It is likely you have seen many health and beauty products containing rosemary as a highlighted ingredient. Why is this? Is this simply a trend? Truth be told, Rosemary’s history of uses and benefits have extended thousands of years, and continue to be broadly used within many civilizations. The Rosemary bush is native to the seaside regions of North Africa and the Mediterranean, yet its influence has spread throughout Europe and into America.  Ancient Greeks and Romans, revered Rosemary for its mystical and healing properties.  While Hellenistic and Roman gardens contained Rosemary to protect from evil spirits. It has even been regarded as an herb for female protection, beauty, and power. There’s an old saying, “Where Rosemary flourishes, the mistress rules.” It is debatable whether this is an accurate statement, yet there are unquestionable benefits to utilizing rosemary in your daily life.

While you can use the leaves, for many things such as tea, hygienic uses, cooking, and dressings; have you ever used the sturdy stems for grilling? Yes, it is possible to use the stem of the rosemary plant as a skewer! In your CSA Farm Box this week you will see four long stems of rosemary. While most of our herbs are packaged in small plastic bags. We purposely harvested and packaged them in bunches this week to offer you an opportunity to get a two-in-one function from this CSA exclusive.

To use the plant in this fashion, it is best to strip the leaves from the stem and reserve them for use in one of the ways listed at the bottom of this blogpost. Rosemary stems function as sturdy skewers for the grill. The flavor of rosemary is gracefully transferred to the kebob items. The perfect way to brighten up your grilled meats and vegetables, not to mention a fun and attractive presentation on your plate.

Try your hand at this recipe found at www.realhousemoms.com

ROSEMARY STEAK SKEWERS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE

 

Kebob Ingredients

• 5 lbs steak sirloin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 lb Cherry or Grape tomatoes
• *Blue Sky Organic Farms* Rosemary Stalks

Marinade Ingredients

• ¼ c Balsamic glaze
• ¾ c Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 Tbs Dijon mustard

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together and pour into a bag.
2. Add the cubed meat to the bag and place in the refrigerator to marinate for an hour.
3. Separate rosemary leaves from stalk, leaving a small amount at the top. Reserve leaves for another use. Once stalks are clean, allow them to soak in shallow water for one hour to prevent burning on the grill.
4. When the meat is ready, place on rosemary skewer, alternating beef and tomatoes until each skewer is full.
5. Grill skewers until beef is well seared on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.

 

Or make use of the abundant end of summer vegetables with this recipe found on Williams Sonoma.

 

MARINATED and GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES

 

Ingredients:

• 1 small globe eggplant (about 1 lb) cut lengthwise into quarters
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• *Blue Sky Organic Farms* Rosemary Stalks
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. sherry vinegar
• Pinch of sea salt
• Pinch of freshly ground pepper
• 1 zucchini, cut into rounds about 1/2 inch thick
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes

 

Directions:

1. Cut the eggplant quarters into slices about 1/2 inch thick.

   2. Add the garlic to a large bowl. Pluck the leaves from 1 rosemary sprig and add them to the bowl. Add the mustard, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir well. Add the eggplant, zucchini and the tomatoes, and toss well to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the vegetables marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

   3. Meanwhile, strip the leaves from the bottom two-thirds of the remaining 8 rosemary sprigs (reserve the leaves for another use). Place the sprigs in a shallow dish, add water to cover and soak for 1 hour to prevent them from burning on the grill.

   4. Drain the rosemary sprigs. Thread the vegetables onto the sprigs, alternating the eggplant slices, zucchini slices and tomatoes, and shaking off any excess marinade as you remove the vegetables from the bowl. Reserve the marinade.

   5. About 15 minutes before you plan to serve the vegetable skewers, prepare a hot fire in a grill.

   6. Grill the vegetables, turning once or twice, until the vegetables are tender but not falling apart, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with the remaining marinade. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 4.

 

 

Other Fantastic Uses for Rosemary Leaves

Natural Air-Freshener: place a small handful of Rosemary Leaf into a sauce pot with about 5 inches of water, 1 sliced orange or lemon, and a splash of vanilla. Simmer on low all. Keep an eye on the water levels, and add more as needed.

Rosemary Salt: this a quick and delicious way to preserve the flavor of fresh rosemary. Sprinkle on chicken, lamb or roasted potatoes.

• 1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt

1. Mix together the finely chopped rosemary and the salt.
2. Pack into a clean glass jar.
3. Cover and store at room temperature away from direct light or heat.

 

Relief from Congestion: Boil water in a pot or kettle and transfer immediately to a large, heat proof bowl. Stir in two spoons of fresh rosemary – a natural antiseptic that helps open nasal passages. Drape a towel over your head and lean over the bowl, positioning the towel to keep in as much steam as possible. Breathe in the vapors for up to ten minutes.

 

Tea for Well-Being:  According to research, diffusing your homemade rosemary oil or simply sipping on a cup of rosemary tea can help boost mental clarity and enhance cognitive performance. Rosemary is a member of the mint family. This herb has a good source of fiber, iron and contains antioxidants: carnosic acid and carnosol. Rosemary also contains many phytochemicals like rosmarinic acid, camphor, caffeic acid, ursolic acid, and betulinic acid. Rosemary’s natural chemicals act as stimulants to support your memory, reduce inflammation, fight free radicals, as well as supports a healthy cardiovascular response. To make the tea, it takes only a short time.

Ingredients you need are for 2 cups of tea:

• 1 to 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 1- 1.5 tsp. of fresh rosemary leaves.
• 3 tsp. of honey
• 2 cups of boiling water or 500ml of cold tap water if you brew tea in a saucepan.

 

1. Break the rosemary into small pieces, place into boiling water for 8 minutes. As with other herbs, rosemary needs a long time steeping. Then you can add some honey and decorate it with some fresh rosemary.

 

2. The second way is boiling or simmering rosemary in the sauce pan for a stronger rosemary taste. You can bring to a slow boil, small rosemary pieces with water and honey. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. If you want stronger rosemary taste you can press the rosemary against the side of the pan to extract the juices. Other items such as ginger and lemon can be added for an extra kick.

 

The above listed uses only skims the surface of the many ways to enjoy Rosemary. Perhaps you know of another wonderful way to incorporate Rosemary into daily use, or within a recipe. The options are endless! We look forward to seeing what you come up with, please share your insights with us on our Facebook page.

* Rosemary is quite safe. It is an herb to be widely embraced and celebrated in community herbal practice. The only times you’d want to be careful with Rosemary is during pregnancy, due to its action as an emmenagogue.

We will begin opening the store on the farm starting today with the following hours:

Tuesday 12pm to 6pm

Thursday 12pm to 5pm

Friday 12pm to 5pm

Saturday 10am to 5pm

We will be closed on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday

.

 

When opening your CSA Farm Box this week, you will see a variety of produce such as our signature, triple washed spring mix, French radish, and our beautifully aromatic basil. Many of these items you may well know and utilize in your favorite dishes. However, have you ever experienced our turnips? I’d like you to envision a perfectly white, small, yet bulbous root decorated by tender green leaves. Hakurei Turnips, also known as Salad Turnips, differ greatly from the traditionally seen purple turnips that offer a spicy kick to your taste buds. These white little gems grace the palette with a sweet and mild flavor. Sliced raw, they are a perfect companion to our spring mix.

The beauty revolving around this cruciferous vegetable, doesn’t begin and end with its flavor, but expands as you become familiar with its many benefits. Nutrients abound from the calcium, folate and vitamins K, A, and C found in the leafy tops, to the potassium and sulfuric compounds within its dense bulb. This is a two in one vegetable, sure to satisfy even the pickiest eater. Here are a few recipes to experiment with this week.

Roasted: In a 425-degree preheated oven, roast halved turnips for 15 minutes. In a bowl, mix 1 Tablespoon of White Wine Vinegar, 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, and 1 ½ teaspoons of Dijon Mustard. Add a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley to the bowl, add in roasted turnips, toss, and enjoy!

Baked Chips: Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Thinly slice turnips with a food processor, mandolin, or carefully with a knife. Toss slices in Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper. Arrange in one even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway through cooking time. Be sure to check on their progress regularly to ensure even baking.

Sautéed: Sauté sliced Turnips and chopped Garlic in Olive Oil until tender. Roughly chop Turnip Greens, add to pan with Turnips and cook until wilted. Season with fresh lemon juice and cracked black pepper.

Slaw: Grate by hand or with a food processor; 2 large Turnips and 4 medium Carrots. In a serving bowl; mix ½ Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar, 2 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard, and 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil. Add grated vegetables and toss. Garnish with thinly sliced, green onions.

Mash: Chop Turnips, and submerge into a pot of water, bring to a boil, and allow turnips to simmer until fork tender. Drain turnips and mash with a drizzle of Olive Oil. Season to taste with chopped chives, salt and pepper.

Quick Pickle: Slice Turnips and place into a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of Vinegar (Rice or White Wine) and several pinches of Salt. Enjoy!

Good news, we made it through the hot, dry days of summer! Our reward; the cool breeze of autumn and an opportunity to savor some of the best produce of the entire year. This growing season at Blue Sky Organic Farms we have made it easy for you to share in the season’s best produce through our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm Box program.

Forget the questionable freshness of produce and long lines at the grocery store, and sign up for a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly Farm Box. We deliver to pick up sites throughout the valley, or come visit us at the farm to pick up your Farm Box. We’d love to see you!

This season we have made it even easier for you to enjoy eating healthy. Our CSA offers three types of delivery frequencies, three sizes of Farm Boxes and yes, we have even taken the guess work out and are now offering a Customizable Farm Box option, so you know what you are receiving each week. Through the Customizable Farm Box you have the opportunity to choose from our available produce to make the perfect Farm Box for your household. And that isn’t all folks, you can also Add-On our farm fresh RAW honey and certified organic, nest run eggs to any of your Farm Box orders.

 

Take a look and see what size Farm Box fits you and your household needs. Each size box can be set for delivery on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.

 

• Salad Farm Box – 1 triple washed salad, as well as four additional items
  • $18.00 per week (reoccurring subscription, you can choose billing frequency)
  • Half season (18 weeks) for $318.00
  • Whole season (37 weeks) for $650.00
• Small Farm Box – 1 triple washed salad, as well as five additional items
  • $21.00 per week (reoccurring subscription, you can choose billing frequency)
  • Half season (18 weeks) for $365.00
  • Whole season (37 weeks) for $747.00
• Full Farm Box – 1 triple washed salad, as well as seven additional items
  • $25.00 per week (reoccurring subscription, you can choose billing frequency)
  • Half season (18 weeks) for $430.00
  • Whole season (37 weeks) for $880.00
• Customizable Farm Box – 1 triple washed salad, as well as a minimum of six other items of your choice
  • $28.00 per week (reoccurring subscription, you can choose billing frequency)
  • Half season (18 weeks) for $493.00
  • Whole season (37 weeks) for $991.00.

 

What if I want to go on vacation and can’t get my Farm Box for a couple of weeks? No problem! We understand; you can place your order on hold. Starting your Farm Subscription in the middle of the season? We prorate! Could we have made it any easier? We are always improving and finding better ways to serve our community.

How else are we helping you maintain great health, create a positive impact on the environment, and build a stronger community? We grow everything with health in mind, that is why all our products are 100% Certified Organic. Know your farmer, gain insights into the seasons and the land, and get connected with your food. Sign up for your Farm Box, today!

Come pick up some delicious organic jam at the Farm Store before it sells out!