Thursday, October 6, 2016

Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016 Week #18

Happy Autumn!
 
CSA Mystery!!!
By any chance did any of you (or the folks who picked up for you last week if that was the case) accidentally take more than one type of Lettuce?
We were short 3 heads of Lettuce at the end of the night but had enough for everyone when we started as the food is always counted before the CSA starts so we know if any shortages are because of the farm making an error on their side…if so they’ll make up the following week for what was missing, or if it’s on our part…in which case anyone who doesn’t get their food because someone else took it by accident (or not…the dark side of CSAs)…they’re out of luck unless someone fesses up and gets the food to who’s missing it. No one contacted me to say they went home and realized they took an extra head of Lettuce by mistake.
If you have any info as to how this happened…please reply to this email and let us know. Not looking to place blame, but always wanting learn how we can do things better.
 
CSA Weather report…63 and cloudy and windy (your car is probably warmer than it is outside so still not ideal for leaving CSA food in it but…you could probably get away with it for a short period of time)!
 
SAVE THE DATE…Saturday, October 22nd is the last time we’ll be able to visit our farm this year and get a behind the scenes tour! See Events Listings below for details (more to come).
 
Email me if you need info about the Bitter Melon we got last week and I’ll get it out tonight (by the way…had it at Thai USA last night and it was so good…also tried a soup they made for the staff that was a broth with Bitter Melon stuffed with Pork…OMG…very good and not bitter since it was cooked a long time).
Here’s 2 simple recipes…
Baked Bitter Melon Chips…
Bitter Melon and Scrambled Eggs (how easy is this…I don’t bother soaking/salting and I’d add Soy Sauce/Tamari/Braggs Amino at the end)…
And a recipe for Thai Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup (you can make it vegetarian by using a pork/beef substitute for the stuffing as I’ve had it that way in NYC)…
 
Keep in mind…any time you try a food you’ve never eaten before
1.       Do some reading about what it is, and find out if there are medical contraindications if you’re on medication or have health issues
2.       Eat a single serving size and give it 24 hours to see how your body reacts (some might be fine, a lot might not)
3.       When in doubt how to cook something, look to the countries that have been using it for decades/centuries, and see what they do and don’t do
4.       Any questions, don’t hesitate to ask
 
What happens if you don’t get any CSA emails and Thursday rolls around and it’s time to go to the CSA? GO ANYWAY! There have been times over the years when various things have prevented a CSA email from being sent…computers, storms, health emergencies, etc. However, the thing to do is to come to the Cinema and in all probability, your CSA share will be there (unless there’s weather that’s so treacherous travel would be extremely ill-advised and even then, the farm will show up and drive from Water Mill to Huntington before some CSA members would drive from Huntington…to Huntington). And if not (which I doubt…there was only one snowstorm where the farm showed up on Friday instead of Thursday because no one could drive anywhere), there would be a sign on the door saying something, or you could call me (though with Hurricane Sandy, even my land line was down because of the Verizon battery it’s hooked up to….grrrrrrr…I need to get that detached so I can get phone calls during those times when the power goes out).
 
Parking suggestion…try parking all the way around the building in the upper parking lot where the day care center play area is. You hopefully will find a spot, and it’s a short walk down the stairs to the entrance from there, and most people don’t seem to think of parking up there. If you park illegally you can get a parking ticket, it does happen!
 
If you are going to show up at the CSA later than 7:30pm, but before the Box Office is closing for the night (can be different every week but 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 (do NOT leave a message to be given to the CSA because there have been occasions where we didn’t get the message and someone showed up to get their food and was not happy their food wasn’t there) 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 being attracted to our wonderful CSA food.
 
If you’re sharing a CSA share with someone…it’s possible they’re not on this email list yet (if not email me their full name and email address…or have them do it), so check with them and then forward this if they didn’t get it (and always check the junk/spam folder).
 
*Keep in mind that anything you read in this email (unless it’s directly related to the functioning and operation of the CSA) is subjective and like they say in the 12 step world…take what you like and leave the rest!
 
This week’s email includes…
 
1.       The CSA doesn’t need you this week (but I’m sure we will soon enough J )
2.       CSA 101 – Bring Bags!!!
3.       The latest on Clinton vs. Trump regarding food politics…
4.       We started weighing our produce…not rocket science but there are things to be mindful of!
5.       Don’t eat so fast! J
6.       The List- subject to change without notice because…farming is like that
7.       Event Listings…both near and far
                    8.    What you actually got last week
                    9.    And now for something completely different…
 
 
 
1. The CSA doesn’t need you this week (but I’m sure we will soon enough J )
 
We’re talking about working at the CSA, and we have the help we need for this week. Whoo-hoo! J
 
If you didn’t already get an email from Rene 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 AND you confirmed it with them, you’re not on the schedule for this week.
 
HOWEVER, 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 (as that thing called life happens J ).
 
 
 
2.CSA 101…Bring Bags!
 
CSA basic, for this CSA anyway, is that you need to bring your own supply of bags for packing up your CSA share every week from now till December 8th!
 
So, my suggestion…put bags that you’re setting aside for your CSA share in EVERY vehicle you own or might ride in! J 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.
 
And if you send someone to pick up your CSA share for you, you need to tell them to…BRING BAGSJ
 
 
 
3.The latest on Clinton vs. Trump regarding food politics…
 
And the verdict is…
 
Though the organic companies listed are supporting Clinton, I miss Bernie. L
 
 
 
4.We started weighing our produce…not rocket science but there are things to be mindful of!
 
It’s time to weigh our food!
 
A.      Please be aware that it may take a little more time for you to collect your CSA share when weighing is part of the experience so plan accordingly.
 
B.      Check the CSA Wall Chart that our farmer brings in every week before taking any food so you know what you’re taking and how much to take…assume nothing and please feel free to ask questions! J
 
C.      Bring your reading glasses or ask someone to help if you can’t see the numbers on the scale clearly.
 
D.      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 56 CSA members this week, and if every person is over by ONE OUNCE (for crying out loud! It’s only an ounce!!!) …that means we’ll be short over 4 1/2 POUNDS of produce and 5 CSA members (and one of them could be you) won’t get the food they paid for.
 
E.       IF you are asked to weigh more than one food item at the same time (and you probably will at some point in the CSA season)…please follow the directions given to you, and weigh in the order you are asked (you might not think there’s any good reason to be doing this but our farmer does, and that should be enough of a reason right there but if you want a further explanation – ask someone working at the CSA or contact suzanne…there is always a method to the madness J)
 
 
 
5.Don’t eat so fast! J
 
Courtesy of the Cleveland Clinic…I don’t know about you, but this is something I need to be mindful of as it’s not only what you eat, but how you eat it…
 
At the dinner table, head to the slow lane…
Does your family call you the Mario Andretti of mealtime? Eating for good health isn’t just about what you eat. How you eat matters too, and we’re not just talking about your manners. Speeding through dinner like it’s the Indy 500 has real consequences for your health. As you eat, messengers in your gut communicate with your brain to trigger feelings of fullness. This complex process takes time — up to 20 minutes — so when you speed through a meal, you can overeat before you even start to recognize that feeling of fullness. Eating quickly interferes with the release of a hormone known as PYY, which normally serves as a signal to put down your fork. Putting on the brakes at mealtime goes a long way toward preventing overeating — which may also help to normalize your weight. Before each meal or snack, spend a minute or two getting centered, whether that involves expressing thanks for your food, being grateful (aloud or silently), or simply closing your eyes, feeling your feet on the ground, and paying attention to your breathing. Set an intention to eat slowly and attentively. Savor flavors and textures, and put down your fork between bites. If you still find yourself speeding, try chopsticks or pick up the spoon with your nondominant hand. You may feel goofy at first, but it works!
 
 
 
6.The List - subject to change without notice because…farming is like that!
 
September 29, 2016
Week #18
 
1.Mizuna – 1 bunch
2.Tomatoes
3.Lettuce – 1 head
4.Squash, Winter: Butternut
5.Beans, Soy
 
Total Items: 5
 
 
 
7.Event Listings…both near and far
 
Thursday, September 29th
 
10am to 11am
 
iEat Green online radio show with Bhavani Jaroff
888-874-4888 (to call in during the live show with questions)
 
And if you miss it, you can listen in the archives.
 
 
Friday, Sept 30th to Sunday, Oct 2nd
 
10am to 5pm
 
Long Island Fair
Old Bethpage Village Restoration
1303 Round Swamp Rd
Old Bethpage
$12 to FREE
For more info:
 
 
Saturday, Oct 1st and Sunday Oct 2nd
 
10am to 5pm
 
Hudson Valley Garlic Festival
Washington Ave. Extension
Saugerties, NY
$10
For more info:
 
 
Sunday, Oct 2nd
 
2pm to 5pm
 
Fall fruits, workshop and tasting…with fruit master Lee Reich
Farmden
387 Springtown Rd
New Paltz, NY
$42
For more info and to register:
 
If you want to try some unusual fruits (Paw Paws, Medlars, Hardy Kiwi) and learn how to grow fruit organically in our neck of the woods…this is the workshop to go to.
 
 
Thursday, Oct 20th to Sun, Oct 23rd
 
10th Annual Food Film Festival
AMC Empire 25
234 W 42nd St.
NYC
$60 to $316
For more info and to buy tickets:
 
 
Saturday, October 22nd
 
CSA Pumpkin Picking Hay Ride Tour!
Green Thumb Farm
Water Mill
FREE
Details TBA
 
 
Friday, Nov 4th and Saturday, Nov 5th
 
2016 WFAN (Women Food & Agriculture Network) Annual Conference
Lied Lodge and Conference Center
Nebraska City,NE
$80 – Student/beginning Farmer/$100 General Public (plus food/lodging and optional events)
For more info and to register…
 
Keynote speaker is Karryn Olson-Ramanujum, permaculture educator and teacher at Ithaca College, NY (co-founder of the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute in NY).
 
 
Saturday, November 12th
 
12pm to 5pm (optional health screening starts at 8am)
 
Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Breast Cancer Seminar
Hunterdon Central High School
84 Rt 31
Flemington, NJ
$59.95 (plus $29.95 if interested in optional non-invasive health screening)
To register and for more info…
 
Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s slant is vegan and calls his diet…nutritarian. Author of the book, Eat to Live, and many others.
 
 
 
8.What you actually got last week (not always what was in the email the week before because farming is like that regarding occasional last minute changes)
 
September 22, 2016
Week #17
 
1.Leeks – 1 bunch - $3.75
2.Tomatoes, Mini: Sungold – 1 pt. - $5.50
3.Lettuce: Leaf, Green OR Oak, Green – 1 head - $3.00
4.Squash, Summer: Costata Romanesco, Kousa, Patty Pan, Zucchini AND/OR Bitter Melon – up to 2 lbs. total - $4.50
5.Eggplant: White – 1 - $2.50
 
Total Items: 5
Total Amount: $19.25
(Since we pay $18.50 per week for our CSA share, this week we got $.75 more than we paid…SO, that means at the moment our farmer has given us $16.25 more than we paid for up to this point. Over the course of the CSA year…and over the years…we have gotten at least one, and sometimes up to two, share’s worth of food that we didn’t pay for…so keep reading this and see how it plays out from week to week)
 
Herb Share – Sept 2A
Dill AND Parsley, Italian*
 
*
Herb preservation tip…
 
 
 
9.And now for something completely different…
 
Heavy metal Black Bean Burger recipe…seriously…but not sure where the actual recipe is (if you find it, let me know)…
 
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