- Leeks
- Spinach
- Mixed Lettuces
- Purple Kohlrabi
- Radishes (French Breakfast or Easter Egg)
- Assorted Varieties of Tomatoes
- Gold-Stemmed Swiss Chard
- Garlic Bulbs
- Broccoli
This Week's Fruit Share:
- Fuji Apples
- Green Delicious Apples
- Red Raspberries
- Stanley Plums
The regular-season fruit share ends this week. The 4-week fruit share extension begins next week. Please call if you haven't already signed up for the fruit extension and wish to do so.
The summer vegetable season ends on October 7th & 8th.
Farm Journal
As the days get shorter I'll soon have to say farewell to some of summer's sweeter pleasures-- peach juice running down my chin and dripping onto my toes, helping the kids hunt for toads in the cool windowell, a quick dip in the lake after a long day's work, and endless tomato sandwiches. What makes this parting bearable is knowing that Autumn will provide a vegetable feast to equal Summertime's generous bounty. This week's vegetable share is a perfect illustration of the way that nature often provides exactly what the body is craving. And right now I'm craving greens! Thanks to moderate temperatures and plenty of moisture this week, every green vegetable on the farm is thriving. We're growing beautiful spinach, lettuce, tat soi, bok choy, endive, fennel, celery, arugula, chard, kale, parsley, napa cabbage and so much more. Even the recently-sown fall cover crops seem lusher and greener than in years past. Our goal during the coming fall months is to provide you with at least 2 kinds of greens each week along with a weekly assortment of fruiting crops (tomatoes, peppers and winter squash), cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts), and root crops (sweet potatoes, rutabaga, carrots and many more). So far things look promising. (Check out the photos below and see for yourselves.) Meanwhile, we'll be keeping our fingers crossed 'til snow flies!
Have a good week! --Peg
spinach in the field
bok choy, head lettuce and green onions in the hoophouse
mixed lettuces in the field
purple asters and goldenrod in front of a fall-sown cover cropNotes from the Farm Kitchen
Perhaps the most underrated member of the cabbage family, kohlrabi is delicious peeled and eaten raw. Just peel the bulb, slice into match sticks and serve with or without dip (see recipe below). Kohlrabi greens can be used like you would use kale, collards, and other hearty stewing greens. These types of greens become tender and delicious when simmered over low to medium heat for 30 to 60 minutes. Try sauteeing a little onion and garlic in a pan (a little bacon or salt pork would be the perfect addition) and then adding the greens to the pan along with some type of liquid-- vegetable broth, chicken stock, white wine etc. The key is not to rush things. These greens will taste best when they're nice and tender.
Fall-bearing raspberries are in their prime. As always, keep in mind that fresh raspberries are very delicate and should be eaten within a couple of days. The best way to store them is to line a plate with a paper towel. Spread the raspberries on the paper towel in a single layer and refrigerate.
Leeks are members of the lily family and are close relatives of onions, garlic, shallots and chives. Leeks are milder than most onions and tend to get sweeter as they cook. When using leeks, cut the tops off about 2 inches above the white section. Then cut them in half lengthwise and wash any dirt out from between the layers. Leeks may be sauteed, braised, grilled, baked or eaten raw. Store them in the refrigerator.
This Week's Recipes
Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... Potatoes, dill, tomatoes, beets, kale, red onions, peppers, lettuce, spinach, bosch pears, concord grapes and more!
