Welcome to week 19 of the P&C CSA!

Here’s what’s in the box:

• Leeks
• 2 Heads of Garlic
• Lacinato Kale – check out the kale recipes listed below and don’t forget about kale chips!
  
• Kohlrabi
• Red Potatoes
• Delicata Squash
• Sweet Peppers – the long skinny red peppers look hot, but they’re not!  They’re lovely sweet Jimmy Nardellos!
  
• Lettuce
• Sweet Corn – this is corn from the new farm, not certified organic, but sweet and tasty
  

We’re counting down the remaining weeks of the season.  It’s the time of year where the field is emptying, the harvest is fully upon us, and all of our efforts throughout this past year are coming to fruition.  As we plan for the remaining 6 weeks of shares we’re confronted with the reality of what’s available.  The spring and summer offer planting weather but now that we’re well into the fall, we’re only thinking about planting the last of our over-wintering crops including garlic and some onions.  The next 6 weeks of shares will be stocked with vegetables that are already well established in the field or currently curing in our greenhouse or barn space.

As the rain set in, there is less we can do in the field and even less we can do to help the current veggies along.  Our attention has been turning to the new farm in Lebanon where we’ve been focused on next spring’s crops and keeping them weeded.  The direct sown fava beans are already making an appearance and the transplanted broccoli and kale are generally looking happy.  We feel good about spending time in this new space, becoming familiar with the new soil type, cleaning up debris left behind by past owners, and working to make the greenhouses useable again.  We’re off now to straighten up the smaller greenhouse and get it covered before the winter rains set in for good.

Enjoy the veggies this week!

Your farmers,

Jeff Bramlett and Carri Heisler

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CSA Survey Reminder

Thanks to everyone who has turned in the CSA survey!  We’ve appreciated the feedback.  If you haven’t gotten to it, feel free to grab a copy next week at the pick-up.  Thanks!

Reminder: CSA Open House & Pumpkin Patch Event

We’ll be hosting an open house and pumpkin patch event at the farm on Sunday October 17^th from 3pm to 5pm.  We promise farm tours, tasty snacks, and pumpkins of all sizes and colors!  We hope you’ll mark your calendar and plan to come out to tour the field and choose a pumpkin!

As a side note, there is a large farm down the road from us that offers the traditional ‘pumpkin patch’ experience including hay rides, a pumpkin cannon, corn maze etc.  Stop by to see us and check in on your vegetables in the field, than take the kids to the big pumpkin patch to round out the trip.  Here’s a link to their website: http://www.heiserfarms.com/index.html.

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Recipe inspiration for this week’s vegetables:

Previously posted kale recipes:

Tuscan Kale Chips

Late Summer Lasagna

Kale and Potato Tarragon Salad

Mixed Greens Frittata

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Kohlrabi & Potato Gratin

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
2 cups half-and-half
2 medium potatoes, peeled
1 to 2 kohlrabi, peeled
1 cup grated Gruyere or extra sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a baking dish. Crush the garlic clove into a fine paste with the side of a knife and combine it in a saucepan with the milk and cream. Slice potatoes into 3/16-inch thick rounds. Cut kohlrabi in half and then slice into rounds of the same thickness as the potatoes.

Bring the cream mixture to a simmer. Place potato and kohlrabi slices in alternating layers in the baking dish, sprinkling each layer with some of the cheese, the milk and cream mixture, salt, pepper and nutmeg. There should be two layers of potatoes and two layers of kohlrabi. Reserve ¼ of the cheese to sprinkle over the top.

Bake for 1 hour or more, until the top is golden brown and the vegetables are easily penetrated with a paring knife.

Serves 6 to 8.

From Green Earth Institute, http://www.greenearthinstitute.org/recipes/kohlrabi/kohlrabi_potato_gratin.html

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Squash Ravioli

~ Vegetable oil, for roasting 2 medium autumn squash, such as acorn, butternut, delicata, or even pumpkin (about 4 cups roasted squash flesh total)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. dried thyme (optional)
~ Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten in a small bowl
1 package wonton wrappers (about 50 wrappers)
~ Flour for dusting
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter
1 large handful fresh young sage leaves
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock

1. Roast the squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put a little vegetable oil on a baking sheet. Halve the squash and discard the seeds. Place the halves cut side down on the oiled sheet and bake for 45 minutes to 1½ hours, depending on squash size (and whether you could halve them), until flesh is soft and slightly caramelized. If you’re making the dish over two nights, let the squash cool, then remove the flesh and store in the fridge overnight.
2. Make the filling: Put the cooled flesh in a large bowl and crush it (with your fingers or a fork) until there are no large lumps remaining. Sprinkle the ½ cup grated cheese, nutmeg, thyme (if using), salt, and pepper over the squash and mix it all together evenly.
3. Assemble the ravioli: Lightly dust two baking sheets with flour. Place a single wonton wrapper on a wooden cutting board and dollop about 2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Using a pastry brush, brush a bit of the egg wash along the four edges of the wrapper around the filling. Place another wrapper over the first and carefully seal the edges, making sure no air pockets remain. (If you like, use a glass or a cookie cutter to cut the edges off the ravioli so that you have circular ravioli instead of square ones.) Place the finished raviolo on the flour-dusted baking sheet. Repeat until all the wonton wrappers are gone; you should have about 2 cups of filling left over (see Note).
4. Cook the ravioli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli in batches, about 6 to 8 at a time; they will float when done, about 3 to 5 minutes total. Scoop the ravioli out of water with a skimmer and drain them briefly on a clean dishtowel, then layer them with a little olive oil drizzled in between the layers.
5. Make the sauce: While the ravioli are cooking, melt the butter in a pan over medium to medium-low heat until the butter starts to brown. Add the sage leaves and cook for a few minutes (don’t let the butter burn!) and then add the stock. Simmer the sauce to reduce it while the ravioli finish cooking.
6. Since the ravioli are big and will be covered in a rich butter sauce, don’t serve more than a few ravioli per person. Place 3 to 5 ravioli on a plate and pour some of the butter-sage sauce over them. Pass the remaining grated cheese at the table.

From Culinate via Caroline Cummins, http://www.culinate.com/recipes/collections/Culinate+Kitchen/Vegetarian+Main+Dishes/squash_ravioli

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Leek and Delicata Squash Soup with Caramelized Apple Croutons

Croutons

	1	tart green apple
	¼	cup light brown sugar

Soup

	2½	lb. Delicata squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
	2½	Tbsp. unsalted butter
	2	large leeks, white and tender green parts, chopped
	½	tsp. dried thyme
	2½	cups vegetable broth or “no chicken” chicken broth
	¾	tsp. salt
	½	tsp. freshly ground pepper
	~	Sour cream, for garnish

1. Make the croutons: Peel and core the apple and halve it lengthwise. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut the apple into very thin slices.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread one layer of apple slices on top. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
3. Bake slices for 20 minutes at 350 degrees until crisp. Transfer to cooling racks and let cool completely.
4. Make the soup: Leave the oven at 350 degrees. Place the squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly and gently scrape or cut the flesh away from the skin (Delicata skin is edible, but not tasty in this dish). Set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the leeks and thyme and stir occasionally until soft and brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the stock and the squash and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.
6. Using an immersion hand blender, purée the soup directly in the pot until smooth. (Alternately, purée the soup in batches in a standard blender or food processor.)
7. Season with the salt and pepper. To serve, ladle hot soup into individual bowls, then top with sour cream and the apple croutons.

From Culinate via Leah Koenig, http://www.culinate.com/recipes/collections/jewish_cooking/the_jew_and_the_carrot/leek_and_delicata_squash_soup_with_caramelized_apple_croutons