Week 20
Drum roll please...
Where does the season go?
A customer mentioned they were making a cabbage soup out of the Joy of Cooking. We talked a little about it and I decided I would make it this past week. She told me it was in the 75th anniversary edition, but I looked in my two older editions (yeah, I have a little cookbook problem, but there are worst vices) just for the fun of it as well. They had a different version. I love comparing different editions. It is fun to see how the way we eat/what we want to eat has changed over the years. We enjoyed it and it wouldn't surprise me if some of you still had the cabbage we gave you a few weeks ago so I will post the recipe at the end.
While making the chicken stock for the cabbage soup on Friday night something clicked in my brain and I realized that there was another soup recipe I meant to make this summer. It is a Thai soup with pork stuffed cucumbers cooked in chicken broth. Since we are pretty much done with cucumbers I went into a small panic, raced over to the farm and grabbed several cucumbers off of some essentially dead plants that I think were hit with a light frost. They feel firm and the one I tasted was fine so I am going for it tonight.
One of the worst things about being too stubborn to buy produce is that I get a little crazed this time of year, trying to cook things "one last time" or in the case of the cucumber soup "one first time", before the autumn chill takes all the summer goodness away. Not that I don't enjoy winter veggies. I love them, but the thought of summer veggies not being available much longer makes them that much more desirable.
Today I did the Olympia market for part of the day so Kelly could get the garlic field ready for planting. A customer told me that he likes to grill whole delicatas over a charcoal fire and then scoop out the seeds and puree it. He compared it to babaganouj. He didn't mention garlic, tahini or lemon but I think it might be delicious. Now, I have a dish for my winter list! There is always good food to be had and while I mourn the loss of summer it is fun to think about cooking new stuff as well.
I hope that you all had a chance to make all your summer favorites and also try a new thing or two. I know that it can be hard to try new things when you are busy, but I also think it is a lot of fun and usually worth the stress. Here we go, your last box.
Carrots
Leeks
Rutabagas or Turnips
Purple Potatoes
Head Lettuce
Winter Squash - Spaghetti or Butternut, your choice
Garlic
Parsley - Large Only
Shallots - Large Only
Cabbage Soup, adapted slightly - Saute 2 small chopped leeks, 2 diced small onions, 2 tablespoons garlic in a soup pot until tender. Add 6 cups mild broth, 2 sliced carrots, 1 teaspoon caraway seed, 2 small diced potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked. Add 4 cups shredded green cabbage and simmer until cabbage is cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped parsley and top with crumbled blue cheese.
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Sunday, October 8, 2017
Week 19
For many of you this is your last week. We hope you enjoyed the veggies you received and shared some nice meals with friends or family.
A few years ago I was at a wedding. The DJ asked everyone to grab their partners and head to the dance floor. The music started, people began dancing and then the DJ had couples sit down by how long they had been married in assorted rounds. By the end there were three couples on the dance floor, all who had been married for over 50 years. She then asked them for their advice on staying married for so long. One woman said "some years are better than others." This is a broad statement that could be applied to many things, but I liked the use of the word years. Of course some days are better than others, but to look at a marriage in terms of years reminds you that you really need to keep the big picture in mind. It is a long term commitment and there is no sense in getting down about a tough stretch or giving up too easily. The farm is also a long term commitment. It requires effort and attention and at times it is disappointing, but the good things greatly outweigh the difficult things. I love thinking about the sentiment that some years are better than others when we are in the dog days of summer. Yes, I hate cucumber beetles and yes, they ruined a lot of cucumbers and in the moment it was heartbreaking, but honestly in the grand scale of things they mean so little. It is much more important to focus on the successes and be grateful for what we do have which is a ton of veggies and some awesome folks who buy them! Thank you for your commitment to eating good food and for being willing to come to the farm to get it. Your appreciation, stories of what you cooked and friendly faces end our Mondays and Wednesdays on a positive note. We couldn't do this without such great customers and we are thankful for all of you.
These boxes feel decidedly fall like.
Spinach
Carrots
Kabocha Squash - your choice - green, grey or orange
Parsnips
Cipollini Onions
Lettuce - Large Only
For many of you this is your last week. We hope you enjoyed the veggies you received and shared some nice meals with friends or family.
A few years ago I was at a wedding. The DJ asked everyone to grab their partners and head to the dance floor. The music started, people began dancing and then the DJ had couples sit down by how long they had been married in assorted rounds. By the end there were three couples on the dance floor, all who had been married for over 50 years. She then asked them for their advice on staying married for so long. One woman said "some years are better than others." This is a broad statement that could be applied to many things, but I liked the use of the word years. Of course some days are better than others, but to look at a marriage in terms of years reminds you that you really need to keep the big picture in mind. It is a long term commitment and there is no sense in getting down about a tough stretch or giving up too easily. The farm is also a long term commitment. It requires effort and attention and at times it is disappointing, but the good things greatly outweigh the difficult things. I love thinking about the sentiment that some years are better than others when we are in the dog days of summer. Yes, I hate cucumber beetles and yes, they ruined a lot of cucumbers and in the moment it was heartbreaking, but honestly in the grand scale of things they mean so little. It is much more important to focus on the successes and be grateful for what we do have which is a ton of veggies and some awesome folks who buy them! Thank you for your commitment to eating good food and for being willing to come to the farm to get it. Your appreciation, stories of what you cooked and friendly faces end our Mondays and Wednesdays on a positive note. We couldn't do this without such great customers and we are thankful for all of you.
These boxes feel decidedly fall like.
Spinach
Carrots
Kabocha Squash - your choice - green, grey or orange
Parsnips
Cipollini Onions
Lettuce - Large Only
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Week 18
I was just downtown visiting Kelly at the Oly market, giving him a break and saying hi to the other vendors. We will be there on Sundays until the end of October if you need some veggies after the CSA is done and we will be at the farm stand on Wednesdays and Saturdays until the end of November. Yes, it is true, we are nearing the end of the farm share. For those of you who did not skip a week, next week will be your last week. Those who did skip a week will have two more pick-ups after tomorrow. Time goes by pretty quick, doesn't it?
We are headed to a fund raiser tonight for the Chehalis market, another sign that our season is winding down. I had visions of dressing up, but time is ticking away so I think I will probably just settle for wearing some pants that don't have double knees. Kelly doesn't have pants that don't have double knees (funny, right?) so he will just be wearing a cleaner version of what you always see him in! Looking forward to seeing friends and relaxing. Fall is a good thing.
Your boxes are typical of what we have on the farm in the fall with the exception of the cucumber.
Looking forward to some nice hearty meals this week. Enjoy your veggies.
Carrot
Celery
Daikon/Watermelon Radish - Most years that we try to grow these they are hideous, but this year they are so nice that Kelly jokingly asked me who grew them when he saw the crate I harvested for Saturday. If you get a daikon you might be a little intimidated (holy cow, that is one large radish) but take a moment to google some recipes and get creative. There is a Cantonese dish with slow cooked beef and daikon seasoned with star anise. It has been on my mental list of dishes to try to make for a long time...maybe you can beat me to it.
Broccoli - probably not a huge quantity but everyone will have some.
Cucumber - Last taste of summer - almost done for the season.
Garlic
Acorn - We grow a variety called Honey Bear that is sweet and creamy. If you have bad memories of stringy acorn smothered with butter and brown sugar you will be pleasantly surprised.
Beets - Small Only
Turnips - Large Only
Lettuce Mix - Large Only
I was just downtown visiting Kelly at the Oly market, giving him a break and saying hi to the other vendors. We will be there on Sundays until the end of October if you need some veggies after the CSA is done and we will be at the farm stand on Wednesdays and Saturdays until the end of November. Yes, it is true, we are nearing the end of the farm share. For those of you who did not skip a week, next week will be your last week. Those who did skip a week will have two more pick-ups after tomorrow. Time goes by pretty quick, doesn't it?
We are headed to a fund raiser tonight for the Chehalis market, another sign that our season is winding down. I had visions of dressing up, but time is ticking away so I think I will probably just settle for wearing some pants that don't have double knees. Kelly doesn't have pants that don't have double knees (funny, right?) so he will just be wearing a cleaner version of what you always see him in! Looking forward to seeing friends and relaxing. Fall is a good thing.
Your boxes are typical of what we have on the farm in the fall with the exception of the cucumber.
Looking forward to some nice hearty meals this week. Enjoy your veggies.
Carrot
Celery
Daikon/Watermelon Radish - Most years that we try to grow these they are hideous, but this year they are so nice that Kelly jokingly asked me who grew them when he saw the crate I harvested for Saturday. If you get a daikon you might be a little intimidated (holy cow, that is one large radish) but take a moment to google some recipes and get creative. There is a Cantonese dish with slow cooked beef and daikon seasoned with star anise. It has been on my mental list of dishes to try to make for a long time...maybe you can beat me to it.
Broccoli - probably not a huge quantity but everyone will have some.
Cucumber - Last taste of summer - almost done for the season.
Garlic
Acorn - We grow a variety called Honey Bear that is sweet and creamy. If you have bad memories of stringy acorn smothered with butter and brown sugar you will be pleasantly surprised.
Beets - Small Only
Turnips - Large Only
Lettuce Mix - Large Only
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Week 17
I try to resist cooking fall/winter food this time of year because I know that we have a long winter and many squash dishes ahead of us. However, the weather last week convinced me that I needed to light a fire and put a pot of soup on the stove. We had delicata soup and grilled sandwiches with sharp cheddar, apple and caramelized onion. Delicata isn't my usual go to squash for soup, but we wanted to give them a test run before we sold them so it seemed like a natural choice. I roasted the squash and then pureed the soup with the skin on. Maybe not the best choice without a more powerful blender, but nothing a mesh strainer couldn't fix! It really hit the spot and the delicata tastes great. You will get an assortment of squash in your boxes over the next few weeks. They will be fine for months as long as they are stored in a dry spot.
Lettuce
Carrots
Sweet Corn (hopefully)
Delicata - The skin on these is edible. This is, in my opinion, the most versatile squash we grow. We use it in curries, burritos, on pizza and and sliced into rings and roasted or cubed in a roasted veggie mix. It is also a great squash for stuffing. The seeds are small and awesome toasted.
Sweet Onions
Spinach - Small Only
Potatoes - Large Only
Beets - Large Only - Small shares will get beets next week.
Chard - Large Only
I try to resist cooking fall/winter food this time of year because I know that we have a long winter and many squash dishes ahead of us. However, the weather last week convinced me that I needed to light a fire and put a pot of soup on the stove. We had delicata soup and grilled sandwiches with sharp cheddar, apple and caramelized onion. Delicata isn't my usual go to squash for soup, but we wanted to give them a test run before we sold them so it seemed like a natural choice. I roasted the squash and then pureed the soup with the skin on. Maybe not the best choice without a more powerful blender, but nothing a mesh strainer couldn't fix! It really hit the spot and the delicata tastes great. You will get an assortment of squash in your boxes over the next few weeks. They will be fine for months as long as they are stored in a dry spot.
Lettuce
Carrots
Sweet Corn (hopefully)
Delicata - The skin on these is edible. This is, in my opinion, the most versatile squash we grow. We use it in curries, burritos, on pizza and and sliced into rings and roasted or cubed in a roasted veggie mix. It is also a great squash for stuffing. The seeds are small and awesome toasted.
Sweet Onions
Spinach - Small Only
Potatoes - Large Only
Beets - Large Only - Small shares will get beets next week.
Chard - Large Only
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Week 16
My in-laws arrived last night from Helena, Montana. Helena and Montana in general have been plagued with wild fires and smokey skies for all of late summer. The rain or snow is needed there, as well as here, but the looming rain put a little extra skip in our step last week. We hauled in a good portion of the winter squash. It can tolerate some rain, but we always like to get the varieties with corky stems out of the field while they are dry. We worry about the soft stems absorbing moisture and the squash getting dirty. A little mud isn't a big deal but wiping ten thousand pounds of squash can take a while. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and the spaghetti squash and butternuts will have to come out later this week.
We use to haul all our squash out in hand carried crates. A couple years a go we started loading them into watermelon boxes, a real back saver. We use a tractor to drive the boxes through the field tossing and catching the squash to fill the bins. Then we use a tractor to load boxes in to vehicles, drive to our barn and also unload with a tractor. The squash will cure there until we sort and sell it. We do still crate and carry some squash but the forks and the watermelon boxes have been a game changer.
Lettuce
Radishes
Spinach - large this week, small next week
Potatoes - small this week, large next week
Choy
Carrots
Cherry Tomatoes
Sheep Nose Peppers - Large Only
Salad Mix - Large Only
My in-laws arrived last night from Helena, Montana. Helena and Montana in general have been plagued with wild fires and smokey skies for all of late summer. The rain or snow is needed there, as well as here, but the looming rain put a little extra skip in our step last week. We hauled in a good portion of the winter squash. It can tolerate some rain, but we always like to get the varieties with corky stems out of the field while they are dry. We worry about the soft stems absorbing moisture and the squash getting dirty. A little mud isn't a big deal but wiping ten thousand pounds of squash can take a while. Unfortunately, we ran out of time and the spaghetti squash and butternuts will have to come out later this week.
We use to haul all our squash out in hand carried crates. A couple years a go we started loading them into watermelon boxes, a real back saver. We use a tractor to drive the boxes through the field tossing and catching the squash to fill the bins. Then we use a tractor to load boxes in to vehicles, drive to our barn and also unload with a tractor. The squash will cure there until we sort and sell it. We do still crate and carry some squash but the forks and the watermelon boxes have been a game changer.
 |
| Squash Hauling |
 |
| Pie Pumpkins |
Radishes
Spinach - large this week, small next week
Potatoes - small this week, large next week
Choy
Carrots
Cherry Tomatoes
Sheep Nose Peppers - Large Only
Salad Mix - Large Only
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Week 15
I don't know about you but the rain left me feeling refreshed. It wasn't much, but it was enough to wash the dust and ash off the vegetables and shine things up a bit. The cool, wet morning felt relaxing even though there was no less to do today than yesterday. Change is nice.
The farm amplifies our connection to the seasons. In Chinese medicine there are five elements and five corresponding seasons. Four of the seasons correlate with the ones you are familiar with and the fifth is where we are now - late summer. It starts in the second half of August around the time when you suddenly notice the cooler mornings, the shorter days and the change in light. On the farm the bounty and abundance are still there, but the leaves are starting to yellow and many of the plants begin slow down, fade and prepare to call it a season. Summer begins to release its grip on us, we can take a breath and feel grounded again. There is still much to be done and September is still very busy and yet the tension lessens, the desire to share meals with friends returns and we do our best to be grateful for the warm sunny days that remain.
Lettuce
Kale - Lacinato
Sweet Onions
Tomato
Poblanos
Cabbage
Zucchini
Cauliflower - Large Only
Sweet Pepper - Small Only
I don't know about you but the rain left me feeling refreshed. It wasn't much, but it was enough to wash the dust and ash off the vegetables and shine things up a bit. The cool, wet morning felt relaxing even though there was no less to do today than yesterday. Change is nice.
The farm amplifies our connection to the seasons. In Chinese medicine there are five elements and five corresponding seasons. Four of the seasons correlate with the ones you are familiar with and the fifth is where we are now - late summer. It starts in the second half of August around the time when you suddenly notice the cooler mornings, the shorter days and the change in light. On the farm the bounty and abundance are still there, but the leaves are starting to yellow and many of the plants begin slow down, fade and prepare to call it a season. Summer begins to release its grip on us, we can take a breath and feel grounded again. There is still much to be done and September is still very busy and yet the tension lessens, the desire to share meals with friends returns and we do our best to be grateful for the warm sunny days that remain.
Lettuce
Kale - Lacinato
Sweet Onions
Tomato
Poblanos
Cabbage
Zucchini
Cauliflower - Large Only
Sweet Pepper - Small Only
Sunday, September 3, 2017
Week 14
I hope you all have a swimming hole, a BBQ and a long weekend to enjoy this run of hot weather.
Wax Beans
Eggplant - Assorted - If you have a preference on the slender Asian variety versus the larger Italian style let me know when you get your box.
Herb Choice - Basil, Thai Basil, Parsley or Rosemary - may not have full selection for the entire pick-up.
Broccoli
Garlic
Arugula
Tomato
Cucumber
Lettuce - Large Only
Mixed Bell Peppers - Large Only These will be peppers that are in between their immature purple phase and their mature red state.
I don't eat a lot of eggplant which is sad because I love it, but good because I have a mild allergic reaction to it. A customer mentioned that she makes a stir fried eggplant and Thai basil recipe with chiles and a little fish sauce and it sounded good to me and I have been thinking about making it for my once a year eggplant dinner. I love a similar dish that I make with chicken. I was just planning on winging it, but if the combo sounds good to you and you don't want to wing it, here is a recipe with good reviews. In general if you want to do some sort of stir fry I would recommend the long slender eggplant. The rounder Italian style eggplant is great for roasting, grilling and making big round slices.
Eggplant Stir Fry
I hope you all have a swimming hole, a BBQ and a long weekend to enjoy this run of hot weather.
Wax Beans
Eggplant - Assorted - If you have a preference on the slender Asian variety versus the larger Italian style let me know when you get your box.
Herb Choice - Basil, Thai Basil, Parsley or Rosemary - may not have full selection for the entire pick-up.
Broccoli
Garlic
Arugula
Tomato
Cucumber
Lettuce - Large Only
Mixed Bell Peppers - Large Only These will be peppers that are in between their immature purple phase and their mature red state.
I don't eat a lot of eggplant which is sad because I love it, but good because I have a mild allergic reaction to it. A customer mentioned that she makes a stir fried eggplant and Thai basil recipe with chiles and a little fish sauce and it sounded good to me and I have been thinking about making it for my once a year eggplant dinner. I love a similar dish that I make with chicken. I was just planning on winging it, but if the combo sounds good to you and you don't want to wing it, here is a recipe with good reviews. In general if you want to do some sort of stir fry I would recommend the long slender eggplant. The rounder Italian style eggplant is great for roasting, grilling and making big round slices.
Eggplant Stir Fry
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