Here we are, down to the last two weeks of the 2008 CSA. I’m sorry I’ve been remiss about the newsletter for the last few weeks. Things got pretty crazy around here handling the lisianthus harvest, beans, summer squash, tomatoes, too much rain after not enough rain…. Life on a vegetable farm. Every year my goal is to do a better newsletter, more recipes, more news of the farm etc., but the farm seems to take over from lisianthus to tomato harvest. So if anyone is interested in helping me with the newsletter for a discount on your share in 2009, let me know.
In your box is a survey for the season. Please fill it out as honestly as possible. Your feedback is vital in making your CSA more fitting your needs. Thanks you for taking the time to fill it out. You can mail it back to us or return it at the last pickup next week. Remember next week is the last pickup so please return all those boxes that have been filling the corner of your garage.
It’s been a great season and we want to thank everyone for being apart of our farm. I’ll be sending out a 2009 brochure to everyone next winter.
In your box this week:
1. Tomatoes: With all the rains last weekend (6″ to be exact) we had to harvest hard. I know this is a lot of tomatoes but they are fading fast.
2.Winter squash: They can keep for up to 4 months. Store in cool dry place.
3.Sweet peppers:Again a lot of peppers. They are soooo easy to freeze.
4.Celery: Very strong and pungent. Use the leaves to flavor soups and casseroles. The celery itself is very delicious.
5.Leeks: Probably the last distribution of leeks. They are smaller than the first two harvests.
6.Garlic: More this week and more for next week too.
7.Hot peppers: A nice mix. Fresh salsa can use up lots of tomatoes, sweet peppers, leeks, garlic and hot peppers. Hmmm.
8.Kale: See recipe below.
SQUASH AND KALE with WHITE BEAN STEW
A very hearty fall meal that gets better the next day.
3 cups cooked white beans
2T olive oil
1 large onion diced
1 head garlic, about 4-7 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 T sage, fresh or dried
1 t cumin
pinch red pepper flakes or fresh hot pepper sliced to taste
1 large winter squash, Acorn, Carnival, butternut, your choice peeled, seeded, cut into 2-inch cubes.
3 cups veggie or chicken broth or water more as needed.
1 bunch kale, thick stems removed chopped or coarsely torn.
Heat oil in deep dish baking pan or dutch oven. Add onion garlic sage cumin and fresh hot peppers or red pepper flaked and cook until translucent.
Add the squash; stir to combine. Add stock. Bring to simmer. Add the kale; cook until the squash and kale are tender, about 20 minutes. season with salt and pepper. Stir in cooked white beans, simmer until beans are heated through.