Notes from Your Farm: Bonus Harvest, Cauliflower, & Gator Repairs

Hello from the Farm, 

 

 

Are you upset this is the week of the final harvest?  Well don't be because we are going to be giving you a Bonus Harvest!  This Bonus Harvest is happening on November 19, 20, and 21.  Pick up hours will remain the same during this Bonus Harvest as it has been the whole summer.  Vegetables from the Bonus Harvest will be fresh enough to add to your Thanksgiving dinner the week after!      

 

 

Now is the time for Surveys!  We have made up a short survey that can be filled out when you pick up your vegetables.  There are only a few questions that will ask your opinion about the vegetables we grow and how your experience is on the farm.  Please fill out a survey because it will help us make your farm a better place.

 

 

 

What happened on the Farm this week? 

 

 

We'll embrace this rainy morning on harvest day with yellow rain jackets and rain pants. Nothing will stop us from harvesting!  On the shelves this week there will be Asian greens, kale, collards, mustard, radishes, turnips, cabbage, Napa cabbage, persimmons, pumpkins, squash, broccoli, and cauliflower. 

 

 

Look what the rain brought!  Farmer Brian found this gorgeous head of Cauliflower.  I think this calls for a Cauliflower recipe!

   

On a farm you are always trouble shooting mechanical breakdowns or mishaps.  Lately we have been having issues with our Gator starting properly.  Then on Tuesday the Gator finally did not start at all.  Luckily the Farm has connections with some very talented people! Butch, one of the founders of Homefields, is skilled in mechanics and found the problem. The starter on the Gator, after 11 years of hard work, has failed.  Our Gator is still under repair but will hopefully be ready for next week, all thanks to Butch!

 

 

Events

 

Bonus Harvest - November 19, 20, & 21 

We are adding another week of harvest to your share!  Pick up hours for vegetables will remain the same as it has been the whole summer.  

Extra Give to Homefields - November 20

Wanted to donate money to Homefields but haven't yet?  On November 20 donate to Homefields through the Extra Give Lancaster County Community Foundation which will increase your donation.  Your donations will benefit Homefields Inc., which will also benefit the CSA.  Here is a link to the website for more information: https://www.extragive.org/  Also, if you would like to receive a copy of Homefields latest newsletter send your email or mailing address to info@Homefields.org.  

 

Gleaning 

Many of these crops take several bouts of frost and just keep on ticking. There will be gleaning available for current shareholders after the Bonus Harvest.  Detailed information about Gleaning will be on next weeks newsletter / blog.  

 

Gift Boxes

This year the Farm will not be making gift boxes as we did in the past.  We are hoping to change this for next year and will keep you up to date on what happens in the future.      

 

 

 

Abendessen Fresh Bread

This week Stephanie is making the delicious Pretzel Rolls for $4 a half dozen!     

 

 

 

Reminder  

 

 

Corn Grinders are back!  They are attached to the the long wooden table next to the sinks.  If you are not familiar with corn grinders they are used to grind down the Indian corn kernels.  Once it is ground into a powder form it is called cornmeal.  Cornmeal can be used to make corn bread, biscuits, pie crusts, and much more! We recommend that you remove the kernels from the cob before coming to the farm.  Also, the silver corn grinder produces a coarser cornmeal, while the red one makes the cornmeal finer. The corn grinders will be left on the table until the end of the season, so you can keep your Indian corn as decoration a little longer!            

 

 

 

Suggestions for the Harvest 

 

Daikon Radishes: these radishes can be pickled, made into cakes, chips, or just sliced up and added to your salad.  

 

Broccoli & Cauliflower: both of these vegetables can be steamed until soft and put some butter or cheese on top.  They could also be eaten raw as a healthy snack or add some of the delicious ranch dressing to that snack! 

 

Loaded Cauliflower Recipe

Ingredients:

1 Head Cauliflower, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon dry ranch dressing mix, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon butter.

 

Directions: 

1. Oven 350 degrees

2. Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the         bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover, and           steam until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to a bowl,           mash, and strain excess water.

3. Mix cauliflower, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, ranch dressing mix,                     onion powder, and garlic powder together in a 9-inch baking dish; top with         butter.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until bubbling, 30 to 45 minutes.

Source:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/240060/loaded-cauliflower/?                     internalSource=recipe%20hub&referringId=2436&referringContentType=recipe%20hub

 

Cabbage: the cabbage crop is starting to come in and we are excited to be harvesting them this week. You will most likely have a choice between cabbage and napa cabbage.

Napa Cabbage:  great in salad, it's like a mild lettucey cabbage--napa cabbage is famously used in making kimchee, a pickled spicy cabbage salad that is a mainstay in Japanese and Korean cuisine.

Kimchee:  This Korean spicy "sauerkraut of a sort" is outstanding. It is enjoyed in Korea and Japan. When buying it, I like to get it from the Viet My Asian grocery across from McCaskey High School--the brand they carry is Kimchee Pride from NYC and the favorite of the kimchee I've purchased. 

 

Bok Choy: this Asian green can be sauteed by adding ginger, red pepper, and garlic.  A healthy side dish! 

 

Kale: Kale chips are delicious and easily done.  Just put some olive oil and salt on the raw kale.  Next they will stay in the oven on a cookie sheet until the edges are brown.

 

Arugula: It is sometimes called "Salad Rocket".  Arugula adds a kick to your salad with its strong flavor.  Also good in sandwiches.  

 

Asian Greens: Can be used in a stir fry by adding chiles, garlic, peanut oil, and possibly adding some salt. Also, the greens could simply make a yummy salad.    

 

Carrots: these carrots are better than candy--simply refrigerate and then eat washed and unpeeled for a snack.  

 

Butternut Squash: butternuts have great flavor and can be used for making pumpkin pie.  They also could be sliced in half, cooked until soft, and then add some brown sugar or syrup for a sweet taste.   

 

 

Goodbyes

 

Sweet Potatoes: they can be cooked just as you would with a baked potato. You could also put them in a dish and bake them with brown sugar and marshmallows to add more sweetness, this is how my grandparents always make them. 

 

Popcorn: take a pan with high sides and a lid, put some olive oil so its covering the bottom of the pan, add kernels, turn stove on medium, put lid on to contain popcorn but do not fully cover pan with lid.  Then watch the kernels pop!    

 

Chard: this cousin to the beet is appreciated for its leaves instead of its roots.  Use for salads, or as a spinach or kale substitute in cooking.  

 

Easter Egg Radishes: This would be a perfect additive to your Asian green stir fry!  Radishes could be added to a sandwich for more flavor or eat it without anything.

 

Tomatoes: these have also peaked and are descending:  tomatoes seem to stand for themselves without words of introduction, but here are some words anyway: delicious, great in sandwiches, BLTs, tomato & cucumber salad, cooked down for sauce, chopped in salad, fresh or canned salsa and more.    

 

 

See you during Bonus Harvest week,  

 

 

Your Farmers