Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education

CSA News A Week

CSA Newsletter – August 14

Last week’s CSA share

The Weekly Share

Here’s what to expect in this week’s share:

  • Cantaloupe
  • Celery
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Garlic
  • Herbs – basil and purple shiso
  • Hot peppers
  • Onion
  • Potatoes
  • Scallions
  • Squash
  • Sweet peppers
  • Swiss chard
  • Tomatoes

*Due to the unpredictability of weather, pest problems, and other factors produce in the weekly shares are subject to last minute changes.

Tomato Season

Tomato season is officially here! Cherry tomatoes, paste tomatoes, slicing tomatoes, so many varieties get seen throughout a CSA season. Tomatoes are high in vitamins A, C and K as well as potassium. There are several different kinds of tomatoes you’ll see in your share – cherry, paste,  salad, and beefsteak. Any tomato is delicious raw as far as I am concerned and it’s hard for me to have too many tomato sandwiches or salads.  That being said some are better for cooking than others. Beefsteak tomato varieties are the large ones that traditionally get sliced fro sandwiches.  I also love them with a little oil salt and pepper or just mayo on their own. Paste tomatoes are oblong and are denser than other tomatoes with more flesh than liquid. As the name suggests they are great for making tomato paste and sauces. Salad tomatoes are larger than cherry tomatoes but not as big as beefsteaks, they great for salads, sandwiches or soups.  Then there are the smallest tomatoes, the cherry varieties. Nothing beats a sun warmed cherry tomato straight off the vine for flavor. Cherry tomatoes tossed in a pan with olive oil and garlic and sauteed until they burst make a great simple sauce for pasta. Tomatoes do change their flavor and texture slightly when refrigerated but they also go bad quickly in heat. In a cool dry environment they can stay out of the fridge for a few days but keep an eye on them.  I usually veer on the safe side and eat some the day I get my share and then fridge the rest.

Beefsteak varieties

Paste varieties

On the right is the denser paste variety compared to the salad tomato on the left.

Salad tomato varieties like this red zebra

Cherry tomato varieties

Let’s Talk About Herbs

I think sometimes herbs kind of become the forgotten toss-up of the CSA share, an extra we don’t always know what to do with.  Here is a list of my favorite things to do with my CSA herbs:

  • Roasting – toss fresh herbs like oregano, rosemary or sage in anything you are roasting (meat or vegetable) for extra flavor.
  • Flavor my water – honestly 9/10 times those mint sprigs make it into my water bottle and give me water some zip to get me through the work day. Bonus – the added flavor makes me more likely to drink more water
  • Mix with fruit – ok, so when the mint isn’t in my water it’s topping some of my favorite fruit. Cut into ribbons and tossed in with your favorite berries or melon, refrigerate for a couple of hours to let the flavors blend, it’s a refreshing summer treat.
  • Drying – Not all herbs retain their flavor when dried but many do. More oily herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano are great dried. Just hang in a cool dry place to dry. Then place in a seal-able container.
  • Freezing – Lighter textured herbs like parsley and cilantro tend not to hold their flavor when dried but if you blend them with some oil and freeze them in ice cube trays they do hold their fresh flavor. Just save those ice cubes in a freezer bag for use later.
  • Marinade or salad dressing – Oil, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper – perfect combination for roasting meat or vegetables for grilling or a dressing for your salad. Fresh herbs add a kick of extra flavor that dried herbs can’t compete with.

Purple Shiso

This week expect something new – purple shiso or perilla.  This Japanese green is herbaceous and aromatic,it’s actually considered part of the mint family It can be cooked and used in dishes like stir-fry to add a citrusy flavor. It can also be used to make tea or cut into ribbons and mixed with fruit.  I’ll be experimenting with purple shiso this week, let me know what good uses you find for it.

Connect and Share

What is your favorite part of your CSA share? If you have a recipe or picture you want to share, a trick you learned, or a question about your CSA produce please let us know at csa@hornfarmcenter.org.  Share on social media with the hashtag #HornFarmCSA.

CSA Newsletter – July 31

Last week’s CSA share

The Weekly Share

Here’s what to expect in this week’s share:

  • Potatoes
  • Squash
  • Sweet Pepper
  • Hot Peppers
  • Scallions
  • Onions
  • Green beans
  • Tomatoes
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Herbs

*Due to the unpredictability of weather, pest problems, and other factors produce in the weekly shares are subject to last minute changes.

Purple viking potatoes! 

 

Tie-Dye Potatoes

I was so excited last week to see Purple Viking potatoes in my share. The colorful purple and pink skins always remind me of tie-dye! They also happen to be my absolute favorite potato. Purple vikings are an incredibly flavorful variety of potato and their texture is smooth and creamy.  They are perfect for mashed potatoes but I also like them roasted as home fries and in my cheesy potato recipe.

Nutritionally potatoes are high in vitamin B6, potassium and vitamin C.  I am a big fan of not peeling my potato skins, the skins are full of vitamins and minerals as is the flesh but the skins contain more fiber. The skin on purple vikings is not tough so they make for ideal eating. Potatoes can keep for months if stored in a cool dry place. (Side note, don’t store your potatoes too close to your onions, onions will make potatoes sprout and go bad faster.) So when you’re ready to use them give those skins a good scrub and keep them on when you cook.

Bacon Cheesy Potatoes

  • 1/2 lb bacon
  • 2 lb potatoes (the quart size in your CSA share is about 2lbs)
  • 1-2 medium onions
  • 2 T flour
  • 1 C Milk
  • 1 C shredded cheese (cheddar, colby, monterrey jack, whatever you like that melts easily)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • butter

1. Cook your bacon – I prefer to cook it in the oven but you can also just stove top fry it.  For the oven baking, I lay the bacon on a baking sheet, put it in the oven, then turn on the oven to 375 and cook for about 20-25 minutes. After the bacon is cooked set it aside to cool.  Once cool crumble it.  Reserve the bacon grease, we’ll use it in the sauce. If you oven baked your bacon, turn the oven up to 400.  If you fried your bacon, then turn on the oven at the very beginning.

2. While the bacon cooks, cut your potatoes and onion into thin rings. If you own a mandoline, this is the perfect time to use it!

3. Put 2 T of the bacon grease in a sauce pan.  If you don’t like bacon grease, use butter.  Whisk in the flour and some salt and pepper (light on the salt if you used the bacon grease).  Over medium-low heat cook the mixture till it is a golden colored creamy roux.

4. Add the milk slowly whisking the whole time, turn up the heat to medium and let the sauce start to thicken.  Once thickened, stir in your cheese then remove it from the heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste – I often throw in a little creole seasoning in for some kick.

5. Grab a baking dish and butter it all up, add a layer of potatoes; top with some of the crumbled bacon and a layer on onions (make sure you have separated the rings); then pour on about 1/3-1/2 of the sauce.  Repeat with a second layer of everything and the rest of the sauce – don’t overfill.

6. Place the dish on a baking sheet (just in case of accidental overflow) and pop it in the oven for an hour and a half.

Enjoy!

Connect and Share

What is your favorite part of your CSA share? If you have a recipe or picture you want to share, a trick you learned, or a question about your CSA produce please let us know at csa@hornfarmcenter.org.  Share on social media with the hashtag #HornFarmCSA.

CSA Newsletter – July 17

Last week’s CSA share

The Weekly Share

Here’s what to expect in this week’s share:

  • Beets
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Herbs
  • Potatoes
  • Swiss chard
  • Summer Squash

*Due to the unpredictability of weather, pest problems, and other factors produce in the weekly shares are subject to last minute changes.

News From the Farm

The Farm Stand is open for the season! In case you want more of something in your CSA or fresh flowers for your table, plan to stop by the farm on Saturdays between 9 and noon. For your convenience, produce can be pre-ordered on our online farm stand for pick up at the farm Saturday morning. There are also some great classes coming up including Cooking with Eggplant and on Preserving Herbs. Both classes will be held in the newly restored historic summer kitchen here at the Horn Farm.

Meet Your Farmer – Miranda Gindling

“Miranda’s smile brightens my entire day.” Alyson Earl, Executive Director

Second year Horn Farm intern Miranda Gindling is originally from College Park, MD but now calls York County home. She became interested in agriculture after volunteering at a farm three years ago. She realized growing her own food and learning survival skills empowered her. Since then she’s worked on growing her homesteading skills in order “to feed my family and community.” “I love to get reminded of the miracle of things growing,” she says of her internship. Miranda has been working hard on the herb garden at the farm this year. In addition to her internship,  Miranda loves to read, write, make art and sew quilts. If you see Miranda at the farm ask her about the herb garden and her experience as a intern.

Connect and Share

What is your favorite part of your CSA share? If you have a recipe or picture you want to share, a trick you learned, or a question about your CSA produce please let us know at csa@hornfarmcenter.org.  Share on social media with the hashtag #HornFarmCSA.