New This Season! Canning Share from the Farm at Millers Crossing

The Farm at Millers Crossing is pleased to announce a NEW canning/freezing share for 2012, as well as a pre-order for these same items. This share and pre-order allows the Farm to plan accordingly for your canning and freezing needs, minimizing un-harvested produce and shortages.

Included in the share are cucumbers, kale, basil, green beans, and tomatoes. As these vegetables will all ripen at different times, under unknown circumstances we can only give an educated guess of their approximate delivery. But here are some date ranges;

Cucumbers – end of June
Kale -September-October
Basil – July-September
Green beans – August
Tomatoes – mid-late August-September

When the crops are approaching maturity, we will give you a 1-2 week notice in a special section of the weekly newsletter. All weights are approximate.

Below is the canning share for $100.
1—1 1/9 kale 12 bunches ($18)
1—1/2 bushel (10 lbs.) Green Beans ($20)
1—20# Paste tomatoes ($25)
1—1/2 bushel (12 bunches) Basil ($18)
1—1/2 bushel (20 lbs.) Pickling cucumbers ($20)

The below items will be offered as a la carte pre-purchases, but must be ordered pre-season!! All weights are approximate.
1/2 bushel (10 lbs.) Green Beans $24.
20# Paste tomatoes $30.
1/2 bushel (12 bunches) Basil $21.50
1/2 bushel (20 lbs.) Pickling cucumbers $24.
1 1/9 bushel (12 bunches) Kale $21.

To place an order, use this FORM and mail directly to Katie and Chris at the Farm at Miller’s Crossing.

News from Lewis Waite Farm + Deadline for Placing August CSA Extras Order

It’s time to get those extra items orders in!

LIC CSA Members who would like to order extra items through Lewis Waite Farm must do so by midnight on Sunday, July 31st.  Delivery for extra items will be on Thursday, August 4th. 

Distribution for Lewis Waite items takes place at LIC Market on the delivery date between the hours of 3:30PM – 10:00PM.  LIC Market is located at 21-52 44th Drive, LIC, NY.

Please note: LIC Market is a busy restaurant so it is recommended that members avoid pick ups during the dinner rush (7:00 -8:30-ish) or  be prepared to wait as it may take the staff  a little bit longer to get your items than it would during the other hours of distribution.

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Cows Grazing from Lewis Waite Farm

Visit Lewis Waite Farm’s website to place your order.  If this is your first time ordering,  follow the  instructions on the LIC CSA Flyer.  Also, keep in mind the following product updates and current specials when selecting your goodies:

Product Updates:

•  Argyllshire Farm: New Lamb inventory posted: leg steaks, loin chops, and a few ground lamb.
• Egg Producers: The hens have had a hard time with the heat wave, and slowed laying. Luckily, the pullets have started laying and we now have Medium Eggs!
• Farmer Ground Flour: is discontinuing the 2lb size of White Pastry and White Bread Flour, so the inventory we have will be all we get.
• Harry’s Honey House: Derek at Harry’s packs up Raw Honey for us each fall, and what we have posted now is the last of his supply. If you are a Raw devotee, order now!
• Lewis Waite Farm: Bacon and linked pork sausages are in.
• Manx Station Farm: New inventory posted!
• West River Creamery: Londonderry available! Jane is also making Chevre rolls in three flavors now: Plain, Chive, and Ginger. We are also waiting for an update on their lamb sausage with red wine and feta, and we’ll let you know!

Current Specials

• Argyllshire Farm: 10% off Mutton Items!
• Lewis Waite Farm: Beef Shank w/meat and marrow pieces on sale! Keep the kitchen cool while the crock pot makes dinner! Now $3.99/lb – perfect for Osso Bucco!

Something New: Introducing Mack Brin Farms: Pastured Chicken

Julianne is working hard on her farm, doing it all herself. Though not certified, her fields have been clean for 15 years. Her chickens are moved daily through the fields, and supplemented with local feed – non GMO, non medicated. There is a limited supply, but we are working on getting more in as we can. These pastured birds have excellent flavor. The first batch will be 50 HENS, and we are picking these up on Thursday. We can’t make anything available on the website until we have them back and counted, but feel free to write and reserve some!

Something Tasty – Duck Soup

This Something Tasty comes to us from Sonya Gropman, a CSA member. She writes about using the whole duck in her blog post, http://eatartword.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/duck-soup/.

Something to Discuss - “In the News”

National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement threatens small farms and markets everywhere! Sign this petition to help stop “one-size-fits-all” rules for agriculture, and protect your right to by un “sterilized” vegetables! They need 20,000 signatures by Thursday.

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/391?akid=350.56172.oVA9sK&t=8

“Today the USDA and Big Ag are conspiring to implement a set of rules that favor giant industrial growers while placing small, diversified farms at risk. Known as the National Leafy Green Marketing Agreement, this set of rules was designed by industrial growers to protect their market share while harming their main competition, the growing local and organic food movement. The Leafy Green agreement, drafted by the largest vegetable growers’ lobbyists in an effort to whitewash their growing food safety problems, would implement draconian practices that saddle farmers with one-size-fits-all rules and would drive local and organic farmers out of business with expensive regulations”

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Turkey Time!

Hard to believe Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Be prepared with a pre-ordered, local, humanely raised turkey from one of our Greenmarket producers. Come to Jackson Heights Greenmarket , located at 34th Ave and 78th Street, on Sunday, November 7 or 14 to order a turkey for pick-up at market the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Order forms are available from Dipaola’s Turkey or Hoosic River Poultry at their market stands. There are a limited number of birds so sign-up early.

Queens Markets Open For Winter

Jackson Heights and Sunnyside will remain open until Saturday, December 18 and Sunday, December 19 respectively. There is also a proposal under consideration to make Jackson Heights a year-round market. A determining factor for the farmers and for Greenmarket will be market attendance in December, so come shop, tell your neighbors and fellow Queens foodies, and let’s get our borough its first year-round Greenmarket. The farmers will be there no matter snow, sleet, or chilly temps so come out and keep us company this December. Stock up on all your favorite winter veggies, as well as locally produced bread, wine, cheese, and meat for all your holiday celebrating.

Bulk Cucumbers and Meat Ordering

Farmer Chris is offering cucumbers for bulk purchasing. The price is $25.00 for a 20 lb case. All aspects of ordering will take place directly through email- ordering and billing. The farm will label boxes well and send them to the distribution sites for members who order. If you’re unsure about whether you’d like to order bulk cucumbers for pickling, etc, please see a letter from the Farm…it might entice you!

Meat is also being offered by the Farm at Millers Crossing. It is certified organic grass fed beef and options are available (for the next few weeks):

All meat will be delivered to the site frozen and in a cooler. When ordering by email please put the name of the CSA site and beef order (ie. LICcsa beef order) in the subject line.

To place an order for either please contact the farm at info@farmatmillerscrossing.com or view their website at: http://www.farmatmillerscrossing.com/. For members who do not have internet access, please contact an LIC CSA volunteer at distribution for more information; the farm is willing to invoice members and collect a check.

New Distribution Site

We are very happy to announce that the new LIC CSA distribution site has been finalized!

Going forward, from this Wednesday, June 23rd, we will be picking up our veggies and fruit from Hour Children Food Pantry, located at 36-49 11th Street (11106). We will use normal distribution hours of 4-7pm, and look into options for extending hours in the following weeks.

To get to the Hour Children Food Pantry to pick up CSA goods, you’ll enter through a parking lot in the middle of 11th Street between 36th and 37th Avenue. The entrance to the Food Pantry has a green awning, and even a red sign and arrows painted on the ground of the parking lot leading the way to the entrance.

Getting to Hour Children Food Pantry:
By foot…
~15 mins from the F train’s 21st St-Queensbridge station
~13 mins from the N, W train’s 36th Ave station
~20 mins from the 7, N, W train’s Queensboro Plaza station
~10 mins from our previous distribution site, the Jacob Riis Settlement

By bus…
(http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/busqns.pdf)
~ Q69 (runs along 21st St and near Queensboro Plaza)
~ Q102 (to/from Roosevelt Island)
~ Q103 (runs along Vernon Blvd)

Based on the incredible feedback received over the past week, we’ve also decided to set up a committee to research and explore distribution site options for the 2011 CSA season. Considered well in advance, and catapulted by the great ideas from the past week, we’re optimistic that a location can be secured early on for next year that meets all of the criteria on our site wish list. So, please email longislandcitycsa@gmail.com if you’re interested in participating in that effort.

Caring For Your Share

Make the most of your share and avoid waste by following a few helpful
when-to-eat tips and storage guidelines!

Prep ahead:
Prepping will make it easier to use up your produce on busy nights.
Rinse or scrub vegetables as soon as you get home. Exceptions are
cabbage, root vegetables that you don’t plan on eating right away, and
berries and stone fruits. These store best whole and dry. (Be sure to
dry all produce thoroughly before storing to prolong life.) Remove green
tops from root vegetables to prolong the life of your carrots, radishes,
beets, etc.

Eat strategically:
Delicate leafy greens and fruits, and certain vegetables such as corn,
fava beans, and okra, should be eaten first because they go bad quickly.
Hardier greens (e.g., kale) will last for a couple more days and veggies
(e.g., cucumbers, peppers, zucchini) can last up to a week in the
fridge. Root and late season vegetables (think garlic, onions, carrots,
radishes) will last for a long time.

Not sure what to do with your produce? Check out the newsletter and CSA
blog for recipe ideas!

Store smart:
Don’t store fruits in the same drawer or bag with your veggies. Fruit
emits ethylene gas that will make veggies spoil faster.
Not everything should be refrigerated! Tomatoes and eggplant are best
kept on the counter; onions, garlic, potatoes, and squash (including
pumpkin) in a cool, dark, well-ventilated cupboard.

Thoroughly dry your produce, especially delicate greens and herbs before
storing. Store salad greens in a bag or salad spinner with a couple
paper towels to absorb moisture. Herbs do well when shaken dry and
stowed in a jar or cup with an inch of water, cover with a plastic bag
and stow on the lowest shelf in the fridge. You can also roll them up in
a paper towel and store in a bag.

Consider investing in green bags for refrigerated items. These bags
(available at some supermarkets or cooking supply stores) absorb the
ethylene gas that causes spoilage.

Preserving:
Save your produce for later before it spoils. Freeze, dry, pickle, or
can it. We hope to hold a canning workshop later in the season. Stay
posted!

Share the bounty:
It’s not possible to preserve salad greens, so it’s either eat ‘em,
share ‘em, or in the trash (or compost) they go. If you find that you
are unable to consume your salad greens or any other produce on a
particular week, share them with a friend or neighbor!

First Distribution is June 2

Please remember that grocery bags will not be provided.  Make sure to bring a sturdy bag to carry your share as well as some plastic bags for the individual vegetables you will receive. For your convenience, this year we will have reusable bags with the LICCSA logo for sale and all proceeds will go back into the CSA to help us fund future events.

Port Clyde Fresh Catch

Would you like to enjoy delicious, fresh Maine shrimp this winter?

You can receive sustainably harvested, wild-caught Maine shrimp from
the Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative of Port Clyde, Maine once a month
for six months through a CSF (Community Supported Fishery) share.

Pickup details are as follows:

Location: Marlow & Daughters, 95 Broadway, Brooklyn
Dates: January 10th, February 14th, March 14th, April 11th, May 2nd, May 30th
Time: 12:00pm – 2:00pm
Cost: Shrimp CSF subscription – $216
Cookbook combination package (includes a Shrimp CSF subscription and a copy of “The Original Maine Shrimp Cookbook”) – $234

For further information about CSF subscriptions, please contact
Jessica Libby through email, jessica@midcoastfishermen.org , or at (207) 975-2191 or visit their
website.

Our Farmer’s Blog

Check out the blog for the Farm at Miller’s Crossing.

http://thefarmatmillerscrossing.blogspot.com/