Pictured above:
1. Field 1 flooding- our fall crops
2. Field 2 flooding- our potato and squash field
3. Our driveway.
Dear Friends and Members,
I know I said I would post Miriam’s information on beneficial insects. I will postpone her blog until next week. For now I believe a flood update is in order.
Please visit the blog to see photos of the flood.
I was delivering the CSA boxes when the flooding occurred. I am so thankful I did not have to witness the event. Seeing the photos Miriam took was enough to make my heart race.
Thank you Hartz Members for braving the flood waters when possible to pick up your veggies. And if not for taking the time to come back the next day to pick up.
We were very lucky compared to many of our fellow farmers up north and to the west. At this point it seems we suffered minor damage. Although, the flooding occurred in the field with our last plantings of greens. So we will just have to wait to see if anything comes up. This includes our fall spinach.
The main way you will be affected by the rains is that you will find that the crops picked after the rain will not store very well. There is excessive moisture in the fields. This creates spoilage in the vegetables.
Take care this week. Eat the greens as quickly as possible. Keep greens and other cold items in the refrigerator. Try to let all items have access to air. (Don’t store items in plastic). If you cannot eat greens right away keep them cold and put paper towels in your crisper to soak up the excess moisture.
We will do our best to clean the veggies as much as possible. However, when veggies are clean they tend to spoil faster. The dirt keeps them longer. Perhaps it is the minerals in the dirt. Actually, I have been told that in farmer’s markets in Europe no one washes the veggies before selling. I have worked with Europeans who were appalled at how we wash vegetables in this country.
Tomatoes are few and far between. Tomatoes hate cold wet conditions.
At this point we will take everyday as a blessing and be grateful for what we get. On that note I think you will find we still have quite a bit to offer this week.
And here are some recipes to try out for all the beautiful winter squash:
Two different recipes for pumpkin chili. Remember any of the squashes can be substituted for pumpkin.
http://www.ordinaryvegetarian.com/2010/11/vegan-mofo-8-pumpkin-black-bean-chili.html
http://kitchenwithbrina.blogspot.com/2009/10/veggie-pumpkin-chili.html
Two recipes for stuffed pumpkin:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/27/dining/271NREX.html
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,2250,154182-225200,00.html
This week’s harvest list:
Full share: (you may receive any of these items)
- Purple potatoes 2 lb
- Lettuce- 2-3 heads
- Beets 1.5 lb
- Mixed colors and shapes of sweet peppers 1.5 lb
- Eggplant (small purple, green, large purple or orange) 1.5 lb
- 3/4 lb of chard or kale or baby pac choi or ½ lb dandelion or ¾ lb collard greens
- Winter Squash- Giant pumpkins, red kuri or delicata squash. Super tasty and nutritious. 1large or 2 small.
- Beans ¾ lb
- Fennel – 1 bulb – only for members who have not yet received fennel.
- leek 1#
Half Share:
- Any 4 of the above full share items.
Optional Items: (these count as an item in your share) Some of these items are in limited quantities so can be ordered on a first come first serve basis.
- Fresh cut flower bouquets
- Italian parsley
- Frissee
Extra Items: (these do not count as an item) - Please let me know the quantity you would like.
- Hot peppers - 6 peppers – we have tons so order more.
- Poblano peppers- 1.5 lb – these are the peppers used to make Chiles Rellenos.
- Basil 1/4 lb
- Aji Dulce Peppers- ½ lb. These are also known as Caribbean Seasoning Peppers. They look; taste and smell like a hot pepper but have no heat. They are excellent for seasoning.
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