CSA MEMBER NEWSLETTER HIGHCROSS CSA MEMBER NEWSLETTER FARM To everything there is a season, a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted. Finest F i n e s t Quality In This Issue Fall Photos Today In the Box this Week Fall Scene Today at HCF H i g h C r o s s F a r m 2016 Fall CSA Shares are Available HighCross Farm CSA Newsletter Summer Share Week #19 - October 20, 2016 Lacto-Fermented Cabbage By Anna Jonker Recipes Fall Photos Today Kalette Tops Baby Spinach Baby Spinach Happy Fall to all! - Farmer Steve, Kath and Crew I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 2 Note that your pick-up site host contact info is available (for most sites) through your CSA online account under Pick-up Directions. HighCross Farm Fresh Market Produce Steve & Kath Vogelmann W2292 Rustic Drive Campbellsport, WI 53010-3126 920-533-FARM (3276)
In the Box this Week Storage information: Lettuce and leafy greens should be kept in the coldest area of your refrigerator, ideally on the lower level or in the crisper drawer. Place all items in plastic bags or wrap in a damp towel, to prevent wilting due to the dehydrating effect of refrigeration. Monitor the produce over time; it should be kept neither too wet nor too dry inside the plastic bag. Slightly open the bag if you see water droplets forming on the inside. Portuguese Kale - AKA Portuguese Cabbage - The traditional leaf kale for Portuguese kale soup. See recipe below for Portuguese Kale Soup. See also soup recipe farm team member Aleka just sent in. Wonderful flavor and sweet taste. Taste and texture is similar to collards. The thick fleshy midribs and stems can eaten raw or chopped with the leaf and steamed or stir fried.. Take potatoes out of the paper bag or at least open up the top of the bag and store in an airy place. Peppers and onions can be frozen without the need to blanche. Lettuce - A return of head lettuce this week. More next week. Red Sweet Onions - Remember that you can freeze onions for use later on. Can be frozen whole, or chop and store in a freezer bag or container. Sweet Green or Red or Yellow Peppers- Sweet peppers from the gardens. See this link for recipes & an in-depth discussion of all the healthy nutrition found in peppers: Bell peppers Portuguese Cabbage Red Cabbage - We try to leave some of the wrapper leaves on if they are in good condition they are good for food, although will not be as tender as the inner leaves of the cabbage head. See recipes below. Make your own sauerkraut it is fairly easy to do so, and fresh sauerkraut tastes wonderful! See the page below on how to make Homemade Sauerkraut, and Anna s article on Fermented Cabbage. Hot Pepper - Red Cherry Bomb (Large share) or Cayenne (Small share) - We ll have at least one hot pepper in the box each week. For sale on the web store as well. Red Cabbage Sauerkraut
Winter Squash - Butternut - We like to cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and bake cut side down on a cookie sheet at 350 F. until fork tender (usually about 35-40 minutes). Or cook cut side up with a little butter and brown sugar or maple syrup in the cavity until slightly golden brown. Go here for some great squash recipes and photos: Squash TasteSpotting Sweet Potatoes - Burgundy variety. Burgundy Sweet Potato Large Share: Lettuce Kale - Portuguese Red Cabbage Red Norland Potatoes Sweet Peppers Hot Pepper - Red Cherry Bomb Red Sweet Onions Winter Squash - Butternut Burgundy Sweet Potatoes Rhubarb Small Share: Lettuce Kale - Portuguese Red Cabbage Sweet Peppers Hot Pepper - Red Cayenne (long, thin, crinkly - hot) Red Sweet Onions Winter Squash - Butternut Burgundy Sweet Potatoes Rhubarb Potatoes - In the large share. Red Norland variety. Rhubarb - Enough to make a pie (large share), sauce, rhubarb crisp, or to freeze for use later (to freeze, just cut it up and store for up to a year, in a ziplock freezer bag, at 0 F. or below). See recipes below. Tentative list of some of the items in next week s share: Lettuce Sweet Pepper Hot Pepper Onions Winter Squash Garlic Fresh Herb - Sage Maybe Kale or Kalette Tops, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatillos, Beets, Potatoes, Spinach
2016 Fall CSA Share Celebrate your Thanksgiving and December holidays with the finest, freshest produce available in SE Wisconsin, direct from our family farm to your dinner table. The Fall share will include not only good amounts of typical fall storage items (onions, potatoes, root crops, and winter squash) to last you into the new year, but also fresh greens, made sweeter by the cool weather. This will be a hefty share, packed into our standard large share box (1 & 1/9 bushel size) or small share box (we ll be using a ¾ bushel size). Includes Asian greens, beets, savoy cabbage, carrots, collards, garlic, lettuce, kale, Kalettes, onions, parsnips, potatoes, peppers, radish, spinach, sweet potatoes, winter squash, fresh herbs and more. With plantings in our hoophouse and the use of protective rowcover in the fields, we are usually able to provide greens until quite late in the season, as these photos attest. TwoThursday deliveries: November 3 and November 17, 2016. Small share is $70. Large share is $100. These are jam-packed shares, a super value. To sign-up, log into your CSA account and toggle the Season Selection box at the upper left to Fall 2016 and then hit the click to join link. Or simply click here: http://csa.farmigo.com/join/highcrossfarm/ fall2016 You may pay electronically by Credit Card, PayPal, or Bank Check. Or send a check to the farm. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Heavier items such as winter squash, potatoes, and root crops are packed in the bottom of the boxes. November 16, 2012 November 29, 2012
2016 CSA Pro-rated Memberships are Still Available Each week several more new members are signing up. We have plenty of plants in the ground for many more share memberships. We offer good food that is fresh, beautiful, premium quality, raised organically, and harvested, prepped, and packed with TLC. Feel free to forward our newsletter to interested others. To sign-up, click here: CSA 2016 HighCross Farm Carmen Sweet Peppers at HighCross Farm Consider giving a 2016 Summer Share to someone you care about a gift that keeps giving all season long.
Lacto-Fermented Cabbage By Anna Jonker I finally did it yesterday. I picked some cabbage, shredded it, salted it, stuffed it in a jar, and put it in the basement. Now I just have to wait a couple of weeks and the process will be complete. But what exactly is it that I am doing? The more experienced among you may have already guessed it: the age-old process of making sauerkraut is now occurring in my basement. I ve been longing to start a batch for some time, and finally sorted it out so I could. As you can see from my description above, the actual process of preparing the cabbage to become sauerkraut isn t that complicated (more on that later though). But an obvious question, however, is why one should even consider eating something that you just left in your basement or on a shelf for the past few weeks. That s a valid point. Allow me to explain. The result of this take-over by lactobacilli produces more than just one nutritional benefit. First, the fermentation process forms helpful enzymes that aid in digestive processes (just be sure you re eating unpasteurized sauerkraut to ensure the enzymes are still viable and the best flavor is still there); fermentation also increases levels of naturally occurring vitamins in cabbage; and finally the very presence of the lactobacilli can contribute to the healthy flora of your intestine as a natural probiotic. 2 Thus, although cabbage already has health benefits, making it into sauerkraut only increases the benefits. Speaking of making sauerkraut, you too can join in on this process. See the instructions below for some pointers. If you re feeling less-adventurous than stuffing cabbage into an open jar, you can at least begin by trying some purchased sauerkraut (fresh, not canned) and you too will soon be enjoying its nutritional benefits and entering into the wonderful world of lacto-fermented vegetables. 1 Cabbage nutrition facts Power your diet: www.nutrition-and-you.com Available from: http:// www.nutrition-and-you.com/cabbage.html Accessed: 10/09/2013 2 Sold on Sauerkraut? Dr. Andrew Weil Available from: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/qaa281235 Accessed: 10/09/2013 Remember that column on the Brassica family member kale? We ve now moved on to another member of the same family: cabbage. Similarly to kale, cabbage brings many nutritional benefits to the table, such as phytochemicals that act as antioxidants (isothiocyanates, to name one group), vitamin K and minerals like potassium. 1 But I m talking about more than just eating cabbage raw (or even cooked); I m referring to the process of lacto-fermentation that can turn a cabbage into beautiful sauerkraut with added benefits and a new crisp taste. When I put the salted-cabbage in the glass jar, I put an old yogurt lid on top of it and then made sure it was weighted down so that the entire works was submerged in its own brine. The reasoning behind this is the creation of an anaerobic environment where lactobacilli bacteria are forced to go through the steps of fermentation that will change the sugars of the cabbage into lactic acid and create sauerkraut.
Homemade Sauerkraut Transfer to the refrigerator or other cold storage where it should keep for at least 6 months and up to 1 year. Adapted from: Nourished kitchen: reviving traditional foods (http://nourishedkitchen.com/homemadesauerkraut/) Accessed: 10/09/2013 A simple recipe to make traditional, lacto-fermented, homemade sauerkraut using only cabbage, salt and time. Ingredients: 2 medium cabbage heads (about 4 to 5 total pounds, cored and finely shredded) 2 tablespoons sea salt or kosher salt Instructions: 1. Toss cabbage and salt together in a large mixing bow; then let it sit for a couple of hours, until the cabbage has become limp and releases its juice. 2. Then transfer it to a sauerkraut crock or glass jar with straight sides. Pack the salted cabbage into the crock or jar as tightly as you can, eliminating air bubbles. 3. Continue packing the cabbage into the container until the cabbage is completely submerged by liquid. Place a lid/plate or other flat surface over cabbage with a weight on top of it to unsure the cabbage stays submerged. Cover loosely with a cloth to prevent air contamination. Store fermenting cabbage between 60 70 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 6 weeks, or until it is done to your liking. If scum (from fungal growth) appears floating in the brine of your homemade sauerkraut, simply spoon it off. You won t be able to remove it all, but skim off what you can and don t worry about it.
Recipes Kath's Creamy Cole Slaw 1/2 head average size cabbage 1 sweet onion 1 carrot 1 apple 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts 1/4 c. coconut (optional) 1/4 c. dried currants 1 T. lemon juice 1 T. sugar or honey 1/2 tsp. sweet hot mustard (we like Inglehoffer brand) Dash salt Mayonnaise Grate fine the cabbage, onion, carrot and apple. Add the coconut, currants, lemon, sugar, mustard, salt and enough mayonnaise to bind (about 1 cup). Mix all together. Chill and let the flavors blend. The flavor only improves with age, but this cole slaw usually disappears fast around here. Wilted Cabbage 1 sweet onion, chopped 1 small or 1/2 large cabbage head, core removed and shredded fine (cut cabbage in half and cut a V to remove core). Place cabbage flat side down on cutting board and slice fine. 2-3 T. Olive Oil 1/8 tsp. fresh nutmeg (opt.) Salt and pepper to taste Saute onion in olive oil in a large frying pan (12 is ideal) until golden (about 4 minutes). Add cabbage and stir fry till wilted and golden (about 8 min.) Add fresh nutmeg, remove from heat and cover pan a few minutes to let cabbage braise. This is a basic recipe, you can try variations, such as adding a sweet sour sauce at the end. Other additions might include toasted pecans and dried currants or golden raisins, etc.
Recipes Hi Steve and Kath, Here's a recipe for a fabulous butternut squash bisque - a favorite fall soup, especially for Thanksgiving weekend. Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque 1 larger butternut squash (or two smaller squash)- cut in half length wise 1/2 large yellow onion 1 rib of celery 1 carrot 2 bay leaves 1 tsp chopped garlic 1 tsp chipotle sauce 1 qt vegetable stock or chicken stock - (I prefer organic low-sodium chicken stock) 1 cup heavy cream salt and pepper to taste 4. Add salt, pepper and Chipotle sauce to taste. Start a bit light on the Chipotle sauce - you can always add a little more to your liking. This bisque always seems to taste a little better on the second day, after it sits in the fridge overnight. :) Enjoy, Craig 1. Roast the butternut squash for 45 minutes to an hour - or until it's browned, sweet and fork tender. The more it's browned, the sweeter the flavor. 2. Let the squash cool, then remove the skin. 3. In a large stock pot sauté onion, celery and carrot in olive oil, add stock and bay leaves, simmer until vegetables are soft (approximately 30 minutes). 3. Add squash, heavy cream and puree with handheld blender (remove bay leaves prior to blending)
Recipes CSA member Debbie P. sent us this recipe for the CSA members to try: Butternut Squash Dessert 3 lb Butternut squash ¾ c milk 6 T butter 3 eggs-beaten ½ tsp vanilla ¾ c sugar ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground nutmeg Topping 20 crushed vanilla wafers ¼ c brown sugar 2 T melted butter Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds. Bake covered until tender with a ½inch water in panapprox 1 hour at 400 degrees. Scoop out squash and put in mixing bowl-let cool slightly, then beat. Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Separately mix sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves and ground nutmeg-add to squash mixture. Transfer to a greased 2 qt baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. While squash is baking, prepare topping-combine crushed wafers, brown sugar and melted butter. After baking squash 45 minutes, add topping, bake an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Serve warm or cold.
PORTUGUESE KALE SOUP There are several variations on this traditional Portuguese soup, but the essentials are kale, potatoes, onion, and sausage. 1 lb kale 1 lb potatoes, chopped 1 lb smoked sausage ( linguica or chorizo) 1 cup chopped onions ½ cup chopped carrots 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 T olive oil 2 T butter 2 qt. chicken broth 2 or 3 lb peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes 1 ½ cup cooked white cannelloni beans or red kidney beans Salt and pepper This soup is traditionally made with the linguica sausage, a spicy Portuguese sausage. I didn t find it, so used chorizo one time and I think Andouille one time both were good, but any spicy sausage would work. Another recipe called for cabbage or napa and used parsley, sage and oregano as well. This is a basic recipe, adapted from the Victory Garden Cookbook. Feel free to play with it and see if you can make any improvements/ new twists on it. Bon appetite! Kath If using Portuguese kale, cut leaves into wide strips on the diagonal (if using other kales, strip leaves from the stems and discard stems). Cut sausage into ½ inch slices, and sauté, along with onions, carrots, and garlic in oil and butter until softened and starting to caramelize. Add potatoes, tomatoes, and broth and simmer partly covered for 15-20 minutes, till potatoes are cooked. Mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot (or puree with some of the broth and return to the pot). Add kale and cannelloni beans and cook 10 to 20 minutes longer.
Recipes Kale Spread This tastes sort of like spinach dip. Ol' Farmer Steve can't get enough of it! Trim the thick center stalks from the leaves; discard stalks (or feed to your goats or horses). Finely shred the remaining leaves and mix with an equal quantity (when combined) of chopped parsley and chives (or use the onion your share today). Add enough mayonnaise to bind together. (Feel free to adjust the ratio of ingredients to suit your own tastes.) Source: Modern Ways with Traditional Scottish Recipes Three types of kale at HighCross Farm - Red Russian, Green Curly, and Lacinato
Rhubarb Recipes Check out the June 6, 2009 Sunday Milwaukee Journal Food Section online for more rhubarb recipes. Click on the link below: Vin de rhubarb - JSOnline ******************** This recipe for Rhubarb Muffins is a favorite with the family of Dustin, one of our former workers here: Rhubarb Muffins 1 1/2 c. brown sugar 2/3 c. oil 1 egg 1 c. buttermilk 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla 21/2 c. flour 11/2 c. diced rhubarb 1/2 c. chopped nuts Fill 2/3 full, paper-lined muffin tins or pour batter into 9x13 cake pan.sprinkle with topping. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 24 Muffins Topping 1/2 c chopped nuts 1/3 c. sugar 11/2 tsp. flour 1 Tbsp. melted butter Mix together; sprinkle over unbaked muffins. From CSA member Judy Holmes: I have a rhubarb recipe that is to die for......mom's Rhubarb Torte from Beth Groble The following recipe would probably be perfect for an 8x8 pan. 1/2 c. butter 1 c. flour 2 tbsp sugar Mix top 3 ingredients and pat into pan Bake 10 minutes or until golden at 350. (If I double this recipe, the crust seems to take closer to 15-20 min.) 4 c. chopped rhubarb 1 ½ c. sugar 3tbsp flour & dash nutmeg ½ c. milk 4 egg yolks Simmer until thickens and soften rhubarb. Whip egg whites with 1/3 c. sugar. Brown for 10 minutes in 425 oven I typically double the recipe and place it in a 9x13 pan as I like it a lot thicker. It's best if you serve within 8 hours as droplets will begin to appear on the meringue. It is incredibly delicious! ******************** Rhubarb Bars 3 cups rhubarb, chopped 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups flour 2 Tbsp cornstarch 1/2 tsp baking soda 1 Tbsp vanilla 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups oatmeal 1 cup brown sugar Cook the rhubarb, sugar, and cornstarch together in a saucepan (do not add water). When thick, add vanilla and cool. Mix oatmeal, nuts, flour, soda, butter & brown sugar until crumbly. Pat 3/4 of crumb mixture into a 9x13 pan, pour rhubarb mixture over the top, and sprinkle remaining crumbs over that. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool before cutting.
More Rhubarb Recipes From our pick-up site host in Whitefish Bay: Thank you so much for the rhubarb surprise last week! We have thoroughly enjoyed changing up our usual jam and sauce, even eating warm strawberry-rhubarb sauce straight from a bowl as if it were applesauce. The blueberry-rhubarb combo proved even more delicious and jam-like. We can't wait to try this on waffles or pancakes! Thanks again, Linda Hanson Blueberry-Rhubarb Sauce This recipe is actually a modification of our refrigerator jam, but it's too delicious to only use for jam. Use it to top waffles, pancakes, ice cream, cottage cheese 1 1/4 lb. rhubarb, chopped in 1/2 inch slices 1 lb. frozen wild blueberries (or frozen strawberries, chopped in 1/2 inch pieces) 3/4 cup granulated sugar Bring ingredients to a boil in a 4 quart pot; do not cover. Reduce temperature to gently simmer for about 30 minutes. Let cool and enjoy! Can be stored up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator if it lasts that long! Makes about 3 cups.
Rhubarb Punch Recipes This recipe was just sampled by and sent in by new CSA member Alec: 8 cups rhubarb 2 qrts water 2 cups sugar one half cup lemon juice 2 cups vodka or apricot brandy, 1 small box strawberry jello, then strawberry pop, 7-up or ginger ale. Cook 1st 4 ingred. till tender. Strain (when you use the dish towel) and throw out the pulp. Add jello and vodka. Freeze in ice cream pail. Scoop into glasses until half full. Fill with choice of pop. Here is a non-alcoholic version of Rhubarb Punch: From: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pink-rhubarbpunch TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. + chilling MAKES: 20 servings Ingredients 1 8 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb 2 8 cups water 3 2-1/2 cups sugar 4 2 tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder 5 2 cups boiling water 6 2 cups pineapple juice 7 1/4 cup lemon juice 8 6 cups ginger ale, chilled Add to Shopping List Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 cup) equals 152 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 11 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein. Directions 1. In a Dutch oven, bring rhubarb and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid (save rhubarb for another use). 2. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar and gelatin powder in boiling water. Stir in pineapple and lemon juices. Stir in rhubarb liquid; refrigerate until chilled. 3. Just before serving, pour into a punch bowl and stir in ginger ale. Yield: about 5 quarts. Editor's Note: If using frozen rhubarb, measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a colander, but do not press liquid out. Originally published as Pink Rhubarb Punch in Country Woman May/June 1999, p40
Newest Cookbook Designed for Wisconsin CSA Members From the publishers of From Asparagus to Zucchini. Farm-Fresh and Fast Providing easy to create recipes using common ingredients from CSA shares and farmers market stands. This is a great companion book to From A to Z! With Farm-Fresh and Fast, home cooks can: Learn how vegetables and fruits with similar characteristics can be used Find master recipes that make it easy to tailor a recipe to what you have on hand Discover ingredient substitutions that will eliminate worry about ruining the whole dish Find theme menu ideas, food tips and a glossary of common cooking terms Learn how to mix and drink seasonally with farm fresh cocktails Have dinner on the table and ready to serve in under 60 minutes For sale now, exclusively for our CSA members on the HighCross Farm Web Store.