This is me (Carrie Vaughn), my daughter, Amelia, and her dog Bingo. It will be tough for all of us to leave this beautiful home! Photo by Dave Vernon
│ Announcements │ This Week’s Share │ U-Pick │ Recipe │ Coming Soon │
Announcements:
A Note from Carrie
As my 23rd growing season at Clagett Farm wraps up, I’m easing into a new job as Farm Director for Building Bridges Across the River in Southeast D.C. But don’t worry—your farm is in great hands! Dave Vernon (13 years), Jared Planz (6 years), Elissa Planz (6 years), and Alex Outten (4 years) have ample experience between them and will steer the ship capably for the remainder of this season (5 weeks to go!) and in 2022.
I’d love to thank you personally for our years together! Amelia and I are having a farewell party near the washing station on Saturday October 30. Swing by so we can raise a glass together. Dupont members, I’ll be at the first half of your pickup today (October 13) in case you can’t get yourself to the farm.
—Carrie
This Week’s Share:
Jared Planz and Will Grinnell load up with a jackpot of delicious turnips. Photo by Carrie Vaughn
Salad greens
Butternut squash
Kale and collards
Hakurei turnips and watermelon radishes
Bok choi and tat soi
Eggplant
Garlic
Peppers — green bells and ripe, sweet peppers
Optional chili peppers, okra, and pink beauty radishes
U-Pick:
The U-Pick list has remained pretty consistent the last few weeks:
Hot (and not so hot) chili peppers
Basil (Genovese, Greek, Thai, Round Midnight, Lemon, and Tulsi)
Garlic chives
Lemon balm
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Sage
Shiso
Sorrel
Thyme
Flowers (Zinnias, Gomphrena, Tithonia, and others)
This photo from 1999 demonstrates how much the farm has changed! The silos were sold, and we built our washing station in its place. The greenhouses in the foreground were replaced by a larger one, and the house and sheds on the right side of the photo have been torn down. We’ve added the tree nursery and a tall deer fence. The spot where I was standing to take this photo has been planted with blueberry bushes (which the birds have enjoyed more than we have, for better or worse). The only things that remain from this photo are the garage in the middle and the trees!
Recipes
Soup!
If I had to choose one meal to eat for the rest of my life, it would be soup and salad. There are endless variations, and I find soup immensely comforting, particularly this time of year.
CSA shareholder and CBF staff member David Tana offered us this recipe for Creamy Turnip Soup, which he says was the perfect use for our hakurei turnips.
I’ve been telling everyone to let your butternut squash sit for a month or more before eating so they sweeten up. I cubed and roasted a butternut last week that had some insect damage, and man, it was sweet and delicious! So in my humble opinion, the wait is over. There are limitless butternut squash soup recipes to be found. The one I’ve linked here calls for roasting the squash first, which is a must for me. If you don’t have a carrot in your fridge, don’t bother adding it—I find it inconsequential. Also, I’m partial to adding blue cheese instead of or in addition to the cream. But sometimes I leave out the dairy altogether and its still perfection. Roasted, salted, winter squash seeds (pepitas) are another great garnish for butternut squash soup.
Coming Soon:
Sweet potatoes next week, God willing and the creek don’t rise.
Salad greens are amazing and you’ll have them until the end. The arugula and spicy mix have more heat these days so consider a creamy, mellowing salad dressing.
We should get one more week of ginger before the season is over.
Heads of bok choi and tat soi at least one more week.
Radishes and turnips will continue through the end, including daikon radishes and purple-top turnips.
Peppers, eggplant, chilies, and okra continue, albeit a little more slowly with these shorter days and cooler nights.
Oh my heavens, so many heads of garlic! Sometimes we’re so busy harvesting we don’t get a chance to tidy up the garlic before it’s on the bench for your share. Before you take your two heads, give them a squeeze. If there are any soft cloves, pass the head to us and take a different one. Thanks for your help!
It embarrasses me how little my style has changed in all these years. Even today, I’m still wearing baggy clothes, button-down, thrift-store shirts dotted with tractor grease, and a baseball cap.
This photo from 2003 includes Rob Vaughn. He and I farmed together for our first 18 years at Clagett. We were married on the farm and have since parted ways. I’m so grateful for the joy, wisdom, and love gifted me by the passage of time, this beautiful place, and all the people I’ve worked with and served over the years. That includes you! —Carrie
Thank you for Supporting our Farm!
CLAGETT FARM
Wednesdays, 3:00-7:00 P.M.
Saturdays, 1:00-4:00 P.M.
DUPONT CIRCLE DC
Wednesdays, 5:00-7:00 P.M.
ANNAPOLIS
Thursdays, 4:00-6:00 P.M.