Oh My Goodness...Kale

This box has the biggest and best bunch of kale that I have ever seen!  It is huge.  Really hard to close the box!

The end of October has snuck up on us.  The leaves are shedding their leaves.  The farm had three straight mornings with frost so that is the end of the green beans and tomatoes.  There are still plenty of fall crops that don't mind the front like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, onions, radishes, carrots, squash, garlic, red beets, kale, Chinese cabbage, and sweet potatoes.

Recipe Of The Week: Granola

Granola

4 cups of wheat flour
6 cups of rolled oats
3 cups of flake coconut (unsweetened)
3 cups of chopped pecans
3 cups sucanat (or adjust to your liking)
3 teaspoons of cinnamon
3 cups of melted butter

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add in melted butter, mixing until crumbly.  Put on a cookie sheet with sides.  Bake at 300 degrees until golden brown, stirring every 20 minutes.  Takes about an hour.  You can add raisins after baking.  You can also substitute whatever nuts, seeds, or dried fruit your family likes.  Changing them adds variation to the cereal.  Makes one gallon.

This Makes Me Really Happy!

I received this email a few weeks ago, actually the first week of the Fall Share.  I am so thrilled that she is in love with all her veggies and things.It makes my heart happy to know we are helping ourselves be a better us and helping the Amish community.  I ask her if I could share parts of her email...

I just need you to know how very much I am enjoying my wonderful foods from Cedarmore Farm.  Today I have fresh beets and Chinese cabbage.  I have already pealed the beets, sliced them and put them in the oven with a little olive oil.  I have already washed and sliced my radishes, one of my favorites too!!  And this week I received pickled zucchini relish. 

You are such an answer to prayer.  I had been praying that God will help me to eat healthier and he sent you to help me.  Knowing that this delicious box of fresh produce is coming has me eating so much better every day.  Last week for lunch I ate fresh greens, delicious fresh tomatoes and radishes.  They even sent me Oatmeal raisin cookies last week - just about the best cookie you can eat!! 

As you can tell, I am really loving it and it is helping me so much.  I have just filled out my paperwork for 2016!!

I need to go and visit Cedarmore Farm sometime with you.  Let's plan something for the spring??!!

Chinese Cabbage

Once again I need to apologize for not posting...it was my birthday week and my daughter and her family were here all week and we were able to lots of special things with them.  In the middle of the night I realized I had never posted about he CSA for last week.  So sorry.  I'm going to be on top of it this week!  I promise.

Chinese cabbage

Anna says that Chinese cabbage is good with a little bit of peanut butter and a sprinkle of salt.

Greens area a versatile as they are delicious and nutritious.

Liven up a salad with tender greens of any kind.

Shred and add greens to soups.

Sneak them in your lasagna and spaghetti sauce.

How to freeze greens....Bring water to a boil in a large kettle.  Set a bunch of greens in a strainer with a handle.  Plunge the strainer with the greens directly into the boiling water.  Allow to blanch for two minutes (a bright green color is a good indication that they have blanched long enough).  Plunge the blanched greens into ice water for about 30 seconds.  Drain and then pack into freezer containers or divide into recipe size portions and place in freezer bags.  Pack the greens flat and this will make them easier to chop while frozen and add directly to soups, stews, gumbos, sauces, and casseroles.  Place them in the freezer until you are ready to use them.  They should last about 6 months.

First Week Of The Fall Share

The Fall Share begins today.  We have some newcomers so we want to welcome you to the CSA and we sadly say good-bye to others.  We hope everyone has found the CSA to be just what you thought it would be.  Or maybe even a little better.  Thank you for you support.

Tomatoes are coming to and end here and on the farm.  But those beans are busting out all over.  If Jack Frost stays away we could get beans for several weeks.  Broccoli, kale and chard should be ready to harvest soon.

I wish I had been outside when the boxes arrived.  I could have gotten a shot of the van and the drivers.  Maybe next time.  So this is how the boxes come to my front porch.

This is what I do to them.  Sometimes it is just easier to pick  up your entire share when it is all in one spot.  I am so OCD they are of course in alphabetical order.

Lots of yummy fall veggies today.  Can you name them all?

Communication with the Amish is so fun.  It is like going back in time.  Andy always says that letter written are the Amish mail..what we English call snail mail.  Last week I sent a letter to John and Anna asking what weekend would be the best to come and visit.  This is how I got my answer today...taped to the top of my strawberry jam.  I love it when that happens!  It is like going back in time.

Recipe Of The Week: Chili Soup

Chili Soup

3 pounds of hamburger2 cups of chopped  onions
1 cup of barley four
2 1/2 quarts of tomato juice
1  19 ounce can of kidney beans
1 Tablespoon of cumin
2 Tablespoons of chili powder3 teaspoons of salt
1 Tablespoon of taco seasoning
2 teaspoons of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper 1/2 cup of sorghum molasses

Fry and chop hamburger is a 6 quart kettle, and onions and fry a little longer.  Sprinkle barley flour over this and stir with a spoon to mix.  Add tomato juice and turn on high, stirring frequently until it thickens and boils.  Reduce heat, adding the rest of the ingredients.  Simmer on low for one hour to develop the flavor.  Stir occasionally.

Optional:  If you like sweeter chili soup, add 1/4 cup sucanat.  If you love fiery soup, add red pepper.  This makes five quarts of nice thick soup.

Had to look up sucanat...is a brand name for a variety of whole cane sugar.