Welcome to Garden Patch Farm Online

NEWSLETTER # 8

SEPTEMBER 22, 2004

Hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having!

THIS WEEK'S PICKS:

YUKON POTATOES, RED CLOUD POTATOES, GARLIC, DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF MELONS, DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF CABBAGE, DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF TOMATOES, KALE, YELLOW DRAGON BEANS, GREEN BEANS, PURPLE BEANS, GREEN PEPPERS, DIFFERENT COLORED SWEET BELL PEPPERS, HUNGARIAN HOT PEPPERS, JALAPENO PEPPERS, CAYENNE PEPPERS, COLLARD GREENS, BLACK CABBAGE, AND A VARIETY OF HERBS--YOU CUT.

OBSERVED:

*NO CANTALOUPE

*NO BI-COLOR CORN--NEXT WEEK: WHITE CORN

*CUT AS MUCH BASIL AS YOU'D LIKE FOR DRYING/FREEZING; IF WE GET A FROST, THEY WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE!!

*CUT ANY OF THE OTHER HERBS THAT YOU CAN IDENTIFY (MEANWHILE, WE WILL TRY TO HAVE A MAP OR SOME OTHER WAY FOR YOU TO IDENTIFY THEM).

RECIPE

The following is a recipe from our member, Sue Ann using the black cabbage. She hasn't tried it yet; neither have I.

Beans with Black Cabbage, Tuscan Style

2/3 lb dry cannellini beans

2 1/2 oz pancetta

2/3 lb black Tuscan cabbage

2/3 lb carrots

1 large onion

2 leeks

2 celery stalks

handful of basil leaves

2/3 lb ripe tomatoes

pinch of thyme

black pepper

salt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 oz parsley

Soak the beans in a generous quantity of water overnight. The following morning, drain, put them in a pot with 2 qts lightly salted cold water, and let cook for 1 1/2 hours. Clean, wash and slice the cabbage, carrots, onion and leeks. Make a battuto with celery, basil and parsley. Thinly slice the pancetta. Put a pot on the stove with the oil, adding everything you have cut and minced (except the cabbage). Sauté over a low flame until the vegetables begin to get tender. Then add the cabbage and continue to cook over a low flame so that the vegetables can stew well. Add the tomatoes (peeled and chopped), a pinch of thyme and a pinch of pepper, and continue to cook over a low heat, stirring frequently. Pass about half the beans in a food sieve and add the resulting puree to the vegetables. Add this to the beans and their broth, stir well and let cook for one more hour. Offer extra virgin olive oil on the side.

NOTE: Black cabbage may be replace with Savoy cabbage. Always add more broth if soup gets too thick.

BOXES/BASKETS:

REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR BOXES, BASKETS AND GPF PRODUCE BAGS TO REUSE THIS WEEKEND!

KINDLY REMINDERS:

*IF YOU HAVE ANY RECIPES/PREPARATION TIPS ON ANY OF THE PRODUCE, PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO ME, AND I MAY BE ABLE TO PUT THEM IN A FUTURE NEWSLETTER (I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TRY THEM IN MY KITCHEN, TOO!)

*CHECK OUT ROBIN'S RECIPE BOOK FOR ANY COOKING/PREPARATION TIPS

*PLEASE CHECK THE MEMBERSHIP SHEET WHEN YOU ARRIVE

*PLEASE EMAIL OR CALL WITH THE PERSON'S NAME AND PHONE NUMBER THAT WILL PICK UP FOR YOU

*WE CANNOT "SAVE" YOUR PRODUCE FOR YOU IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT TO PICK UP. WE CANNOT PROVIDE "DOUBLE" THE SHARE THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

*STAY A BIT HERE AT THE FARM AND ENJOY THE WILDLIFE; YOUR PETS ARE WELCOME, TOO!

*YOUR INPUT ON HOW WE ARE DOING IS ALWAYS WELCOME! PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS...DO YOU THINK THE PRODUCE WE PROVIDE IS FULFILLING YOUR EXPECTATIONS? HOW ARE THE QUANTITIES? YOUR COMMENTS/CONCERNS ARE APPRECIATED.

SEE YOU THIS WEEKEND!