• kalettes! (Hooray!!! my fave and hopefully yours too!) Kalettes are a non-gmo, traditionally bred hybrid from England – cross between kale and brussel sprouts — they are easy to cook and delicious. Here are photos from a farm visit to Omar Flores and family farm last year where we harvested kalettes.
• collards – 11 dishes to get you excited about collards, including creamed collards with peanut butter and chile.
• chard – chick peas and chard with poached eggs – plus more chard recipes. I love chard. Its versatile and easy.
• carrots – carrot and sweet potato soup,
• parsley – more than a garnish. My favorite is chimichurri
• purple sweet potatoes – crispy purple sweet potatoes
• brussels sprouts – flash fried with lime and salt. you can do this with the kalettes too.
• chioga beets – baked beets with anise vinaigrette don’t forget to eat the greens also, if they come with them.
• arugula – Try this salad with persimmons and pistachio. Swap out arugula for the watercress. Persimmons are in season, and can be foraged. 
• leaf lettuce
• snow peas – snow peas risotto
• Easter egg radishes – cool information, recipes and more. 
• broccoli – mega rigatonni with broccoli pesto and smoked mozzarella
• raspberries – I am reveling in these late season raspberries from Agriberry. brown butter raspberries

MEATS

•  Rappahannock River Oysters, LLC- Check our facebook group for the video I made on how to open them, but please wear gloves.  Here are some recipe suggestions Grill them, Oven roast or try one of these . Please visit one of Rappahannock’s amazing restaurants – Rappahannock Oyster Bar at  Union Market is your closest. My favorite it Merroir,, which is out at the Marina on the Northern Neck, where Rappahannock has their operation. Its a tiny tasting room, with lot of outside seating and grills. So awesome. I also love Rappahannock, in Richmond with prosecco on tap. Say hello to Exec Chef Dylan Fultineer at any Rapp restaurant – he is really one to watch. Clams – Here’s how to roast, grill, steam and chowder them.
• Sausage Craft Della Nonna (Inspired by the sausage made by Chris’s grandmother, who, incidentally, rocks. Spirals of porky greatness flavored with fresh parsley, white wine, and pecorino cheese). This is one of my favorites they do.
• Edmonds Farm – Bison, Pork & Hay Farm, Lancaster, VA bison summer sausage – this is ridiculously delicious and you may want to keep it in the freezer till Thanksgiving to impress your guests.
• Morning Glory Farm  chicken wings. TryTandoori chicken wings from Food Babe (uses yogurt in the marinade!) a nice spin on game day wings. She says they are the Best. We will try them and see! You can either grill or bake, and the marinade takes an hour, so plan accordingly.

We are getting closer to the Thanksgiving holiday, so here are updates for your consideration.

Turkey – We still have a few Polyface turkeys available — you can preorder via email farmshares@thefarmbus.com. Turkey will be delivered 11/22 for all pickup weeks, so you may have to make a special trip for your turkey. If you are at 7th/G your turkey will be delivered there. Make sure you start defrosting it immediately, here is a safe defrosting guide by our friends at the USDA. I have used the trashbag method and it works great.  Here are some tips and more tips on cooking a pastured bird. Here’s how to smoke it. I also recommend brining it, which can be simple like how Shari Salatin from Polyface does it, or fancy like Nigella Lawson. I have used both of these recipes successfully for succulent, moist and delicious turkey that my guests raved about. You can use a large bucket for a smaller turkey, or even a clean trashcan and line it with a trashcan for brine. I have also put my trashbag in the bathtub to brine.

Lamb – we also have pastured lamb. Please email about lamb.

Rolls + Pies, and other baked goods – You can also preorder baked goods(GF also) and Anna B gluten free pies via email.  The Anna B pies are really yummy, and don’t be turned off because they are GF.  The pumpkin and banana bread are guest pleasers, and also make amazing french toast. Stuff it with goat or yogurt cheese.

We have added more Trickling Springs Dairy just in time for holiday baking — you can now get milk, chocolate milk, dark chocolate milk, half and half, heavy cream, 1 lb butter (tastes different than the Mt. View cultured butter we also carry), buttermilk, and eggnog. Please email if you wish to pre-order to guarantee product.

Fall/ winter shares are LIVE for you to sign up for. I am so excited. The honey crisp apples we got last week were so delicious! And there are more this week PLUS Apple Cider!  If you are interested in signing up for Fall, please do so now here! Make sure to review our FAQ and Policies, as many of your questions may be answered there.   Please share us with your friends!

•  Details: Starts the first week of October, runs 24 weeks with a two week break for winter holidays for Christmas and New Years,
• Prices are $45/week for produce, $32/week for meat and dairy shares, $120 for Full share (produce, meat, dairy and bread). Add ons are available for eggs, bread etc.
• Locations: Eastern Market, Patriot’s Plaza, and 7th/G drop (will revert to Eastern Market if we do not get 10 people.)

PROMOTIONS/DISCOUNTS (for shares only, does not apply to member fees)

• PAID IN FULL upfront for the FULL share (includes produce, dairy, meat, bread) GET 10% off. Members still pay member fee. Expires 11/1. Coupon Code is WHOLESHEBANG16 (there is a place to enter it during checkout).  We appreciate our paid in full, full share members because your commitment is the glue to help us do what we do. You provide us working capital to work with our farmers in the best possible way at the beginning of the season, and supports our local farming micro-community. Our farmers put in a HUGE investment at the beginning of THEIR season for us, and this way we are able to pay them back in a timely manner. THANK YOU!
• MILITARY DISCOUNT – 10% – for ACTIVE or VETERAN MILITARY – Thank you for your servce! Please email farmshares@thefarmbus.com for your verification and code. For those of us who have been with us before, the code is the same, so search your email or ask me again. 
• REFERRAL REWARDS PROGRAM – For every friend, family member, co-worker or random person you refer who joins, you receive a $25 credit that goes towards FREE FOOD! Make sure to tell your friends to use YOUR NAME when they sign up, so you get your credit. THANK YOU!

What will you get? Virginia is a very diverse 4 season growing state – greens grow straight thru! We also work with innovative farmers using greenhouses and hoop houses to stretch the seasons. Many items are picked and stored, such as apples,  root veggies and squashes. Mushrooms move indoors.

• Fruit: pears, grapes, different apples (straight thru), asian pears, possible late raspberries.
• Veg: pumpkins, squashes, beets, turnips,carrots, leeks, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, herbs, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke,  rutabagas, greens like chard, spinach, creasy greens, kale, kalettes, cauliflower, broccoli, romanesco, we are hoping for fresh ginger and turmeric, and more.
• In addition as the season progresses, or if we have bad weather (snow, cold and ice can affect greens and either items growing),  you will start getting 1 or two pantry items or added value item – this helps us get thru the winter season with diversity and supports our farmers who are preserving, drying or otherwise using their harvest from earlier in the year. What might you get?  honey, applesauce, apple butter, maple barbecue sauce, fermented veggies (kraut), dried black beans, frozen corn, buckwheat flour, Wade’s Mill (400 year old mill) cornmeal, polenta, grits, baking mixes and other grains, sorghum molasses, Virginia peanuts, Twin Oaks soy foods, heirloom popcorn, our own  jam, and more.

If you have questions about the Fall share, email me. Join Now, and Support the local food system.