CSA News B Week

CSA Newsletter – November 6

Last week’s CSA share

The Weekly Share

This week is the last week of our CSA season Here’s what to expect in this final share:

  • Carrots
  • Collard greens
  • Garlic
  • Glass Gem Popcorn
  • Herbs
  • Hot peppers
  • Kale
  • Onion
  • Potatoes
  • Scallions
  • Sweet peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Swiss chard
  • Sunchokes (Jerusalem artichoke)

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

Compound Herb Butter

Thyme, sage, and rosemary

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away!  An easy way to season a turkey, roasted vegetables, grilled steak, baked potatoes or even biscuits is with compound butters. Compound butters are easy to make and can be made in any flavor combination you can think of – a great way to get creative in the kitchen.  A compound butter is just a mixture of butter and seasoning, such as your CSA herbs, citrus zest, or other aromatics. Here’s a basic compound butter that I love spreading on and under turkey or chicken skin before roasting.

2 sticks of butter, softened

1/2 T chopped rosemary

1/2 T chopped sage

1/2 T chopped thyme

1 T chopped garlic

Use a food processor to finely chop the herbs and garlic then add the butter until all the ingredients are blended evenly. Spread the mixture onto plastic wrap and roll into a log and chill. I recommend letting it set overnight before using it but it can be left in a sealed container in your fridge for a few weeks, making it an easy Thanksgiving treat to make ahead of time.

Other flavor combination ideas:

  • Orange/Honey/Lavendar
  • Cilantro/Lime
  • Scallion/Ginger/Orange
  • Lemon/Parsley
  • Roasted red pepper
  • Lemon/Basil
  • Cinnamon/Honey
  • Roasted garlic
  • Cilantro/Jalapeno
  • Cranberry/Orange

Glass Gem Popcorn

Glass gem corn is a colorful variety of popcorn. Glass gem corn is stunning in the variety of colors and beauty but its also quite delicious as everyone’s favorite movie night snack.  Popcorn is easy to make and you can do it a variety of ways. In the microwave place 1/4C of kernels in a brown paper bag (those ones we used to carry lunches to school in) roll and fold several times to close securely and cook on high for 1-2 minutes, season once its finished. On the stove-top – place one part vegetable oil to two parts popcorn kernels in a pot, cover with a lid and heat, shaking the pot frequently until it’s just a few seconds between pops, add your favorite seasoning and enjoy. As for seasoning – try a compound butter, or melted butter and your favorite seasoning mix, or your favorite cheese.

Connect and Share

What is your favorite part of your CSA share? Are you having trouble figuring out what to do with something in your 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 – October 16

Last week’s CSA share

The Weekly Share

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

  • Carrots
  • Garlic
  • Herbs – rosemary and peppermint
  • Hot peppers
  • Onion
  • Potatoes
  • Scallions
  • Sweet peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Swiss chard
  • Sunchokes (Jerusalem artichoke)

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

Sunchokes

With the fall harvest we usually see more tubers in the CSA shares and this week sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes, make their seasonal debut. Neither an artichoke or from Jerusalem, sunchokes are believed to have gotten their moniker from the Italian word for sunflower, girasole, which it’s flowers resemble. Sunchokes are native plants in North America and are cultivated for their tuber. Nutritionally they are high in iron, potassium, thiamin, copper, and dietary fiber. Sunchokes can be sliced thinly when raw and added to salad or can be cooked similarly to how you would cook any other root vegetable or potato. As they have gained popularity in recent years, the number of recipes available for their use has also grown. Like most root vegetables I prefer them tossed in olive oil with light seasoning and roasted, makes for a delicious side dish.

September on the farm

The large yellow flowers in the back are sunchokes.

Sunchokes

  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? Are you having trouble figuring out what to do with something in your 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 – October 2

CSA share

The Weekly Share

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

  • Carrots
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Garlic
  • Herbs – lemongrass and sage
  • Hot peppers
  • Kale
  • Onion
  • Potatoes
  • Scallions
  • Sweet peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • 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.

Fall into Soups

Fall is officially here! For me that means it’s soup season.  Some homemade bread and a bowl of soup is just what I love on cool autumn days. Soups and stews are also a great way to use CSA veggies and herbs.  I am particularly fond of finding savory uses for fall squash and sweet potatoes that often get served sweet. My favorite tip- roasting vegetables before making them into soup adds an extra layer of flavor. Here’s one of my favorite fall soup recipes:

Roasted Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Apple Soup
  • 1 lbs sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 lb carrots
  • 1 apples
  • 1 medium onions
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled
  • A high heat oil – like Asian stir fry oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 4 C vegetable stock
  • 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 in ginger
  • 1 lemon

 

1. Preheat the over to 400. Cut the sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions into 1 inch chunks.  Core and cube the apples. Then toss the garlic, apple and all the vegetables into a pan. Oil the mixture and season liberally with salt and pepper. Put the pan in the oven and roast for an hour (until fork tender) .

 

2. Puree the vegetables and broth together and heat over medium heat.

3. Peel and grate the ginger into the pot, though you can always chop it and throw it while you puree the vegetables.

4. Zest the lemon into the pot, making sure not to get the white pith. Then juice half of the lemon and add it to the pot. Also add the curry and chili powders.

5. Heat the mixture thoroughly. Then enjoy!

Adding a dollop of plain yogurt or even sour cream to each bowl is delicious but not necessary.  I am partial to serving the soup with grilled cheese.

 

Meet Your Farmers – Michael Taylor

“Michael’s garden plots are so beautifully tended and they are a welcome sight as I arrive at the farm.” Alyson Earl, Executive Director

York native Michael Taylor started a community garden plot at the Horn Farm two years ago and is now a first year intern. Michael has a career as a respiratory therapist and he spent eight years teaching exercise physiology at York College. He’s also been on his own personal health journey, losing weight and trying to be healthier. Michael became vegan, which is part of what lead him to start his community plot and grow his own vegetables. Reflecting back on that first year gardening, he says, “the weeds kicked my butt” but clearly they didn’t deter him. He delved into studying nutrition, ecology and plant science as part of his journey. In his role as a respiratory therapist, he “saw all these people suffering from lifestyle diseases.” Michael realized his own journey had equipped him with tools to help people prevent these diseases rather than treating them after the fact. He was inspired to do wellness coaching, “I can straddle clinical medicine and holistic wellness.”  Knowing wellness coaching had to include nutrition, he thought an internship on the farm would be a good place to start, to learn more. Michael is also a father, he beams when he talks about his 4 year-old daughter Marlena Lin.  Next time you see Michael at the farm stop and visit, he’s got a gift for putting one at ease and he has a wealth of knowledge to share.

Connect and Share

What is your favorite part of your CSA share? Are you having trouble figuring out what to do with something in your 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.