May 27, 2018
Some Pick Up Information
by Dana Hunting

May 27, 2018
Tender Greens
By Linda Dansbury

Last week I wrote that this article would begin this week; however, my pick up day is Thursday, so that only gives me a couple days to enjoy the yummy veggies prior to my Sunday posting.

Mini head lettuce, spinach, pea shoots, radicchio, chives (including blossoms), radishes - made really yummy salads - the more flavors and textures, the tastier the salad. Homemade salad dressings are as simple to make as they are delicious to eat. For a simple vinaigrette, just remember a vinegar to oil ratio of 1:3 or 1:4 so it is nicely balanced. From there, add whatever herbs and/or spices you like - I tend to slant the dressing toward the flavorings of the main course - I use rice wine vinegar, a neutral oil, a drop of sesame oil or tamari for Asian meals. For European, I tend to add garlic, basil and oregano (dried is fine) to my dressing. Homemade dressings keep for at least a week in the fridge.

Lettuce, chives, green garlic, pea shoots, radishes, ground lamb - made lettuce wraps - the small, cupped lettuce leaves were perfect to hold small amounts of lamb that had been sautéed with sliced onions and green garlic, bulghur and Middle Eastern spices. Used pea shoots, julienned radishes and chives for toppings before rolling the lettuce wraps up.

If you have a tasty way you enjoy your harvest, or a request or question, email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in your subject line.

May 27, 2018
Greens How to...
By Linda Dansbury

This time of year, the harvest is ever changing and not truly known until it is time to harvest due to the fluctuating (and particularly adverse) weather conditions.

Derek tells me he is certain about some crops, so here are a couple of tips on greens:

Green tops - don't throw away the radish, turnip, beet and kohrabi tops! They can be sautéed or stir fried by themselves or along with the other greens we receive, added to soups or frozen to add to homemade vegetable broth. A simple way to blanch prior to freezing is to boil a large pot of water. Place the greens you want to blanch in a large colander set over a larger pot or over the sink. Boil water and then slowly pour over the greens. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much of the water as you can, make balls out of the greens, place in freezer bags (label) and freeze. Later, when making broth, soups you want to add greens, or stews, just take the greens out of freezer as needed and use. This method is also great if you just don't have time to use all the greens we receive at this time of the year. In addition, if the chard stems are not used in a recipe, freeze for adding to vegetable broth.

Greens are in many cases interchangeable in recipes - for example, the leaves of Swiss chard may be used instead of spinach in most cooked recipes. Too much kale? Make kale pesto - experiment with individual greens or a mixture. In our June 2nd Workshop called "Now What", Gia along with attending members will exchange ideas of how to both enjoy the greens when you first bring them home and how to preserve them, making pesto/pistou, and freezing, plus many other techniques. Even long-timers always learn new tricks and recipes, so be sure to attend this fun event!

It is best to cut the tops from the roots when you get them home to preserve both flavor and freshness of both parts of the crop.

There are also recipes on this site that incorporate both the root and the greens. Try Roasted Beets and Beet Green Risotto. I recommend this dish every year - it is delicious and the color is spectacular! It is sure to please even people who claim to not like beets. Also try Asian Turnip and Turnip Green Saute - a very simple and tasty dish.

May 27, 2018
Flood Tolerant Veggies
By Derek McGeehan

Please note that due to the crazy weather and excessive rainfall what's offered in the pick up room could be slightly different than what is listed here.

May 27, 2018
Workshifts for Week of 5/28/18
by Dana Hunting

Workshifts scheduled for this week:

Wednesday 5/30 10am-12noon

Wednesday 5/30 6-8pm

Friday 6/1 10am-12noon

Sunday 6/3 9-11am

Workshift sign-up instructions may be found here.

Workshifts typically meet under the large red maple just outside of the pick up room. Please wear appropriate clothes and footwear for working outside and bring your own gloves and water.

Thank you!

May 27, 2018
The Good, The Bad, and The (ugly) Rain
By Derek McGeehan

Another 3.75 inches of rain fell at the farm this morning bringing the total for the month up to almost 10 inches. In my memory this was the worst flash flooding event we've had on the farm since the summer of 2009, the last time I remember receiving 3+" in such a short timeframe. It's very much a good thing that I waited until after our field walk to work on the newsletter because I was rendered mentally exhausted, frustrated, sad, confused, forlorn, desperate, scared, and empty of spirit after battling the torrent spilling down the driveway with a rake, a hoe, and eventually the tractor amid the driving relentless rain.

The field walk revealed our worst fears weren't realized and erosion was luckily "minimal". No major new erosion channels were formed in any of the fields and no crops were washed away (that was taken care of in April when we had 2.5" of rain in a couple of hours). The field walk also nicely revealed healthy crops ready for harvest such as beets and kohlrabi, dill and cilantro which should be offered this week or next.

Most fortunately prior to this weather event the ground had dried out just enough to allow us to work the soil and make beds for many of the crops that desperately need to find an outside home. These crops include eggplant, okra, winter squash, lettuce, basil, summer squash, cucumbers, beans, and edamame, about 5,000 feet in total. The dry soil also gave us the chance to get caught up on cultivating. Considering the wet weather of the past two weeks we could be in a worse position. Hope you all made it through this most recent bad weather event!

May 20, 2018
Harvest Time!
By Derek McGeehan

Main Season Harvest #1 (Week A) should include kale, lettuce, green garlic, chives, radishes, pea shoots, bok choy, arugula, greens mix, broccoli raab, romaine, radicchio, spinach, and hakurei turnips. Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include perennial herbs from the herb garden. Herbs ready for harvest should include mint, thyme, oregano, lemon balm, catnip, sorrel, and anise hyssop.

Please note that due to the weather there may be more variability in what we list here compared to what is actually available in the pick up room. It will match pretty closely but may not be 100% the same (could be more like 88.2% the same).

May 20, 2018
Workshifts for Week of 5/21/18
by Dana Hunting

Workshifts scheduled for this week:

Workshift sign-up instructions may be found here.

Workshifts typically meet under the large red maple just outside of the pick up room. Please wear appropriate clothes and footwear for working outside and bring your own gloves and water.

Thank you!

May 20, 2018
Out of the Rain and Into the Harvest
By Derek McGeehan

Hooray! Maybe the rain is finally over! Five inches were received last week, more than a typical month's worth. The crops - and farmers - will be happy to dry out a bit, hopefully with some sun and wind this week. Amazingly most of the crops seem to have tolerated the cool and moist weather and perpetually wet feet. Raised beds are a must these days. Amidst this auspicious time of harvest commencements we're not immune to extreme weather events though and there will most likely be some adverse effects that will reveal themselves. Certain crops are more sensitive to excess moisture than others, such as spinach.

Okay, enough with the weather - how about a 'hooray' for the start of the harvest season? This week officially begins the 2018 harvest season, the 15th season of Anchor Run CSA, our 10th here. We're excited to finally begin retrieving lots and lots of tasty spring crops from the fields. Specialties like green garlic, pea shoots, chives, radicchio compliment staples like kale, spinach, lettuce, radishes, and turnips. Some items are really bursting with growth and water and hopefully flavor.

Once the ground dries out just enough we have a busy week of cultivating, weeding, and transplanting crops such as basil, dill, cilantro, scallions, winter squash, sweet corn, eggplant, edamame, and lettuce. Last week we spent a lot of time push mowing, weed wacking, potting up, and weeding carrots. We worked outside when we could and inside when we had to. The farm's in good shape overall. See you soon!

May 20, 2018
Eating/Cooking Local
By Linda Dansbury

The 2018 main season commences this week - telling us it is truly and finally spring! Welcome (back) to the farm. For new members, this is the place to watch for storage and preparation information on the produce we receive each week from the farm. Starting next week, I will have a weekly column called "How I enjoyed my Harvest", which is meant to provide ideas to you on how to incorporate the delicious veggies into your meals. My sections of the newsletter are meant to be collaborative and I encourage members to email me with ideas, recipes and questions about the harvests we receive. Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.

For this week's harvest, we have a couple of items you may not be very familiar with: pea shoots, green garlic, fresh chives.

Pea shoots are a lot of fun to use - they have a mild pea flavor and look really pretty in any dish. Add them to the lettuce in your salads - the best way to taste the freshness is to dress very lightly - a little fresh squeezed lemon juice and mild flavored oil, salt and pepper is all you need (this is also true with the early lettuce we receive). Another option is to gently stir fry the pea shoots. A very simple method - slice the green garlic and a chili pepper or red pepper flakes if desired, swirl it around in the oil for a few seconds. Ginger can also be put into the pan at this point. Add the pea shoots and swirl them around until barely wilted - don't cook for long because you don't want to destroy the delicate flavor. Remove from heat and drizzle a little soy sauce or sesame oil and fresh ground pepper, mix and enjoy.

Green garlic - I am excited to receive this item this year! The immature garlic bulbs and edible green stalks/leaves have a nutty-oniony flavor that is great fresh or cooked. Substitute green garlic in recipes for onions, scallions or leeks. The young, tender cloves don't need to be peeled before chopping. Slice and use in potato salad or mince and stir into salad dressings. Toss some in a stir-fry, on a pizza, or in soups. The light garlicky flavor enhances dishes without overpowering. Flavor-wise, one stalk and bulb of spring garlic is equivalent to a small onion, or a leek and one clove of mature garlic. Refrigerate.

Chives - these can be eaten in salads or cooked in any dish that calls for a member of the allium family (onion, leek, garlic). The purple flower is a bit more pungent than the green stalk/leaf.

Enjoy the first harvest!

May 20, 2018
Hershberger Heritage Farm Here on Thursdays 1-5pm
by Dana Hunting

Hershberger Heritage Farm will be at Anchor Run Farm 1-5pm on Thursdays during the harvest season to sell their organic and pastured poultry, meat, and other land proteins. Peruse their website for more information.

May 13, 2018
Harvest Season Begins Week of 5/21/18
By Derek McGeehan

Wow, we've been busy and time has flown by! It's now the middle of May, the harvest season is about to commence, tomatoes are in the ground, swallows have returned, eastern gray tree frogs are singing, forests and fields are green, and strawberries are flowering. It's been a month since our last official newsletter went out. It's difficult to spend enough time in front of a computer with all of the outside work we've had to do and a lack of rainy days hasn't forced us inside (until now). We've turned the corner away from frost and are now focused on planting traditional summer crops like squash, cucumbers, basil, melons, tomatillos, husk cherries, flowers, and tomatoes. Things are rolling along and we're right on schedule.

Most crops on the farm are looking healthy without any major surprises. Fortunately leaf miner damage seems to be minimal, almost absent. The ever-present springtime flea beetle, however, seems to have outsmarted our floating row cover in one field and is completely absent in another. The cool and previously dry weather hasn't stimulated too much weed growth though we've spent a lot of time cultivating to keep them from gaining any footholds.

We muscled through 3 or 4 days in the 90s, set up irrigation on the entire farm, and now of course are enjoying days and days of moisture and cool weather. It comes at a good time anyway. We're looking forward to seeing returning members and new faces on the farm, see you soon!

May 13, 2018
First Harvest Week of 5/21/18
by Dana Hunting

Hypothetical Week #1 Harvest (Week A): lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, pea shoots, green garlic, greens (arugula, broccoli raab, greens mix), bok choy, radishes, hakurei turnips, chard, chicory (endive, escarole, Italian dandelion, radicchio), herbs (chives, dill, cilantro). Some items will be a choice. U-pick should include perennial herbs. In next Sunday's newsletter the official list will be included (a lot can grow/change in a week).

May 13, 2018
Workshifts for Week of 5/14/18
By Derek McGeehan

We had been planning to begin a regular workshift schedule this week but due to the rainy forecast we're going to postpone workshifts until next Sunday and the following week. Being in the fields when they're perpetually soggy and moist is not a great idea.

Workshifts scheduled as of now:

Sunday 5/20 10am-12noon

Sunday 5/27 10am-12noon

Workshift sign-up instructions may be found here.

Once the forecast changes we'll post more workshifts during the week.

Thank you!

May 13, 2018
Some Pick Up Information
by Dana Hunting

Another e-mail will come your way with your specific pick up day information and balance but you can always log in to the website to check.

• Pick up begins the week of 5/21/18 for Full, Medium, and Week A Half Shares. Week B Half Shares begin the following week of 5/28/18. We're open Memorial Day weekend and during all summertime holidays. Log in to view your pick up day/week now, or wait for the next e-mail.
• Pick up days are Monday 1-8pm, Thursday 1-8pm, and Saturday 10am-12noon. When you signed up for a share you selected one of these days. Half Shares are also designated Week A or Week B. If you're a returning member you have the same week as last year. If you're a new member you've been assigned Week A or Week B. Log in to check now, or wait for the next e-mail.
• It is very important that you come on your correct and assigned pick up day since we harvest specific amounts for the number of members coming on that day. Sign in sheets are provided by the pick up room when you arrive to collect your share. Log in to check now, or wait for the next e-mail.
• You can temporarily switch your pick up day/week by e-mailing us by 5pm Sunday prior to your pick up week.
• Allotments for the farmer harvested share and u-pick portion will be specified on the blackboards in the pick up room. Staff will be available in the pick up room to assist new members.
• U-pick can be collected any day of your pick up week Monday-Sunday 8am-8pm. Weekly u-pick allotments are specified in the pick up room on the u-pick board.

• Bring your own bags and scissors and wear appropriate farm footware. Please be courteous in the pick up room and in the u-pick fields.
• Parking is available in the large stone lot at the end of the driveway. Parking next to the barn is available for handicapped persons and for cars with sleeping kids.
• Driveway speed limit is 10mph.

• The bridge immediately north of the farm on 2nd Street Pike (route 232) is temporarily closed for repairs. Alternate routes abound if you're approaching from that direction. If heading south on 413 from Buckingham take a right on Township Line Road, a left on Cherry Lane, then a left on 2nd Street Pike. If heading north on 413 from Newtown take a left on Penns Park Road then a right on 2nd Street Pike. If heading south on route 232 from New Hope it looks like taking a right on Pine Lane to Township Line Road is best. Consult Google Maps for more help. The bridge is scheduled to reopen in June.
• If you still have a balance, please remit payment no later than June 1st, 2018. You can mail it or give it to Becky in the pick up room.

May 13, 2018
Upcoming Events
by Dana Hunting

• June 2nd 1-3pm: Now What?! Workshop hosted by longtime CSA member Gia Yaccarino. Click link for more information.
  
• June 9th 6-9pm: Potluck under the pavilion