Radicchio ?
Herb (basil or parsley or thyme)
Tomatoes (some green ones)
Cherry tomatoes
Hot peppers (see recipes below for hot sauce suggestions)
Green peppers
Green onions
Daikon radish
Cabbage (Chinese cabbage or “Murdock” or “Jetma”)
Celeriac
Broccoli or cauliflower
Chard or kale
Onions
Garlic
Well, this is our last week of the regular season. In many ways it has flown by. It is a relief, a celebration and a chance to regroup. We will turn our attention to planting perennials, fixing our patio near the pizza oven and planting garlic.
The winter share begins next week and we are full up with all the subscribers we can handle. The rain should help green up the farm and give those crops we have left in the field a boost. I will plant the garlic and turn my attention to evergreen wreaths and ceramics (fingers crossed).
We have chanterelles for sale from Kris. He is an amazing hunter of fungi. $8/ bag. Let me know if you need me to send some to a pick up site. Picked fresh today!
I previously sent out two documents. I will include them again in the weekly email. One is a survey you are welcome to complete if you have comments, suggestions or just want to say thanks. The second is a sign-up for the Thanksgiving share available for pick up on 11/22 or 11/23. The cost is $50. We always hope it will include Brussels Sprouts but this year looks grim with white flies and aphids laughing at our organic sprays. I need to circle back to integrated pest management as something was making a difference in past years. This is the worst year by far.
On that same document is a place to say “yes” to the 2027 season. Each year I encourage Juvencio to continue the CSA. One of these years will be our last. I hope for at least a few more years but you never know. We are in for 2027 at least. Sign-up and pay a deposit to secure your spot.
Thank you to all our members who have trusted us to grow your food. Eating fresh vegetables and some fruit is worth the effort. We love to nurture our small piece of borrowed land. We love to see the children who have been raised on this food. We love to see and hear how good the food tastes when grown organically and eaten fresh. Thank you to so many of you who have shown up to help us harvest. Luna has been vital to our Wednesday harvests adjusting her work schedule to fit the farm. I was not sure how I was going to manage Sunday harvests but Christine has stepped in to help with over half the harvests and that has been a life saver. As we look at 2027 we never know what will happen. We look forward to what life brings and just know most of it will work out.
I am trying this hot pepper sauce today! It requires a lot of peppers and I plan to pull plants and have them available in the barn. You need a variety so pull off some, about a pound!
Two recipes for fermented hot pepper sauce:
https://www.feastingathome.com/fermented-hot-sauce-simple-and-delicious/
Fermented hot pepper sauce
What you need:
Fermentation vessel, such as a glass jar.
Ferment weight and airlock lid (or all-in-one ferment lid)
Strainer
Blender
Bottles or jars, for storage
INGREDIENTS
1 lb peppers of choice, both hot chili peppers and some sweeter peppers recommended
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
1 whole small onion, or 1/2 medium to large onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp sea salt, pickling salt, or kosher salt (no table salt)
2 cups filtered water, to combine with salt for brine
INSTRUCTIONS
Wash and chop peppers and onions. Wear gloves is suggested. For a more mild hot sauce, core the peppers first to remove most of the seeds and white membrane.
In the bottom of a clean quart jar, add a small handful (1/4 cup loose) of fresh cilantro and 2-3 crushed cloves of garlic.
Next add the diced onion, and some peppers on top. Lightly press to compact and reduce air space as you go.
When the jar is halfway to 2/3 full, add the remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro and then continue filling the jar with peppers, until completely packed full (within top inch of the jar).
On the stovetop, combine 2 cups filtered water with 1 tbsp sea salt. Lightly heat until salt dissolves, but avoid over heating.
Allow brine to cool to room temperature or lukewarm, and then pour over the peppers in the jar until the jar is full and they are fully submerged. Tap and wiggle the jar to remove air pockets.
Cover with fermentation weight and airlock lid, to keep veggies submerged below the brine during fermentation.
Set the jar in a temperate location (68-73°F) to ferment for 7-14 days.
After 7-14 days, open the jar and pour the contents through a strainer that is positioned over a bowl to catch the liquid. KEEP the strained brine liquid.
Add all solid contents (peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro) to a blender. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lime juice, and 1/4 cup of the reserved brine liquid. Blend.
Assess the consistency of the fermented hot sauce. Continue to add reserved brine little by little, blending as you go, until the desired consistency of sauce is reached.
Store finished fermented hot sauce in an air-tight bottle or jar in the refrigerator. Shake before use. It should stay good for up to one year in the refrigerator (or longer).
More recipes to enjoy from Sue Kass (thanks Sue you are my recipe life saver!)
Roasted Broccoli with Beans and Crispy Bread Crumbs
2 broccoli heads, trimmed and cut lengthwise into big slices
½ cup plus 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small cubes
1 ½ teaspoons fine sea or table salt, plus more as needed
8 garlic cloves, 1 finely grated, 7 thinly sliced
⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
¼ cup coarsely chopped pistachios or other nuts, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon thyme leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth or water, plus more as needed
½ cup chopped fresh soft herbs, such as basil, parsley or cilantro, plus more for garnish
Lemon or lime wedges, for serving
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Brush broccoli slices with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the olive oil as needed to coat them, and arrange on 1 or 2 sheet pans. Sprinkle lightly with salt and dot with butter. Roast until well browned one side, 6 to 9 minutes, then flip the pieces and roast until brown on the other, another 6 to 9 minutes (12 to 18 minutes total).
Step 2
Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the grated garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the panko and pistachios, and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything is golden and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in a pinch of salt, the thyme and lemon zest, then scrape onto a plate to cool. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Step 3
Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel, then set it back over medium heat. Add the remaining ½ cup olive oil, red pepper and sliced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is pale gold at the edges (don’t let it get dark brown), 2 to 4 minutes.
Step 4
Add beans, vegetable broth and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until broth thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently stir in herbs and a squeeze of lemon, then taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.
Step 5
To serve, top beans with broccoli and crispy crumbs. Garnish with more herbs, chopped nuts and red pepper flakes, if you like.
Sheet Pan Ratatouille with fennel and chickpeas
Yield:4 servings
1 pound eggplant (smaller is better), peeled if you like, and cut into large chunks
¾ pound zucchini, cut into large chunks
1 pound Roma (plum) tomatoes, cored and chopped, or 1 28-ounce can, drained
1 onion, sliced
2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced
1 fennel bulb (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into large chunks
5 garlic cloves, halved
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Black pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil
3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, or ½ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine all ingredients except oil, chickpeas and herbs in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with oil and toss to combine.
Step 2
Transfer to oven and roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned and tender and some water has been released from the tomatoes to create a sauce, 30 to 40 minutes.
Step 3
Add chickpeas, stir and return to oven until beans heat through, 5 to 10 minutes. Add herbs and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
Winter Vegetable Curry
I play around with the veggies in this a lot—broccoli instead of cauliflower, carrots or sweet potatoes instead of parsnips, daikon radish—its surprisingly good
Yield:4 to 6 servings
3 tablespoons untoasted sesame oil or vegetable oil
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 2-inch piece of ginger, grated
6 small garlic cloves, minced
4 small hot red Asian chiles or Mexican chiles de árbol
1 large onion, diced, about 2 cups
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups delicata squash, unpeeled, in 1-inch slices, or butternut squash, peeled, in 1-inch cubes
1 cup parsnips, hard center core removed, in 1-inch slices or chunks
½ pound tiny potatoes, such as fingerlings, halved
2 cups small florets of cauliflower
1 cup cooked chickpeas, preferably home-cooked and the liquid reserved
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Steamed basmati rice (optional)
Step 1
Put oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium-high heat. When oil is wavy, add cumin seeds and coriander seeds and let sizzle for about 1 minute. Add turmeric, cayenne, ginger, garlic and chiles and stir to coat.
Step 2
Add onion and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly colored, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat. Add squash, parsnips and potatoes, salt lightly, then add 3 cups chickpea cooking liquid or water, or enough to just cover vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a brisk simmer. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender but firm, about 15 minutes.
Step 3
Add cauliflower and chickpeas and stir gently to combine. Cover and continue cooking 5 to 8 minutes more, until cauliflower is tender. Taste broth and adjust seasoning, then transfer to a wide, deep serving platter or bowl. Remove chiles and garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve with steamed basmati rice and apple raita, if desired.