CSA box 15! (Click On Continue Reading to see whole newsletter!)

Hello Members! Please click on "Continue Reading" to see our whole newsletter.

This is the last week for half of our half shares! Thank you for your commitment to local food, small farms and the future of organic farming! It is NOT TOO LATE to sign up for a FALL SHARE! You can choose either a 2- week or 4-week share. In these shares you can expect all the fall crops that we have had in addition to rutabaga, celeriac, popcorn, leeks, garlic, onions, broccoli, greens, carrots, beets, etc... Also, for the fall share this year we will be offering a weekly add-on option of mushrooms that you can sign up for when we send out the customization email each week.

This week, you will notice that you can sign up for Organic Apples! Our very good friends down the road from us Earthsong Fibers, have lovely apples for sale that we will be sticking in the box if you sign up. If you are like me, it is hard to trust what happens to apples before they get to your kids mouths. These folks don't use any sprays and also have apples that are not "perfect" because of it. They are varied in size and have specks and odd shapes sometimes, but they taste great and store well, too. They also raise goats and sheep that they graise under their apple trees!

This week we also have excess red Italian Carmen peppers, which you can buy in bulk and either roast and freeze, can or just eat! They store for many weeks in the fridge.

Please mark your calendars for our Annual Harvest Party and Pig Roast Saturday, October 5th:

3 pm- late

Potluck, bonfire, pig roast, wagon rides, pumpkin picking, self-guided tours of animals and fields, apple cider pressing and The Beez Kneez's own Kristy Allen will be sampling honey and have honey for sale!

We hope you and your family can make it out! Please RSVP by emailing us at blackbrook.farm.llc@gmail.com

You can always just show up, but it is nice to get an idea of how many people to expect!

As always, here are a few things for you to remember about the CSA and the boxes:

If you ordered meat, PLEASE RETURN YOUR FOIL PACKS TO US!

PLEASE RETURN YOUR BOXES ASAP! WE ARE RUNNING OUT, WHICH MEANS FOLKS AREN'T RETURNING THEIR BOXES!

ALWAYS take the box with your name on it that is from BLACKBROOK FARM! If someone is picking your box up for you, please tell them to take the box with your name on it from BLACKBROOK FARM! This is very important.

IF you can't pick your box up on THURSDAY, please communicate with me about this so I can arrange for it to be kept at the dropsite instead of donated or used.

Please return your box either the same week (bring a bag to empty your veggies into) or the following time you pick up your box. Please collapse your box and neatly stack it or put it where the other boxes are.

If you are half share, your box is delivery every other week ( unless you have rearranged your schedule with Harvie). Please remember to check if this is your week or not. Full shares are delivery every week. When your box is delivered on Thursday, a delivery email is sent out. EVERY one at that dropsite gets that email, even if you do not get a box that week. So it is important for you to know which weeks you pick up. Please email me with questions. Here is information on how to access when and where to pick up your box

We also have 100% Pastured Pork One-time Shares for sale that we home deliver to your door. This is a great way to load up on all the cuts of a hog and get your good healthy fats! You can find our sign up share HERE . Let us know if you have any questions! Raising animals is a large part of what we do at Blackbrook Farm!

This is what may be in your box this week:

Bell and Red Peppers- All the peppers are turning now. The carmens are very sweet and prolific, so you will get about 4-5 peppers this week.

Tomatoes- The tomatoes have taken a nose dive and you may only get 1-2. So long, until next year!

Tomatillos- These make for a great salsa with lime, garlic, cilantro and onion!

Cilantro-Finally some cilantro again! I know some folks don't like it, but it's our favorite around here for making fresh salsa.

garlic- 2 bulbs this week

Onions- (Full Shares)- red onions for full shares this week. you can just keep them on your counter or in your pantry. They will store for a long time.

leeks (half shares)- Our leeks are pretty small this year, due to weeds growing up through our biodegradable plastic mulch that we tried out for the first year. Although we love the idea of using it, it has not worked out well with our persistent perennial weeds like quack grass and thistle! Leeks are great in any soup!

Brussels Sprouts- One of my favorite fall dishes is roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and garlic!

Roasted Brussels with Bacon and Garlic

Rainbow Carrots- We are not entirely sure why these are so funky and shaped wierd, but some are really big! These can all be used just like a normal orange carrot. Store in the plastic bag in the fridge and they will store for months.

Herb Roasted Rainbow Carrots

Spinach- The spinach is good looking this fall, fresh and crunchy. Keeps well in the plastic bag for up to 2 weeks.

Radishes- Some of these radishes are quite large! These are great sliced thin and added to a spinach salad. Or sliced thin and put on a sandwich.

Spinach and Radish Salad with Sesame

Butternut Squash- This squash is known for its "buttery" texture. It is great in a creamy soup or in risotto!

Butternut Squash Risotto

Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Mixed Snap and Wax Beans- A smaller amount for you this week, a little under .5 lb each. With the cool nights, the beans have not been growing as fast. Our last picking of the year! Keeps well in the plastic bag.

Broccoli or Cauliflower- A smaller amount this week, as we are waiting on our 5th and final succession (for the fall shares most likely).

Napa Cabbage or Storage Cabbage- Most everyone got the Red Dragon Napa Cabbage. This is great as a stirfry with onions, garlic, any other quick frying veggies like broccoli or red peppers or beans. High heat with sesame oil, soy sauce and red pepper flakes. Or you can make kimchi, using the garlic, radishes and carrots too! Quick Kimchi