csa share – week 15 {august 30}

Welcome to the 15^th week of the Pitchfork & Crow CSA!

Here’s what’s in the share this week:

New Potatoes – Colorado Reds!
Cucumbers – slicing cukes and some lemons too
Tomatoes – Slicers this week including big red Mrs. Maxwell’s Big Italians and yellow Azoychkas
Beans – yellow romano pole beans & dragon tongue striped beans
Corn – a bicolor variety this week called Lucious!
Peppers – A handful of sweet peppers and a handful of hot peppers
Salad Mix
Cauliflower/Broccoli – the cauliflower is just coming on, so we’re mixing it with more broccoli to make sure everyone gets some.
Garlic

Walking the fields this week was a pleasure. The tomatoes are really coming on, the peppers are beginning to turn bright reds and golds, and we spotted the first of the season’s cauliflower, admittedly something we feared we might not see this year. After the rough spring we had ratcheted our expectations back quite a bit. The crops we’d come to rely on in the past such as kale and chard have had a hard time at this new land and we struggled to find new go-to crops. Now that we’re wrapping up the last of August I think we’ve finally found our stride and fortunately at this moment the vegetables are abundant enough that we actually have to choose what to share with you from week to week.

Over the past few weeks we’ve continued our transplanting efforts and finished off our overwintering brassica plantings by getting the cauliflower, purple sprouting broccoli, and kales (yes, we’re still trying to grow kale) out in the field. We’d spread organically approved fertilizer and lime in these beds and the latest plantings are all looking fairly good thus far. Also, we’ve worked up the last of the spring-planted ground with our new-to-us 3-bottom plough and we’re planning to sow cover crop seed there soon.

So, although the summer seemed short and we’re slipping into fall, the work continues at the farm. We’re shifting from major planting efforts to more harvesting. The irrigation pipes still need to be moved daily. The weeding and cultivation continues. But mostly, we’re happy farmers, working with the land and bringing in the season’s bounty!

Enjoy this week’s vegetables!

Your farmers,

Jeff Bramlett and Carri Heisler

Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

The following recipe was shared last year by a CSA member!

Cheesy Potato & Cauliflower Chowder

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups peeled and diced Yukon or white potatoes
2 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups shredded Jarlsburg cheese (10 ounces)
Salt
Black pepper
3 slices dark rye or pumpernickel bread, halved crosswise (optional)
½ cup shredded Jarlsburg cheese (2 ounces) (optional)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley (optional)

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook until tender. Add broth and potatoes. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 6 minutes. Add cauliflower. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 4 to 6 minutes more or until vegetables are tender.

In a bowl combine half-and-half and flour; add to the cauliflower mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the 2 ½ cups cheese until melted. Do not boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, if desired, trim crusts from bread. Place halved bread slices on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 deg. oven about 3 minutes or until crisp. Turn slices over, sprinkle with the ½ cup cheese and the parsley. Bake for 5 minutes more or until cheese melts. If desired, place one piece of bread on top of each serving.

From Better Homes & Gardens Biggest Book of Soups & Stews, Better Homes & Gardens

Chili Lime Butter Grilled Corn

8 ears fresh corn, in husks

4 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. ground chipotle or regular chili powder

~ Juice of 1 lime

½ tsp. grated lime peel

½ tsp. minced purple or green jalapeno

½ tsp. minced red cayenne pepper (remove seeds for mild)

~ Sea salt, to taste

~ Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

~ Garnish: lime wedges for squeezing

How to prepare Chili Lime Butter: Place butter in a small bowl, add chili powder, lime juice, lime peel. minced jalapeño, cayenne, black pepper and salt.
Mix well.
Grilling Steps: While your barbecue grill is heating, put corn in husk in bowl, cover with water to soak.
When the grill is hot, drain corn shaking off excess water.
Keeping the husks on, place corn on cooler side of grill, cover and cook for about 20 minutes.
The corn husks will allow the kernels inside to steam and smoke.
Husks will be blackened – with a smoky sweet aroma. Using tongs, peel back husks and transfer corn to the hotter side of grill– lid open. Corn husks will start to burn off – turn for 5 to 10 min. until lightly charred.
When you are happy with the corn: Remove from grill and cut off tip.
Place your Chili Lime Butter onto platter and use tongs to place the cobs in butter
Roll corn in Chili Lime Butter until coated
Serve with a lime wedge for squeezing
Quick cook option: Place corn (in husk) on a plate and microwave for 5 minutes (2½ min. per side). When ready to grill, remove husks and grill over a med-high for 2 minutes per side.

From Culinate via the Bluebird CSA collection, http://www.culinate.com/market/Bluebird+Market/recipes/bluebird_csa/chili_lime_butter_grilled_corn

Dragon’s Tongue Beans

2 ½ cups Dragon’s Tongue Beans
2 tbsp olive oil
5-6 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp dried basil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Steam the beans for 3-4 minutes, then immediately toss with the remaining ingredients and serve

From Tasty Trends, http://tastytrends.blogspot.com/2008/08/dragons-tongue-beans.html