P i c k l i s t
BUTTERCUP or KABOCHA WINTER SQUASH - GRAFFITI EGGPLANT - SHALLOT - RED ONION - POBLANO - SHISHITO - CABBAGE - BEETS - OREGANO - RASPBERRIES! - LETTUCE - CARMEN OR HATCH PEPPERS…
EDGEWATER update:
And suddenly, after a season of all the things, here we are at week 17, the night after our first real frost scare. There is nothing like the threat of a kill frost to really wrap up a summer CSA. While I type this out on Tuesday night, our field crew is busting their butts fighting with the wind, trying so hard to cover up those heat loving crops that wither and die at 32 degrees. Our main concern right now are the cherry tomatoes, Romas, and green beans. We’ve learned that peppers and eggplant actually do fine on these cold nights- i mean the plants look trashed in the A.M. but the fruit on them is A-OK.
As the season goes on and the nights get even colder, the Persephone period will settle right in, and the veg will ultimately slow down. But we aren’t rushing into that just yet. For now, we pick it while we got it; bushel upon bushel, stack on stack, bin upon bin! No joke on those bins- the root-crop-storage-hustle is well underway.
And now a celebratory color run of all we’ve eaten this Summer. What started with hot pinks and reds- think strawberries, rhubarbs, has led us all the way through the rainbow to what you see in your CSA share today- purples and mauves. When texting with Mitchell for this week’s recipe he called it red week- red beets, red cabbage, raspberries, red onions, etc- but this is incorrect. It's the deep mauve week. These crops are high drama with their deep purple undertones, real gems of the farm. Often while picking, I stop in my tracks to admire their beauty, especially that graffiti eggplant, a real stunner.
Ok let’s go heart felt for a sec. This season has honestly stretched me in ways I have not experienced to date. I knew this year would be a challenge, and it continues to be one. It all goes back to our house fire last December- we are still picking up the pieces from that and will continue to do so for a while. That said, thankfully no catastrophic climate change weather events, so that feels like a win. But I digress, a shout out to our team: the support that we have right now from field crew to farmstand is legendary. Our field crew is loaded with real life champions. They continue to step in when Ray or I has to suddenly leave for a host of reasons- before it was the occasional kid thing, but this year it was heavy with house stuff. The farmstand staff is DYNAMITE, they are the angels of 12A and the heart of the farm. With Ali at the helm, and the killer staff that surrounds her, I always feel so damn welcome everytime I step foot in that farmstand, and I hope you do too. It really feels so good to just be in that space, full of food, community- and though so cheesy to say- the warmest smiles in the Upper Valley.
For those of yall who end your CSAdom with us this week, it has been a joy to pick veg for you this season. I really mean it. I love harvesting for you people. Thanks for having me, thanks for having us- lets do it again next year, shall we?
And for those of you who carry on into the FALL CSA, we are currently dusting off the disco ball, seeding the Asian greens, and curing the sweet potatoes. Get so pumped FALL CSAers. See ya in 2 weeks!
And if you have not signed up yet, and want to do so, reach out, jenny@edgewaterfarm.com or hit the button below, and sign up right online.
PEACE, LOVE, AND POTENTIALLY HATCH PEPPERS, Jenny
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
PEPPER WARNING:
The carmen peppers in your CSA this week, may or may not actually be hatch peppers. If they are indeed hatch, then consider yourself one of the lucky ones and enjoy their slight spicy heat and excellent roasting qualities. They are a cult fave to some, try it out! Don't shy away!
Buttercup or kabocha winter squash:
Cook like you would a butternut. Tell me how it goes ;)
The following recipes are crafted specifically for this week’s CSA by our friend and hyper local chef (he lives just up the road), Mitchell Davis. if you are curious about alllll the recipes he has to offer, check out his substack:
Borscht
It’s soup weather. Here’s my version of a Urkanian borscht.
Like most soups, it’s better the second day. Serve with sour cream.
Makes 10 servings
Extra-virgin olive oil or other vegetable oil
1 pound boneless beef chuck or short rib, or pork butt, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 1 pound
smoked sausage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
7 or 8 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or water
1 pound red beets, peeled and diced
1/2 small head red cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoon honey, maple syrup, or sugar
Handful fresh dill, chopped
Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add the oil and when hot, add the meat. Season generously with salt and black pepper and sear on all sides until nicely browned. Add the onion and cook a few minutes to soften. Add the celery and carrots and continue cooking a few minutes more. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the tomato paste and paprika and cook another minute or 2 to bring out the flavor. Add the stock along with the beets, cabbage, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, set the cover ajar, and cook 60 until the beets and cabbage are tender. Add the potatoes, lemon juice, honey, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook another 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and the soup comes together. Stir in the fresh dill, taste, and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, honey or sugar, and lemon juice, to give a nice sweet-and-sour balance. Serve hot with a spoonful of sour cream.