Week 4, June 27 - July 2, 2011

In your CSA bag

~ Lettuce – Green leaf
~ Kohlrabi – 1 bunch
~ Bok Choy – 1 bunch
~ Garlic Scapes – 6 pieces
~ Strawberries – U-Pick only (1 pint) you may pick today or return soon.
~ Radishes –1 bunch
~ Broccoli Raab – 1 bunch
~ Tomato Plant – one plant

Also at the Farm Stand
Grown at Valley Dream Farm...
~ Flowers
~ Herbs
~ Bedding plants (20% off for all members)

Grown locally...
~ Maple Syrup, all sizes available - Maple Shade Farm
~ Tomatoes - Deep Root Organic, Canadian grower
~ Eggs - Great Scape Farm, Cambridge

Coming Soon... ~ Boyden Beef

Recipe of the Week
Stir Fried Baby Bok Choy

About BOK CHOY – Cultivated in China since ancient times, bok choy is found in soups and stir-fries, appetizers and main dishes. Bok choy's popularity comes from its light, sweet flavor, crisp texture and nutritional value. Not only is bok choy high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and calcium, but it is low in calories.

Bok choy, or brassica chinensis to use its scientific name, is classified as a cabbage. Nonetheless, bok choy bears little resemblance to the round European cabbages found in western supermarkets, or to Napa Cabbage for that matter. Its white stalks resemble celery without the stringiness, while the dark green, crinkly leaves of the most common variety is similar to Romaine lettuce. The Chinese commonly refer to bok choy as pak choi or "white vegetable." Another common name is white cabbage.

Storing: Re-cut bottom if wilted and soak in cold water for ½ hr then drain and wrap in plastic and place in crisper, it may
rejuvenate but it is still good even when wilted.

To cook: Chop leaves and stems & sauté or stir fry, with a little olive oil and garlic (use your scapes). Toss with pasta, fresh tomatoes (optional grilled sliced chicken) and your favorite herbs.)

About Strawberries - Store in refrig with a plastic cover; do not wash ahead of use.
To freeze your berries: Whole berries: rinse, air dry well (use fan), remove hulls and place on cookie sheet upside down; freeze 2 hours, remove from sheet into Ziploc bags (makes them easier to measure and separate). For jam or frozen strawberry Margaritas: wash, dry, hull, crush, Ziploc and freeze (optional - you can add ¼ cup of sugar per bag).

News from the Field

This week strawberry picking continues. We will be allowing you to pick a pint of strawberries this week with your CSA share and encourage anyone who would like to pick strawberries not to wait. This is probably the last chance to pick for this season. They may not last another full week. This week you get to pick a pint for free (you have up to a week to come and pick your free pint). Don’t wait too long or they will be over. The weather has been so strange this year. I would hate for you to miss the strawberry picking season. They really brighten up a cold winter’s day.

MEMBERS receive a free tomato plant!

We will be cleaning out our cold frame shortly and welcome any members to a free tomato plant. There never seems to be enough tomatoes in the summer, especially when you want to do some canning and put-up a few quarts for the winter storage months, so we are offering our members a free plant to pot-up for their own door step or deck. My favorite is a tomato sandwich on toasted bread with a slice of Vermont cheddar. It is a great way to start the day.

Things are on a full roll here at the farm. The sunshine we were waiting for has finally arrived. Enjoy the flavors and the sunshine!

Thanks!
Anne Tisbert

Week 3, June 20-25, 2011

In your CSA bag

~ Lettuce - 1 head, your choice of Red Leaf, Green Leaf, Romaine
~ European Cucumber - one (from our greenhouse)
~ Bok choy - 1 head
~ Garlic Scapes - 6 pieces
~ Strawberries - 1 pint

Also at the Farm Stand
Grown at Valley Dream Farm...
~ Flowers
~ Herbs
~ Bedding plants (20% off for all members)

Grown locally...
~ Maple Syrup, all sizes available - Maple Shade Farm
~ Tomatoes - Deep Root Organic, Canadian grower
~ Eggs - Great Scape Farm, Cambridge

Coming Soon...
~ Boyden Beef

Recipes of the Week
Garlic Scapes and Strawberry BBQ Sauce

News from the Field

We've been picking strawberries this week! Pick-your-own customers started arriving last Wednesday when picking was light, but by the weekend people came in droves. We even had to close picking on Monday so CSA members would get their share. We would encourage anyone who would like to pick strawberries not to wait.

The weather was nice all weekend, except for a stray thunder shower with hail. We don't like to see hail shred the leafy crops, like lettuce, Swiss chard and kale; fortunately it was minimal here at the farm. Hope all the Dads in our CSA had a nice Father's Day. Great day for the fishing derby on the Lake, too.

We have just finished reconstructing two of the three greenhouses we lost in the Dec 1st wind storm. Planting has taken top priority on the farm, so the third greenhouse will have to wait.

We are working toward a new certification, GAP (Good Agricultural Practices). The program is required by some large chain stores, like Hannafords and Price Chopper, to protect the public. The object is to be able to trace food back to its source to inspect records of where and how it was grown and how it was packaged. When we became "Certified Organic", we became better field managers and record keepers to comply with their requirements. We hope this GAP certification will also improve our management systems for shipping and be available to help our wholesale markets trace their food back to our farm. We feel it is important to know where you food is grown and how the farmers you buy from grow their crops. Keep it organic and local!

Thanks!
Anne Tisbert

Week 2, June 14-18, 2011

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Bag

~ Baby Lettuce - 1/single, 2/regular
~ European Cucumber - one (from our greenhouse)
~ Broccoli Raab - 1 bunch
~ Green Garlic - 1 bunch
~ Carrots - 1/2 lb
~ Turnips - 1/2 lb
~ Oregano - a few sprigs

Also at the Farm Stand
Grown at Valley Dream Farm...
~ Flowers
~ Herbs
~ Bedding plants (20% off for all members, this week only)

Grown locally...
~ Maple Syrup, all sizes available - Maple Shade Farm
!! CSA members can purchase 2 half gallons for $48 !!
~ Tomatoes - Deep Root Organic, Canadian grower
~ Eggs - Great Scape Farm, Cambridge

Coming Soon... ~ Boyden Beef

Farmers' Markets

We will be in the Essex 5-Corners Farmers' Market across from the train station on Fridays from 3:30 to 7:30. Come see us! It is a great market to stroll around when your work week is over and the weather is nice.

Recipe of the Week Penne with Chicken and Broccoli Raab

News from the Field

The vegetables are getting off to a slow start this year, but our strawberries seem to be ripening ahead of schedule. We are hoping that pick-your-own will be open by this weekend.

This week your CSA bag will have two kinds of greens, one for salad and one for stir fry. Broccholi Raab is great as a side dish sautéed with green garlic; just add shrimp and pasta or rice for a full meal. This week's carrots are from cold storage and are crisp and sweet; they won't keep long so eat them up quickly.

Farmer Joe and the crew are busy planting all the winter squashes. Onions are all in; potatoes will be done as soon as the rain lets up; lettuce is always being restarted; peas and beans are up and growing. Sweet corn looks great and early -- we'll see as it gets closer to picking time!

Thanks!
Anne Tisbert

p.s. I am always looking for new recipes to try and to share in the newsletter. Got any you've tried and found delicious? Please drop off a copy at the farm or in your returning CSA bag.

Week 1, June 6-11, 2011

What delicious organic veggies are available this week at Valley Dream Farm?

In Your CSA Shopping Bag
~ Baby Lettuce - 2 smaller heads
~ European Cucumber - one (from our greenhouse)
~ Rhubarb - bunch
~ Chives - choice

Also at the Farm Stand

Grown at Valley Dream Farm...
~ Flowers
~ Herbs
~ Bedding plants

Grown locally...
~ Maple Syrup, all sizes available - Maple Shade Farm (Share = 2 half-gallons for $50)
~ Tomatoes - Deep Root Organic, Canadian grower
~ Eggs - Great Scape Farm, Cambridge

Coming Soon... ~ Boyden Beef

Recipe of the Week Rhubarb Streusel Cakes

News from the Field

Welcome, Members, to Valley Dream Farm's summer CSA for 2011.

It is a little wetter here than our normal season and all this rain and cold have delayed our crops slightly. Lettuce is in the field just waiting for a big shot of sunshine and warmth. The sweet corn is ahead of schedule -- amazing! Before long you won't believe all your veggies.

We enjoy bringing you fresh and delicious produce each week. As our member you will receive a new Valley Dream shopping bag on your first pickup. It was a big hit with members last year, suitable for shopping anywhere. It is yours to keep and reuse weekly to collect your produce.

Picking up at the Farm Stand

1. Highlight your name on the list for your specific pickup day.
2. Take a copy of this week's newsletter (includes shopping list and recipes).
3. Shop for items on your list using your Valley Dream shopping bag.
4. Let us know if you have any concerns or changes to your pickup day for the following week.

Deliveries

1. Please be sure to take the bag with your name on the newsletter! There are different sizes of memberships, so please take yours.
2. Please return your clean bag next week. You will receive another bag filled with your new items.

Our staff is available to assist you with any purchases or questions that you may have. Read about them below.

Thanks!
Anne Tisbert

Thank you for supporting local farmers

We are looking forward to another successful growing season in 2011. It takes a lot of preparation and a wonderful work crew to get all those vegetables to you each week. We are fortunate to have both.

Our Crew includes:

Tamara, Farm and CSA Manager;
Geoff, Crop Harvest Manager;
Shane, Field and Equipment Manager;
Victor, Doris, Rich. Liana and high school students, harvest and weeding crew;
Heidi, Farm Stand and Greenhouse Manager, CSA Assistant, and our new GAP Safety Coordinator;
Anna, Jackie, Tommy and Crystal, farm stand and greenhouse workers;
Wendy, CSA and Blog news editor and (most important) Bookkeeper.

The Tisbert Family:
Joe, overseers all the land, equipment, wholesaling, and crop planning;
Anne, marketing, CSA, deliveries, farmers' markets, and newsletters;
Jay, Chief Consultant, supervisor of all varieties, head seeder, greenhouse designs and crop planning, CSA and farmers' market welcoming committee;
Becky, our daughter and recent college graduate, works in the fields and is great on a tractor;
Jon, our youngest, is a line cook at Top Notch, loves tractor work and creates amazing displays for our farmers' markets;
Zippy, 9-year-old chow mix;
Bella, 3-year-old bouncy black lab.