2010 CSA Season Has Begun!

We walked with our new baby to the farm on Friday for the first share pick up of the season. I almost let David go by himself, as I was feeling pretty tired, but I'm so glad I tagged along. How could I not visit the farm during the first week? The farm looked beautiful with rows and rows of lush green plants growing all around and the first flowers of the season. I picked delicious strawberries and a handful of dill, and David collected our vegetables. Can you guess what our share consisted of this week? Greens! Kale, bok choy, chard, broccoli, red leaf lettuce and another head of lettuce for which I cannot recall the name. Bibb, perhaps? We also received 2 radishes. Yes, you read that correctly. Two. We are splitting our share with another couple again this year, and since I planted a whole bunch of radishes this spring, we forfeitted our half of radish share. I love the csa's radishes and I know we'll be allowed to take many more before long, so I didn't really feel like we missed out on anything this week.

What will I be doing with these tasty greens, you might be asking? Good question. I'm not really sure. I think for this first week, we will be enjoying them in simple recipes (read: I didn't get my act together and I am suffering from a lack of creativity and energy these days, so salads are looking pretty good right now). We used the chard, combined with thinly sliced yellow onions, in a last-minute quiche for brunch over the weekend. Here's my recipe from last year. And here's a simple, fresh, and easy salad recipe.

As for my personal little vegetable garden, there are snap peas and lots of radishes that are looking (and tasting) glorious. I've realized, however, that if I ever want enough peas to use as the main ingredient in a dish, I'm going to have to plant many, many more seeds. I can't complain, though, as nothing beats eating fresh snap peas right off the vine! The onions are thriving, cilantro that had gone to seed last year is popping up in places I'd never have guessed, my beets are looking great, and the tomato plants seem to be happy and healthy! This is all great news, as I've been neglectful towards the garden with my limited time and list of to do's getting longer by the day.

Ok, on to brainstorming and researching for recipe ideas...

5 comments:

  1. This is Jane: I was able to go to the farm on Monday of last week too. It was so nice to be back in the farm & summer routine. I left my little guy home for the first trip, but am excited to learn how to pick veggies with an infant in a sling.

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  2. Erin here. I am happily overwhelmed with greens after my first pickup on Monday. I made arugula pesto, bok choi stir fry, and tomorrow I'm having Lindsay and Sarah over for garlic and chili rice soup with wilted greens. Want the recipe?

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  3. Erin, I would love the recipe. Sounds good! -NK

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  4. Here it is. From Ross Dobson, Market Vegetarian.

    Garlic and Chile Rice Soup With Wilted Greens
    1. Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 2 tsp sesame oil to a saucepan over high heat. A 2 cloves of garlic and 4 scallions, both chopped, and cook until garlic turns golden brown.
    2. Add 2 tsp grated ginger, 1 small red chile, seeded and thinly sliced, and 1/2 c long grain white rice. Saute in the garlic-infused oil for 1 minute.
    3. Add 6 c vegetable stock and 1 tbsp soy sauce and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat for 30 minutes.
    4. Add 1 bunch of collard greens roughly shredded. Cook for 5 minutes until they turn emerald green and tender.
    5. Ladle into bowls and serve with cilantro and fresh pepper.

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  5. Glad you went with baby to the farm! & today with local strawberries & local rhubarb i kind of made this & wanted to share it with you for when you have those ingredients. kind of b/c i had no nuts, used no rum & made no topping & substituted yogurt for sour cream. served with bart's vanilla ice cream this evening & everyone loved it (oh & i used far less sugar & mine was dark brown b/c that's what i had).

    http://cjkoehler.blogspot.com/2008/07/bestbreadever-strawberry-rhubarb-bread.html

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