Winter Week #3. 2025-26
Fennel
Celeriac or celery
Radicchio
Escarole
Arugula
Winter squash
Onions
Cilantro, dill or parsley
Kale or collards or chard
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Daikon
These weeks have been trying. Our dear friend Victor was entrapped by ICE , spent days in detentions and then transported by bus without communication for several days to El Paso and then sent across the border.His family remains here torn apart and left to pick up the pieces. He had been here for over 25 years. We will never get to taste his delicious tacos or smile with his infectious laugh unless we travel to Mexico. There are reminders of him on every inch of our farm.
The damage this administration has done and continues to perpetrate feels endless. Every day I sit with patients terrified to leave their homes. The fear is palpable and again it is the children who will be scared. People go without their medications. They make daily decisions on how to spend their last dollars and whether living here in hiding is worth it. Food access remains a real issue. People have appreciated the food boxes subscribers from La Finquita have brought in. Some of you have reached out to your communities and amplified our gifts. We have given out over 60 boxes of food ! I am hoping we can keep up the momentum and provide boxes over the next month. Our staff continues to find people in need and is managing to keep up with the deliveries. I am starting a new plan with a patient of mine who supervises many people. She will transport any food we can’t distribute to her workers. So bring it on and share with your neighbors this way we are bringing food from one family to the next. (see flyer in your email). I am also trying to come up with some way to get craft and activity bags to kids. So many kids miss going out to the park, markets and other activities as parents make decisions to stay home. I am open to ideas and would love for someone to pick this up and I can get it distributed.
It is the giving season. I am sure many of you follow the Give!guide. Our farm participates in the Pacific Northwest Coalition of CSA farmers. This organization helps support our work and makes a real difference in food justice and access. As CSA farmers, we want to share why PNWCSA matters so much to farms like mine and why we’re asking you to support their giving season campaign.
PNWCSA is the nonprofit that makes it possible for us to offer CSA shares to families using SNAP without taking on a mountain of paperwork. They manage the SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks process so we can focus on growing food. They also help connect new members to our farms through the CSA Share Fair and the Find-a-Farm Map, and they maintain a strong farmer network where we learn from each other and get the support we need to keep going.
Demand for CSA with SNAP and DUFB is growing faster every year, and PNWCSA needs community support to make sure families aren’t turned away.
If you believe in accessible, local food and want small farms to thrive, please consider giving:
Nourish families. Support farmers. Strengthen communities.
Donate here →www.pnwcsa.org/2025givingseason
On Sunday I will head into the health care protest in front of the ICE detention center. It is from 1-2:30 and I encourage anyone so inclined to join. Following that Juve and I will attend the “Sagra di Radicchio” https://ecotrust.org/event/sagra-del-radicchio-2025/ one of our favorite events that brings together farmers, chefs and radicchio lovers from all over the region to celebrate and taste all things radicchio.
On these dark mornings I am busy in my ceramics studio zoning out and creating new items from sugar pots to creamers to butter bells and more. I will have a new batch fired by the next harvest just in time for the holiday giving season. I have what remains from my last batch pulled out on 11/20 on display in the barn, there are still some beauties to be purchased.
Lastly, Juve did an amazing job clearing greenhouse #2 of all the tomatoes and peppers. I seeded turnips and radishes, hopefully you will enjoy them in February or March. We have not been able to get our most productive greenhouse covered after the wind tore off the plastic. The wind and weather makes it so hard, fingers crossed we get it done before Juve heads down to harvest coffee in Honduras in early January.
Next harvest: December 21, food boxes will be distributed to needy families the week of 12/22!
Fennel, radish, apple salad
Ingredients
1 small shallot, very thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. apple cider or white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
3 fennel bulbs (1 to 1 1/2 lb.), ends trimmed, halved, cored, and very thinly sliced
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, halved, cored, and very thinly sliced
3 to 4 radishes, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
1/2 pomegranate seeds
In a small bowl, combine shallot, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until ready to use.
Step 2
In a mortar and pestle, gently crush fennel seeds and 1/2 teaspoon salt until seeds start to break and are fragrant.
Step 3
In a large bowl, whisk oil, lemon zest and juice, and fennel salt. Add fennel, apple, radishes, and pickled shallots (discard vinegar) and toss to combine; season with salt. Top with walnuts and pomegranate seeds.
Broccoli salad
Ingredients
Kosher salt
3 heads broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Step 1
In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil; generously season with salt. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
Step 2
Cook broccoli until fork-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl of ice water. Let cool, then drain.
Step 3
Transfer broccoli to a large bowl. Add carrots, onion, bacon, cranberries, and almonds.
Step 4
In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over broccoli salad and stir to combine.
Winter Rainbow Panzanella Salad
Ingredients
8 oz. French bread (about half a loaf) cut into 1" pieces (about 5 c.)
12 oz. cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (2 oz.)
8 oz. small fresh mozzarella balls (ciliegine or bocconcini)
2 cups packed baby arugula
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread, tomatoes, onion, and garlic with 6 tablespoons oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and several grinds black pepper. Shake the sheet to arrange everything in an even layer. Bake, shaking the sheet halfway through, until bread begins to turn golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2
Scatter the Parmesan evenly over everything and continue to bake until tomatoes burst and bread is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes longer.
Step 3
Remove the sheet from the oven and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Add mozzarella, arugula, and basil to the sheet pan. Drizzle with vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons oil, season with ½ teaspoon salt and toss to combine, scraping up any melted bits from the sheet. Serve hot.
New Year’s Day Soup with Black-Eyed Peas
Ingredients
2 leeks, trimmed, halved, and sliced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ 32-oz. containers low-sodium vegetable broth (6 cups)
4 cups chopped stemmed collard greens
2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
In a large pot cook leeks, celery, carrots, and garlic over medium 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking. Add the next seven ingredients (through crushed red pepper, if using). Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.
Season to taste with red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with parsley.