SUPER SUMMER KALE SALAD 
This kale salad recipe delivers a big bowl of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds for a filling potluck favorite. Prep time is only 20 min. I substituted pumpkin seeds for the sunflower seeds since that’s what I had, I’m sure this recipe is very  flexible. For a meatless meal, add some feta or gruyere cheese.
INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch kale, leaves chopped
1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen shelled edamame (soybeans) thawed
1/4 red onion, sliced thin
1 cup shredded carrot
2/3 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup cashew or walnut pieces
1/2 cup shelled, roasted sunflower seeds


Directions:
Whisk sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil together in a bowl until sugar is dissolved and set aside.

Toss kale, edamame, red onion, carrot, blueberries, dried cranberries, cashew pieces and sunflower seeds together in a bowl. Pour about half the dressing over the mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.  Serve remaining dressing on side.

Allrecipes.com

Remember, you can substitute most kale recipes with swiss chard. Because you know it's coming next!

(Or Spinach Bake... Collards Bake... Or ANY other Greens Bake!)

3/4 lb. greens (about a 1 gallon bag)
3-5 cloves garlic,minced
1/4 cup onion, chopped,
5 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325. Wash greens by placing them in a pan of cool water, swishing them around, then lifting them from the water. If any dirt remains in the water, start with a new pan of water and repeat. Strip the leaves from the stems of the greens. Chop the stems into 1/4 inch pieces. Chop the leaves of the greens into bite- sized pieces.

In large saucepan, boil one quart water. Add stems, garlic, and onion. Stir, cover, and boil until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add leaves to the pot. Stir and cover. Cook, stirring often, until greens are tender, about 3-7 minutes. Drain, pressing with fork to remove more water.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in milk,salt and cheese. Add greens and stir (it will be thick). Pour into greased 9x13 inch casserole pan. Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until center is set. Serve warm or chilled.

The final days of 2013 are upon us. As we reflect on this year though, we feel hopeful and grateful. Grateful that the weather was a little kinder than some years. It was a rocky start with the cold wet spring we but sailed through the summer with "periods of rain, followed by sunshine." Who could ask for more than that? We also are grateful for our brave new members! Thank you for... being a part of BUPPERT'S CSA! Instead of picking up your flowers, tomatoes, pumpkins and sweet corn at the local chain store, you chose to invest in us. We strive to always provide the best quality and we thank you for supporting our new endeavor!
We are hopeful for next year. The awareness of "supporting local farmers" and choosing healthy, fresh foods has been great. We have never seen this many people excited about kale! And, your enthusiasm is contagious!
As we close the market, we are ready to dive into the seed catalogues and begin planning for 2014!
Exhausted, grateful, hopeful and excited. Thank you for supporting our family farm!

So, as summers go, this has been a great one.  A little bit of hot but mostly, moderate temps. The slow, cool spring gave way to a warm, slightly rainy summer... Perfect growing weather.   We are in full swing with harvesting produce. Everywhere we turn, there is something ready to pick! Sweet corn, Heirloom tomatoes, grape and cherry tomatoes, peppers, okra, watermelon and of course, squash!  We are grateful for the good year.  Although, it's not over yet...  We don't "wind down" or even slow down until late November! We still have all the fall crops we planted in July and August that we'll harvest through December! 
The best is yet to come! 

Here are some ideas to help you prepare all the vegetables you received in your box this week. Enjoy!

One of our members has been entering her CSA gatherings on her blog...
http://makesomethingoutofnothing.wordpress.com/2013/06/
Lots of recipe ideas. Thanks, Sharon! 

Just to make it easier to find, we'll post the link for the Savory Summer Tart:
https://www.facebook.com/Bupperts/posts/621156441235904:0
Get creative and add roasted eggplant, onions and garlic too! 

And Roasted Cherry Tomatoes ... The Savory Tart calls for these
https://www.facebook.com/Bupperts/posts/621167701234778:0
 

Eggplant Sandwiches
Ingredients:
1 small eggplant, halved and sliced
 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
 1/4 cup mayonnaise
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 2 (6 inch) French sandwich rolls
 1 small tomato, sliced
 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Directions:
Preheat your oven's broiler. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet or broiling pan. Place the pan about 6 inches from the heat source. Cook under the broiler for 10 minutes, or until tender and toasted.
Split the French rolls lengthwise, and toast. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and garlic. Spread this mixture on the toasted bread. Fill the rolls with eggplant slices, tomato, feta cheese and basil leaves.

 Sautéed Mustard Greens
Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 large bunch mustard greens, stems removed, cut into 2-inch pieces and washed, left wet
Kosher salt
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Directions
Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and put on medium-high heat. Toss in the garlic cloves and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook the garlic until it becomes golden brown and is very aromatic. Remove the garlic and discard.

Add the mustard greens and season with salt, to taste. Cover and cook the greens until they are soft and wilted. Stir in the vinegar. Taste for seasoning and add salt, if needed. Transfer the greens to a serving bowl and serve.


Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/sauteed-mustard-greens-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback


Summer Squash Casserole 
4 cups sliced yellow squash
 1/2 cup chopped onion
 35 buttery round crackers, crushed
 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
 2 eggs, beaten
 3/4 cup milk
 1/4 cup butter, melted
 1 teaspoon salt
 ground black pepper to taste
 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Baingan Bharta (Eggplant Curry)
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
 1 tablespoon curry powder
 1 tomato, diced
 1/2 cup plain yogurt
 1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, finely chopped
 1 teaspoon salt
 1/4 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Place eggplant on a medium baking sheet. Bake 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender. Remove from heat, cool, peel, and chop.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in cumin seeds and onion. Cook and stir until onion is tender.
Mix ginger garlic paste, curry powder, and tomato into the saucepan, and cook about 1 minute. Stir in yogurt. Mix in eggplant and jalapeno pepper, and season with salt. Cover, and cook 10 minutes over high heat. Remove cover, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

A great way to use all that cabbage!  It's light, flavorful, and so easy! 
Tunisian Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups thinly sliced cabbage
• salt
• 1 large bell pepper, any color, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes, chopped and undrained or about 4 medium sized ripe fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas, drained
•  1/3 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• grated feta cheese

Directions: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onions over low heat for at least 5 minutes or until softened.

Add the cabbage and salt to taste; saute at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add in the bell pepper, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne; stir and saute for 1 minute or so.

Add in the tomatoes, chick peas, and currants/raisins; stir to combine and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are just tender.

Add lemon juice and salt to taste; stir.

Ladle hot soup into individual soup bowls; sprinkle feta cheese on top.

MORE GREENS!?!   
We didn't see any strawberries this spring. The cool, wet conditions caused the strawberry plants to weaken and become vulnerable to disease.  It seemed the asparagus was "going to seed" before we could get a "good cut" on it.   Squash is finally ready to harvest ~ about a week late!  Hopefully, the garlic isn't going to rot in the field this year... Too wet is as bad as too dry...   Believe it or not, this is a "normal" spring for us.   It's always something, right?
Now the good news, we have lots of spring crops to harvest well into June! 
Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around with one serving providing you with an excellent source of health-promoting vitamins A and K.
With this delicious, easy-to-prepare recipe you're going to want enough for seconds!

5 MINUTE KALE
INGREDIENTS;
1 lb Kale Chopped
1 small onion,  sliced

MEDITERRANEAN DRESSING;
1-2 Tbs Lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Chop kale, leave stems on and slice them too.
Chop garlic and let sit.
Fill bottom of large pot or skillet with 2” of water and bring to boil. Add onion and kale to boiling water, cover and steam for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, chop through the greens again and toss with dressing ingredients while kale is still hot and serve.

Serves 2 to 4

Optional toppings:
2 Tbs sun dried tomatoes
2 Tbs Kalamata olives
2 Tbs Feta cheese
5 drops tamari soy sauce
Enjoy!

Many of our members asked about recipes for Swiss chard.  In yesterday's post, I offered one of our favorites.  But, I thought I would post a few more ideas for chard and the kale.  Enjoy!

Spicy Swiss Chard:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-mccargo-jr/spicy-swiss-chard-recipe/index.html?ic1=obinsite

Greens, Polenta, and Eggs - I found this amount of balsamic vinegar to be a bit too pungent for me, and I would recommend backing off of it a little.  But, this dish is a staple on our table.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1562448

Kale Chips:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baked-kale-chips/

Kale Salad - there are a lot of recipes out there for kale salad.  This is our own version.
a few leaves of kale
2 pears
a few tablespoons of Blackberry Splash vinaigrette*
Gorgonzola cheese (you can substitute feta if you prefer the flavor)

wash, pat dry, and tear kale leaves.  Fill individual bowls to desired level with kale leaves.  Slice pears and place desired amount on top of the kale.  Sprinkle bowls with Gorgonzola cheese.  Drizzle salad with vinaigrette.  
* Blackberry Splash happens to be sold at Buppert's and is made by McCutcheon's.  You can probably use any fruity dressing; this just happens to be our favorite as it is a little thicker and richer than other fruity dressings we've tried.   

The sun has finally begun to warm the soil and the air, albeit slowly (although today seems to leaving us wanting).  As the green leaves burst from the soil, so do we have the sensation of bursting into new light, new adventure; new life is being breathed into our farming practice.  From an insider’s perspective, it offers us a medium on which to paint a new masterpiece.  We began as a tiny operation; we took a full truck to city streets to peddle our produce, and back on the farm, we sold from a picnic table on the farmhouse lawn.  As a neighbor rumbled up the gravel drive toward a few tomatoes and a conversation with Granny, the grandchildren, running wild through the cherry and chestnut trees, would yell, “CUSTOMER!”, and Granny would hurry out to greet them.  As our community has grown, so have we; from the picnic table to a small red shed by the road to the beautiful barn that Dad designed and built himself.  Needs of our clients presented themselves, and we included two new greenhouses to be able to offer flowers as well as produce.  Over the past few years, as we’ve developed visions of how the farm will grow, we’ve had a cool spring – business was strong, but progress and change was slow.  Alas, the sun has warmed our soil and our roots have begun to stretch and reach into this new adventure of the CSA.  As is common when faced with what the unknown will bring, we are anxious about what will come of this – but, the excitement and fresh air far outweigh any apprehension.  To be honest, most of our nervousness is rooted in our desire to bring you the best we have and to meet your expectations.  We hope you are pleased with what we have to offer.

We know that this week yields an abundance of greens.  Below is a quick and easy recipe that we love, and it uses multiple products that you took home with you today:

3 spring onions – thinly slice as much of the onion (green and white) as you can

6 cups of Swiss chard – include the stems in the measurement but separate for cooking

2 cloves of garlic – minced or crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

8 eggs

Few dashes of salt

Few dashes of freshly ground black pepper

1 generous handful of feta cheese (about ½ to ¾ of a cup) (optional, but tastes great!)

Slice the stems of the Swiss chard and chop the leaves and separate.  Slice the onions. 

Whisk together eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl.

Preheat the oven to broil.

Heat the oil in an oven proof skillet.  When the oil is shimmering, but not smoking, toss in the chard stems, and sauté for about 3 minutes.  Add the onions and cook for another minute.  Add the chopped chard leaves and allow them to wilt down, stirring the onions and stems into the leaves.  You may want to add a little salt and pepper to this mixture for taste.  After the leaves have wilted, add the garlic and mix well. 

Pour the egg mixture over the greens and allow it to cook for a minute.  Using a stiff spatula, lift the sides to allow the liquid eggs to flow under the veggies.  Cover and cook on low heat for 8 – 10 minutes (until the sides are set, but the center is still liquid).  To set and brown the top, put the pan in the broiler for 2 minutes. 

The seed catalogs are slowly disappearing from the dining room table as each order is placed.  Every winter, just after Christmas, they swarm the room, landing on the table in neat piles labeled "summer veg", "pumpkins & winter squash", "grains", "annuals", "perennials", "ground cover", and "field & greenhouse supply".  They are poured over, pictures are studied, descriptions are read, lists are made and re-made, field maps are copied and marked... and then copied and marked again - just to make sure everything will fit just right - no waste.  For months, the table is virtually unusable for fear of disrupting the mental organization that it represents.  But another winter is almost over and there is this little lull as we await the deliveries that will deposit our winter's planning and our spring's work.  There is an almost imperceptible buzz, an energy, within us that is starting to vibrate the depths of our being and draw us into the still frigid and blustery, but sun-bathed air.  This is always such a bittersweet time of year as we are eager for the excitement and spunk of spring and yet, still sleepily desire to cling to those last bits of winter rest.  But soon we will be able to see if the description of the newest heirloom tomato has enticed us accurately, and are we ever ready to stop eating canned tomatoes and sink our teeth into a fresh one; ripe, juicy, and still warm from the noonday sun.  As the last catalog migrates to its place among years of filed seed catalogs, we know that we are only moments away from the glorious joys of various green hues blanketing the trees and fields, poppies dancing on summer breezes, and the sweet scent of corn pollen floating on the evening air.  Be gone, clutter of the dining room table!  Make way for heaping piles of grilled asparagus!