News from Windy Willow Farm 2008 CSA Week 17

News from Windy Willow Farm
2008 Week 17

This week’s share includes:

2 heads garlic – This year’s garlic has been very sweet, sweeter than other years. We put a ton of raw, minced garlic in our canned salsa recipe, and were amazed at the sweet taste it offered. We’ve also found that the cloves are very tightly pressed together, and that a dull knife is needed to pry them apart.
2 sweet onions
1 Qt red potatoes
2 Qt tomatoes
1 Qt green beans – I just put up a bunch of green beans, for winter’s use. I pinched off the stem end, boiled them for 1 minute, 45 seconds, then into cold water, patted dry (see picture) and packed into bags.
1 half pint raspberries
1 head Red Buttercrunch lettuce – I’m proud of myself this year, accurately planning and planting our fall lettuce. I’m hoping to have enough to offer at least a head for a few more weeks. I’m loving these fall salads!
4 leeks – These leeks are gorgeous, and I even cleaned them up for you: sprayed off the dirt, trimmed the roots and tops. I think they were a bit intimidating the last time we had these.
1 bunch carrots – I destroyed the carrots again. But not for long! I ordered one of these babies, though it’s on backorder: Johnny's - Product - 9061 - Johnny's 920 Broadfork
1 bunch swiss chard
1 bunch basil – a small bunch before the first frost. I intended to give cilantro, but it still hasn’t grown much, and is about 2 inches tall.
1 eggplant – this was an unintended add-on to this week’s share. We’re all up in a tizzy, with the threat of frost tonight. I’m trying to get as much out of the garden as possible, so I’m picking lots of peppers, tomatoes, basil, and eggplant.

Best guess for next week – Dried shell beans, beets, arugula, lettuce

Favorite customer comment – “Your raspberries are the best I've ever had in my mouth!”

Photo Captions: A winter’s worth of blanched green beans, ready to be packed into bags for the freezer. It’s great to pull out a bag and quickly warm it up for dinner, and know that we’re eating the healthiest food possible.

A frost warning for tonight has us running around like crazy, trying to get as much as possible harvested, and considering covering beans, tomatoes, and peppers. We’re even thinking of running a sprinkler in the garden to warm up the plants, a technique that ensures their protection. Other years, I’ve been relieved to have the first frost past, but not this year. I’ve only just started going to the farmers market and would like to enjoy tomatoes for a while longer.

On Tuesday, I listened to the tail end of the Michael Pollan’s discussion, ”The Cornifiation of Food” on NPR. Several figures jumped out at me, as well as the concluding thought. The idea that it takes over 100 gallons of gas to feed a corn-fed steer amazed me. Pollan pointed out that the industrialization of organics are no better off than commercially grown food, resource-wise. He urged listeners to “vote with your fork” and think about what you eat and how it got to your table. He concluded that if pesticides are your concern, eat organic; if energy conservation/sustainability is your concern, eat local, join a CSA and shop at a farmers market. As I was rinsing the leeks, I was enthusiastically agreeing with Michael, pumping my fist into the air, shouting, “Amen!”

I recently placed my winter order with my seed supplier. In our new greenhouse, I’ll be growing spinach, mizuna, claytonia, arugula and other winter goodies. I can’t wait to have a fresh salad at the Thanksgiving table! I’m looking forward to learning how to grow in a greenhouse, and how to grow in the winter. I’m thinking that I’ll need to use row covers during the coldest periods, and only harvest in the afternoon, after the plants have thawed somewhat. I’m also anticipating having more abundant early crops for next year’s CSA and early farmers market weeks. Wouldn’t it be great to start the season with a big bag of spinach?

Eat what you can, can what you can’t.
Gwen, Mark, Sarah and Jason Hyde

© 2008 Gwen Hyde

Mashed Potatoes with Sautéed Leeks, From “Asparagus to Zucchini, a Guide to Farm-Fresh, Seasonal Produce,” by the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition

1 pound new potatoes, peeled, cut in half
2 Tbs butter
5 medium leeks, sliced (white & light green parts)
¼ cup milk
Salt & pepper

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy, medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring frequently until tender and beginning to color, 8-10 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Mash. Mix in milk. Stir in leek mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Two servings.

Swiss Chard Recipe Swiss Chard Recipe Simply Recipes (though I like to finish cooking swiss chard with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice - Gwen
Ingredients
1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard
1 small clove garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp waterP
inch of dried crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon butter
salt

Method
1 Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard or save for another recipe (such as this Swiss chard ribs with cream and pasta). Roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.
2 Heat a saucepan on a medium heat setting, add olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top. Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes (remove a piece and taste it). Add salt to taste, and a small amount of butter. Remove the swiss chard to a serving dish.