CSA Week 12, 2021

CSA Week 12

This week you MAY have Paula Red or Molly Delicious (likely) apples, tomatoes OR pears, onion, lettuce OR leeks, peppers, eggplant, Acorn squash, potatoes, carrots?

The peaches have been amazing! What a gift 🙂

Molly Delicious are an heirloom apple variety, also known as Sheep’s nose. If you think you don’t like Delicious varieties of apples, just hang on a moment and try these. If calling them Sheep’s Nose makes it better, then go with it 😉 Oh, and just wait until the Golden Delicious!!! Once of the best apples on the farm!

Winter squash is making an appearance soon – most likely acorn. We love those smaller squashes for a quick side to dinner on these busy nights. Don’t get me wrong, butternut is awesome, but sometimes more vegetable than you want to face when time or energy is limited.

I hope some carrots will be in the bags—don’t forget they come in all sorts of colors. And, yes, they are roots 🙂 The oldest known carrots were white and even the purple, red and yellow varieties were used by the early Egyptians (cool right?). Orange carrots did not arrive on the scene until the 16th or 17th century. Most of the carrots available at market today were developed after 1950. Yes, white carrots look a lot lie parsnips, and they are both in the Apiaceae family, along with their friends celery, celeriac, parsley, anise, fennel, cilantro, lovage….

We know we have  not had tons of some things, and there have been a few weeks without corn now, BUT, we are pretty stoked about the amount of fruit that has been in the bags and all teh other awesomeness that is happening now! I know I had a few kind of depressed weeks writing the letter because things were not necessarily going the way we wanted in the fields and that is tough – especially when you are getting weary. Anyway, we are doing pretty well and looking forward to the main crop of potatoes (you already saw some exceptionally early ones), cole crops and winter squashes.

Two more weeks of CSA extension option!

Why not keep things rolling until Still Life Farm winter CSA begins!!! Add two more weeks to your 16!! (we are on week 12 this week) We are offering an extension to current CSA members of an additional two weeks for $60. That way you will have your winter squash, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, late season apples cabbage, and other fall crops. It’s simple, just complete your purchase for 2 more weeks and we will keep you on your existing list. These two weeks will blend seamlessly filling the gap between our Summer CSA and Still Life Farm’s Winter CSA.

Here are the bundle options (please note– you must purchase bundled options at SAME TIME to qualify for bundle discount):

Discounts will be applied to Stillman’s Farm “store credit” (think electronic Stillman’s Bucks!) for you to use at anywhere you can find us and for any product we sell (yes, for honey, sauce, pickles, plants, etc)

• 2 week CSA extension + Still Life Farm Winter CSA $365
• 2 week CSA extension + Spring CSA for $485 (with $30 store credit reward – it’s like getting 1 of the 2 weeks free)
• 2 week CSA extension + Summer CSA 2022 for $560 (with $60 store credit reward – it’s like getting the get the 2 extra weeks for free)
• 2 week CSA extension + Spring CSA + Summer CSA 2022 for $985 (with $85 store credit reward – it’s like getting 3 weeks free)
• 2 week CSA extension + Still Life Farm Winter CSA + Spring + Summer 2022 CSA for $1290 ($95 store credit reward!)

Just interested in the Winter CSA for now? Sign up here 

We will offer a Spring/Summer bundle deal in November, you won’t miss out 🙂

Woot!

Don’t want any more CSA bags this year and not ready to sign up for next year? No worries! We will still be offering our large discount (in the form of store credit) to returning members through November. The early sign up discount offer will go out to members later in October. Also, you can always sign up for Still Life farm Winter CSA or Stillman Quality Meats meat bucks whenever…we just wanted to offer a special deal for right now. The 2 week extension special bundle offers expires October 1st.

All the bundles are listed at the bottom and this year you can order your perfect bundle in one fell swoop 🙂

Vegetale al Forno

This is one that appears in the boxletter yearly, by request, and contributed by member Lisa. It is always yummy…even better when you think you have overcooked it. My tips: don’t undercook, also, I have been told if you omit the soy sauce, the wine and use low fat, unsalted cheese, it is not very flavorful. Surprise!

On the bottom of a nice sized baking/serving dish place a layer of thin-sliced eggplant, on top of that a layer of thin-sliced zucchini, then a layer of sliced (or canned whole) tomatoes.  Use plenty of vegetables.  Layer it twice if you have enough room in the pan.

Then take a cup of red wine, mix it with half a cup of melted butter, about four tablespoons of soy sauce, pepper, garlic, oregano and basil.  Pour it over the vegetables and top with a thick layer of grated swiss cheese.  Bake uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the dish.  The cheese should be crusty on top, and the liquid should bubble.

Member Aimee sent me this recipe a couple years ago, I like it! I don’t peel my fruit and often use peaches 🙂

Tomato & Nectarine Salad

(adapted from Boston Globe http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2015/08/18/recipe-for-lamb-spiedini-with-peach-tomato-and-mint-salad/Y2cdZ4ZU1QVu8fMXfu2fIJ/story.html)
2 T red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
3T olive oil
2 large tomatoes, seeds squeezed out, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped
3 nectarines, peeled, chopped
2 sprigs fresh basil, minced
In a salad bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, nectarines and basil.

Here’s an Asian inspired slaw from member Laura:

• 1 kohlrabi
• 1bunch carrots
• 1 bunch radishes
• 1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup Thai/Vietnamese fish sauce (aka nam pla or nuoc mam; available at Asian food markets etc.)
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar (ditto)
• juice of one small lime
• 3/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional if not using jalapeno)
• 8-10 leaves fresh mint, if available, or Thai basil, if available, sliced in ribbons

Peel kohlrabi and julienne (cut into thin matchsticks), along with the carrots, radishes, and jalapeno, if using.  (It helps to have mechanical help for the julienning, such as a wicked mandolin.)  The kohlrabi should slightly dominate the radishes and carrots.  Mix together the fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and red pepper flakes if using, pour over the vegetables, and toss till vegetables are thoroughly coated.  Marinate and chill for at least 1/2 hour or until dinner is ready, garnish with mint or Thai basil.

If you don’t like fish sauce (if you like pad Thai and other Thai food, then you probably do) you might substitute soy sauce.  In that case I’d omit the lime juice, sugar, peppers, and mint/basil, and instead add to the soy sauce and vinegar a couple of tablespoons of water and a tsp. or so grated fresh ginger, and sprinkle on a few drops of Chinese toasted sesame oil before serving.

From member Rachel…she got raves at the Open House pot luck for this:
Rachel’s kale salad recipe:
Lacitino kale works best, but any kind is fine

Take off the stem and slice into very thin ribbons. Toast 1/4 c of pine nuts (although I’ve done it with walnuts, sliced almonds or pecans), toss with olive oil and lemon juice. Add 1/4 c currants (although I’ve also used raisins and craisins) add Parmesan cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.

It actually gets better the next day.

Also check out:

Stuffed winter squash

While the farmer and I were discussing what might be in the bag this coming week, he got a call and went out to the barn. When he returned he had some sad news from good farmer friends of ours that their season had gone south so badly they had to suspend their CSA. We hated to hear this news and could see how miserable they were to have to make that decision. We, too, just made a very tough decision… due to a number of circumstances, we had to close our shop at the Worcester Public Market. It is beyond sad to pull out, and emotionally, we were/are not ready to give up, but financially, it was untenable to stay. The upside is our other markets we attend are doing well and we are plenty busy filling CSA bags with good produce and looking forward (praying) for a great Fall harvest. AND YES! It can stop raining buckets anytime now. Another 5-7″ fell last night (Wednesday to Thursday) from Ida, so we are sure to be busting seasonal rainfall records for 2021. We all hope all of you fared alright and are safe.

There was a decent showing of Nighthawks last week as they migrated for the season – we saw quite a few ahead of the first hurricane that blew through. It is a ritual to sit out and watch for them the last week of August. It seems like salsa making and canning tomatoes coincides with Nighthawks and back to school. School started, so I gotta get BUSY real soon to take advantage of the fantastic tomatoes we are harvesting right now. I did get a few things put by last week, but not what I would like to have accomplished.

This is the time of year I reflect upon the wisdom of a dear friend. Stephanie, who lives just down the hill from us, is 95, served in WW II, met her husband of New Braintree while he also served. I cannot begin to tell her story, and if there was a woman or young woman looking for a pinnacle of strength to emulate, she’s it. When “putting by” season is upon me, I ALWAYS think of a couple stories that she shared with me about her mother-in-law. I will share one here that all my long-timers will recognize:

Oh to complain about providing for the family! Think how easy we have it now with our food processors, electric or gas stoves, and freezers. There are things I choose to freeze because they taste better and it is easier than canning. Every year I think of my dear friend Stephanie and a story she told me about her Mother-in-law: It seems her Father-in-Law returned from market with 10 baskets of peaches that were dead ripe…meaning the next day they would be spoiling. It was late in the day, but after supper, Mother started in on them. Stephanie, being large with child, went off to bed. In the morning, she woke to find all the peaches had been put up…it must have taken all night, and that was with a wood cookstove in August! I figure it would have been 150-200 quarts. Stephanie later told me she counted 2500 quart jars (of everything that had been put by) in the cellar that year. Plus I bet there were crocks of meat and kraut. A tremendous achievement for anyone keeping the house and pantries stocked! What work ethic!

We still have tomatoes for canning if you need them 🙂

Eat well,

Geneviève Stillman