Welcome to the 22nd share of the Pitchfork & Crow 2022 Summer CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Salad Mix
• Lacinato Kale
• Cauliflower or Napa Cabbage
• Cilantro
• Diana Radishes
• LaRatte Fingerling Potatoes
• Leeks
• Garlic
• “Delectable” Sweet Corn – This is the last of this season’s sweet corn harvest. It was a good run!
• Zucchini – Including green zucchini and “Mexicana” zucchini. We’re rapidly approaching the end of summer squash/zucchini season. Enjoy them while you can!
• Sweet Pepper
• Thai or Carrot HOT Peppers – Many of our pepper plants didn’t get off to a good start but we wanted to share what we have. Choose from red Thai or orange Bulgarian Carrot peppers. Both are hot.
• Numex Suave Orange Habanero Pepper – A low heat version of the fruity, usually hot pepper type. Wish we had more to share!
• Pie Pumpkin

Hey, we finally got some measurable rain! The seasonal shift hit this week and it was just blustery and wet enough to feel like fall but there were still some sunny moments too, so we don’t quite have seasonal whiplash. We’re easing into mud season. Hurrah for the rain!

As a reminder, the Summer CSA season has four weeks left and then we’ll be taking a two week break before the start of the Winter CSA season for those of you intrepid eaters that were able and willing to jump on board. That’s to say, the end will be here before we know it. As the days continue to get shorter and the weather actually feels like fall, it’s become obvious it’s time to think about eating in the winter months ahead.

For anyone looking to purchase extra winter staples we suggest checking out one of the Fill Your Pantry events happening around the state in the coming month. These are single day markets, some with pre-ordering still available, where you can purchase varying quantities of locally grown produce and other staples like meats, honey, grains, and beans. Although it will require heading to Corvallis, Eugene, or Bend, you’ll be able to fill your winter pantry in a single trip. Check out the event pages below depending on which location suits your needs best.

• Corvallis Fill Your Pantry November 6th (pre-ordering closed)
• Eugene Fill Your Pantry November 13th (pre-ordering through Oct 31st)
• Central Oregon Fill Your Pantry November 12th (pre-ordering through Nov 5th)

We’re continuing to fill our own pantry here on the farm. Or rather fill all the storage spaces we can come up with. This past week we began the sweet potato digging and the temperature controlled room we use as a seed germinating chamber has shifted to use as sweet potato curing chamber. We also managed to thresh and winnow the dry beans and they’re ready for future CSA shares. We also got our 2023 garlic crop in the ground as well as our overwintering onions. Slow and steady progress.

In the week ahead we’ll continue the potato and sweet potato harvests, do a little weeding in a couple of greenhouse spaces, get some cover crop seed in the ground, and generally try to stay ahead of any cold snaps that may be headed our way any time now. Four more weeks until the end of the Summer CSA season!

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

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler & Jeff Bramlett

.

Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Triple Surprise Kale Salad

• 1 small Sugar Pie pumpkin (about 3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
• 1 ¹/₂ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling the pumpkin
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 long slices (about 5 ounces) of thick bacon, cut into big bite-size squares
• About 1 1/2 teaspoons of brown sugar, divided
• A pinch of cinnamon (about 1/4 teaspoon)
• A pinch of cayenne pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon)
• ¹/₂ cup (about 3 ounces) blanched almonds, cut into quarters
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 12 ounces kale
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Chop the pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Cut the pumpkin into slices, remove the skin, and then cut the flesh into 3/4-inch cubes. Drizzle the cubes with a little olive oil, season with black pepper, and toss to combine. Place the cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 30 minutes, until nicely caramelized and soft (but not soft enough that the pumpkin is falling apart). Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let it cool. (You will not have to use all of the pumpkin cubes for this dish — probably only about half — but they are a good leftover to have.)

Decrease the oven temperature to 325° F. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the bacon slices on the sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the bacon with about 1/2 teaspoon of the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the cayenne. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bacon is caramelized and very crispy, and all of the fat has rendered out. Let the bacon cool completely and then cut it into 3/4-inch pieces. (The bacon will crisp more as it cools.)

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the almonds, and toast them for about 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Stir frequently to make sure that the almonds do not burn. Remove the almonds from the skillet and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of brown sugar to the skillet. When the sugar melts, return the almonds to the skillet, mix them with caramelized sugar, and sprinkle with one teaspoon of coarse sea salt. Remove the skillet from the heat, pour the almonds onto a plate, and let them cool completely. Brush any remaining salt in the skillet onto the almonds.

Wash the kale and dry it thoroughly. Remove the hard steams and chop the kale into 3/4-inch strips. Heat a cast iron skillet or casserole dish over medium heat. Place the kale into the skillet and “dry-sauté” over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly. Resist the temptation to add any water to the skillet. Remove from the heat when the kale begins to soften. Let the kale cool completely.

Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and cider vinegar and season with freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until well blended and creamy.

In a large bowl toss the kale with the vinaigrette. Arrange the kale on a large platter and top with the pumpkin cubes and bacon. Sprinkle with the sea salt-almond crust and serve.

From Food52.com by QueenSashy, https://food52.com/recipes/31255-triple-surprise-kale-salad

3-Ingredient Potato Leek Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 4 leeks
• 1 ¹/₄ pounds potatoes (I prefer Yukon gold)
• 6 cups water
• salt, to taste

Clean the leeks carefully, then slice them into thin half-moons. Scrub and dice the potatoes into small cubes.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks soften.

Add the potatoes and the water. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15-30 minutes: The soup is ready when the potatoes can be easily poked with a fork. The timing will vary depending on the type of potatoes you use.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. (If you don’t have one, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Be very careful with the hot liquid!) Taste the soup and season with more salt if needed.

From Food52.com by Posie (Harwood) Brien, https://food52.com/recipes/74363-3-ingredient-potato-leek-soup

Harissa Chicken with Leeks, Potatoes, and Yogurt

• 1 ¹/₂ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1 ¹/₄ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 by 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• ³/₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons harissa
• ¹/₂ teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 ¹/₂ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, rinsed, and thinly sliced into half-moons
• ¹/₂ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• ¹/₃ cup plain yogurt, preferably whole-milk (if using Greek, thin it down with a little milk to make it drizzle-able
• 1 small garlic clover
• 1 cup mixed soft fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, mint, and/or cilantro leaves
• 1 splash fresh lemon juice, as needed

Combine the chicken and potatoes in a large bowl. Season them with 2½ teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the harissa, cumin, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Pour this mixture over the chicken and potatoes, and toss to combine. Let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the leeks, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the remaining 1½ tablespoons olive oil.

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Arrange the chicken and potatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes. Then toss the potatoes lightly, and scatter the leeks over the baking sheet. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and everything is golden and slightly crisped, 20 to 25 minutes longer.

While the chicken cooks, place the yogurt in a small bowl. Grate the garlic clove over the yogurt, and season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Spoon the yogurt over the chicken and vegetables in the baking sheet (or you can transfer everything to a platter if you want to be fancy about it). Scatter the herbs over the yogurt, drizzle some olive oil and lemon juice over the top, and serve.

From Food52.com by Melissa Clark, https://food52.com/recipes/68405-harissa-chicken-with-leeks-potatoes-and-yogurt