CSA Week 4

In your share week 4:

Baby Bok Choy
Salad Mix
Green Onions (Some shares only?)
Basil
Peas and/or Broccoli
Baby Turnips and/or Radishes

Full Shares Only:

Kale
Carrots

We’re finally starting to see some new crops!  We had our first big picks of peas and broccoli on Monday, with lots more to come.  Everyone gets one or the other, and full shares get both.  We have both kinds of broccoli today.  You might see the Arcadia, a hybrid broccoli similar to what you see in the store (but oh so much fresher and better), with larger, tighter heads and smaller beads.  The other type is Piracicaba, with loose heads, large beads, and tender succulent stems.  In my opinion, broccoli is up there with corn and tomatoes in that farm fresh is vastly better than store bought.  Use it as soon as possible to enjoy it to it’s fullest!  Both types can be used in the same recipes: for the Piracicaba use the entire bunch, stems and all.  You can use the stems of Arcadia but sometimes the outside is fibrous and needs to be peeled.[spacer height=”20px”]

Some shares have the first green onions of the year.  Ours are fresh and extra flavorful, and these are little tender morsels.  Last year’s members will remember that we were swimming in green onions the entire season.  We’ve got some nice rotations coming up, but I don’t expect quite the abundance we saw then!  Green onions are wonderful raw or cooked, and I use the whole bunch (white parts and green parts).  They keep well in a bag in the fridge.[spacer height=”20px”]

At first I was disappointed that our pea seed has lots of snow pea off types (instead of the snap peas we usually grow), but after eating a few and seeing how sweet they are I think we’re all going to be happy.  For this week at least, we’ve mixed the two together, and they can be used interchangeably for snacking or cooking.  My crew and I agreed that they’re equally delicious and we couldn’t help eating the odd one as we picked! [spacer height=”20px”]

We’ve got another rotation of baby bok choy ready for you, with bigger heads that weren’t subjected to 100 degree heat just before heading up.  These would be wonderful on the grill, whole, halved, or separated into individual leaves.  We have enough basil for everyone, and there’s another whole rotation just sizing up that we haven’t started cutting!  Hopefully we’ll be able to offer bulk basil in August for freezing pesto, I’ll have more info in a couple of weeks.  And since it’s summer, did you know that basil is anti-inflammatory and good for bug bites?  I crush up a leaf and rub it on itchy mosquito bites for a bit of relief. [spacer height=”20px”]

It won’t affect your CSA, but we want to let you know that starting next week we will have a farm stand at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Lincoln City on Tuesdays from 11 to 1 in the courtyard at the cafeteria.  We won’t be offering CSA pickup at the hospital, but we will have lots of great veggies for sale to hospital staff and anyone else who’d like to come.  Help us spread the word!

Basil Fried Rice with Radishes (or Baby Turnips)

I know you have lots of radishes, and so do I!  They’re not my favorite vegetable, but I made this for our work party potluck this weekend and really enjoyed them.  You could use turnips in this recipe in addition to or instead of the radishes.

3 c cooked brown rice
2 bunches radishes or turnips
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
3 Tbsp Tamari (or to taste)
4 Tbsp coconut oil
1 bunch basil
Salt and Chili Flakes to taste

Separate radishes/turnips from their tops.  Chop tops coarsely.  Slice radishes/turnips into thin rounds or half moons if roots are large.  Pick basil leaves from the stems and chop coarsely.

Put 2 Tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and a large pinch of salt.  Saute, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.  Add radish tops and half the green onions.  Cook and stir about 3 more minutes, then add a splash of the tamari.  Stir and let simmer for about 30 seconds.

Add rice, remaining oil and tamari, and salt to taste.  Cook, stirring frequently, 6 to 8 more minutes.  Add basil, chili flakes, and salt to taste.  Serve hot or at room temperature.