Share Notes 10-18-18

CSA Share Notes:

Welcome to your second CSA share of the fall season!

We had quite the cold front come through this past week that has made harvest work pretty challenging. We received so much rain that the arugula, lettuce, spring mix, and a handful of other young crops were totally covered by shifted soil. With boots sinking up to mid-shin level, there was no way to get into parts of the garden for harvesting. So we harvested what we could and the rest will have to wait for sunny, dry days so we can get in there and get back to work.

We always expect some pretty good rains in the fall, but what we’re getting is a bit much. We’re up to 6 inches this week so far and it’s more than our garden wants. It needs to dry out so our plant roots can breathe and continue transmitting nutrients for the growing plants. Cold temperatures and cloudy days also slow down crop growth. We need sun so they can photosynthesize and keep growing! Unfortunately there is more rain and very little sun in the 2 week forecast.  As we observe the crops’ progress, we’ll be able to tell how this lingering wet and cold spell might effect the harvests in the coming weeks and we’ll pass our observations and plans on to you.

 

Here’s the vegetable line up this week:

 

  • Acorn Squash—The first of the winter squash are ready! These hearty, nutty acorn squash are ready to go on the grill, sliced into rings, or cut them in half and bake them filled with nutter, pecans, brown sugar, etc.
  • Zucchini—This late summer planting of squash and zucchini are going incredibly well! Enjoy them!
  • Yellow Squash— We’re getting loads of this crop right now, but it will be short lived. Soups, casseroles, etc. I’m using several squash this week in a wonderful crockpot squash casserole, and placing Lonesome Lady Ranch’s chicken thighs at the bottom of the pot to make it a fantastic one-pot meal.
  • Onion—Everyone received several of our super flavorful red onions. They’re nearing the end of their season, so some have developed a fine black dust just under the skin. To remove, just rinse off, or peel down one more layer, and they’re fantastic.
  • Radish—Easter Egg for the small shares and French Breakfast radish for the large shares.  Don’t forget, the greens are tasty too!
  • Bell Pepper—Nearing the end of their season, but we were still able to harvest quite a few beautiful ones for you!
  • Jalapeño—Everyone received just a couple of of jalapeños, perfect for heating up your next batch of chili.

Veggie Storage tips:

The squash and zucchini can stay at room temp for several days, or store them in the fridge if you can’t get to them soon. Bell peppers and jalapeños will also be fine at room temp for several days, or will happily hang out in your fridge till you’re ready for them.Radishes should be severed from their tops to keep the roots from getting rubbery, then sealed up in the fridge to stay crisp.  Did you know radish greens are edible? And right now they’re super tender and delicious.  Onions and winter squash prefer to stay at room temperature. Everything will need a gentle washing before cooking, but leave the dirt on until you’re ready to use them to prevent faster spoilage.

We’d love to hear stories and recipes of your culinary adventures this week. Send us a note or post a comment of how you’ve used your CSA share.

Your farmers,

Jess & Justin

We worked till it was too dark to take photos of the share, so I’ll post photos as soon as I can on Thursday morning!

Large Share

Large Share from top left: Red onion, jalapeno, 2 kinds of summer squash, (bottom row) acorn squash, bell peppers, zucchini, and French Breakfast Radishes.

Small Share 

Small share from top left: bell peppers, red onions, (middle row) summer squash, Easter Egg Radishes, acorn squash, (bottom row) yellow squash, jalapenos, zucchini.