Next week will be our last pick up.  The summer season has flown by.

Here’s what we received today:

IMG_5500

apples, butternut squash

IMG_5492IMG_5493

huge kohlrabi, garlic

IMG_5497IMG_5498

bell peppers, broccoli

IMG_5494IMG_5495

lettuce

IMG_5496

Stephen and the kids picked 49 pounds of apples on Saturday.  I’m in the process of making applesauce.  I’ll probably add some of the apples from the share to it for variety.  I’m going to make some puree out of the butternut squash.  I’m also going to try a recipe I saw for butternut squash bean burritos.  I’ll use this recipe as a base, but I won’t be making them vegan.  I’ll use the garlic and peppers in them too.  The broccoli was a side for dinner.  All that’s left is a little bit that someone can have with lunch tomorrow.  The lettuce will make a nice salad.  It’s so fresh and crisp.  I’m going to roast the kohlrabi with some beets and radishes that I have left in the fridge.  I have a chicken thawed, so I will be turning on the over in the morning to cook a couple of meals ahead.  I’m picking up 1/2 lamb this week and need to make some freezer space.  There will be more to come on that purchase soon.

 

Due to some last minute travel plans for the weekend, we picked up our CSA share today.  It was our first time picking up on a Wednesday in Solon.  The pick up spot at a church was very nice.  The lot was shady and newly resurfaced.  With a busy evening that included preschool parent orientation, it was very dark when I attempted photos.  So, I’m just using one tonight.  Yes, I have nice lights, but I don’t have the energy for that tonight.

Dark overview photo:

IMG_4680

I think the only thing the photo really shows is how big a large share is.  I’m continually impressed with a what we receive for our value each week.

Here’s what we received:

  • 1 bunch Cylindra beets
  • 1 quart whole milk yogurt
  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1 pint blackberries
  • 1 bag mixed peppers
  • 1 lb. red fortune plums
  • 2 lbs. Roma tomatoes
  • 1 kohlrabi
  • 1 bunch collards
  • 6 ears sweet corn
  • 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 2 frozen pizza dough balls
  • 1 pint heirloom tomato sauce
  • A handful hot Hungarian peppers
  • Approx. 1.5 lbs. heirloom tomatoes
  • concord grapes

Originally, we were going to get a spaghetti squash and not have grapes.  You can’t argue with mother nature.  We’ll see squash soon.

This is a crazy week for us as we are leaving town for a few days tomorrow.  So, all of our food needs to be cooked, eaten, froze, or packed so that we don’t lose any of our items.

I have some beets already in the fridge.  I’m going to make Harvard beets and freeze them.  I’ve never frozen that recipe before, but a quick Google search tells me that it’s possible.

We love the yogurt and are fully stocked.  I’m glad it has good dates.  I’ll be taking one container with us in our cooler.

I love winter squash season as much as melon season.  I’ll roast this acorn squash, make puree and freeze it.  It would probably last if I just waited until we got home from our trip, but I’d rather just take care of it now.

The plums and blackberries will come with us on our trip if they last that long.  I’m going to freeze the peppers, tomatoes, collards and corn.  I’ll blanch and chop as needed.  I’m hoping to make the grapes into a usable concentrate for sorbet.  Then, I’ll freeze it.

I’ll use the pizza dough, sauce and cheese to make some pizza for lunch tomorrow and maybe dinner on the road.  The dough was already thawing before I got to it, so I need to use it up.

Whew!  I need to get busy.  We’re leaving at 12:30pm tomorrow and I still need to pack too.

 

Last week, I was still on vacation for week 4, so I didn’t do a pick up.  My friend Kelly was nice enough to send me a few photos.  I was jealous when I received them on my phone, even though I was at the beach.  I love her photos!

IMG952836

Here’s the list of items for the week:

  • 1 quart of yogurt
  • 1 pt of black raspberries
  • Assorted tree fruit
  • 1 package Italian Sausage links, 1.25 lbs.
  • 2 ct zucchini
  • 1 bunch radishes
  • 1 head green leaf lettuce
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 head kohlrabi
  • 1 red bulb onion
  • 1.5 lbs hoop house tomatoes
  • 2 ct cucumbers
  • 1 head broccoli or cauliflower, whichever comes in
  • 1 jar strawberry balsamic sauce made from leftover week 1 strawberries

The highlights were the fruit.  She received apricots, plums as an add on, raspberries, and Clark Pope Catering’s Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Sauce.  Kelly mentioned that the plum were like heaven in a paper bag.  Even though I wasn’t here last week, I was able to get a bottle of the sauce.  I’m excited to try it out.

IMG953387IMG954499IMG950845

Now onto this week’s bag!

It was 95 degrees when we picked up our bag.  This has been one hot day!  I was glad to quickly get everything home and unloaded.

IMG_2790

Here’s what we were expecting to receive:

  • 1 whole chicken or pork roast
  • 1 bunch beets
  • 2 bulb onions
  • 1 bunch carrots or 1 head kohlrabi
  • Approx. 2# tomatoes
  • 1 baby bok choy
  • 2 lbs. peaches
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 1 lb. garlic scape and black pepper linguini
  • 2 lbs. apricots
  • 2 ct. cucumbers
  • 2 ct. zucchini

We love the spinach.  It’s quite versatile.  We already used some in our white sauce tonight.  I’m not a big tomato person.  I think they are “guishy”.  I’m such a texture eater.  I’m not sure if I’ll ever like them.  Some other Fresh Fork CSA folks were talking about having a tomato tasting party.  I might be swayed to participate if that were to occur.  For now, these will be eaten by Stephen and Nick or I’ll use them in sauce.

IMG_2792IMG_2793

I have a total of 4 zucchini and I am making fritters for lunch tomorrow.  I’m not sure why we got extra cucumbers, but they are great for snacking and salads.  Since we don’t have any lettuce at the moment, I suspect these will become snacks for the weekend.  I may try my hand at a quick relish.

IMG_2794IMG_2795

Some of the onion will go into our pulled pork and coleslaw recipes.  The rest will be chopped and frozen for future use.  We ate almost all of the carrots at dinner.  The leftover ones will be gone at lunch tomorrow.

IMG_2796IMG_2797

Our apricots aren’t going to last long.  They are very ripe.  I’m thinking of making smoothies with them tomorrow since it’s going to be another scorcher.  I contemplated an apricot dessert, but I’m not sure I want to turn on the oven.  Maybe, I’ll get creative.  We’ve been enjoying peaches in our oatmeal each morning.  With 4 of us, these won’t last long.

IMG_2798IMG_2799

Bok choy always stumps me.  I just don’t have a great go to recipe for it.  It usually just ends up in a stir fry for Stephen.  I’m going to make pulled pork with the roast tomorrow.  I am going to put the crock pot in the basement so our whole house doesn’t heat up while it cooks.

IMG_2800IMG_2801

We’re going to grill the beets this week.  We have a kohlrabi to use as well.  We didn’t get our pasta when we picked up our bag.  Since I was out anyway, I stopped back to get it on our way home from the spray ground.  It went straight to boiling water for dinner and had already missed it’s photo opportunity.

IMG_2802

I’m not going to say that every CSA week is easy, but I like feeling like I finally have the hang of it.  I’m looking forward to eating fresh and local this weekend.

 

Today was the 5th pickup for the Geauga Family Farms CSA.  I feel so out of the loop after being on vacation for 2 weeks.  We got back Sunday night, but I still am in that not quite back to reality phase.  The Whole Foods pickup has been different every week.  I hope we get some consistency soon.  I really miss Andrew manning the table.

Here’s what we received this week:

IMG_2776

I think it’s a pretty easy identification week, but just in case I’ll list them.

zucchini, cucumbers

IMG_2777IMG_2779

sugar snap peas, candy onion

IMG_2780IMG_2781

small head of cauliflower, blueberries

IMG_2782IMG_2783

tomato, kohlrabi

IMG_2784IMG_2785

lettuce, cabbage

IMG_2786IMG_2787

I was quite excited to pick up our share today.  We picked up a few things at the store yesterday since our fridge was bare from being gone 2 weeks, but for the most part, we were still lacking in produce.

The last couple zucchini were shredded and put in the freezer.  I’m going to make squash fritters tomorrow so these don’t fall victim to the freezer later in the week.  The cucumber, tomato and lettuce will go into salad with tomorrow’s grilling.  I’ll probably have Stephen grill the kohlrabi, too.  The kids will snack on the peas.  The blueberries will go on cereal for breakfast.  I now have two head of cauliflower since I bought one yesterday.  One head will just be steamed and served plain.  I’m thinking of making a au gratin dish with the other.

I have a cole slaw  recipe that I love that involves cabbage, apple, pineapple juice, onion, raisins, blue cheese and a simple dressing.  I’m going to look for it since I don’t think I could quite make it from memory.  It’s a great summer dish and I think I have all of the ingredients on hand.  Once I find the recipe, I’ll try to get my version in a post soon.  We’re sure to see cabbage again.

My goal is to use 100% of this share up before I pick up our other one on Friday.

 

Today was the first of our 22 weekly pickups for our Fresh Fork CSA.  We decided to switch from Beachwood to Mayfield for our location this year.  Mayfield is a new site for pick up and it’s close to our house.  We were glad there was also some shade for the stop.

IMG_1716IMG_1718

This year, we upgraded from the small to the large share.   This is what we were expecting today:

Small CSA Share

  • 1 whole chicken, approx. 5 – 6 lbs.
  • 1 head kohlrabi
  • 1 bunch collard greens
  • 1 quart strawberries
  • 1 bunch red Russian kale
  • 1 bunch garlic scapes
  • 1 head green leaf lettuce
  • 1 bunch radishes
  • 1 quarter lb. bag pea tendrils

Large CSA Share Small contents above plus:

  • 2 bunches spinach
  • 1 lb. shelled peas
  • 1 head broccoli
  • 1 lb. sweet pea and black pepper linguini from Ohio City Pasta

Here’s a group shot of the items:

IMG_1725

Our quart of strawberries was full when Dan gave them to us.  The kids ate some in the parking lot before we left for home.  The rest of the berries will be gone by the end of the night.    We received zucchini instead of broccoli.  I’ll probably use the squash in my squash fritter recipe.  Everyone here likes them.  The squash will be fine for a few days in the fridge, so those will probably make an appearance at lunch Monday or Tuesday.

IMG_1727IMG_1728

This time of year, I use garlic scapes every chance I get.  I chop them and use them in salads, casseroles, when sautéing greens, etc..  They keep well so, I don’t have to freeze them often.  We haven’t had an Ohio City Pasta that we didn’t like.  I’m sure this sweet pea and pepper variety will be no exception.  I’ll probably make a béchamel sauce for it.  I tend to like most of the pasta with a white sauce instead of red.

IMG_1729IMG_1730

I’ll use some spinach with our pasta.  I like to wilt it just a bit in the pasta water and then serve it together.  Sometimes I also chop it and add it to the sauce first.  It will depend on my mood.  Our chicken is thawing in the fridge.  I’ll probably cook it for lunch Sunday or dinner on Monday.  Once cooked, we get a couple of meals out of it.  The rest of the weeks bag will complement our chicken nicely.  I’ll also make stock with the bones.  I love not having to buy chicken stock.

IMG_1737IMG_1731

One kohlrabi isn’t really too much.  I’m either going to fix it for myself for lunch one day or roast it with some beets and radishes if we grill a meal in the next few days.  I haven’t mastered kale yet.  We’ve had it several ways, but I don’t have a favorite way to prepare it.  I’ll probably just sauté this with garlic scapes and olive oil and serve it with a splash of lemon.

IMG_1732IMG_1735

I need to verify what type of peas these are.  If they are sugar snap, the kids will devour them quickly.  If the are snow peas, we’ll cook them for a side dish this weekend.  I’m thinking about steaming the collards and letting the leaves cool and then using them for wraps instead of tortilla.  I have some taco flavored meet and peppers left over and I think it would make a good filling.

IMG_1733IMG_1738

We’ll probably roast a few radishes, use a few in salad and maybe try the newsletter recipe that uses them.  Pea tendrils was a brand new item to me this week.  I’ve heard that they are good in salads or sautéed.  There’s aren’t really very many, so I don’t think I’m going to cook them.  I’d thinking of just using them in a salad.

IMG_1740IMG_1741

In addition to our bag, I also picked up a couple of extras.  We were out of eggs, so I picked up a dozen.  I also decided to pick up a half gallon of milk.  I’m hoping to switch to local milk 100% of the time soon.

IMG_1726

It’s going to be a great week in the kitchen.

 

Today, we picked up week 19 of our Fresh Fork CSA.  It was our worst pickup of the season.  Nick, Sally and I had spent a good chunk of the day in Akron.  Both kids feel asleep on our way from Akron to Beachwood High School.  Sally woke up about 15 minutes from the pick up and would not stop crying.  Nick was fast asleep even through the crying and was still sleeping when we arrived at the school.  He would have been very upset if he couldn’t say Hi to Mr. Robert at the truck, so I woke him up.  (Last time I didn’t wake him up for something, he cried for 2 hours).  He was fine when I first woke him up, but then he started crying.  Sally cried the whole time we were there too.  Robert brought out bag over to the car to help us out, but I still took the time to get the kids out because they wanted to say hi and I wanted to buy extras with our vacation credits.  We ended up cutting out losses at one bag of corn chips for $3.50 and decided to settle up next week.

IMG_6141

Here’s the list of what we were expecting:

Small CSA:

  • 1 half gallon apple cider
  • 1/2 lb. leaf spinach
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard
  • 1 bunch leeks
  • 1 head broccoli
  • 4 oz. piece brie
  • 1 head kohlrabi
  • 2 ct. winter squash
  • Quarter peck pears (4-5 depending on size)

Here’s a group shot:

IMG_6155

I love winter squash.  Spaghetti squash is not my favorite, but we’ll cook it and eat it with pasta sauce this week.  My husband already opened the cider.  I’m sure it will disappear easily.

IMG_6140IMG_6142

This is the biggest kohlrabi that I ever saw.  The leaves are edible and in great shape, so I’ll probably make a au gratin dish with it.  The broccoli looks tasty and will make an easy side dish in the next day or two.

IMG_6143IMG_6144

My friend Chaya mentioned honey mustard roasted leeks.  We didn’t get very many, but I still might try fixing them roasted style.  We have Swiss chard from both CSAs this week, so I’ll cook it together with some sausage for a meal this weekend.

IMG_6145IMG_6148

I’m still working through the 2 bushels of pears that I picked up this week.  This won’t be ready to eat for a few days and I’m ok with that.  We’ll enjoy them early next week.  The spinach and brie cheese will go into a tasty pasta dish.

IMG_6149IMG_6150

IMG_6156

Dare I say that I think I’m starting to get the hang of these CSAs.  It’s a good thing because I just signed us up for both winter ones.

 

Today, we had the week 7 pick up for the Geauga Family Farms CSA.  Since it was the 4th Tuesday and there was a farm visit this evening, my husband picked up our share.  Even though we had the list of what could be in our share earlier today, it’s really a surprise when you actually see it.

Here’s what we received today:

IMG_3486

Let’s take a closer look.

Tomatoes, beets

IMG_3462IMG_3480

Lettuce, kohlrabi

IMG_3478IMG_3475

Swiss chard, onion

IMG_3482IMG_3463

Green beans, cherry tomatoes

IMG_3476IMG_3464

Radishes, cucumbers

IMG_3468IMG_3454

Yellow squash, patty pan squash (Most of the patty pan squash that I have seen before is more flat and scalloped, but I am pretty sure this is patty pan squash.)

IMG_3456IMG_3458

Zucchini, honey (add on order)

IMG_3457IMG_3470

New this year, we can place orders though the website for some additional items.  There are things available like honey, maple syrup, eggs, etc.  I ordered some honey for this week.  We didn’t really need honey at the moment, but I wanted to try out the ordering system.  Pay with paypal and pick up with the share.  It was easy!

I’m still thinking about the bounty that we received and haven’t made any specific plans for it, but we’ll be busy eating our veggies this week for sure!

 

Today was our 5th pick up for the Geauga Family Farms CSA.  I think we have entered the heart of the growing season.  Based on what we received today, it looks like the crops are doing well despite such a wet spring.

Here’s what we received in our family share (not pictured are raspberries):

IMG_2960

Let’s take a closer look.

Red raspberries, green leaf lettuce

IMG_2933IMG_2935

Red leaf lettuce, large onion

IMG_2936IMG_2937

Yellow squash, zucchini

IMG_2938IMG_2939

Tomatoes, broccoli

IMG_2940IMG_2943

Pickling cucumbers, beets

IMG_2945IMG_2947

Green onions, kohlrabi

IMG_2949IMG_2951

Potatoes, sugar snap peas

IMG_2954IMG_2952

Cucumbers

IMG_2963

This looks like a pretty easy week to use everything.  I may freeze the onions, but I suspect everything else will be used as we prepare meals this week.

 
Breakfast
overnight oats w/peanut butter, cherries, cinnamon, milk
Lunch
pasta w/ laughing cow cheese
cole slaw
Dinner
pork roast w/ bbq sauce and onions
quinoa
roasted veggies (kolhrabi, beets, carrots, radishes)
Late Snack
now the ice cream (didn't happen yesterday)
homemade cherry ice cream - yummy
 

Today was our 4th pick up for the Geauga Family Farms CSA.  As usual, our pick up items were a surprise.  I was happy that we received lettuce since we were out.  Between our two CSAs we are getting tons of lettuce and not letting it go to waste.  The bounty did not disappoint and we received two types of lettuce.

They are taking applications for partial season shares that will start in a couple of weeks.  If you are interested in getting a CSA, let me know and I can send you the application.

Here’s what we received in our family share:

IMG_2695

Let’s take a closer look.

One large onion with greens, bunch of radishes.

IMG_2677IMG_2678

green onions, cherry tomatoes

IMG_2679IMG_2680

tomato, yellow squash

IMG_2681IMG_2682

zucchini, rhubarb

IMG_2683IMG_2686

kohlrabi, collard greens

IMG_2687IMG_2688

2 types of lettuce

IMG_2691IMG_2692

beets, snow peas (eat whole in the pod, usually used in stir fry recipes)

IMG_2689IMG_2693

We did well with our shares last week.  I can say that I had summer squash fritters 3 times for lunch and I’ll probably be having more of them this week.  Today, before I picked up our GFF share, I only had some cabbage and cucumber left from last week’s shares.

This week, I’ll be making a tofu stir fry to use the peas along with some of the cabbage from my other share last week.  We’ll probably try roasting the kohlrabi, radishes and beets this time.  I’ll have to think about the collards.  I’m guessing I’ll probably sauté them for lunch one day.  I froze some rhubarb last week, so I’ll add this to that bag.  I think I’ll end up making a rhubarb dessert soon.  The cherry tomatoes are already half gone thanks to Stephen and Nick.

It should be a great week!