Fall is coming, as evidenced by our weekly share.
A Beautiful Bounty
10 Saturday Oct 2009
Posted in CSA, Farmers' Market
Category Archives: CSA
My Introduction to Community Supported Agriculture
10 Saturday Oct 2009
Posted in CSA
Last week marked the start of our Community Supported Agriculture delivery. I was out of town for the weekend, so I didn’t have time to prepare a meal plan. That said, Greg and I did a good job cooking most of our vegetables.
This week was much different. We walked down to the Adam’s Morgan farmer’s market and were greeted by the farmer, Michael. As we loaded our veggies into bags, we met other CSA members and discussed some recipe ideas. I was struck by what a personal experience this was. When I told Michael I wanted to by some additional Jonagold apples, he informed me that they were the oldest apples there (having been picked 4 weeks ago), and that I should try another variety. How’s that for service?
I’m grateful that Kim invited me in on this “seasonal culinary journey.” As I unloaded my bounty at home, my mind was spinning with possibilities of what I would cook. I couldn’t help but wonder – what outcome Kim would come to with the same ingredients?
It’s a fun game to me, combining and maximizing the ingredients in creative ways. I feel like a contestant on Iron Chef – but with 15 “secret ingredients”! I’ll spend today preparing most of our meals, and post the results throughout the week.
Meal Plan – Week 2
10 Saturday Oct 2009
Posted in CSA Meal Plan
This is going to be a challenging week for a few reasons.
- I am going to be out of town for a few days, so will need to make things that my husband can eat while I’m gone.
- We received quite a variety in this week’s CSA share.
Here’s what I’m thinking I’ll make this week:
SATURDAY – Grilled Chimichurri Flank Steak with Braised Red Cabbage and Baked Squash, Apples and Potatoes
SUNDAY – Mexican Lentil Soup with Spicy Sausage, Mustard Greens, Carrots and Nappa Cabbage with Jalapeno Corn Bread
MONDAY – Leftovers
TUESDAY – Leftovers
WEDNESDAY – This recipe will all depend on what I have left from the CSA. Maybe a stew or chili or casserol because this will keep my husband busy for a few days after I leave.
THURSDAY – Leftovers
FRIDAY – Leftovers
CSA Meal Plan – Week 1
10 Saturday Oct 2009
Posted in CSA Meal Plan
I completely forgot to share what I decided to cook this past week with my share. Well, it was a busy week at work and socially, so I new I would need to cook a one dish meal. Yeah, I know how could I possibly use all the vegetables we got in week 1 of the CSA in one dish. Well, it’s almost possible with a fabulous Moosewood stew recipe: Tilghman Island Stew (page 308 in Moosewood Restaurant New Classics Cook Book). For my variation see Fall Vegetable Stew with Lemon Thyme Biscuits.
I also used up the radishes, apples, pears in our lunches. The radishes were great, sliced and dipped in roasted garlic hummus.
CSA Fall Share – Week 2
10 Saturday Oct 2009
Was walking my dog this morning and remembered what day it is…CSA Bounty Day!!! And what a bounty!
This week, here’s what was in our box:
- 3 ears of decorative (not-edible, but very pretty) multi-colored corn (purple, yellow, white, red-organge)
- 1 medium acorn squash
- 2 apples (red delicious and golden delicious)
- 2 medium Bosc pears
- 2 small Bartlett pears
- Mixture of hot peppers – including one habanero, several jalapeno, and some long red ones
- 1 small kohlrabi
- Several red, green, and yellow green bell peppers
- 1 small bunch of red/green swiss chard
- 3 medium/large white potatoes
- 1 quart fresh apple cider
- 1 small red cabbage
- 1 medium nappa cabbage
And to add to all of that, Licking Bend Creek Farm also had a surplus of conventional carrots and mustard greens. So of course I got a lot of those!
- 8 large conventional carrots
- 2 bunches of mustard greens
CSA Fall Share – Week 1
03 Saturday Oct 2009
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Yippee! I am finally a CSA member again. I was so disppointed to find out that Potomac Vegetable Farms doesn’t deliver their fall share to DC residents. But, luckily Rex found out about another CSA – Licking Creek Bend Farm – from a work colleague. The Licking Creek Bend Farm CSA was able to squeeze us (and our friends John and Greg) into the fall share. So for the next 9 weeks we’ll each be getting a fabulous box of lovely fall produce.
Today was the first week. I met Greg at 18th St & Columbia Rd to pick up our boxes. We found Michael Tabor, one of the farmers’, gave him our checks, and walked away with a lovely mixture of colorful produce. Here’s what was in our box:
- 1 quart of purple and green beans
- 5-7 hot peppers, various colors
- 3-5 sweet peppers, various colors
- 1 medium head of bok choy
- 1 medium bunch of collard greens
- 1 large butternut squash
- 3-4 potatoes
- 1 bunch of radishes
- 4 tiny bosc pears
- 2 red delicious apples
- 2 golden delicious apples
- 1 bunch of green kolrahbi
Greg and I decided to do some additional shopping at the 3 vendor Adams Morgan Farmers’ Market. I was so shocked at the prices. Only $1.29/lb for local apples, sustainably grown (versus the $2.49/lb I paid last week at the Dupont Circle FRESHFarms Market) at Licking Creek Bend Farm’s produce stand. I spoke with Michael Tabor a bit to discover that a lot of his customers are WIC and SNAP food benefit recipients. He took me behind the cashier area and held up a box, full of WIC and SNAP vouchers. For fabulous produce at such low prices, you really can’t beat it.
So, to get Rex and I through the week – I picked up a few more apples (perhaps I’ll make an apple crisp or other dish) and some sweet snap peas (fabulous lunch snack).
More later on what I do with my CSA week 1 bounty…
Week Meal Plan (Sept 27, 2009)
27 Sunday Sep 2009
Posted in CSA Meal Plan
Sunday
- Dinner – Three Bean Vegetable Moussaka and Couscous with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts
- Preparation for lunch this week – Potato salad with cherry tomatoes, parsley and lemon vinaigrette
Monday
- Lunch – Hummus & Grilled Veggie Sandwiches with Potato Salad and Yogurt with Fruit
- Dinner – Leftovers (Three Bean Vegetable Moussaka and Couscous with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts)
Tuesday
- Lunch – Hummus and Grilled Veggies Sandwiches with Potato Salad (me); Gouda and Heirloom Tomato and Cucumber Sandwich with Tabouli and Hummus on the side with Pita Chips (Rex)
- Dinner – Spaghetti squash, green beans, potatoes and steak
Wednesday
- Lunch – Some type of sandwich on frozen Harris Teeter Bread – either with cheese and veggies; hummus and veggies; or PBJ
- Dinner – Leftovers (Three Bean Vegetable Moussaka and Couscous with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts)
Thursday
- Lunch – Some type of sandwich on frozen Harris Teeter Bread – either with cheese and veggies; hummus and veggies; or PBJ
- Dinner – Eating Out Before the Ra Ra Riot Concert
Friday
- Lunch – Leftovers (Moussaka and Couscous; if I decide to cook tonight)
- Dinner – all depends on what I pick up at the White House Farmers’ Market; or Leftovers (Moussaka and Couscous)
CSA Bounty 9/10/2009
23 Wednesday Sep 2009
Posted in CSA
September 10, 2009
Received a fabulous bag of vegetables and fruit from my summer CSA – yellow squash, eggplant, green beans, tomatoes, spaghetti squash (which I had mistaken for calabash squash), corn on the cob, garlic, potatoes, swiss chard, and a few other things I can’t remember.
Cultivating Sustainability 