Thursday, May 10, 2012

Happy Spring!

IMPORTANT!!! Sounds simple but PLEASE check the wall chart for what your share is every week, and check what’s in your bag with what’s on the wall chart before you leave to make sure that you didn’t take too much or too little food! Last week we had people thinking that Braising Greens and Collard Greens were two different things and were taking two Collard Greens just because there was a Veggie Info Sheet that said Braising Greens and Collard Greens on the same pile of food. I managed to see this happening and stopped people from walking out with extra Collard Greens. Why did I do this? Because Collard Greens are a Braising Green and people could read about it. Is this too confusing? Should I not do this anymore? Please take your time when picking your produce and if there are any questions, please ask!!! If someone takes more than what the allotted CSA share that means at the end of the night someone is going to get less than what they paid for. As Martha would say…that is NOT a good thing!

Does anyone want a Horse or know anyone who does??? Anyone had a childhood dream of owning a horse? Maybe your dream could come true! A good friend of CSA member Gloria Kruse knows of a horse (a lovely, adorable, sweet horse) who needs a home if anyone has the room; details would follow any interest shown. If anyone is interested or would like more info, please respond to this email and I’ll make the connection.

The next is…put this phone number in your cell phone…631-385-1079…it’s the hall phone of the UUFH (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Huntington) and it’s ESSENTIAL CSA info. If you’re running late and won’t get to the CSA till after 7:30pm…you need to call this number and let us know to wait for you or pack a bag for you and put it on the “bench” afterhours pickup location…more on that at another time. If there’s a choice one week and you REALLY want it, you might want to call before you get to the CSA and have someone pack a bag for you with that choice item in it. There are many other reasons people will use this number. Sometimes it’s to get in touch with someone who’s at the CSA (family/friends/other CSA members) as it’s more reliable than cell phones as the cell phone reception in the UUFH is not great and in many cases non-existent. That said, do NOT call this phone number any other time but Thursdays between 3pm (we’re there a little early setting up) and 8pm (we can be there till 8pm still cleaning up and putting things away). Otherwise, you might get some person from the UUFH, or the daycare center that is also in the building, and they will probably have no idea what you’re talking about and probably won’t be able to help you.

Third would be…we could use a LOT more CSA members! If each of us (we’re now 33) managed to find seven more members our farmer would be VERY happy. However, even one more member each would be a help and if THEY got one more member…you get the idea. Even ideas of where to leave CSA brochures or posters, and where to do lectures about CSA would be helpful. So far this season I participated in the 1st LI CSA Fair, the 2nd LI Small Farm Summit, and a health fair at the Vitamin Shoppe in Melville, gave a lecture to the Holistic Moms Network about eating local and just put an ad (VERY reasonably priced) in the brochure for a charity auction for the local Montessori School. I said I would do this last year and didn’t so, I’ll be walking the streets around the UUFH and leaving brochures with a cover sheet that’s an invite to visit the CSA in people’s mailboxes. The exercise will do me good  ! Any and all suggestions would be appreciated and considered. Another thing that was talked about last year and not done that will be done this year is putting an a paid ad in The Beacon, the newsletter of the UUFH, for several issues.

This week’s email includes…

1. Your CSA does not need you this week, however…
2. Bags and you!
3. This week’s list…subject to change without notice (farming is like that)
4. Mother’s Day is coming up…
5. Fun, Cool & Interesting Stuff to Do (new events added weekly)
6. Calling all artists (or spread the word if you know any)…
7. What you actually got last week – 5/3/12


1. Your CSA does not need you this week, however…

You can ALWAYS stop by the CSA a little before 3:30 or 5:30 to offer to help in case someone doesn’t show up (or is late) without letting anyone know…life happens! 

If you didn’t get a confirmation email from Judi (occasionally it’s me), you’re not scheduled to work this week.



2. Bags and you!

The short story is make sure to bring bags to pack your CSA food as the CSA does not provide them.

Suggestion…put bags (paper/plastic/cloth) in EVERY vehicle you own. Put them in the glove compartment, trunk, wherever, and make sure to replenish them when the supply is running low or you’re out of them. That way it will be hard to forget them.



3. This week’s list…subject to change without notice (farming is like that!)

Week #3
May 10, 2012

1. Lettuce
2. Spinach
3. Chives, Garlic**
4. Parsley Root***
5. Mizuna – greenhouse*
6. Mustard Greens, Red – greenhouse*
7. Kale

Total Items: 7 (?)

*grown in their greenhouse, not in the fields (it’s too early for that)

**Garlic Chives are used cooked rather than raw as the more commonly known Chives…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic_chives
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/vegetablesrecipes/a/garlicchives_2.htm
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/vegetablesrecipes/a/garlicchives.htm
http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--35051/parsley-root.asp

***Parsley Root info…
http://harvesttotable.com/2007/04/parsley_root_parsley_root_is/
http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--35051/parsley-root.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsley



4. Mother’s Day is coming up…

If you’re going to give Flowers, consider using Organic Bouquet…
http://www.organicbouquet.com/



5. Fun, Cool & Interesting Stuff to Do (new events added weekly)

Thursday, May 10th

6:30pm

GMOs and Eco-Labeling: Getting more of the Story
CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College
2180 3rd Ave (119th St)
NYC
$40 General Public
For more info and to register (must register by May 7th and payment will NOT be taken at the door):
http://www.gnyda.org/Public/Events.aspx

I’d go if I could but it’s a Thursday so I’ll be at the CSA.

They’ll be having a raffle for a gift card to the restaurant Northern Spy Food Co. (farm-to-table in NYC).

Panelists Include:

Dr. Michael Hansen Senior Staff Scientist, Policy and Advocacy Division, Consumers Union

Dr. Urvashi Rangan
Director, Consumer Safety and Sustainability Group, Consumer Reports

Daniel B. Ravicher
President and Executive Director, Public Patent Foundation “PUBPAT” and Lecturer in Law at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

Patty Lovera
Assistant Director, Food & Water Watch

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Carolyn Dimitri
Research Associate Professor of Food Studies, NYU


Saturday, May 12th

9am

Brooklyn Food Conference
Brooklyn Tech High School
29 Fort Greene Place
Brooklyn
FREE ($8 lunch ticket available if you pre-pay for it)
For more info and to register:
http://bkfoodconference.org/

Featured speakers will be Bryant Terry, chef/author of The Inspired Vegan, and Lucas Benitez of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. There will be workshops on fracking, food issues, movies to watch, cooking demos, children’s activities, and free childcare. I’m sure a great time will be had by all who attend. I went to the last one and it was amazing and I’ll be going again this time.


Wednesday, May 16th

4pm to 5pm

iEat Green
http://prn.fm/shows/lifestyle-shows/i-eat-green/

iEat Green is hosted by Slow Food Huntington’s Bhavani Jharoff. Listen to this internet radio show either live or if you miss this show, you can listen to it on the archives and it’s available for downloading on iTunes for your iPhone.

Today’s guest is Rachel Kaplan, lead author of Urban Homesteading: Heirloom Skills for Sustainable Living. She is a pioneering therapist in the field of Eco-Somatics (an ecological approach to the body-mind connection in regards to movement), an educator, and widely published author.


Sunday, June 3rd

4pm

Edible and Medicinal Food, and Herb Walk with Ellen Kamhi, RN, the Natural Nurse!
Old Westbury
$10 Members/$20 General Public
For more info, and to register and get directions:
Call 516-238-3616

Slow Food Huntington and iEat Green are co-sponsoring this event. It will be followed by a potluck in the garden.


Wednesday, June 13th

7:30pm

Let’s Eat: Food on Film presents…The Harvest/La Cosecha – with special guest, filmmaker U. Robert Romano
Cinema Arts Centre
432 Park Ave
Huntington
$10 Members/$15 General Public (includes reception)
For more info about the film and to watch the trailer:
http://theharvestfilm.com/
For more info about Slow Food Huntington:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Slow-Food-Huntington/111833608364

Executive Producer (and actress) Eva Longoria presents an award-winning documentary which provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of children who struggle to dream while working 12 – 14 hours a day, 7 days a week to feed America. Every year there are more than 400,000 American children who are torn away from their friends, schools and homes to pick the food we all eat. Zulema, Perla and Victor labor as migrant farm workers, sacrificing their own childhoods to help their families survive. The Harvest/La Cosecha profiles these three as they journey from the scorching heat of Texas’ onion fields to the winter snows of the Michigan apple orchards and back south to the humidity of Florida's tomato fields to follow the harvest. This series is co-curated with Slow Food Huntington.



6. Calling all artists (or spread the word if you know any)…

From the Nassau County Soil & Water Conservation District: Community Garden & Environmental Program Fundraiser

When: Thursday, June 14th, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm


Where: The newly restored barn at the Fairgrounds at Old Bethpage Village Restoration

Art competition and networking party to raise money to build community gardens & support environmental programs.

The cost for entering the contest is $20. The fee includes the application fee, entry to the party, and makes you eligible to win one of the $1,500 in prizes. All art must reflect the natural environment. And since the artwork is being placed in a silent auction you you can also bring a guest to the party for free.



Artists receive 30% of what their piece sells for, get to put out brochures and business cards, and are eligible for prizes. If the piece doesn't get purchased for the minimum bid you get it back.

If you just want to be a part of the fun at the party it is $25 to enter if you RSVP by June 1st or $35 after this date.



To sign-up for the contest or party please email Art4SoilandWater@gmail.com or contact board member Jaime Van Dyke Doran at (516) 677-5853.


Old Bethpage Village Restoration
1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage, NY 11804


7. What you actually got last week – 5/3/12

May 3, 2012
Week #2

1. Collards – 1 bunch - $3.25
2. Spinach – ¾ lb - $3.00
3. Sorrel – 1 bunch - $2.75
4. Tat Soi (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $2.75
5. Mizuna (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $2.75
6. Lettuce Mix – .5 lb - $2.50
7. Scallions – 1 bunch – $2.50

Total Items – 7
Total Amount - $19 (We pay $17.50 per week to our farmer for the food we get every week. Today we’ve gotten $1.50 extra, making the total extra that we’ve received from our farmer [over and above the $17.50 we pay per week] for the year so far $2.50)

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