2017 CSA Week 1

Vegetable List
Baby Mix Lettuce
Nufar Basil
Baby Chard
Garlic Scapes
Head Lettuce
Mustard Greens
Cherry Bomb Radishes
One Measly Zucchini or Summer Squash

Notes from the Farm

The season doesn't feel real until the first day of the CSA... it never does. I'd like to think that we've kind of figured it out, how to get the farm up and going, how to situate ourselves for some kind of sanity... but we haven't, turns out we typically have no idea what's going on.
I joke that farming is kind of like goofing-off or a living, it usually gets a laugh, but it's true... we spend our days doing the most ridiculous things in the most ridiculous ways imaginable... the way we farm feels a lot like we're being left home alone for the first time... chasing the fun with very little regard for causality.
But then the first CSA day rolls around, I wipe my eyes, realize what we've done, what we've promised, shake the cobwebs, kind of come out of a weird spell and get to the real work of feeding all you all. It is an absolute truth that our CSA members are supporting agriculture... without you folks we'd likely be lost in an ever descending cyclone of weird... and while there is a time and place for madness, this is not the time, or the place.
So here we go, 2017, hang on to your halter-tops, its going to be great. This spring has been wetter and cooler than last year, which is good in many ways, it means a slight delay on some crops, but overall things are very well situated for the long run... we fully expect this season to be epic.


Recipes
Mustard Greens are great, but they can be a tough nut to crack. They are spicy, but also sweet. They are great chopped up and added to salad, I love them on burgers, and you can go wrong adding them to any cooked greens recipe. Try them fresh, try them steamed, try them sauteed, just try them... they are great.

Not Spinach Dip
1 cup ricotta
1 cup sauteed or steamed chopped mustard greens
Salt to taste
Crostini or crackers, for serving
Mix ricotta with greens in a shallow dish, season to taste, and bake at 425 degrees until the top is light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Serve the savory spread with crostini or crackers as a Thanksgiving starter.

Pasta with Caramelized Garlic Scapes and Mustard Greens
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch garlic scapes, diced fine
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups chicken broth or water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound fettuccine
2 cups mustard greens
Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sugar and cook, stirring once or twice, until well browned, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to low; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes.
Remove half the garlic and set aside. Add broth or water to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, scraping bottom of pan, for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until a little underdone, and drain. Add to broth; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Add greens; cook, covered, until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in additional tablespoon of butter, if desired. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, garnish with reserved onions, and serve.

Garlic Scape Pesto
1 cup garlic scapes, sliced crosswise (about 10 to 12 scapes)
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup basil leaves
Juice of one lemon


Place the garlic scapes in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.
Add the sunflower seeds and pulse for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the olive oil and process on high for 15 seconds.
Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse until the ingredients are combined.
Add the basil and lemon juice, and process until reaching the desired consistency.
Add salt to taste and serve immediately.