View from the Tractor
It is so nice heading to the farm in the morning looking at the slight change in trees as the cooler weather settles in. The days are noticeably shorter now that we are the cusp of October. All of our summer staff have either gone back to school or moved on to their next phase. Farming, the season and life are all about the changes from one phase to another.
Here at the farm, we are beginning to clean up the fields that nourished our summer crops-- All the while, we are tending to the fall crops and finding the last little tasty nuggets of summer goodness. I have been so pleased with all of the amazing flavors that have come out of the fields this year. In the fall, the storage crops and roots are at their finest. With this cool-- but not yet cold-- weather we are still seeing growth in or bunching greens, salad mix and new this week, radicchios . SO many flavors from sweet to spicy to bitter and to earthy -- This time of year really encapsulates the entire arc of what Colorado can produce.
We only have two more shares after this week, with our last share being the week of October 17th. Gratefully we have a nice bounty to take us to the end of the season. Once the harvests are done it is time to clean the tools and the fields and prep the farm to rest into winter. Over the next few weeks we will be finalizing all of the details for the 2023 season. One thing I do know is that we will certainly keep the size of our CSA very similar to this year. The expansion phase of Kilt Farm is over and we now have the opportunity to refine and improve our processes. My main goal that I will never waver from is to always produce the highest quality, most nutritious food that I can for my friends, family, and my community.
While it is always bittersweet nearing the end of the season, a new season will always follow. We are beyond grateful for you all and your support of this farm, and we hope you enjoyed bounties filled with color, flavor and nourishment. It is beautiful to witness and be a part of food bringing together a community, and we hope that this is a community we can all be in together year after year, sharing with others and welcoming new faces as we go along. One of the wonderful aspects of our CSA platform, Harvie, is that we have the opportunity to auto renew our current members-- This provides an opportunity for you to easily secure the 2023 share. We will explaining all of the over the next few weeks.
We are looking forward to finishing the CSA season in a strong place , taking a break and then getting started to do it again next year. Thank you for being a part of our farm family this year.
- Michael and all of the farmers of Kilt Farm
Time to stock up-- Add extra veggies to your share!
Preserve your veggies and stock up for the winter!
With only three weeks left in the 2022 CSA, now is the time to stock up on veggies so you can eat farm-fresh, sustainably grown local & organic goodies through the winter! Bulk up on your root veggies for soups and stews, tomatoes for warm bowls of pasta (psst... we sell tomatoes by the case, too!), store some cabbage to make some sauerkraut, peppers for pepper jams, or whatever veggies your veggie-loving hearts desire! Not only can you customize your share, but you can add on any veggies you'd like to make sure you have to prepare for the winter to can, preserve, or freeze.
Product Highlights
Potatoes
This week, we are bringing in some delicious multi-colored small potatoes in 2lb bags for your shares! Hailing from Hooper Colorado, these potatoes are organically grown by our friends at Jones Farms Organics. Jones Farms Organics is a 4th generation family-owned potato farm that has been serving the San Luis Valley of Colorado since 1925 with a focus on sustainable practices that help bring regeneration, health, and vitality to the soil of their land. You can read more about the Jones' family story here.
Our goal is to always provide the freshest, most nutritious food possible to the tables of our community, and we try to always support other small farms' and artisan makers' ability to do the same at every opportunity we can. By bringing in these delicious mini "apples of the earth", we aim to not only provide more variety to your table (add a nice healthy starch and the dinner possibilities are endless!), but also support other farms that share the same mission and vision as we do here at Kilt Farm.
Nothing screams the end of the hot summer sun like a warm side of garlic mashed (or smashed!) potatoes, a cheesy "rainbow" potatoes au gratin, a veggie-loaded shepherd's pie with farm-fresh onions and peppers, simple air-fried potato poppers, or a cast iron root-veggie hash! We are excited to share these little gems from the dirt with you and see how creative you can get in the kitchen with these along with the rest of your share.
The FINAL Fruit Share!
The final fruit share is here, and we are going out with a bang with some juicy & sweet 5lb bags of Gala apples and 5lb bags of Honey Crisp apples! As the chilly weather rolls in, now is the time to bake all of your favorite apple treats (think: pies, crumbles, cobblers, cakes & tarts), make some fresh homemade apple cider, press apples for some made-from-scratch applesauce, or preserve some apples so you are armed and ready to make some farm-fresh goodies this Thanksgiving.
Feel like getting creative and want to try something new to honor these special orchard offerings? We love this list of 80 easy apple recipes from Delish Magazine for some apple-extravaganza inspiration!
Storing your apples properly:
It's important to store your apples properly to keep them fresh and preserve their peak sweet flavor once ripe. Here are some things to keep in mind when you bring your Galas & Honey Crisps home this week:
- Stow them in the fridge: Apples do best in cool temps-- It's best to keep them in a crisper drawer so they do not ripen too quickly.
- Apples like humidity: Because apples like a cool humid environment, we recommend putting them in a re-used plastic bag with holes before stowing them in your crisper drawer. Wrapping them in a damp paper towel or tucking them in a brown paper bag works well, too.
- Storing apples on the counter is fine if it's short term: If you plan on eating your apples within 2-3 days, storing them on the counter is fine. They will ripen much faster this way and should stay fresh as long as they are eaten within a few days!
- Keep them away from other produce in your kitchen: Much like bananas, apples produce and release a natural gas called ethylene. Ethylene rapidly speeds up the ripening process of other fruits and vegetables, so it is always best to store your apples away from other produce so as not to over-ripen any of your other organic fruits and veggies.
Add-ons and Extras
As always, don't forget to check out some of our awesome partner's and give their products a try!
- Use some Kilt Farm Raw Honey in your marinades, drizzle over yogurt or morning müesli, or eat straight from the jar.
- Throw some plums in your Pueblo Seed cereals or check out their cookies for a fun & healthy snack! We are also still offering their out-of-this-world green & red chilé powders and garlic powder.
- Bring some color to the table with a fresh bouquet of Fresh Herb and Co flowers!
- Sauté a delicious mushroom side with some Hazel Dell Mushrooms
- Make a rich Ragù Bolognese for your heirloom Pastificio pasta (our selection of veggies this week are perfect for an amazing pasta sauce!)
- Sauce tomatoes: We are still offering 15 lb flats of sauce tomatoes for those of you looking to can some fresh-from-the-farm tomatoes for the winter. Not only is preserving tomatoes fun (and delicious, of course!), but it's a great way to combat food waste and put some "seconds" produce to use.
With only 3 weeks left, we'd love to know what reflections & feedback each of you have about your Kilt Farm CSA experience this year. Wishing you a wonderful autumn weekend and
