The Cultivator
July 7th, 2008
farmstand spring 08
 
 Farmstand Hours:
 
Tuesday - Sunday
9am - 7pm
(Closed Mondays)
 

Produce
this week beets

For Distribution:
Lettuce, Kale, Collards, Chard, Radishes, Arugula, Beets, Kohlrabi, Dill, Cilantro, Summer Squash, Garlic Scapes
 
Pick Your Own:
  Thyme, Parsley & Oregano in the front field, next to the farmstand.
 

Other Produce Available for Purchase

Upcoming Events    

Sunday, July 13th 2pm - 4pm
Alfalfa Farm Winery Tour, $5
 
Saturday, July 19th 4pm - 7pm
CSA Summer Party. Music, games and more. Free for CSA members!
 
Tuesday, July 22nd, 7:00 - 9:00 pm  The Green Meadows Book Club discusses:  Michael Pollen's "A Place of My Own: The Education of an Amateur Builder" at the farmstand.
 
Saturday, July 26th 2:30 - 5pm
Come dressed as a friendly being such as a fairy, elf, gnome or unknown creature and participate in a magical day. $20 CSA members. Pre-registraion required. Sign up at the farmstand or call the farm office. 
 
Saturday, August 16th, 5pm
Land to Sea: A Celebration of Local Foods. Join us for an evening of great food and music! Pre-registration required, please call our farm office at 978-468-3720. $70 for CSA members.
 
 
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Explorers Event - Forage and Ramble with Russ Cohen
Thursday, July 10, 4:00PM-6:30PM
Cox Reservation
82 Eastern Avenue, Route 133
Essex, MA 01929

The Essex National Heritage Area, is home to over 150 species of edible wild plants, many of which are more nutritious and/or flavorful than their cultivated counterparts. Join Russ Cohen, expert forager and author of Wild Plants I Have Known... and Eaten, on a two-hour ramble through Essex County Greenbelt Association's (ECGA) Cox Reservation in Essex to learn about the comestible qualities of at least two dozen plant species. Keys to the identification of each species will be provided along with information on edible portion(s), season(s) of availability and preparation methods, along with guidelines for safe and environmentally responsible foraging. Russ will have samples of foraged goodies for us to taste following the walk.
This event is free but space is limmited, so please visit their website to RSVP.
Quick Links
Farmer Andrew's Update 
 
Kim 
Man, it's hot out there! The field crew has decided to start our work days at dawn, take a siesta from noon to 4pm, and then go back to work until dark.  
 
We have distributed the first round of this season's chickens. Overall I think everything went exceptionally well. In the past we've had to round up the birds, treck them 45 minutes north, wait for an hour or two for the facility to get ready and finally the dirty work in a 100 degree, windowless room. This time we were able to cut out all the stressful transporting and keep the process as humane and healthy as possible. We plan on doing another group in about three weeks. Those who did not get their chickens last week will get a phone call once we process the next bunch and again the birds will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Our plan is to distribute chickens every month until November.
 
It's time to move out all of our seedlings, and it's not too late to add a few to your garden. This week, all seeds and seedlings are 50% off. Hurry in as we expect selection to dwindle fast.
 
Please mark your calendars for the CSA Summer Party on Saturday, July 19th from 4pm - 7pm. We will have the grill going and Amy will prepare some sides. We're going to be holding a bake-off that day and the winner will receive 2 tickets to our "Land to Sea" dinner on August 16th. Bring your best recipe - extra points for incorporating local items! There will be live music and games, we hope to see you all there!
 
Don't forget about the Alfafa Winery tour this Sunday, July 13th. Farm Educator Lydia Sisson will join the group for this special Green Meadows Farm open house. The tour starts at 2pm sharp at the Winery: Click here for directions.
Crew Spotlight: Chelsea Bardot Lewis
 
ChelseaChelsea is one of our most important crew members. She oversees everything having to do with the farm stand, including ordering grocery items, produce, and running the grocery co-op.  She has made partnerships with local businesses, like the Atomic Café in Beverly.  Her favorite product is Valley View Goat Cheese, and her favorite vegetables are peppers. Chelsea is married to Nate Lewis, the Assistant Farm Manager.  She also has several 3-year old admirers who request special visits to the farmstand during her shifts. She will be attending Tufts University in the fall, for a Master's Degree through their Agriculture, Food and the Environment program, but will continue to work in the farmstand on a part-time basis.
 Vegetable of the Week: Kohlrabi
 
KohlrabiKohlrabi (Brassica oleracea Gongylodes Group) is a low, stout cultivar of the cabbage  family that will grow almost anywhere. It has been selected for its swollen, nearly spherical, Sputnik-like shape. The name comes from the German Kohl ("cabbage") plus Rübe ~ Rabi (Swiss German variant) ("turnip").  
 
The taste and texture of kohlrabi are similar to those of a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but milder and sweeter, with a higher ratio of flesh to skin. The young stem in particular can be as crisp and juicy as an apple, although much less sweet.
 
Tender, young kohlrabi is delicious eaten raw. Peel the outer skin with a paring knife. Slice, dice, or grate, and add to salads. Use on raw vegetable platters or serve with a creamy dip. Substitute in recipes calling for radishes. Grated kohlrabi can be added to slaw, but lightly salt it first and let stand for several minutes. Squeeze to remove any excess water before adding dressing. Kohlrabi can also be steamed or boiled. For this preparation don't peel until after they are cooked. Steam or boil until bulbs are tender, peel skin, and season with butter, salt, and pepper, a cheese sauce, or just enjoy plain.

Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw

"Hogwash!" Soap

 Karen and Gary Taylor started making soaps 25 years ago for their son, Aaron. As a baby, he could not tolerate any of the bath products on the market. His skin would turn red with white spots. As a result, Gary decided to try making our own soap for him. Many recipes were still too harsh, so he developed his own process for a pure, natural and kind soap for him. The results were amazing! Over time we heard the same story again and again from others. Gary's soaps helped them as well. Their selection of products has grown out of a need to help those with specific problems. Karen started Home Parties, where she heard many wonderful personal success stories. A few years later, they quit their day jobs and entered the gift market. Since then business has doubled each year. Their soaps are still created with only edible ingredients and can still be used on newborns. Their soaps are handmade in small batches in Minetto, NY and then hand cut and shipped to order.  
 
Free of: pick your own
» Parabens
» Alcohols
» Sodium Laurel Sulfate
» Artificial Dyes
» Synthetic chemicals or Foaming agents
» Anything Artificial 
» Animal by-products
 
We have a great selection of their soaps including: Hogwash, Lavender Moon, Milk & Mint, Almond Goat Milk, and Salley Sunshine. Look for them on the wood shelf near the freezer.

 salsaPam's Black Bean Salsa

Pam's Black Bean Salsa is made locally in Marblehead, MA with all-natural ingredients, and contains no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
 
The company was started by Pam Granese, who has always loved to cook. Ever since her culinary journey began, at the tender age of 7, she has challenged herself in the kitchen. From fantastic family meals to creative desserts, Pam has mastered it all.
 
When her husband decided to sell the family business, and Pam felt way too young to retire, she launched a successful catering business. "In Good Taste" began as a catering service which specialized in home cooked meals that were delivered to her clients each week. Pam's meals were so popular that she had to limit the amount of customers she served. As a whim, she began experimenting with components that could be prepared ahead of time. That was when she first created her delicious black bean salsa.
 
Soon, the salsa became so popular that Pam had no time to cook the weekly meals. She began showcasing her salsa at farmers' markets, specialty stores, and food shows. Pam's Black Bean Salsa was a hit! Since then, Pam hasn't looked back. Making and selling her salsa took top priority.
 
We love this salsa and hope you will too! 
Contact Info
Green Meadows Farm, 656 Asbury Street, South Hamilton, MA  01982
Farmstand:  978-468-2277