Posts Tagged With: Community Supported Agriculture

Happy CSA Day! {Weeks 8 and 9}

Posted on March 29, 2013 by rachelocal

I know I JUST posted Week 7′s CSA recipe this week, but I need to catch up. After all, I picked up Week 10′s box Tuesday. I’m sad to say that means only two weeks left. On the other hand, my summer share starts in May. I’m VERY excited to see what wonderful things the Lancaster Farm Fresh farmers grow for me!

Carrots–glorious, delicious carrots–were a staple of this winter’s CSA. It seems as if they’ve been replaced by their paler twin–parsnips. I love parsnips. I’ve mashed larger, older parsnips with sweet potatoes and topped with goat cheese (so good!). But these parsnips are delicate and tender and perfect for roasting.

So I took a remarkably large beet (from week 8), a few potatoes, and some parsnips and turned them into hash. Topped with farm fresh eggs, this recipe is a delicious and beautiful way to do breakfast for dinner.

I even had leftovers the next morning–dinner for breakfast, I guess?

Lovely root veggies

Lovely root veggies

Beet, Parsnip, and Potato Hash

3 Yukon Gold potatoes (medium sized), peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes

1 giant beet, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes

2 parsnips, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes

5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and roughly chopped

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet onion, diced

Perfect little cubes

Perfect little cubes

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. On a large sheet pan, toss the beets, potatoes, and parsnips with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or more if you like), 1/4 teaspoon pepper, thyme, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until tender. Turn with a spatula ten minutes into cooking time.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Add the onions and saute over medium low until caramelized, about 13 minutes.

When the beets, potatoes, and parsnips are tender and slightly brown, add them to the onions. Saute until browned even more, about 5 minutes.

Divide hash into four bowls or plates and top with a fried egg. (Poached eggs would be lovely, too.)

Root veggies and caramilzed onions - a dynamic duo

Root veggies and caramelized onions – a dynamic duo

Hash perfect for any meal

Hash perfect for any meal

Local, farm fresh eggs--one of my favorite things

Local, farm fresh eggs–one of my favorite things

So tell me, what’s your favorite breakfast for dinner meal?

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Categories: Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

The Time Hunger Smacked Me in the Face

Posted on March 28, 2013 by rachelocal

Hunger has been on my mind lately. Not my own hunger. I’m rarely hungry. In fact, I just registered for a summer farm share from Lancaster Farm Fresh. I have 25 weeks of fresh, local produce to look forward to.

So, no, I’m not hungry. But in a perfect storm of coincidences, the subject of hunger has smacked me in the face with its surprisingly powerful hand over the last two days:

1. I received an email regarding an Ending Hunger conference in my local area. On April 15, the Anti-Hunger Coalition, along with Delaware Department of Health and Social Services and the Food Bank of Delaware, will meet to discuss new practices to help eliminate hunger in my state. I’m excited to learn about introducing local agriculture (and fresh produce!) to those that need it most throughout the state in a panel called “Farm to Table.” If you’d like to come to the conference, click the photo to register. Jim over at the Food Bank says, “The more the merrier!”

Click here to learn more

Click here to learn more

2. I just signed up as a Food Blogger Against Hunger. On April 8, I’ll be sharing more thoughts on the issue of hunger right here on the blog. If you want to donate a post, go to The Giving Table to sign up.

3. I saw this guy talk about “Food Deserts” and “Guerilla Gardening” in his South Central L.A. community.

4. A friend told me about the Food Bank of Delaware’s new Community Supported Agriculture program. Now local, fresh produce will be delivered to those that need it most and could not otherwise afford it. Learn more here.

Hunger, right here in America, is a sobering reality.

During a week when people are thinking about chocolate Easter bunnies, colorful Easter eggs, and Easter dinner, I’m thinking about these words from Jesus: For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me….whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

My motivation for ending hunger might not be your motivation. But shouldn’t we ALL be motivated anyway?

Categories: Delaware Farms, Video | Tags: , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Week 7}

Posted on March 24, 2013 by rachelocal

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Leonardo da Vinci

When I peeked inside Week 7′s CSA box, I was delighted to see not one but two packages of lovely mushrooms – Portobellos and Baby Bellas. Last time I received mushrooms from my Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA, I turned them into a delicious soup; the time before that I made Mushroom Bolognese.

Organic goodness

Organic goodness

This time I took a more utilitarian approach in order to enjoy their full flavor. And what could be simpler than roasting mushrooms with garlic and butter? Easy peasy.

Yet elevated.

Because the mushrooms are so rich and satisfying, for a split second I felt like I was eating something indulgent and bad for me. Until I remembered that mushrooms are not only low in calorie, but also full of potassium and antioxidants.

The butter, oil, and garlic in this dish create a delicious “sauce.” Serve these simple and sophisticated mushrooms as an appetizer with some good crusty bread. Or toss with your favorite pasta for dinner. Or do what I did and eat them all immediately after taking them out of the oven while standing at the kitchen counter.

Simple and Sophisticated Roasted Mushrooms

8 ounces (1 package) baby bella (or white) mushrooms, halved

1 portobello cap, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced (or run through a garlic press)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Juice of half a lemon (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine mushrooms, olive oil, salt, and garlic in a baking dish. Stir, then dot with the 1 tablespoon of butter.

Dressed and ready for the oven

Dressed and ready for the oven

Bake for 15 minutes. Stir once about half way through cooking time. Remove from oven and douse with the lemon juice. Give everything a good stir. Enjoy!

These mushrooms are SAUCY

These mushrooms are SAUCY

Pizza with spinach (also a CSA item) and ricotta

I also made a simple pizza with spinach (another yummy CSA item) mushrooms and ricotta

Categories: Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Weeks 5 and 6}

Posted on March 4, 2013 by rachelocal

Last week I proved my pepper prowess by tasting a variety of dried peppers given to me by the venerable Peppermeister. (If you missed it – watch the video. It’s HOT.)

After recovering from what turned out to be a real challenge, I was ready for something hot and spicy once again. Cue my CSA from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative. The shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and red onions in Week 6′s box combined with the bok choy and garlic from Week 5 turned into a fantastic Thai-inspired soup.

Bevy of CSA Vegetables. Nothing prettier.

Bevy of CSA Vegetables. Nothing prettier.

I was brave enough to crush a dried pepper and add it to the pot, too. That pepper provided a comforting warmth necessary for any Thai-inspired dish.

Crushed Peppermeister Peppers - crushing these caused me to cough. Peppermeister should market Peppermeister Spray.

Crushing these caused me to cough. Peppermeister should market Peppermeister Spray.

Commercial Break. I have to take a moment to extol the wonder that is Lancaster Farm Fresh. I’m almost halfway through my winter CSA and I’ve never been disappointed with the quality or quantity of the produce. Every last root vegetable, micro-green, mushroom and bag of spinach is the pinnacle of freshness. They deliver to host locations throughout the Mid-Atlantic states and down to D.C. and Virginia. If you’re interested in learning more about the program and their 75 Lancaster County, PA farmers, visit their website.  If you don’t live within the delivery area, check out localharvest.org to find CSA options or farmers in your neck of the woods.

Now  moving on to the recipe.  I’ve used the flavor profile of Thai-inspired spicy and sweet in the past (find the recipes here and here). But this soup might be my favorite. The veggies stand out, the broth is delicate, and the heat from the chile warms up the palate. But the best part? It’s so easy and quick to make! Once the veggies are chopped, everything just simmers away for a short while until you’ve got one satisfying soup.

Thai-Inspired Vegetable Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small red onion

2 cloves garlic

5 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 bok choy stalks, cleaned and sliced in 1/2 inch pieces (the whole thing–green parts and white parts)

3.5 ounces (1 package) shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon (heaping) crushed dried chile or red pepper flakes (you can substitute any Asian chili sauce here if you don’t have the dried chile available)

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 14-ounce cans coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce (use soy sauce here to make it vegan)

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

More kosher salt to taste

Juice of 1 lime

Rice vinegar, to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes or until vegetables are just softening. Add the bok choy and mushrooms, followed by the 1/2 teaspoon salt, curry powder, ginger, and crushed chile. Stir and cook to toast the spices, about 2 minutes.

The beginnings of really good soup

The beginnings of really good soup

Add the broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for a few minutes until the bok choy is cooked but still crunchy. Taste for seasoning. (I added another teaspoon of salt at this point.) Remove from heat and add the lime juice. Taste again. I added a tablespoon of rice vinegar to brighten it up even more and control the heat from that chile.

Hot in more ways than one

Hot in more ways than one

This pot o’ soup fed us for two dinners and one lunch. It goes a long way, especially when paired with brown rice. Garnishes of cilantro or green onion wouldn’t hurt either.

Big Bowl of Goodness

I serve all my Thai-inspired dishes with a side of store-bought chile garlic sauce mixed with rice vinegar, just in case we want to add even more heat

Any one out there want to extol the wonders of YOUR local farmer or CSA? Feel free to do so in the comment section below.

Categories: Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Week 4}

Posted on February 20, 2013 by rachelocal

Friends of mine tell me stories of their mothers and grandmothers slaving away, over large pots, waiting for the “POP” of a Ball jar lid, the summer heat no match for the steam of a kitchen in full canning mode.

I have no such stories. While I’m sure both my grandmothers canned food in their lifetime, I never learned the art.

I have, however, had the pleasure of eating many canned goods provided by generous friends and friends’ grandmothers. My favorite canned good is the pickled beet. I could eat them all day, on salads or as a snack and often make vinaigrette with the bright pink pickling liquid.

While I didn’t receive any beets in my CSA box from Lancaster Farm Fresh last week, a trio of root vegetables greeted me–carrots, turnips, and black radishes. The carrots and turnips are easy to use, but black radishes? I’ve never had them, and I’m more familiar with the pretty reddish-pink variety I grew in my garden last year. These black radishes looked like beasts in comparison. I was at a loss for what to do with them, but then those pickled beets came to mind.

The radishes in question, about three times the size of spring radishes

The radishes in question, about three times the size of spring radishes

I’ve been wanting to try my hand at food preservation for a while now, so I decided to make quick pickled black radishes. While I didn’t slave away in the kitchen over hot pots waiting for that “POP” of the Ball jar, I did take the time to pack them tightly with vinegar and spices. And they’ll keep in the fridge for a month.

I would say that my first attempt at one form of food preservation was a success, giving me a confidence boost for when I can summer tomatoes for the first time.  I can’t wait to try these picked black radishes on my Asian Short Rib Tacos or on this Vietnamese sandwich. They are earthy, spicy, and pickled to perfection.

Pickled Black Radishes

5 black radishes, sliced thickly

1 small yellow onion, sliced (also from my CSA)

1 cup water

1 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt plus a bit more

3 teaspoons (local) honey

1/2 teaspoon crushed peppercorns

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 dried chile pepper, cut in half lengthwise (my chile was from Peppermeister, my pepper hero. If you want to trade seeds with him or receive some of his extra special seeds in the mail, check out this post.)

After slicing the radishes, place them in a colander and salt them with a little kosher salt.

Thickly sliced and ready for the pickle jar

Thickly sliced and ready for the pickle jar

I used my mortar and pestle, a gift from a thoughtful friend, to crush the peppercorns

I used my mortar and pestle, a gift from a thoughtful friend, to crush the peppercorns

In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the water, vinegar, salt, and honey to a boil, until salt and honey are dissolved. Remove from heat and add the crushed peppercorns, garlic, and chile.

Pickling Liquid

Pickling Liquid

Pack the sliced radishes and onion in a clean quart-sized jar, and pour the hot liquid over them, making sure to pack the garlic, chile, and all those crushed peppercorns into the jar, too. Cover and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Eat within a month.

Pretty as a picture

Pretty as a picture

What’s your favorite canned good or pickled item? Have you ever pickled/canned summer produce? Any tips for me?

Categories: Gardening, Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Weeks 2 and 3}

Posted on February 11, 2013 by rachelocal

Tomorrow is CSA Day! I will go to Home Grown Cafe and pick up my box of lovely, organic vegetables. It’s like Christmas every Tuesday.

I’m covering CSA weeks 2 and 3 together because both boxes contained mushrooms–regular old white mushrooms, Portobello caps, and shiitake.

CSA Beauties

CSA Beauties

I’ve never been a picky eater, but I know some people cannot abide mushrooms. I can kind of understand it. Mushrooms are spongy, dirty, and categorized as fungus. But these are the characteristics that make mushrooms taste so good! Their sponginess causes them to soak up flavors effortlessly. Their “dirtiness” gives them an earthy, hearty deliciousness that is unmatched.

I love mushrooms almost as much as I love CSA Day.

So here’s my Ode to the Mushroom in recipe form (if your sweetie loves mushrooms you might want to make this on Valentine’s Day):

Ode to the Mushroom Bolognese

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped

4 carrots, roughly chopped (I washed mine, but did not peel them)

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

12 ounces white mushrooms, cut in half

6 ounces Portobello mushrooms (2 caps), diced largely

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 dried red chili, crushed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup red wine

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, with juice

1 cup tomato puree

1 pound of spaghetti or linguine, cooked

Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese for serving

In a food processor (I only have a tiny one as you can see from the photo below. A normal sized one would make this part of the recipe much more efficient), pulse the onion and carrot together into small pieces. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large pot and heat over medium high heat. Transfer onion and carrot to the pot. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This is my cute, but way-too-tiny food processor

This is my cute, but way-too-tiny food processor

Meanwhile, add 1/2 of the white mushrooms to the food processor. Pulse until mushrooms are not quite pureed (see photo). Add the other half of the white mushrooms and pulse again, this time stopping when mushroom are coarsely chopped. Transfer the white mushrooms and the Portobellos (these do not go in the food processor) to the pot.  Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring.

Look away if you don't like mushrooms. This might make you sick.

Look away if you don’t like mushrooms. This might make you sick.

Add the garlic, crushed chili, oregano, and marjoram. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.

Chilis from Peppermeister. You'll be seeing these again very soon.

Chilis from Peppermeister. You’ll be seeing these again very soon.

On it's way to mushroom sublime-ness

On its way to mushroom sublime-ness

Add the tomato paste and the sugar. Cook and stir for 3 more minutes.

Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes so some of the alcohol cooks out.

Break up the whole tomatoes with your fingers and transfer those to the pot, along with the juice from the can. Add the tomato puree. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes. Check for seasoning and add more kosher salt, if necessary.

'Shroom Sauce

‘Shroom Sauce

Serve ladled over the pasta with a drizzle of good olive oil and some Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.

No meat, no problem

No meat, no problem

Sauce so good it requires a close up

Sauce so good it requires a close up

What are your thoughts on the controversial mushroom? Love ‘em or hate ‘em?

Categories: Fall Recipes, Recipes, Spring Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Happy CSA Day! {Week One}

Posted on January 28, 2013 by rachelocal

“It’s CSA Day!”

In my excitement about picking up my very first Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative winter CSA box, I uttered that phrase all day on Tuesday of last week. Who can blame me? A box of organic, locally grown root vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes and the most beautiful stalk of brussels sprouts I’ve ever seen awaited me at my pick up spot – Home Grown Cafe.

I don’t even think nerds get this excited about Star Wars.

This week's CSA booty

CSA booty – Week One

The most interesting part about purchasing a CSA farm share is you never know what you’re going to get. I mean, I know it’s winter and most likely I’ll get a ton of root vegetables, but WHAT KINDS of root vegetables will be in my box? Last week the surprise item was Jerusalem artichokes. I’ve never seen them, cooked them, or tasted them.

Jerusalem artichokes - not the prettiest girl at the party but she makes up more it in practicality and common sense

Jerusalem artichokes – not the prettiest girl at the party but she makes up for it in practicality and common sense

Despite their misleading name, Jerusalem artichokes are part of the sunflower family and sometimes called sunchokes or sun roots. I don’t think they taste like artichokes at all, but French explorer Samuel de Champlain did. So that’s what he called them when he brought them back to Europe from the New World. Mr. de Champlain found them in a Native American garden in Cape Cod, Massachusetts where they became a diet staple of the Pilgrims settling in Plymouth (my former hometown).

After a little internet research, I discovered that Jerusalem artichokes are high in protein, low in starch and just like other root vegatables–good for mashing, roasting, or throwing in soups–but they also saute well and taste great raw. A versatile little tuber!

Using the mushrooms from my CSA box and a couple of sausages, I channeled the Pilgrims and made an easy one pot meal perfect for cold weather.

Winter One Pot Meal with Sausages and Jerusalem Artichokes

Ingredients

4 sausages – any kind (I used Italian-style chicken sausages, because that’s what I had on hand from the farmers market. Skip the sausage if you’re a veggie)

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, largely diced

8 ounces white mushrooms, halved (Baby Bellas were in my CSA box)

10 Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed (they are VERY dirty, so scrub them well!) and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, chopped

zest of one lemon

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Brown the sausages all over in 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep skillet. Set aside. Add the onions to the skillet, adding more olive oil if necessary. Let the onions soften over medium heat, until they are VERY tender and melting. I let them hang out in the pan for about 20 minutes while I prepped the rest of the ingredients.

Lovely nitrate-free chicken sausages

Lovely nitrate-free chicken sausages

When the onions are brown and melting, add the garlic. Push the onions aside and add the mushrooms, allowing them to brown in the pan. Push the mushrooms and onions aside and add the Jerusalem artichokes. Let them brown a bit too.

Get some color on those sunchokes

Get some color on those sunchokes

Add the lemon zest, kosher salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir. Add the sausages back into the pan, along with the thyme sprigs. Pour enough water in the skillet to just cover the veggies. Bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat to low. Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the Jerusalem artichokes are tender. If there’s too much liquid in the skillet, uncover, turn the heat up and allow to simmer and reduce. The broth is so flavorful and rich because of those melting onions and yummy mushrooms.

Ready for their water bath

Ready for their water bath

The Jerusalem artichokes add a sweet and nutty flavor to this dish - I hope I get more in my CSA box this week

The Jerusalem artichokes add a sweet and nutty flavor to this dish – I’m hoping for more in my CSA box this week

What’s your favorite winter vegetable? And can someone PLEASE tell me what to do with a very large rutabaga?!?

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Local Farms, Recipes, Winter Recipes | Tags: , , , , , , | 39 Comments

One GOOD Thing About Winter

Posted on January 16, 2013 by rachelocal

This morning I woke up to a dark bedroom, hazy and gray with no light forcing its way between blinds and through curtains. Rationally, I thought it was 3 am and I still had hours of sleep ahead of me. A quick glance at my phone told me a different story; slumber was over and it was time to face the day. Looking outside, I saw a steely slate sky and the misty drizzle of cold rain.  Seeing as “day” decided to skip out on the world, I thought I should do the same and curl back up under the covers.

But I took the more noble route and reluctantly got in the shower, dressed, and headed for work.

That’s when I discovered something good about winter.  All my local Delawareans out there will be happy to know that Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative is offering a WINTER CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which means 12 weeks of fresh, Lancaster County grown produce in the middle of winter.

I might be grasping at straws here, but the thought of fresh, organic winter vegetables grown by mostly Amish farmers melted my tiny winterized heart.

Here’s the facts about this CSA:

  • Cost is $250 for 5-8 items of fresh produce per week
  • Pick up locations are at Home Grown Cafe in Newark, Harvest Market in Hockessin, or Boyd’s Flowers in Wilmington
  • “Add-ons” are available, including cheese, bread, eggs, meat, canned goods, and even tofu
  • Online ordering is easy at lancasterfarmfresh.com. They even have payment options, so you don’t have to pay the entire $250 up front

Lancaster Farm Fresh’s summer CSA is AMAZING. Here’s a picture to prove it.

Full summer veggie share. WOW!

Photo from a shareholder with a full summer veggie share. WOW!

I can imagine the winter share is just as breathtaking with all those lovely root vegetables I adore roasting or adding to soups. It’s nice to know that even in winter when local choices are limited and grocery store produce is shipped and tortured just to get it on the shelf, I can count on area farmers to provide a superior alternative. I like to know how my food arrived on my plate. Reminds me of a Michael Pollan quote:  “At home I serve the kind of food I know the story behind.”

The deadline to order is tomorrow, January 17, by 2 pm. 

Foreboding clouds and miserable rain be damned; winter is looking up!

Categories: Local Farms, Local Stores | Tags: , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Parsnip Accolades

Posted on April 13, 2012 by rachelocal

I’ve been talking about parsnips a lot lately. Mainly because my friend Valerie gave me one from her garden, and also because they are delicious when smashed with sweet potatoes and topped with goat cheese. One particular parsnip, Valerie’s miracle parsnip, has brought me joy of another kind. Because of my review of said parsnip, Valerie’s husband Rogers included me as an example of “pretty good writing” on his blog, The Writing Rag. This blog shares tips on how to write well and satisfies the grammar nerd in me.

The parsnip in question

I am honored and amused by this accolade. Honored because Rogers said my grammar was nearly perfect; except for a missing comma and one tense he would have changed. Amused because tenses are the bane of my existence (that’s dramatic, but you get the idea). There are times I change an entire post’s tense, only to change it back (I just changed the tense of this sentence, in fact). Passive verb tenses get me every time. That’s why I’ll be studying up on them via The Writing Rag.

Another exciting accolade I received recently (I sound so “braggy”) was in the form of a fresh-baked loaf of bread and a jar of hot peach jam from Rumbleway Farm. Yes, you read that right. Hot. Peach. Jam. As in sweet peach jam with the warm, smooth heat of jalapeno. (And that, my friends, was a fragment. I do that sometimes. For effect. See? Sorry, Rogers!) My friend, Anita, gave me these gifts after hearing of my love for Rumbleway Farm. She attached a note that included the words, “P.S. I love your blog!” Yummy, yummy accolades. Thank you, Anita!

Hot. Peach. Jam.

The last accolade might not be an accolade at all, but it is exciting nonetheless. My friend, Beth, lives in Massachusetts (my former stomping ground). She’s a fan of my blog, and we’ve been conversing on Facebook regarding food, recipes, and gardening. As a result of reading my post, The Amish Know Best, Beth went to localharvest.org and found a CSA near her. Now, she and her three beautiful daughters will enjoy visiting Billingsgate Farm every Saturday to pick what goes into their CSA box. When Beth posted her plans for a summer CSA, I was thrilled beyond words. The fact that I had something to do with a family supporting a farm and, in turn, eating organic, affordable, and LOCAL produce is an accolade I will relish. It’s the whole point of Rachel’s Table!

One more accolade in which I will bask: Mr. Writing Rag called my posts “useful.” Like I said, that’s the whole point of Rachel’s Table. I’m so pleased. Thank you, Parsnip.

Categories: Gardening, Local Farms | Tags: , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Amish Know Best

Posted on April 10, 2012 by rachelocal

Every time I walk through the doors of the Dutch Country Farmer’s Market, I’m hit with a heady aroma evoking nothing but happy thoughts—Saturday morning breakfast, still-hot apple pie, blueberry picking in the sunshine, cozy Sunday afternoon naps, and s’mores around a bonfire.  It’s hard not to think happy thoughts when fresh bread is baking, bacon is sizzling at the lunch counter, and local produce is awaiting my shopping cart. And do you know why this place is so heart-warming and spirit-lifting? Because the Amish are in charge! The Amish know a good thing when they see it.

An Amish farm. All credit for this gorgeous photo goes to David Nevala

That’s why I’m excited to introduce you to the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative (LFFC). All seventy-five of the farmers in this non-profit cooperative are from Lancaster County, PA. If you know anything about the Amish, you know 30,000 of them reside in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, which includes Lancaster County.  I was willing to place a serious wager (very un-Amish of me) on the majority of LFFC’s farmers being Amish. After some intense investigating, which just means I googled “Lancaster Farm Fresh Coop Amish,” lo and behold, I found the Frequently Asked Questions page of LFFC’s website. (I’m not much of an investigator apparently since I’ve been on their website several times and never noticed this easily identifiable page.) No matter how I got there, I was pleased to see that my suspicions were correct. The majority of LFFC’s farmers are indeed Old Order Amish.

The best part of this discovery is reaping the benefits of some wholesome Amish goodness because LFFC has a CSA, and they deliver to Delaware! (And New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, and parts of Virginia and Maryland.) How exciting! Even more thrilling is the fact that the farms are family-owned, organic and sustainable (thank you, Amish!). This means the produce is harvested when full of nutrients and delivered equally full of nutrients  (and flavor) a day or so later to your pick-up location. One such pick-up location is Home Grown Café on Main Street in Newark.

So how does the Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA work? You can buy a full vegetable share for an upfront cost of $725 (that’s only $29 a week for 25 weeks of the freshest produce) or you can buy a half share for an upfront cost of $450 (that’s only $18 a week for 25 weeks of the freshest produce).  In June, your CSA box could look something like this: a bag of micro radish greens (fancy!), 1 head red butterhead lettuce, 1 head green leaf lettuce (farm fresh lettuce is like heaven compared to grocery store lettuce), 1 quart new potatoes, 1 bunch sweet onions, 1 head broccoli, 1 bag garlic, 1 bunch orange mint (!!), 1 bunch collard greens, and a couple of green zucchini. That’s a lot of produce! I can think of so many yummy ways to prepare it, too.

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is from LFFC's facebook page and shows a customer's full vegetable share for the week. I have one word: Wow!

LFFC also offers a fruit share (local cherries!), a flower share (sunflowers are my favorite), an herb and prepared food share, an egg share, and the best thing of all. . .a cheese share. For the low, low cost of $150, you will receive six deliveries of 1.5 to 2 pounds of local cheese (sheep, goat or cow). Unfortunately this option isn’t available in Delaware yet, but I may start a petition in hopes LFFC will share the cheese love.

If you haven’t signed up for a local CSA yet, LFFC is still accepting applications. (Or if you’re not in the delivery area, find your own CSA at localharvest.org.) I’m getting my CSA box from Bayberry Farm this year, and I can’t wait until it starts in June. I’m pretty sure Toby, Bayberry’s farmer, isn’t Amish, but I still have faith in him.

Categories: Farmer's Markets, Local Farms | Tags: , , , , , , | 19 Comments

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