Week Twenty Two: Last Regular Harvest

Here we are at the antipenultimate pick up for the CFK. This season has simply flown by! As the harvests decrease slightly in volume we are able to get ahead on other items we'd fallen behind with during the busier season. Last Friday, as some later pick up folks might know, Jake cleaned the stove and it looks fantastic. I know he's not satisfied yet, but it's really a vast improvement. At the farm, things are winding down. On Tuesday we spent time gathering up more of the infinite irrigation tape that is out in the fields as well as harvesting daikon radishes and eating cookies left over from Saturday's membership meeting. After an early lunch, we workers went home. Wednesday was similarly relaxed as we brought in the final "regular" harvest before Grand Finale. Despite the relaxed atmosphere, there is plenty of food. We picked over 200 heads of napa cabbage from one field, bunches of mizuna and arugula from another, and loads of leeks from a third. We cut down the palm-tree like curly kale plants. It was relatively warm and not wet, despite the rain on Tuesday night. Rainwater had collected in the leaves of the kale, though, causing a beautiful deluge when a plant was cut. What a wet fall we're having! Fortunately, the cauliflower seems to be loving it....
This week's harvest:
Black Spanish radish - 1
Mizuna - 1 bunch
Daikon radish - 1
Arugula - 1 bunch
Choice - Broccoli or Cauliflower - 1 head
Leeks - 2
Kale - 1 plant
Delicata squash - 2
Chinese (napa) cabbage - 3
Pie pumpkin - 2

and the menu:
Napa Cabbage Slaw from From Asparagus to Zucchini p. 61
Barley Risotto with Roasted Squash and Leeks from The Farmer's Market Cookbook p. 197 I bought this cookbook while living in Wales and I don't use it often, but its recipes are always delightful and this one sounds particularly delicious.
White Bean and Kale Stuffed Delicata I found this tasty treat here. After the popularity of a bean-kale-delicata dish from two weeks ago, I feel like this will be another hit.
Cauliflower, Apple, and Coconut Soup from The Boxing Clever Cookbook p. 113 Another tasty seasonal combination. We need soup on these cold rainy days, right? We'll throw the broccoli in here too.
Leaf Fall Salad with arugula and mizuna

Members, make sure you read your reminder email carefully this week for important announcements.

That's all, I think!
Mary
Photos: 1. Purple cauliflower! 2. Jake cleaning the stove. I think it looks cool with its top removed--like flowers. 3. Kristin modeling her kale plant. 4. Kristin as jolly green giant. 5. Jason sorting the salad bags.