A Trip to Burkart Organics Farm April 9, 2012
Posted by beachgreens in Seasonal Market Report.Tags: beachgreens produce delivery, Burkart Farms Dinuba, navel oranges, organic produce delivery long beach
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At the end of March 2012, we took a trip to the Central Valley to visit Burkart Organics. We have been buying fruit from the farm for the last 4 years. Located in Dinuba, just south and east of Fresno, the farm is in a beautiful setting. With the stunning Sequoias in the background, this tranquil location is gorgeous. In this season (early spring), we are buying Navel Oranges from them, and when summer comes, they will be our main supplier of stone fruit. Burkart Farms grows on about 65 acres in Dinuba, CA, and has been doing so since 1979. My family and I got to see the inner workings on the farm.
Burkart Farms is just under 300 miles from Long Beach. They are one of the furthest away farms that we buy from. While I wish they could be closer, I have grown to define the definition of local for beachgreens to include that of transparency. Saying this…buying local is about food miles (how far away your food is coming from), but it’s also about accessibility, transparency in growing practices, and relationships. The guys of Burkart farms (Oliver and Josh, and owner Richard) have always been an absolute pleasure to work with. They welcomed us for a farm tour with open arms, taking the time on a Saturday to show us around. They understand what beachgreens is doing as a business, and are a partner in education for the company. While there might be other farms closer to Long Beach, finding a farm with enough volume, that is easy to work with, is something to be cherished. Enjoy some of these beautiful pics!
The beautiful view from the fields of Burkart Farms. The snowy mountains are Sequoia National Park.
Rows of Navel Orange Trees
Bin of Oranges, with the cooler door behind.
How the oranges are cleaned. These are rollers with a rough surface that dry scrubs the oranges.
Oranges are loaded into here, then dumped and sorted (hand built machine!)
Fruit Sorting Area
Stone Fruit Trees in Blossom
Aprium trees Blossoms and Fruit. They are the 1st Stone Fruit to Ripen at the farm.
We learned about flood irrigation.
Wouldn't be a trip to the farm without a ride on the tractor!
Standing in the Orange Tree Groves
Grape vines are just starting to come out. I can't get over that view!
Chard with Pine Nuts and Feta Cheese March 20, 2012
Posted by beachgreens in Recipes, Seasonal Market Report.Tags: beachgreens produce delivery, fresh local produce delivery, organic produce delivery long beach
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This is a simple dish using only a few fresh ingredients. Below is pictured some spring onions from Jaime Farms, and red chard from my garden. This dish can be made with any type of chard, or spinach. The recipe for this dish can be found here.
I start by separating the chard stems from the leaves. Both will be used in this recipe. This can be done by chopping them out, or just ripping the stems out with your hands.
The chard stems can be roughly chopped.
Then I chop the onion. 1st in half, then a rough chop.
Next rough chop some garlic. Be sure to smash those garlic cloves to peel them!
Go ahead and put the onions and chard stems and garlic into a bowl to get them out of your way.
Back to the chard leaves. Below is what the leaf will look like with the stem removed.
Make them easier to work with, by cutting them in half again.
Then stack and roll the leaf halves, and chop. (This is called a chiffonade).
You will end up with a pile of chopped chard leaves. Feel free to run your knife through them one more time.
Toast some pinenuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Be sure to watch them closely, as they can burn quickly. You want a little bit of color on them and they will become fragrant.
Be sure to remove toasted pinenuts to a bowl or plate, if you leave them in the hot pan, they will continue to cook, and most likely burn.
Back to the chard. Heat up the 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet, and add onion, garlic, chard stems, and salt.
Add cinnamon. Stir well.
Add half of the chopped chard leaves. Don’t worry, they will cook down.
Then add the 2nd half of the chopped chard leaves.
Cook until wilted, and add toasted pinenuts.
Turn off heat, and add crumbled feta cheese.
I packed the finished dish in a container to take for lunch, but had a little snack in a bowl first! This can be enjoyed hot, room temperature, or cold. One bunch of chard serves 4 people.
Sweet Potato Hash February 7, 2012
Posted by beachgreens in Recipes.Tags: beachgreens produce delivery, fresh local produce delivery, seasonal recipes, Sweet Potato Recipe
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This is one of my favorite ways to cook sweet potatoes, and regular potatoes too. I just never get tired of it!
While heating a large cast iron skillet (12″ size), over medium-high heat, I start by cutting 2 sweet potatoes into small cubes:
Once the cast iron pan is heated, I throw in the fat (bacon fat in this case), and the potatoes. It’s important to WAIT until the pan heats up before adding the fat and then the potatoes. If you don’t wait, they will STICK to the pan. We don’t want that. In order to test the pan to see if it is hot enough, I splash a drop of water on it. If it evaporates immediately, you’re good to go. Also, make sure your pan is big enough to fit all the sweet potatoes in one layer. This will help them brown properly.
While these are cooking, I cut up some onion and garlic:
Next I cut up some frozen red bell pepper that I have in the freezer. They freeze wonderfully, and I have them throughout the winter to fancy up what I’m cooking. You may also use jarred roasted red peppers, or leave it out altogether. The original recipe actually calls for pickled jalapenos, which I left out, because my 3-year-old daughter can’t handle that 
Once the sweet potatoes have been cooking for awhile, about 10-15 minutes, they look like this. Notice how the color is changing, and the edges of the potatoes are becoming rounded. I have been stirring them periodically.
At this point, after the sweet potatoes have browned up a bit, I add the onions, garlic, and pepper.
I stir it, in and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are done. At this point is when I add salt and pepper, and ground cumin.
I served it up with some grilled fish and braised cabbage. Yum!
NOTE: The original recipe calls for bacon, which I didn’t have on hand. I used bacon fat to cook with, which made it delicious. Feel free to make this with just olive oil or butter too.
Turkish Style Braised Leeks (or how to clean leeks) January 17, 2012
Posted by beachgreens in Recipes.Tags: beachgreens produce delivery, leeks, recipes, Sustainable Cooking
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This leek dish is one of my all time favorites. It’s quick and simple and delicious. (For the actual recipe, go here.) I think people are often intimidated by leeks, or don’t know what to do with them, partly because they need a good cleaning.
Leeks
I like to start by chopping off the root end of the leek, the ‘hairy’ part.
Then I separate the dark green tops from the white and lighter green part of the leek. This is where a lot of the dirt is, so don’t be alarmed when your cutting board gets dirty. We will be washing! Most recipes call for just using the white and light green part of the leek, as this is the most tender part. Wash off the dark green parts and save them for homemade stock, or compost.
Then I cut the leeks in half lengthwise. This is to help clean them. I don’t cut them all the way through, as you can see in the photo below. This makes them easier to clean and chop later.
Next I find a long container to submerge the leeks in water, as they need a bit of a soak. An old yogurt container works just fine. I ended up using 4-5 leeks. Some were bigger and some were smaller.
As I let the leeks soak, I get the rest of the ingredients ready, namely half an onion and some carrots. I just chop them up into rough chunks.
I also get the oil ready in the pan. A shallow wide pan works best, over medium heat. You don’t want any of the ingredients to brown in this dish, so make sure that heat isn’t up too high! I add about 1/4 cup olive oil to the heating pan. Use your best oil here, as the taste will come through in this simple dish.
Wait until the oil starts to shimmer before adding the onion and carrot. If you add them to cold oil, they will soak up the oil, which is not what you want in this case.
I add salt (about 3/4-1 teaspoon) at this point, and stir it in. I like to add salt from the beginning, to build flavor. I will taste it again at the end and add more if needed.
Back to the leeks. I’ve let them soak in the water in the yogurt container until all the dirt has fallen to the bottom. At this point, don’t pour the water off, but give the leeks a good swish and lift them out of the water. You will see the dirt at the bottom of the container.
Now you have some clean leeks and are ready to chop! Inspect the leeks first, and rinse off any extra dirt under running water.
Go ahead and chop them up…
And add them to the pan!
I also like to add 2-3 Tablespoons white rice to this dish. You can also use brown rice, but cooking time will be longer.
I then added about 1/2 cup water, turned the heat to low, covered it, and let it simmer. Check it every few minutes at first to make sure there is enough water in there, and it doesn’t burn. Add more water if needed. After about 20 minutes or so, remove the lid, and test the rice to see if it is soft. When it’s soft, it’s done!
Add the juice of 1 lemon. I used a Meyer lemon, because it’s what I had, but you can also use a regular Eureka Lemon. Make sure you taste, and add more olive oil or salt as needed.
Dish it up and enjoy! This recipe serves about 4.
Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew November 14, 2011
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Last week was the 1st week we bought sweet potatoes for beachgreens deliveries, and I wanted to do something special to highlight them. After searching around for a recipe for a couple of days online, I decided to open my good old Joy of Cooking. Well loved and very reliable. I happened upon this sweet potato and peanut stew recipe, and decided it sounded different enough and delicious to try. It was a hit!
I started off by 1st chopping the sweet potatoes into large chunks. I chopped up some red onion (because it was what I had on hand, white or yellow would be fine too), and added it to the pot in some coconut oil. After that I added some chopped red bell pepper.
Although, the recipe calls for fresh garlic and ginger, I used granulated garlic, and powdered ginger, because it was what I had on hand . I also added ground ancho chili, cumin, and fresh mexican oregano from the garden (pictured below on the cutting board.) I was staying away from any spicy flavors that the recipe called for (jalapeno, crushed red pepper), to make the dish palatable for my 3-year-old daughter. I figured we could add the spice separately into our dishes at the end if we wanted it. I added the sweet potatoes to the pot, along with 1 cup or so frozen diced tomatoes (I didn’t have any tomato paste on hand). And salt and pepper to taste.
Then I added just enough water to cover everything, and started simmering.
In a separate pan, I began browning the ground beef. (Grass fed of course!) This can absolutely be left out for a vegetarian, and even vegan version, or ground turkey can also be substituted.
After some simmering, the recipe also called for some chopped zucchini (pictured below is the last zucchini of the season!)
After the sweet potato mixture had simmered for about 45 minutes, I added the zucchini, and browned meat.
After this simmered for about 15 minutes, I added the peanut butter. I did this by putting 1/2 cup peanut butter into a small bowl, adding about 1 cup of the hot stew liquid, and mixed it until a paste formed. I then added it back into the pot, and simmered for another 15 minutes.
I served the stew over white rice, with a side of wilted chard from the garden. It was delicious, there were rave reviews, and happy and full tummies!
Recipe from Joy of Cooking:
Heat in a large heavy sauce pan over medium-low heat:
1/4 cup peanut oil (I used coconut oil)
Add:
1 onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and minced (I left this out)
Cook until vegetables are tender, but not brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add:
4 cloves garlic (I used 1-2 teaspoons granulated)
1 Tablespoon minced fresh peeled ginger (I used 1-2 teaspoons dried)
Cook for another 2-3 minutes and stir in:
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I omitted)
Cook for 1 minute and add:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup tomato paste (I added ~1 cup diced frozen tomatoes)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Add enough water to barely cover the vegetables and mix well. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the stew cooks, heat in a medium skillet over medium heat:
1 teaspoon peanut oil (I used coconut oil)
Add:
12 ounces ground beef or turkey (I think I used a pound)
Saute, turning often, until browned. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside until the stew has cooked for 45 minutes. When ready, add the meat to the stew, along with:
2 small zucchini, trimmed and sliced
Cook for another 15 minutes. Place in a small bowl:
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth), preferably unsalted (mine was salted, didn’t matter)
Stir in 1 cup of the stewing liquid until smooth and add the peanut butter mixture to the pot. Mix well and cook another 15 minutes. Season with:
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Serve plain or with:
Hot cooked rice or couscous
Winter Squash October 25, 2011
Posted by beachgreens in Recipes, Seasonal Market Report.Tags: beachgreens produce delivery, fresh local produce delivery, seasonal recipe, Winter Squash
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Adapted from: http://www.cookusinterruptus.com/index.php?video_id=73
It is fall, and the season of hard winter squash is here! Besides being a beautiful decoration, the many varieties of winter squashes we send throughout the season in deliveries are highly edible, delicious and nutritious! They have a huge amount of vitamin A, as well as Vitamin C, as well as fiber, calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, and B vitamins. Many people are intimidated by hard winter squashes, but they really are quite easy to prepare.
Simple Roasted Squash
Preparation time: Depends on size of squash, see directions
2 ½ pounds of winter squash makes 2-3 cups of cooked squash or 4 servings
1 winter squash
Butter or Oil
Sea salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the stem end and bottom off so that you have a flat surface to steady the vegetable when you bi-sect it. Cut squash in half. Be sure to use a strong, sharp knife – a serrated utility knife (click here) works well. Scoop out the pith and seeds. Rub butter on the face of the squash, sprinkle with a few grains of salt and lay flat on a lightly oiled baking dish. Bake until tender. Test by inserting a fork; it should slide in easily and feel soft. Small squashes, such as delicata will only take 35-45 minutes to bake, while a squash weighing 3 pounds may take up to 90 minutes. This cooked squash may then be scooped out and used for many different recipes, or just eaten straight!
This simple dish becomes even more magical when baked with a little cinnamon and brown sugar. You can also roast it with chopped fresh rosemary and olive oil or flip them over and dress with sage and butter or maple syrup and tamari during the last 5 minutes of roasting time.
Fall is Here! October 6, 2011
Posted by beachgreens in Seasonal Market Report.Tags: beachgreens produce delivery, fresh local produce delivery, Long Beach, seasonal recipes, Sustainable Cooking
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And with a dramatic uncharacteristic rainstorm, fall arrives here in Long Beach. This week in the boxes we still have a lot of warm weather items. Melons, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes all still taste delicious. Hard Winter squashes are just starting to trickle in, but I will hold off including them in most of the boxes until summer produce is gone. Valencia Oranges from Bernard Ranch in Riverside are still super sweet, and grapes and plums are delicious as well. We have been getting ‘Autumn Royal’ variety grapes from Burkart Farms. Large oval shaped berries and a dark purple hue are the characteristic of this grape. Not as sweet as some varieties, I’ve heard the ‘Autumn Royal’ referred to as the ‘Old Hollywood’ of grapes. A vintage grape? Beautiful, classic…
We are starting to see Fuji apples and Pink Ladies this week as well. Farmers still have crops of zucchini. We have also been lucky to try some of the tropical fruit from Charles Moore of Gladys Ave Urban Farm. Longans, Bananas, Jujubes just to name a few. Persimmons, surely a sign of fall, are just starting to appear as well. Most farmers are telling me that the crop is late this year. This week was the last for figs, and citrus season will begin sometime in November. Keep enjoying those heirloom tomatoes and peppers, freezing what you don’t use fresh. Come February, you’ll be glad you did!
Late Summer Market Report II August 17, 2011
Posted by beachgreens in Seasonal Market Report.Tags: beachgreens produce delivery, fresh local produce delivery, Long Beach, produce delivery, southern california, Sustainable Cooking
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This week we have the 1st of the new crop of Gala Apples from Fair Hills Farm in Paso Robles. Crunchy and juicy, these sweet apples are perfect for the Apple Cucumber Salad, offering up the best of summer. We were expecting grapes this week, but it turns out this is looking like a low grape harvest year for Burkart Organics, and we’ll have to wait and see on those. We have the tail ends of nectarine and peach crops, and plenty of plums and pluots around and still to come. Melons are still plentiful, and we have Brown Turkey and Black Mission Figs this week, grown right here in Long Beach. We got a huge local harvest from Charlie Moore at the Gladys Ave Urban Farm this week, as the coastal climate at his farm enables him to keep growing greens even through the hot summer days. Lettuce, Bok Choi, Tatsoi, Tomatoes, and Mixed Greens are vibrant this week. We have bi-color sweet corn from Rutiz Farms this week as well, so sweet, just throw on the grill, husk and all for about 10 minutes. Peel off the outside burnt husk, and enjoy the sweet juicy corn inside!
Late Summer Market Report July 27, 2011
Posted by beachgreens in Seasonal Market Report.Tags: beachgreens produce delivery, fresh local produce delivery, long beach organic produce delivery
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Summer is moving along nicely, and the stone fruit this year is incredible! Lemon cucumber and all types of melons are in full swing right now, as well as heirloom tomatoes. The promise of fall is just around the corner. The first Gala apples will be here in a week or two, and grapes will be starting in 2 weeks as well.
Heirloom tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, and melons are the star of this late summer season.
Summer Market Report June 16, 2011
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Although it is aggressively misting outside (it’s not raining in June it’s not!), the calendar is telling us summer is officially just around the corner. The contents of beachgreens boxes are telling us the same thing. Stone fruit (apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums), came in a couple of weeks ago, and are only getting better in flavor. Burkart Farms, in Dinuba, CA, is where we get most of the stone fruit, with the farm growing close to 40 varieties.
This week brings our 1st cherry tomatoes, Sungold variety, from Tutti Frutti Farms. We also will be including Heirloom Tomatoes in the boxes from them in upcoming weeks. Also lots and lots of zucchini!
Sungold Tomatoes
The unseasonably cool weather is terrific growing conditions for lots of greens, like the delicious bunched spinach from Rutiz Farms this week. Located near Pismo Beach, in Arroyo Grande, Jerry’ Rutiz’s farm is absolutely worth a summer field trip–for the farm stand, U-Pick berry days, and the overall beauty of the area in general. Strawberries from Rutiz Farms will be slowing down this summer, as we focus on other delicious summer fruits.
We will have blueberries through the 4th of July (I’m told!) from Whitney Ranch in Carpinteria, CA. Enjoy them while they last!
One of my favorite summer recipes has got to be Zucchini Fritters. Easy and quick to make, and a crowd pleaser for sure!
