Thursday, July 12, 2012

Happy Summer!

Did anybody perchance happen to take a Flower Share or an extra Flower Share by accident last week (if someone picked up for you maybe they took it by mistake thinking it was part of your share)? If so, please let me know as there might be one that went missing.

False alarm on the weighing last week but…it will happen at some point (it might be this week) so it wasn’t a bad idea to read about it now. Once we start weighing things, plan to take a little more time picking up your food at the CSA as there may be a line at the scale.

We could use a LOT more CSA members! If each of us (we’re now 48) managed to find five 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  ! At the moment, I’m waiting to get confirmation as to if and when Dines Farm is returning before I print up any more CSA brochures or place any ads. 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 need you this week, we’re looking for ONE (1) person to work from 3:30 to 5:30pm…
2. Notes from the Farm
3. Bags and you
4. This week’s list…subject to change without notice (farming is like that)
5. Another reason to avoid HFCS (high fructose corn syrup)…
6. Fun, Cool & Interesting Stuff to Do (new events added weekly)
7. Summer Squash Recipes to Keep Handy!
8. File under…please don’t!
9. What you actually got last week
10. You can do a lot by just clicking!
11. And now…for something completely different



1. Help! Your CSA needs you this week! We’re looking for ONE (1) person to help out from 3:30 to 5:30pm…

If you can work this week from 3:30 to 5:30pm, please…

A. respond to this email before 1pm today
B. call 631-421-4864 before 1pm today
C. call 631-385-1079 after 3pm today
D. show up a little before 3:30pm today

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. And if you got an email from Judi asking you to confirm that you’re working…you need to respond to that in the time frame stated in the email otherwise she’s going to try and find someone else to take your place.



2. Notes from the Farm

July 1, 2012

Summer is officially here…and so is the heat!

The extreme heat over the last two weeks (six days over ninety degrees) have pushed all of our crops. Asparagus is done for the year, and Peas are close behind with probably only one or two more weeks left for them. Lettuces are growing fast! We’re now picking our third planting. Lettuce is planted every two weeks so we have a constant supply until December. Fava Beans have begun and Carrots, Beets, Scallions, Kale, and Fennel have all come on strong in the last couple of weeks. Tomatoes are growing well but are still several weeks away. Summer Squashes and String Beans will begin in a week or so. Peppers and Eggplants are still three or four weeks away before we begin their harvest.

So, plenty of summer bounty is just beginning. Swiss Chards, Mustards, Radicchios, Lettuces, Spring Onions, and several types of herbs will all be on your menus throughout this month.

Enjoy it all (nothing lasts long enough) and be careful of the heat. It can be extreme!!!

Organically yours,
Farmer Bill (Halsey)



3. 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.

And, if someone is picking up for you, please remind them about bringing bags with them.



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

Week #12
July 12, 2012

1. Lettuce
2. Squash, Summer
3. Kale
4. Carrots
5. Beans, Snap
6. Beans: Fava*

Total Items: 6 (?)

Flower Share
Week #5
Snapdragons (?)

Herb Share – July 2B
Farmer didn’t tell me what it’s going to be yet

*Beans: Fava (fresh…as opposed to dried)
Please read “Health Issues” especially if you’re taking MAO inhibitors and if you have favism (and then, read it anyway  )…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_faba
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9163283
http://localfoods.about.com/od/favabeans/tp/All-About-Fava-Beans.htm
http://www.blogher.com/frame.php?url=http://www.honest-food.net/blog1/2008/04/30/fresh-fava-beans/
http://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/blogs/7-recipes-featuring-fresh-fava-beans



5. Another reason to avoid HFCS (high fructose corn syrup)…

Even though this is not a new article and there are questions…the amount of mercury we should ideally be consuming is…zero.
http://planetark.org/wen/51392

Study/report it was based on…recommendation is to not consume HFCS…
http://iowa.sierraclub.org/Mercury/HgandFructose.pdf



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

Tuesday, July 17th

7pm

Huntington Food Share – Food Not Bombs
Fairground Ave and E 6th St (outside of All Weather Tires)
Huntington Station
For more info and to get involved:
http://www.lifnb.com/chapters/huntington_food_share

Distribution of food and clothing to all who attend and are in need.


Wednesday, July 18th

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 will be Stephen Ritz. Stephen is an acclaimed NYC DOE educator/administrator whose work in the Bronx continues to attract national attention and support. To date, he has grown more than 20,000 pounds of Bronx vegetables with his extended Bronx Family - the youngest certified workforce in America - who operate a profitable, in school, student Farmer Market and routinely install green walls and green roofs across NYC/NYS.


Thursday, July 26th

6pm (movie starts at 7pm)

Sustainable Film Series presents Dirt
Molloy College
Suffolk Center
Farmingdale
$5 suggested donation
For more info, to watch the movie trailer, and to RSVP:
http://www.molloy.edu/news-and-events/news-archive/dirt

This event, brought to my attention by CSA member Kenny Friedman, features the film Dirt, narrated by Jaime Lee Curtis. This film brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has. It shares the stories of experts from all over the world who study and are able to harness the beauty and power of a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with soil. It tells the story of Earth's most valuable and underappreciated source of fertility-from its miraculous beginning to its crippling degradation.


Thursday, August 2nd to Sunday, August 5th

6th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference
Burlington, VT
For more info and to register:
http://farmtocafeteriaconference.org/6/
Farm to Cafeteria is Digging In! Whether you are new to the movement or have years of wisdom to share, the 6th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference: Digging In! is a great opportunity to network, build skills and get energized!
Farm to Cafeteria began with the common goal of building strong communities, healthy individuals and resilient local farms. Across the country great progress has been made connecting farm-fresh foods with K-12 schools, pre-schools, childcare settings, colleges, universities, hospitals, prisons and beyond – now we are Digging In!
The conference will bring together food service professionals, farmers, educators, policy makers, representatives from government agencies and nonprofits, entrepreneurs, students and others who are breaking down barriers and expanding the impact of Farm to Cafeteria.
There will be skill-building short-courses, field trips to innovative Vermont farms and institutions, a diverse workshop program, and plenty of opportunities to network with inspiring individuals from across the country.

Thursday, August 2nd

6pm

iEat Green’s Farm to Table Cooking Series: Vegan
Old Westbury
$89
To register email:
Bhavani
Bhavani@iEatGreen.com


7pm

Holistic Moms Network Huntington Chapter Meeting
1929 Elwood Public Library
E Northport
Jericho Tpke (intersection of Elwood Rd in the shopping center on the northeast corner)
FREE
For more info:
www.holisticmoms.org
Email: huntingtonhmn@aol.com

Something about vaccinations with guest speaker Charles Nicholas, vaccine attorney…more info TBA


Thursday, August 9th

6pm

iEat Green’s Farm to Table Cooking Series: Raw
Old Westbury
$89
To register email:
Bhavani
Bhavani@iEatGreen.com


August 10th to 12th

NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association) Summer Conference
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA
For more info:
http://www.nofasummerconference.org/
And to register and see a listing of workshops:
http://www.nofasummerconference.org/pdfs/2012_SC_regform.pdf

Featured speaker this year is Jeffery Smith, author of Seeds of Destruction and an authority on GE/GMO foods. Over 200 workshops, kid friendly, fun for everyone…singles, seniors, families – everyone! Great food and a good time will be had by all who attend.


Tuesday, August 14th

Dark Side of the Moon concert
Village Green
Levittown
FREE

CSA member Kenny Friedman will be playing with Wondrous Stories doing the entire Pink Floyd piece, Dark Side of the Moon. Details TBA.


Thursday, August 23rd

6pm

iEat Green’s Farm to Table Cooking Series: Vegetarian
Old Westbury
$89
To register email:
Bhavani
Bhavani@iEatGreen.com


Thursday, August 30th

6pm

iEat Green’s Farm to Table Cooking Series: Fish
Old Westbury
$89
To register email:
Bhavani
Bhavani@iEatGreen.com


Saturday, September 22nd

Farm Aid
Hersheypark Stadium
PA
$37.75 to $101.46
For more info:
http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.2723605/k.C7B8/Concert.htm
For ticket info:
http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.5307325/k.93C0/Ticket_Info.htm?msource=concert

So far it’s Willie, Neil, John, and Jack Johnson and Dave Mathews…and more!


Thursday, October 25th to Sunday, October 29th

Salone del Gusto & Terre Madre
Turin, Italy
For more info and to get tickets:
http://salonedelgustoterramadre.slowfood.com/

This is Slow Food’s biannual international event in the land where the organization Slow Food began…Italy!



7. Summer Squash Recipes to Keep Handy!

Summer squash recipes from the gals at Big Girls, Small Kitchen (though it says for 20 somethings I think it’s helpful to cooks new and not so new)…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/big-girls-small-kitchen/summer-squash-zucchini-recipes_b_943123.html



8. File under…please don’t!

Bioengineering weather to help farmers…
“Scientists have been messing around with local weather for decades.”? “China does it all the time…”??? Maybe we’re seeing the results of this and we only think it’s global warming/climate change????
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/01/20/145535536/geoengineered-food-climate-fix-could-boost-crop-yields-but-with-risks



9. What you actually got last week

July 5, 2012
Week #11

1. Peas: Sugar Snap – ½ lb - $3.25
2. Lettuce: Crisp, Green – 1 head - $2.75
3. Radicchio: Traviso* - 1 head - $3.00
4. Carrots – 1 bunch - $3.25
5. Beans: Fava** - 1 lb - $3.25
6. Swiss Chard – 1 bunch - $3.00

Total Items: 6
Total Amount: $18.50 (We pay $17.50 per week to our farmer for the food we get every week. Today we’ve gotten $1.00 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 $9.50)


Flower Share
Week #4
Snapdragons

Herb Share – July 1A
Thyme, Lemon AND Sage

*Radicchio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radicchio
http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0094.htm
Comments about this page…pointed head is fine…small heads are fine when you know where they came from and how fresh they are (remember…they want you to buy from them and nowhere else!)
http://radicchio.com/for-chefs/
http://radicchio.com/blog/

**Beans: Fava (fresh…as opposed to dried)
Please read “Health Issues” especially if you’re taking MAO inhibitors and if you have favism (and then, read it anyway  )…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_faba
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9163283
http://localfoods.about.com/od/favabeans/tp/All-About-Fava-Beans.htm
http://www.blogher.com/frame.php?url=http://www.honest-food.net/blog1/2008/04/30/fresh-fava-beans/
http://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/blogs/7-recipes-featuring-fresh-fava-beans



10. You can do a lot by just clicking!

Sign the Consumer’s Rights Pledge…
http://action.citizen.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=10003

In a set of decisions this fall, the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled against U.S.country-of-origin labels on meat, dolphin-safe labels on tuna, and the ban on sweet-flavored cigarettes designed to combat youth smoking. These are the policies we rely on to allow us to protect children’s health and make informed decisions as consumers. Under current rules, the U.S. will have to water down or eliminate these policies, or face trade sanctions.



11. And now for something completely different…

CSA member Kenny Friedman showed this to me…it’s good to be able to laugh at oneself…I’ve actually eaten Eggs Rothko and hope to try the carmelized Grapefruit with mint (this are items from the menu at the very popular brunch spot Egg in Brooklyn…they serve brunch on weekends till 6pm so you can have breakfast for dinner and it’s less crowded then…unless you go on an off day with off weather be prepared to wait) and I own a t-shirt from the movie Waking Life (written on the crossword puzzle)…jeesh! 
http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6663206/brunchables

Why I like Egg in Brooklyn (and the food’s pretty good too)…
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2011/08/video-egg-restaurant-farm-williamsburg-food-curated-video-goatfell-george-weld.html#continued
http://www.pigandegg.com/

Another one from Mr. Friedman…a skit with a new take on omnivore vs vegetarian…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63NNuG-6-hQ

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