Maplewood Organics

CSA Newsletter

Volume 5

Issue 5- Farm

July 16, 2009

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Week 5

More greens this week! Yum! We have some exciting new additions too: peas, new potatoes, basil, fresh garlic, and raspberries. We’ll let the onions get big now, so no more green onions. It won’t take long for them to plump up. I’ve started posting our newsletter online on our Local Harvest website blog (

http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M13345). If you want to look back at recipes, you can look there!

Farm News

Day to day tasks continued to keep us busy this past week! Our rototiller took a turn for the worse, and its break down has forced us to weed in between the tomato rows. We needed to prepare them for their first level of rope, to support the green tomatoes already beginning to grow. On Friday, everyone’s favorite workout, hay baling, occurred for the second time this season, with the help from a neighboring young farmer, Jake. We’re continuing to harvest much of the same delicious fresh veggies, like heads of lettuce, which seem to grower bigger and bigger by the day. New additions like carrots, broccoli, green cabbage and more are all coming soon; we just have to let good old mother nature work her wonders so they’re ready for your table!

~Hannah Gibbons
Garden Progress

Some of our rows are a little soggy after the weekend rain. We got pretty muddy harvesting potatoes on our knees and bottoms, squishing down the rows as we went. We all finished weeding the tomatoes and have started placing the twine supports around the tomatoes and posts. Hannah and Ellyn wound more twine on our reel this afternoon so we can finish the first level of the project Monday afternoon. Eric’s mom, Maggie, has been a weeding whirlwind whizzing down row after row clearing out the pesky plants we don’t want to allow all the sun and nutrients to go to our crops. This week we will focus on our third planting of peas, our pumpkins and our beans. It looks like Eric may have found a used rototiller for us in Berlin, Vermont. I sure hope so! We need one so badly.

Winter CSA – Only THREE spots left!

Don’t wait until it’s too late! Last year we had a waiting list. Sign up now for our winter CSA which runs October through December. The total cost to you is $140. A $50 deposit holds your spot!

Save the Dates

CORRECTION: Wednesday, July 29^th, 5:00-7:00pm – NOFAvore celebration at Maplewood Organics – Dinner, farm tours, relaxed fun!

Join us to celebrate Vermont organic agriculture!

NOFAvore Celebrations are dinners featuring our Vermont Farmers' Fare pizza with local and organic cheeses, meats, and toppings from the farm hosting the celebration.

These celebrations will provide an opportunity to meet other NOFA Vermont supporters in your region, introduce your friends to NOFA Vermont, and tour the host farm.

These gatherings are free and open to all (members and non-members alike).

Please pre-register and get-directions by calling the NOFA Vermont office: 802-434-4122.

Saturday, September 12^th, 5:00-7:00pm – Annual CSA Member Cook-out

Recipes of the Week

For the noodle salad

Radish and Sesame Soy Noodle Salad (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes)7oz whole wheat noodles, cooked according to packet instructions and drizzled with groundnut oil to prevent sticking
7oz radishes, washed and quartered
½ cucumber, halved lengthways, de-seeded and chopped
1 small handful black sesame seeds or toasted sesame seeds
fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish
For the sesame soy dressing
3 Tbsp light soy sauce
3 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
3 Tbsp Chinese black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1. Place the noodles, radishes and cucumber into three separate bowls and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least one hour.
2. For the dressing, combine all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
3. To serve, transfer the noodles to a large serving dish, layer with some radish and cucumber and scatter over the black sesame seeds. Spoon the dressing over the noodles and garnish with coriander sprigs. Serve immediately.

Eat Michigan Salad (You may substitute any lettuce for the butter lettuce. Also other dried fruit and nuts for the cherries and pecans. I would probably use raisins or cranberries and walnuts.)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

3 heads butter lettuce - rinsed, and torn

1/2 cup dried cherries

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into matchsticks

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

3 ounces chopped candied pecans

1. In the container of a blender, combine the mayonnaise, maple syrup, vinegar, and sugar. Cover and blend on low speed. Gradually pour in the vegetable oil while mixing until fully incorporated. Taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. In a large serving bowl, combine the lettuce, cherries, apples, goat cheese and candied pecans. Toss with just enough of the dressing to coat, then serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

Bok Choy Chicken Soup

3 cups chicken broth

10 leaves bok choy, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 garlic clove, peeled, chopped

Bring the chicken broth to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the seasonings (the red pepper flakes, soy sauce, Asian sesame oil), and the chopped garlic.

Add the bok choy. Simmer for up to 10 minutes, until the bok choy leaves turn dark green and are wilted and tender. Serves 4 to 5.