It's been a cool, overcast week - perfect for harvesting sweet potatoes! Digging sweet potatoes is a satisfying and thrilling experience. After we cut all the vines, we use a tractor implement that helps uproot the tubers. Each sweet potato is picked up by hand, and we try to dust as much dirt off as possible (it's precious dirt and we want it to stay in the garden!). Sometimes the big, pink or purple fleshed sweet potatoes are completely exposed, and other times they are still hidden under the soil. We run our hands through the soft, fluffy dirt in search of these sweet roots as we crawl on hands and knees down the row. It's kind of like a treasure hunt. We then move the sweet potatoes to a warm space to cure for about two weeks. This helps increase storage life and allows the sugars to develop, leading to a sweeter tuber. We'll send them to you as soon as they are ready!
While we await the sweet potatoes to cure, you can expect some new items this week. We're sending you a pound of fresh chestnuts straight from the orchard, which you can enjoy roasted or cooked in the skillet as a nutritious snack, or cooked with root veggies or Brussels sprouts as a flavorful side dish. There are many ways to cook chestnuts, but here's a simple oven roasted recipe. As you will read, it's super important that you score the nuts, which means carving an "X" into the round side of the shell/nut before cooking. This allows moisture to escape, and makes for easy peeling.
You can also expect pac choi (basically the same as bok choi) in your boxes, which can be used as a cooking green or fresh in salads. Purple top turnips are also making an appearance this week. They are not quite as buttery as the Hakurei turnips, but they are larger, have a pretty purple color on top, and will roast up perfectly with your beets and carrots.
What are you cooking with your CFF meat and veggies? Join our Caney Fork Farms CSA Facebook group and let us know!
What's in the veggie box:
