Farmer’s Note — Week 17

Dear CSA Member

This week fresh lettuce. The night time temperatures have remained above freezing and so the fall planting of lettuce is looking spectacular.  Last year a member requested that we give fall lettuce a try. The weather has been favorable and without frost to date, the lettuce has grown very well. It should be a treat to have a fresh salad once again.  There was so much lettuce this last spring but suddenly the lettuce is gone with the hot weather. We are very happy to have tried growing lettuce in the fall. 

I know that everyone is getting anxious for the fall crops and so we are sending Potatoes, Rainbow Carrots and Radishes this week. All hearty fall root crops. The Rainbow Carrots are really our own mix of Yellow (Yellow Pack Carrots), Orange (Bolero Carrots) and Purple (Purple Haze) Carrots.  Peter mixes the seeds of all three varieties and plants them together. They are a colorful mix that we hope you enjoy.  

We are also still making our way through the fall planted tender greens. The Mizuna and Mustard Greens will not withstand a frost and we are picking them to send again this week. Both are tender and the Mizuna is a good addition to a fresh salad.

Tomatillos.  The salsa recipe on the farm website is really delicious. I think that roasting the vegetables really brings out a sweetness. If you don’t want to make Salsa Verde now, you can easily freeze the tomatillos. Take off the husk, wash and put the tomatillos in a freezer bag.  Pop in the freezer. Add a hot pepper to the bag and you have the makings of Salsa Verde for later in the winter. When you are ready to make the salsa, thaw and use as you would fresh tomatillos.  

If you are a Coffee Share member, this is a Coffee Share delivery week. Please pick up your Coffee Share with the CSA shares.

This week on the CSA online Marketplace are Tomatillos by the 10 pound bag, Apples, Hot Peppers-there are Habaneros this week.  Coffee, Maple and Honey are also available. Grade B syrup is running low so please place your orders for Grade B Maple soon. There are a few more Grade A, but that is also starting to run low.

I just posted fall color photos on the farm FaceBook page. We are so lucky to live in the North East.

Enjoy the vegetables
Deborah
for everyone at Stoneledge Farm