Edition 183

June 11, 2010

• Local Box Contents
• News & Updates
• Recipe Corner
• Greenling Tidbits

• Further Away - Kiwi, back to the the original source of these, New Zealand. We suggest keeping them a special treat
• Gone -Dill, is a cold-weather herb so Pure Luck will not have it til Fall.
• New -Blueberries, from local farmers
• Gone -Blackberries, from local farms, we'll miss you
• New -Honeydew, from local farms
• Gone for a bit -Colby & Swiss, from Brazos Valley, will be back in a couple of weeks
• New -Local Lamb, from a new local, grass-fed source, will add a few cuts and smooth out supply
• New - Hummus, 4 flavors from local Baby Zach's, on-par with Grandma's
• Lotsa -Fruit, big bounties from non-local, certified organic farms

How To Enjoy That Sweet Corn

Store sweet corn in the refrigerator crisper and try to eat within 3 days. Its sugar and vitamin C content will diminish in warm temperatures, hindering both flavor and nutritious value. Keep the husk attached to the corn during storage; it will help protect and retain the corn's moisture content. If you remove the husk, refrigerate fresh corn in a lightly perforated plastic bag. Sweet corn is best raw, but is also a classic grilling veggie.

Confessions of a Corn Snob

"If you have a minute and can lend an ear....I grew up in a small midwestern county that was mostly farmland at the time. We grew some of our own corn in a backyard garden, but one of the highlights of the Summer was going to the roadside stand at the "canning factory," where you could buy a dozen of the best-tasting ears of corn for a buck.

I could go on about fond memories of corn, but let's fast-forward about 40 years. The corn I got in last week's basket is the best corn I've tasted since ... and mind you, I'm very discerning when its comes to corn.

There's plenty of criticism about modern farming methods and uses of corn. Thanks for bringing back memories of a simpler time. Keep up the good work."

Jeff J

Delivery Times Moving Later

As the weather heats up, we'll be moving delivery times later. We won't drop many afternoon boxes before 4pm and the majority will arrive between 6pm and 9pm so that they sit on porches for less time. When you're not home we'll add a sheet of ice to keep the contents extra cool!

Update from Slow Money National Gathering

I'm in Shelburne Farms right now in beautiful Burlington, Vermont, telling the world about all the cool things happening in the local food system in Central Texas. I've seen talks from Joel Salatin of Polyface farms, Gary Hirschburg of Stonyfield Farms, and many more. Really awesome energy and momentum in the Organic and Local food sectors. One of the best quotes I have heard goes something like this "If you look around at what's happening to the environment and government and humanity and you're not pessimistic, you're not paying attention. But if you look around at the people who are making change in our food system; healing the land and feeding people and you're not optimistic, you must not have a pulse. So check yourself for a pulse!"

This Week's Box Contents & Local Items

Oh, sweet, sweet, blueberries. Read here for my obsession with them

Here's what will be available from local farms on our website this week (the best selection of local produce in the state - guaranteed). Items with a (*) are only available in the Local Box:

In Local Boxes ($34.99) this week (Jun 14-18):

• Yellow Potatoes - Home Sweet Farm
• Mangos - G&S Groves
• Kale - TX Natural
• Carrots - Various
• Blueberries - Naegelin
• Tomatoes - Ringger
• Green Beans - Various
• Corn - Acadian
• Peaches - Caskey
• Cucumber - Acadian
• Green Bell Peppers - My Father's Farm

Last Week's (Jun 7-11) Local Box Video:

In Farmstead Grilling Boxes this week (Jun 7-11)- Just Add Meat:

• Fresh Baked Chewy Biayls from Sweetish Hill
• Creamy Flavored Cheese Spread from Full Quiver
• ½ Dz Duck Eggs – Purple Goose
• Soothin Tea from Zhi Tea

Order Here

Fresh, Prepared Meal Selection for this week will be posted on the website by Friday evening.

Produce from Local Farms

• Arugula-Bluebonnet
  
• Arugula, Baby-Animal Farm
  
• Basil-Various
  
• Basil, Live-BellaVerdi
  
• Beets and Carrots Juicing-My Father's Farm
  
• Beets, Red-Various
  
• Carrots with Tops-Various
  
• Chard-Texas Natural
  
• Collard-Naegelin
  
• Corn-Acadian Family Farm, J&B Farm
  
• Cucumbers-Acadian Family Farm
  
• Daikon Radish-Tecolote
  
• Fennel-Ringger Family Farm, Wiley Farm
  
• Garlic-Ringger Family Farm
  
• Green Beans-Various
  
• Green Cabbage-Naegelin
  
• Herbs-Pure Luck
  
• Parsley-Tecolote
  
• Kale-Texas Natural
  
• Kohlrabi-Ringger Family Farm
  
• Leeks-Montesino, My Father's Farm

Produce from Local Farms

• Lettuce,Bibb-BellaVerdi
  
• Microgreens-BellaVerdi
  
• Mushroom, Crimini-Kitchen Pride
  
• Mushroom, Oyster-Kitchen Pride
  
• Mushroom, Port caps-Kitchen Pride
  
• Mushroom, Shitake-Kitchen Pride
  
• Mushroom, White-Kitchen Pride
  
• Pea Shoots-Bluebonnet
  
• Pepper, Green Bell-My Father's Farm
  
• Potates, Red-Naegelin
  
• Potatoes, yukon-Oak Hill
  
• Radish, Watermelon-Ringger Family Farm
  
• Radicchio-Tecolote
  
• Red Cabbage-Ringger Family Farm
  
• Shallot-Lundgren
  
• Sprouts, All-Groovy Greens
  
• Summer Squash-Various
  
• Tomato, Cherry-Naegelin
  
• Tomato, Golden Cherry-Oak Hill
  
• Tomato, Green-Ringger Family Farm
  
• Watercress-Bluebonnet
• Berries, Blackberries-Naegelin
  
• Mango-G&S
  
• Peaches-Caskey, Lundgren

Events & Local Food Happenings Around Town

Savvy Kids Conference

-June, 12-13

-$8, kids under 5 Free

-St Edwards University

Kids will be engaged from the moment they walk in the door and can look forward to a kid themed, energetic atmosphere; hands on displays and workshops; audience stage participation; and an Exhibitor Booth Activity Passport challenge.

• Discover kid-focused products and services on how to become ‘fit' environmentally, financially, physically and socio-economically.
  
• Choose among multiple stages of entertaining workshops and demonstrations.
  
• Participate in over 40 vendor-sponsored booth activities.
  
• Enroll in Fun Sessions: educational workshops for K-8th graders, parents, and families held during the conference. First session free with registration!
  
• Get energized in the Kids Playland with climbing walls, inflatables, face painting, balloons and more.
  
• Discover events, activities, and organizations which get kids and families involved in the Austin community.
  
• Collect LOTS of take home goodies.

Stop by the greenling booth to say hi and be sure to check out the gardening workshops led by the Sustainable Food Center and Urban Roots!

See more & register here

Summer Soiree, Local Food Tasting

-June 19, 6-9pm

-FREE

- The Talkhouse

Mix, Mingle and Munch! Join us in downtown Austin this month for our community potluck. You're welcome to bring something, but you don't have to. All dishes should please include at least one ingredient of locally produced, organically grown food. Dishes will be in the running for inclusion is our upcoming cookbook. Plus, the dish that gets the most votes overall that night wins a FREE Local Box!! You get to be famous and get a free box of $34.99 of local, seasonal veggies. RSVP by calling or emailing Greenling.com (512-440-8449) or emailing jevans AT greenling.com.

Learn More here

Fun on the Farm - Farm Camp

-June 14-18 or 21-25, 9am-3:30pm

-$250 (siblings $225, some scholarships available)

-Green Gate Farms

Would your child like to explore a farm, get dirty, learn about nature, be a farmer? Is your child ages 7-11? The Green Gate Farms Farm Camp is for you! Kids will spend mornings working with farmers in the fields and taking care of animals. Afternoons will feature workshops taught by local farming experts. How cool is that? There will be tons of fun activities and also time to just explore the farm.

Learn more here

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Outstanding in the Field

-Oct 10th(sold out) & 12th

-$200/ticket

-Boggy Creek Farm

Speaking of OITF, the tickets in the Farm To Plate auction item are to the sold-out October 10th dinner. OITF is a world-wide touring event featuring the best food in the world prepared by the best chefs in the world. Carol Ann Sayle and Larry Butler are long time friends of Outstanding in the Field. Back in 2004 on their first cross-country farm dinner tour, they made their last stop in Austin and found the welcoming embrace of Boggy Creek. They return this October for 2 dates only. Chef James Holmes of Olivia is their guest chef. Get your tickets for Oct 12th soon as they sell out quickly.

Learn more here

Recipe Corner

Blueberry Mango Soup

This versatile soup becomes a sauce when drizzled over ice cream, sorbet, fresh fruit or panna cotta.

Ingredients

• 6 cups Fresh blueberries
  
• 3/4 cup Sugar
  
• 2T Lemon juice
  
• 1 tsp Ground cardamom
  
• 3/4 cup Mango purée
  
• 1 cup Muscatel, ice wine or honey wine
  

Instructions:

In a saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cardamom. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil; cook and stir until sugar dissolves, about 7 minutes. Slightly cool blueberry mixture; transfer to a blender container; purée. In a bowl, combine blueberry purée with mango purée and wine. Strain mixture through a fine sieve. Cool well To serve: Ladle soup into shallow soup bowls or dessert dishes. Garnish with fresh blueberries, thin melon and/or mango slices, and lemon zest curls, if desired.

For More Recipes Check Out The Eating Out of the Local Box Blog. Also make sure to become a fan of Greenling on Facebook to get weekly recipes from Woman With A Whisk & The Best of Thymes food bloggers.