{ Community Supported Agriculture Newsletter {

Dear CSA Members:

It is a stunning, Sunday afternoon at Hawthorne Valley. The June warmth and sunlight have finally enveloped the fields and hillsides. The hedge of peonies by the Farm Store is in full bloom; the counselors for the Summer Camp Program have all arrived and are eagerly volunteering on the farm as part of their counselor training; the farm crew is resting after a full week of dairy chores, and harvesting for the CSA and Green Markets; and my husband, Steffen and our second year apprentice, Mike Wilcox, are out bailing hay, even if it is Father’s Day. “Make hay while the sun shines,” is more than a cliché, it is reality around here!

We have had a wonderful beginning to our CSA season, and I am delighted to be welcoming returning members as well as introducing our new member group in Inwood to Hawthorne Valley. Folks here are working very hard to bring you the highest quality produce each week; we take our commitment to CSA quite seriously, not only in terms of the care with which we grow our food, and treat our land, plants and animals, but also in the realization of CSA concept as a way for producers and consumers to form conscious relations, to hear the needs of one another.

And so, we would like to warmly invite all of you to a very special event. This August 17th-20th Hawthorne Valley Farm will be hosting the national Biodynamic Conference. Our theme will be: “Building Sustainable Communities: Agriculture as Foundation for Social Change.” Building sustainable communities means building a lasting, supportive network of personal, conscious, and collaborative relationships.

Food quality and security is of universal importance to us all; food plays such an important role in our cultural life, in our rituals and celebrations…What better way to build lasting, collaborative relationships, than around awareness of the growth and transformation out of nature of our own food!

Of course, CSA forms the centerpiece for the kind of conscious, personal interactions required to build sustainable communities. We are particularly delighted because Hilary Baum, one of the founders of the Riverdale CSA, will be giving several CSA related workshops as well as leading our final panel discussion on Sunday morning. With other keynote speakers and over 55 workshops to choose from, fine local biodynamic and organic meals being provided, and of course, music and dance as part of the festivities, this conference promises to be an informative and joyous occasion! Please consider joining us…Brochures will be coming down to each site as soon as they come off the press!

Sincerely,

Rachel Schneider, CSA Coordinator

Looking Forward to

Next Week

Anticipated for June 29^th

Beets or Kohlrabi*

Bok Choy

Broccoli, on rotation*

Lettuce

Peas

Scallions

Katy says Zucchini are beginning to fruit! Look for them soon…

* See the June 15^th newsletter for delivery notes.

Strawberries

Now that the sun has come out to stay, strawberries are ripening at Thompson-Finch Farm! These tasty organic treats are included in our CSA fruit share and sold in the Farm Store.

If you didn’t get any, or can’t get enough, you can also visit this fifth-generation family farm in Ancram, NY for pick-your-own strawberries from about mid-June to mid-July. For more information,

www.thompsonfinch.com

518-329-7578

Snap Pea and Cashew Salad

¾ cup salted roasted cashews

½ cup water

1 garlic clove, peeled

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

5 cups torn mixed salad greens

1 ½ cups chopped tomato

1 cup blanched snap peas

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup raisins

For dressing, in a blender or food processor combine ½ cup of the cashews, water, garlic, salt and onion powder. Cover and blend until mixture is smooth and creamy. (Mixture will thicken as it purees.) Stir in lemon juice. In a salad bowl, toss together greens, tomatoes, peas, scallions and raisins. To serve, divide among 4 plates. Sprinkle with remaining cashews. Drizzle dressing over each serving.

MORE E-MAILS!! Dina sent in a recipe a friend shared with her (I’m saving it for the next time arugula shows up in our share) and Nancy writes:

I found this recipe last year in the Williams-Sonoma Complete Grilling Cookbook. (They recommended it for grilled tuna.) We liked it so much we made extra, froze it and served it with our Thanksgiving turkey.

Beet Relish

4 large beets, cooked, peeled and cut into chunks

1 lemon, seeded and cut into chunks

2 pieces fresh ginger (6-8 inches long), peeled and thinly sliced

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped

Combine lemon and ginger and finely chop in food processor. Scrape mixture into saucepan.

Chop beets coarsely in processor and add to the saucepan.

Add sugar.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley.

Cool, cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Beets the Old Days…

My pre-CSA memories of beets go way back to when Mom served them out of a can. If you passed them up for the same reason, maybe it’s time you tried the farm-fresh kind found in your share! (E-mail me at RiverdaleCSA@aol.com if you need beet how-to’s.)

Bok Choy and Snap

Pea Salad

With temperatures already hitting the 90’s, this fresh and light salad is just right for BBQs and picnics.

2 cups torn lettuce leaves

1½ cups thinly sliced Bok Choy leaves & stems

1½ cups snap peas, raw or blanched, halved crosswise

2 radishes, thinly sliced

½ red onion, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients. When ready to serve, pour Lemon Vinaigrette or your favorite dressing over salad and toss. Serves 4.

Lemon Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp. white vinegar

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. hot pepper sauce

Salt to taste

Combine ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake well.