Here is the long version of the BBC World News story on Farm to Family that aired today on local food security in the time of COVID-19 featuring our farms Polyface Farm, Mountain View Farm Products, LLC and Cestari Yarns. Due to the breaking news peg on Ghislaine Maxwell they ran the short version – but hopefully people worldwide will be moved and inspired by what is happening in our local food system right here in Richmond, VA and Capitol Hill, Washington, DC! We are grateful to all of you, our members, who help support us, our staff, our farmers and other food partners. We are grateful to our Producer Lara Hartzenbusch and Cameraperson/Editor (and CSA member) Maxine Collins for the incredible story on us.
Dear members — here is what we anticipate being in the share next week – subject to change. If you will be away for the July 4 holiday, but have not yet held your share, please email asap so we can hold you and adjust our counts for the farms. Thank you.
PRODUCE * indicates small share. Produce is from Flores Family Farm (George, Omar and family) Hague, Va.
- Sweet corn* – so excited about this one – how to boil, grill and use leftovers if you have them.
- blueberries* – grainfree berry crisp
- cucumbers* summer is here! simple cuke salad; when I was a kid we would just cut them in spears and dunk them in salt.
- summer squash* – 28 ways from pizza to salads.
- carrots* – 17 ways to do summer carrots
- white potatoes* – very much marinated potatoes
- kale* – kale and goat cheese tart
- leeks* – grilled zucchini and leeks with walnuts and herbs
- basil – basil lemonade, basil grilled corn on the cob
- zucchini – easy roasted zuch with parmesan; raw zucchini noodles with raw marinara
- tomatoes – tentative – heirloom tomato sandwich on sourdough with garlic aioli
- Italian eggplant – vegan italian eggplant sandwich, perfect grilled eggplant
- pickling cukes – pickling cukes – I love to slice and eat these when they are little, but I also love to make easy small batch fridge pickles.
FRUIT SHARE/from Agriberry
- Blueberries – vegan blueberry pie
- Peaches – tentative – – easy grilled peaches. The best.
- Agriberry Raspberry Applesauce
PANTRY SHARE
MEAT SHARE
- lamb chorizo- chorizo and potato tacos
- pork ribs – barbecue on a gas grill
- trout fillets – tuscan grilled trout
BREAD
- Billy Bread rustic sourdough – Note that Billy Bread is now available to add on in the Bakery section!
DAIRY
- Cheese -goat cheese – farmer’s market salad with goat cheese, peaches and basil
A few months back BBC World News contacted us to do a follow up on the story they did on us way back when we started in 2010. They wanted to know what effect Covid-19 had on food security in the local food system. We have received word that the story will air on Monday 6/29, barring world disasters. Here is how you can watch: BBC World TV (pay-cable) at 5pm EST and on PBS stations BBC World News (public access) at 630pm.. It may or may not be on their website, but I will share the producer’s video of it from Vimeo once she puts it up. What a long strange trip it has been. Thank you all for supporting us thru 11 years!
Happy Summertime!
Many of you are taking holidays and holding shares – make sure to get your holds for July 4 into me! We have a share donation program which has been particularly needed by food insecure families during these challenging times.You have an option to donate your share if you are away – you can do this thru your dashboard, or email me and I will set it up – we, and the families we work with, are grateful for your generosity. Thank you!
We have more berries this week, so just a reminder on berry storage tips for fragile berries to help keep them fresher longer in hot humid days – from Agriberry our fruit partner.
This week’s menu is below – subject to change.
PRODUCE * indicates small share. Produce is from Flores Family Farm (George, Omar and family) Hague, Va.
- zucchini* – easy roasted zuch with parmesan; raw zucchini noodles with raw marinara
- blueberries* – grainfree berry crisp
- cucumbers* summer is here! simple cuke salad; when I was a kid we would just cut them in spears and dunk them in salt.
- peaches* – easy grilled peaches. The best.
- cabbage* – garlic roasted cabbage steaks; simple seedy slaw
- red potatoes* – very much marinated red potatoes
- swiss chard* – 10 yummy ways you may not have thought of
- aloe stalks* – here is an excellent guide to using fresh aloe both internal and external. We are excited to bring this to you – let me know how you like it and if you want it again!
- garlic – grilled garlic herb potatoes
- yellow onions – Italian zucchini and onions
- pickling cukes – I love to slice and eat these when they are little, but I also love to make easy small batch fridge pickles.
- leeks – grilled zucchini and leeks with walnuts and herbs
- curly parsley – how to use it! It’s not just a garnish!
FRUIT SHARE/from Agriberry
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Peaches
PANTRY SHARE
- Bombolini Dried Pasta or apple butter (not sure yet)
MEAT SHARE
Bi-weekly Shares
- Cornish Game Hen – Skyview Acres
- Bacon – Polyface
- Ground Beef
Weekly shares
- Chicken breast
- sausage links
- ground bison
BREAD
- Prairie Grain – mixed. Note that Billy Bread is now available to add on in the Bakery section!
DAIRY
- Cheese -Shenandoah Farms Co-Op aged mix
Categories
What’s in the shares/market 6/10
Here are some berry storage tips for fragile berries to help keep them fresher longer in hot humid days – from Agriberry our fruit partner.
This week’s menu is below – subject to change.
PRODUCE * indicates small share. Produce is from Flores Family Farm (George, Omar and family) Hague, Va.
- cherries*
- strawberries*
- broccoli* – lemon dill cauliflower broccoli; make sauteed breakfast salad from RVA local Eating Bird Food with eggs, greens, dill, broccoli, cauliflower yum.
- chiogga beets*- these are so pretty. Here is roasted orange beets with dill
- English Peas* try English peas with dill and scallions
- white sweet onions* – try roasted balsamic onions
- french long radish* buttered radish with poached egg
- dill*- Here are some good ways to use it.
- Mexican round squash* – use these the same way you would zucchini. They are especially good on the grill. Here is a vegetarian stuffed version.
- carrots – try carrot dill soup (GF/V)
- Elegance kale – make a smoothie – throw in some blueberries too
- cauliflower – here is a no potato salad that uses cauliflower. Have an airfryer? Airfry this up! And broccoli too. Or make grilled cauliflower steaks.
- sweet basil – make strawberry basil sodas
- Chamomile – here are some ways to use it.
FRUIT SHARE/from Agriberry
- Strawberries –
- Blueberries –
PANTRY SHARE – honey — if I know you are vegan you will get a sub. If you have not told me you are vegan, please do so.
MEAT SHARE
Bi-weekly Shares
- Bison NY Strip Steaks – this is one of our premium meat items which we give a few times a season. It is smaller in volume and more expensive in price (steak in general as you may know, is more expensive than ground meat). Bison is classified as a wild animal by the USDA and they are harder to raise by the farmer thus it is the most expensive meat item that we have. We try to average out the meat over the season in value and a few treats. This is why your meat share seems smaller this time. Here are some cooking tips for grass-fed bison = keep it simple less time, less heat.
- sausage (bulk)
Weekly shares
- whole roasting chicken
- ground beef
BREAD
- Billy Bread – rustic sourdough – now available to add on in the Bakery section!
DAIRY
- Cheese – Mt View Pimento cheese — this is so yummy and versatile!