CSA Pickups -- Week 20

Roots Farm CSA
Week 20: September 7
This Week:
-Peppers: Carmen, Lipstick, Islander, Green Bells, Cayenne, Jalapeno
-Eggplant: Nadia, Hansel, Gretel, Fairytale, Pingtung Long
-Basil: Sweet, Lemon, Thai, Purple
-Beans: Red Noodle
-Okra: Clemson Spineless, Red Burgundy
-Garlic: Killarney Red, S & H Silver
-Arugula
-Flowers: Assorted Zinnias

On the Farm . . .
We’re watching in dismay as grasshoppers make a buffet of our new seedlings. That full, thick row of beets, carrots, kale -- is now a dotted line. Jeeeze. You do what you can to plant and nurture a row into germinating and then those little lawnmowers come by and cut it down. What to do? We’re currently investigating our options . . . We’ve also had a return of the deer. My theory is this: when I mowed down the summer field peas to prepare for winter cover crops, I took away an important food source and they’ve now returned to infiltrating the garden to find tasty treats. Grrrr. Live and learn. In other news, new arugula is planted (it’s a weekly thing these days) and baby lettuce transplants have gone in. The sweet potatoes continue to swell in size underground. And we may have our first baby radishes at market this weekend. New life is on the way . . .

Saturday Workday, September 11, PLUS BRUNCH!
Yep, it’s time for our monthly Saturday workday. THIS WEEKEND, from 8am-noon, we’ll be out on the farm weeding, planting, preparing beds, reclaiming perennials, and more! Come on out and join us for a lovely fall morning on the farm, followed by a farm-cooked BRUNCH compliments of our very own Chris Lutz. Fun and tasty--that’s how we roll around here. Pitch in for the work of Fall--we’d love to have you!

Roots Farm T-Shirts!!
They’re finally here! At long last, we have our very own Roots wear. We’ll be modelling them around the farm and selling them at pickups and at the Saturday Farmers Market. Get your very own! Only $15! Made of 100 % organic cotton or recycled cotton/poly blend with the Roots Farm logo on the back and a smaller, carrot-themed logo on the front left pocket place. We have a multitude of colors and sizes to suit your taste. Now there are even more ways to support us and spread the word about Roots! Yay!

Peppers
Are returning to the spotlight this week. It’s early September and what that means around here is late summer veggies in abundance. Among them, peppers. I know I’ve already given you a few recipes to get you going, but I thought you might appreciate a few more. So here goes . . .

RECIPES

Stuffed Peppers
a little oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups raw brown rice
3 cups water, vegetable stock, or tomato juice
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
1/3 lb cheddar cheese, grated
salt & pepper
4 large peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed

Heat oil in large skillet; add and saute garlic and onions. Add rice and brown for about 5 minutes. Add desired liquid and allspice. Cover and cook until rice is done, about 40 minutes. Toast almonds in dry skillet or hot oven for several minutes, tossing often. Stir in tomatoes, cheese, almonds, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook peppers in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and stuff peppers with rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings. From the From Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook.

Roasted Bell Peppers
4 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow, green, or purple)
olive oil

Turn your gas burner on high (electric will work, but gas is better) and place the peppers directly on the flame. Use any number of available burners to accommodate the peppers, or if the peppers are small you can place two on one burner. Using tongs, turn the peppers as their skins blacken; you want to end up with a pepper that is completely black (the amount of time for this depends on the size of the pepper, how hot the flame is, and how often you turn the peppers). Once they’re blackened, place the peppers in a paper bag and seal the bag tightly. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag, cut them in half, remove the stem and seeds, and flatten each half on your cutting board. Use a knife or your fingers to scrape away the skin. The peppers are now ready to use (keep refrigerated and use within the week). To store your roasted peppers longer, place them in a container, cover with olive oil, and seal tightly (then they will keep for several weeks). From Farmer John’s Cookbook. These are great on sandwiches, pizza, pasta, in omelets, with hummus, and more! Enjoy!

Pickled Mixed Peppers
1 1/2 cups vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4 cups sliced mixed sweet peppers (red, green, yellow, orange, purple, etc)
boiling water

Heat the vinegar, sugar, and salt to just boiling in a nonreactive saucepan. Pack the peppers into a hot, sterilized quart jar. Fill with the hot brine. Top off the jar with the boiling water, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal with a canning lid. Let cool and store refrigerated for several months OR process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes and store in a cool, dry place for up to a year. Makes 1 quart. Or, you can multiply this recipe by however many peppers you wish to pickle. Pickled peppers go great in sandwiches and salads, among many things. From Serving Up the Harvest.

Hot Pepper Sauce
hot peppers, washed, stems removed
black peppercorns
apple cider vinegar
salt

Stuff as many peppers as you can into a bottle or jar, dropping a few peppercorns between peppers. Vinegar-wise, you want enough to be able to cover over all the peppers in the jar; bring the vinegar to a boil first, let it cool for about a minute, then pour over the peppers until they are fully covered. Pound a cork into the bottle or screw the lid on tightly. Put the peppers in a cool closet for 1 week; then transfer to the refrigerator. The sauce will be ready to use in 1 week and will continue to get hotter with time. Once the sauce has reached a heat to your liking, you can transfer it to a smaller clean container and store it in the refrigerator indefinitely. Makes as much as you want to make. From Farmer John’s Cookbook. This is a classic Southern recipe and such sauce is often found out on the table in soul food restaurants, ready to apply to cooked greens, beans, fried chicken, pasta, or whatever suits your fancy. Enjoy!

For more pepper recipes, click here.