Our fall CSA season has officially kicked off! That extended summer drought sure made it challenging to get these crops established, and they’re a full month later than usual, but we’re just glad they’re finally ready. The first few weeks will continue to have some late summer crops while the fall crops phase in. Once we hit our first frost, we won’t have the summer crops any more and it’ll be full on roots and greens. And remember, the garden ebbs into full abundance over the next few weeks, so you can expect more to come soon.
Because the summer heat delayed the fall season a good bit, we think the harvests for this season could extend into winter. It all depends on the weather, and we don’t have a crystal ball, so we can’t say for sure what will happen. But whatever’s in store, it’s sure to be delicious and nutritious, and we’re glad to have you along for the ride.
Here’s this week’s vegetable line-up:
Fresh Basil — Store this crop in a glass of water on the counter- do not refrigerate! If it’s wilted when you receive it, it can often be revived submerged in a cold sink of water for a couple of hours. And if not, just hang it to dry and crumble for winter use.
Cucumber — 2 types: slicers and picklers. All are delicious eaten fresh.
Bell Peppers — lovely purple and green peppers.
Sweet Italian Peppers — Everyone received a couple of Italian peppers. There’s the pale green Goddess pepper, and the darker green Carmen pepper. Perfect for a homemade Pizza or a salad topper.
Hot Peppers — fat, juicy jalapenos, and a handful of super spicy cayenne.
Radish — Crisp, mild Red Rover radishes to the Large and Mini shares. Long, slender, white tipped French Breakfast radishes to the Regular shares. These are all fantastic. Great for fresh snacking, use with dips like hummus or goat cheese, and wonderful on a salad. By the way, the tops are edible, too! Tey’re tender and delicious, and taste a bit like arugula.
Kale — Large shares received Winterbor, Regular shares received Red Russian, and Mini shares received Collard greens
Arugula — A nice big bag for everyone, to enjoy fresh salads all week. My favorite salad is arugula with parmesan, toasted pecans, and dried cherries with a poppyseed or lightly sweetened maple dijon vinegarette.
Mustard Mix — Now this salad blend packs some flavor! It’s a blend of textures and colors and has become a CSA favorite. This green can also make a wonderful saute or braise, especially with an olive oil, pepper vinegar, and crumbled crispy bacon.
Very soon you’ll see local Sweet potatoes, but they’re super late this year! Anticipate them soon. Grown by our friend down the road, the sweet potato boss: Tony Philips. He says this drought was a doozy this year for him too, so his yields are far less. We may not have them too many times this season.
Veggie Storage tips:
Counter storage: Basil, in a glass of water, trimmed regularly like fresh cut flowers.
Fridge storage: Everything else! Seal them up in a bag or container to retain moisture for longest storage life
Everything wants to be washed well before cooking, but keep the dirt on till then, to prevent faster spoilage.
We’d love to hear stories and recipes of your culinary adventures this week. Tag us on Instagram or Facebook, showing us how you’ve used your CSA share.
– Your farmers, Jess & Justin
Regular Share
Regular Share top left to right: Basil, Mustard mix, arugula, Red Russian kale, (2nd row) French Breakfast radishes, Italian peppers, bell peppers, jalapenos, cayenne peppers, and a cucumber.
Large Share
Large Share top left to right: Basil, Mustard mix, arugula, Curly kale, (2nd row) Red Rover radishes, bell peppers, Italian peppers, cayenne peppers over jalapenos, and a cucumber.
Mini Share
Mini Share top left to right: Basil, arugula, mustard mix, collard greens, (2nd row) Red Rover radishes, bell pepper, Italian peppers, cayenne peppers, jalapenos, and a cucumber.