Holiday Box

It's hard to believe that this box marks the last of the season.  Despite record lows of 18 degrees a few weeks ago, the veggies held on and we packed the boxes with the following:

1. An acorn or a butternut squash
2. 4 lbs. of German Butterball potatoes - great for roasting
3. A head of either Napa, Dutch Late, Famosa (savoy) or Early Jersey Wakefield cabbage
4. A bunch of either red choi or joi choi
5. 2 large daikon radishes - I've heard some people say they combine this with cabbage for slaw or with tuna for a spicy salad.  Some have also been cooking and eating the tops.
6. 1 kohl rabi
7. A bunch of carrots - if there are tops on the carrots, try using them when you make your soup stock.  I often use them when I'm making the gravy stock - throw the giblets in a pot with water, onions, and whatever veggie tops are available, including leek tops, and simmer for a few hours until you're ready to make gravy.
8. A bunch of lacinato kale
9. A bunch of chard - for all of the greens, if you save the stems are a nice addition when you make your turkey soup stock
10. A bunch of small beets - some of the bunches had nice greens
11. A bunch of leeks
12. A rutabaga - some had brussels sprouts or broccoli/cauliflower in place of a rutabaga
13. A few small turnips - the white ones are Hakurei and the purple & white are Purple Top.  Again, greens are edible.
14. A bunch of arugula or a combo bunch of arugula and mustard
15. Either a sachet of celery or parsley
16. Either a pie pumpkin or a Blue Hubbard Squash
17. Drying spicy peppers
18. 4 - 6 tomatoes
19. A handful of red onions
20. A few sweet peppers that held on in storage
21. Herbs, including thyme, sage, cilantro, and rosemary

We hope that you enjoyed the season and look forward to seeing you next year.

Happy holidays to you!

Extended Season - Week Three, November 3, 2010

Despite record lows Sunday and Monday, the veggies are still growing.  Some were frozen solid yesterday morning when I picked so I had to wait until later in the afternoon to harvest everything.  The lettuce is currently icy and I don't know if it will spring back enough to make it into today's box but here's the plan:

1. Kale - either Lacinato or Siberian
2. Choi - it was a bit frozen so it's not perfect but it's still in good shape
3. 1 bunch mustard
4. 1 bunch arugula
5. 1 bunch chard
6. A small amount of cabbage (red or early)
7. 1 daikon radish
8. A bag of salad mix (again, if it made it through last night)
9. A quart or more of tomatoes
10. Some sweet peppers
11. Some spicy peppers
12. A squash - probably acorn
13. A few leeks
14. A head of garlic
15. Misc. herbs that didn't freeze

Extended Season - Week Two, October 27, 2010

Today's Box includes the following:

1. A bag of baby salad greens
2. A bunch of mustard
3. A bunch of arugula
4. A bunch of lacinato kale
5. A bunch of chard - beautiful rainbow, ruby and green chard
6. A butternut squash
7. 2 pounds of potatoes
8. 3 large green onions.  Eat the tops and all
9. A quart of tomatoes
10. A large head of napa cabbage
11. 2 large sweet peppers (these have sticky sap on them - wash off.  I noticed aphids on the plants today).
12. 5 or so spicy peppers
13. A small head of broccoli
14. A head of garlic
15. Herbs including celery, a little basil, a little rosemary, chives, sage, thyme, pineapple mint and oregano

Enjoy & see you next week!

Extended Season - Week One, October 20, 2010

Thanks for participating in this extended season.  Here's what's in the box today:

1. 1 Quart + a few more of tomatoes
2. A handful or more of green tomatoes
3. 1 daikon radish (try using these like potatoes - use when baking a roast and they'll take on the flavors of the meat with a bit of their own flavor as well.  I hear the greens are also tasty.  Also one member suggested grating it and adding to tuna fish with some salt and pepper.)
4. Either acorn squash or spaghetti squash
5. Either kohl rabi or a few turnips
6. A bag of spinach
7. A bag of brussels sprout tops - either steam these or saute or boil like cabbage.  Interesting change for greens.
8. A bunch of chard
9. A bunch of arugula
10. A nice amount of bok choi
11. A few red onions
12. A head of garlic
13. 3 - 4 sweet peppers
14. 5 - 10 spicy peppers
15. 1 or 2 radishes (this is a mix of Shunkyo (long and red), French Breakfast and Cherry Belle).
16. A small bunch of carrots
17. U-pick flowers
18. Herbs including sage, thyme, parsley, garlic chives, chocolate mint, and rosemary

Have a great week!

Week 20 - October 13 & 16

It's hard to believe that this is the last week of general distributions.  Thanks for your participation this year!

If you'd like to purchase 3 more boxes, let me know.  Space is limited to 20 boxes - $30 per box with pick up here at the farm on Wednesdays between 2 & 6:30.  This will be October 20, 27 and November 2.

The holiday box will be distributed November 17 between 2 & 6:30.  If you haven't talked with your share partner about how to share your box, please do.

Please return boxes and bring a bag or two this week so you can leave the box here.  I'll need all boxes for the holiday distribution.  Thanks!

This week's box will contain the following:

1. A bunch of red onions
2. An acorn squash
3. 2 pounds of potatoes
4. A bunch of chard - blue band
5. A bunch of joi choi
6. A bunch of either kale or collards - green band
7. A box of tomatoes + a handful more
8. Some sweet peppers
9. Some spicy peppers.  If you want a large amount, let me know.
10. Either arugula or mustard greens or both if there's enough- yellow band
11. A few beets - don't forget that the leaves are very tasty - either sauteed or fresh.  Also, if the beets are piling up, there's always the raw beet salad that you can make and serve as an appetizer.  Check the recipe blog.  Of course they're very sweet and tasty either sauteed or gently boiled until fork-tender.
12. Garlic
13. U-pick flowers
14. Maybe some green beans.  If I don't pick them, please feel free to do so.
15. Optional green tomatoes - a handful

Week 19 - October 6 & 9

Saturday members - don't forget - this is MI, MI State football weekend.  Traffic central here in Ann Arbor!

Also - please try to remember to return any boxes that have accumulated over the summer and, if this is your last week for pick up, try to bring a box or bags to take your veggies home.

Next week is the last week of general distributions.  The Holiday Box will be distributed Wednesday, November 17 between 2 & 6:30.  If you are a half-share member, please contact your share partner to coordinate pick up/sharing of your box.

On to this week's contents:

1. 1 kohl rabi (Wed.) or a bunch of beets or turnips (Sat)
2. A bunch of leeks 
3. A bunch of kale
4. A bunch of chard
5. One small head of joi choi and one small head of red choi
6. A few egg plant - these are the last of this year's crop
7. A head of garlic
8. A bunch of mustard greens
9. A bunch of arugula
10. One squash - either spaghetti or acorn or jack-o-lantern (which is also edible)
11. Sweet peppers
12. Spicy peppers (we pulled the plants this past weekend in anticipation of the frost.  So they'll be going from fresh to drying over the next few weeks but I'll still put them out)
13. A box of tomatoes
14. 2 pounds of potatoes
15. Maybe a small amount of baby lettuce mix which would include different types of lettuce, baby beet greens and a little spinach.
16. Herbs as available.  I'll put out some cilantro this week in addition to what we generally offer.
17. U-pick fresh flowers - it looks like we might still have them next week as well, depending on whether it frosts or not.
18. If you want to search for beans, there might still be some out in the field - u-pick.

 Enjoy!  P.S. - if there's too much in the box, you can leave some on the table for others to take.

Week 18 - September 29 & October 2

This week's Box is projected to contain:

1. Your choice of butternut squash or acorn squash or jack-o-lantern - the jack-o-lantern is also edible.  Try roasting any of these seeds.  I soak in salt water for a few hours, strain and then roast at 180 for about an hour.
2. A box of tomatoes
3. A bunch of leeks or a very large green onion.  The tops are edible, especially the green onion tops.  Try using the leek tops for soup stock.  
4. A bunch of carrots
5. Either Napa Cabbage or a head of Wakefield Cabbage or other cabbage
6. A bunch of chard
7. A bunch of arugula - yellow band or in a bag
8. A bunch of beets or a kohl rabi
9. A head of garlic
10. Radishes if available
11. A bunch of kale or collards - green band
12. Either a bunch of tatsoi or joi choi - these are very tasty sauteed - a mild asian green.
13. Spicy peppers - maybe sweet as well.
14. U-pick flowers from either the east garden or the red zinnias in the front garden.
15. Herbs as available.

Feel free to gather up some tomatillos from the far side of the east garden, past the beans.  Also feel free to pick a pound or so of green beans.  The trellis snapped the other day but the beans are still accessible.