Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 15: September 18, 2008
To return to the 2008 Harvest Guide page, click here
Greetings, Spoutwood Farm friends!
Welcome to the fifteenth week of the 2008 Community Supported Agriculture season, here at Spoutwood Farm!
Fall appears to be moving in for good, seemingly. The evenings, as well as the mornings, have been cool here and the sun seems to be fading fast from our days. The Orion star constellation (a winter constellation) is also making a short appearance these very early mornings. The cover crops are starting to come up where we planted them two weeks ago. You might be glad to hear the summer squash has produced its last and we’ll be tilling that under for cover crop preparation likely tomorrow. Now it’s time for winter squash! This week’s variety will be acorn, of which there is copious information below. We will also have a good butternut harvest, which you’ll probably receive for a few weeks in a few more weeks.
Don’t forget that this Monday, September 22nd is the Autumnal Equinox. Have a small or large celebration! Drink warm beverages, wear warm clothes and be cozy.
Please feel free to drop us a line if you discover a new recipe, have any cooking tips, or would like to share your favorite way to eat the veggies from our harvest - email us and we’ll share with everyone else! Again, that address is: csa@Spoutwood.com. As the old commercial used to say, “please make a note of it.” Thanks!
Acorn Squash: Vegetable of the week! The winter squash are in and the first arrival is Acorn Squash! This sweet fleshed winter squash is delicious in soups, roasted by it self with a little maple syrup, or chopped into a stir fry. Read more below…
Leeks: Cooking and slicing onions. I don’t have to tell you how to use these! Good in almost any savory dish, cooked or raw. These have been cured now, so they are good for storage too.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are visibly dwindling now, you’ll find some tomato firsts and seconds in your share this week. They are all still delicious, just cut out any bad parts and use as usual!
Eggplant: You’ll find either Nadia, oriental or _ in your share this week. Try slicing in 1/2 inch rounds and drizzling with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a few minutes and then grilling until easily pierced with a fork.
Radish: Rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. The bulbs are a colorful addition to salads. The greens can also be added as a peppery accent to salads, or they can be sautéed with other greens or veggies.
Beans: Some of you will receive green and purple beans this week. These tasty munchers are yummy raw or cooked.
Peppers, Green: Our peppers are trying to turn red and orange although they are still mostly green. You may find partially red or orange peppers in your share. These are also delicious drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and then grilled until soft.
Lettuce Mix: Loose leaf lettuce mix, use in a salad!
Peppers, Hot Paper Lantern: According to the seed company Johnny’s, these peppers are very hot. I think they are pretty good, and one should be sufficient to add that spicy touch to your meals. They can be added to stir-fries and sauces. Put them in when you are sautéing onions and other spices. Another fun thing to do with them is scrape out the seeds and roast them in the oven with some olive oil. It yields a smoky, spicy sauce that can be added to foods for an extra spice. Be careful when cutting them up; they can make your fingers burn.
Swiss Chard: This delicious, attractive, and nutritious large-leafed plant is our main leafy green (or as they used to call them, “pot-herb”) for the week. May have white (Fordhook Giant) or colored (Bright¬lights) stems. More delicate (and faster-cooking) than kale, use as you would spinach or another green. May be blanched or sautéed lightly and layered with parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese and baked en casserole for a lovely gratin. Also quite good in quiche, or just in a Sunday morning egg scramble with cheese.
Collards: A standard cooking green, hearty and nutritious. Tougher than spinach, collards require a little more cooking time to soften up. Delicious when added to stir-fried vegetables, egg dishes, soups and potato dishes. I also love sautéing an onion with garlic, honey, cayenne and soy sauce/tamari and then putting the collards in for a few minutes and then eating that on a bed of brown rice.
Rosemary: A refreshingly fragrant herb that pairs remarkably well with any potato dish, especially pan fried potatoes, in place of traditional home-fries as well as lamb and beef dishes. It has recently been touted as possessing some memory enhancing properties. Also high in calcium, iron and vitamin B6.
Basil: A few leaves to garnish a tomato and mozzarella salad with or any salad at that. Also delicious atop a pizza or in tomato sauces. Best added towards the end of cooking. Or make pesto!
Flowers: Included in this weeks’ flower bouquet are: Sweet Annie (this is the fragrant green frondy addition with little yellow buds), African marigolds, yarrow, zinnias, brain celosia, celosia, and apple mint blossoms.
Bread: For those who purchased bread shares, today’s selection from Atwaters is a loaf of Country Wheat.
This week’s recipe list will feature two acorn squash-based recipes and one eggplant and basil recipe.
Sweet and Spicy Roasted Acorn Squash
serves 1-2 as side dish
1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoon minced hot pepper, de-seeded (or seeded to taste, if you’re brave)
¾ teaspoon chopped thyme
1/3 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 400F.
Cut squash in half, de-seed, and place on cookie sheet, cut side up. Brush cut side with 1 tablespoon of oil. Whisk remaining tablespoon of oil with balsamic vinegar, honey, minced hot pepper, thyme and salt in bowl. Divide glaze into squash hollows.
Bake until very tender and brown (about 35 minutes), brushing cut surfaces every 15 minutes with remaining glaze.
Roasted Acorn Squash Salad with Maple Syrup Dressing
1 (1 1/4 pound) acorn squash, halved lengthwise and then cut into crescents, seeds and fibers removed
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus 4 tablespoons
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1/3 cup
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
4 slices rye bread, cut into cubes
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
1/2 bunch frisee or chicory, tough stems removed, rinsed and spun dry
5 cups mesclun lettuces, rinsed and spun dry
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
8 ounces thick cut bacon, cut into thick strips, fried until crisp, and drained
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl, toss the squash crescents with 2 tablespoons of the butter, the sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the Essence to coat. Place in a roasting pan or baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and roast, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent from sticking, until the squash is tender but still slightly firm, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and let cool.
In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Whisk in the goat cheese. Add the bread cubes and toss to evenly coat. Place on a small baking sheet and bake until toasted and bubbly, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and creme fraiche. Add the vinegar, horseradish, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Slowly add the remaining 1/3 cup of oil, whisking constantly until emulsified.
In a large bowl, combine the frisee and mesclun lettuces. Add the squash, croutons, and walnuts, and enough dressing to lightly coat. Toss to combine and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Divide the lettuces among 4 salad plates and top with the bacon lardons. Drizzle with additional dressing and serve.
Baked Eggplant with Feta Cheese
1 large or 2 medium eggplants
olive oil
1/3 cup feta cheese or gorgonzola
¼ cup finely chopped and packed fresh basil
Heat broiler or grill. Cut eggplant into ½ inch slices. Brush sides with olive oil (sprinkle with salt if desired) and grill or broil until lightly browned on one side. Arrange on oiled baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese over slices. Bake in 350F oven 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and eggplant is soft. Sprinkle basil over eggplant and serve hot. Makes 4-6 servings as a side.
Please keep Tom Harbold in your thoughts and prayers as he is in the hospital recovering from a mild heart attack.
(Webmasters note: Tom was discharged today, Saturday September 20th, and is doing well, please still keep him in your daily thoughts and prayers)
CSA Potluck & Core Group Meeting: Saturday, September 27th – 4:00 Core Group, 5:00 Potluck
Help put the “community” in “community supported argriculture”… and help use up some of these copious vegetables at the same time. Bring yourself and your favorite dish to Spoutwood for our third CSA Potluck and Core Group Meeting this year. Not too late to participate! Bring a dish and come out, whether you’re interested in the core group or not. There may even be some live music.
Less than 3 weeks to our 4th Annual Mother Earth Harvest Fair, October 5th!
It’s not too soon to start making plans for Spoutwood’s 4th annual Mother Earth Harvest Fair, to be held here on the Farm on Sunday, October 5th, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Combining the charm of an old-fashioned country fair, time¬less traditional arts and crafts, and cutting-edge ad¬vances in green building and renewable energy, the MEHF is a celebration and showcase of healthy, sustainable, and balanced living in the Chesapeake bioregion.
• Green Building, Alternative Energy, the Sustainable Household, Food and Farming, Nature and the Environment, Health and Healing, BALLEs, Sustainable Communities, Wisdom Traditions, and much more.
• Farmers Market with produce and products from local farms.
• A Children’s Village with crafts and fun for our younger guests.
• Farm animals and wildlife
• Food and drink vendors galore
• Music, storytelling, and dramatic presentations, including special appearances by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter
Adrienne Young and her band, Little Sadie
http://www.adrienneyoung.com
Information: greenman@spoutwood.com 717-235-6610 http://www.motherearthharvestfair.com
Volunteers are still welcomed and encouraged!
BAGS: Requested, Recycling of Same (including paper bags)
As most of you will know, there are various share items which must be bagged even within your usual share bag. And frankly, we’re low on appropriate bags. Thus, we’re asking our shareholders to please return the paper bags the potatoes come in as well as any plastic bags that you might have at home. We are looking for both standard grocery-sized bags, and smaller plastic bags such as those used for produce in supermarkets, to keep news¬papers dry, etc. If at all possible, please help us by bringing them in pre-sorted as to size.
Also, please be aware (if you aren’t already) that your plastic share bags can be re-used the following week! Better yet, invest in a cloth “market bag” that can be used over and over again. We are in the process of investigating Spoutwood-themed practical items to offer for sale, including Market Bags -- stay tuned to this space! In the meantime, if you bring back your plastic ones, you’ll help us and Mother Earth alike. Many thanks, from us and the Home Planet.
Need your rubber bands? Fine… but if you don’t, we would be pleased if you could bring those (or any excess beyond your needs) back with you when you come. We’d be happy to reuse them to bundle your produce in the weeks to come.
If your small paper bags (used for potatoes, etc.) are in reasonably good shape, we’d be grateful if you’d bring those back, too, so we can reuse them. Help us save money and resources! Thanks.
The winter squash are in and the first arrival is Acorn Squash! This sweet fleshed winter squash is delicious in soups, roasted by it self with a little maple syrup, or chopped into a stir fry. Acorn squash are so named as their shape resembles an acorn. The seeds are edible, like pumpkin seeds, and quite delicious when toasted in a frying pan until golden brown.
History: Acorn squash, an edible gourd, is botanically-named Cucurbita pepo L. var. turbinata. It grows on a vine.
Although considered a winter squash, the acorn squash is of the same family as summer squash, which includes zucchini. It is a botanical fruit which is treated as a culinary vegetable.
Squash is native to the Americas. Thought to be the first food cultivated by Native American Indians, squash, along with beans and corn, is part of the Indian triad of the three most important food staples.
Squash seeds have been found in ancient Mexican archeological digs dating back to somewhere between 9,000 and 4,000 B.C. The first European settlers originally thought squash to be a type of melon since they had never seen them before.
The term acorn squash first appeared in print in 1937.
Source: http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/acornsquashhist.htm
Nutrition: High in fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Preparation and Storage:
• Store in a cool, dry place for several weeks if needed. Wash before cutting.
• Cut squash in half and remove seeds before cooking. Can be peeled and chopped, or left cut in half and roasted.
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