Share Notes Oct 17, 2024
CSA Share Notes:
We’re so glad to be getting our veggies out to more of our membership this week. Next week we think the garden will be ready to feed everyone, so long as we don’t get an early frost from this cold front that just arrived. The summer crops are very fleeting this time of year so enjoy them while we’ve got them! One note about this week’s harvest, we were picking the leafy greens Wed. morning in the blasting wind from this cold front. That kind of unfortunate abuse (how dare the weather not do what we wanted it to!) on our delicate leafy crops can really wilt them. If your greens seem a little floppier than you’re used to seeing from us, the inconsiderate weather is why. Submerge it ASAP in a sink of cold water for about an hour and they’ll likely rehydrate really nicely.
Here’s your vegetable line-up:
- Basil — DO NOT REFRIGERATE your basil. Store it bouquet style, in a glass of cool water on the counter. If yours is wilty, you may be able to refresh it submerged in a sink of cold water, let it soak for an hour. If it doesn’t revive, use it up soon, or simply hang it to dry. We will give you as much of this crop as we can until it dies at the first frost. (We’ve got it covered the next few days to try and protect it for now!) You can dry it to save for winter, or make pesto and freeze to enjoy all year.
- Radish – Large and Regular shares. French Breakfast radishes are an heirloom variety with long slender roots, which are pink with white tips. They’re so pretty and tasty. This time of year radishes are usually quite mild, bordering on sweet. They’re great for snacking and in salads, on sandwiches, and my fave: on a thickly buttered and salted slice of sourdough.
- Pac Choi – Just for the large shares this week. This Asian cabbage is great in a ramen, a stir fry, or a Thai curry
- Arugula – It’s salad season again! This peppery green is fantastic in a fresh salad with nuts, fruit, and good cheese. I like pear/walnut/parmesan, or apple/pecan/chevre. Definitely toss in some sliced radishes!
- Spring Mix – This crops is so colorful and flavorful, and adds some pep to your salads. There are a lot of spicy Asian greens in this mix and they are fantastic.
- Kale/collard – We’ve got gorgeous bunching greens this week. Large shares received Winterbor, Regular shares received Red Russian, and Mini’s received Lacinato. The kale is so good right now. Tender enough for a raw salad, for sure. We like to make really simple “massaged kale” salads with a bit of fresh mango, red onion, and dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Large shares received collards, too, which is great in a pot of ham and peas, or you can sub it in for kale in any recipe that calls for it.
- Bell Peppers — Everyone is receiving 2-3 bell peppers. They’re slowing down in the cool weather!
- Italian Peppers — These long, slender peppers are so delicious, with no hint of spice. They’re great for fresh-eating, using with dips, making rings for homemade pizza, or cutting into long strips for a batch of fajitas. A few for everyone.
- Okra — This is our lovely heirloom Hill Country Red okra, super delicious. We love to roast it in a hot oven or grill it to avoid heating up the kitchen. It’s also wonderful raw. Our best okra tip: Use super high heat to cook it quick. A little char is great. So on the grill, a cast iron pan, or in a 450* oven.
- Tony Philips Sweet Potatoes — Our friend and neighbor Tony Philips grows the regions best sweet potatoes, just a couple of miles from Red Moon Farm. These are fantastic, sweet, with a long storage life. Enjoy them on the regular. You’ll get lots more throughout the fall!
- A few notes about Tony’s Practices: He is not aiming to be organic, so some years the above-ground parts of the plants have non-organic products used on them, however, the roots never have anything applied to them.
- Usual standard practice in commercial sweet potato production is to use sprout-inhibitors on the crop post-harvest, and these chemical compounds are known to be extremely harmful to the thyroid and other hormonal systems in the human body.** (It’s why, when we can’t get them from a local grower and have to rely on a grocery store some parts of the year, our family chooses to only buy organic root crops) Well, Lucky us: Tony Philips never, ever uses sprout-inhibitors. His potatoes simply get a clean water bath to rinse the ETX sand off of them, so we eat them with confidence.
Veggie Storage tips:
- Everything wants to be washed well before cooking, but keep the dirt on till then, to prevent faster spoilage.
- Basil must not be stored in the fridge. Keep it in a glass of water in a cool place, and out of direct light.
- Peppers, okra, and all the leafy greens and roots all want to be in your fridge. Seal them up in a bag or container to retain moisture for longest storage life.
We’d love to hear stories and recipes of your culinary adventures this week. Tag us on Instagram or Facebook, showing us how you’ve used your CSA share.
Your farmers, Jess & Justin
Regular Share
Regular Share top left to right: Red Russian kale, 3 types of Italian peppers, purple and green Bell peppers, okra, Basil, (2nd row) Spring Mix, arugula, radishes, and Sweet potatoes.
Large Share
Large Share top left to right: Curly kale, collard greens, 3 types of Italian peppers, purple and green Bell peppers, Basil, (2nd row) Spring Mix, arugula, pac choi, radishes, okra, and Sweet potatoes across the bottom.
Mini Share
