In Your Box:

• Basil
• Broccolini (full shares)
• Carrots
• Celeriac
• Garlic
• Onion
• Spinach
• Sweet pepper or cherry tomatoes
• Winter Squash: Butternut

Farm News

One final reminder that we hope you can join us here on the farm this Saturday, October 5th from 3:30-6pm. We’ll have yard games and farm tours and then a potluck starting at 5pm. Please bring lawn chairs, table settings, and a dish to pass. Our farm is located at 17250 County Road 122 / New Germany 55367. No need to RSVP, but please email me if you have any questions. We hope to see you at the farm!

Even if the calendar has flipped to October, it seems that summer isn’t quite ready to leave us alone. We haven’t had a frost and there’s not really a chance of one in the extended forecast, so the growing season continues. Unlike the Twins season, but I digress….

This week’s box

Since it still feels like summer, it isn’t that surprising that we still have sweet peppers and cherry tomatoes available. I keep thinking the plants are done, but as long as they keep bouncing back I might as well keep picking them.

This is our last crop of basil for the year, so hopefully you’ve had your fill. If you can’t keep up, you can always make it into pesto and freeze it for a few months.

Butternut squash is one of my top five crops to eat, so I was delighted with the abundant harvest this year. Butternuts are a great stand-in for pie pumpkins and are delicious baked into breads or pancakes. Our favorite use for butternut squash is the soup recipe linked below, which we make nearly weekly all through the winter. Butternuts store very well at room temperature and will easily last until March most years.

To bake a winter squash, first preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the stem and slice the squash down the middle the long way. Scoop out any seeds and place the squash flesh-down in a casserole dish. Add water to about ½-1” depth in the dish and bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.

One crop you might not be familiar with is Celeriac, which is indeed a close relative of its cousin celery. Celeriac’s tops are edible and used just like celery, while the root bulb itself is the highlight of the vegetable. To use it, just peel the outside skin and any roots. The white flesh can be chopped fine or grated and added to any stew for a great, rich root taste. The tops stay fresh for just a week or so, but the root stores well in the fridge for up to a couple months.

Pan-Roasted Winter Veggies

from Better Homes and Gardens

• 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 cup finely shredded red or green cabbage
• 3 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 3 cup finely chopped peeled celeriac
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Chopped fresh chives

Directions

1. Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil; carefully swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add the cabbage, carrots, and celery root; stir and spread in an even layer. Cook without stirring for 1 minute. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes more or until browned in spots. Push vegetables to one side of skillet.
2. Add the remaining oil and onion to skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and stir all vegetables together. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper; stir again. Stir in vinegar and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with chives.

Coming up

We are expecting broccoli, rutabaga, carrots, onion, garlic, kale, acorn squash and bok choy.

Recommended Recipes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes: https://foxandfawnfarm.com/2009/11/01/garlic-mashed-potatoes/

Red Lentil and Squash Soup: https://foxandfawnfarm.com/2010/09/24/red-lentil-and-squash-soup-2/