Terra Firma Farm CSA
Newsletter
Salad Mix
Shelled Walnuts
Leeks
Beets
Carrots
Cilantro
Bunched Spinach#
Broccoli – Green and Purple
# -- Don’t forget to soak your spinach
at least twice before using. Muddy, rainy days make it even harder
for us to get the silt off the leaves.
EL NINO IN DRAG
If you were looking forward to that cold, dry winter forecasted to
accompany El Nino’s sister La Nina, you might be getting a little glum
by now. From our perspective, this year is looking so far like a
close repeat of last: Rain and storms beginning in late October and
continuing on a regular basis. True, it hasn’t rained very hard yet,
but wet soil is mud whether it’s had half an inch or two inches of rain.
So, we’ll put on an extra layer under our rain gear, and you put a big
pot on the stove for making soup with all the tasty winter veggies coming
in from out of the cold and rain. With a few exceptions, we’ve got
plenty planted to keep you fed at least through February.
POST-THANKSGIVING EATING
In your box today, you’ll find no heavy carbohydrates to add
to the several pounds you probably ate last week. Instead, find lots
of fresh, crisp, and tender veggies straight from the field for salads,
steaming, and light soups to correct any nutritional imbalances you may
have incurred last week.
You might get a mixture of two
different colors of broccoli today. The first of our purple "cauliflower"
is coming on earlier than we had expected. This stuff grows like
cauliflower, but when you cook it, it becomes much like regular green broccoli
without the stem. In between, it is beautiful shade of purple.
If you wish to preserve this color for conversational purposes at the dinner
table, I suggest serving it raw with dip or just barely steamed.
White cauliflower? Well, like the broccoli was doing until
this week, the cauliflower is crawling along. With a few sunny days,
you could hope to see you first curds in two weeks. After Christmas,
we hope that cauliflower will be a regular addition to the winter boxes.
RAIN VS. WIND – Field Notes
Rain is okay. It falls vertically, it hits your rain gear and
drips down your hood, down your jacket, down your rain pants, and then
slides down your rubber boots before hitting the ground. Of course,
the rain gear, combined with all the mud, makes it harder to work, but
it’s cozy in a weird way. The sound of rain on your hood is similar
to the pitter patter on the roof – it can be soothing, even relaxing.
Wind is different. Wind makes rain go sideways, hitting
your face or hands before running off along your chin, neck or wrists into
the inner recesses of your warm, dry clothing. On windy rainy days,
the crew tends to stand like horses, everyone facing the same direction
– away from the wind. People walk backwards (not an easy task in
the mud), and no one can hear each other talk since they are talking downwind.
Plus, the wind makes a roar inside the hood, and driven rain drops clang
against your rubber suit. Almost makes you wish you had an office
job. Almost. Oh, I almost forgot – it’s time to write the newsletter…
LAST CHANCE FOR SATSUMAS
This is the last call for ordering bags of delicious, easy-to-peel Satsuma
Mandarin oranges from one of our new citrus orchards: $5.00 for 5 lbs..
The satsumas will be available for delivery for one week only – Dec. 14,
and will be delivered to your drop-off along with your regular weekly box.
Orders must be included with your December check and received by 12/7 –
no exceptions and no call-in orders please. Quarterly subscribers
who have already paid for this quarter may send in a separate check for
their order. Limit 3 bags/subscriber.
RECIPES –
Beet Soup with Lime and Cilantro
Steam 1 bunch of beets until just tender, then rinse in cool water
and peel. Reserve the greens. Saute 1 cleaned, minced leek
in 3 Tbsp. olive oil over low heat until soft. Add 2 diced carrots,
cook for 2 minutes, then add 8 C. water. Slice the beets in thin
rounds and add to the pot. Bring to boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
Chop the beet greens roughly and add to the soup along with 1 Tbsp. minced
fresh ginger or 1 tsp. powdered ginger. Cook another 5 minutes.
Add salt and black pepper to taste. Serve the soup with slices of
lime, chopped cilantro, and sour cream.
Warm Tofu Salad with Peanut Sauce
Slice 1 lb. of tofu in thin triangles and marinate in 3 Tbsp. soy sauce,
1 tsp. Sesame oil, and 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar. Bake on a cookie sheet
at 350 degrees for 10 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile, in a blender, mix 1 C. peanut butter with 1 Tbsp. minced
fresh ginger, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ tsp. Red pepper flakes, ½
C. water, 1 Tbsp. soy sauce, and lemon juice to taste. Puree until
smooth, then adjust seasonings.
Steam 2 C. broccoli pieces. Boil water and pour over ½
bunch soaked and drained spinach leaves. Toss the spinach and the
broccoli with the tofu pieces, then drizzle with the peanut sauce and serve.
DECEMBER HOLIDAYS INFO We will not deliver CSA boxes the week of December 21 or December 28. We will return the week of January 4.
Remember, whether you are going on vacation during this time or not, you should still send the full check for $66 for December, or for $190 for the quarter.
DECEMBER PAYMENTS ARE NOW DUE. All payments are due by the 5th of the month for the current month’s service.
San Francisco Prices:
$66 monthly $190 quarterly
$ 15.85 wk vacation adjustment
Annual $ 755
How To Reach Us
For vacation notices, billing questions, etc: contact Valerie
through voice mail (530) 756-2800
or e-mail at Goldenbell@aol.com.
Some common questions are answered online at www.terrafirmafarm.com
MAILING ADDRESS:
Terra Firma Farm
P.O. Box 836
Winters, CA 95694
(530) 756-2800
New and kind of interesting…
If you couldn’t pick up your box and you let a friend have it
who later subscribes to TFF… let us know. We will credit you the
price of that box!!
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