Thursday, December 13, 2018

** LAST CSA DAY ** Thursday, December 13, 2018 Week #28


Happy Autumn (no matter how cold it is…still Autumn till December 20th)!

IF you are trying to contact the CSA by phone on Thursdays by calling the Cinema Arts Centre…KEEP CALLING till someone picks up! The Cinema Arts Centre is having  an intermittent unsolved (and so far unsolvable) problem with people calling, it doesn’t ring at the Cinema, so no one picks up, and people give up. You could also try calling 631-423-7611 in addition to the usual 631-423-7610.

CSA weather reportso far it says rainy and cold (upper-30s, but will feel like lower-30s), hopefully no snow, and more important…that the temps don’t drop below freezing for icy driving conditions…but ok to leave your CSA food in the car!

Last day of CSA…Thursday, December 13th.

HURRICANE ALERT!
We’re not having a hurricane YET but please read this now…
This is hurricane season and will be followed by the possibility of snow and ice before the CSA ends for the season. So, please be aware…
  1. If you don’t get any emails on any given week, show up to the CSA at the usual time and place, and if you’re able…show up to offer to work at 3:30pm or 5:30pm in case there’s a need. The reasons for non-communication could be A) computer problems (storm or no), B) power outages, and C) the X factor (unknown at the present time but…stuff happens).
  2. Keep in mind that the farm will show up and deliver food like the post office talks about the weather…rain, sleet, etc., so your CSA share will be at the Cinema Arts Centre waiting for you, unless there’s several feet of snow (or a serious ice storm or flooding) and no one is able to go anywhere. We’ve had food delivered during Hurricane Sandy, and during snowstorms.
 The list…this is a general list and you’ll be sent another email within the next week with the detailed list after I get it (which isn’t till the day of the CSA…this list is subject to change without notice because farming is like that!  J . However, most of the time it’s accurate and if it’s not…usually only one food item will be changed)…


CSA words to live by…when trying any new food that you’ve never eaten before…START SLOW!  Read up about it (make sure it doesn’t interfere with any medications you might be taking or any health conditions you might have), see what traditional/conventional ways it’s prepared (cultures that have been eating certain foods for many years basically have a good idea what they’re doing and we can learn from that), try a small portion, see how your body/digestive system reacts, and proceed from there. Then try preparing in different ways and see what you come up with, and feel free to ask for suggestion/info/recommendations!

Veggie info sheets added as needed. This is the link to the: Veggie Info Sheets. Print out, put in a notebook and you end up with a cookbook at the end of the CSA season. Also there are good tips on storage, prep, and nutrition.

Paraphrased wise words by a nutritionist that I read and don’t remember where I read it or who said it, BUT it’s pretty smart info regarding eating seasonally in our part of the globe…
Spring… is all about detoxing (what we get from the CSA at this time is a lot of green things that are really good to help clean us out from whatever we accumulated during the winter)
Interesting piece about spring greens (out of the 14 listed, we get 12 of them with our CSA…watercress nutritionally and botanically similar to Peppercress) and detoxing…
Summer is all about being hydrated (the popular summer foods are all full of water…Tomatoes, Lettuces, Summer Squashes, etc.)
Fall/winter is all about storing energy (we get all the dense vegetables…in both nutrients and energy…Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squashes, dark leafy greens, etc…. that are the energy powerhouses to fuel us through the winter) to get you through winter to make it to…Spring!

Week #28
December 13, 2018

  1. Kale* – 1 bunch
  2. Winter Squash: Pharsi**
  3. Beans, Black: Turtle (dried)***
  4. Rutabagas
  5. Sweet Potatoes****
End of season bonus vegetable…
  1. Carrots*****
 Total Items: 5

Herb Share – Dec 1A
Peppers, Hot (dried)****** AND Mint******* OR Sage********

*One of the world’s healthiest foods…

**One of the world’s healthiest foods…

***One of the world’s healthiest foods…

****One of the world’s healthiest foods…

*****One of the world’s healthiest foods…

******One of the world’s healthiest foods…

*******One of the world’s healthiest foods…

********One of the world’s healthiest foods…
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=76

DO NOT LEAVE MESSAGES FOR THE CSA WITH THE CINEMA BOX OFFICE STAFF!!! We don’t always get the messages…at all (people forget…and it’s not their job), and the Box Office staff doesn’t always give correct info. Ask to be transferred to the Café to speak to someone at the CSA. If not, the CSA will not be responsible if your food isn’t left at the Box Office to be picked up, or for anything else you might have wanted to communicate to the CSA staff.

This email includes…

  1. What you need to know
  2. Click activism…
  3. Blue Zone greens
  4. Events…both near and far
  5. Nutrient packed fall vegetables from the gang at the Chopra Center
  6. Dr. Andrew Weil talks about Beans (Black and others)…
  7. What you actually got last week
  8. And now for something completely different…

Anything in these emails not directly related to the functioning of the CSA feel free to take or leave at your discretion, and anything related to health issues always consult with your physicians before taking any actions.

 1.What you need to know (will be either new info to first time CSA members, or reminders/old hat to returning CSA members)…

Before you leave the houseBRING BAGS to pack up your food (CSA members are responsible for packing up their own shares) – canvas/plastic/paper…bring whatever suits your fancy. The CSA does NOT provide bags for CSA members. If someone is picking up food for you, please remind them to bring bags with them.
Time – 3:30pm to 7:30pm
IF you need to pick up later than 7:30pm, call the Cinema Arts Center Box Office between 3pm to 7:30pm at 631-423-7610 xt. 0 (make sure to ask to speak to someone at the CSA) and we can pack a bag for you and leave it at the Box Office but it MUST be picked up before the Box Office closes (call the Box Office to check the time…lately it’s been somewhere between 10pm and 11pm). If not, it won’t be there on Friday.
Place – Sky Room Café in the Cinema Arts Centre at 423 Park Ave, Huntington (if otherwise, you’ll be informed)
Parking – park in the lot all the way around at the back of the building by the day care center (you’ll see a fenced in playground area with a sandbox)
When you arrive at the CSA
  1. Check in at the sign-in desk
  2. Read the Wall Chart that tells us every week what we’re getting, how much we’re getting, and what the farm charged us for it…some weeks it’s take one of everything but SOME WEEKS IT’S NOT!!! So you have to make sure you read the Wall Chart every week, and not assume anything. You can also ask your fellow CSA members that are working at the CSA that day what the story is (they should have name tags on).
Before you leave the CSA – Make sure you have everything on the list! If you get to talking with people, have kids with you, etc., it can be easy to get distracted, but if you arrive home and find out you don’t have everything that was on the list, you’re out of luck because at 7:31pm the food is donated to a local food organization that’s waiting to pick it up and get on their way.

We send a 2nd email with the list for the week and the Veggie Info Sheet attachments that you’ll get because of a) concern if I send one email with attachments it might end up in junk/spam and you might not be in the habit of looking for it there yet, and b) modern communications technology not being all it’s cracked up to be so trying to hedge success rate in getting info out to you.

  
2.Click activism…

We need a new 2018 Farm Bill that builds a more sustainable, equitable food system. Right now, a congressional committee is working to negotiate a final 2018 Farm Bill. This moment is critical for farmers, workers and eaters. A vote on the 2018 Farm Bill is expected in the next week or so, and negotiations are ongoing hour-by-hour.

Join in urging Congress to pass a strong 2018 Farm Bill for a just, sustainable and thriving food system: http://bit.ly/2AU1Bjv?source=email&


 3.Blue Zone greens

What are Blue Zones? Areas of the world where people commonly live active lives past the age of 100!

Our CSA gives us 6 out of the 8 mentioned in this article (Nettles are more of a foraged food, and not sure if our farm grows Mache or not)…

  
4.Events…both near and far

Thursday, December 13th

10am to 11am

iEat Green with Bhavani online radio show
Progressive Radio Network

Always interesting guests. You can also check out the archives for other shows.

Friday, January 18th to Sunday, January 20th

NOFA-NY’s 37th Annual Winter Conference: Climate of Change
Saratoga Hilton & City Center
Saratoga Springs, NY
To register and for more info (and/or to join NOFA-NY)…

NOFA is the Northeast Organic Farmer’s Association and it’s the organization that certifies organic farms in 7 states in the northeast (NY, NJ, RI, MA, CT, NH, VT)…long before the federal government got involved. Great group worth joining and/or donating money to. Our CSA farm, Green Thumb Farm, is a certified organic by NOFA-NY and has been for MANY years (somewhere between 20 and 40).

 Friday, January 25th to Sunday, February 3rd

9am to 9:30pm

The Real Truth About Health
Hilton Long Island
598 Broadhollow Rd.
Melville
FREE (vegan lunch, dinner and Ice Cream included every day)
For more info and to register (they need to have an idea of how much food to provide, etc)…

They did it last year, and they’re doing it again! CSA member Karen Rubino went and already told me she’s planning on going again. I missed it, but paid to get permanent online access to all the lectures. This year I plan to attend at least some of them (10 days 12 hours a day…quite a commitment of time). You can also watch the lectures streaming live (and need to register for access). Some of the speakers this year include…Brian Clement (Hippocrates Health Institute), Joel Fuhrman MD (latest book, one of many, is Super Immunity), Joel Kahn MD (holistic cardiologist), Vandana Shiva (I MUST go see her… a read “shero” of mine J ), Jeffrey Smith (expert on GMO issues), and MANY more (a total of 35 speakers). The focus is a vegan lifestyle, but there’s something for everyone if you’re interested in healthy living, eating, and alternative/holistic medicine.

 April 27th and April 28th

NAVEL Science of Human Optimization Conference (formerly the NAVAL Expo)
Hyatt Regency
Hauppauge
For more info, get on their email list…

 Sunday, June 23rd

3pm to 7pm

Plant-based Summit
Baruch Performing Arts Center – Engelman Recital Hall
55 Lexington Ave
NYC
$54.99
To purchase tickets…

Hosted by Heidi’s Health Kitchen (located on Long Island and they do periodic vegan/gluten-free pop-up dinners on the south shore), this is a 7th Day Adventist event focusing on the health (alternative) and dietary principles of being a 7th Day Adventist…which is plant-based.
  

5.Nutrient packed fall vegetables from the gang at the Chopra Center

And our CSA over the years has provided us with 5 out of 6 of them (with the exception being Endive)…

This year we didn’t get any Cauliflower (not sure why, and didn’t ask but will over the winter), but on the other hand, we hadn’t gotten any Brussels Sprouts in a bunch of years so was happy to see them again! Farming is like that, some years some crops do better than others for a number of different reasons.

  
6.Dr. Andrew Weil talks about Beans (Black and others)…

While he recommends canned Beans as being easy and “best”, he doesn’t talk about the problem with cans containing BPA (and even the BPA substitutes being a problem)…

The Black Beans we get at the CSA are the freshest you’ll ever get (store bought dried Beans can be easily several years old)…

I checked Dr. Weil’s website and there doesn’t seem to be a single article on BPA in canned foods. However the Environmental Working Group is on the job if you want to learn more…

Why bother avoiding BPA?

Their recommendation is to avoid using canned foods (at minimum rinse foods in water that come in cans to MAYBE lower the amount of BPA you’ll consume)…

While I use canned Beans, cooking them up yourself is cheaper and healthier. And since I bought my new “toy” (Instant Pot), I hope to get rid of the cans for the most part (still a good idea to have some on hand for emergencies of time and power outages…Westbrae brand is organic and doesn’t use BPA in its cans).

  
7.What you actually got last week

Week #27
December 6, 2018

  1. Collard Greens – 1 bunch - $4.75
  2. Jerusalem Artichokes** - ¾ lb. bag - $4.50
  3. Cabbage: Green OR Savoy*** – 1 large head OR 2 small heads - $3.50
  4. Pak Choi**** - 1 bunch - $3.75
  5. Sweet Potatoes***** - up to but not over 3 lbs. - $5.25

Total Items: 5
Total Amount: $21.75
(We pay $20 per week for our CSA share…some weeks we get a bit more and it adds up over the course of the season. This week we got $1.75 extra. So far, the total comes to $25.25! We seem to always get at least one CSA share’s worth of food every year that we don’t pay for…some years two, and some between one and two…it’s all good! J )

*One of the world’s healthiest foods…
Recipe - 5 minute steamed Collard Greens…

**Dr. Mercola on Inulin…found in Jerusalem Artichokes and other foods…VERY good for most people (start small and build up if it’s a new food), but NOT GOOD for those on a low FODMAP diet…

***One of the world’s healthiest foods…
And a recipe…

**** One of the world’s healthiest foods…says Bok Choi but VERY similar to Pak Choi…

*****One of the world’s healthiest foods…

  
8.And now for something completely different…

Young woman tries to be a chocolatier for the day, with the help of Jacques Torres (maybe she’s not getting the job? J )…

###

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Thursday, December 6, 2018 Week #27


Happy Autumn!

IF you are trying to contact the CSA by phone on Thursdays by calling the Cinema Arts Centre…KEEP CALLING till someone picks up! The Cinema Arts Centre is having  an intermittent unsolved (and so far unsolvable) problem with people calling, it doesn’t ring at the Cinema, so no one picks up, and people give up. You could also try calling 631-423-7611 in addition to the usual 631-423-7610.

CSA weather reportCOLD and breezy (upper-30s, but will feel like upper-20s)…but ok to leave your CSA food in the car!

Last day of CSA…Thursday, December 13th.

HURRICANE ALERT!
We’re not having a hurricane YET but please read this now…
This is hurricane season and will be followed by the possibility of snow and ice before the CSA ends for the season. So, please be aware…
  1. If you don’t get any emails on any given week, show up to the CSA at the usual time and place, and if you’re able…show up to offer to work at 3:30pm or 5:30pm in case there’s a need. The reasons for non-communication could be A) computer problems (storm or no), B) power outages, and C) the X factor (unknown at the present time but…stuff happens).
  2. Keep in mind that the farm will show up and deliver food like the post office talks about the weather…rain, sleet, etc., so your CSA share will be at the Cinema Arts Centre waiting for you, unless there’s several feet of snow (or a serious ice storm or flooding) and no one is able to go anywhere. We’ve had food delivered during Hurricane Sandy, and during snowstorms.
 The list…this is a general list and you’ll be sent another email within the next week with the detailed list after I get it (which isn’t till the day of the CSA…this list is subject to change without notice because farming is like that!  J . However, most of the time it’s accurate and if it’s not…usually only one food item will be changed)…


CSA words to live by…when trying any new food that you’ve never eaten before…START SLOW!  Read up about it (make sure it doesn’t interfere with any medications you might be taking or any health conditions you might have), see what traditional/conventional ways it’s prepared (cultures that have been eating certain foods for many years basically have a good idea what they’re doing and we can learn from that), try a small portion, see how your body/digestive system reacts, and proceed from there. Then try preparing in different ways and see what you come up with, and feel free to ask for suggestion/info/recommendations!

Veggie info sheets added as needed. This is the link to the: Veggie Info Sheets. Print out, put in a notebook and you end up with a cookbook at the end of the CSA season. Also there are good tips on storage, prep, and nutrition.

Paraphrased wise words by a nutritionist that I read and don’t remember where I read it or who said it, BUT it’s pretty smart info regarding eating seasonally in our part of the globe…
Spring… is all about detoxing (what we get from the CSA at this time is a lot of green things that are really good to help clean us out from whatever we accumulated during the winter)
Interesting piece about spring greens (out of the 14 listed, we get 12 of them with our CSA…watercress nutritionally and botanically similar to Peppercress) and detoxing…
Summer is all about being hydrated (the popular summer foods are all full of water…Tomatoes, Lettuces, Summer Squashes, etc.)
Fall/winter is all about storing energy (we get all the dense vegetables…in both nutrients and energy…Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squashes, dark leafy greens, etc…. that are the energy powerhouses to fuel us through the winter) to get you through winter to make it to…Spring!

Week #27
December 6, 2018

  1. Kale – 1 bunch*
  2. Jerusalem Artichokes**
  3. Cabbage – 1 head***
  4. Pak Choi****
  5. Sweet Potatoes*****

Total Items: 5

*One of the world’s healthiest foods…

**Dr. Mercola on Inulin…found in Jerusalem Artichokes and other foods…VERY good for most people (start small and build up if it’s a new food), but NOT GOOD for those on a low FODMAP diet…

***One of the world’s healthiest foods…
And a recipe…

**** One of the world’s healthiest foods…says Bok Choi but VERY similar to Pak Choi…

*****One of the world’s healthiest foods…
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=64


DO NOT LEAVE MESSAGES FOR THE CSA WITH THE CINEMA BOX OFFICE STAFF!!! We don’t always get the messages…at all (people forget…and it’s not their job), and the Box Office staff doesn’t always give correct info. Ask to be transferred to the Café to speak to someone at the CSA. If not, the CSA will not be responsible if your food isn’t left at the Box Office to be picked up, or for anything else you might have wanted to communicate to the CSA staff.

This email includes…

  1. What you need to know
  2. Click activism…
  3. Why and how Lettuce can become toxic
  4. Events…both near and far
  5. Eat seafood?
  6. Anyone still grilling?
  7. What you actually got last week
  8. And now for something completely different…
 Anything in these emails not directly related to the functioning of the CSA feel free to take or leave at your discretion, and anything related to health issues always consult with your physicians before taking any actions.

 1.What you need to know (will be either new info to first time CSA members, or reminders/old hat to returning CSA members)…

Before you leave the houseBRING BAGS to pack up your food (CSA members are responsible for packing up their own shares) – canvas/plastic/paper…bring whatever suits your fancy. The CSA does NOT provide bags for CSA members. If someone is picking up food for you, please remind them to bring bags with them.
Time – 3:30pm to 7:30pm
IF you need to pick up later than 7:30pm, call the Cinema Arts Center Box Office between 3pm to 7:30pm at 631-423-7610 xt. 0 (make sure to ask to speak to someone at the CSA) and we can pack a bag for you and leave it at the Box Office but it MUST be picked up before the Box Office closes (call the Box Office to check the time…lately it’s been somewhere between 10pm and 11pm). If not, it won’t be there on Friday.
Place – Sky Room Café in the Cinema Arts Centre at 423 Park Ave, Huntington (if otherwise, you’ll be informed)
Parking – park in the lot all the way around at the back of the building by the day care center (you’ll see a fenced in playground area with a sandbox)
When you arrive at the CSA
  1. Check in at the sign-in desk
  2. Read the Wall Chart that tells us every week what we’re getting, how much we’re getting, and what the farm charged us for it…some weeks it’s take one of everything but SOME WEEKS IT’S NOT!!! So you have to make sure you read the Wall Chart every week, and not assume anything. You can also ask your fellow CSA members that are working at the CSA that day what the story is (they should have name tags on).
Before you leave the CSA – Make sure you have everything on the list! If you get to talking with people, have kids with you, etc., it can be easy to get distracted, but if you arrive home and find out you don’t have everything that was on the list, you’re out of luck because at 7:31pm the food is donated to a local food organization that’s waiting to pick it up and get on their way.

We send a 2nd email with the list for the week and the Veggie Info Sheet attachments that you’ll get because of a) concern if I send one email with attachments it might end up in junk/spam and you might not be in the habit of looking for it there yet, and b) modern communications technology not being all it’s cracked up to be so trying to hedge success rate in getting info out to you.


 2.Click activism…

A.Tell the EPA that factory farms (CAFOs) should not be exempted from reporting toxic emissions…

B.Please tell Congress to protect biodiversity by insisting that the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides in wildlife refuges be reinstated…

  
3.Why and how Lettuce can become toxic

The VERY short answer can be…a LOT of it is grown near CAFO farms (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation…factory farm)…

The short answer on how to avoid toxic Lettuce? Buy local, buy local and organic, or grow your own and follow organic gardening practices (join NOFA-NY to get the real low-down as to what that means…it’s much more than not using pesticides).

  
4.Events…both near and far

Tuesday, November 27th to Thursday, December 6th

Interconnected: The Power to Heal from Within
Online documentary series
FREE
To get access and check out the trailer for the series…

Dr. Pedram Shojai is hosting this 9 part series on the microbiome (whoo-hoo! J ) recommended by functional medicine MD Mark Hyman. Hear inspiring stories from people who overcame many health conditions using the info from this series. Conditions covered include Cancer, Diabetes, Immune Function, Obesity, Heart Disease and Thyroid Conditions.

And you know it’s going to include info on eating healthy, and talking about foods we get at our CSA.
  
Monday, December 3rd to Sunday, December 9th

The Superhuman Brain Masterclass
Online conference
FREE
To register…

Dealing with issues of ADHA, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, concussion (and traumatic brain injury), dementia, depression, headaches and more. And you know eating what we get at our CSA will be part of these talks.

 Thursday, December 6th

10am to 11am

iEat Green with Bhavani online radio show
Progressive Radio Network

Always interesting guests. You can also check out the archives for other shows.

 Friday, January 18th to Sunday, January 20th

NOFA-NY’s 37th Annual Winter Conference: Climate of Change
Saratoga Hilton & City Center
Saratoga Springs, NY
To register and for more info (and/or to join NOFA-NY)…

NOFA is the Northeast Organic Farmer’s Association and it’s the organization that certifies organic farms in 7 states in the northeast (NY, NJ, RI, MA, CT, NH, VT)…long before the federal government got involved. Great group worth joining and/or donating money to. Our CSA farm, Green Thumb Farm, is a certified organic by NOFA-NY and has been for MANY years (somewhere between 20 and 40).
  
Friday, January 25th to Sunday, February 3rd

9am to 9:30pm

The Real Truth About Health
Hilton Long Island
598 Broadhollow Rd.
Melville
FREE (vegan lunch, dinner and Ice Cream included every day)
For more info and to register (they need to have an idea of how much food to provide, etc)…

They did it last year, and they’re doing it again! CSA member Karen Rubino went and already told me she’s planning on going again. I missed it, but paid to get permanent online access to all the lectures. This year I plan to attend at least some of them (10 days 12 hours a day…quite a commitment of time). You can also watch the lectures streaming live (and need to register for access). Some of the speakers this year include…Brian Clement (Hippocrates Health Institute), Joel Fuhrman MD (latest book, one of many, is Super Immunity), Joel Kahn MD (holistic cardiologist), Vandana Shiva (I MUST go see her… a read “shero” of mine J ), Jeffrey Smith (expert on GMO issues), and MANY more (a total of 35 speakers). The focus is a vegan lifestyle, but there’s something for everyone if you’re interested in healthy living, eating, and alternative/holistic medicine.


April 27th and April 28th

NAVEL Science of Human Optimization Conference (formerly the NAVAL Expo)
Hyatt Regency
Hauppauge
For more info, get on their email list…


Sunday, June 23rd

3pm to 7pm

Plant-based Summit
Baruch Performing Arts Center – Engelman Recital Hall
55 Lexington Ave
NYC
$54.99
To purchase tickets…

Hosted by Heidi’s Health Kitchen (located on Long Island and they do periodic vegan/gluten-free pop-up dinners on the south shore), this is a 7th Day Adventist event focusing on the health (alternative) and dietary principles of being a 7th Day Adventist…which is plant-based.

  
5.Eat seafood?

Check this out…a seafood calculator!

Individualized recommendations of what’s safe (or safe) to eat and how much…

  
6.Anyone still grilling (though you can make the vegan version with a grill pan)?

Found this on a CSA blog somewhere…

Cabbage is a truly undersung star ingredient for the grill.
Stay with me here. Many people groan when they get a giant head of cabbage from the CSA (and then another the following week), not necessarily because they don’t like it, but because there doesn’t seem to be that much to do with it. But cabbage, as it turns out, is phenomenal when grilled (bonus: no shredding). Cut into wedges and seared directly over the fire, it develops fantastic flavor and texture. Top it with a warm vinaigrette spiked with crisp bits of pancetta and everyone is happy (except the vegetarians).
Cabbage Wedges With Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette
Makes: 8 servings
Time: 30 to 35 minutes
1 small head red or green cabbage (2 pounds or less)
5 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
¼ pound thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1. Start the coals or heat a gas grill for medium direct cooking. Make sure the grates are clean.
2. Discard any discolored outer leaves from the cabbage, cut it into 8 wedges, then trim the stem a bit but leave enough on to keep the wedges together. Brush the cabbage on all sides with 2 tablespoons of the oil.
3. Put the cabbage one cut side down on the grill directly over the fire. Close the lid and cook until the bottom browns, about 5 minutes; turn and cook the other side. Transfer to a platter.
4. While the cabbage is grilling, put the pancetta in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it renders its fat and the meat crisps, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, and whisk to combine; taste and add some salt and pepper. (You can make the vinaigrette up to a day ahead; refrigerate and gently reheat it before using.) Pour the hot dressing over the cabbage wedges and serve.
And a vegan version on an upstate CSA farm’s website that can be done on a grill or a grill pan indoors…

  
7.What you actually got last week

Week #26
November 29, 2018

  1. Carrots* (and if we get the Carrot tops/greens…they’re edible) – 1 bunch - $4.50
  1. Scallions – 1 bunch - $3.75
  2. Sweet Potatoes** - 3 lbs. - $5.25
  3. Mustard Greens*** – 1 bunch - $3.50
  4. Fennel**** – 1 bunch - $4.50

Total Items: 5
Total Amount: $21.50
(We pay $20 per week for our CSA share…some weeks we get a bit more and it adds up over the course of the season. This week we got $1.50 extra. So far, the total comes to $23.75! We seem to always get at least one CSA share’s worth of food every year that we don’t pay for…some years two, and some between one and two…it’s all good! J )

*One of the world’s healthiest foods…

**One of the world’s healthiest foods…

***One of the world’s healthiest foods…
Dr. Mercola’s take on Mustard Greens plus recipes…

****One of the world’s healthiest foods…

  
8.And now for something completely different…

The Vegetable Orchestra has a new album!

No idea what I’m talking about?

Check this out…

FYI – All the instruments are cooked up and used after the performances in soups and stews, so nothing goes in a landfill or to waste!

###

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Thursday, November 29, 2018 Week #26


Happy Autumn!

IF you are trying to contact the CSA by phone on Thursdays by calling the Cinema Arts Centre…KEEP CALLING till someone picks up! The Cinema Arts Centre is having  an intermittent unsolved (and so far unsolvable) problem with people calling, it doesn’t ring at the Cinema, so no one picks up, and people give up. You could also try calling 631-423-7611 in addition to the usual 631-423-7610.

CSA weather reportbreezy and cold (mid-40s to upper-30s, but will feel like mid to low-30s)…but ok to leave your CSA food in the car!

Last day of CSA…Thursday, December 13th.

HURRICANE ALERT!
We’re not having a hurricane YET but please read this now…
This is hurricane season and will be followed by the possibility of snow and ice before the CSA ends for the season. So, please be aware…
  1. If you don’t get any emails on any given week, show up to the CSA at the usual time and place, and if you’re able…show up to offer to work at 3:30pm or 5:30pm in case there’s a need. The reasons for non-communication could be A) computer problems (storm or no), B) power outages, and C) the X factor (unknown at the present time but…stuff happens).
  2. Keep in mind that the farm will show up and deliver food like the post office talks about the weather…rain, sleet, etc., so your CSA share will be at the Cinema Arts Centre waiting for you, unless there’s several feet of snow (or a serious ice storm or flooding) and no one is able to go anywhere. We’ve had food delivered during Hurricane Sandy, and during snowstorms.
 The list…this is a general list and you’ll be sent another email within the next week with the detailed list after I get it (which isn’t till the day of the CSA…this list is subject to change without notice because farming is like that!  J . However, most of the time it’s accurate and if it’s not…usually only one food item will be changed)…


CSA words to live by…when trying any new food that you’ve never eaten before…START SLOW!  Read up about it (make sure it doesn’t interfere with any medications you might be taking or any health conditions you might have), see what traditional/conventional ways it’s prepared (cultures that have been eating certain foods for many years basically have a good idea what they’re doing and we can learn from that), try a small portion, see how your body/digestive system reacts, and proceed from there. Then try preparing in different ways and see what you come up with, and feel free to ask for suggestion/info/recommendations!

Veggie info sheets added as needed. This is the link to the: Veggie Info Sheets. Print out, put in a notebook and you end up with a cookbook at the end of the CSA season. Also there are good tips on storage, prep, and nutrition.

Paraphrased wise words by a nutritionist that I read and don’t remember where I read it or who said it, BUT it’s pretty smart info regarding eating seasonally in our part of the globe…
Spring… is all about detoxing (what we get from the CSA at this time is a lot of green things that are really good to help clean us out from whatever we accumulated during the winter)
Interesting piece about spring greens (out of the 14 listed, we get 12 of them with our CSA…watercress nutritionally and botanically similar to Peppercress) and detoxing…
Summer is all about being hydrated (the popular summer foods are all full of water…Tomatoes, Lettuces, Summer Squashes, etc.)
Fall/winter is all about storing energy (we get all the dense vegetables…in both nutrients and energy…Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squashes, dark leafy greens, etc…. that are the energy powerhouses to fuel us through the winter) to get you through winter to make it to…Spring!

Week #26
November 29, 2018

  1. Carrots* (and if we get the Carrot tops/greens…they’re edible) – 1 bunch
  1. Scallions – 1 bunch
  2. Sweet Potatoes**
  3. Mustard Greens*** – 1 bunch
  4. Fennel**** – 1 bunch

Total Items: 5

*One of the world’s healthiest foods…

**One of the world’s healthiest foods…

***One of the world’s healthiest foods…
Dr. Mercola’s take on Mustard Greens plus recipes…

****One of the world’s healthiest foods…
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=23

DO NOT LEAVE MESSAGES FOR THE CSA WITH THE CINEMA BOX OFFICE STAFF!!! We don’t always get the messages…at all (people forget…and it’s not their job), and the Box Office staff doesn’t always give correct info. Ask to be transferred to the Café to speak to someone at the CSA. If not, the CSA will not be responsible if your food isn’t left at the Box Office to be picked up, or for anything else you might have wanted to communicate to the CSA staff.

This email includes…

  1. What you need to know
  2. News from the Farm
  3. Romaine Lettuce anyone?
  4. Click activism…
  5. Events…both near and far
  6. Can you beat depression with food?
  7. Got plastic?
  8. What you actually got last week
  9. And now for something completely different…

Anything in these emails not directly related to the functioning of the CSA feel free to take or leave at your discretion, and anything related to health issues always consult with your physicians before taking any actions.


1.What you need to know (will be either new info to first time CSA members, or reminders/old hat to returning CSA members)…

Before you leave the houseBRING BAGS to pack up your food (CSA members are responsible for packing up their own shares) – canvas/plastic/paper…bring whatever suits your fancy. The CSA does NOT provide bags for CSA members. If someone is picking up food for you, please remind them to bring bags with them.
Time – 3:30pm to 7:30pm
IF you need to pick up later than 7:30pm, call the Cinema Arts Center Box Office between 3pm to 7:30pm at 631-423-7610 xt. 0 (make sure to ask to speak to someone at the CSA) and we can pack a bag for you and leave it at the Box Office but it MUST be picked up before the Box Office closes (call the Box Office to check the time…lately it’s been somewhere between 10pm and 11pm). If not, it won’t be there on Friday.
Place – Sky Room Café in the Cinema Arts Centre at 423 Park Ave, Huntington (if otherwise, you’ll be informed)
Parking – park in the lot all the way around at the back of the building by the day care center (you’ll see a fenced in playground area with a sandbox)
When you arrive at the CSA
  1. Check in at the sign-in desk
  2. Read the Wall Chart that tells us every week what we’re getting, how much we’re getting, and what the farm charged us for it…some weeks it’s take one of everything but SOME WEEKS IT’S NOT!!! So you have to make sure you read the Wall Chart every week, and not assume anything. You can also ask your fellow CSA members that are working at the CSA that day what the story is (they should have name tags on).
Before you leave the CSA – Make sure you have everything on the list! If you get to talking with people, have kids with you, etc., it can be easy to get distracted, but if you arrive home and find out you don’t have everything that was on the list, you’re out of luck because at 7:31pm the food is donated to a local food organization that’s waiting to pick it up and get on their way.

We send a 2nd email with the list for the week and the Veggie Info Sheet attachments that you’ll get because of a) concern if I send one email with attachments it might end up in junk/spam and you might not be in the habit of looking for it there yet, and b) modern communications technology not being all it’s cracked up to be so trying to hedge success rate in getting info out to you.

  
2.News from the Farm

Hello everybody,

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends and food! We are thankful for the support from our community both near and far…without it, we would not have a business.  

December is almost upon us, one more week of our farm stand being open, and getting down to the last of our deliveries for the 2018 season…there is a lot to be thankful for!  

More and more crops have been checking out for the year after the past few lighter frosts we’ve had.  There is still been picking Brussels Sprouts, Scallions, Kales, and Spinach....just to name a few. Only the strongest and hardiest crops are left.  The majority of the fields are tucked away, to building up and getting ready for next year’s season!

Our trial run of Turmeric worked out pretty well and provided us with a decent amount of roots - next year will be much better.  Last week we placed our order for roots to start early next year, and Ginger will be back as well!

It’s been a tough end to the year with the large amounts of rainfall the area  has been receiving, as well as the cold snaps in between. Nothing is predictable in farming, so we’re always on our toes, hoping to work with what comes as best as we can.

The Winter Squash and Sweet Potato supply is still good, so those will continue to be in the next few deliveries, and we will have some left to nourish the family in the cold months ahead. Thank you all once more for your support, we hope you have been enjoying your shares, and that this season was good to you!

Organically Yours,
Your Green Thumb Farm Family

  
3.Romaine Lettuce anyone?

Romaine Lettuce is still not considered safe to eat so, what’s the solution they’re coming up with? The USDA is ASKING (not making it mandatory or a law), that Lettuce is labeled with a location and harvest date (what a revolutionary concept…not)…

However, The Weather Channel says it is…and Panera Bread is putting Romaine back on their menus on December 3rd (they state they don’t get their Romaine from the locations indicated in the outbreak)…

What’s the real solution? Buy local, buy organic, know where your food is coming from and how it’s grown, and also demand accountability from wherever you buy food from regarding knowing where the food is actually grown (as opposed to what company is distributing it). In The Weather Channel report they say that this time, and the time before, the Romaine Lettuce that caused the outbreaks were grown in central and northern California during the summer. So in the summer, if you buy local you have a greater chance of avoiding these outbreaks.
  

4.Click activism…

A.Tell the USDA to prohibit the use of fracking water on certified organic crops…

Places in the USA that have water shortages and grow crops (California comes to mind) are more likely to use fracking water as there might not be other water sources readily available. Yet another reason to know where your food is coming from, who’s growing it and how.

B.Tell Whole Foods to stop selling GMO Potatoes! Read more and sign here…

Not labeled as a GMO food AND may contain new toxins (whoo-hoo! L )…

Buy local, buy organic, know where your food’s coming from, who’s growing it and how!

  
5.Events…both near and far

Tuesday, November 27th to Thursday, December 6th

Interconnected: The Power to Heal from Within
Online documentary series
FREE
To get access and check out the trailer for the series…

Dr. Pedram Shojai is hosting this 9 part series on the microbiome (whoo-hoo! J ) recommended by functional medicine MD Mark Hyman. Hear inspiring stories from people who overcame many health conditions using the info from this series. Conditions covered include Cancer, Diabetes, Immune Function, Obesity, Heart Disease and Thyroid Conditions.

And you know it’s going to include info on eating healthy, and talking about foods we get at our CSA.

 Thursday, November 29th

10am to 11am

iEat Green with Bhavani online radio show
Progressive Radio Network

Always interesting guests. You can also check out the archives for other shows.

 Saturday, December 1st

12:30pm to 3pm

Support the Strawless Huntington Campaign kickoff
Panera Bread
345 Main St
Huntington
To RSVP and/or offer to volunteer for this event…email…

Join Green Inside and Out and other groups (Healthy Planet, Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition, Huntington High School Environmental Club, Sierra Club and Starflower Experiences) for the kickoff of the campaign to get rid of plastic drinking straws in Huntington eateries. Why? Go and find out! J

 Monday, December 3rd to Sunday, December 9th

The Superhuman Brain Masterclass
Online conference
FREE
To register…

Dealing with issues of ADHA, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, concussion (and traumatic brain injury), dementia, depression, headaches and more. And you know eating what we get at our CSA will be part of these talks.
  
Friday, January 18th to Sunday, January 20th

NOFA-NY’s 37th Annual Winter Conference: Climate of Change
Saratoga Hilton & City Center
Saratoga Springs, NY
To register and for more info (and/or to join NOFA-NY)…

NOFA is the Northeast Organic Farmer’s Association and it’s the organization that certifies organic farms in 7 states in the northeast (NY, NJ, RI, MA, CT, NH, VT)…long before the federal government got involved. Great group worth joining and/or donating money to. Our CSA farm, Green Thumb Farm, is a certified organic by NOFA-NY and has been for MANY years (somewhere between 20 and 40).

 Friday, January 25th to Sunday, February 3rd

9am to 9:30pm

The Real Truth About Health
Hilton Long Island
598 Broadhollow Rd.
Melville
FREE (vegan lunch, dinner and Ice Cream included every day)
For more info and to register (they need to have an idea of how much food to provide, etc)…

They did it last year, and they’re doing it again! CSA member Karen Rubino went and already told me she’s planning on going again. I missed it, but paid to get permanent online access to all the lectures. This year I plan to attend at least some of them (10 days 12 hours a day…quite a commitment of time). You can also watch the lectures streaming live (and need to register for access). Some of the speakers this year include…Brian Clement (Hippocrates Health Institute), Joel Fuhrman MD (latest book, one of many, is Super Immunity), Joel Kahn MD (holistic cardiologist), Vandana Shiva (I MUST go see her… a read “shero” of mine J ), Jeffrey Smith (expert on GMO issues), and MANY more (a total of 35 speakers). The focus is a vegan lifestyle, but there’s something for everyone if you’re interested in healthy living, eating, and alternative/holistic medicine.

 April 27th and April 28th

NAVEL Science of Human Optimization Conference (formerly the NAVAL Expo)
Hyatt Regency
Hauppauge
For more info, get on their email list…


Sunday, June 23rd

3pm to 7pm

Plant-based Summit
Baruch Performing Arts Center – Engelman Recital Hall
55 Lexington Ave
NYC
$54.99
To purchase tickets…

Hosted by Heidi’s Health Kitchen (located on Long Island and they do periodic vegan/gluten-free pop-up dinners on the south shore), this is a 7th Day Adventist event focusing on the health (alternative) and dietary principles of being a 7th Day Adventist…which is plant-based.

  
6.Can you beat depression with food?

Sign up for Dr. Mark Hyman’s podcast (which you can also see on You Tube), The Doctor’s Farmacy, for free…

Latest episode explores the relationship between depression and food with psychiatrist and farmer, Dr. Drew Ramsey.

  
7.Got plastic?

Used to buy Sea Salt but now, maybe not…

Healthy non-plastic options…Himalayan Salt and Redmond Real Salt (USA), and sea salt from France had the lowest amount of plastic (Celtic Sea Salt).

  
8.What you actually got last week

Week #25
November 21, 2018

  1. Squash, Winter: Pharsi* - 1 - $3.50
  2. Brussels Sprouts** - ½ lb. bag - $4.00
  3. Sweet Potatoes*** - 2 lb. bag - $4.75
  4. Rutabagas***** - 3 lb. bag - $5.75
  5. Radish, Winter: Misato (Watermelon)****** - 1 lb. bag - $2.50

Total Items: 5
Total Amount: $20.50
(We pay $20 per week for our CSA share…some weeks we get a bit more and it adds up over the course of the season. This week we got $.50 extra. So far, the total comes to $22.25! We seem to always get at least one CSA share’s worth of food every year that we don’t pay for…some years two, and some between one and two…it’s all good! J )

Herb Share – Cress, Pepper AND Sage****

*One of the world’s healthiest foods…

**One of the world’s healthiest foods…

***One of the world’s healthiest foods…

****One of the world’s healthiest foods…

*****Rutabaga info…protects against cancer (colon and prostate), heart disease and a lot more!
and some more delish recipes…

******Info and recipes…
3 ingredients…10 minutes…



9.And now for something completely different…

The science of why frying a whole Turkey COULD be a good idea (plus more impressive shots of exploding vats of oil)…but for some reason waaayyyy too many people don’t read the instructions and just “wing” it (no pun intended)…

###