2016 – Week 18 Newsletter

“If we knew each other’s secrets, what comforts we should find.”

– John Churton Collins

Week 18 crops

• Butternut squash
• Romaine lettuce
• Potatoes
• Leeks
• Green kale
• Napa cabbage
• Hot peppers – wax/jalapeño/habanero
• Popcorn
• Carrots
• Eggplant – full, single
• Beets – half
• Leaf lettuce – full
• Kohlrabi – full

Farmer notes

• FALL HARVEST PARTY is this Saturday!!! It begins at 2 and runs through 8, so please just stop by when your busy schedule allows. It is supposed to be mostly cloudy and 68 degrees. Please disregard any road signage for bridge out/road closure. Check out our Facebook event page for a full schedule and RSVP if you can!
• FALL SHARE is still open and 20 shares remain available. You can purchase any combination of the 3 shares if you do not want them all (“Hey Norm, I just want #1 on Oct. 27^th and #3 on Nov. 22 – I’ll send you $100.) etc.
• EGG SHARE for the fall/winter/spring (17 biweekly deliveries of 2 dozen) is open and available for sign up
• Final Pick up of all remaining empty boxes and ice packs will be in 2 weeks during the first fall share delivery Th. Oct. 27^th. A reminder email will be sent out to all of you on that morning
• The popcorn this week has too high a moisture content to pop yet – please allow to dry on a furnace vent or in front of a fan for a couple of weeks. When the kernels twist off easily and there is chaff when shelled then proceed to pop per our Facebook video.
• The butternut squash has been curing for 20 days and should last for months if you cannot eat it soon – keep it in a cool, dry, dark space
• Most likely there are some green worms in the broccoli – always good to soak it in cold salt water and then rinse before cooking it
• As always, wash all of your produce and enjoy eating it!

2016 Snapshot

I am always happy at the end of a season and amazed by the speed at which it has passed – I can say the same about my life, I guess, as well. It is so true that no season of growing produce is the same as any other and this is one element that makes my job so interesting, challenging and rewarding. The single thing that stood out in my mind for 2016 is how wet of a year it has been. From the early spring until yesterday when it rained, we have had rain every week, and presently are nearly 10 inches above the average for yearly precipitation. Since I have pretty heavy clay soil on this land, it does not dry out readily with the end result being wet and cool soils for much of the growing season. The tomatoes, sweet potatoes, melons, and winter squashes certainly revealed the consequences of this condition. The Brussels sprouts and rutabaga, which like sandy soils, also did poorly in the wet ground.   Many crops such as peppers, eggplant, beans, cucumbers and potatoes were plentiful as you bore witness to. All in all, I am pleased with the season and thought that most weeks had full boxes with a decent variety of produce.   I hope that you were happy as well. Please let me know how your experience was and let us know how we can make it better for 2017! (Evaluation Form)

I would like to thank you all for participation in this summer’s CSA season. Without your support we would not be able to sustain our business. We certainly hope that we can continue to grow for you in the coming years. Blessings to you and your families and much health and happiness … and warmth for the fast approaching winter season. ~Farmer Norm

Popcorn 3-Ways

For your simple, classic popcorn, check out our video tutorial on Facebook.

Homemade Kettle Corn

• Heat 1/4 cup butter or oil of choice in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the 1/2 cup popcorn kernels and 1/3 cup sugar. Give the kernels a quick stir and then cover with a lid.
• Once the popcorn starts popping, carefully pick the pot up and give it a quick shake every few seconds until the popping slows down, between 3-4 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and pour the kettle corn into a large bowl.
• Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. Do not make the mistake of removing the pot from heat without transferring to a bowl. Due to the high heat of the pot, if you don’t transfer the popcorn it will caramelize and perhaps burn.

Parmesan and Rosemary Popcorn

• Prepare about 4 quarts popped popcorn.
• Heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 1 sprig fresh rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Discard the rosemary and drizzle the olive oil over warm popcorn.
• Add the 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and toss to combine.
• (Minced garlic would make a great non-dairy substitute)

Apple Pie Popcorn

• Prepare about 4 quarts popped popcorn.
• Melt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or coconut oil) and drizzle over the warm popcorn.
• Add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or pumpkin pie spice), and 3/4 tablespoon salt, and toss to combine
• Enjoy!

Recipes adapted from PBS – find more on their website.