CSA Week #4 Extended Season

November 15, 2013

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  • Apples (variety: Jonagold)
  • Kale
  • Collards
  • Potatoes (variety: yellow fin)
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Onions
  • Radishes
  • Baby Pac choi
  • Delicata squash
  • Pie pumpkin or butternut squash

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

*We will be at the Fill Your Pantry event hosted by the Willamette Valley Farm and Food Coalition THIS SUNDAY from 12-4pm at Sprout Food Hub 418 A Street, in Springfield.

*We would like to thank everyone who voted for the Eugene Weekly’s “Best of Eugene.” We are excited to announce that we were voted the best CSA! It is wonderful to know that we are supported in our community, and we really appreciate the recognition.

IMGP4168*Some of you will be getting pie pumpkins in your box this week. We had a few leftover from the regular season planting so we wanted to share them with you, but we didn’t quite have enough for every share. If you did not receive a pie pumpkin you will get a butternut squash which is equally delicious in recipes that call for pumpkin! Here is a recipe for Butternut Squash Pie here.

*Lastly, I would like to make sure that if you wanted to order any strawberry spread or tomato sauce that you know to do it soon, so we can get it to you on our last week of delivery, which is next week! Can you believe it?! Please call the office and Linda can take your order. The cost for the tomato sauce is $7 a jar or $80 for a case of 12. The strawberry spread is $4.50 a jar or $50 for a case of 12.

VEGETABLE STORAGE AND PREPARATION TIPS:

ImageBRUSSELS SPROUTS:  Brussles sprouts keep longest if they are left attached to the stalk, but if you are short on refrigerator space, snap off the sprouts and store them unwashed in a closed plastic bag in the veggie bin. Even when they are left on the stalk they should be wrapped in plastic to prevent wilting. Their flavor is sweetest right after harvest, so try to use them within a few days.

Cooking: If you haven’t done so already, snap Brussels sprouts off the stalk and remove any loose or discolored leaves. Trim the base of each sprout and cut a shallow X in the stem end to speed cooking. Rinse the sprouts in cool water.

The key to using Brussels sprouts is cooking them enough, but not too much. As with full-size cabbage, overcooking Brussles sprouts evokes an unpleasant, sulfurous smell that makes people run for cover. Ideally, sprouts should be tender enough to yield when pierced with a fork but not so soft that the fork sinks right in.

  • Roast Brussles sprouts: first boil the sprouts until just tender, 5 to 10 minutes depending on the size. Drain, then coat lightly in olive oil, lace in a roasting pan and roast in a 375° F oven until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Steam and boil Brussels sprouts, but maintain a close eye on them and check with a fork often.
  •  Slice Brussels sprouts to about 1/3 inch thick and stir-fry them with onions and ginger.

*This information was found in Farmer John’s Cookbook The Real Dirt on Vegetables

RECIPES!

Brussels Sprout Recipes from marthastewart.com

Roasted Delicata Squash Salad from 101cookbooks.com

Grilled Herb Potatoes from epicurious.com

NEWS FROM THE FIELD

I made my way down to the field today to see how the harvest was going and to take some photos to document the second-to-the-last harvest day for the CSA. I found the crew in the collard patch among all the late season Brassicas.

IMGP4137Brassica is the name of a Genus of plants in the mustard family, which are collectively known as cruciferous vegetables, cabbages, or mustards. We generally plant all the Brassicas together in a block out in the field so we can make sure to maintain a good crop rotation. Rotation is important to the soil health on the farm by helping to control pest and disease issues.

IMGP4141The fields are muddy this time of year, but the brassicas were looking beautiful, with the shimmering morning dew clinging to their dark green leaves.

IMGP4152IMGP4148The crew was just finishing up bunching your collards and were then going to move on to other harvest tasks for the day. Here is Tyson Davies displaying his freshly picked bunch of collards.

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I was able to get a photo of Winter Green Farm owner Jabrila Via in the fields today! I’m excited to be able to introduce you to her, as she is an integral part of your CSA.

IMGP4143Jabrila has been managing the CSA here at the farm since the beginning, over 20 years ago! With her vast depth of knowledge and experience,  she is the one who plans the CSA crops, manages the greenhouse, coordinates the transplants, manages the CSA harvest crew, and designs each box every week throughout the season!  She is an amazing farmer with a big heart, a love for the mountains, nature, and her family, and a passion for bringing healthy food to the people.

We hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy all the vegetables in your box!

-Sara Davies