Pick-Up Day!

The weeks of the summer are floating by like a wispy cloud. I can’t thank all of you enough who turned out for our work day this weekend! You all reminded me of busy little bees (pulling weeds, cutting trees, removing sod, hanging our beautiful school bell, working on the clay oven, meditating in front of the chicks...), so I came up with a thought about the food you helped so much to cultivate. We are told that one of the means of communication and integration within the hive of the honeybee is through food, the honey, that is created and shared by its members. This sun-filled food is packed with information about the universe and literally becomes a part of the bee. When we eat biodynamic food, we eat to communicate and to gain knowledge about the world in heretofore unseen ways. We should revel in the idea that we eat not only to live and to satisfy our appetites but to become attuned to another level (or as some would say, a greater level) of consciousness.       

I remember going to IHOP for breakfast before Sunday Church as a young lad during the Bronze Age. Loaded with “maple syrup” (wink, wink), these pancakes, each weighing about 20 pounds, did a number on numbing me. Little wonder I often fell asleep through the sermon. Just think if I had some of the biodynamic salad you are about to eat this week!

Speaking of which, here is what you will find in your baskets.

Salad Slicing Cucumbers
A Bag of Fresh Picked Lettuce - “Forelleschuss”, “Reines de Glaces”, and “Merlot” - and a nasturtium flower.
A Pound of Detroit Red Dark Beets
Rainbow and Fordhook Swiss Chard
(And yes, you’re right -) Collards!!!
1 Box of Blue Ridge Blueberries (try some of these notoriousy sweet berries in your salads...)

Here is a good recipe... (Just ask and I can tell you where you might find some of the best goat cheese on the planet:)

Salad with Chevre and Walnuts
3oz (90gr) goat cheese
1/4 cup (1oz, 25gr) walnuts 
1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) cherry tomatoes (sorry, not quite ready, but soon you will groan in collard-like fashion!)  
1/4 cup Greek olives 
Lettuce
Tarragon Vinaigrette

Prepare lettuce and put into a medium bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss (using tongs) to combine. Arrange on 2 dinner plates. Slice six 1/3" (1cm) rounds of goat cheese and arrange on lettuce. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and arrange on lettuce. Divide walnuts and olives and sprinkle on salad. Serve. 

Tarragon Vinaigrette
3 tbs olive oil - the good stuff (not cold pressed in Nebraska)
1 tbs apple cider vinegar (Bragg’s)
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp fresh tarragon (cut a sprig or two from our herb garden)
2 tsp snipped chives (same with this...) 

In small bowl whisk vinegar, mustard and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in olive oil. When incorporated add herbs and whisk to combine.

Simply Swiss1 bunch of fresh Swiss chard1 small clove garlic, sliced 2 Tbsp olive oil2 Tbsp waterPinch of dried crushed red pepper1 teaspoon butterSalt  

Directions:
1 Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard or save for another recipe. Roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.
2 Heat a saucepan on a medium heat setting, add olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top. Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes (remove a piece and taste it). Add salt to taste, and a small amount of butter. Remove the swiss chard to a serving dish.

Blueberry Muffins  

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup blueberries
2 tbsp flour.

Directions
Heat oven to 400F.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs then add the oil and orange juice. Add to flour mixture and mix a few turns. Add blueberries and fold in gently.

Fill 12 greased muffin cups with batter. Bake 20-25 mins. Cool in pan a few minutes then remove to a rack to finish cooling.