Happy Summer!
CSA Weather Report…hot, humid, and breezy
IF it’s raining/thundering and we need to line up
outside (hasn’t happened yet but it could)…the deal is 3 people units
(individuals/couples/families) in the CSA at a time, 3 people units in the
theater lined up and socially distanced in the lobby, and everyone else lined
up in their cars (will have a car parked where y’all should be parking behind).
If you poke your head in the theater, our CSA “hall monitor” 😊
will let you know what’s what.
Employment opportunity…
The Cinema Arts Centre, Long
Island’s leading not-for-profit art house movie theatre, has a full time
position available as an Assistant Bookkeeper. Responsibilities
include filing documents, processing payments, posting and recording credit
card transactions as well as other accounting duties. Person needed should be
able to multitask and be detail oriented. Experience required, as well as a
working knowledge of QuickBooks. Come join an organization that strives every
day to make our community better. Please send cover letter and resume to Dylan
Skolnick at dylan@cinemaartscentre.org
Important…if you send anyone to the CSA to
pick up food for you, please tell them to BRING BAGS!
This email includes…
- What you need to know
- CSA Safety Protocol
Update/Reminder
- Why Herbs?
- If you haven’t watched
this yet, it’s really worth checking out…Food safety and COVID-19
- Got kids or grandkids?
This could be fun, tasty AND educational!
- What you actually got
last week
- Know where your seeds
(and seedlings) come from!
- Got kids? Grandkids? Any
picky adult eaters in your life? Check this out…
- 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 physician(s) before
taking any action.
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 house…BRING 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.
Time – 3:30pm to 7:30pm
Place РSky Room Caf̩ in the Cinema Arts
Centre at 423 Park Ave, Huntington
Parking* – park in the 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)…*except when it’s raining (read the CSA Weather
Report above)
When you arrive at the CSA –
- Check in at the desk with our friendly CSA worker
- 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 that day what
the story is for the day (they should have name tags on).
- When you enter the CSA area, start at Table #1 at the
left side of the table and work your way to the right, then to Table #2,
Table #3, Herb Share table (if you have one), Flower Share table (if you
have one), and then out the back door to the Cinema garden by the upper
parking lot stairs. We’re arranging the food so if you only have one bag
with you and you follow this, the heaviest things are on the bottom of the
bag, the lightest are on the top, and the wettest things aren’t going to
get the things that need to stay dry the most very wet. Plus, it makes
social distancing easier, and we have only one entrance and one exit being
used.
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 be distracted and if you get 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.
CSA words to live by…when trying any new food 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!
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 physician(s) before
taking any action.
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 Curly Cress/Peppercress) and detoxing…
http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2012/03/detox-with-spring-greens.html
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…Sweet Potatoes, Winter Squashes, etc…. that are
energy powerhouses to fuel us through the winter) to get you through the winter
to make it to…Spring!
Week #9
July 30, 2020
- Peppers, Sweet* – check CSA Wall Chart for details
- Onions** – 1 bunch
- Lettuce – 1 head
- Squash, Summer***– check CSA Wall Chart for details
- Sage**** – 1 bunch
- Radicchio – 1 head
- Cucumbers***** - check CSA Wall Chart for details
Total Items: 7
Flower Share – Week #7???
*Sweet Peppers (Bell Peppers) are one of the world’s 100
healthiest foods (good info and recipes)!
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=50
**Onions are one of the world’s 100 healthiest foods (good
info and recipes)!
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45
***Summer Squash are one of the world’s 100 healthiest foods
(good info and recipes)!
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=62
****Sage is one of the world’s 100 healthiest foods (good
info and recipes)!
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=76
*****Cucumbers are one of the world’s 100 healthiest foods
(good info and recipes)!
- Doors to the Cinema Arts Centre are now being kept closed because it’s
hot out! There are health risks to heat exposure… https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/phys_agents/heat_health.html
When temps become milder, they will again be kept open. We’re washing our
hands upon entry (which takes care of having touched the door handle), and upon
leaving the exit door can be pushed open with other body parts besides one’s
hands 😊.
- Please wear a mask/face
covering when entering the Cinema Arts Centre to pick up your CSA share
Covid-19 face coverings frequently asked questions
and info…
https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/imm/covid-19-face-covering-faq.pdf
- Please limit your time
at the CSA to a minimum amount (wash hands, check in , get your CSA Share,
and skedaddle), unless you are scheduled to work. If you wish to socialize
please do so outside, or exchange contact info and continue the
conversation by text, email, Skype, Zoom, etc. 😊. It’s a useful thing to
have at least two CSA member’s contact info in case you need someone to
pick up your CSA share, or pick it up and stash it if you’re away for a
bit.
The simple answer is, why not? Americans don’t use them
often enough…
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5797306/
While this study was about spices, if people aren’t using
more spices (easy to get year round, require no real special care, and last a
long time), they’re not using fresh herbs at a greater rate as they’re more
perishable, seasonal (if you want to get them as fresh as possible), and aren’t
as easy to keep as spices (though they’re really not that challenging and if
you have too much…dry the hearty ones and freeze the delicate ones…that way you
don’t waste them and you’ve got good quality flavor enhancers for the winter).
Herbs are the culinary bread and butter basics of every
ethnic cuisine for many good reasons. For one thing (besides being an easy way
to make things taste better and different 😊 ), they’re really good
for the health of your brain…
We’ve already gotten Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, and Thyme
this season, this week we’re getting Sage (in our regular CSA Share), in the
past we’ve gotten Basil and Rosemary, and with any luck we might even get
Tumeric (have to see how it grows at the farm this year)!
One of our CSA members told me that after watching this, it
made them feel better about going grocery shopping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkvw9lZ3v3I
A.This is an online cooking school for children from K to
middle school recommended by Dr. Mark Hyman (author of Food Fix: How to save
our Health, our Economy, our Communities and our Planet…one bite at a time).
AND they have a virtual summer camp program for cooking and another one for
other activities…
https://www.icookafterschool.com/
B.The NY based Coalition for
Healthy School Food (great group founded by Long Islander Amie Hamlin) is also
doing online summer classes (vegan cooking, animal rights, food politics, yoga
and more) for kids from elementary school to high school… https://healthyschoolfood.org/summerclasses/
C.And starting July 13th
there’s two hands-on farming programs at Crossroads Farm (certified organic
farm by NOFA-NY) in Malverne for children aged to 4 to 6 & 7 to 11. For
more info and to register… Ages 4 to 6… https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crossroads-farm-sunshine-days-summer-2020-tickets-112660745322
Ages 7 to 11… https://www.eventbrite.com/e/crossroads-farm-young-farmers-program-summer-2020-tickets-112495326550
6.What you actually got last week
July 23, 2020
- Beans, Snap: Green OR Haricots Verts* – ¾ lb. bag -
$4.00
- Onions: Spring** – 1 bunch - $4.25
- Lettuce: Leaf, Green OR Romaine – 1 head - $3.75
- Squash, Summer: Costata Romanesco, Cousa, Eight Ball,
Gold, Patty Pan: Green, Yellow, Zucchini***– 3 - $2.00
- Mint – 1 bunch - $3.50
- Radicchio: Treviso – 1 head - $3.25
- Cucumbers:
A.Greenhouse
Persian**** - 1 - $1.00
B.Kirby/Pickling –
2 - $1.00
Total Amount: $22.75
(We pay $20 per week for our CSA share…some weeks we get a
bit more, some a bit less. This week, it’s $2.75 extra. Doesn’t sound like a
lot, but it adds up over the course of the CSA season. Our total amount extra
that our farmers have given us so far is $9.25. We seem to always get at least
one CSA share’s worth of food every year that we didn’t pay for…some years two,
and some between one and two…it’s all good! 😊)
Zinnias
Herb Share – July 2B
Shiso, Red AND Thyme, Lemon*****
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=134
**Onions are one of the world’s 100 healthiest foods (good
info and recipes)!
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=45
***Summer Squash are one of the world’s 100 healthiest foods
(good info and recipes)!
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=62
****Cucumbers are one of the world’s 100 healthiest foods
(good info and recipes)!
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=42
*****Thyme is one of the world’s 100 healthiest foods (good
info and recipes)!
http://www.whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=77
CSA member Tim Carew forwarded an article about this to me.
While New York hasn’t gotten any reports this is happening here yet, watch out
for seeds in the mail with Chinese characters on them and read this (also, if
you know anyone in the states listed in the article, let them know this is
happening)…
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/us/seeds-from-china-mail.html
If you have a garden, where are your seeds and/or seedlings
coming from? Are they certified organic? If not certified organic
seeds/seedlings, you’re not growing food that’s up to the standards of
certified organic produce (as our CSA food is). Growing certified organic food
is a LOT more than just not using pesticides.
Do you have favorite seed/seedling companies? What are they?
Green Thumb Organic Farm…if you go to the farm stand (call
first for availability…and call to see if they’ll bring them in to the CSA so
you don’t have to travel) you can get seedlings from the farm
https://www.greenthumborganicfarm.com/
Fedco…Maine…the founder’s name is CR Lawn 😊
https://www.fedcoseeds.com/about_fedco.htm
High Mowing Organic Seeds…Vermont
https://www.highmowingseeds.com/history-and-philosophy
Johnny’s Select Seeds…Maine…while not all organic, they do
have a selection of organic seeds and are an employee owned company
Nutritionist shares practical psychology re: kids and eating
(or non-eating) habits (some could be applied to big people too 😊
)…
Saturday Night Live star, and Long Island native (Sea
Cliff), Kate McKinnon plays a creepy fast food mascot…
https://www.eater.com/2019/3/10/18258511/snl-momo-kate-mckinnon-chicken-video
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/02/momo-overhyped-youtube.html
Events…both near and far
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 physician(s) before
taking any action.
NOFA (Northeast Organic Farmers Association) Summer
Conference (online event)
$100 – Members/$125 – General Public
For more info and to register…
https://nofasummerconference.org/
And to become a member (worthy organization and very
reasonable for the membership benefits you get…I just renewed my membership 😊)…
https://nofany.org/support/become-a-member/
NOFA is the group that certifies our farm (Green Thumb Farm)
organic, and they’ve been doing it long before the federal government got
involved. It’s a great organization. Normally , the conference is held in
Massachusetts and all the NOFA member state members (NY, NJ, CT, MA, VT, NH,
RI) all get together at the summer conference (average attendance is between
1,000 and 2,000 people). In the winter, each state has its own winter
conference. The food is great (local/organic/everything from vegan to paleo),
the parties are fun (organic booze and live music), and there’s something for
everyone from kids and families to singles and seniors, and everyone in
between. This year it’s online for the first time and so am sure it will still
be worth attending.
Just looked over the speakers and there’s a lot of new
names, and a number of people I’m familiar with. One person I’m always happy to
hear is Elizabeth Henderson, founder of one of the first CSA farms in the
United States and author of the CSA “bible”, Sharing the Harvest. Another is
Lee Reich (who I’ve taken workshops with and visited his “farmden” upstate NY).
If you’re interested in growing fruit in your yard/garden…he is the
man…seriously. There’s more people I’m familiar with but will stop here. Those
two are enough for me to attend, and I’m sure there’ll be lots of other great
workshops to attend.
Holistic Holiday at Home (online event)
For more info and to register…
http://virtual.holisticholidayatsea.com/?oprid=113&ref=3482
This is a vegan superstar event (seriously!). Speakers
include Dr. Ornish, Dr. Barnard, Dr. Esselstyn, Dr. Greger, Dr. Kahn, Dr.
Campbell, Dr. Klaper, and a bunch of other people that aren’t doctors 😊.
10am to 11am
IEatGreen radio show
To listen to the show live (or listen to the archived
programs)…
Hosted by Long Islander Bhavani Jharoff. Older shows can be
accessed in archives.
6pm to 7pm
Green Inside and Out
WUSB-FM/90.1 FM
Long Islander Beth Fiteni us the host. Rotates with Healthy
Planet radio with Huntington resident Bob DiBenedetto.
7:30am to 12:30pm
Huntington Farmer’s Market – G & G Long Island Farmer’s
Market
228 Main St. (Elm Street parking lot)
Huntington
Not the same organizer who’s been at this location for the
past ??? years, but the organizer that’s been hosting the Winter Market in
Huntington since Huntington first had a Winter Market. Possible there might be
up two certified organic farms…Golden Earthworm and Natural Earth Farm.
8am to 12:30pm
Northport Farmer’s Market
Main Street (Cow Harbor Parking lot)
Northport
https://northportfarmersmarket.org/
The one certified organic farm here is Sang Lee Farms.
Saturday, August 1st
10am to 3pm
Grown on Long Island Farmer’s Market
Eisenhower Park
Park Blvd. (Field #8)
East Meadow
FREE
For more info…
http://www.queensfarm.org/events.html
Rain or shine featuring local vegetables, fruit, craft
beverages and more. Can’t tell if any of the offerings will be certified
organic, but do know the Queens County Farm at least doesn’t use artificial
fertilizers or pesticides (their website doesn’t mention anything about GMO
crops one way or the other). The Long Island Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative
Extension of Nassau County and the Queens County Museum have organized this
event. Face coverings and appropriate social distancing required (details on
the above website).
12pm to 1pm
Food Chain Radio
https://metrofarm.com/food-chain-radio-3/
Host Michael Olsen always has interesting guests on the
issues of food, food politics, health, and related topics. Check out the
archives.
Tuesday, August 4th
10am to 11am
Green Street Radio
WBAI-FM/99.5FM
To listen live or check out the archives…
https://www.wbai.org/program.php?program=365
Join Long Islanders Doug & Patti Wood (founders of the
Port Washington Farmer’s Market…the only all organic greenmarket in New York
State), in their weekly show featuring conversations on health and sustainable
living.
7pm - Volunteers/8pm – Food Distribution
Community Solidarity Food Share Distribution
Fairground Ave & E. 6th St.
Huntington Station
For more info and to sign up to be a volunteer (though you
can also just stop by)…
https://communitysolidarity.org/foodshares/huntington
This is the group that Green Thumb CSA – Huntington has partnered
with for the last number of years to donate produce remaining at the end of the
night from our CSA.
Monday, August 10th to Sunday, August 16th
Healing Chronic Stress and Disease (online event)
FREE
For more info and to register…
The people I’m familiar with here are Kelly Brogan, MD
(holistic psychiatrist), Roger Jahnke, OMD (does workshops at the Open Center
in NYC about Qigong), Sonia Choquette (an often Open Center instructor), Joan
Borysenko (author of Fried: Why You Burn Out and How to Revive), and Tara Brach
(psychologist, meditation teacher and author of Radical Compassion: How to Love
Yourself & Your World).
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