June 28

June 28, 2011

Hi Everyone,

Hunger & Potatoes
This week will be one of my favorites – new potatoes from the Black Dirt. Just last week I finished my last stash of stored potatoes from last year. Potatoes are one of the best staple crops. They’ve gotten a bad rap in recent years – for being too starchy, too carbie and too white. But I’ve read that Irish peasants were much healthier eating potatoes as their main food source than their European counterparts who relied on wheat. (Of course, relying mainly on just one food source – and one main variety like the Irish did – can have tragic consequences). If you’ve never visited the Irish Hunger Memorial in New York City, it’s well worth the trip. It’s a bizarre looking thing rising from the streets of lower Manhattan with haunting quotes of hunger. One of the most poignant descriptions of hunger was in the book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Living in this country where food (or what passes as “food”) is sold at every gas station, TJ Maxx, checkout counter and strip mall, it’s difficult to know true “hunger pains” like nearly 1 billion people do every day.

In this week’s share:
new potatoes
lettuce (3 heads)
radishes
parsley
garlic
garlic scapes
turnip greens
Swiss chard
onions
callaloo
broccoli
cilantro

Mushrooms
Zach has two new varieties of mushrooms: Shitake and Royal Trumpet that he will be selling in addition to Portobello, Cremini and White Button mushrooms.

Coffee & Coffee Share
Richard (proud father of a new baby girl, Sidanna) of Red House Roasters will be bringing samples of the various types of freshly-roasted coffee that they carry. (Also, this will be the first week of the Coffee Share). It’s still not too late to sign up for the Coffee Share. There will be sign-up forms available.

Fruit Share
This will be the first week for the Fruit Share. The first week will be a mix of blueberries, raspberries and sour cherries. The fruit share will be located on the back wall in baskets on the shelves. Please do NOT take the baskets, but take the individual containers of fruit that will be in the baskets. Also, please check off your name on the Fruit Share list which will be on the barrel next to the fruit shares.

Cheese Share
In this week’s Cheese Share (located in the cooler next to the sign-in desk) is Calkins Creamery Four-Dog Dill, a havarti-style cheese dosed with dill – my mother-in-law’s favorite!

Organic Milk
This week we have organic, non-homogenized milk in glass containers. (There is a $3
deposit on the glass jars). This is really delicious milk from the Lancaster Farm Coop which offers true “pastured” dairy and meat. Also, available is organic chocolate milk in glass bottles which is so rich and creamy it tastes like a chocolate milk shake (my son is hoping they don’t sell so that it’ll be more for him!) It’s a real treat!Also available is organic half & half, buttermilk, yogurt and ricotta cheese.

Fresh, Pastured Pork & Beef
Also available this week is fresh, pastured ground pork & beef (located in the
refrigerator). Although it’s more expensive than what’s available in grocery stores, I think it’s worth spending a little more (and eating a little less) of good quality meat.

Enjoy!

Lisa, Lauren & Jacob

I Love You Man, Dan, The Fruit Man...You Are a Man After My Own Heart

I can't believe it really. I must be the luckiest girl. Or I must have done something right. To deserve this. All of it. The Black Dirt. The CSA. Lucy. Lauren. Dan, the Fruit Man. Jacob, my son. Who will be 21 tomorrow. It can't be. I can't believe it really. I must be the luckiest girl. To have a son like him.

And so we are all sons and daughters. How many parents are proud of their sons and daughters? Or do we just fret? And worry? Because it is so much easier to fret and worry than to have confidence in them. In nature. It's just the nature of life to grow. All we do is plant those seeds. Tend them slightly with great intentions of tending them more. But somehow they survive. And thrive. Because of us and in spite of us. And they grow so tall. We look up to them. And wonder. Are they really ours?

Cover Cropping the Next Generation

I just want to thank everyone and anyone who bought some mushrooms from Zach. We may have just launched a "new farmer" (and we need so many more of these, after all just 2% of the population is responsible for growing our food -- we aught to choose that 2% wisely and not just have "Monsanto" dominate the market). Zach said to me as we talked about moving forward with the mushrooms, "Lisa, I just want you to know, I'm a little nervous about the whole thing." Yes, I know, aren't we all? We should be scared. (Disclaimer here: I was scared to death when I first started the CSA and growing vegetables). But isn't it better to take some chances, even if we fail, then to let these opportunities pass us by? As one of my favorite writers, Henry Miller once said, it's time to "take that flying leap in the dark." (And it's not as dark as it once was, thanks to all those who helped to light the light). And so, we are all lighting the light. Just by being in the CSA. Sometimes just by composting all those delicious veggies that we can't seem to get around to using that week (yes, it's okay to not use all those veggies every week). (Disclaimer II: I don't always manage to use all those veggies in each week's share either). In fact, farmers plant entire fields of crops only to mow then down and let them rot. We call it "cover cropping" and it's one of the best ways to feed and improve the soil. Maybe we are cover cropping this next generation of young people. We plant them, fertilize them heavily in grammar school and high school, make them "pay" for college, then chop them down and let them rot (and still try to collect those student loans (no you can't default -- the banks have made sure of that! -- we now have a class of indentured servants -- no, slaves}). And some, like Zach, have been smart enough to avoid the trappings of debt-filled college but he's still not sure of his place in our narrow society. He knows there's got to be more than this. And so, he's nervous. But, we are here to catch you Zach. We support you. We applaud you. And we love your mushrooms!

Yes, it's all about the food, in more ways than we can imagine!

June 21, 2011

June 21, 2011

Hi Everyone,

After some difficult spring weather, things seem to be really shaping up. Tomatoes and peppers are starting to fruit on the vine; little potatoes are growing underground and we hope to have carrots in about two weeks. In talking to some other farmers who have lost fields of potatoes due to the cold, wet spring and rows of peas due to an extremely hot week of weather and had to plow under fields of sweet corn because “it just wasn’t coming up right,” we’re all relieved to be having some pleasant, consistent weather with just the right amount of rain. We’re just hoping that we are not visited by the brown marmorated stink bug!

In this week’s share:

cilantro (if you haven’t tried the Cilantro Pesto/Spread recipe, it’s a great way to use the entire bunch of
cilantro and it stores and freezes well)
radishes
garlic
garlic scapes
collard greens
callaloo
purslane (a vegetable with some of the highest levels of Omega-3)
2 heads of lettuce
green onion
parsley
kohlrabi (see recipe page)

Enjoy!

Lisa, Lauren & Jacob

If It Weren't for the Shades of Gray, We'd All be Organic

I, too, once thought that it was either organic or it wasn't. So much in fact, that in 1994, the year my second son was born I joined an "organic food" delivery service. At that point we lived in the hinterlands (North Haledon) of "organic land." We were the last stop. And the box was usually delivered around 11 p.m. which was late for me, by a very cordial young man who seemed to like weed(s) better than vegetables. But I was always glad to tip him, even though we were pretty broke at that time (Albert drove a $200 car and I was staying home (giving up my computer consulting/training)to be with with my kids. I remember getting that box of whatever, it included both fruits and vegetables, and cooking with them. The recipes they sent were helpful. But with a toddler and infant I had no time to cook. So, like now, I just threw the meals together, favoring the simple ways of cooking and eating like I do now. I am not a chef. I am not really even a farmer. I don't know what I am. I do like food. A lot. I love to eat. (and drink -- vegetables). And I like helping to pave new roads. For doing business. And for farming. I read an article today in Natural Farming (isn't there a magazine for absolutely every thought?) about the next evolution of CSAs which is farmer-farmer and farmer-community. And I thought, well, I'm there. On that. Farmer-farmer. I like win-win relationships. I (and my husband) are not too interested in "hiring" people. We are much more interested in cooperative and collaborative relationships where each of us are empowered and free (sovereign) to pursue our highest vision of what "it" should be. We (Albert and I) don't worry about getting "screwed" for there is no one else in the room. It is only I and (we, I do have a great marriage!). Whatever we do, we do to ourselves. Alone. And so, we have great patience and are quick to let them loose if need be. Because it doesn't really matter. What is money after all? Not much. Not anything really, if you consider it's just "Federal Reserve Notes" (just assholes, pardon my French). No, it's community. It's every person walking through the door to pick up the week's share of vegetables. It gives me hope.
I think we'll win.

Me & George (Herbert)

There’s not a lot I have in common with George Herbert Walker Bush. Well, maybe two things. I think that we both share some human DNA (although rumor has it on the internet that he has a lot of reptilian DNA which I wouldn’t doubt). And secondly, and more importantly, we both hate broccoli. Yes, I confess I hate broccoli. And no, it’s not because I don’t like to eat it. I do. But I hate to grow it. Broccoli is a spoiled, demanding, finicky, fragile and ultimately, not a very grateful vegetable. And I do like grateful and hearty (full of heart, eh?) hardy vegetables. Those are the best. And easiest. Broccoli is not.

First of all, there are not many heirloom varieties of broccoli. Just one in fact, Di Cicco “a favorite multi-cut Italian variety” which according to Johnny’s Seed catalog is:

“A traditional variety producing small, 3-4", main heads projected well above the foliage followed by a large yield of side-shoot spears. Nonuniform in maturity, resulting in a long harvest period. Harvest main head when 3" in diameter or less to encourage heavier side-shoot production.”

So, this is not like the grocery store variety which produces uniform nice heads at least 5-6" head and then dies. No, this is a type of broccoli that continues to produce. Which I like. Side-shoots. What the hell is that? It’s broccoli that keeps on coming.(But not in a big way, just little shoots).

Most broccoli are hybrid. Which in and of itself is not always a bad thing. Hybrids are selected for their traits which may or may not be a good thing. Traits I like are resistance to certain diseases (which makes the need for spraying less) and taste. I always try to choose the varieties that favor flavor. After all, that’s why we eat it in the first place. Taste. And if there were a way to choose varieties based on nutritive value I would. But there is not. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to enter into the equation for sellers of seeds. No, the main trait that most varieties of vegetables (and fruit) are shelf life (for transportation) and ease of picking (machine harvesting).

Did you know that are over 1200 varieties of bananas? And yet, you probably are one familiar with the Cavendish (the bland yellow one that is sold in every grocery store in America (which could very soon become extinct because of a new fungus)). Yes, the banana cartel is so strong the whole lot gets one name. At least we know there are different varieties of apples to try (only about 10 out of 10,000 are in the grocery stores) and we are starting to ask for more (like Honeycrisp...and the growers are frantically planting Honeycrisp Apple trees in order to cash in on the latest trend). Because it all is, a trend. Even the CSA. But it shouldn’t be. I see the CSA as a bridge. Between the industrial food system and people growing their own food.

I feel successful when anyone leaves the CSA because they are now growing enough of their own food (how’s that for a business model?). And I can still be their (your) safety net. And maybe give some guidance now and then (and a whole lot of potatoes).

Fruit Share: It's Been Worth the Wait

Good news! We have finally found a good source, no a great source, for some fruit. Lauren and I have been talking to a lot of different fruit growers and have been unable to find someone that has enough variety of fruit to supply a CSA but not so large that all they do is spray and sell commercially. And we found him. His name is Dan.

His first words to us were, "Welcome to my little piece of heaven." And it is. We drove all the way to the mountain top. Up a winding road, past a beautiful place to hike (Musconetang River Reservation Point Mountain Section) http://nynjctbotany.org/njhigh/musconet.html we arrived at 112 Mountain Top Road and turned in past the row of flowers, past the old bed of strawberries, past the row of rhubarb, past the wispy ferns of newly planted asparagus and into the rows of fruit -- he's got it all. Raspberries, blueberries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, white peaches, pears, apple, quince, currants, cherries and plums. As he walked with us up the hill (most orchards are grown on sloping ground -- better for drainage and better for frost) he pointed out all the trees. And he knows them all by name. And by the year that they were planted. "This one was planted in 1983. This tree produced 23 bushels in 2004. I grafted this row of trees. I wasn't able to prune these trees last winter. This tree I pruned to nothing and look how it's come back. Here's where I'm going to put in strawberries for next year. Look at this row, the deer ate it down to nothing. This is one of the original trees my father planted."

He used to do some "pick your own" as do most orchards because the labor to pick berries uses up all the profit margin in selling them (you just can't compete with Mexico, Chile and China!) or a commercial grower that uses a $100,000 blueberry harvester (yes, there are such things). But he doesn't plan to offer pick your own (even that can be a hard sell, who wants to work that hard?) this year...just to his regulars and the CSA (he likes the idea of the CSA). He would be willing to try a lot more varieties of apples, pears and other fruit but the demand just hasn't been there. And there's nothing worse than having bushels of fruit go to waste. For a short time he did well with nectarines...until California caught the wave and they were flown in by droves. He likes the growing. He doesn't like the selling much. He tried to find someone to partner with and offered a Mexican family the opportunity to help and sell the produce at farmer's markets in New York City. Unfortunately, they didn't understand the concept of share and kept all the profits. Now, he hires two guys and does most of the work himself. Including picking all those tiny fruits. He is a national treasure. One of the just 2 percent that produces all the food in this country. He would probably prefer to give it all away for free, just to have someone appreciate his efforts, if it wasn't for the fact that he has to pay for property taxes, fuel and a few necessities (though it doesn't look like he wants or needs much).

And so, we are offering a fruit share to the bold among us. It won't be like the vegetables where there's always a certain amount every week. For his fruit, it'll be $225 for the season. Some weeks will be just a little and some weeks a lot -- just depends on what fruit is ripe that week (and he will not pick it early. He carefully tastes each fruit to make sure it's truly "tree-ripened" before he will pick it. No gassing the fruit for him!) So, you may get some fruit that is bursting to be eaten. And you will definitely get some fruit that has some "imperfections." And if you're lucky, you'll get an apple with a worm inside. When was the last time that happened? He does spray (as do all organic growers) but not much. And the best way to help encourage less spraying is to walk up to a farmer, pick up the shittiest looking piece of produce and pay double for it. And thank him (or her) for it. They will grow twice as much of that next year -- guaranteed. (We farmers are very easy to please).

And so, we are now offering a fruit share from Mountain Top Orchard in Glen Gardner, NJ for $225 for the season beginning sometime toward the end of June. (Note: Due to the fragility of the fruit, the fruit share must be picked up in Hawthorne).

And we will also be offering a cheese share for $5 per week from Calkins Creamery www.calkinscreamery.com/. This is raw-milk, artisan cheese from a really great couple Jay and Emily who just had their third child last summer. They have 16 different varieties of cheese that they will be included during the season. They also have two dates for farm visits June 25th and August 20th. Another great way to get really good cheese and support real family farms.

And lastly, we will also be offering a coffee share from Red House Roasters in Union City, NJ. www.rhrcoffee.com/our_story.php What I like about this couple is that they have direct relationships with the farmers that grow the beans (the less middle men the more money the farmer makes). The coffee will be delivered biweekly for $10 per pound (ground or whole bean freshly roasted the day before).

Attached please find the form to get local fruit, cheese and roasted coffee.

Enjoy!

Lisa, Lauren & Jacob


It's all about the food!

June 14, 2011

June 14, 2011
Sometimes (oftimes) I wonder what is the point? Of growing these vegetables. Especially these obscure vegetables -- callaloo, cilantro and radishes. After all, how many times have you made a special trip to the "grocery store" to buy radishes? Probably not once. And yet, how many times have we taken a "supplement" to make sure we're getting Vitamin C, B, D, A, whatever. And how much have we spent on those supplements? What does a bottle of Vitamin C cost? (Well, $9.99 and up at the Vitamin Shoppe.) But what about B-6, riboflavin, thiamin and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium and copper. Plus phytochemicals like indoles which are detoxifying agents and zeaxanthin,lutein and beta carotene which are flavonoid antioxidants. How much would that cost? (At the Vitamin Shoppe?) A lot more. And yet that is what is contained in the lonely radish.
(Please see the recipe page on www.hesperidesorganica.com).

• Radishes are very low calorie root vegetables; contains only 16 calories per
100 g. They are very good source of antioxidants,minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber.
• Fresh Radishes are rich in vitamin C; provide about 15 mg or 25% of DRI of vitamin C per 100 g. Vitamin C is a powerful water soluble anti-oxidant required by the body for synthesis of collagen. Vitamin C helps body scavenge harmful free radicals, prevention from cancers, inflammation and helps boost immunity.
• In addition, they contain adequate levels of folates, vitamin B-6, riboflavin, thiamin and minerals such as iron,magnesium, copper and calcium.
• Radishes contain many phytochemicals like indoles which are detoxifying agents and zeaxanthin, lutein and beta carotene which are flavonoid antioxidants.

So how awesome is that? Very. I believe that it's so much more simple than we have been led to believe. It's all about the food. Well, maybe a little bit of meditation (or whatever stokes your boat (I'm always mixing metaphors)thrown in. But while "they" will have us watching Dancing With the Stars or American Idol (I don't think the the CSA members are big fans) or debating the merits of organic vs. non-organic (bigger CSA fans but is there even such a distinction?) we are moving on. To new ways of eating (there's nothing like weeds aka callaloo) and new ways of conducting business (no, thank you Wal-Mart, you may pretend to buying "local" but we are the real deal). And it is more work. For all of us. But it's worth it. On a personal level. And on a global level. I think food can solve it.

After air (still hopefully not in short supply) and water (I think we have the means of purifying enough water for the world (I would gladly give up a lot just for this), food is where it's at. And in this week's share will be (unless it changes like it usually does):

mint (or some herb)
garlic scapes (see recipe page and blog hesperidesorganica.blogspot.com)
garlic
callaloo
green onions
broccoli raab
mustard greens
radishes
cilantro (see recipe page)
2 lettuce
parsley

Enjoy!

Lisa, Lauren & Jacob

"Eating pungent radish and drinking hot tea, let the starved doctors beg on their knees.” -Chinese Proverb

The Scapes are Coming! The Scapes are Coming!

There are so many things I like about the CSA. I love to see what people are doing with all the vegetables http://www.apt11d.com/2011/06/scallions-part-1.html (and I have to admit...I'm a bit jealous. Spending so much time growing them, I don't seem to be able to find enough time to really enjoy them. Yes, I might throw them into the Vita-Mix and drink them (and I do think that alone has made a huge difference in my health), it's not quite the same as savoring them. And finding new ways to dance with all those vegetables. Today, for example, we found a patch of ramps (Allium tricoccum) also known as the ramp, spring onion, ramson, wild leek, wild garlic. And it was, is, wild, and garlicy. I sliced them thin along with a potato (still from last year) and fried it in a little Amish butter (I could eat that stuff by the tablespoon) and a little bit of olive oil. I also added an egg (sometimes "Certified Organic" but mostly not). With a piece of toast with some cilantro spread (I need to update the recipe section for this) and it was devine. It held me for the entire day. I didn't even need more food (though I ate a lot of samples at the CSA). Less is more I always like to say. And even though I would like to only have one purse (pocketbook they say on the East coast), I have four. One I use. One I just bought but haven't moved into (it's a hot pink). One is just for those quick jaunts to the Islands (can't we dream?) and one is just black. New York Black. Because it's all Black. Black Dirt. Black man as the President. Can we handle it? A black man. As President. I only hope and pray that he is with us. Because I don't really know anymore. I can't begin to imagine the pressures. But I do. I worry that I can get enough variety planted for the CSA. I worry that it will not rain since we have all the tomato, eggplant and peppers planted. I worry because my rows are not straight (aka cultivating is weeding nightmare). I worry because I don't really know any other way except to worry. Is he worrying too? He must be. Poor Obama. What a clusterfuck (I love that descriptive word) he was left with. I always cling to this one thing about him, when he spoke about his wife (because I think he really does love his wife, Michelle (and his cool kids (we all have cool kids...we just can't see it because they're ours)) a man mentioned that he was eating at a diner because his wife wanted to and Obama said, "Yes, you need to listen to your wife." And the smart men do. Listen to their wives.

CSA -- June 7, 2011

June 7, 2011

Hi Everyone,

We’ve had a really productive week on the Black Dirt. It’s been beautiful weather for getting tomatoes, eggplants, peppers and tomatillos planted. And the other vegetables are all growing like crazy now. We have donated the use of a few acres across the road to a pastor who grows vegetables for homeless shelters. We finally found a great orchard to work with to offer the CSA a fruit share (the information and signup form was emailed to everyone in the CSA). And we have a lot for this week’s share which includes:

lettuce (3 small heads)
cilantro
garlic
broccoli raab
callaloo (wild spinach)
red curly mustard
radishes
dill
sage or thyme
rhubarb (last week) or small broccoli

Enjoy!

Lisa, Lauren & Jacob

It's all about the food -- which can save us.

June 7, 2011

Hi Everyone,

Just a reminder that the CSA pickup is Tuesday, June 7 from 2-7 p.m.at 150 Florence Avenue, Hawthorne, NJ. The list of vegetables that will be included in this week's share is posted on Sunday evening under "This
Week" at www.hesperidesorganica.com.

Also, anyone who would like to participate in the Fruit Share (Mountain Top Orchard), Cheese Share (Calkins Creamery) or Coffee Share (Red House Roasters) can bring in the signup form (we will also have extra copies). We plan to begin the extra shares on June 21.

This week we will be having callaloo which is like a wild spinach. Many members who participated in the CSA last year said it was one of their favorite vegetables. We'll be sending a few recipes idea on how to cook it.

In terms of getting the most use of the vegetables each week, one item that I find very useful is a food dehydrator (the Excalibur is probably the most popular) to dry herbs and vegetables for use during the winter months. It's great for green beans, tomatoes, blueberries, etc. It's also great for making homemade yogurt which is really easy to do. Ever since reading the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (Weston A. Price Foundation) I also soak nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc). overnight in a quart of water with some salt and then dehydrate the nuts. Soaking helps neutralize the enzyme inhibitors and increases the availability of nutrients. Also, the nuts can be stored for a long time without going rancid and most importantly, they taste so much better!

Another appliance that I found indispensable when I began my quest to eat locally is a freezer. There are so many vegetables that are easily frozen -- peppers and onions can be cut and frozen (no cooking required). For most vegetables, I find the best way is to cook them in a low oven (pumpkin, winter squash, eggplant, tomatoes) and then put them in baggies or containers. For greens like kale, spinach, Swiss chard, mustard, etc. just saute them lightly and put them in a baggie or container in the freezer. In the winter, it's so nice to be able to pull out the saved produce and put it in soups or stews.

Some herbs are also better in the freezer (cilantro and basil), just put them in a blender or food processor with a little water and pour into ice cube trays and once frozen put cubes in a plastic bag. These can be easily added while cooking.

And the last appliance which I use literally every day is the Vita Mix. It's expensive (between $400 and $500) but I think it's worth it as it can replace the blender, the food processor and all juicers. I use it to make a green drink everyday. Simply throw in whatever vegetables and fruit you have (spinach, kale, celery, carrots, cucumbers, apples (the whole apple -- core, stem, seeds and all), pears, bananas, frozen bananas, berries, a few nuts, etc.) and add some water (or almond milk, rice milk, apple juice) maybe some whey or protein powder and turn it on. Pour it into a container and simply rinse out the unit and it's ready for the next time (there's nothing to take apart). I know I sound like an infomercial but I have had so many juicers (at least 5) and this is so much easier to use and the fiber is consumed not removed like other juicers which I always thought was a waste.

Here's a recipe from one of the CSA members:

Pumpkin Pie in a Glass
32 oz carrot juice (can also use 3 fresh carrots and water)
1 cup cubed sweet potato (cooked) (I also used frozen pumpkin which worked well too)
1/2 avocado
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1-2 packets stevia to sweeten


Mix in Vita Mix, enjoy over ice. Stays fresh for 36 hours.

Also, one last note. We will be putting up a bulletin board by the front of the store for anyone who would like to use it. Right now we have one CSA member who teaches private swimming lessons. Kristoph Marczinkowski is a Red Cross Certified Life Guard and experienced instructor. His number is 551-486-5128 or email: kjm90193@aol.com.

Enjoy!

Lisa, Lauren & Jacob