Green Thumb Farm Huntington CSA

Happy Spring (summer starts June 21st)!

Our Strawberry picking farm tour is coming up next weekend (Saturday, June 15th). Details to follow as soon as I get them (my guess it’ll be 1 hour tours every hour starting at 10:30am and ending at 1:30pm but don’t quote me ).

This week’s mystery…last week we were missing a bunch of the Red Mustard Greens. How do we know? We count the produce at the start of the night and at the end of the night, and the numbers need to match up and they didn’t. Anyone have any idea as to what happened?

Mystery solved! I love being able to say that! Turns out the other week someone accidentally took BOTH herbs instead of just one (it was a choice between two). I’m so glad the person ‘fessed up as it’s not a matter of being punitive but problem solving. 

I know the CSA isn’t rocket science or anything but, there are a few things that are necessary to make it work…
1. making sure you look at the wall chart for the amounts of food we’re supposed to take (it’s not always one of everything)
2. it’s never a bad idea to double check before you leave the CSA to make sure you don’t have too much food…or too little (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve NOT taken all of my CSA share because I was yabbing away as I was collecting my food and when I got home…darn!  )
3. If you decide you don’t want to take something, please bring it to the sign-in table and we’ll put it there for someone to take (you KNOW someone will want what you might not) so that way our counts won’t be off at the end of the night.

Any gardeners? You can order certified organic herb and vegetable plants for your garden from our farm by calling Green Thumb Farm at 631-726-1900, 7 days a week, from 9:30 to 4pm, place your order with a credit card, and your plants will be delivered to the CSA.

BJ’s has organic foodstuffs. If you’d like to check it out and you’re not a member, there’s a coupon on the sign-in desk to try it out that’s valid till July 14th. I’m a fan of their gas prices. Last time I was there it was $3.63 for regular!

This email includes…

1. You can still get in on the Herb Shares!
2. You can still get in on the Flower Shares!
3. Mushroom Share anyone?
4. This week’s list (subject to change without notice…farming is like that!)
5. Click activism
6. A Jew, a Christian and a Muslim walk into a bar in Africa (a Coffee bar  )…
7. Event Listings
8. Do you ever buy or drink wine?
9. What you actually got last week
10. And now for something completely different…



1. You can still get in on the Herb Shares!

If you’ve seen the Herb Share and it looks appealing…you can still get one! Yes, we do get Herbs as part of our regular share, but for some of us…it’s not enough AND believe it or not, Herbs have higher levels of antioxidants than high antioxidant foods like Blueberries (and Berries in general)!
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=news&dbid=35

We Americans don’t use them enough. If you aren’t going to use what Herbs you have within a week or so, you can freeze or dry them (depending on the Herb). So, if you’re interested in an Herb Share, talk to suzanne about how to jump in, and what the pro-rated cost would be. The price to start on June 13th will be $65 (for 2 bunches of Herbs twice a month) per Herb Share. Let me know if you’re interested!



2. You can still get in on the Flower Shares!

The first Flower Share usually turns up the first week in June (but apparently not this year  ) and is often Peonies. The flowers are certified organic, grown on our farm (Green Thumb Organic Farm), and are a visual delight. I get two Flower Shares because I like fuller arrangements.

If you have a cutting garden in your home it allows you to keep more blossoms in the yard, and you can use these for your home.

If you share with someone and worry about not being there when the flowers show up…make an agreement that if the flowers show up on a week when you’re not there that your share partner can pay you $7 to take them home that week. Just a thought!

If you’re interested, the cost per Flower Share is $70 for 10 weeks (not consecutively but whenever the flowers are ready). Let me know if you’re interested!



3. Mushroom Shares anyone?

Our intrepid Mushroom grower David lost $2,000 Memorial Day weekend since he had no Mushrooms to sell (it’s been too cool). And, he might have taken a loss anyway because of the rainy weather. This demonstrates some of the many advantages of being part of the CSA for the grower/farmer and for CSA members.

We need enough people who want a total of 4 more pounds of Mushrooms to get the next Mushroom Share happening! The Mushrooms come in 5 lb boxes and we’ve filled our first 5 lb order, and now I’ll be taking names for people interested in the next group. As soon as we get enough people interested, we can figure out when the delivery for the next group will start and how much it will cost. Any questions, just ask!

The same matchmaking service is available if anyone wants to share a Mushroom Share. Are you sharing a share and your share partner doesn’t want Mushrooms? Maybe someone else will share a Mushroom Share with you for the weeks you’re not picking up!

If you know anyone who’d be interested, have them get in touch. You can get a Mushroom Share and not be a CSA member. In fact, one of our Mushroom Share members is Nicole, owner of Sip Tea Lounge in Huntington Village…
http://siptealoungeny.com/



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

Week #7
June 6, 2013

1. Strawberries
2. Rhubarb*
3. Asparagus
4. Lettuce
5. Radishes – 1 bunch

Total Items: 5 (?)

*Rhubarb Compote recipe (takes 15 minutes)…
http://www.sweetsandbitters.com/blog/2013/5/6/rhubarb-three-memories-and-a-recipe.html



5. Click activism…

Tell USDA to immediately ban field tests of GMO crops!!!
https://secure3.convio.net/gpeace/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1383&JServSessionIdr004=l2i0tmgzud.app332a

GMO Wheat found in Oregon and it hasn’t been approved for commercial planting, and no one has any idea how it got there…
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/05/30/187103955/gmo-wheat-found-in-oregon-field-howd-it-get-there



6. A Jew, a Christian and a Muslim walk into a bar in Africa (a Coffee bar  )…

Coffee grown by a cooperative of Jewish, Muslim and Christian Coffee farmers in Uganda!

It’s also Organic, Fair Trade and Shade Grown…
http://www.mirembekawomera.com/



7. Event Listings

Thursday, May 2nd to Sunday, December 8th

9am to 4:30pm

Green Thumb Organic Farm
Montauk Hwy
Water Mill

Our CSA farm’s farm stand is open for the season! If you’re passing by, stop in and say hi and tell them you’re a CSA member and you’re sure to get a smile! There are plants for your garden, flowers for your home and friends you might be visiting in the area and food…lots of food! 


Saturday, May 25th to Monday, Sept 2nd

Swedish Culinary Summer
East Hampton
For more info:
www.swedishculinarysummer.com

Swedish cuisine, and worldwide interest in it, has grown exponentially over the last 20 years. Zagat just placed Swedish restaurants in the number two and number three positions in the top ten restaurants in the world and there are three Swedish restaurants on Pellegrino's World's 50 Best Restaurants list. Swedish food is now the darling of media worldwide and especially in the U.S. Swedish Culinary Summer uses food as the universal ambassador to "open the doors" at key charity events in the Hamptons during the summer season: a full summer of top Swedish chefs, food, beverages and consumer goods, plus there will be cooking classes and special dinners available at the Maidstone Hotel.


Saturday, June 8th

10am to 4pm

Starflower Experiences Community Yard Sale
Manor Farm
210 Manor Rd
Elwood
For more info and to possibly participate or volunteer (don’t know how late they can accept participants and if there’s still room):
www.starflowerexperiences.org
516-938-6152
info@starflowerexperinces.org

CSA member Chiara Mathews is volunteering for Starflower Experiences so you just might see her here! Rain date is Sunday, June 9th.

12pm to 1pm

Food Chain Radio Show…What’s Eating What with Michael Olson
http://metrofarm.com/food-chain-radio

Check out the archives…there’s a LOT of good stuff in there!

1pm to 4pm

Spring Open House
Sylvester Manor Educational Farm
80 North Ferry Rd
Shelter Island
FREE but RSVP by phone or email:
Melissa 631-749-0626
mmundy@sylvestermanor.org

Kids crafts and activities, farm stand and music!

3pm

Alternative medicine: Sense and Nonsense
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
1 Bungtown Rd
Cold Spring Harbor
To RSVP call or email: 516-367-8455
publicaffairs@cshl.edu
FREE but RSVP
For more info:
http://www.cshl.edu/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=icalrepeat.detail&evid=159&Itemid=220&year=2013&month=06&day=08&title=public-lecture-alternative-medicine-sense-and-nonsense&uid=ce00eaf9f327df8ec3c486f7756354b6&catids=91%7C90%7C92

The lecturer is Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Please keep in mind that Dr. Watson of the CSH Lab has repeatedly said that he doesn’t take much stock in nutrition (he recently said this at his appearance at the Cinema Arts Centre).


Monday, June 10th

4pm to 8pm

The Edible Academy Family Garden Picnic w/ Mario Batali
NY Botanical Garden
Bronx, NY
$40 and up
For more info and to get tickets:
http://www.nybg.org/exhibitions/2013/batali-family-picnic.php

For the kids…make pickles, climb trees, etc, and for the big kids…booksigning, cooking demo (special guest Daphne Oz), and cocktail party. All proceeds benefit The Edible Academy children’s gardening program.


Wednesday, June 12th

7:30pm

Let’s Eat: Food on Film presents…How to Cook Your Life
Cinema Arts Centre
423 Park Ave
Huntington
$10 Members/$15 General Public (includes reception and Skype with Edward Espe Brown)
For more info and to buy tickets (this will probably sell out):
http://www.cinemaartscentre.org/event/how-to-cook-your-life/

Filmmaker Doris Dörrie turns her attention to Buddhism and that age-old saying, you are what you eat. In How To Cook Your Life, Dörrie enlists the help of the charismatic Zen Master, chef, and Tessajara Bread Book author Edward Espe Brown to explain the guiding principles of Zen Buddhism as they apply to the preparation of food as well as life itself. This event is co-presented with Slow Food Huntington.


Saturday, June 15th

Green Thumb CSA Strawberry Picking Farm Tour
Green Thumb Farm
Montauk Hwy
Water Mill

Details TBA


Monday, June 17th

12pm to 3pm

NY Crossroads: Rally to stop fracking and demand alternative energy
East Capitol Lawn
Albany
For more info and to sign up:
https://www.facebook.com/events/200220593434997/
http://nyagainstfracking.org/

There are supposed to be buses from Long Island going and car pools.


Thursday, June 27th

6pm to 9pm

Art With a Purpose
Rush Arts Gallery
526 W 26th St, Suite 311
NYC
$150
For more info and to buy tickets:
http://www.healthyschoolfood.org/events.htm?utm_source=Art+With+a+Purpose+-+1&utm_campaign=Year+End+27th+2012&utm_medium=email

An art exhibit/event with works for sale by such artists as Peter Max and Sue Coe, benefitting the NY Coalition for Healthy School Food. There’ll be vegan food donated by Candle 79 and Candle Café West, and wine donated by Pure Food & Wine and Verity Wine Partners. Jazz music provided by Miles of Music.


Friday, August 9th to Sunday, August 11th

NOFA Summer Conference
U Mass
Amherst, MA
For more info and to register (early bird pricing till July 9th):
http://www.nofasummerconference.org/registration.php
What is NOFA (in particular NOFA-NY)?
https://www.nofany.org/about

CSA members Vickie Muller (along with her daughter) and suzanne j zoubeck attended last year and may be going again this year. If you have any questions, ask one of them. If you’re at all interested in organic gardening, food, food politics, the environment, green living, green housing, renewable energy, alternative health, etc. this is an AMAZING event to attend (over 200 workshops to choose from)! The food is local and organic and there are enough choices whether your diet is gluten-free, raw, vegan or paleo. There are farm tours and parties at night. Also, there are workshops and activities for children from ages 2 to 17 so it’s fun for the whole family…or for singles…or seniors…or anyone!



8. Do you every buy or drink wine?

Read this…
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/dining/the-big-question-whats-in-wine.html?_r=0

Drink this…
http://shinnestatevineyards.com/

Shinn Estate Vineyards (LI biodynamic winery) is mentioned in the article. I love these guys.



9. What you actually got last week

Week #6
May 30, 2013

1. Bok Choi (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $3.50
2. Mustard: Red (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $3.25
3. Tat Soi (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $3.25
4. Spinach – ½ lb bag - $2.25
5. Radishes: French Breakfast OR Red – 1 bunch - $2.75
6. Scallions – 1 bunch - $2.75

Total Items: 6 (?)
Total Amount: $17.75 (we pay $17.50 for our weekly CSA share so this week we’ve gotten $.25 worth of food more than we paid for PLUS a bunch of Cilantro on top of that…so the total extra value we’ve gotten so far this season…is $7.75)



10. And now for something completely different…

Food and art…
http://www.grubstreet.com/2013/06/christopher-boffoli-interview.html

http://www.winstonwachter.com/exhibitions_ny.php

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