2019. Week 1!

Welcome to CSA season 2019! Thank you for joining. 
We have high hopes for a great year. If you are new to our CSA, you can rely on this weekly blog post to give you a heads-up what's coming your way, produce cleaning and storage tips, and an assortment of my favorite recipes.

The lineup this week:

If you want your greens to stay fresh and crisp, it is very important to take time to clean and store them well.  Here is a link to specific instructions on how to prep your greens ( bok choy, kale, broccoli rabe)

Asparagus - If you are not going to use it that day, you should store asparagus in your refrigerator in a bowl or mug with some water in the bottom.  The asparagus will slowly drink up the water and you may need to replenish.  Asparagus is delicious roasted or grilled! This asparagus was grown by John Catalano, just down the road from us! 

Curly Kale - I know there are some kale haters out there, but I have to say I love it!  Zuppa Toscana is a family favorite for dinner.  Kale Caesar Salad  Sauteed Kale

Bok Choy -  Here is the perfect recipe that uses, bok choy, romaine, and radish! This is an easy fast way to serve Bok Choy. 

Broccoli Rabe is a bitter green, very similar to mustard greens.  I love broccoli rabe cooked with lots of garlic!  I recommend blanching the rabe in boiling water to take the edge off the bitterness first then sauteing with olive oil and garlic.Here is a link to a great Broccoli Rabe Recipe.


Radish- Here is a post I wrote about my favorite ways to use radishes.

Arugula- Here is a recipe Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinergartte and Quinoa Salad with Arugula

2018 Week 2

What a week! It was so good to see so many of you at the farm after a long winter. I'm looking forward to week two, anticipating the sun coming back.  

The weather has been discouraging. We totaled nearly six inches of rain this week, leaving the fields muddy and making work very difficult. One wagon was stuck in the mud so badly that we just abandoned it and plan to get it in a week or two when the field dries out! I don't even want to talk about the floors in my house! Haha!




New this week:

Romaine- I am so glad to be done with grocery store lettuce.  Romaine is perfect for salads, BLTs, and to use as lettuce wraps.

Lacinato Kale: aka: Dinosaur Kale or Tuscan Kale.  My favorite way to serve this is this Lacinato Kale Salad by Marin Mama Cooks.  You can also use this kale in a soup or sautéed on the stove.

Scallions are onions with a long white stem end that does not bulge out. They have an onion-y but mild bite that is not as intense as regular onions (the white parts contain the most intense flavor). They can be used raw or cooked, and while some cooks discard the darker green tops, the whole thing can be eaten, and is often used in Asian cooking. Here is a link to a recipe for Scallion Pancakes.

Baby Bok Choy- Like lasts weeks Bok Choy, but smaller and even more tender. Recipe for baby bok choy

Strawberries need no instructions. rinse and eat! 

2018 Week 1!

Welcome to CSA season 2018! Thank you for joining. We have high hopes for a great year. If you are new to our CSA, you can rely on this weekly blog post to give you a heads-up what's coming your way, produce cleaning and storage tips, and an assortment of my favorite recipes.

The lineup this week:

Radish- Here is a post I wrote about my favorite ways to use radishes.

If you want your greens to stay fresh and crisp, it is very important to take time to clean and store them well.  Here is a link to specific instructions on how to prep your greens ( bok choy, kale, collards)

Collard Greens- your body will love you for eating these healthy greens.  I really enjoy using collards as a wrap--stuff it with sandwich fixins and roll it up. Yum!  Here is a link to my favorite recipe using collard greens. Here is a link for a more traditional way to eat your collards.
Asparagus - If you are not going to use it that day, you should store asparagus in your refrigerator in a bowl or mug with some water in the bottom.  The asparagus will slowly drink up the water and you may need to replenish.  Asparagus is delicious roasted or grilled! This asparagus was grown by John Catalano, just down the road from us! 


Curly Kale - I know there are some kale haters out there, but I have to say I love it!  Zuppa Toscana is a family favorite for dinner.  Kale Caesar Salad  Sauteed Kale

Bok Choy -  Here is the perfect recipe that uses, bok choy, romaine, and radish! This is an easy fast way to serve Bok Choy. 

Hot House Tomato- Aren't they beauties? While we have grown these gems for a few years now, we don't usually include them in the CSA. This is because one of the joys of CSA is eating what's in season and becoming more in-tune with the real seasons of produce. May is simply not tomato season. July, August and September are the tomato months and, believe me, we will have plenty of tomatoes to share when the time comes. So why are they in your share this week? Consider it a consolation prize for not getting strawberries! (we know, not a direct replacement for berries)

2017 Week 1!

We are back! Huzzah!

I am so excited to be starting a new season of CSA. The next 20 weeks will be delicious. :-)

Each week here on the blog I introduce the new produce and some of my favorite ways to prepare them and how to best clean and store the produce.  

Strawberries need no instructions. rinse and eat! 

If you want your greens to stay fresh and crisp, it is very important to take time to clean and store them well.  Here is a link to specific instructions on how to prep your greens ( romaine, bok choy, kale, collards)

Romaine- I am so glad to be done with grocery store lettuce.  Romaine is perfect for salads, BLTs, and to use as lettuce wraps.

Collard Greens- your body will love you for eating these healthy greens.  I really enjoy using collards as a wrap--stuff it with sandwich fixins and roll it up. Yum!  Here is a link to my favorite recipe using collard greens. Here is a link for a more traditional way to eat your collards.

Asparagus - If you are not going to use it that day, you should store asparagus in your refrigerator in a bowl or mug with some water in the bottom.  The asparagus will slowly drink up the water and you may need to replenish.  Asparagus is delicious roasted or grilled! This asparagus was grown by John Catalano, just down the road from us!

Baby Bok Choy -   is the young, petite and tender counterpart to mature Bok choy. Its spoon-shaped kelly green leafy blades are supported by pale green stalks that join at a common base above the root. The stalks are thin, tender firm and succulent with nuanced cabbage notes and sweet pea undertones. 
This is an easy fast way to serve Bok Choy.  Another recipe idea Spicy Ginger Pork Noodles With Bok Choy

Curly Kale - I know there are some kale haters out there, but I have to say I love it!  Zuppa Toscana is a family favorite for dinner.  Kale Caesar Salad  Sauteed Kale

2016 Week 4

New this week:

Kohlrabi - I know this is a weird one.  But trust me, it is good and easy to use. 
--Here is a link to make the famous Kohlrabi Ham Bake
--Here is a link to a post I wrote on Kohlrabi

Red Romaine - Use it the same as green romaine.  It is a little more delicate, but so very beautiful.

Broccoli -  Growing broccoli in the spring is difficult.We are giving it our best shot.

Garlic Scapes - We are so excited to have garlic scapes in the share this week from our garlic field. This is our first year growing garlic and we're excited for the potential harvest, which begins with scapes. Garlic scapes are the tender stem found on a garlic plant. Use your garlic scapes raw in salads and they will have a hot peppery flavor. Cooked garlic scapes will have a mellow, sweeter flavor.  Here is a link to a garlic scape salad dressing.

2016 week 3 - Greens Machine

New and exciting this week: Lacinato Kale and Swiss Chard

Oh my goodness! I love this kale, add it to soup, smoothies, make lemon kale salad, kale chips . . . YUM!

The secret to Swiss chard is understanding that it is really two vegetables in one: the sturdy stems come in all kinds of colors and take a little time to cook, and the leaves which wilt very quickly.  

In my mind I equate Swiss chard very closely to spinach. You can exchange chard leaves in just about any recipe that calls for spinach. And it will turn out wonderfully.  I put Swiss chard in my Minestrone Soup. . . YUM-O! If you have a deep love (as I do) for all things creamy try a Creamed Swiss Chard like Martha Stewart's Recipe.  I cut this recipe in half because it makes too much.

In between the rain we did get some work done.  Enjoy the behind the scenes view of field work.

David demonstrates the "Florida weave" tying method. Notice how the strings cross each other between the plant and the stake. That is the key to properly securing the young plant. Thank you David for so skillfully demonstrating this for us. #skilledworkers #farmskills #floridaweave

A video posted by A.T. Buzby Farm (@buzbyfarm) on May 19, 2016 at 3:24am PDT

2016 Week 2 - Starring Strawberries

New this week -- Strawberries and Spinach. Yes!

Strawberries are finally here. I think it's safe to assume you don't need any serving suggestions for strawberries. What is your favorite way to eat your berries? Do they even make it home from the farm?

Spinach is loving this cooler weather. This spinach was grown by Michael Catalano in Mannington Township. We try every year to grow our own spinach and we continue to fail miserably. Eric is mildly frustrated by this perpetual failure, yet determined to figure it out someday. Mike Catalano always have the most beautiful spinach fields. Machines harvest most of their crop and its sent off to be packed and frozen. We hand harvested this from the edges of the field where the harvesters won't be able to reach. Throw it in your morning smoothie, or eggs, saute it for dinner or add it to your soup. 

I hate to complain about the weather, but I'm so done with cold, cloudy days. The cold has completely stopped most crops from growing. We're trying to be thankful for the cool weather and see it as an opportunity to catch up on some prep work before the crops command our full attention.

It was so very good to see you all this week.  We're thankful for each of you. Your enthusiasm for fresh local food is so energizing to us. We're glad to have the opportunity to serve this community of conscientious eaters.

Recipes to try:
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Spinach Egg Bake

2016 - Week 1- Let the Games Begin!

Let's get this party started! After a week of cold and rain, I am ready for it to feel and taste like spring! Sunshine! Bring on the sunshine.

We were so so close to having strawberries in the CSA for the first week, but they are just not turning red out there. Sorry. Too cold. Too cloudy. They'll be ready for next week.

Each week here on the blog I introduce the new produce and some of my favorite ways to prepare them.  

If you want your greens to stay fresh and crisp, it is very important to take time to clean and store them well.  Here is a link to specific instructions on how to prep your greens ( romaine, bok choy, arugula, collards)

Romaine- So perfect for salads, BLTs, and to use as lettuce wraps.

Radish- Here is a post I wrote about my favorite ways to use radishes.

Collard Greens- your body will love you for eating these healthy greens.  I really enjoy using collards as a wrap--stuff it with sandwich fixins and roll it up. Yum!  Here is a link to my favorite recipe using collard greens. Here is a link for a more traditional way to eat your collards.

Hot House Tomato- Aren't they beauties? While we have grown these gems for a few years now, we don't usually include them in the CSA. This is because one of the joys of CSA is eating what's in season and becoming more in-tune with the real seasons of produce. May is simply not tomato season. July, August and September are the tomato months and, believe me, we will have plenty of tomatoes to share when the time comes. So why are they in your share this week? Consider it a consolation prize for not getting strawberries! (we know, not a direct replacement for berries)


Arugula- Here is a recipe Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinergartte and Quinoa Salad with Arugula

Asparagus - If you are not going to use it that day, you should store asparagus in your refrigerator in a bowl or mug with some water in the bottom.  The asparagus will slowly drink up the water and you may need to replenish.  Asparagus is delicious roasted or grilled! This asparagus was grown by John Catalano, just down the road from us!


Baby Bok Choy -  Here is the perfect recipe that uses, bok choy, romaine, and radish! This is an easy fast way to serve Bok Choy.  

2015 week 3

We are so thankful for the rain showers we got early last week.  We ended up getting about an inch of rain between several showers.  Many local farms didn't get that rain and are still struggling with dry conditions.  

Returning from previous weeks--

Collard Greens

Strawberries

Asparagus

and Romaine

New this week!

Hakurei Turnips- are sweet and mild.  Sometimes called salad turnips these are delicious raw, and take on a whole new flavor and texture when cooked.  Turnip leaves are also edible and taste similar to mustard greens, and make delicious stir-fries and sautés.  Turnip root is high in Vitamin C, and the leaves are high in good source of vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K and calcium.

To store turnips remove greens and store separately in a plastic bag.  The roots will last several weeks stored in a plastic bag in your crisper drawer.

Hakurei turnips are delicious eaten raw and roasted.  Here is a link to a Turnip Kale frittata.

Lacinato Kale also known as Dinosaur Kale is extremely nutritious.  I enjoy kale in my morning green smoothie.  Click here for a link to a salad recipe that is in my menu plan for the week.

2015 Week 1

It's Opening Week of the 2015 CSA season and we are rockin' and rollin'. Woohoo! The weather is warm and things are growing! After a long, cold winter, greens are looking so good. While we were all hoping the strawberries would be ready for week 1, alas they are not. Soooo close! We are hoping for a good 2-3 weeks of harvest coming up.

***The most important thing when bringing fresh greens home from the farm is to take time to clean and store them well.  Here is a link to specific instructions on how to prep your greens (romaine, bok choy, spinach)
_________________________________________________________________________________

So each week here on the blog I try to introduce the new veggies and some of my favorite ways to prepare them.  Since it is week 1 and every thing is new, its a long blog post.

Romaine- I am so excited for some fresh romaine.  Salads-BLTs-Lettuce Wraps!

Baby Bok Choy -  This is still my absolute favorite way to serve Bok Choy.  But I also pinned some new recipes to try. Check them out here.

Hot House Tomato- Aren't they beauties! While we have grown these gems for a few years now, we've never given them out as part of the CSA. This is because one of the joys of CSA is eating what's in season and becoming more in-tune with the real seasons of produce. May is simply not tomato season. July, August and September are the tomato months and, believe me, we will have plenty of tomatoes to share when the time comes. So why are they in your share this week? Consider it a consolation prize for not getting strawberries! (we know, not a direct replacement for berries)

Easter Egg Radish - Click here for some ideas of what to do with radishes.

Broccoli Rabe is a bitter green, very similar to mustard greens.  I love broccoli rabe cooked with lots of garlic!  I recommend blanching the rabe in boiling water to take the edge off the bitterness first then sautéing with olive oil and garlic.  Here is a recipe "Broccoli Rabe with Pasta and Sun Dried Tomatoes"

Asparagus - If you are not going to use it that day, you should store asparagus in your refrigerator in a bowl or mug with some water in the bottom.  The asparagus will slowly drink up the water and you may need to replenish.  Asparagus is delicious roasted or grilled! This asparagus was grown by John Catalano, just down the road from us!

Spinach- This spinach was grown by Michael Catalano in Mannington Township. They always have the most beautiful spinach fields. Most of their crop is harvested by machines and sent off to be packed and frozen. We were able to hand harvest this from the edges of the field where the harvesters won't be able to get. Throw it in your morning smoothie, or eggs, saute it for dinner or add it to your soup. 

2013 week 1

Opening CSA Day here at the farm was a great success.

Half share

Here is some important information to keep your produce nice if you can't use it right away.

Strawberries. . .are very perishable.   This is not a problem in my home,  they disappear very quickly.   If you want to keep them more than a couple of days they should be kept in the refrigerator. They might last four or five days in the fridge.

Asparagus. . .when you bring asparagus home and you know you are not going to use it that day you should store it in your refrigerator in a bowl or mug with some water in the bottom.  The asparagus will slowly drink up the water.  Before cooking your asparagus it needs to be rinsed, the best way I have  found is to fill up a pitcher of water and put the asparagus in with the tips down. This way all the sand will sink to the bottom.  I follow the recipe on the tag to roast my asparagus.

Romaine and Pac Choi and any other greens that come from the CSA are SANDY!  They need to be thoroughly washed.  

--To wash I fill up a clean sink or big bowl with cold water and put the leaves in and gently swish.  --Then pat the leaves dry or dry them in your handy dandy salad spinner.  

--Next, wrap the lettuce leaves in some paper towel and store in a gallon size ziploc bag or other large container and store in the refrigerator.  

If you carefully wash, dry, and store your greens they will easily last the whole week, but if you just throw the whole head in the fridge crisper the lettuce will wilt and not be crisp.

Many of you were asking what to do with your Pac Choi.  Here is my favorite way to prepare it.  **Bonus it is quick and easy.

This is not an exact recipe, sorry to my peeps who like specific instructions.

To prep the bok choy cut the stalks from the leaves.  (The stalks take longer to cook).  Chop the stalks into large bite sized pieces.  Then chop the leaves into 1 inch pieces.  I also added some sliced red onion, but you could use sweet onion or green onions too.

Heat olive oil in saute pan on high.  Make sure it is good and hot then add the stalks and onion and saute for 1-2 minutes.  Then add in the leaves.  Like spinach, the leaves will wilt.  Then I added a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, a couple drops of toasted sesame oil and a few splashes of soy sauce.  Stir and cook just until greens have wilted.  It will only take1-2 more minutes.  YUM!

Word to the wise: I overdid it a little on the soy sauce,  that stuff is so potent, it only takes a little.

Enjoy!

CSA Share 2012: week 4

What a week we have had!  The constant threat of thunderstorms, that never amounted to anything, followed by high heat and humidity! Whew! But it was great weather if you were hanging by the pool, ocean, or lake!  The eggplants are loving this heat wave too!  Sadly, the strawberries despise this heat and humidity.  The berries are limping along so you CSA members can come U-pick on Saturday.

Even though the strawberries are out of the picture
Here are 4 reasons why I am SUPER DUPER EXCITED about this weeks share.

#1 Broccoli and Cauliflower--   We planted broccoli in the csa field 2 years ago, and got nothing, nada, zilch.  This spring I got the urge to try growing these cruciferous veggies again.  I tried to be optimistic, but I really was anticipating another flop.  Just look at those beauties! Yummy, yummy!

#2 Spinach-- Spinach is another on of those things that we have been trying to grow with little success for the past few years.  Last years spinach I got from a neighbor.  This year I am proud to announce that this was grown on our farm right next to the turnips. We leads me to #3

#3 Turnips--  I love that part of the whole CSA experience is trying new things.  Turnips fall in the "new things" category for many of our members.  I have this Turnip souffle recipe that will knock your socks off.  Sidenote*** You can eat the turnip greens too! These are the most beautiful turnip greens I have seen in a while!

#4 Pickle Cucs--  I love pickles I eat them right out of the field and so does Auggie Dog

Oh yeah, the asparagus and kholrabi is pretty cool too!