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!

Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choi Noodle Bowl

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated 1/2 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced, a couple of cups 1 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut sticks lengthwise Salt and pepper 1 quart chicken broth 1 cup seafood stock, available on soup aisle or, 1 cup clam juice 1 1/2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp 1/2 pound vermicelli (thin spaghetti) 4 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks Directions: 1. Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and bok choy, then season with salt and pepper. 2. Add chicken broth and seafood stock or clam juice. Put a lid on the pot and bring soup to a boil. 3. Add shrimp and noodles and cook 3 minutes. 4. Add in scallions and cook 2 minutes, then turn off soup and let it sit 2 to 3 minutes more. Adjust salt and serve. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/spicy-shrimp-and-bok-choy-noodle-bowl-recipe.html

Balsamic Glazed Chick Peas with Mustard Greens

Ingredients:
10 ounces mustard greens
1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
4-6 tablespoons vegetable broth, divided
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar or sugar
1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Instructions:
1. Remove any large stems from the greens and discard. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

2. In a deep pot or wok, sauté the onion in a tablespoon or two of vegetable broth until mostly faded to pink, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and red pepper and another tablespoon of broth and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the mustard greens, 2 tablespoons of broth, and cook, stirring, until greens are wilted but still bright green, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the salt, if using. Remove greens and onions from pan with a slotted spoon and place in a serving dish, leaving any liquid in pan.

3. Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and agave or sugar to the liquid in the pan (if there is no liquid, add 2 tablespoons of broth). Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about half. Spoon the chickpeas over the greens and drizzle the sauce over all.

4. Serve warm, with additional balsamic vinegar at the table.

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2009/07/balsamic-glazed-chickpeas-and-mustard.html

Baked Kale Chips with a Kick!

Ingredients:
2 bunches kale
2 heaping Tb. almond butter (or any savory nut butter)
1 Tb. olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder (or substitute curry powder, we make them both ways)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the kale and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Pull the leaves off the center ribs in large pieces, and pile on a baking sheet. Discard the ribs.

2. In a small bowl mix the nut butter, oil, spices, and salt. Pour over the kale. Use your hands to massage the kale leaves until each one is evenly coated with the spice mixture. You don't want any of the leaves to be drenched in the mixture, so take your time doing this. The more evenly the kale leaves are coated, the better they will bake.

3. Lay the kale leaves out flat on 3-4 full sized baking sheets (work in batches if necessary.) Do not overlap. Bake for 10-11 minutes until crisp, but still green. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving. If some kale chips are still a little flimsy or damp, remove the crisp chips and place the damp chips back in the oven for a few more minutes. Store in an air-tight container.

http://www.aspicyperspective.com/2013/10/baked-kale-chips-recipe.html

Friendly Reminders

---Don’t forget to bring your bags and containers, large and small, to bring your produce home. Click here for awesome bag ideas: http://www.yumsugar.com/Cute-Reusable-Grocery-Bags-25128945

--Don’t forget to save a little extra time for picking flowers or herbs.

--Got Compost? You can bring it with you to the pick up and deposit it in any compost bin at the farm. (ask CSA volunteers for directions).

--If you are picking up on Tuesday, please consider parking on the west side of Henry Ave., or Cinnaminson street and using the crosswalk, in an effort to keep our busy driveway safe for students and little kids and you!

Welcome Back to the CSA!

The beginning the CSA brings a feeling that is hard to explain. It is a bit like the day before Christmas, or the day before graduation, or the day before standardized testing! It may feel like just the beginning to you, with this spring weather and it being the first time you’ll bring home your vegetables. But to us at the farm, it feels like the test at the end of two months of preparation, planning and yes even some studying! The first pick-up day is a day when we as farmers are asked to perform, and present our accomplishment, the harvest! It is exciting in that we get to share and show off everything we have been working so hard on for the last two months. But it is also nerve wracking- what if I weighed the salad greens incorrectly and we won’t have enough? What if starting at 7 on Monday isn’t early enough? What if the herbs in the  you-pick section get trampled?  As farmers there are many things we cannot control- the weather and pests for instance, so we work hard to perfect what we can control- every kale bunch is going to be stunning, just you wait! So please enjoy your first CSA pick-up, we are excited for the season to start with you, eager to get to know you better, and share with you the joys and hardships, the unpredictability and the bounty, and the ebbs and flows of the season as it unfolds on this urban farm.