Attention Peak Season Members: If you are a “Peak Season Member”, you are invited to start your CSA share this week.   This would be one week earlier then we intended it to be.  The strawberries should last 3 weeks, but since they are very popular if you would like to not miss out on any of those 3 weeks you may choose to start your 12 weeks of pick up this week.   Of course this means your CSA pick ups will end one week earlier then originally planned.  If you are intending to start this week, please let me know.  Thank you!

Along with the strawberries we have it’s dancing partner, Rhubarb!  Strawberries and Rhubarb are often paired together since they both ripen at the same time of year and the sweet strawberries balance out the tartness of rhubarb.   I absolutely love a rhubarb custard pie, but beyond dessert, there are many savory uses for rhubarb. Such as an ingredient in chutney, used in braises like short ribs and all sorts of creative dishes, including cocktails even.

A couple other new items in the CSA  share this week are Radishes and Swiss Chard.  The Swiss Chard leaves can be slightly bitter when raw in a salad.  We most enjoy it sautéed!

The Week 2 Half Share pictured below

If you’d prefer Kale or Yokatta Na instead of Swiss Chard we will have that as an option as well.

A couple other major things of note this week!  We will have unfrozen, fresh chicken available for the only time all year.    Whatever is left after this week will then be frozen.  Also, we will have portabello caps, maitake, and white mushrooms from Mother Earth Organic in the fridge this week along with a few other new varieties of cheeses from dairies in the Lancaster area!

Now that the ground is turning somewhat workable again, the farm crew needs to get caught back up with cultivation and planting!  These butternut squash plants have been patiently waiting for the right time to get transplanted out into the field.

Herb & Flower Garden

A bit slower of a start to the flowers then ever before due to the weather conditions.  I did see some flowers popping up in the Stock but for now all we really have are the irises yet.  We have quite a few herbs to pick though.  Hopefully nice weather is on the way!

Herb of the Week: Chamomile

Chamomile is a daisy-like herb, commonly used in traditional herbal medicine and well known for its use in tea. Its beautiful blossoms are pretty to look at, as well as delicious in a variety of foods, and great for making tea.

Picking Notes: When picking, pop off the bloom by pinching the stalk just below the flower head. Select flowers that are fully open. A handful of blossoms will equate to about 4 cups of fresh chamomile tea, so you don’t need to pick too many to make tea.

Strawberry Chamomile Fruit Salad with Yogurt Recipe

Fruit Salad Ingredients: 
1 pound strawberries, chopped about 1 ½ cups
⅓ cup strawberry preserves
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup chamomile syrup recipe below
fresh chamomile flowers to garnish

Chamomile Syrup:
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
½ cup dried chamomile flowers

Instructions

Fruit Salad:

1. Toss berries with chamomile syrup in a large bowl.
2. Mix jam with lemon zest, juice, and salt.
3. Spread yogurt on a large platter.
4. Drizzle yogurt with the preserve mixture and top with strawberries. Garish with fresh chamomile flowers and serve!

Chamomile Syrup:

1. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan.
2. Cook over high heat, stirring often until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add dried chamomile flowers. Steep for 8 minutes.
4. Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve and cool completely before using.

Recipe from Michelle Ferrand 

Drying chamomile:

To air dry, pick off just the flowers and spread them out in a single layer.  Allow the flowers to dry for 1 to 2 weeks in a dark, warm, dry space.

To dehydrate flowers use a lined dehydrator tray (Tip: place a mesh liner on top of the chamomile flowers to prevent them from blowing) and set the dehydrator on the lowest setting (~95°F). Dry for 12 to 18 hours. (Tip: Delicate herbs and flowers should always be dehydrated at the lowest settings for optimum results)

Once dry, store flowers in a sealed glass jar until use.

Dried Chamomile Tea Recipe:  Use 2-3 teaspoons dried chamomile per 1 cup boiling water and steep for 2-5 minutes.

Fresh Chamomile Tea Recipe: Use 6-8 teaspoons of fresh chamomile per 1 cup of boiling water and steep for 2-5 minutes.

Recipes

Baked Salmon with Rhubarb

Ingredients: 
2 shallots ( or sub ½ a red onion)
2  x 12 inch stalks rhubarb
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 salmon filets ( 4–6 ounces each) skinless, thicker cuts are best here
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons sherry cooking wine ( or sub 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar)
salt and pepper to taste
8 sprigs thyme

Wilted Chard:
1 bunch chard- leaves chopped, stems chopped thinly and separated
1 tablespoon olive oil
4  fat garlic cloves- roughly chopped (option to add in green garlic)
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon lemon zest and squeeze lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F
2. Slice shallots into thin wedges, long ways. Cut rhubarb in half lengthwise and cut into 4-inch pieces.
3. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute shallot for 3-4 minutes, until just tender and fragrant. Add rhubarb, sautaing for one minute.
4. Push shallots and rhubarb to the outer edges of the pan and place salmon in the center.
5. Season salmon and rhubarb with a little salt and pepper. Drizzle maple syrup just over rhubarb ( do not skimp here- see notes). Drizzle sherry wine ( or balsamic) over the rhubarb. Sprinkle with ½ of the thyme leaves ( saving ½ for garnish at the end). Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Check salmon after 10- and pull if necessary -continue cooking rhubarb for full 15 mins or when it is fork-tender.
6. In another skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until golden about 2 minutes. Add chard stems, sauté for 1-2 two minutes then add remaining chard and season with salt, pepper, lemon zest, and a little squeeze of lemon. Set aside.
7. Plate the salmon and divide the rhubarb shallot mixture among the two plates. Add the wilted chard.
8. Spoon the flavorful liquid from the salmon pan over the salmon itself. Garnish with remaining sprigs of thyme.

Recipe by Sylvia Fountaine

Rhubarb Sauce

4 cups fresh rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

In a saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Add rhubarb and cook for 8 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in lemon peel.
This sauce can be used on pancakes, waffles, cake, yogurt, ice cream and more!