Maplewood Organics

Red onions

Delicata or sugar dumpling squash

Carrots

yellow summer squash

celery

paste tomatoes

cherry/sungold tomatoes

basil

Red potatoes

Tomatillos

Cabbage

Flowers

Trades and extras will include: slicing tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, and more!

You may order parsley, cilantro or extra basil this week by 8:00am the day of your share pick-up by emailing maplewoodorganics@yahoo.com or calling 868-5083.

CSA Newsletter

Volume 5

Issue 11- Farm

August 27, 2009

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Week 11

New to everyone this week: red onions, delicata squash and eggplant! Another exciting addition for our half share members this week: tomatillos. And potatoes are back! Remember to go to our Local Harvest website blog (

Ellyn’s last day was yesterday. She leaves for Hampshire College in a week and a half. We miss her already!

http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M13345) to view your CSA contents for the upcoming week. You can also find our newsletters posted to that blog. If you want to look back at recipes, you can look there! We have lots of yellow squash, so if you want extra, just ask!

Flowers for Special Events

We now arrange flowers for special events! If you're planning an event for this summer or fall or next summer or fall (mid July-September) please keep us in mind! We grow all of our own flowers organically and have very competitive prices! Our bouquets would be done in the style you're receiving in your share. Special requests can be made if booked early for next season! Spread the word!

Garden Progress

We got our beets and turnips planted Saturday. We also seeded down two empty beds with buckwheat until we’re ready to plant garlic at the end of next month. We still have some spent crops to pull in the garden by the house. We’re trying to get as many of our fall crops in that garden as possible so we can free up the big garden for composted manure and fall plowing. We plan to hire a rock crusher in the spring to break up the many, many rocks we have in that garden. We’re also working on our weed management plan for next season already. Two family members have recommended using landscaping fabric between all of our crop rows to keep down the weeds. This fabric can be used for 15-20 years if taken care of properly and rolled up at the end of each season. I’m REALLY excited about this possibility. I need to price it out and see what widths are available. Spending a few days at each end of the season to lay it down and roll it up would save us an incredible amount of time during the season and would help us grow even better food for our customers and our family! This is exciting stuff!

Farm News - Beef

We have another steer going to the butcher this week. We process about one animal per month and sell much of the meat to stores and restaurants in the Burlington and Essex areas. We also sell beef in bulk starting at 12 pounds up to the whole animal. We can get it all processed and packaged for you, or you can arrange the cuts you want with the butcher. Go in with another family or two and buy a whole beef! It’s a great way to stock your freezer for the winter and support our farm so that we can keep on producing nutritious food in a way that nurtures the environment.

We celebrated the bulk of our haying being done with pizza last night. Eric’s parents, Richard and Maggie, treated all of us to Swanton House of Pizza pies last night. Thank you! Did you know that they buy their tomatoes and onions locally?

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Winter CSA – SOLD OUT

You may place your name on a waiting list for our winter CSA, which runs October through December. If someone cancels, you have a chance at a share in the order that you signed on. (The total cost to you is $140.)

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

Recipes of the Week

Broiled Eggplant with Crunchy Parmesan Crust

This is such an easy way to make a crunchy-crusted eggplant appetizer that you may even feel guilty about the raves it receives. Recipe-tester Barbara suggests topping this dish with tomato sauce. Angelic Organics Kitchen (adapted from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden).

oil for greasing the baking sheet

mayonnaise

eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices

freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup)

1. Preheat the broiler. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

2. Spread mayonnaise sparingly on both sides of each eggplant slice, then dip the slices in the grated Parmesan cheese, thoroughly coating both sides.

3. Arrange the slices in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet and place under the broiler until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the slices and broil until golden brown and crunchy on top and the eggplant is soft, about 3 minutes more.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

To cook the tomatillos, you can either roast them in the oven, or boil them. Roasting will deliver more flavor; boiling may be faster and use less energy. Either way works, though boiling is a more common way to cook the tomatillos.

•1 1/2 lb tomatillos

•1/2 cup chopped white onion

•1/2 cup cilantro leaves

•1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

•1/4 teaspoon sugar

•2 Jalapeño peppers OR 2 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped

•Salt to taste

1 Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well.

2a Roasting method Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin.

2b Boiling method Place tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove tomatillos with a slotted spoon.

3 Place tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, sugar in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Season to taste with salt. Cool in refrigerator.

Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes.

Makes 3 cups.

Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com

Other Tomatillo Ideas

Chop them up with tomatoes and onions to make a delicious pan sauce.

Eat them fresh, like an apple.

Go to our blog for the relish recipe and serve over fish or chicken.