It is always interesting to see our food in the global perspective. Here is the latest from our mainland supplier on the veggie scene:
"There is little change on the veg front with continuing tight supply across the board, with the occasional window of good supply and more seasonal pricing opening and closing. Unfortunately, after a week of warmer weather, cold nights and frost are now looming for the desert growing areas again this weekend, which isn't going to help. … Slicer cuke pricing continues to be out of this world, but tomato pricing is crumbling across the board affecting all growers in Sinnaloa - a nice stretch of hot weather has helped there. It was about this time a couple of years ago when we had that deadly freeze and temps of -9 C there - totally the opposite this year."
- Discovery Organics, January 25
All the cooking greens are at very high prices this week especially the kales!! The California crop is dwindling and the Mexican crop is still at least a week away.
On the home front
We have small savoy cabbage and cauliflower in the fields at Madrona Farm. Dave is also planting a few beds of oriental greens which will fill in the gaps in the early spring for fresh local greens. Potatoes are almost sold out but rutabaga and turnips remain strong. The Brussels Sprout patch continues to produce!
We are involved in the crop planning stage of the cycle speaking with farmers about what they want to grow for Share next year. This gives them a better idea of what to plant when. Farming is a chancy business and so farmers are glad we are here and ready to eat what they grow!
Baby Cauliflower photographed at Madrona Farm, Oct 2011
The Islands' largest agricultural event of the year! Featuring a trade show with more than sixty exhibitors:
February 3-4, 2012
Cowichan Exhibition Park
District of North Cowichan
(5 kilometers North of Duncan)
The Islands Agriculture Show provides a unique opportunity to showcase, celebrate and grow the agriculture industry on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
Visitors to the trade show can expect to see the latest and most innovative equipment and technology for the agriculture industry.
http://iashow.ca/
Ginger Rutabaga Vegetable Soup
Melt in a soup pot:
1 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
Add and sauté over low heat for 7 minutes:
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. minced ginger
Peel and dice and then stir in the following and sauté another 10 minutes:
1 LB Rutabaga
1 medium sweet potato or parsnip
2 medium potatoes
2 large carrots
Add and bring to boil:
6 cups water
1 stick cinnamon
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove cinnamon stick and continue simmering until tender. Remove 1/4 of the vegetables to your blender and puree. Return to soup pot.
Serves 6 to 8.
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
SunTrio Farm has extended the seasons on Vancouver Island by growing in heated greenhouses. In addition to early and late tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers; sprouts are grown year round and salad greens are available for most of the year.
Dennis and Frank O'Brien
Blueberries have recently been planted in the fields with the first crop expected this year. In addition, an orchard is in the planning stages. I have requested pear and plum trees!
Last year we enjoyed island cucumbers in early April and tomatoes in early May. I spoke with Dennis, one of the trio of brothers involved on the farm, and he tells me they are expanding production and have 1/3 more greenhouse space this year.
SunTrio Farm is certified organic and because they cannot rotate the crops in the green houses they replace the soil each year with Sea Soil. The used soil is then rotated into the fields. Plants are propagated in an organic hothouse on the lower mainland. It is the most energy efficient to grow all the seedlings for many growers in one spot because heating the houses and the use of grow lights are most extensively used at this dark time of year. Tomato, pepper and cucumber plants should arrive mid February and the first crop of cukes will be harvested at the end of March. Cukes are planted sequentially with later plantings grown right from seed on the farm.
The growing season can be stretched right to the end of October, well after the field crops are finished. Dennis is a heating expert. Their greenhouses are heated with natural gas and in the shoulder seasons of April and October with heat pumps. They rely on solar heating as much as possible. For example, today (Monday) the gas-fueled heat automatically shut off when the solar panels took over. Windows open on sensors to keep the temperature around 80 degrees.
Thanks to all three brothers - Dennis, Frank and Michael - for the work they do towards a Food Secure Vancouver Island!
Roasted Potatoes, Sunchokes and Brussels Sprouts
Cut into bite size pieces:
2 large german butter potatoes
1/2 to 1 LB sunchokes
1 onion
Place on cookie sheet and drizzle lightly with:
1 Tbsp olive
Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili powder
Shake to cover and roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Add:
Sprouts from 1 stalk brussels sprouts
Turn potatoes and toss sprouts with the other veggies. Continue roasting for another 10 or 15 minutes until nearly done.
If potatoes are not golden brown you can crisp them up under the broiler - but watch 'em closely!!
Invest Your Money in Local Change
A forum on present and future options for putting savings, RRSPs and investment dollars into local, sustainable, ethical businesses to build a more self-reliant economy.
Admission Free!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 7 p.m.
Ambrosia Conference Centre
638 Fisgard St.
Victoria, BC
New Warehouse Mates
We're sharing our warehouse space with a new pack of people, GeaZone, a zero-emmisions bike courier service. It's a whole new energy in the warehouse...
We were their very first delivery: salad greens to Niagara Grocery in James Bay!
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
We had to wait until after 2pm on Monday but the kale and mizuna did thaw out (in fact, sweeter for the frost) and are ready to go into the boxes!
The root veggies were minimally washed however as the farmers' hands were freezing and the water flow was limited. We will try to dust them off for you - thanks for your understanding!
Root veggies actually keep better when unwashed. In the UK you will often see carrots labeled as "dirty carrots" for sale and there is a consumer understanding that they are, in fact, a superior product!
Dave's daughter (of Madrona Farm) sampling frozen brussels sprouts!
Highlight: Local Hazelnuts
Adele braved the snow Monday morning and delivered our hazelnut order. Chocolate hazelnut butter is now back in stock!
And introducing a NEW OFFERING!! We are pleased to offer these delicious nuts in a 1LB value size as well as our 100g bag. This year's crop has been fabulous so we expect to have them for most of the winter. The harvest was around 4 tons (included a 1 ton pre-harvested by the squirrels!) We will try to give you a heads up when supplies start diminishing so you can stock up.
Those with nut allergies please note we are packaging nuts on our premises for the first time but are doing it in an area separate from the vegetable production area.
Nuts are a great source of protein. As we eat less meat to lessen greenhouse gases we need to grow more plant-based proteins. I just planted a hardy almond tree in my back yard! (… Available at LeCouteau Farms)
Pulses are more commonly known as lentils and are another easy-to-grow protein that we should eat more of!
Invest Your Money in Local Change
A forum on present and future options for putting savings, RRSPs and investment dollars into local, sustainable, ethical businesses to build a more self-reliant economy.
Admission Free!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 7 p.m.
Ambrosia Conference Centre
638 Fisgard St.
Victoria, BC
Apple, Hazelnut, and Swiss Salad
Place on a salad platter:
1 small head clean, dried-off lettuce in bite size pieces
Drizzle lightly with:
1 to 2 Tbsp olive or walnut oil
Toss and sprinkle with:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup cubed Maasdammer (Swiss-style BC cheese)
freshly ground pepper
Cut into thin slices:
2 medium sized Winesap Apples
Place in bowl and sprinkle with:
2 Tbsp. Lemon juice
Just before serving place the pear slices on top of the salad. Sprinkle on the rest of the lemon juice and serve!
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
Everywhere I turn health researchers and professionals are saying we can cure our ills and insure good health by eating more fruits and vegetables. Friends who are researching Parkinson's and MS have found information that encourages this nutritional approach. The website, "Forks Over Knives," has a link to some research regarding Diabetes and Heart Disease:
http://www.forksoverknives.com/about/the-fok-diet/
Two doctors researching these two different health issues came up with the same answer - we would benefit from more fruit and veg in our diet! They are talking about making 80% of what we consume to be fruit and vegetables.
Rather than post more and bigger boxes we have bulked up our Fresh Weekly Produce listing to include at least two leafy cooking greens. Add them on to your box or substitute them in. We always offer one salad green - lettuce at the moment - but will offer salad mix as well when it is back in season. Let us know if you are interested in larger amounts of greens and we will consider creating a small greens box or a raw foods box.
Buying a box saves you 10% over buying a la carte. Buying from our Bulk Produce List saves you even more.
So work the system…
Order a bag of potatoes or carrots from Bulk Produce and remove these veg from your Box and add more greens or fruit!
Local Veggie of the Week:
Daikon
Umi Nami Farms in Metchosin has just delivered freshly harvested daikon and packed it into 500g packages. Daikon is a root vegetable that grows in our region and has a mild radish flavour. It can be enjoyed raw as a part of veggies-and-dip or grated onto salads.
Yoshiko was telling me she also uses it in stir fries and makes it into Japanese pickle by layering daikon with a sprinkling of salt and vinegar. Then let it sit for a few hours.
Or try this:
Daikon Dipping Sauce
Finely grate:
1/2 LB Daikon (1 cup)
Combine with the following:
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. Tamari
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. (or more!) Wasabi (green horseradish powder found in Asian markets)
Serve at room temperature over strong-flavoured fish or over rice.
Another Farmer Recipe:
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Dave at Madrona Farms recommends roasting brussels sprouts with a little oil and salt in a 400 degree oven until they are done!
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
We are starting 2012 out well with 3 local items in most of the boxes. This time last year we struggled to have two items in every box all year. The year prior we were only able to offer 1 item in all boxes. Progress! We have more root crops available this January - potatoes, rutabaga, beets and sunchokes. The brussels sprouts are still coming on. Leafy greens - arugula salad greens, mizuna and kale - will take their time coming back due to the short days this time of year. Our local organic hothouse, Suntrio Farms, will be gearing up to produce some early tomatoes and cukes in March or April. I'll try to get a report from them for next week.
If you have not yet tried our Local Island Box consider getting one once a month to keep in touch with the local food scene. Right now it is packed with Island produce and three items from BC (pears, onions and mushrooms).
Add a Local Island Box to your Standing Order.
Then choose to have it "Every Monthly."
Then choose to have it delivered the First week of Month, Second week, etc…
Winter Local Box
Kind words from one of our farmers...
"Thank you so much for all your support this year. It really kept us alive. I like selling bulk orders (to Share) because we see more volume move steadily. You are a pleasure to deal with and I feel you do all possible to pay a fair price. Keep up the good work! Have you ever thought of opening a branch up island? You have a lot of knowledge and experience in running this distribution system?"
- Isabelle Morris
Growing carrots, potatoes, beets and more at Wyndlow Farms, Ladysmith.
What to Make from the Local Box
Blueberry Muffins
Pear Smoothie
Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad
Scalloped Potatoes
Sautee Garlic Sunchokes with Portobello Mushrooms
Naked Carrots - they don't need any dressing or cooking!
Blueberry Muffins
A warm treat in the morning before heading out into the wet...
Mix together:
2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk or yoghurt
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup honey
Sift together:
2 cups organic pastry flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 Tbsp. baking soda
1 dash nutmeg
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and blend well. Then Add:
1 cup blueberries
Pour into greased muffin tin and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
We appreciate all of you for your support of Share Organics and our work with local farmers. Thank you!
Holiday Greetings for this Season of Light!
“Light is Returning, even though this is the darkest hour
No one can hold back the dawn.
Let’s keep it burning, let’s keep the light of hope alive,
Make safe our journey through the storm.
One planet is turning, circle on her path around the sun.
Earth Mother is calling her children home.”
Charlie Murphy
Kind words from one of our customers – This made our week!
“Just a quick note to say that I found the recent order of produce INCREDIBLE! I've never knew brussel sprouts tasted that good (simply steamed with sea salt and served with a dab of butter) and the turnip? Delicious! You may recall that I prefer fruits over veggies but this last order has me reassessing that preference.
I am so grateful that you provide this service, direct from the farmer to my table - it makes such a huge difference. People ask me why I don't buy my produce in Chinatown as it's only a 15 minute walk from my home or shop at Save On, which only half a block away. If they experienced the difference in flavour just once, I think they'd understand. It's not just the farm freshness, supporting the local farms has a lot to do with my choice.
In gratitude,
Beth Smith”
SHARE ORGANICS WILL BE CLOSED
THE WEEK OF
DECEMBER 27/28/29
Share Organics Vision Statement
‘Toward a Food Secure Vancouver Island’
Our vision statement has been guiding us in the decisions we make for our company. This past year I attended a GMO conference at the OUR Eco Village and plan to work towards a GMO free Vancouver Island. In 2012 I will be participating in a Climate Smart program to make sure we are doing everything we can to address this issue. I am also interested in the Slow Money concept. How can we invest in our future food security?
In January we begin a new season of crop planning with our farmers. With their help we look forward to another bountiful year of local fruits and vegetables.
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts and Shitake Mushrooms
Serves 4 as a side dish.
Heat in a skillet over medium heat:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add and sauté until they begin to color(about 3 minutes):
1 stalk Brussels sprouts (removed sprouts, washed and trimmed ends)
Add and sauté for another 2-3 minutes:
1/4 lb. shitake mushrooms, ends trimmed, halved
1 large garlic clove, minced
Add:
1/4 cup veggie stock or water
Simmer over medium heat until stock evaporates. Finally add the following and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes.
1 tablespoons Tamari
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Serve immediately.
Did you know it cost $5 to purchase a turkey chick, $25 to feed him with organic grains, $10 to process at our local processing plant and then another $10 if over 20 lbs. And then add in the cost of housing them and looking after them for 6 months. Are they worth it? Absolutely! Organic turkeys are moist and very delicious. And they take less time to cook. If we want to keep local processors and growers we need to support them!
Call Evelyn to see if she has turkeys left. Fresh or frozen for pick up in town Dec 23. 250.743.7484
back to top
Daikon and Carrot Salad
Mix together:
1 1/2 cup grated carrots
1 1/2 cup grated daikon
1 tsp finely minced onions
For dressing mix together:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. Tamari
1 tsp. mirin or honey
3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. fresh grated ginger
Dash of cayenne
Toss with vegetables and serve on a bed of arugula. Garnish with toasted hemp seeds.
back to top
Spicy Rutabaga Saute
Peel and cut into matchsticks:
1 LB Rutabaga
1 large carrot
Mix together in a cup:
1 Tbsp. Tamari
1-tsp. sake or white wine (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. honey
Heat in heavy skillet:
1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
Stir fry carrots and rutabaga for 2 to 5 minutes until just crunchy.
Sprinkle in:
1/4-tsp. hot red pepper flakes
tamari mixture
Stir-fry until liquid is gone, about 1 minute.
Serve hot or cold. Garnish with: 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
back to top
Share the Holiday
SHARE ORGANICS WILL BE CLOSED
THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 28/29/30
Add our Harvest Box on to your order to make sure you have enough local produce for the holiday season.
Did You Know??
You can order today for Dec 20-22 by clicking on a future date in the calendar on your order window and adding Eggnog
(a yummy example).
If you are away for holidays you can cancel on the website. Click on Skip a Week and choose your away dates OR send us an email and we will do it for you.
back to top
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
Share Organics - info@shareorganics.bc.ca, 250-595-6729, www.shareorganics.bc.ca
Deer will always go under a fence rather than over so mind the gaps as small as 8 inches and block them!
Deer can be rerouted so plant something like rutabaga outside and away from the garden fence.
Dave farms at Madrona Farm on Blenkinsop Rd. He was telling me this morning that the rutabagas are extra large this year and that he used seed he had saved from last year’s crop! Studies on seed saving in Cuba have indicated that seeds harvested from small micro climates do better in that same micro climate. Makes sense to me! If your rutabaga is bigger than expected this week, now you know why. Don’t worry! It keeps well.
Dave has saved seeds from about 16 crops this year. Not as easy as you might think as they have to be segregated from crops they might cross pollinate with so the process requires a good deal of land and some savvy planning ahead!
We will be rotating rutabaga and brussels sprouts into our different box types over the next month - just like we did with collards these past few weeks. The rutabaga and the Brussels sprouts are available every week... just sub it into your box if you’d like them more often!
Good for you and good for the farmer.
Making the Most of your Box
When customizing your box make sure you check our Bulk Produce Section. Add the value-priced bags of organic carrots, potatoes, apples etc. to your order. Then remove these items from your box and increase or substitute some of the other offerings!
South Carolina Collards!
Chop and pop into boiling water:
1 bunch collards
Add a touch of:
Salt, sugar, oil
Serve with a splash of vinegar and garnish with crumbled bacon and/or wedges of boiled egg.
From the kitchen of Charlesanna Leatherman
Rutabaga Casserole
Peel and cut into cubes:
1 medium rutabaga
Put in pot, cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer until soft (about 25 minutes).
Mash the rutabaga in the pot (with a beater) and add:
3 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp Ecosweet sugar
Beat together and sprinkle in slowly:
3 Tbsp flour
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour rutabaga mixture into a buttered baking pan.
Grate leftover bread finely into:
3/4 cups crumbs
1 1/2 Tbsp melted butter
Mix together and sprinkle over the casserole
Bake at 350 for one hour.
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
Share Organics - info@shareorganics.bc.ca, 250-595-6729, www.shareorganics.bc.ca
The purple globe turnips from Madrona are fabulous right now! Their green tops have been useable so far, but the cold weather is starting to take its toll. Bunch carrots are just finishing as the tops are dying off. We'll need to sub some local loose carrots this week.
Crops like pak choy and leeks love this cold weather but late season crops experience more insect damage so you can expect a few holes in the leaves.
The squash is rolling right along -- Red Kuri has a shorter storage life so we are using it up first. We like to support different varieties to increase genetic diversity! We're looking forward to upcoming Fairy squash that tastes like a butternut!
Our brussels sprouts in their early childhood days on Madrona Farm
(image taken October 2011 during the Chef Survival Challenge).
Greens like kale and chard are growing at a snail's pace… Salad greens will continue through December and then slow down as the day length shortens. We will look forward to a lot more root crops, hazelnuts, leeks, sprouts, salad mix, apples, brussels sprouts and cauliflower in the next month.
**All this bounty from our Island!**
Climate Change and Food Security
in British Columbia - continued...
Dr. Aleck Ostry, UVic; Dr. Christiana Miewald, SFU; and Rachelle Beveridge, UVic
- The entire paper is available here.
Meat Production is the highest source of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions!
"Sourcing from local farms decreases food miles but food miles are in fact not the most important source of GHG emissions. The agriculture GHG emission associated with meat production are huge! The main sources of GHG's from agriculture arise from decomposition of organic matter (i.e. plant litter, soils, manure). Carbon dioxide is released primarily from microbial decay or burning of plant litter and soil organic matter. The largest sources of CH4 in agriculture are from fermentative digestion of ruminant animals, stored manure and rice grown under flooded conditions."
"According to Environment Canada (2009), animal production is responsible for about 60% of Canada's agricultural GHG emissions."
Since much of our current food supply is grown in California this study looks at how climate change will affect that area. Water is already in short supply in California and the farmers there have had their water supply cut. The Mexican government is learning from the problems in California and has set a limit on the amount of water that can be taken from the aquifer under the Sonora Desert. Mexican farmers are also used to growing with less water.
Transportation is another GHG issue but is closer always better? Here at Share our bananas come from Peru - one of the few items we source from off the continent. Most bananas are shipped by container to Los Angeles and then trucked up to Canada. Our bananas come directly from Peru to the port of Vancouver. This way they use 1/17th the fuel than that of a banana that comes via LA!
Maple Glazed Turnips and Carrots
Cut into match sticks or 1/2 coins, quartered:
1 bunch Turnips (save greens for a soup or saute!)
Cut into 1/2 inch coins:
3 medium carrots
Put the vegetables and stock (or water) in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the turnips are barely tender, about 10 minutes. Pour most of the liquid off, return pan to stove, and reduce the heat to medium.
Add:
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Stir to coat the vegetables and continue to cook uncovered until the vegetables are glazed and beginning to caramelize around the edges, about 2 minutes.
Introducing... Us!
Did you check out our new Introduction Video in last week's newsletter?
Missed it, did you?
Well, have another crack at it...
Darin Steinkey produced this lovely video for us and the music is from Compassion Gorilla.
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
For all of you that want to see a-day-in-the-life-of Share Organics! Darin Steinkey produced this lovely video for us and the music is from Compassion Gorilla.
Susan is interviewed and she speaks of our purchasing ethics while images of the production area and Colby suiting up for his daily bicycle delivery trek stream through your eyeballs into your optic nerve.
Climate Change and Food Security
in British Columbia
Dr. Aleck Ostry, UVic; Dr. Christiana Miewald, SFU; and Rachelle Beveridge, UVic
- The entire paper is available here.
Fruits and vegetables are (of course) of particular interest to us! It is noted in the food security discussion section that many people in BC with adequate incomes do not have healthy diets due to the low consumption of fruit and vegetables! This is happening simultaneously with the agricultural sector declining or exporting our produce.
"… there has been a marked decline in the quantities of field grown vegetables in BC (except for potatoes) over the past quarter century and a stunningly rapid growth in greenhouse vegetable production. The greenhouse vegetable industry in BC is mainly located in the Lower Mainland and is almost entirely geared to the production, for export, of tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers. … there has been a major decline in the production of tree fruit in BC over the past quarter century mainly because many Okanagan orchards have switched to intensive grape production for wine.
The question that emerges is how can we manage and plan for this new pressure on our food system while improving our food security and the dietary health of the population, while reducing or, at the very least, holding GHG emissions from food production and transportation steady over the next quarter century in BC?"
Many Share Organics customers say that having a box of fruit and veggies delivered ensure that they have lots of fresh nutritious produce on hand and they eat better for it!
An interesting tidbit from the study was about sourcing from local farms; it decreases food miles but food miles are, in fact, not the most important source of greenhouse gas emissions. More on that next time!
Cheese!
Dairy is one of the food groups that is mostly provided to us by BC Farmers. Try some of our great BC organic Gouda from Gort's Gouda. Many of you have discovered the fabulous cows' milk feta. Did you know they also make a wonderful Swiss-style Maasdammer! To see what's available select "Organic Cooler" then "Organic BC Cheese" from menu on the order page.
Baked Apples
Remove apple cores to within 1/2 inch of the bottom of 4 large baking apples.
Mix together the following:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans and 1/4 cup raisins
1 Tbsp butter
Stuff the apples and place in baking pan with 3/4 cup boiling water.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Baste occasionally. Serve with vanilla yogurt or ice cream!
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
From Box to Table - Susan eats her way through a Local Box
Oct 19, 2011 - Local Box
This past week I have been eating my way through the Local Only Box. I had a few potlucks to inspire me. Eating out of the box does take some planning but then as my naturopath says, eating well takes planning.
The first night I sautéed some kale in garlic and olive oil and added six of those large cherry tomatoes. I topped this with some BC Feta and let it melt while the pasta finished cooking.
Thursday I popped a BC organic chicken breast into the oven while I sautéed some green peppers and onions with fajita spicing. Add the chicken (or protein of choice) and serve with salsa and sour cream. A few olives are good too.
(Did you know we can grow olives here?)
For the Friday potluck I wanted to do something different with the eggplant - our last of the season. I remembered that eggplant is often used in Indian cooking. I found a recipe in Vij's Cookbook that used eggplant and buttercup squash - both in the box! I roasted them up that night so it would be a quicker dinner preparation on Friday. I only needed some cilantro and jalapeno to go with this recipe plus a lemon.
Did you know Bob Duncan in Saanich grows lemons?
Along with the curry I served a kale salad. The trick with using raw kale, according to a chef friend, is to let it marinate in the oil and vinegar for at least a few hours. With the kale as a base it is always good to add something sweet so added some grated apple at the last minute. The salad was an even nicer texture the next day.
I had heard that beet greens were a great addition to a morning smoothy. I cut the greens off the beetroot and bagged them for this purpose - (they are also tasty steamed). I blended the greens with an apple, frozen raspberries, hemp powder (from The Good Seed) and soy milk. It tasted delicious and I felt that I was being very good to myself eating so well!
I made quick borscht for the second potluck with the delicious big beet. See the recipe below. I am sharing dessert at a potluck later this week so I plan on making a flan with a quince-apple topping.
What's left in the fridge?
Red cabbage, parsley, green pepper and a few cherry tomatoes. The first three ingredients work as a cabbage salad with toasted sesame seeds, apple and a mayo yogurt dressing. The tomatoes and peppers will eaten up in lunches. I'd also like to try a red cabbage sauté. Parsley pesto? We'll see how the week goes.
Easy Beet Borscht
(OR Easy Beet-y Borscht-y) ... isn't that more fun?
Grate:
1 large beet, peeled (3 cups)
2 medium potatoes (2 cups)
1 medium onion (1 cup)
Cover with water and simmer 15 minutes.
Add the following:
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp dried dill weed
1 Tbsp maple syrup or other sweetner
Simmer for another 30 minutes.
Add juice from 1/2 a lemon and serve warm with sour cream or yogurt.
Freeze leftovers for later in the season!
Recipe Ideas for This Week's Local Box
Potato Latkes with Apple Sauce
Broccoli and Chanterelle Saute
Steamed Collards with Basil Butter
Tomatoes and Sprouts with Basil Vinaigrette
Pear Cobbler
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here!
"The results are in from a 30-year side-by-side trial of conventional and organic farming methods at Pennsylvania's Rodale Institute. Contrary to conventional wisdom, real brand Ambien online, Ambien schedule, organic farming outperformed conventional farming in every measure.
The Rodale study found organic farming is more sustainable than conventional systems, online buying Ambien. Where can i cheapest Ambien online, They found, for example, buying Ambien online over the counter, Ambien samples, that:
Organic systems used 45 per cent less energy than conventional.
Production efficiency was 28 per cent higher in the organic systems, with the conventional no-till system being the least efficient in terms of energy usage.
Soil health in the organic systems has increased over time while the conventional systems remain essentially unchanged, cheap Ambien. Ambien pictures, One measure of soil health is the amount of carbon contained in the soil. Carbon performs many crucial functions: acting as a reservoir of plant nutrients, binding soil particles together, maintaining soil temperature, providing a food source for microbes, binding heavy metals and pesticides, and influencing water holding capacity and aeration, Buy Ambien Without Prescription. The conventional system has shown a loss in carbon in recent years.
Organic fields increased groundwater recharge and reduced run-off, Ambien from canada. Ambien coupon, Water volumes percolating through the soil were 15-20 per cent higher in the organic systems. Rather than running off the surface and taking soil with it, Ambien forum, Ambien online cod, rainwater recharged groundwater reserves in the organic systems, with minimal erosion.
Organic farming also helps sustain rural communities by creating more jobs; a UN study shows organic farms create 30 per cent more jobs per hectare than nonorganic, japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal. Australia, uk, us, usa, More of the money in organic farming goes to paying local people, rather than to farm inputs."
With results like these, Ambien pics, Herbal Ambien, why does conventional wisdom favour chemical farming.
Steam the beets until soft, Ambien description. Taking Ambien, Puree the beets in a food processor with a 1/2 cup of the water in the steamer. At the same time, Ambien without prescription, Ambien for sale, melt chocolate in a double boiler on low to medium heat.
Cream butter and sugar together using a mixer, buy generic Ambien. Add vanilla, melted chocolate and pureed beets, Buy Ambien Without Prescription. Ambien brand name, Mix until smooth and add the eggs.
Mix the flour, discount Ambien, Ambien dosage, baking soda and salt together and add to the beet mixture. Beat until smooth, fast shipping Ambien. What is Ambien, Grease and flour a bundt pan. Buy Ambien Without Prescription, Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake 40-45 mins at 325 F.
Glaze:
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 1/2 oz 70% Chocolate
2 tbl butter
Bring whipping cream to boil, Ambien mg, Ambien over the counter, remove from heat, add chocolate and butter, Ambien reviews. Ambien australia, uk, us, usa, Stir to combine. Pour over cake warm OR let chill until thickened, buy cheap Ambien no rx. Generic Ambien, www.shareorganics.bc.ca. Ambien wiki. Buy no prescription Ambien online. Order Ambien no prescription. Online buying Ambien hcl. Ambien from canadian pharmacy. Purchase Ambien online no prescription. Ambien alternatives. Effects of Ambien.
Ambien For Sale, What's Fresh News - October 4th, 2011
Thanks to all the Farmers
for another bountiful harvest
that will fill our boxes
and appear on tables
all over Victoria this weekend
... Ambien price, coupon, and through the Winter
Chef's Challenge at Madrona Farm
It was an excellent obstacle course for the chefs this year. They had to jump mounds of compost and hay bales, Ambien long term, Ambien overnight, shimmy under irrigation pipes, scale a wall, Ambien photos, Where to buy Ambien, paddle (in questionable boats) to an Island to retrieve their condiment bags and finally finished up on the Zip Line.
We all ate a fabulous lunch while each Chef picked their own vegetables from the fields and with a protein of choice they each began to prepare a fabulous meal, buy Ambien online cod. Purchase Ambien for sale, One Chef caught some lake trout in Prospect Lake the day before, another choose local dog fish - a very underrated fish in this part of the world, Ambien no prescription. A fellow from The Whole Beast showed us how to make sausage, Ambien For Sale. Order Ambien online overnight delivery no prescription, It was a great chance to see these amazing chefs in action and to learn a thing or two. I saw a chef use the pulp from a squash in his soup base and also sauté the squash seeds to use as a garnish, Ambien results. Doses Ambien work, At the end of the day each meal was auctioned off to the highest bidder. All this was in support of the TLC, after Ambien. Ambien For Sale, This was A LOT OF FUN. Ambien maximum dosage, Don't miss it next year.
Just don't, where can i find Ambien online. Ambien without a prescription,
budding Brussels Sprouts
Madrona's Farmer Dave was overseeing the festivities. Dave has been working with Share Organics to extend the growing seasons into late fall and early spring, is Ambien addictive. I saw some of the crops that will fill our boxes later in the year: brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and kale as well as braising greens and arugula, Ambien For Sale. Ambien gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, Baby Cauliflower
Green Apple and Buttercup Squash Casserole
This can be prepared the night before and baked at the last minute - when the turkey comes out.
2 Jonagold apples, my Ambien experience, Order Ambien from United States pharmacy, peeled and cored
3 TB organic butter, divided
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 small butternut squash, Ambien cost, Ambien dangers, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery, Ambien treatment, Ambien no rx, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh thyme to taste, Ambien street price, Ambien trusted pharmacy reviews, optional
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans/walnuts, optional
Preheat oven to 400°F, buy Ambien without prescription. Buy Ambien online no prescription, Cut apples into quarters and then each quarter into quarters again.
Melt one tablespoon butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, Ambien street price. Ambien For Sale, Sauté squash, onion, celery and mushrooms with a pinch of sea salt for 10 minutes, stirring often. Ambien steet value, Cover the pan and cook for 5 to 10 minutes over medium-low, stirring occasionally, buy Ambien online cod, Ambien online cod, until squash is just tender.
Meanwhile, Ambien reviews, Ambien results, melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add the breadcrumbs, order Ambien no prescription, Ambien without a prescription, stirring to coat well and set aside. To the pan add the squash mixture, Ambien treatment, Ambien no rx, and the apples, thyme, Ambien from canadian pharmacy, Ambien without prescription, salt and pepper to taste. Continue to sauté for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until apples are just tender, Ambien For Sale. Transfer vegetables and any pan juices to a buttered medium baking pan, Ambien forum. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the top.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden-brown. For extra crunch, garnish with toasted pecans before serving.
Thanks to Nancy at Sungold Meadows Farm for this recipe and this week's squash.
If you would like to view or add to your order please click here.
Buy Xanax Without Prescription, What's Fresh News - September 27th, 2011
GMO Conference at OUR EcoVillage
Jon Steinman of Deconstructing Dinner spoke about the myths surrounding GMO foods. Xanax class, One of the best ways to promote GMO awareness (and a GE-Free Vancouver Island, perhaps) is to be able to set the record straight, buy generic Xanax. Xanax pharmacy, Myth Number 1 - GMO food can feed the world.
In fact, buy no prescription Xanax online, Xanax used for, as Dr. Huber pointed out, purchase Xanax online, Order Xanax online c.o.d, the yield on GMO crops are low compared to conventional and organic crops.
Myth Number 2 - GMO are safe, Buy Xanax Without Prescription. Research has not been done to prove GMO products are safe, Xanax coupon. Xanax price, GMO plants have been unleashed on to the world.
Myth Number 3 - GMO plants cannot reproduce, online buying Xanax. Where can i buy Xanax online, This misconception might have come about because of terminator seeds slated to be introduced into the marketplace but never sanctioned. Buy Xanax Without Prescription, Most GMO plants can and do reproduce thus becoming weeds (GMO canola) that cannot be controlled. Right now GMO alfalfa has been okayed in the USA, purchase Xanax for sale. Xanax gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release, Genetically modified (GM) alfalfa is only a step away from approval in Canada. For Canadian Organic Growers and its members, buying Xanax online over the counter, Xanax trusted pharmacy reviews, GM alfalfa is the last straw. "In March, where can i order Xanax without prescription, Herbal Xanax, we signed onto a legal action against Monsanto."
Jon mentioned many more myths around GMO, Buy Xanax Without Prescription. Check out these past episodes on Deconstructing Dinner:
www.kootenaycoopradio.com/deconstructingdinner/
This week we have local Prima and Liberty apples, after Xanax. Xanax from mexico, Ian of Isabella Orchard on Saltspring Island reports that there are very few Liberty this year. The different types of apple trees blossom at different times so yield is dependent on weather and bee pollination at blossom time, buy Xanax without a prescription. Where can i find Xanax online, The rainy cold spring and the wet July will likely led to more scaring on the apples this year (25% scab-free is the acceptable standard). Buy Xanax Without Prescription, Ian, as an organic farmer, is careful to rake up all the diseased leaves. He is planning to pick the scarred apples off the trees and take them in for juice pressing, my Xanax experience. Where can i cheapest Xanax online, We will have the first batch of his wonderful fresh frozen apple juice next week - a gravenstein mix with a hint of pear.
Red Free Apples at Isabella Orchards
We are also expecting our first order from Saltspring Island's Foxglove Farm, Xanax over the counter. Buy Xanax no prescription, They will be sending us some Sweet Peppers and for our lucky Local Box customers a pint of strawberries. Don't worry - they are being grown under hoop houses and so we'll have them rain or shine, Buy Xanax Without Prescription.
From the Cowichan Valley Wendy at Westwind Farms has had a bumper crop of Eggplant, taking Xanax. Where to buy Xanax, Below is her favourite eggplant recipe.
Roasted Eggplant and Peppers
Preheat oven to 425 F, Xanax blogs. Order Xanax from mexican pharmacy, Slice diagonally into long "rounds":
1/2 LB Eggplant
Halve, seed and cut into long thick slices:
2 green peppers
(Optionally add 2 cloves peeled garlic)
Drizzle and toss everything in a few glugs of Olive oil, ordering Xanax online. Xanax long term, Bake for 10 minutes, turn over and bake for another five minute or so until soft, buy Xanax from mexico. Order Xanax from United States pharmacy, Serve warm (over rice) topped with the secret ingredient...
1/2 cup grated feta
, order Xanax online overnight delivery no prescription. What is Xanax. Effects of Xanax. Xanax schedule. Xanax description. Australia, uk, us, usa. Buy Xanax from canada.
Lorazepam For Sale, What's Fresh News - September 13th, 2011
A great Farm Event I can recommend is the:
The Land Conservancy's:
Chef Survival Challenge IV
It will take place at
Madrona Farm on Blenkinsop Rd
October 2, 2011 -- noon to 6:00 p.m.
Get there at noon so you don't miss the local chefs running the farm relay, Lorazepam no rx. Lorazepam without a prescription, Enjoy some fabulous local food while the chefs setup and prepare a meal from the crops they picked in the relay. The Chefs bring a protein of choice and the rest is a surprise, purchase Lorazepam online no prescription. Lorazepam long term, Later in the afternoon these meals will be auctioned off with proceeds to the TLC. Our local chefs are great guys with generous spirits, Lorazepam For Sale. Click here to see more about the chefs and their local restaurants:
It was exciting to see all the folks supporting our farmers and the idea of a covered, after Lorazepam, Lorazepam pharmacy, year-round Downtown Market at the Eat Here Now event this past Sunday. The variety and amount of produce was amazing!, online buying Lorazepam. Lorazepam pics, Peppers, eggplants and tomatoes of every colour and size caught my eye, purchase Lorazepam online. Is Lorazepam safe, Peas, beans and an abundance of green, cheap Lorazepam. Lorazepam For Sale, A good year for potatoes - I counted 8 different varieties. Lorazepam pictures, Thanks to all who organized this all volunteer run event!.
To see some highlights and to find out more information about the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society please go to their website, buy no prescription Lorazepam online, Lorazepam description, victoriapublicmarket.com.
Fun with the Bike Cart
Colby our bike delivery guy has an odometer on his bike now, Lorazepam use. Lorazepam samples, He clocked 70km last week. On top of all those kilometres it was an extra heavy week due to the watermelon in many of the bins, Lorazepam For Sale. 7 of our routes, order Lorazepam online c.o.d, Lorazepam canada, mexico, india, every week, are delivered by bicycle, where can i order Lorazepam without prescription. Lorazepam for sale, Way to go Colby.
I rode the bike and cart down to the Eat Here Now Festival on Sunday, Lorazepam australia, uk, us, usa. Lorazepam used for, It was nearly empty (though still excess weight) and downhill for the most part... Lorazepam For Sale, and I made it. Way to go Susan, buy Lorazepam no prescription. Fast shipping Lorazepam, And Reggie rode the bike cart back. Way to go Reggie, purchase Lorazepam for sale. Japan, craiglist, ebay, overseas, paypal,
Serve with rice or bread, where can i cheapest Lorazepam online. Comprar en línea Lorazepam, comprar Lorazepam baratos. My Lorazepam experience. Rx free Lorazepam. Purchase Lorazepam. Get Lorazepam. Lorazepam overnight. Lorazepam over the counter. Lorazepam gel, ointment, cream, pill, spray, continuous-release, extended-release. Lorazepam maximum dosage.
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Baby Cauliflower photographed at Madrona Farm, Oct 2011
Dennis and Frank O'Brien
Blueberries have recently been planted in the fields with the first crop expected this year. In addition, an orchard is in the planning stages. I have requested pear and plum trees!
Last year we enjoyed island cucumbers in early April and tomatoes in early May. I spoke with Dennis, one of the trio of brothers involved on the farm, and he tells me they are expanding production and have 1/3 more greenhouse space this year.
SunTrio Farm is certified organic and because they cannot rotate the crops in the green houses they replace the soil each year with 
We were their very first delivery: salad greens to Niagara Grocery in James Bay!
If you would like to view or add to your order please 
Dave's daughter (of Madrona Farm) sampling frozen brussels sprouts!
Umi Nami Farms in Metchosin has just delivered freshly harvested daikon and packed it into 500g packages. Daikon is a root vegetable that grows in our region and has a mild radish flavour. It can be enjoyed raw as a part of veggies-and-dip or grated onto salads.
Yoshiko was telling me she also uses it in stir fries and makes it into Japanese pickle by layering daikon with a sprinkling of salt and vinegar. Then let it sit for a few hours.
Or try this:
Winter Local Box
Our brussels sprouts in their early childhood days on Madrona Farm
(image taken October 2011 during the Chef Survival Challenge).
Greens like kale and chard are growing at a snail's pace… Salad greens will continue through December and then slow down as the day length shortens. We will look forward to a lot more root crops, hazelnuts, leeks, sprouts, salad mix, apples, brussels sprouts and cauliflower in the next month.
**All this bounty from our Island!**
Oct 19, 2011 - Local Box
This past week I have been eating my way through the Local Only Box. I had a few potlucks to inspire me. Eating out of the box does take some planning but then as my naturopath says, eating well takes planning.
The first night I sautéed some kale in garlic and olive oil and added six of those large cherry tomatoes. I topped this with some BC Feta and let it melt while the pasta finished cooking.
Thursday I popped a BC organic chicken breast into the oven while I sautéed some green peppers and onions with fajita spicing. Add the chicken (or protein of choice) and serve with salsa and sour cream. A few olives are good too.
(Did you know we can 
