Rubicon River Farm LLC

LUNCH & LEARN WITH RUBICON RIVER FARM

2012-02-19T10:56:00.004-06:00

LUNCH AND LEARN WITH RUBICON RIVER FARM!

I'm available to come to your work, community event/group or home to talk about Community Supported Agriculture and its impact on a community. I put together a short presentation called "Community Supported Agriculture: Transforming Communities." This is not a marketing presentation. The presentation is a fun way to explore your options and learn about Community Supported Agriculture - CSA! We can even talk about gardening tips and how to grow your own garden!

Cost: FREE

Contact Jill Holstine at rubiconriverfarm@gmail.com
View Jill's Profile on LinkedIN

RUBICON RIVER FARM EXPANDS FOR 2012

2012-02-05T13:14:00.003-06:00

We took a photo of the garden to show how we are expanding. The field is sheltered from other fields that may have GMO crops. The dirt area (foreground) will be planted with rye (green manure) to provide the soil with nutrients and to give the soil a rest for 2 years. The brown area and about 50 feet in toward the dirt will be all garden. The total garden is approximately 3.5 acres and can feed 100 families!

We are excited about the expansion and have a lot of volunteer help to ensure our success this CSA season! Join Us, it will be one of the best things you ever did for yourself and family! EAT FRESH. EAT LOCAL. EXPERIENCE RUBICON RIVER FARM CSA!

CSA Sign up still available! Contact rubiconriverfarm@gmail.com for more info!

RUBICON RIVER FARM OFFERS WINTER SHARE FOR 2012

2012-02-05T13:06:00.004-06:00

The Rubicon River Farm Winter Share would be delivered a week before Thanksgiving. The share would contain items like potatoes, onions, winter squash, kale, spinach, salad greens, carrots, herbs, swiss chard, apples, beets, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, parsnips, garlic and anything else Mother Nature will let us grow! Interested in something like this? Contact us at rubiconriverfarm@gmail.com to be put on the email reminder list. Payment due in July.

2012 CSA Season Sign-Up is Available!

2011-11-18T08:17:00.004-06:00

Rubicon River Farm's 2012 CSA season membership and work share sign up is now available!

We still offer the most organically grown veggies and fruit for the best price! I have added new items this year such as spring broccoli, tastes like asparagus and broccoli together; purple and pink potatoes, dazzle your dishes with the latest veggie trends! Don't forget about the Free Baby/Toddler Share (see membership form for details)! Moms and Grandmas will share their Baby/Toddler eating local tips on the web site. Do babies eat kale - yes they do! Do two-year-olds eat brussel sprouts - yes they do! Join the conversation to find out how!

Be a part of the Experience! Follow us on Facebook and watch how we start getting the garden ready in February for planting in April!

Email Rubicon River Farm for a Membership Form! rubiconriverfarm@gmail.com

CSA Members Serve Up a Rhubarb Margarita and Salad!

2011-06-03T17:37:00.012-05:00

Let's start out the CSA season with a Rhubarb Margarita and a Salad!

Rhubarb Margarita
4 cups diced rhubarb
1/2c. water
1/2 c. white sugar
4 c. ice
2/3 c. tequila

Place rhubarb into saucepan; pour in water. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue simmering until rhubarb breaks down and releases its juices, about 15 minutes. strain juice and press pulp to squeeze out as much liquid as you can. Discard pulp; stir sugar into hot juice. Refrigerate syrup until very cold, at least 2 hours. To prepare margaritas, place ice into a blender, then pour in tequila and rhubarb syrup. Blend until smooth, or until pureed to your desired consistency. Pour into chilled margarita glasses and serve.

Here is a Rhubarb Vinaigrette for your salad!

Rhubarb Vinaigrette
1/4 c. honey
1 c. water
4 stalks rhubarb, diced
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
Zest of one lemon
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of coarse sea salt
Pinch of fresh ground pepper

Heat water and honey over medium heat. When the mixture begins to boil, add rhubarb and boil for 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in vinegar and lemon zest, and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, until dressing has reduced by about half. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly, Whisk the olive oil into the dressing. Season with salt and pepper, Serve warm or cold over fresh greens. Makes about 2 cups.

The chunky texture of this tasty dressing will elevate your salad, and is complemented perfectly by fresh goat cheese and toasted nuts - YUM!

Essential Cooking Items for Your Kitchen: Vinegar

2011-02-05T21:39:00.008-06:00

Vinegar in any kitchen is a versatile, tasty and healthy ingredient that has endless culinary uses as well as medicinal and cleaning uses. I remember my grandma soaking raisins in vinegar and eating them for her arthritis - so many uses!

As I put a list of essential items to have in your kitchen before our CSA season begins, I've found great tips on how to buy the right vinegars for whatever you are cooking. I also included recipes for Flavored Vinegars.

All these vinegars will keep in your pantry almost forever, so don't worry about needing to use them up very quickly. Invest in a bottle of each of these vinegars, and you'll be set for almost any recipe that comes along during the CSA season!

Red Wine Vinegar - This is a great all-purpose vinegar to have around. We use it in salad dressings, marinades, and to give soups a little twang at the very end of cooking. Red wine vinegar is best used with heartier flavors and foods, like beef, pork, and vegetables. It can be used as a substitute for cider vinegar in most recipes.

Balsamic Vinegar is the most expensive because it is aged for a longer period of time. We use balsamic almost exclusively in salad dressings and marinades. The longer it's aged, the sweeter and thicker it gets, and the more expensive too. Buy several different types of balsamic vinegar. Less expensive vinegars are used for marinades and salad dressings where there are lots of other ingredients. The really expensive balsamic vinegars are used to drizzle over cheese and greens as an appetizer, or as a garnish or finishing touch to many recipes. Nothing quite matches the exact flavor of balsamic.

Cider Vinegar is mild and inexpensive; it's the one I use most often when making salad dressings. Since it is mild, it's a good choice for marinating fish or chicken. It's also good for making flavored vinegars (see below for recipes). Use cider vinegar when making barbecue sauce and other homemade condiments. It can also be used in some salad dressings or to finish a soup, and can usually work in place of red wine vinegar if you're out.

Rice Wine Vinegar is the mildest of all, with much less acidity than other vinegars. It's often used in Asian or Chinese cooking.

White Vinegar - The flavor of distilled white vinegar isn't usually one that you want as the main flavor in a dish. We use it for pickling and when making other condiments, and sometimes to add an acidic note to finish a dish, but never in salad dressings or marinades.

White vinegar and white wine vinegar are not the same thing - white wine vinegar can be used much like red wine vinegar. Champagne vinegar and white wine vinegars are light in color and are good for dressing lighter foods like pale greens, chicken, and fish.

All these vinegars will keep in your pantry almost forever, so don't worry about needing to use them up very quickly. Invest in a bottle of each of these vinegars, and you'll be set for almost any recipe that comes along!

What other kinds of vinegar do you like to have on hand?

Recipes for Flavored Vinegars:
The longer you let them stand the more intense the flavor will be.

Apple Spice Vinegar
4 cups apple cider vinegar
3 cinnamon sticks
6 strips orange peel
3 slices dried apple
1/4 cup raisins
Bring vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Fill 3 10-oz. decorative heat proof bottles with 1 cinnamon stick, 2 strips of orange peel, and 1 slice dried apple (sliced, if necessary, to fit in bottle). Pour hot vinegar through a funnel into the bottles. Cover tightly and let stand at least 14 days before using.

Tarragon Vinegar
4 cups apple cider vinegar
3 large sprigs fresh tarragon
Bring vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Fill 3 10-oz. decorative heat proof bottles with tarragon sprig, then pour hot vinegar through a funnel into the bottles. Cover tightly and let stand in a cool dark place at least 14 days before using.

Raspberry Vinegar
4 cups white wine vinegar
1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
Bring vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Fill 3 10-oz. decorative heat proof bottles with raspberries, then pour hot vinegar through a funnel into the bottles. Cover tightly and let stand in a cool dark place at least 14 days before using.

Garlic Chive Vinegar
4 cups white wine vinegar
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 bunch fresh chives
Bring vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Fill 3 10-oz. decorative heat-proof bottles with garlic and chives, then pour hot vinegar through a funnel into the bottles. Cover tightly and let stand in a cool dark place at least 14 days before using.

Will Walmart's Decision Affect America Enough To Eat Healthier?

2011-02-02T12:37:00.004-06:00

Mother Earth News has a really good article about Walmart. Walmart's quest to promote healthier eating by cutting prices of fresh fruits and vegetables and reducing salt, sugar and fat in store brand products in hopes of decreasing the obesity rate and increasing healthy eating is great. I give a lot of credit to Walmart for doing this, but the key to healthy eating starts at home. People need to be educated early in life to make good choices instead of everyone trying to control what we eat and buy.

In the article from Mother Earth News, Tom Laskaway, a food policy blogger, asks the important question: Will Walmart’s new healthy food policies make a meaningful difference in the fight against obesity? Changing the ingredients of processed foods will potentially have a positive influence on diets across the U.S., but it does little to change to existing food culture of the country that relies on cheap, quick foods with many artificial ingredients. Just because your soda will have less sugar on the nutrition label doesn’t mean it will contain fewer artificial flavorings and preservatives. Eating pretzels with less sodium won’t add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet — even if they are cheaper.
What do you think about how Walmart’s move will affect the health of U.S. diets? Share you opinions in the comments section below. Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/relish/walmart-healthy-diet-zb0z11zkon.aspx#ixzz1CpPBJt14

Essential Cooking Items for Your Kitchen: Olive Oils, What is the Difference?

2011-02-01T16:50:00.006-06:00

I want to put together a list of essential items to have in your kitchen before the CSA season starts.

The first item on my list would be olive oil. Most people have olive oil in their kitchen already, but what kind do you really have?

What makes olive oils different is taste and nutrition.

Taste is the most obvious difference between olive oil and the commercially popular vegetable oils such as corn, soybean and canola oils. These oils are tasteless fats that's why we dip our french bread in olive oil and not vegetable oil. To get the most flavor and texture use extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is a good substitute for butter in a recipe.

Nutritionally, olive oil contains more monounsaturated fat (these fats lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol)) than any popular vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are industrial, processed foods and extracted by means of petroleum-based chemical solvents, and then refined to remove impurities. Along with the impurities, refining removes taste, color and nutrients.

What are the real differences in olive oil? We need to read the labels.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the highest grade for olive oil. This oil is the best you can buy. The virgin oil produced will get the word "extra" if it has less than 1% free oleic acid and if it has superior taste, color and aroma. This is simply the best olive oil you can buy.

Virgin Olive Oil is made from olives that are slightly riper than those used in the production of extra-virgin oil. Virgin olive oil is produced in the same way, but it is a low-grade extra virgin oil. This oil's acidity is a slightly higher level of 1-1/2%.

Olive oil is actually a blended oil product. The process starts with a low quality virgin olive oil and then are refined using mechanical, thermal and/or chemical processes. The resulting in colorless and tasteless olive oil. However, before the olive oil is packaged, it is blended with quality virgin olive oil to provide color and taste.

Light Olive Oil is just a variation of regular olive oil (above). The only thing "light" about light olive oil is the taste and color. It has the same caloric and fat content as other oils.

Olive Oil Blends, for example canola oil enriched with some virgin olive oil, are sometimes used as a more economical substitute for olive oil. However, this is not a substitute for extra virgin olive oil.

Edible Landscaping will Help Supplement Food Bills

2011-01-15T09:45:00.005-06:00

With the price of food going up and up, one way we can ease the cost of food is edible landscaping. You are probably saying to yourself, "why is a CSA farmer telling us to plant veggies?" A CSA can support your veggies needs all summer but what about winter? The photo to the left would feed a family of 4 probably about 12-15 meals of corn from the freezer and provide the decorations for Halloween!

Think about it .....

go to www.garden.org/ediblelandscaping?page=planning101 to get started!

2011 CSA is Filling Fast!

2011-01-09T11:42:00.003-06:00

I'm really excited to say the 2011 CSA is fill up fast! We are going to be doing more community work this year, which is really exciting, and many businesses are contacting us to delivery right to their offices for employees! This is a great sign that everyone is thinking healthier for 2011!

If you need a CSA membership form, please email me! rubiconriverfarm@gmail.com

2011 CSA Sign Up

2010-12-27T21:36:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone had a great holiday! I just wanted to send out a reminder about the 2011 CSA sign up. You can go to my new web site at http://www.rubiconriverfarm.com/ and click on membership to download the agreement form or just click the membership tab above. Rubicon River Farm does have a payment plan and won't cash any checks until May 1 but I need the Agreement form and a check by February 1.

We have a great season planned with even more veggies!

Email: rubiconriverfarm@gmail.com

Where to Find a Free-Range, Organic Turkey for Thanksgiving

2010-11-07T10:54:00.004-06:00

Gobble, gobble, it's that time of year again, the search for a free-range, sustainably raised turkey for Thanksgiving. Your best option is to purchase one from a local farm if you have that option or visit Local Harvest or EatWild to find organic, free-range and grass-fed turkey producers near you. You will need to act fast since they ship the fresh turkeys the week of Thanksgiving.

You can also visit your local farmer's market or natural grocery store such as Good Harvest Market in Pewaukee.

Also before you buy and cook your fresh turkey, check out all the facts at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Lets_Talk_Turkey/index.asp

Rubicon River Farm Gets Ready for 2011 CSA Season!

2010-10-31T20:25:00.010-05:00

Rubicon River Farm has the 2011 CSA season in full swing! I know we just completed our last delivery 2 weeks ago, but everyone is eager to sign up for the season.

Everyday I receive email inquires about our CSA. We have a great year planned with new and exciting veggies for you and your family to experience!

You can download a membership form by clicking on the Membership Sign-Up tab on the Home Page or click here.

Watch for our new web site coming soon!

Turnips: A Versatile and Nutritious Veggie - Add It To Your Favorites Today!

2010-10-23T08:37:00.001-05:00

Turnips are a very versatile and nutritious veggie and should be added to your veggie list. To the left are some beautiful turnips I picked yesterday, October 22. I planted the turnips in July so I could put the turnips in my freezer for winter. During the summer it's hard to find time to preserve food because there are so many veggies coming out of the garden at once. By harvesting in October, I now have time to freeze them for winter without the stress of trying to get corn, tomatoes, beans, etc. done too.

In addition, there are many different ways to eat turnips without even knowing you are eating a turnip! We really need to get kids involved in cooking and eating all the great veggies at Rubicon River Farm and taking advantage of all the health benefits too!

You can also freeze the extra turnips you receive in your CSA box. This is a good way to get the most out of your veggies without having to eat turnips for a month. To freeze follow the directions below.

Freezer Preparation:
Cut off tops of turnips; peel and wash. Cut in cubes to blanch or leave in larger chunks for cooked, mashed.

Blanching Time:

To blanch, boil cubes for 2 minutes; cool the cubes in a cold water bath and drain. For mashed turnip, boil large chunks until tender. Drain; mash or press through a sieve. Cool immediately.

Pack:
Leave 1/2 inch headspace for blanched cubes or mashed. Squeeze out excess air and zip the top of the bag. I use Ziploc freezer bags.

Eating turnips will give you immense health benefits such as:

High quantity of Vitamin C and anti-oxidants help curb free radicals and destructive oxidation reactions;
Lowers the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancers of the stomach, pancreas, bladder, and lung diseases;
Prevents and heals up a wide range of health problems because of high nutrient content;
Very rich source of calcium, phosphor, frolic acid and magnesium, essential for all-round development of human body;
Helps prevent cataracts and cardiovascular disease due to large amount of lutein.

How to prepare a Turnip:

eat turnips raw;
slice or thickly julienne and add to vegetable platter or eat alone with or without dip;
grate raw into salads;
bake turnips alone for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees, basted with olive oil, or bake along with other seasonal roots;
cook turnips with roasting meats;
mash or scallop turnips, just like you would potatoes;
dice turnips into soups or stews, and julienne into stir fries;
Or try the recipes below!

Diced Carrots and Turnips
2 pounds carrots diced into 1/2 inch cubs
1-1/2 pounds turnips, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
3 tablespoons of butter
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the carrots for 3 minutes, add the turnips, and boil the vegetables for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain the vegetables and transfer them to as serving dish. Add the butter, cut into bits, the nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and toss the mixture until the butter is melted.

Pumpkins Are More than Just A Pretty Face!

2010-10-12T17:07:00.000-05:00

Pumpkins are everywhere! This is a sure sign fall has arrived. We do not have many Indian Summer days left so enjoy the beautiful weather! CSA members received their pumpkins for carving and seeds. Below are some pumpkin seed recipes, but I also wanted to add some great pumpkin recipes I found at one of my favorite web sites http://www.skinnytaste.com/ .

Pictured left are the pumpkins we gave to CSA members and I sold. I took three gator fulls out of the garden from three hills of pumpkin plants! Pictured in the distance is the new addition to the garden for next year!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Dry pumpkin seeds in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes. Then toss the seasoning (below) and roast at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until fragrant and crisp - YUM!

Sweet and Salty
2 cups dried pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Spicy Herbed
2 cups dried pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 table spoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt

Mole Spiced
2 cups dried pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
3 tablespoons of cocoa
1 tablespoon of finely ground coffee (not instant)
2 tablespoons of butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Here are the nutritional facts about pumpkins seeds:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=82

Cabbage 101 - Information about different varites of cabbage

2010-10-10T20:09:00.000-05:00

Did you know that there are over 400 different varieties of cabbage! CSA members received three types of cabbage and many cousins of the cabbage family this year. The most common is the round, green or white head variety, but this week we mixed it up a by giving member a savoy cabbage.

Savoy cabbage originated in Italy. Its crinkly leaves are known as the most tender and sweet of the different varieties. Savoy cabbage is a good cabbage to use for stuffed cabbage leaves (recipe below) since the leaves are more pliable and stand up better to longer cooking times. The firmer texture of standard round green, red, and purple cabbages are better for different varieties of slaws. Bok Choy is not true cabbage, but is actually Chinese chard.

Red or Purple Cabbage is not as tender as the green cabbage because it takes longer to mature. Most often made sweet and sour (see recipe below) or shredded to add texture to a salad. When cooking with red or purple cabbage, be aware that the compound (anthocyanin) that gives the cabbage that beautiful color will also turn it blue when it is cooked along with any alkaline substance. Since tap water is often full of alkaline minerals such as lime, be sure to add about 1 teaspoon of acidic agent, such as lemon juice, vinegar, or even wine to the pot when using tap water. If your red cabbage begins to take on that blue tinge in any recipe, the addition of the acidic agent will usually bring back the original color. Red cabbage can be used interchangeably in most standard cabbage recipes but be aware that the color will leach into any other ingredients in the recipe.

Preparing Savoy Cabbage: Soak cabbage in salt water or vinegar for about 15 minutes before using to free the tightly packed leaves of insects. After soaking, rinse the head thoroughly in cold running water. For the mildest flavor and tenderness, cut out and discard any fibrous thick ribs from the outer leaves.

Storage: Cabbage will keep for about 2 weeks in the vegetable drawer or in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator. Cut cabbage should be stored away from other foods.

Cooking Savoy Cabbage: Cook cabbage until it is just tender crisp. Cabbage that is cooked tender crisp will remain sweet. Overcooked cabbage will lose texture and flavor.

Stuffed Savoy Cabbage

1 head Savoy cabbage

1 pound ground beef

1 small to medium onion, chopped small

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 carrot, shredded

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 parsnip, shredded

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 to 4 cups of your favorite simple tomato sauce, tomato juice or V8

Cut the core out of the cabbage but leave it whole. Place it, with the empty core area facing up, in a large bowl. Boil a small pot of water and pour the water over the cabbage and let it sit for ten minutes.

Heat the oil in a saute pan. Cook the onions until they are soft, add the carrot, celery and parsnip and saute them for a couple extra minutes — until they are also soft. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, transfer it to a bowl and let it cool a bit. Mix in the meat, rice and tomato paste and season again with salt and pepper.

Drain the head of cabbage. Pull off large leaves, cut out the large vein — if the leaf is very large, you can make two rolls from each, if it is smaller, you can cut the vein out partially and pull the sides to overlap before you roll it into one roll. Pat the leaves dry with towels.

Roll about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling in each leaf (depending on the size of your leaf) and arrange in a large, wide pot. Pour in enough juice or sauce to cover the rolls. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat, letting them simmer covered on the stove on low for about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

If sauce has thinned a bit, you can heat up the extra sauce you didn’t use and pour it over as you serve the rolls.

These cabbage rolls freeze very well.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage:

1/2 head red cabbage
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp onion powder

Preparation:
Shred half of the cabbage finely and the other half coarsely. Place in a large bowl. Whisk together vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoned salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Toss the dressing into the cabbage. Then refrigerate 48 hours in a covered container or until the cabbage turns deep red, softens a bit, and flavors have melded.

Rubicon River Farm Brings Super Foods to CSA Members!

2010-10-03T07:17:00.000-05:00

Edamame or Soy is grown right here at Rubicon River Farm! Not being a fan of Tofu, I had to find a soy product I liked. When I began investigating the different types of veggies and fruits I wanted CSA members to experience the words "Super Foods" came to mind! Soy is a Super Food that contains Super benefits inside that little pod!

Health Benefits:
According to Nutritiondata.com, Soy contains many of the organic compounds and amino acids essential for good health and are naturally high in fiber and protein. Beneficial organic compounds that are found in Soy include isoflavones, which act as antioxidants, and alpha-lineolic acid, which may be beneficial for cardiovascular health. A 1 cup serving of Soy contains 8 grams of fiber, equivalent to one-third of the recommended daily allowance, and 17 grams of protein! It's like eating a steak without the fat and calories!

Soy also lowers your cholesterol. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association (2003), a diet of soy fiber, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine.

Recipes:

What I like about Edamame/Soy is that it is so easy to make! Rember, the pods are not edible.

Prepaing edamame for dishes: Bring 2-3 cups of water to boil in a medium-sized pot add fresh Edamame. Cover pot and boil edamame for 3 minutes. Move pot to sink and cool edamame with cold running water. Drain water and transfer edamame to a serving container. Open pods and use the soy in any type of salads, stir fry, or just eat as a snack. PODS ARE NOT EDIBLE.

Crispy Edamame Snack the kids will love! Tastes like popcorn veggies!

Edamame Snack

Ingredients
1 (12 ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the edamame (boil and shell fresh, directions above) or rinse under cold water to thaw in a colandar and let drain. Next, in a bowl mix edamame, oil, salt, pepper and cheese and spread the edamame beans onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer. Bake for about 15 minutes in the preheated over until crispy and golden.

Edamame Veggie Medley

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup diced onion
1 cup Edamame (boiled and shelled, directions above)
2 cups fresh-cut corn kernels or frozen corn (thawed)
2 large ripe plum tomatoes (diced and seeded)
½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or dried

Heat oil over medium-high heat and add the onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add edamame and corn, and cook, stirring often, until corn is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir in the basil. You can add some cut up cooked chicken breast as an optional addition.

More recipes .....

Recipes.com has a lot of recipes that are easy to navagate through on the web page, visit

http://www.recipe.com/recipes/vegetables/edamame/popular/

Acorn Squash is a Sure Sign Fall has Arrived at Rubicon River Farm

2010-09-26T11:32:00.001-05:00

CSA members can't go wrong eating acorn squash! One cup of acorn squash contains 145% of the daily recommended requirements for Vitamin A. It also contains Vitamin C, potassium, manganese, folate (folic acid), and 15% of the omega three fatty acids necessary to good health. It is also a good source of fiber.

As I wrote about on the bok choy blog last week, acorn squash also contains the same cancer-fighting phytonutrients. Acorn squash has an anti-cancer effects which are especially strong when the squash is turned into a juice. It promotes prostate health in men by reducing symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (a condition in which the prostate gland becomes enlarged).

ACORN SQUASH & APPLE SOUP

Ingredients:
2 med. acorn squash, seeded & halved
3 c. degreased chicken stock or canned
2 tart green apples or CSA baking apples (2 c. cored, seeded & chopped)
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 c. unsweetened apple juice
2 tsp. fresh ginger root, peeled & grated
1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using canned stock)
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
White pepper to taste
Yogurt or sour cream & chives (garnish)

Directions:
Cook squash, remove pulp. Combine 1/2 cup stock, apples and onion in heavy medium saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add squash pulp, remaining stock, apple juice, ginger and salt. Cover and simmer until ingredients are very tender, about 20 minutes.
Puree soup in batches in blender or processor. Strain through sieve into clean saucepan, pressing puree with back of spoon. Reheat soup gently. Season with salt and generous amount of pepper. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with yogurt or sour cream and chives.

Stuffed Acorn Squash with walnuts, cranberries, and apples

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil
2 cups cooked rice, barley or quinoa
2/3 cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water and drained
2/3 cup chopped sweet potato or carrot, steamed until just tender
1/2 cup grated peeled apple
1/2 cup walnut pieces
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
Sea salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
3 acorn squash
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
In a small pan, sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until soft but not browned. Place in a large bowl and add rice, cranberries, sweet potato, apple, walnuts, parsley, and sage. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice acorn squashes in half, and scrape out seeds and strings (You can place in the microwave for 5-7 minutes to soften for easier cutting. Put a couple small slits for steam to release). Place face down in large casserole or roasting pan and fill with 1/2 inch of vegetable stock, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove, reserve any remaining stock, and place face side up in pan. Fill each cavity with about 1/2 to 2/3 cup stuffing. Drizzle with olive oil and any remaining stock, and cover tightly with foil. Bake until squashes are cooked and slightly soft to the touch, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.

SQUASH CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
6 c. squash (crooked neck, butternut, acorn, etc.)
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded carrots
8 oz. pkg. seasoned stuffing mix
1/2 c. melted butter

Directions:
Combine stuffing mix and butter. Cook squash 5-10 minutes in the mirocwave (put slits in it so steam escapes). Combine squash, onion, salt, soup, sour cream, and carrots in a bowl. Either combine all before putting in casserole or layer as follows: stuffing, squash mixture, and stuffing again. Bake 30 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes very large dish.

Rubicon River Farm Converts Napa Cabbage to a Wisconsin Comfort Food

2010-09-26T10:05:00.000-05:00

The cabbages to the left are referred to as Chinese cabbage, Napa or Michihili cabbage are a more versatile cabbage than green or purple cabbage. The flavor is sweeter than green cabbage and it is rich in vitamin C and fiber. Napa cabbage has slightly more protein and fewer calories than regular cabbage and a unique taste like a mild celery. The leaves are long and crispy and are an essential ingredient in stir fries as well as soups and salads which are featured below. Enjoy!

Napa Cabbage Soup will give CSA members a nice addition to other Wisconsin fall comfort foods!

Napa Cabbage Soup:

6 cups of water
1 lb of 3-4 pork ribs or chicken with bones and skin
1 head of napa cabbage, sliced into 1-inch thick rings
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp salt
5 tbsp fish sauce
black pepper to taste
chopped green onion for garnish

Directions:
Add salt to water in a medium size pan, bring to boil.

Place chicken or pork ribs in water and slow simmer for 45minutes to 1 hr so that the meat is tender and falls off the bone. Take the meat off the bone and add it back into the stock.

Add to pork/chicken stock the sliced napa cabbage, fish sauce and black pepper and gently stir the soup and bring to boil.

Soup is done when napa cabbage leaf turns bright green and starts to turn slightly translucent in the center.

Garnish soup with chopped green onions.

Use the Napa cabbage in this salad everyone will love!

Napa Cabbage Salad

Ingredients
1 head napa cabbage
1 bunch minced green onions
1/3 cup butter
1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodles, broken
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

Finely shred the head of cabbage; do not chop. Combine the green onions and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make the crunchies: Melt the butter in a pot. Mix the ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds into the pot with the melted butter. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake the crunchies in the preheated oven, turning often to make sure they do not burn. When they are browned remove them from the oven.

Make the dressing: In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, let boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.

Combine dressing, crunchies, and cabbage immediately before serving. Serve right away or the crunchies will get soggy.

Rubicon River Farm Strays from Bok Choy's Asian Flair!

2010-09-18T15:00:00.000-05:00

Rubicon River Farm found this great recipe at allrecipes.com for two of our CSA box veggies for this week!

Bok Choy is usually a staple veggie for Asian cuisine, but this bright pink salad brings together crunchy bok choy, earthy beets, and the sharp flavors of feta and garlic. A recipe that will make your next dinner fun!

Bok Choy cooking, storage, and nutritional information is below as well as more recipes!

Recipe: Warm Bok Choy, Beet and Feta Salad

Ingredients:
4 small beets, trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
4 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 heads baby bok choy, chopped
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons butter
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place the beets, 1/4 of the chopped garlic, and the olive oil on a piece of heavy aluminum foil; fold the foil around the beets into a sealed packet.

Roast beets in the preheated oven until easily pierced with a fork, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Let beets cool just until they can be handled, then rub with a paper towel to remove skins. Chop into 1/2-inch cubes; set aside.

Heat the peanut oil and butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir bok choy and the remaining garlic together until bok choy is slightly softened but still crunchy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the beets and the feta. Serve warm.

Recipe: Oriental Bok Choy Salad (fast and easy)

1/2 c. butter
2 tbsp. white sugar
1 bottle of sesame seeds (1 oz.)
2 pkgs. Ramen noodles (broken up), do not use flavor packet
1 sm. pkg. slivered almonds
2 lbs. bok choy lettuce (chopped coarsely)
5 to 6 green onions, tops and all chopped

In large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add sesame seed, noodles, almonds and sugar. Stir all the time until lightly browned. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Toss bok choy and onions together, mix and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, break up the crunchy mixture, add to bok choy, pour dressing over, mix and serve.

DRESSING:
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. white sugar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
Mix well and chill until ready to use.

Storage:
Store unwashed in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cooking:
There are many ways to prepare bok choy, but I found that if you are cooking with the stalks it a stir fry will take 2 to 3 minutes. If you are cooking just the leaves do a quick 30 seconds saute so add them at the very end.

Bok Choy's Nutritional Facts:
Bok Choy is a member of the brassica (cabbage) family is a good source of calcium (same amount as a 1/2 cup of milk), fiber, and rich in Vitamins C and A. The best part ... it contains only 20 calories for 1 cup! According to health.learninginfo.org, bok choy contains significant amounts of nitrogen compounds known as indoles, phytochemicals that are believed to deactivate potent estrogens that can stimulate the growth of tumors, particularly in the breast!

Potatoes: A Comfort Foods for CSA Members

2010-09-09T21:30:00.000-05:00

According to http://www.whfoods.com/, (I love this web site) the Environmental Working Group's 2010 report "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides," potoates are among the 12 foods on which pesticide residues have been most frequently found. Therefore, individuals wanting to avoid pesticide-associated health risks may want to avoid consumption of potatoes unless they are grown organically.

The potatoes you receive will last months in your criper drawer of the fridge so don't throw them out when they get a little soft. Try the recipes below to make the best use of your organic potatoes!

Lemon Potatoes with Chard:
Let's start with an easy recipe. It’s simply a matter of chopping the potatoes, placing them in a pan, adding oil, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, and lemon juice and vegetable broth, baking for approximately 50 minutes at 450 F. Add chard to make it even better!

Carrot and Potato Soup

Carrots - Five large ones
Potatoes - Five medium ones
Onions - Three medium ones
Garlic cloves - Four medium ones
Chard, spinach or kale - A good handful
Vegetable stock - broth 5 cups
Vegetable or olive oil - Four tablespoons
Dried basil and oregano - One teaspoon of each
Salt -Level teaspoon or to taste
Pepper - Quarter of a teaspoon or to taste

Peel then top and tail the onions. Finely chop and put them in a pan on a low heat and add the oil. Stir thoroughly so the onions are coated in the oil and fry them for about 15 minutes stirring every five minutes. The idea is to soften them without browning.While the onions are cooking, top and tail the carrots and then slice them. Peel the potatoes if they have have a thick skin and cut them into small cubes. Remove the skin from the garlic, top and tail them and finely chop. Roughly shred the chard / spinach / kale.

When the onions are softened, add the carrots, potatoes, vegetable stock and chard, spinach or kale. Turn the heat up to medium and cook for five minutes. Turn the heat down to low so that the soup is just simmering and cook for a further 25 minutes.
Add the salt, pepper, garlic, basil and oregano, stir well and cook for a further three minutes. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Using a slotted spoon, remove about a third to half of the carrot and potato chunks. Use a food processor to blend the remaining soup. You'll need to do this in two to three batches. Re-heat the blended soup, adding in the carrot and potato chunks. If you prefer all the soup smooth then just blend all the soup. Serve with a parsley garnish and lots of chunky bread.

Carrots and Potatoes with Chard

2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Large garlic cloves
6 cups rinsed and chopped swiss chard
1 Medium onion
3/4 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
3/4 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
1-1/2 Cups vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and Pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large, deep skillet. Add garlic and saute 15 seconds over medium heat. Add chopped chard leaves and saute about 30 seconds. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until chard is wilted. Remove mixture from pan.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add onion and saute over medium heat until brown. Add carrots and potatoes and saute, stirring 2 minutes. Add stock, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat 15 minutes.

Return chard leaves and garlic mixture to pan and cook 10 minutes or until veggies are tender, adding a few tablespoons of water if it becomes dry. Serve Hot.

Tomatoes! Tomatoes! What to do with all the Tomatoes!

2010-08-25T12:19:00.000-05:00

By now, Rubicon River Farm CSA members have had their fair share of tomatoes! As we all know August is tomato month in Wisconsin and our CSA members have eaten a wide variety of the little buggers!

A friend forwarded my a great web site called http://www.skinnytaste.com/ with a lot of healthy recipes. Below are three recipes I think you will love!

Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)

Panzanella is a Tuscan bread salad which combines day old bread, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, red onion and olive oil. A perfect summer dish for lunch or as a side. The key to making this simple salad really good is using the freshest high quality ingredients. Used ripe tomatoes from the garden or your CSA box, rustic bread that is hot and crusty, fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil. Let it marinate for a little while to allow the flavors to blend. The juices from the tomatoes mixed with the olive oil makes it's own dressing. If you don't have day old bread, lightly spray bread slices with a little olive oil, season with salt and grill on the bbq until toasted. Whole wheat Italian bread would be great too. Makes 8 cups.

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 cup • WW Points: 2 pts Calories: 104.3 • Fat: 2.9 g • Protein: 3.1 g • Carb: 17.7 g • Fiber: 2.2 g As a main dish: Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 2 cups • WW Points: 4 pts

8-10 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup seedless cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
8-10 basil leaves, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
extra virgin olive oil spray
6 oz French bread or a good crusty Italian bread, sliced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Lightly spray bread with olive oil and season with a little salt; grill over medium heat, until toasted and nicely browned. Remove from heat and cut into 1 inch cubes. Set aside.In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, basil, olive oil, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Let it sit for about 30 minutes to let the flavors combine. Add the bread cubes and toss. Serve in individual bowls.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

A simple summer tomato salad. If you can't find heirloom tomatoes, you can use garden tomatoes instead. You can buy beautiful heirloom tomatoes at the farmer's market or get them from your CSA box and used a good extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil from my garden. Serve this as a side dish or for lunch with a nice crusty bread.

RecipesServings: 4 • Time: 5 minutes • Calories: 100 • WW Points: 2pts

4 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 kalamata olives
fresh basil, sliced
kosher salt and fresh pepper

In a bowl combine onions, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let it marinate about 5-10 minutes. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on a plate. Pour olive oil and onions on top and season with additional salt and pepper. Top with fresh basil. Divide equally in 4 plates.

Black Bean, Avocado, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

A touch of lime and a little cilantro makes this a perfect companion for grilled chicken or steak. Serve this as a side dish or also delicious served as a dip with nachos. The cucumbers give this a wonderful fresh summer flavor. If you like this, you may also like my Southwestern Salad made with corn from your CSA box.

Serves: 10 • Serving Size: 1/2 cup • WW Points: 2 pts Calories: 126.9 • Fat: 5.7 g • Protein: 5.0 g • Carb: 16.0 g • Fiber: 6.7 g

1 seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
2 hass avocados, diced
15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp red onion, minced
2 tbsp cilantro, minced
2 limes, juice of
salt and fresh pepper

Combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Makes 5 cups

CSA Members Spice It Up with Tomatillos!

2010-08-06T21:59:00.000-05:00

This tangy little tomato will spice up your guacamole or salsa!

The Aztecs first grew tomatillos as far back as 800 B.C. and they have been popular in Mexico and other Latin American countries for many years. In the US, they are mainly grown in Texas.

Storing:
If you are not going to use them immediately, leave the husks intact, wrapped around the fruit like little paper bags. Either store on the counter or in the refrigerator. They should never be stored in air-tight containers. They will keep well for several weeks to a month. They may also be frozen whole or sliced.

Preparing:
Remove the husks before using, the husks are inedible. Tomatillos are very easy to cook with because they don't need to be peeled or seeded. Their texture is firm when raw, but soften when cooked. Rinse before using as the tomatillo is covered by a sticky substance. Do not peel the green skin.

Recipes:

Tomatillo Guacamole

Ingredients
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
3 tomatillos, husked and chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 drops hot pepper sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix avocados, tomatillos, red onion, roma tomatoes, and lime juice. Season with red pepper flakes, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate at least 45 minutes before serving.

**************************************************************************************
Tomatillo Salsa

2 pounds Fresh tomatillos

1 cup Onion -- chopped

1 Or 2 hot peppers, cored Seeded and chopped. (you can also use dried chiles, leave seeds in either dried or fresh for more heat)

1 cup Fresh cilantro -- minced

1/4 cup Fresh lime juice

1-2 cloves garlic salt to taste

Remove husks from tomatillos, wash thoroughly, dry and halve or quarter. Combine tomatillos, onions, chiles, and garlic in a non-reactive pan. Over med-high heat bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 mins. Cool a little or a lot then put into blender with cilantro and lime juice, blend away, salt to taste, and you have some GREAT salsa verde Mexicano.

Cooking Tomatillos:

Tomatillos can by very inconsistent in flavor, with some being sour and others tasting mild and sweet. If the tomatillos are to tart for your taste, try adding a little sugar to balance the taste.

Raw or uncooked tomatillos are often in Mexican dishes. They add a fresh citrus-like flavor.

Blanching mellows the flavor. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the whole tomatillos (husks removed and rinsed) and boil for approximately 5 minutes or until soft. Drain and crush or puree as directed in your recipe.

Fire Roasting under the broiler, with a propane torch, or over an open flame. Make sure the heat is quite hot before roasting. If the heat is not hot enough, the tomatillos will turn mushy before being charred. The charred or slightly blackened skins will enrich your sauces with a smoky flavor.

Dry Roasting will produce an earthy, nutty flavor. Place the tomatillos in a heavy fry pan (preferably a cast iron pan). Turn heat to low and roast for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Rubicon River Farm CSA Members Flavor Their Okra with Bacon!

2010-08-03T06:33:00.000-05:00

Good Veggies Come from the South!

Known for its gummy, slimy, qualities, okra is welcomed in Southern states where its gumminess is used to thicken stews and sauces. If you've ever enjoyed a Creole gumbo, most likely you've eaten okra.

Try the recipe below: Saute of corn and okra with bacon garnish - everything tastes great with BACON!

Okra History:

Okra, a tropical plant in the mallow family, traces its native roots to Ethiopia and a bit north to the region of the Sudan. As early as the 13th century it was said to be growing along the Nile River. From Africa, okra readily found acceptance in the Middle East where it is enjoyed in a dish called Bamieh, a traditional stew of okra, tomatoes, onions, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil to which meat is frequently added. In India okra was highly favored and even today it is enjoyed in a popular dish known as Sabzi Bhindi where the okra is fried in oil along with cumin and onions and seasoned with spices.

Storing:

Store fresh okra in the refrigerator and use within a day or two. Beyond that they begin to lose their freshness, flavor, and nutrients.

Preparing:

Wash the okra under cold running water. If you plan to cook them whole, no further preparation is necessary. As an alternative, you can slice off the stem end if you prefer or peel the conical portion without breaking the surface of the okra. Keeping the okra whole prevents the mucilage from oozing out. If you plan to use them sliced, slice off the stem end, and simply slice the okra crosswise into desired lengths.

Raw:

Wash the okra and pat dry. Thinly slice crosswise and add to a bowl of salad greens with your favorite dressing.

Recipes:

CSA Member Helene said this recipe gets an A+! The kids loved it!

Saute of corn and okra with bacon garnish

Ingredients
4 slices bacon
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups of diced onions
3 cups okra, washed, trimmed, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups corn kernels, freshly cut from the cob

Baking Directions
Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon and reserve, leaving the rendered bacon fat in the skillet. Add the butter and onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add the okra and season well with salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Cook, stirring frequently, over moderate heat for 8 minutes or so until the okra is just becoming tender. Add the corn kernels and season. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the corn is tender, 3-4 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning if needed.

Serve immediately with the reserved bacon slices crumbled over.

Serving Size
4-6 servings

Other Recipes:
Thinly slice okra and combine with your favorite chopped vegetables such as tomatoes, sweet onions, avocado, and cucumbers, and bathe in a cashew dressing.

Thinly slice okra and marinate for two or three days in a dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, fresh lime juice, finely diced red or green chiles, and seasonings. Use as a condiment.

Steaming:

After washing, place whole okras in a skillet with or without stem ends intact. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately turn heat down and steam 3 to 5 minutes. Test for fork tenderness and remove to a serving dish. Sprinkle with a little salt, serve, and enjoy the exotic experience of this unique, delicate vegetable.

Sauteing:

Slice washed okra and saute until tender in canola oil along with onions, garlic, and ginger. Season to taste.

Rubicon River Farm Brings a Mediterranean Favorite to CSA Members in Wisconsin

2010-07-25T11:32:00.000-05:00

Our culinary skills will be tested this week with our featured veggie/fruit (eggplant, Solanum melongena, is considered a vegetable but is botanically a fruit) Eggplant!

I want to give you both storage and selection tips if you decide to purchase eggplant at the store when it it out of season in Wisconsin.

How to Select an Eggplant:
To test, hold the eggplant in your palm and gently press it with your thumb. If the flesh presses in but bounces back, it is ready for harvesting. If the flesh is hard and does not give, the eggplant is immature and too young to harvest. If the thumb indentation remains, the eggplant to over mature and may be completely brown inside and bitter with large tough seeds.

Also, eggplants have a dimple at the blossom end. The dimple can be very round or oval in shape. The round ones seem to have more seeds and tend to be less meaty, so select the oval dimpled eggplant.

How to store an Eggplant:
Eggplants bruise easily so be gentle. Eggplants do not like cool temperatures so they do not store well so plan on having eggplant this weekend! Use them immediately for best flavor. If you must store them, wrap them in plastic or use plastics and store for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. Be careful as it will soon develop soft brown spots they become bitter. Use them while the stem and cap are still greenish and rather fresh-looking.

Salt Eggplant for best flavor:
Salting accomplishes two goals: it pulls out juices that carry bitter flavors, and it collapses the air pockets in the eggplant's sponge-like flesh, thus preventing it from absorbing too much oil and getting greasy.

To salt eggplant, peel it and then slice, cube, or quarter it, depending on the recipe. Sprinkle the pieces generously with salt and let them sit in a colander for an hour (you'll usually see a lot of liquid beading on the surface). Rinse the eggplant in plenty of water to remove the salt, firmly squeeze a few pieces at a time in the palm of your hand to draw out almost all the moisture, and then pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Thorough drying is important; squeezing out excess moisture will give you a less greasy result.

Preparing Eggplant for eating:

Eggplant can be baked, grilled, steamed, or sauteed. It is versatile and works well with tomatoes, onions, garlic and cheese. Eggplant does not taste good raw. Below is the recipe for the classic Eggplant Parmesan!

Eggplant Parmesan - Healthy Version

Ingredients
2 eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
3 egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce), divided
1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
2 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
3/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Coat an 8-by-11 1/2-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

To prepare eggplant: Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Whisk egg whites with water in a shallow dish until frothy. Combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg whites, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. (Discard any leftover egg white and breadcrumbs.) Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the eggplant slices for 15 minutes, turn them over and bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes more.

To assemble casserole: Stir basil into tomato sauce. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the prepared baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant slices over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Layer on the remaining eggplant and top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan.
Bake the casserole, at 400°F uncovered, until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 to 25 minutes. Makes 6 servings

Week of July 16 - CSA Members Indulge when Zucchini Meets Chocolate!

2010-07-19T22:29:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we just have to indulge! Below is a recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Cake I got from my Aunt Debbie.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake:
3 cups grated Zucchini - peeled and seeded.
3 Cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1-1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1-1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1-1/2 cups salad oil
2-1/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 squares (1oz each) unsweetened chocolate melted or 2 envelopes of choco-bake
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 12 cup bundt pan.

In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, soda, and cloves, set aside.

In a large mixing bowl beat salad oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Gradually beat in the melted chocolate. Add dry ingredients, beating until smooth (batter will be very thick). Add zucchini. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts (optional).

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour then check with a toothpick ever 5 minutes for the next 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool in pan on a rack for 20 minutes.

Can be made in 2 loaf pans and freezes well.

Sprinkle powdered sugar on top or heat some canned frosting and drizzle over the top - YUMMY!

Storing Zucchini:

Store fresh picked or purchased zucchini in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks for best quality. Be sure the zucchini is dry when you put it in the bag as moisture will encourage mold and spoilage.

Zucchini Recipes:

Zucchini is best if cooked when fresh and small as it will have more moisture. Steaming produces the crispest, least soggy vegetable. If using zucchini in a casserole recipe, it may be parboiled or steamed to remove some of the moisture. Zucchini is best if partnered with herbs, onion, garlic, cheese and tomatoes! Here is a link to a ton of excellent recipes courtesy of the Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/zucchini/results.do

Rubicon River Farm Corn Fest!

2010-07-12T13:37:00.000-05:00

Rubicon River Farm Corn Fest 2010

Mark your calendars! On Saturday, July 24, Rubicon River Farm will be providing lunch on the farm with our featured veggie SWEET CORN! Rubicon River Farm CSA Members and Special Invitees will enjoy a day in the country, meet our family, pick corn and your share for that week (if you want), and meet our chickens, cows, puppies, and kitties! Hope you can come!

Rubicon River Corn Fest 2010 Details

Who's Invited: Rubicon River Farm CSA Members and by Special Invitation Only
When: July 24, 2010
Where: Rubicon River Farm
Why: Have Fun, Eat Corn, Have Lunch, and See How to Preserve Veggies for Winter Demonstrations!
Time: 11am to 2pm
RSVP: by July 17
Location: N3363 Hwy EE, Neosho, WI 53059
About 15 minutes from Oconomowoc and Hartford

Other attractions on your way out and your way back: http://www.delafieldfarmersmarket.com/ ; http://www.oconomowoc.org/farmersmarket.php ; http://holyhill.com/basilica/hours-and-directions with Ice Age Trail - beautiful walk.

Google Map: N3363 Hwy EE, Neosho, WI http://maps.google.com/maps?rlz=1T4GPEA_enUS313US313&q=rubicon%20river%20farm%20n3363%20map&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

CSA Members Eat Southern Style!

2010-07-02T11:08:00.000-05:00

Rubicon River Farm's featured veggie of the week is Collard Greens! This highly nutritious veggie probably isn't the first veggie you put in the grocery cart, but it should be. I hope everyone enjoys eating this southern style veggie this week ... more to come!

Veggie History:

Collard greens are quite unique to the southeastern U.S. region and have become a time-honored tradition in Southern kitchens and held an important place on the table for over a century. Down in the South, a large amount of greens served to the family is commonly called a mess o' greens, but the exact amount varies from family to family. The traditional way to cook them is to boil or simmer them slowly with salt pork or ham hock (and recently, smoked turkey rings has become a healthier alternative) to soften up the leaves and the bitter taste. The most common side to serve with collard greens are baked or fried corn bread, and some even like to put hot sauce on top of the greens for extra flavor.

Storage:

You may store collards in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks (store bought wouldn't be as long). Wrap them in moist paper towels and place in a sealed plastic.

Well, let's face it, the collard green recipes don't look to appetizing, but they are! Here is a recipe that won't scare the kids too bad.

Collard Greens and Spaghetti

- One small bunch collard greens, center ribs removed - about 1/2 lb

- 2 slices of bacon

- Minced garlic to taste

- 6 oz good quality dried spaghetti

Wash and stack the collard leaves and roll into a cigar shape. Thinly slice the greens into 1/4 -1/2 inch ribbons.

Slice the bacon into 1/2 inch strips.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti and cook until al-dente (or however you like your noodles), about 10-12 minutes.

In the mean time, heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, then add minced garlic for a minute. Remove using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Add collard green ribbons to the same pot and toss with rendered bacon fat. Cover, and let cook for about 1 minute or until wilted. Uncover, stir, re-cover and let cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add bacon and garlic back into pan. Remove from heat.

When noodles are done cooking, drain, reserving about 1/2 c. of their cooking liquid. Add noodles and a few tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid to bacon and collards and stir to mix.

Serve plain or with a generous grating of hard salty cheese (Parmesan, Gruyere, Manchego, etc.)
Optional: 1/2 t. dried chili flakes

Week of June 26 - CSA Members meet Kohlrabi!

2010-06-27T09:26:00.000-05:00

This week's featured veggie is the Kohlrabi. I was introduced to the kohlrabi 25 years ago when my husband asked where I planted the kohlrabi and I didn't have any planted! Below are the specifics of kohlrabi and how to prepare and store it.

What is a Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi come from the German kohl (cabbage) and rabi (turnip) because it is spherical base resembles a turnip. It is a brassicsa species, of the cabbage family. The round bulb is a swollen stem that grows above ground. Kohlrabi is not a commonly used veggie in American cuisine, but is widely used in Europe and Asia.

Kohlrabi is a crisp, juicy sweet tasting vegetable. Its flavor can be described as tasting like broccoli, with the sweetness of an apple and the bite of a radish. WOW... a lot of flavors in one!

How to prepare kohlrabi?
The whole plant is edible and you can cook with the kohlrabi just about anyway. This versitille veggie can be eaten raw like an apple, put on a vegetable platter, or julienned and tossed in salads or coleslaws. The outer layer is usually tough when eaten raw so peel the outer
layer and enjoy.

Kohlrabi can be cooked until just tender or soft, depending upon your taste. When steaming or boiling, cut in pieces and cook for about 5-7 minutes and add a little butter or just some seasoning. When adding to a stir-fry, cut into bite-sized pieces and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Cut the kohlrabi into ¾ inch discs, dress with oil, salt and pepper and grill for 1½ minutes on each side. I peel it first, but you don't have too. Try the slaw recipe below for an added zing to your next meal!

The leaves can be eaten raw if copped fine, but they are best cooked. Blanch the leaves until tender, drain, chop and add to any dish. Butter braised kohlrabi leaves are also tasty.

How store kohlrabi:
The leaves should be eaten within 4 to 5 days and the bulbs within 7 to 9 days. Stored in your refrigerator crisper drawer for best results.

Benefits of kohlrabi:
Kohlrabi is an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. It is low in calories and sodium. Indoles are present in kohlrabi. They are believed to be potentially signifi cant anti-cancer compounds. They are also found in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. The plant compounds are not destroyed with cooking of the vegetables.

Kohlrabi Slaw with Coconut Dressing
Coconut Dressing Makes 1½ cups
¼ c brown rice vinegar
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp soy sauce
1 c coconut oil, room temperature
¼ c sunflower oil
2 T sesame oil
Salt and pepper

Mix the vinegars, ginger and soy sauce in a blender on low speed. Slowly pour in oils until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. The dressing will keep for two weeks in the
refrigerator. The coconut oil becomes solid when chilled. Just bring up to room temperature before using. Slaw Serves 4-6

2 kohlrabi, remove stems and leaves reserving for a later use and julienne the bulb
4 radishes, small julienne
1 cup broccoli (stalk and florets into small pieces)
2 green onions, cut into small rounds
2Tbs mint, chopped
2Tbs cilantro, chopped
Salt and Pepper

Mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Dress with ½ cup of coconut dressing. Season with salt and pepper. The slaw can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If making ahead, pull the slaw out about 30 minutes before serving.

This week's CSA bag contains:

Kohlrabi

Broccoli

Garlic

Radishes - French Breakfast Radishes and other varieties

Carrots

Peas

Lettuce - Red and Green

Raspberries

Week of June 18 - Peak Flavor and Nutritional Value are Benefits of Eating Foods in Season and Locally through a CSA

2010-06-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

Every week we celebrate foods that are in season because that is when you get the most flavor and nutritional value and when it is the most affordable.

This weeks CSA bag contains a "rainbow" of colors! (recipes and uses below)

Dark Green - Kale and Dill

White - White Globe Radishes and Onions

Burgundy - Lettuce

Light Green - Lettuce, Garlic Scapes, and Peas

Red - Raspberries and Strawberries

Last week I told you about the mega egg and promised a photo.

Sauteed Kale Recipe

1- 1/2 pounds young kale, stems and leaves coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced or garlic scapes (chopped)
1/2 cup vegetable stock or water
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

Tips for Cooking with Dill:

Fresh dill should always be stored in the refrigerator either wrapped in a damp paper towel or with its stems placed in a container of water. Since it is very fragile, even if stored properly, dill will only keep fresh for about two days. Dill can be frozen, either whole or chopped, in airtight containers. Alternatively, you can freeze the dill leaves in ice cube trays covered with water or stock that can be added when preparing soups or stews.

Combine dill weed with plain yogurt and chopped cucumber for a delicious cooling dip.

Use dill when cooking fish, especially salmon and trout, as the flavors complement one another very well.

Use dill weed as a garnish for sandwiches.

Add dill to your favorite egg salad recipe.

Mix together chopped potatoes, green beans, and plain yogurt, then season with both dill seeds and chopped dill weed.

Radishes Chinese Style

There are many variations on fresh radish pickles but they are all quite
similar to this one. Adjust the ingredients to suit your taste.

2 C. sliced radishes
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. white vinegar (or rice vinegar)
1/2 T. sugar
1 T. sesame oil

Combine last 4 ingredients, mix with radishes. Cover and refrigerate,
marinating for at least 1 hour -- longer is better. Use within a week. Try
them on sandwiches or as part of a Chinese dinner.

Raspberries

2-3 Raspberries

Put the raspberries in the palm of your hand then bring your hand to your mouth and enjoy! :)

Week of June 11 - Broadening Your Culinary Horizons CSA Style!

2010-06-11T17:03:00.000-05:00

Below is a link to our June 11, 2010 Rubicon River Farm Newsletter. You are discovering that there are some weird little curly things in your bag this week! Go to the link below and find out what they are - YUM!

I was unable to put the farm's first mega egg photo in the newsletter this week because ... THERE IS A NEW RECORD EGG! I don't know what Chef Carol is feeding those chickens, but there is amazing things coming out of that hen house!

I hope everyone is enjoying their fruits and veggies, we're just getting started!

Click on the link below and then at the top left of the page click "download" so the newsletter is easier to read.

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B5r0D09NQiLyOTdlYzNmNjItMjM4Mi00M2ZhLTkzNGQtYjg0NTI2MjIxYWNk&hl=en

Rubicon River Farm Newsletter: June 4, 2010

2010-06-04T16:18:00.000-05:00

June 4, 2010 Rubicon River Farm Newsletter!

Features include:

This Week's CSA Bag
Food Storage
Recipes
Food History
Members share their recipes and photos!

http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B5r0D09NQiLyZjljMjIxNDQtN2MxZi00ZDM4LThhYmItMzkyN2Q4OTRhZjU1&hl=en

Foodie-cation for CSA Members!

2010-05-27T18:07:00.000-05:00

With our freshly harvested vegetables and fruit, the main concerns are proper storage and maintaining the best flavor, quality, and nutrition. The local nature of a CSA operation has the ability to provide a wide variety of food versus operations that grow vegetables to be shipped all over the world.

CSA members are lucky to be able to enjoy a much broader variety of foods than what is available in the grocery store. However, enjoying this bounty may take a little bit of Foodie-cation!

The way you are accustomed to storing your grocery store vegetables may not work with our fresh CSA vegetables. Our vegetables are not sprayed with wax or treated with fungicide so you may find that the same veggie that normally lasts for weeks in your refrigerator, shrivels after a week from the CSA. If this is your first year with us, it takes a little bit of practice to juggle the timing of eating all of your veggies so that nothing goes to waste.

Here is your foodie-cation to help you have a successful CSA experience!

1) Get in the habit of planning your menus. Take a look at your CSA newsletter, know what is coming in your next box and plan.
2) Take a frequent look at the contents of your fridge and use your veggies while they are fresh.
3) Try to set up a weekly routine with your veggies and fruit.
4) Educate yourself on storing your produce for a longer shelf life.

We will suggest storage tips or indicate which veggies won’t hold up very long and should be eaten first. If you do have a neglected veggie, examine it. You will find that it is still perfectly good. It may have a one or two slimy leaves, but just discard them. Some veggies might wilt a little, shrink or shrivel slightly, fade in color, or become dry, but these rough-looking veggies will certainly perk up and be nearly as good in a soup, sauce, or stew.

Wilted greens are simply a loss of moisture. You can rehydrate by soaking in water. Next time provide more moisture by wrapping the item in a damp towel and storing in a plastic bag. Slime is the result of bacteria, generally harmless types that grow in an abundance of moisture and then cause the produce to deteriorate. Bacteria thrives in temperatures above 34°F, so a good fridge working at a consistently low temperature is a big plus for greens and most roots. It gets more complicated when summer comes and your box includes melons, peppers, cucumbers and beans which are actually harmed by prolonged (several days to a week) storage at 34°F temperatures.

Store basil in a glass of water on the counter and use warm temperature veggies like melons, summer squash, peppers, tomatoes and eggplant in a few days or store on the counter, rather than in the fridge.

Here at the farm, we have four coolers, so we can provide the optimum storage temperatures for various crops. Unless you have three refrigerators set at different temperatures and different moisture levels, you have to try for a compromise! The general guideline is to keep your fridge cold, at 34°F, and monitor moisture. Get to know the temperature zones in your fridge – generally, the front is warmer than the back and sometimes the crisper drawers have moisture and temperature adjustments. With the recent scares of peanut recalls, E. Coli in spinach and salmonella in tomatoes still fresh in our memory, it may seem shockingly irresponsible of me to try to coax you into eating shriveled, old veggies. However, a good rinse and careful handling is all that is needed to keep veggies safe and tasty. All of our vegetables have been grown, harvested, washed, and packed by a conscientious and educated crew.

I hope you love your CSA experience so much your veggies never have a chance to get shriveled in the back of your refrigerator. Happy Cooking!

2010 Growing Season is Approaching Fast!

2010-03-28T16:44:00.000-05:00

The 2010 season is approaching fast and Rubicon River Farm is busy getting ready!

CSA Sign-up:
Rubicon River Farm has a good start on the 2010 CSA enrollment (about 30% full), Make sure to sign up early to guarantee your shares. Sign up is by May 1. Email rubiconriverfarm@gmail.com for a sign up form.

Busy Planting:
We are busy getting ready for the spring planting. It has been an unusual warm and dry March so we have taken advantage of building poly covers for early crops. It is warm now, but April may bring cold temperatures. The covers trap the sun’s heat and protect the plants from the cold nights, wind, and early Spring insects so we can bring veggies to you early in June.

We will plant our first salad greens, radishes, cilantro, spinach, bok choi, cabbage, broccoli,
cauliflower, lettuces, fennel, kohlrabi and much more the first week in April!

Free-Range Eggs:
Our free-range eggs will be available in May not July as previously mentioned. We will sell the eggs for $2/doz. Let us know if you are interested.

Farm Tours and Visits:
Many members are interested in learning more about the farm. We will be having a couple Saturdays available for you and your family to visit and pick your weekly share! Watch the newsletter for dates. This is going to be a great learing experience for the kids!

Getting Ready for the Season: Information to get started!

2010-02-09T08:02:00.000-06:00

Serving our clients with excellence is our highest business goal.

We put a lot of heart into our work and products.Our garden produce is raised naturally, without chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers. We sell at farmer’s markets, to stores and restaurants, and through our CSA Program, which continues to expand, with weekly deliveries on Thursdays into the following counties: Dodge, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha.

The produce is raised in highly enriched gardens with natural compost. The garden is mulched and well-watered, which results in a weed-free environment for plants. We select only the best from each crop for harvest, carefully wash, and gently pack them for distribution. One Thursday you and your family will have the freshest veggies ever!

Providing a variety of veggies will shake up your palate!
Each week you will receive an assortment of different types of in-season produce, heavy on the favorites, including heirlooms and varieties not found in grocery stores. A partial list of CSA produce includes: Various Asian Greens, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Pickels, Cucumbers, Fennel, Garlic, Green and Yellow Snap Beans, Snow Peas, Herbs, Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Muskmelon, Onions, Parsley, Parsnips, Potatoes, Radishes, Raspberries, Spinach, Sweet and Hot Peppers, Sugar Snap Peas, Strawberries, Summer Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Winter Squash, Corn, and more!

Rubicon River Farm's season will run for 20 weeks, from the first Thursday in June (June 3) through the second week in October (14th). Depending on the growing season, we could get an additional harvest so watch the newsletter for additional produce to be purchased for the freezer or canning!

Our weekly large share, designed for the typical family household of two adults and several children. We also offer a weekly smaller share or as a season sampler.

The cost for the 2010 season is as follows:
20 Week Small Share $470 - For 1 or 2 people.
20 Week Large Share $630 - For a family of 3 to 5 people.

**Feel free to make three payments**

Which share size should you order? It all depends upon how much fresh produce your household consumes; note that when veggies are fresh and organically grown, most folks tend to eat more than they did before. Our clients can switch to the other size share at any point in the season if they find that it is too much or too little for their weekly needs.

Eggs and Beef
Starting in July, you can add organic eggs to your share and in Fall you could buy hormone-free, grass-feed, beef so watch for details! I have a waiting list for beef so if you are interested please let me know.

New! We will be including two free pumpkins to your share in October and will be offering an 8-foot Christmas tree for $25 to our share members!

Information Packets Available
Rubicon River Farm has information packets available on signing up for veggies, beef, and eggs. The information will answer all your questions like - How do I buy a steer? What is the difference between 99 cent eggs and Rubicon River eggs?

How to sign up
To sign up for the 2010 season, please e-mail rubiconriverfarm@gmail.com and we will send you the membership form via e-mail or we can send by U.S. mail.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions - 262-707-6101 or the email address above.

How to Find the Best Food: Join a CSA!

2009-12-22T17:08:00.000-06:00

Buying fresh local food is a great way to start your New Year's Resolution. We all vow to eat healthier and lose weight at the beginning of each year. Even though only a few of us actually stick to our resolutions, it is important to supply yourself with the right tools to succeed! To help you find your comfort level within the local food market, here are some great ways to get started.

1) Begin by committing to visiting your local farmer's market and signing up for a CSA.

2) Phase into buying veggies and fruits gradually. When I would go to the Farmer's Market, I couldn't stop buying! Only buy what you and your family need for a week. It is also a good idea to have a couple recipes in mind before going. Another great part about CSA or a Farmer's Marketing is your kids love to eat the veggies because they are a part of the experience!

3) Pick your own strawberries and blueberries during peak season. Strawberries are peak in June and blueberries in August. Sometimes roadside stands have great buys too! I once stopped at an Amish farm and they had some strawberries that were sort of old. I bought all of them! I took them home and tossed out the bad and froze the good ones. I got three gallon bags of strawberries for $2. I froze them whole and my kids use them in their smoothies. I can't wait until my strawberry crop really starts producing.

4) Discover new foods! Don't be afraid to try new foods in your CSA box. I put easy recipes in my CSA boxes. I have never been a kohlrabi fan until I went to Germany and tasted cooked with a little butter! So simple ... so good.

5) Freeze some meat. Try local, grass-fed beef and you will never go back to the store again. These animals are NOT pumped full of antibiotics and hormones, the meat is organic and the cows are happy. What more could you ask for?

I think this is enough to get you on the path to good health for now. Next ... canning, buying in bulk, and doubling recipes!

Free-Range Eggs Healthier than Factory Produced!

2009-12-20T11:37:00.001-06:00

Rubicon River Farm offers free-range, organic egg shares! The eggs are $3.50 per dozen and can be delived with your CSA share starting in June!

Our girls (the chickens) work hard everyday to produce one beautiful egg. Pictured left is one of the mega double-yoker eggs CSA members received!

Please note that just because the egg is brown doesn't mean it is free-range and organic. Our eggs are different shades of brown with little speckels. They are not a perfect shade of brown and all the eggs look the same. If you have to buy eggs in the store and you are not paying $5.50-$6.00 a dozen the eggs probably are not free-range and organic.

Mother Earth News has done some great nutrient analysis of Free-Range eggs versus Factory-Produced eggs. When a Free-Range egg is compared to the official USDA data for Factory-Produced eggs, Free-Range contain:

- 1/3 less Cholesterol
- 1/4 less Saturated Fat
- Seven Times MORE Beta Carotene (See below)
- 2/3 MORE Vitamin A (See below)
- Two-times MORE Omega-3 Fatty Acids (See below)
- 4-7 Times the amount of Vitamin D (See below)

... And the best part ... the eggs are fresh!

Here is how you test the freshness of your eggs:

1) Fill a tub with water and put your egg in.

2) If it lays flat, it's pretty fresh and should have the best taste for fried/scrambled/etc.
If it stands up a little at one end, it's starting to get a bit stale and is best boiled or used in baking/cooking.

3) If it stands vertically but is still touching the bottom, use it pronto to boil or bake; if using in cooking, break it into a separate bowl and check for green yolk or weird smell. (it's the worst to ruin your cookies by breaking a rotten egg into them.)

4) If it floats, it is quite old and probably rotten.

FYI - Older eggs are really easy to shell after you boil them so if you are planning on making hard boiled eggs for Easter-don't use fresh.

Beta-Carotene

What can foods rich in beta-carotene do for you?

-Protect your cells from the damaging effects of free radicals
-Provide a source of vitamin A
-Enhance the functioning of your immune system
-Help your reproductive system function properly

What events and lifestyle factors can indicate a need for more foods that are rich in beta-carotene?

-Low intake of fruits and vegetables
-Smoking and regular alcohol consumption

Vitamin A

What can high-vitamin A foods do for you?

-Preserve and improve your eyesight
-Help you fight off viral infections

What events can indicate a need for more high-vitamin A foods?

-Frequent viral infections
-Night blindness
-Goose bump-like appearance of the skin

Although vitamin A is found only in foods of animal origin, some fruits and vegetables contain compounds, called cartenoids, that can be converted into vitamin A by your body. Food sources of preformed vitamin A include calf liver, milk, and EGGS!

What is the function of vitamin A?

While vitamin A is best known for its vital role in vision, this vitamin also participates in physiological activities related to the immune system, maintenance of epithelial and mucosal tissues, growth, reproduction, and bone development. In food, vitamin A typically occurs as a fat compound called retinyl palmitate. The body converts retinyl palmitate to three metabolically active forms of the vitamin: retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid.

Vision support
The human retina contains four kinds of photopigments that store vitamin A compounds. One of these pigments, called rhodopsin, is located in the rod cells of the retina. Rhodopsin allows the rod cells to detect small amounts of light, and, thus, plays a fundamental role in the adaptation of the eye to low-light conditions and night vision.
Retinal, the aldehyde form of the vitamin, participates in the synthesis of rhodopsin, and in the series of chemical reactions that causes visual excitation, which is triggered by light striking the rod cells. The remaining three pigments, collectively known as iodopsins, are found in the cone cells of the retina and are responsible for day vision.

Immune function support
Vitamin A stimulates several immune system activities, possibly by promoting the growth, and preventing the stress-induced shrinkage, of the thymus gland. Vitamin A is known to enhance the function of white blood cells, increase the response of antibodies to antigens, and to have anti-viral activity.

In addition, retinoic acid is needed to maintain the normal structure and function of epithelial and mucosal tissues, which are found in the lungs, trachea, skin, oral cavity, and gastrointestinal tract. These tissues, when healthy and intact, serve as the first line of defense for the immune system, providing a protective barrier that disease-causing microorganisms cannot penetrate.

Cell growth support
Vitamin A is also necessary for normal cell growth and development. Although the mechanisms by which vitamin A promotes cell growth and development are not yet fully understood, it is known that retinoic acid is necessary for the synthesis of many glycoproteins, which control cellular adhesion (the ability of cells to attach to one another), cell growth and cell differentiation.
Other roles for vitamin A
It is also known that vitamin A is essential for reproductive processes in both males and females and plays a role in normal bone metabolism. In addition, some of the most cutting-edge research in the field of genetics has been examining the role of vitamin A (in the form of retinoic acid) in regulating genetic events.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

What can high-omega-3 foods do for you?

-Reduce inflammation throughout your body
-Keep your blood from clotting excessively
-Maintain the fluidity of your cell membranes
-Lower the amount of lipids (fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides) circulating in the bloodstream
- Decrease platelet aggregation, preventing excessive blood clotting
- Inhibit thickening of the arteries by decreasing endothelial cells' production of a platelet-derived growth factor (the lining of the arteries is composed of endothelial cells)
-Increase the activity of another chemical derived from endothelial cells (endothelium-derived nitric oxide), which causes arteries to relax and dilate
- Reduce the production of messenger chemicals called cytokines, which are involved in the inflammatory response associated with atherosclerosis
-Reduce the risk of becoming obese and improve the body's ability to respond to insulin by stimulating the secretion of leptin, a hormone that helps regulate food intake, body weight and metabolism, and is expressed primarily by adipocytes (fat cells)
- Help prevent cancer cell growth

What conditions or symptoms indicate a need for more high-omega-3 foods?
Depression
Cardiovascular Disease
Type 2 Diabetes
Fatigue
Dry, itchy skin
Brittle hair and nails
Inability to concentrate
Joint pain

Vitamin D

What can high-vitamin D foods do for you?
-Help prevent a growing list of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, osteoporisis, breast cancer, colon cancer, and ovarian cancer
-Help keep your bones and teeth strong and healthy
-Regulate the growth and activity of your cells
-Reduce inflammation (arthritis)
What events can indicate a need for more foods rich in vitamin D?
-Bone pain and/or soft bones
-Frequent bone fractures
-Bone deformities or growth retardation in children
-Lack of exposure to sunlight for any reason, including geography, use of sunscreen, or wearing of protective clothing

Reference: http://www.whfoods.com/

Busy Getting the Garden Ready!

2009-12-15T19:43:00.000-06:00

We are busy at the farm getting ready for next year! Dad and I have been mulching with all the leaves and clippings from fall. I also have a huge compost pile to grow our starter veggies.

We planted garlic too! This is our first time planting garlic so I contacted some of Wisconsin's garlic experts! Cindy from Keene Organics helped figure out what I needed for next season and Karen from wegrowgarlic.com helped me find Cindy. Both Cindy and Karen gave me some excellent tips on planting and harvesting.

I also purchased 20 chickens so we can start producing Free Range Eggs! They will be here in March and eggs will be available in July! If I mention my eggs to anyone that say, "put me on the list!" I have to order another 50 or I won't have enough. I can't wait for them to arrive.

Please watch for our new web site which will be available in 2010! I'm setting up the site so you can sign up for your share of our garden crops online! The web address will be http://www.rubiconriverfarm.com/. Check us out in 2010!

Below are photos of Rubicon River Farm. As you can see we have a great set up!

I would also like to say good-bye to our farm dog "Buddy" (below). He will be missed!

Starting an Organic Farm with help from Dad & Mom

2009-12-15T18:31:00.000-06:00

I would like to introduce you to Rubicon River Farm located in Neosho, Wisconsin. We have lived here for 35 years and love it! Over the years we farmed, raised beef cattle, and have a huge garden. We are very fortunate to be able to put beef and vegetables in our freezer every year. We also can applesauce, tomatoes, red cabbage, apple slices for pie, grape juice, pickles, jam, and jelly. I can because the tradition was passed down to me from my mom and I like to eat food with no preservatives.

After my my Dad and Mom taught me how to grow food, I decided to take it one step further - CSA Community Supported Agriculture, sharing of our garden. I remember when it was my Mom's dream to grow and sell veggies except she wanted to take her veggies to the farmer's market on Mitchell Street in Milwaukee, but she never did. Instead, she would share with the elderly by giving the food away.

As an avid reader of Mother Earth News, my Dad loves organic gardening and has taught me a lot of great organic gardening techniques. He gave me all his Mother Earth News magazines and now we are going to be planting and growing food for a December harvest!

CSA brings a share of our garden to people who can't have a garden or don't have time, but still want fresh fruits and vegetables.

Our mission is to supply the community with fresh food at a reasonable price while helping people. Each membership will have an opportunity to help less fortunate people in the area by providing healthy food to them. We will be taking memberships starting in February 2010! We plan on growing for 20 weeks (June through October). We will be stretching our growing season to December in 2010, but will not be taking memberships until we know what our yield will be for the extended season. However, a 20-week membership will receive a large box (enough for a small family) or a small box (enough for 2 adults) once a week to ensure all the fruits and veggies are fresh.

I plan on having multiple drop off locations by Milwaukee, Waukesha, Oconomowoc, and Hartford. The locations will depend on where our members live - we are flexible!

The veggies we will be growing are:
Beans
Peas
Tomatoes - Cherry, Roma, and Big Boy
Watermelon
Corn
Herbs
Carrots
Lettuce
Peppers - Green, Red, Yellow, Hot
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Celery
Cucumbers
Melon
Squash
Pumpkins, Indian Corn, Gourds
and Garlic!

Please feel free to ask questions.