Welcome to the 25th week of the Pitchfork & Crow CSA!

Here’s what’s in the share:

• Garlic
• Leeks
• Cauliflower or Broccoli (or both!)
• Kale – two Red Russian type kales this week, Red Ursa is a little frillier than Russian Hunger Gap
• Carrots
• Turnips or Rutabaga
• Jimmy Nardello Sweet Peppers & Jalapenos
  
• Red Dale Potatoes
• Green Cabbage
• Apples
• Canada Crookneck Winter Squash – We purchased these from our friends at Adaptive Seeds who grew it for seed this year.  When we heard they had extra we jumped on the chance to share it with you.  A new-to-us variety that has a long history in the northeastern US but is quite rare today evidently and is an ancestor to the modern butternut.  Learn more on Slow Food’s Ark of Taste page.  Having just come out of the field, you’ll want to use these up soon as they aren’t cured for storage.
  

We’ve reached that part of the season you’ve been waiting for…it’s survey week!  With just three more weeks in the CSA this season we’re looking for your feedback.  What did you like about the CSA?  What could have been better?  This is your chance to let us know what we’re doing well and what you think we can improve on.

Please take a few minutes to head on over and fill out the 2013 CSA Survey.

In an effort to get folks to head over to the survey, I’ll keep things short this week.  I’ve included a few photos from the past week.  Above is a photo of the beginnings of a good dinner featuring butternut squash soup (recipe below) and roasted beets on the left.  On the right is a test turnip included in this week’s share.  We harvested these turnips out of our mustard green beds, thus there’s quite a diversity.  We hope you’re willing to look past any superficial root damage and give them a chance, because we think they’re tasty and they’ve got bonus mustard greens!

As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, we had our first hard frost of the season.  Luckily we were prepared and able to enjoy the brief wintery wonderland.  I even caught the sunrise over the frosty farm.

Did you notice the trees hanging out at last week’s pick-up?  They were gifts from CSA members who have too many trees at their place, if that’s possible.  Jeff was able to get them in the ground this week and it’s fun to see them just outside the barn.  The photo on the right above is a willow that a farmer friend gifted us several years ago planted near our wash station.  These trees are reminders of both the member support we appreciate so much and the inspiring farming community we’ve come to know.  I don’t believe we’d be doing this farming gig without either of those groups.  So, you know, thanks!  Here’s the survey.

Enjoy the vegetables!

Your farmers,
Jeff Bramlett and Carri Heisler
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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

The following recipe was shared with us by a CSA member, Leilani.  She saw a demo of the recipe at her work’s health fair and thought it was tasty enough to share with the group.  Thanks Leilani!

Moraccan Bulgur & Greens

• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 leek, sliced in half lengthwise and then finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch chopped chard, kale, rabe, or other greens or a mixture
• 1 cup bulgur (dry)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tsp (to taste) harissa (spicy pepper condiment)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Sea or kosher salt (at least 1 tsp)
• Lemon juice
• More harissa and Greek yogurt for serving

Directions

Add everything but the lemon juice to a deep heavy, lidded pot (enameled cast iron works perfectly).  Mix it all together with a spoon or your hands.  Add 1/2 cup water and mix thoroughly again.

Take several paper towels and lay them over the bulgur mixture, tucking them gently into the sides.  Cover the pot and cook over very low hat for about an hour or so.  Resist the urge to remove the lid since the steam generated is a critical factor.  You can start with high heat to get things going, then when you sense the presence of steam and can start to smell the dish, reduce heat significantly, so that it is barely simmering.

After an hour, remove the paper towels, taste and, if necessary, continue to cook with the paper towels intact again.

From Meals that Heals (www.mealsthatheal.com) by Kathryn Yeomans (thefarmersfeast.wordpress.com)

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Farmhouse Butternut Squash Soup

• 4 bacon slices
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1/2 pounds carrots, chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
• 3 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Cook bacon in a 4-to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Add garlic and caraway seeds to fat in pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. Add squash, carrots, apple, thyme, bay leaves, broth, water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaves.

Purée about 4 cups soup in a blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve topped with crumbled bacon.