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August 13, 2015
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Volume 21, Issue 9
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Produce
Veggies this week:
Zucchini, cucumbers, potatoes, scallions, tomatoes and Black Spanish Radishes for everyone; plus kohlrabi for full shares.
Veggies on the way:
So many more carrots, the melons will be ready soon and corn from Produce Acres.
Extras:
Surplus cucumbers, cilantro, sweet and lemon basil, parsley, dill and coriander seed.
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A Note from the Production Manager
Kate Ritger
Hello friends!
Again, please remember to bring a bag or box to distribution -- our supply is running low. Also, we encourage you to give us your brown and plastic grocery bags -- we'll reuse them. And Tim, our egg farmer, can happily reuse the egg cartons -- the half dozen plastic kind and cardboard.
This is week 9 of harvesting, the mid-point of the season. As many of you feel the push and pull of the approaching end of summer and new school year, we also feel the transitions. Many of the student gardeners will return to classes and other jobs. I'll train a new crew, and we look forward to harvesting heavy pounds of melons, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, beets, onions, winter squash and fall greens.
Our friend Katie Ballantine has never-been-sprayed Goodland apples for sale (you might know of her through the Minnesota Street Market -- she grows orchids and does the annual fairy garden event). Often orchards attract pests because fruit falls to the ground and attracts bugs and worms. Katie diligently collects fallen apples and in turn has beautiful, spray-free fruit. We'll have samples at distribution this week. Goodlands are an excellent eating apple; they make delicious and aromatic sauce and will store well in your fridge. We'll take orders this Thursday and they will be delivered Thursday, August 20. Six pound bags for $15 (that's $2.50/lb).
Are you new to Black Spanish Radishes? Black and rough skinned and solid white on the inside -- spicy and delicious. If you don't like spicy foods, slice them very thinly and make "chips," cube them and roast with other veggies, or shred and make into pancakes like potatoes. And in case you aren't already well acquainted with scallions -- they are green onions and it is intended that you eat the entire thing. We'll leave the roots on to keep them as fresh as possible. Chop off the roots and enjoy the onion all the way to the tip of the green.
We would like to introduce you to the wonder of heirloom tomatoes! We grow about 12 different types of tomatoes in various colors, shapes and sizes: red, pink, orange, purple, green and yellow striped, etc. Some are long, Roma types that are dry and great for sauce, others are meaty and perfect for a sandwich and others are delicious for simply popping in your mouth whole. We'll give you an assortment and encourage you to enjoy the spectrum of wonderful tomatoes."
Enjoy! Kate
Vitamin K 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.
Koagulation is the German term for blood clotting from which Vitamin K is named. Blood clotting is the most notable function of Vitamin K and the one people think of most readily. But it does a few other things as well such as supporting bone health, improving insulin resistance, and offering protection of the blood cells that line the blood vessels. It's the last of our four fat soluble vitamins: A, D, E and K.
There are currently three known types of Vitamin K: K1, K2, and K3. Original, huh? K1 is found in many plant foods which makes sense since K1 is needed for photosynthesis. There are so many vegetables rich in K1, there isn't space enough to list them all. If you're eating your veggies from Common Ground, you have nothing to worry about! K2 is also called preformed Vitamin K and is made in our bodies from K1 and K3 with the help of some of that good bacteria. That is probably why K2 is mostly only found in fermented foods. Little is known about K3 but stay tuned -- maybe by this time next year we'll have some new research to report!
Minnesota Garlic Festival This Saturday, August 15 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, Minn. Great food, activities for all ages, and wonderful Minnesota garlic growers, including our friends at Plum Creek Garlic. Check it out!
Monday Evening Volunteer Time
Stretch your muscles in the garden. Monday evenings from 5-7 p.m. All are welcome (any age or physical ability).
Girls in the Garden
There is only one more Girl Scout program for the season: (Junior Badge) Digital Photography with Ann McGee on Monday, August 18. Tell your friends and contact Kendra to register your troop: (320)-250-5668. $5 per participant, free for chaperones, minimum of seven participants needed for a program, 6-7:30 p.m. Girls need to bring their own digital camera.
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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! |
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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.
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.
Easy Tanzanian Cabbage
Shared by subscriber Jonathan Carlson
From the 2008 Peace Corps Tanzania Cookbook
3-4 Tbsp. oil (I use olive oil)
1 small cabbage, finely shredded (I've used Chinese cabbage, or Joi choi, adding the white stems in the first step)
1 onion, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
salt, to taste
Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion, carrots, tomatoes and green pepper and fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook until all vegetables are soft. Add a little water if needed (I never have). Salt to taste. Goes well with chapati, rice or ugali. (I usually eat it on its own.)
The last time I made it I didn't have a green pepper, but added some garlic scapes and lemon basil, and threw in a can of cream of mushroom soup at the end, although this recipe is great on its own.
Green Onion Pancake (With Black Spanish Radish)
From The CSA Cookbook, Voyageur Press, 2015
For Sale at the garden!
The recipe doesn't call for Black Spanish Radishes, but shred them and add to the batter for more of a potato pancake texture.
Makes 4 servings
For the dipping sauce:
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
½ Serrano pepper, thinly sliced
For the pancakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
2 cups cold water
¼ cup sunflower oil, divided
½ pound scallions or garlic chives, ends trimmed and stems cut into 5 to 6 inch lengths.
To make the dipping sauce, combine all of its ingredients in a small bowl. Thinly slice the reserved chives and stir them into the sauce. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flower and salt. Whisk in the water until the batter is well blended and free of lumps.
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, and coat the surface evenly with 1 Tbsp. of the oil. Spread one-quarter of the scallions/chives across the skillet in a single layer, then pour 1 cup of the batter evenly over the scallions/chives. (Don't worry about making a perfect circle of batter like a traditional pancake; this savory version is meant to have a rustic and free-form shape. The batter is more about holding the scallions together and less about forming a pancake.) Fry until the edges of the pancake start to crisp and the bottom is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Gently flip the pancake and fry the other side until cooked through, about 2 minutes. The pancake should feel springy and have a slightly chewy texture. Transfer to a serving dish and cover, then repeat the process with the remaining three pancakes. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.
Kohlrabi and Carrot Slaw (with Black Spanish Radish)
From The CSA Cookbook, Voyageur Press, 2015
For Sale at the garden!
The original does not call for Black Spanish Radish but it is a great addition to slaws: peel, shred and add.
For the slaw:
1 pound kohlrabi, peeled and julienned or cut into 4 inch matchsticks
½ pound carrots, julienned or cut into 4 inch matchsticks
1 tsp. salt
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ jalapeno pepper, minced
For the dressing:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
Zest and juice of ½ lime or lemon
In a large colander, toss the kohlrabi and carrots with the salt and let drain in the sink for 1 hour. Periodically shake up the vegetables to expel as much water as possible. The strips should be tender and pliable but still retain their crispness.
Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining all of its ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
In a large serving bowl, combine the kohlrabi, carrots, onion, cilantro and jalapeno. Toss with the dressing to coat and refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve chilled.
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Shared by longtime garden friend, Norma Dickau.
Note: Chocolate Zucchini cake is the perfect comfort dessert, and the "Garden Birthday Dessert" of the week. Inspired by the Sisters, we enjoy opportunities to celebrate each other. Today was Mitch's "Surprise Garden Birthday" and this was the dessert we shared together. Mitch's real birthday does not fall during the garden season, so we chose today to surprise him with a little celebration.
½ cup softened margarine
2½ cups flour, unsifted
½ cup vegetable oil
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1¾ cup sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
2 whole eggs1 t. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ cup sour milk
½ tsp. cloves
2 cups finely diced, not shredded, zucchini
¼ cup chocolate chips (I use at least 1 cup; never be stingy with chocolate chips!)
Cream margarine, oil and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and sour milk; beat well with a mixer. Mix together all the dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Stir in diced zucchini. Spoon batter into greased and floured 9x12x2-inch pan; sprinkle top with chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick or cake tester come out clean and dry. This really needs no frosting; it is moist and very tender.
TIPS: To finely dice large zucchini, slice it lengthwise and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Chop remaining half circle. If the skin is tender, it will not need to be peeled. To make sour milk, add 1 tsp. lemon juice to ½ cup whole or skim milk. Let stand 5 minutes before using.
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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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