Hi everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving week! We'll be closing early on Wednesday at 3:00, so if you need to make arrangements to pick up on another day - Tuesday or Saturday - please let us know.
To no one's surprise, we got our first hard frost this week. What a difference a week makes, huh?
We mass harvested some of the crops, like the kohlrabi, broccoli, and cauliflower, which wouldn't survive the week, and put them into storage. It was frigid to harvest and wash all of the veggies this week.
We also made the executive decision not to continue to run the furnace in the greenhouse. Between the price of oil and the lack of efficiency, we felt it was the right thing to do. Unfortunately that means we lost all of the heads of lettuce and escarole that were planted in the beds for our use in December. The scallions will all come back in the spring, so it won't be a total loss.
The lettuce you're receiving in your shares this week was just about the last of what's currently covered under Reemay cloth in the field. It'll stay under the cloth until we clean up for the season. See what you think about the Brussels sprouts - are they extra sweet? When cabbage crops are touched by frost, it actually increases their sugar content, so you might notice they have an extra sweetness.
To reiterate some information from last week, we'll break down the difference between turnips and rutabaga. This week, you're receiving rutabaga.
Here's a photo of turnips:
And here's a photo of rutabaga:
As you can see, turnips are rounder and white and purple on the outside. Rutabaga are more oblong with a grayish-purple and tan skin. Beyond that, turnips are white inside and spicier in flavor, more like a radish. Rutabaga are orange inside and sweeter.
Oftentimes, the grocery store will refer to rutabaga as a "waxed turnip" - but they're really different species! A rutabaga is a cross between a turnip and a cabbage. If you still have the turnips from last week, you can mix them together to roast or make a mash!
Last week, I pureed my blue hubbard squash for Thanksgiving baking. If you haven't done that yet, I'll walk you through the very easy process I used. You can use this process for the sugar pumpkins, too.
First, cut it in half.
Scoop out the seeds.
Roast it on the pan face down at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, until it's soft.
It should look like this!
Puree it in the food processor, adding a little bit of water if needed to thin it out.
And done! You can freeze what you don't plan to use right away.
This week you're receiving delicata and honeynut. Most of you are probably cooking or going somewhere for Thanksgiving, so those will keep for a couple of months if you aren't interested in eating them right away.
Randy and Laina spent a lot of time in the fruit field this week, both gathering soil samples and training the grapevines. I asked him to provide me with some photos and an accurate explanation of exactly what they were doing. Here's what he said:
"We are choosing the strongest vine to be the permanent horizontal section of the trunks, which will be what actually produces fruit for the future. This is the permanent structure of the vine. I figured we would get a start on it now so that in the spring we could just come through and prune them quickly without having to think about any of this."
This Friday, we'll be making our second annula batch of handmade wreaths. We'll spend some time on Wednesday foraging for the greenery around the farm. Monday and Tuesday will consist mostly of harvesting and some clean up, though we'll be focused on Thanksgiving pickups and shopping and wreaths for most of the week. More information about those wreaths will come out by newsletter on Tuesday!
Have a very happy Thanksgiving! We are SO grateful for all of you, and for your commitment to us for 32 weeks out of the year. You're amazing!
In Your Share (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1 head of lettuce
1 bunch of broccoli rabe
1 stalk of Brussels sprouts
2 lbs. of rutabaga
1 lb. of potatoes
1 delicata squash
1 honeynut squash
1 onion
Small:
1 head of lettuce
1 stalk of Brussels sprouts
1 lb. of rutabaga
1 delicata squash
1 honeynut squash
1 onion
Caring For Your Share (All of this information, plus long-term storage info, can also be found in our Vegetable Library of Resources)
Keep Brussels sprouts on the stalk in the fridge. Wash when ready to use, which may be in more than a week. They'll keep longer on the stalk, but if you need to take them off of the stalk for space reasons, snap them off and store them in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash when ready to use.
Store squashes in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar where it will get air flow.
Shake out any excess water in the head of lettuce, then store in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash and spin out when ready to use.
Store dry onions in a cool, dark, dry place, such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar. Ensure that they have plenty of airflow; you can store them in a mesh bag. Keep them away from potatoes.
Store rutabaga in a plastic bag in the fridge. Will last for about a month if stored properly.
Store potatoes in a mesh bag in a cool, dark place such as a cabinet or pantry, and ensure that they get plenty of air flow. Do not wash until ready to use, but wipe away dense soil, if any. Keep away from onions.
Store broccoli rabe in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Or, trim the ends and store it in a glass of water, like a bouquet. Wash when ready to use (within the week).
The LGF Cooking Club
30 Minutes or Less:
Large Share Additional Ingredients:
Mashed Rutabaga with Sour Cream and Dill (Do half potatoes!)