Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 21: October 30, 2008
To return to the 2008 Harvest Guide page, click here
Greetings, Spoutwood Farm friends!
Welcome to the twenty-first week of the 2008 Community Supported Agriculture season, here at Spoutwood Farm! This is the penultimate harvest of the 2008 CSA season; we have only one harvest left this year. But it is not too early to start thinking about next year, 2009, when Spoutwood’s CSA will once again be bringing you “vegetables so fresh, they almost dance”! More on that follows.
As we look toward the conclusion of this year’s CSA, we are very sorry to be saying goodbye to our wonderful apprentices. Senior apprentices Derek and Dana will be moving on to run a CSA – Anchor Run – on leased township land up in Wrightstown, PA, in Bucks County, and although we will miss them, we wish them exceedingly well! They started off strong, and have only gotten better and more knowledgeable as the season goes on, and we are sure they will prosper in their new venture. Zak, our other full-season apprentice, will be starting a new job at a long-term care facility, where we are likewise sure he will do well. His help has been invaluable this season, and we will miss him as well. As will we Kerry: although she’s only been with us a short time, she’s been a terrific member of our CSA team. Derek, Dana, Zak, and Kerry, thank you all very much! As Rob is fond of saying, this really has been the best CSA ever at Spoutwood, and we could not have done it without you.
Today is very clearly a day in late October: brisk to the point of being chilly, breezy, but sunny, it has engendered somewhat numb fingers on the part of our harvesters, but a fine day for harvest nonetheless. We are also and always grateful for our shareholders who come out each week – in some cases over and above their contracted work hours – to help with the harvest, and with other farm-related tasks. You are the best, and we love you all. To all our shareholders, we hope we will see you here again next season!
As always, 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! That address is: csa@spoutwood.com. As the old commercial used to say, “please make a note of it.” Thanks!
Chinese Cabbage: An excellent base for stir-fries and soups, tender leaves can be torn up and added to salads. Use lightly blanched leaves to create delicious vegetarian or meat-based roll-ups. Can also be lacto-fermented with shredded daikon radish, carrots, and hot peppers for the fiery Korean condiment kimchee. Don’t be intimidated by the size, Chinese cabbage has a high water content and cooks down quite a bit. See Vegetable of the Week for more information.
Butternut Squash: My (Tom’s) favorite of the winter squash, butternut squash can be baked with brown sugar or maple syrup, used in casseroles, or as the major ingredient in a delicious soup (curried or other¬wise). Check the Vegetable of the Week for other ideas!
Spinach: We are excited to have spinach back again, encouraged by the cooling temperatures and increased rain of recent days. Use by itself or in blends for salads, steam lightly, or include in quiche, casseroles, lasagna, various Florentine dishes, and much more. A very versatile green, spinach turns bitter if overcooked.
Beets: Also known as “beetroot” (especially in the U.K.), both parts of this luscious, nutritious plant are edible: the roots and the leaves as well. Today, we actually harvested a beet-chard cross: the two are, as Rob put it, “sisters – not even just cousins.” Try parboiling the root to al dente, then sautéing with the greens in butter or olive oil, seasoned with a little Celtic sea salt and fresh-ground pepper.
Broccoli: Everyone knows broccoli, a kitchen and salad-bar staple. If you’re like me (Tom), you like it lightly steamed or raw, rather than cooked to death as in my childhood and in many restaurants. Try with grated cheese, or a squeeze of lemon. Some shareholders will get broccoli this week, others will get…
Cauliflower: Another member of the brassica family, cauliflower is blanched (kept white) by leaves that curl around the head, protecting it from the sun. Use raw in salads or with dips, or cook with broccoli and carrots and top with fresh-grated cheese for a colorful and healthy side. I like my cauli¬flower, like my broccoli, cooked no more than al dente.
Spinach: We have a limited amount of spinach today. Use by itself or in blends for salads, steam lightly, or include in quiche, casseroles, lasagna, various Florentine dishes, and much more. A very versatile green, spinach turns bitter if overcooked.
Arugula: Roquette to the French and “rocket salad” to the British, arugula is a bitey green with a peppery, and what some call a nutty, flavor. The entire plant is edible, including stalks and flowers. Some enjoy as a salad on its own with a light vinaigrette, others add to salad mixes or stir-fries. Rob swears by arugula and peanut butter sandwiches!
Lettuce: A limited amount of cut lettuce is available this week. The classic foundation for salads or a green and crispy addition to sandwiches, lettuce can also be used to make wraps – raw or cooked – or even lacto-fermented. Requires checking-over: some of the edges may be brown; this is due to a slight case of frost-nip, just pull those parts off and use the rest.
Turnips: High in cancer-fighting substances called glucosinolates, turnips are a European favorite and used to be very popular among early American farmers. They can be stored over the winter in a root cellar, cooked up and mashed as a puree or added to soups and stews. Also good raw in salads.
Onions: Red and yellow onions: we don’t have to tell you how to use these.
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.
Bouquet: Flowers are fading fast, so this is an “autumn colors” bouquet, including evergreen sprigs, fern-fronds, and autumn leaves, among other things.
Bread: For those who purchased bread shares, today’s selection from Atwaters is Celtic Harvest.
Curried Butternut Squash Bisque
• 1 medium Butternut squash (approx 1 ¾ lb)
• 1 T. butter
• ¾ cup onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 t. curry powder
• ¼ t. grated nutmeg
• 2 T. flour (all purpose or whole wheat)
• 4 C. chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 T. tomato paste
• ½ C. half and half (heavy cream or milk)
• 1 T. minced fresh sage or ½ t. dried sage (plus whole sage leaves to garnish)
• salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Halve and seed the squash. Wrap in foil and bake for 1 ½ hours, or until squeezable to the center. Remove and cool enough to handle, scoop out the pulp. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add onion, garlic and apple and cook over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add curry, nutmeg, and flour until the flour disappears.
4. With a food processor or food mill, puree the onion-and-apple mixture along with the squash and 1 cup of broth. Return the puree to the pot and stir in the tomato paste, half-and-half (or milk), minced sage, remaining 3 cups of broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until beginning to boil. Garnish with sage leaves and serve.
Butternut Sage Orzo
1 cup onion (chopped)
In large frypan sauté over medium heat in 1 tablespoon oil until tender, about 6 minutes
1 clove garlic (minced)
Add and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute
1 butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch)
Add and stir to coat
½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
½ cup white wine or additional broth
Add and simmer until squash is almost tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes
4 cups water or broth
1 cup orzo
While squash cooks bring liquid to a boil in a large saucepan and add orzo. Boil until tender but still firm to bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, transfer to a large bowl. Stir in squash mixture.
½ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
2 tablespoons fresh sage (chopped; or 1 ½ teaspoons dried)
Stir in. Salt and pepper to taste.
Squash Cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup white sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups mashed, cooked butternut squash
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
2 t. ground cinnamon
½ t. salt
½ t. ground nutmeg
¼ t. ground ginger
1 cup raisins
1 ½ cups chopped pecans (or nut of your choice)
¼ t. ground allspice
2 ½ t. baking powder
(optional: replace raisins with 1 cup chocolate chips)
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and squash. In separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices; add to the mixture, stirring until well blended. Stir in raisins and nuts. Spoon onto cookie sheets spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are golden.
Garlic Planting “Party”: Rescheduled for Saturday, November 1st, 9:00 - 3:00
If you are fond of the “stinking rose,” as some call the delicious and pungent herb we know and love as garlic, and/or if you need to complete your hours or just want to help out, please come to the garlic-planting party scheduled for 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (or whenever we finish up) this Saturday, November 1st. Garlic beds need to be hoed, planted, and mulched; our apprentices will direct you. Many thanks!
Special Opportunity/Special Deal for 2009 CSA!
It is, as I have said, not too early to start thinking about next year’s CSA season. We have certainly begun to think about it, and one thing we have realized is that we really do need to raise our price for the shares. Spoutwood’s share price is among the lowest in the region, and with the price of gas and other essentials going up and up, we need to adjust our prices to remain economically sustainable. Our 2009 CSA share prices will be $420 for a medium share, less than $20 per week for enough vegetables to supply 1-2 people; $640 for a large share, about $30/week to supply 3-4 people. Please note also that those who choose to buy out of the labor support portion of their CSA commitment will be paying $10/hour to do so for 2009: $100 for a medium share, $150 for a large.
However, if you act quickly, you can lock in your 2009 share at 2008 prices! But you must sign up by or before December 1st in order to take advantage of this offer. If you sign up prior to the first of December, you can purchase a medium share for the existing price of $360, or a large for $580. Please note that this deal is only for the base price of the share. It will still cost $10/hour to buy out of the labor-support component.
Also please note that we have a significant waiting list for 2009 shares already. It has always been our policy to offer shares to our existing shareholders before opening up to new registrants. So if you are an existing shareholder and want to sign up for a 2009 share, you can do so “non-competitively” until January 1st, 2009. After that, we will open our CSA registration to those on our waiting list and to the general public, in that order. You can still sign up, of course! But you’ll be on a first-come, first-served basis with others who may wish to take advantage of our delicious, naturally-grown vegetables.
Butternut squash is an especially delicious winter squash which can be used in all the standard squash recipes (roasted, made into soup, used in breads/rolls), and also makes an excellent substitute for pumpkin in pumpkin pie and cookie recipes. The seeds of a butternut can be toasted just like pumpkin seeds as well (a perfect snack while you’re waiting for the main dish to finish cooking, baking, roasting, etc…).
History: The squash has long been an established part of the diet in each of the five continents. Its exact origin is not clear but it is thought that it was eaten in the Americas over 5,000 years ago. It is known to have been cultivated by the Incas in the fifteenth century and remains a very important source of food throughout much of central and south America.
Nutrition: Butternut squash is a well-balanced food source that is rich in complex carbohydrates and low in saturated fat and sodium. It is a very good source of vitamins A and C and a good source of beta-carotene, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium.
Preparation and Storage:
• Butternut squash can be stored longer for a long time because their skin is so thick. Store in a cool dry place for at least a month (if you can wait that long!).
• The hard rind, dense flesh and awkward shape mean that butternut squash require careful cutting. Use a large knife or cleaver to make a shallow cut down the length of the squash (curves permitting). Place the blade in the cut and knock the back of the blade (using your hand, a wooden mallet or rolling pin) until the squash is cut in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds and any fibrous-strings (the seeds are edible - raw or toasted - but the fibrous coat can be fiddly to remove). If you require chunks of squash, cut a small piece of each end, enabling you to stand it vertically and trim off the rind before slicing and dicing.
• Stir-Fry: tender when pierced.
Bake: 400 degrees 30 - 40 minutes, uncovered
Microwave: 1/2 the squash and microwave for 10 -12 minutes
Boil: Cut into chunks and boil 7 - 9 minutes
Steam: Cube and steam for 6 - 8 minutes
Roast: 400 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes
If you are fond of the “stinking rose,” as some call the delicious and pungent herb we know and love as garlic, and/or if you need to complete your hours or just want to help out, please come to the garlic-planting party scheduled for 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (or whenever we finish up) this Saturday, November 1st. Garlic beds need to be hoed, planted, and mulched; our apprentices will direct you. Many thanks!
Special Opportunity/Special Deal for 2009 CSA!
It is, as I have said, not too early to start thinking about next year’s CSA season. We have certainly begun to think about it, and one thing we have realized is that we really do need to raise our price for the shares. Spoutwood’s share price is among the lowest in the region, and with the price of gas and other essentials going up and up, we need to adjust our prices to remain economically sustainable. Our 2009 CSA share prices will be $420 for a medium share, less than $20 per week for enough vegetables to supply 1-2 people; $640 for a large share, about $30/week to supply 3-4 people. Please note also that those who choose to buy out of the labor support portion of their CSA commitment will be paying $10/hour to do so for 2009: $100 for a medium share, $150 for a large.
However, if you act quickly, you can lock in your 2009 share at 2008 prices! But you must sign up by or before December 1st in order to take advantage of this offer. If you sign up prior to the first of December, you can purchase a medium share for the existing price of $360, or a large for $580. Please note that this deal is only for the base price of the share. It will still cost $10/hour to buy out of the labor-support component.
Also please note that we have a significant waiting list for 2009 shares already. It has always been our policy to offer shares to our existing shareholders before opening up to new registrants. So if you are an existing shareholder and want to sign up for a 2009 share, you can do so “non-competitively” until January 1st, 2009. After that, we will open our CSA registration to those on our waiting list and to the general public, in that order. You can still sign up, of course! But you’ll be on a first-come, first-served basis with others who may wish to take advantage of our delicious, naturally-grown vegetables.
Butternut squash is an especially delicious winter squash which can be used in all the standard squash recipes (roasted, made into soup, used in breads/rolls), and also makes an excellent substitute for pumpkin in pumpkin pie and cookie recipes. The seeds of a butternut can be toasted just like pumpkin seeds as well (a perfect snack while you’re waiting for the main dish to finish cooking, baking, roasting, etc…).
History: The squash has long been an established part of the diet in each of the five continents. Its exact origin is not clear but it is thought that it was eaten in the Americas over 5,000 years ago. It is known to have been cultivated by the Incas in the fifteenth century and remains a very important source of food throughout much of central and south America.
Nutrition: Butternut squash is a well-balanced food source that is rich in complex carbohydrates and low in saturated fat and sodium. It is a very good source of vitamins A and C and a good source of beta-carotene, magnesium, manganese, calcium and potassium.
Preparation and Storage:
• Butternut squash can be stored longer for a long time because their skin is so thick. Store in a cool dry place for at least a month (if you can wait that long!).
• The hard rind, dense flesh and awkward shape mean that butternut squash require careful cutting. Use a large knife or cleaver to make a shallow cut down the length of the squash (curves permitting). Place the blade in the cut and knock the back of the blade (using your hand, a wooden mallet or rolling pin) until the squash is cut in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds and any fibrous-strings (the seeds are edible - raw or toasted - but the fibrous coat can be fiddly to remove). If you require chunks of squash, cut a small piece of each end, enabling you to stand it vertically and trim off the rind before slicing and dicing.
• Stir-Fry: tender when pierced.
Bake: 400 degrees 30 - 40 minutes, uncovered
Microwave: 1/2 the squash and microwave for 10 -12 minutes
Boil: Cut into chunks and boil 7 - 9 minutes
Steam: Cube and steam for 6 - 8 minutes
Roast: 400 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes
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