Apples love cold temperatures and high humidity.  You should store your apples in the crisper of your refrigerator in the plastic bag that they came in.  To keep the apples moist, place a damp wash cloth or damp towel in the bag once a week.    

Apple Varieties and Their Uses  

The Minnesota State Fair was another success for Minnesota Grown.  We handed out a ton of Directories, and our volunteers had a blast!  Thanks to all of you who came out to visit the Minnesota Grown Booth to pick up your Directory.  Hope to see you again next year!

Here we go!  The 1st and 25th person to email Casey (Casey.DeRosier@state.mn.us) with the correct answer gets a free Minnesota Grown reusable bag!

How much does a bushel of apples weigh???

Fall raspberries are in season right now, and seem to be a forgotten fruit in the fall.  Pick some up soon so you can try this recipe!  You can have this tasty jam all winter long!

Recipe Courtesy of www.kraftrecipes.com.

Governor Dayton has proclaimed September Farm to School Month in recognition of the many benefits that Farm to School brings to K-12 students and the local agricultural economy in Minnesota.  

Farm to School initiatives connect school children with locally grown food and the farmers who grow it. Farm to School also helps support children's health by increasing the use of fresh fruits and vegetables and other minimally processed local foods in school meals, and by providing educational opportunities for students.  

Participation in Farm to School has grown rapidly, from just ten districts in 2006 to 123 districts around the state in 2010, according to a survey conducted by IATP and the Minnesota School Nutrition Association (MSNA). In response, annual Farm to School celebrations have been expanded from one week last year to the full month of September 2011. Many schools will continue their Farm to School activities throughout the school year.

For more information, see www.iatp.org .  

This apple pockets recipe is courtesy of Minnesota Grown Facebook friend Sara Wyse!  She even has a fun blog with more recipes and step-by-step photos so you can't mess things up!  

Ingredients:   

Dough 

• 2 C flour, divided
• 1/4 C wheat flour
• 2 1/4 tsp. quick rise yeast (1 pkg)
• 1 T sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2/3 C water
• 1/4 C butter 

Filling 

• 4 C tart apples (Haralson would be a great choice!), peeled and sliced
• 1/3 C sugar
• 2 T flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 

Topping  

• 1 T milk
• 1 T brown sugar 

Directions: 

1. Combine 1 C flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, heat the butter and water to 120-130 degrees in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the melted butter mixture to the flour/yeast bowl, and stir until just moistened.
4. Then, add in the wheat flour, and remaining white flour until a smooth dough emerges. 
5. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5-6 minutes.
6. Cover, and let rise for about 10 minutes.  My dough ended up sitting about a half an hour, and that was just fine.
7. While dough rises, cut apples and combine with sugar, flour and cinnamon.
8. Cut the dough into 4 quarters.
9. Roll each quarter into a rectangle.
10. Cut dough into 4 rectangles.
11. Place 1/4 C of the apple filling in the center of each rectangle.
12. Pull the ends up over the filling, pinching in the center to seal.   
13. Place pockets on a greased cookie sheet (or 2).
14. Set the cookie sheet in a warm spot in your kitchen, and allow the pockets to sit, covered for 30 minutes.
15. When ready to bake, place the milk in a bowl and brush onto the pockets. You can either dissolve the sugar in the milk or you can sprinkle the sugar onto the pocket.
16. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes until pockets are lightly browned.