CSA Newsletter – Week 16 – September 28, 2016
This week is the last week for the Height of the Season share. There are 2 weeks left in the Summer Season share. If you are getting a Height of the Season share and just can’t bare for it to end, let me know and you can join for a few more weeks. We also still have a few fall shares left….
Today was a great day. The sun was shining, the air was perfect, and everyone was chipper-probably feeling happy about yet another glorious autumn day. We made a huge dent in the potato harvest. It is one of those jobs where pretty much the whole crew works together to whip it out. We borrowed a digger from one of our fellow organic farmer-neighbors which allowed us to “quickly” dig 12 – 300ft rows. This machine gets dragged behind the tractor, digs up the potatoes, and gently lays them down on the surface of the soil. We then gather them up by hand and put them in 25# bags for storage. We used to use 50 lb bags, and I always complained (and the older I got, the more I complained!) “Not everyone here is a strapping young college student with no back issues,” I’d cry. The crew is with me on this one. Better to lift 500 manageable bags than 250 freakishly heavy and awkward ones.
We grow many different variety of potatoes, some of which yield some crazy shapes. There was a lot of “Hey look at this! It looks like a…(fill in the blank).” We found 2 that looked like Sasquatch hands, and here is a picture of Trine having a little fun with them.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
green cabbage
butternut squash
onions
carrots
beets or chard
lettuce
slicing cucumber or lemon cucumber
sweet peppers
sungolds or red tomatoes
broccoli
summer squash
FURTHER VEGGIE COMMENTARY:
Once again I will say “Don’t eat your squash yet!” Squash is one of the few vegetables that actually sweeten up after it is picked. Channel your inner Martha Stewart and create a fall shrine in the kitchen where you can arrange an artful collection of onions, garlic, and squash . Enjoy its visual beauty, and then eat it!
Butternut squash: This is the quintessential winter squash, probably the first kind you ever had. The flesh is bright orange, sweet, and creamy. It is often used for squash soup.
Green cabbage: They are abundant, and they are huge. We actually had to cut a few of them in half in order to be able to fit them in your box. Don’t worry, we were super clean and sanitary about it and put them right into bags!
Broccoli: Once again you get to enjoy broccoli. We usually don’t have this much to hand out so consistently. It is a combination of a new variety, new ground, and ideal weather. Can’t complain!
Tomatoes and peppers: The tomatoes are flagging, but the peppers seem to be just getting started. You will get an assortment of sweet peppers. If you don’t use them right away, they freeze really well. No need to blanch or cook in any way. Just cut up into the size you like and freeze. I just put up 5 quart bags last night from the weekend market leftovers.
Have a great week!
Jen, Jim, and the Rising River Farm Crew.