Crop Talk: Week 19

Crop Talk, October 10: Week 19

The Other Potatoes

We dug our sweet potatoes today. They're fewer in number than our white and red potatoes, but that relative scarcity just increases our pleasure in eating them -- which we do as often as we can, because they're delicious and nourishing. Here's what World's Healthiest Foods says about these tubers:

"How sweet it is for your health to eat sweet potatoes! Not only do they taste like dessert, but they provide some surprising health benefits. Many people think about sweet potatoes as being nothing more than plain old potatoes that can tweak our taste buds with some extra flavor. Yet cutting-edge research on sweet potatoes tells us that nothing could be further from the truth as they have so many unique nutritional benefits to offer!

One difficulty in describing the health benefits of sweet potatoes is knowing where to begin. There are a surprising number of nutrient categories responsible for the health benefits of this under-appreciated tuber. Among these categories are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and blood sugar-regulating nutrients. Each category brings with it valuable health benefits."

Read more here.

Week 19 CSA Shares Include:

Sweet Potatoes

Leeks

Kale

Green Beans

Apples

Potatoes

Season Bonus: Jack-o-lantern pumpkin

Pick-your-own bonus: 6 apples, #4 bag of beans

Bonus value this week: $7.00

Year-to-date bonus value: $126.00

Note: For the final two weeks of the season, we'll pack shares in plastic bags so we can collect all our empty boxes as the 2016 CSA season concludes. Please be sure to return your empties to your group site, or leave them out for your driver. Thanks.

Extra-Crispy Sweet Potato Wedges

From Baker by Nature

"This basic (but brilliant!) recipe requires very few ingredients, making it a minimalists dream come true! To make this irresistible snack you’ll need sweet potatoes, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of brown sugar. You’ll also need a large baking sheet, some tinfoil, and a baking rack ( this is what I use ). The assembly takes virtually no effort and should take less than 10 minutes. Perfect for nights you’re in no mood to fuss with food."

Read more here.

Green Bean Potato Salad with Lemon-Soy Vinaigrette

This vibrant and colorful side dish is sure to be a total show-stopper in any cookout, picnic, or potluck scenario--it's anything but your typical, creamy, mayo-based potato salad. Crisp, delicately sweet green beans pair up with tender, fluffy petite red potatoes for the base of this dynamic salad. The super simple lemony dressing is balanced by the salty kick of soy sauce, a touch of toastiness from sesame oil, and just a bit of heat from crushed red pepper. And the finishing touches put this recipe right over the top: mint leaves for a touch fresh herbaceousness and toasted almonds and sesame seeds for added nutty crunch.

From MyRecipes.com.

Fall Pumpkin Harvest Festival

Our pumpkin celebration continues this weekend, with pig races, P-Rex feedings, marshmallow roasting, pumpkin picking, apple picking, and visits with the Pumpkin Princess.

This weekend we also welcome Pete Carlone to the Barnyard Stage on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4:00.

This Program Creates Real-Life Cabbage Patch Kids

By Lynne Palazzi; From Modern Farmer

Getting kids to eat cabbage isn’t easy. Growing the stuff? That’s a whole different story.

When Alabama nursery wholesaler Bonnie Plants began its Third Grade Cabbage Program in 1996, the company simply gave seedlings to a few local elementary schools. Today, the program distributes free cabbage plants to more than 1.5 million budding farmers in classrooms throughout all 48 contiguous states. The appeal for cash-strapped educators is clear. As for the students, Bonnie Plants wisely appeals to an 8-year-old’s need for instant gratification with the supersize ‘O.S. Cross’ variety, which can top 40 pounds in under 12 weeks.