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Earth Dance Farm

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Delivering fresh, local, chemical free food to your neighborhood.
We offer Spring, Summer, Fall and Egg shares.

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2020 – Summer Week 5 Newsletter

July 16, 2020 by Earth Dance Farm

2020 – Summer Week 5 Newsletter

“Just living is not enough…one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower”

-Hans Christian Andersen

 

Summer Share Box 5 Crop List

  • Summer Squash (All Shares)
  • Cucumbers (All Shares)
  • Cone Cabbage (All Shares)
  • Napa Cabbage (All Shares)
  • Beaver Dam Peppers (All Shares)
  • Mini Magenta or Romaine Lettuce (All Shares)
  • Kale (All Shares)
  • Savory (All Shares)
  • Scallions (Full and Single Shares)
  • Shelling Peas (Single and Half Shares)
  • Salad Mix (Full and Single Shares)

 

Come Visit the Farm!

This week a couple, who are members from Rochester, came out for a farm tour.  They enjoyed the countryside, got to meet their CSA farmer, and see the land that produces some of their food.  They also drove home with an armload of produce.  We have cancelled some of our usual farm events this season, like our member work days, camping weekends, and our fall harvest celebration, because of COVID-19.  A visit to the farm for an outside tour seemed to work out just fine.  It may be a great way to get out of your environment and walk through some fields of the beautiful Driftless region.  We are not going anywhere, and would love to give you an hour of our time to show you around – and then you can have some time on your own to walk and harvest some crops that we have an abundance of.  Make sure to set up a time in advance so we can plan on you.  We have 3 dogs so please leave yours at home.  Just know that you are welcome here at any time during the season if you want to check out Earth Dance Farm.
~Farmer Norm
Rows of peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant ripening in the sunshine.

 

Farmer Notes

  • Last of the shelling peas, next week we have snow peas and then sugar snap peas in late August
  • Savory is like a marriage of thyme and sage – it is great in soups, with beans or meat, to flavor butter, or on pizza, in eggs etc.
  • Peppers are Beaver Dam, medium heat.  Capsaicin is a chemical compound that is the ‘heat’ of the pepper and is strongest in the white ribs/pith that holds the seeds, then the seeds and least pronounced in the flesh of the pepper.  Cook it, stuff it, or put it in salads or stir frys
  • Great week to continue with summer salads: napa cabbage, lettuces, peas, peppers, cucumbers, kale, scallions …
  • Summer squash is great sliced and grilled until caramelized – this is our crop of the week
  • We have several types of cucumbers – marketmore and general lee are slicers, an elongated Asian variety, and a pickling one
  • Cabbage is great cut up and sautéed with salt, pepper, and oil/butter – so simple
  • Please wash all of the produce before you eat it
  • Please return our ice packs and boxes each week for reuse

Crop of the Week: Summer Squash

The summer squash we grow here on the farm (from left to right): round zucchini, tatuma squash, yellow zucchini, green zucchini, zephyr, and pattypan

Summer Squash is a warm-season crop that grows abundantly here on the farm during the months of July and August. With that being said, you can expect a plentiful amount of it in the coming weeks!

Summer squash is different from winter squash in the sense that it is harvested while it is young, or “immature,” while the skin is thin and edible as well as the seeds, whereas winter squash has a much harder flesh and their seeds generally need to be discarded before eating. Most summer squash have a bushy growth habitat, unlike the rambling vines of winter squash. We get out in the field to harvest these babies many times per week in order to get them at the perfect stage, as they grow very fast and lose their tenderness as they age. We grow quite a few different varieties here at Earth Dance Farm, you can find a picture down below with the names of each kind!

Unlike winter squash, summer squash do not have a very long shelf life and should be used up sooner than later. The best way to store them is in a plastic bag(to maintain humidity) in the crisper drawer of your fridge. There are many many ways to use up this crop but some of the ways we like to use up summer squash here at the farm is by simply grilling it up with some salt and pepper, making it into soups, or using it in a bread recipe as you would Zucchini. We will be sure to give you some recipe ideas in our newsletters, but aside from that we are wishing you plenty of inspiration with utilizing this crop as the season progresses!

Some recipes to try:

Print Recipe
Zesty Squash
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
  • 4-6 summer squash cubed
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 cup beaver dam pepper chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • scallions chopped, (optional)
  • 1 lemon sliced
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings
servings
Ingredients
  • 4-6 summer squash cubed
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 cup beaver dam pepper chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • scallions chopped, (optional)
  • 1 lemon sliced
Instructions
  1. In a large saucepan, sauté garlic, onions and peppers until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add squash and tomatoes and bring to boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Reduce heat to low and cook until squash is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
  4. Garnish with scallions and serve with a squeeze of lemon.
Print Recipe
Sesame-Ginger Cucumber Salad
Prep Time 15
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 4 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger minced
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp sriracha chili sauce
  • 2-3 cucumbers cut crosswise in 1/2-1 inch sections, then into strips
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • scallions thinly sliced
Prep Time 15
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 4 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger minced
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp sriracha chili sauce
  • 2-3 cucumbers cut crosswise in 1/2-1 inch sections, then into strips
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • scallions thinly sliced
Instructions
  1. For dressing, mix first seven ingredients. Make extra dressing to save for future use if desired! Dressing will last a week in the refrigerator.
  2. To serve, toss cucumbers with sesame seeds and dressing. Sprinkle with scallions.
Print Recipe
Roasted Cabbage
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 head cabbage cut into 4 wedges
  • 1 pinch garlic powder or to taste
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes or to taste
  • 1 pinch salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp fresh savory finely chopped
  • grated cheese optional
Servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 head cabbage cut into 4 wedges
  • 1 pinch garlic powder or to taste
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes or to taste
  • 1 pinch salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp fresh savory finely chopped
  • grated cheese optional
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
  2. Brush both sides of each cabbage wedge with olive oil. Sprinkle garlic powder, red pepper flakes, savory, salt, and pepper over each wedge. Arrange on a baking sheet.
  3. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes covered with foil; flip cabbage (add grated cheese if desired) and continue to roast uncovered until browned and charred in some areas, about 15 more minutes.

 

Filed Under: 2020 Newsletters, Newsletters

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Earth Dance Farm

27842 141st Ave.
Spring Valley, MN 55975
507-378-4252

Earth Dance Farm

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