CSA 2016 - Week #16

We're just about a month away from our annual CSA Harvest Festival!  Mark your calendars and fingers crossed for nice weather!  Stay tuned for more details coming soon...

SAVE THE DATE!  Our annual CSA Harvest Festival will take place at the farm in Riverhead on Sunday, October 16th from 11am-3pm.  It's open to all CSA members and their guests!  Farm tours, Q&A with your farmers, cooking demonstrations, kids activities, live music.  It's a really lovely day of farm fun and an opportunity for you to see where we grow your food and connect with other members. Stay tuned for more details coming soon...

This week's box is a little bit of this and a little bit of that!  We're winding down our zucchini, squash, tomato and pepper season, so you'll see the quantities greatly reduced.  And now the cooler season crops are starting....the beets this week are beautiful! 

Golden or Red Beets - DO NOT DISCARD THE TOPS!  They are best part!  The beet tops (or beet greens) are a vegetable all on their own.  They can be cooked like spinach, chard or any other green.  Just rip off the stems and store the tops and the bottoms separately.  They'll last longer that way.  How to cook the beet roots?  The easiest way is to boil them until tender - then slip off the skins once they've cooled down and you're ready to use them any which way. 
Storage: Store the tops and the beet roots separately in an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Within 5 days. 

Saladette/Cocktail Tomatoes/Cherry Tomatoes - *Note that the green (red tinged) oblong variety is RIPE WHEN STILL GREEN!  It's a variety called "Lucky Tiger" and it's super sweet and ready to eat now!  We're rotating through the small tomatoes so that everyone will receive either cherry tomatoes or cocktail size tomatoes over the next few weeks.  These little tomatoes take A LONG TIME to harvest by hand, so we need to space out their harvest when we have time in our schedule.  Thanks for your patience!
Storage: On the counter until they are a deep red/yellow/orange.  At that point, eat them right away or if you must, put them in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw/Cooked When to use: Right away when deep colors.

Acorn Squash - These are just starting to come in...the first of the winter squash!  So it's just one piece per box this week.  You can prep this in many ways.  I like to cut in half lengthwise and then scoop out the seeds.  You can either put these halves in a steamer and cook until the flesh is tender, or rub with olive oil and set the halves face down in a baking dish.  Sometimes I pour a few tablespoons of water around them and bake in the oven at 350F until soft.  Scoop out the flesh and season with salt and a little butter (or olive oil) and enjoy! 
Storage: Winter squash should be stored at room temperature - and dry. Keep in paper bags or baskets out of direct sunlight and they will up to a month. Uses: Cooked When to use: Within a month

Romaine Lettuce - Crunchy and sweet!
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw When to use: Within 5 days. 

Freshly-dug New Potatoes - Varieties will change through the week....yellow or red. These are unwashed so that they will store longer at your home. Please try to eat them within a week. 
Storage: In a cool, DARK place Uses: Cooked When to use: Within the week.

Zucchini/Summer Squash
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked, Baked When to use: Within 5 days. 

Long Peppers
Storage: In an airtight (plastic) bag in the refrigerator. Uses: Raw or Cooked, Baked When to use: Within 5 days. 

FRUIT SHARE - 1 bag of Damson Plums FOR COOKING ONLY!  Click here for recipes!

Recipes

Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges & Beet Greens
Acorn Squash - 10 ways to enjoy
Roasted Potatoes with Garlic, Lemon & Oregano