Friday, April 16, 2010

The Farmshare Project: Week 2

I know you're excited that I decided to keep on with this project after one week rather than abandon it for something more riveting like counting the number of beans currently germinating in the veg beds (8), so it's no use trying to hold it in - I see you clasping your bosoms.

Freak.

Plus, what kind of farmshare shill would I be if I didn't properly extol the virtues of beets as a healthy swap for oil in cake?

A shitty one, that's what.

Anyway, let's talk this week's farmshare.

A lot of stuff came bagged and I didn't feel like unbagging it. These things happen.

Last week's box had:
Apples
Artichokes
Arugula
Mizuna
Baby mei qing choi
Tatsoi
Red beets
Broccoli
Chard
Collard greens
Green garlic
Leeks
Bagged baby red/green oakleaf lettuce
French breakfast radishes
Red radishes
Strawberries 

And their fate was:
We ate them
Artichokes: As a sidedish, boiled with aoili
Mizuna: In Citrus Salad
Baby mei qing choi: In chicken salad
Green garlic: In chicken salad
Bagged baby red/green oakleaf lettuce: As a simple salad with olive oil and salt
Strawberries: In a smoothie (Blend a handful of hulled frozen strawberries with 1/2 cup of milk, 1 T vanilla whey, 1 T ground flax seed, 1 T mesquite honey)

We stored them
Leeks
French breakfast radishes
Red radishes

We composted them 
Arugula
Tatsoi
Chard
Collard greens

Note to self: remind neighbors that we don't want chard or collards so we should all hold hands and agree to put that crap in the donation bin at the pick-up site rather than bringing it home to stuff guiltily into the composter. 


And when I say, "crap", I mean "stuff that I don't like but other people seem to", so it's not like I'm giving crap to charity because that would be rude. It's not like I'm one of those people that donates dirty underwear to the Goodwill even though I've seen firsthand evidence that people like that are out there YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE and ew.


But, as far as the rest of the share went last week, I feel pretty good about our progress. We had some pretty decent Mass Murder Menus, nothing went to waste, technically speaking, and we now have enough of some stored stuff from the last two weeks so that I can make some dinner favorites this coming week. 


Which is where the Farmshare Skillz come in - knowing what to store and for how long so that you have enough to make something that everyone likes. 


If you already thought, "Rutabaga Mash!", then you are right! You're also something of a mind-reader because I'm not sure how many people would put that all together since I don't seem to know a single soul, beyond our farmshare-splitting neighbors, who can even identify a rutabaga in the wild.


Get on that, folks. They look like this. And next week I'll give you a recipe for turning them into a very edible mashed potato-like side dish that even picky-ass kids/husbands/dinner guests will probably like. 


Which is good, because they take up a lot of storage space and if you leave them alone for too long I think they either multiple in alarming numbers or turn into Gremlins. 

4 comments:

  1. I spend a lot of time clasping my bosoms these days. And I think from now on I will refer to them as "bosoms," because that is just a great word.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rutabagas never heard of them but when I looked at your picture they are what we call swedes. I LOVE THEM.. I eat them raw and roasted and in soups... MMMMM
    Thank goodness its coming up to winter in Adelaide (OZ) and it will be swede and turnip and parsnip time...
    Love reading your posts.. Good luck in your run!!
    Lea-Anne

    ReplyDelete
  3. Here's what to do with the greens you composted- make em into soup

    2tbsp oil heated in a large pot

    toss in 4 medium potatoes, cubed, various other veggies (whatever you have on hand, I use squash and cauliflower)

    heat until JUST tender

    pour in 3 cups stock, 2 cups water

    throw in minimum 4 cups chopped greens (any greens but NOT LETTUCE!!)

    season to taste with S&P

    Simmer for half an hour.

    Tasty hearty potato & green stew, soup, whatever you call it... super tasty, somewhat healthy, my picky ass hubby and kids love it. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kris - BOSOMS! Too fun.

    Lea-Anne - SWEDES! Too fun. And thank you...

    MelissaSue - You know what? I might actually try this. And then I can feel good about myself for not composting the damn collards. Thank you for that.

    ReplyDelete

[2013 update: You can't comment as an anonymous person anymore. Too many douchebags were leaving bullshit SPAM comments and my inbox was getting flooded, but if you're here to comment in a real way like a real person, go to it.]

Look at you commenting, that's fun.

So, here's the thing with commenting, unless you have an email address associated with your own profile, your comment will still post, but I won't have an email address with which to reply to you personally.

Sucks, right?

Anyway, to remedy this, I usually come back to my posts and post replies in the comment field with you.

But, if you ever want to email me directly to talk about pumpkins or shoes or what it's like to spend a good part of your day Swiffering - shoot me an email to finnyknitsATgmailDOTcom.

Cheers.