Our CSA Email Newsletter for August 5 deliveries!

Welcome to your week 4 CSA newsletter!  Listed below are the vegetables (and brown eggs if you opted for them) included in your share this week, along with cooking ideas & recipes. 

Your share will be delivered on Friday, between 12-2 pm, unless you have arranged for a farm pickup or otherwise. 

Fall Shares Announced!  Wishful Acres will be running a fall CSA, running October 7-November 25 (8 weeks).  The cost will be $240 for a full share (breaks down to $30 / week), and I'm taking names for a list now.  Current CSA members get priority!  To view the information and vegetables available in fall shares, here is the page on the farm blog: http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/2011/08/fall-csa-announcement.html .If you'd like to be added to the fall share list please email me at wishfulacres@gmail.com.  Tell your friends & neighbors who may be interested!  We'll be able to take on more customers this fall, and are planting now in preparation for those wonderful fall vegetables!  Help us expand our farm CSA!  :-)

Optional purchases this week: ( If you want any delivered with your order, just let me know by Friday morning via email and I'll make a note.)

• From the bulk bins: 1/2 bushels of our cucumbers & summer squash now available, $10 each (that's about 25 cucumbers & even more squash!) - ideas & recipes at end of newsletter

Here is what's in your share this week, along with recipes!

-Sweet Pepper -You'll get a full portion of sweet bell peppers this week.  Great in an omelet!  Refrigerate.

-Tomatoes - I'm hoping, hoping, and hoping that by Friday I'll have enough ripe tomatoes to give you each a small taste!  By a taste, I mean you each may get 1 tomato, or a few cherry tomatoes.  Many, many, many more tomatoes in weeks to come, but for now I'm hoping to get a small taste to each of you.

-Leeks -  a few leeks in each full share this week!  A recipe below for leek potato soup. Refrigerate.

-Potatoes - red potatoes grown organically on a nearby as we didn't get ours in this year.  If you don't intend to eat right away, store in a dark, dry, cool area of your home (a basement is perfect)!  These potatoes would work fine in the leek potato soup recipe below.

-Patty Pan Squash - cute flower-shaped summer squash, full sized this week so you can make one of my favorite recipes, stuffed patty pan squash (recipe below).  Will be fine sitting on your counter for a week or two.

-Basil.  This week's fresh herb.  Pesto recipe this week!  Refrigerate.

-Lettuce Mix - We're succeeding so far in beating the normal Midwest hot summer growing patterns, and keeping our lettuce plantings producing!  Refrigerate.

-Cucumbers - more this week for your fresh salads!  Tis the time of year for cucumbers.  Refrigerate.

-Sweet Onions-  Refrigerate sweet onions.  If you have extra sweet onions from each week's share, they can be easily frozen for use this winter!  Simply chop them up & toss into a freezer bag.

-Garlic - Not sure which variety will be included this week.  Okay left out on your counter for several weeks.

-Brown Eggs or full-size zucchinis, depending upon your option upon signup.


And here are some recipe ideas for all those delicious organic veggies!

Recipes:

Leek & Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 2-3 medium leeks
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
• 1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and diced small
• 1/2 quart vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Directions

Chop the leeks into small pieces.
In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.
Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.  Serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

Stuffed Patty Pan Squash 
(recipe with picture is here on farm blog: http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/2010/08/recipe-italian-stuffed-patty-pan-squash.html )

Serves 4

• 4 small to medium-sized Patty Pan Squash
• 1/2 pound Italian Sausage or Ground Beef
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded mozarella cheese

To prepare the patty pan squash for stuffing, wash and then cut a circle around the stem, leaving a bit of the edge - as you would cut open the top of a pumpkin.  Use a small spoon to scoop out the seed cavity and dispose of the seeds.  The inside should now be hollow.  In a pan, brown the meat.  Then add the marinara and stir to combine.  Stuff the marinara sauce into the hollowed-out patty pan squash.  Top with shredded cheese.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the squash is soft.  To eat, cut with a knife and fork, eating the squash along with the stuffing.  Enjoy!


Pesto made with Basil
-1 sandwich bag full fresh basil
-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1 clove garlic
-1 tablespoon parmesan cheese (optional)
-dash salt (optional)

Place all into a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth.  Enjoy over pasta, or drizzled over cooked squash or tomatoes.  Also great as a dip for bread or fresh veggies.


Grilling Ideas:   

-Potato, Onion, and Garlic foil pack -  Dice potato, onion, and garlic.  Toss with olive oil, season with salt & pepper and fold into a foil pack.  Cook on grill for approximately 30 minutes, moving frequently.  Click here to view our foil packs on the grill, to give you an idea of how they look:  http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/2011/07/grilling-on-farm-sunday-summer-ritual.html


More information on the Extra Purchases:

• Bulk Bins: 1/2 bushels of cucumbers or summer squash (mixed varieties) - $10 each.  Tons of cukes are great for making freezer, refrigerator, or canned pickles or for eating fresh, you can go in on a 1/2 bushel and get about 25 cukes to split with friends & neighbors!  As for the summer squash, a 1/2 bushel can be used in many different recipes & frozen for use this winter!  We love to make Creaming Zucchini Soup - here is a very detailed recipe on our farm web site blog: http://all-natural-mama.blogspot.com/2009/10/creamy-zucchini-soup.html

Thanks again, everyone!  I have heard from a few people that they'd like to visit the farm.  I can do a scheduled farm walk with you if you want to visit.  Or, if there is enough interest perhaps we could do an Open House day on the farm?  I'm honestly not sure how many of you would be interested in visiting, so if you vote for an open house format, email me and let me know.

Penny Peterson
Wishful Acres Farm
Certified Naturally Grown
http://wishfulacres.blogspot.com