2023 CSA Farm Update: Week 21
From the Farm: Carrots
Hello Everyone and welcome to week 21 of the Katchkie Farm CSA. It is hard to believe that we have only one more week to go in the CSA! It seems like just yesterday that the warm June sun was shining, and we were picking the first crops of the season. The past week did feel reminiscent of June with the unseasonably warm temperatures, but the week ahead looks to be more of what fall weather is supposed to be. We are even forecasted to have our first freeze of the year on Thursday morning with temperatures dropping into the upper 20’s. With the majority of the crops out of the ground, we feel well prepared for a frosty morning.
The past week on the farm was a very busy one indeed. As of last Wednesday, we still had several thousand pounds of carrots still in the ground waiting to be harvested. With all of the warm weather last week, we made the most of it and dug our last beds of fall carrots and tucked them safely away in our coolers. The favorable temperatures also gave us one last chance to pick our peppers, which will be in the shares this week. There have only been a handful of times that I can remember peppers going into a November CSA share, so we could not resist the opportunity to add them this week.
Last week we said farewell to our farm crew members Rodolfo and Elizabeth as they went back home to Mexico for the winter months. They have been making the journey to Katchkie Farm to work during the growing season for many years. In the five seasons that I have been here, they have never missed a day of work and have always showed up ready for the tasks ahead. We certainly wish them a restful winter and look forward to another season ahead together.
This week’s share will bring many fall favorites such as sweet potato, carrots, and butternut squash. Even in the final weeks, there are still a few vegetables making their first appearance of the year. Our green napa cabbage has been ever slowly heading up, but its sweetness is worth the wait. We also have purple daikon radishes, which has a pleasant sweetness that characterizes fall radishes. I will add that some of them did get rather large, but they will last for quite a long time in the refrigerator. They are also quite wonderful pickled, either with vinegar or lacto fermented.
Until next time,
Farmer Jon
Weekly Harvest Includes
*We try our best to provide the most accurate CSA list in the newsletter! However, there’s always a chance of last minute substitutions in some bags if we don’t harvest enough of a vegetable.
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ROASTED WINTER SQUASH QUESADILLA
Recipe created by The Sylvia Center
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chile powder
12 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded (3 cups)
6, 10-inch whole wheat tortillas
½ cup green onions, sliced
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
mix the butternut squash, red pepper, and garlic with olive oil, cumin and chile powder. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread vegetables on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes until they are cooked and slightly browned. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Adjust the oven temperature to 350℉.
Spread out tortillas on clean, parchment-lined baking sheets. Place ½ cup mozzarella on each tortilla. Distribute roasted squash mixture evenly on top of the cheese, followed by green onions and remaining cilantro.
Place in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are warm. Remove from the oven and fold each tortilla in half, pressing down gently to distribute the cheese and vegetables. Cut into wedges and serve.