CSA Week 15

This has been a very exciting week at the farm. Three of our sows gave birth to the sweetest little piglets, we harvested all of our winter squash, and we harvested our best crop of broccoli yet! Having more baby animals to care for is a challenge and a joy. Two of our sows rejected their babies, leaving our one good mother to care for all 15. Unfortunately we lost five of the piglets, but the remaining ten seem healthy and active and momma pig, Annabelle, is doing a great job as a new  mother.

We are definitely feeling fall in the air. The leaves are beginning to turn on the farm, and the summer crops are slowly beginning to peter out. Instead of the full lush garden of summer, we have many empty beds waiting to be cover-cropped for the winter. I've learned so much this year.  And despite being tired and ready for the rest that winter promises, I can't help but be excited for next season. I am already dreaming about new crops to try (ruffled red peppers, and Mexican gherkins for example) and contemplating ways to improve the farm.

We are also currently raising a batch of 100 meat birds, which will be ready to harvest at the end of October. Please get in touch if you are interested in purchasing locally-grown chicken, raised on pasture, organic feed and organic garden scraps. We will also be selling our piglets at the end of November.  They are all registered American Guinea Hogs, which are a great breed for small farms as they are incredibly friendly, great foragers and much smaller then factory farmed pigs.

In the share this week you will find parsnips; they are one of my favorite root vegetables: delicious roasted, fried or mashed. We also have broccoli raab this week. Our broccoli raab is great sauteed in the pan with oil and garlic. It has a distinctly mustardy taste, and the leaf is incredibly tender.

Full Share

Broccoli, Gypsy - 1 head

Beans, Carson Yellow Wax - 1/2 Pound

Leeks - 2 each

Parsnips - 1 pound

Tomatoes - Heirloom and Red Slicers

Sweet Peppers, Italian Frying - 6 each

Broccoli Raab, Spring Raab - 1 bunch

Beets - 1 pound

Eggplant -  1# each

Chard - 1 bunch

Kohlrabi - 1 each

Cilantro - 1 bunch

Anaheim Peppers - 5 each

Half Share

Broccoli, Gypsy - 1 head

Beans, Carson Yellow Wax - 1/2 Pound

Leeks - 2 each

Parsnips - 1 pound

Tomatoes - Heirloom and Red Slicers

Sweet Peppers, Italian Frying - 6 each

Broccoli Raab, Spring Raab - 1 bunch

Beets - 1 pound

CSA Week 14

Full Share:

 Tomatillos, Plaza Latino Giant and Purple - 1 pound

Tomatoes, Heirloom and Red Slicers - 3 pounds

Summer Squash - 1 pound

Potatoes, German Butterball - 1 pound

Onion, Copra - 1 onion

Komatsuna or Chard - 1 bunch

Parsley - 1 bunch

Cucumbers - 2 cucs

Sweet Peppers, Italian Frying - 4 peppers

Eggplant, Angela - 2 eggplant

Cabbage, Green - 1 head

Fennel, Preludio - 2 heads

Beans, Romano - 1/2 pound

Beets - 1 pound

Half Share:

 Tomatillos, Plaza Latino Giant and Purple - 1 pound

Tomatoes, Heirloom and Red Slicers - 3 pounds

Summer Squash - 1 pound

Potatoes, German Butterball - 1 pound

Onion, Copra - 1 onion

Komatsuna or Chard - 1 bunch

Parsley - 1 bunch

Cucumbers - 2 cucs

Sweet Peppers, Italian Frying - 4 peppers

Cherry Tomatoes - SE and Farm only

Recipes:

Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad: 1 lb. variety of Heirloom tomatoes 1 large cucumber, sliced small handful parsey, roughly copped ½ fresh chili, minced (green is traditional, but I used red Serrano) 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds 1 Tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil 1 Tbsp. lime juice a few pinches sea salt

Directions: 1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds until fragrant (be careful not to burn them!). 2. Cut the tomatoes into whatever shapes you like, according to the size of the fruit. Place in a large bowl. Add the sliced cucumber, chopped parsley and chili. 3. Whisk the olive oil, lime juice and salt together. Pour over the tomatoes and cucumber and fold gently to combine. Sprinkle with cumin seeds and serve.

Ratatouille:

• 1 medium or 2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to taste
• 2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 bunch of basil, tied in a bouquet with kitchen twine + 6 basil leaves, chopped
• pinch of dried chile flakes
• 2 sweet peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Salt to taste

1. Toss the eggplant cubes with a teaspoon or so of salt. Set the cubes in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Pat the eggplant dry, add to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden. Add a bit more oil if the eggplant absorbs all the oil and sticks to the bottom of the pan. Remove the eggplant when done and set aside.
3. In the same pot, pour in 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook for about 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil bouquet, dried chile flakes, and a bit more salt.
4. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in peppers. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in tomatoes.
5. Cook for 10 minutes longer, then stir in eggplant and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove the bouquet of basil, pressing on it to extract all its flavors, and adjust the seasoning with salt.

Potato, Bean and Fennel Salad:

1 pound of potatoes

1 tablespoon sea or kosher salt

8 ounces green beans, sliced in half, blanched, chilled in ice water

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1/2 red onion, fine diced

4 slices very good bacon baked to very crisp, crumbled (optional)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, plus whole for garnish

Sea or kosher salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash, cut into 1/2" dice the potatoes and cook them in the salted water until easily pierced with a sharp knife. When done, chill completely in icy water, then drain. This step can be done a day in advance.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the potatoes, green beans, sliced fennel, red onion and bacon if using.
3. Make the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and chopped parsley. Season to taste with sea or kosher salt and pepper. Add to vegetables and toss to blend with a large rubber spatula. Transfer to a serving bowl that will best show off its loveliness. Garnish around the edges with some bunches of parsley.

CSA Week 13

It is truly hard for me to believe that September is already here. Spring feels like a distant memory yet these past couple of months have been a blur of work, play, and abundance. As our second season on the farm begins to wind down, I've finally had some time to reflect on all we have accomplished. It is hard to believe that we've only been living and farming on this land for 18 months. Our land has transformed from what was once an old pasture to an incredibly vibrant and beautiful farm. Everywhere I look I see the work and love we have put into this place.

All of this reflecting has lead me to a deep feeling of gratitude. None of what we've done here would have been possible without the love and support of our families. By family I mean our literal family, our parents and siblings who have had our backs from the very beginning. But I also mean the people who started out as friends but have become like a family to us, putting their sweat, love and faith into this little farm. It feels like an incredible mile stone for me. Flying Coyote is a place I've dreamed about since I started farming ten years ago but to see it in action is something beyond my wildest dreams. Farming is incredibly hard work and sometimes the financial rewards are hard to come by, after a 70 plus hour week it can sometimes be challenging to remember to be grateful. For me the moments of gratitude are often found in the little things, like watching the goats play in the pasture, our seeing in the farm in the predawn light. But at the end of the season as the days get shorter and the farm begins to quiet down I am fully in a place of awe and appreciation for how beautiful and abundant our little farm is.

Full Share:

Leeks

Napa Cabbage Tomatoes, Heirloom and Red Slicers

Eggplant Parsley Peppers, Sweet and Green and Jalapenos Carrots Romano Beans

Chard Summer Squash Cherry Tomatoes

Potatoes

Half Share:

Cherry Tomatoes (NE only this week) Summer Squash Napa Cabbage Leeks Tomatoes, Heirloom and Red Slicers Peppers, Sweet and Green and Jalapenos Carrots Romano Beans

In this week's box you'll find romano beans. These green beans are an Italian style flat bean and they are delicious steamed and slathered in butter. You'll also find sweet red, orange and yellow peppers. We prefer to grow sweet Italian frying peppers over the standard bell pepper. Italian frying peppers are incredibly versatile. They have thin skins which make them great for grilling and roasting, and their sweet flesh makes them a delicious compliment to stir fries and soups. We've been enjoying them roasted and mixed into fresh tomato sauce. We know you might be starting to sing the summer squash blues but try this recipe for roasted zucchini hummus, it might make you rejoice to have squash in your box again!

CSA Week 12

Wordless Thursday:

Full Share

Fennel

Cucumber

Onion

Summer Squash

Tomatoes

Basil

Kale

Tomatillos

Napa Cabbage

Eggplant

Cherry Tomatoes

Poblano Peppers

Half Share

Fennel

Cucumber

Onion

Summer Squash

Tomatoes

Basil

Kale

Tomatillos

Recipes:

Chilled Tomatillo Avocado Soup

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Quinoa Caprese Salad