Winter 2022 CSA - Week of November 14th

Full share: Spinach, micro greens, apples, parsnips, Long pie pumpkin, sage, leeks

Half share: spinach, micros, apples, parsnips, long pie pumpkin

Hello!

Happy third week of Winter CSA! Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we want to make sure you all have everything you need, so think of this week’s box as your pre-Thanksgiving prep box. Long pie pumpkins perfect for homemade pumpkin pie, sage ready to be fried and served as a garnish for hearty soups, parsnips, leeks and more make up this week’s haul. And fresh cider from the market stand is the perfect complement! The market stand will be open today (Weds 11/16) and Tuesday of next week with additional produce for purchase. And remember that there’s always a swap box when you pick up your CSA during market stand hours! 

Notes:

  • Next week’s boxes will be ready on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. We’ll do a normal market style pickup on Tuesday and boxes will be in the cold room for pickup until the following Wednesday. Livingston will be delivered on Tuesday as well.

  • We still have turkeys available for purchase at $6/lb! All between 14 and 17 lbs. 

  • Wreaths! Any wreath hanging in the market stand is fair game for Whole Farm CSAers to take home. We will have extras for sale soon.

  • No eggs for Whole Farm CSA this week. We are already over the allotted 40 weeks of eggs but will continue to give them out when we have the supply to. Likely every third week or so going forward.

  • The cider press is fixed! This will be the last week for fresh cider. After that everything will be frozen.

Produce

Microgreens: We give microgreens out pretty frequently in the winter but what exactly are they? Microgreens are the shoots of plants, seeded closely together and harvested at around three weeks (or 7-21 days after germination) when the first “true” set of leaves have emerged. People love them for their high nutrient density and fresh, crisp, versatile flavor that makes them an easy addition to soups, sandwiches, salads, etc. We grow three different kinds of microgreens: sunshoots, peashoots, and a spicy mix made up of 3 kinds of Radishes: daikon, red stem, and red rambo(dark purple) as well as arugula, broccoli, purple Kohlrabi, garnet giant mustard, and red russian kale.  When you see “microgreens” it can refer to any of these. 

  • Sunshoots: “a nutty flavor and a crunchy texture, sunflower microgreens are nothing short of awesome in sandwiches, soups, salads, scrambled eggs, and wraps. Both the leaves and the stems are edible. These wonderful Greens are an excellent source of powerful “super food” and important source of non-meat Protein.” (Martin's Garden) 

  • Peashoots: “Pea shoots taste similar to the pea seeds but with a little more of an earthy taste. Just like peas, pea shoots offer many nutritional benefits. While low in macronutrients like carbs and fats, pea shoots contain a good amount of protein and fiber. They are also rich in vitamins.” (WebMD)

  • Spicy Mix: My favorite microgreens for adding to sandwiches, salads, wraps, eggs -- they have a strong flavor that can brighten up a quick meal. 

Recipes: 

  • Leeks: Recently I’ve used leeks as a base in soups (like this one) and in kimchi, but I’ve really been wanting to try this recipe for miso braised leeks. Try on its own or tossed into a salad.

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • 3 medium leeks, get thicker ones if you can, they’ll be easier to work with

  • 1/3 cup vegetable stock or water, plus more as needed

  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup water

  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, optional

  • 1 tablespoon white miso paste (more or less depending on the type of miso you’re using) 

  • Lemon zest and juice

  • Pistachios or toasted sesame seeds

  • Salt and pepper

  • Olive oil 

Instructions 

  1. Trim the roots and greens off the leeks. Thoroughly wash the remaining white stems, and slice them in 3 cm or 1 inch thick rounds. 

  2. Heat up some olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Place the sliced leeks in the pan, and fry for 5 to 7 minutes. Turn them and fry for 3 more minutes. Each side should have a dark-ish brown color. 

  3. Add 1/3 cup vegetable stock or water to the pan, cover the pan, and simmer the leeks for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. 

  4. Add the miso paste, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and a splash of water (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup) over the simmered leeks. Swirl the pan around and simmer everything until the liquid goes from a watery consistency, to a glossy one. This will take 3 to 5 minutes. 

  5. Plate the glazed leeks with lemon zest on top, lemon juice, flaky salt, freshly ground black pepper, and pistachios or sesame seeds. 

  • Parsnips! Try this recipe for parsnip fritters (latkes). A food processor would save a lot of time and energy here but you can do it without.

I’ll be back in a few weeks so I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sasha

Jacy Rothschiller