The “G” key on my computer isn’t working well lately so if I’m writing a lot of things like “Farmin,” or “plantin,” or “weedin,” I haven’t suddenly picked up a country drawl.
Pretty day out today in spite of the rain. We had the crew in in the morning for the last Monday of the year. We picked and packed for the Cheshire Medical Center market we do on Tuesdays, and then let everyone go to enjoy the rainy day.
We’ll still have crew in on Wednesdays for harvest and Fridays with our workshares to knock out the last few big projects left before we fully shut down for the winter. The other days I’ll spend finishing up the littler tasks that all need to be finished by winter.
This Friday will be our garlic planting day! Woo! Regular readers will know how much I love all things garlic on the farm. This year we had a few members give us a hand pulling, sorting, and curing garlic, and now we’re gonna take about 8,000 of the biggest cloves we got and put em back in the ground! One of my sayings is that farming is just an elaborate process of moving things back and forth, and garlic is no exception. We picked it from the field, held it in the barn for a couple months, and are now putting it back in the field. It’s indicative of the circular nature of the farm, and one of my favorite parts of farming. Everything is transient, and every year it repeats itself.
So as we do every year on the last Friday of October, we’ll be out spreading compost and hay mulch over the beds of newly planted garlic and wait for next summer when we can start the whole process again.
FALL SHARES WEEK 4!
Fall shares go out every Wednesday from October 5th until the week of Thanksgiving. On November 22nd shares will be packed on Tuesday.
Beets will be back in baskets this week, this time with tops attached! The tops can be used the same way you would use swiss chard, and have a similar flavor. My favorite way is lightly steamed and dressed with salt, lemon juice, and shredded parmesan. Carrots are still in shares and should be a weekly occurrence. Garlic, Onions, Potatoes, and Sweet Potatoes will continue to be in baskets on a weekly basis. Kale will be in baskets as we start to top the plants before winter. Lettuce Heads ought to be in shares weekly as we move through our beds. Some beds are taking their time to mature, and we’re running out of time, so we’ll see how far into November the lettuce can go. Napa Cabbage is getting its first week in fall shares. I think we’ll have it more than once this fall. We grow a smaller variety of napa called “Minuet” that fits better in our share baskets.
Prepare grill for indirect grilling, heating one side to medium-high and leaving one side with no heat. Step 2
Peel potatoes, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Combine potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; toss. Step 3
Place potatoes on grill rack over unheated side; close lid. Cook 12 minutes on each side or until tender. Move potatoes to heated side; grill 2 minutes on each side or until charred. Step 4
Combine 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, juice, and next 4 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a large bowl. Slice potato slices into strips. Add potatoes, cabbage, and remaining ingredients to bowl; toss.
Edamame is a great side dish for any meal. Similar to shishito peppers, it is easy to prepare and delicious!
Ingredients
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5-6 small roasted beets (red and/or golden)
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1/2 cup pecans
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1/3 cup real maple syrup, divided
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Dash cayenne
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1 bunch curly kale
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2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (good quality)
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1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
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1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
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1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
Directions
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Peel your roasted beets, then slice them into wedges. Set aside.
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Roasted, peeled, diced beets on a cutting board.
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Place the pecans in a small skillet and toast over medium heat for 4-5 minutes till fragrant.
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Dry toasting pecan halves in a skillet.
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Pour 1/4 cup maple syrup over the pecans and bring to a boil over medium. Sprinkle the pecans evenly with a dash of cayenne. Let the syrup boil for 1-2 minutes over medium, stirring frequently. till most of the liquid evaporates.
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Maple syrup over pecans in a skillet.
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Pour the pecans immediately onto a piece of parchment or wax paper. Spread them out with a spoon into a single layer. Let them cool and dry out.
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Candied pecans on wax paper to dry.
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Meanwhile, clean your kale, pat dry, and cut the leaves from the tough stalks. Discard stalks. Cut the leaves into small pieces and place in a salad bowl. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Massage the kale with clean hands for 2-3 minutes till it wilts and loses its bitter flavor.
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Washed and torn kale in a large salad bowl.
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In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, and lemon juice. Whisking briskly and constantly, drizzle the olive oil very slowly into the mixture till the dressing is emulsified and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Balsamic dressing in a small bowl.
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Add the roasted beet wedges and crumbled feta or goat cheese to the salad.
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Beets and feta added to kale salad.
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Break apart the candied pecans into small pieces.
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Breaking candied pecans into pieces.
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Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the salad.
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Kale and Roasted Beet Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing 10
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Serve each portion of salad drizzled with a bit of dressing (about 1 tbsp per serving).
Tracie's Community Farm 