Howdy folks and welcome to your final CSA box of the 2015 season. We hope you all have enjoyed the past 22 weeks of fresh produce. It's been a wonderful season here at the farm and we have loved getting to know so many of you folks over the course of the growing season. You all are amazing and we're grateful to everyone for supporting our farm.
This is always a bittersweet time of the year as the leaves continue to change, the daylight hours shift and the air cools substantially. We're continually bundling up in more and more layers every morning as there is almost always a light frost covering the fields nowadays. As the last of the summer crops get tilled under we rely on the heartier crops-potatoes, squash, kale, and roots to provide sustenance in the dark months ahead. We hope the boxes this week supply you with a lot of nourishment for the coming weeks as well. And hey, if any of you find yourselves in our neck of the woods this fall swing in anytime to say hi, grab eggs or just enjoy a beer with us.
And with that, THANK YOU! Seriously, from the bottom of our hearts we are so damn thankful to you all. Farming is one of the hardest, craziest and most rewarding adventures we've ever been on. Folks like you make it possible to live out our dream life and we're forever grateful. Cheers to you all!!!
So much love,
your farmers Taylor & Andrea
Box 22
- Potatoes
- Winter Squash- Blue Hubbard and Kabocha or Red Kuri (all of these varieties have a sweet flavor)
- Onions
- Leeks
- Beets
- Kale
- Garlic
- Hot Peppers- jalapeño and serrano
- Bok Choy
Winter Squash, Kale & Lentil Stew
- 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
- 1 small leek, diced (white and light green parts only)
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium-sized winter squash such as butternut, red kuri, acorn etc. Peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Roughly 2 cups.
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme OR1 teaspoon dried
- 1 Tablespoon fresh oreganoOR 1 teaspoon dried
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/4 cup french green lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 6-8 cups low sodium vegetable stock
- 1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed and torn into bite size pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- In a large pot heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and leek and cook, stirring often until beginning to soften. About 8 minutes. Add the garlic, winter squash, herbs and tiny pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant. About 2 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils, bay leaf and vegetable stock. Add 6 cups of stock first and if need be add additional stock or water if the soup needs to be thinned. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the lentils are cooked and the squash is tender. About 20-25 minutes. Stir in the kale and season with salt and pepper. Let the soup cool a bit and taste test. Adjust seasonings if need be.
- Serve warm with rustic bread and a glass of your favorite wine.