Winter Share, Week 1, Dec 6, 2012

This Week’s Vegetables: 

• Potatoes – Blues - 5lbs 
• Squash – 1 acorn, 1 butternut, 1 pie pumpkin (u can cook & eat the pumpkin just like butternut squash) 
• Carrots – 2lbs 
• Turnips (gold) – 2lbs 
• Beets (red) – 2 lbs 
• Brussels Sprouts – 1lb 
• Onions – 2 lbs 
• Cabbage – 1 head 
• Kale – 1 bunch 
• Lettuce - 1 bag 
• Garlic – 2 small

Regular members will pick-up or be delivered again in two weeks, on Dec.20th. Single and senior size members will receive their next box on January 3rd. 

Recipes and Tips:

Winter Squash Tips

Gold Turnip and Onion Casserole

Shredded Beets and Cabbage

Kale recipes

... more at valleydreamfarm.com

Hello & Welcome Members,

This is the first week for CSA Winter Season!

You are receiving this while we are in sunny Florida. It started like this, Jay bought a time share in Orlando so he could force us to take an annual family vacation. I am not saying it is a bad thing at all. I kind of like being forced on a vacation. Only wish the whole family was joining us. Jon our youngest has to stay home, to keep working at this new job. Some years we trade it with the RCI exchange and go further south where it is slightly warmer. This year we decided to return to Orange Lake our home resort. Then my sister called and had vouchers for a cruise ship that would expire if not used, so Ashley, Becky, and Kevin (Beck's boyfriend) are taking Jay for the weekend (Party Central) while Joe and I go on a little 4 day cruise. I am so darn excited. We all are! First stop Harrisburg PA then onto Chattanooga, TN, then Orlando bound. A week there and ending with a cruise before we drive back. That should take the stress right out of the Holiday rush. I will be thinking warm thoughts of all of you back in Vermont.

Things run slightly different for the winter CSA, the farm store is closed, yet deliveries are still on Wednesdays and Pick-up at the farm is on Thursdays from 5-6 pm in our heated storage room. (this is the same place as last year for returning members.) For new members it is on the Irish Settlement Rd-side of the barn past the greenhouse and silos and through the white paned door beside the loading dock. Enter and take a right into our heated dry storage area. We will light it up and label it for you!

Winter Squash has a much shorter window than potatoes, so what we recommend is for you to use them in the next week or two and then cook the remaining ones (I bake/roast for an hour or so, until brown), then cut in half, remove pulp, seeds, and skin while still warm. Mash or puree the flesh and then freeze them in zip-loc type bags for the best quality all winter long.

Winter shares has us digging most of your vegetables from our winter storage bins and cooler. We have included a how best to store your veggies when you get them home. There are many recipes on our web site if you need a new idea on how to fix up your veggies. You can look them up at www.valleydreamfarm.com or on our recipe blog.

We are now looking forward to 2013! WE will soon be flipping through the seed catalogs. Tell us if you have a favorite variety that we should order. 

Enjoy your veggies and Have a great Holiday Season!

Anne

Week 24, Nov 13, 2012

Available for you:

Butternut Squash - 2
Orange Sweet Potatoes - 12
Diakon Radish - 1
White Potatoes - 1 quart
Carrots - 6
Onions - 2 med/large
Turnips - Gold tops 2
Kale - loose 1 XL handful
Celery - (good for soups & stuffing)
Garlic - 1 bulb

deliveries are subject to change

Recipe of the week:

Sweet Potato Cornbread

Hello members!

THIS IS THE LAST WEEK #24 for the summer CSA shares! Thank you for being members this season.

It is time to order your box for Thanksgiving. It comes with vegetables, local cranberries, and even two homemade pies.

SIGN-UP for a WINTER SHARE today (begins Dec.5th & 6th)

Check out your items this week. There is nothing new but we have the return of orange sweet potatoes again. I lightly scrub and put into the oven to bake. They are also good roasted into bite sizes with the skins on and cook much faster. I think they taste like sweet potato fries with a little olive oil and garlic salt, while they cook. They are so delicious.

Butternut Squash this week, can be roasted whole (350° washed, dried and lightly oiled on a lined baking sheet - no piercing ) and when cooked (about hour in a half to two hours, softened slightly) and cooled then cut in half, remove the seeds and strings and serve with a pat of butter and if you have a sweet tooth, then add a drizzle of maple syrup.

Storing Sweet Potatoes

After harvest, most types of sweet potatoes should be "cured" in a warm, dry spot for several days (outside if the weather is nice). A rinse or dunking in a mild bleach solution will kill any exterior pathogens that might shorten the life of the potatoes in storage. Dry them well, then move to a warm (around 65°), relatively dry place. Un-damaged potatoes stored this way can last for several months. By mid Jan you should cook all and then cube or puree it, and freeze it for later use the rest of the winter.

2013 SHARES

A $50 deposit holds your spot for the 2013 Summer Season. Shares are expected to begin June 10, 2013. We will offer both 24 week and 16 week options. Do you remember eating those delicious juicy tomatoes the first week of June from our CSA this past year. These deposits help to fuel the greenhouse and help us to order organic seed.

Don't forget to SIGN-Up!

Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 23, Nov 6, 2012

Available for you: 

Sweet Dumpling Squash - 2
White Sweet Potatoes - 8
Diakon Radish - 1
Blue Potatoes - 1 quart
Carrots - 1 bunch
Brussels Sprouts - 1 quart
Onions - 2 lb bag
Turnips - Purple tops - 2
Celery - 1 bunch
Kale - loose 1 XL handful
Garlic - 1 bulb
Tomatoes - green - 1

deliveries are subject to change

Recipe of the week:

Brussels Sprout and Apple Tofu Salad

Hello members! 

It is time again to order your basket for Thanksgiving. It comes with vegetables, local cranberries, and even two homemade pies. The last CSA pick-up is next week (week of Nov 12th) so SIGN-UP for a WINTER SHARE today (begins Dec.5th & 6th)

Check out our items this week. We have the return of white sweet potatoes again, they are a bit smaller than the orange ones but taste just as good. I lightly scrub and put into a roaster pan whole. I like to roast them best with the skins on. I think they taste like sweet potato fries with a little olive oil and garlic salt, while they cook. They are so delicious.

Sweet Dumpling Squash this week, can be roasted whole (350° washed, dried and lightly oiled on a lined baking sheet - no piercing ) and when cooked (about an hour, softened slightly) and cooled then cut in half, remove the seeds and strings and serve with a pat of butter and if you have a sweet tooth, then add a drizzle of maple syrup.

Storage for Squashes

After harvest, most types of winter squash should be "cured" in a warm, dry spot for several days (outside if the weather is nice). A rinse or dunking in a mild bleach solution will kill any exterior pathogens that might shorten the life of your squash in storage. Dry it well, then, squash should be moved to a cool (around 55°), relatively dry place. Un-damaged squash stored this way can last for several months. By mid Jan we tend to cook all the Squash, then puree it, and freeze it for later use the rest of the winter.

2013 SHARES

Also a $50. deposit holds your spot for next year - 2013 Summer Season. Shares to begin June 10th 2013. We offer both 24 week and 16 week options. This also helps us to order the fuel for the tomato greenhouses. Do you remember eating those delicious juicy tomatoes the first week of June from our CSA this past year?  (Yep, it was because we heated the greenhouses and planted the tomatoes on March 1st.) Don't forget to SIGN-Up!

Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 21, Oct 21-27, 2012

Available for you:

• Jack-o-Lantern 
• Green Acorn Squash - 1 
• White Sweet Potatoes - 4 
• Diakon Radish - 1 
• Red/Red Potatoes - 1 quart 
• Carrots - 1 bunch 
• Beet Greens w/some baby beets - 1 bunch 
• Celery - 1 bunch 
• Peppers - 2 
• Garlic - 1 bulb 
• Tomatoes - green - 3 

deliveries are subject to change

Recipe of the week:

Sweet Potato with peach-cilantro salsa

A true yam is a starchy edible tuber that is generally imported from the Caribbean. It differs greatly from the sweet potato in taste, texture, appearance and family. Depending on the variety, sweet potato flesh can vary from white to orange and even purple. The orange-fleshed variety was introduced to the United States several decades ago. In order to distinguish it from the white variety everyone was accustomed to, producers and shippers chose the English form of the African word “nyami” and labeled them “yams.” Even though the USDA requires that orange-colored sweet potatoes always be labeled “sweet potato,” most people still think of sweet potatoes as yams regardless of their true identity. http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com

Hello members!

If you missed it last week, remember All members and all their Children receive a jack-o-lantern pumpkin from our bedding plant greenhouse. Stop by at your convenience to help your children pick out a pumpkin. One for your family and one for every child. Due to the weight please come to the farm at your convenience.

Check out our new items this week. Red/Red potatoes make nice pink smashed potatoes skins and all. Sweet Potatoes, are delicious and taste as good as the classic orange sweet potatoes. They are delicious roasted/baked, skins on, cut into cubes with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic salt and rosemary too, took just over an hour. They tasted like sweet potato fries, also one of my favorites. Did you know that sweet potatoes are recommended for diabetics. It is hard to believe that such a sweet tasting vegetable is so good for you. This weekend I used them roasted and even though the bottoms were blackended it was not a burnt flavor but more like a carmelized crunch that I just couldn't stop eating them... this is not good for the diet we are on.

We are having a little family competition. Ashley decided we are all a little or maybe more than a little overweight. The whole family and a few extended members are involved. You have to weigh-in every Monday. It has been going on for about 6 weeks. Currently, Joe is winning as he is down just over 20lbs. I know I've lost ten pounds but my weigh-in today is going to be bad, I had way too much bread and potatoes this weekend, as both are my favorites. I hate that our weigh-ins are on Mondays, bad timing for me, after a weekend in the kitchen cooking and nibbling. The winner has no liquor tab when we go on our winter Florida vacation. Florida is so warm compared to our northern chilly winters. We cannot vacation in the summer as we are way too busy. Jay bought a time share just outside of Disney and forces us to take a week off annually now. I often wonder how we didn't make time for this in the past as we look forward to our family gathering in the south.

I should have cut up some diakon radish, another new item this week. They are very juicy and sweet. A great snacker. They do not have the bitter burn of a typical red radish. The flavor is closer to the salad turnips we had this summer only the texture is more like a radish. They are very very juicy and have a nice little warm after finish with a radishy residual flavor. I have to say quite nice and a new treat to put out with your veggie platters right along side the carrots, celery, peppers, and cukes. They are quite big and store well in the refrigerator, so I just peel them up and then make 1/4 inch sticks. They were sampled last week by the guests on our local farm tour, people really enjoyed them and I think you will too.

Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 20, Oct 15-20, 2012

Available for you: 

• Jack-o-Lantern 
• Butternut Squash - 1 
• Fingerling Potatoes - 1 quart 
• Carrots - 1 bunch 
• Red Chard - 1 bunch 
• Beet Greens w/some baby beets - 1 bunch 
• Celery - 1 bunch 
• Cilantro - 1 bunch 
• Peppers - 2 
• Garlic - 1 bulb 
• Tomatoes - green - 3 

deliveries are subject to change

Recipe of the week:
Fried Green Tomato BLT Sandwiches

Hello members!

If you missed it last week, remember All members and all their Children receive a jack-o-lantern pumpkin from our bedding plant greenhouse. Stop by at your convenience to help your children pick out a pumpkin. One for your family and one for every child. Due to the weight please come to the farm at your convenience.

Check out our new items this week. Green Tomatoes and Fingerling Potatoes. The potatoes are delicious roasted with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic salt and rosemary too. Did you know that if you use fingerlings in soups or stews that they do not get mushy, but stay nice and firm. I like it when they do not turn into mush. This weekend I used them in a chili too, be careful as the potatoes tend to absorb the heat spiciness.

It has been getting chillier at night, so we have to say goodbye to a few veggies. Farewell to red tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and summer squashes, and field lettuce until next summer. Enjoy your garlic as this is the last season we will be growing it for some time. Valley Dream Farm will not be growing its own garlic next year due to severe crop losses over the last two years from a new soil pest. We will be getting 2013 garlic from "Knee Deep Farm". This is one of our employees who grows Organic garlic locally. I know I will miss all those garlic scapes so much we will have to buy those from him also. Beet greens and Red Swiss Chard are hanging in there, for now, but as the temperatures drop below 32 degrees. they will not be able to withstand too many freezing nights. Onward to the storage crops and greenhouse greens that are shooting up under the "Remay", which is a cover cloth, we use it in a double layer to help give us better frost protection.

Last week was our 32nd wedding anniversary. Joe and I went to a new restaurant in STOWE called "Crop Bistro"( Where the "Shed" used to be.) It seemed like the normal price range for Stowe. I had the best meal of my life. Cocktails: A Gin cocktail with earl grey tea and a lemon liquor ($9), A new local beer ($7) for Joe, followed by Appetizers: Fried pickles ($6) & maple glazed Brussels sprouts ($4), dinner : Seafood Stew ($25 for Joe) and I had Halibut ($23 the best ever). His had the assorted scallops, shrimp, fish, mussels as well as tomatoes, peppers, onions, potatoes and chorizo sausage - he said it was great!. My halibut was on a serving of delightfully tasty winter squash surrounded by some type of buttery sauce topped with bright green edamame (soy beans) and the fish was brown crusted on the top. with a few strings of sugared ginger on top. Desert was creme brulee ($6) and organic GMR coffee ($2). What a great meal with a great guy! Here's to 32 more years!

Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 19, Oct 8-12, 2012

Available for you:

Pie Pumpkins - 1
Russet Potatoes - 6
Cabbage - 1 head
Broccoli - 1 bunch
Brussels Sprouts - 1 quart
Celery - 1 bunch
Spinach - 1 large handful
Beet Greens w/some baby beets - 1 bunch
Sweet Peppers - 2, Hot optional
Tomatoes - 1

deliveries are subject to change

Recipes of the week:

Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts

Broccoli-Basil Mac and Cheese

Hello members!

All members receive a pie pumpkin this week. All Children of members also receive a jack-o-lantern pumpkin from our bedding plant greenhouse. Stop by at your convenience to help your children pick out a pumpkin one for your family and one for every child. Due to the weight please come to the farm at your convenience.

In the past we have struggled to grow russet potatoes. Well, this season, we have the best russet potatoes ever. I am happy to announce that we have nice size russet potatoes for you to enjoy this week. As organic CSA members you all know that organic vegetables do not have any chemical fertilizers added to their soils. Commercial growers add chemical fertilizers that can push the plants to grow enormously large potatoes. In this case Bigger (from chemicals) is not better. Potatoes tend to be a heavy fertilizer feeder with us trying a new foliage fertilizer so the nutrients can be taken up by the leaves of the plant has really helped. They are also a very thirsty crop, so all the irrigation we did during this summer's hot weather also has really paid off. We now have a potato consultant working with us. Jordan is from way upstate Maine. He is helping us to improve our organic crop of potatoes and our potato equipment. With all this rain we had to borrow the neighbors 4 wheel drive tractor to pull the potato harvester through the muddy fields and get those beautiful potatoes out and dried off for storage. The Harvest still continues. Yesterday, during this fall cold spell, it was so comforting to crank up the oven and have a delicious flaky baked russet potato. Especially one that was more than one bite in size.

We are pulling out the last of the sweet peppers from the greenhouse. They are mostly small and sweet and many are purple and green in color. There are a few hot peppers for those that would like them.

SURVEY WEEK! Please fill out your surveys and return them by next week. We always want to bring you the items you like in your shares. Please try and comment also; it really helps us know what we need to do. You can be anonymous if it helps!

Enjoy your vegetables! 

Anne

Week 18, Oct 2-5, 2012

Available for you: 

Watermelon - 1
Blue Potatoes - 1 quart,
Winter Squash - White Acorn - 1
Cucumbers EUROS 1+ additional field cuke
Carrots - 6
Spinach
Baby Beets with Greens - 1 bunch
Swiss chard, Red - 1 bunch
Tomatoes - 1
Herbs - 1 bunch

deliveries are subject to change

Recipes of the week:

Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Beet Greens

Chicken, Grated Beets and Beet Greens with Orange Butter

Hello members!

Last week was a bit crazier than normal. First, it was the first week of fall shares... and there is always a glitch, no matter how hard I try each year to make sure no one is forgotten, someone is always missing from the "Packing list". So,...I checked the list twice (feeling a bit like Santa) yet a special new member named Tanya was not on my list. The list has now been updated (I think we finally got it!) and she is added to the list.

We would like to wish the best to our previous worker/delivery driver Heidi. She left us suddenly, the day before deliveries, last week, because a nursing career opportunity presented itself to her, due to an unexpected opening. So good luck and study hard, We'll miss you! And Please welcome our new driver, Kevin, who rescued us with such short notice. We would also like to offer a special apology to all you delivery members! We realized that you did not receive your tomatoes last week. Both drivers (one being myself) left the farm without the tomatoes, after we both discovered they were missing, we were both too far away to return. We will make it up to you with extra items this week.

We had a busy weekend trip, to the N.H. Coast, for a family wedding. I did all the flowers for the wedding party. Corsages and boutonnieres too. It was fun and beautiful all at the same time. Blue and green hydrangeas and bright green berries and even green roses filled the bouquets. We are back now and ready for another great week of fresh vegetables.

Just when you thought we were out of fruit....we have it again! Watermelons! YAY! So delicious. We have a later planting that just ripened up for a sweet ending to summer days. White Acorn Squash taste just like "Green Acorn" although Jay thinks it may be a bit sweeter. Beet Greens steam really quick for a flavor similar to spinach or use them raw and they will add a really robust pizzazz to your salad. Get ready, look what's BACK ! Our famous, BLUE potatoes. You can boil and mash them as they fade slightly when cooked into a beautiful shade of peri-winkle. I like them whipped up and then onto my dinner plate right next to bright orange carrots on one side and steamed red chard on the other. All with a little pat of butter. I can't wait to have them tonight. They taste great roasted too. Any way you prefer to cook your potatoes, I just know you will like these little blues. Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 17 - Sept 24-29, 2012

Available for you:

• Gold Potatoes -  1 quart
• Winter Squash - Delicata  2 
• Broccoli - 1 bunch 
• Cucumbers EUROS - 1 + additional field cuke 
• Carrots - 1lb 
• Salad Turnips or radishes w/ greens - 1 bunch 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Kale - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 1 
• Herbs - Cilantro or Basil - 1 bunch 

Recipes of the week:

Delicata Made Easy

Smashed Gold Potatoes

Greetings to New and current members!

The Great Harvest continues. We did it!! Thanks to all those who helped with the "Squash Harvest". Pumpkins are also in. We welcome you to walk through the retail greenhouse by the farm stand to watch the dark green pumpkins finish their color changing tricks, as they ripen, they will turn more and more orange as each week passes, and we approach Halloween.

Our next challenge is to harvest the potatoes. This is an amazing process. If you are in the area you should watch "The big Green Machine" as it lifts the potatoes out of the ground with the huge two row harvester. The spuds and soil are lifted up with the digger blade. Soon the excess soil and weeds fall away as they tumble up onto the padded long chains higher and higher until they reach the top of the harvestor where 4 workers quickly sort out the last rocks and weeds before the potatoes ride over on a conveyor belt into the tractor pulled "V" box (shaped like the letter "V", hence the name). The potatoes gently tumble into the wagon until it is filled to the brim. Onward to the barn, they go. The "V" box unloads from the bottom into a potato sorter which sorts them into several standard sizes. "Chefs" are XL and are usually only sold to restaurants, then "A's" the most typical large potatoes for baking, "B's" are a little smaller and most commonly found in your bagged potatoes and then very small "C's" used again by the restaurants for gourmet roasting those delicious little bites {I also love these little ones, just a quick scrubbing and no peeling as they plop into my favorite soups and stews}.

Beware if you grow any plants in the brassica family, such as: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, bok choy, broccoli rabb, cabbage and mustard greens. A new enemy has arrived in Vermont. The "Swede midge" which is an invasive insect pest, recently expanding its range and we have found it here. The midge attacks the growing tips of brassica plants. In some regions of Canada damage levels have reached 100%. Although only a few moderately successful tactics are possible for organic production at this time. So until we can organically deter this pest, please cut off the brown scaly spots left behind on your broccoli, which is still fine to eat.

Enjoy your vegetables! 

Anne

Week 16, Sept 18-23, 2012

Available for you:

• Potatoes - 1 quart 
• Broccoli - 1 bunch 
• Cucumbers - 2 
• Carrots - 1lb 
• Salad Turnips or radishes w/ greens - 1 bunch 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Chard - 1 bunch 
• Kale - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 2 
• Cilantro - 1 bunch 

deliveries are subject to change

Recipes of the week:

Roasted Turnips with Parmesan

Turnip Greens by Gena (Radish Greens too)

Greetings Members!

The Great Harvest has begun. We are trying to quickly get all the winter squash and pumpkins out of the fields. The goal is to wait for the best sun ripening and still beat the upcoming frost. This is quite a time consuming chore and takes many hands to accomplish. Thanks to a small crew of workers and a few volunteer members, we have been able to attack the job with whole hearted tenacity and endurance. 

We have waited as long as we can for the squash to ripen and now the leaves have died down to show us where all the squashes were hiding. We then go out with our pruners and begin to cut the stems, as short as possible to reduce damage to other squash. The picker then puts the cut squash up out of the ruts and onto the black plastic to dry a little more. Next we travel down the field, with a Watermelon type cardboard bin called a "Gaylord" which sits on a wooden palette on the front of Jay's Bobcat forklift. We begin to stretch over the deep sides to gently place the squashes into the bottom of the bin and work quickly until it is full. All this bending cutting and picking up squash can cause a little achiness in your legs. More Advil. 

Jay supervises from the nearby field as not to get stuck in a rut between rows. He smiles every time we fill a bin and have to begin another. The harvest is looking plentiful. We do have a little more damage than normal from our hungry deer friends who always want to take just one little bite out of the biggest most beautiful squash (must be they ripen first and smell great).  This just means we have a few extra seconds for the food shelf where they can take the time to cut off the bite and salvage the good remaining squash to feed those in need. We then hurry to bring each bin back to the barn before they get wet from an oncoming rain forecast. 

In the barn squash is put into our large heated storage room where it will stay at 50 degrees to cure. When cured the squashes will all be wiped down and packed for shipping and putting into your CSA shares. The squash will usually last until the New Year. Some varieties will last a little longer. Can't wait for squash soup coming soon! 

For now enjoy the new salad turnips -- taste a bit like a mild radish. Don't forget to cook the green tops too! Remember it is the last week to sign-up for fall shares!

Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 15, Sept 10-16, 2012

We have another big week of organic veggies.  Spinach is new. Fall Broccoli is back. We also have cilantro this week.

Please help us increase our membership and keep our costs down, just tell two friends, advertise at your workplace, or spread the word about how happy you are with us, and thanks for your help!  (Here is a link to the Fall Shares form.)

Available for you:

• Potatoes - 1 quart 
• Broccoli - 1 bunch 
• Cucumbers - 2 
• Carrots - 1lb 
• Squash - Zucchini mix - 1 lb 
• Beans - Colored Mix - 1 quart 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Spinach - 1/2 lb 
• Kale - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 2 small/med 
• Cilantro - 1 bunch 

deliveries are subject to change

Recipe of the week:

Lasagna for a crowd

If you are stuck for a recipe try www.epicurious.com then scroll down to list the ingredients you would like to use and it will find you a bunch of recipes free.or also at www.recipes.com does the same thing also free.

Greetings Members! 

We are sorry to tell you that we had to cancel this year's organic festival due to circumstances out of our control, We are already making preparations for next year's festival.
We had a few mixed potatoes last week! Some of you received the red skins with white flesh and others are referred to as red reds. This variety is called "cranberry". The skins are red and the insides are more of a pink shade. Fall season brings all the colors for you to try. Red, Gold, Blues, Red/Reds, Russets and the Fabulous Fingerlings. The welder spent a 10 hour day here on Sunday. We had to replace a badly needed piece of steel, creating the digger blade, on our potato harvester. We are now ready for digging spuds.

We have Broccoli again this week, so don't forget to soak it in salted water (1/2 cup for 2 gallons) for 10 minutes, just in case there is an inch worm hiding inside (although, not likely, as the cabbage moths have only had mild pressure to control this year). This is the last week for our wonderful beans, so enjoy, and make a batch of dilly beans for storing this winter. We do not have another flush of tomatoes coming but if anyone wants to order organic tomatoes to put up sauce or salsa (with this week's cilantro) just give me a call. The price changes weekly and it seems to be around $3.00/lb from our organic deep root friends.

Only 2 weeks left to sign-up for Fall Memberships!

Please tell all your friends about our Fall Membership! Here is a link to the form for you to print out and it is a great way to have them try out our CSA's as it is only 8 weeks long.

Start Sept 24th and are available in our 3 size packages:  

• Regular (receives all items listed weekly) $200.00 
• Single (receives 6 items from list) $136.00 
• Senior (receives 5 items from list) $112.00 

Thanks. Enjoy your vegetables!

 Anne

Week 14, Sept 4-8, 2012

Available for you:

• Watermelon - 1 
• Potatoes - 1 quart 
• Cucumbers - 2 
• Carrots - 1lb Singles - 2lbs regular 
• Squash - Summer/Zucchini mix - 1 lb 
• Beans - Colored Mix - 1 quart 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Kale - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 1 
• Basil - 1 bunch 

deliveries are subject to change

Recipes of the week:

Blue Cheese - Walnut Green Beans

Zucchini Salad with Shaved Parmesan

Greetings Members!

We are sorry to tell you that we had to cancel this year's organic festival due to circumstances out of our control, We are already making preparations for next year's festival.

As we traveled through the notch, this past weekend, I noticed the very first of the trees changing their colors. This is always a reminder of our ever changing seasons in Vermont. We are getting prepared and looking for volunteers or groups to help us bring in the harvest. If you know of any groups, 4-H, scouts, or families, including our CSA members that would like to bring their family over for a few hours of scooping squash out of the fields please let us know and we will be glad to help you enjoy some light exercise on a brisk fall afternoon before the shadows of frost get here. Schedule times now on our farm stand sign-up sheet!

Speaking of Fall . . . . if you have a 16 week share it ends in two weeks!

Please tell all your friends about our Fall Membership! It is a great way to try out CSA's as it is only 8 weeks long. 8 week Fall memberships start Sept 24th and are available in our 3 size packages:

Regular (receives all items listed weekly) $200.00 

Single (receives 6 items from list) $136.00 

Senior (receives 5 items from list) $112.00

Thanks. Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 13, Aug 27, 2012

Available for you:

• Watermelon - 1 
• Sweet Corn - Reg - 6, Singles-3, Seniors -2 
• Cucumbers - 2 
• Carrots - 1 bunch 
• Squash - Summer/Zucchini mix - 1 lb 
• Beans - Colored Mix - 1 quart 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Kale or Swiss Chard - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 1

Recipes of the week:

Melon Sorbet

Wilted Greens Salad

Greetings Members!

Sweet Corn! No it is not ours, but our certified organic friends from "Riverberry Farm". We had several issues with corn this year. What we did end up with was pretty small and few in numbers. We know how much you love your corn. Therefore, we bought-in sweet corn for you this year. It doesn't seem like summer until you've had corn. So, enjoy this onetime special!

I had the funniest thing happen last week. It was Saturday morning and I was going about household chores when a friend, of a member, called. She was picking up the members share while they were away. She called me to ask me what the black ball was in the bag? I was caught off guard at first. Did we give them an irregular shaped zucchini? She thought it might be a new kind of winter squash. Then it dawned on me, .... it was the "Sugar Baby" Watermelon. Most northern gardeners are familiar with this little ice box variety. Yet people who tend to shop mostly from grocery stores are used to the X-Large oval lighter green with dark green stripe varieties of watermelon. These jumbo watermelons are usually grown in warmer climates that need a longer and hotter growing season. This year we probably could have grown the larger types, but who knew Vermont would have such a long hot nice summer. The cantaloupes will probably be ready next week also, they too, are very sweet and juicy. The recipe this week is for melons and can be used for any type of ripe melon.

Thanks. Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 12, Aug 20, 2012

Available for you:

• Watermelon - 1 
• Potatoes - 1 quart - Red 
• Cucumbers - 2 
• Carrots - 1 bunch 
• Squash - Summer/Zucchini mix - 1 lb 
• Beans - Colored Mix - 1 quart 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Swiss Chard - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 1

Recipes for the week:

Watermelon and Salad

Feisty Beans

Greetings Members!

What a forecast of beautiful weather for this week. The only thing missing is a few evening showers so I guess it will be back to the irrigation pumps. We have been waking up to fog here in the valley lately and that will bring a few dew drops to the thirsty plants early in the morning. It can also brings the moisture diseases so we will be actively scouting and on alert. We all know that fall is just around the corner.

Halfway Alert!!

We are at week 12 (half-way for 24 week members). For those of you with summer (16 week) shares, don't forget to renew now and sign-up for a fall share. Tell all your friends how you like us. We are now accepting memberships for fall and winter shares. Fall Shares will begin on the week of September 24th. Fall vegetables are usually greens, carrots, beets, cabbage, squashes to include the ending of summer and zucchini and the starting of all the different winter squashes. A hard frost will determine the end of many of the summer crops, but tomatoes and cukes should continue into fall a little longer in the heated greenhouses.

We will have beans and watermelons this week. Beans are several colors green, yellow and a few purple. The purple will turn a nice shade of green when cooked. Steaming seems to hold the purple shade a little bit better than boiling. Kids love the purple magic beans changing colors. Eat them raw or cooked, but enjoy them while they are here.

Thanks!
Enjoy your vegetables.
Anne

Week 11, August 13, 2012

Available for you:

• Potatoes - 1 quart - Red 
• Red Beets - with greens - 1 bunch 
• Cucumber - 2 
• Carrots - 1 bunch 
• Summer Squash - 1 lb 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Swiss Chard - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 2

Recipes of the week:

Carrot Slaw

Sweet Cucumber Carrot Salad (Raita)

Hot Beet Salad with Greens and Feta

Greetings Members!

I like to think of us all as educated shoppers. Here is something new I learned this week. I was recently reading an article in our local "Mountain Ear" magazine that was very interesting. It talked about how we as consumers can identify specifics about our produce. 

These numbers are called PLU (Price Look up) codes and can be found (on a little sticker) on your produce at the grocery store. The stickers contain a 4-5 digit number that helps identify and distinguish between GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) produce, Organic produce, and conventionally grown produce. A 4-digit numbered PLU code in the 3000 and 4000's means conventionally(with the use of chemicals) grown. A 5-digit PLU starting with a 9 means organically grown produce. A 5-digit PLU starting with an 8 means genetically-modified produce. 

So, I checked with my sources, and this is what they told me:

1. They have never seen this #8 ever used. 
2. The only way a GMO vegetable would be labeled as such is willingly and we know Monsanto isn't going to do that any time soon. 
3. Europe doesn't allow GMO so they are not sure where this code could/would be used, until laws are passed forcing them to be used. 

 So take the time to remember one of these little slogans when shopping for your produce:

"I LIKE MINE #9" or "Number 9 for me and mine"

Valley Dream Farm grows only organically certified produce. We sell a few other local items and try to purchase organic whenever possible. We only give out organic products in our CSA and deliveries. All non-organic products found at the farm stand are labeled quite clearly. You can check out the chalk board behind the register for the details as to where the products are from.

Thanks!

Enjoy your vegetables.

Anne

Week 10, August 8, 2012

Available for you:

• Potatoes - 1 quart Red 
• Cucumber - 1 big, + 1 small 
• Carrots - 1 bunch 
• Summer Squash - 1 1/2 lb 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Kale, Lacinato - 1 bunch 
• Swiss Chard - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 3 small 
• Basil - 1 bunch

Recipes of the week:

Summer Vegetable Stew with Basil Puree

Smothered Yellow Squash with Basil

Greetings Members!

How is your summer going? It is definitely an outdoor summer. My daughters and my Mom invited me to the beach in Maine, so I ran away last weekend to the Ocean. It was so nice to get away. The weather was wonderful, sunny and hot. Even the freezing Maine water seemed so warm this year. I stayed in the ocean water riding the waves. It must have been a little too long because even with two applications of sun screen my back got pretty pink. Sunday was warm and cloudy at the beach and a nice morning break for those with sunburn. The afternoon traveling was great, as we stopped at a nice farm stand and gobbled up their pint fresh organic blueberries on our ride back home. This will be the last week we will have blueberries for sale, from our organic patch.

Farmer Joe took me for a ride around the farm on Monday so I could how things were growing. I did see that we will soon have watermelons. We cut one open that was still whitish pink and although it was getting close, it was only pink around the seeds and not quite ready to harvest. Enjoy your fresh basil this week. It is nice to have a Caprese salad of sliced fresh tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella, and a few ribbons of basil or try this week's recipe or others online too.

We know it is August when our college students start talking about heading back to school and fall classes. We will be missing our working UVM students, Mira , Sally and their friend Kasey, as they leave us to prepare for another year of college. They have been wonderful new friends to us all and we will miss their smiling faces. Thanks for planting the Valley Dream Farm sign garden before departing.

Thanks!

Anne

Week 9, July 31 - Aug 5, 2012

Available for you:

• Broccoli - 1 bunch 
• Carrots - 1 bunch 
• Summer Squash - 3/4 - 1 lb 
• Beets with greens - 1 bunch 
• Lettuce - 1 head 
• Kale, Green - 1 bunch 
• Swiss Chard - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 1

Items available for Purchase:

Grown Locally:

• Corn – Non Organic Local!
• Organic Eggs – M & K Farm, Hyde Park 

Recipes of the week:

Broccoli Salad

Beet Kale Salad

Greetings Members!

The crew has been very busy this week picking for our wholesale sales and moving the irrigation around the farm to keep everything growing and watered.

Here is a reminder of how to care for your organic broccoli you should soak it in a sink full of cool water and 1/2 cup of salt. (start with warm water until salt is dissolved). I also put a heavy pie plate on top with a filled water jug set in it, to hold the broccoli under the salted water. Leave it soaking for 15 minutes and when you remove it if there any inch worms they will be at the bottom of your sink and not in your broccoli dinner. Rinse well with cold water before storing in a plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Some years they are more prevalent than other years, but we never know. I have been soaking mine for the last 2-3 weeks and have not found any yet this season. That also means Farmer Joe is keeping ahead of controlling any cabbage/broccoli pests with organic sprays. Then your Broccoli will keep for almost two weeks when properly stored.

We hope you have enjoyed our weekly recipes. We really like trying them and so far they have all been as much fun to make as they are to eat. I have used several web sites that are our favorites and I thought I would share those sites with you. I just list the ingredient/s that I am looking for and the site usually pops up a few recipes from which to choose.

epicurious.com, wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes, allrecipes.com, and here is another great web site put out by VT intervale food hub using many of the local vegetables we also use. http://www.intervalefoodhub.com/recipes

Have a fun time looking for new recipes and trying them too.

Anne

Week 8, July 24-29, 2012

Available for you:

• Broccoli - 1 bunch 
• Carrots - 1 bunch 
• Cucumber - 1 
• Summer Squash - 3/4 - 1 lb 
• Beets with greens - 1 bunch 
• Kale, Green - 1 bunch 
• Swiss Chard - 1 bunch 
• Tomatoes - 1

Items available for Purchase:

Grown Locally:

Corn – Non Organic Local!

Organic Eggs – M & K Farm, Hyde Park 

Recipes of the Week:

Swiss Chard Bake

Carrot Top and Quinoa Soup

Greetings Members!

We have new items for you this week. Cukes and Squash have returned. We also have a few greens to replace the lettuce we are out of this week. It seems all that heat made the last planting of lettuce bolt and we are now between lettuce plantings. We hope to have more in your shares again in just a few weeks. So for now you will get to enjoy the other tasty greens we have to offer. Green Kale and Swiss Chard both have great recipes on our web site or at other sites on-line and you can always sauté with olive oil and garlic for a fail proof option.

Bunched carrots are new. This variety is called "Nelson" and we find it to be one of the sweetest. They are fun to eat raw or steamed up with a little butter. Chefs like to leave about an inch of greens on them just for a nice presentation on your plate. You can also use your carrot tops to garnish your dinner plate with a sprig, flavor your veggie stock, juice in your morning health shake, feed to some rabbits, make friends with the neighbors horse, or add to your compost pile.

Bunched Beets also have the greens attached. They are delicious. I remove the greens and sauté or boil them and eat like cooked spinach. The taste is a little stronger than spinach and is also great raw in toss salads for extra color. The beets are delicious hand washed or lightly brush washed and then boiled for about an hour. Do not cut, unless you want them to bleed out some of their color. They should be cooked until fork tender and then you can slip the skins right off them while holding the hot beets under cool running water. Try one beet first if the skin doesn't slip off then you can cook them ten minutes longer and try again. Slipping skins under water also keeps the red color off your hands too. Last week when cooking beets I cut a few in half and they gave the dish a two toned lighter color compared to the darker uncut beets in dish. The beets can then be used into recipes like cold salads, with a little vinegar in a bowl.

Broccoli again this week. Check last week's newsletter for how to care and store broccoli.  The tomatoes are a little slow this week but plenty of green ones to come again soon. 

Enjoy your produce!

Anne

Week 7, July 16-21, 2012

Available for you:

Baby Red Potatoes - 1 quart
Broccoli - 1 bunch
Summer Squash - 1 (just starting will be more soon!)
Kale - 1 bunch
Swiss Chard - 1 bunch
Lettuce – 1 head
Tomatoes - # TBD
Blueberries- 1/2 pint or more

Items available for Purchase:

Grown Locally:

Maple Syrup - Maple Shade Farm, Cambridge

Tomatoes – Our own!

Organic Eggs – M & K Farm, Hyde Park

Recipes of the week:
Blueberry Stuffed French Toast
Kale Saute

Greetings Members!

We have lots of new items for you this week.

Blueberries are here! We have been really busy picking blueberries for you this week. They are ripening, although it seems the bushes have quite a few green ones, still to ripen. This can be a good thing and we hope to get them for several weeks. They are so sweet and delicious. Eat them plain as a snack, in your favorite yogurt, to top off your breakfast cereal or try one of our wonderful blueberry desert recipes this week.

Broccoli is new this week too. To care for your organic broccoli you should soak it in a sink full of cool water and 1/2 cup of salt. (start with warm water until salt is dissolved). I also put a heavy pie plate on top with a filled water jug set in it, to hold the broccoli under the salted water. Leave it soaking for 15 minutes and when you remove it if there any inch worms they will be at the bottom of your sink and not in your broccoli dinner. Rinse well with cold water before storing in a plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Some years they are more prevalent than other years, but we never know. Broccoli will keep for almost two weeks when properly stored.

Summer Squash are also arriving. We can see all the blossoms but they are starting slow, this may change as the rains may increase the numbers as the week progresses. Swiss Chard is finally here and oh so yummy. Jay says he likes it so much better than spinach. The heat makes all the spinach bolt (go to seed) which is very common when it is so hot. But Swiss Chard which has a similar taste, and is easily replaceable in all spinach recipes, loves the warmer weather and seems to be more tolerant of the heat. Tomatoes are a little slower this week too, but plenty of green ones to come again soon. Enjoy your produce!

Anne

Week 6, July 8-12, 2012

Available for you:

• Baby Red Potatoes - 1 quart 
• Cukes - euro or field** 
• Green Onions - 1 bunch 
• Garlic Scapes or green Garlic - 1 bunch 
• Kale - 1 bunch 
• Lettuce – reg. 2 heads
• Tomatoes - 4 M-L + 3 sm
• FREE - 4" pot of Flowers 

**We have supplemented your share with a few veggies from our organic friends at Foote Brooke Farm

Items available for Purchase:

Grown Locally:

• Maple Syrup - Maple Shade Farm, Cambridge
• Tomatoes – Our own!
• Organic Eggs – M & K Farm, Hyde Park 

Recipes of the Week:

Fresh Tomato Salsa

Easy Tomato Pie

Kale Crunch Chips

Kale Salad

Greetings Members!

It seems we are having the best weather year. I can't remember us having one like this with just the right amounts of sunshine, rain, and warm days too. Of course this means that the plants are growing very nicely. It seems that the weeds are trying to compete with the plants and grow even faster.

We are ready to share our flowers, so this week all members will be receiving free flowers with their CSA. If you get your share delivered and are out for a drive stop by the farm and pick up your 4" pot or 6-pack of flowers.

Kale is new this week. Many of you have been patiently awaiting its arrival. Our favorite Kale Chips recipe is on the back. Kale is also great when thrown into soups like a veggie. Kale is one of the most nutritious foods for you. It can be tough if not cooked enough. Real experienced Kale lovers can eat it raw or in salads, but not me - I guess I'm just a wimp that likes it in chips or sautéed up with whatever vegetables we have on hand.

If you have not noticed we are having a huge flush of tomatoes. So when we get this many at once, we give you as many as possible, sell to all the local markets we can, and we process a bunch for winter and we also eat more tomatoes. Last night we had a chopped version of a Caprise Salad - which is tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella with a drizzle of olive oil. Simple and delicious.

There are many tomatoes available, call us if you would like to process (freezing or canning) or maybe try making homemade salsa. There are two tomato recipes on the back for you to try.

Enjoy your produce!

Anne

Week 5, July 2-7, 2012

Available for you:

• Baby Red Potatoes - 1 quart 
• Cukes - euro or field cuke** 
• Zucchini** - 1 
• Garlic Scapes - 1 bunch 
• Peas - 1/2 pint (regulars only) 
• Napa Cabbage - 1 head 
• Lettuce – 2 head (singles 1 head) 
• Tomatoes - four (singles 3) 

**We have supplemented your share with a few veggies from our organic friends at Foote Brooke Farm

Items available for Purchase:

MEMBERS SALE! Flowers -- Buy one get two free!

Grown Locally:

• Maple Shade Farm – Maple Syrup: all sizes available.
• Tomatoes – Our own!
• Eggs – M & K Farm organic eggs, Hyde Park - get them early we sold out last week!

Recipes of the Week

Rice Noodle Salad

Sauteed Nappa Cabbage

Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic Scapes

Greetings Members!

Things are really busy on the farm with a list of chores waiting to be done every day. Here is what the crew has been up to lately. Joe is in the fields as early as 5:30am, trying to keep up with all this wonderful weather. Between managing the produce greenhouses and the farm he has been hilling potatoes, cultivating weeds, and running new irrigation to anything dry during hot spells. Everything is growing so well, cucumbers, potatoes, broccoli, sweet corn, and snap beans, just to mention a few items that you can look forward to receiving in July. Amy has kept the farm stand and greenhouse neat, clean and fully stocked with our ever increasing produce, as well as packing all the CSA deliveries. Jackie and Tommy have been busy at our Friday evening farmer's market in Essex. Mira and Sally have been removing bulbs and weeds from our front sign garden, finishing out our greenhouse stand in Jeffersonville and taking Jay with them to our new South Burlington Farmers market on Sundays. Jon who has also been putting in some long field hours and Jordan have been working hard finishing our new wash and pack room. Heidi has been making sure our deliveries go smooth and timely. I am busy keeping you informed while marketing, delivering and keeping the flower and seedling greenhouse organized. Shane has been doing a great job in the fields while he and our tireless field crew of Doris, Victor and Anna (as well as himself, Jon and Joe) all plant, harvest, maintain and weed all the plants to bring you the best tasting vegetables each week. On top of all this Wendy, our highly organized bookkeeper, manages all our endless notes of paper, and receipts while keeping all the payroll and account books straightened out, so we can continue at our busy pace. Working hard now means great veggies all season long.

Enjoy your produce! HAPPY 4th of July!! 

Anne

P.S. Members only can order a discounted MAPLE SYRUP SHARE . Get two half gallons for $55.00 grade B. CALL to Order.

Week 4, June 25, 2012

Available for you:

• Salad Turnips w/ greens- 1 bunch
• Radishes (we hope?) - 1 bunch
• Peas – Sugar Snap - 1 pint
• Garlic Scapes - 1 bunch
• Napa Cabbage - 1 head
• Lettuce – 1 head of Red tipped
• Spinach - 1 bag
• Tomatoes - two 

Items available for Purchase:

Grown at Valley Dream Farm:

• Flowers, Herbs and Bedding plants

Grown Locally:

• Maple Shade Farm – Maple Syrup: all sizes available.
• Tomatoes – Our own!
• Eggs – M & K Farm organic eggs, Hyde Park - get them early we sold out last week!

Recipes of the week:

Overnight Oriental Salad
Spinach Squares

Greetings Members!

We hope you all enjoyed your strawberries last week. They sure were tasty. Although it was our shortest season ever, we now have ten thousand plants in the cooler. The plants are ready to be planted soon. This will provide us wonderful, abundant berries for the next few years.

Spinach and Nappa Cabbage, are both new this week and they both have recipes on the back. Napa cabbage is also great cooked up lightly in a stir fry. Yet the recipe we gave you this week, uses the Nappa Cabbage raw, like an Asian type of cole-slaw. The spinach recipe is for these delicious cooked cheesy spinach squares. They are a great snack too. It is great to have two vegetables that taste so great either Raw or Cooked.

How did you like the heat last week? It had Farmer Joe working on his irrigation system with no time to spare. We currently have ten thousand feet in the ground so it sure had him busier even earlier.

Other farm news:

Last year we received another certification called GAP (Good Agricultural Practices). We applied for and were approved for a 2012 GAP cost share grant, to put in an approved wash and pack room. This room will replace our plastic covered ceiling and walls with insulation and steel siding. Giving us washable surfaces that will be much easier to clean and it will also provide us a better work environment when we wash our potatoes in a cold January Freeze. The work is nearing completion and we hope to have lots of pictures to show you at the organic festival in October.

Thanks!
Anne

P.S. Members only can order a discounted MAPLE SYRUP SHARE now available, get two half gallons for $55.00 grade B (I think it is a little bigger in maple flavor, and a little darker in color, yet still my favorite). CALL to Order

Week 3, June 18-25, 2012

Available for you:

• Salad Turnips w/ greens- 1 bunch
• 3 Mini Red onions OR 1 cucumber
• Sugar Snap Peas - 1 pint
• Garlic Scapes - 1 bunch
• Lettuce – 1 head Deer Tongue + 1 head other
• Tomato- one med or Large, + one small
• Strawberries - U-pick only 1 pint available
• Tomato Plants - 1 plant or 6 pack of Moskivich a tasty heirloom and also an early tomato

Items available for Purchase:
 
Grown at Valley Dream Farm:

• Flowers, Herbs and Bedding plants

Grown Locally:

• Maple Shade Farm – Maple Syrup: all sizes available.
• Tomatoes – Our own!
• Eggs – M & K Farm organic eggs, Hyde Park - get them early we sold out last week!

Recipe of the week
Sugar Snaps with Baby Red Onions
About Garlic Scapes

Greetings Members!

We were so excited that our strawberries have chosen to make a quick appearance. All members are welcome to pick their own pint as soon as possible, bring the kids to the farm and get yours soon. We have several new items for you this week. The sugar snap peas are plumping out nicely with a great crunch and a snap. These delights never seem to make it home before they are eaten. Garlic Scapes are also new and will be here for a few weeks I hope, They are so delicious and can be cooked many ways. Jay likes his in his eggs at breakfast. They can be cut up as scallions on a salad. Jonny loves his in garlic mashed potatoes. I just like them sautéed with any fresh veggie and especially with greens, like another new item which is this week's turnip greens (cook or sauté washed and dried greens like spinach or chard). These turnips are sweeter than the winter storage varieties, hence the name salad turnips , so they can be used raw on a salad, for an added new taste and a crunchy texture. They can also be cooked until potato soft and always add a tab of butter, salt and pepper.

We know you love the tomatoes, but with all our variety you probably will want more tomatoes so this week we are sending you each tomato plant. The tomato plant we are sending to you this week is an heirloom variety named "Moskivich". This variety was picked by Jay for it's delicious flavor and its earliness. You should plant it deep in a very large container of organic soil mix or directly in the ground in your yard. It can be put on your deck or patio too. Pick a spot that has lots of sunshine, at least a half day. Water it daily except when it rains.

Thanks!

Anne

Week 2, June 11-17, 2012

Available for you:

• Lettuce – 1 head ( or two - all in one bag)
• Euro Cucumbers – one (from our greenhouse)
• Green Garlic - 1 bunch
• Mini Red onions - 2 (use quickly)
• Chives - choice up to a bunch
• TOMATO - one med-large, 2 small

Items available for Purchase:
Grown at Valley Dream Farm:

• Flowers, Herbs and Bedding plants

Grown Locally:

• Maple Shade Farm – Maple Syrup: all sizes available.
• Tomatoes – Our own!
• Eggs – M & K Farm organic eggs, Hyde Park - get them early we sold out last week!

Recipe of the Week:
Pickled Pink Cucumber Salad

Howdy Members:

Hope you enjoyed your first week of vegetables. We would like to know how you enjoyed them. We love to share recipes too, so if you have a favorite, feel free to e-mail it to me and then see your name in print the next time we offer that veggie. We like to hear any exciting news from our members also. EMAIL = valleydreamfarm@wildblue.net Mini Red onions are from our winter storage this week, so use them as soon as possible, remove the green center if they do sprout on you.

Are you enjoying receiving the newsletter by e-mail? We will have a paper copies for those that need them, just drop us a note if you need a hard copy.

Farmstand : Check off the list and fill your own bags.
Deliveries: If you are ever out in our area please stop by the farm. You can meet us, your farmers and check out our farm stand open daily 10-6.

We were so excited that our tomatoes are ripening ahead of schedule. This is their earliest appearance for our members, ever. Hope we can eat our fill before there is any talk about late blight this season.

Next week we will be sending you a tomato plant because no one ever gets enough tomatoes. You can put this on your deck or patio or even in your yard. Pick a spot with lots of sunshine.

Thanks!

Anne 

P.S. Members can order a discounted MAPLE SYRUP SHARE now available, get two half gallons for $55.00 grade B (I think it is a little bigger in maple flavor, and a little darker in color, yet still my favorite). CALL to Order.

Looking for something to do on a nice day?

Visit us at one of these fun farmers markets.

Mondays	8am - 11:30am	Smugglers Notch Resort, Jeffersonville
Wednesdays	3:30pm-7:30pm	Jeffersonville Artisan Farmers Mkt, Rte 15 in Jeffersonville, in lower field behind the "Family Table"
Fridays	3:30pm-7:30pm	Essex Junction
Sundays	10am-2pm	South Burlington F.M. at S.B.High School, near train station

Week 1, June 4-9, 2012

Available for you:

• Baby Lettuce – 2-3 smaller heads - deer tongue - pointed leaf tips very sweet or black seeded simpson - a green leaf - bright green and also very sweet, magenta- our favorite a leaf & romaine cross red tip crisp (all in one bag)
• European Cucumber – one (from our greenhouse)
• Broccoli Raab - 1 bunch
• Green Garlic - 1 bunch
• Chives - choice up to a bunch
• A red TOMATO - 1st 1 of our own

Recipe of the week:
BroccoliRaab and Zukes

Welcome Members:

This is your first week of the season. We would like to welcome you to VALLEY DREAM FARM LLC and our certified Organic C.S.A. (Community Supported Agriculture).

It is a little warmer than our normal season and due to all this the greenhouses are growing well and are slightly ahead of schedule. Lettuce is looking nice and ready for another growth spurt. Before long, you won’t believe all of your veggies.

We enjoy bringing you the freshest and most delicious produce each week. As our member you will receive a new “Valley Dream Farm" shopping bag. Last year’s members really enjoyed them and used them when shopping at other establishments too. It is your bag to keep and reuse weekly, to collect your produce.

New this year is your newsletter will come by e-mail, let us know if you do not have an online account and we will have a paper copy for you.

PICKING UP AT THE FARMSTAND:

1. Highlight your name on your specific pick-up day list
2. Take a copy of this week’s newsletter to shop and we will send you an emailed copy. Please feel free to keep one if you do not have an e-mail address.
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 pick-up day for the following week.

DELIVERIES:

1. Please make sure your name is on your new bag. (there are different sizes please take yours)
2. Please return your clean bag the following week. You will receive another bag filled with your new items next week.

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

Thanks!

Anne

Thank-you for supporting local farmers.

We are looking forward to another successful growing season in 2012!

Here’s how we get all those vegetables to you every week. It takes a lot of preparation and a wonderful work crew to get all those vegetables to you each week. We are very fortunate to have both.

Our Crew includes: Shane (Field and Equipment Manager), Victor, Doris, Amy, Sally, and Mira and our Laraway high school students (harvest and weeding crew), Amy, Sally, and Mira (greenhouse and field crew) Heidi (CSA, farmers market and deliveries ), Jackie &Tommy O'Connor (married just last year), and Wendy (CSA and blog news editor, and most importantly the Book Keeper). In addition, The Tisbert Family (Joe – oversees all the land, equipment, wholesaling, and crop planning; Anne –marketing, CSA, deliveries, farmers markets and newsletters, Jay – our oldest son, Chief Consultant, supervisor of all varieties, head seeder, greenhouse designs and crop planning, also the CSA and farmers market welcoming committee. Becky- available occasionally now that she has a job in her interior design field of work at Smugglers Notch, Jon – our youngest son is employed at Smugglers Notch as a line cook part time, He loves the tractor work and creates amazing displays for our farmers markets (when available) and of course our dogs Zippy (now 10 yrs old-chow mix) and Bella (4yr old bouncy black lab).