January is the slowest month of the year on the farm. We have finalized the crop plan, our seed ordering is almost finished, and all the tractor implements have been stored safely indoors. While we are cherishing the relaxing days it doesn't mean nothing is going on here at the farm.
This week, we donated our old seeds (and seeds of crops we aren’t planting this season) to Gaining Ground, a farm in Concord that donates all of its produce to food pantries and meal programs. We are also hoping to donate seed to the gardening program at the Northeast Correctional Institute in West Concord, where inmates in a pre-release program grow their own veggies and run their own restaurant.
Our fourth winter CSA pick-up will be this Thursday and we are starting to plan the 2009 Summer CSA.
See you on the farm,
Ellie
WINTER RECIPES:
January (aka Pink) Latkes
- Grate 2 large beets, 5 medium potatoes, 4 carrots, and 1 large onion in a mixing bowl.
- Beat 4 eggs and pour into veggies.
- Add about ¾ cup flour, or enough to give the mixture some thickness.
- Stir and add salt/pepper/chili powder to taste.
- Heat skillet on high with olive or vegetable oil. Scoop out mixture and fry on both sides. If latkes are not holding their shape, add more flour.
- Serve with sour cream or apple sauce. (And watch out, if your sour cream is not organic, it may have high fructose corn syrup/starch as an ingredient!)
This is a recipe I created when I thought: “Oh my god, so much butternut squash!”
Butternut Squash Curry with Rice
1 large butternut squash
1 large onion
2 Tbsp. Minced garlic
2 Tbsp. Minced ginger
1 tsp. Cardamom
1 tsp. Coriander
3 Tbsp butter
1 tsp. Red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
2 Tbsp. Fish sauce
Lime
2 cups White or Brown Rice
- Halve, seed and roast one large butternut at 400 degrees, for about 40 minutes (or until you can stick a fork easily into it).
- While squash is roasting, steam the rice and let it sit.
- To prepare curry chop onion, ginger, and garlic.
- Heat frying pan with butter, on med-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for five minutes.
- Add ginger, red curry paste, cardamom, coriander, and salt to the pan. Mix until onions are coated.
- When squash is done, cut off skin, cube squash and mash half of it with a fork.
- Add all of the squash to the pan, cook for a few minutes.
- Add coconut milk, stir until mixed evenly with mashed squash.
- Add fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
- Serve curry over the rice.
And a few more great ideas from Epicurious.com
Turnip Gratin
(You can also use rutabaga!)
Hearty Rutabaga, Turnip, and Carrot Soup
FOR CSA MEMBERS ONLY:
THIS WEEK’S CSA PICK-UP
Posted by Ellie Lobovits, farm apprentice
