CSA Week 4: What's in your basket this week?

What did you get this week, and what region are you in? I was just looking at a picture of a share in Alabama this week-- as you would expect, completely different veggies (tomatoes, peppers... a giant cantaloupe).

We did give away some beets to my dad last week. We are continuing to do well with using the full share-- I have had to put a few odd leaves of limp lettuce in the compost, but there hasn't been any major waste, so far.

Here's our share. I had to put it on the table this week and stand on a chair to take the picture.

Sam was once again exhausted from baby socialization at Music Time at Central St. Farmhouse, and was thus unable to play with the produce. He had a blast, though, showing off his forward scooch and making Ring Wraith noises with the other baby his age.

 I'm guessing a little for amounts this week because I don't have the newsletter right in front of me:

2 heads of lettuce
1 lb salad mix
1 bunch of Hakuri turnips
1 bunch of carrots
1 bunch of chard
1 bunch of kale
1 bunch of scallions
1 bunch of garlic scapes
1 (enormous) head of pak choi

 Tentative Meal Plan

Big salad with cheese and 5-minute bread

At least three batches of Kale Chips. Maybe I will get to eat some this time!

Pasta with greens and ricotta, from the Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day (I'll use all chard)

Homemade pizza with garlic scape pesto (never made this last week)

I am torn between doing a basic stir fry and making spring rolls, which would make good use of some of the remaining veggies-- I've never made them before. Any tips? I was thinking the kids might enjoy rolling them/ customizing them (perhaps... even eating them).

Tomato soup, five minute bread, salad

Grill night-- hot dogs, trimmings. and, shockingly, salad.

CSA Week 3: beets are a challenge for me.

 Sam is intrigued by the broccoli in our farm share this week-- some fell out when I was unpacking and he went to town.

What's in our share this week:

1/2 lb salad mix
1 bunch Hakuri turnips
1 bunch kale
1 bunch swiss chard
1 bunch garlic scapes
2 heads of lettuce
1 bunch carrots
1 bunch beets
2 lbs broccoli 

Tentative Meal Plan  (Plus: Kale Chips)

Roasted Shrimp with Broccoli, rice, fruit
Chicken with honey roasted carrots, roasted beets, 5 minute bread, Salad
Big salad with leftover chicken, roast veggies
Pasta with swiss chard and goat cheese
Homemade pizza with garlic scape pesto on the "adult" side, salad
Taco salad bar (black beans and fresh corn chips); Breakfast for dinner (hmmmm...) with salad.

Latest green(ish) challenge

We are all enjoying the sun, especially Rosie Dangercat.

 1. Many cloth diapers are hanging on the line. Sam closely examined blades of grass while I hung it up.  We'll see if I can keep this up all week. The weather looks like it will be great, though, so I have a decent shot. And I am not actively behind on laundry right now, either.

2. Lots of exercise for all of us this week-- Rachel went to track camp and I got in a four mile run/jog/walk this morning with Sam (who enjoyed a nap).

3. Rachel and I started a craft project during the rain this weekend: a prayer flag for our backyard. It looks like it will be really neat.

4. We have almost eaten our entire CSA share for this week, except for the beets. I may give them to my dad, who loves beets. I have one head of lettuce left but will likely give it to a friend. New share tomorrow!

CSA midweek, and another Potter-a-thon

1. So far, so good on the CSA share for this week. We've eaten about half the greens (kale chips! they continue to eat them. I actually did take a video....) and will be making the other half into Gillyweed (greens and cheese) Burritos for our unsuspecting company tomorrow night. We have eaten a ton of salad and I have discovered that I actually like the little white turnips, go figure! I have many negative memories of turnips but these taste good, even without salad dressing. We have basically stuck to the menu plan with one exception (listed in #2).
What is helping us use all our CSA share, so far:

• making a menu plan
• not going to the grocery store for staples until after we pick up our farm share
• combining strong flavored greens with milder ones
• sharing.
  Also, I just didn't grow lettuce in our family garden-- I plan to do some as a fall crop, but I didn't do any in the spring. I don't feel nearly as overrun with salad as I have in the past, even though we had to buy it at the farmer's market early in the season.

2. We had pizza one night so we could do a big Harry Potter marathon and finish Book 6. I couldn't believe we were at the end, but I guess the end of school and a highly motivated Rachel contributed to our speed. Plus Book 6 is a bit shorter, and was easier to read aloud than Book 5. So now we are on to Book 7.  This excites me for several reasons, not the least of which is that we will be reading a non-Harry Potter book for bedtimes in the near-ish future. We're thinking it will be The Hobbit.
3. I'm starting the green(ish) challenge Monday, because I managed to get all the laundry "done" before the weekend.

Why I'm not doing laundry today. Picture by Adam (made this fall, I think).

CSA Week 2: KALE KALE KALE

ALERT: My children consumed a green vegetable!!

I made kale chips this week for the first time and they were an amazingly big hit. I just tossed the washed kale with olive oil and then sprinkled on a little sea salt, and baked them in a low oven for just under 20 minutes. I was a little shocked they even tried them, but then they found that they loved them. They asked me to make them again. They begged me for more. "Can I have a few before dinner?" Uhm, sure. You do that. "Can we put the bowl between me and Adam?" Why yes, yes you can. "Do we have any more kale?" No. "Will we get some in the CSA share tomorrow?" Molly was also charmed at the amazing kale consumption and she gave us an extra head of kale, so... kale chips it is.
Seriously, watching them eat the kale chips was one of the highlights of my parenting career. Maybe I will video it tonight so I can watch it again and again.

Sam didn't pose with the produce this week because he collapsed in exhaustion after we went to Music Time at the Central Street Farmhouse.

This week's share:
1 lb salad mix
1 bunch Hakuri turnips
1 lb beet greens
1 bunch kale
1 bunch green garlic
2 heads lettuce
1/2 lb spinach
1 bunch beets

Tentative meal plan: lots of salad. And kale chips.

Mixed green salad with roasted beets(recipe in our farm newsletter), 5 min. bread
Grilled chicken, salad, salt and vinegar potatoes with rosemary
Pasta with greens and white beans
Turkey burgers, giant salad
Tomato soup, salad, 5 minute bread
Spinach quiche, mixed green salad, 5 min. bread
Waffles, fruit... and salad.

CSA Week 1

Today we picked up our first CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share from the Brewer Farmer's Market. We are doing a full share with Nettie Fox Farm this year. We bought produce from Molly a lot last year and I was always happy with the quality, so when we decided to switch CSAs this year we went with her.
This week's produce:

what WILL you do with all that kale? this picture is at a funny angle because I had to hold onto him while I took it-- still not so steady with the sitting thing.

 This week's share: 1 lb salad mix, 1 bunch radishes, 1 head pac choi, 2 bunches kale, 1/2 lb arugula, 1 bunch green garlic, 1 baby head lettuce, 1 bunch radishes, and 1/2 lb spinach









Tentative Menu Plan for this week:

1. Kale-Cheese Burritos with Blender Hot Sauce (adapted from Moosewood)-- 1 bunch kale, green garlic
2. Father's Day Meal: Roast Chicken, Spinach Salad, 5 minute artisan bread (we're having company, so I'll roast two chickens)
3. Giant Salad with leftover chicken, radishes, 5 min bread
4. Arugula Pesto on whole wheat pasta, tossed salad
5. Chicken Soup with Kale and White Beans (made with final leftovers of chicken)
6. Shrimp Stir-Fry with Pac Choi/ remainder of green garlic, brown rice
7. Kale Chips