2020 has been a wild ride for sure, and we here at Winter Green Farm would like to say thanks for taking the ride with us! For those of you who support us through our CSA program, or visit our Farmers’ Markets, or who follow our Blog just for the fun of it, we would like to tell you how much we appreciate you! Not only this year, but every year!
While 2020 sure did bring a lot of changes that we weren’t expecting, or ready for, we all worked together to do the best we could in uncomfortable situations, and through difficult times. We learned so much about ourselves, and our community. We are stronger when we work together to bring about positive changes, and we have so much hope for the awareness we gained this year to continue on into 2021.
Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable transition….see you on the other side!
Most importantly, stay safe out there this winter! As we listen to the news of COVID cases skyrocketing, all we can do is stay home as much as we can, and wear our masks and wash our hands when we do need to venture out. While we’ll all miss our usual family and friends gathering through the holidays, we can console ourselves by realizing that if we all take care of each other now, we’ll have each other to celebrate with next year. We wish you all a healthy & happy winter season, however you may choose to find joy and peace. Our hearts will be with you all, and we look forward to the light returning on the New Year ahead….
RESERVE YOUR SHARE FOR 2021!
We are reserving shares with a $25 deposit. You can just send a check to the farm office, or use a credit if you have one,, or call/email with debit/credit card info.
This looks so yummy that I plan to try it out this week, and if it’s good, make it for Thanksgiving!
The final share of the season!! After days and days of rain, the sun is a welcome guest today. Nice to toss off the foul weather gear and let the warmth soak into our bones.
This year seemed to go so quickly, and seemed so long all at the same time. While we’re sad to have the season end, we also look forward to some down time to evaluate the season, and prepare for the new year. I’m certainly looking forward to not wearing a mask 24/7, as I won’t be in the office so much! I had planned on this being my last season as CSA Coordinator, but the position wasn’t a good fit for Bronwynn, so we’ll be training someone new in the New Year. Hopefully, third time’s the charm!
The crew is smiling and wishing you a wonderful winter underneath those masks!!
We so appreciate you taking this journey with us in 2020! We have all adapted on a daily basis to the unforeseen changes that continued to come our way. We thank you for supporting our farm, and for your understanding and flexibility through these crazy times. We couldn’t have asked for a better membership and community than you all and we are so grateful. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Our thoughts will be with you all as we maneuver through the winter months ahead, all working toward keeping our Covid numbers down, and maybe even looking forward to a safe, effective vaccine. Fingers crossed to start the New Year with more compassion in our lives and government, and healing for Mother Earth!
Today we are saying farewell to one of our long time crew, Jeremy Mixon. Jeremy has been on the farm for 12 years! He has taken on many roles through the years, from harvest crew, to delivery driver, to tractor driver, and the last few years he has been the CSA Harvest & Field Manager. It has been fun to watch him grow into the amazing man, and father he is today, and we will miss his easy smile and way on the farm. We wish you good luck in your new venture!!
We’re happy to send some BUTTERNUT SQUASH in this week’s share for you! Butternut Squash is often used to make Pumpkin Pie and this recipe sounds like a fantastic one!
Make the crust: Combine flour and salt in food processor bowl, and pulse. Remove lid, scatter vegetable shortening and butter over surface, and pulse 5 or 6 times.
Combine beaten egg and 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse liquid into dry ingredients, continuing until mixture is evenly moist and dough looks curdy, about 10 seconds. Turn onto work surface, and press firmly into disk, adding drops of water if dough feels dry. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Roll dough into 15-inch round on lightly floured surface, about 1/8 inch thick, and fit into shallow 9-inch pie pan. Trim and crimp edges, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour. Meanwhile, place large pizza stone on lowest rack in oven, and heat at 425 degrees for 1 hour. (If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can go without. It can help prevent a soggy bottom crust.)
Line chilled pie pan with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake on pizza stone for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until crust dries out and crimped edges begin to color, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower oven heat to 300 degrees.
While crust bakes, prepare filling: Combine eggs, vanilla, sugars, salt and spices in food processor, and process until smooth. Add squash purée, and process until smooth. With machine running, pour in heavy cream, and process to combine.
Scrape filling into hot prebaked shell, and bake on pizza stone for 20 minutes. Turn the oven up to 325 degrees and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes until filling is set two-thirds of the way in from the perimeter and the center still jiggles, about 40 to 45 minutes total (custard will continue to cook after pie is removed from oven). Tent edges loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
Meanwhile, prepare the candied squash and ginger relish, if using: Combine squash, lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar and salt in small bowl, and stir well. Macerate 30 minutes. Turn into small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until tender and liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Add ginger and mix well.
Remove pie from oven, and cool to room temperature on rack. Garnish with whipped cream and the relish, if desired.
Tip
To make roasted squash purée, heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim the stems from 2 butternut squashes (3 1/2 to 4 pounds each), and then cut through them horizontally, where bulb begins. (Reserve bulbs for another use.) Cut squash necks in half lengthwise. Slice into 1-inch sections, coat with 1 tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil, and place in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake until tender and beginning to caramelize, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly, remove skin with a paring knife, and force flesh through a food mill. You should have 2 1/3 to 3 cups purée. (It will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days, or in the freezer up to 2 months. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
As the season comes to a close, we’d like to wish you all a warm, safe, & healthy winter and holiday season. We so appreciate all of you & have enjoyed sharing the season with you. We look forward to feeding you in the New Year!!
If you would like to secure your CSA Share for the 2021 season, we are reserving shares with a $25 deposit. You can send a check to the farm, or we can use a debit/credit card info on file if you like. Otherwise just call/email the farm to have your share reserved. SNAP recipients will be exempt from the deposit but we can still reserve the share for you.
As the season draws to a close, we can hardly believe we have all actually survived this crazy, chaotic, ever changing year…..and it’s not over yet! With just a couple of deliveries left, I would like to send a few reminders for you:
If any of your CSA Share boxes have make their way home with you, please do round them up and bring them to your delivery site this week, or next. We tally up all of the bins at the end of the season to see what our needs will be in the new year. Having boxes returned helps us to keep the CSA costs down, as we factor that cost into the share cost each season. You have all been doing a fabulous job at returning them this year so far!
If you have a balance with us for your share this year, we would appreciate if you would bring your account up to date. I will be sending out reminder emails soon, with your statement attached. If you do receive an email, you can send a check for payment, or contact the farm with your credit/debit card info. If you have any questions, or need to make any special arrangements, call/email the farm office.
We have a few new additions to your share this week!
Romanesco….the alien of the brassica family!
ROMANESCO is one of those vegetables that many people steer away from, just because it looks so weird, and they don’t know how to cook it. It is really quite tasty, and can be cooked and prepared in any way you would use cauliflower or broccoli. I found a couple of recipes that look enticing, so I hope you will try one…let us know how you like it!
Blanch the florets and then shock in an ice bath to lock in that vibrant color. (They’ll become muted if you skip the shocking step.) Add the pre-cooked Romanesco to salads, veggie trays, or even cold noodle dishes. Trim off any outer leaves before cooking. Store unwashed in fridge in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.
Whenever we give out Romanesco, I like to share with members how it’s one of the most perfect examples of the Fibonacci Sequence. The Fibonacci sequence is one of the most famous formulas in mathematics.
Each number in the sequence is the sum of the two numbers that precede it. So, the sequence goes: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and so on. The mathematical equation describing it is Xn+2= Xn+1 + Xn. A mainstay of high-school and undergraduate classes, it’s been called “nature’s secret code,” and “nature’s universal rule.” It is said to govern the dimensions of everything from the Great Pyramid at Giza, to the iconic seashell, and to many plants, flowers and vegetables.
Many sources claim it was first discovered or “invented” by Leonardo Fibonacci. The Italian mathematician, who was born around A.D. 1170, was originally known as Leonardo of Pisa, said Keith Devlin, a mathematician at Stanford University. Only in the 19th century did historians come up with the nickname Fibonacci (roughly meaning, “son of the Bonacci clan”), to distinguish the mathematician from another famous Leonardo of Pisa, Devlin said. [Large Numbers that Define the Universe]
But Leonardo of Pisa did not actually discover the sequence, said Devlin, who is also the author of “Finding Fibonacci: The Quest to Rediscover the Forgotten Mathematical Genius Who Changed the World,” (Princeton University Press, 2017). Ancient Sanskrit texts that used the Hindu-Arabic numeral system first mention it, and those predate Leonardo of Pisa by centuries.
Daikon Radish is not a veggie we usually give out to the CSA but our regular radish crop didn’t do too well this fall, so we thought we’d substitute this gem for you. I put some recipes in the Blog for you to try, and you can use it and store it just as you would any other radish!
Hope you enjoy this blustery weekend ahead, and you’ll have plenty of recipes to try while staying indoors!
TOMATO SAUCE AND STRAWBERRY SPREAD are available for purchase! The costs are $8.75/jar and $90/case of 12 for the Tomato Sauce. The Strawberry Spread will be $4.75/jar and $50/case of 12. Please email or call if you would like to have these sent to your delivery location for you next week!
NETTLE EDGE FARM GARLIC AVAILABLE! Keith Walton runs Nettle Edge Farm, along with his wife Rachel. Keith has been a prominent farmer in the community for 50 years, and his family farm has been in operation since 1911! He has worked on Winter Green Farm as our Mechanic guru for many years. One of the main crops they grow is Garlic and he has some to share with our members. His crop is the Chopaka Mountain variety. He says “it’s not the prettiest crop this year, but the bulbs are good sized, and very sound. They will be tasty and good keepers”. If you would like to order some, the cost is $8/lb, and I can send them with your share next week.
We’ve had a full week on the farm. This time of year, when we move to only one harvest each for the CSA and Farmers’ Markets, we have time to do the fall tasks and prepare for winter. Early in the week we were able to harvest more of our wholesale Burdock crop, despite the digger breaking! She’s all fixed up now, thanks to Chad and Chris, and we’ll be getting the remainder of the crop out of the field when we get a little more dry weather.
We kept busy pulling irrigation pipe and drip tape out of the fields, cleaning and storing it all for next season. The crew waited for the perfect calm day to take the plastic off of the Spanish Tunnels, helping to protect it from the winter elements and windy days, and preserve it another season.
Any spare time was spent preparing crops for the Fill Your Pantry event next weekend. Many folks turned out to reserve crops for this fall event, hoping to have stores of fresh veggies for the winter months.
While so many things in life right now are unsure, one thing you can be sure about is receiving a delicious box of goodies from the farm this week! The shares are becoming increasingly more fall centered and this week will feature one of the best fall delicacies….Brussels Sprouts!
BRUSSELS 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 Brussels 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.
Roasting Brussels 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.
Let us know if you have a favorite way to cook and serve your Brussels Sprouts!
We hope you have a restful weekend and enjoy your CSA Share this week!
No matter what your affiliation, or your desire for the outcome, please take advantage of your privilege to vote, and make a difference!
RESERVE OUR CSA SHARE FOR THE 2021 SEASON! We are reserving shares for 2021 season with a $25 deposit. Just call/email the farm to ask us to reserve the share, and then you can send a check to the farm for the deposit or call/email with card info.
HALLOWEEN/SAMHAIN is also known as All Souls Night, Feast of the Dead, Festival of Remembrance, Feast of Apples, & New Year…
Samhainis one of the major festivals of the Wheel of the Year, and for many who follow these traditions, the most important festival of all. It is the third and final harvest festival of nuts and berries and a fire festival. All the harvest is in, all is complete, it is the end of the cycle of birth and growth, it is the point of death. The seeds of the harvest have fallen deep into the dark earth, they are unseen, dormant, and thus apparently lifeless.
Traditions held that the Sun King is sacrificed back to the land with the seed until the Winter Solstice, and the Goddess, now as Crone, mourns Him until His rebirth at Yule. He travels the Underworld learning its wisdom. This is the time of the descent into darkness, of pre-conception, out of which new life, new ideas, will eventually emerge.
Traditionally the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest now. Boundaries dissolve and all is laid bare. It is time to honor, and offer hospitality to, our ancestors. Many create food in honor of their loved ones favorites, bury Apples, and light candles around memorabilia of their loved ones. This year we are especially graced with a Full Moon, also a Blue Moon, which is signified by the second full moon in a month.
At Samhain/Halloween the dark half of the year commences. It is a truly magical time. Death is always followed by rebirth and while this is the end of the old year, it is the beginning of the new year. For the Celts the day did not begin at dawn, it began at sunset, it began with darkness. Light is always born out of darkness, they are inseparable, interdependent, and necessary. Darkness is fertile with ‘all potential’.With the beginning of this dark phase comes the opportunity to rest and reflect on the past and to dream of new beginnings. The seed now hidden in the earth will germinate in its season. Look for the seeds in yourself!
The past week has been just beautiful here on the farm. Cold, yes….frosty, definitely, but the sun came out to warm our hands and spirits every day, and for that we were all grateful. The summer veggies are done for the season, their blackened, withered vines and stems dotting the fields. The cover crops have lodged and will now create a blanket for the soil beneath, nourishing and protecting, and readying the ground for the new season.
We’re excited to share the next few weeks with you, as we harvest these cherished fall crops that will carry us through the long, cold months ahead. There is a sense of urgency, a disquiet within, as the unknown of what is to come this winter approaches. Let us all be hopeful, and continue to believe that we can all work together to keep ourselves, and our families, and community safe, and healthy. We’ll work hard to provide the food, as that is what we do! Thank you all for supporting us in our efforts, with your kind words and thoughts sent our way daily. You have no idea how those simple expressions of your appreciation inspire us, and give us the strength and determination to get ourselves out there each and every day. We’re all in this together, and together we’ll each take that next step forward, each and every day.
ACORN SQUASH is one of my very favorite winter squashes. I love it cooked in a savory way, or sweetened with maple syrup or brown sugar. Served as the main dish, filled with sautéed veggies or ground beef, or as a side dish to compliment, this squash never seems to disappoint. If you’ve got a special recipe to prepare this squash, please share it with us!
With the election day on Tuesday, the next time we share this Blog the world could have changed dramatically, one way or the other. We hope that you all stay safe, and healthy, and are able to find joy in whatever fills your heart and days. We’ll continue to offer to you the simple things….good food for your table and nourishment!
RESERVE YOUR CSA SHARE FOR THE 2021 SEASON! We are reserving shares for 2021 with a $25 deposit. Just call/email the farm to ask us to reserve the share, and then you can send a check to the farm for the deposit or call/email with card info.
TOMATO SAUCE IS READY! We’re so excited that our Tomato Sauce is ready. We’ll have it available at our Market sites next weekend, and we’ll also be able to deliver it to your site for you. The cost is $8.50/jar and $90/case of 12 jars. The jars are 24 oz. Strawberry Spread will be available soon!
PEARS! The beautiful pears in your share this week are a variety created by the Mt Hood Organics farm. It’s a mix between the Comice and the Red Bartlett. The skin of the Comice variety is very fragile, which is why your fruit is packed in the little protective papers. The fruit will ripen and be ready to eat!. Its buttery flesh is sweet and juicy, and will be delicious on an appetizer fruit plate, or served with some tangy Bleu Cheese. It will also be delicious in this recipe submitted by long time CSA Member Lisa Plumb…hope you enjoy it!
SPICED PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large pears, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup warm water
Ice cream, optional
HOW TO MAKE IT:
Pour melted butter into a 9-in. square baking pan; sprinkle with nuts and brown sugar. Arrange pears over nuts.
In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition.
Spread batter over pears. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm with ice cream if desired.
Sarah, Idan and Sam keep their fingers warm by filling carrot bags.
Brrrrrr…..what frosty mornings we’re having! Once he sun comes over the hill, it does warm us up, but until then we are taking care of as many inside tasks as possible. Bagging carrots is one way to pass the time until the field crops are ready to harvest.
AC and Brie brave the low temps to wash Brussels Sprouts…look how red their hands are!
Unfortunately, not all tasks that need to be done are inside jobs. Washing produce on a chilly morning such as this is not for the feint hearted, and crew volunteers are always appreciated. This photo of our gorgeous Brussels Sprouts harvest is a teaser for a week in the future….
We hope that you all enjoy your veggies this week, and have a beautiful weekend!
The That’s My Farmer Benefit dinner held at Party Downtown Restaurant last night was a huge success! While we usually host the annual sit down dinner with 60 guests attending, this year’s “take out” version enabled us to serve 119 dinners! Thanks to the attendees ticket sales, and very generous donations from the community, we were able to raise over $6,000 for the Low Income Fund. We are excited to share these funds with families in need. Many thanks to Mark and Tiffany of Party Downtown, who created a spectacular 4 course meal, to the farmers who donated all of the food, to all who attended or donated, and many thanks to the amazing That’s My Farmer team who dedicated so many hours creating this event this year.
Poster Board created by Linda Ague and Katharine Hunt featuring some of the CSA farms in the That’s My Farmer collective!
WINTER GREEN FARM STAND AT EMMAUS LUTHERAN CHURCH
This Wednesday, October 14th, will be the last day of our Farm Stand for the season. Shannon and Porter will be there from 2pm to 6pm to bid you farewell, and Sara from Wild Child Flower Company will have some final bouquets. Those of you who have been receiving your share at the Farm Stand, are continuing on with the Late Shares, will move to your alternate location starting Friday, October 23rd.
The “That’s My Farmer Benefit” dinner held last night, in partnership with Party Downtown Restaurant, was a huge success. A wonderful meal with 4 courses was served as a “take out” version of the usual sit down dinner. With the immense generosity of the attendees and community donations, we raised over $6,000 for the Low Income Fund, and it couldn’t be more important in these times we’re experiencing. Thanks to all who had a hand in creating this event, and participating in the bounty.
PUMPKINS!!
Just a reminder that we will be offering Jack-O-Lanterns to CSA members who can make it to the farm on Saturday, October 17th, from 11am to 2 pm. Shannon & Chris will be available to direct you, as you head down the hill from the barn areas…there will be signage. We truly wish we could deliver pumpkins to you all, but it’s too much to ask of our delivery drivers. We hope you can make it out!
Your amazing crew…Jordan, Bri, Sarah, Idan & Kevin…processing mountains of leeks for your share this week!
To those of you who will receive your last share of the season this week, we would like to say a huge THANK YOU!!. This has been an unprecedented year in almost every way and we appreciate you sharing it with us. We experienced a record membership, and filled up earlier than we have in many years. We hope that you all felt nourished by our farm and food. We adapted on a daily basis throughout the whole season, and you were right there with us…we are so grateful to have such wonderful members, and such a supportive community such as you are.
We wish you many blessings through the rest of the year, and we hope that life will return to some semblence of normalcy in the not too distant future. In any case, we’ll be right here for you! We are reserving shares for 2021 with a $25 deposit, and would love to know we’ll be feeding you in the New Year.
Look what we found while bagging carrots yesterday….Shannon was so happy to have her wedding ring back, and it’s still a mystery how it ended up in the carrot bin!
PARSNIPS are one of the fall veggies I especially look forward to. They add a special sweetness to any root bake, or soup/stew, and are fun to roasts as a snack. Parsnips will store well for several weeks unwashed in a plastic bag in your refrigerator. When ready to use, scrub under running water (no need to peel). Parsnips have a naturally sweet flavor that is brought out by roasting.
Parsnips taste wonderful in curries with ginger or try them in soups and stew with squash. Try adding sage, leeks, onions, or greens to your dish to accent the sugars. Grate raw into salads or mix with potatoes for pancakes or hash browns.
For a delicious snack, try parsnips cut into sticks and then fried like French fries in olive oil until golden. Add a pinch of salt or soy sauce for flavor on size. Or you can bake the sticks at 350 degrees on a cookie sheet until tender-firm.
Parsnips are delicious cut into chunks and baked with other root vegetables, or basted around a roast. Boil or steam, then top with butter or mash like potatoes.
PURPLE TOP TURNIPS are another fall favorite. They do have their own flavor, but will also take on the flavor of whatever they’re being cooked with.
To store turnips, place them in a plastic bag in the crisper bin of your fridge. Due to high water content, turnips may deteriorate quickly, but most should keep for a week.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: We have a lot to talk about this week…
TWO WEEKS LEFT OF THE STANDARD SEASON:
For those of you who are only receiving the Standard Share for the 19 weeks, you have two weeks of delivery left (this week and next week). If you are receiving the Half Share for 10 weeks, you have one more share, either this week or next, depending on your schedule. Let us know if you have questions! We sure have enjoyed sharing the season with you, and can’t believe it’s almost at a close.
We would like to take this opportunity to ask you to look around for any stray CSA tubs that might have made their way home with you during the season. Receiving these back helps us to keep the cost of the CSA down, as they can be quite expensive to replace. Just bring them with you when you come to retrieve your share for the next two weeks. Thanks so much!
Also, if you have a balance, we would appreciate if you would bring your account up to date as soon as you can. If you have any questions about the statement you might have received via email last week, just get in touch. Thanks to those of you who have sent in your payment.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESERVE YOUR SHARE FOR THE 2021 SEASON?
We are reserving shares for the 2021 CSA Season with a $25 deposit. Let us know if you would like to secure your share for next year!
PEARS AVAILABLE….
We have a few cases of the Mt. Hood Organics Pears left over. If you would like to purchase some, we’ll be offering them on a first come, first serve basis until they’re gone. Orders must be 5 lbs or more and the cost is $2/lb. Please don’t order through the BLOG…call/email the office to order. Thanks!
PUMPKINS!
While we won’t be able to host the end of season Harvest Celebration this year, we would love to still offer you your Pumpkins. We will bring them up from the field and have them available for you to come to the farm to pick them up. Chris and Shannon will be here to greet you. Just follow the signage when you arrive at the farm, and please wear a mask & social distance.
Here is the pick up info: Saturday, October 17th, 11am to 2pm
LATE SEASON DELIVERY INFORMATION
By now, those of you who reserved a Late Season share should have received your delivery information. If you believe you reserved a share, and didn’t receive the info, check in with me in the farm office.
Misty morning clearing to sunny, with the moon and a murder of crows in then sky!
CELERIAC is one of our all time fall favorites. Celeriac will store for up to a month in your refrigerator in a plastic bag. When ready to use, slice off the green stalks at the root crown. Then soak the root in warm water to loosen the earth between the roots and scrub well with a brush. Peel the skin off the roots before preparing (top and peeled portions are a tasty addition to soup stocks).
Try celeriac raw grated into salads or in any recipe that calls for celery. Celeriac can also be boiled or steamed. Peel, slice, and boil for 5-10 minutes or boil whole for 20-30 minutes. Mash and top with butter (tastes incredible with mashed potatoes!).
APPLES! This week we are excited to share Mt. Hood Organics biodynamic apples with you. You will either receive Gala (more reddish) or Jonagold (more greenish). Both are delicious!
We’re keeping super busy on the farm these days. Not only are we continuing to harvest and deliver CSA Shares, harvest for and attend Farmers’ Markets, but we’re beginning to do our fall bulk harvesting. This Wednesday we’ll all be digging Burdock root. The farm has been growing Burdock root as a wholesale crop for a long time. At one time we were selling it nationally, but now we keep to more local markets through Organically Grown Co distribution. If you are a Burdock fan, keep an eye out for it at our Farmers Market venues.
If you are interested in bringing in some storage crops for the winter, be sure to check out the Fill Your Pantry order site. This Eugene event has been very successful through the years. Ordering is taking place right now and through October 31st. The pick up date will be on November 15th. Individual pick-up time slots between 8 AM – 3 PM at West Broadway Food for Lane County Warehouse located at 2235 West Broadway, Eugene, OR 97402.
Sarah making sure your Leeks are clean!Roxy and Brie washing and sanitizing the seemingly endless supply of harvest and CSA bins.Yay!! Lettuce is back….
We sure hope that you all have a great week, and enjoy your bounty from the farm!
The annual “That’s My Farmer” Benefit dinner is scheduled for October 12th this season, with take out dinners scheduled from 5pm through 7pm. The meal will be created by the chef’s of Party Downtown, using donated produce and meats from partnering CSA farmers. The meal is always outstanding, and the proceeds go into the That’s My Farmer low income fund to support families in need with subsidized CSA shares or produce from Markets. Contact the farm for the reservation form. Tickets are $50 ($25 of that goes into the fund), and selling quickly. If you can’t attend the dinner, but would like to donate, that would be amazing…you can contact the farm for information on how to do that.
LATE SEASON SHARE DELIVERY INFO
For those of you who have reserved a Late Season share, I wanted to let you know that I am putting the Delivery Information in the mail today. You should see it in your mailbox within the week! Please look it over carefully and let me know if you would like to make any changes to your pick up location. We have sold out of all of the Late Season shares for this year.
ACCOUNTING!
October 1st recurring payments will happen this week! For many of you, it will be your last one. If any of your credit card or address info has changed since the last processing date, please do get in touch so we can update your account. I will be sending out email reminders for those of you who have a balance due for the season, so please keep an eye out for the update. Thanks!
DELICATA SQUASH is one of my absolute favorites. It’s so sweet, and very versatile. It’s a stand alone squash, prepared either sweet or savory, and it can be added to a wide variety of dishes from soups and stews, to stirs fries and salads. Here is an old favorite from the “One United Harvest” cookbook.
SQUASH POLENTA
3 lbs Delicata Squash
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
6-8 fresh sage leaves, chopped
POLENTA
2 3/4 cup stock
1 1/2 cup water
1-2 Tsp salt
1` 1/2 cup polenta
2 fresh sage leaves, minced
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste
Halve the squash lengthwise & scoop out seeds. Roast face up on cookie sheet w/garlic cloves in the cavity, drizzled with the olive oil & sprinkled with the chopped sage. Roast at 375 degrees for 1-2 hours. Flesh should be soft. Remove from oven & cool enough to handle. Scoop out flesh with garlic (peel removed). Puree in blender of food processor.
Combine stock, water & salt in a large pot & bring to boil. Slowly whisk in polenta, reducing the heat to just a simmer. Stir often. It takes about 20 minutes for the polenta to thicken. Stir in chopped sage & 3 cups of squash puree. Stir in cheese and adjust seasonings.
The Stir Fry Mix includes Kale, and other leafy brassicas, as well as mustard greens and Mizuna.
STIR FRY MIX is included in your share today. This lovely mixture of greens is great to eat as a spicy salad, or to add to soups and stir fries.
Your fellow member Heather Kmetz created this delightful pastry with her pears…I’ve asked her for the recipe!
We hope that you all have a wonderful week, and enjoy this amazingly full box!
We would like to suggest that you eat, or use, your tomatoes sooner than later. Between the ash that fell, and the rain that followed, the crop is feeling a bit compromised. We are giving out only the best ones to you all, and thinking BLT sandwiches, salsa, salad toppers!
Happy Equinox to you all!
As we celebrate another turning of the season today, we celebrate the Earth finding balance between the waning light, and the onset of the darker days. May each and every one of you find your balance between the two, not only in the natural order of things, but personally as well. We are all in these changes together, and if we choose to see the light in all things, whether it’s on the physical plane, or within, we can all benefit collectively.
Bring a pot of water to boiling. Cut a tiny “X” in root end of onions, drop them in the water, and cook 1-2 min. Drain, cool, and slice off ends, leaving a little root end intact so onions won’t fall apart when cooked further. Remove skins. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a Large ovenproof skillet. Add polenta, 4 cups stock, and 1 tsp. salt: stir well (it won’t get smooth until cooked). Bake uncovered, without stirring, until liquid is absorbed, 40-50 min. Meanwhile, melt butter over Med heat in skillet. Add onions, sprinkle w/salt, and cook until nearly tender, 8-10 min, shaking pan frequently to prevent sticking. Add sugar & continue to cook, shaking pan, 2-3 min. Add remaining 1/4 C stock & vinegar. Raise heat: cook until liquid becomes a glaze, again shaking pan. Remove onions to a bowl. Wipe out skillet: add olive oil. Add garlic, chile flakes, and greens: cook, stirring often, until tender, 4-5 min. Stir in onions: add salt & pepper to taste. When polenta is done, serve it in wide shallow bowls topped w/greens & blue cheese.
ORANGE KABOCHA SQUASH We’re excited to begin adding Winter Squash to your boxes. 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 without 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.
BARTLETT PEARS from Mt.Hood Organics are included in your share this week, and will be again next week. These pears will need to ripen a bit before eating. Place the ones you would like to ripen in a bowl on your counter for a few days. If you would like them to ripen quickly, place them near a banana or apple, as they give off ethylene gas, which hastens the ripening process. Putting them in a paper sack will work as well, just don’t forget them in there!
As some of you may know, Mt. Hood Organic Farms is a family run farm, operated by Brady and John Jacobson, which is situated in a stunningly beautiful location at the base of Mt. Hood in the Upper Hood River Valley. This valley supplies about 30% of all the winter pears grown in America. John and Brady are hoping to get their wholesale delivery program up and running this Fall, so they can ship their fruit directly to you all. Stay tuned for the details…
Winter Green Farm 