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August 20, 2015
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Volume 21, Issue 10
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Produce
Veggies this week:
Zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and kale/collards for everyone, kohlrabi for half shares and watermelon (red or yellow fleshed) definitely for full shares, maybe for everyone.
Extras:
Surplus cucumbers and Black Spanish radishes, cilantro, sweet and lemon basil, parsley, dill, coriander seed and flowers. Also, let me know if you can and would like blemished tomatoes -- we often have them available.
Veggies on the way:
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A Note from the Production Manager
Kate Ritger
Hello friends!
It's apple pick-up this week. Katie Ballantine's Goodland apples will be here in 6 pound bags for $15/bag. We'll have extra bags of apples available in case you didn't sign up but are still interested in making a purchase. And stay tuned, Katie is pressing apple cider and we'll offer that for purchase as well. This is another way that we try to support other farms and connect you to farmers who have crops that complement our work.
It's also a meat week, and Cheri will be at Saint Ben's distribution with additional meat cuts for sale.
We exercised our civic duty this week ... on Tuesday the gardeners and I met with Chuck Ackman, Outreach Director for Senator Amy Klobuchar. We shared stories with him about our work in local, sustainable agriculture and advocated on behalf of hungry communities and farmers of the world to continue funding poverty-focused international assistance and to cosponsor the Global Food Security Act. Poverty-focused international assistance makes up less than half of 1% of the federal budget and provides life-saving nutrition and agriculture support to people around the world. We experience first-hand the power of strengthening local food systems and were delighted to spread the word about our vibrant community.
Other news from the garden during this wet and cool week ... the vegetables have been riding the coat-tails of last weekend's hot weather ... tomatoes and melons relished the heat and ripened nicely. As temperatures shifted and rain set in, production slowed down as did our work in the field. The weather is our constant companion, and we continue to bring in the harvest and care for the crops even when the conditions are cool and wet.
Lastly, do you want to store some tomatoes for the off-season but don't have a canner? Freeze them. Read more about the quick and easy steps on the University of Minnesota Extensions Home Food Preservation Newsletter.
Enjoy! Kate
Vitamin C 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.
Vitamin C is probably the most familiar of all vitamins, and one which most people can identify at least a few sources of foods that contain it. Despite all the awareness of this vitamin and the vast selection of foods that have it, most people don't get enough. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and helps your body better absorb iron. Our bodies require vitamin C to make collagen; collagen is the framework for our skin and bones. In the brain, vitamin C is necessary for neurotransmitter signaling and serotonin production.
The best sources of vitamin C are all plant foods! Most animals make vitamin C in their bodies (humans and guinea pigs do not) but that doesn't mean we get vitamin C from eating animal foods. The most well-known food sources are citrus fruits but berries and leafy greens are also great sources. A lot of other fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C, as well as herbs and spices. If you are eating plenty from the Common Ground Garden, you are getting plenty of vitamin C!
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
The programming has ended for this season, but stay tuned for examples of the Digital Photography class' artwork!
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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. |
Joe Town Table
This Sunday, August 23, is the monthly community meal. 11 a.m. -1 p.m. at the St. Joe Legion. Kate Ritger is teaming with Natalie Keane to cook this month: garden fresh pizza and salads. All are welcome! It's a wonderful event to share a meal and build friendships in St. Joe.
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.
Marinated Kale Salad (serves 4-6)
shared by subscriber Jonathan Carlson
From Minnesota's Bounty: The Farmers Market Cookbook by Beth Dooley
2 Tbsp. sunflower oil (I use olive oil)
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar (I used regular vinegar)
1 tsp. honey
1 pound dinosaur or other kale, stemmed and finely chopped
1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, shredded
1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisons
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and honey. Add the kale, onion, carrots, and dried cranberries and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the sunflower seeds. This salad keeps nicely and tastes better the day after it's made.
Chard Stalk Hummus (with Kale Stalks too!)
From The CSA Cookbook, Voyageur Press, 2015
For Sale at the Garden!
The recipe calls for chard stalks, but our tender kale stalks are delicious too and give it a green color. I love hummus and was skeptical about this recipe, but it's delicious and I'm ready to make another double batch.
Makes 1 cup
2 cups chopped chard stalks
2 garlic cloves (or scapes)
¼ cup tahini (you can make your own tahini by pulsing sesame seeds in the food processor until they cream - easy, tasty and cheaper than buying tahini from a store)
½ tsp. salt
Juice of one lemon
Swirl of olive oil
Chopped fresh parsley for garnishing
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the chard stalks and boil for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on how thick they are) until the stalks are very soft.
Drain well, squeezing out any excess water, and add the stalks to a food processor, along with the garlic, tahini, salt and lemon juice. Pulse continuously until the dip is slightly chunky and still has some bite to it, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Serve with a generous swirl of oil on top and a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
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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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