BGF NEWS - October 11, 2022 - VOL. XLVIII, NO. 19

In this week’s box:

Arugula
Cherry Tomatoes: Jubilee Mix (see description on 8/2)

Head Lettuce: asst.
Onions: Patterson (yellow)

Pac Choi: Joi

Potatoes: Carola  

Sweet Peppers: asst.
Tomatoes-Slicers: asst. (see description on 8/2)

Turnips: Hakurei

and perhaps one of the following: (please see **NOTE after "A Little Detail..." below)
Broccoli and/or Cauliflower Florets (with edible leaves)

Herb It! option: Orange thyme, lovage, lemon balm
Bread Share: Apple Bread

Featured Recipes:
Sauteed Bok Choy and Hakurei Turnips

Potato and Arugula Soup

Potato and Arugula Skillet Frittata

Choy and Sweet Peppers

What’s up on the farm?

Precipitation in the past week: 0.05"

Well, the freezing temperatures held off until 2 days before out "First Average Frost Date" but early Saturday morning, we did hit 32° with heavy frost, which brought a quick end to summer vegetable season. The tomatoes and peppers are the most dramatic losses, along with the malabar spinach and many of our flower. Surprisingly, the blackberries (pictured bottom right) just shook it off. 

But the low temps were the trigger to move us into high gear for some field "house cleaning". Over the past week we've cleared the peppers, basil, flowers and the oldest cabbage and broccoli. We also mowed down the popcorn patch and the broom corn.

Never fear, though, not all is lost! The cool weather crops are putting on a great show right now, especially the greens! We did take the opportunity right before the real cold hit to harvest nearly all the daikon radish. 

Normally radishes are quite cold hardy, but many of ours had gotten so big that they were sticking out of the ground where a freeze could damage them, so out of the ground and into the walk-in cooler they went. The turnips, watermelon radish and kohlrabi will be the next to follow the daikon into cold storage.

We also spent a significant amount of time and energy last week getting all of the popcorn shelled. It's a big (and somewhat monotonous) job but we were able to get all of it shelled, mixed and stored in the cooler where it will keep the daikon company until we package it for sale.

It is definitely a season of change on the farm! Just a reminder that next week is the final CSA delivery of the season. But don't worry, we won't leave you stranded without fresh produce, you can always join us for VegEmail throughout the winter and until the start of the 2023 CSA season in June. 

Important Dates Ahead:

Tuesday, Oct 18, Final 2022 CSA delivery
Saturday, Oct 29, final Saturday weekly VegEmail delivery
Saturday, Oct 29, Makers, Bakers & Boos @ Peace Tree DM
Tuesday, Nov 8, first bi-weekly winter VegEmail delivery
Thursday, Dec 1, CSA 2023 sign up begins!

A little detail on your produce this week:

Broccoli & Cauliflower: Wrap loosely in a plastic bag and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator for up to a week. Immediately before cooking, soak head down, in cold, salted water (1 teaspoon salt to a 8 cups of water) for 5 minutes. Any [organic] critters will float to the top where you can rescue them or allow them to suffer a salty death. (Note: If you soak broccoli or cauliflower in salt water before storing, it will become too rubbery and wilted to enjoy.)

Choi (a.k.a. - pac choi, bok choy or pok choy) is a structural-looking leafy-green vegetable. It is a member of the cabbage family and is a traditional Asian stir-fry vegetable. Both the stems and leaves of choi can be used and are especially tasty in cooked recipes. If cooking them, separate the leaves and stems, and begin cooking stems first to avoid overcooking the more tender greens. You can also use the leaves like any green-leafy vegetable and the stems like celery. We tend to use choi leaves as a sandwich wrap, or just roughly chop the whole thing and sauté with garlic and/or onion. Cook until stems are tender and dress with a little seasoned rice vinegar. Store choi loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in your produce drawer.

Onions: can be stored on the countertop for quick use or in a mesh bag in a dark spot with good air circulation for longer storage.

Peppers: Place whole, unwashed peppers in a plastic bag, seal, and refrigerate for a week or more. Rinse peppers just before use. For sweet peppers, cut around the stem with a small knife and lift out the core. Slice down the side to open it up and then cut out the inner membranes. Store unused portions in a sealed bag or container in the refrigerator.

Potatoes: Keep unwashed potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place, such as a loosely closed paper bag in a cupboard. They will keep for weeks at room temperature, longer if you can provide their ideal temperature of 40 to 50 degrees. Beware: the low temperature of your refrigerator will convert the starch to sugars. So refrigerated potatoes should be brought to room temperature for at least 24 hours before using. Moisture causes potatoes to spoil, light turns them green, and proximity to onions causes them to sprout. (You can still use a potato that has sprouted, however; simply cut off the “eyes” before use.) Scrub potatoes well and cut off any sprouts or green skin. (Clean delicate new potatoes gently.) Peeling is a matter of preference. Cut potatoes according to your recipe. If baking a whole potato, be sure to prick the skin in at least two places to allow steam to escape.

Tomatoes: always store whole tomatoes at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Once cut, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Turnips: keep best if separated from their greens. Greens are stored in a plastic bag and can be cooked like mustard or collard greens (you can add them in with your Braising Greens Mix). Trimmed roots can go into a lidded container or zip-close bag. These aren't your grandma's turnips. These are a sweet, Japanese salad variety that is particularly tasty for fresh eating. They will still work great in cooked dishes, but we love to eat them raw, often right out of hand, like an apple. One of the farm crew's favorite mid-field snacks.

A few other details: All of your GREENS will keep best if stored in a plastic bag, with the top folded over and placed in the produce drawer of your refrigerator.


** NOTE: You will notice over the course of the season that some box contents listed above say "Perhaps one of the following..." These are items that we can’t harvest in sufficient quantities for the whole CSA to receive at one time. We do track who gets what and we will do our best to ensure that everyone eventually receives each item. On some items this may take several weeks, so please be patient.

Is a weekly newsletter not enough for you? Do you want to read more about our life on the farm and see more pictures? Follow us on Facebook at Blue Gate Farm or on Instagram at bluegatefarmfresh. CSA members can also connect with other BGF members to share recipes or ask questions on our FB community page at Blue Gate Farm Community.

That's about it for now.
If you have any questions or comments, be sure to let us know.
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean (and the whole BGF crew)

Sky, Wallace & Gromit