CSA #13

Dear CSA-ers,

Sorry for the delay- With this crazy weather we have had some issues with our internet. Rural living comes with its satellite and wireless internet issues.

This week’s preassembled bag will include: Fennel, Dill, Chives, Spring Mix, Baby Carrots, Summer Squash, and Swiss Chard. Custom orders can be placed between now and Tuesday evening on the website at: https://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market
As of Friday’s Summer Solstice, we’ve officially entered the summer season. From here on, days will get progressively shorter until Winter Solstice in late December. At this point in the year, our summer crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants should really be ramping up. Look forward to seeing them in the coming weeks. A quick reminder that we will not be delivering on July 4th. We take this week off every year as a midway point on the year and a truly deserved respite during our busiest season. We will still be at Farmers Markets on Saturday the 6th as the vegetables won’t slow down during this time. So, stock up now, or plan to come see us at the markets.
For agriculture, especially in-soil, organic agriculture like we practice, the seasons and weather have significant effect on crop growth. This past week has presented a truly challenging amount of wind and rain. Rain delays planting and can erode soils where plants have not had time to establish their roots. Some of the more violent windstorms have ripped whole plants out of the ground. Additionally, many of our pest problems become more significant with wet weather. The good news is, we have not yet had any structural damage due to severe winds, and thus far our tunnels remain undamaged by the weather. Admittedly we are struggling with the outdoor grow spaces right now though. We humbly ask the you please be patient and understanding with our selection.
This week’s featured vegetable is fennel. Our fennel crop has reached maturity and looks very strong. This crop is relatively new to us, although it traces its origin seaside to the coastal regions of the Mediterranean. Likewise, it has been used in Mediterranean, Mideast, and European cuisine for millennia. Fennel is strongly aromatic and anecdotally associated with bravery and vision. Culinarily, all parts of the plant can be used. The wispy leaves are used as fragrant seasoning, while the decadent “bulbs” may be braised, grilled, roasted, sautéed, or even juiced. The plant has good amounts of Vitamin C and Potassium. For your convenience, we have included a recipe for Summer Squash with Goat Cheese, Fennel and Dill. We hope you enjoy this unique vegetable, so rarely available in the United States.
Summer Squash with Goat Cheese, Fennel and Dill

Ingredients:

• 1 pound small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced into rounds on a vegetable slicer
• 1 small fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise on a vegetable slicer
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for dressing
• 2 teaspoons fresh juice from 1 lemon
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Directions:

• In a large bowl, combine squash, fennel, dill, olive oil, and lemon juice and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add goat cheese, gently toss, and serve right away.

As always, we wish you and your family the best during this coming week. We’re always happy to share the joy of fresh local eating with you, and we encourage you to share our CSA program with your friends and neighbors. Thank you so much for being with us.

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team

CSA #12

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled bag will include Malabar Spinach, Fennel, Cucumbers, Baby Beets, Kale, Summer Squash, Spring Onions, and Eleonora Basil.
Just a quick reminder that our minimum order for delivery is $20. We understand hitting that right on the head may be difficult some weeks, so we just ask that you get close to that each week. If there are circumstances that make that hard for you just reach out to us, your farm team.
This marks the first week we will be offering our summer squash and zucchini through the market. We have been picking sporadically for farm lunches this past week. After sampling some, we are very excited for some of the heirloom varieties we will have for you this year.
This week’s highlighted vegetable is Malabar Spinach (scientific name: Basella alba). Malabar Spinach is a leafy green vegetable hailing from India. When Winter Spinach (scientific name: Spinacia oleracea) is starting to whither in the heat, our Malabar Spinach is just starting to spread its leaves. The two vegetables can be used interchangeably in recipes, but careful observation will reveal some of the differences. Malabar has thicker leaves, with a more succulent texture than those of Winter Spinach. Likewise, it is sometimes used to thicken soups, or as a sturdy addition to stir fries. Our friends Gabby and Daniel from Paducah’s Branch Out restaurant (now open) made an excellent kimchi slaw from it last year. We enjoy it raw in salads or as a topper for burgers and sandwiches. Nutritionally, Malabar is a powerhouse, containing generous portions of vitamins and trace minerals. In particular, it has high levels of Manganese, which is essential for aiding bone density, and the processing of food into energy. We hope you enjoy this vegetable as much as we do!

Malabar Spinach with Mushrooms
1/2 bunch malabar spinach (about 2 c torn leaves)
12-16 oz fresh mushrooms, preferably a little past their prime
1 tsp plus a spritz of canola oil
or Pam
1 tsp ginger paste
1 TB garlic paste
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp shaoxing wine (sake or cooking sherry would probably work in a pinch)
mushroom cooking liquid (see below)
salt to taste (only if necessary since soy sauce can be salty)
_~
Wash the malabar, tear larger leaves into pieces and leave to drain.
Wash the mushrooms with minimal water and dry them well. Separate the stems from the caps. Slice the stems medium-thick, and cut the stems in half. Heat a nonstick frying pan on high heat. Spray with Pam, or use a small spritz of oil (if you prefer not to use nonstick pans, you will need about 1 tsp oil for this). When pan is quite hot, add the mushrooms. Let them cook two or three minutes undisturbed. They should begin to release some of their moisture. Lift the pan slightly off the burner and shake back and forth, holding it level to the stove, giving the mushrooms a little toss without stirring them. Return pan to the hot burner and let the mushrooms cook a few minutes more, then shake-toss again. Repeat several times, until the mushrooms are turning brown and smelling wonderful. When they are well browned, remove to a bowl and set aside. Soon a little liquid will begin to accumulate in the bottom of the bowl. Don’t drain it off.
In the same pan, heat 1 tsp canola oil (or spray with Pam again) on medium-high. Add ginger and garlic pastes and stir-fry a minute or two, until they begin to stick to the pan. Add a little of the reserved mushroom liquid. Continue to stir another minute or two, then add the torn leaves and mushrooms. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes, until leaves begin to wilt. Add the wine and soy sauce. Stir-fry just another minute or so, until all is blended. Remove from the heat, salt to taste, and serve at once.

As always, we wish you an excellent week full of delicious, fresh eating. We thank you for your continued support of our farm and invite you to tell your friends and neighbors about our CSA program.

Thanks so much,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team

CSA #11

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled bag will include Kohlrabi, Collards, Spring Mix, Lovelock Head Lettuce, English Green Tasty Burpless Cucumbers, Parsley, and Gemstone Baby Mustards Mix. Custom orders may be placed between now and Tuesday night on the website at: https://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market
Some weeks of farming are more difficult than others, and this was certainly one of the difficult ones. Having two employees gone last week meant there was a lot of catching up to do. Tensions ran high as the incessant rain and muddy ground frustrated efforts at both planting and harvest. On top of that, we were visited by deer for the first time this year. Deer are without a doubt our most damaging pest. They can annihilate an entire crop in a few of evenings. They are particularly fond of romaine and beans. We suffered great losses of young vegetables we worked very hard to plant and care for. Though we have obtained a special license to harvest deer out of season, this solution is far from satisfactory. We are actively looking for better ways to protect our crops. Without a doubt, there will be easier weeks, but this one was admittedly very hard.
The good news is, we have lots of cool things growing right now. Summer vegetables are well on their way. We have a huge variety of squash and zucchini beginning to ripen and they will begin appearing in bags this week. We’re getting closer to our tomatoes, and you’ve probably already gotten to try at least some of our phenomenal cucumber varieties. Thse are truly the vegetables of summer and we encourage you to embrace the bounty of seasonal eating.
The vegetable we’d like to highlight this week is the cucumber. Wild cucumbers originated in Southern Asia, but were domesticated and brought across the Middle East to the Mediterranean region thousands of years ago. Here they became a dietary staple and for this reason, we typically associate them with Greek and other Mediterranean cuisines. Now cucumbers are enjoyed globally and with good reason. Though they are not high in any one particular nutrient, they have small and balanced amounts of many different vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes. It is this balance that makes the cucumber so refreshing. Cucumbers can be eaten to hydrate and maintain electrolyte balance, and it’s worth considering trying to eat at least one every day during the summer. Currently we are offering three types; Corinto (a classic green type), Silver Slicer (a solid white slicing cucumber), and Tasty Green (a long European style, nearly seedless type). All of them have their nuances, and we’d love to hear which one is your favorite!

Creamy Cucumber Soup

“There’s no reason to only use cucumbers raw—they are wonderful sautéed then pureed with avocado for a silken-textured soup that’s good warm or cold.”

Ingredients

o 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
o 2 cloves garlic, minced
o 1 small onion, diced
o 1 tablespoon lemon juice
o 4 cups peeled, seeded and thinly sliced cucumbers, divided
o 1½ cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
o ½ teaspoon salt
o ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
o Pinch of cayenne pepper
o 1 avocado, diced
o ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
o ½ cup low-fat plain yogurt

Directions

• 1 Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 to 4 minutes. Add lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add 3¾ cups cucumber slices, broth, salt, pepper and cayenne; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer until the cucumbers are soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
• 2 Transfer the soup to a blender. Add avocado and parsley; blend on low speed until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Pour into a serving bowl and stir in yogurt. Chop the remaining ¼ cup cucumber slices. Serve the soup warm or refrigerate and serve it chilled. Just before serving, garnish with the chopped cucumber and more chopped parsley, if desired.

Despite the difficulties of farming, we really enjoy doing it. We love being able to provide you (and your friends and family) with vegetables, and we thank you for your continuing support of our farm.

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team

CSA #10

Good Morning CSA ers-
This week’s veggies will include Wild Arugula, Lemon Basil, Muir Batavia Head Lettuce, Spring Onions, Cucumbers, and Swiss Chard.
We are truly in Summer production now! Our eggplant and peppers will be going into the last tunnel to be planted this week. We always start them late, as we are trying to outsmart the nasty flea beetle that devours our small eggplants one nibble at a time. If we wait them out, our baby eggplants will grow big and strong in a matter of a few weeks and be producing beautiful eggplants in about 6 weeks.
Today and tomorrow, our team will be focusing in on planting our sweet potatoes, melons, and potatoes. We are opening new plots on the back of our farm, and this has taken us some extra time to get underway. Ray and I will be raising beds, fertilizing, and covering them with landscape fabric, in hopes that tomorrow Angela can get them planted. We are toying with ways we can add cover crops, that add to our soil fertility and help our soil stay put during heaving rains. I have been searching for ways to intercrop our melons, potatoes and sweet potatoes. One way is to plant corn and clover along side our melons. I have found some research that suggest planting okra along with sweet potatoes makes both plants grow stronger and healthier. Okra is a tough sell on our farm as we cannot get anyone to pick the rascals. When they are small, they are very prickly, and by mid-summer they are so tall that I can no longer reach the okra pods to harvest.
Thank you for your continued support. We appreciate our members and feel that you are farmily. A part of our farm and friends. We enjoy hearing about how you use the veggies we deliver and learning about your lives and families. To me, this connection is so important to the mission of our farm and to my wellbeing. As a farmer I am often tied to this land, rarely leaving, and my circle of friends involve you and the people who farm alongside of me. Sometimes it can be lonely, but it is that smile at the door when I am delivering, and the hug from a long time CSA er, that brings me such joy. I thank you for sharing this journey with me. I know I may be just your farmer, but to me, YOU are my connection to the world. You give me a person, face, family to grow for. YOU are my relationships and I can’t wait to see you each week. I don’t think we do enough sharing with people how important they are to us.
Thank you again for your support and friendships. You are cherished!
Your farmer,
Angela

CSA #9

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled bag will include: mixed radishes, Lovelock head lettuce, kale bunches, spinach, cucumbers, garlic scapes, Ellianora basil. Custom orders can be placed on the website at https://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market

Wow! It got hot, fast! That’s good news for some of our vegetables like summer loving squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Others, like our lettuce and greens mixes, will become more challenging. Nonetheless we carry on utilizing the collective knowledge and experience of our team to grow the healthiest vegetables for you and your family. On that note, two of our team members, Hannah and Patrick, will be traveling to Berea, Kentucky this coming weekend to attend a cover crop and high tunnel symposium through the University Kentucky. Likewise, you won’t see Hannah or Patrick at Farmers’ Markets this weekend. Be sure to be extra kind to Caroline and Angela as they are going to be very busy this week managing the farm short staffed. It is our hope that furthering the education of our team will pay off in the quality and sustainability of vegetables we deliver to you.
The big exciting event on our farm this past week was our third-party inspection for the USDA Organic Certification. As you may know, our farm has grown organically since its inception, striving to bring you clean, healthy vegetables grown in an Earth-friendly way. It has been our goal to become certified such that we can use the “USDA Organic” label on our produce. This is an immensely bureaucratic process involving detailed record-keeping, transition experts, and inspections. Though it does not change the way we grow for you, official certification does open many opportunities for us as a growing farm and business. Our inspection on Friday went very well, and we are excited as we near the final steps towards achieving this goal.
Our highlighted vegetable this week is Garlic Scapes! Garlic Scapes are a once a year delicacy produced by our hardneck variety garlics. The term “hardneck” actually refers to the flower stem that grows through the center of the bulb, as opposed to “softnecks” which do not form this flowering structure. The “scape” is the flower’s stem. The flower bud itself should be removed, but the stem is tender and full of garlic goodness. Texturally it’s reminiscent of asparagus and it can be utilized similarly. You will find no shortage of great recipes for scapes online, and for your convenience we’ve included one for Garlic Scape Pesto Fettuccine. Likely, scapes share many of the heart and vascular protective properties that garlic bulbs themselves do, though scapes themselves have been less extensively studied. If nothing else, it’s a seasonal treat that we hope you come to look forward to as much as we do.

Garlic Scape Pesto Fettucine
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 garlic scapes
• 1 cup fresh basil
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 2 pounds fresh fettuccine or one pound dried fettuccine, cooked al dente
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
• 2 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pine nuts out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast the pine nuts in the oven for about 4 minutes, stopping to stir with a metal spatula about half way through. Keep a close eye on the pine nuts as they can go from toasted to burnt very quickly. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Rinse the garlic scapes and cut off the point end and discard. Chop the garlic scapes into 2 inch pieces.
3. Combine the pine nuts, garlic scapes, basil, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually stream in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and thick.
4. Use a spatula to transfer the pesto to a bowl. Add the parmesan and mix well. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, and add an extra drizzle of olive oil if needed.
5. Transfer the cooked pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the pesto, heavy cream and tomatoes to the pasta and toss well. Add reserved pasta cooking water slowly, a splash at a time, as you toss the pasta; this will help to make the sauce creamy and rich; note that you will probably not need to use the entire 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Serve with extra grated parmesan.

As always, we thank you so much for your support of our farm! We love hearing from you and seeing your recipes, ideas, and feedback. If you make something awesome with our vegetables, we’d love to see it. Tag us on facebook with “ @Magney Legacy Ridge Farm “ to share. We hope you have a great week!

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team

CSA #8

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled CSA bag will include: Bok Choy, Spring Mix, Romaine, Tulsi Basil, Iron Man Kale, Swiss Chard and Strawberry Banana Jam. Custom orders can be placed from now until Tuesday night at https://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market

We’ve had a tremendous week on the farm preparing, not only your CSA bags, but also for 3 (THREE!) Saturday Farmers’ Markets. All of us on the farm are feeling very validated to have accomplished the picking, processing, and packing required to have a showing in Princeton, Murray, and Paducah. Thanks to all of you who came out and visited us at the markets! We all had a really good time sharing the fruits of our labors with the West Kentucky community on Saturday morning.
This week has been a touch bittersweet as we prepare to bid Eric Magney adieu. Eric’s aspiration is to become a carpenter, and he will begin working in this capacity at a job site in Calvert City on Monday. We are all very proud of Eric (especially his mom), and his full-time contribution to the farm will certainly be missed. Nonetheless, we wish him success and safety as he pursues his dream in the trades. Thanks Eric, for all your hard work!
This week’s highlighted vegetable is Wild Arugula. Though we’ve had the tender Salad Arugula for a couple weeks now, this week marks the first ever harvest of what is called Wild Arugula. The distinction between Salad Arugula and Wild Arugula may seem kind of arbitrary, but from a botanical perspective, these vegetables are more different from each other than Broccoli is to Kale. Salad Arugula is species Eruca sativa while Wild Arugula is in an entirely different genus as Diplotaxis tenuifolia. These plants share the same common name because they are similar in taste and can be used interchangeably, although Wild Arugula has much more of the peppery taste that makes arugula so distinct to begin with. While Salad Arugula is a mainstay of French cuisine, the Wild Arugula is more often the preferred type for Italian dishes. Both are quite healthy for you, particularly for the presence of Vitamin A and Folate. We invite you to live a little on the “wild” side and give this new crop a try. We’d love to hear what you connoisseurs of arugula think of this new variety. Once again, we thank you for your support of our growing farm, and we wish you and your family a wonderful week full of healthy delicious eating!

Wild Arugula Salad with Pears

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 5 ounces wild arugula
• 1 pear, cut into 8 wedges
• 1/3 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts
• Salt and pepper
• Shaved pecorino-romano cheese
• Preparation
• Whisk EVOO and lemon juice. Toss with arugula, pear and hazelnuts; season with salt and pepper; top with cheese.

*POWER UP SALAD WITH BABY KALE, QUINOA, BLUEBERRIES AND WALNUTS *

Ingredients
• 1 5 oz. baby kale or baby spinach
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 cup blueberries
• ½ cup toasted walnuts
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. 1. Place the greens, quinoa, blueberries, and walnuts in a large mixing bowl and combine them.
2. 2. Whisk together the mustard, lemon, olive oil, agave, salt, and pepper. Toss the dressing over the greens and coat everything well. Serve.

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team

CSA # 7

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled bag will contain Gemstone Braising Mustard Mix, Spinach, Tatsoi, Radishes, Batavian Red Crunch Head Lettuce, Dill and a surprise veggie that is yet to make itself known. Custom orders can be placed on the website at: https://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market

This Saturday marked our first week participating in Paducah and Caldwell Counties’ Farmers’ Markets, with Murray’s beginning next Saturday. We are excited to be at these venues and were happy to see those of you who could make it out. Farmer’s Markets help us grow our community, and it is where we have met many of you who receive the newsletter and participate in CSA.
For those of you who have joined recently, we’d like to talk a little about what CSA is and what it means to us. You may know, CSA stands for “Community Supported Agriculture.” The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm CSA functions as a farm to doorstep delivery service for the West Kentucky Region, though other farms use different models. The common thread is that participating in a CSA buys you a share in the farm with dividends paid in the form of seasonal local vegetables. This is important because the number of farms in the United States is declining. More produce is being trucked in from farther away, and the state (or country!) of origin labeling in grocery stores stands testament to this. It is our belief that sustainably managed local farms are an asset to any community. Farms serve a role in feeding, educating, and keeping their communities healthy. It is through your support of our farm that we are realizing some of these rolls in Western Kentucky. Thank you so much!

Our highlighted vegetable this week is our “Gemstone Braising Mustard Mix.” This is a mix of three different strains of tender mustard greens. These are mild enough to be eaten raw on salads, though it really shines in the form of braised greens. The term “braising” is from French and refers to the culinary technique of “frying and then simmering.” In this case, greens are lightly pan fried in an oil base (animal or vegetable) until they begin to release moisture. At this point they are covered and simmered until they have fully cooked down and reached their peak flavor and consistency. Mustard Greens are especially high in Vitamin K, essential for maintaining strong and healthy blood, and they contain significant quantities of Vitamins A and C as well. However you choose to prepare the Gemstone Braising Mustard Mix, we hope that it serves you well.
Spicy Greens and Plum Salad
Light, tart, and fresh, this quick and easy side dish makes use of juicy seasonal stone fruit.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt
Freshly ground pepper
3/4 lb. spicy greens (such as baby mustard, arugula, and watercress)
8 plums
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Add greens and plums and toss.

TATSOI SAUTE WITH QUINOA
Posted by: Suzie on January 6, 2015
Tatsoi has a creamy yet distinct flavor and is a super nutritious green. Recipe from: healthyliving101.com
Ingredients
• 1 cup rinsed quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 sweet onion, julienne cut
• 1 red bell pepper, julienne cut
• 2 cups fresh tatsoi, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Bring water and quinoa to a boil. Cover and turn down to simmer for 12 minutes until water is absorbed.
2. In large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil on medium high. Add onions and cook for 1 minute before adding sliced bell peppers for an additional 2 minutes. Add chopped tatsoi and toss. Cover pan for 1-2 minutes or until tatsoi is wilted.
3. Toss cooked quinoa with vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Once again, we’re so glad you’re a part of our community. If you have any thoughts, concerns, or compliments please reach out to us! We love hearing from you!

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team

CSA #6

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled bag will include Arugula, Bok Choi, Green Onions, Iron Man Kale Mix, ButterHead Lettuce, Lemon Balm and Parsley . Custom orders can be placed on the website at https://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market
If this week had a lesson, it’s that you can’t rely on the weather. Paducah’s and Caldwell County’s Farmer’s Market opening was postponed due to impending thunderstorms, but the rain never came! In lieu of this, our friends at Branch Out were kind enough to invite us to set up for the soft opening of their new restaurant on 713 Kentucky Ave. in Paducah. Be sure to them out if you’re in Paducah; Branch Out specializes in vegan and gluten free foods, and their grand opening scheduled for May 23.
On the farm this week we have been getting our tomato tunnel planted and ready for production. The outdoor plantings of greens are starting to look really good and we’re excited to be able to put some new salad mixes on the site over the next couple of weeks. Seeding of plants in the new greenhouse continues, and we’ve of course been trying our best to work around the rain outside.
Our highlighted vegetable this week is Bok Choy (or Pac Choi). Like Tatsoi, this vegetable is from the Asian Group of Brassica family plants. However, unlike tatsoi that forms a rosette of numerous leaves, bok choy produces few very large leaves with enlarged succulent stems forming a sort of “bulb” shape at the base of the plant. These stems are crisp and delicious with or without their leafy tops. They can be used in raw salads, soups, or stir fries. Customers have told us they are a good “stringless” substitute for celery. We hope you enjoy this vegetable, and you can feel good about eating it because it’s rich in Vitamins C and K.
Sweet-and-Sour Bok Choy
Oyster sauce and a pinch of sugar add caramel flavor and color to the bok choy. A little butter turns the sauce into a glaze. This side would be excellent with a spicy main like a Szechuan-style stir-fry or a chile-laden sauce for meat or fish.
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 pound quartered baby bok choy
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
How to Make It
• Step 1
• Combine rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and sugar in a small bowl. Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add bok choy; cook until browned, about 4 minutes.
• Step 2
• Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add oyster sauce mixture and unsalted butter; cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Sprinkle with fresh basil.

Spicy Grilled Kale with Parmesan Recipe
Yield: 2 – 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Spicy and savory kale topped with freshly grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes.
Ingredients:
1 – 5 oz. container of baby kale
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt (to taste) (optional)
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice (optional)
Directions:
Light your grill. When it is hot, place grill grid on the grill surface so that it can reach the temperature of the grill.
Place baby kale in a large bowl and toss with olive oil. It looks like a lot, but kale REALLY cooks down.
Place baby kale on grill grid as shown. Use tongs to move it around on the surface of grid…keep it moving and don’t leave the grill. In a few minutes it will be ready.
Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
We are trying to cut down on salt, so I personally don’t add salt, I let the Parmesan lend a dash of salty flavor. Also, you can add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice before serving if you’d like.

As always, we thank you for your support of our farm. We’re so happy to be serving you and building community here in Western Kentucky.

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team

CSA #5

Dear CSA-ers,

This week’s preassembled bag will include Tatsoi, Romaine, Swiss Chard, Mint, Caraflex Cabbage, Carrots, and Spring Garlic. If you would like to custom assemble your bag, you can do so at: https://magneyfarm.locallygrown.net/market
The online market will be open for this week until Tuesday night.

We’ve had another big week here on the farm. Those of you who have been following our facebook page have likely seen some of the photos from our updated and expanded greenhouse. We’ve been working on this project since early March and it’s been very satisfying to see it come to fruition. We moved the existing seedlings to their new location on Tuesday. The renovated tunnel is a tremendous leap forward. It quintuples our seedling production capacity, gets more sunlight, airflow, and is more conveniently located for the planned expansions of our outdoor grow beds. Your support of our farm as CSA members is largely responsible for our ability to increase both our capacity and quality through improvements like this. Thank you.
A vegetable we’d like to highlight this week is Tatsoi. Tatsoi is a leafy green hailing from Asia. It is similar to bok choy, but with smaller, more numerous leaves. The leaves have a mellow flavor and it is well suited to both stir fries or eating raw as an addition to salad mixes. Nutritionally the vegetable is high in Vitamin C and Folate. This vegetable is rarely seen in the United States, and we are so excited to grow for you this exclusive item.

Tatsoi Citrus Salad

1. 1 head (3 small) of fresh Tatsoi
2. 3 small ripe Clementines (substitute canned Mandarin Oranges)
3. ½ red bell pepper
4. A few slices of a red onion
5. 25 roasted almonds
6. A pinch of salt
7. ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
8. ½ tablespoon of Dijon mustard
9. ½ honey
10. 1 tablespoon of Orange Marmalade
11. 1.5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
12. Juice of half a lemon
Peel and thinly slice the three Clementines and place them in a large salad bowl. Thinly slice the red onion and wash the slices under cold water (this allows some of the pungency to be washed off) and then dry them with a paper towel. Slice the red bell pepper into bite sized pieces and place them in the bowl.
Wash Tatsoi under cold water and dry it completely with kitchen towels or in a salad spinner. Place the leaves in the salad bowl. The stems of Tatsoi are edible but would be a bit stringy in the salad, so I didn’t use them in the salad. But they add a lot of flavor to vegetable broth so I’ll keep them for use later. Using a sharp knife coarsely chop the roasted almonds. Add the chopped almonds and the onion pieces to the bowl.
Combine the Dijon mustard, Orange marmalade, honey, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small dish and whisk them all together till the liquids get emulsified to make a dressing. Drizzle the dressing over the salad bowl and toss everything together (gently) with a pair of salad serves. Serve the salad immediately so that the leaves do not wilt from the dressing.

If you’ve got feedback on tatsoi, or any of our vegetables, we’d love to hear it! Your input helps us know how to plan our future plantings. We’re so glad to have you a part of our extended team.

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Farm Team

CSA #4

Dear CSA-ers,

Happy Easter! The market has opened a little late today because we’ve been spending time with our families. We hope you have enjoyed the holiday weekend as well! This week’s preassembled CSA bag will contain Spring Mix, Oak Leaf Head Lettuce, Fennel, Kale, Basil, Radishes and Kale Raab.

This past week has been a huge week on the farm, and we are proud of our entire team for being both dedicated and diligent in working to beat the rain. Amidst drizzle Thursday, Eric and Patrick transplanted over 3000 of our outdoor spring brassicas while Angela and Caroline harvested, prepped, and packed your CSA orders. On Friday, the first rotation of cucumbers went into the greenhouse, and they are some of the healthiest we have ever transplanted. We are so excited to be bringing you the fruits of these efforts.

An interesting and unique item that we’d like to highlight this week is our kale “rapini.” As our winter kale rotation nears the end of its cycle, it has begun producing flower buds. These flower buds are a rare treat; they are mild and tender tasting like a cross between kale and broccoli. The kale rapini is high in Vitamins A and C and will make a healthy addition to green smoothies or stir fries. It can be used in any recipes that call for rapini or broccoli-rabe. We hope you enjoy the opportunity to try this unique vegetable unknown to grocery-store shelves. As always, thank you for your support of our local farm.

Sincerely,
The Magney Legacy Ridge Team