Categories
CSA Farm Share CSA/Farm Market Get Educated Local Food Recipes

Welcome Fall! What’s in the Share: Week 1

photo from High Mowing seeds

Hi members, We are so excited to start our Fall CSA next week. Below is a preview for what’s in the share this week. Remember this is what we think you will get, it may switch around, and I will post any changes on our Facebook page.

Polyface turkeys – Its time to reserve your turkey for the holidays. Turkeys are $5.75/lb and are available in 12-14 lbs, 14-16 lbs, 16-18 lbs and 18-22 lbs.  You can order your turkey and pay $20 deposit thru your dashboards. After ordering,email what size range you want, and if you want it Thanksgiving week or before the winter holidays, and we will do our best to match you up. Balance will be due upon delivery (we will email you with balance due amount.) I will also have other holiday meats available: pork, lamb, beef and bison roasts/lamb/leg etc. We can also get oysters/clams. Email me with your interest.

Let me know if you have questions or concerns.

Happy Cooking!

Joel Salatin from Polyface Farms

Produce

Meats
2 bison steaks – Here’s a primer on how to cook grass-fed primer – read this before you cook it, especially if you haven’t cooked grass-fed bison before. Make balsamic and herb bison steak salad.

Bread – Prairie Grain (assorted) – grilled tomato, basil and goat cheese sandwiches

Cheese – hard aged Goat – double goat cheese salad with tomatoes and cukes- you’ll need soft goat cheese also (or just omit), so if in DC, visit Mr Peachy, our Amish farmer friend down the Farmer line at Eastern Market.

Yogurt – How to make Greek style. Here’s a video on how easy it is. I usually line a strainer with a clean tea towel,  put it in a saucepan and put the lid on it.  You can strain it for a long time, and make yogurt cheese, which you can use in place of cream cheese. Use your left over whey in smoothies, or to ferment veggies with. Pets love it. It is also great to cook with yogurt – I use it to replace sour cream and ricotta cheese in my recipes.

Categories
CSA Farm Share CSA/Farm Market Get Educated Local Food Recipes

Bye Bye Summer – Last CSA delivery. Never Fear – Fall Begins Next Week!

This coming week’s share is our final share of the season. Don’t forget to sign up for Fall as we start  our Fall CSA next week and everyone will be on the same rotation. Let me know if you have questions.

If you are Home Delivery, please remember to put your bins/coolers out for pickup. Thanks!

BiWeekly Home Delivery is a go in Richmond! BiWeekly 7th/G is a go! Eastern Market is a go! Farm to Family is a go! But there is still room for more people. Hooray and thank you to everyone who signed up.

We are still waiting on enough people for Home Delivery on Capitol Hill for weekly/biweekly, and for biweekly at 23rd Place. Sign Up Now and share with your friends so you get your food where you want it. Home Delivery is $8/time by Schlep eco-trike. Just a reminder these drops will move over to Eastern Market if we do not get enough people.

We hope you have all enjoyed everything this season.

Happy Cooking!

Here’s what we think is in the shares this week, subject to change.

 

Produce

Fruit – Fruit share is done for the season. We hope you enjoyed it immensely! Fruit will be back next week until winter holiday break. Yum!

Meat

If you are a weekly member:

If you are a biweekly member:

Categories
CSA Farm Share CSA/Farm Market Get Involved Local Food Recipes

What’s in the CSA- week of 5/1 – Oysters, Clams, Asparagus, Ramps, Strawberries!!!

13130879_10154064264569360_4995498652799122823_oHi members, Hope you are all staying cool!

We have a bang up share for you this week. Post pictures of what you are making on our facebook group page! Others love ideas and recipes. I also post other ideas and info. Thank you!

We will be having the option of oysters and clams again next week, so if you are getting a share with meat in it, and need to OPT OUT and get the ALTERNATE MEAT (I do not know what it will be), send me your OPT OUT email with no oysters clams in your subject. If you want them, do NOTHING – you will get 2 dozen each oysters and clams, or the quart of shucks (email if you want the shucks). If you want more, or a la carte oysters, clams by the dozen, or pints or quarts of shucks, please order via your dashboard under MEATS – Oysters Clams a la carte.  NEED ORDERS BY WED next week. thank you.

Happy eating. Suzi

Veg share so far, subject to changes:

  • Swiss chard – Swiss chard is delicious, versatile, and don’t forget to pickle the stems. It is hearty enough to stand in for pasta, say in a lasagna. The stems take longer to cook than leaves, so I usually put stems in first, then leaves. Here are some ideas.
  • Baby spinach – put on pizza with the ramps. or make a salad.
  • Green onions – these guys may get overshadowed by the ramps this week, but put them in your salad with bibb lettuce, baby spinach and strawberries and they will shine.
  • Ramps – boy we love these, and we have a family tradition of getting them every year. Ive posted some ramp info on our FB group. Don’t be intimidated by them. Treat them like you would garlic or onions, only better, and you’ll be ok. Here’s a great video on how to find, clean and pickle them. They are forest foraged, so still have soil on them. Clean them well, dirt can  hide in them, like leeks. Use the leaves to make pesto, or chimmichurri. If you aren’t going to get to them for a bit, cut off your leaves, and keep them in a bag in your fridge. I have actually had them stay in the fridge for a month or so.  They are great in biscuits, which we included below. Put on pizza.
  • Bibb – make lettuce wraps, use it as a bun for your burger.
  • Radishes – young radishes have a sweetness to them. Try roasted radishes with brown butter, radish tops, and lemon. You can also sautee the tops like any green.  Slice and add to salad. Pickle. Here are some recipes. There is a radish corn salad in here, that would be good with your corn if you haven’t used it yet.
  • Strawberries – I posted info on how to freeze them to use later in the season in smoothies. You can also make fruit leather, dehydrate for snacks, or jam. Here is the boss small batch strawberry balsamic jam recipe I posted in the group that I made for Mother’s Day gifts last year. I cooked it in the slow cooker. this makes only 4 half pints, so refridgerate, eat on the biscuits, or give away. No need to process. But if you want to process, I used a saucepan, and a veggie steamer and it worked great. I used this on baked brie at mom’s for Easter.
  • Asparagus – we are grilling bacon wrapped asparagus for dinner tonight. or put in salad.
  • Arugula – good on pizza with the ramps.
  • Cilantro (good with clams) – Clams with bacon, cilantro, ginger and galic (sub ramps!!)
  • Mushrooms – good on pizza with the ramps.
  • Golden biscuit mix from Wade’s Mill for strawberry shortcake and ramp biscuits. to make ramp biscuits: thinly slice the bulb and add it right in. Or you can use only the leaves. You can caramelize the bulbs in a little butter first. Cook as usual. Wade’s Mill is a circa 1750 water grist mill and we love their products. You will see them on the menu at fine restaurants.

Meat
Oysters and clams – how to shuck an oyster with Chef Pete at Merroir. How to prepare them raw 0 use your ramps, or green onions! Grill them. Here’s a few other methods of cooking like roasting, and steaming. Here’s how to steam clams. Here’s the Ultlimate Pasta with Clams – perfect if you still have your pasta from the other week! Make oyster shooters. You can use sake, tequila, vodka etc. Look them up. You’ll be in heaven.
If you opted out, looks like a picnic grill special:
Polyface hot dogs
ground beef
bison summer sausage – make a plate with the cheese from  your share. You can add in sliced radishes, and make a delicious sauce with a spoon of our lovely jam with some stone ground mustard.  You can slice it and add it to your salad. Or put it on the pizza!!!!

 

Categories
CSA Farm Share CSA/Farm Market Get Educated Get Involved Local Food Recipes

DC Farmers Markets – leeks, celery, squash, red raspberries, pears 😍

 

 

Mark has some truly inspired local goods for you this week! Our Thursday Market is still on hold, please visit our other Markets: Tuesday – Eastern Market, 225 7th Street SE 4-7pm, Wednesday – Patriots Plaza, 315 E Street, SW 11-6:30 pm. If you have questions regarding the markets, please call or text Mark at 804-397-7337.

Joel_Turkeys-574x268-1Turkeys – I am taking pre-orders for Turkeys from Polyface. They are $5.50/lb, with a $20 deposit. Please let me know if you want a turkey, and what size (small 12-14, medium 14-16, large 18=22 lbs). I have not gotten any turkey orders from any of you yet, so please get your orders in. We have a limited number of turkeys available. There are also other holiday meats available, email me with what you want.

Here are our highlights for this week!

Happy Cooking!!

Suzi

1782051_10152416809045935_993777493181133863_nProduce

  • leeks – finally!! these are so yummy. Here’s a bunch of  ways to use them.
  • celery – one of my favorite things that Omar Flores grows. so sweet and flavorful. This is not that pale imitation celery in a bag from the Stop n Shop – you will WANT to use these leaves! Try this Celery Soup with Bacon Croutons. It uses plenty of unsalted butter (but I don’t think it really matters), so make sure to either get some from Mark, or use up some you may be hording in your freezer. This would be great with last week’s bacon. You can swap out the creme fraich/sour cream with yogurt. You may need a second head of celery, so check this recipe before you pick up your share if you are interested, and grab another from Mark.
  • bok choy – 10 ways!!! this is so good just sauteed with garlic and ginger.
  • spicy mix salad
  • bibb lettuce
  • cherry tomatoes – savory sausage, greens and roasted tomato bread pudding.
  • onion chives – 10 ways, including make ice cubes to jazz up a martini or bloody mary!
  • cherry tomatoes
  • butternut squash – well yes. butternut squash soup with brown butter and nutmeg creme is good. but what about butternut squash apple cake with ginger streusel?? or how about a savory sherry roasted butternut squash bread pudding? You need to practice! before Thanksgiving. This is a lovely vegetarian dish, and I would use the Mt View McClure (baby swiss) cheese in it. Or you could easily make this vegan. It calls for brioche, but you could use the AnnaB bread to make it gluten free.
  • Some type of shelled beans – probably October beans. These are lovely to look at and delicious to cook. Here’s a great vegan slow cooker recipe you could also do in Instant Pot. It calls for herbs – you can use the onion chives, greens (chard, kale etc) and also includes a recipe for cheesy polenta.
  • red radishes – I love to slice these into salad, but they are lovely in a sandwich, or sauteed in butter for breakfast. Here are some suggestions, I love the one with the ricotta, which you can make in minutes using the milk.
  • red raspberries – these are late season raspberries. Agriberry specifically plants european varieties that ripen later so the season is extended!!  Try this easy basic galette. Here is a lovely spicy salad with raspberry vinaigrette.
  • magness pears – you could add these to the fruit galette above. Or make a bunny, or (mouse) pear salad with the children (or your crazy friends). Experiment with what you will use for ears (banana chips are nice too!), eyes and mouth, and fresh ricotta or yogurt would make a nice tail!

Cheese

 

Meat

  • Facebook – We are trying to utilize our CSA facebook page more. For instance, I posted what I thought the share preview was going to be (it has since changed a little bit). If you would like to particpate, make sure you adjust your notifications to ALL so you are getting our posts.  Ask to join here. 

Fall/ winter shares are LIVE for you to sign up for. I am so excited. The honey crisp apples we got last week were so delicious! And there are more this week PLUS Apple Cider!  If you are interested in signing up for Fall, please do so now here! Make sure to review our FAQ and Policies, as many of your questions may be answered there.   Please share us with your friends!

  •  Details: Starts the first week of October, runs 24 weeks with a two week break for winter holidays for Christmas and New Years,
  • Prices are $45/week for produce, $32/week for meat and dairy shares, $120 for Full share (produce, meat, dairy and bread). Add ons are available for eggs, bread etc.
  • Locations: Eastern Market, Patriot’s Plaza, and 7th/G drop (will revert to Eastern Market if we do not get 10 people.)

PROMOTIONS/DISCOUNTS (for shares only, does not apply to member fees)

  • PAID IN FULL upfront for the FULL share (includes produce, dairy, meat, bread) GET 10% off. Members still pay member fee. Expires 11/1. Coupon Code is WHOLESHEBANG16 (there is a place to enter it during checkout).  We appreciate our paid in full, full share members because your commitment is the glue to help us do what we do. You provide us working capital to work with our farmers in the best possible way at the beginning of the season, and supports our local farming micro-community. Our farmers put in a HUGE investment at the beginning of THEIR season for us, and this way we are able to pay them back in a timely manner. THANK YOU!
  • MILITARY DISCOUNT – 10% – for ACTIVE or VETERAN MILITARY – Thank you for your servce! Please email farmshares@thefarmbus.com for your verification and code. For those of us who have been with us before, the code is the same, so search your email or ask me again. 
  • REFERRAL REWARDS PROGRAM – For every friend, family member, co-worker or random person you refer who joins, you receive a $25 credit that goes towards FREE FOOD! Make sure to tell your friends to use YOUR NAME when they sign up, so you get your credit. THANK YOU!

What will you get? Virginia is a very diverse 4 season growing state – greens grow straight thru! We also work with innovative farmers using greenhouses and hoop houses to stretch the seasons. Many items are picked and stored, such as apples,  root veggies and squashes. Mushrooms move indoors.

  • Fruit: pears, grapes, different apples (straight thru), asian pears, possible late raspberries.
  • Veg: pumpkins, squashes, beets, turnips,carrots, leeks, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, herbs, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke,  rutabagas, greens like chard, spinach, creasy greens, kale, kalettes, cauliflower, broccoli, romanesco, we are hoping for fresh ginger and turmeric, and more.
  • In addition as the season progresses, or if we have bad weather (snow, cold and ice can affect greens and either items growing),  you will start getting 1 or two pantry items or added value item – this helps us get thru the winter season with diversity and supports our farmers who are preserving, drying or otherwise using their harvest from earlier in the year. What might you get?  honey, applesauce, apple butter, maple barbecue sauce, fermented veggies (kraut), dried black beans, frozen corn, buckwheat flour, Wade’s Mill (400 year old mill) cornmeal, polenta, grits, baking mixes and other grains, sorghum molasses, Virginia peanuts, Twin Oaks soy foods, heirloom popcorn, our own  jam, and more.

If you have questions about the Fall share, email me. Join Now, and Support the local food system.

We’re Hiring for a Farmer’s Market Assistant + Interns

Farm to Family, based in Richmond, VA, has an immediate part time JOB opening for Farmer’s Market Associate/Customer Service for our well-established pop-up markets + CSA on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. Interships also available.

Schedule is currently Tuesday 2-7pm; Wed 9-7pm, Thursday 10-7pm (25-30 hrs/wk). $12/hr to start based on experience – advancement opportunities exist to grow with our company.

Job duties include but not limited to:

. Market management including customer service and sales, staffing, forecasting, reports
· Educating and interacting with community members at CSA pick-ups, farmers markets, and more.

· Marketing experience including social media and events

· Must be able to do heavy lifting

· Setup, breakdown of farmer’s markets

· Assist with CSA delivery
Skillset and Experience:

· Experience with retail, CSA model as well as farmers markets a+ including inventory management, ordering, interaction with farmers and vendors.

. Excel, Microsoft word, Square, Powerpoint, graphic design a plus.

· Excellent customer service skills required

· High level of responsibility reliability, motivation, passion about local food and a willingness to learn required

· Ability to work effectively and cooperatively with staff = Required

· Must be able to do heavy lifting – Required

· Clean driver’s license/ability to drive a box truck a +
This is a year-round position for someone who is enthusiastic about growing the CSA and Farmer’s Market experience with us.

For more info about us: www.thefarmbus.com

Please forward resume to mark@thefarmbus.com or call 804-397-7337

Copyright © 2016 Farm to Family, All rights reserved.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp

 

Categories
CSA Farm Share CSA/Farm Market Get Educated Get Involved Local Food Recipes

Bison skirt steak, black trumpet mushrooms, white grapes, magness pears, chiogga beets. YUMMMMMMMY

grapes-csaMark has some truly inspired local goods for you this week! Our Thursday Market is still on hold, please visit our other Markets: Tuesday – Eastern Market, 225 7th Street SE 4-7pm, Wednesday – Patriots Plaza, 315 E Street, SW 11-6:30 pm. If you have questions regarding the markets, please call or text Mark at 804-397-7337.

PRODUCE

  • October beans – these are so good. Here are some ideas
  • Oak leaf lettuce (head) – Thai grilled steak salad – use your bison skirt steak below, cherry tomatoes, cilantro. yum. 
  • chioga beets – these look like Dr. Seuss beets. Here’s some tips. 
  • cilantro
  • white turnips – you can sautee the tops like any greens. The roots are so sweet and tender. Turnips for people who think they hate them here
  • white sweet potatoes – they are very creamy in texture! Delicious.
  • magness pears – autumn salad with pears and gorgonzola
  • white slipskin grapes – heavenly.
  • broccoli – roasted broccoli with cherry tomatoes and garlic
  • black trumpet mushrooms- these are heavenly and I have been just throwing them in with everything, including scrambled eggs, trout, ground beef sautee etc this week. They can be used in place of truffles. More info here
  • acorn squash – stuff them with the mushrooms!! or try this acorn squash salad 
  • cherry tomatoes
MEAT
  • Edmonds bison skirt steak – I’ve made juniper marinated bison skirt steak a bunch of times and it is super delicious. I’ve swapped out berries for a drop of juniper essential oil (make sure it is supplement grade like doTERRA) and added in the black pepper essential oil (so amazing to just sprinkle on any meats after cooking!) If you are interested in culinary essential oils, email me. Here’s skirt steak with cilantro garlic sauce (I love cooking with cilantro essential oil also.)
  • Bacon (Miltons I think) – try skillet turnips and potatoes with bacon
Turkeys – I am taking pre-orders for Turkeys from Polyface. They are $5.50/lb, with a $20 deposit. Please let me know if you want a turkey, and what size (small 12-14, medium 14-16, large 18=22 lbs). I have not gotten any turkey orders from any of you yet, so please get your orders in. We have a limited number of turkeys available. There are also other holiday meats available, email me with what you want.
Facebook – We are trying to utilize our CSA facebook page more. For instance, I posted what I thought the share preview was going to be (it has since changed a little bit). If you would like to particpate, make sure you adjust your notifications to ALL so you are getting our posts.  Ask to join here. 
 FALL CSA SHARES – JOIN NOW

Fall/ winter shares are LIVE for you to sign up for. I am so excited. The honey crisp apples we got last week were so delicious! And there are more this week PLUS Apple Cider!  If you are interested in signing up for Fall, please do so now here! Make sure to review our FAQ and Policies, as many of your questions may be answered there.   Please share us with your friends!

  •  Details: Starts the first week of October, runs 24 weeks with a two week break for winter holidays for Christmas and New Years,
  • Prices are $45/week for produce, $32/week for meat and dairy shares, $120 for Full share (produce, meat, dairy and bread). Add ons are available for eggs, bread etc.
  • Locations: Eastern Market, Patriot’s Plaza, and 7th/G drop (will revert to Eastern Market if we do not get 10 people.)

PROMOTIONS/DISCOUNTS (for shares only, does not apply to member fees)

  • PAID IN FULL upfront for the FULL share (includes produce, dairy, meat, bread) GET 10% off. Members still pay member fee. Expires 11/1. Coupon Code is WHOLESHEBANG16 (there is a place to enter it during checkout).  We appreciate our paid in full, full share members because your commitment is the glue to help us do what we do. You provide us working capital to work with our farmers in the best possible way at the beginning of the season, and supports our local farming micro-community. Our farmers put in a HUGE investment at the beginning of THEIR season for us, and this way we are able to pay them back in a timely manner. THANK YOU!
  • MILITARY DISCOUNT – 10% – for ACTIVE or VETERAN MILITARY – Thank you for your servce! Please email farmshares@thefarmbus.com for your verification and code. For those of us who have been with us before, the code is the same, so search your email or ask me again. 
  • REFERRAL REWARDS PROGRAM – For every friend, family member, co-worker or random person you refer who joins, you receive a $25 credit that goes towards FREE FOOD! Make sure to tell your friends to use YOUR NAME when they sign up, so you get your credit. THANK YOU!

What will you get? Virginia is a very diverse 4 season growing state – greens grow straight thru! We also work with innovative farmers using greenhouses and hoop houses to stretch the seasons. Many items are picked and stored, such as apples,  root veggies and squashes. Mushrooms move indoors.

  • Fruit: pears, grapes, different apples (straight thru), asian pears, possible late raspberries.
  • Veg: pumpkins, squashes, beets, turnips,carrots, leeks, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, herbs, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke,  rutabagas, greens like chard, spinach, creasy greens, kale, kalettes, cauliflower, broccoli, romanesco, we are hoping for fresh ginger and turmeric, and more.
  • In addition as the season progresses, or if we have bad weather (snow, cold and ice can affect greens and either items growing),  you will start getting 1 or two pantry items or added value item – this helps us get thru the winter season with diversity and supports our farmers who are preserving, drying or otherwise using their harvest from earlier in the year. What might you get?  honey, applesauce, apple butter, maple barbecue sauce, fermented veggies (kraut), dried black beans, frozen corn, buckwheat flour, Wade’s Mill (400 year old mill) cornmeal, polenta, grits, baking mixes and other grains, sorghum molasses, Virginia peanuts, Twin Oaks soy foods, heirloom popcorn, our own  jam, and more.

If you have questions about the Fall share, email me. Join Now, and Support the local food system.

%d bloggers like this: