CSA Week 7: Honey!

Our bees have been hard at work this summer, enjoying the flowers of our labour (as well as many weed flowers, like wild mustard and dandelion). Rob took off our first batch of honey for the season and it is delicious! It's much lighter in colour than the honey we took off last fall, so I'm interested to see how the colour changes as we take off more throughout the season. 

We are particularly low-tech in our honey processing since we always work in small batches. After removing the super (box) from the hive full of honey, Rob cuts the combs off the frame and puts into 5 gallon food-grade bucket. At this point, he uses a potato masher to mash the comb into small pieces. Once mashed, this chunky honey and wax is strained through mesh into another bucket with a spigot on the bottom. The jars are then filled from this spigot. Depending on whether we are seeing any impurities in the honey (namely wax), the honey may be passed through another fine mesh (actually just window screening!) before being put into the jar. At this point the jars are wiped down and labels applied. Honey producers who operate on a much larger scale, have much fancier equipment. And I'd bet they don't spend days scrubbing honey off the kitchen floor and back porch... :)

All of this means that we will have honey available for purchase at the CSA pickup on Wednesday! We have 4 options: 

• 1 kg Raw Honey, $12
• 500g Raw Honey, $7
• 500g Raw Honey in Bear, $8
• 150g Raw Honey, $2.50 (great for hostess gifts or to sample)

We will be taking more honey off in a few weeks and again in September, so this will not be your only chance to purchase honey. 

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Share Contents:

Head Lettuce
Swiss Chard OR Cabbage
Pea Shoots OR Green Onions
Carrots
Broccoli
Cucumbers
Green and Yellow Beans
Dill

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Cucumbers


You will be receiving some pickling cucumbers in your share this week. While the quantity won't be enough to actually make pickles, these are my preferred fresh eating cucumber. I like their thin skin and refreshing cucumber taste. We will have traditional slicing cucumbers available in another week or two.

Here are some ways to use up these little guys:

• chop and add to salads
• cut into spears and eat with your favourite dip
• add to a sandwich
• throw into a juice or smoothie
• or, try the recipe below

Fresh Cucumber Relish
2 - 5 pickling cucumbers, diced in small pieces, 
2 - 3 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp coriander
1 tsp honey
Pinch of sea salt

Combine all ingredients and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Use anywhere you would use traditional relish.