Arugula
Swiss Chard
Sweet Corn (from Didier Farms in Prairie View, IL)
Cherriette Radishes
Leeks
Roma (Paste) Tomatoes
Juliet Grape Tomatoes
Yellow and Orange Heirloom Tomatoes
Red and Yellow Cipollini Onions
Purple-Top Turnips or Gold Beets (farm pickup members will receive the former; all other members will receive the latter)Fresh Thyme
This Week's Fresh Fruit Share:
Honey Crisp Apples
Empire Apples
Stanley (Purple) Plums
Important Reminder: Summer Vegetable and Fruit Shares end on September 29th & 30th. The Fall Vegetable Share starts the following week.
September on the Farm
September is a time when we find ourselves soaking up the late-afternoon sun rather than trying to hide from it like we did in August. It's still warm enough to hang laundry on the line, to let our little ones splash in the kiddie pool and to fall asleep at night without worring about the threat of frost. Yet it's cool enough these days that certain crops are starting to really thrive again. Mustard greens, cilantro, dill, radishes, lettuce, arugula, spinach and baby turnips are quickly making a comeback after a long, hot summer in hiding. The barn swallows have all gone south, clusters of monarchs replace swarms of dragonflies, and bees swarm over split tomatoes as we make our way up and down the rows. Purple aster, goldenrod and false sunflowers light up the prairie and provide the makings for festive fall centerpieces. Our table practically groans under the weight of what the farm is producing. We eat our fill and tuck the rest in the freezer, carefully labeled to provide the makings of a hearty supper on some dark January night. September will not last forever, it's true, but we'll think about that later. Right now we're too busy soaking up the sun!
Notes from the Farm Kitchen
With their tart skins and sweet flesh, Stanley plums make a delicious snack when eaten fresh. They are also a wonderful late-summer fruit for use in baked goods such as cakes and tarts. In addition, they can be made into savory sauces and condiments such as pickled plums and plum sauce.
This will be the last sweet corn of the CSA season. As in previous weeks, the sweet corn comes from a nearby farm, Didier Farm, located in Prairie View, IL. While their sweet corn is not organic, it is local and delicious.
Cipollini onions, pronounced chip-oh-LEE-nee, are smaller and flatter than most storage onions. They are slightly sweeter than regular yellow and white onions, and are therefore a great choice for carmelizing and roasting.
Roma tomatoes, also known as paste tomatoes, are ideal for making sauce because of their firm flesh, lack of juice, and relatively few seeds. They can also be oven-dried and frozen for use throughout the winter. You can do this by cutting them in half and placing them in a single layer (cut side up) on a rimmed baking tray, drizzling with olive oil and salt and roasting at 275 degrees for approximately 2-3 hours. Once they've cooled they can go straight into freezer bags. They're perfect for marinara, soups, stews, casseroles, etc.
This Week's Recipes
Toasted Orzo Pilaf with Swiss Chard, Leeks and Corn
Turkey Meatballs in Fresh Tomato Sauce
Roasted Cipollini Onions with Fresh Thyme
(See last week's newsletter for turnip recipes)
Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... tomatoes, tomatillos, cilantro, parsley, mustard greens, peppers, winter squash, bosc pears, concord grapes and more!
