Summer #19 CSA Newsletter October 5 - 11, 2025

Stacey Feiner
Oct 8
11 min read

It's pumpkin time of the year.

This week's share.

VEG SHARES - Weekly + "A" week for EOW = Dianne, Big Sky, Odana, SGFM and Home Delivery at Olin Dr, Lakeside, Bridge, Country Grove, Sweet Willow

SPAGHETTI SQUASH (1) - These have a pretty long shelf life - several months if you store them properly in a cool, dark place. Their characteristic “noodle-like” flesh gives them their name. These can be cut in half and steamed upside down in a sheet pan filled with water. To use, cut the squash around the middle (belly button) of the squash. This will ensure you get the longest “noodles.” Guide & Recipes

ARUGULA/TATSOI MIX (3 oz) - Peppery salad greens. Tip: If you don’t like the spiciness, using dressing with dairy and/or adding cheese will lessen the heat. Arugula is more perishable than lettuce and often only lasts about 4 or 5 days so this should be one of the first items eaten from your share. That said, adding a paper or cloth towel to the bag to absorb moisture will extend the time it lasts by several days! Store in the fridge. Arugula Guide & Recipes

LETTUCE MIX (¼ lb) - Store in a plastic bag in your fridge. Often considered a “1st Priority Vegetable” with a shorter shelf life than the other vegetables in your share, however if you put a paper or cloth towel in the bag to absorb moisture, our freshly harvested lettuce will often lasts more than a week! Guide & Recipes

TOMATOES (red slicer) - Store on your countertop for best flavor. If the tomato is not fully red, wait a couple of days for it to ripen completely. Guide & Recipes

SWEET PEPPERS (1 colored/green bell or horn) - Store these in the fridge in a plastic bag. Stuff, add to stir fries, egg dishes, soups, tacos & burritos, pizza, etc. or slice for salads, veggie trays, or to snack on. Peppers can also be flash frozen. Just throw them in a Ziploc bag (whole or chopped) and freeze!

JALAPENO PEPPERS (2) - Jalapenos have some heat but of a manageable kind. This variety has a range of pungency, with Scoville heat units of 3,500 to 3,600. Caution: The natural oils from the pepper can get on your hands and burn your skin so it’s recommended to wear gloves when handling and wash them thoroughly before rubbing your eyes! If you like spicy, keep the seeds and ribs when chopping, but if you want 3 the flavor without the burn of the heat, scrape out the seeds and remove the ribs. Store in fridge in a plastic bag. Can be flash frozen whole or chopped. Scoville Heat Units are 2,500 and 8,000.

GREEN CABBAGE - Store this in your fridge. Cabbage keeps for quite a while. (If the outside leaves get yellow or floppy, just peel them off and discard to reveal good cabbage underneath!) Shred it for cole slaw or sauerkraut. Saute it with some garlic and olive oil for a tasty side dish. Guide & Recipes

CELERY (5 or 6 ribs or stalks) - Celery is a herbaceous plant, in the same family with parsley, carrots, dill, and fennel. It’s crunchy, juicy, and aromatic, with a grassy, sweet, spicy flavor, and is regarded as a so-called "aromatic" vegetable, like onions and carrots, and is widely used as one of the three components of mirepoix (along with onions and carrots). Celery is also combined with onions and bell peppers to make up the "holy trinity" of Cajun cuisine. These mixtures are generally sautéed or roasted, and form the flavor base of innumerable sauces, soups, stocks, broths, stews, and other dishes. Celery will go limp if it isn't refrigerated. Remove the band holding the bunch together, put in a plastic bag or wrap the bunch loosely in paper towels, and store it in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for about a week or so. Alternatively, trim off the very bottom of the ribs and put them in a glass of jar with an inch of water. Store the glass in the refrigerator and replace the water every couple days.

CUCUMBERS (1 or 2) - Store in the crisper drawer of your fridge in a plastic bag and use within a week or so. Remember these are organic - no need to peel!

TOMATO (red slicer/plum) - Store on your countertop for best flavor. If the tomato is not fully red, wait a couple of days for it to ripen completely. Guide & Recipes

SUMMER SQUASHES & ZUCCHINI (1 or 2) - These are pretty much “First Priority” vegetables and should be used within the next few days otherwise they will start to soften. Store them in a plastic bag or storage container in the fridge. Slice or chop to saute in a little olive oil, add to a pasta salad, throw in a green salad, or grill in long strips with or without olive oil. You can even grate to bake in muffins or cakes or to freeze for baking or adding to soups later!

SWISS CHARD (1 bunch) - Put it in a bag to store in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into

the category of “First Priority Vegetables” or ones with a short shelf life - use it within the week for maximum efficiency. To revive limp chard, cut a sliver off the bottom of the stems and soak in very cold water for a few minutes. Guide & Recipes

RED RUSSIAN KALE (1 bunch) - Store in a plastic bag (a Debbie Meyer Green bag if you have one) keep it in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “1st Priority veggies” If you can’t use them in the next few days, freeze them you can use the stalks too! Every part of the leaf is edible, though really thick ribs take longer to cook, so they're often discarded. The kale can be cooked whole, cut into thin strips, or chopped, depending on your recipe and use. Store in a plastic bag (a Debbie Meyer Green bag if you have one) keep it in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “1st Priority veggies” to be used in the next week. If you can’t use it in the next few days, consider freezing it. Guide & Recipes

DINOSAUR KALE (1 bunch) - (Also known as Lacinto or Toscano.) Dino kale has an earthy, nutty flavor. It doesn't have the same strong bitterness as other varieties of kale, though it is still there. The sweetness helps offset that and makes it more approachable.This green can be used just like any other kale. Every part of the leaf is edible, though really thick ribs take longer to cook, so they're often discarded. The kale can be cooked whole, cut into thin strips, or chopped, depending on your recipe and use. Store in a plastic bag (a Debbie Meyer Green bag if you have one) keep it in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “1st Priority veggies” to be used in the next week. If you can’t use it in the next few days, consider freezing it. Guide & Recipes

ADIRONDACK BLUE POTATOES (1 lb) - Blue flesh and skin with a slight purple tint. Great flavor, hold color when cooked, and contain lots of healthy anthocyanins. This variety is good for boiling, baking, and mashing, and can be used for brightly coloured salads. Store in a paper bag in your pantry or on the counter for a month. Guide & Recipes

RUSSET POTATOES- Fully russeted skin with dry, white flesh perfectly suited for classic baked potatoes. Guide & Recipes

CARROTS (1 bunch or 1 lb, roots) - Store the roots dry and unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Guide & Recipes

CHIOGGIA BEETS (1 lb) - Pronounced kee-OH-gee-uh after a town in Northern Italy, and also known as “Candy Cane” or “Bullseye”, Chioggia have an especially sweet and mild earthy flavor—and don’t ‘bleed’ as much as regular beets. You can use them just like red beets. Often put in salads to showcase their eye-catching stripes. If boiling, add a little bit of lemon juice or white vinegar to prevent the stripes from fading! Store in the fridge in a plastic bag for months. Guide & Recipes

SALAD (Hakurei) TURNIPS (1 bunch) - These popular white golf-ball or smaller size roots are juicy, sweet and less starchy than an average turnip, with a texture that deserves to be eaten raw or barely cooked. Hakurei turnips have the tender, almost creamy texture of a spring radish, but without the sharp heat of a radish, their more mellow turnip flavor shines through.They are crisp and tender. Use them in salads, sandwiches, stir frys, sautes, scrambled eggs or sauces. Remove the edible tops (use in salads or lightly sauteed) and store them separately in a plastic bag in the fridge (or the root will get soft). Best used within 3-4 weeks but will keep a long time! Guide & Recipes

RADISHES with greens (1 bunch) - Separate radish from leaves for storing! Keep the greens in a loosely wrapped plastic bag in the crisper bin of your refrigerator and eat them soon. Store the colorful roots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or so. Eat them raw with a sprinkle of salt, slice into salads or on sandwiches for added crunch, pickle or roast with carrots. Guide & Recipes

GARLIC - Ready to be used now or later, this is “cured”, or dried garlic, and as such should be stored on your counter out of direct sunlight.

YELLOW ONION (1 lb) - Store on your counter or in your pantry out of direct sunlight. Onion peels can be put into a freezer bag with other vegetable scraps to make soup stock later, as they are full of antioxidants. To freeze: Cut or slice onions to desired size and place in Ziplock bag. Remove all the air and seal. It helps to freeze them in 2-3 cup increments. These are a good all-around onion, great for cooking and flavoring dishes. By far, they're the most popular onion sold in America and versatile enough for just about anything. Yellow onions are a smart choice for caramelizing, which draws out their natural sweetness.

RED ONION (1 lb) - Colorful and spicy-to-mild flavor. Because of their bright color and crispy texture, they're great for salads, salsas, and other fresh recipes. They're also excellent sliced for sandwiches. With cooking, the color fades, but they're still delicious cooked. Store on your counter or in your pantry out of direct sunlight. Onion peels can be put into a freezer bag with other vegetable scraps to make soup stock later, as they are full of antioxidants. To freeze: Cut or slice onions to desired size and place in Ziplock bag. Remove all the air and seal. It helps to freeze them in 2-3 cup increments.

LEEKS (1 bunch) - Members of the onion family, leeks look like scallions (or green onions), but they're a lot larger. Their mild flavor and ease of preparation make the vegetable a favorite addition to soups, casseroles, and white meat entrées, as well as a simple side dish when gently sautéed. Generally, the taste of leeks can be described as a mild onion that is slightly sweet.

CILANTRO - Snip the bottom of the stems off and keep in the fridge or on the counter in a glass of water, with, or without, an upside down plastic bag over the tops. Refresh water every few days and your herb will last for weeks! For an even more low-maintenance way to store cilantro, give your leaves a wash and thorough dry, then chop them up to freeze in ice cube trays with a little water or oil. Once frozen solid, transfer them to freezer bags and add to sauces, soups and marinades as needed. Or use now in salads, salsas, tacos, slaws, rice, stir fry (sprinkle on as you remove from heat), and pesto.

PARSLEY (1 bunch) - Snip the bottom of the stems off and store on the counter in a glass of water. Or if you plan to use it in the next day or so, you can store the bunch in a plastic bag in the fridge.

BASIL (1 bunch) - I’ve found the best way to store basil is to pretend they are cut flowers. Cut the bottoms of the stems off and put in a glass of water on your counter or table. (They make a pretty centerpiece until you are ready to use them!) Basil is great in pesto - - which can be frozen.

RASPBERRIES (1/2 pint) This delicious snack also perfectly tops cereal, salads, and desserts if not gobbled up straight out of the container! If you're getting behind on using these, freeze spread on a cookie sheet or other flat surface and then store in a freezer bag or container to enjoy come winter.

DAKOTA BLACK POPCORN (1 lb) - This richly flavored popcorn has a deep purple kernel that pops into a bright white and tender treat. (from Meadowlark Organics)

SMALL RED CAYENNE BEANS (1 lb) - These beans are small, plump, and creamy and are great for soups and stews. We call them the “everything” bean, as they’re a good chili, soup, salad, refried, baked bean. (from Meadowlark Organics)

ALL PURPOSE BOLTED FLOUR - Best applications include but are not limited to cakes, crackers, pizza dough, and breads.PROTEIN CONTENT= 10.5%. (from Meadowlark Organics)

MES SHARES - Big Sky, Jacobs Way, and Home Delivery at Country Grove

EGG SHARES - all Weekly & appropriate Biweekly

APPLE SHARES from certified organic Blue Roof Orchard

for all Weekly & Biweekly A = Dianne, Big Sky, Jacobs Way and "A" Home Deliveries

4.5# Cordera Apples

NEW IN 2025! Sweet and crisp. A lamb.

Recipes:

On the Farm . . .

It's been a crazy week full of everything ----

wonderful, beautiful, delightful, terrific, amazing, awesome . . . . . . insert your personal favorite superlative . . . produce coming in from the fields.

Winter squashes

Salad Turnips

Radishes

Lettuces

a few more cherry tomatoes

We accepted long ago that every week brings machinery that needs maintenance work or fixing.
Fortunately, Aidan and Bill together are pretty handy and can deal with most anything that needs attention be it a cooler compressor, a skid steer hydraulic hose, or a Sprinter van DPF sensor (don't ask me what that is as I have no idea!)

However this week's needed DPF sensor part had to be ordered and won't arrive until next Tuesday!
In the meantime, we're making due hauling CSA's and market produce in
a tandem of our car + old truck!

Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!

And Thursday was our annual organic certifying inspection.

The MOSA inspector comes out to the farm to go over our seed purchases, field practices, and record keeping to make sure we're following and tracking everything the way the organic label dictates.

Even after doing it for a decade now, it still feels like a huge exam! The "visit" lasts for several hours and is stressful, but we passed with flying colors.

Here's the signed affirmation our inspector gave us until our official certification letter is sent out.

Yay!!!!

And phew!!! 😮‍💨

Yesterday morning we got a reminder of how when there're animals involved things can get crazy in a moment's notice!

Aidan went out to start chores and came back in a few minutes later looking for someone to help him with a "goat problem".

Bill was just about to head out anyway, so he was the lucky one to lend a hand.

Once out there, you might say things went a little sideways . . .

well, watch the video and decide for yourself.

Just a few notes before you watch:
1. Bill swears a little, so turn the volume down if you don't want to hear it.
2. No goats were harmed in the filming of this video. And we really love our goats! 💗
3. We hope you laugh as hard as we did. (Aidan just about chokes he's laughing so hard while recording.)