It’s that time of year to be starting to clean-up the fields. Sam started that for us this week by collecting stakes and row markers.
The end of the season is in sight, and Fall is near. You can see it in the plants and also in the cool nights. We have started the process of cleaning up and preparing for the end of the season. Watch your boxes as you’ll notice the winter squashes and other larger produce items weighting down the box. It will be a fun few weeks of surprises. We can’t wait to harvest the pumpkins and gourds.
Sam and Keith worked at the Minnesota Farm Bureau booth at the Minnesota State Fair this week answering farm questions from fair goers.
Boxes of Produce
This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list. Remember food safety in your kitchen when preparing, always wash your hands before working with your produce and always wash your produce before eating. Some of the crops are ran under cold well water to take the field heat off of them so they last longer in your refrigerators. They are not washed – just cooled. So remember to wash your vegetables before eating. Thank you for your support of our CSA. Enjoy the produce!
Black Seeded Simpson, Prizehead and Red Oak Leaf Lettuce – The new crop of lettuce is coming in and is in your box this week.
Kale – I use the Kale in moderation in my salads. It adds some beautiful color and more nutrients to the dish.
Green Beans – The new crop of Jade green beans.
Beets – Detroit Dark Red Beets in your box. Boil on your stove top for about 1/2 hour – take them out of the water, using a paper towel gently rub the paper towel over the beet and the skins will come right off, slice into pieces and serve with butter. Slice them and freeze for an easy accompaniment to a meal this winter or cut into chunks and place in Ziploc bag to use in homemade soup this winter.
The last crop of carrots will be coming out of the ground for the remaining weeks of the CSA.
Carrots – Nantes carrots
Tomatoes – A variety of 4th of July Hybrid, Sweet Tangerine Hybrid and Sun Gold Hybrid tomatoes.
Pepper, Sweet Cherry Stuffer Hybrid
Peppers – The peppers are really starting to come in. You have sweet cherry stuffer hybrid pepper in your box. You also have the option of some hot dragon cayenne peppers.
Garlic – Enjoy the fresh garlic. I use a hand-held garlic press to crush and peel my garlic. It is awesome and definitely the tool of the week! Here are some garlic recipes to check out.
Onions – yellow candy onions
Butternut Squash – My favorite squash. Check out the recipes from Martha Stewart.
Spaghetti Squash – I love using this squash instead of regular spaghetti. Learn how to cook this squash from Martha Stewart.
Golden Egg Hybrid Summer Squash – Check out some squash soup recipes.
Zucchini – The zucchini is still producing. So since we had extra, we made you some Cinnamon Zucchini Bread. See recipe below.
Red Norland Potatoes – Red Norland potatoes are versatile potatoes – great for boiling, potato salad, and I have had success with them as French fries.
Kennebec Potatoes – Great baking potato.
Cilantro, Basil and Parsley – Plenty to share – take a snip or a plant home and freeze or dry the herb for use in stews, etc during the rest of the year. Here are some more ideas on how to preserve herbs.
Fresh cut arrangement – Zinnias, hosta leaves and sunflowers
Recipe of the Week
Garlic Bread
Sam helped me make garlic butter for our garlic bread this week. We love my OXO garlic press.
Garlic Bread
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1 loaf (1 pound) French bread, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Directions
1. In a small bowl, combine butter and garlic. Brush over cut sides of bread; sprinkle with parsley. Place, cut side up, on a baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into 2-in. slices. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.
Cinnamon Zucchini Bread – In your boxes this week. Thank you to Sarah Durenberger at From the Farm Table for sharing this recipe. I used applesauce instead of oil.
Cinnamon Zucchini Bread
3 Eggs, beaten
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil (I use apple sauce as an equal replacement)
3 cups Flour (opt: substitute 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
2 cups Zucchini, shredded
- Beat together the eggs, sugars and oil.
- Stir together all the dry ingredients and add to the egg-sugar mixture. Stir in the shredded zucchini.
- Coat four mini loaf pans with cooking spray. Sprinkle sugar on the bottom. Pour batter evenly in all four pans. Sprinkle tops with sugar.
- Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
