CSA Week 18

Post by: Ivo

Season is coming to a close. Autumn is here and frosts are near. Plenty of pumpkins and corn for us to eat. Flowers are slowing down but still holding on. The goats are crowding under their roofs from any rain. Becoming more and more difficult for us to wake up as it becomes darker and colder each morning. We hope you enjoyed your baskets to the fullest! Great time indeed. Be well.

CSA Week 18 - Recipe

Pear Pie (serves aprox 8)

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
5 cups peeled and sliced pears
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

Combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and lemon rind in mixing bowl.
Arrange pears in layers in a 9 inch pastry lined pan, sprinkling sugar mixture over each layer. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Roll out remaining dough; cut slits for escape of steam. Moisten rim of bottom crust. Place top crust over filling. Fold edge under bottom crust, pressing to seal. Flute edge.
Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes.

CSA - Week 17

CSA - Week 17

Posted by: Kristie

It's nearing wreath-making season at Camp Joy. All year long, we cut flowers from the garden and hang them up to dry in the big house. In mid-October, we begin creating wreaths of all shapes and sizes from the dried flowers to sell at the farm's largest fundraiser of the year, the Wreath Sale. In preparation for this process, we've begun to clear out the big house living room, and lo and behold, what did we find? Two large winter squashes from last season - and much to our surprise, they both seem to have stored well! The variety: Marina di Chiogga! I have to admit that I had been scheming to add those squashes to my compost pile. I never would have guessed that they were still in good condition! It looks like we have some winter squash pies in our near future.



What's in your basket this week? onions, potatoes, apples, sweet peppers, beans, carrots, cucumbers, summer squash, garlic, grapes, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, arugula, cilantro, lettuce, kale, pears, frisee.

CSA - Week 17 Recipes

Welcome to our recipes for Week 17 of the CSA!

Sweet Onion Souffle

2 tablespoons butter
3 medium sweet onions, chopped
5 slices fresh bread, cut into cubes
10 ounces evaporated milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded parmesean cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add chopped onions and saute 10-15 minutes or until tender. Place onions and bread cubes in large bowl. Stir in milk, eggs, 3/4 cup cheese and salt. Pour into lightly greased 1 1/2qt souffle or baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set.

Maple Glazed Carrots

1 ½ lb of carrots, peeled and cut into half-inch thick rounds
½ cup of water
3 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large skillet, bring all ingredients to boil. Reduce heat to medium, then cover and simmer for 8 minutes. Uncover and cook until the juices are reduced to glaze (4-5 minutes). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Note: though none of the ingredients in the following recipe come in your basket, I couldn't resist including it in the recipe list this week. Today is Jim Nelson's birthday, and we all enjoyed partaking in this cake to celebrate. It's especially delicious with vanilla Coconut Bliss!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.
Dust cake with additional cocoa powder. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

CSA – Week 16

Posted by: Robert

CSA – Week 16

Please allow me to introduce myself on this fine first day of October, 2010. My name is Robert, and I came to Camp Joy last week (by bike!) as an apprentice for the final two months of the season.

I've been pleasantly overwhelmed by the variety of activity going on here over the course of the past week, and I wanted to share with you a couple of activities I found particularly exciting:

Canning

Since arriving, we've pressed apple juice and made raspberry jam. As fall closes in, we need to take time to preserve our fruits and vegetables, ensuring fresh and local sustenance throughout the chilly winter season.

The canning process is quite simple, and now is the time to learn! (There are a number of websites that explain the canning process.) Canning is a great excuse to get together with a group of friends.

Cultivating

The Collinear Hoe, which we use to swiftly pull across our tender garden beds, is not merely an implement to weed. Since arriving at Camp Joy, I've learned that "weeding" is really an act of "cultivation." Cultivation means gently re-arranging our soil to let water, air, and nutrients flow freely, and removing the stubborn plants that take water, nutrients, and root space from the plants we want to see succeed.

This Week's CSA

What's in your box this week? onions, potatoes, garlic, leeks, sweet peppers, pears, apples, hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, dill, frisee, rosemary, kale, and basil.

Enjoy!

CSA – Week 16 Recipes

Posted by: Robert

CSA – Week 16 Recipes

Creamy Dill Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

1 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/4 cup minced fresh dill

3 medium cucumbers , sliced, salted, and drained (see directions)

1/2 medium red onion , sliced very thin, salted and drained with cucumbers

Directions

To prepare the cucumbers: Peel, halve lengthwise, and scoop seeds from cucumbers. Stack halves flat side down; slice diagonally 1/4-inch thick. Toss with 1 tablespoon salt in strainer or colander set over bowl; weight with water-filled, one-gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag, sealed tight. Drain for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 hours. Transfer to medium bowl; reserve for further use.

Whisk first four ingredients, and salt and pepper to taste, in medium bowl. Add cucumbers and onion; toss to coat. Serve chilled, adjusting seasonings if necessary.

Pear Crisp

Ingredients

3/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts (3 ounces), see note above

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (2 1/2 ounces)

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Table salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

3 pounds ripe but firm pears (6-7 medium)

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Process nuts, flour, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in food processor until nuts are finely chopped, about nine 1-second pulses. Drizzle butter over flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles crumbly wet sand, about five 1-second pulses, pausing halfway through to scrape down sides and bottom of workbowl. Set aside while preparing fruit.

2. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and pinch of salt together in large bowl. Peel pears, then halve and core each (see illustrations below). Cut each half into 4 wedges and then cut in half crosswise (pieces should be about 1 1/2 inches). Gently toss pears with sugar mixture and transfer to 8-inch-square baking dish.

3. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit, breaking up any large chunks. Bake until fruit is bubbling around edges and topping is deep golden brown, 27 to 32 minutes. Cool on wire rack until warm, at least 15 minutes, and serve.

CSA - Week 15

Posted by: Kristie

CSA - Week 15

Happy First Day of Fall! Are you ready for the summer to be over? With tomatoes and sweet peppers in full swing, it's hard to feel that the summer is actually over.

But it does feel like the season at Camp Joy is shifting. We've lost two of our apprentices from the summer (Mika and Whitney), and we've gained a new person for the remainder of the season: Robert. The nights are getting cooler and the sun is disappearing over the hills earlier and earlier each evening. We're deep in canning, drying, freezing, and other preserving projects. (Hint: take advantage of the abundance table at CSA pick-up and experiment with your own preserving projects!) We've been juicing our apples and pears on a weekly basis. And I'm sure the days of firing up the woodstove are just around the corner.

One cannot live and work on the farm without tangibly feeling the shifting of the seasons. The rise and setting of the sun affect the hours we spend in the garden. Scorching hot sun mid-day sends us inside for siestas, extending our work day into the cooler evening hours. The temperature of the air governs the amount of time we spend chopping wood, creating kindling, and building fires in the woodstove. The first fruits of the season bring greater variety to our meals, and later, the abundance draws us to long hours in the kitchen, preserving. When the rains begin in the fall, our time spent irrigating the garden is freed up, as we attempt to "flood-proof" the farm, bringing the curing garlic and onions indoors...When will the rains begin this year? Time will tell.

What's in your box this week? onions, potatoes, garlic, leeks, sweet peppers, pears, apples, hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, dill, frisee, rosemary, kale, and basil.

CSA - Week 15 Recipes

Posted by: Kristie

CSA - Week 15 Recipes

Pear Galette

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter—5 tablespoons cut into small pieces and chilled, 2 tablespoons melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon milk
2 tablespoons apricot preserves, strained
2 large Bosc pears
1/2 teaspoon very hot water

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a medium bowl, toss the flour with 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg over the flour mixture and stir. Working quickly, gather the dough into a smooth mass, squeezing it gently. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 5-inch disk. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm but not hard, about 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 9 1/2 -inch round, turning it clockwise an inch or two each time you roll to maintain an even shape. Transfer the dough to a heavy flat baking sheet. Fold up 1/4 inch of the edge of the dough to form a neat rim. Using a knife, score the rim in a decorative pattern. Brush the rim with a little of the remaining beaten egg. Brush 1 tablespoon of the apricot preserves over the bottom of the dough and refrigerate while you prepare the pears.
Peel, quarter and core the pears. Slice each quarter lengthwise into 5 thin wedges. Arrange all but 6 of the pear wedges on the dough in a spoke pattern, overlapping them slightly. Cut the remaining pear wedges and arrange them in the center of the tart to form a decorative rose. Brush the pear slices with the melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.
Bake the galette in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender and the pastry is crisp and golden. Carefully slide the galette onto a rack to cool slightly.
Stir the hot water into the remaining 1 tablespoon of apricot preserves and brush on the pears. Serve the galette at room temperature.

POTATO AND LEEK SOUP

2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock)
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup low fat milk

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and leeks, sauté gently until soft. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in stock.
Add potatoes, bring to the boil, simmer gently for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Stir in milk and seasonings.

Puree soup in a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

CSA - Week 14!

Posted by: Kristie

What was in your box this week? bush beans, garlic, eggplant, sweet peppers, tomatillos, pears, onions, apples, tomatoes, summer squash, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, dill, arugula, and basil.


What's happening at Camp Joy this week? Well, our most important news is that two of our cherished apprentices, Mika and Whitney, are leaving this week. They have been more than helpful on the farm, sharing their passion for gardening and preserving. Mika and Whitney have helped define this season at Camp Joy - it's hard to imagine the community without them. Though we're sad to see them go, we wish them well in their future endeavors. Mika is returning to UCSC for the last quarter of her undergraduate degree in Sustainable Agriculture. And Whitney is moving to the Bay Area to work for a dynamic Jewish environmental nonprofit.

CSA - Week 14 Recipes!

Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe

To cook the tomatillos, you can either roast them in the oven, or boil them. Roasting will deliver more flavor; boiling may be faster and use less energy. Either way works, though boiling is a more common way to cook the tomatillos.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lb tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 Jalapeño peppers OR 2 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
Salt to taste

Method
1 Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well.

2a Roasting method Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin.

2b Boiling method Place tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove tomatillos with a slotted spoon.

2 Place tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, sugar in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Season to taste with salt. Cool in refrigerator.

Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes.


ZUCCHINI LATKES WITH ROASTED PEPPER SOUR CREAM TOPPING

1 1/2 lb zucchini, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup onion, grated
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
4 eggs (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper

Grate zucchini using medium-fine grating disk of food processor or hand grater. Place zucchini in colander and sprinkle with salt. Let set 1 hour. Gently press out as much moisture as possible. Add grated onion and chopped pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly.
Combine eggs, Parmesan cheese, milk, basil, Tabasco, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Thoroughly whisk egg mixture until well combined.

Cooking instructions: Fold 1 1/4 cups egg mixture into 1 1/2 lb zucchini mixture. Combine 3/4 cup all purpose flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder; stir into egg/zucchini. Fold together gently until well blended.

Note: Adjust consistency of mixture as necessary, adding more liquid if mixture is too thick or more flour if mixture is too thin. Flour absorbs more or less moisture according to environmental humidity, so this adjustment for your conditions may be needed.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a grill or sauté pan. When hot, place a large scoop of the zucchini mixture onto hot oil. Press gently into 3-inch rounds.
Cook on both sides until golden brown (internal temperature should be at least 140°F).

Remove from pan and drain on absorbent towels. Serves 4.


Red Pepper Sour Cream Topping:

2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup red bell peppers, roasted & pureed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Brush peppers with olive oil. Roast peppers in a preheated 375°F oven until tender and streaks of brown appear. Combine ingredients thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For each Portion: Serve 3 latkes with 3 tablespoons Red Pepper Sour Cream or 1 or 2 Zucchini Latkes with 2 other vegetables as a vegetable or vegetarian entrée.

CSA week 13

Post by: Ivo

The Annual Harvest dinner has passed. We shared many moments of joy and indulgence. There were some great shots made by a few people who attended. Here are some samples.









A picture speaks a thousand words.

CSA Week 12

Post by: Ivo

Hey dudes! Last three weeks I've been participating in cutting and mixing the bouquets. I've never been in such awe with our flowers before making bouquets. The most beautiful flowers and bouquets I've ever seen hands down! They make me feel like kissing someone! Here are the three I made this week, each one made my legs quiver more than the last.

CSA Week 12 - Recipes

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

7 ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter
5/8 onion, chopped
5/8 green bell pepper, chopped
1-1/4 carrots, chopped
2-3/4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1/8 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons Burgundy wine
5/8 bay leaf
1-1/4 stalks celery
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon tomato paste


Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl of iced water. Plunge whole tomatoes in boiling water until skin starts to peel, 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and place in ice bath. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then remove peel and squeeze out seeds. Chop 4 tomatoes and puree in blender or food processor. Chop remaining three tomatoes and set aside.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic in oil and butter until onion starts to soften, 5 minutes. Pour in pureed tomatoes. Stir in chopped tomato, basil, Italian seasoning and wine. Place bay leaf and whole celery stalks in pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Stir in tomato paste and simmer an additional 2 hours. Discard bay leaf and celery and serve.

CSA Week 11

What was in your basket this week? garlic, onions, apples, plums, tomatoes, bartlett pears, eggplant, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, kale, lettuce, basil, cucumbers, beans, hot pepper, and cut greens




The fruit trees are pumping! We've been very busy picking, sorting, and juicing. Soon, we'll be drying and canning applesauce and pear jam. We hope you enjoy your bounty of fruit in your baskets!

CSA - Week 11 Recipes

Baba Ganoush

3 medium-sized eggplants
1/2 cup tahini
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/8 teaspoon chile powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
a half bunch picked flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.

2. Prick each eggplant a few times, then char the outside of the eggplants by placing them directly on the flame of a gas burner and as the skin chars, turn them until the eggplants are uniformly-charred on the outside. (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char them under the broiler. If not, skip to the next step.)

3. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until they’re completely soft; you should be able to easily poke a paring knife into them and meet no resistance.

4. Remove from oven and let cool.

5. Split the eggplant and scrape out the pulp. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients until smooth.

6. Taste, and season with additional salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Chill for a few hours before serving. Serve with crackers, sliced baguette, or toasted pita chips.

Storage: Baba Ganoush can be made and refrigerated for up to five days prior to serving.

Apple Crumb Bars

1 cup rolled oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 large egg, beaten
4 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Crumb Topping
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1) Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 15- by 10- by 1-inch baking pan. Prepare Crumb Topping (see Method #2); set aside.
2) For crumb topping: In medium bowl, combine flour, oats, and sugar. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
3) For cookie: In medium bowl, combine oats, 1 cup flour, the brown sugar, baking powder, and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in beaten egg. Spread mixture evenly in pan.
4) Toss apples with sugar, remaining 1/4 cup flour, and the nutmeg. Spread apples over oatmeal layer. Sprinkle Crumb Topping in a diagonal pattern over apples. Bake 30to 35 minutes or until apples are tender. To yield 40 bars, divide the 15-inch-long side into 8 sections. Divide the perpendicular 10-inch-long side into 5 sections.

CSA Week 10 - Recipes

APPLE SALSA!

2 tart apples
4 tablespoons lime juice
1 fresh jalapeno chile
1 fresh Anaheim chile
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (2 ounces) walnuts, coarsely chopped and lightly toasted
2 tablespoons peeled and finely slivered fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cut the apples from the cores, leaving the skins intact, and cut the fruit into 1/4-inch cubes.

Toss the apple pieces with the lime juice and set aside.

Cut the chilies in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and white ribs. Slice them thinly. Add to the apples. Add the onion, cilantro, walnuts, ginger and salt and mix thoroughly.

CSA - Week 10

August 19th- The abundance in the garden instills in us a powerful sense of gratitude and humility, and simultaneously keeps us on our feet as there’s always more to do to keep it coming! Our community of apprentices continue to learn the many lessons of food production. Since I arrived at Camp Joy I have had the privilege and responsibility of caring for my own section of the garden and I have had the opportunity to experiment with cheese making and preserving. With the guidance and support of seasoned homesteaders I have had many successes (as well as valuable failures).

It is always exciting to experience the first moments of the season. It seems like there have been many of those moments lately. Most recently, we canned our first round of apple juice. It was an early morning gathering in the kitchen as we came together as a community to cut into barrels of apples. It was a lengthy process pressing the apples and canning many gallons of juice on the stove. However, I know that the Camp Joy family will be grateful for apple juice throughout the winter months!

CSA - Week 9

Post by: Kristie

Apple Quotes to Ponder...

"With an apple I will astonish Paris."
-Paul Cezanne

"We are born believing. A man bears beliefs as a tree bears apples."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree."
-Martin Luther

"If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe."
-Carl Sagan

"When the apple is ripe it will fall."
-Proverb

"I tell you folks, all politics is applesauce."
-Will Rogers

"Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why."
-Bernard Baruch

"You never know how many apples there are in a seed."
-Source Unknown

"Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples don't count on harvesting golden Delicious."
-Source Unknown

What's in your basket this week? bush beans, plums, apples, garlic, onions, carrots, cucumbers, summer squash, tomatoes, lettuce, kales, bok choi, and parsley.

CSA - Week 9 Recipes

Summer Squash Oatmeal Cookies

1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. summer squash, grated
3 1/2 c. oatmeal
1 c. raisins, optional
1 c. nuts, optional

Beat butter and sugar together well. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and add creamed mixture. Stir in summer squash, oatmeal, raisins and nuts. Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.


Chilled Cucumber Soup

Two 14 to 16 ounce cucumbers
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
1 small scallion, trimmed and chopped
2 cups buttermilk or 1 cup milk plus 1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint
1 teaspoon minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon minced flat-leaf parsley
Large pinch cayenne pepper plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste (optional)

Peel the cucumbers, trim the ends, cut in half lengthwise and scrape out the watery area where seeds would be. Coarsely chop. Crush the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt into a paste with the flat side of a chef's knife. Combine the cucumber, garlic, remaining salt, and the buttermilk in a blender and process until completely smooth. Add half of each of the herbs and the cayenne and pulse several times to combine. Transfer soup to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled. Before serving, season with salt, pepper, and lemon if desired. Divide among 4 soup bowls and sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Serve.

CSA Week 8

Post By: Ivo

Its pretty cool right now as the garden teems with edibles. Just walking along the paths watching everything ripen is an adventure. It was so sweet planting onion thinking to myself "they're so fragile, how will they survive?" and so we have beautiful bulbs bursting out of the ground. I was pretty astounded at this weeks management of the CSA. I loved organizing and distributing all the summer squash/cucumbers for each person, feeling excited thinking about how they would feel finding them.

What went in your basket: Apples, green beans, onions, plums, garlic, carrots, cucumbers, summer squash, cabbage, kale, lettuce, fennel, basil, bok choy, cutting greens.

CSA Week 8 - Recipes

Spicy Bok Choy in Garlic Sauce
1 pound bok choy
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1. Trim off the ends of the bok choy and chop, keeping the white parts separate from the green as they will need to cook longer. Rinse and spin or pat dry. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl or cup, stir together the vegetable oil and sesame oil. In a separate larger bowl, stir together the water, ginger, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Set this aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy stems first; stir fry for a few minutes or until the pieces start to turn a pale green. When stems are almost cooked, add the leaves; cook and stir until leaves are wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the bok choy to a serving dish. Pour the sauce into the skillet or wok, and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Pour over the bok choy and toss lightly to coat.

CSA Week 7 - Recipe

Nectarines are usually not long in the basket but if you find yourself with extras I just made this cobbler and it was amazing! The first blackberries of the season are the best. Get out there and capture nature's plump, slowly flavored to perfection berry. As soon as the real heat hits they will turn fast and won't be nearly as special.

Ingredients For filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-2 pounds mixed stone fruit, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges and fresh blackberries (8 cups total)* vary the fruit based on preference or what you have.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

For topping:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal (not stone-ground)
2 teaspoons baking powder
Rounded 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream, divided
2 teaspoon sugar

Equipment:
Your favorite cookie cutter (2 to 2 1/2 inches)

Preparation
Make filling:
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter a 3-qt glass or ceramic baking dish.

Toss together filling ingredients in a large bowl. Spread out in baking dish and bake until just bubbling, 10 to 20 minutes. Make topping while filling bakes: Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt, then blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 cup cream and stir just until a dough forms.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly dust with flour, then roll out with a floured rolling pin into a 1/2-inch-thick round (about 10 inches in diameter). Cut out biscuits with lightly floured cutter. If necessary, gather scraps and re roll once, then cut out more biscuits.

Arrange biscuits 1/2 inch apart over hot filling. Brush tops with remaining Tbsp cream, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake until topping is golden and fruit is bubbling in center, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool to warm, 30 minutes.

I used slightly less sugar and drizzled the top with honey too!

Serve with your favorite variety of cream.

My daughter had so much fun making this with me. Berry picking, mixing and rolling dough. Hands on :)

CSA Week 7

New this week: Snap Beans!

Fresh from our hands to yours...

Apples, Basil, Carrots, Cilantro, Cucumbers, Garlic, Kale, Lettuce, Nectarines, Onions, Plums & Summer Squash.

These crisp, tasty beans sprawl the ground and call us to search way down low for their hidden abundance. They are tasty fresh or lightly steamed. They accompany almost any dish. Your favorite herbs can take them to the next level. Garlic green beans are a tried and true. Saute and enjoy, ymmm! Summer will bring you more beans than you thought you could ever eat. We will share more of our recipes and preserving ideas with you in the future.

We hope that you get a chance to explore the garden when you pick up, the first part of Thursday or the second Saturday of each month from 10-1. It is fantastically cared for this year. Our crew is really loving this land and it shows. There is something magical about watching the transformation throughout not only the seasons but the years. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication.

CSA Week 6!

Post by: Ivo

Thoughts of an apprentice...
Carrying the bin filled with the Swiss chard I just harvested. I think about how these are all being distributed for our share holders. To see my efforts… and the efforts of the chard…they had to go. I think about all the leaves which had leaf miner (Chard struggles with this pest) on them that I picked off; there were just as many leaves picked that had leaf miner as were picked for the CSA. Some of the plants which only had a few leaves still left that were good had to be picked to meet our demand; are those plants going to be ok for the following harvest? Did they get enough water? “I’ve been watering pretty well” I assure myself. Regardless of my efforts to mulch our good crop some plants become vulnerable to a fungus at its roots. Whenever gofers tunnel under our beds (too bad their tunnels run through my entire section) they expose the roots stressing them further. The tunnels and leaf miner are indirect causes of this fungus. Most persevere. I have to see what will happen as the season progresses and feel free. Nothing serious, just a few thoughts of an apprentice.

What's in your basket this week? ... garlic, kale, parsley, lettuce, carrots, apples, summer squash, basil, cilantro, plums, snap peas, onion, dill, cucumbers, cut greens, chard, and nectarines.

CSA Week 6 - Recipes

I am about to attempt to use everything you received in your CSA basket in a very delicious way!

Lets start with a Camp Joy salad! Cut up lettuce, grate carrots, cut up snap peas/cucumbers/cutting greens. Mix together. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard(Dijon preferred) and 1/4 cup water. Put the vinaigrette in a blender along with some basil and blend until smooth. Pour over salad.

Saute garlic and summer squash in olive oil. Add dill towards the end.

Steam kale/chard/onion.

Cilantro and parsley may be used as you desire (i.e. sprinkle over any of the dishes)

For dessert cut up apples, plums and nectarines!

P.S. On any given day this is what we could be eating! ; )

CSA Week 5

Posted by: Kristie

What's in your basket this week? sugar snap peas, summer squash, kale, lettuce, dill, cilantro, parsley, cabbage, carrots, garlic, basil, plums, rosemary, and chard.

"The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse." - Helen Keller

And it is so true in farming, as well.


One difficulty that became a blessing: In the spring, the deer were sneaking into the farm at night. Among the crops that they delighted in were the godetia - in one night, they mowed all the developing blooms. Such travesty!! We thought the plants wouldn't recover. But lo and behold, with much patience, they did eventually bloom. Because of the deer's munching, the godetia's blooms were delayed late enough in the season so that they could play a greater role in our cut flower CSA. How helpful! We hope you're enjoying the flowers. =)

CSA Week 5 - Recipes

Tofu and Cabbage Salad with Peanut Dressing

Salad:
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 lb block firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch strips lengthwise
1 medium head green or red cabbage, shredded or chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-sized cubes
2/3 cup chopped green onions

Dressing:
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp soy sauce (light or regular)

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Pat tofu strips dry, then sauté until light brown (about 4 minutes per side). Combine vegetables in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix dressing ingredients with 2 tbsp water (puree in blender for a smoother texture). Pour 3/4 dressing over vegetables and toss. Top salad with tofu strips and drizzle on remainder of dressing.

ZUCCHINI CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
(Makes about two dozen)

1 egg, beaten
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Combine above ingredients a in large bowl.

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
Combine above ingredients in a separate, small bowl and blend into liquid mixture.

1 cup finely shredded zucchini
12 oz chocolate chips
Stir these into other ingredients, mix well. Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350°, 10 to 15 minutes.

CSA Week 4

Post by: Ivo

How to tell you this...I wanted to go to a farm to see how to do this and that. Its so great and fun. All the energy, patients, and songs to which we sing so far into our work is reflected so that you can see and taste it to be sure.



What went into your basket: Snap peas, plums, garlic, Logan berries, lettuce, cilantro, dill, kale, carrots, summer squash, basil, parsley, chard, cutting greens, rosemary.

CSA Week 4 - Recepies

Basil & Garlic Pesto Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Equipment needed: A food processor (Blender perhaps?)
  

Method

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.

Serve with pasta, or over baked potatoes, or spread over toasted baguette slices.

CSA Week 3!

Post by: Whitney

Well… it’s official, the season is here and the days are full, full, full. Mulching, weeding, harvesting, cheese making, singing, sharing, laughing – the list could go on and on. You may notice that the scene in the garden is consistently changing as we continue to discover new places to plant food and flowers. Our pepper plants have their first tiny green peppers and the snap peas continue to grow on the vine.

The zinnias that I have been coaxing along seem to finally be exiting infancy and entering into new stages of adolescence. I am sure that their teenage years will be met with a new set of challenges, but I will be waiting with my hand hoe ready to meet the weeds.

What my Zinnia's will hopefully look like one day...

This week's basket!

community member Michelle harvesting lettuce

Farm Manager Chris showing his son Isaac a technique for harvesting.

The snapdragons in full bloom in front of the goat barn.

This past weekend was the new moon, a reminder to use our sense of sight to see beauty in the world. As we look out over the garden at Camp Joy, we are blessed with a vision of growth and bounty. I hope that you can feel and taste all of that beauty in your vegetables.