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 Bountiful Harvest In the Box this Week Fishing at HighCross Farm H i g h C r o s s F a r m Invitation to CSA Member Gatherings August 27 & October 15 HighCross Farm CSA Newsletter Summer Share Week #11 - August 25, 2016 There comes a point each growing season when the results of our previous hard work start coming to fruition. Walking the gardens this week, we see the literal fruits of our labors taking shape and growing in size. We are filled with gratitude! In farming, you always win some and loose some. So far this season, we are very pleased with how most of the crops are doing. Bountiful Harvest We still have more planting to do, especially for the fall CSA share. This week we enter into the second half of the CSA season, bringing what we trust will be a bountiful harvest! - Farmer Steve, Kath and Crew I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 2 Prorated 2016 Summer CSA Shares are Available Recipes 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)
In the Box this Week Storage information: Lettuce and leafy greens 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. Please take the potatoes out of the paper bag or at least open up the top of the bag and store in an airy place, as these were just harvested and are full of moisture. Tomatoes should not be refrigerated, unless they are cut into. Take your cherry tomatoes out of the plastic bag. Note that you can blanche and freeze summer squash for use months later. You can freeze peppers and onions without needing to blanche first. Lettuce - Lettuce returns to the share boxes for several weeks. However, the summer heat, humidity, and bugs are hard on lettuce; it prefers the cooler weather of fall. Pole Beans - The bean crop is starting to slow down. Summer Squash - You ll be receiving the following types over the next weeks: - Green Zucchini - The one almost everyone is familiar with. We always trial 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. Red Lettuce at HighCross Farm Cauliflower - Cheddar variety. Green and Gold! In the large share this week; small share next week or two. We find that this variety is sweeter than the white. Simply steam until tender, drain water, add butter, and maybe parmesan cheese. Green Zucchini, Golden Zucchini, Straightneck, Zephyr, Romanesco, Patty Pan We most often eat these simply steamed or microwaved until tender. Trim the stem and blossom ends; cut into little cubes. Place in a microwave dish and heat for 5 minutes. Stir, and check for doneness. Microwave for up to 3 more minutes. Drain, add butter and salt; add shredded parmesan as an option. Yum! Please send us your favorite summer squash recipes to share in the newsletter! Red Sweet Onions -Remember that you can freeze onions for use later on. Can be frozen whole, or chop and store in a freezer bag or container. Cheddar variety Cauliflower
Sweet Green or Red or Yellow or Orange Peppers - Sweet peppers from our hoophouse and the first few from the gardens. Tomatoes -Vine-ripened tomatoes from our hoophouse and the first few from the gardens. Yellow Hungarian Hot Pepper - We realize not everyone is a fan of hot peppers (Farmer Steve is not, while Farmer Kath is!) If you are not a hot pepper fan, perhaps you can find a friend who loves them they ll thank you for it. We ll have at least one hot pepper in the box each week. For sale on the web store as well. Fresh Herb - Cilantro - Widely used in Asian, Caribbean and Latin American cooking (including Salsa); its distinctive flavor lends itself to highly spiced foods. Those who enjoy it say it has a refreshing, lemony or lime-like flavor, while those who dislike it have a strong aversion to its taste and smell. Cilantro Best Cilantro Recipes - Allrecipes.com Yellow Hungarian Hot Pepper at HighCross Farm New Red Potatoes - In the small share. There is nothing like freshly-dug Red Norland salad potatoes for wonderful sweet fresh flavor. Can be made into potato salad; or simply cube, and boil just until tender; serve with butter and maybe an herb, such as parsley or lemon balm pesto. The skin on Red Norlands is very thin and fragile, so some of it comes off during harvesting and washing; of course, you do not peel these, you eat them skin and all. Melons - Cantaloupe or Asian Melon - In the large share. Some of the cantaloupe are still a bit green; leave on your counter as long as you dare, to increase sweetness, or refrigerate until ready to eat. Some shares have a yellow Asian Melon called Sun Jewel. The flesh inside will be white, crisp and sweet, sort of like a pear. A few of the melons have surface damage due to being left on the vine to become fully ripe; let us know if your melon is not good inside. Large Share: Lettuce - 3 heads Cheddar Cauliflower Tomatoes Beans - Romano Summer Squash Sweet Pepper - Green Hot Pepper - Yellow Hungarian (light yellow) Melon Red Sweet Onions Fresh Herb - Cilantro Small Share: Lettuce - 2 heads New Red Potatoes Tomatoes Beans - Green Snap or Rattlesnake Snap Summer Squash Sweet Peppers Hot Pepper - Yellow Hungarian (light yellow) Red Sweet Onions Fresh Herb - Cilantro Tentative list of some of the items in next week s share: Lettuce Summer Squash Beans Tomatoes Kale or Kalette Tops Sweet Pepper Hot Pepper Onions Fresh Herb New Red Potatoes in large share Cheddar Cauliflower in the small share Maybe Daikon Radish, Winter Squash Sun Jewel Asian Melon
Invitation to CSA Member Gatherings 8/27/16 and 10/15/16 CSA Member Gathering September 2012 As a HighCross Farm CSA Member, you are cordially invited to gather at the farm on Saturday, August 27 and/or Saturday, October 15. Please send us an email with number attending to help us plan. 1 PM - Farm opens for tours of the gardens, hay wagon rides, see the farm animals. 3 PM - Food Demo: TBA 5 PM - Community Potluck. Bring a dish to pass. Friends and extended family members are welcome.
2016 CSA Pro-rated Memberships are Still Available We thank you for your referrals. Each week several more new members are signing up. We have plenty of plants in the ground for many more share memberships. Remember that for each new CSA membership listing you as the referral source, we will reward you with a $10 Farmigo credit toward any purchase on the web store. We offer good food that is fresh, beautiful, premium quality, raised organically, and harvested, prepped, and packed with TLC. Feel free to forward our newsletter to interested others. To sign-up, click here: CSA 2016 HighCross Farm Lettuce at HighCross Farm Consider giving a 2016 Summer Share to someone you care about a gift that keeps giving all season long.
Recipes This recipe, from Kath's mother, is one of our favorites: Grandma Marg's Zucchini Casserole 2 medium zucchinis, shredded 1 medium sweet onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic 2 T. olive oil 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 lb. grated cheese (more or less if you like) 1/4 c. toasted bread crumbs (optional) Shred zucchini using whatever you use to shred veggies (I use a Salad Shooter). Shred cheese, whatever kinds you like or have on hand, such as Cheddar, or Monterey Jack, Co-Jack or a combination. Sauté onion in olive oil till golden. Add garlic and cook another minute or two. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally until most of the juices have evaporated (about 15 minutes). Add salt to taste. Stir in cheese and put in a greased casserole pan. Sprinkle bread crumbs or Parmesan over if you like. Bake in oven at 350 until golden brown on top and bubbly (about 30 minutes).
Recipes From Steve and Lindy Meer, our Bayview pick-up site hosts: Here is a summer squash recipe that we make regularly during the peak squash time. Creamy Rice & Squash Casserole (serves 8-10) 1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. butter, divided 2 to 3 c. chopped summer squash 1 c. chopped onion 2 x 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained (or fresh equivalent) 1/4 c. flour 1 to 1.5 c. chicken, beef, or vegetable broth - use less broth if you don't drain tomatoes extensively 4 c. cooked rice 1/2 c. heavy/whipping cream 1 tbsp. dried basil (or fresh equivalent) 1 tbsp. dried parsley (or fresh equivalent) 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/4 c. grated parmesan Melt 1 tbsp. butter in large skillet over med.-high heat; add squash, onion and tomatoes and cook until squash is tender, stirring often. Set aside. Melt 1/4 c. butter in a med. saucepan over low heat, add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add broth; cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. Stir in vegetables, rice and next 4 ingredients. Pour into lightly greased 11 x 7 x. 1.5 inch baking dish. Sprinkle w/cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 min or until thoroughly heated.
Recipes Farmer Steve, Just tried this one out, and it was tasty. - CSA Site Host Steve Meer Spicy Marinated Raw Zucchini (from Real Simple) Serves 4 Thinly slice 2 zucchini or summer squash in mandoline or food processor with slicing disk. Toss with a sliced shallot (we used part of one of the spring onions), 1 Tbsp. each canola oil and rice vinegar, 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, and 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper. Season with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hr. and up to 8 hr. before serving.
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, loosely 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
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.
Recipe - Potato Salad Sent in by our friend and HighCross Farm CSA member Craig John: My Wisconsin CSA/Farmer s Market potato salad - - inspired and adopted by Williams-Sonoma New England style potato salad in the Savoring America cookbook: Ingredients: - 2 pounds of red organic Norland potatoes - cut into 1 chunks before boiling - 2 to 3 organic green onions (greens tops included), sliced thin - 1/4 C organic Lovage - minced, leaves and stalks and all. - 1/2 stalk of Wisconsin grown organic celery - finely chopped. Wisconsin celery is thinner and more pungent than California celery. - 1/2 organic red bell pepper - 1/2 C chopped fresh organic dill - 2/3 C Lemonaisse (has a little kick of cayenne pepper) - 1/2 C Organic Dijon Mustard - I bought Koop s from Sendik's - 1-1/2 T organic cider vinegar - Fresh ground black and kosher salt pepper to taste In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, dijon mustard and cider vinegar until smooth. When cool enough to handle, add the slightly warm potatoes, bell pepper, celery, green onions, lovage, and dill and toss gently to combine ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the salad into a serving bowl and serve immediately. The salad will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days. *****If you like your potato salad more creamy, add more Lemonaisse/Dijon Mustard mixture. ****You can substitute regular mayonnaise for the Lemonnaise. ****Other additions to think about: minced garlic scapes, garlic chives, chives, fresh thyme, or any other savory herb. ****Substitute fresh Italian Parsley and Celery leaves for the Lovage if necessary. Enjoy, Craig John...A local sustainable farm fresh food blog... Juicy Garlic www.juicygarlic.com (414) 213-6206 Method: In a large pot, add the potatoes and cover with water. Salt lightly and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender within pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes.