CSA Week 18

October 11 & 12

today’s harvest

1 bunch carrots

1 red cabbage

2 pounds potatoes

1 pound onions

2 pounds mixed fall roots

1 stalk Brussels sprouts

1 bunch dried sage

It’s sunny, the full moon is raging and there is just so much goodness in the air!

Love, blessings and big congrats to Clare and Andy Pritchard of Portland on the birth of their daughter Elena Noreen. Our girl rolled into town on, right on time, but in fact 18 days after the doc said so, on September 18^th at 12:06 pm, weighing in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces and stretching 20 inches long. Yay and Hurray! Elena joins BKF CSA babies Priya, Jonah, Charlie and Calder, self-professed in utero kale addicts and salad fiends! We love them and cannot wait for them to take over the world.

The abundance just keeps on comin’ so love and blessings to Vanessa Greco of Portland and her twin baby girls that will make their appearance this winter.

Speaking of fertility and next year’s crop, starting this week I will be attending a series of workshops facilitated by MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmer’s and Gardener’s Association) and lead by the Real Food Campaign, to learn more about building healthy soil to sustainabley produce even healthier vegetables, a major, fundamental and truly essential mission of Black Kettle Farm. The course will focus on enhancing soil life and vitality to ensure that the food produced from it provides the maximum health benefits for those that consume it. The catch phrase is “nutrient dense food”, which the Kettle is all about. Looking forward to letting my farm dork flag fly and getting in deep about particles, minerals, good bacteria, and the juicy goodness of healthy, cranking soil. Can’t wait see what next year’s carrot crop is like after this new info! Check it out at www.realfoodcampaign.org.

The Kettle belief that there the earth is abundant and that there is always so much to go around reigns supreme these days, where as at last count the Farm has donated over 1300 pounds of fresh produce to the York County Shelter. Yes, that is in fact well over half a ton of veggies shared with the members of our immediate community, all initiated, calculated and executed by Assistant Manager Shannon Gilpatrick. Knobby turnips, cracked carrots, and less then perfect lettuce fills somebody’s belly and that makes us happy.

Thanks dear, wonderful CSA community for chiming in with thoughts about this year in veggies.

Here’s what you got to say about it…

…the health, the lovely people, the effort for a community of kindred souls… it's having good local food grown by a good friend. It's a tight circle. …When I think of the Kettle, I think of carrots…I am blessed to be part of this year’s crop and feel that all of the food was grown with positive energy and love…my first CSA – What an experience! BKF rocks!….If Albert Einstein (a vegetarian) were alive today I am sure he would be a member here!…nice van…

Next week is the last pick up for the 2011 season!

Eating local in the fall means mostly storage crops and every thing is this week’s share is designed to stick around for quite some time.

Pop your dried sage in a sealed jar or a plastic bag and store with the rest of your spices in a cool, dry place.

Onions and garlic can be unrefrigerated and will last for months, the cabbage will last until Thanksgiving in your fridge and all the roots, potatoes and carrots do best sealed in a plastic bag in your fridge. If you have any greens like kale or collards still kicking around, freeze them. Just chop, blanch in boiling water for about a minute, run under the tap to cool down and place in a freezer bag to enjoy in soup or sautéed later.

Mashed Rutabaga Potato Supreme!!

The Real Dirt on Vegetables

A few pinches of salt

1 pound rutabaga cut into chucks

1/2 pound potatoes cut into chunks

1 medium carrot chopped

1/4 cup milk

3 TBSP melted butter

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 ground nutmeg

black pepper

Boil a large pot of water, add a few pinches of salt and the rutabaga and cook for 10 minutes. Add the potato and carrot and cook until every thing is tender. 15-20 minutes. Drain. Heat the milk in a saucepan, but do not boil.

Mashed the vegetables with the butter until smooth, adding a bit of warmed milk as you go until it reaches the consistency that you like. Stir in salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Potato, Sage and Rosemary Pizza

Bon Appétit | March 2007

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

12 ounces potatoes, sliced into very thin rounds

1 (13.8-ounce) tube refrigerated pizza dough

2 teaspoons chopped rosemary

2 teaspoons sage

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1 cup (packed) grated whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add potato slices in single layer. sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. Cool briefly.

Unroll dough on rimmed baking sheet. Scatter potato slices over dough, leaving 3/4-inch plain border. Sprinkle with rosemary, sage, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sprinkle with cheeses to cover.

Bake pizza until crust is crisp and cheeses melt, about 20 minutes. Using metal spatula, loosen crust from sheet. Slide out onto platter or board and serve.