Week #26

• Lettuce
• Radicchio
• Kale
• Cherry tomatoes
• Tomatoes
• Hot peppers
• Sweet peppers
• Stuffing peppers
• Winter squash
• Parsley or basil
• Onions
• Garlic
• Grapes or apples.
• Eggplant

We were surprised last week to find do many vegetables inspired by the rain. We had a few beans, cucumbers and zucchini and more tomatoes than we expected.  As I am writing this note I am somewhat guessing what we will find. Light rain and heat of last week may have ripened a few vegetables unexpectedly, thus what I write at 0530 may not be what you find in your harvest basket at 1330.

Still no broccoli! Odd as this may seem our plants are large and quite beautiful but on survey Friday I did not see one head. Both Broccoli and cauliflower are out there and should be coming in the next weeks. We have 3 more harvests after this week. We will surely have some of those fall favorites by then. The Brussels sprouts will get topped today, hopefully forcing some of them to form little heads on their stocks. If the tops of the plants look good we will given them to you as a special treat, like a tender collard green.

We did it! Your calls and emails and outrage over the attempts to end Obamacare worked. Once again we defeated them, but they are distracting us! The congress failed to approve the health center funding cliff and our community clinics funding is threatened. If they do not fix the cliff we may loose funding to care for over 9 million people. Call your representatives today!!

Earthquake Relief

We have good friends who live part time in Oaxaca and part time in Portland. Their home was not damaged in the earthquake and the >500 aftershocks, but they are traveling to southern Mexico in three weeks. They will be taking a truck full of supplies for victims of the earthquakes. This is where you come in! We are collecting new or old tents and tarps for them to take. Please consider donating one of these items. So often we send money not knowing if it will reach the people we want to help. This is a direct way to contribute to people most in need. Bring your items and leave them in the designated box in the barn.

Harvest Party

If you have not put this event on your calendar this is your opportunity! Sunday October 15 from 2-6 p.m. Be there or be square. See and print out the attached flyer and post on your fridge. You are welcome to bring family and friends and show off your farm. We plan to have cider pressing, pepper roasting, music , traditional Mexican dancing and more. I am busy making ceramic mugs and wreaths and bird feeders for sale.

Beef for Sale

Juvencio is preparing for his annual ground beef sale. We will be selling ground beef for $6/#. We would love you to buy in quantities of 10# or more.  Please send us an email with the quantity you want and your cell phone number and we will add you to the list. We expect to have the beef by the end of the month. It is beef raised on pasture and without antibiotics or hormones ever.

Thanksgiving Harvest

It is time to sign up for our Thanksgiving harvest November 19 and 20^th. The additional veggies cost $40 and will include all sorts of goodies for your Thanksgiving table. We ask that you sign up and pre-pay for this vegetable extravaganza. We have spinach, lettuce and escarole planted and growing to make a delicious salad. We have large squash and pie pumpkins, leeks, shallots, onions and more. Trust us, by end of November you will miss your veggies!

CSA 2018 Season

Yes, it is time to let us know your intentions for 2018. This year is rapidly coming to an end. We are looking to the future, 2018 has to be a better year! We have already started planting for 2018, we have overwintering broccoli and cauliflower planted. We have shallots stored and we look forward to getting 5-6 greenhouses packed with delicious spring veggies for you and your family. Tell your friends and get signed up early for 2018.

Have a super week.

RADICCHIO SALAD WITH SPANISH BLUE CHEESE AND PEPPERED ALMONDS
1 head butter lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 head radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
8 ounces blue cheese (preferably Cabrales), crumbled
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons almond oil or olive oil
Peppered Almonds
Combine lettuce, radicchio and cheese in large bowl. Pour vinegar into small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Toss lettuce mixture with vinaigrette. Season salad with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Peppered Almonds over and serve immediately.

Bon Appétit
March 2000

Toro Bravo’s Radicchio Salad with Manchego Vinaigrette

By Genius Recipes

Austere as this salad may seem, it’s got 2 secret tricks that will make you better at making salads, during the holidays and forever after. 1. You infuse the vinegar with chopped red onion for an hour, then quietly remove it. The vinegar is left with a richer, more complex flavor, without the oppressive oniony kickback. 2. You toss the dressed leaves with a dusting of finely grated Manchego to help the coating stick. Adapted slightly from Toro Bravo: Stories. Recipes. No Bull. (McSweeney’s Insatiables, 2013).

Serves 4 to 8

• 2 to 3 heads radicchio
• 1/4 cup good-quality balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup good-quality sherry vinegar
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 3/4 cups olive oil
• 1 1/2 cup Manchego, finely grated and divided
• Salt, to taste

1. Remove the cores from the radicchio and discard. Chop into 1-inch pieces. Take 1 gallon of water in a large bowl and add enough ice to make the water icy cold. Once cold, strain out the ice and add the radicchio to the water. Let it sit for 15 minutes to remove some of its bitterness, strain and then spin in a salad spinner until dry. Fluff the dried radicchio. (Note: If you don’t strain the ice out before adding the radicchio you’ll be pulling out ice pieces for half an hour so that you don’t have wet radicchio.)
2. In a large bowl, add the balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, and chopped red onion. Break the onion up into pieces so that all of that oniony flavor gets into the vinegar. (Note: If you want to quick pickle and eat the onions themselves, Food52er hardlikearmour suggests adding the honey now too.) Let it sit for 1 hour and then strain out the onions.
3. Add the honey and olive oil to the strained vinegars and whisk.
4. Using your hands, toss the radicchio with the dressing until evenly coated. Add 1 cup of finely grated Manchego, salt, and toss again.
5. To serve, top the salad in a serving bowl with the remaining 1/2 cup grated Manchego or distribute salad and Manchego among 4 to 8 bowls or plates.

Lentil and Sausage Soup with Kale

By Merrill Stubbs

Serves 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for browning the sausages
• 1 tablespoon bacon fat (or add another tablespoon of olive oil)
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 3/4 cups chopped celery
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt
• 1 1/2 cup french green lentils, rinsed
• 28 ounces canned chopped tomatoes (I use tetra-pack)
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 4 chicken sausages (or substitute another kind of sausage)
• 1 1/2 cup chopped kale

1. Heat the olive oil and bacon fat over medium heat in a large, heavy pot and add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Add a big pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes and 4 cups water. Add the thyme and rosemary and a couple more pinches of salt. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary to cover the vegetables.
3. Meanwhile brown the sausages in about a teaspoon of olive oil in a small pan and then slice them into quarter moons.
4. When the lentils are just tender, taste the soup and add more salt if necessary. Add the kale and cook for about 3 minutes, until the kale is tender but still green. Stir in the sausage, make sure everything is heated through, and serve.

Chickpea Stew with acorn squash, kale and toasted pecans

By reahpeah

A quick vegetarian supper. I saved time by microwaving the squash but would be even better roasted. It’s surprisingly tasty!

Serves 4-6

• 1 Acorn Squash, cooked
• 1 onion, chopped
• dash mustard seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, chili flakes, madras curry powder
• 1 cup kale, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 cups stock
• 2 cups chickpea rinsed
• 1 tablespoon toasted almond oil (or toasted sesame oil)
• 2-3 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2-3 tablespoons pecan halves, toasted

1. Cook squash in microwave until soft (7-10 minutes). In a large pot on medium heat, add onions and spices, and cook until lightly browned. Add garlic.
2. Add squash, kale and stock. Stew for 10-15 minutes covered. Puree with a hand immersion blender. Turn down to low and add chickpeas. Cook another 10-15 minutes until chickpeas are soften and kitchen smells good. Serve with plain yogurt and toasted pecans.