Spring Onion and Pea Soup

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 bunches spring onions or scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
2 cups Basic Vegetable Stock
2 cups fresh shelled peas
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Ramp Crostino
12 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and onion or scallion whites until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add stock, onion or scallion greens, and peas; season with salt and pepper.
Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil; immediately reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer until peas are tender, about 6 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer soup to the jar of a blender or bowl of a food processor; carefully blend until pureed. Strain soup through a fine mesh sieve set over saucepan; season with salt and pepper. Divide soup evenly between 4 bowls. Place 1 crostino in each bowl and garnish with mint; serve immediately.

http://www.marthastewart.com/341221/spring-onion-and-pea-soup-with-ramp-cros?czone=food%2Fproduce-guide-cnt%2Fspring-produce-recipes&gallery=275217&slide=341221&center=276955

Zucchini, Mint and Yogurt Spread

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise and cut into 1-inch half-moons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup Greek yogurt or labneh
2 tablespoons mint, roughly chopped
zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
green olives for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle zucchini slices with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning once, until both sides are nicely browned. Remove from heat.
Once zucchini have cooled to room temperature, place in a food processor. Add mint and lemon zest (reserving a bit of both for garnish), a pinch of salt, pepper and yogurt. Pulse until pureed.
Spread dip onto a serving plate, drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with reserved mint and lemon zest. Add olives if desired.
Serve with pita wedges or sliced vegetables.

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-zucchini-mint-and-yogur-117173

Green Bean and Fennel Salad with Pecans

Ingredients:
1 cup pecan pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
3 medium fennel bulbs (about 2 pounds total), cored and thinly sliced, fronds reserved (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a bowl with ice water; set aside. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes; set aside. (Store up to two days in an airtight container.)

Place 1/2 inch water in a large skillet with a lid. Bring to a boil; salt generously. Add green beans, cover skillet, and cook over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer immediately to ice water. Drain; pat dry with paper towels. (Cover and refrigerate up to 10 hours.)

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil. (Cover and refrigerate up to 10 hours.) To serve, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and toss with dressing; garnish with fennel fronds, if desired.

http://www.marthastewart.com/313984/green-bean-and-fennel-salad-with-pecans?czone=food%2Fwinter-produce%2Fwinter-produce&gallery=286398&slide=313984¢er=1009854

Happy Summer Solstice

Saturday marked the official first day of summer. Being at about 40 degrees latitude here in Philadelphia, the solstices and equinoxes actually seem appropriate. What I mean by that, is in comparison, when I was growing up in Vermont, I was always perplexed why the first day of summer was late June (my parents, who still live in northern VT, said that on Saturday morning the temperature was 37!), and why the first day of spring was late March, when there is always still snow on the ground. But here in Philadelphia, this weekend really did feel like the beginning of summer. We are all looking forward to the upcoming summer crops coming in from the field, like tomatoes, basil, eggplant and peppers. Before you know, they’ll be in your shares. However, on the farm we always have to plan ahead by a season, and we have already started seeding our fall crops in the greenhouse.

Farm Stand Technology

Forgot cash but want to purchase some Philly Muffins  or local eggs on your when you are at the farm? No longer a problem! We now accept credit cards at the farm stand. If you are a working shareholder of the CSA, or a working member of the co-op, you can receive your 5% discount on purchases at the farm stand. If you are a Saul student or teacher or Weavers Way staff member, you can utilize your 15% discount at the farm stand.

Driveway

We are very proud to show off our new gravel driveway at the farm! Thanks to Saul teacher Jess McAtamney who wrote the application on behalf of Saul high school and received the federal vocational funding from Perkins. The driveway is now much improved.  Shareholder Scott Blunk spent all day spreading and smoothing out the gravel, Thank you Scott! The gravel is being used in three areas across the school campus to prevent water run-off and improve water conservation. We now even have a rear exit to our parking area, which takes you past the cow pasture, and through the parking area near the cow barn. Hopefully now we will have improved traffic flow and a few more parking spots.

Roasted Hakurei Turnips with Israeli Couscous Salad

Ingredients:
1 bunch hakurei turnips with fresh-looking greens
1 cup Israeli couscous
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch of optional red chili flakes
1/4 cup chopped red onion
juice from half a lemon
4-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim turnips from greens leaving a small stub of the stems attached. Wash both well to remove dirt. Halve each turnip, keeping the long tails intact. Finely chop the greens.

Toss the turnips with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, pinches of salt and pepper, and the optional chili flakes. Place flat side-down on a roasting pan. Roast for 5-10 minutes, or just until the bottoms are lightly browned. Toss around in the pan with tongs, and continue roasting another 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of 3 cups water to a bowl and add the couscous. Continue to boil for 8-10 minutes until couscous is tender. Drain.

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame and add the garlic. Once fragrant, toss in the leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sautee until just wilted, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

Combine the chopped onion with the cooled couscous and greens. Add fresh lemon juice, an extra tablespoon or so of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the roasted radishes on top.

http://noteatingoutinny.com/2012/06/06/roasted-haruki-turnips-with-israeli-couscous-salad/

Fava Bean Spread with Dill Pesto

Ingredients (Fava Bean Spread):
1 cup dry shelled fava beans soaked overnight or for at least 4 hours and thoroughly drained
1 medium onion (about 110 g)
1 medium potato (about 90 g)
1 medium carrot (about 50 g)
2.5 cups water
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and more for greasing the serving dish

Instructions:
Cook fava beans and vegetables: Peel and cut the onion and potato into 1.5 cm / 0.6 inch dices. Chop the carrots into 1 cm / 0.4 inch dices. Combine the vegetables and pre-soaked and drained fava beans in a medium pot. Pour the water over; the specified amount will be enough to barely cover the vegetables and beans. Cover the pot with a lid leaving a small gap and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to the medium-low and gently simmer. Remove the white foam as it is forms on top. Now and then check whether there is enough water at the bottom: with a fork gently push the beans and vegetables away from the side of the pan, but don’t stir! Add little water if needed to prevent the scorching of the pot. Cook until the vegetables are fork-tender, the beans mash easily and the water completely evaporates (about 1 hour).

Make fava bean spread: Remove the pot from the heat and immediately puree with an immersion blender until the fava bean spread reaches a smooth silky consistency, not unlike creme patisserie. Inspect for any random chunks of carrots or potato and puree until they disappear. Add sea salt and extra virgin olive oil and run the blender again to combine. Grease individual cups or a large serving dish with more olive oil and transfer the fava bean spread. Smooth the surface with a spatula and add a bit olive oil to prevent large cracks as the spread settles (which it does in minutes). For the best result, refrigerate the spread overnight: next day you will be able to release the puree from the dish easily, cut into pieces and serve with the dill pesto. 

Ingredients (Dill Pesto):
1/2 cup finely chopped dill
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp finely ground almonds
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to reach the desired consistency. I pulse for a while as I personally like this pesto smooth and runny so I can pour it over the chunks of fava bean spread. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. 

http://www.deliciousistanbul.com/blog/2014/06/11/fava-bean-spread-with-dill-pesto/

Black Bean Salad

This recipe was a hit at shareholders Brian and Ann's wedding this past weekend! Make ahead and let it marinate! Great for a summer picnic :)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small hass avocado, halved, seeded and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems

Directions:

Make the dressing: Smash the garlic clove, sprinkle with a pinch of the salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Whisk the garlic paste, lime juice, salt and chili powder together in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the olive oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream.

For the salad: Cook the corn, bell pepper, and onions in the olive oil until beginning to brown over medium-high heat in a skillet. Toss in the black beans and cook until warm. Add the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and gently fold in the tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Serve.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/black-bean-salad-recipe.html

The Synergy of our Farming Partnership

Synergy: the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements.

While Henry Got Crops is one farm, it is a partnership of four organizations. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation provides access to land. Saul High School provides a present and willing community. Weavers Way Co-op provides an accessible, functioning farm. Weavers Way Community Programs provides the conduit for values and knowledge to be shared through experiential, educational activities.

Together, Henry Got Crops functions to operate an educational, working farm that serves as a learning opportunity for Saul students, as well as an environmentally responsible source of food for neighboring communities. The two goals are equally important and integrally intertwined in the way we operate the farm with student involvement.

At Henry Got Crops, the partners involved work hard to intertwine the goals of the farm through farm education programs and food production.  The goal is to give students valuable, real-world experience while running a business. This integrated approach is a core philosophy of this farm and this concept served as a principle building block when starting it.

To make this farm work, all partners are needed: the farm can't exist without the school, the school can't be involved without the education coordinator and the education coordinator can't teach without the farm. We are proud of this unique design and are excited to continue growing, together.

Most urban farmers are tasked with the difficult job of trying to run a farm AND coordinate the educational programs. Ask any urban farmer in Philadelphia, and they will tell you these two tasks are, at best, challenging to balance. With our partnership, each organization can focus on what they do best, and excel in their area of focus. The farm managers are able to focus on operating a functional farm and the educators are able to focus on the delivering experiential, educational programming.  The result is a functioning farm that serves as a classroom.

Sometimes I think what we are trying to accomplish at Henry Got Crops is crazy and destined to be forever difficult and inherently challenging. And while it is… I still believe this to be a worthy endeavor. Not one of these organizations could accomplish what happens here at Henry Got Crops on their own. But together, we bring our strengths to the table and are able to actualize our mission, in a very concrete and delicious way.

Weavers Way Community Programs Hoe Down Fundraiser

Saturday June 21st, 6-9pm at Weavers Way Farm at the Awbury Arboretum, 1011 East Washington Lane

Be sure not to miss our first Hoedown! It’s an evening of locally sourced, farm-fresh food, live music and outdoor games. Enjoy summer solstice with us at our farm at the Awbury Arboretum. If you have never been to this site, this is a great opportunity to see where half the vegetable in your CSA share are grown. All proceeds benefit farm and nutrition education programs for children at Weavers Way Community Programs. Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket. Tickets are $35 and in return you can enjoy dinner, drinks and music. This is a 21 + event. Register athttp://www.weaversway.coop/hoedown

Cream of Green Garlic and Potato Soup

Ingredients:
4 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into equal-sized chunks
3 cups chopped green garlic, white and light green parts only
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces minced prosciutto (optional)
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 quart chicken broth (or veggie broth), or more as needed
1/2 cup whipping cream or coconut milk. 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Place potatoes in bowl of water. Set aside.
Soak green garlic in a bowl of water to remove dirt or sand. Drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir minced prosciutto until it begins to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Add green garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently. Do not let the garlic brown. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper; cook and stir for 1 to 2 more minutes.
Mix chicken broth into green garlic mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove potatoes from the bowl of water and add them to the garlic and broth mixture. Cook until potatoes are tender and easily smashed against the side of the pot, about another 30 minutes. Add broth as needed.
Transfer potato chunks and some green garlic chunks to a blender with about 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Puree until smooth, adding more cooking liquid as needed.
Stir blended potato mixture back into the pot; stir in heavy cream. Cook over medium-high heat until cream is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh chopped chives.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cream-of-green-garlic-and-potato-soup/

Braised Leeks with Mustard Greens

Ingredients:
flour for the work surface
1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
cornmeal for the pan
2 small leeks (white and light green parts), cut into thin strips
2 medium red potatoes (about 3/4 pound), thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Gruyère (1 ounce)
4 cups mixed greens

Instructions:
Heat oven to 450° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll and stretch the dough into a ¼-inch-thick circle or rectangle.
Sprinkle a baking sheet with the cornmeal and place the dough on top.
In a large bowl, combine the leeks, potatoes, thyme, 1 ½ tablespoons of the oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Scatter vegetables over the dough and sprinkle with the Gruyère. Bake until the crust is golden and potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into pieces.
Drizzle the greens with the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of oil and season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the flat bread.

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/potato-leek-flat-bread-greens-10000001665002/

Yummy Bok Choi Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bunches baby bok choy, cleaned and sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/8 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 (6 ounce) package chow mein noodles

Directions:

In a glass jar with a lid, mix together olive oil, white vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Close the lid, and shake until well mixed.

Combine the bok choy, green onions, almonds, and chow mein noodles in a salad bowl. Toss with dressing, and serve.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/yummy-bok-choy-salad/

Thank You! Volunteer Day and Potluck

What an amazing turn out for the volunteer day and potluck on Saturday! This was definitely our most well attended volunteer day ever! And thank goodness, because we had a Herculean task of weeding the parsnips! Imagine a sea of green, now imagine you have to find a needle in a hay stack, and now imagine the CSA parsnip harvest depended on it- that was the task that everyone was up to on Saturday. And we succeeded; the parsnips are now looking better than ever! Thank you to everyone who squatted, crouched, and knelt alongside those parsnips for hours! And also a big thank you to Blaise who is a long standing shareholder, and showed up with his own weed wacker to tackle a multi-year project of clearing the fenceline. To celebrate a successful day of work, we all shared a feast at the picnic tables and enjoyed a beautiful summer evening on the farm.

Be sure to mark your calendars now for our next volunteer day,Saturday July 12th from 9:30 to 3:30 at our beautiful farm in theAwbury Arboretum. If you haven’t been to this farm, this is a great opportunity to come and check it out.

Italian White Bean and Mustard Green Soup

Ingredients:
1 pound dried giant white beans, such as gigante, Corona, or lima
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, finely chopped (1 1/4 cups)
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds mustard greens, washed well and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
5 thyme sprigs
5 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 Parmesan cheese rind (about 1 by 4 inches; optional), plus freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling
2 quarts water
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup farroeces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks

Directions:
STEP 1:

Place beans in a large bowl, cover with 2 inches cold water; let soak overnight at room temperature. Drain and rinse beans. (Or quick-soak them: Boil beans 1 minute, then let them sit off heat, covered, 1 hour.)

STEP 2:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown in places, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and greens to pot, and cook, stirring frequently, until greens wilt, about 2 minutes.

STEP 3:
Tie together thyme, parsley, and bay leaves with kitchen twine, and add to pot along with beans, Parmesan rind, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, transfer to oven, and braise 1 hour.

STEP 4:
Remove from oven, and stir in 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover, return to oven, and braise until beans are tender, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

STEP 5:
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add farro, and cook until grains are tender and begin to split, about 25 minutes. Drain.

STEP 6:
Divide farro among 6 bowls, and ladle soup over farro. Sprinkle with Parmesan, and drizzle with oil. Soup and farro can be refrigerated in separate containers 2 days; let cool completely before refrigerating. Gently reheat together in a covered pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

http://www.marthastewart.com/953648/italian-white-bean-and-mustard-greens-soup

Braised Leeks with Mustard Greens

Ingredients:
4 leeks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups washed, dried and chopped mustard greens
2 tablespoons chicken broth, or as needed
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Trim leeks so that about 1 1/2 inches of green leaves remain, and slice the leeks in half lengthwise. Separate leaves and pull the leeks apart to rinse away any dirt and sand in the layers, then chop leeks into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, and cook and stir the leeks until they begin to separate and soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in mustard greens, and pour in enough chicken broth to just cover the bottom of the pan and prevent leeks from browning. Cook the leeks and mustard greens until the greens turn bright green and start to soften, another 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/braised-leeks-and-mustard-greens/

Curried Mustard Greens with Chick Peas

Many people see Mustard Greens in their share and have no idea where to start cooking. This week's newsletter recipes are dedicated to the delicious green!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. melted butter, ghee, coconut, or olive oil (Always use the highest quality butter, coconut oil, and olive oil you can find)
2 medium onions, chopped
½ tsp. ground cumin
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch mustard greens (about 0.65 to 0.75 lbs)
1 Tbsp. mild curry powder
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. (or to taste) ground red pepper or red pepper flakes
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ to 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock or water or a combination.
About 15 oz. cooked chickpeas
About 14 oz. diced tomatoes, with juice
½ tsp. (or to taste) sea salt

Directions:

Heat in a large skillet:  2 Tbsp. melted butter, ghee, coconut, or olive oil.

Next add: 2 medium onions, chopped, ½ tsp. ground cumin, 4 cloves garlic, minced 

Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the onions are softened, about 5 min.

Stir in:

1 large bunch mustard greens (about 0.65 to 0.75 lbs), washed, trimmed the largest part of the stem end, and chopped.  It’s not necessary to remove all the stems.
Cook until wilted, about 5 min.

Stir in:

1 Tbsp. mild curry powder
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. (or to taste) ground red pepper or red pepper flakes
½ tsp. ground coriander
½ to 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock or water or a combination.

Bring just to a boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer and add:

About 15 oz. cooked chickpeas
About 14 oz. diced tomatoes, with juice
½ tsp. (or to taste) sea salt
Bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, stirring often, until the greens are tender, about 12 minutes.  This dish becomes even tastier if it sits in the refrigerator overnight and the flavors have time to meld and blend.  Reheat gently on the stove top, never in a microwave oven.

http://www.lickrun.org/mustard/

Raffled Shares

Every week one lucky Weavers Way staff member and one lucky Saul student or teacher are the recipients of our raffled shares. This is a way we can introduce members of our immediate communities to the CSA and say thank you for their involvement. Last week Saul English teacher Julie Steiner picked up her share on Friday and even bought extra transplants from the farm stand for her home garden. One of our regular shareholders couldn’t pick up their share on Friday so Farm Education Coordinator Tara Campbell selected a Saul student who had shown exceptional motivation on the farm that week to take home this donated share. Ian, who is in the 10th grade was staying late after school to help plant tomatoes in the raised beds when Tara asked who liked to cook in his house and if he wanted to take the vegetables home. He proudly responded that he was the cook in the house and was thrilled to have fresh ingredients from school to bring home.

Working Share Members

One of the exciting parts of having the CSA start is that the Working Shareholders also start! We have some people who work on a weekly basis, and others who do a few hours here and there throughout the season. This year we have over 30 people helping out on a weekly basis, which is over 60 hours of happy helping hands! On our farms we rely heavily on volunteers, both out of necessity and by design. We are educational farms and that encompasses the involvement of community members like you. This concept will sound familiar if you made it to one of our orientation meetings and heard field manager Hannah explain that we take “Community Supported Agriculture” literally, as opposed to “community financed agriculture.” Your fellow shareholders are helping harvest the lettuce that goes in your share, weed-whack the grass in the pathways, restock the bins at the CSA pick-up, and even format this newsletter. Having this alternative tier of labor is imperative to getting the job done, and we could never do it without you! Plus, it also keeps our jobs interesting! We get to know the people eating the vegetables we are growing, and that builds a stronger community. In truth, Hannah and Emma are full time farmers as well as part time volunteer coordinators!  We look forward to working with you as the season unfolds.

Driveway Safety!

As I am sure everyone has noticed pulling out of our driveway and trying to turn left is precarious. Please consider only turning right out of our driveway. This creates an extra step if you are trying to go south on Henry Ave. (you can turn around at the next break in the Henry Ave median, where there is a turning lane to enter the school's driveway), but it is much safer!