CSA Week #7

Harvest and deliveries continue with Week #7 CSA boxes. New this week are Mountain Rose potatoes...mmm...

Week #7 CSA Newsletter ~ featuring: farm news; featured veggie: cabbage; recipes for: Evolution Cucumber Salad, Unstuffed Cabbage, Fresh Basil Vinaigrette, Preparing Garlic, Grilled Cabbage, Scallion Pancakes.

In the Box: green onions, basil bunch, jalapeno duo, kale, zucchini (half shares), cabbage, Russian Red Garlic, parsley, Dragon's Tongue heirloom wax beans, Mountain Rose new potatoes, cucumber quintet, apple butter.

From the farm, farm dog Odin was working on a cucumber and farm kitten Loki decided to join him. Totally didn't set this up! They were eating cucumber together! So cute.

CSA Week #6

If you are looking back at recipes from previous newsletters all the shortcut links are HERE.

It seems time has started flying! I knew it was week 6, then it clicked that that's a third of our season! Crazy! Week 6 boxes were delivered - neither rain, nor snow, nor tornado warning shall keep us from delivering our produce. The downpour, torrential at times yielded about 1.7".

Anywho...new this week were Dragon's Tongue wax beans, jalapeños and garlic!

A Full Share CSA box packed and ready to go!

 CSA Newsletter Week #6 ~ featuring: "what's in the box"; Recipes: Grilling Vegetables Part 2, Stir Grilling, Preparing Garlic and bean cooking tips; article: "Food Waste: Put Your Guilt in the Compost."

CSA Box Week #6 ~ July 19, 2017

In the Box: green onions, zucchini (half shares) or 'Ronde de Nice' heirloom summer squash (full shares), green cabbage, kale (half shares), pair of jalapenos, German Red garlic, 1.3lbs Sangre new potatoes, chives, Dragon's Tongue heirloom wax beans, carrots (full shares), 1.3lbs Lodi (tart) apples, cucumber trio.

Sangre new potatoes.

The garlic harvest is in! Fresh, or uncured, garlic went in this week's boxes.

CSA Week #5

The weight of summer bounty is beginning to fill CSA boxes. The first summer squash/zucchini, cucumbers, beets and apples were packed into boxes this week. The delightful aroma of fresh veggies wafts from the boxes as you open them. Mmmm.

CSA Newsletter Week #5 ~ featuring: farm news, MANY recipes: Chimichurri Sauce, Baked or Roasted Beets, Sauteed Beet Greens, Grilling Greens, Grilling Vegetables part I, Beet cooking tips.

In the Box: Garlic scapes (curly-Qs), spring onions, sage (full shares), green cabbage, beets, 1# Lodi heirloom apples, pint snow OR snap peas, summer squash (round, pictured) OR zucchini (full shares), Swiss chard (half shares), kale (full shares), kohlrabi trio, cucumber trio (half shares), radishes, basil (half shares).

Lodi heirloom apples

Read more about our Lodi apples here.

Herb Booster

Herb Booster this week: Basil, thyme, spearmint.

Apples :: Lodi

Early Season • Tart

Ripens

Mid-July. Lodi has a biennial tendency, so it may only bear every other year.

Characteristics

This medium sized apple has a green-yellow skin with juicy flesh. This is a soft-fleshed, tart and juicy apple. Okay for fresh eating, but best for cooking. Lodi cooks down fast, it makes a great sauce.

Parentage: Montgomery x Yellow Transparent.

Origin: Geneva New York, 1924. Developed by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station.

Storage

Short storage life of 1-2 weeks.

CSA Week #4

Last Wednesday marked four weeks of delivery under the belt and we are just getting started! The bounty continues and grows!

CSA Newsletter Week #4 ~ News from the farm; featured veggie: peas; tips for cooking kohlrabi; recipes: sautéed radishes & sugar snap peas with dill, kohlrabi & cabbage salad with maple lemon dressing.

In the Box: Basil, Swiss chard (full shares), pint snow or snap peas, garlic scapes, radishes, green onions, All Hail! Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam (or apple butter), quart shell peas, summer crisp lettuce (half shares, kohlrabi.

Herb Boosters began this week, with parsley, rosemary and basil!

Bonus kitten photo...Loki...fuzzy little kitten ball.

CSA Week #3

Summer is here! Week 3 hails the salad days of early summer and brings the last of our bountiful early lettuces, while welcoming in the bounty of pea season!

CSA Newsletter Week #3 ~ featuring: farm news, featured veggie: Radish, intro to garlic scapes, recipes for: 'garlic scape pesto', 'radish butter', 'braised peas with spring onions and lettuce.'

In the Box: Bunch of kale (or chard), radishes, green shallots, herb bundle--mint & parsley, quart of shelling peas, garlic scapes, red and green summer crisp lettuce, pair of kohlrabi, pint snap or snow peas.

Green harvest! Bounty of kale and first of the Swiss chard.

Radishes add lovely color and heat to our plates!

Kohlrabi aliens are a refreshing addition.

Find Alternative Roots Farm at the farmers' market every Saturday 9:00-12:00 in the Cash Wise parking lot! Don't forget your reusable bag! ;)

What's @ market: Apple butter, garlic scapes, shell peas, snap peas, snow peas, fresh greens and herbs, radishes, rhubarb and more!

CSA • Week #1 • Let's get this party started!

What a beautiful day Wednesday was! Our first round of CSA harvest completed and 28 boxes of seasonal, organic, fresh, gorgeous produce delivered to our members. It feels good to be back folks - thank you for the support, enthusiasm and humor!

Week #1 CSA Newsletter ~ featuring: farm news, freezing rhubarb, rhubarb tips, shallot vinaigrette, handy tools for the kitchen, recipe sources.

CSA Box #1 • June 14, 2017

In the Box: 'Winter Density' heirloom romaine, chives, 3/4lb rhubarb, apple butter, kale mini bunch, 'Pirat' heirloom butterhead lettuce, All Hail! Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam , green shallots, spinach, CSA newsletter, veggie storage guide, ARF produce seasonality chart.

When life gives you hail, make strawberry-rhubarb jam! With having hail 4 times so farm this spring, it's a miracle the strawberries were the only thing really affected. With the multitude of bruised berries members received some jam this week, in place of fresh berries!

We kick off the year with salad season! Whip up some vinaigrette with the fresh shallots and chow down on some greens.

Some humor shared during delivery from rockstar CSA member Pat. Thanks for the chuckle! :)