It may be winter, but things are looking green and vibrant in the tunnels.

| This Week’s Share │ Farm Updates │

This Week’s Share

Kale/Collards/Chard
Lettuce/Spinach/Tatsoi
Winter Squash/Sweet potatoes
Turnips/Radishes
Carrots
Scallions
Fennel/Cilantro/Parsley

All Winter CSA pick-up dates here

Winter Season Updates:

Howdy all,

What an incredible first winter season so far! We would love to hear about what your favorite vegetable has been this winter?! Share with us at pick-up, or if you have some photo’s of the veggies in action we would love to see it on our Instagram @CBFClagettFarm!

So much has been learned going into this season, and with just a couple pick-up’s left after this, a lot of our focus is mostly on keeping what is almost ready to harvest nice and cozy through these next cold snaps. With row covers and keeping those sides of the high tunnel closed snuggly.

The main event of the last two weeks has been an amazing amount of seeding for our main season –and by that we mean a LOT of seeding. Trays upon trays upon trays upon trays – thousands of onions of many types, and several cabbage, kale, collards, chard, kohlrabi, & lettuces are making their start.

It’s only February and our seedling greenhouse is nearly full. We will do this dance all season long as things will then move over to a “hardening off” area next, to then be to be planted when it warms up just a bit more closer to April, out in the fields. Which will be here in a blink of an eye!

We’re really enjoying the new morning routine, opening the greenhouse, checking germination on seeded trays, and then seeding for the rest of the day.

It’s quite a meditative activity, and really impresses upon us the magic of plants; as long as you give them the three magic ingredients that are soil, water, and sunlight, they morph from tiny little seeds into thousands of pounds of food.

When we’re not seeding-we have done some organizing/shelf building, finalizing our 2024 plan, and something you may notice-building new fences!
No gate yet, but we do plan that once installed will remain open during our CSA pick-up’s!

The winter has got to include all the other things, we don’t have time for in the spring once the last frost date passes the plants and harvest take priority. Planning now ensures we can go through the most intense part of our year smoothly!

Back to Winter!

This week you’re going to see an interesting limited-time option in the CSA: bunches of flowered tatsoi, which look like and can be cooked just the same as broccolini or broccoli raab.

These are the tasty stems, leaves, and florets of tatsoi plants that have bolted, and the entire bunch is edible! The stems and leaves have a nicely crisp texture and mildly spicy flavor, like turnip greens, and the florets are just like little broccoli heads.

These are coming to you this week because lots of leafy greens bolt in the spring as the temperature starts to change, and the flowering part of the plant is a delicious seasonal veg item. We generally are always trying to avoid bolting, as this means the end of the life of the plant and the flavor can turn hot. But not so with these delicate, one time only, tatsoi bunches.

Recommend rinsing and roughly chopping the entire bunch, sautéing in sesame oil, and adding a tiny drizzle of honey and sesame seeds. Or let the flavors mellow in a frittata with some roasted sweet potato and scallions. If you’re ready to cook something different, try this. If spicy mustards or bitter radicchio aren’t your thing, skip it. Enjoy!

Recipe:

Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetable Panzanella

Ingredients:

6 oz paneer
2 bunches chard, (14-15 leaves)
1 tablespoon ghee
1 yellow onion, medium-size
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon garam masala
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoon heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon juiceVEGGIES

3 cups peeled, chopped root vegetables (such as beets, carrots, or sweet potato)
1 medium leek, halved, rinsed clean, and chopped into 1/4-inch slices
1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
1 healthy pinch each salt and black pepper
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped (or sub dried)

CHICKPEAS

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained and patted dry with a towel (or sub ~1 ½ cups homemade)
1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil
1 healthy pinch each salt and black pepper
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped (or sub dried)
5 cloves garlic, crushed or roughly chopped (optional)

CROUTONS

2 cups day old sturdy bread, cubed (such as sourdough // if gluten-free, use gluten-free bread or omit)
1 tsp avocado oil
1 healthy pinch each salt and pepper

DRESSING

1/4 cup tahini (cashew butter could also work here, or sub olive oil to make it more of a vinaigrette)
1 ½ tsp whole grain mustard
2-3 Tbsp lemon juice (~1 large lemon)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2-3 tsp maple syrup
1 healthy pinch each salt and pepper
2-4 Tbsp water to thin

GREENS

1 large bundle kale, torn into bite-size pieces, large stems removed (1 large bundle is ~8 cups or 200 g)
2 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)
1 pinch each salt and pepper (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C // use convection if you have it to speed cook time!) and position one rack near the top of the oven and another rack in the top/center of the oven. Also line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Chop root vegetables and thinly slice leek (be sure to rinse away any residual dirt) and add to one of the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary and toss to coat (see photo).
Spread in an even layer and place on the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender, slightly caramelized, and golden brown. Flip/toss near the 15-minute mark to ensure even cooking.
Add your rinsed, dried chickpeas to a medium mixing bowl and top with oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, and crushed garlic (garlic optional). Toss to combine, then add to one half of the other prepared baking sheet (the croutons will go on the other side later). Place in the oven on the top/center rack, and bake for ~20 minutes, or until golden brown.
In the meantime, prepare dressing by adding tahini, grainy mustard, lemon juice (starting with lesser amount), apple cider vinegar, maple syrup (starting with lesser amount), and salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Add water until pourable.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more lemon for brightness/acidity, apple cider vinegar for tanginess, maple syrup for sweetness, salt or pepper to taste, or mustard for zestiness. Set aside.
To the same mixing bowl used for the chickpeas, add your cubed bread and toss with a little oil, salt, and pepper. Add to the other half of the baking sheet with the chickpeas and bake for ~8-10 minutes, or until toasty and golden brown.
Add chopped kale (or other greens) to a large mixing bowl (option to dress with a bit of lemon juice, salt, and pepper and massage for 1-2 minutes for more tender texture / improved digestibility). Then top with roasted vegetables, chickpeas, and croutons. Add half of the dressing, toss, and reserve the other half for serving.
Best when fresh, but if saving for later, store all parts separately — especially the dressing and croutons — to keep from getting soggy.  Dressing will keep for 5-7 days. Croutons will keep loosely covered at room temperature for ~2 days. Salad will keep for 2-3 days. Not freezer friendly.

More Farm Updates

-Olivia (she/they) and Will (he/him)

Week 6 of 8: Finals weeks of winter