Week #22 September 18, 2014

Happy Summer (it’s still summer till September 22nd)!

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

Are you Jewish? Just asking because the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah starts next Wednesday at sundown, so if you can’t make it to the CSA on Thursday night due to holiday related travel/activities…now is the time to see if you can get someone else to pick up your food and hold it till you can pick it up!

Want BULK TOMATOES to can for the winter (sauce? stewed? freeze?)? Call our farm (631-726-1900) from 9:30am to 4:30am any day and order a 22 lb box of their certified organic Red Roma/Plum Tomatoes for $45.00 and they’ll be delivered to the CSA for you!

Planting a garden this year? Get certified organic Herb (many varieties), Vegetable (many varieties) and Flower (some…ask!) plants grown at your farm, Green Thumb Farm! To order plants, call the farm at 631-726-1900 between 9:30am and 4pm any day of the week/weekend and have a credit card on hand for payment. They will be delivered with the next available CSA delivery! I’m hearing from the people who bought these plants so far that they’re doing GREAT!!!

If you’d like to visit our farm (Green Thumb Farm in Water Mill) on days besides our CSA Pumpkin picking in October, the farm stand is now open 7 days a week until Sunday, December 7th. Tell them at the farm stand that you’re a CSA member and it’s sure to bring a smile!

Seriously…put this phone number (631-385-1079) in your cell phone, on your fridge, or wherever you put phone numbers you’re glad to have when you need them! It’s the hall phone of the UUFH to be used only on Thursdays from 3pm to 8pm. We’ve already had a few people who wished they had it and didn’t, and others who had it and found out how handy it can be! 

This email contains…

1. Your CSA does not need you this week! However…
2. WE WEIGH!!!
3. This week’s list…
4. Notes from the Farm
5. What you actually got last week
6. People’s Climate March on Sunday, September 21st!
7. Help feed the hungry…and we could help it be healthier, and natural or organic!
8. Support intelligent, investigative food and agriculture reporting at Mother Jones Magazine…I mean, they’re only asking for $5 (I’ve included some of his articles in these emails)…
9. Anybody familiar with the NYC restaurant Angelica Kitchen? If so (and even if not), please read this…
10. And now for something completely different…



1. Your CSA does not need you this week! However…

You can ALWAYS stop by the CSA a little before 3:30 or 5:30 to offer to help in case someone doesn’t show up (or is late) without letting anyone know…life happens! 

If you didn’t get a confirmation email from Judi (occasionally it’s me), you’re not scheduled to work this week.

And if you got an email from Judi asking you to confirm that you’re working…you need to respond to that in the time frame stated in the email otherwise she’s going to try and find someone else to take your place.



2. WE WEIGH!!!

It’s time to weigh our food!

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

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

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

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



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

September 18, 2014
Week #22

1. Lettuce
2. Tomatoes*
3. Leeks
4. Beans, Shelling: Cranberry
5. Peppers, Sweet**
6. Eggplant***

Total Items: 6

*To put in the fridge? Or, not to put in the fridge? THAT…is the question! 
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/09/why-you-should-refrigerate-tomatoes.html

**
Sweet Peppers and Polenta…
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/polenta-with-sweet-peppers.html

***
3 reasons to be eating Eggplant…
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP05311/3-Reasons-to-Eat-Eggplant.html
Dr. Weil’s Eggplant Dip recipe…
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/RCP00253/Eggplant-Dip.html
Eggplant, Greens, Beans and Udon Noodles…
http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/10/toms-kitchen-udon-noodles-eggplant-greens-and-beans



4. Notes from the Farm

September 5, 2014

Labor Day has passed, and the Hamptons have slowed down! We now have a little more time to take care of all the chores we’ve put off for the last several weeks.

Since Labor Day, we’ve had some of the hottest days all summer and STILL no rain. It’s been very hot, dry and dusty in our fields but there’s still plenty of summer crops for the next several weeks…Tomatoes, Lettuces, Beans, Peppers, Eggplants and Summer Squashes.

Winter Squashes are about ready, and we’ll be bringing them in soon. Mustards, Tat-Soi and Pak Chois are all growing well, so look for them by the end of the month.

Swiss Chards, Leeks, Radishes, Celery are also on our CSA menu. We also have some Shelling Beans coming in…Cranberry, Lima and Soy. Melons have been good this year and we also have a few Watermelons to bring in. We raise both Red and Gold, and will hopefully be bringing some in soon.

So, lots going on! Enjoy it all because its season will be over before we know it!

Organically yours,
Farmer Bill (Halsey)



5. What you actually got last week

September 11, 2014
Week #21

1. Watermelon: Red – 1 - $3.00
2. Tomatoes, Mini: Grape, Red OR Yellow – 1 pt - $4.75
3. Cucumber – 2 - $1.00
4. Beans, Snap*: Dragon Tongue, Green, Romano – up to 1 lb - $3.50
5. Beets – 1 bunch - $3.25
6. Eggplant: Japanese – 1 - $1.50
7. Radishes: Gold – 1 bunch - $3.00

Total Items: 7
Total Amount: $20.00
(We pay $18.50 per week for our CSA share. Our farmer has give us $1.50 more this week than the $18.50 which we paid for so, the total so far is $12.75 more than what we’ve paid so far this season)


Herb Share – Sept 1A
Cilantro AND Parsley, Curly

*
Dr. Andrew Weil’s Three Reasons to be eating Green Beans…
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP05290/3-Reasons-to-Eat-Green-Beans.html
Dr. Weil’s favorite French Bean Salad…
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/RCP02391/French-Bean-Salad-with-Vegetarian-Caesar-Dressing.html
Pickled Green Beans…
http://www.usatoday.com/experience/weekend/food/recipe-pickled-green-beans/14005065/



6. People’s Climate March on Sunday, September 21st!

CSA member, Heather Engle, reminded me to include this. There will be a major UN Climate Change event, and global events in support of this march, all going on at the same time. Plus there are over 1,000 groups attending of all sorts…unions, schools, environmental groups, famers, food service workers, businesses, faith groups and much more.

Sunday, September 21st
11:30am

People’s Climate March
Central Park West between 59th and 86th Streets (assembly area)
NYC
For more info (there’s a LOT of info on the website) and to register…
http://peoplesclimate.org/march/

The march will end on 11th Ave between 34th and 38th Streets.



7. Help feed the hungry…and we could help it be healthier, and natural or organic!

Feel free to spread the word on this one…

Saturday, September 13th
10am to 1pm

Together We Can: Island Harvest & Senator Carl Marcellino’s Food Drive
Waldbaums
60 Wall Street
Huntington

Suggested non-perishable Items (there is a way to contribute to food drives with healthy, organic and inexpensive food items…Trader Joes is a decent place to shop for an event like this):
Baby Formula
Cereals (a big bag of that organic “o” cereal might be a nice alternative to Cheerio’s)
Coffee
Fish, canned (Wild Salmon in a can is a good source for Salmon for anyone)
Fruit, canned
Meat, canned
Milk: Almond or Soy
Milk, dried
Nutritional Beverages (they suggest Boost or Ensure…not sure what the more natural equivalents would be)
Pasta (organic whole wheat pasta at Trader Joes…very inexpensive)
Peanut Butter
Soup, canned
Spices
Tea
Vegetables, canned: Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce (Organic Tomato Sauce at Trader Joe’s is pretty cheap…so are the Beans)

Personal hygiene items (some non-toxic things might be nice…again thinking about Trader Joes…Tom’s Toothpaste or Dr Bronner’s soap in Peppermint…who doesn’t like Peppermint? )



8. Support intelligent, investigative food and agriculture reporting at Mother Jones Magazine…I mean, they’re only asking for $5 (I’ve included some of his articles in these emails)…

I'm Mother Jones' food and agriculture correspondent, and I need your help.
Every week, I bring you in-depth reporting on food news that really matters to your health and the environment. To continue this great work, I need you. Mother Jones is a nonprofit, and our investigative fund is still $55,000 short. We've only got a week left to fill the gap.
There's an urgent need for intelligent food reporting. Think: food safety, pesticides, antibiotics, BPA, your health...who do you trust to report the truth? If you value our fiercely independent voice, please donate to our investigative fund.
We only have a few days to make up our shortfall. But if each person reading this sentence gave just $5, we'd beat our goal within the hour.
Please help. It takes less than 60 seconds to make your tax-deductible donation, and you can give on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Please donate now via credit card or PayPal.
Many thanks. I really appreciate your help.
Sincerely,
Tom Philpott
https://secure.motherjones.com/fnp/?action=SUBSCRIPTION&list_source=7G94FTE&extra_don=1

Here’s an example of their educational and interesting stories…
How Superbugs Hitch a Ride from Hog Farms to Your Community…take note that the farms that don’t use antibiotics on their animals were found to have NONE of these issues so if you buy meat that is antibiotic free, you’re helping the animals (at least while they’re alive), the workers, yourself, and the world at large!
http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2014/09/think-antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-stop-factory-farm-door-think-again



9. Anybody familiar with the NYC restaurant Angelica Kitchen? If so (and even if not), please read this…

The short story is…THEY MAY CLOSE!!!

If you’re a vegan, or someone who’s interested in healthy eating, Angelica Kitchen is either somewhere you’ve already been, or should make a pilgrimage to. It’s probably one of the oldest (if not the oldest) “health food” restaurants in NYC…opened in 1976!!! I was there for Thanksgiving last year (taking my vegan mother-in-law), had a lovely time and plan on going there again this year (and if I’m in the city, I’ll put it higher up on my list of places to dine).

The reasons? The cost of rent is the big issue, but also Hurricane Sandy, the winter of 2013/2014, and I’m sure other reasons have put them in their current precarious position. They’re not alone. Restaurants in the area such as WD-50 and Union Square Café either have already flown the coop to other locations (or are planning to) or close down altogether.

They’re going to have a meeting this weekend about their plight…

Sunday, September 21st
4:30pm
Kitchen Table Talks
A discussion about Angelica Kitchen’s situation and how to help
Appetizers and Beverages will be served (that may be enough reason to go  )

And what can you do?
1. Go eat there
2. Tell everyone you know to go eat there
3. Buy gift certificates to go eat there
4. Get takeout
5. Share their posts on social media
6. Like them on Facebook



10. And now for something completely different…

Eat out? Read this!

http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/09/what-servers-do-when-you-piss-them-off.html

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