides)
Did I tell you enough about Bok Choi last week?  I’m still loving the frittata, and I’m here to recommend you try a simple stir fry with potatoes, cashews, and sesame oil.  Mmm mmm good.
Another simple dish we’ve been enjoying lately is a dressed-up salad:
Toast some nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, sunflower and pumpkin are our current favorites).
Tear your lettuce head to forkable bits.
Top lettuce with nuts and seeds, dress with a few drops of Ume Plum Vinegar (or serve with vinaigrette of your choice), and find out why we gobble up at least a head or two per meal!  Seriously, folks, I cannot get enough of the freshness, the sweetness, and the delectability of our greens!   The scent of toasted nuts is calling me to the kitchen as I type…
 

February 16th

This week's share (subject to change):
chance of snow, no accumulation expected

Dear Members,

To My Valentine
by Ogden Nash

Thank you for joining our Vegetable CSA with Lineage Farm!
Our mailing address is:

February 8th

This week's share (subject to change):
Snow, snow, and more snow.

Dear Members,

From freezer to pizz-er

I just broke out some of our fresh bell peppers that I had chopped up last summer and stuck in a ziplock in the freezer, to serve as a summery reminder when times got snowy.  Tonight, we eat a summery pizza – tomato sauce, peppers, and onions stirfried, scattered across a home-made pizza dough (grazie a Jon's mother, Marcia, who spent her snow-day baking up a storm).  Highly recommended.

Thank you for joining our Vegetable CSA with Lineage Farm!
Our mailing address is: