All right, y’all! week 2 of our fall CSA season. The fall crops trickle in gradually until they’re in full force so you can expect more to come soon as we gradually come into full abundance. We’re still in severe, record-breaking drought, which also causes crops to progress more slowly, so be patient. Drip irrigation cannot replace a full soaking from the sky!
Because the summer heat delayed the fall season more than a full month, we think the harvests for this season will extend into the new year. 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.
Radish — Crisp, mild Red Rover radishes to the Regular shares and long, slender, white tipped French Breakfast radishes to the Large and Mini 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! They’re tender and delicious, and taste a bit like arugula.
Kale — Large and Mini shares received Red Russian kale, and Mini shares received Winterbor kale.
Swiss Chard — This crop went to the Large shares this week. It’s absolutely delicious and one of the most visually striking crops we grow! Fantastic sauteed or braised, and also lovely mixed in with your arugula in a salad.
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 — for Large and Regular shares. 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.
Pepper Maddness!
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.
Specialty Peppers — This week we’re sending you a special one: Shishito peppers! These long slender peppers are having a culinary moment. They’re best blistered in a hot cast iron, then snacked on as an hors d’ourves. You can dip them into any yummy dip that compliments your meal
We’ve got local Sweet potatoes for you for the next few weeks! Yields were very small this year from the drought, but we’re glad to have some for now. Grown by our friend right down the road, the sweet potato boss: Tony Philips. While he does not follow the organic program standards like we do, these tubers are dug up from healthy soil with no fungicides or pesticides. Also, these are simply rinsed with water post-harvest. No anti-sprouting chemicals are added, as is standard in commercial tater production. And those anti-sprouting chemicals are really terrible for the endocrine system. We’re grateful to be able to supply you with a cleaner local option!
Veggie Storage tips:
Counter storage: Basil, in a glass of water, trimmed regularly like fresh cut flowers, and Sweet potatoes.
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, Winterbor kale, (2nd row) Red Rover radishes, Bell peppers, Italian peppers, jalapenos, cayenne peppers, Shishito peppers, and sweet potatoes.
Large Share
Large Share top left to right: Swiss Chard, Basil, Mustard mix, arugula, Red Russian kale, (2nd row) French Breakfast radishes, Bell peppers, Italian peppers, jalapenos, cayenne peppers, Shishito peppers, and sweet potatoes.
Mini Share
Mini Share top left to right: Basil, arugula, French Breakfast radishes, Red Russian kale, (2nd row) sweet potatoes, Bell peppers, Italian peppers, jalapenos, cayenne peppers, and Shishito peppers.