Mar 6

Winter CSA Newsletter Week #17 Mar 3 - 9, 2024 “A" week

Sunday sunset over the farm. (panoramic by Marlee)

VEG SHARES

(Photo of the "Default" FULL Share below. See listings to see which share size has what, how much, along with info, guides, recipes.)

FULL VEG SHARE:

BUCKWHEAT LETTUCE MICROGREENS (3 oz.) - Buckwheat Lettuce is a microgreen and is gluten-free, despite its name. With a very mild flavor similar to lettuce, we find these are best used in fresh salads or added to sandwiches. These delicate greens have a shorter shelf life than pea or sunflower shoots and should be used within a week - a “1st Priority” vegetable. Store in a plastic bag or container in the refrigerator. (Consider adding a paper towel to absorb wetness and increase longevity.)

SPINACH & TURNIP GREENS (¼ lb) - This green is very versatile (and YES! You can eat the stems, in fact they are very tasty too. ;) It can be eaten cooked or raw, requires little prep, works with sweet or savory ingredients, stands up to other hearty ingredients, and pairs well with rich, fatty foods such as cheese, butter, bacon, and cream. Raw is popular in salads with, or without, pecans, dried fruit such as cranberries, chunks of cheese, sunflower seeds, and roasted beets. Other possibilities are steaming, boiling, stir-frying, or sautéeing with butter or olive oil. Known as a longer keeper than lettuce, store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or more. Note - Cooks down in size considerably. Guide & Recipes

MILD CHEDDAR CHEESE (8 oz) - Semi-hard Cheddar that carries a tanginess along with smooth, consistent flavor. Great table cheese used for grating or grilling. Pairs well with: Champagne or Chardonnay *NOT organic. (from Meister Cheese)

BEETS (2 lb) - Store in the fridge in a plastic bag for months. Guide & Recipes (from Red Door Family Farm - organic)

YELLOW ONION (1 lb) Store on your counter or in your pantry out of direct sunlight. Onion peels can be put into a freezer bag with other vegetable scraps to make soup stock later, as they are full of antioxidants. To freeze: Cut or slice onions to desired size and place in Ziplock bag. Remove all the air and seal. It helps to freeze them in 2-3 cup increments. These are a good all-around onion, great for cooking and flavoring dishes. By far, they're the most popular onion sold in America and versatile enough for just about anything. Yellow onions are a smart choice for caramelizing, which draws out their natural sweetness.(from Gwenyn Hill Farm - organic)

ADIRONDACK BLUE POTATOES (1 lb) - Blue flesh and skin with a slight purple tint. Great flavor, hold color when cooked, and contain lots of healthy anthocyanins. This variety is good for boiling, baking, and mashing, and can be used for brightly colored salads. Store in a paper bag in your pantry or on the counter for a month. Guide & Recipes (from Mythic Farm - organic)

DAIKON RADISHES (1.5-lb) - Daikons are generally milder than regular table radishes. Store dry in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for weeks - these are long keepers!. Radishes are also delicious roasted - our favorite way to eat them - because it takes out their heat and makes them sweeter! Try also sliced in rounds or matchsticks with your favorite dip or hummus. Adds crunch and great flavor to any stir fry recipe. Guide & Recipes

HALF VEG SHARE: (see Full VEG Shares above⬆ for info on each item)

SPINACH & TURNIP GREENS (¼ lb)

MILD CHEDDAR CHEESE

BEETS (1 lb)

YELLOW ONION (1 lb)

ADIRONDACK BLUE POTATOES (1 LB)

DAIKON RADISHES (1.5 lb-ish)

Other ITEMS available if you chose to "Design My Share"

Wild Morel & Leek Jack CHEESE (6 oz.) - Semi-soft Monterey Jack is blended with wild, earthy morel mushrooms and delicately flavored leeks. This creamy, uniquely flavored cheese is a real crowd pleaser, pairs well with light wines and is the original Morel & Leek Jack ever produced! Pairs well with: a soft white wine.

BRUSCHETTA JACK CHEESE (6 oz) - A semi-soft Monterey Jack with mild flavors of tomato, garlic, parsley, and basil. A real crowd pleaser at all gatherings. Pairs well with: a sweeter red or white wine. *NOT organic. (from Meister Cheese)

German Butterball Potatoes

Gold Rush Potatoes

Purple Top Turnips

Daikon Radish

Carrots

Tetsu Squash

MES SHARES

Week 1 of the rotation so MES is for LEUCC

FULL: 1 lb Ground Beef, 2 Dozen Eggs

HALF: 1 lb Ground Beef, 1 Dozen Eggs

EGG SHARE

WEEKLY = 1 Dozen

BIWEEKLY = 1 Dozen

PREPARED FOOD & RECIPES:

Field News & Photos:

We’ve been spending time outside exploring the pastures, creek marsh, and woody areas of our farm lately.

I hadn’t realized until just this moment, but it’s become an unspoken and unofficial spring tradition for us here at My Fine Homestead.

And it makes all the sense in the world to me when I think about it for a minute. We go through a good portion of the winter months inside the house. When we go out, it’s with a purpose like bringing in wood, feeding animals or harvesting in the greenhouse.

With that task complete, we’re back inside.

But as the days grow longer - from 9 hours and 3 minutes on Jan 1 to 11 hours and 30 minutes today - and it’s warmer, we get antsy to get out in the fresh air and reacquaint ourselves with the land around us that we’ve been ignoring.

And just so you know I was there too, Marlee got this one! Don't worry I get her a little farther down. LOL.

It’s like getting together with a friend that you haven’t seen for a long time, and you feel a little nervous.

Will she look like you remember?

Will she think you do?

Will you still have things in common and connect like you used to?

You have no reason to think anything's different but since it's been a while, you feel distanced and unsure.

I bet you've experienced those trepidations also.

As pertains to Byrds Creek, we wonder if it's the same as the picture in our mind from last fall?

Have the beavers take any new trees down since we were last down there?

Is the marsh really wet?

How deep is the creek this spring?

It sure felt good to walk through the pasture without worrying about slipping on ice as we climbed up and down the banks in and around the marsh and creek, to feel the breeze on our skin, and to hear the birds calling to each other from the bare or just budding trees around us.

And most of all it was reassuring and wonderful to find the marsh and Byrds Creek pretty much the same.

Just moving along like always.