CSA Week Sixteen

News from the field:

Not much to say. Fall is here. Only a few more weeks until the CSA and our farmer’s markets wrap up. We really wish we had more season to work with – even though the farm business is a ton of work, we love doing it. We are already starting to think about next year – what to plant, what farm projects we want to accomplish this winter, which projects we need to push off into the future some more. Each year gets better for us, and I guess each year we get better at this. So we will enjoy these last few weeks and look forward to next year.

In the Basket:

Tomatoes. The last remnants of summer, thanks to those greenhouses.

Green things: Mesclun, broccoli, and romaine.

Collards. Collards are a Southern cooking green that we love around here. You can cook them Southern style, but we love them in ribbons. Cut along the stem to remove it, stack up the leaves one on top of the other like sheets of paper, roll up like a cigar, cut across the short end as thinly as possible, and you end up with a bunch of thin ribbons. Wash the ribbons, heat up a cast iron skillet, put in oil, throw in the still damp collards and some chopped garlic, cook 3-4 minutes until bright green and soft, salt and enjoy.

Red onions for the salad, sandwich, or sauteing.

Winter squash and sage: One acorn and one buttercup. Recipe on the back, which we just finished eating, and it is yum yum good.

Brussel Sprouts: It appears we did not plant enough brussel sprouts this year, and the ones we did plant have only provided a medium yield. But here is a sample for the brussel sprout lover in your family. Be sure not to overcook, and try them seared in a hot skillet.

Old Shaw Farm Basket Amnesty Program: This is a gentle reminder to please return any baskets you have lying around – no questions asked! Not only is the season winding down, but our supply is dwindling for the last few weeks.