From the Farm
Food
security is an issue seldom talked about since the grocery stores are always brimming
with fresh and frozen produce, meats, processed foods, and dry grains. In
reality, the nation’s food supply is currently on a truck, en-route to one of
those stores. If anything were to disrupt the movement of those trucks, the
shelves would be empty in three days. Picture the stores after a big snow!
The
fact of the matter is that Big Food companies operate much the same way as
retail food stores. The cabbage company does not tell their farmers to pick
cabbage until an order has come from a cole slaw company that needs to fill an
order for a fast food restaurant. The efficiency and capacity of Big Food to
keep all stores and restaurants full of everything in the freshest possible way
is a marvel of ingenuity. The technology that has evolved is fascinating. An
entire tractor-trailer load of cabbage can be cooled down to 35 degrees in a
matter of minutes, and kept there throughout the delivery process. The concern
is if the trucks stop rolling, or fuel prices skyrocket, or labor shortages
emerge, the whole system breaks down. Your relationship with us is one method of
food security for your family and less dependency on Big Food. We take pride in knowing who our customers
are and where our veggies are going after harvest.
Another
form of food security at Elmwood Stock Farm is our relationship with Faith
Feeds and God’s Pantry. Typically there are several boxes of veggies each week
over and above what goes into the shares.
We deliver regularly to God’s Pantry or other food banks, where fresh
produce gets distributed through coordinated networks to families that have
little access to fresh vegetables. This week, Faith Feeds sent volunteer
gleaners to harvest produce that was left in the field after our last harvest. These
boxes will be distributed through churches and community shelters in Lexington
and Central Kentucky – an important part of the Community aspect of a CSA
program.
In Your Share
Broccoli
Carrots
Cucumber
Green Beans
Sweet Corn
Purple Top Turnips
Green Cabbage
Fennel
Lettuce
Recipes
Carrot
Chips
2 large carrots (or 3 medium)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash and peel the carrots. Using a mandoline
slicer or a knife, tilt the carrot, and thinly slice diagonally to make
oval-shaped pieces — if they're too thick, they'll be soft instead of crunchy. Place the carrot slices in a bowl, and toss
with olive oil and salt. Lay the
carrots in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment
paper. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or
until the carrots are dry and crisp. Watch them carefully toward the end, as
they can burn quickly.
Broccoli and Orzo Casserole, recipe shared by a CSA member from FoodNetwork website.
3 T unsalted butter, plus 1
tablespoon melted and more for greasing dish
Kosher salt
6 C broccoli florets (about
12 ounces)
2 T all-purpose flour
1 small onion, diced (about
1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ C whole milk
1 ½ C shredded Havarti
¼ C sour cream
3 T grated Parmesan
½ C panko bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 375
degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the orzo,
stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and cook until bright
green, about 1 minute. Strain and set aside.
Heat a large pot or Dutch
oven over medium heat. Add the butter and flour, whisk together and cook for
about 1 minute. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onions
have softened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk, bring the sauce to a low
boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Turn off the
heat and add 1 cup of the Havarti, sour cream, 2 T of the Parmesan, 1 tsp salt
and pepper to taste. Gently fold in the broccoli and orzo.
Transfer the mixture to the
buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ C Havarti and 1 T
Parmesan. Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 T melted butter in a small
bowl. Season with salt and spread evenly over the casserole. Bake until brown
and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Three
Bean Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Fresh seasonal salad featuring crisp yellow
and green beans, lots of basil, and a tangy lemon-yogurt dressing
Dressing
½ cup plain Greek yogurt - whole milk
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Salad
1 pound green beans, washed, root end trimmed
1 pound yellow beans, washed, root end trimmed
(or use double green ones)
2 tablespoons olive oil (to sauté onions)
2 medium red onions, sliced in half through
the root and then thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon salt (for the onions)
3 ripe plum tomatoes
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and
rinsed
½ cup, packed basil leaves, washed, dried,
finely chopped
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Dressing In a small bowl whisk yogurt and olive oil
until creamy. Add lemon juice, garlic and salt, and whisk until creamy and
fully combined. Set dressing aside.
Salad Fill a large pot
halfway with water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil. Add beans and cook
until crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer beans to a large bowl of
ice-water to stop the cooking process. Drain and refill the bowl with cold
water. Drain beans again and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet. Add onions and
cook, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until soft.
Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool. Slice tomatoes in half lengthwise. Pull out the seeds and watery
pulp. Dice the flesh. Set aside. In a
large bowl, combine green and yellow beans, onions, tomatoes, basil, and
cannellini beans. Pour dressing on top and toss to combine. Season with salt
and pepper, to taste. (Can be made a day ahead. Let salad warm at room temp for
15 minutes or so and toss, before serving)
Raisin
Carrot Salad
4 c shredded carrots
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, with juice
1 c raisins
3/4 c mayo
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Chill all ingredients except sugar at least 30
minutes. Dissolve the sugar in the pineapple, then combine everything gently in
a large bowl and enjoy.
Crispy Turnip Fries,
recipe from BigOven.com. Try adding sliced carrots, beets or other root
veggies for a colorful oven-fry medley. Serves 4.
3 medium turnips
1 ½ T olive oil
1 tsp salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice turnips
matchstick style. Place in bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (may consider
using higher heat oil to avoid transfat opportunity from breakdown of oil). Next
coat with salt and pepper. Oil aluminum pans with remaining ½ T of olive oil.
Place turnip matchsticks on pan and place in oven. Set timer for 10 minutes,
rotate pan and turnips at 10 minutes. Place back in oven for another 10
minutes. Check for doneness, turn on broiler and broil on high for 5 minutes
for final crisping.
Pickling
Carrots
Pickled carrots make a wonderful condiment with curry, and add a tangy, sweet
and sour note to salads.
½ lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2’’ match
sticks
1 tbsp. coarse salt
1 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
crushed red chili pepper flakes, to taste
Place the carrots in a bowl
and toss with the salt. Allow to sit for 1 hour. Drain well. Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, brown sugar,
and chili flakes in a small saucepan. Heat over moderate heat until the sugar
dissolves. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add the vinegar mixture to the
carrots and toss well. Allow to marinate for 1-2 hours before serving, or store
covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Yield: about 1-1/2 cups.
