2011 CSA (first year of the debit system)

Howdy all!

Enrollment in the 2011 CSA has begun! Membership is very limited, so hurry if you're interested.

We will only be offering 20 memberships this year. Fresh, local food introduced me to some amazing people last year. Bringing real food to other people's tables has been a wonderful experience. I wish we could expand every year, but the "C" in CSA (community supported agriculture) is important. And in order to keep our community happy, we are reducing the size of the CSA while we move into a debit system. After two-and-a-half years of providing pre-selected bags of produce, next year we will be offering members the choice of picking what they want, when they want. I will be vending at the following markets:

North of the James Market at Bryan Park, Tuesdays, 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.
South of the James Market at Forest Hill Park, Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Community Supported Agriculture allows me to provide families with fresh, local food. I've greatly enjoyed filling people's tables with quality produce in the height of its growing season. I'm hoping this new debit system will allow my members to get more of their favorites in a more convenient way.

Costs and Deadlines:

The season runs from the first week in May through the third week of November.

whole shares: $500.00
half shares: $275.00
50% due february 18
50% due march 18
No refunds after april 1, and no refunds will be offered on unspent credits.
There is a 10% discount for returning members (you wonderful, patient souls!)

Members receive their initial investment plus 10% as credits to use as they choose at either market.

Examples of this year's produce:

*These items aren't guaranteed at market. Produce varies by what grows each week and by farmers' choice.

Early Spring:
arugula mix
spicy greens mix
swiss chard
broccoli rabe
bok choy
radishes
beets
kale
carrots
peas
onions
herbs

Early Summer:

tomatoes (possibly by late june)
peppers
eggplant
beans
salad mix
herbs

Mid Summer:

squash
cucumbers
melons
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
salad mix
herbs
beans

Late Summer:
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
okra
salad mix
herbs
beans

Fall:
squash
tomatoes
peppers
eggplant
okra
herbs
swiss chard
broccoli rabe
bok choy
radishes
beets
kale
carrots
beans

The Tomato Question:

Tomatoes have taught me that one cannot live on heirlooms alone. Almost a third of the farm is dedicated at one point or another to my prized ripe, juicy love apples.

Cherry Tomatoes:
There will be pints of cherries made up of the classics: sungolds, green zebras, oregon springs, and either brown or black cherries.

Beefsteaks:
We grow a variety.
- Great White is a low-acid white beefsteak that is soft, delicate, meaty, and juicy.
- Red Pear is a large heirloom old north italian pear-shaped beefsteak.
- Hybrid beefsteak varieties will be grown and labeled as non heirloom.

Paste Tomatoes:

We grow several types.
Black Plum is my all time favorite sauce tomato – perfect in my eggplant parmesan recipe.
San Marzano Redorta are large roma paste tomatoes great for canning and sauces.

If you have any questions about the CSA, feel free to contact me or leave them in the comments below.

CSA FAQ:

FarmerRussell@gmail.com is my email.

Please make all checks payable to Edible Old Dominion LLC
and mail to:
Edible Old Dominion
2105 Davenport Ave.
Richmond Va. 23228

Though we are happy to hear from everyone who is interested, we start counting the members when the checks start showing up. Shares will be limited to 20 members this year.

How does the debit system work?

You will receive your initial investment plus 10% as credits for use at market. So, if you purchase a whole share for $500, you will receive $550 in credits to use on produce. The credits can be used at either market on any items you want. We'll keep track of them for you. We're hoping this new system will allow our members to get what they want when they want it.
*No refunds will be offered on unspent credits.

Are you organic?
No. Organic is a government certification that takes three years to obtain and can cost several hundred, to several thousand dollars, to maintain. We do use organic methods. We never use synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. My daughter runs through the fields on the farm. I want to be able to keep it that way.

Do you grow only Heirloom vegetables?
I wish. We are huge fans of biodiversity and use heirlooms whenever possible. The split this year will probably be 50 /50. Losing half of a tomato plants production can be hard when you are growing a couple in your backyard, when you have 800 plants of that variety it can bring you to your muddy knees.

Thanksgiving / CSA ends

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

CSA wrapped up last week. Thank you all for your support of local agriculture during this past difficult season. The 2011 Edible Old Dominion CSA will have fewer members as we switch to a debit system. Once again there will be a loyalty discount for returning members. Look forward to a CSA Post in the near future. I hope your tables are filled on this day of thanks with local and artesian delights. -FR

Seems like rest garlic and.vitamins have done the trick again. I will be at south of the james today 8-noon

Im currently running a temperature of 101. I may not make it to the South of the James Market in the morning.

Soup Recipes and Such

Tis the season for Soup. As a single father and one-man farming operation, time, like sanity, is a rare commodity. Every autumn soup is my answer to providing real food and several meals in a short period of time.

It is rare that I go by a recipe, so I'm attempting to write one down ... On second though, let's call these general guidelines instead of exact recipes.

* Note: If I am saying shredded or diced, odds are I'm running it through a Cuisinart with a medium shredding disc (every minute counts)

Miso Soup

The farmers' go- to cure for all ailments is eating raw garlic until your mouth is on fire, washing it all down with red wine, and repeating, followed by sleep (works like a charm).

When that's not an option, Miso Soup is plan B. The recipe I started with probably came out of Vegetarian Times in the late 90's (?).

Here's the basics:

Olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a large stock pot)

Ginger, shredded (as much as your sickly hands are willing to peal and can afford)

Garlic, chopped (see plan A, at least 4cloves. However much garlic you work with, divide it in half.)

Large red onion, diced

2 Carrots, shredded (or a handful of baby carrots)

1lb firm tofu, cubed (I prefer twin oaks herb)

1/2 a cabbage head,

shredded

1 bundle radishes, shredded

Egg noodles

Tamari (about 1 Tablespoon)

Red miso paste

6 cups water or vegetable broth

Fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in the large stock pot over medium heat. Add ginger. Cook until the ginger is fragrant and has infused the oil. If you are so congested you cannot smell the ginger, then cook until just before it starts to brown. Add half the garlic and tofu. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tofu is lightly browned, but the ginger and garlic haven't burned. Add carrots, cabbage, radishes and onions. Cover. Stir often. Once the onions turn translucent add the vegetable broth. Bring soup to a solid boil. Add egg noodles. Once noodles are fully cooked, add parsley, remaining garlic, and tamari. A teaspoon of tamari should work, but I haven't measured it in years. When the color is right you will know it. You want the soup to be almost salty enough, but not quite there. The miso will take it the rest of the way. Remove from heat.

Add red miso paste, a little at a time, stirring frequently. It's important to add it in small chunks. A salty glob of goo is just a horrible thing for sick folks to have to endure. The quanity of Miso you use is totally dictated by taste. It's amazingly good for you. I've had friends survive break-up solely on this stuff. Serve hot, Serve often.

*For years cayenne pepper and or hot sauce was a regular part of this soup. Since I've been cooking for a younger palate lately, I have been skipping it. If you can handle the heat, load it on. You may not be able to feel your mouth, and the bathroom may scare you, but it is right up there with garlic as a cure-all in this farmers' opinion.

Veggie-Packed Potato Cream Soup with Aged Cheddar

Olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a large stock pot)

4 yellow onions, 2 diced, 2 pureed

2 carrots, shredded (or a handful of baby carrots)

3 sticks celery, shredded

1/2 a head of cabbage, shredded

1 bundle radishes, shredded

3 gold potatoes, diced

6 cups water or vegetable broth

Fresh parsley, chopped

1 lb mixed small potatoes: redskins, blues, yukon golds, cranberry reds whatever is available, quartered or cubed

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 lb shredded aged cheddar

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and add onions. Once onions are translucent, add remaining shredded vegetables and diced potatoes. Cover. Stir Often. Once vegetables have wilted, add vegetable broth and bring to a boil.

In a separate smaller stock pot filled with heavily salted water, bring quartered potatoes to a boil.

In small batches, begin to puree shredded vegetable broth using a blender or food processor. Strain cubed potatoes and add to pureed vegetable mix (do not puree potatoes). Simmer for 20 minutes. Puree 2 onions with 1 cup pureed vegetables, then blend with parsley. Add back into soup. Stir together until blended and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Add cream and mix thoroughly. Add 1 Tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot garnished with shredded aged cheddar.

Check Out RVAFOODIE

Through my adventures in Twitterverse I have come to know Jason Guard/aka RVA Foodie. If you are not currently following his blog Caramalized Opinions through RVAFOODIE.COM , I would highly recommend it. I have started to comment there on occasion. He tends to ask good questions.

Below you will find my comment on his most recent post about being a "foodie". Thank you all for your continued support of local agriculture and bio diversity.

When I was 16 I took a road trip up to Georgetown to see my first long distance girlfriend, who was visiting her aunt. During lunch some fresh shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano was served. This was my first experience with the cheese outside of the ubiquitous green can I had known over far too many spaghetti dinners. I guess I’ve been a foodie ever since.
The importance of bio diversity in agriculture can not be over stated. As a local grower, I can say with out doubt, that the rise in farmers markets and the locavore movement has been fueled by a holy trinity of Environmentalism, Health Consciousness, and Foodieisim. It’s a lot easier to get a fair market price, and thus be willing to grow, Broccoli Rabe when the customers know what Broccoli Rabe is. It takes foodies to provide a market for variety, whether that is for 8 kinds of salt, or 6 kinds of kale.

-FR

Radish Soup and Farmer Russell's Renegade Market!

Found a great recipe for radish soup. I wouldn't consider this a main course kind of soup like minestrone or a veggie heavy Miso, but it is easy to make and it would make a great first course.

http://www.grouprecipes.com/8004/red-radish-soup.html

I tweaked it a bit when I made it for myself and my daughter. I skipped the horseradish. When you cook radishes they get sweet like turnips, or carrots almost. The horseradish would have brought back the spice and zing that you would probably expect from a radish soup. Instead of using half and half and the mayo, I just used 4 cups of heavy whipping cream. It was rich, but worked nicely with the remaining texture from the radishes. I didn't serve it with cheese, but a little garnish of an aged white cheddar might have been nice. Enjoy!

Farmer Russell's Renegade Market

The Bryan Park Market officially ended last Tuesday, but I will continue to be setting up shop through the third week of November. Look for me near (in ... shhh) shelter 3. I can appreciate why RVA's most hidden market closes shop at the end of October, but with three more weeks in the CSA, the show must go on. I will be inviting other farmers to come out and join me, but odds are that I will be there solo. Radishes and other winter greens continue to come in and I look forward to wrapping up the CSA with larger and larger bags each week. -FR

My apologies to any CSA members who pick up at Bryan Park this afternoon. Shares will be particularly small. Beans are done for the season, and greens are not in yet. We hope we'll have greens for you next week!

It's so strange to see fewer and fewer farmers at the market each week. It's been a hard year for everyone and many former mentors question if they will return.

We are receiving constant requests for 2011 office delivery. At the moment we are at a loss as to how to provide it in keeping with the new debit system. Ideas? Please leave 'em in the comments section!

Radishes are In!

This week we’ve got plenty of fresh radishes for you to enjoy. Sure, you can just slice ‘em up and eat ‘em (maybe topped with a bit of sea salt), or add them to your favorite salad, but a nifty, unconventional way to enjoy them is in the form of radish chips.

Check out this recipe from a woman who was a little iffy on radishes until she sliced them thin, drizzled them with olive oil, sprinkled them with salt and baked them to crispy, crunchy perfection.

These are an ideal, crunchy treat for those looking for a healthier, crunchy snack, or those trying to convince their kids to eat more nutrient-rich foods. Radishes contain folic acid, potassium, vitamin B6 and riboflavin, among other nutrients.

Try them tonight!

Any avid mountain bikers are welcome to contact me about riding on the trails at the farm. One of our neighbors just opened up some new paths in preparation for deer season.

We hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday weekend! For more farm updates everyone is welcome to follow me on twitter @farmerrussell. -FR

Next Year’s CSA

A recent article on Richmond.com listed our CSA as one of the many community supported agriculture options in town. They posted details from this year’s CSA, and we are changing a few things next year. We just wanted to let our followers know.

Next year our CSA will, for the most part, be closed to new members. Members from the first two years will be eligible to join. Depending on demand, we may make a few exceptions, so if you were not a member in the past two years, but are particularly interested in Edible Old Dominion, please contact Farmer Russell directly.

Instead of our past style of giving all members an equal amount of what’s in season each week, next year we will operate on a debit system, meaning you’ll be able to get as little or as much as you want each week.

Don’t like greens? Skip ‘em. Love blackberries? Stock up on some extra pints. Going on vacation? Don’t worry about it. You can use your shares later in the season. Want to come to one market one week and another the next? That’s fine. You can use your shares anywhere we are.

It will work like this. You’ll get your investment plus 20 percent to spend on veggies throughout the season. So, if you buy a full share for $500, you’ll get $600 to spend, and if you get a half share for $275 you’ll get $330 to spend. Each week you can pick what you want, and we’ll deduct the cost from your total amount. If you use up your shares, you’ll receive 20 percent off your produce for the rest of the season.

Because we are moving to a debit system, we will no longer offer office deliveries. Members will need to be present at the market to choose their produce.

The CSA will run for 29 weeks again, from the first of May through the third week of November, making this one of the longest running CSAs around.

We’ll share more information as we get farther into next year.

We love our members!

Check out this post from CSA member Green Shutter's blog. She took a way cool canning class at Lavender Fields Farm, whipped up some tomato sauce with our fresh tomatoes, and canned some delicious sauce. What a cool use for our produce!

It's been a rough year.

Over the past few weeks a few CSA members have expressed discontent with the size and contents of their shares. We just wanted to take a moment to address these concerns.

As we've said throughout the season, we are sorry about the limited sizes and varieties in the CSA this year. Unfortunately, there has been extreme weather, both in terms of heat and lack of rain, and no expert farming can control the elements. In addition, by choosing to be a member of Edible Old Dominion, you made the decision to support a new farm in the area. It takes years of work and a lot of money to create dependable soil that always gives perfect, plentiful crops. We appreciate every member who chooses to support us as we grow, but it won't happen overnight.

In addition, we at Edible Old Dominion strive to create completely organic produce for your eating pleasure. We don't use any additives that are even slightly questionable in their pure organic nature. Sure, we could spray our fields with pesticides and create tons of beautiful, perfect vegetables, but that's not what we're about.

Again, we truly appreciate the members who have supported us during this tough season, and we are working hard to get more produce ready for you in late summer and fall. And to those who have expressed their dissatisfaction, we apologize. We're doing the best we can.

We love our members / tomato recipe!

http://greenshutterphotos.blogspot.com/2010/08/csa-tomato-beauties.html

Fresh Pears

This week CSA members are getting plenty of freshly picked pears and there are even more pears for sale at market. Yes, these juicy tree fruits taste wonderful eaten alone, but you can also add them to meals and desserts.

Like apples, thinly sliced pears make a wonderful addition to a cheese plate. You can also pair them with Manchego in a salad like this one from epicurious.com. Try following the recipe to a tee, or simplify it by putting diced pear and grated Manchego over baby arugula and drizzling it with the dressing in the recipe. Or, if you don’t even feel like whipping up a homemade dressing, just use your favorite balsamic vinaigrette and some freshly ground pepper.

Looking to finish a meal, rather than start one? Caramelize some pears and serve them over ice cream. Chow.com has a pretty foolproof method for transforming simple fruit into sweet, desserty goodness.

If you want to get creative, try McCormick’s recipe for Crunchy Asian Slaw that incorporates diced pears into the mix. This side salad is a wonderful accompaniment to teriyaki chicken made on the grill.

Keep those tomatoes tasty

Our tomatoes have begun to arrive. Hurray! CSA members are now receiving big, hearty Beefsteak tomatoes, as well as some great heirloom varieties like flavor-filled Great Whites. Make sure you get the most out of our juicy tomatoes by storing them appropriately.

Edible Old Dominion tomatoes come to you perfectly ripe, so if you bring them home in a paper bag, make sure to remove them immediately. Store them in a dry, cool place, but don’t put them in the refrigerator. This will dull the tomato’s fresh flavor.

We’ll have some delicious tomato recipes for you coming soon, but in the meantime, try simply slicing your tomatoes, drizzling them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkling them with a little sea salt. If you want a bit more flavor, try adding some chopped fresh basil or dried Italian herbs and light sprinkle of garlic powder or even a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. This is the perfect summer appetizer.

It takes a sharp shovel ...

I heard, or read, a great quote from an old Italian farmer early this season: "It takes a hard heart and a sharp shovel to be a farmer."

When my flock of laying hens was slaughtered down to less then two dozen and I dug their graves, I thought of that quote. When the much-needed rain came down all at once, instead of in a slow drizzle, and washed away rows of freshly planted greens, I thought of it again. When I passed out from the heat earlier this week and had no choice but to get up and keep going, I couldn't help but repeat what had become my new mantra.

The well was drilled this week and, with a little luck, regular irrigation will be functioning by Tuesday or Wednesday at latest. Celebrating that major victory and the much-needed rain, I was making dinner with my daughter Saturday night when I got a call from Eli Green. Eli has a greenhouse business in the Farmville area and started the majority of the tomato plants for the farm this year. Almost two months ago, I gave Eli seeds for our sweet peppers and eggplants.

With irrigation ready and rows open, I was looking forward to planting about 1,200 Peppers and as many eggplants this coming week. I was expecting harvest to begin in late July or early August. Sadly, Eli informed me that on this past Wednesday when the temperature reached 105 degrees, his greenhouse overheated and all of the eggplant and pepper plants died. The death of these plants insures there will be no sweet peppers or eggplants this year. This interruption in our crop rotation is irreparable. The new well will greatly increase production, but nothing will totally fill the window this most recent loss will cause.

Tomato production looks good and there are more than 300 pounds of tomatoes on vine at the moment. A massive restructuring of the 2010 Farm Plan is happening on Sunday morning. This will most likely include numerous extra plantings of beans and winter squash. It is still too early to start planting Fall greens in earnest. We'll push up additional root-crop plantings and, hopefully with the new irrigation system, we will see good results.

As discouraging as this most recent news is, I am happy and thankful to still be producing at all. I have heard about more than one local farmer who has been totally wiped out by the heat and drought.

Special thanks to all of the CSA members and their patience as we recover from this major setback. That said, I'm grabbing my sharp shovel, and heading back out into the fields.


- Farmer Russell

A well is coming!

The Health Department came to the farm yesterday and gave us the okay to add a well! Since the creek that we normally get water from to water the plants is pretty much dried up, this is FANTASTIC news. We’re just waiting for the written permit to arrive in the mail, and if it does by the end of the week, we’ll start drilling next week!

Along with having water for the crops, a well means we can irrigate. But that’s not all. We can also fertigate, or add natural fertilizers like fish emulsions and kelp to the water to help the plants grow faster and stronger.

And for you, Edible Old Dominion fans and CSA members, this means more veggies! Hopefully your bags will be fuller with bigger, stronger, more delicious produce each week.

Think Rain! The ongoing draught has taken its toll. The creek I usually pump from is dry. Thank you for your patience during our lower production. -FR

Bryan Market I spend Tuesday mornings picking for market and am often late in arriving. I do attempt to be there by 3:30. Sorry for any inconvenience. - FR

Farm Update

We’ve been busy planting and harvesting out at the farm. Look for okra, Japanese turnips and arugula coming soon.

The recent rain has actually hurt some of our crops. Yes, normally rain is good, but the recent showers have been so heavy and hard, they actually washed away a few rows of greens and other crops.

We’re planting lots of beans and fall/winter squash. Along with Jade green beans, a highly productive heirloom variety, we’re mixing in some Royal Burgundy beans, which look purple raw but turn green when they’re boiled or steamed. Mixing up our varieties helps add biodiversity to the farm.

Blackberry Goodness

This past week CSA members received some blackberries, and next week you'll be getting more. Some come from our farm and are painstakingly handpicked. Along with people, deer like blackberries, and tics like deer. For about every 50 berries
farmer Russell picks, he also has to pick one tic off his skin. We're also
getting some blackberries from other Virginia farms to round out the supply.

While these berries are delicious eaten just as they are, you can also use blackberries to make some tasty desserts. Why not mix them with some more of the season's finest offerings and make a Triple Berry Crisp? This recipe comes from the cooking queen Betty Crocker and is guaranteed to be delicious. Watching your waistline? Why not make a single-serve crisp in the microwave instead?

If you're looking for something on the fancy side, try Cheesecake with Minted Blackberries. This recipe from dearly departed Gourmet Magazine is both indulgent and elegant at the same time. If you're in a hurry, you can also buy a cheesecake and make the Minted Blackberries to serve on top.

The weather is warmer and the rain is slowing. Irrigation will began in the next week or so, and continue through mid Sept. Dreams of a well are frequent.

Experimental Farming

In order to continually diversify our farm and expand our horizons, we plant an experimental crop every year. This means we plant less of it and see how it goes. Last year it was soybeans, this year it's leeks. A select few share members got some Bleu de Solaize French leeks earlier this season.

After last year, we were able to plant more soybeans this year, and we're hoping to be able to do the same with leeks next year. These heirloom leeks have blueish leaves that turn violet after cold spells. We'll also be experimenting with Brussels sprouts this year.

Farm Pics

Here are some lovely shots of the farm. Thanks to volunteer Amy Whitehurst for sharing these awesome images with us.

Sorry if we missed you at the Bryan Park market. When lightning comes through the market has to close. All of canopies are just giant lightning rods.

Over night our largest chicken tractor, holding our oldest flock, was raided by a predator and all hens were lost. CSA eggs will be outsourced from Eden Farms.

Save the Rice!

Another way we recycle on the farm is by using rice hulls. Rice hulls are the hard protective coverings of grains of rice. The hull is pretty much inedible and in the past, California rice growers would burn them, which isn't the best for the environment.

Today, we use the rice hulls to help break up the red clay in our soil. The red clay on our land has lots of valuable nutrients that can help our veggies grow stronger and more flavorful. In order to get these nutrients out of the clay and into the vegetables, the clay needs to be broken up, and it needs a lot of water. When we mix the rice hulls in the with soil, it allows the clay to have more access to air and water.

We tried using rice hulls on lettuce this year, and found that 20 to 30 percent more of our seeds sprouted. Hooray!

In the past we used perlite, a volcanic rock to break up the clay. This worked, but the perlite never was fully absorbed into the soil and would eventually wash away. The rice hulls will rot and become a part of the soil, creating more of a lasting effect.

Crispy, Crunch Kale Chips

You’ve been getting fresh kale all season long. Have you tried crispy, crunchy kale chips yet? We know, they sound kind of weird and granola-y, but trust us, they’re tasty, especially if you crave the crunch of potato chips, but are trying to eat healthy.

We’ve tried making kale chips several ways, and have had the best outcome following Smitten Kitchen’s technique of removing the tough stems, cutting the kale into bite-sized pieces, tossing them with olive oil, spreading them on a baking sheet and baking them. Follow the link for the complete recipe. Just try them, at least once. They may change your life, or at least your eating habits.

See the Farm First-Hand

Want to see Edible Old Dominion for yourself? Want to know you helped get the next perfectly ripe vegetable you receive ready to enjoy? Volunteer on the farm! Because we're a small farm just getting started, the help of people like you makes a big difference. We are always looking for individuals to help us during the week. Sorry 9-to-5-ers, but we generally need people during normal business hours. You don't need to be the Incredible Hulk, just willing to get your hands dirty in the field. Just drop us a line or let us know you'd like to help when you pick up your CSA bag. Your time will be greatly appreciated.

Recycle!

In case you haven’t noticed, we are all about recycling here at Edible Old Dominion. We catch all the rainwater that falls off any structure on our farm and reuse it in the fields.

We get the coffee grounds that Blanchard’s has left after the South of the James Market each week and use them to fertilize our fields.

You can help us recycle too! Feel free to bring us your egg crates, the ones you got from us or other crates you’ve used, and we’ll re-use them for our chicken eggs. Thanks for helping us use fewer materials!

Farm Update: Tomatoes, Greens, Squash and Beans

In the next two weeks, we’ll finally finish planting tomatoes. Yay! We will have somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 tomato plants this year and they’ll include big, beautiful red tomatoes, along with some delicious heirlooms.

We just purchased more lettuce seeds, so get those salad recipes ready. We’re planting lots of Italian salad blends, which have more radicchio than American blends, so your greens will have more bite. They’ll taste great with balsamic vinaigrettes or other dresses that balance the bite with sweetness.

The squash and beans are growing well. We’ll have plenty coming in a few weeks. In fact, we have 800 feet of beans that should be ready in two to three weeks.

We’ll also be planting sunflowers in the next few days, so soon we’ll have cut flowers for CSA Members and for sale at the markets.

We’ll also be planting okra soon. This nutritious green is easy to grow in Richmond’s hot climate.

This year we’re planting lots of melon seeds directly in the ground on a very well developed piece of land. Later in the season we’ll have Sugar Babies, which are like small, round, dark watermelons; Asian Watermelons, which are rounder, smoother and even more flavorful than Sugar Babies; and some other fun varieties for you to try.

We’ll also be planting about 100 hot pepper plants this year. Those of you from last year will remember that we planted a lot more hot peppers, about 1,200 plants, but this year we’re trying to diversify our crop a little more. There will still be plenty of hot peppers to spice up your summer, though. We’ll also have sweet peppers.

Making Great Eggs

Our farm-fresh eggs are quite delicious, but they taste even better when they’re cooked just right. Although lots of people eat eggs for breakfast every day, very few of us have success every time. It’s hard to get the yolk just right, or keep those scrambled eggs from getting dry. Here are a few tips for making eggs just like the short-order-cook at your favorite diner.

Scrambled Eggs:

First off, when you beat your eggs for scrambling, make sure you beat them enough. A few stirs won’t do the trick. Stir your eggs until they’re frothy and evenly colored. You want air to mix with the protein for fluffy eggs. Try to whisk in a tilted wheel motion in order to get more air into the mix. You can use just eggs, but Alton Brown adds 1 Tablespoon of milk per egg, and some salt. Next you want to heat a pan over medium-low heat and melt a pad of butter in it (sorry calorie-counters!). Once the butter is melted, add the eggs to the pan. You might even want to turn the heat down to low so the eggs don’t cook too fast. Let the eggs rest until they first start to set. Once this happens, use a nonstick spatula or wooden spoon to gently push the eggs toward the center, while tilting the skillet with your other hand to keep the runny parts touching the heat. Keep gently stirring until you reach your desired type of scrambled, soft or hard.

Sunny Side Up Eggs

We’ve been told the key to this is using low heat. If the pan is too hot, the white will cook before the yolk has a chance to set. Put your pan on low or medium low and add butter. Once the butter melts, crack the egg into the pan and cook until the white and yolk reach your desired consistency. To ensure the yolk gets cooked, you can also start with a higher heat, medium or medium hot and cook the egg for 1 minute covered, then remove it from the heat and allow it to sit for 3 to 5 minutes until the white around the yolk turns opaque. True chefs don’t consider this a sunny side up egg because it’s been cooked covered, but its an easy way to make sure the yolk is cooked.

Over Easy

For this one we’ll defer to The Incredible Edible Egg. The egg experts here use a high-low method. They also provide suggestions for over medium and over hard.

Also try the steam-basted method at the bottom of the Incredible Edible Egg Page. The finished product will be similar to sunny side up eggs, but with a slightly more cooked yolk.

Poaching

For the perfect poached egg, try the great Martha Stewart’s technique. She knows her stuff. Enough said.

* Chef’s tip: If your whites are spreading out when you add your eggs to the pan, add about 1 tsp. of vinegar. It will help to pull the whites together.

For Kids

Martha’s also got a great recipe for Scrambled Egg in the Hole. Lots of people save and toast the cutout of the bread that Martha says to discard and toast it, then serve it on top of the egg in the center of the bread. We’ve seen this served to kids as “top hats” or “toads in the hole.” Either way, it’s a fun way to serve toast with a surprise in the center.

We love our members!

http://theloushe.typepad.com/spark/2010/05/swiss-chard-a-la-jess.html

Our lettuce may not be pretty, but it tastes darn good.

We've been planting lots of lettuce out at the farm, and you'll be getting plenty of leafy green goodness in a month or so. While it's growing, we thought we'd take a second to tell you a bit about our lettuce.

Whether you normally wander the grocery store of the farmers' market, you've probably noticed two kinds of lettuce. The big, beautiful heads of lettuce that look green, delicious and like they're screaming to come home with you, and the individual leaf lettuces that are often sold in bunches, bags or boxes. At Edible Old Dominion we mostly grow leaf lettuces. When leaf lettuce grows, sunlight touches every part of the leaf, making for a bold, consistent flavor. When head lettuce grows, the sun often doesn't touch the bottom of the leaves, making for inconsistent flavor that's often milder or bitterer at the base. Therefore, we stick with leaf lettuces like arugula and mesclun mix. We feel like the end product is better.

We don't use any pesticides here at Edible Old Dominion, and leaf lettuces are very attractive to flea beetles. These little bugs like to snack on our leaves as they grow, and they take tiny bites out of our lettuces. The little bugs don't have any impact on the deliciousness of our greens, but their pesky snacking leaves tiny holes in our lettuces, making them less attractive than your average commercially grown green.

So, what this boils down to is that when you get your lettuce from Edible Old Dominion, it may not be as pretty as those big, green heads of lettuce you see elsewhere, but the flavor will shine above the rest. Plus, you'll know it's organic. We can't wait for all our lettuces to be ready!

At Market: Turnips

You full-share CSA-ers got fresh turnips last week, and this week everyone will get some! There may even be some to sell. The great thing about these starchy roots is their high fiber content. You can use them in place of potatoes and up your fiber count for the day. Turnips also have a sweeter flavor than potatoes.

The other great thing about turnips is that you get two veggies in one. You can cook the greens and the root.

Like potatoes, you can steam, sauté or fry turnip roots. You can even peel them, chop them up and eat them raw. If you want to get a bit fancy with your turnips, try a Turnip Gratin. It’s sure to please turnip lovers and those who aren’t so sure about these slightly out-of-the-ordinary veggies. In the mood for something simpler? How about Simple Roasted Turnips? They make a great side dish or snack.

Now, on to the greens. They are similar to collard greens, but more tender with a slightly bitter flavor. Use them any way you would other bitter greens. If you’re planning to cook them in a quick manner such as Gina’s Turnip Greens, make sure to remove the tough center stem. If you’re planning to cook them for a long time, like in Gumbo Z’herbes, you can leave the stem intact.

We got Goats!

Plenty of much-needed rain was a great excuse to tear ourselves away from planting and go pick up a couple of new friends. A quick hop over to Chatham, Va. garnered us two new farm members, Dolly and Mocha.

Dolly is a purebred Oberhaslis goat and Mocha is a Nubian x Boer x Oberhaslis mix. Both goats came from Griffin's Ark where they were just weened. Neither goat will be producing milk this year.

As with our planting choices, we enjoy having a variety of animals on the farm to increase bio diversity and make the most of the space we have. Mocha and Dolly are share the one-acre pasture between fields two and three with Buster, our farm dog, and a chicken tractor full of Rhode Island Red Hens. (Chicken tractors are the mobile coops we keep our chickens in. We move the coops around the farm so the chickens continue to live on fresh grass and our soil is continually fertilized.) If left vacant, this pasture would grow brush and provide a habitat for rabbits, skunks, and ground hogs who love our vegetables just as much as our customers do. With the addition of livestock, not only do we cut back on pests, but we are also able to enrich the soil around our fields. We are glad to have these new members of our farm team and look forward to adding to our herd over time.

Farm Update: Carrots, Goats, Leeks and Berries

The season is off to a great start and we've got lots more in the works for you.

Carrots: The inconsistent weather and rain has been rough on the carrots. When moisture reaches the core of the carrots, it causes them to expand, which causes the carrots to tear themselves open. We're hoping to have some happy, whole carrots ready for you soon.

Greens: The bits of hot weather have sent the broccoli rabe to flower and have killed the last bits of last year's lettuce, meaning we're going to have to grow some more for you. You'll be getting plenty of greens all summer long.

Goats: Two goats will be joining us on the farm this week! These Alpine-mix dairy goats won't be ready for milking for a few years, but they'll help to diversify the farm and make the soil richer.

Leeks: We've just planted about 700 leeks and we've got 2,000 more that need to go in the ground. So get ready, these mellow spring onions will be arriving later in the season!

Strawberries: Hopefully our fresh, juicy strawberries will be ready in June. The plants have flowers on them, which means berries should be coming soon!

Other veggies coming soon include radishes, turnips, and lots of tomatoes. Just last week we put 1,500 tomato plants in the ground. There'll be Italian Red Pears, Great Whites, and a wide variety of heirloom cherries for you to try.

We'll see you at the market!

At Market & How to Stir Fry

This week you’ll be getting more greens, onions and some bok choy. This Chinese cabbage is low in calories and sodium and is high in vitamins A and C. It lends itself to Asian cooking like this simple Bok Choy recipe from Steamy Kitchen. The recipe also has tips on prepping Bok Choy for cooking.

Speaking of Asian cooking, a stir-fry is a great way to use bok choy and many of the other vegetables you’ll be receiving this season. Here are some tips to make sure your stir-fry turns out right.

Stir-fry tips

- Having wok is great, but if you don’t, just choose a large flat-bottomed pan that will allow lots of your ingredients to make contact with the heat at the same time.

- Use an oil with a high smoke temperature like peanut, canola or grapeseed oil.

- Always make sure the pan is thoroughly heated before adding anything to it. You can throw a few drops of water onto the pan and see if they sizzle to make sure the pan is hot enough.

- One of the keys to stir-frying is being able to throw your ingredients into the pan quickly, so mise in place is important. Have all your ingredients chopped and nearby before you start cooking. Also, do your best to cut all your ingredients into similarly sized pieces. This will allow them to cook in the same time frame.

- If you’re adding a protein (beef, chicken, shrimp, pork, tofu), cook it in the pan without the vegetables and then set it aside. If the pan looks crowded, divide the meat in half and cook it in two batches. Add the meat back into the pan when your vegetables are almost finished cooking to allow the flavors to blend.

- As you start cooking the vegetables, add harder, starchier vegetables first as they’ll take longer to cook.

- Another key to achieving a perfect stir-fry is to keep it moving. Continually stir your vegetables.

- If you’re new to stir-frying, try cooking a few ingredients at a time, setting them aside and then bringing everything together for the final few minutes of cooking. This makes it easier to manage.

- For an easy step-by-step stir-fry guide and a few simple stir-fry sauces, check out this article from Bon Appetit.

First day of South of the James Market! We are in space #26. Orange Trees, Rosemary, Eggs, and Greens!

Just got in an order of leeks that were expected, and had since been forgotten about, months ago. All the same should have a couple hundred in June and Sept.

At Market: Eggs, Onions & More

Okay CSA-ers, we're getting closer to the big day. The start of the season will be here in just a few short days. We're looking forward to seeing familiar faces from last year and getting to know some new veggie fans. This week in your bags you'll find:

Farm-fresh eggs. You'll get a mix of extremely fresh white, off-white and brown eggs from our lovely Louisa chickens. As we're getting our new chickens into full-on production mode, we may be supplementing our egg supply with a few from nearby Eden Farms. Eden Farms chickens are just as happy as our birds. They breathe the same air and live on similar soil.

If you've never had a true farm-fresh egg before, you're in for a treat. These eggs are packed with flavor and even look different from the varieties you find at the grocery store. They're great simply fried for breakfast, or if you're feeling creative, why not try poaching one and making a classic French salad? Feeling even more creative? How about shakshuka? It's an easy Israeli dish made with eggs, peppers, diced tomatoes and few other ingredients.

Greens. There'll be greens for eating raw and greens for cooking. This will be the start of a leafy season.
Spring Onions. Don't confuse these mild, earthy onions with scallions. They're milder than normal onions, but zingier and sweeter than scallions. Their subtle flavor makes them ideal for slicing raw and adding to salads, but they also tasted great grilled, roasted or stir-fried. We like adding them to homemade risotto.

There may be limited produce available for sale this week, as the season is still getting started, but there's plenty to come. We're looking forward to seeing you at the market!

The Veggies are Coming!

Attention CSA members and market shoppers! The season is starting up shortly. Remember to stop by one of the following locations to pick up your share and/or purchase some good-for-you, freshly picked greens.

Where you can find Edible Old Dominion:

South of the James Market, starting Saturday, May 1
Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Forest Hill Park

North of the James Market, starting Tuesday, May 4
Tuesdays from 3 to 7 p.m.
Bryan Park

We'll have some farm-fresh vegetables and eggs waiting for you!

Delivering ten more hens to the farm. Bringing the functional flock to just under 30. Another Dozen would be nice, but we will need another tractor first.

Just picked up ten hens to replace the hens lost earlier in the week. If ten more can be found there should be enough eggs laid on farm to not out source.

Just lost 5 hens to predator attack. CSA eggs will now need to be supplemented with the eggs from a neighboring farm.

I WAS JUST INFORMED HENRICO COUNTY HAS ELIMINATED THE INNSBROOK MARKET! Stay tuned for more information as I am made aware of it. North & South of the James OK

Sometimes it takes a village ...

... to start 7000 tomatoes. Due to lack of Greenhouse space, 4000 of this years tomato plants will be started by our friend Eli with Eli's Green's ( elisgreens.com ). Eli has the beefsteaks and all the cherries and romas will be started in town. All the eventual plants will be grown and harvested on the farm. Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes, with any luck the first harvests will be in late June.

More Chickens!
Just placed an order for another three dozen hens. This will guarantee eggs @ the market in mid summer, but CSA members get them all season long.

The Umpa-Lumpa and more growth

While the weather continues to be forecast by Bing Crosby, we are still starting more veggies for spring. Three snow storms have slowed down our usual fence mending days of February on the farm, but in town we are expanding and improving. I just built a miniature greenhouse / cold frame (the Umpa-Lumpa) to allow for a few more square feet of plants. The additional space has allowed me to move the hot peppers, and basil out of the main greenhouse, as well as given room for additional cold crops to be started. Today I started several hundred each of bok choi, celery, chard, tuscan kale, and, appropriately, snow peas.

The Storm two weekends ago has delayed our first delivery of compost for the 2010 season, the storm this past weekend didn't help much either, and as I am writing this I am listening to a radio host discuss how the mid-Atlantic is about to get slammed again. This past weekends storm dropped over a foot on the farm, which still had several inches from the previous storm. All the same, we are expecting Frosty to pack up his toys and go home real soon, allowing us to continue with business as usual. The beauty of farming is the appreciation that nature always maintains. I rest assured that when the white stuff melts, and the straw bedding is pulled back, the carrots, beets, and onions that were planted in the fall will continue to be growing for the spring table.

Be Well

less then two weeks to the first payment deadline.

The first payment deadline for the 2010 CSA is Feb 20th. We have had a huge show of support and have more households paid in full before the deadline, this year then ever. Shares remain available, but we expect to max out soon. If you are planning to sign up for this years CSA time is of the essence.

CSA FAQ re-post

As the deadline approaches these questions come up more and more often.

How do you sign up?

Farmerrussell@gmail.com is my email.

Please make all checks payable to Edible Old Dominion LLC

and mail to

Edible Old Dominion

2006 Farrand St.

Richmond Va. 23231

In this economy, or any other, cash talks. Though we are happy to hear from everyone who is interested, we start counting the members when the checks start showing up. One membership is paid in full as of 12.01.2009. The plan is to have a total of 40 members this year.

If I want office delivery do all members need to be whole share members?

No. It's the member count that we are looking for, the amount of bags we will be bringing. Those bags can be whole or half shares.

What is included in an average bag?

The goal is to have on average about 25 to 30 dollars worth of produce for each whole share bag per week. The produce is selected from what we will be bringing to market that week. Member shares are pulled first. Some of you may have seen us at markets this past season with only peppers, or a few other oddities on the table. That is because the production that week was only enough for the members. Our final delivery this past season was 1lb of Mixed Greens, 2 bundles of brocc raab, 2 bundles of kale, 3 bundles of swiss chard, and 3 bundles of radishes. Our Chickens only begin to lay towards the end of the season, so next years members would also be getting a half dozen eggs with that same bag. Half shares are literally half. Half share members receive eggs every other week.

Are you organic?

No. Organic is a government certification that takes three years to obtain and can cost several hundred, to several thousand dollars, to maintain. We do use organic methods. We never use synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. My daughter runs through the fields on the farm. I want to be able to keep it that way.

Do you grow only Heirloom vegetables?

I wish. We are huge fans of biodiversity and use heirlooms whenever possible. The split this year will probably be 50 /50. Losing half of a tomato plants production can be hard when you are growing a couple in your backyard, when you have 800 plants of that variety it can bring you to your muddy knees.

Our Memebers Rock!

It means so much when people buy shares in the CSA. It is a financial vote for eating local and an improving the environment around us. When CSA members then volunteer to help in the growing process to be even more conscious consumers it is a truly wonderful experience. Amy Whitehurst came by Thursday and helped start over a thousand pepper plants. Not only did she go above and beyond in supporting local agriculture, but she did it on the Friday before her birthday. Happy Birthday Amy! Thank YOU so much for contributing to this seasons harvest!

Seed starting! The little green house that can is about to start playing its role for the 2010 season. Greens, Chiles, and Herbs are filling up the tables.

Members continue to sign up. The ranks of the CSA are filling quickly. I am looking forward to getting to know many new concious consumers over the season.

the web site is live

The Web Site is Live! Special Thanks to Anna Tulou for building the whole thing and being amazingly patient with numerous changes. Check out the site and the new logo. as always feed back is appreciated.

edibleolddominion.com