Farm share members!
We have an amazing growing season ahead for all of you! So much work has been done this summer to improve our infrastructure and soil. Tens of thousands of crops have been planted, and so many more are awaiting transplant. We have planned successions for crops like mini broccolis, cauliflowers, and bok choys. Our lettuce is growing really quickly, so that will be available in just a few weeks. Y'all can look forward to fall tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins and more! Until then, we will have a steady supply of leafy greens and roots!
First, is a new type of mustard green we are growing called "golden frills". We harvest them at a small to medium size for our salad mix and braising mix. It is also available in a bag of its own. I love this green raw, or lightly sautéed. It is sweet, yet crunchy. The frilly leaves plate beautifully, adding adding loft to a salad, and the soul.
Second, and quite possibly our favorite leafy green, ARUGULA. Late summer and fall arugula is most peppery. We harvest these as baby leaves for the salad mix, bagged separately, and as a medium green for braising. Leaving some stem adds a great crunch to wilted greens. I find the young leaves to be buttery and smooth in texture, so I prefer arugula raw.
Third, Asian greens! We grow about 6 different types of bok choy, plus many other Asian greens like pac choi. I prefer the Tokyo bekana, Rosie, and tatsoi in the salad mixes as young leaves, and in the braising mix as medium leaves. Mostly neutral in flavor, these greens can take on qualities of lettuce and spinach when harvested young. Medium and large boks remind me most of cabbage and collard greens when cooked. They are perfect for soups and stir frys.
There are two types of radishes we are currently harvesting. The rainbow bunch is a mix of 6 different radishes. The radishes are spicy with the warmers temps, but will sweeten with cooler weather. I like these radishes roasted or butter braised. The French breakfast radishes are preferable to eat raw. Tender and sweet, they are good for salads or eating with a dip.
The hakurei turnip is our favorite turnip. Wonderful when sautéed, they have a texture like small potatoes, and a sweet flavor without any of the bitterness associated with their purple top cousins. We use their tops in the braising mix.
Hot pepper mix. If you like spicy, this is for you. Jalapenos, habaneros, capertinos, and cayenne.
Chives. We grow chives all year in 30 gallon pots in our propagation house. I love adding them to salads, soups, and to homemade dips and sauces.
I hope you all are excited about the start of our Fall season! There's some new changes regarding your shares that we made based on feedback from the Spring season. Now, extras from other farms will be available in the share inventories to swap for veggies from our farm. This week, we are including honey, grits, cornmeal, and jam in the main inventory. Eggs will be available as extras until supply increases.
Our add-ons this season will be from Joywalk Daylily Farm (cornmeal, grits, seasonal vegetables), Stowe Creek Farm (eggs and honey), and from Black Trumpet Trading Co (dried mushrooms arriving after 10/17).
*****eggs are limited for the next month (Egg Note: Stowe Creek has grown their egg business and will be limited on how many eggs they can provide at the beginning of this season. Until Alex can get more laying hens, we have decided to source eggs from Hendry Farm in Bastrop. I actually bought my first Rhode Island red chicks from them in 2015, and eggs before I raised chickens. They have a brand new flock of layers that will be of laying age in 4-6 weeks. At that time, we will have enough eggs for everyone.)
Fiesta Nutrition folks, please remember that your only pick up day is on Tuesday from 9 AM-6 PM. Home delivery folks, please leave an ice chest out so that your food stays as fresh as possible.
As always, Kaden and I, would like to express our deepest gratitude to you all for believing in our mission and our CSA. About once a day, I catch myself staring at the trees, and listening to the critters just in awe that we are making a living by growing food for people in our community. We wouldn't be able to do it without each one of you. Our vision for changing the way people access local food in NELA is coming to fruition. It has been a goal for every season to improve upon the last. This is the beginning of our sixth CSA season, and I'm confident it will prove to be the best thus far!
Cook something tasty this week!
Best, Conrad Cable
