Week #5 May 22nd 2014

Happy Spring!

Sorry about the lack of a CSA email last week but it was very nostalgic for me and some of our longtime CSA members as a return to the early days of the CSA (17 years ago!) when there was no internet or emails, and every week was a total surprise as to what would show up.

The short story is…our CSA emails are clearly too much for the internet to handle, so this week I’m going to try to ease back slowly and not attach the Veggie Info Sheets. I’ll start sending them out tomorrow…first one, then two, then three, until we can get back to 6 of them at a time, or they get rejected by the lords of the internet. In the meantime…there’s always the internet, cookbooks, and ask me! We’re working on alternative ways to send the emails and get you all the great info we cram in these things!

Planting a garden this year? Get certified organic Herb (many varieties), Vegetable (many varieties) and Flower (some…ask!) plants grown at your farm, Green Thumb Farm! To order plants, call the farm at 631-726-1900 between 9:30am and 4pm any day of the week/weekend and have a credit card on hand for payment. They will be delivered with the next available CSA delivery!

If you’d like to visit our farm (Green Thumb Farm in Water Mill) on days besides our CSA Strawberry picking in June and Pumpkin picking in October, the farm stand is now open until Sunday, December 7th. Tell them at the farm stand that you’re a CSA member and it’s sure to bring a smile!

Seriously…put this phone number (631-385-1079) in your cell phone, on your fridge, or wherever you put phone numbers you’re glad to have when you need them! It’s the hall phone of the UUFH to be used only on Thursdays from 3pm to 8pm. We’ve already had a few people who wished they had it and didn’t, and others who had it and found out how handy it can be! 

When picking up your CSA share (and “you” means the CSA member whose ONE NAME is on the CSA contract)…if you are sharing a CSA share with someone OR if someone besides you is picking up for you, the person who is not you must give your name to the person at the sign-in table along with their name. Last week, someone who lives with the CSA member gave their name and since it’s early in the season, we had no idea at the end of the night who the heck this person was and it caused a bit of a kerfuffle.

CSA member Joanne Schenendorf pointed out in the “and now for something completely different” video last week, there was a mistake! You don’t pronounce the “s” at the end of pommes frites.

This email contains…

1. Your CSA doesn’t need you this week but…
2. CSA members in need of some help!
3. This week’s list…
4. Holistic Moms Network of Huntington Event
5. What you actually got last week
6. This month at Shake Shack…
7. Learn to play with your food at Fairway!
8. Strawberries picking at our farm!
9. And now for something completely different…


1. Your CSA doesn’t need you this week but…

you can always show up at 3:30pm or 5:30pm and ask if we still need help!

Also, keep in mind that if you don’t get an email telling you that you’re working on a particular week…you’re not scheduled to work (but if you have any questions, get in touch with Judi and/or suzanne).



2. CSA members in need of some help!

A. Anyone know of a good Endocrinologist? One of our CSA members is looking for one who’s familiar with Hashimoto’s (not a pediatric one). They have United Healthcare Community Plan.


B. Anyone have any recommendations for an exterminator that uses pesticides as a last resort as opposed to a first resort, and is into the least toxic ways to get rid of household pests?

One of our CSA members is concerned about termites and would like to use someone who is as green (and yet effective) as possible!

While I didn’t have an exterminator to recommend, I did recommend a book that I think every human being should own because at one time or another, we will probably have to deal with something that’s in this book, and this book gives the solutions how to get rid of the problem in the best ways that won’t harm you, your family or pets (and talks about from least toxic to most toxic solutions). One person who agrees with me is Mike McGrath, a former editor of Organic Gardening Magazine. Of course, it’s out of print but you can still get copies…

Common Sense Pest Control – Olkowski (NOT the gardener’s one)…
http://www.amazon.com/Common-Sense-Pest-Control-Least-Toxic-Solutions/dp/0942391632

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sortby=1&tn=common+sense+pest+control&x=74&y=11



3. This week’s list…

May 22, 2014
Week #5

1. Kale
2. Sage
3. Arugula (greenhouse)
4. Tat Soi (greenhouse)
5. Scallions
6. Mizuna (greenhouse)

Total Items: 6

Herb Share – May #2B
Savory, Winter AND Tarragon, French



4. Holistic Moms Network of Huntington Event

Sunday, May 25th

10am

Sip Tea Lounge
286C New York Ave
Huntington
631-683-5777
http://siptealoungeny.com/
To RSVP: vikshop@optonline.net

Join CSA member (and founder of the Huntington Chapter of the Holistic Moms Network) at the delightful Sip Tea Lounge for some conversation, tea and snacks (in lieu of their regular monthly meeting at the Elwood Public Library)!

If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP to Vickie as seating is limited (if you’re going to hang), or just stop by and say hi if you’re curious as to what the group is about. I may just stop by and say hi because any excuse to visit Sip Tea for some tea and snackage is a good thing in my book! 



5. What you actually got last week

May 15, 2014
Week #4

1. Asparagus - .75 lb - $3.25
2. Tat Soi (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $2.75
3. Kale Rabe* - 1 bunch - $3.50
4. Scallions – 1 bunch - $3.00
5. Mizuna (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $2.75
6. Oregano – 1 bunch - $2.75
7. Arugula (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $2.75

Total Items: 7
Totall Amount: $20.75
What did I tell you? We pay $18.50 per week so this week our farmer gave us $2.25 more than we paid for. With the deficit of -$.75 from the first few weeks…hey, it was a tough winter!...we’re now up $1.50 more that our farmer has give us (more than we’ve paid for so far for the year), and this amount will grow as the season goes on.

*
Cook like Broccoli Raab (Rabe/Rape)
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/cook-kale-raab-31699.html
http://www.diaryofalocavore.com/2013/05/rabe-raab-local-food-report.html

and the week before that…

May 8, 2014
Week #3

1. Collard Greens – 1 bunch - $3.50
2. Arugula (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $2.75
3. Kale Raab, Red (Rabe/Rape) – 1 bunch - $3.50
4. Scallions – 1 bunch - $3.00
5. Chives, Garlic – 1 bunch - $2.75
6. Mizuna (greenhouse) – 1 bunch - $2.75

Total Items: 6
Total Amount: $18.25 (on our total for the season, we’re still down -$.75 from last week but that will change soon enough!  )



6. This month at Shake Shack…

For the month of May, it’s the 3rd Annual Great American Shake Sale at all Shake Shacks (our nearest one is in Westbury). Shake Shack is partnering with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign so for every $2 you donate, you get a coupon for a free Shake (worth $5) on your next visit. That’s a pretty good deal!
http://www.shakeshack.com/tag/no-kid-hungry/
And here’s their special Custard Calendar for the month of May…
http://www.shakeshack.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/ss_custard-cal_may14.pdf



7. Learn to play with your food at Fairway!

Meet Bill Wurtzel and learn how to make fun food art using only healthy ingredients from Fairway…
http://www.funnyfood.us/

Saturday, June 21st

1 to 3pm

Fairway, Red Hook, Brooklyn
480-500 Van Brunt St.
$1.00 if you reserve online…not sure if there’s a cost if you reserve at the store
https://www.fairwaymarket.com/shop/funny-food-art-workshop/

Register at the Customer Service Desk or online.



8. Strawberries picking at our farm!

Saturday, June 21st

Annual CSA Strawberry Picking and Farm Tour
Green Thumb Farm
Rt 27
Water Mill

Save the date! The times are usually from 10:30am to 1pm but will give you the details when I get them from our farmer. It’s a walking tour of approx 1 hour in length for CSA member and immediate family members only!

If you’re sharing a CSA share with someone, only one person/family can go. In this case often one person will go in June for the Strawberry picking, and the other person will go in October for the Pumpkin picking and the name of the CSA member is the one used for the reservation.



9. And now for something completely different…

Bet you wish you had one of these…I know I do! 
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/chefsexperts/interviews/sam-van-aken-interview

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