- Broccoli
- Red Head Lettuce
- Green Head Lettuce
- Butternut Squash (from Genesis Growers in St. Anne, IL)
- Asian Cabbage
- Yellow Onions (from Tipi Produce in Evansville, WI)
- Gold Beets or Candy-Striped Beets
- Tomatoes
Monday morning
I'm standing in the middle of a large broccoli field sparkling with the morning dew. Matt works his way up and down the rows, wielding his knife just as fast as he can, and I work hard to keep up. We're harvesting broccoli together. He's cutting and tossing. I'm catching and binning. These days it's pretty rare for us to have the opportunity to work together, just the two of us. We're usually being pulled in a hundred different directions, distracted by the demands of managing a large crew of employees and tending to our 3 kids. But on this quiet, sunny Monday morning at the start of our anniversary week, we're here together, and I'm entirely content. This is practically a date! (Except for the fact that my face is streaked with mud and I'm wearing a pair of old plastic overalls, fraying straps held together with produce twist ties and clothespins...) The funny thing is, this is exactly what we wanted when we started Sandhill Organics almost twelve years ago. I wouldn't change a thing. Thanks to all of you for helping us make the vision a reality.
Have a good week! --Peg
Sandhill Organics Through the Years: A Series of Firsts
Our first broccoli crop in Mukwonago, Wisconsin in the spring of 2000.
Our first tractor, a 1949 Allis Chalmers model G purchased that year.
The completion of our first season in the fall of 2000. We were married about 2 weeks later.
Our first farmers market vehicle. It was tiny, but it sure had a great license plate.
Our firstborn child prepares to sample his first heirloom tomato in the summer of 2003.
We move to Grayslake in 2004. Our first CSA members join us that year.
Our first (and only) set of twins become part of the farm family in the fall of 2005.
We build our first hoophouse that winter.
The first (and only) family portrait taken in the hoophouse in early 2007.
We buy our first farm property in Wisconsin in 2010. Not sure where the journey is going from here, but looking forward to sharing it with all of you.
Notes from the Farm Kitchen
Matt would never brag on his own behalf, but I just want to acknowledge that he and the rest of the production crew really knocked one out of the park with this week's broccoli! Broccoli's flavor is determined to a large extent by the kind of weather we experience while it is growing. Generally speaking, the more rain we receive, and the cooler the temperatures, the better the broccoli tastes. Because of its slightly bitter edge, broccoli grown during the heat of the summer tastes best when cooked, but this sweet fall broccoli is great eaten raw or cooked. When we're harvesting, we try to cut the stems nice and long because we hate to waste such a valuable part of the plant. The stems should be peeled down to their tender core and lightly cooked. When prepared in this way they are just as tasty as the florets.
Butternut squash is a very versatile vegetable. It tastes great prepared in both sweet and savory ways. I like to use butternut squash in place of canned pumpkin when making pies and sweet quickbreads, but it's equally as good when paired with savory and spicy flavors to make dishes such as chili and enchiladas.
This week's Asian cabbage, called Tokyo bekana, has juicy stems and sweet, tender leaves with a mild mustard flavor. Because of the cool fall temperatures, this is our best-tasting Asian cabbage of the year. It's extremely versatile and can be used in all sorts of dishes. While the leaves are wonderful used in salads, don't overlook the tender, juicy stems. I recommend adding them to your favorite stir fry or hot pot recipe, just like you would use napa cabbage. Another great way to enjoy this week's Asian cabbage would be to chop both leaves and stems, toss with diced apple and toasted slivered almonds, and season with a drizzle of vegetable oil and a splash of apple cider vinegar. One final idea for enjoying your Asian cabbage is to chop the stems and add to your favorite chicken salad recipe in place of celery.
This week you will either receive gold beets or candy-striped beets. When I'm asked about their flavor at the farmer's market, I often describe both gold beets and candy-striped beets as milder or slightly less "beety" than traditional red beets. When other obvious advantage to using these two varieties is that they don't bleed like red beets. Both kinds are well suited to all sorts of applications--roasting, steaming, vegetable salads, etc. The only thing I probably wouldn't do with them is attempt to make borscht. For this application you really need good old-fashioned red beets.
This Week's Recipes
Macaroni & Cheese with Butternut Squash
White Bean, Butternut & Beet Green Stew
Roasted Broccoli with Garlic & Red Pepper
Tortellini Soup with Beet Greens & Tomatoes
Warm Beet Greens with Sour Cream Dressing
Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... yellow potatoes, salad mix, scarlet turnips, broccoli, kale, tomatoes, carrots, and more!
