News from Rachel on the Farm-

Dear CSA Members:

It is a beautiful morning after a gentle rain as I sit down to welcome you all to a new growing season at Hawthorne Valley Farm. A very special welcome to all our new members in Spring Valley, Garden City, Riverdale, and here in Harlemville. And of course, to our returning members, thank you for your continuing support of our farm. We are going to have a great season this year.

Our vegetables are growing well and looking healthy and happy, thanks to the tireless effort of our co-workers. This year I am particularly grateful to welcome Dan Hayhurst to the farm. We are sharing the management of the garden together and exploring how to divide the many garden tasks between us. Dan has worked at several farms before this one and comes with a wealth of knowledge and a kind and even disposition, so working together continues to be a positive and exciting experience. Katie Lince and Judith Madey return to help Steffen with the animals and the field work. And we also welcome Rebecca Nellenback, Aaron Underwood, and Diana Kobland as our official apprentices for the season. Each of these wonderful young people will take a turn at writing this weekly article and giving you a feeling for life at Hawthorne Valley.

For my part, each year as I watch our beautiful cows, sleek and fat, grazing on bright green fields and look over our pastures and gardens, I become increasingly aware of how important you are as members of this farm, to its ongoing success. It is much more even than the financial support you offer. Your interest in every aspect of life at Hawthorne Valley is obvious at membership meetings we have attended. To keep this vital connection strong and to deepen it each year is the mission of CSA. It is this interest that will keep Hawthorne Valley thriving year after year. In this sense Hawthorne Valley Farm belongs to all of us.

Enjoy your first tastes of the valley!

Rachel Schneider, CSA Coordinator

Anticipated Harvest for 6/21/01

Lettuce Radishes

Braising Mix Scallions

Fruit Shares: Strawberries!

Delivery of Flower Shares!

Saturday, June 30^th

“CSA Farm Day”

Thompson-Finch Farm

Strawberry Picking

Open from 9 am - 5pm

12:00 pm

Tour the Farm with Don

Picnic near a shady creek,

or visit Hawthorne Valley Farm, about 25 minutes north.

( for Strawberry Picking info, call 518-329-7578.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Hawthorne Valley Farm

“Fun on 400 Acres”

Tour, hike, swim, or just relax & watch the cows come home!

3:00 pm

Picnic with Rachel & Steffen

You don’t even have to pack your own Picnic –

The HVF Natural Foods Store

is open from 9 am - 5pm

ToThompson-Finch Farm: Taconic Pkwy North.

Exit at "ANCRAM, HUDSON" Turn right onto RTE 82 SOUTH.

At about 6 ½ miles, turn left on WILTSIE BRIDGE RD.

Farm is ½ mile on the right.

To Hawthorne Valley Farm: Taconic Pkwy North

to "PHILMONT" exit.

Take ROUTE 21C to Harlemville. Farm is on the left.

For overnight accommodations or other Columbia County sites and attractions, call their Chamber of Commerce at 518-828-4417.
It Ain’t Easy Being Greens

Of course there’s lettuce, and lots of it during the CSA season, but greens come in all shades and varieties. Certain salad greens, which are usually eaten raw, take on an added dimension when they are cooked. Others, categorized as cooking greens, are best steamed or lightly sautéed. Here are some tips on how to prepare and store both types:

Not just for Salad Boston lettuce sautéed in some butter makes an old-fashioned French side dish to serve with delicately flavored fish. Or cut down on your carbohydrates by using large, flat lettuce leaves as a wrap for warm or cold fillings. Lettuce leaf “cups” are perfect for servings of vegetable, fruit, bean, or pasta salads. Or try lining a plate with shredded lettuce or whole leaves as a terrific base for marinated and grilled meats.

Braising Mix is so versatile! When you receive it loose, these tender baby greens can be eaten raw, on sandwiches or tossed into a lettuce salad for a flavor accent. Use it the same way you would use arugula or mesclun mix. When these greens arrive in bunches, they have grown into larger, spicier leaves and are best treated as cooking greens.

Cooking Greens include Bok Choi, chard, collards, kale, mustard, mizuna, and the edible green tops of turnips, beets, or kohlrabi. Although the flavors and cooking times may vary, when it comes to using these greens in recipes, you can usually substitute one cooking green for another, or mix them up to create your own combos.

To Keep Greens Fresh, Crisp & Long-lasting, pick through them and remove any damaged or soggy leaves. Separate leaves and plunge in icy cold water, rinse and drain. Put in a salad spinner or loosely pat with a towel. Store in the refrigerator's crisper drawer, covered with linen or paper towels. Or loosely fill a plastic bag, leave the top open, not sealed, and put on the refrigerator shelf.

If your greens wilt, there was probably not enough humidity to keep them crisp. Revive them by soaking (as needed, up to 30 minutes) in icy cold water with 1 Tbsp. white vinegar per quart of water. Dry and store using one of the methods above.

If your greens rot, most likely they were stored too soggy, packed too closely, or were affected by already damaged leaves. Salvage what you can and toss the rest on the compost pile. Next time, try one of the above storage methods instead.

Garlic Butter Turnips (Save the greens for the next recipe!)

v Melt 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. oil in a sauté pan.

v Add 1 clove of minced garlic and cook until golden.

v Mix in 5 cups thinly sliced turnips.

v Sauté until tender and browned.

v Season with 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley and ¼ tsp freshly chopped rosemary, salt and pepper.

(Adapted from the Joy of Gardening by Janet Ballantyne)

Sautéed Greens

with Warm Feta

We serve grilled chicken and warm pita with this quick and easy Food & Wine recipe. Use the turnip greens and spice them up with some of the braising mix. Of course chard, kale or beet greens would work as well, but they weren’t in this week’s share!

½ lb feta cheese, sliced ¾” thick

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons oregano leaves

¼ to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper

¼ tsp. finely grated lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 pounds cooking greens,

coarsely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper Assorted olives & bread

Preheat the oven to 375^o.

Cut the feta slices into large triangles and arrange in a single layer in a baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. olive oil with oregano, red pepper, lemon zest and half the garlic.

Spread the marinade all over the feta cheese and let stand at least 5 minutes.

In a large deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering.

Add the remaining garlic and cook over moderate heat stirring until pale golden, 1 or 2 minutes.

Add the greens, a handful at a time and cook, stirring until tender, about 4 minutes.

Pour off any liquid and season greens with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Bake the feta for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.

Spoon the greens onto 4 plates and add the feta, olives & bread. Drizzle feta juices over the bread. Serve immediately.