Maplewood CSA for Rogowski Farm

I have had lots of requests for more details, so here is all the info you need! If you would like to take part in the CSA we are joining, please fill out this application and return to Kerry! If you live in NY/NJ, but Maplewood is not convenient for you, please see the Local Harvest page for other locations.

The Maplewood CSA for Rogowski Farm returns for 2010. Fresh organically grown vegetables will be delivered each Tuesday for 25 weeks in Maplewood from June 8 to November 23. Pick up will continue to be from 2-7 pm at Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church parking lot.

o Pick up will be Tuesdays from 2-7 pm from June 8 - November 23
o Prices are:
• $275 for a HALF share
• $550 for a FULL share
• $950 for a DOUBLE share
o Additionally, an administrative fee of $25 will be collected up front. If you volunteer to help with a weekly distribution, an administrative task, run a workshop, or coordinate a potluck dinner, the $25 will be returned to you. This allows hiring of people to cover distribution as needed, and purchase supplies (e.g., canopies). These checks are made payable to Morrow Memorial UMC. The farm share checks will continue to be payable directly to the farm.
o The email address for communication is csa_maplewood@morrowmem.org
o Instead of inundating people with emails, we will try using BigTent.com for group management and communication. Each member needs to sign up with Big Tent, but payments cannot be made on-line.
o There will be coupons and a sign-in sheet at weekly distributions.
o Complete the form attached and make
• share checks payable to W. Rogowski LLC and
• $25 payable to Morrow Memorial UMC
Questions -- call Kerry Tilden at 973-903-8989 or csa_maplewood@morrowmem.org
More information about W. Rogowski Farm available at www.rogowskifarm.com
Email myfarmer@rogowskifarm.com

Environmental Advantages:
o Food is grown naturally without pesticides
o No genetically altered seeds are planted
o Reduce your carbon footprint by eating food having traveled only 56 miles
Social Advantages:
o Opportunity to donate unused/unwanted fresh vegetables to others
o Extra vegetables donated to charity
o Out of town one week? Donate your share or give it to a friend

We found a farm!

Very exciting news today. After doing a simple Google search, I found a great website for locating a CSA in your area - it's called Local Harvest. Simply do a zip code search and you can find local farms, CSAs and farmer's markets. I found two CSAs that deliver in my area. The first did not have any more shares available...so I put in a call to the second one - The Rogowski Farm. I was fortunate to have Cheryl, the farmer, answer the phone and tell me all about the farm and the CSA. They are a Certified Naturally Grown farm and are in the process of becoming certified organic this year. She told me a bit about the veggies they grow and when she mentioned tomatillos, my mouth watered at the thought of whipping up a batch of tomatillo salsa to go with a margarita come this summer! I'll definitely share that recipe with some pics when the time comes.

We plan to take the kids to the farm to meet Cheryl before we start picking up our veggie baskets in June. In addition to seeing how our food is grown and having a "field" trip for the kids to enjoy, the homemade farm breakfasts are added incentive to make the drive!

Reflections on cauliflower

I've always thought cauliflower is a pretty tasty veggie. I'd had it steamed, with cheese...even pureed with cream cheese into fauxtatoes (yum!). But my friend Stacy introduced me to a whole new world of cauliflower last fall. Simply oven roasted at 400F with olive oil and salt until the tips are golden brown. I can't stop eating it. And almost everyone I make it for asks how to make it that way and THEY can't stop eating it! Try it as an accompaniment to your next meal - trust me you'll see cauliflower in a whole new way! If you want to take it a step further click on over to Kitchen Fiddler to see a seriously yummy soup made with roasted cauliflower! P.S. If you are at all apprehensive about cutting up a head of cauliflower, don't be! Just follow these simple instructions. Enjoy!

A new journey

So the title of this blog is what I'm hoping to hear from June to November of this year. This past Thursday, I went to a seminar on "Parenting for Wellness" with Louise Kuo Habakus and heard about CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). She told us how she gets a fresh basket of seasonal veggies from a local farmer every week and the health benefits of eating more veggies. Got me thinking... I love veggies. My kids eat them, my husband eats them, but I wouldn't say they love them. Would they learn to love them if they are seasonal and fresh from a farm? If I introduce them to new ones? If I cook them in really tasty ways? That's my new challenge. We are looking into buying a share in a local CSA (more on that later in the week). If they have one available, looks like I've got my work cut out for me! I'll let you know what happens!