Winter Welcome: Winter CSA ’14 ” Delivery #1

 In CSA Newsletter

Welcome to the 2014 winter season. It’s been one of our best growing years so far. And while we had a very pleasant, mild season, we are excited for the slow down to arrive.  Field by field, bin by bin we are clearing the fields of vegetables and getting them into storage.  The kale and Brussels sprouts are the only large crops still left standing, and we’ll harvest off of those until they freeze solid. Yesterday we pulled the very last carrot out of the field and Mike was able to till in many beds and get the winter cover crops seeds just before the rains. It’s a wonderful time of year for us ” we are putting the beds to sleep and getting to see our children more. Cold times on their way mean rest for us on the way.

Season 10 has been a good one for us. We had a wonderful crew, great growing conditions, a smooth summer CSA, and fun times at the market.  Starting in April, our solar panel installation went live. It’s very cool to have so much of our power (about 80% it seems to be working out to) coming from the sun.  Bye bye fossil fuels. It feels so very good to continue to green-up our practices here! One can always do more, right?

We are also very excited to have a baby on the way (the third and final :). We’re just shy of the half way mark.  Baby is due in early April, so that will make for an interesting kick-off to the 2015 season! Zea and Edie are both rooting for a baby brother. I’m hoping not to get too huge over the winter.  Our first two babies were born in the fall, and I was working in the fields up to the day each was born.

So life remains interesting here on the farm. Now for some info on your veggies and being a member:

If you are new to a winter CSA share, your first reaction may be shock at the large amount of vegetables you are bringing back to the kitchen.  The first box in particular is VERY large ” it will definitely be the largest of the four (or two, depending on your share type). Take a deep breath, exhale, and don’t worry. You’ve got lots of time to eat all this food! The beauty of a winter share is that outside of leafy greens, EVERYTHING in your box stores.  If stored properly (see our VEGGIE GUIDE for storage instructions for each individual veggie) many of your root veggies can be stored for months.  Mike and I only jettison root crops stored in our refrigerator when the next group are ready the following season. A carrot harvested in late October can still be edible and tasty in May if stored properly.  My point is, if you don’t finish everything in your box before the next one comes, try not to worry. Things will store, and in January you’ll be happy to have them.

In the spirit of helping you use your veggies, each delivery we will post recipes with the newsletter. I thought I’d also share a couple of my favorite winter cooking resources with you:

  • Our Recipe Search. Over the last 10 years we have collected a large number of recipes that use seasonal ingredients. You can search these recipes by vegetable. Just type in the veggie(s) and lots of recipes will pop up!
  • Martha Stewart’s €œcook€ website. While sometimes Martha leans toward more complex recipes, her site is easy to search and loaded with recipes that utilize seasonal ingredients in simple and delicious ways.
  • Real Simple‘s website. This site is also full of great vegetable recipes and has an interesting search function where you can be pretty specific about the type of meal you are interested in making.
  • The Kitchn. My sister introduced me to this one. So far every dish I’ve made from this site has been one I’ve enjoyed a lot. You can search dishes by season, which is a great function.
  • Pepper Plate. This app can be used on a desktop or smart phone device. It basically helps you create your own online cookbook, where you can upload and categorize online recipes you love. It has a menu planning, grocery list function too. No more losing that great recipe you printed out one night.

Enjoy! Sincerely, Mike, Cassie, Zea, & Edie

In the Box: 

  • Acorn Squash (2 count)
  • Bok Choi
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Butternut Squash (2-3 count)
  • Cabbage, Green
  • Carrots (5#)
  • Celeriac
  • Garlic (2-3 count)
  • Green Curly Kale
  • Leeks
  • Onions, Red & Yellow (5#)
  • Potatoes, Blue Gold (5#)
  • Radish, Beauty Heart
  • Rutabaga
  • Salad Turnip
  • Sweet Potatoes (5#)

Recipes!

Winter Delivery #1: Wednesday, Nov. 5th ” All REGs & EOs