Welcome to your first share of the summer harvest at meadowlark farm csa. Your trust and intention(in deciding to participate in Meadowlark CSA) paid forth this winter or spring is now bearing fruit. These first boxes are full of green; get ready for salads all week long and delicious meals with cooking greens and tender roots. We were thankful that the temperatures were a bit warmer today, but the wind is incessant and hard on the freshly harvested greens. We will take this weather though, over the 4 frosts of the last week. Yes 4. Saturday night was a doozy and our recorded low was 25 degrees. We have been watching the weather very carefully and knew that we were due on Saturday night, so we covered many newly planted crops in anticipation. Awakening in the morning to a hard covering of white all around, we tentatively uncovered and surveyed the damage. It was sobering. Most of the hardier crops(greens, broccoli, spinach) were ok. The tops of the peas, some beets and others of the hardies were touched and a little bit damaged, but the early tomatoes we had put out were toast. We had to replant 95% of the initial planting. Fortunately we hadn't and still haven't moved the heirloom tomatoes or melons out. It looks like rain this weekend and lows in the 40's and for that we are nervous. Our heirloom tomatoes and melons are our tender babies and we try and grow them lovingly and nurture them to perfection so that they will produce delicious, scrumptious fruits. We are playing it conservatively now......Aside from the frosty nights though, we are thankful to bring to you salad greens that were covered with reemay plus other early summer treats. The salad mix is rinsed 3 times and the spinach is also washed. All other greens need to be washed in a sink full of water and spun in a salad spinner. Your box today includes: a big bag containing black summer bok choy and a bunch of curly kale or senposai(Japanese collards), a big bag containing a head of green romaine and a head of crinkly leaved galisse oak, a little bunch of French breakfast radishes plus hakkurei turnips without greens, washed and delectable spinach,triple washed salad greens(a little bit spicier than the spring shares were receiving) and for premiums scallions/green onions, extra kale, turnips and radish.

We were lucky today to share in the feast prepared by our friend Nancy Allen. She created a meal of Indian yumminess that was enjoyed by all of the workers for lunch. We had a delicious red lentil dal, rice pilaf, curried potatoes and a most delicious salad/raita with a rhubarb chutney on the side. Nancy's recipe for the raita was so good she is sharing the recipe below with you. Give it a try and enjoy! Usually a raita is made with cucumber and yogurt but this is a delicious and in season adaptation using the fleshy stems of the bok choy which are juicy and like celery or in this case cucumber:

NANCY'S STEMMY RAITA SALAD

-6 c. very finely sliced bok choy, vitamin green/ chard stems -1/2-1 tsp salt

-1 c. raw walnuts or cashews -1/4 c. chopped, peeled fresh ginger root

-1/4-1/2 c. freshly squeezed lime juice -1/4 -1/2 c. lightly chopped cilantro

-1 t.-1TBL. Maple syrup to taste

Mix stems and salt allow to sit until liquid collects at bottom of bowl, 20 minutes. In blender/food processor puree nuts, ginger, ¼ c. lime juice and 1/4-1/2 c. liquid from stems until smooth and thickish. Toss stems with cilantro and nut mixture until evenly coated. Taste and add more salt or lime or maple syrup to taste.

If you are an every other week share, your next box will be on june 19^th, otherwise next Friday will be your next share. Please return your box next time so that we can reuse them and see enclosed chicken ordering information sheet enclosed in your box today. Also, on the back of this newsletter you will find a diagram to help you learn to unfold the box without ripping the edges. It is considerate to return your box flattened to your drop off site for storage until the next time we return. Enjoy your greens! Love, the meadowlarks

This page last updated on 6/19/2009.

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