Author: Aahnix Bathurst

Doorstep Harvest March 23, 2013

Posted on by Aahnix Bathurst

Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 3-23-2013
All produce this week is organically grown in my winter high tunnel.
Carrot: Obviously great eaten whole, or grated into salad. (Wiki-fact: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that world production of carrots and turnips (these plants are combined by the FAO for reporting purposes) for calendar year 2011 was almost 35.658 million tonnes. Almost half were grown in China.)
Braising mix:  mostly mustard and dinosaur kale this week, but it also contains some tatsoi as well.  Just stir-fry them. One tablespoon of Mirin, added near the end, adds to the flavor.  Adding sesame seeds also makes it taste great to me. 
Salad mix:  the variety I am using is a red salad bowl, which is cold hardy.
Spinach:  (Wiki-fact:   Polyglutamyl folate (vitamin B9 or folic acid) is a vital constituent of cells, and spinach is a good source of folic acid. Boiling spinach can more than halve the level of folate left in the spinach, but microwaving does not affect folate content. Vitamin B9 was first isolated from spinach in 1941.)
Sprouts:  lentils, just add to salads.
Herbs:  oregano, thyme, cilantro, and “bunching onion” greens… When chopped, it garnishes soups, especially miso soup, or add to salads.

Doorstep Harvest March 9, 2013

Posted on by Aahnix Bathurst

Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 3-9-2013
All produce this week is organically grown in my winter high tunnel.
The greens are somewhat bitter to me this week.  I did some research and found that cloudy days  may increase the nitrates in the greens, which may create a bitter flavor.   The hoop is a little dry, and I read that that may contribute to the bitter flavor of the lettuce.  I boiled the spinach, and found that that toned it down. If you find that they are too bitter for you, feel free to let me know and I will give next weeks delivery to you free.
Carrot: Obviously great eaten whole, or grated into salad. (Wiki-fact: The wild ancestors of the carrot are likely to have come from Iran and Afghanistan, which remain the centre of diversity of D. carota, the wild carrot.)
Braising mix:  just stir-fry them. One tablespoon of Mirin, added near the end, adds to the flavor.  Adding sesame seeds also makes it taste great to me. 
Salad mix:  the variety I am using is a red salad bowl, which is cold hardy.
Spinach:  (Wiki-fact:   The earliest available record of the spinach plant was recorded in Chinese, stating it was introduced into China via Nepal (probably in 647 AD))
Sprouts:  mung bean. Add to salad or stir-fry (if stir-fry, add near end). 
Herbs:  oregano, thyme, Cilantro, and lavender.

Doorstep Harvest March 2, 2013

Posted on by Aahnix Bathurst

Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 3-2-13
As with all new foods, it is wise to test new things in small amounts.
All produce this week is organically grown in my winter high tunnel.
This week, you will find: 
Braising Mix:  a blend of tatsoi, kale, chard, and mustard greens, better known as a stir-fry mix, you can sauté onions and garlic then add greens with a dash of brown rice vinegar and olive oil, sea salt, and a few dashes of mirin (NutriFact: one serving of kale has 49% of your days worth of vitamin C, 778% of your days worth of vitamin K, and 10% of your days worth of vitamin B6.) 
Salad Mix: a blend of encore lettuce mix, arugula, carrot tops, cress, beet tops, and mizuna
Herb Bag:  includes oregano, thyme, cilantro, and yarrow.  Yarrow can be made into relaxing teas, just put it into a quart/pint jar and pour boiling water over it, then let steep.
Carrots:  Best carrots I think I’ve ever grown!  There’s nothing like fresh winter hoop house carrots. Yum…  (WikiFact:  Only 3% of the β(beta)-carotene in raw carrots is released during digestion: this can be improved to 39% by pulping, cooking and adding cooking oil.)

Doorstep Harvest February 9, 2013

Posted on by Aahnix Bathurst

 

Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 2-9-2013
All produce this week is organically grown in my winter high tunnel.
Root Bag:
            Diakon Radish: Overwintered well:) 
            Watermelon Radish:  Debut the watermelon radish. Planted last fall, it overwintered, and is now ready to harvest. Called “watermelon” because of the red interior. Johnny’s catalogue states that it “has a remarkably sweet, delicious taste.”
            Beet:  tasty sliced into salad, boiled, or baked.  Please use delicious greens in salad (I think that is best) or stir fry (braising mix). 
            Carrot: biggest (two) carrots I’ve ever grown! Woah.  Obviously great eaten whole, or grated into salad. 
Braising mix:  just stir-fry them. One tablespoon of Mirin, added near the end, adds to the flavor.  Adding sesame seeds also makes it taste great to me. 
Salad mix:  Tastes great! 
Spinach:  I think it tastes great!
Sprouts:  mung bean and lentil. Add to salad or stir-fry. 

 

Doorstep Harvest December 8, 2012

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Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 12-8-12
:):) Braising mix:  Beet greens
                              Chard
                              Red Russian Kale
                              White Kale
                              Dino Kale
                              Tatsoi
                              Mustard Greens
                        
:):) Salad mix:  Encore Lettuce mix
                          Baby red Russian kale
                          Baby Tatsoi
                          Wrinkled Cress
                          Cress
                          Spinach
                           Arugula
                           Mizuna
                           Baby Mustard
                           Baby Chard
:):) Chard:  put extra in stir-fry, salad, or put into a soup. 
:):)  Tatsoi:  in heads and individual leaves.  cut and sauté like any other greens.
:):) Borage:  Chop and add to salad.  Tastes similar to cucumber. 
:):)  Tomatillo:  Chop thin, and add to salsa
:):)  Cayenne Pepper:  extremely hot, great in chili.
:):)  Carrots:  nice chopped into salad.
:):) Fall Potato:  first and last of fall plantings!  Enjoy!
:):) Mung Bean Sprouts:  put in salad, stir fries, or Chinese-style soups.
:):) Black Walnuts: last of the year!
:):) Oyster Mushrooms!:  kit grown, this is my first attempt at growing mushrooms!  I am really excited!
:):)  Icicle Radish:  chop small and use greens in the last three minutes of a stir-fry.  Greens are very nutritious.
:):)  Japanese bunching onion:  chop, and add to salad or soup.
:):) Herb Bag:
     Parsley
     Cilantro
     Oregano
     Thyme
     Lavender
    
:):)= organically grown in my town garden

Doorstep Harvest December 1, 2012

Posted on by Aahnix Bathurst

Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 12-1-12
This week in you delivery you will find:
Tatsoi
Braising mix: Red Russian Kale, Dino Kale, White Kale, Tatsoi, mustard greens, chard
Salad mix: includes mizuna, baby mustard greens, encore lettuce mix, baby kale, cress, baby carrot leaves (salad) spinach(ifnotenough)
Scarlett globe radish
Icicle daikon radish
Red Russian kale (separate)
Arugula
Spinach
Ming bean sprouts
Black walnut
Tomato
Cayenne pepper (can be eaten green)
Tomatillo
Herbs: yarrow, oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, cilantro.

Doorstep Harvest November 24, 2012

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Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 11-24-12
This week in your delivery you will find:
Scarlett Globe radish: Big, but actually pretty sweet! (Wikifact:  As with other root crops, tilling the soil to loosen it up and remove rocks helps the roots grow. However, radishes are used in no-till farming to help reverse compaction.)
  Icicle Daikon radish:  See Scarlett Globe
 Kale. (Wikifact:  Until the end of the Middle Ages, kale was one of the most common green vegetables in all of Europe.)
 Tatsoi. (Wikifact:  Tatsoi can be harvested even from under the snow)
 Mustard Greens (Wikifact:  more pungent than the closely related Brassica oleracea greens (kale, cabbage, collard greens, et cetera), and is frequently mixed with these milder greens in a dish of “mixed greens”, which may include wild greens such as dandelion. As with other greens in soul food cooking, mustard greens are generally flavored by being cooked for a long period with ham hocks or other smoked pork products. Mustard greens are high in vitamin A and vitamin K.)
Green and Red Chard. (Wkifact:   Chard is, in fact, considered to be one of the healthiest vegetables available and a valuable addition to a healthy diet)
 Spinach. (Wikifact:  Spinach is mentioned in the first known English cookbook, The Forme of Cury (1390))
 Arugula.  (Wikifact:  Salad rocket looks like a longer-leaved and open lettuce and is eaten raw, in salads with oil and vinegar, or as a garnish, as well as cooked as a leafy green vegetable.)
 Salad:  includes:  baby kale, baby beet greens, baby carrot tops, wrinkled cress. Mizuna, water cress, encore lettuce mix.
 Black Walnut:  (Wkifact:  Black walnut is highly prized for its dark-colored, true heartwood.  Due to its value, forestry officials often are called on to track down walnut poachers; in 2004, DNA testing was used to solve one such poaching case, involving a 55-foot (16-m) tree worth US$2,500.)
 Cayenne Pepper. (Wkifact:  Canadian natives have used cayenne in their boots as a guard against sub-zero temperatures.)
 Habenaro Pepper. (Fun fact:  The first European to “discover” Chili Peppers was Christopher Columbus in America in 1493)
 Tomatillo. (Wkifact:  Ripe tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. They will keep even longer if the husks are removed and the fruits are placed in sealed plastic bags stored in the refrigerator)
 Tomato.  (Wikfact:  The Pueblo people are thought to have believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with powers of divination.)
 Herbs:  parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, sage, cilantro
 passionflower.   Prohibited for use during pregnancy.  (passiflora incardata) (Wikifact:  Traditionally, the fresh or dried whole plant has been used as a herbal medicine to treat nervous anxiety and insomnia.[3] A small clinical study suggested that in the form of a tea it may improve the subjective quality of sleep.[4] The dried, ground herb is frequently used in Europe by drinking a teaspoon of it in tea. A sedative chewing gum has even been produced.)

Doorstep Harvest October 20, 2012

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Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 10-20-12
This week in your delivery you will find:
JJSalad mix: Baby Arugula, Encore Salad Mix, Baby Carrot Tops, Baby Radish Tops (Extremely Healthy), Baby Kale, Baby Mustard Greens, and Mizuna.
JJSquash: Spaghetti and Butternut.  Very last of the squashes this year. L  (Wikifact:  Though considered a vegetable in cooking, botanically speaking, squash is a fruit (being the receptacle for the plant’s seeds).)
JJTomatillo:  peel off skins, slice, and put into stir-fry.  (Wikifact:  tomatillos have a high pectin content.)
JJCherry Tomato:  they survived the frost, and are still very happy.  (Wikifact:  Cherry tomatoes are believed to go as far back as Aztec Mexico in at least the 15th century CE)
JJCayenne Pepper:  Very hot!  (Wikifact:  It is also a key ingredient in a variety of hot sauces, particularly those employing vinegar as a preservative… Buffalo-wing sauce contains Cayenne pepper)
JJRadish  (Wikifact:  The descriptive Greek name of the genus Raphanus means “quickly appearing” and refers to the rapid germination of these plants.)
JJArugula:  (Wikifact:  It is rich in vitamin Cand potassium)
JJBraising mix:  Tatsoi and Kale (Wikifact:  Tatsoi can be harvested even from under the snow, Kale, as with broccoliand other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties)
JJSpinach:  (Wikifact:  The Environmental Working Group reported spinach is one of the dozen most heavily pesticide-contaminated produce products.[19]The most common pesticides found on spinach are permethrin, dimethoate, and DDT.[citation needed] Spinach is high in cadmium contamination)
JJGoji Berry:  put two plants in ground this year, it’s a “Super food” in the latest health drink, sampling quantity, hope to have more next year. Taste a bit bitter.
JJStinging Nettle:  use as a soothing tea.
J Sunchokes:  also called Jerusalem Artichokes, taste good peeled and baked.  (Wikifact:  Despite its name, the Jerusalem artichoke has no relation to Jerusalem, and it is not a type of artichoke, though both are members of the daisyfamily.)
J Black Walnuts:  Enjoy cracking themJ (Wikifact:  Black walnut drupes contain juglone (5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone), plumbagin(yellow quinone pigments), and tannin. These compounds cause walnuts to stain cars, sidewalks, porches, and patios, in addition to the hands of anyone attempting to shell them.[3]The brownish-black dye was used by early settlers to dye hair.)
JJCulinary Herbs:  Oregano, Lavender, Thyme, Italian Parsley, and Basil.
JJTea Herbs:  Comfrey Leaf and Lemon Balm. 
JJ= Organically grown in my house in town.
J= grown in my garden at my grandparents farm, or wildcrafted.

Doorstep Harvest September 29, 2012

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Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 9-29-12
JJEggplant:    (Wikifact:  The fruit is botanically classified as a berry and contains numerous small, soft seeds which are edible, but have a bitter taste)
JJButternut squash:  (Wikifacts:  indigenous to North and Central America, squash were introduced to early European settlers by Native Americans.)
JJOkra (Wikifacts:  the products of the plant are mucilaginous, resulting in the characteristic “goo” or slime when the seed pods are cooked; the mucilage contains a usable form of soluble fiber.  Cooking with acidic ingredients such as a few drops of lemon juice, tomatoes, or vinegar may help)
JJYard Long Bean (Wikifacts:  Despite common name, the pods are actually only about half a yard long; the subspecies name sesquipedalis (one-and-a-half-foot-long) is a rather exact approximation of the pods’ length)
JJGreen Beans:  French provider.
JJCherry Tomato  (Wikifacts:  Records of Santorin cherry tomatoes being heavily cultivated in Greece can be found as far back as 1875, from seeds brought there by a monk in the early 1800s.)
JFall Black Berries (Triple Crown):  We’re hoping that they’ll continue producing now that the heat is over. (Wikifacts:  Arguably, the most beneficial property of the blackberry is its profusion of ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is a phytochemical, meaning it is only found in certain plants. In experimental studies, ellagic acid is used to treat tumors in mice; the result being ellagic acid is reliable for causing the death of particular cancer cells)
JJRoot Bag:     JJPotatoes:  just dug the last plants for these.  Our fall crop is coming along well.
                            JJ: Carrots:  enjoy these baby carrots!
JJTomatillo:  Just a taste, add to salsa. (Wikifacts:  Ripe tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks. They will keep even longer if the husks are removed and the fruits are placed in sealed plastic bags stored in the refrigerator)
Greens Braising mix:       JJTatsoi
                                           JJKale
JJChard :(Wikifacts:   Chard has been around for centuries, but because of its similarity to beets is difficult to determine the exact evolution of the different varieties of chard)
Salad mix:  (Wikifacts:  the moshav (agricultural village) of Sde Warburg, Israelholds the Guinness World Record for the largest lettuce salad, weighing 10,260 kg.)
              JLettuce Mix
Brassica salad additions: JJArugula
                                           JJBaby Kale
                                           JJBaby Tatsoi
Radish Bag:   (Wikifacts:  The most commonly eaten portion is the napiform taproot, although the entire plant is edible and the tops can be used as a leaf vegetable.)
              JScarlett Globe
              JIcicle Diakon
JJOkra leaf:  WOW!!!!  I was googling okra, and found that its leaves are edible as well.  I have included several recipes in the back, as well as their websites.  We have tried it, and found them worth eating.  They taste like very similar to the okra pod.
New Zealand Spinach:  You can steam, Stir-fry, or put it in salad.
Culinary Herb Bag:  JJBasil (in separate bag), must wash before use!  Recent rain splattered dirt on it.
              JJParsley
              JJOregano
              JJLavender
              JJSavory
              JJCayenne Pepper
Tea Herb Bag:
              Lemon Balm
              Peppermint
JJ:  Organically grown in my garden in town
J:  Grown in my garden at Grandmas house in the country.

Doorstep Harvest September 21, 2012

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Doorstep Harvest Newsletter 9-21-12
As always, try new foods with caution, and in small amounts.  Also, please note that some herbs-foods may interact with pharmaceuticals so, if you use meds, please go to http://www.drugs.com/ to check them out.
News from the garden:  Although the diversity continues, the overall production rate has really slowed.  I am moving to every other week deliveries for you.  (This means that your next delivery date will be Saturday, October 5th.)  Crenshaw melons are done for the yearL.  Two years ago, they thrived, and produced past frost. I don’t know why they’ve stopped this year. Autumn Olive berry bushes are ripening at various times.  No berries this week, as we finished off the “early bush”, but there may be more next delivery.  Sweet potato plants look beautiful and there is a ton of tomatillo filling out…
This week, in your Doorstep Harvest, you will find:
J Tomatoes (regular, heirloom & cherry mix):  Tomatoes are still going strong. 4 pounds regular tomatoes, 2 pounds of heirloom mix and 2 pounds of cherry mix. 
J/JJ Okra: Rainbow of colors! White, Red, and Green, they’re all heirloom varieties, and unfortunately, all turn green when cooked.
J Green Chard.
J Jalapeño peppers:  WikiFact:  The heat, caused by capsaicin and related compounds, is concentrated in the membrane (placenta) surrounding the seeds.
J Root Bag:
              Beets:  they’ve been sitting in the ground not doing much all summer, and have started growing bigger.            Diakon Radish: Peel off the skin, and eat the insides. Grating it into salads is the best option.
Carrot:  these late spring planted carrots have also started growing again with the cooler weather  You might want to make a salad with grated carrot, beet, diakon, and chopped red radish.
Scarlett Globe Radish: Planted them about a month ago, I think they are delicious, well, as good a radishes can be…
JJOregano:  DIRTY!  Wash before immediate use. 
JJComfrey:   same as always, put leaves in a quart jar… WikiFact:  One of the Country names for Comfrey was ‘knitbone’, a reminder of its traditional use in healing bone fractures.  Modern Science confirms that comfrey can influence the course of bone ailments.
 JJBasil:   WikiFact:  The Herbalist John Gerard noted of basil that those stung by scorpions would feel no pain if they ate of basil.    I wonder what the dose for that is…
 JJLavender:  fantastic seasoning for chicken.
JJ Sage
J Shisho:  WikiFact:  The Red (Purple) Perilla (Shisho) has red leaves and is used in fish stews in China.  When you buy pickled ginger, and it’s pink, shisho is what’s used to dye it, Mom says.
J  = grown in my garden in the country at Grandma (organic as much as possible)   or wild crafted
JJ = 100% organically grown in my 4-H Garden in my Cedar Street home.