The Golden Earthworm Farm CSA NEWSLETTER

The wild gander leads his flock through the cool night,
Ya-honk! he says, and sounds it down to me like an invitation:
The pert may suppose it meaningless, but I listen closer,
I find its purpose and place up there toward the November sky.
- Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

this week's
HARVEST

Carrots
Qty: 1 bunch

Rutabaga
Qty: 2 pieces

Purple Top Turnips
Qty: 3 pieces

Red Batavian Lettuce
Qty: 1/2 lb

Broccoli
We didn't get to harvest as much broccoli this year as we had hoped. Much of it died in the greenhouse before we were able to transplant it out into the fields...
Qty: 1 head or 2 little ones

Toscano Kale
Qty: 1 bunch

Tatsoi
Wonderful Asian green. Enjoy sauteed or steamed.
Qty: 1 bunch

Butternut Squash or Onions!
These (squash) look a bit roughed up, but they taste just great! (We gave out all the good lookin' ones last week.) Thursday deliveries will receive the last of our beautiful onions this season- lucky you!
Qty: 1 piece (or several onions)

A note on potatoes...
We were planning on a huge potato harvest this year, but the crop suffered several major setbacks, including a flooded field, bad germination, and terrible weeds. Even though we planted twice as many potatoes as last year, our harvest has been weak. We apologize for this as we know how much you love them. We are all quite sad about it...

Week of November 13, 2006 ~ Issue #26

HAPPENINGS news & musings from the fields

Next week is our last delivery of the season! It always amazes me how quickly 27 weeks can fly by every year.

Next Week's THANKSGIVING BOX
Here's what we're planning for your last box of the season so you can start planning your holiday meals...Salad Mix, Carrots, Green Kale, Celery Root (Celeriac), Rutabaga, Spinach, Leeks, Turnips, and Brussels Sprouts.

SPECIAL ORDERS for NEXT WEEK
Each year we allow our CSA members to special order EXTRA produce to be delivered together with their last box of the season. You must place your order by THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 17th at 5pm. Orders must be placed by e-mail to info@goldenearthworm.com. Please send a check for the total amount to us ASAP: P.O. Box 871, Jamesport, NY 11947.

Carrots - $1.75/bunch
Green Kale - $1.75/bunch
Toscano Kale - $1.75/bunch
Daikon Radish - $2.25/bunch
Rutabaga - $1.00/lb
Leeks - $2.75/bunch
Turnips - $1.25/lb

SURVEY 2006 RESULTS
THANK YOU for all the responses to our end-of-year survey! We were overwhelmed by all the positive feedback and wonderful suggestions for improvement! We will be responding to many of your comments individually via e-mail, but we wanted to address a few issues that came up to the whole group...

We are a CSA Farm...This means that we plan our growing season around you! We do sell our produce at a small farmstand at our farm and at 3 farmers' markets on Long Island, but we only sell what we have in excess at those markets. Our CSA community is our first priority, and we put all our energy into providing you with the highest quality produce you deserve.

Diversity...It's funny to read responses to your favorite and least favorite veggies. One member wants more lettuce in their box, one wants less. One can't stand beets, while another wants them every week! Obviously we can't please everyone all the time, but we will definitely try to take into account everyone's tastes and try to find some compromises. We've heard many of you who want to see less kale in the boxes...but I think you have me to blame for that! Kale is incredibly healthy and absolutely delicious if you know how to prepare it. I can't guarantee you'll see a whole lot less of it next year, because even if you don't like it...IT LIKES YOU!

We are a real, working family farm....Please come visit!
It was clear from the responses in the surveys who has been to the farm, and who has not. Those who have visited us have a much better understanding of how the farm works, and who we are. We don't sit behind big desks pushing papers around...We are out in the fields growing your food for you! Farming is not easy, especially here on Long Island where the pressure for development is pushing farmers off their land. Part of belonging to a CSA program is knowing that you are helping to preserve farmland and promote local agriculture. Who really wants to feed their family food that has been grown by a no-name corporation and shipping thousands of miles across the country? Wouldn't you rather tell your kids to eat up their brussels sprouts that farmers Matt and James worked so hard to grow for them? Food for thought....

RECIPES from the farm & from our friends

SAUTEED TATSOI

1 bunch tatsoi
2 teaspoons oil, canola and sesame, divided
red pepper flakes

Add 1 teaspoon of canola oil to a large pan and heat. When hot, add the tatsoi, quickly tossing with tongs so all of it fits in the pan. After a few minutes the tatsoi is wilted. Remove it to a serving dish and toss with the teaspoon of sesame oil and sprinkle with hot pepper flakes.

MASHED TURNIPS WITH NUTMEG

3 pounds turnips, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325°F. Toss turnips and butter in glass baking dish. Sprinkle turnips with salt and pepper. Cover dish with foil. Bake until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and mash coarsely. Stir in nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.