second week of october

(rainbow over the farm)

Three weeks left folks, we're coming into the real fall crops now! We had our first killing frost last night officially making this the shortest frost free season that we have had since we started farming! Worry not, tomatoes, peppers, and beans were winding down on their own several weeks ago with the onset of cooler nights and shorter days. Now they are brown and dead and we get to really enjoy fall's true bounty!

leeks, onions, garlic, celeriac, potatoes, winter squash- warm foods that lead us to roasting and souping and stewing. Foods that warm the kitchen and then warm our bellies, too! we stuffed a pumpkin with wheat berries, carrots, black beans, and other good things and got to share it with our working shares and their familes at our thankyou dinner this weekend, thanks again guys for sharing a nice meal with us and for your essential help this season! remember we will be looking for a few more next year, so if you are interested, please do let us know!

we've been reviewing the season a lot recently and will be solicting your feedback as well in survey in a week or so (feel free to give imput before then as well). for returning members, how did you like the new pick up method with more choices? for elmira pickups, would you like more options? Are there crops you'd like to see us grow that we don't?

There are so many angles to consider about next year. We took part in a cornell cooperative extension project this summer tracking our marketing channels and comparing each one to see which are efficient and lucrative and which are less so. armed with this data, we are able to look at our week and make some decisions. selling at four farmer's markets each week with two people is a lot, we may make some changes for next year, so the survey will help us in our decision making processes.

don't forget about the garlic planting on saturday the 17th! starts at 2:30. bring work gloves and warm clothes.

things you'll see this week:

potatoes, leeks, onions, celeriac, garlic, winter squash

peppers (early in the week)

spinach

lettuce

parsley

parsnips!

brussels sprouts!

kale

chard

this great recipe sent in by john and donna, thanks!

Celeric remoulade-from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters
1 med. Celery root
salt and pepper
juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp heavy cream
parsley
Peel the celery root and julienne it to about 1/8 inch. In a bowl, dissolve a pinch of salt in the lemon juice, grind in some pepper, and stir in the mustard, mayo, and cream. Toss in the celery root. Let stand at least 15 min before serving. Mound on plate and sprinkle with parsley leaves.
We used it as a dip on crackers and plum tomato slices.

zucchini season has ended on our farm, but we just got these two great recipes from lisa, so we'll put them on for posterity's sake and in case anyone is buying zucchini:

I make this pasta dish fresh from my garden when there is an abundant yield of tomatoes and zucchini. It is a fast, simple and satisfying dish – an easy end to a long summer day! I vary the amounts of onions, zucchini and tomatoes based on how many will be sharing the meal. I serve this as a main course, but often accompany it with a green salad and a nice loaf of bread. I vary the dish sometimes by adding a few leaves of fresh basil, or fresh spinach, or other vegetables, but my favorite version is with just zucchini and tomatoes.

Summer Harvest Pasta
2 ripe tomatoes
2 zucchini
2 onions
Olive Oil
Fresh Ground pepper
Salt
Toasted pine nuts
Grated Parmesian cheese (optional)
Pasta (bow-tie or Rombi
Toast the pine nuts by tossing them in a bit of olive oil and cooking until golden brown. Shake the pan a few times to make sure that they are browned on both sides. Set aside.
Cook the pasta while the vegetables are being prepared.
Prepare the vegetables. Chop the onions medium fine. Slice the zucchini into ¼ inch rounds and then quarter them.
Sauté the onions with olive oil in a pan until golden brown. A small amount of carmelized onions in the mix is perfect. Add ground pepper and salt. Add the zucchini and sauté until just tender. Note that they should not be overdone. They will not have released any liquid. Chop the tomatoes directly into the pan and cook until just sauced. The beauty of this dish is in the fact that the tomatoes are just cooked until they release their juices. Overcooking destroys the flavor.
Spoon over the pasta. Toss pine nuts on top. Sprinkle with fresly grated cheese – if desired. Bon Apetit!



Adapted from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum,
1.5 cups sifted cake flour (I just use regular, unsifted)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp cinamon
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
the recipe calls for 1/4 tsp ground cloves...I use approx. the same of cardamom instead
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup toasted and coarsely ground (or broken up by hand) walnuts
2 large eggs
3/4 cup (firmly packed) light brown sugar - I use dark
1/2 cup safflower oil (I use canola)
2 cups firmly packed grated zucchini (squeeze extra liquid out)
optional, 1/2 cup raisens
Preheat the oven to 350
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, baking soda, spices)
Beat the eggs, sugar and oil for 2-3 minutes or utnil lighter in color
Add the dry ingredients and beat/mix until blended.
Add the zucchini, then the walnuts (and raisens)
Scrape batter into muffin tins 3/4 full
Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick in center comes out clean.
Cool on rack for 5 minutes. Then take out of muffin tins and enjoy!

that's it for now, have a splendid week!

liz and matthew