Week 5: Hello to all our valued CSA members!
Here we are! Bags are heavy? Shred that squash and zucchini for the freezer for winter soups and breads? Cucumbers are here and we have included some easy cucumber pickle recipes for you. We picked over 1,000 lbs of pickling cukes on Tuesday – so if any one wants more to pickle with- let us know! CSA members can get bulk cucumbers for 1.00 lb (general public 1.50 lb in bulk) so let your friends and neighbors know – we have them?
We are thankful for the rain this week. The only tricky things is we are trying to get the rest of fall crops in and we need it to dry a little in between down pours. The girls are away at sleep away camp until July 30 – horseback riding girl scout camp! We are super excited for them and miss them.
We have frozen chicken available let us know if you would like some. We are also looking to recycle your hannaford to go or other clean brown paper bags. Please bring them to pick up or leave in the farmstand. Senior shares start this week and next going out to the Round Barn, Pine Manor, Swanton Apartments, and Cathedral Square Milton 🙂 We also have an extra coffee share if anyone would like to take it on – it would be prorated.
Oh Big News! We now have BHF t-shirts and hats available for sale. We will have them for sale at the Saturday Farmers Market this Saturday and at pickups this week. We will put them on our online store too very soon for our dropoff customers. Shirts and hats are $20.
Thanks for being part of our farm. We look forward to farming with you this season.
Peace, your farmers, Christine, Adam, Sadie, Delia, Sarah, Fern, Frankie, and Christy
What’s in the share this week:
This list is what is in a share this week. Things may change between Monday and Thursday and Individual and Salad share will get differing amounts and may not get everything on the list. Lettuce mix, zucchini, summer squash, scallions, Italian and Asian eggplant, Slicing cucumbers, pickling/snacking cucumbers, Bodacious Rainbow chard
Eggs for sale We have the pretty girls’ eggs for sale – these are free-range, certified organic chicken eggs that are brown eggs– with the brightest yellow/orange yolks you ever seen. The eggs are $6.00 a dozen. $3.00 half dozen
Blue Heron Farm Weekly Newsletter – Recipes
Zucchini & Chard Lasagna
Recipe adapted from https://ladymoonfarms.com/zucchini-chard-lasagna/
Servings: 6
Equipment: 9×13” baking dish with cover, peeler or sharp knife, large skillet, spoon
Ingredients:
2-3 large zucchini or summer squash, sliced 1/8” thick
1 tbsp butter or coconut oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb sausage
1 bunch basil, chopped (optional)
2 tsp thyme, dry
1 tsp cumin, ground (optional)
½ tsp coriander, ground (optional)
½ tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne (optional)
To taste, salt and pepper
1 bunch chard, stemmed and chopped
2-3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
¾ cup chicken broth or water
Method of Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly grease a 9×13” baking dish.
- Lay a single layer of sliced zucchini to cover the bottom of the baking dish.
- In a large skillet on medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add onion and a pinch of salt and sauté 3-5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook another minute.
- Add sausage, basil, thyme, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix and cook 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add a layer of fresh chard to cover the first layer of zucchini.
- Add a layer of sausage, then a layer of cheddar cheese. Place another layer of zucchini, then repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Finish with a final layer of zucchini and top it with parmesan.
- Pour the broth over the dish.
- Bake in the oven, covered, for 1 hour.
Homemade Vinegar Pickles
Servings: 1 qt
Equipment: soup pot, glass quart jar with lid
Ingredients:
Enough fresh, clean pickling cucumbers (sliced or whole) to tightly pack a clean glass quart jar with 1” of space at the top.
2-3 sprigs fresh dill (optional)
1-2 cloves garlic (optional)
1 tbsp pickling spice blend (see recipe below)
1 ½ cups water
½ cup vinegar (white or apple cider)
1 ½ tbsp kosher (non-iodized) salt
½ tbsp sugar (optional)
Method of Preparation:
- Clean everything!
- Pack your quart jar with cucumbers and dill and garlic if using.
- In a small pot, combine pickling spices, water, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
- Pour liquid (carefully, use a funnel if you have one) to cover pickles. Close lid and allow to cool to room temperature before moving to refrigerator. Check pickles in 1-2 days.
- Store in a closed glass jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.
*Note: This recipe can be used to pickle many other vegetables as well, including red onions, carrots, asparagus, green beans, zucchini and squash, etc.
Homemade Pickling Spice Blend
Serving: 1 cup
Ingredients:
BASE
2 tbsp whole mustard seeds
1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves, crumbled
PLUS AT LEAST ONE
1 tbsp whole allspice berries
2 cinnamon sticks, crumbled
6 ea whole cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS
1 tbsp dill seed
Method of Preparation:
- Combine all ingredients into glass jar, store for future use.
Fermented Pickles
Servings: 1 qt
Equipment: glass quart jar with lid, bowl
Ingredients:
1 qt tightly packed pickling cucumbers (whole or sliced)
1 tbsp pickling spice blend (see recipe above)
1 tsp black tea leaves (optional)
2-3 sprigs fresh dill (optional)
4-5 cloves garlic (optional)
2-3 tbsp salt
1 qt water
Method of Preparation:
In a 1-qt wide-mouthed glass jar, place half of the herbs and spices. Tightly pack the cucumbers into the jar, leaving 1 inch of open space at the top.
Add remaining herbs and spices.
Make the brine by combining salt and water. Mix to completely dissolve the salt.
Fill the jar with brine to completely cover the cucumbers. The liquid should be to the shoulder of the jar, leaving 1-inch space from the top.
Cover the top of the jar with a square of parchment or wax paper and seal tightly with lid.
Ferment 3-6 days on the counter. You should see a little bubbling in the jar, and the insert in the lid will feel firm when pressed. When done, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Garlicky Rainbow Chard
Servings: 2 sides
Equipment: skillet, spoon
Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter or coconut oil
2 large scallions, sliced
1 head garlic, minced
½ tsp salt
1 bunch chard, sliced
To taste, black pepper, red pepper flakes
1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
Method of Preparation:
- In a skillet, warm oil over medium heat. Add scallions and garlic and a pinch of salt and sauté 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Add chard, stir, and cook 3-5 minutes until soft.
- Season with black pepper, red pepper flakes, or your other favorite spices.
- Add vinegar or lemon juice, stir, and remove from heat.
- Serve as a side dish.
Health Benefits:
Swiss chard is bursting with fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin K. Fiber is important for healthy digestion, while vitamin A is essential for our vision, immune system, and reproductive health. Vitamin K is almost only found in green vegetables and help with bone growth. Just one cup of cooked swiss chard has over 60% of your daily vitamin K requirements!