This week, we can definitely feel the cooler weather coming in. The end of last week and the weekend brought beautiful sunshine to help ripen our summer crops. Unfortunately the forecast this weeks looks dreary and cool, which can affect our harvest plan. Items that we would need for early in the week, like tomatoes, might be ready for Tuesday's shares. But 4 straight days of clouds and rain mean the rest wouldn't ripen fast enough for Wednesday and Saturday shares. This week, we're bringing you a true taste of fall with greens, with little pops of color here and there.
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One of our big tasks last week was harvesting all of the winter squashes: acorn, spaghetti, butternut, and delicata. Check out the video to hear more about it:
A view of the squash and pumpkin patch:
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Huge jack-o-lanterns are ripening. My hand for size context.
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More fall fun: Mums are here! They're $5 each and you can pick them up at our store until they run out. Randy's cousin Joe loaded them up onto the pallets in front of our store on Saturday morning.
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Gourds are also available too! They're $2/lb. because they range in size, and each is typically about $1.
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Check out these spooky ones!
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I wanted to do a little feature on maple sugar because it's not well-known, but it deserves to be. Maple sugar is made by boiling maple sap for longer than it takes to make maple syrup: there's no sugar added. Chuck from Sugar Maple Farms makes his in Lebanon, CT. He also makes it in granulated and powdered form. Maple sugar is perfect for oatmeal, sprinkled on baked goods, sprinkled on roasted vegetables, and even on roast chicken.
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How well do you know your kale varieties? Take a look at the 4 photos below to see the types that we grow. Answers are below the slideshow.
Redbor (Red curly)
White Russian
Toscano (Flat leaf/Dinosaur/Lacinato)
Winterbor (Green curly)
Don't forget that enrollment for 2021 subscriptions opens at 7 a.m. this Sunday, October 4th. I really think that the Extended Season Subscription is going to sell out quickly, so be prepared to log on ASAP. Also, check the 2021 Veggie Subscriptions tab to see the early bird registration perks, which include a few fun events and a keepsake gift. If you sign up before Thanksgiving, you receive them all.
A few more photos from the week:
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A Message from Randy:
The Uncrating:
Contents (In approximate order from shortest shelf life to longest):
Small:
1 bunch of Swiss chard
1 bunch of Brussels sprouts tops
1 bunch of carrots
1/4 lb. of Asian mix
2 kohlrabi
1/2 lb. of beans
1 green pepper
Large:
1 bunch of Swiss chard
1 bunch of Brussels sprouts tops
1 lb. of tomatoes
1 bunch of carrots
1/2 lb. of Asian mix
2 kohlrabi
3/4 lb. of beans
1 green pepper
Sorry! Last week's Saturday shareholders received Swiss chard instead of bok choy so you wouldn't receive it 2 weeks in a row. I planned that at the beginning of the week and forgot to specify in the newsletter.
Caring For Your Share:
Wash all before using:
Store the peppers and bag of beans in the fridge as is. Wash when ready to use.
Keep the tomatoes out of the fridge and store out of direct sunlight, like on a counter.
Store Swiss chard and Brussels sprout tops in plastic bags in the fridge. Shake out excess moisture first. Use within a few days.
Twist the tops off of the kohlrabi and carrots and store them in Ziploc bags. You can freeze the carrot tops for soup stock later! Kohlrabi greens can be eaten, too.
LGF Cooking Club:
One Pot Mushroom and Swiss Chard Pasta:
Sauteed Swiss Chard Toasts (Thank you for the idea, Carrie!):
Sausage Hash with Cabbage, Potatoes, and Beans (You can really get creative with this one. You can absolutely use Brussels sprouts tops, switch out the beans for carrots, switch out the sausage for bacon, put a poached egg on top... the possibilities are endless!): https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/sausage-hash-recipe/
Easy Thai Shrimp Salad (with Asian greens!):
Sesame Shrimp with Asian Greens Rice Bowl (Hint: Use the chard it calls for, but swap out the spinach for Asian mix):
Tangy Asian Ginger Coleslaw (Use the Brussels sprouts tops and the green pepper):
Market Basket Soup (uses kohlrabi!):
Kohlrabi and Carrot Slaw:
I've been sharing this recipe for years... Kohlrabi Carrot Fritters with Avocado Cream Sauce:
Cooking Tip(s) of the Week:
Frozen Greens for Green Smoothies (or soup, pasta, etc!) Great for your kohlrabi greens, carrot tops, chard, and Brussels sprouts tops.
Biweekly Catch-Up Time:
One thing I love about the subscription program is how things can change so much from week to week. Just last week we were enjoying the bright colors of late summer, and this week we've transitioned more to the deeper, greener hues of autumn. I'm especially excited about this box because there are a few new items that have inspired me to try some new recipes. The combination of eggplant, mint, and cucumbers feels very Mediterranean, while the bok choy invokes inspiration for Asian cuisine. I love that this process creates opportunities to enjoy completely different dishes from one night to the next.
This week, our focus quickly shifted from succession planting to covering crops to protect them from frost. Sunday, September 20th we received an alert that if the wind died down, it could bring in a light frost. Frost typically settles when the air is still, whereas the wind keeps it moving. Randy waited to see what would happen, and around 2 p.m. didn't feel like he could risk it any longer. We called both of our dads and our neighbor Frannie, and they were here to help gather up rocks to cover all of the crops with a giant piece of Reemay cloth. It took until about 8:00 at night, but Randy felt so relieved once it was done. He said that if it had been mid-October, he probably wouldn't have bothered; but with 12 weeks left in our subscription season, it was too early to risk losing everything.
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When we woke up the next morning, we had gotten a light frost, which ironically made Randy really happy to know that he had put in the work and made the right decision. All crops were okay, just cold and in some cases wet. We'll continue to take the Reemay off during the day so we can harvest the eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, and cucumbers underneath, and then cover them back up at night so that they stay warm.
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Here's the video of succession planting I had planned to focus on this week. It's all still true, though it's incredible how fast the gears start shifting and turning here once the word frost is mentioned.
One of our best friends Meg (sister of Katelyn from Rustle Floral Co!) took some amazing photos of us for our website. I'm hoping to redo it for next season to change it up. Meg takes photos under her business name Locust and Honey Photography & Design. She does amazing mini sessions which are perfect for fall and holiday time that you might want to check out! https://locustandhoneydesign.com
Here's a little sneak peek of the ones she did for us:
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P.S. Katelyn's flowers are in the store every Saturday and typically mid-week and should continue to be until we have a hard frost. They're gorgeous! Here's a sample photo.
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Pumpkins are here! Traditional jack-o-lantern pumpkins are $0.50 per pound, gourds are $2 per pound, and specialty pumpkins are $1.00 (cooking pumpkins and anything dark red, tan, white, etc.) Mums should be ready next week!
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Just a friendly reminder to make sure that you're wearing your mask properly upon entering our store (over the mouth AND nose). As cases begin to rise again, we want to make sure that we are all protected from the spread of any illness. We sanitize in the store often and take our temperatures daily, and we believe that mask wearing is integral to the success of keeping case numbers down and keeping our little store a nice alternative to grocery stores. Thank you for your understanding.
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Here are a couple more pretty shots of the farm. Looking forward to seeing you all soon!
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