Our region’s and nation’s food system is diverse. And for good reason. As nature shows us, there is strength in diversity. Last Saturday’s hail storm in our community was a tangible reminder of the importance of this diversity. We are very grateful that all we received was a few minutes of small hail. Had the golf-ball sized hail landed here, as it did on many of our neighbors, it would have caused some great damage. Would we have been terribly damaged financially as a business? Not terribly, largely because we are a Community Supported Farm. (THANK YOU, CSA MEMBERS!) Would our community have starved if most of the farms in this area were flattened by hail? No, because our food system is large in range and diverse. So, what would the loss have been?
{photo credit: CSA member Mary, declaring on Twitter her new addiction to radishes}
The loss would have been a temporary disappearance of flavor and nutrition from the diets of our CSA members and market customers. Especially the amazing, amazing community members that are part of our Farm Share CSA, joining on for a full bundle of vegetables from us weekly, May through November! These CSA members are infusing their food intake with a load of flavor and nutrients from us each week.
{photo credit: CSA member Beth, showing an 8 yr old’s love for our bread, radishes, and lettuces}
Thus, the potential loss highlights what our job is: Our job isn’t to ensure that our community doesn’t starve. We are part of a grand and diverse food system. Together, we make that job a collective work. Our farm’s specific job is to grow the very best food we can for about 150 households in our community. A bad storm would set back the food experience of this group for a bit. But we would recover, thanks to being held up by the web of support our community provides.
We are extra grateful this week after the reminder provided by bits of ice hurled down from the clouds. Thank you for being part of the web that supports us, and thanks for enjoying this great food.
Saturday’s/Monday’s Farm Share will most likely include: Salad Mix, Broccoli, Beets, Napa Cabbage, Cucumbers, Summer Squash. Optional: Cilantro, Radishes
Summer squash will be one of two varieties we are growing this year:
* This year’s Real Local RVA Farm Tour & Cookout is on Saturday June 17, with the culminating cookout and music at our lovely farm. Spend a day being driven (chartered bus) between 4 different farms for tours (urban ag, rural dairy, rural specialty vegetables, our suburban vegetables) while enjoying a boxed lunch, and at the end of the day live it up with a cookout here at Broadfork prepared by four of Richmond’s best chefs. Click here to buy tickets or for more information.
* We now have a Facebook group for our CSA Members. Send a request to join, and we’ll add you so that you can exchange cooking ideas or questions with other members. (Thanks to those members that requested this!)
Vegetable Notes & Recipe Suggestions…also cataloged on our Recipe Page and see our Pinterest Page
Salad Mix – We were recently gifted a bottle of “Sandwich Sprinkle” by Penzey’s Spices and our whole family has fallen in love with it sprinkled on not just sandwiches but also our salads. We drizzle olive oil on top of the salad, then sprinkle the Sandwich Sprinkle, and it’s super great.
Broccoli – As mentioned last week: we often have a hard time keeping worms out of the nooks and crannies of the Broccoli heads. So, if you want to minimize the chance for the worms to join your dinner plate, cut up the broccoli head, soak it in a bowl of water with about 3 T of salt, and wait 20 minutes. The worms should be killed by the salt water and drop to the bottom of the bowl. Then enjoy it! Roasted Broccoli is a big favorite here. Include as much of the broccoli leaves as you want – they become crispy and very delicious – like Kale Chips. Remember to peel the stem portion and cut as veggie sticks for snack/appetizer, or slice into disks and saute them with butter and salt. If you don’t roast the broccoli, use the stems like Kale – salad, saute, smoothie, or juice them.
Beets – We often hear from members that they wouldn’t think to purchase beets in the store and have to learn how to enjoy them as part of our CSA. Our favorite thing is to roast them, then serve with goat cheese, on top of a salad or on their own. See these: Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts & Honey Dijon Vinaigrette or Balsamic-Glazed Roasted Beets (add goat cheese for a bonus). Note: We don’t peel our beets, but some people do.
Napa Cabbage – also called Chinese Cabbage, these heads are long and the leaves are curlier and more tender than traditional smooth round cabbage. However, we tend to use them interchangeably.
Summer Squash – This recipe for Summer Squash with Pasta & Cilantro Lime Pesto looks great and we will make it this week. Or try Cilantro Lime Squash Fries, which are not battered. Or make Oven Baked Squash Fries, which are more laborious but really, really delicious.
Radishes – We love Radishes on Tacos. Try this Radish Slaw (with Chicken Tacos), or sub your favorite type of taco fillings.
Cilantro – See ways to enjoy it with Summer Squash, above, or enjoy it added to any and all salads, or use as topping on Fish Tacos with Radishes.
{photo credit: CSA member Erin, showing her Farm Share pick-up day dinner featuring the Summer Squash with Pasta & Cilantro Lime Pesto provided in the recipe suggestions, above}
This week’s harvest (and baking) includes:
Arugula, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage (round), Cilantro, Cucumbers, Green Garlic, Hearty Greens Mix, Kale (2 varieties), Radishes, Sage, Salad Mix, Sweet Salad Turnips, Summer Squash, Thyme…and our Organic Hearth Baked Bread (Baguettes, Garlic, Seed, & Sunny Greens loaves for this weekend)
{Our farmstand is open Friday with most of the above items…see here for updated inventory}
2017 Market Share CSA Members: Reserve your selection online to pick up Saturday, June 3rd at our farm, at the Brandermill Green Market, or at the Farmers Market @ St. Stephens.
Anything remaining after CSA shares are distributed and our farm stand is shopped… we’ll bring to the Brandermill Green Market or the Farmer’s Market @ St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in the West End of Richmond. Keep an eye on what we have available via the online farmers’ markets: FallLineFarms.com and Local Roots Food Coop.
Enjoy ~
Janet, Dan, & the whole Broadfork crew
Want to follow along during the week, including Farm Stand updates? Visit us on Facebook or Instagram.
