THE FARM NEWS Volume 3; Issue 6R/10E July 18, 2011

Greetings,

We hope that everyone is surviving the heat!  Despite how hot it was this weekend, we had a nice turn-out for the open house Saturday.  We were saddened to learn that Dr. Amy had to cancel Saturday, due to a death in her family.  Our thought and prayers are with her and her family.  We are hoping to reschedule her talk at our next open house, but we will have to see what her schedule looks like.

We took an unprecedented move and took Sunday off!  We decided to take the day and spend it with friends – they helped us celebrate our anniversary!  We had a great time – doing nothing! And watching the US Women play Japan in the Women’s World Cup Soccer match.  If we had to loose, I’m glad it was to Japan, they have had a difficult year.

Thursday, we were excited to have head cabbage for every one, but Thursday night/Friday morning we got 2 inches of rain. Friday afternoon we got another 2 inches of rain.  And then Saturday, before dawn, we go another inch of rain.  Too much moisture – mixed with the extreme heat – the heads cracked open like Humpty Dumpty!  We keep trying. Thank you all for your patience! This has been a tough stretch of weather…

The honeys in your boxes this week are from BEE Happy.  The bees are located south of Anoka and the beekeeper is from Bloomington.  I took the time to provide this honey as a “thank you” to all of you for your over-whelming support in allowing us to “pause” a week on our deliveries.  For those of you who are sharing, we are sorry that it is only one honey bear.  But we are hopeful that you will be able to figure out how to “split” the honey.  Please enjoy the honey-mint recipe below and let us know how you like it.  Or how you “adapted” it to met your needs.

So from our home to yours,

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com

 

ITEM OF THE WEEK – MINT

 

Mint is a perennial herb.  It is easily grown in any temperature controlled climate.  As long as it has plenty of sunshine, you can grow mint anywhere.  It quickly spreads itself out and has small violet or purple-white flowers that bloom all of its growing season.  Most people are very familiar with peppermint and spearmint.  But did you know that mint comes in a wide variety of flavors?  Did you know that there is Banana Mint? Or Lemon Bergamot Mint? How about Pineapple mint? What about Apple Mint? What do you think about one of my favorites – Chocolate Mint?  There are over a dozen more varieties of mint.  How many can you name?

Mint has been around for a very long time and is best culturally known in India, the Middle East ad Europe.  Not only known for its wonderful aroma, soothing flavors and curative properties, Mint, both fresh and dried, are in a large number of recipes.  Mint is included in curries, soups, chutneys, salads, juices, juleps, candies and ice crème.

Mint has long been known for its medicinal aid with digestive issues.  Taken as a tea, mint soothes the digestive track and is wonderful at easing stomach aches.  A regular intake of herb mint tea will help reduce irritated bowel syndromes and help cleanse the stomach.  It does this by stimulating the biliary secretions and helps in the digestions of fats, known for their “upsetting” abilities.  Speaking personally, I (Donna) have used mint for many years to stay off of prescription medications for my “nervous” stomach.  Over the years, there have been several medications I had to take that really upset my system.  By drinking mint tea, I was able to keep the “upset” to a minimum or eliminate all together!

When mint is included in the diet on a regular basis it also helps reduce harmful bacteria and fungus in the body.  This reduction aids the body’s ability to stay healthy.  Mint is also a strong diuretic. This helps in eliminating toxins from the body.  Mint is known for helping get rid of headaches and migraines.  Its antifungal properties are associated with helping cure asthma and other allergic conditions – respiratory, as well as reactions to insect bites or stings.  Inhaled mint gives congestion relief from sinus infections and the common cold.

One other key point – current research indicates that mint has anti-cancer properties.    Mint contains a phytonutrient called perillyl alcohol.  This phytonutrient is believed to prevent colon, skin and lung cancers.  That is a lot of stuff for a small plant!

Recipes

 

Honey Mint Glazed Chicken Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 4-5 pound chicken, cut into parts
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2-3 Tbsp water
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (or 2 Tbsp dried mint)

Directions:

 

1. Place chicken pieces in a bowl. Mix vinegar with olive oil and pour over chicken pieces. Turn chicken pieces so that all are coated with the simple marinade. Let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. In a small bowl mix honey, mint, and just enough water for a good basting consistency. Set aside for glazing the chicken.
3. Prepare grill for medium high heat. Remove chicken pieces from marinade. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken pieces on the hot grill, skin side up. Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes, covered, turning every 7 or 8 minutes. For the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, baste all sides with the honey mint mixture. The chicken is done when the juices run clear (not pink) when a knife tip is inserted into both the chicken breast and thigh, about 165°F for the breast and 180°F for the thigh. Note that although the breast pieces are bigger, they may finish cooking earlier than the thighs.

Serves 6

 

Mint Chip Gelato

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups whole milk (for more richness, you can use Half & Half)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 bunch of mint (approximately 1 inch round), washed, dried and de-stemmed.  (You can use more or less depending on how strong you want your “mint” flavor.)
• 5 oz. dark chocolate (we used 72% cacao) – you can also use chips

Directions:

Make a slurry with about 3-4 tbs. of milk and corn starch in a bowl and set aside. Add the remainder of the milk to a sauce pan, mint, salt, and sugar under medium low heat. When mixture starts to bubble, turn off heat and allow mint to steep for about 1 hour. Then pour mixture over a sieve and squeeze out the fluid from mint and discard.

Reheat his mixture under medium low heat. When it begins to bubble, add your mixed slurry and stir making sure there are no clumps. Continue to heat until it thickens – you will know it is thick enough when you can run a line on a back of a spoon without the mixture coming together – it should be done. Cool completely (preferably over night) and then add to your ice cream maker, follow your ice cream makers directions.

Place the container that you plan on storing the ice cream in the freezer.

In the mean time, coarsely chop the chocolate into small pieces and heat over a water bath. When the ice cream maker is done, scribble the melted chocolate onto your cold container–it should freeze almost instantly. Scoop in a layer of ice cream and break up the chocolate. Scribble more chocolate and layer on more ice cream. Continue until done and freeze until firm. Before serving allow to thaw just slightly before scooping.

 

This Week’s Items – ½ Bushel:

• Mint
• Cilantro
• Basil
• Cucumbers
• Honey
• Radishes

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Mint
• Cilantro
• Peas
• Chard
• Cucumbers
• Honey
• Radishes
• Chinese Cabbage

This Week’s Items – Large:

• Mint
• Cilantro
• Beans
• Kale
• Chard
• Cucumbers
• Honey
• Radishes
• Raspberries

THE FARM NEWS Volume 3; Issue 5R/9E July 11, 2011

Greetings,

So are the rest of you still trying to pick up braches, sticks and leaves?  Whether or not we have all of the “extra” tree parts picked up or not – the Open House scheduled for this Saturday is still a go!  The Farm will be open for visits from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.  There is a lot to see – from the animals, the new buildings, the lakes, the berries and the fields – there is something for everyone!  We hope to see you on Saturday, July 16^th.  Dr. Amy Willcockson, from Chiropractic USA in Long Lake, will be speaking here on Saturday from 11 am until 1 pm.  She will be talking at noon for a thirty minute discussion on healthy living.  She joined us in 2010 as one of our CSA family.  Her office focuses on healthy fresh local food as a part of your whole wellness.  You will enjoy this time if you can make some time to hear her speak.  She has educated us each time we get the pleasure to listen to her speak.

There has been a lot going on this last week.  We have spent a lot of it cleaning up and accessing the wind damage.  Structurally, we think that we did great!  We noticed that we are going to have to replace the plastic on the High Tunnel, but there was no damage done to the frame.  Another farm west of us had one of their tunnels completely destroyed.  We have another neighbor who had an oak tree fall into his car.  The other challenge is that the car was in the garage.  So although we are not happy about having to replace the plastic, we are thankful that we don’t have to replace the whole thing.  Cleaning up after the storm was not on our “need to do” list.  All these trees down has given us a good start on our winter fire wood needs.  I hope this is not any indication of what the winter will bring.  Parish that thought, we are in the middle of July enjoying this warm weather – finally.

The fields are giving us little victories at a time.  Thank you all for riding out this strange spring and early summer.  The raspberries are just starting to come into season.  We were able to bring in a few pints and split them out.  Everyone will get raspberries as they increase in production.  The zucchinis are starting to bloom finally.  The winter squash and pumpkins are starting to set.  Our onions have to be replanted so they will be sparse this season.  The tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are enjoying this heat.  The potatoes are once again being attached by the Colorado potato beetle.  We have a better handle on them this year and are trying a new soap to fight with us.  Our corn is up in both plantings.  The goal is to have corn for a few weeks.  The biggest trick is to keep the deer out.  Tonight I noticed a row of cabbage that has been grazed on.   Other fun crops are starting to show life and have their heads up.  More to come as the season progresses….

Just as a note: Wendel’s bread will not be available next Tuesday, July 19^th.  If this is a challenge, please contact Wendel’s bread.  Their web site is up again but is having some browser issues.  If you would like to wait until the following week they should have the system cleaned up.

So from our home to yours,

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com

This Week’s Items – ½ Bushel:

• Cucumbers
• Radishes
• Lettuce
• Collards
• Swiss Chard
• Salad Mix

This Week’s Items – Bushel:

• Cucumbers
• Lettuce
• Turnips
• Collards
• Basil
• Salad Mix
• Garlic Scapes

This Week’s Items – Extended:

• Cucumbers
• Radishes
• Lettuce
• Collards
• Raspberries
• Salad Mix

 

ITEM OF THE WEEK – CUCUMBERS

 

Let’s start with a commonly asked question: is a cucumber a fruit or a vegetable?  Technically, a cucumber is a fruit because it contains the seeds needed to reproduce.  However, typically cucumbers are grouped with veggies due to how they are used.  The fruit is commonly harvested while still green, and eaten as a vegetable, whether it is raw, cooked, or pickled!  Did you know that cucumbers are in the same family as pumpkins, zucchinis and other squashes?  Most of us know that cucumbers have cooling properties and are extremely good for bringing relief to your eyes and your skin in the summertime. However, they are associated with a number of other health and nutrition benefits too.

Let’s start with the skin health.  The flesh of cucumbers is primarily composed of water but also contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and caffeic acid, both of which help soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling.  The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silica to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber’s high water content makes it naturally hydrating – a must for glowing skin. Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis.

Now, what about cucumber’s other nutritional benefits? Cucumber’s hard skin is rich in fiber and contains a variety of beneficial minerals including silica, potassium and magnesium.  Trying to get adequate dietary fiber on a daily basis is a challenge for many Americans. Adding a crunchy cool cucumber to your salads is an especially good way to increase your fiber intake because cucumbers are naturally prepackaged with the extra fluid you need when consuming more fiber.   Dietary fiber is beneficial in treating or preventing constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulitis.  Water-soluble fiber also helps decrease blood cholesterol levels and can help offer protection against colon cancers.  What you may not know is cucumbers contain compounds called sterols, which have been shown to lower cholesterol.  The heaviest concentration of sterols is in the skin of the cucumber, so you shouldn’t remove the peel before eating it.

Cucumbers are also a very good source of potassium, an important intra-cellular electrolyte.  Potassium is a heart friendly electrolyte.  It helps reduce blood pressure and heart rates by countering the effects of sodium.  Cucumbers also contain a unique anti-oxidant blend, a good ratio of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, zeaxanthin and lutein.  These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), these play a role in aging and various disease processes.   Per 100 g, cucumbers have a relatively high amount of vitamin-K, about 17 mcg.  Vitamin-K plays a critical role in your blood health and is often referred to as the “clotting” vitamin.  Vitamin-K also has the potential to increase bone mass by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bone.

That is a lot of stuff for one little cucumber.  But here is the kicker – 1 cup of sliced raw cucumbers is less than 14 calories!

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Use half-inch thick cucumber slices as petite serving “dishes” for chopped vegetable salads.

Mix diced cucumbers with sugar snap peas and mint leaves and toss with rice wine vinaigrette.

For refreshing cold gazpacho soup that takes five minutes or less to make, simply purée cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers and onions, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Add diced cucumber to tuna fish or chicken salad recipes.

 

Recipes

 

Creamy Cucumber Dressing

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions

In a blender, combine all of the ingredients.  Blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until chilled.  This creates approximately 16 servings for salads.  Or it can make a great dip!

 

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 large cucumbers, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• dash ground cayenne pepper
• dash dried parsley flakes
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• dash dried leaf basil

Combine all ingredients except cucumbers; heat until sugar melts. Pour warm mixture over cucumbers. Store covered in refrigerator.

Serves 6 to 8.   Serve with pork or as a relish with any meal.

THE FARM NEWS Volume 3; Issue 4R/8E July 4, 2011

Greetings,

 

HAPPY 4^TH OF JULY!  We are hoping that this holiday weekend finds you happy and well.  We hope that you we able to celebrate our nation’s birthday with family and friends.  We were hoping for a quiet and relaxing weekend ourselves, but nature had a different plan for us. 

 

Friday, like most of central Minnesota, we braced for thunder storms.  No one warned us that we would be dealing with 70-80 mph winds.  We took shelter in the basement more that once.  But, when it was all said and done, it could have been much worse for us.  We know that we have 20 trees down in the “yard”.  We are not certain yet how many more have been damaged beyond what they can survey and will still have to be brought down.  We had a friend’s van buried under or surrounded by 8 trees. By God’s grace, the van is fine, with only a few scratches.  We had one of our large trees behind the house split, but it missed the corner of the house by less that 2 inches.  In this case, an inch is as good as a mile.  When the tree dropped, it shook the house.  We had trees land on the dog kennel and the goose pen; inside the chicken coops; and all around the yard.  We have tree tops “hanging by a tread” in several trees and we have not determined the best way to resolve those issues yet.  We had several pieces of equipment under trees, but none were damaged.  We did have two canvas awnings destroyed during the storm. 

 

We have not yet determined how much roof damage has occurred on the house, shed and grainery, but we know that some damage occurred on each building.  Some of the fascia came off of Dan’s parent’s house and their motor home had the awning torn off. We know that we are very blessed; none of our buildings sustained any structural damage.  We know that God’s hands were holding us safe; so many others around us have sustained much worse damage.

 

We were very happy to discover that most of the crops appear not to be effected by Friday’s storm.  We only received a small amount of little tiny hail. We did have some of the lettuce torn by the storm’s fury.  But again, it could have been so very much worse.  We covet all of your prayers, but it seems as if nature is very angry.  We just have to keep praying that the weather will settle down.  We will continue to keep you all in our prayers! 

 

Just a reminder, our next open house is on July 16^th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Hopefully, the trees will be cleaned up by then.  Our friend, Dr. Amy Willcockson, will be joining us that day to speak about healthy living.  We hope to see you all then.

 

We want to also remind every one that the boxes do need to be returned each week.  In most cases, the boxes get returned in the same spot you pick up, with one or two exceptions.  At the Harvest Moon location, there is a Blue tote with our name on it behind the store.  The broken down boxes go inside the tote.  We will be picking them up each week.   Remember, each host location is expecting you to pick up your boxes on Tuesday!  In most cases, there is no way to refrigerate your box to maintain its quality.  If we want to be able to continue using these host locations, we need to respect their spaces.  If you have an issue, please contact your host site and let them know what is happening and what your plans are.  They want to provide you with quality food also.

 

So from our home to yours,

 

Dan & Donna Moe

www.thefarmofmn.com 

 

 

This Week’s Items – ½ Bushel:

• Garlic Scapes
• Strawberries
• Lettuce
• Collards
• Kohlrabi

This Week’s Items – Bushel & Extended:

• Garlic Scapes
• Strawberries
• Lettuce
• Radishes
• Turnips
• Collards
• Tat Soi Heads

 

 

ITEM OF THE WEEK – STRAWBERRIES

 

Health Benefits

Strawberries not only look like a fruity heart-shaped valentine, smell heavenly, and melt in your mouth; they are filled with unusual phytonutrients that love to promote your health. They are famous in the phytonutrient world as a rich source of phenols. These phenols serve as potent antioxidants that have repeatedly been shown to help protect cell structures in the body and to prevent oxygen damage in all of the body’s organ systems. Strawberries’ unique phenol content makes them a heart-protective fruit, an anti-cancer fruit, and an anti-inflammatory fruit, all rolled into one. The anti-inflammatory properties of strawberry include the ability of phenols to lessen activity of the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase, or COX. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen block pain by blocking this enzyme, whose over-activity has been shown to contribute to unwanted inflammation, such as that which is involved in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Unlike drugs that are COX-inhibitors, however, strawberries do not cause intestinal bleeding.

 

Phytonutrients Promote Health

The contents of strawberries have been associated with decreased rates of cancer related deaths. Strawberries topped a list of eight foods most linked to lower rates of cancer deaths among the elderly. Those eating the most strawberries were three times less likely to develop cancer compared to those eating few or no strawberries; compared to those eating few or no strawberries. In a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, strawberries were analyzed for their content of protective plant compounds (phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins) and their antioxidant capacities. Although the beneficial properties in each different type of strawberry differed significantly in their amounts, they all were able to significantly inhibit the growth of human liver cancer cells. Oddly, no relationship was found between the berry’s antioxidant content and its ability to inhibit cancer cell growth.  This suggests that the beneficial effects of strawberries are not just one nutrient, but the combination of their many beneficial compounds working together in the body.

 

Degeneration

Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright as a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight. Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.  Intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to either form of ARMD, fruit intake is definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease. Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but strawberries can help you reach this goal. Top your morning cereal, lunch time yogurt or cottage cheese with fresh strawberries. Dress up any green salad with sliced strawberries, slivered almonds and a splash of balsamic vinegar. For an easy, elegant dessert, blend fresh or frozen strawberries with a spoonful of honey and some soy or cow’s milk or yogurt. Freeze for 20 minutes, then spoon into serving cups and decorate with a sprig of mint. Strawberries are a tasty fruit to have for smoothies with dietary fiber additives and digestive enzymes for a body detoxification and cleanse.

In terms of traditional nutrients, strawberries emerged from our food ranking system as an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. They also qualified as a very good source of dietary fiber and iodine as well as a good source of potassium, folate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, vitamin K, magnesium, and copper.    One cup of strawberries, 144 grams, is only 43.2 calories.  However, that one cup contains the following nutrients:   Vitamin C – 81.65 mg; Manganese – 0.42 mg; Dietary fiber – 3.31 g; Iodine – 12.96 mcg; Potassium – 239.04 mg; Folate – 25.49 mcg; Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – 0.10 mg; Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) – 0.49 mg; Omega 3 fatty acids – 0.11 g; Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) – 0.08 mg; Vitamin K – 3.17 mcg; Magnesium – 14.40 mg; and Copper – 0.07 mg.  Remember all this is at a whopping 43.2 calories!  

How to Store

One last thought on these precious gems, now that you have them – how do you keep them? Like all berries, strawberries are very perishable, so great care should be taken in their handling and storage. Before storing in the refrigerator, remove any strawberries that are not in good condition or damaged so that they will not contaminate others. Replace unwashed and un-hulled berries in their original container or spread them out on a plate covered with a paper towel, then cover with plastic wrap. Strawberries will keep fresh in the refrigerator for one or two days. Make sure not to leave strawberries at room temperature or exposed to sunlight for too long, as this will cause them to spoil.

To freeze strawberries, first gently wash them and pat them dry. You can either remove the cap and stem or leave them intact. It just depends upon what you will do with them once they are thawed. Arrange them in a single layer on a flat pan or cookie sheet and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the berries to a heavy plastic bag and return them to the freezer where they will keep for up to one year. Adding a bit of lemon juice to the berries will help to preserve their color. While strawberries can be frozen whole, cut or crushed, they will retain a higher level of their vitamin C content if left whole.

 

RECIPES

Strawberry Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 4 large strawberries
• ¼ cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 TBS tahine*
• 1 medium size banana
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 TBS honey

*Tahine seed butter and can be found in natural food stores or Middle Eastern groceries

Directions:

1. Remove stems from strawberries and wash.

2. Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

Makes 2 (8 oz glass servings)

NOTE:  Adding dietary fiber or digestive enzymes only adds to the benefits of this refreshing drink.

Fresh Berry Dessert with Yogurt and Chocolate

Ingredients (Serves 2):

• 1 basket fresh strawberries
• 8 oz low fat vanilla yogurt
• 2 oz melted dark chocolate

Directions:

1.  Fold together yogurt and berries.

2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler with heat on medium. Place berries and yogurt in individual bowls and drizzle with melted chocolate.

NOTES:  For a more formal presentation you may want to pour a pool of yogurt on a plate and place berries on top of pool. Drizzle chocolate over berries.