CSA Season in Full Swing: Radishes and Kale

I guess because of the heat, this growing season seems to have started off with a bang. Already our CSA basket from Sunny Hill Farm is chock full of great veggies. Two that I am not as used to preparing are Kale and radishes.

For the kale, I tend to saute it in olive oil with a bit of red pepper flakes. I add dry white wine after a few minutes of cooking and put a lid on it to steam the kale a bit. There is a great green bean and kale recipe on Giada's Food Network website. You'll even get non-kale fans eating the stuff with that recipe.

As for the radishes they seem to be the 'it' food this season. We received them every week in our early spring share from Brad's Produce. And now that our summer share has started we have received them every week as well. Let's just say I was needing another way to eat them other than with dip and in our salads. They just haven't been disappearing fast enough! So I food this steak recipe from EatingWell.com Which pairs a rare beef with a light radish and carrot salad, yummy! When the radishes came in again this week I sought recipes to use them up even faster and found this one for radish dip. Let's just say the bowl is almost empty and I won't be kissing anyone anytime soon! Jean at Sunny Hill suggested that the radish dip be paired with Kale chips. Sounds good to me! Here is her recipe:

Kale Chips

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 bunches kale, rinsed with stems removed

Directions:

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

1 Cut kale into 2 to 3 inch pieces.
2 Mix vinegar, oil, and salt in a large bowl then add kale and mix by hand.
3 Try to get all the leaves covered.
4 Place on baking sheets (I like to use parchment paper for easy clean up) and bake at 350 F until they are crispy.
5 After about 20 minutes, if it looks like they are not sizzling a bit or getting a little crispy, turn up the heat

You can also experiment with adding other spices or flavorings of your choice like garlic powder, old bay, poppy or sesame seeds. Pair with your favorite dip or salsa for a great guilt free snack.

Just a note: We just picked Sour Cherries yesterday but they are coming to an end. I hear that blueberries are ripe now. I have picked every year at Spring Valley Farm. Sweet Cherries are coming in, too. I haven't been to this farm yet, but it looks like a lot of fun!

Strawberry Season Flying By

There are seasons I can recall in recent history where I was still picking strawberries at the end of June. This apparently is not going to be one of them. Harmans still has some pre-picked strawberries but their picking season is coming to an end. If you are planning to pick strawberries to make jam or to freeze, make pies and strawberry ice cream, you better head out this week to do so.

Locally, I know that these farms have strawberries:
Brad's Produce (410) 734-GROW
Harman's Farm Market (410) 734-7400
Wilson's Farm Market 410-836-8980
Lohrs Orchard 410-836-2783
Sunny Hill 410-382-0856

Mother's Day

Mother's Day may have been last weekend but we celebrated a week late with our annual family Mother's Day Tea. This is one of my favorite meals to make and I am pleased that each year the food is more local and more seasonal than the last. This year I was able to use local milk, cream and butter which I didn't have available last year. What a joy! Just to make your mouth water...I made dried apricot and fresh sage scones from the cream and butter we receive from Kilby Cream. I only make these scones once a year and I use the sage from my garden, which is a purple/silver variety. So tastey!

I highly recommend my guests do not have their cholesterol checked in the week after this annual tea. The rest of the menu was: Lemon Squares (from my dad), Asparagus Soup, Spring Potato Salad, Clotted Cream, Rhubarb Bread, Salted Butter, Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Dill Egg Salad Sandwiches, Avocado Salad Sandwiches and PB&J for the kids.

I think the biggest items that were not local were the flour and avocados. I helped myself to tasting along the way of cooking and stuffed myself to the gills at the party. I think I am still feeling the effects.

I just love this time of year when all the fresh food is just starting to become available. It is like we have an awaking to veggies and fruits once again and every week there is something new that his available.

If you are local to Harford County, please stop by to the farms that I have listed on the right. If not, check out your state's Department of Agriculture or Local Harvest.

Farmer's Markets opening soon!

After all the cold, it is finally time for the Farmer's Markets to open again. Bel Air Farmer's Market will open on April 9. You can find out more here http://www.belairfarmersmarket.com/

Aside from that many farms are still taking applications for CSA's this summer. Sunny Hill in Whiteford still has openings if you go to http://www.sunnyhillfarmmd.com/ You can request an application.

Also, Kilby Cream is expanding their milk delivery locations and I bet there is one nearby you (if you live in Harford or Cecil County). You can check at there website http://www.kilbycream.com/.

Lastly, in an unrelated food note (but very green note!) Clear Your Clutter Day is on the way to Harford County. Find out more about the day and check out our new sponsors at ClearYourClutterDay.org

A warm day

Wow! It feels like spring. There is still a ton of snow on the ground, in spite of the 60F day but we don't get much sun around our house to melt it. The birds are singing and I can almost ignore the fact that the temperate is going to drop next week again. At least it won't drop quite so low. I am really tired of the 10F days.

Our food journey has not been so intense as last year this time. Last year at this time I was driving around to the remaining hold outs of fresh, local food and hitting the organic grocery store on a weekly basis. Two things have changed. First of all, it seems more local folks have gotten on the food band wagon and so much of the fresh local stuff was gone by the end of 2010. Second, the grocery store is starting to carry more and more organic produce and packaged food.

Our meals at home have been simpler, mostly due to time restraint, so we are eating WAY less meat and aside from onions, potatoes and carrots 100% of our veggies and 75% of our fruits are from our own freezer store. It is nice to just go down to the basement and pick out something yummy to eat. I am still buying apples and oranges at the grocery. Mostly because the kids eat them with abandon.

Sign up deadline soon!

If you are looking to join a local CSA consider Sunny Hill Farm. I am looking for 12 families to join in this co-op pick ups are in Havre de Grace. Email me at nettieann@gmail.com for more information.

Early Spring Share with Brad's Produce

Here is the latest from Brad's Produce in Churchville:

Due to the interest and many requests for the Early Spring Share we have increased the number of shares that we are offering. If you wanted to sign up for this share and missed the deadline you may still do so. Just send your registration form and check to us this week and we will accept it. This share is from April 21st through May 12th and includes the very first produce available such as fresh asparagus, spinach, spring mix lettuce, radishes and bok choi.