Farmer's winter work

Hi Ya Folks!

Hope you all are enjoying the January thaw and finding things to stave off winter boredom.  I always count us lucky this time of year when I hear about winter ice storms and power outages and endless gray days in other parts of the country. Although every region has its challenges, it is lovely to see the sun most of the winter. These last few weeks have been busy with farmer's winter work.  Tax prep, spreadsheets, and meetings are part of the every day now and it doesn't make us feel much like farmers.  Farm transition has been weighing heavily on our minds these days as we navigate the waters of the potential new farm in 2020. We have the new land leased and currently have it seeded into a winter cover crop but are planning to frost seed 21 types of perennial grasses and forbes in order to rehabilitate the soil and hopefully (fingers crossed) be ready to do some cropping in 2020.  It is a large acreage and will probably take a full day on the tractor and that will help us feel like farmers again. 

It's roasted green chili week!  For those of you who are new to the winter CSA, we grow, roast, and freeze Anaheim chilies to save for a distribution in the depths of winter and we are finally there! Coincidentally (or not), chili week always falls on the distribution before Super Bowl Sunday.   I can't say that I'm much of a sports junkie, but I don't usually let it stop me from using the occasion for some game time culinary fun.  A perfect game day Sunday for me is fill with lots of cross country skiing, a nice sauna and coming home to some type of green chili.  There are so many types of chili that can incorporate roasted chilies and I love them all.  Think chicken with white beans, oregano, cumin roasted Anaheim chilies and topped with some jack cheese.  Don't have chicken?  The Homesick Texan has a fantastically easy recipe for Chili Verde Con Carne that I have used at least twice this winter since we happen to have a lot of beef in the freezer.  I omit the tomatillos and it is still great.  Pork green chili is often a classic and I just happen to know someone selling pork tonight (I will let him know that folks might be asking for shoulder to go with their green chilies), but there are some great vegetarian green chili options too.  I often use black beans, sweet potatoes and frozen corn from the summer for this option.  Not feeling up for chili?  Our green chilies make excellent enchilada sauce.  You can make a big batch and freeze the left overs.  If you are not ready to use your chilies, they are already frozen and can be happily stored back in your freezer for a few more months.  If you are ready to use them, simply pull off the skins, seeds, and stems, but DO NOT RINSE THEM.  They will loose a lot of that precious roasted flavor!

For those of you picking up at the farm this week, be sure to look for a white cooler that will have your chilies in it.  Also a quick reminder to bring back your wax boxes!

This Week's Harvest

Red Russian Kale

Spicy Mix

Spinach

Arugula

Carrots

Watermelon Radishes

Fingerling Potatoes

Onions

Garlic

Roasted Green Chilies