Here’s what’s in the share:

• Red Cabbage
  
• Garlic
  
• LaRatte Fingerling Potatoes
• Carrots
• Shallots
• Celeriac – Perhaps the least visually appealing of all root vegetables, celeriac makes up for in taste what it lacks in beauty.  Add it to soups, or anything else really, for some tasty celery flavor!
  
• Broccoli or Cauliflower
  
• Arugula
  
• Delicata Winter Squash  – A fellow CSA member sent along this Sunset article that includes 25 ways to prepare winter squash, whoa!  Delicata is one that doesn’t need any dressing up in our opinion, but the recipe for Nut-Stuffed Delicata has me intrigued.
  
• Tomatoes – mixed cherries and green maters, fried green tomatoes anyone?
• Dry Beans – once fresh green beans, then fresh shelling beans, now dry beans!  I think it’s officially Minestrone season!

Good things come to those who wait, or at least that’s how it worked out with our new tractor!  After putting down a deposit three weeks back we patiently waited for a loader to be mounted and the delivery to be made.  This past Friday it all came together and we officially became the proud owners of a slightly used McCormick F105xl.  That photo above shows the new tractor next to the one it’s replacing, a 1978 White Field Boss.  We were surprised by how similar they are in size once we had them parked next to one another.  The McCormick is a little shorter and the rear tires are a little thinner, but otherwise very close in size.

We’ll keep the old White around for projects that might be easier to accomplish with two tractors, such as pulling a manure spreader that was filled using the bucket on the new tractor.  Gosh we’re feeling good about heading into the next season with a new tractor.  Not only will we worry less about breakdowns and unexpected costly repairs, we’re also making plans to widen the wheelbase on our Farmall Cub cultivating tractor to match the McCormick width.  That will be a revolutionary change, allowing us to pull a transplanter!  That will be both a time saving and back saving improvement in our operation.

This week we’re finally experiencing some cold weather, including our first hard freeze if you can believe it.  We’ve been preparing for this for a month and now it’s arrived.  With just two weeks left in this season we’re hoping to finish up without any winter weather calamities.

As we head towards the end of the season we’ve prepared the annual CSA survey.  We know you’re busy folks, but we really appreciate hearing about your experience here at the end of the season.  It let’s us know what did or didn’t work for you, which helps us to improve things in the future.  Click here to head over to the online form.  We’ll also have some paper copies at the pick-up.

 

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you next week!

Your farmers,
Jeff Bramlett and Carri Heisler

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Potato and Celery Root Mash

• 2 1/2 pounds mixed russet, Yukon Gold, and white-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 2″ cubes
• 1 1-pound celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 3/4″ cubes
• 1 6″ piece of horseradish, peeled, coarsely grated
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• Kosher salt

Place potatoes, celery root, and horseradish in a large pot. Add water to cover by 1″. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and simmer until vegetables are tender, 25-30 minutes.

Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return vegetables to pot; add sour cream, Dijon mustard, and butter. Using a potato masher, coarsely mash vegetables. Add reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if mash is too stiff. Season to taste with salt.

From Epicurious via Bon Appétit by Victoria Granof, http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Potato-and-Celery-Root-Mash-368964

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Fried Green Tomatoes

• 4 large, firm green tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup finely ground cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon paprika or pimentón (a Spanish smoked paprika, available at latienda.com)
• 2 eggs
• Vegetable oil

1. Sprinkle the tomato slices with the salt and pepper; set aside.

2. Combine the cornmeal and paprika in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, beat the eggs.

3. Cover the bottom of a heavy skillet with 1/2 inch of oil, then place it over medium-high heat.

4. Coat the tomato slices in the egg, then dredge them in the cornmeal mixture.

5. Fry as many tomatoes as fit comfortably in the pan until nicely browned, about 2 minutes a side.

6. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined platter. Repeat until all the tomatoes are cooked.

From Epicurious via Cookie by Victoria Granoff, http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Fried-Green-Tomatoes-242647

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Red Cabbage Salad with Warm Pancetta-Balsamic Dressing

• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 6 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (from about 1/2 medium head)
• 1 3-ounce package thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup whole almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Place currants in small bowl. Heat vinegar in saucepan over medium heat until hot (do not boil). Pour vinegar over currants; let soak until currants soften, 15 to 20 minutes.

Place cabbage in large bowl; set aside. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium- high heat. Add pancetta; sauté until brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Add shallot to pancetta and drippings in skillet; sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in currant- vinegar mixture and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pour pancetta mixture over cabbage and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Add almonds and parsley; toss to blend.

From Epicurious via Bon Appétit by Maria Helm Sinskey, http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Red-Cabbage-Salad-with-Warm-Pancetta-Balsamic-Dressing-364089

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