[CSA]: The Final Week!

Well- the week hasn't exactly gone as planned so, Winter CSA details have to be withheld for another week. Bummer.

Why no Winter CSA (yet)? The Hoophouse Saga of the Fall As I may have mentioned to some, we really wanted successful fall carrots so, we sacrificed a great deal of our hoophouse (an unheated greenhouse) space to grow some awesome carrots for you. That space was typically set aside for fall and early winter spinach/lettuce, making me nervous that we would not have the product needed for November/December CSA.

But, we're building another hoophouse! Woohoo!

Once that hoop is up, we'll have increased our growing space by 1/3! However, that hoophouse is going up in early November, leaving little time, again, to have much going on in November (hint: Winter CSA).

So, we're reimagining Winter CSA for this season but, I'll have set ideas and plans by next week. We won't leave you hanging though! Not sure about this new Winter CSA or a Thanksgiving box?  No problem!

We're at farmers markets all throughout the winter.

Our Farmers Market Schedule

Allen Street Farmers Market Wednesdays 3:00-6:30  inside Allen Neighborhood Center Lansing, MI

November 14 December 19 January 9 & 23 February 6 & 20 March 6 & 20 April 10 & 24

Meridian Twp Farmers Market inside the Meridian Mall Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm Okemos, MI

1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, December-April

Hope to see you there!  

The Menu

Please Choose up to 9 different Veggies

• Pears! Unnamed and antique...

  • RIPEN these! Put them in a warm place for a few days until they're slightly soft to the touch.

  • They're not exactly from our farm btw... We've admired this pear tree for years as it's behind a neighbor's house and on the edge of a field we rent from them. This year, it was packed with fruit! The neighbor HATES having to pick them up or run them over with his lawnmower so, we grabbed a ladder and picked them off the tree. They've never been sprayed as the tree is basically abandoned. They look like a squat Bartlett but, the owner says the tree has been there for 50+ years. 

• Red or Yellow Storage Onions

• Garlic

• Sweet Bell Peppers

  • Unsorted and harvested before the frost.

• Kossack Kohlrabi

  • Huge but, tasty!

• Celeriac

• Rutabagas

• Brussels Sprouts

• Sweet Potatoes

  • Smaller than we'd hoped but, still tasty.

  • Both white and traditional red. They're cured and ready to go!

• Carrots!

  • With lovely, huge tops.

    • You can eat the tops too!

• Daikon Radishes

• Winter Squash: Butternut, Acorn, Carnival or Delicata

• Heirloom Winter Squash and Pie Pumpkins

  • No squashapalooza this year :( You'll find our heirloom squash to be a bit smaller and less abundant than previous years.

• Beets!

• Cabbage

  • They turned out to be much smaller than desired but, still awfully tasty!

• Leeks!

Maybe List

• Kale OR Lettuce OR Bok Choy

Recipe Ideas: Squash and Pumpkins II

Perhaps not everyone saw the "Squash Recipes I" but, this time I want to focus more on Butternut, heirloom squash and pie pumpkins.

Let's start with pie pumpkins... Granted just about any squash can be turned into a pie, we like to grow a few different kinds for maximum tastiness. 'Winter Luxury' and 'Touch of Autumn' are our go-to varieties of pumpkins for pies but, feel free to mix some butternut or heirloom squash in there too.

Roasting is by far the best way to cook these for pie prep. Roast in wedges, puree and even freeze for later use. The Pioneer Woman has it right.

Then, follow your favorite pie, muffin or bread recipe anytime this winter!

Butternut squash is easily the most versatile of squash. It has a smooth texture and lighter flavor than many other varieties. The long neck also makes it easy to handle.

One of my favorite things to do is squash soup. For something a little different, try this Curried Butternut Squash soup from the Minimalist Baker. Curry and squash always make a lovely combo!

For something a little more traditional, there's the classic Squash Soup. Or, while I haven't tried this one yet, an Instant Pot version.

If creamy squash soup isn't your thing (or you want to try something new), try throwing it into a chili!

Thanks to CSAer Autumn for this recipe from Simply Recipes for Best Pumpkin Chili. The creaminess and sweetness of the squash goes perfectly with all the spices and textures of a chili.

Along those lines, try making posole! This recipe from Food52is a spicy blend of chile paste, hominy, and squash. Although I have the urge to crack an egg on top of this (shashuska style).

All of the heirloom squash you'll see at CSA is edible and tasty! From variety to variety or from squash to squash, they will tend to vary in stringiness and water content. 

If you're not sure what to do, make soup/chili/posole in order to compensate for any watery-ness. Or, roast and blend for pies!

I really love to stuff these round lovelies for Thanksgiving and serve in wedges. I tend to do all sort of variations but, it usually ends up being something close to this Kale and Wild Rice Stuffed Squash. Or, this, Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good.