The tsunami of fall roots begins this week with turnips and parsnips, added to the assortment of carrots, beets, celeriac and sweet potatoes we’ve been in up to this point. If you are feeling overwhelmed or even just a bit challenged by all these roots there are 3 simple things to remember. One, all of these crops keep forever in a bag in your fridge, giving you lots of time to work with them. Two, roots go well with just about all other roots. You can roast, braise and mash your way into some pretty great meals on the blustery days and nights coming up soon. Remember to check the website for recipes. Here’s the link to the best simple roasting recipe. Last, we have come into soup season. Surprisingly easy. Simply chop up your roots, sauté some onions & garlic, and then cover with water or broth, and simmer until the veggies are soft. We use a hand blender to puree, sometimes adding coconut milk and Indian spices.
We dug the first of the parsnips yesterday and its been a long wait. Parsnips are generally the first crop we sow into the fields each spring, generally in early April. The seeds germinated very slowly -about three weeks, and don’t begin to look like something we planted deliberately until almost mid-summer. During this time they have been setting insanely long tap roots, penetrating about four feet underground. By the fall the foliage is bushy and about eighteen inches tall and the taproots average 8 feet long. Luckily we only harvest the twelve inches or so closest to the soil surface! Yesterday we dug two 350 foot rows, using the tractor and a undercutting blade to get underneath the roots and lift them, making it possible to pull them easily.
From the field we bring them up to the farm and run them through the same root washer as the potatoes, carrots, etc. and then get them into the cooler, waiting for you to come and take them home at long last.
The End is Near…
Next week will be our last week of harvest and CSA for the season. It’s been a good year all in all. With a great fall to cap it off. Thank you for your support of what we do here. We never really know what to expect from each season. Farmers juggle so many variables in the process of growing good food. We don’t take you, our loyal customers, our farm share members, for granted. Thank you for being the steady component on the farm!
Sign up for 2014
Thank you for signing up for 2014! We appreciate those of you willing to throw your hat in with us again this fall. If you have yet to sign up here’s the easy link to our online sign-up.
Please don’t delay in signing up – once again we have accumulated a long wait list and will be opening that up this week to new members. We truly don’t want you to miss out if the CSA is full next Spring. Please be in touch if you do want to sign up but something is getting in your way (uncertain plans, share partners, money, etc) so we can hold a spot for you.
Pork
For those of you that missed our pork order or who don’t have the freezer space for a side will be happy to know we have hams, chops steaks and shoulders for sale in the freezer.
Winter Shares
Wolf Pine Farm once again will be delivering their winter shares right here to Crystal Spring Farm. We are just a drop off host & all the info can be found on their website: http://wolfpinefarm.com
Upic
Cherry Toms
Flowers
Herbs
What’s in the Share
Dumpling Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Asian Greens
Lettuce
Carrots/Beets
Kale
Chickories
Chard
Peppers
Red Onions
Parsnips
Turnips