I read a quote from Silent Spring by Rachel Carson this week and was reminded what a seminal piece of work it was. Silent Spring is over 60 years old now. In this book, Carson documented the ecological impact of pesticides, facing down male scepticism about her credentials as a scientist and fierce criticism from the agrochemical industrial, which launched a massive advertising campaign describing her as “hysterical”, a “spinster” and, worse still, a “communist”. She inspired the foundation of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.
One thing I like about her critique of the industrial farming system is that she asks why we go along with the concept of establishing maximum acceptable levels of pesticides in our foods, rather than just banning them altogether.
“In effect then, to establish tolerances is to authorise contamination of public food supplies with poisonous chemicals in order that the farmer and the processor may enjoy the benefit of cheaper production – then to penalise the consumer by taxing him to maintain a policing agency to make certain that he shall not get a lethal dose.”
Meanwhile, a marketing request from your favourite community-led, organic box scheme. You may have seen our “estate agent” signs up and about around Camden and Islington. We are looking for members who would be willing to have a Vegbox sign outside their house from September to November, or till February. Let us know if you can help!
Don’t forget to return your re-usable Vegbox bags and packaging.
If you need to take a holiday from Vegbox next week, please let us know TODAY!
Tom Steele
What’s in the bag this week?
Small bag:
Onions – Bagthorpe Farm, Norfolk
Carrots – Bagthorpe Farm, Norfolk
Golden beetroot – Sarah Green’s, Essex
Bok choi – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Standard bag:
Red potatoes – Ripple Farm, Kent
Courgettes – Ripple Farm, Kent
Tomatoes – Nash Nursery, Kent
Broad beans – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Lettuce – Bore Place, Kent
Family bag:
Onions – Bagthorpe Farm, Norfolk
Carrots – Bagthorpe Farm, Norfolk
Golden beetroot – Sarah Green’s, Essex
Cherry tomatoes – Nash Nursery, Kent
Bok choi – Wild Country Organics, Cambridgeshire
Basil – Wye Orchard Farm, Kent
Mega bag:
Red potatoes – Ripple Farm, Kent
Courgettes – Ripple Farm, Kent
Tomatoes – Nash Nursery, Kent
Broad beans – Newfields Organics, Yorkshire
Lettuce – Bore Place, Kent
Sweetcorn – Foskett’s, Suffolk
Chard – Sarah Green’s, Essex
Fruit supplement:
Laxton Cropper plums – Peach & Pippin, Kent
Wash all veg and fruit before eating. Store carrots, beetroot, bok choi, broad beans, courgettes, sweetcorn and lettuce in the fridge. Protect potatoes from light to avoid sprouting.
Recipe: golden beetroot pureé with yoghurt
400g-500g golden beetroots 1 garlic clove, crushed
½ small red chilli, finely chopped 125g plain yoghurt
½ tbsp date syrup, or similar 1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp of za’atar or thyme (optional) ½ tsp salt
To garnish (optional):
30g soft goats cheese or feta 10g toasted hazelnuts
- Preheat oven to 180°C, gas mark 6.
- Wash beetroot, place in roasting tin, cook for about an hour.
- When cool enough to handle, peel and cut each one into about 6 pieces.
- Place beetroot, garlic, chilli and yoghurt into a food processor and blend to a smooth paste.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the date syrup, olive oil, za’atar and salt.
- Put on serving plate, garnish with chunks of cheese and toasted hazelnuts and drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Recipe: slow cooked courgette with tarragon
I love this way of cooking courgettes. It’s good without tarragon too.
2 courgettes 6 tbsp olive oil
½ garlic bulb, chopped 5 tarragon sprigs, chopped
- Trim the courgettes and slice them into fine rounds, about 3 mm thick.
- Put a heavy-based pan over medium heat and add the olive oil.
- Add the courgette rounds and stir well.
- Add the chopped garlic and a good pinch of salt.
- Now turn the heat down to its lowest possible setting and put a lid on the pan.
- Cook for 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes to ensure that the courgettes do not stick to the bottom of the pan or brown.
- As the courgettes cook they will soften and their flavour will deepen. Eventually they will begin to disintegrate, turning into a mushy jam.
- At this point, remove from the heat and add the chopped tarragon, pepper, and salt.
- Stir well and serve. Try it on toast or stirred through a lentil salad.
Recipe: simple tomato salad
tomatoes 1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar, or similar 1 tsp honey
- Slice the tomatoes and then layer them on a serving dish.
- Sprinkle the tomatoes with a little salt and some black pepper.
- Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and honey, then drizzle over the tomatoes.
- Serve swiftly with some nice crusty bread.
