OCTOBER
CSA
N E W S L E T T E R
21 -23
G O R M A N FA R M T H E H A RV E S T B ROC C OLI LETTUCE C ABB AGE T UR NIP S KALE B RUS SEL S PRO U TS WATERMELON RADISH VARIETY OF PEPPERS SWE ET POTATO ES ARU GUL A CIL ANT RO
From the Farm Counting this week we only have 2 weeks left of CSA. This week brought with it the :irst substantial hard frost for the farm. Monday morning the whole farm was white with ice coating everything. At this time in the year we expect it and only a few things were damaged. You can really see where the lowest of low spots in each :ield was as cold air settles to those areas. Usually the frost comes on in the very early morning around 4am. While all the heavy cold air settles into the cold pockets in the :ield those low areas receive colder temperatures for a longer period of time just enough to damage what is resting there. Most of the fall harvested crops are cold tolerant of these types of freezes. The big thing that was lost and is no longer were the peppers and eggplant, which I’m ok with, as we have all had plenty of these guys this year. Only a few heads of lettuce in the low spots got damaged. Frost damage also known
as burn (oddly enough) presents itself usually among just the tips of the leaves. So fascinating to see the sections in the lettuce rows that were “low in topography” as it is almost impossible to see with the naked eye. I know these spots are low as water will sit and not move downhill during rains. The lettuces that got burned were absolutely torched while just 12” away others were :ine. The highlight this week is the Brussels sprouts. So excited to have these in our CSA and our farm this year. Growing Brussels sprouts have always been dif:icult, mostly due to bug issues in this crop. I have only tried it one time before several years ago and it was not very successful. This year it worked. The issue in the past has been that Brussels take a long time to mature and therefore need to be planted early in summer when the harlequin beetle is multiplying its numbers in our spring
cole crops. The idea is to alleviate the threat of this vivacious pest by getting rid of spring planted cole crops and have no cole crops on the farm for about a month so that the beetle has no home to reproduce. Then fall harvested cole crops go in around late July. In order to plant Brussels they need to go in early giving the harlequin beetle a delicious snack to raise their young. This past winter a newer variety of Brussel Sprouts with a shorter growing season became available so I jumped on the opportunity. The Brussels were planted along with the :irst broccoli and cauli:lower and ripened up just in time for us. You’ll see the Brussels are picked on the stalk, with the largest sprouts at the bottom and the smaller ones at the top. About ¾ through the life cycle of the plant we top each plant by snipping off the growing tip to focus the plant’s energy to the sprouts and not
News continued: continue to grow more foliage. This then helps the sprouts swell up so we can harvest the stalks. To individually twist sprouts off thousands of stalks over and over again each week is less than desirable. The stock with the sprouts is not only fun but kids love to separate them.You may notice a little blackening on some of the sprouts, don’t mind that it’s an organic no fungicide issue. Each Brussels Sprout is like a tiny cabbage.You can peel off that outer layer and a great sprout is inside. To remove the sprouts from the stem you can rip them off or give a little twist until they fall off. The sweet potatoes will continue into next week. These potatoes have been cured which is a process to help them store longer and “heals” the wounds or the broken tips from starting to rot. A sweet potato with a broken end or tip is no problem it is just as good as any other. The black skin on some is only aesthetic and another organic situation as we put nothing on them or in the soil but love. In the curing process we actually heat a room up to around 90 F and pump it with close to 90% humidity this converts the starches to sugars inside the tubers and sweetens them up and gives them a longer shelf life. It’s ok to stock pile them and use them along the way. End of the season always brings a lot of greens, we are doing our best to orchestrate the harvest and provide as much variety but mother nature dictates what’s ready. Next week the final week we will harvest the entirety of the farm and divide it up for everyone. Between this week and next will be lots of greens and roots, all of which are great to store and use over time. So clean out your crispers there is one week left after this week. If you like the honey, stock up while you can as it will most likely no longer be available after this week . Many of our members like the honey for gifts. Ask Sarah for a label if you’d like to give it as a gift. We only have a few labels left so first come fist serve. Also please return any library books this week that you may have.
If you want sparkling, beautiful, eyes, I’d dash to the farm, not the beauty supply store. No makeup, cream, or miracle salve will nourish your eyes like the vitamin A and beta-carotene you’ll get from sweet potatoes and carrots! I love to curl up with this warm bowl of grains and root vegetables in the winter months. If you have any leftover roasted vegetables lying around, like squash or Brussels sprouts they would be great in this, so be sure to toss them in!
Roasted Sweet Potato Avocado Bowl with Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette Ingredients: 6 cups cooked brown rice (about 3 cups uncooked) 1 cup shredded kale 1 cup roasted sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and cubed 1 cup leftover roasted vegetables (optional) Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped 2 tablespoons yellow onion, roughly chopped 1⁄2 cup rice vinegar 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger Directions: In each of four individual serving bowls, add 11⁄2 cups brown rice. Top each with an equal amount of avocado cubes, sweet potato, shredded kale, and leftover roasted veggies, if available. For the vinaigrette, combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Top each serving bowl with 2 tablespoons of the Carrot-Ginger Vinaigrette and mix with a fork, serve at room temperature, or heat as desired. Devour and appreciate every last bite!
Brussel Sprouts Brussels sprouts aren't among the most
them raw consider Candice Kumai’s
well-loved of vegetables. As a member
recipe from Clean Green Eats.
of the nutritionally potent cruciferous family, they're worth a place in your healthy diet. Not only are Brussels sprouts a good source of protein, iron and potassium, but they also offer other
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad Ingredients: 11⁄2 pounds Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
benefits that can boost your overall
1⁄2 cup cored, halved, and thinly sliced Bartlett pear
health. They are packed with vitamin C,
1⁄2 cup raw walnut pieces
fiber, antioxidants, and folate. If they are
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
not top on your list consider trying a new
Honey-Mustard Dressing
recipe. Many times people are turned away solely because they have only been presented with mushy overcooked
2 teaspoons manuka honey 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
brussels that haven’t properly been
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
seasoned. If you choose to roast these bad
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
boys, consider a simple roast 375 degree
1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
oven lightly coated in olive oil. Do not
Directions:
S W E E T- A N D SOUR BRUSSEL S P RO U T S
- bon appetit
touch them while roasting but keep an eye on them until they become crispy and lightly browned. Important - season with salt after you remove them from the oven
Wash the Brussels sprouts and pat dry. Thinly slice the sprouts on a mandoline to a thickness of 1/8 inch. If you do not have a mandoline, use a sharp knife.
and you will have everybody in the
In a large bowl, whisk together the family converted to a brussel lover! To try honey, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, and salt. Add the sliced Brussels sprouts and toss to coat with the dressing. Add “BRUSSEL SPROUTS ARE the pear slices, walnuts, and blue MISUNDERSTOOD - PROBABLY cheese. Serve immediately. BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW HOW TO COOK THEM PROPERLY” TODD ENGLISH
Sweet and sour Brussel Sprouts . . . Preparation Preheat oven to 400°. Toss brussels sprouts and 3 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing halfway through, until softened and cut sides are brown, 20–25 minutes. Whisk vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl. Add brussels sprouts and toss to coat; transfer to a platter. Top with pumpkin seeds and rosemary; sprinkle with Aleppo pepper. Do Ahead: Vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
INGREDIENTS
2½ pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved lengthwise 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon white soy sauce or reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons unsalted, roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or ¼ crushed red pepper flakes