Sheep loving this fall weather, maybe even more than we are....maybe.
Announcements
U-picking is still going on for herbs and any flowers you can find around farm (all by wash station, and some extra striped marigolds over by the where the sunflowers were in G2)
Dupont members, many of you didn't get garlic in your share last week. Remind Carrie at your next pick up and we'll give you the missed garlic. Sorry!
Don't forget about the oyster pop-up in Annapolis on October 29th. The deadline for ordering is Monday (10/26). And we'll have one on the farm on November 14th (details for that location coming later).
We're still selling garlic!!!
For CSA members, the prices are $8/lb or a discounted $6/lb for purchases of at least 10 pounds.
Non-members pay $12/pound or $8/pound for 10 pounds or more.
If you're purchasing more than 10 pounds for pick up at Dupont or Annapolis, please give us at least one day advanced notice so we can be sure to get it in the van for you.
All the options are available for on-line purchase now. We do not ship or deliver, except to our CSA pick-ups.It is Week 23 which means after this week, we only have 3 more weeks of shares! The season is coming to a close and we hope to leave you with your fill of greens, winter squash, radishes and turnips. We are planning on digging up those small sweet potatoes soon as well for possibly Week 25.
Concerned about how to store your winter squash? Here's the trick: do absolutely nothing. That's right, you can use it as a door stop or bookend or festive table display. And then 3 months from now, when you're thinking about how great it was to have a farm that grew vegetables for you, you can cook it and eat it. So easy!
Your final week of shares is November 11, 12 and 14. Don't forget that you cannot take more than 2 shares at a time. We can tell you at the pick-up how many you have remaining to use up.
We can still use extra help in the fields with harvesting and other field work, any day, Tuesdays through Saturdays. Call 301-627-4662 to sign up.
This week's share
2 heads garlic
1 winter squash (butternut)
1 daikon radish
1 watermelon radish
1 large head bok choi
1-3 eggplants (about a pound)
3/4 pounds peppers
a few small French breakfast radishes
Choose 6 ounces of greens from a selection of options (including spicy mix and collards)
Optional: 6 ounces of a mild or hot blend of chilies
Above, Elissa is gracefully displaying the rather extravagant size of one of our daikon radishes. Be prepared for some big radishes in your bag today! Note that the radish greens are quite delicious, so taste a little and decide if you'd like to cook with it or include some chopped leaves in your salad.
Recipes
Aigo Bouido
Our volunteer, Vince Renard, likes to use our garlic to make this classic, French soup.
Creamy Winter Squash soup with ginger
TIME: 30 - 45 MINUTES (not including roasting time); SERVES: 6+
This soup can be made with almost any type of winter squash. I prefer to use Kabocha because of its starchy, chestnut-like texture and flavor, but Butternut does wonders as well.
*Go with a high-powered blender or food processor, rather than an immersion blender, for the silkiest texture.
INGREDIENTS
1 medium-large winter squash; roasted, flesh scooped out & reserved (about 2 cups)
2 tbsp. unrefined coconut oil or ghee/butter
1 large yellow or white onion (or 1 - 2 leeks), chopped
1 - 3 carrots (opt.), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece ginger, grated
Water, vegetable broth, or chicken stock (amount depends on desired consistency)
1, 14-oz. can full-fat coconut milk
~1/4 tsp. each coriander, ground turmeric, & Ceylon cinnamon
A pinch of cayenne pepper
Juice from 1/2 - 1 lime (depending on size; to taste)
1 tsp. fish sauce (opt.)
Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Cilantro, chopped
Greek yogurt or crème fraîche
METHOD
Heat coconut oil or ghee/butter in a large dutch oven or soup pot. When hot enough to sizzle water, add the onions,celery, carrots, garlic, ginger, & spices. Cook until browned & fragrant.
Add the coconut milk and roasted winter squash. Add enough water or stock to barely cover. (You can always add more liquid, but it’s hard to cook the soup down once it’s too thin without adding more squash.)
Cover and simmer on low until soft and thoroughly cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir often to avoid sticking.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Transfer carefully in batches to the blender or food processor and purée until creamy.
Adjust seasonings: add the lime, optional fish sauce, and salt & pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro and yogurt or crème fraîche.
Daikon Radish Pickles
TIME: 15 MINUTES (plus overnight marinating); SERVES: 2 CUPS
This quick-pickle “brine” can be used for a variety of different veggies: radish, cucumber, kohlrabi, celery, etc.. You can make more or less brine depending on the amount of veggies you wish to pickle. This is not a fermented pickle, like kimchi, so it's a good choice for people who don't want that strong fermented taste.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups daikon radish (or a mix of veggies), sliced into bite-size lengths, but thin enough to soak in the marinade (I like a long, rectangular shape, or half moon)
~1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
~1 cup water
1/4 cup tamari, Nama Shoyu or soy sauce
1 tbsp. mirin or Chinese Shaoxing wine (opt.)
A few dashes fish sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp. gochugaru or crushed red pepper flakes
METHOD
Place the sliced daikon radish in a large ziplock bag or a shallow pan/bowl. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
Combine half of the water plus all ingredients for the marinade in a separate bowl. Pour over the daikon. You want the majority of the radish to be touching the marinade. If you need more liquid, add the other 1/2 cup of water.
Let sit overnight in the fridge. Mix every few hours to incorporate the marinade on all sides. Pickles will keep for a couple weeks.
Enjoy this magnificent weather!
The Clagett Farm Team