Friday, September 24, 2010

CSA - Contents for September 24th, 2010

Autumn has finally arrived, it’s time to start thinking about soups and baking:) Pumpkins are starting to show up at the markets, and soon the leaves will start to change. Early this morning as we were picking this week's CSA vegetables, we couldn't help but marvel at the crispness of the morning, and the way the sun filtered through the valley. 

This weeks CSA packages include:
Squash, Summer
Zucchini, Green
Green Bell Pepper
Red Leaf Lettuce
Eggplant
Yellow Onion
Nectarine
Plum
Basil
Thyme or Rosemary
Chives

Happy first week of Autumn to you!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Chard: Taste the Rainbow

rainbow chard
Ok, so chard doesn't exactly taste like a rainbow - it tastes more like, well, chard. But it's so good! Although slightly bitter and a bit salty in it's raw form, chard takes on a different flavor profile when cooked - more of a delicate mild flavor than it's somewhat bitter raw counterpart. If you compare chard leaves to beet leaves you will notice that they are very similar in appearance - and that's because they are part of the same species. So, if chard is eaten should beet greens be eaten as well? Absolutely! Beet greens are just as valuable. The different varieties (or "cultivars") of chard (or Swiss chard) range in the most magnificent colors - from red to yellow, green to purple. The colors are incredible! I can't help but marvel at these colors when we harvest these veggies, they just seem so unreal.
Rainbow Chard
Chard leaves are commonly harvested in two different stages: in it's shorter "baby" form, or in it's mature form, where the leaves are longer and stems tougher. Chard that is harvested young is especially wonderful in salads because the flavor is not quite as bitter. Mature chard leaves and stalks are typically cooked, which mellow out the bitterness. There are a ton of different ways to eat it - don't get stuck thinking it is just a component to your salad (although we love eating it that way!). If you juice, chard is an amazing and extremely healthy addition to your green smoothie. You can steam it, roast it, grill it, braise it, and saute it. We use it in just about every stir fry dish we make. Chard and garlic are like BFF - the two go hand in hand. There is a wealth of recipes that include chard on the web - it's such a versatile vegetable, and should be treated as such.
Luminous Chard 
One of my favorite things about this fantastic leafy vegetable is the nutritional aspect of it - it is ridiculously good for you! Chard is is high in vitamins A, K (bone health) and C with one cup containing 214%, 716%, and 53% of the recommended daily value (raw). It is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein. It also has high levels of magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, zinc, copper, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. Amazing right? One of natures true superfoods! If you are digging all this health info, I found this article that talks extensively about all the health benefits of chard. As mentioned above, if you juice, adding chard to your juice or smoothie is a very easy way to get what your body needs. Maybe broccoli who is dubbed 'the king of vegetables' needs to move on over and hand over the crown. Hooray for chard!

Friday, September 17, 2010

CSA - Contents for September 17th

Autumn is just around the corner! Literally next week! The weather is definitely starting to change; most noticeably, the dew that saturates the ground in the mornings. Picking vegetables on early mornings like these makes for a wet occasion, but certainly worth it.

This weeks CSA packages include:
Squash - Summer
Zucchini - Green
Green Bell Pepper
Broccoli
Spinach
Eggplant
Jalapeno
Corn

Enjoy!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Welcome to Farm Fresh San Diego!

TinySeeds
Hello, it's nice to meet you. We are Billy and Georgia Woodson and we have created Farm Fresh San Diego. We are passionate about food, and passionate about others. It's the perfect combination for the farming life, Southern California style.

This blog will be a way to connect with us and keep up with what we are doing. It will be personal, it will be full of farming, and it will definitely be full of photographs. Check back here often for information about food, recipes, nutrition, CSA info, and fun finds. We are busy planting the seeds of our company that we hope will grow into something wonderful!