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July 24, 2014
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Volume 20, Issue 5
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A Note from the Production Manager Kate Ritger 
Hello Friends!
With the hot weather things are growing fast, and Monday was a fun (and steamy) day of harvesting all that had grown like mad over the weekend: 130 zucchini, eight five-gallon buckets of snap peas and about the same number of buckets of green and purple beans. And that was just Monday!
Russ Willenbring from Produce Acres will be at distribution again this week ... with RASPBERRIES! $5 per pint. Enjoy!
You'll also notice an assortment of greens this week. We're doing some thinning of the plants to give them more space to grow. Typically I don't give out baby kale or kohlrabi, but I invite you to "stride ahead" as Tamar Adler notes in An Everlasting Meal. This is one of our books for morning reflection at the garden. Adler is the most romantic food writer I've ever read, and yet gives practical and resourceful ideas for preparing vegetables. Read an excerpt from her book below, and see a recipe for garlicky leaf, stem and core pesto in the recipe section.
"Our desire to eat fresh vegetables has left us with an idea that vegetables are only good if they're cooked just before being eaten. But many of the best vegetable dishes are created over time. This is true of a lot of dishes, but particularly of ones made from vegetables, those unwieldy things that take more doing than anything else in the kitchen does before they're even close to done.
Here is what I do, and I think it works well: Each week I buy whole bunches of the leafiest, stemmiest vegetables I can find. Then I scrub off their dirt, trim off their leaves, cut off their stems, peel what needs peeling, and cook them all at once.
By the time I've finished, I've drawn a map of the week's meals and created the beginnings of a succession of them.
Then each day I pick up where I left off. On Monday night, I decide to neatly make a vinaigrette, plump a few raisins in warm vinegar, and have a roasted vegetable salad. Or I warm some vegetables up with sprig of thyme, a little broth, and a splash of cream and have a soup. On Tuesday, I choose to eat the salad as is, or turn what is left into a frittata, or I decide to eat soup and spend my time making little garlic-rubbed toasts to accompany it. On Wednesday, I add freshly chopped mint and vinegared onions to roasted beets, or perhaps press garlicky cooked kale into sandwiches, or toss the kale with a béchamel sauce and spread it in a buttered dish to make a warm, bubbling gratin.
This ensures my vegetables don't go bad--crisper drawers must be some of the most inaptly named things in history: I have never seen anything get crisper in one--it also means that I eat vegetables at most meals: turned into cooked ingredients, mine are as convenient as canned beans" (35-36)
 | | Kendra and Brittany harvesting summer squash |
Events
Garlic Harvest at Plum Creek Garlic
Join our friends at Plum Creek with their harvest this Saturday. The morning shift will start at 9 a.m., lunch (always AMAZING!) at 11:45, followed by an afternoon shift as well. The farm is located just south of St. Cloud off the I-94 St. Augusta exit. Contact Chris Kudrna for directions and details: (320) 202-1708 or ckudrna@charter.net
Monday Community Evenings
Monday evening work has shifted from weeding to picking green beans. If you've ever done this, you know it is slow and back-breaking work. The more hands the merrier, and you will definitely value your green beans more. If this doesn't sound appealing, there are still weeds to pull. Come out Monday from 5 - 7 p.m. All are welcome to volunteer (plenty of work for everyone!) or just spend an evening in the beauty of the garden: read a book, sketch, journal, paint, photograph or rest.
 | | A garden pet |
This Monday we welcomed close to 20 Brownies to the garden to work on their "bug" badge. It was a lovely sight to watch little girls run around with bug nets and magnifying glasses, yelling to their friends "check out the exoskeleton on that guy!" We have three more programs left--spread the word to Girl Scouts you know.
Call to register your troop for fun at the garden: 262-339-773. $5 per participant, free for chaperones. A minimum of seven participants are needed for a program. Time: 6 - 7:30 p.m.
- Monday, July 28, Junior Badge "Flowers"
- Monday, August 4, Brownie Badge "Painting"
- Monday, August 11, Junior Badge "Digital Photography" Girls need to bring their own digital camera.
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Produce
Snap peas, green/purple beans, zucchini, greens (baby kale, collards, and kohlrabi tops), scallions, and maybe cucumbers (just for full shares). Extras: Black Spanish radishes, sorrel, cilantro, basil and parsley
 | | Basil |
Note: Enjoy purple beans the same way you enjoy green beans. They will turn green when you cook them!
And what's up with these greens? See my note above, Tamar Adler's ideas and the pesto recipe.
Veggies on the Way:
More green/purple beans, zucchini, cucumbers, kohlrabi and Swiss chard
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Contact information
Ryan Kutter, Garden Director: 320-219-3389
Kate Ritger, Production Manager: 262-339-7737
Distribution takes place every Thursday afternoon, unless otherwise noted.
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4 - 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Garden. You really can't miss the barn at Saint Benedict's Monastery. Enter at the college entrance from Minnesota Street near 4th Avenue SW. Make a right at the stop sign and follow the gravel road out to the barn.
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5 - 6 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church in St. Cloud. For a link on Google maps, click here.
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If you are unable to pick up during the scheduled time, be in touch with Kate and we'll make other arrangements. Friday or the following Monday at the garden is another option--the barn is open both days from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. A friend or family member can also pick up for you.
Bring Your Own Bag Don't forget to bring your own bag to pick up your veggies. Canvas bags are great. We are also happy to receive your extra brown paper bags, plastic grocery bags, gallon ice cream pails and canvas bags. Compost Your Food Scraps Bring us your food scraps! If you don't have your own home composting system, add them to the monastery compost pile. No dairy or meat, please. The pile is located just south of the big yellow barn. |
St. Joseph's Farmers' Market
 
Find us on We've been posting photos and more about the garden. Would you like to learn more about other happenings at Saint Benedict's Monastery? Sign up for our e-newsletter, Monastery Musings, and find out more about the Sisters, special events and offerings that go on here year-round. Just send Sister Karen Rose your e-mail address at krose@csbsju.edu and we'll add you to our e-newsletter list! |
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Every week we will send several recipes that make use of the produce you are receiving in your bag. We also have a significant collection of recipes. Please send us your own recipes, too--either favorites from your cookbooks or your own concoctions.
Garlicky Leaf, Stem and Core Pesto
From An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler
Note:The first time my friend Kirstin shared this recipe with me I was skeptical, but it is delicious! I also appreciate the resourcefulness of turning what often might be considered vegetable "waste" into a fabulous meal.
4-5 cups of stems, leaves, and cores of cauliflower, broccoli, kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, cabbage, sliced or diced into ˝ inch pieces
3 garlic cloves
˝ cup olive oil
˝ tsp salt
Water
Put everything in a pot just big enough to hold it and add water to cover by half. Cook it at below a simmer until anything you prod with a wooden spoon is smashable. Keep just enough water in the pot to make sure the bottom's not burning, adding a little water as you need it. When everything is soft, puree it quickly in a blender or food processor (or immersion blender), or simply smash it with a wooden spoon until you get tired, leaving moments of appealing, irregular texture.
This is delicious dolloped on toast and grated with Parmesan or treated as a side dish and served with fish or meat. It can also be served with a cup of Parmesan cheese added and then mixed with hot pasta.
Note: I also think it's great on toast with a fried egg on top.
Zucchini Patties with Parmesan Sauce
From The Not-Strickly Vegetarian Cookbook by Lois Fishkin and Susan Di Marco
Note: I don't handle dairy well, so salsa sounds more appealing to me. Or how about guacamole? Or the following recipe for sorrel sauce.
Patties:
1 ˝ cups grated zucchini
˝ cup grated carrot
1 small finely diced onion (or 2 scallions)
1 garlic clove, pressed or diced
2 tbsp butter
˝ cup milk (dairy or alternative)
1 egg, beaten
8 tbsp flour (approximately)
A pinch of basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying
Sauce:
˝ stick butter
˝ cup milk
3 tbsp flour
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Prepare vegetables and sauté in 2 tbsp of butter for about 8-10 minutes. Set aside. Beat egg and milk together with basil, salt and pepper. Add to cooled vegetables. Add enough flour to allow you to press into a pattie. In a skillet, heat enough oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan - and fry the patties on both sides till golden. Keep warm in a low oven till sauce is prepared.
To make the sauce: melt ˝ stick of butter, add 3 tbsp flour and stir to make a roux. Add milk and stir well. Heat, but do not bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup cheese, simmer a few minutes, stirring constantly. Serve on top of patties.
Sorrel Sauce
From Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
Note: Try this sauce with the above zucchini patties, or potato pancakes, or as a salad dressing, or on roasted root vegetables, or hearty lentils, red meat or fish. While the recipe calls for 3 cups sorrel, you can try it with less to tone down the lemony punch
3 cups sorrel leaves
˝ cup Greek yogurt
1 garlic glove, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil (or other oil)
˝ tsp Dijon mustard
Salt
Put all of the ingredients in a food processor or a blender and blitz to a fine bright-green sauce. Taste and adjust the amount of salt. Keep in the fridge until needed.
Sesame Green Beans (with Shitake Mushrooms)
From The New Stir-Fry Cookbook
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sesame oil
5 scallions, sliced
1 lb. green beans
˝ lb. shitake mushrooms (or other mushrooms - optional)
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soy sauce (or Liquid Braggs)
1 tbsp sugar
Heat a wok or pan until very hot, add the sesame seeds and stir-fry over high heat until they are golden. Remove from the wok and set aside.
Reheat the wok, add the oils and swirl to coat the side. Add the scallions and beans and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and ginger and cook for 4 minutes.
Pour in the mirin, soy sauce and sugar, cover and cook for 2 minutes or until the beans are tender. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.
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Contact information
commonground@csbsju.edu
Ryan Kutter, Garden Director, cell: 320-219-3389
Kate Ritger, Production Manager, cell: 262-339-7737
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 Common Ground Garden is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, where members purchase a share of vegetables and each week during the farm season receive a bountiful box of fresh produce. We pride ourselves on producing fresh, clean, healthful food picked at the peak of flavor and nutrition. As much as we are able, we grow our vegetables without the use of any chemical herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers. We use cover crops, rotations, compost and ingenuity to produce your food in a way that's healthy for you and for the community. When necessary for pest control or to combat disease, we use only products approved for organic gardening. |
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Common Ground Garden is the ministry of the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict.
104 Chapel Lane
St. Joseph, Minnesota 56374
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