This Week on the Farm 10/22
The season is winding down and it is getting cold out! We have gone from unseasonably high temperatures the last few weeks, to an average of 10º F below normal. Tyler spent all day yesterday out covering more of the cool season crops to make sure that they will survive the mid 20ºF nights that are projected for the rest of this week. This is the latest we will ever have delivered (if you can remember all the way back to June, we started a week late because of the cool spring), so we want to make sure that all of the crops we plan on giving next week survive the cold nights.
Next year we hope to be able to offer storage shares for sale in the Fall to all of our members, but with pushing the first box back a week and the expected arrival of our first child at the end of October, we decided that it wasn’t feasible this year. We would like to congratulate our two storage share winners, Lara Vendola-Messer and Jenna Mood, and to thank everyone who sent in recipes this year!
In past years we have sent out an end of the season survey. To be perfectly honest, with all of the extra farm work from our expansion this season and trying to get ready for a new baby, we have not had time to set up a survey and send it out to members. If you have suggestions on pick-up locations you would like added, varieties of veggies you loved/would like to see next year, or any other helpful suggestions, please let us know.
On to farm news. Last Friday was a very exciting day. The garlic we ordered from both Filaree Farms and High Mowing Organic Seeds arrived. Other than the ridiculously large garlic bulbs from Filaree Farms, Tyler and I were very pleased with how our seed garlic that we saved this year compared to what we purchased. Tyler did remind me that the owner/founder of Filaree Farms literally did write the book on growing garlic (Growing Great Garlic), so I shouldn’t have garlic envy. We have help coming out this coming Saturday to help plant the garlic, so I hope that it isn’t totally miserable outside.
Next season we are planning on planting the fall carrots one to two weeks earlier so that we have medium to large carrots for the last few boxes instead of baby carrots. However, I do think the carrots in this week’s box are adorable! There are recipes out there where you can use the leafy green tops from the carrots. There is a lot of hype online about whether or not carrot tops are toxic/allergenic. The only reliable information that I could find was that if you have an allergy to birch or mugwort pollen, you may have an allergic reaction. So if you feel like being adventurous, you can try the carrot tops.
This week there are pie pumpkins in the box. They are edible, so don’t just use them as decoration!! To prepare, remove the stem and cut the pumpkin in half with a sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds and glop just like you would if you were carving a Jack O’Lantern. Once the pumpkin is prepped you can steam it in the microwave for about fifteen minutes, or roast it in the oven. When a knife passes easily through the flesh it is done. Remove the pumpkin from your heat source and let cool until it is easily handled. Scoop out the flesh and puree it in a food processor/blender until you have the desired consistency. Now you have a pumpkin puree that you can use in any of your favorite recipes!