2013 CSA Signup now open!

Welcome to Burge Organic Farm!

As winter is now underway, we turn our thoughts in to planning for the coming spring. We are excited to continue our CSA into it’s third year, and we plan on expanding our production to allow more members than ever before.

If you already know you would like to join this season’s CSA, click HERE .  If you need some convincing, keep reading!

Each week you will receive 8-10 items that represent the height of seasonal quality.  Each box is designed to provide a family of three with fruits and vegetables for a week, with a few supplements needed from time to time.  Whole shares come every week, while Half shares are delivered every other week.

Although we can’t always estimate what Nature has in store for us, below is a list of what you can expect with each season.

Spring: Strawberries, lettuce, arugula, sugar snap peas, asparagus, cabbage, turnips, scallions, broccoli, carrots, beets, spinach, wild edibles, collards, kale, Asian greens, spring herbs, and fava beans.

Summer: tomatoes, summer squash, okra, eggplant, sweet and spicy peppers, beans, orchard fruits(pears, plums, figs), Burge Heirloom Garlic, blackberries, melons, onions, wild edibles, cucumbers, beans, flowers, summer herbs, southern peas and corn.

Fall: carrots, winter squash, cauliflower, broccoli, orchard fruits (Asian persimmon, apples, pomegranate),beets, spinach, sweet potatoes, beans, cabbage, scallions, lettuce, salad greens, collards, chard, kale, grits/cornmeal/popcorn, radish, cucumber, fennel, garlic and turnips.

Winter: Collards, apples, kale, arugula, spinach, turnips, radishes, chard, fennel, spring onions, sweet potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, cauliflower, canned goods, cabbage, radicchio, endive, escarole, salad greens, pumpkins, and more!

How it works:

By signing up for the CSA, you are agreeing to let us farm for you for the whole season. You are providing us working capital at the beginning of the year to insure the farm’s financial and operational sustainability (thank you!).  We deliver weekly to the following areas, at the following times, and you pick up your box according to your selected location.

Tuesdays at the farm (Mansfield) 2:00pm-7:00pm

Tuesdays at Covington YMCA (Covington) 3:00pm-7:00pm

Wednesdays at Northside United Methodist Church (Buckhead), 4:00pm-7:00pm

Wednesdays at The Cathedral of St. Philip (Buckhead), 4:00pm-7:00pm

Wednesdays at The Lovett School (Northside) 3:00pm-7:00pm

Wednesdays at Shields Meat Market (Emory) 4:00-7:00pm

For additional information, please read our CSA primer

Let us be your Farmer!

2012 CSA Signup now open!

Welcome to Burge Organic Farm!  Fall has arrived, and with it, another exciting CSA season begins.  We have a lot of great food in store for you this year, and can’t wait to share it with you!   We hope you can join us this season, if you have any questions, just let us know.

If you already know you would like to join this season’s CSA, click HERE .  If you need some convincing, keep reading!

Each week you will receive 6-10 items that represent the height of seasonal quality.  Each box is designed to feed a family of four fruits and vegetables for a week, with a few supplements needed from time to time.  Whole shares come every week, while Half shares are delivered every other week.

Although we can’t always estimate what Nature has in store for us, below is a list of what you can expect with each season.

Spring: Strawberries, lettuce, arugula, sugar snap peas, asparagus, cabbage, turnips, scallions, broccoli, carrots, beets, spinach, wild edibles, collards, kale, Asian greens, spring herbs, and fava beans.

Summer: tomatoes, summer squash, okra, eggplant, sweet and spicy peppers, beans, orchard fruits(pears, plums, figs), Burge Heirloom Garlic, blackberries, melons, onions, wild edibles, cucumbers, beans, flowers, summer herbs, southern peas and corn.

Fall: carrots, winter squash, cauliflower, broccoli, orchard fruits (Asian persimmon, apples, pomegranate),beets, spinach, sweet potatoes, beans, cabbage, scallions, lettuce, salad greens, collards, chard, kale, grits/cornmeal/popcorn, radish, cucumber, fennel, garlic and turnips.

Winter: Collards, apples, kale, arugula, spinach, turnips, radishes, chard, fennel, spring onions, sweet potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, cauliflower, canned goods, cabbage, radicchio, endive, escarole, salad greens, pumpkins, and more!

How it works:

By signing up for the CSA, you are agreeing to let us farm for you for the whole season. You are providing us working capital at the beginning of the year to insure the farm’s financial and operational sustainability (thank you!).  We deliver weekly to the following areas, at the following times, and you pick up your box according to your selected location.

Tuesdays at the farm (Mansfield) 2:00pm-7:00pm

Tuesdays at Square Perk (Covington) 3:00pm-7:00pm

Tuesdays at LA Fitness (Conyers) 3:00pm-7:00pm

Wednesdays at Northside United Methodist Church (Buckhead), 4:00pm-7:00pm

Wednesdays at The Cathedral of St. Philip (Buckhead), 4:00pm-7:00pm

Wednesdays at The Lovett School (Northside) 3:00pm-7:00pm

Wednesdays at Shields Meat Market (Emory) 4:00-7:00pm

Wednesdays at Farmer D Organics (Toco/Briarcliff)

To sign up, click http://burgeorganicfarm.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/2012-sp-csa-sign-up.pdf

For additional information, please read our CSA primer

Let us be your Farmer!

Check us out on Perennial Plate!

Last fall we were fortunate to take part in an incredible farm-table experience right here at our farm. We had a wonderous collection of chefs, farmers, merry-makers and eaters. it was a meal to remember.  Check out the video, it says it all:

Dinner at Burge

CSA customers take note: We will be offering a Spring and a Fall CSA Customer Appreciation Dinner that will be the same type of experience- come join us at the farm!

New Pickup Locations Added!

Hey All,

Just a quick annoucement that we have just added three new pickup locations to our Spring CSA Program. Now you can pick up wonderful, fresh produce at the following establishments:

-Square Perk Cafe (On the square in Covington)

-LA Fitness (Hwy 138 in Conyers)

-Farmer D Organics (Corner of Lavista and Briarcliff)

We can’t wait to start the season!

 

Fall CSA Week 13

Greetings Farm Friends!

The farm at this point of the year is bursting with green cover crops and neatly tended rows (well, kind of neat) of greens and roots. Fall is still mystifying to me as a farmer. During spring, you plant and everything grows. You can set your watch by it. For the fall, vegetables seem to take on a personality of their own, deciding to grow at their own individual pace. Radishes stay true to the calender, Collards grow as fast as you can cut them, but broccoli languishes and teases you for weeks on end… Despite having to tend to a large family of unruly vegetables, it’s hard not to be content seeing the farm continue to produce such wonderful food after so many months of weeding, watering and (more than a little) cursing. I’ve been quite proud of what we’ve been able to scratch out of the dirt this season, and I hope we’ve been able to fill both your bellies and minds with something unique and tasty.

I can hardly believe it, but our fall season is all but at a close.  For several of you this is the last week, and I want to say how much I appreciate all of your comments and support. No season on a farm such as ours is without challenges and travails, but throughout it all you have been present with open minds and a healthy appetite for adventure. I hope you have made some fond food memories along the way, and most of all I hope you are able to continue supporting local sustainable agriculture- We need more folks like you.

Important Announcements

We have prepared a quick, 10 question survey about the fall season, and we would really appreciate your feedback. You can find the link HERE . Your responses will help shape our program in the future, so please let us know what you think!

Also, If you are interested in getting the occasional box over the winter, you can sign up for our Winter CSA Email List. We have a ton of beautiful produce loaded up in our three hoophouses including arugula, beets, carrots, spinach and turnips. We also have 1000 stubborn broccoli plants that we planted for the fall season CSA that will be ready on their own time between now and Christmas (please don’t make me eat them all…). If you are interested in getting additional veggies this winter, you can sign up HERE

In addition, we are also making preparations for the Spring season (we’ve planted over 5,000 strawberry plants already!), and as current CSA members, you have priority on signing up. If you want to go ahead and get on the list for Spring (we will start on mid-April) you can do so HERE . We are planning on expanding the program next year, so if any of you find the drive to your pick up location a little too far, now is the time to let us know and we can work on putting together a closer pickup. We hope you can join us for what should be an incredible spring!

In The Box

We are sending some of you fine folks out in style this week. The first fall leeks are ready just in time, and we also have some lovely large rutabagas from our neighbor, Crystal Organic Farm.

-1# Apples (Beech Creek Farm)

-1 bunch Leeks

-1 head Endive

-1 bunch Swiss Chard

-1# Rutabaga (Crystal Organic Farm)

-2 green Bell Peppers

-2# Sweet Potatoes

-1# Winter Radish

-1 head Kohlrabi

-1 bunch Italian Parsley

Recipes and Ideas

Rutabaga Puree

2 pounds rutabaga, peeled and cut into cubes
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 -2 tablespoons skim milk
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground white pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

Fill a stockpot with cold water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Place the rutabagas and garlic in the pot and bring to a boil. Cook until very tender, between 30 to 45 minutes. Drain well and then place in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Return the pureed rutabaga to the pot and simmer over medium-low, stirring continually until the remaining liquid evaporates. Add the butter, skim milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, ground white pepper and thyme, stirring until well combined. Serve warm.

Kohlrabi Au Gratin

1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon butter
1 lb kohlrabi, trimmed and peeled
coarse salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup grated cheese (combine Parmesan with Emmentaler)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Rub the inside of a small, shallow ceramic casserole with the garlic. Grease it with the butter. Meanwhile, slice the kohlrabi very thinly. You may want to first cut it in half from end to end. Lay the kohlrabi slices in the casserole overlapping like shingles, seasoning them with salt as you go. You may make two or three layers. Cover with the cream and shake the casserole a little to distribute the salt. Lay the casserole on a baking sheet and place in the oven. As the cream browns, break it up and push it under the cream underneath, scraping any brown bits from the side of the casserole and incorporating those as well. Continue doing this for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the kohlrabi is perfectly tender and the cream has been almost completely absorbed. Sprinkle the cheese over the gratin and continue baking until the cheese is completely melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Leeks Pangrattato 

Involved, but worth it!

5 Leeks, big, with outer leaves trimmed back, washed
olive oil
3 knobs butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled & finely sliced
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 white wine, small glass
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 pints chicken stock
12 slices Prosciutto, thin
16 ounces lasagne sheets, 2 X 8oz packs
flour, for dusting
2 handfuls Parmesan, freshly grated (plus extra for serving)
1 handful dried porcini mushrooms, small handful
½ piece ciabatta bread, preferably stale, cut into chunks
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprigs fresh rosemary

Halve the leeks lengthways and cut at an angle into 1/2-inch slices. Heat a wide saucepan, add a splash of oil and a knob of the butter, and when you can hear a gentle sizzling add the sliced garlic, thyme leaves and leeks. Move the leeks around so every piece gets coated. Pour in the wine, season with pepper and stir in the stock. Cover the leeks with the slices of Prosciutto, place a lid on the pan and cook gently for about 25 to 30 minutes. Once the leeks are tender, take the pan off the heat.

To make the pangrattato, whiz the mushrooms and bread with a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic cloves and the rosemary and cook for a minute, then fry the breadcrumbs in the oil until golden and crisp. Keep shaking the pan — don’t let the breadcrumbs catch on the bottom. Drain on kitchen paper, discard the rosemary and garlic, and allow the breadcrumbs to cool.

Bring a big pan of salted water to the boil. Lay the lasagna sheets on a clean working surface and sprinkle with a little flour. Place the sheets on top of each other and slice into 1/2-inch strips. Toss through your fingers to shake out the pappardelle, then cook in the boiling water for 2 minutes or until al dente.

Remove the Prosciutto from the saucepan, slice up and stir back into the leeks. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the Parmesan and the rest of the butter. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water, and add the pasta to the leeks. Add a little of the cooking water if need be, to give you a silky, smooth sauce. Serve quickly, sprinkled with some pangrattato, extra Parmesan and any leftover thyme tips. Serve the rest of the pangrattato in a bowl on the side.

Fall CSA Week 12

Hello Happy Eaters!

Greetings from the farm. Today might have been the most beautiful day of the year here at Burge. The weather makes an easy target for complaints but every now and then, nature bestows on us such a wonderful day that we are tempted to forgive her of her foul temper. When the weather is this nice, you don’t even have to try to get things done, they just seem to happen. We spent today harvesting for the CSA, pulling out the spent summer crops of eggplant, peppers and tomatoes, planting the last of the strawberry crop, and giving a troop of Girl Scouts a tour of the farm. If it could only be like this once a week every week of the year, I believe we could grow enough produce to feed most of Atlanta.

We really relish these Indian summer days, because we know from experience that the door is closing on the active growing season. Soon we will be sitting by a fire looking back at the year and trying to make sense of the chaos that currently surrounds us. But for now its tally ho into the fray- we know we have a small envelope, but we are doing our best to fill it with all we can. The veggies on the farm are doing a wonderful job soaking up the diminishing rays of the sun, and we have another beautiful box planned for you this week. Greens and roots abound and with the nice weather, more will continue to come in. I had hoped to be doling out tons of carrots, beets and broccoli by this time of the year, but alas the unusually hot and dry August has set us back a few weeks. This causes no small amount of consternation to this farmer, who remembers laboriously setting out all of his plans in spreadsheets and picking the perfect time and amounts to plant only to be beset by the wanton fates of weather. Fortunately, I’m well equipped with an inordinate amount of stubborn, and so I am able to use these small defeats as fuel when it comes time to plan for next year. Carrots planted in July didn’t work? Next year, lets try June!

Take Care and Eat Well,

Cory

In The Box

-1# Apples

-1 bunch Chard

-1 bunch Hakurei OR Scarlet Queen Turnips

-1 head Romaine Lettuce

-1 head Escarole

-1 Large African Squash

-3 Green Bell Peppers

-1# Tomatoes OR 1# Zucchini OR 1# Cucumbers OR 1 bunch Baby Carrots

- 1 bunch Baby Fennel

-1 sprig each Basil and Sage

Recipes and Ideas

Pasta with Roasted Winter Squash in Browned Butter, Sage, and Hazelnut Sauce

3 pounds winter squash

2 T extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

1 pound uncooked orecchiette pasta (or other short, ridged pasta)

10 oz baby spinach or Chard

8 T unsalted butter

3 T chopped fresh sage

1/2 cup coursely chopped, skinned hazelnuts, toasted

1 cup freshly grated gouda or parmesean

Preheat oven to 400F

Cut the squash into 3/4 inch cubes and spread them on a foil lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with oil.  Roast until tender, about 45 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, cover to keep warm, and set aside. Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Drain and return to the pot.  Add the spinach and toss with tongs so that the heat of the pasta wilts the spinach.  Add squash and toss gently to combine.  Season with salt and pepper, cover with foil, and set aside. Melt the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Let the butter cook, gently swirling the pan often, until the butter is covered in white foam and begins to brown in the center, 2-3 minutes. Lift the pan off the heat and continue swirling until the butter is deep golden brown throughout and smells nutty and toasty.  Drop in the sage and the nuts, which will bubble furiously at first. As soon as the sizzling stops, pour the browned butter over the pasta and squash and toss gently to combine.  Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.

from The New Southern Garden Cookbook by Sheri Castle.  This is our new favorite cookbook and is written with southern CSA customers in mind.

Braised Chard with Raisins and Feta

1 (1-pound) bunch Swiss chard
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons dried golden raisins, currants or cherries
1/8 cup wine
1 1/2 ounces feta, crumbled (1/3 cup)

juice from 1/2 lemon

Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough parts near base, then cut stems and ribs crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Coarsely chop leaves. Cook garlic in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chard stems and ribs, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add raisens and cook, stirring, until plump, about 1 minute. Add chard leaves and wine and increase heat to moderate, then cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until leaves are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in feta and pine nuts and lemon.

Fall CSA Week 11

Hello Fellow Veggiephiles,

   Hands are numbing around the farm as chilly mornings await us each day. Despite some light frosts our fall tomato plants are just beginning to produce and with a little luck, we will have enough for everyone next week. The first few heads of broccoli are also starting to crown, so it shouldn’t be much longer…

We’re running a little behind this morning, so I’m going to save the lengthy reflections for next week. Thanks as always for making us your farm!

Enjoy!

-Cory

In The Box

-1# Apples

-1 head Komatsuna OR 1 bunch Choy Sum (Chinese Sprouting Broccoli)

-1 small bag Spinach

-1 double-sized bunch Hakurei Turnips

-1 head Lettuce

-1 head Escarole

-2# Sweet Potatoes

-1# Winter Radish

-1 bunch Beets OR 1# Tomatoes OR 1# Zucchini OR 1# Cucumbers

Recipes and Ideas

Mixed Root Vegetable Salad

2 small apples, peeled and sliced

1 bunch salad turnips, tops removed, sliced thin

2 small heads fennel, tops removed sliced thin

2-3 winter radishes, sliced thin

for the dressing:

1/4 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon-style prepared mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk until emulsified, pour on to salad and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Serve as is or on a bed of greens.

Caribbean Sweet Potato Salad

2 large Sweet Potatoes or Yams, steamed until cooked, cooled, cut into ¾-inch pieces
1 cup Corn Kernels, frozen or canned
1/4 cup Red Onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 fresh squeezed Lime Juice
2 teaspoons Prepared Mustard, preferably Dijon
3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 clove Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Grated Ginger
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 cup Cucumber Pieces, pealed and 1/2 inch diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Peanuts

sweet red chili sauce (optional)

Add sweet potatoes, corn and onion to large bowl. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lime juice, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, and grated ginger. Add dressing to potatoes. Toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Add cucumber and peanuts just before serving.