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Cromwell Valley CSA Newsletter |
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There have been a lot of questions from members about how to fulfill the work commitment. We’ve got the answers for you now. You’ll have several options for completing your work hours, including two sessions that will end in food and fun. For those who want to participate in work hours and end with a potluck and bonfire, you can commit to work one or more of the following Fridays from 4 to 7 PM: · July 16 · July 30 · August 13 · August 27
For those who can’t make the Friday shifts, there will be work sessions on the following pickup days from 3 to 6 PM. These shifts are work hours only and there will not be a potluck following them. · Tues., July 13 · Sat., July 24 · Tues., Aug. 10 |
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(Picture courtesy of Flickr user thebittenword.com.) |
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CSA Work Hours |
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July 04, 2010 |
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Cromwell Valley Park offers a number of fun and educational workshops throughout the season. Check out the full calendar online. We’ve highlighted a few of the upcoming workshops below. Sign up now to reserve your spot for any of these fun activities down on the farm! For any programs not indicated as sponsored by CVCSA, you can contact the park office at 410.887.2503 or email info@cromwellvalleypark.org for more information or to reserve your spot. Unless otherwise noted, payment must be made to CVP within 5 business days of your reservation, or the reservation will be yielded to the waiting list. All payments are donations and non-refundable unless CVP cancels the program. Make checks payable to: Cromwell Valley Park Council (CVPC). Mailing Address: Cromwell Valley Park, 2002 Cromwell Bridge Road, Baltimore, MD 21234. For programs sponsored by CVCSA, email molly.amster@gmail.com to reserve your spot or get more information. Workshop details are below: —————————————— SUNDAY JULY 11 Join the CSA farm staff for an exciting look at the new Russian Honeybee Colonies! Look inside the hives, learn about the biology of honeybees, and for the kids (even those that are just kids at heart!) play some fun bee games! All ages. For more info visit www.cvcsa.org. Please contact CVCSA directly at molly.amster@gmail.com to reserve your spot. $3 CSA shareholders/$5 non-shareholders. —————————————— STARTING THURSDAY JULY 15 First class of a 3- part series (2nd class Sun. 7/18 at 3 to 7 PM, 3rd class Thurs. 7/22 at 7 to 9 PM). Join Debbie Amster, Holistic Health Counselor, for a food-based cleanse, not a fast, where, through simplified, mindful eating with the seasons, you cleanse your body of toxins, focus your intentions, and awaken to your deeper self. For more information visit www.cvcsa.org. Ages 18+. Registration required. Please contact CVCSA directly at molly.amster@gmail.com to make your reservations. $160 CSA shareholders/$175 non-shareholders. —————————————— SATURDAY JULY 17 Summer is the time to test your treasure hunting skills and your sense of adventure. Follow the clues to learn the lore of the outdoors through exploration. Ages 8 to 12. Reservations required. $3 members/$5 non-members. —————————————— SATURDAY JULY 17 What animals live in Mine Bank Run? Who visits for a drink? On a warm summer day, we’ll take the nets and buckets to explore the stream. Wear water shoes or boots and clothes that can get wet. Ages 4 to 10 with adult. Reservations required. $2 members/$4 non-members. —————————————— TUESDAY JULY 20 Join us at the nature center to learn why spiders are not insects and explore their unique traits. Includes a game, poem, song, craft, and hike. Ages 4 to 6 with adult. Reservations required. $2 members/$4 non-members. —————————————— FRIDAY JULY 23—SATURDAY JULY 24 Introduce your family to the camping experience close to home. Will include a night hike and evening campfire. Families should provide their own camping gear BUT, if you need a tent, we may have one for your use. Please BYO supper & breakfast will be provided. Reservations required. RAINDATE 7/24 to 7/25. $15 per family members/$20 non-members. —————————————— SATURDAY JULY 24 Enjoy the story and harvest your very own radishes from the Children’s Garden! All ages. Reservations required. $2 members/$4 non-members. —————————————— WEDNESDAY JULY 28 Become a bone detective! By examining bones we can determine what animal they belong to and a lot about the animal’s way of life. Join us as we take a look at the bones of different animals and discover what bones belong to which animal All ages. Reservations required. $2 members/$4 non-members. |
Highlights in this issue:· Work hours · Composting tips · Snow peas profile · Upcoming workshops · Recipes |
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Upcoming Workshops |
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Sign up for one of many summer workshops at Cromwell Valley Park or CVCSA and learn while having fun! |
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(Picture courtesy of Flickr user thebittenword.com.) |
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· Sat., Aug. 21 To sign up for one or more sessions, please email info@cvcsa.org. Each session will have 20 spots, which will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. |
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Composting tips from CVCSA Member Dan Grimm |
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When we published our article on composting a couple of weeks ago and sent out a request for tips or questions, CVCSA member Dan Grimm was more than happy to share a few hints and tips he has developed after several years of keeping a composting pile in the Philadelphia suburbs. Here’s what he had to say. After keeping the pile for 3 years, I have a couple of suggestions to add to your compost information. First, the easiest materials to use to build a bin out of are 4 shipping pallets, a handful of 'L' brackets, and some screws. Use the 'L' brackets and screws to form a 3 sided bin with the pallets, and use the fourth pallet, or some chicken wire, or an old gate, or some plywood to form a door to access the pile. The slates, and double-layer construction of the pallets will hold the pile upright, keep the heat in, and help air flow around the edge material. The second suggestion for building a pile on the ground would be to create a chimney. Take a sheet of chicken wire, longer on one side than the bin is tall, roll from the short side into a tube, and lace it together with a little baling wire or a couple zip-ties. Stand the chicken wire tube up in the center of the area where the pile will be, and pile the compost up around it, trying to avoid too much going down into the chimney. The chimney will help draw oxygen into the center of pile, and allow CO2 to vent out, which keeps the aerobic bacteria happy and warm. Finally, and most critical, it can't be reiterated enough that grass clippings alone WILL NOT COMPOST! If the clippings are tossed on top, as soon as they get wet, they turn into a sticky sheet which will block air. Plus, grass is nitrogen-rich, which makes some of the bacteria happy, but not other bacteria. Leaves, bark, newspaper (to a much smaller extent), coffee grounds and filter papers, onions all contain more carbon, which makes the other bacteria happy. Too much nitrogen and you'll get a lot of smell, a lot of heat, and a thin layer of saltpeter (potassium nitrate), but not a lot of useful compost. Oh, I guess I do have one other important comment. If there are a steady stream of yellow jackets flying out of the pile, give up on turning it for the rest of the summer. Yellow jackets generally build their nests underground, and where else is better than the soft, warm, food-rich material in a compost pile? I speak from experience on this. Their nests are annual, not perennial, so they'll freeze over winter and hopefully build a nest somewhere else next year. But, until that time, 2-3 stings hurt. 20-50 stings, which isn't too unlikely if you really start to dig into a compost pile-based nest, can be pretty dangerous. But, from experience, it is hard to give up a compost pile for the whole season when there's a nest in there. Good luck with it. Thanks for bringing back all the memories of getting up early on a Saturday morning to turn and rebuild the compost pile. See you at the farm. Dan Grimm |
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Food Profile: Snow Peas by Elena Johnson |
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What are Snow Peas? Snow peas are a type of pea that can be eaten whole – both the pod and the seeds inside are edible. Other types of peas are garden peas and snap peas. Snap peas – a cross between snow and garden – can be eaten whole just like snow peas. Garden peas must be shelled before eating as their pods are not edible. Snow peas and snap peas are generally sweeter than garden peas, which are starchier. All of these different pea varieties belong to the legume family. Legumes are plants whose fleshy seeds – which are usually called beans – grow inside of a pod. Peas are one of only a few types of legumes that are used fresh. It was not until the 1500’s when more tender varieties of peas were developed that they began to be eaten fresh. Before this time, peas were only used in the dried form. The ancestor of the garden pea is the ancient field pea which grew in central Asia and Europe. The snow pea originated in Holland in the 1600’s. This was around the same time that garden peas were a favorite ingredient at King Louis XIV’s Versailles Palace. Peas provide many valuable vitamins and nutrients including ones that contribute to heart and bone health. They are a source of vitamins C, K, B1, A, B6, and B2. They are also a source of: manganese, dietary fiber, folate, phosphorus, protein, niacin, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, and potassium. Growing/Harvesting Snow Peas Snow peas grow in cooler temperatures, which is why the CSA has them at the beginning of the season before the oppressive summer heat sets in. They are a climbing plant so they need to be trellised, or supported, with fencing, mesh, or other plants. The peas are ready to be harvested approximately 6 days after flowering while the pods are still flat and the seeds are small. If the peas develop and begin to fatten in the pod, they can still be eaten, but the pods should be discarded. Snow peas need to be picked regularly so that they don’t develop past the sweet, tender stage and also to keep the plants producing for as long as possible. Harvested peas can be stored unwashed in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to two weeks. They can also be blanched in boiling water and then shocked in ice water to retain their bright green color. At this point, the peas can be frozen for later use. Using Snow Peas When ready to use your snow peas, wash them and remove any fibers along the edge and trim the ends. The pods can be eaten raw or cooked by stir-frying or steaming. If overcooked, they will become limp and they can also burn easily due to their high sugar content, so take care when preparing them. Try them raw dipped in a vinaigrette or bottled sauce such as spicy peanut sauce. Snow peas are a common ingredient in Asian dishes. Here’s a simple recipe for fresh and healthy fried rice using some of the CSA’s early season ingredients. CSA Springtime Fried Rice Ingredients: Vegetable oil Snow peas Fresh ginger, chopped Garlic scapes, chopped into ½ inch pieces Baby bok choy, chopped Other quick cooking veggies (e.g. cabbage, onion, scallions) Rice vinegar (or other light vinegar) Bragg Liquid Aminos, soy sauce, or tamari Cooked brown (or white) rice Sesame oil Instructions: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or wok. Add ginger and garlic scapes and any other veggies that need longer cooking time (like onion). Stir fry until nearly tender. Add bok choy, snow peas, and any other veggies that need less cooking (like cabbage or scallions). Stir fry until nearly tender. Add cooked rice, sesame oil, Bragg Liquid Aminos, and vinegar. Cook and stir until heated through. Adjust seasoning as needed. Resources:
Gardening.About.com http://gardening.about.com/od/plantprofil2/p/Peas.htm
OhioLine.Osu.edu http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1617.html
RecipeZaar.com http://www.recipezaar.com/library/snow-pea-550
Repast.TypePad.com
UrbanExt.Illinois.edu http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/peas1.html
WHFoods.org |
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(Picture courtesy of CVCSA member and newsletter contributor Maggie Beetz.) |
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Green Garlic Hummus |
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This easy and flavorful dip recipe comes from newsletter contributor Elena Johnson. |
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Ingredients · 1 can chickpeas · 2+ garlic scapes (to taste), chopped · Olive oil · Lemon juice or light vinegar (I used tarragon vinegar because I didn’t have any lemon) |
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Instructions Place chickpeas and garlic scapes in food processer and blend to chop. Then add olive oil gradually until desired consistency is reached. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve with fresh veggies, pita bread, tortilla chips, or crackers for dipping. |
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Go camping without leaving town! Join other families at the Willow Grove Farm for a Family Campout. |