This week's CSA shares
June 23
Are you as tired of the rain as we are? Are you tired of hearing us complain about the damage the rain is causing to your vegetables? It’s been another tough and trying week- two major rain storms, scorching hot temperatures, water soaked, wilting plants, and weeds growing at warp speed!
We ask for your patience and understanding because the excessive heat and water is ruining many plantings making a supply of a variety of vegetables quite unpredictable. At one glance they look ok, at the next glance they’ve begun to rot - Once again, too much water, too much heat.
We’ll keep working hard and hoping for drier weather. We hope you’re enjoying the vegetables. We truly appreciate your support!
Till next week,
Todd & Kathleen
How to care for your produce
Remember to refresh your vegetables as soon as you get them home. Refreshing is placing them in cool or cold water and allowing them to soak for 15-20 minutes. After they’ve soaked, shake off the excess water and place them in a plastic bag and DO NOT close the bag tightly. Leaving the bag open a bit allows the vegetables to breathe and the moisture to circulate. This reduces the chance that your veggies will become slimy. Refreshing applies to most veggies except tomatoes, herbs and green beans.
What to expect in your share this week
Here’s what we anticipate the shares will contain this week:
Standard Shares: Swiss Chard, Red Radishes, head lettuces, Lettuce Mix,
Culinarian Shares: the above plus Escarole, Rapini (aka broccoli rabe), purslane.
Share Pick-up Arrangements
If you need to designate someone other than yourself to pick up your share, please notify us at least 24 hours in advance of the person’s name who will be receiving your share.
If you’ll be unavailable to pick up your share at your designated date & time you may pre-arrange to pick up at one of our other locations. Please notify us 1 week in advance of your desired pick up location. You can contact us by phone at (317) 815-9863 or by email at BalancedHarvest@hotmail.com.
Shares that are not picked up at designated date and time will be donated.
Slow Food USA's Ark of Taste
As promised this week we’ll focus on the “Ark of Taste”. Our reason for supporting this program is that it matches our values and commitment to strengthening and promoting bio-diversity, supplying you with vegetables of superior flavor and texture. The program was launched in 1996. The work of adding food items to the Ark is ongoing and our Slow Food Indy group is actively involved in the process. Kathleen and I both serve on the Slow Food Indy Leadership Committee and we’d be happy to tell you more about Slow Food if you express an interest.
In this week’s share the Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard, Amish Deer Tongue lettuce and Grandpa Admire’s lettuce are all in the Ark of Taste. The Ark items were saved by individuals, families and small farmers from across the country who were trying to make a difference in our food system. We applaud their commitment and effort.
Slow Food's Ark of Taste aims to rediscover and catalogue forgotten flavors by documenting excellent food products that are in danger of extinction. Since the international initiative began in 1996 more than 800 products from over 50 countries have been added to the international Ark of Taste.
The Ark of Taste serves as a resource to those interested in reviving rare breeds and learning about endangered foods, with the goal of encouraging the continued production and consumption of these delicious foods. Ark of Taste nominations in the United States are reviewed by the Slow Food USA Ark Committee, whose members are regional Slow Food leaders. Nominated foods are reviewed on an on-going basis. Click here to learn about Ark of Taste products and the criteria for Ark of Taste product selection.
Although the Ark is first and foremost a catalogue of products, in order to help the public find these unique foods, Slow Food USA and LocalHarvest have teamed up to promote farmers who grow or make Ark foods. Producers may now self identify in their LocalHarvest listings which Ark products they grow and sell. Slow Food USA does not review the information found in the listings, so users may want to contact the farm to confirm that all information is current. The Ark of Taste designation is not an indicator of a specific production method, such as organic or grass-fed; that information is found in the Farming Practices section of each producer's listing.
Balanced Harvest Farm in the News
If you didn’t catch the WTHR Treeboy broadcast live from the farm this morning you can view it by clicking here. Treeboy has been a huge supporter of sustainable agriculture and Balanced Harvest Farm in particular. From time to time you’ll find him visiting with us at the Carmel Farmer’s Market.
Recipes
Open Faced Radish Sandwich
1 bunch small, firm radishes
4 slices best-quality bread
butter, room temperature
Fleur de sel, coarse salt, or sea salt
Wash and trim radishes. Place radishes in a glass container, fill with enough water to cover, add 4 to 6 ice cubes, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Just before serving, thinly slice radishes into rounds.
Spread one side of each piece of bread generously with butter. Top with slices of radishes. Sprinkle with salt, to taste.
Escarole Soup
2 T olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
½ small onion, chopped
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 head escarole, coarsely chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrot and onion and sauté until softened. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add escarole; cook until wilted. Season to taste with salt & pepper.
Ladle into bowls and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
For more recipes please check our website under Great Resources.