June 8th – wk #1 2021 – Ever Green Farm CSA

Rhubarb
Bok Choy
Hakurei Turnips w/greens
Arugula
Swiss Chard

It is finally here! The first week of CSA shares for 2021. All of us are excited to enjoy fresh seasonal veggies. These first few weeks are generally on the lighter side as we patiently wait for the summer explosion. This will give everyone a chance to adjust their usual grocery routine and get into the groove.

washing and storage – We do give most items a quick rinse on the farm. However, you should plan to wash at home. We do not use pesticides here so no worries about chemical residue, but you may find unwelcome tag-a-longs or weeds -you know what I mean.

We are looking to reduce our plastic use. This season we are testing out a new method of sending your veggies home. We are wrapping items that we can in paper. Wrapping the items in paper will help retain the moisture during travel and you will store them in your own container or reusable bag at home. In a pinch, you may be able to pop them in the fridge in the paper for short term storage. We are still using our recyclable produce bags when we need to. These bags can be recycled at any store that accepts recyclable bags. You may also like to reuse the produce bags at home to separate items for storage in your fridge. If you add a paper towel in your produce bags at home it helps absorb excess condensation. Excess moisture will reduce the quality and storage time. If your greens ever get wilted and sad due to loss of moisture, sometimes a dip/soak in some cool water can rejuvenate them.

There are quite a few products on the market to help with produce storage at home. Personally, I love Rubbermaid FreshWorks . The downside of the FreshWorks containers is that they are not that big. I have also used Debbie Meyer Green Bags with great success. She also has a line of containers, but I have not tried them personally. I recommend that you come up with a storage plan that works for your household. Just a few minutes of prep and planning can make a huge difference in your CSA experience. I also recommend a greens spinner. I have a 5qt Cuisinart spinner and I love it. If you have a product that works for you, let us know and we can share the news.

Vegetable Directory

For more information about your weekly veggies, you can find storage and usage tips on the Vegetable Directory. This can be found from the menu on the website or the link above.

Recipes – We have some recipes on each vegetable page in the directory and also have Pinterest Boards for vegetables. Everyone has different diets, tastes, dislikes, preferences. We try to have a variety of options available. If you receive a vegetable in your box that you are still not sure what to do with and still need help, please contact us and we will try to help you find a recipe or idea for you.

Quick Tips: Rhubarb: great for baking or sauce on ice cream, yogurt, or biscuits; can be frozen; lots of info on the directory Bok Choy: eaten raw or cooked, great in smoothies Hakurei Salad Turnip: eaten raw, cooked, eat the greens too Arugula: use quickly, perishable, peppery green, salads, pasta, pizza, pesto Swiss Chard: similar to spinach, eat the stems too, eat raw or cooked, wraps

FARM NEWS: So HOT! Well, we went from winter to summer weather again. A note about the rhubarb: If you have been following along since spring, you will know that we moved and expanded our usual rhubarb plot. Our new plot is still a bit small for harvest. We are harvesting from our old plot and this may be the only week in your share until the new plot is bigger and ready for harvest. So sad, but oh so necessary. This is a long-term gain.

Photos this week: