CSA Week 15
Looks like the interesting greens continue this week. Look out for Bekana, a loose leaf Chinese cabbage, though I don’t know how that works because it seems to be more of a Japanese thing. This week looks like: apples (Cortland or Empire), peaches, tomatoes (may need to let them sit out for a day or two), broccoleaves, eggplant? cherrybelle radishes? kale? French Fingerling potatoes? I’m a little confused because it seems like some of the CSA packers went rogue mid week and now I cannot be sure who got what. Oh if only all the world’s problems were so small. LOL
The Bekana group are also sometimes referred to as Vitamin Green and are super tender so can be enjoyed raw (use it as a wrap!) or with little cooking. As with other Chinese cabbages, this family is a powerhouse with loads of A, C, K, and folate.
Broccoleaves? Yeah, that’s a thing…some of us have insisted their are among the best of the cole crop greens (@Genevieve @Joanne). Shredded in slaw, make cream of broccoli soup, sauté and drizzle with some lemony butter….
Whaaat? Peaches still? I mean really?
For those who were asking…This is week 15 for everyone except for Sunday peeps. The last pick ups of the regular CSA season are:
Friday, your last day will be October 1.
Saturday, your last day will be October 2.
Sunday, your last day will be October 10.
Monday, your last day will be October 4.
Tuesday, your last day will be October 5.
Wednesday, your last day will be October 6.
Thursday, your last day will be October 7.
At least one more week for most of you :)…Sunday people this is only week 15. :^0 UNLESS, OF COURSE, you signed up for the 2 week extension 
Recipes
Bekana Wraps
- 1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz)
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (6 oz)
- 1 head Tokyo Bekana, bottom trimmed, shredded
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 4 carrots, peeled and grated
- 10 leaves basil, cut into fine slivers
- 10 leaves mint, cut into fine slivers
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp finely grated ginger
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seed oil
- 10 rice paper wrappers
- Peanut sauce or ponzu sauce for dipping
In a medium saucepan, pour coconut milk over chicken and bring to a simmer. Poach chicken until it is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Allow chicken to cool in poaching liquid. Remove chicken and shred. Discard poaching liquid.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, shredded Tokyo bekana, scallions, carrots, basil and mint.
In a small bowl, combine vinegar, olive oil, soy sauce, ginger, honey, and sesame oil. Pour over vegetables and chicken. Cover and refrigerate one hour.
When ready to serve, lay bekana outer leaves on work surface. Divide filling between the leaves and roll each leaf into a bundle.
Fill a pie plate with cold water. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water and let it soak until it just becomes pliable. Lay rice paper wrapper on work surface and lay vegetable bundle in the center. Wrap up burrito style and set aside. Continue with remaining wrappers and vegetable bundles. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce such as peanut sauce or ponzu. Makes: 10 (from the Atlantic-Journal Constitution)
Farm Dirt
I am recapping a sentiment about storing potatoes right now as it remains relevant: be sure to store you taters in the dark, and not in a plastic bag that will keep too much moisture on them. These are hyper fresh and hand dug, they have not been “cured” so the moisture content is very high and they cook very fast. They are just extra amazing when they are so new!
Gosh the Barn Swallows left ages ago and I never mentioned it, but I was thinking about them as I watch the barn fill up with bins of winter squash. Yes, the harvest or storage crops is coming in and it is nice to watch the bins stack up with squashes that should carry us through the winter and into the Spring CSA. Apples too! Select varieties get set aside and put into the really cold storage (not freezing) and will keep us in apples into the Spring and early June. Did you know the average age of the supermarket apple is a year old? Did you know most of the antioxidants in apples are found in the skin? I’m not going anywhere with that, other that the is the best time to eat local apples – skin and all! I am sure even our apples have lost some of their nutritional magic by may or June, but they still are likely fresher than those in the super and we know where and how they were grown 😉
The weather has turned cooler here and the rain seems less tropical and maybe a little scary and threatening. We are still hard at it and need many more great days in September and October to harvest AND sell at farmers’ markets. The leaves are turning, particularly the Swamp Maples and such. I guess the peak will be in 3 weeks, as usual. Stay tuned for gleaning…which HOPEFULLY will be at the end of October and not sooner:)
I saw an Eagle today!
Eat well,
Geneviève Stillman
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 14 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 🙂