Goodbye from the Tipi crew!
We took the photo in August, hence the shorts, mud boots and sandals. We’re a big group when we are all together, and this isn’t everyone.
Front row from left; Smitty, Mari, Simone, Kerry. Back row; Michio, Ellen, Sena, Taylor, Karen, Maggie, Kristin, Raul, Beth, Steve, Billy (in back) and Jose. MIA; Jory, Charlotte, Josh, Ben, Jon and high school students Ari, Chance, Tyler, Kevin and Shane.
Let’s review the season.
Folks, this was a poor season for us. If we did our jobs well, you might not have noticed. You are always our first commitment, so the CSA boxes were full and varied, but our wholesale trucks went out half empty. Why? Too much rain, for too long. This isn’t news; we all experienced the wet weather this summer. We couldn’t weed effectively. Crops grew slowly and poorly. All our planting schedules went out the window. Even our winter storage crops are coming up short, although the carrot crop looks OK. Whew. We’ll know more as we continue to harvest carrots and cabbage over the next few weeks.
What were the bright spots?
– Everything in the squash family was spectacular this year. Melons, cucumbers, winter squash were all abundant and good quality. We loved being able to share so many melons.
– Most of the rain fell at night! This allowed us at least a few rain-free hours each day. This is hugely important when you work outside. As Steve says, “most days we could stay dry above the knees.”
– We did not need to irrigate!
– Our resilient, professional crew was the season’s shining light. They stayed in good spirits despite the mud and rain. They bring so much energy to this farm. Let’s give them a round of applause.
We look forward to wrapping up our carrot and cabbage harvests, then enjoying a slower pace this winter. Have a great winter.
Beth and Steve
Extension and Storage Shares
Some of you have registered for these shares. You know who you are. We’ll be in touch as we get closer to delivery.
A few photos from the week
A busy moment in our summer pack shed. It’s been almost two years since we built this light-filled shed. It’s a great place to work but we appreciate it most in fall, when we can close the doors and protect ourselves from the wind. From the front, Simone folds boxes, Maggie and Kristin wash celeriac. In the back, Raul, Jory and Mari wash poblano peppers.
A load of storage bins ready to go the field. We’ll keep harvesting carrots for the next two weeks.
The cover crops are growing slowly. You can see how rough the ground is. The field was wet when Steve seeded the rye and vetch, leaving big ruts in the soil. It made the job difficult but doesn’t matter in the long run. By the time we’re done chopping and tilling this cover crop in June, the surface will be level again.
Veggie List and Veggie Notes
Week #24, November 1/2, 2018
– weekly shares (final box!)
– purple EOW (final box!)
– moon sampler (final box!)
Sweet potatoes, ~2.5 lb
Leeks, 1/2 lb
Brussels sprouts, ~0.8 lb
Parsnips, 1.1 lb
Celeriac, 1 or 2
Carrots, 2 lb
Fennel, 1 bulb with fronds
Red mizuna, 1 small bunch
Poblano chiles, 3 or 4
Flat parsley, 1 medium bunch
Garlic, 1 small
Sweet potatoes – This is a mix of Beauregard and Orleans varieties. We’ve grown Beauregard for many years. Orleans is a new variety for us this year and we like it very much. It’s as tasty as Beauregard but makes nicer clusters of roots.
Parsnips (tapered, cream colored roots. In bag with carrots) – Those long, white roots are not carrots, they are parsnips. The two vegetables are related. When cooked, parsnips are sweet and starchy. For the best flavor, brown them to caramelize the sugars. Here are a few ideas for parsnip preparation:
– Caramelize the parsnips by roasting them in a vegetable medley.
– Parsnip fries are delicious: cut like French fries, coat very lightly with oil, place on a cookie sheet and roast in a hot oven until brown and cooked through.
– Try substituting grated parsnips in a potato pancake recipe. They brown beautifully and are very tasty.
– Steve loves pan-fried parsnips with onions and garlic.
Celeriac (knobby, round, bizarre-looking vegetable which smells like celery) – Flavorful celeriac is good raw or cooked. It is excellent in mixed roasted veggies or in soup. It’s especially good in cream soups, alone or mixed with potatoes. Grated raw celeriac is a great starting point for winter salads. Celeriac will store in your refrigerator for months. Cut off chunks as you need them. Peel before using.
Fennel (large vegetable with a fat bulb and lacy fronds) – Fennel is a ‘swing vegetable’; it can be used raw or cooked. Clean well and slice as thinly as possible for use in raw salads. It is good simply prepared with olive oil, lime or lemon juice, salt and shaved parmesan cheese. Cooking softens and sweetens fennel, and mellows its anise flavor. Both the bulb and leaves are edible. Here are ideas from Alice Water of Chez Panisse about how to use fennel: ‘It’s strong anise characteristic seems to suit fish particularly well. … We use fennel all the time. We add the feathery leaves to marinades for fish and to numerous salads, sauces and soups and we use them as a garnish, too. … The bulbs are sliced and served raw in salads in various combinations with other vegetables, parboiled for pastas; caramelized and served as a side dish; braised whole; or cooked in vegetable broths & fish stocks.”
Red mizuna (red, frilly bundle of greens) – Mizuna is a type of mustard greens. Can be eaten raw or cooked.
Poblano chiles (dark green, shiny, triangular) – EAT SOON. We protected these plants with row cover outside for as long as we could. They’ve been exposed to cold nights which shortens their storage life. Eat this weekend OR chop and freeze for later. Just toss the frozen pieces into dishes at the end of cooking.
These chiles have low-to-medium heat and great flavor. Most I’ve cooked so far this year are milder than usual, but a few were corkers.
RECIPES
Visit our 2018 Recipe Log or our 2017 Recipe Log or join our Facebook discussion group.
LOCAL THYME/ Comforting Classics
Smoky Sweet Potato Gratin
Brisket with Root Vegetables
Apple Celeriac Salad with Tangy Dijon Dressing
Simple Cioppino
LOCAL THYME/ Outside the Box Recipes
Miso Braised Chicken with Sweet Potato and Mizuna
Parsnip Hummus Bruschetta
Autumn Roasted Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese Croutes and Pumpkinseed Oil
Fennel with Gorgonzola Dressing
LOCAL THYME/ Quick & Easy Meal
Mizuna and Brussels Sprout Salad with Almonds
RECIPES FROM LAUREN
BRUSSELS SPROUTS & FENNEL PASTA
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Serves 4-6.
Takes 40 minutes.
3/4 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon olive oil + more for drizzling
2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided + more for serving
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided + more for serving
1 pound rigatoni pasta, preferably high quality Italian pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1 leek, white and pale green part only, quartered and sliced
1 fennel bulb, cored and very thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon
4 ounces Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup diced parsley
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- On a baking sheet toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 25 minutes. Toss halfway through for even browning.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Once boiling, add pasta and cook for 10 minutes– until al dente. Ladle out at least one cup of the water you cooked the pasta into a small bowl and then drain pasta.
- Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add leek and fennel along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Saute for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 5 minutes longer. While these veggies cook down, zest lemon. Add zest to skillet along with the juice of half of the lemon. Cook 5 minutes longer.
- Add drained pasta back to large pot. Add sauted vegetables and roasted Brussels sprouts and place over medium low heat. Season with remaining salt and pepper then add in 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water along with half the Parmesan. Stir until cheese has melted. Add additional 1/2 cup water and remaining cheese. Stir until melted. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If the mixture is too thick, add a bit more water. If it’s too thin, let it cook down for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve pasta into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley, drizzle with olive oil and squeeze a bit of the juice from the remaining lemon half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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ROOT VEGETABLE PORK CHILI
Takes 1 hour.
Serves 6-8.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground pork
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 pound parsnips, peeled and diced
3 poblanos, diced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried cayenne
2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
1/2 freshly ground black pepper
6 cups water
28-ounce can diced tomatoes (with juices)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
4 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
15-ounce can chili beans, not rinsed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Sour cream, optional
Cheddar cheese, optional
Raw diced onion, optional
Diced parsley, optional
- In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium low heat. Add onion, garlic, pork, carrots, parsnips, poblanos, paprika, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Saute for 15 minutes until meat is well browned and veggies are softened.
- Add water, tomatoes, vinegar, sweet potatoes, beans, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. If mixture is too thick, add a bit more water. If too thin, simmer a bit longer.
- Serve with sour cream, cheese, onion and parsley as desired.
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