Helsing Junction Farm Newsletter Archive

Week 3/June 30-July 2, 2009

Greetings from Helsing Junction Farm!

Some of the HJF crew

With all of the housekeeping to take care of these first few weeks, we seem to have neglected to properly introduce ourselves…
Just who are these Helsing Junction Farmers you may or may not be wondering (and how did they get that silly/interesting name?).  We are owners Sue Ujcic and Annie Salafsky.  We have been running the CSA and farming together since 1992.  We are aided and abetted by long time employees and friends, Rosalio, Bonfilio, Tomasa, Adelpho, Floriberto, Juan, Zac, Victor, Sailas, Alejandro and Oly.  They are the best, hardworking and most knowledgeable staff that could be hoped for!  We are named after an old railroad stop/small town nearby.  Upon moving here, we were surprised to learn that the small town of Rochester is actually an incorporation of several tiny towns.  The one nearest the farm was called Helsing Junction.  It contained a post office, a school, a huge lumber mill and a livery stable.  It seems almost impossible now, with all of the rural decline that occurred in the 80’s and 90’s, but small towns around here were once thriving, the nearby town of Gate even boasting an opera house at one point.  

Our farm is located about 20 miles SW of Olympia and 10 miles north of Centralia.  It consists of 2 sites, one parcel of 50 acres which is now being fallowed and one parcel of 35 acres that is currently under cultivation.  Our farmland which spans almost a mile, lies in an old river valley bordered by the Chehalis River on one side and a small wooded ridge on the other side.  In the 20 years we’ve been farming here we’ve gone through many metamorphoses; from truck farm to large cooperative wholesale operation until reaching our present state as a CSA farm.  We’ve found CSA to the most sustainable and economically viable method of distributing our produce.  We like the direct contact with our members and the fact that together, we’re doing something constructive about the crisis facing many small farms.  Our current CSA has 800 members, up from the 75 we started with in 1992, though some of those same people are still members!  We really hope that you enjoy our produce because growing it for you is really rewarding.  We want to create a good working relationship with you, our CSA members.  We are always available to you through phone and e-mail.  Please let us know if there’s any way in which we can hope make your CSA experience a good one.

Provisions Mushroom still has some CSA shares for sale:  
They are $126 for small shares and $164 for large shares (that’s the pro-rated cost, as of next week there are 15 weeks of delivery left).
Up and coming mushroom varieties include Lion’s mane, Shiitake and 4 different kinds of Oyster mushrooms.  
If you would like a mushroom CSA share, contact Provisions directly at (360) 359-6675 or promushrooms.com

CSA shares are still available for the 2009 season:
We still have some CSA shares for sale as well. 
We pro-rate at $25 per week for small shares and $36 per week for large shares.

This week’s flowers:
The flowers included in this week’s shares are Asiatic lilies.  We cut them when they are in bud (not open), so that they will transport better and last longer.  Strip the leaves off of your lilies by holding the stem and running your fingers gently down the stem to remove the leaves.  They will last longer and the flower water will stay cleaner if you remove the leaves.  It’s also good to remove the pollen stamens as the flowers open because the stamens can stain.  Lily blooms will slowly open for days at a time.  Remove spent blooms to keep your lilies looking fresh.

Strawberries and Raspberries:
Well it turns out despite the warm weather this spring, this has not the best year for strawberries.  Our yields are substantially down from last year and that has us scratching our heads.  We think that the past 2 winter floods weakened the plants and caused some root rot.  Then the hot May weather caused the berries to ripen when they were still sort of small.  The net result was fewer plants with less berries and smaller berries overall.  We actually had several thousand more strawberry plants in the ground then last year, but our yields were down by almost 200 flats (2400 pints).  This is why, despite our prediction based on data from years past, there were no strawberries in last Thursday’s boxes.  Sad to say, most of our raspberries plants have suffered an even worse fate, they all got crown rot and had to be pulled out.  We plan on doing a massive replanting this fall for next year.         
Important dates to put on your calendar for the 2009 season:
-Our annual farm sleepover/music fest will be Friday August 21st-Sunday August 23rd.  It will feature 20 different K-Records musical artists over 3 days, films, great food prepared with vegetables from the farm, a late night disco party, swimming in the river and camping on our 50 acres.  Tickets are $25 for the weekend.  For more info visit www.krecs.com/helsing/
-Our annual farm open house will be held Sunday September 13th from 1-4 p.m.  Members will have the chance to tour the farm, harvest some vegetables and meet their farmers.

We’ve included a $20 Off Coupon from Thundering Hooves in this week’s boxes:
We want to let you know about a great opportunity for your family to buy some healthy, locally-raised meats from our friends at Thundering Hooves.  They offer humanely raised beef, lamb, pork, and poultry.  The beef and lamb is 100% grass fed, and all of their meat products are hormone-free and are processed by Thundering Hooves at their own USDA-inspected meat shop in Walla Walla.  And best of all, they deliver their meats throughout much of the Puget Sound region.  You can learn more about their family and their meat products by visiting www.ThunderingHooves.net.

Here are our Top Five Reasons to Buy Meat from Thundering Hooves ...
1. LOCAL – All meats from Thundering Hooves come from livestock raised right here in Washington State – and most are raised on their ranch.
2. SUSTAINABLE - Thundering Hooves Ranch uses no pesticides or chemical fertilizers on its certified organic pastures, and is a Salmon-Safe Certified farm.
3. HEALTHY - 100% Grass-fed meats have about half the saturated fats and twice the Omega-3s as compared to corn-fed meats.
4. DELICIOUS - Meat from livestock raised and finished on the pasture simply tastes better!
5. EASY ONLINE ORDERING - Ordering beef, lamb, pork, and poultry from Thundering Hooves is a snap!
 
Here’s how to order:
- Visit  www.ThunderingHooves.net and click “Go Shopping”
- Select from over 100 product offerings, including steaks, roasts, burgers, ribs, bacon, chops, sausages and more!  You can order in small or large quantities.
- Simply pick up and pay for your order at any of their 25 Neighborhood Buying Club locations, which include sites in Seattle, Edmonds, Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah, Sumner, Puyallup, Tacoma, Bothell, Olympia and more!

This Week's Shares

Recipes

Lavender:
To dry lavender, hang it upside down by the rubber band for about a week.  When it is dry you can put it upright again.  It should keep well for a year or so.  Lavender is edible.  It can be used to flavor drinks or salad dressing (see recipes below).  We enjoy using it when we clean as it has antimicrobial properties and smells good too.  Take a tsp of the blossoms off the plant and rub between your fingers to activate the oil and then sprinkle on your carpet before vacuuming up. 

Information on carrots with tops:

Someone last week asked about why we send carrots with the tops on.  We think they stay fresher with the tops on (and also if you are buying them in the store, the tops are a good indicator as to whether or not the carrots are fresh).  If you eat them relatively quickly (in a week or so) and if space is at a premium in your fridge, you can store them topless.  We have heard of people eating the tops in soup, but we never have.

Golden beets:
This is the best variety of golden beets we have ever grown.  They cook up a glowing yellow with a rosy red blush.  They don’t stain like red beets do and they have less of a mineral taste, which somehow makes them seem easier to eat.  They’ve become a staple in my house because my 3 year old twins eat them like they are going out of style.  We even had leftover caramelized beets and garlic scapes in scrambled eggs the other day, which sounded odd but was quite delicious!

Golden Beets and Carrots with Fresh Garlic, Toasted Walnuts and Chevre:
The creaminess of the goat cheese combined with the sweet tanginess of the beets and carrots is amazing!  This would be a great recipe for those of you who are suspicious of beets!
-Roughly chop a few TBS of walnuts and lightly toast in a heavy skillet for a few minutes, being careful not to burn them.  Set aside.
-Cut the tops off of 1 bunch of beets and set the tops aside for another use. 
-Steam the beets whole for 15 minutes.
-Meanwhile, slice 1 bunch of carrots into 2-inch pieces.
-Add the carrots to the beets and steam for another 5-7 minutes until both the beets and carrots are soft.
-Drain off the water, and slip the beet skins under running water.  Cut each beet into 6 large wedge shaped pieces. 
-Melt about 1 TBS of butter in a large sauté pan. 
-Squeeze 2 cloves of fresh garlic through a press and add to the pan.
-Sauté for about 1-2 minutes and then add the beet and carrot pieces. 
-Toss gently and cook for about 2 minutes more. 
-Remove from heat and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, a few TBS of crumbled chevre goat cheese and the toasted walnuts.  Serve warm.

Farfalle with Golden Beets, Beet Greens and Pine Nuts:
-Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. 
-Add 1/3 cup pine nuts and stir until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a small bowl.
-Chop up 1-2 onions or 1 onion and some garlic scapes into medium dice. 
-Add 2 TBS olive oil to the pan and then add in the onion.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
-Turn heat to low and cook for 15 minutes more. 
-Then add in 3 cloves minced fresh garlic and stir 2 minutes. 
-Chop up the tops from one bunch of golden beets into ½ inch strips. 
-Scatter beet greens over onions and drizzle 2 more TBS olive oil over top. 
-Cover and cook until beet greens are tender, about 5 minutes then stir together.
-Boil a large pot of salted water.
-Peel 1 bunch of golden beets and cut each beet into 8 wedges. 
-Add to the boiling water and cook for 10 minutes.
-Remove beets from water with a slotted spoon and set aside. 
-Add 12 ounces farfalle (bow-tie pasta) to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. 
-Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid. 
-Add the pasta back to the empty pot and stir in the onions and beets. 
-Add pasta cooking liquid by ¼ cupfuls to moisten. 
-Season with salt and coarsely ground black pepper.
-Lightly stir in 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and top with the toasted pine nuts.

Tofu scramble:
This is our go to dish for brunch on weekends and a way to eat a lot of vegetables for breakfast, which makes you feel virtuous despite the cheese.
-Heat a TBS of olive oil in a large skillet. 
-Crumble 1 cube tofu and add it to the pan.
-Grate 2-4 carrots.  Chop up 3-4 garlic tops or 1 onion.
-Add the carrots and the garlic tops to the tofu.  Cook until tender.
-Wash and chop 1 handful of snow peas and add.   
-Then add some chopped rainbow chard or beet greens along with 2 cloves minced fresh garlic.
-Add a pinch of salt, and then sprinkle with ½ cup cheddar cheese. 
-Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Snow Peas with Asian Dressing: 
From Cook’s Illustrated/Perfect Vegetables.
-Toast 2 tsp sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until light brown.
-Boil a large saucepan full of water for the peas.  Take the strings off 1 pound of snow peas.
-Finely chop 2 cloves of fresh garlic and 2 TBS dill (optional),
-Combine 2 TBS orange juice, 2 TBS rice vinegar, 1 tsp honey, ½ tsp soy sauce, ½ tsp freshly grated ginger, 2 TBS peanut oil, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and ½ tsp salt.
-Whisk together and add the garlic and the sesame seeds. 
-Add the peas to the boiling water along with ½ tsp salt and cook until crisp-tender, about 1½ minute.
-Drain the peas and then plunge into ice-cold water. 
-Drain again and then toss with the dressing.  Serve at room temp.

Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds:
-Melt 1 TBS unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
-Add ¼ cup sliced almonds and cook until golden, about 1½ minutes.
-Add 1 pound snow peas and 2 tsp minced fresh onion; sauté until snow peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
-Remove skillet from heat and add 1 tsp fresh lemon juice.  Season to taste with sea salt.

Arugula-Pistachio Pesto:
-Add 2 fresh garlic cloves to the bowl of a food processor and chop.
-Add ¾ cup finely grated Asiago cheese and 1/3 cup unsalted pistachios. 
-Process until nuts are finely chopped.
-Leaving the rubber band on, chop 1 bunch of arugula into thirds.  Wash and spin dry.
-Add the arugula to the food processor, along with 2 tsp finely grated lemon peel and 1 TBS fresh lemon juice.
-Blend to a course paste and then add ¼ cup olive oil, sea salt and pepper to taste and stir very briefly.
-Cover and chill for up to 3 days.     

Carrot Ginger Soup:
-In a food processor, grate 1 bunch of carrots and 2-5 inches peeled fresh ginger.
-Finely chop 1 onion and 2 cloves of fresh garlic.
-Sautee onions, ginger and garlic until onions start to soften. 
-Add carrots and sauté 3-4 minutes more.
-Add 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock and simmer until very soft, about 10 minutes.
-Put in food processor or blender and puree with 1 cube silken tofu until creamy.
- Add a splash of orange juice and a pinch of paprika. 
-Add a sprinkle of dill (optional) and serve warm.

Butter Head Lettuce, Pink Beauty Radish and Pine Nut Salad:
The citrus zest and toasted pine nuts transform this simple salad into something quite delicious.
-Toast ¼ cup pine nuts in a heavy skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until lightly brown, being careful not to burn them.
-Cut 1 bunch of radishes into thin rounds.
-Wash and spin dry 1 butter head lettuce.  Tear into bite sized pieces.
-In a large salad bowl, whisk together ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ tsp grated lemon zest, ¼ tsp grated orange zest, 1 TBS fresh lemon juice, 1 TBS fresh orange juice, a rounded ¼ tsp sea salt and ¼ tsp black pepper.  Stir until salt has dissolved.
-Add lettuce and radishes and toss.  Serve topped with pine nuts.   

Honey Lavender Salad Dressing:
-Using a food processor, puree ½ a small sweet onion.
-Add 2 tsp lavender blossoms, 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup honey and ½ tsp salt and pulse until well blended.
-With the processor running slowly drizzle in 1 cup olive oil.
-Place in a sealed container and refrigerate 24 hours before serving.

Lavender Mint Tea Punch:
-Steep 5 mint tea bags in boiling water for 6 minutes.
-Add 1 TBS dried lavender blossoms to the pot and allow tea to cool.
-Strain the tea with a fine mesh sieve and add 1 liter ginger ale, 1 cup purple grape juice and a whole bunch of ice.
-Serve cold.

The Bee’s Knees:
From Bon Appetit, March 2005.  A gin martini recipe that sounds yummy, but we haven’t tried it (yet!). 
-Mix ¼ cup hot water with 1 tsp dried lavender blossoms.  Let steep 5 minutes.
-Whisk in ¼ cup honey and then strain with a fine mesh sieve into another bowl.
-Add 3 TBS honey syrup 6 TBS gin and 2 TBS lemon juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
-Shake well and strain into 2 chilled martini glasses.  Serves 2

Helsing Junction Farm
12013 Independence Road, Rochester, WA 98579 | (360)273-2033
helsingfarm@msn.com | www.helsingfarmcsa.com

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