Week 20 - Our Final Box... for now.

Thanks for being a part of our CSA this season! We appreciate all of the excellent feedback we have been getting from the surveys you have sent back. If you haven’t sent yours back yet… here’s a friendly reminder :).

WHAT’S IN YOUR BOX THIS WEEK:

Honey (From the farm - "Granpa Jim" is Bryan's dad)
Apples
Leeks
Acorn Squash
Garlic
Broccoli
Carrots

We are excited to start our new garden plan and will be implementing some cold frames and low tunnels to help extend our season. We just planted next year’s garlic and are getting ready to mulch and prep the rest of the garden for the winter. We do have some broccoli and carrot successions that are not quite ready yet so if any of you are interested in a bonus box please send us an email or give us a call and we’ll set up an additional pick up day.

Thanks again for your support! You are truly helping to create a more vibrant and sustainable food model. We hope that you will join us again next year…

Sustainably yours,

Bryan and Katelyn


RECIPES WE THOUGHT YOU’D ENJOY:

Broccoli Crunch (www.101cookbooks.com)

4 -5 cups tiny broccoli florets (and chopped stalks if you like)
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 1/4 cup almond butter 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon honey 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons hot water
2 small crisp apples, cut into bit-sized pieces (if you aren't going to use the apples immediately, let them sit in a bowl of water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup toasted or candied walnuts or almonds 1/3 cup pan-fried crunchy shallots* chives (optional)

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt as you would pasta water. Boil the broccoli just long enough to take the raw edge of - 10 or 15 seconds. Drain and immerse it in cold water. At this point, I like to spin the broccoli in a salad spinner to get the water off, but a few good knocks against the sink in a strainer can do the trick pretty well. Set aside.

Make the dressing by sprinkling the salt over the clove of garlic. Smash the clove and chop, smash and chop - turning it into a paste. In a small bowl whisk the salty garlic paste with the almond butter, lemon juice, honey and olive oil. Add the hot water and whisk until light and creamy.

In a large bowl gently toss the broccoli, apples, red onion, most of the shallots and nuts with a generous drizzle of the almond dressing. Turn out onto a platter and finish with the rest of the shallots and chives if you like. Serve family style..

*Stir together the shallots, a splash of clarified butter (or olive oil) and big pinch of salt In a large skillet over medium heat. Stir every few minutes, you want the shallots to slowly brown over about fifteen minutes. Let them get dark, dark brown (but not burn), and if needed turn down the heat. Remove from skillet and onto a paper towel to cool in a single layer where they will crisp up a bit

Time to reflect on this years CSA...

As promised we’ve included a survey with this week’s box. Your feedback is extremely important to us! You are in a unique situation this year as we are a very young CSA and your opinions will truly influence our farm. You can look at yourselves as true ‘shareholders’ with voting power! We’ve also included a self-addressed, stamped envelope so please send them back as soon as possible!

The CSA and farmer’s market seasons are coming to an end but we will be selling dried shiitake and wine cap stropharia at the Winona, and possibly Rochester winter markets. We are also seriously considering offering a winter egg share so let us know if you have any interest in signing up!

WHAT’S IN YOUR BOX THIS WEEK:

Kale
Apples
Onions
Butternut Squash
Radish Sprouts
Napa Cabbage
Sage


We will be planting our 2012 garlic crop next week and prepping the rest of the garden for winter. We can certainly use some help mulching, weeding, and planting cover crops if any of you would like to get your hands dirty…

Sustainably yours,

Bryan and Katelyn

RECIPES WE THOUGHT YOU’D ENJOY:

Apple, Leek, and Butternut Squash Gratin (www.wholeliving.com)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium leeks, white part only, trimmed of roots and tough outer leaves, thinly sliced crosswise, well washed and dried
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus leaves for garnish
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 pound apples, such as Gala, Cortland, Baldwin, or Macoun, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 10-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add leeks and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add sherry and sage and cook until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes; set aside.

In a 2-quart shallow baking dish, arrange squash in overlapping layers; season with salt and pepper. Spread leeks evenly over the squash.

Arrange apples in an overlapping layer over the leeks. Brush apples with remaining tablespoon oil. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 45 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle cheese over the top. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. The tip of a paring knife should easily pierce the gratin. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage leaves.

Herbal Turtle Farms Mini-Documentary

Steve Date from MinnPost.com came out a few weeks ago and shot this mini-documentary on Herbal Turtle Farms. MinnPost.com is a website currently focusing on young people in rural Minnesota. Check out the video when you get a chance! You can find it here: http://www.minnpost.com/ruralmn/2011/10/06/32180/from_desk_job_to_winonas_herbal_turtle_farms

We cry for your taste buds.

If you’ve ever been tear gassed then you know what it’s like making horseradish sauce! We had a house full of teary eyes and runny noses last night… but you all are worth it :). Please keep the horseradish sauce in the fridge. It has vinegar in it and should keep for a few months at least but it is NOT canned so must be kept chilled.

WHAT’S IN YOUR BOX THIS WEEK:
Garlic
Leeks
Apples
Kabocha Squash
Red Leaf Head Lettuce
Horseradish (Sauce)


We will be hosting an inoculation workshop on Sunday, October 16th from 11-3ish. The cost of the workshop is $60 and includes lunch and your very own shiitake log. CSA members can sign up for $45 if anyone is interested.

We’re still fighting for the eggplant and won’t give up until they’re on your plate! Additionally in the next couple weeks you can expect another round of beets, carrots, broccoli, micro-greens/sprouts, and honey.

Thanks again for choosing our CSA! We’ll be distributing a survey/feedback form so we can hear more of your input regarding the produce we’re growing, what we’re doing right (or wrong), and what you would like to see more/less of. Your feedback is very important to us… we’re growing for YOU after all!

Sustainably yours,

Bryan and Katelyn

RECIPES WE THOUGHT YOU’D ENJOY:

Apple Cider-Braised Kabocha Squash with Golden Raisins and Onion (noteatingoutinny.com)

1 kabocha squash (roughly 1 lb), seeds removed and sliced into thin wedges or crescents
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
about 1/2 cup golden raisins
2-3 cups apple cider
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
pinch red chili flakes (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Slice and trim squash pieces, removing any knobs or brown patches on its skin if you prefer, add to a hot pan with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Let cook 1-2 minutes on each side, seasoning with salt and pepper, until a slight crust develops. Transfer and set aside.
In the same pan, heat remaining olive oil and sliced onions over a very low flame. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes, until onions are translucent and golden brown (caramelized). Add the garlic, raisins and optional chili flakes and return squash to the pan. Add the apple cider, cover and simmer about 10 minutes, or until squash is just tender and liquid is almost cooked off. Taste for seasoning. Add butter, toss once more, and serve