Week 17: Where did the summer go?

In their shares this week, members will receive the following vegetables:

Brussel sprouts, arugula, spinach, broccoli, collards, gold potatoes, russet potatoes, leeks, red onions, yellow onions, garlic, winter squash (Delicata and Thelma Sanders acorn), carrots, rutabaga, parsnip and an herb mix of parsley, sage and thyme.

This newsletter includes a roundup of news from the farm as well as information and recipes. Feel free to jump to the bottom of the newsletter to find the section titled, “This week’s veggies and recipes.”

News from the farm

We knew this summer was going to be crazy — what with farming and hosting our own wedding on the farm — but the Crazy really brought its A Game.  I mean really.  Who in their right mind gets married while farming?!  Oh, that’d be us.  Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change a thing, but we definitely missed out on some standard summer fare.  Like swimming.  And camping.  But we do have an epic honeymoon planned, and we hope that will make up for it.  

What went well, what needs improving

Peppers, eggplant, head lettuce and potatoes were among some of the stars of the summer.  Despite the fact that it was a cool and wet season, these things did well.  We were especially surprised by the peppers and eggplant as they love heat.  

Farm Stand

Another win for the season was the farm stand.  The farm stand has grown exponentially this year, and we’re really excited to see our community support us and local food.  We’re looking forward to expanding our offerings next year.

Growing our soil

We’re always looking for ways to improve our soil and how we farm.  We find evidence that it’s time to rotate our fields, and we can never stop learning about soil health.  We have five plots and we have rotated what was in them from last year to this year within the same plot but next year we’ll try to give those plots that have been heavily used a break and be under cover crop this winter and next year. 

For 2023: Online farm store

Another improvement next year will be getting an online farm store.  We’ve always tried to keep our sales simple, relying on email to sell extra items, but that’s getting harder to do as we grow in size and scale.  When we added cookbooks and farm gear, our analog system showed its cracks.  Another big reason for the farm store is that it will be a way for us to sell extra items.  Yes, people sign up for them in the early spring, and we need to send reminders of that, but we’d like to send fewer emails and simply let people know when they can load up on other things.  We know some of you wish there was more fennel, or kale, while others could eat their weight in beets.  So, something to look forward to next year.  

Friends and pumpkins and squash

Last Tuesday, while Heather-Marie did the CSA delivery, John and our Barnum and Moose Lake friends harvested all of our winter squash and pumpkins on the eve before our first hard freeze of the year.  This looked like an immense task but with lots of hands, John said it went really quickly.  Heather-Marie returned home just in time to unload the trailer and truck and carts and pile everything into the greenhouse.  Squash and pumpkins need about 10 days to “cure” or dry the excess moisture in squash so that sugars in the squash become more concentrated and sweeter. 

Putting up food

For us, one of the cost benefits of being farmers is that we feed ourselves, and hopefully that doesn’t stop once the growing season is over.  Time is never in our favor, but we try to put up as much food as we can whether it’s fermenting, freezing or canning.  This weekend, John fermented cabbage, peppers, cucumbers and carrots.  Heather-Marie canned pickled beets and made a stock pot full of spaghetti sauce.  We won’t starve!

This week’s veggies and recipes

Brussel sprouts

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

We love Brussel sprouts.  There are a number of ways to prepare them but we like them simply roasted in olive oil.  You can dress them or add almonds or cranberries but you’ll find that they don’t need much.

• Brussel sprouts, sprouts removed from the stalk, ends trimmed and cut in half
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Cracked black pepper

Heat oven to 425.  Spread halved sprouts over a large rimmed sheet pan.  Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 15-25 minutes.  

Arugula, Delicata squash

Arugula and Squash, aka what your farmer ate for dinner

Most nights, we just want to eat chips and salsa for dinner and last night was no exception.  Heather-Marie mustered some energy and creativity and made this dish.

Arugula

• Delicata squash, cut in half, seeds scooped out then cut in slices (half moons)
• Feta cheese
• Sauerkraut
• Dressing of choice (HM chose a homemade sweet onion dressing)

Optional other toppings

Saute the squash half moons until tender.  Assemble on top of arugula.  Sprinkle feta cheese on top, along with sauerkraut and dressing. 

(You can also roast the squash in olive oil in the oven)

Parsnip, carrot

Parsnips are a long, white root that takes a long time to grow in the field.

Parsnip and Carrot Mash

Heather-Marie lived in Northern Ireland for a year and picked this recipe up while there.  It has become a comfort food!

• Parsnips, washed, peeled and chopped
• Carrots, washed, peeled and chopped
• Butter and/or a little milk
• Salt and pepper

Cook parsnips and carrots, separately in boiling water until tender.  Drain water from each and put together with butter into a large bowl.  Mash with potato masher or hand blender until desired chunkiness.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

Rutabaga, sage

Rutabaga Soup 

NYT Florence Fabricant

Heather-Marie recently made this with some alterations.  She used coconut milk (not canned) instead of the dairy.  After the soup was pureed with an immersion blender, she added cooked wild rice, not bacon. 

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium-large onion, diced
• Salt
• 1 medium-large rutabaga, 6 to 7 ounces, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 ½ cups vegetable stock
• White pepper
• 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 ounces smoked slab bacon, diced fine
• 20 fresh sage leaves

Melt butter in a large saucepan on low.  Add the onion, sprinkle with salt, cover and cook until the onion is soft but not brown.  Add the rutabaga and garlic and cook, covered, about 20 minutes, until the rutabaga can be pierced with a knife.  Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, bring cream, milk and stock to a simmer.

Season the rutabaga with pepper and stir in the maple syrup.  Cook for a few minutes, then add the cream mixture.  Simmer uncovered until the rutabaga is soft, another 15 minutes or so.  Puree in a blender and return to a clean saucepan.  Season with salt and pepper.

Cook bacon in a small skillet until lightly browned.  Remove to a couple of sheets of paper towel.  Add sage leaves to the bacon fat and cook on high heat for a minute or so, until crisp.  Drain on a paper towel.

Reheat soup, check seasonings and serve with bacon and fried sage scattered on top.  

Thyme, parsley, carrot, onion

Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Taste of Home website

TOTAL TIME: Prep/Total Time: 25 min.YIELD:6 servings

• ½ cup finely chopped carrot
• ¼ cup finely chopped celery
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tsp butter
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 ½ cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp dried marjoram
• ½ tsp dried thyme, more if fresh
• ⅛ tsp pepper
• 1 ¼ cups uncooked medium egg noodles
• 1 Tb minced fresh parsley

Saute the carrot, celery and onion in butter in a Dutch oven until tender.  Stir in the broth, chicken and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Add noodles; cook for 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender.  Sprinkle with parsely.  

Spinach

Spinach Salad and Dressing

I love this dressing — kind of like a fancy French dressing.  Makes a lot and keeps well in the fridge.

Dressing:

• 1 cup salad oil
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp W’shire sauce
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 onion
• salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients well in a blender.  Chill before using.

Salad:

• 1 package sprouts
• 1 bunch spinach
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 8 slices bacon, crumbled (optional)

Mix all ingredients, adding eggs and bacon just before serving.

Spinach, onion

Lentils With Spinach

Madhur Jaffrey’s World-of-the-East Vegetarian Cooking

Very good!  Could easily use half the amount of spinach called for.

• 1 ¼ pounds fresh or frozen leaf spinach
• 1 medium-sized onion, peeled
• 5 T vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup dried lentils, picked over, washed, and drained
• 1 ½ to 1 ¾ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin seeds
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Separate the fresh spinach leaves and wash well.  Bunch up a few leaves at a time and cut them crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips. 

Cut the onion in half lengthwise, and then cut the halves into fine half rings.

Heat the oil in a heavy, wide, casserole-type pot over a medium flame.  When hot, put in the onion and garlic.  Stir and sauté for 2 minutes.  Now put in the lentils and 3 cups water.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, lower and simmer about 25 minutes or until lentils are just tender.  Add the spinach leaves, salt, and cumin.  Stir to mix and bring to a simmer.  Cover and simmer another 10 to 15 minutes or until spinach is tender and well mixed into the lentils.  Stir gently a few times during this period.  Put in the black pepper and mix again.  This dish may easily be made ahead of time and reheated.   

Leeks, thyme

Leek and Brie Bruschetta

Everyday Food, April 2006 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 6 medium leeks, (about 2 1/4 pounds), whites and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise, cleaned
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 large slices (1/2 inch thick) hearty country bread
• 8 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced crosswise

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are very tender and just beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat broiler with rack set 4 inches from heat. Arrange bread on a broiler proof baking sheet. Dividing evenly, layer bread with Brie, cooked leeks, and sliced tomatoes; drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Broil until cheese has melted and tomatoes start to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

Collard greens with tahini

Collards are a popular vegetable in parts of the South, which is where John is from. Collards also hold a special place in our relationship that you can read about on our website. This simple and tasty recipe comes from Mark Bittman. It’s great hot or at room temperature, allowing the flavors to marry. Ingredients

2 T olive oil

• 1 T chopped Garlic
• 1 lb chopped collards
• 1/4 c chicken stock
• 3 T tahini
• salt & peper
• 2 T lemon juice

Directions
Heat oil in pot on medium heat, adding garlic to saute just enough to release aroma. Add collards, stock and tahini along with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for five minutes. Uncover and cook longer until the greens are tender. Add more stock as needed. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Allow to sit and rest or serve hot if you’re hungry.