Week #18 Oct. 1, 2015

Happy Autumn!

CSA Weather Report…cool and rainy before the hurricane on Sunday?

Keep in mind that the last chance to get a tour of our farm (Green Thumb Farm) for this season, is Saturday, October 17th! Details in the events calendar below!

Still got your Lima Beans in the fridge? Read this…
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=59
And then read this and follow the recipe (though I don’t peel the outer coating like she did unless it’s really tough…Favas - yes, Limas - no)…
http://www.restaurantwidow.com/2007/09/yet-another-rid.html

CSA Basics 101 –
Please read the Wall Chart that the farmer brings in every week, follow the direction on the Wall Chart, and it’s not a bad idea to refer to it before you leave the CSA to make sure you haven’t taken too much OR too little before you leave the CSA.
I can’t tell you how many times I have left the CSA, gotten home, and realized I THOUGHT I took everything in the share for the week, didn’t, and it’s too late to do anything about it as anything left over at the end of the night is donated and gone at 7:31pm (unless prior arrangements have been made by CSA members for late pickups).

If you are going to show up at the CSA later than 7:30pm, but before the Box Office is closing for the night (may be different every week but will probably be open till at least 10pm) and it’s the last minute and you’re running late…call the Cinema Arts Centre Box Office at 631-423-7610 xt 0 and ask them to transfer the call to the café so we can pack a bag for you, put your name on it and leave it at the Box Office. If you don’t get to the Cinema before the Box Office closes, your food will NOT be there the next day. The Cinema is under no obligation to store your food, and we don’t want to be the cause of bugs in the Cinema Arts Centre being attracted to our wonderful CSA food.

This email contains (and keep in mind as far as any info/opinions that are not directly CSA related, you can always take what you like and leave the rest  )…

1.We bag our own!
2.Help! We’re looking for ONE (1) person to help out at the CSA this week from 3:30pm to 5:30pm…
3.This week’s list…occasionally subject to change without prior notice because farming is like that!
4.Click here and help change the world…every click counts!
5.Bitter Melon report from the kitchen…
6.Events (things to do both near and far)
7. Hepatitis from drinking green tea? Think local, act glocal! 
8. What you actually got last week
9. Who woulda thunk it?
10.And now for something completely different…


1.We bag our own

CSA basic, for this CSA anyways, is that you need to bring your own supply of bags for packing up your CSA share every week from now till December 10th!

And if you ask anyone to pick up your CSA food for you, please let them know that they need to bring bags to pack the food in.

So, my suggestion…put bags that you’re setting aside for your CSA share in EVERY vehicle you own or might ride in!  Put them in the trunk, or the glove compartment, or in a bigger bag somewhere in the car, or whatever you think will work for your situation. That way, you don’t even have to remember, they’re just there.

The CSA is under no obligation to provide you with bags for your food.

I also recommend a selection of canvas, paper and plastic. I bag my CSA share up in my paper (Strawberries) and plastic bags (most everything else) and put it in my bigger canvas bag so when I get home, everything’s pretty much (with some exceptions…like herbs) ready to be put right into the fridge.



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

If you’re available, please..

1. Respond to this email from now till 1pm, Thursday, October 1st
2. Call 631-421-4864 from now till 1pm, Thursday, October 1st
3. Call the Cinema Box Office at 631-423-7610 xt 0 from 2:30pm to 3:30pm on Thursday, October 1st, and make sure you talk to someone from the CSA to let us know that you’re coming to work and when
4. Just stop by the CSA a little before 3:30pm and see if we still need help.

You can always show up a little before 3:30pm or 5:30pm and offer to help out just in case someone doesn’t show up (stuff happens  ).

If you didn’t already get an email from Hayley or/and suzanne talking to you about being at the CSA on the Early Shift (3:30pm to 5:30pm) or the Late Shift (5:30pm to 7:30pm) this week, you’re not on the schedule for this week.



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

CSA #101 – The Basics – when trying any new food item, start small and start slow. See how your body and palate reacts. And if you aren’t crazy about the taste, texture, smell, something…try at least SIX completely different ways of preparing it before you give it the heave-ho (raw, steamed, stir-fried, fried …maybe not so healthy but ANYTHING usually tastes good fried, in a salad, in a soup, in a sandwich, in a stew, in a smoothie, and on and on)!  Am glad to provide suggestions for this one.

October 1, 2015
Week #18

1.Tomatoes*
2.Lettuce
3.Squash, Summer**
4.Kale
5.Eggplant
6.Beans, Snap (same as String Beans)

Total Items: 6

*
Tomatoes 23 ways…
http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/07/fresh-summer-tomato-recipes.html

**
Zucchini Parmesan (or Costata Romanesco, or Golden, or Kousa, or Yellow…keep repeating the CSA mantra “Squash…is Squash!  )…
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/15/dining/roasted-zucchini-makes-a-fresh-parmesan-dish.html?_r=0
Summer Squash Noodle Salad…
http://www.clevelandclinicwellness.com/DailyDose/archive/2015/07/31/Summer-Squash-Noodle-Salad.aspx?utm_source=EmailMarketing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyTip&CS_003=3699740

If you don’t have a spiralizer yet, the Cleveland Clinic (headed by Dr. Oz’s buddy Dr. Michael Roizen) sells one…
http://www.clevelandclinicwellness.com/Pages/CCWProductDetails.aspx?category=Tools&cat=WellnessCatalog&pid=781723971012&utm_source=EmailMarketing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyTip&CS_003=3699740#



4. Click here and help change the world…every click counts!

If you clicked on this one…congratulate yourself! I just got an email from the group EarthJustice saying that the EPA has just updated a 23 year old law to protect farmworkers and their families from toxic agricultural pesticides! You CAN make a difference with just a click! 

A.Help save Monarch Butterflies…they’re being wiped out due to Monsanto’s Roundup Ready pesticide and Roundup Ready GMO crops (which actually use MORE pesticides not less as they were supposed to do)…
http://action.foe.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=18443

B.CSA member, Deb Ettenberg, would like us all to help save the Milleridge Inn. The main building was built in 1672 and it is one of the oldest eating establishments in the USA! Of course, the new owners would like to tear it down and put up a strip mall…
https://www.change.org/p/save-american-history-save-the-historic-340-year-old-milleridge-inn?recruiter=379589160&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

C. Demand that world leaders sign a strong climate agreement at the Paris Climate Negotiations…
https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/demand-that-world-leaders-sign-a-strong-climate-agreement-at-the-paris-climate-negotiations?cmpid=action-eml-2015-09-23-roundup

D.Demand that chemicals linked to causing cancer be taken out of cosmetic products…
https://takeaction.takepart.com/actions/demand-cosmetics-without-chemicals-linked-to-cancer?cmpid=action-eml-recurring-cosmetics

E.Tell Subway to switch to antibiotic-free meat…
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/tell-subway-switch-to?source=mo&id=132923-620103-dcuHuax&t=31

F.Pledge not to buy food from California (the petition names the brands) that might be being grown with contaminated (treated but still contaminated) oil wastewater…
http://act.couragecampaign.org/sign/ToxicWaterProduce/?t=1&referring_akid=2104.1995773.-Hxk7z



5. Bitter Melon report from the kitchen…

CSA member Karen Rubino has this to report on her Bitter Melon experiments… 

So I just made myself a smoothie for breakfast with about 1/4 of my bitter melon & it's absolutely delicious. I taste no bitterness at all, in fact it's quite sweet. I was so afraid it was going to be bitter, that I added the teaspoon of honey, but to my taste, you don't even need it. Here's the recipe I made up with what I had in the house…

1/4 bitter melon
1/2 peach
3 strawberries
1/2 C apple juice
1/2 C almond milk
1 t. coconut oil
1/2 scoop protein powder
1 t. raw honey (optional)

I looked it up on the internet & they had one with mango, which I didn't have, so I made up my own. When my bananas ripen, I'm going to try one with banana another day.
Tomorrow I plan on putting some in my eggs. So I had scallions, mushroom and bitter melon in scrambled eggs. You do taste the bitter this way but I eat my scrambled eggs with ketchup & that takes care of the problem (I suggested to Karen that she try sautéing Garlic and Onions with the Bitter Melon to dial down the bitter flavor and add something hot if she likes hot…hot sauce, fresh Jalapeno Pepper).

6.Events

Monday, September 28th, to Monday, October 5th

Holistic Oral Health Summit…online
FREE
To register…
http://holisticoralhealthsummit.com/

If you don’t have teeth, it makes it more challenging to eat!  Listen and watch 34 experts talk about alternative ways to keep your teeth and gums healthy and get your mouth healthy if it’s not. And just for registering, you get some free info. I noticed one of the speakers was holistic dentist, Dr. Len Fazio, from Smithtown.


Thursday, October 1st

7pm to 10pm

Raw food cooking class with Chef David from The Purple Elephant and guest Chef JP from Naked Foods in Cost Rica!
The Purple Elephant
81B Fort Salonga Rd W
Northport
$90
To reserve your space and for more info…
http://thepurpleelephant.net/cooking-classes.html

Class will include class demonstration, and complimentary Sparkling Point Champagne Toast along with an hour to devour all foods demonstrated after the classes.
https://www.facebook.com/ThePurpleElephantSpecialtyFoods?fref=ts


Friday, October 2nd

10am to 4pm

Long Island Fair
Old Bethpage Village Restoration
1303 Round Swamp Rd
Old Bethpage
$12 Adults/$8 Seniors 60 and older AND Children 5 to 12/under 5 years FREE (special prices for other times…check website for details)
For more info:
http://www.lifair.org/

Since 1842, this has been the Agricultural Fair of our area (besides the big NY State Fair upstate)!


Saturday, October 3rd

10am to 5pm

Long Island Fair
(see Oct 2nd)


Sunday, October 4th

10am to 5pm

Long Island Fair
(see Oct 2nd)


Monday, October 5th

7:30pm to 10pm

Let Us Eat Local 2015 Just Food benefit
The Metropolitan Pavillion
125 W 18th St
NYC
$225/$350 (VIP tickets includes 6:30 to 7:30pm cocktail hour)
To buy tickets or make a donation:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/let-us-eat-local-2015-tickets-16795486753?aff=Edible

Just Food is the group that organizes almost all of the CSAs in the 5 boroughs of NYC in addition to their Urban Farms and City Chickens programs. Great group, great food, great booze…a fine time will be had by all who attend.


Tuesday, October 6th

6:30pm (distribution starts at 7pm)

Food Not Bombs Huntington Food Share Distribution
E 6th St and Fairground Ave
Huntington Station
For more info and to get on their email list:
http://www.lifnb.com/chapters/huntington_food_share

If you want to help the group that we’re donating our CSA leftover food to this year, this is when and where you’d go. You can go any Tuesday…they’ll be there.

6:30pm to 9:30pm

The Fall Gala for the Coalition for Healthy School Food presents…Great Chefs Cook for Healthy School Food
Midtown Loft
267 5th Ave
NYC
$125/$300
To get tickets:
https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ebey8bun4f070028&oseq&c&ch
For more info about the event:
http://www.healthyschoolfood.org/events.htm

This is a wonderful organization headed by ex-Long Islander Amie Hamlin. Participating restaurants include Vedge (famous vegetarian restaurant in PA), Candle Café, Franchia, V-Spot, and chefs including Fran Costigan and Bhavani Jharoff (from Long Island) and many more. There will be live jazz, gift bags, a raffle and a silent auction.


Wednesday, October 7th

7:30pm

Save the Milleridge Inn meeting
Knights of Columbus Hall
45 Heitz Pl
Hicksville
For more info:
https://www.facebook.com/SavetheMilleridge?_rdr=p


Saturday, October 10th

9am to 2pm

Mini Retreat
Science of Spirituality Mediation Center
79 County Line Rd
Amityville
FREE
For more info and to register:
631-822-7979
infotristate@sos.org

Includes yoga, meditation and vegetarian cooking class.


Sunday, October 11th

9am to 12:30pm

Food Justice from Seed to Market
Omega Institute Online
FREE to $30
To register…
https://www.eomega.org/online-workshops/food-justice-from-seed-to-market?source=ePromo.OM.HB#-workshop-description-block

CSA member Joy Tuxson let me know about this wonderful online event featuring Vandana Shiva, a heroine of the global environmental movement, along with Winona LaDuke, Will Allen and other inspirational speakers. Once you’re registered, this will be available to be viewed till November 11th if you can’t watch it on October 11th.


Saturday, October 17th

10:30am/11:30am/12:30pm

Green Thumb Farm CSA Annual Pumpkin Picking Farm Tour
Green Thumb Farm
829 Montauk Hwy
Water Mill
FREE
Must RSVP:
631-726-1900 (you can call to make your reservation from 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week)

Open to all Green Thumb CSA members and immediate family only! If you are sharing a CSA share with someone, usually one person visits the farm in June when we go Strawberry picking and the other goes in October for the Pumpkin picking (the share partner needs to make the reservation under the name of the CSA member otherwise the farm doesn’t know who you are).

Must RSVP to attend (for you last minute planners - it’s possible you can call before you leave for the farm and maybe still make it in to one of the tours…no guarantees but it might be possible). It’s a one hour wagon tour of our farm so they need to make sure they have room in the wagon for whoever is showing up.

Truth in advertising…the Pumpkins are NOT organic, nor are they from our farm. They are brought in for kids to carve, not for people to eat (though you certainly can). Pumpkins are a type of Winter Squash and our farm organically grows varieties that are better suited to eating.


Saturday, October 24th

8:30am to 6pm

12th Annual Holistic Mom’s Network (HMN) Natural Living Conference
New Jersey Institute of Technology
150 Bleecker St
Newark, NJ
$55 (members/$50 General Public/$35 (ages 5 to 12)
For more info and to register:
https://hmn-nlc.squarespace.com/

Keynote speakers are Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting, and Robyn O’Brien, author of The Unhealthy Truth. Holistic Moms Network has 100 chapters nationwide (and there’s one in Huntington) and this year the conference is close to Long Island. For more info about HMN…
http://www.holisticmoms.org/


Thursday, October 29th

? to 9pm

Pecha Kucha: Talks over Tea
Sip Tea Lounge
New York Ave
Huntington
FREE (though I’m sure the owner would appreciate it if you at least ordered some tea)
For more info:
631-683-5777

More info TBA

8pm

Conversations: Michael Pollan – In Defense of Food
NYCB Theatre at Westbury
960 Brush Hollow Rd
Westbury
$63
For more info and to buy tickets…
http://concerts.livenation.com/event/00004E75D4FC4D1F?crosssite=TM_US:1236523:141?crosssite=TM_US:1236523:141

An in depth talk with questions from you! For the past 20 years, Michael Pollan has been writing books and articles about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: food, agricul¬ture, gardens, drugs and architecture. He is the author of the best-sellers In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto and The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. Join us in a moderated conversation with audience Q&A and a book signing to follow. This is a new project in association with Book Revue of Huntington!


Friday, October 30th

6:30pm

MysTEArious Halloween Tea Pairing
Sip Tea Lounge
286 New York Ave
Huntington
$25
To buy tickets:
631-683-5777

Enjoy a 5 course tea pairing with sweet and savory vegan treats! Feel free to come costume and bring your Halloween spirit! 


Wednesday, November 4th and Thursday, November 5th

Farm to Tray
USG Conference Center
Rockville, MD
$55
For more info and to register:
http://www.fieldtotray.org/

Scholarships still available to attend. A conference to strengthen farm to school lunch purchasing in the mid-Atlantic (which includes NY).


Sunday, November 8th

NAVEL Expo
For more info:
http://navelexpo.com/

Major all day holistic health event usually held in Huntington. Info TBA.


Saturday, November 14th

9am to 2pm

Mini Retreat
Science of Spirituality Mediation Center
79 County Line Rd
Amityville
FREE
For more info and to register:
631-822-7979
infotristate@sos.org

Includes yoga, meditation and vegetarian cooking class.


Saturday, December 12th

9am to 2pm

Mini Retreat
Science of Spirituality Mediation Center
79 County Line Rd
Amityville
FREE
For more info and to register:
631-822-7979
infotristate@sos.org

Includes yoga, meditation and vegetarian cooking class.



7. Hepatitis from drinking green tea? Think local, act glocal! 

As in food…go certified organic when possible and know where your tea comes from (and if you’re in Huntington, check out Sip Tea Lounge on NY Ave across from Thai USA that has a bunch of different kinds of Green Tea…some organic and all carefully sourced)…
http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/09/green-tea-hepatitis.html

There IS no local tea, but there is a “glocal” movement for people to know where there food is coming from globally (from people who are growing things in a healthy and sustainable way), and it’s referred to as “glocal”.



8.What you actually got last week

September 24, 2015
Week #17

1.Tomatoes*: Paste – Yellow, Red, Yellow – up to 2 lbs - $6.00
2.Lettuce: Leaf, Green – 1 head - $3.00
3.Squash, Summer: Costata Romanesco, Golden, Kousa, Patty Pan – Green, Yellow, Zucchini** and/or Bitter Melon – 2 total - $1.25
4.Kale: Russian, Red – 1 bunch - $3.50
5.Okra: Green/Red mix – ½ lb - $3.25
6.Squash, Winter: Butternut, Carnival, Delicata - 2 total - $2.50

Total Items: 6
Total Amount: $19.50
We pay $18.50 per week for the food the farmer is giving us, and this week he’s given us $1.00 more than we paid for. Doesn’t sound like much but see how every little bit extra he gives us adds up over the course of the 28 weeks! So far it’s $17.95 total extra.

Herb Share – September 2B
Marjoram AND Sage

*
Tomatoes 23 ways…
http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/07/fresh-summer-tomato-recipes.html

**
Zucchini Parmesan (or Costata Romanesco, or Golden, or Kousa, or Yellow…keep repeating the CSA mantra “Squash…is Squash!  )…
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/15/dining/roasted-zucchini-makes-a-fresh-parmesan-dish.html?_r=0
Summer Squash Noodle Salad…
http://www.clevelandclinicwellness.com/DailyDose/archive/2015/07/31/Summer-Squash-Noodle-Salad.aspx?utm_source=EmailMarketing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyTip&CS_003=3699740

If you don’t have a spiralizer yet, the Cleveland Clinic (headed by Dr. Oz’s buddy Dr. Michael Roizen) sells one…
http://www.clevelandclinicwellness.com/Pages/CCWProductDetails.aspx?category=Tools&cat=WellnessCatalog&pid=781723971012&utm_source=EmailMarketing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyTip&CS_003=3699740#

**Quick and slow Okra recipes…
http://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/how-to-cook-okra-recipes-fried-okra-bollywood-theater?utm_medium=email&utm_source=national&utm_campaign=Quick_vs_Slow_Okra_Edition_2015_07_23&utm_content=Cooking_editorial



9.Who woulda thunk it?

Organic beef at Mickey D’s!!! But have they taken the yoga mat chemical out of the buns? 
http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/09/mcdonalds-unveils-organic-burger.html

However, they’ve also been using organic Milk (since 2003) and free range Eggs in England (since 2010)…
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2010/aug/31/jamie-oliver/chef-jamie-oliver-praises-mcdonalds-england/



10.And now for something completely different…

Real chefs cooking dumb recipes…

Chef Daniel Holzman, owner of The Meatball Shop cooking Honey Boo-Boo’s ‘Sketti recipe…
http://www.eater.com/2015/9/23/9383307/real-chef-attempts-honey-boo-boos-sketti-recipe

I love Daniel (and The Meatball Shop), but I’d try this using organic raw milk butter, King Kensington or Santa Cruz Organic Ketchup, and some organic dried whole wheat pasta…and not use a microwave to heat up the “sauce”…and probably add hot red pepper flakes…but then it wouldn’t be Honey Boo-Boo’s recipe. Ah well! 

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