Lloyd Craft Farms Fresh Produce, Locally Grown

Beans are slacking off, Winter Squash is kicking in, Tomatoes will continue as well as a discovery of different root crops:  Black Spanish Radishes (hot and crunchy–Group A, E, & C), Hakurei turnips (a little bigger than we’d like–Group Group B and D), Red Beets (Group D), more of the small Carrots planted for fall (Group A and E), and 2 Bravo Daikon Radishes (purple and great fermented!–Group B).  

Tomatoes this week are the Five Star Grape and the Saladette with the Red Zebra, Yellow Taxi, and New Girl.

(We still have canning tomatoes for sale:  $25 for 20#–text to 431-1219 to order!  We can deliver with your Shares to Riverton, Lander, Sheridan, Buffalo, or can be picked up Thursday at the CSA Pick Up.  Weather is changing, don’t wait too long.  I have both Roma and Canner tomatoes, as well as jalapeno and other hot peppers, bell peppers, onions, and herbs for Spaghetti Sauce!  A Spaghetti Kit cost $30 (Recipe #39 at http://www.lloydcraftfarms.com) and includes all you need but the garlic and tomato paste.)

Brassica’s this week are Deadon Cabbage (fall/winter savoy) for Group A & E, Galion X Broccolini Crowns for Group B (new thing for this time of year), Red Cabbage for Group C, and 12 oz bag Broccolini Galion X for Group D.

Snack Peppers for Group E, Antohi Frying Peppers for Group A, Green/Red Bell Peppers for Groups B, C, and D.

I’m begging The Farmer…literally…to dig Potatoes.  I want to put potatoes in ALL the Shares!  We have a potato digger to hook behind the tractor, the rows are 200-400 feet long, but not all the potatoes are ‘ready’.  I want to dig the potatoes whose plants have died back, this is a sign they are ready, and that their skins are ‘set’.  However, if the whole row hasn’t died back, we can’t use the digger.  If we can’t use the digger, then they will have to be dug by hand…I’m begging The Farmer.  You can see why it is his decision–I’m a horrible potato digger…It’s a whole team effort, too.  Once dug they are hauled into the washing area and washed, dried, sorted, and bagged.  Pray for good weather, lots of energy, and that The Farmer says “OK”!

Watermelons for ALL!  Both Red Extazy and mini Mielheart, Orange Crisp and Yellow Amarillo, solid green Chubbiness, and mid-sized Farmer’s Wonderful!  These are vine ripened…chill and enjoy!  A good hollow thump means they are not over-ripe.  We guarantee our watermelons, so if you get a bad one, send me a picture and we’ll replace it the next week!  (FYI–an over-ripe watermelon usually pulls away in the center and may be a little mushy…sometimes the flavor is a little ‘not sweet’.)

Winter Squash for this week is either Spaghetti Squash or Honey Bear Acorn Squash.  Both cook about an hour in the oven at 375 degrees.

Spaghetti squash can be cooked whole, seeds and all intact.  Shave the ends to remove the tough skin but not deep enough to expose the seed cavity.  Bake until a squeeze proves it is cooked and ready.  Cool a few minutes on the counter and then cut length-wise, scoop seeds out, and enjoy.  I find cooking it this way holds the moisture in–You can fill the cavity with spaghetti sauce, chopped tomatoes, or a creative garden thingy!

Honey Bear Acorn squash is a little sweeter than the larger, deeper sutured acorns.  For these I cut them in half, shave the bottom so they sit level, and fill the cavity with a tablespoon of oil or butter, a peeled smashed garlic clove or hunk of onion or shallot, and salt and pepper.  I prefer placing mine in a covered dish and baking in the oven until tender.  I will often bake extras, cool them and then place in the fridge for Winter Squash Bisque the next day!  

So…there you have it!!  Why not shoot me a comment and let me know what you think!  I often wonder who reads these…  🙂     The Farmer’s Wife