October 4 or 7 Last Box of the Season

This weeks' share includes:  3 pounds of Carolina Ruby sweet potatoes, 1 Long Island Cheese pumpkin, 1 bunch of carrots, 1 bunch of purple radishes, 1 pound of broccoli, 1 bunch of collard greens, 1 head of garlic, 2 red onions.

Storage:  The sweet potatoes need another week to "cure" until they taste sweet so leave them in a dry, not so cool spot (a corner of your counter or the cabinet beside your fridge or dish washer) to finish converting their starches to sugars.  The pumpkin can be eaten now or allowed to continue its "curing" process.  If kept in a dry, coolish spot it will continue to sweeten over the next month.  It can be eaten now though if you want.  Garlic can be kept out.  All else in the refrigerator.

The pumpkin makes great soup or pie.  The texture seems a bit stringy when you scoop it from the baked skin but when pureed it becomes smooth.
The garlic in your share this week is a different variety than you've been getting.  It is German White and should be easier to peel.
The purple radishes are mild and the greens are nice.  Try making a salad using both.  If you cut the greens into thin ribbons and let them sit a few minutes with a sprinkling of salt and then massage them a little, the spines on the leaves will go away.
The lemon vinaigrette from last weeks' blog entry makes a fine dressing on lightly steamed broccoli.  Our kids gobbled it up.

Recipe for Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew with Collards
This recipe is a good guideline.  You can omit and add on some of the ingredients they call for.  I add collard greens that are cut into thin ribbons and let cook in the simmering stew for the last 20 minutes or so.

So, we've made it thru another year with you as our weekly anchor.  There have been some real challenges as usual and some real losses as usual.  But we managed to bring you and you to pick up from us 22 weeks of vegetables.  Thank you!  It has been a pleasure to grow food for you.  Your participation in our CSA gives meaning to our work.  If you have credit left, you can spend it up until December 16 at the NATM on UNCA's campus.  After this week, Gaining Ground will be only at that market for the rest of 2017.  Again, Thank You!  We hope you have a beautiful Autumn!