Clagett Farm

This Week's Share: Zucchini, Kholrabi and More

Happy Tuesday. 

Our featured photo today was submitted by CSA volunteer Cindy, who is the former CBF Clagett Educator. The photo shows a dish she made using ingredients largely from the share. Do you have a photo to share? Email it to us!

As you can imagine, it's been a rainy week at the farm. That's good for some crops, and bad for others. The greens are loving the rain; the squash, not so much. 

But now the sun's out - the harvest is in - and we're ready for today's pick-up. 

Before we get to this week's share, a heads up on the schedule: We typically take a week off in the middle of the summer, as members are traveling for the July 4 holiday and the crops are transitioning from spring to summer. We will continue that this year, skipping shares on Wednesday, July 3 and Saturday, July 6. We'll have more details closer to about u-pick, etc. 

What's in this week's share:

• 1/2 lb combination Swiss chard + arugula + spicy mix + Ruby Streaks (a red Mizuna)* + Mizuna (long, skinny & tear drop shaped)* + Tokyo bekana* + garlic scapes + herbs (at Dupont - farm can u-pick herbs)

• 3 1/2 lb combination Bok choy + kale + collards + lettuce +kohlrabi + Chinese cabbage + radishes (two varieties)

• 1 1/4 lb combination zucchini + snap peas

* The mizunas and Tokyo bekana are not pretty, but they taste good. If you've never had it before, the Tokyo Bekana has a flavor very similar to lettuce. 

 

What's on U-Pick:

Strawberries. We're not picking strawberries  for the share this week, but they're still available for u-pick. There's a healthy amount of them available. 

Greens: Swiss chard, Collards, Lettuce, Spicy Mix, Arugula, Kale, Spinach and Tender Greens. Note that the lettuces taste best when harvested in the mornings.

Herbs: parsley, sorrel, mint, lemon balm, sage, onion chives (flowering), garlic chives, lavender, chamomile, dill, stevia and thyme.  New: Basil. 

Turnips. Still plenty of them in the fields. 

Snap Peas. New this week! 

Mulberries. They're plentiful. If you want to harvest some, we recommend laying a sheet on the ground and shaking the tree so that they fall onto the sheet. 

As always, any flowers that are growing on the farm are available for u-pick. 

 

What's coming up in the share:

Next week: We expect garlic bulbs, bunching onions (green onions/scallions) and carrots. 

Cucumbers are on their way in the next few weeks as well. 

 

Tip of the Week: Using Kholrabi

The bulb of a Kohlrabi can be peeled and eaten raw or cooked -- cut into strips, it can be boiled, steamed or roasted. The tops can be used as you would kale. Here are a few ideas other than just tossing kohlrabi into salads:

• Stir Fried Rice Noodles with Kohlrabi and Basil (Food & Wine magazine)

• Potato and Kohlrabi Gratin (Food & Wine magazine)

• Kohlrabi and Turnip Slaw (Whole Living)

• Sauteed Kale with Kohlrabi (Gourmet Magazine)

• Kohlrabi Slivers and Pea Shoots with Sesame Dressing (Epicurious)

 

Questions? Comments? Other ideas for kohlrabi?  Let us know on the blog! 

This Week's Share: Turnips, Bok Choy, Carrots and More

This is Lara, who helps at the farm checking in members as they pick up their weekly share. Thank you, Lara! The photo is from CSA member Fred.

Have a photo to share? Send it to us via email and we'll feature it here on the blog!

 

Hey CSA members! 

It's Wednesday, which means it's time to learn what's in this week's share. 

Below you'll find what's in the share, what's on u-pick and a recipe suggestion from a fellow member! 

 

What's in this week's share:

• 1 lb combination garlic scapes + turnips
• 1 1/2 lb combination lettuce + bok choy + kale + collards + tender greens + Swiss chard
• 1/2 lb combination spicy mix + arugula + basil + peas
• 1 pint strawberries or a small bunch of carrots

 

What's on U-Pick:

Strawberries. The strawberries are beginning to decline but are still available.

Greens: Swiss chard, Collards, Lettuce, Spicy Mix, Arugula, Kale, Spinach and Tender Greens. Note that the lettuces taste best when harvested in the mornings.

Herbs: parsley, sorrel, mint, lemon balm, sage, onion chives (flowering), garlic chives, lavender, chamomile, dill, stevia and thyme.  

Turnips.

Mulberries.

 

What's coming up in the share:

The first cucumbers of the season should arrive shortly, as should Napa cabbage, green onions (also referred to as scallions or bunching onions) and carrots.

Plus coming soon: zucchini, kholrabi, bunching onions, Chinese cabbage.

 

This Week's Tip: A Recipe Suggestion from CSA Member Cathy

Earlier this week on the blog, Cathy left us a comment about how she used some of last week's produce. Here's what Cathy had to say: 

I chopped some garlic scapes, hakurei turnips (sliced), turnip greens, collard greens, arugula. In a medium pan, I sauteed the scapes and turnips for a few minutes, then added the greens. I splashed everything with some soy sauce and rice vinegar and cooked for a few more minutes. Towards the end, I added some chickpeas and raisins, which helped to balance the meal, and a little sesame oil, for a little extra flavor.

Thank you, Cathy!

Questions? Comments? Tips? Let us know on the blog! 

 

 

This Week's Share: Red Round Turnips, Sugar Snap Peas and More

This photo from CSA member Rebecca!

 

Hello, CSA members!

It's that time of the week. Here's are the details for this week's share, with new items on u-pick and recipe suggestions for garlic scapes! Enjoy!

What's in this week's share:

• 1/4 pound total spicy mix + arugula + lettuce + spinach 
• 3/4 pound total tender greens + bok choy + kale + collards 
• 3/4 pound Red Round or Hakurei turnips + garlic scapes or scallions
• 1 pint strawberries OR 1 bunch asparagus OR 1 pint sugar snap peas

What's on U-Pick:

Strawberries. Still on u-pick! Pick any day this week, as much as you want. 

Greens: Swiss chard, Collards, Lettuce, Spicy Mix, Arugula, Kale, Spinach and Tender Greens. 

Garlic scapes

Herbs: parsley, sorrel, mint, lemon balm, sage, onion chives (flowering), garlic chives, lavender, chamomile, dill, stevia and thyme.  

 

What's coming up in the share:

Rhubarb will come back next week. We may have our first zucchini of the season next week also, if not the following week. 

 

This Week's Tip: What to do with Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are the tops of garlic plants, long, green, curly stems. What to do with them? Here are four ideas:

• Make a pesto
• Pickle them
• Make a soup, adding spinach and peas
• Make a vinegar
• Sautee them

Have another way you like to use garlic scapes? Leave a comment here on the blog! 

 

This Week's Share: Strawberries, Greens and More

This is Will, who works at the farm, getting strawberries ready for pick-up. Photo submitted by CSA member Fred. Thanks Fred! 

 

Happy Tuesday! 

We hope everyone enjoyed the first share of the season! We received notes and a comments from a few of you reporting  back on how you used the produce. If you have a tip or recipe that you love, and would like to share with other members, please submit them via email and we'll feature them here on the blog. And thanks to those who sent in photos last week, like the one at the top of today's post. if you've got more photos, you can send those via email, too!  

So with that, here's what's in this week's share: 

What's in this week's share:

• 1/2 pound total spicy mix + arugula + lettuce + spinach 
• 1/2 pound total tender greens + bok choy + kale + collards 
• 1 1/4 pound Easter Egg radishes + Hakurei turnips + garlic scallions
• 1 pint strawberries
• 2 seedlings - we have a mix of Genovese Basil, Thai Basil, Lettuce, Parsley, Chili Peppers, and small amounts of others. 

 

What's on U-Pick:

Strawberries. Go crazy! Pick any day this week, as much as you want. Today, the berries are ripe but don't seem especially sweet. They'll sweeten with sunnier days. 

Greens: Spicy Mix, Arugula, Kale, Spinach and Tender Greens. 

Herbs: parsley, sorrel, mint, lemon balm, sage, onion chives (flowering), garlic chives, lavendar, chamomile, dill, stevia and thyme.  

 

What's coming up in the share:

Rhubarb will make another appearance in a week or two. Peas will be ready by next week. Garlic scallions will switch to garlic scapes in a week or two. Basil will hopefully come into the share in a few weeks. Next week we may not have radishes, but may sub in Red Round turnips. And Swiss chard should be coming into the share soon. 

 

This Week's Tip: How to Use Cooking Greens

The cooking greens in this week's share -- like collards, kale or spicy mix -- can be used in a number of ways, but here's one idea for you. Wash and dry the greens. In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add a few cloves of thinly sliced garlic, sauteeing briefly, then add the greens, allowing them to cook down briefly, for a just a few minutes. Finish the greens with salt and pepper and a splash of vinegar of your choice, like balsamic or champagne vinegar. Enjoy!

 

In the meantime, do you have questions? Comments? A tip to share? 

Leave them here on the blog! 

 

This Week's Share: Salad Greens, Radishes, Rhubarb and More

Here's a photo of the farm staff transplanting lettuce & spinach with students from St Stephens & St. Agnes School on April 10th. We’ll be eating this lettuce and spinach this week. Photo taken by Genevieve Fulco.

 

Tomorrow is the first pick-up of the season! Hooray! 

As a reminder, the pick-up begins tomorrow (Wednesday, May 15) at 3 p.m. at the farm and 5:30 p.m. at Dupont. All the details and directions can be found on the 2013 CSA Details page. 

For this week, we're going to do things a little differently and go ahead and provide you all the information a day in advance. For those of you who are new, the weekly updates from the farm have a few consistent components. 

Each week, we'll tell you:

• What's in the share -- most weeks will include the items + the amounts 
• What's on u-pick -- this will be included in the updates, but when you go to the farm, always check the board at the wash station first and defer to the board - sometimes there are changes mid-week
• What you can expect in upcoming weeks -- an update on how crops are progressing
• A tip of the week - these will run the gamut, from storage tips to how to prep to recipes to interesting facts about vegetables. If you have a tip you think is worth sharing, please submit it by emailing us!  

Lastly, thanks to those who emailed us photos from the Spring Meet 'n' Greet. We'll be using them here on the blog in the coming weeks. We love to feature member photos here on the blog!  If you snap photos at the pick-up or take glamour shots of your veggies after you get them home, send them our way! You can submit them via email. 

 

So with that, here's what's in this week's share: 

 

What's in this week's share:

• Salad greens, including spinach, arugula and spicy mix
• Garlic scallions
• Radishes
• Rhubarb

As they were at the Spring Meet 'n' Greet, a small amount of asparagus and wine cap mushrooms will be available. Unfortunately not everyone will be able to take these items - we'll bring them out at random times, so it's a bit luck of the draw. If you get the mushrooms, three bits of advice: cook them before you eat them, be cautious at first - try them in small doses so you're certain you don't happen to be allergic, and a friend tells us that it's not recommended that you eat them three days in a row. 

What's on U-Pick:

Herbs: parsley, sorrel, mint, lemon balm, sage, onion chives with edible flowers and garlic chives (no flowers yet).  

What's coming up in the share:

The strawberries and cooking greens are looking good and have made a lot of progress since last week's update. We hope to begin harvesting both for the second share of the season. 

This Week's Tip: How to Store Salad Greens

Wrap the greens in a slightly damp cloth or paper towel (if your greens are wet, no need to dampen the cloth). Don't wash the greens first -- wash them just prior to use. Put the wrapped greens in a plastic bag and store in the crisper. They will last for nearly a week unwashed. 

 

In the meantime, do you have questions? Comments? 

Leave them here on the blog! 

 

Gleaning starts today!

Photo from CSA Member Krossbow on Flickr.
And no, cows are not available for gleaning. 

 

At the end of each CSA season, we offer for members to come and glean, taking what is left of certain crops. That gleaning starts today and runs through Sunday. 

As we've cautioned in the past, gleaning is not for everyone.  You'll be picking it yourself, and because the pickings are sometimes slim, it will take a long time to get a significant amount of anything. If you plan to come we suggest that you:

• Bring a knife to make cutting the salad greens easier
• Bring bags for the vegetables
• Wear sturdy shoes
• Be prepared to walk about a quarter mile to get from your car to the field.  

With those disclaimers out of the way, we'll say that the weather has been unseasonably cold recently! Luckily, we have some tasty cold-hardy crops still in the fields and available for gleaning between today and Sunday. They are:

 

Cabbages in field A4. There are 4 varieties, including:

• Alcoss, a round green cabbage with wrinkly leaves
• Farao, a round green cabbage with smoother leaves
• Red express, a round red cabbage with smoother leaves
• Rubikon, an oblong green Napa/Chinese cabbage

 

Greens in field A5, including: 

• Arugula
• Spicy mix (mustards)
• Mizuna (mustard)
• Tat soi (mustard)
• Southern giant (mustard)

The mustard greens have especially sharp flavors at this point in the season. The sharpness will mellow a bit with cooking.

Daikon radishes in field F, between the high tunnel and the woods. The daikon are plentiful and great for pickling, in coleslaws and salads, roasting, and when combined with mashed potatoes.

Swiss Chard in field G2, adjacent to the washing station. There are two kinds:

• The fordhook giant variety has white stems
• The rainbow variety has multi-colored stems

And there are still plentiful herbs in the herb beds that you're welcome to pick: oregano, sorrel, parsley, onion chives, anise hyssop, thyme, lemon balm, sage, garlic chives, and mint.

Members who come for gleaning will find a list of what’s available and directions to the fields written on the dry-erase board at the washing station. You will also see a list of items that we ask you not to glean (broccoli and cauliflower are among those items not available for gleaning). On Friday, folks can find staff members at the farm. On Saturday, no CSA staff members are working so you'll be on your own.

Enjoy the gleaning! 

 

 

This Week's Share: Final Share of the Season

(Image via krossbow on Flickr)

Thanks to everyone who attended the picnic last Saturday. About 70 of you came out to the farm for some food and fun. Carrie says the event was "low-key but great!" We raised about $800, which will help the farm grow more produce to donate next year.

And if you hadn't heard, the farm fared just fine during Hurricane Sandy. There weren't any ill-effects at all. None of the produce was lost or damaged -- the farm didn't even lose power. 

Believe it or not, this week is the final share of the season! Thank you for you support and comments and good questions this year. Later this winter, Carrie will be sending out a survey to get your thoughts on the season. Stay tuned for that. 

Also, as a reminder, we're raffling off a free share for the 2013 CSA. Details on how to enter the raffle are available on the blog. Income from the raffle will help us donate more produce to low-income families, and your purchase is tax-deductible. This is open to non-members as well, so if you have a friend who's interested in signing up for a share next year, this could be a great chance to win it for free!

Since we did not have shares last Tuesday, those of you who missed a share and were not already ahead will be able to double this week. And with that, here are the details for Week 26 -- the final week! -- of the CSA:

4 pound total combination of any of the following, barring the exceptions noted below:

• arugula
• mustard
• tat soi
• mizuna
• daikon
• garlic
• sunchokes
• eggplant
• habanero chiles
• Depending on where and when you pick up, you may also see:
  • sweet potatoes
  • cabbage
  • carrots (1/2 lb. max)
  • kale (1/2 lb. max)
  • winecap mushrooms (which look similar to shiitakes)

 

On U-Pick this week:

If you want to come and u-pick, you can find a map of the fields and locations at the Wash Station when you arrive at the farm, denoting where to find the fields listed below. Here's what's on offer this week. 

Greens, daikon, celery, herbs (oregano, sorrel, parsley, onion chives, cilantro, stevia, lemongrass, anise hyssop, thyme, lemon balm, sage, garlic chives, mint), flowers (a few left)

Reminders:

• Garlic for Sale: We'll have surplus garlic available for purchase at the pick-up site.

• Cookbooks for Sale: In addition to a couple veggie-focused cookbooks we've been offering -- including From Asparagus to Zucchini and The Grassland Gourmet Fires It Up -- we'll have a couple new titles for sale. Serving Up the Harvest and Tender: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch are both filled with wonderful ways to use fresh produce. Pick up a copy for inspiration for next season -- or as a holiday gift for a foodie friend!

• Beef for Sale: It's the time of the year when the farm is making some beef available for sale. If this is of interest to you, you can get all the details at http://clagettgrassfed.wordpress.com/.  Sorry! The beef sale has ended for this year, but we are accepting sign-ups for next spring.

• Christmas Tree Sales are Coming: Later this month we'll be sharing information about how you can purchase a Christmas tree from Clagett Farm. Stay tuned for that. 

Enjoy this week's share, and thanks again for a great season!

Best,

-- Clay

 

This Week's Share: Three Shares till the end of the season!

Photo via MDGovPics on Flickr: Lt. Governor participates in the Clagett Farm Day of Service. 

Believe it or not, there are only three shares to the end of the season (including this week's share)! As noted over the last few weeks, the last share dates of the season will be Tuesday November 6 and Saturday November 10. 

In case you missed it yesterday, we posted details of the Fall Picnic coming up on Saturday, November 3. We hope you can make it!

And with that, here are the details for Week 24 of the CSA:

5 1/2 pound total combination of any of the following, barring the exceptions noted below:

• Eggplant

• Peppers

• Garlic

• Daikon

• Chiles

• Turnips (mostly Amber Globe variety)

• Sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem Artichokes). Recipe ideas are noted below. 

• Greens (arugula, southern giant, mizuna,and tender greens)

• 1/4 pound maximum combined tatsoi, spicy mix, spinach and Swiss chard

• 3 pound maximum sweet potatoes, purchased from Radix Farm (an organic farm down the street from us), and Lancaster Farm Fresh Coop (an organic farm in Pennsylvania) 

 

 

Recipe Ideas for Sunchokes

• Pan Roasted Sunchokes
• Roasted Sunchokes with Hazelnut Gremolata
• Sunchoke Soup with Pumpkin Seeds
• Sunchoke Kale Hash

 

On U-Pick this week:

If you want to come and u-pick, you can find a map of the fields and locations at the Wash Station when you arrive at the farm, denoting where to find the fields listed below. Here's what's on offer this week. 

Greens, daikon, celery, herbs (oregano, sorrel, parsley, onion chives, cilantro, stevia, lemongrass, anise hyssop, thyme, lemon balm, sage, garlic chives, mint), flowers (a few left)

Reminders:

• Beef for Sale: It's the time of the year when the farm is making some beef available for sale. If this is of interest to you, you can get all the details at http://clagettgrassfed.wordpress.com/. 

Enjoy this week's share, and let us know if you have any questions about your produce or how to use it! 

Have a great week,

-- Clay

 

This Week's Share: Lemongrass and Sunchockes Enter the Share

Happy Tuesday. Here are the details for Week 23 of the CSA:

• 2 1/4 pounds total peppers + eggplant + garlic 

• 1 pound lemongrass + greens, including spicy mix,arugula, southern giant, mezuna, tatsoi, and tender greens

• 1 1/4 pounds total turnips + sunchockes + Daikon radishes + chiles

Recipe Ideas

• Daikon Radish: Here are 10 ideas for how to use them! 
• Lemongrass: Make tea! 

 

On U-Pick this week:

If you want to come and u-pick, you can find a map of the fields and locations at the Wash Station when you arrive at the farm, denoting where to find the fields listed below. Here's what's on offer this week. 

• Greens. Almost all the greens are on the u-pick list. 

• Chiles (still lots). 

• Celery. It has improved in the cool weather. Come pick it! 

• Herbs: Basil, oregano, sorrel, parsley, onion chives, cilantro, stevia, lemongrass, anise, thyme, lemon balm, sage, garlic chives, mint, garlic chives. 

• As always, any flowers are always fair game.  There are a lot of nice flowers on the farm right now. 

 

Reminders:

• Beef for Sale: It's the time of the year when the farm is making some beef available for sale. If this is of interest to you, you can get all the details at http://clagettgrassfed.wordpress.com/. 

• Save the Date: Clagett Fall Picnic on Novenber 3! The Fall event at the farm will be Saturday, November 3. This year we'll be having a picnic (previous years have been a potluck) but the event will still feature hayrides and lots of fun activities. More on that coming later this month.  

• Mark your calendars! The last share dates of the season will be Tuesday November 6 and Saturday November 10. 

 

Enjoy this week's share, and let us know if you have any questions about your produce or how to use it! 

Have a great week,

-- Clay

This Week's Share Info Plus Fall Beef Sale

(This photo: CSA member Krossbow on Flickr)   

 

Happy (chilly) Tuesday! 

Here's are a few quick updates before we get to the share: 

• Beef for Sale: It's the time of the year when the farm is making some beef available for sale. If this is of interest to you, you can get all the details at http://clagettgrassfed.wordpress.com/. 

• Save the Date: Clagett Fall Picnic on Novenber 3! As we announced last week, we're scheduling our Fall event for Saturday, November 3. This year we'll be having a picnic (previous years have been a potluck) but the event will still feature hayrides and lots of fun activities. More on that coming later this month.  

• Mark your calendars! The last share dates of the season will be Tuesday November 6 and Saturday November 10. 

 

 And now here's what you'll find in Week 22 of the CSA:

• 1/2 pound total combination beans, carrots and okra

• 1 pounds total combination of greens, including kale, spicy mix,arugula, southern giant mustard, mezuna, tatsoi, tender greens, broccoli raab

• 2 1/2 pound total combination bok choy, cabbage, turnips, eggplant, peppers, chiles and loose cloves of garlic 

 

On U-Pick this week:

If you want to come and u-pick, you can find a map of the fields and locations at the Wash Station when you arrive at the farm, denoting where to find the fields listed below. Here's what's on offer this week. 

• LOTS of Greens! Almost all the greens except the kale are on the u-pick list. 
• Turnips and turnip greens!
• Update: Tomatoes -- still a bit available, though there are not many of them. Lots of green tomatoes. This is the last week for u-picking tomatoes -- we're going to turn over the fields next week. 
• Cherry tomatoes. 
• Chiles (lots). There are, in the words of Carrie, "a million bazillion chile peppers." Please pick them!
• Celery. It has improved in the cool weather. Come pick it! 
• Swiss Chard. It will improve as the weather cools. 
• Beans are now only in C2. 
• Okra -- there's lots of okra right now. Come and pick it! Especially on a Monday or a Friday -- we want you to pick it and enjoy it. 
• Herbs: Basil (in the high tunnel). Plus Oregano, sorrel, parsley, onion chives, cilantro, stevia, lemongrass, anise, thyme, lemon balm, sage, garlic chives, mint, garlic chives. 
• As always, any flowers are always fair game.  There are a lot of nice flowers on the farm right now. 

 

A preview of what's to come:

• Chinese cabbage is coming soon. Other cabbages will come in the following weeks. 
• Sweet potatoes will show up in October, too. Likely in two weeks. 
• Toward the end of October, we'll have sunchokes. 
• Carrots will leave the share next week, but return again before the end of teh season.

Enjoy this week's share, and let us know if you have any questions about your produce or how to use it! 

Have a great week,

-- Clay