Until this week I had always thought of Jerusalem artichokes (also known as sunchokes) as sort of a weed.  I saw them growing in clumps behind old houses or in neglected fields, and I never took the time to dig some up and cook with them.  But this year Bill bought some seed and planted them properly and we had an incredible harvest of hundreds of pounds this week!  I’ve since learned that Jerusalem artichokes are one of the rare  cash crops native to North America, that they are high in iron, potassium and thiamine, and that they feed the healthy bacteria (lactobacilli) in the intestinal tract.  And they have an interesting, nutty flavor that is unlike anything else from the garden.  We hope that you’ll enjoy experimenting with them — and if you like them, let us know, because we have plenty more where these came from!

Have a great week and remember that next week is the final week of the CSA season.

– Reba, Bill, & Eli

Fall CSA Week 3:  Jerusalem Artichokes (sunchokes), Spinach, Salad Mix, Winter Squash (Acorn or Butternut), Broccoli

 This week’s recipes:  Creamy Sunchoke Soup, Sautéed Sunchokes with Sunflower Seeds