Kearsarge Mountain CSA - Week 1

On Tuesday I picked up my first Kearsarge Mountain CSA package. Before I dive into that experience, I'd like to outline what the CSA is all about. It is an 18 week program where you receive a box of veggies, some from the Kearsarge Gore Farm and some from the Vegetable Ranch, each week. I chose the single family share, which is $535 total. You pay half when you sign up and the other half at the end of June. The weekly costs boils down to about $30. There is also the option of a family share, which easily feeds a family of four, for $730. There are multiple pick up times and locations for your convenience. You can go to the Vegetable Ranch in Warner on Tuesdays or Fridays between 4pm and 6:30 pm, or you can choose to get your package at the Concord Farmer's Market on Saturday between 8:30am and noon. If you go on vacation, there is the option of bumping a total of two weeks of shares to the end of the season. Overall, the program is incredibly accommodating to virtually any schedule. Check out the website on the sidebar for more info!

Now, onto my first CSA experience. I drove up to the Vegetable Ranch on Tuesday around 4:30 and was greeted by members of the farm, as well as this cheerful sign:

All of the veggies on this list were sitting out in baskets waiting to be bagged. I was the last one to come claim my share, so I scooped up the remaining produce and was on my way. Too easy. You will also notice that the sign offers pork and eggs as well, which you know come from legitimate local sources - much preferred to the mystery eggs and meats you find in the grocery store. 

When I got home, this is what I had:

The first thing I did was wash and store each item. The bags of spinach and salad mix were already good to go right into the fridge. 

The bundle of dill, so fragrant and delicious, needed little care. I just chopped off a bit of the ends and plunked it into a jar of water. Just like flowers, most herbs like this will live longest and happiest if they sit in some water on your counter. Just be sure to check the water periodically and maybe give the ends a snip every once in a while to ensure maximum water uptake. This dill will be excellent in salads, dressings, as garnish, or a as a flavor infuser for virtually any dish. 

On to the radishes. My bundle was gorgeous, as you can see. Unfortunately I don't know of any use for the greens growing from the tops of the radishes in the kitchen, so they have to be snipped and discarded. Definitely throw them into a compost if you have one, or feed them to pigs, goats, chickens, or any other animal that seems interested (maybe a curious and unsuspecting little brother?). 

I personally chose to feed these greens to my rabbit - he loves them! Rabbits are wonderfully simple animals to have in your home. They will eat so many of your kitchen scraps, from browning bananas to parsley stems to mushy grapes and grape stems! They even use a litter box full of wood pellets! There are lots of rabbits that need homes, so look for one (or two or three) at your local shelter. 

Now, once you have cut the leafy tops off, trim the bottoms of the radishes, the little root sticking out, and give them a good wash (just wash them to get the dirt off, obviously in this instance there is no worry about lingering pesticide residue because it's 100% chemical free). Cover them with water in a container and they will keep in the fridge for a long time! Just make sure they stay nice and hydrated. I haven't heard of cooking radishes, but they are so scrumptious as raw crunchy treats in salads or atop tacos or just by themselves with some cracked black pepper. They satisfy the desire to eat something crunchy and they are great for you. 

Next onto the bundle of kale. You could easily just plop it into your crisper drawer in the fridge, but I usually prefer to chop it up into useable bit size pieces for convenience later on. Just give the chopped kale a good rinse and put it in a bag, to be eaten later in a salad or lightly steamed or baked into kale chips. Yum!

These beauties, scallions, are to be treated just like the dill. I gave them a good rinse and put them as is into a jar with some water.

Again, be sure to keep an eye on the water and change it when it gets yellow. Scallions add a delicious oniony bite to virtually any meal. Easy. 

Next, the turnips. I am not very familiar with turnips, but here is my chance to learn! They are a root vegetable - like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, rutabagas, and many others - which means exactly what it sounds like it means. They are the part of the plant that grow in the ground, aka the root that stores the carbs, sugars, and starches. There are lots of subgroups, like true roots and tube roots, but we don't need to get into that. All I know is that these guys can be stored in a cool dark place for best results. Back in the day, we used to have root cellars for storing all the root vegetables that would feed us all throughout the winter. We don't really have such accommodations anymore, it's a shame. But these guys can hang out in your fridge or in a cool drawer or cabinet. I look forward to learning more about how to use turnips, but I know you can roast them, grill them, and boil them, so that's a start. 

Finally, the poc choi. These guys are simple. I just washed them and put them in a drawer in the fridge. As far as using them in my cooking, I love to make stir fried vegetables like every other day. Poc choi is an excellent addition to any type of stir fry, or great on its own with some garlic and lemon. Get creative!

That is how I chose to store my package of gorgeous veggies from my first weeks CSA. Of course, these items are chemical free and there is absolutely no question that they were grown in the best possible conditions. I know the farmers so I know there is no shady business that went into this process -  no social or environmental injustices contributed to the growth of these plants. The best part is, they travelled a maximum of 20 miles from the farm to my house! Perfection. And now I don't have to worry so much about what to get at the grocery store because I have more than sufficient seasonal produce to make incredible meals all week long. Yes, I will need supplemental ingredients, but with the CSA package you are given a set of items around which to create unique, delicious dishes.  

Here is a taste of what I made the first night I got my CSA.

First, I made a jar of homemade dill dressing (as inspired by Kyle Spann-Weitz). It couldn't be easier, just eyeball proportions of the following ingredients:

• Mayo
• Olive oil
• A little vinegar (I chose apple cider)
• Lemon juice
• Garlic
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Black Pepper
• Chopped scallions
• and, of course, lots of chopped dill! 

I can put this jar in the fridge and have dressing all week long. And there is still plenty more dill left over!

Then I decided to make a polenta-veggie napoleon (or a stack of layered polenta and veggies) with a side salad. Here is what I mean.

First, I was eager to see what these turnips were all about, so I treated them like potatoes and boiled them to see if I could create a mash. Turns out, they take a while to boil and soak up lots of water. Good to know! And they didn't want to mash for me, so I diced them up into small bits. They will become a layer in the polenta-veggie napoleon.

Next I sauteed a whole head of poc choi with some onions and mushrooms I had. Just add some garlic and lemon and it's that easy. This will become another layer in the dish.

Then I made the salad...which really only meant pulling out a handful of salad mix, a handful of spinach, and coating it all with my homemade dill dressing (again, thanks Kyle! So yummy, I could eat this every day! And just might!)

Next, I had some beets on hand that I wanted to use up. Beets aren't in season here, but I got some at the G store because I just love them. I got them whole, used the greens in smoothies and salads, and boiled the bulbs for about 30-45 mins - just long enough to get the skins to peel right off. Then I chopped them up into useable slices. Incredibly delicious and nutritious.

I also jarred the beet juice, the byproduct of boiling the beets, to use as veggie stock or in smoothies. So many nutrients are boiled out into the water, it is an utter waste to throw it away. There is always a use for veggie-infused liquid so keep it hanging around! This time, I chose to pour some over my chopped turnips, which easily soaked up the brightness and goodness of the beet juice for added color, flavor, and health in my meal.

Ok, the polenta. I sometimes like to get the tubes of polenta at the grocery store because it is just so damn good. It is basically just a form of corn meal, so not super great for you, but with a meal of mainly veggies there is always room for a little guilty pleasure. I sliced the polenta and gave 'er a good fry, finally topping each slice with fontina cheese. Mm hmm.

Now that each component was done, and it was really easy, I put together the napoleon. One slice polenta, a couple slices of beet, a spoonful of the beet juice-infused turnips, a spoonful of the mushroom/poc choi mix, another slice polenta, another scoop of the turnips and poc choi, and a final slice of polenta. Covered in chopped scallions.

And the final product, accompanied by my salad and garnished with beet, dill, and sriracha. Not too shabby.

This meal was inspired by the ingredients I received in my CSA package. I can feel good about this. I made a breakfast sandwich the next morning and used the leftover turnip and poc choi mixture, which was amazing. I look forward to more meals and more veggies from the Kearsarge Mountain CSA! Definitely stay tuned - as the summer rolls on the veggies will change to reflect the season! What a great way to become connected with the land and the people that work it!