Let’s review our schedule

We have four more CSA deliveries after this week:
October 16/17 (this week) – purple EOW
October 23/24 – green EOW
October 30/31 – purple EOW
November 6/7 – final box for green EOW members
November 13/14 – final box for weekly members and purple EOW members

We will contact our storage share members directly with the delivery date for that share.  Our storage shares are sold out.

New Madison-area CSA site in 2015?

We would like to open one additional CSA site in the Madison area next year, in a neighborhood or a workplace. We are particularly interested in working with current Tipi members.  Wouldn’t it be convenient to have your CSA box delivered directly to your neighborhood or workplace?  Read more here, and contact us if you are interested.

Farm News

It’s been a wet week but we keep working, even when it rains.

We hurried to complete our field harvests during the dry spells.  From left, Mario, Tristan and Kerry harvest scallions, while Jon and Joel harvest bok choy.  Bonnie and Michael wash the choy on the wagon.  This field overlooks our neighbors’ soybean field and their large prairie planting.

Steve hopes it does not rain again until after Thanksgiving.  Even our sandy soils turn to mud after 2.5 inches of rain.


Good thing broccoli is waterproof.

Veggie list and veggie notes

We will pack mixed veggies that you can combine in Asian-style dishes; bok choy, daikon radish, scallions, garlic, ‘mild’ chiles with lots of flavor.  You can stir-fry these these ingredients together, or make an excellent fresh kimchi salad.  Steve points out that “every dish at a Chinese restaurant includes celery”, so perhaps you will add the celery to this list.

Bok choy, 1
Daikon radish, about 1 lb
Scallions, 1 bunch
Garlic
‘Mild’ habaneros, a handful
Cauliflower OR broccoli
Celery
Winter squash
Bell peppers, about 2
Yellow onions, 2

Next week’s box will probably contain sweet potatoes, Yukina greens, russet potatoes, peppers, Romanesco broccoli, onions, carrots, and more.

Bok choy – You will receive either red or green bok choy.
Daikon radish – Finally, we have daikon for you!
‘Mild habaneros’ – These ‘mild’ habaneros are pretty interesting.  They do have heat, about the level of a typical Anaheim or poblano (not this year’s poblanos which are unusually mild).  These habaneros are useful because you get manageable heat with really great flavor.  We are sending about 4 per box.
Celery – You will probably want to cook this celery because it is strongly flavored, and has some insect scarring.  We experimented with our one annual celery planting this year.  We planted later than usual so it would mature in cool weather and be more tender than celery harvested during the summer.  It sort of worked.  This celery is more tender than in other years.  However, planting later created more opportunity for insect attack.  Look it over, taste it raw, and decide how you want to use it.
Winter squash – You will receive either butternut OR Sunshine OR acorn OR Sweet Dumpling.  See below for photo ID and hints for cooking Sunshine squash.

Squash ID.  Clockwise from top left, Sunshine, acorn, Sweet Dumpling, butternut.

Notes on Sunshine squash

Roasted Sunshine squash slices

This is the first year we’ve had many Sunshine squash to distribute.  These bright orange squash have a dry texture when cooked, with a mild, sweet flavor reminiscent of chestnuts.  The skins are tender and edible.  We find that Sunshine do not store well, probably because of the thin skins.  Eat these soon.  Like all winter squash, they are best stored at room temperature with good air circulation.  On your kitchen counter is perfect.

Now that we finally have some to cook (!) I’ve settled on a favorite simple preparation.  Dry roasting seems the best way to bring out their delicate flavor.  Cut the Sunshine into thick slices, toss with olive oil, and roast on a well-oiled cookie sheet at 425oF until soft.  The slices will fall apart if you overcook them but you have a fairly wide window to get them out of the oven successfully.  You want to roast them until the cut surfaces are caramelized.  Season with salt after they are out of the oven.  Serve with a yogurt-garlic-olive oil dip.  The skins are edible.

Squash (or Sweet Potato) Muffins with Candied Ginger

Adapted from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
Make 12 muffins.
Beth’s note:  This is a great way to use leftover roasted winter squash or sweet potatoes.

1/2 cup candied ginger, dried cranberries or raisins, or a mixture
(plus extra candied ginger to top the muffins.)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup mashed cooked winter squash or sweet potato
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (see substitution)

1 3/4  cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375oF.  Oil or spray your muffin tin.

Mix the ginger and wet ingredients in a bowl until smooth.  Mix the dry ingredients together separately.  Combine the two, and mix gently until well blended.  Spoon the batter into the muffin tin.  Top each muffin with a bit of candied ginger.  Bake on the middle shelf until lightly browned, 25 minutes.

Soy substitution for the buttermilk: Mix 1/2 cup soy milk with 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar.  Stir and let sit for 5 minutes.