Edition 51

October 23, 2009

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

• New - Pumpkin Tortilla, from Paqui Tortillas
• Big - Local Turkeys, I spoke too soon - the first batch is coming out 20lb-25lb
• New -Winter Squash, from Local sources
• New -Thanksgiving Baskets, from local & non-local sources
• Coming Soon - Gift Baskets & plantable Gift Certificates, the best eco-gifts in town are not only environmentally friendly, but our gift cards are made of seeds you can plant!
• New -Shoulder Roast & Breakfast Sirloins, from Bastrop Cattle Co.
• Short Supply - Lemons, lettuces, broccoli & berries, local & California rains have affected some crops
• New -Verterra Party Plates & Bowls, made from fallen palm leaves with no additives - 100% biodegradable, sturdy, and quite attractive

The Next Generation of Greenlings

We've gotten a few great pictures, like the one above from Carissa S., showing us what happens to the Greenling bounty after arrival.

What do you do with your Greenling box when it arrives? Upload your best pictures to facebook or email them to us to upload and the cutest pic will get a FREE Local Box! Carissa's setting the bar pretty high, but we believe in you.

Website Tip - Learn more about the delivery schedule and how to set up advanced delivery schedules with our quick video tutorial

Click here to watch it

Behind The Curtain Spotlight

Candy Hunke - Candied Yams (buyer)

There are two amazing things in the previous line - 1. Yes, her real name is Candy; 2. we just have one buyer who orders our almost 1000 items every week.

I'd like to say it's all in our technology, but really she's a magician and a hero (and a wife & mom). She's also often available via our live chat to answer any product questions you may have.

Candy is from the small town of Rockdale and is not afraid to throw a bag of oats over her shoulder while carrying her daughter Erica (who is 2 1/2 - don't forget the half if you're talking to Erica) in her other arm. Candy loves to read and play. She says she doesn't have an exciting life anymore but she's just gotten used to coyotes attacking chicken farms or tornados wiping out a field of melons.

Read more about the team here

Water, Water, Everywhere

You know the rest. We're still in a drought even after all of this wonderful rain. It may be the worst drought in recorded history, in fact. Can you believe it? Tom Mason, of LCRA, said it's far more important when you get rain than how much. Floods don't do much since the water just runs off. It's consistent rain that counts. Of course, he reminds us, drought conditions are quite normal for Texas. What's changed is our population.

In a long discussion of water in Central Texas, a panel yesterday was worried about water supply, but I thought mostly for the wrong reasons. They talked about farmers downstream and their demand for water and some people in the audience clearly thought Austin's lawns are more important than agriculture. I hope this sentiment changes as we get to know our farmers and appreciate what they do for us. Please keep farmers in your conversations about water and remind people that without farmers there is no food.

Thanksgiving Turkeys & Baskets

Gobble, Gobble! Gobble, gobble gobble-gobble. Gobble.

Turkeys are here. Well, we actually reserved them early summer, discussing their humane treatment and juicy flavor with the Richardsons who have been raising them just for us out in an open pasture with no chemicals or GMO feed or anything nature never intended. We'll also have plenty of certified Organic birds from Organic Valley, which is a co-op of small farms. They just won't be local.

You can order Turkeys here and don't forget to schedule delivery the week of Thanksgiving or the week before. Here's a short, video tutorial on how to order a turkey by itself!

We're also bringing you the best Thanksgiving baskets ever! We've been working hard to put together 3 special baskets for you (don't forget to add a turkey to these baskets, they don't automatically come with one):

Traditional Basket - All the ingredients that have become American staples for the holidays. Start with the basket and adjust quantities as needed.

All-Local Basket - We'll include recipes to help you turn 100% local items into traditional holiday treats.

All-Prepared Basket - We're partnering with a caterer to create pre-made assortment of side dishes using mostly-local ingredients and may include green bean casserole, stuffing/dressing, sweet potato caseroles, & more (available for order soon)

Relax, we've got your TG dinner covered!

This Week's Box Contents & Local Items

Here's what's available from local farms on our website this week (the best selection of local produce in the state - guaranteed):

In Local Boxes ($34.99) this week (October 26-30):

• Yellow Beans - Animal Farm
• Turnip Bunches - Hands of the Earth
• Yellow or Red Onion - Naegelin
• Crimini Mushrooms - Kitchen Pride
• Gala Apples - Apple Country
• Red Radish or Green Tomatoes - My Father's Farm/Green Gate
• Red Potatoes - Naegelin
• Bibb Lettuce - Bluebonnet
• Bell Peppers - My Father's Farms
• Herb - Pure Luck
• Okra - Bradshaw Farm

Last Week's (Oct 19-23) Local Box Video:

In Farmstead & Local Produce Boxes ($49.99) this week (October 26-30):

• 1/2 Dozen Yard Eggs - Rinnger Farm
• Specialty Halloween Cookies! - Sweetish Hill

Gluten-free Farmstead Box:

• 1/2 Dozen Yard Eggs - Rinnger Farm
• Gluten-Free Halloween Cookies - Wildwood Bakery

Order Here

Fresh, Prepared Meal Selection for this week:

Salad #1 - Orzo Salad with toasted golden raisins, spinach, almonds, and sweet pepper dressing (1 pint) - see website for full ingredients

Salad #2 - Spicy Yellow Squash Curry with basil over basmati rice (1 pint) - see website for full ingredients

Order Here

Produce from Local Farms

• Arugula, Baby - Animal Farm
• Herb, Asst - Pure Luck
• Herbs, Basil, Live - Bella Verdi
• Lentil Sprouts - Groovy Greens
• Sunflower Sprouts - Groovy Greens
• Habanero - Arnold Organics
• Gala Apples - Top of Texas
• Lettuce, Baby - Animal Farm
• Lettuce, Bibb - Bella Verdi
• Green Beans - Animal Farm/Lightsey
• Meyer Lemons - G&S Groves
• Okra - Bradshaw Farms
• Pea Shoots - Bluebonnet
• Watercress - Bluebonnet
• Persimmons
• Red and Green Bell Peppers - My Father's Farm/Walnut Creek

Produce from Local Farms

• Limes - G&S Grove
• Microgreens, Arugula - Bella Verdi
• Microgreens, Broccoli - Bella Verdi
• Mushroom, Crimini - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, Portobello - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, Shiitake - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, White - Kitchen Pride
• Onion, Red - Naegelin
• Potatoes, Sweet -Lightsey
• Onion, Yellow - Naegelin
• Potatoes, Red - Naegelin
• Shallots - Lundgren Farm
• Jalapeno - Lundgren
• Serrano - Lundgren
• Eggplant - McCall Creek
• Slicing Cucumbers - Naegelin
• Red Radish - My Father's Farm
• LARGE Watermelon - Lightsey
• Texas Hard Pears - Lightsey

Let's Share the Bounty

Local Food Tasting Soiree

-Thu. Nov 12th, 7pm

-Location TBD

-FREE

Save the date for the 8th in our series of Soirees where we highlight your best in-season cooking recipes along with some chef-created ones and vote on which are good enough to go in the Greenling Cookbook. So bring your best recipes and let Greenling make you famous. Or not...it is Austin, after all so there's no pressure or dress code or any of that. All you really need to bring is yourself. We'll also have some Greenling beverages, desserts, and some great company!

Get a Month of Free Local Food Just for Referring 3 People to Greenling!

It's still anyone's contest to win Local Food for a year! There are a few front-runners, but it's far from over. Here are some tips on getting people signed up:

• Host a Greenling soiree! We're still looking for a venue
• Have Mason come speak to your HOA or PTA group
• Have your own dinner party with your Local Box

See Details on how to do it here

Download the flyer to give people with YOUR coupon code here (read details page to see what your coupon code is)

Recipe Corner

Baked Breakfast Apples

Ingredients:

• 2 local Gala Apples
• 1/2 cup Apple & Eve apple juice
• 2 tablespoons of snipped, pitted whole dates or raisins
• 1 tablespoon of strawberry spreadable fruit
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of Dad's granola

Instructions:

Slice the apples into thin wedges, then combine the apple slices and dates in two individual casseroles and sprinkle the cinnamon over them. Pour half the apple juice over each apple mixture. Bake, covered, in at 350F oven about twenty minutes or until the apples are slightly tender. Stir spreadable fruit and dollop on top of the apple mixture. Sprinkle with granola and serve warm.

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.