Week 22, Final Week of Summer CSA

From the Farm

We want to give you our whole-hearted thanks for your commitment to Elmwood Stock Farm this year through the CSA program. Your partnership with the farm allows us to plan in advance of the season – and that plays out in so many different ways. Financially we are able to purchase seed, heat the greenhouses to grow the transplants, hire employees, and begin growing. During the season, we get to meet and talk with some of you, or exchange emails – many farmers never have the opportunity to interact with the people that eat the food they grow. On those very challenging days, it helps to know we are growing good food for real people that want and appreciate it.



We survey our membership each season to help us improve our CSA program. We know how it works from the growing side – it is your turn to tell us how it works from the eating side. The survey was sent by email already – if you need a paper copy, please let us know. We thank you in advance for your time and thoughts.



Elmwood Stock Farm will continue to attend the Saturday farmers market in downtown Lexington, outdoors in Cheapside Park, through Thanksgiving and we hope to see you there. We also attend the indoor market inside Victorian Square, downtown Lexington, each Saturday morning of the winter months (Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar). We will have some winter vegetables, pantry items like dried beans or garlic powder, jarred salsa and tomatoes, fresh eggs, and organic beef, chicken and turkey. We are also available if you want to place an order and then come by the farm to pickup. Contact us by email or phone.



We continue taking pre-orders for our Heritage breed and Broad Breasted breed Certified Organic Turkeys – contact us by email for oodles of information to help you decide if one of these special turkeys is the perfect fit for your holiday gathering or celebration.



Finally, as a current member of Elmwood’s CSA program, you will get first option for renewal for our 2012 season. We hope to finalize details for next season (dates, pickup sites, pricing) by the end of this year and we will alert you by email. Often people look to a CSA share as a holiday gift idea.



Thank you for the work on your part to pick up your share each week, make time to prepare healthy dishes from whole foods, and for sharing news about our program with friends and neighbors. Eat well!

In Your Share
Items in shares may vary depending on your share size and harvest day. Each share many not contain every item listed below.

Butternut Squash

Garlic – organic

Fresh Herbs - organic

Kale Greens –organic

Peppers - organic

Spaghetti Squash

Sweet Potatoes – organic

Tomatoes - organic

Cabbage - organic

Okra - organic

Recipes to Enjoy

Pasta with Autumn Squash, Prosciutto, Celery Leaves and Parmesan
recipe from Janet Fletcher’s Fresh From the Farmers’ Market, serves 4.

2 T unsalted butter
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 ounces prosciutto, minced
1 pound hard-shelled squash, peeled and diced in 1/3 inch cubes
½ pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ C coarsely chopped green celery leaves
1 pound dried orecciette, cavatelli or favorite pasta
2/3 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter with oil in a 12 inch skillet over moderate heat. Add onion and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add prosciutto and sauté 2 minutes. Add squash and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat seasonings. Add ½ C water. Cover and simmer gently until squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in celery leaves.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta and return it to pot. Add sauce and cheese. Toss well, and then serve.

Sweet Potato Burritos
Thanks to a CSA member for sharing a recipe she adapted from allrecipes.com Though the original called for kidney beans, but she believes any bean will yield good results. For extra flavor, she suggests substituting salsa for the water when making the bean mixture. Yummy!

1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 C cooked or canned black beans, drained
½ to 2 C water
3 T chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp prepared mustard
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
Juice of one lime
4 C cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and sauté onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash.

Gradually stir in water to desired consistency, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Stir limejuice into sweet potatoes. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve with salsa and sour cream.