Happy Summer!
CSA weather report as of Wednesday afternoon…lovely.
It’s summer camp at the YMCA so somewhere between 3pm and
5pm it seems like there will be a line of cars blocking the way to get around
the building to the back parking lot. I got around it last week by going into
the wrong way lane as I had no other option to get around the line of cars (not
happy about that but made it without getting hit, or hitting anyone on foot or
in a car J ). Either park in the lot
as soon as you come into the Cinema Arts Centre, or come after 5pm? Just a
thought.
Veggie info sheets added as needed. Added today are Cabbage. This is the link: 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.
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…the 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!
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…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 #11
August 10, 2017
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Cabbage
- Peppers, Sweet
- Squash, Summer
- Mustard Greens
Total Items: 6
Flower Share - Week #8
Sunflowers or Rudbeckia (think it will be one or the other
as opposed to a choice but will see when the truck pulls up!)
Herb Share – August 2A
Rosemary AND Basil or Thyme (sorry about this but I tell you
what I’ve been told so…)
This week’s email…
- You can still purchase Flower or Herb Shares (and you could do a half share with someone…I did J )!
- Events – near and far
- How to store your Salad Greens…
- What you actually got last week
- Summer health tip…Hydration!
- How farmers (and everyone) can save the Gulf of Mexico…
- And now for something completely different
1.You can still purchase our organic Flower or Herb
Shares (and you could do a half share with someone)!
Like the Flowers you’re seeing at the CSA? So far
we’ve gotten Peonies, Sweet William, Snapdragons, Strawflowers, Sunflowers, and
Yarrow…have no idea what’s coming this week.
If you’d like to get in on the next Flower Share for the
season, the cost is $27.
Say yes to this email, and bring cash or a check made out to
Halseys Green Thumb Farm to the next CSA.
The next Flower Share will be delivered ??? Sometimes we
know in advance, and sometimes (like last week) we don’t know till our farmer
brings them in the door the day of the CSA. The flowers show up when they’re
ready.
Like the Herbs in the Herb Shares you’re seeing? So
far we’ve gotten Basil, Chives, Dill, Lemon Basil, Mint, Purple Sage and
Rosemary!
If you’d like to get in on the rest of the Herb Share for
the season, the cost is $40.
Say yes to this email, and bring cash or a check made out to
Halseys Green Thumb Farm to the next CSA.
The next one will be delivered on August 24th
(two different herbs show up on the 2nd and 4th week of
every month except for December where it will be the 1st week as
that’s the last week for the CSA).
Think it’s too much to use? Dry the hearty ones (Rosemary),
and freeze the delicate ones (Chives/Dill/Mint/Basil/Sage).
Herbs have more antioxidants than Blueberries and a lot of
other foods that are popular because of their antioxidant levels…
2.Events – near and far
Tuesday, August 1st to Thursday, August 10thSleep and Stress Event online conference
FREE
To register…
You can eat as healthy as you’d like but if you’re not
getting enough quality sleep and are stressed out, you’re not going to be
digesting that good food properly or feeling as good as you could.
David Wolfe sent me the email (NutriBullet guy…I’ve taken a
workshop with him in the past…very nice and interesting human) and he mentioned
Dr. Josh Axe as being a part of this (interesting guy…paleo but sympathetic to
vegans).
Friday, August 4th to Thursday, August 17th
Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power
Cinema Arts Centre
423 Park AveHuntington, NY
$16 to $5 (check website for exact pricing)
For more info and to purchase tickets…
You liked An Inconvenient Truth? This is the sequel. Hear
it’s another winner, and an empowering bright light in these days of many
reports of doom and gloom.
A few of the shows will have special speakers such as Dency
Kane – a horticultural photographer trained by Al Gore for the Climate Reality
Leadership Corps, Adrienne Esposito from The Citizens Campaign for the
Environment, Beth Fiteni of Green Inside and Out, and several speakers from
Food & Water Watch. Check the website for what days and times those are
taking place.
Thursday, August 10th
10am to 11amiEat Green with Bhavani Jharoff online radio show
To tune in online…
To call in during the live show…
888-874-4888
Download the PRN mobile app to listen wherever!
Can also listen to past shows on the PRN archive page
Join host Bhavani Jharoff (chef and head of the Slow Food
North Shore chapter) talking food and food politics.
Friday, August 11th to Sunday, August 13th
NOFA Summer ConferenceHampshire College
Amherst, MA
For more info and to register:
This is the biggest event for organic farming/gardening in
the northeast. NOFA is the group that certifies farms organic…long before the
federal government got involved and I’m sure they would even if the federal
organic program disappears. About 1500 people attend from all the NOFA member
states (NY, NJ, MA, CT, NH, VT, RI…Main has MOGFA – they have to be different J ). I’ve been to a few and they’re great
(lectures, tours, parties, movies and more). The people going range from young
hipsters to families with kids of all ages (newborns to skulking teens…and
there are workshops for kids – used to be from 5 to teens but not sure this
year and the website has no info…I emailed them) to seniors…a general mix of
humanity. Food is local, organic and they can feed anyone from vegan to paleo
and pretty much anybody in between.
Saturday, September 2nd
9am to 5pm
Gaia Essence Women’s Wellness Conference
Melville Marriott
1359 Walt Whitman RdMelville
$25 to $60
For more info and to register to attend…
So far, the listed featured speakers are holistic dentist
Dr. Linda Golden (Manhasset), and Dr. Mike Berlin of the Family Wellness Center
in Plainview. There’s also a Kid’s Room, and if you have a business that’s in
the holistic health universe you can apply to exhibit or be a speaker.
Monday, Sept 4th
1pm to 5pm
Wildman Steve Brill foraging tour
Sunken Meadow State Park
1 Sunken Meadow Parkway
Kings Park, NY
$20 ($10 for under 12 years old)
To register (at least 24 hours in advance)…
Read all the info about what to bring, etc. before you sign
up and for meet-up directions. He’s awesome…’nuff said. J
Sunday, September 7th
11:30am to 3:30pm
Wildman Steve Brill foraging tour
Belmont Lake State Park625 Belmont Ave.
W. Babylon, NY
$20 ($10 for under 12 years old)
To register (at least 24 hours in advance)…
Sunday, September 10th
10am to 4pm11th Annual North Fork Foodie Tour
Peconic Land Trust Ag Center at Charnews Farm
3005 Youngs Ave.Southold
$25
To purchase your tickets and for more info…
Be there or be square. Great north fork food event. Looks
like several CSA members are already talking about going. We usually figure out
a time to meet for lunch at the Food Truck located at the North Fork Table and
Inn in Southold. Last chance to visit Shinn Estate Vineyard as it’s been SOLD
(and not sure of its future)!!!
Saturday, October 14th
1pm to 5pm
Wildman Steve Brill foraging tour
Sunken Meadow State Park1 Sunken Meadow Parkway
Kings Park, NY
$20 ($10 for under 12 years old)
To register (at least 24 hours in advance)…
Read all the info about what to bring, etc. before you sign
up and for meet-up directions. He’s awesome…’nuff said. J
Sunday, October 29th
11:30am to 3:30pm
Wildman Steve Brill foraging tour
Belmont Lake State Park625 Belmont Ave.
W. Babylon, NY
$20 ($10 for under 12 years old)
To register (at least 24 hours in advance)…
Read all the info about what to bring, etc. before you sign
up and for meet-up directions. He’s awesome…’nuff said. J
Sunday, November 5th
10am to 6pm
NAVEL Expo
Huntington Hilton598 Broadhollow Rd.
Melville
For more info:
If you’re interested in alternative/holistic health and
healthy living…this is the event for you! Lectures by many well known holistic
health doctors and practitioners.
Saturday, November 25th
1pm to 5pm
Wildman Steve Brill foraging tour
Sunken Meadow State Park
1 Sunken Meadow ParkwayKings Park, NY
$20 ($10 for under 12 years old)
To register (at least 24 hours in advance)…
Read all the info about what to bring, etc. before you sign
up and for meet-up directions. He’s awesome…’nuff said. J
February 2nd to February 11th
The Real Truth About HealthHuntington Hilton
598 Broadhollow Rd.
Melville
FREE
To register and for more info:
This is a holistic nutrition event filled with top names in
the field…T. Colin Campbell, Joel Fuhrman MD, Caldwell Esselstyn MD, Brian
Clement, Gabriel Cousens MD, Devra Davis, Brenda Davis and much more. FYI…the
focus is on a vegan diet.
3.How to store your Salad Greens…
Some of you may have heard me tell of my method for storing
Lettuces/Salad Stuff…
There are many ways to do everything…this is one of them…
What I do is the following…
Take Lettuce/Salad Greens and shake off any water
Wrap greens in paper towelsPut in plastic bag and smoosh out all possible air (2 enemies of salad greens are air and water)…I squeeze it under my arm like I’m playing bagpipes J …and seal or tie in a knot (twist ties don’t seal that well)
Check every day or every other day and change paper towels
to keep Lettuce relatively dry, and smoosh air out before resealing
IF I led a more eco life (goal) and had a washing machine
where I live (another goal) I’d try using towels without much of a nap to it
(fuzziness not wanted on something I’m going to eat)…ideally no nap at all,
instead of the paper towels. Ideally they’d be organic cotton towels (got some
of those), and have been washed in non-toxic fragrance-free laundry
detergent/cleaner (done…I rotate between 7th Generation and Eco
laundry products).
4.What you actually got last week
Week #10
August 3, 2017- Lettuce: Romaine – 1 head - $3.25
- Tomatoes, Mini: Sungold – 1 pt. - $4.50
- Cucumbers – 2 lbs. - $4.50
- Peppers, Sweet: Bell, Green – ½ lb. (1 bag) - $2.00
- Beans, Snap: Green OR Yellow/Wax – ¾ lb. (1 bag…in the same bag as the Peppers) - $3.00
- Swiss Chard: Rainbow Brite* - 1 bunch - $4.00
Total Items: 6
Total Amount: $21.25
(we pay $18.50 per week for our CSA share…some weeks we get
a bit more – this week it was $2.75 - and it adds up over the course of the
season and so far that total is $18.75…so we’ve already gotten one entire
share’s worth of extra produce that our farmer gave us and we didn’t pay
for…and the season isn’t even half over yet…lucky us! J )
Flower Share - Week #7
Zinnias
*Don’t know what to do with the stalks? First of all…don’t
throw them out!
I chop up the stalks in 1 inch pieces and saute them till
mostly done and then throw the leaves in so they’ll both be cooked through at
the same time.
Try these ideas…more examples of “root to shoot” cooking…
In the summer months, what we get at the CSA is all about hydration (Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Melons mentioned in the article are things we get at our CSA). Eat seasonally, stay hydrated!
Being dehydrated can cause things like Gallstones, Kidney
stones and Bladder stones…ouch!
Here’s Dr. Andrew Weil’s tips for staying hydrated…
6.How farmers (and everyone) can save the Gulf of Mexico…
If you don’t know why it needs saving, you can read this
(it’s a dead zone…marine life can’t live there)…
They are…and have for decades before this article insinuates
that the concept came being…and they’re called organic farmers (and they don’t
get paid to do it either so they’re not directly charging taxpayers anything to
save the planet)…plus, organic farmers don’t use the nitrogen fertilizers that
are causing a good portion of this problem…
Eat organic, buy organic…save the Gulf of Mexico! The more
organic foods are in demand, the more organic farming will be the farming
method used.
7.And now for something completely different…
A very small mug of coffee J
…###
