The snow has come and settled like a beautiful blanket over the fields and it seems to be saying ‘it’s time for the fields and the farmers to get some rest’. And so we are ready to take a bit of a pause to slow down and relax before kicking into gear and planning again.
It has been a really beautiful season filled with teaching, learning, growing and sharing veggies. Here are a few fun highlights from the year:
- We begun the transition into no-till farming with half the farm in no-till production
- We hosted, trained and got to know eight incredible interns
- We had a blast selling veggies at the Langley Community Farmer's market
- We donated around 6,000lbs of veggies over the season plus donated weekly veggie bags to 15 newcomer families and 25 underserved seniors
- And we sent out CSA shares to you all, our CSA community, for 24 weeks
Now it's December, the snow has covered all the last crops in the field. Only a few- those hearty brussels sprouts and leeks- have survived it. And so with this clear change in seasons, your final winter CSA is here. A bin filled with warm cozy veggies that will lend themselves beautifully to all sorts of lovely soups or trays of mixed roasted veggies.
Your share selection this week is full of long lasting veggies that can keep for weeks (some even up to a year) and help hold you over until next season. Since it is our last share, we are offering extra parsnips, bay leaves, winter squash, cabbage, onions that you can stock up on and keep in your pantries. And we wanted to note, everything going out in this week’s shares (except maybe the spinach, tatsoi and bok choi) should keep until the end of the year if you are thinking about your holiday menus.
This week the exciting crop we will have on offer and want to highlight is Parsnips! It is one of my absolute favorite winter veggies to cook with. Parsnips are super tricky to grow, 'a triple black diamond crop' as a farm mentor of mine once called them. Our parsnips get seeded way back in June and then need lots of consistent water and weeding attention all summer and fall long. Then we wait until after a nice cool frost that leads them to force their energy (which gives them their sweetness) into the roots and then we can harvest, wash and store them away for the winter.
Parsnips are great simply roasted, but if you are looking for another idea for how to use them I’ve shared a few recipes below from the New York Times Cooking that I am hoping to try.
We want to say a big thank you for sticking with us through the winter, we hope you have enjoyed the chance to keep eating seasonally alongside us into the cooler months! May the rest of your winter and spring be filled with good food, warm meals shared with friends and family and some restorative spaces. We look forward to seeing you again next spring when we start this lovely cycle of work and rest, waiting and growing, and feasting through all different flavors all over again!
Sincerely,
Carly and the A Rocha farm team
PARSNIP RECIPES:
Parsnips with Apples and Marsala Wine
From the New York Times Cooking
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1½ pounds parsnips
- 2 apples
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ⅔ cup sweet Marsala
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)
Process:
- Peel the parsnips and halve them lengthwise, if very thick. Peel and core the apples. Chop the parsnips and apples into 1-inch pieces.
- Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the parsnips and apples and cook, stirring continuously, until evenly coated with the butter, about 2 minutes.
- Add the sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring continuously, until the sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Pour in the Marsala, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add enough water to just barely cover the parsnips (about 2 cups). Bring to a simmer again, adjusting the heat as needed, then cover the pan and continue to simmer until the parsnips are just crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid, increase the heat and bring the liquid to a boil, reducing it until it turns into a syrupy sauce coating the parsnips and apples, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley, if using.
Creamy Mushroom and Parsnip Soup
From the New York Times Cooking
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 medium onions sliced (about 2 cups)
- 2 small parsnips, peeled and chopped
- 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 thyme branch, plus 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1bay leaf
- Saltpepper
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, more if necessary
- 2 tablespoons chopped dried morel or porcini mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, then drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ lb mushrooms, in roughly ⅛-inch slices
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 slices day-old baguette
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Crème fraîche, optional
Process:
- Melt the butter in a deep heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, parsnips, carrot, thyme branch and bay leaf. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes
- Add the broth and the soaked dried mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over high heat in a wide skillet. When the oil is hot, add the chanterelles, stirring with a wooden spoon, allowing them to brown a bit. Season with salt and pepper, then turn the heat to medium and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked through. Add the garlic and thyme leaves and cook 1 minute more.
- Transfer ½ cup of the cooked chanterelles to a small skillet and add the rest to the soup. Let the pot simmer until the parsnips and carrot are quite tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaf and thyme branch. Purée the soup in a blender and strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Thin with more broth if it is too thick, and correct the seasoning. Keep hot.
- Warm the reserved mushrooms. Toast the baguette slices lightly and put a spoonful of mushrooms on each.
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a mushroom toast, a little chopped parsley, and a drizzle of crème fraîche if you like.
