Welcome to the 19th share of the Pitchfork & Crow Summer CSA!  Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Sweet Corn – We gambled on one last corn planting for October corn and here it is! Though September’s cooler weather has resulted in smaller ears on this first variety, they’re sure tasty!
• Escarole – Grouped in with the bitter greens, this escarole has been ever so not bitter! We hope you’ve been enjoying this heartier lettuce alternative as much as we have this week.
• Carrots – We wish there were more carrots too.
• Sunshine Kabocha Winter Squash – Sunshine has orange dry, sweet flesh that’s great for baking and mashing. Unlike some kabocha varieties, Sunshine is ready to eat at harvest and isn’t a great storage type.
• Collards – Many people think of over-boiled collard greens and decide they aren’t the green for them. Don’t let this be you. If you need some collard inspiration check out the recipes at the bottom of the page.
• Dragon’s Tongue Snap Beans – An heirloomy variety from the Netherlands, these stringless fresh beans are delicious cooked or fresh. Note that they will lose their coloring when cooked and aren’t a great storer, so eat them up sooner than later.
• Broccoli – Just a bit this week, more on the way soon hopefully.
• Bunching Onions
• Mixed Sweet Peppers
• Bulgarian Carrot Chile Peppers
• Matchbox Thai Chile Peppers
• Mixed Tomatoes – A slicer and a pint of cherries!
• Farm Apples

Many thanks to everyone who came out to the farm on Saturday for the CSA member fall farm visit! Apples were pressed, pumpkins were picked, the farm was fully toured. I was especially glad to get to chat with members about the farm and our farming experience. It’s fun to introduce this place to new members and re-visit it with members that have been with us for a while. We lucked out with beautiful weather as a bonus!

Admittedly, it’s always a little daunting to open up the farm for these visits. We’re not big party throwers, well we’re not big party goers for that matter, but we do think it’s an important part of this CSA thing that members experience the farm. Thanks for taking some time to visit your vegetables!

Preparations for the farm day were minimized last week as we took stock of the fields post-first frost and worked against the rain clouds once again. Luckily the frost wasn’t quite as damaging as originally predicted and our efforts to cover sensitive crops seemed to work out. Jeff was able to sow some ground to cover crop and get the garlic/overwintering onion ground prepped for planting. We’re hoping to get garlic in the ground this week, before the next round of rain mucks up the progress.

We’re definitely feeling the seasonal shift here on the farm. The days are noticeably shorter and cooler and we’ve moved beyond most of the high summer fruity crops. We’ve been making a lot of hearty soups lately. We’ve been thankful for this recent dry stretch as we try to wrap up some of the the field work before the rain arrives in force. We’ve got potatoes to dig and it looks like against all odds we have some sweet potatoes to dig too. There are also seeds to be cleaned, fruit to be dried, more apples to pick, a little more planting, some weeding in field houses, perpetual mowing, etc. As long as we keep marking things off the list we’ll get through it eventually.

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:

Collard Green Pesto

• 1/2 small bunch collard greens, center ribs and stems removed
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Cook 1/2 small bunch collard greens, center ribs and stems removed, in a medium pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Transfer to a bowl of ice water; let cool. Drain; squeeze dry with paper towels. Blend greens, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup toasted pecans, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoons honey, and 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes in a food processor until a coarse purée forms; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit by Andrew Knowlton, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/collard-and-pecan-pesto-51193030

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Shredded Collard Greens with Walnuts and Pickled Apples

• 2 red apples such as Gala or Idared
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pickling spice
• 1/2 cup walnut halves (3 ounces)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 bunch collard greens (1 pound)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Make pickled apples:

Quarter and core apples, then cut each quarter lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Boil vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and pickling spice in a saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add apples and return to a boil. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool. Chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1 hour.

Prepare nuts while apples chill:

Toast walnuts in oil in a small skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until a shade darker. Cool nuts in oil. Transfer nuts to a cutting board with a slotted spoon, reserving oil. Coarsely chop 1 tablespoon nuts and finely chop remaining nuts.

Prepare collard greens:

Halve each collard leaf lengthwise with kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cutting out and discarding center ribs. Stack leaves and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Transfer to a large bowl.

Just before serving:

Transfer all nuts and oil from skillet to collards and toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Add apple slices, discarding pickling liquid and spices, and toss again.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/shredded-collard-greens-with-walnuts-and-pickled-apples-1026666

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Grilled Cheese with Onion Jam, Taleggio, and Escarole

• 4 (1/2-inch-thick) center slices sourdough bread (from a 9- to 10-inch round)
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons onion or fig jam
• 12 to 14 ounces chilled Taleggio or Italian Fontina, sliced
• 1/4 pound escarole, center ribs discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

Brush 1 side of bread slices with oil and arrange, oil sides down, on a work surface. Spread jam on 2 slices of bread and divide cheese between remaining 2 slices. Mound escarole on top of cheese and season with salt and pepper, then assemble sandwiches.

Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat until hot. Cook sandwiches, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until bread is golden-brown and cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes total.

From Epicurious.com via Gourmet by Andrea Albin, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-cheese-with-onion-jam-taleggio-and-escarole-241531

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Caramelized Corn with Onions and Red Bell Peppers

• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 3 medium ears) or one 10-ounce package frozen, thawed, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn; stir until beginning to dry and brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Add oil to skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onion, and garlic. Sauté until peppers are tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in cilantro and chili powder, then corn. Stir until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

From Epicurious.com via Bon Appétit, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/caramelized-corn-with-onions-and-red-bell-peppers-107871

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