Tag: Washington

We are at the halfway mark in our CSA – Welcome to Winter!  This time of year farm production typically starts to slow down due to winter’s colder and unpredictable weather with possible snow and ice inhibiting green growing things. With that said, what are you going to see in your CSA and in the Markets? I’ve gotten a few emails from people who are not quite sure what to expect. Keep in mind that being in a CSA is not quite like going to the grocery store, so selection this time of year tends to be less interesting than summer’s bounty, and you may see some of the same items more frequently.

We are lucky that Virginia is not only a 4 season growing state, but it has a growing number of farmers who are using alternative farming methods like high tunnels, hoop houses and indoor hydroponics and green houses to keep things growing.  We are also incredibly lucky that Mark is a great forager, and he has built amazing relationships with farmers so he is able to keep finding fresh and unique food, even in cold and snow. Think of your farmer, his animals and h

You will notice with our winter selection that this time of year we do rely on veggies and fruits that have been harvested and stored in the fall – root veggies, squashes, apples. You will also see  a lot of different types greens, dependent on the weather. Hardy greens do OK even in cold and snow, but don’t like cold winds or ice. Brassicas like cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, cauliflower and broccoli also like the cold.  You will also continue to get mushrooms, hydroponic lettuce, and herbs. We will try to keep items rotated so things don’t get monotonous and you don’t end up frustrated by a kale, turnip, potato CSA.  Mark is on the lookout for other fresh stuff that may be growing in greenhouses, so there may be surprises on the horizon. Please know that some weeks if the weather is particularly bad you may get dried items like popcorn or beans, or pantry items like jam, honey, peanuts or other preserved food. Winter is the time to eat preserved and reserved stores. I encourage you to use your favorite search engine, or Pinterest to find different fun recipes for winter staples. If you simply can’t face adding another squash to your collection, please know you can email me so we can make arrangements to swap it out. Squash makes great pie, btw, so consider creative ways to use your veggies and fruits.

Box Hold Reminder – If you put a  box on hold, please remember to send an email to let me know how you wish to redeem it. If you plan to pick up on a different week, or double up, I need to know your plans in advance in order to pack your food for you. We are very flexible with our box holds because we know life happens, but know we pack the amount of food according to the number of members I have on my list, so if you just show up, you run the risk of not getting a share. Thank you for your consideration.

Warmly,

Suzi

PRODUCE

• apples –
• yellow onions
• AM Fog oyster  mushrooms * changed
• potatoes – Try this potato chowder recipe. You can make it vegan or veg, by substituting non-dairy items.
• bibb lettuce
• cabbage – Here’s a recipe for Hungarian cabbage and noodles, from our friend Tim Vidra.
• collards – Try the California Bean Burger Collard Wrap by Brittany Mullins. There’s a link for a bean burger in there, that those of you who got the black beans last week might like to try.
• brussels sprouts
• thyme
• turnips – Here’s a great recipe for root veggie gratin!!

Meat

• Southernmost Maple whole broiler chicken
• Fleetwell Farm pork chops – Try stuffed porkchops with thyme apple sauce

Our feature recipe this week, is Fried Apples ‘n Onions, and it will go wonderfully with the pork chops. It would also make a delicious breakfast. It comes from the Little House Cookbook, by Barbara M. Walker, which features recipes from the Little House series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The recipe is from one of my favorite books, Farmer Boy. It’s a wonderful book to read aloud to your family (as are all the books in the series.) and it is a wonderful place to visit. As many of you know, I grew up 6 miles from the Wilder Family Farm in Burke, NY. He and Laura are actually ancestors of mine. I particularly like Farmer Boy because it helps me to understand my family’s farm roots.  When I read it I imagine my great greats, William + Lydia, my great grandfather John and his sisters scrabbling out a living on their farm and hunting and playing in the woods. We even have pictures of them at the Franklin County Fair, just like Almanzo and his family. If you plan to go, let me know because there are a few amazing places to visit near the Wilder Farm, including High Falls in Burke village, a wonderful place to picnic and swim and there is wonderful fishing along Trout River.