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July 23, 2015
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Volume 21, Issue 6
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Produce
Veggies this week:
Zucchini, green/yellow beans, snap/snow peas, kohlrabi for everyone; Joi choi and collards for half shares; Tendersweet cabbage, Dragon's Tongue beans and cucumbers for full shares.
Extras:
Lemon and Genovese basil, cilantro and sorrel
Veggies on the Way:
Baguette and two butter croissants
Meat:
It's a meat pick-up week. And Cheri Sauerer will be at the garden with additional meat for sale. .
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A Note from the Production Manager
Kate Ritger Hello friends!
We had a great time with Deb Botzek-Linn last week at garden distribution and she shared helpful information about canning, freezing, drying and pickling. I was glad for her quick reference blanching guide which lists the number of minutes vegetables should be blanched before freezing. For example, have more beans or peas than you can use right now? Beans should be blanched for three minutes and peas (entire pod) should be blanched for two to three minutes. We'll have copies of this guide at distribution. This is our first week harvesting herbs -- we'll have them as "extra" items on the side that you can help yourself to. As Tamar Adler writes in An Everlasting Meal about parsley, "once you have it, act as children do when handed hammers and suddenly everything needs pounding" (69). We aren't harvesting parsley this week, but the same advice can be given about all herbs -- put them on everything! "Fresh herbs have always been relied on to perk up whatever needs perking," Adler notes. One friend and subscriber played with sorrel a few years ago and came to the conclusion that it should be thought of like salt -- you don't need much and it enhances the flavor of anything you add it to. So if cooking with herbs is new to you, take a little bit home, chop them up finely and sprinkle on any meal to perk it up. Note: Later in the season, right before frost, we will give out entire basil plants to stock the freezer with pesto. Full shares will also receive the first cucumbers this week. We grow several varieties -- a slicer, a pickler and a seedless variety. Even though they have particular purposes, they can also be used interchangeably. Full shares will also find the first Dragon's Tongue beans in their share this week. These flashy heirlooms are very sweet, have flat pods and are delicious raw or cooked (just like the green and yellow beans). The purple streaks will disappear when cooked. The green and yellow beans are growing vigorously. Be in touch with Kate if you would like to pick additional beans for canning, pickling or freezing -- free for subscribers and Sisters, $3/lb for others. See you soon, Kate Eggs in Nest
Vitamin E
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
Vitamin E is a general term for eight different vitamins in the same group: four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. The most well-known of the eight is alpha-tocopherol. Because it's a fat soluble antioxidant, it provides excellent protection against cell damage. All cells are surrounded by a fat layer; when that layer becomes damaged cell function is compromised. Because of its strong role as an antioxidant, it can help prevent the damage that may be done by oxidized LDL that can lead to heart disease.
Nuts and seeds in general are great sources of vitamin E with sunflower seeds taking the lead! While we don't get sunflower seeds in our shares at Common Ground, we do get plenty of leafy greens -- the next greatest sources for vitamin E. Spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens and asparagus are all delicious vegetables that provide an excellent source of vitamin E. An interesting vitamin E tidbit: Eating plenty of vitamin C helps your body recycle vitamin E. This is a wonderful advantage because then it can help prevent free radical damage over and over!
Garlic Harvest!
Join our friends at Plum Creek Garlic for their harvest party this Saturday, July 25. Shifts are from 9 a.m.-12 noon and 1:30-4:30 p.m. with lunch in between made by their good friend Cyd. Plum Creek is just south of St. Cloud. RSVP to Chris Kudrna, ckudrna@charter.net or (320)-202-1708.
Monday Evening Volunteer Time
The weeds love the warm weather! Join us on Monday evenings for garden work, 5-7 p.m. All are welcome (any age or physical ability).
Girls in the Garden
The Girl Scouts had a great time on Monday exploring animal habitats in and around the garden. Tell your friends about our upcoming programs and call or email Kendra to register your troop: (320) 250-5668 or kmbutkowski@csbsju.edu $5 per participant, free for chaperones. A minimum of seven participants is needed for a program. 6-7:30 p.m.
Monday, July 27, Brownie Badge: "Snacks" Monday, August 3, Junior Badge: "Flowers"
Monday, August 10, Brownie Badge: "Painting"
Monday, August 18, Junior Badge: "Digital Photography." Girls need to bring their own digital camera |
Contact information
Kate Ritger, Production Manager: 262-339-7737
Distribution takes place every Thursday afternoon, unless otherwise noted.
- 4-6 p.m. at the Common Ground Garden. Enter at the college entrance from Minnesota Street near 3rd Ave NW. 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.
- If you are unable to pick up during the scheduled time, come to the garden on Friday or Monday -- the barn is open both days from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Follow the instructions in the barn for self-service. A friend or family member can also pick up for you. Call Kate if you need to make other arrangements.
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. Too Many Food Scraps! We are no longer accepting compost at the garden. Please encourage your home city or municipality to expand their composting to food scraps, or start your own home bin. |
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! |
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.
Note on storing salad greens: Try to keep as much air in your bags as possible. This will keep your greens fresher longer and prevent wilting.
Balsamic Roasted Green Beans
From The CSA Cookbook, Voyageur Press, 2015 (For sale at the garden!)
1 pound green beans (or yellow or Dragon's Tongue)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp olive oil ½ tsp kosher salt a few grinds of black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the beans with the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Spread the beans across the baking sheet with as little overlap as possible, and roast until tender and slightly shriveled, 12 to 15 minutes.
Collard Greens with Bacon Recipe
From the Common Ground Garden Web site recipe collection
Chef's tip: Don't overcook the bacon. It should be barely brown around the edges and still somewhat raw-looking in the middle.
4 strips thick-sliced bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces 1 small yellow onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper Several dashes hot sauce 1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar 2 lbs collard greens, stems removed, sliced into 3-inch-wide strips (can substitute kale or chard) 1 cup chicken broth (or water)* Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Cook the bacon in the skillet until it just begins to brown around the edges, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and cook until they have softened and are just starting to brown. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and hot sauce. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about a minute. Add the vinegar, bring to a simmer, and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by half, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the collard greens and the chicken broth (or water) and bring to a simmer. Reduce the temp to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the collard greens have wilted and have lost their brightness. Season to taste with additional vinegar and hot sauce. Serve with some of the pan juices from the pan. Stuffed Cabbage
From the Common Ground Garden Web site recipe collection Serves 12 Tomato Sauce (makes 3 cups) 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes, with juice 2 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup) 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/8 tsp red-pepper flakes Coarse salt Stuffed Cabbage Coarse salt 1 large head cabbage (2 to 3 pounds) 12 ounces ground chuck (90 percent lean) 12 ounces ground pork 2 cups cooked brown rice (from 1 cup dry) 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup) 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 Tbsp hot paprika Make the tomato sauce: Pulse tomatoes with juice in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender, about 6 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thick, about 20 minutes. Season with salt. Let cool completely. Make the stuffed cabbage: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cabbage head, and cook until outer leaves are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Peel outer layer of leaves and drain. Return remaining cabbage to water, and repeat until all leaves are cooked and removed. Pat each leaf dry with a kitchen towel. Select 12 large light-green leaves. Reserve remaining leaves for another use. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using 2 forks, gently stir together beef, pork, rice, onion, parsley, paprika, and 1 Tbsp salt. Working with 1 leaf at a time, trim thick part of rib with a paring knife, leaving leaf intact. Arrange about 1/2 cup filling (less for smaller leaves) in center of each leaf. Fold stem end of cabbage over filling. Fold in sides of cabbage. Carefully roll cabbage over to form a package, overlapping ends to seal. Transfer each, seam side down, to a large, shallow baking dish. Spread sauce over stuffed cabbage leaves. Cover with parchment-lined foil, and bake until cooked through and cabbage is tender, about 1 hour.
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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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