CSA 2014 Week #15

September 16, 2014

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  • Leeks
  • Acorn Squash
  • Pears
  • Carrots
  • Yellow Onions
  • Peppers
  • Eggplant
  • Tomatoes
  • Kale
  • Some Sites Only:
  • Cauliflower
  • Lettuce

Vegetable Handling and Preparation tips:

IMGP4881LEEKS: Place unwashed and dry leeks in plastic bag and store in a drawer of your refrigerator. Leeks will store well for up to 2 weeks. To clean leeks for cooking: trim roots, remove green tops (which can be used in soup stock), and peel off outer leaf layer removing any hidden dirt. Cut in half lengthwise and chop (most recipes only use white portion). Leeks can be substituted for any recipe calling for onions. They develop the best flavor when cooked or sautéed slowly.

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WINTER SQUASH: Store Winter Squash in a cool, dry, dark place with good ventilation. They should keep for up to a month or more, depending on the variety. You can also incorporate Winter Squash into a beautiful arrangement for your table. They won’t keep quite as long at room temperature, but if they are sitting on your table, you might be inspired to eat them more quickly. Once squash has been cut, you can wrap the pieces in plastic and store them in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

To bake Winter Squash, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp and place the halves, cut side down, on a baking dish filled with about a half -inch water. You can also bake with out the water, just lightly grease a baking sheet or use parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees until halves are completely soft and just starting to collapse (45 min to 1 hour or more, depending on the size). Remove them from the oven, fill w/butter, seasonings, or fillings, and serve them in the shell.

Winter Squash can be substituted in pies and baked goods. Try using it instead of pumpkin or sweet potatoes in dessert recipes. While the oven is hot, try roasting the seeds after mixing them with a little oil and seasonings of your choice.

PEPPERS: Jabrila wanted to let you all know that the peppers you are receiving in your boxes this week are certainly ready to eat now, but if you wanted to have them ripen even further and become even sweeter, just set them aside in a cool, dry, dark place and they will! They will turn redder, or more orange depending on the variety. Enjoy!

Recipes!

Acorn squash recipes from Martha Stewart

10 Bright Leek recipes from Saveur

Coconut Crusted Acorn Squash from Running to the Kitchen

News From the Field

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The mornings are cool and crisp on the farm these days, foreshadowing the turn in the season we know is right around the corner. You wouldn’t think so by these ninety degree afternoons, but there is something different in the air you can’t help but notice. The mornings and evenings are slowly growing darker, the grasshoppers sing their late summer song, and the sun follows a different angle across the sky.

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I was walking around the farm the other day, trying to get Genevieve to give into a nap. Her restlessness led me all the way down to the far fields on the home farm and even though I had a long list of things I was hoping to accomplish in the office, I had to let go and be happy for a moment to take in the beauty of the farm.  I couldn’t help but reflect on my experience here on the farm, in the light that my husband Tyson is moving on from his past 10 years as a farmer here. His last day of work was Friday and I can’t believe this chapter of our life is coming to a close. I sure am going to miss seeing him at work everyday, but look forward to watching him grow as he challenges himself in a new experience. Ten years ago I introduced this “new guy” in my life, to my life at the farm, and the rest is history! It’s amazing how time flies, and how full and abundant life on the farm can be. I feel as though we both “grew up” here at Winter Green.

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Tyson is so busy with preparations for his new step, getting his MBA from the University of Oregon, that he would have loved to be able to write about his time here, and how amazing it has been in shaping who he is. Being his other half, I can express a little of that to you.

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We have been reflecting a lot lately about how farming gets under your skin. Once you’re a farmer it’s hard to imagine doing anything quite as fulfilling. You become a part of the land, and it becomes part of you. You live day to day, but also season to season, with the tasks that you perform, but also with the food that nourishes your hardworking body.

photo 3Being a part of a farming community has grounded us and shaped our values in that we hold the most fundamental aspects of our life like food, family, community, most sacred. Tyson said he will always continue to farm in small ways in his life, and will always look up to his farmer with the utmost respect. He is overwhelmed with gratitude for these years at Winter Green. He has learned so much and his time here has shaped him into the person he is today. He is excited to take all that he has learned and apply it to his next adventure, with his time here at the farm holding a special place in his heart.

There have been so many wonderful people who have poured their energy into the farm. Whether the person is here for one season, or ten, they contribute more to the farm than we can express. We truly could not do it without the hands that sew, transplant, weed, harvest, wash, and pack your vegetables. We hope you can feel the good energy they put into these tasks in the food that you enjoy from the farm.

Have a wonderful week and enjoy the bountiful harvest!

-Sara