CSA Week #3 Extended Season

November 8, 2013

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  • Pac choi or Napa cabbage
  • Lacinato kale
  • Leeks
  • Celeriac
  • Lettuce
  • Pears (Variety: Bosc)
  • Butternut squash
  • Acorn Squash ( If you don’t get acorn squash you will get another butternut!)
  • Carrots
  • Strawberry Spread

Some sites only:

  • Romanesco

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

*We wanted to let you know that you will be receiving Pac choi or Napa cabbage in your box. Due to frost damage and some insect damage on the outer leaves, we had to peel back the outer layers of some, to get to the good inner leaves of the plants. Some of you might be getting two small cabbages or two small Pac choi to make up for the size of them. They are still delicious and we are happy to put this extra work into harvesting and processing to get them to you to enjoy.

*We will be at the Fill Your Pantry event hosted by the Willamette Valley Farm and Food Coalition on November 17th from 12-4pm at Sprout Food Hub 418 A Street, in Springfield. It is a community bulk buying event, and you can pre-order online through this Sunday, November 10th by going here.  

Image*We are excited to be giving you a jar of our Winter Green Farm strawberry spread! We are able to can this delicious spread out of the berries that come back from market and the #2 berries in the field. It’s a smaller batch of spread due to the challenging strawberry growing season we had this year, but we are happy to have it! Our friends over at Sweet Creek Foods can it for us, which makes it a truly local product. If you enjoy the jar in your box and would like to purchase more, the price is $4.50 a jar or $50 for a case of 12. You can contact Linda in the office and she can take your order and get it to your drop site. (They make wonderful gifts as the holiday season is quickly approaching)

NEWS FROM THE FIELD

Greetings extended season members!

The harvest yesterday was a stormy one! The crew was out there braving the elements to bring you your vegetables this week. The wind is trying hard to blow off the remaining yellow leaves on the undergrowth around the farm, and with the time change bringing us longer evenings, it’s beginning to feel more like winter than fall!

The recent rain has been good for the farm though, as it has helped our cover crop seed to germinate in all the fields that are not still full of our late season vegetable crops. 

In February we split up our cattle herd into two herds, separating the mothers and their yearling calves. Now that we are done with the fall butchering, the herd is back together and on their last rotation through their pastures before they move into their winter home in the barn.

Some of the crew members are working hard at building a deer fence around a field that we lease, and it is proving to be successful already! Although, there has been talk of a big black bear spotted in that field, feasting on some apples from an overgrown orchard and it is even rumored to be over 250 lbs, a constant reminder of how we share our place out here, with all the different aspects of the natural world.

I’m going to leave you with some pictures of the brightly colored radishes being washed today to go to market tomorrow. Steve and DJ were hard at work, and they were so pretty I just had to capture the moment. May you all have a wonderful weekend, if you have any delicious recipes you have tried lately and would like to share with your fellow CSA members, I always love to include them here on the blog. Enjoy you your vegetables!

-Sara Davies

ImageImageAnd now for…

 

RECIPES!

 

5 Favorite Butternut Squash Recipes from ohsheglows.com

 

Winter Green Farm Cabbage Slaw 

From Eating Close to Home by Elin Kristina England

  • 1 cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 pound carrots, grated
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons salt
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder

Toss all ingredients. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

 

Simple Pac Choi                                                 

From Vegetable Bliss by Julie Sochacki

Use as little or as much Pac choi as you have for a simple slow cooker side dish.

  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1 large head or 2 small heads of Pac choi

In a small bowl, combine tamari, mirin and water. Set slow cooker to high. Spread the oil on the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle the bottom of cooker with garlic and ginger. Place Pac choi evenly in slow cooker and then pour tamari mixture over Pac choi. Cook for about 4-1/2 hour on a low setting.

 

Celeriac and Apples                  

From Vegetable Bliss by Julie Sochacki

  • 2 pounds celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 3 large apples, cored and cut into chunks
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  •  ½ cup veggie broth or coconut milk
  •  ¼ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg

In a large pot bring two inches water to a boil. Add the celery root, apples and onion. Steam covered for about 25 minutes or until very tender. Using a blender, food processor or potato masher, create a puree with the celery root mixture. Stir in and mash remaining ingredients.

 

Caramelized Leek Salad with Pear, Cheese, and Toasted Walnuts From Farmer John’s Cookbook The Real Dirt on Vegetables

  • ½ cup walnut halves
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 large leeks, white and green parts only, sliced (about 3 cups)
  • 4 cups mixed salad greens
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 pears, cored, sliced (you may want to sprinkle with lemon juice to keep from turning brown)
  • 4 ounces of cheese, crumbled or thinly sliced (chevre, fresh pecorino, Parmesan, fontina, or smoked Gouda work well)

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until they start to brown in spots and become fragrant. (Be careful not to over-toast them, as they will burn very quickly once toasted.) Immediately transfer the nuts to a dish to cool. Chop the nuts.

2. Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, until they are a deep, golden color, about 45 minutes. Drain and cool.

3. In a large bowl, toss the salad greens with the salt and pepper to taste. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss; add the remaining olive oil and toss again. Divide the greens among four plates; sprinkle with the caramelized leeks and toasted walnuts. Arrange the pear slices on the leeks. Sprinkle with cheese.