There is a time for everything...

I remember last years post like it was just the other day.  It's always bittersweet as the gardens wind down and Fall begins it's daily appearance.  After this Summer I think we are actually glad to have a break in the work and just enjoy life a little.  So, without waxing too poetically about the end of the CSA this year, let's ask the same question we have asked for the last 18 weeks one more time for good measure...  Hey, what's in the box?

The final harvested share of 2011 in the CSA 

Tomatoes- savor these red globes holding the last taste of summer. We didn't get a frost yet but it's been mentioned so these really are at their end.
Swiss chard - enjoy now or freeze for later- you'll miss the fresh swiss chard when it's cold and snowy (but it is planted in our greenhouse)
Another delicata squash - be sure to give this delicious squash a try- Wegman's and epicurious have great recipes.
Butternut squash- there are endless recipes for using your butternut squash but using it for soup is a favorite.  These squashes store for a long time so don't worry about using them right away. Save it for a holiday dish and brag to the family - "this is from MY farm!"
Edamame - one more container of edamame.  This is a different variety compared to last week- can you taste a difference?  We don't do anything fancy with out edamame - steam or boil  - add salt and shell and eat right at the table!  That's how it's served at our favorite asian restaurants when we order edamame (not that we really have favorite asian restaurants...  that just sounded cool).
Beets- one last bunch of beets for the season - you'll see there is a mix of bull's blood beets with the dark leaves and detroit red beets with the greenish leaves.
Small bunch of celery- celery doesn't grow as well around here because the growing season isn't as long but you'll see it's just kind of small.  What these little guys lack in size they make up for with taste!  It is time for making soups and stews so we're sure you'll put it to good use.
Banana pepper- these are hot but delicious. We love them on homemade pizza or in quesadillas.
Lettuce - a final head of late-planted lettuce for the year.  This is a golden, lime green colored lettuce that is freshly-picked and yummy... and we forgot the variety so we used lots of adjectives to throw you off.
Carrots!  They were just picked so use a vegetable brush to clean off the soil and then store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.  There is an array of carrot varieties and colors in your bunch of carrots - small and large orange carrots, yellow carrots and purple carrots!

Ohh, there's one more thing in the box...  a note from the farm to you...  Thanks.

And that's it folks.  The end of the 2011 Chicken Thistle Farm CSA!

Second to last CSA share for 2011

As the boxes got assembled this week, we couldn't help but note how much they "look like Fall". It's kind of bittersweet to see the growing season coming to an end - it was the craziest, busiest growing season we've ever experienced but there is still such a reward in harvesting what you've grown each week. Now that we've evaluated the state of the garden, we can confirm that NEXT week is the last week of shares.

Second to last share

So let's see what's in the second last box of the season:

1. Tomatoes - yes - more...  mmm...  savor them before they are gone for another year!
2. Kale - it's the time for soups - add some kale to sneak extra vitamins in to your favorite soup
3. Edamame- edible soybeans are really good and these guys are at their peak right now. Boil for 5 minutes, add salt and pinch the soybeans into your mouth (throwing away the pods). You can also remove the beans from the pod after boiling and use in some of the recipes you find online.  Here's our simple version.
4. Green and purple beans- we planted a second planting of beans mid-summer so that we could enjoy them now- so enjoy! Eat fresh, cooked or blanch and freeze them to enjoy later.
5. Delicata squash- These are the long, striped squash in the box. We started growing this variety last year after seeing them featured a lot at Wegmans. Check out Wegmans website for some great recipe ideas. Andy does not like winter squash - but DOES like this variety a lot!
6. Sunshine Kabocha- This is the orange, pumpkin-looking squash in the box. This is our first year growing this variety and we haven't tried it yet ourselves. However, it won several best flavor awards last year, so see what you think. It can be prepared like an acorn squash or you can scoop out the flesh and cube it to use in a recipe.
7. Yellow onion - one more onion from the garden this year!
8. Drying beans - That container of odd looking, dried pods is not a mistake. Open the pods to find some of the black beans and kidney beans we grew this year. Remove them from the pod and let them dry flat for a few days before storing in a container until needed. Make a mixed-bean chili or taco soup.
9. Colored sweet peppers- orange and red peppers have been ripening this week. Check to see what color you received.
10. More parlsey - we have lots of parsley right now- so we're sharing it with you- enjoy!

Is if Fall?

This Labor Day Weekend was a classic switch from Summer to Fall.  It's very clear that the gardens are winding down and there's only a few more CSA shares to be delivered this season.  It's a great time of year for working in the garden and we are rotating some of the pigs into one of the gardens this week.  The change of seasons also opens the door to using your share for some of your favorite fall recipes! So here's what's in the box:

The season is slowing (really)

-Tomatoes- some cherry and a mix of regular tomatoes.  There are some large ones this week- make a big BLT sandwich for the kids to bring to school for lunch!
-Onions- a mix of red and white onions
-Garlic- another NY white garlic
-Sweet peppers- a mix of orange, green and red peppers.  Be sure not to mix these sweet red peppers up with the hot red peppinos from last week.
-Cucumber- did we mention before that it has been a good year for cucumbers?!
-Leeks-start your search for a leek recipe at this link http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/fruits-and-vegetables/vegetables-a-m/leeks/main.aspx or simply use leeks in place of onions in your favorite soup recipe
-Swiss chard (variety is called Bright Lights)  As we head into September, this Swiss chard has the colors of fall!
-Collard greens- just a small bunch to sample since many people have never tried collard greens.  Check out this recipe (you'll have to scale it down given your small sample). http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Collard-Greens-with-Red-Onions-and-Bacon-13471
-Turnip- some people don't like turnip roasted by itself- try it in a recipe that blends the flavor- like a cheesy casserole or in beef stew

A share you don't WANT to share!

Why would I say you don't want to share this share?  Well, mainly because all the weather extremes of this season that we have been able to manage are finally weighing in on the gardens.  In reality many of the plants look like they are in mid-September, slowing down like they normally would.  We are guessing it's because they "rushed" to produce with the extremes (plants do that) and now are spent.  What that really translates to is an encouragement to enjoy this share and the next because that may conclude the CSA for this year...  well...  sorta ;)



So - what's in the box?

-Tomatoes - cherry tomatoes and a mix of standard tomatoes

-Cabbage- The weather conditions each year dictate what does well and what doesn't.  It's been a great year for cabbage...so here's another head of cabbage.  Have you tried creamy cole slaw or the fresh slaw recipe we posted?  Both are great options for Labor Day parties.  You might also try this cabbage tomato pasta toss recipe.  We've served it hot and also cold as a side dish - another Labor Day party option.  Looking for other cabbage options?  Check this out.

-Summer Squash- you'll either see zucchini or yellow squash in the box.  This looks to be the last of it for this year so enjoy!  Did you know you can make zucchini bread and freeze it?! (Or zucchini-blueberry muffins that you bring to the farm to share - mmmm)

-Tuscan kale - this type of kale is commonly used to make kale chips.  Try out the recipe!

-Beets- It's also been a great year for beet.  This variety is called bull's blood - notice the dark burgundy leaves.  They are supposed to be excellent as sauteed greens.  And thanks to CSA member Kelly for sharing the beet hummus recipe below.  We're going to try it out this week too!

-Onions - You have two different onions this week- a milder white onion and a more onion-y yellow onion.

-Garlic- This is the fourth of the 4 varieties we grew this year.  This is a smaller type of garlic called NY white.  It is small but very flavorful - a very mild garlic flavor per clove!  This is a "softneck" variety and is best when you cut the tops off each  clove and roast in the oven with a little olive oil on it.  Then squeeze the roasted cloves out onto a slice of bread.

-Hot peppers- This week you have a container of three types of hot peppers.  You'll see several green jalapenos, a yellow hot banana pepper and a hot red peppino.  The peppino is quite hot so it is best used in a large pot of chili or soup.   The jalapenos are not as hot as some people think, particularly if you remove the seeds.  They are a great addition to nachos, corn bread, and even mac and cheese.  You could even pickle them!

-Parsley - Flat italian parsley is a great addition to so many soups, stews and sauces and there's no need to buy it fresh in the winter.  Chop it, add it to ice cube tray, cover with water and freeze. Once frozen, store the cubes in a freezer bag or old yogurt container.  Pull out a cube of parsley to add to anything you make all winter!

------------------------

Beet Hummus Recipe (Thanks CSA member, Kelly)

1/2 pound beets (about 4 medium ) cooked, peeled, cubed

2 Tbsp tahini sesame seed paste

5 Tbsp lemon juice

1 small clove garlic, chopped

1Tbsp ground cumin

1Tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx 2 lemons)

Generous pinch of sea salt

Pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust ingredients and seasonings as desired. Makes two cups.

(More than) 7 (veggies in week) 11

It's been 11 weeks of the CSA so far and to celebrate week 11 we have... vegetables! (ok - that means EVER week is a celebration)  At any rate, things are starting to slow down in the garden and the nights are feeling a little like fall...  so enjoy!

Week 11 - mmmmm

What's in the 11 week old box?
Garlic- another variety we really like - this one is called German hardneck
Onions- there are two varieties of onions- mild white (Superstar) and red onions (um, red)
Peppers- you'll see an assortment of sweet green and colored peppers (red or orange) and also darker green ancho (have you made the poblano corn bread with one yet?! - or even better add it to some homemade mac and cheese!
Summer squash- you may find zucchini, or yellow squash or a combination!
Eggplant- these are a mild asian-style eggplant.  Try this eggplant parmesan recipe.
Red cabbage- one small head of red cabbage is included.  Try making pickled cabbage or a red cabbage salad- you'll find lots of recipes online.
Swiss chard- sauté it with some of your garlic
Tomatoes- you'll find quite a few tomatoes this week.  Try making stuffed peppers with fresh tomato sauce or just make some fresh sauce and freeze it for later.  You'll find a larger heirloom or two in there this week too (Brandywine or Cherokee Purple).
Cucumber- try making some pickles!
Edamame- this is one of our favorites from the garden.  You can steam or boil the pods for several minutes, sprinkle with salt and then squeeze the pods to enjoy the tender soybeans inside.  Check out this link to learn more: http://japanesefood.about.com/od/bean/r/edamame.htm