Market Time

kale starts of 4 distinct types available

We will be participating in two markets this season.  The first is starting this Tuesday, May 24th.  It's a brand new market and we're excited to see how it goes!  Come down for a visit and check out our: plant starts, rhubarb, and fresh-cut herbs... oregano, thyme, three varieties of tasty mint.

The first day of the 100 Mile Market has been announced!  It's starting June 15th!

Douglass Farmers' Market

WHERE:

Douglass Community Center
1000 W. Paterson Street
Kalamazoo, MI 49007

WHEN:

Fourth Tuesday each month.
Dates:  May 24, June 28, July 26, and August 23, 2011
Time:  3:00-7:00pm

100 Mile Market

new store is nearly complete and will open TU May 31!

WHERE:

*NEW* People's Food Co-op

507 Harrison St.

Kalamazoo, MI 49007

WHEN:

Starting June 15th, 2011

Days:  Every Wednesday 

Time:  3:00-7:00pm

Shares Still Available & Updates

peas are growing! 

We have been steadily gaining members for a couple months.  And there are still spots left!!!  We'd love it if you joined our CSA, too! 

Elisabeth and Camilla and I get together every Monday and Wednesday to spend some time on the land and with the seeds and seedlings.  I've been appreciating the bird-songs more this year than any other.

Yesterday we planted onions and kale into the ground from flats started back in April.  We fed them with composted manure and smelly compost tea made from stinging nettle and comfrey. 

Details are Out for 2011 CSA !

tomatoes inside

Invest in our growing project and receive a box of seasonal produce each week potentially including rhubarb, carrots, flowers, beets, tomatoes, hot peppers, eggplants, turnips, mustard greens, spinach, kale, rainbow chard, kohlrabi, cucumbers, onions, beans, squash, potatoes, garlic, fresh cut herbs and wild edibles.

In our Full Share we offer 14 weeks of produce for $200. For our Half Share we offer 7 weeks for $100. Our projected season is from late June through mid-October.

Pick-up will be at the 100 Mile Market located at the *NEW* People's Food Coop at 507 Harrison St. in Kalamazoo. The day and time are almost a sure thing for Wed 4pm-6pm. If you miss the pick-up, you'll have 24 hours to come by and get it from our farm (which is located only 3 miles from downtown Kalamazoo).

CSA shareholders are invited to visit the Homestead for our monthly Dig In! Work Days, a chance to see where their food is grown, meet the farmers and share a potluck meal.
We accept Food Stamps/EBT/SNAP benefits. Payment options are flexible.

Shares are limited.
Contact us for a Member Agreement Form.

CSA Fall 2010

Dear CSA FALL 2010 Members,

Thanks for investing in our growing project! You have signed up (and already paid) for your Fall 2010 share of produce. We hope you enjoy preparing and eating this produce as much as we enjoy planting, caring for and harvesting it!

PICK-UP SCHEDULE
Wed. Oct. 6
Wed. Oct. 13
Wed. Oct. 20
Wed. Oct. 27

PICK-UP TIME
Please arrive between 3:30 and 6:30 pm. Please give us advanced prior notice (2 days) if you need to arrange for an alternate time or location.

PICK-UP LOCATION
100-Mile Market, Parking lot of People's Food Coop, Corner of Burdick St. and Cedar St. downtown Kalamazoo.

Week 13

WEEK 13!!! That means 2 more weeks of produce for full shares and if you have a half share... this week or next week will be your last! (CSA share for this season.) We hope you enjoy eating your produce as much as we enjoy harvesting it! WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 is our last pick-up for our SUMMER 2010 CSA but we will have a booth at the 100-Mile Market through the end of October. See you there!
WE ARE NOW OFFERING FALL SHARES 2010: We are excited to offer a limited number of 2010 Fall Shares. Sign up for 4 additional weeks of fall produce in October for $80. First come first serve.

FARM NEWS: We are so thankful to be immersed in such a loving and passionate community. Last Sunday we had a fun community gathering and work day at Heron Homestead to pull invasive weeds and prepare for fall. We saved a few pine trees on our northern property line from the fast moving invasive plant (appears to be wild yam,) and cleared out the bothersome and allergen producing ragweed. With the help of new friends and old, we planted more radish, turnip greens, arugula, and lettuce. Thanks for all who came out to work on the farm. We hope you come back again soon. In the meantime, Aliisa, happy to be home, has been waking up extra early to harvest kale! Johanna, her mom and her dog Loki have helped to weed and clean up some neglected garden beds. Erik's been seeding cilantro and arugula for a fall harvest. He has also been preparing old beds and seeding cover crops in order to give back to the soil all the love it has given us. Amolia (now more than 7 mo. pregnant) has been taking it easy baking zucchini bread and tallying up the produce once it's been harvested. We are so appreciative to be working outdoors, soaking up the sun, growing healthy food, while connecting with the earth and the elements.

Paper Lantern Pepper Report

[Review from one of our CSA members!]

We tried the Chinese [Paper] Lantern Pepper in an omelet. The pepper is spicy on the tops like an Anaheim, but doesn't linger or burn like a jalapeno.


--
Chris and Dana
Innkeepers
Stuart Avenue Inn

Vegan Zucchini Bread

Vegan means no animal products; no egg, butter, milk or meat.  The zucchini bread you received in your CSA shares last week were made with flax meal, a healthy egg alternative rich in omega-3 fatty acids.  More info below about flax and other egg replacers.  This recipe is an adaptation from the Joy of Cooking. 

[one 9 x 5 loaf or a pie pan greased with vegetable oil]
1. Preheat oven to 375o.
2. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over 2 tablespoons flax meal (ground flax seeds) (this is your gooey egg replacer!)
3. Grate 2 cups of raw zucchini or yellow summer squash and SQUEEZE of excess moisture.
4. Whisk together:
     1 1/4 cup all purpose flour (I like to use a mix of whole wheat and oat flour when I have them available)
     1 teaspoon baking soda (or a little less)
     1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder (or a little less)
     1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or a little more)
     1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5. Blend well in a large bowl:
     3/4 cup cane juice crystals (sugar) or 1/2 cup honey
     1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used safflower oil because I trust it is not GMO)
     Flax goo (see step 2)
     1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
     1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6. Stir in the dry ingredients. 
7. Stir in zucchini/summer squash.  Blend in a few swift strokes.
8. Lower oven to 350o.  Check after 45 minutes.

    
Flax as an egg replacer
http://www.veganbaking.net/vegan-recipes/eggless-binders/flax-binder.html

Other egg replacers
http://www.theppk.com/veganbaking.html