Tips on Storing & Using Vegetables from a Farmer's Wife~CSA Week 1

 There's a lot of vegetables at Farmer's Markets and growing in gardens this time of year! Come on over to the farmhouse and learn from a farmer's wife with 13 children how to store them, and use them frugally in creative ways!

                                                             CSA Week #1

Trucks full of crates of produce are rumbling down our drive as they head to the farmhouse. Here in the farmhouse we're preparing a special supper to

Spring Pizza

celebrate CSA season and fill hungry farmer boy's bellies. I'll share the recipe with lots of photos to step you through it later in the blog.

My front porch looked comical to the FEDEX boys

that delivered..... cases of sweet potato slips this afternoon. Only a small farm family would make do in the way we are with tables stacked upon table to create large shelves to place all the share boxes that will soon be filled with your produce. Share upon share to share with you!

Caleb & Shelby

Two new Farmer's Wives have joined me this year.

Allison & Adam

Adam married Allison in March, and Shelby married Caleb in April. It's been fun to listen to them talk about all they face at the markets!

I'm going to try and answer some questions they are asked, as they are just learning also along with you. I'm blessed to call them both daughters!

Many of the questions I answer I hear year after

year. The how-to of taking care of a regular supply of fresh vegetables straight from the farmer's field is probably the most oft' heard...It is really simple, but one you have to stay on top of. It's a different way of living for many folks have chosen in this fast paced world in which we live. I think it slows folks down, and the work draws the family together. 

Here are my tips to get you started, or refresh your mind after a year of "sterile" veggies packed in plastic containers.

Tip #1

My biggest tip would be to clean your vegetables when you get home your market or CSA pick-up. You will be more likely to use your vegetables if you have them ready to pull out of the refrigerator. 

I encourage everyone to run cool water into a clean sink as soon as you get home. As  you unpack your lettuce and other greens simply cut off the stem and drop the leaves into the water. Then go unpack the rest of your groceries or go about your other chores that need to be done.

When you are settled in, go back to the sink and you'll be amazed! The lettuce has crisped up and is ready to spin or lay out on towels on your counter. (A salad spinner is a great purchase and will pay for itself many times over during the season!) 

If you have lots of little ones that are eager helpers as I do, make it a family affair...part of the market experience. Little ones love to swirl greens in a clean sink of cool water, and my boys have been my salad spinner operators for YEARS. 

I snip off the greens from beets, radish, and turnips  about one inch above the bulbs and drop their greens into the water that is still in my sink. Most folks throw out radish, broccoli, cauliflower and other greens that come with their vegetables. Be frugal and mix them with other braising greens such as mustard, kale, turnip and Swiss Chard in a stir fry or simple saute. In fact, when I steam broccoli, it's unusual for there NOT to be greens mixed in.

I store my root crops and other vegetables during the season in a Rubbermaid wash pan like this. It's nice and deep and since root crops last awhile in storage I can let my supply build up without it flowing over to the shelf. It sits next to the greens container, and makes for a pretty frig since it matches...sorry, but that's important to me. I like orderliness. I also can put squash (coming real soon!) cucumbers, carrots, and other vegetables in this tub throughout the season. During the winter it moves to the pantry and is used for storing potatoes, or other storage crops.

 By having everything stored clean and ready for use, I am more likely to use them when pulling a quick meal together.Take time to get it all manageable now so you can enjoy the season.

Tip #2
It's time to get the refrigerator cleaned out! You will need a shelf and a drawer devoted to storing your weekly supply of vegetables. All those leftovers that migrated to the back of the frig must now be dumped. (It happens to everyone!) If you haven't used those condiments for a while...you won't. So dump them too. It's time to get the refrigerator monster under control before the season moves on! I try and do a quick sweep through the refrigerator each week when I add new vegetables so older treasures don't lurk and grow mold. Make this clean up part of your new routine.

Tip #3

Think through how you will store your vegetables in the frig. Several years ago I found rectangle Rubbermaid containers that fit perfectly from front to back in my refrigerator. This is a link for those who will be storing lots of lettuce or other greens this season. While I was searching for that container on Amazon (I do not get paid for any sales to any site.) I found a neat size for smaller families. It's half the size and stackable!  I think you can put two in the space of my biggie! Here is a link to that size that may work for you. I use two of the larger sized containers constantly throughout the season for lettuce and other greens that make their way into my kitchen.

Tip #4

Subscribe to this blog for fresh ideas, tasty farm-to-table recipes, and farm news. You'll see to the right a place to subscribe by email. DO IT NOW! It's a great way to get to know your farmers, educate yourself, and hold yourself accountable to a new way of eating.

Tip #5

Think "outside the box" in how you use your vegetables. I've come a long way from the simple country cooking...and have a long way to go in "breaking some of the cooking rules" I grew up with. Nowadays there is much more freedom to experiment with flavors. Enjoy the traditional recipes while having fun also with some new ideas you may have. 

While I've been working on the blog this morning I've been answering calls from several shareholders that have questions...I thought I'd answer them in the blog also, for I've learned that if one person takes the time to call there are several who are wondering that don't call.

What are all these vegetables and how do I use them?!?
For many families there will be a few vegetables in their share they don't know their names, let alone how to cook them. That's understandable! No worry...Join us on FB, subscribe to this blog, or find the forum on our website called, "What's in the Box?" where a shareholder posts what's in his share each week. I don't mind an occasional call, it helps me stay in touch with our shareholders needs.

How do I keep my lettuce fresh? Everyone has a different idea and now I have a whole bunch to deal with and I don't want to be wasteful.
You're right! There are numerous ways to care for your lettuce, so I'll just share mine. If you've read the rest of the blog you'll see I soak the leaves in cool water until they crisp up. Then I use a salad spinner to dry them. (Laying them on a large clean towel with let them dry also.) Then I pack them whole into the rectangle Rubbermaid tubs I described before. Lettuce keeps in these for more than a week! Rotate your stock if needed, but try to use it up as we'll try to keep it in your share weekly. 

I like to include lettuce into 2 meals each day. Two "outside of the box" ideas I use are: 1. Serve poached eggs on a salad and top with crumbled sausage or bacon. The lightly poached egg yolk becomes the dressing for the salad and it's a winner in my book! 2. I like to make lettuce wraps for lunch instead of eating traditional sandwiches. I simply lay a large outer lettuce leaf flat on my plate. Lay leftover meat/sandwich meat down the middle of the leaf. Next I'll chop other vegetables fine like onion, asparagus, summer squash, or cucumbers and sprinkle a small amount over the meat. Add a small amount of plain Greek yogurt over the vegetables, then salt & pepper to taste. Lastly fold one side of the leaf over the mixture and roll. Yummm! 

We don't like (fill in the blank) in our share.

What do I do?
We want happy shareholders! If you've really tried the vegetable out...used them in different ways that I've described then just tell the person you're getting your share from that you don't care for whatever the vegetable is. We'll try and substitute from the table within reason. We want you to be tickled to be part of our farm!

I won't be at the market to get my share next week. What should I do?
There are several solutions to this question. First you could find a friend to bless and have them pick it up and use it. We've gained several shareholders by this kind of "advertising". Another solution is to tell the person you are picking your share up from a week ahead of time that you'd like to donate next week's share to the food bank or needy family. Lastly you could go online and redirect your share to another market that is convenient to pick it up from later in the week. 

I'm finding I have more vegetables than I can

use in one week.
We are growing "your garden for you". This is a common problem in gardening also! Find a friend to share with, rethink how you use your vegetables and include them in breakfast also, or freeze your leftovers for a great supply of healthy veggies during the winter. 

I know this has been long, and I usually am a bit long winded...but there's a lot going on around here as the season gears up further with the addition of shares.  If you can hang in there with me for a few more minutes I'd like to share a couple of recipes for this week's vegetables and then tell about our last month in pictures. We'll get back to a "normal" blog next week!

There seems to be a few unfamiliar vegetables in this week's share that some are unfamiliar with...here are the top 4 I've had calls about:

 Bok Choy

It looks like we'll be having stir fry this week! Do a word search on this blog for directions I've given in the past for it.

If you don't like stir fry simply saute it with your other greens, use the leaves to make wraps, or make a filling similar to stuffed cabbage and make an Asian version...that's a new idea I think I'll try this week! Experiment and have fun!

 Red Russian Kale

Red Russian on the left

One woman this morning wanted to know what the purple and green leafed thing in her share was...well, it's kale. This is my favorite variety for making kale chips, and quick sautes since it has less body and texture. Use just like the frilly kale you'll receive latter. We steam it, roast for a kale chip, drop it in soups, and much more!



 Swiss Chard

This is my favorite of spring greens! I love to saute it simply with the green garlic, onions, and even mushrooms that we also sell on table. You can't go wrong! 

Use Swiss Chard in any recipe calling for spinach and you'll make a winner meal. Also, this is a mild green that is a fantastic green for green smoothies. I really can't say enough about this vegetable...mix it with other greens for steaming, and include the stems. There is very little waste.

 Hakurei Turnips 

Unlike the traditional turnips with a distinctive taste, Hakurei is VERY versatile. We've found that these are our favorites...raw, steamed, mashed like potatoes, roasted, whatever way a potato can be used, even in chowders! 

This week try using these tiny ones simply scrubbed clean with a green scrubbie like these we use. This saves time and leaves the outer skin where are the vitamins are for best eating.

If there's not enough for your meal, or you forget to use them during the week, no worry! These tiny treats will keep for weeks in the frig.

Here's what I fed the hungry crew for supper last night. We were craving pizza, but the refrigerator was busting with greens....sooo....

Spring Pizza

1 bunch greens (I used Swiss Chard)

1 bulb Green Garlic, sliced and chopped

1 medium Onion, chopped

1/4 lb. Oyster Mushrooms, chopped (optional)

2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Leftover meats such as ham, bacon, or other leftovers

1/2 to 3/4 C. all purpose flour

2 C. plus/minus milk

1/4 C. Shaker Parmesan Cheese

1/2 C. Ranch Salad Dressing or 2 T. mix

Pizza Crust/Flat Bread

1 lb. Grated Mozzarella

Stack washed greens onto a cutting board with the largest on the bottom.

Roll the leaves up and chop across the leaf roll, including stems. Next make several cuts lengthwise to break up the chard ribbons.

Slice the end off your green garlic bulb...

Chop the bulb and stem clean up till it starts to look a bit dry.

Optional: Chop mushrooms 

Chop ham or other meat you have as leftovers.

I like to use a wok to stir fry in, but using a large frying pan will do also. Add all your ingredients except your greens. When your ham "caramelizes" and your onions are translucent, add your greens, stirring until lightly limp.

Next, make the sauce:

1/4 C. Butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 to 3/4 C. Flour

Melt butter, then stir in the flour.  Slowly add about 2 cups milk and stir, adding more/less if needed.

Add:

1/4 C. Shaker Parmesan Cheese
1/2 C. plus Ranch Dressing or mix

Stir until thick.

Top pizza with sauce, then distribute the stir fry mixture over the sauce.

Top with grated Mozzarella Cheese.



 Bake at 450 degrees until cheese is melted and slightly golden. Let set to cool at least 5 minutes before slicing. ENJOY!

We have about 30 ducks on the farm that graze and swim to their heart's content...3 are sitting on nests of eggs! It'll be fun to have little ones soon. 

Best buddies, Farmer Levi and nephew Samuel said Good-bye. Hope and Bryan have moved from the farm to a mission church in South Dakota until a new pastor can be found for the church.

 We gather and lightly hand wash 180 plus eggs a day. We sell them at each of our markets.

A close up picture of the chicken we brought to Children's day at the Oak Ridge Farmer's Market. 

Strawberry season is now past...Aren't they pretty?

 Farmer Luke (12) found a large snapping turtle in the fields while planting onions. It sure did scare me as they demonstrated how it jumps, hisses and snaps!

 Farmer Noah (16) plants onions...LOTS of onions!

Asparagus season is winding down too.

 Charity loves nature and often has insects or toads for "friends".

Here is one of her "toad families".

 Memorial Day is also birthday season for our family. We celebrated with an extended lunch break at the farm. 

 Noah is actually starting to learn to smile for a camera! He's our quiet one and serves at Market Square. This is where he ate his Memorial Day picnic.

Our birthday "boys"!

Farmer Caleb (23)

Farmer Issac (21)

The girls and I took a nature hike to our waterfall last weekend with a picnic.

We drew and wrote in our nature journals as we overlooked the waterfall from the bluff.

Wild Rose

We drew all kinds of flowers we found as we walked. #specialtimes #ticksaplenty#God'sbeauty

We continue to plant all season. I think this is the winter squash that will soon go out into the fields.

There is plenty of field work to do! Here the guys are weeding row upon row of baby carrots

We're pleased to announce that God has brought another of our son's his helpmeet! You've seen her picture on here for a year or more, but now it's official! Destany Brock is the future wife to Isaac Stephen! 

We celebrated with a private family luncheon here at the farmhouse...how special it was!

 We decorated with heirloom china, antique ruby glass, and tea cups with silk flowers spilling out of them to dangle above the table. It was fun to have a girly celebration amongst the busy farm days.

 

                                   We said goodbye to Hope and her little family. Here our second grandson, Josiah is giving Grandpa one of his last hugs. They are now missionaries to the mid-west. Bryan is pastoring a mission church that was about to close their doors.  Please pray for them!

After 16 years of not having an engagement ring, my boys and husband bought me an identical one! We had a much bigger audience when he popped the big question this time as the family and extended family were present!  I'm a blessed farmer's wife...

 Our tomatoes are doing GREAT this season, and Lord willing we'll all be enjoying them the first part of July!

I'll end this blog with a picture of the first pickings of yellow squash. Can full blown summer be far away?

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

                                 Joshua 24: 15

From all our busy farming family to yours,

Abundant Blessings,

Val, 

The Farmer's Wife