Mixed Beans – Purple, Yellow, Green

Summer Squash – Yellow crookneck and patty pan’s

Heirloom Tomatoes

Celery – Greener with stronger flavor then regular celery

Swiss Chard

Onion

Wild Apples and Pear – We only have a small amount of pears so just a taste this year but yields will go up as the trees get older.

Cucumbers – Probably going to be the last of the season for them.

This is a general guideline for the vegetables we grow the most of.  There may be other surprises in your box that are not listed!

I could rewrite it all or just give you the link to Angelic Organics from the  farm film The Real Dirt on Farmer John.  There is storage information for most vegetables grown in the midwest.

http://www.angelicorganics.com/Vegetables/vegetablescontent.php?contentfile=vegstorage

The quantity and variety of your box will fluctuate from week to week.  Your box will be lighter in the Spring and heavier throughout the Summer and Fall as you eat with the seasons.  Some farms use a smaller box in the Spring so their members feel like their box is full.  We prefer to use the same size box all season long.

I’ve been asked before, “Why does the farmers market have vegetables that we haven’t seen in our box yet?”  The answer is that every farmer is working with something different.  A farm a few hours away from us can have a different micro climate.  Each farm has different soils, rainfall, and frost times.  This affects when you can get your equipment into the fields and seeds in the ground.  Plus every farmer has a different “Master Plan”.  There are only so many hours in the the day and everybody lines up their priorities differently.

From past surveys I have found that for every person who wants more variety and less quantity there is another who wants less variety and more quantity .  The only way to please everyone (is that possible?) is to do both. Sometimes more quantity and sometimes more variety.  My goal is to have (on average) between 6-10 items in each box in large enough amounts to add to a meal.  My motto is “When in doubt, Stir-fry it!

Arugula is a spicy green.  The arugula may be a bit holey but it does not detract from the flavor.  Arugula can be eaten raw alone or mixed with other salad greens.  It can also be sauteed.

Linguine with Arugula, Pine Nuts
and Parmesan Cheese

1 pound linguine
1/2 cup olive oil
4 ounces arugula, trimmed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.

4. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve immediately, adding additional Parmesan, if desired.

from www.seasonalchef.com

Pea tendrils are the edible young leaves and shoots of a pea plant. They often contain curly vines and flowering buds. They have a distinctive and robust flavor that tastes like a cross between sweet peas and spinach.  Pea tendrils are delicious steamed or lightly sauteed with oil, garlic, and salt.

INGREDIENTS

1. Wash the pea tendrils and drain. Gather them into a tight bundle and finely slice crosswise.
2. Combine with all the other ingredients in a medium heavy pot and mix well.
3. Place over high heat and cook, stirring frequently, for about 1 minute. Then cover tightly and cook for about 3 minutes, until the pea tendrils have wilted and the scallions are tender. Serve on a flat plate.  adapted from recipe at www.chow.com

(Mostly just eat salad but here are a few tips.  Please share your favorites!)

Bok Choy

When the time comes to start cooking, you’ll find that Bok Choy is extremely adaptable. Boiling, steaming, stir-frying and even deep-frying are all possibilities. With full-sized Bok Choy you’ll want to separate the leaves from the stalks, as the thick stalks have a longer cooking time. Rinse both well and drain, then shred or cut across the leaves, and cut the stalks into small slices along the diagonal or as called for in the recipe. When stir-frying, a good basic method is to stir-fry the Bok Choy for a minute, sprinkling with a bit of salt, then add a small amount of water or chicken broth (about 3 tablespoons per pound of Bok Choy) cover, and simmer for 2 minutes. Adjust the seasonings if desired, adding a bit of sugar during cooking, or stirring in sesame oil at the end. Whichever cooking method you choose, be sure not to overcook the Bok Choy – the stalks should be tender and the leaves just wilted.

I suggest using Bok Choy in a more robust stir fry, one that contains shrimp or chicken perhaps, along with bean sprouts, snow peas and other Chinese-restaurant type ingredients.
My main suggestion for Bok Choy? Experiment! Really, it’s hard to go wrong with this versatile vegetable in the kitchen.

Braising Greens

Pasta with Dark Greens

2 pounds mix of broccoli raab, and Braising Greens
Kosher salt
1 pound orechiette, penne or other pasta
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Pinch dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper and salt

•    In a large pot, bring 2 to 3 quarts of water to a boil.
•    While the water heats, trim the greens and wash them well. Cut the greens crosswise into 1-inch pieces or strips.
•    When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Toss the greens into the boiling water; cook until they are almost tender but still bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. (The time will vary somewhat depending on what kind of greens you use. Testing them is the best way to know when they are done.) With a slotted spoon, remove greens from the pot and toss into a large bowl of cold water.
•    Add the pasta to the pot of water in which the greens were cooked. While the pasta cooks, squeeze the greens to remove as much water as possible. Fluff the greens to separate them, then set aside.
•    In a large, heavy skillet or a wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, just until the garlic begins to color. (Take care not to let it burn or the dish will taste bitter.) Add the pepper flakes. When the pasta is almost done, 10 to 12 minutes, add the drained greens to the pan and cook together for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from the heat.
•    Drain the pasta, leaving a bit of water clinging to it. Add the pasta to the cooked greens; toss well. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Serve immediately with a loaf of the thick-crusted, whole-grain bread. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Stars comments: I would skip squeezing and fluffing the greens personally and I would add cilantro and dill at the end and maybe a splash of Italian Salad Dressing.  I rarely follow a recipe through to the end.  I always change and adjust to my families taste or what I imagine would go well together.

Scallions
Cilantro
Dill
French Breakfast Radishes
Clam Shell of Micro Greens Mix
(Rainbow Beet, Tatsoi, Mustard Greens, Pea Shoots, Carrots)
Bag of Baby Romaine
Bag of Spring Salad Mix (variety of flavors)
Bundle of Braising Salad Greens Mix
Sml Bundle of Spinach, Chard, Kale Mix
Bundle of Broccoli Raab
2  Red Bok Choy

How to Dry

Thread stems with heavy string placing hot peppers close together and making the strand as long as you wish. Hang in dry area with the air circulating freely around the strand. Takes several weeks. When using fresh or dried hot peppers, wear gloves to protect your hands because the oils in the peppers can cause severe burns. Don’t touch your face or eyes. If peppers do come in contact with your bare hands, wash thoroughly with soapy water. If burning persists, soak hands in a bowl of milk.

Remedies for eating a pepper that is too hot for you:

Drink milk, rinsing the mouth with it while swallowing, ice cream or yogurt. Eat rice or bread which will absorb the capsaicin. Drink tomato juice or eat a fresh lime or lemon

* Do not drink water – it will distribute the oil to more parts of the mouth.

Arugula — is a spicy little leaf, which some describe as bitter and others characterize as having a “pepperymustardy” flavor. Because it is so potent on its own, it is often mixed with milder greens to produce a nice balanced salad. It can also be sautéed in olive oil. In Italy, arugula is often used in pizzas, added just before the baking period ends or immediately afterwards, so that it won’t wilt in the heat.