Flex and Extended CSA week 22 and Farm Updates

Last week we enjoyed some sunny days for planting garlic for 2020! Garlic planting is the perfect project for cool fall days: we spend cold mornings in the greenhouse separating the cloves and then head out into the field to plant once the ground has thawed. We purchase some new seed each year as well as save our largest cloves from our own garlic harvest. This year we purchased a large clove variety called German Extra Hardy as well as a smaller, spicier variety called German Red. We have planted our new seed and have begun planting our own saved seed, which is a mix of varieties. However, with the very cold weather approaching at the end of the week we will likely take a break from garlic planting to bring in a large harvest before the cold can damage crops (and before the water at the barn needs to be turned off, making washing difficult)! We will also continue to cover up the more sensitive remaining crops like lettuce to ensure we have some greens through the end of the CSA season. We have this week plus two more weeks left for the CSA season - the last pick-up for the Flex, Extended, and Late Fall CSA members is Saturday, November 23rd. While the farm store is closed, we will continue to have eggs, cranberries, and honey for sale during CSA pick-ups. Below is a list for this week in the CSA, as well as some details about what is to come for the following two weeks.

This week in the CSA:

• Lettuce

• Spinach

• Swiss Chard - We experimented with planting some swiss chard in our tomato high tunnel in order to have a wider variety of greens later in the season. We will pick it this week before it gets to be too chilly even with the added protection!

• Escarole

• Cabbage - Red and storage varieties. Both will keep for a long time in your fridge in the crisper drawer or in a plastic bag.

• Brussels sprouts

• Rutabaga - This veggie has been described to me as tasting like a cross between a potato and a turnip. It is great roasted or in soups.

• Beets

• Carrots

• Sweet Potatoes

• Winter Squash

• Lemongrass or green tomatoes - you’ll have a choice between one or the other.

• Shallots

• Onions

• Garlic

• Scallions

• Radishes - Watermelon, white mini mak and purple K-N bravo varieties

• Hakurei salad turnips

Veggies to come in the last 2 weeks of the late fall: potatoes, leeks, pie pumpkins from Hutchins Farm, popcorn and more!

CSA Pick-your-own:

Frosts finished off most of the PYO field, but we still have parsley and cilantro.

CSA Hours:

Thursday 11am-6pm

Saturday 9am-3pm

Lemongrass, Curry and Coconut Poached Salmon

From Mark Bittman’s Kitchen Matrix

• 1 ½ lb piece of skin-on salmon filet

• 14 oz can coconut milk

• Several 3 inch pieces of lemongrass

• 1 tbsp curry powder

• 2 heaping tbsp salt

• Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Put salmon filet in a deep pan just large enough to hold it. Barely cover with water. Add coconut milk, lemongrass pieces, curry powder and salt. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and let salmon sit until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and serve garnished with cilantro. (Poaching liquid can also be used as sauce on top of rice).

Sheet-Pan Curry Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes

By Anna Stockwell, Epicurious September 2018

• tsp. mild curry powder

• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp. light brown sugar

• 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

• 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 (1"-thick) small bone-in pork chops (2 lb. total)

• 8 small sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb.), scrubbed, sliced in half lengthwise

• 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 4 small radishes, thinly sliced

• 1 cup pomegranate arils

Arrange a rack in top third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Stir curry, pepper, brown sugar, and 2 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Rub an 18x13" rimmed baking sheet with oil. Sprinkle pork chops and potatoes with spice mixture on prepared pan to evenly coat, then arrange in an even layer with potatoes cut side down.Roast until pork is golden brown and cooked through and potatoes are deeply browned on cut sides and fork-tender, about 20 minutes. (The pork might finish cooking before the potatoes do; if so, transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest, then continue roasting the potatoes until done). Meanwhile, whisk yogurt, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Arrange pork and potatoes on a platter. Top with yogurt sauce, radishes, and pomegranate arils.

No-Mayo Coleslaw

from How to Cook Everythingby Mark Bittman

• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 tbsp minced hot pepper (optional)

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

• 6 cups cored and shredded cabbage

• 2 medium carrots, grated

• 1/3 cup chopped scallions

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

To make the dressing, whisk together mustard, vinegar, garlic and hot peppers in a small bowl. Add the oil gradually, whisking the whole time. Combine the cabbage, carrots and scallion and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to serve (it’s good to let the slaw rest for about an hour). Before serving toss with the parsley.

Mexican style slaw variation:Use lime juice in place of vinegar. Finish with cilantro instead of parsley.