Seeds!

Hi everyone!

We hope everyone’s January has been a pleasant one, offering us a little bit of snow to enjoy. 

** Special note for our Garrison pickup members!  As you know, we have changed this season’s distribution day to Friday.  Recently, we have heard from a few of you that Friday is less convenient than Wednesday was.  Since some of you have already signed up, we can’t switch without a consensus.  Please let us know (secondwindcsa@gmail.com) if you would sign up for a Wednesday pick up and not a Friday.  We genuinely want to make this work for everyone.**

We are excited to report that our seed orders are in!  This season, you’ll be seeing many of the excellent vegetables, herbs and flowers you received in 2011, with a few changes in varieties.  We enjoyed spending many hours exploring our seed catalogs, and can’t wait for the awaited packages to arrive.

We’ve jumped into our crop planning, with great advice from Erin and Sam, who refined their techniques over their 3 years with the CSA.  It’s interesting to work within Jay and Polly Armour’s system of no-till raised permanent beds, because we can plant more per row than other farms who must consider the configurations of their tractor-run weeding and planting implements.  Our soil and compost’s high nutrient density also allows us to pack in a little more than many other farms.  We’re also able to plant in quick succession; when a bed of spinach is all harvested, for instance, we can go in right away and plant something else the same day!  So, we can really do a lot with the acres that we get to work with.

Zooming out from soil chemistry, the organic farming community is abuzz with the upcoming hearing in the big lawsuit over Monsanto’s transgenic/GMO seed: Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) vs. Monsanto.  Some of you might know that Monsanto has developed patented transgenic seeds over the years, which are seeds that cannot be saved and replanted next season, an act that is fundamental to farming!  On top of that, Monsanto charges top dollar for these seeds, such as BT Corn or Round Up Ready.  Well, naturally, since the wind has a habit of blowing every now and then, of course farmers unwittingly end up with their neighbors’ transgenic stuff on their land.  That’s bad enough, especially for organic farmers who can lose their certification, but Monsanto has gone over the top and actually sued those farmers for patent infringement!  It started in 1998, when a canola farmer in Saskatchewan Province named Percy Schmeiser was sued by Monsanto after Round Up Ready canola seed blew into his fields.  Since then, 144 farmers have been dragged into court by Monsanto and 700 others have settled with the beastly company out-of-court.  This aggression on the part of such a powerful agri-giant cannot stand, which is why we thank OSGATA, et al, for their work in preserving farmers’ rights to grow and save their seeds without fear of being trampled by a greedy monstrosity like Monsanto.  Next Tuesday is an initial hearing in the case in NYC, with a support rally happening beforehand.  Read more about it here: http://www.osgata.org/osgata-press-releasesgo http://www.osgata.org/osgata-press-releasesgo

All the Best!

Wes and Bryn

As of tonight, we have two more distribution weeks left! Which is why I hope you all can make it to our work day/potluck party this Saturday! This is the last year Sam and I will be running Second Wind and we would like to celebrate 3 great seasons with you all. Wes and Bryn will also be there–it will be a great way to kick start their new farming adventure as well. On the schedule is a few hours of fall work starting at 1:00 pm followed by a potluck party at 5:00 pm. You don’t have to work to come to the potluck–just bring a dish! Hope to see you there.

Expect the following produce this week:

1 bunch broccoli raab

1 bunch arugula

bok choy

1 bunch scarlet ohno turnips

carrots

1 celeriac

1 butternut squash

onions

garlic

There are a lot of greens this week! It’s about time, right? There is nothing better in the fall than a big pot of cooked greens. They balance out the weight of all the starchy root vegetables, plus, add a great amount of nutrition just when the days are getting short and outdoor fun begins to wain.

(The greens on the turnips this week are quite delicious, so be sure to use them too.)

This week’s recipe is a chili, what better side dish than cooked green to go along with cornbread or rice? Mix them all together, cook them separate, whatever you do they will be great.

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili

2 onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups butternut squash, in small dice

4 cups black beans, cooked

1 quart tomato sauce

1 quart diced or whole tomatoes

fresh chile peppers, seeds removed and chopped

2 TBS cumin powder

1 TBS chile powder

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a large pot, coat the bottom with oil. Add the onions, garlic and butternut squash. Cook until the onions are translucent over medium heat, about 7 minutes.

2. Add the chiles and cook for 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and turn heat down to a low simmer.

4. Cook over low heat for at least one hour, until the squash is well-cooked. Add spices and salt and pepper to taste.

As will all chilies, the flavor improves after 1-2 days in the refrigerator.

Serve with diced avocado and lime.

***Our last distribution days are October 24th and 25th!***

***Community potluck and work day is Saturday, October 22nd!***

Hello folks! I have some great descriptions/recipe ideas/flavor pairings for veggies this week, so please keep reading for those valuable tidbits!

Expect the following produce this week:

Lettuce (either head lettuce or baby lettuce)

1 bunch broccoli raab

1 bunch Chinese broccoli

1 bunch carrots

2 butternut squash

1 celeriac root

onions

garlic

The following items will be available free choice (please read the signs for specific directions):

hot peppers

green tomatoes

tomatillos

herbs

About the Veggies

Butternut squash, pumpkins and other winter squashes:

So, I kind of gave you all Long Island Cheese Pumpkins with no warning last week, didn’t I? Sorry about that. If you are wondering what to do with it, keep reading! You will be getting 2 butternut squashes this week as well. These squashes were the ones on long vines that grew in the grass surrounding the squash field. Because they have been in the damp grass, they are a bit discolored and will not keep as long as their more perfect neighbors. Therefore, I do suggest cooking and freezing the flesh soon, before they spoil.

• All the winter squashes and pumpkins we grow are good for eating. They can all be used in similar ways, with a few exceptions.
• All winter squashes and pumpkins can be roasted whole or halved, on a sheet pan in the oven at 350 degrees for around 45 minutes to 1 hour. They are done roasting when the skin has browned and the flesh is soft. After roasting, the skin and seeds are removed and the flesh can be added to soup (then pureed) or pureed and used in breads and pies.
• Winter squash and pumpkins can also be cut into slices and roasted, although this can be difficult with some of the larger pumpkins.
• Roasted pumpkin and squash can be placed in freezer safe containers and frozen until needed. Freeze roasted squash and pumpkin flesh in 2 cup amounts so it is easier to use in recipes. (2 cups seems to be the most common amount needed for pie, breads, soups, and cake.)
• If the flesh seems to be watery, place cooked squash or pumpkin flesh in a few layers of cheese cloth for half an hour to thicken.
• Butternut squash is the easiest winter squash to peel, so if a recipe calls for peeling a raw winter squash prior to cooking, stick with butternut.

Winter Squash Gratin

A simple and satisfying side dish. Requires a long cooking time, so plan accordingly.

1 large or 2 smaller butternut squash

5-8 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 cup chopped herb: parsley, cilantro, thyme or rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 350 and oil a baing dish, a 9″ square works well.

Peel butternut squash. Slice in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Cube squash into 1-1/2 inch cubes. Toss in a large bowl with garlic, herbs and salt and pepper. Toss with flour to coat. Place piled up in oiled baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in oven until brown and tender, about 2 hours.

Chinese broccoli

We gave out this delectable Asian green earlier in the season, however, this week we are also giving out Broccoli Raab–how confusing! Chinese broccoli is much closer to regular broccoli in appearance and flavor. As opposed to regular broccoli, the upper stems and leaves as well as the florets of Chinese broccoli are eaten. It is quite good in stir fries, as a braised greens dish or even in Mediterranean style pasta and grain dishes.

To prepare, rinses each stalk and chop the lower 2-4 inches of the stalk off and compost, if they seem too tough to eat. Remove the larger greens and coarsely chop. Coarsely chop the stems and florets as well and proceed with recipe. Chinese broccoli can also be braised whole, so you would only need to trim the stalks for this preparation.

Broccoli raab

While quite similar in appearance to the previous green, broccoli raab has a much different flavor. In contrast to Chinese broccoli, broccoli raab has a bitter, mustardy, pungent flavor that you have all grown to love. I usually steam it and then saute it and add garlic olive oil and chile flakes to season it. Be sure to only use the upper portion of the stems, the lower portion is very “woody.” I found this recipe which I am dying to make. It has a long cooking time, but I am sure it is worth it.

I am back after a whirlwind weekend! I feel like I have been away for months, although it has only been a matter of days!

The warm weather of the past two days has got me aching to get back into the field! I am very excited about this week’s produce as well. Expect the following this week:

mesclun mix

1 head Napa cabbage

green beans

potatoes

leeks

garlic

Recipe

Last week my mother made a delicious slaw out of the Napa cabbage for a family BBQ. It was so good that it was practically gone as soon as the party started!

Slaw with Apples and Walnuts

1 head Napa cabbage, shredded

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

2 apples, thinly sliced

1/2 cup walnuts

Toss all ingredients together and then toss with dressing. (See recipe below.)

Slaw Dressing:

3 TBS white wine vinegar

1 TBS maple syrup

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper to taste

1/2 cup EVVO

Whisk all dressing ingredients together, proceed with recipe.

Community Work DAY

We are planning a community work day/fall clean up and potluck for Saturday, October 22. The week after the 22nd will be our last distribution until the week of Thanksgiving. It will be a nice event to end the season with. This is our first event like this and we are hopeful for a good turnout! There will be sign up forms at the distributions starting this week.