By Cecilia
This week I just want to share a poem that I always like to share during the holiday season.
The Vegetable Prayer, By Reverend Max Coots
Let us give thanks for a bounty of people.
For children who are our second planting,
and though they grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away,
may they remember fondly where their roots are.
For generous friends with hearts as big as hubbards,
and smiles as bright as blossoms;
For feisty friends as tart as apples;
For continuous friends, who, like scallions, keep reminding us that we’ve had them;
For crotchety friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;
For funny friends, as silly as brussel sprouts.
And serious friends, as complex as cauliflowers and as intricate as onions;
For friends as unpretentious as cabbages
And friends, like parsnips, who can be counted on to see you through the winter;
For old friends, nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time
And young friends coming on as fast as radishes;
For loving friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold us, despite our blights, wilts, and witherings;
And, finally, for those friends now gone, but who fed us in their times that we might have life thereafter;
For this bounty of friends, we give thanks.
CSA Barn Hours:
Winter break: We are closed next week, 12/25-12/29!
Winter hours: 2:30-6PM
Summer hours: 2:30-6:30PM (starts the week after daylight savings in March)
Pick List:
Eggs
Sangre Red, La Ratte Fingerling, and Yellow Finn Potatoes
Cortland and Cabernet Red, Cipollini Sweet Onions, Monastrell Shallots
Leeks
Evergreen Hardy Scallions
Yaya carrots
Rhonda Beets
Purple Top Turnips
Purple Daikon and Watermelon Radish
Joan Rutabaga
Mars Celeriac
Hablange Parsnip
Kossack Kohlrabi
Primo Green, Savoy, and Ruby King Cabbage
Rosalba, Sugarloaf, and Castelfranco
Celery
Red Russian Kale
Ruby Red Chard
Prize Choi
Esmee Arugula
Cilantro and Parsley
Winter Sweet Kabocha, Spaghetti, Acorn, Butternut, and Delicata Winter Squash
Winter Luxury Pie Pumpkin
Pick your own herbs, mostly in the herb circle (and maybe a few flowers)
Stoneground cornmeal from our dry corn! FYI: It does have large pieces of the outer skin in it which creates a different texture than the more uniform cornmeal. If you do not enjoy this, you can sift it with the right size screen. (Please BYO jars!)
Tea Blends (Please BYO jars!)
Whole Korean Dried Hot Peppers and Ground Chile Peppers
Beef Bone Broth for sale again! (Made by Olla Products)
Saltonstall Olive Oil for sale (Please BYO jars!)
Revolution Bread will be on a break while Eli recovers from illness. We wish him a smooth recory!
Open Field Farm 2023 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members
And here is one of my favorite super simple and super delicious recipes:
Ina Garten’s Parsnip Puree
From Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
1 ½ lb. Parsnips, scrubbes, sliced 3/4 “ thick
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced
Place 1½ lb. parsnips, scrubbed, sliced ¾" thick, in a medium pot, add 1 Tbsp. kosher salt, and add enough water to cover the parsnips. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then uncover, lower the heat, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the parsnips are very soft when tested with a small knife. Don’t drain the pot!
With a slotted spoon or small strainer, transfer the parsnips to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to chop the parsnips. Pour the cooking liquid into a glass measuring cup and pour ½ cup down the feed tube. Purée the parsnips, adding more cooking liquid (about 1 cup total) through the feed tube until the parsnips are creamy and almost smooth but still have some texture. Add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, diced, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper and purée until combined. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.