Hi Everyone,
Just a reminder that the 10th pickup (halfway) for the CSA was yesterday, Tuesday, July 26. Usually, I am looking forward to whatever is next. This week, I am looking back at whatever was and how that was, whatever it was. And I hope it was good.
This week was the first of the sweet corn (sorry only three ears and even that was a stretch (we plundered and pillaged every stalk of corn) -- but it's so tender and succulent, you don't even need to cook it!) which brings back many family memories for me (not all of them sweet!).
My father would plant the plot of sweet corn with a tractor after planting the field corn for the cows (other varieties are popcorn, seed corn and dent corn (for flour)). A few days before the corn would ripen, he would place an electric fence around the sweet corn to keep the raccoons out. Otherwise, they would take a bite out of each ear. For two weeks solid we would eat sweet corn for breakfast, lunch and dinner (I kid you not, and I think that excessive trait continues to haunt me today) while picking, husking, blanching and freezing the rest. I can still remember the whirr of the electric knife (my mother's favorite kitchen tool) slicing the kernels off the ears. One year we found a snake in the kitchen which we assumed came in with the basket of corn. We would freeze enough corn so that we, a family of 8 -- and yes, it is enough, too much! just ask my mother but not my brother-- could have corn 4 times a week until the next year's harvest.
Another not-so-sweet memory of corn is my summer job when I was 14 years old as a "corn detasseler." It's not nearly as glamorous as wassailing. And yes, it is a "real" job:
Job Description: Detasseling involves removing tassels that grow on a corn plant, which forces cross-pollination. The steps involved include finding the tassel, pulling it off, and throwing it to the ground. That’s all there is to it! But, it must be done right, or the crop will fail.
Disclaimer: Detasseling is tough. It’s a hot, muddy and sweaty job, but it’s a great way to work for a few weeks in the summer and reap the financial reward. (I'm not sure about that but $300 for an entire summer of working was a lot of money back then).
And last but not least, King Corn, "a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation.." Yeah, no **it. If there is such a thing as "karma" I wouldn't want to be Earl Butz. Because I think that he is responsible for the obesity of millions of people. Yes, his intentions (to get the cost of food down to 17% of a family's income) may (probably not, for how can we even charge anyone for the basics of life? air, water and food?) or may not be admirable. But the outcome has been nothing short of catastrophic; millions and millions of people eating not much else but corn and chemicals.
But the appealing part, (at least for me it's seductive), is how these guys who are growing this acre of GMO corn have so much free time. They lounge, listen to music, contemplate the mysteries of life, play frisbee, harvest their acre and then collect (from the government -- because if it wasn't for that check (subsidy, welfare really) the check that puts them in the black (I had to look that up but "in the black" means on the credit side of the ledger: prosperous) it wouldn't pay (it doesn't pay at all) to plant all that GMO **it.
And there we have it.
I, too, could be a lounger (Please, God, make me a lounger!) listening to music and playing frisbee (my brother keeps telling me to mono crop). Or I could continue to pain-stakenly grow a wide variety of vegetables for the "members" of the farm -- the CSA ("Oh, Lisa, I know what you're doing is hard but it's so good," my sister and her husband tell me). I am getting tired. (My bloodshot eyes give it away). CSA burn out. It's very common. The main reason most give up.
But I plan to persevere (as will Zach, my stubborn brethern, and his wonderful mushrooms). And I do have help. A lot of help. Lauren and her cast of characters and me and my cast of characters. And so, we are a community after all. This is what it is all about. Community Supported Agriculture. It takes a community to produce it and it takes a community to consume it.
So, thanks. To all of you from all of us.
Enjoy!
Lisa, Lauren & Jacob (and our wonderful cast of characters)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
July 12
Hi Everyone,
The Cycle of the Garlic Bulb
We’re almost done picking the garlic and tying it up to cure in the barn.
“After garlic is harvested it needs to be cured. In curing the energy from the leaves goes into the bulbs as they dry. Remove any chunks of dirt from the roots, being careful not to bruise the garlic. Leave the roots on as they have a moderating effect on the drying rate.”
It takes about 2-3 weeks for the garlic to cure. After being cleaned and sorted (saving the good bulbs to plant the next crop), a solid, well-cured, well-wrapped garlic bulb will keep 6 to 8 months or longer. Hopefully, long enough until the first shoots in the spring provide the green garlic.
Vegetable Share
This week’s share includes:
• lettuce (3 heads)
• green mustard
• mild red mustard
• cilantro
• broccoli (green or white)
• red cabbage
• shallots
• pearl onions
• new potatoes
• carrots
• youchoy
• Asian cucumbers
Fruit Share
In this week’s fruit share will be:
• black & yellow currants
• peaches
Cheese Share
Old Man Highlander, a gouda-style cheese naturally ripened for 6-9 months.
Coffee Share
Will also be this week (not sure of the variety yet). I’ve heard from people who had the first sample of the coffee that is was amazing coffee (somehow I didn’t get any last time).
Enjoy!
Lisa, Lauren
The Cycle of the Garlic Bulb
We’re almost done picking the garlic and tying it up to cure in the barn.
“After garlic is harvested it needs to be cured. In curing the energy from the leaves goes into the bulbs as they dry. Remove any chunks of dirt from the roots, being careful not to bruise the garlic. Leave the roots on as they have a moderating effect on the drying rate.”
It takes about 2-3 weeks for the garlic to cure. After being cleaned and sorted (saving the good bulbs to plant the next crop), a solid, well-cured, well-wrapped garlic bulb will keep 6 to 8 months or longer. Hopefully, long enough until the first shoots in the spring provide the green garlic.
Vegetable Share
This week’s share includes:
• lettuce (3 heads)
• green mustard
• mild red mustard
• cilantro
• broccoli (green or white)
• red cabbage
• shallots
• pearl onions
• new potatoes
• carrots
• youchoy
• Asian cucumbers
Fruit Share
In this week’s fruit share will be:
• black & yellow currants
• peaches
Cheese Share
Old Man Highlander, a gouda-style cheese naturally ripened for 6-9 months.
Coffee Share
Will also be this week (not sure of the variety yet). I’ve heard from people who had the first sample of the coffee that is was amazing coffee (somehow I didn’t get any last time).
Enjoy!
Lisa, Lauren
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Tuesdays Still Rolling On
These Tuesdays sure do roll around fast and furious. For us and for you, I’m sure. I just happened to stop at a garage sale today in Hawthorne (looking for a table to put the coffee grinder on – yes, this week is a new Coffee Share (unfortunately, I still have not gotten a coffee share (though I heard that the first batch was awesome) or fruit share (again, I’m hearing how delectable the fruit is) much to my husband’s chagrin on top of not cooking these vegetables as much as we could/should). “Lisa, why are we doing all this if we’re not going to eat it?” And he’s absolutely right. So, this weekend I cooked up a bunch. Youchoy. Onions. Garlic. Grass-fed beef and pork burgers on the grill. With organic relish (new this week) and organic homemade ketchup (also new and very tasty). With a slice of Udderly Hot cheese. And. Broccoli (I think we may have over planted). A “Big” Seinfeld salad. Eggs scrambled in Leggio’s dipping oil. New black dirt potatoes (they always make me melt at the knees). Yogurt and ricotta cheese with blueberries. Diced cucumbers and feta cheese in a vinaigrette. Cilantro-cashew pesto. Sauteed onions, Portobello mushrooms and zucchini with shredded organic rustic cheddar cheese (aged 5 years). I’m in bliss. And so is my family. We love to eat. And it’s really pretty simple. Good food doesn’t really need much. (Just a little washing and preparation, then it can fly on its own).
So, at this garage sale I happened on an exquisite table built by hand. The proportions were perfect. The woodgrain beautiful. So simple sitting on that sidewalk. With just a little lamp. And a shoeshine kit. It knew, this simple, little table, it’s beauty. It screamed. For all it had. What am I worth? And I shot it down. (For this I blame my mother, the Queen of Cheap). And just by chance (is there anything by chance? I think not. Not even picking one blueberry or one weed) he introduced himself. Dan. (No, not the Fruit Man). He is a part of the CSA. He built it by hand. It sat in front of a dozen snow boards and boots. Those he is ready to leave behind. The table...well, not so much. I think he knows there is a future in this. But, like us, he’s not sure how. It’s a labor of love. In an ideal world (if there were such a thing), he would gladly create one (because it is a work of art...like all of these vegetables that we put in the shares each week! or so I would like to think) and just give it away. But we live in a world Ruled by the Federal Reserve, a private group of henchmen who simply do nothing but feed paper into the Federal laser-jet printer and charge us and the government lots and lots and lots of money for it. He must pay the bills. And he does. He has figured out some way to do that. But in his heart of hearts, he knows. And creates. These masterpieces. Because it is. That table. A Picasso. Would we even know one today?
And so, here’s to an exquisite table full of beautiful vegetables. (I know I do give them away too cheaply...but I would still prefer free and $1000 for a bunch of kale – the most nutritious of all vegetables (shouldn’t the most nutritious also be the most expensive food on the planet?)
So, at this garage sale I happened on an exquisite table built by hand. The proportions were perfect. The woodgrain beautiful. So simple sitting on that sidewalk. With just a little lamp. And a shoeshine kit. It knew, this simple, little table, it’s beauty. It screamed. For all it had. What am I worth? And I shot it down. (For this I blame my mother, the Queen of Cheap). And just by chance (is there anything by chance? I think not. Not even picking one blueberry or one weed) he introduced himself. Dan. (No, not the Fruit Man). He is a part of the CSA. He built it by hand. It sat in front of a dozen snow boards and boots. Those he is ready to leave behind. The table...well, not so much. I think he knows there is a future in this. But, like us, he’s not sure how. It’s a labor of love. In an ideal world (if there were such a thing), he would gladly create one (because it is a work of art...like all of these vegetables that we put in the shares each week! or so I would like to think) and just give it away. But we live in a world Ruled by the Federal Reserve, a private group of henchmen who simply do nothing but feed paper into the Federal laser-jet printer and charge us and the government lots and lots and lots of money for it. He must pay the bills. And he does. He has figured out some way to do that. But in his heart of hearts, he knows. And creates. These masterpieces. Because it is. That table. A Picasso. Would we even know one today?
And so, here’s to an exquisite table full of beautiful vegetables. (I know I do give them away too cheaply...but I would still prefer free and $1000 for a bunch of kale – the most nutritious of all vegetables (shouldn’t the most nutritious also be the most expensive food on the planet?)
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Kill or Be
Lisa,
Do you know of any safe way to trap and move groundhog from the area? One of them climbed the fence and got into my closed-off garden. Total destruction and carnage in my beds :( my salads, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, peas, beans, carrots paid the price. any suggestions that don't include killing them are welcome.
Sandy
You know Sandy, it's a war. You can stand by and be a pushover or you can declare war.
The first line of defense (de-fence) is a great fence. It's best to take some chicken wire or any wire and lay it flat about 15 inches from the fence and lay some top soil on it. The groundhog don't like to dig too far. This alone will discourage most groundhog.
Next, get a have-a-heart trap and put some of those delicious peas, beans and carrots in. Then, give them swimming lessons (forget about trapping and releasing, unless you have some sworn enemies that you would like to deliver some goods to). If they don't like that, offer them a snack of a my mom's favorite recipe: coke with a shot of fly bait (just add 1/4 cup of fly bait to one cup of coke and leave in the vicinity of a woodchuck's home). It’s actually a pretty humane method as most don’t make it more than 20 feet. That’s quick!
If that doesn't work, invite your favorite hunter to a Sunday potluck (anything brought must be fresh).
But in the end we must all accept that by consuming vegetables (or anything) something must die. And it does. Either by some type of spray or trap or chemicals, that pest must die. (The only way around this reality is if you only eat what you forage). Otherwise, you (or someone else) will starve to death. And die. Yes, it sucks.
But if the groundhog eats all of your garden, where will you buy produce? And how do you know that farmer hasn't killed 100 groundhog to bring you that plastic container of spinach? You don't. It's easier to not know what's been killed in your name and consume merrily. We all do. Every day. Until we plant a garden.
Good luck! We all need it.
Lisa
Do you know of any safe way to trap and move groundhog from the area? One of them climbed the fence and got into my closed-off garden. Total destruction and carnage in my beds :( my salads, spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli, peas, beans, carrots paid the price. any suggestions that don't include killing them are welcome.
Sandy
You know Sandy, it's a war. You can stand by and be a pushover or you can declare war.
The first line of defense (de-fence) is a great fence. It's best to take some chicken wire or any wire and lay it flat about 15 inches from the fence and lay some top soil on it. The groundhog don't like to dig too far. This alone will discourage most groundhog.
Next, get a have-a-heart trap and put some of those delicious peas, beans and carrots in. Then, give them swimming lessons (forget about trapping and releasing, unless you have some sworn enemies that you would like to deliver some goods to). If they don't like that, offer them a snack of a my mom's favorite recipe: coke with a shot of fly bait (just add 1/4 cup of fly bait to one cup of coke and leave in the vicinity of a woodchuck's home). It’s actually a pretty humane method as most don’t make it more than 20 feet. That’s quick!
If that doesn't work, invite your favorite hunter to a Sunday potluck (anything brought must be fresh).
But in the end we must all accept that by consuming vegetables (or anything) something must die. And it does. Either by some type of spray or trap or chemicals, that pest must die. (The only way around this reality is if you only eat what you forage). Otherwise, you (or someone else) will starve to death. And die. Yes, it sucks.
But if the groundhog eats all of your garden, where will you buy produce? And how do you know that farmer hasn't killed 100 groundhog to bring you that plastic container of spinach? You don't. It's easier to not know what's been killed in your name and consume merrily. We all do. Every day. Until we plant a garden.
Good luck! We all need it.
Lisa
Monday, July 4, 2011
Independence or Does it Just Depend?
July 5, 2011
Hi Everyone,
Independence Day. That’s what we are trying to do. Remain independent. Not just on the Fourth of July but all days. One day at a time. But with the new FSMA (we’ve run out of 3 letter TLAs) Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010, I’m not so sure how long we can hold out. Watermelons are now considered “high risk” according to the FDA (even though there have been no documentated cases of any food-bourne illnesses with watermelons). Yet, it wasn’t that long ago that we used to ride around in cars with abandon – and no seat belts, and didn’t really feel that we were “risk takers.” We were just trying to get to Grandma’s house with one old station wagon and six kids fighting in the back seat. Now, we would be “extreme risk takers” with potential jail-time for mom and dad. And pretty soon, you’ll be taking your life in your hands by eating a nice, juicy slice of watermelon (already these last two years in order to even order seeds I’ve had to sign an agreement:)
There is a new disease in watermelons called fruit blotch. It spreads rapidly under warm, humid conditions and can infest an entire field within a matter of days. The agreement you sign with the seed company protects them from lawsuits. All watermelon seed now sold has been tested for the presence of the fruit blotch organism. The agreement says you will not sue the seed company if fruit blotch develops in your field. All seed companies require the agreement.
Maybe there is something more to this. Maybe all the watermelons are now GMO because we’re too lazy to spit out the seeds. Would they even tell us? Probably not.
And so, we are left to our own devices. Our own intuition in such matters. Our own matters of conscience. Which is where I was wanting to get with Dan, our Fruit Man. He is the real thing. (And just for the record, it is an insult to ask him “Are you organic?”) It would be like walking into a Japanese household with shoes on your feet. It would be like a total stranger walking into your home and asking if you beat your children. Of course you don’t. They are precious. Your children. Especially to you. You know their value. And their challenges (we all have them). Even plants and trees. It’s a harsh world out there.
Don’t we all want to treat those close to us (including our children, our fruit trees, the land that we own, live on, earn a living from and “farm” – maybe that’s a harsh term – farm, for who would farm out their own children? To babysitters, to schools?) in the most respectful, thoughtful, heartfelt and generous way? I think we do. And if we could just be a little bit more generous, a little bit more trusting, a little bit more “full of heart,” we (all of us little producers of food) could and will, rise to the occasion. But we need some slack. We need the trust and confidence of you; the freedom and independence to experiment and learn. Because no one knows. As much as the “whole thing” looks so certain, it’s not.
Life is a crapshoot, i.e.an uncertain and risky adventure; a venture taken without regard to possible loss. Just like “farming.” We (all farmers) are still learning that’s what makes is so compelling and interesting). I started this venture (farming and the CSA) nearing the age of 50. So, I figure, if I do really well and live to be the ripe old age of 94, (like my mentor and inspiration) I have just 44 chances (of which 4 have already passed) to get this thing right. That’s not many. 40 more seasons. 40 more years of Brandywine tomatoes. 40 more years of new potatoes. 40 more years of my own butternut squash. 40 more years of chicory with the lovely periwinkle flower.
Time is short. Which is why Dan is so impatient. And rightly so. Once he had the opportunity to sell some of his fruit to Shoprite (do we need to be told how to shop right?) but in order to sell to Shoprite he needed a “third-party audit” which would scrutinize his practices to such an extent that he could not even have his dog sleeping on the floor next to his feet while he was spending countless hours sorting the berries to make sure that we only get the best, the ripest and the tastiest berries. “No,” he said, “I would rather let it rot than sell it to you!” And he is right. Really rite. The real rite. That, my friends, is Independence. True freedom. Let’s hope it remains.
In this week’s share:
carrots
onions
scallions
cilantro
French radish
red radishes
broccoli
cabbage
broccoli raab
mustard greens
turnip greens
garlic
Swiss chard
lettuce – 3 heads
“When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument. That is my experience. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change. ~- Thich Nhat Hanh
http://www.financialsense.com/contributors/william-engdahl/2011/06/29/getting-used-to-life-wit
hout-food-part-1
Enjoy!
Lisa, Lauren & Jacob
Hi Everyone,
Independence Day. That’s what we are trying to do. Remain independent. Not just on the Fourth of July but all days. One day at a time. But with the new FSMA (we’ve run out of 3 letter TLAs) Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010, I’m not so sure how long we can hold out. Watermelons are now considered “high risk” according to the FDA (even though there have been no documentated cases of any food-bourne illnesses with watermelons). Yet, it wasn’t that long ago that we used to ride around in cars with abandon – and no seat belts, and didn’t really feel that we were “risk takers.” We were just trying to get to Grandma’s house with one old station wagon and six kids fighting in the back seat. Now, we would be “extreme risk takers” with potential jail-time for mom and dad. And pretty soon, you’ll be taking your life in your hands by eating a nice, juicy slice of watermelon (already these last two years in order to even order seeds I’ve had to sign an agreement:)
There is a new disease in watermelons called fruit blotch. It spreads rapidly under warm, humid conditions and can infest an entire field within a matter of days. The agreement you sign with the seed company protects them from lawsuits. All watermelon seed now sold has been tested for the presence of the fruit blotch organism. The agreement says you will not sue the seed company if fruit blotch develops in your field. All seed companies require the agreement.
Maybe there is something more to this. Maybe all the watermelons are now GMO because we’re too lazy to spit out the seeds. Would they even tell us? Probably not.
And so, we are left to our own devices. Our own intuition in such matters. Our own matters of conscience. Which is where I was wanting to get with Dan, our Fruit Man. He is the real thing. (And just for the record, it is an insult to ask him “Are you organic?”) It would be like walking into a Japanese household with shoes on your feet. It would be like a total stranger walking into your home and asking if you beat your children. Of course you don’t. They are precious. Your children. Especially to you. You know their value. And their challenges (we all have them). Even plants and trees. It’s a harsh world out there.
Don’t we all want to treat those close to us (including our children, our fruit trees, the land that we own, live on, earn a living from and “farm” – maybe that’s a harsh term – farm, for who would farm out their own children? To babysitters, to schools?) in the most respectful, thoughtful, heartfelt and generous way? I think we do. And if we could just be a little bit more generous, a little bit more trusting, a little bit more “full of heart,” we (all of us little producers of food) could and will, rise to the occasion. But we need some slack. We need the trust and confidence of you; the freedom and independence to experiment and learn. Because no one knows. As much as the “whole thing” looks so certain, it’s not.
Life is a crapshoot, i.e.an uncertain and risky adventure; a venture taken without regard to possible loss. Just like “farming.” We (all farmers) are still learning that’s what makes is so compelling and interesting). I started this venture (farming and the CSA) nearing the age of 50. So, I figure, if I do really well and live to be the ripe old age of 94, (like my mentor and inspiration) I have just 44 chances (of which 4 have already passed) to get this thing right. That’s not many. 40 more seasons. 40 more years of Brandywine tomatoes. 40 more years of new potatoes. 40 more years of my own butternut squash. 40 more years of chicory with the lovely periwinkle flower.
Time is short. Which is why Dan is so impatient. And rightly so. Once he had the opportunity to sell some of his fruit to Shoprite (do we need to be told how to shop right?) but in order to sell to Shoprite he needed a “third-party audit” which would scrutinize his practices to such an extent that he could not even have his dog sleeping on the floor next to his feet while he was spending countless hours sorting the berries to make sure that we only get the best, the ripest and the tastiest berries. “No,” he said, “I would rather let it rot than sell it to you!” And he is right. Really rite. The real rite. That, my friends, is Independence. True freedom. Let’s hope it remains.
In this week’s share:
carrots
onions
scallions
cilantro
French radish
red radishes
broccoli
cabbage
broccoli raab
mustard greens
turnip greens
garlic
Swiss chard
lettuce – 3 heads
“When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument. That is my experience. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change. ~- Thich Nhat Hanh
http://www.financialsense.com/contributors/william-engdahl/2011/06/29/getting-used-to-life-wit
hout-food-part-1
Enjoy!
Lisa, Lauren & Jacob
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