Week #33 December 4, 2014

Happy Autumn!

Since the topic has come up…the last CSA day is next week, Thursday, December 11th.

Want to see the movie Cowspiracy? See below under December 17th and buy your tickets before December 8th otherwise the event won’t happen (as of Monday night, they need to sell 66 more tickets to make it happen)!

Anybody make it out to the farm the other Saturday? If so, please send any photos or comments about the experience and we’ll share with the rest of the CSA gang. Thanks!

Bring bags with you to the CSA! If anyone is picking up for you at the CSA…tell THEM they need to bring bags!!!
Put bags in every vehicle you own or might end up driving.
Bring an assortment of bags…cloth, plastic, paper…as you’ll find them all useful. Basic bagging issue is separating wet food from dry food so one doesn’t start the rotting process of the other. Tomatoes like to be stored in paper, not plastic.

If you’d like to visit our farm (Green Thumb Farm in Water Mill), the farm stand is now open 7 days a week until Sunday, December 7th (and this weekend they often have an end of season sale). 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! 


This email contains…

1. Your CSA does not need you this week! However…
2. WE WEIGH!!!
3. This week’s list…
4. Win Prizes!!!
5. What you actually got last week
6. Cheesecake Factory…who knew???
7. Event Listings
8. For the food and drink lover that has pretty much everything!
9. Do you eat Quinoa? Check this out…
10. And now for something completely different…



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.

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. WE WEIGH!!!

It’s time to weigh our food!

A. Check the wall chart before taking any food so you know what you’re taking and how much to take…assume nothing and ask questions! 

B. Bring your reading glasses or ask someone to help if you can’t see the numbers on the scale clearly.

C. PLEASE DO NOT GO OVER THE AMOUNT STATED on the Wall Chart. Please err on the under side of the weight posted…NEVER over. It may not seem like much to you but we have 51 members and if every person is off by ONE OUNCE (for crying out loud! It’s only an ounce!!!) …that means we’ll be short over THREE POUNDS of produce and some CSA members won’t get the food they paid for. And I’m sure you wouldn’t want it to be you!

D. IF you are asked to weigh more than one food item at the same time…please follow the directions given to you and weigh in the order you are asked (you might not think there’s a good reason to be doing this but our farmer does and that should be enough of a reason right there…if you want a further explanation – ask suzanne…there is a method to the madness )



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

December 4, 2014
Week #33

1. Garlic
2. Squash, Winter: Pharsi
3. Sweet Potatoes*
4. Mei Quing Choi
5. Jerusalem Artichokes (Sunchokes)

Total Items: 5

*
Sweet Potato Pancakes
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/11/sweet-potato-pancakes-made-with-leftover-mash.html

Sweet Potato Peanut Bisque
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/sweet_potato_peanut_bisque.html

Spiced Sweet Potato Quesadilla
http://naturallyella.com/2013/11/10/spiced-sweet-potato-quesadilla/



4. Win Prizes!!!

And I can attest that you CAN win these things! I just got an email that I actually won one of the cookbook contests. You gotta be in it to win it! 

A.Win a cookbook from Bar Tartine in San Francisco (I hear it’s a wonderful place…a chef I know named a Carrot dish in his NYC restaurant as a tribute to this restaurant)
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/12/win-a-copy-of-bar-tartine.html#_logout

B.Win a LOT of cool food/cooking related stuff…

Must enter before January 2, 2015
http://seriouseats.com/gifts#giveaway



5. What you actually got last week

November 26, 2014
Week #32

1. Kale: Lacinato – 1 bunch - $3.50
2. Squash, Winter: Carnival – 1 - $2.50
3. Sweet Potatoes* - up to 2 lbs - $4.25
4. Rutabaga – up to 2 lbs - $4.00
5. Sage OR Rosemary – 1 - $2.75
6. Radicchio: Chiogga – 1 head - $3.50

Total Items: 6
Total Amount: $20.50
(We pay $18.50 per week for our CSA share. Our farmer has given us $2.00 more this week than the $18.50 which we paid for so, the total so far is $27.25 more than what we’ve paid so far this season…that means we’ve gotten one extra share’s worth of food that we didn’t pay for, so if you missed a week of the CSA you didn’t lose any money…though I know it’s still annoying missing the food…been there done that myself with other CSAs I have been a member of in addition to being a member of this one…can’t have too many vegetables!)

Herb Share – Nov 2B
Sage AND Thyme

*
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Kale and White Beans…
http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-stuffed-sweet-potatoes-with-beans-and-greens-recipes-from-the-kitchn-181845

Sweet Potato, Lentil and Coconut Curry (she’s English…you’ll have to translate a little)…
http://deliciouslyella.com/recipe/sweet-potato-lentil-and-coconut-curry/



6 . Cheesecake Factory…who knew???

CSA member Cathy Ribando couldn’t work the other week so she sent a friend of hers, Jamie, to work for her so we didn’t have to find someone to take her place (what a sweetie!).

Well, Jamie is a long time employee of the Cheesecake Factory and she let me know the following info that I had no idea about and they don’t seem to let their customers know either (though she says it’s on the menu…have you seen the size of that menu? No wonder no one sees it if it’s in there!).

The Cheesecake Factory…

1. purchases some organic produce

2. Uses Chickens that are antibiotic and hormone free

Huh!

Good for them! And, good for their customers whether they know it or not!



7. Event Listings…

Thursday, December 4th

7pm

Slow Food Market Dinner at the North Fork Table & Inn
57225 Main Rd
Southold
$95 Slow Food Member/$105 General Public
For more info and to buy tickets:
http://www.slowfoodeastend.org/dinner-north-fork-table-inn/


Saturday, December 6th

12pm to 4pm

Greenport Shellabration
Greenport
$15 for one/$25 for two
For more info and to purchase wristbands:
http://shellabration.li/

Clams, Oysters, Beer, Wine…Greenport! Wristband entitles you to a map for your food crawl and a first tasting of beer and shellfish. Otherwise, $3 drinks and $5 food samples available. Proceeds go to the VERY worthy SPAT program (Southold Project in Aquaculture Training).

12pm to 6pm

Vegan Shop-up
Pine Box Rock Shop
12 Grattan St
Brooklyn
For more info:
http://veganshopup.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/say-it-aint-snow-vegan-holiday-shop-ups-december-6th-20th/

Buy, eat, drink booze…all vegan!


Sunday, December 7th

12pm to 4pm

Greenport Shellabration
Greenport
$15 for one/$25 for two
For more info and to purchase wristbands:
http://shellabration.li/

Clams, Oysters, Beer, Wine…Greenport! Wristband entitles you to a map for your food crawl and a first tasting of beer and shellfish. Otherwise, $3 drinks and $5 food samples available. Proceeds go to the VERY worthy SPAT program (Southold Project in Aquaculture Training).


Tuesday, December 9th

6pm

FED UP (the movie)
Ross School
Goodfriend Drive
East Hampton
$10/$5 Members
For more info, reservations (this will sell out) and tickets:
http://www.slowfoodeastend.org/fed-up/

If you missed this at the Cinema Arts Centre, here’s another opportunity to see the movie FED UP with a bunch of other likeminded folks (and visit the VERY lovely Ross School)! Post film Q & A will be moderated by culinary nutritionist and radio show host, Stephanie Sacks.


Sunday, December 14th

12pm to 6pm

Vegan Shop-up
Moo Shoes
78 Orchard St (between Broome and Grand)
NYC
For more info:
http://veganshopup.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/say-it-aint-snow-vegan-holiday-shop-ups-december-6th-20th/

Buy, eat, drink booze…all vegan!


Wednesday, December 17th

7:30pm

Let’s Eat! Food on Film presents…Cowspiracy: the sustainability secret
Cinema Arts Centre
423 Park Ave
Huntington
$12
For more info and to see the trailer…
http://www.cinemaartscentre.org/event/cowspiracy-the-sustainability-secret/
To buy tickets (if you, the viewing public, don’t buy enough of these by December 8th, the event won’t happen)…
http://www.tugg.com/events/12205

Come join likeminded food folk at the Cinema Arts Centre for their Let’s Eat! Food on Film series, and enjoy non-GMO popcorn (with organic Butter and Sea Salt if you’d like) and their certified organic, shade grown, fair trade Coffee, and other environmentally conscious treats, in the Cinema Art Centre’s Sky Room Café.

In collaboration with Healthy Planet, Slow Food North Shore, and The Sustainability Institute at Molloy College, the Cinema Arts Centre presents the film, Cowspiracy: the sustainability secret.

The film follows filmmaker Kip Andersen, as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. As Andersen approaches leaders in the environmental movement, he increasingly uncovers what appears to be an intentional refusal to discuss the issue of animal agriculture, while industry whistleblowers and watchdogs warn him of the risks to his freedom and even his life if he dares to persist.


Saturday, December 20th

12pm to 6pm

Vegan Shop-up
Pine Box Rock Shop
12 Grattan St
Brooklyn
For more info:
http://veganshopup.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/say-it-aint-snow-vegan-holiday-shop-ups-december-6th-20th/

Buy, eat, drink booze…all vegan!


Saturday, January 17th

Vegan Pop-up
For more info:
http://veganshopup.wordpress.com/2014/11/24/say-it-aint-snow-vegan-holiday-shop-ups-december-6th-20th/


Friday, January 23rd to Sunday, January 25th

Soil: The Root of the Movement
33rd Annual Organic Farming & Gardening Conference
Saratoga Hilton & City Center
Saratoga Springs, NY
For more info:
http://www.nofany.org/events/winter-conference

Keynote speaker: Wes Jackson, The Land Institute
http://www.landinstitute.org/
Farmer of the year: Lakeview Organic Grain, Klaas & Mary-Howell Martens
http://www.lakevieworganicgrain.com/

There’s a children’s conference (ages 6 to 13) and childcare available (ages 3 to 5) as well so it’s fun for families, single folk, young and old. The food is local and/or organic as much as possible in January and accommodates all styles of eating (raw, vegan, gluten free, paleo).

It’s too early to register so either get on the NOFA-NY email list (not a bad thing to do if you’re interested in eating organic food or gardening organically), or joining NOFA-NY (same as I just said) so you can be apprised of when registration starts.

Want to go for free (well, almost…you still have to pay for room and board)???
Enter the Annual Winter Conference T-shirt Contest by October 22nd and if you win you get your registration paid for and 2 t-shirts when your design is printed (and the cool factor of having your t-shirt be THE t-shirt for the NOFA-NY Winter Conference)…
http://www.nofany.org/tshirtcontest


September 19th

Noon to 8pm

Gaia’s Essence: 7th Annual Women’s Wellness Conference
Islandia Marriott Long Island
3635 Express Driveway North
Islandia
$20 till December 20, 2014 (additional group discounts available for non-profits and women’s groups)
For more info and to get tickets:
http://gewwc.com/

Gaia’s Essence Women’s Wellness Conference is an annual event held on Long Island New York. The conference originated out of the passion of the founder of Gaia’s Essence (Farrah La Ronde-Hutchinson) to empower and motivate women in reaching and maintaining their optimum health This gave her the vision to create the conference as an avenue where women of all ages could come together to share, empower and inspire each other to live happier healthier lives.

Farrah La Ronde-Hutchison was born and raised on the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, Dominica. Known for its biodiversity, culture and large centenarian population, Dominica instilled in Farrah a respect for nature, the environment and the power of natural, healthy living. Farrah completed her degree in Environmental Science with specializations in Biology and Chemistry. After much success in her industry, Farrah found a growing need of wellness education and a lack of high quality and affordable loose teas comparable to the ones she enjoyed in her early childhood. This was her inspiration to create Gaia’s Essence in the spring of 2007. The company has since expanded to include a diverse selection of not only loose teas but also an entire line of salt free seasonings blends



8. For the food and drink lover that has pretty much everything!

I like the Soup that helps hungry people in the Rockaways (I’ve been following these gals online for a while), and the black Chickens are fascinating (and insanely expensive)!
http://www.grubstreet.com/2014/11/food-drink-gift-guide.html



9. Do you eat Quinoa? Check this out…

Eat local, eat organic, and know where your food comes from (unfortunately, “organic” food from outside the USA is a dicier proposition…if something is certifice by OCI they’ve been sued several times for certifying things organic that weren’t… than certified organic food from within the USA…even then there are issues but if it’s certified organic from NOFA – not a problem! Feel free to ask me questions about this if you have any.)…
http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/11/29/bolivia-peru-organic-inorganic-quinoa?cmpid=tpdaily-eml-2014-12-01

Check out other grains crops one can use instead of Quinoa and I’m sure some of these can and are grown locally…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_grain



10. And now for something completely different…

After all this (Lamb Chop shot into outer space)…I wonder if the book is any good???
http://www.grubstreet.com/2014/11/lamb-chop-shot-into-space-nikesh-shukla.html

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