- Nov 8, 2023

Winter CSA Newsletter Week #2, Nov 5 - 11, 2023 “B” week

The herd gleaned and grazed the fully harvested vegetable fields this weekend.

Newsletter Table of Contents:

This Week’s Shares with Guides & Recipes- VEG, MES, EGG, APPLE
Recipes
Field News & Photos from the Week

VEG SHARES (see FULL and HALF list for which share has what, how much, along with info, guides, recipes)

FULL SHARE:

SPINACH (1/4 lb) - This green is very versatile (and YES! You can eat the stems, in fact they are very tasty too. ;) It can be eaten cooked or raw, requires little prep, works with sweet or savory ingredients, stands up to other hearty ingredients, and pairs well with rich, fatty foods such as cheese, butter, bacon, and cream. Raw is popular in salads with, or without, pecans, dried fruit such as cranberries, chunks of cheese, sunflower seeds, and roasted beets. Other possibilities are steaming, boiling, stir-frying, or sautéeing with butter or olive oil. Known as a longer keeper than lettuce, store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for a week or more. Note - Cooks down in size considerably. Guide & Recipes

GREEN ONIONS (1 bunch) - Store in a plastic bag in the fridge OR in a glass of water, about an inch deep on the countertop or fridge. Cover tops with a plastic baggie. Change the 2 water periodically. These will store for about 3 weeks. You can use the tops for cooking too — you can even chop them and freeze them for later!

BRUSSELS SPROUTS (1 lb) - Kind of like tiny baby cabbages, Brussel sprouts are earthy and sometimes slightly bitter, they are best when cooked until tender but still firm and bright green. Cooking with dry heat, such as roasting or sautéeing produces caramelization and brings out the sweetness of the sprouts. To roast Brussels sprouts, halve them, toss with olive oil, and season with Kosher salt, then roast in a 400 F oven for about 20 minutes. To sauté, halve the sprouts and cook in a medium-hot skillet for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender and crispy. Another tip: avoid cooking or dressing the sprouts in acidic sauces or dressings, as this can increase the pungency of the sprouts. Brussels sprouts pair well with fats and oils, and Brussels sprouts with bacon are a popular combination, as the smokiness and fat are a favorable match with the sprouts' earthy bitterness. Store loose sprouts in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Collards (1 bunch) -Store this green in a plastic bag right away and leave it in the fridge. Use within a week. This crop technically falls into the category of “danger zone veggies” -- they have a short shelf life -- so don't wait too long to use or freeze them.

DELICATA WINTER SQUASH - Different varieties include squashes that are cylindrical or oval shape with cream or copper color and green or yellow stripes. These have thin skin that is edible so there is no need to peel! And they will store for up to 1 to 3 months at room temperature. Great steamed. Cut in half, scoop out seeds, and lay them face-side down in a sheet pan filled with a bit of water. Bake/steam at 375 for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size, until the inside is soft. Or roast the lazy way - put the whole squash in the oven in a shallow pan, on a cookie sheet or sheet pan & roast. Carefully remove from the oven when a fork or knife can easily be inserted, slice in half, and scoop out seeds. Serve in the skin with butter or brown sugar. You can also microwave Delicata for 3 to 5 minutes. Or prepare in a toaster oven @ 425F for 20 to 25 minutes. Guide & Recipes

CARROTS (1 lb roots) - Store the roots dry and unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. certified organic from Red Door Family Farm Guide & Recipes

GARLIC (2 bulbs) - 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.

GOLDRUSH APPLES (2 lbs) - Flesh is yellow, firm, and crisp. Flavor has the honeyed sweetness of a Golden Delicious, wedded to a pleasing tartness with a touch of acidity. Sweeten over time. Eat fresh, cook, or bake. certified organic from Two Onion FarmDELICATA WINTER SQUASHES (2) - Possible different varieties include squashes that are cylindrical or oval shape with cream or copper color and green or yellow stripes.These have thin skin that is edible so there is no need to peel! And they will store for up to 1 to 3 months at room temperature. Great steamed. Cut in half, scoop out seeds, and lay them face-side down in a sheet pan filled with a bit of water. Bake/steam at 375 for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size, until the inside is soft. Or roast the lazy way - put the whole squash in the oven in a shallow pan, on a cookie sheet or sheet pan & roast. Carefully remove from the oven when a fork or knife can easily be inserted, slice in half, and scoop out seeds. Serve in the skin with butter or brown sugar. You can also microwave Delicata for 3 to 5 minutes. Or prepare in a toaster oven @ 425F for 20 to 25 minutes. Guide & Recipes

HALF SHARE: (see Full VEG Shares above⬆ for info on each item)

SPINACH (1/4 lb)

GREEN ONIONS (1 bunch)

BRUSSELS SPROUTS (3/4 lb)

DELICATA VARIETY WINTER SQUASH

CARROTS (1 lb roots)

GARLIC (2 bulbs)

SUNCRISP APPLES (1 lb) Yellow-green hue, this variety's flesh resists browning when sliced and is dense, firm, and crisp and has high sugar and acidity, creating a sharp, subtly sweet, and tart flavor with floral nuances - even notes of pear and honey. It's taste will mellow and sweeten over time.Good for eating fresh, pies and desserts, apple juice, apple butter, and apple sauce. Stores well.

OPTIONAL ITEMS:

SALAD TURNIPS, CARROTS

MES SHARE for Wed Home Deliveries this week (unless we made other arrangements)

FULL : 1 pkg breakfast sausage, 2 doz

HALF: 1 pkg breakfast sausage, 1 doz

EGG SHARE Weekly Shares = 1 Dozen Biweekly Shares = 1 Dozen

RECIPES:

Click the link to go to a printable pdf of the recipe.

Field News & Photos:

This recipe for Roasted Brussels Sprouts Pasta was shared this week in our private CSA FB group just as I was trying to decide what to make for supper so I tried it also. I added parmesan and milk to the sauce and skipped the chili pepper.

We loved it. So much so that there weren't any leftovers even though I'd doubled the recipe!

In some ways, things have slowed down around the homestead with the big pre-freeze harvests last week. but that newly opened up space quickly filled back in.

Aidan turned 20! How did that happen so fast? And did he get even taller? Or did I shrink?

(Either way it felt good to know I can still embarrass him with just a look. LOL!)

The two puppies passed their vet check with flying colors as they turned 8 weeks.

And spent their last days with us playing with our girl Tansy, getting used to collars and leashes, and taking in lots of snuggles from us - especially from me!

Here they are on the way to meet their new people!

Finly (puppy Clyde) went with Kristen and Dan to Illinois to soak up all their attention!

And Kaya (puppy Bonnie) took a long trip to L.A. with Carmen and Neal who promise to promptly turn her into a beach bum. 😊

Back at home, the new cattle fence Bill and Aidan started a few weeks back was finished up.

Half the herd was loaded up, driven the 6 miles up the hill, and unloaded.

They promptly ran the perimeter of the fence to get their boundaries.

Then after a drink of water from the tank the guys had set up, they started grazing.

And now we're focusing on supporting Liam who was accepted in this weekend's Winter Art Fair Off the Square with his Black Pearl Forge metal sculptures.