CSA Week 4: Meet the Interns, Part 1

Greetings Veggie Lovers!

This week, Lorraine has assigned me (Erin, the short season farm minion…I mean intern) the task of writing to you all. As an intern at Terra Verde, I’m here to help out and learn on the farm for 4 months of the growing season this year. Time here at the farm has been busy so far, but rich in learning and tasty farm food. It’s been lots of fun to help to grow the food you share members get to enjoy each week.

I came to Terra Verde this spring after finishing my undergraduate studies at Trent University. At Trent I studied Environmental Studies and Indigenous Studies, and it was throughout my studies that I developed an interest in learning about sustainable food systems, especially urban agriculture. While at Trent, I volunteered and worked with a number of different campus and community organizations, and was always happiest when my volunteering, work, and studies focused on food: preparing it, preserving it, thinking about it, writing about it, helping others access it, teaching about it, and eating it. The one area I wasn’t able to explore in depth while in school was learning more about growing food, and so consequently it is with great delight that I am now at Terra Verde learning all about how to grow the most abundant, tasty, and nutrient-dense veggies possible!

After my time at Terra Verde, I will be moving to Quebec City for the fall/winter to work as an English Language classroom assistant. My hope is to continue to learn more about farming next growing season, and then to eventually develop an urban farming project in backyards, schoolyards, and other available urban land in Guelph. 

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Weekly Share Contents:

Now, to the most important part of this post, what you can expect to see in your share this week:

Head Lettuce
Carrots
Broccoli
Peas
Basil
Green Onions
Kale
Garlic Scapes

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Recipe Ideas:

Kale is a vegetable that is part of the brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, etc.). Kale is high in beta-carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and rich in calcium, in addition to containing sulforaphane, a chemical with anti-cancer properties. At Terra Verde this season, we are growing three different kinds of kale: Dinosaur kale, red curly kale, and a classic green curly variety. They all have their own unique looks, textures, and flavours, try them all this season! 

Kale is a very versatile vegetable, and one of my favorites because it can last for quite a while in the fridge when stored in the coldest part of your fridge, in as airtight a bag/container as possible. I like to throw kale into smoothies, use it in salads (both leafy salads, and quinoa/grainy salads), sauté it with mushrooms to have with eggs for breakfast, or throw is in soups, stews, and casseroles. One of my favorite ways to use up kale quickly though is to make kale chips. Kale chips are made by tossing kale in oil, lightly salting them, and then baking them in the oven on low heat until they are crispy and oh so tasty! Very simple to make (usually only takes about 5mins of prep, and less than 10mins to bake). There are some tips on how to make perfect kale chips here:

http://ohsheglows.com/2014/03/12/6-tips-for-flawless-kale-chips-all-dressed-kale-chips-recipe/