November, Winter Newsletter #1
Dear Winter CSA Members,
Happy Thanksgiving! We can certainly give thanks for the bounty of food in the November CSA box AND thanks for eating local with us! đ
The November box includes the following items: apples (Macoun, Cortland), pears (Bosc), winter squash (Sunshine, Acorn, Jester), potatoes (white, all-blue), sweet potatoes, onions (yellow, cippolini), garlic, leeks, carrots (rainbow), Brussels sprouts, kale (Tuscan), bok choi, broccoli, fennel, and cabbage (Deadon).
This box is packed with an awesome haul of produce! The Sunshine winter squash is one of my favorites. Bright orange, super sweet, and on the dry side; itâs fabulous for baking your favorite pumpkin pie or just serving up with butter and brown sugar as a side. Our all-blue potatoes are a variety called Adirondack Blue; these are nice roasted and make great chips…and they really are blue! We have storage fennel, picked fresh for this box with the fronds. The fronds can be added to a hearty winter salad or stuffed into fish, the bulb is wonderful roasted with your broccoli and/or squash and a drizzle of balsamic. The cabbage variety this month is Deadon. A nice soft variety that makes cabbage rolls easy, and is also mild and crunchy enough for a salad. Cippolini onions are the flat coin-shaped onions, on the sweeter side, great mixed in with a big pan of roast veggies.
Remember, correct storage is the key to using your winter CSA share to its fullest potential. Please refer to your quick storage guide that was passed out with the first box. If you cannot find this page, it has also been posted on the Still Life Farm Blog, accessible through StillLifeFarm.com. If you have ANY questions about how to store your veggies, email us!
This month has been crazy busy (as it always is-why am I always surprised?!?!). There is a ton of work to do for our farm in October and November. We try to leave all the storage crops in the ground for as long as possible, so they can size up, but then itâs a mad dash to pick everything before temperatures get too low (like the nightly teens that we are now experiencingâŚtoo cold for produce). Busy, busy, busy!
Curt and I did sneak away up to Acadia, ME to pick up the bulk balsam that we use to make wreaths and holiday decorations. The making of these fresh balsam decorations has been a Stillman family tradition for the last 30 years. As I type this newsletter, I can hear the snap of the clippers and the whirring of the wreath machine, the house smells like balsam, and a little trail of needles is left in Curtâs wake, wherever he goes.
Recipe Ideas:
If you are looking for recipe ideas, check out the Recipe Exchange and past newsletters on the Blog, these can both be accessed at StillLifeFarm.com. I will post a few extra recipes on the blog.
Fennel Risotto
6 cups chicken broth
6 Tbsp butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise
Kosher salt
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, more for serving
2 Tbsp fennel fronds, more for serving
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer; keep warm. In an enameled medium cast-iron casserole, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over moderate high heat. Add the onion and fennel, season with salt and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to coat the rice with butter. Add 1 cup of the warm broth and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock 1 cup at a time and stirring constantly until it is nearly absorbed between additions. The risotto is done when the rice is al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy sauce, about 20 minutes total. Stir in the remaining 2 Tbsp of butter, the 1 ½ cups of cheese, and the 2 Tbsp of fennel fronds. Garnish with more fennel fronds and serve immediately with reserved grated Parmigiano.
Carrot Hummus
2.5 lbs. carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
Fine sea salt
Âź cup plus 2 Tbsp tahini
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Âź cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup water
Sweet paprika and chopped parsley for garnish
Toasted blue corn chips for serving
Preheat oven to 350oF. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots with coconut oil and 1 tsp of salt. Roast for about 45 minutes, stirring once, until tender and starting to brown. In a food processor, combine the warm roasted carrots with the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, EVOO, and water. Process until smooth. Season with salt. Garnish and serve with chips.
A few important tidbits you should know for the season:
It is crucial for you to be at your monthly pick-up or find a sub to pick up for you if you cannot make it. If you need to change your pick-up location, please email us and we will be happy to bring your box to a different location.
Boxes. We reuse our boxes. Please return your empty box when you pick up your next share. Do not rip the boxes. If you cannot figure out how to break down your box, please leave it assembled, we will do it for you. Please be careful! Otherwise you will be subject to âHalleyâs Box Tutorial Sessionâ (No, this is not a joke). đ
We are so excited to be able to provide our farmâs local produce right to your table. We strive to provide a top quality box of vegetables and fruit to keep your winter interesting and tasty. If there is anything you need to make this season the best that it can be, get in touch with us and we will make it happen! Happy Thanksgiving!
Love your food,
Halley and Curtis Stillman
stilllifefarm 