Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 22: November 6, 2008
To return to the 2008 Harvest Guide page, click here
Greetings, Spoutwood Farm friends!
Welcome to the twenty-second and final week of the 2008 Community Supported Agriculture season, here at Spoutwood Farm! It’s hard to believe this is our last harvest of the season, it seems like such a short time ago we were attending the PASA conference, welcoming our new apprentices, planting seedlings in flats. And now the garden lies all but deserted, mulched with leaves or sown with cover crops, with only a few straggling vegetables left of all Spring, Summer, and Autumn’s bounty. Our apprentices are moving on, and soon snow will cover what’s left of our best garden yet, at Spoutwood’s CSA. But it is not too early to start thinking about next year, 2009, when our Community Supported Agriculture gardens will once again be bringing you “vegetables so fresh, they almost dance”! More on that follows.
As we reach 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.
We were fortunate this week: although today is a grey and intermittently drizzly day, it is fairly warm for the season. So the shareholders and CSA staff who turned out for the Harvest were able to avoid the chills and dripping noses that so often accompany late-season harvests! And it is clearly a late-season harvest: with the exception of the last of our winter squash (butternuts), today’s offerings are exclusively either greens or root vegetables: beets and turnips, cabbage in several varieties, mizuna, mustard, kale and collards. ’Tis the season for cool-season greens and root crops, as the days shorten, the weather cools, and the energy of perennial plants is directed downward, into the roots, to survive until next Spring, and annuals gradually release their own. But whatever is not harvested will become compost to nourish next year’s crop, and the cycle continues as the Wheel of the Year turns.
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!
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 otherwise). Check the Vegetable of the Week for other ideas!
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.
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.
Cabbage: Choose from three varieties of cabbage this week, green, red, or Savoy (wrinkled leaves). A nutritious vegetable which is also delicious if prepared properly, cabbage is our Vegetable of the Week.
Mustard Greens: A Southern favorite, these bitey, tangy greens are a “pot-herb” that can be eaten alone or in combination with other leafy greens (of which we have several this week). Typically cooked (boiled or steamed, perhaps stir-fried), they can also be added sparingly to salads.
Mizuna: An Asian green with a mild mustard-like flavor, mizuna is excellent to spice up salads, and also in stir-fries. Also makes a fine basis for a nutritious blended “green drink.”
Collards (or Collard Greens): A classical Southern treat crosses the boarder this week to tantalize your taste buds with the flavor of Old Dixie. Cook up a mess o’ greens and enjoy with cornbread for a “South of the Mason-Dixon Line” treat.
Kale: A variety of kale this week; your selection includes Red Russian, Siberian, and Green Leafy Kale today. A nutrious green leafy vegetable in the brassica (cruciferous) family, kale is excellent in soups or cooked as a pot-herb; smaller and more tender leaves can be enjoyed in salads. Most will receive Green Leafy Kale; there are a few bunches of Red Russian and even fewer “Dinosaur” (Tuscan).
Bouquet: The centerpiece of this week’s bouquet is a sprig of staghorn sumanc, surrounded by chive flowers, pine branches, and (edible) sage.
Bread: For those who purchased bread shares, today’s selection from Atwaters is Celtic Harvest.
Add-On Shares: Please do not forget to pick up your add-on shares (meat & value-added, dairy, eggs, and cheese) this week! Even though it’s the first week of the month, add-ons are being dropped off today due to it also being last harvest. Since the meat share this week is a Thanksgiving turkey, it would be particularly sad to forget about it…
Au Gratin Cabbage
• 2 cups cabbage (shredded)
• ½ cup carrots (shredded)
• 1 onion (diced)
Saute until crisp-tender in frypan with a little olive oil (5-6 minutes). Transfer to greased 1-quart baking dish.
• ½ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons cheese
Combine in a small bowl. Pour over vegetables. Garnish with 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese. Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes.
Cabbage Soup
Heat in a soup pot over medium-low heat:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add and cook, stirring, until tender but not browned, 5 – 10 minutes:
3 large onions, diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
Stir in and bring to a boil:
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 large carrots, sliced
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
2 small potatoes, diced
Reduce the heat and simmer until potatoes are mostly cooked, about 15 minutes. Stir in:
4 cups shredded green cabbage
Simmer until cabbage is wilted, about 15 minutes, adding a little water to cover if necessary. Stir in:
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
Sprinkle each serving with:
Blue cheese
Gleaners Welcome!
Although this is the last harvest, there are still a few hardy vegetables that continue to produce, and will right up to the first hard freeze. These include turnips, kale, and collards. Our members are welcome to come and “glean” amidst the fields, but please call ahead to let us know you’re coming, and please bring your own tools. 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.
Again this week, we are grateful to outgoing Senior Apprentice Dana Hunting for the Vegetable of the Week.
Go cabbage! In your share you’ll find either red or green cabbage.
History: The botanical name for cabbage is Brassica oleracea capitata. The English name cabbage comes from the French caboche, meaning head, referring to its round form.
Cabbage has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and domesticated for over 2,500 years. Although cabbage is often connected to the Irish, the Celts brought cabbage to Europe from Asia around 600 B.C. Since cabbage grows well in cool climates, yields large harvests, and stores well during winter, it soon became a major crop in Europe.
Early cabbage was not the full-bodied head we take for granted today, but rather a more loose-leaf variety. The head variety was developed during the Middle Ages by northern European farmers.
It was French navigator Jacques Cartier who brought cabbage to the Americas in 1536.
Taking only three months growing time, one acre of cabbage will yield more edible vegetables than any other plant. Other related cabbage cousins include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower.
The world's largest cabbage is credited to William Collingwood of County Durham, England, whose prized cabbage in 1865 weighed in at 123 pounds.
Nutrition: As inexpensive as cabbage is, it is one of the richest when it comes to protective vitamins. Raw cabbage cleans the waste from the stomach and upper bowels which improves digestion and reduces constipation.
Hailed as a cancer inhibitor, particularly colon cancer, cabbage also stimulates the immune system, kills harmful bacteria, soothes ulcers, and improves circulation.
The outer leaves are a good source of vitamin E, making it good for the complexion. Also rich in vitamin C (raw white cabbage contains as much vitamin C as lemon juice) and sulphur, the cabbage is a health food store in a compact edible package. All these benefits are yours at only 24 calories per 3.5 ounces.
Some people do tend to suffer digestive distress due to gas from cabbage. Try blanching the whole or quartered cabbage for five minutes, change the water, and then continue cooking in fresh water if necessary.
Since cabbage can interfere with the uptake of iodine, those with goiter conditions should consult their physician before eating cabbage.
Although consumption of cabbage may aggravate a pre-existing thyroid condition, it is generally not the initiating factor of such a condition.
Preparation and Storage:
Store the whole head of cabbage in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week, two weeks if it is fresh from the garden. But remember, the older it gets, the stronger the flavor and odor will be. The looser-leaved Savoy variety should be used within a few days.
Cabbage will lose freshness rapidly once the head is chopped, so plan on using it within a day. If you only need half a head, place the remaining half in a plastic bag and shake a few drops of water onto the cut side. Close the bag and refrigerate. The cut half should last another few days if it was fairly fresh when you cut it.
To freeze cabbage: Cut into coarse shreds and blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water. Remove, drain, and chill. Pack into airtight containers and freeze up to one year. Once thawed, frozen cabbage will only work well in cooked applications.
Canned sauerkraut should be used within six months. Fresh sauerkraut from the market should be used within one week.
Cooked cabbage may be refrigerated in a covered container for up to four days.
Although this is the last harvest, there are still a few hardy vegetables that continue to produce, and will right up to the first hard freeze. These include turnips, kale, and collards. Our members are welcome to come and “glean” amidst the fields, but please call ahead to let us know you’re coming, and please bring your own tools. 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.
Again this week, we are grateful to outgoing Senior Apprentice Dana Hunting for the Vegetable of the Week.
Go cabbage! In your share you’ll find either red or green cabbage.
History: The botanical name for cabbage is Brassica oleracea capitata. The English name cabbage comes from the French caboche, meaning head, referring to its round form.
Cabbage has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and domesticated for over 2,500 years. Although cabbage is often connected to the Irish, the Celts brought cabbage to Europe from Asia around 600 B.C. Since cabbage grows well in cool climates, yields large harvests, and stores well during winter, it soon became a major crop in Europe.
Early cabbage was not the full-bodied head we take for granted today, but rather a more loose-leaf variety. The head variety was developed during the Middle Ages by northern European farmers.
It was French navigator Jacques Cartier who brought cabbage to the Americas in 1536.
Taking only three months growing time, one acre of cabbage will yield more edible vegetables than any other plant. Other related cabbage cousins include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower.
The world's largest cabbage is credited to William Collingwood of County Durham, England, whose prized cabbage in 1865 weighed in at 123 pounds.
Nutrition: As inexpensive as cabbage is, it is one of the richest when it comes to protective vitamins. Raw cabbage cleans the waste from the stomach and upper bowels which improves digestion and reduces constipation.
Hailed as a cancer inhibitor, particularly colon cancer, cabbage also stimulates the immune system, kills harmful bacteria, soothes ulcers, and improves circulation.
The outer leaves are a good source of vitamin E, making it good for the complexion. Also rich in vitamin C (raw white cabbage contains as much vitamin C as lemon juice) and sulphur, the cabbage is a health food store in a compact edible package. All these benefits are yours at only 24 calories per 3.5 ounces.
Some people do tend to suffer digestive distress due to gas from cabbage. Try blanching the whole or quartered cabbage for five minutes, change the water, and then continue cooking in fresh water if necessary.
Since cabbage can interfere with the uptake of iodine, those with goiter conditions should consult their physician before eating cabbage.
Although consumption of cabbage may aggravate a pre-existing thyroid condition, it is generally not the initiating factor of such a condition.
Preparation and Storage:
Store the whole head of cabbage in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week, two weeks if it is fresh from the garden. But remember, the older it gets, the stronger the flavor and odor will be. The looser-leaved Savoy variety should be used within a few days.
Cabbage will lose freshness rapidly once the head is chopped, so plan on using it within a day. If you only need half a head, place the remaining half in a plastic bag and shake a few drops of water onto the cut side. Close the bag and refrigerate. The cut half should last another few days if it was fairly fresh when you cut it.
To freeze cabbage: Cut into coarse shreds and blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water. Remove, drain, and chill. Pack into airtight containers and freeze up to one year. Once thawed, frozen cabbage will only work well in cooked applications.
Canned sauerkraut should be used within six months. Fresh sauerkraut from the market should be used within one week.
Cooked cabbage may be refrigerated in a covered container for up to four days.
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