Winter Share Week 1
We went straight from the 80 degree weather of October to what seems like deep winter temps for the beginning of November. It was a little shocking to our fingers and toes but we’ve been hard at work getting the root cellar filled for the winter share and all the fields cleaned up before the deep freeze. Farming doesn’t stop in the winter though, we have lots of repairs and maintainence to catch up on, paperwork and accounting to do and a ton of planning for the coming season. We are, however, able to enjoy a few more hours by the fire and a few more dinners with friends than in the busy days of peak season. Winter is certainly a more restful time. We love living the seasonal life and we love being able to provide seasonal eating for our community in the winter time.
We hope you enjoy the winter share. It will be filled with sweet root veggies and greens from our greenhouses. Eating in the winter requires a bit more washing, peeling and chopping than those easy, straight-from-the-field summer veggies, but soups and stews from frost sweetened roots is just the best thing to eat in the dead of winter. We know you’ll love it.
Scenes from the farm: Breezy and the giant gunma cabbage, the Judy’s kale house, field kale at sunset, the crew covering veggies before the freeze, kale all tucked in for a cold night, Duma supervising evening chores.
In the Share:
1 bunch kale
Choice of 2 bags greens (arugula, specialty greens, salad mix)
1 bag spinach
1 head napa cabbage
1 head fennel
2 butternut squash
4 onions
3 sweet peppers
3 pounds free choice root veggies: beets, carrots, kohlrabi, purple top turnips, hakurei turnips, watermelon radishes, potatoes, daikon
Recipe of the week:
WARM AUTUMN SLAW
cabbage preparation adapted from Ina Garten on Foodnetwork.com
Prep Time:30 minutes
Bake time:50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 slices bacon
1 large shallot, diced
1 small head green or napa cabbage, outer leaves removed, if damaged
1 heaping cup croutons
roasted squash seeds
salt and pepper
Dressing:
1 heaping teaspoon honey dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and fibers, reserving the seeds. Brush the squash flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place skin side up on a baking sheet. Rinse the seeds to remove pulp and fiber. Pat dry and, in a small bowl, coat with a small amount of olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread out the seeds on the baking sheet alongside the squash and place in oven. Check the seeds after about 20 minutes. They should be golden brown. Remove the seeds when ready, and return the squash to the oven for another 10 minutes. The squash is done when a knife easily pierces the skin. Remove from oven and allow to cool until they can be handled.
3. Meanwhile, warm a large saute pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from pan and allow to cool and drain on a paper-towel lined plate. There should be between 1 and 2 tablespoons of bacon grease left in the pan. If less, add some olive oil.
4. Add the shallots and stir until they begin to soften. Add the cabbage and turn to coat well with the bacon grease. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Saute, stirring and turning frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove the skin from the squash, slice into cubes, and add to the cabbage, stirring briefly to reheat the squash. Turn heat to low.
6. Crumble the bacon over the slaw. Top with croutons and roasted squash seeds.
7. Drizzle some of the dressing over the slaw and mix gently to incorporate. Top with additional dressing to your liking.