Week of September 16
My dear Community,
I’m thrilled to start this week with some great news—Smokey, my loyal farm sidekick, is back to his old romping self! He had quite the scare last week after being bit by a rattlesnake and it didn’t look good for a while. But I’m happy to report that my squirrel-chasing, chicken-herding bestie is full of energy and spirit. It’s a huge relief, and the farm feels complete again with him around. Many thanks for everyone who reached out and held a collective prayer for him.
Some exciting news about this week’s CSA box! I’m happy to see arugula in season. I’ve really missed the complexity and pepperiness it brings to a salad. Arugula has a notoriously short shelf life, so I recommend giving it a quick dunk in cold water when you receive it, then spin it dry to keep it hydrated. Make sure to enjoy it right away as it tends to wilt if left too long. I’m also delighted to introduce a new addition to the box—our first winter squash of the season: the Honey Bun squash! It’s a beautiful cross between an acorn and delicata squash, combining the best of both worlds into one delicious squash. I can’t wait to hear what you think of it. For those of you like me who have a habit of losing radishes in the back of the fridge (only to find them sadly wilted a week later), I recommend chopping them up and putting them front and center in your fridge. Keep them crisp and ready to add some crunch to your meals! We’re also winding down our summer harvest, so I encourage you to grab some corn from our CSA store before the season wraps up. We’re experiencing a little gap in strawberries but we’ve planted a late crop and they’re just starting to ripen so we hope to have them back in your boxes soon!
Thank you all for your continued support and for being part of this journey with us. I hope you enjoy all the nutrient-rich produce in this week’s box. Feel free to share how you’re using your arugula, squashes, and radishes—I love seeing the creative ways you bring these farm-fresh ingredients to life!
Lastly, I wanted to share an article that a CSA member sent me— "When Money is No Object," discusses the economic impacts of government regulations on local farmers, including proposals to raise the minimum wage for farm workers. It highlights the challenges that policies can create for small farms and offers a critical perspective on how these decisions affect local food production. If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full article here.
Be good to each other.
CSA Box Contains:
CUCUMBERS (PICKLE SIZE)
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
ARUGULA
RED RADISHES
GREEN ZUCCHINI
GALA APPLES
RED BELL PEPPER/LUNCH BOX
HONEY BUN SQUASH
MOUNTAIN MAGICS
BIG BOX ADD: CARROTS, GREEN LEAF LETTUCE, BARLETT PEARS, MINI SWEET PEPPERS, HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
JUST the BASICS:
CARROTS
RED LEAF LETTUCE
MAGIC MOUNTAIN TOMATOES
GREEN ZUCCHINI
GALA APPLES
CUCUMBERS (pickle size)
JUICE FEAST:
ROMAINE LETTUCE
GALA APPLES X2
LACINATO KALE X2
CARROTS X2
CILANTRO
GALA APPLES
FENNEL
FRUIT EXPANSION: GALA APPLES + PEARS
LETTUCE OF THE WEEK: GREEN LEAF
MUSHROOM MIX: from WOLFE FARMS
Arugula Apple Salad
Ingredients:
5 ounces baby arugula
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 small apple your favorite variety, cored and thinly sliced
2 ounces soft goat cheese crumbled
1 ounce pecans toasted if desired and coarsely chopped,
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Pinch and Swirl
Persian Walnut Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup walnuts, lighted toasted
1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced (use a mandolin) or sub halved cherry tomatoes when in season
5 Persian (or Turkish) cucumbers, thinly sliced 4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup chopped dill
1/4 cup chopped tarragon or chives
1/2– 1 cup crumbled feta (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon allspice
salt and pepper to taste
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Feasting at Home
Ultimate Stuffed Roasted Acorn Squash
Ingredients:
3 acorn squash small/med*
2 tsp organic coconut oil
or ghee, plus sea salt, for roasting
1 Tbsp organic coconut oil
or ghee, plus more, if needed
1 lb pork sausage casings removed if necessary, sugar-free for Whole30
4 oz mushrooms any kind, chopped
1 small onion diced
2 celery stalks diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 apple diced (pink lady is my favorite for cooking)
1 Tbsp fresh sage leaves minced**
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves minced**
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves minced**
1/3 cup raisins organic, or dried cranberries (fruit-sweetened)
sea salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley for garnish, if desired
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Paleo Running Momma
Vegan Pasta Primavera with Roasted Veggies
Ingredients:
1 cup red onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups cherry tomatoes (or other small tomatoes)
6 cups fresh veggies of choice, cut into bite-sized pieces (such as asparagus, eggplant, bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, or snap peas)
1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained (or ~1 ½ cups homemade)
3 Tbsp avocado or olive oil (DIVIDED)
1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (DIVIDED)
12 oz. dry pasta of choice (gluten-free as needed)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese (or store-bought)
Find the full recipe and inspiration here at Minimalist Baker