Salamander Springs Farm/Permaculture Organics

BLUEBERRIES & BLACKBERRIES! so tasty and bursting with nutrients and essential vitamins--see their amazing health benefits listed below!  If you manage to not eat them all fresh, they’re wonderful in the “Morning Glory” muffin recipe below or the fruit cobbler recipe we posted a few weeks back (Thanks to Mirra, we had the oh-so-yummy muffins this morning!  They included our mulberries, apples, zucchini and carrots, too).   Both berries can be easily frozen without much loss of the anthocyanin antioxidants mentioned below. They also make wonderful jam, juices (kombucha flavoring), desserts and wine.
You may also get some GROUND CHERRIES in your berry box, which have started to produce, despite the rains.  These sweet pineapple tasting fruits of the tomato family (also called husk cherries) come in their own little candy wrappers (paper husks).  Like the other berries, we enjoy them in salads, desserts, jams, and juices.  Read up on their nutritional benefits below to see if you’d like to get more of these little gems!

PAC CHOY (last week for Pac Choy for until fall).  A staple in many Asian stir fry dishes - stir-fry the garlic, onion, spices, (and meat or tofu if you like) in the oil first, then add the Pac Choy & veggies briefly (stir-fry less then a minute) so they’re still somewhat crunchy.  Use a wok or a cast iron skillet.  Serve over brown rice.  Experiment with ginger,  lemongrass, curry & Asian spices, too!  See nutritional info in our previous posting.

YELLOW “CANDY” ONIONS - freshly harvested, these are sweet & mild onions (not the “make-you-cry” type for long storage), good for all dishes.  These are fresh onions, not yet cured, so use within a couple weeks.  Let us know how many onions you use and your type preference (red, white, & yellow sweet, yellow storage or pearl onions).

ZUCCHINI and SUMMER SQUASH, tasty “Patty-Pan” or “Scallopini” (shaped like flying saucers).  Grated squash is a wonderful addition to the “Morning Glory Muffins” recipe below.  They are sweet in roasted veggies, casseroles, a stir fry or egg frittata, marinated and put on the grill, or our previously posted Pan Grilled Summer Squash & Zucchini recipe.   Add sliced squash & tomatoes to rice when you cook it.  Zucchini & summer squash store best dry & cool but not too cold. Wash just before use, water causes it to spoil more quickly.  A perforated bag is best so the squash still has air circulation.
 
EARLY, CHERRY & HEIRLOOM TOMATOES - Come to market early today if you’d like to pick which you want.  Despite the flooding rains and unseasonably cool temperatures our heirloom tomatoes are beginning to produce.  We’ve been applying a tea of the horsetail plant to to help them resist the blight that comes with the too-wet conditions we’re having.  See last week’s posting for a refreshing middle eastern Tabouli Salad.
Do not refrigerate tomatoes--it will nullify tomato flavor and turn the flesh mealy.  Keep them stem-side down covered with a cloth.  Use according to ripeness--within a couple days to more than a week.  To ripen further, leave a sunny windowsill (covered with a cloth). 

LETTUCE MIX- typically a spring & fall crop, our lettuce is hanging in there this summer--a bright spot in this rainy, cool summer!  With a garnish of edible flowers, it is ready to eat as is.  Add other veggies like broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, sweet peppers & cucumbers, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, nuts, sprouts, hard-or boiled eggs to make it meal.  Remember the chicken, egg or bean salad ideas and homemade dressings in our May postings?  For a week of fresh salads, keep in a sealed bag (with as much air removed as possible)

STIR FRY GREENS  In addition to Chard, Kale, Perpetual spinach, Tatsoi mustard and leek chives, this week’s mix has SWEET POTATO GREENS!   From stem to leaf, the whole bunch is wonderful sauteed or steamed, with a little bit of lemon juice and/or butter.    See some amazing nutritional information below about sweet potato greens - they contain more nutrients and dietary fiber than many green-leafy vegetables.

GARLIC  Select what you’d like from softneck or hardneck at the market.  Softneck is a smaller version of what you find in the supermarket.  Hardneck doesn’t keep as long, but has a more pungent garlic flavor (this is the kind Italians use)   Store garlic out in a airy, dry place like a hanging basket in your kitchen or porch (but not in the sun).  A basket on the counter is better than in a cupboard or the refrigerator. 

And take your pick at the market of:
Little bitty, sweet PEARL ONIONS - the gourmet’s delight, delicious whole  with roasted potatoes & veggies or boiled with potatoes & green beans, butter & salt.   The red ones especially are colorful and tasty sliced raw in salads or last week’s Tabouli recipe.
or LEEKS - a small early variety.  Leeks are sweeter and more pungent than onions.  Enjoy in creamy potato leek soup, stir-fries, roasted-veggies, frittatas...the green stalks are good, too.

FRESH BASIL  Wonderful in salads and dressings, with tomatoes & cucumbers, pesto, stir-fries, egg frittatas or the Pan Grilled Summer Squash/Zucchini recipe.   See previous postings for our pesto recipe and information on the amazing medicinal and health benefits of basil!

FRESH OREGANO  - an important culinary herb in many dishes, flavoring bean chili, egg frittata or quiche, pizza & pastas, grilled/roasted veggies, meat & fish dishes and salad dressings.  Oregano provides some amazing medicinal health benefits--see below!  You can make a strong tea of it to help fight any of the conditions mentioned.

You’ll also find ONE of these in your box this week:
<BEETS - red & golden - sweet and good for you!  Enjoy grilled, boiled, roasted, pickled, sliced or shredded raw...and they are wonderful as roasted veggies.  Both the leafy greens and bulb are edible so eat the greens, too!  See our previous posting for how important beets are to your health.
<BABY CARROTS are sweet and flavorful raw, in salads, and very sweet in roasted veggies or in stir fries, Grated carrots are great in salads or baked goods-see “Morning Glory” muffin recipe below and nutritional info in previous posting.  Though all vegetables are best eaten fresh, carrots will keep sealed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a month or more. They begin to go limp once exposed to air.  We remove the greens as they can draw moisture away from the root.
<CUCUMBERS small “pickling” type, tender for salads, these cucumbers do not have to be peeled!   Great for hot July days, see last week’s posting for the refreshing yogurt/cucumber/mint sauce or Tabouli Salad recipes.

and last but not least....
FRESH FLOWERS for your table! 
and
FRESH BAKED BREAD & SPECIAL TREATS from Clementine’s Bakery!

We have red white & blue potatoes at the farmer’s market today, some hot peppers and green beans, more blackberries, onions and greens...
See you there!

Our CSA members are invited to come out for our farm tour this SATURDAY, July 13 at 3:15 p.m.   This is our monthly tour (2nd Saturday, see info on website) and we will also be joined by participants in the Whippoorwill Festival. 

*************************************RECIPES!*************************************

BEET KVASS  (recipe from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions)
“Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver, and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments.”  You can drink beet kvass as a tonic, add in place of vinegar in salad dressing, and add to your soups!

3 medium size beets, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup whey (thin liquid separated from yogurt or cheese; you can strain some from plain, good quality organic yogurt)
1 tablespoon sea salt
Filtered or spring water
Place the beets in a 2-quart glass container.  Add whey, salt and water to fill the container. Stir well and cover securely. Keep at room temperature for 2 days; Chill in refrigerator and enjoy!
You can do a second brew when most of the first batch is empty. Refill the container with water, and let sit at room temperature for a couple days before chilling. The second batch may be slightly less potent than the first.

Whole Grain MORNING GLORY MUFFINS!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix in a large bowl:
1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup sugar (raw turbinado or brown sugar, or sorghum)
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt.
Beat together:
2 eggs
2/3 cups oil or butter
1 t. vanilla
Mix wet and dry ingredients together until well combined.
And here is where you can get creative!
1 diced apple
1/2 cup raisins or...  blackberries, blueberries, or ground cherries!
1/2 cup carrots, grated, or...zucchini, summer squash, or beets...
1/2 cup walnuts, or pecans, finely chopped.
Spoon the mixture into greased and floured muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

**************************NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION**********************

Cooking vegetables leads to slight nutrient losses, but heat also helps activate some plant enzymes, vitamins and antioxidants. Cook for short periods of time and use liquids too. Vegetables vitamins to air so using soon is always best.

BLUEBERRIES & BLACKBERRIES!  Rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, both berries are highly nutritious and rich in antioxidants.  Blueberries rank the highest of any fruit for antioxidants - those free-radical-fighting powerhouses that help combat the free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA.  Studies conducted on the pigment compound in blueberries known as resveratrol, an anthocyanin which protects against heart disease.  Traditionally used to combat scurvy, studies have shown that blueberries can help combat high cholesterol and blood pressure. They may even boost learning and memory! 

All berries are a great source of ellagic acid, an antioxidant shown to protect the skin from damage from ultraviolet light, repair skin damaged by the sun, and help fight cancers.  Studies of cyanidin-3-glucoside, a compound found in blackberries showed it helps prevent skin cancer by inhibiting tumors from growing and spreading.
Anthocyanins, which give both berries their dark color, are an antioxidant shown to reduce inflammation; they destroy free radicals in the body that harm cells and lead to heart disease & cancer.   One of the greatest benefit from eating these berries is their high level of phenolic acids, antioxidant compounds known as powerful anti-carcinogenic agents. Because of these compounds, blackberries have been given an ORAC value (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of about 5350 per 100 grams, placing them near the top of ORAC fruits.

Both berries are low in calories (less than 100 calories per cup), carbohydrates, and fat - great for a balanced diet.  They are a good source of vitamin K, averaging 36% of the daily recommended amount of this nutrient, used by the body for the clotting of blood and to aid the absorption of calcium.   One cup of blackberries contains half of the daily recommendation of vitamin C and blueberries contain about 25%. The body uses vitamin C for protection from immune system deficiencies, to help heal wounds and help reduce the chances of macular degeneration, a condition in which fine vision deteriorates, resulting in central vision loss and is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50. 

Thirty percent of the daily recommended amount of fiber is to be found in just one cup of blackberries and 14% in blueberries. The steady movement of fiber through the digestive system allows for a measured breakdown of food into its component parts. This even breakdown of food helps to curtail extremes regarding simple sugar uptake from the digestive tract. An excess of simple sugar uptake all at once can produce an unwanted blood sugar spike. A lack of simple sugar uptake may produce a rapid blood sugar drop.  Either extreme can upset blood sugar balance. The quantity of fiber in blackberries helps avoid both extremes.
EAT YOUR BERRIES!

GROUND CHERRIES (Husk Cherries) are rich in Vitamin A, which is needed for maintaining good vision and skin health, boosting immune function, and gene transcription. It is also an antioxidant, meaning that it can neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals, thereby shielding us from cancer and degenerative diseases like macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, and cystic fibrosis.  They are also a good source of fiber and Vitamin C and contain some calcium, iron and several of the B complex vitamins (unusual for a berry!).  They are also sodium and cholesterol free, and contain a low glycemic index score, making them suitable for diabetic and pre-diabetic individuals.

SWEET POTATO GREENS are more nutritious than the tuber itself - weight per weight, 100 g of fresh leaves contain more iron, vitamin C, folates, vitamin K, and potassium but less sodium than the tuber. 
Sweet potato leaves are cooked as a vegetable in many parts of the world.   The greens are rich in vitamins A and several Bs, ß-carotene, iron, calcium, zinc.  They contain the antioxidant polyphenols and anthocyanins (discussed above in berries) and a surprising amount of protein for a green! 

During my years in South America, I (Susana) saw a tea of sweet potato greens used many times to treat things like dengue fever and malaria.  The University of Arkansas Extension has an excellent publication on the medicinal & health qualities of sweet potato leaves (likely also posted online) which helped me see why sweet potato leaves provided effective treatment of tropical ailments.  An excerpt:
“Lyophilized sweet potato leaf powder...strongly suppressed the growth of O-157, and its effect was detectable even after autoclave treatment.  The antibacterial extract revealed that the main components were polysaccharides. Furthermore, the water extracted from the leaves suppressed effectively the growth of other food-poisoning bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus as well as pathogenic E. coli.”

OREGANO is very rich in anti-oxidant phytochemical flavonoids and phenolic acids, the third highest herb in oxygen radical absorbency capacity (ORAC).  Oregano is one of the best sources of the powerful phenol component thymol, which helps digestive function and destroys harmful microbes.  It has four times the antioxidant power of blueberries, 12 times that of oranges and 42 times greater than apples.  Oregano oil is an extraordinarily powerful natural anti-biotic. In a recent study it was found to be significantly better than all of the 18 currently used antibiotics in the treatment of MRSA staph infections!  Strong phenol anti-oxidants destroy pathogenic bacteria, viruses and yeasts.  It is used as a disinfectant, an aid for ear, nose, & throat/respiratory infections, candida, and bacterial or viral conditions.  It has also been shown to suppress inflammatory mediators and cancer cell production. Oregano oil is distilled from the herb and more so is potent than the whole herb.  Studies have shown that carvacrol, a phenol anti-oxidant in oregano has powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activity when applied to food or taken in supplement form. Oregano also contains rosmarinic acid, which has properties shown to fight cancer.       

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“Eating is A Revolutionary Act”  by David Veltser, Salamander Springs Farm WWOOFer

Hi all, my name is David Veltser.  Originally from New Jersey, and in Kentucky for the very first time, I have been for the past month, interning at Salamander Springs Farm.  The good people here have so very kindly given me the opportunity to introduce myself to y’all on the blog, and to share with you some ideas I had while working in this ever-inspiring place.
Though I can write volumes about how truly wonderful this farm is, I would like to take up this space by thanking all of you CSA people for doing what you do:  supporting Salamander Springs Farm.  To be clear, no, this is not a pledge-drive, and I am not soliciting for donations!  Simply, there is very much that can be said about a community of people who value their nutrition, who make positive, informed decisions about what they put into their individual bodies, and who understand the importance of unprocessed, unadulterated, straight-up food.  I am not a farmer by trade, but through some of the farms I have worked with, I can see how vital this community support is to the life of a local farmer’s operation.  We may grow the food, giving it all the things it needs to be nutritious and delicious, but this farm would have a hard time of spreading its edible messages if there were no plates on the other side to receive them.

From my own experience, CSAs vary from region-to-region depending on the length of the season, farming techniques utilized, and even community involvement, as some CSAs ask their members to volunteer on the farm.  Though it is not required to work at Salamander Springs Farm for your weekly box, why not come by for a tour and see where the magic happens?   Through all these CSA systems, a single purpose rings clear:  by joining the CSA, you are standing in solidarity with the farmer and what they are trying to make possible.  In a world in which we have become disconnected from our sources of food, this is truly an incredible feat.  With your forks, choosing to eat this food, you are standing with your local farmer against powerful forces which would rather that there be no permaculture farmers at all (Oi!).  With every squash, tomato, bean, and blueberry you are saying to them, “Our farmers, our food, our lives!  We shall eat the products of big business no more!”

And so, not meaning to sound too much like a customer service rep, thank you for choosing Salamander Springs as your farm-food supplier.  With every bite you take, you not only uphold the health of your bodies, hearts, heads, joints, livers, and onions, but, with every mighty munch, you are showing your support for a truly radical way of life, eating against the tyranny of the GMOs, mono-crops, and poor eating habits that are so very prevalent today.

Thank you again, and keep on eating!
-David Naphtaly Veltser