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
- It’s not all bad news
- Emergency situations at
the CSA (hurricanes/electronic communication glitches/medical emergencies,
etc.)
- Eat organic…live
organic!
- Click activist
- 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.
- 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! 😊
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 – Sky Room Café 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!
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!
October 5, 2023
- Squash, Winter
- Leeks – 1 bunch
- Beans, Snap: Wax/Yellow – 1 bag
- Peppers, Sweet
- Pak Choi (use Bok Choi Veg Info Sheet)– 1 bunch
- Lettuce – 1 head
Total Items: 6
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.It’s not all bad news!
The grocery chain Wegman’s is pulling their own line of
sodas off the shelves because of unhealthy ingredients!
The closest one to Huntington is in Brooklyn near the
Brooklyn Navy Yard, and one is opening soon in Manhattan near Astor Place.
Good for them! 😊
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.Eat organic…live organic!
PFAS found in menstrual products…oh dear!
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/pfas-forever-chemicals-period-products
Go organic…
Tampons and Pads…
https://www.seventhgeneration.com/personal-care?types=26#product--listing
Tampons…
https://www.goingzerowaste.com/blog/organic-tampons/
Pads…
7.Click Activist
1.I
took a moment and told my House Representatives that I want them to endorse the
Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticides Act (PACTPA) and I am hopeful
that you will join me by doing the same. Together we can remind our legislators
that we care deeply about the health of our children and families and we do not
accept the idea that corporate profits outweigh the health risks presented by
hazardous pesticides.
https://www.panna.org/action/protect-our-children-from-pesticides/?source=email&
2.Apparently, there’s still time to lend your voice to what
you might like to see in the coming Farm Bill (which won’t happen again for
FOUR YEARS!) so if you want to support small, local, organic farmers, sign the
four letters to our local politicians here…
https://farmland.org/action-center/
3.I took a
moment to tell my Senators and Congressmen that I believe local governments
have a right to set stricter pesticide regulations if they decide to do so. I
asked them to reject language in the Farm Bill that would take that right away.
Please join me in telling our legislators that we do not support preemption
language in the Farm Bill and we believe in the rights of our local governments
to set stricter pesticide controls.
https://www.panna.org/action/protect-the-right-to-local-pesticide-regulation/?source=email&
8.What you actually got last week
Week #17
September 28, 2023
- Fennel – 1 bunch - $5.75
- Beans, Snap: Green – 1 bag (.6 lb.) - $4.50
- Radishes: French Breakfast – 1 bunch - $5.00
- Tat Soi – 1 bunch - $5.00
- Lettuce: Loose Leaf, Red – 1 head - $4.25
Total Items: 5
Total Amount: $24.50
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 $2.50 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 $36.25 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 (which we’ve just gptten)…some years two, 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 – September 2B
Cilantro AND Dill
9.And now, for something completely different…
Cleanliness is next to Godliness so they say (and if you’re
an atheist/agnostic, it’s just part of basic good hygiene practices), but
apparently these restaurants (or their employees, or their customers) didn’t
get this message. Trigger warning…you might not want to read this after you’ve
just eaten 😊…
My disgusting food story has to do with a White Castle in
Huntington that no longer is in business (I made the health inspector very
happy because the disgusting thing I complained about was still there when he
visited 😊). It was a trip down memory lane that
inspired me to eat at a White Castle, but I have to say I haven’t had anything
from a White Castle since (and this is maybe 30 years ago 😊).
*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 5th
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.
Saturday, October 7th
9am to 1pm
Fall Makers Market
HOG Farm
319 Beaverdam Rd.
Brookhaven
Music, food, vendors.
10am
Foraging with Wildman Steve Brill
Far Rockaway Seashore
Far Rockaway
FREE
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.
2pm
Plantstock
HOG Farm
319 Beaverdam Rd.
Brookhaven
Native plant sale and talks.
Thursday, October 12th
All Day!
National Farmer’s Day
For more info on what it is and how to celebrate it…
https://www.almanac.com/national-farmers-day
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.
Saturday, October 14th
10am/11am/12pm
Green Thumb CSA – Huntington Fall Harvest Tour
Water Mill
FREE
SAVE THE DATE
To RSVP…(will give info closer to tour)
This is your last chance to visit our CSA farm (Green Thumb
Farm) for this year! It’s a tour on a tractor pulled wagon led by some of our
farmers (probably Ray & Jesse), Pumpkin picking (not necessarily Pumpkins
from our farm…it’s more for the kids and decorating than for culinary purposed
BUT these can be eaten), and a 10% discount on everything purchased at the farm
stand! This event is rain or shine (barring torrential downpours when it would
be cancelled). This event is for CSA members and immediate family only (if
you’re sharing a CSA Share with someone, usually one person will go in June and
the other in October…and if a share partner, reserve in the name of the CSA
member).
Tuesday, October 17th
6pm
CSA Culinary Extravaganza – October edition
Kohaku - Natto Tasting
Huntington
To RSVP…
Respond to this email with your name and the number in your
party
OR leave a voice message at 631-421-4864
If you come to this event you’ll have the chance to try some
Natto (and not have to pay for it 😊). We’ll be having two
small pieces of a Natto Mat roll (and if after trying, you could order more for
yourself if you’d like). Everyone coming will order their own food, get their
own bill., and there will be a raffle!
Natto is fermented Soy Beans, and it’s a true superfood.
It’s the reason that people in Japan who eat a traditional diet have low levels
of cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks, stroke, etc.). AND I just learned
that it can help post-menopausal women from either losing bone density OR
possibly restore it! This is a pretty good article that goes over its numerous
health benefits…
https://draxe.com/nutrition/natto/
Thursday, October 19th
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.
Saturday, October 21st
9am to 1pm
Fall Makers Market
HOG Farm
319 Beaverdam Rd.
Brookhaven
Music, food, vendors.
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.
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.
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.
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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