September 12-16 Chatfield CSA e-news

Dear CSA Shareholders,

This is the last reminder to please bring in the member surveys to distribution if you still have not done so. We appreciate all the emails from members that have shared a thought, idea, link or recipe for the way we do things. Please feel free to contact us with ideas anytime! Overall, the feedback from the survey has been overwhelmingly positive, constructive and reaffirming to our CSA staff. We thank you for being a part of our community, taking the time to step outside the “produce box” and share in our summer bounty of good food, friends and health.
 

a shift in produce

There are various crops that have slowed down significantly with the cooler mid-September weather. Members should expect to start seeing a lot fewer cucumbers, summer squash and tomatoes. The majority of the heirloom tomato varieties have recently have been affected by the cooler weather and possibly a pest affliction that is still being researched. The bulk of the tomato harvest will shift to different types of winter squash such as acorn, butternut, delicata and spaghetti. We hope you had a chance to use all the slicing tomatoes for some pasta sauce or salsa! The basil crop has also been affected by the cool mornings causing the leaves to slightly yellow in color, but the flavor should be fine. Other crops that are almost finished include potatoes and melons. We will have a new arrival of leeks, and fall greens like spinach and kale that will sweeten up in the cooler weather. 

this week’s produce (september 12 – 16)

• Peppers (hot and sweet)
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Eggplant
• Beets, carrots and turnips
• Cucumbers and squash
• Salad greens, kale, chard and arugula
• Tomatillos
• Sweet basil, Thai basil, parsley and cilantro

this week’s fruit (september 13 and 15)

Two bags of fruit: apples and pears
 

weekly recipe
adapted from Heather Johnson, allrecipes.com
 
California Grilled Squash Sandwich

Ingredients
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 cup olive oil
1 cup sliced red bell peppers
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced
2 (4x6 inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 avocado 

Directions
In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, minced garlic, and lemon juice. Set aside in the refrigerator. Preheat the grill for high heat.
Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush grate with oil. Place bell peppers and zucchini closest to the middle of the grill, and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn, and cook for another 3 minutes. The peppers may take a bit longer. Remove from grill, and set aside.
Spread some of the mayonnaise mixture on the cut sides of the bread, and sprinkle each one with feta cheese. Place on the grill cheese side up, and cover with lid for 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread, and slightly melt the cheese. Watch carefully so the bottoms don't burn. Remove from grill and layer with the vegetables. Add two slices of avocados on the top and enjoy as open faced grilled sandwiches.
 

farm topic – the grower’s perspective
written by CSA intern, Sami Lester

Working on a farm, there are several aspects of the land, plants and the overall community that continue to amaze me. Personally, there are many parts of growing food that I find fascinating. The variety and vividness of the colors of the produce is one of the most exciting parts of the farm. To see the different varieties of eggplant - and how beautifully the purple and white vary - proves to be truly wonderful every time we harvest! The peppers are another example of the great colors found on the farm. The bright greens, yellows and reds are simply stunning. The colors and varieties never fail to bring excitement to any farmer, whether it’s the first or the hundredth pepper that day.

Another fascinating part of working on a vegetable farm is the incredible resiliency of the plants. Not having much prior experience with growing, I came in with the notion that one has to be delicate with the plants for fear of breaking them or exposing them to harmful conditions or outside factors. Over the season, we have dealt with pests, excessive rain (and therefore, weeds), intense sun and wind, as well as human contact, which can be rough or invasive. Our crops have prevailed through all of these things and have in fact, thrived! Of course, sometimes nature gets the best of the plants, but this year we have successfully avoided any major catastrophes. This has taught me that I don’t need to be so cautious and can take risks when it comes to gardening and growing my own food. 

Overall, there are many parts of this farm, and growing food in general, that have come to amaze me and allow me revel in the beauty of nature. As a society, it seems that we have allowed ourselves to become very isolated from growing food and understanding the natural process of how we sustain ourselves. It has been so interesting and fulfilling to see the connections between humans and this natural process through working at Chatfield. Growing food is a natural process that can work wonderfully, and when it does it becomes something that can bring great pride, excitement and an overall sense of connection to something much bigger than us as individuals: a community.


food safety note

Please note that although we have washed our produce once after harvesting it in the field, members should wash the produce at home again before eating. Our farm produce should be treated the same way as grocery store produce: always wash before eating! The best way to wash produce is by running it under cool water. Cleaning products are not necessary.