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Dear Common Thread Winter CSA Share Members,
The fifth winter share box is ready tomorrow, Tuesday, January 7. The pick up ti mes are 2-7 pm at the farm and 4-7 pm in Dewitt. The vegetable list is on our website on the what's in page. The last pick-up will be in two weeks on January 21. It is supposed to be cold tomorrow, so folks picking up at the farm will find the squash, swap box, etc. in the cooler where it won't freeze. Folks picking up in Dewitt will find the boxes inside the house instead of on the back porch (just ring the doorbell and Aliza will show you where to get your box).
Please remember to return your wax boxes from last time tomorrow.
We're definitely getting to a time of year when it is a commitment to eat in season! There is a finite list of storage crops and there are just a few hardy greens that can make it through this weather in unheated protective structures, so it's not a lot of variety, but it is food that is good for us in these cold winter months - hearty roots and greens for stews, mashes and slaws to keep us healthy through the long winter!
We did have one non-freezing day last week when we were able to harvest some kale and spinach. It is amazing to know that these plants have been frozen for weeks but come one warm day, they thaw out and are still alive and good to eat! The kale in particular was a challenge to harvest - the sides of the low tunnels were pinned down by a lot of snow, so we actually crawled under the 3 foot tall mini- tunnels to retrieve the bunches of kale.
My family has been enjoying pumpkin (or squash) pies this season. I use a recipe from the Joy of Cooking, slightly adapted:
Pumpkin or Squash Pie
Line a pan with pie dough (Sometimes I skip this and make "pumpkin pudding")
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Mix until well blended:
2 cups cooked pumpkin or squash
1 1/2 cups milk and/or cream
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg or allspice
1/8 tsp cloves
2 slightly beaten eggs
Pour mixture into the pie shell. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake about 45 minutes longer or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
I've had some delicious pasta dishes with squash in the past couple years although I haven't experimented with it too much on my own. Here is a recipe that looks very worth trying, from the website of public radio's "The Splendid Table", Winter Squash Lasagna.
Stay warm and eat hearty food!
Yours in the field, Wendy and Asher
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