We are at the end of our season together. Thank you so much for supporting our farm and our family. We hope you have enjoyed the food, perhaps learned something new, and tell your friends about your CSA experience!
Also, thanks to those of you who returned the surveys. We took a moment to compile some of the results to share:
• Carrots- We had exactly the same number of people asking for less carrots as asking for more carrots. This might be a great opportunity to use the “take and leave” box. If you are drowning in carrots, know that others are wishing for more and leave some behind!
• Celery- We had quite a few people saying that the celery was too strong and even bitter. We apologize that it wasn’t up to snuff and are working on plans to improve it for next year. First we are going to try growing some inside the hoop house where we can control weather conditions. I also plan on trialing some different varieties and even covering them which is what they do in the California celery that you find at the grocery store (unfortunately, it also diminishes the nutrition but we will grow some outside too).
• More sweet corn-We agree and plan to plant more next year.
• More maple syrup-maple syrup is a high value product so in order for us to put it in the box more than once we would have to raise the price of the CSA.
Fortunately, you can find me at the farmers market to purchase more so you don’t have to live without!
Some Favorites
Strawberries, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Maple Syrup, Bok Choy, Sweet Peppers, Carrots, Salad Turnips, Beets
Some Less of’s
Celery, Eggplant, Carrots, Beets
Events
Harvest dinner was the clear winner here. We will certainly do it again!
Another potluck mid season was brought up a few times.- We’d love to.
If you would still like to get your two cents in, it’s not too late! Mail or email survey results or leave them at the dropsite tomorrow. We will always do our best to make our CSA the best we can.
Thank you so much for a wonderful CSA season. We had some great successes and some serious challenges, but overall had a good year. We feel like this was a very rewarding season and we are proud of the boxes we turned out and all of the support we received. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, we couldn’t do it without your help.
We hope to see you for extended season shares or at the Wausau Winter Market (212 River Drive, Saturdays 8-noon).
Announcements:
-Last week of CSA!
-Early bird sign up for 2017! Sign up before January 1st and get your share for $500.
-Surveys are out! Please take a minute to email or mail back the survey so we can make the CSA better and better each year.
-Please return any black bins that might have made it into your house!! They are a big investment for our farm and we really need every one. Also, we will take tomato pints, maple syrup bottles, rubberbands, etc. We try to reuse as much as possible.
Kale
Sweet potatoes
Beets
Carrots
Salad Turnips
Winter Squash-Pie Pumpkin
Sweet peppers- green
Onions
Garlic
Head Lettuce
Kale- Cool weather Kale just tastes better (and keeps better in a bag in the fridge). Great for hearty salads or just chop, give a quick steam/sautee and add to your favorite egg or potato dish. Also great for soups and stews!
Sweet Potatoes- We’re glad we got to offer these this season. Sweet potatoes just need to be scrubbed a little, no need to peel. Great for mashed sweets or as a puree for sweet potato pie and other baked dishes. I like to chop them up and toss them in a soup/stew, or (Stacey’s Favorite) Chicken Pot Pie! See the recipe of the week.
Beets – These colorful beets are sweet and mild. Try roasting, or juicing them. Boiled beets can be surprisingly good too. Beets can be peeled to make them even milder in flavor, but don’t need to be (making them much easier to prepare. The Golden and Chiogia (candy-cane) beets are so pretty, it’s fun to give them a good steam, then slice them very thinly to top a salad or casserole. Stores well in the fridge (in a bag, or the crisper drawer.
Salad Turnips- You’ve had a few weeks of these but they were so many people’s favorite we thought we’d leave you with one last treat. These are so sweet and tender they’re delicious for fresh eating, but also great cut into wedges and seared to blisters in a pad with hot oil. Try to get the outside browned while still leaving a little fresh crispness to them! Or throw them in the recipe of the week. Separate the bulbs from the tops for best storage. Tops can be steamed/sautéed like fresh spinach!
Pie Pumpkins- Sweet and seasonal, try your hand at a punkin’ pie! Otherwise, simply halve them and scoop the seeds then roast cut-side down on a roasting pan until very tender and leaking molasses-ey goo. Then scoop the “meat” and use for a creamy pumpkin soup, or pumpkin spice pancakes/bread/cookies/you name it. Anything short of a Latte! Roast the seeds too, for a snack or a garnish!
Sweet Peppers – Too many for you? Try roasting them and freezing for later use. Also great when roasted and chopped or pureed into blended soups.
Onions- Store at room temp in the dark for a couple weeks, or right on the counter for up to a week. Try them in the recipe of the week or in any soup/roast!
Garlic- Sweet when roasted, strong and savory when raw. Stores well on the counter and compliments almost any dish. Just a clove or two can go a long way, but more will often really make a dish “pop.” If you’re no fan of garlic breath, then just make sure to add it early, so it cooks down to its sweetest form.
Carrots- Fresh carrots, are great for snacking or for roasting! Chop them into rounds or sticks and roast them until crisp-tender. Drizzle with butter and honey/maple syrup and place under the broiler, but watch them. Let the sweetness caramelize onto them as a glaze. Top with a sprinkle of salt and they will disappear from the table! Try the recipe of the week.
Head Lettuce- Just made it! Got big enough to use and didn’t succumb to the mild frosts we’ve had. Fresh salads are soon to become harder to find, so enjoy this one! Top with shredded carrots, winter radish, salad turnip or beet slices. Store in a bag in the fridge for several days.
Hearty Chicken Pot Pie:
Perfect for using up fall and winter storage crops, also it warms the house with sweet-smelling steam. *Great way to use leftover bits of fall veggies/greens and /or leftover roasted veggies!
-1 medium/large onion
– 2 lbs potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, rutabagas, etc. (or a mix)
-1 lb carrots, celeriac, mushrooms, etc, or a mix
-4 roll-out ready crusts (or make your own)
-1 cup peas (and/or celery—I use frozen) Or more of chopped greens (turnip, spinach, kale, etc.)
-3 cups cooked, chunked chicken (or pork, tofu, scrambled egg, or more veggies!)
-2/3 cups flour
-2/3cups butter
-3 1/2 cups broth (chicken or veggie)
-1 Tbsp. dried sage and/or thyme
Thaw crust.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Sautee: onions/mushrooms/spuds/carrots/turnips/rutabagas in ½ of the butter over medium heat for 10 mins.
Then add sweet potatoes/ salad turnips/celeriac/etc. and herbs
Separately, mix flour in ½ of the broth and stir well before adding to a hot pan with remaining 1/3 of butter. Sautee over medium heat, stirring often until the “roux” no longer tastes like raw flour.
De-glaze veggies with remaining ½ of broth.
Combine “roux” with veggies and chicken (etc.), and peas/celery/greens. Sautee, stirring often, until thoroughly mixed and gravy is thick.
Scoop into 2 pie shells laid in 9” pans.
Cover each with second crust and pinch-seal the edges.
Bake approx. 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly.
Remove from heat and let rest for 15-20 mins before serving.
Scoop and enjoy!