Welcome to the 2014 Winter CSA!
You all should have received the Winter CSA Handbook in an email that went out earlier this week with details about the winter shares and pickup procedure. If you did not received it, please email Heather at wellspringcsa@gmail.com. We have also archived it on our website here:
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Farm News from farmer Evan
Hello and welcome to week 1 of Wellspring's Winter CSA.
For those of you who were summer CSA shareholders, thanks for continuing on. For those of you who are new to Wellspring, I am Evan Conklin, the farm manager here at Wellspring and on behalf of everyone here at the farm and education center I would like to thank you for being a part of our CSA this Fall/Winter.
I am very excited about the Winter CSA starting. In a perfect, if not a little annoying, beginning to our harvest day we were greeted with a beautiful landscape of frost covering the whole farm that did not burn off until about 9 am. It was our hardest freeze yet, down to 25 F, but luckily all of the vegetables survived, proving yet again how extremely hardy some vegetables really are. Some crops, spinach most notably, can survive throughout even last winter in a simple greenhouse structure with no supplemental heat. And the great news is that the cold temperatures bring out and intensify the sugars in all of the crops, making them incredibly sweet.
The big news on the farm this week, besides the start of the Winter Shares, is we planted all of our garlic for next year. We saved the biggest and best bulbs from our harvest in July to ensure we get the nicest heads possible next year. Every individual clove of garlic, which is a seed in essence, when planted, produces a full head of garlic the following summer. To get enough individual cloves we spent the better part of a day breaking apart about 1300 garlic cloves. The next day we spent all morning planting the cloves by very carefully jamming the cloves into the ground, making sure they are right side up and planted about 6 inches apart. We will cover the bed with a good layer of mulch and then next year the garlic is the first thing to emerge and will supply green garlic in June, garlic scapes in June and July and then whole fresh cloves starting in the end of July all the way through the winter. Garlic is the gift that just keeps on giving.
As a brief warning about the salad turnips this week, an insect got into the roots causing some damage.** After checking multiple turnips it appears most of the damage is superficial and can be removed easily with a paring knife or vegetable peeler. So if you get some turnips that look a little gnarly just trim off the bad parts and enjoy the rest of the sweet, tender, juicy root.
I hope you all enjoy this first share as much as we enjoyed growing it for you.
** Executive Director Angie note - We really appreciate your understanding that as a certified organic farm, we don't use pesticides. Therefore, our produce sometimes isn't "picture perfect", but it's always extremely tasty!" Thanks again.
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What's In the Box and Where Does It Go?
CROP FRIDGE? NOTES/VARIETY
Winter Squash No Acorn, Sunshine Kabocha, OR Buttercup
Chard Yes Rainbow
Carrots Yes Mokum, separate the greens
Broccoli Yes Amadeus, Bay Meadows, Arcadia
Fennel Yes Orion, small but great for roasting whole!
Arugula Yes bagged with the garlic
Garlic No Asian Tempest, bagged w/ Arugula
Sage Maybe keep in fridge unless drying it
Cilantro Yes Santo
Parsley Yes Italian flatleaf
Dill Maybe keep in fridge unless drying it
Potatoes No from Evergreen Lane Farm, store in pantry
Onion No cured, Yellow
Beets Yes Golden, topped and bagged
Parsnips Yes Albion
Salad Turnips Yes Hakurei, separate edible greens from root!
Lettuce Heads Yes mini heads- Salanova varieties
Mustard Greens Yes these are a bit spicy if eaten raw!
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Storage Tips
You will be getting quite a bit of food in each of these shares and some things will start to go faster than others, so I recommend a plan of attack. Fresh greens will generally be the first to go, so try to eat them within a few days. Things that will keep longer are going to be any of the root vegetables (when topped and bagged, most will keep for at least a month) and squashes. However, a note about the kabocha & buttercup squash: these did not cure well, so to be safe timewise, we suggest eating them sooner rather than later.
The garlic and onions are cured and will keep in pantry or on the counter for months. For all root veggies (carrots, beets, turnips, etc), the roots should be cut from the tops and stored separately to prevent the greens from wicking moisture out of the root and making for some limp root veggies.
Though we wash nearly all of the vegetables after harvest, it is impossible to get every last bit of dirt off of them all. Therefore we recommend giving all the greens another wash before storing in a bag/container with a piece of paper towel, in your crisper drawer.
Save those scraps! Keep the stems, trimmings, peels, etc from your veggie prep each week in a gallon bag in the freezer. When you accumulate enough, you can make a delicious, homemade vegetable stock...from seemingly nothing at all!
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Recipes from Farmer Heather
Hand-Formed Parmesan Tater Tots from Food 52

Serves 4
3 large red potatoes (1 1/2 pounds)
2 cloves of roasted garlic
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 dash freshly ground sea salt
Olive oil for greasing pan
fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, or rosemary would be a great addition too!
Preheat oven to 400� F. Scrub the potatoes clean and roast until they are fork tender. Cool them rapidly by plunging them in ice water. Change the water, and repeat, until the potatoes are cool. Shred the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater. Place the other ingredients into the bowl with the grated potatoes and use a fork to fully combine everything. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and rub it with a layer of olive oil. Preheat oven to 425� F. Using about a teaspoon of the potato mixture, form it into a cylinder about 1 inch long. Place on baking sheet and repeat until all the tots are made. Bake about 35 to 40 minutes, turning once about 20 minutes into the cooking time. Serve hot.
Root Vegetable Gratin
adapted from Food 52

Serves 6
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cloves garlic
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound winter squash, any variety
3/4 pound potatoes
1/2 pound parsnips
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup grated Gruy�re
1 cup grated Pecorino
- Heat the oven to 400� F. Put the milk in a small heavy saucepan and peel and smash one of the garlic cloves. Add it to the milk and then heat the milk over low heat until it just starts to bubble at the edges. Remove from the heat, add the nutmeg and let steep while you continue with the recipe.
- Peel the second garlic clove, cut it in half and rub the cut side around the inside of a 6-cup baking dish no more than 2 inches deep. Rub 1 tablespoon of the oil all over the inside of the dish.
- Peel the squash if needed. Along w/ the potatoes and parsnips, cut them into very thin slices (1/8-inch thick). If you have a mandoline, now's the time to use it.
- Layer the vegetables into the baking dish, alternating between squash, potato and parsnip, and fanning them into concentric, overlapping circles. Season generously with salt and pepper and sprinkle a third of the cheese and a third of the chopped herbs over the slices. Repeat twice, making the top layer as neat and tidy as you can.
- Remove the garlic clove from the hot milk and pour the milk evenly over the vegetables. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the gratin and bake for about 50 minutes, until the top is browned and bubbly and the vegetables yield easily when you poke them with a sharp knife. If the vegetables are tender but the top isn't as brown as you'd like, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes -- watch it carefully so it doesn't burn! Let the gratin cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Almond and Italian Parsley Pesto
A versatile pesto recipe, Almond and Italian Parsley Pesto is great served with crusty bread as a party finger food or tossed with pasta for a delicious lunch or dinner; so bright, fresh and flavorful.
Yield: Approx. 2 cups pesto.
1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
1 cup chopped Italian Parsley
1 clove minced garlic
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil
pinch black pepper
Toast the almonds in a shallow pan for 4-5 minutes in a 375 degree F oven. Combine all ingredients together in a food processor. You may want to add more or less oil to the pesto according to taste or the way you plan to serve it. Taste for seasoning, it generally will not need salt because of the salt content in the Parmesan cheese.
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Upcoming Classes, Workshops and Events at Wellspring!
For more information and to register for classes, please visit www.wellspringinc.org or call (262) 675-6755
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Thursday, October 30th - 6 to 9 pm
Fermentation: Making Sauerkraut, Pickles and Beyond
Preserving vegetables with live-cultures - this is Lacto-Fermentation, an ancient practice experiencing contemporary revival. In this hands-on workshop, we will learn about the science, method and magic of "wild fermentation", and will transform local, seasonal vegetables into delicious treats. Participants will leave with some of our preparations to nurture at home. Samples, instructions and recipes will be provided. Please bring 2 pint canning jars so that you can take home some of our preparations.
Cost: $60 per person until 10/26, $65 after.
Click here for more details and to register
Thursday, November 6th - 6 to 8 pm
Seasonal Desserts Cooking Class - with Chef Greg Leon of Amilinda
Impress your family and friends this holiday season! Learn to create festive, seasonal desserts, using locally sourced products and seasonal produce! Chef Greg Leon will lead demos, tasting and give cooking tips. Wine served and recipes to take home!
Cost: $30 till 11/3, $35 after. Click here for more details and to register
Traditional Food Weekend: Hands-On Learning!
Saturday and/or Sunday - November 8th and/or 9th
10 am to 4 pm each day
Immerse yourself in a weekend workshop all about learning traditional ways to prepare nourishing, healthy foods! Led by Linda Conroy and John Holzwart of Moonwise Herbs, students will go home with the knowledge to start or expand upon their own traditional food preparation. In these hands-on workshops, students will work together, learning and creating several types of traditional food to make and take home.
The schedule for each day is listed below.
Saturday:
Fermented Beverages - Beer, Wine, Meade, Soda Making and more!
Learn how easy it is to make beer, wine, meade and soda in your own kitchen. Learning the basics, participants will leave feeling confident in making their own beverages at home. Discussions about influencing your beverages with herbs and fruit for promoting health will be included. Each person will leave with a bottle that we cork together, as well as a soda culture to get them started!
You are What you Eat! The Art of Nourishing Soup Stocks
Learn to promote health through this time honored food preservation practice. This class will share approaches to creating nutrient dense bone, beef, chicken, vegetable or mushroom broths and/or stocks. The addition of herbs will also be discussed and demonstrated. Participants will create several stocks together and will take them home at the end of the day. In addition to making the stocks, recipes for using them in other meals kitchen for optimal nourishment will be shared. Class includes recipes, instruction, inspiration and stock to take home. Bring 2 x quart jars in order to take stock home with you!
Lunch this day will include a hearty soup with a rich stock base
Sunday:
Fermentation: Making Sauerkraut, Pickles and Beyond
Preserving vegetables with live-cultures - this is Lacto-Fermentation, an ancient practice experiencing contemporary revival. In this hands-on workshop, we will learn about the science, method and magic of "wild fermentation". We will transform local, seasonal vegetables into delicious treats. Participants will take some of our preparations to nurture at home. Samples, instruction and recipes will be provided. Bring 2 x pint canning jars so that you can take home some of our preparations.
The cost of the workshops covers all supplies (except for canning jars) and a gourmet lunch.
Costs: $90 for one day, $160 for both days.
- Saturday only - $90
- Sunday only - $90
- Both workshop days - $160
Wellspring is also a Bed & Breakfast AND an International Hostel - call for availability and stay overnight! Plenty of hot showers and bathrooms.
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