Dear CSA Members:
Alec hails from Vermont and spent all of last season apprenticing on a biodynamic farm in Finland, where he met Talvikki, who wrote the CSA article last week. Alec brings a wonderful sense of careful plant tending along with him, as well as a keen interest in greenhouse growing.
Rachel Schneider, CSA Coordinator
As summer slowly begins to wind down, changing the length of the days towards autumn, the real harvest begins. I must confess, I pledge my devotion to garlic and cabbages and all the vegetables which have taken summer's energy to mature.
Please do not be put aside by thinking I don’t hold a special place in my heart for chard and bok choi and kale and lettuce and the other leafy vegetables which do not take so long to mature. I only place more emphasis on the longer maturation of others perhaps in anticipation of tasting them.
In terms of the garden's functioning, this season has certainly proven rocky, starting deficient potting soil and weeds that grow at the speed of light. However, it now looks beautiful and the harvest is plentiful.
If you have a spare moment to stop by the farm in your travels, I would encourage you to do so, on behalf of the fine and hardworking apprentices and volunteers this season. I would be happy to show you around. Enjoy the veggies....
Alec
NOTE: To visit Hawthorne Valley Farm, drive north along the scenic Taconic State Parkway to Harlemville in Columbia County.
The farm includes 400 acres of barns, fields and gardens. Take a dip in the creek, stop for lunch and shopping at the HVF natural foods store, or just hang around and watch the cows come home.
For a side trip, stop at Thompson-Finch Farm in Ancram off of Route 82 on Wiltsie Bridge Road. They are currently open on Saturdays for berry picking and later in the season for pick-your-own apples (call first, 518-329-7578).
To arrange a guided tour or to meet our farmers, please call a
week in advance. For info on local attractions or accommodations
contact Columbia County Tourism at 1-800-724-1846 or www.columbiacounty.org.
Looking Forward to Next Week’s Harvest
Anticipated for August 7th
Vegetable Share
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Bok Choy
- Chard
- Corn
- Cucumbers (for some)
- Lettuce
- Peppers (for some)
- Scallions
- Zucchini (for some)
Fruit Share
- Apricots
- Blueberries
As mentioned in your CSA brochure, in order for you to enjoy corn as part of your share, we have once again included conventionally grown local corn from Kinderhook Creek Farm.
Growing corn requires a lot of fertility. Hawthorne Valley Farm currently uses every bit of the more than 400 tons of compost made on site, which is not enough to grow corn in the quantities needed to fill your shares.
Ravioli Stuffed with Chard
The shortcut to making these raviolis is to use store-bought wonton wrappers* in place of homemade pasta. Once you see how easy it is, you’ll want to experiment and create your own stuffing combinations! Serve the ravioli with a simple tomato sauce or herbs and melted butter.
2 pounds Swiss Chard, cooking greens or braising mix
2 ½ Tablespoons finely chopped onion
3 ½ Tablespoons chopped prosciutto or bacon
3 Tablespoons butter
1 cup ricotta
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup grated parmesan
grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper
non-stick vegetable oil spray
1 package wonton wrappers*
1 egg white, whisked with 1 tbsp water until foamy
Make filling:Remove any thick stems from the greens and discard any bruised, wilted, or discolored leaves. Wash thoroughly in cold water. Drain, leaving some water clinging to the leaves. Coarsely chop. In a small sauté pan, cook the onion, prosciutto, and butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent. Add the greens and cook until just tender and the butter is absorbed. Empty the greens into a bowl and cool. Drain and press out any extra liquid. Mix greens with ricotta, egg yolk, grated Parmesan and pinch of nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare ravioli:Line a baking sheet with foil; spray with non-stick spray. Place 4 - 6 wonton wrappers on work surface; cover remaining wrappers with plastic to prevent drying. Lightly brush entire surface of wrapper with egg white. Spoon 1 teaspoon filling into the center of each wrapper. Fold wrappers diagonally in half, forming triangles. Press edges firmly to seal, Arrange ravioli on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, preparing additional baking sheets as needed.
To make ahead: Cover uncooked ravioli with plastic wrap and chill overnight. To freeze, put uncooked ravioli on baking sheets in freezer. Once frozen, remove and pack in plastic bags and return to freezer. If frozen, do not thaw before cooking.
To Cook: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop in the ravioli in batches and cook until they rise to the top, about 4 minutes for fresh and 5 minutes for frozen. Transfer cooked ravioli to colander and drain. Toss in bowl with melted butter and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining raviolis.
Variations: There are endless possibilities, so be creative – try olive oil instead of butter, substitute goat cheese or feta for the ricotta; skip the greens and season the ricotta with finely snipped fresh basil and minced garlic; use leftover cooked chicken, ham or turkey.
*In the supermarket, wonton wrappers are often kept chilled in either the specialty section near the tofu or in the frozen food section.
To Everything
There Is A Season…
Strawberries ended weeks ago, and zucchini season is in full swing. Before cabbage and cold weather root vegetables appear, now is a good time to think about preserving a taste of summer.
The simplest way to satisfy out-of-season yearnings (or get a handle on the current avalanche of abundance) is to blanch and freeze your veggies.
Blanching: Boil water, then add veggies and start timing.
|
Vegetable |
Blanch for: |
|
Broccoli |
4 minutes |
|
Cabbage |
2 ½ minutes |
|
Carrots, cut |
3 minutes |
|
Cooking Greens |
3 minutes |
|
Corn |
5 minutes |
|
Green Beans |
4 minutes |
|
Green Peppers, rings or strips |
3 minutes or leave raw |
|
Zucchini, sliced |
4 minutes |
Vegetable Freezing Tips
- Wash veggies well and prepare as for cooking (peel, trim, seed, etc.).
- Cut into uniform pieces (chop, shred, slice, etc.).
- Blanch in boiling water.
- Quickly cool in ice water. Drain and dry thoroughly.
- Pack tightly in bags or containers, pressing out as much air as possible.
- Label and freeze for up to 12 months.
Adapted from Just Food Tip Sheets www.JustFood.org