• Honeydew
• Green Leaf Lettuce
• Green Mustard
• Red Grape Cherry Tomatoes
• Watermelon
• Heirloom Tomatoes
• Green Beans
• Green Kale

News from the Farm
By Rebecca Claypool

 Well it’s that time a year again when you can early renew your Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share, and sign up for Winter Share 2004. By joining the CSA for another year you continue to support your local farmer, protect the environment, and reconnect to the food that nourishes your mind and body. Due to the tomato crop failure and an early frost on some of the melons, cash flow will be tight this fall, and early renewing would greatly help the situation. Despite the odd weather this year Featherstone is still doing fine, and we have managed to keep filling those CSA boxes. The early renewal deadline is October 20th 2004. The cost of a full share is $450.00 and a half-share is $300.00 for 2005, but if you early renew before October 20th you only pay $400.00 for a full share, and $250.00 for a half share. We are also taking Winter Share 2004 sign-ups now, and you can use the form attached to the newsletter to sign up for either or both options. The Winter Share runs from November to December with a bimonthly delivery (every other week) to Winona and Rochester. (Drop-off sites are TBA) The Winter Share boxes will include an assortment of potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, kale, broccoli, winter squash, garlic, cabbage, spinach, salad mix and more.

We sent out a flyer for our Fall Harvest Party two weeks ago, and I just want to remind folks about it. Zephyr Community Co-op and Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables are holding their annual Fall Harvest Party on September 11th 2004. The party begins at 4:00 pm, the pot-luck and pig roast begins at 4:30, there is a call band and dancing at 6:00 pm and the Bus Boys are playing at 8:00 pm. The party is BYOB this year, so come bring your favorite CSA dish, swim suits and lawn chairs. Also CSA members can pick some raspberries as the supply lasts. Please leave dogs at home. Thanks and see you there!

Varieties

By Rebecca Claypool

Green Leaf Lettuce: This variety of lettuce is Nevada. There is some rust on the butts of the heads due to all the rain, but it doesn’t change the eating quality.

Honeydew: If you don’t like melon, try this type. I’m not a big fan of cantaloupe, but I love honeydew, and we have some good ones this year.

Green Mustard: Mustard is a very spicy green. I like to use it raw in salads to spice them up a bit, and its great cooked with meat or as a side dish. Basically it’s like kale with a kick!

Red Grape Cherry Tomatoes: Here is another serving of red cherry tomatoes. Remember you don’t need to refrigerate tomatoes. So keep these in the container on the shelf. 

Watermelon: Most folks are receiving Yellow Doll Watermelon. These melons are yellow inside (they do have seeds), and are very sweet. Usually these are the earliest variety, but we got them in the ground later this year, so we are enjoying them at the end of the season instead.  

Heirloom Tomatoes: This will most likely be the last of the Heirloom tomatoes for the CSA. The orange tomatoes are called Valencia, and make the most beautiful sauce. The squat red ones are Genovese, and the more roma shaped tomatoes are Amish Red Paste.

Green Beans: These beans are from a new planting of beans that just started producing fruit. They taste great, so enjoy!

Green Kale: The variety of kale is Winterbor. It has heavily curled green-blue leaves. Kale is also a good source of calcium, so all you ladies eat up to prevent osteoporosis.

Mustard Greens with Chickpeas and Curry
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker

4 servings as a side dish or serve over rice as a main course for 2.

• 2 tbl melted butter, ghee or vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 large bunch mustard greens, washed, trimmed and chopped
• 1 tbl mild curry powder
• 1⁄2 tsp ground ginger
• 1⁄2 tsp ground coriander
• 1⁄4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1⁄4 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock or water
• One 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• One 14 oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1⁄2 tsp salt

Saute onion, garlic and cumin in butter about 5 minutes.  Stir in mustard and cook until wilted, 5 minutes.  Stir in curry powder, ginger, coriander, red pepper and vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add chickpeas, tomatoes and salt.  Cook, stirring often, until the greens are tender, about 10 minutes. 

Greek Stew with Green Beans and Fresh Tomatoes
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites by The Moosewood Collective

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 1⁄2 cups chopped onions
• 1 tbl minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes (about 2 lbs)
• 1 lb green beans, stems removed (about 4 cups)
• 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1⁄2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup)
• Ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a nonreactive soup pot.  Stir in the onionsand garlic, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent, stirring often to prevent sticking.  Add oregano, salt, tomatoes, potatoes, and beans.  Cover the potand simmer 20 minutes, until the potatoes and beans are tender.  Just before serving stir in parsley and lemon juice.  Sprinkle and crumbled feta and a grating of black pepper to taste.

Green Pasta Sauce with Mushrooms and Kale
Adapted from The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

• 1 tbl olive oil
• 1 cup minced onion
• /4 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1⁄2 tsp salt
• 1⁄2 tsp dried thyme
• 1⁄2 tsp dried sage
• 1⁄2 lb kale, stemmed and chopped
• 3-4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbl vegetable broth, water or white wine
• 1 tbl white flour
• 2 six oz jars marinated artichoke hearts or crowns, cut into bite sized pieces
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 6 leaves fresh basil, minced
• 3-4 tbl milk or cream (soy ok)-optional

Saute onion 2 minutes.  Add mushrooms, 1⁄2 tsp salt, thyme and sage.  Stir and cook over medium heat 5 minutes, add greens, garlic and remaining salt.  Stir, cover and cook 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add broth and bring to boil.  Sprinkle in the flour while stirring.  Cook uncovered for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened.  Add artichokes and liquid from the ars.  Grind in pepper, stir in basil and milk.  Serve hot over pasta

Garlicky Black Eyed Peas and Greens
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites by The Moosewood Collective

• 2 cups dried black eyed peas
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3⁄4 lb mustard greens or kale
• 1 tbl olive oil
• 2-4 tbl minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Cooked rice
• Chopped scallions or red onions
• Lemon wedges or hot pepper vinegar

Rinse greens and set aside.  Saute minced garlic and thyme for 1 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add damp greens and stir until wilted but still bright green.  Stir the greens nto the black eyed peas and mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over rice, topped with scallions or red onions and lemon edges or hot pepper vinegar on the side.

Fassoulia (Sephardic Green Beans)
Adapted from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant by The Moosewood Collective

• 4 cups cous cous, cooked
• 12-15 pearl onions ( fresh or frozen)
• 2 lbs fresh green beans
• 1 tsp whole allspice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄4 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 tbl vegetable oil
• 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 pinch brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped almonds, toasted

If using fresh, boil pearl onions 3 minutes, cool, then peel.  Stem green beans and cut in half on the diagonal.  Make bouquet garni by plaing allspice and peppercorns in a tea ball or small piece of coffee filter, tied to close.  Saute garlic in oil for 1 minutes, stirring constantly.  Mix in tomatoes, onions, beans, and salt.  Saute for 2 minutes, then add water, sugar and bouquet garni.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, coer and simmer 30 minutes until the beans are very tender.  Remove bouquet garni, adjust salt and pepper and serve over cous cous topped with almonds.

Cooking with Kids:  Cherry Tomatoes
My daughter, Miska, is always delighted when we find a little basket of cherry tomatoes in our produce box.  Our favorite recipe is for

Cherry Tomato ‘Shishkabobs’

• 1 basket cherry tomatoes, rinsed
• 1 lb tofu, baked and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 1⁄2 lb cheddar cheese, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 2 cups green beans, steamed until just tender

Arrange the above ingredients on toothpicks and serve on a platter.  Pretty and delicious as an appetizer, good with a vinaigrette dipping sauce.  We sometimes make a whole meal of them!