|
|
Pennypack Pickings
|
September 3, 2012
Volume 10, Issue 25
|
|
Winter Shares
On Sale Now!
|
Enrollment is open to all: current members and those on the waitlist
First come first served
Only 110 shares are available
Last year they sold out
in 2 weeks
Shares begin after the
summer season ends
First pickup will be on November 14th and end May 22
Wednesday pickup days only
Cost: $440 for the season
|
Calling all Musicians
| Musical Acts Needed for Harvestfest
Saturday, October 6
Are you a musician who can
entertain an audience for
between 30 and 60 minutes? As in past years, we plan to have between four and six small musical acts for Harvestfest.
We are looking for variety of styles, especially kid friendly music. We prefer Pennypack members, and you will receive volunteer credit. We will also need non-member musicians, so please pass the message along.
If you're interested or
just have questions, please contact Dave Lazarus at
DaveLazarus@comcast.net
|
|
Harvest Festival
Saturday, October 6
|
Fresh from the Pod
by Farmer Jessica Gerani
Some of you may have been wondering how to prepare, dry and store the cannellini shelling beans you may have taken home in your CSA share. Beans are an excellent source of protein and are low in cholesterol and fat. They are also a good source of iron, magnesium, B vitamins and calcium. Try your shelled beans fresh, boiled, stir-fried or steamed. Perhaps you would rather dry and store them for later use.
Fresh cannellini bean salad is simple with parsley leaves, minced garlic, fresh lemon juice and good olive  oil. A delicious addition to a late summer cookout.
Steam shelled beans in a wire rack or basket for 10 to 15 minutes over boiling water. Try something new and steam then stir-fry over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes in coconut oil with fresh sage leaves. Chop and add swiss chard leaves, sweet potato greens or baby bok choy for a few more minutes on medium heat. What an easy way to enjoy your beans and greens.
There are various ways to dry fresh shell beans. Click here for the WikiHow link to learn more about drying shell beans.
Store them in glass jars out of the light in a cool, dry place. Once soaked or cooked, beans can keep for a week in the fridge.
A good rule of thumb for measuring dry beans:
1 pound dry = 2 cups, which becomes about 6 cups cooked.
For recipes that ask for a can of beans (15oz) use 1/2 cup dry, which equals a bit more than 1-1/2 cups cooked.
Did you know that it is said that the color of the bean indicates which organ it is beneficial to?
White: the lungs and colon
Green/Black: the liver
Red: the heart
Yellow: the spleen/pancreas
Shelling beans together is fun for the whole family. Enjoy! |
|
|
|
Notes from the Edible Classroom
Happy Labor Day!Like most folks, I've always associated Labor Day with going back to school, first as a child, then as a mom getting my kids ready for that inevitable, last day of summer vacation. I've been aware of the holiday my whole life, but what about my parents, and their parents. I realized I didn't know just how long we've been using the holiday to mark the seasons.According to the US Dept of Labor, the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, a holiday, championed by labor unions, to celebrate a "workingmen's holiday".The farm is closed on Labor Day, but my guess is one or two farmers will be there to make sure all is well with the crops. Farming is an every day labor. We had a good week in the EC. The plants are looking pretty  good, the mulch is keeping the soil moist and lots of weeds were added to the compost heap. Thanks to all who helped out. We have a cool new addition to the EC, a beautiful EC map made by one of the summer interns. Thanks to Annie for creating it - not only is it eye-catching, it's also proven to be a terrific teaching tool.The Asian Pears continue to be a big hit with kids and adults. We've harvested most of the fruit we can easily reach, we may have to use a ladder for the higher ups. If you haven't yet had one, please be sure to stop by next time you're at the farm. In addition to the pears, the figs are beginning to ripen and they are terrific! We don't have enough for everyone to have their own, but if you stop by, we'll look for a ripe one to cut and share.  The cole crops (kale, Brussel Sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, celeriac and kohlrabi) are coming along nicely. Presently, the kale, Brussel Sprouts and others have a rather pedestrian look about them, but come check out the purple kohlrabi - it looks a bit like a ufo! Check out this link to Farmgirl Fare for a kohlrabi blurb and a good-looking kohlrabi recipe.A few weeks ago I posted a photo of the dreaded Tobacco Hornworm. These nasty garden pests can strip a tomato plant of leaves and fruit in no time. Releasing predator wasps is an organic means of controlling the hornworms and our farmers  released several species of predator wasps earlier in the season. I was harvesting cherry tomatoes on Friday and found a parasitised hornworm. It's eerily amazing to see organic pest control in action. Keep an eye out in while harvesting, it's pretty cool what you can find.Please tell your kids I will miss seeing them running through the EC catching cabbage moths, drawing at the tables and helping out with the chores. Stop by for a visit and please remember to mark your calendar for Harvest Fest on October 6!!Diane
|
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
submitted by Nancy Rosenthal
from Gourmet, November 1999I love tomatillo salsa and just made a great roasted one today. The yummy roasted flavor comes through really well and compliments the sweet and tart flavor of the tomatillos. The roasting of the veggies also seems to thicken the salsa. I adjusted the recipe slightly and used jalapeños (4 of them) and half of a large red onion which I also roasted with everything else. We'll be serving it tomorrow as we bid farewell to summer.  Yield: Makes about 3 cups
Active Time: 15 min
Total Time: 15 min
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds fresh tomatillos
5 fresh serrano chiles
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons coarse salt
Preparation:
Preheat broiler.
Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse under warm water to remove stickiness. Broil chiles, garlic, and fresh tomatillos on rack of a broiler pan 1 to 2 inches from heat, turning once, until tomatillos are softened and slightly charred, about 7 minutes.
Peel garlic and pull off tops of chiles. Purée all ingredients in a blender.
Salsa can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered
|
Fall Calendar
 Little Seeds - Ages 3-4, 10:00am - 11:00am Little Sprouts - Ages 5-6, 11:30am - 12:30pm Children and their favorite grownup learn about vegetables and what makes the garden grow best. A themed story, craft and hands on activity in the garden make this an enjoyable afternoon outdoors. Siblings 2 and under are welcome to tag along free of charge. Register Here
9/4 Seed's Life
9/18 Worm Bin
10/9 Hens
10/23 Fall Garden Project
 "Wildman" Steve - Hunt for Shaggy Mane Mushrooms at Pennypack Ecological Trust Saturday, October 6, 1pm, $20/adult $10/child
On Saturday, October 6, America's go-to guy for foraging, "Wildman" Steve Brill will lead one of his world-famous foraging tours of the Pennypack Trust in Huntingdon Valley, PA, a walking tour sponsored by Pennypack Farm. Register here |
Hosted by the College Settlement of Philadelphia
|
|
|
