CSA MEMBER NEWSLETTER HIGHCROSS CSA MEMBER NEWSLETTER FARM To everything there is a season, a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted. Finest F i n e s t Quality In This Issue Growing Organically is Tough In the Box this Week Corn Salsa - See Recipe Below H i g h C r o s s F a r m HighCross Farm CSA Newsletter Summer Share Week #12 - August 27, 2015 Photos from the Farm Today 2015 Fall Share 2015 Summer CSA Shares are Available Help Wanted Ad Growing Organically is Tough Recipes Although the crops here have generally been very healthy and growing well, several crops have been hit recently with diseases which weaken the plants and can cause them to die. We do use some organic sprays to help fight off disease and insects, but the natural sprays are not nearly as effective as the chemical sprays commonly used on conventional produce. Organic farmers have a tough time bringing their crops to maturity due to limited ability to fight insects and disease. Farmer Steve says it sometimes feels like farming with both hands tied behind his back. We trust you appreciate and enjoy this hard-won poison-free food. - Healthy eating from your Farmers Steve, Kath & Crew I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 2 Note that your pick-up site host contact info is available (for most sites) through your CSA online account under Pick-up Directions. HighCross Farm Fresh Market Produce Steve & Kath Vogelmann W2292 Rustic Drive Campbellsport, WI 53010-3126 920-533-FARM (3276)
From Farm Team Member Aleka: Hi guys!!! I had a successful night in the kitchen. I followed the corn salsa recipe on pg. 75 of the farm cookbook. Here s the recipe...with my changes :-) Corn Salsa Farm-Fresh and Fast Cookbook (p.75) Salt for cooking water Two cups corn kernels One and a half cups chopped red onion One jalapeño, chopped One bunch fresh cilantro, chopped One lime Chopped tomatoes Black beans, drained and rinsed Pinch of salt It is easy to add or remove items from this recipe to suit your needs. I didn't have black beans on hand - and thus omitted them from the recipe tonight (although I wish I would have been able to include them). As you see, I added various veggies from my CSA box, along with fresh herbs from the farm, and a few items from the market. It's very easy to take this recipe from basic to the moon. Follow your taste buds and satisfy your soul with raw, wholesome food that sustains. Simple, fresh, light, natural. This is how we are meant to eat. Enjoy on veggie lovers :-) I also added: One avocado One sprig of lemon balm Three cloves garlic Three stalks of celery, chopped One carrot, chopped One cucumber, sliced and then quartered One green pepper, chopped Balsamic vinegar The first thing to do is cook your corn. Boil the cobs in water for 3-4 minutes. Then remove the cobs from the water and place them in a bowl to cool. Chop all ingredients: onion, jalapeño, cilantro, tomato, avocado, cucumber, celery, carrots, garlic clove, lemon balm and green pepper. Set all of the chopped ingredients aside and begin to cut all corn kernels off the cob. Once all of the ingredients are prepped, toss them in a bowl and season with sea salt. Slice the lime in half, and squeeze half of the lime's juice into the mixture. Add 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the mixture and stir all of the ingredients thoroughly. Serve chilled. This corn salsa can be consumed in many different ways. I often use it as a filling for lettuce wraps. It can be served atop your favorite salad, spooned over grilled chicken (or any other meat), or even shared as a dip with chips. This recipe is very simple, and very versatile. Continued on next page...
From Farm Team Member Aleka:
In the Box this Week Storage information: Lettuce, leafy greens, root veggies, and the cabbage family (except the basil) should be kept in the coldest area of your refrigerator, ideally on the lower level or in the crisper drawer. Place all items in plastic bags or wrap in a damp towel, to prevent wilting due to the dehydrating effect of refrigeration. Monitor the produce over time; it should be kept neither too wet nor too dry inside the plastic bag. Slightly open the bag if you see water droplets forming on the inside. Lettuce - Green or Red Summercrisp. Summer Squash - Please send in your favorite summer squash recipes for us to share in the newsletter! Vegetable Spaghetti Squash - Golden Wonder Variety. The flesh of this smooth-skinned winter squash is unique in that when cooked, the mild flesh falls away from the rind in ribbons or strands like spaghetti. Can be baked, boiled, steamed, or microwaved, and served with or without sauce as a substitute for pasta. Sweet and tender. Yellow Wax Beans - The first of the season. Cilantro - Widely used in Asian, Caribbean and Latin American cooking (including Salsa) and its distinctive flavor lends itself to highly spiced foods. Those who enjoy it say it has a refreshing, lemony or limelike flavor, while those who dislike it have a strong aversion to its taste and smell. Cilantro Best Cilantro Recipes - Allrecipes.com - Green Zucchini - The one almost everyone is familiar with. We re always trialing different varieties, so the green color may vary somewhat. Some of these hide and get way too big; they are offered cheap on the web store, when available, for zucchini bread, etc. - Golden Zucchini - Just like the green, except golden in color. - Zephyr - A straightneck squash with a light green tip and very good flavor and texture. This is one of our favorites. - Romanesco - A ribbed Italian heirloom with delicious rich flavor. Not as juicy as zucchini. Another one of our favorites. - Patty Pans - Our very favorite summer squash. We call these UFO Squash around here. They have a rich, nutty taste. Cilantro Tomatoes - Cherry Tomatoes or Slicing Type. The first of the season. About the tomatoes this year: the tomato fruits in our area are very slow to ripen this year. Furthermore, the field tomato plants were recently hit with the dreaded Late Blight disease, which causes the fruits to spoil and quickly kills the plant. So far, the tomato plants in the hoophouse have remained healthy, but what it means is that we will probably have a limited amount of tomatoes this year. Green Zucchini, Golden Zucchini, Straightneck, Zephyr, Romanesco, Patty Pan
Brussels Sprouts Tops - Small share. These are the top leaves which have been removed from the Brussels Sprouts main stalk. This procedure spurs the growth of the small spouts attached to the stalk. These leafy tops will taste just like Brussels Sprouts. We like to simply steam until tender and serve with butter and salt to taste; great with shredded Parmesan cheese. Or can add to stir-fry or soups. Broccoli Spears - Large share. A bag of small shoots that grow after the main head is harvested. Napa Cabbage - Large share this week; small share soon. Aka Chinese Cabbage. A mainstay in oriental cuisine. However, it does not appreciate summer weather and it took a beating from the bugs and the heat. We re transplanting another crop for fall right now, and hopefully it will fare better. Purple Kohlrabi - Just like green kohlrabi except the skin is purple. Sweet Onion - White Sweet Onion. Sierra Blanca variety. Note that you can chop and freeze onions for use later. Store in a freezer container or ziplock bag; if you first freeze the pieces on a cookie sheet, you can shake them out as needed. Cucumber - Regular slicing type. Fresh Herb - Lemon Balm. See recipe for Lemon Balm Cookies below. See links for more uses of Lemon Balm. Hot Pepper - Jalapeño type. Sweet Pepper - Red and green in the large share. Green in the small share. Lots more peppers coming soon. Here s the list of what is in today s box: Large Share: Lettuce Napa Cabbage Broccoli Spears Golden Wonder Vegetable Spaghetti Squash Summer Squash Tomatoes Purple Kohlrabi Yellow Wax Beans Cucumber Cilantro Hot Pepper - Jalapenos Sweet Peppers - Green & Red Sweet White Onion Fresh Herb - Lemon balm Small Share: Lettuce Brussels Sprouts Tops Golden Wonder Vegetable Spaghetti Squash Summer Squash Tomatoes Purple Kohlrabi Yellow Wax Beans Cucumber Cilantro Hot Pepper - Jalapeño Sweet Pepper - Green Sweet White Onion Fresh Herb - Lemon Balm Culinary Uses For Lemon Balm 10 culinary uses for lemon balm MNN - Mother Nature Network How to Use Lemon Balm in Cooking Tentative list of some of the items in next week s share: Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Sweet Onions, Green Pepper, Hot Pepper, maybe Lettuce, Kale, Parsley, Bulls Blood Beets, and Carrots. Also the first Cantaloupe in some shares., and the first of the Cheddar cauliflower in some shares.
Photos from the Farm Today Portuguese Kale - coming soon Panisse Oak Leaf Lettuce - coming soon Kalettes - a new type of veggie coming soon Healthy Melons & Diseased Melons Cheddar Cauliflower coming soon Sunshine Winter Squash - coming this fall
2015 Fall CSA Share Celebrate your Thanksgiving and December holidays with the finest, freshest produce available in SE Wisconsin, direct from our family farm to your dinner table. The Fall share will include not only good amounts of typical fall storage items (onions, potatoes, root crops, and winter squash) to last you into the new year, but also fresh greens, made sweeter by the cool weather. This will be a hefty share, packed into our standard large share box (1 & 1/9 bushel size) or small share box (we ll be using a ¾ bushel size). Includes arugula, Asian greens, beets, radish, cabbage, carrots, celery root, lettuce, kohlrabi, kale, onions, parsley, parsnips, potatoes, peppers, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, winter squash, fresh herbs and more. With plantings in our hoophouse and the use of protective rowcover in the fields, we are usually able to provide greens until quite late in the season, as these photos attest. TwoThursday deliveries: November 5 and November 19, 2015. Small share is $70. Large share is $100. These are jam-packed shares, a super value. To sign-up, log into your CSA account and toggle the Season Selection box at the upper left to Fall 2015 and then hit the click to join link. Or simply click here: http://csa.farmigo.com/join/highcrossfarm/ 2015fallshare To make an electronic payment, select to pay via PayPal; you will then have the choice to pay with your PayPal account OR choose the option to pay with a credit card. Or send a check to HighCross Farm. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Heavier items such as winter squash, potatoes, and root crops are packed in the bottom of the boxes. November 16, 2012 November 29, 2012
2015 Summer CSA Shares are Available Shares for the 2015 Summer CSA season are still available, as we have increased the size of our operation again this year. Price will be automatically prorated during the sign-up process. To sign-up click here: CSA 2015 HighCross Farm Red Romaine Lettuce today at HighCross Farm Consider giving a 2015 Summer Share to someone you care about a gift that keeps giving all season long. (The 2015 Fall/Winter Share will be open for enrollments soon.)
Help Wanted Ad With many of our team members returning to school, we are very short-handed on help at this time. Please spread the word to anyone who might be interested in joining our fabulous worker team. For more information, please visit: HighCross Farm Team HighCross Farm HighCross Farm Fresh Market Produce Steve & Kath Vogelmann W2292 Rustic Drive Campbellsport, WI 53010-3126 920-533-FARM (3276)
Recipes 2007 Award-Winning Recipe! Alissa Lane * Mountain Grove, Missouri At sixteen years old, growing herbs is a hobby of mine and I also love to bake. When I found a recipe for Rosemary Cookies in a magazine one day, I decided to try them. However, the recipe called for lemon zest and since I didn t have a lemon, I decided to try fresh lemon balm instead. The cookies turned out wonderfully and everyone said that they tasted like they were fresh from the bakery. We think so too, Alissa. Thank you! Rosemary-Lemon Balm Cookies ½ cup butter ½ cup shortening 1 ½ cups sugar 2 eggs 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon minced fresh lemon balm ½ teaspoon lemon extract 3 ½ cups unbleached white flour 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tarter 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup golden raisons Preheat oven to 400 F. Cream butter, shortening and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in rosemary, lemon balm and lemon extract. Combine dry ingredients and gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in raisons. Roll into 1 balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten with a fork. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy fresh or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Recipes From CSA member Nicole: Thanks for the update. By the way, we have been making baked zucchini fries which are very good and pretty easy to make which might be a nice addition the recipes in the newsletter. Recipe below. Baked Zucchini Fries 2 medium zucchini 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons milk 3/4 cup dried breadcrumbs 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Cut each zucchini into thirds lengthwise, then cut the thirds into thirds lengthwise. Cut the thirds in half crosswise. Basically, you want to create "fries" that are 2-3 inches long by 1/4-1/2 inch wide. Combine egg and milk in a medium bowl. Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan, salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Dredge zucchini fries in egg mixture, then in crumbs mixture and place on prepared baking sheet. Spray tops with a little more cooking spray (a drizzle of olive oil would probably work okay too). Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 15-20 minutes. Scrumdidlyumptious! Nicole
Recipes From Steve and Lindy Meer, our Bayview pick-up site hosts: Hi Farmer Steve, Wanted to share another summer squash recipe we like: Summer Squash Gratin Ingredients (serves 4) - 1/2 lb. to 3/4 lb. (1 medium to large) summer squash, sliced thinly on a mandoline or in a food processor with slicing disk - 1/4 teaspoon salt - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, loosley packed - 8 fresh basil leaves - 1 garlic clove, quartered - 1/4 teaspoon salt - 1/4 cup olive oil - 2 tablespoons butter, melted - 3/4 cup panko - 1/4 lb. red potatoes, sliced thinly on mandoline or in a food processor with slicing disk - 1/3 cup grated Gruyere (or Swiss cheese) Instructions - heat oven to 400 degrees - place summer squash slices in a colander in the sink and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, let drain for 10 minutes - meanwhile in a food processor or blender, puree the fresh herbs, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and olive oil, set aside - in a small bowl, combine the melted butter and panko - in a large bowl combine all ingredients, reserving some of the butter-coated panko. Pour mixture into a shallow baking dish and top with remaining panko. Bake for 30 minutes Note - you can vary the amount of squash/potatoes in this dish - it works with more squash and less potatoes. Regards, Steve Meer
Hi Kath and Steve - Recipes This has been a fun/different recipe for summer squash that we have tried a few times: Roasted Summer Squashes with Caper Gremolata Serves 2 as a large side Gremolata: 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon capers 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced To prepare squash, combine pattypan squash, zucchini, and 2 teaspoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange squash, cut side down, in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 475 for 15 minutes or until squash is tender and lightly browned, stirring after 7 minutes. Mix gremolata with the squash. Serve immediately. Note: we have varied this using lime/cilantro in place of the lemon/parsley also tasty! Adapted from myrecipes.com / Cooking Light June 2010 Squash: 3 patty pan squash (halved lengthwise) 1 long summer squash (cut into thick disks) 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Preparation: Preheat oven to 475. To prepare gremolata, combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Recipe - Roasted Patty Pan Squash with Mushrooms, Onion and Thyme Sent from our friend and HighCross Farm CSA member Darleen Worm: Not so much a recipe but a way to prepare that we thought was good. Roasted Patty Pan Squash with Mushrooms, Onion and Thyme Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a jelly roll or half sheet pan lightly with olive oil. Wash and pull off leaves of about 10 sprigs of thyme. Set aside. (Or use all dried thyme.) Wash and cut off ends of the patty pan squash. Slice into ¼ thick circles. Place in a large bowl. ( I used about 6 or 7 squash of various sizes.) Quarter a large onion, cutting from stem to roots. Then sliced each quarter into ¼ slices. Separate the slices and throw into the bowl. Wash about a pound of mushrooms. If larger mushrooms, cut in half. Throw in the bowl. Pour olive oil over everything in the bowl, and toss gently with hands or tongs to coat each item LIGHTLY. Generously season with salt, fresh grated black pepper, fresh thyme, and for good measure I also added about ¼ teaspoon of dried thyme. Toss to evenly distribute the seasonings. Spread the vegetables evenly on the prepared pan. Bake about 20 minutes. Mine was done after 20 minutes but I wanted the onions darker. So I raised the temperature to 425 and baked 10 additional minutes.