CSA Newsletter 9/19/18- Back to Our Roots

CSA Newsletter 9/19/18- Back to Our Roots

Early this year I had the opportunity to leave the “big city” of Seattle and return to my old stomping grounds and place I grew up, the Olympic Peninsula. I had experienced enough of the population density and I felt it was a good time to get back to my roots.

I was lucky enough to find Red Dog Farm at just the right time, and was offered a summer job, for which I was extremely grateful. Having done some organic farming (albeit on a much smaller scale) and flower raising in the past, it seemed like a good fit for the summer while we established ourselves on the Peninsula.

What I was completely unprepared for was how much variety was to be seen and had! With several dozen different varieties of roots alone, I was in heaven. Fennel, leeks, five different types of radishes, another three varieties of beets, as well as fields of celery and more potatoes than we almost knew what to do with; I had indeed found a place to truly get back to my roots!

Virtually all varieties have unprecedented flavor and size, and it was wonderful to get back to good, old-fashioned clean living, good food and hard work. In just a little more than month I was happier, stronger and healthier than I had been in over a decade, and I feel I owe it all to the fantastic produce, crew and ownership at Red Dog Farm.

As most of you know, Red Dog Farm is heavily involved in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, and every week provides nearly 100 CSA boxes to members. In addition to fruits and greens also included are, of course, roots!

– Peter

Cooking with Winter Squash

Winter squash is one of the many reasons to look forward to fall. That being said, when you are looking a big Hubbard dead on the nose, it can be intimidating on how to go about cutting it up to prepare for your meal! One bit of good news is that you do not have to peel it (unless you want to!). The skin is edible and actually contains a great deal of nutrients. You can slice and bake the squash with the skin on it, careful not to overcook it and have the skin become too tough. Another trick to cooking the flesh is in the recipe below!

Napa Cabbage!

Napa cabbage, though much less tough that other varieties of cabbage, is part of the brassica family and, like other cabbages, is high in vitamin C. Napa can be eaten raw or cooked and if often a mainstay of kimchi recipes. If you don’t want to ferment your own spicy kimchi here is another napa recipe on our website!

Pea Greens?!

If you are new to eating pea greens (also called pea tendrils or pea shoots), you are in for a treat! With a sweet, mild pea flavor in a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture, pea greens are a much sought-after treat. I recommend either eating them raw in a salad, or lightly wilting or sauteing them in any dish. For additional inspiration, checkout our Pea Greens Recipes on our website.