THIS WEEK’S HARVEST
Harvest Moon Potatoes, Honey Boat Delicata Winter Squash, Scallions, Assorted Onions, Bolero Carrots, Sweet Peppers (last week!), Eggplant (last week!), Cauliflower, Green Magic Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Rainbow Chard, Brussel Sprout Tops, Sugarloaf Chicories, Spinach, Salanova Red Butter Lettuce
U-PICK
🌟 Jack-O-Lantern & Turks Turban Pumpkins | SEASON LIMIT: 2 per share, or 1 per child for households with more than two children. We have enough pumpkins that households that are alternating weeks can also take this season limit. (Note: These Pumpkins are not good for eating! They are bred for their looks and bland and flavorless if eaten. Don’t worry — we have plenty of delicious Winter Squash and Pumpkins coming your way!)
🌟 Full-size Tomatoes | Gleanings. If you still haven’t gotten your fill of tomatoes, feel free to forage through the vines! There’s still a few nice ones to be had.
Albion Strawberries | 3 pints per share
Padrón Peppers | Gleanings
Shishito Peppers | Gleanings
Cherry Tomatoes | Gleanings
Goldilocks Beans | Gleanings
Hot Peppers:
Jalapeños | Gleanings
Thai Chilis | Gleanings
Habanero | Gleanings
Herbs: Italian, Purple and Thai Basil, Dill, Tulsi, Chamomile, Parsley, Onion Chives, Garlic Chives, Tarragon, Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Culinary Sage, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Vietnamese Coriander, Shiso (Perilla), Catnip, Pineapple, Sorrel, Assorted Mints & Husk Cherries!
Flowers!
Don’t forget to find a pumpkin to call your own this week!
HARVEST NOTES
Brussels Sprout Tops: Each year around this time we trim the tops off of the Brussel sprouts plants to spur the sprouts to size up evenly. This annual necessity has the delicious benefit of giving us delicate bunches of cooking greens with that lovely Brussel Sprout flavor. Use as you would any of your favorite cooking greens like Kale or Collards.
Honey Boat Delicata Winter Squash: Delicata are a perennial favorite of ours. Versatile, and sweet, they even have edible skins. For the easiest preparation, cut in half, scoop out the seeds and roast, face down, until tender (adding a little water to your pan to keep the squash moist!). They are also delicious cut into rings or half circles, tossed with an oil of your choice (coconut is particularly scrumptious) and then roasted until caramelized. Enjoy!
POTATO HARVEST PARTY!
Thanks to everyone who came out in first rain of the season to join us at the potato harvest party last Saturday! We loved getting to chat with you and admire the many unusual shapes in this year’s potato patch.
FALL HARVEST POTLUCK PARTY!
One of our amazing CSA members, Carl Jaeger, has volunteered to organize an winding-down-of-the-season potluck on the farm. Keep an eye out for an email with more information and save the date: November 17th!
PARKING LOT THEFT
Sadly, there have been a couple of thefts on the farm recently — one at night, and one in broad daylight from the parking lot. We will be working on putting up security cameras and we advise that you lock your cars in the parking lot and keep all valuables with you.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Cheesy Mustard Croutons
By Christina Chaey — Bon Appetit
We are relishing the increasingly autumnal feeling in the air and looking forward to making a big pot of comforting soup — a great way to use our giant cauliflower this week!
Ingredients
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion, chopped
1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large head of cauliflower (2½–3 lb.), florets broken into small pieces, core chopped
¼ tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper, plus more
¾ cup half-and-half
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
5 cups country-style bread, preferably day-old, torn or sliced into 1" cubes
½ cup finely grated Gruyère or cheddar
1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
Preparation
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium-low. Add 1 medium onion, chopped, and season with kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if onion starts to brown, until softened but without taking on any color, 5–7 minutes. Add 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 1 large head of cauliflower (2½–3 lb.), florets broken into small pieces, core chopped, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ¼ tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper, and 5½ cups water (the water should just barely cover the cauliflower). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until cauliflower is completely tender and starting to fall apart, 15–20 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup half-and-halfand simmer 5 minutes; remove from heat.
While the soup is simmering, whisk 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, and 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium bowl to combine; season with salt and pepper. Add 5 cups country-style bread, preferably day-old, torn or sliced into 1" cubes, and toss to coat in mustard mixture. Scatter ½ cup finely grated Gruyère orcheddar over and toss again to combine. Transfer bread mixture to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake in a single layer, turning halfway through, until cheese is melted and croutons are golden brown and crisp, 10–15 minutes.
Working in batches, carefully purée soup in a blender until very smooth, transferring to a medium bowl as you go. (Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend soup in pot until smooth.) Return soup to pot and reheat over medium-low, stirring and adding more water to thin if needed (you’re going for the consistency of heavy cream). Stir in 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice. Taste and season soup with more salt and/or pepper if desired.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with cheesy mustard croutons and drizzle with more oil.
Do ahead: Soup can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Reheat soup over medium-low, adding a splash of water to thin if needed.
WINTER SISTER FARM CSA
Going to miss us this winter? Well you’re in luck! Our dear friends next door at Winter Sister Farm have got you covered with the freshest veggies money can buy all winter and spring.
All memberships include diverse winter-hardy veggies such as broccoli, carrots, potatoes, onions, winter squash, lettuce, kale, chard, as well as access to a small u-pick garden with cold hardy herbs and spring flowers. Click here to get all the details on this wonderful CSA program and to reserve your spot today!
FARMER’S LOG
In honor of the little sprits of rain last weekend, we’ll leave you with a poem by Ursula K. Le Guin, daughter of California, dreamer of other worlds and the richness often missed in this one.
TO THE RAIN
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Mother rain, manifold, measureless,
falling on fallow, on field and forest,
on house-roof, low hovel, high tower,
downwelling waters all-washing, wider
than cities, softer than sisterhood, vaster
than countrysides, calming, recalling:
return to us, teaching our troubled
souls in your ceaseless descent
to fall, to be fellow, to feel to the root,
to sink in, to heal, to sweeten the sea.
* * * * *
See you in the fields,
David
CSA BASICS
Drive slow! Please drive slow on Cooper Rd. and in our driveway / parking lot area. Kids at play!
No dogs: Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on the farm.
What time is harvest pick-up?:
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
Oriented members can come to the farm any time, 7 days a week, sunrise to sunset, to u-pick and enjoy the farm.
Where is the farm? The member parking lot is located at 1720 Cooper Rd., Sebastopol, CA 95472.
Where is the food? The produce pick-up barn is just to the right of the solar panels and above our big greenhouse. You can’t miss it!
2024 CSA program dates: Our harvest season will run from Saturday, June 15th through Tuesday, December 10th this year.
