Howdy,
The last September share...next week will be October already! Happy with how the farm shares are looking these days. Last year (2015) was so hot and dry that things started producing super early...that combined with some rainy weather in the early Fall meant by this time last year we had no more tomatoes or corn, and the summer squash and cucumbers were long gone. I remember feeling like the late September shares were less exciting, so I tried to plan to spread things out a bit longer this year, and the weather has cooperated. Really happy to be giving you corn one last time this week, and the tomatoes are still hanging in there and will hopefully continue into October.
Settling into some nice Fall weather, and I feel like we are ahead of the game where our Fall projects are concerned. We managed to bring in all the Winter squash from the field last week; one of the funnest Fall projects on the farm, because it involves tossing and catching the squash to get them in and out of the pickup truck. We grew about a quarter of an acre of squash, and maybe brought in a couple of tons....That was the last of our large storage crop harvests, so now our potatoes, onions, garlic, squash and pumpkins are all under cover and will be packed into the upcoming shares out of the greenhouse or shed.
This week red kuri squash will be in the shares, and here's what else:
Sweet corn- Our last corn of the year! This is our final planting that I sewed as a bit of an afterthought thinking it would be nice to have some more. I'm glad I did, as this planting has grown really well and should be great. If I remember right from back in early June, I believe this will be a white corn...it has been a great season for sweet corn, enjoy the last of the year!
Shallots- Shallots are a delicious allium crop that is kind of like a cross between onion and garlic; more flavorful than onion but useable in the same way. A must for many French recipes, great in soups, sauces and salad dressings but really usable in all kinds of dishes you would usually use onion for but want to try something a little different.
Cherry tomatoes- I didn't know if the cherry tomatoes would still be producing heavily, but they are looking better than ever and the fruit is really nice and sweet. Big heirloom tomatoes should be back in the share next week too!
Cauliflower- More beautiful cauliflower, try stir frying it, roasting it, or making some soup or stew!
Collard greens- It is collard green season! We grow these in the Fall and Winter for their excellent cold hardiness and great flavor. A classic Southern side dish with some barbeque...braised collard greens.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/51803/kickin-collard-greens/
Hot pepper- We grew just a small amount of hot peppers, as Pacific Northwesterners are not usually too keen on them. There are Anaheim, Cherry Bomb, Poblano, and Banana peppers, and you'll get one or two of them in your share...grab a different one out of the farm stand if you prefer! Great for making salsa....and none of them are too spicy. Wish we had some cilantro right now, it's done for the year!
Red Kuri squash- One of my favorite winter squashes, these red Japanese squash have a very dry, almost crumbly texture and a nice strong flavor. Many squash improve in flavor over the weeks in storage (you might notice when you get the delicata again in a few weeks their flavor should be sweeter), but these ones are great to eat now and don't store for too long.
http://naturallyella.com/roasted-red-kuri-squash/
Large shares:
Eggplant- Bobbie found this delicious looking eggplant recipe and emailed it to me:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/07/eggplant-with-yogurt-and-tomato-relish/
Arugula- A bunch of green arugula in your share this week for making a nice Fall salad.
Topped beets- We have lots of big golden and chioggia beets right now, perfect for roasting. I quickly chop them into quarters or eighths, toss some olive oil and salt on em and bake on a cookie sheet at 375 for about 50 minutes....then it is easy once they cool down to peel away the outer skin if desired and then slice them up.
Large shares will also be getting a bit more shallot, cauliflower and squash!
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