Happy Autumn!
Don’t leave your CSA Share in your car - over 40 degrees in
your car and it’s not happy (and inside your car with closed windows it’s
probably hotter than you’d think… and it is – check this out…
- What you need to know
- Food safety and
COVID-19…
- How to get in touch with
the CSA/suzanne and why you might want to
- Let the games begin…it’s
time to vote for the Best of Long Island!
- Emergency situations at
the CSA (hurricanes/electronic communication glitches/medical emergencies,
etc.)
- What you actually got
last week
- And now, for something
completely different…
*Anything in any of our CSA 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)…
- Bring at least TWO bags to the CSA EVERY WEEK
for wet and dry food items (and never the twain should meet)
- When packing up your CSA food, start at the left side
of the long table and work your way to the right and out the garden door.
Why? We set out the food to be packed in that order so the heaviest food
items will be on the bottom of your bag, and your food won’t get squished
(another way to make your food go bad faster), and if you separate the wet
from the dry foods you’re doing pretty good on having your food last
longer! 😊
- When you get your food home, if it’s in a plastic bag
take it OUT of the plastic bag and store elsewhere…even if it’s in another
plastic bag (the original bag will be too wet and your food won’t be happy
there for long)
- Plan on using your food in the order of how long it
will reasonably stay fresh. Not sure as to what that is? Just ask! 😊
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)
When you arrive at the CSA –
- Check in at the sign-in 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).
Before you leave the CSA – Make sure you have
everything on the list (like the story of the 3 bears…not too much, not too
little, but just right 😊)! 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 (Community Solidarity…read more about them in the CSA Events email
under Tuesdays) 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!
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
Week #21
October 26, 2023
- Sweet Potatoes – 1 bag
- Turnips (possibly with Turnip Greens which are edible)
– 1 bunch
- Lettuce – 1 head
- Arugula – 1 bunch
- Tomatoes, Mini – 1 pt.
Nasturtiums AND Rosemary
2.Food safety and COVID-19
Watch writer J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (son of a Harvard University
geneticist and immunologist, grandson of a chemist, and author of Food Lab:
Better Home Cooking Through Science), talk about COVID-19 and food safety…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkvw9lZ3v3I
And read in more detail here…
After keeping the CSA going thru 2020 and 2021 (with
everyone staying healthy using the simple practices of wearing face coverings,
hand washing, and social distancing), this is where we are now at this moment
in time…
- Face coverings are optional
- Hand washing upon entering the theater is STRONGLY
recommended (it’s always a good idea in preventing COVID as well as the
flu and colds)
Why COVID HATES soap (works better than hand sanitizer or
gloves), and we’re talking plain soap, NOT antibacterial soap (the use of which
causes antibiotic resistance which could kill us all ☹)…
https://healthmatters.nyp.org/how-does-handwashing-with-soap-kill-the-coronavirus/
- We will try and keep the CSA area relatively uncrowded
- Enter near the Box Office entrance, and exit thru the
door that leads out to the Cinema garden and upper parking lot stairs
3.How to get in touch with the CSA/suzanne (and why you
might want to )…
This is information you might not care about at all…until
you do, So, for the one time you might need this, please keep this contact info
in a place where you’d find it if you wanted it.
Why might you want to get in touch with suzanne and/or the
CSA?
- You’re running late getting to the CSA and can’t get
there by 7:30pm (you have the option of getting your CSA Share packed up
for you and picking it up before the Box Office closes which changes from
week to week depending on the movies being shown, but would usually be at
least 9pm)
- You can’t get to the CSA at all and would like it if
someone could hold your food till Friday, or Monday if you’re going away
for the weekend (if you know in advance, don’t wait till the last minute
as the more time we have, the better chance we’ll be able to find someone
to help out)
- You’re scheduled to work at the CSA and need to cancel
- Some other reason I’m not coming up with at the moment 😊
Options for getting in touch (the short story is that I’m
not available 24/7, nor am I plugged in to any electronic communication thingy
24/7, and so these are the parameters)…
- Email - gtcsahuntington@gmail.com
(can email me 24/7 HOWEVER, will not see ANY emails on Thursdays from noon
to 11pm)
- Phone
- 631-421-4864 – my home
landline (can call 24/7 and only leave voice messages, BUT will not hear
ANY messages or respond on Thursdays from noon till Friday afternoon)
- 631-423-7611 xt. 0 –
Cinema Arts Centre Box Office and DO NOT leave messages with the Box
Office as we may not get these messages in a timely manner or at all, and
ask to (or insist if you need to) speak to someone at the CSA They will
transfer the call to the Café and someone from the Café will get someone
from the CSA (can ONLY call this number for the CSA on Thursdays from
3:30pm to 8pm)
4.Let the games begin…it’s time to vote for the Best of
Long Island!
I’ve just voted for Green Thumb Farm for best Farm Stand
under the “Food” category (come to the farm tour this weekend and find out why 😊),
and for the Cinema Arts Centre for best Movie Theater under “Arts &
Entertainment”…
https://www.bestoflongisland.com/voting/#//
And I also voted for Bee’s Needs for Best Raw Honey under
“Food” because that’s the woman (Mary Woltz) who’s the beekeeper at our farm,
Green Thumb Farm (and she’s truly awesome). And for Organic Eatery I voted for
True Food Kitchen because of the places nominated I think this is the place
that uses the most organic foods (and they’re really tasty), for best Veggie
Burger I voted for Blind Bat Brewery because it’s an organic whole food plant
based burger (and very tasty), and for the Vegan Burger I voted for True Food
Kitchen again because it’s tasty and a whole food plant based organic burger.
Under “Restaurants” I voted for Thai USA (hosts of our Bitter Melon dinner 😊)
under Thai (the fact that they didn’t have Sripraphai in Williston Park
nominated is insane but maybe it’s just me 😊).
You can vote once a day, every day from now till December 15th,
and check out the other categories and maybe there’s someone else you’d like to
support and vote for.
But it is odd that some of the places you can vote for no longer
exist like Mara’s Southern Kitchen (which I meant to go to but never got
there), and MP Taverna which moved from Roslyn to Irvington upstate (weird…).
I just saw that our CSA Member Danielle Tarantola is
nominated for Best Yoga Teacher under the “Health, Wellness & Beauty”
category as well as her Yoga Studio, Yoga Foundation (which they spelled
incorrectly 😊)…so I voted for her.
Are you nominated for anything? If so, let me know and we
can support you!
5.Emergency situations at the CSA (hurricanes/electronic
communication glitches/medical emergencies, etc.)
- It’s hurricane season till November 30th
(our CSA’s last day is December 14th)! Farmers are more
hardcore than postal workers so your food will be at the CSA between
3:30pm and 7:30pm on Thursdays, pretty much no matter what. Hurricane
Sandy didn’t stop our CSA. We were at the Unitarian Fellowship in
Huntington, and there was no power and there were tree limbs around the
property BUT I checked out the building to make sure there was no danger
being in the building or entering the property, and with flashlights
brought by me, we had our CSA. If there’s no emails…show up anyway. If
there’s some problem/issue with the food arriving there should be a note on
the door of the Cinema letting you know what’s up (if we’re not already in
there waiting for you). In a storm situation please bring a
flashlight/lantern as it could be helpful for you and those of us at the
CSA. Again…show up, and at 3:30pm and 5:30pm if there were no emails
please offer to work if you’re able and available. If you feel it’s not
safe/wise for you to venture out, know that any food left at the end of
the CSA will be picked up and donated to the gang at Community Solidarity.
They have NEVER missed a food distribution day even in snow and ice storms
(regardless of the weather…hungry people will still be hungry if there’s
no food to eat).
- Electronic communication is FAR from perfect. IF you
get no CSA emails or responses to your emails on any given week…come to
the CSA anyway. It could be a problem with my laptop, etc. Stuff happens.
- Anything else that might come up (these days…who
knows???)…no emails, etc., come anyway and will do our best to keep
everyone informed as best we can (look for notes on front door of Cinema
if nothing else). The CSA has always happened every week during our 20+
seasons…(lifted from the postal worker motto) - Neither snow nor rain nor
heat nor gloom stays these farmers & CSA crew from the swift
completion of their appointed rounds…to get you your CSA Shares! 😊
- If there’s an emergency situation in progress, consider
offering to help out at the CSA whether you’ve been asked to or not.
6.What you actually got last week (and the week
before…sorry but I forgot to put in the details last week)
Week #20
October 19, 2023
- Sweet Potatoes – 1 bag (2.5 lbs.) - $5.00
- Beans, Snap: Green – 1 bag (.6 lb.) - $4.50
- Mustard Greens – 1 bunch - $5.00
- Lettuce: Romaine, Red – 1 head - $4.25
- Tomatoes, Mini: Sun Gold – 1 pt. - $6.00
Total Items: 525.25
Total Amount: $
We pay our farm $22 per week for our CSA share…some weeks we
get a bit more, some a bit less. This week, it was $3.25 over $22.00 (my
compulsive self is keeping track of all this 😊). Doesn’t sound like a
whole lot whether it’s over or under, but it adds up over the course of the CSA
season (at the moment it’s a total of $47.75 more food than what we paid). 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 (which we’ve just gotten), and last year it was
almost four weeks worth extra, so we’re talking almost $80 worth of food we got
gratis…it’s all good! 😊
Week #19
October 12, 2023
1.Radish: Daikon – 1 bunch (tops are edible…see info
below)** - $5.75
2.Carrots – 1 bunch (tops are edible…see info below)*
- $5.50
3.Beans, Snap: Green – 1 bag (.6 lb.) - $4.50
4.Kale: Lacinato – 1 bunch - $4.75
5.Lettuce: Leaf, Green AND Leaf, Red - 1 head of each color
- $6.25
Total Items: 5
Herb Share – October 1A
Parsley, Italian Flat Leaf AND Thyme, Lemon
Total Amount: $26.75
We pay our farm $22 per week for our CSA share…some weeks we
get a bit more, some a bit less. This week, it was $4.75 over $22.00 (my
compulsive self is keeping track of all this 😊). Doesn’t sound like a
whole lot whether it’s over or under, but it adds up over the course of the CSA
season (at the moment it’s a total of $44.50 more food than what we paid). 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 (which we’ve just gotten), and last year it was
almost four weeks worth extra, so we’re talking almost $80 worth of food we got
gratis…it’s all good! 😊
Herb Share – Oct - 1A
Parsley, Italian Flat Leaf AND Thyme, Lemon
*Carrot Tops – with any new food, start slow and see how your body
reacts, check if you’re on any medications for possible interactions, check
with your doctor(s) if you have any concerns/questions
Article and storage
info/recipes…you’ll be happy you checked this out!
https://www.loveandlemons.com/carrot-greens-chimichurri/
Sauteed Carrot Top recipe –
great details and suggestions for freezing them!
https://www.forkintheroad.co/sauteed-carrot-greens/
More recipes…yum!
https://www.thekitchn.com/5-ways-to-eat-carrot-tops-183415
Are you a juicer?
https://vibranthappyhealthy.com/juicing-carrot-greens
If you want to know all there
is to know about Carrot Tops (SIX TIMES as much Vitamin C as the Carrots!!!)…
http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/carrotops.html
And if Harold McGee says
they’re ok to eat…they must be ok! 😊
**Daikon
Basic info and suggestion…
https://www.bonappetit.com/story/daikon-radish-guide
Got the basic ingredients this week to make a classic
Japanese Daikon/Carrot Salad or Pickle…
https://www.justonecookbook.com/delicious-daikon-recipes/
Or a quick Carrot Daikon Stir Fry…
https://thewoksoflife.com/daikon-stir-fry-carrot/#recipe
Or Spicy Roasted Daikon French Fries…
https://cookingontheweekends.com/spicy-roasted-daikon-french-fry-recipe/
And a bunch of other recipes…
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/daikon-recipes/
And a bunch more recipes…
https://www.platingsandpairings.com/daikon-radish-recipes/
British comedian/writer/actor Alexei Sayle on what’s in food
(11 or so years old and this is still an issue…PLUS America is still putting
stuff in our food that’s banned in Europe and other countries)…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IeAEAo0SVE&ab_channel=daitengu77
Tip of the iceberg (eat organic, buy organic)…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-food-additives-banned-europe-making-americans-sick-expert-says/
*Please keep in mind that any events or services listed do
not indicate a direct endorsement from Green Thumb Farm or Green Thumb CSA -
Huntington
Thursday, October 26th
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.
Friday, October 27th
7pm to 8pm
Book talk with Doug Tallamy (online event)
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Millbrook, NY
FREE
To register for online (in-person is sold out)…
File under: Eat Organic, Live Organic 😊.
Doug Tallamy, ecologist, entomologist and author, will be discussing his latest
book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your
Yard. If you have trouble with your vegetable or food garden that might be due
to a lack of pollination, you could alter your yard to attract pollinators (not
just Bees) to help out. To learn a bit more about Doug Tallamy… https://www.udel.edu/faculty-staff/experts/douglas-tallamy/
.
Sunday, October 29th
9am to noon
Foraging with Wildman Steve Brill
Vanderbilt Museum
Centerport
$10 Adults and 10 years old and older/$9 Members/FREE under
10 years old
To purchase tickets…
For more info…
https://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/tour-calendar
If you’re never gone on a foraging tour with Steve Brill, do
yourself a favor and go. Kids and dogs welcome (as long as the park is dog
friendly). Not unlike myself, he provides a lot of instructions to be read
before his tours. READ THEM! It’s important and useful info.
1pm
Foraging with Wildman Steve Brill
Belmont Lake State Park
North Babylon
$20 Adults/$10 under 12 (suggested donations…he’s worth it 😊)
For more info and to register (at least 24 hours before the
tour)…
https://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/tour-calendar
If you’re never gone on a foraging tour with Steve Brill, do
yourself a favor and go. Kids and dogs welcome (as long as the park is dog
friendly). Not unlike myself, he provides a lot of instructions to be read
before his tours. READ THEM! It’s important and useful info.
Tuesday, October 31st
10am to 11am
Tai Chi class
Cinema Arts Centre
Sky Room Café
423 Park Ave
Huntington
FREE
Join teacher Roger Sencer in this free Tai Chi class that’s
been held at the Cinema Arts Centre for a number of years. All levels welcome.
7pm – Volunteers
8:15pm – Drive-thru distribution
Huntington Food Share
Community Solidarity
Fairground Ave. & 6th St.
Huntington Station
FREE
For more info…
https://communitysolidarity.org/foodshares/huntington
To volunteer…
https://communitysolidarity.org/volunteer
Or to make a donation (they REALLY need a new truck)…
https://communitysolidarity.org/donate/funds
Community Solidarity (formerly Long Island Food Not Bombs)
is an amazing group, doing much needed good works. These are the folks our CSA
donates food to (and have for the last several years). If you’d like to
volunteer, make a donation (they REALLY, REALLY need a new truck), or have need
of their services (or know people who might)…get in touch/get information via
their website (listed above).
They also need/accept donations of the following…Bicycles,
Books, Clothing, Flowers (good for general mental health…taking care of the
mind AND the body), Food, Medical Care (is there a Doctor or Dentist in the
house? 😊), Plants/Seedlings, School Supplies, Toys
and more. For details on donating items, please go to the Home Page, scroll to
Donate, and read the appropriate listing (and scroll to Material Goods to see
the topics not initially listed)…
https://communitysolidarity.org/
Here’s founder Jon Stepanian’s TED Talk (TEDxNYU) on
Community Solidarity and Hunger Relief…
https://www.ted.com/talks/jon_stepanian_community_solidarity_hunger_relief
Wednesday, November 1st
7pm to 8pm
Winding Down the Day from Yin to Yang (Zoom class)
$20.00
For more info…
https://www.openenergylearning.com/class-schedule
To participate text or call..
917-562-5322
Join CSA Member Marylou Locker in a bit of active practice
and breathing techniques to prepare for a relaxing night and sound sleep!
Thursday, November 2nd
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.
Tuesday, November 7th
10am to 11am
Tai Chi class
Cinema Arts Centre
Sky Room Café
423 Park Ave
Huntington
FREE
Join teacher Roger Sencer in this free Tai Chi class that’s
been held at the Cinema Arts Centre for a number of years. All levels welcome.
7pm – Volunteers
8:15pm – Drive-thru distribution
Huntington Food Share
Community Solidarity
Fairground Ave. & 6th St.
Huntington Station
FREE
For more info…
https://communitysolidarity.org/foodshares/huntington
To volunteer…
https://communitysolidarity.org/volunteer
Or to make a donation (they REALLY need a new truck)…
https://communitysolidarity.org/donate/funds
Community Solidarity (formerly Long Island Food Not Bombs)
is an amazing group, doing much needed good works. These are the folks our CSA
donates food to (and have for the last several years). If you’d like to
volunteer, make a donation (they REALLY, REALLY need a new truck), or have need
of their services (or know people who might)…get in touch/get information via
their website (listed above).
They also need/accept donations of the following…Bicycles,
Books, Clothing, Flowers (good for general mental health…taking care of the
mind AND the body), Food, Medical Care (is there a Doctor or Dentist in the
house? 😊), Plants/Seedlings, School Supplies, Toys
and more. For details on donating items, please go to the Home Page, scroll to
Donate, and read the appropriate listing (and scroll to Material Goods to see
the topics not initially listed)…
https://communitysolidarity.org/
Here’s founder Jon Stepanian’s TED Talk (TEDxNYU) on
Community Solidarity and Hunger Relief…
https://www.ted.com/talks/jon_stepanian_community_solidarity_hunger_relief
Saturday, November 11th
9am to 1pm
Fall Makers Market
HOG Farm
319 Beaverdam Rd.
Brookhaven
Music, food, vendors.
Saturday, November 18th
9am to 1pm
Fall Makers Market
HOG Farm
319 Beaverdam Rd.
Brookhaven
Music, food, vendors.
1pm
Foraging with Wildman Steve Brill
Sunken Meadow State Park
Kings Park
$20 Adults/$10 under 12 (suggested donations…he’s worth it 😊)
For more info and to register (at least 24 hours before the
tour)…
https://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/tour-calendar
If you’re never gone on a foraging tour with Steve Brill, do
yourself a favor and go. Kids and dogs welcome (as long as the park is dog
friendly). Not unlike myself, he provides a lot of instructions to be read
before his tours. READ THEM! It’s important and useful info.
Saturday, November 25th
9am to 1pm
Fall Makers Market
HOG Farm
319 Beaverdam Rd.
Brookhaven
Music, food, vendors.
Saturday, December 2nd
9am to 1pm
Fall Makers Market
HOG Farm
319 Beaverdam Rd.
Brookhaven
Music, food, vendors.
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