www.flatbushfarmshare.

com a partnership of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, Hunger Action Network, and Just Food

FLATBUSH FARM SHARE

NEWS
This week’s eats*:
1.11 / AUG 12 2009

1 bunch green kale

1 bunch carrots
1 head escarole
1 bunch collard greens
1 green pepper
2 heads garlic
1 canteloupe
1 bunch basil
1.5 lbs russet potatoes

* Let us know what you think of your veggies! Our

farmers want to know and will try to adjust accord-
ingly. Email info@flatbushfarmshare.com.

some members and partners of Flatbush

Does Anyone Speak Kreyol, Farm Share, photo by our farmer, Kate

Spanish or Russian? We would like
to enlist your help in translating Flatbush Farm
Share materials. Please contact outreach@
flabushfarmshare.com.
Mid-Season Survey We will be
surveying members over the next few weeks to
find out how we can improve the Farm Share.
The results will be shared with the organizers,
partners and also the farmers. Please take a few
minutes to fill out the survey when you come to
distribution the next few weeks!
Farm Trip! We are trying to plan the farm
trip and we need to know what dates work for
you. Please complete the online poll at: http://
doodle.com/3zv7cyxsr96qfez5 If you have
trouble with the Doodle poll. just send an email
to events@flatbushfarmshare.com The dates
we are considering are August 29, Sept 12, 19
and 26. Please let us know if you need a car or
if you can offer a ride.
Newsletter Call for Submissions
Please send us your FFS-related stories and
thoughts: why you joined FFS, what it has
meant to you, or other food-related stories. We
want to get to know our membership and hear
your food-stories. Please send to newsletter@
flabushfarmshare.com.
Note from our Farmers: BUSY DAYS! The children and I
have been busy these past few weeks going to New York City for various CSA and
Food Pantry events. Of course the plan is always that Chris will be the “farmer” go-
ing to these events, but when they happen in June and we seem to be held hostage to
Mother Nature, plan “B” is set into motion and, off I go with children.
June 27th Katy, Christopher John, Lael and I drove down to Long Island City to at-
tend a cooking demonstration and party at the food pantry for the Center of Hope.
As folks waited in line for their food, I helped Vincent, a trained Chef through Just
Food’s Community Chef Program. Beets were the highlighted vegetable and as he
explained how to cook the greens and use the beets to make a salad, I peeled the beets
with Christopher John. The Fresh Food for All program is on the front lines of the
battle to encourage people to eat healthy, getting healthy fresh food into neighbor-
hoods where it is not currently available.
This past week, Betsy, Abigail and all four of our children went to Flatbush Brooklyn
for an event trying to educate the population about the CSA model and how it can be
utilized to get really fresh, healthy food to people who may not have access to it. We
were joined by the director of Hunger Action Network, the director of New York
Coalition Against Huger, Just food’s Paula Lukats, the Councilman from Flatbush and
VISTA volunteers.
WANTED:
People often associate farming with the weather. It is true, we farmers do have to
adjust to all of Mother Nature’s mood swings, and right now she is feeling pretty
cranky. After an early spring with tons of sun and warmth, and early planting dates,
we assumed the harvest would also be really early as well. Well, after two weeks
of rain, temps in routinely in the 60’s, and no sun to speak of, the crops have really
slowed down. Instead of early harvest dates, we expect things to be right on track
with a normal harvest year. Maybe this is just nature’s way of making everything
right again?
 (cont.) As we sit and wait for the sun to re-emerge, we have also been bat-
tling our local wild life population. First, in the early spring our family-
sized chicken flock was decimated by a red fox.
Our early cabbage crop was grazed down heavily by two woodchucks,
both of whom were trapped and escorted far off the farm (at least 5
miles.) We are currently experiencing lots of damage to our second
planting of cucumbers and our newly planted sweet potatoes. Thanks to
midday hunt last Saturday by a friend (woodchucks are daytime feeders,
8 things to do with lettuce (other than deer prefer the cover of night) there is one less woodchuck in the hedge-
make a salad) - Diane Chia row, but at least one more still there.
1. Pesto: Combine 8 parts Romaine lettuce to 1 part parsley. Blend After direct seeding over acre of wintersquash and covering with poly
in food processor, with 1 clove of garlic and 2 parts parmesan or cloth to promote germination, some little critter (field mouse or vole, or
parmigiano-reggiano. Season with salt and pepper to taste. shrew) went under the cloth and proceeded to eat a row or two’s worth.
Lettuce wraps and rolls are popular amongst the carb-adverse, but this trend And, finally, our constant foes: the deer. First they yanked out about 300
has been around a while: beet transplants, followed by eating the hearts of 200 romaine heads.
There continues to be damage here and there throughout our lettuce
2. Korean lettuce wrap: Serve bulgolgi or other grilled meat with
crops, strawberries, and beets.
rice and lettuce on the side, wrap a slice of meat, drizzled with some
barbecue sauce or sweet soy sauce, with a Tbsp or two of rice in let- So what do we do, you ask? First you plant a lot more than you really
tuce. need to accommodate some of the losses. Second, when possible we fence
3. Chinese lettuce wrap: Stir fry minced meat or diced chicken with the crop from the deer, but woodchucks need to be trapped or shot. If the
garlic and hoisin sauce, adding some finely chopped vegetables if deer persist and fencing is not working, hunting the deer at night with
desired. The idea is to get the meat as dry as possible, so as to eat DEC nuisance permits is the last option.
neatly with the lettuce. There is nothing more frustrating than losing a crop to bad weather, ex-
4. Stir Fry. Romaine lettuce can be a substitute for Napa cabbage. cept losing a crop to your wildlife population. There is always some give
Stir-fry with some garlic and a dash of chinese rice wine and soy and take when you’re working with nature, and we always do end up giv-
sauce. The lettuce cooks much faster than cabbage does, so don’t ing lots of things out to the critters and to the elements. However, when
leave it on the stove for too long. the damages become unbearable, with some calculated strikes back at the
problems we can hold off the losses long enough to have something to
5. Similarly, tear the leaves into smaller pieces and throw into a
harvest for all of you!
warm, clear broth just before serving.
6. Vietnamese summer rolls. I like shredding the lettuce and using
Enjoy the share, Katie & Chris
a generous tablespoon in each roll. Gives the summer roll great
crunch and texture.
7. Pizza. My neighbourhood italian joint does a margharita pizza Sautéed Escarole w/ Currants & Capers
with a generous handful of arugula just as the pizza comes out of the rom the Fresh Market Chef, Carol Hargis, by way of our farmers
oven. I imagine this will work well with a number of other pizzas 4 cloves garlic, chopped
and is great in adding a refreshing bite to an otherwise heavy meal. 2 tbsp olive oil
8. Braised Lettuce. In line with the Julie & Julia hype these days, 2 heads escarole, cut in 1” pieces
“Mastering the Art of French Cooking” has a 2 page recipe for 2 tbsp dried currants, cranberries, or cherries
braised lettuce. A more condensed recipe, reprinted in the New York 1 tbsp chopped drained capers
Times follows: 1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
8 well-rounded heads bibb or Little Gem lettuce Set oven to 350°. Sauté garlic in oil in skillet on medhi til fragrant 1 min. Add
8 tablespoons unsalted butter escarole in 3 batches; toss each batch w/ tongs til wilted before add next.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper Stir in currants, capers, s&p to taste. Cook, covered, on medlo til escarole is
Juice of ½ lemon. tender, 3 min. Uncover, cook on medhi til most liquid is evaporated, 2 min.
Stir in nuts.
Trim about ½ inch of stem and many outer leaves from lettuce heads,
leaving tight, fairly firm centers about the size of large lemons. Re-
serve about 15 unbruised outer leaves. Rinse lettuce heads and leaves, White Gazpacho Soup
and shake lightly to remove excess water. ‘Red’ recipes come when the tomatoes arrive! - Katie
Grease bottom and sides of a heavy 3-quart casserole with 1 Tbsp 2 med cucumbers 1 pt sour cream
butter. Line casserole bottom and sides with outer leaves. Place 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2-3/4 c plain yogurt as needed
trimmed heads standing up snugly in casserole. Dot with remaining 1/4-1/2 c stock, chix or veggie dash tabasco
butter, season with salt and pepper, cover and place over very low
heat until lettuce is tender when poked in center with a small knife, Chop tomato, scallion, parsley and/or slivered almond garnishes. Peel cuke;
about 1 hour. Swirl casserole occasionally to keep butter emulsified. mince in processor. Add garlic, sour cream, 1/2c yogurt; blend. Add stock if
too thick or more yogurt if too thin. Add Tabasco as desired. Chill overnight.
Remove lettuce to a serving dish. Discard loose leaves. Swirl sauce Top w/ garnishes as you please.
in pan, whisk in lemon juice, check seasoning and spoon sauce over
lettuce. Serve.