From our last winter CSA pickup (psst: sign up for summer!)

This is our last winter pickup of the season. Thanks so much for joining us!! If you want to continue getting fresh delicious veggies from the farm, then make sure you sign up for our pioneering Summer CSA soon – it all starts the week of May 14th at our SE Woodstock pickup, and May 16th at our Luscher Farm pickup, so do it soon before we fill up!

Some of the things in your share this week include…

• Tiger’s Eye Beans are originally from Argentina and Chile. Sometimes called Pepa de Zapallo, they are so beautiful! The color is a bright golden ochre with maroon swirls with a smattering that are maroon with golden speckles. That would be reason enough to grow them, but they also make superb fresh shell and delicious baked beans with rich full-bodied flavor. And the tender skins pretty much disappear upon cooking.
• Tetsukabuto is a Japanese squash whose name means Iron Helmet. As you might imagine, it has a very thick skin and that is part of the reason it stores so well and so long. Cut it carefully with a sharp knife. Or cook whole and cut it once it has cooled.
• With all the leeks, garlic & shallots in the share, you may want to make a tasty Squash & Onion Galette. And it makes a delicious soup!
• Raab, Rapini & Purpe Sprouting Broccoli are all Brassica oleracea and they are biennial crops. This means that that were planted last summer, grew through the winter in and start flowering this spring. These flower buds from a variety of different brassica crops are called by a confusing array of names – raab, rapini, sprouting broccoli etc. There is no standard nomenclature so all I can do it let you know what we’re growing for you. At the market, you may see the same thing with a very different label. That said, this week we have harvested for you some Collard Raab, and Purple Sprouting Broccoli. Maybe it doesn’t matter what they are – just know that the are all delicious!