Week 13 Harvest

Well, it's almost time for your next box, but for the record, in your boxes last week were:

Chard
Broccoli Shoots
Squash
Carrots
Cucumbers
Kale
Potatoes
Leeks

It looks like we have enough produce for two more weeks for you, though the selection will start to dwindle.

This week we will have:
Brussel Sprouts
Kohlrabi
Potatoes
Carrots
Kale
Chard
Parsley

Our last week will most likely look exactly like this upcoming week, sans kohlrabi.
We will harvest all of our potatoes this coming week and I'll be sending out an email to let you know about the storage shares that were mentioned in the welcome letter. It looks as though the potatoes will be all that's left.  We will sell them by the pound, for any who are interested. We will also have kale and most likely chard that will be sold by the pound for anyone who wants to blanch and freeze it for winter soups! You will be able to pick up any storage shares on the last week, along with you last box.

Thanks so much for your support this season!
Mark your calendars for September 26th as the last CSA pickup day!

~your garden crew

Week 12 Harvest

Hello everyone!
It's certainly beginning to feel like fall, isn't it? The leaves are starting to change around the farm, and the rains are frequent and heavier than we've had all summer.

It looks like we might have two more weeks out of this garden for you. We will be sending out an email before your last pick-up, so you'll know.

In your boxes this week you'll find:

Full Shares
Cucumbers
Broccoli Shoots
Kohlrabi
Carrots
Kale
Chard
Leeks
Bush Beans
Potatoes!!

Half Shares
Broccoli Shoots
Carrots
Kale
Chard
Potatoes

The dark purple potatoes are called "Magic Molly", the pink skinned are "Norkota Russet", and the white are a combo of some "Yellow Finn" and mostly "Cal White". All delicious and beautiful!

The brussel sprouts are getting big, and we're just waiting on that first frost to make them taste even better!

Our volunteers have, sadly, left for the season. A huge thanks goes out to Tyler and Montana, who have spent their whole summer with us here on the NOLS farm, helping to bring you beautiful, nutritious veggies. They were such hard workers, and will truly be missed!

Thanks for bringing your own boxes! We really appreciate it!
See you next week!

~the farm crew

Week 11 Harvest

Hello Members!
Here's to week 11 of a fantastic summer harvest season! Thank you so much for bringing your own boxes last week to take your veggies home with you. We hope you can continue to do that for the next couple of weeks, until the harvest is done. It looks like we still have a couple of weeks at least...we will start watching the weather a bit closer now to see when the first frost will arrive.

In your boxes this week you'll find:

Full Share
Spinach
Kohlrabi
Kale
Parsley
Cucumbers
Beets
Carrots
Chard
Lettuce
Braising Mix
Peppers
A tomato!
Leeks

And in the Small Share
Spinach
Parsley
Cucumbers
Carrots
Beets
Kale
Chard
A jalapeno pepper
A tomato!

Thanks again for all of your support! We are excited for the season to slow down, and focus mostly on harvesting before we have to clean up the fields for the winter.
See you next week!

-your garden crew

Week 10 Harvest

Hello everyone!
We're still trucking along here, grateful for the rain that has come with the last couple of weeks. It feels as though the garden is definitely slowing down now, as the light has begun to shorten each day.
We do hope that we can still get 4 weeks out of the garden for you.

In your boxes this week you'll find:

Full Shares
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Carrots
Beans
Squash
Kale
Kohlrabi
Chard
Peas
Basil
Beets
Bunching Onions
Herbs

Half Shares
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Carrots
Squash
Kale
Chard
Basil
Herbs

Our basil house is finally coming to it's end, we think, so we've harvested it BIG TIME in order to get the most out of our crop before the cold weather really sets in. We hope you are all excited to make some pesto! Here is an excellent blog page with 10 different recipes for using pesto, and it ends with a simple and delicious pesto recipe.

http://cookieandkate.com/2011/easy-pesto-recipes/

You might be wondering what that funky looking vegetable is in your box, and it's called kohlrabi.
Kohlrabi can be eaten raw or cooked, and tastes alot like broccoli stems. It is delicious, and we hope you'll find some time to really use this vegetable and ENJOY IT!

Here's a recipe that received great reviews..

Kohlrabi Ham Bake

Easy and delicious casserole with baked kohlrabi, ham, eggs, and cream.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 4 kohlrabi, peeled and diced
• 8 ounces thick ham, diced
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• Pinch of mace (can substitute ground nutmeg)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium heat. Add the diced kohlrabi and gently cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

2 Beat the egg yolk, and whisk in the heavy cream, flour, mace, salt and pepper until well combined.

3 Place half of the cooked kohlrabi on the bottom of an oven-proof casserole dish. Layer on the diced ham and parsley. Top with the remaining kohlrabi. Pour the sauce ingredients over the kohlrabi and ham.

4 Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 4.

Simply Recipes http://www.simplyrecipes.com

Week 9 (plus a Week 8 Recap!)

Hello CSA members!
Here it is, week 9, and we're still going strong! We are sorry we did not post on last week's box...it turned out to be a very busy week and before we knew it, it was Thursday again! We spent all day last Friday harvesting our meat chickens for the school. It was an intense day, but all went smoothly. And now we have almost 130 pounds of chicken for the school kitchen!

The lovely Montana, on slaughter day. 

The usual suspects were in the box last week, nothing really out of the ordinary...
Cauliflower, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Chard, Fennel, Kale, Basil, Onions, Snap Peas, Celery, and Herbs.

However, in your box THIS WEEK, there are some new players!!

We've begun to harvest our beans and peas!
In the full share you'll see:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Braising Mix
Squash
Kale
Chard
Celery
Beans
Cucumbers
Peas
Basil
Cabbage
Herbs
Flower Bouquet

The half share contains:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Braising Mix
Squash
Kale
Chard
Celery
Basil
Cabbage
Herbs
Flower Bouquet

The peas in your box are GARDEN Peas, aka shelling peas or English peas, (Laxton's #9 from Johnny's Seeds, if you're interested in the variety).  If you bite into the shell, you'll find it tough and not very tasty. But take the peas out of the shell and cook them fresh! Delicious!!

The colorful bean medley is:

Tavera

Gold Rush

Royal Burgundy 

The purple beans will turn green when cooked, and all three are delicious lightly steamed and served with some butter. Simple. Amazing.


The braising mix, or Mesclun Mix (also from Johnny's) is great as a salad or sauteed as a side dish.


Our broccoli heads are almost all gone, and now we'll begin harvesting the side shoots, as the season continues. There are still some veggies to look forward to: carrots, potatoes, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, and hopefully tomatoes. These past few weeks will be the biggest boxes of the season, and we hope that you've appreciated them in their fullness. This has not been a typical weather year for the Matanuska Valley, and if you've been overwhelmed by the amount in your boxes, we hope you've been able to share with friends and preserve what was possible. It's been such a joy for our team to share our garden's bounty with you, and we hope that next year we'll have this sun again!!

It will all depend on the weather for the rest of the season, as to how long we will continue to harvest. We've begun to sow our open spots in the garden with cover crop, in an attempt to keep the soil protected with roots during the fall and winter winds. We still have a ton of kale, chard, basil, squash, peas, beans, and more. Thanks for your support and see you next week!!

~Your garden crew

Week 7 Harvest

Here it is again, another week gone by with another gorgeous harvest from the NOLS garden. We are so grateful that this season has produced such a bounty. Check out the before and after pictures of the garden below...

Here's what you'll find in your boxes this week!

For Full Shares:

Radish 

Kale

Chard

Beets

Broccoli (2)

Celery

Snow Peas

Lettuce Head

Bunching Onions

Fennel

Snap Peas

Herbs (sage, lemon balm, parsley)

For Half Shares:

Radish

Kale

Chard

Beets

Broccoli (1)

Celery

Snow Peas

Herbs

We are definitely harvesting at full force now. Our brussel sprouts are starting to form, cucumbers are coming in; peppers, cauliflower, and cabbage, too. Expect to see large boxes (similar to the past two weeks) for the coming month or so, as we continue to take advantage of all of the wonderful produce that's ripening ALL AT ONCE!!

Our season at the NOLS branch is winding down, and the last courses have left the branch for the wilderness. Now, we just wait for them to return, one by one, as the season comes to an end.

Thanks for your support!

And see you next week!

-your garden crew

Week 6 Harvest

Hello everyone!

Its hard to believe, but it is our 6th week of CSA!  The garden is practically exploding with vegetables, the pigs are getting huge, and the chickens are bulking up.  We even have a little rooster starting to crow!

Here's what's in your box this week:
-mixed salad greens
-kale/chard bunch
-basil
-herb bunch (dill, sage, coriander, oregano)
-tat soi
-zucchini squash
-broccoli raab (alternately spelled broccoli rabe)
-beets
-flowers (calendula and fireweed)
-celery
-fennel
-red bok choy

Broccoli raab is a tender baby broccoli that is great steamed, lightly sauteed, or roasted.  The greens are excellent eating as well!  Fennel is a flavorful vegetable treat that is great with fish or in salads.  Here are some recipe ideas:

Spicy Broccoli Raab Bruschetta
makes 6 servings

1 1/2 lb broccoli raab
5 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing and drizzling
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt
12 slices baguette
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Preheat the broiler (grill).

Cut the broccoli raab stems into 1/4 inch thick pieces and coarsely chop the leafy greens.  Rinse and drain.

In a frying pan over medium heat, warm 3 Tbsp olive oil.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add as much broccoli raab as will fit into the pan.  Raise the heat to high and add the remaining broccoli raab as the first batch wilts.  Season with salt and cook until tender, 4-10 minutes.  If the pan seems too dry, add a splash of water.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt.

Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and broil (grill) until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.  Spread each slice with the cheese and top with the broccoli raab.  Drizzle with more olive oil and serve right away.

Shaved Fennel Salad with Citrus Dressing
makes 2 servings

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh orange juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thingly sliced crosswise
Shaved aged hard cheese, such as Parmesan, for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper to make a dressing.

Place the fennel slices in a bowl and drizzle with the dressing.  Toss to combine and place on salad plates.  Garnish with cheese shavings.  Serve at once.

We didn't take a picture of your boxes, but we did take a picture of the harvest as a whole. Here it is, impressive, right?

Some other pictures of our brilliant veggies...

Cabbage heads coming soon...

Look out for broccoli next week!

Perfect fennel bulbs!

We'll see you next week!!