{ Community Supported Agriculture Newsletter {

This week’s contribution is from Dan Demaine, our newest staff person. As Katy mentioned last week, he is already proving himself as indispensable. Rachel Schneider, CSA Coordinator

Dear CSA Members:

A few weeks ago, we had a tea here on the farm. The event was a kick-off event for the season and a chance for our local CSA members to meet each other and the farmers. We discussed how the farm came to be, what our current management structure is, and how important Community Supported Agriculture is to the farm. We also had plenty of time to get to know each other. While the discussion and afternoon was very nice, I found myself thinking that one key aspect of being a part of a CSA was missed. In my opinion one of the best parts of CSA is how fun it is.

Being involved with CSA is fun for everyone. For the consumer, the fun exists at several levels. First, there is the food. Every week there is an amazing array of textures, colors and tastes. Even just to walk by the tables laden with boxes of fresh produce is a bit uplifting. In fact, while Steffen and I delivered the produce to Riverdale last week, a passing gentleman was so impressed he inquired about joining right there on the sidewalk. Beyond the food, there is the fun of getting to meet new people. Picking up a CSA share is a social occasion and new friendships and relationships are forged over the common interest of fresh, great tasting vegetables. Lastly, there is the fun of being connected with the farm and the farmers who grow your food. The newsletters bring you inside the farm, the Hawthorne Valley Community, and the farmers’ lives. In addition, many of you will even get to meet and know the farmers personally during the season. Beyond this being somewhat rare in this modern and global food system, it can be a lot of fun for the farmers and the consumers.

For me as a farmer, the fun of working at a CSA farm is one of the primary reasons I am here. I was drawn to agriculture by a passion to be involved with something important and fundamental to life. I admired the honesty of the hard work involved in agriculture and felt I could make a difference as our food system seems to be on the verge of spinning out of control. After studying agriculture at Cornell and working with farmers through a job with Cornell Cooperative Extension, I felt more convinced than ever that agriculture is a worthy pursuit and that farmers are wonderful people to work for. But, my life wasn’t fun. As a graduate student, I spent my days in a high rise research building that (amazingly for an agricultural sciences building) had no windows. As an employee of Cornell Cooperative Extension, I spent much of my time on the phone, in front of the computer, or behind the wheel of my car. The work was rewarding and meaningful but I needed more fun. Working on a CSA farm has brought that in spades (pun intended!). Working on a farm is stimulating physically and mentally in a way that makes me feel particularly healthy. In addition, CSA farms seem to be a magnet for interesting people of varied backgrounds leading to hours of thought provoking and enjoyable conversations during and after work.

So, during this upcoming season, I hope you will enjoy the wonderful produce, bread, yogurt and cheese that come to you each week and I also hope that you have tons of fun. I know I will!

Looking Forward to

Next Week

Anticipated for June 24^th

· Chard

· Lettuce

· Nappa cabbage

· Parsley

· Scallions

· Turnips

Fruit Share Reminder

Unlike vegetable shares, fruit shares are not delivered weekly. Instead, they will arrive only whenever enough fruit ripens to supply all the CSA shares for all of the sites - Harlemville, Riverdale, Spring Valley, and Garden City.

Dairy and Baked Goods are now available for pre-order at your local pick-up site. To ensure that your order gets processed properly, please double –check your math and pay by check made out to Hawthorne Valley Farm.

Broccoli Raab Broccoli Rabe or Rapini

These bitter cooking greens and their sprouts are usually on the menu in Italian kitchens, sautéed with lots of garlic and olive oil or served up with sausage (see the recipe below). For a side dish, spike the flavor of the sautéed greens and garlic with a dash of red pepper flakes, Tabasco sauce, or freshly-squeezed lemon juice. For a main-dish meal, toss the cooked greens with pasta and Parmesan cheese or create a deliciously different pizza by topping a pre-made bread shell with tomato sauce, cooked greens and mozzarella cheese.

Sausage and Broccoli Rabe with Polenta

One of my favorite things to do while visiting Hawthorne Valley Farm is to spend time in the kitchen with Rachel. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of not only preparing this dish for her family, but of also heading out into the garden and farm store to gather all the ingredients.

1 pound broccoli rabe, chopped, tough stems removed

¼ cup olive oil

1 pound hot or mild Italian sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup dry white wine

One 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes in thick puree

1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon dried or 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

2 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 ½ cups water

1 1/3 cups coarse or medium cornmeal

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy skillet. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until just wilted. Remove and set aside. Add the sausage to the pan and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and let cool slightly. Slice the sausage into ½ inch-thick rounds.

2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine and bring to a simmer. Stir in the sausage slices, tomatoes, stock, thyme and 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe, parsley and pepper and return to a simmer.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the water and the remaining 1 ¼ teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Whisk in the cornmeal in a slow steady stream, then whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the polenta is thickened, about 20 minutes.

4. Spoon the polenta onto dinner plates and top with the sausage and broccoli robe ragout.

Turnips

HVF turnips include the small, round Japanese variety and the large, purple-shouldered French types.

Both kinds usually arrive at your pick-up site with the bonus of having their edible greens still attached. Cut off the greens and rinse and store them separately.

If you’re not sure how to prepare either, check out the June 10^th newsletter for quick-to-fix recipes like Caramelized Turnips, Garlic Butter Turnips, and Chile-Vinegar Greens.

Back issues of the CSA newsletter are available from your site manager and are posted on the CSA page at www.hawthornevalleyfarm.org.

Share your favorite recipes and food prep tips with other CSA members. Just e-mail them to RiverdaleCSA@aol.com.