The end of the season is here, and the last CSA harvest is ready. Here is what you will find in your final bag of the season:
GINGER – for those of you who have been a CSA member previously, you know just how wonderful this freshly harvested ginger is. For those of you who haven’t had it before, you are in for a real treat. The best way to store it is in the fridge storage drawer, or you can freeze it for future use.
SQUASH – you’ll find some big squash and little squash. Of course, the best way to enjoy is with some butter and maple syrup or brown sugar.
GREEN AND RIPE HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – the tomato crop continues to be prolific, so you’ll find a combination of green and ripe tomatoes. The green ones can be prepared as fried green tomatoes, pickled, or left on your counter to ripen.
PEPPERS – a combination of sweet and hot.
EGGPLANT– some big, some small.
KALE – a big bunch of this popular green.
PARLSEY – a nice bunch of this fresh green herb.
SAGE – a popular fall herb that is wonderful for savory dishes.
EGGS – one dozen, compliments of the ladies in the hen house
BEVERAGES – three four packs, mix and match as you please
Enjoy the harvest! Most of all, I want to thank you all for your support for our farm. It has been a real pleasure providing fresh, certified organic produce for you each month.
First, I need to confess that I forgot to take a photo of the CSA harvest for this month. So the photo pictured above is actually from the September 2020 CSA…. but the items pictured are similar to what was included in the September 2021 except there was actually more produce and only one dozen eggs in 2021. With that in mind, picture if you will:
APPLES – Even though our apple harvest this year is a bit small due to the hot, dry summer, I am happy to say that I am still able to include some apples in your bag this month. You’ll find a variety of different apples, ranging from small (crab apples) to large (pie apples). Some are beautiful, some are not so beautiful, but all are tasty for you do enjoy as juice, baked in apple crisp or pie, or as a snack.
GRAPES – The hot, dry weather also impacted the grapes this year, but I am able to harvest a good handful of these tart, juicy, treats. They small, have seeds, tart, and they are not at all what you find in the grocery store.
LEEKS – If you’re not familiar with leeks, they look like giant scallions (green onions). They have a mild onion flavor and aroma, and I highly recommend finding a good recipe for potato leek soup.
EGGPLANT – I know, some folks love it, and some folks hate it. I personally love it. For those of you who don’t like it, you can exchange it for something else in the yellow grab-bag bin.
VINE-RIPENED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – My tomato crop this year is abundant and beautiful. You can expect more tomatoes this month, which are especialy delightful for home-made tomato soup – an autumn favorite here in our household.
PEPPERS – a smaller portion this month of a combination of sweet and hot peppers.
BEETS WITH GREENS – Last I checked I did have some nice looking beets… but that can change quickly if the critters find them and start munching on them. I’ll know for sure tomorrow when I start the harvest. So if you find them in your bag, it’s because they looked great. Otherwise, you may find them in the “optional” bin… meaning that they might be critter munched and you can grab some if you’d like. For what it’s worth, we do enjoy critter-munched beets, but I completely understand if you don’t want them. As always, the greens are always great.
KALE – A nice bunch of this nutrition-packed greens
SAGE – a fall favorite herb, especially great with poultry or pork.
GRAB BAG – A random grab bag of goodies, also used as a way to exchange an item for something you might prefer instead.
EGGS – compliments of the ladies in the hen house
BEVERAGES – Three four packs of your choice, mix-and-match as you please, cider, root beer, or kombucha, or substitute for honey or maple syrup.
Here is what CSA members found in their August CSA bag:
VINE-RIPENED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – a bulging bag of tomatoes, ranging from large to small and a variety of colors and flavors. SPECIAL NOTE: heirloom tomatoes are very fragile. That is the reason you don’t see them in most grocery stores. Characteristically, heirloom tomatoes are prone to crack, the skins are easy broken, and they can be quite gnarly looking. Don’t let the cracks, odd shape, or scars scare you, it’s all normal in the life of heirloom tomatoes. GRAPE LEAVES – for those of you who have been a CSA member throughout the years, you will recognize the grape leaves. For those of you who are new, you are probably thinking “what tha… huh??” We absolutely love making stuffed grape leaves, and nothing is better than freshly harvested grape leaves for supper. Technically, the dish is called “Domas” which is a Mediterranean treat. There are a number of really simple recipes, which you can just google to find. But the way we prepare it is to use a ground meat… we’ve made it using hamburger, lamb, venison, turkey, chicken, pork, and moose… Just blend the raw meat with rice, your favorite herbs and spices, salt and pepper, roll them up in the grape leaves, place in a pan with water, add some lemons on the top and boil about 45 minutes until it is done. Super simple, and you’ll feel like a Mediterranean foodie 🙂 PEPPERS – a handful of a combination of sweet and hot peppers. Of course, they are the perfect ingredient along with the tomatoes for fresh salsa. GNARLY CARROTS – I confess that I’ve never been a very good carrot farmer, in that my carrots are never perfectly straight, consistent size and shape. But if you just close your eyes, you’ll still get a nice bite of sweet, crunchy carrots… no matter what they look like. CABBAGE You’ll find either one large, or two small cabbages in your bag. I have a couple of different varieties I’m growing, one is a large variety and another is a small variety. But both varieties are tasty. CUCUMBERS – There will be a couple of these in your bag this month. If you’re a cucumber lover, you can also grab extras in the grab bag bin (see below) PARSLEY – A handful of this popular, and well-loved herb. ARUGULA – A nice bunch of this spicy, peppery herb, which can be made into pesto, added as a pizza topping, added to a salad, or sautéed as a side dish. KALE – Two varieties, Russian (wide leaf with blueish color), Dino (long, dark green). I know that kale is one of those things that folks either LOVE or HATE. If you don’t like kale, you can exchange it for something else in the grab bag bin (see below). GRAB BAG – You get to grab one extra item from the grab bag (yellow bin). You can also use this to exchange something in your bag that you know you don’t like (kale haters and lovers take note). There are a variety of different items from which to choose such as extra cucumbers, beets, Swiss chard, arugula, or other items. ONE DOZEN EGGS – grab one dozen eggs THREE FOUR PACKS OF BEVERAGES – Mix and match as you please among all of the beverages available (hard cider, kombucha, root beer), Sorry, but we are temporarily out of stock of Ginger Ale. We hope to get some more bottled by next month.
Here is what members will find in the CSA harvest this month:
VINE-RIPENED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES – I’m so excited to have tomatoes in July! The tomatoes are just beginning to ripen up, so you’ll find a few fully ripened and some that are close to ripe. You can look forward to more tomatoes as the season progresses. BEANS – a nice bag of a mix of green, purple, yellow, and dragon’s tongue beans. CUCUMBER– One cucumber for each of you. BEET GREENS – So I have a dilemma with the beets this year…. They were progressing so nicely, but now a chipmunk has decided that beets are his favorite snack GRRRRRR….. so most of the beet roots have been munch by this little monster. The greens, however, are still quite nice. They can be enjoyed raw in your favorite salad, or cooked for your favorite side dish. You’ll find a nice big bag of greens in your bag. OPTIONAL – TOPLESS CRITTER-MUNCHED BEET ROOTS – Even though the chipmunk munched on the beet roots, for those of you who are not bothered by critter-munched veggies, you will find a bin inside the cooler, along with some bags, so if you want some of the munched beet roots, help yourself… while supplies last. ARUGULA – If you’re not familiar with this, it is a spicy, peppery green that can be made into pesto, added to a pizza, or combine with your beet greens for a pretty terrific salad. PEPPER – The peppers are also starting to ripen up. You will find at least one large pepper in your bag, and randomly there will be a couple of additional smaller peppers. CABBAGE – You’ll find either a Napa cabbage or a cute little pointy headed cabbage.
RADICCHIO or KOHLRABI – Not enough of both for everyone, so it’s a random drop in the bags of either one or the other. EGGS – one dozen eggs BEVERAGES – three four-packs of any combination (mix and match) of any of the flavors of cider, kombucha, ginger ale or rootbeer. Stay cool and enjoy!
Here is what CSA members will find in their June 2021 CSA harvest:
SUNFLOWER SHOOTS – a handful of these tender, nutty, sprouts of sunflower seeds. They are delightful to add to a sandwich, salad, or just munch as a snack. ROMAINE LETTUCE (slightly bolted) – I had such a beautiful crop of romaine growing…. until the super-early, super-hot spell. Lettuce doesn’t like heat, so the hot spell caused it to start bolting much early than predicted. However, I did harvest the crop JUST as it started to bolt. The good news is that it is still very tasty, even though it has a pointy top. I don’t want to toss out good food just because it looks a little funny, so I hope you too will enjoy it as we have. NAPA CABBAGE – also known and Chinese Cabbage…. Or in Australia… Womboks. This is a hearty cabbage with frilly, curly leaves that can be prepared in any of your favorite cabbage recipes. HAKUREI TURNIPS WITH GREENS – These are cute, little white turnips, which are kind of a cross between radishes and turnips. The greens are also delightful and can be added to salads, as well as prepared as a side dish. RADICCHIO – this is a leafy salad vegetable with a spicy flair that adds a colorful and sharp flavor. It can also be saute’ and added to pasta, stews, or grilled as a tasty side dish.
KOHLRABI – Think of them as a gigantic radish. The best way to enjoy them is to peel, slice thin, add a little salt and enjoy as a snack. Or add them to a salad for a crunchy complement. The leaves are also delish, and can be prepared just like collard greens. BASIL – a handful of fresh basil – you can make a lovely tea, add to your favorite pasta dish, or make into pesto. Be sure to pick it up in the sugarhouse (the big room next to the cooler) since basil cannot be put in the cooler. EGGS – 1 dozen fresh eggs from the happy ladies in the hen spa. BEVERAGES – 3 four packs of beverages of your choice: cider, root beer, ginger ale, or kombucha – OR – if you choose to substitute the beverages for honey or maple syrup, let me know ahead of time and I’ll have it ready for you in the sugarhouse. This is what is planned, but if I find some new discoveries as I’m harvesting, there might be more. Meanwhile, if the dates for pick-up don’t work for you, just let me know and we will easily set up a time that does work for you.
The first harvest of the 2021 CSA is ready. Here is what is included in the May CSA
Three 4-packs of beverages* – Mix and match any combination of all of the beverages: several flavors of Yellow Belly cider, root beer, ginger ale, and several flavors of kombucha. Just fill up THREE four-pack carries (total of 12 cans or bottles) with the beverages of your choice. *substitute honey or maple syrup – If you would prefer, you have the option to substitute the beverages for either maple syrup or honey. Just let me know in advance so I can have it ready for you when you pick up. One dozen eggs – the ladies in the hen spa have been busy and have one dozen of their prized possessions for you. Pea shoots – a handful of these tender, sweet tendrils of pea shoots that can be added to salads, stir fries, or just as a delicious snack. Heirloom lettuce – A nice bunch of small heads of heirloom baby oak leaf lettuce. These are compact heads of lettuce with tender, frilly leaves. Beet Greens – a bag of colorful greens from red and gold beets. Radishes with greens: No doubt you are already familiar with radishes. But what you may not know is that the radish greens are also a treat. They are a peppery flavored green, much like arugula, and can be made into pesto, added to salads, and is great as a pizza topping. Bok Choi – This was originally supposed to be included in the June harvest, so I was quite surprised to see it is already ripe. You’ll find two different varieties, an heirloom purple, and a traditional green. These are tender Asian greens that are popularly used in stir fries, grilled, or added raw to a salad. Turnip micro greens – Can’t let these tasty, tender, little turnip sprouts go to waste after thinning out the turnip patch. They add a little crunchy spice to sandwiches, and salads. Kimchi – You Betcha. We are proud to say that the ginger we grow here on the farm is one of the ingredients in this Minneapolis-based company, You Betcha Kimchi. Your CSA includes one jar of kimchi of your choice: hot (uffda) medium (a bit nippy) or Mild (Mn Nice)
