Week 13

Hi everyone,

We've made it to September! I know today was the first day of school for many families, so if it applies to you, I hope you and yours had a good first day back.

At the farm, the growing season continues longer than summer break, so for us, summer is continuing on for a few more weeks. But the fall crops are starting to get ready- the cabbage is heading, the onions are drying down, and the potatoes are ready to dig. We had tons of rain today, but we're hoping for some dryer and warmer weather next week.

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In Your Bag:

Summer Squash

Cucumbers

Onions

Red-skin Potatoes (the variety is Chieftan, in case you're curious)

Beets

1 Sweet Pepper

2 Jalapenos

Cilantro

Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes

So a mix of summer and fall veggies—the tomatoes are still going strong, so we should have them a while longer, barring a deep freeze. The peppers are petering along; not much to show for themselves, at the moment. But enough to give out a few... The sweet peppers you are receiving are all different kinds—some are classic looking bells, but some are long and pointed, and some are thin and curled. But they are all sweet, promise! The hot peppers are Jalapenos, which are green, short, and rounded looking. Here's a picture:

Sue's been cooking beets in a slightly different way lately, and I thought you might like to try her method. (With Sue, you know that the cooking is going to be no-nonsense. She doesn't have time to mess around. So I really like to copy what she does.)

This time, she sliced the beets up really thin and sautéed them in a skillet with olive oil. Don't bother peeling them, they don't need it. Just put them over medium heat, and cover the skillet so they stay moist as they cook. Cook until they are tender and easily pierced with a fork. Top with some butter, salt and pepper, and you have a very tasty part of dinner! Here are some more recipes to try:

1) Roasted Beets with Lemon

Here's a simple recipe for roasting beets in the oven until they are tender. The lemon brings out their bright sweetness!

2) Fresh Tomato Popover Pie

There are many versions of tomato pie (savory, of course), but this one is a neat variation. This was submitted by a CSA member a few years ago. It looks fun!

3) Baked Eggs with Potatoes and Chorizo

So this recipe may seem kind of weird at first, but it has become a hands-down favorite at my house. It's the essence of fall comfort food, to warm you up on a chilly night. It works with any kind of potato, and I usually get my Chorizo at Side Hill Farms butcher shop in Manlius. They make it right there with local products, and it's delicious!

4) Fresh Tomato Sauce

So this is just a helpful thing to know how to do—making fresh tomato sauce is really not very hard, it's delicious, and it's a great way to use up a bunch of tomatoes.

The sauce is easy to freeze, too, for a later meal. If you find your tomatoes piling up (and getting too ripe for sandwiches) try whipping up some sauce for dinner! This recipe is from Smitten Kitchen.

Hope these are helpful! Have a great week.

All the best,

Sarah VanNorstrand

for Lucky Moon Farm

sarahcvannorstrand@gmail.com

#beets #tomatoes #tomatosauce #redpotatoes #chorizo #pie