We can’t believe that it’s the first week of the fall CSA!  It’s definitely a milestone on the farm.  Traditionally it means that things should be slowing down, that the root crops should mostly have been dug and the tomatoes pulled out of the greenhouses.  But not this year!  This year, the greenhouse tomatoes are still going (relatively) strong and there are more plantings of carrots, turnips, rutabaga and potatoes still in the ground.  Not quite sure how this happened, but it’s a good thing to have such bountiful crops and we’re grateful that we still have a full apprentice crew with us for this final harvest push (yay Brandon, Hannah, Katie and Patrick!) .

We put so much love and effort into the sweet potatoes this year, but apparently we still haven’t figured out the magic spell for sweet potatoes.  There is enough to give everyone in the fall CSA just a taste (as in, one sweet potato).  Sorry that we don’t have more, but we’ve savored every bite so far and hope that you do, too!

I will be bringing bulk storage items to the CSA pick-ups for those who want to stock up for winter.  We’ll have 20 lb bags of carrots for $30, 20 lb bags of storage onions (mostly red but some yellow) for $30, 2-1/2 lb bags of garlic for $20 and 10# bags of shallots for $45.  All of this as well as winter squash will also be available for purchase at the CSA potluck.

We hope to see many of you at the annual CSA potluck, garlic-planting and cider-pressing get-together on Sunday, October 19th, starting at 1pm.  Bring a dish to share, a chair or blanket to sit on, apples to press, and get your fingers ready to pop apart garlic bulbs for planting!  We’ll have a campfire going if it’s a cold and blustery day. We hope to see you there!

Have a great week and enjoy your fall meals!  As always, please be in touch with any questions.

~ Reba and the HCF crew

Fall CSA Week 1 of 4:  Potatoes, Tomato (really!!), Kale, Sweet Potato, Mesclun Mix, Red Onion, Yellow Onion, Shallot, Garlic, Delicata Winter Squash, Carrots, Turnip

This week’s recipes:  Kale Chips, Crusted Winter Squash Wedges with Sour Cream, Turnip Gratin

This week’s Appleton Creamery Cheese CSA Share: Gurney Town Gouda, and Maple Walnut Chevre