Off to a good start…

Our first CSA week has begun, despite a week of cold, rainy, early spring-like temperatures.  (I heard the weather referred to as “Junuary.”) We are just pulling out of that pattern, and the plants are loving it.  Lots of great greens this week–the ones that love the rain and cool.  It will all catch up as it always does.  I can’t tell you how many times farmers and gardeners have talked about “stagger planting” seeds to be ready at different times–only to have the second or third rounds of planting catch up to the first one.  It’s hard to outwit mother nature–though we never give up trying!

This week, enjoy:

• Head Lettuce (2 heads)
• Bok Choy
• Kale (Red Russian, White Russian or Vates)
• Broccoli
• Basil

In case you are not familiar with the delicious possibilities of Bok Choy (an asian green, very high in beta carotene), here’s a simple recipe from the Food Network that is easy to customize;

Bok Choy with Ginger and Garlic

Too many trays are crammed under the grow lights in our living room and in the small seeding greenhouse Justin’s grandmother left to us.  We are bursting at the seams with plant starts, waiting for the right weather to transplant broccoli, asian greens, onions and kale.  At the same time, we need to empty the trays to start later vegetables, like squash, cucumbers and more seedings of lettuce, which we will continue to start and transplant all through the season.

This juggling act is not for everyone, I know.  Many farmers scale up to a larger, heated seeding greenhouse with wooden trays of soil blocks (plastic-free cubes of soil made with a “soil blocker” tool.)  Maybe we will someday.  For now, we recycle cast-off cell trays and pack as much as we can in the space we have.  The need to reclaim trays and grow light space requires us to be on the ball and get those starts in the ground.  I’m off to do that right now…

Well, it’s now 2016 and the growing season here has already begun. We are planning some changes and getting ready for the upcoming year. You may have noticed that we have finally updated the website a bit! We also have finished our CSA brochures and they are available for download. It is also now possible to sign up for our CSA directly from this site as well. In other happenings here, we are planning on a major upgrade to our farmstand here at the farm. It is going to be a much larger structure than the old one and it will have the same stock and quantities as we would have at the markets. So, now you can come and get your fresh veggies any Tuesday through Saturday this summer. We will keep you up to date on our progress here. Here’s looking forward to some great food soon!

We are wrapping things up here at the Wilder Farm with our last CSA of the season.  In a couple of weeks, we will contact you to arrange pick-up of your bonus winter veggies.  We would like to thank all of our CSA and Farmdollars members for your support this season.  We are very pleased that our gardens did their thing, and we couldn’t have done it without you!  Community support is vital to our small family farm as we grow and improve each year.  We plan to have a CSA again next year, as well as our two farmer’s markets, increased egg production, broiler chickens and a larger, FULL-TIME FARMSTAND!  We wish you and your families a fabulous fall and winter and we will see you in the spring!

Jess, Justin, Wilson and Ben

THIS WEEK’S PRODUCE:

Brussels Sprouts (cut them off the stalk and store in fridge till ready to use)

Carrots

Winter Leeks

Pie Pumpkin  (check out this link!)  http://www.pickyourown.org/pumpkincooking.php

Red Onions

Peppers

Herbs–Thyme and Sage (these can be dried by hanging in a cool, dark place)

Flowers–Sunflowers, Sweet Annie and dried flowers

Serves 2 to 4

K’s Potato Leek Soup–from Pinch My Salt

3 tablespoons butter
3 leeks, thinly sliced*
1 medium or large onion, chopped
6 – 8 russet potatoes, thinly sliced**
3 1/2 cups chicken broth (or enough to barely cover potatoes)
1 cup heavy cream
salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste

1) Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat then add onions and leeks. Cook, stirring, until onions are limp and just slightly brown.

2) Add sliced potatoes to saucepan then pour in enough chicken broth to just barely cover the potatoes. Continue cooking over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Using a potato masher, mash and stir potatoes until desired consistency is reached. As you mash the potatoes and the soup thickens, turn down heat and stir frequently with a large spoon to prevent scorching on the bottom.

3) Add one cup of heavy cream (or more if you desire) and salt and black pepper to taste. Cook 15 minutes more over low heat, stirring frequently, then remove from heat and serve.

Notes: *Make sure to clean leeks thoroughly and slice only the white and light green part of the leeks. **You don’t need to peel the potatoes as the peels add to the rustic texture of the soup. But make sure to scrub them thoroughly and remove any obvious blemishes before slicing. Although we always make it with chicken broth, this can easily become a vegetarian soup by simply using vegetable broth instead.

Lots more heat and humidity and, finally, the rain.  We’ve been needing it here as carrots, beets and other crops in our un-irrigated lower field have barely grown in a week.  Hopefully they don’t explode from this drenching!  With the rain and cooler weather coming, we hope to round out our season with some nice greens and other frost-loving veggies like parsnips and Brussels Sprouts.  And you won’t believe the size of the pumpkins!  They seem to have swollen without the needed rain.  Must be that rich soil left over from last year’s pastured chickens!

IN YOUR SHARE THIS WEEK:

Butternut Squash–4+ lbs.

Tomatillos–1.5 lbs. (can be used like green tomatoes OR use the salsa recipe below)

Summer Leeks

Potatoes–1.75 lbs.

Carrots

Garlic

Cucumbers

Thyme, other fresh herbs and flowers

Squash and Leek Lasagna (from EatingWell.com)

This recipe calls for a 2 lb. butternut squash.  You could probably use half of the one you got this week. I also omitted the pine nuts, just because I didn’t have them, but I’m sure they would add nuttiness to this lightly sweet, delicious lasagna.

Ingredients

• 10 oz. lasagna noodles

• 2 Tb. butter

• 4-5 medium leeks, pale green and white part only, thinly sliced

• ½ cup flour

• 4 cups milk

• 1 tsp. dried thyme (or 2 tsp. fresh)

• 1 tsp. salt

• ¾ tsp. nutmeg

• ½ tsp. black pepper

• 2 lb. of squash (such as butternut or sugar dumpling), peeled, seeded and grated with a box grater or the grating attachment on a food processor

• 6 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, coat a 9 x 13 in. baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Boil noodles until not quite done (about two minutes less than package directions), drain, return to pot and cover with cool water.

3. Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often until soft, about 6 min. Sprinkle flour over leeks, cook, stirring constantly for 2 min.

4. Add milk in a slow stream to leeks and flour, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling, 8-10 min. Whisk in thyme, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Remove from heat.

5. Assemble lasagna in the prepared dish by layering: 1/3 of noodles, 1/3 of sauce, half the squash, 1/3 of the cheese, half the remaining noodles, half the remaining sauce, all the pine nuts, all the remaining squash, half the remaining cheese, all the remaining noodles, all the remaining sauce, all the remaining cheese.

6. Cover with parchment and foil and cook for 50 min. Uncover and bake until bubbling and lightly browned, about 30-45 min. Let stand for 10 min. before serving.

TOMATILLO SALSA–Ball “Blue Book” Guide to Preserving

*These are the directions for canned salsa.  If you are just making it fresh, you do not need to process it in a hot water canner.  It can be used right away or refrigerated.  This recipe makes 2 pints.  You might not have quite enough tomatillos, but it should still work with the other ingredient amounts.

• 5.5 cups husked & chopped tomatillos (about 2 lbs.)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped green chili peppers
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs minced cilantro
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/4 cup lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepot.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Ladle hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Adjust two-piece caps.  Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner.

September already?  Yes indeed, and just a heads up that we are in the final weeks of our CSA.  Four more to go after this week, plus, there will be an extra box/bag/basket of winter goodies to take home after the final share is picked up.  September 29th (Tues.), 30th (Wed) and October 2nd (Friday) will be the final days for CSA pick-up, and we will schedule pick-up for the winter storage veggies for some time in October.  Our kids may be back to school, but we are still reaping the rewards of a busy spring and summer.  We hope you will enjoy all the fall goodness to come!

IN YOUR SHARE THIS WEEK:

Organic “Luscious” Sweet Corn

Beets–mixed bunch

Fresh Green Beans

Cabbage–savoy and/or red

Tomatoes–2 lbs!

Carrots

Peppers–sweet and/or hot

Sunflowers and fresh herbs

RECIPES:

GRILLED CORN–Mark Bittman

• 4 ears of fresh corn
• melted butter
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Start a grill.  Shuck the corn.  Grill or roast the corn, turning occasionally.  When some of the kernels char a bit and others are slightly browned–5 to 15 minutes, depending on the heat of the grill–the corn is done.  Brush with melted butter if you like and serve with salt and pepper.

BRAISED CABBAGE–adapted from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons

• 2 Tbs butter
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups thinly sliced green, savoy or red cabbage, about 2/3 of a small head
• 1/2 cup water
• salt and fresh pepper

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Saute onions, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, or until they have softened.  Add the garlic, cabbage, 1/2 cup water, salt and pepper.  Cover the skillet and let the cabbage cook for 10 minutes, checking to make sure it’s not scorching.  Remove the lid and let the cabbage cook for 20 minutes more over medium-low heat, stirring every 5 minutes or so.

NOTE:  If you haven’t yet tried a “caprese salad” style recipe, now is the time!  It’s a simple Italian salad that can be done dozens of ways.  Fresh tomato slices, a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil, salt and pepper, and the optional fresh mozzarella.  Some folks love in stacked–like a sandwich–cold and fresh.  For others, it’s on a bruchetta or roasted so the cheese is melty.  Anyway you choose, it’s the best thing to do with tomatoes and basil!  (and cheese!)

Despite the continuing days of heat, I have noticed a change in the weather.  I can feel it at night and in my bones and I know summer is beginning it’s decline.  The gardens are showing it too, as the fall squash, potatoes, onions and Brussels sprouts begin to ripen.  Corn is coming too, but I’m not making any promises about when.  We’ll surprise you!  Enjoy the beginnings of fall bounty.

IN YOUR SHARE THIS WEEK:

Delicata winter squash

Fingerling potatoes

Tomatoes

Onions, red and yellow

Kale

Head lettuce, red or green

Cucumbers

Sage and Rosemary

Fresh cut zinnias and sunflowers

Roasted Delicata Squash with Onions–from Eating Well

This week we are deep into the summer vegetables, so folks will get a lot of choices as you “shop” for your CSA.  We have made sure everyone gets two nice heads of garlic and a bunch of carrots.  Otherwise, choose from:

Lettuce (either salad mix or head)

Summer squash and Zucchini

Cucumbers

Cabbage

Tomatoes

Peppers (sweet and hot)

Also, don’t forget to pick (or pick-up, if you’re at the market) some of our gorgeous summer bouquets, as well as fresh herbs like mint, basil and dill.  Sunflowers are coming soon!

Note:  Some members may have gotten some less-than yummy beans in the past couple weeks.  The size was right, but I’m guessing the heat and lack of water made them taste like cardboard.  Sorry we missed our mistake too late!  A second planting of wax and green beans will be ready soon.  Thanks for understanding!

Grilled Summer Sandwiches

• French or Italian bread, cut into wide slabs that can sit flat on a grill
• Assortment of sliced vegetables suitable for grilling (patty pan squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onions)
• Fresh basil
• Fresh mozzarella (or other cheese)

Slice vegetables and spread flat on an oiled tin foil sheet on a grill rack.  Drizzle oil lightly over the veggies, add salt, and grill on low for 5-10 minutes, until veggies are tender.  Butter the top of the bread slabs and pile on the grilled veggies.  Top with basil, slices of fresh mozzarella and salt and pepper.  Put sandwiches back on grill until cheese melts (2-3 minutes).

Simple Cucumber Salad–Mark Bittman

• 1-2 pounds of cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 cuke per person)
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint or dill
• Juice of 1 lemon

Put cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt, just a little more than if you were planning to eat them right away.  Set the colander in the sink.  After 20-45 minutes, press the cucumbers to extract as much liquid as possible.  Toss them with the mint, the lemon juice and a healthy grinding of pepper.  Serve within a few hours.