-p i c k l i s t -
LETTUCE - ARUGULA - DAZZLING BLUE KALE - MIXED POTATOES - SHISHITO PEPPERS - HABANADA PEPPERS - DANGJO CHEONG YANG HOTTIE PEP - CARMEN PEPPERS - CARROTS - RED ONIONS - YELLOW ONION - GARLIC - SAGE - TULSI - WATERMELON - PLUM TOMATOES
Whoa CSAers, we did it. Another summer of eating Edgewater crops! With last season's deep pandemic times, it really hit home just how much this community of eaters bonds us all. From Grantham NH to Brownsville, VT and many spots in between, we’re all sharing meals. We’re all staring at that same DANGJO CHEONG YANG pepper, wondering about its heat index. We are all eating the same potatoes thankfully dug by 0 hands, but rather our monster machine potato harvester. We are also all biting into the habanada pepper praying it's not actually a habanero. We’re all turning on our ovens to roast whatever is left over from this week’s bounty in an effort to not only cook until soft and sweet, but also to warm our house and forgo turning on the heat/lighting the woodstove for one more day…
As for me, I am also doing all of this right along with you. But first today at 8pm (post deliveries, post kiddo bedtimes) I am taking a massive exhale… This season of growing was not easy. From drought back in June, to disease and rot in July, and playing catch up with all the rest in August, there have been many moments this Summer of shrugging shoulders, and swearing it’ll be better next year. But here we are 17 weeks later. As a CSAer, you never got the classic Edgewater bounty. You were without heaps of plum tomatoes for sauce, or cilantro for your salsa (I am still kicking myself for not being more on top of that mid summer herb planting). You went week after week without cabbage for slaw or kraut, and there was barely an heirloom tomato in sight… you never complained about end of season soft blueberries, and did we even grow cucumbers or dill? Somehow, without these summer staples, we all continued to eat like kings and queens and try new things (lemon balm! Anise hyssop! Perilla! Lemon cucumbers! Daikon radishes! Lemon grass! tulsi!). THIS is the beauty of growing food on an extremely diversified crop farm, as well as picking for an extremely open minded community. Big cheers to that and to you!
Starting tomorrow we get going on FALL CSA prep: We’ve bought winter squash from Mclennan Farm in Windsor (because what’s a Fall CSA without butternuts and delicata?), the sweet potato crop is about to get dug and cured and we are planting up so many greenhouses with all my favorite cold hardy greens (and cilantro!!). The rush of Summer has certainly peaked but we have miles to go before hibernation.
Lastly, looking ahead at the 10 day forecast with no frost insight truly warms my heart. Mother Nature is literally telling us “chin up kid, we’re not done yet.” So with that, let’s all crack open our October watermelons and pretend it's Summer a little longer.
Hope to pick for you all next year or maybe even next week when we begin the Fall CSA.
Peace, Love, and Winter Greens, Jenny
PRO-TIPS:
TULSI: And if you are like me and a little overwhelmed by this call of Mother Nature to keep partying so hard, steep this herb in hot water, and drink for a real destressing nightcap.
DRYING SAGE:
IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO USE SAGE (or tulsi) IMMEDIATELY, HANG AND DRY AND STORE!
How to Dry Sage Leaves: Attach a string to the bottom of the bundle and hang upside down in a warm dark spot with plenty of ventilation.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 red onions, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced (about 7 cups)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 /2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt butter in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and 2 tablespoons sage; sauté 5 minutes. Add potatoes and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil. Boil until water is completely absorbed, about 8 minutes. Add cream, salt, and pepper; bring to boil. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until potatoes are tender and top is golden, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sage. Serve immediately.
(JENNYS NOTE: I can't remember if we’ve done this recipe this season. If we have, I am so sorry for the repeat, but this dazzling blue variety is ideal for making these chips, my 5 year old highly recommends…)
Walk away from the vending machine—and let these crunchy kale chips satisfy any strong snack cravings you have on slow weekday afternoons.
Ingredients
12 large Tuscan kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half, center ribs and stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 250°F. Toss kale with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes for flat leaves and up to 33 minutes for wrinkled leaves. Transfer leaves to rack to cool.