Good Food from Healthy Farms
Elliot
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Posts by Elliot
Storage and Preparation Tips: Navel Oranges, Cucumber, Sunchokes
Dec 15th
Navel Oranges: You can store navels on the countertop for a couple of days if you know you’ll be using them within that time frame. Otherwise, refrigerate. Avoid exposure to moisture, as this can promote mold and decay.
Cucumber: Refrigerate in the crisper drawer for up to four days. Wash before use.
Sunchokes: Store in a cool, dry, ventilated area away from light, or in the vegetable drawer of the fridge, wrapped in paper towels to absorb humidity, and sealed in a plastic bag.
Terra Update – Dec 14, 2011
Dec 14th
Apples. Apples. Apples. Dan shares a bit about quantities and pricing.
WSU Beginning Farming Webinar Series in November
Nov 14th
From our inbox:
Beginning Farming Webinar Series
When: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Ecological Soil Management: November 15;
Integrated Pest Management: November 22;
Equipment for Small Farms: November 29
Where: Webinars will be available through your computer browser. A high-speed internet connection is required.
Registration:
Ecological Soil Management: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211075
Integrated Pest Management: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211077
Equipment for Small Farms: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/211079
Webinars are $20 each or $40 for all 3. Webinars are free to past and current Cultivating Success Students. Cultivating Success students should contact Michel Wiman to register: mbrockington@wsu.edu
Puyallup, WA
Do you want to improve your farm’s bottom line? Could farming be in your future? The Washington State University Small Farms Program has educational opportunities that meet you on-line and in the field. We offer unique educational formats combining research and professional expertise to give you the tools you need to run a farm business today.
For 10 years, our Cultivating Success program partners have helped 3000 people develop or expand their farming enterprise through 12-week community education courses. Three sections of our popular Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching course are being provided in an on-line format to those not able to attend a semester-long class this year.
Three webinars will be made available covering soil management, integrated pest management, and equipment for small farms. There is a fee to join the webinar. Past and present cultivating success students can join the program for free. Scholarships are available.
November 15th, 2011: Ecological Soil Management with Doug Collins and Adam McCurdy
Soil scientist and Small Farms Educator Doug Collins will cover an introduction to soil management for small farmers. Doug will describe soil quality, soil fertility, nitrogen mineralization, organic amendments, soil test interpretation, and pH management.
Snoqualmie Valley Farmer Adam McCurdy will discuss how he works to build soil at Oxbow Center for Sustainable Agriculture & the Environment. Adam is in his 13th season of farming. He has been at Oxbow since 2007 where he co-manages 25 acres. Adam will discuss soil preparation, fertility management, equipment, and cover cropping.
November 22, 2011: Integrated Pest Management with Chris Benedict, Todd Murray, and Doug Collins.
Whatcom County Extension Educator and weed scientist Chris Benedict, Skamania County Extension Director and entomologist Todd Murray, and Small Farms Educator and soil scientist Doug Collins will describe how to integrate physical, biological, and chemical strategies to control weeds, insects, and pathogens on your farm.
November 29, 2011: Equipment for Small Farmers with Andy Bary and Holly Foster
Soil Scientist and Puyallup Experimental Organic Farm Manager Andy Bary will cover selecting equipment for field preparation, fertilizing, planting, and weeding.
Holly Foster operates Zestful Gardens, a CSA vegetable farm in the Puyallup Valley. Holly is a small farm equipment aficionado and will share what pieces she finds invaluable for farm operation.
Storage and Preparation Tips: Concorde Pears, Fingerling Potatoes
Oct 20th
Concorde Pears: This is a pear variety that can be enjoyed during various stages of the ripening process. If you prefer a crisper pear, eat immediately; if you like a softer pear, wait a couple of days before consuming. The coloring of Concordes varies only slightly as they ripen.
Fingerling Potatoes: Fingerlings are a little more delicate than other potato varieties, and benefit from refrigeration. No need to peel prior to use. Fingerlings are ideal for soups and stews, or try them roasted with rosemary and a little salt & pepper.
Storage and Preparation Tips: Delicata Squash, Bartlett Pears, Broccoli, Celery
Oct 13th
Store Delicata Squash in a cool, preferably dark, well-ventilated area for up to one month. Wrap cut pieces in plastic and refrigerate up to five days.
To ripen, store Bartlett pears at room temperature for up to one week. Pears may be refrigerated to stop ripening process. Organic produce should not be stacked with non-organic produce.
Keep unwashed broccoli refrigerated for up to five days
Keep covered unwashed Celery in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Week of Oct 3: CSA Box
Oct 6th
A basket full of this week’s Tahoma Farms CSA Box. This week includes Mixed Eggplant, Yellow Potatoes, Broccoli, Red Radishes, Bunched Baby Carrots and more!
Terra Organics Experience Contest: Winning Entry #2
Oct 5th
Caroline S.’s Experience:
Baby Alexander at about 5 months, covered in applesauce.
Realizing that the first few months with a new baby were likely to be filled with exhaustion, last year we decided to order our first Terra Organics a few weeks before our baby arrived. I cannot even begin to describe what a relief it was to know that every week, a substantial portion of our grocery shopping was already handled, with the added bonus of finding all kinds of fantastic seasonal produce at our doorstep. With a schedule that is pressed for time these days, it is great to have some really interesting (and new) recipes to try. Everyone (baby included) ate Fettuccine with Rainbow Chard and White Beans last night, and a few weeks ago Summer Beets with Mint were a huge success.
As our child began to reach the age for solids, we decided to try a grain cereal first. I made the cereal somewhat reluctantly, as it looked (and smelled) way too much like wallpaper paste to have any substantial nutritive value. The processed portion of the “processed food” experience seemed to outweigh the food element. None of this seemed designed to introduce a baby to real food with textures and taste. Our son was even less thrilled. I took one look at the pasty cereal in the bowl, glanced over at the fresh apples from Terra Organics in the fruit basket and decided to make a batch of homemade applesauce with cinnamon. Within minutes the bowl was empty. And our baby has become a very healthy, enthusiastic, and adventurous eater. Pluots in the box this week? They will be gone before our next order arrives. Carrots? He toddles around the playground with handfuls of cut up cooked carrots. Grapes are sliced up and vanish. Do you have any idea how many grapes a small child can eat in one sitting? We need to up our grape orders. Zucchini cooked with pepper and onions? He will eat them for days in a row. Sliced cherries are taken to playdates, and gleefully shared with others. Nectarines have been a favorite of late, and the discovery that pressing on a cube of watermelon or cantaloupe produces a juicy mess is apparently one of the great joys of childhood.
Our toddler now eats so much produce that a few months ago we switched over to the larger, regular box. Our only request? Could Terra start please a laundry service too? We haven’t yet figured out how to successfully remove the beet stains, raspberry smears and crushed blueberries from his clothing.
Caroline S. and David W. were winners in our Terra Organics Experience Contest. Email etrotter@terra-organics.com with your Terra experience if you want to share your it on our blog.
Terra Organics Experience Contest: Winners!
Oct 4th
Thanks to all who submitted to our first ever Terra Organics Experience Contest. After consideration of all of the entries, we decided to split the Grand Prize between two of our favorites. Congratulations to Kelly T. and Caroline S. You’ve both won a $100 coupon to the Terra Organics webstore as well as a free T-shirt from the Terra Organics mech shop. We’re so proud of our submissions that we wanted to share them. We’re always excited to hear about what your Terra Organics experience is like. So feel free to email us or let us know how you’re liking your boxes on Facebook.
Winning Entry #1 – Kelly T.’s Experience:
My name is Kelly and I have been a customer of Terra-organics for almost a year. I am a stay at home mom of four and much of my time is spent taking kids from here to there and keeping up with the house work. If I have to run an errand that means I would have to take all four out with me and that is just torcher. I have been trying to simplify my life. In doing that I have built up a food storage so I only have to go to the store every three months. It was the weekly stuff like getting bread, milk and fresh fruits and veggies that was making it hard. I was dreading those trips. So I went in search of a company or companies that delivered.
I was excited when I found Terra-Organics. Not only was I able to get fresh fruits and vegetables delivered to my door but they were organic too. Now I was a little hesitant because I wasn’t sure about the pricing and what if something is wrong with the order, but I decided to test it out. My first box showed up and it was so nice to see that the produce not only arrived on time, was priced well but it looked amazing. So I put it in the fridge and before I knew it my children had eaten it all. I couldn’t wait for our next box. When it should up again, on time and with everything looking nice I was hooked.
My children know that on Thursday our box will show up. It is like Christmas for them to see what new fruit or vegetable I am going to have them try or what did I order for the week. My husband loved when the kumquat’s were in season. I think the best story I have to share is of my latest box we just got.
We had been on vacation and when I got home I quickly got on-line to order our produce for the week. It wasn’t anything special just our normal type of order. But when we got it there was a HUGE surprise. I mean literally a HUGE surprise. Every week I order lettuce and each week it comes but this week when it came it was Gigantic. When I showed my kids it they all said “WOW that is Huge! What is it?” I quickly told them it was lettuce. The look on my youngest son when he held it up was awesome. (see photo). He could barely hold it up and it was bigger than his head.
Terra-organics has not only allowed me to not have to go out and do my weekly shopping but it has allowed me to introduce new items to my children and they eat it all up. We are all looking forward to our next shipment to see what kind of goodies or HUGE surprises will be in there.
We’ll share our other winning entry later this week! Email etrotter@terra-organics.com with your Terra experience if you want to share your it on our blog.
Storage and Preparation Tips: Yellow Potatoes, Red Radishes, Apples
Oct 4th
Yellow Potatoes: Store whole potatoes in a cool, dry, dark place (45-50°F) with good ventilation, but do not refrigerate. Scrub well before use.
Red Radishes: Keep refrigerated, storing in a perforated plastic bag to retain moisture. Don’t forget that radish greens can also be consumed—try sautéing or adding soups.
Apples: Refrigerate in a plastic bag, away from vegetables, as apples produce ethylene, a ripening agent.
