Friday, October 1, 2010

Last Box

Carrots
Butternut Squash
Pumpkin
Leeks
Peppers (hot and sweet)
Arugula
Eggs
Shiitake

This week is the last box. Thank you all for being a part of our first CSA! Our spots for next year are starting to fill up, but we wanted to make sure that you guys have a chance to sign up if you're interested for next year. Shoot us an email or send back the info card if you are interested. We'd also like to hear any feedback that you guys have for us.
Thanks again!
Herbal Turtle

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Sept. 8

Tomatoes
Onion
Wisconsin Lakes/Purple Beauty Sweet Peppers
Fish Hot Peppers
Arugula
Red Russian Kale
Purple Opal Basil
Cilantro
Shiitake

We are having a problem with deer in the garden right now so the boxes are a little bit slimmer than we'd like. They decimated all of the cabbage and broccoli and are starting to work their way through the peppers and second round of beans. We're trying to get a higher fence up ASAP.
On the bright side, the boxes have all of the key components for fresh salsa this week!
The Fish peppers are a pre-1870's African American heirloom plant. They are less hot than the Fatalii peppers from last week and would work very well in salsa.

Fresh Salsa:
5-7 tomatoes (depending on size) seeded and finely chopped
3 Fish peppers seeded and finely chopped (leave some seeds in for heat)
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
You can also throw in some sweet pepper for more color and flavor if you like
Combine all of the ingredients together gently and allow to sit at least an hour for the flavors to mesh.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Sept. 4

Sorry this is a little bit late, things have been crazy since we got back from the Boundary Waters!

This week the boxes have

Butternut squash
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Purple Beauty Peppers
Fatalii peppers (citrus flavor with the heat of a habanero)
Arugula
Onions
Carrots
Oyster mushrooms
Eggs


Butternut squash is fantastic roasted in the oven and then mixed with butter and brown sugar. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut the stem off of the squash and then cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and pulp from the center of the squash. Brush the halves with butter and place on the baking sheet cut side up. Bake for 45 minute to 1 hour, then scoop squash out of the skin and mix with brown sugar and butter.

The tomatoes are not quite as big as we would like but they're still tasty. They are great on a BLT with some arugula instead of lettuce.

The fatalii peppers work really well in roasted salsa.

We're really excited about the oyster mushrooms!! You guys are the first people that get to try them out. Most likely, they won't keep as long as the shiitake mushrooms do but they should be fine in the fridge for about a week. Tonight my mom and I are trying them out on a pizza. But you can never really go wrong with the classic butter and garlic saute.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The Bounty

Certified, turtle tested veggies this week include:

Purple Beauty Peppers
Onions
Cucumbers
Butternut Squash
Green Beans
Edamame
Kale
Swiss Chard
Eggs
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

We also included a CSA invite card in the box. It gives information for the CSA next year if you're interested in signing up. There are a couple of changes-the CSA will be full price and there will be a drop point somewhere in Winona for the boxes. There will be extra share options such as eggs, herbs and mushrooms. You'll still have the option for half or full shares. We hope you guys want to join again next year and we'd welcome any suggestions!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

What am I supposed to do with this?!!!

What up Turtle CSA Crew!? Many folks have never cooked with fennel before so here is an excellent quick-and-easy recipe:

BBQ Steamed Fennel

Cut the bulb of the fennel in half and then slices and arrange them in a tin foil wrap (for the grill)
Add the juice of half a lemon and toss the squeezed lemon right in as well
Add half (or whole depending on your tastes) of a red Chili
Give the whole thing a good drizzle of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, rosemary, etc.
Close the tin foil wrap and cook on the grill over medium heat for about 25 min and ENJOY!

In your box this week you will also find:

Kale
Empress/Dragon's Tongue bean mix
Purple Beauty Peppers (sweet)
Green Peppers (sweet)
Carrots! (these are the early ones, we'll have many more in the next few weeks)
Rosemary
Basil Bouquet (Thai, Lemon, Genovese, Purple)
Zucchini

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Week 8

Hola,



The boxes this week have:



Purple Beauty Peppers

Cucumbers

Zucchini

Chiogga Beets

Five Color Silverbeet Chard

Green Beans

Shiitake

Pea Shoots

Edamame

Eggs (except for the Justin Hanson family)



The Chiogga beets are beautiful when they are raw! They have pink and white circles when you cut into them. Since there is such a small amount this week it might be best to eat them raw on a salad, but they are also wonderful roasted in the oven on a salad with goat cheese. To roast: preheat oven to 375 and place the beets in a roasting pan or on aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle oil over the top and then wrap in aluminum foil then bake for 30 min-1 hour depending on the size of the beets. The skin will easily peel off once the beets are done.



The pea shoots are the young tendrils and leaves of pea plants. They are a great raw snack or they go well on salads or in a stir fry. They cook like greens so make sure to throw them in last and cook for a very short time.



Edamame is fresh soybeans. They can be boiled for 2-3 minutes and salted with a coarse salt. Only the beans are edible, not the pod. They make an excellent snack!

This weekend we'll be cooking up shiitake at the hog roast at Chickentown!!!! Also, the LSP hog roast is out at the Crigler Family Farm next Sunday, Aug. 15. Come check it out!

Herbal Turtle Article in PFC newsletter!

Thanks to the People's Food Coop in Lacrosse for this awesome article! Check it out here:

http://www.pfc.coop/download_documents/specials/coopshopper/August2010Shopperweb.pdf

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Week 7

This week we have:

Garlic!
Green onions
Zucchini
Cucumbers
Red Russian Kale
Beans
Shiitake
Genovese, Lemon, Thai and Purple Opal basil
Florence Fennel

Verdure al Forno:
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
5 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise, about 1/4 inch thick
salt and pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated mozzerella
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/4 cup grated Romano
1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter

Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil. Arrange zucchini slices on the bottom of the dish and season with salt and pepper. Evenly pour 1/3 cup of heavy cream and then sprinkle with 1/3 cup mozzerella, 1/3 cup Fontina and 2 Tbs Romano. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of bread crumbs. Repeat the layers twice, ending with bread crumbs. Cut the butter into squares and sprinkle over the top of the dish. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the baking dish on top and bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.

Arugula and Fennel Salad:

1 large fennel bulb
1/2 red onion
1 bunch arugula
3 tbs olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper
1 small chunk of parmesan


Trim the fennel bulb and reserve the fronds. Cut the bulb in half and remove the tough inner core. Using a sharp knife or a mandolin cut the fennel into very thin slices and put them into a large bowl. Cut the onion into very thin slices and add them to the bowl. Add the arugula to the bowl and give it a good toss. Pour in the olive oil and lemon juice, season it with salt and pepper, and toss it again to coat all the ingredients; put the salad onto a large platter. Using a vegetable peeler, shave thin pieces of the Parmesan and scatter them over the salad. Garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.

Our ENORMOUS amount of tomatoes and peppers are starting to take off! They should be ripening up in the next couple of weeks. If you're interested in extra tomatoes for canning, let us know! Also, we are hoping for broccoli and soybeans next week.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Week 5

This week we have:
Empress green beans
Zucchini
Red Russian Kale
Shiitake
Chives
Purple Opal, Genovese and Thai basil
Salad Sprout Mix with broccoli, radish and pea sprouts

The veggies are finally starting to take off! The green beans are great just by themselves but are also great in a garlic saute. Place trimmed beans in a saucepan with enough water to cover them and bring to a boil. Cook them uncovered for about 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain, then toss the beans with 1 minced clove of garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, and then drizzle with olive oil.
Here's a link to a stir-fried kale recipe:http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stir-Fried-Kale/Detail.aspx
They are also great sauted with the shiitake!
We tried out a shiitake mushroom stroganof recipe this week and really liked it. If you're a stroganof fan, try thowing some shiitakes in the next time you make some. Here is another good shiitake recipe:http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/semi-homemade-cooking-with-sandra-lee/edamame-with-shiitake-recipe/index.html
The basil is a great compliment to many dishes, including salads. You can also freeze basil if you don't feel like drying it. Wash the basil and salad spin it. Dry it off with a towel and put into freezer bags. It will lose some of its color, but many people prefer frozen basil to dry basil.
We tried sprouting peas this week and they turned out really well. They are included in the sprout mix this week. We haven't actually tried them on anything yet because they are so good by themselves!

Everything out at the farm is going really well. The half of the chickens that weren't laying are finally starting to this week and our rooster is just learing how to crow. The mushrooms have been exploding these last few weeks with all of the heat and humidity. The oyster mushrooms should start fruiting in the next week or so. We are also experimenting with onion sprouts and a salad sprout mix for Bluff Country Coop. People's Food Coop in La Crosse is starting to carry some of our produce and we're trying to establish relationships with some restaurants down there as well. Bryan and Ayden are in the Boundary Waters this week so if you have some free time and want to check out what happens at the farm let me know! Next week we're expecting more beans and zucchini as well as swiss chard and maybe broccoli and beets!

Auf Wiedersehen!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Week 4

Howdy folks,


This week we have red russian kale, purple and lemon basil, curly parsley, green onions, shiitake and broccoli sprouts.



Kale is a hearty green that is great in soups or stir fries. Make sure to keep it in the plastic bag in your crisper.
Link to quick, easy oven-roasted kale recipe: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/1274
The purple basil can be used like any other sweet basil. It's flavor is a little bit more mellow than the genovese from last week. The basil goes great in tomato sauces, on pizza, sauted with veggies, etc. Its probably best to keep the basil out of the crisper or any other particularly cold part of your refrigerator as it will turn brown if its too cold. You can dry your basil and use it later if you're not sure what to do with it just yet.
Drying fresh basil. Rinse and thoroughly dry fresh whole basil leaves, about 2 cups. Place a paper towel on a microwavable plate. Lay whole basil leaves in a single layer on paper towel. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Turn plate and microwave at 30 second intervals until basil is dry. Store leaves in an airtight container until ready to use, then crumble into recipe.
Lemon basil can be substituted in any recipe that calls for lemons. You'll easily be able to identify it by the smell.
Curly parsley is pretty self explanatory.
You can use all parts of the green onions. Store in a plastic bag in the crisper.
Lately we've been sauteing the shiitake with butter, garlic, red wine and french tarragon. It is most excellent.
The broccoli sprouts are great on salads, sandwiches and any sort of asian dish.
We're hoping to have zucchini, swiss chard, and beans next week! If you have any questions about the boxes just shoot us an email at info@herbalturtlefarms.com or direct queries to Facebook. We still have t-shirts if you are interested and we are getting in kids sizes this week. Also, the Land Stewardship Project Hog Roast is going to be held out at the Crigler Family Farm on Sunday, August 15 from 12-4. There will be a potluck, hog roast and farm tours with a bunch of great folks. We'd love to see you out there!
Cheers!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

7/6/2010

Hello peeps! Hope you've been enjoying your weekly batches of fresh treats! The rain and heat has been great for the garden and we'll have some tasty new treats coming your way soon. You'll all be getting eggs this week... Please be sure to get your egg cartons back to us when they're empty so we can keep supplying you with fresh eggs!