Weekly Weeder

Olin-Fox Farms Volume No. 11 Issue No. 4 February 18, 2009

www.olinfoxfarms.com Winter Season Week 4

STANDARD REMINDER

Please be sure to wash your weekly share thoroughly before serving. To preserve freshness, it is NOT ‘table ready’ (i.e., pre-washed). We deliver your Olin-Fox Farms’ produce right from the fields to ensure highest quality.


This is the Last week of the Winter 2009 Program.

Next Week is an OFF Week.

The Spring Program starts March 4-7.

Schedules can be found on our website, www.olinfoxfarms.com.


This Week's News From The Farms

The Winter of 2009 has not been very favorable for our normal winter crops. Planning for seasons like this one makes all the difference in the world. Stocking up and putting up things like summer honey, pecans, dried peppers and herbs, and greenhouse production of winter crops has really made a big difference for the Winter Program. As well as the wonderful citrus from Eagles' Nest Grove in Florida. Oh, and the free-range eggs are always a nice addition.

In the coming years, we plan to increase greenhouse production for more winter varieties as well as including a number of varieties of dried beans, dried fruits and grains. More cold crops like Brussels sprouts and horseradish will also be planted for the 2010 Winter Program.

And regardless of how bountiful the winter harvest may be, we plan to start and end the Winter Program with organic citrus from Florida. One, because of the different varieties available at different times. Second, it's nice to start and end the season with such wonderful fruit.

We hope you have enjoyed the Winter Program, and hope you plan on joining us for the Spring, Summer, and Fall 2009 programs. Oh yes, and the Summer Fruit Program that is absolutely phenomenal. Also, please note we are nearing full capacity at some of our Northern Virginia locations for Spring and Summer. So, if you are planning to sign up, please do it soon.

So, enjoy and think of warmer weather.


In Your Produce Basket This Week

** This is Your Produce List **

It will not be sent on a separate email.

Honey, Organic Valencia Oranges and Honey Tangerines, Salad Mix, Naturally Grown Tomatoes,

Dried Spearmint, Free-Range Eggs


Recipes and Information


Information obtained from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valencia_orange

The Valencia Orange was created by the Californian agronomist William Wolfskill (1798-1866) on his farm in Santa Ana. The name comes from the Spanish city of Valencia, known for its excellent orange trees. The orange was later sold to the Irvine Company, who dedicated nearly half of their land to its cultivation. The success of this crop in Southern California probably led to the naming of Orange County. The Irvine Company's Valencia operation later split from the company and became Sunkist. Cultivation of the Valencia in Orange County all but ceased by the mid-1990s due to rising property costs, which drove most of the remaining Southern California orange industry into Florida.

Valencia oranges have seeds, varying in number from zero to six per fruit. It has an excellent taste and internal color. After bloom, it usually carries two crops on the tree, the old and the new. The commercial harvest season in Florida runs from February to June. Worldwide Valencia oranges are prized as the only variety of orange in season during the summer.





As found at: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-honey-tangerine.htm

A honey tangerine is also known as a Murcott orange. The exact origin of the fruit is uncertain, but it's thought to be a mix of a tangerine and a sweet orange, which is called a tangor. The name Murcott refers to Charles Murcott Smith who ran a nursery in Bayview, Florida and is thought to have developed the honey tangerine in the early 1920s. J. Ward Smith and W.T. Swindle are also said to have been involved in the creation of the honey tangerine.

The Murcott orange is the first fruit of its kind to be sold by the product name of honey tangerine. The color of the fruit varies, but it is usually an orange-red unless the winter growing conditions were warm and then the skin may be more yellow-orange. The honey tangerine has the slightly flattened looking shape of a typical tangerine and is small to medium-sized. The flesh is a vivid orange and the seed count is fairly high with up to 12-24 seeds per honey tangerine. The skin is a little harder to peel than that of a typical tangerine.

The honey tangerine is named for its sweet taste and it's the sweetest variety of tangerine. It has a higher sugar content that the honeybell, or Minneola tangelo, which is another variety of tangerine. Honey tangerine juice can be used in baking desserts such as orange cakes. The juice is also delicious in salad dressings and fruit salads. For a quick and simple dinner, add honey tangerines, canned fish, salad dressing and croûtons to a bed of salad greens. You can also throw some honey tangerine segments into a stir fry at the very last minute to zip things up.

Honey tangerines are usually available between January and March or April.

Recipe Idea


This week we happen to have a delicious food combination. Peel and chop 1 Valencia Orange and 1 Honey Tangerine. Crumble 1 tsp. Dried mint (or to taste) over the oranges and add a dash of salt. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. Honey. Optionally mix in ¼ Tsp. Angostura Bitters (really helps to mellow out the sweetness). Enjoy immediately, or let it set for about 30 minutes to let the flavors develop.


Honey Tangerine Ideas

The juice is delicious in salad dressings and fruit salads. For a quick and simple dinner, add honey tangerines, canned fish, salad dressing and croûtons to a bed of salad greens. Or, throw some honey tangerine segments into a stir fry at the very last minute to zip things up.


Newsletter written by John Cooper and Alice Hershiser.

Bon Appetit!