Announcing Summer 2010 CSA

We are proud to announce Ben’s Produce Summer 2010 CSA! We are excited to be in business and look forward to a great season. Our CSA runs from early April through late September for 25 weeks.

Our online store is still operating and will do so until the end of March.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA): What is CSA? CSA is a mutually beneficial relationship between a farm and you. By making a pre-season investment in our farm, you become an annual "shareholder" who shares the risks & rewards of the growing season. Your investment allows us to afford the annual start up costs, pay ourselves fair wages and to share the risks inherent in growing food. You will receive weekly returns on your investment in fresh, healthy, local vegetables and fruits at very competitive prices, resulting in saving 10% or more on the cost of produce. You will know that your produce dollars stay in the local economy and supports local agriculture. Sharing the risk is very important because nature always provides challenges in growing food. We begin to reduce our risk by growing a diverse set of crops over a long growing season and depending on low-cost technologies and methods and then bring our risk to an acceptably low level with your investment. It is possible that we may lose a crop but the loss is offset by the bounty of the other crops not subject to the same pressures and stress factors. Sharing the bounty is just as important as sharing the risk. The food you will receive is not only the return on your investment with us but supports local farming which is the base upon which culture and society are built. Healthier farms translate into healthier culture, society and environment. Did we mention reducing your carbon footprint yet? Food is a primary connection to each other and the earth. We want to feed you and your family the best food we can grow. It tastes good, it's good for you, good for us, good for the local economy, good for the future of agriculture and good for the environment.

SHARE OPTIONS: We offer a standard Full Share for $600 which averages $26 per week and is a suitable amount of produce for 3-6 people. We also offer a standard Half Share for $400 which averages about $17 per week and is a suitable amount of produce for 2-4 people. The weekly content of these standard shares will be determined by Ben’s Produce.

SHARE PICK UP: The location of the weekly produce pick up site has yet to be determined. However, the pick up location will be located in either the Mordecai/Oakwood or 5 Points neighborhoods of Raleigh. Pick ups will occur on Tuesday evenings between 4pm and 7pm.

SHARE CONTENTS: The available produce will change as the season progresses. Full Shares will contain about 8 to 12 items each week and Half Shares will contain about 5 to 8 items each week. Please see the attached Produce Availability Calendar for when produce will be available.

The table below provides an example of typical share contents in the spring:

Full Share	Half Share
2 heads Lettuce 1 bunch Spinach 1 head Bok Choy 2 bunch Radish 1 bunch Turnips 1 bunch Carrots 1 bunch Green Onions 1 head Cabbage	1 head Lettuce 1 bunch Spinach 1 head Bok Choy 1 bunch Radish 1 bunch Turnips 1 bunch Carrots

FLEXIBILITY: Each shareholder will receive 23 weeks of produce over the 25 week CSA period. This scheme allows you the flexibility to miss 2 pick ups without penalty. At any point you may send friends or family to pick up produce in your place. If you do so, please let us know ahead of time so we can accommodate you and your friends. We will donate unclaimed produce to Interfaith Food Shuttle of Raleigh.

Some families find it convenient to split shares with other families. We also like to share food and enjoy such arrangements. If you choose to split a share, please let us know at the beginning of the season so we may avoid confusion.

COMMUNICATION: We will communicate with you via email and our blog on a weekly basis. Our emails will include important but brief updates, a link to our blog and any notifications of postponed pick-ups. Our blog will function as our CSA newsletter and will include farm news, lists of upcoming produce, reflections, recipes, etc.

FEEDBACK: Your satisfaction is very important to us and our business. Please give us your feedback, suggestions and concerns via email or in person. We will do our best to respond in a timely manner.

REFUNDS: We will make no refunds after shares are paid in full. Shareholders are welcome to sell or give away their shares to others. We can provide assistance in transferring shares to others.

OUR PRACTICES: Ben's Produce follows USDA National Organic Program guidelines but is un-certified for various reasons. Please ask us about our agricultural philosophies and practices as we love to talk about them. We are confident the noticeable quality of our produce as well as our direct relationship with customers and shareholders speaks to our commitment to healthy food and agricultural practices.

PAYMENTS: We have a limited number of shares available this year and shares will be given on a first come, first serve basis. By sending us your information and a deposit, you may secure a share. We will let you know when your share has been secured. You may pay for your shares in full or you may utilize our extended payment plan. Please send the amounts listed below 30 days and 60 days after the date of your deposit.

Due Date	Full Share $600	Half Share $400
Deposit	$240	$160
30 days	$240	$160
60 days	$120	$80

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Click to find our 2010 Summer CSA Brochure and our CSA Sign Up Form. Please enclose a copy of either with your information and your payment. We look forward to getting to know you, entering this cooperative partnership and providing the best vegetables in the Triangle. We wouldn’t be able to do this without you and your support!

Holidays! Holidays! Holidays!

Hello and Welcome!

A big thanks to our new customers from the neighborhood who stopped by Tuesday night to pick up some produce! The holidays are upon us! We're headed to Tennessee to see Patricia's family and some friends there. It will be a needed break for us, though I will be working some. I'll be fine-tuning our farm and CSA plan for the coming year. It's very exciting, thought provoking and a lot of work! Anyhow, we'll be announcing the CSA soon!

During these cold winter months, please be aware the weather may postpone our harvest of your produce. In response to this, we may postpone pickups by a day or two. We will provide primary notice of pickup changes via email (especially for those of you who place orders) as well as via blog and online store. Thank you for being flexible with us!

Next Tuesday, December 22nd, we will have produce pickup at our house, 604 Sasser St., between 4pm to 7:30pm. We will not have produce pickup Tuesday, December 29th. We will return with pickup Tuesday, January 5th.

Purchase of vegetables is made through our online store www.vendio.com/stores/bensproduce.

Community Supported Agriculture:
Information coming soon!

Current vegetable availability includes:
bok choy
cabbage
carrots
chinese cabbage
collards
green onions
kale
lettuce
mustard greens
radishes
spinach
sweet potatoes
swiss chard
tatsoi
turnips

No longer offered:
broccoli
mixed greens

Future winter vegetables will also include:
arugula
baby beets
broccoli raab
brussels sprout
mixed baby lettuce & greens

Recipes:

Quick White Bean Stew with Swiss Chard and Tomatoes

- serves 2 to 3 -

Ingredients

2 pounds Swiss chard, larger stems removed, and leaves chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
1 16-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan

Procedure

1. Fill a large pot halfway up with water. Bring to a boil and then toss in the swiss chard leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes. Drain the chard in a colander.

2. Wipe out any excess water in the pot. Then pour in the olive oil and turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the tomatoes, turn the heat to medium-high, and when the mixture comes to a boil add the beans. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.

4. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the chard. Cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add some grated Parmesan to finish. Enjoy!

Golumpki's or Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

We made these the other day with our cabbage, carrots and turnips and they turned out phenomenal! Give these a whirl, you might like them.

- serves 4 -

Ingredients

1Tbsp Olive oil
1 leek or onion
2 med. turnip, cubed small
2 med. carrots, cubed small
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 cup cooked rice
16 oz cooked ground meat
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 Tbsp lemon juice
pinch ground coriander
salt & pepper
1 cabbage head

Sauce:
1 onion finely chopped
1 cup broth or stock
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups crushed tomatoes

1. Brown ground meat.

2. To make the filling, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. Add leek or onion, turnip, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until softened.

3. Remove from heat and stir in meat, rice, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, lemon juice and ground coriander. Season with salt & pepper.

4. Preheat oven to 325 F. Oil a 9x13 baking dish. Cook the whole cabbage in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until pliable. Drain and rinse under cold water. Peel off whole leaves to stuff. Pat dry.

5. Lay leaves flat and make a pile in the middle of each, about 1/3 to 2/3 cup depending on the size of the leaf. Roll up each leaf, folding the sides to enclose the filling in a neat parcel. Place the rolls, seam side down, in the baking dish. Pour in stock. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, heat the oil for the sauce in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer about 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.

7. Using slotted spoon, serve stuffed cabbage rolls topped with the tomato sauce. Enjoy!

Happy holidays and many thanks!

Ben & Patricia

Welcome neigbors in Mordecai & Oakwood!

Hello and Welcome!

A big welcome to all our neighbors in Mordecai and Oakwood! Ben's Produce is a fairly new agrarian venture for me, Benjamin Shields, and my partner, Patricia Parker. We offer you fresh, local, un-certified organic vegetables grown in Garner in partnership with Double-T Farm where I work as field manager and apprentice. You may have heard of Double-T Farm and owner Tom Kumpf before. They have a 200 member CSA with distribution in 5-Points on Tuesdays and also sell produce to 18 Seaboard, the Umstead Hotel and Solas.

Purchase of vegetables is made through our online store www.vendio.com/stores/bensproduce. We offer pickup of your vegetables at our house, 604 Sasser St., on Tuesday evening from 4pm to 7:30pm only. No online payments are accepted, cash only at pickup. Please see the store home page for more detailed information.

Our vegetables will be for sale all winter as we grow cold hardy varieties in unheated greenhouses. We grow our vegetables with respect to the primacy of ecological and personal health. Organic principles are adhered to on our small farm which allows for such authenticity and quality. We take pride in our principles, growing methods and transparency. We cordially invite you to come see for yourselves by appointment!

Community Supported Agriculture:
We will be announcing details of our 2010 Spring/Summer CSA very soon, in the next week or so. Keep your eyes peeled!

Current vegetable availability includes:
bok choy
broccoli
cabbage
carrots
chinese cabbage
collards
green onions
kale
lettuce
mixed greens
mustard greens
radishes
spinach
sweet potatoes
swiss chard
tatsoi
turnips

Future winter vegetables will also include:
arugula
baby beets
broccoli raab
brussels sprout
mixed baby lettuce & greens

Some Farm News...
We have been framing up the last of 4 hoop houses on the farm.
We aren't finished yet because we're waiting for some calm sunny weather to place the plastic over the frame. Wind creates all sorts of problems as you can imagine and rain and cold are not helpful either. We'll probably attach the plastic tomorrow, Thursday, with the help of a torpedo heater to stretch and loosen the plastic. After the plastic cools down, it will tighten back up and create a taught skin over the frame that can better respond to snow, ice, rain and wind. Here I am setting the purlin on a bow. The purlin runs the whole length of the house at it's peak to tie the bows together.

The farm is finally slowing down some. We are not planting much at this time and the weeds have slowed down too. Yay! It's very nice to have a break from weeding. Chickweed on the otherhand, is a voracious winter annual that does well under row covers and in hoop houses. We did one cultivation of lettuce in a hoophouse late last week to stem it's growth. If left to it's own devices, it would over take our winter vegetables and smother them! No rest for the weary!

We have had a lot of rain recently. It has replenished our reserves and more! We had more than double average rainfall in November and we're almost at average for December and the month is not half over yet! Luckily, this is not such a bad time of year for greater than average precipitation. We did loose our radicchio crop in the field to rot. It was an experimental crop so we're not at a loss.

Recipe:
I spoke to a good friend last night and he told me about wilting kale with salt! I had never heard of it but it sounds good and we'll be trying it soon. So here it is.

1 bunch kale
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. salt

Mix a few tablespoons oil with salt. Generously rub whole kale leaves with the oil/salt mixture and allow to sit until and let wilt at room temperature. Rinse leaves after wilting if you wish, then chop or tear to desired size. Eat as is, add other salad ingredients or as my friend suggested, mix with mashed avocado. I know, it sounds a bit strange but sounds good to me.


Thank you for stopping by and stay warm and dry. . We hope to see you Tuesday evening!

December Recipes

Here are a few recipes you can use with our vegetables...

Southern greens

Ingredients:

• 1 to 2 bunches of greens -- collards, kale, mustard, turnip, etc.
• 1 chopped onion
• Splash vegetable oil
• Splash apple cider vinegar
  
• 1 or 2 hot chile peppers, seeded and minced, optional
• Bunch of cooked bacon or smoked pork
  
• seasoned salt and ground black pepper or seasoned pepper

Preparation:

Tear the greens into large pieces. Wash the greens well in a sink full of cold water, lifting greens out and letting grit stay on bottom of sink. Drain sink, change water and wash again; repeat washings until there is no grit on the greens. Cut away tough stems; roll large leaves and cut in strips or chop.

In a large kettle, sautee onions until translucent, then add 2 cups water, oil, vinegar and chile pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Gradually stir in the greens, allowing each batch to wilt before adding more geens. Put bacon or smoked meat in greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 45 minutes to 1 hour if using collards. Cook for less time when using other greens, to your taste. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the greens to a serving dish; serve hot. Serve with cornbread.

Penne Pasta with Spinach and Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the penne pasta, and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place bacon in the skillet, and cook until browned and crisp. Add garlic, and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook until heated through.
3. Place the spinach into a colander, and drain the hot pasta over it so it is wilted. Transfer to a large serving bowl, and toss with the remaining olive oil, and the bacon and tomato mixture.

Stir-Fried Kale and Broccoli Florets

Ingredients

• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 7 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 chile pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 head fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut in thin strips
• juice of 2 limes
• salt

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Stir in garlic and chile pepper; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in broccoli; cook 1 minute. Add kale, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in lime juice, and season with salt to taste. Toss well.

Potato Turnip Mash-up

Ingredients

• 2 large turnips, cubed
  
• 3 white potatoes, cubed
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Place turnip and potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook 25 to 30 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat, and drain.
2. Mix milk and 2 tablespoons butter with the turnip and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Mash until slightly lumpy.

Fresh, local veggies for winter!

Hello All!

Step outside early these mornings and what do we see? The work of Jack Frost! Cold weather is here, albeit intermittently, as evidenced by the frost covered cabbage shown here. This picture is from last Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving.

We hope y'all had a wonderful holiday. We gave thanks for all our blessing, which includes you, our supporters! We couldn't do this without you. We also gave thanks for the cold weather, which allows us to slow down and attend to tasks.

On the farm, Tom, Angel and I finished framing a 96' x 16' hoophouse yesterday and covered it with plastic today. We now have 3 such houses in production with a fourth house on the way. The weather was pretty good today to install the plastic, it was warm, sunny and calm. It went without a hitch, very nice. The hoophouses are planted with green onions, lettuce and asian greens, which we are planning on harvesting in January. So beware, winter veggies will still be with us in the depths of cold weather. Here is a photo of me planting lettuce.



We also have been putting row covers over plants out in the field. We have covered lettuce, swiss chard, carrots, spinach and beets. They all do well in the cold when protected from the elements.
This is what it looks like...big, white blankets!
We use wire supports under the row covers to keep the fabric from laying on the plants and mesh bags filled with crushed stone to hold the covers in place.






The online store is still up and running. We have moved the weekly pick-up to Tuesdays evenings from 4pm to 7:30pm to coincide with the farm schedule.

<-- click on the image above to go to store.


Vegetable availability hasn't changed much. We now have:

lettuce
red & green slicing tomatoes
radicchio
radishes
green onions
mixed greens
swiss chard
bok choy
tatsoi
mustard greens
spinach
turnips
cabbage
broccoli
collards
kale
sweet potatoes

Until next week,
Ben & Patricia

Giving Thanks

(This is Ben showing off beautiful beets.)


Thank you for making our first week using Ben's Produce online farm stand a success! We couldn't be doing any of this without your support. We have received a lot of requests to ship our produce, but sadly we are not currently prepared for such a venture (baby steps). However, we are willing to change the pick up days if that will be something that works better for folks. Fridays or Saturdays might work as well, if more people seem to be interested in this change. Please e-mail us or post comments here to let us know which pick up days would work best for you (Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays). That being said, this week due to Thanksgiving, pick up is scheduled for Tuesday. You can check out what's available this week at http://www.vendio.com/stores/bensproduce/

We have a whole mess of collards and sweet potatoes - both make very yummy dishes for Thanksgiving Dinner. I'm including two savory sweet potato recipes and one Paula Dean collard green recipe below - in case anyone is interested in bringing something a little different for Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Parmesan-Coated Sweet Potato Fries
Serves 4; Prep time: 15 minutes; Total time 40 minutes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
2 large egg whites
1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
4 small sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), scrubbed and quartered lengthwise
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and then set aside.
2. In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg whites with 2 tablespoons of water until combined. Place the Parmesan on a sheet of waxed paper or put it in another shallow bowl.
3. Dip the sweet potato first in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Then dip each wedge into the egg white mixture until coated. Finally, dip the sweet potato in the Parmesan, pressing the exposed surface of the potato into the cheese. (Don't worry if some gets on the skin.) Transfer potato wedges onto the prepared baking sheet as you go.
4. Bake potatoes until tender and crisp, about 25 minutes. Serve sprinkled with more salt if desired.
Per serving: 309 calories; 13 g protein; 6 g fat; 52 g carb; 7 g fiber.
Source: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cooking/msg1020044110145.html

Sweet Potato Gratin with Smoked Chiles
4 cups heavy cream (I use a combination of whole milk and cream)
1 canned chipotle pepper [you can also use fresh diced poblano or Anaheim chiles to taste]
6 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. In a blender, puree the cream and chipotle until smooth.
3. In a 10 x 10-inch casserole, arrange a fourth of the sweet potatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper, and pour a fourth of the cream over all. Repeat t with the remaining potatoes and cream, forming 4 layers. May be prepared up to this point one ha/f- hour ahead, covered, and refrigerated.
4. Bake for 1 hour, or until the cream has been ~absorbed and the potatoes are browned. May be pre-pared up to 1 day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. To serve, reheat in a 350 F. oven for 12 minutes.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Source: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cooking/msg1020044110145.html

Collard Greens
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Ingredients

* 1/2 pound smoked meat (ham hocks, smoked turkey wings, or smoked neck bones)
* 1 tablespoon House seasoning, recipe follows
* 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
* 1 tablespoon hot red pepper sauce
* 1 large bunch collard greens
* 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and add smoked meat, house seasoning, seasoned salt and hot sauce. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 hour.

Wash the collard greens thoroughly. Remove the stems that run down the center by holding the leaf in your left hand and stripping the leaf down with your right hand. The tender young leaves in the heart of the collards don't need to be stripped. Stack 6 to 8 leaves on top of one another, roll up, and slice into 1/2 to 1-ince thick slices. Place greens in pot with meat and add butter. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve with favorite dish as a side.
House Seasoning:

* 1 cup salt
* 1/4 cup black pepper
* 1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/collard-greens-recipe/index.html

*** There's a vegetarian version of this recipe in the "It's Not Easy Being Green" post.

We have a few more pictures to share with ya'll :0)



This is Ben in the hoop house.



Ben washing turnips at home for dinner.



Ben makes a mean pie. This was our collaborative effort to make homemade pie-sized "pot pie". I made the filling (ground turkey, beets, turnips, greens, carrots and homemade sauce) and Ben made the crust. It was delicious!

That's it for now. Have a good Thanksgiving holiday and thanks for stopping by!

Online store is open and farm updates...

Hello y'all!

It's been a minute since we've posted and we have a bunch of news! The online store for Ben's Produce is now open for business! Check us out at www.vendio.com/stores/bensproduce . We have been planting lots of stuff on the farm but now more about our store.



First of all, we wish y'all a big welcome to our online store! Now that Music On the Porch is over for the year, we have a way to connect with y'all. We understand that an online store is no match for a real farm stand in terms of visceral experience when choosing your food. That said, please contact us if you have any questions about the produce and you also have the right to refuse any produce you order for any reason.

Ben's Produce is cash only. What does this mean for you? When placing your order, please complete the whole Check Out process. We need your name, phone number and email address but not your home address to fill your order. If you do not wish to include your address, please fill in the required fields with xxx. A few minutes after placing your order, you will receive an automated order confirmation email. If you do not receive this email, it will mean your order has not been placed. You should not experience any difficulties with this process. However, if you do, please contact us for help. Ben's phone # is 919-800-8898.

You can pick-up your produce at our house, located at 604 Sasser St. Raleigh, on the Wednesday following your order, between 4pm and 7pm.

We look forward to seeing y'all next Wednesday, November 18th!

Here I am, planting strawberries! I planted 600 strawberry plants for next spring for Ben's Produce customers! I also planted 4500 other plants, with farmhand Angel, for Double-T Farm! Behind me you can see the plants surrounded by black plastic. We use the plastic as a means of weed control. We are experimenting with a cornstarch based biodegradable plastic that can be turned into the soil when its lifespan is over. Since petroleum based plastic has large negative environmental and socio-economic impacts, we are excited to see the results of the corn based plastic.








Here is the hoop house I was preparing for winter lettuce with the broadfork I used to loosen the soil on Wednesday. Also called a grelinette, the broadfork is a centuries old tool used to loosen soil for growing food without turning the soil over. I step on the cross bar attached to the curves tines and rock it back to raise and loosen the soil. Loosening soil without turning it over has many beneficial effects; not bringing up weed seeds, allowing bacteria and other microorganisms to remain at their preferred soil stratus and maintenance of soil tilth (structure or crumb). It was nice to work outside during the deluge of a nor'easter without getting wet, not to mention the exercise and patter of the rain.


Thank you all for stopping by! See you next Wednesday!