CSA Week #15
Hello Folks!
How quickly the past week has flown by. We had a busy and wonderful last weekend with two fantastic events- the Huntington Valley Arts Festival and the Shelburne Orchards Small Farms Food Fest! This Saturday, we will be at the Energy Fair and Harvest Festival at Shelburne Farms where you can find us cooking up some of our delicious pork sausages, potato leek and kale soup in addition to Maple Wind Farm pork and beef kabobs (Bruce and Bryn mixed up tasty marinades today).
ON THE FARM: One of our sows gave birth on Friday to 11 piglets! Doing chores the last few days Ive been marvelling at the beauty of our pastures when many of our animal groups are in the same pasture just above the farmhouse. Standing in the parking lot, I can see our ram lambs, sows and piglets, cows and calves, 250 broiler chickens and our turkey flock.
CSA ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next week we will provide your third pint of maple syrup. PLEASE return your jar if you havent already. Thank you.
Looking ahead one week, we will be processing our last group of chickens and they will be ready for Thursday pickup at the Andrews Barn. If you would like to pick up any at that time, you are welcome to. Any CSA poultry members (prepaid) will receive their final two birds. Spread the word to your friends and neighbors! They are welcome to pick up there too between 3-6pm. Cash or check at the time of pickup.
IN THE GARDEN: Just today, we put in some lettuce and storage beet transplants! Three cheers for the bit of rain we got night before last! I swear the fall broccoli looks like it doubled in size since I last saw it. I think the fake owl that I put in the corn patch has really curbed the crow predation. We will be enjoying corn for at least another week. Next week we’ll be taking the winter squash out of the garden to begin the curing process which means you will start to see them in upcoming weeks.
THIS WEEKS HARVEST: Corn, Potatoes (your choice of several varieties), Tomatillos, Kale, Leeks, Peppers, Salad Cucumbers, Summer squash, Garlic, Basil (Pesto time again!) and loose Lettuce Greens. ENJOY!!!
Eat well,
Beth and Bruce
IN THE KITCHEN: Ideas….
Potato Leek and Kale Soup (add Maple Wind Farm sausage – yum!)
Tomatillo Salsa (my simple recipe includes the following; onions, jalepenos, cilantro, lemon, salt and pepper) Place husked tomatillos on a cookie sheet and roast them turning over when slightly browned. You can also put a few sliced onions on the sheet. When the tomatillos are soupy, you can put them into a blender with the cilantro, salt and pepper, some lemon juice and jalepeno to taste.
