Benefit dinner for Kelly Funk and John Feree
It is with great sadness that I write this post asking folks to provide what ever support they can for Kelly Funk and John Feree of Seldom Seen Farm (http://seldomseenfarm.com/). John worked at Blue Moon and so is special to us. He and Kelly, his wife, have been farming in Indie for a couple of years now and have been doing fabulously well (for small organic veggie farmers). Kelly, a metal artist and new mom, was struck by lightning on July 8th while harvesting and, so far, has not awakened. The prognosis is mixed. There is hope and her wounds are healing. The Indiana Slow Food chapter is holding a benefit dinner for Kelly on August 22 (http://www.slowfoodindy.com/). You can provide support by attending the dinner, giving a donation (http://seldomseenfarm.com/?cat=22) or by simply sending positive energy through what ever means you feel comfortable with.
At the Market May 15
Arugula, Asparagus, Broccoli shoots, Bok Choy, several types of Chard
, Kale,
Lettuce, Perpetual Spinach, Rapini, Salad Mix, Spinach
Blue Moon market at Prairie Fruits Farm 4/24/10
This Saturday will be the last mini-market before the Urbana Market at the Square starts on May 1st. We will have salad mix, asparagus, swiss chard, Red Russian, White Russian, Red and Green kales, rapini and radishes. Everything will be available first come-first served.
There will also be breakfast, cheeses, and more produce from Tomahnous Farm.
As usual, we’ll be there from 9-12.
If anyone has any feedback/suggestions about our first ever Blue Moon Winter pickup/market, feel free to leave a comment.
Blue Moon Pickup 4/17/2010
Great new veggies this coming Saturday: baby Boc Choy, Rapini, Swiss Chard and White Russian kale are all on the list. We will also be bringing for first come, first served: Red Russian kale, green and red kale, parsley, and if we are lucky, salad mix (it’s that time again!) Spinach and cilantro are on temporary hiatus, as it has been so warm, and things are bolting. We’ll have them again in a few weeks.
We will be back at Lincoln Square Mall this week, from 9-12 in the Common Ground food court. We will close the survey late Wednesday night.
Blue Moon market at Prairie Fruits 4/10/2010
We’ll be featuring White Russian kale, Red Russian kale, Swiss chard, Perpetual spinach, parsley, cilantro and spinach at the market at Prairie Fruits farm this Saturday from 9-12. There will be breakfast, cheeses, a farmer’s market with Blue Moon as well as Tomahnous farms. It should be sunny, too. For directions to Prairie Fruits, visit their website: www.prairiefruits.com.
Blue Moon Pickup Lincoln Square Mall 4/3/2010
We’ve got new greenery on our list for you. Besides the old favorites of cilantro and spinach, we’re putting White Russian kale, Red Russian kale and Perpetual Spinach on the list. We will be bringing Red kale, chard, collards and parsley to sell as extras. We’ve also got more carrots and potatoes.
This week we’re including cheese from Prairie Fruits Farm on the order form.
Our pickup location will be at Lincoln Square Mall, in the indoor eating area of the Common Ground Food Co-op.
Cilantro Pesto
I got this very easy recipe from Jesse Cool (1, 2). (This was a really nice lunch that involved my brother, her son, and a terrible mishap with a tray of olives but ask me about that later). 
Clean and prepare 2-3 cups of cilantro. Two bunches from Blue Moon would cover this. Remove nice-quality leaves from the main stems.
Grate 1-2 cups of sharp Italian cheese. I usually mix 2:1 cilantro to cheese to start and adjust to taste and use a mix of romano or reggiano parmesan. Take care not to use a cheese that is too salty because this can overwhelm the taste. When in a rush, I do this all in the food processor so first grate the cheese and then dump it out before replacing the blade with the chopper.
In the food processor with the dicing or chopping blade:
- Dice 3-4 cloves of garlic and 1 to-2 red chili peppers. Vary this to suit your taste- don’t be afraid to add lots of garlic. I would use 2-3 hard neck-cloves and 1.5 dried peppers if they are hot.
- Add the cilantro and pulse to coarsely chop the leaves. Do not over do this.
- Add the cheese and olive oil (1/4 to 1/2 cup) pulse to blend to make as smooth as you like. I leave it so different pieces of the ingredients can be distinguished.
We usually toss this with warm pasta but our first introduction to it was as a layer inside lasagna. The point is, feel free to invent. I have seen folks do variants by add lots of oil and spinach before blending to make a runny bright green dressing. The cilantro pesto goes really well with a sharp or sweet side, sun dried tomatoes and or balsamic vinegar.
Make Hot Pot
This is a really fun way to visit with friends. Look on line for real Chinese hot pots or use your fondue pot to heat broth used for cooking. Prepare broth, dipping sauces and chop veggies and meats you will eat in advance.
- Prepare a vegetable or chicken broth with a generous or possibly even excessive amount garlic and ginger. I add in some MEMMI noodle soup base, shoaking cooking wine, and light soy sauce. Top with chopped green onions, cilantro.
- Cube tofu, set rice vermicelli noodles in a bowl, clean and slice shiitake mushrooms, separate white oyster mushrooms
- Clean and separate leaves that are hand sized (4-6 inches) napa cabbage leaves, bok choy, any type of greens including spinach and arugula, quarter and slice carrot, leeks, potatoes
- Very thinly slice eye of round steak, pork or chicken
- Chopped cilantro and green onions
Red chili sauce
In a food processor blend until smooth:
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup garlic bean paste
- ¼ cup red chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup Shaoxing (rice) wine or sake
- 3 tablespoons imported, roasted sesame oil
- 1-2 tablespoons water
Garlic dipping sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
At the Market November!
Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Chard, Cilantro, Fennel, Kale, Kohlrabi, Green, Sweet Red, Purple and White Peppers and Hot Peppers-Jalapeno, Pablano, Anahiem, Seranno- plus Yellow, Red and Purple Potatoes, Radish, Salad Mix, Shallots, Spinach, Winter Squash, Tomatoes, Turnips
At the Market September
Arugula, Basil, Broccoli, Chard, Cilantro, Fennel, Garlic, Kale, Kohlrabi, Onion, Parsley, Green, Purple and White Peppers and Hot peppers-Jalapeno, Pablano, Anahiem, Seranno- plus Yellow, Red and Purple Potatoes, Shallots, Spinach, Summer Squash, Tomatoes (cherry and slicers), Zucchini
At the market August 21
Arugula, Basil, Chard, Cilantro, Garlic, Kale, Onion, Parsley, Green, Purple and White Peppers and NOW HOT ONES (Jalapeno, Pablano, Anahiem, Seranno), Yellow, Red and Purple Potatoes, Summer Squash, Tomatoes (cherry and slicers), Zucchini
Gray Farm’s First Market
Congratulations to Marty and Crystal Gray on their first market!
Champaign’s Opening market day was so much better because they were there!
Blue Moon Employees Reproduce
CONGRATULATIONS – a hope for new farmers!
Laila (http://seldomseenfarm.com/)
& Owen Michael (no details except he came in at 9#!)
At the Market June 13
Salad mix, Spinach, Leaf lettuce
Sugar Snaps for the lucky few
Kale, Chard, Turnips, Broccoli Crowns
Basil, Cilantro, Parsley
