Wilted Asian Greens

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
6 cups pea shoots or pea sprouts (3 oz)
6 cups tatsoi (3 oz)
6 cups mizuna (or mustard greens, kale, etc) (3 oz)

Preparation: 

Heat vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and sesame oil in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved (do not let boil). Pour hot dressing over greens in a large bowl and toss well. Serve immediately.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Wilted-Asian-Greens-108352

Green Garlic Pesto and Pasta

Ingredients:

6 green garlic shoots, trimmed of the dark green tips and cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons kosher salt
6 cups water
2 cups uncooked penne pasta

Preparation:

1. To the carafe of a food processor, add green garlic, parmesan, pine nuts, sea salt and pepper. Pulse 10-15 times, until ingredients are relatively well-blended, scraping down the sides in the middle of blending. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and continue blending until you get a well-combined pesto texture. Scoop into a bowl and set aside while the pasta cooks to let the flavors meld.

2. Add kosher salt to water and bring to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and rinse pasta.

3. Spoon pesto over hot penne pasta and serve immediately.

http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2011/02/15/green-garlic-pesto-recipe/

Homemade Butter with Green Garlic

*This recipe will be available for taste testing at the Pick-up this week, thanks to shareholder Tanya Rotenberg!

Homemade butter with green garlic

by Erika Kerekes April 10, 2011

Fresh butter, green garlic and a touch of parsley: Bread has never been so happy.

Ingredients

two stalks green garlic1/4 cup fresh parsley1/2 tsp salt1 pint heavy cream

Instructions

Wash and trim the ends off the green garlic stalks. You want to use as much of it as possible, including the green stem, but you'll have to take at least one layer off the outside to get it clean. Cut into 2-inch lengths and place in the bowl of a food processor with the parsley. Process until finely minced. Add the salt and the cream to the food processor and turn it on. Let the mixture whirl about 5 minutes, until you see the curds and whey separate. The curds are the butter; the whey you want to drain off. I tossed my whey, but if you can think of a use for it, save it - it's basically garlic-flavored buttermilk. Scoop the curds lightly into a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter. Let drain at least two hours, or even overnight. You may have to press the curds and knead them to get out the excess liquid. You'll be left with a soft, smooth butter. Spread liberally on good bread, or use it to top grilled steak.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 10 mins Yield: approximately 3/4 cup

Source:

http://www.inerikaskitchen.com/2011/04/green-garlic-butter.html?m=1

June 1st Volunteer day and Potluck

Now that the CSA has started, our farm team spends two full days every week harvesting. This significantly cuts into the amount of time we can tend to the field planting and weeding. This means we need your help! We have a job for everyone- kid friendly weeding, physically demanding tomato stake pounding, or wheel barrow repairs for the handy fix-it minded volunteer!  You can join us for any amount of time between 11 and 5pm on Saturday June 1st. Bring a lunch, water and sun protection. Sign up on the online work calendar to get credit for your hours toward your CSA and/or Weaver Way 5% discount.

After a good day of work, the best way to celebrate is with good food and good company. Join us for our season kick-off potluck from 5-6:30pm. Bring a dish to share, and your own plate, bowl, cup and cutlery. Friends and family welcome!

What is Green Garlic and What does it have to do with Organic Agriculture?

For the past three years our garlic harvests have been significantly reduced by White Rot, a pathogen which causes the roots to soften and discolor, and leaves to yellow. Affected plants are inedible. White rot is typically introduced to a field on contaminated garlic seed and remains active in the soil for 7 to 20 years. For the last few years we tried rotating the location of garlic in our field, in hopes that we could avoid it that way. However, the spores travel in the wind and our attempts have been unsuccessful. The only organic control is to stop growing garlic, and to wait.

Last fall, at the time farmers typically plant garlic, my coworker Rick (who suffers from the same disease in his field at the Mort Brooks Memorial Farm) suggested we not give up on garlic entirely, but instead just harvest it early in the season before the disease sets in. I had only heard of green garlic, but had never grown it or cooked with it. We both gave it a shot. He tried selling his green garlic to the Weavers Way stores and to Head House market in center city and it was a hit in both locations. I planned on including it as a stable in the first couple of shares for the CSA.

The bunches of green garlic you received last week and will be receiving this week are literally immature garlic, that have yet to form a bulb. It has a mild garlic flavor and cooks like a leek. I’ve been cooking with it all week and have been enjoying how much easier it is to process in the kitchen than traditional, full size garlic- no messy garlic presses, no thin skin to peel off, just chop and throw it in your dish!

I hope you’ve been enjoying this new crop as much as I have. I’d love to hear your feedback about it! If you need a little encouraging, we will be sampling a green garlic butter at the pick-ups this week. The recipe is included below.

While I know we will all miss mature, full size garlic heads, know that this creative solution is our response to the option of using chemicals to control pathogens, and instead we are keeping these chemicals out of your food and our soil.

Additional Products at the CSA

There is still time to sign up for additional products at Henry Got Crops

Yellow Springs Farm, Goat Cheese CSA: Available Tuesdays and Fridays https://shop.yellowspringsfarm.com/csa

Highland Orchards, Fuit CSA:http://highlandorchardsfarmmarket.com/

Weavers Way Store Products, Standing Order
We are happy to introduce a new option, available to both CSA shareholders and Weavers Way members, which is the weekly delivery of a standing order of a selection of the most popular products sold at the Weavers Way Stores.
For 24 weeks, you can receive your weekly:
● Eggs
● Yogurt
● Coffee
● Granola
● Bread
● Rice
● Pickles

By ordering these products through Henry Got Crops, you are supporting the farm as they will serve as additional income for the farm department. For more information please get in contact with Weavers Way Local Produce Buyer, Stephanie Kane atskane@weaversway.coop. To sign up for a standing order, go to our website and log in to the Member Center with your CSA or Co-op member number.

Questions about payments or signing up to work?

Just go to http://www.weaverway.coop, click on Member Center.

Enter your CSA or Co-op member number and password.
Then you can access your payment history, CSA balance, and sign up for work shifts if you are a working shareholder. If you have any questions about your account, please contact our member coordinator at member@weaversway.coop

Sesame Shiitake Bok Choy

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 2-pound head bok choy, trimmed and thinly sliced
4 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps, (9 ounces with stems)
2 tablespoons oyster-flavored or oyster sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation: 

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned, 30 seconds. Add bok choy and mushrooms; cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring often, until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Stir in oyster sauce, sesame oil and salt. Garnish with sesame seeds.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sesame_shiitake_bok_choy.html

Greens and Green Garlic

A few chopped green garlic stalks or garlic scapes add a springy sweetness to collard greens, kale, or Swiss chard. You can even use spinach, just cook the green garlic an extra few minutes before adding the spinach and reduce the greens' cooking time to just 3 or 4 minutes.

The prosciutto is completely optional – vegetarians or people without some extra prosciutto kicking around in the fridge should feel free to leave it out.

Ingredients:

1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil or other cooking oil
3 green garlic stalks or garlic scapes, chopped
1/8 tsp. salt plus more to taste
2 slices prosciutto, sliced (optional)
1 bunch collard greens, kale, or Swiss chard thinly sliced or chopped
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Preparation:

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add oil. Swirl the oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the green garlic and salt. Cook, stirring, until the green garlic is wilted, about 1 minute.
Add prosciutto, if using, and cook, stirring, until it loses its bright pink tone, about 1 minute.
Add greens, stir to combine, add 2 Tbsp. water. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook until greens are well wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir, cover, and cook until tender. Depending on the greens used (chard will take a shorter time than the others) and your taste, this will take anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste, as you like.

http://localfoods.about.com/od/sidedishes/r/greensgrgarlic.htm

Stir Fried Flowering Garlic Chives

Ingredients:

2 bunches flowering chives
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons chicken broth or water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil for stir-frying
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 4 teaspoons water

Preparation:

Wash the flowering chives and drain. Cut on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces (use the buds).
Combine the soy sauce, chicken broth and sugar. Set aside.
Heat wok on medium-high heat. Add the oil, drizzling down the sides. When the oil is hot, add the flowering chives. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, until they turn a brighter green.
Push the chives up to the sides of the wok. Add the sauce in the middle. Add the cornstarch/water mixture to the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken.
Mix the sauce with the flowering chives, cook until the sauce is boiling, but don't overcook. Serve immediately.

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/vegetablesrecipes/r/garlicchives.htm

New Friday Farm Stand

This year, we are moving our “Wednesday Farm Stand” to Fridays, during the CSA pick-up, from 2-6pm. This change was made for a few reasons.

1.      This is an attempt to keep the harvests more equal, since Tuesdays are much more popular CSA pick up days. If we divided each harvest by the number of people coming on either a Tuesday or a Friday, then Friday people would always get more food since there are fewer shareholders picking up that day. Harvesting a bit more on Fridays for the public, keeps the share more equal from Tuesday to Friday.

2.      The farm stand ensures that our produce can be available and accessible to the neighborhood, while acknowledging that a CSA model is not for everyone.

3.       It has always been important to us at Henry Got Crops to serve the Saul community. Most students and teachers commute from all over the city to be a part of this unique high school. This means that when school is out for summer, students and teachers at Saul who do not live in the neighborhood would have a prohibitive commute to come to the farm to get their share.  Having a farm stand ensures this community has access to the food grown on their campus, when they are on campus, in the spring and fall.

4.      It saves time and labor! Running the “Wednesday Farm Stand” took one or two people on staff away from field work for at least four hours every week. By opening the farm stand during the CSA pick-up, the shareholders who staff the pick-up can manage both at the same time, keeping our skilled farming team where they are needed most- tending to your vegetables!

Welcome (back) to Henry Got Crops!

I am proud to say this is the 5^th season for Henry Got Crops. I am proud to say many shareholders have been with us for 5 years. I’m proud to farm on the campus of a public high school. I’m proud that this high school is one of two urban, agricultural high schools in the country. I’m proud to be one of only two co-ops in the country with farmers on staff. I’m proud that we grow in a city. I’m proud that we do not buy in produce from other locations to fill your vegetable share. I’m proud to be part of an educational farm that not only serves as an outdoor classroom for urban youth, but also serves to train adults through our internship and apprentice program. Sometimes I think what we are trying to accomplish at Henry Got Crops is crazy and destined to be forever difficult and inherently challenging: we are part of a business that operates a grocery store which at its core is not structured to operate a farm; we are part of a nonprofit that works with over a thousand youth every year, yet has less than five year-round, full time staff; we have teenagers with little to no expert farming experience contribute to the production of the CSA; we partner with an under-funded public school that suffers from the budget cuts and staff and schedule changes of a rocky school district. But yet…I can think of no other place I would rather farm, work, sweat and laugh. This piece of land serves as the source of food for over 100 families, serves as a safe place to hang out after school, serves as a place for new parents to show their young children cows and sheep and horses. It serves as a place to get away from the business and craziness of the urban rush, while never leaving the city. Please enjoy this farm, as it is YOUR farm: picnic on the lawn, watch the sunset, pick a tomato. Talk to a stranger and ask them what brought them here, it very well might be that they came to this piece of land for the same reason you have.