Beet Greens and Kale

From Mimi, our local CSA member...

"We also enjoyed your beet greens and kale tonight.  I used them both in a recipe called Potlikker Noodles with Mustard Greens from the February edition of Bon Appetit Magazine.  I substituted your beet greens and kale for the mustard greens, apple cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar, Thai hot pepper sauce for regular hot pepper sauce and gluten-free pasta for the noodles.  Here's the link:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Potlikker-Noodles-with-Mustard-Greens-388666"

Thoughts on Local Food Integrity

For the last 10 years I have been working on developing our CSA while also mentoring and helping new farmers. When new growers come out to our farm for a workshop or tour I'm regularly asked "why are you sharing this information with us? Aren't you concerned about competition?" My reply... how many folks do you think live in Houston/Austin/Dallas? How many people do you think one small farm can feed? Worrying about competition is thinking in the old paradigm of "get big or get out" which has resulted in the current problem that we are facing today... no local farms to feed our communities. Competition is a good thing... it pushes us to always do a better job at what we do. The new paradigm is to "stay small and stay in". What we have found is that it is necessary and rewarding for small farmers to work together. NO one farm can supply all of our needs. One may do vegetables, one does chicken, the other beef, cheese, dairy, or fruit or lamb, etc. When we can work together with marketing, distribution, purchasing materials and supplies, sharing techniques and tools, etc. we are gradually building the supportive agricultural community that used to be around 100+ years ago when neighbors helped each other bring in the harvest or build a barn or helped when the donkey fell into the well. Unfortunately, as local farmers, none of our current neighbors are farming anymore so we have had to reach out to other like minded producers which are all spread out 30 to 60 miles a part. It hasn't been easy. We are a rare breed today.

In order to survive in this market, it is essential that we get a fair price for our products and labor. Booker T. Whatley published a great book a long while back and he had 10 commandments for new farmers. One was "avoid the middleman like the plague and sale direct to your customer". I have found this to be wise. In the last five years as distributors have sprung up in the Austin market, riding on the local wagon, it has hurt the market for farmers that have been there for 20+ years. On the consumer side the prices appear to have been at the same level, however at the producers side the margins have dropped and many new farms have not been able to last more than a few years in business. Distributors are not loyal to farmers as they are price hunting each week for the cheapest products from farmers. They are going to buy from who ever has the lowest price, at lot of time this exploits farmers and drives down prices as desperate farmers compromise and dump products rather than not taking a complete loss of no sales. The lower the distributor can purchase food increases their margins/profits. Another little hint... distributors cannot find enough local food to meet the size of their business and then have the need to rely on organic wholesalers to fill their shares. When they say they offer "local and sustainable" products, "sustainable"=international organics just like what you find at wholefoods. What's sustainable about 1800 miles? I even have to ask what's sustainable about home delivery? The amount of fuel used in this distribution program is not sustainable, however it is more convenient for the customer.

Another interesting observation, as a local farmer we understand the limitation of supply. That's why a CSA farm has a waiting list because we understand that we can only supply a certain number of customers so we limit our business to the size that we can responsibly commit to serving. A distribution company on the other hand focuses more on growing their business and considers supply later. In this way they find the need to compromise what they consider local and then expand their definition. We used to call local 100 miles. Now it is 200 miles and even more. Citrus and melons from the valley. Beef from west Texas, etc. Just because it is from our great state of Texas, is it local? Farmers Markets have also increased their parameters for local as they discover that there just aren't enough local farms in their area. The demand exceeds the supply.

I encourage everyone to buy directly from the farmers. We don't need anyone peddling produce between us. Committing to local farmers and developing relationships is what builds integrity in our local food economy.

I also encourage farmers to work together to serve our community better and to see our local food supply grow.

Visit your farmer and see for yourself what you are getting into.

Farmer Brad
www.homesweetfarm.com
"We grow righteous food"
Brenham, TX

DAIKON RADISH WITH BOK CHOY

I found this recipe and thought it looked good..

Famous Foodies: chefs, bakers, foodies. They cook, you learn.

Orange glazed tempeh with sautéed bok choy, onion + daikon

1 tbsp coconut oil
2 cloves garlic
Tempeh, cut into triangles
1/4 cup tamari
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp mirin
Bok choy, chopped
1 daikon radish, sliced
½ cup of onion, diced
Directions:
Mix tamari, orange juice, maple syrup and mirin in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, stirring for 2 minutes. Add in tempeh and sauté until browned on each side, about 3 minutes. Add orange sauce and simmer for about 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Remove tempeh and set side. Add in remaining veggies and sauté until veggies are cooked, about 5 minutes. Serve over brown rice.

Radishes

Thank you to Adrienne, our local CSA member, for sending these recipes!

GLAZED RADISHES

1 lb. 1 tbsp. 1 tsp. 1/2 tsp. 2 tbsp.

radishes, trimmed unsalted butter sugar salt minced fresh parsley leaves

In a heavy saucepan wide enough to hold the radishes in one layer cook the radishes in the butter with the sugar and the salt over moderately low heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup water, simmer the radishes, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are tender, and boil them, uncovered, shaking the pan occasionally, until the liquid has been reduced to a glaze. Cook the radishes over moderate heat, swirling them, until they are coated with the glaze and sprinkle them with the parsley.

Gourmet, April 1991

GRANDMOTHER'S RADISH LEAF SOUP
Beet greens and kale would also work with or instead of the radish greens for this soup.

3 bunches 1 tbsp. 1 very lg. 4 3 cups 2/3 cup

radishes butter onion, chopped russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, chopped water milk (almond is great)

Cut leaves from radishes and wash well. (Reserve radishes for another use.) Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add radish leaves and saute until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add potatoes and 3 cups water. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in blender. Return to saucepan. Mix in milk. Stir over medium heat until hot. Season soup with salt and pepper.

Bon Appetit, May 1994

Roasted Radishes

1 bunch radishes

3 small potatoes (I used up the ones from last month’s distribution, we are getting more next week)

1 red onion

1 head of garlic

Red chile flake

Cut the tops and bottoms off the radishes and wash.  Cut potatoes into cubes about the size of the radishes.  Quarter the onion.  Cut the whole garlic head in half (with the skin and everything on).  Grease a baking dish and all all ingredients.  Add olive oil, kosher salt, pepper and chile flake.  Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes.  You will have light pink, sweet radishes!  Enjoy.

Butter poached radishes

·         1 bunch radishes

·         2 Tbsp butter

·         Salt

·         Crusty bread

Slice the radishes into medium slices. I got about 4 slices per radish.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the radishes and cook, seasoning with salt, for about 5-6 minutes.

Serve over crusty bread.

Chef’s Notes: This recipe is so simple, you can be eating yummy radishes within 10 minutes of walking into the kitchen. We tried the radishes plain (without the bread) and they were excellent, but pouring the buttery mess onto bread makes for a very decadent appetizer or side dish. Just make sure your bread slices are thick enough to stand up to the butter and radishes. Ours weren’t and so they were a little tricky to eat. We will definitely be making these again.