With Thanksgiving on the horizon, we wanted to give you ample time to plan your shopping lists.
But, this update comes with some bad news. Randy planted what he thought was two rows of rutabaga and two rows of turnips. It was so low down our list of things to think about that we assumed that everything was growing according to plan.
A couple of weeks ago, when our beloved caterer Kitchen Melissa came to purchase rutabaga, we discovered that what was growing was actually turnips.
Randy was convinced he had planted rutabaga. Sure enough, when he checked the seed packet for verification, he discovered that it was mislabeled.
Needless to say, there will unfortunately be no rutabaga this year. This is especially sad at Thanksgiving, for those of you like me who love to serve it. However, there will be so many other wonderful fresh options for serving next week.
WHAT'S IN STORE
Here is the fresh produce we plan to have in stock while supplies last (through Friday, 11/29):
Acorn squash
Arugula
Beets
Bok choy
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Butternut squash
Cabbage (green)
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery (leafy variety)
Collard greens
Delicata squashÂ
Escarole
Fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary)
Garlic
Hakurei salad turnips
Honeynut squash
Kale
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Mustard greens
Napa cabbage
Onions (winding down for 2024)
Potatoes (red and gold)
Radishes
Romanesco
Scallions
Spaghetti squash
Spinach
Sugar pumpkins
Swiss chard
Turnips
If you have never pureed your own pumpkin, please give it a shot this weekend. It is SO easy and versatile. Think about making a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I always make the classic, simple canned Libby's recipe and just sub in a little less than 2 cups of my own puree. Works every time!
Wow, we got some rain! We needed it so badly. One reason is that Randy seeds cover crop at this time. He broadcasts seed on top of fields, and since we don't use sprinklers to irrigate large blocks of field, we need a natural water source to ensure they sprout before the end of the year. If they don't come up and take hold with a strong root system, they will wash away and won't be able to do their job of preventing soil erosion and restoring nutrients over the winter. It's about to get incredibly cold as well, which means the rye seed doesn't have much time to come up.
Here's the new field at Booth Hill, covered in baby buckwheat shoots. Buckwheat is another option for a cover crop. This new field that we restored this season desperately needs some inputs to revive it, as the soil is very unhealthy never having been used for growing. What we did plant in these news fields this season struggled dramatically to bear healthy veggies and we had to abandon the arugula and other greens we had planted. Hopefully this cover crop will give it a nutrient boost for next year. Plant science is pretty cool, huh?
Last week, we sent 900 lbs. of butternut squash off for another special project. We'll give you a hint... it did NOT go to a school or a caterer...
We hope to give you an update soon!
LAUREL GLEN FARM KIDS' BOOK CLUB
If you've got kids at home (even big kids!), I would love to recommend a book to read to them at some point over the next few weeks.
When we had our daughter Janina, subscription member Terry gifted us this beautiful book called Sleep Tight Farm by Eugenie Doyle.
"A captivating exploration of how a family gets a farm ready for the snow of winter, Sleep Tight Farm lyrically connects each growing season to the preparations at the very end of the farm year. This beautiful and informative book paints a fascinating picture of what winter means to the farm year and to the family that shares its seasons, from spring's new growth, summer's heat, and fall's bounty to winter's well-earned rest. All year long the farm has worked to shelter us, feed us, keep us warm, and now it's time to sleep."
We highly recommend this book because it is so reflective of our life here on the farm and we hope it will give you a glimpse into how we are spending our time these days.
As a reminder:
FALL HOURS:
Monday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
​​Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Upcoming Hours:
We are closing early on Wednesday, November 27th at 3:00. This is the day before Thanksgiving. Extended Season members, please take note and remember that we can switch your Wednesday pickup to Tuesday or Saturday if needed. We will also hold all Wednesday shares through Black Friday.
We will be open on Black Friday from 10:30 to 3:00. Our Liquidation Sale starts on this day and runs through our closing on Saturday, December 7th.
2024 WREATH MAKING WORKSHOP
Join us on Friday, November 29th at 9:30 a.m. to kick off the holiday season. We'll show you how to make a wreath and tie your own handmade bow out of ribbon.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
We'll also be selling our own handmade wreaths beginning this weekend at two price points: $35 and $55.
HELP!!!!
We are continuing to seek more clean boxes to reuse for orders! Medium and large sizes only, please. Nothing smaller than a box for a case of wine or a box of diapers. Think Chewy, Amazon, meal prep service, etc. Simply rip your address label off first - no need to break down the boxes. Thank you for your support!
THIS WEEK'S VEGGIE SUBSCRIPTIONS
EXTENDED SEASON WEEK 31 OF 32
(Tuesday, November 26th through Saturday, November 30th)
Share Contents (Listed approximately from shortest shelf life to longest)
Large:
1/2 lb. of arugula
1 bunch of Swiss chard
2 turnips
1 butternut squash
2 lbs. of potatoes
2 free choice items – small bok choy, small cabbage, small lettuce, small escarole, turnip, or kohlrabi
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Small:
1/4 lb. of arugula
1 bunch of Swiss chard
1 turnip
1 butternut squash
1 lb. of potatoes
1 free choice item – small bok choy, small cabbage, small lettuce, small escarole, turnip, or kohlrabi
Caring For Your Share (All of this information, plus long-term storage info, can also be found in our Vegetable Library of Resources).
Store arugula in a plastic bag in the fridge. When ready to use, wash in cold water and spin out in a salad spinner. Use within the week.
Trim the ends of Swiss chard and place in a glass of cold water in the fridge, like a bouquet. Or, store in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash when ready to use, within the week.
Store turnips in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a few weeks. Wash and peel when ready to use.
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 butternut squash in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar where it will get air flow.
The LGF Cooking Club (Recipes to try in addition to those in the Library of Resources!)
Butternut Squash Cake (THE BEST EVER)
How to Change Your Vegetable Subscription Pickup Day
If you need to skip your share for the week, or change your pickup day, you must provide us with 48 hours notice for any of the options below. This is because we pack shares the day before pickup. Once your share has been harvested and packed, we can not cancel your pickup.
For Tuesday pickups being changed, we need to know by Sunday.
Wednesday pickups, we need to know by Monday.
Saturday pickups, we need to know by Thursday.
You have the option to choose another of those pickup days in a given week: Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday.
You can skip a pickup and receive a double the following week.
If you miss your pickup, we will hold your share for 24 hours after your pickup day, and then it will be donated to a local food pantry. With more members than ever before, we don't have the cooler space to hold onto shares longer than this. This is a great option if you accidentally miss your pickup - just come the next day.
You can always send a guest to pick up in your place by simply notifying us of their name.
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