Winter Share, Week 1, Dec 6, 2012

This Week’s Vegetables: 

• Potatoes – Blues - 5lbs 
• Squash – 1 acorn, 1 butternut, 1 pie pumpkin (u can cook & eat the pumpkin just like butternut squash) 
• Carrots – 2lbs 
• Turnips (gold) – 2lbs 
• Beets (red) – 2 lbs 
• Brussels Sprouts – 1lb 
• Onions – 2 lbs 
• Cabbage – 1 head 
• Kale – 1 bunch 
• Lettuce - 1 bag 
• Garlic – 2 small

Regular members will pick-up or be delivered again in two weeks, on Dec.20th. Single and senior size members will receive their next box on January 3rd. 

Recipes and Tips:

Winter Squash Tips

Gold Turnip and Onion Casserole

Shredded Beets and Cabbage

Kale recipes

... more at valleydreamfarm.com

Hello & Welcome Members,

This is the first week for CSA Winter Season!

You are receiving this while we are in sunny Florida. It started like this, Jay bought a time share in Orlando so he could force us to take an annual family vacation. I am not saying it is a bad thing at all. I kind of like being forced on a vacation. Only wish the whole family was joining us. Jon our youngest has to stay home, to keep working at this new job. Some years we trade it with the RCI exchange and go further south where it is slightly warmer. This year we decided to return to Orange Lake our home resort. Then my sister called and had vouchers for a cruise ship that would expire if not used, so Ashley, Becky, and Kevin (Beck's boyfriend) are taking Jay for the weekend (Party Central) while Joe and I go on a little 4 day cruise. I am so darn excited. We all are! First stop Harrisburg PA then onto Chattanooga, TN, then Orlando bound. A week there and ending with a cruise before we drive back. That should take the stress right out of the Holiday rush. I will be thinking warm thoughts of all of you back in Vermont.

Things run slightly different for the winter CSA, the farm store is closed, yet deliveries are still on Wednesdays and Pick-up at the farm is on Thursdays from 5-6 pm in our heated storage room. (this is the same place as last year for returning members.) For new members it is on the Irish Settlement Rd-side of the barn past the greenhouse and silos and through the white paned door beside the loading dock. Enter and take a right into our heated dry storage area. We will light it up and label it for you!

Winter Squash has a much shorter window than potatoes, so what we recommend is for you to use them in the next week or two and then cook the remaining ones (I bake/roast for an hour or so, until brown), then cut in half, remove pulp, seeds, and skin while still warm. Mash or puree the flesh and then freeze them in zip-loc type bags for the best quality all winter long.

Winter shares has us digging most of your vegetables from our winter storage bins and cooler. We have included a how best to store your veggies when you get them home. There are many recipes on our web site if you need a new idea on how to fix up your veggies. You can look them up at www.valleydreamfarm.com or on our recipe blog.

We are now looking forward to 2013! WE will soon be flipping through the seed catalogs. Tell us if you have a favorite variety that we should order. 

Enjoy your veggies and Have a great Holiday Season!

Anne

Week 24, Nov 13, 2012

Available for you:

Butternut Squash - 2
Orange Sweet Potatoes - 12
Diakon Radish - 1
White Potatoes - 1 quart
Carrots - 6
Onions - 2 med/large
Turnips - Gold tops 2
Kale - loose 1 XL handful
Celery - (good for soups & stuffing)
Garlic - 1 bulb

deliveries are subject to change

Recipe of the week:

Sweet Potato Cornbread

Hello members!

THIS IS THE LAST WEEK #24 for the summer CSA shares! Thank you for being members this season.

It is time to order your box for Thanksgiving. It comes with vegetables, local cranberries, and even two homemade pies.

SIGN-UP for a WINTER SHARE today (begins Dec.5th & 6th)

Check out your items this week. There is nothing new but we have the return of orange sweet potatoes again. I lightly scrub and put into the oven to bake. They are also good roasted into bite sizes with the skins on and cook much faster. I think they taste like sweet potato fries with a little olive oil and garlic salt, while they cook. They are so delicious.

Butternut Squash this week, can be roasted whole (350° washed, dried and lightly oiled on a lined baking sheet - no piercing ) and when cooked (about hour in a half to two hours, softened slightly) and cooled then cut in half, remove the seeds and strings and serve with a pat of butter and if you have a sweet tooth, then add a drizzle of maple syrup.

Storing Sweet Potatoes

After harvest, most types of sweet potatoes should be "cured" in a warm, dry spot for several days (outside if the weather is nice). A rinse or dunking in a mild bleach solution will kill any exterior pathogens that might shorten the life of the potatoes in storage. Dry them well, then move to a warm (around 65°), relatively dry place. Un-damaged potatoes stored this way can last for several months. By mid Jan you should cook all and then cube or puree it, and freeze it for later use the rest of the winter.

2013 SHARES

A $50 deposit holds your spot for the 2013 Summer Season. Shares are expected to begin June 10, 2013. We will offer both 24 week and 16 week options. Do you remember eating those delicious juicy tomatoes the first week of June from our CSA this past year. These deposits help to fuel the greenhouse and help us to order organic seed.

Don't forget to SIGN-Up!

Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne

Week 23, Nov 6, 2012

Available for you: 

Sweet Dumpling Squash - 2
White Sweet Potatoes - 8
Diakon Radish - 1
Blue Potatoes - 1 quart
Carrots - 1 bunch
Brussels Sprouts - 1 quart
Onions - 2 lb bag
Turnips - Purple tops - 2
Celery - 1 bunch
Kale - loose 1 XL handful
Garlic - 1 bulb
Tomatoes - green - 1

deliveries are subject to change

Recipe of the week:

Brussels Sprout and Apple Tofu Salad

Hello members! 

It is time again to order your basket for Thanksgiving. It comes with vegetables, local cranberries, and even two homemade pies. The last CSA pick-up is next week (week of Nov 12th) so SIGN-UP for a WINTER SHARE today (begins Dec.5th & 6th)

Check out our items this week. We have the return of white sweet potatoes again, they are a bit smaller than the orange ones but taste just as good. I lightly scrub and put into a roaster pan whole. I like to roast them best with the skins on. I think they taste like sweet potato fries with a little olive oil and garlic salt, while they cook. They are so delicious.

Sweet Dumpling Squash this week, can be roasted whole (350° washed, dried and lightly oiled on a lined baking sheet - no piercing ) and when cooked (about an hour, softened slightly) and cooled then cut in half, remove the seeds and strings and serve with a pat of butter and if you have a sweet tooth, then add a drizzle of maple syrup.

Storage for Squashes

After harvest, most types of winter squash should be "cured" in a warm, dry spot for several days (outside if the weather is nice). A rinse or dunking in a mild bleach solution will kill any exterior pathogens that might shorten the life of your squash in storage. Dry it well, then, squash should be moved to a cool (around 55°), relatively dry place. Un-damaged squash stored this way can last for several months. By mid Jan we tend to cook all the Squash, then puree it, and freeze it for later use the rest of the winter.

2013 SHARES

Also a $50. deposit holds your spot for next year - 2013 Summer Season. Shares to begin June 10th 2013. We offer both 24 week and 16 week options. This also helps us to order the fuel for the tomato greenhouses. Do you remember eating those delicious juicy tomatoes the first week of June from our CSA this past year?  (Yep, it was because we heated the greenhouses and planted the tomatoes on March 1st.) Don't forget to SIGN-Up!

Enjoy your vegetables!

Anne