“In the fall, I believe again in poetry, if nothing else it is a movement of the mind.”
~Jaakko A, Ahokas~
Summer Share Box 18 Crop List
- Watermelon Radish – All Shares
- Spaghetti Squash – All Shares
- Potatoes – All Shares
- Italian Frying Peppers – All Shares
- Hot Peppers – All Shares
- Carrots – All Shares
- Parsley – All Shares
- Apples – All Shares
- Kale – All Shares
- Eggplant – Flex Shares Only
- Turnips – Full Shares Only
- Spinach – Full and Flex Shares Only
- Lettuce – Full and Flex Shares Only
Farmer Notes
Man, I can hardly believe that the summer CSA season is already complete. We began in early January accepting member sign-ups, and by early March we were headlong into seed planting in the greenhouse. After that we hardly looked back until now as the colder temperatures arrive and many of those early seeds, now plants, are dying off for the winter. It has been a very good season for us – I would like to highlight a few things:
Crop of the week – Watermelon Radish
Daikon, also known as white radish, Japanese radish, Chinese radish, winter radish, and luobo, is popular in Japanese, Chinese, and other Asian cuisines. Watermelon Radish, which made its way into the boxes this week, is actually an heirloom Daikon variety. Their dark pink center is reminiscent of its namesake, with a green, reddish pink, or whitish green exterior. Daikons store extremely well, and will be a staple throughout the fall and winter shares. Daikons have been noted for their anti-inflammatory properties, as well as being extremely high in potassium.
Daikons have a sweet peppery taste that is a bit milder than the more popular red varieties. You can roast a daikon as you would any other root vegetable and the results are glorious. It is great sliced thinly and garnished on a salad, or thrown into a mason jar and pickled. I eat them whole after sprinkling some salt on them for a light and quick snack during the workday. You can cut a daikon into matchsticks and make daikon “fries”. Also you can make a simple but tasty radish cucumber salad, dressed minimally with sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and basic spices. By this point in the season, I”m sure y’all are seasoned chefs and could outcook me with a blindfold on. It’s been a pleasure writing these articles the last few months, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them. Cheers to many great harvests in the future!
-Farmer Dylan
Some Recipes To Try:
| Servings |
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- daikon radishes peeled, and julienned or cut into sticks. The length should be slightly shorter than the first ring on the neck of a wide mouth pint jar.
- 1 1/2 tsp non-iodized salt per cup of non chlorinated water
- wide mouth pint size canning jar(s)
Ingredients
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- Lay jar on its side and pack radishes tightly into the jar. Make sure the jar is well cleaned.
- Cover with brine, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace.
- Put an airtight lid on the jar.
- Place the jar on the counter at room temperature. You'll need to burp the jar once, or twice a day to release pressure. To do this, slightly loosen the lid to let off gas and re-tighten.
- Ferment for 5 days - 2 weeks, or until they are the flavor and texture you desire. Radishes will ferment a bit faster in the summer than in the winter. A thinner size slice will also ferment faster. I generally julienne them and ferment for around 5-7 days.
- Store in the refrigerator for a month, or two.
- Recipe notes: The amount of salt is personal preference within a given range. Start with 1 1/2 tsp. and increase to taste, if desired. If too little salt is used, the vegetables will not be crisp, it will also not discourage the growth of mold. However, if too much salt is used, it can slow and even prevent fermentation from occurring. Salt within the given range of 1 - 2 1/4 tsp. per cup of non-chlorinated water will keep your brine in a healthy range. You may reduce the amount of salt further, by using 1 Tbsp. whey, or juice from another ferment, per 1 cup of non-chlorinated water. Whey tends to be a little more predictable. I would not recommend reducing salt below 3/4 tsp. per cup of non-chlorinated water.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
cups
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- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup radishes finely chopped
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 2 tsp dried parsley flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt (seasoned salt preferred)
- assorted fresh veggies or crackers
Ingredients
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- In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth; stir in the radishes, onion, parsley and salt. Chill for at least 1 hour.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Servings |
yields 1 1/4 cups
|
- 1 cup toasted walnuts
- 2 cup parsley roughly chopped, about one bunch
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 tsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
Ingredients
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- Put the walnuts, parsley, cheese, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then pulse again.
- Drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running just long enough to incorporate the oil, about 20-30 seconds.
- Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to store. Will last several days chilled.
- Use with pasta or as a spread on bread or toast, or try using as a base sauce for pizza. Enjoy!
