Niagara White Grapes - Linvilla Orchards, Media, PA
Watermelon - Lancaster County, PA
Heirloom Tomatoes - Reineer Family Farms, Lancaster, PA
Red Bell Peppers - Lancaster County, PA
Collard Greens - Flaim Farms, Vineland, PA
Golden Zucchini - Landisdale Farms, Jonestown, PA
Organic Beets - Lancaster Farm Fresh, Lancaster County, PA
Hot and Sweet Peppers - Lancaster County, PA
Red and Yellow Onions - Lancaster County, PA
Herdsman Cheddar-Style Cheese - Cherry Grove Farms, Lawrenceville, PA
Eggs, eggs, eggs!
First off, nothing like half a BILLION eggs being recalled to make you feel good about your CSA eggs. I will be enjoying my over-easy eggs with extra relish for the next few weeks.
This week also had a couple of major YUM! moments. Bryan’s comment on the grapes: “These grapes are delicious. They don’t even taste like grapes!” The Herdsman cheese called to me as soon as I saw it, and man, sometimes you can judge a book by its cover. Delicious. So buttery and rich.
But the preggie blues are getting to me. I had to divest myself of the collards, beets and zucchini; I just know I’m not going to have the energy to do something with them. Even the peppers are wearing me out. So you know what that means — share some recipe ideas (preferably ones Bryan can make for me!)
Heirloom Tomatoes - Rineer Family Farms, Lancaster, PA
Cabbage - Lancaster County, PA
Red, White and Blue Potatoes - Lancaster Farm Fresh, Lancaster, PA
Fresh Basil (and it’s purple!)
Fresh Mozzarella - Mancuso’s Cheese Shop, Philadelphia, PA
Eggs
Last week, we hit the point where every single dish or meal I ate was enhanced by some fresh CSA goodie. Let me particularly rave about the Boltonfeta, which found its way into salads, pastas and my hand. It was excellent! Seek some out if you can; Greensgrow is pretty good about stocking the CSA cheeses in their dairy case for all to buy. Also, I think basil is my favorite CSA herb. Not only is it nice to drop in all kinds of things, it makes a lovely little nosegay on your counter — makes your kitchen smell so summery!
This week, I have reached the zen of CSA. Whatever Bryan suggests sounds good to me. He sees potatoes, he wants a roast chicken. Sure, bring it on! Mozzarella and tomatoes for a pizza? Love it! I guess I’m saying I’m out of creative juices for using my basket. Except, of course, kimchi. I love it, and I have no other real interest in cabbage. If it’s a total bust, I’ve lost nothing except possibly a layer of skin due to chili powder contact. Please offer me your advice or your Korean mothers now. I bet I need it.
When does the summer share hit its stride? When I have a big bowl of stone fruits constantly on my counter!
Shiro Plums - Beechwood Orchards, Biglerville, PA
White Freestone Peaches - Beechwood Orchards, Biglerville, PA
Tomatoes - Linvilla Orchards, Media PA
Cucumbers - Lancaster County
Eggplant - Viereck Farms, Swedesboro, NJ
Basil - Flaim Farms, Vineland, PA
Yellow Onions - Lancaster County
Green Bell Peppers (a substitution for Jalapeños - Lancaster County)
Pasta - Superior Pasta, Philadelphia PA
Boltonfeta Feta Cheese - Hidden Hills Dairy, Everett, PA
Amish-style butter
Bryan and I were at a fab wedding this weekend, so Bryce and Stephanie were kind enough to grab our share. Stephanie offered to swap, and I happily offloaded my eggplant. In return, I got 2 bell peppers, 4 plums, one tomato and two peaches. When Bryan heard, he said, “I thought you like Steph. Why are you taking advantage of her like that?” Though she had a good reason (travel), I did feel like I was making out like a bandit on that swap!
Gloria sent a sack of homegrown jalapeños today, so I didn’t have time to get too sad about this week’s substitution. The bell peppers are headed for roasting, though. Like Marisa, I’ve hit my limit on crunching through raw peppers for this summer. Meanwhile, Bryan’s in CSA hog heaven — dill pickles last share (which inspired me to make my own pickles from the carrots and zucchini), and fresh cucumbers this one! We may never kiss again.
Oh yum! Oh heaven! Look at this beautiful array, with nary a kale leaf or beet in sight!
Apricots - Eden Garden Farm, Lancaster, PA
Peaches - Fifer Orchards, Wyoming, DE
Blueberries - Columbia Farms, Hamilton, NJ
Zucchini - Flaim Farms, Vineland, NJ
Tomatoes (from a selection of 5 choices)
I swapped my golden beets for those lovely looking carrots!
Corn on the Cob - Lancaster County, PA
Green Peppers - Viereck Farms, Woolwich, NJ
Pickles - Greensgrow Farm
Daisy - Calkins Creamery (from a selection of at least 10 cheeses)
Eggs
It was POURING rain and miserable when I went to pick up the CSA, so three cheers for the staffers who were out there manning the stand, keeping the bins full and the tents up.
But woe to the CSA members who showed up without their flood gear. Thankfully, I invested in a pair of wellies a few months ago, so I was cool with the monster puddles in high traffic areas, but that “waterproof” jacket I was wearing? Today reconfirmed my need for a replacement. :)
This week also was a test of the substitution emergency response system (did that ever get used on TV? I hated those tests!) that Erik mentioned when we spoke last week. The weather is playing havoc with crops — we have corn already! So, carrots got subsituted with a selection of carrots, turnips, radishes, eggplants and tomatoes. Talk about a grab bag for everyone. I just got swap box lucky to come home with my two top picks, carrots and tomatoes.
So, now that my heart has been warmed to apricots (at least in their cooked form), who has a recipe to suggest for the 20 or so I brought home this week?
Update: Erik from Greensgrow gave me a call, and let me know that they had not “run out” of blueberries — he made an executive decision to substitute the apricots, because they have a much shorter growing season (and said he would email about substitutions in the future.) Also, the spring mix was not the last box, just needed to get restocked from the back. Thanks for the update, Erik!
OK, I’m getting ticked. Greensgrow, do you not know how many people you have in your CSA?
Week one, they were out of eggs. I will accept this, because we got there around 12:30. Still almost 2.5 hours to go in pickup (and the guy at the farm said they had been out since 10:45), but…. Week 3, they were out of sugar snap peas. Week 5, they were out of blueberries! Blueberries that I had specifically not bought at RTM on Friday because I was getting them in my share the following day. And we snagged the last box of spring mix. This is getting there before 11 for both weeks 3 and 5. Who knows what you get if you show up at 2?
This week’s basket actually contained:
Spring Lettuce Mix - Blue Moon Acres, Buckingham, PA
Peaches - Fifer Orchards, Wyoming, DE
Apricots (a replacement for blueberries)
Kale - Greensgrow Farm
Garlic Scapes- Greensgrow Farm
Green Beans- Lancaster County, PA
Beets - Flaim Farms, Vineland, NJ
Cilantro (p.s. Bunched Herbs implies there will be a selection, not just cilantro)
Potatoes- Lancaster County, PA
Cheese -1841, Calkins Creamery, Honesdale, PA
Eggs
I will note they only seem to run out of what I would deem “the good stuff”. There was an endless supply of beets yesterday. Ditto kale. I don’t know if the Thursday folks are helping themselves to the Saturday folks’ share, or you’re just underestimating, but I want my blueberries, and apricots are not really the same.
In less complainy news, I’m going to take a stab at pickling the green beans. Wish me luck!
Cheese -A choice from a variety of LaRaysville cheeses, LeRaysville, Pennsylvania
I better get me some eggs this week, or heads may roll.
I snapped some sugar snap peas right out of Jenn’s garden tonight, and it totally whetted my appetite for this week’s CSA basket. Add mushrooms, strawberries, spring onions and carrots, and there are some mighty fine meals heading my way this week.
But, this week also has a choice of kale or swiss chard - ooh, talk about Sophie’s choice! If this keeps up, I may make it far enough down Gloria’s recipe list to get to kale soft serve. In case you also got the Greensgrow newsletter, and were wondering how the kale chips they suggested last week came out:
In the immortal words of Fidel Gastro, why did I eat this? I felt like I was being punished for some past crime by my tongue. They tasted exactly as good as they look.
But seriously, folks. Can any of you recommend a place that makes really good kale or swiss chard? Like, good enough that a lifelong greens hater might be turned around? This is basically the method I have used to change my opinion on nearly all vegetables, so I’m all ears. Tell me where to go and what to order — maybe kale and I just need the right matchmaker!
Cheese - A choice from a variety of cheeses from Shellbark Hollow Farm, West Chester, PA
Dairy Option - CHOOSE ONE: 1 dozen Free-Range Eggs, 2 Pequea Valley Yogurts, Tofu, Seitan or 1/2 lb. Amish-style Butter
It’s back! Summer is here, and so is the CSA. The first week of the new season is always interesting — no more meat this year, and tofu and seitan in the “dairy” option.
The dairy option that was out of my beloved eggs (by 11 AM, they said!), and so I am crying into two little yogurt cups instead. I am not a fan of the butter, so I think I will have to venture into the tofu/seitan universe. I actually thought I might give the seitan a shot this week, but when I saw it, I just couldn’t imagine what I was going to do with it. Clearly, this will require more planning and research.
I got the sharp chevre from Shellbark on Jenn’s recommendation — I was very pleased to see they were offering up more varieties this year beyond the fresh and the chive. And the produce options definitely seemed a little larger this year. A quart of strawberries instead of a pint. 4 zucchini instead of 2. 2 heads of lettuce instead of one. We’ll see if I still think this is a good thing 10 weeks in!
