Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by these San Marzano Plum Tomatoes. With the KWT Winter CSA you can get your fruit on alllll winter long. Sure, it seems like it's a bit early for this info, but farmer Evan (I have no idea if Evan is a farmer) needs to know how much green stuff you require to make it through those long, cold nights. See his letter below.

I know it's way too early to think about winter, BUT the time has come, not yet
to sign up, but just to drop me a line if you are interested in being part of
the KWT Winter CSA. There were 32 shares for us last year and they need an idea
of how many to put aside this year.
Visit the website for details: www.wintersunfarms.com, click on "what's in a
share".
This is a wonderful mini-csa to carry you over through the cold months
(dec-march) with blanched/frozen local delicious veggies, berries, etc. You can
also order cheese, eggs, and other farm products. Pickup is just once a month at
the Oak and the Iris cafe, 4 times total. Cost is $128. It was a big success
last year, and the company that does it is expanding like crazy. The frozen
stewed heirloom tomatos are absolutely incredible on pizza or pasta - so much
better than any from a can.
Sign up and collection of payment will be in July.
Please let me know if you're interested, and spread the word.

So email Evan at mevan11@gmail.com to discuss all things Bok Choy and, most of all, your Winter share.

KWT CSA 08 Season Sign up

Check out the KWT blog for full post and form. Here is a little of the info?
2008 SEASON: 24 weeks, for all shares except flowers, which will be 22 weeks (end at Halloween).
First pickup: Sat June 14
Last pickup: Sat Nov 22 (weekend before Thanksgiving)
Half-shares will get assigned A or B week and come for a "full" pickup, every other week (instead of getting half the amount, every week).
If you are not able to make your share pick-up, you are welcome to have a friend pick up your share. No prior notice is required, just tell them to check in under your name.

KWT CSA in the News!

We've joined the CSA and have so far had a great experience with it. We truly are amazed at the core groups commitment and have enjoyed meeting some neighbors through the group. We are also really surprised at the amount of people who joined this year and think its a real testament to the changes happening in the neighborhood. We hope some of those vacant shop locations take notice of this growing group too!

Neighborhood groups buy shares in a farm's harvest (NY Daily News)
Gina Duclayan, founder of the new Kensington-Windsor Terrace CSA group in Brooklyn, said the trick is making sure your share isn't bigger than your stomach.
She and her husband signed up for a half share this year. "If we got a full share, we'd have things rotting," she said.
Her group has 101 members in its first year - a success that shocked even the farmers, who found themselves caught short in their henhouse.
Their excuse was one you wouldn't likely hear at the corner store or at Whole Foods.
"They asked for people to sell back egg shares," Duclayan explained. "They weren't producing enough - and there was a weasel attack."

CSA Goodness

Please comment on ideas for fennel

CSA Goodness

CSA - If you picked the leeks

This is a recipe that we found in the NY Times food section a few years ago. We've since made some tweaks and most quantities are adjustable.
(Note - This batch pictured has more Roma tomatoes then usual as there weren't enough leeks)

3 or 4 leeks
salt and pepper

olive oil

2 to 3 cloves of garlic (more if you like)

2 to 4 Roma tomatoes

handful of pine nuts

5 or 6 dried red chilies (available at Mexican store on East 2nd off Church)

1/2 pound Orzo pasta

some fresh chopped parsley

1. Trim off all hard green parts of leeks and root. (Leave only light green and white part). Chop remaining parts of leeks into thin slices but not too fine. Toss in colander and try to separate while washing carefully (they collect lots of fine dirt).
2. Chop garlic and tomato to your liking

3. Coat skillet w olive oil to your liking and on medium heat toss in dried chilies, garlic and pine nuts. When garlic is brown remove chilies and add leeks. Let leeks cook until they wilt (approx 8 to 10 minutes). Toss in tomato and continue to cook until leeks turn a very light brown.

4. In separate pot cook orzo and when draining save approx. 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.

5. In dish combine orzo, cooking liquid, leek mixture, a bit of olive oil (if you like), salt and pepper to taste. Top it with the fresh chopped parsley.

CSA Dilemma

What do you do with 2 stalks of rhubarb and over a pint of almost too ripe strawberries? Make a cobbler! No one would mistake us for bakers, we didn't even have flour until we got the bright idea for this, but it turned out great. We even shared it with some neighbors since didn't know what in the heck to do with all the cobbler. We did sort of a mesh a few recipes together but here's a basic one. (If we get this many strawberries next time we're gonna have to invest in an ice cream maker!)

Fruit mixture
1 cups rhubarb stalks cut into 1-inch pieces (Trim outside stringy layer of large rhubarb stalks; make sure to trim away any and discard of the leaves which are poisonous; trim ends.)

3 cups strawberries, stemmed and sliced

1/2 cup white sugar

1 Tablespoon of corn starch

1 teaspoon of grated orange peel

Cobbler crust

2 Tbsp white sugar
1 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter (cold in cubes mixed in at very end by hand)

1/4 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350°F

Put entire fruit mixture in casserole

Cover with crust as best as you can
Bake for 30 minutes

Dancing in the Garden!

Dancing in the Garden with Cynthia King seemed to draw quite a crowd! When we arrived to get our delicious CSA veggies and fruit the kids were starting an art project. We were excited to see so many little ones and neighbors out for such a beautiful day! Now, does anyone have any ideas on what we can do with only two stalks of rhubarb?

KWT CSA Kick Off!

We popped our heads into the KWT CSA today even though we're on a B pick up week and were amazed at all the participants! We got to talk to Bill really briefly as he was pretty swamped with opening day activities and found out the CSA had to cap its membership b/c the Garden of Eve farm couldn't supply us with any more produce/veggies etc. We thought this was pretty exciting although we felt for all those who got turned away and the organizers for the work it obviously took to get this thing together. (Thanks Eliot, Gina, Susan, and Bill!!!!)

For all of you picking up for the first time next week remember to bring bags! The CSA does not provide bags and the produce is essentially out on tables and you are trusted to take your allotted amount. Today we saw strawberries, asparagus, mesclun, radishes, rhubarb, some lettuce and a few other things... how exciting! (We've posted some pictures of the loot below, enjoy!)

KWT CSA Deadline Approaching!!!!

Okay veggie eaters the deadline to participate in the Kensington/ Windsor Terrace Community Supported Agriculture 'group' is quickly approaching (June 1st). Here's what you gotta do to get in on this. (If you want the official run down go here).
1. Decide what you want!

Full vegetable share: $475
Half vegetable share (picked up alternate weeks): $245
Full Egg share (1 doz): $95
Half egg share: $50
Full Flower Share : $145
Half Flower Share: $80
Full Fruit Share: $245
Half fruit share: $125
"Mega Combo Share" (one of all shares every week): $925
"Variety Pak Share" (half-share of everything, picked up alternate weeks): $485

2. Go here and print the form (circle what you want or note it since it didn't print out on ours).
3. Write check for amount found in #2
4. Get envelope and insert form, check and post.
5. Send envelope to: Garden of Eve, PO Box 216, Aquebogue NY 11931
6. Email: kwtcsa@gmail.com to get on the listserve for updates etc.
7. June 9th pick up your food at the E4th Community Garden (Pick ups will be Sat.)
8. Eat!
9. Continue 7 and 8 for 24 weeks (last pick up Sat. before Thanksgiving)

Lastly, we want to give the organizers - Bill, Gina, and Susan (did we forget anyone?) a big thank you for making this happen in the K/WT! We're sure it was a TON of work and sincerely appreciate your commitment and hardwork.

Groceries & Misc. Markets

We got this from a new resident to Kensington and thought we'd ask for your help.

Any helpful hints for a newcomer in terms of finding a well-stocked, somewhat large supermarket? I've found a few small to medium sized grocers near my apartment (Ocean Parkway bet. Caton and Albermarle) but nothing sizeable -- nothing that even boasts a butcher.

Here's what we suggested (and you can comment on others). We're huge fans of Golden Farm on E4th & Church Ave for veggies, hummus, soy milk, and even a few organic items they stock. We stop in Foodtown for chips or cookies and bread or wraps and find it to be satisfactory. Other then that there is the Food Co-op on Cortelyou Rd. (which is not technically in Kensington even if CT. Muffin thinks so) though we find it crowded and the stock so so. Unfortunately, the truth is we'll go with a friend to Fairway for our boxed goods and travel to TJ's for cheap cereal (Trader O's) and olive oil ($6!). The new option starting in June for veggies, fruit, eggs etc. is the KWT CSA which is really affordable and cool since you're supporting a local farmer. Any other suggestions?

Join KWT CSA

Preserving Fossil Fuels and Nearby Farmland by Eating Locally (NY Times)

KWT CSA blog (kwtcsa@gmail.com)
(CSA ='s Community Supported Agriculture)
Garden of Eve Farm
(Farm CSA is working with)

CSA ... A Meeting

Meet the farmer and learn about the new KWT CSA

A wonderful way to celebrate Earth Day -- come to the East Fourth Street Community Garden to help us kick off the first season of the Kensington/Windsor Terrace CSA.

There will be a community-wide organizational meeting for the new KWT CSA (community supported agriculture) at 4:00, Sunday April 22nd -- that's Earth Day -- at the community garden on East 4th Street, between Caton Avenue and Fort Hamilton Parkway.

Eve and Chris from Garden of Eve Farm will be there to answer questions and talk about the locally grown, organic produce that will be available. We'll discuss the way the CSA will work, this season's prices, pickup location and times, great additional opportunities (fruit, flower, egg shares and more), and how to lend a hand to make this a great and successful season.

From Bill Tipper:
If you've been waiting eagerly for locally grown organic produce to find its way to the neighborhood, or are just want to know more about what a CSA does and how we're going to work, please join us for a fun and informative get-together. And its a great way to get to know more of your neighbors!

More info about the CSA at www.kwtcsa.blogspot.com

If you think you're going to be there, it would be great if you could let us know by emailing kwtcsa@gmail.com. If you're interested but can't be there, send us an email and we'll keep you posted.

Where: The E. 4th St. Community Garden,
on E. 4th St. between Ft. Hamilton Parkway and Caton Ave.
When: Sunday, April 22 at 4PM

Who likes their veggies? Join the CSA!

So I had never heard of this before but think it’s pretty terrific. Here’s the short explanation…

Members pre-purchase a “share” of a harvest from an organic local farmer who then brings the produce to our neighborhood each week. Each share gets you enough vegetables to feed a family of four (1/2 shares also available) and the prices should be comparable to a Food Co-op. The farm used in this neighborhood will be the Garden of Eve farm, which is located on Long Island in Riverhead http://www.gardenofevefarm.com/. There is a lot more to tell but if this has peaked your interest get in touch with Elliot (kip627@nyc.rr.com) or Gina (gduclayan@gmail.com).