Howdy members!  It is with contentment, sadness and excitement that I address you from this electronic pulpit one last time in 2011. Winter is coming, and while that thought brings most Midwesterners to tears, all the veggie farmers I know can hardly wait.  Our efforts have (hopefully) paid off, and for a short window of time we can sleep in (to seven, perhaps?), read all those farming articles we've been piling up (and maybe even some for pleasure?), wear wool, drink tea, watch the snowfall, and make countless plans for next season.  Of course during the winter I miss the more giving and forgiving seasons.  And this winter I'll especially miss putting out each weekly box and through it, connecting with all of you.

 

But these are exciting times in sustainable agriculture, and even more exciting times in the often romanticized, often poetically waxed about, often little-really-done-about Local Food Movement.  I personally get frustrated with the "greening" and "localizing" of everything from Tyson Chicken to Chevron Oil, whose advertising campaigns want us to continue their agenda of, among other things, Big Ag.  Because there is a lot to be done under the auspicious title of Local Food, and as you probably know, it's not all as pretty as your CSA boxes.  It's not all new recipes and strange vegetables - it's obese children, it's gross overconsumption of resources to grow too much corn, it's a lack of knowledge and financial resources (both locally and at a federal level) to steer the course in a different direction. 

 

I've farmed or been exposed to farming all over this country (both sustainable and conventional), and I believe that the Greater Milwaukee area is wide open for a new agenda.  I hope you all feel great about being a CSA member, because you can confidently say you are supporting this movement and I promise you it is no small thing.  It is a small part of a very big thing, a very real possibility for solutions to a very big problem.  So thank you again for your support, we really hope you have enjoyed eating through the 2011 the season as much as the crew and I have enjoyed growing (and eating) through it with you.  We hope you join us next year, and even if you don't, we hope you continue to put your food dollars in another local farmer's pocket.  

 

In farm news, we have 95% of our crops up and out of the field - all that remains are some crops for the Thanksgiving Share and the two or three Winter Farmer's Markets in Port Washington that we will be doing in December.  With Intern Ben already departed, it was just Libby, Anna and I this week harvesting for the box.  We had a farewell dinner for Anna last night and she is off to see family and friends in the Pacific Northwest tomorrow.  We wish them both well, and I know I'll never forget my first crew! 

 

CROP                               Fridge?                   Notes

 

Butternut Squash                        No                  See below        

2 yellow onions                           No

hand full of shallots                      No                 See below

2 bulbs garlic                              No

1 bunch leeks                             Yes

1 bunch carrots                           Yes

1 bunch arugula or broccoli raab   Yes                   

1 bunch dill or cilantro                  Yes             In a jar of water with a  

                                                                                                      bag on top 

celeriac bulb                                Yes

rutabagas                                    Yes

1 head savoy cabbage                  Yes

1 bag potatoes                             No 

1 bag parsnips                             No

1 bag baby kale and mizuna          Yes                See below 

 

Regarding the shallots: (from last week's newsletter): For those of you unfamiliar with the shallot, it is related (of course) to the onion, but is a separate species.  It is often defined as being more mild in flavor than an onion, and with a hint of garlic flavor.  I absolutely love cooking with them, and find that they store better than onions into the winter.  You can use them in place of an onion (or alongside it) in any recipe - but my favorite use for them is in a vinaigrette.  They are in the same bag as the red/yellow onions and the garlic, but are not as round as the onions.  

 

 

 

 

Regarding the butternut squash:  Let it be known, dear members, that I did not intend to only give out butternut squash for the last month.  I did plant several other varieties, but they were rather far afield, (a different location all together actually) and spend the summer under attack by our friend Squash Bug.  Luckily our butternut was bountiful.  If you are sick of looking at it, put it in a cool place in your house until January.  Maybe by then you'll have the ambition and time to make one of these decadent recipes: 

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/roasted-butternut-squash-ravioli-with-a-sage-brown-butter-sauce-recipe/index.html 

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-Sage-and-Goat-Cheese-Ravioli-with-Hazelnut-Brown-Butter-Sauce-14287 

OK so Shepherd's Pie is undisputedly awesome, and I like to make it with rutabagas instead of potatoes because I feel like there are one million ways to use potatoes, but rutabagas are a bit more of a challenge.  Incidentally, you can mash up that rutabaga with potatoes or celeriac or anything else and eat it just like that - it doesn't have to be the delicious topping on delicious vegetables and meat.

 

Shepherd's Pie with Celeriac and Rutabaga Mash (Instead of Potatoes) from the Brain of Farmer Alissa

 

2 rutabagas cut into quarters

2 lg Celeriac - peeled and cut into chunks

1/2c-1c grated hard cheese (optional)

2 tbsp unsalted butter

+ 1 tbsp butter cut into pieces (optional)

2 lbs lamb, ground pork, ground beef or some type of meat (optional)

5 lg carrots (peeled, quartered and chopped)

2-3 lg parsnips (peeled, quartered and chopped)

6 baby leeks or 2 med leeks white part only chopped

1 sm fennel bulb (green and white chopped)

Other stew-type veggies you might have lying around...

1/8 c of flour

salt & pepper to taste

 

Boil rutabaga and celeriac until fork tender. Press through a ricer (or mash them) and set aside.  (You can make this mixture up to 2 days ahead - don't reheat them  before topping the pie mixture, but it will be easier to spread them if they come to almost room temperature before you use them.)

 

Brown the meat (if using) over medium heat. It's done when it starts to get caramelized brown on its sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove from pan and pour out all but a tsp or so of the fat - if there is nothing to pour out that's okay.

 

Add chopped leeks, carrots, parsnips and fennel to the pan (just saut� in olive oil if you didn't use meat) and scrape up anything that's stuck to the bottom. Saute over med-high heat until vegetables slightly soften and then sprinkle flour over them and stir well. Cook for 2 more minutes (you need to make sure the flour is cooked/integrated - taste to make sure). Turn off the heat.

 

Return the meat to the pan and any accumulated juices and mix well. Pour or spoon the vegetable/meat mixture into a large casserole and top with the mashed Rutabaga/Celeriac by dotting it on top and smoothing it out (like icing a cake).

Top with cheese and/or butter pieces and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 mins until slightly golden.

 

This recipe is so simple and delicious and requires almost zero effort.  It can be made with both veggies or just one or the other.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Peel the celeriac and slice it into "fry" size pieces.  Ditto on the parsnip, except I wouldn't peel it.  Place in a bowl and lightly coat the veggies with olive oil and salt.  Spread out in a single layer on a cookie sheet - use two if necessary, they will be better if one side is in contact with the pan - and stick in the oven for 40-60 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them.  Turn them over halfway through cooking, or just shuffle them around a bit if you aren't ambitious enough to turn each one over.  Take the liberty of seasoning with whatever you like - garlic, chili powder, dried herbs etc.  This can be done before or after cooking, depending on your preference. 

For the second year the Port Washington Winter Farmers Market will be held at the First Congregational Church in Port Washington.  (135 N. Webster, near the library.)  Local vendors and artisans will be selling fish, eggs, dairy, meat, preserves, honey and veggies.  The market furs for the first 3 Saturdays of November and December from 9 am to 1 pm.  Wellspring will be attending the November 19th market, and all December markets. Stop on out and say hello!!