Summer 2022 CSA - Week of October 4th
Full share: 1 lettuce head, kale, radishes, carrots, 3# potatoes, sage, cherry tomatoes, fennel, 3 tomatoes, broccoli, 2 heads garlic
Half share: Kale, radishes, carrots, 1.5# potatoes, beets, cherry tomatoes, 2 tomatoes, 1 head garlic
Hello farm friends!
It is finally October and with that comes the grand finale of the whole season, the last week of Summer CSA. While all of the hard work that has gone into making this season possible does not stop come Friday, it’s still a time for us to reflect on and celebrate all we’ve accomplished in the last 6 months.
We have seeded over 1,000 flats of seedlings, transplanted and weeded (and weeded again (and again)) 75,000 feet in beds of produce and flowers, harvested 6,000 pounds of tomatoes, and picked, packed, and delivered over 5,000 CSA boxes. We farmed through a cold rainy June and a hot (but not smoky!) July and August, and we pulled together when September brought a wave of departures, entries, and a wedding that filled our coolers with five courses of deliciously prepared farm meat and produce (courtesy of chef Jordan) and our hearts with joy (congratulations Adam and Ellie!!!)! All in all, it’s been a challenging and rewarding season. Par for the course when it comes to farming, but challenging and rewarding nonetheless.
And, as we hope you all know, none of this would be possible without you: the members of our CSA who have made the decision to support a small business, to localize an otherwise sprawling food system, and take part in a sustainable (and delicious) method of food production and consumption. So before we get into this week’s produce, a sincere thank you from all of us. Thank you for supporting local agriculture and making our farm possible. Now on to some exciting notes and recipes!
Notes and Updates:
Fall Festival is in full swing! Come by for hay rides and pumpkin patch Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm and Sundays 10am-3pm. Market stand is open for cider, pumpkins, produce, and more Tuesday-Saturday 9-5 and Sundays 10-3.
We still have berries for u-pick! Strawberries are miraculously still going, raspberries are a bit sparse but still a definite presence, and aronia berries are positively prolific. If you need a refresher on their near endless list of health benefits, flip back to last week’s newsletter or check out www.homesteadaronia.com/facts. You’re also welcome to pick flowers from the flower field, free of charge — bring snips or a knife!.
Produce:
Since its the last CSA of the season, I thought I’d share a few canning and preserving recipes to get ready for the cold.
I made this recipe the other night and it did not disappoint. Pro tip: if you get started really late and break this up into two (or more!) days, Fire Roasted Tomato Triscuits topped with a scoop of roasted tomatoes and a slice of parm makes an incredible late night snack (or next day lunch). Honestly the roasted cherry tomatoes are so good on their own I may forgo the sauce altogether. (Reminder: we are now open for market stand Tuesday-Sunday and have an abundance of cherry tomatoes!)
Kimchi is a definite favorite of mine. I use mine in soups (this is my go-to easy dinner in the winter) and eggs mainly.
The pictures below are from Eating with the Seasons by Julia Shanks and Brett Grohsgal (a farm newsletter classic at this point). I’ve made two and plan on making the other two this weekend. Highly recommend!
Thank you again and until next time,
Sasha