|
Hello CSAers!
Whew another month just passed us by, I know, I know you can thank me later for reminding you. So, I have some news for all of you, our CSA members, after a little over 5 years I am stepping down as the Director of the CSA program.
I will continue working a little each week helping with the CSA which includes writing the weekly newsletters while things are transitioned. The end of this season would have marked 5 1/2 years with the farm, 5 of those with the CSA and of those, 4 have been in the Directors seat. It has been a fun and crazy ride, and amazing to see the CSA grow and develop as it has, and I hope to see more members of CSAs everywhere throughout Colorado! Some of you have been members from the start in 2007, and I thank you for all of your support through hail storms, bugs, weeds, and some failed plantings, as well as amazing harvests of month's worth of organic veggies grown right here in Colorado. I may be stepping down, but I will still be around for a little while, you have not gotten rid of me yet.
So here is the scoop on fruit this week. The peaches have just started to begin, so it was a bit of a scavenger hunt for enough this week as the peaches gain some steam. They received a bunch of rain last week that was delaying the harvests. Andy actually drove over to the western slope to help pick and pack so that we could have enough for the fruit shares this week. This week you are getting peaches from Ellen Wilson at Palisade Peach Company, Brian Cox at Black Bear, and Brent Harrison at Kokopeli. Due to the rain you may find an earwig or two within some of your peaches, don't be alarmed for they typically will only take off one finger and stop there, and usually the pinky. The pinky although important in rounding out the hand is not as important as the thumb, which has been the linchpin in our development within the animal kingdom. But in all seriousness, they do look menacing but they are harmless. With that being said the peach crop is very strong this year as well as pears and apples, so we are looking forward to a good season on fruit despite the difficult start.
This weeks shares may look something like this:
Single Share: Lettuce, kale, cabbage, garlic, broccoli, beets, summer squash.
Couple Share: Chard, green onions, lettuce, kale, cabbage, garlic, broccoli, beets, summer squash.
Family Share: Chard, cilantro, parsley, green onions, lettuce, kale, cabbage, garlic, broccoli, beets, summer squash.
Single Fruit Share: 1 bag of peaches.
Double Fruit Share: 2 bags of peaches.
Bread Share: Multi-grain seed bread.
Mouco Cheese Share (one round per share): Truffello
Haystack Goat Cheese Share (one log per share): Applewood smoked
Windsor Dairy Cheese (one block per share): McIntyre Jack
Mushroom Shares: Either oyster or shitake
Contents of the box may vary depending on weather, timing of the harvest and the whim of the farmer!
|
|
|
Beets 
Both beet root and beet greens are very powerful cleansers and builders of the blood. Betacyanin is the phytochemical in beet that gives it its rich 'amethyst' color that significantly reduces homocysteine levels.
Nutritional Benefits
Beets are loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and C. The greens have a higher content of iron compared to spinach. They are also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, sodium and iron. While the sweet beet root has some of the minerals in its greens to a lesser degree, it is also a remarkable source of choline, folic acid, iodine, manganese, organic sodium, potassium, fiber and carbohydrates in the form of natural digestible sugars. Its iron content, though not high, is of the highest and finest quality that makes excellent food that is blood building. This renders it highly effective in treating many ailments caused by our toxic environment and surrounding.
Health Benefits
Beets have long been known for its amazing health benefits for almost every part of the body. And yet, it is something that very few people take, much less its juice. Start adding beets to your juicing diet to enjoy all its heavenly goodness:
Acidosis: Its alkalinity is essential and effective in combating acidosis.
Anemia: The high content of iron in beets regenerates and reactivates the red blood cells and supplies fresh oxygen to the body. The copper content in beets help make the iron more available to the body. A great blood builder.
Atherosclerosis: This wonderful crimson juice is a powerful solvent for inorganic calcium deposits that cause the arteries to harden.
Blood pressure: All its healing and medicinal values effectively normalizes blood pressure, lowering high blood pressure or elevating low blood pressure.
Cancer: Betaine, an amino acid in beet root, has significant anti-cancer properties. Studies show that beets juice inhibits formation of cancer-causing compounds and is protective against colon or stomach cancer.
Constipation: The cellulose content helps to ease bowel movements. Drinking beets juice regularly will help relieve chronic constipation.
Dandruff: Mix a little vinegar to a small cup of beets juice. Massage it into the scalp with your fingertips and leave on for about an hour, then rinse. Do this daily till dandruff clears up. Warning: you will smell awful during this hour!
Detoxification: The choline from this wonderful juice detoxifies not only the liver, but also the entire system of excessive alcohol abuse, provided consumption is ceased.
Gastric ulcer: Mix honey with your beets juice and drink two or three times a week on an empty stomach (more frequently if your body is familiar with beets juice). It helps speed up the healing process.
Gall bladder and kidney ailments: Coupled with carrot juice, the superb cleansing virtues are exceptional for curing ailments relating to these two organs.
Gout: Another ailment that can be greatly helped by the cleansing that beets have to offer.
Liver or bile: The cleansing virtues in beets juice is very healing for liver toxicity or bile ailments, like jaundice, hepatitis, food poisoning, diarrhea or vomiting. A squeeze of lime with beets juice heightens the efficacy in treating these ailments.
Varicose veins: In similar ways that it helps to keep the elasticity of arteries, regular consumption of beets juice also helps prevent varicose veins.
Consumption Tips
With the greens attached, beets can keep for only three to four days in the fridge as the root has to supply moisture to the leaves. Without the greens attached, beet root can keep for a couple of weeks.
Beets with round bottoms are sweeter than flat-bottomed ones. Eat beets fresh to enjoy its flavor better. Do not overheat beets when cooking as heat destroys all the essential nutrients. Remove the skin before cooking.
Caution
Individuals with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones should limit their consumption of beets. As beetroot juice is very potent, do not consume too much, especially if your body is not yet accustomed to it. For a beginner, start with the juice of half a medium-sized beetroot once a week, slowly increasing to one whole beetroot a week. This delicious juice is so potent that it may cause some dizziness during cleansing as toxins are being eliminated. This process may cause some discomfort but there is nothing to be alarmed about. During this time, drink plenty water also to flush out the toxic materials.The beets belong to the same family as chard and spinach. Beet leaves have a bitter taste like chard, but is rich in chlorophyll. Although bitter, the greens have a higher nutritional value than its roots. |
|
Kale Smoothies  I know, I know, the last thing some of you would ever want to do would be to drink kale, but you need to give this a chance before you move on. This is a suggestion by one of our past CSA members. She said:
Generally we follow the rule of 40% greens, 60% fresh fruit and can use that as a guide to experiment with any combination. One of my personal favorites makes enough for 2 or 3 people and calls for: 3 leaves kale or 1 1/2 Swiss chard (cut from stems), two peaches (cut into chunks), 1 banana, and 8-16 oz. water blended until smooth. This blends into a beautiful light green smoothie, which can be tempered with a teaspoon of agave nectar for veggie wusses and/or with flax seed and protein powder for a more complete snack. Even my 4-year-old daughter loves these!
|
|
Secret Chocolate Cake  Delicious plain, frosted, or served with applesauce. They'll never know the secret ingredient unless you tell (beets).
2 cups beets (cooked, peeled and chopped) 1/2 cup applesauce
Puree in blender until smooth. Set aside
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 eggs
Combine in a large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer 2 minutes.
1/2 cup baking cocoa (sifted)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Add along with pureed beets; beat another 90 seconds
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Gradually sift into the batter, mixing it in with a spoon, but stirring only until blended.
1/2 cup chocolate chips and/or nuts
Stir in. Pour into greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 until knife inserted in center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes. To bake in a bundt pan, pour half of batter into greased pan, sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top, then add remaining batter.
Variation: Substitute 2-3 cups shredded raw zucchini or summer squash for the cooked, pureed beets. Use ground cinnamon and add 1/2 teaspoons allspice.
~Compliments of "Simply in Season" |
|
|
In Veggies We Trust,
Your CSA Team!
"Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."
-Piglet |
|
|
|
|
|
Storing Peaches
When it comes to peaches you don't want to refrigerate them!!! The ideal temperature to ripen peaches is 50-60 degrees. The "kill zone" for peaches is between 36-50 (if stored at this temperature range, your peaches will become pithy and lose flavor). |
|
Creamy Zucchini Soup
1 1/2 cup beef stock
2 cup water (boiling)
3 cup zucchini (peeled and sliced)
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder to taste
Seasoning without salt
3 cup skim milk
Chives or parsley (chopped)
Cook all ingredients, except milk and garnish, until zucchini is tender. Strain soup, reserving the liquid.
Puree the zucchini mixture in a blender or put it through a food mill. Return to reserved liquid.
Add milk and stir until smooth. Heat, but do not boil. Garnish with chives or parsley before serving. |
|
Beet and Cabbage Salad
2 beets (boiled and cooled)
1/2 head of cabbage
1 tsp dried summer savory
olive oil
white wine vinegar
flaky salt
Quarter the beets, then slice them. Quarter the cabbage, then slice it finely. Combine the two in a bowl with the summer savory. Pour in 2 parts of olive oil to 1 part vinegar, sprinkle in a judicious amount of salt. Toss and taste, adjusting the savory, salt and vinegar as you go.
~Compliments of the wednesdaychef.com
|
|
Roasted Beet, Peach and Goat Cheese Salad
 2 beets (scrubbed) *1 bunch mache (rinsed and dried) *1 bunch arugula (rinsed and dried) 2 fresh peaches (peeled, pitted and sliced) 2 shallots (chopped) 1/4 cup pistachio nuts (chopped) 1 (4 ounce) package goat cheese (crumbled) 1/4 cup walnut oil 2 tbs balsamic vinegar salt and pepper to taste *you can substitue other leaf lettuce from your shares Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Wrap each beet in two layers of aluminum foil, and place onto a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the beets are tender, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Allow the beets to cool slightly, then remove the skins. Let the beets cool to room temperature, or refrigerate until cold. Once cooled, thinly slice the beets. Place the mache and arugula into a large mixing bowl. Add the sliced beets and peaches; sprinkle with the shallots, pistachios, and goat cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk together the walnut oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper until emulsified, and pour over the salad mixture. Toss well, and serve. |
|
