Annie and Jesse have been prepping all the compost piles for winter: turning, watering, and shaping them. Last we cover them so that they do not get too wet from the rainfall we know will come eventually! We look forward to the boost they will bring the vegetable fields in the spring.
Abby and Amber have been weeding and mulching in the tunnels, trying to get a head start on the rye grass that is relentless this time of year. The plants in the tunnels are growing rapidly, protected from the wind and cold.
We will harvest our old laying hens this week. We are grateful for the delicious eggs that they have given us all year, as well as the fertility they have added to our fields.
Next week we will only be open on Tuesday! We will harvest double so that everyone can come that day. We are closed on Friday.
This week’s pick list:
Broccoli
Collards
Cabbage
Winter squash
Scallions
Kale
Beets
Chard
Potatoes
Parsley, Dill, and Cilantro
Carrots
Lettuce
Frisee, Escarole, and Radicchio
Radish
Turnips
Rutabaga
Kohlrabi
Celeriac
Celery
Onions
Leeks
Fennel
Brussel sprouts
Garlic
Parsnips
Dried tea herbs
Dried ground peppers
Revolution Bread
Celery-Leek Soup With Potato and Parsley, from nytimes.com
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 large leeks (about 10 ounces each), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise and cleaned (about 3 cups)
3 garlic cloves, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound celery (about 1 large bunch), leaves reserved, stalks trimmed, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large potato (about 12 ounces), peeled and roughly chopped
3 fresh bay leaves
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup dry white wine
7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
Crème fraîche or heavy cream, for serving
In a large pot, heat the 1/4 cup oil over medium. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until meltingly tender, about 7 minutes.
Add the celery, potato, bay leaves and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine to deglaze, then cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost dry, about 3 minutes.
Add the stock and bring to boil over high. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until all the vegetables are fully tender and soft, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in 1 cup parsley leaves.
Working in two or three batches, transfer the soup to a blender and purée until smooth. (It’s almost always beneficial to let the soup blend for another minute or two past what seems necessary to emulsify as much as possible.) Season generously with salt and pepper.
Transfer to bowls. Drizzle with olive oil; garnish with reserved celery leaves and parsley, and sprinkle with pepper. Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or a drizzle of heavy cream.