2007 Season, Week Three Newsletter

Westfield Area CSA Newsletter #3 – June 28, 2007

Farm News:

Hello Everyone! This past week we finally got some much needed rain. Two successive evening storms dropped a total of about 1 ¼ inches of water. We could use more, but it was enough to give a boost to the many spring planted crops as they are approaching the finish line. I am continuing to run the drip irrigation heavily on the brassicas. The earliest of the broccoli varieties have begun heading in sufficient quantities to begin delivering this week. The heads are not large, but the quality looks good, considering the extreme heat we’ve had recently. Cabbage, kohlrabi and cauliflower will also be approaching harvestable size in the next few weeks. Deer damage continues to be a major problem especially on the broccoli and on the tomato plants. This is another consequence of the dry spring, as there is not as much for them to eat in the woods and field edges as there typically would be. The hayfield grasses are dry or have been cut, with little re-growth, and the deer are seeking anything with some moisture in it. Tomato plants are not really all that palatable, and I have never seen more than some occasional browsing in the past. This year I have a number of large plants that have been whittled down to nothing but stumps! We are rushing to put up the trellis netting for the tomatoes as this will impede their ability to move freely about the plants. I also have 2 beds of broccoli planted between 3 beds of tomatoes so the trellis will afford some protection to the broccoli as well. English peas are continuing to mature in abundance. Sugar snap and snow peas are beginning as well, but still in small quantities. It will most likely be a choice of pea varieties in this week’s share. We still have abundant amounts of lettuce, and there will be 2 heads of different types in the share. One is a beautiful deep red romaine named Outredgeous (As I suspected Word doesn’t like this spelling!) They are spectacular and quite large! The share for this week will be: Broccoli, peas, scallions, choice of mustard greens or arugula, red leaf lettuce, red romaine lettuce, choice of salad turnips or radishes, choice of herb- parsley, cilantro, or dill.–Farmer John
Glorious Greens

Leafy green vegetables are the foods most missing in modern diets. Learning to cook and eat greens is essential to creating health. As a holistic health counselor, this is the place where I begin with all of my clients. When you nourish yourself with greens, you will naturally crowd out the foods that make you sick. Greens help build your internal rain forest and strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. These vegetables provide a powerful amount of nutrition that you could not fully replicate by taking supplements: calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are also dense with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Again, it is worth emphasizing that their calcium content is a legitimate and sometimes preferred source to dairy products.

Cooking it Up….

Try a variety of methods like steaming, boiling, sautéing in oil or water. Boiling the greens dilutes the bitterness and mellows the flavor as they cook. The more water used, the more diluted the flavor of the green and the more nutrients lost in the water. You can drink the cooking water as a health-giving broth or tea if they are organic. Steaming makes greens more fibrous and tight, which is great for people who are trying to lose weight. It also concentrates the bitterness. The best of both is to “shallow blanch” the greens by taking approximately two cups of water for a bunch of greens and boiling them in a large covered skillet 3-10 minutes depending on the toughness or bitterness of the leaves. This cooks it quickly and preserves the nutrients, color and taste. One last idea for the greens like collard, mustard greens, tatsoi and the like, is to boil a few minutes and then finish it off as part of a sauté paired with a sweet vegetable like onions, peppers, corn or whatever you like. Have fun! Play with your food!

Sharon Goldner, Chef & Holistic Health Counselor, Sharon@recipeforahealthylife.com

Serving it up Green at the Levitt House – Recipe adapted from “Whole Foods for the Whole Family published by LaLeche League.

Green Pasta:

1 bunch spinach, chard or other greens

1-4 cloves garlic (to taste)

½ cup milk

½ cup or more grated parmesan cheese

1 pound cooked pasta

Butter (optional)

Wash greens. If using chard or other greens with thick stems, separate leaves from stems. Chop stems if edible, (chard, but not kale). Roughly chop or tear leaves. Place chopped stems and garlic in large pot with water just to cover the bottom. Cover and steam until stems are almost tender. Add leaves to pot with water still clinging to them. Cover and steam until just wilted, stirring if necessary. Put greens, garlic, and cooking water in food processor and process until smooth. Add milk and cheese. Toss warm pasta with butter, then mix in sauce.

(Adding sautéed onions, tomatoes, olives, beans, chicken, etc makes this a more complete meal)

Mustard Greens are members of the Brassica and cabbage family and like their relatives, are a superior anticancer vegetable. Definitely pungent and requiring a boiling or sautéing cooking method, its nutritional benefit is moving stuck energy and aids in colds, arthritis or depression.