“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
~Oscar Wilde~
Fall Share Box 1 Crop List
- Pie Pumpkin
- Delicata Squash
- Potatoes
- Red Onion
- Turnips
- Daikon Radish
- Carrots
- Apples
- Italian Frying Peppers
- Hot Peppers
- Romaine
- Greens Mix (arugula, mizuna, red kale, mustard, baby chard)
- Bok Choy
- Rosemary
Farmer Notes
With 2 nights at 20 degrees and days barely above freezing, we have spent an inordinate amount of time harvesting or covering crops in the field.
Crop of the week – Turnips
With a few frosts earlier in the week, it has been cemented in our heads that fall is firmly here and winter is rapidly approaching. These boxes are a reflection of that shift into autumn. Our boxes have placed an emphasis on root vegetables, and we have decided to highlight turnips as our crop of the week. The variety harvested this week was purple top turnips. Salad turnips will be present in the boxes next week. Turnips are commonly grown in temperate climates and are grown for their fleshy white taproot. Smaller, more tender varieties are grown for human consumption while the bigger ones can be used to feed livestock.
Wild forms of turnips have existed for over 2000 years in Western Asia and Europe. While the exact origins are unknown, people began cultivating edible turnips in medieval Europe and it was an important crop to Hellenistic and Roman societies. By 700 AD, the crop had spread to Japan and China. It was also an important staple in Antebellum America. With greens growing within two to three weeks, plantations were able to use those yields to sustain themselves when they were just getting off the ground.
Turnips are rich in fiber and B vitamins. Turnips can help regulate your blood sugar, and lower the amount of glucose created by the liver. When broken down, compounds in the turnip known as isothiocyanates are capable of inhibiting microbial and bacterial growth.
I love roasting turnips as part of a root vegetable medley. The creamy potato-like center just melts in your mouth when roasted, and is a nice contrast to the earthiness of beets and the sweetness of carrots. You can mash them up the same as you would potatoes for a savory staple winter dish. I usually do 50/50 turnips to potatoes for that. The greens are edible as well, and can be sauteed similar to beet greens. I hope everyone is enjoying the change of the seasons, and is taking the time to appreciate all they have done this year. Here’s to a great fall season!
-Farmer Dylan
Some Recipes To Try:
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
|
- 6 large potatoes skin on
- 2 large turnips (or 4 medium) peeled
- 1/2 cup cream heated
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter melted
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
|
|
- Slice potatoes and turnips 1/4-inch thick. Cook in boiling water for 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain. Whip unpeeled cooked potatoes and turnips with electric mixer, mixing until moderately smooth (don't overbeat them; a few lumps are nice). Add hot cream, butter, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Whip again until blended. Adjust thickness by adding more cream, if desired. If you do not have an electric hand mixer, you can use a potato masher.
| Prep Time | 10-20 mins |
| Cook Time | 1.5 hours |
| Servings |
|
- butter for the baking dish
- 3 small-medium turnips peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds rutabaga peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds potatoes peeled, halved, and very thinly sliced
- 1 scant cup heavy cream
- 6 Tbsp sour cream or creme friache
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups grated gruyere or medium cheddar cheese
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Ingredients
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|
- To make the root vegetable gratin, preheat the oven to 400ºF (204° C). Butter a 12-by-8-inch baking dish.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cream, crème fraiche or sour cream, and milk and heat until the crème fraîche has melted into the cream. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir well.
- Arrange half of the root vegetables slices in the baking dish. Sprinkle with a little salt and about 1/3 of the cheese. Pour 1/3 of the cream mixture over the cheese. Top with the remaining vegetable slices, the remaining cheese, and a sprinkle of salt. Pour the remaining cream mixture over cheese.
- Bake the root vegetable gratin for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until browned on top. Serve immediately.
| Servings |
servings
|
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 pound baby bok choy cut into quarters with core still attatched
- 2 tsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil for serving (optional)
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds for serving (optional)
Ingredients
|
|
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute.
- Add bok choy, soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook 1 minute, then remove lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until cores are tender and all liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a serving dish, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if using.
