In case you really missed the newsletter this week, WorldChanging has a very interesting issue up with food, fair trade and farming issues featured as well as Spatial History: The Manahatta Project. Click to see a rendering of what Manhattan must have looked like to Henry Hudson as he sailed up the river. Then read on for reviews of a new book about the coffee trade and evolving issues of fair trade and alternative supply networks, Midwestern farms going sustainable and scroll down for some thoughts on American Conservative’s recent issue featuring local and sustainable food as conservative values.

Note to all members, I am in the process of moving (in the same building, but it nonetheless involves packing up all my stuff and carrying it up several flights of stairs), which is why there was no newsletter last week at all and this week’s is just the share list. Next week I will actually be moving, so I will probably post the share list again and leave it at that. If you are in need of further reading, Golden Earthworm has their own newsletter as well. Any members who have something to say, reviews, recipes or just some interesting information about the foods we’re getting please feel free to email them to me at newsletter@astoriacsa.com and I’ll put them up. (This holds true even when I’m not so busy!) When I return I’ll have some pictures of our recent events for kids, a review of King Corn and other stuff I hope you’ll find entertaining. Have a great week!–Gretchen

This Week’s Share

BABY WATERMELON | Qty: 1 piece

RED TOMATOES | Qty: 2 lb.

SUNGOLD CHERRY TOMATOES | Qty: 1 bag

WHITE ONION | Qty:1 piece

BUNCHED CARROTS | Qty: 1 bunch

SALAD MIX | Qty: 1 bag
This salad mix is not washed! Due to the rain, it might be quite dirty. Please remember that unwashed lettuce mix will last longer in your fridge because the leaves have not been damaged from the washing process.

EGGPLANT | Qty: 1 piece

PARSLEY | Qty: 1 bunch

FRUIT STORAGE INFORMATION
As soon as you get home, immediately remove the tree fruit (peaches, apricots, etc.) from the plastic bag. They can ripen out on the counter, but must be placed in the fridge as soon as they turn ripe & soft. Berries should always be stored in the fridge.

*FRUIT SHARE | Tues & Wed deliveries
1 portion RED PLUMS
1 portion UFO PEACHES

*FRUIT SHARE | Thurs deliveries

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Note: The contents of the veg boxes can change, depending on the day of the week. We update this list almost daily to reflect the next day’s deliveries. Keep this in mind if you’re looking at the list more than one day before your scheduled delivery.

CSA Pasture is the name of our meat/ dairy “co-op” upstate. It’s a group of about 12 farms that live around Washington County and make different delicious products.

Nancy and Alan of Lewis Waite Farm banded these farms together to sell all the product in an easy trip to the City. Before deliveries, Nancy sends updates of what is happening on the farm. See after jump for her update.

I had an opportunity to visit Lewis Waite for the day this past Wednesday. Some very exciting news is that Lewis Waite has just received NOFA certification! (More on that below.) I helped pack up the Thursday delivery for you all down here! I also got to eat berries from the berry patch, play with some piglets, go crazy in the garden, play with Pedro the Donkey and taste Nancy’s fabulous homemade pickles! The above picture are Nancy’s homemade wines: rhubarb, strawberry and dandelion! Read the rest of this entry »

In this News Flash:

1) This Week’s Share
2) CSA Pasture Meat/ Dairy- Next delivery August 14
3) Low-Carbon Beer- Available every week!
4) Next Kid’s Workshop August 14: From Plant to Table
5) Next Adult Workshop August 21: Why Do I Crave Sugar?

Read the rest of this entry »

This Week’s Share

Please note, contents of the boxes can change, visit Golden Earthworm’s website for their newsletter, the most up to date harvest information and more recipes and farm news. To help your veggies last as long as possible, visit our storage tips page.

• RED NORLAND or RED GOLD POTATOES | Qty: 2 quarts
  Last week was the first potato harvest of the season, so you only received a small quart. This week, you’ll all be receiving 2 full quarts. If you can’t eat them all right away, you can store them in a paper bag in a cool, dry and most importantly, dark place. They should last for quite a while in the proper conditions.
• CHIVES | Qty: 1 bunch
• PURSLANE | Qty: 1 bunch
  Purslane is wild green, and by wild, I mean really wild! Can you believe that purslane contains more Omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid in particular) than any other leafy vegetable plant? Wild! Purslane has a lemony, salty flavor and can be eaten raw in salads or cooked like spinach. Try this week’s recipe! (See our recipes page for Stacey’s Purslane recipe!)
  
• EGGPLANT | Qty: 1 piece
  Rosa Bianca or Black variety
• LONG GREEN PEPPERS | Qty: 2 pieces
  NOTICE: These peppers are supposed to be sweet, but last year we received a few isolated reports that they were hot. So, please beware when preparing these peppers- especially around children! A quick taste of the flesh will tell you whether or not they are hot. (We contacted the seed company about this issue last year and they told us that this particular pepper was bred from one hot pepper parent. Apparently, it is possible to have a hot “baby” on a very rare occasion.)
• GREEN ZUCCHINI | Qty: 1 piece
• BUNCHED CARROTS | Qty: 1 bunch
• CUCUMBERS | Qty: varies
• TOMATO? | Qty: 1
  *This is the very start of our tomato season, so if you receive one this week, just remember that this is just a taste of what’s to come… Some deliveries may receive something else in place of the tomato.

FRUIT STORAGE INFORMATION
As soon as you get home, immediately remove the tree fruit (peaches, apricots, etc.) from the plastic bag. They can ripen out on the counter, but must be placed in the fridge as soon as they turn ripe & soft. Berries should always be stored in the fridge.

• *FRUIT SHARE | Tues & Wed deliveries
  1 portion PEACHES
  1 portion APRICOTS
• *FRUIT SHARE | Thurs deliveries
  To be decided.

• Kid’s Workshop Info
• Recipes and Pictures from last week’s Food Extravaganza!

Read the rest of this entry »