Newsletter Week A Box 9

Week A Box 9!

The colors of the leaves tell the tale of preparation for the shortening of the days. This is an A week so, Manna Cafe, Vom Fass, UW Vet School, and On Farm pick up will be this Friday OCTOBER 1! after 2 pm. Atomic Ice Cream 148 High Street Mineral Point 9 am, Green City Market 7 am Saturday October 2, and Chicago Botanic Garden Farmers Market 9 am October 3. Come as early as you can to insure quality and freshness. Please bring two bags with you. UNFOLD boxes at seems to flatten and keep reusable.

What’s in the box?!

  • Rainbow Chard– store in bag in refrigerator, best to use within 4 days. But will last 2 weeks. high in chlorophyll, vitamins A, E and C, raw or slightly cooked. In salads, steamed or boiled for under 10 minutes. Add the beet greens to your chard bag and double your greens. Also, can bag Turnip greens in for a nice well rounded nutritional greens dish.
  • Garlic – is a wonderful probiotic, boosts immune system and increases health. For long time storage, mince into airtight container and cover with olive oil. (though I am sure this will go fast in the kitchen anyways!)Also, can be hung by long stem in dark place to cure for later use.
  • Green Beans – will keep for up to a week. SPECIAL, in season but not really. We planted them in hopes it would work and it DID :) Good amounts of vitamins A, B1, and B2, calcium and potassium. Steam or simmer for max of 10 min’s. Saute, or eat fresh, too! To freeze fresh beans – Blanch in boiling water 2-3 min’s, rinse in cold water, drain, dry well (drip dry for up to half hour or lay out on cloth or paper towels) and pack into air tight containers.
  • Green top Beets – store greens and beets separately. Use beet greens soon for retained nutrients. Beets are high in vitamins A and C and also the carotenes. Beet greens are generous in vitamin C, calcium and iron. No need to peel. Grate into salads, cube into soups, slice and steam, or bake whole. Greens are good steamed or sauteed. Bag and refrigerate for storage longevity.
  • Freshly Dug Mixed Potatoes (Fingerlings, Purple, and SWEET) – no bag in warmer drawer of refrigerator. They are beautiful and DELICIOUS! Potatoes source of complex carbohydrates and minerals, particularly potassium with skin on. They form a complete protein when consumed with grain, dairy or meat. To versatile to list how many ways to eat potatoes.
  • Sweet Onions, Italian Bottleneck Onions (Torpedo Onions), red onions, cippolini’s and shallots – Onions strengthen the bodies health. Great with every meal. Some people are sensitive to raw onions (as am I) but they are delicious and easily digested cooked till translucent.
  • Leeks – Flat leaf, mild onion. Great in stir fry or the never fail Potato Leek Soup :)
  • Orange Kabocha Squash – Winter Squash is an important source of Vitamin A and potassium; high in fiber and complex carbohydrates. DELICIOUS in Thai and curry dishes, and of course PIE!!
  • Green Top Scarlet Turnips -bag and store in refrigerator. Use leaves soon. good source for vitamin C, potassium and calcium. Delicious steamed and served plain with butter or add to stir fry or grate into salad. These Turnips are super sweet and DELICIOUS!! Joel made a Turnip mash with these, add some cheese and butter. Pink delicious stuff.
  • Green Peppers – the pepper crop was no where near as fruitful as last year. We have waited patiently to attempt to get you ripe red or yellow peppers but it didn’t happen. The frost is supposed to hit tomorrow so we picked them green. They are super yummy anyway :) High levels of vitamins, A, C and E and the minerals iron and potassium.

On the farm this week.

This week we say goodbye to 4 members of our crew! It has been an awesome people season. Lots of enjoyable conversations and many delicious lunches shared here with our interns. As pictured left to right: Eli (L.E.), Stephanie, Jake, Toma, (Me, Joel, Mike – not interns), Jacqueline, Jonathon, Melissa. Big THANK YOU’s to them for their dedication and perseverance. Stephanie, Jake and Jonathon will continue with us till the season is over.

Our harvesting days are drawing to a close, we raced the frost for some of the produce and we cross our fingers for the rest!