Frost kissed roots and shoots

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Good Morning Folks!

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Hope you can find a nice cozy place to curl up with a cup of tea and some comfort food some time today...even if it is just a nice warm fuzzy thought in your brain, that can go a long way.  Week 20 of the farm means we are heading into the uncertainty of fall now and I anticipate having quite a few more chilly and dreary days ahead.  We had our first light frost on the farm on Tuesday and we may be looking at another one tonight.  This means that this week we will be saying good-bye to some summer things that don't do well when the temperatures get cold.  It will be a bit of a slow slide since many of our summer plants are protected by tunnels but regardless the slide has begun.  The good news is that many of our fall things just get better with cooler temps and we look forward to the sweetness of frost kissed roots and shoots in the next few weeks.

Brassicaes are one type of veg that loves this sort of weather.  Whether its giant broccoli or dark green kale, its time to celebrate them all fully.  The abundance of cabbage marks sauerkraut time for many of us of German decent.  The basic recipe is actually silly easy...just salt and cabbage... but it can get much more elaborate as you start adding more flavors or spices.  The trickier part is the fermentation process...most the patience to waiting for the project to be done.  I have a hard time because I love the instant gratification of a kitchen sorrier, but its worth the wait.  According to our local fermenting expert, it will take 6-8 weeks for your kraut to be done.  Two weeks at 60-70 degrees and 4-6 weeks at around 45.  But its nice to think about having kraut in the fridge ready for winter when you want it.  

We are starting to see some cauliflower peaking their heads out of their leafy foliage.  I'm happy to report our fall crop is looking much better than the spring and am excited for it to be back at the market.  I am planning to take advantage of the overlap of brassicae and summer crops as there are so many fun kitchen combos that only come around once a year. Maybe its the weather, but a nice tomato, fennel, and cauliflower soup with crusty bread sounds like just ticket on a dreary fall afternoon.  Or maybe you make some stewed eggplant and broccoli in a nice tomato based sauce and serve it over hot polenta.  I feel a nap coming on...

Or maybe you are  more in the mood for pork green chili...which is what we will have at the Odell event tonight from 5-8pm.  Kevin Grossi and his staff will be at the pop up event to get the word out about their new restaurant, The Regional, that will be opening in less than a month.  I just got a sneak peak tour and the place looks awesome.  Native Hill will be there with our chili roaster and will be roasting until we run out of peppers.  We will be chatting with folks about the farm expansion and educating folks about Poudre Valley Community Farms, a Land Co-Op.  Aaron Rice from Jodar Farms will also be there to update folks on his new farm project and of course to provide the pork for the chili.  Hope some of you can make it!

This Week's Harvest

  • Kale

  • Collards

  • Swiss Chard

  • Head Lettuce

  • Arugula

  • Spinach

  • Carrots

  • Beets

  • Radishes

  • Hakurei Salad Turnips

  • Leeks

  • Red and Yellow Onions

  • Broccoli

  • Cauliflower

  • Cabbage

  • Heirloom and Cherry tomatoes

  • Hot and Sweet Peppers

  • Italian Eggplant

  • Red and Yellow Potatoes (strohaur farms)

  • Fennel

  • Cucumbers