CSA Farm Share Week 2

Hello Everyone,

This week you will find in your shares:

Sat. June 7

• Baby Lettuce Mix
• Swiss Chard
• Bunching Onions
• Radish
• Garlic Scapes
• Peas

Tue. June 10

• Baby Lettuce Mix
• Baby Beets (the tops are completely great to use!)
• Bunching Onions
• Kale
• Garlic Scapes
• Peas

The scape of the garlic is the emerging flower stalk of hardneck garlic.  We trim them now to hopefully get a larger bulb of garlic later on.  The scapes can be eaten raw in salads, or used in sautés and any other dish you would normally use garlic.  These are tender, and have a good garlic spice to them.  Sometimes the tips can be tough, these can be used to flavor soups though.  Scapes are considered a delicacy in many countries including China and Korea.  ENJOY!

Here are some recipes you might like:

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Garlic Scape Pesto

About 6 garlic scapes

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cups of baby lettuce mix

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Salt and pepper to tast

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Chop the scapes so they will fit in your blender.  Blend briefly.  Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a slow steady stream.  And the lettuce and parsley.  Blend until you have a coarse mixture.  While blender is running, gradually add the rest of oil.  Add the sunflower seeds, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.  Use about 1 cup of this pesto to coat 1 pound of pasta.  This is also great on bread, crackers, or part of a pizza topping.

Balsamic Beet Greens & Goat Cheese Crostini 

http://whiteonricecouple.com/recipes/beet-greens-goat-cheese-crostini/

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Our baby lettuce mix is harvested one handful at a time, washed, spun dry, then bagged, we never harvest more than two days before delivery.  Ready to serve, it's so fresh it will last at least a week in a cold fridge.  If you notice too much condensation building in the bag over time place lettuce in a bowl, and cover with a moist towel to keep lettuce from drying out too much.

Also you might have noticed a paper in your bags, here is a little about the program we are involved in with Hayley Billingsley at Tech, she is an undergrad working with Dr. Megan O'Rourke in the Horticulture department.

Dear CSA Shareholder,
During this summer’s CSA season, we will be conducting a study to explore positive health impacts of membership.  If you’re over the age of 18 and a member, you’re eligible and we’d appreciate your help! The measures taken will be quick and mostly available at your pick –up and include weight, height, 24-hour dietary recall, and a quick questionnaire at the end of the summer. A scale will be available at pick-up and you can record your weight next to an assigned number for privacy. If you’re selected to participate in dietary recall (which is just a quick recall of what you’d eaten the previous day), you can select a time convenient for you on the Virginia Tech campus. We’ll then provide you with a dietary analysis with comparison to the average American using NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey).
Thank you and we hope to see you soon!"
-Hayley Billingsley
Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise- Dietetics Option
Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences