News and Blog

The ladies at Classic Touches are always a joy to visit and they have enthusiastically agreed to be our CSA Pick-Up Location at Chula Junction in Amelia Court House. With their motto of "Enter as strangers...leave as friends", you should plan a visit whether or not you are picking up a CSA box. People travel from all over Virginia to visit this large display of uniques and antiques. Classic touches is located at 12710 Patrick Henry Highway, Amelia Court House, VA 23002 just east of Chula Junction. You may telephone them at 804-561-1932 and visit them online at www.classictouches.biz 

CSA members may pick-up their boxes on Thursdays from 3:00 - 6:00PM beginning May 15th.

Chef Sana Aziz has been treating farmers and customers of Brandermill Fresh Market to her sweet creations for years and we would all testify that they are the best! Now, she has opened a new shop called Sweet Creations Bakery. In addition to her very indulging traditional sweet deserts, she is also careful to offer vegan deserts and those that are gluten-free, nut-free and even sugar-free. She hosts children's events and even bakes custom cakes and deserts.  Visit Sweet Creations Baker at 12012 Southshore Point Drive, Midlothian, VA 23112 in the shopping center behind WaWa and Mexico Restaurant.  Parking is excellent and you'll enjoy easy in/out on Temie Lee Pkwy or Southshore Point Rd., both intersecting with Hull St. CSA members may pick-up boxes between 3:00-7:00PM on Thursdays, beginning May 15th. Telephone Sweet Creations Bakery at 804-639-SWEET (7933) and visit Sana's new website at www.sweetcreationsva.com  

We are thrilled to partner with Clay's Garden Center, Inc. for CSA members who want to pick up in Blackstone, Virginia.  CSA boxes will be there on Thursdays from 3:00 - 6:00PM beginning May 15th. Clay's has a long history of supporting local food producers and offers our CSA members an opportunity to pick up other groceries, potted plants and garden supplies when they pick up their boxes.  Clay's Nursery and Garden Center is located at 1301 South Main St., Blackstone, VA 23824. Their telephone number is 434-292-5603 and you may visit their website at: www.claysgarden.com

If you are registered as a Blackstone member, your pick-up location will default to Clay's and there is no need for you to update your account with us.  Happy Easter!  Patti

Waverly Farms

Hi, Everyone!

Believe it or not, we have seedlings growing in the greenhouse. Other vegetables and garlic are already in the ground overwintering and eager to produce delicious food for us. The 2014 Spring/Summer CSA season is almost here and if you have not yet enrolled you should and can at http://www.waverlyfarmsvirginia.com/members/types  We will accept the equivalent of 50 members this year, so enrolling early is a good idea.  

IF YOU ARE A RETURNING MEMBER, please be sure to click on the top of the CSA Enrollment page on our website.  Doing so will repopulate your current information and shorten the process for you.  Payment can be made via PayPal or check.  Checks should be sent to 2345 Lewiston Plank Rd., Burkeville, VA 23922.

You might notice that we have increased the price of our large shares to better reflect the volume of vegetables we put into those boxes. 

As always, please call if you have any questions or trouble enrolling.  I can be reached at 214-914-0323.  

Thank you!  Patti

Stuart and Patti Rosenberg
Waverly Farms
www.waverlyfarmsvirginia.com
214-914-0323

Our Spring/Summer 2014 CSA Enrollment is now open!

Our new infrastructure is in.  Our fantastic crew is already seeding in the greenhouse. We have a fabulous year of vegetables, herbs, fruit, goat cheese, pastured eggs and meat in store for you.

These vegetables are locally grown using organic and sustainable practices. They are harvested at their peak, chemical-free and delivered fresh to you at one of our pick-up locations or optional home delivery.

By joining our CSA, you support local farming and provide training for future farmers.

Go to CSA Member Sign-up to select your options. IF YOU ARE A RETURNING MEMBER, BE SURE TO USE THE RETURNING MEMBER OPTION!  If you have any trouble enrolling or paying, just call or email Patti at 214-914-0323 or patti_rosenberg@hotmail.com.

If you'd rather not pay the entire amount of your membership now, you may pay 25% of your subscription at enrollment, then 25% each month in May, June and July via check or PayPal. If you prefer to use a credit card, Patti can process that for you by calling her at 214-914-0323.  For ease of payment, your balance, plus other products you purchase from our online Farm Store will always show on your weekly reminder emails. 

Join us! This is going to be a fabulous year at Waverly Farms!

Our Garden (slideshow2613)

Hi, Everyone!

After checking the weather and garden almost hourly, we have concluded that much of the garden will not withstand this week's single digit temperatures. Sadly, we must bring this Fall/Winter CSA Season to an early end, credit your accounts accordingly, and send refund checks tomorrow. 

We hope to see you once more this Thursday. If you normally come to the farm, we hope you can again to drop off your empty CSA boxes so we will have them for Spring deliveries.  If we normally deliver to you, we ask that you leave empty boxes on your porch for us to pick up. 

We thank you for your support, hope you enjoyed your vegetables, and look forward to seeing you again for our Spring/Summer CSA Season, which begins May 15th. Details will be sent to you in a spearate email.

As always, we appreciate your comments and suggestions and are available to answer any questions you might have.

Warmest wishes for the New Year!  

Stuart and Patti Rosenberg and the all of the staff at
Waverly Farms
2345 Lewiston Plank Rd.
Burkeville, VA 23922
214-914-0323
www.waverlyfarmsvirginia.com 

Hi, Everyone!

Each week, I take my entire CSA box and clean, prep and repackage the vegetables. I've gotten better, and now it only takes me about 30 minutes, but saves alot of time during the week and lengthens their shelf life considerably.  Once cleaned and packaged correctly, I can simply throw the amount I need into a pan each evening, making my vegetable much more accessible during the week. First, give them a bath in warm water to rehydrate them. Go ahead and remove stems and stalks and anything that you don't want to cook and tear them into the size pieces you will need for your favorit stir-fry or other recipes. Spin or just pat them dry. Wrap greens in a double layer of paper towel and put the bundle into a Ziploc (or similar) bag. These Ziploc bags can be reused from week to week. When you are ready to cook them, simply take out the amount you need and throw it into the pan. 

Our vegetables are growing slowly this time of year and we are hoping that warmer weather this week will inspire them to keep going.  Meanwhile, Kenny continues to grow some of the sweetest carrots and brassicas we have every had, thanks in great part to the icy cold weather.  We hope you are enjoying them as much as we are.

This week, your box includes:

Radish - I need to learn to love radish. it grows quickly, practically year round and it's good for us. This Cooking Light link offers 21 Radish Recipes. Finally, I can stop looking at them and wondering what to do!

Bok Choy - Williams-Sonoma offers 5 Recipes for Bok Choy. So try this delicacy in a soup, seared and stir-fried, wilted over noodles, roasted with salmon or sliced into a salad. 

Arugula - Arugula is one of the most phytonutrient-rich foods you can eat. It is bitter like an herb and requires a bit of getting used to if you are new to it. One of my favorite things to do with arugula is to make a pesto.  Try this Arugula Pesto Recipe, or just put it in a salad. Many people cook it with other greens for a peppery taste.

Mizuna - Wow! Another farm is pinning mizuna recipes like crazy. For a simple recipe, try grilled cheese with tomatoe and mizuna. Adding the peppery green to the grilled cheese improves it tremendously.  For many other recipes, check out this Pinterest Page - CSA Recipes - Mizuna.

Chard - One of our members tried the Swiss chard with pinto beans and goat cheese recipe last week and said it was fabulous. You can always find past issues of our weekly letter on the News/Blog page of our website at http://www.waverlyfarmsvirginia.com/blog. 

Kale - Kale is the only thing in the garden that is growing like crazy. Here is another recipe from The Book of Kale: A Kale, Bacon & Potato Frittata. Clean and chop 10 cups of kale (about 1lb). Halve and thickly slice 2 cups of onion. Set these aside. In an oven-proof, preferably non-stick skillet, cook 1/2 lb. bacon until crisp. Save the drippings in a small bowl and train the bacon on a paper towel. Set aside. Pour some drippings back into the pan and saute the onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until tender. Add the kale a little at a time and cook it until it is wilted. Then, turn the heat to low and saute the kale until it is tender - about 10 minutes. Transfer kale to a plate and spread it out a bit so it will cool. Clean the skillet. In a large bowl, beat 8 eggs. Add 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, all of the kale, the bacon, and 1-2/3cup ricotta cheese. Mix it all together, but don't mix too much because it's better to keep it chunky. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and heat 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the cleaned skillet over medium heat. Add the egg, kale, bacon, cheese mixture, spreading it evenly in the skillet. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top and cook on the stovetop for 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to separate from the pan. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes or until the frittata is set to your liking. Usinig a flexible, heat-proof spatula, loosen the frittata and transfer to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Collards - I had the best collards this week by simply cooking them with a sliced potato in a small amount of boiling water with salt, pepper, and butter. Start to finish, this delicious meal took 10 minutes and 1 pan to make.

Cabbage - Try the collard receipe above using cabbage, too. A bit of crispy bacon is a nice addition. Another favorite is Carrot-Apple Slaw. Peel and grate 4 medium carrots. Finely shred one cabbage. Peel and grate 1 crisp apple (such as Gala or Fuji). Combine these in a bowl with 1/3 cup raisins (golden would be good but either will work). In another small bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayonaise, 1/4 cup apple juice, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Wisk them together. Add the dressing to the carrot mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir in 1/2 cup cashews.

Sweet Potatoes - By far the best approach to sweet potatoes is to clean and cut them into 1-1/2" cubes (peels on is fine), stir them in olive oil with a generous amount of salt and pepper, and bake them at 400 degrees for about 20 - 30 minutes until tender. 

Carrots - Enjoy these sweet carrots raw, or bake them with your sweet potatoes or use them in the cabbage slaw described above. If you are brave, these would also make an absolutely awesome carrot cake. You probably already have a favorite recipe.

Leeks - These should be bigger, but the cold weather has stopped them in their tracks and so Kenny harvested them for you to enjoy (before we lose them!). Braised with garlic is our preferred approach to leeks. They are terrific in eggs, and anything to which you wish to add a delicate onion flavor.

Please remember that there is no CSA box during Christmas week. Your next box will be ready Thursday, January 2nd.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Stuart and Patti Rosenberg
and the entire staff whose fingers turn into ice on Thursday mornings as they triple was and bundle vegetables at
Waverly Farms
2345 Lewiston Plank Rd.
Burkeville, VA 23922
www.waverlyfarmsvirginia.com
214-914-0323
patti_rosenberg@hotmail.com 

Hi, Everyone!

Thanksgiving at the farm was bustling as always with loads of family, including a growing number of "grands" - grandchildren, grandnieces, and grandcousins.  We hope you enjoyed a fun time, too!

The garden looks like a ballet these days with row covers going on then coming off then going on and then coming off again, all in perfect synchronization to the rapidly changing weather. Desite the difficult rain, followed by freeze, followed by warm weather, we have a pretty good box for you this week that includes:

Hi, Everyone!

This week's box includes a special treat that we hope will put you into the Thanksgiving mood. I won't spoil the surprise by telling you what it is tonight, but we hope you enjoy it!  Please remember that we do not pack CSA boxes during the weeks of Thanksgiving or Christmas, so your next box - even if you are a bi-weekly member - arrives on December 5th. We appreciate everyone who returns their empty boxes and cartons each week. 

This week's box includes:

Radish - These should be sweet and tasty.  Some people cook then as they would a turnip.  Others eat them in salads.  The French spread them with cold butter and salt and eat as an appetizer.  

Kale - Kale is absolutely terrific in a beef stew.  You might also like this recipe from cooking light for Braised Kale with Bacon, Apple and Cider.  We are including plenty of kale so you can try both!

Collards - One could use the kale recipe above to cook the collards. 

Swiss Chard - This recipe for Lemon-Garlic Swiss Chard look terrific.  I also love Swiss chard in smoothies and you can use the same recipe as for Beet Greens (below).

Cilantro - I was ecstatic to see cilantro in the garden this week because it is so good chopped and put on top of chili, one of my favorite meals during cold weather.  Try this tempting recipe for a quick and easy chili.  Be sure to add the cilantro at the end with or instead of the green onions.  

Beet Greens - While stir-frying beet greens is always an option, these are terrific in a smoothie and just 2 cups provides 253% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin K and 160% of Vitamin A.  They are also packed with Vitamin C and are an important source of copper, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and calcium.  Put 1 cored apple, 1 cup of strawberries, 1 peeled banana, 2 cups of beet greens and 4-6 oz. of water or ice into a blender and blend until you like the consistency.  Such a great breakfast or snack.  Beet greens wilt really fast so eat them within the next few days.  

Broccoli - I was hoping for broccoli this week and we have it!  Again, lightly steam it and it will be delicious drizzled with olive oil or butter.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Cabbage - There are so many ways to cook cabbage.  The easiest is to simply cook it in a little water and salt until tender, then drain the water and add butter.  But the web is full of cabbage casseroles, cabbage soup, braised cabbage, etc.  This Roasted Chicken Soft Taco recipe uses cilantro, too, so you might try it for a healthy dinner.

Carrots - Carrots love cabbage! I hope there are enough for you to make carrot cake for Thanksgiving. Fresh carrots are the best in carrot cake!

Sweet Potatoes - For a Thanksgiving favorite, try this recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole.

We wishe everyone a happy Thanksgiving. This is the holiday when our family gets together at the farm for - what else - the the blessed harvest. We are thankful for so many gifts, especially the good people who work so hard either full-time, part-time or giving their time to volunteer. 

Many blessings to you and your family during this most delicious of holidays!  

Stuart and Patti Rosenberg
And everyone who helps us produce healthy, safe, delicious food at
Waverly Farms
2345 Lewiston Plank Rd.
Burkeville, VA 23922
www.waverlyfarmsvirginia.com
214-914-0323 (Patti's Cell) 

Hi, Everyone!

Mrs. Hamilto sent me the most hilarious note that said, "Patti: I thought of you today when reading the Richmond Times-Dispatch. There is a recipe for kale salad that says--Add kale and massage it with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it has become shiny and a little translucent. I guess we can stop laughing and start massaging." So, get with it because we have kale again this week.  

Additionally, you will enjoy:

Broccoli - After the cold weather we've had, these should be very sweet. Broccoli stores well in the freezer after a light blanching, but mine never makes it to the freezer because a quick steam and coating of butter (or olive oil), garlic, salt and pepper make this the easiest and most tasty vegetable in your box!  

Leeks - These mild onions are great in everything from eggs to soups to stir-fry. Be sure to wash them thoroughly.  Since they grow in the ground sand collects between the leaves. Combine leeks with white potatoes and enjoy Potato-Leek Soup. (click on Potato-Leek Soup to be taken to the recipe).  Leeks go great with chicken - just braise them - or make a creamy sauce for them using butter, lemon and thyme.  My favorite is a leek and goat cheese quiche.  It is the best!  Add chicken or shrimp for a meaty treat.

Mizuna - Mizuna's most appropriate use is as an ingredient within salads, yet it can also be cooked. The stalks and leaves should be separated and cooked independently due to invariably different cook times. Mizuna is a common stir fry and soup ingredient and it can be adapted to most recipes calling for mustard greens or even cabbage. More modern and atypical uses include adding the leaves as a topping to pizza, tossed into pasta, blending into a pesto and adding to a sandwich or burger. Companion ingredients include apples, pears, peaches, figs, citrus, nuts, light bodied vinegars, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, chiles, basil, mint, bacon, cream, hard aged and melting cheeses, tomatoes, zucchini and rice.This Japanese green does well in a stir-fry. Try this recipe from Whole Foods that combines mizuna with chicken. (click on Whole Foods to be taken to the recipe)

Kale - What else can I say about kale?  O.k.. I can't resist. MASSAGE IT!

Collard Greens - Again, we've covered this pretty thoroughly, but here is a new twist on an old favorite: Kickin' Collard Greens.  For a good laugh and a good recipe, try these visual instructions from Men's Health on how to Master Collard Greens. Get cookin' men!

Swiss Chard - It's time to put this on Pizza! Buy your favorite frozen veggie pizza (I love Amy's Pizza from Whole Foods), slice an extra good roma tomatoe on top of whatever the box pizza already contains, add a cup of chopped broccoli, then a fist-full of Swiss chard, and finally your favorite mozzerella cheese. Sprinkle with a good balsalmic vinegar and bake according to the instructions on the box. This will forever change how you cook pizza!

Carrots - Clean, cut into 1" squares, stir in a mixture of olive oil, salt and pepper until coated, place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, and cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until tender. Combine these carrots with any other root vegetables and a quartered onion for a tasty, sweet, hot side dish.

Sweet Potatoes - Try this recipe for The Perfect Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries.

We hope you enjoy this week's box. Thank you!

Stuart and Patti Rosenberg
and everyone who is freezing every day to bring you great food from
Waverly Farms
2345 Lewiston Plank Rd.
Burkeville, VA 23922
214-914-0323
www.waverlyfarmsvirginia.com