Veggies We Harvested This Week: June 6, 2023

Every member’s customized Market Box is unique so we hope you will take advantage more varieties of vegetables as you get comfortable with all the great organic produce we are offering.  Use our A to Z Vegetable Guide to help use and store your veggies.

Storage & Usage Tips

What to use first: arugula, loose leaf lettuce, microgreens and strawberries.

Arugula – Place arugula in a loosely sealed plastic bag in the crisper drawer. Use within three days. Arugula is a slender, leafy green which has a spicy/nutty taste. Some prefer to eat it tossed with other fresh greens or lettuce so that the spicy taste is not as strong. Putting it on a sandwich is another delicious way to enjoy its flavor without being overpowered by it. It can also be sautéed or added to hot pasta. Here is a collection of recipes for any taste 19 Ways to Eat Arugula. 

Asparagus – Store upright in a jar with an inch of water in the refrigerator. Some recommend draping a plastic bag over the spears. Best flavor if used within a couple days but will keep longer. The key to enjoying asparagus is to trim off the “woody” ends. The tough fibers are unpleasant compared to the soft, melt in your mouth stems and tips. This video (at minute 5:50) shows my preferred method. Freeze with blanching method for 30 – 60 seconds depending on thickness.

Bok Choy – Bok choy can be eaten either raw or cooked. If stir frying or sautéing, chop the white stalks separately from the green leaves. Start cooking the white stalks several minutes before adding the leaves to avoid over cooking the greens.
Bok choy can also be grilled by cutting the vegetable lengthwise and drizzling with oil. Storage:  Do not wash until ready to use. Store in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer. Dirt often gets trapped in the widest part of the white stalks, so wash it well. Try these recipes: Grilled Bok Choy & Pork Chops, Bok Choy with Chile, Garlic, and Ginger, Bok Choy and Shrimp Stir-fry

Butterhead Lettuce – this variety is a head lettuce. Store it properly to last all week. How to Store Lettuce.

Chinese/Napa Cabbage – Can be eaten raw in salads or cooked any way you would use traditional cabbage. It tastes excellent in Asian-flavored dishes, especially stir frys. Stir fried Chinese Cabbage Recipe Store the napa cabbage wrapped in a damp towel or plastic bag in crisper drawer. The napa cabbage will stay fresh for up to two weeks.

Collard Greens – To store, wrap the greens, unwashed, in damp paper towels until you are ready to use them. Keep the wrapped greens in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days. When you are ready to cook the greens, you’ll need to wash them. To freeze: Wash the leaves, cut off the woody stems, blanch in boiling water for three minutes and chill in ice water. Dry the leaves, pack into freezer bags and freeze.

Dill – like all herbs, will not last long once picked. Place upright in a glass of water in the fridge or on your kitchen counter. Dill pairs well with potatoes, cucumbers, and green beans. If you cannot use the dill this week, preserve the herb by tying a string around the bunch and hanging it upside down in a well-ventilated and dry area. When it’s dry, crumble and store in an airtight container. Making a dill dressing to use on salad, dip, grilled veggies or meats also preserves the dill longer.

Garlic Scapes – a treat that is only harvested for about 3 weeks each year. Place in a plastic bag in fridge for two to three weeks.  It makes a delicious pesto. Simply replace basil with garlic scapes in a pesto recipe. This pesto may also be frozen flat in a plastic bag so that you may break off a chunk as needed. Garlic Scape Pesto. If you can’t get through them fast enough, just chop them up and throw them into the freezer in a Ziploc freezer bag. Use them all winter long as a garlic substitute. I like to use these in garlic-scape compound butter or add to my own DIY cream cheese.

Kale – Lacinato or Red Russian kale. Store in a loosely sealed plastic bag in the crisper drawer for 7-10 days. Lacinato is dark green, narrow bumpy leaves. Red Russian kale has red/purple stems and a more tender, flatter leaf. To freeze, wash and chop into small pieces and place in a freezer bag. This would be delicious used in the winter in a potato soup or vegetable stir fry.  I love it sauteed with garlic and olive oil until bright green and tender.

Microgreens – Refrigerate immediately. Keep bag sealed. Fold down to remove most air. Put in coldest part of refrigerator. Often, a bottom shelf. Can be frozen to add later to soups and other meals.  Check out Emanuel Farm Powdered Microgreens for longer term shelf life. They are a tasty, nutrient-rich boost for shakes, smoothies and meals and a great seasoning for adding flavor to dishes and dips. All our microgreens are from Emanuel Farms.

Mint – Just like most herbs, mint  should be stored on the kitchen counter in a jar or cup with a small amount of water in the bottom. Keep the mint fresh by snipping a half inch off the bottom of the stem and placing it in a glass of water on your kitchen counter, just like you would do to a bouquet of flowers. Change the water daily to keep the herb fresh all week. Here’s more to help you use fresh mint. Mint Resources

Mizuna – a salad green also used cooked, especially in asian recipes. Store as you would lettuce. Add to salads or sandwiches. Has a mildly peppery taste.  Here are 7 ways to use mizuna. 

Mushroom, Portobello & Cremini – These two mushrooms are the same variety but are harvested at different sizes. Store in a paper bag and refrigerate in the main section of the fridge with a dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture. Alternatively, mushrooms can be briefly sautéed or blanched before freezing to extend their shelf life for up to 3 months.

Radish – keep well for up to two week in a plastic bag in the fridge. Store greens separately. Wash radishes and layer with paper towels in a mason jar or a plastic Ziploc bag in the fridge to keep them crisp longer. This root vegetable can be eaten raw or steamed for 8-12 minutes for a milder taste.

Rhubarb – To store rhubarb, remove any leaves and trim the ends, then place the stalks in a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. For usage, rhubarb can be cooked into compotes, jams, pies, or used in baked goods, providing a tart flavor that pairs well with sweet ingredients like strawberries or apples. Try making this Rhubarb Sauce or this pie version of a rhubarb crisp – Rhubarb Oatmeal Pie.

Make your own strawberry rhubarb preserves or add our Willow Haven Preserves to your Market Box next week.

Scallions – Green onions, or scallions, can be wrapped in damp towel or placed in plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the fridge. Chop and use raw or cooked anyway you would use a bulb onion. The whole of the green onion can be eaten, stalks and all.

What To Do With Your Veggie Scraps

Make your veggies go further and give you more value when you save your trimming and ends of the vegetables you are preparing.

Start a “veggie scrap bag” in your freezer to store random bits of onion skins, root ends of turnips, radish, carrots,  woody ends of asparagus, garlic scapes, collards, and kale. When the bag is full, use it to create your own DIY veggie broth. You can even freeze your veggie broth in ice cube trays for late use.  Grab our Do It Yourself Veggie Broth Guide here.

 

Farm Events

Coming up:

Pizza Night on the Deck – Friday June 30. 5 – 8 pm. Details coming soon.

Farm Tour and Grill Out – Saturday July 1. 11 am – 3 pm.

Farm Food Highlights

FRUIT: Strawberries!  All the strawberries this week were grown by Leroy Sauder, Sauder Organics. They are certified organic and amazingly delicious.

Strawberries – Best when eaten.  But if you have to store them: avoid washing the strawberries  to prevent excess moisture. Remove the green leaves and stems and place the strawberries in a breathable container or basket lined with paper towels for air circulation. Store the container in the refrigerator’s main section for up to 3 days.

BREAD: I like to highlight one of Reuben’s favorite brick oven breads. Pumpernickel Raisin Bread is made with organic coffee, cocoa powder, molasses and raisins to give a depth of flavor to this perfect breakfast bread. 

Pumpernickel Raisin Bread– To reheat sourdough bread, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), wrap the bread loosely in foil, and warm it for 10 to 15 minutes. Optionally, remove the foil during the last few minutes for a crispy crust. Use for grilled cheese or with your favorite pasta sauce.

CHEESE: Haven Farmstead Table’s Brie/camembert cheese is excellent with Willow Haven Bread. The creamy, tangy, ripened cheese is a perfect counterpoint to the sweetness of the pumpernickel raisin bread.

Ok, Bloomer – spread on sourdough bread or dip your cut veggies or crackers.

MEAL SUGGESTION: Make a Strawberry Rhubarb sauce or use our preserves to pour over Ok, Bloomer cheese. Serve as a dessert or side with sliced bread, nuts, bagel chips, etc.

If you didn’t get these in your farm share this week, look for them next time.

 

Try This Recipe On Any Salad

CITRUS HONEY VINAIGRETTE RECIPE

Here is a great dressing to use with any salads you make this week:

• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1/4 C fresh orange juice ( juice from one orange)
• 1/8 C lime juice plus 1 T ( juice from one large lime)
• 1/4 C honey
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 T rice wine vinegar
• Add garlic scapes, either chopped or blended to any dressing if desired.  

Whisk dressing together in a small bowl. Toss with salad. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with zest and cilantro. This tastes good the next day too.

Veggie E-Books

Download these collections of tips and recipes for each veggie. You’ll use these as a reference throughout the season.

Lettuce E-Book
Garlic Scape E-Book
Collard Greens E-Book
Kale E-Book

 

Do you know what part of your fridge to store each type of veggie or fruit?

Did you know your refrigerator has zones with slightly different temperatures and humidity levels? You can use this knowledge to your advantage to store your fruits and vegetables in the best place for longer fridge life. Grab this Guide so you’ll always know where to store what comes in your CSA Market Box. You can even print it to stick on your fridge to help your family members get it right when they help you unpack the box.

 

Farmer Reuben’s Field Update

We are getting ready for the WEDDING! Besides the picking, washing and packing of your Market Box CSA, we also harvested all kinds of greens, planted sweet potatoes and tied up tomatoes to support stakes. Pack Day is an exciting day for us as we see the result of our hard work go out the door to you.

We are committed to growing organically and have been doing so for 15 years for our community on Tessa’s family farm in New Tripoli, PA. Our children, ages 22 – 2, are the fourth generation, with the two of them working full time with vegetables and flowers. 

PLANTING FOR THE WHOLE SEASON
We’ve planted thousands of plants since April and we continue to plant more even as we begin to harvest the first vegetable crops – the ones you receive in your share today. Annika planted hundreds of flowers while the rest of the farm crew is planting thousands of sweet potato slips this week. Sweet potatoes will be harvested in late September. Every week we plant for harvesting further into the season so that we can fill your bags with fresh farm grown veggies deep into the fall.  

FARMING CHALLENGES
Farming always has challenges because we depend on the weather for proper growing conditions.  This week we are experiencing wild fire smoke for the first time in all our farming years. We are taking care of ourselves as best we can. 

We need rain! So that is the main challenge right now. Your lawns are probably crisp and dry while our fields are dusty and parched. We have irrigation which helps our plants to survive but nothing beats a good, soaking rain shower to refill the water table and enable our plants to thrive.  

I like to show you videos of what’s happening on the farm. In this video I explain how we prepare our field for and plant all these sweet potatoes. You can view the video on our YouTube Channel where I share farm stories every week. 

We’ll keep farming for you!

Reuben and Tessa DeMaster
Willow Haven Farm

Market Box Value!

1. Adjust your preferences: Your box will be automatically filled with the items YOU prefer. It’s how you get FIRST CHOICE of your favorites. You can always change items out, but it’s best to have your box filled with your preferences initially. You can modify your preferences at any time during the season.
2. Customize your box: Swap and/or add additional items you like from our ever-growing selection of high-quality organic foods and products. Use your Harvie account to make changes, and your card will be charged when you finalize your order. The customization window is open from Friday (until 7 pm on Sunday). For Saturday members, the window opens by noon on Wednesday and closes at 2:00 pm on Thursday. Read help doc How Swaps Work  and How Preferences Work help doc.
3. Add another item to your cart: Think of your market box as your weekly grocery budget. Check if you have “more value” left in your box by going to customization, clicking on your cart, and then going back to the items. If you have remaining value, consider adding a low-cost item to your cart.
4. Contact Harvie support for account-related questions: For inquiries about customizing your box, billing, or your account, please contact Harvie support. For any other questions, feel free to reach out to us.
5. Check FAQs for guidance: Review our FAQs to learn how to navigate your Harvie profile and explore the various options available with your subscription.

 

Your List of What to Return:

We re-use and recycle much of the packing materials the come with your box. Here’s what you can return, recycle or save.

1. Return boxes: If you’re receiving a box delivery, please put your box out before the next delivery, so the driver can take it back to the farm for reuse.
2. Return freezer bricks, reflective box liners, green produce cartons, with your box during your next delivery or pick up.
3. Save: Remove your box label before returning the box to us. However, if you’re missing an item or something is unsatisfactory, please save your label and send us a picture. This helps us identify and address any errors in the packing process.
4. Earn Farm Credit by referring friends: Sign up friends as members of our farm and earn Farm Credit. Here’s how to Refer A Friend! What are Farm Credits? Read How to Receive and Redeem Farm Credit. 
5. Stay updated with Friday Farm News emails: To access behind-the-scenes stories and videos, make sure you read our Friday Farm News emails. If you’re not receiving them already, Subscribe! to stay in the loop.
   

   What to do when you are missing an item?

   1. Take a picture of your label. Be sure to capture the whole label.
   2. Check the telegram group for a message regarding shortages.
   3. Check for an email like this one to see if it was a shortage.
   4. If no info is available, send an email to farmer@willowhavenfarmpa.com letting us know:
      1. 1. the item that was missing
         2. include the picture of your label.

We’ll Keep Farming for You!

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