Rain!
CSA Pick-Up Oct 6-10
Rain! It started slowly on Saturday, giving us time to direct-seed the last round of spinach and arugula under the cloudy morning sky. When it finally poured, it felt as though the sky was bursting from a secret it couldn’t hold any longer, releasing the tension with raindrops that soaked into the soil. More rain is coming our way this week, and we are glad for it. Along with our vegetables, our expanding perennial garden could use a good drink, and perhaps after this week our well will be re-filled enough to turn the faucet on again. Cross your fingers!
This is the second-to-last week of the summer CSA, but it doesn’t mean you have to stop eating local veggies! Actually, the winter share holds some of our favorite treats–fresh sweet carrots for one thing–so many vegetables get sweeter in the cold, even spinach tastes better once the sugars condense in reaction to the dropping air temperatures. Make a triple investment in your health, your local economy, and the delight of your taste buds with the Winter CSA. The Winter CSA share, which runs for 10 weeks, begins right where this one leaves off. The first winter pick-up will be on Monday, October 20. The Montpelier pick-up location for the winter will be at the Skinny Pancake restaurant from 5:00-6:30. The Worcester pick-up will be at the same time on Mondays at the Worcester Town Hall.
AND we will have FRESH chicken for pick-up this Thursday. Please email or call to reserve yours and plan on picking up your chicken at the farm on Thursday evening during CSA pick-up. After Thursday, you can buy frozen chickens from the farm. Chickens are $5.95/lb, or $5.50 when you buy 10 or more. You can also get the bulk rate when you sign up for our Chicken CSA (see below for details).
This week on the menu: watermelon radish, salad greens, beets, storage turnips, garlic, kale/collards, herbs
Kale Salad w/Quick-Pickled Watermelon Radish
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
Kosher salt
1 (6-ounce) watermelon radish (can substitute regular radishes)
1 (8-ounce) bunch kale
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seed oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
Do ahead: In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Thinly slice the radish, add to the bowl, and stir to combine, making sure the slices are well coated. Let stand at least 30 minutes or refrigerate up to a day before serving.
Wash the kale and pat off excess water. If the center stems are tender enough to eat, simply trim the bottom inch or two. If the center stems are thick or tough, cut or tear them out and compost or save for another dish. Slice the leaves crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons.
In a large bowl, combine olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, lemon juice, thyme, a generous grind of black pepper, and a little salt. Add the kale and use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves until they soften and wilt.
Drain the radishes. Toss with the kale – OR – arrange the slices on individual plates and place the kale on top. Garnish with pumpkin seeds and serve.
Chicken CSA
Get two pasture-raised chickens per month! Pick-ups are on the first and third week of the month, and each bird will be at least 3.5 lbs. The share runs for three months and sign-ups are on a rolling basis. All of our birds are pasture-raised and fed certified organic grain. $115 for three months.
Mountain Song Expeditions
Hide Tanning Workshop with Clara Kazarov
Oct 11-12, 2014, at Good Heart Farmstead in Worcester, VT
Learn the ancient art of turning fresh animal hides into soft leather. This two-day workshop will give you the knowledge and skills to tan your own hides at home for years to come. More information here and at mountainsongexpeditions.com. The cost is $195.