Notes from Your Farm: Winter Squash

Hello from the Farm,   

Hours for Pick Up:
Thursday - 3:00pm till 7:00pm
Friday - 11:00am till 7:00pm
Saturday - 9:00am till 1:00pm 
 

Bonus Harvest! - November 16, 17, & 18
Don't miss the last harvest of 2017!  There will a surprising vegetable in your share next week and winter squash that has been bought through Lemon Street Market.  We will also be having greens that are still available after this arctic chill this weekend with radishes and turnips.  Meat share, cheese share, and mushroom shareholders will be able to pick up their last month/bi-weekly/weekly supply.  Also, the bonus week is when special orders for the end of the year from North Star can be picked up AND when we find out the number one voted bread from Abendessen Bread.  It'll be an exciting week so make sure you come and join us!   

{ I will be posting gleaning information in a later newsletter }

Potato carvings with glow sticks from the Fall Harvest Evening Event.  Photo by: Matt Dilley

Where's the Winter Squash??? 
This year our winter squash plants did not grow big enough to produce a bountiful crop.  Our winter squash crop was planted in the same field as the pumpkins, which gave us 3 weeks worth of pumpkins! - but for some reason did not want to give us winter squash.  Sometimes these things are completely out of our control.

Sooo to make sure our shareholders got winter squash this year we connected with Lemon Street Market, located on Lemon Street in Lancaster City, to purchase local and organic butternut squash and acorn squash.  This week you will be receiving butternut squash from Crawford Organics in East Earl, PA, which is certified organic by PCO (Pennsylvania Certified Organic).

If you have any questions about this please ask Taryn by email at: thogeland@yourgoodwill.org

Garlic 2nds 

At the end of the garlic harvest we were not able to pull all of the garlic quick enough because of huge amounts of rain.  This rain gave the last of the garlic light brown markings and an asymmetrical shape.  There is nothing wrong with the garlic it just doesn't look the prettiest.  We wanted to give this garlic a 2nd chance by letting our shareholders have the option of taking it home.  When the garlic 2nds are put out we will have a sign stating the same information above.  It is still edible and delicious! 

It is time to fill out surveys!  Filling out your survey will help us better your experience here at your CSA.  There will be surveys on the sign in table for you to fill out or you can choose to fill out the online version by following this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9LLTMWK    

  

Abendessen Bread

Pretzel Rolls - $5 a half dozen  ---  The best way to eat a hot ham and cheese sandwich with some Asian Greens!
Keep voting for your favorite Abendessen Bread on the Survey at the sign in table to see if your favorite bread will be sold at the last harvest.

 

Harvest List - Butternut Squash Recipe! 
- Butternut Squash - storage: in a cool dry location. Can store up to 6 months.

Cooking Butternut Squash

Roasting: cut butternut squash in half, remove stem and seeds. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Rub olive oil on each half. Place the cut side of the squash down on cooking sheet and roast until tender.  When done you can scoop out the insides with a spoon.  Add seasoning before placing in the oven if you want.

Seeds: can be roasted like pumpkin seeds. Add olive oil and seasoning, roast until light brown. 

Farmers Butternut Squash Soup

Cut off the stem, peel the entire squash with peeler (it's a lot easier than you think it would be), remove seeds, cut squash into bite size pieces. Add 32oz of vegetable broth to a pot, add 5 cups of water, add bite size pieces of squash, greens {kale with stems cut out, Asian greens to give some flavor}, garlic {chopped into small pieces}, onion {a whole one chopped into small pieces}, radishes & turnips {slice your favorites into slivers} -- add all of this and more if you want to the pot and bring all of it to a boil and then simmer until butternut squash is tender enough to eat. 

Note: I personally added foraged greens from the farm with the kale and Asian greens.  I added stinging nettle, burdock root (not a green), ground ivy, and plantain.  They were all great additions but do not harvest unless you know how to identify them and always bring them to a complete boil before consuming.

By: Your Farmers  

- Kale - storage: same as lettuce

Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients: 1 large bunch of kale, 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 tsp. sea salt, freshly ground pepper
Directions: preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove stems of kale. Place in bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and massage into leaves. Add pepper to taste and spread kale out in single layer on baking sheets. Place in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until kale is dry and crispy and barely browned on edges.

Recipe from: "Eat Clean Live Well" By: Terry Walters

- Popcorn - storage: can let it sit on your table or anywhere in the house for decoration up to 2 months.  Just keep it in a dry room temperature environment.

How to Pop the Corn!

Remove kernels from the cob and then put kernels in a brown paper bag.  Place brown paper bag filled with kernels into microwave and let the kernels pop!  Remove when you think most kernels are popped.  Add butter and salt as you like. 

- Arugula - storage: same as lettuce
Eating: has a tangy flavor with tender leaves - has a nick name "rocket salad" - same health benefits as broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts.
Cooking: can be put into a salad with balsamic vinaigrette with cut lettuce and Asian greens add your favorite nut and possibly dried cranberries and goat cheese (my favorite way to eat Arugula).  Could also be sauteed with garlic and onions or added to soups. 

- Collards - storage: same as lettuce

Sauteed Collard Greens and Garlic

Ingredients: kosher salt and black pepper, 3 bunches collard greens stems discarded and leaves cut into 1-inch strips, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced

Directions: Step 1 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the collard greens in batches and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the greens in a colander and rinse under cold water to cool; squeeze to remove any excess water.  Step 2 - Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the greens, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing often, until wilted and tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

By "Real Simple" at https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/sauteed-collard-greens 

- Turnip - storage: keep in refrigerator wrapped in plastic bag or damp towel. Keep greens separate and stored like lettuce.  
Raw: They make a great snack sliced thinly and served with salt and are a great addition to a salad.  
Cooked: they can be roasted, steamed, added to soups or stews.
Greens turnip tops: are delicious and can be cooked with other greens. 

Roasted Turnips with Ginger

Directions: Cut turnips into wedges. Toss with sliced fresh ginger, canola oil, salt, and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with honey and roast at 400° F until tender.

By "Real Simple" at: https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/popular-ingredients/turnip-recipes 

- Bok Choy- storage: keep in refrigerator wrapped in plastic bag or damp towel.

Easy Bok Choy Recipe

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped, bok choy, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces, salt to taste

Directions: 1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat, and cook the garlic in the hot oil until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.  2. Mix in the bok choy, and cook and stir until the green parts of the leaves turn bright green and the stalks become slightly translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to serve.

By "allrecipes" at: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/218619/easy-bok-choy/ 

- Lettuce - storage: if in a plastic bag make sure you poke holes throughout the bag and keep in the hydrator drawer of your refrigerator.  Or invest in a Produce Keeper that can be found on Amazon, they work very well.

- Asian Greens - storage: same as lettuce.
Eating: Asian Greens have a mustard flavor to them which gives them a little kick.  If steaming them it might be best to mix with lettuce which has a mild flavor.  
Cooking: Asian Greens are good steamed or sauteed with garlic, onions, herbs as a side dish.  Could also be added to soups that have lentils and potatoes in the mixture.

- Radishes - storage: keep in refrigerator wrapped in plastic bag or damp towel. Keep greens separate and stored like lettuce.  

Roasted Radishes with brown butter, lemon, & radish tops

Ingredients: 2 bunches medium radishes, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, Coarse kosher salt, 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions: 1. Preheat oven 450°F. Brush large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit. Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat. Place radishes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes. Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.  2. Melt butter in heavy small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.  3. Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.

Note - could use Asian Greens instead of Radish Tops

By "epicurious" at: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Radishes-with-Brown-Butter-Lemon-and-Radish-Tops-364609 

- Peppers - storage: keep in vegetable drawer of refrigerator.

Sweet Pepper Skillet Recipe

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil, 4 medium green peppers, thinly sliced, 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute peppers and onion until crisp-tender, 4-6 minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper; cook and stir 1 minute. Yield: 4 servings.

- Garlic - storage: place in mesh bag, bowl or paper bag. Do not place in plastic bag, will encourage rot.

  

- Most of the storage ideas were found in our Goodwill at Homefields Farm "A Mostly Vegetarian Cookbook".  Which can be found at our sign in desk at the distribution center 

Popcorn!  Photo by: Matt Dilley

See you at the final harvest next week!,
Your Farmers