Winter Week 2—Treviso and Tender Turnips

Japanese Turnips, also called “Tokyo Market” or “Hakurei”, are tender, sweet, and delicious. They’re even better when the weather turns chilly!

THIS WEEK’S SUBSCRIBER MENU:
• “Purple Viking” Potatoes
• Candy Carrots
• Red Beets
• “Delicata” Winter Squash
• “Treviso” Radicchio
• Baby Turnips with Greens (use raw, or steam or sauté lightly, and use the greens in salad)
• Arugula

Click on the links above for information and recipes about these crops.

COMING SOON: Pie Pumpkins, Baby Bok Choy, Celery, Parsnips

I think it’s very difficult to be happy about everything in a growing season. There are always mistakes made, and variables that cause mishaps. But this year I am very happy about a few things:

Our only carrot pest, the Carrot Rust Fly, lays eggs in the soil when the carrot plants are young, and the larvae dig into the ground and tunnel into the sweet, tasty carrots. This is what they look like. It’s a shame to throw away all the carrots with tunnels, so we just cut around them. They don’t affect the carrots’ flavor, but they are unsightly. We make our bunches just a bit bigger to make up for the damage.

1. We have a beautiful, big patch of carrots. In fact, we have so many carrots that we believe we can include them in the CSA shares every week this winter! We know how good they are, and how much everyone loves them. Therefore, we hope all of YOU will be happy as well!

2. We finally timed our radicchio planting so that we have beautiful firm heads in time for winter. It’s been trial and error for several years, but we’ve done it this time. Check out the chicory page for information on how to use this bitter green.

“Purple Viking” are a delicious heirloom potato. The skin is swirled in purple and pink, and the flesh is snow white. I find they’re great for anything except mashing, and I love turning them into a bubbly gratin.

3. “Purple Vikings”. My favorite potato, not only for its beauty, but for it’s flavor.

Tasty, golden “Delicata” Squash, also known as “Sweet Potato” or “Peanut” Squash. Mmmm.

We have abundant squashes, beets (more recipes coming all the time!), and the tender greens are just about ready to harvest.

Thanksgiving week is coming, and there is always confusion about the “double pick-up option”. Here’s how it works: If you have weekday pickup (Tuesday or Wednesday) you will pick up each week, just as usual. If you pick up on Saturday or Sunday, at the farm or at a market, you will only pick up the weekend before Thanksgiving.

This accommodates people who either aren’t cooking because they’re out of town, as well as people who are cooking for a crowd. It also allows for all of US to enjoy our holiday without having to be out in the field harvesting on Thursday for the weekend.

If you want to switch your pick up day, one way or another, PLEASE let us know ahead of time so we have the right amount of everything on each day.

Oh, one more:

4. I’m really happy we decided to start homeschooling both kids this year. It’s an adventure I look forward to writing about more in the coming weeks.