CSA Week 12, I love Corn

Vegetable List
Golden Beets
Brussels Sprouts
Montauk Sweet Corn
German Extra-Hearty Garlic
Baby Bell Peppers
Corvair Shallots
Sungolds
Twin-Grown Watermelon
Butternut Squash
Some Kind Of Zucchini And/Or Summer Squash


Notes from the Farm
I love corn. I love everything about it. There is a comfort in growing and eating corn that I don't really find in other vegetables. It is, as it turns out, the staff of life.
Organic corn is not an easy thing to do... tons of organic farms don't do it, it's a pain, it takes an unnecessary amount of stewardship and we typically only gross $.75 a row foot... which, by modern organic farm standards, isn't very much at all... especially considering the cost of production.
But, and it's a big but, corn is the best.
Corn, more than any other vegetable, represents joy. Rarely do people begrudgingly sit down and spitefully eat a fresh ear of corn... it just doesn't happen.
And in that way, corn is very representative of our whole farming philosophy... we do what we love. When planning the farm, thinking about what we want to grow, we rarely (to never) think about the money... well, we do think about money, I mean, this has to work, we're always trying to figure out how to ensure the future of the farm... so I guess I should say that more than money, we think about what we love... and because of that, because we put a premium on following our bliss, we haven't always set records with our profit margins, it's been a slow road to get to where we are now.
If we wanted this to be a profit driven business, we'd grow tomatoes and herbs, period... and after a couple of years, I can only assume we'd grow to resent the process and cut ties with farming... but that's not us, we want to do what we love.
And the best part is, following our love of farming, the business is really working out well. When we are enthusiastic about food you can be sure that it isn't manufactured, we grew it because we loved it, not because we thought it would be profitable.
The only thing more exciting to me, in regards to farming, than growing the food we grow, is getting other people to love it also. We love sharing this food with you folks, we love introducing you to new foods, making you retry foods you previously thought of as not your bag... we love it all...
Corn makes me remember that... we do what we do because we love it... it's about joy, it's about love, it's about community... one delicious ear at a time.






Recipes
Mexican Corn
Coarse salt
4 ears corn, husks removed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cups freshly grated queso fresco (Hannafords has it)
Cayenne pepper
Lime wedges, for serving
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add corn and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
Place a thick wooden skewer or dowel lengthwise up through base of each ear of corn. Working with one ear at a time, spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise over kernels. Using a spoon, sprinkle 1/2 cup queso fresco over mayonnaise. Season with cayenne pepper and serve with lime wedges.

Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for grates
3 ears corn, husks and silk removed
1 beefsteak tomato (10 ounces), cored, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 orange bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. Place corn on grill. Cover, and cook, turning occasionally, until tender and slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut off tip of 1 ear of corn, and stand in a wide bowl (to catch the kernels). With a sharp knife, carefully slice downward. Repeat with remaining corn.
To bowl, add tomato, bell pepper, scallions, vinegar, and oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Chilled Corn and Coconut Soup
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and chopped
3 cups fresh corn kernels
1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk
2 1/2 cups water
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Fresh corn kernels, for garnish
Bring chile, corn kernels, coconut milk, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until corn is tender, about 20 minutes.
Filling a blender halfway and covering with a kitchen towel, puree soup in batches. Strain through a coarse sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Season with salt and pepper.
Chill soup at least 3 hours or up to overnight. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each serving with fresh corn kernels if desired, and season with pepper.