Dear CSA Members:
Talvikki, our Finnish volunteer, will be with us through July and brings a uniquely "Northern" perspective along with her. Thanks to Talvikki for all her hard work! Below, she shares some thoughts.
Rachel Schneider, CSA Coordinator
I was thinking to share with you some images that rise into my mind when I think about my summer here and things that feel special to me. Many of these animals cannot be found in my Nordic home.
1.
Hawks circling in the
blue hot, vibrating sky
Letting out their
beautiful scream
Sometimes they seem to be
the kings and queens of this world.
Sometimes you see them chased by
little birds who make the hawk flee with
their persistence.
2.
A deer grazing on the field
(unfortunately also in the garden when nobody is watching!) lifting its slender head and black eyes
to see who is approaching. Gracious animals, I must say.
3.
This spring I spotted with a friend a tiny new born turtle in the creek that runs through Indian Valley. We stopped to admire its amazing miniature figure and lovely shapes on its shell. I hope this turtle made it to be an adult by now. After that there have been seen many grown up turtles also on the fields. Probably also they like the vegetables.....
4.
Very often, one sees a little rabbit speeding from a bush, frightened by approaching voices and steps. They are incredibly fast. Always alert.
Seeing all these animals around me reminds me that we share the same environment, same land. The farm is part of the surrounding world and that brings up joyful moments and also problems. As I mentioned, we all seem to like very much the same kind of food. We do our best to protect our crops, but our means are limited.
Nature cannot be controlled, but we can live in it if we just respect the laws of it. After all, we share the same magical cycle in and around us: the life.
Talvikki
Looking Forward to Next Week’s Harvest
Anticipated for July 31st
- Braising Greens
- Chard
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
- Peppers (for some)
- Scallion
- Zucchini
Fruit Share holders are reminded that fruit is NOT delivered weekly, but only when ready.
Although there may be some weeks were there is NO FRUIT, rest assured that by the end of the season, you will have received the FULL VALUE of your share.
Pre Order Protocol
Your Site Manager now has instruction sheets and order forms for pre-order of dairy and baked goods.
All payment must be made via check or money order made out to “Hawthorne Valley Farm”. Your order will ONLY be processed if the amount of your payment exactly equals the total amount due.
Product will be delivered one week after an order is placed at
the site. Remember, items not picked up by the time your site
closes will be forfeited.
While the wild stuff is equally at home in your lawns or gardens, the dandelion greens in this week’s share are the cultivated cousin, better suited for the salad bowl or sauté pan.
Prepare as in any recipe for bitter cooking greens, or try the following two recipes by Grace Parisi on www.foodandwine.com. They originally appeared in the March 1998 issue.
Dandelion Green and Shiitake Calzones
This recipe can also be made into two 12-inch pizzas. If you do not have a pizza stone or baking tiles, bake the calzones on a single baking sheet.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus
more for brushing
¼ pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps sliced
1” thick
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound young dandelion greens, stems removed
2 tablespoons water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound store-bought pizza dough, divided in half
1/2 pound shredded imported Fontina cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Set a 16-by-14-inch pizza stone or baking tiles on the bottom shelf of the oven and preheat to 500° for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shiitakes and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms and garlic to a plate.
2. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the dandelion greens and 1 tablespoon of the water and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Return the mushrooms and garlic to the skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of water and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the greens are al dente. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll or stretch the dough to form two 10-inch rounds. Assemble 1 calzone at a time: transfer 1 dough round to a well-floured rimless cookie sheet. Sprinkle one-quarter of the Fontina on half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with half of the dandelion mixture and another quarter of the Fontina. Fold the dough over to enclose the filling and press the edges together; crimp to seal. Using a toothpick, poke a hole in the top. Brush the calzone with olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining ingredients on a second rimless cookie sheet.
4. Jiggle the cookie sheets to release the calzones and slide them onto the pizza stone. Bake for about 11 minutes, or until the calzones are crisp and the filling is bubbling through the holes. Transfer to a rack. Cut them in half and serve hot. 4 SERVINGS
MAKE AHEAD The dandelion mixture can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
Pasta with
Dandelion Stems
3-4 SERVINGS
1/2 pound linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces pancetta or bacon, coarsely chopped
Dandelion stems from 2 pounds of greens, cut into 1 1/2 -inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Crushed red pepper
Salt
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1. Cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook over moderately high heat until crisp. Transfer the pancetta to a plate. Add the dandelion stems to the skillet and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
3. Drain the linguine. In a large warmed bowl, toss the pasta
with the dandelion stems, lemon juice and a large pinch of
crushed red pepper. Season with salt and serve; pass the Parmesan
cheese alongside.