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