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Grand Street CSA 2013-2014 Winter Share Signup

The Winter Season is designed to provide members with fresh, local produce and farm-fresh foods through the winter months, and at the same time, send the farm crucial startup funds to cover the cost of seed, equipment, repairs, materials, etc. Before you complete this membership agreement, please take the time to read about the Grand Street CSA on our website. The following links should be most useful: http://www.grandstreetcsa.org/p/about-us.html

Registering for the CSA on this form is only the first of three steps to confirm your membership. After signing up here, you will also need to pay for your shares and sign up for one distribution shift to fulfill your work requirement.

PAYMENT OPTIONS
Please understand that part of the economic mission of CSA is to support the efforts of local farmers, and a big part of that support is getting cash into the farmers’ hands during pre-winter season.

You will be able to pay by check, or online with PayPal or credit card for a 3% fee. To that end, CSA members are required to pay for the entire season no later than Wednesday November 20, 2013. In fact, we prefer that you pay for your entire membership right away. Since that’s not always so easy to do, installment payment plans are available; after completing this membership agreement, please respond to your confirmation email to inquire about personal payment options.

WORK REQUIREMENT
Finally, do note that there is a work requirement for this CSA. Every member must sign up for one distribution shift during the winter season. We are using a separate service called VolunteerSpot to let you pick your own shifts. You will receive a separate email with instructions for fulfilling this requirement.

If you have any questions, please write to info@grandstreetcsa.org. Thanks!
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Grand Street Will Have A Winter Share!

The Winter Share

Grand Street CSA is pleased to be partnered this year with a farm that offers a Winter Share. The Winter Season is designed to continue to provide members with fresh, local produce and farm-fresh foods, and at the same time, send the farm crucial startup funds to cover the cost of seed, equipment, repairs, materials, etc. The Winter Share keeps us supporting Norwich Meadows year round and reminds us that local food doesn’t end with the regular growing season. Shares consist of storage crops, like roots and winter greens, and a variety of dairy and value-added products from local farmers. Produce is grown in Norwich, New York and Lebanon, New Jersey. Our Winter pickups are from December through May (6 pick-ups). We offer two (2) types of Winter shares: Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian and Omnivore (see descriptions below).

Pickup time:
Winter distribution, like the summer/fall this year, will be Tuesday 5:15pm-8pm at the Abrons Art Center. Pick up will continue to be outdoors except on days weather is too severe for either people or vegetables.

Frequency:
Winter Share is every three to six weeks for a total of 6 pick-ups.  The dates scheduled* are as follows:
    •    12/10, 1/21, 2/11, 3/4, 3/25, 5/6

*In cases of severe weather, members will be notified as soon as possible of changes in the distribution date.

As during our regular season, due to lack of storage, missed pickups cannot be compensated or refunded.  Leftovers will be donated to Our Lady of Sorrows Food Pantry or the Bowery Mission immediately after distribution.

Share Options:
The LACTO-OVO VEGETARIAN SHARE  (includes vegetables, as well as dairy and eggs, no meat, from Norwich Meadows Farm and neighboring farms) provides enough food for 1-3 individuals depending on your diet, goals and cooking style. This share weighs about 20-25 lbs per pickup and fills approximately 2-3 regular canvas bags. Cost = $310 for six pick-ups

The OMNIVORE SHARE (includes vegetables, as well as dairy, eggs, ground beef and chicken, from Norwich Meadows Farm and neighboring farms) provides enough food for 1-3 individuals depending on your diet, goals and cooking style. This share weighs about 15-20 lbs per pickup and fills approximately 2 regular canvas bags. The Omnivore share weighs less than the Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian share but is equal in value.  This difference is due to the higher production cost of meat. Cost = $310 for six pick-ups

Variety:  The items in each share change on a monthly basis and are determined by what the farmer and local vendors have available. You can see what our sister CSA Washington Square CSA received over their last winter season here. A typical distribution would look something like the following:

Sample December Omnivore share:
(Lacto-ovo vegetarian share gets additional veggies and no meat)
Potatoes – 2.25 lbs     Carrots – 2.5 lbs     Garlic – 1/3 lb
Winter squash – 1      Onions – 1.5 lbs     Cabbage – 1 head
Eggs – 1 dozen          Chicken – 1/2       Cooking greens – 3/4 lb
1 Preserved product (jar of tomato puree, pickled beets, pickled peppers or pickled green tomatoes)


Registration will open in the next few days. 

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CSA Smackdown 2013 Recap

Grand Street CSA’s Smackdown
at LES Flea  
        On September 15, 2013, Grand Street CSA and LES Flea presented a local food cooking competition to determine which CSA members would represent Grand Street CSA at Just Food’s Great CSA Smackdown. Fresh produce was provided by our farmers Norwich Meadows Farm. Special thanks to support from Qiana from Just Food; our Farmers, Zaid & Haifa; and our judges: Anat & Kaya of Cafe Petisco, Sanyu from LES Flea, Rose from the Abrons Art Center!
Flea Market shoppers, CSA members, and special guests joined our panel of esteemed judges to watch, as our two teams each stepped up to create a delicious dish with fresh produce from that week’s CSA distribution, a handful of staples and just 30 minutes to cook.
 
Shafar WUJS: Jenna & Lisa
The Emo Eggplants: Dan & Caroline
  VS.
Our judges support our mission of bringing local food to the neighborhood for everyone to enjoy. 
Grand Street CSA’s MC Deb introduces the competitors.

Local Produce and Staples
Ginger – a surprise ingredient from Norwich Meadows Farm

Shafar WUJS 
the runners up 
presented
Melon Cup Fruit Salad
 
1 Plum
1 Nectarine 
1 Melon
1 Apple
Cup of Husk Cherries
1 Tomato
Tablespoon Butter
1 Cup of Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup of Honey
Mint

1. Cut fruit in slices.

2. Cut melon in half and scoop out insides. 
3. Combine balsamic and honey in a small pot.  Bring to a running boil on high heat. Continue on a low simmer for about 10 minutes or until mixture has a thick consistency. Take off heat and cool.
4. In a pan, heat butter over medium heat.  Add cut apples and stir until golden, about 3 minutes. 
5. Combine all fruit except melon in a bowl with balsamic reduction.

6. Neatly place fruit in melon and top with mint.

The Emo Eggplants
winners and reigning champions 
presented
 Three Mini-courses
  Course one was a salad of melon & tomato with edamame & husk cherries tossed in balsamic/honey dressing & served on a lettuce leaf.

Course two was squash pasta (zuchini cut on our mandolin to mimic fettuccine & sautéed in butter to soften) with a spicy sour tomatillo sauce.
 
Course three was turnips, apples, nectarines, plums & ginger carmelized in butter & honey & served on an apple chip.

Thanks to all our participants for a great event!

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Enter the Great CSA Smackdown 2013!!

Share Your Local Food Skills!

With just 30 minutes to cook in the Great CSA Smackdown, CSA members highlight how fast and delicious our fresh, local food can be.

Thanks to Caroline (above) and Dan of Grand Street’s winning team, the Emo Eggplants, for their smackdown -style demo at distribution last Tuesday!

In this year’s THE GREAT CSA SMACKDOWN, Grand Street CSA defends its title!

 Will the Emo Eggplants return to the final event, or will it be you?

THE COMPETITION:

 
Just Food challenges New York City CSAs to show off their cooking talent and local food skills with the: a city-wide cooking competition for members of Just Food Network CSAs. CSA members will be pitted against each other as they prepare a delicious dish around an assortment of ingredients directly from their CSA share! With only 30 minutes to cook, competitors will need to rely on their speed, skill and creativity to make the cut. Winners will advance to a city wide final-round event, representing their CSA community in the quest to come out on top of the GREAT CSA SMACKDOWN.
Grand Street CSA will be holding its round of the Smackdown on a Sunday afternoon in mid-/late-September (date/location TBD). We’ll have details on where and when in the coming weeks. Find more details, rules, and register to cook here!

Email Smackdown questions to info@grandstreetcsa.org.



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CSA Recipe Blogs

Looking for new ideas for using your share? One item got you stumped?
This just in from this week’s CSA Newsletter from Just Food:

CSA Food Blogs
We asked and you delivered! Click below to see some of the fantastic blogs that showcase the beautiful, nutritious food that your fellow CSA-consuming comrades are cooking up. Check them out, try the recipes, and share with your community of foodies- enjoy!
  
Home in the City for seasonal CSA ideas
  
Raspberry Eggplant for sweet treat and meat-free fare  
  
Mary Elizabeth: a Brooklyn-based chef currently being inspired in Rome
  
eat+art+word: a visual and gastronomic perspective
  
German-Jewish Cuisine a closer look at Jewish food from German-speaking European countries
  
Fruition Seeds on the significance of organic and regionally adapted seed
  
Accidental Locavore for ideas on how to use that local produce

For more ideas from Just Food and to sign up for their CSA Newsletter, go to http://justfood.org/
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July 2nd Shares

Here is what to expect today:

Greens
Onions
Squash
Garlic Scapes
Lettuce
Kohlrabi
Carrots

Fruit Shares, only Full Shares or those who pick up weekly:
Strawberries
Cherries
Rhubarb

Eggs are for both Full Shares (weekly pick-ups) and Half Shares (bi-weekly pick-ups)

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First Distribution Today June 18th

Come on by Abrons Arts Center at 466 Grand Street today, rain or shine, between 5:15pm and 8pm to collect your first share of the season!  Here is the info about the share today:

The list below is for one share of produce.  If you ordered two shares (equivalent to the FULL share last season) you will pick up double this amount.  Please remember it is early in the season so don’t be concerned about the limited amount – there is more to come!! 

1 lettuce
1 pac choi
1 lb greens (the greens were not identified so we will all be surprised, but assume they are cooking greens)
6 to 7 garlic scapes
5 spring onions
4 radish
4 spring garlic
Also if you ordered extras don’t forget to pick them up too! Today we will have: 
eggs
syrup
beef
Pushcart Coffee has generously offered to bring free coffee for members starting at 5pm.  Thanks Pushcart!!
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Start Date July 18!

We know this is the news you have been waiting to hear–our farmer Zaid Kurdieh of Norwich Meadows Farms has confirmed that our first distribution will start Tuesday June 18th.  The delay by a week has been due to the weather. 
Maple Syrup distribution will be on the 18th as well. 
If you ordered beef from Norwich it will be coming on the 18th. 

Remember distribution does not start until 5:15PM and runs until 8PM.  

See you then!

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Start Date?

We are as excited as you are to begin picking up fresh veggies and fruit – but we still haven’t had word from Norwich Farm what our start date is.  Due to the long winter and cool spring this year will start a couple weeks later than last year, that just means we will go a little later into the fall.  We promise that as soon as we know the date we will send out an email to all the members and post it on the website.  Until then…