Greetings! As we ease out of this odd winter, things are moving quickly at the farm. The root cellar is nearly empty, and the greenhouse is filling up with onions, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower transplants. Dave has already seeded green onions and carrots in the high tunnels, and cover crop has been mowed and tarped in preparation for cucumbers and tomatoes.
The rest of the seasonal crew will be ramping up their activity over the course of the next few weeks, and we’re still looking for one more crew member. If you know of anyone who is interested in doing difficult but meaningful work with a great group of people, please have them be in touch with us!
We’re a little nervous that the irrigation pond is only about 2/3 full. After 25 years, this is the first season that it hasn’t filled with snowmelt! Hopefully we’ll get a little bit more consistent rainfall than last summer. Ultimately, we’re at the mercy of mother nature but we feel pretty well prepared for whatever the season brings and we’re grateful to be on this journey with you!
For the farm crew,
Janaki
In your share today:
Beets (just one this month!) — Carrots — Garlic — Greens Mix — Onions — Red and Yellow Potatoes, Rutabagas
It’s the second to last winter CSA delivery and the farm season is just around the corner!
🌱 Greenhouse Delights: There’s an unmistakable magic in the revival of the greenhouse scents, which is where the crew has gotten to hang out more and more recently 🙂 Our first planting of onions are just starting to poke out of the potting soil, with subsequent plantings not far behind.
🥕 Carrot Countdown: I am not 100% sure how many pounds of carrots we bagged up this winter, but I do know it was a lot! When the winter began, the root cellar was packed to the ceiling with pallet boxes of them… I mean packed, you could barely move around in there. Now there is but a few pallet boxes remaining and most of them will be reserved for the final CSA delivery in April. This means that this is the last week you will find our carrots in local restaurants and stores!
In Your Share This Month:
Beets – Green Cabbage – Purple and Orange Carrots – Onions – Shallots
Parsnips – Fingerling, Baby Yellow, & Red Potatoes – Rutabagas
For the recipes this month, it’s back to basics… One of my favorite ways to eat root vegetables is to roast them in the oven with nothing but a little olive oil, salt & pepper. They can then be enjoyed as a side dish, thrown on salads for fiber & flavor, or paired with a tasty sauce… like the caramelized shallot & herb aioli recipe below.
When roasting, I’m typically a fan of potato skins, but the French fingerlings in this month’s share have a slightly rough texture. They remain delicious, but I do suggest peeling them this time round.
Roasted Root Vegetables
Ingredients:
Assorted root vegetables (such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips, Rutabaga, etc.) Olive oil Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 425°F
Wash and peel the root vegetables, then chop them into similar-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
Place the chopped vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables, using enough to coat them evenly. Toss the vegetables with your hands or a spoon to ensure they are all well coated with the oil.
Season the vegetables generously with salt and pepper, adjusting the amount to taste.
Spread the seasoned vegetables out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Make sure they are not overcrowded to allow for even roasting.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast the vegetables for about 25-35 minutes, or until they are tender and golden brown, stirring halfway through the cooking time for even browning.
Once the vegetables are roasted to your desired level of doneness, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a serving dish.
Feel free to customize this recipe by adding other seasonings or herbs such as garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, or paprika for extra flavor!
Caramelized Shallot & Herb Aioli by newinthekitchen.wordpress.com
Ingredients:
3/4 cup light mayonnaise 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus a pinch of zest 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped finely 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped finely 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 1 teaspoon hot sauce (your choice of brand, we enjoy Cholula) 3 shallots, minced Olive Oil Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Heat a saute pan with one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. 2. Add shallots and cooked until browned and caramelized, about 10 minutes. 3. Allow shallots to cool. 4. Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, herbs, lemon juice and zest, dijon mustard, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. 5. When shallots are cooled, add them to mixture. Stir to combine. 6. Allow Aioli to chill in the refrigerator for about an hour prior to serving to allow flavors to combine.
It’s quite strange to find ourselves contemplating spring already, especially since winter seems to have barely made an appearance… Thanks a bunch, El Niño! Nevertheless, it’s that time of year. The root cellar seems more spacious with each passing week, and excitement for onion seeding is steadily growing. The team is looking forward to a change of scenery from the pack shed as we transition into more greenhouse work.
These days, carrot bagging tends to stretch on quite a bit. With the influx of orders from Super One, we’re handling much larger volumes than usual. It can feel overwhelming to see the stacks of empty boxes waiting to be filled for the day’s orders; however, this bagging time gives us ample opportunity to engage in casual conversation. Lately, there’s been a lot of chatter about seeds, which is quite enjoyable. As lunchtime draws near, our discussions typically turn to recent cooking endeavors or recipes we’re eager to try. The standout from this past week has been Jennifer’s effortless pasta sauce featuring beets!
Parsnips – White Potatoes – Russet Potatoes – Delicata Squash
Jennifer’s Beet Pasta Sauce
1/2 cup coconut milk 1/3 cup salted cashews 4 medium sized beets
Boil & peel the beets
Blend beets & cashews
Stir in coconut milk
Serve over pasta
Some of the beets we harvested last year are rather large… If you happened to get a gigantic one in your share, feel free to count that as four medium beets. A nice thing about this recipe is that it is easily adjustable. Simply add more or less coconut milk & cashews to get the consistency and salt content just where you like it!
Braised Green Cabbage
1 medium green cabbage 1 yellow onion, rough chop 2 large carrots, cut into 1/4″ coins (I’d stick with the orange ones for this dish) 1 parsnip, cut into 1/4″ coins 1/4 cup bone broth or vegetable broth 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons olive oil, duck fat or ghee 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 cloves garlic, whole 1 Bay leave
Heat oven to 325°F with the rack in the middle.
Lop off the tough stem end of the cabbage and divide it into 6-8 wedges. Keep the core attached so the wedges stay intact after the long cooking time. Don’t worry: The tough core will get super tender, too.
Generously salt the cabbages and let sit for a little while.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, duck fat or ghee in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, sauté onion, carrots and parsnip until vegetables start to sweat.
Pour in bone broth to deglaze the pan.
Turn off heat and add 1/4 cups of oil / fat. Place cabbage wedges in a single layer in the dutch oven – a little overlap is okay. Throw in salt, pepper, garlic cloves and bay leave. Cover tightly with foil & dutch oven lid and place in the oven.
Cook the cabbage undisturbed for 1 hour. Crack open the foil cover and carefully flip the wedges over. Reseal the dish tightly and braise for another hour or until fork-tender.
At this point, you can remove the cabbage to cool and store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it (up to 4 days). When you’re ready to serve, crank the oven up to 425°F and bake until browned (about 15 minutes).
The chickens love feasting on reject squash and cabbage leaves!
Happy New Year!
After weeks of anticipation, the first real snowfall has finally graced the fields! While the gentle start to winter offered a break from the unrelenting snow removal that defined last year’s snowy season, there was an unanimous sentiment—it’s about time!
It’s been a whirlwind of activity here in the pack shed, and we can’t express enough gratitude for the support we’ve received from both our valued members and our partners in grocery stores and restaurants. Knowing that our vegetables are making their way onto the plates of our community brings us immense joy. It’s heartwarming to imagine our produce being shared among friends and families, becoming a part of the meals and moments that bring people together. We take pride in cultivating these vegetables and seeing them find their rightful place in the homes and gatherings of our community members.
Janaki is currently working on the budget and Catherine is prepping the signup software for next season, so we’re hoping to begin 2024 signups in about two weeks!
This month, a trio of newcomers make their debut from storage in the root cellar: Chioggia beets, rutabagas and parsnips. I love to roast these all together with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. It makes a great side dish when fresh from the oven and leftovers are delicious when thrown into a salad. In my opinion, Choigga beets are the star of the show.
Chioggia beets, often referred to as candy cane beets, originated in the historic fishing town of Chioggia, Italy, just across the lagoon from Venice. These heirloom beets have a mild, sweet taste and slightly less earthy flavor compared to traditional beets. Whether enjoyed raw (thinly sliced, dipped in olive oil, salt, and pepper) for their visual appeal or cooked to showcase their flavor, Chioggia beets impress both the eyes and the taste buds.
Rutabaga Latkes (by Lisa Richards, CNC)
Latkes, or potato pancakes fried in oil, need not necessarily be made from potatoes. This recipe uses rutabaga with hemp seeds for added protein.
Yield: 10 latkes
1 lb. peeled, grated rutabaga (approx. 3 cups) 1 scallion, minced 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 Tbsp. coconut flour 3-4 Tbsp. raw, shelled hemp seeds 1 tsp. salt Pepper to taste A few gratings of fresh nutmeg Olive oil for frying
In a large bowl, add grated rutabaga, minced scallion, beaten egg, coconut flour, hemp seeds, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix well.
In a large skillet, heat a good tablespoon of olive oil between medium low and medium heat. Working in batches of 3 latkes, spoon about 2 tablespoons of mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3 to 4 inch rounds and frying until the edges begin to brown. Flip and fry until other side is golden brown. Repeat with remaining latke mixture, adding another good tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet for each batch.
When latkes are done frying, place in warm oven on wire racks on a rimmed baking sheet. This keeps latkes crispy until ready to serve.
Baby Russet Hash Browns
It wouldn’t feel right to send out baby russets without sharing our recipe for baby russet hash browns. Small russet potatoes have a low moisture content and a high ratio of skin to flesh, so no draining or precooking is required.
Baby russet potatoes (grated, as many as desired) Oil or butter or both Season to taste with salt and pepper
Grate baby russet potatoes
Heat a skillet or pan to medium heat and add a generous amount of oil
Spread grated potatoes in a layer no thicker than one inch in the pan. Do not stir or agitate. Cover with a lid until the bottom appears toasted and crispy, then flip the hash browns. (This will likely need to be done in sections around the pan unless you’re just doing a small amount.)
Add a little more oil / butter after flipping
Once the 2nd side is toasted as well, season and serve!
Janaki’s favorite is to add some grated beets to the mix, but you could also try rutabagas, parsnips, or carrots, too. Feel free to get experimental with this one!
Happy December! We hope everyone is finding time to be with the ones who matter most, whether it’s those in our everyday lives or those we reconnect with during this time of year. The holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to embrace the bounty of winter CSA vegetables!
Despite the calendar signaling December, the absence of snow and the uncharacteristic warmth persist, creating a season that has felt more like an extended November than the traditional winter landscape we anticipate. There has even been talk in the root cellar about the possibility of using spray-on snow around the windows to help re-create that quintessential winter charm. This idea may give the crew a good laugh, but it won’t do much for the fields…
Indeed, aside from being beautiful, snow brings a handful of advantages to farm fields:
Insulation: Acting as a natural blanket, snow shields the soil and crops from extreme cold, maintaining more stable temperatures. This prevents frost from penetrating too deeply and safeguards the roots of plants. Moisture Source: As snow melts, it provides a slow and steady release of moisture into the soil, replenishing water levels essential for the growth of crops, especially in the drier winter months. Nutrient Retention: Snow can capture and retain nutrients, gradually releasing them into the soil as it melts. This nutrient-rich water aids in enriching the soil for future planting seasons. Erosion Prevention: Snow cover can mitigate soil erosion by shielding the surface from wind and water runoff, preserving the topsoil and preventing nutrient loss. Microbial Protection: Snow cover can offer a protective environment for beneficial soil microbes and organisms, supporting a healthier soil ecosystem.
In Your Share This Month:
Beets – Green Cabbage – Orange & Purple Carrots – Garlic – Red & Yellow Onions
French Fingerling & Russet Potatoes – Kabocha & Delicata Squash
Roasted Winter Squash with Vanilla Butter (by Kay Chun from Food&Wine.com)
Yield: 6-8 Servings
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped 4 pounds mixed squash (such as kabocha, Delicata and Red Kuri)—scrubbed, seeded and sliced 1/2 inch thick 3 sage sprigs, plus 24 small sage leaves Kosher salt Pepper 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small saucepan, combine the butter and vanilla bean and seeds and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is deeply browned and has a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Discard the vanilla bean.
On a baking sheet, drizzle the squash and sage sprigs with the vanilla browned butter, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for about 25 minutes, turning once, until the squash is golden in spots and tender. Arrange on a serving platter. Discard the sage sprigs.
In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil. In batches, fry the sage leaves over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Scatter the fried sage over the squash and serve.
This recipe comes to us upon recommendation from one of our Ely members. She said her son used dried cherries instead of raisins, and added pistachios as well!
Yield: 4 Servings
2 cups grated carrots (from about 3 carrots) 1 cup grated fresh beets (from about 1 medium-sized peeled beet) 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 teaspoon paprika (sweet, not hot) 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Small pinch salt Small pinch cayenne 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 teaspoons honey 2 tablespoons sliced fresh mint leaves
Rinse the grated beets, combine with carrots and raisins: Place the grated carrots in a medium sized serving bowl. Place the grated beets into a sieve and briefly rinse with cold water. This will rinse away a little of the excess beet juice that may otherwise color the whole salad beet red. Pat dry with a paper towel. Then add to the bowl with the carrots. Add the raisins. Stir to gently combine.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Then add the lemon juice and honey and whisk until smooth.
Dress the carrots and beets, let sit for an hour: Drizzle over the the carrots and beets, then gently fold until the carrots and beets are lightly coated. Let sit for an hour before serving, either chilled or at room temperature, for the dressing to seep into the carrots and beets.
Stir in sliced mint before serving: Right before serving, stir in a couple tablespoons of sliced fresh mint leaves. Garnish with fresh mint.
The first winter CSA delivery is upon us! For our new members: Welcome to our veggie community and thank you for choosing local and organic 🙂 For our season to season members: Thank you for your continued support and welcome back! It’s been a little over a month since our last summer share box was delivered. We hope the short break in your Food Farm veggie action has not been too much to bear. Despite a pause in share deliveries, the farm crew has done anything but pause…
Next year’s garlic crop all tucked in for the winter
It has been a mad dash to get us set up for winter! A short three weeks ago we were digging the last of our storage potatoes from the ground (a remarkable feat in its own regard), thinking to ourselves “How in the heck are we gonna get 35 tons of carrots, four tons of beets, a couple tons of parsnips and a few thousand pounds of rutabagas from the rapidly cooling earth before it freezes in four days?”
Well… we did things a little differently this year, that’s how.
Usually, during peak harvest time, we operate with two crews. One crew harvesting and another washing. This year, because of the hard freeze during the last week of October, we used all hands on deck (along with some volunteers from Fond du Lac Community College) to harvest everything as quickly as we could. Just in the nick of time, we packed the veggies in pallet boxes and stacked them to the ceiling of our root cellar with dirt still clinging to their skin. We then began November by pulling it all back out, one pallet box at a time, to gently roll or tumble through our washing assembly. We took the occasional break to knock ice free from the spray nozzles and it was a chilly process indeed, but Dave brought lots of extra winter gear and by the end the veggies were shining in vibrant shades of orange, purple & parsnip. It also helped that Janaki kept us fed and happy with hot cocoa, cookies & pizza during our lunch breaks. The morale boost was at times needed.
All in all, it was a year filled with joys and challenges, but we got through it and at the end of the day, that’s farming!
Thriving under the shelter of Catherine’s hoop houses, the celery reached rather impressive height this fall. We had to cut the stalks in half just to fit them in the share box. Because of this, we went ahead and left the leaves on – something we don’t often do in the summer shares. The leaves present a concentrated flavor that is more robust than the stalks. They can be used in a variety of dishes, including soups, stocks, salads, and as a garnish. Or maybe you would like to include them in your stuffing this holiday season… Included below is a recipe for just that!
Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing (by Anna from crunchycreamysweet.com)
Yield: 6 servings
1 fresh French bread or 10 cups dried cubed bread 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, divided 1 ½ cup chopped celery ½ cup celery leaves, chopped 1 large yellow onion, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 ½ cups broth chicken, turkey or vegetable
If you are using fresh French bread: slice it into ½″ slices, then each slice into ½″ cubes. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet (most likely you will need at least two sheets), in a single layer, then let it air-dry in room temperature overnight OR preheat oven to 250° F and bake bread for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the pans every 15 minutes. If using already dried bread, place 10 cups in a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 13″x9″ baking dish or 3 quart baking dish. Set aside.
In a skillet, melt 1 stick (½ cup) of butter. Add chopped onion and celery. Saute until veggies are soft.
Add veggies to bread.
Add herbs, celery leaves, salt and pepper. Stir in.
Add broth and stir in gently. Place in buttered dish.
Melt remaining butter and pour over the stuffing.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You can uncover it for the last 5 minutes to toast up the top pieces, if desired.
Let cool for 10 minutes, then serve.
P.S. – For the best texture, bake the stuffing the same day you will serve it. You can prep everything the day before: dry the bread and sauté veggies. The next day just assemble everything and bake!
Dressing: 1 lemon 1 orange 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider, maple syrup or honey (something for sweetness) 1 shallot, minced 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper to taste
Salad: 4 dozen brussels sprouts 1 cup almonds 6 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled or chopped 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Combine the lemon juice, orange juice, apple cider, and shallots in a small bowl. Add the olive oil in a steady stream and whisk for a minute or two, until it becomes creamy-looking.
Slice the brussels sprouts with a mandoline, taking care of your fingers! and slicing them as thin as possible. This works best when you hold the stem, slice from the top, and stop with a little bit left at the bottom, discarding the remaining bottom stem part since it’s not very leafy anyway. The thinner the shreds, the better the salad! Toss the shreds and loosen them with your fingers to they separate and fluff a little bit.
Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely chopped.
Toss the brussels sprouts, almonds, bacon, cheese, and dressing together. Serve immediately or within a few hours of tossing.
This next recipe is rather simple, but I haven’t been able to get enough of it in the last couple weeks. I like it as a side, just as the recipe below says, but I also think it would make a great salad if combined with a bed of greens & dressing of your choice.
Delicata, Beets & Goat Cheese w/ Papitas
Yield: 2 servings
1 delicata squash 2 beets olive oil salt & pepper to taste
Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Prepare the Squash: Wash the delicata squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Then, slice the squash into half-moon shapes about 1/2-inch thick. Leave the skin on as it becomes tender when roasted.
Prepare the Beets: Wash the beets thoroughly to remove any dirt. If the beets are large, you can peel them, but small to medium-sized beets can be roasted with the skin on for easy preparation. Cut the beets into even-sized pieces to ensure uniform cooking. You can either slice them into rounds or cube them, depending on your preference.
Arrange on a Baking Sheet: Lay the squash slices in a single layer on one baking sheet & the beet cubes on another. Make sure not to overcrowd to ensure even roasting. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a generous dusting of salt and pepper.
Roast in the Oven: Roast the delicata squash in the preheated oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the squash is tender. You can flip the slices halfway through the cooking time for even browning. Roast the beets for about 30-40 minutes, or until they are fork-tender. Larger pieces may require more time.
Serve and Enjoy: Once the vegetables have cooled, serve with goat cheese & pepitas!
This is the last Summer Share of the season! Please remember to bring any empty boxes back to your pickup site by next Thursday, the 19th. Winter Shares begin on November 13th.
As the chill of autumn sets in, we find ourselves on the threshold of our last CSA distribution of the summer season. As with most endings, it’s a bittersweet feeling.
The CSA boxes are one of our most straightforward connections to the community. The weekly bounties we harvest, wash, package, and deliver give us an opportunity to share the farm with all of you – something we miss during the longer stretches of the winter.
This time of year also signals the ramping up of end-of-season chores! There’s lots to do on the farm to get ready for winter. A big part of our business is caring for and delivering storage crops throughout the non-growing months. The short break between summer and winter CSA gives us just enough time to pull the cabbage, beets, potatoes, daikon radish, rutabaga, parsnips, & carrots from the fields before they freeze!
A big thanks is also in order to all of the volunteers who helped us in countless ways throughout the season. With so much work still to go, I don’t want to start reflecting too early, but I think it is safe to say “Thank you so so much Patricia, Sandy, Betsy, Rollie, Deb, Diane, Pat & any other names I may be forgetting while typing this.” Your work is really appreciated!
In your share this week:
Beets – Brussel Sprouts – Green Cabbage – Carrots – Garlic – Lacinato Kale – Onions
Now you’ve had some winter squash in your share this year, but this week will be your first time seeing green kabocha. You can think of it as a cross between a pumpkin and sweet potato. Its flesh has a sweet, earthy flavor that is denser and drier than the other varieties you’ve tasted this year. This makes it an excellent candidate for soups, stews & curries. It is quite dry right now, but should gain moisture as it cures over the next couple of weeks.
Also joining the lineup are tender brussel sprouts, small but mighty in flavor, and rutabagas!
Usually I am a strong endorser of leaving the skin on vegetables when eating. I do this in part for flavor, in part for valuable nutrients and fiber, but mostly out of laziness. Peeling can feel like an unnecessary chore… the worst kind. This year’s rutabaga is not quite as nice and smooth as usual, due in part to stress from our hot dry summer, and may benefit from being peeled.
Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup, from Simply Recipes
Yield: 4-6 Servings
1/2 large kabocha squash, seeded (about 3 to 4 pounds for the 1/2 squash) 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided Salt 2 cups chopped or sliced onions 2 ribs celery, sliced 3 cloves garlic (about 1 tablespoon) 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 4 cups chicken stock 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Lime juice, for serving Chopped fresh cilantro, optional for serving
Set the oven to 400°F.
Roast The Squash: Use a heavy chef’s knife or cleaver (it helps if you have a rubber mallet as well) to cut the kabocha squash half into a few large pieces. (Kabocha squash is thick and meaty and can be a challenge to cut. So take care! Make sure the squash is stable on your cutting board before you start to cut it. You can create a flat side by shaving off a bit of the outside in one spot.)
Scoop out the seeds (you can toast them like pumpkin seeds!) and stringy insides. Place the squash pieces on a foil, baking parchment, or Silpat-lined roasting pan. Rub 1 tablespoon olive oil over all sides, and sprinkle with salt.
Put the squash pieces skin side up on the pan. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes until completely cooked through. The pieces should be soft and caramelized at the edges. Remove from oven and let sit.
Sauté the onions, celery, garlic, ginger, and spices: While the squash is cooling, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat in a large (4- to 6-quart) thick-bottomed pan. Add the onions and celery. Lower the heat to medium and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, and coriander and cook 2 minutes more.
Add the squash, stock, salt, and pepper, then simmer: Once the squash is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Place the roasted kabocha squash flesh into the pot with the onions and celery mixture. Add the stock, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to high to bring the soup to a simmer. Then, lower the heat to low. Partially cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes.
Purée the soup: Remove from the heat. Use an immersion blender (or work in batches with a standing blender, only filling the blender bowl 1/3 of the way each time) to purée the soup.
Add more salt to taste. Sprinkle with lime juice and chopped cilantro to serve.
Maple-Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Rutabaga with Hazelnuts, from Martha Stewart
Yield: 5 Servings
½ cup pure maple syrup 2 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds rutabaga, skin removed and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces (5 cups) ¾ pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise 1 ounce toasted hazelnuts, chopped (⅓ cup)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together maple syrup, oil, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add rutabaga, and toss.
Transfer rutabaga and all but 2 tablespoons glaze to a rimmed baking sheet (leave remaining glaze in bowl). Spread rutabaga in a single layer, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and roast for 35 minutes, tossing halfway through and making sure rutabaga is spread toward the edges of pan.
Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. Toss brussels sprouts with remaining glaze in bowl and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove sheet from oven, and add sprouts. Toss, and spread in a single layer. Roast vegetables, tossing every 5 minutes, until glaze is very thick and vegetables are deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Season with pepper and sprinkle with hazelnuts.
It appears that we’ll be experiencing a couple of unexpectedly warm days following the rainy spell that persisted throughout last week. It sure would have been nice to have received some of this rain a little more spaced out and during the summer months, but the plants seem to be hanging on nonetheless. After a bout of rain, it’s essential for plants to have an opportunity to dry off to prevent the onset of disease. Rain can leave leaves and stems damp, creating an ideal environment for fungal and bacterial pathogens to thrive. If moisture lingers on plant surfaces for extended periods, it can weaken the plant’s defenses, making it more vulnerable to infections. Adequate air circulation and sunlight play crucial roles in allowing plants to dry naturally, effectively reducing the risk of diseases.
We spent the day Friday harvesting storage cabbage, the biggest one we got was 14 1/2 pounds! Fortunately we sell about 6000 pounds per year for our friends over at Spirit Creek Farm for their delicious kraut and kim chi, and a few restaurants also use it for their cole slaw and kraut as well. So don’t worry, you won’t be getting any cabbages that big in your share!
A note regarding this week’s spinach: There has been a recent congregation of cut worms gathering in the greenhouse that our current planting of spinach calls home. While it may be disheartening to discover cutworms feasting on our spinach plants, there’s no need to despair. Cutworms are a common garden pest known for their big appetite, but their presence doesn’t render your spinach inedible. With proper care, you can still enjoy the greens. Simply pick out any affected leaves that we may have missed in the commotion of harvesting, give the remaining spinach a good wash to remove any potential residue, and it will be perfectly safe to include in your meals.
Apple Spinach Salad, from Gimme Some Oven
Salad Ingredients:
5 ounces fresh spinach 2 small apples, cored and thinly sliced half of a small onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted 1/3 cup dried cranberries 3 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Apple Cider Vinaigrette Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced a generous pinch of salt and black pepper
Make the vinaigrette. Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients together in a bowl and whisk vigorously (or shake them together in a mason jar) to combine.
Toss the salad. Add spinach, apples, onion, walnuts, dried cranberries, and half of the goat cheese to a large bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, and toss to combine.
Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with the remaining goat cheese, and enjoy!
Delicata Squash Gratin, from Feasting At Home
Yield: 8 servings
2lb delicata squash 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter 2 medium leeks, thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
15 sage leaves, chopped (8 more for crispy sage leaf garnish – optional) 1 cup heavy cream (or sub coconut milk) 1/2 teaspoon salt and peppers 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, optional
1/4 cup water 3 ounces gruyere cheese (or sub parmesan) 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 375°
Prep Delicata: Thinly slice the squash into 1/8 -inch thick rounds. When you get to the seeds, scoop them out and continue slicing.
Cook the Leeks: Slice and rinse the leeks- the moisture here will help them soften. Heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the leeks, for 8-10 minutes, covering part way through so they soften. Add the garlic, sage and a pinch of salt, cook 2-3 more minutes. Turn heat off.
Whisk: the cream with the salt, pepper, nutmeg and onion powder in a medium bowl.
Layer: Grease a large 9 x 13-inch baking dish or 11-12 inch round baking dish. A big shallow pan is best to ensure even cooking. Grease the pan, add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the pan. Layer with squash overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with half of the sautéed leeks. Drizzle with 1/3 cup cream mixture. Sprinkle with one ounce of Gruyere (about 3-4 tablespoons grated). Add the 2nd layer of squash- using up any misshapen pieces here. Scatter with the remaining leeks. Drizzle with 1/3 cup cream mixture and sprinkle with grated gruyere cheese. Add the final layer of squash, overlapping and pressing down so not domed in the middle. Drizzle the remaining cream mixture over top, lightly sprinkle with cheese and the walnuts. Give the pan a little shake, press down in the center again so gratin is level, not domed. Cover, using parchment first as a barrier, under the foil if the foil touches the top of the gratin.
Bake 45 minutes covered. Uncover, confirming the delicata is tender using the tip of a knife, then bake at 400 F uncovered, 15 minutes until beautifully golden
To make the crispy sage leaf garnish, heat 1-2 tablespoons oil or butter in a pan over medium heat, add 8 whole sage leaves, saute each side 30 seconds or so until crisp (try a tester first) and place on a paper towel to cool for a couple of minutes. Arrange over the gratin.
Greetings, fellow Food Farm enthusiasts! As we bid adieu to the vibrant greens of summer and warmly embrace the gold & red arrival of autumn, we find ourselves hard at work in the changing landscape of the farm. With Saturday’s equinox marking the official start of fall, we ready ourselves for the snow to fly. Hopefully not too soon though, as there is a lot left to harvest! With only two more summer CSA shares remaining (after this week), the harvesting has shifted more and more to winter storage items. Last week, the big to-do was clipping and bringing all the squash varieties in from the field. This year we grew six different varieties: Delicata, Kabocha (green, winter sweet & sunshine), Acorn & pumpkins!
Apart from our usual CSA packing and retail orders, the squash took just about the entire week to complete. It is one of the more physically demanding tasks we do here and that is much in part to the sheer weight that needs to be moved to and fro – over 20,000 pounds of squash! Many hands do not make light work in this case, although it is always fun when the whole crew gets to work together on a singular task.
Red Peppers – Red Potatoes – Spinach – Winter Squash
New to the shares last week and featured again this week are the northeaster beans. Upon being greeted by them in the greenhouse, it is easy to imagine someone dreaming up the fairytale of Jack and the Beanstalk. The vigorous pole beans enthusiastically scale the framing of the greenhouse, almost as if they would keep climbing and climbing until out of sight if not for the layer of plastic containing them to safe picking heights.
This week’s share also includes what will likely be the last of the broccoli for the year. To celebrate I have included a recipe for broccoli cheddar soup that will help us feel extra cozy through all this dreary weather.
Ina Garten’s Butternut Squash Salad Recipe, from fool proof living
Yield: 4 servings
1 1/2 pounds winter squash, ¾ inch slices 1 tablespoon maple syrup 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup olive oil, divided 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided 3 tablespoons dried cranberries or raisins 3/4 cup apple juice or apple cider 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons onion minced + dash of garlic powder 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard 6-8 cups lettuce & spinach 1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Prep the oven and squash seasoning: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Toss the squash: Place the squash on a baking sheet. Drizzle it with maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to ensure that all of the squash is coated.
Roast and turn: Place it in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes until tender, turning once halfway through. In the last 5 minutes, add the cranberries.
Make the vinaigrette: Place apple juice, cider vinegar, and minced onion + dash of garlic powder in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat.
Finish the dressing: Off the heat, whisk in the Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Whisk until emulsfied.
Assemble the salad: Place the lettuce & spinach in a large salad bowl. Pour over the dressing and give it a big toss. Add the roasted butternut squash and cranberries.
Finish and serve: Top it off with toasted walnuts and shaved Parmesan cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Enjoy!
Broccoli Cheddar Soup, from Gimme Delicious
Yield: 4 servings
4 tablespoons butter 1/2 medium onion, chopped 2-3 cloves garlic, minced 4 tablespoon AP flour 2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon paprika (or ground nutmeg), optional 3 cups broccoli florets (1 large head), cut into small pieces 1 large carrot, grated 2 cups half & half, heavy cream or milk 8 oz block grated cheddar cheese
Melt butter in a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 3-4 minutes or until softened and light gold. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
Add flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes or until the flour begins to turn golden in color. Pour in the chicken stock, broccoli florets, carrots, and seasoning. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the broccoli and carrots are cooked through.
Stir in half & half and cheddar cheese and simmer for another minute. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve with toasted crusty bread or in a bread bowl if desired.
I came across a recent headline of the Everest & Wausau Extra that read “In farming, you have to love it.” It is always dangerous skimming headlines these days, but this one stuck out to me. It stuck out not in the desperate attention grabbing fashion that so many articles seem to employ, but in more of an “ain’t that the truth” way. It certainly has been my experience throughout my limited time in this field of work (no pun intended). I feel lucky to have met so many people genuinely enthusiastic and passionate about their work. At the Food Farm specifically, but also across the farming community in general.
Last week, after some fun in the onion fields, the crew took a road trip across Co Rd 1 to visit Northern Harvest & Spirit Creek Farm. It was a great experience to be exposed to some different ways of doing things. Some of the vegetable varieties may have been different, but the passion & craft was apparent! We even got a V.I.P. tour of the newly built commercial kitchen built by Adam Kemp & Rick Dalen for use in their food production business – Spirit Creek Farm has around eight different products, from different kinds of sauerkraut, ginger carrots, and even Kim Chi!
Greens Mix – Onions – Red Peppers – Hot Peppers – Yellow & Purple Potatoes
Spinach – Acorn Squash – Tomatoes
Preserving season is upon us! It’s an exciting, but sometimes overwhelming time of year. There are so many different methods and techniques. Everybody you ask seems to give you a different answer on how it ought to approached. After finally deciding how you want to go about it comes the next step of actually carving out the time to get it done. It is important to follow your tastes and discover what makes sense for you, but here at the farm it seems the general consensus is to opt for less work in the fall and more in the winter, when we all seem to have a little more time on our hands. Instead of canning tomato sauce, maybe just can the tomatoes whole and use them to make the sauce in the winter (onions, garlic & dried herbs store well on their own). Instead of trying to marinade and preserve a bunch of peppers, maybe just chop and throw them in the freezer (no blanching required!) The peppers in your share today would be a great candidate for this technique. As would the basil and garlic in the form of pesto!
Basic Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems) 2 tablespoons pine nuts (or walnuts) 2 large cloves garlic 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Combine basil leaves, pine nuts (or walnuts) and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely minced.
With the machine running, slowly dribble in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth.
Add the cheese and process very briefly, just long enough to combine. Store in refrigerator or freezer.
Roasted Acorn Squash
1 medium acorn squash 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
To prepare the squash, use a sharp chef’s knife to slice through it from the tip to the stem. I find it easiest to pierce the squash in the center along a depression line, then cut through the tip, and finish by slicing through the top portion just next to the stem. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits inside, and discard those pieces.
Place the squash halves cut side up on the parchment-lined pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the squash, and sprinkle with the salt. Rub the oil into the cut sides of the squash, then turn them over so the cut sides are against the pan.
Bake until the squash flesh is very easily pierced through by a fork, about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of your squash. Add any desired toppings, and serve warm.
Food Farm 