Fall CSA Newsletter: Week 3

It’s Week Three

Welcome! We are hope that you had a fantastic second week and that you were able to use everything in your bag.

In Your Box This Week and How to Store Them

BELL PEPPERS - Clean the peppers and ensure they're dry, add them to a mesh or plastic produce bag, leave the bag open, and place them in the low humidity drawer. Peppers when nice and firm can last one-two weeks in the fridge. $1.00 x 2

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES - The best way to keep summer tomatoes fresh and full of flavor, store them on the kitchen counter at room temperature and turn them shoulders-down.  60 to 65° is an ideal temperature for storing and we recommend placing your tomatoes out of direct sunlight. NOTE: Heirloom tomatoes are not as shelf stable as red slicers. They will be softer, which is okay, but they will go bag quicker than the others. We DO NOT recommend putting them in the refrigerator to try to prolong shelf life, they will lose flavor. 1.5lbs $6.75

BROCCOLI store in a bag in the high-humidity vegetable crisper of your refrigerator for 3-4 days. I would highly recommend you wrap with a plastic bag to keep fresh for longer. KEEP IN MIND we try very hard to limit sprays and use of harsh chemicals on the farm. Broccoli and Cauliflower attract worms. Primary the cabbage worm and armyworms. You may consider soaking your heads in a sink or cool water to which you've added 1/4 cup of salt and 2 tbsp of vinegar. You will need to keep the heads submerged in the water for at least 20 minutes. Then pat dry and store. You may see a couple of “friends” in your sink after this process. $5.25 1.25lb

CHERRY TOMATOES Store tomatoes at room temperature for best taste. If tomatoes are refrigerated, remove them from refrigeration about 30 minutes prior to serving to regain some of their original flavor $5

DINO KALE Kale loves the crisper drawer. Does well in a loose bag in your refrigerator. Wash prior to use. Stores normally for UP to two weeks. $5

ACORN SQUASH Winter squash will last up to a month in a cool (50 to 55 F) dark cellar or storage area, but only about two weeks in the refrigerator. We keep ours out on the counter out of direct sunlight and haven’t had any issues with it lasting several weeks. 2.50 $5

ZUCCHINI/SUMMER SQUASH - Storing zucchini in the fridge is a quick and simple way to keep zucchini fresh. Keep the zucchini whole until you're prepared to use it, avoid washing zucchini prior to storage. $1.50 x $2

Veggie of the Week

ACORN SQUASH

Photo Credit: Johnny Seeds 

It might be 90 degrees outside but, we are in full swing of fall crops. Acorn squash is super easy to make as a quick side dish Roasting is the most popular because it is quick and delicious. Simply cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and brush it with olive oil or butter. Roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 45 minutes until tender. You could also stuff acorn squash with grains, vegetables, or meats. For an even quicker option, microwave the halves for 10-12 minutes, then season to taste.

BEST Hummus Recipe - Love and Lemons ( cut up bell peppers to use with this hummus)

Super simply hummus recipe and I have yet to dislike a recipe I have picked up off of Love and Lemons. I’m still tweaking the recipe to fit our family likes but, it is a good starting point. You can also add peppers to the hummus or you can pair with a nice warm pita on the side. YUM!

Easy Vegetarian Omelet With Bell Peppers Recipe (thespruceeats.com)

Easy omelets in the morning make for a great breakfast filled with protein and vegetables to make you full.

Western Omelette – Lemon Tree Dwelling

Bell Pepper Fajitas | Greater Chicago Food Depository (chicagosfoodbank.org)

Fajitas are also a great choice with peppers. Chicken, steak, shrimp they are all great and a crowd pleaser.

Additional Recipes

Roasted Acorn Squash Recipe - Love and Lemons

This recipe calls for sage or rosemary. You don’t have to use it, but I will start incorporating herbs to go with fall recipes!

Stuffed Acorn Squash – WellPlated.com

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Mushrooms

Lacinato Kale Recipe - uses cherry tomatoes too

Sauteed Kale

Kale Soup

What’s Been Happening Here

While I would describe the current weather as "fall," the unseasonably warm temperatures feel more like summer than autumn. Despite this, the work continues regardless. We're currently harvesting a mix of summer vegetables alongside the early fall harvests, which is always one of my favorite times of the year. Our children, however, are not quite as enthusiastic, as they’ve been volunteering against their will more than usual to help with the harvest. We're pulling in large quantities of winter squash and pumpkins from the fields, and this week, we’ll begin harvesting sweet potatoes. Over the coming weeks, everything will be cured and stored in preparation for winter markets. Hopefully, next week we'll have a good yield of green beans, as the summer was tough on our crop, and we're hopeful for a more bountiful fall. Our Anatolian pup Maisey turned 6 months this last week and is still learning the ropes but, fitting in just fine. She is now big enough to be at counter height and topping in close to 65 pounds but, she is all puppy!

If All Else Fails

If your week has been crazy and you haven’t had time to do a thing with items in your bag, focus on these tasks:

1. Zucchini can be shredded and frozen.

2. Bell peppers you can chop and freeze. Make sure you get all of the air out of the bag and seal them well in a freezer bag.

3. Kale will store for at least 7 days. Keep in mind moisture leads to spoilage. You can wait to wash your greens until you plan to consume them. Place greens in an airtight container such as a bag or Tupperware

4. Winter squash will also store for weeks if not months if kept in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight.

5. There is not a great way to store heirloom or cherry tomatoes that will allow for longer term storage. Make sure you get these Summer treats eaten up!

Next Week’s Possibility’s

Your bag next week will include 6-7 of the following depending on availability and if it’s ready to harvest.

• apples

• potatoes

• carrots

• lettuce

• sweet potatoes (very likely)

• bell peppers

• Other peppers (poblano, jalapeño, anaheim, banana, etc.)

• Fairy Tale Eggplant

• turnips

• kale

• beets

• slicing tomatoes (red or heirloom type) (likely)

• spaghetti squash

• zucchini

• herbs (rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley)

• celery (maybe, they are sizing up well)

• green beans (likely)

Wishing you a fantastic week ahead, see you next week!