Hey CSA Members!
We only have THREE MORE WEEKS of the CSA left! I can’t believe the season is coming to a close so quickly. I feel like we just started! The last three CSA dates are:
September 25th
October 2nd
October 9th
Most of you have used both vacation days, but I’ll be in touch with you individually if you’ve only used one, of haven’t used any. Since everyone only paid for 16 of the 18 week program, some of you may be ending a little early. As I’ve mentioned before, you are more than welcome to pay for the extra CSA boxes at the end of the season! I’ll check in with everyone at some point this week to make a plan.
On the farm…
We’ve had such a busy week on the farm! We hosted our educational farm tour, harvested so much produce, attended our farmers market, and did a LOT of mowing and weedwhacking. All in all, the farm is looking amazing and we are moving into our final fall harvests. Luckily the frost hasn’t come yet, so we can still enjoy peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos. Everything is still going really strong!
On another note, we are completely done with our potato harvest! Now we just need to wash and weigh all the potatoes to determine our final yield. Since we’ve been including so many varieties of potatoes in your CSA box, I thought I would give you a little breakdown about the varieties we raised this year. Read below to learn more!
Peter Wilcox Potato
These potatoes have a purple skin and a yellow flesh. They are a really great storage variety, so they will last for a long time in a cool, dark place (like your fridge or basement!). They have a really creamy texture which makes them great for roasting whole or tossing in soups or stews.
Adirondack Red Potato
These potatoes are a type of fingerling that have a beautiful pink flesh. They are great for roasting and have a nice creamy texture. It might be fun to make pink mashed potatoes!
Gold potato
These potatoes are my personal favorite! They are very similar to a yukon gold in flavor and texture. Their flavor is sweet and the texture is very creamy. These are a really nice all around potato!
Magic Molly Potato
These are another type of fingerling potato that are super beautiful to look at (and eat!). They are really tasty when roasted whole with butter and herbs. Their flavor is similar to a classic french fingerling potato. I would definitely try making purple mashed potatoes if you haven’t!
Russet Potato
You really can’t get any more classic than a russet potato. They have a mild flavor, and starchy texture. Great for baking whole, tossing in soups or stews or making french fries! You can tell them apart from other potatoes by the russeting pattern on their skin and their white flesh.
Fermentation class!
One of my FAVORITE ways to preserve food is through fermenting. Fermenting food can seem daunting at first, but once you’ve worked through the kinks, it is by farm the most nutrious, tasty, and sustainable ways to preserve food.
Luckily, to make it easy and inviting, my friends Laura and Behzad, owners of Toxy Free, have created an online class (with lifetime access!!) with TONS of recipes and resources about fermenting your OWN food!
Follow the link below to learn more and to purchase access to the class!
P.S. As a community member of StrongHeart Farms, you get $20 off of the class! just use the code: STRONGHEART20 at checkout for the discount.
In the box….
Heirloom tomatoes, lemon balm, purple kale, basil, tomatillos, shishito peppers, mixed potatoes, onions, orange carrots, and edamame.
Orange carrots, lemon balm, onions, shishito peppers, tomatillos, mixed potatoes, purple kale, edamame.
Inspiration….
There are SO MANY fun things in the box this week! Here are a few notes on some of the veggies:
Kale: Our kale is tired, and we’re starting to clear harvest it by chopping off the tops for you to use! The tops are still so tasty and tender, but I would recommend cooking them in stir-fries, or steaming them for the most tasty results.
Edamame: This is my all time favorite thing to grow! Everyone gets a little handful this week, and we’ll be putting more in the boxes next week. The beans on the inside of the pod are edible, but the pod itself is not. I recommend steaming or boiling for 4-5 minutes, then popping the beans out to enjoy with your meals! You can always shell and freeze them for later use as well.
Lemon balm: This herb is so fragrant and citrus-ey! It is best served as a tea, wither with the dried leaves or the fresh leaves. But you can totally chop up the leaves and toss them in crock pot meals, stir-fries, or salad dressings.
See you this afternoon!
Your farmers,
Eleanor and Pearce
Great info and detail on the veggies & farm.😊