Welcome to the 16th share of the Pitchfork & Crow Summer CSA!  Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Sweet Corn
• Pentland Brig Kale
• Lettuce Mix
• Carrots
• Fava Bean Tops – Our overwintered favas self-sowed and have grown into a nice new stand of favas, but it’s unlikely we’ll have enough sun and time left this season to see fava beans again. Instead we’re sending you fava tops as a cooking/salad greens. They have a hint of the fava taste and can be used in soups, sauteed, or eaten in salads like pea greens.
• Basil
• Mixed Summer Squash & Zucchini
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• Red Onions
• Mixed Sweet Peppers
• Bulgarian Carrot Chile Peppers
• Shishito Peppers
• Mixed Tomatoes – Cherries and slicers all around!
• Italian Prune Plums

We’re now accepting members for the upcoming Winter CSA! We are 85% full for the Winter CSA! Go check out the Winter details and sign-up to join us for more seasonal, organic vegetables December-April!

Although fall has been in the air for weeks, it seems to really be here to stay given this weather. Recent summers have seemed to extend well into October, so it’s nice to experience the autumn season before moving onto Winter for a change. Though I appreciate seeing some more dry days in the weather forecast as we have plenty of things to do in the field before wrapping up the fieldwork for the season. Is this the exact same sentiment I wrote last week? Obviously the big fall tasks are on my mind as the wet weather sets in.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Fall CSA Farm Day on October 5th! We’ll have big orange pumpkins! We’ll be pressing cider! Rain or shine there will be fall fun!

Beginning with the first sowing of seeds back in February we have a planting plan that guides the season. We start seeds for transplants in the propagation house, we direct sow seeds into the field, we transplant into the field, all on a set schedule to hopefully ensure a steady rotation of harvestable crops through the entire season. The planting continues on all summer and we’re on the cusp of our last plantings now.

As the daylight lessens in the fall and the temperatures lower plants grow slower. This means a crop will take longer to mature if sown now than if sown earlier in the summer. But the name of the game is a continued harvest of vegetables through the season and into the winter season, right? Finding the right seeding dates to match desired maturity dates in the fall and winter can be a puzzle. We tend to try multiple dates and hope the weather and timing all match up at some point. Pretty scientific huh?

This week I sowed the overwintering onions for transplanting in October into the field. Time and winter weather will determine if this timing works or if we end up with a lot of bolting spring onions come March and April. I also sowed lots of late fall/winter greens and transplanted more into field houses. Fingers crossed we’ve got all the mustards, mizuna, arugula, baby kale, chard, and tatsoi we’ll need for winter salads. And beets and radishes and napa cabbage and spinach! Is it time for winter eating yet?

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

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler and Jeff Bramlett

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Grilled Kale Salad with Ricotta and Plums

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 4 medium plums, halved, pitted, thinly sliced
• 12 large or 16 small curly kale leaves
• 3/4 cup fresh ricotta

Whisk 3 tablespoons oil, vinegar, thyme, and honey in a medium bowl. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Add plums and toss to coat; transfer plums to a plate.

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Brush kale leaves with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt. Grill kale, turning once, until crispy and charred at edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a work surface; let stand until cool enough to handle. Remove large center stems with a knife and discard (just trim the tough ends from smaller, more tender kale stems).

Divide ricotta among plates; season with salt and pepper. Stir vinaigrette again. Tear larger kale leaves into pieces (leave smaller leaves whole). Place leaves in a large bowl and toss with some of the vinaigrette. Divide leaves among plates. Top with plums and drizzle some vinaigrette over.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-kale-salad-with-ricotta-and-plums-51104400

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Kaleslaw

• 1 10-ounce bunch kale, stems removed
• 6 carrots, peeled
• 1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded, diced or thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups kale-onaise

Fit a food processor with a shredder attachment. Process the kale and carrots transferring both to a large bowl. Add the bell pepper and kale-onaise and toss well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

From Epicurious.com via Fifty Shades of Kale by Drew Ramsey M.D. & Jennifer Iserloh, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kaleslaw-56389912

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Italian Sausage with Fennel, Peppers, and Onions

• 4 Italian frying peppers (Cubanelle) cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 large fennel bulb, bulb quartered, then cut into 2-inch-wide pieces and 1/4 cup fronds coarsely chopped (discard stalks)
• 1 large onion, quartered and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage links, halved crosswise
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Preheat broiler.

Toss together all ingredients except fennel fronds with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large shallow baking pan. Broil 4 inches from heat until sausage is browned and vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Turn over and stir, then broil until sausage is just cooked through and vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with fennel fronds.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet by Melissa Roberts, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/italian-sausage-with-fennel-peppers-and-onions-241991

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