As the end of the Fall CSA season nears, some of the varieties we had way back in early spring make an encore appearance. Chinese Cabbage and Swiss Chard are back in season. These are not the same plants from spring – those did not survive the blazing summer. These are new plants that we started in the greenhouse back in August, transplanted in September/October and are now ready for your family table. The mild fall weather is similar to early April, when our Spring CSA harvest began. The days will soon turn colder and the hours of daylight continue to decrease, meaning the harvest will soon end. Until then, enjoy the fresh greens and other mild-weather loving varieties.
Here’s this week’s expected harvest:
Full Share: Kale , Mizuna, 2 Spaghetti squash, Romanesco greens, Cucumbers and/or Summer Squash, Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard, 2 lbs. Green Tomatoes*, Beans or Eggplant, Winter Squash or Pumpkin
Half Share: Kale(double portion), Mizuna, Spaghetti squash, Romanesco greens, Cucumbers and/or Summer Squash, Chinese cabbage
Mid-Season Share: Kale(double portion), Mizuna, Spaghetti squash, Romanesco greens, Cucumbers and/or Summer Squash, Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard, 2 lbs. Green Tomatoes*, Pumpkin
*You can use the green tomatoes in recipes or set them on the counter/window sill and they will eventually ripen. It may take a few weeks and they won’t be as flavorful as summer tomatoes, but should still be a lot better than grocery store tomatoes in winter.
Some of the produce this week comes from our friends at Bernhardt’s Farm and Skinny Lane Farm, both in Elgin.
Blessing Falls Farm – Fall CSA Season Farm Share, week 11. Clockwise from top left: Romanesco greens, rainbow chard, Mizuna, Portuguese kale, curly kale, green tomatoes, cucumbers, spaghetti squash, scallop squash, beans, Chinese cabbage, pie pumpkin