Continuing with final preparations for the rapidly approaching winter months, Richard braved the chilly pond today to remove the irrigation filter. It's critical to take all elements that can be damaged by freezing temperatures out of harms way and with the snowy, icy weather we've experienced today, we feel we've accomplished the task just in time. These reminders that the growing season has come to an end are bittersweet, but we're excited by the potential next season holds.
Also, please note that although we're winding down outdoors, we're gearing up for the holiday season and the farm store will be up and running until at least December 21st. We'll continue to stock many fall storage crops as well as meats, cheeses, eggs, salsa and other farm-fresh products. In addition, we're looking forward to providing local and sustainable gift items as well as pre-assembled gift sets. In upcoming newsletters we'll announce newly introduced items and inform you of the fresh products available each week.
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This coming Saturday, October the 26th, the 2013 CSA season will come to a close. We want to sincerely thank everyone who's been involved for making our inaugural year a fantastic one. Current CSA members, expect a survey soon; as always, your thoughts and opinions are extremely valuable to us and will help shape next year's CSA program. Future CSA members, please stay tuned for details and sign-up information about the upcoming Hunter Farms 2014 CSA.
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English Walnuts
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When the Hunter family purchased the farm property in 1977, Dr. Hunter planted several English walnut trees. Each autumn, we enjoy their bounty and this week, so will all of our CSA members. Whether raw, toasted on top of salads, or baked into a delicious pastry, we hope you'll enjoy them as much as we do.
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 | | Baby Fennel |
The baby fennel you'll receive in this week's box might be somewhat unfamiliar, but it is a delicious and versatile treat. A close relative of parsley, carrots, dill, and coriander, fennel imparts a licorice or anise flavor to dishes and is a popular element in Mediterranean as well as many forms of Asian cuisine. The stalk, seeds, and bulb of the plant are all edible. Fennel is excellent braised, sauteed, or as a flavoring in soups and is a wonderful complement to rich fish such as salmon.
If you are absolutely out of your element when confronted with fennel, here are a few ideas to get you started:
Add the leafy fronds to salads. They add the faintest hint of licorice to any bite. Use stalks and fronds for cooking fish. Lay a few stalks and fronds alongside the fish to infuse it with sweet fennel flavor.Juice the stalks and fronds, or the whole thing! You won't get much juice from these little babies, but the sweetness of the juice and the licorice flavor is sure to spice up the juice of apples, oranges, or tomatoes.Save the stalks for stocks. You can save the stalks and fronds in the freezer and add them to a mirepoix the next time you're making stock for a soup. The little bit of sweetness and licorice flavor from the fennel really amps up soups and stews.
Week 20
Certified Organic:
Acorn Squash
Baby Fennel
Butternut Squash
Cabbage
English Walnuts
Mixed Beets with Tops
Russet Potatoes
Sweet Banana Pepper
Please Note:
While it is our intention to provide a list of box contents each week that accurately
reflects actual box contents, due to the unpredictable nature of farming, we are sometimes unable to precisely predict the contents of your share. Please understand that when these situations arise, we do our very best to substitute with the high quality produce, baked goods, and sundries you've come to enjoy. |
Fennel Frond Pesto
The baby fennel in the share this week isn't going to be a part of your main dish at dinner, but it can certainly play a part in a few different meals. Most recipes focus on the crunchy bulb, but this unique pesto gives the beautiful fronds a chance in the spotlight. Fennel fronds behave similarly to fresh herbs like dill or tarragon - they don't hold up well to long cooking and are best used fresh.
Ingredients:
1 cup roughly chopped fennel fronds
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons pine nuts or slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Method:
1. Combine the fennel fronds, garlic, nuts, and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until mixture is roughly chopped and combined.
2. Add oil in a slow, steady stream until the mixture becomes paste-like. (You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.)
3. Serve immediately, refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze for up to one month.
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The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is a regional organization which aims to educate the public about the benefits of sustainable agriculture for both human health and the health of the environment. They also maintain a very helpful collection of recipes provided by members of the PASA community. Many of the included recipes are oriented toward seasonal produce and we hope you'll find something new, exciting, and delicious for the contents of your CSA box or something you picked up at the farm store.
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Copyright © 2013. All Rights Reserved.
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