A Few Little Setbacks

First I need to apologize for not posting about this weeks box.  My computer's hard drive died and I am waiting for a replacement since it was under warranty, thank heavens!  There is no way that I know of to download pictures from my camera to the iPad.  So sorry.  I feel like I have let everyone down this week.  Then on top of that I got a note from Lizzie in our box, that Moses had a little accident on the farm on Friday.  They spent Friday, Saturday, Sunday and most of Monday morning in the hospital.  Moses had a little run in with the pigs in one of the pastures.  This morning. I got a letter in snail mail from Lizzie saying that Moses is getting stronger everyday. And that his left hand is healing nicely.  His right hand is healing too but it is going to take quite a lot of time and his index finger is questionable if the tip will grow back.  Only time will tell.  He doesn't have much pain.  And he is uncomfortable because he is cutting teeth.  Poor little thing.

In the newsletter Tuesday, Andy says it has been rather cool in the evenings which it make it pleasant to work in the field during the day.  And that the rains that they have been getting are helping things grow very well.  All of this to say that the fall produce is looking really good.

Since Lizzie is busy tending to Moses and the usual things on the farm, she was unable to find a recipe for us this week.  But they promise to have a longer newsletter and a delicious recipe to share with us next week.

A Little Critter Help

I really don't see how the weather could be any more beautiful.  The leaves at Cedarmore Farm are turning colors and the scenery is beautiful.  The fall gardens are a mixture of contrasting colors from light to dark green to more purplish and even some yellow and red mixed in.  The reds and yellows of the Swiss chard are really nice.  The chard should be ready to harvest in a week or two.

There was a good frost on the 9th and it pretty much killed the tomatoes, zucchini, beans, egg plant, and the like.  the sweet potato plants took a big hit also. Which means that it is time to dig the rest.  Andy will keep the sweet potatoes in storage and fill our boxes as he see fit.

The only bad thing about storing them is ...the field mice like them too.  They ate into a good many of them.  At first Andy was going to cull them all out, but after seeing the amount in the cull pile, he decided that we should get them anyway.  "No, this is not a grocery store, this is a farm and these really are our sweet potatoes, even though the mice got into them.    He decided to go ahead and add them to our shares, so hopefully all us city slickers will learn something from our experience here. He wants us to realized that the things that we see in the grocery store might not be how the vegetables left the farm.  The Hershbergers, and probably more farmers, eat the vegetable just as they are.  If fact there is a story that Andy tells about when he was younger.  The kids were always told that these mice would eat off the best sweet potatoes.  The mice were simply letting us know which sweet potatoes were the best ones.  The mice were simply letting them know which ones they prefered and these would probably turn out to be the ones that were the best ones. He really doesn't know if all of that is true or not but it is what he was told and it is what we stands by today.  So enjoy!

Love the carrots with the greens.  We share the green tops with our rabbits and they get so excited.  A real treat for them.  I have never made a spaghetti squash but I think it might just be on the menu this weekend.

Recipe Of The Week: Sweet Potato Cake

Sweet Potato Cake

2 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons of baking powder
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon on salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups of vegetable oil
3 cups of grated sweet potato
1 cup of chopped pecans (optional)

Combine dry ingredients/  Set aside.  beat eggs, add oil and sweet potatoes.  Add dry ingredients and beat well.  Fold in pecans.  Pour into a floured tube pan or a 9X13 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  If desired, frost with cream cheese frosting.

Surprises

The weather on the farm, like other places in Ohio, is starting to feel really fall like.  Which is nice because it is nicer to have to do work outside on the farm.  Produce seems to be growing very well.  In our boxes this week there is a bag of spicy greens, some Chinese cabbage, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, purple peppers, and strawberries!  This variety produces in the fall instead of the spring.  I have had to hide mine so I can have them later.  I did taste one and it is so sweet and yummy!  I could take an entire CSA box filled with just strawberries!!!  They were a very nice surprise!

I also got some soap.  Lizzie's Mom makes the soap and it is wonderful!  Smells so good and makes your skin sooo soft.  I'll have to ask her about it.

Recipe Of The Week: Hot Chinese Cabbage Salad

Hot Chinese Cabbage Salad

1 tablespoon of olive oil
8 slices of green onion
4 cups coarsely chopped Chinese cabbage
2 cups coarsely chopped greens
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 cup of water

Heat oil in large skillet.  Stir in green onions, saute, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes.  Add cabbage and greens, mix well.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Pour in water and cover.  Cook for 10 minutes or just until vegetables are tender crisp.

Little Do I Know

Okay, I thought the white things that looks like carrots were really white carrots.  But they aren't.  It is a good thing Andy lets us know in the newsletter that they are actually Diakon radishes.

I know kale when I see it.  I am planning on making some kale chips tomorrow.

Thinking about having a radish sandwich also.  How about you?

The first box of the Fall Share is always a treat.  I love all the really earthy fall vegetables.  I see us eating lots of good soups this fall when the weather gets cooler.

We should be doing pretty good as far as the vegetables go...tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, squash and beans are still producing and will for awhile as long as the front doesn't get them.  The light frost that came last week got the last of the cantaloupes.  Frost always seems to get the cantaloupes first.  But cold weather crops like kale, lettuce, chard, spicy greens, radishes, turnips, broccoli and cabbage don't seem to mind the frost and can produce a little longer.  And with the nice rain that the farm got, Andy is hoping to have a good harvest of potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and winter squashes.

Since there are some new families joining the CSA for the Fall Share Andy will be sending a Baked and Canned Goods List in our boxes next week.  Be sure to get the newsletter from the inside side of you box in the see through sleeve. 

Be sure to bring back you empty boxes, egg cartons and green berry baskets when picking up you filled box each week.  It is best if you can breakdown the box for easy transport back to the farm.

Happy Fall.

Recipes Of The Week: Radish Dip and Radish Sandwiches

Radish Dip

2 cups of washed and trimmed radishes
2 Tablespoons of minces onion
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 Tablespoon of chopped chives to taste
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt pr
1/8 teaspoon of pepper

Chop radishes, mix remaining ingredients and add radishes

Radish Sandwiches

Butter French bread or regular bread and top with radish slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper.