THIS WEEK’S HARVEST
Assorted Lettuces, Giorgione Castelfranco Chicories, Indigo Radicchio, Black Magic Dino Kale, Hakurei Salad Turnips, Romanesco Cauliflower, Green Garlic, Leeks, Carrots, Yellow Onions, Harvest Moon Potatoes, Delicata & Jester Winter Squash
U-PICK
Check the u-pick board in the barn for weekly u-pick limits.
Albion Strawberries: Gleanings — There are just a few berries left to snack on!
Herbs: The herbs in the garden are beginning to wind down, but there are limited quantities of a few things left, like: Husk Cherries, Cilantro, Purple Basil, Thai Basil, Lemon Basil, Italian Basil, Tulsi, Parsley,, Nasturtium, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Vietnamese Coriander, Shiso/Perilla, Catnip, French & Culinary Lavender, Sorrel, & Assorted Mints
Flowers!
HARVEST NOTES
Indigo Radicchio: This is the classic red radicchio — savory and bitter with just a hint of sweetness from the cool nights its spent out in the field. Delightful added to a salad of mixed greens, or in a chicory-only salad such as the one below.
housekeeping notes
Important: Our wonderful bakers are reporting that too much of their goods are walking off unpaid. We don’t think it’s intentional — the barn is a distracting place, but these are small bakers, and every unpaid item comes out of their pocket. The cash box and Venmo code are both on the table. Please make sure to pay our vendors. If we can’t keep the honor system, we’ll lose them!
Looking for a quieter farm visit? Try Friday or Saturday pickups. Tuesdays have been really bustling lately — especially the 4–6 pm rush. As usual, whenever you come, please wrap up your veggie selection by 6 pm sharp (and 2 pm on Saturdays), so our crew can start putting the food away and get home on time. Thank you!
VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD’S PIE
Adapted from Samantha Seneviratne for NYTimes Cooking
This week’s Huckleberry Gold Potatoes are great for mashing, and great for Shepherd’s Pie. This vegetarian version relies on hearty French lentils for its perfect bite, and one commenter says that it’s even wonderful without mushrooms, if you happen to be out, or want to make it more farm-focused — just double the number of carrots.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE TOPPING
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
2 pounds Huckleberry Gold or German Butterball potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 3 large)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream
½ cup packed grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or vegetarian Parmesan (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE FILLING
¾ cup French lentils
4 sprigs thyme
3 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms (like button, cremini, and shiitake)
1 large leek, thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup) or up to 4
2 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes to boiling water and boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet with high sides or an enameled cast-iron braiser over medium-high heat, bring the lentils, thyme and 2 cups of the broth to a simmer with 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat and continue to cook the lentils, partly covered, until they are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Transfer the lentils to a bowl.
Finish the topping: In a small saucepan or a microwave oven, heat 6 tablespoons of the butter and milk together until butter melts. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using a masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Mix in the hot butter mixture and sour cream just until blended. Stir in ½ of the Parmigiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
Finish the filling: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in the 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until they are deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add leeks, carrots and garlic, and continue to cook until tender, another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking until it is well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining 1 ½ cups broth, cooked lentils and peas, and cook until thickened. Remove thyme stems and stir in lemon juice to taste.
Top the mixture with dollops of the mashed potatoes, then spread them out over the top. (Or transfer the lentil mixture to a 3-quart casserole dish and spread into an even layer, and top with potatoes.) Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano. Transfer to the oven and, if the mixture is at the top edges of your pan, set a foil-lined baking sheet underneath the pan to catch any drips. Bake the pie until the potatoes have begun to brown and the edges are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
In one of the greatest ensemble costumes ever assembled, Paul and Riley as carrots with Shanga dressed as the farm’s Root Blaster 5000 root washer
FARMER’S LOG
ECHOES IN TIME
On the farm, time is full of echoes.
Moments, days, feelings… they return as if from a long distance — the long distance of a year.
All it takes is a certain smell, a task, a certain slant of sunlight and there you are again. Memories of years before come flooding back.
In early November last year, we also started the day with the sun rising bright through chilly sheets of mist — the tang of fresh compost hanging in the air. Our bodies felt strong — muscles tempered from handling fall’s heavy bounty. The warm smell of drying popcorn drifted out of the doors of the greenhouse. The small cooler was filled with the pine-fresh snap of newly unearthed carrots. The laughter of the crew, camaraderie running high and slightly loopy from the heavy harvests, could be heard over the din of the tractor. Last November 5th, we also watched with pride our cover crop filling out and turning our worked fields into sleek sleeping meadows.
And at night, then and now, we taste-tested winter squash and big heads of cauliflower in our cozy houses heated by the oven, and ate dinner with the sun down and the windows dark.
The slanting November light is full of echoes.
We feel them in the early morning when we head out to harvest, shimmering through the mist.
And sometimes, when we are still, the echoes seem to continue on forward, strangely, and it is as if we can hear the echoes of early Novembers yet to come.
See you in the fields,
David & Kayta
Supervisor Alice inspecting the leek harvest this morning.
CSA BASICS
Check out our Brief Membership Guide: A quick-reference on the essentials of being a member.
Harvest pick-up times:
Friday harvest pick-ups run from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Saturday harvest pick-ups run from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Tuesday harvest pick-ups will run from 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
U-pick hours: Oriented members can come to the farm any time, 7 days a week, sunrise to sunset, to u-pick and enjoy the farm.
2026 CSA program dates: This year’s harvest season will run from Friday, June 12th through Tuesday, December 8th this year.
Where is the farm? The member parking lot is located at 1720 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472.
Slow on Cooper Rd. Please drive slowly on Cooper Road — 20 mph. It's a neighborhood with lots of kids and animals who generously share the road with us.
