Garden Shares

This page is designed for CSA members as a place to come and check out what to expect in the shares every week.

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Week 18, 4/13/13 Last Share of the Season!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had a great time this morning harvesting the last share because instead of harvesting just enough and saving things for next week, we harvested practically EVERYTHING in the field.  This week’s share is going to be a mixed grab-bag-style free-for-all grand-finale!

Beautiful flowering Thai Basil

Asian Eggplant

Kohlrabi

Cutting Celery

Carrots

Daikon Radishes

Burgundy Bush Beans

Dinosaur Kale

Napa Cabbage

Fennel

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Week 17, 4/6/13

Bananas

Carrots

Daikon Radishes

Dinosaur Kale

Parsley

Kholrabi

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Week 16, 3/30/13

Napa Cabbage

Collard Greens

Burgundy Bush Beans

French Breakfast Radishes

Yukina Savoy

Celeriac aka Celery Root

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Week 15, 3/23/13

This week’s share has a great color scheme!

Dinosaur Kale

Watermelon Radishes

Rainbow Chard

Arugula

Fennel

Burgundy Bush Beans

Greek Oregano

 

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Week 14, 3/16/13

Baby Red Pac Choy (like baby bok choy)

Carrots

Tat Soi

Mustard Greens

Cutting Celery

Thai Basil Tips

Nasturtium flowers and leaves

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Week 13, 3/9/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week we are harvesting:

Tat Soi

Dinosaur Kale

Daikon Radishes

Fennel

Arugula

Bananas

Guavas

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Week 12, 3/2/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collards

Arugula

Caraflex Cabbage

Parsley

Bananas

Cuban Oregano and Allspice

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Week 11, 2/23/12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week we are harvesting:

Arugula

Dinosaur Kale

Daikon Radishes

Yucca

Jicama

Celery

Heirloom Tomatoes

Pink Guavas

 

 

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Week 10, 2/16/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Mustard Greens

Plantains

French Breakfast Radishes

Green Papaya

Heirloom Tomatoes (it looks like this is the official peak week of the season for us!)

Asian Eggplant

Nasturtium Flowers and Leaves (great addition to salads! keep leaves whole for a nice look and texture.)

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Week 9, 2/9/13

This week we welcome the Half  Season share holders.  They will be sharing the harvest until the end of the season!

 

Hercules Carrots

Purple Top Turnips

Kale

Heirloom Tomatoes (it is peak season right now!!!!!)

Fennel

Parsley

Ginger

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Week 8, 2/2/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week’s harvest:

Yucca (check out a recipe I posted last season for easy dumplings.)

Celery

Rainbow Chard

Baby Arugula

Baby Napa Cabbage (these keep for a loooooong time, so if you’re “cabbaged out”, store it for later in the season.)

Nasturtium Flowers and Leaves (great addition to salads! keep leaves whole for a nice look and texture.)

Starfruit (a very sweet variety from a friends yard in Miami Shores.)

 

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Week 7, 1/26/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week’s harvest:

Jicama

Cilantro

Carrots

Baby Tat Soi (similar to baby bok choy)

Mixed Asian Eggplant

Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes

 

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Week 6, 1/19/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week we’ll have lots of greens, but also some unique items to keep things interesting in the kitchen.

Ethiopian Kale

Baby Yukina Savoy (Asian greens, can be used just like spinach)

Napa Cabbage

Fennel

Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes

French Breakfast Radishes

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Week 5, 1/12/13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To kick start the CSA shares after Bimini’s birth we are harvesting:

Caraflex Cabbage

Asian Eggplant

Red Pac Choi

Parsley

Loose Watermelon Radishes and Purple Top Turnips

Starfruit

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Week 4, 12/8/12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week’s share includes the following:

Edamame

Watermelon Radishes

Mustard Greens

Chinese Leeks

Kohlrabi

Baby Arugula

Avocados

Dwarf Namwa Bananas

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Week 3, 12/1/12

This week’s share includes the following:

Tat Soi (closest thing I can compare it to is bok choy, but it’s got it’s own character)

French Breakfast Radishes

Collards

Edamame

Kohlrabi

Sugarcane

Avocados

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Week 2, 11/24/12

This week’s share includes the following:

Bananas

Collard Greens

Pei Tsai

Tat Soi (closest thing I can compare it to is bok choy, but it’s got it’s own character)

Mustard Greens

Chinese Leeks

Purple Top Turnips

 

This is a lot of greens!  Keep them fresh by storing them in plastic bags or bins.

 

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Week 1, 11/17/12 First share of the 2012-2013 season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wild Arugula

Pei Tsai (open head Chinese cabbage)

French Breakfast Radishes

Purple Yardlong Beans

Thai Basil

and Fresh Ginger

Let’s welcome the season and enjoy this beautiful weather at the garden with a member potluck, Saturday November 17th at noon.

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Week 19, 3/31/12 Last share of the season!

Potluck at the garden around noon; come and hang out, enjoy the garden and share some fresh food & drink!

I will be harvesting a mish-mash of everything that is left in the garden for tomorrow’s shares, which will be distributed in a “grab bag” style.  A little chard, collards, kale, callaloo, leeks, scallions, basil, eggplant, carrots, radishes, turnips, arugula, lettuce, kholrabi, celery, parsley, papayas, nasturtiums and a few other things I can’t think of as I sit on the computer, but will come to me as soon as I step into the garden.

Starting next week, the fields get a “spring cleaning” and fresh cover crops for the remainder of the long Miami summer!

Endless thanks to all the CSA members this season!!

 

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Week 18, 3/24/12  Second to last share of the season!!!

Dinosaur Kale

Loose carrots

Parsley

Pei Tsai

Watermelon Radishes

and Greek Oregano

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Week 17, 3/17/12

You’ll notice the shares as of this week are going to be smaller then they have been most of the season.  The Little River Market Garden is beginning to transition into summer mode.  I have not planted vegetables for almost a month now and the crops in the fields are beginning to run out.  Summer mode means I will be planting cover crops in all of my annual fields.  I strongly believe in my cover cropping system for the sequestering of nutrients, for the protection to the soil from erosion and strong summer sun, as well as the production of organic matter.

For the 3rd to last share I am harvesting:

Collards

Baby Carrots

Red Pak Choy

Celery

Sapodilla fruit

and most likely basil tips

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Week 16, 3/10/12

French Breakfast radishes

Rainbow chard

Kholrabi

Italian Snap Beans

Papaya

Lemongrass

Boniato

and…. more Asian Eggplant; our plants just keep on giving!

LITTLE RIVER CSA MENU INSPIRATION
3/10/12
Starring: French Breakfast Radishes, Kholrabi, Lemongrass and Boniato. Enjoy!
Sauteed Radishes:
Radishes with greens, 4 bunches
Butter, unsalted, 2 ½ Tbsp
Salt, 1 tsp
Garlic, clove, minced
Chives, 3 Tbsp, chopped
1. Cut greens from radishes, wash and coarsely chop.
2.Trim radishes and cut lengthwise into ½ inch wedges.
3. Heat 1 ½ Tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat until foam subsides. Sauté the radish
wedges with salt stirring until crisp tender, about 12 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
4. In a different skillet sauté garlic, in the remaining butter, stirring until fragrant about 30 seconds.
Add greens and sauté, stirring until wilted, about a minute. Add in the radishes and mix in the
chives.
Kohlrabi Supreme:
Kohlrai bulbs, 2 , peeled sliced nto rounds and then cut into half moons
Butter, 2-4 Tbsp
Garlic cloves, 2 crushed
Lemon juice, 2 tsp
Parmesan cheese, grated, ½ cup
Bread crumbs, ½ cup
Salt and Pepper to taste
1. Heat oven to 350° and put Kohlrabi into a saucepan with ½ inch of water, cover to boil water
and steam the vegetable. Drain the kohlrabi and put in a baking dish.
2. Melt butter with the garlic in a different saucepan and add lemon juice, pour over the warm
kohlrabi and toss. Sprinkle with cheese and then breadcrumbs on top.
3. Season with salt and pepper and bake until cheese is melted and breadcrumbs turn golden.
Lemongrass vinegar: (makes about 2 cup)
Lemongrass, 3 stalks
Rice vinegar, 2 cups
1. Thinly slice the bottom 8 inches of the lemongrass stalks, place in a very clean (1 quart) glass jar
and mash with a wooden spoon.
2. Add vinegar and let the mixture steep, covered with the lid in a dark, cool place for at least 4
days and up to 2 weeks depending of the strength desired.
3. Strain the vinegar through a fine sieve into a pitcher and discard the lemongrass slices.
4. Pour the vinegar into 2 very clean ½ pint glass jars and seal them with lids to be used.
Boniato Cupcakes:
Boniato, grated 1 ½ cup
Zucchini, grated, ½ cup
All-purpose flour, ½ cup
Whole Wheat sprouted flour, 1 cup
Cinnamon, 1tsp
Baking Soda, ¾ tsp
Baking Power, ¾ tsp
Ground Allspice, ½ tsp
Ground Nutmeg, ½ tsp
Salt, ¼ tsp
Honey, ½ cup
Coconut Oil, ½ cup
Eggs, 2
1. Preheat oven to 350° and lightly grease cupcake pans.
2. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, nutmeg and salt
3. In a separate bowl whisk together eggs, honey, and oil then add in grated veggies and slowly
mix in the flour mixture
4. Scoop batter into pan and bake for 22-27 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the cake
comes out clean.
5. Cream cheese honey frosting is optional. Combine block of cream cheese with ¼ cup of honey
and whip by hand until it reaches the desired texture.

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Week 15, 3/3/12

Dinosaur Kale

Chinese Leeks

Heirloom Tomatoes

Soup Carrots

Greek Oregano

Avocados

Bananas

choice between Sugar Snap Peas and Italian Snap Beans

 LITTLE RIVER CSA MENU INSPIRATION
3/3/2012
Starring: Dinosaur Kale, Chinese Leeks, Heirloom Tomatoes, Soup Carrots, Greek Oregano.
Enjoy!
Kale meat loaf:
Kale, 3 cup, chopped
Onions, 1/2 cup, chopped
Parsley, 1/2 cup
Egg, fresh, 2 large
Ground beef, lean, 8 oz
Parmesan Cheese, grated, 1/4 cup
Bread crumbs, dry, grated, plain, 1/4 cup
Dijon Mustard, 1/2 tsp
Salt, 1/4 tsp
Pepper, black, 1/4 tsp
Turmeric, ground, 1/2 tsp
Basil, 2 tbsp
Oregano, 1/2 tbsp
Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp
Tomato sauce, 1 cup
Tomato sauce:
Tomatoes, 1.5 lbs
Carrots, ½ cup
Extra Virgin live Oil, ½ cup
Garlic cloves, ½ cup
Chinese leeks, chopped, 1tsp
Salt, 1 pinch
Pepper, 1 pinch
Sugar, 1 pinch
1. Add tomatoes and carrots to boiling water and cook until the skin of the tomatoes comes off
easily. Drain, let cool, remove skin, seeds and chop in a food processor.
2. Put a saucepan over heat and add oil, once hot add garlic and cook for a few seconds before
adding Chinese leeks which will cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and carrots and cook until they have reduced by one-third.
4. Add the salt, pepper and sugar and pass the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer. Set aside.
Loaf:
1. Remove stems from kale and parsley and chop fine in a food processor, add rest of ingredients
except for sauce, put in loaf pan and cover with sauce.
2. Bake at 350° until loaf reaches temperature of 160°
3. Serve hot with steamed Italian Snap Beans or Sugar Snap Peas

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Week 14, 2/25/12

Arugula

Kholrabi

Lettuce, a beautiful speckled heirloom variety

Carambola aka Starfruit

Celery

Sugar Snap Peas

Heirloom tomatoes

Nasturtiums, edible flowers

 

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Week 13, 2/18/12

Rainbow Chard

Collard greens

Dill

Mixed Heirloom Tomatoes

Rosita Eggplant

Bananas

Yucca and Boniato

and Sugar Snap Peas!

 

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Week 12, 2/11/12

Red Choy (bok choy with red leaves)

Heirloom Cabbage

Bi-color Carrots

Heirloom Tomatoes

Spring Onions with tops

Mixed Asian Eggplant- there are new varieties ripening so it will be a different mix than in previous weeks!

Italian Basil

and you’ll choose between a large Watermelon Radish or a large Purple Top Turnip.
ENJOY!

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Week 11, 2/4/12

Collards

Yukina Savoy

Chinese leeks

Celery

Carambola

Avodado

Heirloom tomatoes

and Jujubes!

Jujubes, especially the variety we are sharing this week, are an extremely rare fruit.  A friend and neighbor has a beautiful tree full of fruit and we’ve been tracking it, waiting for them to get big enough for harvesting.  Her tree produces large fruit, about the size of a large kiwi or plum.  The closest thing they can be compared to is a granny smith apple, but less tart.  The skin, which is the same color as a granny smith, is much thinner and contains non of the bitterness of an apple.  The flesh is crisp and white like that of a pear. Jujubes are a common Asian and Eastern European fruit, supposedly containing many medicinal properties.  It is a treat to have access to these fruit in Miami, we should consider ourselves lucky!

 

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Week 10, 1/28/12

Kale

Mustard greens

Napa cabbage (smaller than last time!)

Parsley

A quart of Heirloom tomatoes

Asian eggplant

Spring onions with tops

baby Purple Top Turnips with greens

 

LITTLE RIVER MARKET CSA MENU INSPIRATION
1/28/11
Starring: Collards, mustard greens, napa cabbage, parsley, heirloom tomatoes, asian eggplant,
spring onions with tops, baby purple top turnips with greens. Enjoy!
Ratatouille with collards:
Asian eggplant, ½ lb
Zucchini, ½ lb
Salt, 1 tsp, for tossing eggplant and zucchini
Olive oil, 4-6 Tbsp
Onions, thinly sliced, 1.5 cups
Heirloom tomatoes, halved
Garlic, 2 cloves, mashed
Parsley, minced, 3 Tbsp
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Peel the eggplant and cut into slices 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends, and
cut like the eggplant. Place in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Drain the eggplant and zucchini slices and dry them on a towel.
3. One layer at a time, sautée the eggplant, and then the zucchini in hot olive oil for about a minute
on each side to brown very lightly. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, cook the onions slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but
now browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.
5. In a pot sautée the tomatoes with 1 tsp of olive oil until the tomatoes are pulpy or for about 5-10
minutes.
6. Lay the tomato pulp in the bottom of a heavy casserol and sprinkle over it 1 Tbsp of parsley.
Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini, and
finish with the remaining parsley.
7.Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes.
Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole.
8. While that is cooking steam the collards and set aside to serve with room temperature
ratatouille.
Mustard green and parsley pesto:
Mustard green, bunch, chopped
Parsley, bunch, chopped
Lemon juice, 1
Olive Oil, 1/2 cup
Salt and pepper, to taste
1. In a food processor blend well all green and oil then add lemon juice and season to taste.
Turnip tops and cabbage sweet sautée salad:
Napa cabbage, finely chopped
Turnip tops, chopped
Garlic, 1 clove minced
Olive oil, 3 Tbsp
Raisins, ¼ cup
Lemon juice, 1
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Sautée garlic and olive oil and then add cabbage, turnip tops and raisins.
2. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve hot

 

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Week 9, 1/21/12

Hon Tsai Tai

Heirloom cabbage

Rainbow carrots

Loose radishes

Avocadoes

Heirloom tomatoes

Dill

Black sapote

LITTLE RIVER CSA MENU INSPIRATION
1/21/11
Starring: Hon Tsai Tai, Heirloom cabbage, rainbow carrots, loose radishes, avocadoes, heirloom
tomatoes and dill. This weeks menu is Salad inspired, Enjoy!
Salad 1: Hon Tsai Tai Cesar Salad
Hon Tsai Tai, 1 bunch chopped bite size
Boquerones or Spanish sardines, 2 per serving.
Dressing:
Garlic, 2 cloves minced
Mayonnaise, 1 cup
Lemon juice, fresh, 1tbsp
Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp
Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated ! cup
Half & Half cream, 1tbsp
Salt & Pepper to taste
1. Wash in cold water and chop the Hon Tsai Tai including its flowers. Dry well and set aside.
2. In a food processor mix all the dressing ingredients and toss with salad well right before serving.
3. Place the boquerones on top of the salad and serve with a toasted piece of sourdough bread.
Salad 2: Heirloom Cabbage & Rainbow Carrot Salad
Heirloom cabbage, grated
Rainbow carrots, grated
Green chili, 2, finely chopped
Lime juice, fresh,1
Canola oil, 1 tsp
Mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp
Salt, to taste
1. Take off outer leafs of cabbage and use the head grated for this salad. After scrubbing carrots
and cutting off its ends, also grate. Mix the two veggies together and play around with color, add
more orange carrots -if available and needed-.
2. In a saucepan heat up canola oil and crackle the mustard seeds, then add the green chilis to
mixture and remove from stove.
3. Add the lime juice to the salad and then add the oil with mustard seeds and green chilis.
4. Add salt to taste, toss and serve.
Salad 3: Heirloom tomatoes and Avocado salad
Heirloom tomatoes, cubed or wedged
Avocado, cubed
Radishes, thinly sliced
Grape seed oil, 1tbsp
Balsamic Vinegar, 1 tsp
Parsley, handful chopped
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste
1. Rinse all veggies and cut accordingly.
2. Toss all ingredients together, make sure they are dry.
3. Add in oil, vinegar salt and pepper and serve.

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Week 8, 1/14/12

A quart of mixed Asian eggplants and Heirloom tomatoes

Cutting celery, which has a more pungent flavor than grocery-store celery

Dinosaur kale

Turnips or Malanga

Bananas

Ripe papaya

and Arugula

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Week 7, 1/7/12

Carrots

Loose assorted radishes

Kale

Mustard greens

Chinese leeks

Yukina savoy (a relative of bok choy, but better!)

Fresh lemongrass

 

Now, I know we’ve been eating a lot of greens and it may be getting difficult to stay interested.  Besides sharing some creative recipes I’d like to remind you that you gotta enjoy them while we have them.  Fresh greens have a relatively short growing season in Miami so lets make the most of it!  If you really can’t deal with eating them all every week, freeze some for the pits of summer.

Yukina Savoy is one of my favorite unusual Asian greens.  It’s closely related to bok choy and tat soi, but I think it has the best flavor and texture of all.  It’s a sweet, broccoli taste with a crispy juiciness that makes it ideal for eating raw.

Making Kale or Mustard Green Chips is a great way to eat your greens.  You are essentially dehydrating them in the oven to eat as crispy snacks.  Start by cutting the stems off and drying the leaves well with a spinner or towel.  Lay out on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and if you like, a little pepper.  I’ve also tried a little vinegar or nutritional yeast with good results.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until crispy and viola, you’re done! They are great fresh and crispy, but I also like to crush them and store in a zip lock bag after they cool to sprinkle on other meals later.

Also try greens in a casserole or lasagna style meal.  Throw it in with potatoes or pasta, onions, garlic, cream or ricotta, season with salt and other spices and bake until tender.

You can diversify by dressing your greens with different things like a peanut or tahini based sauce.

Who can forget the ol’ favorite pasta salad with wilted greens, feta, olive oil, basil or any other fresh herb, maybe cherry tomatoes, a little salt and pepper and it’s done.

 

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Week 6, 12/31/11

Chard

Mustard greens

Flowering Hon tsai tai

Asian eggplant

Italian basil

Ripe papaya

Carambola aka star fruit