RECIPE: SAUSAGE, LENTIL AND RAPINI STEW

Ingredients:

1 lb. sausage, sliced into quarter inch rounds
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
1 cup lentils
2-4 cups vegetable broth
1 bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), chopped, stems and leaves separate
salt and pepper

Directions:

Cook sausage in a large pot until browned, then remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in pot, and set sausage aside. Cook onion in the sausage fat until translucent. Add sliced carrots and broccoli rabe stems, and cook briefly, about 2 minutes. Add lentils and 2 cups vegetable broth, cover and lower heat. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until lentils and carrots are tender (add more vegetable broth if needed), then add sausage and the broccoli rabe leaves. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes, or until leaves are wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

VEGETABLE HIGHLIGHT: THE POTATO

WHAT IS IT?
The potato is an edible tuber of an ancient plant, cultivated 4000 years ago in South America. Spanish explorers in the New World brought potatoes back to Europe in the 16th century after discovering that they prevented scurvy. The potato was not widely cultivated in Northern Europe until the 18th century when it lost its reputation as a cause of leprosy. It became so popular in Ireland that when disease attacked the potato crop in 1845, the country was plunged into a terrible famine that caused many starving Irish citizens to emigrate to America.

STORAGE:
Potatoes can be stored in a cool, dark, dry place for about 2 months. Avoid storing in plastic bags, which encourages mold growth.

PREP:
Scrub potatoes in cold water and peel; or, if you prefer, cook with skins on. Potatoes that are more than half green should be thrown away. Otherwise trim off the green bits and any "eyes." Once cut, cook immediately or store covered in cold water.

USAGE SUGGESTIONS:
There is no shortage of recipes for potatoes. Fried, roasted, baked, boiled, or sauteed, any way you mash them up, potatoes have reached culinary icon status in many cultures. Use waxy potatoes like Yukon golds for mashed, baked or boiled potatoes. The best french fries are made from the more starchy russet potato.

CORE GROUP COORDINATOR POSITIONS

Membership Accounts Coordinator:

• Receive all payments and member intake info.


• Create and manage member accounts.


• Send bundled payments to the farm as they come in.


• Track accounting, balances, admin fee, low income donations.


• Keep updated database with member info.


• Create distribution lists with Distribution Coordinators


• Communicate with farmers regarding accounting, #’s, etc.

Distribution Coordinators (Wednesday and Saturday):

• Arrange for distribution materials to be at distribution


• A Binder, B Binder, Master Binder


• Lists (A & B weeks, Veg, Fruit,


• Volunteer Check off


• Produce drop off /weekly share record list


• Weekly notes


• What ran out, problems, etc.
  
• Banner & Tent, etc.
  
• Manage Core distribution volunteers

Workshift Coordinators (Wednesday and Saturday):

• Maintain calendar of volunteer shifts for both market and distribution volunteer shifts.


• Keep database of volunteer completion.


• Email members reminding about upcoming volunteer shifts.


• Facilitate different volunteer opportunities for members who would like to fulfill requirement by working at the farm or with GreenDome’s composting efforts.

Sign Up Coordinator:

• Assess sign up needs


• Determine whether improvements could be made to sign up/ intake procedure


• Manage sign up process
  
• Train core members on member intake process


• Facilitate member intake through:
  
• sign up events


• communication with members


• other events or venues if appropriate
  
• Simplify and improve the intake process where possible


• Update the farm regularly during sign up


• Communicate with Core group regarding sign up updates
  
• Facilitate information transfer from member intake to Distribution, Workshift, and Accounting coordinators obtaining information as needed.

Events Coordinator:

• Create community by organizing 4 events and 2 Farm Trips that are repeated on an annual basis. Coordinator will not necessarily be in charge of all events but will facilitate their organization.


• Coordinator is also in charge of organizing 3 farm visits; 1 in each season--Spring, Summer, & Fall including arranging transportation (carpool, vans,etc) and food (BYOBag lunch, potluck picnic, farm bbq, etc).
  
• Sign-up Potluck:
  Kick-off sign-ups for returning members with a welcoming pot-luck


• Welcome mixer:
  A happy hour cocktail mixer and orientation before the first pickup. Event will be an intro to the CSA for new members and an opportunity for the core to facilitate half share people who will be switching weeks and picking up for others, etc. Possible “Meet the Farmer” presentation.


• Spring Farm Trip


• Summer Event:
  This could be an “Iron Chef” event, a potluck, Supperclub, or some other event involving summer vegetables and CSA community.


• Summer Farm Trip


• Fall Farm Trip


• Harvest Dinner:
  Annual November potluck/fundraiser for Just Foods.

Secretary:

• Regularly attend monthly Core meetings.


• Take minutes at monthly Core meetings.
  
• Send draft minutes out to the CSA Core prior to the following meeting.


• Update and keep records of final minutes.
  
• Update yearly Membership Agreement and write or update other general Core documents as needed in conjunction with the Communications committee.


• Archiving/ maintaining of general CSA documents (excluding member records kept by Accounting and Signup) throughout the season.

IT Coordinator:

• Maintain and update the website as needed


• Responsible for web server and domain registrations


• Responsible for creating and changing passwords including those to the gmail account, web host, and domain registrar


• Oversee any software purchase, creation, and/maintenance


• Make sure the CSA is using the best practices for ensuring the security of our members information

Low Income Coordinator:

• Implement subsidized shares as established by core group
  
• For 2009: up to 3 mega combo shares at 75% discount


• Liaise with GRC pastors for names and contact info of candidates; meet with candidates to inform them of requirements and benefits of CSA, answer their questions; arrange for them to be signed up; work with others to figure out best way for weekly payments to happen; sort out any details
  
• During distribution season, arrange for leftover food on both Wednesday and Saturday to be donated to food program(s)
  
• For 2009: all to Greenpoint Reformed Church (used by their soup kitchen and food pantry programs)


• Arrange for members to help with delivery

Communications Coordinator:

• Write weekly newsletters to CSA members.


• Update website
  
• Post newsletter to blog


• Post additional new blog entries


• Update or create website content as needed
  
• Communications Committee
  
• Host regular Committee meetings


• Oversee and organize meetings/members
  
• Check and respond to email from CSA members


• Handle press inquiries


• Oversee member surveys


• Other communications related tasks as needed

IN THE NEWS: SCHOOL VENDING MACHINES

Recently, the topic of vending machines in schools has been in the news. Now, I don't remember vending machines at school from when I was a kid, and I'm not exactly sure why schools need vending machines at all (isn't that what the school cafeteria is for?), but anyway, apparently there are a lot of unhealthy processed foods being offered in these school vending machines: potato chips, candy bars, soda, etc. However, according to a recent New York Times article, new vending machine contracts approved by the Education Department are going to start promoting "healthier choices."

What does this mean?

Drinks must have fewer than 25 calories per 8 ounces, no artificially sweetened drinks, and drinks would have to be caffeine-free or non-carbonated. Examples of drinks fitting the bill are water, seltzer and unsweetened tea. Food items would be limited to 200 calories per item, and 200 milligrams of sodium per item. Sugar and fat would make up no more than 35 percent of the total calories, and saturated fat would not be more than 10 percent of total calories. Examples of food products allowed include Baked Lays, Baked Tostitos, Reduced Fat Doritos and low-sugar Quaker Chewy Granola Bars.

So, is this a better alternative to the previous junk food and soda? Well, I'm actually not so sure. The food choices are all still packaged processed foods (and still what I would consider junk food), not fresh whole foods.

But here's an interesting idea...

Leave it up to the Germans to invent the local food vending machine. A German farm, Peter-und-Paul-Hof, has collaborated with a vending manufacturer on specially designed vending machines selling fresh milk, eggs, butter, cheese, potatoes and sausage to thirteen local German towns and communities.

Of course, something tells me that none of these foods (Sausage? Butter?) would fit the calorie and fat requirements of the Education Department's new contracts. And I somehow can't see a highschooler buying a package of sausage from a school vending machine (although it's interesting to try and imagine it...).

But wait, here's another idea. There is also a line of Spanish vending machines that emphasize "solid nutritional value," and sell "nuts, prepared fruit, ready meals and Spanish speciality, gazpacho soup."

Yum!

Of course, the real advantage to using processed instead of fresh food in school vending machines is that it's cheaper and the vending machines wouldn't have to be stocked daily. These are, of course, the same reasons why the majority of people buy packaged food instead of fresh food at the grocery store.

But couldn't we try to encourage real change in our nation's eating habits by starting in our public schools? What if we taught our children that the right choice is not "healthier" (i.e. "less-bad-for-you") junk food but truly-healthy nutritious un-processed fresh whole food?

Now there's an interesting idea.

CORE GROUP MEETING MINUTES FOR SEPTEMBER

Core Group Meeting Minutes—September 22, 2009

Draft Minutes

I. News from Garden of Eve Farm

No significant news reported.

II. Updates

A. Distribution Update

1. Discussion about 12 pm cut off time on Saturdays

Unanimous consensus was to hold firm to the exact 12 pm cut off time (no grace period) for picking up at Saturday distribution. Suggestion made to emphasize this and its necessary rationale to members in the first newsletter of the season and in the website FAQ.

B. Accounting update

Natasha reported the account balances and checks written.

C. Communications Committee Update

Wendy presented a report on the results of the Early Season Survey, which is available for review on the Google Group. Response was generally positive; signup and amount of produce received responses for improvement. Consensus was to do the next survey at end of the season rather than do a mid-season survey.

D. Website/ IT Update

Rebecca is looking into redoing the website to give coordinators more access to update the pages themselves.

E. Events Update

Vanessa reported on upcoming events, including the planned end-of-season potluck (harvest dinner) which will be held in November. She is also looking into a canning or pickling class.


F. Low Income Update

Kevin reported that the food drivers are working out and the two LI members on Saturdays are doing well; still no appropriate candidate for Wednesday; we discussed selling Wednesday share in order to recoup funds.

VOTE TO SELL THE WEDNESDAY SHARE (PRO-RATED): APPROVED, 11 in favor, none opposed.

Kimberly and Kevin relayed the idea of requesting a grant from the Citizens Committee of NYC for the low income shares, which other CSAs have done. There was discussion about how we can standardize the way we identify low income candidates so that this criteria can be announced at start of season. Natasha proposed that in the interest of long-term viability a grant be requested to fund a revolving loan, rather than for funding a few fully subsidized shares.

MOTION TO REQUEST CCNYC GRANT TO FUND A REVOLVING LOAN APPROVED BY VOTE, 9 in favor; 2 for requesting a subsidized shares grant.

Kimberly will write and submit a grant proposal.


G. Workshift Update

No significant news reported.

H. Incorporation Committee Update

Dawn presented the insurance coverage quotes received (commercial package, volunteer accident, and directors & officers liability), the options available to the CSA, and estimated increased admin cost to members.

Volunteer Accident coverage has been purchased as previously authorized. Our attorney advises both D&O and Commercial Package coverage. Option #1 is D&O coverage up to $500,000; Option #2 is D&O coverage up to $1,000,000.

VOTE ON PURCHASING LIABILITY INSURANCE: PURCHASE APPROVED, 11 in favor, none opposed.

VOTE ON PURCHASING D&O COVERAGE TO $1M OR $500K: $1M PURCHASE APPROVED, 11 in favor, none for $500K.

Dawn to ask Ted about deadline for completing bylaws.

III. Report on CB1 meeting re: proposed Greenmarket move

In October the Farmer’s Market will move to Union Avenue. Dawn reported that we have the blessing of the head of the Greenmarket and the Parks Department to remain in our current Saturday distribution area.

Kimberly volunteered to make a CSA banner for Saturday distribution in order to distinguish the CSA from the farmer’s market.

Dawn reported that according to the Greenmarket, if we wanted to select a date to sell our cookbooks at the Greenmarket we would be allowed to do that.

IV. Earlybird signups to begin in November? (Eve’s request)

Eve is requesting 2010 signups begin in Nov or Dec 2009; consensus is that if so, we will need to make decisions about signup soon so that we can work out details, procedures, etc.

MOTION TO DEVOTE OCTOBER MEETING TO ELECTING 2010 COORDINATORS APPROVED BY VOTE, 11 for, none opposed.

MOTION TO ALERT NICOLE (2009 SIGNUP COORDINATOR) TO HOLD OFF ON 2010 SIGNUP PLANNING (IF ANY) UNTIL OCTOBER MEETING DISCUSSION APPROVED BY VOTE, 11 for, none opposed.

Wendy to post coordinator descriptions to the website.

V. Meat at the CSA

Wendy presented the results of the Meat Share survey; many responses were positive about adding a meat share to the CSA. Consensus was to devote November meeting to Meat Share discussion (pros/cons, feasibility, options, etc) and alert members to this.

VI. Proposal to send out Core Meeting Minutes in the CSA newsletter.

MOTION TO SEND LINK TO MINUTES IN THE NEWSLETTER APPROVED BY VOTE, 11 for, none opposed.

VII. CSA Timeline (Nicole/Griffin)

No significant news reported.


NEXT MEETING: October 11, 2009; 4-6 PM, Lutheran Church of the Messiah
Facilitator: Natasha
Minutes: Katie
Snacks: Vanessa