Weekly Newsletter

Winter CSA Delivery This Week (Jan. 25 & 26)
Next Delivery February 8 & 9
Cooking Classes with Joni Sare in February, March, and April

---

Here We Go, Farmigo! from JeanneUsually it’s Steve who gets to try out new tools for the farm. But not this time.

We’ve been operating as a CSA farm now for a decade and a half, and a lot has changed in the world of technology since the mid 1990s. This week we are leaping into the present by launching our new on-line sign-up system. The system is designed by a software company called Farmigo, whose mission is to help farms like ours use internet based information-management tools capable of tackling the challenges inherently associated with running a CSA farm.

When we started exploring the possibilities last fall, we were responding to the fact that Chrissi and I had both talked to several people during a single renewal period who said things like “I don’t know if I can even find my checkbook!” For better or for worse, the internet has changed the way we pay for things, and we knew it was time for us to make it easier for people to pay for their vegetables too. What I began to realize once we started looking at Farmigo, was how much else this program could help us with. With Farmigo, we will be able to easily place add-ons on the web, so that you can sign up for that flat of strawberries or a jar of honey when we have them available without the many hours of administrative time and inevitable mix-ups that we usually contend with. Farmigo will improve our management of pick-up sites, from pinpointing all sites on google maps to allowing people to access their accounts to re-check their pick-up time. Farmigo will even help to better manage our harvest data – things like printing out harvest lists for the crew on CSA harvest days and keeping track of the data that we’ll need for our CCOF inspection every year.

Overall, we’re pretty excited about this. Here are some cool things about the new Farmigo system for you:

• Google maps with all the pick-up sites shown, so you can easily find the one most convenient to you. Once you’re signed up you can see the address and directions to your site anytime.
• Access to your account anytime, so you can renew, check or change your pick-up site, or check your payment status.
• Ability to make payments on-line via bank to bank transfer (electronic check) or credit card.  The fees we pay for electronic check are much less than for credit cards so we urge you to pay by electronic check whenever possible. The electronic check option is already set up and the credit card option should be available by the end of the week. (You can also still pay by check mailed to us the old-fashioned way.)
• When we have honey, flats of strawberries, or other add-ons available, we can post them on the web store and you can add them to be delivered to your pick-up site for that week.

If you have already paid for the 2012 season, you should get an e-mail this week with a link to your account, so that you can check that we transferred all your information correctly. Note that the winter subscriptions are not included in the Farmigo system.If you have not already paid for the 2012 season, you can go to the sign-up page and do so online now!

We think that Farmigo is going to make our lives a lot easier from the administrative stand-point. But we do realize that with any new technology there is a learning curve, and no doubt we will come across a few bumps along the way. Please bear with us as we learn how best to use this useful new tool, and let us know if anything doesn’t seem to be working as it should. (We do know about the extra 4 cents that are added on to the full-year payment–it’s an unavoidable rounding error and there’s nothing we can easily do to fix it. Also check your spam blocking, as the e-mails we send through the online system will actually be from info@farmigo.com, though you shouldn’t use this e-mail to contact us.)

To help you navigate the new system, I also want to introduce Sarah Brewer, our new CSA administrator. Sarah is talented, capable, and friendly, and she is familiar with what we do here because she’s Chrissi’s daughter! Besides, you never know when you’ll need an archeologist on staff to dig through our records.

————

In the Box This Week

———–
Veggie Notes: The chioggia beets are similar to red or gold beets, but they have pretty concentric red rings inside. Remember you can also cook the beet greens; they are in the chard family. The romanesco is a relative of cauliflower that is strange and beautiful as well as delicious. Use it as you would cauliflower or broccoli. Collard greens are a favorite of mine as they have a sweet, bold flavor. They are easy to prepare simply sauteed with leeks. Once the leeks are softened, add the collards and a little water, cover and cook until the greens are soft. Add some salt and pepper if you like. Collards are also classic for southern “beans and greens” sort of dishes. Savoy cabbage is a looser crinkly-headed cabbage — it’s great for stir fries, cole slaws, or soups. Leeks can be used just about anywhere–potato leek soup, sautes, stir fries… The easiest way to wash leeks: Cut leek in half lengthwise, keeping the root end intact. Then, hold the leek under cold running water and fan out the layers to get at the dirt that sometimes gets trapped in between. Carnival squash is a sweet winter squash, great for baking or stuffing. It is really just a big sweet dumpling type and is similar to delicata in flavor.

Chef Andrew Cohen is recovering this week from a back injury and won’t be contributing recipes for us. We send him healing wishes and hope he’s back in the kitchen and at the computer soon. We threw Sarah into the fire her first week in his stead to come up with some good recipes for you.
————
Sarah Introduces Herself

Hi Everybody!

I can’t tell you how happy I am to be working out here on the farm! It brings me so much joy to come out to the yurt overlooking the beautiful Harkins Slough. Even though my tasks are computer-based, I feel more connected with nature working here as I am constantly catching a glimpse of a hawk swooping down to catch its prey, an egret fishing in the slough, children riding by on their horses, chickens greeting me at my car, or mischievous cats batting at my paperwork.

A little background: I was raised in Southern California, but my family has been here in Santa Cruz since 1993, so I call this area home.  I have a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Sonoma State University and over ten years’ experience in the field of Cultural Resources Management (aka Archaeology).  I also have over fifteen years’ experience as a hairstylist, which I continue to do on the side.  I know, I know, strange background to be coming to work at a farm. But to me, archaeology, hairstyling and CSA administrator are actually similar kinds of work — they are all technical in nature, yet completely about people, just in different ways.  I have also spent six years down in Mexico starting up our family business of rustic tropical vacation rentals in Yelapa, Mexico.  That is where I met my life partner, Carlos, with whom I have a daughter who is now four-years old.

So, even though I don’t have the farm experience that my mother, Chrissi (the former CSA administrator) had, nor am I the Kitchen Goddess that she is, I will be sure to greet you just as politely, tweak the computer system just as efficiently, and write occasional witty and clever articles for the newsletter.  I am looking forward to learning more about our local vegetables, to challenging myself with new recipes, and to being a part of this farm that brings you fresh, local, organic food.  When it comes down to it, there’s really nothing more important than that! I am looking forward to connecting with each and every one of you!

————

Cook ‘Outside-the-Box’ Culinary Classes by Chef Joni Sare

Find the fun in Culinary Arts with Joni. She will share with you the ease and grace of using the produce in our box. All classes will be in her 10-person kitchen, at her home in Cupertino.
Below is the basic info, see Joni’s website for details and payment info: www.jonisare.com/csa-cooking-classes $10 for each class, pre-payment is required, 10 people maximum capacity

Some hands-on ‘Knife skills’ will be part of each class. If you can, bring your chef knife and cutting board (optional). We will dice, slice, make triangles, rondelles, juliennes, and batonnet, brunoise, lozenge, paysanne cuts. Each class will be 2 hours. Each class includes a light meal of the food we make. We’ll make 3 dishes in each class. All meals will be vegetarian (ideas can be given for meat, fish, poultry). Each class will have a theme, see below.

Dates for Feb, March and April Classes
In February we’ll focus on COOKING METHODS:
Feb 8, Wednesday, 6:30pm: Soups on the stove top: dairy-free cream soups, using 3 substitutions (coconut milk, eggs and white beans)
Feb 11, Saturday, 10am: Veggies in the oven – broiled, braised and baked (roasted veggies)
Feb 23, Thursday, noon: Success with simmered, sauteed and steamed veggies

In March, we’ll cover FLAVORS:
March 7, Wednesday, 6:30pm: Demystifying the “mirepoix,” the base for soups and sauces
March 15, Thursday, 6:30pm: Joni’s top 3 favorite spice and herb blends (Herbs de Provence, Chinese 5 Spice, Panch Phoron)
March 24, Saturday, 10am: How to bring out the flavors of food with cooking oils, liquids, salt and citrus

In April, we’ll cover TEXTURES, SHAPES and SIZES to make an interesting and appealing dish:
April 5, Thursday, 6:30pm: Textures – Creamy, crunchy and chewy
April 11, Wednesday, 6:30pm: Shapes – triangles, dices and slices
April 28, Saturday, 10am: Sizes – bite size, rough chopped and minced

Healthy cooking: from farm – to box – to your plate: High Ground Organics is excited to be part of a food demo at Intel in Santa Clara this Thursday. Our own Chef Joni Sare will be their “Guest Chef” at a station in the SC12 Cafeteria, providing a delicious healthy meal created with the ingredients in your box this week. If you are an employee of Intel, be sure to stop by Joni’s booth, Thursday, January 26th, 11am to 1pm, say HELLO and introduce yourself! Click here to see the soon-to-be-posted food photos of Joni’s creations.

————–
What Sarah Would Do With This Week’s Box

Lately, I am all about soups and salads. And as a working mother, the last thing I want to do is spend hours in the kitchen every day.  I do my best to optimize my time by prepping salads in advance. And the soups can be made in large quantities so that they can be frozen and reheated a little bit each day. This way, I can prep and cook many meals in one sitting, giving me more time during the week to put together puzzles, pick toys off the floor, endless laundry, pick more toys off the floor, do more puzzles, etc.

For the salads, I will make a big bunch of cole slaw. I will shred the Savoy cabbage, Chioggia beets and Chantenay carrots and mix in a bit of mayo or dressing, some rice wine vinegar and sesame oil to go with an Asian flare, adding sesame seeds and something sweet, maybe pineapple or dried cherries.

For the soups, I will make a potato leek soup or I would make a creamed squash soup by roasting the carnival squash, caramelizing leeks and onions then blending them together with some chicken broth. The Romanesco will be steamed as a side dish or roasted and added to one of the creamed soups. The collard greens will be sautéed and mixed with scrambled eggs in the mornings. If you are fancier than I am, I offer you some other recipes below:

————–
Recipes:

Beet Carpaccio
From popartichoke.com/2010/09/chioggia-beet-carpaccio-give-beets-a-chance.html:
—inspired by Restaurant Widow—
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
for salad:
1 lb beets (preferably chioggia), trimmed and peeled
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted pistachio nutmeats
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup microgreens (I used radish)

for dressing:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and white pepper

METHOD:
Thinly slice the beets with a mandoline slicer.  Place the slices into a bowl and toss with 1/4 cup lemon juice.  Set aside. (The lemon juice will help preserve the color of the beets when you cook them, so let them sit at least 10 minutes while you prep everything else.) Make the dressing: Mix together vinegar, sour cream, tarragon, and sugar with a wire whisk until well-blended.  Slowly add the olive oil, while whisking constantly.  (This creates an emulsion).  Add salt and white pepper to taste.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Bring water to a boil in a large pot that has a steamer tray.  If you like, add salt and a splash of lemon juice to the water.  Once boiling, place beet slices on the streamer tray (it’s alright if they overlap slightly).  Cover and steam for 5-6 minutes, or until tender yet firm.  Briefly shock the beets in an ice bath, then drain. Layer the beets and onions on four small plates.  Sprinkle with pistachios and feta cheese crumbles.  Make sure the dressing is well-stirred, then lightly drizzle over the salad.  Top with microgreens.

Sauteed Romanesco Cauliflower with Pine Nuts and Garlic
From http://blog.sigsiv.com/2010/09/sauted-romanesco-cauliflower-with-pine-nuts-and-garlic.html

INGREDIENTS:
1 Romanesco Cauliflower (Substitute: broccoli or cauliflower)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp thinly sliced shallots
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tsp crushed red chilies
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp lemon juice

METHOD:
Remove the tough edges of the cauliflower and separate the florets taking care not to break the individual florets.  Wash the florets and place in a sauce pan with 2 tbsp water. Bring this to a boil and close the pan with a tight lid. Let it cook for 2 minutes on medium heat, then remove and immediately plunge the florets in cold water to stop the cooking.
Heat a large pan and roast the pine nuts and keep aside.
Add the oil and sauté the shallots till soft. Season with salt and the crushed chilies. Stir in the garlic and the drained florets and sauté gently on high heat for 2 minutes. Add the pine nuts and remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and mix well. Serve warm.

Savoy Cabbage
From: http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/2010/03/all-about-savoy-cabbage.html
Here are some ways to use savoy cabbage:

• Steam and serve with fish, or wrap the fish in the leaves and steam
• Saute it with boiled potatoes, garlic and onions
• Stuff the leaves with rice or potatoes and ground meat
• Add to minestrone
• Make sauerkraut 
• Make kimchi
• Saute with bacon and spaetzle
• Use in borscht
• Shred it with carrots and seaon with apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt to make cole slaw
• Saute cabbage, bacon and onions then toss with egg noodles
• Combine with sliced sugar snap peas and a creamy dressing in slaw

Squash Squares
Here’s a dessert idea for the squash from http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t–68974/squash-squares.asp

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups squash
Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk

METHOD:
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in eggs, squash and oil; mix well.
Spread into a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Cool.
Mix together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and butter. Add milk, stir until smooth. Frost cooled cake.
————
Roasted Leeks en Papillote, from Chef Andrew

This is a riff on a dish I found in “Vegetables A to Z” by Elizabeth Schneider. The result is sublime. I find it interesting to note the changes in flavor as I eat the different colors of the leek, from the white to the palest green to the more uniform green. Try these as a starter or have as a side with roast chicken, salmon, or braised beef.

INGREDIENTS:
4 medium leeks, trimmed of most of the greens, split lengthwise, cleaned, and cut into 1 inch lengths
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Olive oil as needed
Salt (such as Maldon or other coarse grained salt) and pepper

METHOD:
Heat the oven to 425°F. Lay an 18 inch piece of parchment paper out on a sheet pan and lightly oil it. Place the leek pieces onto the middle of one half of the paper, then scatter the carrots over that. Try to fit them into a single layer. Drizzle or spritz with a little more oil, then scatter the herbs over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Fold the paper over and crimp the edges starting at one corner next to the fold, tightly sealing the packet all the way around. Shake the packet to flatten out the contents. Place in the middle of the hot oven and cook for 20 minutes. This should be sufficient to cook the leeks until they are entirely tender, but open the packet carefully to check so you can re-seal it for further cooking if need be. (Once you have done this and know the recipe/your oven, this step probably won’t be necessary.) Once the leeks are done, open the packet and serve the leeks hot.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:
You can gussy these up in many ways. If serving with fish, try adding some lemon juice or white wine when sealing, or drizzle with lemon when you serve them. You could add capers to the packet, or various types of mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms would cook in the allotted time, as would thinly shaved button mushrooms. Sauté thicker mushrooms before and add them in. You could also add asparagus, or a couple drops of truffle oil.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew Cohen (after Elizabeth Schneider)
———   Sign Up for 2012

The 2012 season will run from March 14/15 to November 14/15. Please Sign up On-Line!

Sign Up Options for 2012:

Full year regular sign up with discount (amounts to one free week) if you pay by March 13, 2012:

• $770 vegetables/fruits only
• $1050 vegetables/fruits + flowers

You may also pay in quarters. The Spring session goes from March 14/15 to May 9/10.

• $198 for the first quarter (9 weeks) of vegetables/fruits
• $270 for the first quarter (9 weeks) of vegetables/fruits + flowers

The following sites are not available for 2012:
Soquel/Aptos (McGlenn Dr.): Please consider using the Soquel pick-up site near Soquel HS, Capitola 49th, or the Aptos: Ledyard Way site.

Any school that is within our service area can become a pick-up site with as few as 10 members (assuming some basic logistical criteria are met—a shady place to keep the boxes, not too far off our delivery route, etc.). Just ask us for a CSA at School packet (including fliers and sign-up sheets that you can hand out to interested parents). Schools that become pick-up sites will have the opportunity to learn about their farm through the newsletter, and can come visit their farm on a field trip once a year. In addition, we will donate $1 per box to participating schools, to help struggling schools with their fundraising efforts. (Sell vegetables, not candy bars!) If you’d like to arrange for a CSA pick-up site at your kids’ school, contact us (csa@highgroundorganics.com or 831-254-4918) and we can get you started. Thanks!

————–
Pick-Up Site Etiquette Reminders
Please remember to check off your name on the sign in sheets at your pick-up site. Note: If your name is not on the list, please do not take a box–call us for clarification 831-254-4918. We may not have received your renewal check, or may have made a mistake. Either way, it is important to leave the boxes at the site for those people who are on the list. If you’re getting flowers make sure your name is checked off on that sheet as well. The Trade Box is placed at the site so that you can trade an item you don’t want for one that you do. Please only take an item if you leave one behind. Be gracious to our pick-up site hosts–they are offering their space so that this community vegetable delivery can happen. When you take your vegetables, fold your box and leave it stacked neatly at the site. If there are any questions, please contact us at (831)254-4918 or csa@highgroundorganics.com. Thank you all for your support!

————
Come join us on Facebook!