Welcome to the 10th, and final, share of the Pitchfork & Crow 2024/2025 Winter CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Spinach – We’re sending you two types of bunched spinach this week. Can you tell the difference between the varieties?
• Cabbage Rapini – The brassicas are going to flower, which means rapini season! Treat these shoots and leaves like kale or broccoli. Also note, rapini is also known as raab or rabe in some recipes.
• Purple Sprouting Broccoli – And just like that, we’re wrapping up PSB season. If you’re new to this one, just treat it like broccoli but eat the stems and leaves too.
• Overwintered Cauliflower – We’ve cleared out the ow cauliflower patch and we’re sending you several heads of varying sizes to choose from. It may seem overwhelming but don’t forget you can freeze it for future meals. Jeff’s been riffing on this cauliflower and chicken casserole crock pot recipe this past week, which he gets going at lunch to make squeezing in evening river trips a little easier.
• Parsley
• Beets
• Alpine Daikon Radishes – Not as flashy as the red or purple daikons, these white roots are perhaps the sweetest of the varieties we grow. Great sliced or grated into salads, roasted or sauteed, they’re also the traditional variety used in Korean kimchi recipes.
• Yukon Gem Potatoes
• Leeks – Some of these leeks include the elongated center scape that would eventually open into a leek flower. At this stage they can be used like leeks, diced up for a little leek flavor.
• Yellow Onions & Shallots – We’re setting you up with a plethora of smaller onions and some shallots to get you through May. I suggest removing them from the plastic bag for storage.
• Red Onions
• Garlic – This is the point in the winter that I start to remind you to use up your garlic and onions. It may not feel like it everyday, but we’re headed toward spring and these guys want to sprout. They’re generally still edible if you see a small green sprout but eat ’em up sooner than later.
• Corn Flour – We grow a flint corn called Cascade Ruby Gold that grinds partially into flour and partially into polenta when milled. This week we’re sharing flour and last time we shared the polenta. You can use this flour in any recipe calling for corn flour or cornmeal. We like to use it for perfect cornbread.
• Dried Ancho Poblano Peppers – Ancho chiles are fully ripe and dehydrated poblano peppers. They can be ground into a chile powder, or blended with roasted onions, garlic, and tomatoes into enchilada sauce, or simply tossed into a soup or stew for chile flavoring.
• Dried Apples – These are organic apples we purchased through the produce store down the road, 4 Seasons Farmers Market. We dried them here at the farm.

Many thanks for joining us this season. We hope you enjoyed the past five months of local, seasonal eating. The weeks since we started back in December have flown by and it’s hard to believe we’re already wrapping up another season. Every winter is different and we never know how it’s going to unfold when we begin. Somehow it all came together for another vegetable-filled Winter season.

We’ll see most of you the first (or second for some biweekly members) week of June for the start of the Summer CSA season and we hope to see everyone again next winter. We’ll be sure to reach out to all of you in late summer when we’re ready to sign-up members for next year’s Winter CSA.

When we last met we were still waiting for our tractor to come back from the mechanic. After three months without the tractor we were ready to get it back in action and were glad to see it return a week ago. Unfortunately the mechanic wasn’t able to fix either issue that we’d needed fixed and we’re essentially back to where we were in January, except a little behind schedule with field work now.

Thankfully the weather was cooperating and Jeff pushed ahead with bed prep and we got to planting. We managed to get nearly three weeks worth of transplanting done in three days and we’re almost caught up. This is go time though and there’s more planting to get done but we’ve run out of prepped ground. As we wrap up the Winter CSA season this week we’ll be all in on field work and transplanting to be ready for the start of the Summer CSA season in June.

With the last Winter CSA harvest finished we’re now looking ahead to the Summer CSA and the work that needs to happen before it begins. Although we will be taking a break from harvesting for the next five weeks we’ve got plenty of other things to keep us busy. There’s ground to prep, transplants to plant, seeds to sow, grass to mow, peas and tomatoes to trellis, onions to weed, garlic to cultivate, and we’ll be searching for a second tractor as a workaround to the issues we’re still experiencing with our current tractor. Whew!

Thanks again for joining us for this past winter of vegetables! We couldn’t do this without you and we’re routinely humbled by your willingness to sign on to this adventure in eating. Thanks for letting us grow your food!

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see Summer CSA members in June!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler & Jeff Bramlett

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Spice Merchant Cauliflower Couscous

1 large cauliflower (about 1 ½ pound of cauliflower florets)
5 ounces raw cashewnuts
3 ounces sultanas (gold raisins)
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced parsley
¹/₂ teaspoon za’atar
¹/₂ teaspoon cumin
1 garlic clove, crushed
¹/₄ teaspoon finely shredded lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Place the sultanas in a bowl and pour warm water over them. Leave the sultanas for about 15 minutes, until plump. Drain and discard the water.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the cashewnuts and toast them for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and gently charred. Stir frequently to make sure that cashewnuts do not burn. Let the cashewnuts cool. Cut the half of the cashewnuts into smaller pieces (or simply crush them with your hands).
3. Break the cauliflower into florets, making sure to leave behind as much of the stem as possible. Chop the florets into smaller pieces. Transfer the cauliflower into food processor in batches, and pulse until the pieces are finely chopped and resemble couscous. Be careful not to over-process.
4. In a large sauté pan, heat three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the cauliflower couscous to the pan and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Remove the couscous from the heat and let it cool. Add the sultanas, cashewnuts, za’atar, cumin, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Leave the couscous for about 15 minutes for the flavors to combine. Serve at room temperature.

From Food52.com by QueenSashy, https://food52.com/recipes/21165-spice-merchant-cauliflower-couscous

Roasted Leek and Cauliflower Soup with Green Apple Vinaigrette

• For the Green Apple Vinaigrette:
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• ¹/₂ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¹/₄ cup Granny Smith apple, diced very small (brunoise, 1/8 inch cubed)

• For Soup:
• 4 large leeks
• 3 cups cauliflower florets with stems
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¹/₂ teaspoon coriander seeds
• ¹/₂ teaspoon cumin seeds
• Pinches of kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ¹/₄ cup calvados (apple brandy)
• 3 cups good chicken stock
• ¹/₂ cup half-and-half

For the Green Apple Vinaigrette:

1. In a small bowl, emulsify the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon and fish sauce. Add diced apple and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until soup is ready, about one hour.

For Soup:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Thoroughly wash and trim ends of leeks — root and dark green tops — so you just have white and pale green stalks. Cut into 4-inch sections, then slice in half lengthwise and rinse again under running water, separating edges where you can see dirt. Place pieces in a large bowl of water and agitate to release any remaining dirt. Scoop leek halves out of water (do not pour out or dirt will just go back onto leeks) and thoroughly dry in a salad spinner or clean towels.
3. Spread cauliflower florets and leek sections out on a large rimmed baking pan (jelly roll pan) and evenly toss with olive oil, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and a few good pinches of kosher salt. Cover pan tightly with foil; roast for 30 minutes until leeks are melted and the cauliflower is tender.
4. Transfer roasted vegetables to a large saucepan. Over medium heat, add calvados and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add half-and-half and simmer for 5 minutes more, stirring. Taste for salt, remembering that vinaigrette will add some salt (I did not add any additional salt).
5. Divide soup in half between a blender and large Pyrex measure, reserving saucepan. Allow to cool slightly before puréeing batch in blender. Transfer puréed soup back to saucepan. Repeat with remaining soup in Pyrex measure before returning to saucepan. Serve immediately, topping each bowl with about a teaspoonful of green apple vinaigrette. Enjoy.

From Food52.com by GingerRoot, https://food52.com/recipes/20333-roasted-leek-and-cauliflower-soup-with-green-apple-vinaigrette

Three Onion Chowder with Parsleyed Oyster Crackers

• For the Soup:
• 3 ounces pancetta, 1/4-inch dice
• 2 cups yellow onion, peeled and julienned
• 2 leeks, rinsed, white parts only, sliced into half moons
• 4 shallots, peeled and sliced
• ¹/₃ cup celery, 1/4-inch dice
• 1 ¹/₂ tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups half and half
• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• Parsleyed Oyster Crackers
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 cup oyster crackers
• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
• Fine sea salt and fresh ground pepper

For the Soup:

1. In a 3-quart Dutch oven or saucepan, add the butter and pancetta and place it over medium heat to render the pancetta. Once some of the fat has been released add the onions, shallots, and celery. Saute until they are just becoming golden. You don’t want them to brown too much or the soup will be brown.
2. Add the leeks, garlic, and thyme. Cook until the leeks are just becoming soft.
3. Add the bay leaf and chicken stock. Bring it to a boil and add the half and half and the potatoes. Bring the soup back to a boil and then immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot. Allow it to rest for at least thirty minutes.
4. To finish the soup, reheat it but don’t let it boil. Taste a potato to check and see if it is done and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If the potatoes are not done then cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and chives and then ladle into cups or bowls. Top with a few oyster crackers (recipe below) and serve.

Parsleyed Oyster Crackers

1. Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and once it has stopped bubbling but is not brown, add the oyster crackers and toss the crackers to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and toss the crackers gently in order to coat all the crackers with the parsley. Pour out onto a baking sheet and let cool.

From Food52.com by thirschfeld, https://food52.com/recipes/3190-three-onion-chowder-with-parsleyed-oyster-crackers