Author: Core Group

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Week #20 — Note from the Farmer

October 16, 2016

Dear CSA Member,

It’s beginning to feel more and more like fall! The leaves are changing quickly as we get closer to the peak of the fall foliage. We have had brisk mornings down into the 30s. (cold enough for some frost pockets) The hearty fall crops use this to their advantage to keep the soil moist with no rain in the forecast. This week you will be getting more salad ingredients! The mustard and Mizuna greens are beautiful and really add a nice color to a fresh salad. You can add the radishes for even more color! Mustard greens can be added to a salad or they can be cooked. If you steam the mustard greens it will take away some of the bitterness that these greens have. When cooked it tastes very similar to collard greens.

This week you will be getting Brussels Sprouts. Below is information on how to prepare the Brussels Sports.

Use a paring knife to separate the sprout from the stalk.
Trim the base of each sprout close to the bottom but, not too close that the sprout starts to come apart.

3. Peel away and discard any browning or blemished leaves.
4. You are now ready to cook the Brussels Sprouts.

Don’t forget to stock up on local honey and local maple syrup for the winter. The Stoneledge Farm Online Marketplace offers these items. The online marketplace also offers organic coffee, chocolate and cocoa. These items make great gifts for the holiday season. Fruit and vegetables are available in bulk (Great for freezing, baking or canning) This week we have Collard Greens, Red Russian Kale, Lacinato Kale, Apples and Pears available in bulk. To order these items from the Online Marketplace go to https://www.stoneledge.farm/marketplace sign in and place your order. Your Marketplace Order will be delivered with your CSA share.

Enjoy the fall and bounty of the harvest.
Candice for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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Week #20 — What’s in the Bag

FULL VEGETABLE SHARE
Tropicana Lettuce- 1 head
Frizee Endive- 1 head
Cherriette Radish- 1 bunch
Mizuna- 1 bunch
Mustard- 1 bunch
Sweet Potatoes- 2
White Onions-2
Brussel Sprouts- 1
Winter Squash-1
Carrots- 1 lb.
Sweet Salad Peppers-6

FRUIT SHARE
1 bag- Macoun Apples
1 bag- Bosc Pears
Apples grown by Klein’s Kill Orchard, Pears grown by Fix Brothers Orchard

MUSHROOM SHARE
Shiitake grown by Bulich Mushroom Company

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Week #19 — Note from the Farmer

October 9, 2016

Dear CSA Member

Another dry week as we continue on into the fall season. We have been working hard to tend to the garden during this extended drought and, with no rain in the forecast it has been challenging. New this week are turnips. The turnip greens are beautiful and make for a great side dish. Turnip greens are very similar to collards and can be prepared the same way. Their slightly bitter flavor is delicious!

Braised Turnip Greens: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/braised-turnip-greens-with-turnips-and-apples-356069
Shallot and Garlic Turnip Greens: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/ginas-turnip-greens-recipe.html

This week you will also be getting Lettuce! Yes, it in finally back! You can get your salad spinners back out and fill your fridge with some delicious salad ingredients. Tropicana Lettuce, Arugula, Mizuna, Radishes and Sweet Salad Peppers! You will also be getting Petit Rouge Cabbage a small variety of red cabbage. This cabbage can be eaten raw or cooked.

Red Cabbage Slaw- https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/red-cabbage-slaw-recipe.html

Don’t Forget! Stoneledge Farm Online Marketplace items are available. https://www.stoneledge.farm/marketplace There are bulk quantities of vegetables and fruit. Currently on the Marketplace are kale and collards (great for freezing) bulk apples and pears. (great for sauces and butters) We also offer local maple syrup, local honey, Stoneledge Farm coffee and chocolate. If you are interested in these items you can order them through your account https://www.stoneledge.farm/marketplace and your order will be delivered with your CSA shares.

How do I order from the Online Marketplace?
Go to https://www.stoneledge.farm/marketplace
Click on Member Login
Click on 2016 Marketplace

Enjoy the harvest.
Candice for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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Week #19 — What’s in the Bag

FULL VEGETABLE SHARE
Purple Top White Globe Turnips- 1 bunch
Petit Rouge Red Cabbage- 1
Carrots- 1 lb.
Collards- 1 bunch
Red Potatoes- 2lbs.
Yellow Onions-2
Arugula- 1 bunch
Tropicana Lettuce- 1 head
Sweet Salad Peppers-7
Mizuna- 1 bunch (could be used as a salad ingredient)
Habanero Peppers- (Very HOT! Take if you would like)
French Breakfast Radishes- 1 bunch
Frizee Endive- 1 head
Don’t toss those Radish Greens! 5 Recipes for Radish Greens– https://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/blogs/5-recipes-for-radish-leaves

FRUIT SHARE
1 bag-
Golden Delicious Apples grown by Klein’s Kill Orchard
1 bag-
Bartlett Pears grown by Fix Brothers Orchard

MUSHROOM SHARE
Portobello grown by Bulich Mushroom Company

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Week #18 — This week’s share

Winter squash – 1
Lacinato kale – 1 bunch
Sweet potatoes – 2
Ancho peppers – 2
Sweet peppers – 2
Curly parsley – 1 bunch
Shallots – 2
Radishes – 1 bunch
Serrano peppers – take if you would like. These are HOT!

Fruit Share:
1 bag- Empire apples grown by Fix Brothers Orchard
1 bag – Anjou pears grown by Klein’s Kill Orchard

Mushroom Share: Crimini

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Week #18 — Note from the Farmer

Week #18

Dear CSA members,

The seasons are continuing to change; there was a cool bite to the air this morning. As the summer crops begin to fade, the fresh fall greens take their place, bringing new life to the fields. The dry weather has continued through the growing season, bringing with it challenges as well as some benefits – such as not working in the rain and mud. The fungal diseases that can often reduce crop yields during the summer months were not a major concern due to the lack of precipitation.

The majority of our plants are started by hand in the greenhouses and then transplanted into the fields to give them a much-needed head start. During this period, the transplants need constant moisture to help establish the plants. This was a major struggle from early spring until last week, when we finished the last transplants for the season. Fortunately, we have a great staff of excellent farmers who efficiently irrigated our tender crops while conserving water throughout the summer months.

The past several days have been very rewarding with high yields of winter squash, popcorn, carrots and sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes are a crop that we are just learning how to produce in high quantities. The process starts in the winter by ordering organic sweet potato “slips” from a farm in Georgia. The timing must be perfect to ship the slips from Georgia to New York. These tender shoots can survive for only a day or two and need to be planted and watered immediately upon arrival in June. This season we prepared a section of the field with hills of soil prior to the slips arrival. Keeping the rows hilled, weeded and fertilized throughout the season paid off with the best quality sweet potato harvest we have ever had. These slips are expensive but with high yields, they are worth it. Now that we have figured out the needs of this crop, we will double our order for next season and hopefully get the same results.

We have acres of fall greens coming on strong. Lettuce, radishes, mizuna, mustard, arugula and more will soon return, bringing fresh salads to the fridge! We also have an abundance of hardy brassica greens that will continue through the remainder of the year. Potatoes, carrots, beets, winter squash and many more root crops will add some bulk to the weekly harvest. Things are looking good for the fall!

I hope that everyone has enjoyed the season so far and is feeling the healthy benefits of eating our fresh organic produce. Thank you for all your support and loyalty to our farm.

Pete for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

A reminder that this week is a coffee share week!

Winter squash – 1
Lacinato kale – 1 bunch
Sweet potatoes – 2
Ancho peppers – 2
Sweet peppers – 2
Curly parsley – 1 bunch
Shallots – 2
Radish bunch – 1
Serrano peppers – take what you like

Fruit Share:
1 bag- Empire Apples Grown by Fix Brothers Orchard
1 bag – Anjou Pears Grown by Klein’s Kill Orchard

Mushroom Share: Crimini

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Week #17 — Note from the Farmer

September 25, 2016

Dear CSA Member,

We have begun the first week of fall! Cool mornings and warm sunny days, a perfect way to start the fall season. These are also the ingredients needed for maximum fall color on our native trees. As we clean out the fields we are harvesting every bit of summer that we can. You will be getting a tomato and some sweet peppers. With this dry warm weather the summer crops are still sticking around!

New this week are cylindra beets. They are large beets with a strong sweet flavor and a deep red color. The cylinda beets are easy to peel and slice because of their long shape. They taste great boiled or even roasted. Below is a recipe for roasted beets and maple walnut salad. (a farm favorite) This week you will also be getting winter squash. It is that time of year! The winter squash can also be boiled or placed in the oven for 45 min at 350 degrees. (covered) By adding maple syrup to the winter squash it will make a warm delicious fall side.

If you need maple syrup the Stoneledge Farm online marketplace offers maple syrup along with vegetables and fruit in bulk, Local Honey, Coffee and Chocolate. This week there are Italian Prune Plums and Green Bartlett Pears in bulk. Great for freezing, making sauces or butters.

The Maple syrup labeling system has changed since last year. The labeling system is Grade A Dark with Robust Taste (the old Grade A) and Grade A Very Dark and a Very Strong Taste (the old grade B) The Grade A dark with robust taste is a lighter syrup that was bottled earlier in the season. Grade A Very dark with Very strong taste was bottled later in the season. Most people prefer the Darker syrup for cooking and baking but is great for a table syrup as well.

Enjoy this beautiful warm fall weather!

How do I order from the Marketplace?
–https://www.stoneledge.farm/marketplace/about-market-place
-Click Member Login
-Select your Items

Roasted Beets and Maple Walnut Salad- (you can substitute the Kale with Spinach) https://www.stoneledge.farm/csa-program/recipes/kale/373-roasted-beet-and-kale-salad-with-maple-candied-walnuts
Red Cabbage Recipe- https://www.stoneledge.farm/csa-program/recipes/cabbage/250-mrs-mosher-s-sweet-and-sour-red-cabbage

Enjoy the Harvest!
Candice for everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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Week #17 — What’s in the Bag

FULL VEGETABLE SHARE
Winter Squash-1
Spinach- 1 bunch
Carrots- 1 bunch
Cylindra Beets- 2
Shallots- 2
Sweet Peppers- 3
Jalapeño Peppers- take if you would like (Very HOT use with caution)
Red Cabbage- 1 head
Tomatillos- 1 lb.
Tomatoes-1

FRUIT SHARE
1 bag of Cortland Apples
1 bag of Seckle & Bartlett (mixed) Pears
all grown by Fix Brothers Orchard

MUSHROOM SHARE
Shiitake
grown by Bulich Mushroom Company

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Week #16 — Note from the Farmer

September 16

Dear CSA Member,

We are finally breaking the brutally hot temperatures! It is beginning to feel like fall. The shares will start to feel heavier as the hearty crops of fall will fill the shares.

We are continuing to harvest as well as prepare the fields for winter. Cover crop seeds have been planted (rye and oats) and are growing beautifully. The seeds have to be planted and then rolled over again to make sure the seeds are covered completely by the soil. Planting the cover crops takes time but has to be done to protect the ground from snow and frost.

New this week is Butternut Winter Squash. Our favorite way to cook it here on the farm is baked with maple syrup! Directions below.

  • Cut the Butternut Squash is half and clean out the middle. (scoop out the pulp with a spoon)
  • Lay in a 1in. baking dish and add 1/2 tsp. butter to each half butternut squash
  • Pour 1 tbl. of maple syrup in each half of butternut squash.
  • Cover butternut squash with tin foil and bake for 40 min.
  • Let cool for 10min. and Enjoy!

Enjoy The Harvest!
Candice For Everyone at Stoneledge Farm

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Week #16 — What’s in the Bag

FULL VEGETABLE SHARE
Sage(herb)- 1 bunch
White Potatoes- 1 basket
Carrots- 1 bunch
Red Wing Onions- 3
Curly Kale- 1 bunch
Collards- 1 bunch
Winter Squash- 1
Broccoli- 1
Romanesco Cauliflower- 1
Habanero Peppers- (Take at your risk! VERY HOT)

FRUIT SHARE
1 bag- Mac Apples Grown by Fix Brothers Orchard
1 basket- Concord Grapes Grown by Tousey Vineyard

Here is a great recipe for Concord Grape Muffins https://www.injennieskitchen.com/2010/09/concord-grape-muffins/

MUSHROOM SHARE
Portobello
grown by Bulich Mushroom Company