Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Sept 26 CSA

Sorry we haven't been keeping up with the blog.  As it turns out, life with 2 children is more than twice as much work as with just one. There are 2 weeks left in the CSA after today.  Anyone with an egg share who didn't get your reimbursement or credit, please be sure to!  We have gotten cover crop sown in most of the fields we are finished with and we are preparing ground for strawberries to get planted as well as garlic, onions, and leeks that will live winter outdoors.  We got a much needed rain last week and hope for more.

boxes this week contain:  1 long island cheese pumpkin, 1 lb. german butterball potatoes, 1 lb. eggplant, 1 head romaine lettuce, 1 lb. summer squash.  We didn't have enough of either okra or braising greens to put them in every box so your box will either have 1 bag of braising greens (young and tender kale and collards) or 1 lb.of okra.  We will do the same next week so if you tell Ally which you want, you'll get the other next week. 
regular shares also have:  1 bunch beets, 1 red bell pepper, 2 lbs. potatoes.

*remember to get your onions and garlic from the stand at market*
we've been noticing some bad spots in 1 layer within the red onions.  as your picking your onions out, gently press on the stem end and make sure its firm and no juice is coming out of the stem

Cyril and Addiebelle

Long Island Cheese Pumpkins curing in barn loft
The long island cheese pumpkins are excellent for soups and pies.  They have a creamy texture and will keep for a few months, getting sweeter as time wears on.  They're best stored in your kitchen in a cool spot out of direct sunlight.  If you notice the skin starting to develop spots, it needs to be cooked.

PUMPKIN SOUP

cut the pumpkin in half or quarters and roast in 400degree oven til soft; scoop out the seeds

2T butter
2 onions or 4 shallots
2T sherry or dry vermouth
1 roasted pumpkin
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 to 1 c milk; maybe more

1. saute onion in butter until soft
2. remove seeds from squash; for a thicker soup, use skins.  for a thinner, more delicate flavored soup, remove skins
3. combine onion, squash, vermouth, broth, salt, pepper, ginger
4. puree in food processor.  add milk as needed to get desired consistency.  ( you can use water instead)
5. return to pot and heat thouroughly.

Hope you have a great week!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Sept.12 CSA

This week's box:  1 lb. sweet potatoes (2 orange/ 2 white), 1 butternut squash, 1 bell pepper, 2 pints edamame, 1 lb. okra, 1 large or 2 medium summer squash.  Regular shares get: 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, 2 lbs. okra, jimmy nardello peppers instead of bell pepper, regular potatoes.

Remember to get garlic and onions from the stand.

Things are going great with the new baby.  He sleeps a lot which is a complete switch from our first and he is intigrating into the family with ease so far.  I will work on getting pictures and spicing up the blog again next week...

The sweet potatoes and butternut have been harvested for 10 days atleast and will be sweet.  They will get sweeter though, if you wait another week or 2 to eat them.  They are best stored at room temperature.

Pickled Okra
1 lb. okra
1 garlic clove
1 small hot pepper
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups water
1  tsp. dill seed
1 Tblspn salt

Wash okra and pack firmly in a hot, sterilized quart jar.  Add garlic and hot pepper if desired.  Make a brine with the vinegar, water, dill seed, and salt (taste to see if salty enough for you).  Boil. Pour boiling brine over okra leaving 1/4 inch headspace at top. Let cool before putting lid on.  Refrigerate for several weeks before eating.

Have a great week!