November 1, 2022
What’s in this Week’s VEGGIE BOX: Eggplant, Peppers, Parsley, Honeynut Squash, Lettuce, Spinach and Persimmons
Bread this week: French Baguette OR Rosemary Focaccia, your choice of one
!!NEW QUARTER!!!
WINTER Quarter payment is due November 1st
The new quarter begins November 15/19 and ends February 14/18
No deliveries December 24, December 27, December 31st, January 3rd & January 7th
Saturday November 26th boxes will be delivered on Tuesday November 22nd
&
Saturday December 24th boxes will be delivered on Tuesday December 20th
~Please let us know if you DO OR DO NOT plan on continuing
~Please do not leave payments at drop sites
~Please let me know if you would like a PayPal invoice
This week on the farm
Well I lied- you have eggplant for one more week. I have heard from a couple of friends of mine that they are ready to be out of eggplant season. While I cannot relate, because I think I could eat eggplant for another month solid, I understand that not everyone feels the same. My dad for example cannot stand eggplant. Every meal that includes it he will look at and start referring to his eggplant bits as chicken in an attempt to trick his brain into enjoying it. I cannot understand it. It’s so yummy. Lucky for those like my dad, this will definitely be the last week of it, as tomorrow we will have rain and pretty cold temps start to settle in. The forecast for Capay doesn’t go above 69 for the next 15 days, and the lows are in the high 30s. This will be the end of the summer crops that have been hanging on. To try to assist, I have attached two simple but good looking recipes for the eggos. Enjoy! – Ali
Happy first day of November! You have the essence of November in you box in the form of a Fuju Persimmon. It is quintessential fall, the colors of fall the richness of warmth in every crunchy bite. This photo was taken on Monday in Santa Rosa when Jeff was harvesting your persimmons. This tree has been there all of my life, looking just about the same, and producing boxes and boxes of wonderful fruit for us to eat. Jeff says that it has grown over the years, but to me it looks the same. As we drove home yesterday with persimmons in boxes and also boxes of red onion starts to plant at the farm we passed through the Berryessa hills seeing the change of colors, feeling the cool moisture in the air, and personally feeling my internal workings slowing down, just as the trees that are turning yellow and starting to lose their leaves are shutting down for the winter. In the early years of farming, when we got to this point in the year, I would say to Jeff “I am never going to do that again” meaning that I would not work another summer like I did. I think I really thought I was going to die; it was just so hard at times. And to make it to November, meant that I made it through the summer!!! I have realized that I was not going to die, I have quit saying that, and now keep my eyes out for the changing signs of fall, be it the decline of the tomatoes to the passing of the first and second plantings of squash or the mildew on the zinnia plants. This starts to happen long before the colors of fall are showing. And here we are with the definite color changes, and even a bit of rain coming today.
This last week we had a neighborhood gathering for the first time Jeff and I have lived here-over 37 years. And yes it was about our continuing water issue and our common denominator of our water levels continuing to go down. It was pretty sweet to have conversations together, to meet new neighbors, and possibly open up relationships that could move us forward in working together with our common water issues. We made pizza and served ice cream to entice our neighbors to join us.. With our own water problems I have woken up from the naiveté that there is plenty of water for everyone no matter how we use it. We become aware and sensitive when water is scarce, or when it is excessive, but my fear is that as soon as the crisis recedes we will slip back into our old habits. Can we remember to take the lesson of the water crisis we have just lived through? Will we treat it as one time event we have survived? It seem pretty apparent to me that we need to start to take the long view of water issues, a view not of how to get ready for the next crisis, but of how to bring about a different water future. I am hoping that our neighborhood gathering is a first step or maybe a huge leap-the leap from selfishness to community, the leap from thinking of ourselves as an individual with entitlements to thinking of ourselves as a member of a group whose behavior affects other members of the group. Water issues, in particular, are often made worse when everyone operates independently…it seems to me that the collective solution is better for the fate of the water itself. At this time, I believe that technology is not the best solution to water issues-rainwater harvesting is simple, facing our needs with how much water is delivered by rain, and it’s a lot easier and less expensive than finding new sources of water. But it takes shifting how we do things, changing how we think about water, how we manage our fields in agriculture, and change is not easy, it is actually all pretty complicated. So on that note, it might be easier right now to revert back to a child’s free spirit, maybe take a few moments today as the clouds build up, and threaten to shower us with rain, when no one is looking make a little gig or a dance as you walk to work, a hop skip and a jump to the mail box, give thanks for the fall weather, and give thanks for and give a little nudge for the potential of water washing and freshening up our streets, our hills and fields and the hope of starting to fill up our waterways. Have a GREAT week, ~Annie
ROASTED EGGPLANT & BELL PEPPER PASTA
Source: girlwiththeironcast.com
1 1/2 lb eggplant, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 red bell peppers, seeded/stem removed, cut into 1/2 inch dice
3 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1-28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss the diced eggplant and red bell peppers in 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 pinches of kosher salt and 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and spread the eggplant and bell peppers onto the baking sheet . Roast for 30 minutes flipping halfway through, then flip again and roast for 10 more minutes until veggies begin to char. Remove and set aside. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. While the eggplant and bell peppers roast, in a Dutch oven over medium heat, add in 2 tbsp of olive oil and minced shallot. Sauté for 2 minutes until they begin to turn translucent. Add in the garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, oregano, pinch of salt and black pepper. Sauté for 1 minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add in the whole peeled tomatoes and it’s juices, the tomato paste, and allow to come to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and using an immersion blender, blend until the sauce has an even consistency. Once the eggplant and bell peppers are roasted, add them to the sauce, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, allow to simmer while the pasta cooks. Serve with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese.
EASY CHICKPEA CURRY
Source.31daily
2 Japanese eggplants
Large onion
Small red pepper
1-2 Honeynut squash
3 garlic cloves
Cooking oil
Vegetable Stock
2 cans drained chickpeas
1 can coconut milk
salt and pepper
curry powder
ground turmeric
chili powder
ground cinnamon
Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped eggplant: brown on all sides and remove from the skillet. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and add the onions, pepper, and Honeynut squash; season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes, until the onions and butternut squash are soft and golden. Sprinkle in the curry powder, turmeric, chili powder, cinnamon, and garlic; stir and cook for another minute. Pour in the vegetable stock and stir to scrape up all the brown bits in the pan. Add the coconut milk, browned eggplant, honey, and a squirt of sriracha; bring to a boil. Then add the chickpeas, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Season with additional salt, pepper, honey, and Sriracha as needed. Serve with cilantro, pita wedges, flatbread or my favorite — steamed Basmati rice!
STUFFED HONEYNUT WITH SPINACH, FETA,
Source:justorganicsbox
2 honeynut squash
3 oz quinoa
2 oz walnuts
1 bunch flat leaf spinach
2 oz feta
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
olive oil
coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
Roast squash Preheat oven to 450°F. Halve squash lengthwise, scoop out seeds and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle squash with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast cut-side down until beginning to soften, 15 minutes.
Cook quinoa. Meanwhile, rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Place in a medium pot with a pinch salt and ⅔ cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Toast walnuts Add walnuts to baking sheet with squash and continue to roast until squash is tender when pierced with a sharp knife and walnuts are toasted, 5–10 minutes more. Turn squash cut-side up and roughly chop walnuts. Prep spinach Trim tough ends from spinach; wash well and spin dry. Roughly chop spinach and place in a large bowl. Make filling Crumble feta and add to spinach along with quinoa and chopped walnuts. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Finish squash Carefully mound filling into and on top of squash and return to oven (it’s OK if some spills onto baking sheet). Bake until top is lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Enjoy!
SPINACH SALAD with QUINOA, POMEGRANATE & PERSIMMONS
Source: ancientharvest
1 cup Traditional Quinoa
1 (10 oz) package fresh baby spinach, washed
½ small red onion, sliced very thin
1 Fuyu persimmon, sliced
1 pomegranate, peeled and seeds separated
½ cup walnut pieces
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
FOR THE DRESSING:
¼ cup red wine vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside.
Prepare dressing: in a small bowl, whisk all ingredients and set aside. In a large salad bowl, combine quinoa, spinach, red onion, persimmon, pomegranate seeds, walnuts and goat cheese crumbles. Toss with vinaigrette prior to serving.