CSA Summer Share Week 1

This summer, we opted to upgrade from the small share to the large for our CSA with Fresh Fork Market and I am so excited that I can't even describe it, lol.  Here is this week's contents:

• 1 whole pasture-raised chicken (will be roasting on the grill then making stock)
• 1 head broccoli
• 1 head leaf lettuce (washed and torn for sandwiches this week)
• 1 bunch red Russian kale (making this kale and artichoke frittata one night)
• 1 quart strawberries (making these strawberry shortcakes) (I bought an extra)
• 1 lb black turtle beans (going to make some sweet potato and black bean burritos for my lunches) (Since I had several pounds of dried beans already, I gave a pound to a friend from school)
• 1 dozen pasture raised eggs (for the frittata!)  (I bought an extra)
• 1 lb ramp linguine from Ohio City Pasta
• 1/3 lb pea tendrils
• 1 package Italian sausage
• 1 bunch spinach
• Asparagus
• I also bought bacon and roasted red peppers for the pasta

CSA Week 15: Final Winter Share

Friday marked the last week of the winter share of our Fresh Fork Market CSA.  June 5 marks the start of our summer share and I can't wait until we pick up weekly again!  I need to see my grocery bill drop!

Bag Contents:

• 1lb ramp pasta from Ohio City Pasta (with ramps and organic whole wheat flour)
• 1 jar roasted cherry tomatoes (to use on the pasta in this house!)
• 1 lb ground Berkshire pork (meatballs coming up next weekend!)
• 1 lb grassfed ground beef
• 1 bag ramps (Had to toss mine...they went bad)
• 1 dozen eggs (sensing brinner once more)
• 1 bunch kale (love that my 16 year old is asking for kale chips!)
• 8 oz smoked gouda
• 1 quarter peck cameo apples (for snacking)

It has been a great experience and next winter, I am glad I will know what types of products to expect.  It is very different from the summer share, but I definitely plan on signing us up again in the fall!  Until then...can't wait for summer the week of June 5!

Winter CSA Week 11

This was a great week for our CSA!

• 1 pint maple syrup (perfect, because I am almost out!)
• 1.5 lbs whole wheat flour
• 1 lb breakfast sausage links (ate them on Sunday morning!)
• 1 lb granola
• 1 lb frozen veg (we got cauliflower)
• Choice of ham hock, turkey parts, or pork tenderloin...I went with the tenderloin.  BBQ pork!
• 1 package chicken patties
• 1 lb carrots (which we didn't get, so we got kohlrabi)
• 5 lbs potatoes
• Quarter peck apples 
• The strawberries were supposed to come in last week's bag, but they were out at our stop, so we got them this week.  Trevor had extras, so I bought two more to put in the freezer.  We used one package on Sunday morning with our waffles and they were SO GOOD.
• Extras: I bought a package of bacon and the two strawberries, plus a package of this cheese called Siberian Nights that is rubbed with Thirsty Dog Beer.  It was AMAZING.

Winter CSA Week 10

This week's bag:

• 1 package Berkshire pork chops (putting them in the freezer for now)
• 2 pint frozen green beans (will make when we have a quick dinner within the next two weeks)
• 1 half-pint sorghum syrup (absolutely no clue)
• 1.5 lbs rolled oats (I was out, so this is perfect timing!)
• 3 lbs turnips (OMG we are in turnip overload and I don't know how to use them)
• 1 quart Velvet View yogurt (perfect for baking!)
• 1 half pint fire-roasted cherry tomatoes (probably will make a pasta dish next week)
• 1 quart frozen strawberries (we actually didn't get these because they miscounted)
• 1 dozen eggs 
• 1 lb Ohio City pasta (I think we have pumpkin)
• 1 quart frozen cauliflower
• 1 lb carrots

I used the carrots for dinner on Saturday night, along with our Yukon potatoes and the frozen peas.  The peas tasted REALLY weird, so I don't know what happened.  My friend Melissa suggested maybe they were picked late, because they were HUGE.  Hers tasted fine, ours were crunchy and had a funky taste.  I am hoping the other frozen veggies are okay.  We will find out this week when I make them!  Excited to have the pumpkin pasta again because it is SO good with a cream sauce with bacon and shallots.  The chops will go into the freezer because it was the last meal I ate before the stomach flu and NOT sure when I will be able to eat them again!

Overall, a GREAT bag (minus the turnips).  As each week passes, I get more and more excited about the summer!

Winter CSA, Week 8

I am super excited about this week's bag.  We had no pick up last week, and because we are waiting for some greens and whatnot to be harvested, we have a mostly fridge/pantry bag!

This week's bag:

• Sweet Corn - 3 frozen containers
• 1 package chicken brats
• 1 package cheese  - smoked cheddar or Swiss
• 1 package ground chicken
• 1 lb rosemary spelt linguine (from Ohio City Pasta...so good!)
• 1 pint heirloom tomato sauce
• 1 bag corn chips
• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 bunch young bunching garlic (looks like green onions)
• Extras: Hot pepper Havarti, because I love it.

Excited that we do not have random salad greens this week...I never know what to do with them!! 

Winter CSA Week 6

I have missed a few weeks of posting about our CSA, but I am kind of stumped with this bag, so I thought I would put it out there.

Obviously, since we are not getting a ton of produce, we are getting other great products!!  This week's bag consisted of:

• 1 whole chicken (I roasted it last Sunday)
• 1/2 lb kale (on the menu for Spicy Kale lasagna this weekend)
• 2 acorn squash
• 1 lb watermelon radishes (no clue what to do with these)
• 2 lbs turnips (again, at a loss)
• 1 lb onions
• 1 lb carrots
• 1 lb beets (will give to my friend)
• 1 dozen eggs
• 8 oz pepper havarti (OMG so good)

Last time we picked up, I bought an additional dozen eggs and another roll of butter because it is so good.  I need to get a butter crock so I can keep the butter on the table.  

I am having a hard time using the greens up, though, and often they are discovered having gone bad in the fridge.  I am trying to be more diligent about it though, so I hope by the end of the winter I stop letting that happen!!

Unrelated, but I am so over winter and snow.  I am ready to get out and plant my garden this year!!

CSA Week 22: Final Summer Share

Well, it is Week 22 and the final week of our first Summer Share CSA with Fresh Fork Market.  

This week's bag:

• 1# ground beef
• 1# ground pork
• Turnips
• 1 bag salad mix lettuce
• 1 bunch carrots
• 1 head jumbo bok choy
• 1 head broccoli

I have a TON of stuff leftover from last week as well, so I will be scrambling to get some things frozen this week.  I am going to try a recipe from our weekly CSA newsletter called Velvet Chicken with Bok Choy, as well as use the pork and beef to make a meatloaf.  We have leftover potatoes I can use to make some garlic mashed potatoes as a side and some greens I am sure we have floating around.  I am still stumped with the ginormous rutabega from last week and I did not like the turnips last time, so I am going to try again.

Looking forward to our first Winter Share CSA starting this week, as it will be primarily protein driven, which is good because we are backed up with produce!  It has been a true pleasure working with the folks at Fresh Fork and I really look forward to continuing the CSA in the future!

CSA Week 21

Here is a picture of this week's CSA contents:

I have not been very diligent about posting about our CSA from Fresh Fork Market. The irony is that we only have one week left and I finally feel like I have a handle on it.  Although we have a ton of cabbage and cauliflower and I just don't know what to do with it!

Here is Week 21's bag contents

• 1 head cauliflower
• Rutabega
• Rosemary and kale linguine from Ohio City Pasta
• Kale
• Red cabbage
• 1 red onion
• Goat's milk gouda
• 3# red potatoes

The cabbage and kale are killing my menu options.  And the family is just not as fond of kale as I wish they were.  But, God bless them, they are always willing to try something new.  Here is how I am using some of the produce this week and weekend:

• Black bean and sweet potato burritos to freeze for my lunches (sweet potatoes from a few weeks ago)
• Butternut squash soup to freeze for my lunches (squash from  a few weeks ago)
• Serving the linguine with the cauliflower and olive oil 
• Kale chips to go along with our chili and cornbread tradition on Halloween
• Pork roast with polenta and kale, a recipe I found on Fresh Fork's website
• I think I am going to use the potatoes for some homemade pierogies tomorrow.  I think that it will be a great project for the girls and I while Logan is napping.