Heavens Harvest Farm Newsletter
June 15, 2009	Volume 1
Produce: Full Shares: Scallions Hakurei Turnips Summer Squash Zucchini Sweet Potatoes Red Chard Cucumbers Romaine Lettuce Red Boston Lettuce Collards Cabbage Spearmint Lemon Balm Chives Strawberries Half Shares: Cucumbers Hakurei Turnips Summer Squash Sweet Potatoes Red Chard Romaine Lettuce Baby Bok Choi Collards Scallions Lemon Balm Chives Strawberries Single Shares: Scallions Hakurei Turnips Summer Squash Sweet Potatoes Red Chard Romaine Lettuce Baby Bok Choi Collards Lemon Balm Chives Strawberries Due to availability not all shares will have the exact same contents.	Warm Greetings from all of us here at Heavens Harvest Farm! We want to welcome all of our new and returning members to our 2009 Summer CSA season! We are so excited to have added 7 new sites including 2 in Worcester, Cambridge, Newton, Framingham, Scituate and East Bridgewater. This brings us to 27 total drop sites across central and eastern MA! A special thanks to all of our site hosts and coordinators, without you, most of our continuing growth would not have happened! We would like all members to pay particular attention to the guidelines as listed below. These few rules and suggestions will allow for a smooth transition from farm to site to member. Each person’s cooperation will enable for the most efficient operation of each site and a true community experience for all. Guidelines for Pick-Up: 1. Pick up your share in a timely manner following the guidelines from your individual site hosts. Inform your host if anyone else is picking up on your behalf. If prior arrangements have not been made and shares are not picked up within the allotted time, they will be donated. It is your responsibility to be able to connect with your site host/coordinator via phone if an emergency arises. 2. Find the box with your name on it and empty contents into the re-usable, recycled Heavens Harvest Farm bag! Please, do not take the box. 3. To open box: slide flaps back from slots bending cardboard slightly. Please do not tug on box flaps as they rip very easily. Sliding flaps as you bend prevents from tearing. J 4. Please break down the box by sliding flaps from slots and stack in allotted space at site. 5. Refrigerate produce as quickly as possible for long lasting fresh goodies! All produce has been under refrigeration, that being said, most tomatoes and other foods like it can be simply stored in a cool place. All fresh vegetables and fruits are perishable. If you want them to last and provide you with the best value, keep under 40 degrees. When in doubt, refrigerate! We will not take responsibility for perishable produce perishing too quickly because they were not refrigerated. We apologize for the redundancy but, this is probably the number one critical comment we have received regarding fresh produce spoiling too quickly. These precautions if taken will allow you to usually have 3-7 days of excellent food quality to nourish your body. Thank you! 6. All that you need to know on a weekly basis will be found within the confines of the weekly newsletter, posted on our website by 1 p.m. Monday afternoon. This will enable you to know what you are receiving and to shop accordingly. We will do our best to separate out all items for the 3 share sizes available. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to email us as heavensorganic@yahoo.com or call us at the farm at 508.867.9577. Please remember that most if not all questions can be answered by reading all pertinent info found on the website. Thank You so much. We look forward to a great 2009 Season! Heavens Harvest Farm has just completed the first round of Winter, Spring, and Citrus Shares!!! We will be offering a Fall share running 8 weeks the week after the Summer share ends!! More details to follow soon. Share Content Information Hakurei Turnip This white "salad turnip" sets the standard for flavor. The flat-round, smooth white roots mature early, just after radishes, and are best harvested young, up to 2" diam. The flavor is great raw - sweet and fruity - and the texture is crisp and tender. The dark green hairless tops are useful raw or lightly cooked with the roots. Compared with other early white turnips, Hakurei tastes better and stays smoother as it sizes. Lemon balm Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a member of the mint family, is considered a "calming" herb. It was used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion (including gas and bloating as well as colic). Even before the Middle Ages, lemon balm was steeped in wine to lift the spirits, help heal wounds, and treat venomous insect bites and stings. Today, lemon balm is often combined with other calming, soothing herbs, such as valerian, chamomile, and hops, to help promote relaxation. It is also used in creams to treat cold sores. Power Food: Swiss Chard With its earthy, slightly salty taste, Swiss chard (or just chard) pleases the palate in two ways: first with its nutrient-dense leaves and second with its crunchy stalk. Don't let its name fool you, though. This green hails from Sicily, not Switzerland, and is a staple of Mediterranean cuisine. Health Benefits Related to spinach and beets, Swiss chard offers fantastic antioxidant protection in the form of phytonutrients known as carotenoids. Specifically, the beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin found in chard help maintain eye health and may reduce the risk of cataracts. Further support comes when the body converts beta-carotene to vitamin A, which also helps promote healthy vision, boosts immunity, and may even fight cancer. Chard's high vitamin C content provides even more immune support. Just 1 cup of cooked Swiss chard supplies more than a third of your daily value of vitamin C. Vitamin E, another chard superstar, has shown anti-inflammatory effects and helps protect tissue from oxidation damage.