Category Archives: Uncategorized

Fair Share Farm CSA — Week 3

Uncategorized


FRISEE ENDIVE: A great addition to a salad, it adds a wonderful texture, color and flavor.

LETTUCE HEADS (BUTTERHEAD AND RED LEAF): Small heads due to storms, read more below.

RADISH/TURNIP BUNCH: Thanks Saturday farm crew for harvesting and cleaning these delicious and juicy roots. They are a great addition to the stew in this week’s recipe.

SPROUTING BROCCOLI:  One of our favorite greens by itself, it also goes well in this week’s recipe.

BRAISING MIX: A blend of chard, kale and tat soi leaves. At its simplest just sauté with some garlic greens, add a little vinegar and cook until just tender and wilted.

HERBS: A mixed bunch of oregano, tarragon and chive flowers. The fresh oregano helps add a savory note to any dish. The tarragon compliments fish or chicken, or use it to flavor vinegar. 

RECIPE:
On May 4th we had a ferment tasting booth at the Powell Gardens Fungi and Fermentation Fest. It was a great time mixing with festival goers and vendors. We also provided the ferments for a demonstration by Chef Jonathan Justus’ of Black Dirt. We were lucky enough to get a taste and we want to pass it on.

Kimchi Stew with Fair Share Farm Live Culture Ferments by Jonathan Justus

Ingredients

(serves 6 people)

•        ½ of a jar (1/2 pound) of Fair Share Farm Kimchi, cut into bite size pieces

•        ½ of a jar (1/2 pound) of Fair Share Farm Green Kimchi, cut into bite size pieces

•        ¼ cup Fair Share Farm Jalapenos and Escabeche Juice

•        ¾ pound pork shoulder cut into ¾ inch cubes (eliminate if you prefer vegan/vegetarian)

•        ½ package of silken tofu (optional), sliced into ½ inch thick bite size pieces

•        3 green onions

•        1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)

•        1 teaspoon salt

•        2 teaspoons sugar (you can add more to further balance the acidity of the stew without making it taste sweet)

•        2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes)

•        1 tablespoon gochujang (hot pepper paste)

•        2 teaspoons sesame oil

•        3 cups of chicken, beef, pork, or vegetable stock or broth (you may need an extra cup)


Method

1.    Sautee pork in an 4 to 6 quart sauce pan or small stock pot.

2.    Add the two different kinds of kimchi, escabeche juice, and onions in a shallow pot.

3.    Slice 2 green onions diagonally and add them to the pot.

4.    Add salt, sugar, hot pepper flakes, and hot pepper paste. Drizzle sesame oil over top and add the stock or broth.

5.    Cook for 10 minutes over medium high heat. At this point you may have to turn the heat down to low to get the meat tender. This may take up to another 20 to 30 minutes.

6.    Add the tofu.

7.    Cover and cook another 10 to 15 minutes.

8.    Chop 1 green onion and put it on the top of the stew. Remove from the heat and serve right away with rice.

It inspired us to make follow Jonathan’s lead and make a vegetarian version with much of this week’s share. Cooking the braising mix with the broccoli, radishes and turnips, onions and green garlic, adding some fermented vegetables and their juice, and cooking 20 minutes or so gives you a rich and nutritious dish.

FARM REPORT

Hail and high winds last week did some damage to the crops here.  Most will recover, but we’ve had some setbacks.  Expect lighter shares this week as a result.  This photo of the onions gives a good representation of the damage. 

 The peppers we planted the morning of the storm didn’t have much time to adjust to the real world.


The lettuces for this weeks share with their tender leaves were especially hard hit.  




After we peel away half of the leaves, we are left with a somewhat intact heart.  Other plants like kale, chard and tat soi benefit from picking them back and a good pile of mulch.  Good leaves off of these plants make up the braising mix this week.
On the spur of the moment on Monday, we rebuilt the deer fence along the driveway.  For years a deer wouldn’t dare walk so close to the homestead because of our dear Rocky dog.  Four years since his passing and the deer are coming right up the driveway.  So, while I got in a visit to my grandma and mom for Mother’s Day, Tom and Luke did this.  

 It was a beautiful sight to come home to.  So far it appears to be working. Hooray!

Every farmer must celebrate the small victories.  Much is out of our hands as soon as we plant a crop in an open field.  One must accept that life goes on with little regard to our needs and wants.  We take all precautions to avoid calamity.  We plant a diversity of crops, build organic matter in our soils, etc.  So while many are damaged, others are doing well.  The strawberries are beginning to form green fruit.  The carrots and potatoes are leafing out.  New fresh leaves are rapidly replacing the damaged ones.  This lesson of resiliency is on display on the 150 acres that burned two weeks ago.  Like an emerald carpet, the native grasses are coming back. 



Fair Share Farm CSA—Week 2

Uncategorized


RADISHES AND TURNIPS  The first tender roots from the high tunnel.  Sweet and juicy salad turnips are best eaten raw like the red radishes.  Salt them both to keep them tasty.

BUTTERHEAD LETTUCE  A farm favorite, especially in Spring. 

RED LEAF LETTUCE  This week we clear the high tunnel of these.  Next week we should have lettuce from out of the field as long as they don’t float away!

ASPARAGUS  Enough for a nice frittata or an addition to pasta, rice or a salad.

GREENS:  We have several options from sprouting broccoli, swiss chard, tat soi and kale.  Wednesday folks get sprouting broccoli.  Later in the week we will have a choice of greens.

GREEN GARLIC  Used like green onions, but with a buttery bite.

HERBS  Arugula for the Wednesday shares only.  Saturday and Monday shares get a bunch of cilantro, dill and chives.

RECIPE:
Fresh and green describes this week’s CSA share. This time of year our cooking habits revolve around this spring growth, as well as the hens’ burst of egg laying. One of the best ways to get the most out of both is to cook them together in a dish.

Tonight we cooked a frittata—a deep dish omelet full of vegetables and cheese. You can use whatever ingredients you have on hand for this versatile recipe. We used Skyview Cheeses’ gouda and garnished with some Jalapeno en Escabeche. A hearty, healthy and delicious meal.

Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients:

·         8 to 10 stalks asparagus, chopped

·         1 cup chopped gai lan or other green

·         2 tbsp olive oil

·         8 eggs

·         1 cup grated cheese

·         Salt to taste

Method:

1.       Chop the vegetables and saute in olive oil for 3 minutes

2.       Blend the eggs and half the cheese, add to the vegetables and stir

3.       Turn heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes

4.       Add remaining cheese to the top of the frittata and place the dish in a broiler to brown for 7 to 10 minutes

5.       Let cool, cut into wedges and serve. Good lukewarm or cold


FARM REPORT:

Today was our first rainy work day in almost a month.  Three inches so far and the forecast calls for much more.  The dry weather up until now did allow us to get many plants and seeds in the ground and off to a good start. 

 The potatoes are popping their first sprouts. 

Yesterday we put in the squash, cucumbers and eggplant.  These are our most pest-intense crops, so they were immediately row-covered for protection.  

We also planted insectaries to attract beneficial insects to thwart the pests.  Some of the plants in our insectary are buckwheat, phacelia, alyssum, sunflowers, cilantro, and dill among others. 

Last week, Tom took the tractor and our old manure spreader and spread a good amount of compost on the beds slated for summer crops.

And then, on Friday the farm crew joined in a controlled burn of the farm.  There are 150 acres of native grasses on the Graff family farm that benefit greatly from burning.  Fire removes the thatch of decomposing material, allowing wildflowers and native grasses to spread.  The roots of the native grasses act as a carbon sink, capturing and sequestering carbon in the soil.  Wildflowers bloom providing nectar and pollen to insects, birds and butterflies. The burn went well with no problems, which is always a relief!  It will be exciting to see the prairie turn green with the help from the rain.  

Fair Share Farm CSA—Week 1

Uncategorized


SWISS CHARD  These gorgeous plants are amazing.  Planted in September, they fed the CSA well in October and November, they were sporadically picked through the winter, and now they are giving us one last exuberant crop in mid-April.  We are including flower stalks in the bunches, for fun.  They cook up nicely at this early stage and it’s not something everyone has a chance to see. 

CABBAGE   From cold storage.  The mountain of cabbage that we built in the walk-in cooler last fall is officially gone.  We held back the best of the reasonably sized ones for the CSA and they held well. 

BUTTER LETTUCE  The opposite of a hefty cabbage.  Smaller than we would like, but oh so delicate.

YELLOW ONIONS  Also from storage.  Don’t expect them to keep much longer.

DAIKON  Another cold storage star.  Not the prettiest or more recognizable vegetable, but Farmer Tom is here to help.  Read on for the recipe at the end.

GARLIC CHIVES  The freshest green shoots of Spring for sprinkling on everything.

BOK CHOI: Early baby bok choy bunches.  Amazing when stir fried or lightly steamed.

FARM REPORT:

Greetings from Fair Share Farm.  This marks the start of the 2019 CSA season.  We reached our goal of 100 memberships and are in the midst of the Spring planting season.  So far, so good.  I think that is safe to say. 

At the farm the world is sprouting beneath our feet.

This is a photo of our Spring cover crop mix.  The CSA sugarsnap peas have popped up as well.  Hooray!!

Just in time for the start of the harvest season, we wrapped up the pack/wash area remodel.  It was a real marathon of work, but we are happy with the result. 

Hi there!  That’s me, Farmer Rebecca, washing something as always.  My hubby, Tom, and I write this blog together, as we have for the past 15 seasons (well, it began as a paper newsletter for the first few seasons).  We thank those who support our agricultural work.  Our goals are first and foremost, to build soil, grow food and ferment community.  We work towards those goals through Community Supported Agriculture.  We must re-builds the relationship between farmer and eater.

Hi too from Farmer Tom. Hard to believe it’s been a decade and a half of CSA for the farm. It’s exciting also to enter the third year of selling our fermented vegetables. In that time we have been able to sell to the membership, at the Brookside Farmers Market, and at a half dozen retail stores in the KC metro.

Recently our ferments have been a charcouterie board item at both Of the Earth Farm Distillery and Green Dirt Farm Creamery. And this spring Jonathan Justus of Black Dirt is using our sauerkraut in a wonderful braised Alsatian dish. It’s been great to partner with other farmers and with chefs.

RECIPE:

This week’s share has some bulky items, one of which is a daikon radish. They are a handful, and make a great salad. Take your daikon and clean it before either grating it or chopping it into matchsticks. Chop and add some garlic to taste and a sprinkling of salt. The salt will help keep the radish from getting bitter and will improve its texture. After about half hour mix in a dressing of your choice ( I used white wine and escabeche juice.) Let that sit to blend the flavors, top with garlic chives and enjoy.

One Week Before Our First CSA Distribution!

Uncategorized

Next week the CSA starts!!!!  Starting next Tuesday we will post every other week with what is in the share and tips for using your produce plus the farm report.

FARM REPORT:

 So far Spring weather has been friendly to us, a nice amount of rain but not too much.  We feel for many farmers in the floodplain that have had no such luck.  Here on our upland soils, the early crops are in:  cabbage, greens, carrots, beets, roots, onions, lettuce, peas and potatoes.

The plants are looking good in the greenhouse and the fields.  There are four nights in the 30s forecasted this weekend, so I guess we’ll see how that goes!  Everything is now covered as long as the wind (40 miles an hour?) in the forecast doesn’t just blow it all off.  We’re past March madness, yet April continues with the weather-inducing anxiety.  As we wrap up the early plantings, summer crops loom ahead.  Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, squash, cucumbers and zucchini are waiting in the wings.

In the midst of all this green growth, we are racing to complete our retrofit of the pack/wash area of the barn.  Ahem, yes, we have a week to go before the CSA deliveries start. . . eeek!  The work has been progressing nicely since the ice and snow retreated not so long ago.  However, growing crops comes first, so we have had some fits and starts as we drop our tools to get the potatoes in, as we did today.  The work is within the current footprint of the old tobacco/dairy barn with a rebuild of the old loafing shed that surrounded the lower portion.  Plus new windows, doors, siding, some plumbing.  

It’s a bit of a project . . .

… and a lean one, at that.  We are an efficient team of three:  Tom, Rebecca and Lucas.  The latter leading the way with his knowledge of construction. It has been quite a long road as we have worked on the barn as funds and time allows.  In 2011 we replaced the siding on the front.  In 2013 we did the back.  It was 2016 when we completed the commercial kitchen in the lower back half of the barn.  Now it is the lower front, aka the pack/wash areas time to shine.  We look forward to welcoming everyone to the new space when you all come out for your work shifts.

Also, egg season is on!  The ladies are happily laying over 100 eggs every day right now.  We will have plenty for the egg shares next week plus extra on the bulk list.  We are flush with lots of hens eggs but even more “pullet” eggs.  Pullets are young hens whose eggs are a little smaller.  Both sizes are in assorted colors, just ready for hiding.

In late-March we took soil samples in our “home field” as we do every other year. The results were some of the highest values of soil organic matter (SOM) we have ever had. Of the six samples we took, three had SOM values of 5.0% or better. During our first seasons in the early 2000’s our SOM was less than 3%.

The SOM represents the part of our soil that is derived from living matter. It is made up of humus, the end result of soil microorganisms breaking biological matter. It also represents the carbon that we have taken out of the atmosphere and sequestered in our soil. When you support our farm you are supporting agriculture that reverses climate change.

If you want to keep up with our work more regularly, we invite you to follow us on social media. We have an Instagram account that we try to post to most every day. We also enjoy re-posting your Instagram tags of Fair Share Farm, especially when you use our products and/or those of our partner vendors. We hope that we can also share your photos of the upcoming farm work days.

Whenever we post to Instagram it is also posted on the farm’s Facebook page. In addition we have a closed group Facebook page you can join where the membership can share recipes or coordinate CSA activities, etc.

2019 CSA Signup Has Begun

Uncategorized

It is January and that means that planning is underway for the 2019 CSA season!

If you were a CSA member in 2018, you should have received an email inviting you to renew your membership for the 16th season of the Fair Share Farm CSA. We aren’t changing much from the 2018 CSA.  The survey showed the membership were happy and so we are looking forward to bringing on another bountiful season of produce, plus free-range eggs and fermented foods from our on-farm kitchen. 
The Partner Vendors are all back and ready to offer you their fresh, local and delicious products including cheese (Skyview and Goatsbeard), meats (Parker Farms) and bread (Companionship)  New in 2019, Prairie Birthday Farm will be offering wild and heirloom varieties of fruit (just 10 shares available this first year).
January is full of farming conferences so we have been listening to fellow farmers and others to hone our skills, speaking at workshops, and otherwise trying to find new ways to improve our farming methods. 
Rebecca speaking on “Adding Value to Your Farm” 
at the Practical Farmers of Iowa Conference
Our seeds and potting soil have arrived for the start of the greenhouse planting, which will begin just as soon as…

enough potting soil arrived for 400 flats of plants


…Tom and Rebecca return from a 10-day vacation to Puerto Rico!

Yes, you heard right.  Your farmers are off to the Caribbean tomorrow morning.  We are looking forward to returning recharged and well-rested and ready to dive into the season ahead.  A huge thanks to Lucas for staying behind in the cold to keep the chickens, high tunnel and kitchen comfortable in our absence.


high tunnel plants under cover


time to feed the chickens!

daikon pickles should be ready when we return

We wish you all a happy winter.  We will post photos from our trip when we return.  We look forward to seeing you all in person in Springtime!

Fair Share Farm CSA—Week 16

Uncategorized
uncovering the turnips in the high tunnel

SALAD TURNIPS: These turnips have been treated with care in the high tunnel and are ready for the shares. They are fresh as can be, with ice cream like centers.

LETTUCE: Having a fresh head of lettuce when the snows of November are early is a nice treat. Enjoy the last of these tender leaves.

SPINACH: Only a small amount, as the spinach grows slow when the days start getting shorter. Use it in an omelet, as a soup garnish, or to add some more body to a salad.

BONITA SWEET POTATOES: These sweet potatoes live up to their name. Scrub them, chop them and cook them most anyway you want. Be sure to keep an eye on them, as they are quite tender and cook a bit quicker than most orange sweet potatoes.

CARROTS: A mix of varieties from our fall planting. Sweet from the kiss of frost.

GREENS CHOICE: The first cutting of sprouting broccoli in the high tunnel or a bunch of chard is the choice this week. If you return next year these same plants will be a part of the April harvest in 2019.

LEEKS:  We consider leeks one of the real treats of the fall. A vegetable not particularly fond of hot, dry summers, this years crop stood up well to weather adversities this year. We like to make a simple dish of chopped leeks, fennel and cabbage that have been braised and then carmelized in white wine and butter.

MIXED HERB BUNDLE: Dill and cilantro

FARM REPORT:
The last distribution of the CSA season is upon us and not a moment too soon as winter is making outdoor work difficult.  Frigid temperatures (11 degrees F Saturday morning!) have arrived early this year, sending your farmers scrambling to prepare.The CSA shares are mostly coming from the protected environment of the high tunnel.  The leafy greens and roots stayed above freezing with two layers of row cover inside the structure.

Out in the field the hardy leeks are withstanding the cold under layers of cover.  Most everything else has been bulk harvested to store in the walk-in cooler for winter markets and the fermentation kitchen.  The bulk harvest of the fall cabbage was a success with over a ton of cabbage now in the cooler (that’s 2,000 lbs. folks!).

In the snow we covered the strawberries and the newly-planted garlic with a deep layer of hay and straw.  We have heard that mulching on top of snow is a good practice but this is the first time the weather cooperated in order to try it.  It seems like they will benefit from the moisture during the long winter ahead.


This being our final CSA week of 2018, we thank all of you who have spent the growing season with us.  We love knowing the families and individuals who eat our food.  Thank you for supporting our farm this season and we hope that you will decide to share another harvest with us in 2019.  Look for a survey in your inbox in December and please give your thoughts on our community endeavor.  We will ask for renewals for the 2019 season in January.  Peace and Happy eating to all!

Fair Share Farm CSA — Week 16

Uncategorized

SALAD TURNIPS: These turnips have been treated with care in the high tunnel and are ready for the shares. They are fresh as can be, with ice cream like centers.

LETTUCE: Having a fresh head of lettuce when the snows of November are early is a nice treat. Enjoy the last of these tender leaves.

SPINACH: Only a small amount, as the spinach grows slow when the days start getting shorter. Use it in an omelet, as a soup garnish, or to add some more body to a salad.

BONITA SWEET POTATOES: These sweet potatoes live up to their name. Scrub them, chop them and cook them most anyway you want. Be sure to keep an eye on them, as they are quite tender and cook a bit quicker than most orange sweet potatoes.

CARROTS: A mix of varieties from our fall planting. Sweet from the kiss of frost.

GREENS CHOICE: The first cutting of sprouting broccoli in the high tunnel or a bunch of chard is the choice this week. If you return next year these same plants will be a part of the April harvest in 2019.

LEEKS:  We consider leeks one of the real treats of the fall. A vegetable not particularly fond of hot, dry summers, this years crop stood up well to weather adversities this year. We like to make a simple dish of chopped leeks, fennel and cabbage that have been braised and then carmelized in white wine and butter.

MIXED HERB BUNDLE: Dill and cilantro

FARM REPORT:
The last distribution of the CSA season is upon us and not a moment too soon as winter is making outdoor work difficult.  Frigid temperatures (11 degrees F Saturday morning!) have arrived early this year, sending your farmers scrambling to prepare.The CSA shares are mostly coming from the protected environment of the high tunnel.  The leafy greens and roots stayed above freezing with two layers of row cover inside the structure.

Out in the field the hardy leeks are withstanding the cold under layers of cover.  Most everything else has been bulk harvested to store in the walk-in cooler for winter markets and the fermentation kitchen.  The bulk harvest of the fall cabbage was a success with over a ton of cabbage now in the cooler (that’s 2,000 lbs. folks!).

In the snow we covered the strawberries and the newly-planted garlic with a deep layer of hay and straw.  We have heard that mulching on top of snow is a good practice but this is the first time the weather cooperated in order to try it.  It seems like they will benefit from the moisture during the long winter ahead.

This being our final CSA week of 2018, we thank all of you who have spent the growing season with us.  We love knowing the families and individuals who eat our food.  Thank you for supporting our farm this season and we hope that you will decide to share another harvest with us in 2019.  Look for a survey in your inbox in December and please give your thoughts on our community endeavor.  We will ask for renewals for the 2019 season in January.  Peace and Happy eating to all!

Fair Share Farm CSA—Week 15

Uncategorized

BOK CHOI: These hearty Asian greens love to grow in the fall. They are getting bigger by the day. Enjoy them in a stir-fry or any other way you would use a mustard green. They make a simple dish if sautéed with garlic and garnished with some lemon. They are also great in a stir-fry soup.

ONION: The last of the season, these wonderful alliums are the storage variety and should hold well, though they are good enough to eat right away. A little stronger than the sweet onions of the spring and summer, they are great cooked.

RADISH: Growing a perfect radish is harder than you think, but we may have nailed it this week. These beauties out of the high tunnel are a gorgeous red color with very little heat. Juicy and crunchy they are good in a salad or as a sandwich with cheese or butter.

SALAD TURNIPS: Harvested out of the field, these turnips are a little blemished but packed with flavor. A little peeling may be in order, but then simply slice them up and eat them raw. Or add them to the above mentioned stir-fry soup.Yum!

GARLIC: Garlic returns to the shares. We use it in just about everything we cook. It’s earthy flavor captures the essence of the farm.

LETTUCE X 2: The lettuce this week and next is coming from the high tunnel. They need to be picked this week as most of them are peaking. The flavor and nutrition comes from our efforts to constantly increase the high tunnel’s fertility, through animal rotations, cover cropping, beneficial insect habitat,  water management, and reduced-tillage.

GREENS CHOICE: The greens abound right now. Choices include sprouting broccoli, kale and chard.

HERB CHOICE: We will be clipping down the rosemary plants in the high tunnel to prep for the coming winter. We hope to give everyone a sprig or two mixed with other herbs. Check the label on the crate for your choices.

This week my sister Jeanne Ruggieri and her husband Alan, as well as a high school chum of mine, Joe, paid the farm a weekend visit. It was a splendid time that included CSA work, winemaking and relaxing. It was a beautiful time on the farm. We are always glad when friends and family come to visit so they can better understand what life on the farm is really like.

As we head into the second month of fall the summer cover crops have given up their spirit. So we mow them down and turn them in so that they can provide nutrition to the land when the growing season begins again in the spring.

And if you have not made your farm shift yet for the year we have 3 Saturdays left for the season. We are appreciative of the work the CSA performs at the farm every year. The benefits are countless, both for us and for you.

Fair Share Farm CSA — Week 15

Uncategorized

BOK CHOI: These hearty Asian greens love to grow in the fall. They are getting bigger by the day. Enjoy them in a stir-fry or any other way you would use a mustard green. They make a simple dish if sautéed with garlic and garnished with some lemon. They are also great in a stir-fry soup.

ONION: The last of the season, these wonderful alliums are the storage variety and should hold well, though they are good enough to eat right away. A little stronger than the sweet onions of the spring and summer, they are great cooked.

RADISH: Growing a perfect radish is harder than you think, but we may have nailed it this week. These beauties out of the high tunnel are a gorgeous red color with very little heat. Juicy and crunchy they are good in a salad or as a sandwich with cheese or butter.

SALAD TURNIPS: Harvested out of the field, these turnips are a little blemished but packed with flavor. A little peeling may be in order, but then simply slice them up and eat them raw. Or add them to the above mentioned stir-fry soup.Yum!

GARLIC: Garlic returns to the shares. We use it in just about everything we cook. It’s earthy flavor captures the essence of the farm.

LETTUCE X 2: The lettuce this week and next is coming from the high tunnel. They need to be picked this week as most of them are peaking. The flavor and nutrition comes from our efforts to constantly increase the high tunnel’s fertility, through animal rotations, cover cropping, beneficial insect habitat,  water management, and reduced-tillage.
GREENS CHOICE: The greens abound right now. Choices include sprouting broccoli, kale and chard.

HERB CHOICE: We will be clipping down the rosemary plants in the high tunnel to prep for the coming winter. We hope to give everyone a sprig or two mixed with other herbs. Check the label on the crate for your choices.

This week my sister Jeanne Ruggieri and her husband Alan, as well as a high school chum of mine, Joe, paid the farm a weekend visit. It was a splendid time that included CSA work, winemaking and relaxing. It was a beautiful time on the farm. We are always glad when friends and family come to visit so they can better understand what life on the farm is really like.

As we head into the second month of fall the summer cover crops have given up their spirit. So we mow them down and turn them in so that they can provide nutrition to the land when the growing season begins again in the spring.

And if you have not made your farm shift yet for the year we have 3 Saturdays left for the season. We are appreciative of the work the CSA performs at the farm every year. The benefits are countless, both for us and for you.

 

Fair Share Farm CSA—Week 14

Uncategorized

SPINACH:  The high tunnel ground was exposed to the elements during most of the recent rains. This is a great benefit to the soil, leaching salts from the surface and soaking the ground for a short time. The spinach has benefitted greatly from this and the first leaves of the fall harvest are headed to your shares.

SWEET POTATOES: Cured for over two weeks these beauties are just the thing for an autumn meal. We love them as fries (check our November 2012 blog for a great recipe.)

TOMATOES: Truly the last of the season. Make some salsa with the green tomatoes and bulb fennel for a trip back to the summer. Or try that old favorite fried green tomatoes.

GREEN PEPPERS:  Brooksiders got their fair share of our final pepper harvest last Monday. The rest of you get them this week. Great in fajitas.

BULB FENNEL:  With the crispness of celery and a touch of licorice, bulb fennel is a great addition to a lettuce salad. This November 2010 post give you instructions on cutting one up.

GREENS CHOICE: Sprouting broccoli and Toscano kale will be the main choices on Wednesday, and later in the week chard and curly kale will also be available.

LETTUCE: Only one head this week. The lettuce is in great form right now, tonight our salad was only lettuce and fennel leaves and packed a lot of flavor.

HERB CHOICE: We will see how the herbs handled the cold temps when we harvest tomorrow. Sage will be the main choice, as it compliments the sweet potatoes.

The bulb fennel plants form a beautiful block

FARM REPORT: 

The first fall freeze came this morning.  We awoke to our fields covered in nature’s icing.  These marigolds along with the summer fruits are dead and gone.  

This week’s share will contain the last of  tomatoes and peppers for the year.  Other crops like the kale and sprouting broccoli remain unscathed.  Some got a blanket of cover to help them through the night.  In the high tunnel we replaced the roof and put a cover inside.