Editor's note: This file is the complete, unedited collection of CSG newsletters as published in hardcopy for the year 2006. The graphics have been eliminated, but all of the recipes are as published.
FEBRUARY 17, 2006
csgatgenesisfarm.com Chan Moore’s Vision and Gift By Bill Gold
Chan Moore, one of the founders of our CSG, passed away November 16, 2005. Chan’s home on Silver Lake Road is contiguous with Genesis Farm and consists of a 5-bedroom home and eighty farmland preserved acres. Chan in her Will left her home and its eighty acres to the Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm, Inc. I, along with Chan, Sister Miriam, Heinz Thomet, Judy Van Handorff and other “pioneers” “founded” the CSG. Our common vision was to have a local source of organically grown produce that was produced in a sustainable manner in regard to both the land and the farmers. We all believed in the healing and ultimately transformative power of the highest quality food. We were among the first CSGs to start in this country and soon became a model for other both existing and aspiring CSGs. In our early, pioneering days, with so much to do and think through, we met monthly in our core group meetings. These monthly meetings occurred for approximately 12 years. From the beginning, Chan jumped right in, serving as treasurer, secretary and general organizer. Once Chan passed, we realized the incredible gift that Chan had bestowed upon the CSG by leaving her home and property to the CSG. Since reading the Will, I have had a number of meetings in an attempt to “see Chan’s vision” and also discuss the implications of this incredible gift for the CSG. I have met with our gardeners Mike, Smadar and Judy to view this gift from the perspective of the people who will work this farm. I have met with Sister Miriam to begin a dialogue of how we can maximize the synergetic effect of having two contiguous properties with our CSG operating on both properties. My metaphor is “two strong columns supporting a common roof”. I (being a board member emeritus) have advised the Board of Genesis Farm, Inc. of this gift and solicited the Board’s vision. I have also met with our head gardener Mike and his wife Kerri to discuss their vision of how this gift fits into their lives. I have also met with a joint group of the CSG and Genesis Farm to discuss mutual housing needs of the two groups and to again work on the vision of what this gift means for both the CSG and Genesis Farm. On the first Saturday in February, we had our first core group meeting in a long time in Chan’s living room. (I can remember many others in the early days that were held there.) The main item on the agenda was to seek clarity and understanding of Chan’s vision and what it means for the CSG. For the present, Mike and Kerri along with their two children have decided to remain in their cottage on the Genesis Farm property and to allow Chan’s home to be used for: intern housing; a group meeting space; and, a community center. As I end this article, I am still trying to see all of the implications and benefits to the CSG of this gift. In order to focus my vision, I ask myself what was Chan’s vision. Why didn’t she take the well-traveled path of leaving her entire estate to her family or even a charitable organization? I know that Chan loved her home and her land. Several years ago, she enrolled her property into New Jersey’s Farmland Preservation program to insure that her 80 acres of farmland would never be developed. Accordingly, the State of New Jersey holds in perpetuity an easement that prohibits all non-agricultural development. I believe that Chan’s vision was to have her farm more than just preserved. Her vision was to have her farm be a living, thriving farm full of vitality and a love for the land. She Willed it to the CSG with a belief and vision that we would restore her farm to a thriving farm providing some of the best food grown on this planet. I believe her vision was that by using her farm to provide this high quality food that her gift would keep on giving. Chan, thank you for your gift and foresight.
CSG Movie Night - Friday March 3, 2006 7 p.m. Genesis Farm Library and Resource Center (at bottom of driveway) Donations accepted
THE FUTURE OF FOOD Written and Directed by: Deborah Koons Garcia This documentary about what is happening to our food sources here in the United States is a must see! It gives the average person a clear understanding of how genetic engineering works, from the cellular level to the global level, its effect on humans, animals, ecosystems and the planet. “The Future of Food” offers an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that are quietly filling the shelves of our grocery stores. It examines the complex web of market and political forces that are changing what we eat as huge multinational corporations seek to control the world’s food. Alternatives to large-scale industrial agriculture are explored, offering organic and sustainable agriculture as real solutions to the farm crisis of today . Please come to see “The Future of Food” and bring along anyone interested in the health ramifications of genetically engineered foods to themselves, their families and our planet home. There will be time after the film to talk, and hopefully come up with ideas for actions that we could take. We feel it is so important to spread the information shared in the film, that we have bought a quantity of the DVDs. You can purchase them at our cost, $17, to share with family and friends. Or you can borrow one of the DVD’s from the Garden. For information or to purchase a DVD, please contact the Garden House (908) 362-7486 or the Genesis Farm Resource Center. (908) 362-6735. NOTES FROM SMADAR AT THE GARDENHOUSE (908) 362-7486 It's that time of year again-time to sign up for 2006-07 shares (if you haven't yet), and to make sure you tell everyone you know about our Community Supported Garden. As the burden of the farming season is almost upon us, you can lighten the load. Each year we start over, and we count on you to fill our shares. Word of mouth goes a long way. The sooner we sell out, the less time and energy we need to spend on outreach and communications, time and energy better spent starting seedlings, greenhouse work, pruning the kiwis and orchard, and the list goes on and on. So...extra brochures with commitment forms are in the distribution center, please spread them around anywhere you think appropriate and don't forget to send your own commitment form in right away. Thank you, thank you, thank you Here are some dates you may want to put on your calendar: Sat. 2/18/06, A walk around Chan's land (weather permitting) at 10 A.M. Every one is welcome; call the gardenhouse if you are interested. Movie Night - The Future of Food- Fri. 3/3/06 7 P.M. bring a friend or two. Sun. 4/9/06, A memorial celebration for Chan 2-4p.m. at her home 90 Silver Lake Rd. There will be more reminders forthcoming. Open House for the garden- Sat. 4/29/06 11a.m-2p.m. This is an annual event open to the general public to show people what we are all about, and sell our last available share. A light garden lunch is served. If you can help with this event please let me know. Last Winter shares are on 4/21/04 for the A group, and 4/28/06 for the B group, so keep on coming. Give us your root recipes; we'll make copies and share with other members, thanks! Upcoming Learning Center Events - Call (908) 362-6735 for more information:
March 18, 2 PM, Spring Equinox Celebration- please call (908) 362-6735 to register. March 18, The Foodshed Alliance is sponsoring the Fifth Annual Forum on Food and Farming on Saturday March 18, 2006, 8:30am to 4:30pm, at the Frelinghuysen Elementary School at 780 Route 94. This conference is for farmers and consumers interested in creating a truly sustainable agricultural system in NW New Jersey. This year’s topics will cover the history and health benefits of raw milk, options for having raw milk in New Jersey, grass finishing beef, marketing to restaurants, and plant health from the plants' perspective. For more information see www.foodshedalliance.org <mhtml:mid://00000006/www.foodshedalliance.org> or call at 908-362-7967. April 22, Spend your Earth Day listening, learning and networking with experts brought together by Genesis Farm for the Government and Ecology Conference, April 22, 9:00-4:30 p.m. at the Frelinghuysen Elementary School in Frelinghuysen, New Jersey. For information go to www.genesisfarm.org <http://www.genesisfarm.org/> or call 908-362-6735. There is only one Earth. All our local choices matter. We can work together so that life-sustaining policies will insure a beautiful, sustainable future for our planet. May 20, Ritual on the Land of Genesis Farm to celebrate the beginning of our “next 25 years”. May 21, Save this date! Closing the Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Genesis Farm, a Benefit Concert will be held at Johnsonburg Presbyterian Center, starting around 2:30 PM.
JUNE 9, 2006
www.csgatgenesisfarm.com
NOTES FROM SMADAR AT THE GARDENHOUSE (908) 362-7486 Welcome to the 19th year of the Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm. How the time flies! Please remember to bring your bags, baskets, boxes, etc. to gather your share. Also please cross your name off the sign-out sheet under the board so we know you’ve come. We could really use more berry containers for the p.y.o., so any you may have around would be very much appreciated. Thanks. It’s hard to tell how much longer the strawberries will last – all this rain is not good for their flavor or their longevity. They love sun. P.Y.O. raspberries, cherry tomatoes, and hardy kiwis will be available as the season moves along. People interested in our workshare program should contact me. The peas are coming and it’s a good time to get started. Twenty hours of harvest deducts $100 from your share price. If you have time on Tues. or Fri. morning, and you have the inclination, let me know. It’s a great way to meet the gardeners and get a connection to the land, season, vegetables, and how the garden grows. You might love it! Many of you paid the $100 deposit in Nov., Dec., or Jan. and still owe the balance of the first payment, which is overdue. If you’re not sure if your payment is overdue ask me. The 2nd payment is due July 1st. As always we are very appreciative of our greeters and the coordinators - Wendy (Tuesdays, 973-726-4955) and Sheri (Fridays, 908-876-4082). We need more volunteers so please call them to schedule a shift if you have 2 hours to spare on your pickup day. Thank you. Sheri Raupp is ordering more organic cotton CSG tee shirts. They are beautiful, so call her with questions and orders at 908-876-4082. We have the highly recommended DVD “The Future of Food” for sale again at $17. It is well worth seeing and sharing with family and friends. If you plan to be away on your pickup day (vacations, etc.), you can ask a friend to pickup for you, or you can let me know that you won’t be picking up at least two days in advance. We will not harvest for you on that day and schedule you to pickup on another day. If you don’t pickup and don’t let us know in advance, your share goes to food pantries and other people in need. Reminder: Due to the 4th of July holiday, the Tues. B group is rescheduled to Wed., July 5th. Are you finding the vegetables a bit challenging? There are copies of recipes on the top shelf of the far right wall so help yourself. The cookbook, From Asparagus to Zucchini is also for sale in the distribution center. This book is put out by a CSA coalition in Madison Wisconsin, and many members have found it very useful. Also, ask around in the distribution center. There are also lots of friendly members with great advice, so just ask. Let us know how the membership is going for you and any challenges that you encounter. And please share your recipes with us. Bon Appetit! _______________________ “Come Listen to the Earth,” a day camp for children 4 1/2 to 7 years old will be held at the Genesis Farm Learning Center from July 10-21. Hours are 9-12 and cost is $225. Call 908-362-6735 for details.
GARDENER’S REPORT
In the Garden by Mike Baki Greetings and welcome to all who have joined on for this growing season. This initial newsletter was intended to go out with the initial pick-ups but things get kind of busy around a farm at this time of year so it was hard to get to the office to write anything. Mother Nature has chased me inside as we are going through a bit of a wet spell so here we are, finally. I am sure we will all sleep more soundly now that Mike has finally written his article for the garden newsletter. Enough about me let me tell you about some others, namely our garden crew for this season. Judy and Smadar are back; actually they never left. They continue to bring good positive energy to the work that they are so committed to. Jonathan DeLura returns as a second year apprentice after “relaxing” in Florida over the winter on another organic farm. He has been particularly focused on weed control as the season progresses and is doing a good job at it. Finally, we welcome on board Delia Malloy who joins us after being an intern at the Learning Center of Genesis Farm. Delia had been living in San Francisco and is anxious to learn all she can about growing as she may have farming opportunities in Alabama in the future. At this point we are only five but luckily we have had a good number of volunteers this past spring who have helped along the way. We are interviewing other possible apprentices so hopefully we’ll have a larger crew at some point. One of the obstacles however, is housing. As many of you know our friend and neighbor Chan Moore left us her farm and house but it isn’t ours legally yet. Things should go smoother once it is part of the garden. As for the garden, it just rolls along. We are not too far behind with the planting schedule. It would be nice if it would dry out for a few days as the winter squash is patiently waiting to be planted out as well as some corn and flowers. We did get in most of the tomatoes, eggplant and peppers before this latest precipitation. A new method was employed this year with the planting of those solanaceous crops. Many growers put them on black plastic and while we always recognized the benefits of the plastic we didn’t feel like throwing it all in the land fill at the end of the season. My wish was for someone to come up with a biodegradable plastic that we could just till in at the end of the season. Well, my wish came true! Now there is biodegradable mulch that should last for 4 to 5 months and then it can be incorporated into the soil where it will break down. Bio Telo is the product that we are using and hopefully it will last as advertised. I am a little concerned at this point, as the Bio Telo seems very fragile. Part of the problem is that we are novices in laying plastic mulch. As we get better at that I think the mulch will hold up better. Time will tell but we are cautiously optimistic. I think many of you have been enjoying the strawberries this season. I have heard many positive comments about them. I am pleased with the new system of planting on hills and mulching with straw. Walking though the patch and picking is easier with the hills and I have seen little evidence of gray mold. We’ll see how they do after this wet period though. I do know that we will have to put the mulch on heavier next time as the weeds have started to make their presence known. I do know that heavier mulch won’t stop the thistle. Sorry. Any body have a thermonuclear device lying around that I could borrow? Actually we do have ways of dealing with Canadian thistle but more on that next time. Thanks for being with us and supporting small and local. It is a very positive thing that we are all a part of!
RECIPES & TIPS from JULIE’S KITCHEN
HOT AND SPICY ESCAROLE SAUTÉ Yum, yum, yum! One of my favorites. You may have seen this recipe before. You can use the flat leaf escarole or the curly endive for this recipe. If the bitterness of these greens is too much for you when prepared just by sautéing raw, wilt down the greens in a pot of boiling water first, then, drain, roughly chop, and then add to the sauté, simmering till tender.
1 Head escarole 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 Large cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/3 Cup raisins 1 Tsp finely chopped hot chili peppers (no seeds) or, should you have on hand, 2-tsp hot chili paste 1 Tsp salt 1/2 Cup pecans (my pick) or walnuts-toasted Wash escarole and tear into bit size pieces. Let it drip drain in a colander (we want to keep some of the water on those leaves). On medium heat, sauté garlic in 2 Tbsp olive oil --just till fragrant, don't burn it or it will become bitter! Add the "hot stuff" and the raisins to the pan and sauté for a minute more. In big handfuls, take the escarole and quickly "smother" the pan - loud crackling should be heard. Sprinkle with salt and cover. Let the steam work its magic ‘till all the greens are wilted - this may take the help of a stir or two to get the job done. Uncover and continue cooking and stirring ‘till tender- about 5 minutes- the sauté should look juicy. Transfer to a serving dish- or heck, live dangerously, serve from the pan- sprinkle with the toasted nuts and a generous tablespoon or two of olive oil. Enjoy with some good crusty bread- and don't forget about all the yummy juices in the bottom of the pan! P.s. Some like it hot, but if you can't take the heat just omit it, the sauté will still be quite good. Remember always adjust recipes to your tastes! And caution when handling the hot chilies - its best to wear gloves when handling to avoid getting their volatile oils on your fingertips and eventually into your eyes or any part of your face--ahhhh!
WHITE BEAN AND ESCAROLE SOUP It’s thick and creamy! A really delicious way to use the curly endive we get ("curly endive" is a variety of escarole). This recipe tames the assertive bitterness of this green, mellows and sweetens its flavor, and cooks down to a melting silkiness that I find truly satisfying and succulent. You can also use the flat leaf escarole for this recipe - both are excellent in any soup (paired with brown lentils is another favorite of mine.)
2 C dry beans- soaked overnight in at least 6 cups water- find a cool place to put this; the fridge is great if you’ve got space. 2 Whole cloves ½Tsp fennel seeds* ½Tsp anise seeds* 2 bay leaves 2 Tbs cooking oil of choice 4 Garlic curls- chopped medium fine 3 Celery stalks- chopped into medium sized dice 1 Tsp salt 1 Large head escarole- washed and roughly chopped (wet leaves from washing is fine) ½ Tsp hot pepper flakes 2 Cups water or unsalted stock of your choice 1 Tsp salt or to your taste Extra virgin olive oil- for drizzling on individual servings. Drain beans of soaking water. Rinse beans and add new water to cooking-pot water should be about 2 inches above the surface of the beans. Bring pot to a boil and skim the foamy stuff that floats to the surface. Lower the pot to a simmer and add the cloves, bay leaves, fennel and anise seeds (all these steps reduce the gaseous quality of the beans). Cover pot and simmer till beans are very tender, this usually takes about an hour. When cooked through, let cool slightly, fish out the bay leaves and the whole cloves then puree half of the cooked beans (this will give the soup its thick creamy body). In another large pot sauté the garlic and celery in oil, with 1 t salt, till soft. Then add the escarole and wilt down, cooking it about 5 minutes. Add the hot pepper and both pureed and whole cooked beans with all the juices. Add the water stock here too. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and let cook uncovered for about a half an hour. Season with another teaspoon salt. Serve with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and some good bread, enjoy! *Both Nature’s Harvest (Michele’s) in Blairstown and the co-op in Newton carry these spices, they’re nice to have on hand. You’ll see how good they make this soup.
DAIKON TIPS AND AN EASY PICKLING RECIPE What on earth is that big white carrot-looking vegetable? And what in the world am I going to do with it! It's daikon folks, otherwise known as "Asian radish" and believe it or not it's quite a versatile root. I’ve done a little experimenting in the kitchen and have a recipe that I’m sure you, and even the kids, will like. It is a simple uncooked "pickle" that is crunchy and sooo tasty, retaining a little of the heat of the radish- it's a great and addictive snack. In general daikon makes a wonderful addition to a miso soup, cooking up like a baby turnip and adding depth to the broth. Daikon simply makes an amazing addition to any of your favorite stirfrys. Pretty soon you'll be welcoming what may have been a strange and foreign vegetable onto your table and into your stomach. Scrub and lightly peel 1/4 lb of daikon radish. Slice into 1/4 inch slices and pour on 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Toss and refrigerate overnight. Stir them up once, to get them evenly marinated - if you get a chance. Enjoy. Don't throw away the juice that comes from this pickling process; use it in soup or to marinate something else.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2006
FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL ………………
OCTOBER 22 ………….……. SAVE THIS
DATE!!!!
It is always an amazing experience for everyone. From the actual
root harvest, to the memorable potluck dinner and bonfire in the
evening, and everything in between - the talent, the
children’s activities, and the sense of community - this is
what we are all about. So plan to come. You won’t regret it.
GARDENER’S REPORT
Where have all the tomatoes gone? By Mike Baki 9/01/06
I don’t know exactly how to explain it but it is September
and we have not harvested many tomatoes at all. At this point in
time I am usually canning already. The funny thing is we have
beautiful plants and there is fruit on the plants but they are
green as Kermit the Frog. The fact that it has been raining for 4
or 5 days has not helped matters here of late either. We are
hoping for a nice September and then I’m sure we will start
to see the red fruit we all are accustomed to.
Now while the tomatoes have been slow, how about that eggplant
and corn? Smadar is our eggplant queen and she is proud of how
they have produced. She had one the other day that was as big as
a basketball! Well, almost. The corn has been good for the most
part. I know that there are some worms but it has been better
than in past years. Since we have moved to using transplants we
are getting a better jump on the moths. We can get things started
earlier and we have fuller stands, which lead to better
pollination and filled-out ears. There have been some raccoon
issues but it seems to have slowed down some. Thank goodness, as
they do their damage at night while Rover the Wonder Dog is
catching his zzzzzz’s. Also on a positive note we have
harvested some watermelons for the first time in a long time. I
hope you got one that was nice and sweet. It is very hit or miss
with watermelon, and it is very hard to know when they hit their
peak of flavor. To quote the Johnny’s Selected Seeds
catalogue: “There a three ways to tell when a watermelon is
ripe: 1) the tendril nearest the point on the vine where the
fruit stem attaches is dead, 2) the spot where the fruit rests on
the ground is yellow, and 3) the classic mystery- you hear
‘punk’, as opposed to ‘pink’ or
‘pank’, when you flick the melon with your
fingers.” I follow the first two and that is quite easy but
the phrase “classic mystery” sums it up best when you
are trying to distinguish “punks” from
“pinks” and “panks”. Gee, thanks! Let us know
how they turned out for you.
Another harvest that took place about a month ago which was a
“first time in a long time” was the grains! Actually,
this is more of a “first ever” as the first grain
harvest was just some rye that we let go to seed as a neighbor
was passing by with his combine and he quickly harvested it for
us. This time we purposely planted three varieties of wheat,
triticale, and spelt in addition to rye and harvested it all with
our own combine. It worked out ok for a first time through. The
harvested grain is drying down in storage. When we decide what
our seed needs are for next year you should start to see it for
sale in the local food source area of the distribution center.
All the gardeners are working extremely hard to grow the
vegetables. We hope you are enjoying the fruits of our labor. We
thank you for being the good eaters that you are and as always,
for being part of the CSG!
EVENTS AT THE LEARNING CENTER (908) 362-6735
Northwest Earth Institute Discussion Course - "Choices
for Sustainable Living” Genesis Farm is offering another of
the popular NWEI discussion courses this Fall. "Choices for
Sustainable Living" invites us to explore the meaning of
sustainability and the ties between our lifestyle choices and
their impact on Earth. Tuesday evenings, October 4th - November
29th, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m., in the Genesis Farm Library. Cost:
$20 for the course book, which may be shared. Checks should be
made payable to "Garden State Earth Institute.” Please
join us! Call Judy Leaf for more information (973) 383-7118 or
Lori Gold (908) 362-6735 to register.
Bringing Home Treasures from the Forest - Sept. 22-24 (Friday to
Sunday). The secret teaching of plants and mushrooms, and the
lost art of cooking them. Early autumn spreads a bounty of edible
and medicinal wild plants and mushrooms to bring joy and health
to your family meals. We will have ample time to forage, and also
attend the Autumn Equinox celebration (see below). On Sunday we
will create a culinary feast of our wild treasures. Led by
certified herbalist Lara Greenspan, with David Koromi and Miriam
MacGillis. Begins with dinner on Friday at 6:30 and ends after
lunch on Sunday. Cost: $250
Autumn Equinox Celebration Saturday - Sept. 23, 2 - 4pm. In our
annual circling of the sun, we experience the dramatic and subtle
changes in the gift of sunlight to our turning and circling
Earth. Join us as we align ourselves spiritually with the gifts
of insight and energy flowing from this seasonal and historic
change. Good will offering appreciated.
Abrahamic Prayer for Peace - Date to be announced. Even as the
cradle of Western civilization explodes in unprecedented violence
amongst the “children of Abraham,” we will gather to
offer our hearts, minds and spirits to the cause of peace and
reconciliation. Two members of the International Order of Sufis,
from New Lebanon, NY, will lead us in a sacred “Ziker,”
a form of prayer and chant that lifts the deepest aspirations of
Judaism, Islam and Christianity for life, healing, compassion and
forgiveness. Good will offering appreciated. Please call to
register in advance:
908-362-6735.-------------------------------------------------
Bread and Tomato Soup (J.M. Hirsh, Associated Press)
Hard as it is to crave soup in the summer, vine-ripened tomatoes
make it easier. Because the soup steeps with the cold bread off
the burner it cools to the perfect summer temperature by the end
of the recipe. Of course you could just as easily refrigerate it
for a while or return it to simmer if you want it hot.2 Tbsp
olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
8 cups diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
4 cups stale bread, cubed and refrigerated or frozen
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese or vegan alternativeHeat the oil in
a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté,
stirring often, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the
garlic and thyme and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes,
vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Add
the bread, stir, cover the pot and remove from heat. Let stand 20
minutes. Uncover the pot and stir well to break up the bread.
Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil and cheese. Can be
served as is or chilled.
Penne with Marinated Tomatoes, Basil, and Garlic Breadcrumbs
1 ½ pounds vine-ripened tomatoes cored, cut in half crosswise,
and seeded
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 or 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, about 20 to 25 leaves
Salt and pepper
½ pound penne
½ cup Garlic Bread Crumbs
Grated Parmesan cheese or vegan Parmesan alternative
Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Cut the tomatoes
into large pieces and toss with the olive oil, garlic, basil, ½
teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Set them aside to
marinate for 30 minutes. (It’s not necessary to peel the
tomatoes for this, because they’re just heated through, not
cooked long enough to lose their skins.) When the water is
boiling, add 1-teaspoon salt. Cook the penne in the boiling water
until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. While the pasta is
cooking, transfer the tomatoes to a large sauté pan and quickly
warm them over medium heat, making sure not to cook them or their
skins will draw away. Drain the penne in a colander. Shake off
the excess water, then add the pasta to the sauté pan and toss
with the tomatoes. Sprinkle generously with the breadcrumbs and
serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
NOVEMBER 14, 2006
NOTES FROM SMADAR AT THE GARDENHOUSE (908) 362-7486
We had a whole new batch of CSG tee shirts made including long
sleeves, regular tees and tank tops, so come on up and check them
out, they are as beautiful as ever and are made of organic cotton
and nontoxic dyes. Thank you Sherri and Deacon Raupp for creating
and taking care of this project. Lots of sizes from toddler to
extra large adult to choose from.
New commitment forms are in the distribution center for 2007-08
season. It is extremely helpful for us to know how many of you
are coming back, and we ask for a $100.00 deposit to hold your
spot. If the deposit is an issue, talk to me. If you don't plan
to return next year, any feedback on why would be very much
appreciated. At this time we give current members a chance to
sign up first, in mid Jan. we open up the membership to the
general public. Word of mouth is greatly appreciated, so tell
your friends. Thanks.
Winter distribution schedules are (almost) in the mail. Let me
know if you do not receive yours.
Remember that the last Fri B pickup for the summer share is on
MONDAY before Thanksgiving, Nov. 20th.
Next year, on Saturday, March 24th there will be a general
meeting of all shareholders from 10-12. Details to follow.
A special thanks to Rob Yaskovic for his most magnificent
collection of black and white photographs exhibited in the
distribution center on the day of the harvest festival. You will
soon be able to view them on our web sight (csgatgenesisfarm.com)
with contact information. Rob spent a hot harvest day with us on
Aug. 1st, and took hundreds of photos of which he selected a
handful for this exhibit.
Anthony, our returning apprentice, has revised our end of season
evaluation for you to fill out. It is in the distribution center,
please take the time to let us know how the season has been for
you, your input is helpful. Thanks. .
It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by since our dear
friend and mentor Chan Moore has passed away. She is challenging
us still, with her gift to our community, and we are all the
better for having had her in our lives. We will light a candle
for you Chan on Nov. 16th with much love and admiration.
It is sad to say goodbye to our apprentices, Jonathan, Delia, and
Esther, but it gives us all much hope and encouragement to know
that they are a part of our world and its future. Thanks so much,
and best of luck. I know good things (and hard work) await you in
your new endeavors. A special thanks also goes to our workshare
team and our most tireless and reliable Hannah, Judy Leaf, Gina,
Athena and Luther, Bob and Mary Agnes, and Maxine. Thanks to all
our greeters and our greeter organizers. Thanks to Wayne our web
master, and Mike C. our newsletter editor. Thanks to all of you
for being a part of our community.
GARDENER’S REPORT
Another Growing Season Completed. By Mike Baki
I must be getting older as time flies past me like Rover chasing
a deer. It seems like yesterday that we were starting onions
(which marks the beginning of the planting season in March) and
it really was yesterday that the gang got the garlic in the
ground marking the end of the planting season. Most of the big
root harvest is in at this point. I think only some red radish
and sun chokes remain. I need to mention the sun chokes or
I’ll forget to dig them.
From a growing standpoint I think it was a typical year in that
it was unique in its own way. There’s an insight for you.
What sticks with me the most is very little flea beetle damage
early on. In recent years we go from winter to summer with no
spring and that encourages the brassica damaging flea beetles.
This helps explain why the rutabagas and Brussels sprouts did
better this season. The flea beetles like it hot and dry and it
seemed to be more on the cold and wet side. It definitely was not
hot, as I can think of only one really hot spell that occurred in
August. That also helps to explain why the tomatoes were so slow
to ripen. The sweet potatoes did ok but not like last year’s
bumper crop. The ugly sweets that you are getting now are a
variety (Georgia Jet) that displays the cracking that you see. It
is a shorter-term variety that may try to grow too fast for its
britches. The skin can’t seem to catch up so it cracks.
There’s also a good bit of “digger damage” which
in many cases heals over just fine. While they haven’t been
much to look at they are tasty which is why you’ve been
getting them. We all know the saying “Don’t judge a
book by its cover”. That holds true in this case.
The biggest loser of the year is cabbage. It doesn’t look
like we will get any real heads, which means no sauerkraut
either. This is a difficult pill to swallow if you are a kraut
lover like me. In assessing what happened we can identify a
couple of problems that lead to this poor performance. For
starters the transplants that we started were weak from the get
go. I attribute this to the potting mix which actually gave us
troubles all year long. We have always made our own compost based
potting mix but had the occasion to try another last year and
were pleased enough to try it again this year. The advantage of
the purchased compost based mix is that it had no weeds seeds in
it. This is a labor savings of untold hours for an already
overworked staff. For whatever reason this year’s batch was
not very good and many of our transplants suffered, including the
cabbage. We take weak plants and get them in the ground hoping
that they will rally but instead they just sat there. On previous
occasions the transplants were happy to be in the soil and
responded accordingly but not this time. Why? I put the cabbage
in a place where the garlic had been. I thought that it would
help with the flea beetle problem as they do not like garlic and
I have witnessed a residual effect in the past. What I failed to
consider was the mulch that was left from the garlic and tilled
in the soil would be tying up nitrogen as it was broken down by
microbes in the soil. If the nitrogen is tied up by the
decomposing mulch then it is not available for the plants. This
rotational glitch will be corrected for next year. That is the
nice thing about annuals, there is always a next year!
Another less than stellar crop was the beets. We have about a
third as much as we did last year but many thought we had way too
many so maybe we’ll be all right. This was a case of weed
pressure. Both the beets and carrots require detailed handwork
and the carrots got done first. As a result, they flourished and
the beets were lost in the weeds. We did clean them up eventually
but evidently it was too late. We saw this happening but what
could we do? We are only 7 people. Would it be possible to turn
to the community? I truly hope so and with the technology of
e-mail it is possible to send out a “weeding alert”
rather easily. Something to ponder as we move forward. We did try
this with both the potato and sweet potato harvest and it did
help. Thanks to all who came out and lent a hand.
While on the topic of community involvement what a great Harvest
Festival Day we had once again. It continues to be the highlight
of the growing season. One member told me that it was the first
time she had come and now she won’t miss another. The
harvest was good, potluck was delicious, the fire was warm, the
music and singing and flame throwing was exceptional and on top
of everything, the rain held off. Thanks to all who came and
contributed to a beautiful event.
As we near Thanksgiving our apprentices come to the end of their
apprenticeships and will soon be off to different places. We had
an exceptional group this year and their spirit, enthusiasm and
dedication contributed to a positive working atmosphere in the
garden. I want to publicly thank them for all their great energy.
Esther Bowen joined us in August and she will return to school at
the University of Chicago. We wish her the best and hope there is
a farm in her future. Delia Malloy goes off to Alabama with a
Tabitha on her knee. All the best to her and Tabitha the cat whom
she inherited from us as they start on a new CSA project in the
South. Anthony Mecca will actually stay with us and do a 2nd
year. We warmly welcome him back. Finally, we acknowledge
Jonathan DeLura, who is completing two years with us. Jonathan is
looking for a farm experience involving animals. We thank him for
all his hard work and know that he will be a good farmer no
matter where he ends up.
Thanks to all you eaters out there who make this possible! Happy
Thanksgiving!
EVENTS AT THE LEARNING CENTER (908) 362-6735
Waiting the Dark, Calling the Dawn December 1 - 2. In the
Christian calendar, the four weeks leading up to Christmas mark
the holy time of Advent. In the Jewish calendar the dark nights
of winter before Hanukkah prepare for the ancient Hebrew Festival
of Lights. Join us as we open these traditions and symbols to
“deep time” and the primary archetypal energy they
unlock for our times. Begins with dinner at 6:30 pm on Friday and
ends after dinner on Saturday. Stay on and join us for
Sunday’s program (see below) in the silent winter landscape.
Cost: $150 for Friday and Saturday; $250 for Friday through
Sunday - includes meals and lodging. Please send registration to
Genesis Farm, 41A Silver Lake Rd., Blairstown, NJ 07825.
Coming Home to a Sense of Place December 3, 10 am to 3 pm.
Spend a quiet day of venturing into the winter landscape as a
revelation of the mystery of time and life in this Ridge and
Valley region. This is an opportunity to reflect on the inner
winter landscape of the soul as the season draws us into the
cycles of change, dormancy and rebirth. Led by Bob Canace, Lara
Greenspan, Dennis Briedle and Miriam. Cost: $50, includes lunch.
Please send registration to Genesis Farm, 41A Silver Lake Rd.,
Blairstown, NJ 07825.
Winter Solstice December 22 - Friday night beginning at 7 pm. Join us as we mark the time of the seasonal change from autumn to winter by celebrating and praying together for the peace of all people. We will explore the deep meaning of the Sacred White Buffalo, totem of the North on the Native American Medicine Wheel. It is important to register in advance because space in limited. Wear warm winter clothing, as we will be spending some of the time in the natural world. Please bring a dessert, snack or beverage to share. Call (908) 362-6735 to register. Prior registration is required. Free will offering is suggested.
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