Welcome to the 5th week of the Pitchfork & Crow 2015/2016 Winter CSA!

Here’s what’s in the share:

• Rutabaga
  
• Carrots
  
• Red Cabbage
  
• Daikon Radishes
  
• Lacinato Kale Tops
  
• Garlic
  
• Radicchio – We’ve been enjoying radicchio leaves in burritos and made into a quick slaw for topping roasted potatoes this week. 
  
• Onion
• Winter Squash Jamboree – We grew several varieties of really large winter squash this past year.  These are long storing, great tasting, but low yielding varieties.  We’re giving you halves, as we don’t enough to go around, but also we decided you probably didn’t want a whole giant winter squash.  Varieties include Oregon Homestead, Piacentina, and Marina di Chioggia.
  
• Cilantro
• Mixed Dry Beans – A mix of dry bean varieties and our leftover pole beans from last summer!
  
• Dried Apples
  

About the Feb. 9th/10th Pick-up:  We’ll be out of town at a farmer retreat for a portion of the next pick-up.  Please note the pick-up changes for your location below.

Salem Members:  We’d like to  move the Salem CSA pick-up to the previous Sunday, February 7th.  We’ll be set up at our usual spot at the Willamette Heritage Center during the usual 4pm-6pm time frame.  Please let us know if you can’t make it to the Sunday pick-up and we’ll make arrangements to deliver it to you.

COMP-NW Medical School Members:  We plan to deliver on Wednesday February 10th as usual, except boxes will be dropped at the school by 3pm instead of 1pm.  Please let us know if this is a problem and we can arrange for an alternative pick-up.

On-Farm Pick-Up Members:  Regularly scheduled pick-up at the farm.  We’ll see you as usual between 4pm and 6pm on Wednesday February 10th.

Since we last met Jeff has been hard at work in all kinds of weather getting some infrastructure projects crossed off the To Do list.  He finished up re-roofing the well house and attached greenhouse.  (A siding upgrade will have to wait a little longer. )

He then moved on to cleaning up the propagation house in anticipation of this past weekend’s first seed sowing of the year.  First he realized we had left our half-threshed dry beans in a flood zone inside the prop house.  He set to work saving them and save them he did!  He finished threshing the beans and moved them all through the dehydrator to return them to their original “dry” bean state.  Hurrah!

Finally he removed the old torn plastic off the prop. house, added wood purlins to keep the plastic from tearing against the structure again, pressure washed all the pallet tables inside the house, and attached the new plastic.  Woah!

All the while I was paperworking away on all the paperworky things that seem to come up at the beginning of the year, like dealing with crop plan spreadsheets and wrangling our bookkeeping and taxes into shape.

After so many days spent filling out forms and double checking numbers and re-formatting spreadsheets I was glad to realize we planned to sow our first seeds this past weekend.  A few hours spent outside with seeds was a welcome change.  On Sunday we began the seed starting season with a few flats of spinach.  Soon we’ll be sowing bok choy, peas, onions, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants!  The cycle begins again.

Seeds orders are rolling in, the planting plan has been printed, and we’re ready to accept new CSA members!  We appreciate past members who jumped on the sign-up right away when we made the announcement last week via email.  We’re looking forward to a great season ahead and hope you’ll consider joining us.  You can find all the details and a sign-up form on the Summer CSA page.

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you in two weeks!

Your farmers,
Jeff Bramlett and Carri Heisler

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Scallops with Cilantro Sauce and Asian Slaw

• 1 large carrot, cut into julienne
• 1/3 lb daikon radish, peeled and cut into julienne
• 1 unpeeled Granny Smith apple, cut into julienne
• 1 scallion, cut into julienne (with a knife)
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh serrano chile
• 1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lb sea scallops, tough muscle discarded from each
• Special equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer with julienne blade

Toss together carrot, radish, apple, scallion, vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let stand, tossing occasionally, 15 minutes to soften.

Stir together cilantro, lime juice, chile, fish sauce, 3 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar, or to taste.

Pat scallops dry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, and sauté scallops, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total.

Drain slaw, discarding liquid. Divide among 6 plates and top with scallops. Drizzle with cilantro sauce.

From Epicurious via Gourmet, http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/scallops-with-cilantro-sauce-and-asian-slaw-234640

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Frenchy’s Pasties

• 12 ounces top sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped peeled russet potato
• 1 cup chopped peeled rutabaga
• 3/4 cup chopped peeled carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 15-ounce package refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts)

Using on/off turns, coarsely chop meat in processor. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add potato, rutabaga, carrot, onion, parsley, thyme and garlic. Sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 12 minutes. Add meat. Sauté until meat browns, about 10 minutes. Mix in cream. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. Cool filling completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Unfold crusts on work surface. Spoon half of filling onto half of each crust. Fold other half of each crust over filling. Seal edges with fork. Transfer turnovers to baking sheet.

Bake turnovers until golden, about 30 minutes. Cut each in half and serve.

From Epicurious via Bon Appétit, http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/frenchys-pasties-4409

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Grilled Turkey, Bacon, Radicchio, and Blue Cheese Sandwiches

• 6 slices applewood-smoked bacon
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup crumbled Maytag blue cheese or other mild blue cheese
• 4 1/2-inch-thick slices country-style white bread (about 5×3 inches)
• 4 leaves radicchio
• 6 ounces thinly sliced cooked turkey
• 4 teaspoons butter, room temperature, divided

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Pour off fat from skillet; reserve skillet.

Mash mayonnaise and blue cheese in bowl to coarse puree; season with pepper. Place bread on work surface. Divide cheese mixture among bread slices, spreading evenly. Divide bacon, radicchio, and turkey between 2 bread slices. Top with remaining bread, cheese side down. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in reserved skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in skillet. Spread 2 teaspoons butter on top pieces of bread. Cover with lid that is slightly smaller than skillet. Cook sandwiches until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side.

From Epicurious via Bon Appétit, http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-turkey-bacon-radicchio-and-blue-cheese-sandwiches-236489

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