We had such a wonderful time at the CSA Fall Dinner this year. The weather was spectacular, the food was delicious, and the company was so enjoyable. Thank you to all who attended (we hope you got back in time for the Packer game- I promise to check the Packer schedule next year!) For those of you who couldn’t make it, you missed our very sincere thank you, which is what this dinner is really all about. Thank you for supporting our farm and our family, for encouraging us, and for giving us purpose.
We love what we do, but it wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying if our food were shipped off to wait on a store shelf somewhere. It is so personal to imagine what it must feel like to open the box each week and peek inside. I literally play out the different meals that could be made with the ingredients we are providing and it drives me to make sure the food is as clean, fresh and cohesive as we can make it.
We also want to take a moment to thank everyone else who has helped to make this year such a success. Our worker shares, who help us pack all the boxes on Tuesdays, are a crucial part of the equation. Many of them have stayed late or come out to fill in as needed, which we greatly appreciate. Our neighbors through the woods at Stoney Acres, who brought us here, welcomed us with open arms and have embraced us. Our parents who are a bottomless pit of support and patience. The list goes on and on but I think I hear the Oscar music playing…
This week on the farm we are welcoming a new employee! Mallory has helped out here and there in a pinch, but now will be working with us full time to try and help us bring the big harvest in. We are excited to have her.
Announcements: Leona would like to announce that the watermelon radishes and golden beets are the best… that’s really all we have this week.
Salad Mix
Beets
Napa Cabbage
Daikon Radishes
Winter Squash-Butternut
Tomatoes
Sweet peppers-red, yellow, or orange
Broccoli Raab
Garlic
Basil
Salad Mix- So easy-so good. Ready to use for salads, sandwiches and wraps. If you’re not enjoying this salad mix, then you need to find a new salad dressing-or even try skipping it. We eat it by the handful, just plain all the time. This mix has baby lettuce as well as some different mustard greens including mizuna, arugula, red mustard, and baby kale. Very satisfying.
Beets- Big, bold, beautiful and so many different colors! These beets are great for showing off, some of them are even candy-striped inside! Perfect for tricking someone into trying beets again, “for the first time”-wink.
Napa Cabbage– This is the back-bone of Kimchi: an Asian-style version of Sauerkraut. (See the recipe of the week.) Napa also shines in any slaw recipe you like. Use in place or in addition to regular cabbage. This nutrient dense superfood is crisp and crunchy, yet much more tender than regular cabbage. This means you can chop it into slightly thicker chunks for your favorite slaw recipe and it will be loaded with vitamins and other essential nutrients while still being easier to digest.
Daikon Radishes– Had to go in this week for Kimchi enthusiasts! Many people like these pickled and there are many recipes on the internet. I haven’t found one that suits me, but I’m always open to suggestions. Where these radishes really shine is in Kimchi (see the recipe of the week). They also work well shredded in a slaw, sliced thin for sandwiches or to top a salad. Easily cut into sticks for dipping with a nice peppery crunch. Roasted, these will lose their peppery-ness and be nothing but sweet.
Butternut Squash- Fresh out of the field, these won’t store all winter, but they will keep for a week or two at room temp with no trouble. Butternut has a rich sweet flavor, the rind is typically soft enough to be eaten if they are roasted thoroughly-though most people will still peel them. They can be peeled with a wish-bone type veggie peeler or just halve them lengthwise, scoop the seeds and cut into chunks (rind on or off) then roast, stem, or sautee. Seeds can be saved and toasted too!
Tomatoes– These are the very last tomatoes of the season! IDo what you like, but leave a lasting memory, because that’s all folks!
Sweet Peppers– Fresh peppers are such a treat, and these are about as fresh as they get. But they do keep well in the fridge, and roasted peppers are great too! Can’t use them this week? Try roasting them while you bake anything else then slip the core out and freeze them whole in a bag for winter use. Great in sauces and blended soups, when thawed. Try them in the recipe of the week!
Broccoli Raab- Don’t be fooled, this braising green (a leafy vegetable that is best suited for cooking) is so good it can be chopped up and added to a salad, or just a quick sautee or steaming as a side or in eggs, soups, or anywhere else you might use spinach.
Garlic- Sweet when roasted, strong and savory when raw. Stores well on the counter and compliments almost any dish. A crucial part of excellent kimchi, check out this weeks recipe!
Basil- This basil is dirty and gritty! Sorry, there was a poorly timed rain shower yesterday. If we washed it, it wouldn’t keep as well so we just send it out like it comes. Please wash it before use, for best results. Basil is best fresh or as pesto. Add just before serving, for best flavor.
Perfect way to use up most any veggie that is piling up in the fridge!
Kimchi is a staple of the Korean diet that is meeting wide acclaim here as of late. It is lacto-fermented which means it is naturally pickled and contains live bacteria which have been found to be very beneficial to healthy gut function and digestion.
A large spoonful of kimchi served alongside eggs, noodle dishes, rice dishes, or topping a burger/bratwurst is a lovely addition to any meal. Also great in brothy soups!
Kimchi can be an acquired taste, and is very similar (in all regards) to sauerkraut. It is a fresh saurkraut’s colorful foreign (potentially spicy) cousin.
The recipe is more of a general preparation guideline than a hard-fast rule. Also, many generations of Koreans will likely be rolling over in their graves if you read this aloud.
You will need:
-A large crock, or glass jars sufficient to accommodate the full bulk of the prepared veggies.
-A plate or weight to fit snugly inside the crock, or canning jar lids (which work surprisingly well) in the case of the jars. Just don’t tighten them all the way!
-Sharp knife or shredder attachment for a food processor.
-Fresh Ginger
-Lots of salt
-Fish sauce Squid is a good brand
-A variety of veggies including (but not limited to): Napa Cabbage, Carrots, Radishes, Turnips, Kohlrabi, Bok Choy, Onions/Leeks, Garlic, Beets, sweet or hot peppers, kohlrabi, kale, regular cabbage, and more. (Do not add potatoes or tomatoes. I don’t know why, but several recipes warn about this.)
1. Start with Napa Cabbage. Chop this thinly or coarsely across the grain (depending on the end texture you desire) and rub vigorously with salt in a large vessel. Pour cold water over the mixture and let set as long as it takes to prepare the rest.
2. Shred or thinly slice the rest of the ingredients (aside from hot peppers, garlic, and fish sauce). Toss with a little salt and allow to rest and soak in their own juices.
3. Mix fish sauce (approx 1/8 cup per Gallon of veggies), garlic (as much as you can handle), and hot peppers (if you don’t like heat at all, at least use paprika for flavor and color. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour water off of cabbage and rinse.
5. Mix with the rest of the veggies and sauce in a large bowl.
6. Massage together until everything is well coated.
7. Pack tightly into jars or crock, really tight, punch it down with your fist to mash the salt in and break down cell walls.
8. If the veggies are not underwater in their own juices, pour water mixed with salt in(1Tbsp salt/1cup water–enough to cover.
9. Put lids on canning jars (not too tight!), or plate weight in crock. The idea is to keep the veggies from contact with the air.
10. Place the containers in a cool place away from direct sunlight where you will check on them often. Cover with a towel or cloth so that fruit flies don’t get in.
11. The idea is to allow the mixture to ferment without rotting. Off-smells and flavors are par for the course. Much bubbling and stinking is the norm. After a week or so, transfer to jars and place in the fridge. Basically, the longer you wait, the better it will get. Keep it covered by liquid and scoop it out as you need it. If it lifts itself out of the liquid, it can get discolored. Just scoop that part off and discard.
*note from Stacey- “Tell them, it is okay right away and then gets a little stinky and weird and then gets REALLY yummy. Don’t give up on in too soon!”