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September 18, 2014
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Volume 20, Issue 13
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A Note from the Production Manager
Kate Ritger Hello friends, We had our first light frost on Friday night. Oh, Minnesota, so soon? We covered the basil, cilantro, Swiss chard and pac choi. The eggplants, melon and squash vines are damaged, but I'm still hopeful that the crops aren't negatively impacted. The tomatoes were also damaged, but they were just about finished up already. Meat: Cheri Sauerer will be delivering the meat shares this week, and will have other cuts available for sale. October 16 will be the last meat delivery and an opportunity to stock your freezer for the winter. Eggs: Next Thursday, September 25, is the end of the eggs subscription. You will remember that we changed that season from 18 weeks (our garden subscription) to 15 weeks because the chickens lay fewer eggs as there are fewer hours of day light. Tim Kuebelbeck, our egg farmer, will still have eggs but not the full quantity he's had all season. He is going to come to distribution time on Thursdays through the rest of the season to sell them on a first-come, first-serve basis. $1.75 for a half dozen and $3.50 for a full dozen (this is in line with the egg subscription price).
Join the Central Minnesota Sustainability Project and the African Women's Alliance at the St. Cloud Public Library in the Mississippi Room on September 20, where we will welcome guest speaker JoDee Christianson for an informational event, teaching you how to eat healthy year-round.
October 22: This year's Central Minnesota Sustainability Project "Harvest Moon" Dinner will be a lively and music-filled event featuring two different local folk bands, raffles, a delicious meal prepared by the wonderful chefs of Nick's Third Floor, plenty of local beer and wine to satisfy and, afterwards, we will be clearing the tables to make room for some fun-loving jiving to live music. Here are a few more photos from the Girl Scouts!
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Raimee, Albany, age 10
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Raimee, Albany, age 10 (Photoshop filter added)
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"Herb" or "Erb"? By Kari Sholing, RDN, who is a subscriber and our garden registered dietician. She will be contributing regular articles to the newsletter and is happy to answer specific questions. Contact her at: karijean999@gmail.com Depends on where you live. In the US, we pronounce it "erb"; in Great Britian they pronounce it "herb". In either case, herbs are a great resource for transforming ordinary meals into extraordinary meals. Using herbs, either dried or fresh, can help us add a wide variety of flavors to foods so to cut back on salt, fat and sugar. Additionally, herbs have antioxidants that help prevent chronic disease. When substituting fresh herbs for dried herbs in a recipe, triple the amount listed. Prepare your herbs for cooking by mincing them into tiny pieces unless otherwise directed. The leaves of the herb plant are used most often, especially with herbs that have tougher stems. If you are using dried herbs, add them to the recipe early on in the cooking process to bring out more of their flavors. Fresh herbs, on the other hand, should be added toward the end of the cooking process as much as possible. Herbs can be added at any time when making cold foods.
Monday Community Evenings
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.
St. Joseph Farmer's Market Harvest Festival!
Friday, Septeber 19, 3-7 p.m., Resurrection Lutheran Church. Stop by our stand and say "hello." Enjoy the live music, watch a pottery throwing demo, get your face painted (children and adults!), eat a brat and enjoy the petting zoo.
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Produce
Veggies this week:
Watermelon/cantaloupe (half shares who didn't receive one last will receive, and maybe full shares as well), tomatoes (the end!), zucchini (just full shares), pac choi/braising mix/cabbage (for half shares), potatoes, carrots, beets, green beans and Krimzon Lee/Jimmy Nardello specialty peppers.
Note: Green beans? Yes, it's a green bean revival. I was happy to stop picking green beans after seven weeks of harvest, but it seems like with the mild weather the plants weren't ready to be done. They flowered yet again, and with fewer hours demanded by the tomatoes we can pick green beans!
What's braising mix? I've been inspired by some garden friends--braising mix is like our spicy salad mix from earlier in the season, but a little more mature and intended for cooking (braising). So while the bag will look like salad, cook it--it will be a little spicy.
Extras: parsley, dill, cilantro, basil (more entire plants--time to make pesto!), hot peppers and Black Radishes.
Veggies on the Way:
We're taking a week off the onion family, but there are a lot more onions, scallions and leeks on the way. The winter squash is also just about ready to harvest. And get ready for parsnips!
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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.
All of this week's recipes come from our Web site. Check out the treasures and eat well!
Beet Burgers
Note: This is one of my favorite ways to cook beets. While it says "burgers" I think it is more like a patty, and I love to eat these on a fried egg sandwich. It is also reason #509 to have a food processor with a shredding disc. Make a double batch--they freeze well.
4 cups grated beets 1 cup chopped onion
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp soy sauce (Braggs)
1 cup cheddar cheese (I used about 3/4 cup nutritional yeast)
3 tbsp flour
1/4 cup oil (I used sunflower oil)
Mix all ingredients well in a large bowl--with hands works well. Form into patties and place on lightly oiled baking sheets (I didn't oil but used parchment paper). Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes (I had them in for about 25 and that was plenty!). Flip the patties at some point. Cooked patties should be brown and firm. Yields about 12 patties.
Spicy Carrot, Lentil and Peanut Salad
Note: You know a good recipe when everyone at a potluck loves it! This was the case with this recipe at a coworker Christmas gathering--Enjoy!
1 cup green or red lentils
1 cup low sodium chicken or veggie stock
1 cup water
4 medium carrots
2 medium zucchini
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
a few drops of sesame oil
1 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp chili powder
juice of 1 lime wedge
¾ cups peanuts
Rinse the lentils, then cook in broth and water until tender. While lentils are cooking, coarsely chop carrots and zucchini and set aside. Mix dressing in a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive and sesame oils, soy sauce, chili powder and lime juice. When lentils are cooked, combine all ingredients, including peanuts, stirring well to mix.
Daikon Patties
Note: Haven't used your Daikon from last week? The Koosmanns are particularly fond of this recipe--it's good with carrots.
1-1/2 cups grated daikon radish
2 teaspoons salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup
Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon
paprika
1/2 teaspoon
chile-garlic sauce (such as Sriracha®)
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Place the daikon in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain Daikon. Stir in the garlic, onion, egg, bread crumbs, pepper, paprika and chili garlic sauce. Mix well. Form into eight, small round patties. Pour oil into a large skillet. Heat over medium heat. Fry patties in the hot oil until firm and nicely brown, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
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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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