In Your Box:

  • Basil
  • Beets
  • Celeriac
  • Garlic, “Deerfield Purple”
  • Leek
  • Lettuce
  • Radishes
  • Tat soi
  • Tomatoes

Farm News

One of the more dramatic examples of climate change we’ve seen on the farm is that September weather is no longer a transition between summer heat and cold October, but it’s basically just a fourth month of summer now. We used to expect a frost this time of year, but instead the long-term forecast shows continued highs in the 80’s and no threat of a cool-down. While this is incredibly comfortable to work in and I can’t complain too much, it is changing the reality of the gardens this time of year. 

It used to be that I could plant all of our fall lettuces into the field in the last week of July, watch them grow rapidly, and then they would basically just sit in the fields until I was ready to harvest them. But since the growing season is now longer, they keep growing and many are going to seed. I’ve lost three weeks’ worth of lettuce already since they’ve outdone their typical growing patterns. In the future I’ll have to change my plans and keep planting later into August so I still have lettuce ready for harvest in October.

Just a reminder that we would love to have you out to the farm this fall! We will be celebrating the harvest season here on the farm on Saturday, October 4th from 3-6pm. We have a good crop of pumpkins, gourds, and winter squash that we’ll be picking from 3-5pm, followed by a potluck dinner. Join us for pumpkin picking, cider pressing, and a tour of the farm. We are located at 17250 County Road 122 / New Germany. RSVP if you plan to come so we know how many to expect: foxandfawnfarm@gmail.com. Hope to see you on the farm in a couple weeks!

This week’s box

This week’s beets are all golden, unlike the usual red beets we’ve given all year. Gold beets have a very similar flavor but don’t bleed and stain everything like the red ones, so they’re a little bit easier to use in the kitchen. Sometimes I will drop a red beet on a kitchen stool and have red stools, but that isn’t a problem with the gold ones. (If you think that’s the only bathroom joke in this newsletter, I’m afraid you’ll just have to keep reading).

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.

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.

Also, this week brings us our first leek of the year. Leeks are in the same family as onions and add a great, rich flavor to soup. Leeks store very well all through the winter and should be kept in the fridge. If you can’t find your leek in the fridge but find a puddle instead, there’s a good chance someone has taken a leek. Ha! Get it–take a leak? OK, so maybe I use that awful pun every year. But it’s still my favorite.

Beet and Celeriac Casserole

From Vegetarian, by Linda Fraser

  • 12 oz raw beets (about  3-4 average beets)
  • 12 oz raw celeriac
  • 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped (or dry thyme)
  • 6 juniper berries, chopped (optional)
  • ½ c. fresh orange juice
  • ½ c. vegetable stock
  • salt and pepper
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°.  Peel and slice the beets very finely.  Quarter and peel the celeriac and slice very finely.
  2. Fill in a 10” cast-iron ovenproof or flameproof frying pan with alternate layers of beet and celeriac slices, sprinkling with thyme, juniper, and salt and pepper between each layer.
  3. Mix the orange juice and stock together and pour over the gratin.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.
  4. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.  Remove the foil and raise the oven temperature to 400°.  Cook for another 10 minutes.

Serves 6

Coming up

We are expecting chard, bok choy, carrots, broccoli, onion, celery, acorn squash, head lettuce, and sweet pepper. 

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